name of Albyne yâ— elpest doughter of Dio clesyan had .xxxij. systers they were the fyrst that enhabyted this londe and bycause she was the eldest syster she named this londe Albyon after her owne name as the cronycles reherseth Other saye that this londe was named Albion as it were yâ— whyte loÌ„de of whyte rockes about the clyues of yâ— see yâ— were seen fro ferre Afterward Brute conquered this londe called it Brytayn after his owne name And thaÌ„ saxons or Englysshmen conquered this londe called it Anglia yâ— is Englonde Or it is called Anglia of a quene yâ— owed this loÌ„d yâ— was named Angela was a noble dukes doughter of the Saxons Or as ysid sayth Ethi .xv. Anglia hath yâ— name as it were an angle a corner of the worlde Or els as Beda sayth li .j. SayÌ„t Gregory sawe englisshe children to sell at Rome he accorded to the name of the londe and said they ben sothly aungels for theyr faces shyne as aungels for the noblete of yâ— londe shone in the childrens faces ¶ Alfre The Britysshe Anglia is called the other worlde and for grete plente of all good the grete Charles called it his owne chambre ¶ Solinus The edge of yâ— frensshe clyf sholde be the ende of the worlde yf the ylonde of Brytayn ne were not whiche is worthy to haue the name of an other worlde ¶ Alfre This ylonde is called insula for it is in salo that is the see is beten of with dyuers course of waters with stremes with wawes of the see ¶ Of the settynge boundynge length and brede of Englonde Ca .ij. THis Britayn is acounted a noble londe bothe in our storyes also in the storyes of Grekes is set agaynst Germania Gallia FrauÌ„ce spayne by twene yâ— north yâ— west yâ— see bytwene This londe is fyfty myle from the clyf of the men that be called morini gessorico ¶ Beda li .j. And for this ylonde lieth vnder the north heed of yâ— worlde it hath lyght bright nyghtes in yâ— somer tyme so yâ— oftentymes at mydnyght men haue questyons doubte whether it be euentyde or dawnynge yâ— is for yâ— tyme of the yere yâ— the sonne goth not ferre vnder the erth by nyght but passeth by yâ— north syde cometh soone in to yâ— eest agayn And therfore in yâ— somer ben theyr dayes full loÌ„ge of .xviij. houres yâ— nyghtes of .vj. houres And after in yâ— wynter ben longe nyghtes of .xviij. houres shorte dayes of .vj. houres Also in Armenia Macedo nia Italia in other loÌ„des of yâ— same line the longest daye loÌ„gest nyght also is of xv houres the shortest day or nyght is of .ix. houres ¶ Plimê° in meroe That ylonde is chefe of blacke men there is yâ— loÌ„gest day .xij. houres In Alexandry in Egypte of .xiij. houres in Ytalye of .xv. houres in Brytayn of .xviij. houres in the ylonde named Tyle all the .vj. somer monethes is daye all the .vj. wynter monethes is nyght ¶ Isid .li .xiij. Brytayn is set wtin Occean as it were wtout the worlde is set agaynst FrauÌ„ce and Spayne ¶ Giraldus Brytayn is endloÌ„ge larger in yâ— myddle thaÌ„ in yâ— endes ¶ Orostê° Brytayn stretcheth in length out of yâ— south iÌ„ to yâ— north in yâ— southest it hath FrauÌ„ce in yâ— south Spayne in yâ— north Norway in yâ— west Hâ—bernâ—a yâ— is Irlonde whan shypmen passe the next clyf of yâ— loÌ„de they se a cite yâ— hyght 〈◊〉 mouth Beda li .j. yâ— cite is now called of Englysshmen Reptacestre ¶ Solinus Brytayne is viij C. myle of length it be met from yâ— clyf of Tornes to yâ— angle of Calidon ¶ Alfre That is from Penwithstrete .xv. myle beyonde Myghels stowe in Cornewayle vnto Carnes yâ— is beyonde Scotlonde Brytayn is more than ij C. myle brode froÌ„ Meneuia yâ— is the vttermest place in Wales vnto Yaâ—mouth iÌ„ northfolke ¶ Beda Onely out take yâ— longest out shotyng of diuers fore londes with the whiche Brytayn is all about .xlviij. sythe .lxx. thousande pace ¶ Of the worthynes and preroga cyons Caplo .iij. AS FrauÌ„ce passeth Brytayne so Brytayn passeth Irlonde in fayre weder and nobleâ—e but not in