philosophicall contemplation But alas this integritte continued not long among his successors for vnto the immortalitie of the soule they added that after death it went into another bodie of which translation Ouid saith Morte carent animae sempérque priore relicta Sede nouis domibus viuunt habitántque receptae The second or succedent being alwaies either more noble or more vile than the former as the partie deserued by his merits whilest he liued here vpon earth And therefore it is said by Plato and other that Orpheus after his death had his soule thrust into the bodie of a swanne that of Agamemnon conueied into an egle of Aiax into a lion of Atlas into a certeine wrestler of Thersites into an ape of Deiphobus into Pythagoras and Empedocles dieng a child after sundrie changes into a man whereof he himselfe saith Ipse ego námque fui puer olim deinde puella Arbustum volucris mutus quóque in aequore piscis For said they of whom Pythagoras also had and taught this errour if the soule apperteined at the first to a king and he in this estate did not leade his life worthie his calling it should after his decease be shut vp in the bodie of a slaue begger cocke owle dog ape horsse asse worme or monster there to remaine as in a place of purgation and punishment for a certeine period of time Beside this it should peraduenture susteine often translation from one bodie vnto another according to the quantitie and qualitie of his dooings here on earth till it should finallie be purified and restored againe to an other humane bodie wherein if it behaued it selfe more orderlie than at the first after the next death it should be preferred either to the bodie of a king againe or other great estate And thus they made a perpetuall circulation or reuolution of our soules much like vnto the continuall motion of the heauens which neuer stand still nor long yeeld one representation and figure For this cause also as Diodorus saith they vsed to cast certeine letters into the fire wherein the dead were burned to be deliuered vnto their deceased fréends whereby they might vnderstand of the estate of such as trauelled here on earth in their purgations as the Moscouits doo write vnto S. Nicholas to be a speach-man for him that is buried in whose hand they bind a letter and send him with a new paire of shooes on his féet into the graue and to the end that after their next death they should deale with them accordinglie and as their merits required They brought in also the worshipping of manie gods and their seuerall sacrifices they honoured likewise the oke whereon the mistle groweth and dailie deuised infinit other toies for errour is neuer assured of hir owne dooings whereof neither Samothes nor Sarron Magus nor Druiyus did leaue them anie prescription These things are partlie touched by Cicero Strabo Plinie Sotion Laertius Theophrast Aristotle and partlie also by Caesar Mela Val. Max. lib. 2. and other authors of later time who for the most part doo confesse that the cheefe schoole of the Druiydes was holden here in Britaine where that religion saith Plinie was so hotlie professed and followed Vt dedisse Persis videri possit lib. 30. cap. 1. and whither the Druiydes also themselues that dwelt among the Galles would often resort to come by the more skill and sure vnderstanding of the mysteries of that doctrine And as the Galles receiued their religion from the Britons so we likewise had from them some vse of Logike Rhetorike such as it was which our lawiers practised in their plees and common causes For although the Gréeks were not vnknowne vnto vs nor we to them euen from the verie comming of Brute yet by reason of distance betwéene our countries we had no great familiaritie and common accesse one vnto another till the time of Gurguntius after whose entrance manie of that nation trauelled hither in more securitie as diuers of our countriemen did vnto them without all danger to be offered vp in sacrifice to their gods That we had the maner of our plees also out of France Iuuenal is a witnesse who saith Gallia causidicos docuit facunda Britannos Howbeit as they taught vs Logike and Rhetorike so we had also some Sophistrie from them but in the worst sense for from France is all kind of forgerie corruption of maners and craftie behauiour not so soone as often transported into England And albeit the Druiydes were thus honored and of so great authoritie in Britaine yet were there great numbers of them also in the Iles of Wight Anglesey and the Orchades in which they held open schooles of their profession aloofe as it were from the resort of people wherein they studied and learned their songs by heart Howbeit the cheefe college of all I say remained still in Albion whither the Druiydes of other nations also beside the Galles would of custome repaire when soeuer any controuersie among them in matters of religion did happen to be mooued At such times also the rest were called out of the former Ilands whereby it appeareth that in such cases they had their synods and publike meetings and therevnto it grew finallie into custome and after that a prouerbe euen in variances falling out among the princes great men and common sorts of people liuing in these weast parts of Europe to yeeld to be tried by Britaine and hir thrée Ilands bicause they honoured hir préests the Druiydes as the Atheniens did their Areopagites Furthermore in Britaine and among the Galles and to say the truth generallie in all places where the Druiysh religion was frequented such was the estimation of the préests of this profession that there was little or nothing doone without their skilfull aduise no not in ciuill causes perteining to the regiment of the common-wealth and countrie They had the charge also of all sacrifices publike and priuate they interpreted oracles preached of religion and were neuer without great numbers of young men that heard them with diligence as they taught from time to time Touching their persons also they were exempt from all temporall seruices impositions tributes and exercises of the wars which immunitie caused the greater companies of scholers to flocke vnto them from all places to learne their trades Of these likewise some remained with them seuen eight ten or twelue years still learning the secrets of those vnwritten mysteries by heart which were to be had amongst them and commonlie pronounced in verse And this policie as I take it they vsed onelie to preserue their religion from contempt whereinto it might easilie haue fallen if any books thereof had happened into the hands of the common sort It helped also not a little in the exercise of their memories wherevnto bookes are vtter enimies insomuch as he that was skilfull in the Druiysh religion would not let readilie to rehearse manie hundreds of verses togither
against Albion and Bergion Moreouer from henceforth was this I le of Britaine called Albion as before we haue said after the name of the said Albion because he was established chiefe ruler and king thereof both by his grandfather Osiris and his father Neptune that cunning sailour reigning therein as Bale saith by the space of 44. yeares till finally he was slaine in maner afore remembred by his vncle Hercules Libicus After that Hercules had thus vanquished and destroied his enimies hée passed to and fro thorough Gallia suppressing the tyrants in euerie part where he came and restoring the people vnto a reasonable kinde of libertie vnder lawfull gouernours This Hercules as we find builded the citie Alexia in Burgongne nowe called Alize Moreouer by Lilius Giraldus in the life of Hercules it is auouched that the same Hercules came ouer hither into Britaine And this dooth Giraldus writer by warrant of such Britons as saith he haue so written themselues which thing peraduenture he hath read in Gildas the ancient Briton poet a booke that as he confesseth in the 5. dialog of his histories of poets he hath séene The same thing also is confirmed by the name of an head of land in Britaine called Promontorium Herculis as in Ptolomie ye may read which is thought to take name of his arriuall at that place Thus much for Albion and Hercules But now whereas it is not denied of anie that this I le was called ancientlie by the name of Albion yet there be diuers opinions how it came by that name for manie doo not allow of this historie of Albion the giant But for so much as it apperteineth rather to the description than to the historie of this I le to rip vp and lay foorth the secret mysteries of such matters and because I thinke that this opinion which is here auouched how it tooke that name of the forsaid Albion sonne to Neptune may be confirmed with as good authoritie as some of the other I here passe ouer the rest procéed with the historie When Albion chiefe capteine of the giants was slaine the residue that remained at home in the I le continued without any rule or restraint of law in so much that they fell to such a dissolute order of life that they séemed little or nothing to differ from brute beasts and those are they which our ancient chronicles call the giants who were so named as well for the huge proportion of their stature sithens as before is said that age brought foorth far greater men than are now liuing as also for that they were the first or at the least the furthest in remembrance of any that had inhabited this countrie For this word Gigines or Gegines from whence our word giant as some take it is deriued is a Gréeke word and signifieth Borne or bred of or in the earth for our fore-elders specially the Gentiles being ignorant o the true beginning of mankind were persuaded that the first inhabitants of any countrie were bred out of the earth and therefore when they could go no higher reckoning the descents of their predecessours they would name him Terrae filius The sonne of the earth and so the giants whom the poets faine to haue sought to make battell against heauen are called the sonnes of the earth and the first inhabitants generally of euery countrie were of the Gréekes called Gigines or Gegines and of the Latines Aborigines and Indigenae that is People borne of earth from the beginning and comming from no other countrie but bred within the same These giants and first inhabitants of this I le continued in their beastlie kind of life vnto the arriuall of the ladies which some of our chronicles ignorantly write to be the daughters of Dioclesian the king of Assyria whereas in déed they haue béene deceiued in taking the word Danaus to be short written for Dioclesianus and by the same meanes haue diuers words and names beene mistaken both in our chronicles and in diuers other ancient written woorks But this is a fault that learned men should not so much trouble themselues about considering the same hath bin alreadie found by sundrie authors ling sithens as Hugh the Italian Iohn-Harding Iohn Rouse of Warwike and others speciallie by the helpe of Dauid Pencair a British historie who recite the historie vnder the name of Danaus and his daugthers And because we would not any man to thinke that the historie of these daughters of Danaus is onelie of purpose deuised and brought in place of Dioclesianus to excuse the imperfection of our writers whereas there as either no such historie or at the least no such women that arriued in this Ile the authoritie of Nennius a Briton writer may be auouched who wrote aboue 900. yeares past and maketh mention of the arriuall of such ladies To be short the historie is thus Belus the sonne of Epaphus or as some writers haue of Neptune and Lâ—bies whome Isis after the death of Apis maried had issue two sonnes the first Danaus called also Armeus and Aegyptus called also Rameses these two were kings among the Aegyptians Danaus the elder of the two hauing in his rule the vpper region of Aegypt had by sundrie wiues 50. daughters with whome his brother Aegyptus gaping for the dominion of the whole did instantlie labour that his sonnes being also 50. in number might match But Danaus hauing knowledge by some prophesie or oracle that a sonne in law of his should be his death refused so to bestow his daughters Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren in the end whereof Danaus being the weaker was inforced to flée his countrie and so prepared a nauie imbarked himselfe and his daughters and with them passed ouer into Gréece where he found meanes to dispossesse Gelenor sonne to Stenelas king of Argos of his rightfull inheritance driuing him out of his countrie and reigned in his place by the assistance of the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardes Gelenor and a great liking towardes Danaus who in verie deed did so farr excell the kings that had reigned there before him that the Gréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai But his brother Aegyptus taking great disdaine for that he and his sonnes were in such sort despised of Danaus sent his sonnes with a great armie to make warre against their vncle giuing them in charge not to returne till they had either slaine Danaus or obteined his daugthers in mariage he yoong gentlemen according to their fathers commandement being arriued in Greece made such warre against Danaus that in the end he was constrained to giue vnto those his 50. nephues his 50. daughters to ioine with them in mariage and so they were But as the prouerbe saith In trust appeared treacherie For on the first night of the mariage Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword charging them that when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were
mentioned so that it cannot stand with the truth of the British histories the which Fabian followeth that Horsus was slaine by Aurelius Ambrosius if according to the same histories he returned not into Britaine till the time there supposed But diuerse such maner oh contrarieties shall ye find in perusing of those writers that haue written the chronicles of the Britains and Saxons the which in euerie point to recite would be too tedious and combersome a matter and therefore we are forced to passe the same ouer not knowing how to bring them to anie lust accord for the satisfieng of all mens minds speciallie the curious which may with diligent search satisfie themselues happilie much better than anie other shall be able to doo in vttering his opinion neuer so much at large and agreeable to a truth This therefore haue we thought good as it were by the waie to touch what diuerse authors doo write leauing it so to euerie mans iudgement to construe thereof as his affection leadeth him We find in the writings of those that haue registred the dooings of these times that Aurelius hauing vanquished the Saxons restored churches to the furtherance of the christian religion which by the inuasion of the Saxons was greatlie decaied in diuerse parts of Britaine and this chanced in the daies of the emperour Theodosius the yoonger The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon his three sonnes disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battel 's fought by Hengist and his death the beginning of the Kentish kingdome a battell fought betweene the Britains and Saxons the first are conquered the last are conquerors The ninth Chapter IN the time of the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius one Ella a Saxon with his 3 sonnes Cymen Plettinger and Cissa came out of Germanie with thrée ships and landed in the south parts of Britaine and being incountred with a power of Britains at a place called Cuneueshore discomfited them and chased them vnto a wood then called Andredescester and so tooke that countrie and inhabited there with his people the Saxons which he brought with him and made himselfe king and lord thereof in somuch that afterwards the same countrie was named the kingdome of the Southsaxons which had for limits on the east side Kent on the south the sea and I le of Wight on the west Hamshire and on the north part Southerie This kingdome after some began vnder the foresaid Ella about the 32 yeere after the first comming of the Saxons into this land which by following that account should be about the second yéere of the reigne of Aurelius Ambrosius and about the yéere of our Lord 482. But other write that it did begin about the 30 yéere after the first comming of Hengist which should be two yéeres sooner William Harison differing from all other noteth it to begin in the fourth yéere after the death of Hengist 4458 of the world 2 of the 317 Olympiad 1243 of Rome 492 of Christ and 43 after the comming of the Saxons his woords are these Ella erected the kingdome of the Southsaxons in the 15 after his arriuall and reigned 32 yéeres the chiefe citie of his kingdome also was Chichester and after he had inioied the same his kingdome a while he ouerthrew the citie called Andredescester which as then was taken for one of the most famous in all the south side of England ¶ For my part I thinke my dutie discharged if I shew the opinions of the writers for if I should therto a◠mine owne I should but increase coniectures whereof alreadie we haeu superfluous store To procéed thereforr as I find About the ninth yéere after the comming of Ella the Britains perceiuing that he with his Saxons still inlarged the bounds of his lordship by entring further into the land assembled themselues togither vnder their kings and rulers and gaue battell to Ella and his sonnes at Mecredesbourne where they departed with doubtfull victorie the armies on both sides being sore diminished and so returned to their homes Ella after this battell sent into his countrie for more aid But now touching Hengist who as ye haue heard reigned as king in the prouince of Kent the writers of the Wnglish kings varie somewhat from the British histories both in report of the battels by him fought against the Britains and also for the maner of his death as thus After that Uortimer was dead who departed this life as some write in the first yéere of the emperor Leo surnamed the great and first of that name that gouerned the empire who began to rule in the yéere of our Lord 457 we find that Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca gathered their people togither that were before sparkled and hauing also receiued new aid out of Germanie fought with the Britans at a place called Crekenford where were slaine of the Britains foure dukes or capteins and foure thousand of other men the residue were chased by Hengist out of Kent vnto London so that they neuer returned afterwards againe into Kent thus the kingdome of Kent began vnder Hengist the twelfe yéere after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine and Hengist reigned in Kent after this as the same writers agree foure and twentie yéeres It is remembred that those Germans which latelie were come ouer to the aid of Hengist being chosen men mightie and strong of bodie with their axes and swoords made great slaughter of the Britains in that battell at Crekenford or Creiford which Britains were ranged in foure battels vnder their aforesaid foure dukes or capteins and were as before is mentioned slaine in the same battell About the sixt yéere of the said emperor Leo which was in the 17 yéere after the comming of the Saxons Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca fought at Wipets field in Kent néere to a place called Tong with the Britains and slue of them twelue dukes or capteins on the part of the Saxons was slaine beside common souldiers but onelie one capteine called Wipet of whom the place after that daie tooke name This victorie was nothing plesant to the Saxons by reason of the great losse which they susteined as well by the death of the said Wipet as of a great number of others and so of a long time neither did the Saxons enter into the confines of the Britains nor the Britains presumed to come into Kent But whilest outward wars ceassed among the Britains they exercised ciuill battell falling togither by the eares among themselues one striuing against another Finallie Hengist departed this life by course of nature in the 39 yéere after his first comming into Britaine hauing procéeded in his businesse no lesse with craft and guile than with force and strength following therewith his natiue crueltie so that he rather did all things with rigour than with gentlenesse
