Scotland which could not be now for anie earledome did homage to the sonne of Henrie the second with a reseruation of the dutie to king Henrie the second his father Also the earledome of Huntingdon was as ye haue heard before this forfeited by Malcolme his brother and neuer after restored to the crowne of Scotland This William did afterward attend vpon the same Henrie the second in his warres in Normandie against the French king notwithstanding their French league and then being licenced to depart home in the tenth of this prince and vpon the fiftéenth of Februarie he returned and vpon the sixtéenth of October did homage to him for the realme of Scotland In token also of his perpetuall subiection to the crowne of England he offered vp his cloake his faddle and his speare at the high altar in Yorke wherevpon he was permitted to depart home into Scotland where immediatlie he mooued cruell warre in Northumberland against the same king Henrie being as yet in Normandie But God tooke the defense of king Henries part and deliuered the same William king of Scots into the hands of a few Englishmen who brought him prisoner to king Henrie into Normandie in the twentith yeere of his reigne But at the last at the sute of Dauid his brother Richard bishop of saint Andrews and other bishops and lords he was put to this fine for the amendment of his trespasse to wit to paie ten thousand pounds sterling and to surrender all his title to the earldome of Huntingdon Cumberland Northumberland into the hands of king Henrie which he did in all things accordinglie sealing his charters thereof with the great seale of Scotland and signets of his nobilitie yet to be seene wherein it was also comprised that he and his successours should hold the realme of Scotland of the king of England and his successours for euer And herevpon he once againe did homage to the same king Henrie which now could not be for the earledome of Huntingdon the right whereof was alreadie by him surrendred And for the better assurance of this faith also the strengths of Berwike Edenborough Roxborough and Striueling were deliuered into the hands of our king Henrie of England which their owne writers confesse But Hector Boetius saith that this trespasse was amended by fine of twentie thousand pounds sterling and that the erledome of Huntingdon Cumberland and Northumberland were deliuered as morgage into the hands of king Henrie vntill other ten thousand pounds sterling should be to him paid which is so farre from truth as Hector was while he liued from well meaning to our countrie But if we grant that it is true yet prooueth he not that the monie was paid nor the land otherwise redéemed or euer after came to anie Scotish kings hands And thus it appeareth that the earledome of Huntingdon was neuer occasion of the homages of the Scotish kings to the kings of England either before this time or after This was doone 1175. Moreouer I read this note hereof gathered out of Robertus Montanus or Montensis that liued in those daies and was as I take it confessor to king Henrie The king of Scots dooth homage to king Henrie for the kingdome of Scotland and is sent home againe his bishops also did promise to doo the like to the archbishop of Yorke and to acknowledge themselues to be of his prouince and iurisdiction By vertue also of this composition the said Robert saith that Rex Angliae dabat honores episcopatus abbatias alias dignitates in Scotia vel saltem eius consilio dabantur that is The king of England gaue honors bishopriks abbatships and other dignities in Scotland or at the leastwise they were not giuen without his aduise and counsell At this time Alexander bishop of Rome supposed to haue generall iurisdiction ecclesiasticall through christendome established the whole cleargie of Scotland according to the old lawes vnder the iurisdiction of the archbishop of Yorke In the yeare of our Lord 1185 in the moneth of August at Cairleill Rouland Talmant lord of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie with all that held of him In the two and twentith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the second Gilbert sonne of Ferguse prince of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie and left Dunecan his sonne in hostage for conseruation of his peace Richard surnamed Coeur de Lion because of his stoutnesse and sonne of this Henrie was next king of England to whome the same William king of Scots did homage at Canturburie for the whole kingdome of Scotland This king Richard was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostrich for whose redemption the whole realme was taxed at great summes of monie vnto the which this William king of Scots as a subiect was contributorie and paied two thousand markes sterling In the yeare of our Lord 1199 Iohn king of England sent to William king of Scots to come and doo his homage which William came to Lincolne in the moneth of December the same yeare and did his homage vpon an hill in the presence of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and of all the people there assembled and therevnto tooke his oth and was sworne vpon the crosse of the said Hubert also he granted by his charter confirmed that he should haue the mariage of Alexander his sonne as his liegeman alwaies to hold of the king of England promising moreouer that he the said king William and