helthe ¶ Beda lib .i. For this ylonde is best to bryÌ„ge forth trees fruytes Rutherne beestes wyne groweth therin in some places The londe hath plente of fowles and of beestes of dyuers maner of kynde The londe is plenteous and the see also The londe is noble copyous ryche of noble welles and ryuers with plente of fysshe There is grete plente of small fysshe of samon of eles ¶ Wilhel de pon .li .iij. So yâ— the people in some place fede theyr sâ—yne with fysshe Beda li .j. There ben oftentymes taken dolphyns see calues and baleyne grete fysshes as whales kynde and dyuers maner shelfysshe amonge yâ— whiche shelfysshe ben muscles that wtin them haue Margery perles of al maner of colour and hewe of rody reed purpure of blewe specyally moost of whyte There is also plente of shelfysshe yâ— men dye therwith fyne reed yâ— reednes therof is wonders fayre and stable stayneth neuer with colde ne with hete with wete ne with drye but euer the older yâ— colour is the fayrer There beÌ„ also salt welles hote welles therof rennynge stremes of hote bathes departeth in to dyuers places according for man woman of all maner age olde or yonge ¶ Basilius sayth That yâ— water that tenneth passeth by vaynes of certayn metall taketh iÌ„ his course grete hete This ylonde is plenteous of vaynes of metalles of bras of yren of leed of tynne of syluer also ¶ Plimê° li .vj. ca .vj. In this ylonde vnder the turfe of the loÌ„de is fouÌ„de good merle the thryfty of the farnes dryeth hyÌ„self therin So yâ— euer the thycker yâ— felde is merled yâ— better corne it wyll bere There is also an other maner whyte merle yâ— the londe is the better .lxxx. yere yâ— therwith is merled ¶ Solinê° In this ylonde groweth a stone that is called gagates yf ye wyll knowe his fayrnes it is blacke as gemmes ben yf ye wyll knowe his kynde it brenneth in water quencheth in oyle and as to his myght yf the stone be froted chafed it holdeth what hyÌ„ nigheth as Succuns a stone that is so named ¶ Ynd. li .xv. There ben shepe that bere good woll There ben many hartes and wylde beestes fewe wolues therfore shepe ben the surer wtout kepyng lefte in the felde ¶ 〈◊〉 In this ylonde also ben many citees townes fayre noble and ryche many grete ryuers stremes with grete pleÌ„te of fysshe many fayre wodes grete with ryght many beestes came and wylde The erth of that londe is copyous of metall oor of salte welles of quarreys of marble of diuers maner stones of reed of whyte of softe of harde of chalke
out Gurmond the Irysshe kyng with his Pictes and the Brytons also with theyr kynge that hight Careticus and droue them out of Englond into Wales And so that Saxons were vyctoryous euery prouynce after his strength made hym a kyng And so departed Englonde in to seuen kyngdomes Neuerthelesse afterwarde these seueÌ„ kyngdomes euerychone after other 〈◊〉 all in to one kyngdome All hole vn 〈◊〉 the prynce Adelstoue Neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 â—â—nes pursued this londe fro Adei 〈…〉 tyme that was Alurents fader vnto the thy 〈…〉 abou ts au C .lxx. 〈…〉 〈…〉 lly therin xxil 〈…〉 re And after hym Haralde hâ—lde the kyngdome .ix. mouethes And after hym Nor mans haue regned vnto this tyme but how longe they shall regue he to whome no thynge is vnknowen ¶ 〈…〉 Of that foresayd seuen kyngdomes theyr markes mares boundes whan they began how longe they endured here shall I somwhat shortly tell ¶ Alfre The fyrst kyngdome was that kyngdome of Kent that stretcheth fro the eest Occean vnto that ryuer of Tamyse There regned the fyrst Engystes began to regne by the accountynge of Dionyse the yere of our lorde A C .lv. that kyngdome dured iii C .lviij. yere .xv. kinges vnto that tyme that kynge Baldrede was put out and Egbert kynge of westsaxon ioyned that kyngdom to his owne The second kyng dome was at Southsaxon that had in the eest syde kent in the south the see the yle of wyght in