times for blowing away sixty of the Britaine Kings with one blast yet when he compareth the generations with the time is forced thus to write From Porrex to Mynogen are twenti one Kings in a lineall descent and but yeers ninety two now diuide 92. by 21. and you shall find that children beget children and these saith he by George Owen Harry in his book of pedegrees dedicated to his Maiesty appeareth to be in a lineall descent besides three or foure collaterals And yet goeth further Though the Scripture saith hee allege Iudah Hezron Salomon and Ezekiah to be but yoong when they begat their sonnes which as Rabbi Isack saith might be at thirteene yeeres of age And although Saint Augustine say that the strength of youth may beget children yoong and Hierome bringeth instance of a boy that at ten yeeres of age begot a childe yet this doth not helpe to excuse the mistaking of yeeres for the British Kings aboue mentioned Thus far Iohn Lewis and for the exceptions made against Brute wherin I haue altogether vsed the words of others and will now without offense I hope adde a supposall of mine owne seeing I am fallen into the computation of times which is the onely touch-stone to the truth of histories especially such as are limited by the bounds of the sacred Scriptures as this for Brutes entrance is And that the same cannot bee so ancient supposing it were neuer so certaine as the vulgar opinion hitherto hath held the circumstance of time to my seeming sufficiently doth prooue 20 For Brutes conquest and entrance are brought by his Authour to fall in the eighteenth yeere of Heli his Priesthood in the Land of Israel and so is fastned into a computation that cannot erre Now the eighteenth yeere of Helies gouernment by the holy Scriptures most sure account is set in the yeere of the worlds creation 2887. after the vniuersall flood 1231. and before the birth of our blessed Sauiour 1059. yeeres Brute then liuing in this foresaid time was foure descents from the conquered Troians as he of Monmouth hath laid downe which were Aeneas Ascanius Syluius and himselfe so that by these generations successiue in order the very yeere almost of Troys destruction may certainly be pointed out and knowen which in searching hath beene found so doubtful that by some it hath beene thought to be a meere fable Yet with more reuerence to antiquitie obserued let vs cast and compare the continuance of these foure generations vnto Brutes Conquest not shortning them with Baruch to be but ten yeeres to an age neither lengthning them with Iosephus who accounteth one hundred and seuenty yeeres for a generation but with more indifferencie let vs with Herodotus who wrote neerer these times allow thirty yeeres for a succession as hee accounteth in his second booke Now foure times thirty make one hundred and twenty the number of yeeres that these foure Princes successiuely did liue by which computation likewise measured by Scripture the ruination of Troy fell in the thirtie eighth yeere of Gideons gouernment in Israel and was the yeere after the worlds creation 2768. But the authoritie of Clemens Alexandrinus alleged out of Menander Pergamenus and Letus destroieth that time of Troies destruction and placeth it fully two hundred and thirtie yeeres after euen in the raigne of King Salomon for in his first booke Stromatâ—…n thus he writeth Menelaus from the ouer throw of Troy came into Phoenicia at that time when Hiram King of Tyrus gaue his daughter in mariage vnto Salomon King of Israel Where by him we see that Troies ruines and Salomons raigne fell both vpon one time And so Brute hath lost of his antiquity by this account 230. yeeres and entred not in Helies Priesthood but rather in the vsurpation of Iudahs Kingdome by Athalia and in the yeere of the world 3118. 21 To whom let vs ioine Iosephus an Authour of great credit and without suspicion in this case who in his Nations defense against Appion in both his bookes confidently affirmeth himselfe able to proue by the Phoenician Records of warrantable credit that the City Carthage was built by Dido sister to Pigmalion one hundred fiftie and fiue yeeres after the raigne of King Hiram which was Salomons friend and one hundred forty three yeeres and eight moneths after the building of his most beautifull Temple Now wee know by Virgil from whom all these glorious tales of Troy are told that Carthage was in building by the same Dido at such time as Aeneas came from Troies ouerthrow through the Seas of his manifold aduentures If this testimonie of Iosephus be true then fals Troies destruction about the twentieth yeere of Ioas raigne ouer Iudah which was the yeere of the worlds creation 3143. wherunto if we adde one hundred and twenty yeeres for the foure descents before specified then wil Brutes conquest of this Iland fall with the twelfth of Iothams raigne in the Kingdome of Iudah which meets with the yeere of the worlds continuance 3263. And so hath he againe lost of his antiquitie no lesse then 375. yeeres 22 And yet to make a deeper breach into Brutes storie and to set the time in a point so vncertaine as from which neither circle nor line can be trulie drawen Manethon the Historian Priest of Egypt in his second booke cited by Iosephus affirmeth that the Israelites departure from Egypt was almost a thousand yeeres before the warres of Troy If this be so as it seemeth Iosephus alloweth it so and one hundred and twenty yeeres more added for the foure descents aboue mentioned the number will fall about the yeere of the worlds creation 3630. long after the death of Alexander the Great and Greeke Monarch By which account the great supposed antiquity of Brute is now lessened by seuen hundred fiftie and two yeeres and the time so scantelized betwixt his and Cesars entrance that two hundred forty six yeeres onely remaine a time by much too short for seuenty two Princes which successiuely are said to raigne each after others and from Brute to Cesar recorded to haue swaied the regall Scepter of this Iland 23 But vnto these obiections I know the answer will be ready namely the diuersities of Scriptures account being so sundrie and different that the storie of Brute cannot thereby bee touched but still standeth firme vpon it selfe Indeed I must confesse that from the first Creation to the yeere of mans Redemption the learned Hebrewes Greekes and Latines differ much and that not only each from others but euen among themselues so farre that there can be no indifferent reconciliation made as by these seuerall computations may be seene as followeth Hebrewes Baal Seder-Holem 3518. Talmundistes 3784. New Rabbins 3760. Rabbi Nahsson 3740. Rabbi Leui 3786. Rabbi Moses Germidisi 4058. Iosephus 4192. Greekes Metheodorus 5000. Eusebius 5190. Theophilus Antioch 5476. Latines Saint Hierome 3941.
Saint Augustine 5351. Isidore 5210. Orosius 5190. Beda 3952. Alphonsus 5984. And yet doe these disagreements helpe little the Obiectors if this be considered that the maine foundation of these diuersities consisteth chiefly in the first world before the Flood wherein it is manifest that the reputed Septuagint addeth to the Hebrew Originall fiue hundred eighty and six yeeres And from the Flood to Abrahams birth is accounted two hundred and fiue yeeres more then Moses hath As likewise the like is done in the latter times for from the Captiuitie of Babylon to the death of Christ one hundred thirty and seuen yeeres are added more then the Sunnes course hath measured so that it seemeth the differences were not great for the times of Heli Salomon nor Iudahs Kings in whose raignes Brute is brought to people and possesse this Iland But leauing these diuersities and to come to a certaintie let vs calculate the yeeres of the holy historie according as Functius Beroaldus and sundry other Theologicke Chronologers haue done who from the Scriptures most sure account so tie the stories of times together that like to a golden chaine the linkes are fastned each to other and the whole so compleat that a yeere is not missing from the fall of man vnto the full time of his redemption 24 First then from the Creation to the Flood are reckoned yeeres 1656. gathered by a triple account from the ages begettings and deaths of the fathers The like is thence obserued for foure hundred twentie and seuen yeeres that is to the seuentie fifth of Abrahams life wherein God began to tie the times accounts in holier summes for Terah the first recorded Idolater was the last in honour that had the Sunnes course measured by mans life And now the bounds of time tie the Promise to Abraham to bee before the Law foure hundred and thirty yeeres as the Apostle to the Galathians affirmeth From the Law to the building of Salomons Temple and that in the fourth yeere of his raigne were yeeres foure hundred and eightie and from that foundation to his death were thirtie six yeeres for his whole raigne was fortie From his death and Kingdomes diuision vnto the burning of that Temple which was executed in the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel were yeeres three hundred and ninetie as by the daies of Ezekiels siege and sleepe appeareth in the second and fifth verses of his fourth Chapter From the burning of the Temple to the end of Iudahs captiuitie were yeeres fiftie and one for the whole time of Babels bondage contained seuenty yeeres as Ieremy 25. 11. whereof nineteene were expired and fifty one remaining vnto the first yeere of Cyrus their deliuerer whom the Lord in that regard calleth his annointed Isay. 45. 1. In the first yeere of whose Monarchie he published an Edict for the returne of the Iewes and new building of their Temple as in the books of Chronicles and of Ezra is seene And from this first yeere and proclamation of King Cyrus vnto the last yeere and death of Christ our Sauiour the great yeere of Iubilie the acceptable time wherein he troad the winepresse alone to the finishing of the ceremonies the taking away of sinne the reconciling of iniquity the bringing in of euerlasting righteousnesse to the sealing vp of vision and prophecie and to the anointing of the most holy were yeeres foure hundred and ninety as the Prophet Daniel from the Angell Gabriel receiued and vnto vs hath deliuered Dan. 9. 24. all which added together make the number to be three thousand nine hundred and threescore yeeres And by this said computation I haue accounted Brutes story as all others wherein I shall bee occasioned to speake 25 Lastly if from among these misty cloudes of ignorance no light can be gotten and that we will needs haue our descents from the Troians may wee not then more truly deriue our blood from them through the Romanes who for the space of foure hundred threescore and six yeeres were planted amongst vs in which continuance it is most certaine they tooke of our women to be their wiues and gaue their women to be wiues vnto vs seeing that some of their Emperors did the like themselues and from whose blood saith Beda the Britaines Ambrosius lineally descended And if beauty and parts be the instigaters vnto loue as in the first world we see it was no doubt then the features of the Britains were mouing Angels vnto the Romanes whose faces euen in those times were accounted to be angelicall and whose personages as yet are respected as the best if not better then any other in the world But that the Romans themselues descended from the Troians or AEneas should be the roote of the Iulian family howsoeuer the fictions of Poets as a spring tide haue flowed from the fulnesse of their pennes yet Tacitus their best writer accounteth those things not far vnlike to old fables wherein he iudgeth that Nero to win credit before the Consuls and to get reputation in the glory of eloquence vndertooke the pleading of the Ilienses cause declaring the Romanes descent from Troy and the Iulij from the loines of AEneas which notwithstanding he censureth as is said And Iosephus in the dispersion of Noahs sonnes and families affirmeth that Romus was the Originall of the old Romanes and he of Chus and Cham if he meane as he speaketh To conclude by what destiny I know not nations desire their originals from the Troians yet certaine it is that no honor from them can be brought whose city and fame stood but for six descents as vnder the raignes of Dardanus Erithonius Troos Ilion Laomedon and Priamus during which time they were thrice vanquished twice by Hercules in the daies of Laomedon and the third time rased by the rage of the Grecians in the raigne of King Priamus and the Troians themselues made as it were the scum of a conquered people And therefore as France hath cast off their Francio King Priamus his sonne Scotland their Scotia King Pharaoes daughter Denmarke their Danus Ireland their Hiberus and other Countries their Demi-gods so let BRITAINES likewise with them disclaime their BRVTE that bringeth no honour to so renowned a Nation but rather cloudeth their glorie in the murders of his parents and imbaseth their descents as sprung from Venus that lasciuious Adulteresse THE MANNERS AND CVSTOMES OF THE ANCIENT BRITAINES CHAPTER IV. HAuing thus farre spoken of the ancient Names of this famous Iland and of the Nations acknowledged to bee the first Planters and Possessors thereof it remaineth that somewhat be mentioned of the Manners and Customes of those people and times though not so pleasing or acceptable as were to be wished for that the clouds of ignorance and barbarous inciuilitie did then shadow and ouer-spread almost all the Nations of the earth wherein I desire to lay imputation no further then is sufficiently warranted by most
euen till the same at length went forth with a bâ—…lder countenance by the fauourable Edicts of Adrian Antonius Pius and Marcus Aurelius Emperors of Rome as Eusebius hath noted and in Britaine was established by the authoritie of Lucius their King whereby this was the first of all the Prouinces saith Marcus Sabellicus that receiued the Faith by publike ordinance Of the teâ—…chers of those times Bale from some other hath these verses Sicut erat celebris cultu numeroque Deorum Cum Iouis imperium staret Britannica tellus Sic vbi terrestres caelo descendit ad or as Expectata salus patribus fuit inclyta sanctis Qui Neptunicolûm campos Cambrica rura Coryneasque casas locadesolata colebant As were the Britaines famous for their zeale To Gentle Gods whiles such they did adore So when the Heau'ns to Earth did Truth reueale Bless'd was that Land with Truth and Learnings store Whence British Plaines and Cambri as desert ground And Cornewalls Crags with glorious Saints abound In which number were Eluanus Meduinus those two learned Diuines which were sent by King Lucius vnto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome with whom returned two other famous Clerkes whose names were Faganus and Damianus these together both preached and baptized amongst the Britaines whereby many dailie were drawne to the Faith And as a worthy and ancient Historian saith The Temples which had beene founded to the Honour of their many Gods were then dedicated to the one and onely true God For there were in Britaine eight and twentie Flamins and three Arch-flamins in stead of which so many Bishops and Archbishops were appointed vnder the Archbishop of London were the Prouinces of Loegria and Cornubia vnder Yorke Deira and Albania vnder Vrbs Legionum Cambria By which meanes this happy Kingdome vnder that godly King was nobly beautified with so many Cathedrall Churches and Christian Bishops Sees before any other kingdome of the world That this Lucius should be the Apostle to the Bauarians or that his sister Emerita was crowned with the flames of Martyrdome fifteene yeares after his death I leaue to the credit of Aegidius Scudus and Hermanus Schedelius the reporters and to the best liking of the readers But most certaine it is that the Christian faith was still professed in this Iland sound and vndefiled as Beda witnesseth notwithstanding the cruel persecutions of the bloody Emperours 19 For all this time saith the said Dicetus Christian ReligioÌ„ flourished quietly in Britanny til in Dioclesians time their Churches were demolished their holy Bibles castinto Bone-fires the Priests with their faithfull flocke bloodily murdered In which number about the yeare two hundred ninetie three as we read in Beda Malmesburie Randulphus and others Albane with his teacher Amphibalus were both of them martyred for the profession of the Gospell at the old Towne Verolanium as also in Leicester those two Noble Citizens Aaron and Iulius with multitudes both of men and women in sundrie places saith Beda as shortly after no lesse then a Thousand Saints suffered death at Liechfield wherupon the place was called another Golgotha or field of blood In memorie whereof the Citie beareth for Armes to this day in an Eschucheon of Landskip sundry persons diuersly Martyred And yet after these times also the Britaines continued constant in Christianity and the censures of their Bishops for the great estimation of their Constancie pietie and learning required and approued in great points of Doctrine among the assemblies of some Generall Councels as that of Sardis and Nice in the time of great Constantine the first Christian Emperour and this our Country man whose blessed daies gaue free way to that Profession to the Councels Authoritie and to the whole world Peace had wee our Bishops present whose forwardnes against the Arrian Heresie afterwards Athanasius aduanceth in his Apology vnto Iouinian the Emperor among three hundred Bishops assembled at the Councell of Sardice in Anno three hundred and fiftie whose words as Nicephorus reports them are these Know most Christian Emperour saith he that this faith hath beene alwaies preached and professed and that all Churches of Spaine Britain France and Germany at this day with one voice doe approoue the same As also at that of Ariminum in the yeare three hundred fiftie nine and in the raigne of Constantius who caused foure hundred westerne Bishops to be there sommoned in fauour of the Arrians whereof three were out of Britaine as Sulpitius Seuerus the good Bishop of Burges hath reported that gaue their suffrages against that Heresie These doth Hilarie tearme the Bishops of the Prouinces of Britaine by whom they were somewhat derided because beeing farre from their owne Countrie they liued vpon the Emperours charge And Beda testifieth that from Dioclesians time they both reedified their former Temples and founded new also in memorie of their then fresh-bleeding Martyrs and enioyed a generall and ioifull peace in their religious profession till that Arrian Heresic hauing first filled the Continent sought and found passage ouer the Seas into our Iland Gennadius in his Catalogues Illustrium Diuorum tels vs of an other learned Bishop of Britaine Fastidius who in the time of Cestius Bishop of Rome wrote vnto one Fatalis a booke devita Christians and another de viduitate seruanda of much diuine learning and comfort Chrysanthus likewise is recorded by Nicephorus to be sonne of Bishop Martian who hauing beene a Consular Deputie in Italie vnder Theodosius and made Lieutenant of Britaine where with great praise he managed the common wealth was against his will afterward made Bishop at Constantinople of the Nouatians that called themselues Cathari that is pure making a schisme in the Church by their deniall of Saluation to such as fell into relapse of sinne after Baptisme once receiued This is that Bishop of whom we read that of all his Ecclesiasticall reuenewes he reserued only for himselfe two loaues of bread vpon the Lords day And in the first Tome of Councels is mention of Restitutus Bishop of London whom because that as is most probable Christian Religion had in those primitiue times taken more firme footing in Britaine then in France the French Bishops called to their Nationall Councell the second at Arles in Anno three hundred thirty fiue that he might with his Suffrage approoue their Decrees About the yeere foure hundred seuenty was a Prouinciall Councell held in Britaine for the reforming of Religion and repairing of the ruined Churches which the Pagan mariage of Vortiger had decaied to the great griefe and discontent of the people a pregnant signe of the continuing zeale which vnto those daies had left a glorious memorie 20 And the Ensigne of Arthur wherein the Virgin with her sonne in her armes as is noted by Vincentius was portraied so often displaied for Christ and his Countries libertie against the Pagan Saxons is as a seale
