from Claudius as it were to appease the souldiers procure them to set forward But when this Narcissus went vp into the tribunall throne of Plautius to declare the cause of his comming the souldiers taking great indignation therewith cried O Saturnalia as if they should haue celebrated their feast daie so called When the seruants apparelled in their maisters robes represented the roome of their maisters and were serued by them as if they had béene their seruants and thus at length constreined through verie shame they agréed to follow Plautius Herevpon being embarked he diuided his nauie into thrée parts to the end that if they were kept off from arriuing in one place yet they might take land in another The ships suffered some impeachment in their passage by a contrarie wind that droue them backe againe but yet the marriners and men of warre taking good courage vnto them the rather because there was séene a fierie leame to shoot out of the east towards the west which way their course lay made forwards againe with their ships and landed without finding anie resistance For the Britains looked not for their comming wherefore when they heard how their enimies were on land they got them into the woods and marishes trusting that by lingering of time the Romans would be constreined to depart as it had chanced in time past to Iulius Cesar aforesaid The end of the third booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Historie of England The Britains discomfited sore wounded slaine and disabled by Plautius and his power Claudius the Romane taketh the chiefe citie of Cymbebeline the king of Britaine he bereaueth the Britains of their armour and by vertue of his conquest ouer part of the land is surnamed Britannicus The first Chapter NOw Plautius had much adoo to find out the Britains in their lurking holes and couerts howbeit when he had traced them out first he vanquished Cataratacus and after Togodumnus the sonnes of Cynobellinus for their father was dead not verie long before These therefore fléeing their waies Plautus receiued part of the people called Bodumni which were subiects vnto them that were called Catuellani into the obeisance of the Romans and so leauing there a garrison of souldiors passed further till he came to a riuer which could not well be passed without a bridge wherevpon the Britains tooke small regard to defend the passage as though they had béene sure inough But Plautius appointed a certeine number of Germans which he had there with him being vsed to swim ouer riuers although neuer so swift to get ouer which they did sleaing and wounding the Britains horsses which were fastened to their wagons or chariots so that the Britains were not able to doo anie péece of their accustomed seruice with the same Herewithall was Flauius Uespasianus that afterwards was emperour with his brother Sabinus sent ouer that riuer which being got to the further side slue a great number of the enimies The residue of the Britains fled but the next day proffered a new battell in the which they fought so stoutlie that the victorie depended long in doubtfull balance till Caius Sidius Geta being almost at point to be taken did so handle the matter that the Britains finallie were put to flight for the which his valiant dooings triumphant honors were bestowed vpon him although he was no consull The Britains after this battell withdrew to the riuer of Thames néere to the place where it falleth into the sea and knowing the shallowes and firme places thereof easilie passed ouer to the further side whom the Romans following through lacke of knowledge in the nature of the places they fell into the marish grounds and so came to lose manie of their men namelie of the Germans which were the first that passed ouer the riuer to follow the Britains partlie by a bridge which lay within the countrie ouer the said riuer and partlie by swimming and other such shift as they presentlie made The Britains hauing lost one of their rulers namelie Togodumnus of whom ye haue heard before were nothing discouraged but rather more egerlie set on reuenge Plautius perceiuing their fiercenesse went no further but staid and placed garrisons in steeds where néed required to kéepe those places which he had gotten and with all spéed sent aduertisement vnto Claudius according to that he had in commandement if anie vrgent necessitie should so mooue him Claudius therefore hauing all things before hand in a readinesse straightwaies vpon the receiuing of the aduertisement departed from Rome and came by water vnto Ostia and from thence vnto Massilia and so through France sped his iournies till he came to the side of the Ocean sea and then imbarking himselfe with his people passed ouer into Britaine and came to his armie which abode his comming néere the Thames side where being ioined they passed the riuer againe fought with the Britains in a pitcht field and getting the victorie tooke the towne of Camelodunum which some count to be Colchester being the chiefest citie apperteining vnto Cynobelinus He reduced also manie other people into his subiection some by force and some by surrender whereof he was called oftentimes by the name of emperour which was against the ordinance of the Romans for it was not lawfull for anie to take that name vpon him oftener than once in anie one voiage Moreouer Claudius tooke from the Britains their armor and weapons and committed the gouernment of them vnto Plautius commanding him to endeuour himselfe to subdue the residue Thus hauing brought vnder a part of Britaine and hauing made his abode therin not past a sixtene daies he departed and came backe againe to Rome with victorie in the sixt month after his setting foorth from thence giuing after his returne to his sonne the surname of Britannicus This warre he finished in maner as before is said in the fourth yéere of his reigne which fell in the yéere of the world 4011 after the birth of our Sauiour 44 and after the building of Rome 79. The diuerse opinions and variable reports of writers touching the partile conquest of this Iland by the Romans the death of Guiderius The second Chapter THere be that write how Claudius subdued and added to the Romane empire the Iles of Orknie situate in the north Ocean beyond Britaine which might well be accomplished either by Plautius or some other his lieutenant for Plautius indéed for his noble prowesse and valiant acts atchiued in Britaine afterwards triumphed Titus the sonne of Uespasian also wan no small praise for deliuering his father out of danger in his time being beset with a companie of Britains which the said Titus bare downe and put to flight with great slaughter Beda following the authoritie of Suetonius writeth bréeflie of this matter and saith that Claudius passing ouer into this I le to the which neither before Iulius Cesar neither after him anie stranger durst come within few daies receiued the most part of
the warres which he had against the Saxons varieth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth as by his words here following ye maie perceiue Guortimer the sonne of Uortimer saith he thinking not good long to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and his countriemen the Britains preuented by the craft of the English Saxons set his full purpose to driue them out of the realme and kindled his father to the like attempt He therefore being the author and procurer seuen yeares after their first comming into this land the league was broken and by the space of 20 yeares they fought oftentimes togither in manie light incounters but foure times they fought puissance against puissance in open field in the first battell they departed with like fortune whilest the one part that is to meane the Saxons lost their capteine Horse that was brother to Hengist and the Britains lost Catigerne an other of Uortigerns sonnes In the other battels when the Englishmen went euer awaie with the vpper hand at length a peace was concluded Guortimer being taken out of this world by course of fatall death the which much differing from the soft and milde nature of his father right noblie would haue gouerned the realme if God had suffered him to haue liued But these battels which Uortimer gaue to the Saxons as before is mentioned should appeare by that which some writers haue recorded to haue chanced before the supposed time of Uortimers or Guortimers atteining to the crowne about the 6 or 7 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this realme with Hengist And hereto W. Harison giueth his consent referring the mutuall slaughter of Horsus and Catigerne to the 6 years of Martianus 455 of Christ. Howbeit Polydor Virgil saith that Uortimer succéeded his father and that after his fathers deceasse the English Saxons of whome there was a great number then in the I le comming ouer dailie like swarmes of bées and hauing in possession not onelie Kent but also the north parts of the realme towards Scotland togither with a great part of the west countrie thought it now a fit time to attempt the fortune of warre and first therefore concluding a league with the Scots and Picts vpon the sudden they turned their weapons points against the Britains and most cruellie pursued them as though they had receiued some great iniurie at their hands and no benefit at all The Britains were maruelouslie abashed herewith perceiuing that they should haue to doo with Hengist a capteine of so high renowme and also with their ancient enimies the Scots and Picts thus all at one time and that there was no remedie but either they must fight or else become slaues Wherefore at length dread of bondage stirred vp manhood in them so that they assembled togither and boldlie began to resist their enimies on ech side but being too weake they were easilie discomfited and put to flight so that all hope of defense by force of armes being vtterlie taken awaie as men in despaire to preuaile against their enimies they fled as shéepe scattered abroad some following one capteine and some another getting them into desart places woods and maresh grounds and moreouer left such townes and fortresses as were of no notable strength as a preie vnto their enimies Thus saith Polydor Virgil of the first breaking of the warres betwixt the Saxons and the Britains which chanced not as should appeare by that which he writeth thereof till after the death of Uortigerne Howbeit he denieth not that Hengist at his first comming got seates for him and his people within the countie of Kent and there began to inhabit This ought not to be forgotten that king Uortimer as Sigebertus hath written restored the christian religion after he had vanquished the Saxons in such places where the same was decaied by the enimies inuasion whose drift was not onelie to ouerrun the land with violence but also to erect their owne laws and liberties with out regard of clemencie Vortigerne is restored to his regiment in what place he abode during the time of his sonnes reigne Hengist with his Saxons re-enter the land the Saxons and Britains are appointed to meet on Salisburie plaine the priuie treason of Hengist and his power whereby the Britains were slaine like sheepe the manhood of Edol earle of Glocester Vortigerne i◠taken prisoner Hengist is in possession of three prouinces of this land a description of Kent The fift Chapter AFter all these bloudie broiles and tempestuous tumults ended Uortigerne was restored and set againe into the kingdome of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 471. All the time of his sonnes reigne he had remained in the parties now called Wales where as some write in that meane time he builded a strong castle called Generon or Guaneren in the west side of Wales nere to the riuer of Guana vpon a mounteine called Cloaricus which some referre to be builded in his second returne into Wales as shall be shewed hereafter And it is so much the more likelie for that an old chronicle which Fabian had sight of affirmeth that Uortigerne was kept vnder the rule of certeine gouernors to him appointed in the towne of Caerlegion and behaued himselfe in such commendable sort towards his sonne in aiding him with his counsell and otherwise in the meane season whilest his sonne reigned that the Britains by reason thereof began so to fauour him that after the death of Uortimer they made him king againe Shortlie after that Uortigerne was restored to the rule of the kingdom Hengist aduertised therof returned into the land with a mightie armie of Saxons whereof Uortigerne being admonished assembled his Britains and with all speed made towards him When Hengist had knowledge of the huge host of the Britains that was comming against him he required to come to a communication with Uortigerne which request was granted so that it was concluded that on Maie day a certeine number of Britains and as manie of the Saxons should meet togither vpon the plaine of Salisburie Hengist hauing deuised a new kind of treason when the day of their appointed méeting was come caused euerie one of his allowed number secretlie to put into his hose a long knife where it was ordeined that no man should bring anie weapon with him at all and that at the verie instant when this watchword should be vttered by him Nempt your sexes then should euerie of them plucke out his knife and slea the Britaine that chanced to be next to him except the same should be Uortigerne whom he willed to be apprehended but not slaine At the day assigned the king with his appointed number or traine of the Britains mistrusting nothing lesse than anie such maner of vnhaithfull dealing came vnto the place in order before prescribed without armor or weapon where he found Hengist readie with his Saxons the which receiued the king with amiable countenance
made away the worthiest bodie of the world I shall raise thy head aboue all the lords of England and so caused him to be put to death Thus haue some bookes Howbeit this report agreeth not with other writers which declare how Cnute aduanced Edrike in the beginning of his reigne vnto high honor and made him gouernor of Mercia and vled his counsell in manie things after the death of king Edmund as in banishing Edwin the brother of king Edmund with his sonnes also Edmund and Edward But for that there is such discordance and variable report amongst writers touching the death of king Edmund and some fables inuented thereof as the manner is we will let the residue of their reports passe sith certeine it is that to his end he came after he had reigned about the space of one yéere and so much more as is betwéene the moneth of Iune and the latter end of Nouember His bodie was buried at Glastenburie neere his vncle Edgar With this Edmund surnamed Ironside fell the glorious maiestie of the English kingdome the which afterward as it had beene an aged bodie being sore decaied and weakened by the Danes that now got possession of the whole yet somewhat recouered after the space of 26 yéers vnder king Edward surnamed the Confessor and shortlie therevpon as it had béene falne into a resiluation came to extreame ruine by the inuasion and conquest of the Normans as after by Gods good helpe and fauorable assistance it shall appeare So that it would make a diligent and marking reader both muse and moorne to see how variable the state of this kingdome hath béene thereby to fall into a consideration of the frailtie and vncerteintie of this mortall life which is no more frée from securitie than a ship on the sea in tempestuous weather For as the casualties wherewith our life is inclosed and beset with round about are manifold so also are they miserable so also are they sudden so also are they vnauoidable And true it is that the life of man is in the hands of God and the state of kingdoms dooth also belong vnto him either to continue or discontinue But to the processe of the matter Cnute vndertaketh the totall regiment of this land he assembleth a councell at London the nobles doo him homage he diuideth the realme into foure parts to be gouerned by his assignes Edwin and Edward the sonnes of Edmund are banished their good fortune by honorable mariages King Cnute marieth queene Emma the widow of Egelred the wise and politike conditions wherevpon this mariage was concluded the English bloud restored to the crowne and the Danes excluded queene Emma praised for hir high wisedome in choosing an enimie to hir husband Cnute dismisseth the Danish armie into Denmarke Edrike de Streona bewraieth his former trecherie and procureth his owne death through rashnesse and follie the discordant report of writers touching the maner cause of his death what noble men were executed with him and banished out of England Cnute a monarch The xj Chapter CAnute or Cnute whome the English chronicles doo name Knought after the death of king Edmund tooke vpon him the whole rule ouer all the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 1017 in the seuentéenth yeere of the emperour Henrie the second surnamed Claudus in the twentith yéere of the reigne of Robert king of France and about the 7 yeere of Malcolme king of Scotland Cnute shortlie after the death of king Edmund assembled a councell at London in the which he caused all the nobles of the realme to doo him homage in receiuing an oth of loiall obeisance He diuided the realme into foure parts assigning Northumberland vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius Mercia vnto Edrike and Eastangle vnto Turkill and reseruing the west part to his owne gouernance He banished as before is said Edwin the brother of king Edmund but such as were suspected to be culpable of Edmunds death he caused to be put to execution whereby it should appeere that Edrike was not then in anie wise detected or once thought to be giltie The said Edwin afterwards returned and was then reconciled to the kings fauor as some write but shortlie after traitorouslie slaine by his owne seruants He was called the king of churles Others write that he came secretlie into the realme after he had béene banished and kéeping himselfe closelie out of sight at length ended his life and was buried at Tauestocke Moreouer Edwin and Edward the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the land and sent firt vnto Sweno king of Norweie to haue bin made away but Sweno vpon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie where they found great fauor at the hands of king Salomon insomuch that Edwin maried the daughter of the same Salomon but had no issue by hir Edward was aduanced to marie with Agatha daughter of the emperour Henrie and by hir had issue two sonnes Edmund and Edgar surnamed Edeling and as many daughters Margaret and Christine of the which in place conuenient more shall be said When king Cnute had established things as he thought stood most for his suertie he called to his remembrance that he had no issue but two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno begotten of his concubine Alwine Wherefore he sent ouer to Richard duke of Normandie requiring to haue quéene Emma the widow of king Egelred in mariage and so obteined hir not a little to the woonder of manie which thought a great ouersight both in the woman and in hir brother that would satisfied the request of Cnute herein considering he had beene such a mortall enimie to hir former husband But duke Richard did not onelie consent that his said sister should be maried vnto Cnute but also he himselfe tooke to wife the ladie Hestritha sister to the said Cnute ¶ Here ye haue to vnderstand that this mariage was not made without great consideration large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obteine queene Emma to his wife it was fullie condescended agréed that after Cnuts decease the crowne of England should remaine to the issue borne of this mariage betwixt hir Cnute which couenant although it was not performed immediatlie after the deceasse of king Cnute yet in the end it tooke place so as the right séemed to be deferred and not to be taken away nor abolished for immediatlie vpon Harolds death that had vsurped Hardicnute succéeded as right heire to the crowne by force of the agréement made at the time of the mariage solemnized betwixt his father and mother and being once established in the kingdome he ordeined his brother Edward to succéed him whereby the Danes were vtterlie excluded from all right that they had to pretend vnto the crowne of this land and the English bloud restored thereto chieflie by that gratious conclusion of this mariage betwixt king Cnute and quéene Emma For the
gouernance both of his realme and person committed to hir charge She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefelie being admitted to the gouernance of the realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and wholsome order and therefore deuised and established profitable and conuenient lawes the which after were called Martian lawes of hir name that first made them These lawes as those that were thought good and necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth Alfred or Alured that was long after king of England translated also out of the British toong into the English Saxon speech and then were they called after that translation Marchenelagh that is to meane the lawes of Martia To conclude this worthie woman guided the land during the minoritie of hir sonne right politikelie and highlie to hir perpetuall renowme and commendation And when hir sonne came to lawfull age she deliuered vp the gouernance into his handes How long he reigned writers varie some auouch but seuen yeares though other affirme 15. which agréeth not so well with the accord of other histories and times He was buried at London Of Kimarus and his sudden end of Elanius and his short regiment of Morindus and his beastlie crueltie all three immediatlie succeeding each other in the monarchie of Britaine with the explorts of the last The sixt Chapter KImarus the sonne of Sicilius began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3657 and after the building of Rome 442 in the first yeare of the 117 Olsmpiad This Kimarus being a wild yoong man and giuen to follow his lusts and pleasures was slame by some that were his enimies as he was abroad in hunting when he had reigned scarselie three yeares ELanius the sonne of Kimarus or as other haue his brother began to rule the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3361 after the building of Rome 445 after the deliuerance of the Israelities 229 and in the fourth yeare of the Seleuciens after which account the bookes of Machabées doo reckon which began in the 14 after the death of Alexander This Elanius in the English Chronicle is named also Haran by Mat. Westin Danius and by an old chronicle which Fabian much followed Elanius and Kimarus should seeme to be one person but other hold the contrarie and saie that he reigned fullie 8. yeares MOrindus the bastard sonne of Elanius was admitted king of Britaine in the yeare of the world 366 after the building of Rome 451 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 236 and in the tenth yeare of Cassander K. of Macedonia which hauing dispatched Olimpias the mother of Alexander the great and gotten Roxanes with Alexanders sonne into his hands vsurped the kingdome of the Macedonians and held it 15 yéeres This Morindus in the English chronicle is called Morwith and was a man of worthie fame in chiualrie and martiall dooings but so cruell withall that his vnmercifull nature could scarse be satisfied with the torments of them that had offended him although oftentimes with his owne hands he cruellie put them to torture and execution He was also beautifull and comelie of personage liberall and bounteous and of a maruellous strength In his daies a certeine king of the people called Moriani with a great armie landed in Northumberland and began to make cruell warre vpon the inhabitants But Morindus aduertised héerof assembled his Britains came against the enimies and in battell putting them to flight chased them to their ships and tooke a great number of them prisoners whome to the satisfieng of his cruell nature he caused to be slaine euen in his presence Some of them were headed some strangled some panched and some he caused to be slaine quicke ¶ These people whome Gal. Mon. nameth Moriani I take to be either those that inhabited about Terrouane and Calice called Morini or some other people of the Galles or Germaines and not as some estéeme them Morauians or Merhenners which were not known to the world as Humfrey Llhoyd hath verie well noted till about the daies of the emperour Mauricius which misconstruction of names hath brought the British historie further out of credit than reason requireth if the circumstances be dulie considered But now to end with Morindus At length this bloudie prince heard of a monster that was come a land out of the Irish sea with the which when he would néeds fight he was deuoured of the same after he had reigned the terme of 8 yeeres leauing behind him fiue sonnes Gorbomanus Archigallus Elidurus Uigenius or Nigenius and Peredurus Of Gorbonianus Archigallus Elidurus Vigenius and Peredurus the fiue sons of Morindus the building of Cambridge the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation Elidurus three times admitted King his death and place of interrament The seuenth Chapter GOrbonianus the first son of Morindus succéeded his father in the kingdome of Britain in the yéere of the world 3676 after the building of Rome 461 and fourth yéere of the 121 Olimpiad This Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian and was a righteous prince in his gouernment and verie deuout according to such deuotion as he had towards the aduancing of the religion of his gods and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his kingdome and erected some new He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham as Caxton writeth and was beloued both of the rich and poore for he honoured the rich and relieued the poore in time of their necessities In his time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull state of man than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies He died without issue after he had reigned by the accord of most writers about the terme of ten yeares Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant now called Cambridge also Grantham but some thinke that those which haue so written are deceiued in mistaking the name for that Cambridge was at the first called Granta and by that meanes it might be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham and not Cambridge namelie because other write how that Cambridge as before is said was built in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline by one Cantaber a Spaniard brother to Partholoin which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland as before ye haue heard The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius builded a towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta which he closed with walles and fortified with a strong tower or castell and after procuring philosophers to come hither from Athens where in his youth he had bene a student he placed them there and so euen then was that place furnished as they saie with learned men and such as were readie to instruct others in knowledge of letters and
rigging them in sundrie places tooke order for thier setting forward to his most aduantage for the easie atchiuing of his enterprise He appointed to passe himselfe from the coasts of Flanders at what time other of capteines with their fleets from other parts should likewise make saile towards Britaine By this meanes Alectus that had vsurped the title dignitie of king or rather emperour ouer the Britains knew not where to take héed but yet vnderstanding of the nauie that was made readie in the mouth of Saine he ment by that which maie be coniectured to intercept that fléet as it should come foorth and make saile forwards and so for that purpose he laie with a great number of ships about the I le of Wight But whether Asclepiodotus came ouer with that nauie which was rigged on the coasts of Flanders or with some other I will not presume to affirme either to or for because in déed Mamertinus maketh no expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus but notwithstanding it is euident by that which is conteined in his oration that not Maximian but some other of his capteins gouerned the armie which slue Alectus so that we maie suppose that Asclepiodotus was chiefteine ouer some number of ships directed by Maximians appointment to passe ouer into this I le against the same Alectus and so maie this which Mamertinus writeth agrée with the truth of that which we doo find in Eutropius Héere is to be remembred that after Maximians had thus recouered Britaine out of their hands that vsurped the rule thereof from the Romans it should séeme that not onelie great numbers of artificers other people were conueied ouer into Gallia there to inhabit and furnish such cities as were run into decaie but also a power of warlike youths was transported thither to defend the countrie from the inuasion of barbarous nations For we find that in the daies of this Maximian the Britains expelling the Neruians out of the citie of Mons in Henaud held a castell there which was called Bretaimons after them wherevpon the citie was afterward called Mons reteining the last syllable onlie as in such cases it hath often happened Moreouer this is not to be forgotten that as Humfrey Lhoyd hath very well noted in his booke intituled Fragmenta historiae Britannicae Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first mention of the nation of Picts of all other the ancient Romane writers so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots But now to returne where we left The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting tyrant of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine what miracles were wrought at his death whereof Lichfield tooke the name of Coilus earle of Colchester whose daughter Helen was maried to Constantius the emperour as some authours suppose The xxvj Chapter AFter that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans Dioclesian and Maximian ruling the empire the Iland tasted of the crueltie that Dioclesian exercised against the christians in presecuting them with all extremities continuallie for the space of ten yéeres Amongst other one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester a towne now bearing his name was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this persecution being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian Amphibalus whom he receiued into his house insomuch that when there came sergeants to séeke for the same Amphibalus the foresaid Alban to preserue Amphibalus out of danger presented himselfe in the apparell of the said Amphibalus so being apprehended in his stead was brought before the iudge and examined and for that he refused to doo sacrifice to the false gods he was beheaded on the top of an hill ouer against the towne of Werlamchester aforesaid where afterwards was builded a church and monasterie in remembrance of his martyrdome insomuch that the towne there restored after that Werlamchester was destroied tooke name of him and so is vnto this day called saint Albons It is reported by writers that diuers miracles were wrought at the time of his death insomuch that one which was appointed to doo the execution was conuerted and refusing to doo that office suffered also with him but he that tooke vpon him to doo it reioised nothing thereat for his eies fell out of his head downe to the ground togither with the head of that holie man which he had then cut off There were also martyred about the same time two constant witnesses of Christ his religion Aaron and Iulius citizens of Caerleon Arwiske Moreouer a great number of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of life preached by that vertuous man Amphibalus were slaine by the wicked pagans at Lichfield whereof that towne tooke name as you would say The field of dead corpses To be briefe this persecution was so great and greeuous and thereto so vniuersall that in maner the Christian religion was thereby destroied The faithfull people were slaine their bookes burnt and churches ouerthrowne It is recorded that in one moneths space in diuers places of the world there were 17000 godlie men and women put to death for professing the christian faith in the daies of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellow Maximian COelus earle of Colchester began his dominion ouer the Britains in the yeere of our Lord 262. This Coelus or Coell ruled the land for a certeine time so as the Britains were well content with his gouernement and liued the longer in rest from inuasion of the Romans bicause they were occupied in other places but finallie they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius put Coelus in such dread that immediatlie vpon his arriuall Coelus sent to him an ambassage and concluded a peace with him couenanting to pay the accustomed tribute gaue to Constantius his daughter in mariage called Helen a noble ladie and a learned Shortlie after king Coell died when he had reigned as some write 27 yéeres or as other haue but 13 yeeres ¶ But by the way touching this Coelus I will not denie but assuredly such a prince there was howbeit that he had a daughter named Helen whom he maried vnto Constantius the Romane lieutenant that was after emperor I leaue that to be decided of the learned For if the whole course of the liues as well of the father and the sonne Constantius and Constantine as likewise of the mother Helen be consideratelie marked from time to time and yeere to yéere as out of authors both Greeke and Latin the same may be gathered I feare least such doubt maie rise in this matter that it will be harder to prooue Helen a Britaine than Constantine to be borne in Bithynia as Nicephorus auoucheth But forsomuch as I meane not to step from the course of our countrie writers in such points where the receiued
woorthie punishment for within one yéere after he was eaten to death with lice if the historie be true King Edward came to his death after he had reigned thrée yéeres or as other write thrée yéeres and eight moneths ¶ Whatsoeuer hath béene reported by writers of the murther committed on the person of this king Edward sure it is that if he were base begotten as by writers of no meane credit it should appéere he was in déed great occasion vndoubtedlie was giuen vnto quéene Alfred to seeke reuenge for the wrongfull keeping backe of hir son Egelred from his rightfull succession to the crowne but whether that Edward was legitimate or not she might yet haue deuised some other lawfull meane to haue come by hir purpose and not so to haue procured the murther of the yoong prince in such vnlawfull maner For hir dooing therein can neither be woorthilie allowed nor throughlie excused although those that occasioned the mischiefe by aduancing hir stepsonne sonne to an other mans right deserued most blame in this matter Thus farre the sixt booke comprising the first arriuall of the Danes in this land which was in king Britricus his reigne pag. 135 at which time the most miserable state of England tooke beginning THE SEVENTH BOKE of the Historie of England Egelred succeedeth Edward the martyr in the kingdome of England the decaie of the realme in his reigne Dunstane refusing to consecrate him is therevnto inforced Dunstans prophesies of the English people and Egelred their king his slouth and idlenes accompanied with other vices the Danes arriue on the coasts of Kent and make spoile of manie places warre betwixt the king and the bishop of Rochester archbishop Dunstans bitter denunciation against the king because he would not be pacified with the bishop of Rochester without moncie Dunstans parentage his strange trance and what a woonderfull thing he did during the time it lasted his education and bringing vp with what good qualities he was indued an incredible tale of his harpe how he was reuoked from louing and lusting after women whereto he was addicted his terrible dreame of a rough beare what preferments he obteined by his skill in the expounding of dreames The first Chapter IN the former booke was discoursed the troubled state of this land by the manisold and mutinous inuasions of the Danes who though they sought to ingrosse the rule of euerie part and parcell therof in to their hands yet being resisted by the valiantnesse of the gouernors supported with the aid of their people they were disappointed of their expectation and receiued manie a dishonorable or rather reprochfull repulse at their aduersaries hands Much mischiefe doubtlesse they did and more had doone if they had not béene met withall in like measure of extremitie as they offred to the offense and ouerthrow of great multitudes Their first entrance into this land is controuersed among writers some saieng that it was in the daies of king Britricus other some affirming that it was in the time of king Egbert c about which point sith it is a matter of no great moment we count it labour lost to vse manie woords onelie this by the waie is notewoorthie that the Danes had an vnperfect or rather a lame and limping rule in this land so long as the gouernors were watchfull diligent politike at home and warlike abroad But when these kind of kings discontinued and that the raines of the regiment fell into the hands of a pezzant not a puissant prince a man euill qualified dissolute slacke and licentious not regarding the dignitie of his owne person nor fauoring the good estate of the people the Danes who before were coursed from coast to coast and pursued from place to place as more willing to leaue the land than desirous to tarrie in the same tooke occasion of stomach and courage to reenter this I le waxing more bold and confident more desperate and venturous spared no force omitted no opportunitie let slip no aduantage that they might possiblie take to put in practise and fullie to accomplish their long conceiued purpose Now bicause the Danes in the former kings daies were reencountred and that renowmedlie so often as they did encounter and séeking the totall regiment where dispossessed of their partile principalilie which by warlike violence they obteined and for that the Saxons were interessed in the land and these but violent incrochers vnable to keepe that which they came to by constreint we haue thought it conuenient to comprise the troubled estate of that time in the sixt booke the rather for the necessarie consequence of matters then in motion and héere déeme it not amisse at so great and shamefull loosenesse speciallie in a prince ministring hart and courage to the enimie to begin the seuenth booke Wherin is expressed the chiefest time of their flourishing estate in this land if in tumults vprores battels and bloudshed such a kind of estate may possiblie be found For héere the Danes lord it héere they take vpon them like souereignes héere if at anie time they had absolute authoritie they did what they might in the highest degrée as shall be declared in the vnfortunate affaires of vngratious Egelred or Etheldred the sonne of king Edgar and of his last wife quéene Alfred who was ordeined king in place of his brother Edward after the same Edward was dispatched out of the waie and began his reigne ouer this realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 979 which was in the seuenth yéere of the emperor Otho the second in the 24 of Lothaine K. of France and about the second or third yéere of Kenneth the third of that name king of Scotland This Egelred or Etheldred was the 30 in number from Cerdicus he first king of the Westsaxons through his negligent gouernment the state of the commonwealth fell into such decaie as writers doo report that vnder him it may be said how the kingdome was 〈◊〉 to the vttermost point or period of old 〈…〉 age which is the next degrée to the graâ—e For wheras whilest the realme was diuided at the first by the Saxons into sundrie dominions it grew at length as it were increasing from youthfull yeeres to one absolute monarchie which passed vnder the late remembred princes Egbert Adelstane Edgar and others so that in their daies it might be said how it was growne to mans state but now vnder this Egelred through famine pestilence and warres the state thereof was so shaken turned vpside downe and weakened on ech part that rightlie might the season be likened vnto the old broken yéeres of mans life which through féeblenesse is not able to helpe it slefe Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie was thought to haue foreséene this thing and therfore refused to annoint Egelred king which by the murther of his brother should atteine to the gouernment but at length he was compelled vnto it and so he consecrated him at Kingston vpon Thames as the
the word Alb white or Alp an hill as Bodinus is no lesse troubled with fetching the same ab Olbijs or as he wresteth it ab Albijs gallis But here his inconstancie appeareth in that in his Gotthadamca liber 7. he taketh no lesse paines to bring the Britaines out of Denmarke whereby the name of the Iland should be called Vridania Freedania Brithania or Bridania tanquam libera Dania as another also dooth to fetch the originall out of Spaine where Breta signifieth soile or earth But as such as walke in darkenesse doo often straie bicause they wot not whither they go euen so doo these men whilest they séeke to extenuate the certeintie of our histories and bring vs altogither to vncerteinties their coniectures They in like maner which will haue the Welshmen come from the French with this one question vnder Walli nisia Gallis or from some Spanish colonie doo greatlie bewraie their ouersights but most of all they erre that endeuour to fetch it from Albine the imagined daughter of a forged Dioclesian wherewith our ignorant writers haue of late not a little stained our historie and brought the sound part thereof into some discredit and mistrust but more of this hereafter Now to speake somewhat also of Neptune as by the waie sith I haue made mention of him in this place it shall not be altogither impertinent Wherfore you shall vnderstand that for his excellent knowledge in the art of nauigation as nauigation then went he was reputed the most skilfull prince that liued in his time And therfore and likewise for his courage boldnesse in aduenturing to and fro he was after his decease honoured as a god and the protection of such as trauelled by sea committed to his charge So rude also was the making of ships wherewith to saile in his time which were for the most part flat bottomed and broad that for lacke of better experience to calke and trim the same after they were builded they vsed to naile them ouer with rawe hides of bulles buffles and such like and with such a kind of nauie as they say first Samothes then Albion arriued in this Iland which vnto me doth not séeme a thing impossible The northerlie or artike regions doo not naile their ships with iron which they vtterly want but with wooden pins or els they bind the planks togither verie artificiallie with bast ropes osiers rinds of trées or twigs of popler the substance of those vessels being either of fir or pine sith oke is verie deintie hard to be had amongst them Of their wooden anchors I speake not which neuerthelesse are common to them and to the Gothlanders more than of ships wrought of wickers sometime vsed in our Britaine and couered with leather euen in the time of Plinie lib. 7. cap. 56. as also bofes made of rushes and réeds c. Neither haue I iust occasion to speake of ships made of canes of which sort Staurobates king of India fighting against Semiramis brought 4000. with him and fought with hir the first battell on the water that euer I read of and vpon the riuer Indus but to his losse for he was ouercome by hir power his nauie either drowned or burned by the furie of hir souldiers But to proceed when the said Albion had gouerned here in this countrie by the space of seauen yeares it came to passe that both he and his brother Bergion were killed by Hercules at the mouth of Rhodanus as the said Hercules passed out of Spaine by the Celtes to go ouer into Italie and vpon this occasion as I gather among the writers not vnworthie to be remembred It happened in time of Lucus king of the Celts that Lestrigo and his issue whom Osyris his grandfather had placed ouer the Ianigenes did exercise great tyrannie not onelie ouer his owne kingdome but also in molestation of such princes as inhabited round about him in most intollerable maner Moreouer he was not a little incouraged in these his dooings by Neptune his father who thirsted greatly to leaue his xxxiii sonnes settled in the mightiest kingdoms of the world as men of whom he had alreadie conceiued this opinion that if they had once gotten foot into any region whatsoeuer it would not be long yer they did by some meanes or other not onelie establish their seats but also increase their limits to the better maintenance of themselues and their posteritie for euermore To be short therefore after the giants and great princes or mightie men of the world had conspired and slaine the aforsaid Osyris onelie for that he was an obstacle vnto them in their tyrannous dealing Hercules his sonne surnamed Laabin Lubim or Libius in the reuenge of his fathers death proclaimed open warres against them all and going from place to place he ceased not to spoile their kingdomes and therewithall to kill them with great courage that fell into his hands Finallie hauing among sundrie other ouercome the Lomnimi or Geriones in Spaine and vnderstanding that Lestrigo and his sonnes did yet remaine in Italie he directed his viage into those parts and taking the kingdome of the Celts in his waie he remained for a season with Lucus the king of that countrie where he also maried his daughter Galathea and begat a sonne by hir calling him after his mothers name Galates of whom in my said Chronologie I haue spoken more at large In the meane time Albion vnderstanding how Hercules intended to make warres against his brother Lestrigo he thought good if it were possible to stop him that tide and therefore sending for his brother Bergion out of the Orchades where he also reigned as supreame lord and gouernour they ioined their powers and sailed ouer into France Being arriued there it was not long yer they met with Hercules and his armie neare vnto the mouth of the riuer called Roen or the Rhodanus where happened a cruell conflict betwéene them in which Hercules and his men were like to haue lost the day for that they were in maner wearied with long warres and their munition sore wasted in the last viage that he had made for Spaine Herevpon Hercules perceiuing the courages of his souldiours somewhat to abate and seeing the want of artillerie like to be the cause of his fatall daie and present ouerthrowe at hand it came suddenlie into his mind to will each of them to defend himselfe by throwing stones at his enimie whereof there laie great store then scattered in the place The policie was no sooner published than hearkened vnto and put in execution whereby they so preuailed in the end that Hercules wan the field their enimies were put to flight and Albion and his brother both slaine and buried in that plot Thus was Britaine rid of a tyrant Lucus king of the Celts deliuered from an vsurper that dailie incroched vpon him building sundrie cities and holds of which some were placed
after the flood if we diuide therefore the said 133. by seauen you shall find the quotient 19. without any ods remaining From hence also vnto the comming of Samothes into Britaine or rather his lawes giuen vnto the Celts and with them vnto the Britons in the second of his arriuall in this land we find by exact supputation 126. yeares which being parted by nine or seauen sheweth such a conclusion as maketh much for this purpose Doubtlesse I am the more willing to touch the time of his lawes than his entrance sith alteration of ordinances is the cheefe and principall token of change in rule and regiment although at this present the circumstances hold not sith he dispossessed none neither incroched vpon any From Samothes vnto the tyrannie of Albion are 335. yeares complet so that he arriued here in the 335. or 48. septenarie which also concurreth with the 590. after the flood In like sort the regiment of Albion continued but seauen yeares and then was the souereingtie of this I le restored againe by Hercules vnto the Celts The next alteration of our estate openlie knowne happened by Brute betweene whose time and death of Albion there passed full 601. yeares for he spent much time after his departure out of Grecia before he came into Albion so that if you accompt him to come hither in the 602. you shall haue 86. septenaries exactlie From Brute to the extinction of his posteritie in Ferrex and Porrex and pentarchie of Britaine are 630. yeares or 70. nouenaries than the which where shall a man find a more precise period after this method or prescription for manie and diuers considerations The time of the pentarchie indured likewise 49. yeares or seauen septenaries which being expired Dunwallo brought all the princes vnder his subiection and ruled ouer them as monarch of this I le After the pentarchie ended we find againe that in the 98. yeare Brennus rebelled against Beline his brother wherevpon insued cruell bloodshed betwéene them So that here you haue 14. septenaries as you haue from those warres ended which indured a full yeare more before Brennus was reconciled to his brother to the comming of Caesar into this Iland whereat our seruitude and miserable thraldome to the Romans may worthilie take his entrance 48. or 336. yeares than the which concurrences I know not how a man should imagine a more exact After the comming of Caesar we haue 54. or sixe nouenaries to Christ whose death and passion redoundeth generallie to all that by firme and sure faith take hold of the same and applie it vnto their comfort From the birth of Christ to our countrie deliuered from the Romane yoke are 446. yeares at which time the Britains chose them a king and betooke themselues to his obedience But neither they nor their king being then able to hold out the Scots and Picts which dailie made hauocke of their countrie the said Vortiger in the third yeares of his reigne which was the 63. septenarie after Christ did send for the Saxons who arriued here in the 449. and 450. yeares of Grace in great companies for our aid and succour although that in the end their entrances turned to our vtter decaie and ruine in that they made a conquest of the whole I le and draue vs out of our liuings Hereby we sée therefore how the preparatiue began in the 449. but how it was finished in the tenth nouenarie the sequele is too too plaine In like sort in the 43. nouenarie or 387. after the comming of the Saxons the Danes entred who miserablie afflicted this I le by the space of 182. yeares or 46. septenaries which being expired they established themselues in the kingdome by Canutus But their time lasting not long the Normans followed in the end of the 49. yeare and thus you sée how these numbers do hold exactlie vnto the conquest The like also we find of the continuance of the Normans or succession of the Conquerour which indured but 89. yeares being extinguished in Stephen and that of the Saxons restored in Henrie the second although it lacke one whole yeare of ten nouenaries which is a small thing sith vpon diuers occasions the time of the execution of any accident may be preuented or proroged as in direction and progression astronomicall is often times perceiued From hence to the infamous excommunication of England in king Iohns daies wherevpon insued the resignation of his crownes and dominions to the pope are eight septenaries or 56. yeares Thence againe to the deposition of Richard 2. and vsurpation of Henrie 4. are 77. yeares or 11. septenaries From hence to the conspiracie made against Edward 2. after which he was deposed murdered are 117. yeares or 13. nouenaries From hence to the beginning of the quarell betwéene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster wherein foure score and od persons of the blood roiall were slaine and made awaie first and last and which warres begunne in the 1448. and the yeare after the death of the Duke of Glocester whose murther séemed to make frée passage to the said broile are 72. yeares or eight nouenaries From hence to the translation of the crowne from the house of Lancaster to that of Yorke in Edward the 4 are 14. yeares or two septenaries and last of all to the vnion of the said houses in Henrie the eight is an exact quadrat of seuen multiplied in it selfe or 49. yeares whereof I hope this may in part suffice Now as concerning religion we haue from Christ to the faith first preached in Britaine by Iosephus ab Aramathia and Simon Zelotes as some write 70. yeares or 10. septenaries Thence also to the baptisme of Lucius and his nobilitie in the yeare after their conuersion 12. nouenaries or 108. yeares After these the Saxons entred and changed the state of religion for the most part into paganisme in the yeare 449. 39. nouenarie and 273. yeare after Lucius had beene baptised which is 39. septenaries if I be not deceiued In the 147. or 21. septenarie Augustine came who brought in poperie which increased and continued till Wicklif with more boldnesse than anie other began to preach the gospell which was Anno. 1361. or 765. yeares after the comming of Augustine and yeeld 85. nouenaries exactlie From hence againe to the expulsion of the pope 175 yeares or 25. septenaries thence to the receiuing of the pope and popish doctrine 21. yeares or 3. septenaries wherevnto I would ad the time of restoring the gospell by Quéene Elizabeth were it not that it wanteth one full yeare of 7. Whereby we may well gather that if there be anie hidden mysterie or thing conteined in these numbers yet the same extendeth not vnto the diuine disposition of things touching the gift of grace and frée mercie vnto the penitent vnto which neither number weight nor measure shall be able to aspire Of such Ilands as are to be seene vpon the coasts of Britaine Cap. 10. THere are néere