the west Hamshyre in the north sothery there Ella regned fyrst with his thre sones began to regne the yere after the comynge of that Angles euen .xxx. But that kyngdome within shorte tyme passed in to the other kyngdomes The thyrde kyngdome was of Eestsaxon bad in the eest syde the see in the west the couÌ„tree of London in the fouth Temse in that north Southfolke The kynges of this couÌ„â—â—â— of westsaron fro the first Sebertes tyme vnto that tyme of the Danes were .x. kynges the whiche were subgecte somdele to other kynges Neuerthelesse oâ—t est longest they were vnder the kynges of Merci◠〈◊〉 to the tyme yâ— Egbert the kynge of westsaxon ioyned yâ— kyngdome was to his owne The fourth kyngdome was of Eest 〈…〉 gles conteyneth Northfolke South folke and hath in the east syde and in the north syde the see in yâ— north west Cam bridge shyre in yâ— west saynt Comondes dyche Herfordshyre in yâ— south Essex And this kyngdom duted vnder twelue kynges vnto the tyme yâ— kyng Edmond was slayne And than the Danes toke wrongfully both the kyngdomes of eest Angles and of eest Saxon. Afterwarde the Danes were put out and dryuenawaye or made subgecte And than the elder kynge Edwarde ioyned bothe the kyÌ„gdomes to his orane The fyfth kyng dome was of westsaxon dured longest of all these kyngdomes had in the eest syde fouthsaxon in the north Tamyse in the south in the west the see Occean In that kyngdome regned Serdryk with his sone Kenryke began to regne the yere of our lorde god .v. C. and .xix. and than after the comynge of Angles .lxxi. so sayth Denys the other kyngdomes passed in to this kyngdome The syxth kyngdome was of Mercia was gretest of all The markes the meres ther of were in the west syde of the ryuer De faste by Chestre and Seuarne faste by Shrowesbury vnto Brystowe in yâ— eest the eest see in the south Tamyse vnto London in the north the ryuer of Humber and so westwarde and downwarde vnto the riuer Mersee vnto the corner of wyrhall there Number falleth in to the west see Penda Wyvves sone regned fyrst in this kyngdome in the yere of our lorde Jesu Chryst .vi. C .xxvi. soo sayth Denys and fro the comynge of Angles an hondred .lxxv. yere This kyngdome dured vnder .xviii. kynges aboute two hondred .lxiij. yere vnto yâ— last Colwulfe the Danes vetoke yâ— kyngdome to kept whan Burdred the kyng was put out but the elder Edward the kyng put out the Danes and ioyned the kyngdom of Mercia to his owne kyngdome Neuerthelesse at the begyunynge this kyngdome of Mercia was departed in to thre In west Mercia in myddell Mercia eest Mercia The .vij. kyngdome was Northamhymbrorum that is the kyngdome of Northumberionde the meres markes therof were by west by cest the see of Occean by south that tyuer of Humber and so downward toward the west by that ende of the shyres of Notyngham and of Derby vnto the ryuer of Merses and by north the Scottes see that hyght forth in Scottes weres in Britysshe yâ— Scot tysshe see in Englysshe This kyngdom of Northumberlonde was fyrst deied in two prouynces That one was yâ— south syde hyght Deyra that other was yâ— north syde hyght Brenicia as it were two kyngdomes the ryuer departed these two kyngdomes that tyme for the kyngdome of Deyra was from yâ— ryuer of Humber vnto the ryuer of Tyne The kyngdome of Brenicia was fro Tyne to the Scottysshe see And whan Pirres dwelled there as Beda sayth li .iij. ca .ii. That Ninian yâ— holy man coÌ„uetted men of the south syde Ida the kynge regned there fyrst began to regne the yere of our lorde .v. C. .xlvij. so sayth Denys In Deyra regned kyng Elle the yere of our lorde .v. C .xlix. These two kyngdomes were other whyle as it is sayd departed bytwene two kinges somtyme all hole vnder one kyng and dured as it were .xx. Englysshe kynges CCC .xxi. yere At yâ— last Osbartus and Elle were slayne in the .ix. yere of theyr kyngdome the Danes slewe them Northumberlonde