and all the late writers of Lucius Hereby it appeareth that whether one or mo yet kings there were in Britain bearing rule vnder the Romane emperors On the other part the common opinion of our chronicle-writers is that the chiefe gouernment remained euer with the Britains that the Romane senat receiuing a yearelie tribute sent at certeine times Ex officio their emperors and lieutenants into this I le to represse the rebellious tumults therein begun or to beat backe the inuasion of the enimies that went about to inuade it And thus would these writers inferre that the Britains euer obeied their king till at length they were put beside the gouernement by the Saxons But whereas in the common historie of England the succession of kings ought to be kept so oft as it chanceth in the same that there is not anie to fill the place then one while the Romane emperors are placed in their steads and another while their lieutenants and are said to be created kings of the Britains as though the emperors were inferiors vnto the kings of Britaine and that the Romane lieutenants at their appointments and not by prescript of the senat or emperours administred the prouince This may suffice here to aduertise you of the contrarietie in writers Now we will go foorth in following our historie as we haue doone heretofore sauing that where the Romane histories write of things done here by emperors or their lieutenants it shall be shewed as reason requireth sith there is a great appearance of truth oftentimes in the same as those that be authorised and allowed in the opinion of the learned Of Theomantius the tearme of yeares that he reigned and where he was interred of Kymbeline within the time of whose gouernment Christ Iesus our sauiour was borne all nations content to obeie the Romane emperors and consequentlie Britaine the customes that the Britaines paie the Romans as Strabo reporteth The xviij Chapter AFter the death of Cassibellane Theomantius or Tenantius the yoongest sonne of Lud was made king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3921 after the building of Rome 706 before the comming of Christ 45. He is named also in one of the English chronicles Tormace in the same chronicle it is conteined that not he but his brother Androgeus was king where Geffrey of Monmouth others testifie that Androgeus abandoned the land clerelie continued still at Rome because he knew the Britains hated him for treason he had committed in aiding Iulius Cesar against Cassibellane Theomantius ruled the land in good quiet and paid the tribute to the Romans which Cassibellane had granted and finallie departed this life after he had reigned 22 yeares and was buried at London KYmbeline or Cimbeline the sonne of Theomantius was of the Britains made king after the deceasse of his father in the yeare of the world 3944 after the building of Rome 728 and before the birth of out Sauiour 33. This man as some write was brought vp at Rome and there made knight by Augustus Cesar vnder whome he serued in the warres and was in such fauour with him that he was at libertie to pay his tribute or not Little other mention is made of his dooings except that during his reigne the Sauiour of the world our Lord Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God was borne of a virgine about the 23 yeare of the reigne of this Kymbeline in the 42 yeare of the emperour Octauius Augustus that is to wit in the yeare of the world 3966 in the second yeare of the 194 Olympiad after the building of the citie of Rome 750 nigh at an end after the vniuersall floud 2311 from the birth of Abraham 2019 after the departure of the Israelits out of Egypt 1513 after the captiuitie of Babylon 535 from the building of the temple by Salomon 1034 from the arriuall of Brute 1116 complet Touching the continuance of the yeares of Kymbelines reigne some writers doo varie but the best approoued affirme that he reigned 35 years and then died was buried at London leauing behind him two sonnes Guiderius and Aruiragus ¶ But here is to be noted that although our histories doo affirme that as well this Kymbeline as also his father Theomantius liued in quiet with the Romans and continuallie to them paied the tributes which the Britains had couenanted with Iulius Cesar to pay yet we find in the Romane writers that after Iulius Cesars death when Augustus had taken vpon him the rule of the empire the Britains refused to paie that tribute whereat as Cornelius Tacitus reporteth Augustus being otherwise occupied was contented to winke howbeit through earnest calling vpon to recouer his right by such as were desirous to sée the vttermost of the British kingdome at length to wit in the tenth yeare after the death of Iulius Cesar which was about the thirtéenth yeare of the said Theomantius Augustus made prouision to passe with an armie ouer into Britaine was come forward vpon his iournie into Gallia Celtica or as we maie saie into these hither parts of France But here receiuing aduertisements that the Pannonians which inhabited the countrie now called Hungarie and the Dalmatians whome now we call Slauons had rebelled he thought it best first to subdue those rebells neere home rather than to séeke new countries and leaue such in hazard whereof he had present possession and so turning his power against the Pannonians and Dalmatians he left off for a time the warres of Britaine whereby the land remained without feare of anie inuasion to be made by the Romans till the yeare after the building of the citie of Rome 725 and about the 19 yeare of king Theomantius reigne that Augustus with an armie departed once againe from Rome to passe ouer into Britaine there to make warre But after his comming into Gallia when the Britains sent to him certeine ambassadours to treat with him of peace he staied there to settle the state of things among the Galles for that they were not in verie good order And hauing finished there he went into Spaine and so his iournie into Britaine was put off till the next yeare that is the 726 after the building of Rome which fell before the birth of our sauiour 25 about which time Augustus eftsoons meant the third time to haue made a voiage into Britaine because they could not agrée vpon couenants But as the Pannonians and Dalmatians had aforetime staied him when as before is said he meant to haue gone against the Britans so euen now the Salassians a people inhabiting about Italie and Switserland the Cantabrians and Asturians by such rebellious sturrs as they raised withdrew him from his purposed iournie But whether this controuersie which appeareth to fall forth betwixt the Britans and Augustus was occasioned by Kymbeline or some other prince of the Britains I haue not to auouch for that by our writers
but for that cause speciallie did Uortigerne séeke t' aduance him to the end that the king being not able to gouerne of himselfe he might haue the chiefest swaie and so rule all things as it were vnder him preparing thereby a way for himselfe to atteine at length to the kingdome as by that which followed was more apparentlie perceiued THis Constantius then the sonne of Constantine by the helpe as before ye haue heard of Uortigerne was made king of Britaine in the yere of our Lord 443. But Constantius bare but the name of king for Uortigerne abusing his innocencie and simple discretion to order things as was requisite had all the rule of the land and did what pleased him Wherevpon first where there had béene a league concluded betwixt the Britains Scots and Picts in the daies of the late king Constantine Uortigerne cause the same league to be renewed waged an hundred Picts and as manie Scots to be attendant as a gard vpon the kings person diuers of the which corrupting them with faire promises he procured by subtile meanes in the end to murther the king and immediatlie vpon the deed doone he caused the murtherers to be strangled that they should not afterwards disclose by whose procurement they did that déed Then caused he all the residue of the Scots and Picts to be apprehended and as it had béene vpon a zeale to sée the death of Constantius seuerelie punished be framed such inditements and accusations against them that chieflie by his meanes as appeared the giltlesse persons were condemned and hanged the multitude of the British people béeing woonderfullie pleased therewith and giuing great commendations to Uortigerne for that déed Thus Constantius was made awaie in maner as before ye haue heard after he had reigned as most writers affirme the space of fiue yéeres After his death was knowne those that had the bringing vp and custodie of his two yoonger brethren Aurelius Ambrose and Uter Pendragon mistrusting the wicked intent of Uortigerne whose dissimulation and mischieuous meaning by some great likelihoods they suspected with all spéed got them to the sea and fled into litle Britaine there kéeping them till it pleased God otherwise to prouide for them But Uortigerne could so well dissemble his craftie workings and with such conueiance and cloked maner could shadow and colour the matter that most men thought and iudged him verie innocent and void of euill meaning insomuch that he obteined the fauour of the people so greatlie that he was reputed for the onelie staie and defender of the common wealth Herevpon it came to passe that when the councell was assembled to elect a new king for so much as the other sonnes of king Constantine were not of age sufficient to rule Uortigerne himselfe was chosen diuers of the nobles whom he had procured thereto giuing their voices to this his preferment as to one best deseruing the same in their opinion and iudgement This Uortigerne as by indirect meanes and sinister procéedings he aspired to the regiment hauing no title therevnto otherwise than as blind fortune vouchsafed him the preferment so when he was possessed but not interessed in the same he vncased the crooked conditions which he had couertlie concealed and in the end as by the sequele you shall sée did pull shame and infamie vpon himselfe Vortigerne furnisheth the tower with a garrison he bewraieth his crueltie Aurelius and Pendragon brethren to the late king Constantius flie into Britaine Armorike what common abuses and sinnes did vniuersally concurre with a plentifull yeere the Scots and Picts reuenge the death of their countrimen Vortigerne is in doubt of his estate the Britains send for succour to the Saxons they come vnder the conduct of Hengist and Horsus two brethren where they are assigned to be seated they vanquish the Scots disagreement in writers touching the Saxons first comming into this Iland The second Chapter VOrtigerne by such diuelish meanes and vnconscionable practises as you heare stealing away the hearts of the people was chosen and made king of Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 446 in the 3 consulship of Aetius 1197 of Rome 4 of the 305 Olympiad 4112 of the world the dominicall letter going by F the prime by 10 which fell about the 21 yéere of the emperour Ualentinianus the same yéere that Meroneus began to reigne ouer the Frenchmen Before he was made king he was earle or duke of the Geuisses a people which held that part of Britaine where afterwards the west Saxons inhabited Now when he had with treason fraud and great deceit at length obteined that for the which he had long looked he first of all furnished the tower of London with a strong garrison of men of warre Then studieng to aduance such onelie as he knew to be his speciall friends and fauorers he fought by all meanes how to oppresse other of whose good will he had neuer so litle mistrust and namelie those that were affectionate towards the linage of Constantine he hated deadlie and deuised by secret meanes which way he might best destroy them But these his practises being at the first perceiued caused such as had the gouernance of the two poong gentlemen with all spéed to get them ouer as ye haue heard into Britaine Armorike there to remaine out of danger with their vncle the king of that land Diuers of the Britains also that knew themselues to be in Uortigerne his displeasure sailed ouer dailie vnto them which thing brought Uortigerne into great doubt and feare of his estate It chanced also the same time that there was great plentie of corne store of fruit the like wherof had not béene seene in manie yéeres before and therevpon insued riot strife lecherie and other vices verie heinous yet accounted as then for small or rather none offenses at all These abuses great enormities reigned not onelie in the temporaltie but also in the spiritualtie and chéefe rulers in the same so that euerie man turned the point of his speare euen as he had consented of purpose against the true and innocent person The commons also gaue themselues to voluptuous lust drunkennesse and idle loitering whereof followed fighting contention enuie and much debate Of this plentie therefore insued great pride and of this abundance no lesse hautinesse of mind wherevpon followed great wickednesse lacke of good gouernement and sober temperancie and in the necke of these as a iust punishment death and mortalitie so that in some countries scarse the quicke sufficed to burie the dead And for an augmentation of more mischeefe the Scots and Picts hearing how their countrimen through the false suggestion of Uortigerne had bene wrongfullie and most cruellie put to death at London began with fire sword to make sharpe cruell warre against the Britains wasting their countrie spoiling and burning their townes and giuing them the ouerthrow in
obeisance to this Cadwallo during eight and twentie yeares Thus Cadwallo reigned in the whole monarchie of great Britaine hauing all the seuen kings thereof as well Saxons as others his subiects for albeit the number of Saxons from time to time greatlie increased yet were they alwaies either at the first expelled or else made tributarie to the onelie kings of Britons for the time being as all their owne writers doo confesse Cadwallader was next king of the whole great Britaine he reigned twelue yeares ouer all the kings thereof in great peace and tranquillitie and then vpon the lamentable death of his subiects which died of sundrie diseases innumerablie he departed into little Britaine His sonne and cousine Iuor and Iue being expelled out of England also by the Saxons went into Wales where among the Britons they and their posteritie remained princes Upon this great alteration and warres being through the whole dominion betwéene the Britons and Saxons the Scots thought time to slip the collar of obedience and therevpon entred in league with Charles then king of France establishing it in this wise 1 The iniurie of Englishmen doone to anie of these people shall be perpetuallie holden common to them both 2 When Frenchmen be inuaded by Englishmen the Scots shall send their armie in defense of France so that they be supported with monie and vittels by the French 3 When Scots be inuaded by Englishmen the Frenchmen shall come vpon their owne expenses to their support and succour 4 None of the people shall take peace or truce with Englishmen without the aduise of other c. Manie disputable opinions may be had of warre without the praising of it as onlie admittable by inforced necessitie and to be vsed for peace sake onelie where here the Scots sought warre for the loue of warre onelie For their league giueth no benefit to themselues either in frée traffike of their owne commodities or benefit of the French or other priuilege to the people of both What discommoditie riseth by loosing the intercourse and exchange of our commodities being in necessaries more aboundant than France the Scots féele and we perfectlie know What ruine of their townes destruction of countries slaughter of both peoples haue by reason of this bloudie league chanced the histories be lamentable to read and horrible among christian men to be remembred but God gaue the increase according to their séed for as they did hereby sowe dissention so did they shortlie after reape a bloudie slaughter and confusion For Alpine their king possessing a light mind that would be lost with a little wind hoped by this league shortlie to subdue all great Britaine and to that end not onelie rebelled in his owne kingdome but also vsurped vpon the kingdome of Picts Whervpon Edwine king of England made one Brudeus king of Picts whom he sent into Scotland with a great power where in battell he tooke this Alpine king of Scots prisoner and discomfited his people And this Alpine being their king found subiect and rebell his head was striken off at a place in Scotland which thereof is to this daie called Pasalpine that is to saie the head of Alpine And this was the first effect of their French league Osbright king of England with Ella his subiect and a great number of Britons and Saxons shortlie after for that the Scots had of themselues elected a new king entered Scotland and ceassed not his war against them vntill their king and people fled into the Iles with whome at the last vpon their submission peace was made in this wise The water of Frith shall be march betwéene Scots and Englishmen in the east parts and shall be named the Scotish sea The water of Cluide to Dunbriton shall be march in the west parts betwéene the Scots and Britons This castell was before called Alcluide but now Dunbriton that is to say the castle of Britons and sometimes it was destroied by the Danes So the Britons had all the lands from Sterling to the Ireland seas and from the water of Frith Cluide to Cumber with all the strengths and commodities thereof and the Englishmen had the lands betwéene Sterling and Northumberland Thus was Cluide march betwéene the Scots and the Britons on the one side and the water of Frith named the Scotish sea march betwéene them and Englishmen on the other side and Sterling common march to thrée people Britons Englishmen and Scots howbeit king Osbright had the castle of Sterling where first he caused to be coined Sterling monie The Englishmen also builded a bridge of stone for passage ouer the water of Frith in the middest whereof they made a crosse vnder which were written these verses I am free march as passengers may ken To Scots to Britons and Englishmen Not manie yeares after this Hinguar and Hubba two Danes with a great number of people arriued in Scotland and slue Constantine whom Osbright had before made king wherevpon Edulfe or Ethelwulfe then king of England assembled his power against Hinguar and Hubba and in one battell slue them both but such of their people as would remaine and become christians he suffered to tarie the rest he banished or put to death c. This Ethelwulfe granted the Peter pence of which albeit Peter Paule had little need and lesse right yet the paiment thereof continued in this realme euer after vntill now of late yeares But the Scots euer since vnto this daie haue and yet doo paie it by reason of that grant which prooueth them to be then vnder his obeisance Alured or Alfred succéeded in the kingdome of England and reigned noblie ouer the whole monarchie of great Britaine he made lawes that persons excommunicated should be disabled to sue or claime anie propertie which law Gregour whome this Alured had made king of Scots obeied and the same law as well in Scotland as in England is holden to this daie which also prooueth him to be high lord of Scotland This Alured constreined Gregour king of Scots also to breake the league with France for generallie he concluded with him and serued him in all his warres as well against Danes as others not reseruing or making anie exception of the former league with France The said Alured after the death of Gregour had the like seruice and obeisance of Donald king of Scots with fiue thousand horssemen against one Gurmond a Dane that then infested the realme and this Donald died in this faith and obeisance with Alured Edward the first of that name called Chifod sonne of this Alured succéeded his father and was the next king of England against whome Sithrtic a Dane and the Scots conspired but they were subdued and Constantine their king brought to obeisance He held the realme of Scotland also of king Edward and this dooth Marian their owne countrieman a Scot confesse beside Roger Houeden and William of Malmesberie In the yeare of our Lord 923 the same king Edward was president and gouernour of