excuses to auoid so manifest a title all men may see that read their bookes indifferentlie wherevnto I referre them For my part there is little or nothing of mine herein more than onelie the collection and abridgement of a number of fragments togither wherein chéeflie I haue vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier who wrote thereof of set purpose to king Edward the sixt as Leland did the like to king Henrie the eight Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth beside thrée other whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth the second to Edward the third and the third to Edward the first as their writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse The title also that Leland giueth his booke which I haue had written with his owne hand beginneth in this maner These remembrances following are found in chronicles authorised remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England and Scotland by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed that the kings of England haue had and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer all Scotland with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning from time to time c. Herevnto you haue heard alreadie what diuision Brute made of this Iland not long before his death wherof ech of his children so soone as he was interred tooke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers reuenged his death and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania seized it into his owne hands as excheated wholie vnto himselfe without yéelding anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber who made no claime nor title vnto anie portion of the same Hereby then saith Adams it euidentlie appeareth that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example like law among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit of the collaterall ascension from the youngest as well in Scotland as in England vnto this daie Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to saie the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine builded in Albania the castell of Maidens now called Edenborough so called of Aldan somtime king of Scotland but at the first named Cair Minid Agnes 1. the castell on mount Agnes and the castell of virgins and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seized This Ebranke reigned in the said state ouer them a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of Britaine descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes Morgan and Conedage lineall heires from the said Ebranke who brotherlie at the first diuided the realme betwéen them so that Morgan had Lhoegres and Conedage had Albania But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother pondering in his head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome excluded nature and gaue place to ambition and therevpon denouncing warre death miserablie ended his life as the reward of his vntruth whereby Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine in which state he remained during his naturall life From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill and after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex This Porrex requiring like diuision of the land affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor was by the hands of his elder brother best loued of queene mother both of his life and hoped kingdome beereaâ—ed at once Wherevpon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne without regard of the loosing of both miserablie slue the other in his bed mistrusting no such treason Cloten by all writers as well Scotish as other was the next inheritour to the whole empire but lacking power the onelie meane in those daies to obteine right he was contented to diuide the same among foure of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death of this Cloten his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure kings and at last overcame them and so recouered the whole dominion In token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the verie first of that mettall if anie at all were before in vse that was worne among the kings of this nation This Dunwallo erected temples wherein the people should assemble for praier to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie He made the law for wager of battell in cases of murder and felonie whereby a théefe that liued and made his art of fighting should for his purgation fight with the true man whom he had robbed beléeuing assuredlie that the gods for then they supposed manie would by miracle assigne victorie to none but the innocent partie Certes the priuileges of this law and benefit of the latter as well in Scotland as in England be inioied to this daie few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted wherin the benefit of wager of battell is restreined By which obedience to his lawes it dooth manifestlie appéere that this Dunwallo was then seized of Albania now called Scotland This Dunwallo reigned in this estate ouer them manie yeares Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo did after their fathers death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them so that Beline had Lhoegres Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and lord aduentured to marrie with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seized Albania into his owne hands and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands which for the length extended from the further part of Cornewall vnto the sea by north Cathnesse in Scotland In like sort to and for the better maintenance of religion in those daies he constituted ministers called archflamines in sundrie places of this Iland who in their seuerall functions resembled the bishops of our times the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and the whole region Caerbrantonica whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania wherby likewise appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion After his death the whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine vntill the time of Uigenius Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline who fauourablie made partition so that Uigenius had all the land from Humber by south and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania c. This Uigenius died and Peridurus suruiued and thereby obteined the whole from whom the same quietlie descended and was by his posteritie accordinglie inioied vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name In his time an obscure nation by most
dominion Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius counted the first christian king of this nation he conuerted the three archflamines of this land into bishopriks and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them The first remained at London and his power extended from the furthest part of Cornewall to Humber water The second dwelled at Yorke and his power stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland The third aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales his power extended from Seuerne through all Wales Some write that he made but two and turned their names to archbishops the one to remaine at Canturburie the other at Yorke yet they confesse that he of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland either of which is sufficient to prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth a Romane but in bloud a Briton as some thinke and the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeâ—s sonne of Lud nephue of Cassibelane was shortlie after emperour king of Britons in whose time the people to whom his ancester Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse in Scotland conspired with the Scots receiued them from the Iles into Scotland But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méeting with their faith and false harts togither droue them all out of the maine land into Iles the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine But notwithstanding this glorious victorie the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romans imposed by treason of Androgeus ancestor to this Seuerus began to hate him whome yet they had no time to loue and who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their confederats in one battell thirtie thousand but such was the consideration of the common sort in those daies whose malice no time could diminish nor iust desert appease Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman and Geta borne by a Romane woman were the sonnes of this Seuerus who after the death of their father by the contrarie voices of their people contended for the crowne Few Britons held with Bassianus fewer Romans with Geta but the greater number with neither of both In the end Geta was slaine and Bassianus remained emperour against whom Carautius rebelled who gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited whereby his seison thereof appeareth Coill descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land was shortlie after king of the Britons whose onelie daughter and heire called Helen was married vnto Constantius a Romane who daunted the rebellion of all parts of great Britaine and after the death of this Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof and reigned in his state ouer them thirtéene or fouretéene yeares Constantine the sonne of this Constance and Helen was next king of Britons by the right of his mother who passing to Rome to receiue the empire thereof deputed one Octauius king of Wales and duke of the Gewisses which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons to haue the gouernment of this dominion But abusing the kings innocent goodnesse this Octauius defrauded this trust and tooke vpon him the crowne For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine Traheron great vncle to Constantine yet after the death of this Traheron he preuailed againe and vsurped ouer all Britaine Constantine being now emperor sent Marimius his kinsman hither in processe of time to destroie the same Octauius who in singular battell discomfited him Wherevpon this Maximius as well by the consent of great Constantine as by the election of all the Britons for that he was a Briton in bloud was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king and expelled and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine Finallie he inhabited all Scotland with Britons no man woman nor child of the Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it which as their Hector Boetius saith was for their rebellion and rebellion properlie could it not be except they had béene subiects He suffered the Picts also to remaine his subiects who made solemne othes to him neuer after to erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation but to remaine vnder the old empire of the onelie king of Britaine I had once an epistle by Leland exemplified as he saith out of a verie ancient record which beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine and entreth after this manner Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino mater Helena semper Augusta c. And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books For thereby I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter neuerthelesse if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were reserued It followeth on also in this maner as it is translated out of the Gréeke Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat nec fides recta aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam c. About fiue and fourtie yeares after this which was long time after the death of this Maximius with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Helga the Scots newlie arriued in Albania and there created one Fergus the second of that name to be there king But bicause they were before banished the continent land they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile in the fatall chaire of marble the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and two and twentie as they themselues doo write Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron brother to king Coill and vncle to Helene was by lineall succession next king of Britons but to appease the malice of Dionothus king of Wales who also claimed the kingdome he maried Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus and afterwards assembled a great power of Britons and entered Albania inuading Gallowaie Mers Annandale Pentland Carrike Kill and Cuningham and in battell slue both this Fergus then king of Scots and Durstus the king of Picts and exiled all their people out of the continent land wherevpon the few number of Scots then remaining a liue went to Argile and there made Eugenius their king When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in Britaine he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica where they subdued the king and depopulated the countrie which he gaue to Conan his cousine to be afterward inhabited by Britons by the name of Britaine the lesse and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the great which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this daie After the death of Maximian dissention being mooued betweene the nobles of Britaine the Scots swarmed togither againe and came to the wall of Adrian where this realme being diuided in manie factions they ouercame one
obeisance to this Cadwallo during eight and twentie yeares Thus Cadwallo reigned in the whole monarchie of great Britaine hauing all the seuen kings thereof as well Saxons as others his subiects for albeit the number of Saxons from time to time greatlie increased yet were they alwaies either at the first expelled or else made tributarie to the onelie kings of Britons for the time being as all their owne writers doo confesse Cadwallader was next king of the whole great Britaine he reigned twelue yeares ouer all the kings thereof in great peace and tranquillitie and then vpon the lamentable death of his subiects which died of sundrie diseases innumerablie he departed into little Britaine His sonne and cousine Iuor and Iue being expelled out of England also by the Saxons went into Wales where among the Britons they and their posteritie remained princes Upon this great alteration and warres being through the whole dominion betwéene the Britons and Saxons the Scots thought time to slip the collar of obedience and therevpon entred in league with Charles then king of France establishing it in this wise 1 The iniurie of Englishmen doone to anie of these people shall be perpetuallie holden common to them both 2 When Frenchmen be inuaded by Englishmen the Scots shall send their armie in defense of France so that they be supported with monie and vittels by the French 3 When Scots be inuaded by Englishmen the Frenchmen shall come vpon their owne expenses to their support and succour 4 None of the people shall take peace or truce with Englishmen without the aduise of other c. Manie disputable opinions may be had of warre without the praising of it as onlie admittable by inforced necessitie and to be vsed for peace sake onelie where here the Scots sought warre for the loue of warre onelie For their league giueth no benefit to themselues either in frée traffike of their owne commodities or benefit of the French or other priuilege to the people of both What discommoditie riseth by loosing the intercourse and exchange of our commodities being in necessaries more aboundant than France the Scots féele and we perfectlie know What ruine of their townes destruction of countries slaughter of both peoples haue by reason of this bloudie league chanced the histories be lamentable to read and horrible among christian men to be remembred but God gaue the increase according to their séed for as they did hereby sowe dissention so did they shortlie after reape a bloudie slaughter and confusion For Alpine their king possessing a light mind that would be lost with a little wind hoped by this league shortlie to subdue all great Britaine and to that end not onelie rebelled in his owne kingdome but also vsurped vpon the kingdome of Picts Whervpon Edwine king of England made one Brudeus king of Picts whom he sent into Scotland with a great power where in battell he tooke this Alpine king of Scots prisoner and discomfited his people And this Alpine being their king found subiect and rebell his head was striken off at a place in Scotland which thereof is to this daie called Pasalpine that is to saie the head of Alpine And this was the first effect of their French league Osbright king of England with Ella his subiect and a great number of Britons and Saxons shortlie after for that the Scots had of themselues elected a new king entered Scotland and ceassed not his war against them vntill their king and people fled into the Iles with whome at the last vpon their submission peace was made in this wise The water of Frith shall be march betwéene Scots and Englishmen in the east parts and shall be named the Scotish sea The water of Cluide to Dunbriton shall be march in the west parts betwéene the Scots and Britons This castell was before called Alcluide but now Dunbriton that is to say the castle of Britons and sometimes it was destroied by the Danes So the Britons had all the lands from Sterling to the Ireland seas and from the water of Frith Cluide to Cumber with all the strengths and commodities thereof and the Englishmen had the lands betwéene Sterling and Northumberland Thus was Cluide march betwéene the Scots and the Britons on the one side and the water of Frith named the Scotish sea march betwéene them and Englishmen on the other side and Sterling common march to thrée people Britons Englishmen and Scots howbeit king Osbright had the castle of Sterling where first he caused to be coined Sterling monie The Englishmen also builded a bridge of stone for passage ouer the water of Frith in the middest whereof they made a crosse vnder which were written these verses I am free march as passengers may ken To Scots to Britons and Englishmen Not manie yeares after this Hinguar and Hubba two Danes with a great number of people arriued in Scotland and slue Constantine whom Osbright had before made king wherevpon Edulfe or Ethelwulfe then king of England assembled his power against Hinguar and Hubba and in one battell slue them both but such of their people as would remaine and become christians he suffered to tarie the rest he banished or put to death c. This Ethelwulfe granted the Peter pence of which albeit Peter Paule had little need and lesse right yet the paiment thereof continued in this realme euer after vntill now of late yeares But the Scots euer since vnto this daie haue and yet doo paie it by reason of that grant which prooueth them to be then vnder his obeisance Alured or Alfred succéeded in the kingdome of England and reigned noblie ouer the whole monarchie of great Britaine he made lawes that persons excommunicated should be disabled to sue or claime anie propertie which law Gregour whome this Alured had made king of Scots obeied and the same law as well in Scotland as in England is holden to this daie which also prooueth him to be high lord of Scotland This Alured constreined Gregour king of Scots also to breake the league with France for generallie he concluded with him and serued him in all his warres as well against Danes as others not reseruing or making anie exception of the former league with France The said Alured after the death of Gregour had the like seruice and obeisance of Donald king of Scots with fiue thousand horssemen against one Gurmond a Dane that then infested the realme and this Donald died in this faith and obeisance with Alured Edward the first of that name called Chifod sonne of this Alured succéeded his father and was the next king of England against whome Sithrtic a Dane and the Scots conspired but they were subdued and Constantine their king brought to obeisance He held the realme of Scotland also of king Edward and this dooth Marian their owne countrieman a Scot confesse beside Roger Houeden and William of Malmesberie In the yeare of our Lord 923 the same king Edward was president and gouernour of
by Edward Balioll wherof our chronicles doo report that in the yéere of our Lord 1326 Edward the third king of England was crowned at Westminster and in the fift yeare of his reigne Edward Balioll right heire to the kingdome of Scotland came in and claimed it as due to him Sundrie lords and gentlemen also which had title to diuerse lands there either by themselues or by their wiues did the like Wherevpon the said Balioll and they went into Scotland by sea and landing at Kinghorns with 3000 Englishmen discomfited 10000 Scots and flue 1200 and then went foorth to Dunfermeline where the Scots assembled against them with 40000 men and in the feast of saint Laurence at a place called Gastmore or otherwise Gladmore were slaine fiue earls thirtéene barons a hundred and thrée score knights two thousand men of armes and manie other in all fortie thousand and there were staine on the English part but thirtéene persons onelie if the number be not corrupted In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward he assembled a great hoast and came to Berwike vpon Twéed and laid siege therto To him also came Edward Balioll king of Scots with a great power to strengthen aid him against the Scots who came out of Scotland in foure batels well armed araied Edward king of England and Edward king of Scots apparrelled their people either of them in foure battels and vpon Halidon hill beside Berwike met these two hoasts and there were discomfited of the Scots fiue and twentie thousand and seauen hundred whereof were slaine eight earles a thousand and thrée hundred knights and gentlemen This victorie doone the king returned to Berwike then the towne with the castell were yéelded vp vnto him In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward of England Edward Balioll king of Scots came to Newcastell vpon Tine and did homage for all the realme of Scotland In the yeare of our Lord 1346 Dauid Bruse by the prouocation of the king of France rebelled and came into England with a great hoast vnto Neuils crosse but the archbishop of Yorke with diuerse temporall men fought with him and the said king of Scots was taken and William earle of Duglas with Morrise earle of Strathorne were brought to London and manie other lords slaine which with Dauid did homage to Edward king of England And in the thirtith yeare of the kings reigne and the yeare of our Lord 1355 the Scots woone the towne of Berwicke but not the castell Herevpon the king came thither with a great hoast and anon the towne was yéelded vp without anie resistance Edward Balioll considering that God did so manie maruellous and gratious things for king Edward at his owne will gaue vp the crowne and the realme of Scotland to king Edward of England at Rokesborough by his letters patents And anon after the king of England in presence of all his lords spirituall and temporall let crowne himselfe king there of the realme of Scotland ordeined all things to his intent and so came ouer into England Richard the sonne of Edward called the Blacke prince sonne of this king Edward was next king of England who for that the said Iane the wife of the said king Dauid of Scotland was deceassed without issue and being informed how the Scots deuised to their vttermost power to breake the limitation of this inheritance touching the crowne of Scotland made foorthwith war against them wherein he burnt Edenbrough spoiled all their countrie tooke all their holds held continuallie war against them vntill his death which was Anno Dom. 1389. Henrie the fourth of that name was next king of England he continued these warres begun against them by king Richard and ceassed not vntill Robert king of Scots the third of that name resigned his crowne by appointment of this king Henrie and deliuered his sonne Iames being then of the age of nine yeares into his hands to remaine at his custodie wardship and disposition as of his superiour lord according to the old lawes of king Edward the confessor All this was doone Anno Dom. 1404 which was within fiue yeares after the death of king Richard This Henrie the fourth reigned in this estate ouer them fouretéene yeares Henrie the fift of that name sonne to this king Henrie the fourth was next king of England He made warres against the French king in all which this Iames then king of Scots attended vpon him as vpon his superiour lord with a conuenient number of Scots notwithstanding their league with France But this Henrie reigned but nine yeares whereby the homage of this Iames their king hauing not fullie accomplished the age of one twentie yeares was by reason and law respited Finallie the said Iames with diuerse other lords attended vpon the corps of the said Henrie vnto Westminster as to his dutie apperteined Henrie the sixt the sonne of this Henrie the fift was next king of England to whome the seigniorie of Scotland custodie of this Iames by right law and reason descended married the same Iames king of Scots to Iane daughter of Iohn earle of Summerset at saint Marie ouer Ise in Southwarke and tooke for the value of this mariage the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling This Iames king of Scots at his full age did homage to the same king Henrie the sixt for the kingdome of Scotland at Windsore in the moneth of Ianuarie Since which time vntill the daies of king Henrie the seuenth grandfather to our souereigne ladie that now is albeit this realme hath béene molested with diuersitie of titles in which vnmeet time neither law nor reason admit prescription to the preiudice of anie right yet did king Edward the fourth next king of England by preparation of war against the Scots in the latter end of his reigne sufficientlie by all lawes induce to the continuance of his claime to the same superioritie ouer them After whose death vnto the beginning of the reigne of our souereigne lord king Henrie the eight excéeded not the number of seauen and twentie yeares about which time the impediment of our claime of the Scots part chanced by the nonage of Iames their last king which so continued the space of one and twentie yeares And like as his minoritie was by all law and reason an impediment to himselfe to make homage so was the same by like reason an impediment to the king of this realme to demand anie so that the whole time of intermission of our claime in the time of the said king Henrie the eight is deduced vnto the number of thirteene yeares And thus much for this matter Of the wall sometime builded for a partition betweene England and the Picts and Scots Chap. 23. HAuing hitherto discoursed vpon the title of the kings of England vnto the Scotish kingdome I haue now thought good to adde here vnto the description of two walles that were in times past limits vnto both the said regions and therefore to
spred in this behalfe the report of their demeanor was quicklie brought to Harald who caused a companie foorthwith of Danes priuilie to laie wait for them as they roade toward Gilford where Alfred was slaine and whence Edward with much difficultie escaped to his ships and so returned into Normandie But to proceed This affirmation of the archbishop being greatlie soothed out with his craftie vtterance for he was lerned confirmed by his French fréends for they had all conspired against the erle and therevnto the king being desirous to reuenge the death of his brother bred such a grudge in his mind against Goodwine that he banished him and his sons cleane out of the land He sent also his wife the erles daughter prisoner to Wilton with one onelie maiden attending vpon hir where she laie almost a yeare before she was released In the meane season the rest of the peeres as Siward earle of Northumberland surnamed Digara or Fortis Leofrijc earle of Chester and other went to the king before the departure of Goodwine indeuouring to perfuade him vnto the reuocation of his sentence and desiring that his cause might he heard and discussed by order of law But the king incensed by the archbishop and his Normans would not heare on that side saieng plainelie and swearing by saint Iohn the euangelist for that was his common oth that earle Goodwine should not haue his peace till he restored his brother Alfred aliue againe vnto his presence With which answer the peeres departed in choler from the court and Goodwine toward the coast Comming also vnto the shore and readie to take shipping he knéeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence he intended to saile into Flanders vnto Baldwine the earle and there praied openlie before them all that if euer he attempted anie thing against the kings person of England or his roiall estate that he might neuer come safe vnto his cousine nor sée his countrie any more but perish in this voiage And herewith he went aboord the ship that was prouided for him and so from the coast into the open sea But sée what followed He was not yet gone a mile waie from the land before he saw the shore full of armed souldiers sent after by the archbishop and his freends to kill him yer he should depart and go out of the countrie which yet more incensed the harts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders he caused the earle the French king and other of his fréends among whome also the emperour was one to write vnto the king in his behalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obteined from him of which the Normans had no liking wherevpon the earle and his sonnes changed their minds obteined aid and inuaded the land in sundry places Finallie ioining their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke néere London where they lodged and looked for the king to incounter with them in the field The king séeing what was doone commanded the Londoners not to aid nor vittell them But the citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whose realme which he had in maner giuen ouer vnto the spoile of the French and therevpon they not onelie vittelled them aboundantlie but also receiued the earle and his chiefe fréends into the citie where they lodged them at their ease till the kings power was readie to ioine with them in battell Great resort also was made vnto them from all places of the realme so that the earles armie was woonderfullie increased and the daie and place chosen wherein the battell should be fought But when the armies met the kings side began some to flée to the earle other to laie downe their weapons and not a few to run awaie out right the rest telling him plainelie that they would neuer fight against their owne countriemen to mainteine Frenchmens quarrels The Normans also seeing the sequele fled awaie so fast as they might gallop leauing the king in the field to shift for himselfe as he best might whilest they did saue themselues elsewhere In the meane season the earles power would haue set vpon the king either to his slaughter or apprehension but he staied them saieng after this maner The king is my sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardlie with his child neither a subiect with his souereigne it is not he that hath hurt or doone me this iniurie but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a kingdome I will doo him no violence And therewithall casting aside his battell ax he ran to the king that stood altogither amazed and falling at his féet he craued his peace accused the archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemlie of his péeres and finallie determined as truth and equitie should deserue The king after he had paused a pretie while seeing his old father in law to lie groueling at his féet and conceiuing with himselfe that his sute was not vnreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest barons of the land to knéele before him and make the like request he lifted vp the earle by the hand had him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and freendlie hauing kissed him and his sonnes vpon the chéekes he lead them to his palace called home the quéene and summoned all his lords vnto a councell Wherein it is much to read how manie billes were presented against the bishop his Normans some conteining matter of rape other of robberie extortion murder manslaughter high treason adulterie and not a few of batterie Wherwith the king as a man now awaked out of sléepe was so offended that vpon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the land onelie thrée or foure excepted whome he reteined for sundrie necessarie causes albeit they came neuer more so néere him afterward as to be of his pritie councell After this also the earle liued almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sat with the king at the table he was taken vp and carried into the kings bedchamber where after a few daies he made an end of his life And thus much of our first broile raised by the cleargie and practise of the archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of tyrannie practised by the prelats of this sée against their lords and souereignes but then I should rather write an historie than a description of this Iland Wherefore I refer you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficientlie penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if he had bin verie vnwilling to be placed in the sée of Canturburie gaue this answer to the letters of such his fréends as did make request vnto him to take the charge vpon him Secularia negotia nescio quia seire nolo eorum námque occupationes horreo
iustices of peace to assigne so that the taxation excéed not twentie shillings as I haue béene informed And thus much of the poore such prouision as is appointed for them within the realme of England Of sundrie kinds of punishments appointed for malefactors Chap. 11. IN cases of felonie manslaghter roberie murther rape piracie such capitall crimes as are not reputed for treason or hurt of the estate our sentence pronounced vpon the offendor is to hang till he be dead For of other punishments vsed in other countries we haue no knowledge or vse and yet so few gréeuous crimes committed with vs as else where in the world To vse torment also or question by paine and torture in these common cases with vs is greatlie abhorred sith we are found alwaie to be such as despise death and yet abhorre to be tormented choosing rather frankelie to open our minds than to yeeld our bodies vnto such seruile halings and tearings as are vsed in other countries And this is one cause wherefore our condemned persons doo go so chéerefullie to their deths for our nation is frée stout hautie prodigall of life and bloud as six Thomas Smith saith lib. 2. cap. 25. de republica and therefore cannot in anie wise digest to be vsed as villanes and slaues in suffering continuallie beating seruitude and seruile torments No our gailers are guiltie of fellonie by an old law of the land if they torment anie prisoner committed to their custodie for the reuealing of his complices The greatest and most gréeuous punishment vsed in England for such as offend against the state is drawing from the prison to the place of execution vpon an hardle or sled where they are hanged till they be halfe dead and then taken downe and quartered aliue after that their members and bowels are cut from their bodies and throwne into a fire prouided neere hand and within their owne sight euen for the same purpose Sometimes if the trespasse be not the more hainous they are suffered to hang till they be quite dead And when soeuer anie of the nobilitie are conuicted of high treason by their peeres that is to saie equals for an inquest of yeomen passeth not vpon them but onelie of the lords of the parlement this maner of their death is conuerted into the losse of their heads onelie notwithstanding that the sentence doo run after the former order In triall of cases concerning treason fellonie or anie other greeuous crime not confessed the partie accused dooth yéeld if he be a noble man to be tried by an inquest as I haue said and his péeres if a gentleman by gentlemen and an inferiour by God and by the countrie to wit the yeomanrie for combat or battell is not greatlie in vse and being condemned of fellonie manslaughter c he is eftsoons hanged by the necke till he be dead and then cut downe and buried But if he be conuicted of wilfull murther doone either vpon pretended malice or in anie notable robberie he is either hanged aliue in chaines néere the place where the fact was committed or else vpon compassion taken first strangled with a rope and so continueth till his bones consume to nothing We haue vse neither of the whéele nor of the barre as in other countries but when wilfull manslaughter is perpetrated beside hanging the offendor hath his right hand commonlie striken off before or néere vnto the place where the act was doone after which he is led foorth to the place of execution and there put to death according to the law The word fellon is deriued of the Saxon words Fell and One that is to say an euill and wicked one a one of vntamable nature and lewdnesse not to be suffered for feare of euill example and the corruption of others In like sort in the word fellonie are manie gréeuous crimes conteined as breach of prison An. 1 of Edward the second Dissigurers of the princes liege people An. 5. of Henrie the fourth Hunting by night with painted faces and visors An. 1. of Henrie the seuenth Rape or stealing of women maidens An. 3. of Henrie the eight Conspiracie against the person of the prince An. 3. of Henrie the seuenth Embesilling of goods committed by the master to the seruant aboue the value of fourtie shillings An. 17. of Henrie the eight Carieng of horsses or mares into Scotland An. 23. of Henrie the eight Sodomie and buggerie An. 25. of Henrie the eight Stealing of hawkes egs An. 31. of Henrie the eight Coniuring sorcerie witchcraft and digging vp of crosses An. 33. of Hen. 8. Prophesieng vpon armes cognisances names badges An. 33. of Hen. 8. Casting of slanderous bils An. 37. Hen. 8. Wilfull killing by poison An. 1. of Edw. the sixt Departure of a soldier from the field An. 2. of Edward the sixt Diminution of coine all offenses within case of premunire embeselling of records goods taken from dead men by their seruants stealing of what soeuer cattell robbing by the high waie vpon the sea or of dwelling houses letting out of ponds cutting of pursses stealing of déere by night counterfeitors of coine euidences charters and writings diuerse other needlesse to be remembred If a woman poison hir husband she is burned aliue if the seruant kill his master he is to be executed for petie treason he that poisoneth a man is to be boiled to death in water or lead although the partie die not of the practise in cases of murther all the accessaries are to suffer paines of death accordinglie Periurie is punished by the pillorie burning in the forehead with the letter P the rewalting of the trées growing vpon the grounds of the offendors and losse of all his mooueables Manie trespasses also are punished by the cutting of one or both cares from the head of the offendor as the vtterance of seditious words against the magistrates fraimakers petie robbers c. Roges are burned through the eares cariers of sheepe out of the land by the losse of their hands such as kill by poison are either boiled or skalded to death in lead or séething water Heretikes are burned quicke harlots and their mates by carting ducking and dooing of open penance in shéets in churches and market stéeds are often put to rebuke Howbeit as this is counted with some either as no punishment at all to speake of or but smallie regarded of the offendors so I would wish adulterie and fornication to haue some sharper law For what great smart is it to be turned out of an hot shéet into a cold or after a little washing in the water to be let lose againe vnto their former trades Howbeit the dragging of some of them ouer the Thames betwéene Lambeth and Westminster at the taile of a boat is a punishment that most terrifieth them which are condemned therto but this is inflicted vpon them by none other than the knight marshall and that within the compasse of his iurisdiction limits onelie Canutus was the first
of Gallia which now is called France whose name was Aganippus hearing of the beautie womanhood and good conditions of the said Cordeilla desired to haue hir in mariage and sent ouer to hir father requiring that he might haue hir to wife to whome answer was made that he might haue his daughter but as for anie dower he could haue none for all was promised and assured to hir other sisters alreadie Aganippus notwithstanding this answer of deniall to receiue anie thing by way of dower with Cordeilla tooke hir to wife onlie moued thereto I saie for respect of hir person and amiable vertues This Aganippus was one of the twelue kings that ruled Gallia in those daies as in the British historie it is recorded But to proceed After that Leir was fallen into age the two dukes that had married his two eldest daughters thinking it long yer the gouernment of the land did come to their hands arose against him in armour and rest from him the gouernance of the land vpon conditions to be continued for terme of life by the which he was put to his portion that is to liue after a rate assigned to him for the maintenance of his estate which in processe of time was diminished as well by Maglanus as by Henninus But the greatest griefe that Leir tooke was to see the vnkindnesse of his daughters which seemed to thinke that all was too much which their father had the same being neuer so little in so much that going from the one to the other he was brought to that miserie that scarslie they would allow him one seruant to wait vpon him In the end such was the vnkindnesse or as I maie saie the vnnaturalnesse which he found in his two daughters notwithstanding their faire and pleasant words vttered in time past that being constreined of necessitie he fled the land sailed into Gallia there to seeke some comfort of his yongest daughter Cordeilla whom before time he hated The ladie Cordeilla hearing that he was arriued in poore estate she first sent to him priuilie a certeine summe of monie to apparell himselfe withall and to reteine a certeine number of seruants that might attend vpon him in honorable wise as apperteined to the estate which he had borne and then so accompanied she appointed him to come to the court which he did and was so ioifullie honorablie and louinglie receiued both by his sonne in law Aganippus and also by his daughter Cordeilla that his hart was greatlie comforted for he was no lesse honored than if he had beene king of the whole countrie himselfe Now when he had informed his sonne in law and his daughter in what sort he had béene vsed by his other daughters Aganippus caused a mightie armie to be put in a readinesse and likewise a great nauie of ships to be rigged to passe ouer into Britaine with Leir his father in law to see him againe restored to his kingdome It was accorded that Cordeilla should also go with him to take possession of the land the which he promised to leaue vnto hir as the rightfull inheritour after his decesse notwithstanding any former grant made to hir sisters or to their husbands in anie maner of wise Herevpon when this armie and nauie of ships were readie Leir and his daughter Cordeilla with hir husband tooke the sea and arriuing in Britaine fought with their enimies and discomfited them in battell in the which Maglanus and Henninus were slaine and then was Leir restored to his kingdome which he ruled after this by the space of two yéeres and then died fortie yeeres after he first began to reigne His bodie was buried at Leicester in a vaut vnder the chanell of the riuer of Sore beneath the towne The gunarchie of queene Cordeilla how she was vanquished of hir imprisonment and selfe-murther the contention betweene Cunedag and Margan nephewes for gouernement and the euill end thereof The sixt Chapter COrdeilla the yoongest daughter of Leir was admitted Q. and supreme gouernesse of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3155 before the bylding of Rome 54 Uzia then reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam ouer Israell This Cordeilla after hir fathers deceasse ruled the land of Britaine right worthilie during the space of fiue yeeres in which meane time hir husband died and then about the end of those fiue yéeres hir two nephewes Margan and Cunedag sonnes to hir aforesaid sisters disdaining to be vnder the gouernment of a woman leuied warre against hir and destroied a great part of the land and finallie tooke hir prisoner and laid hir fast in ward wherewith she tooke such griefe being a woman of a manlie courage and despairing to recouer libertie there she slue hirselfe when she had reigned as before is mentioned the tearme of fiue yéeres CUnedagius and Marganus nephewes to Cordeilla hauing recouered the land out of hir hands diuided the same betwixt them that is to saie the countrie ouer and beyond Humber fell to Margan as it stretcheth euen to Catnesse and the other part lieng south and by-west was assigned to Cunedagius This partition chanced in the yéere of the world 3170 before the building of Rome 47 Uzia as then reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam in Israell Afterwards these two cousins Cunedag and Margan had not reigned thus past a two yéeres but thorough some seditious persons Margan was persuaded to raise warre against Cunedag telling him in his eare how it was a shame for him being come of the elder sister not to haue the rule of the whole I le in his hand Herevpon ouercome with pride ambition and couetousnesse he raised an armie and entring into the land of Cunedag he burned and destroied the countrie before him in miserable maner Cunedag in all hast to resist his aduersarie assembled also all the power he could make and comming with the same against Margan gaue him battell in the which he slue a great number of Margans people and put the residue to flight and furthermore pursued him from countrie to countrie till he came into Cambria now called Wales where the said Margan gaue him eftsoones a new battell but being too weake in number of men he was there ouercome and slaine in the field by reason whereof that countrie tooke name of him being there slaine and so is called to this daie Glau Margan which is to meane in our English toong Margans land This was the end of that Margan after he had reigned with his brother two yéeres or thereabouts AFter the death of Margan Cunedag the sonne of Hennius and Ragaie middlemost daughter of Leir before mentioned became ruler of all the whole land of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3172 before the building of Rome 45 Uzia still reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam in Israell He gouerned this I le well and honourablie for the tearme of 33 yeares and then dieng his bodie was buried at Troinouant or London Moreouer our writers doo
in the most part of his victories both in Gallia Germanie and Italie Titus Liuius speaketh but onlie of Brennus wherevpon some write that after the two brethren were by their mothers intreatance made friends Brennus onlie went ouer to Gallia and there through proofe of his woorthie prowesse atteined to such estimation amongst the people called Galli Senones that he was chosen to be their generall capteine at their going ouer the mountaines into Italie But whether Beline went ouer with his brother and finallie returned backe againe leauing Brennus behind him as some write or that he went not at all but remained still at home whilest his brother was abroad we can affirme no certeintie Most part of all our writers make report of manie woorthie deeds accomplished by Beline in repairing of cities decaied erecting of other new buildings to the adorning and beautifieng of his realme and kingdome And amongst other works which were by him erected he builded a citie in the south part of Wales neare to the place where the riuer of Uske falleth into Seuerne fast by Glamorgan which citie hight Caerleon or Caerlegion Ar Wiske This Caerleon was the principall citie in time past of all Demetia now called Southwales Manie notable monuments are remaining there till this day testifieng the great magnificence and roiall building of that citie in old time In which citie also sith the time of Christ were thrée churches one of saint Iulius the martyr an other of saint Aron and the third was the mother church of all Demetia and the chiefe sée but after the same sée was translated vnto Meneuia that is to say saint Dauid in Westwales In this Caerleon was Amphibulus borne who taught and instructed saint Albon This Beliue also builded an hauen with a gate ouer the same within the citie of Troinouant now called London in the summitie or highest part wherof afterwards was set a vessell of brasse in the which were put the ashes of his bodie which bodie after his deceasse was burnt as the maner of burieng in those daies did require This gate was long after called Belina gate and at length by corruption of language Billings gate He builded also a castell eastward from this gate as some haue written which was long time after likewise called Belins castell and is the same which now we call the tower of London Thus Beline studieng dailie to beautifie this land with goodlie buildings and famous workes at length departed this life after he had reigned with his brother iointlie and alone the space of 26 yeres Of Gurguintus Guintolinus and Sicilius three kings of Britaine succeeding ech other by lineall descent in the regiment and of their acts and deeds with a notable commendation of Queene Martia The fift Chapter GUrguintus the sonne of Beline began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yeare of the world 1596 after the building of Rome 380 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 164 complet which was about the 33 yeare of Artaxerxes Mnenon surnamed Magnus the seuenth king of the Persians This Gurguint in the English chronicle is named Corinbratus and by Matthew Westmin he is surnamed Barbiruc the which bicause the tribute granted by Guilthdag king of Denmarke in perpetuitie vnto the kings of Britaine was denied he sailed with a mightie nauie and armie of men into Denmarke where he made such warre with fire and sword that the king of Denmarke with the assent of his barons was constreined to grant eftsoones to continue the paiment of the aforesaid tribute After he had thus atchiued his desire in Denmarke as he returned backe towards Britaine he encountred with a nauie of 30 ships beside the Iles of Orkenies These ships were fraught with men and women and had to their capteine one called Bartholin or Partholin who being brought to the presence of king Gurguint declared that he with his people were banished out of Spaine and were named Balenses or Baselenses and had sailed long on the sea to the end to find some prince that would assigne them a place to inhabit to whom they would become subiects hold of him as of their souereigne gouernor Therefore he besought the king to consider their estate and of his great benignitie to appoint some void quarter where they might settle The king with the aduice of his barons granted to them the I le of Ireland which as then by report of some authors lay waste and without habitation But it should appeare by other writers that it was inhabited long before those daies by the people called Hibemeneses of Hiberus their capteine that brought them also out of Spaine After that Gurguintus was returned into his countrie he ordeined that the laws made by his ancestors should be dulie kept and obserued And thus administring iustice to his subiects for the tearme of 19 yeares he finallie departed this life and was buried at London or as some haue at Caerleon In his daies was the towne of Cambridge with the vniversitie first founded by Cantaber brother to the aforesaid Bartholin according to some writers as after shall appeare GUintollius or Guintellius the sonne of Gurguintus was admitted king of Britaine in the yere of the world of 614 after the building of the citie of Rome 399 and second yere of the 206 Olimpiad This Guintoline was a wise prince graue in counsell and sober in behauior He had also a wife named Martia a woman of perfect beautie wisedome incomparable as by hir prudent gouernement and equall administration of iustice after hir husbands deceasse during hir sonnes minoritie it most manifestlie appeared It is thought that in an happie time this Guintoline came to the gouernement of this kingdome being shaken and brought out of order with ciuill dissentions to the end he might reduce it to the former estate which he carnestlie accomplished for hauing once got the place he studied with great diligence to reforme anew and to adorne with iustice lawes and good orders the British common wealth by other kings not so framed as stood with the quietnesse thereof But afore all things he vtterlie remooued and appeased such ciuill discord as séemed yet to remaine after the maner of a remnant of those seditious factions and partakings which had so long time reigned in this land But as he was busie in hand herewith death tooke him out of this life after he had reigned 27 yeares and then was he buried at London SIcilius the sonne of Guintoline being not past seuen yeares of age when his father died was admitted king in the yeare 3659 after the building of Rome 430 after the deliuerance of the Israelites out of captiuitie 218 in the sixt after the death of Alexander By reason that Sicilius was not of age sufficient of himselfe to guide the kingdome of the Britains his mother that worthie ladie called Martia had the
