year the same Archbishop translated the Reliques of St. Aelfeage his Predecessor from London to Canterbury The King himself as William of Malmesbury tells us removed them with his own hands paying them all due Veneration and further adds that his Body remain'd as uncorrupt as if he had been but lately kill'd Richard the Second Duke of Normandy died and Richard his Son ruled after him one year and then Rodbert his Brother succeeded him and ruled eight years This year King Cnute sail'd with his Fleet into Denmark to a Plain near the Holy River but where that was I know not and there came against him Wulf and Eglaf with a very powerful Army out of Sweden both by Land and Sea and many on King Cnute's side were there killed both Danes and English the Swedes keeping the field of Battel After which Cnute returning into England I find no mention made of any Action here in any Author for the two succeeding years But then King Cnute sail'd with fifty Ships of English Thanes into Norway and drove King Olaf out of that Countrey and conquer'd it for himself Bromton's Chronicle relates That this Olaf being a Soft and Easy Prince was already in a manner driven out by his own Subjects and so Cnute only went as it were to receive the Kingdom from the Nobility and People who submitted themselves presently to him ' King Cnute came back into England And as R. Hoveden adds upon his Return banished Hacun a Danish Earl that had married his Niece Gunhilda who was his Sister's Daughter sending him away under pretence of an Embassy for the King was afraid lest otherwise he might deprive him both of his Kingdom and Life King Olaf return'd again into Norway to regain his Right but the People rising up against him he was there slain This is he who was afterwards canoniz'd under the Title of King Olaf the Martyr About this time as Guil. Gemeticensis and John of Walingford do both relate Robert Duke of Normandy pitying the long Exile of his Nephews Edward and Alfred sent Ambassadors to King Cnute requiring him to restore them to their Right but he not at all valuing his threatning sent the Ambassadors back with a Repulse whereat the Duke conceiving great indignation assembled his Nobles and by their Advice caus'd a great Navy to be prepar'd which in a short time came to Anchor at Fescam then the Duke with his Army put to Sea but by Tempest was driven into the Isle of Guernsey and so shatter'd that he was forced to return home where they were detain'd a long time by contrary Winds which was an extreme mortification to him But not long after Ambassadors came over to him from King Cnute signifying That he was contented to resign to the Young Princes half the Kingdom which they should peaceably enjoy during his life and that was not like to be long for he then laboured under a languishing Distemper Wherefore the Duke thought good for some time to defer his Expedition till he should be come back from Jerusalem whither he had vowed to undertake a Pilgrimage And when he had recommended to Robert Archbishop of Rouen and other Nobles his Son William then a Child of Seven Years old and received from them Assurances of their Fidelity to him he began the said Voyage and having perform'd it as he was returning homewards the next year he fell sick and died about the Alpes But of this William his Son by Harlotte his Concubine 〈◊〉 not only succeeded his Father but was also afterwards King of England as you shall hear when we come to his Reign This year as soon as King Cnute return'd into England he gave the Port of Sandwic to Christ's Church in Canterbury with all the Issues and Profits arising from thence on both sides the Haven according to an Extract from his Charter preserved among the Evidences of that Church and that as far as when the Tide of Flood was highest and a Ship lying near the Shore a man could from thence cast a little Axe on land so far the Christ-Church Officers should receive all Rights and Dues This year also according to Monast. Angl. King Cnute founded another Monastery for Benedictines in Norfolk which from its being seated in a Woody Place was called by St. Bennet's in Holme the Lands and Scite of which Abby being by King Henry the VIII th after the Dissolution of the Monasteries exchanged with the Bishop of Norwich for other Lands he is the only Bishop of England who has still the Title of an Abbot Also under this year I find a Charter in the Manuscript Copy of Florence of Worcester in the Bodleian Library made to the Monastery of St. Edmundsbury granting and confirming all its Lands and Privileges the beginning of which Charter being somewhat remarkable I shall here recite Cnute Rex Totius Albionis Insulae aliarumque Nationum adjacentium in Cathedra Regali promotus cum Consilio Decreto Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Abbatum Comitum omniumque meorum Fidelium elegi sanciendum perpetuo stabilimento ab omnibus confirmandum quod Monasterium quod Badriceswerde nuncupatur c. which is also printed from the Original at the end of Mr. Petyts Treatise of the Rights of the Commons c. King Cnute having performed these great Deeds of Charity and Devotion not long after in the same year as our Annals inform us ' began his Journey to Rome But since our Annals do not tell us what he did there I shall give it you in short from his own Letter as I find it in William of Malmesbury which upon his return from Rome he wrote and sent into England by Living Abbot of Tavistock and begins thus Cnute King of Denmark Norway and all Swedeland to Ailnoth or Egelnoth the Metropolitan and to Alfric of York with all the Bishops and Primates and to the whole English Nation as well Noblemen as Plebeians Health Wherein he gives an account of his Journey as also the reason of his undertaking it then how honourably he was received at Rome and what he had there negotiated for the benefit of his Subjects Then he gives Directions and Commands to his Officers to do all Justice and Right to the People in his Absence a thing to which he resolved on as he says long before but never could till now accomplish what he had designed for the Pardon of his Sins and the Safety of all his Subjects he further signifies that he was received by all the Princes who at that time were with Pope John solemnizing the Feast of Easter with extraordinary Respect and Honour but especially by Conrade the German Emperor that he had dealt with them all about the concernments of his people both English and Danes that their Passage to Rome might be more free and open and had obtained that as well Merchants as others should with all safety pass and repass without any Toll
we here omit several other Pieces of less Bulk and Note published since that Volume last mentioned containing the Chronicles and Histories of divers Cathedrals and Abbeys such as are the Annals of the Abbey of Winchester c. which have been published from the Cottonian and other Libraries in Monasticon Anglicanum and the first Volume of Anglia Sacra lately published by the late Learned and Industrious Mr. Wharton TO these likewise may be added the Histories of the Monasteries of Ely and Ramsey as also of Glastenbury by William of Malmesbury from whom we have taken several Things not only relating to that Abbey but the General History of England nor can I omit the History of John of Wallingford whom Matthew Paris mentions in his Lives of the Abbots of St. Albans as the 21st Abbot of St. Albans he wrote the History of the Kings of England as far as the 42d of King Henry the Third the first Part of which down to the Norman Conquest hath been published in the aforesaid last Volume at Oxford by the Learned Dr. Gale From all which last mentioned tho mingled with abundance of Monkish Trash we have here and there excerpted several excellent Remarks WE have also sometimes made use of Ranulph Higden his Polychronicon who was a Monk of Chester the first Part of which is published also by the said Dr. Gale as far as the Conquest and Matthew a Monk of Westminster his Flores Historiarum these Authors being Cotemporaries and collecting to the Reign of Edward the Third from all the rest of the Antient Writers abovementioned I have seldom used but as subsidiary Helps when the Passages they relate are not to be found any where else several other Authors they borrowed from being now lost or very rare to be met with HAVING now done with our printed Authors I proceed to those that continue still in Manuscript in the Bodleian and Cottonian Libraries and also in those of Lambeth Gresham's College and the Heraulds Office such as are John of Tinmouth his Historia Aurea Johannes Castorius in English Beaver his History of the Kings of England and John Rouse of Warwick his Collections on the same Subject together with above forty or fifty nameless Authors which I have perused to see what I could find in any of them that had not been taken notice of by others but how little they have answered in my Expectations the small Additions I have made from them I hope will satisfy the unprejudiced Reader and for any that are otherwise if they please to take the same Pains that I have done I wish their Labours may be better requited BVT as for the Extracts of Ecclesiastical Canons and Laws which I have inserted at the end of divers King's Reigns I have faithfully transcribed them ou◠of Sir Henry Spelman's first Volume of British Councils and Mr. Lambard's Archaionomia under their respective Years and have also compared and corrected them in a great Part from the Manuscript Notes of the Learned Junius at the end of the Cambridg Edition of Bede which is in the Bodleian Library or else by another Latin Manuscript Version of the Industrious Mr. Somner's And I do not know of any other Saxon Laws unless there be some of King Cnute's which remain as yet in Manuscript untranslated in the Bodleian Library as also in the Hands of Dr. Gale as I am well informed I hope they may be one day added to a new Edition of Mr. Lambard's most useful Work THVS having gone through all the chiefest English Historians both in Print and Manuscript that I know of relating to the Times before the Conquest which I think are as many and of as good Credit as any Countrey in Europe can shew in the like space of Time it may be expected I should say something in their Vindication since I find they have been attacked in a post-humous Treatise long since written by a Learned Civilian Sir Thomas Craig in Latin in answer to what Mr. Hollingshead has published concerning the Homage that was due from the Kings of Scotland to those of England and is lately translated into English by the Ingenious Mr. Ridpath and as I shall here faithfully give you his Arguments against the Antiquity and Credit of our Writers so I hope I shall return such Answers to them as will satisfy all impartial Readers HIS first Objection is That from the Death of Bede whose Credit he says he will every where preserve entire the English have no certain History nor Writer to the Reign of King Henry the First except that Fragment of Ethelwerd's for says he I do not acknowledg that Fragment of Ingulphus who preceded Ethelwerd twenty Years as an History nor Asserius Menevensis who wrote only concerning the Transactions of his own King Alfred And lest he should be thought to affirm any thing rashly He brings William of Malmesbury to witness the Matter saying That all the Memorials of Transactions from the Death of Bede to his own Time which was in the Reign of Henry I. about 1142. were utterly lost nor was there any who followed that Study or indeavoured to pursue the thread of History till himself NOW to give an Answer to this Learned Advocate and take him Point by Point as he goes on in the first Place I am sorry to find a Person otherwise every ways Able and Skillful in his own Profession so ignorant in our English Historians since if he had not been so he could not have committed almost as many Mistakes as he hath wrote Lines for in the first Place he calls Ingulph and Ethelwerd two Fragments whereas if he had been pleased to have looked upon either of them he would have found them entire Pieces so far as they went and we call Polybius Diodorus Siculus Salust Livy Historians not Fragments altho each of them be imperfect only the Edition that was then published of Ingulph wanted the Laws of William the Conqueror and some few Sheets at the Conclusion which have been since added AND whereas he says that Ingulph preceded Ethelwerd twenty Years he is so far from being in the right of that that the direct contrary is true for Ingulph lived and wrote above one hundred Years after Ethelwerd had finished his History with King Edgar's Reign whose Eulogy he only gives us in barbarous Verse AND as for what the Advocate says concerning William of Malmesbury he much misrepresents the Sense of this Author who does not affirm that there were no Memorials from the Death of Bede to his Time but the contrary for he mentions the Saxon Annals in his Proem in these words Sunt sanè quaedam vetustatis Indicia patrio Sermone chronico more per annos Domini ordinata also in his Book de Antiquitate Glastoniae published by Dr. Gale as above he citeth them as good Authority Tradunt Annales bonae credulitatis c. Nay Sir Thomas Craig himself I suppose through Forgetfulness has allowed
King of the Mercians fought against Kenwulf King of the West-Saxons at the Siege of Bensington Castle But Kenwulf being worsted was forced to flee and so Offa took the Castle Now Janbryht the Archbishop deceased and Ethelheard the Abbot was elected Archbishop Also Osred King of the Northumbers was betray'd and driven out of his Kingdom and Ethelred the Son of Ethelwald Sirnamed Mull reigned after him or rather was again restored to the Kingdom having reigned there before as hath been already shewn But Simeon of Durham adds farther that this Osred the late King of this Kingdom having been also shaven a Monk against his Will escaped again out of the Monastery into the Isle of Man But the next Year As Simeon relates Oelf and Oelfwin Sons of Alfwold formerly King of Northumberland were drawn by fair Promises from the Principal Church of York and afterwards at the Command of King Ethelred cruelly put to Death at Wonwalderemâ—re a Village by the great Pool in Lancashire now called Winanderemere Also about this time according to the same Author one Eardulf an Earl being taken and brought to Ripun was there Sentenced by the said King to be put to Death without the Gate of the Monastery whose Body when the Monks had carried to the Church with solemn Dirges and placed under a Pavilion was about Midnight found alive But this Relation is very imperfect for it neither tells us how he escaped Death nor how he was conveyed away though we find him five Years after this made King of Northumberland This Year as Simeon of Durham and Mat. Westminster relate Charles King of France sent certain Synodal Decrees into England in which alas for with great Grief our Author speaks it were found many inconvenient things and altogether contrary to the true Faith For it had been decreed in a Council at Constantinople by more than Three Hundred Bishops that Images ought to be adored which the Church of God does say they wholly abominate Then Albinus that is our Alcuin wrote an Epistle wherein he proved it by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures to be utterly Unlawful and this he offered together with the Book it self to the King of France on the behalf of all our Bishops and Great Men and this Letter of Alcuinus is thought to have wrought such an effect on the Synod of Francfort assembled about two Years after that the Worship of Images was therein solemnly condemned From which it is evident that Image-Worship as now practised in the Greek and Roman Churches was not then received in England And this Year also according to the same Author Osred late King of Nortbumberland being deceived by the Oaths of some great Men returned privately from the Isle of Man when his Souldiers deserting him and being taken Prisoner by King Ethelred he was by his Command put to Death at a Place called Aynsburg but his Body was buried at the famous Monastery at the mouth of Tine and the same Year King Ethelred betrothed Elfrede the Daughter of King Offa. In whom also there was found as little Faith as Mercy for this Year according to our Annals Will. of Malmesbury and Mat. Westminster Ethelbert the Son of Ethelred King of the East-Angles notwithstanding the disswasions of his Mother going to the Court of King Offa in order to Wooe his Daughter was there slain by the wicked instigations of Queen Quendrith so that out of an Ambition to seize his Kingdom Offa was perswaded to make him away but by what means it is not agreed The Annals relate him to have been beheaded But the same Annals and Florence of Worcester agree That his Body was buried in the Monastery at Tinmouth But the Chronicle ascribed to Abbot Bromton as also Mat. Westminster have given us long and Legendary Accounts of the Death of this Prince and the latter of these as well as other Monks who were favourers of this King Offa would have this Murther to be committed without this King's knowledge and Mat. Westminster has a long Story about it but not all probable especially since the King was so well pleased with the Fact when it was done that he presently seized the Kingdom of this poor Murthered Prince and added it to his own Dominions This Year as Mat. Paris and his Namesake of Westminster relate King Offa was warned by an Angel to remove the Reliques of St. Alban into a more noble Shrine and so either for this cause or else which is more likely to expiate the several Murthers he had committed began to build a new Church and Monastery in honour of St. Alban and thither removing his Bones into a Silver shrine all gilt and adorned with precious Stones he placed them in the new Church that he had built without the Town where as the Monks pretended they wrought great Miracles This King having made a journey on purpose to Rome obtained of Pope Adrian to have him Canonized King Offa also conferred upon this Monastery very great Privileges and vast Possessions all which he confirmed by his Charter which you may find in the first Volume of Monast. Anglic. as that also Anno. Dom. 1154. One Nicholas having been first a Servant in this Abbey and afterwards was Bishop of Alba Elected Pope by the name of Adrian IV he by his Bull ordained that as St. Alban was the first Martyr of England so this Abbot should be the first in Dignity of all the Abbots in England and Pope Honorius did by a Bull in the Year 1118 not only ratifie all the Privileges made and confirmed by former Popes but also granted to the Abbot and his Successours Episcopal Rights together with the Habit and that he and his Monks should be exempt from all Jurisdiction to the Bishop of Lincoln with other Exemptions too long here to be set down Also this Year there appeared strange Prodigies in the Country of Northumberland which mightily terrified the People of that Province viz. immoderate Lightnings there were also seen Meteors like fiery Dragons flying in the Air after which signs followed a cruel Famine and a little after the same Year 6 o Idus Jan. certain Heathens i.e. Danes miserably destroyed the Church of God in Lindisfarne committing great Spoils and Murthers Simeon of Durham says These Danes not only pillaged that Monastery but killing divers of the Friers carried away the rest Captive sparing neither Priests nor Laymen This Year also Sicga died he who killed the good King Alfwold who now as Roger Hoveden relates slew himself And the same Year according to Florence of Worcester Ethelard was ordained Arch-Bishop of York and as Simeon of Durham relates the same Year died Alric Third Son to Withred King of Kent after a long Reign of Thirty Four Years in whom ended the Race of Hengist Thenceforth as Will. of Malmesbury observes whomsoever Wealth or Faction advanced took on him the Title of King of that Province This Year both Pope Adrian
Edgar was certainly a very Great and Heroick Prince yet questionless that Charter which makes him to have subdued the greatest part of Ireland with the City of Dublin and to be Lord of all the Isles as far as Norway is fictitious and nothing but a piece of Monkish Forgery no Author of that Age making mention of any such thing and instead of a Great Warrior he is usually stiled Edgar the Peaceable for he never made any Foreign Wars that we can learn However such was his mighty Fame that if he did not go himself to Foreigners they came to him out of Saxony Flanders Denmark and other places Though William of Malmesbury observes their coming over did much detriment to the Natives who from the Saxons learned Rudeness from the Flemings Effeminacy and from the Danes Drunkenness the English being before free from those gross Vices and contented themselves to defend their own with a natural Simplicity and not given to admire the Customs and Fashions of other Nations Hereupon the Monk tells us he is deservedly blamed in Story for his too great Indulgence to Strangers This Noble Prince died when he had Reigned about Sixteen Years in the very flower of his Age being scarce Two and thirty years old and with him fell all the Glory of the English Nation scarce any thing henceforth being to be heard of among them but Misery and Disorder He had by Egelfleda sirnamed the Fair the Daughter of Earl Ordmer it 's uncertain whether his Wife or Concubine a Son named Edward who succeeded him By Wilfrida the Nun he had a Daughter named Editha who was also a Nun as hath been already related And by Elfreda the Daughter of Duke Ordgar a Son called Edmund who died five years before his Father and another called Ethelrede who reigned after him but was wholly unlike him in Prudence and Courage I have nothing else to add that is considerable under this year but the death of the Noble Turketule Abbot of Croyland whom from Chancellor to King Edred was at his own desire by him made Abbot He repaired and much enriched that Abby after its being ruined by the Danes and was the first that by adding to the Two Great Bells of that Monastery Six more made the first Tuneable Rings of Bells in England as Ingulph at the end of the account he gives of his Life informs us But before I dismiss this King's Reign it is fit I give you a short account of the chief Laws he made which since neither the time nor place of their enacting are any where mention'd I refer to this place The Preface of these Laws is thus This is the Decree or Law which King Edgar made with the counsel or consent of his Wites or Wisemen for the Honour of God the Confirmation of his Royal Dignity and for the Good of his People The Laws themselves begin with some Ecclesiastical Canons the first of which is concerning the Immunities of the Church and about paying Tythes out of the Lands of the Thanes as well as of those of Ceorles or Countrey-men The Second is concerning payment of Tythes and First fruits as well where a Thane had a Church with a Burying-place as also where he had not The Third appoints the times the Tythes should be paid at and what Remedy was to be had in case they were not paid at the time when they were due The Fourth ordains at what time of the year Peter-pence should be paid and the Penalty that should be incurred by those that should neglect to pay them in accordingly The last ordains every Sunday to be kept holy and to begin at Three a Clock in the Afternoon on Saturday and to end at break of day on Monday upon the penalty appointed by the Judiciary Book From which last Law you may observe how early keeping the Sunday like the Jewish Sabbath began in England Then follow the Secular or Temporal Laws The First of which enjoins that every man poor or rich enjoy the benefit of the Law and have equal Justice done him and for Punishments he would have them so moderated that being accommodated to the Divine Clemency they may be the more tolerable unto men The Second forbids Appeals to the King in Suits except Justice cannot otherwise be obtained And if a man be oppressed he may betake himself to the King for relief and in case a Pecuniary Mulct be inflicted for a fault it must not exceed the value of the man's head The Third imposes a Mulct of an Hundred and twenty Shillings to the King upon a Judge that passes an unjust Sentence against any man except such Judge will take his Oath that he did it not out of any malice but only from Unskilfulness and Mistake in Judgment and in such case he is to be removed from his Place except he can obtain favour of the King longer to retain it and then the Bishop of the Diocess is to send the Mulct imposed upon him to the King's Treasure The Fourth commands That whosoever maliciously shall defame another man whereby he receives any damage either in his Body or Estate so that the defam'd Party can clear himself of those Reports and prove them false then the Defamer's Tongue shall either be cut out or he shall redeem it with the value of his Head The Fifth is to the same effect as in another Law we have formerly cited commanding every one to be present at the Gemote or Assembly of the Hundred and further ordains That the Burghmotes or Assemblies of the great Towns or Cities be held thrice a year and the Shiregemotes or general Meeting of the whole County twice whereat were to be present the Bishop and the Ealdorman the one to teach the people God's Law and the other Man's From whence you may observe the Antiquity of our Charges at our Assizes and Sessions which no doubt do succeed those Discourses which the Ealdorman and Bishop then made to the people upon the subjects above-mentioned The Sixth requires that every man find Sureties for his Good Behaviour and in case any one commit a Crime and fly for it the Sureties should undergo what should be laid upon him If he stole any thing and be taken within a Twelvemonth he should be brought to Justice and then the Sureties should receive back what they had paid on his account Hence we may also take notice not only of the Antiquity of Frank-Pledges which had been long before instituted by King Alfred but also the continuation of this Law by King Edgar from whence it appears that it was no Norman invention introduced to keep under the English Commonalty as some men have without any just cause imagined The Seventh ordains That when any one of evil report is again accused of a Crime and absents himself from the Gemotes or publick Meetings some of the Court shall go where he dwells and take Sureties for his Appearance if they may be had but
