pretext of what was due to the religious service wasted and imbezl'd each mans substance upon themselves And Catus Decianus the Procurator endeavour'd to bring all thir goods within the compass of a new confiscation by disavowing the remittment of Claudius Lastly Seneca in his Books a Philosopher having drawn the Britans unwillingly to borrow of him vast summs upon faire promises of easy loan and for repayment to take thir own time on a sudden compells them to pay in all at once with great extortion Thus provock't by heaviest sufferings and thus invited by opportunities in the absence of Paulinus the Icenians and by their Example the Trinobantes and as many else as hated servitude rise up in Armes Of these ensueing troubles many foregoing signes appear'd the image of Victorie at Camalodunum fell down of it self with her face turn'd as it were to the Britans certaine women in a kind of ecstasie foretold of calamities to come in the Counsel-House were heard by night barbarous noises in the Theater hideous howlings in the Creek horrid sights betok'ning the destruction of that Colony heerto the Ocean seeming of a bloody hew and human shapes at a low ebb left imprinted on the sand wrought in the Britans new courage in the Romans unwonted feares Camalodunum where the Romans had seated themselves to dwell pleasantly rather then defensively was not fortifi'd against that therefore the Britans make first assault The Souldiers with in were not very many Decianus the Procurator could send them but 200 those ill arm'd and through the treachery of some among them who secretly favour'd the insurrection they had deferr'd both to entrench and to send out such as bore not Armes such as did flying to the Temple which on the second day was forcibly tak'n were put all to the Sword the Temple made a heap the â—est rifl'd and burnt Petilius Cerealis coming to his succour is in his way met and overthrown his whole Legion cut to peeces he with his Horse hardly escaping to the Roman Camp Decianus whose rapine was the cause of all this fled into Callia But Suetonius at these tideings not dismay'd through the midst of his Enemies Countrie marches to London though not term'd a Colony yet full of Roman Inhabitants and for the frequency of trade and other commodities a Town eev'n then of principal note with purpose to have made there the seat of Warr. But considering the smallness of his numbers and the late rashness of Petilius he chooses rather with the loss of one Town to save the rest Nor was he flexible to any prayers or weeping of them that besought him to tarry there but taking with him such as were willing gave signal to depart they who through weakness of Sex or Age or love of the place went not along perish'd by the Enemie so did Verulam a Roman free Town For the Britans omitting Forts and Castles flew thether first where richest bootie and the hope of pillageing toald them on In this massacre about 70 thousand Romans and thir associats in the places above-mention'd of a certaine lost thir lives None might be spar'd none ransom'd but tasted all either a present or a lingring Death no crueltie that either outrage or the insolence of success put into thir heads was left unacted The Roman Wives and Virgins hang'd up all naked had thir Breasts cut off and sow'd to thir mouthes that in the grimness of Death they might seem to eat thir own flesh while the Britans fell to feasting and carousing in the Temple of Andate thir Goddess of Victorie Suetonius adding to his Legion other old Officers and Souldiers thereabout which gatherd to him were neer upon ten thousand and purposing with those not to deferr Battel had chos'n a place narrow and not to be overwing'd on his rear a Wood being well inform'd that his Enemies were all in Front on a plain unapt for ambush the Legionaries stood thic in order impal'd with light armed the Horse on either Wing The Britans in Companies and Squadrons were every where shouting and swarming such a multitude as at other time never no less reckon'd then 200 and 30 thousand so feirce and confident of Victorie that thir Wives also came in Waggons to sit and behold the sport as they made full account of killing Romans a folly doubtless for the serious Romans to smile at as a sure tok'n of prospering that day a Woeman also was thir Commander in Chief For Boadicea and her Daughters ride about in a Chariot telling the tall Champions as a great encouragement that with the Britans it was usual for Woemen to be thir Leaders A deal of other fondness they put into her mouth not worth recital how she was lash'd how her Daughters were handl'd things worthier silence retirment and a Vail then for a Woeman to repeat as don to hir own person or to hear repeated before an host of men The Greek Historian setts her in the field on a high heap of Turves in a loose-bodied Gown declaming a Spear in her hand a Hare in her bosome which after a long circumlocution she was to let slip among them for luck 's sake then praying to Andate the British Goddess to talk again as fondly