all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life and lastlie being growne to great age died when he had reigned now this third time after most concordance of writers the tearme of foure yeares and was buried at Caerleill A Chapter of digression shewing the diuersitie of writers in opinion touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the British kings of this Iland downewards since Gurguintus time till the death of Elidurus and likewise till king Lud reigned in his roialtie with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last yeare of Elidurus and the first of Lud. The eight Chapter HEre is to be noted that euen from the beginning of the British kings which reigned here in this land there is great diuersitie amongest writers both touching the names and also the times of their reignes speciallie till they come to the death of the last mentioned king Elidurus Insomuch that Polydor Virgil in his historie of England finding a manifest error as he taketh it in those writers whome he followeth touching the account from the comming of Brute vnto the sacking of Rome by Brennus whome our histories affirme to be the brother of Beline that to fill vp the number which is wanting in the reckoning of the yeares of those kings which reigned after Brute till the daies of the same Brenne Beline he thought good to change the order least one error should follow an other and so of one error making manie he hath placed those kings which after other writers should séeme to follow Brenne and Beline betwixt Dunuallo and Mulmucius father to the said Beline and Brenne and those fiue kings which stroue for the gouernement after the deceasse of the two brethren Ferrex and Porrex putting Guintoline to succéed after the fiue kings or rulers and after Guintoline his wife Martia during the minoritie of hir sonne then hir said sonne named Sicilius After him succéeded these whose names follow in order Chimarius Danius Morindus Gorbonianus Archigallo who being deposed Elidurus was made king and so continued till he restored the gouernement as ye haue heard to Archigallo againe and after his death Elidurus was eftsoones admitted and within a while againe deposed by Uigenius and Peredurus and after their deceasses the third time restored Then after his deceasse followed successiuelie Ueginus Morganus Ennanus Idunallo Rimo Geruntins Catellus Coilus Porrex the second of that name Cherinus Fulgentius Eldalus Androgeus Urianus and Eliud after whom should follow Dunuallow Molmucius as in his proper place if the order of things doone the course of time should be obserued as Polydor gathereth by the account of yeares attributed to those kings that reigned before and after Dunuallo according to those authours whom as I said he followeth if they will that Brennus which led the Galles to Rome be the same that was sonne to the said Dunuallo Mulmucius and brother to Beline But sith other haue in better order brought out a perfect agréement in the account of yeares and succession of those kings which reigned and gouerned in this land before the sacking of Rome and also another such as it is after the same and before the Romans had anie perfect knowledge thereof we haue thought good to follow them therein leauing to euerie man his libertie to iudge as his knowledge shall serue him in a thing so doubtfull and vncerteine by reason of variance amongst the ancient writers in that behalfe And euen as there is great difference in writers since Gurguintus till the death of Elidurus so is there as great or rather greater after his deceasse speciallie till king Lud atteined the kingdome But as maie be gathered by that which Fabian and other whome he followeth doo write there passed aboue 185 yeares betwixt the last yeare of Elidurus and the beginning of king Lud his reigne in the which time there reigned 32 or 33 kings as some writers haue mentioned whose names as Gal. Mon. hath recorded are thâ—se immediatlie héere named Regâ—â— the sonne of Gorbolian or Gorbonian a worthie prince who iustlie and mercifullie gouerned his people Margan the sonne of Archigallo a noble prince likewise and guiding his subiects in good quiet Emerian brother to the same Margan but far vnlike to him in maners so that he was deposed in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ydwallo sonne to Uigenius Rimo the sonne of Peredurus Geruntius the sonne of Elidurus Catell that was buried at Winchester Coill that was buried at Nottingham Porrex a vertuous and most gentle prince Cherinus a drunkard Fulginius Eldad and Androgeus these thrée were sonnes to Chercinus and reigned successiuelie one after another after them a sonne of Androgeus then Eliud Dedaicus Clotinius Gurguntius Merianns Bledius Cop Owen Sicilius Bledgabredus an excellent musician after him his brother Archemall then Eldol Red Rodiecke Samuill Penisell Pir Capoir after him his sonne Gligweil an vpright dealing prince and a good iusticiarie whom succeeded his sonne Helie which reigned 60 yeares as the forsaid Gal. Mon. writeth where other affirme that he reigned 40 yeares and some againe say that he reigned but 7 moneths There is great diuersitie in writers touching the reignes of these kings and not onlie for the number of yéeres which they should continue in their reignes but also in their names so that to shew the diuersitie of all the writers were but to small purpose sith the dooings of the same kings were not great by report made thereof by any approoued author But this maie suffice to aduertise you that by conferring the yéeres attributed to the other kings which reigned before them since the comming of Brute who should enter this land as by the best writers is gathered about the yéere before the building of Rome 367 which was in the yéere after the creation of the world 2850 as is said with their time there remaineth 182 yéeres to be dealt amongst these 33 kings which reigned betwixt the said Elidure Lud which Lud also began his reigne after the building of the citie of Rome as writers affirme about 679 yéeres and in the yéere of the world 3895 as some that will séeme the precisest calculators doo gather Polydor Virgil changing as I haue shewed the order of succession in the British kings in bringing diuerse of those kings which after other writers followed Beline and Brenne to precéed them so successiuelie after Beline and Brenne reherseth those that by his coniecture did by likelihood succéed as thus After the decesse of Beline his sonne Gurguntius being the second of that name succeeded in gouernment of the land and then these in order as they follow Merianus Bladanus Capeus Ouinus Sicilius Bledgabredus Archemallus Eldorus Rodianus Redargius Samulius Penisellus Pyrrhus Caporus Dinellus and Helie who had issue Lud Cassibellane and Neurius Of king Helie who gaue the name to the I le of Elie of king Lud and what memorable edifices he made London sometimes called Luds towne
and all the late writers of Lucius Hereby it appeareth that whether one or mo yet kings there were in Britain bearing rule vnder the Romane emperors On the other part the common opinion of our chronicle-writers is that the chiefe gouernment remained euer with the Britains that the Romane senat receiuing a yearelie tribute sent at certeine times Ex officio their emperors and lieutenants into this I le to represse the rebellious tumults therein begun or to beat backe the inuasion of the enimies that went about to inuade it And thus would these writers inferre that the Britains euer obeied their king till at length they were put beside the gouernement by the Saxons But whereas in the common historie of England the succession of kings ought to be kept so oft as it chanceth in the same that there is not anie to fill the place then one while the Romane emperors are placed in their steads and another while their lieutenants and are said to be created kings of the Britains as though the emperors were inferiors vnto the kings of Britaine and that the Romane lieutenants at their appointments and not by prescript of the senat or emperours administred the prouince This may suffice here to aduertise you of the contrarietie in writers Now we will go foorth in following our historie as we haue doone heretofore sauing that where the Romane histories write of things done here by emperors or their lieutenants it shall be shewed as reason requireth sith there is a great appearance of truth oftentimes in the same as those that be authorised and allowed in the opinion of the learned Of Theomantius the tearme of yeares that he reigned and where he was interred of Kymbeline within the time of whose gouernment Christ Iesus our sauiour was borne all nations content to obeie the Romane emperors and consequentlie Britaine the customes that the Britaines paie the Romans as Strabo reporteth The xviij Chapter AFter the death of Cassibellane Theomantius or Tenantius the yoongest sonne of Lud was made king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3921 after the building of Rome 706 before the comming of Christ 45. He is named also in one of the English chronicles Tormace in the same chronicle it is conteined that not he but his brother Androgeus was king where Geffrey of Monmouth others testifie that Androgeus abandoned the land clerelie continued still at Rome because he knew the Britains hated him for treason he had committed in aiding Iulius Cesar against Cassibellane Theomantius ruled the land in good quiet and paid the tribute to the Romans which Cassibellane had granted and finallie departed this life after he had reigned 22 yeares and was buried at London KYmbeline or Cimbeline the sonne of Theomantius was of the Britains made king after the deceasse of his father in the yeare of the world 3944 after the building of Rome 728 and before the birth of out Sauiour 33. This man as some write was brought vp at Rome and there made knight by Augustus Cesar vnder whome he serued in the warres and was in such fauour with him that he was at libertie to pay his tribute or not Little other mention is made of his dooings except that during his reigne the Sauiour of the world our Lord Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God was borne of a virgine about the 23 yeare of the reigne of this Kymbeline in the 42 yeare of the emperour Octauius Augustus that is to wit in the yeare of the world 3966 in the second yeare of the 194 Olympiad after the building of the citie of Rome 750 nigh at an end after the vniuersall floud 2311 from the birth of Abraham 2019 after the departure of the Israelits out of Egypt 1513 after the captiuitie of Babylon 535 from the building of the temple by Salomon 1034 from the arriuall of Brute 1116 complet Touching the continuance of the yeares of Kymbelines reigne some writers doo varie but the best approoued affirme that he reigned 35 years and then died was buried at London leauing behind him two sonnes Guiderius and Aruiragus ¶ But here is to be noted that although our histories doo affirme that as well this Kymbeline as also his father Theomantius liued in quiet with the Romans and continuallie to them paied the tributes which the Britains had couenanted with Iulius Cesar to pay yet we find in the Romane writers that after Iulius Cesars death when Augustus had taken vpon him the rule of the empire the Britains refused to paie that tribute whereat as Cornelius Tacitus reporteth Augustus being otherwise occupied was contented to winke howbeit through earnest calling vpon to recouer his right by such as were desirous to sée the vttermost of the British kingdome at length to wit in the tenth yeare after the death of Iulius Cesar which was about the thirtéenth yeare of the said Theomantius Augustus made prouision to passe with an armie ouer into Britaine was come forward vpon his iournie into Gallia Celtica or as we maie saie into these hither parts of France But here receiuing aduertisements that the Pannonians which inhabited the countrie now called Hungarie and the Dalmatians whome now we call Slauons had rebelled he thought it best first to subdue those rebells neere home rather than to séeke new countries and leaue such in hazard whereof he had present possession and so turning his power against the Pannonians and Dalmatians he left off for a time the warres of Britaine whereby the land remained without feare of anie inuasion to be made by the Romans till the yeare after the building of the citie of Rome 725 and about the 19 yeare of king Theomantius reigne that Augustus with an armie departed once againe from Rome to passe ouer into Britaine there to make warre But after his comming into Gallia when the Britains sent to him certeine ambassadours to treat with him of peace he staied there to settle the state of things among the Galles for that they were not in verie good order And hauing finished there he went into Spaine and so his iournie into Britaine was put off till the next yeare that is the 726 after the building of Rome which fell before the birth of our sauiour 25 about which time Augustus eftsoons meant the third time to haue made a voiage into Britaine because they could not agrée vpon couenants But as the Pannonians and Dalmatians had aforetime staied him when as before is said he meant to haue gone against the Britans so euen now the Salassians a people inhabiting about Italie and Switserland the Cantabrians and Asturians by such rebellious sturrs as they raised withdrew him from his purposed iournie But whether this controuersie which appeareth to fall forth betwixt the Britans and Augustus was occasioned by Kymbeline or some other prince of the Britains I haue not to auouch for that by our writers
reported that after the solemnization of this marriage which was doone with all honour that might be deuised Claudius sent certeine legions of souldiers foorth to go into Ireland to subdue that countrie and returned himselfe to Rome Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power the Romane host is kept backe from landing queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict what the Romane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine the end of Aruiragus The fourth Chapter THen did king Aruiragus ride about to view the state of his realme repairing cities and townes decaied by the warre of the Romans and saw his people gouerned with such iustice and good order that he was both feared and greatlie beloued so that in tract of time he grew verie welthie and by reason thereof fell into pride so that he denied his subiection to the Romans Wherevpon Claudius appointed Uespasian with an armie to go as lientenant into Britaine This iournie was to him the beginning of his aduancement to that honour which after to him most luckilie befell But if we shall credit our Britaine writers he gained not much at Aruiragus hands for where he would haue landed at Sandwich or Richborough Aruiragus was readie to resist him so as he durst not once enter the hauen for Aruiragus had there such a puissant number of armed men that the Romans were afraid to approch the land Uespasian therefore withdrew from thence and coasting westward landed at Totnesse and comming to Excester besieged that citie but about the seuenth day after he had planted his siege came Aruiragus and gaue him battell in the which both the armies susteined great losse of men and neither part got anie aduantage of the other On the morrow after quéene Genissa made them friends and so the warres ceassed for that time by hir good mediation ¶ But séeing as before I haue said the truth of this historie maie be greatlie mistrusted ye shall heare what the Romane writers saie of Uespasianus being héere in Britaine beside that which we haue alreadie recited out of Dion in the life of Guiderius In the daies of the emperor Claudius through fauour of Narcissus one that might doo all with Claudius the said Uespasian was sent as coronell or lieutenant of a legion of souldiers into Germanie and being remooued from thence into Britaine he fought thirtie seuerall times with the enimies and brought vnto the Romane obeisance two most mightie nations and aboue twentie townes togither with the I le of Wight and these exploits he atchiued partlie vnder the conduct of Aulus Plautius ruler of Britaine for the emperor Claudius and partlie vnder the same emperor himselfe For as it is euident by writers of good credit he came first ouer into Britaine with the said Aulus Plautius and serued verie valiantlie vnder him as before in place we haue partlie touched By Tacitus it appeereth that he was called to be partener in the gouernment of things in Britaine with Claudius and had such successe as it appéered to what estate of honour he was predestinate hauing conquered nations and taken kings prisoners But now to make an end with Aruiragus when he perceiued that his force was too weake to preuaile against the Romane empire and that he should striue but in vaine to shake the yoke of subiection from the necks of the Britains he made a finall peace with them in his old age and so continued in quiet the residue of his reigne which he lastlie ended by death after he had gouerned the land by the space of thirtie yéeres or but eight and twentie as some other imagine He died in the yéere of Grace 73 as one author affirmeth and was buried at Glocester Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes the antiquitie of christian religion Britaine gouerned by Lieutenants and treasurers of the Romane emperors the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Oxfordshire he vanquisheth the Welshmen appeaseth the Yorkshiremen and brideleth the rage of the Silures The fift Chapter IN the daies of the said Aruiragus about the yeare of Christ 53 Ioseph of Arimathia who buried the bodie of our sauiour being sent by Philip the Apostle as Iohn Bale following the authoritie of Gildas and other British writers reciteth after that the Christians were dispersed out of Gallia came into Britaine with diuers other godlie christian men preaching the gospell there amongst the Britains instructing them in the faith and lawes of Christ conuerted manie to the true beliefe and baptised them in the wholsome water of regeneration there continued all the residue of his life obteining of the king a plot of ground where to inhabit not past a foure miles from Wells and there with his fellowes began to laie the first foundation of the true and perfect religion in which place or néere therevnto was afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie Nicephorus writeth in his second booke and fourth chapter that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine And Theodoretus in his 9. booke De curandis Graecorum affectibus sheweth that Paule being released of his second imprisonment and suffered to depart from Rome preached the gospell to the Britains and to other nations in the west The same thing in manner dooth Sophronius the patriarch of Ierusalem witnesse Tertullian also maie be a witnesse of the ancientnes of the faith receiued here in Britaine where he writing of these times saith Those places of the Britains to the which the Romans could not approch were subiect vnto Christ as were also the countries of Sarmatia Dacia Germania Scithia and others ¶ Thus it maie appeare that the christian religion was planted here in this land shortlie after Christes time although it certeinlie appeareth not who were the first that preached the gospell to the Britains nor whether they were Gréekes or Latins Cornelius Tacitus writeth that the Romane emperours in this season gouerned this land by lieutenants and treasurers the which were called by the name of legats and procurators thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome of the order of consuls was sent hither as the first legat or lieutenant in maner as before ye haue heard after him Ostorius Scapula who at his comming found the I le in trouble the enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were friends to the Romans the more presumptuouslie for that they thought a new lieutenant with an armie to him vnacquainted and come ouer now in the beginning of winter would not be hastie to march foorth against them But Ostorius vnderstanding that by the first successe and chance of warre feare or hope is bred and augmented hasted forward to encounter with them and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on euerie side and pursued such as fled to the end they
himselfe reported it by letters to the emperour after the largest manner to the end that if he appeased the matter he might win the more praise or if he were put to the woorst and should not preuaile that then his excuse might séeme the more reasonable and woorthie of pardon The Siluers were they that had atchiued this victorie and kept a fowle stur ouer all the countries about them till by the comming of Didius against them they were driuen backe and repelled But héerewith began trouble to be raised in another part for after that Caratac was taken the chiefest and most skillfull capteine which the Britains had was one Uenutius a ruler of the people named Iugants a man that remained a long time faithfull to the Romans and by their power was defended from his enimies who had married with Cartimanda queene of the Brigants or Yorkeshire men This Cartimanda as ye haue heard had deliuered Caratac into the Romans hands thereby ministring matter for the emperour Claudius to triumph by which pleasure shewed to the Romans she increased thorough their friendship in power and wealth whereof followed riotous lust to satisfie hir wanton appetite so as she falling at square with hir husband married Uellocatus one of his esquires to whom she gaue hir kingdome and so dishonoured hir selfe Héere vpon insued cruell warre in so much that in the end Uenutius became enimie also to the Romans But first they tugged togither betwixt themselues the quéene by a craftie policie found meanes to catch the brother and coosens of Uenutius but hir enimies nothing therewith discouraged but kindled the more in wrath against hir ceassed not to go forward with their purpose Manie of the Brigants disdaining to be subiect vnto a womans rule that had so reiected hir husband reuolted vnto Uenutius but yet the quéenes sensuall lust mixed wich crueltie mainteined the adulterer Uenutius therefore calling to him such aid as he could get and strengthened now by the reuolting of the Brigants brought Cartimanda to such a narrow point that she was in great danger to fall into the hands of hir enimies which the Romans forséeing vpon suit made sent certeine bands of horssemen and footmen to helpe hir They had diuerse incounters with the enimies at the first with doubtfull successe but at length they preuailed and so deliuered the quéene out of perill but the kingdome remained to Uenutius against whom the Romans were constreined still to mainteine warre About the same time the legion also which Cesius Nasicaled got the vpper hand of those Britains against whom he was sent For Didius being aged and by victories past inough renowmed thought it sufficient for him to make warre by his capteins so to staie and kéepe off the enimie Certeine castels and holds in déed he caused to be built and fortified further within the countrie than had béene afore attempted by anie of his predecessors and so thereby were the confines of the Romans in this I le somewhat inlarged Thus haue ye heard with what successe the Britains mainteined warre in defense of their libertie against the Romans whilest Claudius ruled the empire according to the report of the Romane writers ¶ But here you must note that Hector Boetius following the authoritie of one Veremond a Spaniard of Cornelius Hibernicus also of Campbell remooueth the Silures Brigants and Nouants so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of those countries which the Scots haue now in possession and were euen then inhabited as he affirmeth partlie by the Scots and partlie by the Picts as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at large so that what notable feat soeuer was atchiued by the old Britains against the Romans the same by him is ascribed to the Scots and Picts throughout his whole historie whereas in verie truth for somuch as may be gathered by coniecture and presumption of that which is left in writing by ancient authors the Brigants inhabited Yorkshire the Silures Wales and the Marches and the Nouants the countrie of Cumberland But forsomuch as he hath diligentlie gathered in what maner the warres were mainteined by those people against the Romans and what valiant exploits were taken in hand and finished thorough their stoutnesse and valiancie ye may there read the same and iudge at your pleasure what people they were whome he so much praiseth aduertising you hereof by the way that as we haue before expressed none of the Romane writers mentioneth any thing of the Scots nor once nameth them till the Romane empire began to decay about the time of the emperor Constantius father of Constantine the great so that if they had béene in this I le then so famous both in peace and warre as they are reported by the same Boetius maruell might it séeme that the Romane writers would so passe them ouer with silence After the death of Claudius the emperor of Rome Claudius Domitianus Nero succéeded him in gouernement of the empire In the seuenth yéere of whose reigne which was after the incarnation 53 the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow in Britaine where neither the lieutenant A. Didius Gallus whom in this place Cornelius Tacitus calleth Auitus could during the time of his rule doo no more but hold that which was alreadie gotten beside the building of certeine castels as before ye haue heard neither his successor Uerannius beating and forreieng the woods could atthiue anie further enterprise for he was by death preuented so as he could not procéed forward with his purpose touching the warres which he had ment to haue folowed whose last words in his testament expressed detected him of manifest ambition for adding manie things by way of flatterie to content Neros mind he wished to haue liued but two yéeres longer in which space he might haue subdued prouinces vnto his dominion meaning therby the whole I le of Britaine But this was a Romans brag sauouring rather of ambition than of truth or likelihood The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland he inuadeth Angle sey and winneth it a strange kind of women of the Druides the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies The ninth Chapter BUt now when this great losse chanced to the Romans Paulinus Suetonius did gouerne here as lieutenant a man most plentifullie furnished with all gifts of fortune and vertue and therewith a right skilfull warrior This Suetonius therefore wishing to tame such of the Britains as kept out prepared to assaile the I le of Anglesey a countrie full of inhabitants and a place of refuge for all outlawes and rebels He builded certeine brigantins with flat kéeles to serue for the ebbes and shallow shelues here and there lieng vncerteinlie in the straits which he had to passe The footmen ferried ouer in those vessels the horssemen following by the foords and swimming when they came into the deepe got likewise to
of the countrie at the last AFter him succéeded as lieutenant of Britaine one Iulius Frontinus who vanquished and brought to the Romane subiection by force of armes the people called Silures striuing not onelie against the stout resistance of the men but also with the hardnesse combersome troubles of the places ¶ Thus may you perceiue in what state this I le stood in the time that Aruiragus reigned in the same as is supposed by the best histories of the old Britains so that it may be thought that he gouerned rather a part of this land than the whole and bare the name of a king the Romans not hauing so reduced the countrie into the forme of a prouince but that the Britains bare rule in diuerse parts thereof and that by the permission of the Romans which neuerthelesse had their lieutenants and procuratours here that bare the greatest rule vnder the aforesaid emperours The state of this Iland vnder Marius the sonne of Aruiragus the comming in of the Picts with Roderike their king his death in the field the Picts and Scots enter into mutuall aliance the monument of Marius his victorie ouer the Picts his death and interrement The xv Chapter AFter the decease of Aruiragus his sonne Marius succeeded him in the estate and began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 73. In the old English chronicle he is fondlie called Westmer was a verie wise man gouerning the Britains in great prosperitie honour and wealth In the time of this mans reigne the people called Picts inuaded this land who are iudged to be descended of the nation of the Scithians neare knismen to the Goths both by countrie and maners a cruell kind of men and much giuen to the warres This people with their ringleader Roderike or as some name him Londorike entering the Ocean sea after the maner of rouers arriued on the coasts of Ireland where they required of the Scots new seats to inhabit in for the Scots which as some thinke were also descended of the Scithians did as then inhabit in Ireland but doubting that it should not be for their profit to receiue so warlike a nation into that I le feining as it were a friendship and excusing the matter by the narrownesse of the countrie declared to the Picts that the I le of Britaine was not farre from thence being a large countrie and a plentifull and not greatly inhabited wherefore they counselled them to go thither promising vnto them all the aid that might be The Picts more desirous of spoile than of rule or gouernment without delaie returned to the sea and sailed towards Britaine where being arriued they first inuaded the north parts thereof and finding there but few inhabiters they began to wast and forrey the countrie whereof when king Marius was aduertised with all speed he assembled his people and made towards his enimies and giuing them battell obteined the victorie so that Roderike was there slaine in the field and his people vanquished Unto those that escaped with life Marius granted licence that they might inhabit in the north part of Scotland called Catnesse being as then a countrie in maner desolate without habitation wherevpon they withdrew thither and setled themselues in those parties And bicause the Britains disdained to grant vnto them their daughters in mariage they sent vnto the Scots into Ireland requiring to haue wiues of their nation The Scots agréed to their request with this condition that where there wanted lawfull issue of the kings linage to succéed in the kingdome of the Picts then should they name one of the womans side to be their king which ordinance was receiued and obserued euer after amongst the Picts so long as their kingdome endured Thus the Picts next after the Romans were the first of anie strangers that came into this land to inhabit as most writers affirme although the Scotish chronicles auouch the Picts to be inhabiters here before the incarnation of our sauiour But the victorie which Marius obteined against their king Roderike chanced in the yéere after the incarnation 87. In remembrance of which victorie Marius caused a stone to be erected in the same place where the battell was fought in which stone was grauen these words Marij victoria The English chronicle saith that this stone was set vp on Stanesmoore and that the whole countrie thereabout taking name of this Marius was Westmaria now called Westmerland King Marius hauing thus subdued his enimies and escaped the danger of their dreadfull inuasion gaue his mind to the good gouernement of his people and the aduancement of the common wealth of the realme continuing the residue of his life in great tranquillitie and finallie departed this life after he had reigned as most writers say 52 or 53 yeeres Howbeit there be that write that he died in the yéere of our Lord 78 and so reigned not past fiue or six yéeres at the most He was buried at Caerleill leauing a sonne behind him called Coill Humfrey Lhoyd séemeth to take this man and his father Aruiragus to be all one person whether mooued thereto by some catalog of kings which he saw or otherwise I cannot affirme but speaking of the time when the Picts and Scots should first come to settle themselues in this land he hath these words Neither was there anie writers of name that made mention either of Scots or Picts before Uespasianus time about the yeere of the incarnation 72 at what time Meurig or Maw or Aruiragus reigned in Britaine in which time our annales doo report that a certeine kind of people liuing by pirasie and rouing on the sea came foorth of Sueden or Norwaie vnder the guiding of one Rhithercus who landed in Albania wasting all the countrie with robbing and spoiling so farre as Caerleill where he was vanquished in battell and slaine by Muragus with a great part of his people the residue that escaped by flight fled to their ships and so conueied themselues into the Iles of Orkney and Scotland where they abode quietlie a great while after Thus farre haue I thought good to shew of the foresaid Lhoyds booke for that it seemeth to carie a great likelihood of truth with it for the historie of the Picts which vndoubtedlie I thinke were not as yet inhabiting in Britaine but rather first placing themselues in the Iles of Orkney made inuasion into the maine I le of Britaine afterwards as occasion was offred In the British toong they are called Pightiaid that is Pightians and so likewise were they called in the Scotish and in their owne toong Now will we shew what chanced in this I le during the time of the foresaid Marius his supposed reigne as is found in the Romane histories Iulius Agricola is deputed by Vespasian to gouerne Britaine he inuadeth the I le of Anglesey the inhabitants yeeld vp them selues the commendable gouernement of Agricola his worthie practises to traine the Britains to ciuilitie his
which the Romans had followed till they were throughlie wearied There were slaine of the Britains that day 10000 and of the Romans 340 among whom Aulus Atticus a capteine of one of the cohorts or bands of footmen was one who being mounted on horssebacke through his owne too much youthfull courage and fierce vnrulines of his horsse was caried into the middle throng of his enimies and there slaine The lamentable distresse and pitifull perplexitie of the Britains after their ouerthrow Domitian enuieth Agricola the glorie of his victories he is subtilie depriued of his deputiship and Cneus Trebellius surrogated in his roome The xviij Chapter THe night insuing the foresaid ouerthrow of the Britains was spent of the Romans in great ioy gladnes for the victorie atchiued But among the Britains there was nothing else heard but mourning and lamentation both of men and women that were mingled togither some busie to beare away the wounded to bind and dresse their hurts other calling for their sonnes kinsfolkes and friends that were wanting Manie of them forsooke their houses and in their desperate mood set them on fire and choosing foorth places for their better refuge and safegard foorthwith misliking of the same left them and sought others herewith diuerse of them tooke counsell togither what they were best to doo one while they were in hope an other while they fainted as people cast into vtter despaire the beholding of their wiues and children oftentimes mooued them to attempt some new enterprise for the preseruation of their countrie and liberties And certeine it is that some of them slue their wiues and children as mooued thereto with a certeine fond regard of pitie to rid them out of further miserie and danger of thraldome The next day the certeintie of the victorie more plainlie was disclosed for all was quiet about and no noise heard anie where the houses appeared burning on ech side and such as were sent foorth to discouer the countrie into euerie part thereof saw not a creature stirring for all the people were auoided and withdrawne a farre off When Agricola had thus ouerthrowne his enimies in a pitcht field at the mountaine of Granziben and that the countrie was quite rid of all appearance of enimies bicause the summer of this eight yéere of his gouernement was now almost spent he brought his armie into the confines of the Horrestians which inhabited the countries now called Angus Merne and there intended to winter and tooke hostages of the people for assurance of their loialtie and subiection This doone he appointed the admirall of the nauie to saile about the I le which accordinglie to his commission in that point receiued luckilie accomplished his enterprise and brought the nauie about againe into an hauen called Trutulensts In this meane time whiles Iulius Agricola was thus occupied in Britaine both the emperour Uespasianus and also his brother Titus that succéeded him departed this life and Domitianus was elected emperor who hearing of such prosperous successe as Agricola had against the Britains did not so much reioise for the thing well doone as he enuied to consider what glorie and renowme should redound to Agricola thereby which he perceiued should much darken the glasse of his same hauing a priuate person vnder him who in woorthinesse of noble exploits atchiued farre excelled his dooings To find remedie therefore herein he thought not good to vtter his malice as yet whilest Agricola remained in Britaine with an armie which so much fauoured him and that with so good cause sith by his policie and noble conduct the same had obteined so manie victories so much honor and such plentie of spoiles and booties Wherevpon to dissemble his intent he appointed to reuoke him foorth of Britaine as it were to honor him not onelie with deserued triumphs but also with the lieutenantship of Syria which as then was void by the death of Atilius Rufus Thus Agricola being countermanded home to Rome deliuered his prouince vnto his successor Cneus Trebellius appointed thereto by the emperour Domitianus in good quiet and safegard ¶ Thus may you sée in what state Britaine stood in the daies of king Marius of whome Tacitus maketh no mention at all Some haue written that the citie of Chester was builded by this Marius though other as before I haue said thinke rather that it was the worke of Ostorius Scapula their legat Touching other the dooings of Agricola in the Scotish chronicle you maie find more at large set foorth for that which I haue written héere is but to shew what in effect Cornelius Tacitus writeth of that which Agricola did here in Britaine without making mention either of Scots or Picts onelie naming them Britains Horrestians and Calidoneans who inhabited in those daies a part of this Ile which now we call Scotland the originall of which countrie and the inhabitants of the same is greatlie controuersed among writers diuerse diuerslie descanting therevpon some fetching their reason from the etymon of the word which is Gréeke some from the opening of their ancestors as they find the same remaining in records other some from comparing antiquities togither and aptlie collecting the truth as néere as they can But to omit them and returne to the continuation of our owne historie Of Coillus the sonne of Marius his education in Rome how long he reigned of Lucius his sonne and successor what time he assumed the gouernment of this land he was an open professor of christian religion he and his familie are baptised Britaine receiueth the faith 3 archbishops and 28 bishops at that time in this Iland westminster church and S. Peters in Cornehill builded diuers opinions touching the time of Lucius his reigne of his death and when the christian faith was receiued in this Iland The 19. Chapter COillus the sonne of Marius was after his fathers deceasse made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 125. This Coillus or Coill was brought vp in his youth amongst the Romans at Rome where he spent his time not vnprofitablie but applied himselfe to learning seruice in the warres by reason whereof he was much honored of the Romans and he likewise honored and loued them so that he paied his tribute truelie all the time of his reigne and therefore liued in peace and good quiet He was also a prince of much bountie and verie liberall whereby he obteined great loue both of his nobles and commons Some saie that he made the towne of Colchester in Essex but others write that Coill which reigned next after Asclepiodotus was the first founder of that towne but by other it should séeme to be built long before being called Camelodunum Finallie when this Coill had reigned the space of 54 yeares he departed this life at Yorke leauing after him a sonne named Lucius which succéeded in the kingdome LUcius the sonne of Coillus whose surname as saith William Harison is not extant
of the enimies ceassed for a time but the wickednesse of the British people ceassed not at all The enimies departed out of the land but the inhabitants departed not from their naughtie dooings being not so readie to put backe the common enimies as to exercise ciuill warre and discord among themselues The wicked Irish people departed home to make returne againe within a while after But the Picts settled themselues first at that season in the vttermost bounds of the I le and there continued making insurrections oftentimes vpon their neighbours and spoiling them of their goods This with more also hath Gyldas and likewise Beda written of this great desolation of the British people wherein if the words of Gyldas be well weighed and considered it maie lead vs to thinke that the Scots had no habitations here in Britaine but onelie in Ireland till after this season and that at this present time the Picts which before inhabited within the Iles of Orkenie now placed themselues in the north parts of Scotland and after by processe of time came and nestled themselues in Louthian in the Mers and other countries more neere to our borders But to procéed The British histories affirme that whilest the Britains were thus persecuted by these two most cruell and fierce nations the Scots and Picts the noble and chiefest men amongst them consulted togither concluded to send an honorable ambassage vnto Aldroenus as then king of little Britaine in Gallia which Aldroenus was the fourth from Cnoan Meridoc the first king there of the British nation Of this ambassage the archbishop of London named Guetheline or Gosseline was appointed the chiefe and principall who passing ouer into little Britaine and comming before the presence of Aldroenus so declared the effect of his message that his suit was granted For Aldroenus agréed to send his brother Constantine ouer into great Britaine with a conuenient power vpon condition that the victorie being obteined against the enimies the Britains should make him king of great Britaine ¶ Thus it is apparent that this land of Britaine was without anie certeine gouernour after that Gratian the vsurper was dispatched a number of yéeres togither but how manie writers in their account do varie Fabian deposeth by diuers coniecturs that the space betwixt the death of Gratian and the beginning of the reigne of the said Constantine brother to Aldroenus continued nine and thirtie yéeres during which time the Britains were sore and miserablie afflicted by the inuasions of the Scots and Picts as before ye haue heard by testimonies taken out of Beda Gyldas Geffrey of Monmouth and other writers both British and English What the Roman historiographer Marcellinus reporteth of the Scots Picts and Britains vnder the emperour Iulianus Valentinianus and Valens they send their vicegerents into Britaine the disquietnesse of that time London called Augusta the worthie exploits of Theodosius in this Iland against the enimie Valentinus a banished malefactor deuiseth his destruction he is taken and executed he reformeth manie disorders and inconueniences the first entring of the Saxons into Britaine they are dawnâ—ed at the verie sight of the Romane ensignes the Saxons lieng in wait for their enimies are slaine euerie mothers sonne The xxxiiij Chapter BUt now sith no mention is made of the Scots in our histories till the daies of Maximus the vsurper or tyrant as some call him who began his reigne here in Britaine about the yéere of our Lord 383 and that till after he had bereft the land of the chiefest forces thereof in taking the most part of the youth ouer with him we find not in the same histories of anie troubles wrought to the Britains by that nation Therefore we haue thought good héere to come backe to the former times that we may shew what is found mentioned in the Romane histories both before that time and after as well concerning the Scots and Picts as also the Saxons and especiallie in Ammianus Marcellinus where in the beginning of his twentith booke intreating of the doings of the emperour Iulianus he saith as followeth In this state stood things in Illyricum or Slauonia in and the east parts at what time Constantius bare the office of consull the tenth time and Iulianus the third time that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 360 when in Britaine quietnesse being disturbed by roads made by the Scots and Picts which are wild and sauage people the frontiers of the countrie were wasted and feare oppressed the prouinces wearied with the heape of passed losses The emperor he meaneth Iulianus as then remaining at Paris and hauing his mind troubled with manie cares doubted to go to the aid of them beyond the sea as we haue shewed that Constantius did least he should leaue them in Gallia without a ruler the Almains being euen then prouoked and stirred vp to crueltie and warre He thought good therefore to send Lupicinus vnto these places to bring things into frame and order which Lupicinus was at that time master of the armorie a warlike person and skilfull in all points of chiualrie but proud and high-minded beyond measure and such one as it was doubted long whether he was more couetous or cruell Herevpon the said Lupicinus setting forward the light armed men of the Heruli and Bataui with diuers companies also of the people of Mesia now called Bulgarie when winter was well entred and come on he came himselfe to Bulleine and there prouiding ships and imbarking his men when the wind serued his purpose he transported ouer vnto Sandwich and so marched foorth vnto London from thence purposing to set forward as vpon aduise taken according to the qualitie of his businesse he should thinke méet and expedient In the meane time whilest Lupicinus was busie here in Britaine to represse the enimies the emperour Constantius displaced certeine officers and among other he depriued the same Lupicinus of the office of the master of the armorie appointing one Gumobarius to succeed him in that roome before anie such thing was knowen in these parties And where it was doubted least that Lupicinus if he had vnderstood so much whilest he was yet in Britaine would haue attempted some new trouble as he was a man of a stout and loftie mind he was called backe from thence and withall there was sent a notarie vnto Bulleine to watch that none should passe the seas ouer into Britaine till Lupicinus were returned and so returning ouer from thence yer he had anie knowledge what was doone by the emperour he could make no sturre hauing no such assistants in Gallia as it was thought he might haue had in Britaine if he should haue mooued rebellion there The same Marcellinus speaking of the doings about the time that Ualentinianus being elected emperour had admitted his brother Ualens as fellow with him in gouernement hath these words In this season as though
now called Stiermarke a man of a proud and loftie stomach brother to the wife of Maximinus which Ualentinus for some notable offense had béene banished into Britaine where the naughtie man that could not rest in quiet deuised how by some commotion he might destroy Theodosius who as he saw was onelie able to resist his wicked purposes And going about manie things both priuilie and apertlie the force of his vnmeasurable desire to mischiefe still increasing he sought to procure aswell other that were in semblable wise banished men inclined to mischiefe like him selfe as also diuers of the souldiers alluring them as the time serued with large promises of great wealth if they would ioine with him in that enterprise But euen now in the verie nicke when they shuld haue gone in hand with their vngratious exploit Theodosius warned of their intent boldlie aduanced himselfe to sée due punishment executed on the offendors that were foorthwith taken and knowne to be guiltie in that conspiracie Theodosius committed Ualentine with a few other of his trustie complices vnto the capteine Dulcitius commanding him to sée them put to death but coniecturing by his warlike skill wherein he passed all other in those daies what might follow he would not in anie wise haue anie further inquirie made of the other conspirators least through feare that might be spread abroad in manie the troubles of the prouinces now well quieted should be againe reuiued After this Theodosius disposing himselfe to redresse manie things as néed required all danger was quite remooued so that it was most apparent that fortune fauored him in such wise that she left him not destitute of hir furtherance in anie one of all his attempts He therefore restored the cities castels that were appointed to be kept with garrisons and the borders he caused to be defended and garded with sufficient numbers to kéepe watch and ward in places necessarie And hauing recouered the prouince which the enimies had gotten into their possession he so restored it to the former state that vpon his motion to haue it so a lawfull gouernour was assigned to rule it and the name was changed so as from thencefoorth it should be called Ualentia for the princes pleasure The Areani a kind of men ordeined in times past by our elders of whome somewhat we haue spoken in the acts of the emperour Constance being now by little and little fallen into vices he remooued from their places of abiding being openlie conuicted that allured with bribes and faire promises they had oftentimes bewraied vnto the barbarous nations what was doone among the Romans for this was their charge to runne vp and downe by long iournies and to giue warning to our captains what sturre the people of the next confines were about to make Theodosius therefore hauing ordered these other like things most woorthilie to his high fame was called home to the emperours court who leauing the prouinces in most triumphant state was highlie renowmed for his often and most profitable victories as if he had béene an other Camillus or Cursor Papirius and with the fauor and loue of all men was conueied vnto the sea side and passing ouer with a gentle wind came to the court where he was receiued with great gladnesse and commendation being immediatlie appointed to succéed in the roome of Ualence Iouinus that was maister of the horsses Finallie he was called by the emperour Gratianus to be associated with him in the imperiall estate after the death of Ualence in the yeare after the incarnation of our Sauior 379 and reigned emperour surnamed Thodosius the great about 16 yeares and 2 daies Hereto also maie that be applied which the foresaid Marcellinus writeth in the same booke touching the inuasion of the Saxons the which as Wolf Lazius taketh it entred then first into great Britaine but were repelled of the emperour Ualentinianus the first by the conduct and guiding of Seuerus The same yéere saith he that the emperours were the third time consuls there brake forth a multitude of Saxons passing the seas entred stronglie into the Romane confines a nation fed oftentimes with the slaughter of our people the brunt of whose first inuasion earle Nonneus susteined one which was appointed to defend those parties an approoued capteine with continuall trauell in warres verie expert But then incountring with desperate and forlorne people when he perceiued some of his souldiers to be ouerthrowne and beaten downe and himselfe wounded not able to abide the often assaults of his enimies he obteined this by informing the emperour what was necessarie and ought to be doone insomuch that Seuerus maister or as I maie call him coronell of the footmen was sent to helpe and reléeue things that stood in danger the which bringing a sufficient power with him for the state of that businesse when he came to those places he diuiding his armie into parts put the Saxons in such feare and trouble before they fought that they did not so much as take weapon in hand to make resistance but being amazed with the sight of the glittering ensignes the eagles figured in the Romane standards they streight made sute for peace and at length after the matter was debated in sundrie wise because it was iudged that it should be profitable for the Romane commonwealth truce was granted vnto them and manie yoong men able for seruice in the warres deliuered to the Romans according to the couenants concluded After this the Saxons were permitted to depart without impeachment so to returne from whence they came who being now out of all feare and preparing to go their waies diuers bands of footmen were sent to lie priuilie in a certeine hid vallie so ambushed as they might easilie breake foorth vpon the enimies as they passed by them But it chanced far otherwise than they supposed for certeine of those footmen stirred with the noise of them as they were comming brake foorth out of time and being suddenlie discouered whilest they hasted to vnite and knit themselues togither by the hideous crie and shout of the Saxons they were put to flight Yet by and by closing togither againe they staied and the extremitie of the chance ministring to them force though not sufficient they were driuen to fight it out and being beaten downe with great slaughter had died euerie mothers sonne if a troope of horssemen armed at all points being in like maner placed in an other side at the entring of the waie to assaile the enimies as they should passe aduertised by the dolefull noise of them that fought had not spéedilie come to the succour of their fellowes Then ran they togither more cruellie than before and the Romans bending themselues towards their enimies compassed them in on each side and with drawne swords slue them downe right so that there was not one of them left to returne home to their natiue countrie to bring newes