life in whose place one Adelbert succéeded About the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons the Northumbers hauing to their capteine two noble men Osbald and Ethelherard burned one of their iudges named Bearne bicause he was more cruell in iudgement as they tooke the matter than reason required In which vengeance executed vpon the cruell iudge if he were so seuere as this attempt of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect all such of his liuerie calling are taught lenitie mildnes wherwith they should leuen the rigor of the lawe For capit indulgentia mentes Asperitas odium saeuáeque bella mouet Odimus accipitrem quia viuit semper in armis Et pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos At caret insidijs hominum quia mitis hirundo est Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet At the same time one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled and when the same Alfwald had reigned 10 or as some say 11 yéeres he was traitorouslie and without all guilt made away the chéefe conspirator was named Siga The same Alfwald was a iust prince and woorthilie gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation He was murthered by his owne people as before ye haue heard the 23 of September in the yéere of our Lord 788 and was buried at Hexham In the yéere 792 Charles king of France sent a booke into Britaine which was sent vnto him from Constantinople conteining certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod wherein were present aboue the number of thrée hundred bishops quite contrarie and disagréeing from the true faith namelie in this that images ought to be worshipped which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth Against this booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holie scripture which treatise with the booke in name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine he presented vnto the king of France ¶ In the yéere 800 on Christmasse éeuen chanced a maruellous tempest of wind which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in diuerse places and trees in great number beside other harmes which it did as by death of cattell c. Int the yeere following a great part of London was consumed by fire Britricus K. of the Westsaxons his inclination Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land why crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen what they did prognosticate the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts and the cause of their comming firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga hir ill qualities why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes the miserable end of Ethelburga Kenulfe king of Mercia his vertues he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield he inuadeth Kent taketh the king prisoner in the field and bountifullie setteth him at libertie the great ioy of the people therevpon his rare liberalitie to churchmen his death and buriall The seuenth Chapter AFter Kenwulfe Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of Westsaxons and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787 which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constantinus and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots This Brightrike was descended of the line of Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons the 16 in number from him He was a man of nature quiet temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succéeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled that euerie one as he grew in greatest power stroue to be king and supreame gouernour But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted that place as he that was of the bloud roiall and a man of great power and lustie courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie banished him the land and appointed him to go into France Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should aduance him in time obeied the kings pleasure About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne there fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortlie after in the yeere insuing there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth to apprehend those that were come on land howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them he was slaine but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the countries about began to assemble and were comming against them they fled to their ships and left their prey and spoile behind them for that time These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land being onelie sent as was perceiued after to view the countrie and coasts of the same to vnderstand how with a greater power they might be able to inuade it as shortlie after they did and warred so with the Englishmen that they got a great part of the land and held it in their owne possession In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng which betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed First a great dearth and famine and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes which shortlie followed as ye shall heare Finallie after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some write that he was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia as before ye haue heard and he maried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman proud and high-minded as Lucifer and therewith disdainfull She bare hir the more statelie by reason of hir fathers great fame and magnificence whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband and so put them in danger of their liues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour she would not sticke to poison them It happened one day as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman against whome she had a quarell the king chanced to tast of that cup and died thereof as before ye haue heard Hir purpose indeed was not to haue poisoned the king but onelie the yoong gentleman the which drinking after the king died also the poison was so strong and vehement For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes nor permit them to sit with them in open places
or other of the stars vnto his person to the end his name might neuer weare out of memorie And this they called their translation in heauen so that he which had any starres or forme of starres dedicated vnto him was properlie said to haue a seat among the gods A toie much like to the catalog of Romish saints although the one was written in the celestiall or immateriall orbes the other in sheeps skins and verie brickle paper but yet so estéemed that euerie prince would oft hazard and attempt the vttermost aduentures thereby to win such fame in his life that after his death he might by merit haue such place in heauen among the shining starres Howbeit euerie of those that were called gods could not obteine that benefit for then should there not haue béene stars enow in heauen to haue serued all their turnes wherfore another place was in time imagined where they reigned that were of a second calling as the Semones who were gods by grace and fauour of the people Semones dici voluerunt saith Fulgentius In vocibus antiquis quos coelo nec dignos ascriberent ob meriti paupertatem sicut Priapus Hyppo Vortumnus c. nec terrenos eos deputare vellent per gratiae venerationem as also a third place that is to say an earth where those gods dwelled which were noble men officers good gouernours and lawgiuers to the people and yet not thought worthie to be of the second or first companie which was a iollie diuision Thus we sée in generall maner how idolatrie honoring of the starres and brood of inferiour gods were hatched at the first which follies in processe of time came also into Britaine as did the names of Saturne Iupiter c as shall appeare hereafter And here sith I haue alreadie somewhat digressed from my matter I will go yet a little farder and shew foorth the originall vse of the word Saturne Iupiter Hercules c whereby your Honor shall sée a little more into the errours of the Gentils and not onelie that but one point also of the root of all the confusion that is to be found among the ancient histories Certes it was vsed for a few yéeres after the partition of the earth which was made by Noah in the 133. yeere after the floud that the beginners of such kingdoms as were then erected should be called Saturni whereby it came to passe that Nimbrote was the Saturne of Babylon Cham of Aegypt and so foorth other of sundrie other countries Their eldest sonnes also that succeeded them were called Ioues and their nephewes or sonnes sonnes which reigned in the third place Hercules by which meanes it followed that euerie kingdome had a Saturne Iupiter and Hercules of hir owne and not from anie other In like sort they had such another order among their daughters whom they married as yet commonlie vnto their brethren God himselfe permitting the same vnto them for a time as before the floud to the end the earth might be thoroughlie replenished and the sooner furnished with inhabitants in euerie part thereof The sister therefore and wife of euerie Saturne was called Rhea but of Iupiter Iuno Isis or Io. Beyond these also there was no latter Harold that would indeuour to deriue the petigree of any prince or potentate but supposed his dutie to be sufficientlie performed when he had brought it orderlie vnto some Saturne or other wherat he might cease and shut vp all his trauell They had likewise this opinion grounded amongst them that heauen earth were onlie parents vnto Saturne and Rhea not knowing out of doubt what they themselues did meane sith these denominations Heauen Ogyges the Sunne Pater Deorum and such like were onelie ascribed vnto Noah as Terra the Earth Vesta Aretia the Moone Mater deorum and other the like were vnto Tydea his wife So that hereby we sée how Saturne is reputed in euerie nation for their oldest god or first prince Iupiter for the next and Hercules for the third And therfore sith these names were dispersed in the beginning ouer all it is no maruell that there is such confusion in ancient histories and the dooings of one of them so mixed with those of another that it is now impossible to distinguish them in sunder This haue I spoken to the end that all men may see what gods the Pagans honored thereby what religion the posteritie of Cham did bring ouer into Britaine For vntill their comming it is not likelie that anie grosse idolatrie or superstition did enter in among vs as deifieng of mortall men honoring of the starres and erection of huge images beside sorcerie witchcraft and such like whereof the Chemminites are worthilie called the autors Neither were these errors anie thing amended by the comming in of Brute who no doubt added such deuises vnto the same as he and his companie had learned before in Graecia from whence also he brought Helenus the sonne of Priamus a man of excéeding age made him his préest and bishop thorough out the new conquest that he had atchieued in Britaine After Brute idolatrie and superstition still increased more and more among vs insomuch that beside the Druiysh and Bardike ceremonies and those also that came in with Albion and Brute himselfe our countriemen either brought hither from abroad or dailie inuented at home new religion and rites whereby it came to passe that in the stead of the onelie and immortall God of whome Samothes and his posteritie did preach in times past now they honored the said Samothes himselfe vnder the name of Dis and Saturne also Iupiter Mars Minerua Mercurie Apollo Diana and finallie Hercules vnto whome they dedicated the gates and porches of their temples entrances into their regions cities townes and houses with their limits and bounds as the papists did the gates of their cities and ports vnto Botulph Giles bicause fortitude and wisedome are the cheefe vpholders and bearers vp of common-wealths and kingdoms both which they ascribed to Hercules forgetting God and diuers other idols whose names I now remember not In lieu moreouer of sheepe and oxen they offred mankind also vnto some of them killing their offendors prisoners and oft such strangers as came from farre vnto them by shutting vp great numbers of them togither in huge images made of wicker réed haie or other light matter and then setting all on fire togither they not onelie consumed the miserable creatures of ashes sometimes adding other beasts vnto them but also reputed it to be the most acceptable sacrifice that could be made vnto their idols From whence they had this horrible custome trulie I cannot tell but that it was common to most nations not onlie to consume their strangers captiues but also their owne children with fire in such maner of sacrifice beside the text of the Bible the prophane histories doo generallie leaue
excuses to auoid so manifest a title all men may see that read their bookes indifferentlie wherevnto I referre them For my part there is little or nothing of mine herein more than onelie the collection and abridgement of a number of fragments togither wherein chéeflie I haue vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier who wrote thereof of set purpose to king Edward the sixt as Leland did the like to king Henrie the eight Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth beside thrée other whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth the second to Edward the third and the third to Edward the first as their writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse The title also that Leland giueth his booke which I haue had written with his owne hand beginneth in this maner These remembrances following are found in chronicles authorised remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England and Scotland by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed that the kings of England haue had and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer all Scotland with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning from time to time c. Herevnto you haue heard alreadie what diuision Brute made of this Iland not long before his death wherof ech of his children so soone as he was interred tooke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers reuenged his death and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania seized it into his owne hands as excheated wholie vnto himselfe without yéelding anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber who made no claime nor title vnto anie portion of the same Hereby then saith Adams it euidentlie appeareth that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example like law among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit of the collaterall ascension from the youngest as well in Scotland as in England vnto this daie Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to saie the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine builded in Albania the castell of Maidens now called Edenborough so called of Aldan somtime king of Scotland but at the first named Cair Minid Agnes 1. the castell on mount Agnes and the castell of virgins and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seized This Ebranke reigned in the said state ouer them a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of Britaine descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes Morgan and Conedage lineall heires from the said Ebranke who brotherlie at the first diuided the realme betwéen them so that Morgan had Lhoegres and Conedage had Albania But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother pondering in his head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome excluded nature and gaue place to ambition and therevpon denouncing warre death miserablie ended his life as the reward of his vntruth whereby Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine in which state he remained during his naturall life From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill and after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex This Porrex requiring like diuision of the land affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor was by the hands of his elder brother best loued of queene mother both of his life and hoped kingdome beereaâ—ed at once Wherevpon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne without regard of the loosing of both miserablie slue the other in his bed mistrusting no such treason Cloten by all writers as well Scotish as other was the next inheritour to the whole empire but lacking power the onelie meane in those daies to obteine right he was contented to diuide the same among foure of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death of this Cloten his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure kings and at last overcame them and so recouered the whole dominion In token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the verie first of that mettall if anie at all were before in vse that was worne among the kings of this nation This Dunwallo erected temples wherein the people should assemble for praier to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie He made the law for wager of battell in cases of murder and felonie whereby a théefe that liued and made his art of fighting should for his purgation fight with the true man whom he had robbed beléeuing assuredlie that the gods for then they supposed manie would by miracle assigne victorie to none but the innocent partie Certes the priuileges of this law and benefit of the latter as well in Scotland as in England be inioied to this daie few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted wherin the benefit of wager of battell is restreined By which obedience to his lawes it dooth manifestlie appéere that this Dunwallo was then seized of Albania now called Scotland This Dunwallo reigned in this estate ouer them manie yeares Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo did after their fathers death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them so that Beline had Lhoegres Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and lord aduentured to marrie with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seized Albania into his owne hands and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands which for the length extended from the further part of Cornewall vnto the sea by north Cathnesse in Scotland In like sort to and for the better maintenance of religion in those daies he constituted ministers called archflamines in sundrie places of this Iland who in their seuerall functions resembled the bishops of our times the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and the whole region Caerbrantonica whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania wherby likewise appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion After his death the whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine vntill the time of Uigenius Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline who fauourablie made partition so that Uigenius had all the land from Humber by south and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania c. This Uigenius died and Peridurus suruiued and thereby obteined the whole from whom the same quietlie descended and was by his posteritie accordinglie inioied vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name In his time an obscure nation by most
I thinke good to giue this briefe admonition For although I haue not presentlie gone thorough with them all yet these may suffice to giue notice of this thing wherof most readers as I persuade my selfe are ignorant But to procéed with our purpose Ouer ech of these shires in time of necessitie is a seuerall lieutenant chosen vnder the prince who being a noble man of calling hath almost regall authoritie ouer the same for the time being in manie cases which doo concerne his office otherwise it is gouerned by a shiriffe a word deriued of Schire and Greue and pronounced as Shire and Reue whose office is to gather vp and bring his accounts into the excheker of the profits of his countie receiued whereof he is or may be called Quaestor comitatus or Prouinciae This officer is resident and dwelling somewhere within the same countie and called also a vicount Quasi vicarius comitis or Procomes in respect of the earle or as they called him in time past the alderman that beareth his name of the countie although it be seldome séene in England that the earle hath anie great store of possessions or oughts to doo in the shire whereof he taketh his name more than is allowed to him through his personall resiance if he happen to dwell and be resident in the same In the election also of these magistrates diuerse able persons aswell for wealth as wisedome are named by the commons at a time and place appointed for their choise whose names being deliuered to the prince he foorthwith pricketh some such one of them as he pleaseth to assigne vnto that office to whome he committeth the charge of the countie and who herevpon is shiriffe of that shire for one whole yeare or vntill a new be chosen The shiriffe also hath his vnder shiriffe that ruleth holdeth the shire courts and law daies vnder him vpon sufficient caution vnto the high shiriffe for his true execution of iustice preseruation from impeachment and yéelding of accompt when he shall be therevnto called There are likewise vnder him certeine bailiffes whose office is to serue and returne such writs and processes as are directed vnto them from the high shiriffe to make seisure of the goods and cattels and arrest the bodies of such as doo offend presenting either their persons vnto him or at the leastwise taking sufficient bond or other assurance of them for their dutifull appearance at an appointed time when the shiriffe by order of law ought to present them to the iudges according to his charge In euerie hundred also are one or more high constables according to the quantitie thereof who receiuing the writs and iniunctions from the high shiriffe vnder his seale or from anie other officers of the prince either for the prouision of vittels or for other causes or priuat purueiance of cates for the maintenance of the roiall familie doo forthwith charge the petie constables of euerie towne within their limits with the execution of the same In each countie likewise are sundrie law daies holden at their appointed seasons of which some retaine the old Saxon name and are called Motelagh of the word motes and law They haue also an other called the shiriffes turne which they hold twise in their times in euerie hundred according to the old order appointed by king Edgar as king Edward reduced the folkmote ordeined by king Arthur to be held yearelie on the first of Maie vntill the first of euerie moneth and in these two latter such small matters as oft arise amongst the inferior sort of people are heard and well determined They haue finallie their quarter sessions wherein they are assisted by the iustices and gentlemen of the countrie twise in the yeare gaile deliuerie at which time the iudges ride about in their circuits into euerie seuerall countie where the nobilitie and gentlemen with the iustices there resiant associat them minister the lawes of the realme with great solemnitie iustice Howbeit in dooing of these things they reteine still the old order of the land in vse before the conquest For they commit the full examination of all causes there to be heard to the consideration of twelue sober graue and wise men chosen out of the same countie and foure of them of necessitie out of the hundred where the action lieth or the defendant inhabiteth which number they call an inquest of these inquests there are more or lesse impanneled at euerie assise as the number of cases there to be handled dooth craue and require albeit that some one inquest hath often diuerse matters to consider of And when they haue to their vttermost power consulted and debated of such things as they are charged withall they returne againe to the place of iustice with their verdict in writing according wherevnto the iudge dooth pronounce his sentence be it for life or death or anie other matter what soeuer is brought before him It is also verie often séene that such as are nominated to be of these inquests doo after their charge receiued seldome or neuer eat or drinke vntill they haue agréed vpon their verdict and yeelded it vp vnto the iudge of whome they receiued the charge by meanes whereof sometimes it commeth to passe that diuerse of the inquest haue béene welneere famished or at least taken such a sickenesse thereby as they haue hardlie auoided And this commeth by practise when the one side feareth the sequele and therefore conueieth some one or more into the iurie that will in his behalfe neuer yéeld vnto the rest but of set purpose put them to this trouble Certes it is a common practise if the vnder shiriffe be not the better man for the craftier or stronger side to procure and packe such a quest as he himselfe shall like of whereby he is sure of the issue before the charge be giuen and beside this if the matter doo iustlie procéed against him it is a world to sée now and then how the honest yeomen that haue Bona fide discharged their consciences shall be sued of an atteinct bound to appéere at the Starre chamber with what rigor they shall be caried from place to place countie to countie yea and sometime in carts which hath and dooth cause a great number of them to absteine from the assises yeeld to paie their issues rather than they would for their good meaning be thus disturbed dealt withall Sometimes also they bribe the bailiffes to be kept at home whervpon poore men not hauing in their pursses wherewith to beare their costes are impanelled vpon iuries who verie often haue neither reason nor iudgement to performe the charge they come for Neither was this kind of seruice at anie time halfe so painefull as at this present for vntill of late yeares that the number of lawiers and atturneies hath so exceedinglie increased that some shifts must néeds be found and matters sought out