as before And this they do out of a vanity hoping to embellish and set out thir Historie with the strangness of our manners not careing in the mean while to brand us with the rankest note of Barbarism as if in Britain Woemen were Men and Men Woemen I affect not set speeches in a Historie unless known for certain to have bin so spok'n in effect as they are writ'n nor then unless worth rehearsal and to invent such though eloquently as some Historians have done is an abuse of posteritie raising in them that read other conceptions of those times and persons then were true Much less therefore do I purpose heer or elsewhere to Copie out tedious Orations without decorum though in thir Authors compos'd ready to my hand Hitherto what we have heard of Cassibelan Togadumnus Venusius and Caractacus hath bin full of magnanimitie soberness and martial skill but the truth is that in this Battel and whole business the Britans never more plainly manifested themselves to be right Barbarians no rule no foresight no forecast experience or estimation either of themselves or of thir Enemies such confusion such impotence as seem'd likest not to a Warr but to the wild hurrey of a distracted Woeman with as mad a Crew at her heeles Therefore Suetonius contemning thir unruly noises and fierce looks heart'ns his men but to stand close a while and strike manfully this headless rabble that stood neerest the rest would be a purchase rather then a toil And so it fell out for the Legion when they saw thir time bursting out like a violent wedge quickly broke and dissipated what oppos'd them all else held only out thir necks to the slayer for thir own Carts and Waggons were so plac'd by themselves
who were in station at the Camp Gates sent speedy word to Caesar that from that part of the Country to which the Legion went a greater dust then usual was seen to rise Caesar guessing the matter commands the Cohorts of Guard to follow him thether two others to succeed in thir stead the rest all to arm and follow They had not march'd long when Caesar discerns his Legion sore overcharg'd for the Britans not doubting but that thir Enemies on the morrow would be in that place which only they had left unreap'd of all thir Harvest had plac'd an Ambush and while they were disperst and busiest at thir labour set upon them kill'd som and routed the rest The manner of thir fight was from a kind of Chariots wherin riding about and throwing Darts with the clutter of thir Horse and of thir Wheels they oft-times broke the rank of thir Enemies then retreating among the Horse and quitting thir Chariots they fought on Foot The Charioters in the mean while somwhat aside from the Battell set themselvs in such order that thir Maisters at any time oppress'd with odds might retire safely thether having perform'd with one person both the nimble service of a Horse-man and the stedfast duty of a Foot Souldier So much they could with thir Chariots by use and exercise as riding on the speed down a steep Hill to stop suddenly and with a short rein turn swiftly now runing on the beam now on the Yoke then in the Seat With this sort of new skirmishing the Romans now overmatch'd and terrify'd Caesar with opportune aid appears for then the Britans make a stand but he considering that now was not fitt time to offer Battell while his men were scarce recover'd of so late a fear only keeps his ground and soon after leads back his Legions to the Camp Furder action for many days following was hinder'd on both sides by foul weather in which time the Britans dispatching Messengers round about to how few the Romans were reduc'd what hope of prise and booty and now if ever of freeing themselvs from the fear of like invasions heerafter by making these an example if they could but now uncamp thir Enemies at this intimation multitudes of Horse and Foot coming down from all parts make towards the Romans Caesar foreseeing that the Britans though beat'n and put to flight would easily evade his Foot yet with no more than 30 Horse which Comius had brought over draws out his men to Battell puts again the Britans to flight poursues with slaughter and returning burns and laies waste all about Whereupon Embassadors the same day being sent from the Britans to desire peace Caesar as his affairs at present stood for so great a breach of Faith only imposes on them double the former hostages to be sent after him into Gallia And because September was nigh half spent a season not fit to tempt the Sea with his weather-beat'n Fleet the same night with a fair wind he departs towards Belgia whether two only of the Britan Citties sent Hostages as they promis'd the rest neglected But at Rome when the news came of Caesars acts here whether it were esteem'd a Conquest or a fair Escape supplication of 20 days is decreed by the Senate as either for an exploit done or a discovery made wherin both Caesar and the Romans gloried not a little though it brought no benefit either to him or the Common-wealth The Winter following Caesar as his custom was going into Italy