a Common-wealth the glory of the Empire shall yet shine more bright sith by concord we see that small things grow to greatnesse whereas contrariwise discord is the ruine of all I die and must leaue the successe of all to my Successors and Sonnes by Nature though the Elder vnnaturall I meane Bassianus new made Antoninus and your Emperor who often ere this hath sought to gaine that title by his sword and my death but knoweth not the dangers that attend a Diadem neither remembreth that high places are continually garded with Enuie and Feares But so blind is Ambition as it seeth not that a Soueraignes greatnesse is such vnto others but least in himselfe and that the things possessed are not the very things they seemed It is not these Titles therefore can make man happy the line of his life being drawne forth with so many vncertainties and the height of his power laid vpon so weake foundations My selfe at this instant may serue for example of whom this may bee said I was all things yet nothing seeing I I must pay my debt to Nature and leaue my exploits in East and West to bee registred either at your disposall for matters of moment and good of the Empire or blotted to the reproch of my gouernement with the shadowing pencile of Obliuion That therefore my care for the welfare of this State may suruiue my selfe and bring forth the happie fruits thereof when I am withered this shall be my last and onely request that you will euer assist my sonnes both with your counsell and aide whereby they may rule according to Lawe and you obay according to Right that so in you both the good of the Empire be aboue all things respected With which words hee ended both his speech and his life 15 This Emperour by Historians is rancked with the best both for his warres wherein hee was verie fortunate and for his wisedome in gouerning the Empire and yet is he taxed very sharply both by Sabellicus for sundry vices and by Eusebius for stirring vp the fift Persecution of the Christians in the tenth yeere of his Raigne In which Ireneus the learned writer among many others suffred Martyrdome howbeit towards his end he became more milde to them as saith Saint Ierome as also that he was a diligent reader of the excellent workes of Tertullian whom vsually he termed his Master 16 This Emperour was by birth an African to which Country his affection graces were so much that the illustrious Citie of those parts recorded vpon their coyne his many fauours by this Inscription INDVLGENTIA AVG. IN CARTH. and inshrined him amongst the Gods of that Nation He was the sonne of Geta his mother Pia Fuluia himselfe rough cruell couetous and ambitious and his nature relishing too much of the Punick craft and simulation otherwise a most expert Soldiour and a worthy Prince more battles hee fought and more victories obtained then any other that euer had ruled before him the Romane Empire In a word of vertues and vices so equally composed that lastly this grew into a customed speech It had beene good that this Emperour had neuer beene borne or beeing Emperour that hee had neuer died 17 Of stature he was tall and of a comely personage his countenance seuere and representing Maiesty his beard white and long and the haire of his head he wore vsually curled He was very learned in the Mathematicks a good Philosopher an eloquent Orator and of a deep sounding voice Hee raigned eighteene yeeres saith Eusebius by Dion Cassius Herodian and Eutropius seuenteen yeeres eight months and odde daies He died in Yorke the fourth day of April in the yeere of Christ two hundred and twelue not so much of sicknes as of discontent and greefe or if our British writers may bee credited of a deadly wound giuen by Fulgence Captaine of the Picts who as the Monke of Chester saith was brother to Martia the first wife of Seuerus and mother of Bassianus His second wife was Iulia Domna the mother of Geta though some thinke that she was mother to both a woman of a surpassing beauty and an earnest instigator of the two Bretherens reconciliation had she not been blemished with other vices as after we shal here M AVRE BAS. CARA ANTO. BRIT Brethren P. SEPT ANTONI GETA BRIT CHAPTER XXIIII BAssianus Caracalla and his Brother Septimius Geta together were declared Emperours by old Seuerus in his life time and both of them by their father surnamed Antoninus a name very gracious in the esteeme of the Romans the elder so stiled about the yeere of Saluation two hundred and fiue and the yonger foure yeeres after as it appeareth by the mintage of their moneys were approued and applauded by people and Senate and of all men saluted and acknowledged for Emperours Bassianus the Elder stiling himself Britannicus Maximus as it should seem was admitted his Fathers fellow Emperour at Yorke at his residing there to quiet the Northern Britains wherein also hee gaue him the name Antoninus for so implieth that famous Law bearing iointlie the names of Seuerus and Antoninus enacted by them at Yorke touching the interest and right that masters haue to the goods and possessions of their seruants His mother the first wife of Seuerus was Martia a British Lady say our British Historians though Sabellicus doth iudge her to be an African and himselfe better beloued of the Britaine 's for her sake then for his owne Geta was the sonne of the Empresse Iulia a second wife a woman of passing beautie and surpassing lust who beeing perswaded by some Oracle or dreame that her husbands successour should be an Antoninus lost her Sonne should lose his hope of the Empire she importuned Seuerus to bestow the name of Antoninus also on Geta who with it gaue him likewise the title of Caesar about the yeere two hundred and two And to vnite the affections of his two sons aswel as to eternise their memories he minted their features vpon one Medall inscribing the one side ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. PON. TR. P. IIII. the other P. SEPT GETA CAES. PONT hauing the yeere before matched thē together vpon the reuerse of his owne money and incirculing their heads with this word AETERNITAS IMPERI as if the separation of their affections were the dissolution of his and the worlds Empire 2 Vpon Seuerus his death Antoninus Caracalla hastning for Rome profered good conditions of peace to the Britaines who long tired with warres accepted thereof and hostages were giuen for conseruing the same Whereupon the Empresse Iulia accompanied with both the Caesars departed hence carying with them the funerall ashes of the deceased Emperour in a goldē Vrna to Rome where they solemnly consecrated him a God the ceremony wherof because it concerneth so great an Emperour and Monarch of this kingdome is not vnworthy the inserting In the Porch of his Palace was a bedsteed all of
all of them cast out the Roman Presidents settling a forme of Common-wealth to their owne liking But these our Britaines growing too weake to withstand the continuall inroades of their Northerne Enemies humbly besought Honorius for succour whose returne of comforts consisted only in words exhorting them by Letters to stand vpon their owne Guard But they knowing it was not words which must helpe them againe deplored their miseries so obtained of him the assistance of one Legion which in their aid droue backe those Assailants into their owne Marches and fortified againe the Wall betwixt the Frith of Edeburgh vnto Clutd so then departing left the Britaines to defend themselues who now besides the Common Enemies so often mentioned were much molested and their Faith corrupted by one Pelagius by birth a Britaine by profession a Monke by leaud doctrine an Heretike who was brought vp in the famous Monastery of Bangor in Wales had also trauelled Italie Sicilia Aegypt for the studie of learning and grew into great fauour with Paulinus Bishop of Nola and with S. Augustine also till his Hereticall Assertions which had beene by him and his disciple Coelestius a Scot secretly taught and by Saint Ierome discouered were afterwards condemned by Innocentiue the first Bishop of Rome But the Arch-heretike returning into Britaine began againe obstinately to maintaine the same together with Agricola one who spread the venome of that Heresie into Forraine parts whose doctrines were 1. That Man without the grace of God was able to fulfill all the Commandements 2. That Man in himselfe had Freewill 3. That the Grace of God was giuen vnto vs according to our merits 4. That the Iust haue no sinne 5. That Children are free from Originall sinne 6. That Adam should haue died though he had not sinned And therein also one Timothie most impiouslie disputed against the Diuine and Humane Natures of Christ. Notwithstanding at the same time flourished Fastidius a most learned British Bishop and Chrysanthus also the Deputie or Vicegerent of Britaine who with great honor gouerned the affaires of the Church and Common-wealth and was afterwards as elswhere we haue shewed made Bishop at Constantinople of the Nouatians against his will 11 Thus were the affaires of this Land managed vnder these Brethren Emperours the elder of which Arcadius died in peace at Constantinople leauing his sonne Theodosius a childe of eight yeeres to the succession of the Empire and to the tuition of Hisdigerdus King of Persia a matter which seemed at first very dangerous but prooued at the last very profitable He raigned thirteene yeeres and died the first of May the one and thirtieth of his age the yeere of Christs birth foure hundred and ten At which time one Iouinus of an obscure beginning had raised some Tumults in Gallia stiled himselfe Emperour vsurped the Purple Robe and stamped his Coines with the Title of Victorie as is seene in one which we heere present 12 Against him Honorius made his power and with his little losse slew the Vpstart in the Field wherby his fame was more spread in the West though not so fortunate as his brothers was in the East after whom hee liued fifteene yeeres and with whom hee had raigned other thirteene and he died saith Paulus Diaconus of an infirmitie at Rome in the yeere of grace foure hundred twenty foure leauing no issue of his body to succeed him in the Empire THEODOSIVS 2. Emp. VALENTINIAN 3. CHAPTER LIIII GReat haue been the Wars and strange the Alterations which both here at home and through the World abroad haue chanced vnto States since the first attempts of Iulius Caesar vnto these present Emperors Theodosius the second and Valentinian the third his Associate whose Liues and Raignes did conclude the Successions of the Romish Monarchs within this Iland of Great Britaine and threw downe their Triumphall Arches in many other Prouinces which for long time had been obsequious to Romes Soueraigne Command So vncertaine is the Glory of this World and her Seeming Strength so liable to Mutabilitie that the Powers and Periods thereof held in His hand that holdeth the Vniuersall Ball are suddenly turned from their high-mounted site and beauty of the Sun vnto the Downe-fall and darke side of the Globe and either fall againe into the small Circuit of their first compasse after they haue expired their Number Waeight and Measure or else with Daniels Image are vtterly extinct and blowne away as the chaffe from the Summer flower 2 The continuance of whose Estates seeme they neuer so Great and Durable in Power Circuit Defence and Multitude hath seldome extended much the limit of Fiue hundred yeeres but that their high and mounted Flames fall in the ashes of their owne consuming decaies or else hath receiued some other alteration of Empires encrease as many learned Writers haue obsered in most Common-wealths So was it in the State established by God himselfe among his Peculiar People As from the Promise to Abraham made of Christ the Blessed Seed and Life of Man where ceased the Worlds formerly-vsed computation from the Ages of Men vnto the Law deliuered vpon Mount Sinai declaring condemnation and death were foure hundred thirty yeeres from Israels departure out of Egypt when their Common-wealth beganne to be ruled by Iudges and Gods seruice celebrated in the Tabernacle vnder Curtaines vnto the Building of their Glorious Temple erect by King Salomon were yeeres foure hundred and eighty From the Annointing of Dauid the first King set vpon Iudahs Throne vnto the death of Zedechiah the last King thereof slaine by Nebuchadnezer and that Holy Temple consumed by fire were yeeres foure hundred seuentie And other Politike Estates haue stood much vpon the like Space of time For the Kingdome of Athens set vp by Cecrops the first King thereof vnto Codrus the last when they changed their Monarchie to a Democracie is said to haue continued foure hundred and ninetie yeeres The Lacedemonians State from Lycurgus their Law-giuer vnto Alexander the Great that ouerthrew it flourished the space of foure hundred ninety one yeeres From the expulsion of Romes Kings vnder Tarquinius vnto the affected Empire in Iulius Caesar were foure hundred ninety and nine yeeres And omitting many others to come to our selues from Caesars first Inuasion of Britaine vnto the daies of this Valentinian the third wherein the Romans did quite abandon it were fiue hundred yeeres From the Saxons intrusions and diuision of this Realme into an Heptarchie vnder their Gouernment vntill the vnited Monarchie made by King Egbert in the yeere eight hundred and nineteene were yeeres foure hundred sixty nine But from thence vntill their issue failed in King Edward Confessor were yeeres only two hundred forty seuen And from the Normans Conquest vnto the death of that most sacred Soueraigne of eternall memoric Queene Elizabeth when began againe the name of GREAT BRITAINE
them striking their gleames into the North and by West foreshewing it may be the scourge and desolation that the Pagans intended who were at that instant entred into France and Spaine EThelbert the second Sonne of King Withred and Brother to the last King Edbert began his Raigne ouer the Kingdome of Kent the yeere of Mans Saluation 749. and raigned without any memorable act either of his or of his Kingdomes affaires the space of eleuen yeeres leauing this life in Anno 759. and was buried say some in the Monastery of Peter and Paul in Canturbury without issue of his body to succeed him howbeit the Annales of Canturbury affirms him to bee buried at Reculuers in the I le of Tanet whose Monument is shewed at the vpper end of the South I le in the Church and is mounted with two Spires if there be not a mistaking of him for Ethilbert his Successor ALrick the third Sonne of King Withred by the death of his brother Ethelbert obtained the kingdome of Kent the yeere of Christs Incarnation 760. no other glory attending his affaires saith Malmesbury besides his vnfortunate fight at Otteford against Offa King of the Mercians wherein it seemed some honor though with his ouerthrow to withstand so puissant and impugnable an enemie Hee is the last King of Kent that held the scepter in a lineall succession the rest that followed both got and enioied it by tyranny and vsurpation This King is said to raigne thirtie foure yeeres and to die in the yeere of grace seuen hundred ninety three EThilbert surnamed Pren vsurped the Title and Authoritie ouer the Kentish Dominions when that Prouince was sore oppressed with the inuasion of the Mercian Kenulfe whose warres against Kent by succession from Offa were continued with such rigour and valour that the Countrey lay desolate where hee had beene and the people distressed whither he came This Pren Kenulse tooke prisoner and lead away with him into Mercia but at the dedicatiō of a Church that he had then founded at Winchcombe in presence of ten Dukes and thirteene Bishops he released him at the High Altar without either intreatie or ransome of redemption The King returning againe into Kent could not there bee receiued his place either being supplied by another or himselfe so disliked as not worthy any longer to raigne and hauing had experiēce of the worlds mutabilities is left againe to his priuate fortunes from whence hee had stepped hauing held his estate but for three yeeres continuance CVthred saith Malmesbury was made King of Kent by Kenulfe King of Mercia when hee had ouer-come and captiuated Ethelbert notwithstanding hee is accounted for an Vsurper and bare the title of King the tearme of eight yeeres without any other act worthy of remembrance inheriting his predecessors euill happe and calamitie through factions and ciuill discords BAldred after the death of this Cuthred tooke vpon him the princely dignitie of Kent about the yeere of Christs Natiuitie 805. But now the heauenlie prouidence determining to bring againe together that which the Saxons had diuided raised from exile little Egbert to make him the Great Monarch of the English-men His first wars were against Bernulfe King of Mercia and his second against this Baldred King of Kent whom in Battle he vanquished and forced him out of his Kingdome after he had sate on that princelie Throne the space of eighteene yeeres This Baldred is said to haue fled ouer Thames and to leaue Kent to the will of his Conquerour whither againe he neuer returned neither yet was heard of after his ouerthrow This Kingdome then that was erected by Hengist the yeere of mans happinesse 455. continued her gouernment 372. and ended her glorie in the yeere 827. being made a Prouince vnto the West-Saxons SOVTH SAXONS KINGDOME THE CIRCVIT AND CONTINVANCE THEIR KINGS SVCCESSIONS ISSVES AND RAIGNES CHAPTER VI. THE Kingdome of the South-Saxons containing the Countries of Sussex and Surrey had on the East side Kent on the South the Sea and I le of Wight vpon the West Hant-shire and the North ◅de inuerged with the riuer Thames This Kingdome was erected by Ella a Saxon-Captaine that in the second yeere of Hengists entrance as some say brought a supply of his Saxons into Britaine with whom came his three sonnes Kymen Plenching and Cissa these landing at a place which from Kymen was afterwards called Kymenishore and discomfiting the Inhabitants that made resistance became himselfe King of those Southerne parts But doubtlesse there are many opinions of this mans first entrance and new erected estate for some as M. Sauile in his Table set it in the second yeere of Hengists first arriuall Anno 452. Others in the second of Aurelius and no lesse then thirty yeeres after that Anno 482. Harrison will haue it forty three yeeres after the Saxons first entrance and fourth yeere after King Hengist his death Anno 492. And M. Ferrers in his Succession of the English Monarkes placeth it in the three and twentieth yeere of King Hengists Kingdome and in the fifth after his owne arriuall the yeere of our Redemption 488. Of such vncertaintie is the beginning of this South-Saxons Kingdome whose Continuance and Successions are nothing cleerer insomuch that Malmesburie making seueral Chapters vpon the other six omitteth only this of the South-Saxons and therefore as wee finde them let vs haue leaue to relate them and for the present to leaue Ella as hee was King till wee come to a fit place where more shall be spoken of him as he was Monarch whose raigne is set by Stow to bee thirty six yeeres by Sir Henry Sauile twenty foure and by M. Henry Ferrers thirty two and to hau◅ed in the yeere 514. CIssa the third and youngest sonne of King Ella then onely liuing at his fathers death succeeded him in the kingdoome of the South-Saxons leauing the Monarchie to Cherdike king of the West-Saxons who had planted his kingdome betweene him and the Britaines hauing taken the charge of warre against them for maintenance whereof Cissa yeelded him a yeerely contribution and liuing himselfe in long rest and peace founded Chichester and Chisbury the one a Citie for resort of his people the other a place of repose for himselfe which last he fortified about with a strong Trench for a further defense against all dangers Of any other his actions little is recorded by Writers onely in this they concurre that hee was a man of great age and small acts some affirming that hee raigned the space of seuenty six yeeres EDilwach by some called Ethelwolf and Athelwold succeeded King Cissa in the kingdome of the South-Saxons and was the first Christian of that Nation conuerted by Bishop Wilfride as some conceiue out of Beda yet Beda saith expresly that the King was baptized before Wilfrides comming And the History of S. Swithune
the Mercian at Oswaldstree in Shrop-shire quinto Augusti the yeere of our Lord 642. when hee had raigned nine yeeres and was buried at Bradney in Lincolne-shire His wife was Kineburg the daughter of Kingils King of the West-Saxons and his sonne Ethelwald young at his death and therefore defeated of his Kingdome by Oswy his Vncle the Naturall Sonne of King Ethelfrid the Wild. Notwithstanding when Oswin King of Deira was murdered by this Oswy of Bernitia and he not past sixteene yeeres of age entred by force vpon Deira and kept the same Prouince by strong hand so long as hee liued and dying left it to his cosen Alkfrid the Naturall Sonne of the said King Oswy OSwy the illegitimate sonne of Ethelfrid the Wild at thirty yeeres of age succeeded King Oswald his brother in the Kingdome of the Bernicians at whose entrance Oswyne the sonne of Osrik that had denied the Faith and was slaine of King Cedwall raigned in Deira This Oswyne was slaine by King Oswye after whose death seizing all Northumberland he spread his terrour further into other parts and was the tenth Monarch of the Englishmen as in his succession we will further speake His wife was Eanfled daughter to Edwine King of Northumberland by whom he had many children His raigne was 28. yeeres and death the fifteenth day of Februarie in the yeere of grace 670. and of his age 58. EGfrid the eldest sonne of King Oswy by Queene Eanfled had beene Hostage in the Kingdome of Mercia and after his father was made King of Northumberland in the yeere of Christ 671. Hee warred but with great losse against Edilred King of Mercia neere vnto the Riuer of Trent wherein his younger brother Elswyne was vnfortunately slaine to the great griefe of both the Kings the one being his owne brother and the other his brother in law by mariage whereupon a peace and reconciliation was made But Egfred being by nature of a disquiet disposition inuaded the Irish and destroied those harmelesse and silly people which as Beda saith had beene great friends to the English Their resistance consisted chiefly in curses and imprecations for reuenge which though they could not open heauen yet saith hee it is to be beleeued that for their cause he was cut off the next yeere ensuing by the Picts or Red-shankes against whom he prepared contrary to the aduice of his Counsell and by them was slaine among the strait and waste mountaines 20. Maij the yeere of mans felicitie 685. and of his age fortie after hee had raigned fifteene yeeres His wife was Etheldred the daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles shee was both Widow and Virgin first maried to Tonbert a Noble man that ruled the Giruij a people inhabiting the Fenny Countries of Norfolke Lincolne Huntington and Cambridge-shires and after him also in virginitie continued twelue yeeres with her husband King Egfrid contrarie to his minde and the Apostles precept that forbiddeth such defrauding either in man or woman except it be with consent for a time and to the preparatiō of praier affirming elswhere that Mariage is honourable and the bed thereof vndefiled wherein the woman doth redeeme her transgression through faith loue holinesse and modestie by beating of children This notwithstanding she obtained licence to depart his Court and got her to Coldingham Abby where shee was professed a Nunne vnder Ebba the daughter of King Ethelfrid Then went shee to Ely and new built a Monasterie whereof shee was made Abbesse and wherein with great reuerence shee was intombed whose vertues and remembrance remained to posterities by the name of S. Andrie she being canonized among the Catalogue of English Saints ALkfryd the illegitimate sonne of King Oswy in the raigne of his halfe-brother King Egfrid whether willingly or by violence constrained liued like a banished man in Ireland where applying himselfe to studie hee became an excellent Philosopher and as Beda saith was very conuersant and learned in the Holy Scriptures and therefore was made King ouer the Northumbrians where with great wisdome though not with so large bounds as others had enioied hee worthily did recouer the decaied estate of that Prouince ruling the same twenty yeeres and odde moneths and departed this life Anno 705. His Wife was Kenburg the daughter of Penda King of the Mercians and by her he had issue only one sonne that succeeded him in his Kingdome OSred a child of eight yeeres in age for the hopes conceiued from the vertues of his father was made King ouer the Northumbrians whose steps hee no wayes trod in but rather in filthy abuse of his person and place wallowed in all voluptuous pleasures and sensuall delight violating the bodies of vailed Nunnes and other religious holy women wherein when he had spent eleuen yeeres more to his age his kinsmen Kenred and Osrick conspired against him and in battle by his slaughter made an end of his impious life His wife was Cuthburga the sister of Inas King of the West-Saxons as by the time may bee gathered from the computation of Marianus and the Annales of the English-Saxons who vpon a loathing wearinesse of wedlocke sued out a diuorce from her husband and built a Nunnery at Winburne in Dorset-shire where in a religious habit shee ended her life and hee by Kenred and Osricke leauing his Kingdome to them that wrought his death KEnred the sonne of Cuthwyne whose father was Leolwald the sonne of Egwald and his father Adelm the sonne of Oga the naturall sonne of Ida the first King of Deira after the death of Osred raigned two yeeres no other remembrance left of him besides the murder of his Soueraigne Lord and King OSrick after the death of Kenred obtained the Kingdome of Northumberland and raigned therin the space of eleuen yeeres leauing to the world his name stained with bloud in the murder of young Osred no other mention of parentage wife or issue of him remaining for want whereof hee adopted Ceolnulph brother to his predecessor Kenred and died vnlamented the yeere of Grace seuen hundred twentie nine CEolnulph the brother of Kenred after the death of King Osrike was made King of the Northumbrians which Prouince hee gouerned with great peace and victorie the space of eight yeeres but then forsaking the Royall Estate and Robes of Maiestie put on the habit of a Monke in the I le of Lindesferne or Holy Iland These were the daies saith Beda wherein the acceptable time of peace and quietnesse was embraced among the Northumbrians who now laid their armour aside and applied themselues to the reading of holy Scriptures more desirous to be professed in religious houses then to exercise feats of warre or of Armes For not only Priests and Lay men vowed and performed Pilgrimages to Rome but Kings Queenes and Bishops also did the like