iustices of peace to assigne so that the taxation excéed not twentie shillings as I haue béene informed And thus much of the poore such prouision as is appointed for them within the realme of England Of sundrie kinds of punishments appointed for malefactors Chap. 11. IN cases of felonie manslaghter roberie murther rape piracie such capitall crimes as are not reputed for treason or hurt of the estate our sentence pronounced vpon the offendor is to hang till he be dead For of other punishments vsed in other countries we haue no knowledge or vse and yet so few gréeuous crimes committed with vs as else where in the world To vse torment also or question by paine and torture in these common cases with vs is greatlie abhorred sith we are found alwaie to be such as despise death and yet abhorre to be tormented choosing rather frankelie to open our minds than to yeeld our bodies vnto such seruile halings and tearings as are vsed in other countries And this is one cause wherefore our condemned persons doo go so chéerefullie to their deths for our nation is frée stout hautie prodigall of life and bloud as six Thomas Smith saith lib. 2. cap. 25. de republica and therefore cannot in anie wise digest to be vsed as villanes and slaues in suffering continuallie beating seruitude and seruile torments No our gailers are guiltie of fellonie by an old law of the land if they torment anie prisoner committed to their custodie for the reuealing of his complices The greatest and most gréeuous punishment vsed in England for such as offend against the state is drawing from the prison to the place of execution vpon an hardle or sled where they are hanged till they be halfe dead and then taken downe and quartered aliue after that their members and bowels are cut from their bodies and throwne into a fire prouided neere hand and within their owne sight euen for the same purpose Sometimes if the trespasse be not the more hainous they are suffered to hang till they be quite dead And when soeuer anie of the nobilitie are conuicted of high treason by their peeres that is to saie equals for an inquest of yeomen passeth not vpon them but onelie of the lords of the parlement this maner of their death is conuerted into the losse of their heads onelie notwithstanding that the sentence doo run after the former order In triall of cases concerning treason fellonie or anie other greeuous crime not confessed the partie accused dooth yéeld if he be a noble man to be tried by an inquest as I haue said and his péeres if a gentleman by gentlemen and an inferiour by God and by the countrie to wit the yeomanrie for combat or battell is not greatlie in vse and being condemned of fellonie manslaughter c he is eftsoons hanged by the necke till he be dead and then cut downe and buried But if he be conuicted of wilfull murther doone either vpon pretended malice or in anie notable robberie he is either hanged aliue in chaines néere the place where the fact was committed or else vpon compassion taken first strangled with a rope and so continueth till his bones consume to nothing We haue vse neither of the whéele nor of the barre as in other countries but when wilfull manslaughter is perpetrated beside hanging the offendor hath his right hand commonlie striken off before or néere vnto the place where the act was doone after which he is led foorth to the place of execution and there put to death according to the law The word fellon is deriued of the Saxon words Fell and One that is to say an euill and wicked one a one of vntamable nature and lewdnesse not to be suffered for feare of euill example and the corruption of others In like sort in the word fellonie are manie gréeuous crimes conteined as breach of prison An. 1 of Edward the second Dissigurers of the princes liege people An. 5. of Henrie the fourth Hunting by night with painted faces and visors An. 1. of Henrie the seuenth Rape or stealing of women maidens An. 3. of Henrie the eight Conspiracie against the person of the prince An. 3. of Henrie the seuenth Embesilling of goods committed by the master to the seruant aboue the value of fourtie shillings An. 17. of Henrie the eight Carieng of horsses or mares into Scotland An. 23. of Henrie the eight Sodomie and buggerie An. 25. of Henrie the eight Stealing of hawkes egs An. 31. of Henrie the eight Coniuring sorcerie witchcraft and digging vp of crosses An. 33. of Hen. 8. Prophesieng vpon armes cognisances names badges An. 33. of Hen. 8. Casting of slanderous bils An. 37. Hen. 8. Wilfull killing by poison An. 1. of Edw. the sixt Departure of a soldier from the field An. 2. of Edward the sixt Diminution of coine all offenses within case of premunire embeselling of records goods taken from dead men by their seruants stealing of what soeuer cattell robbing by the high waie vpon the sea or of dwelling houses letting out of ponds cutting of pursses stealing of déere by night counterfeitors of coine euidences charters and writings diuerse other needlesse to be remembred If a woman poison hir husband she is burned aliue if the seruant kill his master he is to be executed for petie treason he that poisoneth a man is to be boiled to death in water or lead although the partie die not of the practise in cases of murther all the accessaries are to suffer paines of death accordinglie Periurie is punished by the pillorie burning in the forehead with the letter P the rewalting of the trées growing vpon the grounds of the offendors and losse of all his mooueables Manie trespasses also are punished by the cutting of one or both cares from the head of the offendor as the vtterance of seditious words against the magistrates fraimakers petie robbers c. Roges are burned through the eares cariers of sheepe out of the land by the losse of their hands such as kill by poison are either boiled or skalded to death in lead or séething water Heretikes are burned quicke harlots and their mates by carting ducking and dooing of open penance in shéets in churches and market stéeds are often put to rebuke Howbeit as this is counted with some either as no punishment at all to speake of or but smallie regarded of the offendors so I would wish adulterie and fornication to haue some sharper law For what great smart is it to be turned out of an hot shéet into a cold or after a little washing in the water to be let lose againe vnto their former trades Howbeit the dragging of some of them ouer the Thames betwéene Lambeth and Westminster at the taile of a boat is a punishment that most terrifieth them which are condemned therto but this is inflicted vpon them by none other than the knight marshall and that within the compasse of his iurisdiction limits onelie Canutus was the first
deserued better of their successours by leauing the description thereof in a booke by it selfe sith manie particulars thereof were written to their hands that now are lost and perished Tacitus in the foureteenth booke of his historie maketh mention of it shewing that in the rebellion of the Britons the Romans there were miserablie distressed Eadeth clades saith he municipio Verolamio fuit And herevpon Nennius in his catalog of cities casteth it Cair municip as I before haue noted Ptolonie speaking of it dooth place it among the Catyeâ—chlanes but Antoâ—â—nus maketh it one end twentie Italian miles from London placing Sullomaca nine mile from thence whereby it is euident that Sullomaca stood neere to Barnet if it were not the verie same Of the old compasse of the walles of Verolamlum there is now small knowledge to be had by the ruines but of the beautie of the citie it selfe you shall partlie vnderstand by that which followeth at hand after I haue told you for your better intelligence what Municipium Romanorum is for there is great difference betweene that and Colonia Romanorum sith Colonia alio traducitur a ciuitate Roma but Municipes aliundè in ciuitatem veniunt suisque iuribus legibus viuuni moreouer their soile is not changed into the nature of the Romane but they liue in the stedfast fréendship and protection of the Romans as did somtime the Ceretes who were the first people which euer obteined that priuilege The British Verolamians therefore hauing for their noble seruice in the warres deserued great commendations at the hands of the Romans they gaue vnto them the whole fréedome of Romans whereby they were made Municipes and became more frée in truth than their Colonies could be To conclude therefore Municipium is a citie in franchised and indued with Romane priuileges without anie alteration of hir former inhabitants or priuileges whereas a Colonie is a companie sent from Rome into anie other region or prouince to possesse either a citie newlie builded or to replenish the same from whence hir former citizens haue beene expelled and driuen out Now to proceed In the time of king Edgar it fell out that one Eldred was abbat there who being desirous to inlarge that house it came into his mind to search about in the ruines of Verolamium which now was ouerthrowne by the furie of the Saxons Danes to sée if he might there come by anie curious peeces of worke wherewith to garnish his building taken in hand To be short he had no sooner begun to dig among the rubbis but he found an excéeding number of pillers péeces of antike worke thresholds doore frames and sundrie other peeces of fine masonrie for windowes and such like verie conuenient for his purpose Of these also some were of porphyrite stone some of diuerse kinds of marble touch and alabaster beside manie curious deuises of hard mettall in finding whereof he thought himselfe an happie man and his successe to be greatlie guided by S. Albane Besides these also he found sundrie pillers of brasse and sockets of latton alabaster and touch all which he laid aside by great heaps determining in the end I saie to laie the foundation of a new abbaie but God so preuented his determination that death tooke him awaie before his building was begun After him succéeded one Eadmeerus who followed the dooings of Eldred to the vttermost and therefore not onlie perused what he had left with great diligence but also caused his pioners to search yet further within the old walles of Verolamium where they not onelie found infinite other péeces of excellent workemanship but came at the last to certeine vaults vnder the ground in which stood diuers idols and not a few altars verie superstitiouslie and religiouslie adorned as the pagans left them belike in time of necessitie These images were of sundrie mettals and some of pure gold their altars likewise were richlie couered all which ornaments Edmerus tooke awaie and not onelie conuerted them to other vse in his building but also destroied an innumerable sort of other idols whose estimation consisted in their formes and substances could doo no seruice He tooke vp also sundrie curious pots iugs and cruses of stone and wood most artificiallie wrought and carued and that in such quantitie besides infinite store of fine houshold stuffe as if the whole furniture of the citie had beene brought thither of purpose to be hidden in those vaults In proceeding further he tooke vp diuerse pots of gold siluer brasse glasse and earth whereof some were filled with the ashes and bones of the gentils the mouths being turned downewards the like of which but of finer earth were found in great numbers also of late in a well at little Massingham in Norffolke of six or eight gallons a péece about the yeare 1578 and also in the time of Henrie the eight and not a few with the coines of the old Britons and Romane emperours All which vessels the said abbat brake into péeces and melting the mettall he reserued it in like sort for the garnishing of his church He found likewise in a stone wall two old bookes whereof one conteined the rites of the gentils about the sacrifices of their gods the other as they now saie the martyrdome of saint Albane both of them written in old Brittish letters which either bicause no man then liuing could read them or for that they were not woorth the keeping were both consumed to ashes sauing that a few notes were first taken out of this later concerning the death of their Albane Thus much haue I thought good to note of the former beautie of Verolamium whereof infinite other tokens haue beene found since that time and diuerse within the memorie of man of passing workemanship the like whereof hath no wher 's else béene séene in anie ruines within the compasse of this I le either for cost or quantitie of stuffe Furthermore whereas manie are not afraid to saie that the Thames came sometimes by this citie indeed it is nothing so but that the Uerlume afterward called Uere and the Mure did and dooth so still whatsoeuer Gildas talketh hereof whose books may be corrupted in that behalfe there is yet euident proofe to be confirmed by experience For albeit that the riuer be now growne to be verie small by reason of the ground about it which is higher than it was in old time yet it kéepeth in maner the old course and runneth betwéene the old citie that was and the new towne that is standing on Holmehirst crag as I beheld of late Those places also which now are medow beneath the abbaie were sometimes a great lake mere or poole through which the said riuer ran and as I read with a verie swift and violent course wheras at this present it is verie slow and of no such deapth as of ancient times it hath beene But heare what mine author saith further of the same As those aforsaid workemen digged in these ruines
report that he builded thrée temples one to Mars at Perth in Scotland another to Mercurie at Bangor and the third to Apollo in Cornewall Of Riuallus Gurgustius Sysillius Iago and Kinimacus rulers of Britaine by succession and of the accidents coincident with their times The seuenth Chapter RIuallus the sonne of Cunedag began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3203 before the building of Rome 15 Ioathan as then being king of Iuda and Phacea king of Israel This Riuall gouerned the Iland in great welth and prosperitie In his time it rained bloud by the space of thrée daies togither after which raine ensued such an excéeding number and multitude of flies so noisome and contagious that much people died by reason thereof When he had reigned 46 yeares he died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke In the time of this Riuals reigne was the citie of Rome builded after concordance of most part of writers Perdix also a wizard and a learned astrologian florished and writ his prophesies and Herene also GUrgustius the son of the before named Riuall began to gouerne the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3249 and after the first foundation of Rome 33 Ezechias reigning in Iuda This Gurgustius in the chronicle of England is called Gorbodian the sonne of Reignold he reigned 37 yeares then departing this life was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke by his father SYsillius or after some writers Syluius the brother of Gurgustius was chosen to haue the gouernance of Britaine in the yere of the world 3287 and after the building of Rome 71 Manasses still reigning in Iuda This Sysillius in the English chronicle is named Secill He reigned 49 yeares and then died and was buried at Carbadon now called Bath IAgo or Lago the cousin of Gurgustius as next inheritor to Sysillius tooke vpon him the gouernement of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3336 and after the building of Rome 120 in whose time the citie of Ierusalem was taken by Nabuchodonozar and the king of Iuda Mathania otherwise called Zedechias being slaine This Iago or Lago died without issue when he had reigned 28 yeares and was buried at Yorke KInimacus or Kinmarus the sonne of Sysillius as some write or rather the brother of Iago began to gouerne the land of Britain in the yere of the world 3364 and after the building of Rome 148 the Iewes as then being in the third yeare of their captiuitie of Babylon This Kinimacus departed this life after he had reigned 54 yeares and was buried at Yorke Of Gorbodug and his two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex one brother killeth another the mother slaieth hir sonne and how Britaine by ciuill warres for lacke of issue legitimate to the gouernment of a monarchie became a pentarchie the end of Brutes line The eight Chapter GOrbodug the sonne of Kinimacus began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yeare after the creation of the world 3418 from the building of the citie of Rome 202 the 58 of the Iews captiuitie at Babylon This Gorbodug by most likelihood to bring histories to accord should reigne about the tearme of 62 yeares and then departing this world was buried at London leauing after him two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex or after some writers Ferreus and Porreus FErrex with Porrex his brother began iointlie to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3476 after the building of Rome 260 at which time the people of Rome forsooke their citie in their rebellious mood These two brethren continued for a time in good friendship and amitie till at length through couetousnesse and desire of greater dominion prouoked by flatterers they fell at variance and discord whereby Ferrex was constreined to flée into Gallia and there purchased aid of a great duke called Gunhardus or Suardus and so returned into Britaine thinking to preuaile and obteine the dominion of the whole Iland But his brother Porrex was readie to receiue him with battell after he was landed in the which battell Ferrex was slaine with the more part of his people The English chronicle saith that Porrex was he that fled into France at his returne was slaine and that Ferrex suruiued But Geffrey of Monmouth Polychronicon are of a contrarie opinion Matthew Westmonasteriensis writeth that Porrex deuising waies to kill Ferrex atchiued his purpose and slue him But whether of them so euer suruiued the mother of them was so highlie offended for the death of him that was slaine whom the most intierlie loued that setting apart all motherlie affection she found the meanes to enter the chamber 〈◊〉 him that suruiued in the night season and as he slept the with the helpe of his maidens slue him and cut him into small péeces as the writers doo affirme Such was the end of these two brethren after they had reigned by the space of foure to fiue yeares After this followed a troublous season full of cruell warre and seditious discord wherby and in the end 〈◊〉 for the space of fiftie yeares the monarchie or sole gouernement of the Iland became 〈…〉 that is it was diuided betwixt fiue kings or rulers till Dunwallon of Cornewall ouercame them all Thus the line of Brute according to the report of most writers tooke an end for after the death of the two foresaid brethren no rightfull inheritor was left aliue to succéed them in the kingdome The names of these fiue kings are found in certeine old pedegrées and although the same be much corrupted in diuers copies yet these vnder named are the most agréeable But of these fiue kings or dukes the English chronicle alloweth Cloton king of Cornewall for most rightfull heires There appeareth noâ— any 〈◊〉 certeine by report of ancient author how long this variance continue 〈◊〉 amongst the Britains 〈◊〉 but as some say it lasted for the space of 51 yeres coniectyring so much by 〈…〉 recorded in Polychron who saith 〈…〉 till the beginning of the reigne of Dunwallon Mulmucius who began to gouerne 〈◊〉 the time that Brute first entred Britaine about the space of 703 thrée yeares ¶ Here ye must note that there is difference amongst writers about the suppâ—tation and account of these yeares Insomuch that some making their reckoning after certeine writers and finding the same to varie aboue thrée C. yeares are brought into further doubt of the truth at the whole historie but whereas other haue by â—aligent search tried out the continuance of euerie gouernors reigne and reduced the same to a likelihood of some conformitie I haue thought best to follow the same leauing the credit thereof with the first authors The pentarchie 1 Rudacus 2 Clotenus 3 Pinnor 4 Staterus 5 Yewan king of Wales Cornewall Loegria Albania Northumberland The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Historie of England Of Mulmucius the first king of Britaine who was crowned with