when as he saw that most of the Britans regarded not to send thir Hostages appoints his Legats whom he left in Belgia to provide what possible Shipping they could either build or repair Low built they were to bee as therby easier both to fraught and to hale ashoar nor needed to be higher because the Tyde so often changing was observ'd to make the Billows less in our Sea then those in the Mediterranean broader likewise they were made for the better transporting of Horses and all other fraughtage being intended cheifly to that end These all about 600. in a readiness with 28 Ships of burden and what with adventurers and other hulks above 200 Cotta one of the Legates wrote them as Athaeneus affirms in all 1000 Caesar from Port Iccius a passage of som 30 mile over leaving behind him Labienus to guard the hav'n and for other supply at need with five Legions though but 2000 Horse about sun sett hoysing saile with a slack South-West at midnight was becalm'd And finding when it was light that the whole Navy lying on the current had fal'n of from the I le which now they could descry on thir left hand by the unwearied labour of his Souldiers who refus'd not to tugg the Oare and kept course with Ships under sayl he bore up as neer as might bee to the same place where he had landed the yeer before where about noon arriving Before the Birth of Christ 52 no Enemy could be seen For the Britans which in great number as was after know'n had bin there at sight of so huge a Fleet durst not abide Caesar forthwith landing his Army and encamping to his best advantage som notice being giv'n him by those he took where to find the Enemy with his whole power save only ten cohorts and 300 Horse left to Quintus Atrius for the guard of his Ships about the third watch of the same night marches up twelv mile into the Country And at length by a River commonly thought the Stowre in Kent espies embattail'd the British Forces They with thir Horses and Chariots advancing to the higher Banks oppose the Romans in thir March and begin the fight but repuls't by the Roman Cavalrie give back into the Woods to a place notably made strong both by Art and Nature which it seems had bin a Fort or Hold of strength rays'd heertofore in time of Warrs among themselvs For entrance and access on all sides by the felling of huge Trees overthwart one another was quite barr'd up and within these the Britans did thir utmost to keep out the Enemy But the Souldiers of the seventh Legion locking all thir Sheilds together like a rooff close over head and others raysing a Mount without much loss of blood took the place and drove them all to forsake the Woods Pursuit they made not long as beeing through ways unknow'n and now ev'ning came on which they more wisely spent in choosing out where to pitch and fortify thir Camp that night The next Morning Caesar had but newly sent out his men in three bodies to poursue and the last no furder gon then yet in sight when Horsemen all in Poste from Quintus Artrius bring word to Caesar that almost all his Ships in a Tempest that night had suffer'd wrack and lay brok'n upon the shoar Caesar at this news recalls his Legions himself in all hast riding back to the Sea-side beheld with his own Eyes the ruinous prospect About forty Vessels were
as left them but little room to escape between The Roman slew all men women and the very drawing Horses lay heap'd along the Field in a gory mixture of slaughter About fowrscore thousand Britans are said to have bin slain on the place of the Enemy scarse 400 and not many more wounded Boadicea poysond her self or as others say sick'n'd and dy'd She was of Stature big and tall of visage grim and stern harsh of voice her hair of bright colour flowing down to her hipps she wore a plighted Garment of divers colours with a great gold'n Chain button'd over all a thick robe Gildas calls her the craftie lioness and leaves an ill fame upon her doeings Dion sets down otherwise the order of this fight and that the field was not won without much difficultie nor without intention of the Britans to give another Battel had not the Death of Boadicea come betweene Howbeit Suetonius to preserve Discipline and to dispatch the reliques of Warr lodg'd with all his Armie in the op'n field which was supply'd out of Germany with 1000 Horse and 10000 Foot thence dispers'd to Winter and with incursions to wast those Countries that stood out But to the Britans famin was a worse affliction having left off dureing this uproar to till the ground and made reck'ning to serve themselves on the provisions of thir Enemie Nevertheless those Nations that were yet untaimd hearing of some discord ris'n betweene Suetonius and the new Procurator Classicianus were brought but slowly to terms of peace and the rigor us'd by Suetonius on them that yeilded taught them the better course to stand on thir defence For it is certaine that Suetonius though else a worthieman over-proud of his Victorie gave too much way to his anger against the Britans Classician therefore sending such word to