was a Saxon in whose behalfe his penne hath somewhat passed the bounds of equitie if not veritie in charging this most valiant Conqueror with tyranny and his Martiall Sword with crueltie that was drawne and strucke in defence of his natiue Country wherein the Saxons claime stood only vpon vniust intrusion So likewise himselfe being a Monke and Priest hath euery where blamed the Britaines for dissenting from the Roman Church in celebration of Easter and other Ceremonies whereas in doctrine they were as sincere which is the true substance of the Gospell But the Britaines record that this valiant Cadwallâ—… died not in Heuenfeild neither by the hand of King Ofwald but that he raigned in great honour the space of eight and fortie yeeres and in peace died 22. of Nouember in the yeere of Christ Iesus six hundred seuentie seuen His body the Britaine 's buried in S. Martins Church in London neere Ludgate whose Image great and terrible triumphantly riding on horsebacke being artificially cast of Brasse they placed vpon the same West gate to the further feare and terror of the Saxons as Vortimer before had commanded his at Stonar But this relation as also that he married the sister of King Penda as my often named Manuscript reporteth I leaue to the best liking of my Reader About this time the most blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet began to infect all the Easterne World For although himselfe liued some nine yeeres before the gouernment of this Cadwallo yet presently after his death his doctrine was more publikely imbraced He was borne in Arabia of a poore and base stocke and being fatherlesse was sold for a bondslaue vnto an Ismaelite whose name was Abdemonaples a man of exceeding great riches and in great trade of merchandizing and Mahomet for his subtiltie in wit was his fit instrument and greatly in his fauor The Master dying left Mahomet his chiefe Factor who hauing great riches in his keeping married his Mistris and so became heire of all with whom consorted one Sergius a Monke which for heresie was fled into Arabia who instructed Mahomet in the heresie of the Nestorians and now for his wealth and Magicall Arts wherewith hee bewitched the minds of the people assumed to himselfe the name of the great Prophet of God and began to be famously published for the doctrine which he taught the which was none other but a confused Chaos of all the heresies that had been before him for with the Sabellians he denied the Trinitie with the Manichies he affirmed but two persons to bee in the Deity with Eunomius hee denied the equalitie of the Father and the Sonne and with Macedone taught that the Holy Ghost was a creature He borrowed of the Iewes Circumcision of the Nicholaitans pluralities of wiues and of the Gentiles much Superstition and more to cloake his diuellish inuented fantasies somewhat he tooke from the veritie of the Gospell Of these compounded he deuised a Law and wrote this his Religion in the booke called his Alcaron and those his Professors he named Saracens from Sara the wife of Abraham Hee died of the falling sicknesse which long time hee had dissembled saying forsooth after his trances that the Angell Gabriel had conference with him the brightnesse of whose glorie hee could not behold CADWALLADER 13. CAdwallader the sonne of Cadwallo and last King of the Britaines after the death of his Father succeeded him in his dominions and with great valour fought against the Saxons as hee of Monmouth affirmeth of whom heare him speake in his owne words Cadwalader saith he raigning victoriously the time of twelue yeeres fell lastly into a dangerous sicknesse with despaire of recouery and vnable to gouerne Much debate and strife arose among his great Lords and others of high estate insomuch that they warred each against others to the no small annoiance and detriment of the whole Country At which very time likewise so great a dearth of corne and victuall raigned that herbes and roots were the Commons chiefest sustenance whos 's third calamitie was mortalitie and pestilence raigning so sore and so suddenly that in their eating drinking walking and speaking they were surprised with death and in such number that the liuing were scarce able to bury the dead which miseries lasted no lesse then eleuen yeeres continuance whereby the Land became desolate and brought forth no fruit at all insomuch that the King and many of his Nobles were driuen to forsake their natiue Country and to seeke releefe in forraine parts Cadwallader repaired to the Court of Alan his cosen the King of Little Britaine in France where he was honourably receiued and maintained But now the Angeâ—… 〈◊〉 God sheathing his sword from slaughter and 〈◊〉 earth answering man againe with her former abundance those Saxons that were escaped sent for more of their Nation to their further supplie who replenished the Cities and manured the Countrey at this day called Lhoyger containing all the Land that lay on the East of Seuerne and Dee dispossessing the poore Britaines of their rightfull inheritance and diuiding their Lands vnto their owne vse Cadwallader hearing of their daily arriuage and their vniust intrusion vpon his home-bred subiects minded their redresse by his present returne and to that end had wrought King Alan for his succour assistance But see how it chanced He being now ready to imbarke his Host and to hoise vp his sailes for Britaine and in the silent night much spent in praier supplication that God would prosper with good successe these his great affaires behold an Angell appeared to him or at leastwise to his seeming he heard a voice that forbade him the enterprise declaring that it was not Gods will that hee should vndergoe that Voiage or that the Britaines should rule their Land any longer but contrariwise bade hie him to Rome and of Pope Sergius receiue the habit of Religion wherein hee should die and rest in peace This dreame for I hold it no other being told vnto Alan search was made into the Bookes of both the Merlines as also into the speech of the Eagle at Shaftesbury pronounced eight hundred and eighty yeeres before the birth of our Sauiour Christ if wee doe beleeue these to be true wherein it was prophecied forsooth that the Britaines should lose their Kingdome and that the same should be possessed of others vntill the time that the bones of Cadwallader should bee brought from Rome By such toies and illusions in those daies of darknesse the euer-erring minds of men were content to be lead for not onely Cadwallader a quiet and meeke-spirited man was possessed with this conceit that it came vnto him by a diuine prouidence but also King Alan perswaded him to obey his Oracle and thereupon preparing for his Pilgrimage gaue ouer his expedition for Britaine and left his distressed Subiects to bee ouer-runne by strangers and the Land to bee enioied by a forraine Nation and receiuing the habit of seeming Religion
was maried to Hugh surnamed the Great Earle of Paris Grand-master and Constable of France in the yeere of our Lord 926. being the third of her brother King Ethelstanes raigne This Hugh was the sonne of Robert brother to Endes King of France and father of King Hugh Capet progenitor of the Kings of France eueâ—… sithence vnto this day but shee died before him without any issue by him 22 Edgith the sixth daughter of King Edward and the fifth of Queene Elfleda was the first wife of Otho the first surnamed the Great Emperour of the West sonne to the Emperor Henry surnamed the Falconer By him she had issue Ludolfe Duke of Swabe William Arch-bishop of Mentz Ludgard married to Comâ—…d Duke of Lorrayn and Mechthild Abbesse of Quedlingburg in Saxonie in which Citie she deceased the seuen and twenty of August in the yeere of Christs Natiuity 947. the eleuenth of her husbands Empire and the first of her brother King Edreds raigne in England She was buried at the East end of the North side of a Chapell which her selfe had founded in the same Citie 23 Elgiua the seuenth daughter of King Edward and the sixth of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was by King Ethelstan her brother with her sister Egith sent to the Court of the Emperor Henry the first King of the Saxons in Germany who honourably entertained her brought her vp with his owne daughters and after he had maried her elder sister to his eldest sonne he placed her also in marriage with a Duke of Italy obout the Alpes who is not named of our Writers but may easily be coniectured by the honourable disposition of the maker of the match to haue been a Prince of note and account worthy of her estate and parentage 24 Edmund the fifth sonne of King Edward and the first of Queene Edgiua his third and last Wife was borne in the twentieth yeere of his fathers raigne being the yeere of the worlds saluation 921. and at his fathers death little more then three yeeres of age was notwithstanding by the carefull prouision of his mother brought vp with all princely education conuenient for his yeeres and estate insomuch as there was generally a great expectation amongst the people conceiued of him in the life of his brother King Ethelstan vnder whom he learned some experience of seruice in warre and after whom hee succeeded in the Kingdome of England 25 Edred the sixth sonne of King Edward and the second of Queene Edgiua his third Wife and the youngest sonne of them both was borne about the two and twentieth yeere of his fathers raigne and yeere of grace 923. which was not long before the death of his father who left him a little infant in the custody of his mother by whom hee was carefully brought vp and prooued a Prince of so great vertue and valour as after the death of King Edmund his brother in regard of the minority of his Nephews hee was with the generall consent and liking of the whole nation chosen to be his brothers successor in the kingdome and gouernment ouer them 26 Edburg the eight daughter of King Edward and the first of Queene Edgiua in her child-hood had her disposition tried and her course of life disposed by her Father in this manner he laid before her gorgeous apparrell and rich Iewels in one end of a chamber and the new Testament and Bookes of princely instruction in the other willing her to make her choise of which she liked best she presently tooke vp the bookes and he her in his armes and kissing her said Goe in Gods name whither God hath called thee and thereupon placed her in a Monastery at Winchester wherein shee did most vertuously spend 〈◊〉 whole life and in that Abbey was bariâ—…d 27 Edgiua the ninth daughter of King Edward and the second of his last Queene whose name thee bare is reported in the history of the Monastery of Hyde by Winchester and other Writers of our Country to haue beene married to Lewes Prince of Aquitane in France which not long before had beene a Kingdome of it selfe sometime allotted to the portion of Lewes the third sonne of the Emperour Charles the Great of which house it seemeth this Lewes was afterward it became a Dukedome and the possession of an other Family by whom it came to be the inheritance after the Conquest to the Kings of England which were descended of the house of Angeow ETHELSTAN THET VVENTIE FIFT KING OF THE VVEST SAXONS AND THE TWENTIE SIXT MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND SVPPOSED ISSVE CHAPTER XXXVIII EThelstan the eldest sonne of King Edward as hath beene said for the great hopes conceiued of him was crowned with a greater solemnity then any of his ancestors euer before him The place was Kingston vpon Thamesis in the County of Surrey the yeer of Christ Iesus 924. where in the midst of the town a high Scaffold was built and thereon the coronation performed to the open view of all by Athelmus Archbishop of Canterbury with shouts of ioy as that of Salomon 2 His beginnings were with troubles and that rather by reason of friends then force of foes for it is recorded that Elfred a nobleman either in fauour of King Edwards other sonnes holding Ethelstan a Bastard or else vpon an ambitious hope blinded of himselfe intended at Winchester to haue pluckt out the eyes of his Soueraine but his treason being knowne before the seed could shew blade he was apprehended sent to Rome to purge himselfe by oth where before the Altaâ—… of S. Peter and Pope Iohn the tenth he there abiured the act and thereupon fell sodainly down to the earth so that his seruants tooke and bare him into the English Schoole where within three dayes after he died the Pope denying him christian buriall vntill he knew King Ethelstans pleasure 3 These stormes ouerpast as great a cloud seemed to arise vnto Ethelstans sight whose eye of iealousie euer followed the ascent and his eare euer opened vnto the instillations of Parasites amongst whom his Cup-bearer was a chiefe who brought daily more and more suspition into the Kings head that lastly as wee haue shewed hee consented to young Edwins death though with too late a sorrow hee repented the same for besides his seauen yeares penance voluntarily vndergone to pacifie the ghost of his betraied brother hee built the two Monasteries of Midleton and Michelnesse as for the most part such seed-plots were euer sowne in the furrowes of bloud which hapned vpon this occasion It chanced his Cup-bearer in his seruice vpon a festiuall to stumble with the one foote and recouering himselfe with the other pleasantly to say you see how one brother helpeth another vpon which speech the King with griefe and touch of heart called to mind the death of his innocent brother and forthwith commanded execution to
greatnesse as it seemed euen burdensome vnto it selfe whereby this remote Iland lay ouershadowed from their sight whereunto may be added that the presence of Kymbeline the British King as their historie recordeth in great fauour with Octauian was a great furtherance to the peace euen without paiment of the formerly imposed Tribute But yet the truth is as Dion Cassius hath it that Octauian desirous in all things to be like vnto Caesar seeing their tribute neglected had intended a voiage towards Britaine but hauing set forwards into Gallia he had there tidings of the sudden reuolt of the Pannonians against whom he diuerted his prepared power and left his first designement for that time Notwithstanding he still retained the desire of their subiection and foure yeeres after made a second very great preparation thitherward proceeding with his power againe into Gallia 4 The Britaines that had felt the force of the Romans and in regard of their own distractions at home were hopelesse of strength to withstand them sought the fauor of Augustus by their submission and to that end sent ouer their Ambassadours who presenting themselues before him in Gallia Celtica appeased his wrath with promise of obedience and full satisfaction for their Tributes deteined whereby Caesar was again staied and the Britaine 's taken into sauour and protection Notwithstanding the mindes of their Magistrates were so vnconstant or else the money so hardly drawen from the people who naturally hated all such obliged seruitudes hauing euer liued a free Nation as Aegisippus speaketh of them that they againe failed their paiment whereat Augustus was sore offended and the third time prepared his voiage that way which yet a while was hindred by the reuolt of the Byscayans and some other Prouinces 5 The Britaines seeing themselues thus still sought after sent vnto Caesar their excuses with presents to be offred in the Capitoll to the Romane Gods hauing now learned with the rest of the world to appease Princes by gifts and rewards yeelding part of the Iland and swearing him fealtie in the Temple of Mars and so were registred subiects to the Romane Empire At which time also they agreed to pay tollâ—…s and customes for all wares which they transported into other parts their merchandize chiefly consisting of Iuorie boxes Iron Chaines and other small trifles of Amber and Glasse All which agreements and compositions were afterward so loyally obserued and the Land so composed to quietnesse that one band of souldiers with a small troope of horse as Strabo saith or foure Legions as Iosephus writeth were sufficient to containe so great a multitude in a setled forme of obedience 6 Ouer the Trinobantes the greatest and most potent State of the Britaines then raigned the happie Prince Cunobeline for so in his Coines yet remaining we finde it corruptly written Kimbeline the sonne of Theomantius nephew to Cassibelan before spoken of whose abode and principall seat was Camalodunum as by the reuerse of the said Coines may appeare This Prince to make his estate more respectiue caused his owne Image to be stamped thereon after the manner of the Romans who now had newlie taken vp that fashion his paiments before consisting for the most part in rings of iron and plates of brasse seized at a certaine waight which vsually passed for currant amongst the Britaines as Caesar reporteth and as those rings are yet witnesses whereof we haue seene some This man trained his people to a more ciuill life then formerly had beene accustomed and enioied peace with the rest of the world which then stood vniuersallie in quiet as waiting the comming of that Prince of peace whose going foorth had beene from euerlasting and of whose kingdome there shall bee no end euen Christ the anointed Emmanuel and sonne of the liuing God so long before expected and now in the fulnesse of time manifested at whose birth warre went downe as Virgil speaketh or rather to vse the words of the Prophet when 〈◊〉 were made into mattocks and speares broken into 〈◊〉 And as in the building of Salomons Temple neither 〈◊〉 of axe nor the sound of hammer was heardâ—… so his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Temple hee came and was â—…arnate at such time when the sound of warre did not awake the world but a calme and quiet peace incompassâ—…d it as by the Angels was proclaimed amongst the Iewes and now was more publikely made knowen amongst the Gentiles by the shutting of Ianus Temple in Rome This vniuersall peace was so famous and so admirable that it found matter for the finest wits amongst the Heathens to enlarge themselues whereupon Virgil framing the perswasions of Iupiter to his daughter foresheweth the happy successe of her seed and in what tranquillity they should sit when the hands of Mars were thus restrained from fight as he thus expresseth Aspera tum positis mitescent secula bellis Cana fides Vesta Remo cum fratre Quirinus Iura dabunt dirae ferro compagibus arctis Claudentur belli portae furor imptus intus Saeua sedens super arma câ—…ntum vinctus â—…enis Post tergum nodis fremet horridus ore cruento Then men shall milder prooue cease shall fierce warres Faith Gods and Princes all shall iustly guide Warres gastly gates with bolts and iron barres Fast shut shall stand and Mars cashierd shall hide Mongst heapes of rusty armour where his hands Bound fast shall be with hundred brasen bands And yet further in his Ecloge from the Sibyls who in all likelihood had it from the diuine Oracles hee vseth the very words of the Prophets in speaking of a Maid and a Child of a new progenic borne and sent downe from heauen by whom the brassy and iron-like world should cease and a pure golden age succeed Thus he sweetly singeth Vltima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur ordo Iam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia regna Iam noua progenies coelo demittitur alto Tu modò nascenti puero quo ferrea primùm Desinet ac toto surget gens aurea mundo c. Now is the time of which Sibylla said The old world doth his prime againe renew Now hath the world a pure vnspotted Maid Now raignes the * God of Gods whose off-spring new Descends from heauen Bless'd be the babe whose raies Hath turn'd our iron age to golden daies In which Ecloge are sweetly couched many other most diuine allusions to our Sauiours Deity birth and humanity pouerty graces crosses kingdome and redemption of the world from sinne death and hell So likewise Marcus Tullius Cicero saw in his dreame as himselfe reporteth a childe of an ingenuous and beautifull countenance let downe from heauen by a golden chaine And Suetonius in the life of Augustus from Iulius Marathus hath obserued that