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
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
all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life and lastlie being growne to great age died when he had reigned now this third time after most concordance of writers the tearme of foure yeares and was buried at Caerleill A Chapter of digression shewing the diuersitie of writers in opinion touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the British kings of this Iland downewards since Gurguintus time till the death of Elidurus and likewise till king Lud reigned in his roialtie with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last yeare of Elidurus and the first of Lud. The eight Chapter HEre is to be noted that euen from the beginning of the British kings which reigned here in this land there is great diuersitie amongest writers both touching the names and also the times of their reignes speciallie till they come to the death of the last mentioned king Elidurus Insomuch that Polydor Virgil in his historie of England finding a manifest error as he taketh it in those writers whome he followeth touching the account from the comming of Brute vnto the sacking of Rome by Brennus whome our histories affirme to be the brother of Beline that to fill vp the number which is wanting in the reckoning of the yeares of those kings which reigned after Brute till the daies of the same Brenne Beline he thought good to change the order least one error should follow an other and so of one error making manie he hath placed those kings which after other writers should séeme to follow Brenne and Beline betwixt Dunuallo and Mulmucius father to the said Beline and Brenne and those fiue kings which stroue for the gouernement after the deceasse of the two brethren Ferrex and Porrex putting Guintoline to succéed after the fiue kings or rulers and after Guintoline his wife Martia during the minoritie of hir sonne then hir said sonne named Sicilius After him succéeded these whose names follow in order Chimarius Danius Morindus Gorbonianus Archigallo who being deposed Elidurus was made king and so continued till he restored the gouernement as ye haue heard to Archigallo againe and after his death Elidurus was eftsoones admitted and within a while againe deposed by Uigenius and Peredurus and after their deceasses the third time restored Then after his deceasse followed successiuelie Ueginus Morganus Ennanus Idunallo Rimo Geruntins Catellus Coilus Porrex the second of that name Cherinus Fulgentius Eldalus Androgeus Urianus and Eliud after whom should follow Dunuallow Molmucius as in his proper place if the order of things doone the course of time should be obserued as Polydor gathereth by the account of yeares attributed to those kings that reigned before and after Dunuallo according to those authours whom as I said he followeth if they will that Brennus which led the Galles to Rome be the same that was sonne to the said Dunuallo Mulmucius and brother to Beline But sith other haue in better order brought out a perfect agréement in the account of yeares and succession of those kings which reigned and gouerned in this land before the sacking of Rome and also another such as it is after the same and before the Romans had anie perfect knowledge thereof we haue thought good to follow them therein leauing to euerie man his libertie to iudge as his knowledge shall serue him in a thing so doubtfull and vncerteine by reason of variance amongst the ancient writers in that behalfe And euen as there is great difference in writers since Gurguintus till the death of Elidurus so is there as great or rather greater after his deceasse speciallie till king Lud atteined the kingdome But as maie be gathered by that which Fabian and other whome he followeth doo write there passed aboue 185 yeares betwixt the last yeare of Elidurus and the beginning of king Lud his reigne in the which time there reigned 32 or 33 kings as some writers haue mentioned whose names as Gal. Mon. hath recorded are thâ—se immediatlie héere named Regâ—â— the sonne of Gorbolian or Gorbonian a worthie prince who iustlie and mercifullie gouerned his people Margan the sonne of Archigallo a noble prince likewise and guiding his subiects in good quiet Emerian brother to the same Margan but far vnlike to him in maners so that he was deposed in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ydwallo sonne to Uigenius Rimo the sonne of Peredurus Geruntius the sonne of Elidurus Catell that was buried at Winchester Coill that was buried at Nottingham Porrex a vertuous and most gentle prince Cherinus a drunkard Fulginius Eldad and Androgeus these thrée were sonnes to Chercinus and reigned successiuelie one after another after them a sonne of Androgeus then Eliud Dedaicus Clotinius Gurguntius Merianns Bledius Cop Owen Sicilius Bledgabredus an excellent musician after him his brother Archemall then Eldol Red Rodiecke Samuill Penisell Pir Capoir after him his sonne Gligweil an vpright dealing prince and a good iusticiarie whom succeeded his sonne Helie which reigned 60 yeares as the forsaid Gal. Mon. writeth where other affirme that he reigned 40 yeares and some againe say that he reigned but 7 moneths There is great diuersitie in writers touching the reignes of these kings and not onlie for the number of yéeres which they should continue in their reignes but also in their names so that to shew the diuersitie of all the writers were but to small purpose sith the dooings of the same kings were not great by report made thereof by any approoued author But this maie suffice to aduertise you that by conferring the yéeres attributed to the other kings which reigned before them since the comming of Brute who should enter this land as by the best writers is gathered about the yéere before the building of Rome 367 which was in the yéere after the creation of the world 2850 as is said with their time there remaineth 182 yéeres to be dealt amongst these 33 kings which reigned betwixt the said Elidure Lud which Lud also began his reigne after the building of the citie of Rome as writers affirme about 679 yéeres and in the yéere of the world 3895 as some that will séeme the precisest calculators doo gather Polydor Virgil changing as I haue shewed the order of succession in the British kings in bringing diuerse of those kings which after other writers followed Beline and Brenne to precéed them so successiuelie after Beline and Brenne reherseth those that by his coniecture did by likelihood succéed as thus After the decesse of Beline his sonne Gurguntius being the second of that name succeeded in gouernment of the land and then these in order as they follow Merianus Bladanus Capeus Ouinus Sicilius Bledgabredus Archemallus Eldorus Rodianus Redargius Samulius Penisellus Pyrrhus Caporus Dinellus and Helie who had issue Lud Cassibellane and Neurius Of king Helie who gaue the name to the I le of Elie of king Lud and what memorable edifices he made London sometimes called Luds towne
from Claudius as it were to appease the souldiers procure them to set forward But when this Narcissus went vp into the tribunall throne of Plautius to declare the cause of his comming the souldiers taking great indignation therewith cried O Saturnalia as if they should haue celebrated their feast daie so called When the seruants apparelled in their maisters robes represented the roome of their maisters and were serued by them as if they had béene their seruants and thus at length constreined through verie shame they agréed to follow Plautius Herevpon being embarked he diuided his nauie into thrée parts to the end that if they were kept off from arriuing in one place yet they might take land in another The ships suffered some impeachment in their passage by a contrarie wind that droue them backe againe but yet the marriners and men of warre taking good courage vnto them the rather because there was séene a fierie leame to shoot out of the east towards the west which way their course lay made forwards againe with their ships and landed without finding anie resistance For the Britains looked not for their comming wherefore when they heard how their enimies were on land they got them into the woods and marishes trusting that by lingering of time the Romans would be constreined to depart as it had chanced in time past to Iulius Cesar aforesaid The end of the third booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Historie of England The Britains discomfited sore wounded slaine and disabled by Plautius and his power Claudius the Romane taketh the chiefe citie of Cymbebeline the king of Britaine he bereaueth the Britains of their armour and by vertue of his conquest ouer part of the land is surnamed Britannicus The first Chapter NOw Plautius had much adoo to find out the Britains in their lurking holes and couerts howbeit when he had traced them out first he vanquished Cataratacus and after Togodumnus the sonnes of Cynobellinus for their father was dead not verie long before These therefore fléeing their waies Plautus receiued part of the people called Bodumni which were subiects vnto them that were called Catuellani into the obeisance of the Romans and so leauing there a garrison of souldiors passed further till he came to a riuer which could not well be passed without a bridge wherevpon the Britains tooke small regard to defend the passage as though they had béene sure inough But Plautius appointed a certeine number of Germans which he had there with him being vsed to swim ouer riuers although neuer so swift to get ouer which they did sleaing and wounding the Britains horsses which were fastened to their wagons or chariots so that the Britains were not able to doo anie péece of their accustomed seruice with the same Herewithall was Flauius Uespasianus that afterwards was emperour with his brother Sabinus sent ouer that riuer which being got to the further side slue a great number of the enimies The residue of the Britains fled but the next day proffered a new battell in the which they fought so stoutlie that the victorie depended long in doubtfull balance till Caius Sidius Geta being almost at point to be taken did so handle the matter that the Britains finallie were put to flight for the which his valiant dooings triumphant honors were bestowed vpon him although he was no consull The Britains after this battell withdrew to the riuer of Thames néere to the place where it falleth into the sea and knowing the shallowes and firme places thereof easilie passed ouer to the further side whom the Romans following through lacke of knowledge in the nature of the places they fell into the marish grounds and so came to lose manie of their men namelie of the Germans which were the first that passed ouer the riuer to follow the Britains partlie by a bridge which lay within the countrie ouer the said riuer and partlie by swimming and other such shift as they presentlie made The Britains hauing lost one of their rulers namelie Togodumnus of whom ye haue heard before were nothing discouraged but rather more egerlie set on reuenge Plautius perceiuing their fiercenesse went no further but staid and placed garrisons in steeds where néed required to kéepe those places which he had gotten and with all spéed sent aduertisement vnto Claudius according to that he had in commandement if anie vrgent necessitie should so mooue him Claudius therefore hauing all things before hand in a readinesse straightwaies vpon the receiuing of the aduertisement departed from Rome and came by water vnto Ostia and from thence vnto Massilia and so through France sped his iournies till he came to the side of the Ocean sea and then imbarking himselfe with his people passed ouer into Britaine and came to his armie which abode his comming néere the Thames side where being ioined they passed the riuer againe fought with the Britains in a pitcht field and getting the victorie tooke the towne of Camelodunum which some count to be Colchester being the chiefest citie apperteining vnto Cynobelinus He reduced also manie other people into his subiection some by force and some by surrender whereof he was called oftentimes by the name of emperour which was against the ordinance of the Romans for it was not lawfull for anie to take that name vpon him oftener than once in anie one voiage Moreouer Claudius tooke from the Britains their armor and weapons and committed the gouernment of them vnto Plautius commanding him to endeuour himselfe to subdue the residue Thus hauing brought vnder a part of Britaine and hauing made his abode therin not past a sixtene daies he departed and came backe againe to Rome with victorie in the sixt month after his setting foorth from thence giuing after his returne to his sonne the surname of Britannicus This warre he finished in maner as before is said in the fourth yéere of his reigne which fell in the yéere of the world 4011 after the birth of our Sauiour 44 and after the building of Rome 79. The diuerse opinions and variable reports of writers touching the partile conquest of this Iland by the Romans the death of Guiderius The second Chapter THere be that write how Claudius subdued and added to the Romane empire the Iles of Orknie situate in the north Ocean beyond Britaine which might well be accomplished either by Plautius or some other his lieutenant for Plautius indéed for his noble prowesse and valiant acts atchiued in Britaine afterwards triumphed Titus the sonne of Uespasian also wan no small praise for deliuering his father out of danger in his time being beset with a companie of Britains which the said Titus bare downe and put to flight with great slaughter Beda following the authoritie of Suetonius writeth bréeflie of this matter and saith that Claudius passing ouer into this I le to the which neither before Iulius Cesar neither after him anie stranger durst come within few daies receiued the most part of