the warres which he had against the Saxons varieth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth as by his words here following ye maie perceiue Guortimer the sonne of Uortimer saith he thinking not good long to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and his countriemen the Britains preuented by the craft of the English Saxons set his full purpose to driue them out of the realme and kindled his father to the like attempt He therefore being the author and procurer seuen yeares after their first comming into this land the league was broken and by the space of 20 yeares they fought oftentimes togither in manie light incounters but foure times they fought puissance against puissance in open field in the first battell they departed with like fortune whilest the one part that is to meane the Saxons lost their capteine Horse that was brother to Hengist and the Britains lost Catigerne an other of Uortigerns sonnes In the other battels when the Englishmen went euer awaie with the vpper hand at length a peace was concluded Guortimer being taken out of this world by course of fatall death the which much differing from the soft and milde nature of his father right noblie would haue gouerned the realme if God had suffered him to haue liued But these battels which Uortimer gaue to the Saxons as before is mentioned should appeare by that which some writers haue recorded to haue chanced before the supposed time of Uortimers or Guortimers atteining to the crowne about the 6 or 7 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this realme with Hengist And hereto W. Harison giueth his consent referring the mutuall slaughter of Horsus and Catigerne to the 6 years of Martianus 455 of Christ. Howbeit Polydor Virgil saith that Uortimer succéeded his father and that after his fathers deceasse the English Saxons of whome there was a great number then in the I le comming ouer dailie like swarmes of bées and hauing in possession not onelie Kent but also the north parts of the realme towards Scotland togither with a great part of the west countrie thought it now a fit time to attempt the fortune of warre and first therefore concluding a league with the Scots and Picts vpon the sudden they turned their weapons points against the Britains and most cruellie pursued them as though they had receiued some great iniurie at their hands and no benefit at all The Britains were maruelouslie abashed herewith perceiuing that they should haue to doo with Hengist a capteine of so high renowme and also with their ancient enimies the Scots and Picts thus all at one time and that there was no remedie but either they must fight or else become slaues Wherefore at length dread of bondage stirred vp manhood in them so that they assembled togither and boldlie began to resist their enimies on ech side but being too weake they were easilie discomfited and put to flight so that all hope of defense by force of armes being vtterlie taken awaie as men in despaire to preuaile against their enimies they fled as shéepe scattered abroad some following one capteine and some another getting them into desart places woods and maresh grounds and moreouer left such townes and fortresses as were of no notable strength as a preie vnto their enimies Thus saith Polydor Virgil of the first breaking of the warres betwixt the Saxons and the Britains which chanced not as should appeare by that which he writeth thereof till after the death of Uortigerne Howbeit he denieth not that Hengist at his first comming got seates for him and his people within the countie of Kent and there began to inhabit This ought not to be forgotten that king Uortimer as Sigebertus hath written restored the christian religion after he had vanquished the Saxons in such places where the same was decaied by the enimies inuasion whose drift was not onelie to ouerrun the land with violence but also to erect their owne laws and liberties with out regard of clemencie Vortigerne is restored to his regiment in what place he abode during the time of his sonnes reigne Hengist with his Saxons re-enter the land the Saxons and Britains are appointed to meet on Salisburie plaine the priuie treason of Hengist and his power whereby the Britains were slaine like sheepe the manhood of Edol earle of Glocester Vortigerne i◠taken prisoner Hengist is in possession of three prouinces of this land a description of Kent The fift Chapter AFter all these bloudie broiles and tempestuous tumults ended Uortigerne was restored and set againe into the kingdome of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 471. All the time of his sonnes reigne he had remained in the parties now called Wales where as some write in that meane time he builded a strong castle called Generon or Guaneren in the west side of Wales nere to the riuer of Guana vpon a mounteine called Cloaricus which some referre to be builded in his second returne into Wales as shall be shewed hereafter And it is so much the more likelie for that an old chronicle which Fabian had sight of affirmeth that Uortigerne was kept vnder the rule of certeine gouernors to him appointed in the towne of Caerlegion and behaued himselfe in such commendable sort towards his sonne in aiding him with his counsell and otherwise in the meane season whilest his sonne reigned that the Britains by reason thereof began so to fauour him that after the death of Uortimer they made him king againe Shortlie after that Uortigerne was restored to the rule of the kingdom Hengist aduertised therof returned into the land with a mightie armie of Saxons whereof Uortigerne being admonished assembled his Britains and with all speed made towards him When Hengist had knowledge of the huge host of the Britains that was comming against him he required to come to a communication with Uortigerne which request was granted so that it was concluded that on Maie day a certeine number of Britains and as manie of the Saxons should meet togither vpon the plaine of Salisburie Hengist hauing deuised a new kind of treason when the day of their appointed méeting was come caused euerie one of his allowed number secretlie to put into his hose a long knife where it was ordeined that no man should bring anie weapon with him at all and that at the verie instant when this watchword should be vttered by him Nempt your sexes then should euerie of them plucke out his knife and slea the Britaine that chanced to be next to him except the same should be Uortigerne whom he willed to be apprehended but not slaine At the day assigned the king with his appointed number or traine of the Britains mistrusting nothing lesse than anie such maner of vnhaithfull dealing came vnto the place in order before prescribed without armor or weapon where he found Hengist readie with his Saxons the which receiued the king with amiable countenance
After him succéeded a sonne whom he left behind him who being attentiue rather to defend than to inlarge his kingdome neuer set foot out of his fathers bounds during the space of 24 yéeres in the which he reigned About thrée yéeres after the deceasse of Hengist a new supplie of men of warre came out of Germanie vnto the aid of Ella king of Sussex who hauing his power increased besieged the citie of Andredescester which was verie strong and well furnished with men and all things necessarie The Britains also assembling togither in companies greatlie annoied the Saxons as they lay there at â—â—ege laieng ambushes to destroie such as went abroad and ceassing not to giue alarums to the campe in the night season and the Saxons could no sooner prepare them selues to giue the assalt but the Britains were readie to assaile them on the backs till at length the Saxons diuiding themselues into two companies appointed the one to giue the assalt and the other to incounter with the armie of the Britains without and so finallie by that meanes preuailed tooke the citie and destroied man woman and child Neither so contented they did also vtterlie race the said citie so as it was neuer after that daie builded or readified againe The east Angles kingdome beginneth the arriuall of Cerdic and Kenric with fiue ships of warre in this land he putteth the Britains to flight the west Saxons kingdom begineth Vter Pendragon made king of Britaine the etymon of his name he taketh Occa and Osca the two sonnes of Hengist prisoners how Hector Boetius varieth from other chronographers in the relation of things concerning Pendragon he falleth in loue with the duke of Cornewalls wife killeth him and marieth hir Occa and Osca escape out of prison they freshlie assault the Britains they are both slaine in a foughten field the Saxons send and looke for aid out of Germanie Pendragon is poisoned The tenth Chapter MOreouer in the daies of the afore-named Aurelius Ambrosius about the yeare of our Lord 561 the kingdome of the east Angles began vnder a Saxon named Uffa This same kingdome conteined Northfolke and Suffolke hauing on the east and north parts the sea on the northwest Cambridgeshire and on the west saint Edmunds ditch with a part of Hertfordshire and on the southside lieth Essex At the first it was called Uffines dominion and the kings that reigned or the people the inhabited there ware at the first named Uffines but at length they were called east Angles FUrthermore about the yeare of our Lord 495 and in the eight yeare after that Hengist was dead one Cerdicus and his sonne Kenricus came out of Gerrmanie with fiue ships and landed at a place called Cerdicshore which as some thinke is called Yermouth in Northfolke He was at the first receiued with battell by the Britains but being an old skilfull warriour he easilie beate backe and repelled the inconstant multitude of his enimies and caused them to flée by which good successe he procured both vndoubted assurance to himselfe for the time to come and to the inhabitants good and perfect quietnes For they thinking good neuer after to prouoke him more by resistance submitted themselues to his pleasure but yet did not he then giue himselfe to slouthfull rest but rather extending his often atchiued victories on ech side in the 24 yeare after his comming into this land he obteined the rule of the west parts thereof and gouerned there as king so that the kingdome of the west Saxons began vnder the said Cerdicus in the 519 of Christ as after shall be shewed ¶ Thus ye maie sée that Aurelius Ambrosius did succéed Uortigerne and reigned in the time supposed by the British histories as before is alledged the land euen in his daies was full of trouble and the old inhabitants the Britains sore vexed by the Saxons that entred the same so that the Britains were dailie hampered and brought vnder subiection to the valiant Saxons or else driuen to remooue further off and to giue place to the victors But now to procéed with the succession of the British kings as in their histories we find them registred which I deliuer such as I find but not such as I doo wish being written with no such colour of credit as we maie safelie put foorth same for an vndoubted truth After that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Uter Pendragon whome some call Aurelius Uterius Ambrosianus was made king in the yeare of our Lord 500 in the seuenth yeare of the emperour Anastasius and in the sixtéenth yeare of Clodoueus king of the Frenchmen The cause why he was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merline the great prophet likened him to a dragons head that at the time of his natiuitie maruelouslie appeared in the firmament at the corner of a blasing star as is reported But others supposed he was so called of his wisedome and serpentine subiltie or for that he gaue the dragons head in his banner This Uter hearing that the Saxons with their capteins Occa or Otta the sonne of Hengist and his brother Osca had besieged the citie of Yorke hasted thither and giuing them battell discomfited their power and tooke the said Occa and Osca prisoners From this varieth Hector Boetius in his chronicle of Scotland writing of these dooing in Britaine for he affirmeth that the counterfeit moonke which poisoned Aurelius Ambrosius was suborned and sent to woorke that feat by Occa and not by his brother Pascentius and further that about the selfesame time of Aurelius his death his brother Uter Pendragon lay in Wales not as yet fullie recouered of a sore sicknesse wherewith of late he had béene much vexed Yet the lords of Britaine after the buriall of Aurelius Ambrosius came vnto him and crowned him king and though he was not able to go against the Saxons which as then by reason of Aurelius Ambrosius his death were verie busie and more earnest in pursuing the warre than before yet an armie was prepared and sent foorth with all conuenient spéed vnder the leading of one Nathaliod a man neither of anie great ancient house nor yet of skill in warlike affaires The noble men were nothing pleased herewith as misliking altogither the lacke of discretion in their new king doubted sore least in time to come he would haue more delight to aduance the men of base degrée than such as were descended of noble parentage Yet because they would not put the state of the common wealth in danger through anie mutinie they agréed to go foorth with him in that iournie Occa had aduertisement giuen him by certeine letters sent to him from some close friends amongest the Britains of the whole matter and therefore in hope of the better spéed he hasted foorth to incounter the Britains and so the whole armie comming within sight of the other they prepared to the battell and shortlie after buckling togither the Britains were soone
betwéene Tine and Tweed as in the Scotish chronicles may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Britains at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was present Hector Boetius affirmeth by authoritie of Vâ—remond that wrote the Scotish chronicles to haue chanced the second time of his comming ouer into this land where Beda auoucheth it to be at his first being heere Againe the same Boetius writeth that the same victorie chanced in the daies of Uter Pendragon Which can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touching the time of the death of the said Germane for where he departed this life before the yeare of our Lord 459 as aboue is said Uter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Uter began to reigne In déed some writers haue noted that the third battell which Uortimer fought against the Saxons was the same wherein S Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluia as before ye haue heard Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth and to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written touching the time of the being héere of the said Germane that the opinion of other which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Uter The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that gouerned Britaine about that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498 and ruled but seuen yeares and then succéeded Uter which reigned 18 yeares and departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521. ¶ Notwithstanding the premisses here is to be remembred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Uter had against the Saxons and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power in those old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we find no such matter but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares defending his kingdome onelie and not séeking to inlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth succéeded more resembling their father than their grandfather or great grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the chronicles but whether they reigned iointlie togither or seuerallie apart either after other it is not certeinlie perceiued Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth warre betweene Nazaleod king of the Britains and the Saxons the Britains are ouethrowen and slaine the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth the compasse or continent thereof the meanes whereby it was inlarged The eleuenth Chapter NOw will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first happened during the reigne of Uter Pendragon We find that one Porth a Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in Sussex about the beginning of the said Uters reigne and slue a noble yoong man of the Britains and manie other of the meaner sort with him Of this Porth the towne hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name as some haue thought Moreouer about 40 yeares after the comming of the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie king amongst the Britains assembled all the power he could make to fight with Certicus king of the West saxons who vnderstanding of the great power of his enimies required aid of Osca king of Kent also of Elle king of Sussex and of Porth and his sonnes which were latelie before arriued as ye haue heard Certicus being then furnished with a conuenient armie diuided the same into two battels reseruing the one to himselfe and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led was of more strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned he set first vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easilie ouercome the other Herevpon he gaue such a fierce charge vpon that wing that by verie force he opened the same and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side making great slaughter of them as they were scattered Which maner of dealing when Kenrike saw he made forward with all spéed to succour his father and rushing in amongst the Britains on their backs he brake their armie in péeces and slue their king Nazaleod and withall put his people to flight There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men and the residue escaped by fléeing as well as they might In the sixt yeare after this battell Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus came with three ships and landed at Certicesford and ouerthrew a number of Britains that came against them in order of battell and so by the comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins the part of Certicus became much stronger About the same time Elle king of the Southsaxons departed this life after whome succéeded his sonne Cissa of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of About the yeare of our Lord 519 and in the yeare after the comming of the Saxons 71 which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour Anastasius the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike at Certicesford where the capteins of the Britains stood to it manfullie but in the end they were discomfited and great slaughter was made there of them by the Saxons and greater had béene if the night comming on had not parted them and so manie were saued From that day forward Certicus was reputed taken for king of Westsaxons so began the same kingdome at that time which was as W. Harison noteth in the yéere of Christ 519 after the building of Rome 1270 of the world 4485 of the comming of the Saxons 70 of Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east the first and third of the renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire Summersetshire Barkeshire Dorsetshire and Cornewall hauing on the east Hamshire on the north the riuer of Thames and on the south and west the Ocean sea Howbeit at the first the kings of the Westsaxons had not so large dominions but they dailie wan ground vpon the Britains and so in the end by inlarging their confines they came to inioy all the foresaid countries and the whole at the last In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus he eftsoones sought with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid where great slaughter was made on both parts This Certicesford was in times past called Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains About this
where he should remaine for a time and then to returne againe and reigne in as great authoritie as euer he did before might well perceiue themselues deceiued in crediting so vaine a fable But yet where it might otherwise be doubted whether anie such Arthur was at all as the British histories mention bicause neither Gyldas nor Beda in their woorks speake anie thing of him it may appéere the circumstances considered that suerly such one there was of that name hardie and valiant in armes though not in diuerse points so famous as some writers paint him out William Malmesburie a writer of good credit and authoritie amongst the learned hath these woords in his first booke intituled De regibus Anglorum saieng But he being dead meaning Uortimer the force of the Britains waxed féeble their decaied hope went backward apace and euen then suerlie had they gon to destruction if Ambrosius who alone of the Romans remained yet aliue and was king after Uortigerne had not kept vnder and staied the loftie barbarous people that is to say the Saxons by the notable aid and assistance of the valiant Arthur This is the same Arthur of whom the trifling tales of the Britains euen to this day fantasticallie doo descant and report woonders but woorthie was he doubtlesse of whom feined fables should not haue so dreamed but rather that true histories might haue set foorth his woorthie praises as he that did for a long season susteine and hold vp his countrie that was readie to go to vtter ruine and decaie incouraging the bold harts of the Britains vnto the warre and finallie in the siege of Badon hill he set vpon nine hundred of the enimies and with incredible slaughter did put them all to flight On the contrarie part the English Saxons although they were tossed with sundrie hops of fortune yet still they renewed their bands with new supplies of their countriemen that came out of Germanie and so with bolder courage assailed their enimies and by little and little causing them to giue place spread themselues ouer the whole I le For although there were manie battels in the which sometime the Saxons and sometime the Britains got the better yet the greater number of Saxons that were slaine the greater number of them still came ouer to the succour of their countriemen being called in and sent for out of euerie quarter about them Héere is also to be noted that where the British historie declareth that Gawaine or Gallowine being slaine in the battell fought betwixt Arthur and Mordred in Kent was buried at Douer so that his bones remained there to be shewed a long time after yet by that which the foresaid William Malmesburie writeth in the third booke of his volume intituled De regibus Anglorum the contrarie maie séeme true his woords are these Then saith he in the prouince of Wales which is called Rosse the sepulture of Gallowine was found who was nephue to Arthur by his sister not going out of kind from so woorthie an vncle He reigned in that part of Britaine which vnto this day is called Walwichia a knight for his high prowesse most highlie renowmed but expelled out of his kingdome by the brother and nephue of Hengist of whome in the first booke we haue made mention first requiting his banishment with great detriment and losse to those his enimies wherein he was partaker by iust desert to his vncles woorthie praise for that he staied for a great manie yéeres the destruction of his countrie which was now running headlong into vtter ruine and decaie But Arthurs graue no where appéereth yet the others toome as I haue said was found in the daies of William the conqueror king of England vpon the sea side and conteined in length fouretéene foot where he was as some say wounded by his enimies and cast vp by shipwracke But other write that he was slaine at a publike feast or banket by his owne countriemen Thus saith William Malmesburie ¶ But heere you must consider that the said Malmesburie departed this life about the beginning of the reigne of king Henrie the second certeine yéers before the bones of Arthur were found as ye haue heard But omitting this point as néedles to be controuerssed letting all dissonant opinions of writers passe as a matter of no such moment that we should néed to sticke therein as in a glewpot we will procéed in the residue of such collections as we find necessarilie pertinent to the continuation of this historie and now we will say somewhat of quéene Guenhera or Guenouer the wife of the foresaid king Arthur Some iudge that she tooke hir name of hir excellent beautie bicause Guinne or Guenne in the Welsh toong signifieth faire so that she was named Guennere or rather Guenlhean euen as you would say the faire or beautifull Elenor or Helen She was brought vp in the house of one Cador earle of Cornewall before Arthur maried hir and as it appeareth by writers she was euill reported of as noted of incontinencie breach of faith to hir husband in maner as for the more part women of excellent beautie hardlie escape the venemous blast of euill toongs and the sharpe assaults of the followers of Uenus The British historie affirmeth that she did not onelie abuse hir selfe by vnlawfull companie with Mordred but that also in Arthurs absence she consented to take him to husband It is likewise found recorded by an old writer that Arthur besieged on a time the marishes neere to Glastenburie for displeasure that he bare to a certeine lord called Melua who had rauished Gueneuer and led hir into those marishes and there did kéepe hir Hir corps notwithstanding as before is recited was interred togither with Arthurs so that it is thought she liued not long after his deceasse Arthur had two wiues as Gyraldus Cambrensis affirmeth of which the latter saith he was buried with him and hir bones found with his in one sepulchre but yet so diuided that two parts of the toome towards the head were appointed to receiue the bones of the man and the third part towards the féet conteined the womans bones apart by themselues Here is to be remembred that Hector Boetius writeth otherwise of the death of Arthur than before in this booke is mentioned also that Gueneuer being taking prisoner by the Picts was conueied into Scotland where finallie she died and was there buried in Angus as in the Scotish chronicles further appeareth And this may be true if he had thrée sundrie wiues each of them bearing the name of Gueneuer as sir Iohn Price dooth auouch that he had Now bicause of contrarietie in writers touching the great acts atchiued by this Arthur and also for that some difference there is amongst them about the time in which he should reigne manie haue doubted of the whole historie which of him is written as before ye haue heard ¶ But others there be of a constant beléefe who hold it for