Rome that these severe proceedings would beget an endless Warr Polycletus no Roman but a Courtier was sent by Nero to examin how things went He admonishing Suetonius to use more mildness aw'd the Armie and to the Britans gave matter of Laughter Who so much eeven till then were nurs'd up in thir native libertie as to wonder that so great a Generall with his whole Armie should be at the rebuke and ordering of a Court Servitor An. Dom. 62 But Suetonius a while after having lost a few Gallies on the shoar was bid resigne his command to Petronius Turpilianus who not provoking the Britans nor by them provok'd was thought to have pretended the love of peace to what indeed was his love of ease and sloth Trebellius Maximus follow'd his steps usurping the name of gentle Goverment to any remisness or neglect of Discipline which brought in first licence next disobedience into his Camp incens'd against him partly for his covetousness partly by the incitement of Roscius Caelius Legat of a Legion with whom formerly disagreeing now that civil Warr began in the Empire he fell to op'n discord charging him with disorder and sedition and him Caelius with peeling and defrauding the Legions of thir pay insomuch that Trebellius hated and deserted of the Souldiers was content a while to govern by base entreaty and forc'd at length to flie the Land Which notwithstanding remain'd in good quiet govern'd by Caelius and the other Legate of a Legion both faithfull to Vitellius then Emperour who sent hither Vectius Bolanus An. Dom. 69 under whose lenity though not tainted with other fault against the Britans nothing was done nor in thir own Discipline reform'd Petilius Cerealis by appointment of Vespasian succeeding An. Dom. 70 had to doe with the populous Brigantes in many Battails and som of those not unbloodie An. Dom. 74 For as we heard before it was Venusius who eeven to these times held them tack both himself remaining to the end unvanquish'd and some part of his Countrie not so much as reach 't It appeares also by several passages in the Histories of Tacitus that no small number of British Forces were commanded over Sea the year before to serve in those bloodie Warrs betweene Otho and Vitellius Vitellius and Vespasian contending for the Empire To Cerealis succeeded Julius Frontinus in the Government of Britain who by tameing the Silures a people warlike and strongly inhabiting augmented much his reputation An. Dom. 79 But Julius Agricola whom Vespatiau in his last year sent hither train'd up from his youth in the British Warrs extended with victories the Roman Limit beyond all his Predecessors His coming was in the midst of Summer and the Ordovices to welcome the new General had hew'n in peeces a whole Squadron of Horse which lay upon thir bounds few escapeing Agricola who perceav'd that the noise of this defeat had also in the Province desirous of novelty stirr'd up new expectations resolves to be before-hand with the danger and drawing together the choice of his Legions with a competent number of Auxiliars not beeing met by the Ordovices who kept the Hills himself in the head of his men hunts them up and down through difficult places almost to the final extirpating of that whole Nation With the same current of success what Paulinus had left unfinish'd he Conquers in the I le of Mona for the Ilanders altogether fearless of his approach whom they knew to have no Shipping when they saw themselves invaded on a sudden by the Auxiliars whose Countrie use had taught them to swimm over with Horse and Armes were compel'd to yeild This gain'd Agricola much opinion who at his verie entrance a time which others bestow'd of course in hearing complements and gratulations had made such early progress into laborious and hardest enterprises But by farr not so famous was Agricola in bringing Warr to a speedie end as in cutting off the causes from whence Warr arises For he knowing that the end of Warr was not to make way for injuries in peace began reformation from his own house permitted not his attendants and followers to sway or have to doe at all in public affairs laies on with equallitie the proportions of corn and tribute that were impos'd takes off exactions and the Fees of encroaching Officers heavier then the tribute it self For the Countries had bin compell'd before to sitt and wait the op'ning of public Granaries and both to sell and to buy thir Corn at what rate the Publicans thought fitt the Pourveyers also commanding when they pleas'd to bring it in not to the neerest but still to the remotest places either by the compounding of such as would be excus'd or by causing a Dearth where none was made a particular gain These greevances and the like he in the time of peace removing brought peace into some credit which before since the Romans coming had as ill a name as Warr. An. Dom. 80 The Summer following Titus then Emperor he so continually with inroads disquieted the Enemie over all the I le and after terror so allur'd them with his gentle demeanour that many Citties which till that