certaine predictions in Rome happening were so respected and generally expounded That Nature was about to bring forth a King that should raigne ouer the whole world And albeit these and other Heathen Writers ascribe these things either to Augustus himselfe or to some of his fauorites yet wee see them accomplished in none other but Iesus Christ the Messiah our blessed Sauiour in whom only the Kingdome of God began with the vtter subuersion of all their heathenish Oracles which at his birth or at furthest at his death ceased all and gaue place to HIS eternitie Which time of his birth by the Scriptures most certaine account was from the worlds creation 3927. and is set by the Britaine 's in the fourteenth of their Cunobelines raigne and by other authenticke Writers in the two and fortieth of Augustus Caesar euen in the top of that Empires greatnesse when Rome was with an vniuersall subiection acknowledged the absolute Lady of the knowne earth For so in S. Luke wee read that this Augustus then first taxed the world A text most strong for the full dissolution of the foure foregone kingdomes represented in Daniels Image by the fall of this stone Christ the rocke and stay of our eternall happinesse 7 This Emperour raigned in great honour the space of fifty six yeeres and was obeyed both by the Easterne Indians and the Northerne Scythians with the subiection of the Parthians a fierce and vntamed people and generally with the loue of all Hee was a Prince indued with great wisdome magnanimitie and Iustice yet faulty in this that he tooke from Tiberius Nero his wife Liuia both great with child and hauing also formerly borne him a sonne Deuout hee was in the worship of the Romane Gods amongst whom in the Capitoll he built an Altar vnto the Hebrew childe with this inscription The Altar of the first begotten Sonne of God being thereunto mooued by the Oracle of Apollo that had answered his owne destruction by the birth of this childe Of Stature he was but low and of a good complexion gray-eied his haire somewhat yellow and his body freckled with spots which as his flatterers would haue the world beleeue were in forme like starres Predictions foreshewing his gouernment and death are alleged the which I willingly ouerpasse holding most of them rather fantasies then truth At his death hee demanded of the standers by whether he had well acted the enterlude of his life vpon the stage of this world and died fourteene yeeres after Christ his incarnation leauing after him so honourable an estimation of his glory that as the succeeding Emperours in remembrance of Iulius Caesar gloried to be called Caesars so they euer held the name of Augusti to be sacred and only befitting persons destinated to imperiall Maiestie And both their names were inserted into the number of the moneths that the honour of them both might neuer perish while Times euiternitie should endure TIBERIVS CHAPTER IV. AVgustus Caesar thus gloriously raigning and peaceably dying had ordained for his successour Tiberius Nero the sonne of Tiberius the Patritian and of Liuia his wife whom as we said before he had taken for his Empresse and by whose incitements and continuall instigations that matter was procured though Suetonius thinketh it was by Augustus his owne ambitious conceit to make himselfe the sooner missed and the more lamented in leauing his sonne so vnlike him to succeed whose conditions as they stood vpon their owne basis hee knew to bee both reprooueable and also contemptible 2 But before the death of Caesar could be diuulged to write his imperiall stile as it were in blood he began with the murder of young Agrippa the sonne of Iulia daughter to Octanian and once his owne wife and continued his raigne with such tyrannie that many he slaughtred without respect of person or cause and in his loosest lasciuiousnesse thought of nothing but how to subuert the Nobilitie for rare it was in his daies that any such died a naturall death and maintaining a race of men Promoters as Tacitus tearmes them found out for a common ouerthrow and destruction of others allured them by rewards to accuse the rich though guiltlesse only this fauour granted to the condemned that if they slew themselues before the day of execution their bodies should haue buriall their goods not confiscate and their testament stand good in law 3 A great dissembler he was seeming euer to hate those vices which in truth he loued and to loue those vertues which he did most deadly hate and for life and libidinous filthinesse so extreme that a Christians pen may not expresse when the Heathen themselues doe blush to name such things as hee shamed not openly to commit his publike drunkennesse and continuall banquettings whereat hee spent whole daies and nights together without intermission caused exchange of names from Tiberius Nero to Biberius Mero Dissolute and carelesse he was in gouernment though some haue accounted him a wise and politicke Prince for the Prouinces he left to defend themselues and yet daily charged them with larger Tributes to their great impouerishment and almost vtter ruine 4 In this state amongst others neglected Britaine stood wherein Tiberius neither maintained garrison nor attempted alteration and whereby as it may be thought their owne Lawes and Princes bare sway among themselues howsoeuer the cause for Tribute was ballized betwixt them And most certaine it is the Britaines if not in subiection yet were well affected to the Romanes as appeareth by Tacitus in the kinde entertainments and in releeuing their shipwracked souldiers that in crossing the Seas were by tempest driuen vpon their Coasts and courteouslie sent thence by their petty Kings vnto Germanicus their Generall Notwithstanding Ieffrey Monmouth seemeth to affirme the contrary that bringeth the raign of one Guiderius and the valour of Aruiragus the sonnes of Cunobeline of whom more heereafter to withstand the Romish Command and vtterly to refuse the paiment of Tribute banding both against Tiberius as also against Caligula and Claudius the Emperours succeeding 5 Other remembrances of these times concerning vs finde we none besides that which is common to all namely the death of our Saviour Christ which vnder this Tyrant and in his eighteenth yeere was accomplished by the proceeding of his as wicked Deputy Pontius Pilate who both adiudged him to die and to bee guiltlesse of deseruing death whereby was wrought the mysterie of our Redemption with such signes and euidences of his Deitie that the wicked Iudge himselfe wrote thereof to Tiberius and hee to the Senate to haue him consecrated among the Roman Gods Which they refused to doe that the wisdome and diuine power of God in the doctrine of Saluation should not need the allowance and commendation of men as Eusebius hath well obserued 6 Finally when hee had raigned hated of all men
till the death of Claudius whence it must follow that if Peter were heere at all it was before euer he went to Rome and that the Gospell was preached heere before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both which may be the more propable if wee consider the huge multitudes of Christians fifteene thousand saith Baronius which dispersed themselues into all parts of the world vpon the martyring of S. Steuen at Ierusalem which was presently vpon the death of Christ and that Ioseph of Arimathea was one of that number Baronius doth confesse I am heere contented to step ouer that Monkish tale reported by Aluredus Riuallensis the writer of King Edward the Confessors life that a holy man forsooth studious and carefull for a Gouernour to succeed was in his sleepe told by S. Peter that the Kingdome of England was his wherein himselfe had first preached and would also prouide him Successours For sâ—…eing it was a dreame for a dreame wee leaue it and Peter among the other Elders to attend his Throne that now sitteth in glorious Maiestie and who in this life minded no such earthly preheminence no not to diuide betwixt brethren though the Kingdome and rule of all things was his alone 6 Certes Peter was principally the Apostle of the Circumcâ—… and therefore more likely to haue spent his endeuours on them but for Paul the Docter of the Gentiles his arriuall heere may seeme more warrantable who doubtlesse after his first releasement from Rome confirmed the doctrine of Christ to these Westerne parts of the world and among them as may appeare to this Iland of Britaine as both Sophronius Patriarke of Ierusalem and Theodoret an ancient Doctor of the Church doe affirme and approoue saying that Fishers Publicans and the Tent-maker meaning S. Paul which brought the Euangelicall light vnto all Nations reuealed the same vnto the Britaines That Paul came into Illyricum Gallia and Spaine and filled all those parts with his doctrine both Eusebius Dorotheus and Epiphanius doe testifie and of this generall Ambassage the Apostle himselfe saith that the sound of the Gospell went thorow the earth and was heard vnto the ends of the world which his sayings cannot more fitly bee applied to any other Nation then vnto vs of Britaine whose Land by the Almightie is so placed in the terrestriall globe that thereby it is termed of the ancient The Ends of the Earth and deemed to be situated in another world for so in an Oration that Agrippa made to the Iewes and Agricola to his Romans it is called which made Solinus write that the coast of France had beene the End of the Earth had it not beene for Britaine which was as another world And in Dion we read that the old Souldiers of Gallia whom Claudius commanded for Britaine complained that they must bee inforced to make warre out of the world And of this Land and latter Apostle if credit may be giuen to a Poet Venantius Fortunatus thus recordeth Transijt Oceanum quà facit Insula Porrum Quasque Britannus habet terras quasque vltima Thule He crost the seas vnto the land and vtmost coasts of Thule Ariuing at the Ports and Iles where Britains bare the rule 7 Thus for Paul well knowen in Rome by his long imprisonments and at that time in reuerend regard for his doctrine with many there among whom also there were some Britaines that embraced the faith whereof Claudia Rufina remembred by Martial another Poet was one whom he thus extols Claudia caeruleis cùm sit Rufina Britannis Edita cur Latiae pectora plebis habet Quale decus formae Romanam credere matres Italides possunt Atthides esse suam How hath Dame Claudia borne of Britaines blew Won fame for wisdome with our sages graue Her comely forme and learning as their due Rome claimes for hers and hers would Athens haue This Claudia is by the learned commended to haue beene most skilfull in the Greeke and Latine tongues of whom heare them not me speake At the commandement of the Tyrant Nero say they from Tacitus many Noble Britaines were brought to Rome who remaining there their Confederates they held it an honour to haue their children named after the nobilitie of the Romanes and from Claudius Casar was this Ladie Claudia named who according to her worth was matched in mariage to Rufus a gentleman of Rome then a Coronell after a Senator a man of a milde disposition naturally modest a great Philosopher in the Sect of the Stoickes for his sweetenesse of behauiour called Pudens who by his graue perswasions caused Martial the wittie but wanton Poet to reforme many things in his writings and by him is coÌ„mended for his humanitie pietie learning and eloquence as also his wife Claudia the Britaine for her beautie faith fruitfulnesse learning and languages In proofe whereof Bale hath mentioned three seuerall treatises besides others by her compiled both in the Greeke and Latine tongues Dorotheus nameth Pâ—…dens to be one of the seuentie two and Volaterâ—… affirmeth them both Pauls disciples from whom he sendeth greeting to Tiâ—…theus in these words 〈◊〉 and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren salute thee But some may obiect that Martials Claudia could not be that Ladie who liuing in Neroes time gaue hospitalitie vnto Peter and Paul at their being in Rome for that she could not retaine such beautie and perfection as the Poet to her doth ascribe in the raigne of Domitian the seuenth in succession from Nero the time being too long saith Ado Bishop of Treuers Vsuardus and others for beautie to be so freshly preserued Now these account her age then to be sixtie but if we reckon according to Eusebius wee shall see that hee sets the last of Claudius in the yeare of grace fiftie sixe and the first of Domitian in eightie three betwixt which are but twentie seuen yeares and yet Paul came not to Rome till the tenth of Nero and in his thirteenth yeare from the prison wrote his Epistle to Timothie as the same Eusebius declareth so that from hence vnto Domitian is left but foureteene yeeres a time no whit vnpossible to retaine Beautie though twentie yeares and many moe of her age had beene formerly spent seeing that in those times Plutarch praiseth Alcibiades to be passingly faire when he was threescore yeares of age This Claudia then with Pauls spirituall Manna is said to send likewise the choisest and chastest of the Poesies of Martial whose verses generally are no lessons befitting Ladies for new-yeares gifts vnto her friends in Britaine both for to feede their Soules with the bread of life and to instruct their mindes with lessons best fitting vnto ciuill behauiour which thing moued the Poet himselfe with no small selfe-glorie in his verse thus to write Dicitur nostros cantare Britannia versus And Britaine now they say our verses
Gallus as saith Petrus de Natalibus and Frisia by Wilfred as is recorded by Beda and Matthew of Westminster the Franconians Hessians and Thuringians by Winifred our Deuonshire man the Norwegians by Nicolas Brekspere of Middlesex and the Lithuanians by Thomas Walden of Essex Againe if we shall cast our eie on all the Reformed Churches in Christendome and with them on Luther Husse and Prage they will all confesse they first deriued their light from the learned Wickleffe of Oxford the Lampe of whose sacred knowledge hath illumined not onely all the corners of this Kingdome but also all those forraine States whom it hath pleased God to deliuer from the thraldome and vengeance of Babylon so that with the German Poet to Gods glorie and Britaines praise the English thus may sing Quin se Relligio multùm debere Britannis Seruata latè circùm dispersa fatetur Religion doth confesse to Britaine deepe she stands In debt by whom preseru'd she now fils forraine Lands In which regard Polydore Virgil doth rightly call England the Parent or Mother-Monasterie of all Europe As likewise Peter Ramus termeth Britaine to bee twice Schoole-mistresse vnto the Kingdome of France And the Annals of Flanders testifie that no Nation had so many Diuine Nobles they might likewise haue said so many Noble Diuines as England hath had neither any more bountifull to Gods Saints Our Kings for sanctitie ranked before all other Potentates of the earth as Vincentius recordeth Our Nobles truly honourable and the sonnes of Princes Our Diuines and renowned Nurseries of learning and Religion shining like the two greater lights in our British firmament And all of vs claiming our spirituall lots of Iâ—…ritance in the midst of the Tribes of Israel OTHO CHAPTER X. BVt leauing Christs proceedings to the dispose of himselfe let vs returne to the subiect from whence wee haue wandered and continue the successions of Great Britaines Monarchs vnto them that haue held it whether by chance of warre or voice of Election In which sort as is said Galba got it and but short time kept it And from him Otho tooke it and a shorter time enioied it 2 Whos 's Originall saith Tacitus was from Ferrentium his Father a Consull his mothers blood somewhat disparaged but yet not base his youth run ouer with voluptuous wantonnesse and prodigall expences more ready for disturbances then depending vpon preferment or dignitie of State and hauing gone thorough all his wealth retained onely the heartie affections of the Souldiers which Galba had vtterly alienated Neither did Otho himselfe bandy against Galba but Vitellius in Germanie was fauoured against both Two persons so vile and ambitious as was much feared would proue the scourge of the Empire and the ruine of Rome 3 Vnto Vitellius sided the Britaines vnder the Conduct of Tribellius Maximus remembred before a man vnfit for warre and vnexperienced of seruice compounded altogether of couetousnesse and for his niggardly sparings and vnmercifull pollings exceedingly hated of his Armie which was further aggrauated by Roscius Calius Lieutenant of the twentieth Legion his ancient Enemie betwixt whom the sparks of enuie shortly burst forth into flames of reciprocall accusations Trebellius being charged of insufficiencie for command with the beggering of the Prouince and Legions and he againe accusing Calius of factious behauiours dissoluing of discipline through which dissensions a negligent regard was held of the Souldiers who carried themselues arrogantly euen against both and as men that had rather be doing ill then doing nothing grew daily into mutinies In these stirres Maximus finding himself vnable to withstand Roscius the common affection swaying on his side with his friends and followers entred Germanie in the quarrell of Vitellius and ioined those British forces to maintaine his cause who now presuming vpon his owne strength and others his Confederates ambitiously plaied the Prince growne to that height euen of nothing 4 Otho his Concurrent in this thing only commendable sought by all meanes to stay the effusion of more ciuill blood and that alreadie spent so possest his thoughts that his minde was still distracted and nightly affrighted with the seeming appearance of Galbaes ghost for which causes hee sent conditions of peace to Vitellius offering him an equall part in the Empire and to giue him also his daughter in mariage But Vitellius disdaining any competition refuseth all Capitulations and prepares himselfe for the warre Otho thus constrained sets forth his forces and in three seuerall skirmishes had the victorie but in the fourth at Brixellum lost the daie yet not so much weakned or vnrecouerable his Armie in number and courage surmounting the other as himselfe was vnwilling to trie the chance of warre any more for beeing importuned by his Captaines and Leaders to reenforce the Battaile with many reasons and probabilities of an assured victorie in a thankfull and short Oration answered thus their Petitions 5 To hazard your vertues and valours for one Mans estate I hold dangerous and needlesse it is that my life should be prized at so deere a rate already fortune and I haue had sufficient experience each of others and not the least in this my short time of glorie wherein I haue learned it is harder to moderate affections in the excesse of felicitie then either industrie or hazard for attaining the same These ciuill warres Vitellius beganne which I for my part purpose not to continue and hereby let Posteritie esteeme of Otho that others haue kept the Empire longer but neuer any that left it more valiantly Let this minde therefore accompany me to the Graue that you for your parts would haue died for my sake and I to saue your liues die voluntarie and vnuanquished I blame not the Gods nor enuie your Emperors rising glorie It is sufficient that my house hath touched the highest straine of Honour and my selfe to be left in records The soueraign Monarch of the World 6 And thereupon solemnely taking his leaue of the whole Army went to his Tent and with his dagger wounded himselfe vnder the left pappe whereof immediately he died in the yeare of his age thirty seuen and daies of his raigne ninetie fiue He was of stature but lowe feeble in his feete and vnto so great a minde his bodie not any waies proportionable his face without haire and woman-like his attire nice and delicate and his life and death nothing at all consonant or agreeable VITELLIVS CHAPTER XI WHen certaine newes of Othoes death was brought Vitellius he presently assumed the name of Caesar and administred the affairs of the Empire with no lesse authoritie then the absolute Commander of the World And of such acceptance was the accident that he dedicated the dagger wherewith it was done vnto Mars in his Temple at Colleyn as the luckie instrument of his aduanced Estate 2 Naturally ambitious hee was and now the same