this matter among themselves some were for giving Judgment for the King but others differed from them saying That Earl Godwin had never been obliged to the King by either Homage Service or Fealty and therefore could be no Traytor to him and besides that he had not kill'd the Prince with his own hands But others replied That no Earl Baron nor any other Subject of the King could by Law wage Battel against him in his Appeal but ought upon the whole matter to submit himself to the King's Mercy and offer him reasonable Amends Then Leofric Earl of Chester who was an upright and sincere man both with respect to God and the world spoke thus Earl Godwin who next to the King is indeed a Person of the best Quality in England cannot deny but that by his Counsel Alfred the King's Brother was killed and therefore my opinion is That both he himself and his Sons and Twelve of us Earls that are his Friends and Kinsmen should appear humbly before the King each of us carrying as much Gold and Silver as he can bold in his Arms and offering it to him most humbly supplicate for his Pardon and then the King should remit to the Earl all Rancor and Anger whatsoever against him and having received his Homage and Fealty peacebly restore him to all his Lands To this the Assembly agreed and those that were appointed loading themselves with Treasure after the manner aforesaid went unto the King shewing him the order and manner of their Judgment which he being unwilling to contradict complied with and so ratified whatever they had before decreed This tho written a long time after the Conquest as appears by the Words there used viz. Parliament Baron Homage and Fealty yet it might be true in the main as being transcribed out of some Ancient Records of the Great Councils of those times which are now lost and if so would be a Notable Precedent of the large Authority of the Witena Gemot or Great Council of the Nation not only in assenting to new Laws but also of their Judicial Authority in giving Judgment upon all Suits or Complaints brought before them as well in Appeals between Subject and Subject as also where the King himself was a Party and if Authentick would also shew not only that this Tenure of the King by Homage and Fealty was in use before the Conquest but also according to the Judgment of this Great Council that there was no Allegiance due by Birth nor until a man had actually performed his Homage or sworn Fealty to the King and lastly that a satisfaction made by Money was looked upon as sufficient for the Death even of the King 's own Brother Yet to deal ingenuously with the Reader notwithstanding this fair story Bromton himself seems to doubt the truth of it for after he hath there told us from some nameless Author that Earl Godwin out of fear of some of the English Nobility who had sworn to be revenged of him for the murther of Prince Alfred retired into Denmark during the Reign of King Hardecnute but returning in the beginning of King Edward's Reign he appeared at a Parliament at London where the King impeached him of the Death of his Brother in the manner as you have already heard and if so this could not fall out as Mr. Selden supposes in this Great Council after this last return of Earl Godwin which happen'd not in the beginning but the middle of this King's Reign With which Relation also agree two Ancient Chronicles in French written in the time of Edward the Third and are both in the Cottonian Library And Bromton himself acknowledges that according to most Authors Earl Godwin never went into Denmark at all nor left England during the Reign of King Hardecnute so that this Transaction if it ever happen'd at all seems most likely to have fell out in the Reign of King Hardecnute when that King charged Earl Godwin with his Brother's Death and made him redeem it with a great Present as we have above told you But to conclude this year From the Peterburgh Copy of these Annals it appears that about this time Arnwy Abbot of Burgh resigned his Dignity by reason of his bad Health and conferred it with the King's License and the Consent of the Monks upon Leofriâ— a Monk of that Abby But Abbot Arnwy lived eight years after During which time Abbot Leofric so adorned that Monastery with rich Guildings that it was called the Golden Burgh he also endowed it very much with Lands as well as other Treasures This year according to Florence of Worcester Griffyn Prince of Wales entring England spoiled great part of Hâ—refordshire against whom many Inhabitants of that County marched together with the Norman Garison of Hereford Castle but Prince Griffyn meeting with them killed a great many and putting the rest to flight carried away a great deal of Booty This year Earl Godwin deceased 17 th Kal. of May and was buried in the Old Monastery of Winchester Of the manner of whose Death though our Annals are silent yet I shall here set down what I find concerning it by almost all our Historians and it is thus That King Edward celebrating the Feast of Easter at Winchester or at Windsor as some will have it Earl Godwin as his Custom was sitting at Table with him was suddenly seized with so violent a Distemper that it struck him speechless and made him fall off from the Chair on which he sate and his Three Sons Harold Tosti and Gyrth being present they immediately removed him into the King's Chamber hoping it was but a sudden Fit and would be speedily over but he lay in that languishing condition four days and died on the fifth This is the account of his Death to which the Norman Monks and such as write in favour of them add other Circumstances which shew either his Guilt or their Malice since they relate That mention being made by somebody at the King's Table of Alfred his late Brother he thereupon looked very angrily at Earl Godwin when he to vindicate himself told King Edward He perceived that upon the least mentioning of that Prince he cast a frowning Countenance upon him But saith he let not God suffer me to swallow this Morsel if I am guilty of any thing done either toward the taking away his Life or against your Interest After which words being presently choaked with the Bit he had just before put into his Mouth he sunk immediately down and never recovered more But let the manner of his death be as it will he was a Man of an Active and Turbulent Spirit not over-nicely conscientious either in getting or keeping what he could not to be excused for his too much forcing his Sovereign to whatever he listed But had he not been so great a Lover of his Countrey and an Enemy to Strangers those that wrote in the Norman times and who durst not write any thing but
Devotion l. 4. p. 198. Didius Aulus a Roman Praetor sent Lieutenant into Britain in the room of Ostorius his Engagements and Success there l. 2. p. 45. Difilina Vid. Dublin Dinoth Abbot of Bangor instructed how to know whether Augustine's Preaching were of God by a Holy man that led the life of an Anchoret l. 4. p. 161 162. Diocesses five made out of two at a Great Council held by Edward the Elder l. 5. p. 313. Dioclesian chose Emperor by the Eastern Army makes Marc. Aurel. Maximinianus his Associate in the Empire nominates Galerius Caesar constrains them to divorce their Wives and to marry their Daughters l. 2. p. 83. His Persecution of his obedient and harmless Christian Subjects Id. p. 85. Dionotus Duke of Cornwall Geoffrey of Monmouth's story of him l. 2. p. 96. v. 102. Domitian succeeds Titus Vespasian his Brother l. 2. p. 57. Secretly designs the Ruin of Agricola through jealousy that the Glory of a private man should eclipse that of his Prince Id. p. 63. Causes it to be reported That the Province of Syria should be bestowed on Agricola Ibid. p. 64. Dorinea since Dorchester in Oxfordshire a City anciently though now but a poor Countrey Town l. 4. p. 179. Dover the Sedition there of the Townsmen against Eustatius Earl of Boloigne how it arose and how it ended l. 6. p. 76 77. Dower Where a Widow marries before her Twelve-month is expired she loses it and who is to have it and all that her Husband left her l. 6. p. 60. Draganus an Irish Bishop refuses to eat upon his coming over hither with Laurentius Archbishop of Canterbury and why l. 4. p. 166. Drinking Bonosus a Hard Drinker having hang'd himself for being vanquished by the Emperor Probus occasioned that sharp Saying Here hangs a Tankard l. 2. p. 82. Brass Pots set upon Posts at Fountains near the Highways for the use of Travellers to drink out of l. 4. p. 175. Edgar's Law to restrain excessive drinking of great Draughts Vid. Addenda p. 136. Druids their great Authority Doctrine and Gods l. 2. p. 23 24. Dublin in Ireland anciently called Difiline l. 5. p. 334. Dubritius Archbishop of Caer-Leon upon Usk in South-Wales Founder of the College of Philosophers there l. 3. p. 149. Resigned his Bishoprick and became an Anchoret in the Isle of Bardsey Ibid. Duduc Bishop of Somersetshire that is Wells his Decease and who is his Successor l. 6. p. 88. Dulcitius a famous Commander with Civilis sent for to Britain by Theodosius and an Account of their Expedition l. 2. p. 93. Dun consecrated Bishop of Rochester after the Death of Eardulph l. 4. p. 224. Dunbritton in Scotland anciently called Alcluid l. 2. p. 101. When it was destroyed by the Danes l. 5. p. 277. Dunmoc a Town in the Kingdom of the East-Angles but destroyed by the Danes l. 5 p. 274. Vid. Dunwich St. Dunstan an Account of his Birth l. 5. p. 329. Then Abbot of Glastenbury when King Edmund conferr'd divers large Privileges upon that Monastery Id. p. 345. King Edred commits the chief Treasures of his Kingdom to his care to be kept at his Abbey Id. p. 351. Is banished out of England by King Edwi and the occasion of it with his Retirement thereupon to a Monastery in Flanders Id. p. 353. Is chosen Bishop of Worcester by the General Consent of a Great Council and afterwards made Archbishop of Canterbury l. 6. p. 2. The Miracles that the Monks relate were done by him as his Harp hanging against the Wall and a whole Psalm being audibly plaid upon it without any hand touching it c. but above all his taking the Devil by the Nose with a Pair of Red Hot Tongs till he made him to roar again Id. p. 3. A great Propagator of Monkery many Monasteries either new built or new founded in his time Exercised Ecclesiastical Discipline without respect of persons witness the Penance he made King Edgar submit to Ibid. As soon as made Archbishop he went to Rome and there obtained his Pall Id. p. 6. Could never endure Ethelfreda Edgar's Queen and the reason why Id. p. 10. Narrowly escapes being killed when the Floor fell down at the Council at Calne in Wiltshire Id. p. 17. He and Oswald c. crown Ethelred the Brother of Edward the Martyr St. Dunstan's Prediction of this King Ethelred Id. p. 19. His Decease He restores the Monkish Discipline in England and makes a Collection of Ordinances for the Benedictine Order l. 6. p. 22. A Relation of his having erected in his life-time a small Monastery at Westminster for Twelve Monks which was vastly augmented by Edward the Confessor Id. p. 93. Dunwallo Molmutius reduces this Island from a Pentarchy in which it was before into a Monarchy l. 1. p. 12. Dunwich in Suffolk Foelix founded his Episcopal See here l. 4. p. 179. Anciently called Dunmoc l. 4. p. 193. And Domue Id. p. 242. Durham the City about what time built and a Church there dedicated to St. Cuthbert by whom erected l. 6. p. 26. Is besieged by Malcolme King of the Scots with a very great Army Id. p. 27. Durstus King of the Picts is slain in Battel and the particular Account of it l. 2. p. 102. Duty to Parents a pretty remarkable Instance of it in one of King Leir's Daughters named Cordiella if it were true l. 1. p. 11. E EAdbald Ethelbert's Son who succeeded him in the Kingdom of Kent His wicked Reign l. 4. p. 168. His Incestuous Marriage upon what account he renounced Id. p. 169. Gives Ethelburga his Niece in Marriage to King Edwin upon condition that she should enjoy the Christian Religion Id. p. 171. He and Archbishop Honorius receive her with great Honour Id. p. 176. Dies after he had reigned Five and twenty years leaving two Sons Id. p. 180. Eadbald the Bishop departs from the Northumbers l. 4. p. 240. Eadbert or Egbryht King of Northumberland marries Cuthburge Sister to King Ina but they are both made to leave each other's Bed l. 4. p. 218. He is forced to fly into Surrey to the South-Saxons and upon what occasion Ibid. Ceolwulf surrenders his Kingdom again to him and he reigned One and twenty years Id. p. 223. Leads Kynwulf Bishop of Lindisfarne Prisoner to the City of Beban who it seems had some way rebelled against him Id. p. 225. His War against the Picts subduing all the Countrey of Kyle c. and joining them to his own Dominions Ibid. And Unust King of the Picts bring an Army against the City Alkuith which was delivered by the Britains upon Conditions Id. p. 227. Is shorn a Monk and Oswulf or Usulf his Son succeeds him after he had reigned One and twenty Years with great Wisdom and Courage insomuch that Pepin King of France not only made a League with him but sent him great Presents Id. p. 228. Dies Ten Years after his taking the Monastical Habit and is buried at York Id. p. 229. Eadbert or
his Son-in-Law whom he denotes by this Title Ethelredo Principi meae Militiae THE other viz. the Great Civil Officer was that of Chancellour so called from the barbarous Latin word Cancellare from his cancelling or striking out what he pleased in Men's Grants and Petitions And as for his Power we find it thus expressed in Ingulf upon K. Edward the Elder 's having made his Cousin Turketule Chancellor Quaecúnque negotia temporalia vel spiritualia Regis Judicium expectabant illius consilio tam sanctae fidei tam profundi ingenii tenebatur omnia tractarentur tractata irrefragabilem sententiam sortirentur from whence we may observe that the King did not only in that Age determine Civil but Spiritual Causes too in his own Person and had his Chancellor for his Assistant in his Judgments which being so given irrefragabilem sententiam sortirentur i.e. they obtained an uncontroulable Sentence beyond which there then lay no Appeal and this I suppose was done in that great Court we now call the King's Bench for as for the Court of Chancery in Causes relating to Equity Sir Edward Coke tells us in his 4 th Institutes that there are no Precedents of it before the Reign of King Henry VI. BUT that it was the business of the Chancellor to draw up the King's Charters and also to sign them before the Conquest you will find at the end of the last Charter of King Edward the Confessor to the Abbey of Westminster in the first Volume of Sir H. Spelman's Councils where Aelfgeat a Notary signs it vice Reynbaldi Regis Edwardi Cancellarii THE next Degree was that of Ealdorman which was not only Titular as to the Person but an Office and signified as you will find all along in our Annals those great Magistrates under the King who being called in Latin Subreguli Principes Consules in some of our Antient Charters and sometimes in Saxon Cynings i.e. petty Kings had the subordinate Government of Cities Counties and often too of whole Provinces in all Affairs both Civil and Military and were of much greater Power before King Alfred's Reign than afterwards for whereas before his Time they had the chief Authority in all Places belonging to their Jurisdiction they seem after the word Eorle came in use with the Danes to have lost much of their Power tho they still retained the Title And it is observed by Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary that he who was called the Ealdorman of the County signified in the Laws of King Athelstane something between the Earl and the Sheriff and therefore seems to have been him who under the Earl governed the County or Province and was his Deputy or Judg in the County Court in his Absence For in those Laws the Value of an Arch-bishop and Earl's Head is set at fifteen thousand Thrimsaes whereas the Bishop's and Ealdorman's was but at eight thousand YET notwithstanding this Title did not cease to be esteemed very honourable many Years after that Time for we find in Camden's Britannia that the Tomb of Ailwin founder of the Abby of Ramsey was inscribed with the Title of Ealdorman of all England which as Mr. Selden says could only mean that he was somewhat like the Antient Chief Justiciary of England or Chief Director of the Affairs of the whole Kingdom or Viceroy Regiae dignitatis consors nominis or half Cyning as the Book of Ramsey has it NOT but that this word was also of a much more inferior Signification seeing we find frequent mention in the Laws of Edward the Confessor as well as in those Kings immediately after the Conquest of Aldermannus Hundredi seu Wapentachii as also of Aldermannus Civitatis vel Burgi whence the Title of our present Aldermen of Cities and great Towns are derived tho of a far different Signification as well as a much later Institution and this I suppose happened by reason of the Paucity of words in the Saxon Tongue which called Grave Men distinguished by any Office or Dignity by the Title of Ealdormen because they were at first bestowed on Men of elder Years tho afterwards as the Auctuary to King Edward's Laws informs us they were not so stiled propter senectutem cum quidam Adolescentes essent sed propter sapientiam Therefore I cannot forbear taking notice that whereas Bede speaking of K. Oswald's sending ad Majores natu Scotorum to the Elders of the Scots for Bishops King Alfred in his Translation of Bede calls them the Ealdormen of the Scots that is the Great or Chief Men of that Nation I must here beg the Reader 's Pardon for a Mistake I have committed in the rendring of that Passage into English in the ensuing History for not having the Saxon Version by me but only a Latin Copy when I wrote it nor having then consulted Mr. Selden to whom I confess my self much beholden for this Criticism I have there translated the words Majores Natu Scotish Bishops because I thought it most proper for them to be sent to about an Affair concerning Religion I have no more to say on this Head only that I have left this word Ealdorman so often used in our Annals untranslated for tho I grant he is frequently stiled Dux or Comes in Latin yet it would not bear being rendred Duke or Earl in English because that those Titles are not only very different but were unknown in our Saxon Tongue till many Years after that Government was setled in England I come now to the Title Earl or Eorle which being altogether Danish was not commonly used here till the Reign of King Cnute tho we now and then find it mentioned in our Annals before his Time but as for its Power and Authority it being much what the same with that of Ealdorman abovementioned I think I need say no more of it only that neither of them were then Hereditary nor descended to Sons or Brothers tho they often continued in the same Family when the King was pleased so to confer it And both the Title and the Office were liable to be forfeited upon any great Male-Administration as you will find in divers Instances in this Book THE next Title and Office I shall mention is that of Heretoch which was wholly Military and as Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary supposes was the same with that of the Holde or Commander in War mentioned in the Laws of King Athelstan because his Wiregild is made equal to that of a High-Gerife viz. four thousand Thrymsa's THIS Heretoch seems to have been somewhat like our Lord-Lieutenant of a County at this Day and was chosen for some extraordinary Occasion as upon a sudden Invasion or Expedition against the Scots or Welshmen Which being over their Commission also ceased but they themselves were still had in high Esteem and Honour if they had prudently and couragiously discharged that great Trust. And as the