how they had sped nor one suffered to liue after anothers death either to reuenge their ruine or to lement their losse Thus were the limits of the Romane empire preserued at that time in Britaine which should séeme to be about the yéere of our Lord 399. ¶ Thus were the Romans as commonlie in all their martiall affaires so in this incounter verie fortunate the happie issue of the conflict faling out on their side And strange it is to consider and marke how these people by a celestiall kind of influence were begotten and borne as it were to prowesse and renowme the course of their dealings in the field most aptlie answering to their name For as some suppose the Romans were called of the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieng power and mightinesse and in old time they were called Ualentians A valendo of preuailing so that it was no maruell though they were victorious subduers of forren people sithens they were by nature created and appointed to be conquerors and thereof had their denomination What the poet Claudianus saith of the state of Britaine in the decaie of the Romane empire of the Scots and Picts cruellie vexing the Britains they are afflicted by inuasion of barbarous nations the practise of the Saxons of the Scots first comming into this Iland and from whence the Scotish chronographers noted for curiositie and vanitie The xxxv Chapter AFter this in the time of the emperour Honorius the Scots Picts and Saxons did eftsoones inuade the frontiers of the Romane prouince in Britaine as appéereth by that which the poet Claudianus writeth in attributing the honour of preseruing the same frontiers vnto the said emperour in his booke intituled Panegerycus tertij consulatus which fell in the yéere 396 as thus Ille leues Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotúmque vago mucrone secutus Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus vndas Et geminis fulgens vtróque sub axe tropheis Tethyos alternae refluas calcauit arenas The nimble Mores and Picts by right so cald he hath subdude And with his wandring swoord likewise the Scots he hath pursude He brake with bold couragious oare the Hyperborean waue And shining vnder both the poles with double trophies braue He marcht vpon the bubling sands of either swelling seas The same Caladianus vpon the fourth consulship of Honorius saith in a tetrastichon as followeth Quid rigor aeternus caeli quid frigora prosunt Ignotúmque fretum maduerunt Saxons fuso Orcades incaluit Pictonum sanguine Thule Sootorum cumulos fleuit glacialis Hyberne What lasting cold what did to them the frostlie climats gaine And sea vnknowne be moisted all with bloud of Saxons slaine The Orknies were with bloud of Picts hath Thule waxed warme And ysie Ireland hath bewaild the heaps of Scotish harme The same praise giueth he to Stilico the sonne in law of Honorius and maketh mention of a legion of souldiers sent for out of Britaine in the periphrasis or circumlocution of the Gotish bloudie warres Venit extremis legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat fraena truci ferróque notatas Perleget exanimes Picto moriente figuras A legion eke there came from out the farthest Britains bent Which brideled hath the Scots so sterne and marks with iron brent Vpon their liuelesse lims doth read whiles Picts their liues relent He rehearseth the like in his second Panegerycus of Stilico in most ample and pithie manner insuing Inde Calidonio velata Britannia monstro Ferro Picta genas cuius vestigia verrit Caerulus OceanÃque aestum mentitur amictus Me quoque vicinis pereuntem gentibus inquit Muniuit Stilico totam quum Scotus Hybernam Mouit infesto spumauit remige Thetis Illius effectum curis ne bella timerem Scotica ne Pictum tremerem ne littore toto Prospicerem dubijs venturum Saxona ventis Then Britaine whom the monsters did of Calidone surround Whose cheekes were pearst with scorching steele whose garments swept the ground Resembling much the marble hew of ocean seas that boile Said She whom neighbour nations did conspire to bring to spoile Hath Stilico munited strong when raisd by Scots entice All Ireland was and enimies ores the salt sea fome did slice His care hath causd that I all feare of Scotish broiles haue bard Ne doo I dread the Picts ne looke my countrie coasts to gard Gainst Saxon troops whom changing winds sent sailing hitherward Thus maie it appéere that in the time when the Romane empire began to decaie in like manner as other parts of the same empire were inuaded by barbarous nations so was that part of Britaine which was subiect to the Romane emperors grieuouslie assailed by the Scots and Picts and also by the Saxons the which in those daies inhabiting all alongst the sea coasts of low Germanie euen from the Elbe vnto the Rhine did not onelie trouble the sea by continuall rouing but also vsed to come on land into diuerse parts of Britaine and Gallia inuading the countries and robbing the same with great rage and crueltie To the which Sidonius Apollinaris thus alludeth writing to Namatius The messenger did assuredlie affirme that latelie ye blew the trumpet to warre in your nation and betwixt the office one while of a mariner and another while of a souldier wasted about the crooked shores of the ocean sea against the fléet of the Saxons of whome as manie rouers as ye behold so manie archpirats ye suppose to sée so doo they altogither with one accord command obeie teach and learne to plaie the parts of rouers that euen now there is good occasion to warne you to beware This enimie is more cruell than all other enimies He assaileth at vnwares he escapeth by forseeing the danger afore hand he despiseth those that stand against him he throweth downe the vnwarie if he be followed he snappeth them vp that pursue him if he flée he escapeth Of like effect for proofe hâ—ereof be those verses which he wrote vnto Maiorianus his panegyrike oration following in Latine and in English verse Tot maria intraâ—â—â— duce te longéque remotas Sole sub occiduo gentes victricia Caesar Signa Calidonios transuexit ad vsque Britannos Fuderiâ— quanquam Scotum cum Saxone Pictum Hostesquaesiuit quem iam natura vetabat Quâ—erere plus homines c. So manie seas Lontred haue and nations farre by west By thy conduct and Caesar hath his banners borne full prest Vnto the furthest British coast where Calidonians dwell The Scot and Pict with Saxons eke 〈◊〉 though he subdued fell Yet would he enimies seeke vnknowne whom nature had forbid c. ¶ Thus much haue we thought good to gather out of the Romane and other writers that ye might perceiue the state of Britaine the better in that time of the decaie of the Romane empire and that ye might haue occasion to marke by the waie how not onelie the Scots but also the Saxons
Saxons being infidels against the Britains whose exhortation tooke so good effect that the said Constantinus did not onelie forbeare to assist the Saxons but contrarilie holpe the Britains in their warres against them which thing did mainteine the state of the Britains for a time from falling into vtter ruine and decaie In the meane time the Saxons renewed their league with the Picts so that their powers being ioined togither they began afresh to make sore warres vpon the Britains who of necessitie were constreined to assemble an armie mistrusting their owne strength required aid of the two bishops Germane and Lupus who hasting forward with all speed came into the armie bringing with them no small hope of good lucke to all the Britains there being assembled This was doone in Kent Now such was the diligence of the bishops that the people being instructed with continuall preaching in renouncing the error of the Pelagians earnestlie came by troops to receiue the grace of God offred in baptisme so that on Easter day which then insued the more part of the armie was baptised and so went foorth against the enimies who hearing thereof made hast towards the Britains in hope to ouercome them at pleasure But their approch being knowne bishop Germane tooke vpon him the leading of the British host and ouer against the passage thorough the which the enimies were appointed to come he chose foorth a faire vallie inclosed with high mounteins and within the same he placed his new washed armie And when he saw the enimies now at hand he commanded that euerie man with one generall voice should answer him crieng alowd the same crie that he should begin So that euen as the enimies were readie to giue the charge vpon the Britains supposing that they should haue taken them at vnwares and before anie warning had béen giuen suddenlie bishop Germane and the priests with a lowd and shrill voice called Alleluia thrice and therewith all the multitudes of the Britains with one voice cried the same crie with such a lowd shout that the Saxons were therewith so amazed and astonied the echo from the rocks and hils adioining redoubling in such wise the crie that they thought not onelie the rocks and clifs had fallen vpon them but that euen the skie it selfe had broken in péeces and come tumbling downe vpon their heads heerewith therefore throwing awaie their weapons they tooke them to their féet and glad was he that might get to be formost in running awaie Manie of them for hast were drowned in a riuer which they had to passe Polydor taketh that riuer to be Trent The Britains hauing thus vanquished their enimies gathered the spoile at good leasure gaue God thanks for the victorie thus got without bloud for the which the holie bishops also triumphed as best became them Now after they had setled all things in good quiet within the I le as was thought expedient they returned into Gallia or France from whence they came as is before rehearsed By one author it should appéere that this battell was woone against the Scots and Picts about the yéere of our Lord 448 a little before the comming of the Saxons into this land vnder Hengist in which yéere Germane first came hither to wéed out the heresie of Pelagius as by the same author more at large is affirmed Howbeit some chronographers alledge out of Prosper other and note the first comming of Germane to haue béene in the 429 yéere of Christ and vnder the consulship of Florentius and Dionysius And this should séeme to agrée with the truth for that after some the foresaid Germane should die at Rauenna about the yéere of our Lord 450 as Vincentius noteth which was the verie yeere of the comming of the Saxons notwithstanding when or wheresoeuer he died it was not long after his returne into Gallia vpon his first iournie made hither into this land who no sooner obteined the victorie before mentioned but woord was brought againe vnto him that eftsoones the heresie of the Pelagians was spread abroad in Britaine and therefore all the priests or cleargie made request to him that it might stand with his pleasure to come ouer againe and defend the cause of true religion which he had before confirmed Héerevpon bishop Germane granted 〈◊〉 to doo and therefore taking with him one Seuerns that was disciple vnto Lupus and ordeined at that tune bishop of Triers tooke the sea and came againe into Britaine where he found the multitude of the people stedfast in the same beliefe wherein he had left them perceiued the fault to rest in a few wherevpon inquiring out the authors he condemned them to exile as it is written and with a manifest miracle by restoring a yoong man that was lame as they saie vnto the right vse of his lims he confirmed his doctrine Then followed preaching to persuade amendment of errors and by the generall consent of all men the authors of the wicked doctrine being banished the land were deliuered vnto bishop Germane and to his fellow Seuerus to conueie them away in their companie vnto the parties beyond the seas that the region might so be deliuered of further danger and they receiue the benefit of due amendment By this meanes it came to passe that the true faith continued in Britaine sound and perfect a long time after Things being thus set in good order those holie men returned into their countries the forenamed bishop Germane went to Rauenna to sue for peace to be granted vnto the people of Britaine Armorike where being receiued of the emperor Ualentinian and his mother Placida in most reuerend maner he departed in that citie out of this transitorie life to the eternall ioies of heauen His bodie was afterwards conueied to the citie of Anxerre where he had béene bishop with great opinion of holines for his sincere doctrine and pure and innocent life Shortlie after was the emperour Ualentinian slaine by the friends of that noble man named Aetius whome he had before caused to be put to death ¶ By this it maie appéere that bishop Germane came into this realme both the first and second time whilest as well Hengist as also Uortigerne were liuing for the said Ualentinian was murthered about the yeere of our Lord 454 where the said kings liued and reigned long after that time as maie appéere both before and after in this present booke What part of the realme the Saxons possessed Vortigerne buildeth a castell in Wales for his safetie Aurelius and Vter both brethren returne into Britaine they assalt the vsurper Vortigerne and with wild fire burne both him his people his fort and all the furniture in the same Vortigerne committeth incest with his owne daughter feined and ridiculous woonders of S. Germane a sheepherd made a king The seuenth Chapter NOw will we returne to Uortigerne of whome we read in the British historie that after the Saxons had constreined him
mentioned so that it cannot stand with the truth of the British histories the which Fabian followeth that Horsus was slaine by Aurelius Ambrosius if according to the same histories he returned not into Britaine till the time there supposed But diuerse such maner oh contrarieties shall ye find in perusing of those writers that haue written the chronicles of the Britains and Saxons the which in euerie point to recite would be too tedious and combersome a matter and therefore we are forced to passe the same ouer not knowing how to bring them to anie lust accord for the satisfieng of all mens minds speciallie the curious which may with diligent search satisfie themselues happilie much better than anie other shall be able to doo in vttering his opinion neuer so much at large and agreeable to a truth This therefore haue we thought good as it were by the waie to touch what diuerse authors doo write leauing it so to euerie mans iudgement to construe thereof as his affection leadeth him We find in the writings of those that haue registred the dooings of these times that Aurelius hauing vanquished the Saxons restored churches to the furtherance of the christian religion which by the inuasion of the Saxons was greatlie decaied in diuerse parts of Britaine and this chanced in the daies of the emperour Theodosius the yoonger The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon his three sonnes disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battel 's fought by Hengist and his death the beginning of the Kentish kingdome a battell fought betweene the Britains and Saxons the first are conquered the last are conquerors The ninth Chapter IN the time of the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius one Ella a Saxon with his 3 sonnes Cymen Plettinger and Cissa came out of Germanie with thrée ships and landed in the south parts of Britaine and being incountred with a power of Britains at a place called Cuneueshore discomfited them and chased them vnto a wood then called Andredescester and so tooke that countrie and inhabited there with his people the Saxons which he brought with him and made himselfe king and lord thereof in somuch that afterwards the same countrie was named the kingdome of the Southsaxons which had for limits on the east side Kent on the south the sea and I le of Wight on the west Hamshire and on the north part Southerie This kingdome after some began vnder the foresaid Ella about the 32 yeere after the first comming of the Saxons into this land which by following that account should be about the second yéere of the reigne of Aurelius Ambrosius and about the yéere of our Lord 482. But other write that it did begin about the 30 yéere after the first comming of Hengist which should be two yéeres sooner William Harison differing from all other noteth it to begin in the fourth yéere after the death of Hengist 4458 of the world 2 of the 317 Olympiad 1243 of Rome 492 of Christ and 43 after the comming of the Saxons his woords are these Ella erected the kingdome of the Southsaxons in the 15 after his arriuall and reigned 32 yéeres the chiefe citie of his kingdome also was Chichester and after he had inioied the same his kingdome a while he ouerthrew the citie called Andredescester which as then was taken for one of the most famous in all the south side of England ¶ For my part I thinke my dutie discharged if I shew the opinions of the writers for if I should therto a◠mine owne I should but increase coniectures whereof alreadie we haeu superfluous store To procéed thereforr as I find About the ninth yéere after the comming of Ella the Britains perceiuing that he with his Saxons still inlarged the bounds of his lordship by entring further into the land assembled themselues togither vnder their kings and rulers and gaue battell to Ella and his sonnes at Mecredesbourne where they departed with doubtfull victorie the armies on both sides being sore diminished and so returned to their homes Ella after this battell sent into his countrie for more aid But now touching Hengist who as ye haue heard reigned as king in the prouince of Kent the writers of the Wnglish kings varie somewhat from the British histories both in report of the battels by him fought against the Britains and also for the maner of his death as thus After that Uortimer was dead who departed this life as some write in the first yéere of the emperor Leo surnamed the great and first of that name that gouerned the empire who began to rule in the yéere of our Lord 457 we find that Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca gathered their people togither that were before sparkled and hauing also receiued new aid out of Germanie fought with the Britans at a place called Crekenford where were slaine of the Britains foure dukes or capteins and foure thousand of other men the residue were chased by Hengist out of Kent vnto London so that they neuer returned afterwards againe into Kent thus the kingdome of Kent began vnder Hengist the twelfe yéere after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine and Hengist reigned in Kent after this as the same writers agree foure and twentie yéeres It is remembred that those Germans which latelie were come ouer to the aid of Hengist being chosen men mightie and strong of bodie with their axes and swoords made great slaughter of the Britains in that battell at Crekenford or Creiford which Britains were ranged in foure battels vnder their aforesaid foure dukes or capteins and were as before is mentioned slaine in the same battell About the sixt yéere of the said emperor Leo which was in the 17 yéere after the comming of the Saxons Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca fought at Wipets field in Kent néere to a place called Tong with the Britains and slue of them twelue dukes or capteins on the part of the Saxons was slaine beside common souldiers but onelie one capteine called Wipet of whom the place after that daie tooke name This victorie was nothing plesant to the Saxons by reason of the great losse which they susteined as well by the death of the said Wipet as of a great number of others and so of a long time neither did the Saxons enter into the confines of the Britains nor the Britains presumed to come into Kent But whilest outward wars ceassed among the Britains they exercised ciuill battell falling togither by the eares among themselues one striuing against another Finallie Hengist departed this life by course of nature in the 39 yéere after his first comming into Britaine hauing procéeded in his businesse no lesse with craft and guile than with force and strength following therewith his natiue crueltie so that he rather did all things with rigour than with gentlenesse
betwéene Tine and Tweed as in the Scotish chronicles may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Britains at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was present Hector Boetius affirmeth by authoritie of Vâ—remond that wrote the Scotish chronicles to haue chanced the second time of his comming ouer into this land where Beda auoucheth it to be at his first being heere Againe the same Boetius writeth that the same victorie chanced in the daies of Uter Pendragon Which can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touching the time of the death of the said Germane for where he departed this life before the yeare of our Lord 459 as aboue is said Uter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Uter began to reigne In déed some writers haue noted that the third battell which Uortimer fought against the Saxons was the same wherein S Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluia as before ye haue heard Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth and to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written touching the time of the being héere of the said Germane that the opinion of other which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Uter The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that gouerned Britaine about that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498 and ruled but seuen yeares and then succéeded Uter which reigned 18 yeares and departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521. ¶ Notwithstanding the premisses here is to be remembred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Uter had against the Saxons and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power in those old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we find no such matter but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares defending his kingdome onelie and not séeking to inlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth succéeded more resembling their father than their grandfather or great grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the chronicles but whether they reigned iointlie togither or seuerallie apart either after other it is not certeinlie perceiued Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth warre betweene Nazaleod king of the Britains and the Saxons the Britains are ouethrowen and slaine the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth the compasse or continent thereof the meanes whereby it was inlarged The eleuenth Chapter NOw will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first happened during the reigne of Uter Pendragon We find that one Porth a Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in Sussex about the beginning of the said Uters reigne and slue a noble yoong man of the Britains and manie other of the meaner sort with him Of this Porth the towne hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name as some haue thought Moreouer about 40 yeares after the comming of the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie king amongst the Britains assembled all the power he could make to fight with Certicus king of the West saxons who vnderstanding of the great power of his enimies required aid of Osca king of Kent also of Elle king of Sussex and of Porth and his sonnes which were latelie before arriued as ye haue heard Certicus being then furnished with a conuenient armie diuided the same into two battels reseruing the one to himselfe and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led was of more strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned he set first vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easilie ouercome the other Herevpon he gaue such a fierce charge vpon that wing that by verie force he opened the same and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side making great slaughter of them as they were scattered Which maner of dealing when Kenrike saw he made forward with all spéed to succour his father and rushing in amongst the Britains on their backs he brake their armie in péeces and slue their king Nazaleod and withall put his people to flight There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men and the residue escaped by fléeing as well as they might In the sixt yeare after this battell Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus came with three ships and landed at Certicesford and ouerthrew a number of Britains that came against them in order of battell and so by the comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins the part of Certicus became much stronger About the same time Elle king of the Southsaxons departed this life after whome succéeded his sonne Cissa of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of About the yeare of our Lord 519 and in the yeare after the comming of the Saxons 71 which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour Anastasius the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike at Certicesford where the capteins of the Britains stood to it manfullie but in the end they were discomfited and great slaughter was made there of them by the Saxons and greater had béene if the night comming on had not parted them and so manie were saued From that day forward Certicus was reputed taken for king of Westsaxons so began the same kingdome at that time which was as W. Harison noteth in the yéere of Christ 519 after the building of Rome 1270 of the world 4485 of the comming of the Saxons 70 of Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east the first and third of the renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire Summersetshire Barkeshire Dorsetshire and Cornewall hauing on the east Hamshire on the north the riuer of Thames and on the south and west the Ocean sea Howbeit at the first the kings of the Westsaxons had not so large dominions but they dailie wan ground vpon the Britains and so in the end by inlarging their confines they came to inioy all the foresaid countries and the whole at the last In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus he eftsoones sought with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid where great slaughter was made on both parts This Certicesford was in times past called Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains About this
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
of two children of noble and kinglie race and likewise of their two gouernours yea and that as I said amongest the sacred altars the armes of which persons so slaine not stretched foorth to defend themselues with weapons the which few in those daies handled more valiantlie than they but stretched foorth I saie to God and to his altar in the day of iudgement shall set vp the reuerent ensignes of their patience and faith at the gates of the citie of Christ which so haue couered the seat of the celestiall sacrifice as it were with the red mantle of their cluttered bloud These things he did not after anie good déeds doone by him deseruing praise for manie yeares before ouercome with the often and changeable filths of adulterie forsaking his lawfull wife contrarie to the lawes of God c he now brought foorth this crime of quelling his owne kinsmen and violating the church but neither being loosed from the snares of his former euils he increaseth the new with the old ¶ Thus in effect hath Gyldas written of this Constantine with more for turning his tale to him he reproueth him of his faults and counselleth him to repent AFter that Aurelius Conanus had slaine the foresad Constantine as in the British histories is mentioned the same Conan was made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 546 in the 20 yeare of Iustinianus and in the 33 of the reigne of Childebert king of the Frenchmen This Aurelius Conanus as is recorded by some writers was of a noble heart frée and liberall but giuen much to the maintenance of strife and discord amongst his people light of credit and namelie had an open eare to receiue and heare the reports of such as accused other Moreouer he was noted of crueltie as he that tooke his vncle who of right should haue béene king and kept him in prison and not so satisfied slue in tyrannous maner the two sons of his said vncle But God would not suffer him long to inioy the rule of the land in such vniust dealing for he died after he had reigned the space of two yeares and left a sonne behind him called Uortiporus which succéeded him in the kingdome as authors doo record Of this Aurelius Conanus Gyldas writeth calling vnto him after he had made an end with his predecessor Constantine saieng in this wise And thou lions whelpe as saith the prophet Aurelius Conanus what doost thou Art thou not swallowed vp in the filthie mire of murthering thy kinsmen of committing fornications and adulteries like to the other before mentioned if not more deadlie as it were with the waues and surges of the drenching seas ouerwhelming thée with hir vnmercifull rage Dooest thou not in hating the peace of thy countrie as a deadlie serpent and thirsting after ciuill wars and spoiles oftentimes vniustlie gotten shut vp against thy soule the gates of celestiall peace and refreshment Thou being left alone as a withering trée in the middle of a field call to remembrance I praie thée the vaine youthfull fantasie and ouer-timelie death of thy fathers and thy brethren Shalt thou being set apart and chosen foorth of all thy linage for thy godlie deserts be reserued to liue an hundred yeares or remaine on earth till thou be as old as Methusalem No no. And after these reprehensions with further threatnings of Gods vengeance he exhorted him to amendment of life and so proceedeth to talke with Uortiporus whome he nameth the king or rather the tyrant of Southwales as after shall be rehearsed The beginning of the kingdome of Brenitia of whome the king of Kent Mertia and west Saxons descended Ida the Saxon commended the originall of the kingdome of Deira the circuit and bounds therof of Ella the gouernour of the same when the partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced Vortiporus reigneth ouer the Britains he vanquisheth the Saxons Gyldas sharplie reprooueth Vortiporus for manie greeuous offenses and exhorteth him to amendement The xvj Chapter IN the yeare of the Lord 547 which was about the first yeare of the reigne of Aurelius Conanus the kingdome of Brenitia bagan vnder a Saxon ruler there called Ida descended of Woden For where the said Woden had three sonnes Weldecius Withlegris and Beldecius of the first the kings of Kent were lineallie extracted of the second the kings of Mertia and of the third sonne came the kings of Westsaxon and also of him was this Ida descended being the ninth in lineall succession from the said Beldecius and the tenth from Woden The same Ida was vndoubtedlie a right noble personage and changed first that dukedome into a kingdome where before that time the Saxons that ruled there were subiects vnto the kings of Kent Whether he tooke vpon him of his owne accord to vsurpe the kinglie title and roiall authoritie or whether that the same was giuen to him by consent of other the certeintie appeareth not But sure it is that he being a woorthie prince did not degenerate from his noble ancestors inuincible in warre abroad and at home qualifieng his kinglie seueritie with a naturall kind of courteous humanitie The bounds of his kingdome called as is said Brenitia began in the south at the riuer of Tine and ended in the north at the Forth in Scotland in the British toong called Werd About the same time or rather about 14 yeares after one Ella a Saron also reigned as king in Diera which kingdome began at the said riuer of Tine in the north ended at the riuer of Humber toward the south These two kingdomes were sometime gouerned by two seuerall kings and afterwards at other times they were ioined in one and gouerned by one onelie king and named the kingdome of Northumberland which in processe of time was much inlarged so that it included the shires of Yorke Notingham Darbie Lancaster the bishoprike of Durham Copland and other countries betwixt the east and the west seas euen vnto the riuer of Mersie The foresaid Ella was sonne to Iffus being descended from Woden as the 12 in succession from him though not by right line as William Malmesburie hath noted Ida as the same Malmesburie dooth testifie reigned 14 yeares Now Ella who was successor to Ida as he saith reigned thirtie yeares and verie valiantlie inlarged his kingdome But one author writeth how Ida reigned but 12 yeares and that he builded the castell of Bamburge first fensing it with pales and after with a wall of stone The same Ida had by his wife six sonnes begotten in lawfull bed Ada Ebric Theodoric Athelric Osmer and Theofred Moreouer he begat of certeine concubines which he kept six bastard sonnes Oga Aleric Ettha Osbale Segor and Segother These came altogither into this land and arriued at Flemesburke with fortie ships as Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis hath recorded The partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced after the deceasse of Ida as the same
manner of wickednesse and namelie to ciuill dissention rapine adulterie and fornication so that it may be thought that GOD stirred vp the Saxons to be a scourge to them and to worke his iust vengeance vpon them for their wickednesses and abhominable offenses dailie coÌ„mitted against his diuine maiestie so that we find recorded by writers how that the Saxons in diuers conflicts against the Britains had the better and also tooke from them diuers townes as alreadie partly hath beene and also hereafter shall be shewed It is furthermore to be remembred that about the 14 yeere of the Britaine king Conanus his reigne which was about the end of the yere of Christ 559 Kenrike king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned xxv yéeres complet This Kenrike was a victorious prince and fought diuers battels against the Britains In the 18 yeere of his reigne which was the 551 of Christ we find that he fought against them being come at that time vnto Salisburie and after great slaughter made on both parts at length the victorie remained with the Saxons and the Britains were chased Againe in the two and twentith yéere of his reigne and 555 yéere of Christ the fame Kenrike and his sonne Cheuling fought with a great power of Britains at Branburie The Britains were diuided into nine companies three in the fore ward thrée in the battell and thrée in the rere ward with their horssemen and archers after the maner of the Romans The Saxons being ranged in one entire battell valiantlie assailed them and notwithstanding the shot of the Britains yet they brought the matter to the triall of handblowes till at length by the comming on of the night the victorie remained doubtfull and no maruell is to be made therof saith Henrie archdeacon of Huntington sith the Saxons were men of huge stature great force valiant courage The same yéere that Kenrike deceassed Ida the king of Northumberland also died he was as ye haue heard a right valiant prince inlarged the dominion of the Saxons greatlie he ouercame Loth king of the Picts in battell and Gorran king of Scots Also about the yéere of Christ 560 Conanus as yet gouerning the Britains Irmenâ—ike king of Kent departed this life of whome ye haue heard before Ethelbert his sonne succéeded him 52 yéeres Then after that the foresaid thrée princes were dead as before ye haue heard they had that succéeded them in their estates as here followeth After Kenrike his sonne Ceaulinus or Cheuling succéeded in gouernement of the Westsaxons and after Ida one Ella or Alla reigned in Northumberland after Irmenrike followed his sonne Ethelbert in rule ouer the Kentish Saxons This Ethelbert in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince but yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against some of his enimies for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling king of Westsaxons he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins beside other people This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons one against another within this land after their first comming into the same And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567 being the second yéere of the emperour Iustinus ABout the yéere 570 Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with the Britains at Bedford vanquished them tooke from them 4 townes Liganbrough Eglesbrough or Ailsburie Besington and Euesham Also about the yéere of our Lord 581 the foresaid king Cheuling incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth and obteining the vpper hand tooke from them the cities of Bath Glocester and Cirencester At this battell fought at Diorth were present thrée kings of the Britains whose names were these Coinmagill Candidan and Farimnagill which were slaine there through the permission of almightie God as then refusing his people the which through their heinous sinnes and great wickednesses had most gréeuouslie offended his high and diuine maiestie as by Gyldas it may euidentlie appeare For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord and were become abhominable in his sight euen from the prince to the poore man from the priest to the Leuit so that not one estate among them walked vprightlie but contrarie to dutie was gone astray by reason whereof the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of the reigne of his successor Careticus Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley or as some bookes haue Frithenlie where Cutwine was slaine the Englishmen chased but yet Cheuling repairing his armie wan the victorie and chasing the Britains tooke from them manie countries and wan great riches by the spoile But Matth. West saith that the victorie aboad with the Britains and that the Saxons were chased quite out of the field The Scotish writers record that their king Aidan who is noted to haue béene the 49 successiuelie possessing the regiment of that land partlie with griefe of hart for the death of Columba a graue and wise gentleman whome he tenderlie loued and partlie with age for he was growne horieheaded and had reigned 34 yéeres ended his life was there in aid of the Britains and Brudeus king of the Picts betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was fought in aid of the Saxons but the same writers name the place Deglaston where this battell was made and the forces of both sides by a sharpe incounter tried The begining of the kingdome of Mercia the bounds of the same the heptarchie or seuen regiments of the Saxons how they grew to that perfection and by whom they were reduced and drawne into a monarâ—â—ie Careticus is created king of Britaine the Saxons take occasion by the ciuill dissentions of the Britains to make a full conquest of the land they procure forren power to further them in their enterprise Gurmundus king of the Africans arriueth in Britaine the British king is driuen to his hard shifts the politike practise of Gurmundus in taking Chichester setting the towne on fire he deliuereth the whole land in possession to the Saxons the English and Saxon kings put Careticus to flight the Britains haue onelie three prouinces left of all their countrie which before they inhabited their religion church and commonwealth is in decaie they are gouerned by three kings Cheulings death is conspired of his owne subiects The xviij Chapter ABout the same time also and 585 of Christ the kingdome of Mercia began vnder one Crida who was descended from Woden and the tenth from him by lineall extraction The bounds of this kingdome were of great distance hauing on the east the sea vnto Humber and so on the north the said riuer of Humber and after the riuer of Mercia which falleth into the west
withdrew togither with their cleargie into the mounteins and woods within Wales taking with them the reliks of saints doubting the same should be destroied by the enimies and themselues put to death if they should abide in their old habitations Manie also fled into Britaine Armorike with a great fléete of ships so that the whole church or congregation as ye may call it of the two prouinces Loegria and Northumberland was left desolate in that season to the great hinderance and decaie of the christian religion Careticus was driuen into Wales as before is rehearsed about the second or third yéere of his reigne and there continued with his Britains the which ceassed not to indamage the Saxons from time to time as occasion still serued But here is to be noted that the Britains being thus remoued into Wales and Cornwall were gouerned afterwards by thrée kings or rather tyrants the which ceased not with ciuill warre to seeke others destruction till finallie as saith the British booke they became all subiect vnto Cadwallo whome Beda nameth Cedwallo In the meane time Ceaulinus or Cheuling king of the Westsaxons through his owne misgouernance and tyrannie which towards his latter daies he practised did procure not onelie the Britains but also his owne subiects to conspire his death so that ioining in battell with his aduersaries at Wodensdic in the 33 yeare of his reigne his armie was discomfited and he himselfe constreined to depart into exile and shortlie after ended his life before he could find meanes to be restored ¶ So that we haue here a mirror or liuelie view of a tyrant and a king wherein there is no lesse ods in the manner of their gouernement than there is repugnance in their names or difference in their states For he seeth but little into the knowledge of toongs that vnderstandeth not what the office of a king should be by the composition of his name the same sounding in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being resolued is in effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the foundation or stay of the people from which qualitie when he resulteth he maketh shipwracke of that goodlie title and degenerateth into a tyrant than the which violent and inforced gouernement as there is none more perillous so is it of all other the least in continuance this is prooued by historicall obseruation through the course of this historie Ceolric reigneth ouer the Westsaxons the Saxons and Britains incounter Ethelbert king of kent subdueth the Englishsaxons he is maried to the French kings daughter vpon cautions of religion the king imbraceth the gospell Augustine the moonke and others were sent into this Ile to preach the christian faith the occasion that moued Gregorie the great to send him buieng and selling of boies the Englishmen called Angli commended Ethelbert causeth Augustine and his fellowes to come before him they preach to the king and his traine he granteth them a conuenient seat and competent reliefe in Canturburie the maner of their going thither and their behauiour there the king and his people receiue the christian faith and are baptised The xix Chapter NOw after Cheuling his nephue Celricus or Ceolric that was sonne vnto Cutwine the sonne of the foresaid Cheuling reigned as king ouer the Westsaxons fiue yeares fiue moneths In like manner the same yeare died Ella or Alla king of Northumberland after whome succéeded Ethelricus the sonne of Ida and reigned but fiue yeares being a man well growne in yeares before he came to be king About thrée yeeres after this the Saxons Britains fought a battell at Wodenesbourne where the Britans being ranged in good order the Saxons set vpon them boldlie indéed but disorderedlie so that the victorie remained with the Britains The Saxons the more valiant they had shewed themselues in battell before that time so much the more slow and vntowardlie did they shew themselues now in running awaie to saue themselues so that an huge number of them were slaine Also about the same time died Crida king of Mercia 594 after whome his sonne Wibbas or Wipha succeeded And after the deceasse of Ethelric one Edelbertor Edelfride surnamed the wild succeeded in gouernement of the Northumbers But to returne to our purpose Ethelbert king of Kent not discouraged with the euill chance which happened in the beginning but rather occasioned thereby to learne more experience in feats of warre prooued so perfect a maister therein that in processe of time he subdued by force of armes all those English Saxons which lay betwixt the bounds of his countrie and the riuer of Humber Also to haue friendship in forraine parts he procured a wife for himselfe of the French nation named the ladie Bertha being king Cheriberts daughter of France but with condition that he should permit hir to continue and vse the rites and lawes of christian faith and religion and to haue a bishop whose name was Luidhard appointed to come and remaine with hir here in this land for hir better instruction in the lawes of the Lord. So that they two with other of the French nation that came ouer with them remaining in the court and vsing to serue God in praiers and otherwise according to the custome of the christian religion began vndoubtedlie to giue light to the kings mind as yet darkned with the clouds of paganisme so as the bright beames of the celestiall cléerenes of vnderstanding remooued the thicke mists of his vnbeléefe in tract of time and prepared his heart to the receiuing of the gospell which after by heauenlie prouidence was preached to him by occasion and in maner as followeth In the yeare of our Lord 596 which was about the 14 yeare of the reigne of the emperour Mauricius and after the comming of the English Saxons into this land about an 47 yeares almost complet the bishop of Rome Gregorie the first of that name and surnamed Magnus sent Augustinus a moonke with certeine other learned men into this Ile to preach the christian faith vnto the English Saxons which nation as yet had not receiued the gospell And here we hold it necessarie to shew how it is recorded by diuers writers that the first occasion whereby Gregorie was mooued thus to send Augustine into this land rose by this meanes It chanced whilest the same Gregorie was as yet but archdeacon of the sée of Rome certeine yoong boies were brought thither to bee sold out of Northumberland according to the accustomable vse of that countrie in somuch that as we haue in our time séene saith W. Mal. the people of that prouince haue not yet doubted to sell awaie their néere kinsfolke for a small price When those children which at that time were brought from thence to Rome had by reason of their excellent beauties and comelie shape of lims and bodie turned the eies in maner of all the citizens to the beholding of them it fortuned that Gregorie also came amongst other to
as thornes and brambles before that the church was begun to be builded there in this king Ethelberts daies ¶ Thus the faith of Christ being once begun to be receiued of the English men tooke woonderfull increase within a short time In the meane season by the helpe of king Ethelbert Augustine caused a councell to be called at a place in the confines of the Westsaxons which place long after was called Austines oke where he procured the bishops or doctors of the prouinces of the Britains to come before him Among the Britains or the Welshmen christianitie as yet remained in force which from the apostles time had neuer failed in that nation When Augustine came into this land he found in their prouinces seuen bishops sée and an archbishops sée wherein sat verie godlie right religious prelats and manie abbats in the which the Lords flocke kept their right order but because they differed in obseruing the feast of Easter and other rites from the vse of the Romane church Augustine thought it necessarie to mooue them to agrée with him in vnitie of the same but after long disputation and reasoning of those matters they could not be induced to giue their assent in that behalfe Augustine to prooue his opinion good wrought a miracle in restoring sight to one of the Saxon nation that was blind The Britains that were present mooued with this miracle confessed that it was the right waie of iustice and righteousnesse which Augustine taught but yet they said that they might not forsake their ancient customs without consent and licence of their nation Wherevpon they required another synod to be holden whereat a greater number of them might be present This being granted there came as it is reported seuen bishops of the Britains and a great number of learned men speciallie of the famous monasterie of Bangor whereof in those daies one Dionoth was abbat who as they went towards that councell came first to a certeine wise man which liued amongst them an heremits life and asked his aduise whether they ought to forsake their traditions at the preaching of Augustine or not who made this answer If he be the man of God follow him Then said they How shall we prooue whether he be so or not Then said he The Lord saith take vp my yoke and learne of me for I am méeke humble in hart if Augustine be humble and meeke in hart it is to be beléeued that he also beareth the yoke of Christ and offereth it to you to beare but if he be not méeke but proud it is certeine that he is not of GOD nor his woord to be regarded And how shall we sée and perceiue that said they Find meanes said he that he maie first come to the place of the synod with those of his side and if he arise to receiue you at your comming then know that he is the seruant of God and obey him but if he despise you and arise not towards you whereas you be more in number let him be despised of you They did as he commanded and it chanced that when they came they found Augustine sitting in his chaire whom when they beheld straightwaies they conceiued indignation and noting him of pride laboured to reprooue all his saiengs He told them that they vsed manie things contrarie to the custom of the vniuersall church and yet if in thrée things they would obeie him that is to say in kéeping the feast of Easter in due time in ministring baptisme according to the custome of the Romane church in preaching to the Englishmen the woord of life with him his fellowes then would he be contented to suffer all other things patientlie which they did though the same were contrarie to the maners and customs of the Romane iurisdiction But they flatlie denied to doo anie of those things and gaue a plaine answer that they would not receiue him for their archbishop for laieng their heads togither thus they thought If he refuse now to arise vnto vs how much the more will he contemne vs if we should become subiect to him Unto whom as it is said Augustine in threatening wise told them afore hand that if they would not receiue peace with their brethren they should receiue warre of the enimies if they would not preach to the Englishmen the waie of life they should suffer punishment by death at the hands of them which thing in deed after came to passe as in place conuenient shall be expressed After this in the yéere of our Lord 604 the archbishop Augustine ordeined two bishops that is to say Melitus at London that he might preach the woord of God to the Eastsaxons which were diuided from them of Kent by the riuer of Thames and Iustus in the citie of Rochester within the limits of Kent AT that time Sabert reigned ouer the Eastsaxons but he was subiect vnto Ethelbert king of Kent whose nephue he was also by his sister Ricula that was married vnto king Sledda that succéeded after Erchenwine the first king of the Eastsaxons and begat on hir this Sabert that receiued the faith After that Augustine had ordeined Melitus to be bishop of London as before is said king Ethelbert builded as some write the church of saint Paule within the same citie where the same Melitus and his successors might keepe their sée And also for the like purpose he builded the church of saint Andrew the apostle at Rochester that Iustus and his successors might haue their sée in that place according to Augustines institution he bestowed great gifts vpon both those churches endowing them with lands and possessions verie bountifullie to the vse of them that should be attendant in the same with the bishops Finallie Augustine after he had gouerned as archbishop the church of Canturburie by the space of 12 yéeres currant departed this life the fiue and twentieth of Maie and was buried first without the eitie néere to the church of the apostles Peter and Paule whereof mention is made before bicause the same church as yet was not finished nor dedicated but after it was dedicated his bodie was brought into the church and reuerentlie buried in the north I le there He ordeined in his life time Laurence to be his successor in the sée of Canturburie of whome ye shall heare hereafter ¶ Thus haue ye heard in what maner the Englishmen were first brought from the worshipping of false gods and baptised in the name of the liuing God by the foresaid Augustine as we find in Beda and other writers Now we will returne to other dooings chancing in the meane time amongst the people of this I le Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph gouerneth the Westsaxons Ceorlus king of Mercia Edelfride king of the Northumbers and Edan king of the Scots ioine in battell Edan is discomfited Edelfride subdueth the citizens of Chester the deuout moonks of Bangorpraie for safetie from the swoord of the