the Senate in eternall memorie of his goodnes recalled from banishment the Christians seuerally dispersed and suffred them to enioy the freedome of their profession At which time Iohn the Euangelist returned from Pathmos wherein he had beene confined vnto Ephesus a Citie in ◅sia the lesse And Nerua raigning only one yeare foure mone◅s and nine daies died of a passionate anger conceiued against a Senator in the yeare of Christ his incarnation ninetie nine the twentie seuenth day of Ianuary seuentie sixth of his own age TRAIAN CHAPTER XVI VNto Nerua succeeded Vulpius Traian in the Roman Empire borne neere vnto Seuill in the Territories of Spaine of a noble familie but was much more ennobled in himselfe for his princely endowments which moued Nerua in his life time to adopt him into so high a calling and the whole Senate after his death ioifullie to confirme his Election and so often to honour him with the title of the Most Excellent Prince in publike dedications as on the Coine aboue 2 Hee raised the Romane Empire vnto the very highest pitch of glory and spread the power of their Command into the largest circuit that euer before or since hath beene possessed For the Kingdome of Dacia hee subdued Armenia Parthia and Mesopotamia made subiect Assyria Persia and Babylon conquered passed Tigris and stretched the confines of the Roman Empire vnto the remotest dominions of the Indies which neuer before that time had heard of the Roman Name And indeed if wee looke vpon his politicke managing of the gouernment he may seeme in comparison of others a right worthy memorable and louely Prince of much affabilitie and familiaritie euen with his inferiours and of such cariage towards his Subiects as he himselfe would wish his Prince he said to vse towards him if he were a Subiect A great obseruer also of Iustice insomuch that when he inuested any Pretor in giuing him the Sword he commanded him to vse the same euen against his owne person if he violated Law or Equitie But yet against the good Christians he vsed neither of both nay hee stirred vp their Third Persecution wherein Ignatius and many other worthy Saints of God receiued the Crowne of Martyrdome in such cruell manner as that his other vertues are much clouded by that taxation for mollification whereof he was compassionately intreated by Plinius Secundus his Tutor whose Epistles to that purpose are yet extant 3 The Iewes in his time rose vp in armes against the Gentiles and in Cyrene Aegypt and Cyprus slew a great number against whom Traian sent his Captaines with forces sufficient and in diuers parts of the Empire put the Iewes to death in such infinite numbers as that Massacre is accounted the greatest Execution that euer had beene in the world God suffring this their punishment to light vpon them for their infidelitie and obstinacie against his Christ. 4 Finally after his Conquests in the East returning towards Rome at Seleucia in Asia the lesse himselfe was conquered by the stroke of death by a fluxe the seuenth day of August after he had raigned nineteene yeeres six moneths and fifteene daies the yeere of our Redemption one hundred and eighteene and of his age sixtie foure whose ashes brought to Rome were inclosed within the Crowne of a goodly Pillar wrought of one intire stone containing one hundred forty foot in height 5 Of stature he was bigge of complexion swarthie thinne of haire both head and beard a hooked nose brode shoulders long hands and a pleasant eie whose liuely Image was borne in Triumph after his death and that in most glorious and pompous manner in celebration of his great renowne and fame attained in his life 6 How silent soeuer writers haue beene for this Emperours affaires in this our Iland yet it is to be thought that vnto this as wel as vnto other Prouinces both Propretors Lieutenants Presidents Pretors and Proconsuls were sent and euery Citie to haue their municipall Magistrates The Pretor that yearely proclaimed solemne Sessions wherin himself sate aloft vpon a high tribunall seate and guarded with his lictors about him in great estate did execute his authoritie throughout his owne iurisdiction and determined all causes brought before him where rods and axes were prepared for the common people that were enforced to receiue a new Ruler euerie yeare And surely as this yoke of bondage was grieuously borne of euery Prouince vpon whose necke it was imposed laid So the Britaines vnderwent the weight of that subiection with such vnwillingnes that in the time of this Traian they reuolted and rebelled though presently suppressed as it is euident out of Spartianus 7 The care that this good Emperour had for the weale of his Subiects is proiected by his prouidence in making waies passageable from place to place whereof remaine many testimonies by those his Causeies drawne with wonderfull diligence euen thorow the whole Iland which now though dismembred and cut in peeces by the Countrie people wherethorow they passed yet doe many remnants thereof remaine especially in pastures or by-grounds out of the rode way with bankes so high that euidently they shew themselues Of these Causeies Gallen writeth as followeth The waies saith he Traian repaired by pauing with stone or raising with bankes cast vp such peeces of them as were moist and miry by stocking vp and ridding such as were rough and ouergrowne with bushes and briers by making bridges ouer Riuers that could not bee waded thorow where the way seemed longer then needed by cutting out another shorter if any where by reason of some steepe hill the passage were hard and vneasie by turning it aside thorow easier places now in case it was haunted with wilde beasts or lie waste and desert by drawing it thence thorow places inhabited and withall laying leuell all vneuen and rugged grounds Along these Causeies the Emperour caused to bee set little pillars or Columnes with numerall Characters cut in thē to signifie how many miles was from place to place Of these Sidonius Apollinaris writeth thus Antiquus tibi nec teratur agger Cuius per spatium satis vetustis Nomen Caesareum viret columnis Breake not the ancient Causeies strong Whereon the Columnes stand along Nor names of Caesars doe not wrong HADRIAN CHAPTER XVII AFter the decease of Traiane his Nephew Aelius Hadrianus by the consent of the Armie who swore to him obedience was proclaimed Emperour the Senate likewise confirming their choice as beeing a man indued with gifts both of Art and Nature answerable to the fortunes of his Estate His birth was of Spaine in the Citie Italica neere vnto Cicill where Traian was born his Father Noble and his Mother in Cales descended of an honourable stocke 2 A great Mathematician he was skilfull in Arithmeticke Geometrie Astronomie and Iudicious Astrologie learned in the Greeke and Latine Tongues in which languages he wrote both Poesie
the errours of his father and not his owne And to his brother Licinius Valerianus to whom the father had giuen the title of Caesar he added the honour of Augustus And therefore we haue not held it improper to adioine to his their monies in the front of his life 2 The calamities of this Emperours time were so many as almost exceed credit and Signes shewed both in the Heauens and the Earth manifested his wrath that sate vpon the Throne of Iasper from whose presence issued Thundrings Lightnings and Voices For by Writers of best credit the Sunne was clouded as vnder sackcloth and not seene for many daies together Earth-quakes great and fearfully resounding ouerthrew Cities and other edifices shaking the ground so terribly that vast Caues and hideous gaping bowels of the earth were thereby laid open and whereout no lesse strangely flowed great streames of salt waters The Earth roared and seemed to thunder when there was no voice heard in the aire The Sea ouer-swelled her bankes and brake into many Continents drowning Countries Cities and People and besides all these so violent a Pestilence raged that in Rome no lesse then 5. thousand persons died in a day 3 These miseries somewhat mooued this Heathenish Emperour to remorse and thinking thereby to pacifie the wrath of the Diuine Powers hee staied the Persecutions of the Christians sending out his Edicts in fauour of them For not only the Heauens Earth and Seas declared the anger of their God out of whose mouth went a two-edged sword but the Prouinces also seemed to be remoued out of their places The Souldiers of all parts electing their owne Generals aduanced no lesse then Thirty at once who assumed the title of Emperours but are recorded to Posterities by the name of Vsurping Tyrants And as they were all deadly opposite each to other so were they iointly almost all bent against Galienus whereby the Roman Empire was more oppressed with her owne forces then euer it had been by forraine Powers And since sixe of them assumed the Purple Robe in this Westerne Angle of the â—…mpire it will not be impertinent to the course of Story with a light touch to remember them and to expresse their Monies as we haue done the rest of those that held the reines of gouernment in these parts of the Romane World M. Cassius Labienus Posthumus after the death of Saloninus who was committed to his education by Gallienus assumed the Empire by aide and encouragement of those of Gallia ouer whom he had born the office of liefetenancie by fauour of Valerian the Emperour And these againe as all Populars greedie of Innouation from him and Iunius Cassius Posthumus his sonne tooke both honour and life after ten yeares gouernment This opportunity either made by L. Aelianus or fitly taken mounted him vp with ease into that Emperiall throne in which he sate not with like fortune of continuance though of conclusion To this man succeeded together M. Aurelius Victorinus and Lucius his son both in a Tumult neere Colayn by their souldiors murthered And had not the inordinate lust of the elder blemished his other vertues he had to al the most excellent Emperors bin nothing inferiour in the best of their other vertues 7 The restlesse humor now of the giddy Commons next setleth it selfe vpon Aurelius Marius a soueraigne sutable in his meane condition to their base affections for he was no better then a Black-smith yet to him a man of their own meanes making they were no lesse vnconstant and cruel then to the rest after three daies setting an end of his gouernment with a sword of his own forging And therfore Piuesius Tetricus the father and sonne though ascending the throne of Maiestie with the greatest applause of that people and filling it vp with much merit and happy successe of their own when they considered the insufferable insolencies and desperate practises of that prophane ranke chose rather to adorne Aurelians Triumph in a voluntarie captiuitie then to liue and rule at the deuotion of a lawlesse multitude And these times seemed no lesse fatally bent to bloud disorder and tyranny in other parts as well as these For the Pannonians raised Ingenuus The Myssians A. Regillianus The Egyptians Aemilianus In Africa Celsus was proclaimed In Illyricum Aureolus and in the East Odenatus a man the more famous for Zenobia his glorious and magnanimous Wife Whose valour was so feared of Galienus that to make him his hee admitted him his Fellow-Emperor with the Stile of Augustus as we haue remembred before The Germans inuade Italy The Gothes waste Greece Pontus and Asia The Samartians seize Austriche and Hungary The Persians robbe Syria The Saxons breake into Gallia The Franks into Spaine In a word all are in vproares the second seale opened and the Red-horse prepared for Battaile whose Rider had receiued a great and sharpe Sword with Commission giuen him to take Peace from the Earth and these times of troubles are so famous in Storie and the reuolutions of Acts so agreeable to the words of the Prophecie that they may seeme iustly a most exact accomplishment of that sacred vision 5 Finally when Gallienus had raigned from his first Associating with his Father the terme of fifteene yeeres Martian Heraclianus and Ceronius three of his principall Captaines compounding together that one of them should bee Emperour plotted his death whiles hee besieged the Citie Millan where they traiterously murthered him the yeere of our Lord two hundred sixty nine after that hee had suffered the Empire to be rent in peeces and vsurped by many Forraine and barbarous Nations M. AVRELIVS FLAVIVS CLAVDIVS CHAPTER XXXVII ROMES glory thus declining and the Imperiall Foundations thus vndermined the aspiring tops of all that beautious frame beganne to shake and to foreshew the signes of her approching fall And had not the Fates euen at that instant raised a stay to vnderprop the Walles those mounted Towers which so long had braued the Skie had beene laid leuell with the Ground and made the ruines of All-consuming Time 2 For whereas by the strange confusions vnder the late Emperour the Eagles body was burdened with the waight of those thirty heads at once of which number though many of them by their owne mutuall rauening were consumed before the death of Galienus yet the mightiest as Aurelius Gouernour of Dalmatia Tetricus and Victorinus who held Britaine and Gallia and Zenobia the Heroicke Queene and wife of Odenatus all the East to omit the Murderers of Galienus that durst not make their claime their deed so ill disgested all these were still remaining and strong at such time as Flauius Claudius by the Souldiers was elected before the Walles of Milan and confirmed with much ioy by the Senate in Rome 3 This Flauius was descended of noble Parentage out of Dalmatia by some or as others say of Dardania and sprung from the Troian Bloud But Aurelius
inuocate for aid for as yet he was not fully setled in the Christian Faith though the Gods of the Gentiles he obserued altogether deceitfull cast vp in this his holy meditation his eies Eastward to heauen and had by diuine ordinance presented to him in obiect the signe of a Crosse wherein were Starres as letters so placed that visiblie might bee read this sentence in Greeke IN HOC VINCE as diuers Authors report 5 This miraculous signe promising Victory and that saith Eusebius not in an Inscription only but by voice of Angels was so comfortable to Constantine that with great courage he went forward bearing before him and his victorious Army in place of the Imperiall Standard the forme of this vision imbrodered with gold and stones of greatest price And as one armed from heauen proceeded against his hellish aduersarie Maxentius as much depending vpon his Sorcerers was no lesse assured of the victory In furtherance whereof as a stratagem of warre hee framed a deceitfull Bridge ouer the riuer Tyber neere to Pons Miluius to intrap Constantine but ioyning battell and ouer-laid with strokes retired and fled and whether for haste or through forgetfulnesse tooke ouer the same Bridge which suddenly failing vnder him hee was with many more drowned and Constantine remained Victor In memory whereof hee caused a triumphall Arch to be erected in the midst of Rome wherein his Statue was imbossed holding in his Right hand a Crosse according to the fashion of that which hee had seene in the heauens and vpon ancient inscription in memory of this Victory this we finde engrauen INSTINCTV DIVINITATIS MENTIS MAGNITVDINE CVM EXERCITV SVO TAM DE TYRANNO QVAM DE OMNI EIVS FACTIONE VNO TEMPORE IVSTIS REMP. VLTVS EST ARMIS Thus By instinct of the diuine power with great magnanimitie and helpe of his armie in a lawfull warre he reuenged the cause of the common wealth as well on the Tyrant himselfe as on his whole faction all at once With the like successe had he warred against the Frankners in Batauia whose Victorie was likewise stamped in gold wherein is a Woman sitting vnder a Trophey and leaning her head vpon a Crosse-bowe with this inscription FRANCIA 6 But as his fame increased in the mindes of most so was it as much maligned by Licinius his fellow Emperour and Brother in Lâ—… who in his heart neuer fauoured the Christians howsoeuer for a time outwardly hee suffered their Religion but at last seeking occasions against Constantine hee raised a cruell Persecution in the East where he raigned with Martinianus whom at Byzantium and Iulius Licinius Licinianus at Arlas he had before made Caesars permitting theÌ„ to stampe these monies as marks of Soueraigntie 7 By this affliction of Gods Church he inforced this Champion of God for their defence to prepare his forces with which hee met Licinius in Hungarie where he gaue him a great ouerthrow But hee escaping to Byzantium in Asia the lesse ioyned againe battell and was there taken Prisoner yet by the mediation of his wife Constantia had his life spared and was confined within the citie Nicomedia where for his treasons afterwards he and his sonne Licinianus that somewhat suruiued him were put to death And now the peace of Gods Saints manifestlie appeared and the progresse of the Gospell passed vntroubled 8 For now saith our Gyldas no sooner was the blasting tempest and storme of Persecution blowne ouer but the faithfull Christians who in time of trouble and danger had hidden themselues in woods and deserts and in secret caues being come abroad to open sight reedified the Churches ruinated to the very ground The Temples of holie Martyrs they founded and erected as it were the Banners of victory in euery place celebrating festiuall holy daies and with pure hearts and mouthes performing the sacred ceremonies for the which blessednesse he euer after had the Attributes ascribed vnto him of most blessed Emperour most pious happy Redeemer of Romes Citie Founder of Peace Restorer of Rome and of the whole World most great inuincible Augustus Sâ—cred Diuine and of sacred memory c. Howbeit for admitting these praises as it should seeme he is taxed by Eutropius and Victor of pride as also crueltie for putting to death Crispus his sonne by Mineruina his concubine whom hee had made Caesar and permitted to stampe these monies here vnder inserted as likewise his wife Fausta sister to Maxentius but others affirme that the causes of their deaths were iust though as Paulus Orosius saith the reason thereof was kept secret and Zosimus doth therein excuse him as Cassiodore relateth and so doth Rufinus and Eusebius 9 Touching Constantius affaires in this Iland it appeareth by the last Author that after his Fathers death and his owne departure out of this Country some aspiring mind taking aduantage of his absence in other warres perswaded the people here to withdraw their obedience Whereupon once againe he addressed himselfe with his Armie to the reestablishing of the Ilands subiection and passing saith Eusebius ouer into Britaine inclosed on euery side within the banks of the Ocean he conquered the same The ioyfull memory of this expedition is registred to posteritie vpon his Coine set in the entrance of this Chapter inscribed Aduentus Augusti and by these Letters P. L. N. the place of the Mint to be at London 10 After this saith the same Author he began to compasse in his mind other parts of the World to the end hee might come in time to succour those that wanted helpe and when he had furnished his Armie with milde and modest instructions of Pietie hee inuaded Britaine that hee might likewise instruct those that dwell inuironed round about with the waues of the Ocean bounding the Suns setting as it were with those coasts And of the Politicall gouernment therein by him altered let it not seeme offensiue that I who know and professe mine owne weake sight in most of these matters doe light my dimme candle at the Bright-shining Lampe of that Illustrious Antiquarie who saith 11 About this time saith he as euidently appeareth by the Code of Theodosius Pacatianus was the Vicegerent of Britaine for by this time the Prouince had no more Propretors nor Lieutenants but in stead thereof was a Vicegerent substituted And againe Seeing that Constantius altered the forme of the Roman Gouernment it shall not be impertinent to note summarily in what sort Britaine was ruled vnder him and in the next succeeding ages He ordained foure Praefects of the Pretorian to wit of the East of Illyricum of Italy and of Gaule two Leaders or Commandere of the forces the one of footemen the other of horsemen in the West whom they tearmed Praesentales For ciuill gouernment there ruled Britaine the Praefect of the Praetorium or Grand Seneschall in Gaule and vnder him the Vicar Generall of Britaine who was his Vicegerent and honoured with the title Spectabilis that is
Kent in the same yeere that Cheaulin was whom he discomfited and slew his two Captaines Duke Oslaue and Duke Cnebba at * Wibbandune as we haue said Other Victories he obtained ouer the Britaines both at Bedford Deorham Glocester Cirencester and Bathancester But the fortunes of warres being alwaies variable at length his successe altered and at VVannes ditche in VViltshire he was ouerthrowne and dispossessed of his kingdome by Cealrik his brother Cuthwolfs sonne when he had raigned thirty three yeeres Hee had issue Cuth and Cuthwin the former serued valiantly in the warres vnder his father at Wimbledon in Surrey where King Ethelbert of Kent was chased and his souldiers slaine and with the like valour and victorie hee fought at Fethanleygh against the Britaines notwithstanding that therein he lost his life the yeere of our Lord 585. and the fiue and twentieth of his fathers raigne Cuthwin his younger brother suruiued his father but succeeded not in his Kingdome being then by reason of his young yeeres vnable to recouer his right He had two sonnes Kenbald and Cuth the latter of which was father to Chelwald whose son Kenred had issue Ine the eleuenth King of the West-Saxons and Ingils his brother whose sonne was Eoppa the father of Easa whose sonne was Alkenmud the father of Egbert the eighteenth King of the West-Saxons who reduced the Saxons diuided Heptarchie into an absolute Monarchie CEarlik the sonne of Cuthwolfe who was brother to this last King succeeded in the kingdome by the eiection of his Vncle and was the fourth King of the West-Saxons He began his raigne in the yeere of our Redemption 592. and continued it the terme of six yeeres without any memorable act by him atchieued besides his Treason spoken of before CHelwolfe the sonne of Cuth the sonne of Kenrik and Cosen-german to Cearlik the preceding King began his raigne ouer the West-Saxons the yeere 598. on whose first entrance this prouince of the West-Saxons was inuaded both by the Britaines and also by the Scots and Picts and the East-Angles likewise molested his peace vnder the conduct of Redwald at that time Monarch of the Englishmen But hee wading thorow these troubles harried the Prouince of the South-Saxons with inuasions and calamities in the prosecution whereof he died leauing the pursuit of his warres and possession of his kingdome to Kingils his Nephew that immediately succeeded him after he had raigned the space of fourteene yeeres KIngils the Sonne of Chel who was Brother to King Chelwolfe succeeding his Vncle in the kingdome of the VVest-Saxons in the yeere six hundred and twelue in his third yeere associated vnto him in his Gouernment Quinchelme his Sonne who ioyntly managed the West-Saxons affaires both of warre and peace And fighting with victorie against the Britaines at Beandune they there slew of them one thousand forty six persons and after that against Penda King of Mercia neere vnto Cirencester about the fift yeere of his raigne where lastly they came to a conclusion of peace This King at the preaching of Berinus an Italian Diuine afterward reputed for a Saint and by the perswasions of Oswald the most Christian King of Northumberland who was a suiter to become his Son in Law by the mariage of Kineburg his daughter and was made his Godfather by receiuing him at the Font receiued the Word of Life and became the first Christian King of all the West-Saxons in witnesse whereof he gaue the City Dorchester neere vnto Oxford to his Conuerter who therein erected his Episcopall Sea He raigned the space of thirty one yeeres some say but seuen and twenty and had issue besides Quinchelinus who raigned with him and died before him Kenwin and Kenwald that succeeded him and Kineburg his Daughter married to Oswald as is said Quinchelinus had a Sonne named Cuthred that was baptized with his Father at Dorchester and is said by Stowe to haue raigned after the death of Kingils but I take it rather to be Kenwen whom some suppose to be his Fathers Associate the terme of foure yeeres but neuer sole King himselfe KEnwald whom Beda calleth Senwalch succeded his Father Kingils in the kingdome of the West-Saxons His beginnings by Matthew of VVestminster are compared to be with the worst and his endings with the best of those Kings At his first entrance he fought with victorie against the Britaines at 〈◊〉 whereof he became most insolent and refused not onely to receiue the Christian Faith but also put from him his lawfull wife Sexburg the sister of Penda King of Mercia whereby hee became hatefull to his owne Subiects and sore assaulted by the Mercian King who followed the reuenge so farre that he forced Kenwald out of his kingdome who being driuen to extremity sought succour at the mercie of Anna the Christian King of the East-Angles where he was both courteouslie entertained and at last wonne to the Christian Faith was baptized by Bishop Foelix whereupon hee did recall his wife according to prescript of Christianitie and recouered againe his former Maiestie which he much aduanced by his pious workes He founded the Cathedrall of Winchester and the Abby of Malmesburie and when he had raigned thirty one yeeres gaue place vnto nature in the yeere 673. leauing no issue of his body to succeede him whereupon Segburg his wife tooke vpon her the gouernment of the West-Saxons the same yeere that Lothair was made King of Kent shee being a woman of great spirit and vnderstanding and sufficiently worthy to haue managed the Kingdome had she not beene preuented by death or rather as some write by a religious deuotion that the affaires of this present life might not hinder her zealous meditations of the future in desire whereof she abandoned her Regencie and built a house of deuotion in the I le of Shepey wherein her selfe became a Vowesse and afterward was elected the Abbesse of Elie. ESkwin after the departure of Queene Segburg succeeded in the kingdome of the West-Saxons Hee was the sonne of Kensy the sonne of Kenfrid the sonne of Cuthgils the sonne of Chelwolfe the sonne of Cherdik the first King of that Prouince his raigne lasted but two yeeres in which time he fought a great Battle with Wulfere King of the Mercians at the place then called Bidanheaford and wherein many of the Saxons on both sides perished leauing neither issue to succeede him nor other matters to be spoken of him though as it seemeth hee had dispossessed Kenwin who had more right to the Crowne then himselfe or as Beda and Malmesbury auerre he raigned with him the space of two yeeres and Kenwin alone for seuen yeeres more KEnwin the brother of Kenwald and sonne to King Kingils in the yeere 677. became the ninth King of the West-Saxons and raigned the space of nine yeeres Hee was a great scourge vnto the weake and ouer-borne Britaines making Conquests of their