Nobility wherein Plegmund presided Here he thinks he hath a strong hold and therefore says That this Author tells us the meaning of the long Title of this Synod which just before he had mentioned viz. that the Bishops Abbots FIDELES Proceres POPVLVS were all NOBILES NOBLE-MEN that is the Ecclesiasticks and Laicks or the Bishops and Lay-Nobility and not the Vulgus Commons or ordinary sort of People SO then according to the Doctor 's Construction all the fore-going Relation of the Members of this Council was a jumbled heap of Tautologies of Noble Tenants in Capite Noble-men and Noble People BUT I must needs acknowledg that he is so far in the right that by these words Nobilium Anglorum are not meant the vulgar mean or ordinary sort of People or the Mob as they are now contemptuously term'd for certainly they had never any thing to do in those August Assemblies Nor does Mr. Petyt or my self maintain any such thing and yet for all this I think we may affirm that all the Members that appeared there were not Noble-men or Great Lords only in the sense they are now taken FOR to begin with the word Nobilis which the Doctor so much insists on it is his own too narrow Conception of that Title which has been I think one main Cause of the greatest part of the Quarrel between Mr. Petyt and him for in all the Counties of Europe except England it is very well known that the word Nobilis includes not only Noble-men of Title such as Dukes Marquesses c. but also all Gentlemen of Families who are well born and do not exercise Mechanick Trades Thus Nobilezza in Italian and Noblesse in French comprehends the less as well as the greater Nobility So likewise the word Aedelmen among the Germans comprehends all sorts of Noble-men as well those of Title as others which is owned by Sir H. Spelman in his Glossary in these words Anglorum Legibus Adelingos dici pro Nobilibus in genere qui omnes nobiles Aedelmen vocant à Saxonico Aedel nobilis And so it was here in England long after the Conquest as well as before when Knights and Gentlemen were reckoned inter Nobiles minores before the Title of Noble-men began to be appropriated to the higher Nobility or Peers only which is also owned by Dr. Brady in his Preface to his Compleat History where he tells us of Lands held by Knights Service as well in the Hands of the lower sort of Noblesse as of the greater Noble-men AND this being so I shall easily prove that all the rest of the words insisted upon by the Doctor do not signify only great Lords and Noblemen by Birth To go on therefore to the next word Proceres that neither this does signify only Men Noble by Birth Isidore an antient Spanish Author in his Origines says thus Proceres sunt Principes Civium that is the chiefest of Subjects or Citizens And the Learned Du-Fresne also tells us in his Glossary Proceres appellabantur qui in Civitatibus praecipuos Magistratus gerebant that those were called Proceres who were the chief Magistrates or Rulers in Cities and certainly these could scarce ever be Noble-men by Birth AND as for the word Primates it signifies no more than Principal or Chief Men however born and that it was understood no otherwise among our English-Saxons appears from Aelfric's Glossary above-mentioned at the end of Somner's Saxon Dictionary where he renders the words Primates vel Primores Civitatis seu Burgi by YLDEST BVRHWARA i. e. the Chief Magistrates in a City or Town who were then Persons of very considerable Note in the Nation as I shall prove further by and by I come now to the word Optimates which signifies no more than the better sort of Men and not always Noble-men and great Lords much less as confined to the King's Thanes or Tenants in Capite only since the same Du-Fresne in his Glossary defines Optimates to be Vassalli Barones qui ab ullo Domino ratione Hominii nudè pendent that is the Feudatory Barons that meerly depend on any Superiour Lord by reason of their Homage which tho spoken in relation to France five or six hundred Years ago yet was certainly used in the same sense and no otherwise in England as well before as after that time and did include all the Inferiour as well as Superiour Thanes such as were the only Freeholders in those Ages BUT for the word Principes he that understands any thing of the Latin Tongue knows that it doth not always signify Princes or Men Noble by Birth but any Chief or Principal Man remarkable by Place Office or Dignity and therefore we often read in Livy and other Latin Authors of Principes Civitatis and in the above-cited Laws out of Tacitus de moribus Germanorum it is plain that the word Princeps or Principes in the plural signified no more than chief or considerable Men among the Germans by reason of their Office or present Dignities without any respect to their Birth And in this sense I suppose every Member of Parliament may at this day be reckoned inter Principes among the most considerable or chief Men of the Kingdom BUT the Doctor lays a great stress upon a Passage out of two Manuscript Malmesburies one in the Bodleian Library cited by Sir William Dugdale and the other in the Treasury of the Records of the Church of Canterbury cited by Sir Henry Spelman who both report of this very Council that Edward the Elder Congregavit Synodum Senatorum Gentis Anglorum cui praesidebat Plegmundus c. i. e. convened a Synod of the Senators in Saxon the Aldermen of the English Nation that is such as were usually called to such Councils which were only the Nobiles and Great Men. IN Answer to this I must refer the Doctor again to good old Livy where he will find that the Roman Senators were not all Noble by Birth for they were tà m Patricii quà m Plebeii Ordinis BUT when Mr. Petyt cites William of Malmesbury for calling a Saxon Wittena Gemote Generalis Senatus Populi Conventus to distinguish the lesser Nobility from the greater the Doctor replies There is no heed to be taken how our old Monks and Historians stiled the Saxon Wittena Gemotes or their great and Common-Councils for the same Authors expressed them sometimes one way sometimes another nor were they ever exact and curious in observing and noting the Title or the Constituent Parts or Members of them FROM whence I cannot but observe the Doctor 's great Partiality for his own Opinion for whenever William of Malmesbury in the Manuscript above-cited mentions the word Senatores it must with him immediately signify nothing less than Great Noblemen or what we now call Peers but when the same Author mentions the lower degree of Men whom we now call Commons as a distinct Order from the
dicitur convocati i. e. Besides many other very Eminent Persons and Chief Men of the Kingdom of divers Orders being omitted who with most pious Affection were Witnesses and Approvers to this Confirmation and these were summoned at that Time by the Royal Authority from divers Provinces and Cities to the General Synod held at the Famous Abby of Westminster for the hearing and determining of the Causes of each Christian Church THIS is an Authority which seemed so convincing that Sir William Dugdale hath made use of it in his Origines Juridiciales to prove the Antiquity of the Commons of England in Parliament yet Dr. Brady in the Conclusion of his Answer to Mr. Cook 's Argumentum Antinormanicum accuses that Gentleman of being both Ignorant and Mistaken in the meaning of Cities and Provinces and the Persons that came from them whom he indeed would have to be not any Representatives of Counties and Cities but only Deans Arch-Deacons and other dignified Persons and Church-Officers as well of the Laity as Clergy who were summoned by the King to this Synod from Provinces and Cities to advise and inform the King of the Conveniency of the Places whither the Bishops Sees then about to be removed from Villages to Cities were to be transferred BUT since there is not one word in this Charter said of any such Thing and that Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary renders the word Provincia for a County and not a Bishop's See I my self not now having leisure to pursue such Niceties shall refer the Curious for their farther Satisfaction to the eighth Dialogue of Bibliotheca Politica where they may read whatsoever he has said against it sufficiently answered THESE are the only Authorities I shall make use of at this Time to prove that the Cities and Boroughs had then their Delegates or Representatives in the Saxon Witena-Gemotes I will now conclude this Point with the Judgment of that Learned Antiquary Mr. Lambard who certainly understood the Constitution of this Antient Government as well at least if not better than Dr. Brady and he tells us THAT whereas in the beginning of each Law viz. those made by the Saxon Kings he there mentions all the Acts are said to pass from the King and his Wise Men both of the Clergy and Laity in the Body of the Laws each Statute being thus And it is the Advice of our Lord and his Wise-Men So as it appears that it was then a received Form of Speech to signify both the Spirituality and the Laity that is to say the greater Nobility and the less or Commons by this one word Witan i. e. Wise-men NOW as those written Authorities do undoubtedly confirm our Assertion of the Continuance of this manner of Parliament so is there also unwritten Law or Prescription that doth no less infallibly uphold the same For it is well known that in every Quarter of the Realm a great many Boroughs do yet send Burgesses to the Parliament which are nevertheless so antient and so long since decayed and gone to nought that it cannot be shewed that they have been of any Reputation at any time since the Conquest and much less that they have obtained this Privilege by the Grant of any King succeeding the same So that the Interest which they have in Parliament groweth by an antient Usage before the Conquest whereof they cannot shew any beginning which thing is also confirmed by a contrary Usage in the self-same thing for it is likewise known that they of Antient Demesne do prescribe in not sending to the Parliament for which reason also they are neither Contributors to the Wages of the Knights of Shires neither are they bound by sundry Acts of Parliament tho the same be generally penn'd and do make no Exceptions of them But there is no antient Demesne saving that only which is described in the Book of Doomsday under the Title of Terra Regis which of necessity must be such as either was in the Hands of the Conqueror himself who made the Book or of Edward the Confessor that was before him And so again if they of antient Demesnes have ever since the Conquest prescribed not to elect Burgesses to Parliament then no doubt there was a Parliament before the Conquest to the which they of other Places did send their Burgesses I shall here crave leave to add one Record tho after the Conquest in Confirmation of what Mr. Lambard hath here learnedly asserted for that several Boroughs claimed to send Members to Parliament by Prescription in the beginning of the Reign of Edward the Third appears by a Petition put in to that King An. 17 Edw. 3. wherein the Burgesses of the Town of Barnstaple in Devonshire set forth that it being a free Borough had by Charter from King Athelstan among other Privileges a right of sending two Burgesses to all Parliaments for the said Borough upon which the King and his Council ordered a Writ of Inquiry which certainly would never have been done if Dr. Brady's Notion were true that the Cities and Boroughs never sent any Representatives to Parliament but once in the 49 th of Hen. 3. and then no more till the 18 th of Edward the First which was but a little above 50 Years to the time of this Petition which being within the Memory of so many then living the King and his Council would never have ordered a Writ of Inquiry about such a vain and idle Pretence FROM all which I think it may safely be concluded that this Learned Antiquary above-mentioned I mean Mr. Lambard did not without good Authority believe that not only the Great Lords or Peers but also the Inferiour Nobility and Representatives of Cities and Towns were included under the word Witan and likewise that those Places claimed that Privilege by Prescription I shall therefore desire the Doctor that when he writes next upon this Subject he will please to crave in Aid some Gentlemen of the Long Robe of his Opinion to help him to answer this Argument of Mr. Lambard from general Prescription as also what hath been already said concerning this matter in the same Dialogue of Bibliotheca Politica above-mentioned beginning at pag. 483 and ending at pag. 593 inclusively and if he can then with his Assistances prove all our antient Lawyers to have been mistaken in this memorable Point I shall own my self to have been so too But I desire this may be taken notice of that no Prescription whatsoever in Law can be laid of later Date than the first Year of King Richard the First which began almost fourscore Years before the 49 th of Hen. 3. when he fancies the Commons were first summoned to Parliament BUT that I may be as brief as I can I shall reduce what I have further to say upon this Head to a few Queries As FIRST Whether in all the Kingdoms of Europe of the Gothic Model beginning with Sweden and Denmark and ending with Scotland there can
all Ireland for so it was then commonly called for near Four Hundred Years after this and he therein complains of Draganus an Irish Bishop who coming over hither would not so much as Eat in the same House with him at which time also Laurentius wrote Letters not only to his fellow Bishops in Ireland but also to the British Clergy in Wales to the same purpose as the former but how well he succeeded therein the present time says Bede declares about which Year also Mellitus Bishop of London was sent to Rome to confer with Pope Boniface concerning the necessary Affairs of the English Church when the Pope held a Synod at Rome with the Bishops of Italy concerning the Life and Conversation of the Monks where he sate with them This Synod was held in the Eighth Year of Emperour Phocas and the Bishop at his return brought back the Decrees of that Council together with the Pope's Letters to Arch-Bishop Laurence and all the Clergy as also to King Ethelbert and the whole English Nation This Year also Sebert King of the East-Saxons Founded the Church and Abbey of Westminster and Mellitus the Bishop Dedicated it to St. Peter thô for what Order of Monks is uncertain since they were driven out after the Death of Sebert by his Successours who continued Pagans for many Years after This Year according to Florence Ceolwulf dying Cynegils began to Reign over the West Saxons for Thirty One Years being the Son of Ceolric who was the Son of Cutha who as we have heard was slain fighting against the Britains some Years before Cynegils and Cwichelme fought against the Britains at Beamdune now Bindon in Dorsetshire and there slew Two Thousand and Forty Six Men which Battel H. Huntington thus describes The Saxon and British Troops being drawn up in Battel Array the Fight immediately began when the Britains fearing the weight of the Saxon Battel Axes and long Launces turn'd their backs and fled so that the Saxons obtain'd the Victory without any great loss on their side and he also agrees pretty near in the number of the slain with our Saxon Annals This Cwichelme here mentioned is by Will of Malmesbury said to be Brother of Cynegils and to be by him taken as his Partner in the Royal Power But Florence of Worcester and Mat. Westminster do make Cwichelme to have been the Son of Cinegils thô the former Opinion be the more likely but let it be either of them it is certain that they were both of them Stout and good natured Persons who governed with that mutual Love and Concord as it was a wonder to the Age in which they liv'd so ought it to be an example to all future times Thô the Cathedral of Christ Church in Canterbury had been already built about Twenty Years yet it seems the Monastery adjoyning to it was not founded till this Year as appears not only from the Manuscript above mentioned once belonging to the Monastery of St. Augustine but also from Will of Malmesbury that in the time of Arch-Bishop Laurence and about this very Year that it was first replenished with Monks as appears by a Letter of Pope Boniface to King Ethelbert whereby he approves of and confirms the Foundation of the said Abby by the said Arch-Bishop which Letter though Will. of Malmesbury had promised to recite yet being by him forgot or else ommitted in our Printed Copies is to be found at large in the said Manuscript concerning which Monastery the afore-cited Author farther adds That though some had said that Arch-Bishop Aelfric had thrust out the Clerks i. e. secular Chanons out of that Church and had placed Monks in their rooms yet was it not at all probable since it appeared by the said Epistle of Pope Boniface that there had been Monks in the Church of St. Saviour from the first foundation of that Monastery in the time of Arch-Bishop Laurence who succeeded St. Augustine But it hath been denyed by Cardinal Baronius in his Annals as also by some later Antiquaries of what Order these Monks were whom Augustine and Laurentius placed in these two Monasteries above mention'd and that a late ingenious Authour in his Preface to a Treatise called Notitia Monastica hath questioned whether they were of the Benedictine Order since he rather supposes That the Benedictine Rule was scarce heard of in England till some Hundreds of Years after and never perfectly observed till after the Conquest but he should have done well to have told us what other Order they were of since the general Tradition in most of the Ancient English Monasteries of the Benedâ—ctine Order was That they had observed that Rule from their first foundation And the Saxon Annals under the Year 509 do expresly affirm That St. Benedict the Father of all the Monks dyed that Year And he had long before his Death founded his Order in Italy and of which Augustine himself is supposed to have been and though I also acknowledge that all the ancient Monasteries of England were not at first of that Order since those that were founded in the Kingdom of Northumberland by the Bishops Aidan and Coleman followed the same Rule with the Monks of Ireland and Scotland viz. That of St. Basil which all the Eastern Monks did then and do to this day observe yet even these did about an Hundred Years after quit that Rule and follow the more Modern one of St. Benedict and therefore Stephen Heddie in his Life of St. Wilfred Bishop of York lately published by the learned Dr. Gale hath expresly told us That the said Bishop returning home into his own Country i. e. the Kingdom of Northumberland and carrying along with him the Rule of St. Benedict very much improved the Constitutions of God's Churches by which he meant the Monasteries of those Parts And therefore the Chronology once belonging to the Abby of St. Augustine's in Canterbury printed in the Decem scriptores after Will. Thornes Chronicle under Anno 666 upon very good grounds thus observes That this Year Bishop Wilfred caused the Rule of St. Benedict to be observed in England That is in the North Parts into which he then went for if that Rule had not been observed in the Southern Parts before How could it be said that he carried it out from thence along with him but to conclude there having been a dispute among the Roman Catholicks beyond the Seas about Seventy Years ago concerning this matter some of them affirming that all the ancient English Monks before the Conquest were of the Order of St. Equitus or else of some other Order whereupon those of the Benedictine Order wrote over to our Antiquaries in England viz. Sir Robert Cotton Sir H. Spelman Mr. Camden and Mr. Selden appealing to their Judgment herein From whom they received a Letter under all their Hands wherein they expresly certified that there was never any such Order as that of St. Equitus and further
Abbess deceased at Streanshale now Whitby in York-shire which she her self had Founded she was Grand Niece to King Edwin and having been converted by Paulinus had been almost ever since her Conversion a professed Nun first in the Monastery of Cale in France and was afterwards Abbess of divers Nunneries in England being esteemed a Lady of great Sanctity and Knowledge At this Monastery of Strean-shale which was then for Men as well as Women lived Caedmon the English Saxon Poet who is supposed by Bede to have been once Divinely inspired in his sleep to make Verses in his own Tongue upon the Creation of the World and ever after kept that faculty upon other Divine Subjects there are divers of his Paraphrases in Saxon Verse still extant upon several Stories in Genesis and Exodus but very hard to be understood by reason of the Obsoleteness of the Saxon Dialect They have been Printed at Oxford by the Learned Junius About this time also according to Florence the Kingdom of the Mercians became divided into five Diocesses and Tulfride a learned Monk of the Abbess Hilda's Monastery was elected first Bishop of Worcester but dyed before his Ordination But the ancient Chronicle of the Church of Worcester now in the Cottonian Library relates the Church of Worcester to have been first founded by Atheâ—red King of the Mercians and Theodore Bishop of Canterbury one Bosel being made the first Bishop of that See and sate therein Eleven Years There was then also founded a Colledge of secular Canons which so continued as the Chapter of this Church till Anno Dom. 991 when Bishop Oswald turned them out and put in Benedictine Monks in their Rooms About the same time also one Oswald Nephew to King Ethelred founded a College for Secular Canons at Pershore in Worcestershire which continued till King Edgar and Bishop Oswald Anno 984. brought in Benedictine Monks in their Places I may also add under this Year that pretended Bull of Pope Agatho's Privileges together with the Charter of this K. Ethelred which is reciâ—â—d in the Peterbâ—rgh Copy of the Saxon Annals under Anno. 675 and is there related to have been about the same time confirmed in the Council at Heathfield above-mentioned whereby were grâ—nted to the Monastery of Mâ—deshaâ—isâ—e ad divers greâ—t Immâ—nities which Bull does not only confirm aâ—d those Privileges formerly granted by Pope Vitalian but there is also further added this that the Abbot should be the Pope's Legat over the whole Isle of Britain and that whatsoever Abbot was elected by the Monks should be immediately consecrated by the Archbishop of Câ—nterbury with divers other Things too tedious here to relate Which 〈◊〉 being recited in the Council above-mentioned was by thâ—m estâ—blished and confirmed which being done the King is said to have made a Speech reciting all the Lands he had given to the said Monastery and then having subscribed the Charter the Queen Adrian the Pope's Legat and all the Bishops and Abbots whose Names are there mentioned did so likewise under drâ—â—dful Curses upon those that should violate the Privileges above-mentioned But notwithstanding the so exact Recital and supposed Confirmation of this Charter in the Council above-mentioned we have very great Reason to suspect this Bull as also the Charter it self to have been forged long after by the Monks of Peterburgh for in the first place the Privileges granted to this Abbey do not only exceed any that had been granted by the Pope to any Monastery in England but also were such as we do not find it ever enjoy'd as particularly that of their Abbot's being the Pope's ordinary Legate all over this Island which had been such a Diminution of the Rights of the Archbishop of Canterbury as he would nover have so easily paâ—s'd over And besides all which the Names of the Bishops who are put to this Charter do not at all agree with the Circumstances of Time for first it is certain that Wilfred is here styled Archbishop of York which Title he never took upon him being then no more but a Bishop under the Jurisdiction of Archbishop Theodore and by whom he at this Time stood deprived and was not present at this Council nor did return this Year from Rome as this Copy of the Annals makes him to have done but was indeed returned from thence near three Years before being at this Time converting the South-Saxons â—s hath been already related Neither was Putta Bishop of Rochester or Waldhere Bishop of London at the time when this Council was held though their Names are also put to this Charter for the former had been dead eleven Years before and one Quiehelme was then Bishop of that See as appears by the Catalogue of the Bishops in Sir H. Spelman's Fasâ—â— at the end of the Volume of English Writers after Bede nor was the latter then Bishop of London but Erkenwald who was elected to that See above fifteen Years before and continued in it 'till after the Reign of King Ina who began not to reign 'till Anno 688 so that upon the whole matter I take this Charter to be a notorious piece of Forgery This Year Trumbrith was consecrated Bishop of Hagulstad and Trumwin Bishop of the Picts This was the Bishoprick of Wyterne called in Latin Candida Casa which at that time as Bede testifies belonged to the Kingdom of Northumberland and also Centwin King of the West-Saxons put the Britains to flight as far as the Sea H. Huntington says That he also wasted all their Country with Fire and Sword but the Welsh Chronicle of Caradoc translated by H. Lloyd relates That this Year Kentwin King of the West-Saxons gathered a great Company of his Nation together and came against the Britains who seem'd ready to receive the Battle but yet when both Armies appeared in sight of each other they were not all desirous to fight for they fell to a friendly composition and agreement viz. That Ivor should take Ethelburga to Wife who was Cousin to Kâ—ntwin and quietly enjoy all that he had got during the Reign of Ivor but of this our English Histories are silent This Year the Nunnery of St. Peter in Glocester was founded by Osriâ— then a petty Prince or Governour under Ethelred King of the Mercians but was afterwards King of the Northumbers This Monastery thô it had the honour of having Three Queens successively Abbesses of it was destroyed by the Danes but afterwards was re-edified for Benedictine Monks by Aldred Bishop of Worcester Anno 1058. This Year also according to Bede Egfrid King of Northumberland sent a great Army into Ireland under one Bert or Bryt his General who miserably wasted that innocent Nation which had been always friendly to the English which Character perhaps might have been due to them in Bede's time and did not so much as spare the Churches or Monasteries but the Islanders as far as they were able repel'd Force with Force and invoked the Divine