they séemed to haue giuen ouer insomuch that now they openlie worshipped idols and gaue libertie to their subiects to do the like And when the bishop Melitus at the solemnizing of masse in the church distributed the eucharisticall bread vnto the people they asked him as it is said wherfore he did not deliuer of that bright white bread vnto them also as well as he had béene accustomed to doo to their father Saba for so they vsed to call him Unto whome the bishop made this answer If you will be washed in that wholesome fountaine wherein your father was washed ye may be partakers of that holie bread whereof he was partaker but if you despise the washpoole of life ye may by no meanes tast the bread of saluation But they offended herewith replied in this wise We will not enter into that fountaine for we know we haue no néed thereof but yet neuerthelesse we will be refreshed with that bread After this when they had beene earnestlie and manie times told that vnlesse they would be baptised they might not be partakers of the sacred oblation at length in great displeasure they told him that if he would not consent vnto them in so small a matter there should be no place for him within the bounds of their dominion and so he was constrained to depart Wherevpon he being expelled resorted into Kent there to take aduise with his fellow-bishops Laurence and Iustus what was to be doone in this so weightie a matter Who finallie resolued vpon this point that it should be better for them to returne into their countrie where with frée minds they might serue almightie God rather than to remaine amongest people that rebelled against the faith without hope to doo good amongest them Wherefore Melitus and Iustus did depart first and went ouer into France minding there to abide till they might sée what the end would be But shortlie after those brethren the kings of Essex which had expelled their bishop in maner aboue said suffered woorthilie for their wicked dooings For going forth to battell against the Westsaxons they were ouerthrowen and slaine altogither with all their armie by the two kings Kinigils and Quichelme But neuerthelesse albeit the authors of the mischiefe were thus taken awaie yet the people of that countrie would not be reduced againe from their diuelish woorshipping of false gods being eftsoones fallen thereto in that season by the incouragement and perilous example of their rulers Wherefore the archbishop Laurence was in mind also to follow his fellowes Melitus and Iustus but when he minded to set forward he was warned in a dreame and cruellie scourged as hath beene reported by the apostle saint Peter who reprooued him for that he would so vncharitablie for sake his flocke leaue it in danger without a shepherd to kéepe the woolfe from the fold The archbishop imboldned by this vision and also repenting him of his determination came to king Eadbald and shewed to him his stripes and the maner of his dreame The king being herewith put in great feare renounced his heathenish worshipping of idols and was baptised and as much as in him laie from thenceforth succoured the congregation of the christians and aduanced the church to his power He sent also into France and called home the bishops Melitus and Iustus so that Iustus was restored to his sée of Rochester But the Eastsaxons would not receiue Melitus to his sée at London but continued in their wicked mawmetrie in obeieng a bishop of their pagan law whom they had erected for that purpose Neither was king Eadbald of that authoritie and power in those parties as his father was before whereby he might constreine them to receiue their lawfull bishop But suerlie the said king Eadbald with his people after he was once conuerted againe gaue himselfe wholie to obeie the lawes of GOD and amongst other déeds of godlie zeale he builded a church to our ladie at Canturburie within the monasterie of saint Peter afterwards called saint Agnes This church was consecrated by Melitus who after the death of Laurence succéeded in gouernance of the archbishops sée of Canturburie After Melitus who departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 624 Iustus that before was bishop of Rochester was made archbishop of Canturburie and ordeined one Romanus to the sée of Rochester About that time the people of the north parts beyond Humber receiued the faith by occasion as after shall appéere Edwin reigneth ouer the Northumbers his great power and reputation a marriage betweene him and Ethelburga the sister of king Eadbald vpon religious couenants the traitorous attempts of murtherous Eumerus against him his wife Ethelburga is deliuered of a daughter he assalteth the Westsaxons and discomfiteth them Boniface the fift writeth to him to desist from his idolatrie and to his ladie to persist in true christianitie the vision of Edwin when he was a banished man in the court of Redwald king of the Eastangles whereby he was informed of his great exaltation and conuersion to christian religion The xxv Chapter YE haue heard how Edelfred the king of Northumberland was slaine in battell neere to the water of Idel by Redwald king of the Eastangles in fauour of Edwin whom the said Edelfred had confined out of his dominion 24 yéeres before The foresaid Redwald therefore hauing obteined that victorie found meanes to place Edwin in gouernement of that kingdome of the Northumbers hauing a title thereto as sonne to Alla or Elle sometime king of Northumberland This Edwin prooued a right valiant prince grew to be of more power than anie other king in the daies of the English nation not onelie ruling ouer a great part of the countries inhabited with English men but also with Britains who inhabited not onelie in Wales but in part of Chesshire Lancashire Cumberland and alongst by the west sea-coast in Galloway and so foorth euen vnto Dumbritaine in Scotland which I haue thought good to note that it may appeare in what countries Cadwall◠bare rule of whome so often mention is made in this part of the historie But as concerning Edwin his reputation was such as not onelie the English men Britains and Scots but also the Iles of Orknie and these of Man and others the west Iles of ancient time called Meuaniae had him in reuerence and feared his mightie power so as they durst not attempt anie exploit to offend him It chanced that shortlie after king Redwald had aduanced him to the kingdom of Northumberland to wit about 6 yeares the same Redwald deceassed which made greatlie for the more augmentation of Edwins power For the people of the Eastangles which whilest Edwin remained amongst them as a banished man had conceiued a good opinion of him for his approoued valiancie and noble courage offered themselues to be wholie at his commandement But Edwin suffering Carpwald or Erpwald the sonne of Redwald to inioie the bare title and name of the king
at length the king gaue licence to Pauline openlie to preach the gospell and renouncing his worshipping of false gods professed the christian faith And when he demanded of his bishop Coifi who should first deface the altars of their idols and the tabernacles wherewith they were compassed about He answered that himselfe would doo it For what is more méet saith he than that I which thorough foolishnesse haue worshipped them should now for example sake destroie the same thorough wisedome giuen me from the true and liuing God And streightwaies throwing awaie the superstition of vanitie required armour and weapon of the king with a stoned horsse vpon the which he being mounted rode foorth to destroie the idols This was a strange sight to the people for it was not lawfull for the bishop of their law to put on armour or to ride on anie beast except it were a mare He hauing therefore a swoord gird to him tooke a speare in his hand and riding on the kings horsse went to the place where the idols stood The common people that beheld him had thought he had béene starke mad and out of his wits but he without longer deliberation incontinentlie vpon his comming to the temple began to deface the fame and in contempt threw his speare against it reioising greatlie in the knowledge of the worshipping of the true God commanded his companie to destroie burne downe the same temple with all the altars This place where the idols were sometime worshipped was not farre from Yorke towards the east part of the riuer of Derwent and is called Gotmundin Gaham where the foresaid bishop by the inspiration of God defaced and destroied those altars which he himselfe had hallowed King Edwin therefore with all the nobilitie and a great number of his people receiued the faith and were baptised in the yéere of our Lord 627 in the tenth yéere of his reigne and about the 178 yéere after the first comming of the Englishmen into this land He was baptised at Yorke on Easter daie which fell that yéere the day before the Ides of Aprill in the church of S. Peter the apostle which he had caused to be erected and built vp of timber vpon the sudden for that purpose and afterwards began the foundation of the same church in stone-woorke of a larger compasse comprehending within it that oratorie which he had first caused to be built but before he could finish the woorke he was slaine as after shall be shewed leauing it to be performed of his successor Oswald Pauline continued from thencefoorth during the kings life which was six yéeres after in preaching the gospell in the prouince conuerting an innumerable number of people to the faith of Christ among whom were Osfride and Eadfride the two sonnes of Edwin whom he begot in time of his banishment of his wife Quinburga the daughter of Cearlus king of Mercia Also afterwards he begot children on his second wife Ethelburga that is to say a sonne called Edilhimus and a daughter named Ediltraudis and another sonne called Bustfrea of the which the two first died in their cradels and were buried in the church at Yorke To be briefe by the kings assistance fauour shewed vnto Pauline in the woorke of the Lord great multitudes of people dailie receiued the faith and were baptised of Pouline in 〈◊〉 places but speciallie in the riuer of Glâ—â—te within the prouince of Bernicia and also in Swale in the prouince of Deira for as yet in the beginning 〈◊〉 of the church in those countries no temples or fonts could be builded or erected in so short a time Of such great zeale was Edwin as it is reported towards the setting foorth of Gods truth that he persuaded Carpwald the sonne of Redwald king of the Eastangles to abandon the superstitious worshipping of idols and to receiue the faith of Christ with all his whole prouince His father Redwald was baptised in Kent long before this time but in vaine for returning home through counsell of his wife and other wicked persons he was seduced and being turned from the sincere puritie of faith his last dooings were woorsse than his first so that according to the maner of the old Samaritans he would séeme both to serue the true God and his false gods whom before time he had serued and in one selfe church had at one time both the sacraments of Christ ministred at one altar and sacrifice made vnto diuels at another But Carpwald within a while after he had receiued the faith was slaine by one of his owne countrimen that was an ethnike called Richbert and then after his death that prouince for the tearme of thrée yeeres was wrapped eftsoones in errour till Sibert or Sigibert the brother of Carpwald a most christian prince and verie well learned obteined the rule of that kingdome who whilest he liued a banished man in France during his brothers life time was baptised there and became a christian and when he came to be king he caused all his prouince to be partaker of the same fountaine of life wherein he had beene dipped himselfe Unto his godlie purpose also a bishop of the parties of Burgoigne named Felix was a great furtherer who comming ouer vnto the archbishop of Canturburie Honorius that was successor vnto Iustus and declaring vnto him his earnest desire was sent by the same archbishop to preach the woord of life vnto the Eastangles which he did with such good successe that he conuerted the whole countrie to the faith of Iesus Christ and placed the sée of his bishoprike at Dunwich ending the course of his life there in peace after he had continued in that his bishoplike office the space of 17 yéeres Moreouer Pauline after that he had conuerted the Northumbers preached the woord of God vnto them of Lindsey which is a part of Lincolnshire and first he persuaded one Blecca the gouernour of the citie of Lincolne to turne vnto Christ togither with all his familie In that citie he also builded a church of stone woorke Thus Pauline trauelled in the woorke of the Lord the same being greatlie furthered by the helpe of Edwin in whose presence he baptised a great number of people in the riuer of Trent néere to a towne which in the old English toong was called Tio vulfingacester This Pauline had with him a deacon named Iames the which shewed himselfe verie diligent in the ministerie map profited greatlie therein But now to returne to king Edwin who was a prince verelie or woorthie same and for the politike ordering of his countries and obseruing of iustice deserued highlie to be commended for in his time all robbers by the high waie were so banished out of his dominions that a woman with hir new borne child alone without other companie might haue trauelled from sea to sea and not haue incountred with â—â—ie creature that durst once haue offered hir iniurie He was also verie carefull
for the aduancement of the commoditie common wealth of his people insomuch that where there were any swéet and cleare water-springs he caused postes to be set vp and iron dishes to be fastened thereto with chaines that waifaring men â—â—ght haue the same readie at hand to drinke with and there was none so hardie as to touch the same but for that vse He vsed wheresoeuer he went within the cities or elsewhere abroad to haue a banner borne before him in token of iustice to be ministred by his roiall authoritie In the meane season pope Honorius the fift hearing that the Northumbers had receiued the faith as before is mentioned at the preaching of Pauline sent vnto the said Pauline the pall confirming him archbishop in the sée of Yorke He sent also letters of exhortation vnto king Edwin to kindle him the more with fatherlie aduise to continue and procéed in the waie of vnderstanding into the which he was entered At the same time also bicause Iustus the archbishop of Canturburie was dead and one Honorius elected to that see pope Honorius sent to the said elect archbishop of Canturburie his pall with letters wherein was conteined a decrée by him made that when either the archbishop of Canturburie or Yorke chanced to depart this life he that suruiued should haue authoritie to ordeine another in place of him that was deceassed that they should not néed to wearie themselues with going to Rome being so farre distant from them The copie of which letter is registred in the ecclesiasticall historie of Beda bearing date the third Ides of Iune in the yéere of our Lord 633. The same pope sent letters also to the Scotish people exhorting them to celebrate the feast of Easter in such due time as other churches of the christian world obserued And also bicause the heresie of the Pelagians began to renew againe amongst them as he was informed he admonished them to beware thereof and by all meanes to auoid it For he knew that to the office of a pastor it is necessarilie incident not onelie to exhort teach and shew his sheepe the waies to a christian life but also stronglie to withstand all such vniust meanes as might hinder their procéeding in the truth of religion For as poison is vnto the bodie that is heresie vnto veritie And as the bodie by poison is disabled from all naturall faculties and vtterlie extinguished vnlesse by present meanes the force thereof be vanquished so truth and veritie by errors and heresies is manie times choked and recouereth but neuer strangled But now that the kingdome of Northumberland flourished as before is partlie touched in happie state vnder the prosperous reigne of Edwin at length after he had gouerned it the space of 17 yeeres Cadwalline or Cadwallo king of Britaine who succeeded Cadwane as Gal. Mon. saith rebelled against him For so it commeth to passe that nothing can be so sure confirmed by mans power but the same by the like power may be againe destroied Penda king of Mercia enuieng the prosperous procéedings of Edwin procured Cadwallo to mooue this rebellion against Edwin and ioining his power with Cadwallo they inuaded the countrie of Northumberland iointlie togither Edwin heereof aduertised gathered his people came to incounter them so that both armies met at a place called Hatfield where was fought a verie sore and bloudie battell But in the end Edwin was slaine with one of his sonnes named Osfride and his armie beaten downe and dispersed Also there was slaine on Edwins part Eodbald king of Orkenie Moreouer there was an other of Edwins sonnes named Eadfride constreined of necessitie to giue himselfe into the hands of Penda and was after by him cruellie put to death contrarie to his promised faith in king Oswalds daies that succéeded Edwin Thus did king Edwin end his life in that battell fought at Hatfield aforesaid on the fourth ides of October in the yere of our Lord 6â—â— he being then about the age of 47 yéeres and vpwards The crueltie of Penda and Cadwallo after their victorie the Britains make no account of religion Archbishop Pauline with queen Ethelburga flie out of Northumberland into Kent honorable personages accompanie him thither Romanus bishop of Rochester drowned Pauline vndertaketh the charge of that see Osrike is king of Deira and Eaufride king of Bernicia both kings become apostatas and fall froÌ„ christianitie to paganisme they are both slaine within lesse than a yeeres space Oswald is created king of Northumberland his chiefe practise in feats of armes Cadwallo king of Britaine hath him in contempt Oswalds superstitious deuotion and intercession to God against his enimies both kings ioine battell Cadwallo is slaine Penda king of Mercia his notable vertues linked with foule vices he maketh warre on whom he will without exception The xxvij Chapter CAdwallo and Penda hauing obteined the victorie aforsaid vsed it most cruellie For one of the capteins was a pagan and the other wanting all ciuilitie shewed himselfe more cruell than anie pagan could haue doone So that Penda being a worshipper of false gods with his people of Mercia and Cadwallo hauing no respect to the christian religion which latelie was begun amongst the Northumbers made hauocke in all places where they came not sparing man woman nor child and so continued in their furious outrage a long time in passing through the countrie to the great decay and calamitie of the christian congregations in those parties And still the christian Britains were lesse mercifull than Penda his heathenish souldiers For euen vnto the daies of Beda as he affirmeth the Britains made no account of the faith or religion of the Englishmen nor would communicate with them more than with the pagans bicause they differed in rites from their accustomed traditions When the countrie of the Northumbers was brought into this miserable case by the enimies inuasion the archbishop Pauline taking with him the quéene Ethelburga whom he had brought thither returned now againe with hir by water into Kent where he was honorablie receiued of the archbishop Honorius and king Eadbald He came thither in the conduct of one Bassus a valiant man of warre hauing with him Eaufred the daughter and Uulfrea the sonne of Edwin also Iffi the sonne of Osfride Edwins sonne whom their mother after for feare of the kings Edbold and Oswold did sent into France where they died The church of Rochester at that time was destitute of a bishop by the death of Romanus who being sent to Rome vnto pope Honorius was drowned by the way in the Italian seas Wherevpon at the request of archbishop Honorius and king Eadbald Pauline tooke vpon him the charge of that sée and held it till he died AFter it was knowne that Edwin was slaine in battell as before ye haue heard Osrike the sonne of his vncle Elfrike tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Deira which had receiued the
the vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by him he resigneth his kingdome and becometh a moonke he and his kinsman Egric are slaine in a skirmish against Penda king of Mercia The xxx Chapter AFter that king Oswald was slaine his brother Oswie being about 30 yeares of age tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Northumberland gouerning the same with great trouble for the space of 28 yeares being sore vexed by the foresaid Penda king of Mercia and his people which as yet were pagans In the first yeare of his reigne which was in the yeare of our Lord 644. Pauline the bishop of Rochester which had beene also archbishop of Yorke departed this life and then one Thamar an Englishman of the parties of Kent was ordeined bishop of Rochester by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie King Oswie had one Oswin partener with him in gouernment of the Northumbers in the first beginning of his reigne which was sonne to Osrike so that Oswie gouerned in Bernicia and Oswin in Deira continuing in perfect friendship for a season till at length through the counsell of wicked persons that coueted nothing so much as to sowe discord and variance betwixt princes they fell at debate and so began to make warres one against an other so that finallie when they were at point to haue tried their quarrell in open battell Oswin perceiuing that he had not an armie of sufficient force to incounter with Oswie brake vp his campe at Wilfaresdowne ten mile by west the towne of Cataracton and after withdrew himselfe onelie with one seruant named Condhere vnto the house of earle Hunwald whome he tooke to haue béene his trustie friend but contrarie to his expectation the said Hunwald did betraie him vnto Oswie who by his captaine Edelwine slue the said Oswin and his seruant the forsaid Condhere in a place called Ingethling the 13 kalends of September in the ninth yeare of his reigne which was after the birth of our Sauiour 651. This Oswin was a goodlie gentleman of person tall and beautifull and verie gentle of spéech ciuill in manners and verie liberall both to high low so that he was beloued of all Such a one he was to be breefe as bishop Aidan gessed that he should not long continue in life for that the Northumbers were not woorthie of so good and vertuous a gouernour Such humblenesse and obedience he perceiued to rest in him towards the law of the Lord in taking that which was told him for his better instruction in good part that he said he neuer saw before that time an humble king The same Aidan liued not past 12 daies after the death of the said Oswin whome he so much loued departing this world the last daie of August in the seuenteenth yeare after he was ordeined bishop His bodie was buried in the I le of Lindesferne After Aidan one Finan was made bishop in his place a Scotishman also and of the I le of Hui from whence his predecessor the foresaid Aidan came being first a man of religion professed in the monasterie there as some writers doo report IN the meane time after that Kinigils or Cinigilsus king of the Westsaxons had reigned 31 yeares he departed this life Anno 643 leauing his kingdome to his sonne Cenwalch or Chenwald who held the same kingdome the tearme of 30 yeares or 31 as some write in manner as his father had doone before him In the third or as others saie in the fift yeare of his reigne Penda king of Mercia made sharpe warre against him because he had put awaie his wife the sister of the said Penda and in this warre Chenwald was ouercome in battell driuen out of his countrie so that he fled vnto Anna king of the Eastangles with whome he remained the space of a yeare or as other say thrée yeares to his great good hap for before he was growen to be an enimie to the christian religion but now by the wholesome admonitions and sharpe rebukes of king Anna he became a christian and receiued his wife againe into his companie according to the prescript of Gods law and to be bréefe in all things shewed himselfe a new man imbracing vertue auoiding vice so that shortlie after through the helpe of God he recouered againe his kingdome Now when he was established in the same there came a bishop named Agilbertus out of Ireland a Frenchman borne but hauing remained in Ireland a long time to reade the scriptures This Agilbert comming into the prouince of the Westsaxons was gladlie receiued of king Chenwald at whose desire he tooke vpon him to exercise the roome of a bishop there but afterwards when the said king admitted another bishop named Wini which had béene ordeined in France and knew the toong better than Agilbert as he that was borne in England Agilbert offended for that the king had admitted him without making him of anie counsell therein returned into France and there was made bishop of Paris within a few yeares after the foresaid Wini was expelled also by king Chenwald who got him into Mercia vnto king Uulfhere of whome he bought the bishoprike of London which he held during his life and so the countrie of Westsaxon remained long without a bishop till at length the said Agilbert at the request of king Chenwald sent to him Elutherius that was his nephue YE haue heard that after Carpwald his brother Sigibert succéeded in rule of the Eastangles a man of great vertue and woorthinesse who whilest he remained in France as a banished man being constreined to flée his countrie vpon displeasure that king Redwald bare him was baptised there and after returning into his countrie and obteining at length the kingdome those things which he had séene well ordered in France he studied to follow the example of the same at home and herevpon considering with himselfe that nothing could more aduance the state of the common-wealth of his countrie than learning knowledge in the toongs began the foundation of certeine schooles and namelie at Cambridge where children might haue places where to be instructed and brought vp in learning vnder appointed teachers that there might be greater numbers of learned men trained vp than before time had béene within this land to the furtherance of true religion and vertue So that England hath good cause to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble prince king Sigibert for all those hir learned men which haue bin brought vp come foorth of that famous vniuersitie of Cambridge the first foundation or rather renouation whereof was thus begun by him about the yeare of our Lord 630. At length when this worthie king began to grow in age he considered with himselfe how hard a matter and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a realme as apperteined to the dutie of a good king wherevpon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conuenient yéeres and to
Edelhere king of Eastangles was slaine as before is mentioned his brother Edelwald succéeded him in that kingdome reigning as king thereof by the space of nine yeares Then after Edelwald succéeded Aldulfe the son of Edelhere in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned 25 yeares After Finan bishop of the Northumbers that held his see at Lindesferne as Aidan did before him one Colman was ordeined bishop a Scot borne and an earnest obseruer of the customes vsed amongest them of his nation so that when the controuersie began to be reuiued for the holding of the feast of Easter he would by no meanes yeeld to them that would haue perswaded him to haue followed the rite of the Romane church There was a great disputation kept about this matter and other things as shauing or cutting of heares and such like in the monasterie of Whitbie at the which king Oswie and his sonne Alcfrid were present where Colman for his part alledged the custome of Iohn the euangelist and of Anatholius and the contrarie side brought in proofe of their opinion the custome of Peter and Paule At length when bishop Colman perceiued that his doctrine was not so much regarded as he thought of reason it ought to haue béene he returned into Scotland with those which taking part with him refused to obserue the feast of Easter according to the custome of the church of Rome nor would haue their crownes shauen about which point no small reasoning had beene kept This disputation was holden in the yeare of our Lord 664 and in the yeare of the reigne of king Oswie 22 and 30 yeare after the Scotishmen began first to beare the office of bishops within Northumberland which was as W. Harison saith 624. For Aidan gouerned 17 yeares Finan 10 yeares Colman 3 yeares After that Colman was returned into his countrie one Tuda that had béene brought vp amongest the Southerne Scots and ordeined bishop by them succéeded in his roome hauing his crowne shauen and obseruing the feast of Easter according to the custome of the prouince and rite of the Romane church ¶ The same yeare there chanced a great eclipse of the sunne the third of Maie about 10 of the clocke in the day A great dearth and mortalitie insued both in all the parties of this our Britaine and likewise in Ireland Amongest other the foresaid bishop Tuda died and was buried in the abbeie of Pegnalech After this Tuda succéeded in gouernement of the church of Lindesferne otherwise called Holie Iland one Wilfrid which was sent by king Alcfrid into France to be ordeined there About the same time king Oswie the father of king Alcfrid mooued with the good example of his sonne sent Ceadda the brother of Ced sometime bishop of the Eastsaxons into Kent to be ordeined bishop of Yorke but at his comming into Kent he found that Deus dedit the archbishop of Canturburie was dead and none other as yet ordeined in his place so that Ceadda repaired into the prouince of the Westsaxons where he was ordeined by bishop Wini who tooke two other bishops of the British nation vnto him to be his associats which vsed to obserue the feast of Easter contrarie to the custome of the Romane church But there was no other shift sith none other bishop was then canonicallie ordeined in the prouince of the Westsaxons in those daies this Wini onlie excepted and therefore was he constreined to take such as he might get and prouide After that Ceadda was thus ordeined he began forthwith to follow the true rules of the church liued right chastlie shewed himselfe humble and continent applied his studie to reading and trauelled abroad on foot and not on horssebacke through the coimtries townes and villages to preach the word of God He was the disciple of Aidan and coueted by his example and also by the example of Ced to instruct his hearers with the like dooings maners as he had knowen them to doo Wilfrid also being consecrated bishop and returned into England indeuored to plant the orders of the Romane church in the churches of England whereby it came to passe that the Scots which inhabited amongst the Englishmen were constreined either to follow the same or else to returne into their owne countrie IN this meane time king Ercombert being departed this life after he had gouerned the Kentishmen by the space of twentie yeares his sonne Egbert succéeded him in the kingdome and reigned nine yeares There is little remembrance of his dooings which in that short time were not much notable except ye will ascribe the comming into this land of the archbishop Theodorus and the abbat Adrian vnto his glorie which chanced in his time For in the yeare of the great eclipse and sore mortalitie that insued it chanced that both king Ercombert the archbishop Deus dedit departed this life so that the see of Canturburie was void a certeine time in so much that king Egbert who succéeded his father Ercombert togither with king Oswie did send one Wighart a priest of good reputation for his excellent knowledge in the scriptures vnto Rome with great gifts and rich vessels of gold and siluer to be presented vnto the pope requiring him that he would ordeine the foresaid Wighart archbishop of Canturburie to haue rule of the English church But this Wighart comming vnto Rome and declaring his message vnto Uitalianus then gouerning the church of Rome immediatlie after he died of the pestilence that then reigned in that citie with all those that came with him The pope then taking aduice whome he might ordeine vnto the see of Canturburie being thus destitute of an archbishop appointed a moonke named Adrian to take that office vpon him but Adrian excused himselfe as not sufficient for such a roome and required the pope to appoint one Andrew a moonke also wherevnto the pope consented But when Andrew was preuented by death eftsoones Adrian should haue béene made archbishop but that he named one Theodore an other moonke that abode as then in Rome but was borne in the citie of Tharsus in Cilicia verie well learned both in the Gréeke and Latine and being of reuerend yeares as of 76. This Theodore by the presentment of Adrian was appointed to be ordeined archbishop of Canturburie with condition that Adrian should neuerthelesse attend vpon him into England both for that he had béene twise before this time in France and so knew the coasts and againe for that he might assist him in all things and looke well to the matter that Theodore should not bring into the church of England anie rite or custome of the Gréekes contrarie to the vse of the Romane church Theodore being first ordeined subdeacon tarried foure moneths till his heare was growen that he might haue his crowne shauen after the maner of Peter For he was rounded or shauen after the maner of the East church which was as they persuaded
licence to go into Mercia was gladlie receiued of king Uulfhere and well enterteined in so much that the said king gaue vnto him lands and possessions conteining 50 families or housholds to build a monasterie in a certeine place within the countrie of Lindsey called Etbearne But the sée of his bishoprike was assigned to him at Lichfield in Staffordshire where he made him a house néere to the church in the which he with 7 or 8 other of his brethren in religion vsed in an oratorie there to praie and reade so often as they had leasure from labour and businesse of the world Finallie after he had gouerned the church of Mercia by the space of two yeares and an halfe he departed this life hauing 7 daies warning giuen him as it is reported from aboue before he should die after a miraculous maner which because in the iudgement of the most it may séeme méere fabulous we will omit and passe ouer His bodie was first buried in the church of our ladie but after that the church of saint Peter the apostle was builded his bones were translated into the same In the yeare of our Lord 671 which was the second yeare after that Theodorus the archbishop came into this land Oswie king of Northumberland was attached with a grieuous sicknesse and died thereof the 15 kalends of March in the 58 yeare of his age after he had reigned 28 yeares complet AFter Oswie his sonne Egfrid succéeded in rule of the kingdome of Northumberland in the third yeare of whose reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 673 Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie kept a synod at Herford the first session whereof began the 24 of September all the bishops of this land being present either in person or by their deputies as Bisi bishop of Estangle Wilfrid of Northumberland by his deputie Putta bishop of Rochester Eleutherius bishop of Westsaxon and Wilfrid bishop of Mercia In the presence of these prelats the archbishop shewed a booke wherein he had noted ten chapters or articles taken out of the booke of the canons requiring that the same might be receiued 1 The first chapter was that the feast of Easter should be kept on the sundaie following the fourtéenth day of the first moneth 2 The second that no bishop should intermedle in an others diocesse but he contented with the cure of his flocke committed to him 3 The third that no bishop should disquiet in anie thing anie monasterie consecrated to God nor take by violence anie goods that belonged vnto the same 4 The fourth that bishops being moonks should not go from monasterie to monasterie except by sufferance and permission of their abbats should continue in the same obedience wherein they stood before 5 The fift that none of the cleargie should depart from his bishop to run into anie other diocesse nor comming from anie other place should be admitted except he brought letters of testimonie with him But if anie such chanced to be receiued if he refused to returne being sent for home both he and his receiuer should be excommunicated 6 The sixt that bishops and other of the cleargie being strangers should hold them content with the benefit of hospitalitie should not take in hand anie priestlie office without licence of the bishop in whose diocesse he chanced so to be remaining 7 The seuenth that twice in the yeare a synod should be kept but because of diuers impediments herein it was thought good to them all that in the kalends of August a synod should be kept once in the yeare at a certeine place called Cloofeshough 8 The eighth chapter was that no one bishop should by ambition séeke to be preferred aboue another but that euerie one should know the time and order of his consecration 9 The ninth that as the number of the christians increased so should there be more bishops ordeined 10 The tenth was touching mariages that none should contract matrimonie with anie person but with such as it should be lawfull for him by the orders of the church none should match with their kinsfolke no man should forsake his wife except as the gospell teacheth for cause of fornication But if anie man did put awaie his wife which he had lawfullie married if he would be accounted a true christian he might not be coopled with an other but so remaine or else be reconciled to his owne wife These articles being intreated of and concluded were confirmed with the subscribing of all their hands so as all those that did go against the same should be disgraded of their priesthood and separated from the companie of them all THe forsaid Bisi that was bishop of the Eastangles and present at this synod was successor vnto Bonifacius which Bonifacius held that sée 17 yéeres and then departing this life Bisi was made bishop of that prouince and ordeined by the archbishop Theodore This Bisi at length was so visited with sicknesse that he was not able to exercise the ministration so that two bishops were then there elected and consecrated for him the one named Aecci and the other Baldwin In this meane while that is about the yéere of our Lord 872 or in the beginning of 873 as Harison noteth Kenwalch king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned 30 yéeres This Kenwalch was such a prince as in the beginning he was to be compared with the woorst kind of rulers but in the middest and later end of his reigne to be matched with the best His godlie zeale borne towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appéered in the building of the church at Winchester where the bishops sée of all that prouince was then placed His wife Seghurga ruled the kingdome of Westsaxons after him a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued acts of woorthie remembrance but being preuented by death yer she had reigned one whole yéere she could not shew anie full proofe of hir noble courage I remember that Matth West maketh other report heereof declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the gouernment But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter TO procéed after Segburga was departed this life or deposed if you will néeds haue it so Escuinus or Elcuinus whose grandfather called Cuthgisio the brother of K. Kinigils succéeding in gouernment of the Westsaxons reigned about the space of two yéeres and after his deceasse one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule and continued therein the space of nine yeeres But Beda saith that these two ruled at one-time and diuided the kingdom betwixt them Elcuinus fought against Uulfhere king of Mercia a great number of men being slaine on both parties though Uulfhere yet had after a maner the vpper hand as some haue written In the same yéere that the synod was holden at Herford that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 673 Egbert the king of
barbarous warriour he becommeth a religious christian his vertues his death and buriall at Rome Egfrid king of Northumberland inuadeth Ireland he is slaine by Brudeus king of the Picts the neglect of good counsell is dangerous Etheldreda a wife and a widow hauing vowed chastitie liued a virgine 12 yeeres with hir husband Egfride she was called saint Auderie of Elie. The xxxvj Chapter BUt now to returne vnto that which is found in the British histories by the tenor wherof it should appeare that when their king Cadwallo was dead his son Cadwallader succéeded him in gouernement of the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 678 which was about the 10 yéere of the emperour Constantius Paganotus and in the 13 yéere of the reigne of Childericus king of France This Cadwallader being the sonne of Cadwallo was begot by him of the halfe sister of Penda king of Mercia for one father begot them both but of two sundrie mothers for she had to mother a ladie descended of the noble blood of the Westsaxons and was maried vnto Cadwallo when the peace was made betwixt him and hir brother the said Penda After that Cadwallader had reigned the space of 12 yéeres as Geffrey of Monmouth saith or as others write but 3 yéeres the Britains were brought into such miserie through ciuill discord and also by such great and extreme famine as then reigned through all the land that Cadwallader was constreined with the chéefest part of his people to forsake their natiue countrie and by sea to get them ouer into Britaine Armorike there to séeke reliefe by vittels for the sustentation of their languishing bodies ¶ Long processe is made by the British writers of this departure of Cadwallader of the Britains out of this land and how Cadwallader was about to haue returned againe but that he was admonished by a dreame to the contrarie the which bicause it séemeth but fabulous we passe ouer At length he went to Rome and there was confirmed in the christian religion by pope Sergius where shortlie after he fell sicke and died the 12 kalends of May in the yeere of our Lord 689. But herein appeareth the error of the British writers in taking one for another by reason of resemblance of names for where Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons about that time mooued of a religious deuotion after he was conuerted to the saith went vnto Rome and was there baptised or else confirmed of foresaid pope Sergius and shortlie after departed this life in that citie in the foresaid yéere of 689 or therabouts The Welshmen count him to be their Cadwallader which to be true is verie vnlike by that which may be gathered out of the learned writings of diuers good and approoued authors THis Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons succeeded after Centwine or Centiuinus which Centwine reigned nine yéeres though it should appeare by that which is written by authors of good credit that during two of those yéeres at the least the kingdome of Westsaxons was diuided betwixt him and Elcuinus or Escuinus so that he should not reigne past seuen yeeres alone But now to Ceadwalla whome some take to be all one with Cadwallader we find that he was lineallie descended from Cutha or Cutwine the brother of Ceauline or Keuling king of Westsaxons as sonne to Kenbert or Kenbright that was sonne to Ceadda the sonne of the foresaid Cutha or Cutwin Thus being extract of the noble house of the kings of Westsaxons he prooued in his youth a personage of great towardnesse and such a one as no small hope was of him conceiued he would let no occasion passe wherein he might exercise his force to shew proofe of his high valiancie so that in the end with his woorthie attempts shewed therein he purchased to himselfe the enuie of those that ruled in his countrie by reason whereof he was banished in a conspiracie made against him Wherevpon he tooke occasion as it were in reuenge of such vnthankefulnesse to withdraw out of his countrie leading with him all the principall youth of the same the which either pitieng his present estate or mooued with pleasure taken in his valiant dooings followed him at his going into exile The first brunt of his furious attempts after he was out of his countrie Edilwalke the king of the Southsaxons tasted who in defense of himselfe comming to trie battell with Ceadwalla was slaine with the most part of all his armie Ceadwalla then perceiuing the valiant courages of his souldiers filled with good hope of this happie atchiued victorie returned with good and prosperous spéed into his owne countrie and that yer he was looked for and earnestlie pursuing his aduersaries droue them out of the kingdome and taking vpon him to rule the same as king reigned two yéeres during the which he atchiued diuers notable enterprises And first whereas Berthun and Authun dukes of Sussex subiects vnto the late king Edilwalke had both expelled him out of that countrie after he had slaine the said Edilwalke and also taken vpon them the rule of that kingdome hauing now atteined to the gouernement of the Westsaxons he inuaded the countrie of Sussex againe and slue Berthun in battell bringing that countrie into more bondage than before He also set vpon the I le of Wight and well-néere destroied all the inhabitants meaning to inhabit it with his owne people Hee bound himselfe also by vow although as yet he was not baptised that if he might conquer it he would giue a fourth part thereof vnto the Lord. And in performance of that vow he offered vnto bishop Wilfride who then chanced to be present when he had taken that I le so much therof as conteined 300 housholds or families where the whole consisted in 1200 housholds Wilfrid receiuing thankefullie the gift deliuered the same vnto one of his clearks named Bernewine that was his sisters sonne appointing to him also a priest named Hildila the which should minister the word and the sacrament of baptisme vnto all those that would receiue the same Thus was the I le of Wight brought to the faith of Christ last of all other the parties of this our Britaine after that the same faith had failed here by the comming of the Saxons Moreouer king Ceadwalla inuaded the kingdome of Kent where he lost his brother Mollo as after shall appéere but yet he reuenged his death with great slaughter made of the inhabitants in that countrie Finallie this worthie prince Ceadwalla turning himselfe from the desire of warre and bloudshed became right courteous gentle and liberall towards all men so that ye could not haue wished more vertuous manners to rest in one as yet not christened And shortlie after willing to be admitted into the fellowship of the christians of whose religion he had taken good tast he went to Rome where of pope Sergius he was baptised and named Peter and shortlie after surprised with sickenesse he
died and was buried there within the church of saint Peter in the yeere of our Lord 689. In the meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 684 Egfride king of Northumberland sent an armie vnder the guiding of a capteine named Bertus into Ireland the which wasted that countrie sparing neither church nor monasterie sore indamaging the people of that countrie which had euer beene friends vnto the English nation and deserued nothing lesse than so to be inuaded and spoiled at their hands The Irish men defended themselues to their power beséeching God with manie a salt teare that he would reuenge their cause in punishing of such extreme iniuries And though cursers may not inherit the kingdome of heauen yet they ceased not to curse hoping the sooner that those which with good cause were thus accursed should woorthilie be punished for their offenses by God so peraduenture it fell out For in the yeere following the said Egfride had lead an armie into Pictland against Brudeus king of the Picts and being trained into straits within hils and craggie mounteins he was slaine with the most part of all his armie in the yeere of his age 40 and of his reigne 15 vpon the 13 kalends of Iune There were diuers of Egfrides friends and namelie Cutberd whome he had aduanced the same yéere vnto the bishops sée of Lindesferne that aduised him in no wise either to haue taken this warre in hand against the Picts or the other against them of Ireland but he would not be counselled the punishment appointed for his sinnes being such that he might not giue eare to his faithfull friends that aduised him for the best From that time foorth the hope and power of the English people began to decaie For not onelie the Picts recouered that part of their countrie which the Englishmen had held before in their possession but also the Scots that inhabited within this I le and likewise some part of the Britains tooke vpon them libertie which they kept and mainteined a long time after as Beda confesseth Egfride died without issue left no children behind him He had to wife one Ethelreda or Etheldrida daughter vnto Anna king of the Eastangles which liued with hir husband the forsaid Egfride twelue yéeres in perfect virginitie as is supposed contrarie to the purpose of hir husband if he might haue persuaded hir to the contrarie but finallie he was contented that she should kéepe hir first vow of chastitie which she had made She was both widow and virgine when he maried hir being first coupled in wedlocke with one Eunbert a noble man and a ruler in the south parts of the countrie where the people called Giruij inhabited which is the same where the fennes lie in the confines of Lincolnshire Norffolke Huntingtonshire Cambridgeshire howbeit be liued with hir but a small while After she had obteined licence to depart from the court she got hir first into Coldingham abbeie and there was professed a nun Then she went to Elie and there restored the monasterie and was made abbesse of the place in the which after she had gouerned seuen yeeres she departed this life and was there buried This same was she which commonlie is called saint Audrie of Elie had in great reuerence for the opinion conceiued of hir great vertue aand puritie of life Alfride the bastard king of Northumberland his life and death Iohn archbishop of Canturburie reigneth his see Lother king of Kent dieth of a wound Edrike getteth the regiment thereof but not without bloudshed Ceadwalla wasteth Kent being at strife in it selfe his brother Mollo burned to death Withred made king of Kent he vanquisheth his enimies Inas king of Westsaxons is made his friend Suebhard and Nidred vsurpers of the Kentish kingdome the age and death of Theodore archbishop of Canturburie Brightwald the first archbishop of the English nation the end of the British regiment and how long the greatest part of this Iland was vnder their gouernement The xxxvij Chapter AFter that king Egfride was slaine as before is mentioned his brother Alfride was made king of Northumberland This Alfride was the bastard sonne of king Oswie and in his brothers daies either willinglie or by violent means constreined he liued as a banished man in Ireland where applieng himselfe to studie he became an excellent philosopher And therfore being iudged to be better able to haue the rule of a kingdome he was receiued by the Northumbers and made king gouerning his subiects the space of 20 yeares and more with great wisedome and policie but not with such large bounds as his ancestors had doone for the Picts as before is mentioned had cut off one péece of the north part of the ancient limits of that kingdome About the 13 yeare of his reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 698 one of his capteins named earle Berthred or Bertus was slaine in battell by the Picts whose confins he had as then inuaded The curse of the Irish men whose countrie in the daies of king Egfrid he had cruellie wasted as before is mentioned was thought at this time to take place Finallie king Alfride after he had reigned 20 yeares od months departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 705. In the beginning of king Alfrids daies Eata the bishop of Hexham being dead one Iohn a man of great holinesse was admitted bishop and after that bishop Wilfrid was restored when he had remained a long time in exile The said Iohn was remoued to the church of Yorke the same being then void by the death of the archbishop Bosa At length the foresaid Iohn wearied with the cares of publike affaires resigned his sée and got him to Beuerley where he liued a solitarie life for the space of foure yeares and then died about the yeare of our Lord 721 king Osâ—ike as then reigning in Northumberland He continued bishop for the space of 24 yeares and builded a church and founded a colledge of priests at Beuerley aforsaid in which church he lieth buried The same yeare or in the yeare after that king Egfrid was slaine Lother king of Kent departed this life the 8 Ides of Februarie of a wound by him receiued in a battell which he fought against the Southsaxons the which came in aid of Edrike that was sonne vnto his brother Egbert and had mainteined warre against his vncle the said Lother euen from the beginning of his reigne till finallie he was now in the said battell striken thorough the bodie with a dart and so died thereof after he had reigned 11 yeares and seuen moneths It was thought that he was disquieted with continuall warres and troubles and finallie brought to his end before the naturall course of his time for a punishment of his wicked consent giuen to the putting to death of his cousins Ethelbert Ethelbrit as appeared in that when they were