hazard or to keep up the Battaile if it should need The British powers on the Hill side as might best serve for shew and terrour stood in thir Battalions the first on eeven ground the next rising behind as the Hill ascended The field between rung with the noise of Horse-men and Chariots ranging up and down Agricola doubting to be over wing'd stretches out his front though somwhat with the thinest insomuch that many advis'd to bring up the Legions yet he not altering alights from his Horse and stands on foot before the Ensignes The fight began aloof and the Britans had a certain skill with their broad swashing Swords and short Bucklers either to strike aside or to bear off the Darts of thir Enemies and withall to send back showers of thir own Until Agricola discerning that those little Targets and unweildie Glaves ill pointed would soon become ridiculous against the thrust and close commanded three Batavian Cohorts and two of the Tungrians exercis'd and arm'd for close fight to draw up and come to handy-strokes The Batavians as they were commanded running in upon them now with their long Tucks thrusting at the face now with their piked Targets bearing them down had made good riddance of them that stood below and for hast omitting furder Execution began apace to advance up Hill seconded now by all the other Cohorts Mean while the Horse-men fly the Charioters mixe themselves to fight among the Foot where many of thir Horse also fall'n in disorderly were now more a mischief to thir own then before a terrour to thir Enemies The Battaile was a confus'd heap the ground unequal men horses Chariots crowded pelmel sometimes in little roome by and by in large fighting rushing felling over-bearing over-turning They on the Hill which were not yet come to blows perceaving the fewness of thir Enemies came down amain and had enclos'd the Romans unawares behind but that Agricola with a strong Body of Horse which he reserv'd for such a purpose repell'd them back as fast and others drawn off the front were commanded to wheel about and charge them on the backs Then were the Romans clearly Maisters they follow they wound they take and to take more kill whom they take the Britans in whole Troops with weapons in thir hands one while flying the pursuer anon without weapons desperately running upon the slayer But all of them when once they got the Woods to thir shelter with fresh boldness made head again and the forwardest on a sudden they turn'd and slew the rest so hamper'd as had not Agricola who was every where at hand sent out his readiest Cohorts with part of his Horse to alight and scowr the Woods they had receiv'd a foyle in the midst of Victorie but following with a close and orderly poursuit the Britans fled again and were totally scatter'd till night and weariness ended the chase And of them that day 10 thousand fell of the Romans 340 among whom Aulus Attiâ—us the Leader of a Cohort carried with heat of youth and the firceness of his Horse too far on The Romans jocond of this Victorie and the spoile they got spent the night the vanquished wandring about the field both men and women some lamenting some calling thir lost friends or carrying off their wounded others forsaking some burning thir own Houses and it was certain enough that there were who with a stern compassion laid violent hands on thir Wives and Children to prevent the more violent hands of hostile injurie Next day appearing manifested more plainly the greatness of thir loss receav'd every where silence desolation houses burning afar off not a man seen all fled and doubtful whether such word the scouts bringing in from all parts and the Summer now spent no fit season to disperse a Warr the Roman General leads his Armie among the Horestians by whom Hostages being giv'n he commands his Admiral with a sufficient Navie to saile round the Coast of Britain himself with slow marches that his delay in passing might serve to awe those new conquer'd Nations bestowes his Armie in their Winter-quarters The Fleet also having fetch 't a prosperous and speedy compass about the I le put in at the Haven Trutulensis now Richborrow neer Sandwich from whence it first set out and now likeliest if not two years before as was mention'd the Romans might discover and subdue the Iles of of Orkney which others with less reason following Eusebius and Orosius attribute to the deeds of Claudius These perpetual exploits abroad won him wide fame with Domitian under whom great virtue was as punishable as op'n crime won him hatred For he maligning the renown of these his acts in shew decreed him honours in secret devis'd his ruin An. Dom. 86 Agricola therefore commanded home for doeing too much of what he was sent to doe left the Province to his Successor quiet and secure Whether he as is conjectured were Salustius Lucullus or before him some other for Suetonius only names him Legat of Britain under Domitian but furder of him or ought else done here until the time of Hadrian is no where plainly to be found Some gather by a Preface in