his sonne Alexander should keepe and hold faith and allegiance to Henrie sonne of the said king Iohn as to their chiefe lord against all maner of men that might liue and die Also whereas William king of Scots had put Iohn bishop of saint Andrew out of his bishoprike pope Clement wrote to Henrie king of England that he should mooue and induce the same William and if néed required by his roiall power and prerogatiue ouer that nation to compell him to leaue his rancor against the said bishop and suffer him to haue and occupie his said bishoprike againe In the yeare of our Lord 1216 and fiue twentith of the reigne of Henrie sonne to king Iohn the same Henrie and the quéene were at Yorke at the feast of Christmasse for the solemnization of a marriage made in the feast of saint Stephan the martyr the same yeare betwéene Alexander king of Scots and Margaret the kings daughter and there the said Alexander did homage to Henrie king of England for all the realme of Scotland In buls of diuerse popes were admonitions giuen to the kings of Scots as appeareth by that of Gregorie the fift and Clement his successor that they should obserue and trulie kéepe all such appointments as had béene made betwéene the kings of England and Scotland And that the kings of Scotland should still hold the realme of Scotland of the kings of England vpon paine of cursse and interdiction After the death of Alexander king of Scots Alexander his sonne
strangers to resort vnto as haue no habitation in anie parish within the citie where it standeth The sée of London was erected at the first by Lucius who made it of an archeflamine and temple of Iupiter an archbishops sée and temple vnto the liuing God and so it continued vntill Augustine translated the title thereof to Canturburie The names of the archbishops of London are these Theon Eluan Cadoc Owen Conan Palladius Stephan Iltutus restitutus anno 350 Theodromus Theodredus Hilarius Fastidius anno 420 Guittelinus Vodinus slaine by the Saxons and Theonus Iunior But for their iust order of succession as yet I am not resolued neuerthelesse the first bishop there was ordeined by Augustine the moonke in the yeare of Christ 604 in the time of Ceolrijc after he had remooued his see further off into Kent I woote not vpon what secret occasion if not the spéedie hearing of newes from Rome and readinesse to flee out of the land if any trouble should betide him For iurisdiction it includeth Essex Middlesex and part of Herefordshire which is neither more nor lesse in quantitie than the ancient kingdome of the east Angles before it was vnited to the west Saxons The cathedrall church belonging to this sée was first begun by Ethelbert of Kent Indic 1. 598 of Inuber as I find whilest he held that part of the said kingdome vnder his gouernement Afterward when the Danes had sundrie times defaced it it was repared and made vp with hard stone but in the end it was taken downe and wholie reedified by Mawrice bishop of that sée and sometimes chapleine to the bastarâ—â— Henrie the first allowing him stone and stuffe from Bainards castell néere vnto Ludgate then ruinous for the furtherance of his works Howbeit the moold of the quire was not statelie inough in the eies of some of his successors wherefore in the yeare of Grace 1256 it was taken downe and brought into another forme and called the new worke at which time also the bodies of diuerse kings and bishops were taken vp and bestowed in the walles to the end their memories should be of longer continuance The iurisdiction of this sée also vnder the bishop is committed to foure archdeacons to wit of London Essex Middlesex and Colchester who haue amongst them to the number of 363 parish churches or thereabouts beside the peculiars belonging to the archbishop and chapiter of that house and at euerie alienation the bishop paieth for his owne part 1119 pounds eight shillings and foure pence but in old time 3000 florens which diuerse suppose to be more than as it now standeth the bishop is able to make of it Of the archdeconrie of S. Albons added therevnto by king Henrie the eight whereby the bishop hath fiue eies I speake not for although it be vnder the bishop of London for visitations and synods yet is it otherwise reputed as member of the sée of Lincolne and therefore worthilie called an exempt it hath also fiue and twentie parishes of which foure are in Buckingham the rest in Herefordshire The first beginning of the sée of Chichester was in the I le of Seales or Seolseie and from thence translated to Chichester in the time of William the bastard and generall remoouing of sées from small villages vnto the greater townes It conteineth Sussex onelie vnder hir iurisdiction wherein are sixtéene deanries and 551 parish churches it paid at euerie alienation to the sée of Rome 333 ducats and after Edbert the first bishop one Cella succéeded after whome the pontificall chaire not then worth 677 pounds by the yéere as now it is was void by many yeares It was erected in Seoleseie also 711 by the decrée of a synod holden in Sussex which borowed it from the iurisdiction of Winchester whereof before it was reputed a parcell Of all the bishops that haue béene in this sée Thomas Kempe alwaies excepted I read not of anie one that hath béene of more estimation than William Read sometime fellow of Merteine college in Oxford doctor of diuinitie and the