reported to be martyrs because it was knowen they died innocentlie he mocked them and made but a iest at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him thereof and gaue in recompense to their mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the building of a monasterie THe foresaid Edrike after Lother was dead got the dominion of Kent and ruled as king thereof but not without ciuill warre insomuch that before he had reigned the full terme of two yeares he was slaine in the same warre Then Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons being thereof aduertised supposing of the time now to be come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentishmen all the displeasure he could entred with an armie into theri covntrie and began to waste and spoile the same on ech side till finallie the Kentishmen assembled themselues togither gaue battell to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was driuen from his companie and constrained to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued him set fire thereon and burned both the hosue and Mollo within it to ashes Yet did not Ceadwalla herewith deaprt out of the countrie but to wreake his wrath and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother he wasted and destroied a great part of Kent yer he returned home and left as it were in occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell with reuenging Wherein we sée the cankerd nature of man speciallie in a case of wrong or displeasure which we are so far from tollerating forgiuing that if with tooth and naile we be not permitted to take vengeance our hearts will breake with a full conceit of wrath But the law of nature teacheth vs otherwise to be affected namelie per te nulli vnquam iniuria fiat Sed verbis alijsque modis fuge laedere quenquam Quod tibi nolles alijs fecisse caueto Quódque tibi velles alijs praestare studeto Haec est naturae lex optima quam nisiad vnguem Seruabis non ipse Deo mihi crede placebis Póstque obitum infoelix non aurea sydera adibis Which lesson taught by nature and commanded of God if these men had followed as they minded nothing lesse in the fier of their furie they would haue béene content with a competent reuenge and not in such outragious maner with fier and sword haue afflicted one another nor which is more than tigerlike crueltie haue ministred occasion to posterities to reuenge wrongs giuen and taken of their ancestors But we will let this passe without further discourse meaning hereafter in due place to declare the processe The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuers had coueted the place and sought to atteine thereto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for the space of 6 yeares togither at length in the 7 yeare after Edricks death Withred an other of the sonnes of king Egbert hauing with diligent trauell ouercome enuie at home with monie redéemed peace abroad was with great hope conceiued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the 11 of Nobuember 205 after the death of Hengist he reigned 33 yeares not deceiuing his subiects of their good conceiued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie ciuill warre against him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the Westsaxons which ment to haue made him warre till with monie he was made his friend A little before that Withdred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent there reigned two kings in that countrie Suebhard and Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia gentis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the archbishop Theodorus being of the age of 88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare 692 the first daie of Iulie on Brightwald was chosen to succéed in the archbishops sée of Canturburie Withredus and Suebhardus as then reigning in Kent but whether Withredus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nidred it forceth not for certeine it is by the agréement of othere writers that till Withdred obteined the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernement and diuers there wre that sought and fought for it But this ought to be noted that the forenamed Brightwald was the eight archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sée of Canturburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were strangers borne and sent hither from Rome ¶ Here endeth the line and gouernement of the Britains now called Welshmen which tooke that name of their duke or leader Wallo or Gallo or else of a queene of Wales named Gales or Wales But howsoeuer that name fell first vnto them now they are called Welshmen which sometime were called Britains or Brutons and descended first of the Troians and after of Brute and lastlie of Mulmucius Dunwallo albeit they were mingled with sundrie other nations as Romans Picts c. and now they be called English that in their beginning were named Saxons or Angles To conclude therefore wiht this gouernement so manie times intercepted by forren power it appeareth by course of histories treating of these matters that the last yeare of Cadwallader was the yeare of our Lord 686 which makes the yere of the world 4647. So that as Fabian saith the Britains had the greater part of this land in rule reckoning from Brute till this time 1822 yeares Which terme being expired the whole dominion of this realme was Saxonish Thus farre the interrupted regiment of the Britains ending at the fift booke THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England Inas king of the Westsaxons the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen whom he was purposed to haue destroied he his coosen Nun fight with Gerent king of the Britains and Cheolred king of Mercia and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons the end of their kingdoms Inas giueth ouer his roialtie goeth in pilgrimage to Rome and there dieth his lawes written in the Saxon toong of what buildings he was the founder queene Ethelburgas deuise to persuade Inas to forsake the world he was the first procurer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome king Ethelred king Kenred and king Offa become moonks the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision king Ethelbalds exploits he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggestion of Bernred the vsurper Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald nuns kept for concubines their pilgrimage The first Chapter AFter tht Ceadwalla late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome where he departed this
life as afore is shewed his coosen Inas or Ine was made king of the Westsaxons begining his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 689 in the third yeere of the emperor Iustmianus the third the 11 yéere of the reigne of Theodoricus K. of France and about the second yéere of the reigne of Eugenius king of Scots now because the rule of The Britains commonlie called Welshmen ceassed in this realme as by confession of their owne writers it appéereth and that in the end the whole monarchie of the same realme came to the hands of the kings of Westsaxons we haue thought méet to refer things generall vnto the reignes of the same kings as before we did in the Britaine kings reseruing the particular dooings to the kings of the other prouinces or kingdoms as the same haue fallen out and shall come to hand This Inas whome some mistaking N for U doo wrongfullie name Iue or Iewe prooued a right excellent prince he was descended of the ancient linage of the kings of the Westsaxons as sonne to one Kenred that was sonne to Geolwald the son of Cutha or Cutwine that was sonne to Kenricke the sonne of Certicus the first king of Westsaxons But he was admitted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his woorthie person than for the successiue of spring of which he was descended The first â—biage that he made was against the Kentishmen on whome he purposed to reuenge the death of his coosen Mollo the griefe whereof as yet he kept in fresh memorie But when the Kentishmen perceiued that to resist him by force they were nothing able they attempted by monie to buy their peace and so obteined their purpose vpon paiment made to him of thirtie thousand marks of siluer After this about the 21 yéere of his reigne king Inas and his coosen Nun fought with Gerent king of the Britains In the beginning of the battell one Higelbald a noble man of the Westsaxons part was slaine but in the end Gerent with his Britains was chased In the 26 yéere of his reigne the same Inas fought a mightie battell against Cheolred king of Mercia at Wodenessburie with doubtfull victorie for it could not well be iudged whether part susteined greater losse In the 36 yéere of his reigne king Inas inuaded the Southsaxons with a mightie armie and slue in battell Ealdbright or Aldinius king of the Southsaxons and ioined that kingdome vnto the kingdome of the Westsaxons so that from thencefoorth the kingdome of those Southsaxons ceassed after they had reigned in that kingdome by the space of fiue kings successiuelie that is to say Ella Cissa Ethelwalke Berutius and this last Aldinius or Ealdbright Finallie when Inas had reigned 37 yéeres and 10 or 11 od moneths he renounced the rule of his kingdome togither with all worldlie pompe and went vnto Rome as a poore pilgrime and there ended his life but before this during the time of his reigne he shewed himselfe verie deuout and zealous towards the aduancement of the christian religion He made and ordeined also good wholesome lawes for the amendment of maners in the people which are yet extant and to be read written in the Saxon toong and translated into the Latine in times past and now latelie againe by William Lambert gentleman and printed by Iohn Day in the yéere 1568 togither with the lawes and statutes of other kings before the conquest as to the learned maie appéere Moreouer king Ine builded the monasterie of Glastenburie where Ioseph of Arimathea in times past builded an oratorie or chappell as before is recited when he with other christians came into this land in the daies of Aruiragus taught the gospell heere to the Britains conuerting manie of them to the faith Moreouer king Ine or Inas builded the church of Welles dedicating it vnto saint Andrew where afterwards a bishops sée was placed which at length was translated vnto Salisburie He had to wife one Ethelburga a woman of noâ—â—â—le linage who had béene earnest with him a long time to persuade him to forsake the world but she could by no meanes bring hir purpose to passe till vpon a time the king and she had lodged at a manor place in the countrie where all prouision had béene made for the receiuing of them and their traine in most sumptuous maner that might be as well in rich furniture of houshold as also in costlie viands and all other things needfull or that might serue for pleasure and when they were departed the quéene the foresaid Ethelburga caused the keeper of that house to remooue all the bedding hangings and other such things as had béen brought thither and ordeined for the beautifull setting foorth of the hosue and in place thereof to bring ordure straw such like filth as well into the chambers and hall as into all the houses of office and that doone to laie a fow with pigs in the place where before the kings bed had stood Héerevpon when she had knowledge that euerie thing was ordered according to hir appointment she persuaded the king to returne thither againe feining occasions great and necessarie Now when he was returned to that house which before séemed to the eie a palace of most pleasure and now finding it in such a filthie state as might loath the stomach of anie man to behold the same she tooke occasion therevpon to persuade him to the consideratino of the vaine pleasures of this world which in a moment turne to naught togither with the corruption of the flesh being a filthie lumpe of claie after it should once be dissolued by death and in fine where before she had spent much labour to mooue him to renounce the world though all in vaine yet now the beholding of that change in his pleasant place wherein so late he had taken great delight wrought such an alteration in his mind that hir woords lastlie tooke effect so that he resigned the kingdome to his coosen Ethelard and went himselfe to Rome as aboue is mentioned and his wife became a nun in the abbeie of Barking where she was made abbesse and finallie there ended hir life This Inas was the first that caused the monie called Peter pence to be paid vnto the bishop of Rome which was for euerie houshold within his dominion of penie In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred hauing gouerned the kingdome of Mercia by the tearme of 29 yéeres became a moonke in the abbeie of Bardenie and after was made abbat of that house He had to wife one Ostrida the sister of Egfride king of Northumberland by whome he had a sonne named Ceolred But he appointed Kenred the sonne of his brother Uulfher to succéed him in the kingdome The said Ostrida was cruellie slaine by the treason of hir husbands subiects about the yéere of our Lord 697. And as for Kenred he was
a prince of great vertue deuout towards God a furtherer of the common-wealth of his countrie and passed his life in great sinceritie of maners In the fift yéere of his reigne he renounced the world and went to Rome togither with Offa king of the Eastsaxons where he was made a moonke and finallie died there in the yéere of our Lord 711. By the aid and furtherance of this Kenred a moonke of saint Benets order called Egwin builded the abbbie of Eueshame who afterwards was made bishop of Worcester ¶ We find recorded by writers that this Egwin had warning giuen him by visions as he constantlie affirmed before pope Constantine to set vp an image of our ladie in his church Wherevpon the pope approouing the testifications of this bishop by his buls writ to Brightwald archbishop of Canturburie to assemble a synod and by authoritie thereof to establish the vse of images charging the kings of this land to be present at the same synod vpon paine of excommunication This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712 in the daies of Inas king of Westsaxons and of Ceolred king of Mercia successor to the foresaid Kenred After Kenred succéeded Ceolred the sonne of his vncle Edilred died in the 8 yeere of his reigne and was buried at Lichfield Then succéeded Ethelbaldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king Penda as the fourth from him by lineall succession This man gouerned a long time without anie notable trouble some warres he had and sped diuerslie In the 18 yéere of his reigne he besieged Sommerton and wan it He also inuaded Northumberland and got there great riches by spoile and pillage which he brought from thence without anie battell offered to him He ouercame the Welshmen in battell being then at quiet and ioined as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons But in the 37 yéere of his reigne he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same Cuthred with whome he was fallen at variance and within foure yéeres after that is to say in the 41 yéere of his reigne he was slaine in battell at Secandon or Sekenton by his owne subiects which arreared warres against him by the procurement and leading of one Bernred who after he had slaine his naturall prince tooke vpon him the kingdome but he prospered not long being slaine by Offa that succéeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia as after shall be shewed The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentz or Moguntz hauing assembled a councell with other bishops and doctors deuised a letter and sent it vnto this Ethelbald commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore and also for his vpright dealing in administration of iustice to the punishment of robbers and such like misdooers but in that he absteined from mariage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women and namelie with nuns they sore blamed him and withall declared in what in famie the whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication and namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example did forsake their wiues and defloured other women which they kept in adulterie as nuns and others Moreouer he shewed how that such euill women as well nuns as other vsed to make awaie in secret wise their children which they bare out of wedlocke and so filled the graues with dead bodies and hell with damned soules The same Bonifacius in an other epistle which he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Canturburie counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage bicause there were few cities either in France or Lombardie wherein might not be found English women that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome he is shauen and becommeth a moonke succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles Osred king of Northumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns he is slaine in battell Osrike renouncing his kingdome becommeth a moonke bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see Westsaxonie diuided into two diocesses bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment two blasing starres seene at once and what insued the king dieth the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent what prouinces were gouerned by bishops of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was Egbert archbishop of Yorke aduanceth his see a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda his death The second Chapter IN this meane time Sighard and Seufred kings of the Eastsaxons being departed this-life one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succéeded in 〈◊〉 â—uernment of that kingdome a man of great towardnesse and of right comelie countenance but after he had ruled a certeine time being mooued with a riligious deuotion he went to Rome in companie of Kenred king of Mercia and of one Egwine bishop of Worcester and being there shauen into the order of moonks so continued till he died After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good ruled the Eastsaxons the tearme of 38 yéeres After Alduife the king of Eastangles departed this fraile life which chanced about the yéere of our Lord 688 his brother Elewold or Akwold succeeded him and reigned about twelue yéeres After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles and reigned about 26 yéeres In this meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 705 Alfride king of Northumberland being dead his sonne Osred a child of 8 yéeres of age succeeded him in the kingdome and reigned 11 yéeres spending his time when he came to ripe yeeres in filthie abusing his bodie with nuns and other religious women About the seuenth yéere of his reigne that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 711 one of his capteins named earle Berthfride fought with the Picts betwixt two places called Heue and Cere and obteining the victorie slue an huge number of the enimies At length king Osred by the traitorous means of his coosens that arreared warre against him was slaine in batell and so ended his reigne leauing to those that procured his death the like fortune in time to come For Kenred reigning two yéeres and Osricke ten yeeres were famous onelie in this that being worthilie punished for shedding the bloud of their naturall prince and souereigne lord they finished their liues with dishonourable deaths as they had well deserued Osricke before his death which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 729 appointed Ceolwolfe the brother of his predecessor Kenred to succeed him in the kingdome which he did reigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of 8 yéeres currant and then renouncing his kingdom became a moonke in the I le of Lindesferne
life in whose place one Adelbert succéeded About the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons the Northumbers hauing to their capteine two noble men Osbald and Ethelherard burned one of their iudges named Bearne bicause he was more cruell in iudgement as they tooke the matter than reason required In which vengeance executed vpon the cruell iudge if he were so seuere as this attempt of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect all such of his liuerie calling are taught lenitie mildnes wherwith they should leuen the rigor of the lawe For capit indulgentia mentes Asperitas odium saeuáeque bella mouet Odimus accipitrem quia viuit semper in armis Et pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos At caret insidijs hominum quia mitis hirundo est Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet At the same time one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled and when the same Alfwald had reigned 10 or as some say 11 yéeres he was traitorouslie and without all guilt made away the chéefe conspirator was named Siga The same Alfwald was a iust prince and woorthilie gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation He was murthered by his owne people as before ye haue heard the 23 of September in the yéere of our Lord 788 and was buried at Hexham In the yéere 792 Charles king of France sent a booke into Britaine which was sent vnto him from Constantinople conteining certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod wherein were present aboue the number of thrée hundred bishops quite contrarie and disagréeing from the true faith namelie in this that images ought to be worshipped which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth Against this booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holie scripture which treatise with the booke in name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine he presented vnto the king of France ¶ In the yéere 800 on Christmasse éeuen chanced a maruellous tempest of wind which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in diuerse places and trees in great number beside other harmes which it did as by death of cattell c. Int the yeere following a great part of London was consumed by fire Britricus K. of the Westsaxons his inclination Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land why crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen what they did prognosticate the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts and the cause of their comming firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga hir ill qualities why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes the miserable end of Ethelburga Kenulfe king of Mercia his vertues he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield he inuadeth Kent taketh the king prisoner in the field and bountifullie setteth him at libertie the great ioy of the people therevpon his rare liberalitie to churchmen his death and buriall The seuenth Chapter AFter Kenwulfe Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of Westsaxons and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787 which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constantinus and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots This Brightrike was descended of the line of Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons the 16 in number from him He was a man of nature quiet temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succéeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled that euerie one as he grew in greatest power stroue to be king and supreame gouernour But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted that place as he that was of the bloud roiall and a man of great power and lustie courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie banished him the land and appointed him to go into France Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should aduance him in time obeied the kings pleasure About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne there fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortlie after in the yeere insuing there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth to apprehend those that were come on land howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them he was slaine but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the countries about began to assemble and were comming against them they fled to their ships and left their prey and spoile behind them for that time These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land being onelie sent as was perceiued after to view the countrie and coasts of the same to vnderstand how with a greater power they might be able to inuade it as shortlie after they did and warred so with the Englishmen that they got a great part of the land and held it in their owne possession In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng which betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed First a great dearth and famine and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes which shortlie followed as ye shall heare Finallie after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some write that he was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia as before ye haue heard and he maried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman proud and high-minded as Lucifer and therewith disdainfull She bare hir the more statelie by reason of hir fathers great fame and magnificence whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband and so put them in danger of their liues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour she would not sticke to poison them It happened one day as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman against whome she had a quarell the king chanced to tast of that cup and died thereof as before ye haue heard Hir purpose indeed was not to haue poisoned the king but onelie the yoong gentleman the which drinking after the king died also the poison was so strong and vehement For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes nor permit them to sit with them in open places
where their maiesties should bée shewed manie yéeres after Ethelburga fearing punishment fled into France with gâ—eat riches and treasure was well cherished in the court of king Charles at the first but after she was thrust into an abbeie and demeaned hirselfe so lewdlie there in keeping companie with one of hir owne countriemen that she was banished the house and after died in great miserie Egbert king of Mercia departing this life after he had reigned foure moneths ordeined his coosine Kenulfe to succeed in his place which Kenulfe was come of the line of Penda king of Mercia as rightlie descended from his brother Kenwalke This Kenulfe for his noble courage wisedome and vpright dealing was woorthie to be compared with the best princes that haue reigned His vertues passed his fame nothing he did that enuie could with iust cause reprooue At home he shewed himselfe godlie and religious in warre he became victorious he restored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie wherein his humblenes was to be praised that made no account of worldlie honour in his prouince so that the order of the ancient canons might be obserued He had wars left him as it were by succession from his predecessour Offa against them of Kent and thervpon entring that countrie with a mightie armie wasted and spoiled the same and encountering in battell with king Edbert or Ethelbert otherwise called Prenne ouerthrew his armie and tooke him prisoner in the field but afterwards he released him to his great praise and commendation For whereas he builded a church at Winchcombe vpon the day of the dedication thereof he led the Kentish king as then his prisoner vp to the high altar and there set him at libertie declaring thereby a great proofe of of his good nature There were present at that sight Cuthred whom he had made king of Kent in place of Ethelbert or Edbert with 13 bishops and 10 dukes The noise that was made of the people in reioising at the kings bountious liberalitie was maruellous For not onelie he thus restored the Kentish king to libertie but also bestowed great rewards vpon all the prelates and noble men that were come to the feast euerie priest had a peece of gold and euerie moonke a shilling Also he dealt and gaue away great gifts amongst the people and founded in that place an abbeie indowing the same with great possessions Finallie after he had reigned 4 yéeres he departed this life and appointed his buriall to be in the same abbeie of Winchcombe leauing behind him a sonne named Kenelme who succeeded his father in the kingdome but was soone murthered by his vnnaturall sister Quendred the 17 of Iulie as hereafter shall be shewed Osrike king of Northumberland leaueth the kingdome to Edelbert reuoked out of exile king Alfwalds sons miserablie slaine Osred is put to death Ethelbert putteth away his wife and marieth another his people rise against him therefore and kill him Oswald succeeding him is driuen out of the land Ardulfe king of Northumberland duke Wade raiseth warre against him and is discomfited duke Aldred is slaine a sore battell fought in Northumberland the English men aflict one another with ciuill warres king Ardulfe deposed from his estate the regiment of the Northumbers refused as dangerous and deadlie by destinie what befell them in lieu of their disloialtie the Danes inuade their land and are vanquished the roiall race of the Kentish kings decaâ—eth the state of that kingdome the primasie restored to the see of Canturburie Egbert after the death of Britricus is sent for to vndertake the gouernement of the Westsaxons his linage The eight Chapter WHen Aswald king of Northumberland was made away his brother Osred the sonne of Alred tooke vpon him the rule of that kingdom anno 788 and within one yeere was expelled and left the kingdome to Ethelbert or Edelred as then reuoked out of exile in which he had remained for the space of 1 yéeres and now being restored he continued in gouernement of the Northumbers 4 yéeres or as some say 7 yéeres in the second yéere whereof duke Eardulfe was taken and led to Ripon and there without the gate of the monasterie wounded as was thought to death by the said king but the moonks taking his bodie and laieng it in a tent without the church after midnight he was found aliue in the church Moreouer about the same time the sonnes of king Alfwald were by force drawne out of the citie of Yorke but first by a wile they were trained out of the head church where they had taken sanctuarie and so at length miserablie slaine by king Ethelbert in Wonwaldremere one of them was named Alfus the other Alfwin In the yéere of our Lord 792 Osred vpon trust of the othes and promises of diuerse noble men secretly returned into Northumberland but his owne souldiers for sooke him and so was he taken and by king Ethelberts commandement put to death at Cunburge on the 14 day of September The same yéere king Ethelbert maried the ladie Alfled the daughter of Offa king of Mercia forsaking his former wife which he had hauing no iust cause of diuorce giuen on hir part whereby his people tooke such displeasure against him that finallie after he had reigned now this second time 4 yéeres or as other say seuen yéeres he could not auoid the destinie of his predecessors but was miserablie killed by his owne subiects at Cobre the 18 day of Aprill After whome one Oswald a noble man was ordeined king and within 27 or 28 daies after was expelled and constreined to flie first into the I le of Lindisferne and from thence vnto the king of Picts Then Ardulfe that was a duke and sonne to one Arnulfe was reuoked out of exile made king consecrated also at Yorke by the archbishop Cumbald and thrée other bishops the 25 of Iune in the yéere 396. About two yeeres after to wit in the yéere 798 one duke Wade and other conspirators which had beene also partakers in the murthering of king Ethelbert raised warre against king Ardulfe and fought a batteâ—l with him at Walleg but king Ardulfe got the vpper hand and chased Wade and other his enimies out of the field In the yéere 799. duke Aldred that had murthered Ethelbert or Athelred king of Northumberland was slaine by another duke called Chorthmond in reuenge of the death of his maister the said Ethelbert Shortlie after about the same time that Brightrike king of Westsaâ—ons departed this life there was a sore battell foughtten in Northumberland at Wellehare in the which Alricke the sonne of Herbert and manie other with him were slaine but to rehearse all the battels with their successes and issues it should be too tedious and irkesome to the readers for the English people being naturallie hard and high-minded continuallie scourged each other with intestine warres About six or seuen yéeres after this
time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre when suddenlie newes came that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships were arriued on the English coasts and began to make sore warre in the land K. Egbert being thereof aduertised with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies Heerevpon incountring with them there was a sore foughten field betwixt them which continued with great slaughter on both sides till the night came on and then by chance of warre the Englishmen which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie were vanquished and put to flight yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond with two bishops to wit Herferd of Winchester and Uigferd of Shireborne were slaine in that battell which was foughten at Carrum about the 834 of Christ and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne In the yeere following the Danes with their nauie came into Westwales and there the Welshmen ioining with them rose against king Egbert but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen and that in great number at a place called Hengistenton The next yéere after also which was 836 he ouerthrew another armie of Danes which came against him as one autor writeth Finallie when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds which when he receiued was but of small compasse he departed this life leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined togither His bodie was buried at Winchester and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent Sussex and Essex ¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires as well forren as domesticall wherein is first to be obserued the order of his education in his tender yéeres which agréeing well with a princes nature could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no policie so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies to whome he gaue manie a fâ—wle discomfiture But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers being such as knew how to get the victorie and hauing gotten it were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit by their warinesse and héed taking for Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turbâ—â— The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons the end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex Kenelme king of Mercia murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred the order of hir wicked practise his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe the kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another the kingdome of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons he marrieth his butlers daughter his disposition the fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies the Danes sought the ruine of this I le how long they afflicted and troubled the same two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre the Danes discomfited the Englishmen chased Ethelwufs great victorie ouer the Danes a great slaughter of them at Tenet king Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches Peter pence paid to Rome he marieth the ladie Iudith his two sonnes conspire vpon occasion of breaking a law to depose him king Ethelwulfe dieth his foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga how he bequeathed his kingdoms The tenth Chapter WHen Cuthred K. of Kent had reigned 8 yeeres as before is mentioned he was constreined to giue place vnto one Baldred that tooke vpon him the gouernment reigned the space of 18 yéeres without anie great authoritie for his subiects regarded him but sorilie so that in the end when his countrie was inuaded by the Westsaxons he was easilie constreined to depart into exile And thus was the kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons after the same kingdome had continued in gouernment of kings created of the same nation for the space of 382 yéers that is to say from the yéere of our Lord 464 vnto the yéere 827. Suithred or Suthred king of Essex was vanquished and expelled out of his kingdome by Egbert king of Westsaxons as before ye maie read in the same yéere that the Kentishmen were subdued by the said Egbert or else verie shortlie after This kingdome continued 281 yeeres from the yéere 614 vnto the yeere 795 as by the table of the Heptarchie set foorth by Alexander Neuill appeereth After the deceasse of Kenwulfe king of Mercia his sonne Kenelme a child of the age of seuen yéeres was admitted king about the yeere of our Lord 821. He had two sisters Quendred and Burgenild of the which the one that is to say Quendred of a malicious mind mooued through ambition enuied hir brothers aduancement and sought to make him awaie so that in the end she corrupted the gouernour of his person one Ashbert with great rewards and high promises persuading him to dispatch hir innocent brother out of life that she might reigne in his place Ashbert one day vnder a colour to haue the yoong king foorth on hunting led him into a thicke wood and there cut off the head from his bodie an impe by reason of his tender yéeres and innocent age vnto the world void of gilt and yet thus traiterouslie murthered without cause or crime he was afterward reputed for a maryr There hath gone a tale that his death should be signified at Rome and the place where the murther was committed by a strange manner for as they say a white â—oue came and sighted vpon the altar of saint Peter bearing a scroll in hir bill which she let fall on the same altar in which scroll among other things this was conteined In clenc liou bath Kenelme kinbarsie â—eth vnder thorne heaued beâ—eaued that is at Clene in a 〈…〉 Keneline the kings child lieth beheaded vnder a thorne This tale I â—ehearse not for anie credit I thinke it woorthie of but onelie for that it séemeth to note the place where the yoong prince innocentlie lost his life After that Kenelme was thus made awaie his vncle Ceolwulfe the brother of king Kenulfe was created king of Mercia and in the second yéere of his reigne was expelled by Bernwulfe Bernwulfe in the third yéere of his reigne was vanquished and put to flight in battell by Egbert king of
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
in Cornwall Werstan to Shireborne Adelme to Welâ—es and Edulfe to Kirton Also to the prouince of Sussex he ordeined one Bernegus and to Dorchester for the prouince of Mercia one Cenulfus ¶ Héere ye must note that where William Malme Polychro and other doo affirme that pope Formosus did accursse king Edward and the English nation for suffering the bishops sées to be vacant it can not stand with the agréement of the time vnlesse that the cursse pronounced by Formosus for this matter long afore was not regarded vntill Edward had respect thereto For the same Formosus began to gouerne the Romane sée about the yéere of our Lord 892 and liued in the papasie not past six yeeres so that he was dead before king Edward came to the crowne But how so euer this matter maie fall out this ye haue to consider although that Pleimond was sent vnto Rome to aduertise the pope what the king had decréed doone in the ordeining of bishops to their seuerall sées as before ye haue heard yet as maister Fox hath noted the gouernance and direction of the church depended chieflie vpon the kings of this land in those daies as it manifestlie appeereth as well by the decrees of king Alfred as of this king Edward whose authoritie in the election of bishops as before ye haue heard séemed then alone to be sufficient Moreouer I thinke it good to aduertise you in this place that this Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie of whome ye haue heard before was the 19 in number from Augustine the first archbishop there for after Brightwold that was the 8 in number and first of the English nation that gouerned the sée succéeded Taduin that sat thrée yéeres Notelin fiue yéeres Cuthbert 18 yéeres Brethwin thrée yeeres Lambert 27 yéeres Adelard 13 yéeres Wilfred 28 yéeres Theologildus or Pleogildus â— yéeres Celuotus or Chelutus 10 yéeres Then succéeded Aldred of whome king Edward receiued the crowne and he was predecessor to Pleimond A litle before the death of king Edward Sithrike the king of Northumberland killed his brother Nigellus and then king Reinold conquered the citie of Yorke Adelstane succeedeth his father Edward in the kingdome Alfred practising by treason to keepe him from the gouernement sanke downe suddenlie as he was taking his oth for his purgation the cause why Alfred opposed himselfe against Adelstane whose praise is notable what he did to satisfie the expectation of his people ladie Beatrice king Edwards daughter maried to Sithrike a Danish gouernor of the Northumbers by whose meanes Edwin king Edwards brother was drowned practises of treason the ladie Beatrice strangelie put to death by hir stepsons for being of counsell to poison hir husband Sithrike hir death reuenged vpon the tormentors by hir father king Edward and how chronographers varie in the report of this historie The xix Chapter ADelstane the eldest sonne of king Edward began his reigne ouer the more part of all England the yéere of our Lord 924 which was in the 6 yere of the emperour Henrie the first in the 31 yéere of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France thrée moneths after the burning of Pauie about the 22 or 23 yéere of Constantine the third king of Scotland This Adelstane was crowned and consecrated king at Kingstone vpon Thames of Aldelme the archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded Pleimond He was the 24 king in number from Cerdicus or Cerdike the first king of the Westsaxons There were in the beginning some that set themselues against him as one Alfred a noble man which practised by treason to haue kept him from the gouernement but he was apprehended yer he could bring his purpose to passe and sent to Rome there to trie himselfe giltie or not giltie And as he tooke his oth for his purgation before the altar of saint Peter he suddenlie fell downe to the earth so that his seruants tooke him vp and bare him into the English schoole or hospitall where the third night after he died Pope Iohn the tenth sent vnto king Adelstane to know if he would that his bodie should be laid in christian buriall or not The king at the contemplation of Afreds friends and kinsfolks signified to the pope that he was contented that his bodie should be interred amongst other christians His lands being forfeited were giuen by the king vnto God and saint Peter The cause that mooued Alfred and other his complices against the king was as some haue alledged his bastardie But whether that allegation were true or but a slander this is certeine that except that steine of his honor there was nothing in this Adelstane worthie of blame so that he darkened all the glorious same of his predecessors both in vertuous conditions and victorious triumphs Such difference is there to haue that in thy selfe wherein to excell rather than to stand vpon the woorthinesse of thine ancestors sith that can not rightlie be called a mans owne After that king Adelstane was established in the estate he indeuored himselfe to answer the expectation of his people which hoped for great wealth to insue by his noble and prudent gouernance First therfore meaning to prouide for the suertie of his countrie he concluded a peace with Sithrike king of the Northumbers vnto whome as ye haue heard he gaue one of his sisters named Editha in mariage Sithrike liued not past one yéere after he had so maried hir And then Adelstane brought the prouince of the Northumbers vnto his subiection expelling one Aldulph out of the same that rebelled against him There be that write that Godfrie and Aulafe the sonnes of Sithrike succéeding their father in the gouernement of Northumberland by practising to mooue warre against king Adelstane occasioned him to inuade their countrie and to chase them out of the same so that Aulafe fled into Ireland Godfrie into Scotland but other write that Godfrie was the father of Reignold which wan Yorke after that Sithrike had slaine his brother Nigellus as before is mentioned ¶ The Scotish chronicles varie in report of these matters from the English writers whose chronicles affirme that in the life time of king Edward his daughter Beatrice was giuen in mariage to Sithrike the gouernor of the Danes in Northumberland with condition that if anie male were procreated in that mariage the same should inherit the dominions of king Edward after his decease King Edward had a brother as they say named Edwin a iolie gentleman and of great estimation amongst the Englishmen He by Sithrikes procurement was sent into Flanders in a ship that leaked and so was drowned to the great reioising of all the Danes least if he had suruiued his brother he would haue made some businesse for the crowne About the same time Adelstane a base sonne of K. Edward fled the realme for doubt to be made away by some like traitorous practise of the Danes Shortlie after king
submitted themselues vnto him and so both Scots and Northumbers receiued an oth to be true vnto him which they obserued but a small while for he was no sooner returned into the south parts but that Aulafe which had beene chased out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye haue heard returned into Northumberland with a great nauie of ships and was ioifullie receiued of the inhabitants and restored againe to the kingdome which he held by the space of foure yéeres and then by the accustomed disloialtie of the Northumbers he was by them expelled and then they set vp one Hirke or Hericius the sonne of one Harrold to reigne ouer them who held not the estate anie long time For in the third yeere of his reigne Edred in the reuenge of such disloiall dealings in the Northumbers out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye destroied the countrie with fire swoord sleaing the most part of the inhabitants He burnt the abbeie of Rippon which was kept against him As he was returning homeward an host of enimies brake out of Yorke and setting vpon the rereward of the kings armie at a place called Easterford made great slaughter of the same Wherefore the king in his rage ment to haue begun a new spoile and destruction but the Northumbers humbled themselues so vnto him that putting awaieout of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye their forsaid king Hirke or Hericius and offering great rewards and gifts to buy their peace they obteined pardon But bicause that Wolstane the archbishop of Yorke was of counsell with his countriemen in reuolting from king Edred and aduancing of Hericius king Edred tooke him and kept him in prison a long time after but at length in respect of the reuerence which he bare to his calling he set him at libertie and pardoned him his offense Matth. Westm. reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment as thus In the yéere of Grace saith he 951 king Edred put the archbishop of Yorke in close prison bicause of often complaints exhibited against him as he which had commanded manie townesmen of Theadford to be put to death in reuenge of the abbat Aldelme by them vniustlie slaine and murthered After this when Edred had appeased all ciuill tumults and dissentions within his land he applied him selfe to the aduancing of religion wholie followingWestm reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment the mind of Dunstane by whose exhortation he suffered patientlie manie torments of the bodie and exercised himselfe in praier and other deuout studies This Edred in his latter daies being greatlie addicted to deuotion religious priests at the request of his mother Edgiua restored the abbeie of Abington which was built first by king Inas but in these daies sore decaied and fallen into ruine Finallie after he had reigned nine yéeres and a halfe he departed this life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising of angels as it is written and was buried at Winchester in the cathedrall church there ¶ Heere is to be noted that the foresaid Edred when he came first to the crowne vpon a singular and most especiall fauour which he bare towards Dunstane the abbat of Glastenburie committed vnto him the chiefest part of all his treasure as charters of lands with other monuments and such ancient princelie iewels as belonged to the former kings with other such as he got of his owne willing him to lay the same inthis life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising safe kéeping within his monasterie of Glastenburie Afterward when king Edred perceiued himselfe to be in danger of death by force of that sickenesse which in déed made an end of his life he sent into all parties to such as had anie of his treasure in kéeping to bring the same vnto him with all spéed that he might dispose thereof before his departure out of this life as he should sée cause Dunstane tooke such things as he had vnder his hands hasted forward to deliuer the same vnto the king and to visit him in that time of his sickenesse according to his dutie but as he was vpon the waie a voice spake to him from heauen saieng Behold king Edred is now departed in peace At the hearing of this voice the horsse wheron Dunstane rode fell downe and died being not able to abide the presence of the angell that thus spake to Dunstane And when he came to the court he vnderstood that the king died the same houre in which it was told him by the angell as before ye haue heard Edwin succeedeth Edred in the kingdome of England his beastlie and incestuous carnalitie with a kinswoman of his on the verie day of his coronation he is reproued of Dunstane and giueth ouer the gentlewomans companie Dunstane is banished for rebuking king Edwin for his vnlawfull lust and lewd life the diuell reioised at his exile what reuenging mischiefs the king did for displeasure sake against the said Dunstane in exile the middle part of England rebellethye haue heard against king Edwin and erecteth his brother Edgar in roiall roome ouer them he taketh thought and dieth Edgar succeedeth him he is a fauourer of moonks his prouision for defense of his realme his policie and discretion in gouernment what kings he bound by oth to be true vnto him eight princes row his barge in signe of submission the vicious inconueniences that grew among the Englishmen vpon his fauouring of the Danes a restraint of excessiue quaffing Dunstane is made bishop of Worcester and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester iustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed theft punished with death a tribute of woolfs skins paid him out of Wales and the benefit of that tribute The xxiij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Edred his nephue Edwin the eldest sonne of king Edmund was made king of England and began his reigne ouer the same in the yeere of our Lord 955 in the 20 yeere of the emperor Otho the first in theiustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed 28 and last yéere of the reigne of Lewes king of France and about the twelfe yeere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was consecrated at Kingston vpon Thames by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie On the verie day of his coronation as the lords were set in councell about weightie matters touching the gouernment of the realme he rose from the place gat him into a chamber with one of his néere kinswomen and there had to doo with hir without anie respect or regard had to his roiall estate and princelie dignitie Dunstane latelie before named abbat of Glastenburie did not onlie without feare of displeasure reprooue the K. for such shamefull abusing of his bodie but also caused the archbishop of Canturburie to constreine him to forsake that woman whom vnlawfullie he kept There be that write that there were two
conuenient age was made a nun A third example of his incontinencie is written by authors and that is this It chanced on a time that he lodged one night at Andeuer and hauing a mind to a lords daughter there he commanded that she should bee brought to his bed But the mother of the gentlewoman would not that hir daughter should be defloured and therefore in the darke of the night broughtinto a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns weed he tooke one of hir maidseruants and laid hir in the kings bed she being both faire proper and pleasant In the morning when the day began to appeare she made hast to arise and being asked of the king why she so hasted That I may go to my daies worke if it please your grace quoth she Herewith she being staied by the king as it were against hir will she fell downe on hir knées required of him that she might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights worke For saith she it is not for your honor that the woman which hath tasted the pleasure of the kings bodie should anie more suffer seruitude vnder the rule and appointment of a sharpe rough mistresse The king then being mooued in his spirits laughed at the matter though not from the heart as he that tooke great indignation at the dooings of the dutchesse and pitied the case of the poore wench But yet in fine turning earnest to a iest he pardoned all the parties and aduanced the wench to high honor farreshe might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights aboue those that had rule of hir afore so that she ruled them willed they nilled they for he vsed hir as his paramour till he maried the foresaid Alfred For these youthfull parts namelie for the rauishing of Wilfride which though she were no nun yet the offense seemed verie heinous for that he should not once touch anie woman shadowed vnder that habit he greatlie displeased Dunstane so that by him he was put to his seuen yéeres penance and kept from the crowne till the 12 yeere of his reigne or more For some write that he was not crowned nor annointed king till the 30 yeere of his age which should be about the 13 or 14 yeere of his reigne by that account sith he entred into the rule of the kingdome about the 16 yéere of his age In déed one author witnesseth that he was consecrated at Bath on a Whitsunday the 13 yéere of his reigne and that by Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie and Oswold archbishop of Yorke But some which suppose that he was consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death of Edridus affirme that he was crowned and annointed king by the archbishop Odo Dunstane as then remaining in exile from whence he was immediatlie reuoked by Edgar and first made bishop of Worcester as hath beene said and after the decease of Odo was aduanced to be archbishop of Canturburie But by some writers it appeareth that Dunstane was reuoked out of exile immediatlie vpon partition of the realme betwixt Edwin and Edgar which chanced in the yéere 957 by the rebellion of thewas consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death people of Mercia others as before ye haue heard and that in the yéere following the archbishop Odo died after whome succéeded Alfin bishop of Winchester who also died the same yeere that king Edward deceased as he went to fetch his pall from Rome and then Brighthelme bishop of Dorchester was elected archbishop But bicause he was not able to discharge so great an office by K. Edgars commandement he was forced to giue place to Dunstane Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the Welshmen mooued some rebellion against him Wherevpon he assembled an armie and entering the countrie of Glamorgan did much hurt in the same chastising the inhabitants verie sharpelie for their rebellious attempts Amongst other spoiles taken in those parties at that time by the men of war the bell of saint Ellutus was taken away and hanged about a horsses necke and as hath béene reported in the after noone it chanced that king Edgar laid him downe to rest wherevpon in sleepe there appeared Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the one vnto him and smote him on the breast with a speare By reason of which vision he caused all things that had béene taken away to be restored againe But within nine daies after the king died Whether anie such thing chanced or that he had anie such vision it forceth not But truth it is that in the 37 yéere of his age after he had reigned 16 yéeres and two moneths he departed this life the 8 day of Iulie and was buried at Glastenburie This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for such princelie qualities as appeared in him but chieflie for that he was so beneficiall to the church namelie to moonks the aduancement of whome he greatlie sought both in building abbeies new from the ground in reparing those that were decaied also by inriching them with great reuenues and in conuerting collegiat churches into monasteries remoouing secular priests and bringing in moonks in their places There passed no one yéere of his reigne wherin he founded not one abbeie or other The abbeie of This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for Glastenburie which his father had begun he finished The abbeie of Abington also he accomplished and set in good order The abbeies of Peterborough Thornie he established The nunrie of Wilton he founded and richlie endowed where his daughter Edith◠was professed and at length became abbesse there To be briefe he builded as the chronicles record to the number of 40 abbeies and monasteries in some of which he placed moonks and in some nuns By his example in those daies other nobles as also prelates This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for some of the laitie did begin the foundation of sundrie abbeies and monasteries as Adelwold bishop of Winchester builded the abbeie of Elie and as some say Peterborough Thornie though they were established by the king as before is mentioned Also earle Ailewin at the exhortation of the same bishop Adelwold builded the abbeie of Ramsey though some attribute the dooing thereof vnto Oswold the archbishop of Yorke and some to king Edward the elder To conclude the religious orders of moonks and nuns in these daies florished and the state of secular priests was smallie regarded insomuch that they were constreined to auoid out of diuerse colleges and to leaue the same vnto moonks as at Worcester and Winchester where in the new monasterie bicause the kings liued not in such sort as was then thought requisite the prebends were taken from them and giuen to vicars But when the vicars were thought to vse themselues no better but ratherEdward the elder worse than the other before them they were likewise put out and moonks placed