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
tuus ira tua à ciuitate ista de domo sancta tua quoniam peccauimus Alleluia That is to say We beseech thee ò Lord in all thy mercie that thy furie and wrath may be taken from this citie and from thy holie house for we haue sinned Praise be to thee ô Lord. After they were receiued into Canturburie they began to follow the trade of life which the apostles vsed in the primitiue church that is to say exercising themselues in continuall praier watching and preaching to as manie as they could despising all worldlie things as not belonging to them receiuing onelie of them whome they taught things necessarie for the sustenance of their life liuing in all points according to the doctrine which they set forth hauing their minds readie to suffer in patience all aduersities what so euer yea and death it selfe for the confirming of that which they now preached Herevpon manie of the English people beléeued and were baptised hauing in great reuerence the simplicitie of those men and the swéetenesse of their heauenlie doctrine There was a church néeree to the citie on the east part thereof dedicated to the honor of saint Martine and builded of old time whilest the Romans as yet inhabited Britaine in the which the quéene being as we haue said a christian vsed to make hir praiers To this church Austine and his fellowes at their first comming accustomed to resort and there to sing to praie to saie masse to preach and to baptise till at length the king being conuerted granted them licence to preach in euerie place and to build and restore churches where they thought good After that the king being persuaded by their doctrine good examples giuing and diuers miracles shewed was once baptised the people in great numbers began to giue eare vnto the preaching of the gospell and renouncing their heathenish beléefe became christians in so much that as Gregorie remembreth there were baptised ten thousand persons in one day being the feast of the natiuitie of our Sauiour 597 and the first indiction ¶ Some write how this should chance toward the latter end of Augustines daies after he was admitted to preach the gospell amongst them that inhabited about Yorke as some write which affirme that the said number of ten thousand was baptised in the riuer of Suale which as W. Harison saith cannot be verified because of the indiction and death of Gregorie But to procéed Religion is not to be inforced but perswaded and preached Augustine is made archbishop of England Gregorie informeth Augustine of certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new English church as the reuenewes of the church to be diuided into foure parts of liturgie of mariage of ecclesiasticall discipline and ordeining of bishops trifling questions obiected by Augustine to Gregorie fellow helpers are sent ouer to assist Augustine in his ministerie he receiueth his pall reformation must be doone by little and little not to glorie in miracles the effect of Gregories letters to K. Ethelbert after his conuersion to christianitie The xx Chapter KIng Ethelbert reioised at the conuersion of his people howbeit he would not force anie man to be baptised but onelie shewed by his behauiour that he fauored those that beléeued more than other as fellow citizens with him of the heauenlie kingdome for he learned of them that had instructed him in the faith that the obedience due to Christ ought not to be inforced but to come of good will Moreouer he prouided for Augustine and his fellowes a conuenient place for their habitation within the citie of Canturburie and further gaue them necessarie reuenewes in possession for their maintenance After that the faith of Christ was thus receiued of the English men Augustine went into France and there of the archbishop of Arles named Etherius was ordeined archbishop of the English nation according to the order prescribed by Gregorie before the departure of the said Augustine from Rome After his returne into Britaine he sent Laurence a priest and Péeter a moonke vnto Rome to giue knowledge vnto Gregorie the bishop how the Englishmen had receiued the faith and that he was ordeined archbishop of the land according to that he had commanded if the woorke prospered vnder his hand as it had doone He also required to haue Gregories aduice touching certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new church of England Wherevpon Gregorie sending backe the messengers wrote an answere vnto all his demands And first touching the conuersation of archbishops with the clergie and in what sort the church goods ought to be imploied he declared that the ancient custome of the apostolike see was to giue commandement vnto bishops ordeined that the profits and reuenewes of their benefices ought to be diuided into foure parts whereof the first should be appointed to the bishop and his familie for the maintenance of hospitalitie the second should be assigned to the clergie the third giuen to the poore and the fourth imploied vpon repairing of temples And whereas in the church of Rome one custome in saieng masse or the liturgie was obserued and another custome in France concerning such church seruice Gregorie aduised Austine that if he found anie thing either in the church of Rome either in the church of France or in anie other church which might most please the almightie God he should diligentlie choose it out and instruct the church of England now being new according to that forme which he should gather foorth of the said churches for the things are not loued for the places sake but the places for the things sake Also for punishing of such as had stolen things out of churches so néere as might be the offendor should be chastised in charitie so as he might know his fault and if it were possible restore the thing taken away And touching degrées in mariage Englishmen might take to their wiues women that touched them in the third and fourth degrée without reprehension and if any vnlawfull mariages were found amongst the Englishmen as if the sonne had maried the fathers wife or the brother the brothers wife they ought to be warned in anie wise to absteine and vnderstand it to be a gréeuous sinne yet should they not for that thing be depriued of the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord least those things might séeme to be punished in them wherein they had offended before their conuersion to the christian faith by ignorance for at this season the church saith he correcteth some things of a feruent earnestnesse suffreth some things of a gentle mildnes and dissembleth some things of a prudent consideration and so beareth and winketh at the same that oftentimes the euill which she abhorreth by such bearing and dissembling is restreined and reformed Moreouer touching the ordeining of bishops he would they should be so placed that the distance of place might not
emperor Constantinus surnamed Copronimos in the 6 yéere of the reigne of Pipin king of France and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant prince and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus He obteined great victories against the Britains or Welshmen but at Bensington or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia in the 24 yéere of his reigne and from that time forward tasting manie displeasures at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull end For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor presumptuouslie yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things passed he either thought that nothing could go against him or else doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert whose fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished This Kineard dissembling the matter as he that could giue place to time got him out of the countrie and after by a secret conspiracie assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie and returning priuilie into the countrie againe watched his time till he espied that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the house of a noble woman whome he kept as paramour at Merton wherevpon the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about The king perceiuing himselfe thus besieged of his enimies at the first caused the doores to be shut supposing either by curteous woords to appease his enimies or with his princelie authoritie to put them in feare But when he saw that by neither meane he could doo good in a great chafe he brake foorth of the house vpon Kineard and went verie néere to haue killed him but being compassed about with multitude of enimies whilest he stood at defense thinking it a dishonour for him to flée he was beaten downe and slaine togither with those few of his seruants which he had there with him who chose rather to die in séeking reuenge of their maisters death than by cowardise to yeeld themselues into the murtherers hands There escaped none except one Welshman or Britaine an hostage who was neuerthelesse sore wounded and hurt The brute of such an heinous act was streightwaies blowne ouer all and brought with speed to the eares of the noble men and peeres of the realme which were not farre off the place where this slaughter had béene committed Amongst other one Oâ—rike for his age and wisedome accounted of 〈◊〉 authoritie 〈◊〉 ted the residue that in no wife they should suffor the death of their souereigne lord to passe vnpunished vnto their perpetuall shame and reproofe Wherevpon in all hast they ran to the place where they knew to find Kineard who at the first began to plead his cause to make large promises to pretend coosenage and so foorth but when he perceiued all that he could say or doo might not preuaile he incouraged his companie to shew themselues valiant and to resist their enimies to the vttermost of their powers Heerevpon followed a doubtfull fight the one part striuing to saue their liues and the other to atteine honour and punish the slaughter of their souereigne lord At length the victorie rested on the side where the right was so that the wicked murtherer after he had fought a while at length was slaine togither with fourescore and eight of his mates The kings bodie was buried at Winchester the murtherers at Repingdon Such was the end of king Kinewulfe after he had reigned the tearme of 31 yéeres In the yeere of our Lord 786 pope Adrian sent two legats into England Gregorie or as some copies haue George bishop of Ostia and Theophylactus bishop of Tuderto with letters commendatorie vnto Offa king of Mercia Alfwold king of Northumberland Ieanbright or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie and Eaubald archbishop of Yorke These legats were gladlie receiued not onlie by the foresaid kings and archbishops but also of all other the high estates aswell spirituall as temporall of the land namelie of Kinewulfe king of the Westsaxons which repaired vnto king Offa to take counsell with him for reformation of such articles as were conteined in the popes letters There were twentie seuerall articles which they had to propone on the popes behalfe as touching the receiuing of the faith or articles established by the Nicene councell and obeieng of the other generall councels with instructions concerning baptisme and kéeping of synods yéerelie for the examination of priests and ministers and reforming of naugthie liuers Moreouer touching discretion to be vsed in admitting of gouernors in monasteries and curats or priests to the ministerie in churches and further for the behauior of priests in wearing their apparell namelie that they should not presume to come to the altar bare legged lest their dishonestlie might be discouered And that in no wise the chalice or paten were made of the horne of an oxe bicause the same is bloudie of nature nor the host of a crust but of pure bread Also whereas bishops vsed to sit in councels to iudge in secular causes they were now forbidden so to doo Manie other things were as meanes of reformation articled both for spirituall causes and also concerning ciuill ordinances as disabling children to be heirs to the parents whch by them were not begot in lawfull matrimonie but on concubines whether they were nunnes or secular women Also of paiment of tithes performing of vowes auoiding of vndecent apparell and abolishing of all maner of heathenish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order of christianitie as curtailing of horsses and eating of horsses flesh These things with manie other expressed in 20 principall articles as we haue said were first concluded to be receiued by the church of the Northumbers in a councell holden there and subscribed by Alfwold king of the Northumbers by Delberike bishop of Hexham by Eubald archbishop of Yorke Higwald bishop of Lindisferne Edelbert bishop of Whiterne Aldulfe bishop of Mieth Ethelwine also another bishop by his deputies with a number of other of the clergie and lords also of the temporaltie as duke Alrike duke Segwulfe abbat Alebericke and abbat Erhard After this confirmation had of the Northumbers there was also a councell holden in Mercia at Cealtide in the which these persons subscribed Iambert or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie Offa king of Mercia Hughbright bishop of Lichfield Edeulfe bishop of Faron with Unwone bishop of Ligor and nine other bishops besides abbats and thrée dukes as Brorda Farwald and Bercoald with earle Othbald But now to returne backe to speake of other dooings as in other parts of this land they fell out About the yéere of our Lord 764 the sée of Canturburie being void one Iambert or Lambert was elected archbishop there and the yéere 766 the archbishop of Yorke Egbert departed this
battell king Ardulfe was expelled out of the state ¶ Thus ye may consider in what plight things stood in Northumberland by the often seditions tumults and changings of gouernors so that there be which haue written how after the death of king Ethelbert otherwise called Edelred diuers bishops and other of the chiefest nobles of the countrie disdaining such traitorous prince-killings ciuill seditions and iniurious dealings as it were put in dailie practise amongst the Northumbers departed out of their natiue borders into voluntarie exile and that from thencefoorth there was not anie of the nobilitie that durst take vpon him the kinglie gouernement amongst them fearing the fatall prerogatiue thereof as if it had béene Seians horsse whose rider came euer to some euill end But yet by that which is héeretofore shewed out of Simon Dunelm it is euident that there reigned kings ouer the Northumbers but in what authoritie and power to command it may be doubted Howbeit this is certeine that the sundrie murtherings and banishments of their kings and dukes giue vs greatlie to gesse that there was but sorie obedience vsed in the countrie whereby for no small space of time that kingdome remained without an head gouernor being set open to the prey and iniurie of them that were borderers vnto it and likewise vnto strangers For the Danes which in those daies were great rouers had landed before in the north parts spoiled the abbeie of Lindisferne otherwise called holie Iland and perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the countrie and easinesse for their people to inuade it bicause that through their priuate quarelling there was little publike resistance to be looked for at their comming home entised their countriemen to make voiages into England and so landing in Northumberland did much hurt and obteined a great part of the countrie in manner without resistance bicause there was no ruler there able to raiseanie power of men by publike authoritie to incounter with the common enimies whereby the countrie was brought into great miserie partlie with war of the Danes and ciuill dissention amongest the nobles and people themselues no man being of authoritie I say able to reforme such misorders Yet we find that the nobles and capteines of the countrie assembling togither at one time against the Danes that were landed about Tinmouth constreined them by sharpe fight to flée backe to their ships and tooke certeine of them in the field whose heads they stroke off there vpon the shore The other that got to their ships suffered great losse of men and likewise of their vessels by tempest ¶ Here then we are taught that the safest way to mainteine a monarchie is when all degrées liue in loialtie And that it is necessarie there should be one supereminent vnto whome all the residue should stoope this fraile bodie of ours may giue vs sufficient instruction For reason ruleth in the mind as souereigne and hath subiect vnto it all the affections and inward motions yea the naturall actions are directed by hir gouernement whereto if the will be obedient there cannot créepe in anie outrage or disorder Such should be the sole regiment of a king in his kingdome otherwise he may be called Rex à regendo as Mons à e mouendo For there is not a greater enimie to that estate than to admit participants in roialtie which as it is a readie way to cause a subuersion of a monarchie so it is the shortest cut ouer to a disordered anarchie But to procéed in the historie After that Alrike the last of king Witchtreds sonnes which reigned in Kent successiuelic after their father was dead the noble ofspring of the kings there so decaied and began to vade awaie that euerie one which either by flattering had got riches togither or by seditious partaking was had in estimation sought to haue the gouernement and to vsurp the title of king abusing by vnworthie means the honor and dignitie of so high an office Amongest others one Edbert or Edelbert surnamed also Prenne gouerned the Kentishmen for the space of two yeares and was in the end vanquished by them of Mercia and taken prisoner as before is said so that for a time he liued in captiuitie and although afterwards he was set at libertie yet was he not receiued againe to the kingdome so that it is vncerteine what end he made Cuthred that was appointed by Kinevulfe the king of Mercia to reigne in place of the same Edbert or Edelbert continued in the gouernement eight yéeres as king rather by name than by act inheriting his predecessors euill hap and calamitie through factions and ciuill discord After that Iambrith or Lambert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed this life one Edelred was ordeined in his place vnto whome the primasie was restored which in his predecessors time was taken awaie by Offa king of Mercia as before is recited Also after the death of Eubald archbishop of Yorke another of the same name called Eubald the second was admitted to succeed in that sée After that Brightrike the king of Westsaxons was departed this life messengers were sent with all spéed into France to giue knowledge thereof vnto Egbert which as before is shewed was constreined by the said Brightrike to depart the countrie At the first he withdrew vnto Offa king of Mercia with whome he remained for a time till at length through suit made by Brightrike he perceiued he might not longer continue there without danger to be deliuered into his enimies hands and so Offa winking at the matter he departed out of his countrie and got him ouer into France But being now aduertised of Brightriks death and required by earnest letters sent from his friends to come and receiue the gouernement of the kingdome he returned with all conuenient spéed into his countrie and was receiued immediatlie for king by the generall consent of the Westsaxons as well in respect of the good hope which they had conceiued of his woorthie qualities and aptnesse to haue gouernement as of hid roiall linage being lineallie descended from Inigils the brother of king Inas as sonne to Alkemound that was the sonne of one Eaffa which Eaffa was sonne to Ope the sonne of the foresaid Inigils Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons his practise or exercise in the time of his exile his martiall exploits against the Cornishmen and Welshmen Bernulfe king of Mercia taketh indignation at Egbert for the inlarging of his roiall authoritie they fight a sore battell Egbert ouercommeth great ods betweene their souldiers bishop Alstan a warriour Kent Essex Southerie Sussex and Eastangles subiect to Egbert he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia and conquereth the whole kingdome Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie the Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert he conquereth Northwales and the citie of Chester he is crowned supreme gouernour of the whole land when this I le was called England the Danes inuade the land they discomfit Egberts host the Welshmen ioine