Tacitus to the Book of his Histories that what Agricola won here was soon after by Domitian either through want of valour lost or through envy neglected And Juvenal the Poet speaks of Arviragus in these days and not before King of Britain who stood so well in his resistance as not only to be talk'd of at Rome but to be held matter of a glorious Triumph if Domitian could take him Captive or overcome him Then also Claudia Rufina the Daughter of a Britain and Wife of Pudence a Roman Senator liv'd at Rome famous by the Verse of Martial for beauty wit and learning The next we hear of Britain is that when Trajan was Emperor it revolted and was subdued Under Adrian Julius Severus saith Dion govern'd the Iland a prime Souldier of that Age but he being call'd away to suppress the Jews then in tumult left things at such pass as caus'd the Emperor in person to take a journey hither An. Dom. 122 where many things he reform'd and as Augustus and Tiberius counsel'd to gird the Empire within moderate bounds he rais'd a Wall with great stakes driv'n in deep and fastn'd together in manner of a strong mound fourscore mile in length to devide what was Roman from Barbarian no antient Author names the place but old inscriptions and ruin it self yet testifies where it went along between Solway Frith by Carlile and the mouth of Tine Hadrian having quieted the Iland took it for honour to be titl'd on his Coine the Restorer of Britain In his time also Prisous Licinius as appears by an old inscription was Lieutenant heer Antoninus Pius reigning the Brigantes ever least patient of Foren servitude breaking in upon Genounia which Camden guesses to be Guinethia or North-Wales part of the Roman Province were
a voluminous body by me studiously omitted and left as their propriety who have a mind to write the Ecclesiastical matters of those Ages neither do I care to wrincle the smoothness of History with rugged names of places unknown better harp'd at in Camden and other Chorographers An. Dom. 786 Six years therfore pass'd over in silence as wholely of such Argument bring us to relate next the unfortunate end of Kinwulf the West-Saxon who having laudably reign'd about 31 years yet suspecting that Kineard Brother of Sigebert the former King intended to usurp the Crown after his Decease or revenge his Brothers expulsion had commanded him into banishment but he lurking heer and there on the borders with a small Company having had intelligence that Kenwulf was in the Country thereabout at Merantun or Merton in Surrey at the House of a Woeman whom he lov'd went by night and beset the place Kenwulf over-confident either of his Royal presence or personal valour issuing forth with the few about him runs feirsly at Kineard and wounds him sore but by his followers hem'd in is kill'd among them The report of so great an accident soon running to a place not far off where many more attendants awaited the Kings return Osric and Wivert two Earles hasted with a great number to the House where Kineard and his fellows yet remain'd He seeing himself surrounded with fair words and promise of great guifts attempted to appease them but those rejected with disdain fights it out to the last and is slain with all but one or two of his retinue which were nigh a hunderd Kinwulf was succeeded by Birthric being both descended of Kerdic the the Founder of that Kingdome An. Dom. 788 Not better was the end of Elswald in Northumberland two years after slain miserably by the conspiracy of Siggan one of his Nobles others say of the whole people at Scilcester by the Roman Wall yet undeservedly as his Sepulchre at Hagustald now Hexham upon Tine and some miracles there said to be done are alleg'd to witness and Siggan 5 years after laid violent hands on himself Osred Son of Alcred advanc't into the room of Elfwald and within one year driv'n out left his seat vacant to Ethelred Son of Mollo who after ten years of banishment impris'nment saith Alcuin had the Scepter put again into his hand An. Dom. 789 The third year of Birthric King of West-Saxons gave beginning from abroad to a new and fatal revolution of calamity on this Land For three Danish Ships the first that had bin seen heer of that Nation arriving in the West to visit these as was suppos'd Foren Merchants the Kings gatherer of Customes taking Horse from Dorchester found them Spies and Enemies For being commanded to come and give account of thir ladeing at the Kings Custome House they slew him and all who came with him as an earnest of the many slaughters rapines and hostilities which they return'd not long after to commit over all the Iland Of this Danish first arrival and on a sudden worse then hostile Aggression the Danish History far otherwise relates as if thir landing had bin at the mouth of Humber and thir spoilfull march far into the Country though soon repelld by the Inhabitants they hasted back as fast to thir Ships But from what cause what reason of state what Authority or publick counsell the invasion proceeded makes not mention and our wonder yet the more