Moreouer fortie of their ships or rather as some write 45 were reteined to serue the king promising to defend the realme with condition that the souldiers and mariners should haue prouision of meate and drinke with apparell found them at the kings charges As one autor hath gathered Swaine king of Denmarke was in England at the concluding of this peace which being confirmed with solemne othes and sufficient hostages he departed into Denmarke The same author bringeth the generall slaughter of Danes vpon S. Brices day to haue chanced in the yéere after the conclusion of this agréement that is to say in the yéere 1012 at what time Gunthildis the sister of king Swaine was slaine with hir husband hir sonne by the commandement of the false traitor Edrike But bicause all other authors agrée that the same murther of Danes was executed about ten yéeres before this supposed time we haue made rehearsall thereof in that place Howbeit for the death of Gunthildis it maie be that she became hostage either in the yéere 1007 at what time king Egelred paied thirtie thousand pounds vnto king Swaine to haue peace as before you haue heard or else might she be deliuered in hostage in the yéere 1011 when the last agréement was made with the Danes as aboue is mentioned But when or at what time soeuer she became hostage this we find of hir that she came hither into England with hir husband Palingus a mightie earle and receiued baptisme héere Wherevpon she earnestlie trauelled in treatie of a peace betwixt hir brother and king Egelred which being brought to passe chieflie by hir sute she was contented to become an hostage for performance thereof as before is recited And after by the commandement of earle Edrike she was put to death pronouncing that the shedding of hir bloud would cause all England one day sore to rue She was a verie beautifull ladie and tooke hir death without all feare not once changing countenance though she saw hir husband and hir onelie sonne a yoong gentleman of much towardnesse first murthered before hir face Turkillus the Danish capteine telleth king Swaine the faults of the king nobles commons of this realme he inuadeth England the Northumbers and others submit themselues to him Danes receiued into seruice vnder Egelred London assalted by Swaine the citizens behaue themselues stoutlie and giue the Danish host a shamefull repulse Ethelmere earle of Deuonshire and his people submit themselues to Swaine he returneth into Denmarke commeth back againe into England with a fresh power is incountred withall of the Englishmen whose king Egelred is discomfited his oration to his souldiers touching the present reliefe of their distressed land their resolution and full purpose in this their perplexitie king Egrlred is minded to giue place to Swaine lie sendeth his wife and children ouer into Normandie the Londoners yeeld vp their state to Swaine Egelred saileth ouer into Normandie leauing his land to the enimie The sixt Chapter NOw had Turkillus in the meane time aduertised king Swaine in what state things stood here within the realme how king Egelred was negligent onlie attending to the lusts pleasures of the flesh how the noble men were vnfaithfull and the commons weake and féeble through want to good and trustie leaders Howbeit some write that Turkillus as well as other of the Danes which remained héere in England was in league with king Egelred in somuch that he was with him in London to helpe and defend the citie against Swaine when he came to assalt it as after shall appéere Which if it be true a doubt may rise whether Swaine receiued anie aduertisement from Turkillus to mooue him to rather to inuade the realme but such aduertisements might come from him before that he was accorded with Egelred Swaine therefore as a valiant prince desirous both to reuenge his sisters death and win honor prepared an huge armie and a great number of ships with the which he made towards England and first comming to Sandwich taried there a small while and taking eftsoones the sea compassed about the coasts of the Eastangles and arriuing in the mouth of Humber sailed vp the water and entering into the riuer of Trent he landed at Gainesbourgh purposing to inuade the Northumbers But as men brought into great feare for that they had béene subiect to the Danes in times past and thinking therefore not to reuolt to the enimie but rather to their old acquaintance if they should submit themselues to the Danes streightwaies offered to become subiect vnto Swaine togither with their duke named Wighthred Also the people of Lindsey and all those of the northside of Watlingstreet yéelded themselues vnto him and deliuered pledges Then he appointed his sonne Cnutus to haue the kéeping of those pledges and to remaine vpon the saâ—egard of his ships whiles he himselfe passed forward into the countrie Then marched he forward to subdue them of south Mercia and so came to Oxford to Winchester making the countries subiect to him through out wheresoeuer he came With this prosperous successe Swaine being greatlie incouraged prepared to go vnto London where king Egelred as then remained hauing with him Turkillus the Dane which was reteined in wages with other of the Danes as by report of some authors it maie appeare and were now readie to defend the citie against their countriemen in support of king Egelred togither with the citizens Swaine bicause he would not step so farre out of the way as to go to the next bridge lost a great number of his men as he passed through the Thames At his comming to London he bagan to assault the citie verie fiercelie in hope either to put his enimie in such feare that he should despaire of all reliefe and comfort or at the least trie what he was able to doo The Londoners on the other part although they were brought in some feare by this sudden attempt of the enimies yet considering with themselues that the hazard of all the whole state of the realme was annexed to theirs sith their citie was the chiefe and metropolitane of all the kingdome they valiantlie stood in defense of themselues and of their king that was present there with them beating backe the enimies chasing them from the walles and otherwise dooing their best to kéepe them off At length although the Danes did most valiantlie assault the citie yet the Englishmen to defend their prince from all iniurie of enimies did not shrinke but boldlie sallied foorth at the gates in heapes togither and incountered with their aduersaries and began to fight with them verie fiercelie Swaine whilest he went about to kéepe his men in order as one most desirous to reteine the victorie now almost gotten was compassed so about with the Londoners on each side that after he had lost a great number of his men he was constreined for his safegard to breake out through the
which no small praise was thought to be due vnto the said quéene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir match so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir line the crowne was thus recouered out of the hands of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise which some haue intituled Encomium Emmae and was written in those daies it dooth and may appeare Which booke although there be but few copies thereof abroad giueth vndoubtedlie great light to the historie of that time But now to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in which he was thus maried through persuasion of his wife quéene Emma sent awaie the Danish nauie and armie home into Denmarke giuing to them fourescore and two thousand pounds of siluer which was leuied throughout this land for their wages In the yeare 1018 Edrike de Streona earle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called before the king into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarrell that was picked to him he began verie presumptuouslie to vpbraid the king of such pleasures as he had before time doone vnto him I did said he for the loue which I bare towards you forsake my souereigne lord king Edmund and at length for your sake slue him At which words Cnute began to change countenance as one maruellouslie abashed and straightwaies gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise Thou art woorthie saith he of death and die thou shalt which art guiltie of treason both towards God and me sith that thou hast slaine thine owne souereigne lord and my déere alied brother Thy bloud therefore be vpon thine owne head sith thy toong hath vttered thy treason And immediatlie he caused his throat to be cut and his bodie to be throwne out at the chamber window into the riuer of Thames ¶ But others say that hands were laid vpon him in the verie same chamber or closet where he murdered the king straightwaies to preuent all causes of tumults hurlieburlies he was put to death with terrible torments of fierbrands links which execution hauing passed vpon him a second succeeded for both his féet were bound together and his bodie drawne through the streets of the citie in fine cast into a common ditch called Houndsditch for that the citizens threw their dead dogs and stinking carrion wish other filth into it accounting him worthie of worse rather than of a better buriall In such haired was treason had being a vice which the verie infidels and grosse pagans abhorred else would they not haue said 〈…〉 Treason I loue but a traitor I hate This was the end of Edrike surnamed de Stratten or Streona a man of great infamie for his craftie dissimulation falshood and treason vsed by him to the ouerthrow of the English estate as partlie before is touched But there be that concerning the cause of this Edriks death séeme partlie to disagrée from that which before is recited declaring that Cnute standing in some doubt to be betraied through the treason of Edrike sought occasion how to rid him and others whome he mustrusted out of the way And therefore on a day when Edrike craued some preferment at Cnuts hands said that he had deserued to be well thought of sith by his fight from the battell at Ashendon the victorie therby inclined to Cnutes part Cnute hearing him speake these words made this answere And canst thou quoth he be true to me that through fraudulent meanes did fiddest deceiue thy souereigne lord and maister But I will reward thée according to thy deserts so as from henceforth thou shalt not deceiue anie other and so forthwith commanded Erike one of his chiefe capteines to dispatch him who incontinentlie cut off his head with his are or halbert Uerelie Simon Dunelmenfis saith that K. Cnute vnderstanding in what sort both king Egelred and his sonne king Edmund Ironside had béene betraied by the saith Edrike stood in great doubt to be likewise deceiued by him and therefore was glad to haue some pretended quarell to dispatch both him and others whome he likewise mistrusted as it well appeared For at the same time there were put to death with Edrike earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwin and brother to earle Leofrike also Adelward the sonne of earle Agelmare and Brightrike the sonne of Alfegus gouernor of Deuonshire without all guilt or cause as some write And in place of Norman his brother Leofrike was made earle of Mercia by the king and had in great fauour This Leofrike is commonlie also by writers named earle of Chester After this Cnute likewise banished Iric and Turkill two Danes the one as before is recited gouernor of Northumberland and the other of Northfolke and Suffolke or Eastangle Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands wherevpon he studied to preserue the people in peace and ordeined lawes according to the which both Danes and Englishmen should be gouerned in equall state and degrée Diuers great lords whome he found vnfaithfull or rather suspected he put to death as before ye haue heard beside such as he banished out of the realme He raised a tar or tribute of the people amounting to the summer of fourescore two thousand pounds besides 11000 pounds which the Londoners paid towards the maintenance of the Danish armie But whereas these things chaunced not all at one time but in sundrie Seasons we will returne somewhat backe to declare what other exploits were atchiued in the meane time by Cnute not onelie in England but also in Denmarke and elsewhere admonishing the reader in the processe of the discourse following that much excellent matter is comprehended whereout if the same be studiouslie read and diligentlie confidered no small profit is to be reaped both for the augmentation of his owne knowledge and others that be studious Cnute saileth into Denmarke to subdue the Vandals earle Goodwins good seruice with the English against the said Vandals and what benefit accrewed vnto the Englishmen by the said good seruice he returneth into England after the discomfiture of the enimie he saileth ouer againe into Denmarke and incountreth with the Sweideners the occasion of this warre or incounter taken by Olaâ—us his hard hap vnluckie fortune and wofull death wrought by the hands of his owne vnnaturall subiects Cnuts confidence in the Englishmen his deuour voiage to Rome his returne into England his subduing of the Scots his death and interrement The twelfth Chapter IN the third yeare of his reigne Cnute sailed with an armie of Englishmen and Danes into Denmarke to subdue the Uandals there which then sore anncied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke Earle Goodwine which had the souereigne conduct of the Englishmen the night before the day appointed for the battell got him forth of the campe with his people and suddenlie assailing the Uandals in their lodgings easilie distressed
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
Englishmen that after the conquest when the Normans oftentimes went about to abrogate the same there chanced no small mutinies and rebellions for reteining of those lawes But heere is to be noted that although they were called saint Edwards lawes they were for the more part made by king Edgar but now by king Edward restored after they had bin abrogated for a time by the Danes About this time earle Goodwine died suddenlie as some haue recorded as he sat at table with the king and vpon talke ministred of the death of Alfred the kings brother to excuse himselfe he tooke a peece of bread and did eate it saieng God let me neuer swallow this bread downe into my chest but that I may presentlie be choked therewith if euer I was weetting or consenting vnto Alfreds death and immediatlie therewith he fell downe starke dead Other say that he ended his life at Winchester where being suddenlie surprised with sicknesse as he sat at the table with the king vpon an Easter monday yet he liued till the Thursday following and then died His earledome was giuen vnto his sonne Harold and Harolds earledome which was Oxford was giuen vnto Algar the sonne of Leofrike This Goodwine as he was a man of great power wise hardie and politike so was he ambitious desirous to beare rule and loth that anie other person should passe him in authoritie But yet whether all be true that writers report of his malicious practises to bring himselfe and his sonnes to the chiefe seat of gouernement in the kingdome or that of hatred such slanders were raised of him it may of some perhaps be doubted because that in the daies of king Edward which was a soft and gentle prince he bare great rule and authoritie and so might procure to himselfe euill report for euerie thing that chanced amisse as oftentimes it commeth to passe in such cases where those that haue great dooings in the gouernement of the common wealth are commonlie euill spoken of and that now and then without their guilt But truth it is that Goodwine being in authoritie both in the daies of king Edward and his predecessors did manie things as should appeare by writers more by will than by law and so likewise did his sonnes vpon presumption of the great puissance that they and their father were of within the realme He had to wife Editha the sister of king Cnute of whome he begat thrée sonnes as some write that is to say Harold Biorne Tostie also his daughter Editha whome he found meanes to bestow in mariage vpon K. Edward as before ye haue heard But other write that he had but one son by Cnutes sister the which in riding of a rough horsse was throwen into the riuer of Thames and so drowned His mother also was stricken with a thunderbolt so perished worthilie as is reported for hir naughtie dooings She vsed to buy great numbers of yoong persons and namelie maids that were of anie excellent beautie and personage whome she sent ouer into Denmarke and there sold them to hir most advantage After hir deceasse as the same authors record Goodwine maried another woman by whome he had issue six sonnes Swanus or Swaine Harrold Tostie or Tosto Wilnot Girth and Leofrike of whom further mention is shall be made as places conuenient shall serue thereto Edward earle of Northumberland discomfiteth Mackbeth the vsurper of the Scotish kingdome and placeth Malcolme in the same a controuersie whether Siward were at this discomfiture or no his stout words when he heard that one of his sonnes was slaine in the field bishop Aldred is sent to fetch home Edward the sonne of K. Edmund Ironside into England earle Algar being banished ioineth with the Welshmen against the English and Normans and getteh the victorie Harold the son of earle Goodwine putteth earle Algar his retinue to their shifts by pursute pacification betweene the generals of both armies their hosts Siward earle of Northumberland dieth his giantlike stature his couragious heart at the time of his deceasse why Tostie one of Goodwins sonnes succeeded him in the earledome The fift Chapter ABout the thirteenth yeare of king Edward his reigne as some write or rather about the nineteéenth or twentith yeare as should appeare by the Scotish writers Siward the noble earle of Northumberland with a great power of horssemen went into Scotland and in battell put to flight Mackbeth that had vsurped the crowne of Scotland and that doone placed Malcolme surnamed Camoir the sonne of Duncane sometime king of Scotland in the gouernement of that realme who afterward slue the said Mackbeth and then reigned in quiet Some of our English writers say that this Malcolme was king of Cumberland but other report him to be sonne to the king of Cumberland But héere is to be noted that if Mackbeth reigned till the yeare 1061 and was then slaine by Malcolme earle Siward was not at that battell for as our writers doo testifie he died in the yeare 1055 which was in the yeare next after as the same writers affirme that he vanquished Mackbeth in fight and slue manie thousands of Scots and all those Normans which as ye haue heard were withdrawen into Scotland when they were driuen out of England It is recorded also that in the foresaid battell in which earle Siward vanquished the Scots one of Siwards sonnes chanced to be slaine whereof although the father had good cause to be sorowfull yet when he heard that he died of a wound which he had receiued in fighting stoutlie in the forepart of his bodie and that with his face towards the enimie he greatlie reioised thereat to heare that he died so manfullie But here is to be noted that not now but a little before as Henrie Hunt saith that earle Siward went into Scotland himselfe in person he sent his sonne with an armie to conquere the land whose hap was there to be slaine and when his father heard the newes he demanded whether he receiued the wound whereof he died in the forepart of of the bodie or in the hinder part and when it was told him that he receiued it in the forepart I reioise saith he euen with all my heart for I would not wish either to my sonne nor to my selfe any other kind of death Shortlie after Aldred the bishop of Worcester was sent vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron side into England whome king Edward was desirâ—us to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after he came into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Winchester or as an other saith in the church of S. Pauls in London ¶ About the same time K. Edward by euill counsell I wot not vpon what occasion but as it is thought without cause banished Algar the sonne of earle Leofrike wherevpon he got him into
Ireland and there prouiding 18 ships of rouers returned landing in Wales ioined himselfe with Griffin the king or prince of Wales and did much hurt on the borders about Hereford of which place Rafe was then earle that was sonne vnto Goda the sister of K. Edward by hir first husband Gualter de Maunt. This earle assembling an armie came forth to giue battell to the enimies appointing the Englishmen contrarie to their manner to fight on horssebacke but being readie on the two twentith of October to giue the onset in a place not past two miles from Hereford he with his Frenchmen and Normans fled and so the rest were discomfited whome the aduersaries pursued and slue to the number of 500 beside such as were hurt and escaped with life Griffin and Algar hauing obteined this victorie entered into the towne of Hereford set the minster on fire slue seuen of the canons that stood to defend the doores or gates of the principall church and finallie spoiled and burned the towne miserablie The king aduertised hereof gathered an armie ouer the which Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine was made generall who followed vpon the enimies that fled before him into Northwales staied not till hauing passed through Stratâ—luid he came to the mountaines of Snowdon where he pitched his field The enimies durst not abide him but got them into Southwales whereof Harold being aduertised left the more part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there with the residue of his people came backe vnto Hereford recouered the towne and caused a great and mightie trench to be cast round about it with an high rampire and fensed it with gates and other fortifications After this he did so much that comming to a communication with Griffin and Algar at a place called Biligelhage a peace was concluded and so the nauie of earle Algar sailed about and came to Chester there to remaine till the men of warre and marriners had their wages while he went to the king who pardoned his offense restored him to his earledome After this in the verie same yeare being the 15 of king Edwards reigne as some writers affirme Siward the noble earle of Northumberland died of the slix of whom it is said that when he perceiued the houre of death to be néere he caused him selfe to be put in armour set vp in his chaire affirming that a knight and a man of honour ought to die in that sort rather than lieng on a couch like a féeble and fainthearted creature and sitting so vpright in his chaire armed at all points he ended his life and was buried at Yorke O stout harted man not vnlike to that famous Romane remembred by Tullie in his Tusculane questions who suffered the sawing of his leg from his bodie without shrinking looking vpon the surgeon all the while hauing no part of his bodie bound for shrinking The said Siward earle of Northumberland was a man of a giantlike stature thereto of a verie stout and hardie courage because his sonne Walteif was but an infant and as yet not out of his cradell the earledome was giuen vnto earle Tostle one of Goodwins sonnes Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside is sent for to be made heire apparant to crowne his death the deceasse of Leofrike earle of Chester the vertues and good deeds of him and his wife Gudwina Couentrie free from custome and toll churches and religious places builded and repared Algar succeedeth his father Leofrike in the earledome he is accused of treason and banished he recouereth his earledome by force of armes Harold is sent with a power against Griffin king of Wales the countrie wasted and the people forced to yeeld they renounce Griffin their king kill him and send his head to Harold Griffins brethren rule Wales after him by grant of king Edward Harolds infortunate going ouer into Normandie the earle of Ponthieu taketh him prisoner and releaseth him at the request of William duke of Normandie for whose vse Harold sweareth to keepe possession of the realme of England the duke promiseth him his daughter in mariage The sixt Chapter NOt long after in the yeare 1057 Aldred bishop of Worcester was sent ouer vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside into England whome king Edward was desirous to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after that he was returned into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Westminster or as others say in the church of S. Paule within London The same yeare that is to say in the seuentéenth yeare or in the sixtéenth yeare of king Edwards reigne as some write Leofrike the noble earle of Chester or Mercia that was sonne to duke Leofwine departed this life in his owne towne of Bromelie on the last day of August and was buried at Couentrie in the abbeie there which he had builded This earle Leofrike was a man of great honor wise and discréet in all his dooings His high wisdome and policie stood the realme in great stéed whilest he liued He had a noble ladie to his wife named Gudwina at whose earnest sute he made the citie of Couentrie frée of all manner of toll except horsses and to haue that toll laid downe also his foresaid wife rode naked through the middest of the towne without other couerture saue onlie hir haire Moreouer partlie moued by his owne deuotion and partlie by the persuasion of his wife he builded or beneficiallie augmented and repared manie abbeies churches as the said abbeie or priorie at Couentrie the abbeies of Wenlocke Worcester Stone Euesham and Leof besides Hereford Also he builded two churches within the citie of Chester the one called S. Iohns and the other S. Werbrough The value of the iewels ornaments which he bestowed on the abbeie church of Couentrie was inestimable After Leofriks death his sonne Algar was made earle and intituled in all his lands and seigniories In the yeare following to wit 1058 the same Algar was accused againe through malice of some enuious persons of treason so that he was exiled the land wherevpon he repaired againe vnto his old friend Griffin prince of Northwales of whome he was ioifullie receiued shortlie after by his aid also by the power of a nauie of ships that by chance arriued in those parts at that selfe same season vnlooked for out of Norwaie the said Algar recouered his earledome by force as some haue written King Edward about the twentith yeare of his reigne as then remaining at Glocester appointed earle Harold to inuade the dominions of Griffin king of Wales Harold taking with him a power of horssemen made spéed and came to Rutland and there burned Griffins palace and also his ships and then about Midlent returned againe into England After this about the
duke William as to adopt him his heire which promise should séeme to be made in time of his banishment when he stood in néed of his friendship as the maner of men in such cases is to promise much how so euer they intend to fulfill But rather it maie be thought that king Edward had made no such promise at all but perceiued the ambitious desire of duke William and therefore would not that anie occasion should be ministred vnto him to take hold of Wherefore he was loth that Harold should go ouer vnto him least that might happen which happened in déed In the foure and twentieth and last yéere of king Edward his reigne or therabout there fell variance betwixt the two brethren earle Harold and earle Tostie at Windsor where the court then lay in so much that earle Harold caught Tostie by the haire of the head in the kings presence and stroke him Heervpon Tostie departing from the court in great anger came to Hereford in the marches of Wales where Harolds seruants were preparing for the kings comming to their maisters house which seruants he tooke and slue chopping them in péeces and threw into this hogshead of wine a leg into that barrell of sider an arme into this vessell of ale an head and so into the lomes of meth and tubs of brine and other liquor he bestowed the parts of the dead carâ—asses of his brothers seruants sending the king woord that he had prouided at his brothers manor against his coÌ„ming good plentie of sowse powdred meat whatsoeuer he should find beside The rumor of this cruell deed sprang ouer all the realme wherevpon the Northumbers whome he had gouerned for the space of ten yéeres verie cruellie tooke occasion to rebell against him and slue his seruants both Englishmen and Danes spoiled his houses and tooke awaie his horsses his armour and all other his goods and houshold stuffe The chiefest cause as is remembred by some writers that mooued the Northumbers thus to rise and rebell against Tostie was for the detestable murther of certeine gentlemen of their countrie seruants vnto Gospatrike whom the queene in behalfe of hir brother had caused to be slaine in the court by treason in the fourth night of Christmas last past and also in reuenge of other noble men which in the last yéere Tostie himselfe had commanded to be murthered in his owne chamber at Yorke whither he had allured them to come vnder colour of concluding a peace with them Also the gréeuous paiments wherewith he charged the people of that countrie set them in a great rage against him But the king aduertised héereof liked not their dooings for that they had doone it without commandement or commission and therefore sent earle Harold with an armie to chastise them but they were strong inough to withstand him as those which were assembled in armour togither with the people of Lincolneshire Notinghamshire and Darbishire and hauing with them Marcharus or Malcharus the sonne of earle Algar were come as farre as Northhampton doing much hurt in the parts therabouts Howbeit to haue the kings peace they offered to returne home so that they might haue an other earle appointed them for that they plainlie protested that they being freemen borne and bred out of bondage might not suffer anie cruell gouernor to rule ouer them being taught by their ancestors either to liue in libertie or to die in defense thereof If therefore it might please the king to assigne Marcharus the son of earle Algar to be their ruler he should see how obedient subiects they would prooue shew themselues to be when they should be vsed after a reasonable and courteous manner All things considered their request seemed reasonable or at least it was thought necessarie that it should be granted And so was Marcharus or Malcherus made earle of Northumberland Tostie in great displeasure with his wife and children sailed ouer into Flanders and there remained till after the deceasie of king Edward Finallie after that this courteous prince king Edward had reigned thrée and twentie yeeres seuen moneths and od daies he departed this life at London the fourth of Ianuarie and was buried in the church of Westminster which he had in his life time roiallic repared after such a statelie sort as few churches in those daies were like therevnto within this realme so that afterwards the same was a patorne for other to be built after the same forme This Edward was a prince of such a vertuous disposition of mind that his fame of holinesse sprang ouer all He abhorred warres and shedding of bloud in so much that when he liued as a banished man in Normandie he had this saieng oftentimes in his mouth that he had rather liue a priuate life for euer than to obteine the kingdome by the slaughter and death of anie man He could not abide to haue the people oppressed with tributes or exactions in so much that he caused the paiment called Danegilt which had continued for the space almost of fortie yéeres to ceasse It hath beene said that when the collectors of this monie or some other subsidie had got an huge quantitie of treasure togither they brought it vnto him and laid it altogither vpon an heape so to delight his eies but he declaring that he saw a diuell plaieng and fetching gambols about that heape of monie commanded that it should be had awaie and restored againe to them of whome it was leauied In diet and apparell he was spare and nothing sumptuous and although on high feasts he ware rich apparell as became the maiestie of his roiall personage yet he shewed no proud nor loftie countenance rather praising God for his bountifull goodnesse towards him extended than estéeming heerein the vaine pompe of the world The pleasure that he tooke chieflie in this world for refreshing of his wits consisted onelie in hawking and hunting which exercises he dailie vsed after he had first beene in the church at diuine seruice In other things he seemed wholie giuen to a deuout trade of life charitable to the poore and verie liberall namelie to hospitals and houses of religion in the parties of beyond the sea wishing euer that the moonks and religions persons of his realme would haue followed the vertue and holinesse of life vsed amongst them of forren parties As hath béene thought he was inspired with the gift of prophesie and also to haue had the gift of healing infirmities and diseases He vsed to helpe those that were vexed with the disease commonlie called the kings euill and left that vertue as it were a portion of inheritance vnto his successors the kings of this realme He was warned as hath béene reported of his death certeine daies before he died by a ring that was brought him by certeine pilgrims comming from Hierusalem which ring he had secretlie giuen to a poore man that asked his charitie in the name of God and saint
Iohn the Euangelist But to conclude such was the opinion conceiued of his holinesse of life that shortlie after his decease he was canonized amongst the number of saints and named Edward the Confessor Whilest he lay sicke of that sicknesse whereof at length he died after he had remained for two daies speechlesse the third day after when he had laine for a time in a slumber or soft sléepe at the time of his waking he fetched a déepe sigh and thus said Oh Lord God almightie if this be not a vaine fantasticall illusion but a true vision which I haue séene grant me space to vtter the same vnto these that stand héere present or else not And herewith hauing his speech perfect he declared how he had seene two moonks stand by him as he thought whome in his youth he knew in Normandie to haue liued godlie and died christianlie These moonks said he protesting to me the they were the messengers of God spake these words Bicause the chéefe gouernors of England the bishops and abbats are not the ministers of God but the diuels the almightie God hath deliuered this kingdome for one yéere and a day into the hands of the enimie and wicked spirits shall walke abroad through the whole land And when I made answer that I would declare these things to the people and promised on their behalfe that they should doo penance in following that example of the Niniuites they said againe that it would not be for neither should the people repent nor God take anie pitie vpon them And when is there hope to haue an end of these miseries said I Then said they When a grene trée is cut in sunder in the middle and the part cut off is caried thrée acres bredth from the stocke and returning againe to the stoale shall ioine therewith and begin to bud beare fruit after the former maner by reason of the sap renewing the accustomed nourishment then I say may there be hope that such euils shall ceasse and diminish ¶ With which words of the king though some other that stood by were brought in feare yet archbishop Stigand made but a ieast thereof saieng that the old man raued now in his sickenesse as men of great yéeres vse to doo Neuerthelesse the truth of this prophesie afterwards too plainlie appeared when England became the habitation of new strangers in such wise that there was neither gouernor bishop nor abbat remaining therein of the English nation But now to make an end with king Edward he was of person comelie of an indifferent stature of white haire both head and beard of face ruddie and in all parts of his bodie faire skinned with due state and proportion of lims as was thereto conuenient In the yéere before the death of king Edward a blasing starre appeared the which when a moonke of Malmesburie named Eilmer beheld he vttered these words as it were by way of prophesieng Thou art come saith he thou art come much to be lamented of manie a mother it is long agone sith I saw thée but now I doo behold thee the more terrible threatening destruction to this countrie by thy dreadfull appearance In the person of king Edward ceased by his death the noble progenie of the Westsaxon kings which had continued from the first yeare of the reigne of Cerdike or Cerdicius the space of 547 yeeres complet And from Egbert 266 yéeres Moreouer sith the progenie of the Saxon kings seemeth wholie to take end with this Edward surnamed the Confessor or the third of that name before the conquest we haue thought good for the better helpe of memorie to referre the reader to a catalog of the names as well of those that reigned among the Westsaxons who at length as ye haue heard obteined the whole monarchie as also of them which ruled in the other seuen kingdomes before the same were vnited vnto the said kingdome of the Westsaxons which catalog you shall find in the description of Britaine pag. 17 18 19. Here is to be remembred that as partlie before is expressed we find in some old writers how the first kings of seuen kingdomes of the Germane nation that bare rule in this I le fetcht their pedegrées from one Woden who begat of Frea his wife seuen sonnes that is to say 1 Uecta of whome came the kings of Kent 1 Fethelgeta or Frethegeath from whome the kings of Mercia descended 3 Balday of whose race the kings of the Westsaxons had their originall 4 Beldagius ancestor to the kings of Bernicia and the Northumbers 5 Wegodach or Wegdagus from whome came the kings of Deira 6 Caser from whome procéeded the kings of the Eastangles 7 Nascad alià s Saxuad of whome the kings of the Eastsaxons had their beginning And here you must note that although the kings of the eight kingdome that is of the Southsaxons or Sussex were descended of the same people yet were they not of the same line By other it should séeme that Woden had but fiue sonnes as Uecta great grandfather to Hengist Wepedeg ancestor to the kings of the Eastangles Uiclac from whome proceeded the kings of Mercia Saxuad from whom the kings of Essex came and Beldag of whose generation proceeded the kings of the Southsaxons Westsaxons and the Northumbers Moreouer there be that bring the genealogie from Noe or Noah the sonne of Lamech which Noe was the 9 in descent from Adam and Woden the 15 from Noe as you shall find in the historie of England lib. 6. pag. 141. col 2. Noe was the father to Sem the father of Bedwi the father of Wala the father of Hatria or Hathra the father of Itermod the father of Heremod the father of Sheaf or Seaf the father of Seldoa or Sceldua the father of Beatu or Beau the father of Theathwtj alià s Tadwa or Teathwy the father of Geta reputed for a god among the gentiles the father of Fingodulph otherwise Godulph the father of Fritwolfe otherwise Frâ—uin the father of Frâ—olaf alià s Freolater the father of Frethwold or Friderwald the father of the aforenamed Woden or Othen The peeres are in doubt to whome the rule of the land should be committed why they durst not that Edgar Edeling should vndertake it though he was interessed to the same how William duke of Normandie pretended a right to the crowne Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine crowned proclaimed and consecrated king his subtill and adulatorie meanes to win the peoples fauour duke William sendeth ambassadors to Harold to put him in mind of a promise passed to the said duke for his furtherance to obteine the crowne Harolds negatiue answer to the said ambassage as also to the marieng of the dukes daughter which was Harolds owne voluntarie motion he prouideth against the inuasions of the enimie as one doubting after-claps a blasing starre of seuen daies continuance The eight Chapter KIng Edward being thus departed this life the péeres of the land were in great doubt
quicklie into arâ—â—ie began to charge them againe afresh and so hauing them at that aduantage they slue them downe on euerie side The Englishmen on the other part fought sore and though their king was beaten downe among them and slaine yet were they loth to flée or giue ouer so sharpe was the battell that duke William himselfe had thrée horsses slaine vnder him that day and not without great danger of his person Some of the Englishmen got them to the height of an hill and beate backe the Normans that forced themselues to win the hill of them so that it was long yer the Normans could preuaile being oftentimes driuen downe into the botome of the vallie beneath At length the Englishmen perceiuing themselues to be ouermatched and beaten downe on euerie side and therevnto greatlie discouraged with slaughter of their king began first to giue ground and after to scatter and to run away so that well was he that might then escape by flight When they had fought the most part of all that saturday the Normans followed the chase with such eger rashnesse that a great number of them falling with their horsses and armour into a blind ditch shadowed with reed and sedges which grew therein were smouldered and pressed to death yer they could be succoured or get anie reliefe The next day the Normans fell to gathering in the spoile of the field burieng also the dead bodies of their people that were slaine at the battell giuing licence in semblable manner to the Englishmen to doo the like Of the death of Harold diuerse report diuerslie in so much that Girald Cambrensis saith that after king Harold had receiued manie wounds and lost his left eie he fled from the field vnto the citie of Westchester and liued there long after an holie life as an anchoret in the cell of S. Iames fast by S. Iohns church and there made a godlie end But the saieng of Girald Cambren in that point is not to be credited bicause of the vnlikelihood of the thing it selfe and also generall consent of other writers who affirme vniuersallie that he was killed in the battell first being striken thorough the left eie by the scull into the braine with an arrow wherevpon falling from his horsse to the ground he was slaine in that place after he had reigned nine moneths and nine daies as Floriacensis dooth report He was a man of a comelie stature and of a hawtie courage albeit that for his valiancie he was highlie renowmed and honored of all men yet through his pride and ambition he lost the harts of manie There were slaine in this battell besides king Harold and his two brethren Girth and Leofrike what on the one side and on the other aboue twentie thousand men The bodie of king Harold being found among other slaine in the field was buried at Waltham within the monasterie of the holie crosse which he before had founded and indowed to the behoofe of such canons as he had placed there with faire possessions Uerelie as some old writers haue reported there was nothing in this man to be in anie wise dispraised if his ambitious mind could haue beene staied from coueting the kingdome and that he could haue béene contented to haue liued as subiect Among other manifest proofes of his high valiancie this is remembred of him that being sent against the Welshmen as before is partlie mentioned knowing their readie nimblenesse in seruice and how with their light armed men they were accustomed to annoie and distresse those that should assaile them he likewise to match them prepared light armed men for the purpose so being furnished with such bands of nimble men and light souldiers entered vpon the mounteins of Snowdon and there remained amongst the enimies for the space of two yéeres He sore afflicted the Welsh nation tooke their kings and sent their heads vnto the king that sent him about his businesse and proceeding in such rigorous maner as might mooue the hearers to lament and pitie the case he caused all the male kind that might be met with to be miserablie slaine and so with the edge of his swoord he brought the countrie to quiet and withall made this lawe that if anie Welshman from thencefoorth should presume to passe the limits ouer Offas ditch with anie weapon about him he should lose his right hand To conclude by the valiant conduct of this chieftaine the Welshmen were them so sore brought vnder than in maner the whole nation might séeme to faile and to be almost vtterlie destroied And therefore by permission of the king of England the women of Wales ioined themselues in marriage with Englishmen Finallie héereby the bloud of the Saxons ceassed to reigne in England after they had continued possession of the same from the first comming of Hengist which was about the yéere of our Sauiour 450 or 449 vntill that present yeere of king Harolds death which chanced in the yéere 1069. So that from the beginning of Hengist his reigne vnto Harolds death are reckoned 916 yéeres or after some 617 as by the supputation of the time will easilie appeere By all the which time there reigned kings of the Saxons bloud within this land except that for the space of twentie yéeres and somewhat more the Danes had the dominion of the realme in their possession for there are reckoned from the beginning of K. Swaines reigne which was the first Dane that gouerned England vnto the last yéere of K. Hardicnute the last Dane that ruled heere 28 yéeres in which meane space Egelred recouering the kingdome reigned 2 yéeres then after him his sonne Edmund Ironside continued in the rule one yéere so that the Danes had the whole possession of the land but 25 yéeres in all Touching this alteration and others incident to this Iland read a short aduertisement annexed by waie of conclusion to this historie comprising a short summarie of the most notable conquests of this countrie one after an other by distances of times successiuelie The rule of this realme by Gods prouidence allotted to duke William his descent from Rollo the first duke of Normandie downewards to his particular linage he was base begotten vpon the bodie of Arlete duke Roberts concubine a pleasant speech of hirs to duke Robert on a time when he was to haue the vse of hir person a conclusion introductorie for the sequele of the chronicle from the said duke of Normandies coronation c with a summarie of the notable conquests of this Iland The twelfe Chapter NOw forsomuch as it pleased God by his hid and secret iudgement so to dispose the realme of England and in such wise as that the gouernance therof should fall after this maner into the hands of William duke of Normandie I haue thought good before I enter further into this historie being now come to the conquest of the realme
made by the foresaid duke of Normandie to set downe his pedegrée thereby to shew how he descended from the first duke of that countrie who was named Rollo and after by receiuing baptisme called Robert The said Rollo or Rou was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion who hauing two sons the said Rou and Gourin and being appointed to depart the countrie as the lots fell to him and other according to the maner there vsed in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine refused to obeie that order and made warre there against the king who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion and his sonne Gourin so that Rou or Rollo hauing thus lost his father and brother was compelled to forsake the countrie with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king Thus driuen to séeke aduentures at length he became a christian and was created duke of Normandie by gift of Charles king of France surnamed le Simple whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also maried but she departing this life without issue he maried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Baieulx whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée and a daughter named Gerlota William Longespée or Longaspata had to wife the ladie Sporta daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandie who married the ladie Agnes the daughter of Hugh le grand earle of Paris of whome no issue procéeded but after hir deceasse he maried to his second wife a gentlemwoman named Gonnor daughter to a kinght of the Danish line by whom he had thrée sonnes Richard that was after duke of Normandie the third of that name Robert and Mauger He had also by hir three daughters Agnes otherwise called Emma married first to Egelred king of England and after to K. Cnute Helloie otherwise Alix bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais Richard the third of that name maried Iudith sister to Geffrey earle of Britaine by whome he had issue thrée sonnes Richard Robert and William and as manie daughters Alix married to Reignold earle of Burgogne Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders and the third died yoong being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric sister to Cnute king of England and Denmarke from whome he purchased to be diuorsed and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie by whome he had issue two sonnes William earle of Arques and Mauger archbishop of Rouen Richard the fourth of that name duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Richard the third died without issue and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a burgesse of Felais William surnamed the bastard afterward duke of Normandie and by conquest king of England Of whose father duke Robert his paramour Arlete take this pleasant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses In the yéere of Christ 1030 Robert the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his duke dome seuen yéeres for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe appointed a pilgrimage to Ierusalem leauing behind him this William a yoong prince whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete whom after he held as his wife with whose beautifull fauour louelie grace and presence at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone where when she was bestowed thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked it might haue séemed not so maidenlie a part so when the duke was about as the maner is to haue 〈◊〉 vp hir linnen the in an humble modestie staid hir lords hand and rent downe hir smocke asunder from the collar to the verie skirt Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment In great lowlines with a feate question she answerd againe My lord were it méet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward Let your grace pardon me He liked hir answer and so and so foorth for that time This duke before his voiage calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne Willliam whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert and the defense of the gouernance vnto Henrie the French king So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage shewed in euerie place and in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince and pleasant withall who once in Iurie not well at ease in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie Friend quoth he if my people at thy returne aske after me tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to heauen by diuels The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie but after they heard of his fathers death they slackened apace euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne Whereby not manie yéeres after as Gilbert the gouernour by Rafe the childes coosine germane was slaine the dukedome anon by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts Thus much a litte of duke Robert the father and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched being a conclusion introductorie as is said in the argument IN the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedfull reader that after the opinion of most writers Brute did first inhabit this land and called it then after his owne name Britaine in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855 and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶ Furthermore the said land of Britaine was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ and so continued 483 yéeres So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute from Brute vntill the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalladar which was in the yéere of our Lord