was voyde wtout kynge .viii. yere Than afterwarde the Danes regned in Northumberlonde .xxxvi. yere vnto the onynge of yâ— kyngdome Adeistone made subgecte the kynges Danes scottysshe walsshe regned fyrst alone in Englonge helde yâ— kyngdome of Englonde all hole and all one kyngdome that was the yere of our lorde viij C .xxviij. That tyuer of Merâ—ee was somtyme marke mere bytwene the kyngdome of Mercia and the kyngdome of Northumberlond that may be shewed in two maners first by this properte of this Mersee that is as moche to saye as a see yâ— is a bouÌ„de a mere for it departeth one kyngdome froÌ„ an other Also it is wryten in Cronycles of Henry Alfrede yâ— kyng Edward yâ— elder fastned a castell at MaÌ„cestre in Northumberlond but yâ— cite MaÌ„cestre is fro the tyuer of Mersee scarsely thre myle ¶ Of bysshopryches and of theyr sees Ca .xiij. IVrius was the fyrst kyng chrystened of yâ— Brytons in his tyme were thre archebysshoppes sees in Brytayne oue was at London an other at yorke the thyrde at Cacrusk the cite of LegyoÌ„s in Glamorgan that cite is now called Caerleon To these archebisshops sees were subgeâ—te .xxviij. bysshops were called Flammes To the archebysshops see of LondoÌ„ was subgecte Corne wayle all myddell EngloÌ„de vnto Humber
see that is bytwene Brytayne Irlonde is all yâ— yere full of grete wawes vneasy that men may selde sayle sykerly bytwene yâ— see is C .xx. myle brode ¶ Of the gretenes and qualite of that londe Ca .xxiiij. IRlonde is an ylonde gretest after Brytayn stretcheth north ward froÌ„ Brendas hylles vnto yâ— londe ColuÌ„bina coÌ„teyneth .viij. dayes iourney euery iourney .xl. myle froÌ„ Deuelin to Patrykes hylles to yâ— see in yâ— syde in brede iiij iourneys Irlonde is narower in yâ— myddle than in the endes all otherwyse than Brytayn is as Irlonde is shorter north ward than Britayn so is it longer south ward the londe is not playne but full of mouÌ„taynes of hylles of wodes of marays of mores the londe is softe rayny wyndy lowe by yâ— see syde wtin hylly sondy ¶ Solmus There is grete plente of noble pasture and of leese therfore yâ— beestes must be ofte dryueÌ„ out of theyr pasture lest they â—te ouer moche for they sholde shende themselfe yf they myght ete at theyr wyll ¶ Gir. Men of that londe haue comynly theyr helth strauÌ„gers haue oft a perylous 〈◊〉 by cause of yâ— moisture of yâ— meet The flesshe of kyen is there holsom swynes flesshe vnholsom Men of yâ— londe haue no feuer but onely yâ— feuer ague and that ryght selde Therfore the holsomnes of yâ— londe the clennes out of venym is worth all the boost richesse of trees of herbes of spycery of ryche clothes of precyous stones of the eest londes The cause of yâ— helth holsomnes of yâ— londe is yâ— attemperate hete colde that is therin Inâ—bus rebê° sufficit In this londe ben mâ—o kyen than oxen more pasture than corne more grasse than seed there is plente of samon of lamprays of â—eles of other see fysshe Of egles of cranes of pecoks of curlewes of sparowhawkes of geshawkes of gentyll fawcons Of welues ryght shrewed myte there ben attercoppes blode soukers eeftes yâ— do nâ— harme there ben fayres lytell of body ful hardy stronge there ben batnacles foules lyke wylde gees whiche grewe wondersly vpon trees as it were nature wrought agaynst kynde Men of relygyon ete barnacles vpon fastyng dares bycause they be not engendred with flesshe wherin as me thyÌ„keth they erre for â—â—ason is agaynst yâ— for yf a man had eten of AdaÌ„s legge he had eteÌ„ flesshe yet AdaÌ„ was not engendred of fader nor moder but yâ— flesshe cometh wondersly of yâ— tree In this loÌ„de is plente of hony of mylke of vine of vyneyerdes ¶ Solinê° ysâ—d wryte yâ— IrloÌ„de hath no bees Neuerthelesse it were better wryten yâ— IrloÌ„de had bees no vyneyerdes ¶ Beâ—a sayth yâ— there is grete huÌ„tyng to roobuckes it is knowen yâ— there be none It is no wonder