Ensigne as that which here is called Tufa Iustus Lipsius in his Commentarie vpon that place in Vegetius lib. 3. cap. 5. where the seuerall Ensignes of the Romans are recited doth declare correcting that place of Vegetius where Rufa was set for Tufa by this place of Bede and in the same shewing that Tufa signified a Ball as the Ball by the example of Augustus was an Ensigne of Monarchie or absolute gouernment 9 But as the Sunne hath his rising his height and descent and euer is moouing in the circle of his celestiall orbe so man hath his birth time being and death and till then is neuer staied in one certaine point Kings therefore as they be Kings are the Suns of their owne world but as they are men goe to the shadow of death neither can the strength of their power wisdome or policie loue or applause stay the hand heere that holds the fatall knife for so in this King Edwin wee see raised aboue hope to attaine the Diademe and ruling in loue and liking of the people was notwithstanding cut off in the midst of his glorie and greatnesse of strength 10 For Penda the stout Mercian enuying his peace and Cadwallo the Britaine seeking to receiue his right ioined in friendship against this Monarch and met him as his enemies in the face of a Field The plaine was large and called Hethfeild where after a long and most bloudie fight king Edwin was slaine with prince Offryd his sonne his whole Host put to the sword or most shamefull flight which chanced the fourth of October the yeere of our Lord six hundred thirty three the sixth of his Christianitie the seuenth of his Monarchie the seuenteenth of his kingdome and the forty seuenth of his age His bodie was lastly buried in S. Peters Church at Streaâ—…shall after called Whitby His Wiues 11 Quenburg his first wife was the daughter as Beda reporteth of Ceorle but as all other Writers doe witnesse of Crida King of Mercia She was married vnto him in the beginning of his youth and when he was dispossessed of his inheritance by the Tyrant Etheifrid as we haue said with him shee liued a great part of his banishment and in the Court of Redwald King of the East-Angles deceased before her husband could recouer his Kingdome 12 Ethelburg surnamed Tate was the second wife of this King who was the daughter of Ethelbert King of Kent and of Queene Berta his first wife She was married vnto him in the yeere of grace six hundred twentie fiue being the second of his Monarchy and was his wife six yeeres but suruiuing him and desirous to liue a religious life shee returning into Kent withdrew her selfe to a place not far from the Sea side called Lymming wherein shee built a Monasterie of Nunnes and among them spent the rest of her life and therein died and was there buried His Issue 13 Offride the eldest sonne of King Edwine and Quenberg his first wife was borne in the time of his fathers exile among the East-Angles He was baptized in the faith of Christ by Paulinus the first Archbishop of Yorke and was slaine the same day and in the same battell that his father was He had a sonne named Iffy who was baptized also by Bishop Paulins and after the death of his father and grand-father for feare of King Oswald was conueied ouer the Seas into France to bee brought vp in the Court of King Dagobert where he died in his childhood and was there honourably interred 14 Edfrid the second sonne of King Edwine and Lady Quenberg his first wife was borne in the time of his fathers exile and baptized with his brother Offrid by Bishop Paulinus After his fathers death for feare of King Oswald hee fled to Penda King of Mercia who was his fathers enemie and his mothers kinsman by whom hee was most treacherously murthered He left behind him a son named Hererik who by his wife Bertswith had issue the vertuous learned lady Hilda Abbesse of Streansbalch Queen Hereswith her sister the wife of Ethelbere King of the East-Angles brother to King Anâ—…a by whom shee had issue Ald wolfe Elswold and Beorne all three succeeding Kings of the East-Angles 15 Ethelme the third sonne of King Edwine and the first of Queen Ethelburg his second wife was baptized by Paulinus Arch-bishop of Yorke not long after his father and halfe-brethren but in short space after his baptisme he departed out of this world euen in the time that he wore the white attire which in those daies was vsed to bee worne by such as were newly baptized for a certaine space His body was with all due funerall obsequies enterred within the new Church of S. Peter in the Citie of Yorke which his father had newly founded 16 Vskfrea the fourth sonne of King Edwine and the second of Queene Ethelburg his second wife and the last and youngest of them both bare the name of his fathers great grandfather He was baptized by the Arch-bishop Paulinus at one time with his brother Ethelme After the decease of his father his mother carried him with her out of Northumberland into Kent and from thence conueied him ouer into France with his Nephew Iffy the sonne of his halfe-brother Offrid where hee continued in the custodie of King Dagobert being his mothers cosen-german and there died and was honourably buried in a Church with his Nephew Iffy 17 Eanfled the elder daughter of King Edwine and Queene Ethelberg his second wife was borne the night following that her father was wounded and baptized hee being a Pagan Shee was afterwards married to Oswy the fourth King of Northumberland and tenth Monarch of the Englishmen as shall bee said 18 Etheldrid the younger daughter the fifth and last-borne child to King Edwine and of Queene Ethelburge was baptized at the same time with Ethelwe and Vskfrea her brethren She died an infant the white clothing not yet put off which in those daies was vsually worne at certaine set times after their baptisme and was with like funerall obsequies buried by her brother Ethelwe in the Church of S. Peters in Yorke which their father had founded OSVVALD KING OF NORTHVMBERLAND AND THE NINTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXI OSwald the fifth King of Deira the ninth of Bernicia the third of Northumberland and the ninth Monarch of the Englishmen began his raigne the yeere of Christs incarnation six hundred thirty foure He with Eanfrith and his brethren the sonnes of wilde Ethelfrid and Osrik also the sonne of Alfrid King Edwins Vncle had been secured in Scotland all his raigne and among the Red-shanks liued as banished men where they learned the true religion of Christ and had receiued the Lauer of Baptisme But Edwines death wrought and divulged these Princes returne again to their Country and the Northumbrians Kingdome lately gouerned by one was now againe diuided into two seuerall parts as formerly it had been 2
must be once againe forsworn as all the world doth know that Henry at his death bequeathed the Crowne vnto Stephen to the preiudice of his owne daughter a man in a word who accounts Treacherie a Vertue and Periurie a courtly quality Among these Gallants marcheth the Earle Albemarle a man of a singular constancy in euill very ready to attempt very loath to leaue any mischiefe whose wife through irkesomnes of his vnsufferable filthy qualities is gone from him the Earle that keeps her hee commeth against vs too a notorious adulterer and the Non-pareill of impurity a true Souldier of Bacchus a stranger to Mars to whom the sight of all bloud except of the Grape is verie fearefull Then setteth forth Simon Earle of Hampton whose deeds consist altogether in words and whose liberality onely in promises for when he hath said he hath done and yee get no more Lastly you see here gathered a knot of Peeres all like to their Prince accustomed to robberies enriched with rapines fatned with man-slaughters and all tainted with periurie You therefore Noble spirits whom great Henry aduanced and this Stephen hath cast downe whom Henry made wealthy and Stephen hath empouerished be now couragious and vpon assured confidence of your great valours yea of Gods iustice seeke both your iust Reuēge which God euen puts into your hands on these vngodly wretches and immortall Glorie which shall hence-forward attend both your selues and your posterity for euer If you are all of this mind for executing this Iudgement of God now vpon them then vow your selues vnto God and this his seruice and forbear nay rather forswear to shew your backs to your foes At which words all iointly lifting vp their hands and acclamations vnto heauen with a terrible shout abiured all thought of flight and quickning vp their braue spirits aduanced gallantly towards the enemy 26 King Stephen the meane while was farre from being idle who also ordered his Armie into three seuerall Battalions the greatest part and best harnassed whose horses he had sent away perhaps also to depriue his men of all hope of flight he appointed to remaine on foot with himself and certain of his Nobles all vnder one Banner The horsemen hee disposed into two seuerall wings the one commaunded by Alaine Duke of Britaine Hugh Bi god Earle of Norfolke Simon Earle of Hampton witthe two Earles of Mellent and Warren and the other Wing was gouerned by William de Ypres the Fleming Then the King because his voice was not very pleasing or audible commaunded Baldwine Fitz-Gilbert a man of great honour and prowesse to vtter his mind vnto the Army who standing conueniently to be heard spake vnto them as followeth 27 All such as addresse themselues and expose their liues to the hazard of battaile haue three things aduisedly to be thought on The equitie of their cause the Number of the Forces the sufficiency of their men The first lest they endanger the state of their Soules the next lest they be ouerlaied with multitude of their enemies and the last lest while they presume vpon numbers they find them but faint-hearted to their vtter ruine But in all these wee know ourselues to be sufficiently furnished The Iustice of our cause is for obseruing the vow made before God vnto our King to withstand them that haue falsified their faith euen to the hazard of our liues For our Number in Horsemē t is not inferior to theirs in Footmen we farre exceede them and for sufficiency what words can equall the noble valour of so many Earles Lords Captaines and Followers trained vp euer in the warres But aboue all the incomparable prowesse and presence of our King will be in stead of thousands to vs. Sith then this our Lord and the Lords Anointed to whom you vowed your faith is in field here amongst you now performe this your vow vnto God assured that the more constant you proue in this your Princes seruice and faithfull against those faithles periured persons the more shall your reward bee at the hands of God and of him Therefore be both couragious and confident the rather considering against whom you fight euen against Robert the Base-borne Generall whose vtmost worth is well knowne for he can threaten much and performe as little a Lions tongue and a Hares heart his faire speech is his credit his foule actions are his shame Chesters Earle what is hee a man audacious but without all iudgement heady to plot a treason but still wauering in the pursuit of it ready to runne into battaile but vncircumspect in any danger aiming beyond his reach and conceiting things meerely impossible and therefore hath he few with him that know him but leads onely a rout of vagrant rascals so there is nothing in him to bee feared for whatsoeuer he beginnes like a Man he ends it like a Woman vnfortunate in all his vndertakings in his encounters stil either vanquished or if he chance rarely God wot on a victorie it is with farre greater losses then the conquered The Welshmen he bringeth are fitter for our contempt then feare their rashnes you may easily see for it is naked and vnarmed who wanting both military Art and Practise runne headlong like brutes vpon the Hunters Iauelins The rest aswell Nobles if such they may bee tearmed as common Souldiers are but straglers and runnagates of whom I would wish their number greater for the more they be the more successesse will bee their seruice You therefore great Peeres and Worthies it now behoueth and indeed it much behoueth you to bee very mindfull both of your Valours and Noblenesse this day aduance your Prowes to the height and following the foresteps of your famous Ancestors leaue to your posterities both a noble patterne and an euerlasting renowne Your dayly successe of victories should quicken your hearts this day to atchieue brauely and the continuall miscarrying of our enemies will quicken their heeles to flie as speedily and I dare say they already repent of their comming hither and are by this time casting how to be gone if the nature of the place would giue them leaue Then sith it is vnpossible for them either to fight or flie why come they hither but euen by Gods own appointment to offer themselues and all their prouisions into your hands and here you see their horses their Armour yea and their bodies to rest at your pleasure reach forth therefore your warlicke hands to seize on that ioyfully which God hath freely brought you Which exhortation hee had scarsly closed when the noiseof Trumpets and shout of the enemies comming on was Rhetoricke enough to incite them to their tasks 28 A sore battaile was fought and with equall successe a long time maintained for the band of the disherited whose particular wrongs whetted their courage and were therefore politickly placed in the front brake terribly into the Kings Vauntgard and contrariwise William of Ypres into
money vpon promise that the Liberties therein contained should be faithfully obserued you haue not kept but without regard to honour or conscience broken Therefore are you found to be a manifest violator of your faith and oath For where are the Liberties of England so often fairely engrost in writing so often granted so often bought I therfore though a woman and all the naturall loyall people of the Land appeale against you to the Tribunal of the fearefull Iudge and Heauen and Earth shall beare vs witnesse that wee are vsed vniustly and God the Lord of reuenges right vs. The King abashed at these words asked her if shee did not looke to obtaine her suite vpon fauour in regard shee was his Kinswoman whereunto shee answered That seeing hee had deniâ—…d that which the Law gaue how could shee hope to obtain her suit by fauour Therefore said shee I doe appeale to the presence of Christ against also those your Councellors who bewitch and dull your iudgement and draw you out of the path of truth gaping onely after their own commodity But the King saith Paris remained incorrigible and the Lady lost both her charges hopes and trauell 82 Thus harsh were the former yeeres to the King and Kingdome let vs see what more gentle or rougher accidents rise vnto vs in the next But it then the first little better appeares for the King hauing bought out the time which Simon de Montfort had in the gouernment of Gascoigne which now he giues to Prince Edward was truely aduertised that Guasto de Biard was turned Spanish and labored by all the meanes hee could to plucke that part from the English obedience Alfonse K. of Spaine claimed the same by vertue of a Charter made therof by Henry the second confirmed by Richard and Iohn Kings of England Simon Earle of Leicester thus displaced to let the world see that hee would not for any preferment incurre the suspition of disloialty refused most honorable offers which after the death of Lady Blanch Queene Dowager and Rectrix of France the French Nobility made him if he would with his counsell and Force helpe to sustaine that Monarchie while Lewis their king was absent In the meane time the king of England all old matters being buried in obliuion vpon hope of future amendment for aduancement of his martiall Pilgrimage had large aides granted him in Parliament but vpon condition that hee should now at last once for all submit himselfe to gouerne by a Law not at his pleasure confirming the Charters of Liberties against the breakers whereof a most solemne curse was pronounced by the kings assent The Archbishoppe Bishoppe and the rest of the Prelates pontifically apparelled pronounced that curse with Tapers burning which when they had throwne away vpon the pauement where they lay extinguished and smoking the King hauing laid his hand on his breast all the while sware to keepe all Liberties vpon pain of that execratory sentence as he was a Man a Christian a Knight and a King annointed and crowned The businesses of Gascoigne soone after called him to a neerer warre whether vpon his promise made to the Gascoigns he set saile leauing his sonne Prince Edward and his kingdome to the gouernment of his Brother the Earle of Cornwall and the Queene his wife his arriuall there giuing a light and stay to all the affaires therof Such Holds as held against him hee reduced to obedience but with too faulty a Clemency sparing most open Traitors whereas if an Englishman had offended he was sure to smart for it and that rather more then lesse 83 His feare now was lest the Gascoigns should draw in the Spaniards and relinquish his Soueraignty To preuent this hee verie prudently and seasonably sent Ambassadors to Alfonse King of Spain and Castile to desire that the Lady Elianor his sister might be giuen in marriage to Prince Edward The motion was well approued and besides that they brought Letters Patents from the King of Spaine in which among all other Clauses it was conteined that the King of Spaine did quit his claime and whole right which by vertue of any Grants from Henry Richard and Iohn Kings of England he had or ought to haue Hereupon hee sends both for his Sonne whom the king of Spaine desired might be conuaied to him onely with a noble intent to see and doe him honour and for his wife the Queene Among other Acts of sincerity and loue Alfonso sent to the King of England good aduise that after the example of good Kings and Princes he should be a Lambe toward his Subiects and Seruitourâ—… 〈◊〉 Lion to Aliens and Rebels Simon Earle of Leicester with a gallant Troupe of Souldiers offered his seruice to the King who admiring the Earles charity receiued him with all ioy possible at which reconcisiation to a better estate and to gouerne them who haue willinglie elected me for their Lord in modest iust and honourable maner These words exhaled ioyfull teares from off many of the hearers and the Ambassadors returned to deliuer the newes of this acceptance who from thenceforth was King of Romans that is Emperour elect which title is vsed till they receiue the Crowne imperiall though to all other purposes he is Emperour so that King of Romans seemes to answere to the Title of Caesar which vnder the ancient Roman Emperours was giuen to the heire apparent of the Empire or Coadiutors After the German Ambassadors were gone the King permitteth his brother to send some ouer to sound the truth of the Electors and Peoples affections which in regard the English were originally Germans and by late affinitie incorporated and for that English saith Paris was in a sort agreeable to the Almain tongue they found entire and with that certitude returne The King of England hereby seemed to haue his designes for recouery of Normandy greatlie strengthned the Almaines and French hardlie brooking one the other but howsoeuer sure it is that his brother the new King had occasion to spend the golden Oyle which was so long in gathering to maintain the light of this Imperiall lampe and without question hee might bee liberall for he was reputed to possesse so much ready coine as would euery day for tenne yeeres afforde him an hundreth marks vpon the maine stocke without reckoning his rents reuenues in Germany and the English dominions The Earl was soon after crowned King of the Romans at Aquisgraue by Conrade Archbishop of Colein with great pompe soleÌ„nity 90 In the meane time while his brothers royall preparations were in hand the King being for a weekes space at the Abbey of S. Albans certaine masters of Oxford brought a great complaint against the Bishop of Lincoln for some encroachments vpon the ancient liberties of that Vniuersitie to whom the King was gratious and assigned a day Matthew Paris whom the King in honor of his learned paines admitted euery