of the enimies ceassed for a time but the wickednesse of the British people ceassed not at all The enimies departed out of the land but the inhabitants departed not from their naughtie dooings being not so readie to put backe the common enimies as to exercise ciuill warre and discord among themselues The wicked Irish people departed home to make returne againe within a while after But the Picts settled themselues first at that season in the vttermost bounds of the I le and there continued making insurrections oftentimes vpon their neighbours and spoiling them of their goods This with more also hath Gyldas and likewise Beda written of this great desolation of the British people wherein if the words of Gyldas be well weighed and considered it maie lead vs to thinke that the Scots had no habitations here in Britaine but onelie in Ireland till after this season and that at this present time the Picts which before inhabited within the Iles of Orkenie now placed themselues in the north parts of Scotland and after by processe of time came and nestled themselues in Louthian in the Mers and other countries more neere to our borders But to procéed The British histories affirme that whilest the Britains were thus persecuted by these two most cruell and fierce nations the Scots and Picts the noble and chiefest men amongst them consulted togither concluded to send an honorable ambassage vnto Aldroenus as then king of little Britaine in Gallia which Aldroenus was the fourth from Cnoan Meridoc the first king there of the British nation Of this ambassage the archbishop of London named Guetheline or Gosseline was appointed the chiefe and principall who passing ouer into little Britaine and comming before the presence of Aldroenus so declared the effect of his message that his suit was granted For Aldroenus agréed to send his brother Constantine ouer into great Britaine with a conuenient power vpon condition that the victorie being obteined against the enimies the Britains should make him king of great Britaine ¶ Thus it is apparent that this land of Britaine was without anie certeine gouernour after that Gratian the vsurper was dispatched a number of yéeres togither but how manie writers in their account do varie Fabian deposeth by diuers coniecturs that the space betwixt the death of Gratian and the beginning of the reigne of the said Constantine brother to Aldroenus continued nine and thirtie yéeres during which time the Britains were sore and miserablie afflicted by the inuasions of the Scots and Picts as before ye haue heard by testimonies taken out of Beda Gyldas Geffrey of Monmouth and other writers both British and English What the Roman historiographer Marcellinus reporteth of the Scots Picts and Britains vnder the emperour Iulianus Valentinianus and Valens they send their vicegerents into Britaine the disquietnesse of that time London called Augusta the worthie exploits of Theodosius in this Iland against the enimie Valentinus a banished malefactor deuiseth his destruction he is taken and executed he reformeth manie disorders and inconueniences the first entring of the Saxons into Britaine they are dawnâ—ed at the verie sight of the Romane ensignes the Saxons lieng in wait for their enimies are slaine euerie mothers sonne The xxxiiij Chapter BUt now sith no mention is made of the Scots in our histories till the daies of Maximus the vsurper or tyrant as some call him who began his reigne here in Britaine about the yéere of our Lord 383 and that till after he had bereft the land of the chiefest forces thereof in taking the most part of the youth ouer with him we find not in the same histories of anie troubles wrought to the Britains by that nation Therefore we haue thought good héere to come backe to the former times that we may shew what is found mentioned in the Romane histories both before that time and after as well concerning the Scots and Picts as also the Saxons and especiallie in Ammianus Marcellinus where in the beginning of his twentith booke intreating of the doings of the emperour Iulianus he saith as followeth In this state stood things in Illyricum or Slauonia in and the east parts at what time Constantius bare the office of consull the tenth time and Iulianus the third time that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 360 when in Britaine quietnesse being disturbed by roads made by the Scots and Picts which are wild and sauage people the frontiers of the countrie were wasted and feare oppressed the prouinces wearied with the heape of passed losses The emperor he meaneth Iulianus as then remaining at Paris and hauing his mind troubled with manie cares doubted to go to the aid of them beyond the sea as we haue shewed that Constantius did least he should leaue them in Gallia without a ruler the Almains being euen then prouoked and stirred vp to crueltie and warre He thought good therefore to send Lupicinus vnto these places to bring things into frame and order which Lupicinus was at that time master of the armorie a warlike person and skilfull in all points of chiualrie but proud and high-minded beyond measure and such one as it was doubted long whether he was more couetous or cruell Herevpon the said Lupicinus setting forward the light armed men of the Heruli and Bataui with diuers companies also of the people of Mesia now called Bulgarie when winter was well entred and come on he came himselfe to Bulleine and there prouiding ships and imbarking his men when the wind serued his purpose he transported ouer vnto Sandwich and so marched foorth vnto London from thence purposing to set forward as vpon aduise taken according to the qualitie of his businesse he should thinke méet and expedient In the meane time whilest Lupicinus was busie here in Britaine to represse the enimies the emperour Constantius displaced certeine officers and among other he depriued the same Lupicinus of the office of the master of the armorie appointing one Gumobarius to succeed him in that roome before anie such thing was knowen in these parties And where it was doubted least that Lupicinus if he had vnderstood so much whilest he was yet in Britaine would haue attempted some new trouble as he was a man of a stout and loftie mind he was called backe from thence and withall there was sent a notarie vnto Bulleine to watch that none should passe the seas ouer into Britaine till Lupicinus were returned and so returning ouer from thence yer he had anie knowledge what was doone by the emperour he could make no sturre hauing no such assistants in Gallia as it was thought he might haue had in Britaine if he should haue mooued rebellion there The same Marcellinus speaking of the doings about the time that Ualentinianus being elected emperour had admitted his brother Ualens as fellow with him in gouernement hath these words In this season as though
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
conuenient age was made a nun A third example of his incontinencie is written by authors and that is this It chanced on a time that he lodged one night at Andeuer and hauing a mind to a lords daughter there he commanded that she should bee brought to his bed But the mother of the gentlewoman would not that hir daughter should be defloured and therefore in the darke of the night broughtinto a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns weed he tooke one of hir maidseruants and laid hir in the kings bed she being both faire proper and pleasant In the morning when the day began to appeare she made hast to arise and being asked of the king why she so hasted That I may go to my daies worke if it please your grace quoth she Herewith she being staied by the king as it were against hir will she fell downe on hir knées required of him that she might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights worke For saith she it is not for your honor that the woman which hath tasted the pleasure of the kings bodie should anie more suffer seruitude vnder the rule and appointment of a sharpe rough mistresse The king then being mooued in his spirits laughed at the matter though not from the heart as he that tooke great indignation at the dooings of the dutchesse and pitied the case of the poore wench But yet in fine turning earnest to a iest he pardoned all the parties and aduanced the wench to high honor farreshe might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights aboue those that had rule of hir afore so that she ruled them willed they nilled they for he vsed hir as his paramour till he maried the foresaid Alfred For these youthfull parts namelie for the rauishing of Wilfride which though she were no nun yet the offense seemed verie heinous for that he should not once touch anie woman shadowed vnder that habit he greatlie displeased Dunstane so that by him he was put to his seuen yéeres penance and kept from the crowne till the 12 yeere of his reigne or more For some write that he was not crowned nor annointed king till the 30 yeere of his age which should be about the 13 or 14 yeere of his reigne by that account sith he entred into the rule of the kingdome about the 16 yéere of his age In déed one author witnesseth that he was consecrated at Bath on a Whitsunday the 13 yéere of his reigne and that by Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie and Oswold archbishop of Yorke But some which suppose that he was consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death of Edridus affirme that he was crowned and annointed king by the archbishop Odo Dunstane as then remaining in exile from whence he was immediatlie reuoked by Edgar and first made bishop of Worcester as hath beene said and after the decease of Odo was aduanced to be archbishop of Canturburie But by some writers it appeareth that Dunstane was reuoked out of exile immediatlie vpon partition of the realme betwixt Edwin and Edgar which chanced in the yéere 957 by the rebellion of thewas consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death people of Mercia others as before ye haue heard and that in the yéere following the archbishop Odo died after whome succéeded Alfin bishop of Winchester who also died the same yeere that king Edward deceased as he went to fetch his pall from Rome and then Brighthelme bishop of Dorchester was elected archbishop But bicause he was not able to discharge so great an office by K. Edgars commandement he was forced to giue place to Dunstane Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the Welshmen mooued some rebellion against him Wherevpon he assembled an armie and entering the countrie of Glamorgan did much hurt in the same chastising the inhabitants verie sharpelie for their rebellious attempts Amongst other spoiles taken in those parties at that time by the men of war the bell of saint Ellutus was taken away and hanged about a horsses necke and as hath béene reported in the after noone it chanced that king Edgar laid him downe to rest wherevpon in sleepe there appeared Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the one vnto him and smote him on the breast with a speare By reason of which vision he caused all things that had béene taken away to be restored againe But within nine daies after the king died Whether anie such thing chanced or that he had anie such vision it forceth not But truth it is that in the 37 yéere of his age after he had reigned 16 yéeres and two moneths he departed this life the 8 day of Iulie and was buried at Glastenburie This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for such princelie qualities as appeared in him but chieflie for that he was so beneficiall to the church namelie to moonks the aduancement of whome he greatlie sought both in building abbeies new from the ground in reparing those that were decaied also by inriching them with great reuenues and in conuerting collegiat churches into monasteries remoouing secular priests and bringing in moonks in their places There passed no one yéere of his reigne wherin he founded not one abbeie or other The abbeie of This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for Glastenburie which his father had begun he finished The abbeie of Abington also he accomplished and set in good order The abbeies of Peterborough Thornie he established The nunrie of Wilton he founded and richlie endowed where his daughter Edith◠was professed and at length became abbesse there To be briefe he builded as the chronicles record to the number of 40 abbeies and monasteries in some of which he placed moonks and in some nuns By his example in those daies other nobles as also prelates This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for some of the laitie did begin the foundation of sundrie abbeies and monasteries as Adelwold bishop of Winchester builded the abbeie of Elie and as some say Peterborough Thornie though they were established by the king as before is mentioned Also earle Ailewin at the exhortation of the same bishop Adelwold builded the abbeie of Ramsey though some attribute the dooing thereof vnto Oswold the archbishop of Yorke and some to king Edward the elder To conclude the religious orders of moonks and nuns in these daies florished and the state of secular priests was smallie regarded insomuch that they were constreined to auoid out of diuerse colleges and to leaue the same vnto moonks as at Worcester and Winchester where in the new monasterie bicause the kings liued not in such sort as was then thought requisite the prebends were taken from them and giuen to vicars But when the vicars were thought to vse themselues no better but ratherEdward the elder worse than the other before them they were likewise put out and moonks placed
Ireland and there prouiding 18 ships of rouers returned landing in Wales ioined himselfe with Griffin the king or prince of Wales and did much hurt on the borders about Hereford of which place Rafe was then earle that was sonne vnto Goda the sister of K. Edward by hir first husband Gualter de Maunt. This earle assembling an armie came forth to giue battell to the enimies appointing the Englishmen contrarie to their manner to fight on horssebacke but being readie on the two twentith of October to giue the onset in a place not past two miles from Hereford he with his Frenchmen and Normans fled and so the rest were discomfited whome the aduersaries pursued and slue to the number of 500 beside such as were hurt and escaped with life Griffin and Algar hauing obteined this victorie entered into the towne of Hereford set the minster on fire slue seuen of the canons that stood to defend the doores or gates of the principall church and finallie spoiled and burned the towne miserablie The king aduertised hereof gathered an armie ouer the which Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine was made generall who followed vpon the enimies that fled before him into Northwales staied not till hauing passed through Stratâ—luid he came to the mountaines of Snowdon where he pitched his field The enimies durst not abide him but got them into Southwales whereof Harold being aduertised left the more part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there with the residue of his people came backe vnto Hereford recouered the towne and caused a great and mightie trench to be cast round about it with an high rampire and fensed it with gates and other fortifications After this he did so much that comming to a communication with Griffin and Algar at a place called Biligelhage a peace was concluded and so the nauie of earle Algar sailed about and came to Chester there to remaine till the men of warre and marriners had their wages while he went to the king who pardoned his offense restored him to his earledome After this in the verie same yeare being the 15 of king Edwards reigne as some writers affirme Siward the noble earle of Northumberland died of the slix of whom it is said that when he perceiued the houre of death to be néere he caused him selfe to be put in armour set vp in his chaire affirming that a knight and a man of honour ought to die in that sort rather than lieng on a couch like a féeble and fainthearted creature and sitting so vpright in his chaire armed at all points he ended his life and was buried at Yorke O stout harted man not vnlike to that famous Romane remembred by Tullie in his Tusculane questions who suffered the sawing of his leg from his bodie without shrinking looking vpon the surgeon all the while hauing no part of his bodie bound for shrinking The said Siward earle of Northumberland was a man of a giantlike stature thereto of a verie stout and hardie courage because his sonne Walteif was but an infant and as yet not out of his cradell the earledome was giuen vnto earle Tostle one of Goodwins sonnes Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside is sent for to be made heire apparant to crowne his death the deceasse of Leofrike earle of Chester the vertues and good deeds of him and his wife Gudwina Couentrie free from custome and toll churches and religious places builded and repared Algar succeedeth his father Leofrike in the earledome he is accused of treason and banished he recouereth his earledome by force of armes Harold is sent with a power against Griffin king of Wales the countrie wasted and the people forced to yeeld they renounce Griffin their king kill him and send his head to Harold Griffins brethren rule Wales after him by grant of king Edward Harolds infortunate going ouer into Normandie the earle of Ponthieu taketh him prisoner and releaseth him at the request of William duke of Normandie for whose vse Harold sweareth to keepe possession of the realme of England the duke promiseth him his daughter in mariage The sixt Chapter NOt long after in the yeare 1057 Aldred bishop of Worcester was sent ouer vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside into England whome king Edward was desirous to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after that he was returned into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Westminster or as others say in the church of S. Paule within London The same yeare that is to say in the seuentéenth yeare or in the sixtéenth yeare of king Edwards reigne as some write Leofrike the noble earle of Chester or Mercia that was sonne to duke Leofwine departed this life in his owne towne of Bromelie on the last day of August and was buried at Couentrie in the abbeie there which he had builded This earle Leofrike was a man of great honor wise and discréet in all his dooings His high wisdome and policie stood the realme in great stéed whilest he liued He had a noble ladie to his wife named Gudwina at whose earnest sute he made the citie of Couentrie frée of all manner of toll except horsses and to haue that toll laid downe also his foresaid wife rode naked through the middest of the towne without other couerture saue onlie hir haire Moreouer partlie moued by his owne deuotion and partlie by the persuasion of his wife he builded or beneficiallie augmented and repared manie abbeies churches as the said abbeie or priorie at Couentrie the abbeies of Wenlocke Worcester Stone Euesham and Leof besides Hereford Also he builded two churches within the citie of Chester the one called S. Iohns and the other S. Werbrough The value of the iewels ornaments which he bestowed on the abbeie church of Couentrie was inestimable After Leofriks death his sonne Algar was made earle and intituled in all his lands and seigniories In the yeare following to wit 1058 the same Algar was accused againe through malice of some enuious persons of treason so that he was exiled the land wherevpon he repaired againe vnto his old friend Griffin prince of Northwales of whome he was ioifullie receiued shortlie after by his aid also by the power of a nauie of ships that by chance arriued in those parts at that selfe same season vnlooked for out of Norwaie the said Algar recouered his earledome by force as some haue written King Edward about the twentith yeare of his reigne as then remaining at Glocester appointed earle Harold to inuade the dominions of Griffin king of Wales Harold taking with him a power of horssemen made spéed and came to Rutland and there burned Griffins palace and also his ships and then about Midlent returned againe into England After this about the