Plunder and Spoil But of this we shall speak more in due time and shall now proceed in our History where we left off in our last Book Egbert the only surviving Prince of the Blood-Royal of the West Saxon Kings as great Nephew to Ina by his Brother Inegilds being arrived in England was now ordained King as Ethelwerd expressly terms his Election But since Asser in his Annals places this King 's coming to the Crown under Anno 802. as does Simeon of Durham and also Roger Howden from an Ancient piece of Saxon Chronologie inserted at the beginning of the first Book of his first part and this account being also proved by that great Master in Chronology the now Lord Bishop of Litchfield to be truer then that of the Saxon Annals or Ethelwerd by divers Proofs too long to be here Inserted I have made bold to put this King 's coming to the Crown two Years backwarder then it is in the last Book thô I confess the former Account in the Saxon Annals would have made a more exact Epocha Also about this time as appears from the ancient Register of St. Leonard's Abbey in York cited in Monast. Anglican viz. ' That Anno Dom. 800 Egbert King of all Britain in a Parliament at Winchester by the consent of his People changed the Name of this Kingdom and commanded it to be called England Now thô by the word Parliament here used it is certain that this Register was writ long after the Conquest yet it might be transcribed from some more ancient Monument since Will. of Malmesbury tells us of this King tho' without setting down the time that by the greatness of his Mind he reduced all the Varieties of the English Saxon Kingdoms to one uniform Empire or Dominion which he called England though others perhaps more truly refer it towards the latter end of his Reign as you will find when we come to it This Year Eardulf King of the Northumbers led his Army against Kenwulf King of Mercia for harbouring his Enemies who also gathering together a great Army they approached to each other when by the Advice of the Bishops and Noblemen of England as also by the Intercession of the chief King of the English by whom is meant King Egbert who then passed under that Title They agreed upon a lasting Peace which was also confirmed by Oath on both sides This we find in Simeon of Durham's History of that Church and in no other Authour About this time also St. Alburhe Sister to King Egbert founded a Benedictine Nunnery at Wilton which was long after rebuilt by King Alfred and augmented by King Edgar for Twenty Six Nuns and an Abbess The same Year the Moon was Eclipsed on the 13 Kal. Jan. and ' Beormod was Consecrated Bishop of Rochester About this time in Obedience to a Letter from Pope Leo III. who at the desire of Kenwulf King of the Mercians had Two Years since restored the See of Canterbury to its ancient Primacy was held the Third Synod at Cloveshoe by â—rch bishop Ethelward and 12 Bishops of his Province whereby the See of Canterbury was not only restored to all its ancient Rights and Priviledges but it was also forbid for all times to come upon Pain of Damnation if not repented of for any Man to violate the Rights of that ancient See and thereby to destroy the Unity of Christ's Holy Church then follow the Subscriptions of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and of 12 other Bishops of his Province together with those of many Abbots and Presbyters who never Subscribed before but without the Subcriptions of the King or any of the Lay Nobility Which plainly shews it to have been a meer Ecclesiastical Synod and no great Council of the Kingdom as you may see at large in Sir H. Spelman's 1 Vol of Councils the Decree of which Synod also shews that the Church of England did not then conceive the Authority of the People alone sufficient to disanul what had been solemnly Decreed in a great Council of the Kingdom as was the Removal of the Primacy from Canterbury to Litchfield The next Year According to our Annals Ethelheard Arch-bishop of Canterbury deceased and Wulfred was consecrated Arch-bishop in his stead and Forther the Abbot dyed The same Year also Deceased Higbald Bishop of Lindisfarne 8 o Kal Julii and Eegbert was Consecrated to that See 3 o Ides Junii ' This Year Wulfred the Arch bishop received his Pall. Cuthred King of Kent deceased as did also Ceolburh the Abbess and Heabyrnt the Ealdorman This Cuthred here mentioned was as Will. of Malmesbury informs us he whom Kenulph King of the Mercians hath made King of Kent instead of Ethelbert called Pren. This Year the Moon was Eclipsed on the Kal. of September and Eardwulf King of the Northumbers was driven from his Kingdom and Eanbryth Bishop of Hagulstad Deceased Also this Year 2 o Non Junii the sign of the Cross was seen in the Moon upon Wednesday in the Morning and the same Year on the Third Kal. Septemb. a wonderful Circle was seen round the Sun This Eardwulf above-mentioned is related by Simeon of Durham to have been the Son of Eardulf the first of that Name King of Northumberland and after Ten Years Reign to have been driven out by one Aelfwold who Reigned Two Years in his stead During these Confusions in the Northumbrian Kingdom Arch-Bishop Usher with great probability supposes in his Antiquitat Britan. Eccles. that the Picts and Scots Conquered the Countries of Galloway and Lothian as also those Countries called the Lowlands of Scotland as far as the Friths of Dunbritain and Edenburgh And that this City was also in the possession of the English Saxons about an Hundred Years after this I shall shew in due order of time and that our Kings did long after maintain their claim to Lothian shall be further shewn when I come to it But that all the Lowlands of Scotland as far as the English Saxon Tongue was spoken were anciently part of the Bernician Kingdom the English Language as well as the Names of places which are all English Saxon and neither Scotish nor Pictish do sufficiently make out The Sun was Eclipsed on the 7th Kal. of August about the Fifth Hour of the Day This Year as Sigebert in his Chronicle relates King Eardulph above-mentioned being expelled his Kingdom and coming for Refuge to the Emperour Charles the Great was by his Assistance restored thereunto but since neither the Saxon Annals nor Florence nor yet any of our English Historians do mention it I much doubt the Truth of this Relation thô it must be also acknowledged that it is inserted in the ancient French Annals of that time and recited that this King's Restitution was procured by the Intercession of the Pope's and Emperour's Legates who were sent into England for that purpose This Year according to Mat. Westminster Egbert King of the West
as his own ever since the time that King Offa took it but now the Mercians tried to recover it by Force The same Year was also held another Synodal Council at Cloveshoe for the Kingdom of Mercia under K. Beornwulf and Wilfred Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with all the Bishops and Chief Men of that Kingdom wherein some disputes about Lands between Heabert Bishop of Worcester and a certain Monastery called Westburgh were determined This Year Ludican King of the Mercians and five of his Ealdermen were slain and Wiglaf began to Reign in his stead Ingulf and Will of Malmesbury tell us That this Ludican was Kinsman to the last mentioned King Beornwulf and leading an Army against the East-Angles to revenge his Death was there overcome and Slain and that both these Tyrants were justly removed who had not only made Kings without any Right but had also by their imprudence been the occasion of the destruction of the Military Forces of that Kingdom which had till then proved Victorious and that thereupon one Withlaf being before Ealderman of Mâ—rcia was by the consent of all the People created King whose Son Wimond had Married Alfleda the Daughter of Ceolwulf the late King This King Withlaf Reigned thirteen Years as Tributary to King Egbert as shall be further related anon The Moon was Eclipsed on Christmass day at Night and the same Year King Egbryht subdued the Kingdom of Mercia and all the Country that lay South of Humber He was the Eighth King who Ruled over all Britain but the First who had so great a Command was Aella King of the South Saxons the Second was Ceaâ—lin King of the West-Saxons the Third was Aethelbryght King of Kent the Fourth was Redwald King of the East Angles the Fifth was Edwin King of Northumberland the Sixth was Oswald who succeeded him the Seventh was Oswi the Brother of Oswald and the Eight was Egbryght King of the West-Saxons who not long after led an Army against the Northumbers as far as Dore which place is supposed to have been in York-shire beyond the River Hâ—mber but the Northumâ—ers offering him Peace and due Subjection they parted Friends From which passage in the Saxon Annals it is apparent that this Supream Dominion of one English King over all the rest was no new thing Bede having taken notice of it long before yet did they not therefore take upon them the Title of Monarchs any more than Egbert who now succeeded them in that Power thô most of our Historians who have written the Saxon History in English have but without any just reason given them that Title which could not properly belong to Kings who had divers others under them with the like Regal Jurisdiction within their own Territories not but that King Egbert was in a more peculiar manner the Supream King of England because by his Absolute Conquest of the Kingdoms of Kent and of the South and East Saxons he was the greatest King who had hitherto Reigned in England all the rest of the Kings that remained Reigning by his permission and paying him Tribute a power which never had been exercised by any other King before him But to return to our History it seems that King Egbert was so highly displeased with the Mercians for setting up a King without his consent that Ingulf and Florence of Worcester tell us That as soon as ever Withlaf was made King before he could raise an Army he was expell'd his Kingdom which Egbert added to his own but Withlaf being search'd for by Egbert's Commanders through all Mercia he was by the industry of Seward Abbot of Croyland concealed in the Cell of the Holy Virgin Etheldrith Daughter of King Offa and once the Spouse of Ethelbert King of the East Angles where King Withlaf found a safe retreat for the space of Four Months until such time as by the Mediation of said Abbot Seward he was reconciled to King Egbert and upon promise of the payment of an Yearly Tribute permitted to return to his Kingdom in Peace which is by him acknowledged in that Charter of his that Ingulf hath given us of his Confirmation of the Lands and priviledges of the Abbey of Croyland It was made in the Great Council of the whole Kingdom in the presence of his Lords Egbert King of West-Saxony and his Son Ethelwulf and before the Bishops and great Men of all England Assembled at the City of London to take Counsel against the Daniâ—h Pyrats then infesting the English Coasts And in the Year 833 as you shall see when we come to that Year This Restoration of King Withlaf to his Kingdom is also mentioned in the Saxon Annals of the next Year where it is said That Withlaf again obtained the Kingdom of the Mercians and Bishop Ethelwald deceased also the same Year King Egbryht led an Army against the Northern Britains and reduced them absolutely to his Obedience For it seems they had again rebelled Now likewise as Mat. Westminster relates King Egbert vanquished Swithred King of the East-Saxons and drove him out of his Kingdom upon whose expulsion the West Saxon Kings ever after possest that Kingdom Now according to the same Authour King Egbert having subdued all the South Parts of England led a great Army into the Kingdom of Northumberland and having grievously wasted that Province made King Eandred his Tributary which is also confirmed by Will of Malmesbury who relates that the Northumbers who stood out the last fearing least this King's anger might break out upon them now giving Hostages submitted themselves to his Dominion but they continued still under Kings of their own as you will further find To this Year I think we may also refer that great Transaction which the Annals of the Cathedral Church of Winchester printed in Monast. Angl. from an ancient Manuscript in the Cottonian Library place under the Year following viz. That King Egbert having thus subdued all the Kingdoms above-mentioned and forced them to submit to his Dominions called a great Council at Winchester whereto were summoned all the Great Men of the whole Kingdom and there by the General Consent of the Clerus Populus i. e. the Clergy and Laity King Egbert was crowned King of Britain And at the same time he Enacted That it should be for ever after called England and that those who before were called Jutes or Saxons should now be called English â—en And this I could not omit because thô William of Malmesbury and other Historians agree of the Matter of Fact yet I think this the truest and most particular Account of the Time and manner when it was performed Also this Year Wilfred the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury deceased and Feologild the Abbot was Elected Arch-Bishop 7 Kal. Maij. and was Consecrated 5. Id. Junij being Sunday and dyed the 3. Kal. Sept. after But here is certainly a mistake in this Copy of the Annals for it was not Feologild but Ceolnoth who was then chosen
yet there might very well have been before that time a publick School or Studium as it was then call'd where the Liberal Arts were taught as for the other Objection of the improbability of the old Scholars falling out with the new Professors in the very first Year of the Institution of the University that is as soon as ever they came thither this may be also answered by supposing that those Annals were written many Years after the Death of King Alfred from a Common received Tradition and so this transaction might have been dated there or Four Years later than it really happened as John Rouse in his Manuscript History of the Kings of England also places it I confess there is one Objection which I wish I could Answer and that is How Gildas and Nennius could study at Oxford when the latter was not so much as Born till about the Conclusion of this or Beginning of the following Century and much less the Former when even by the best Accounts of those Times the Pagan Saxons were then Masters of that part of England Having said thus much concerning the Antiquity of that Famous University to which I owe my Education I shall not trouble my self with enquiry into the Reality of those supposed Ancient Schools of Creeklad and Leacklade which the Monkish writers suppose to have been anciently called Greeklade and Latinelade the latter of which Derivations thô Mr. Camden justly explodes yet he seems to have more Veneration for the former since in the place from whence I have transcribed the above-cited Quotations he also tells us That the Muses were transported to Oxford from Creeklade now a small Town in Wilt-shire All the Authority for which that I know of beside uncertain Tradition depends upon the Credit of a Manuscript lately in the Liberary of Trinity Hall in Cambridge and is cited by Mr. Wheelock in his Notes upon Bede where speaking of Theodorus Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he says That he held or maintained Schools in a Village near the Water which is called Greekislake but Mr. Somner in his Learned Glossary hath given us a much more likely Derivation of this place viz. from the Old Saxon Word Creek signifying a River or Torrent running either into some River or else into the Sea and Gelad which signified an emptying for it was anciently written Crecca Gelade and not Greeklade as some would now write it This Year the Pagans passing under the Bridge of Paris and from thence by the Seine up the River Meterne now called Marne as far as Cazii now Choisy and which Florence says signified a Royal Village where and at Jona a place we know not they staid Two Years also the same Year Deceased Charles the Grosse King of the Franks but Earnwulf his Brother's Son had expell'd him out of his Kingdom six Weeks before his Death after which it was divided into five Parts over whom were set five Kings but this partition was with Earnewulf's good leave for they all promised to Govern under him because none of them was Heir on the Fathers side besides himself alone therefore Earnwulf fixed the Seat of his Kingdom in the Countries lying on the East side of the Rhine whilst Rodâ—lf took the middle or inward part of the Kingdom and Odo or Otto the Western Part and Beorngar and Witha called in Latine Beringarius and Wido held Lombardy and all the Countries on that side the Mountains all which Kingdoms they held with much Discord Fighting two great Battles and wasting those Countries till such time as each of them had expell'd the other from his Kingdom also the same Year Ethelelm the Ealdorman carried the Alms of King Alfred and the West Saxons to Rome This was the Benevolence called Peter Pence which is here justly termed an Alms and not a Tribute as Modern Popish Writers have termed it But to return to our own Domestick Affairs Asser above-mentioned informs us that the Kingdom being now pretty well at quiet from the Danes the King began to mind his Civil Government to repair his Cities and Castles and also to build others in the most necessary places altering the whole face of the Country into a much better form and having walled several Towers and Castles he made them defensible against the Pagans Nor was he less careful in the Political Affairs of his Kingdom for divers of his own Subjects having under the name of Danes committed great Spoils and Rapines these the King resolving to punish and restrain from these Excesses he first of all divided all the Provinces of England into Counties and those again into Hundreds and Tythings so that every Legal Subject should dwell in some Hundred or Tything whereby if any were suspected of Robbery and being thereof Condemned or absolved by his Hundred or Tything they should either undergo due punishment or else if Innocent be acquitted But the Governours of Provinces who were before called Vice Domini and in English Saxon Geriffs he divided into two Offices That is into Judges whom we now call Justices and into Sheriffs who do yet retain that name and by the Kings care and industry in a short time there was so great a Tranquility through out the whole Kingdom that if a Traveller had happen'd to have lost a Bag of Money in the High-way he might have found it again untouched the next day And Bromton's Chronicle relates That thô there were Gold Bracelets hung up at the parting of several High-ways yet Justice was so strictly executed that no Man durst presume to touch them But in the Distribution of his own Family he followed the Example of King Solomon for dividing it into Three Companies or Bands he set a Chief over each of them so that every Captain with his Band performed his Service in the King's Palace for the space of one Month and then going with his Company to his own Estate he looked after his private Affairs for Two Months and so did each of them in their Order which Rotation of Officers this King observed all the rest of his Reign And to this Year also Sir H. Spelman refers that Great Council wherein King Alfred made those Laws that go under his Name in which after a Preface wherein he first recites and confirms the Ten Commandments as also divers other Laws which are set down in Exodus and Leviticus he concludes to this effect That whatsoever he found worthy of Observation either in the time of K. Ina his Kinsman or Offa King of the Mercians or of Ethelbert the first Christened King he had gathered them all together and committed those to writing which he thought most deserving omitting others which he judged less convenient in doing of which he had taken the Advice and had the Consent of his Wise-Men and having revised the Laws of those Princes he transcribed such of them as he liked into his own and by the Consent of the said Wise-men he thereof made a Collection and