for what else can we call the same since that they betraide thereby their Soueraignes Crown and Life to speedie destruction let it by this in part appeare and moue the world the rather to pitty the seduced 46 Among them who were condemned for rising with the Earle of Lancaster there was one of a meane Familie for whose life neuerthelesse because hee had once serued in Court and was pleasing to some of the Grands or Potent fauourites therein many interceded and pressed the king so farre on his behalfe that he brake out into these most vehement words A plague vpon you for cursed whisperers malicious backe-biters wicked counsellors entreat you so for the life of a most notorious knaue who would not speake one word for the life of my neere Kinsman that most noble Knight Earle Thomas Had hee liued wee and our whole Realme should haue had speciall need and vse of him This fellow the longer hee liues the more villanies he wil commit as hauing already filled my Kingdome with his desperate outrages By the soule of God hee shall therefore die the death he hath deserued 47 By this then it is euident that these tragedies against the Lords were exploited by others in which it is plaine that this King otherwise so deuout to God so noble and so full of naturall good propensions was fatally ouer-wrought by wicked counsell though hee therein bee inexcusable for good nature as wee call it cannot satisfie for publike errours But the condemned man was forth with put to death accordingly the King being most highlie offended that none had entreated him on the Earles behalfe whom saith Walsingham he did in wardlie loue Neuerthelesse he had not long before created the elder Spenser Earle of Winchester and deckt the plume of his fortunes with a toppe-feather taken out of the said late Earle of Lancasters estate that is to say with the Castle and honour of Donington parcell of the Earledome of Lincolne Hauing thus farre shewed the originall of the mischiefe wee will hasten now to the last Act or Catastrophe of our Edwards tragedie onely wee will first remember some intercurring matters 48 You haue heard before how that the Cardinals sent from the Pope had in fauour of the English put Scotland vnder Interdict wherefore King Robert now at last dispatched the Bishop of Glascow and Thomas Randolfe Earle of Murrey to Rome for obtaining release and absolution but they returned without effecting it Whereupon King Robert moued to haue a truce for thirteene yeeres which King Edward accordingly granted and the Pope then absolued the Scots The matters of Scotland seemed thus to be sufficiently prouided for during that time and the rather for that somewhat before the motion for truce the King had caused the newly created Earle of Carlile Andrew de Herkley to be degraded hanged drawne and quartered for treason which hee was conuinced to haue entred into with the Scots vpon whom he had before done speciall seruices as hauing for that cause the Castle and Citie of Carleil committed to his gouernment The truce with Scotland being thus confirmed the King makes his progresse through the Counties of Yorke and Lancaster and the Marches of Wales from whence the late seditious had their nourishments taking wise carefull courses for ministration of Iustice there and preuention of like inconueniences by punishing their Authors seuerely And Iustices void of all corruption were appointed else-where 49 In the meane space the new King of France Charles the fifth a most earnest enemie to the English mens possessions there sought occasions of quarrell with King Edward who while hee consuled at home how to order that affaire the yong L. Roger Mortimer one whom the Diuell saith our Courtier reserued to kindle new dissention with and to stirre vp a most miserable ciuill warre hauing corrupted his Keepers or as some others write hauing potioned them with a sleepy drinke escaped out of the Tower of London getting ouer clearely without any empeachment into France 50 The Spensers both father and sonne the one thus created Earle of Winchester and the other Earle of Glocester aspiring to the fulnesse of command and desirous to leaue nothing in their eye which might stumble their sway with the King failed not to beget immortall enmities both against themselues and the King The Queene tooke their carriage so heinously because besides other things they had abridged her meanes of maintenance while themselues abounded in all riches and magnificence as shee complained That the daughter and sole heire of the king of France was married to a gripple miser and that being promised to be a Queene shee was become no better then a waiting woman liuing vpon a pension from the Spensers 51 Thus was the matter and as it were the Embrion of their common destruction laid and begun in the impotencie of a womans will to helpe out the which with shrewd drifts and directions they encrease her side with Adam Bishoppe of Hereford by stripping him out of all his Temporalties as a Traitour for that hee had supported the Mortimers in the Barons quarrell This Adam saith our Knight was a man of most subtle witte and in all worldly pollicies profound daring to doe great things and factious withall who for this cause conceiuing deepest hate and therefore easily growing deare to the Queene made a great secret party To which Henrie Burwash Bishoppe of Lincoln who for like causes had beene kept from his temporalties about two yeeres ioyned himselfe Neither would the Spensers auarice suffer them to weaken the multitudes of their enemies for they sold the Kings gracious fauour to such as had beene in the Barons quarrell at so great rates that they by granting away lands and Manours to the said Lords Spensers for their pardons c. verie many of the Nobles were empouerished To be short the royall power being in the hands of the Spensers and Roger Baldock Chancellour or of their Creatures and Fauourites this other faction had the generall discontentments of the Realme to worke vpon for their aduantage 52 The King thus guiding himselfe and hauing sent his Brother Edmund Earle of Kent vpon notice of the first troubles with Forces into Gascoigue who gaue some little stay for a time to the French proceedings till they might otherwise bee prouided for it came to this point at last that whereas the King had a purpose to haue gone in person into France the Spensers who were afraid to bee seuered from his person the onely reuerence whereof they knew to bee their safegard and yet not daring to attend him thither or stay behind perswaded the King contrary to the minds of all the rest that the Queene who sought it should goe and negociate her husbands affaire in France She did so and whereas before her departure things were in great extremity betweene the two Nations insomuch that all the French were banished out of
them to encrease their numbers were that Henry of Lancaster meaning the King was fled with his sonnes and friends to the Tower of London and that King Richard was escaped Maudlen also one of Richards Chapleins tooke vpon him the person of his said Lord the more strongly to seduce the multitude by so bold and perilous a fiction Thus seemed they to fit their words and sute their Arts to the place At Sunning Richard they said was at Pomfret for there the guile had beene transparent but at Circester Richard was not at Pomfret but present 17 How beit the successe was not answerable to the deuise for besides that King Henry was in the heart of his strengths at London where sixe thousand men were put into a readines and would come vpon them like a storme the Townesmen of Circester assailed the Lords tooke them and because their Town was fired of purpose by some of their followers the better to recouer them while the quenching found the people employment haled them forth and without longer tarriance seuered their heads from their bodies The Earle of Huntington with a trustie Knight of his Sir Iohn Sheuele hauing after the faile at Windsore in vaine attempted to escape by Sea was taken by the Commons at Pitwel perhaps Prittlewel in Essex brought first to Chelmsford and lastlie to Pleshie the house of the late Duke of Glocester whose Ghost a tragicall Poet would suppose did haunt his persecutors for reuenge where partlie also by this Earles instigation the said Glocester was first arrested The Commons out of whose hearts the image of that Duke was not vanished at the Countesse of Herefords instigation who was the Dukes widdow tooke satisfaction vpon the Earle with the escheate of his head which there was sundred from his shoulders The Lord Spencer called Earle of Glocester one of the Conspirators had like execution done vpon him by the Commons at Bristol Some other of them were put to death at Oxford and some at London where Iohn Maudlen the Counterfeit Richard who as it seemes was a beautifull and goodlie person and one William Ferby were drawne hanged and headed The Bishop of Carleol neuerthelesse was by the Kings clemencie preserued aliue after the condemnatory sentence There were nineteene in all whereof two had beene Dukes put to death for this conspiracy most of which were men of speciall note 18 The designes and misfortunes of King Richards friends being made known vnto him could not but worke strongly in a soule opprest with griefe but whether so strongly as to make him resolue by voluntary abstinence to starue himselfe as the fame went may bee doubted though it be past doubt that King Henry was not sorrie hee was dead howsoeuer That he was starued seemes verie plaine though as it is not certaine neither yet vnlikely that King Henry was priuy to so foule a parricide so neither is it knowne but that Richard might as well be starued of purpose as starue himselfe Master Stow a man for honest industry very praiseworthie saith that king Richard was fifteene daies and nights together kept in hunger thirst and cold till hee died How true that was in the circumstance who knows but in the point of staruing hee is clearelie with Walsingham and a Knight liuing about those times calleth it a death neuer before that time knowne in England Harding also liuing vnder King Edward the fourth agrees of the rumour of staruing Master Cambden saith of Pomfret Castle that it is a place principum cade sanguine infamis but seemes to insinuate that some other torments were most wickedly practised vpon this King as made out of the way with hunger cold and vnheard-of torments Polydore therefore may in this bee beleeued who writes of this poore deposed Monarke that which may well be called vnheard-of torments his diet being serued in and set before him in the wonted Princely manner he was not suffered either to taste or touch thereof Idle therefore seemes his dreame who writes hee was murthered in the Tower and not more credible theirs who tell vs of Sir Peirs of Extons assault and the murther basely by him acted vpon this most miserable Princes person but much more are they to blame who negligently for credit of the fable quote Walsingham in whom no syllable of such a thing is found Onely Hector Boetius wils vs to belieue that Richard fled disguised into Scotland was discouered to King Robert and honourably entertained but Richard who would no more of the world gaue himselfe wholy to contemplation and both liued died and was buried at Striueling Which fond fable hath neuerthelesse somewhat in it for that some personated Richard might so doe is neither impossible nor improbable and indeed it was so 19 The late King Richard thus cruelly and heinously murthered for in regard of pining death the seeming fable of his fight with Sir Peirs of Exton was a sport it being both noble and full of comfort for a man of honour and courage to die with weapon in hand King Henry causeth his dead body to bee brought vp to London O Henry if thou wert Author or but priuie though for thine owne pretended safetie and for that errors cause which is lewdly mis-called reason of state of such a murther we doe not see how the shewing of the people his vncouered face in Pauls did either conceale or extenuate the execrable crime But to let the world know that there was no hope nor place for a Richard that course was vsed which may the rather confirme the truth of his enfamishment for a violent death by braining could not but deforme him too much and it is most probable that such a death would bee sought as might least appeare Surely he is not a man who at the report of so exquisite a barbarisme as Richards enfamishment feeles not chilling horror and detestation what if but for a iustly condemned galley-slaue so dying but how for an annointed King whose Character like that of holy Orders is indeleble The tragicall spectacle of his dead body perhaps because it moued too much both pittie and enuie was after a while transported without honor to Langley in Hartfordshire where the last rites were performed by the Bishop of Chester the Abbats of S. Alban and Waltham but neither King Henry present as at the exequies in London and the great Lords and such other as were had not so much as a funerall feast bestowed on them for their labour But Henry the fifth in the first yeere of his raigne with great honour did afterward cause those royall remaines to be interred in the Sepulture of his Ancestors at Westminster Among the riming Latine verses of his Epitaph ye may maruell to reade these considering vpon what points he was triced out of Maiestie and State Ecclesiam fauit elatos suppeditauit Quemuis prostrauit
and two daughters the youngest of which was Lady Margaret whom King Henry afterward tooke to wife Charles Duke of Lorraine dying Renate thinkes to succeed in that estate Antony Earle of Vallemont brother to Charles presumes he hath a neerer right The matter comes to be determined by blowes Charles King of France was a stedfast supporter of Renates claime in lieu of like offices performed by Renate to him in the times of most difficulty The Regent and Philip Duke of Burgundy stood for the Earle Their aides preuailed so much that Renates forces were beaten with losse of about three thousand from the siege of Vallemont and himselfe with not fewer then two hundred others remained prisoner to the Duke of Burgundy one of whose subiects commanded in chiefe at that enterprise This Renate was afterward entituled to the Crowne of Naples and Sicilia by the testament of Ioane Queene of them The King of France might seeme to haue susteined a grieuous losse by the enthralment of this Duke but the English gained nothing thereby for his perswasions and priuate offices on the behalfe of King Charles did not a little prepare the Burgundians heart which now was knit to the English but with feeble Arteries to accept in time the holy impression of reconcilement The French who liued vnder the Regency or in danger of the English made choise of the Burgundian to protect them which could not be embarred to them for that he was as yet King Henries pretended friend Indeed this Scene and vnstable state of affaires was full of horrour which Polydâ—…re Vergill describeth well enough While the English and French quoth he contend for Dominion Soueraignty and life it selfe mens goods in France were violently taken by the licence of warre Churches spoiled men euery where murthered or wounded other put to death or tortured Matrons rauished Maids forcibly drawne from out their parents armes to be deflowred Townes daily taken daily spoiled daily defaced the riches of the Inhabitants carried whither the Conquerors thinke good hâ—…sen and villages round about set on fire no kind of cruelty is left vnpractised vpon the miserable French omitting many hundreth kinds of other calamities which all at once oppressed them Adde hereunto that the Commonwealth being destitute of the helpe of lawes which for the most part are mute in times of warre and mutiâ—…ie floateth vp and downe without any anchorage at right or iustice Neither was England herselfe voide of these mischiefes who euery day heard the newes of her valiant childrens funerals slaine in perpetuall skirmishes and bickerings her generall wealth continually â—…d and wained so that the euils seemed almost equall and the whole Westerne world ecchoed the groanes and sighes of either Nations quarrels being the common argument of speech and compassion throughout Christendome 22 The course certainly which the English held did only faintly keepe aliue the Generall State of the Regency without giuing period to the warre either by finishing the Conquest or setling that which was conquered Some would haue had large supplies of men and treasure leuied that King Charles might no where haue any rest Of this opinion were Bedford himselfe the Dukes of Yorke and Sommerset This Counsell was not followed but another in shew more frugall which fed the euils but redressed none Present sparings doe oftentimes draw after them infinite wasts and no husbandrie proues so ill as vnseasonable Parsimony In the mean time the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Talbot carry about victorious Armes and terrifie Angiou Main and other places with their successes In Normandie neuerthelesse the common people drew together in huge multitudes There were threescore thousand of them rebelliously knotted together in Vexin Norman and twenty thousand in Câ—…ux Their purpose was through dislike of the English Gouernment or practise of the French to haue reacht one hand to King Charles and to haue thrust King Henries officers out What is a multitude without aduise To stoppe their insolency and course which they held toward Caen the Earle of Arundel and Robert Lord Willoughby with about thirteen hundred light horse and sixe thousand Archers march against them by direction of the Dukes of Yorke and ommerset who had the chiefe Leiutenancies in Normandy They diuide their forces to vse them with the more aduantage The Earle stayes in Ambush with two parts the Lord Willoughby drawes them into it with the third A thousand of the Rebels were cut down before the souldiers hands could be stayed to spare the rest who basely as it became them threw away their weapons and fell to the earth crying mercy The multitudes were suffered to returne their ringleaders lost their liues All that the world could collect by this popular insurrection was that the Normans would be gladly rid of the English Nothing else was done This Earle of Arundell hauing done sundry noble deeds during the wars in France receiued his deathes wound shortly after in a skirmish at Gerberoy in Beauuoâ—…sine where La Hire a famous Captaine among the enemies had the day 23 The Regency yet held and the miseries of France being burnt vp by the fiery reflections of two Counter-Sunnes were nothing diminished Who should giue to them a Period while the Duke of Burgundy continued English it could not be To prepare therefore a separation betweene them such of the Nobility as went ouer to the Burgundian Duke told him That King Charles vpon all occasions when speech was ministred spake of him honourably and inwardly wished him well and that he neuer heard any mention of the murther committed vpon the Duke his father cause of the sonnes hatred to France but he heartily sighed protesting hee was neither party nor priuy thereunto These and the like mollifying salues applyed to the tumors of his reuengefull affections did worke strongly the rather for that his minde heretofore possessed with the English amity was now vacant in that part the same by the means of sundry iealousies and auersions lying open to contrary impressions There wanted but an outward honourable meanes to fashion him entirely to the French partie Let vs heare Serves in this point The Deputies of the Generall Councell presse both French English and Burgundians to end all quarrels by some good composition The City of Arras is allowed of them all to treat in From the Pope and Councell of Pisa there came the Cardinals of S. Crosse and Cypres with twelue Bishoppes For the King of France there was the Duke of Bourbon the Earle of Richmond Constable of France the Archbishoppe of Reims Chancellour of France and many others great noble wise and learned men For the King of England the two Cardinals of Yorke and Winchester the Earles of Suffolke * Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington the Bishoppe of Saint Dauids Iohn Ratcliffe Keeper of the great Seale the Lord Hungerford Ralfe the wise Officiall of Canterbury and some Doctors of Diuinity For
Princes fauour the Duke of Gloucester turned vnto their destruction and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappy building For whomsoeuer he perceiued either at variance with them or bearing himselfe their fauour he brake vnto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor in any wise to be suffered that the young King their Master and kinseman should be in the hands and Custody of his mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their Company and attendance of which euery one ought him as faithfull seruice as they and many of them farre more honorable part of kin then his mothers side whose blood quoth he sauing the Kings pleasure was farre vnmeet to bee matched with his which now to be as who say remoued from the king and the lesse noble to be left about him is quoth hee neither honorable to his Maiestie nor vnto vs and also to his Grace no suretie to haue the mightiest of his friends from him and vnto vs no little ieopardy to suffer our well proued euill-willers to grow in ouer great authority with the Prince in youth who is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Ye remember I trow K. Edward himselfe albeit he was a man of age and discretion yet was he in many things ruled by the bend more then stood either with his honor or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except only the immoderate aduancement of themselues Which whether they sorer thirsted after their owne weale or our woe it were hard I weene to gesse and if some folkes friendship had not held better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might perhaps easily haue intrapped and brought some of vs to confusion ere this why not as easily as they haue done some other alreadie as neere of his roiall blood as we But our Lord hath wrought his will and thankes be to his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if we suffer this young King in our enemies hand which without his knowledge might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our vndoing which thing God and good prouision forbid 12 Of which good prouision none of vs hath any thing the lesse neede for the late made attonement in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties wils nor none of vs I beleeue is so vnwise ouer soone to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that an howerly kindnes sodeinly contracted in one houre continued yet scarce a fortnight should be deeper setled in their stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these wordes and writings and such other the Duke of Gloucester soone set afire them that were of themselues apt enough to kindle especially two Edward Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings Chamberlaine both men of honor and of great power The one by long succession from his Auncestry the other by his office and the Kings fauour These two not bearing each to other so much loue as both of them hatred vnto the Queenes part in this point accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would vtterly remoue from the Kings Company all his mothers friends vnder the name of their enemies 13 Vpon this conclusion the Duke of Gloucester vnderstanding that the Lords which at that time were about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such power of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a great assembly of people and in manner of open warre whereof the end hee wiste well was doubtfull and in which the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a Rebellion he secretly therefore by diuers meanes caused the Queene to be perswaded and brought in minde that it neither were need and also should be ieopardous the King to come vp strong 14 For whereas now euery Lord loued other and no other thing studied vpon but about the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lords of her kindred should assemble in the Kings name much people they should giue the Lords of the contrary faction cause to feare and suspect least they should gather this people not for the Kings safegard whom no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regard to their old variance then their new attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other party much people againe for their defence whose power shee wist well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall on an vproare and of all the hurt that thereof should insue which was likely not to be a little the most harme like to fall where shee least would all the world would put her and her kindred in the blame and say that they had vnwisely and vntrulie also broken the amity and peace which the King her husband so prudently made betwixt his kin and hers on his death bed and which the other party faithfully obserued 15 The Queene in this wise perswaded sent such word vnto her sonne and vnto her brother being about the King besides the Duke of Glocester him selfe and other Lords the chiefe of his bend wrote vnto the King so reuerently and to the Queenes friends there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought vp the King in great hast but not in good speed with a sober company Now was the King in his way to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behind the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrow to follow the King and bee with him at Stony-Stratford twelue miles thence earely ere he departed So was there made that night much friendlie cheare betwixt these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great while but incontinent after that they were openly with great curtesie departed and the Lord Riuers lodged the Dukes secretly with a few of their most priuy friends set them down in Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night at their rising in the dawning of the day they sent out priuily to their seruants in their Innes and lodgings about giuing command to make themselues shortly ready for their Lords were to horse-ward vpon which messages many of their folke were attendant when many of the L. Riuers seruants were vnready 16 Now had these Dukes taken into their custodies the keyes of the Inne that none should passe forth without their licence and besides this in the high-way towards Stony-Stratford where the King lay they had bestowed certaine of their men that should send backe againe and compell to returne any man that were gotten out of Northampton towards Stony-Stratford till they had further order forasmuch as the Dukes themselues intended for the shew of their diligence to bee the first that should that day attend vpon the