excuses to auoid so manifest a title all men may see that read their bookes indifferentlie wherevnto I referre them For my part there is little or nothing of mine herein more than onelie the collection and abridgement of a number of fragments togither wherein chéeflie I haue vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier who wrote thereof of set purpose to king Edward the sixt as Leland did the like to king Henrie the eight Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth beside thrée other whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth the second to Edward the third and the third to Edward the first as their writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse The title also that Leland giueth his booke which I haue had written with his owne hand beginneth in this maner These remembrances following are found in chronicles authorised remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England and Scotland by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed that the kings of England haue had and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer all Scotland with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning from time to time c. Herevnto you haue heard alreadie what diuision Brute made of this Iland not long before his death wherof ech of his children so soone as he was interred tooke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers reuenged his death and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania seized it into his owne hands as excheated wholie vnto himselfe without yéelding anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber who made no claime nor title vnto anie portion of the same Hereby then saith Adams it euidentlie appeareth that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example like law among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit of the collaterall ascension from the youngest as well in Scotland as in England vnto this daie Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to saie the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine builded in Albania the castell of Maidens now called Edenborough so called of Aldan somtime king of Scotland but at the first named Cair Minid Agnes 1. the castell on mount Agnes and the castell of virgins and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seized This Ebranke reigned in the said state ouer them a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of Britaine descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes Morgan and Conedage lineall heires from the said Ebranke who brotherlie at the first diuided the realme betwéen them so that Morgan had Lhoegres and Conedage had Albania But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother pondering in his head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome excluded nature and gaue place to ambition and therevpon denouncing warre death miserablie ended his life as the reward of his vntruth whereby Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine in which state he remained during his naturall life From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill and after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex This Porrex requiring like diuision of the land affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor was by the hands of his elder brother best loued of queene mother both of his life and hoped kingdome beereaâ—ed at once Wherevpon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne without regard of the loosing of both miserablie slue the other in his bed mistrusting no such treason Cloten by all writers as well Scotish as other was the next inheritour to the whole empire but lacking power the onelie meane in those daies to obteine right he was contented to diuide the same among foure of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death of this Cloten his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure kings and at last overcame them and so recouered the whole dominion In token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the verie first of that mettall if anie at all were before in vse that was worne among the kings of this nation This Dunwallo erected temples wherein the people should assemble for praier to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie He made the law for wager of battell in cases of murder and felonie whereby a théefe that liued and made his art of fighting should for his purgation fight with the true man whom he had robbed beléeuing assuredlie that the gods for then they supposed manie would by miracle assigne victorie to none but the innocent partie Certes the priuileges of this law and benefit of the latter as well in Scotland as in England be inioied to this daie few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted wherin the benefit of wager of battell is restreined By which obedience to his lawes it dooth manifestlie appéere that this Dunwallo was then seized of Albania now called Scotland This Dunwallo reigned in this estate ouer them manie yeares Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo did after their fathers death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them so that Beline had Lhoegres Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and lord aduentured to marrie with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seized Albania into his owne hands and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands which for the length extended from the further part of Cornewall vnto the sea by north Cathnesse in Scotland In like sort to and for the better maintenance of religion in those daies he constituted ministers called archflamines in sundrie places of this Iland who in their seuerall functions resembled the bishops of our times the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and the whole region Caerbrantonica whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania wherby likewise appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion After his death the whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine vntill the time of Uigenius Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline who fauourablie made partition so that Uigenius had all the land from Humber by south and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania c. This Uigenius died and Peridurus suruiued and thereby obteined the whole from whom the same quietlie descended and was by his posteritie accordinglie inioied vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name In his time an obscure nation by most
dominion Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius counted the first christian king of this nation he conuerted the three archflamines of this land into bishopriks and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them The first remained at London and his power extended from the furthest part of Cornewall to Humber water The second dwelled at Yorke and his power stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland The third aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales his power extended from Seuerne through all Wales Some write that he made but two and turned their names to archbishops the one to remaine at Canturburie the other at Yorke yet they confesse that he of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland either of which is sufficient to prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth a Romane but in bloud a Briton as some thinke and the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeâ—s sonne of Lud nephue of Cassibelane was shortlie after emperour king of Britons in whose time the people to whom his ancester Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse in Scotland conspired with the Scots receiued them from the Iles into Scotland But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méeting with their faith and false harts togither droue them all out of the maine land into Iles the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine But notwithstanding this glorious victorie the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romans imposed by treason of Androgeus ancestor to this Seuerus began to hate him whome yet they had no time to loue and who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their confederats in one battell thirtie thousand but such was the consideration of the common sort in those daies whose malice no time could diminish nor iust desert appease Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman and Geta borne by a Romane woman were the sonnes of this Seuerus who after the death of their father by the contrarie voices of their people contended for the crowne Few Britons held with Bassianus fewer Romans with Geta but the greater number with neither of both In the end Geta was slaine and Bassianus remained emperour against whom Carautius rebelled who gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited whereby his seison thereof appeareth Coill descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land was shortlie after king of the Britons whose onelie daughter and heire called Helen was married vnto Constantius a Romane who daunted the rebellion of all parts of great Britaine and after the death of this Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof and reigned in his state ouer them thirtéene or fouretéene yeares Constantine the sonne of this Constance and Helen was next king of Britons by the right of his mother who passing to Rome to receiue the empire thereof deputed one Octauius king of Wales and duke of the Gewisses which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons to haue the gouernment of this dominion But abusing the kings innocent goodnesse this Octauius defrauded this trust and tooke vpon him the crowne For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine Traheron great vncle to Constantine yet after the death of this Traheron he preuailed againe and vsurped ouer all Britaine Constantine being now emperor sent Marimius his kinsman hither in processe of time to destroie the same Octauius who in singular battell discomfited him Wherevpon this Maximius as well by the consent of great Constantine as by the election of all the Britons for that he was a Briton in bloud was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king and expelled and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine Finallie he inhabited all Scotland with Britons no man woman nor child of the Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it which as their Hector Boetius saith was for their rebellion and rebellion properlie could it not be except they had béene subiects He suffered the Picts also to remaine his subiects who made solemne othes to him neuer after to erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation but to remaine vnder the old empire of the onelie king of Britaine I had once an epistle by Leland exemplified as he saith out of a verie ancient record which beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine and entreth after this manner Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino mater Helena semper Augusta c. And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books For thereby I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter neuerthelesse if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were reserued It followeth on also in this maner as it is translated out of the Gréeke Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat nec fides recta aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam c. About fiue and fourtie yeares after this which was long time after the death of this Maximius with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Helga the Scots newlie arriued in Albania and there created one Fergus the second of that name to be there king But bicause they were before banished the continent land they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile in the fatall chaire of marble the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and two and twentie as they themselues doo write Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron brother to king Coill and vncle to Helene was by lineall succession next king of Britons but to appease the malice of Dionothus king of Wales who also claimed the kingdome he maried Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus and afterwards assembled a great power of Britons and entered Albania inuading Gallowaie Mers Annandale Pentland Carrike Kill and Cuningham and in battell slue both this Fergus then king of Scots and Durstus the king of Picts and exiled all their people out of the continent land wherevpon the few number of Scots then remaining a liue went to Argile and there made Eugenius their king When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in Britaine he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica where they subdued the king and depopulated the countrie which he gaue to Conan his cousine to be afterward inhabited by Britons by the name of Britaine the lesse and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the great which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this daie After the death of Maximian dissention being mooued betweene the nobles of Britaine the Scots swarmed togither againe and came to the wall of Adrian where this realme being diuided in manie factions they ouercame one
of England 2 Of the number of bishoprikes and their seuerall circuits 3 Of vniuersities 4 Of the partition of England into shires and counties 5 Of degrees of people in the common-wealth of England 6 Of the food and diet of the English 7 Of their apparell and attire 8 Of the high court of parlement authoritie of the same 9 Of the lawes of England since hir first inhabitation 10 Of prouision made for the poore 11 Of fundrie kinds of punishment appointed for malefactors 12 Of the maner of building and furniture of our houses 13 Of cities and townes in England 14 Of castels and holds 15 Of palaces belonging to the prince 16 Of armour and munition 17 Of the nauie of England 18 Of faires and markets 19 Of parkes and warrens 20 Of gardens and orchards 21 Of waters generallie 22 Of woods and marishes 23 Of baths and hot welles 24 Of antiquities found 25 Of the coines of England Of the ancient and present estate of the church of England Chap. 1. THere are now two prouinces onelie in England of which the first and greatest is subiect to the sée of Canturburie comprehending a parte of Lhoegres whole Cambria also Ireland which in time past were seuerall brought into one by the archbishop of the said sée assistance of the pope who in respect of méed did yéeld vnto the ambitious desires of sundrie archbishops of Canturburie as I haue elsewhere declared The second prouince is vnder the sée of Yorke and of these either hath hir archbishop resident commonlie within hir owne limits who hath not onelie the cheefe dealing in matters apperteining to the hierarchie and iurisdiction of the church but also great authoritie in ciuill affaires touching the gouernement of the common wealth so far foorth as their commissions and seuerall circuits doo extend In old time there were thrée archbishops and so manie prouinces in this Ile of which one kept at London another at Yorke and the third at Caerlheon vpon Uske But as that of London was translated to Canturburie by Augustine and that of Yorke remaineth notwithstanding that the greatest part of his iurisdiction is now bereft him and giuen to the Scotish archbishop so that of Caerlheon is vtterlie extinguished and the gouernement of the countrie vnited to that of Canturburie in spirituall cases after it was once before remoued to S. Dauids in Wales by Dauid successor to Dubritius and vncle to king Arthur in the 519 of Grace to the end that he and his clearkes might be further off from the crueltie of the Saxons where it remained till the time of the Bastard and for a season after before it was annexed vnto the sée of Canturburie The archbishop of Canturburie is commonlie called primat of all England and in the coronations of the kings of this land and all other times wherein it shall please the prince to weare and put on his crowne his office is to set it vpon their heads They beare also the name of their high chapleins continuallie although not a few of them haue presumed in time past to be their equals and void of subiection vnto them That this is true it may easilie appéere by their owne acts yet kept in record beside their epistles answers written or in print wherein they haue sought not onelie to match but also to