by allegiance they were bound to serue and obeie By reason hereof the Danes without resistance grew into greater power amongst them whilest the inhabitants were still put in feare each day more than other and euerie late gotten victorie by the enimies by the increase of prisoners ministred occasion of some other conquest to follow Euen about the beginning of Ethelreds reigne there arriued vpon the English coasts an huge armie of the Danes vnder the conduct of two renowmed capteins Hungar and Ubbs men of maruellous strength and valiancie but both of them passing cruell of nature They lay all the winter season in 〈◊〉 compounding with them of the 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 vpon certeine conditions sparing 〈◊〉 a tune to shew their for as for quietnesse sake In the socond yéere of king Eâ—helâ—ed the said capteine came with their armies into Yorkshire finding the country vnprouided of necessarie defense bicause of the ciuill discord that reigned aniong the Northumbers the which had latelie expelled king Osbright that had the gouernement of those parts and placed one Ella in his roome howbeit now they were constreined to reuoke him home againe and sought to accord him and Ella But it was long yer that might be brought to passe notwithstanding yet at length they were mae friends by reason of this inuasion attempted by forren enimies and then raising their powers they came to Yorke where the Danes hauing wasted the countrie euen to the riuer of Tine were lodged The English host entring the citie began to fight with the Danes by reason whereof a fore battell insued betwixt them but in the end the two kings Osbright and Ella were slaine and a great number of the Northumbers what within the citie and what without lost their liues at that time the residue were constreined to take truce with the Danes This battell was fought the 21 day of Maâ—ch being in â—ent on the Friday before Palmsunday in the yere 657. ¶ Some haue written otherwise of this battell reporting that the Northumbers calling home king Osbright whome before they had banished incountred with the Danes in the field without the walles of Yorke but they were easilie beaten backe and chased into the citie the which by the Danes pursuing the victorie was set on fier and burnt togither with the king and people that were fled into it for succour How soeuer it came about certeine it is that the Danes got the victorie and now hauing subdued the Northumbers appointed one Egbert so reigne ouer them as king vnder their protection which Egbert reigned in that sort six yeares ouer those which inhabited beyond the riuer of Tine In the same yeare Adelstane bishop of Shireborne departed this life hauing gouerned that sée the terme of 50 yeares This Adelstane was a man of high wisedome and one that had borne no small rule in the kingdome of the Westsaxons as hereby it may be coniectured that when king Ethelwulfe returned from Rome he would not suffer him to be admitted king because he had doone in certeine points contrarie to the ordinances and lawes of the same kingdome wherevpon by this bishops means Ethelbald the sonne of the same king Ethelwulfe was established king and so continued till by agréement the kingdome was diuided betwixt them as before is mentioned Finallie he greatlie inriched the sée of Shireborne and yet though he was feruentlie set on couetousnesse he was neuerthelesse verie free and liberall in gifts which contrarie eâ—tremities so ill matched though in him the time wherein he liued being considered they might seeme somewhat tollerable yet simplie in truth they were vtterlie repugnant to the law of the spirit which biddeth that none should doo euill that good may come thereof Against which precept because Adelstane could not but offend in the heat of his couetousnes which is termed the root of all mischiefe though he was excéeding bountifull and large in distributing the wealth he had gréedilie gotten togither he must néeds incur reprehension But this is so much the lesse to be imputed vnto him as a fault by how much he was ignorant what by the rule of equitie and conscience was requirable in a christian man or one of his vocation Burthred king of Mercia with aid beseegeth the Danes in Notingham Basâ—reeg and Halden two Danish kings with their powers 〈◊〉 the Westsaxâ—â—â— they are incountred by 〈◊〉 earâ—e of Baâ—kâ—shire King 〈◊〉 giueth them and their cheefe guide a sore 〈◊〉 what Polydor Virgil recorder touching one 〈◊〉 king of the Danes and the warres that Ethelred had with them his death Edmuisd king of Eastangles giueth battell to the Danes he yeeldeth himselfe and for christian religion sake is by them most cruellie murthered the kingdome of the Eastangles endeth Guthran a Dane gouerneth the whole countrie K. Osbright rauisheth the wife of one Bearne a noble man a bloodie battell insueth therevpon wherein Osbright and Ella are slaine The twelft Chapter IN the yeare following that is to say in the third yéere of Ethelreds reigne he with his brother Alured went to aid Burthred king of Mercia against the two foresaid Danish capteines Hungar and Ubba the which were entred into Mercia and had woon the towne for the winter season Wherevpon the foresaid Ethelred and Burthred with their powers came to Notingham and besieged the Danes within it The Danes perceiuing themselues in danger made suite for a truce abstinence from war which they obtenred and then departed backe to Yorke where they sâ—â—urned the most part of all that yeare In the sixt yeare of king Ethelreds reigne a new armie of great force and power came into the countrie of the Westsaxons vnder two leaders or kings of the Danes Basréeg and Halden They lodged at Reding with their maine armie and within thrée daies after the earle of Berrockshire Edelwulfe fought at Englefield with two earles of those Danes vanquished them and slue the one of those earles whose name was Sidroc After this king Ethelred and his brother Alured came with a great host vnto Reading and there gaue battell vnto the armie of Danes so that an huge number of people died on both parts but the Danes had the victorie After this also king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought againe with those Danes at Aschdon where the armies on both sides were diuided into two parts so that the two Danish kings lead the one part of their armie certeine of their earles lead the other part Likewise on the English side king Ethelred was placed with one part of the host against the Danish kings and Alured with the other part was appointed to incounter with the earles Herevpon they being on both parts readie to giue battell the euening comming on caused them to deferre it till the morow And so earlie in the morning when the armies should ioine king Ethelred stated in his tent the heare diuine seruice whilest his brother vpon a
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
For by account of their writers king Malcolme began not his reigne till after the deceasse of king Adelstan who departed this life in the yeare 940. And Malcolme succéeded Constantine the third in the yeare 944 which was about the third yeare of king Edmunds reigne and after Malcolme that reigned 15 yeares succeeded Indulfe in the yeare 959. The like discordance precedeth and followeth in their writers as to the diligent reader in conferring their chronicles with ours manifestlie appeareth We therefore to satisfie the desirous to vnderstand and sée the diuersitie of writers haue for the more part in their chronicles left the same as we found it But now to the other dooings of king Edmund the third in the yeare 944 which was about it is recorded that he ordeined diuers good and wholsome lawes verie profitable and necessarie for the commonwealth which lawes with diuers other of like antiquitie are forgot and blotted out by rust of time the consumer of things woorthie of long remembrance as saith Polydor but sithens his time they haue béene recouered for the more part by maister William Lambert turned into Latine were imprinted by Iohn Day in the yeare 1568 as before I haue said Finallie this prince king Edmund after he had reigned sixe yeares and a halfe he came to his end by great miisfortune For as some say it chanced that espieng where one of his seruants was in danger to be slaine amongest his enimies that were about him with drawen swords as he stepped in to haue holpen his seruant he was slaine at a place called Pulcher church or as other haue Michelsbourgh Other say that kéeping a great feast at the aforesaid place on the day of saint Augustine the Englishas before I haue said Finallie this prince king apostle which is the 26 of Maie and as that yeare came about it fell on the tuesday as he was set at the table he espied where a common robber was placed neere vnto him whome sometime he had banished the land and now being returned without licence he presumed to come into the kings presence wherewith the king was so moued with high disdaine that he suddenlie arose from the table and flew vpon the theefe and catching him by the heare of the head threw him vnder his féet wherewithas before I haue said Finallie this prince king the théefe hauing fast hold on the king brought him downe vpon him also and with his knife stroke him into the bellie in such wise that the kings bowels fell out of his chest and there presentlie died The theefe was hewen in péeces by the kings seruants but yet he slue and hurt diuers before they could dispatch him This chance was lamentable namelie to the English people which by the ouertimelie death of their king in whome appeared manie euident tokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they had conceiued of great wealth to increase by his prudent and most princelie gouernement His bodie was buried at Glastenburie where Dunstane was then abbat There be that write that the death of king Edmund was signified aforehand to Dunstane who about the same time attending vpon the same king as he remooued from one place to an other chanced to accompanie himselfe with a noble man one duke Elstane and as they rode togither behold suddenlietokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they Dunstane saw in the waie before him where the kings musicians rode the diuell running and leaping amongst the same musicians after a reioising maner whome after he had beheld a good while he said to the duke Is it possible that you may see that which I sée The duke answered that he saw nothing otherwise than he ought to sée Then said Dunstane Blesse your eies with the signe of the crosse and trie whether you can see that I sée And when he had doone as Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in likenesse of a little short euill fauoured Aethiopian dansing and leaping whereby they gathered that some euill hap was towards some of the companie but when they had crossed and blessed them the foule spirit vanished out of their sight Now after they had talked of this vision and made an end of their talke touching the same the duke required of Dunstane to interpret a dreame which he had of late in sléepe and that was this He thought that he saw in a vision the king with all his nobls sitas Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in in his dining chamber at meate and as they were there making merrie togither the king chanced to fall into a dead sléepe and all the noble men and those of his councell that were about him were changed into robucks and goats Dunstane quicklie declared that this dreame signified the kings death and the changing of the nobles into dum and insensible beasts betokened that the princes gouernors of the realme should decline from the waie of truth and wander as foolish beasts without a guide to rule them Also the night after this talke when the king was set at supper Dunstane saw the same spirit or some other walke vp and downe amongst them that waited at the table and within thrée daies after the king was slaine as before ye haue heard Edred succedeth his brother Edmund in the realme of England the Northumbers rebell against him they and the Scots sweare to be his true subiects they breake their oth and ioine with Aulafe the Dane who returneth into Northumberland and is made king thereof the people expell him and erect Hericius in his roome king Edred taketh reuenge on the Northumbers for their disloialtie the rereward of his armie is assalted by an host of his enimies issuing out of Yorke the Northumbers submit themselues and put awaie Hericius their king Wolstane archbishop of Yorke punished for his disloialtie whereto Edred applied himselfe afterin the realme of England the Northumbers the appeasing of ciuill tumults his death and buriall a special signe of Edreds loue to Dunstane abbat of Glastenburie his practise of cousenage touching king Edreds treasure The xxij Chapter EDred the brother of Edmund and sonne to Edward the elder and to Edgiue his last wife began his reigne ouer the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 946 or as other say 997 which was in the twelfe yéere of the emperor Otho the first and in the 21 yéere of the reigne of Lewes K. of France about the third or fourth yéere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was crowned and annointed the 16 day of August by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie at Kingstone vpon Thames In the first yéere oflast wife began his reigne ouer his reigne the Northumbers rebelled against him wherevpon he raised an armie inuaded their countrie and subdued them by force This doone he went forward into Scotland but the Scots without shewing anie resistance
and vnprofitable manners of strangers Dunstance was made bishop of Worcester and had also the administration of the see of London committed vnto him He was in such fauor with thescarse was anie stréet in England but Danes had king that he ruled most things at his pleasure Ethelwold which being first a moonke of Glastenburie and after abbat of Abington was likewise made bishop of Winchester and might doo verie much with the king Also Oswald which had béene a moonke in the abbeie of Florie in France and after was made bishop of Worcester and from thence remooued to the sée of Yorke was highlie in fauor with this king so that by these thrée prelates he was most counselled Iustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for although he were courteous and gentle towards his friends yet was he sharpe and hard to offendors so that no person of what estate or degree soeuer he was escaped worthie punishment if he did transgresse the lawes and ordinances of the realme There was no priuie theefe nor common robber that durst lay hands vpon other mens goods but he might looke to make amends with losse of his life if he were knowne to be giltie For how might men that did offend thinke to escape his hands which deuised waies how to ridIustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for the countrie of all wild rauening beasts that liued vpon sucking the bloud of others For as it is said he appointed Iudweall or Ludweall king of Wales to present him with thrée hundred woolues yéerelie in name of a tribute but after thrée yéeres space there was not a woolfe to be found and so that tribute ceased in the fourth yéere after it began to be paid The death of Alfred king Edgars wife or concubine causeth him to fall into a fowle offense an example teaching men to take heed how they put others in trust to woo for them earle Ethelwold cooseneth the king of his wife the danger of beholding a womans beautie with lustfull eies king Edgar killeth earle Ethelwold to marrie faire Alfred his wife the bloudie and vnnaturall speach of Ethelwolds base sonne examples of king Edgars great incontinencie and lewd life Dunstane putteth the king of penance for his vnchastitie the Welshmen rebell against him and are corrected king Edgars vision before his death of what religious or concubine causeth him to fall into a buildings he was founder his example a spur to others to doo the like moonks esteemed and secular priests little regarded king Edgars deformed reformation his vices stature and bodilie qualities he offereth to fight hand to hand with Kinadius king of Scots vpon occasion of words euill taken Kinadius submitteth himselfe and is pardoned his wiues and children the good state of the realme in king Edgars time the amplenesse of his dominions The xxiiij Chapter IN this meane time Alfred the wife of king Edgar as some say or rather as others write his concubine died of whome he had begot a sonne named Edward The death of this woman caused the king to commit an heinous offense For albeit at the same time the same went that Horgerius duke of Cornewall or rather Deuonshire had a daughter named Alfred a damosell of excellent beautie whome Edgar minding to haue in mariage appointed one of his noble men called earle Ethelwold to go with all speed into Cornewall or Deuonshire to sée if the yoong ladies beautie answered the report that went of hir and so to breake the matter to hir father in his behalfe yet Ethelwold being a yong ioslie gentleman tooke his iournie into Cornewall and comming to the duke offense For albeit at the same time the same was well receiued and had a sight of his daughter with whose beautie he was streight rauished so far in loue that not regarding the kings pleasure who had sent him thither he began to purchase the good will of both father and daughter for himselfe and did so much that he obteined the same in déed Herevpon returning to the king he informed him that the damosell was not of such beautie and comelie personage as might he thought woorthie to match in marige with his maiestie Shortlie after perceiuing the kings mind by his wrongfull misreport to be turned and nothing bent that way he began to sue to him that he might with his fauour marie the same damosell which the king granted as one that cared not for hir bicause of the credit which he gaue to Ethelwolds words And so by this meanes Ethelwold obteined Alfred in mariage which was to his owne destruction as the case fell out For when the same of hir passing beautie did spread ouer all the realme now that she was mariedwith his maiestie and came more abroad in sight of the people the king chanced to heare thereof and desirous to sée hir deuised vnder colour of hunting to come vnto the house of Ethelwold and so did where he had no sooner set his eie vpon hir but he was so farre wrapped in the chaine of burning concupiscence that to obteine his purpose he shortlie after contriued Ethelwolds death and maried his wife Some say that the woman kindled the brand of purpose for when it was knowne that the king would sée hir Ethelwold willed hir in no wise to trim vp hir selfe but rather to disfigure hir in fowle garments and some euill fauored attire that hir natiue beautie should not appeare but she perceiuing how the matter went of spite set out hir selfe to the vttermost so that the king vpon the first sight of hix beacame so farre inamored of hir beautie that taking hir husband foorth with him on hunting into a forrest or wood then called Warlewood after Horewood not shewing that he meant him anie hurt till at length he had got him within the thicke of the wood where he suddenlie stroke him through with his dart Now as his bastard son came to the place the king asked him how he liked the maner of hunting wherto he answered Uerie well if it like your grace for that that liketh you ought not to displease me With which answer the king was so pacified that he indeuored by pretending his fauor towards the sonne to extenuat the tyrannicall murther of the father Then did the king marie the countesse Alfred and of hir begat two sonnes Edmund which died yoong and Etheldred or Egelred Besides this cruell act wrought by king Edgar for the satisfieng of his fleshlie lust he also plaied another part greatlie to the staine of his honor mooued also by wanton loue with yoong damosell named Wilfrid for after that she had to auoid the danger of him either professed hir selfe a nun or else for colour as the most part of writers agrée got hirselfe into a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns wéed he tooke hir foorth of hir cloister and lay by hir sundrie times and begat on hir a daughter named Edith who comming to