Huntington agrees tho he places it a year sooner relating That then the Northumbers being weary of the Government of this Eric did as easily cast him off as they had before lightly received him and calling in Edred they again placed him on the Throne though this does not accord with William of Malmesbury his Account that King Edred expell'd Eric by force and wasted all that Kingdom with fire and sword After which the Northumbrians being wholly subdued were no more governed by Kings but Earls a Catalogue of which Roger Hoveden hath there given us as far as the Conquest King Edred having been as Malmesbury informs us long tormented with frequent Convulsions in several parts of his Body being admonished by Archbishop Dunstan of his approaching death did not only bear that affliction with Patience but spending his time in acts of Devotion made his Palace a School of all Vertues and being at length consumed by a tedious long sickness he according to the Annals departed this life at the Feast of St. Clement in the very flower of his Age to the great grief of all his Subjects after having Reigned Nine Years and an half But the Manuscript life of St. Dunstan already cited is much more particular as to the Disease he died of viz. that not being able to swallow his Meat he could only eat Broth so that being wasted away he died This Relation of King Edred's not being able to swallow his Meat gave occasion to John of Wallingford absurdly to tell us in his Chronicle not long since Printed that King Edred having his Teeth fallen out by reason of Old Age could not Chew his Meat and the Broths they made for him were not sufficient to keep him alive and so he died of Hunger But this is altogether as true as the story that follows not only in this Author but in most other Monkish Writers of the History of those times from the Relation of the above-cited Author of St. Dunstan's Life that St. Dunstan hearing how dangerously Ill the King was and making haste to Visit him before he died as he rode on the way thither there came a Voice from Heaven which cried aloud to him King Edred is now dead at which all present being astonished the poor Horse upon which St. Dunstan was then Mounted immediately fell down dead But William of Malmesbury though he mentions this story of the Voice yet is so wise as to pass by the death of the Horse being sensible it was a Pill too large to be easily swallowed As for the Character of this King the Monkish Writers of those times give him that of a most Vertuous and Pious Prince and as to his Valour William of Malmesbury saith he was not inferior in Magnanimity to either of his Brothers he was also the first King of England who as I can find stiled himself Rex Magnae Britanniae King of Great Britain in a Charter to the Abbey of Croyland recited by Ingulphus as also in another Charter to the Abbey of Reculver in Monast. Anglic. he stiles himself Totius Albionis Monarchus i. e. Monarch of all England In which Stile he was also followed by his Nephew King Edgar from whence we may observe That King James was not the first who took upon him the Title of King of Great Britain though as being also King of Scotland he did much better deserve it than the former But as for King Edred he could not fail of the good will of the Monks since the same Manuscript Author of St. Dunstan's Life relates That he put such great confidence in that Holy Abbot that he committed the chief Muniments and Treasures of his Kingdom to his Care to be kept at his Abby of Glastenbury and that as the King lay on his Death-bed St. Dunstan was then carrying them back to him to be disposed of as he should think fit but he just before received the News of his death as you have already heard Nor did this King die without Issue as many believe for Mr. Speed proves the contrary from certain ancient Charters Cited by him at the end of this King's Life wherein you will find that his Two Sons Elfrid and Bertfrid were Witnesses to them tho they did not Succeed their Father but Edwi Son to his Elder Brother Edmund King EDWI IMmediately after King Edmund's decease our Annals tell us Edwig Son to the late King Edmund and Elgiva began his Reign and he banisht St. Dunstan out of England This King as all our Historians agree was crowned at Kingston by Odo Archbishop of Canterbury but William of Malmesbury gives us the cause of this Disgrace of St. Dunstan to this effect That this King being a Youth of great Beauty and amorous above his years was mightily in love with a young Lady his near Kinswoman whom he fain would have married but the Bishops and Nobles of his Kingdom were utterly averse to it not only because of the nearness of their Relation but because she had none of the best Reputation as to her Chastity But though William of Malmesbury gives us all the rest of this Story yet I shall rather chuse to take it from the Manusâ—ript Life of St. Dunstan who lived about the same time and out of which that Author borrowed it and it is thus That on the very day that by the common Election of all the chief Men of England Edwig was anointed King after the Coronation-Dinner was over he and the chief Bishops and Nobility being retired into a private Room there treating of the Great Affairs of the Kingdom the King perhaps at that Critical Juncture being weary of their company stole into the Apartment of this Beautiful Lady to enjoy some pleasurable moments with her which the Nobility hearing of they highly resented it but none would adventure to bring him back only Abbot Dunstan and a Bishop whose Name was Cynesius the King's Cousin went boldly into the Chamber where they found him with his Crown off his head lying between the Mother of this Lady and her Daughter upon which they not only reproved him but putting on his Crown again and taking him by the hand they pulled him away from them and carried him back by force into the Room where his Nobles were but Athelgiva for it seems so was this Lady sometimes called being highly provoked at this Affront did not fail to exasperate the King against Dunstan so that in revenge he banished him the Kingdom who thereupon as R. Hoveden relates retired to a Monastery in Flanders Nor did the King's Resentments stop here but out of hatred to Dunstan he not only turned the Monks out of Glastenbury but out of divers of the greatest Monasteries in England where also as William of Malmesbury words it his own Abbey was turned into a Stable for Clerks that is Secular Chanons were put in their places not only there but in all other Abbeys where the Monks were expelled
But tho the King's violence to Abbot Dunstan and the Monks is by no means to be justified yet this rudeness to the King and pressing upon his privacy and carrying him by force out of the Room from his Mistress or Wife for some Historians tell us that he had been privately married to her can as little be excused So that no wonder if a young King and an enraged Woman did all they could to revenge so great an Affront Yet it seems by the same Author of St. Dunstan's Life that Archbishop Odo was severely revenged on this Lady for he not only sent Armed men to take her out of the Court by force but also branded her with a hot Iron on the Cheeks to take off the King's Affections from her and then caused her to be sent into Ireland but whether this was done by the Great Council of the Kingdom or by his own Authority I do not find But it seems upon her return thence again being on her way to the King the said Archbishop's Officers met her and cut her Hamstrings so that not being able to stir she is supposed to have died not long after of this cruel Treatment But however this did not happen immediately but some time after for this Year all the People North of Humber together with the Mercians as far as the River Thames rose against King Edwi with an intention to expel him the Kingdom for his violence done to the Monks so that as Osborne in the Life of Dunstan relates he was forced to fly with his Adulteress to the City of Glocester But Florence of Worcester and Simeon of Durham are more particular in this Relation saying that the Mercians and Northumbrians hating and despising King Edwi for his Evil Government deserted him and having deposed him they elected his Brother Prince Edgar King over them which it seems was also confirmed by the Common Council of the Kingdom for the above-cited Author of the Life of St. Dunstan saith it was done by the Common Consent of all the Wise men of the Kingdom So that Edwi having no more left him than the Kingdom of the West Saxons for his share the River Thames was made the Boundary between their two Kingdoms Henry de Knighton out of some Ancient Chronicles then preserved in the Abbey of Legcester here farther relates That after the Expulsion of King Edwi for his Evil Life and the Enormous Deeds which he committed against the Church the Throne was vacant for above a year and many Murthers and Robberies and other Mischiefs were committed in the Kingdom for want of Government till some Good men of the Clergy and Laity seeking God by frequent Prayers heard at last a Voice from Heaven commanding them to Crown Prince Edgar being yet a Youth their King which they immediately obeyed But this sounds like a Monkish Legend only to enhance the Excellency of King Edgar's Reign which with them must owe its Original to no less an Author than Heaven it self but no other Historians mention any such thing but agree that King Edwi was never deprived of more than the Kingdoms of Mercia and Northumberland and there was no Vacancy of the Throne that Division being made presently upon the aforesaid Defection of the People of these Kingdoms and immediately confirmed by an Act of the Witena Gemote as hath been already related But however it happened King Edwi was forced to rest contented with this unequal division since not having the good-will of his Subjects it was well he could keep what he had From whence we may observe how dangerous a thing it was for Princes to provoke the Ruling Part of the Priests and People of those times who could so easily turn the hearts of their Subjects against them Our Annals though they are very short in this Relation yet confirm the deposing of King Edwi viz. That this Year Edgar Atheling took upon him the Kingdom of the Mercians and also adds That not long before Wulstan Archbishop of York deceased Although the printed Copy of the Saxon Annals place the Death of King Edwi under the year 957 yet it appears by the Manuscript Laudean Copy of these Annals as also by Florence of Worcester that he died not till this very year for we cannot otherwise make up the space of near four years which all our Historians allow to this King's Reign Of whom they give us this Character That though he was extraordinary Handsome yet he abused that Comeliness of his Person by his excessive Lust and yet we do not hear of above one Mistress he kept and that too whom he was either married to or else lived withal like a Wife But it is no wonder if he have a very bad Character of them when the Monks his Enemies are the only persons that have given it to us But H. Huntington who was a Secular Priest and no Monk is more moderate by telling us that this King did not uncommendably hold the Scepter But when in the beginning of his Reign his Kingdom began to flourish an Untimely Death put a stop to those happy Expectations from him His Body was buried at Winchester with his Uncle's And with this King's Reign I shall also put a Period to this Book lest it should swell beyond a due proportion The End of the Fifth Book THE General History OF BRITAIN NOW CALLED ENGLAND As well Ecclesiastical as Civil BOOK VI. Containing the General History of England from the Reign of King EDGAR to the Death of King HAROLD being One hundred and seventeen Years King EDGAR I Have begun this Period with this Prince's Reign for though it does not exactly divide the Space of Time between King Egbert and the coming in of King William sirnamed the Conqueror into two equal parts yet will it much better suit with the Proportion of the Books into which we have divided this Period Besides King Edgar by again reuniting the Kingdom and enjoying by his Valour as well as his good Fortune a happy and peaceable Reign though he was not the first Prince who took upon him the Title of Monarch of all Albion or England as hath been already shewn yet since all the Kings of this Island did willingly submit themselves to his Dominion he seems to have best deserved that Title of any I can find King Edwy being now dead as our Annals have related King Edgar his Brother began to reign not only over the Mercians and Northumbers but also over all the West-Saxon Kingdom that is as the Manuscript Author of St. Dunstan's Life relates he succeeded in his Brother's Kingdom as Heir and was elected by the Clergy as well as Laity over both Kingdoms Which is also confirmed by Florence of Worcester and R. Hoveden who expresly tells us he was elected King by the whole English Nation in the Sixteenth Year of his Age So that as the Annals observe In his days all things succeeded prosperously God giving him Peace as long as he lived
him to govern as a Conqueror From which also you may observe the flourishing Trade and Wealth of that City in those days since it could even at that time pay above a Seventh of this excessive Taxation Then also a great part of the Danish Army return'd into Denmark and only forty Ships remain'd with King Cnute the Danes and English were likewise now reconciled and united at Oxnaford Bromton says it was done at a Great Council or Parliament at Oxford where King Cnute ordained the Laws of King Edgar i. e. of England to be observed The same year also Aethelsige Abbot of Abbandune deceased and Aethelwin succeeded him This year King Cnute returned into Denmark and there stayed all the Winter Bromton's Chronicle says he went over to subdue the Vandals who then made War against him and carried along with him an Army both of English and Danes the former being commanded by Earl Godwin set upon the Enemies by surprize and put them to flight after which the King had the English in as much as esteem as his own Danish Subjects But the year following He returned into England and then held a Mycel Gemot or Great Council at Cyrencester where Ethelward the Earldorman was outlaw'd The same year also King Cnute went to Assandune the place where he had before fought the great Battel with King Edmund and there caused a Church to be built of Lime and Stone for the souls of those men that had been slain there Which being as R. Hoveden relates consecrated in the King's presence by Wulstan Archbishop of York and divers other Bishops was committed to the care of his Chaplain whose Name was Stigand Also Archbishop Living deceased and Ethelnoth a Monk and Dean of Canterbury was consecrated Bishop by Wulstan Archbishop of York But before we proceed farther I will give you some account of the Affairs of Wales in these times Where after the death of Kynan or Conan the Usurping Prince of South-Wales above-mentioned Lewelyn Prince of North-Wales had according to Caradoc's Chronicle possessed himself of South-Wales and had for some years governed both those Countries with great Peace and Prosperity so that from the North to the South Sea there was not a Beggar in the whole Countrey but every man had sufficient to live of his own insomuch that the Countrey grew daily more and more populous But this year produced a notable Impostor for a certain Scot of mean Birth came now into South-Wales and called him self Run or Reyn as the Manuscript Copies have it the Son of Meredyth ap Owen late Prince of Wales as you have already heard Upon which the Nobility of that Countrey who loved not Lewelyn set up this Run or Reyn to be their Prince But Lewelyn hearing of it assembled all the Forces of North-Wales and marched against this Run who had now also got all the strength of South-Wales together and going as far as Abergwily i. e. the mouth of the River Gwily there waited the coming of Lewelyn but when he arrived and both Armies were ready to join Battel Run full of outward confidence encouraged his men to fight yet no sooner was the Battel begun but this Impostor soon discovered what he was by withdrawing himself pâ—â—â—ly out of the fight whereas on the contrary Lewelyn like a Couragious Prince standing in the Head of his Army called out aloud for this base Scot Run who durst so belye the Blood of the British Princes Both Armies then meeting fought for a while with great Courage and Malice to each other but it seems the South-Wales men being not so resolute in the Quarrel of this Impostor as those of North-Wales were to defend the Right of their Lawful Prince the latter being also encouraged by the Speeches and Prowess of their Prince put the former to the Rout and pursued this Run so closely that he had much ado to escape Prince Lewelyn having got thus a great deal of Spoil return'd home and for a short time govern'd these Countries in Peace But to return to our Annals This year about Martinmass King Cnute outlaw'd i. e. banished Earl Thurkyl But they tell us not the Crime Yet William of Malmesbury makes it a Judgment for being the principal Promoter of the Murther of Archbishop Aelfeage and that as soon as he return'd into Denmark he was killed by some Noblemen of that Nation This year also according to an Old Manuscript belonging to St. Edmundsbury and cited by the Lord Chief Justice Coke in the Preface to the 9 th Book of his Reports King Cnute held a Parliament at Winchester wherein were present the two Archbishops and all the other Bishops as also many Ealdormen and Earls with divers Abbots together with a great many Knights and a vast multitude of People and there in pursuance of the King's desires it was decreed That the Monastery of St. Edmund the King should be free and for ever exempt from all Jurisdiction of the Bishops and Earls of that Country But Sir H. Spelman here very well observes that this Manuscript could be no Ancienter than the Reign of Henry the Third because the word Parliament was not in use before that time Though thus much is certain That King Cnute the year before founded this Monastery afterwards called St. Edmundsbury but then known to the Saxons by the name of Beadrichesworth where there had been a Church built before and King Edward the Elder in the year 942 had also given several Lands to it and upon which Foundation King Cnute had lately built and endowed the said Abby which was one of the Largest and Richest in all England Lewelyn ap Sitsylt Prince of Wales but a short time enjoyed the fruits of his late Victory for this year the Welsh Chronicles tell us he was slain by Howel and Meredyth the Sons of Prince Edwin or Owen above-mentioned who yet did not succeed in the Principality for Jâ—go Son to Edwal late Prince of Wales was now advanced to the Throne as Lawful Heir having been long debarr'd of his Right But it seems he could not do the like in South-Wales which one Rytheric ap Justin seiz'd upon and held by force This year King Cnute sail'd with his Fleet to the Isle of Wight but upon what account our Annals do not shew us Also Archbishop Aethelnoth went to Rome and was there received by Pope Benedict with great Honour who put on his Pall with his own hands and being so habited celebrated Mass as the Pope commanded him and then after he had dined with him return'd home with his Benediction Also Leofwin the Abbot who had been unjustly expell'd from the Monastery of Elig was his Companion and there cleared himself of those Crimes of which he had been accused before the Pope the Archbishop and all the Company that were there present testifying on his behalf Wulstan Archbishop of York deceased and Aelfric succeeded Edelnoth the Archbishop consecrating him at Canterbury Also this
or Imposition He had also complained to the Pope that his Archbishops paid vast Sums of Money before they could obtain their Palls which Grievance was by the Pope's Decree taken off All these Immunities procured from the Pope the Emperor Rodolph King of France and all other Princes throughout whose Territories he travelled were confirmed by Oath under the Testimonies of Four Archbishops and Twenty Bishops with an innumerable Company of Dukes and other Noblemen there present Then follows a Thanksgiving to Almighty God for giving him such Success in what he had undertaken After this he desires it might be published to all the world that having devoted his Life to Godâ—s service he resolved to govern the People subject to him in all Piety Justice and Equity And in case any thing blameworthy had been done by him in his Youth by the help of God he was now ready to make full amends for it Therefore he charges all his Ministers whatsoever as well Sheriffs as others That for fear of him they should not pervert Justice because there was no necessity that Money should be raised by any unjust exactions And at last after great Asseverations how much he studied the Profit and Conveniency of his People he adjures all his Ministers before he arrived in England that they should procure all Dues to be paid according to the ancient Custom as the Alms of the Plow the Tythes of all Cattel brought forth in the same year Peter-Pence in August with the Tythes of Corn and at Martinmass the First fruits of the same called Curcescot or Cyrescot i.e. Money given to the Church in case this was not paid before his Return he threatens severely to animadvert upon every one according to the Laws William of Malmesbury further adds That at his Return he was as good as his word for he commanded all the Laws which had been made by former English Kings and chiefly by Ethelred his Predecessor to be observed under great Penalties for the true observation whereof our Kings says he are at this very day sworn under the name of the Good Laws of King Edward not that he only ordain'd them but because he observed them So that from hence we may take notice That Kings who have the least of Hereditary Title if they mean to reign happily ought in Policy as well as Conscience to observe the Laws of that Kingdom to which they have been advanced without any Right of Blood But to return again to our Annals they further tell us That upon the King's return from Rome where it seems he staid not long after he marched into Scotland and there King Malcolm became subject to him with two other Kings of the Isles called Maelbaerth and Jehmarc The same year also Robert Earl of Normandy went to Jerusalem and there died and William who was afterwards King of England began to reign being an Infant From whence we may plainly see that the Cottonian Copy of these Annals was wrote in the form we have them after the Conquest and though the other Copies do not expresly call him King of England yet they give him the Title of King William which is all one About this time as the Welsh Chronicles relate the Irish Scots invaded South-Wales by the means of Howel and Meredyth the Sons of Edwin above-mentioned who hired them against Rythaerch ap Jestyn the Usurping Prince of that Countrey whom by the assistance of these Scots they slew in Battel and by that means got the Government of South-Wales which they ruled jointly but with small quiet for the Sons of Rythaerch gathered together a great number of their Father's Friends to revenge his death with whom Prince Howel and Meredyth meeting at Hyarthwy after a long Fight routed them and made them fly but the year following Prince Meredyth himself was slain by the Sons of Conan ap Sitsylt Brother to Prince Lewelyn to revenge their Father's death whom Meredyth and his Brother Howel had slain This year appeared a strange kind of Wild-Fire such as no man ever remembred and did a great deal of mischief in divers places The same year also deceased Aelfsige Bishop of Winchester and Aelfwin the King's Chaplain succeeded in that See Merehwit Bishop of Somersetshire i. e. Wells deceased and was buried at Glastingabyrig ' Aetheric the Bishop died the Annals tell us not of what See But Simeon of Durham and R. Hoveden add That Malcolm King of Scots died this year to whom succeeded Mactade The same Authors farther tell us That King Cnute before his Death appointed Swane his Eldest Son to be King of Norway and Hardecnute his Son by Queen Aemma to be King of Denmark and Harold his Son by Aelgiva a Hampshire Lady to be King of England after himself This year King Cnute deceased at Scaeftesbyrig and was buried at the new Monastery at Winchester having been King of England almost twenty years There is no King that can deserve a more various Character than this since none who came in so roughly after govern'd more mildly He was naturally Cruel and very Ambitious and stuck not at any thing to gain a Kingdom as appears by his dealing with his Predecessor's Children and Brothers but more particularly with Olaf King of Norway whom Simeon of Durham relates to have been turn'd out of it by the secret Practices and Bribes which he liberally bestow'd upon the Great and Factious men of that Kingdom but however toward his latter end he reigned both prudently and moderately and we may say of him what a Roman Author does of one of his Emperors That it had been well for this Kingdom if he had never reign'd at all or else had continued longer none of his Sons resembling him either in Valour or Wisdom But to let you see that this King was really sensible before his death of the Vanity of Worldly Empire I shall to divert the Reader give you this story of him out of H. Huntington who thus relates it viz. That King Cnute being once at Southampton caus'd his Royal Seat to be plac'd on the shore while the Tide was coming in and with a Majestick Air said thus Thou Sea belongest to me and the Land whereon I sit is mine nor hath any one unpunished resisted my Commands I charge thee therefore come no further upon my Land neither presume to wet the Feet of thy Sovereign Lord. But the Sea as before came rowling on and without any Reverence at all not only wet but dashed him whereupon the King quickly rising up bade those that were about him to consider the weak and bounded Power of Kings and how none indeed deserved that Title but He whose Eternal Laws both Heaven and Earth and Seas obey A Truth so evident of it self that were it not to shame his Court-Flatterers who would not else be convinced Cnute needed not to have gone wet-shod home From thenceforth he would never afterwards wear his Crown but commanded it to