mate them with great rigor and more than open tyrannie Our aduersaries will peraduenture denie this absolutelie as they doo manie other things apparant though not without shamelesse impudencie or at the leastwise defend it as iust and not swaruing from common equitie bicause they imagine euerie archbishop to be the kings equall in his owne prouince But how well their dooing herein agreeth with the saieng of Peter examples of the primitiue church it may easilie appéere Some examples also of their demeanor I meane in the time of poperie I will not let to remember least they should saie I speake of malice and without all ground of likelihood Of their practises with meane persons I speake not neither will I begin at Dunstane the author of all their pride and presumption here in England But for somuch as the dealing of Robert the Norman against earle Goodwine is a rare historie and deserueth to be remembred I will touch it in this place protesting to deale withall in more faithfull maner than it hath heretofore beene deliuered vnto vs by the Norman writers or French English who of set purpose haue so defaced earle Goodwine that were it not for the testimonie of one or two méere Englishmen liuing in those daies it should be impossible for me or anie other at this present to declare the truth of that matter according to hir circumstances Marke therefore what I saie For the truth is that such Normans as came in with Emma in the time of Ethelred and Canutus and the Confessor did fall by sundrie means into such fauor with those princes that the gentlemen did grow to beare great rule in the court and their clearkes to be possessors of the best benefices in the land Hervpon therefore one Robert a iolie ambitious préest gat first to be bishop of London and after the death of Eadsius to be archbishop of Canturburie by the gift of king Edward leauing his former sée to William his countrieman Ulfo also a Norman was preferred to Lincolne and other to other places as the king did thinke conuenient These Norman clerkes and their freends being thus exalted it was not long yer they began to mocke abuse and despise the English and so much the more as they dailie saw themselues to increase in fauour with king Edward who also called diuerse of them to be of his secret councell which did not a litle incense the harts of the English against them A fraie also was made at Douer betwéene the seruants of earle Goodwine and the French whose maisters came ouer to see and salute the king whereof I haue spoken in my Chronologie which so inflamed the minds of the French cleargie and courtiers against the English nobilitie that each part sought for opportunitie of reuenge which yer long tooke hold betwéene them For the said Robert being called to be archbishop of Canturburie was no sooner in possession of his sée than he began to quarrell with earle Goodwine the kings father in law by the mariage of his daughter who also was readie to acquit his demeanor with like malice and so the mischiefe begun Herevpon therefore the archbishop charged the earle with the murther of Alfred the kings brother whom not he but Harald the sonne of Canutus and the Danes had cruellie made awaie For Alfred and his brother comming into the land with fiue and twentie saile vpon the death of Canutus and being landed the Normans that arriued with them giuing out how they came to recouer their right to wit the crowne of England therevnto the vnskilfull yoong gentlemen shewing themselues to like of the rumour that was
himselfe reported it by letters to the emperour after the largest manner to the end that if he appeased the matter he might win the more praise or if he were put to the woorst and should not preuaile that then his excuse might séeme the more reasonable and woorthie of pardon The Siluers were they that had atchiued this victorie and kept a fowle stur ouer all the countries about them till by the comming of Didius against them they were driuen backe and repelled But héerewith began trouble to be raised in another part for after that Caratac was taken the chiefest and most skillfull capteine which the Britains had was one Uenutius a ruler of the people named Iugants a man that remained a long time faithfull to the Romans and by their power was defended from his enimies who had married with Cartimanda queene of the Brigants or Yorkeshire men This Cartimanda as ye haue heard had deliuered Caratac into the Romans hands thereby ministring matter for the emperour Claudius to triumph by which pleasure shewed to the Romans she increased thorough their friendship in power and wealth whereof followed riotous lust to satisfie hir wanton appetite so as she falling at square with hir husband married Uellocatus one of his esquires to whom she gaue hir kingdome and so dishonoured hir selfe Héere vpon insued cruell warre in so much that in the end Uenutius became enimie also to the Romans But first they tugged togither betwixt themselues the quéene by a craftie policie found meanes to catch the brother and coosens of Uenutius but hir enimies nothing therewith discouraged but kindled the more in wrath against hir ceassed not to go forward with their purpose Manie of the Brigants disdaining to be subiect vnto a womans rule that had so reiected hir husband reuolted vnto Uenutius but yet the quéenes sensuall lust mixed wich crueltie mainteined the adulterer Uenutius therefore calling to him such aid as he could get and strengthened now by the reuolting of the Brigants brought Cartimanda to such a narrow point that she was in great danger to fall into the hands of hir enimies which the Romans forséeing vpon suit made sent certeine bands of horssemen and footmen to helpe hir They had diuerse incounters with the enimies at the first with doubtfull successe but at length they preuailed and so deliuered the quéene out of perill but the kingdome remained to Uenutius against whom the Romans were constreined still to mainteine warre About the same time the legion also which Cesius Nasicaled got the vpper hand of those Britains against whom he was sent For Didius being aged and by victories past inough renowmed thought it sufficient for him to make warre by his capteins so to staie and kéepe off the enimie Certeine castels and holds in déed he caused to be built and fortified further within the countrie than had béene afore attempted by anie of his predecessors and so thereby were the confines of the Romans in this I le somewhat inlarged Thus haue ye heard with what successe the Britains mainteined warre in defense of their libertie against the Romans whilest Claudius ruled the empire according to the report of the Romane writers ¶ But here you must note that Hector Boetius following the authoritie of one Veremond a Spaniard of Cornelius Hibernicus also of Campbell remooueth the Silures Brigants and Nouants so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of those countries which the Scots haue now in possession and were euen then inhabited as he affirmeth partlie by the Scots and partlie by the Picts as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at large so that what notable feat soeuer was atchiued by the old Britains against the Romans the same by him is ascribed to the Scots and Picts throughout his whole historie whereas in verie truth for somuch as may be gathered by coniecture and presumption of that which is left in writing by ancient authors the Brigants inhabited Yorkshire the Silures Wales and the Marches and the Nouants the countrie of Cumberland But forsomuch as he hath diligentlie gathered in what maner the warres were mainteined by those people against the Romans and what valiant exploits were taken in hand and finished thorough their stoutnesse and valiancie ye may there read the same and iudge at your pleasure what people they were whome he so much praiseth aduertising you hereof by the way that as we haue before expressed none of the Romane writers mentioneth any thing of the Scots nor once nameth them till the Romane empire began to decay about the time of the emperor Constantius father of Constantine the great so that if they had béene in this I le then so famous both in peace and warre as they are reported by the same Boetius maruell might it séeme that the Romane writers would so passe them ouer with silence After the death of Claudius the emperor of Rome Claudius Domitianus Nero succéeded him in gouernement of the empire In the seuenth yéere of whose reigne which was after the incarnation 53 the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow in Britaine where neither the lieutenant A. Didius Gallus whom in this place Cornelius Tacitus calleth Auitus could during the time of his rule doo no more but hold that which was alreadie gotten beside the building of certeine castels as before ye haue heard neither his successor Uerannius beating and forreieng the woods could atthiue anie further enterprise for he was by death preuented so as he could not procéed forward with his purpose touching the warres which he had ment to haue folowed whose last words in his testament expressed detected him of manifest ambition for adding manie things by way of flatterie to content Neros mind he wished to haue liued but two yéeres longer in which space he might haue subdued prouinces vnto his dominion meaning therby the whole I le of Britaine But this was a Romans brag sauouring rather of ambition than of truth or likelihood The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland he inuadeth Angle sey and winneth it a strange kind of women of the Druides the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies The ninth Chapter BUt now when this great losse chanced to the Romans Paulinus Suetonius did gouerne here as lieutenant a man most plentifullie furnished with all gifts of fortune and vertue and therewith a right skilfull warrior This Suetonius therefore wishing to tame such of the Britains as kept out prepared to assaile the I le of Anglesey a countrie full of inhabitants and a place of refuge for all outlawes and rebels He builded certeine brigantins with flat kéeles to serue for the ebbes and shallow shelues here and there lieng vncerteinlie in the straits which he had to passe The footmen ferried ouer in those vessels the horssemen following by the foords and swimming when they came into the deepe got likewise to
not through want of strength kéepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in order of battell they were slaine by their owne fellowes least they should be left behind for a prey to the enimies Héereby there died in this iournie of the Romane armie at the point of fiftie thousand men but yet would not Seuerus returne till he had gone through the whole I le and so came to the vttermost parts of all the countrie now called Scotland and at last backe againe to the other part of the I le subiect to the Romans the inhabitants whereof are named by Dion Cassius Meatae But first he forced the other whom the same Dion nameth Caledontj to conclude a league with him vpon such conditions as they were compelled to depart with no small portion of the countrie and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons In the meane time the emperour Seuerus being worne with age fell sicke so that he was constreined to abide at home within that part of the Ile which obeied the Romans and to appoint his sonne Antoninus to take charge of the armie abroad But Antoninus not regarding the enimies attempted little or nothing against them but sought waies how to win the fauour of the souldiers and men of warre that after his fathers death for which he dailie looked he might haue their aid and assistance to be admitted emperour in his place Now when he saw that his father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue wished he practised with physicians and other of his fathers seruants to dispatch him by one meane or other Whilest Antoninus thus negligentlie looked to his charge the Britains began a new rebellion not onlie those that were latelie ioined in league with the emperour but the other also which were subiects to the Romane empire Seuerus tooke such displeasure that he called togither the souldiers and commanded them to inuade the countrie and to kill all such as they might méet within anie place without respect and that his cruell commandement he expressed in these verses taken out of Homer Nemo manus fugiat vestras caedémque cruentam Non foetus grauida mater quem gessit in aluo Horrendam effugiat caedem But while he was thus disquieted with the rebellion of the Britains and the disloiall practises of his sonne Antoninus which to him were not vnknowne for the wicked sonne had by diuers attempts discouered his traitorous and vnnaturall meanings at length rather through sorrow and griefe than by force of sicknesse he wasted awaie and departed this life at Yorke the third daie before the nones of Februarie after he had gouerned the empire by the space of 17 yeares 8 moneths 33 daies He liued 65 yeres 9 moneths 13 daies he was borne the third ides of April By that which before is recited out of Herodian and Dion Cassius of the maners vsages of those people against whome Seuerus held warre here in Britaine it maie be coniectured that they were the Picts the which possessed in those daies a great part of Scotland and with continuall incursions and rodes wasted and destroied to the borders of those countries which were subiect to the Romans To kéepe them backe therefore and to represse their inuasions Seuerus as some write either restored the former wall made by Adrian or else newlie built an other ouerthwart the I le from the east sea to the west conteining in length 232 miles This wall was not made of stone but of turfe and earth supported with stakes and piles of wood and defended on the backe with a déepe trench or ditch and also fortified with diuerse towers and turrets built erected vpon the same wall or rampire so néere togither that the sound of trumpets being placed in the same might be heard betwixt and so warning giuen from one to another vpon the first descrieng of the enimies Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our Lord 211 his son Antoninus otherwise called also Bassianus would faine haue vsurped the whole gouernment into his owne hands attempting with bribes and large promises to corrupt the minds of the souldiers but when he perceiued that his purpose would not forward as he wished in that behalfe he concluded a league with the enimies and making peace with them returned backe towards Yorke and came to his mother and brother Geta with whome he tooke order for the buriall of his father And first his bodie being burnt as the maner was the ashes were put into a vessell of gold and so conueied to Rome by the two brethren and the empresse Iulia who was mother to Geta the yonger brother and mother in law to the elder Antoninus Bassianus by all meanes possible sought to maintaine loue and concord betwixt the brethren which now at the first tooke vpon them to rule the empire equallie togither But the ambition of Bassianus was such that finallie vpon desire to haue the whole rule himselfe he found meanes to dispatch his brother Geta breaking one daie into his chamber and slaieng him euen in his mothers lap and so possessed the gouernment alone till at length he was slaine at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia by one of his owne souldiers as he was about to vntruffe his points to doo the office of nature after he had reigned the space of 6 yeares as is aforesaid Where we are to note Gods iudgment prouiding that he which had shed mans bloud should also die by the sword Of Carausius an obscure Britaine what countries he gaue the Picts and wherevpon his death by Alectus his successor the Romans foiled by Asclepiodotus duke of Cornewall whereof Walbrooke and the name the couetous practise of Carausius the vsurper The xxxiij Chapter CArausius a Britan of vnknowne birth as witnesseth the British histories after he had vanquisht slaine Bassianus as the same histories make mention was of the Britains made king and ruler ouer them in the yeare of our Lord 218 as Galfridus saith but W. H. noteth it to be in the yeare 286. This Carausius either to haue the aid support of the Picts as in the British historie is conteined either else to be at quietnesse with them being not otherwise able to resist them gaue to them the countries in the south parts of Scotland which ioine to England on the east marshes as Mers Louthian and others ¶ But here is to be noted that the British writers affirme that these Picts which were thus placed in the south parts of Scotland at this time were brought ouer out of Scithia by Fulgentius to aid him against Seuerus and that after the death of Seuerus and Fulgentius which bother died of hurts receiued in the batell fought betwixt them at Yorke the Picts tooke part with Bassianus and at length betraied him in the battell which he fought against Carausius for he corrupting them by such subtile practises as