of Beda for he neuer sawe yâ— londe but some man tolde hyÌ„ suche tales Also there groweth that stone Saxagonê° is called Iris also as it were the rayne bowe yf that stone be holden agaynst yâ— sonne anone it shall shape a raynbowe There is also founden a stone yâ— is called Gagathes whyte margery perles ¶ Of the defaute of the londe Ca .xxv. â—Hete cornes ben there full small vnneth clensed with maÌ„nes hande reserued meÌ„ all beestes beÌ„ smaller there than in other loÌ„des There lacketh well nygh al maner fresshe water fysshe yâ— is not gendred in the see There lacketh vnkynde faucons gerfaucons pertryche fesauÌ„t nyghtyngales and pyes There lacketh also Roo Bucke Ilespyles wontes and other venymous beestes Therfore some men feyne that fauourably yâ— saynt Patryck clensed yâ— londe of wormes of venymous beestes But it is more probable skylfull yâ— this londe was from yâ— begynnynge alwaye wtout suche wormes for venymous beestes wormes dye there anone yf men brynge them thyder out of other loÌ„des Also venym and poyson brought thyder out of other londes lese theyr malyce as soone as it passeth the myddle of the see Also poudre erth of that londe cast sowen in other londes dryue away wormes so ferforth that yf a turfe of yâ— londe be put about a worme it sleeth hym or maketh hym thryll that erth for to escape away In that londe cockes crowe but lytell tofore daye so that the fyrst crowynge of cockes in that londe the thirde in other londes ben lyke ferre tofore the daye ¶ Of them that fyrst enhabyted Irlonde Ca .xxvj. GIraldê° sayth that Casera Noes nece drad the flode fledde with thre men fyfty women in to that ylonde dwelled therin fyrst the last yere tofore Noes flode But afterwarde Bartholanus Seres sone that came of Iaphet Noes sone came thider with his thre sones by happe or by crafte CCC yere after Noes flode dwelled there encreaced to yâ— nombre of .ix. M. men afterward for stenche of careyns of gyauÌ„tes yâ— they had slayne they dyed all saue one Ruanus that lyued M .v. C. yere vnto saynt Patrykes tyme enformed yâ— holy man of the foresayd men of all the doynges and dedes Than the thyrde tyme came thyder Nimeth out of Scicia with his iiij sones and dwelled there CC .xvj. yere And at yâ— last of his ofsprynge by dyuers my shappes of warre of moreyne they were clene destroyed and the londe lefte voyde CC. yere after The fourth tyme v. dukes that were bretherne Gandius Genandus SagaÌ„dius Rutheragus Slauius of the sayd Nimethes successours came out of Grece occupied that loÌ„de deled it in .v. partyes euery partye coÌ„teyneth .xxij. candredes A caÌ„drede is a couÌ„tree yâ— conteyneth an C. townes they set a stone in the myddle of yâ— lond as it were in the nauell and begynnyng of .v. kyngdomes At the last Slauius was made kyng of all yâ— lond The fyfth tyme whan this nacyon was .xxx. yere togyder they wexed feble Foure noble men that were Millesius yâ— kyÌ„ges sones came out of Spayne with many other in a nauy of .xl. shyppes .ij. of yâ— worthyest of these .iiij. bretherne yâ— hyght Hyberê° Hermon deled yâ— loÌ„de bytwene them two But afterward couenauÌ„t was brokeÌ„ bytwene them bothe Hyberê° was slayne Than Hermon was kyng of all yâ— londe And from his tyme to yâ— fyrst Patrykes tyme were kynges of yâ— nacyon C .xxxi. And so fro yâ— comynge of Hibernensis vnto yâ— fyrst Patryk were M. viij C. yere They had that name Hibernensis Hibernia of yâ— foresayd Hiberus or els of Hibetê° a ryuer of Spayne They were called also Gatels Scottes of one Gaytelus yâ— was Phenis neuewe This Gaytelus coude speke many laÌ„guages after the laÌ„guages that were made at Nemproths Toure and wedded one Scotta Pharoes doughter Of these dukes came yâ— HiberneÌ„sis Men saye yâ— this Gaytelus made yâ— Irysshe language called it Gaytelaf as it were a language gadred of all languages tongues At the last Belinus kyng of Britayn had a