lying Northward from the Thames together with the City of London and Hardecnute enjoy all the Southern Provinces But Hardecnute having received his share of the Kingdom went into Denmark where making unnecessary delays Harold seized the whole Kingdom to himself Which is in part confirmed by an Ancient Manuscript Chronicle in the Cottonian Library which relates That Harold King of the Northumbrians and Mercians was elected King of all England and Hardecnute because he staid in Denmark was cast off To which may be added certain old Manuscript Annals now in the same Library part of which is supposed to be written by Henry of Huntington That Harold was elected by the Chief Men of the East-Angles i. e. the Danes of that Countrey together with the Londoners so that he usurped the Kingdom of his Brother Hardecnute being then in Denmark And Simeon of Durham relates That by the Consent of the Great Men of England Harold began to reign as true and just Heir but not so indisputably as King Cnute his Father had done because Hardecnute who was a truer Heir than he was then expected yet that in a short time the Kingdom became divided after the same manner as Ingulph hath related But it seems very unlikely that Hardecnute if he had been chosen King of any part of England would have left it and gone over into Denmark before he was well settled at home It is therefore more likely what Florence of Worcester asserts That Harold was at first elected King only of the Mercians and Northumbers Hardecnute being to enjoy all the rest but that not coming out of Denmark in due time Harold got himself chosen King of the whole Kingdom the year following But leaving this matter concerning Hardecnute's Succession which must be confessed is much in the dark the Author last mentioned does say That Harold after he had obtained the Royal Dignity sent his Guards speedily to Winchester and there tyrannically seized on the greater part of the Treasures of the King his Father which had been bequeathed by Cnute to the Queen his Mother-in-Law But I cannot omit taking notice of the most Cruel and Bloody Treatment of Prince Alfred Brother to King Edward and his Followers which because many of our Best and most Ancient Historians as well Printed as Manuscript refer to this year and that too not long after King Harold's coming to the Crown I shall here set down since it seems most likely to have happened now rather than at any other time For though our Authors differ much about it yet seeing most of the Ancient Manuscript Annals in the Cottonian Library as also that old Treatise called Encomium Emmae being a Panegyrick wrote on that Queen by a Monk of her own time agree in relating the Circumstances of this horrid Action I shall from thence transcribe this following Account of it viz. That King Harold seeking by Treachery how to get those two young Princes Sons to the late King Ethelred into his power forged a Letter in the Name of Queen Emma their Mother inviting them into England wherein personating her she seemed to chide them gently for their delay in not coming over to look after their own concerns seeing they could not but know that it procured the daily confirming of the Usurper in his power who omitted no arts or means whatsoever to gain the chief Nobility over to his Party yet also assures them that the English Nation had much rather have one of them to be their King and in conclusion desires they would come as speedily and as privately as they could to consult with her what course was best to be taken This Letter was sent to the Princes then in Normandy by an express Messenger with Presents also as from their Mother which they joyfully receiving returned word by the same hand That one of them would be with her shortly naming both the Time and Place Alfred who was the younger for so it was thought best at the appointed time with a few Ships and some small number of Normans about him appeared on the Coast and no sooner came ashore but fell into the Snare that Earl Godwin had laid for him being sent on purpose to betray him and being cajoll'd into a belief that he was sent for by the King then at London he was in the way met at Guilford by Earl Godwin who with all seeming Friendship at first kindly entertained him but in the night surprized the Prince and made him Prisoner with all his Company most of whom in all about Six hundred men were put to various kinds of cruel deaths and being twice decimated every Tenth man suffered without mercy The Prince was brought to London and by the King sent bound to Ely and had his eyes put out as soon as he landed there and being delivered to the Monks to be kept died soon after in their Custody but whether of the Pain or Grief or some other Indisposition is left uncertain Yet though this Author makes no mention of Prince Edward his Brother's coming over with him but rather asserting the contrary that he never came at all however several other Historians will have this Prince to have either come over then or some time before and that being with his Mother when his Brother was thus treated she immediately sent him back into Normandy which I must confess seems very improbable since Harold had it then in his power to destroy them both But though it is certain that this unfortunate Prince was made away yet since our Annals are wholly silent in it there is nothing about which our Historians so much vary as concerning the time when it was done William of Malmesbury and Bromton place it after the death of Harold and before the coming over of Hardecnute when they say that Prince Alfred arrived with some expectations of the Kingdom but the former plainly confesses that he related this story only upon common fame yet because the Chronicles i. e. the Saxon Annals are silent he will not affirm it for truth so it seems he had never seen the above-mention'd Encomium Emmae But that Prince Alfred was made away by the means of Earl Godwin we shall further make out when we come to the Reign of King Edward the Confessor And the reason that some of our Historians give for Godwin's cruel usage of Prince Alfred whilst he let his Brother escape is that Godwin was afraid of the High Spirit and Wit of this young Prince because he knew that if ever he came to be King he would never be governed by him nor marry his Daughter both which he hoped for from Edward in case he should be chosen King by his means as afterwards happen'd This whether true or not I will not determine yet it suits well enough with the Interest of that Politick Earl I shall say no more of this only we cannot but hence observe the great Uncertainty of Traditional Accounts though of no long standing
wont to meet him as he came from School and took delight to pose him in Verses and would also passing from Grammar argue with him in Logick in which she was well skill'd and when she had done would order her Waiting-Woman to give him some Money But as King Edward had till now deferr'd the performance of his Promise in marrying this Lady ever since he came to the Crown so it had been no great matter whether he had married her or not because he never enjoyed her But notwithstanding the temptation of so fair a Lady he not only kept his own Virginity inviolable but also persuaded her to do the like and this as the Abbot of Rieval in his Life relates he did not do out of any hatred to her Father as is commonly reported by several of our other Historians but because the English Nobility being desirous that one from his Loins should succeed him had importun'd him to marry which he could not well refuse for then the secret Resolution of his dying a Virgin would have been disclosed therefore he wedded her both to secure himself against her Father as also to make the Virtue of his Continence appear more conspicuous which as this Author tells us was no Secret being then divulged and believed all over England and divers Censures passed concerning the motives why he did so The same year Brightwulf Bishop of Scirebone deceased who had held that Bishoprick Thirty eight years and Hereman the King's Chaplain succeeded to that Bishoprick Also Wulfric was consecrated Abbot of St. Austin's at Christmas with the King 's good Consent because of the great Bodily Infirmity of Aelfstan the former Abbot This year deceased Living Bishop of Devonshire i.e. of Exeter and Leofric the King's Chaplain succeeded thereunto The same year Aelfstan Abbot of St. Augustin's in Canterbury deceased and also Osgot Glappa the Danish Earl was expelled England The same year likewise according to Simeon of Durham and William of Malmesbury Alwold Bishop of London who had been before Abbot of Evesham being by reason of his great weakness unable to perform his Episcopal Function would have retired to his old Monastery but the Monks not permitting it he resented it so ill at their hands that taking away all the Books and other Ornaments which he had conferred upon them and retiring to the Abby of Ramsey he bestowed them all upon them and there within a short time after ended his days and then King Edward made one Robert a Norman Monk Bishop of London Also the same year the Noble Matron Gunhilda Niece to King Cnute was banished England together with her two Sons This year likewise in a great Council held at London as Florence relates Wulmar a Religious Monk of Evesham was chosen Abbot of that Monastery and was ordained the 4 th of the Ides of August following About this time according to the Welsh Chronicles Prince Griffâ—th having ruled in Peace ever since the last great Battel above-mentioned till now the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by Treachery kill a Hundred and forty of his best Soldiers so that to revenge their deaths the Prince destroyed all those Countries Grymkitel Bishop of the South-Saxons i. e. Selsey deceased as did also the same year Aelfwin Bishop of Winchester and Stigand who was before Bishop in the North-East parts i. e. of Helmham succeeded in that See And Earl Sweyn the Son of Godwin went over to Baldwin Earl of Flanders to Brycge and staid there all Winter and at Summer departed being it seems at that time in disgrace at Court for deflow'ring an Abbess whom he loved This year Aethelstan Abbot of Abbandune deceased to whom succeeded Sparhafock a Monk of St. Edmundsbury Whence you may observe that the Abbots were at that time seldom chosen out of Monks of the same Abby Also this year Bishop Syward deceased and then Archbishop Eadsige retook that Bishoprick Which is contrary to what William of Malmesbury hath already related The same year likewise Lothen and Yrling Danes came to Sandwic with Twenty five Ships and there landing committed great havock and carried away abundance of Booty as well of Gold as Silver so that no man can tell how great it was From whence they sailed about Thanet and attempting there to commit the like Outrages the people of that Countrey vigorously resisted them and hindred their landing and so made them to direct their course towards Essex where they committed the like Barbarities carrying away all the men they could lay hold on and then passing over into the Territories of Earl Baldwin and there selling all their Plunder they sail'd towards the East from whence they came Also the same year according to Simeon of Durham Harold sirnamed Hairfax Brother to the late King Olaf having put Sweyn King of Denmark to flight subdued that Kingdom King Sweyn being thus driven out of his Countrey sent Ambassadors to King Edward desiring his Assistance with his Fleet against the King of Norway which Earl Godwin much approved of but the rest of the Great Men dissuading him from it nothing was done but the King of Norway dying soon after Sweyn recovered his Kingdom But Florence of Worcester places this Transaction two years later but which of them is in the right I will not dispute Also this year according to our Annals as well as other Authors was the great Battel of Vallesdune in Normandy between Henry King of France and the Nobility of that Dukedom because they refused to receive William the Bastard for their Duke But when he afterwards got them into his power he beheaded some of them and others he banished I have mentioned this to let you see with how great difficulty this young Duke who was afterwards King of England was settled in that Dutchy which he could never have obtained without the Protection and Assistance of the King of France About this time also the Welsh Chronicles tell us South-Wales was so infested by the Danish Pyrates that the Sea-Coasts were almost quite deserted The same year or else in 1048 as it is in the Cottonian Copy of the Annals was held the great Synod or Council at St. Remy where were present Pope Leo and the Archbishop of Burgundy i. e. of Besanson tho they are here mentioned as two several Archbishopricks as also the Archbishop of Treves and Remes with many other Wise Men both of the Clergy and Laity and thither King Edward sent Bishop Dudoce and Wulfric Abbot of St. Augustine's with Abbot Aelfwin that they might acquaint the King what was there decreed concerning the Christian Faith This year King Edward sail'd to Sandwic with a great Fleet and there met Earl Sweyn who came with seven Ships at Bosenham i.e. Bosham in Sussex where he made a League with the King and received a Promise from him to be restored to all his possessions but Earl Harold his Brother and Beorne very much opposed him saying He was utterly unworthy
a Saint yet they give him the Title of Confessor which had been in the Primitive Times bestowed only on those who suffered for Christ though not unto death but how he could claim that Title upon this Account I know not unless his resisting the ordinary motions of the Flesh may be looked upon as such a kind of suffering having been as is already related so chaste that he never knew his own Wife though a very Beautiful Lady for which as well as his other Virtues and particularly his Charity to the Poor he is commonly stiled St. Edward the Confessor But he was indeed but a Weak and Easy Prince and so the more liable to be drawn away by the false suggestions of those about him as may be observed in his severe proceedings against his Mother and his Wife though that very Weakness and Easiness of Nature is in him reckoned for a Virtue as you may see by this Story which is related by Abbot Ailred viz. That this King Edward being one Afternoon laid down upon his Bed to repose himself and no body left in the Chamber with him and the Curtains close drawn round about him there came in by chance a Boy that was employed in the meaner Offices of the House who seeing no body in the room and finding there a certain Chest open in which the Chamberlain kept the Money for the King 's ordinary Expences and which had been through negligence forgot to be lock'd the Boy ran hastily to it and filling his Pockets went away with the Money But the King perceiving him through the Curtains said nothing but let him go The Boy finding he had sped so well resolved to go again to make the best of his time and having laid by the Money he had stolen came again to fetch more whereupon the King thinking him then a little too bold called out to him saying Sirrah you had best be contented with what you have got for if Hugolin come for so was the Chamberlain call'd he will not only whip you soundly but likewise take away all you have purloined already The Boy hearing a Voice but seeing no body ran away in a great fright and the King concerned himself no further about it but Hugolin coming in not long after and finding both the Chest open and a good deal of Money taken out of it was in a great Passion which the King taking notice of bid him rest contented For said he the Poor Rogue that hath it wants it more than we do So that upon the whole I think we may safely rely upon William of Malmesbury's Character of this Prince That if you consider his Simplicity he seemed very unfit for Government yet by reason of his Virtue and Piety towards God he was so directed by him that the most Politick and Couragious Kings have scarce ruled more happily For during his Reign the Kingdom was never iâ—vaded by Foreign Enemies nor were there any Civil Disturbances but what were immediately suppressed But though the Abbot of Rievalle who hath wrote his Life hath also given us a long Bed-roll of his Miracles which I shall not take upon me to relate yet cannot but take notice of one or two of them how it is said that he cured some blind People by only washing their Eyes with fair Water in which his own Fingers had been first dipped and that he also healed a Woman who had been grievously over-run with those Swellings we now call the King 's Evil by his bare washing the Sores with his own hands and from whose Blessing or Example I will not dispute the Touch of our Kings of England have ever since been thought very effectual for curing the King's-Evil But among these Miracles this seems not the least That this Author makes him to have been Elected King by his Father's Command and that in a Great Council whilst he was yet in his Mother's Belly As for his private Recreations he loved Hawking and Hunting above all the rest and would be in a Passion if he had been crossed in his Game For a Countrey Clown once spoiling his Sport the King riding up to him as if he would have beat him only said By God's-Mother I would be even with you if I could He is said not to be excessive at his private Meals nor at solemn Festivals was he at all elated with the Costly Robes he wore which his Queen curiously embroidered for him with Silk and Gold And being thus Mild Charitable and Beneficent to all his People it was no wonder if his Death was so deeply lamented by all his Subjects But this they grant to be his Fault that he brought too many Normans over with him into England and they having great Offices and Preferments bestow'd upon them soon corrupted the then English Simplicity by their Norman Customs So that as Ingulph well observes the English Nobility growing as it were ashamed of their own began to imitate the French Manners the generality of the Noblemen speaking the French Tongue in their Houses as being then most modish and made their Charters and other Writings after the French way and this humour still more and more prevailed till at length they became as it were Slaves and Vassals to those they before so extremely admired So true a Maxim is it generally speaking that where a Foreign Tongue prevails it is reckoned half a Conquest As for this King's Person he is described to be Tall and Comely of a very Fair and Ruddy Complexion and in his latter years Venerable for his long and white Beard as you may see in his Seals and Pictures And which is most remarkable he was the first English King whose Seals we can find affixed to his Charters as you may see in Mr. Speed Yet perhaps other Kings might have Seals to their Charters before him however they are now defaced But though this King made many excellent Laws which being wrote in the Saxon Tongue are now almost quite lost yet since some Heads or Extracts of them are to be found in R. Hoveden and Mr. Lambard's Collections I shall give you such of them as are necessary for the clearing of our Ancient Constitution and for shewing what liberty the English Subjects enjoyed before the Conquest which Laws were also confirmed by King William the First in the Fourth Year of his Reign but they not specifying any time when they were made I have referr'd them to this place The first of these Laws establishes the Goods and Possessions of all Clerks and Scholars The second appoints the times and days of the King's Peace making it more Penal to violate it from the Advent of our Lord to the Octaves of the Epiphany and in like manner from Lent to the Octaves of Easter i. e. eight days after that Feast and from our Lord's Ascension to the Octaves of Pentacost and also on all Saturdays from Nine a Clock to the Monday morning following likewise on the Vigils of all Holidays as