rigging them in sundrie places tooke order for thier setting forward to his most aduantage for the easie atchiuing of his enterprise He appointed to passe himselfe from the coasts of Flanders at what time other of capteines with their fleets from other parts should likewise make saile towards Britaine By this meanes Alectus that had vsurped the title dignitie of king or rather emperour ouer the Britains knew not where to take héed but yet vnderstanding of the nauie that was made readie in the mouth of Saine he ment by that which maie be coniectured to intercept that fléet as it should come foorth and make saile forwards and so for that purpose he laie with a great number of ships about the I le of Wight But whether Asclepiodotus came ouer with that nauie which was rigged on the coasts of Flanders or with some other I will not presume to affirme either to or for because in déed Mamertinus maketh no expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus but notwithstanding it is euident by that which is conteined in his oration that not Maximian but some other of his capteins gouerned the armie which slue Alectus so that we maie suppose that Asclepiodotus was chiefteine ouer some number of ships directed by Maximians appointment to passe ouer into this I le against the same Alectus and so maie this which Mamertinus writeth agrée with the truth of that which we doo find in Eutropius Héere is to be remembred that after Maximians had thus recouered Britaine out of their hands that vsurped the rule thereof from the Romans it should séeme that not onelie great numbers of artificers other people were conueied ouer into Gallia there to inhabit and furnish such cities as were run into decaie but also a power of warlike youths was transported thither to defend the countrie from the inuasion of barbarous nations For we find that in the daies of this Maximian the Britains expelling the Neruians out of the citie of Mons in Henaud held a castell there which was called Bretaimons after them wherevpon the citie was afterward called Mons reteining the last syllable onlie as in such cases it hath often happened Moreouer this is not to be forgotten that as Humfrey Lhoyd hath very well noted in his booke intituled Fragmenta historiae Britannicae Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first mention of the nation of Picts of all other the ancient Romane writers so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots But now to returne where we left The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting tyrant of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine what miracles were wrought at his death whereof Lichfield tooke the name of Coilus earle of Colchester whose daughter Helen was maried to Constantius the emperour as some authours suppose The xxvj Chapter AFter that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans Dioclesian and Maximian ruling the empire the Iland tasted of the crueltie that Dioclesian exercised against the christians in presecuting them with all extremities continuallie for the space of ten yéeres Amongst other one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester a towne now bearing his name was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this persecution being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian Amphibalus whom he receiued into his house insomuch that when there came sergeants to séeke for the same Amphibalus the foresaid Alban to preserue Amphibalus out of danger presented himselfe in the apparell of the said Amphibalus so being apprehended in his stead was brought before the iudge and examined and for that he refused to doo sacrifice to the false gods he was beheaded on the top of an hill ouer against the towne of Werlamchester aforesaid where afterwards was builded a church and monasterie in remembrance of his martyrdome insomuch that the towne there restored after that Werlamchester was destroied tooke name of him and so is vnto this day called saint Albons It is reported by writers that diuers miracles were wrought at the time of his death insomuch that one which was appointed to doo the execution was conuerted and refusing to doo that office suffered also with him but he that tooke vpon him to doo it reioised nothing thereat for his eies fell out of his head downe to the ground togither with the head of that holie man which he had then cut off There were also martyred about the same time two constant witnesses of Christ his religion Aaron and Iulius citizens of Caerleon Arwiske Moreouer a great number of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of life preached by that vertuous man Amphibalus were slaine by the wicked pagans at Lichfield whereof that towne tooke name as you would say The field of dead corpses To be briefe this persecution was so great and greeuous and thereto so vniuersall that in maner the Christian religion was thereby destroied The faithfull people were slaine their bookes burnt and churches ouerthrowne It is recorded that in one moneths space in diuers places of the world there were 17000 godlie men and women put to death for professing the christian faith in the daies of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellow Maximian COelus earle of Colchester began his dominion ouer the Britains in the yeere of our Lord 262. This Coelus or Coell ruled the land for a certeine time so as the Britains were well content with his gouernement and liued the longer in rest from inuasion of the Romans bicause they were occupied in other places but finallie they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius put Coelus in such dread that immediatlie vpon his arriuall Coelus sent to him an ambassage and concluded a peace with him couenanting to pay the accustomed tribute gaue to Constantius his daughter in mariage called Helen a noble ladie and a learned Shortlie after king Coell died when he had reigned as some write 27 yéeres or as other haue but 13 yeeres ¶ But by the way touching this Coelus I will not denie but assuredly such a prince there was howbeit that he had a daughter named Helen whom he maried vnto Constantius the Romane lieutenant that was after emperor I leaue that to be decided of the learned For if the whole course of the liues as well of the father and the sonne Constantius and Constantine as likewise of the mother Helen be consideratelie marked from time to time and yeere to yéere as out of authors both Greeke and Latin the same may be gathered I feare least such doubt maie rise in this matter that it will be harder to prooue Helen a Britaine than Constantine to be borne in Bithynia as Nicephorus auoucheth But forsomuch as I meane not to step from the course of our countrie writers in such points where the receiued
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
daies of king Henrie the second about the yeere of our Lord 1191 which was in the last yéere of the reigne of the same Henrie more than six hundred yéeres after the buriall thereof He was laid 16 foot déepe vnder ground for doubt that his enimies the Saxons should haue found him But those that digged the ground there to find his bodie after they had entered about seuen foot déepe into the earth they found a mightie broad stone with a leaden crosse fastened to that part which laid downewards toward the corps conteining this inscription Hîc iacet sepultus inclytus rex Arthurius in insula Aualoniae This inscription was grauen on that side of the crosse which was next to the stone so that till the crosse was taken from the stone it was vnseene His bodie was found not inclosed within a toome of marble or other stone curiouslie wrought but within a great trée made hollowe for the nonce like a trunke the which being found and digged vp was opened and therein were found the kings bones of such maruellous bignesse that the shinbone of his leg being set on the ground reached vp to the middle thigh of a verie tall man as a moonke of that abbeie hath written which did liue in those daies and saw it ¶ But Gyraldus Cambrensis who also liued in those daies and spake with the abbat of the place by whom the bones of this Arthur were then found affirmeth that by report of the same abbat he learned that the shinbone of the said Arthur being set vp by the leg of a verie tall man the which the abbat shewed to the same Gyraldus came about the knée of the same man the length of three fingers breadth which is a great deale more likelie than the other Furthermore the skull of his head was of a woonderfull largenesse so that the space of his forehead betwixt his two eies was a span broad There appéered in his head the signes and prints of ten wounds or more all the which were growne into one wem except onelie that whereof it should séeme he died which being greater than the residue appéered verie plaine Also in opening the toome of his wife quéene Gueneuer that was buried with him they found the tresses of hir haire whole and perfect and finelie platted of colour like to the burnished gold which being touched immediatlie fell to dust The abbat which then was gouernour of the house was named Stephan or Henrie de Blois otherwise de Sullie nephue to king Henrie the second by whose commandement he had serched for the graue of Arthur translated the bones as well of him as of quéene Gueneuer being so found into the great church and there buried them in a faire double toome of marble laieng the bodie of the king at the head of the toome and the bodie of the quéene at his féet towards the west part ¶ The writer of the historie of Cambria now called Wales saith that the bones of the said Arthur and Gueneuer his wife were found in the I le of Aualon that is the I le of Alpes without the abbeie of Glastenbury fiftéene féet within the ground that his graue was found by the meanes of a Bardh whome the king heard at Penbroke singing the acts of prince Arthur and the place of his buriall Iohn Leland in his booke intituled Assertio Arthuri hath for the woorthie memorie of so noble a prince honored him with a learned epitaph as heere followeth SAxonicas toties qui fudit Marte cruento Who vanquisht Saxon troops so oft with battels bloudie broiles Turmas peperit spolijs sibi nomen opimis And purchast to himselfe a name with warlike wealthie spoiles Fulmineo toties Pictos qui contudit ense Who hath with shiuering shining swoord the Picts so oft dismaid ImposuÃtque iugum Scoti ceruicibus ingens And eke vnweldie seruile yoke on necke of Scots hath laid Qui tumidos Gallos Germanos quÃque feroces Who Frenchmen puft with pride and who the Germans fierce in fight Perculit Dacos bello confregit aperto Discomfited and danted Danes with maine and martiall might Denique Mordredum è medio qui sustulit illud Who of that murdring Mordred did the vitall breath expell Monstrum horrendum ingens dirum saeuúm que tyrannum That monster grislie lothsome huge that diresome tyrant fell Hoc iacet extinctus monumento Arthurius alto Heere liuelesse Arthur lies intoomd within this statelie hearse Militiae clarum decus virtutis alumnus Of chiuairie the bright renowme and vertues nursling fearse Gloria nunc cuius terram circumuolat omnem Whose glorie great now ouer all the world dooth compasse flie Aetherijque petit sublimia tecta Tonantis And of the airie thunder skales the loftie building hie Vos igitur gentis proles generosa Britannae Therefore you noble progenie of Britaine line and race Induperatoriter magno assurgite vestro Arise vnto your emperour great of thrice renowmed grace Et tumulo sacro roseas inferte corollas And cast vpon his sacred toome the roseall garlands gaie Officij testes redolentia munera vestri That fragrant smell may witnesse well your duties you displaie ¶ These verses I haue the more willinglie inserted for that I had the same deliuered to me turned into English by maister Nicholas Roscarocke both right aptlie yeelding the sense and also properlie answering the Latine verse for verse Vpon what occasion the graue of king Arthur was sought for the follie of such discouered as beleeued that he should returne and reigne againe as king in Britaine whether it be a fiction or a veritie that there was such an Arthur or no discordance among writers about the place of Gawains buriall and Arthurs death of queene Gueneuer the wife of king Arthur hir beautie and dishonest life great disagreement among writers touching Arthur and his wiues to the impeachment of the historie of his life and death The xiiij Chapter THe occasion that mooued king Henrie the second to cause his nephue the foresaid abbat to search for the graue of king Arthur was for that he vnderstood by a Welsh minstrell or Bardh as they call him that could sing manie histories in the Welsh language of the acts of the ancient Britains that in the forsaid churchyard at Glastenburie betwixt the said two pillers the bodie of Arthur was to be found sixtéene foot déepe vnder the ground Gyraldus Cambrensis affirmeth that the trée in the which Arthurs bodie was found so inclosed was an oke but other suppose that it was an alder trée bicause that in the same place a great number of that kind of trées doo grow and also for that it is not vnknowne that an alder lieng vnder ground where moisture is will long continue without rotting ¶ By the finding thus of the bodie of Arthur buried as before ye haue heard such as hitherto beleeued that he was not dead but conueied awaie by the fairies into some pleasant place
manner of wickednesse and namelie to ciuill dissention rapine adulterie and fornication so that it may be thought that GOD stirred vp the Saxons to be a scourge to them and to worke his iust vengeance vpon them for their wickednesses and abhominable offenses dailie coÌ„mitted against his diuine maiestie so that we find recorded by writers how that the Saxons in diuers conflicts against the Britains had the better and also tooke from them diuers townes as alreadie partly hath beene and also hereafter shall be shewed It is furthermore to be remembred that about the 14 yeere of the Britaine king Conanus his reigne which was about the end of the yere of Christ 559 Kenrike king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned xxv yéeres complet This Kenrike was a victorious prince and fought diuers battels against the Britains In the 18 yeere of his reigne which was the 551 of Christ we find that he fought against them being come at that time vnto Salisburie and after great slaughter made on both parts at length the victorie remained with the Saxons and the Britains were chased Againe in the two and twentith yéere of his reigne and 555 yéere of Christ the fame Kenrike and his sonne Cheuling fought with a great power of Britains at Branburie The Britains were diuided into nine companies three in the fore ward thrée in the battell and thrée in the rere ward with their horssemen and archers after the maner of the Romans The Saxons being ranged in one entire battell valiantlie assailed them and notwithstanding the shot of the Britains yet they brought the matter to the triall of handblowes till at length by the comming on of the night the victorie remained doubtfull and no maruell is to be made therof saith Henrie archdeacon of Huntington sith the Saxons were men of huge stature great force valiant courage The same yéere that Kenrike deceassed Ida the king of Northumberland also died he was as ye haue heard a right valiant prince inlarged the dominion of the Saxons greatlie he ouercame Loth king of the Picts in battell and Gorran king of Scots Also about the yéere of Christ 560 Conanus as yet gouerning the Britains Irmenâ—ike king of Kent departed this life of whome ye haue heard before Ethelbert his sonne succéeded him 52 yéeres Then after that the foresaid thrée princes were dead as before ye haue heard they had that succéeded them in their estates as here followeth After Kenrike his sonne Ceaulinus or Cheuling succéeded in gouernement of the Westsaxons and after Ida one Ella or Alla reigned in Northumberland after Irmenrike followed his sonne Ethelbert in rule ouer the Kentish Saxons This Ethelbert in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince but yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against some of his enimies for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling king of Westsaxons he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins beside other people This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons one against another within this land after their first comming into the same And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567 being the second yéere of the emperour Iustinus ABout the yéere 570 Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with the Britains at Bedford vanquished them tooke from them 4 townes Liganbrough Eglesbrough or Ailsburie Besington and Euesham Also about the yéere of our Lord 581 the foresaid king Cheuling incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth and obteining the vpper hand tooke from them the cities of Bath Glocester and Cirencester At this battell fought at Diorth were present thrée kings of the Britains whose names were these Coinmagill Candidan and Farimnagill which were slaine there through the permission of almightie God as then refusing his people the which through their heinous sinnes and great wickednesses had most gréeuouslie offended his high and diuine maiestie as by Gyldas it may euidentlie appeare For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord and were become abhominable in his sight euen from the prince to the poore man from the priest to the Leuit so that not one estate among them walked vprightlie but contrarie to dutie was gone astray by reason whereof the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of the reigne of his successor Careticus Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley or as some bookes haue Frithenlie where Cutwine was slaine the Englishmen chased but yet Cheuling repairing his armie wan the victorie and chasing the Britains tooke from them manie countries and wan great riches by the spoile But Matth. West saith that the victorie aboad with the Britains and that the Saxons were chased quite out of the field The Scotish writers record that their king Aidan who is noted to haue béene the 49 successiuelie possessing the regiment of that land partlie with griefe of hart for the death of Columba a graue and wise gentleman whome he tenderlie loued and partlie with age for he was growne horieheaded and had reigned 34 yéeres ended his life was there in aid of the Britains and Brudeus king of the Picts betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was fought in aid of the Saxons but the same writers name the place Deglaston where this battell was made and the forces of both sides by a sharpe incounter tried The begining of the kingdome of Mercia the bounds of the same the heptarchie or seuen regiments of the Saxons how they grew to that perfection and by whom they were reduced and drawne into a monarâ—â—ie Careticus is created king of Britaine the Saxons take occasion by the ciuill dissentions of the Britains to make a full conquest of the land they procure forren power to further them in their enterprise Gurmundus king of the Africans arriueth in Britaine the British king is driuen to his hard shifts the politike practise of Gurmundus in taking Chichester setting the towne on fire he deliuereth the whole land in possession to the Saxons the English and Saxon kings put Careticus to flight the Britains haue onelie three prouinces left of all their countrie which before they inhabited their religion church and commonwealth is in decaie they are gouerned by three kings Cheulings death is conspired of his owne subiects The xviij Chapter ABout the same time also and 585 of Christ the kingdome of Mercia began vnder one Crida who was descended from Woden and the tenth from him by lineall extraction The bounds of this kingdome were of great distance hauing on the east the sea vnto Humber and so on the north the said riuer of Humber and after the riuer of Mercia which falleth into the west