midst of his enimies weapons and was glad that he might so escape and so with the residue of his armie ceassed not to iournie day and night till he came to Bath where Ethelmere an earle of great power in those west parts of the realme submitted himselfe with all his people vnto him who shortlie after neuerthelesse as some write was compelled through want of vittels to release the tribute latelie couenanted to be paied vnto him for a certeine summe of monie which when hée had receiued he returned into Denmarke meaning shortlie to returne againe with a greater power King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue béene rid out of all troubles of warre with the Danes But the nobles of the realme thought otherwise and therefore willed him to prepare an armie with all spéed that might be made Swaine taried not long to proue to doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge but that with swift spéed he returned againe into England and immediatlie vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against him into the field Herevpon they ioined in battell which was sore foughten for a time till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen that turned to the enimies side the discomfiture fell with such slaughter vpon the English host that king Egelred well perceiued the state of his regall gouernement to bée brought into vtter danger Wherevpon after the losse of this field he assembled the rest of his people that were escaped and spake vnto them after this manner The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers I Shuld for euer be put to silence it there wanted in vs the vertue of a fatherlie mind in giuing good aduise counsel for the well ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth or if their lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to defend our countrie Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we are borne I confesse it a woorthie thing and I for my part am readie to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of my kingdome But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine We are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people we did at the first prepare a nauie against the enimies the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their hands Againe oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false and disloiall whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the enimies vpon dishonorable conditions euen as necessitie required which to ouercome resteth onelie in God Such kind of agreement hath beene made in deed in our destruction sith the enimies haue not sticked to breake it they being such a wicked king of people as neither regard God nor man contrarie to right and reason and beside all our hope expectation So that the matter is come now to this passe that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our gouernement but least the name of the whole English nation be destroied for euer Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand and as it were ouer our heads you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had in good regard prouide take counsell and see to succor the state of your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable ruine Herevpon they fell in consultation euerie one alledging and bringing foorth his opinion as seemed to him best but it appeared they had the woolfe by the eare for they wist not which way to turne them If they should giue battell it was to be doubted least through treason among themselues the armie should be batraied into the enimies hands the which would not faile to execute all kind of crueltie in the slaughter of the whole nation And if they stood not valiantlie to shew themselues readie to defend their countrie there was no shift but yeeld themselues Which though it were a thing reprochfull and dishonorable yet should it be lesse euill as they tooke the matter for thereby might manie be preserued from death and in time to come be able to recouer the libertie of their countrie when occasion should be offered This point was allowed of them all and so in the end they rested vpon that resolution King Egelred therefore determined to commit himselfe into the hands of his brother in law Richard duke of Normandie whose sister as ye haue heard he had maried But bicause he would not doo this vnaduisedlie first he sent ouer his wife quéene Emma with his sonnes which he had begotten of hir Alfred and Edward that by their interteinment he might vnderstand how he should be welcome Duke Richard receiued his sister and his nephues verie ioifullie and promised to aid his brother king Egelred in defense of his kingdome But in this meane while had Swaine conquered the more part of all England and brought by little and little that which remained vnder his subiection The people through feare submitting themselues on each hand king Egelred in this meane time for the Londoners had submitted themselues to Swaine was first withdrawne vnto Gréenwich and there remained for a time with the nauie of the Danes which was vnder the gouernement of earle Turkill and from thence sailed into the I le of Wight and there remained a great part of the winter and finallie after Christmas himselfe sailed into Normandie and was of his brother in law ioifullie receiued greatlie comforted in that his time of necessitie Swaine king of Denmarke is reputed king of this land he oppresseth the English people cruellie and spoileth religious houses the strange and miraculous slaughter of Swaine vaunting of his victories the Danish chronicles write parciallie of him and his end Cnute succeedeth his father Swaine in regiment the Englishmen send king Egelred woord of Swaines death Edward king Egelreds eldest sonne commeth ouer into England to know the state of the countrie and people of certeintie Egelred with his power returneth into England what meanes Cnute made to establish himselfe king of this land and to be well thought of among the English people Egelred burneth vp Gainesbrough and killeth the inhabitants therof for their disloialtie Cnutes flight to Sandwich his cruel decree against the English pledges he returneth into Denmarke why Turkillus the Danish capteine with his power compounded with the Englishmen to tarrie in this land his faithlesse seruice to Egelred his drift to make the whole realme subiect to the Danish thraldome The seuenth Chapter SWaine hauing now got the whole rule of the land was reputed full king and so commanded that his armie should be prouided of wages and vittels to be taken vp leuied through the realme In like maner Turkill
fight togither in a singular combat within a litle Iland inclosed with the riuer of Seuerne called Oldney with condition that whether of them chanced to be victor should be king and the other to resigne his title for euer into his hands The two princes entering into the place appointed in faire armour began the battell in sight of both their armies ranged in goodlie order on either side the riuer with doubtfull minds and nothing ioifull as they that wauered betwixt hope and feare The two champions manfullie assailed either other without sparing First they went to it on horssebacke and after on foot Cnute was a man of a meane stature but yet strong and hardie so that receiuing a great blow by the hand of his aduersarie which caused him somewhat to stagger yet recouered himselfe and baldly stept forward to be reuenged But perceiuing he could not find aduantage and that he was rather too weake and shrewdlie ouermatched he spake to Edmund with a lowd voice on this wise What necessitie saith he ought thus to mooue vs most valiant prince that for the obteining of a kingdome we should thus put our liues in danger Better were it that laieng armour and malice aside we should condescend to some reasonable agreement Let vs become sworne brethren and part the kingdome betwixt vs and let vs deale so friendlie that thou maist vse my things as thine owne and I thine as though they were mine King Edmund with those woords of his aduersarie was so pacified that immediatlie he cast awaie his swoord and comming to Cnute ioined hands with him Both the armies by their example did the like which looked for the same fortune to fall on their countries which should happen to their princes by the successe of that one battell After this there was an agreement deuised betwixt them so that a partition of the realme was made and that part that lieth fore against France was assigned to Edmund and the other fell to Cnute There be that write how the offer was made by king Edmund for the auoiding of more bloudshed that the two princes should trie the matter thus togither in a singular combat But Cnute refused the combat bicause as he alledged the match was not equall For although he was able to match Edmund in boldnesse of stomach yet was he farre too weake to deale with a man of such strength as Edmund was knowne to be But sith they did pretend title to the realme by due and good direct meanes he thought it most conuenient that the kingdome should be diuided betwixt them This motion was allowed of both the armies so that king Edmund was of force constreined to be contented therewith ¶ Thus our common writers haue recorded of this agreement but if I should not be thought presumptuous in taking vpon me to reprooue or rather but to mistrust that which hath béene receiued for a true narration in this matter I would rather giue credit vnto that which the author of the booke intituled Encomium Emmae dooth report in this behalfe Which is that through persuasion of Edrike de Streona king Edmund immediatelie after the battell fought at Ashdone sent ambassadors vnto Cnute to offer vnto him peace with halfe the realme of England that is to say the north parts with condition that king Edmund might quietlie inioy the south parts and therevpon haue pledges deliuered interchangeablie on either side Cnute hauing heard the effect of this message staied to make answer till he heard what his councell would aduise him to doo in this behalfe and vpon good deliberation taken in the matter considering that he had lost no small number of people in the former battell and that being farre out of his countrie he could not well haue anie new supplie where the Englishmen although they had likewise lost verie manie of their men of warre yet being in their owne countrie it should be an easie matter for them to restore their decaid number it was thought expedient by the whole consent of all the Danish capteins that the offer of king Edmund should be accepted Herevpon Cnute calling the ambassadors before him againe declared vnto them that he was contented to conclude a peace vpon such conditions as they had offered but yet with this addition that their king whatsoeuer he should be should paie Cnutes souldiers their wages with monie to be leuied of that part of the kingdome which the English king should possesse For this saith he I haue vndertaken to sée them paid and otherwise I will not grant to anie peace The league and agréement therefore being concluded in this sort pledges were deliuered and receiued on both parties and the armies discharged But God saith mine author being mindfull of his old doctrine that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe cannot long stand shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life and by such meanes séemed to take pitie of the English kingdome lest if both the kings should haue continued in life togither they should haue liued in danger And incontiuenlie herevpon was Cnute chosen and receiued for absolute king of all the whole realme of England Thus hath he written that liued in those daies whose credit thereby is much aduanced Howbeit the common report of writers touching the death of Edmund varieth from this who doo affirme that after Cnute and Edmund were made friends the serpent of enuie and false conspiracie burnt so in the hearts of some traitorous persons that within a while after king Edmund was slaine at Oxford as he sat on a priuie to doo the necessaries of nature The common report hath gone that carle Edrike was the procurer of this villanous act and that as some write his sonne did it But the author that wrote Encomium Emmae writing of the death of Edmund hath these words immediatlie after he had first declared in what sort the two princes were agréed and had made partition of the realme betwixt them But God saith he being mindfull of his old doctrine that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe can not long stand shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life and by such meanes séemed to take pitie vpon the English kingdome least if both the kings should haue continued in life togither they should both haue liued in great danger and the realme in trouble With this agreeth also Simon Dunel who saith that king Edmund died of naturall sicknesse by course of kind at London about the feast of saint Andrew next insuing the late mentioned agreement And this should séeme true for whereas these authors which report that earle Edrike was the procurer of his death doo also write that when he knew the act to be done he hasted vnto Cnute and declared vnto him what he had brought to passe for his aduancement to the gouernment of the whole realme Wherevpon nute abhorring such a detestable fact said vnto him Bicause thou hast for my sake
which fell also about the fourth yeare of the emperour Henrie the third surnamed Niger in the 12 yeare of Henrie the first of that name king of France and about the third yeare of Macbeth king of Scotland This Edward the third of that name before the conquest was of nature more méeke and simple than apt for the gouernement of the realme therefore did earle Goodwine not onelie séeke the destruction of his elder brother Alfred but holpe all that he might to aduance this Edward to the crowne in hope to beare great rule in the realme vnder him whome he knew to be soft gentle and easie to be persuaded But whatsoeuer writers doo report hereof sure it is that Edward was the elder brother and not Alfred so that if earle Goodwine did shew his furtherance by his pretended cloake of offering his friendship vnto Alfred to betraie him he did it by king Harolds commandement and yet it may be that he meant to haue vsurped the crowne to him selfe if each point had answered his expectation in the sequele of things as he hoped they would and therfore had not passed if both the brethren had béene in heauen But yet when the world framed contrarie peraduenture to his purpose he did his best to aduance Edward trusting to beare no small rule vnder him being knowen to be a man more appliable to be gouerned by other than to trust to this owne wit and so chieflie by the assistance of earle Goodwine whose authoritie as appeareth was not small within the realme of England in those daies Edward came to atteine the crowne wherevnto the earle of Chester Leofrike also shewed all the furtherance that in him laie Some write which seemeth also to be confimed by the Danish chronicles that king Hardiknought in his life time had receiued this Edward into his court and reteined him still in the same in most honorable wise But for that it may appeare in the abstract of the Danish chronicles what their writers had of this matter recorded we doo here passe ouer referring those that be desirous to know the diuersitie of our writers and theirs vnto the same chronicles where they may find it more at large expressed This in no wise is to be left vnremembred that immediatlie after the death of Hardiknought it was not onelie decreed agreed vpon by the great lords nobles of the realme that no Dane from thenceforth should reigne ouer them but also all men of warre and souldiers of the Danes which laie within anie citie or castell in garrison within the realme of England were then expelled and put out or rather slaine as the Danish writers doo rehearse Amongst other that were banished the ladie Gonild neece to king Swaine by his sister was one being as then a widow and with hir two of hir sonnes which she had then liuing Heming and Turkill were also caused to auoid Some write that Alfred the brother of king Edward came not into the realme till after the death of Hardiknought and that he did helpe to expell the Danes which being doon he was slaine by earle Goodwine and other of his complices But how this may stand considering the circumstances of the time with such things as are written by diuers authors hereof it may well be doubted Neuerthelesse whether earle Goodwine was guiltie to the death of Alfred either at this time or before certeine it is that he so cleared himselfe of that crime vnto king Edward the brother of Alfred that there was none so highlie in fauour with him as earle Goodwine was insomuch that king Edward maried the ladie Editha the daughter of earle Goodwine begotten of his wife Thira that was sister to king Hardiknought and not of his second wife as some haue written Howbeit king Edward neuer had to doo with hir in fleshlie wise But whether he absteined because he had happilie vowed chastitie either of impotencie of nature or for a priuie hate that he bare to hir kin men doubted For it was thought that he estéemed not earle Goodwine so greatlie in his heart as he outwardlie made shew to doo but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled with him least he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of losse of life and kingdome Howsoeuer it was he vsed his counsell in ordering of things concerning the state of the common wealth and namelie in the hard handling of his mother queene Emma against whome diuers accusations were brought and alledged as first for that she consented to marie with K. Cnute the publike enimie of the realme againe for that she did nothing aid or succour hir sons while they liued in exile but that woorse was contriued to make them away for which cause she was despoiled of all hir goods And because she was defamed to be naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of Winchester both she and the same bishop were committed to prison within the citie of Winchester as some write Howbeit others affirme that she was strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell till by way of purging hir selfe after a maruellous manner in passing barefooted ouer certeine hot shares or plough-irons according to the law Ordalium she cleared hir selfe as the world tooke it and was restored to hir first estate and dignitie Hir excessiue couetousnesse without regard had to the poore caused hir also to be euill reported of Againe for that she euer shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had by hir second husband Cnute than to hir children which she had by hir first husband king Egelred as it were declaring how she was affected toward the fathers by the loue borne to the children she lost a great péece of good will at the hands of hir sonnes Alfred and Edward so that now the said Edward inioieng the realme was easilie iuduced to thinke euill of hir and therevpon vsed hir the more vncurteouslie But hir great liberalitie imploied on the church of Winchester which she furnished with maruellous rich iewels and ornaments wan hir great commendation in the world and excused hir partlie in the sight of manie of the infamie imputed to hir for the immoderate filling of hir coffers by all waies and meanes she could deuise Now when she had purged hir selfe as before is mentioned hir sonne king Edward had hir euer after in great honor and reuerence And whereas Robert archbishop of Canturburie had béene sore against hir he was so much abashed now at the matter that he fled into Normandie where he was borne But it should séeme by that which after shal be said in the next chapter that he fled not the realme for this matter but bicause he counselled the king to banish earle Goodwine and also to vse the Englishmen more strictlie than reason was he should Why Robert archbishop of Canturburie queene Emmas heauie friend fled out of England the Normans first
Rogation wéeke Harold eftsoones by the kings commandement went against the Welshmen and taking the sea sailed by Bristow round about the coast compassing in maner all Wales His brother Tostie that was earle of Northumberland met him by appointment with an host of horssemen and so ioining togither they destroied the countrie of Wales in such sort that the Welshmen were compelled to submit themselues to deliuer hostages and conditioned to paie the ancient tribute which before time they had paied And moreouer they renounced their prince the forenamed Griffin so that he remained as a banished person and finallie about the fift day of August they slue him and sent his head to earle Harold Afterwards king Edward granted the rule of Wales vnto Blengent or Blethgent Riuall Griffins two brethren which did homage vnto him for the same and had serued vnder Harold against their brother the foresaid Griffin There be which write that not onelie Griffin but also another of his brethren called Rice was brought to his death by the manfull meanes and politike order of earle Harold all the sauage people of Wales reduced into the forme of good order vnder the subiection of king Edward Shortlie after earle Harold chanced to passe ouer into Normandie whither of hap or of purpose it is hard to define writers doo varie so much in report thereof Some write that he made earnest sute to king Edward to haue licence to go ouer to sée his brother Wilnot and his nephue Hacune which as ye haue heard were deliuered as pledges to king Edward sent into Normandie to remaine there with duke William and at length with much adoo got leaue but yet he was told aforehand of the king that he would repent his iournie and doo the thing that should be preiudiciall to the realme Other write that Harold lieng at his manor of Bosham went aboord one day into his fishers boat or craier and caused the same to lanch forth to the sea for his pleasure but by misfortune at the same time a contrarie wind suddenlie came about and droue the vessell on land into France vpon the coast of Ponthieu where he was taken by the countrie people presented to the earle of Ponthieu named Guie or Guido who kept him as prisoner meaning to put him to a grieuous ransome But Harold remembring himselfe of a wile dispatched a messenger forth with all spéed vnto William duke of Normandie signifieng vnto him that he being sent from king Edward to confirme such articles as other meane men that had béene sent vnto him afore had talked of by chance he was fallen into the hands of the earle of Ponthieu and kept as prisoner against all order of law reason or humanitie Duke William thus informed by the messenger sent to the earle of Ponthieu requiring him to set earle Harold at libertie that he might repaire to him according to his commission The earle of Ponthieu at the dukes request did not onelie restore Harold to his libertie but also brought him into Normandie and presented him there to the duke of whome he was most ioifullie receiued There be that agrée partlie with this report and partlie varie for they write that earle Harold tooke the sea vpon purpose to haue sailed into Flanders and that by force of wâ—â—d he was driuen to the coast of Pouthieu and so after came into Normandie in maner as before is mentioned But by what means or occasion soeuer he came thither certeine it is that he was ioifullie receiued and had great chéere made him by the said duke William who at that time was readie to make a iournie against the Britains and tooke earle Harold with him to haue his companie in armes in that iournei that he might haue the better triall of his valiancie Earle Harold behaued himselfe so that he shewed good proofe both of his wisedome and policie and also of his forwardnesse to execute that with hand which by wit he had deuised so that duke William had him in high fauour and as it hath béene said earle Harold to procure him more friendship at the dukes hands declared vnto him that king Edward had ordeined him his heire if he died without issue and that he would not faile to kéepe the realme of England to the dukes vse according to that ordinance if K. Edward died without issue And to performe this promise he receiued a corporall oth whether willinglie to win the more credit or forced thereto by duke William writers report it diuerslie At the same time duke William promised vnto him his daughter in marriage whom Harold couenanted in like maner to take to wife Harold at his returne into England reporteth to K. Edward what he had doone beyond the seas and what the king said vnto him in that behalfe who foresaw the comming of the Normans into this land to conquer it when and why king Edward promised to make duke William his heire wherein note his subtiltie diffention betwixt Harold and Tostie two brethren the sonnes of earle Goodwine their vnnaturall and cruell dealing one with another speciallie of the abhominable and merciles murthers committed by Tostie against whome the Northumbers rebell vpon diuerse occasions and reward him with answerable reuengement Harold is sent against them but preuaileth not they offer to returne home if they might haue a new gouernor they renounce Tostie and require Marchar in his roome Tostie displeased getteth him into Flanders king Edward dieth his manners and disposition note woorthie his charitie and deuotion the vertue of curing the maladie called the kings euill deriued from him to the succeeding kings of this land he was warned of his death by a ring he is canonized for a saint the last woords that he spake on his death-bed wherein he vttered to the standers by a vision prophesieng that England should be inhabited with strangers a description of the kings person of a blasing starre fore-telling his death the progenie of the Westsaxon kings how long they continued the names of their predecessors and successors whence the first kings of seuen kingdoms of Germanie had their pedegree c. The seuenth Chapter NOw when Harold should returne into England duke William deliuered him his nephue Hacune but kept his brother Wilnote with him still as a pledge Then went earle Harold into England and declared vnto king Edward what he had doone who said vnto him Did not I tell thee that thou wouldest doo the thing whereof thou shouldest repent thee and procure a mischiefe to follow vnto thy countrie But God of his mercie turne that euill hap from this realme or at the least if it be his pleasure that it must needs come to passe yet to staie it till after my daies Some by Harolds purposed going ouer into Normandie doo gather that king Edward foresaw the comming of the Normans and that he meant nothing lesse than to performe the promise made vnto