Duke William being return'd without any satisfactory Answer from King Harold the Duke employed the rest of the year in preparing all things necessary for his Expedition hiring Soldiers out of his own Countrey with large Pay and inviting Strangers from abroad with greater Allowances so that upon the Muster of his Forces he found that they did not only excel in strength of Body and height of Stature but also the chief Commanders and Captains of them were as remarkable for their Valour as for their Experience and Conduct Also his Bishops and Abbots strove with the Nobility who should by their liberal Contributions most advance this Enterprize But that the Duke might not prejudice the Equity of his Cause by precipitation he sent Ambassadors to Pope Alexander who did with great Eloquence set forth the Justice of the War which their Prince was going to undertake and that Harold not only had broken his Oath with him but refused to give him any Satisfaction either because that now he was a Crown'd Head or else that he distrusted his Cause Whereupon the Pope taking into his serious consideration this weighty matter approved of the Enterprize and sent the Duke a Consecrated Banner as an Omen of Victory which when the Duke had received he called a Great Council of his Nobility at Lillebone to ask all their Opinions in this great Affair and when they had all encouraged his Undertaking by great Promises of Assistance he appointed an Assessment for his Fleet and Army according to their several respective Estates and so they departed home till the time appointed for a General Rendezvouz But Mr. Cambden from the Authority of some Ancient Norman Writers I have not yet met with makes this Enterprize much more difficult than our Historians commonly do as that though he found his Chief Officers to whom he communicated his Design very chearful and resolute to follow him yet all the Skill lay how to bear the Charge of so great a War for when in an Assembly of all the States of Normandy a Subsidy was propounded their Answer was That in the late War against the French their Wealth was so much exhausted that if a new War should happen they should scarce be able to hold and defend their own and therefore that they were more obliged to look after the Defence of their own than to think of Invading the Territories of others That this intended War though never so just yet did not seem so necessary at that time as it was apparently hazardous and that besides the Normans were not by their Allegiance bound to Military Service in Foreign Parts Neither could they by any means be brought to grant a General Tax although William Fitz-osbern a man in high favour with the Duke and as gracious among the People endeavoured what he could to effect it and to draw in others by his own example promised to set out forty Ships at his own proper Charges Duke William then perceiving he could not bring this about in a Publick Meeting went another way to work and therefore sends for the wealthiest men of his Dutchy severally one by one to come to him then he speaks them fair and desires them to contribute somewhat toward this War Whereupon as if they had strove who should most largely assist their Prince they promised him liberally and he causing to be presently registred whatsoever they had promised it amounted to a vast Sum more than most men could reasonably ever have believed This Affair being thus dispatch'd he next craves Aid of the Princes his Neighbours to wit of the Earls of Anjou Poictou Maine and Bretaigne unto these he promised large Tracks of Land and great Possessions in England But how much each of these Princes contributed to this Expedition is not known tho as for Alan Earl of Bretaigne he certainly was so great an Assistant to Duke William that he was after this Conquest of King Harold made Earl of Richmond and had great part of the Country thereabouts given him by William when he came to be King to be held by Knights Service And for the rest of the Princes above-mentioned it is certain that they permitted Duke William to raise great store of men in their Territories who being headed by divers Noble Volunteers of those Countries at their own Charges afterwards enjoyed great Possessions in England as a Reward of their Services Duke William also made his Addresses to Philip King of France and went in Person to solicite his Assistance in this intended War against Harold voluntarily offering that King that in case he would assist him and that he thereby became victorious to hold England of him as his Vassal which King Philip refused to accept thinking it against the interest of France to make the Duke of Normandy greater than he was already who now began not to be so pliant to his Interests as he thought the many Obligations which Duke William owed the King his Father required Therefore as the growing Greatness of a Neighbouring Prince was then is and will ever be suspected by him who is his Rival in Power and Empire so King Philip was so far from giving the Duke any Assistance that he wholly dissuaded him from this Enterprize which nevertheless he vigorously pursued notwithstanding this discouragement But leaving Duke William to his Warlike Preparations we will return into England where our Annals tell us That Earl Tostige had been met upon the Northern Coast with three hundred Norwegian Ships commanded by Harold King of Norway to whom when he had joined those he had with them they all sail'd up the Humber till they came as far as York where the Earls Brothers Morcar and Eadwin met and fought them but it seems the King of Norway gain'd the Victory Ingulph is more express in this affair and says that Harold King of Norway sail'd up the River Ouse as far as York where the Fleet being left under a strong Guard they landed and stormed York and soon plundered it and slew many of the poor Inhabitants But the two Earls abovementioned having gotten together a small Recruit of ill-arm'd Countreymen were easily routed and according to our Annals when King Harold heard of it he immediately marched against the King of Norway and meeting him at Staenford-briâ—ge in Yorkshire there fought and slew that King with Earl Tostige his own Brother Ingulph adds That the Norwegians made a very stout resistance great multitudes of them being slain together with their Chief Commanders so that King Harold obtain'd an entire Victory only Prince Olave Son to Harold King of Norway and Paul Earl of Orcades were permitted quietly to return home with twenty Ships But before I dismiss this Relation I cannot omit a remarkable Example of one single Norwegian who standing upon the Bridge above-mentioned killed more than forty Englishmen with his Battel-Axe making good his Post against the whole Army till three a Clock in the Afternoon and then one going in
forced to retire beyond 〈…〉 her Brother of Normandy for safety Id. p. 38. Aelgiva a Hampshire Lady Daughter of Aelfhelm the Ealdorman one of Cnute's Wives bore him Harold whom before his death his Father appointed to be King of England after him l. 6. â— 56. But the Story seems a littlâ— improbable for it is said she was barren and therefore â—â—etenâ—ing a Big-Belly imposed on the credulous King a Supposititious Birth viz. the Son of a Shoemaker then newly born Id. p. 61. In the English-Saxon is the same with Emma in the Norman-French Dialect the Widow of King Cnute who was banished England by King Harold Id. p. 64. Aella with his three Sons slew a great many of the Britains and possessed themselves of all the Sea-Coast of Sussex l. 3. p. 132. He and Ciffa receiving fresh Supplies besieged Anâ—redesceaster and â—ook it by force and put all the Britains to the Sword Ibid. His Death Id. p. 136. Is said to be the first that ruled all over Britain l. 5. p. 254. Aella King of Deira l. 3. p. 147. A general Name given to the Kings of Deira l. 4. p. 152. His Death l. 3. p. 148. Aella a Tyrant and Usurper made King of that Countrey by the Northumbers who had expelled Osbryht newly before who was their lawful King l. 5. p. 267. Aelmer an Archdeacon betrays Canterbury to the Danes l. 6. p. 35 36. Aemilianus Emperor of Rome but three Months l. 2. p. 81. Aeneon Vid. Eneon Aescasdune now called Aston near Wallingford l. 4. p. 182 188. l. 5. p. 275. Aescwin reigns over the West-Saxons is supposed to be the next of the Royal Line l. 4. p. 194. Son of Cenwulf the Battel he fought and with whom His Death Id. 195 198. Aescwin Bishop of the East-Saxons his Death and who succeeded him l. 4. p. 196. Aesk also called Oisk and Osric Hengest's Son began his Reign when and how long he continued it l. 3. p. 132. His Death Id. p. 136. Aestel the signification of it uncertain l. 5. p. 304. Aethelbald King of the Mercians held it forty years l. 4. p. 217. His Pedigree Ibid. Took Somerton and was that great and powerful King as not to be ashamed of committing Uncleanness even with Consecrated Nuns Id. p. 221 222. Made all the rest of the Provinces of England and their Kings subject to him as far as the Humber l. 4. p. 222. Wasted the Countrey of Northumberland and carried away with him great Spoil Id. p. 223. His War with Cuthred King of the West-Saxons and the various success of it Id. p. 224 226. Slain at Seccandune in Warwickshire and buried in Ripendune Abbey which he himself had founded Id. p. 227. Aethelbald Son of Ethelwulf King of the West-Saxons and his Father made a greater slaughter of the Danes than ever was done before l. 5. p. 261. Forms a most wicked Conspiracy in the West of England against his Father upon the account of his new Wife and so gets the Kingdom divided betwixt his Father and him which before was united l. 5. p. 263 264. Vid. Ethelbald Aethelbryght Vid. Ethelbert Aethelburga returns by Sea into Kent with Paulinus the Archbishop and is received with great Honour by King Eadbald and Archbishop Honorius l. 4. p. 176. Destroys the Castle of Taunton-Dean in Somersetshire and for what reason Id. p. 218. Aethelfleda King Alfred's Eldest Daughter married to Eadred or Ethelred King of the Mercians l. 5. p. 311. Vid. Ethelfleda Aethelgiva Vid. Algiva Aethelheard the Bishop dies at York l. 4. p. 232. Vid. Ethelheard Aethelred Vid. Ethelred Aethelswithe Queen Sister to King Alfred and Widow of Burhred King of Mercia dies in her Journey to Rome l. 5. p. 298. Aethelwald Edward the Elder 's Cousin-German rebels against him and going over to the Danish Army they joyfully received him for their King He takes a Nun out of the Monastery of Winburn and marries her but going over to France to raise new Recruits King Edward seizes her and brings her back again l. 5. p. 312. Returns from France and with a mighty Army coming into Kent gets much Plunder there and then ravages over other Countries but at last is killed in fight Id. p. 313. Aethelwald Abbot received the Bishoprick of Winchester and is consecrated His many good Works and what Monasteries he repaired and built l. 6. p. 4 21. Was Father of the Monks His Decease Id. p. 21. Aethelwulf Vid. Ethelwulf Aetius somewhat recovered the Credit of the Roman Empire in Gaul l. 2. p. 106. Received doleful Latters from the Britains imploring Assistance l. 3. p. 115. Expecting a War with Attila King of the Huns Ibid. Agatha the Queen of Hungary's Sister is married to Prince Edward Son to Edmund Ironside l. 6. p. 49. Agatho the Pope his Bull to the Abbey of Medeshamstead supposed to be forgâ—d long after by the Monks of Peterburgh l. 4. p. 200. Agelbert Bishop of Kent but turned out and wherefore l. 4. p. 181 182. Left King Cenwalch and took the Bishoprick of Paris l. 4. p. 182 188. Vid. Aegelbyerth Agricola sent into Britain in Vespasian the Emperor's time as his Lieutenant Almost cut 's off the whole Nation of the Ordovices Going with his men to subdue Mona the Island sues for Peace and delivers â—t self up to him Increases his Fame by his Successes and Moderation l. 2. p. 55. His wise Conduct both in his own Family and in Britain Id. p. 56. Brought here in fashion the Roman Language Garb and Gown No Castle of his ever taken by force Rewarded with Triumphal Ornaments His farther Conquests Places Garisons in that part of Britain that lay over-against Ireland Id. p. 57. Carries on the War both by Sea and Land and overcomes the Caledonians Id. p. 58 59. Which is confessed to be more owing to his own Conduct than the Courage of the Roman Soldiers Id. p. 59. His Speech to his Soldiers and after what manner he ordered the Battel against Galgacus Id. p. 61. Overthrows and puts the Britains to flight His Ruin secretly designed by his Prince Id. p. 62 63. How at his Return he is received at Rome Accused to Domitian but acquitted Oftâ—n near his Ruin as well by his own Virtues as by the Vices of others The Proconsulship of Africa seemingly offered to him void by the Death of Civica Id. p. 64. His Death whether by Poyson or otherwise uncertain He carried the Roman Eagles to the utmost Bounds of Britain Id. p. 65. He was the Son of Severian a Pelagian Bishop Id. p. 107. Agrippina presiding over the Roman Ensigns l. 2. p. 44. Aidan a Scotch Bishop desires Edwin to remember his Vision and Promise and become a Christian l. 4. p. 173. Is sent to Oswald to ground his Subjects in the Christian Faith from the Monâ—stery of the Isle of Hye Id. 177 178. His Character being an excellent Pattern for succeeding Bishops and Clâ—rgymen to follow Id. p. 178. His Death Id. p. 182 183.
Glastenbury and for what reason Id. Ib. Commands in Person at the great Battel of Badon Hill which is said to be the twelfth Battel he had fought with them Id. p. 136. He began his Reign over the Britains in the tenth year of King Cerdic Id. p. 137. Objections against his ever being a King in Britain answered His Death but the manner uncertain his Burial at Glastenbury His Tomb found about the end of the Reign of Henry the Second and the many Fables the Britains invented of him Id. p. 136 137 138. Arviragus doubtful whether any such person but if there was he lived in the Reign of Domitian l. 2. p. 56. Under his Conduct the Britains receive fresh Strength and Courage Id. p. 65. Is supposed to have deceased towards the end of Domitian's Reign Id. p. 66. Arwald King of the Isle of Wight his two Sons executed by the Order of Ceadwalla but were first made Christians by Baptism by Abbot Reodford l. 4. p. 203. Arwan a River where uncertain but several Conjectures about it l. 6. p. 46. Asaph Scholar to Kentigern and his Successor in the See of Ellwye in North-Wales now from him called St. Asaph l. 3. p. 149. Asclepiodotus Praefect to Constantius his Slaughter of the Franks and Victory over London l. 2. p. 84 85. Ashdown in Essex called in the Saxon times Assandum l. 6. p. 46 47. Cnute builds a Church here to pray for the Souls that were slain in the Battel he had fought there with Edmund Ironside he consecrates and bestows it Id. p. 51. Assault upon any one the Punishment of it by King Alfred's Law l. 5. p. 292 295. Asser Bishop of Shireburne his Decease l. 5. p. 286 315. Assize-charges the Antiquity of them l. 6. p. 13. Asterius Bishop of Genova ordains Byrinus an Italian l. 4. p. 179. Ataulphus takes Tholouse sometime after the Death of Alaric l. 2. p. 104. Athelgiva Mistress or Wife to King Edwi for it is variously reported the story of her l. 5. p. 353. The Revenge that was taken on her by Odo Archbishop of Canterbury Her being sent into Ireland from the King with her Return and Death Id. p. 354. Athelm Archbishop of Canterbury performed the Office of Athelstan's Coronation His Death l. 5. p. 329. Athelney in Somersetshire anciently called Aetheling-gaige l. 5. p. 282 298. That is the Isle of Nobles where Alfred had lain concealed Id. p. 298. A Monastery built there by King Alfred for Monks of divers Nations Id. p. 298 307. Athelric King of all Northumberland reigned two years over Bernicia married Acca Daughter to Aella King of Deira l. 3. p. 148. Athelstan slain in fight by Hungus King of the Picts with the assistance of Ten thousand Scots sent him by Achaius King of that Countrey all an idle story l. 5. p. 250. Who this Athelstan was 't is supposed none knows Ibid. Athelstan supposed to be Natural Son to King Ethelwulf often mentioned in this History but our Writers are silent as to his Death l. 5. p. 258. Fought with the Danes at Sea and routed them taking nine Ships and patting the rest to flight Id. p. 261. Athelstan Son to Edward the Elder commanding one Division of his Father's Army against Leofred a Dane and Griffyth ap Madoc the Success thereof l. 5. p. 321. The Name signifies The most Noble Appointed by his Father's Testament to succeed him in the Kingdom not born of the Queen but of one Egwinna l. 5. p. 326 327. His Election by the Mercians and the manner of his Coronation Id. p. 329. Marries his Sister Edgitha to Sihtric a Danish King of Northumberland with an account of him and his Death Id. p. 330. Adds the Kingdom of Northumberland to his own Id. Ib. 331. His seven years Penance on the account of his Brother Edwin's being drowned Id. p. 331 332. The great Victory he obtained over the Scots and what was the occassion of his warring with them He demolishes the Castle the Danes had fortified at York and taking great Booty there distributes it among his Soldiers Drove the Welsh cut of Exeter and built new walls about it Id. p. 332 333. The great Victory he gain'd over the Scotch Irish and Danes Id. p. 334 335 336. Took Cumberland and Westmorland from the Scots and recovered Northumberland from the Danes Pawn'd his Knife at the Altar as he went to make War against the Scots promising to redeem it at his return with Victory Founded the Abbey of Middleton in Dorsetshire and upon what account Reign'd fourteen years and tâ—n months and then died at Gloucester Id. p. 337. Is said to be the first that reduced all England into one Monarchy Imposeth a Yearly Tribute upon Constantine King of the Scots and Howell King of the Britains of 20 l. in Gold and 300 l. in Silver and 25000 Head of Cattel Id. p. 337 338. The Rich Presents were sent to him from divers Kings Id. p. 339. Made many good Laws and some of the most remarkable may be seen in p. 339 340 341. Buried in the Abbey of Malmesbury bred up under his Uncle Ethelred Earl of Mercia His Character Id. p. 329 338 339. Athelwald King of the South-Saxons had the Isle of Wight given him by Wulfher l. 4. p. 188. Is slain by Ceadwalla who seized on his Province Id. p. 203. Athelward Vid. Ethelward Athelwold Vid. Ethelwald Attacotti who these were that Ammianus joins with the Scoti has very much perplexed the Modern Criticks l. 2. p. 91 92. Atticus Vid. Aurelius Augusta that ancient City now called London l. 2. p. 92. Augustine sent into Britain with many Monks to preach the Gospel l. 3. p. 148. His Arrival in Britain in the year 597. Id. p. 149. l. 4. p. 153. How he came to be sent and the Accidents that happen'd to him by the way with his Landing in the Isle of Thanet on the East part of Kent l. 4. p. 152 153. Residence appointed by King Ethelbert's Order for him and his Monks at Canterbury which was the Metropolis of his Kingdom How his preaching to him and his Nobles there was received Id. p. 154. Ordained Archbishop of the British Nation and by whom as also his sending to the Pope to desire his Opinion about certain Questions Wherein is seen the state of Religion in the Western Church at his coming over Id. p. 155. Rebuilt an old Church first erected by the Christian Romans appointing it a See for himself and his Successors Id. 154 157. Had an Archiepiscopal Pall sent him with power to ordain twelve Bishops l. 4. p. 157 158. His Legantine Authority over all the Bishops of Britain Id. p. 160. Summons a Synod at Augustine's Ake or Oak in Worcestershire Ib. p. 161. His miraculous Cure of a Blind Man upon which the Britains believed his Doctrine to be true Id. Ib. His Death and place of his Burial Id. p. 162 165. His Prediction on the Britains fulfilled Id. p. 164. Supposed to be of
by Dioclesian Id. p. 87. Died at York Ibid. Vid. Constantine the Great Cloveshoe a Synod appointed to be assembled there once a year l. 4. p. 193. The Great Synod where were present Ethelbald the Mercian King and Archbishop Cuthbert where the place was is uncertain several Supposals and Conjectures about it Id. p. 224. The second Council held here and what was decreed in it Id. p. 225. The third Council held here under King Kenwulf and what was transacted therein Id. p. 243. l. 5. p. 248. A Synod held here under King Beornwulf and Archbishop Wilfrid whose Constitutions wholly relate to Ecclesiastical Affairs l. 5. p. 253. Another Synodal Council held here by Beornwulf c. wherein some Disputes about Lands between Heabert Bishop of Worcester and the Monastery of Westburgh are determined Ibid. Cnobsbury a Town wherein Fursaeus by the help of King Sigebert erects a Monastery which afterwards Anna King of the East-Angles richly endows l. 4. p. 180. Cnute having obtained the Crown of England restores its ancient Laws and Liberties l. 5. p. 246. Builds a Noble Monastery at Beadricesworth now St. Edmundsbury whither the Body of Edmund the Martyr was removed some time before l. 5. p. 323. Is chosen King by all the Danish Fleet and Army after the Death of his Father Sweyn l. 6. p. 39. Puts the Hostages on Shore at Sandwich that were given to his Father but first cuts off their Hands and Noses Ibid. Plunders all about Wiltshire Dorsetshire and Somersetshire c. and Aedric and the West-Saxons Submission to him Id. p. 40 41 42. Is chosen King by several of the Bishops Abbots and Noblemen of England upon which he comes up with his Fleet to Greenwich to besiege London and the Battels he fought with King Edmund and those that espoused his Interest Id. p. 45 46 47. A Peace concluded on between him and Edmund Ironside with an Account of the Particulars of it Id. p. 47 48. The Council he summoned to London about making him King of all England and setting aside his Children and Brethren from the Kingdom of the West-Saxons Id. p. 49. When he began his Reign divides all England into four Parts or Governments râ—serving West-Saxony to himself Id. p. 50. Marries Emma Widow of the King his Predecessor and the Reason of State for it Goes to Denmark to subdue the Vandals carrying along with him an Army of English and Danes the former behaving themselves so bravely against the Enemy that after that Battel he had the English in as much esteem at his own Native Subjects Holds a Great Council at Cyrencester and what is â—ransacted therein Id. p. 51. A Parliament called by him at Winchester and who present and what decreed therein l. 6. p. 52. Founds the Monastery of Beadricesworth where a Church had been built before and endows it which was one of the Largest and Richest in England Ibid. Goes again into Denmark with his Fleet and engages with the Swedes both by Land and Sea the latter getting the Victory Two years after he drives Olaf out of Norway and conquers it for himself Ranishes Hacun a Danish Earl his Nephew by Marriage under pretence of an Embassy Id. p. 53. Agrees with Robert Duke of Normandy That King Ethelred's two Sons should have half the Kingdom peaceably during his life Gives the Port of Sandwich to Christ-Church in Canterbury with all the Issues c. And founds a Monastery for Benedictines in Norfolk called St. Bennet's in Holme Id. p. 54. Goes to Rome and what he does there he declares in a Letter he sent upon his return from thence into England to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York Id. p. 55. Goes into Scotland and there King Malcolme becomes subject to him Before his Death he appoints Swayn his Eldest Son King of Norway Hardecnute his Son by Queen Emma King of Denmark and Harold his Son by Elgiva King of England after him Id. p. 56 61. Dies at Shaftsbury and is buried at the new Monastery of Winchester having reigned almost Twenty Years His Character A pretty Story about the sense he had of the Vanity of Worldly Empire Id. p. 57. The Laws he ordains with the Consent of his Wise Men at Winchester Id. p. 57 58 59 60. His Laws afterwards confirm'd and renew'd by King Edward the Confessor at the Request of the Northumbers Id. p. 90. Coelestine the Pope sends Palladius the Bishop to the Scots to confirm their Faith l. 2. p. 109 110. Cogidunus held several British Cities of Ostorius Scapula as Tributary to the Roman Empire l. 2. p. 41. Coifi chief of King Edwin's Idol Priests consents to receive the Christian Religion confessing his own to be good for nothing l. 4. p. 173. Burns the Idol Temples and demolishes the Altars of his former Gods Id. p. 174. Coil the Son of Marius succeeds him in Britain loves the Romans and is honoured by them and governs the Kingdom long and peaceably l. 2. p. 67. Dies towards the end of Marcus Aurelius the Emperor's Reign Id. p. 68. Coinage King Athelstan's Law That no Money be coined out of some Town no embasing to be of the Coin under Forfeiture of the loss of the Hand c. l. 5. p. 340. Though not Treason in King Ethelred's time yet punishable at the King's discretion either by Fine or Death l. 6. p. 44. Vid. Money Colchester anciently called Colnaceastre taken from the Danes by the men of Kent Surrey and Essex and the neighbouring Towns The Wall rebuilt and all ruinous places repaired by the Command of King Edward the Elder l. 5. p. 322. Coldingham the Monastery Vid. Monastery of Coludesburgh Coleman Bishop of Lindisfarne departs to Scotland and upon what account l. 4. p. 189. Coludesburgh a great Monastery of Monks and Nuns together called afterwards Coldingham in the Marches of Scotland burnt and how l. 4. p. 198 199. Columba the Priest or Presbyter comes out of Ireland to preach the Word of God to the Northern Picts and receives the Island of Hy to build a Monastery in l. 3. p. 143. Comets one appeared in King Egfrid's time that continued three Months carrying with it every morning a large Tail like a Pillar l. 4. p. 196. Another in Ethelheard's time l. 4. p. 220. One appeared some time after Easter in the year 891. l. 5. p. 298. Another appeared about the time of Queen Ealswithe's Death Id. p. 313. Another was seen in the year 995. l. 6. p. 26. A dreadful one appeared which was visible in all these parts of the world Id. p. 106. Commodus succeeds his Father Marcus Aurelius in the Empire l. 2. p. 68. In his Reign the Britains and other Countries were much infested with Wars and Seditions Id. p. 70. Makes Helvius Pertinax Lieutenant in Britain but was soon dismissed of his Government there Id. p. 70 71 He was odious to the Commonwealth because of his Vices by which he not only destroyed it but disgraced himself Id. p. 71.