helpe at the hands of the almightie said If the pagan refuse to receiue the gifts which we offer let vs make offer vnto him that knoweth how to accept them and so binding himselfe by vow promised that if he might obtein victorie he would offer his daughter to be dedicate to the Lord in perpetuall virginitie and further would giue twelue manors lordships or farmes to the building of monasteries and so with a small armie he put himselfe in hazard of battell It is said that Penda had thirtie companies of men of warre furnished with thirtie noble capteins or coronels against whome came Oswie with his sonne Alchfrid hauing but a small armie but confirmed yet with hope in Christ Iesus His other son Ecgfrid remained in hostage at that time with quéene Cinnise Edilwald the sonne of Oswald that gouerned Deira ought to haue aided Oswie was on the part of Penda against his countrie and against his vncle but in time of the fight he withdrew himselfe aside to behold what chance would follow The battell being begun the thirtie pagan capteins were ouerthrowne and put to flight and those that came to aid Penda were almost all slaine among whome was Edilhere king of the Eastangles that reigned after his brother Anna and was the procurer of this warre This battell was fought néere to the water of Inwet the which being risen as then by reason of great raine drowned more of the enimies than died of the Northumbers swoords After that Oswie had obteined this victorie he performed promise in bestowing his daughter to the profession of virginitie and also gaue the twelue manors whereof six were in Deira and six in Bernicia conteining euerie of them ten housholds a péece Elfled also king Oswies daughter was professed in the monasterie of Herthew where one Hilda was abbesse which Hilda purchasing a lordship of ten housholds in Streanshall now called Whitbie builded a monasterie there in the which first the said Elfled was a nouice and after a ruler till at length being of the age of fortie yéeres she departed this life and was buried there and so likewise was hir mother Eufled and hir grandfather Edwin with manie other high estates within the church of saint Peter the apostle The victorie aboue mentioned got by king Oswie in the countrie of Loides on the 17 kalends of December in the thirtenth yéere of his reigne happened to the great commoditie and gaine of both the people for by the same he deliuered his countrie of Northumberland from the cruell destruction made in the same by the pagan people of Mercia and conuerted those pagans themselues and the countries néere adioining to them wholie vnto the faith of Iesus Christ. The first bishop in the prouince of Mercia and also of Lindesferne and the Middleangles was one Diuma who died amongst the Middleangles The second was Cellach the which leauing his bishoprike returned into Scotland for they were both of the nation of the Scots The third was an Englishman named Trumhere but instructed and ordeined of the Scots He was abbat of the monasterie of Ingethlingum being builded in that place where king Oswin was slaine as before is mentioned For quéene Eufled that was his kinswoman got of hir husband king Oswie a place there for the foresaid Trumhere to build that abbeie vpon King Oswie hauing slaine king Penda gouerned the people of Mercia and also other of the south prouinces subdued a great part of the Pictish nation to the English dominion About the same time king Oswie gaue vnto Peada the son of king Penda bicause he was his kinsman the countrie of the Southmercies conteining 5000 housholds and separated from the Northmercies by the riuer Trent The countrie of the Northmercies conteined in those daies 7000 housholds But Peada in the next spring was wickedlie murthered though the treason of his wicked wife as was said in the feast of Easter The dukes of Mercia rebell against Oswie recouer their owne bounds and create Wulfhere their king Cenwald king of the Westsaxons fighteth with the Britaines and preuaileth he is vanquished by Wulfhere Adelwold king of Sussex hath the I le of Wight giuen him and why succession of Edelher Edelwal and Aldulfe in the kingdome of Eastangles Colman a Scot first made bishop of Northumberland controuersie about the obseruation of Easter about bald crownes or shauing the haire superstition punished by God Ceadda bishop of Yorke his course of life and diligence in his office commended Egbert king of Kent the see of Canturburie void the preferment thereto refused Theodore a moonke supplieth the roome at the popes appointment all the English clergie obey him as their head his visitation and reformation singing vsed in churches Theodore and Adrian woorthilie praised English men happie glasiers first brought into this Iland The xxxiij Chapter AFter three yeeres were complet next ensuing the death of king Penda the dukes of the countrie of Mercia Immin Eaba and Eadbert rebelled against king Oswie aduancing one Wulfhere a yoong gentleman man the sonne of Peda and brother to Peada whom they had kept in secret to be their king and expelling the lieutenants of king Oswie they recouered both their owne confines and libertie withall and so liuing in fréedome with their owne naturall king the foresaid Uulfhere they also continued with glad hearts in seruice of the celestiall king our God and Sauior THis Uulfhere gouerned the Mercies seuentéene yeares the which Mercies during the reigne of the said Uulfhere had foure bishops successiuelie gouerning the church of that prouince one after another as the aboue mentioned Trumhere Iaroman Ceadda and Winfrid as hereafter shall more at large appeare About the beginning of king Uulfhers reigne that is to say in the seuentéenth yeare of the reigne of Chenwald king of the Westsaxons the same Chenwald fought with the Britains at Pennum where the Britains being assembled in great number proudlie incountred with the Englishmen and at the first put them to the woorst but when the Englishmen would in no wise giue ouer but did sticke to their tackle at length the Britains were put to flight so that the posteritie of Brute receiued that day an incurable wound But within thrée yeares after that is in the ninetéenth yeare of the reigne of the said Chenwald he had not the like lucke in battell against the foresaid Uulfhere king of Mercia as he had before against the Britains for the said Uulfhere vanquishing him in the field passed through his countrie with a great armie vnto the I le of Wight which he conquered and deliuered it vnto Adelwold king of Sussex as a gift at that time when he receiued him at the fontstone after he had conuerted him to the faith He gaue vnto Adelwold that I le to the end he should cause the people there to receiue the faith and religon of Christ. Now after that
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
Moreouer fortie of their ships or rather as some write 45 were reteined to serue the king promising to defend the realme with condition that the souldiers and mariners should haue prouision of meate and drinke with apparell found them at the kings charges As one autor hath gathered Swaine king of Denmarke was in England at the concluding of this peace which being confirmed with solemne othes and sufficient hostages he departed into Denmarke The same author bringeth the generall slaughter of Danes vpon S. Brices day to haue chanced in the yéere after the conclusion of this agréement that is to say in the yéere 1012 at what time Gunthildis the sister of king Swaine was slaine with hir husband hir sonne by the commandement of the false traitor Edrike But bicause all other authors agrée that the same murther of Danes was executed about ten yéeres before this supposed time we haue made rehearsall thereof in that place Howbeit for the death of Gunthildis it maie be that she became hostage either in the yéere 1007 at what time king Egelred paied thirtie thousand pounds vnto king Swaine to haue peace as before you haue heard or else might she be deliuered in hostage in the yéere 1011 when the last agréement was made with the Danes as aboue is mentioned But when or at what time soeuer she became hostage this we find of hir that she came hither into England with hir husband Palingus a mightie earle and receiued baptisme héere Wherevpon she earnestlie trauelled in treatie of a peace betwixt hir brother and king Egelred which being brought to passe chieflie by hir sute she was contented to become an hostage for performance thereof as before is recited And after by the commandement of earle Edrike she was put to death pronouncing that the shedding of hir bloud would cause all England one day sore to rue She was a verie beautifull ladie and tooke hir death without all feare not once changing countenance though she saw hir husband and hir onelie sonne a yoong gentleman of much towardnesse first murthered before hir face Turkillus the Danish capteine telleth king Swaine the faults of the king nobles commons of this realme he inuadeth England the Northumbers and others submit themselues to him Danes receiued into seruice vnder Egelred London assalted by Swaine the citizens behaue themselues stoutlie and giue the Danish host a shamefull repulse Ethelmere earle of Deuonshire and his people submit themselues to Swaine he returneth into Denmarke commeth back againe into England with a fresh power is incountred withall of the Englishmen whose king Egelred is discomfited his oration to his souldiers touching the present reliefe of their distressed land their resolution and full purpose in this their perplexitie king Egrlred is minded to giue place to Swaine lie sendeth his wife and children ouer into Normandie the Londoners yeeld vp their state to Swaine Egelred saileth ouer into Normandie leauing his land to the enimie The sixt Chapter NOw had Turkillus in the meane time aduertised king Swaine in what state things stood here within the realme how king Egelred was negligent onlie attending to the lusts pleasures of the flesh how the noble men were vnfaithfull and the commons weake and féeble through want to good and trustie leaders Howbeit some write that Turkillus as well as other of the Danes which remained héere in England was in league with king Egelred in somuch that he was with him in London to helpe and defend the citie against Swaine when he came to assalt it as after shall appéere Which if it be true a doubt may rise whether Swaine receiued anie aduertisement from Turkillus to mooue him to rather to inuade the realme but such aduertisements might come from him before that he was accorded with Egelred Swaine therefore as a valiant prince desirous both to reuenge his sisters death and win honor prepared an huge armie and a great number of ships with the which he made towards England and first comming to Sandwich taried there a small while and taking eftsoones the sea compassed about the coasts of the Eastangles and arriuing in the mouth of Humber sailed vp the water and entering into the riuer of Trent he landed at Gainesbourgh purposing to inuade the Northumbers But as men brought into great feare for that they had béene subiect to the Danes in times past and thinking therefore not to reuolt to the enimie but rather to their old acquaintance if they should submit themselues to the Danes streightwaies offered to become subiect vnto Swaine togither with their duke named Wighthred Also the people of Lindsey and all those of the northside of Watlingstreet yéelded themselues vnto him and deliuered pledges Then he appointed his sonne Cnutus to haue the kéeping of those pledges and to remaine vpon the saâ—egard of his ships whiles he himselfe passed forward into the countrie Then marched he forward to subdue them of south Mercia and so came to Oxford to Winchester making the countries subiect to him through out wheresoeuer he came With this prosperous successe Swaine being greatlie incouraged prepared to go vnto London where king Egelred as then remained hauing with him Turkillus the Dane which was reteined in wages with other of the Danes as by report of some authors it maie appeare and were now readie to defend the citie against their countriemen in support of king Egelred togither with the citizens Swaine bicause he would not step so farre out of the way as to go to the next bridge lost a great number of his men as he passed through the Thames At his comming to London he bagan to assault the citie verie fiercelie in hope either to put his enimie in such feare that he should despaire of all reliefe and comfort or at the least trie what he was able to doo The Londoners on the other part although they were brought in some feare by this sudden attempt of the enimies yet considering with themselues that the hazard of all the whole state of the realme was annexed to theirs sith their citie was the chiefe and metropolitane of all the kingdome they valiantlie stood in defense of themselues and of their king that was present there with them beating backe the enimies chasing them from the walles and otherwise dooing their best to kéepe them off At length although the Danes did most valiantlie assault the citie yet the Englishmen to defend their prince from all iniurie of enimies did not shrinke but boldlie sallied foorth at the gates in heapes togither and incountered with their aduersaries and began to fight with them verie fiercelie Swaine whilest he went about to kéepe his men in order as one most desirous to reteine the victorie now almost gotten was compassed so about with the Londoners on each side that after he had lost a great number of his men he was constreined for his safegard to breake out through the