by telling us that Sigefrid then King in Denmarke and long after was a man studious more of peace and quiet then of warlike matters These therefore seem rather to have bin some wanderers at Sea who with publick Commission or without through love of spoil or hatred of Christianity seeking booties on any land of Christians came by chance or weather on this shore An. Dom. 790 The next year Osred in Northumberland who driv'n out by his Nobles had giv'n place to Ethelred was tak'n and forcibly shav'n a Monk at Yorke An. Dom. 791 And the year after Oels and Oelswin Sons of Elfwald formerly King were drawn by fair promises from the principal Church of Yorke and after by command of Ethelred cruelly put to Death at Wonwaldremere a Village by the great Pool in Lancashire now call'd Winandermere Nor was the third year less bloody An. Dom. 792 for Osred who not likeing a shav'n Crown had desir'd banishment and obtain'd it returning from the I le of Man with small Forces at the secret but deceitfull call of certain Nobles who by Oath had promis'd to assist him was also tak'n and by Ethelred dealt with in the same manner who the better to avouch his Cruelties therupon married Elfled the Daughter of Offa for in Offa was found as little Faith or mercy He the same year having drawn to his Palace Ethelbrite King of East-Angles with fair invitations to marry his Daughter caus'd him to be there inhospitably beheaded and his Kingdome wrongfully seis'd by the wicked counsel of his Wife saith Mat. West annexing thereto a long unlikely Tale. For which violence and bloodshed to make attonement with Fryers at lest he bestows the reliques of St. Alban in a shrine of Pearl and Gold An. Dom. 793 Far worse it far'd the next year with the reliques in Lindisfarne where the Danes landing pillag'd that Monastery and of Fryers kill'd some carried away others Captive sparing neither Preist nor Lay which many strange thunders and fiery Dragons with other impressions in the air seen frequently before were judg'd to foresignifie This year Alric third Son of Victred ended in Kent his long Reign of 34 years with him ended the race of Hengist thenceforth whomsoever wealth or faction advanc'd took on him the name and state of a King The Saxon Annals of 784. name Ealmund then reigning in Kent but that consists not with the time of Alric and I find him no where else mentiond An. Dom. 794 The year following was remarkable for the Death of Offa the Mercian a strenuous and suttle King he had much intercourse with Charles the Great at first enmity to the interdicting of commerce on either side at length much amity and firm League as appears by the Letter of Charles himself yet extant procur'd by Alcuin a learned and prudent man though a Monk whom the Kings of England in those days had sent Orator into France to maintain good correspondence between them and Charles the Great He granted saith Huntingdon a perpetual tribute to the Pope out of every House in his Kingdome for yeilding perhaps to translate the Primacy of Canterbury to Lichfeild in his own Dominion He drew a trench of wondrous length between Mercia and the British Confines from Sea to Sea Ecferth the Son of Offa a Prince of great hope who also had bin Crown'd 9 years before his Fathers Decease restoring to the Church what his Father had seis'd on yet within fowr Months by
hold of him the bounds wherof may be read among the Laws of Alfred Others of them went to Fulham on the Thames and joining there with a great Fleet newly come into the River thence pass't over into France and Flanders both which they enterd so far conquering or wasting as witness'd sufficiently that the French and Flemish were no more able then the English by Policy or prowess to keep off that Danish inundation from thir land Alfred thus rid of them and intending for the future to prevent thir landing Three years after quiet the mean while An. Dom. 882 with more Ships and better provided puts to Sea and at first met with four of theirs wherof two he took throwing the men over-board then with two others wherin were two of thir Princes and took them also but not without some loss of his own After three years another Fleet of them appear'd on An. Dom. 885 these Seas so huge that one part thought themselves sufficient to enter upon East-France the other came to Rochester and beleaguerd it they within stoutly defending themselves till Alfred with great Forces coming down upon the Danes drove them to thir Ships leaving for hast all thir Horses behind them The same year Alfred sent a Fleet toward the East-Angles then inhabited by the Danes which at the mouth of Stour meeting with 16 Danish Ships after some flight took them all and slew the Souldiers aboard but in thir way home lying careless were overtak'n by another part of that Fleet and came off with loss whereupon perhaps those Danes who were settl'd among the East-Angles erected with new hopes violated the peace which they had sworn to Alfred who spent the next year in repairing London An. Dom. 886 beâ—â—â—ging saith