Battel by the Kentish men l. 5. p. 313. After his Death the Danes there yielded themselves up to Edward the Elder l. 5. p. 322 323. The Ecclesiastical Laws made between this Eoric who succeeded Gutherne in the Government of east-East-England and King Edward Id. p. 326. Eorpenwald King of the East-Angles Son to Redwald when he began his Reign l. 4. p. 157. Is succeeded by his Brother Sigebert whom formerly he had Banished Id. p. 179. Eorpwald or Eorpald King of the East-Saxons Baptized but not long after is slain by one Richbert a Heathen l. 4. p. 175. Eowils slain in battel with many thousands of his Danes at a place called Wodnesfield by King Edward the Elder 's Army l. 5. p. 315. Ercenbright or Ercombert Vid. Earcombert Eric the Son of Harold whom the Northumbers set up for their King and about a year or two after drove him out again l. 5. p. 350. Erkenwald Younger Son to Anna King of the East-Angles is Consecrated Bishop of London by Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury He founded Two Monasteries before he came to be Bishop and for whom l. 4. p. 196. Continued Bishop thereof till after the Reign of King Ina Id. p. 201. Ermenred The Eldest Son of Eadbald craftily supplanted by his Younger Brother Earcombert who got the Kingdom from him He had Two Sons who were cruelly Murthered by Thunore one of the King's Thanes whom he employed in that Execucution l. 4. p. 180 185. Esylht Daughter to Conan King or Prince of North-Wales Marries Merwyn Urych a Nobleman the Son of Gwyriad who afterwards was King in her Right l. 5. p. 251. Ethelard Ordained Archbishop of York l. 4. p. 238. Ethelbald succeeds Ceolred in the Kingdom of Mercia and holds it One and Forty years l. 4. p. 217. Ethelbald after his Father's Death succeeds him in West-Saxony l. 5. p. 265. Marries his Father's Widow but afterwards Repenting of the Incest puts her away from him His Character Reign Death and Burial Id. p. 266. Vid Aethelbald Ethelbert King of Kent in his time Pope Gregory made the English-Saxons Christians l. 3. p. 143 153. Beaten by Ceawlin and Cutha his Brother his double Character and Alliance l. 3. p. 145. The most powerful Prince that had Reigned in Kent having extended the bounds of his Dominions as far as Humber he Marries Bertha a Christian Lady the King of France his Sister and upon what Conditions l. 4. p. 153. By Augustin's persuasion builds the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Canterbury Id. p. 157. Is Baptized in St. Pancrace Church there which before had been a Heathen Temple Ibid. Had many noble Presents sent him by Pope Gregory with a Letter full of Sanatory Advice Id. p. 158 159. Builds the Church of St. Andrew at Rochester and endows it Id. p. 160. Confirms in a Great Council both of Clergy and Laity all the Grants and Charters whereby he had settled great Endowments on both Christ-Church and that of St. Pancrace Ibid. But his Charters are very suspitious of being Forged in many respects Id. p. 163. The Secular Laws that were Enacted in the Great Council in his time Id. Ibid. His Death and Burial in St. Martin's Porch in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul He was the First English King that ever received Baptism and lived above Twenty years after his Conversion Id. p. 168. He was the Third King that Ruled over all Britain l. 5. p. 254. Ethelbert is Consecrated Bishop of Witerne called in Latin Candida Casa at York l. 4. p. 231. One of his Name Bishop of Hagulstad Deceases l. 4. p. 241. Ethelbert the Son of Ethelred King of the East-Angles is slain in the Court of King Offa and by whose Instigations l. 4. p. 237. Ethelbert or Aethelbryht after his Brother Ethelbald's Decease takes the Kingdom and holds it in great Peace and Quiet from Domestick Commotions l. 5. p. 266. His Death lamented after having Governed Five years to general satisfaction buried at Shireburne and is supposed to have a Son called Ethelwald Id. p. 267. Ethelbryht the Son of King Withred succeeds Eadbryht King of Kent l. 4. p. 225. Nothing remarkable but that the City of Canterbury was Burnt in his Reign Id. p. 228. His Death Ibid. Ethelburgh Vid. Aethelburga Etheldrethe twice married but would let neither of her Husbands enjoy her which was accounted in those days a great piece of Sanctity l. 4. p. 193 198. Is Foundress of the Monastery of Ely in which she her self became the First Abbess Id. p. 193. Daughter to Anna King of the East-Saxons her Death and after Sixteen Years Burial her Body being taken up as whole as at first she was Canonized and called St. Audrey of Ely Id. p. 198 199. Etheldrith Daughter to King Offa and once the Spouse of Ethelbert King of the East-Angles a holy Virgin that lived in a Cell wherein Withlaff King of the Mercians found a safe Retreat from the high Displeasure of Egbert for Four Months till he was reconciled to him l. 5. p. 254. Etheler King of the East-Angles taking part with Penda against Oswy is slain l. 4. p. 185. Ethelfleda the Lady of Mercia builds many Castles to secure the Mercian Frontiers against the Danes and Welsh l. 5. p. 316. Sends an Army against the Welsh which took Brecenanmere supposed to be Brecknock Castle and the King's Wife and about Four and thirty Prisoners Id. p. 319. Takes the Town of Derby and the City of Canterbury Reduces Leicester under her Dominion and the Danes become subject to her Dies at Tamworth in the Eighth Year of her Government and lies buried at Gloucester in the East-Isle of St. Peter's Church Her Character Id. p. 320. Vid. Ethelred Duke of Mercia her Husband Ethelfred the Son of Ethelric the Son of Ida reigns over both the Northumbrian Kingdoms l. 3. p. 148. l. 4. p. 159. A Warlike Prince that wasted the Britains more than any other Saxon Kings l. 4. p. 159. Leads his Army to Leger-Ceaster and theâ—e slays a great multitude of Britains Id. p. 164. His Pursuit of Edwin after his Banishment though he was of the Blood-Royal Id. p. 169. Is slain by Redwald King of the East-Angles and his Sons banished by Edwin Id. p. 170. Ethelfreda or Elfreda Daughter to Earl Ordgar and Widow of Ethelwald Earl of the East-Angles married to King Edgar and her Children by him l. 6. p. 5 6. The Trick her first Husband plaid to obtain her and the return she made him for it Id. p. 9 10. Builds a Nunnery in the place where her first Husband was slain Id. p. 10 20. She is crowned Queen to the great displeasure of Archbishop Dunstan Id. p. 10. Contrives the Death of Edward the Martyr and how but being convinced of her wickedness for it she betook her self to very severe Penalties Id. p. 17 18. Her violent Passion to her Son Ethelred a Youth in beating him unmercifully with a Wax-Taper and why Id. p. 19. Takes
the King's Game under a penalty l. 6. p. 60. Huntington anciently called Huntandune l. 5. p. 321. Is repaired and rebuilt in those places that had been destroyed by the Command of King Edward the Elder Id. p. 322. Hussa Succeeds Freodguald in the Kingdom of Bernicia l. 3. p. 146. Hyde and Abbey called by this Name near Winchester l. 5. p. 318. Hye an Island that had always a Bishop residing in it l. 3. p. 143 144. The Monks of Hye Converted by Egbert to the Right Faith in making them to observe Easter Orthodoxly as also the Ecclesiastical Tonsure l. 4. p. 217. I JAgo and Jevaf Princes of North-Wales raise great and long Wars to get the Supreme Government of all Wales as being of the Elder House to the Sons of Howel l. 5. p. 349 350. Civil Wars between them Jago keeping his Brother Prisoner by force for near six years l. 6. p. 6. Jevaf restored to his Liberty by his Son Howel and Jago driven out of the Countrey but by Edgar's mediation with Howel his Uncle was restored to what he held in Jevaf's time Id. p. 7. Great Commotions in Wales upon these Princes and their Sons accounts and the issue thereof Id. p. 16 20 21 22 23. Jago Son to Edwal a Prince of Wales is advanced to the Throne as lawful Heir but could not be admitted to South-Wales Id. p. 53. His Soldiers deserting him he is slain in Battel by Griffyth ap Lewelin Id. p. 64. Janbryht also called Lambert Consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury received the Pall l. 4. p. 228 229. Lost part of his Province to the See of Litchfield Id. p. 233. His Death and who succeeded him Id. p. 236. Japhet very probable that Europe was Peopled by his Posterity l. 1. p. 4. From him originally descended the Saxons that first came into Britain l. 3. p. 121. Iberi were the Spaniards by whom the Southern part of Britain was Peopled l. 1. p. 4. Icanho supposed to be Boston in Lincolnshire where one Bottulf began to build a Monastery l. 4. p. 185. Iceni those who inhabited Suffolk Norfolk Camebridge and Huntingtonshire l. 2. p. 42. Their being overcome by Ostorius Scapula Id. Ib. Are turned out of their ancient Estates and treated like Slaves Id. p. 47. With the Trinobantes rise up in Arms against the Romans to deliver themselves from their hated servitude Id. p. 47 48. Ida the first that took upon him the Title of King of the Northumbrian Kingdom who had Twelve Sons partly by Wives partly by Concubines with his Sons he came into Britain and landed at Flensburgh with Forty Ships and built Bamborough Castle in Northumberland l. 3. p. 142. He hath the Character of being a very Gallant Man but dies within a few years Id. p. 143. Idel a River on the Mercian Border now in Nottinghamshire l. 4. p. 170 171. Idols Their Temples Pope Gregory would not have pulled down but a-new Consecrated l. 4. p. 158. Coisi Burns and utterly destroys the Idol Temples l. 4. p. 173 174. Are destroyed at Earcombert's Command throughout his Kingdom of Kent Id. p. 180. Jerne that is according to the Scottish Writers the Province of Strathern l. 2. p. 98. Jerusalem the Temple there laboured though in vain to be rebuilt by Alypius a Heathen l. 2. p. 90. Jews all that were in the Kingdom to be under the Protection of the King l. 6. p. 102. Iffi the Son of Prince Osfrid received Baptism l. 4. p. 174 176. Dies in France under King Dagobert's Tuition in his Infancy Id. p. 176. Igmond the Dane with a great Number of Soldiers Lands in the Isle of Anglesey where they obtain a Victory over the Welsh-men who gave them Battel l. 5. p. 303. Ilford near Christ-Church in Hampshire seated in the New Forest called Itene in English-Saxon perhaps it anciently went by the Name of Ityngaford l. 5. p. 314. Iltutus a Pious and Learned Britain of Glamorganshire l. 3. p. 149. Images not introduced into the English-Saxon Church at the foundation of the Abbey of Evesham by Edwin Bishop of Worcester as is pretended by some l. 4. p. 216 217. Image-Worship the Church of God wholly abominated as practised in the Greek and Roman Churches and was not then receiv'd in England l. 4. p. 236 237. Impostor a notable Scotch one who called himself Run sets up for Prince of South-Wales but he and his Army soon put to the Rout l. 6. p. 52. Ina King of the West-Saxons builds a Monastery at Glastenbury endows it with divers Lands and exempts it from all Episcopal Jurisdiction Reigns Seven and thirty years goes to Rome and there Dies l. 4. p. 204 218 219 220. The Son of Kenred the Son of Ceolwald when he took the Kingdom but without any Right of Successive Descent Id. p. 205. Summons the first Authentick Great Council whose Laws are come to us entire Id. p. 208 209. The Kentish-men enter into a League with him and give him Thirty thousand Pounds for his Friendship and why Id. p. 209. And Nun his Kinsman fight with Gerent King of the Britains Id. p. 215. And Ceolred fight a bloody Battel at Wodensburgh in Wiltshire Id. p. 217. Fights with the South-Saxons and slays Eadbert Aetheling whom before he had banished Id. p. 218. Romescot is conferred on the Bishop of Rome first by him but if so it must be with the Consent of the Great Council of the Kingdom Id. p. 219. A Great Example of his Magnanimity and Justice Piety and Devotion Id. p. 219 220. His being King of Wales as well as England and his marrying Guala the Daughter of Cadwallader King of the Britains a groundless and fabulous story Id. p. 220. Indian Apostles St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew were so called because they were there martyr'd l. 5. p. 286. Indians their deadly Feud against all the Kindred of one that murthers any of them l. 5. p. 347. Ingerlingum the place where King Oswin was treacherously murthered and where afterwards a Monastery was built l. 4. p. 182 183. Ingild the Brother of King Ina his Death l. 4. p. 218. Ingwar a Danish Captain who held London is slain by King Alfred l. 5. p. 286. Inquest Grand the Antiquity of Trials by them of more than twelve men l. 6. p. 43. Intestates how the Goods of those who dye so are to be distributed l. 6. p. 59. Inundation a mighty one about Greenwich that drowned both many People and Towns l. 6. p. 39. Invasion Of the Romans upon the Britains an Account thereof as also of that of the Picts and Scots and then of the English-Saxons after that of the Danes and lastly of the Normans Ep. Dedic l. 5. p. 246. John of Beverlie first he was Bishop of Hagulstad then of York l. 4. p. 202 213 215. He was Bishop Three and thirty Years and Eight Months then dies and is buried at Beverlie and afterwards canonized by the name of St. John of Beverlie Id. p. 218. John
very well skill'd in the Holy Scriptures sent to King Alfred out of Mercia l. 5. p. 305 306. West-burgh a Monastery in Worcestershire l. 5. p. 253. West-Chester Vid. Chester Westminster Church and Abbey founded by King Sebert Mellitus the Bishop dedicating it to St. Peter l. 4. p. 166. But being destroyed by the Danes it had ever since lain in Ruins till Edward the Confessor built it anew and had it re-consâ—crated l. 6. p. 93 94 95. The Legend of this Church her having been anciently consecrated by St. Peter Id. p. 93. Charter of Endowment and Privileges of this Church confirmed by the Great Council The Greatest and Noblest of any Foundation in England Id. p. 94. West-Saxons when this Kingdom first began l. 3. p. 133. Were conquered by Cerdic and his Sâ—ns Id. Ib. Who first took upon them the Title of the Kings of the West-Saxons and at last they overcome all the other six Kingdoms Id. p. 136. They fight with Ivor and are put to flight Id. p. 145. Cut off Sebert's three Sons who were all Heirs to the East-Saxon Kingdom l. 4. p. 168 169. Their Conversion by the preaching of Byrinus an Italian Id. p. 179. Anciently called Gewisses Id. Ib. Bishop of the West-Saxons that is of Dorchester Id. p. 203. Their Royal Standard a Golden Dragon Id. p. 226. Are forced to maintain the Danes and what Money they give them besides l. 6. p. 25. Submit to King Cnute and give him Hostages and likewise provide Horses for his Army Id. p. 41. Westwude since called Shireburne l. 4. p. 214. Whalie in Lancashire anciently called Wealaege where a bloody Battel was fought and with whom l. 4. p. 241. Wheat at what rate sold in Hardecnute's time Vid. Sester Whipping a Punishment to be inflicted only on Villains l. 5. p. 285. Whitby in Yorkshire anciently called Streanshale l. 4. p. 189. Whitchurch in Hampshire anciently called Whitcircan l. 6. p. 28. Whitsand an ancient Port Five hundred years before Caesar's time l. 2. p. 31. About the Fourteenth Century was made unserviceable being stopp'd up by the Sands Id. Ib. Wibbendon now Wimbledon in Surrey l. 3. p. 145. Wiccon now Worcestershire l. 4. p. 242. l. 5. p. 247. Widow to remain so a Twelvemonth by King Cnute's Law and if she marry within that time to lose her Dower and all that her Husband left her l. 6. p. 60. Wigbryht Bishop of the West-Saxons goes to Rome about the Affairs of the English Church l. 5. p. 251. Wigheard the Presbyter sent to Rome there to be made Archbishop of Canterbury but died almost as soon as he arrived there l. 4. p. 195 205. Wight is brought under subjection by Titus Vespatian l. 2. p. 41. The Isle anciently called Vecta l. 2. p. 84. Is conquered by Cerdic and Cynric who bâ—stow it on Stufe and Withgar Nephews to the former l. 3. p. 138. Is taken by Wulfher King of Mercia l. 4. p. 188. Received at last the Christian Faith though upon hard terms l. 4. p. 203. The Danes quartering here made it their old Sanctuary l. 6. p. 27 31. Wightred confirms all the Privileges of the Monks of the Church of Canterbury by a Charter under his Hand l. 4. p. 163. Wigmore in Herefordshire anciently called Wigingamere l. 5. p. 321. Wilbrode an English Priest converts several Nations in Germany to the Christian Faith is ordained by the Pope Archbishop of the Frisons l. 4. p. 211. His Episcopal See was the famous Castle anciently called Wiltaburg now Utrecht Id. p. 211 212. Wilfreda a Nun taken out of a Cloyster at Wilton by King Edgar by whom he had a Beautiful Daughter that was afterwards Abbess of the said Monastery l. 6. p. 3 12. St. Wilfrid Bishop of York when he caused the Rule of St. Benedict to be observed in England l. 4. p. 167 168. Wilfrid Abbot chosen unanimously by Oswi's Great Council Bishop of Lindisfarne and how he came to lose it upon his refusing Consecration here at home l. 4. p. 190. Is sent into France to be ordained Id. p. 192. A great Contention between King Egfrid and him so that he was expell'd his Bishoprick Id. p. 196. He appeals to Rome and what the success thereof Id. p. 197. By his preaching converts the South-Saxons Id. p. 198. Receives of Ceadwallo as much Land in the Isle of Wight as maintain'd 300 Families Id. p. 203. Is recalled home by King Alfred and restored in a General Synod to his Sees of York and Hagulstad Id. p. 204 213. Is a second time expelled by Alfred and why Id. p. 205 206. Three times deprived the first time unjustly but whether so the other two is doubtful His Decease at Undale and Burial at Ripon in Yorkshire Id. p. 214 215. His Character Is the first Bishop in that Age that ever used Silver Plate Id. p. 215. An Account of his building the Monastery of Ripon l. 5. p. 350. The second Bishop of York of that name his Death l. 4. p. 224. Wilfrid or Wulfred consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury in the room of Ethelward deceased and the next year received his Pall l. 5. p. 248. Goes to Rome about the Affairs of the British Church Id. p. 251. His Death and the different Account who succeeded him Id. p. 255. William the Son of Robert Duke of Normandy by Harlotte his Concubine afterwards King of England to whom recommended whilst his Father made his Pilgrimage to Jerusalem l. 6. p. 54. When he began to reign in Normandy Id. p. 56. The great Battel at Vallesdune in Normandy upon his account Id. p. 74. His coming over into England and noble Reception here with Edward's promising to make him his Successor Id. p. 79. Takes the City of Man l. 6. p. 89. Sets Harold at liberty who was detained by the Earl of Ponthieu contracts Friendship with and betroths his Daughter to him Id. p. 92. Harold promises upon King Edward's death to deliver up Dover-Castle to him and procure his Succession to the Throne Id. Ib. Could have no pretence to the Crown of England by Blood Id. p. 96 97. His great Preparations to invade England and the reasons why first acquainting the Pope with his Design and receiving his Answer with the account of his craving Aid of his People and Neighbour Princes Id. p. 107 108 109. His coming over and landing at Pevensey and Preparations for a Battel but first sends a Monk to Harold with Proposals which he by no means would hearken to Id. p. 110 111. The manner how he drew up his Army in order to fight him Id. p. 112. By seeming to retreat he gets the Victory wherein Harold is slain Id. p. 212 213. Having got Harold's Standard which was curiously embroider'd he sends it to the Pope Id. p. 113. Sends Harold's Body as soon as it was found to his Mother Id. p. 114. Wills Last Vid. Testament Wilton near Salisbury supposed anciently to be Ellendune where a great Battel was fought between