prepared to receiue whensoeuer the Englishmen approched and heerewith bringing his men into araie he came foorth to méet his enimies Then was the battell begun with great earnestnesse on both sides continued foure houres till at length the Danes began somewhat to shrinke which when Cnute perceiued he commanded his horssemen to come forward into the forepart of his dawnted host But whilest one part of the Danes gaue backe with feare and the other came slowlie forward the arraie of the whole armie was broken then without respect of shame they fled amaine so that there died that day of Cnutes side foure thousand and fiue hundred men and of king Edmunds side not past six hundred and those were footmen This battell was fought as should appéere by diuerse writers at Okefort or Oteford It was thought that if king Edmund had pursued the victorie and followed in chase of his enimies in such wise as he safelie might haue doone Edriks counsell he had made that day an end of the warres but he was counselled by Edrike as some write in no condition to follow them but to staie and giue time to his people to refresh their wearie bodies Then Cnute with his armie passed ouer the Thames into Essex and there assembled all his power togither and began to spoile and waste the countrie on each hand King Edmund aduertised thereof hasted foorth to succour his people and at Ashdone in Essex three miles from Saffron Walden gaue battell to Cnute where after sore and cruell fight continued with great slaughter on both sides a long time duke Edrike fled to the comfort of the Danes and to the discomfort of the Englishmen Héerevpon king Edmund was constreined in the end to depart out of the field hauing first doone all that could be wished in a woorthie chiestaine both by woords to incourage his men by deeds to shew them good example so that at one time the Danes were at point to haue giuen backe but that Cnute aduised thereof rushed into the left wing where most danger was and so relieued his people there that finallie the Englishmen both wearied with long fight and also discouraged with the running awaie of some of their companie were constreined to giue-ouer and by flight to séeke their safegard so that king Edmund might not by anie meanes bring them againe into order Héere vpon all the waies and passages being forelaid and stopped by the enimies the Englishmen wanting both carriage to make longer resistance and perceiuing no hope to rest in fléeing were beaten downe and slaine in heapes so that few escaped from that dreadfull and bloudie battell There died on king Edmunds side duke Edmund duke Alfrike and duke Goodwine with earle Ulfekettell or Urchell of Eastangle and duke Aileward that was sonne to Ardelwine late duke of Eastangle and to be briefe all the floure of the English nobilitie There were also slaine at this battell manie renowmed persons of the spiritualtie as the bishop of Lincolne and the abbat of Ramsey with others king Edmund escaping awaie got him into Glocestershire and there began to raise a new armie In the place where this field was fought are yet seuen or eight hils wherein the carcases of them that were slaine at the same field were buried and one being digged downe of late there were found two bodies in a coffin of stone of which the one laie with his head towards the others féet and manie chaines of iron like to the water-chains of the bits of horsses were found in the same hill But now to the matter London other great cities townes submit themselues to Cnute be hasteth after Edmund with his power both their armies being readie to incounter by occasion are staied the oration of a capteine in the hearing of both hosts the title and right of the realme of England is put to the triall of combat betweene Cnute and Edmund Cnute is ouermatâ—ched his woords to king Edmund both kings are pacified and their armies accorded the realme diuided betwixt Cnute and Edmund king Edmund traitorouslie slaine the dissonant report of writers touching the maners of his death and both the kings dealing about the partition of the realme Cnute causeth Edrike to be slaine for procuring king Edmunds death wherein the reward of treason is noted how long king Edmund reigned and where he was buried the eclipsed state of England after his death and in whose time it recouered some part of it brightnesse The tenth Chapter IN the meane while that Edmund was buâ—ie to leauie a new armie in Glocester and other parties of Mercia Cnute hauing got so great a victorie as before is mentioned receiued into his obeisance not onelie the citie of London but also manie other cities and townes of great name and shortlie after hasted forward to pursue his enimie king Edmund who was readie with a mightie host to trie the vttermost chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine Héerevpon both the armies being readie to giue the onset the one in sight of the other at a place called Dearehurst neere to the riuer of Seuerne by the drist of duke Edrike who then at length began to shew some token of good meaning the two kings came to a communication and in the end concluded an agreement as some haue written without anie more adoo Others write that when both the armies were at point to haue ioined one of the capteins but whether he were a Dane or an Englishman it is not certeinlie told stood vp in such a place as he might be heard of both the princes boldlie vttered his mind in former following The oration of a capteine in the audience of the English and Danish armie WE haue most woorthie capteins fought long inough one against another there hath beene but too much bloud shed betweene both the nations and the valiancie of the souldiers on both sides is sufficientlie seene by triall either of your manhoods likewise and yet can you beare neither good nor euill fortune If one of you win the battell he pursueth him that is ouercome and if he chance to be vanquished he resteth no till he haue recouered new strength to fight eftsoones with him that is victor What should you meane by this your inuincible courage At what marke shooteth your greedie desire to beare rule and your excessiue thirst to atteine honour If you fight for a kingdome diuide it betweene you two which sometime was sufficient for seuen kings but if you couet to winne fame and glorious renowme and for the same are driuen to try the hazard whether ye shall command or obeie deuise the waie whereby ye may without so great slaughter and without such pitifull bloudshed of both your guiltlesse peoples trie whether of you is most woorthie to be preferred Thus made he an end and the two princes allowed well of his last motion and so order was taken that they should
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
made away the worthiest bodie of the world I shall raise thy head aboue all the lords of England and so caused him to be put to death Thus haue some bookes Howbeit this report agreeth not with other writers which declare how Cnute aduanced Edrike in the beginning of his reigne vnto high honor and made him gouernor of Mercia and vled his counsell in manie things after the death of king Edmund as in banishing Edwin the brother of king Edmund with his sonnes also Edmund and Edward But for that there is such discordance and variable report amongst writers touching the death of king Edmund and some fables inuented thereof as the manner is we will let the residue of their reports passe sith certeine it is that to his end he came after he had reigned about the space of one yéere and so much more as is betwéene the moneth of Iune and the latter end of Nouember His bodie was buried at Glastenburie neere his vncle Edgar With this Edmund surnamed Ironside fell the glorious maiestie of the English kingdome the which afterward as it had beene an aged bodie being sore decaied and weakened by the Danes that now got possession of the whole yet somewhat recouered after the space of 26 yéers vnder king Edward surnamed the Confessor and shortlie therevpon as it had béene falne into a resiluation came to extreame ruine by the inuasion and conquest of the Normans as after by Gods good helpe and fauorable assistance it shall appeare So that it would make a diligent and marking reader both muse and moorne to see how variable the state of this kingdome hath béene thereby to fall into a consideration of the frailtie and vncerteintie of this mortall life which is no more frée from securitie than a ship on the sea in tempestuous weather For as the casualties wherewith our life is inclosed and beset with round about are manifold so also are they miserable so also are they sudden so also are they vnauoidable And true it is that the life of man is in the hands of God and the state of kingdoms dooth also belong vnto him either to continue or discontinue But to the processe of the matter Cnute vndertaketh the totall regiment of this land he assembleth a councell at London the nobles doo him homage he diuideth the realme into foure parts to be gouerned by his assignes Edwin and Edward the sonnes of Edmund are banished their good fortune by honorable mariages King Cnute marieth queene Emma the widow of Egelred the wise and politike conditions wherevpon this mariage was concluded the English bloud restored to the crowne and the Danes excluded queene Emma praised for hir high wisedome in choosing an enimie to hir husband Cnute dismisseth the Danish armie into Denmarke Edrike de Streona bewraieth his former trecherie and procureth his owne death through rashnesse and follie the discordant report of writers touching the maner cause of his death what noble men were executed with him and banished out of England Cnute a monarch The xj Chapter CAnute or Cnute whome the English chronicles doo name Knought after the death of king Edmund tooke vpon him the whole rule ouer all the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 1017 in the seuentéenth yeere of the emperour Henrie the second surnamed Claudus in the twentith yéere of the reigne of Robert king of France and about the 7 yeere of Malcolme king of Scotland Cnute shortlie after the death of king Edmund assembled a councell at London in the which he caused all the nobles of the realme to doo him homage in receiuing an oth of loiall obeisance He diuided the realme into foure parts assigning Northumberland vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius Mercia vnto Edrike and Eastangle vnto Turkill and reseruing the west part to his owne gouernance He banished as before is said Edwin the brother of king Edmund but such as were suspected to be culpable of Edmunds death he caused to be put to execution whereby it should appeere that Edrike was not then in anie wise detected or once thought to be giltie The said Edwin afterwards returned and was then reconciled to the kings fauor as some write but shortlie after traitorouslie slaine by his owne seruants He was called the king of churles Others write that he came secretlie into the realme after he had béene banished and kéeping himselfe closelie out of sight at length ended his life and was buried at Tauestocke Moreouer Edwin and Edward the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the land and sent firt vnto Sweno king of Norweie to haue bin made away but Sweno vpon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie where they found great fauor at the hands of king Salomon insomuch that Edwin maried the daughter of the same Salomon but had no issue by hir Edward was aduanced to marie with Agatha daughter of the emperour Henrie and by hir had issue two sonnes Edmund and Edgar surnamed Edeling and as many daughters Margaret and Christine of the which in place conuenient more shall be said When king Cnute had established things as he thought stood most for his suertie he called to his remembrance that he had no issue but two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno begotten of his concubine Alwine Wherefore he sent ouer to Richard duke of Normandie requiring to haue quéene Emma the widow of king Egelred in mariage and so obteined hir not a little to the woonder of manie which thought a great ouersight both in the woman and in hir brother that would satisfied the request of Cnute herein considering he had beene such a mortall enimie to hir former husband But duke Richard did not onelie consent that his said sister should be maried vnto Cnute but also he himselfe tooke to wife the ladie Hestritha sister to the said Cnute ¶ Here ye haue to vnderstand that this mariage was not made without great consideration large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obteine queene Emma to his wife it was fullie condescended agréed that after Cnuts decease the crowne of England should remaine to the issue borne of this mariage betwixt hir Cnute which couenant although it was not performed immediatlie after the deceasse of king Cnute yet in the end it tooke place so as the right séemed to be deferred and not to be taken away nor abolished for immediatlie vpon Harolds death that had vsurped Hardicnute succéeded as right heire to the crowne by force of the agréement made at the time of the mariage solemnized betwixt his father and mother and being once established in the kingdome he ordeined his brother Edward to succéed him whereby the Danes were vtterlie excluded from all right that they had to pretend vnto the crowne of this land and the English bloud restored thereto chieflie by that gratious conclusion of this mariage betwixt king Cnute and quéene Emma For the
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
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
their charge brought woord againe of nothing else but that all duke Williams souldiers were priests For the Normans had at that time their vpper lips and chéekes shauen whereas the Englishmen vsed to suffer to haire of their vpper lips to grow at length But Harold answered that they were not priests but wether-beaten and hardie souldiers and such as were like to abide well by their capteine In the meane season Girth one of Harolds yoonger brethren considering that periurie is neuer left vnpunished aduised his brother not to aduenture himselfe at this present in the battell for so much as he had beene sometime sworne to duke William but rather to suffer him and other of the nobilitie to incounter with the said duke that were not bound to him by former oth or otherwise but Harold answered that he was free from anie such oth and that in defense of his countrie he would fight boldly with him as with his greatest enimie ¶ Where by the waie would be noted the conscience which Girth a yoonger brother made of an oth not concerning himselfe directlie but his elder brother Harold who had sworne the same meaning nothing lesse than the performance therof as the sequele of his dooings to his discredit and vndooing euidentlie declared which euents might séeme countable to him as due punishments and deserued plagues inflicted vpon him and others for his same sith he made no reckoning of violating a vow ratified with an oth to a prince of no small puissance who afterwards became a whip vnto him for his periurie a sinne detested of the heathen and whereof the poet notablie speaketh saieng Ah miser si quis primò periuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus After peace offered refused on each side both armies meete in the field the order of the Englishmens attire arraie the maner how the Normans were placed to fight in battell the dissolute and 〈◊〉 behauior of 〈◊〉 Englishmen the night before the incounter farre deffering from the Normans deuout demenour duke Williams speech â—pon occasion of wrong putting on his armour the battell betwixt him and king Harold is valiantlie tried the English by duke Williams politike strategem are deceiued king Harold slaine his armie put to flight and manie of them slaine after a long and bloudie incounter manie of the Normans pursuing the English ouerhastilie procure their owne death they take the spoile of the English the dead bodies of both armies are licenced to be buried the differing reports of writers touching the maner of Harolds death a description of his person his ambition did him much hurt and hinderance the number that were slaine on both sides his bodie buried at a Waltham nothing dispraise woorthie in him but his ambitious mind a view of his valiantnesse in a conflict against the VVelshmen his rigorous or rather pitilesse handling of them his seuere law or decree touching their bounds they are vtterlie subdued and by the kings leaue the VVelshwomen marrie with the Englishmen the Saxon line ceasseth how long it lasted and how long it was discontinued by the inuasion of the Danes The eleuenth Chapter NOw it fortuned that both armies as well the kings as the earles being prepared to battell diuerse offers were made on each side before they fell to the conflict for an vnitie to haue béene had betwixt the two princes but when no conditions of agreement could take place they forthwith prepared themselues to trie the matter by dint of sword And so on the 14 day of October being saturday both hosts met in the field at a place in Sussex not farre from Hastings whereas the abbeie of Battell was afterward builded The Englishmen were all brought into one entire maine battell on foot with huge ares in their hands and paled a front with paueises in such wise that it was thought vnpossible for the enimie to breake their arraie On the other side the Normans were diuided into seuerall battels as first the footmen that were archers and also those that bare gleiues and axes were placed in the forefront and the horssemen diuided into wings stood on the sides in verie good order All the night before the battell the Englishmen made great noise and slept not but sang and fell to drinking and making of reuell pastime as though there had beene no account to be made of the next daies trauell But the Normans behaued themselus warilie and soberlie spending all that night in praier and confessing their sinnes vnto God and in the morning earelie they receiued the communion before they went foorth to the battell Some write that when duke William should put on his armour to go to the field the backe halfe of his curasses by chance was set on before by such as holpe to arme him at which chance he tooke occasion of laughter saieng merrilie to them that stood by No force this is good lucke for the estate of my dukedome shall be yer night changed into a kingdome Beside this he spake manie comfortable woords vnto his men to incourage them to the battell Neither was Harold forgetfull in that point on his part And so at conuenient time when both armies were readie they made forward each incounter with other on the foresaid fouretéenth day of October with great force and assurance In the beginning of the battell the arrowes flue abroad freshlie on both sides till they came to ioine at hand strokes and then preassed each side vpon his counterpart with swoords axes and other hand weapons verie egerlie Duke William commanded his horssemen to giue the charge an the breasts of his enimies battels but the Englishmen kéeping themselues close togither without scattering receiued their enimies vpon the points of their weapons with such fiercenesse and in such stiffe order that manie of the Norman horssemen were ouerthrowne without recouerie and slaine at the first brunt When duke William perceiued this inconuenience as he that well and throughlie vnderstood the skilfull points of warre as well as the best he gaue a signe to his men according to an order appointed before hand vpon anie such occasion that they should giue backe and make a countenance as though they did flée which was quicklie doone by the Normans and withall they imbattelled their footmen in a new order so that their horssemen shifted themselues on the wings readie to rescue the footmen if their arraie should happen to be disturbed By this wilie stratagem and policie of warre the Englishmen were deceiued for they beholding the Normans somwhat shrinking backe to bring themselues into the aboue said order thought verelie that they had fled and therevpon meaning to pursue them before they should recouer their ground they brake their arraie and began to follow the chase wherevpon the Normans perceiuing now that all things came to passe as they desired spéedilie returned and casting themselues togither
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