perplexitie to whome they might best commit the roiall gouernement of the realme For there was not anie among them that had iust title thereto or able and apt to take the charge vpon him For although Edgar surnamed Edeling the sonne of Edward the outlaw that was sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the same time latelie come into England with his mother and sisters out of Hungarie where he was borne yet for that he was but a child not of sufficient age to beare rule they durst not as then commit the gouernement of the realme vnto him least as some haue thought his tendernesse of age might first bréed a contempt of his person and therewith minister occasion to ciuill discord wherby a shipwracke of the estate might ensue to the great annoie and present ouerthrow of such as then liued in the same But what consideration soeuer they had in this behalfe they ought not to haue defrauded the yoong gentlemen of his lawfull right to the crowne For as we haue heard and séene God whose prouidence and mightie power is shewed by ouerthrowing of high and mightie things now and then by the weake and féeble hath gouerned states and kingdomes oftentimes in as good quiet and princelie policie by a child as by men of age and great discretion But to the purpose beside the doubt which rested among the lords how to bestow the crowne the manifold and strange woonders which were séene and heard in those daies betokening as men thought some change to be at hand in the state of the realme made the lords aâ—raid and namelie bicause they stood in great doubt of William duke of Normandie who pretended a right to the crowne as lawfull heire appointed by king Edward for that he was kin to him in the second and third degree For Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie begot Richard the second and Emma which Emma bare Edward by hir husband Ethelred Richard the second had also issue Richard the third and Robert which Robert by a concubine had issue William surnamed the bastard that was now duke of Normandie and after the death of his coosine king Edward made claime as is said to the crowne of England Whilest the lords were thus studieng and consulting what should be best for them to doo in these doubts Harold the son of Goodwine earle of Kent proclaimed himselfe king of England the people being not much offended therewith bicause of the great confidence and opinion which they had latelie conceiued of his valiancie Some write among whome Edmerus is one how king Edward ordeined before his death that Harold should succéed him as heire to the crowne and that therevpon the lords immediatlie after the said Edwards deceasse crowned Harold for their king and so he was consecrated by Aldred archbishop of Yorke according to the custom and maner of the former kings or as other affirme he set the crowne on his owne head without anie the accustomed ceremonies in the yéere after the birth of our sauiour 1066 or in the yéere of Christ 1065 after the account of the church of England as before is noted But how and whensoeuer he came to the seat roiall of this kingdome certeine it is that this Harold in the begining of his reigne considering with himselfe how and in what sort he had taken vpon him the rule of the kingdome rather by intrusion than by anie lawfull right studied by all meanes which way to win the peoples fauour and omitted no occasion whereby he might shew anie token of bountious liberalitie gentlenesse and courteous behauiour towards them The gréeuous customes also and taxes which his predecessors had raised he either abolished or diminished the ordinarie wages of his seruants and men of warre he increased and further shewed himselfe verie well bent to all vertue and goodnesse whereby he purchased no small fauor among such as were his subiects Whilest Harold went about thus to steale the peoples good willes there came ouer vnlooked for sundrie ambassadours from William the bastard duke of Normandie with commission to require him to remember his oth sometime made to the said William in the time of his extremitie which was that he the said Harold should aid him in the obteining of the crowne of England if king Edward should happen to die without issue This couenant he made as it is supposed in king Edwards daies when by licence of the same Edward or rather as Edmerus writeth against his will he went ouer into Normandie to visit his brethren which laie there as pledges Howbeit at this present Harolds answer to the said ambassadors was that he would be readie to gratifie the duke in all that he could demand so that he would not aske the realme which alreadie he had in his full possession And further he declared vnto them as some write that as for the oth which he had made in times past vnto duke William the same was but a constreined no voluntarie oth which in law is nothing since thereby he tooke vpon him to grant that which was not in his power to giue he being but a subiect whilest king Edward was liuing For if a promised vow or oth which a maid maketh concerning the bestowing of hir bodie in hir fathers house without his consent is made void much more an oth by him made that was a subiect and vnder the rule of a king without his souereignes consent ought to be void and of no value He alledged moreouer that as for him to take an oth to deliuer the inheritance of anie realme without the generall consent of the estates of the same could not be other than a great péece of presumption yea although he might haue iust title therevnto so it was an vnreasonable request of the duke at this present to will him to renounce the kingdome the gouernance whereof he had alreadie taken vpon him with so great fauor and good liking of all men Duke William hauing receiued this answer and nothing liking thereof sent once againe to Harold requiring him then at the least-wise that he would take his daughter to wife according to his former promise in refusing whereof he could make no sound allegation bicause it was a thing of his owne motion and in his absolute power both to grant and to performe But Harold being of a stout courage with proud countenance frowned vpon the Norman ambassadors and declared to them that his mind was nothing bent as then to yéeld therevnto in any maner of wise And so with other talke tending to the like effect he sent them away without anie further answer The daughter of duke William whome Harold should haue maried was named Adeliza as Gemeticensis saith and with hir as the same author writeth it was couenanted by duke William that Harold should inioy halfe the realme in name of hir dower Howbeit some write that
Asserius Meneuensis Werefridus Iohn Scot. Grimbald Alured diuided the time for his necessarie vses His last will and testament Cewulfe 886 Matth. West Guthrun K. of the eastangles died 890. Simon Dun. Simon Dun. 872 Egbert king of Northumberland expelled from his kingdome Egbert departed this life Ricsig The Danes winter in Lindseie 975 Ricsig departed this life 983 Guthred ordeined king of Northumberland The bishops sée remooued froÌ„ holie iland to Chester in the stréet Priuiledges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine 894 Polydor. Will. Malmes Wil. Malm. Sithrike Edward the elder 901. Winborne Hen. Hunt Adelwold fleeth to the Danes Wil. Malm. The English nation practised in wars go commonlie awaie with the victorie Hen. Hunt Essex yéeldes to Adelwold Ran. Higd. Brittenden Hen. Hunâ— The Kentishmen disobeiing the kings commandement are surprised by the enimies Adelwold king Edwards brother Fortie daies saith Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt Wightham Chester or rather Leicester as I thinke Digetune Irchenfield Danes discomfited The I le of Stepen Deomedun Danes saile into Ireland Turketillus an earle Simon Dun. Anno 911. Simon Dun. Polydor. Ericke king of Eastangles King Edward inuadeth the countrie of the Eastangles Ericke put to flight The kingdom of the Eastangâ—es subdued by K. Edward Hen. Hunt Matth. West Simon Dun. Tamwoorth was by hir repared anno 914. Eadsburie and Warwike 915 Chester repared 905. Sim. Dun. Quéene of the Welshmen taken Brecanamere Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt 918 Darbie won from the Danes Hen. Hunt Anno Christ 919 Matt. West Simon Dun. Ranul Translated by Abraham Fleming This Alfwen was sister to Edelfled as H. Hunt saith Strateluid or Stretcled a kingdome in Wales K. Edward a great builder and reparer of townes Notingham bridge built Matt. West Manchester repared Anno 816. Simon Dun. Henr. Hunt Polydor. A dreame Matt. West Polydor. The issue of K. Edward â—has Edgiua Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. Matth. West England first â—â—curssed Anno 903. Winchester Cornwall Shireborne Welles Kirton Mercia Wil. Malm. saith that pope Formosus pronounced this cursse 904 Polydor. Hen. Hunt Adelstan Matt. West Will. Malmes 924 Alfred striueth in vaine to kéepe Adelstane from the gouernment Wâ—l Malm. See more hereof in the acts and monuments set foorth by M. Fox vol. 1. leafe 195. Anno 925. Simon Dun. Polydor. Wil. Malm. H. Hunt Hect. Boetius The Scotish writers varie from our English authors Beatrice daughter to K. Edward as the Scotish writers say Edwin was not brother to K. Edward but son to him Adelstane flieth the realme Beatrice put to death by his stepsons Editha a virgine Wil. Malm. Matth. West The noble saieng of king Adeâ—stane 926 Polydoc 934 Ran. Higd. Sim. Dun. The Scots subdued A token shewed iniraculoâ—ske that the Scots ought to be subiect to the kings of England Wil. Malm. Matt. West 934. Repentance too late Wil. Malm. 937 Simon Dun. Hen. Hunc Wil. Malm. Matth. West Hector Boet. Ran. Higd. Aulafe disguised commeth to view the English camp Aulafe assaileth the English campe Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. The enimies discomfited Ran. Higd. Tribute The Cornish men subdued Excester repared 940 Simon Dun. The decease of king Adelstane The deâ—cription of king Adelstane Wolstan archbishop of Yorke His estimation in foraine realmes Harding Edmund Wil. Malm. 940. Simon Dun. A peace concluded 941 Matth. West Aulafe deceasseth Another Aulafe taketh vpon him to rule 942 Gâ—rmo or Godfrey Will. Malm. 944 Simon Dun. Leolin king of Southwales aided king Edmund in this enterprise 946 Polydor. The lawes of king Edmund Fiue yeares and 7 months hath Si. Dun. Pridecire saith Si. Dun. Will. Malm. Matth. West 946 Capgraue A vaine tale Crossing bringeth sight of the diuels and crossing driueth them away Dunstane an interpretor of dreames Dunstan séeth the diuell often but now he was become a watter at the table when Dunstane sat with the king Edred 946 Edred Hen. Hunt The Northumbers rebell and are subdued Aulafe returned into Northumberland Hirke or Hericius Wil. Malm. The disloialtie of the Northumbers punished Aulafe returned into Northumberland Ran. Higd. Simon Dun. Easterford Aulafe returned into Northumberland The archbishop of Yorke imprisoned Matth. West 951. Wil. Malm. Edredus departeth this life Dunstane in fauour But was not this a deuise thereby to deteine the treasure for I doo not read that he deliuered it out of his hands An angell or as some thinks a woorse creature Edwin 955 Will. Malmes Polydor. Iohn Cap. graue Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane banished the realme Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane séeth not the diuell Dunstane departed into exile Wil. Malm. Edwine displaceth monks and putteth secular priests in their roomes Rebellion raised against king Edwine Simon Dun. Edwin departeth this life Edgar 959 Polydor. Edgar a fauorer of moonks The diligent prouision of K. Edgar for defense of the realme Wil. Malm. Mascutius Kings of Welshmen King Edgar roweth on the water of Dée Ran. Higd. King Edgar fauoureth Danes English learned to quaffe of the Danes Wil. Malm. Englishmen learne other vices of strangers Ethelwold made bishop of Winchester Oswald Floriacum Moonks must néeds write much in praise of Edgar who had men of their cote in such estimatioÌ„ A tribute instituted of woolskins Osborne and Capgraue hold that she was not his wife but a nun Wil. Malm. â—â—orger â—â—orger Earle Ethelwold deceueth the king of his wiâ—e King Edgar séeketh the destruction of earle Ethelwold King Edgar a murtherer His licentious life incontinencie Note the déep hypocrisie of Dunstane Ran. Higd. Fabian out of Guido de Columâ—â— Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Ranul Hig. Polydor. Matt. West Simon Dun. Fabian Ran. Higd. The Welshmen rebel and are chastised Fabian Ran. Higd. The welshmen rebel and are chastised Will. Malmet Hen. Hunt King Edgar departeth this life Wherfore Edgar is praised of some writers Fabian Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. Hen. Huna Matt. West Moonks estéemed secular priests little regarded Ran. Higd. lib. 6. cap. 9. Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Tho. Eliot Edgar small of stature but strong and hardie Kenneth king of Scots The noble courage of king Edgar Wil. Malm. Ireland subiect to king Edgar Edward Some write that the father king Edgar appointed Edward to succéed him Simon Dun. Iohn Capg After duke of Mercia and other immeâ—â—atlie vpon Edgars death before the crowne was established remooued the moonks and restored the canons Simon Dun. 975 Wil. Malm. Alfer or Elfer duke of Mercia Iohn Capâ— Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Matt. West Simon Dun. Simon Dun. Polydor. A pretie shift of the moonks to disappoint the priests Polydor. Wil. Malm. Dunstane by woorking miracles had his will when arguments failed Polydor. Wil. Malms The wicked purpose of quéene Alfred The shameful murther of K. Edward Matth. West Fabian Sim. Dun. Wil. Malm. Miracles Building of abbeies in those daies was thought to be a full satisfaction for all maner of sinues Elferus Polydor. Will. Malmes Egelred 979 Simon Dun. Will. Malmes Polydor. Ran. Higd. 980 Sim. Dun. Ran. Higd. 982 983 Alfer
where their maiesties should bée shewed manie yéeres after Ethelburga fearing punishment fled into France with gâ—eat riches and treasure was well cherished in the court of king Charles at the first but after she was thrust into an abbeie and demeaned hirselfe so lewdlie there in keeping companie with one of hir owne countriemen that she was banished the house and after died in great miserie Egbert king of Mercia departing this life after he had reigned foure moneths ordeined his coosine Kenulfe to succeed in his place which Kenulfe was come of the line of Penda king of Mercia as rightlie descended from his brother Kenwalke This Kenulfe for his noble courage wisedome and vpright dealing was woorthie to be compared with the best princes that haue reigned His vertues passed his fame nothing he did that enuie could with iust cause reprooue At home he shewed himselfe godlie and religious in warre he became victorious he restored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie wherein his humblenes was to be praised that made no account of worldlie honour in his prouince so that the order of the ancient canons might be obserued He had wars left him as it were by succession from his predecessour Offa against them of Kent and thervpon entring that countrie with a mightie armie wasted and spoiled the same and encountering in battell with king Edbert or Ethelbert otherwise called Prenne ouerthrew his armie and tooke him prisoner in the field but afterwards he released him to his great praise and commendation For whereas he builded a church at Winchcombe vpon the day of the dedication thereof he led the Kentish king as then his prisoner vp to the high altar and there set him at libertie declaring thereby a great proofe of of his good nature There were present at that sight Cuthred whom he had made king of Kent in place of Ethelbert or Edbert with 13 bishops and 10 dukes The noise that was made of the people in reioising at the kings bountious liberalitie was maruellous For not onelie he thus restored the Kentish king to libertie but also bestowed great rewards vpon all the prelates and noble men that were come to the feast euerie priest had a peece of gold and euerie moonke a shilling Also he dealt and gaue away great gifts amongst the people and founded in that place an abbeie indowing the same with great possessions Finallie after he had reigned 4 yéeres he departed this life and appointed his buriall to be in the same abbeie of Winchcombe leauing behind him a sonne named Kenelme who succeeded his father in the kingdome but was soone murthered by his vnnaturall sister Quendred the 17 of Iulie as hereafter shall be shewed Osrike king of Northumberland leaueth the kingdome to Edelbert reuoked out of exile king Alfwalds sons miserablie slaine Osred is put to death Ethelbert putteth away his wife and marieth another his people rise against him therefore and kill him Oswald succeeding him is driuen out of the land Ardulfe king of Northumberland duke Wade raiseth warre against him and is discomfited duke Aldred is slaine a sore battell fought in Northumberland the English men aflict one another with ciuill warres king Ardulfe deposed from his estate the regiment of the Northumbers refused as dangerous and deadlie by destinie what befell them in lieu of their disloialtie the Danes inuade their land and are vanquished the roiall race of the Kentish kings decaâ—eth the state of that kingdome the primasie restored to the see of Canturburie Egbert after the death of Britricus is sent for to vndertake the gouernement of the Westsaxons his linage The eight Chapter WHen Aswald king of Northumberland was made away his brother Osred the sonne of Alred tooke vpon him the rule of that kingdom anno 788 and within one yeere was expelled and left the kingdome to Ethelbert or Edelred as then reuoked out of exile in which he had remained for the space of 1 yéeres and now being restored he continued in gouernement of the Northumbers 4 yéeres or as some say 7 yéeres in the second yéere whereof duke Eardulfe was taken and led to Ripon and there without the gate of the monasterie wounded as was thought to death by the said king but the moonks taking his bodie and laieng it in a tent without the church after midnight he was found aliue in the church Moreouer about the same time the sonnes of king Alfwald were by force drawne out of the citie of Yorke but first by a wile they were trained out of the head church where they had taken sanctuarie and so at length miserablie slaine by king Ethelbert in Wonwaldremere one of them was named Alfus the other Alfwin In the yéere of our Lord 792 Osred vpon trust of the othes and promises of diuerse noble men secretly returned into Northumberland but his owne souldiers for sooke him and so was he taken and by king Ethelberts commandement put to death at Cunburge on the 14 day of September The same yéere king Ethelbert maried the ladie Alfled the daughter of Offa king of Mercia forsaking his former wife which he had hauing no iust cause of diuorce giuen on hir part whereby his people tooke such displeasure against him that finallie after he had reigned now this second time 4 yéeres or as other say seuen yéeres he could not auoid the destinie of his predecessors but was miserablie killed by his owne subiects at Cobre the 18 day of Aprill After whome one Oswald a noble man was ordeined king and within 27 or 28 daies after was expelled and constreined to flie first into the I le of Lindisferne and from thence vnto the king of Picts Then Ardulfe that was a duke and sonne to one Arnulfe was reuoked out of exile made king consecrated also at Yorke by the archbishop Cumbald and thrée other bishops the 25 of Iune in the yéere 396. About two yeeres after to wit in the yéere 798 one duke Wade and other conspirators which had beene also partakers in the murthering of king Ethelbert raised warre against king Ardulfe and fought a batteâ—l with him at Walleg but king Ardulfe got the vpper hand and chased Wade and other his enimies out of the field In the yéere 799. duke Aldred that had murthered Ethelbert or Athelred king of Northumberland was slaine by another duke called Chorthmond in reuenge of the death of his maister the said Ethelbert Shortlie after about the same time that Brightrike king of Westsaâ—ons departed this life there was a sore battell foughtten in Northumberland at Wellehare in the which Alricke the sonne of Herbert and manie other with him were slaine but to rehearse all the battels with their successes and issues it should be too tedious and irkesome to the readers for the English people being naturallie hard and high-minded continuallie scourged each other with intestine warres About six or seuen yéeres after this