it euident as a thing either of custome or of particular necessitie of which later Virgil saith Sanguine placastis ventos virgine caesa c. As Silius dooth of the first where he telleth of the vsuall maner of the Carthaginenses saieng after this maner Vrna reducebat miserandos annua casus c. But to procéed with our owne gods and idols more pertinent to my purpose than the rehersall of forreine demeanours I find that huge temples in like sort were builded vnto them so that in the time of Lucius when the light of saluation began stronglie to shine in Britaine thorough the preaching of the gospell the christians discouered 25. Flamines or idol-churches beside three Archflamines whose préests were then as our Archbishops are now in that they had superior charge of all the rest the other being reputed as inferiours and subiect to their iurisdiction in cases of religion and superstitious ceremonies Of the quantities of their idols I speake not sith it is inough to saie that they were monstrous and that each nation contended which should honour the greater blocks and yet all pretending to haue the iust height of the god or goddesse whom they did represent Apollo Capitolinus that stood at Rome was thirtie cubits high at the least Tarentinus Iupiter of 40. the idoll of the sonne in the Rhodes of 70. whose toe few men could fadam Tuscanus Apollo that stood in the librarie of the temple of Augustus of 50. foot another made vnder Nero of 110. foot but one in France passed all which Zenoduris made vnto Mercurie at Aruernum in ten years space of 400. foot Wherby it appeareth that as they were void of moderation in number of gods so without measure were they also in their proportions and happie was he which might haue the greatest idoll and lay most cost thereon Hitherto yee haue heard of the time wherein idolatrie reigned and blinded the harts of such as dwelled in this Iland Now let vs sée the successe of the gospell after the death and passion of Iesus Christ our sauiour And euen here would I begin with an allegation of Theodoret wherevpon some repose great assurance conceiuing yet more hope therein by the words of Sophronius that Paule the Apostle should preach the word of saluation here after his deliuerie out of captiuitie which fell as I doo read in the 57. of Christ. But sith I cannot verifie the same by the words of Theodoret to be spoken more of Paule than Peter or the rest I will passe ouer this coniecture so far as it is grounded vpon Theodoret and deale with other authorities whereof we haue more certeintie First of all therfore let vs see what Fortunatus hath written of Pauls comming into Britaine and afterward what is to be found of other by-writers in other points of more assurance Certes for the presence of Paule I read thus much Quid sacer ille simul Paulus tuba gentibus ampla Per mare per terras Christi praeconia fundens Europam Asiam Lybiam sale dogmata complens Arctos meridies hic plenus vesper ortus Transit Oceanum vel qua facit insula portum Quásque Britannus habet terras atque vltima Thule c. That one Iosephus preached here in England in the time of the Apostles his sepulchre yet in Aualon now called Glessenburg or Glastenburie an epitaph affixed therevnto is proofe sufficient Howbeit sith these things are not of competent force to persuade all men I will ad in few what I haue read elsewhere of his arriuall here First of all therefore you shall note that he came ouer into Britaine about the 64. after Christ when the persecution began vnder Nero at which time Philip and diuers of the godlie being in France whether he came with other christians after they had sowed the word of God in Scythia by the space of 9. yeares seuered themselues in sunder to make the better shift for their owne safegard and yet not otherwise than by their flight the gospell might haue due furtherance Hereby then it came to passe that the said Philip vpon good deliberation did send Iosephus ouer and with him Simon Zelotes to preach vnto the Britons and minister the sacraments there according to the rites of the churches of Asia and Greece from whence they came not long before vnto the countrie of the Galles Which was saith Malmesburie 103. before Faganus and Dinaw did set foorth the gospell amongst them Of the cōming of Zelotes you may read more in the second booke of Niceph. Cal. where he writeth thereof in this maner Operae pretium etiam fuerit Simonem Cana Galileae ortum qui propter flagrantem in magistrum suum ardorem summámque euangelicae rei per omnia curam Zelotes cognominatus est hîc referre accepit enim is coelitùs adueniente spiritu sancto Aegyptium Cyrenem Africam deinde Mauritaniam Lybiam omnem euangelium depraedicans percurrit eandémque doctrinam etiam ad occidentalem Oceanum insulásque Britannicas perfert And this is the effect in a litle roome of that which I haue read at large in sundrie writers beside these two here alledged although it may well be gathered that diuers Britains were conuerted to the faith before this sixtie foure of Christ. Howbeit whereas some write that they liued and dwelled in Britaine it cannot as yet take any absolute hold in my iudgement but rather that they were baptised and remained either in Rome or else-where And of this sort I suppose Claudia Rufina the wife of Pudens to be one who was a British ladie indeed and not onelie excellentlie séene in the Gréeke and Latine toongs but also with hir husband highlie commended by S. Paule as one hauing had conuersation and conference with them at Rome from whence he did write his second epistle vnto Timothie as I read Of this ladie moreouer Martial speaketh in reioising that his poesies were read also in Britaine and onelie by hir meanes who vsed to cull out the finest honestest of his epigrams and send them to hir fréends for tokens saieng after this maner as himselfe dooth set it downe Dicitur nostros cantare Britannia versus Furthermore making mention of hir and hir issue he addeth these words Claudia coeruleis cùm sit Rufina Britannis Edita cur Latiae pectora plebis habet Quale decus formae Romanam credere matres Italides possunt Atthides esse suam Dij bene quod sancto peperit faecunda marito Quot sperat generos quótque puella nurus Sic placeat superis vt coniuge gaudeat vno Et semper natis gaudeat illa tribus The names of hir thrée children were Pudentiana Praxedes both virgins and Nouatus who after the death of Pudens their father which befell him in Cappadocia dwelled with their mother in Vmbria where they ceased not from time to time to minister vnto the saints But to leaue this
impertinent discourse and proceed with my purpose I find in the Chronicles of Burton vnder the yeare of Grace 141. and time of Hadrian the emperour that nine scholers or clerkes of Grantha or Granta now Cambridge were baptised in Britaine and became preachers of the gospell there but whether Taurinus bishop or elder ouer the congregation at Yorke who as Vincentius saith was executed about this tune for his faith were one of them or not as yet I do not certeinlie find but rather the contrarie which is that he was no Britaine at all but Episcopus Ebroicensis for which such as perceiue not the easie corruption of the word may soone write Eboracensis as certeinlie mine author out of whom I alledge this authoritie hath done before me For Vincentius saith flat otherwise and therefore the Chronologie if it speake of anie Taurinus bishop of Yorke is to be reformed in that behalfe Diuers other also imbraced the religion of Christ verie zealouslie before these men Howbeit all this notwithstanding the glad tidings of the gospell had neuer free and open passage here vntill the time of Lucius in which the verie enimies of the word became the apparent meanes contrarie to their owne minds to haue it set foorth amongst vs. For when Antoninus the emperour had giuen out a decrée that the Druiysh religion should euerie where be abolished Lucius the king whose surname is now perished tooke aduise of his councell what was best to be doone wrote in this behalfe And this did Lucius bicause he knew it impossible for man to liue long without any religion at all finallie finding his Nobilitie subiects vtter enimies to the Romane deuotiō for that they made so many gods as they listed some to haue the regiment euen of their dirt dung and thervnto being pricked forwards by such christians as were conuersant about him to choose the seruice of the true God that liueth for euer rather than the slauish seruitude of any pagan idoll he fullie resolued with himselfe in the end to receiue and imbrace the gospell of Christ. He sent also two of his best learned and greatest philosophers to Rome vnto Eleutherus then bishop there in the 177. of Christ not to promise any subiection to his sea which then was not required but to say with such as were pricked in mind Acts. 2. verse 37. Quid faciemus viri fratres I meane that they were sent to be perfectlie instructed and with farther commission to make earnest request vnto him and the congregation there that a competent number of preachers might be sent ouer from thence by whose diligent aduise and trauell the foundation of the gospell might surelie be laid ouer all the portion of the I le which conteined his kingdome according to his mind When Eleutherus vnderstood these things he reioiced not a little for the great goodnesse which the Lord had shewed vpon this our Ile and countrie Afterwards calling the brethren togither they agréed to ordeine euen those two for bishops whom Lucius as you haue heard had directed ouer vnto them Finallie after they had thoroughlie catechized them making generall praier vnto God and earnest supplication for the good successe of these men they sent them home againe with no small charge that they should be diligent in their function and carefull ouer the flocke committed to their custodie The first of these was called Eluanus Aualonius a man borne in the I le of Aualon and brought vp there vnder those godlie pastours and their disciples whom Philip sent ouer at the first for the conuersion of the Britons The other hight Medguinus and was thereto surnamed Belga bicause he was of the towne of Welles which then was called Belga This man was trained vp also in one schoole with Eluanus both of them being ornaments to their horie ages and men of such grauitie and godlinesse that Eleutherus supposed none more worthie to support this charge than they after whose comming home also it was not long yer Lucius and all his houshold with diuers of the Nobilitie were baptised beside infinit numbers of the common people which dailie resorted vnto them and voluntarilie renounced all their idolatrie and paganisme In the meane time Eleutherus vnderstanding the successe of these learned doctours and supposing with himselfe that they two onlie could not suffice to support so great a charge as should concerne the conuersion of the whole Iland he directed ouer vnto them in the yeare insuing Faganus Dinaw or Dinauus Aaron and diuerse other godlie preachers as fellow-labourers to trauell with them in the vineyard of the Lord. These men therefore after their comming hither consulted with the other and foorthwith wholie consented to make a diuision of this Iland amongst themselues appointing what parcell each preacher should take that with the more profit and eass of the people and somewhat lesse trauell also for themselues the doctrine of the Gospell might be preached and receiued In this distribution they ordeined that there should be one congregation at London where they placed Theonus as chéefe elder and bishop for that present time worthilie called Theonus 1. for there was another of that name who fled into Wales with Thadiocus of Yorke at the first comming of the Saxons and also Guthelmus who went as I read into Armorica there to craue aid against the Scots and Uandals that plagued this Ile from the Twede vnto the Humber After this Theonus also Eluanus succéeded who conuerted manie of the Druiydes and builded the first librarie neere vnto the bishops palace The said Lucius also placed another at Yorke whither they appointed Theodosius and the third at Caerlheon vpon the riuer Uske builded sometimes by Belinus and called Glamorgantia but now Chester in which three cities there had before time beene thrée Archflamines erected vnto Apollo Mars and Minerua but now raced to the ground and three other churches builded in their steeds by Lucius to the end that the countries round about might haue indifferent accesse vnto those places and therewithall vnderstand for certeintie whither to resort for resolution if after their conuersion they should happen to doubt of any thing In like sort also the rest of the idoll-temples standing in other places were either ouerthrowne or conuerted into churches for christian congregations to assemble in as our writers doo remember In the report whereof giue me leaue gentle reader of London my natiue citie to speake a little for although it may and dooth seeme impertinent to my purpose yet it shall not be much and therefore I will soone make an end There is a controuersie moued among our historiographers whether the church that Lucius builded at London stood at Westminster or in Cornehill For there is some cause why the metropolitane church should be thought to stand where S. Peters now doth by the space of 400. yéeres before it was remoued to Canturburie by Austine the
Scotland which could not be now for anie earledome did homage to the sonne of Henrie the second with a reseruation of the dutie to king Henrie the second his father Also the earledome of Huntingdon was as ye haue heard before this forfeited by Malcolme his brother and neuer after restored to the crowne of Scotland This William did afterward attend vpon the same Henrie the second in his warres in Normandie against the French king notwithstanding their French league and then being licenced to depart home in the tenth of this prince and vpon the fiftéenth of Februarie he returned and vpon the sixtéenth of October did homage to him for the realme of Scotland In token also of his perpetuall subiection to the crowne of England he offered vp his cloake his faddle and his speare at the high altar in Yorke wherevpon he was permitted to depart home into Scotland where immediatlie he mooued cruell warre in Northumberland against the same king Henrie being as yet in Normandie But God tooke the defense of king Henries part and deliuered the same William king of Scots into the hands of a few Englishmen who brought him prisoner to king Henrie into Normandie in the twentith yeere of his reigne But at the last at the sute of Dauid his brother Richard bishop of saint Andrews and other bishops and lords he was put to this fine for the amendment of his trespasse to wit to paie ten thousand pounds sterling and to surrender all his title to the earldome of Huntingdon Cumberland Northumberland into the hands of king Henrie which he did in all things accordinglie sealing his charters thereof with the great seale of Scotland and signets of his nobilitie yet to be seene wherein it was also comprised that he and his successours should hold the realme of Scotland of the king of England and his successours for euer And herevpon he once againe did homage to the same king Henrie which now could not be for the earledome of Huntingdon the right whereof was alreadie by him surrendred And for the better assurance of this faith also the strengths of Berwike Edenborough Roxborough and Striueling were deliuered into the hands of our king Henrie of England which their owne writers confesse But Hector Boetius saith that this trespasse was amended by fine of twentie thousand pounds sterling and that the erledome of Huntingdon Cumberland and Northumberland were deliuered as morgage into the hands of king Henrie vntill other ten thousand pounds sterling should be to him paid which is so farre from truth as Hector was while he liued from well meaning to our countrie But if we grant that it is true yet prooueth he not that the monie was paid nor the land otherwise redéemed or euer after came to anie Scotish kings hands And thus it appeareth that the earledome of Huntingdon was neuer occasion of the homages of the Scotish kings to the kings of England either before this time or after This was doone 1175. Moreouer I read this note hereof gathered out of Robertus Montanus or Montensis that liued in those daies and was as I take it confessor to king Henrie The king of Scots dooth homage to king Henrie for the kingdome of Scotland and is sent home againe his bishops also did promise to doo the like to the archbishop of Yorke and to acknowledge themselues to be of his prouince and iurisdiction By vertue also of this composition the said Robert saith that Rex Angliae dabat honores episcopatus abbatias alias dignitates in Scotia vel saltem eius consilio dabantur that is The king of England gaue honors bishopriks abbatships and other dignities in Scotland or at the leastwise they were not giuen without his aduise and counsell At this time Alexander bishop of Rome supposed to haue generall iurisdiction ecclesiasticall through christendome established the whole cleargie of Scotland according to the old lawes vnder the iurisdiction of the archbishop of Yorke In the yeare of our Lord 1185 in the moneth of August at Cairleill Rouland Talmant lord of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie with all that held of him In the two and twentith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the second Gilbert sonne of Ferguse prince of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie and left Dunecan his sonne in hostage for conseruation of his peace Richard surnamed Coeur de Lion because of his stoutnesse and sonne of this Henrie was next king of England to whome the same William king of Scots did homage at Canturburie for the whole kingdome of Scotland This king Richard was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostrich for whose redemption the whole realme was taxed at great summes of monie vnto the which this William king of Scots as a subiect was contributorie and paied two thousand markes sterling In the yeare of our Lord 1199 Iohn king of England sent to William king of Scots to come and doo his homage which William came to Lincolne in the moneth of December the same yeare and did his homage vpon an hill in the presence of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and of all the people there assembled and therevnto tooke his oth and was sworne vpon the crosse of the said Hubert also he granted by his charter confirmed that he should haue the mariage of Alexander his sonne as his liegeman alwaies to hold of the king of England promising moreouer that he the said king William and his sonne Alexander should keepe and hold faith and allegiance to Henrie sonne of the said king Iohn as to their chiefe lord against all maner of men that might liue and die Also whereas William king of Scots had put Iohn bishop of saint Andrew out of his bishoprike pope Clement wrote to Henrie king of England that he should mooue and induce the same William and if néed required by his roiall power and prerogatiue ouer that nation to compell him to leaue his rancor against the said bishop and suffer him to haue and occupie his said bishoprike againe In the yeare of our Lord 1216 and fiue twentith of the reigne of Henrie sonne to king Iohn the same Henrie and the quéene were at Yorke at the feast of Christmasse for the solemnization of a marriage made in the feast of saint Stephan the martyr the same yeare betwéene Alexander king of Scots and Margaret the kings daughter and there the said Alexander did homage to Henrie king of England for all the realme of Scotland In buls of diuerse popes were admonitions giuen to the kings of Scots as appeareth by that of Gregorie the fift and Clement his successor that they should obserue and trulie kéepe all such appointments as had béene made betwéene the kings of England and Scotland And that the kings of Scotland should still hold the realme of Scotland of the kings of England vpon paine of cursse and interdiction After the death of Alexander king of Scots Alexander his sonne
being nine yeares of age was by the lawes of Edgar in ward to king Henrie the third by the nobles of Scotland brought to Yorke and there deliuered vnto him During whose minoritie king Henrie gouerned Scotland and to subdue a commotion in this realme vsed the aid of fiue thousand Scotishmen But king Henrie died during the nonage of this Alexander whereby he receiued not his homage which by reason and law was respited vntill his full age of one and twentie yeares Edward the first after the conquest sonne of this Henrie was next king of England immediatlie after whose coronation Alexander king of Scots being then of full age did homage to him for Scotland at Westminster swearing as all the rest did after this maner I. D. N. king of Scots shall be true and faithfull vnto you lord E. by the grace of God king of England the noble and superior lord of the kingdome of Scotland and vnto you I make my fidelitie for the same kingdome the which I hold and claime to hold of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and lim and worldlie honour against all men faithfullie I shall knowlege and shall doo you seruice due vnto you of the kingdome of Scotland aforesaid as God me so helpe and these holie euangelies This Alexander king of Scots died leauing one onelie daughter called Margaret for his heire who before had maried Hanigo sonne to Magnus king of Norwaie which daughter also shortlie after died leauing one onelie daughter hir heire of the age of two yeares whose custodie and mariage by the lawes of king Edgar and Edward the confessor belonged to Edward the first whervpon the nobles of Scotland were commanded by our king Edward to send into Norwaie to conueie this yoong queene into England to him whome he intended to haue maried to his sonne Edward and so to haue made a perfect vnion long wished for betwéene both realmes Herevpon their nobles at that time considering the same tranquillitie that manie of them haue since refused stood not vpon shifts and delaies of minoritie nor contempt but most gladlie consented and therevpon sent two noble men of Scotland into Norwaie for hir to be brought to this king Edward but she died before their comming thither and therefore they required nothing but to inioie the lawfull liberties that they had quietlie possessed in the last king Alexanders time After the death of this Margaret the Scots were destitute of anie heire to the crowne from this Alexander their last king at which time this Edward descended from the bodie of Mawd daughter of Malcolme sometime king of Scots being then in the greatest broile of his warres with France minded not to take the possession of that kingdome in his owne right but was contented to establish Balioll to be king thereof the weake title betwéene him Bruse Hastings being by the humble petition of all the realme of Scotland cōmitted to the determination of king Edward wherein by autentike writing they confessed the superioritie of the realme to remaine in king Edward sealed with the seales of foure bishops seuen earles and twelue barons of Scotland and which shortlie after was by the whole assent of the three estates of Scotland in their solemne parlement confessed and enacted accordinglie as most euidentlie dooth appeare The Balioll in this wise made king of Scotland did immediatlie make his homage and fealtie at Newcastell vpon saint Stéeuens daie as did likewise all the lords of Scotland each one setting his hand to the composition in writing to king Edward of England for the kingdome of Scotland but shortlie after defrauding the benigne goodnesse of his superiour he rebelled and did verie much hurt in England Herevpon king Edward inuaded Scotland seized into his hands the greater part of the countrie and tooke all the strengths thereof Whervpon Balioll king of Scots came vnto him to Mauntrosse in Scotland with a white wand in his hand and there resigned the crowne of Scotland with all his right title and interest to the same into the hands of king Edward and thereof made his charter in writing dated and sealed the fourth yeare of his reigne All the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland also repaired to Berwike and did homage and fealtie to king Edward there becomming his subiects For the better assurance of whose oths also king Edward kept all the strengths and holdes of Scotland in his owne hands and herevpon all their lawes processes all iudgements gifts of assises and others passed vnder the name and authoritie of king Edward Leland touching the same rehearsall writeth thereof in this maner In the yeare of our Lord 1295 the same Iohn king of Scots contrarie to his faith and allegiance rebelled against king Edward and came into England and burnt and siue without all modestie and mercie Wherevpon king Edward with a great host went to Newcastell vpon Tine passed the water of Twéed besieged Berwike and got it Also he wan the castell of Dunbar and there were slaine at this brunt 15700 Scots Then he proceeded further and gat the castell of Rokesborow and the castell of Edenborow Striuelin and Gedworth and his people harried all the land In the meane season the said king Iohn of Scots considering that he was not of power to withstand king Edward sent his letters and besought him of treatie and peace which our prince benignlie granted and sent to him againe that he should come to the towre of Brechin and bring thither the great lords of Scotland with him The king of England sent thither Antonie Becke bishop of Durham with his roiall power to conclude the said treatise And there it was agreed that the said Iohn and all the Scots should vtterlie submit themselues to the kings will And to the end the submission should be performed accordinglie the king of Scots laid his sonne in hostage and pledge vnto him There also he made his letters sealed with the common scale of Scotland by the which he knowledging his simplenes and great offense doone to his lord king Edward of England by his full power and frée will yeelded vp all the land of Scotland with all the people and homage of the same Then our king went foorth to sée the mounteins and vnderstanding that all was in quiet and peace he turned to the abbeie of Scone which was of chanons regular where he tooke the stone called the Regall of Scotland vpon which the kings of that nation were woont to sit at the time of their coronations for a throne sent it to the abbeie of Westminster commanding to make a chaire therof for the priests that should sing masse at the high altar which chaire was made and standeth yet there at this daie to be séene In the yeare of our Lord 1296 the king held his parlement at Berwike and there he tooke homage singularlie of diuerse of the lords nobles of Scotland And for a perpetuall memorie of the same they
souldiers secretlie in a wood and there to remaine in couert till the morning that Brute should come foorth and giue a charge vpon the enimies wherewith Corineus should breake foorth and assaile the Galles on the backes This policie was put in practise and tooke such effect as the deuisers themselues wished for the Galles being sharplie assailed on the front by Brute and his companie were now with the sudden comming of Corineus who set vpon them behind on their backes brought into such a feare that incontinentlie they tooke them to flight whom the Troians egerlie pursued making no small slaughter of them as they did ouertake them In this battell Brute lost manie of his men and amongst other one of his nephues named Turinus after he had shewed maruellous proofe of his manhood Of him as some haue written the foresaid citie of Tours tooke the name and was called Turonium because the said Turinus was there buried Andrew Theuet affirmeth the contrarie and mainteineth that one Taurus the nephue of Haniball was the first that inclosed it about with a pale of wood as the maner of those daies was of fensing their townes in the yeare of the world 3374. and before the birth of our sauiour 197. But to our matter concerning Brute who after he had obteined so famous a victorie albeit there was good cause for him to reioise yet it sore troubled him to consider that his numbers dailie decaied and his enimies still increased and grew stronger wherevpon resting doubtfull what to doo whether to procéed against the Galles or returne to his ships to séeke the Ile that was appointed him by oracle at length he chose the surest and best way as he tooke it and as it proued For whilest greater part of his armie was yet left aliue and that the victorie remained on his side he drew to his nauie and lading his ships with excéeding great store of riches which his people had got abroad in the countrie he tooke the seas againe After a few daies sailing they landed at the hauen now called Totnesse the yeare of the world 2850 after the destruction of Troy 66 after the deliuerance of the Israelites from the captiuitie of Babylon 397 almost ended in the 18 yeare of the reigne of Tineas king of Babylon 13 of Melanthus king of Athens before the building of Rome 368 which was before the natiuitie of our Sauior Christ 1116 almost ended and before the reigne of Alexander the great 783. Brute discouereth the commodities of this Iland mightie giants withstand him Gogmagog and Corineus wrestle together at a place beside Douer he buildeth the citie of Trinouant now termed London calleth this Iland by the name of Britaine and diuideth it into three parts among his three sonnes The fourth Chapter WHEN Brute had entred this land immediatlie after his arriuall as writers doo record he searched the countrie from side to side and from end to end finding it in most places verie fertile and plentious of wood and grasse and full of pleasant springs and faire riuers As he thus trauelled to discouer the state and commodities of the Iland he was encountred by diuers strong and mightie giants whome he destroied and slue or rather subdued with all such other people as he found in the Iland which were more in number than by report of some authors it should appeare there were Among these giants as Geffrey of Monmouth writeth there was one of passing strength and great estimation named Gogmagog with whome Brute caused Corineus to wrestle at a place beside Douer where it chanced that the giant brake a rib in the side of Corineus while they stroue to claspe and the one to ouerthrow the other wherewith Corineus being sore chafed and stirred to wrath did so double his force that he got the vpper hand of the giant and cast him downe headlong from one of the rocks there not farre from Douer and so dispatched him by reason whereof the place was named long after The fall or leape of Gogmagog but afterward it was called The fall of Douer For this valiant déed and other the like seruices first and last atchiued Brute gaue vnto Corineus the whole countrie of Cornwall To be briefe after that Brute had destroied such as stood against him and brought such people vnder his subiection as he found in the I le and searched the land from the one end to the other he was desirous to build a citie that the same might be the seate roiall of his empire or kingdome Wherevpon he chose a plot of ground lieng on the north side of the riuer of Thames which by good consideration séemed to be most pleasant and conuenient for any great multitude of inhabitants aswell for holsomnesse of aire goodnesse of soile plentie of woods and commoditie of the riuer seruing as well to bring in as to carrie out all kinds of merchandize and things necessarie for the gaine store and vse of them that there should inhabit Here therefore he began to build and lay the foundation of a citie in the tenth or as other thinke in the second yeare after his arriuall which he named saith Gal. Mon. Troinouant or as Hum. Llhoyd saith Troinewith that is new Troy in remembrance of that noble citie of Troy from whence he and his people were for the greater part descended When Brutus had builded this citie and brought the Iland fullie vnder his subiection he by the aduise of his nobles commanded this Ile which before hight Albion to be called Britaine and the inhabitants Britons after his name for a perpetuall memorie that he was the first bringer of them into the land In this meane while also he had by his wife .iij. sonnes the first named Locrinus or Locrine the second Cambris or Camber and the third Albanactus or Albanact Now when the time of his death drew néere to the first he betooke the gouernment of that part of the land nowe knowne by the name of England so that the same was long after called Loegria or Logiers of the said Locrinus To the second he appointed the countrie of Wales which of him was first named Cambria diuided from Loegria by the riuer of Seuerne To his third sonne Albanact he deliuered all the north part of the I le afterward called Albania after the name of the said Albanact which portion of the said Ile lieth beyond the Humber northward Thus when Brutus had diuided the I le of Britaine as before is mentioned into 3. parts and had gouerned the same by the space of 15. yeares he died in the 24 yeare after his arriuall as Harison noteth and was buried at Troinouant or London although the place of his said buriall there be now growne out of memorie Of Locrine the eldest sonne of Brute of Albanact his yoongest sonne and his death of Madan Mempricius Ebranke Brute Greenesheeld Leill Ludhurdibras Baldud and Leir the nine rulers of
Britaine successiuelie after Brute The fift Chapter LOcrinus or Locrine the first begotten sonne of Brute began to reigne ouer the countrie called Logiers in the yeare of the world 1874 and held to his part the countrie that reached from the souht sea vnto the riuer of Humber While this Locrinus gouerned Logiers his brother Albanact ruled in Albania where in fine he was slaine in a battell by a king of the Hunnes or Scythians called Humber who inuaded that part of Britaine and got possession thereof till Locrinus with his brother Camber in reuenge of their other brothers death and for the recouerie of the kingdome gathered their powers togither and comming against the said king of the Hunnes by the valiancie of their people they discomfited him in battell and chased him so egerlie that he himselfe and a great number of his men were drowned in the gulfe that then parted Loegria and Albania which after tooke name of the said king and was called Humber and so continueth vnto this daie Moreouer in this battell against the Hunnes were thrée yong damsels taken of excellent beautie specially one of them whose name was Estrild daughter to a certeine king of Scythia With this Estrild king Locrine fell so farre in loue notwithstanding a former contract made betwixt him and the ladie Guendoloena daughter to Corineus duke of Cornwall that he meant yet with all spéed to marie the same Estrild But being earnestlie called vpon and in manner forced thereto by Corineus hée changed his purpose and married Guendoloena keeping neuertheles the aforesaid Estrild as paramour still after a secret sort during the life of Corineus his father in law Now after that Corineus was departed this world Locrine forsooke Guendoloena and maried Estrild Guendoloena therefore being cast off by hir husband got hir into Cornewall to hir friends and kinred and there procured them to make warre against the said Locrine hir husband in the which warres hée was slaine and a battell fought néere to the riuer of Sture after he had reigned as writers affirme twentie yeares was buried by his father in the Citie of Troinouant leauing behind him a yoong sonne begotten of his wife Guendoloena named Madan as yet vnméete to gouerne Guendoloena or Guendoline the wife of Locrinus and daughter of Corineus duke of Cornewall for so much as hir sonne Madan was not of yeeres sufficient to gouerne was by common consent of the Britons made ruler of the I le in the yéere of the world 2894 and so hauing the administration in hir hands she did right discreetlie vse hir selfe therein to the comfort of all hir subiects till hir sonne Madan came to lawfull age and then she gaue ouer the rule and dominion to him after she had gouerned by the space of fifteene yeares MAdan the sonne of Locrine and Guendoline entred into the gouernement of Britaine in the 2909 of the world There is little left in writing of his doings sauing that he vsed great tyrannie amongst his Britons and therefore after he had ruled this land the tearme of 40. yeares he was deuoured of wild beastes as he was abroad in hunting He left behind him two sonnes Mempricius and Manlius He builded as is reported Madancaistre now Dancastre which reteineth still the later part of his name MEmpricius the eldest sonne of Madan began his reigne ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2949 he continued not long in peace For his brother Manlius vpon an ambitious mind prouoked the Britons to rebell against him so that sore and deadly warre continued long betweene them But finallie vnder colour of a treatie Manlius was slaine by his brother Mempricius so that then he liued in more tranquillitie and rest Howbeit being deliuered thus from trouble of warres he fell into slouth and so into vnlawfull lust of lecherie and thereby into the hatred of his people by forcing of their wines and daughters and finallie became so beastlie that he forsooke his lawfull wife and all his concubines and fell into the abhominable sinne of Sodomie And thus from one vice he fell into another till he became odious to God and man and at length going on hunting was lost of his people and destroied of wild beastes when he had reigned twentie yeares leauing behind him a noble yoong sonne named Ebranke begotten of his lawfull wife EBranke the sonne of Mempricius began to rule ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2969 He had as writers doo of him record one and twentie wiues on whom he begot 20. sonnes and 30. daughters of the which the eldest hight Guales or Gualea These daughters he sent to Alba Syluius which was the eleuenth king of Italie or the sixt king of the Latines to the end they might be married to his noble men of the bloud of Troians because the Sabines refused to ioine their daughters with them in marriage Furthermore he was the first prince of his land that euer inuaded France after Bute and is commended as author and originall builder of many cities both in his owne kingdome and else where His sonnes also vnder the conduct of Assaracus one of their eldest brethren returning out of Italie after they had conducted their sisters thither inuaded Germanie being first molested by the people of that countrie in their rage and by the helpe of the said Alba subdued a great part of that countrie there planted themselues Our histories say that Ebracus their father married them in their returne and aided them in their conquests and that he builded the citie of Caerbranke now called Yorke about the 14 yeare of his reigne He builded also in Albania now called Scotland the castle of Maidens afterward called Edenburgh of Adian one of their kings The citie of Alclud was builded likewise by him as some write now decaied After which cities thus builded he sailed ouer into Gallia now called France with a great armie and subduing the Galles as is aforesaid he returned home with great riches and triumph Now when he had guided the land of Britaine in noble wise by the tearme of fortie yeares he died and was buried at Yorke BRute Greeneshield the sonne of Ebranke was made gouernor of this land in the yeare of the world 3009 Asa reigning in Iuda and Baasa in Israell This prince bare alwaies in the field a gréene shield whereof he tooke his surname and of him some forraine authors affirme that he made an attempt to bring the whole realme of France vnder his subiection which he performed because his father susteined some dishonor and losse in his last voiage into that countrie Howbeit they say that when he came into Henaud Brinchild a prince of that quarter gaue him also a great ouerthrow and compelled him to retire home againe into his countrie This I borrow out of William Harison who in his chronologie toucheth the same
began his reigne ouer the Britains about the yeare of our Lord 180 as Fabian following the authoritie of Peter Pictauiensis saith although other writers seeme to disagrée in that account as by the same Fabian in the table before his booke partlie appeareth wherevnto Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis affirmeth that this Lucius was borne in the yeare of our Lord 115 and was crowned king in the yeare 124 as successor to his father Coillus which died the same yeare being of great age yer the said Lucius was borne It is noted by antiquaries that his entrance was in the 4132 of the world 916 after the building of Rome 220 after the comming of Cesar into Britaine and 165 after Christ whose accounts I follow in this treatise This Lucius is highlie renowmed of the writers for that he was the first king of the Britains that receiued the faith of Iesus Christ for being inspired by the spirit of grace and truth euen from the beginning of his reigne he somewhat leaned to the fauoring of Christian religion being moued with the manifest miracles which the Christians dailie wrought in witnesse and proofe of their sound and perfect doctrine For euen from the daies of Ioseph of Arimathia and his fellowes or what other godlie men first taught the Britains the gospell of our Sauiour there remained amongest the same Britains some christians which ceased not to teach and preach the word of God most sincerelie vnto them but yet no king amongst them openlie professed that religion till at length this Lucius perceiuing not onelie some of the Romane lieutenants in Britaine as Trebellius and Pertinax with others to haue submitted themselues to that profession but also the emperour himselfe to begin to be fauorable to them that professed it he tooke occasion by their good example to giue eare more attentiuelie vnto the gospell and at length sent vnto Eleutherius bishop of Rome two learned men of the British nation Eluane and Meduine requiring him to send some such ministers as might instruct him and his people in the true faith more plentifullie and to baptise them according to the rules of christian religion ¶ The reuerend father Iohn Iewell sometime bishop of Salisburie writeth in his replie vnto Hardings answer that the said Eleutherius for generall order to be taken in the realme and churches héere wrote his aduice to Lucius in maner and forme following You haue receiued in the kingdome of Britaine by Gods mercie both the law and faith of Christ ye haue both the new and the old testament out of the same through Gods grace by the aduise of your realme make a law and by the same through Gods sufferance rule you your kingdome of Britaine for in that kingdome you are Gods vicar Herevpon were sent from the said Eleutherius two godlie learned men the one named Fugatius and the other Damianus the which baptised the king with all his familie and people and therewith remoued the worshipping of idols and false gods and taught the right meane and waie how to worship the true and immortall God There were in those daies within the bounds of Britaine 28 Flamines thrée Archflamines which were as bishops and archbishops or superintendents of the pagan or heathen religion in whose place they being remoued were instituted 28 bishops thrée archbishops of the christian religion One of the which archbishops held his sée at London another at Yorke and the third at Caerleon Arwiske in Glamorganshire Unto the archbishop of London was subiect Cornewall and all the middle part of England euen vnto Humber To the archbishop of Yorke all the north parts of Britaine from the riuer of Humber vnto the furthest partes of Scotland And to the archbishop of Caerleon was subiect all Wales within which countrie as then were seuen bishops where now there are but foure The riuer of Seuern in those daies diuided Wales then called Cambria from the other parts of Britaine Thus Britaine partlie by the meanes of Ioseph of Arimathia of whome ye haue heard before partlie by the wholesome instructions doctrines of Fugatius and Damianus was the first of all other regions that openlie receiued the gospell and continued most stedfast in that profession till the cruell furie of Dioclesian persecuted the same in such sort that as well in Britaine as in all other places of the world the christian religion was in manner extinguished and vtterlie destroied There be that affirme how this Lucius should build the church of saint Peter at Westminster though manie attribute that act vnto Sibert king of the east Saxons and write how the place was then ouergrowne with thornes and bushes and thereof tooke the name and was called Thorney They ad moreouer that Thomas archbishop of London preached read and ministred the sacraments there to such as made resort vnto him Howbeit by the tables hanging in the reuestrie of saint Paules at London and also a table sometime hanging in saint Peters church in Cornehill it should séeme that the said church of saitn Peter in Cornehill was the same that Lucius builded But herein saith Harison anno mundi 4174 dooth lie a scruple Sure Cornell might soone be mistaken for Thorney speciallie in such old records as time age euill handling haue oftentimes defaced But howsoeuer the case standeth truth it is that Lucius reioising much in that he had brought his people to the perfect light and vnderstanding of the true God that they néeded not to be deceiued anie longer with the craftie temptations and feigned miracles of wicked spirits he abolished all prophane worshippings of false gods and conuerted all such temples as had béene dedicated to their seruice vnto the vse of christian religion and thus studieng onlie how to aduance the glorie of the immortall God and the knowledge of his word without seeking the vaine glorie of worldlie triumph which is got with slaughter and bloudshed of manie a giltlesse person he left his kingdome though not inlarged with broder dominion than he receiued it yet greatlie augmented and inriched with quiet rest good ordinances and that which is more to be estéemed than all the rest adorned with Christes religion and perfectlie instructed with his most holie word and doctrine He reigned as some write 21 yeares though other affirme but twelue yeares Againe some testifie that he reigned 77 others 54 and 43. Moreouer here is to be noted that if he procured the faith of Christ to be planted within this realme in the time of Eleutherius the Romane bishop the same chanced in the daies of the emperour Marcus Aurelius Antonius and about the time that Lucius Aurelius Commodus was ioined and made partaker of the empire with his father which was seuen yéere after the death of Lucius Aelius Aurelius Uerus and in the 177 after the birth of our Sauiour Iesus Christ as by some chronologies is easie to be collected For Eleutherius began to gouerne the sée of
Rome in the yéere 169 according to the opinion of the most diligent chronographers of our time and gouerned fiftéene yeeres and thirtéene daies And yet there are that affirme how Lucius died at Glocester in the yéere of our Lord 156. Other say that he died in the yere 201 and other 208. So that the truth of this historie is brought into doubt by the discord of writers concerning the time and other circumstances although they all agrée that in this kings daies the christian faith was first by publike consent openlie receiued and professed in this land which as some affirme should chance in the twelfe yéere of his reigne and in the yéere of our Lord 177. Other iudge that it came to passe in the eight yeere of his regiment and in the yéere of our Lord 188 where other as before is said alledge that it was in the yéere of the Lord 179. Nauclerus saith that this happened about the yeare of our Lord 156. And Henricus de Herfordea supposeth that it was in the yéere of our Lord 169 and in the nintéenth yéere of the emperor Marcus Anfonius Uerus and after other about the sixt yéere of the emperor Commodus But to conclude king Lucius died without issue by reason whereof after his deceasse the Britains fell at variance which continued about the space of fiftéene yéeres as Fabian thinketh howbeit the old English chronicle affirmeth that the contention betwixt them remained fiftie yéeres though Harding affirmeth but foure yéeres And thus much of the Britains and their kings Coilus and Lucius Now it resteth to speake somewhat of the Romans which gouerned here in the meane while After that Agricola was called backe to Rome the Britains and namelie those that inhabited beyond Tweed partlie being weakned of their former strength and partlie in consideration of their pledges which they had deliuered to the Romans remained in peace certeine yéeres The Britains after the deceasse of Lucius who died without issue rebell against the Romans the emperor Adrian comming in his owne person into Britaine appeaseth the broile they go about to recouer their libertie against the Romans but are suppressed by Lollius the Romane lieutenant the vigilantnesse or wakefulnesie of Marcellus and his policie to keepe the souldiers waking the Britains being ruled by certaine meane gentlemen of Perhennis appointing doo falselie accuse him to the emperor Commodus he is mangled and murthered of his souldiers The xx Chapter IN the meane time the Romane lieutenant Cneus Trebellius that succéeded Iulius Agricola could no foresee all things so preciselie but that the souldiers waxing vnrulie by reason of long rest fell at variance among themselues and would not in the end obey the lieutenant but disquieted the Britains beyond measure Wherefore the Britains perceiuing themselues sore oppressed with intollerable bondage and that dailie the same incresed they conspired togither vpon hope to recouer libertie and to defend their countrie by all meanes possible and herewith they tooke weapon in hand against the Romans and boldlie assailed them but this they did yet warilie and so that they might flie vnto the woods and bogs for refuge vpon necessitie according to the maner of their countrie Herevpon diuers slaughters were commited on both parties and all the countrie was now readie to rebell whereof when the emperour Adrian was aduertised from Trebellius the lieutenant with all conuenient speed he passed ouer into Britaine and quieted all the I le vsing great humanitie towards the inhabitants and making small account of that part where the Scots now inhabit either bicause of the barrennesse thereof or for that by reason of the nature of the countrie he thought it would be hard to be kept vnder subiection he deuised to diuide it from the residue of Britaine and so caused a wall to be made from the mouth of Tine vnto the water of Eske which wall conteined in length 30 miles After this the Britains bearing a malicious hatred towards the Romane souldiers and repining to be kept vnder the bond of seruitude eftsoones went about to recouer libertie againe Whereof aduertisement being giuen the emperour Pius Antoninus sent ouer Lollius Urbicus as lieutenant into Britaine who by sundrie battels striken constreined the Britains to remaine in quiet and causing those that inhabited in the north parts to remooue further off from the confines of the Romane prouince caised another wall beyond that which the emperor Adrian had made as is to be supposed for the more suertie of the Romane subiects against the inuasion of the enimies But yet Lollius did not so make an end of the warrs but that the Britains shortlie after attempted afresh either to reduce their state into libertie or to bring the same into further danger WHerevpon Marcus Antonius that succéeded Pius sent Calphurnius Agricola to succéed Lollius in the gouernement of Britaine the which easilie ouercame and subdued all his enimies After this there chanced some trouble in the daies of the emperour Commodus the son of Marcus Antonius and his successor in the empire for the Britans that dwelled northwards beyond Adrians wall brake through the same and spoiled a great part of the countrie against whom the Romane lieutenant for that time being come foorth gaue them battell but both he and the Romane souldiers that were with him were beaten downe and slaine With which newes Commodus being sore amazed sent against the Britains one Ulpius Marcellus a man of great diligence and temperance but therewith rough and nothing gentle He vsed the same kind of diet that the common souldiers did vse He was a captaine much watchfull as one contented with verie little sléepe and desirous to haue his souldiers also vigilant and carefull to kéepe sure watch in the night season Euerie euening he would write twelue tables such as they vsed to make on the lind trée and deliuering them to one of his seruants appointed him to beare them at seuerall houres of the night to sundrie souldiers whereby supposing that their generall was still watching and not gone to bed they might be in doubt to sléepe And although of nature he could well absteine from sléepe yet to be the better able to forbeare it he vsed a maruellous spare kind of diet for to the end that he would not fill himselfe too much with bread he would eat none but such as was brought to him from Rome so that more than necessitie compelled him he could not eat by reason that the stalenesse tooke awaie the pleasant tast thereof and lesse prouoked his appetite He was a maruellous contemner of monie so that bribes might not mooue him to doo otherwise than dutie required This Marcellus being of such disposition sore afflicted the Britains and put them oftentimes to great losses through fame wherof Cōmodus enuieng his renowme was after in mind to make him away but yet spared him for a further purpose and suffered him