once with infinite benefit to the Realme by the coniunction of those two bloods in one whose seuerall titles had long time disquieted the Land hee fled the Realme went to Rome neuer minding more to meddle with the world till the noble Prince King Henry the seuenth got him home againe made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England whereunto the Pope ioined the honour of a Cardinall Thus liuing many dayes in as much honour as one man might well wish ended them so godly that his death with Gods mercy well changed his life 24 This man therefore as I was about to tell you by the long and often alternate proofe aswell of prosperitie as aduerse fortunes had gotten by great experience the very mother or mistresse of Wisedome a deepe insight in politicke worldly drifts Whereby perceiuing now this Duke glad to commune with him sed him with faire words and many pleasant praises And perceiuing by the processe of their communication the Dukes pride now and then balke out a litle bread of enuy towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the wayes to pricke him forward taking alwayes the occasion of his comming and keeping himselfe so close within his bounds that hee rather seemed to follow then to leade him For when the Duke first began to praise boast of the King and shew how much profite the Realme should take by his raigne Morton answered thus Surely my Lord folly it were for me to lye for if I would sweare the contrary your Lordship would not ween I beseeue but that if the world would haue gone as I could haue wished King Henries son had had the Crowne and not King Edward But after that God had ordered him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was neuer so mad that I would with a dead man striue against a quicke So was I to King Edward a faithfull Chapplaine and glad would haue beene that his child should haue succeeded him Howbeit if the secret iudgement of God haue otherwise prouided I purpose not to spurne against the pricke nor labor to set vp that God putteth downe And as for the late protector and now King and euen there he left saying that hee had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his Booke and his Beades and no further 25 Then longed the Duke sore to heare what he would haue said because he ended with the king and there so suddainly stopped and exhorted him so familiarly betweene them twaine to be bolde to say whatsoeuer he thought whereof he faithfully promised there should neuer come hurt and peraduenture more good then he would weene and that himselfe intended to vse his faithfull secret aduise and counsell which he said was the only cause for which he procured of the King to haue him in his custody where he might account himselfe at home and else had he beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not haue found the like fauour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said In good faith my Lord I loue not to talke much of Princes as a thing not all out of perill though the word be without fault Forasmuch as it shall not be taken as the party meant it but as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And euer I think on Aesops tale that when the Lyon had proclaimed vpon paine of death there should no horned beast abide in the wood one that had in his forehead a bunch of flesh fled away a great pace The foxe who saw him runne so fast asked him whether he made all that haste and he answered In faith I neither wot nor recke so I were once hence because of this Proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the Foxe thou maist abide well enough the Lion meant not thee for it is no horne that is in thy head No mary quoth he that wot I wellynough but what if he call it a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lion nor the Boare shall picke any matter at any thing heere spoken for it shall neuer come to their eares In good faith Sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken aswell as afore God I meant it could deserue but thankes and yet taken as I weene it would might happely turne me to litle good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke yet more to wit what it was whereupon the Bishop said in good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith he is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the weale of this Realme wherof his Grace hath now the gouernance and my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise it might yet haue pleased God for the better store to haue giuen him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of a Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your Grace and there left againe 26 The Duke somewhat mariailing at his suddaine pauses said My Lord I note your often breathings and suddaine stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your wordes neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might haue knowledge what your intent is now towards the King or what affection you beare towards mee For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to vs both maketh mee not a little to muse thinking that you haue some other priuie imagination imprinted in your heart which you bee abashed to disclose and specially to me which on my honour doe assure you to be as secret in this case as the deafe and dumbe person to the singer or the Tree to the Hunter The Bishop being somewhat bolder considering the Dukes promise but most of all animated because hee knew the Duke desirous to be magnified and also he perceiued the inward hatred which hee bare towards King Richard hee opened his stomacke to the bottome and said My singular good Lord sith the time of my captiuitie which being in your graces custodie I may rather call it a libertie then a strait imprisonment in auoiding of idlenesse mother of all vices in reading bookes and ancient pamphlets I haue founde this sentence written that no man is borne fie and at libertie of himselfe onely for one part of dutie he oweth to his parents another part to his friends and kindred but the natiue Countrey in the which he first tasted this pleasant flattering world demandeth a debt not to be forgottē Which saying causeth mee to consider in what case the Realme my natiue Countrey now standeth and in what estate and assurance before this time it
twenty yeeres and called Ralfe Wilford who for falsly assuming the name title of the said Earle being thereunto taught and suborned a practise which well declared that the malitious Dutchesse of Burgundie did still liue was hanged at S. Thomas Waterings by Southwarke vpon Shrouetuesday 60 This new deuise to vncrowne King Henry so wakened his owne feares and the eies of the Castilians who had secretly agreed to marry their Princesse Katherine to our Prince Arthur that there seemed no sure ground of succession if that the Earle of Warwicke were not made away A fearefull case where the false reason of State shall faine to it selfe an impossibility of well doing without shedding innocent blood and shall therefore resolue to found vpon so crying a sinne the hope of perpetuity in succession sith nothing is truer thâ—… that sinne was â—…uer an vnsure basis to settle lasâ—…ing workes vpon But ô the narrow capacities of the most seeing men the confidence whereof did vndoubtedly lead this King heerein not iustifiable howsoeuer excusable in respect of humane frailty which might propound to it selfe many feares and respects both publike and priuate to conniue at the plotted death or rather formall murder of this harmelesse Gentleman whose wrong may yet moue the hardest to compassion as it afterwarde stirred God in iustice to reuenge prospering no part of that great worke which was thereupon thus corruptly sought to be perpetuated That noble Lady Katherine herselfe was hereof so sensible that when the diuorce was afterward prosecuted against her by King Henry the eight her second husband shee is reported to haue said That it was the hand of God for that to cleere the way to her marriage that innocent Earle of Warwicke was put to vnworthy death Neither let licentious Practises vouch the singular Act of Salomon in taking away the life of his elder brother Adonias to colour this homicide for he that will argue from particular facts in Scripture shall not onely leaue no Adonias liuing but perhaps no Salomon To worke this young Warwickes ruine the mischeiuous and dismall wretch Perkin becomes an occasion if not an instrument for he by his supple insinuations and flowing promises had corrupted his keepers the seruants of Sir Iohn Digbie Knight Lieutenant of the Tower who as was affirmed meant to haue murdered their master and then to haue set Perkin and the Earle at large to which practise of escape the poore Earle is said to haue consented Perkin for this conspiracie had his triall at Westminster and hee together with one Iohn à Waters who had beene sometime Maior of Corke in Ireland were condemned and being drawne to Tiborne had the sentence of death executed vpon them Perkin at the Gallowes did reade his former confession taking on his death that the same was true and vnder-went his punishment with patience Walter Blewet and Thomas Astwood being two of the conspirators for the other two Strangewates and Long Roger being the Lieutenants men also were not executed nor for so much as wee haue read arraigned not long after receiued the reward of their offence at the same place 61 Iustice thus tooke hold at last of Perkin Warbecke on whom the Prouerbe which saith that Pride is the Vsher of shame was worthily verified Neither could the world accuse King Henrie for his death vnlesse it were for that he had not hanged him sooner but suffered him to liue till hee had drawne after him a greater ruine in Warwicks person then in all the former tragedies For this Earle being a chiefe Prince of the blood and next heire Male of his house to the Crowne of England a crime of which his birth onely made him guilty and not any fact of his being thus charged to haue giuen assent to Perkins plot of escape he was publikely arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then High Steward of England by the name of Edward Plantaginet Earle of Warwicke and indited for minding to haue escaped as they said out of the Tower and consequently according to the dreadfull licence of inferences among our English pleaders in cases of death to depriue King Henry of his royall Crowne and dignity and to vsurpe the Title and soueraigne office prosecuting their bloody Poetry with the like sanguinary syllogismes though vtterly without measure or fashion The Earle doubly betraied first by the setters of the snare and then by their silly or deceitfull perswasions who were put about him confesseth the enditement and submitteth himselfe to the Kings mercie that is offered vp his head to be a slipperie foundation of King Henries farther purposes for sentence of death was thereupon pronounced as against a Traitour This one practise seemes sufficient if not to cast vpon Henry the Title of a shrewd and perillous man yet to raise a doubt whether as one writes hee was more sincere and entire then Ferdinando King of Spaine vpon whom saith that Authour he did handsomely bestow the enuie of the death of Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke The life therefore of this Prince according to rigour of lawe being thus in his power the King gently pardoned all the paines but the losse of his head which was cut off vpon a scaffold at Tower-hill and then another gratious fauour his body was not buried in the Chappel of the Tower or in any other common place but at Bisham by his Ancestors Iealous saith one the King was ouer the greatnes of his Nobilitie as remembring how himselfe was set vp and much more did this humour encrease in him after he had conflicted with such Idols and Counterfeits as Lambert Simenel and Perkin Warbeck The strangenes of which dangers made him thinke nothing safe This Earle was the last heire male of the blood and surname of Plantagenet whose race as it was a long time glorious for giuing Kings to England euen from King Henry the second so in the end chiefly for the house of Yorke it became hatefull as it seemes to God and man for the most horrible and inextinguible deadly fewdes murder periuries and other horrors committed within it selfe which as then not fully expiated lay heauily vpon the head of this Earle and finally threw open all those fences which the possession of Maiestie and numerositie of issue had for sundry ages cast about it letting in thereby the surname of Tydder being but two descents English and which now after three descents and fiue Princes is also vanished Now among those few great workes of peace which ensued their firebrands of warre we must remember the marriage of Prince Arthur with the Princesse of Spaine Lady Katherine The interim from Warwicks death till then brought forth a verie great plague whereof in London there are said to haue died about thirtie thousand The King and Queene remoue to Callais in May and returned in Iune The maine busines was to reuiew and ratifie the state of amity and negociations betweene the
of the Land and Supremacy of the Crowne The abuse of the first was solemnly shewed at Pauls Crosse in London vpon Sunday the twenty foure of February by Doctor Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester where the Roode of Boxley in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace made with diuers vices to bow downe and to lift vp it selfe to shake and to stirre both Heads hands and feet to rowle the eies mooue the lippes and to bend the browes was then broken and pulled in peeces So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set and besprinkled with Iewels and Gemmes with diuers others both of England and Wales were brought to London and burnt at Chelsey before the Lord Crumwell Then the Axes of the hewers began to cast downe the walles of all Monasteries whose number as Cambden doth account them were sixe hundred fourty fiue besides fourscore and tenne Colledges them of Oxford and Cambridge not accounted of Hospitals one hundred and tenne and of Chaunteries and free Chappels two thousand three hundred seuenty foure all of them almost were then borne downe with the sudden deluge of those tempestuous times whilst the world stood amazed King Henrie proceeded and the Clergy men groaned vnder their owne destructions among these the Shrine of Thomas Becket was defaced which did abound with more then Princely riches whose meanest part was pure gold garnished with many precious stones as Erasmus that saw it hath written whereof the chiefest was a rich Gemme of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained you may be sure he buying it so deare that no passenger betwixt Douer and White-sand should perish by shipwracke his bones by Stephen Langton had beene laide in a golden Shrine his name canonized and the day of his death made annually holy such concurse of Pilgrime such pressing to touch him and such creeping and kneeling to his Tombe that the prints of their deuotion in the Marble stones remaines to this day euery Pillar resounding the miracles of this reputed Martyre and the Church it selfe dedicated to Christ forced to giue place to the name of Saint Thomas The Timber worke of this Shrine was couered with plates of gold damasked and embossed with wires of gold garnished with broches images angels precious stones and great Orient Pearles all these defaced filled two Chests and were for price of an vnestimable value But in steede of these Dagons the Bible in English was commanded to bee read in all Churches and Register Bookes of weddings Christenings and Burials in euery of them to be kept 101 The yeerely reuenewes of these as they were valewed by the Commissioners at their subuersions amounted to an vnestimable summe as appeareth by the Original Booke itselfe presented to the King whereof more shall be spoken in the end of this chapter and yet most of them rated at Robin-hoods penny-worthes what their rents were a libell scattered abroad and read to the king by demonstration did proue wherein was accounted that vnto the fiue Orders of Friers euery housholder paying them fiue pence the Quarter the summe of fourty three thousand three hundred thirty three pound sixe shillings and eight pence sterling was paid them by yeere besides the reuenewes of their owne lands which was not a little so that not without cause many entred into a Monasticall life rather to liue at ful and without cares of this world then to feede the flocke of Christ or to winne them and not theirs after the example of the Apostle For the Testament of Christ was vnto most of these as a booke sealed with seauen seales and their mouthes vnmuzled they did deuoure but not tread out the Corne so that the Sunne by their doctrine seemed to be darkened as with smoke and themselues to be the Locustes that ouerspread the superficies of the Earth whose faces were like men pretending humanity their haire like women in shew of modesty their Crownes of counterfeited gould signifying their vsurped authoritie their teeth like Lyons shewing their Tyrannie their force like horses prepared for battell their habergions of Iron betokening their strength the sound of their wings the thundering out their mandates like to the rumbling of Chariots in warre their Tailes 〈◊〉 Prophets hauing stings like vnto Scorpions aâ—…â—…heir King the bad Abaddon euen the Angell of the Bottomelesse pit All those allusions most aptly sitting these Cloistered Friers who now grown to the height of their sinnes their skirts were discouered that their shame might appeare being the only men then laid open to the world 102 Against whose doctrine besides many others in other forreine parts two in the daies of K. Henry the fourth the first English King that put anie to death for the doctrine of Rome omitting Sir Iohn Oldcastle and others that died for the Gospels defence in the daies of King Henry the fift foure in the raigne of innocent Henrie the sixt One in the daies of King Edward the fourth and tenne in the time of King Henry the seauenth sealed the doctrine against the papall religion with their bloud all of them being martyred before that Martin Luther wrote And in the raigne of this King twenty sixe suffered the fire before the flames thereof could be quenched which a while was done by the meanes of good Queene Anne till afterwards they mounted higher when the sixe Articles were made but because this Ecclesiasticke text is handled elsewhere and seemeth vnsociable to our begunne Subiect we will referre the Reader for these matters vnto the industrious paines of that worthy and euer venerable man M. Fox taken in his Acts Monuments of Ecclesiasticall history 103 The Monasteries thus dissolued and the Reuenewes thereof conuerted to temporall vses King Henry ranne in great obloquie of many forraine Potentates but most especially of the Pope who with Cardinall Poole instigated diuers Princes in Christendom to inuade England thus fallen from his faith Yea home-borne Subiects disliking the course for Papisticall subuersion by secret working sought to depriue King Henry and to raise vp Reynold Poole vnto the Regall dignity as by their inditements appeareth The persons conuicted were Lord Henry Courtney Marquesse of Excester Earle of Deuonshire the sonne of Lady Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth Henrie Poole Lord Montacute with Sir Geffrey his brother and Sir Edward Neuill brother to the Lord of Abergauenny These Pooles were the sonnes of Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury the onely daughter of George Duke of Clarence and of these 〈◊〉 Poole once Deane of Excester and now Cardinalâ—… at 〈◊〉 was accounted the onely man 104 And this foresaid Lord Marquesse had formerly beene in such fauour with King Henry that at his going into France he ordained him his Heire apparant though at his returne vpon graue deliberation hee saw it better policy to plucke him down then was vsed in