Huntingdon much ruind and unpeopl'd by the Danes the Londoners all but those who had bin led away Captive soon return'd to thir dwellings and Ethred Duke of Mercia was by An. Dom. 893 the King appointed thir Governour But after 13 years respite of peace another Danish Fleet of 250 Sail from the East part of France arriv'd at the mouth of a River in East Kent call'd Limen nigh to the great Wood Andred famous for length and bredth into that Wood they drew up thir Ships four mile from the Rivers mouth and built a Fortress After whom Haesten with another Danish Fleet of 80 Ships entring the mouth of Thames built a Fort at Middleton the former Army remaining at a place call'd Apeltre Alfred perceaving this took of those Danes who dwelt in Northumberland a new Oath of Fidelity and of those in Essex hostages lest they should joyn as they were wont with thir Country-men newly arriv'd And by the next year having An. Dom. 894 got together his Forces between either Army of the Danes encamp'd so as to be ready for either of them who first should happ'n to stir forth Troops of Horse also he sent continually abroad assisted by such as could be spar'd from strong places wherever the Countries wanted them to encounter forageing parties of the Enemy The King also divided sometimes his whole Army marching out with one part by turns the other keeping intrencht In conclusion rowling up and down both sides met at Farnham in Surrey where the Danes by Alfreds Horse Troops were put to flight and crossing the Thames to a certain Iland neer Coln in Essex or as Camden thinks by Colebrooke were beseig'd there by Alfred till provision fail'd the the beseigers another part staid behind with thir King wounded Mean while Alfred preparing to reinforce the seige in Colney the Danes of Northumberland breaking Faith came by Sea to the East-Angles and with a hunderd Ships Coasting Southward landed in Devonshire and beseig'd Exeter thether Alfred hasted with his powers except a Squadron of Welch that came to London with whom the Citizens marching forth to Beamflet where Haesten the Dane had built a strong Fort and left a Garrison while he himself with the main of his Army was enterd far into the Country luckily surprise the Fort maister the Garrison make prey of all they find there thir Ships also they burnt or brought away with good booty and many Prisners among whom the Wife and two Sons of Heasten were sent to the King who forthwith set them at liberty Whereupon Heasten gave Oath of Amitie and Hostages to the King he in requital whether freely or by agreement a summe of money Nevertheless without regard of Faith giv'n while Alfred was busied about Exeter joining with the other Danish Army he built another Castle in Essex at Shoberie thence marching Westward by the Thames aided with Northumbrian and East-Anglish Danes they came at length to Severn pillaging all in thir way But Ethred Ethelm and Ethelnoth the Kings Captains with united Forces pitch'd nigh to them at Buttingtun on the Severn Bank in Montgomery-shire the River running between and there many weeks attended the King mean while blocking up the Danes who beseig'd Exeter having eat'n part of thir Horses the rest urg'd with hunger broke forth to thir fellows who lay encamp't on the East-side of the River and were all there discomfitted with some loss of valiant men on the Kings party the rest fled back to Essex and thir Fortress there Then Laf one of their Leaders gatherd before Winter a great Army of Northumbrian and East-Anglish Danes who leaving thir money Ships and Wives with the East-Angles and marching day and night sat down before a City in the West call'd Wirheal neer to Chester and took it ere they could be overtak'n The English after two daies seige hopeless to dislodge them wasted the Country round to cut off from them all provision and departed Soon after which next year the An. Dom. 895 Danes no longer able to hold Wirheal destitute of Vittles enterd North-Wales thence lad'n with spoils part return'd into Northumberland others to the East-Angles as far as Essex where they seis'd on a small Iland call'd Meresig And heer again the Annals record them to beseige Exeter but without coherence of sence or story Others relate to this purpose that returning by Sea from the Seige of Exeter and in thir way landing on the Coast of Sussex they of Cichester sallied out and slew of them many hunderds taking also some of thir Ships The same year they who possess'd Meresig intending to winter thereabout drew up thir Ships some into the Thames others into the River Lee and on the Bank therof built a Castle twenty miles from London to assault which the Londoners aided with other Forces march'd out the Summer following but were soon put to An. Dom. 896 flight loosing fowr of the Kings Captains Huntingdon writes quite the contrary that these fowr were Danish Captains and the overthrow theirs but little credit is to be plac'd in Huntingdon single For the King therupon with his Forces lay encamp't neerer the City that the Danes might not infest