most profound astronomer that liued in his time as appeareth by his collection which sometime I did possesse his image is yet in the librarie there and manie instruments of astronomie reserued in that house a college crected sometime by Walter Merton bishop of Rochester and lord chancellor of England he builded also the castell of Amberleie from the verie foundation as Edward Scorie or Storie his successor did the new crosse in the market place of Chichester The bishop of Winchester was sometime called bishop of the west Saxons and of Dorchester which towne was giuen to Birinus and his successors by Kinigils and Oswald of the Northumbers in whose time it was erected by Birinus and his fellowes In my time it hath iurisdiction onelie ouer Hamshire Surrie Iardeseie Gardeseie and the Wight conteining eight deaneries two hundred seuentie and six parish churches and beside all this he is perpetuall prelate to the honorable order of the Garter deuised by Edward the third he paid in old time to Rome 12000 ducates or florens but now his first fruits are 2491 pounds nine shillings eight pence halfe penie Canturburie was said to be the higher racke but Winchester hath borne the name to be the better mangier There are also which make Lucius to be the first founder of an house of praier in Winchester as Kinigils did build the second and Kinwaldus his sonne the third but you shall sée the truth herof in the chronologie insuing And herevnto if the old catalog of the bishops of this sée be well considered of and the acts of the greatest part of them indifferentlie weighed as they are to be read in our histories you shall find the most egregious hypocrites the stoutest warriours the cruellest tyrants the richest monimoongers and politike counsellors in temporall affaires to haue I wote not by what secret working of the diuine prouidence beene placed herein Winchester since the foundation of that sée which was erected by Birinus 639 whome pope Honorius sent hither out of Italie and first planted at Dorchester in the time of Kinigils then translated to Winchester where it dooth yet continue Salisburie was made the chéefe sée of Shirburne by bishop Harman predecessor to Osmond who brought it from Shirburne to that citie it hath now Barkeshire Wilshire and Dorsetshire vnder hir iurisdiction For after the death of Hedda which was 704 Winchester was diuided in two so that onelie Hamshire and Surrie were left vnto it and Wilton Dorset Barkeshire Summerset Deuon Cornewill assigned vnto Shirburne till other order was taken Bishop Adelme did first sit in that bishoprike 704 as I said and placed his chaire at Shirburne vpon the said diuision And as manie lerned bishops did succéed him in that roome before and after it was remooued to Sarum so there was neuer a more noble ornament to that sée than bishop Iuell of whose great learning and iudgement the world
alienation 1800 ducats at the least but in my time it paieth vnto hir maiesties cofers 768 pounds ten shillings ten pence halfe penie farthing In this sée there was a bishop sometime called Iohn Bruton vpon whome the king then reigning by likelihood for want of competent maintenance bestowed the keeping of his wardrobe which he held long time with great honour as his register saith A woonderfull preferment that bishops should be preferred from the pulpit to the custodie of wardrobes but such was the time Neuerthelesse his honorable custodie of that charge is more solemnlie remembred than anie good sermon that euer he made which function peraduenture he committed to his suffragane sith bishops in those daies had so much businesse in the court that they could not attend to doctrine and exhortation Lichefield wherevnto Couentrie was added in the time of Henrie the first at the earnest sute of Robert bishop of that see hath Staffordshire Darbishire part of Shropshire and the rest of Warwikeshire that is void of subiection to the sée of Worcestershire It was erected in the time of Peada king of the south Mercians which laie on this side the Trent and therein one Dinas was installed about the yeare of Grace 656 after whom Kellac first then Tunher an Englishman succéeded this later being well learned and consecrated by the Scots In the time of the bastard I wot not vpon what occasion one Peter bishop of this sée translated his chaire to Chester and there held it for a season whereby it came to passe that the bishops of Lichfield were for a while called bishops of Chester But Robert his successor not likeing of this president remooued his chaire from Chester to Couentrie and there held it whilest he liued whereby the originall diuision of the bishoprike of Lichfield into Lichefield Chester and Couentrie dooth easilie appeare although in my time Lichfield and Couentrie be vnited and Chester remaineth a bishoprike by it selfe It paid the pope at euerie alienation 1733 florens or as some old bookes haue 3000 a good round summe but not without a iust punishment as one saith sith that anno 765 Edulfe bishop there vnder Offa king of Mercia would by his helpe haue bereaued the archbishop of Canturburie of his pall so did in déed vnder pope Hadrian holding the same vntill things were reduced vnto their ancient forme Before the time also of bishop Langton the prebends of this see laie here and there abroad in the citie where the vicars also had an house of which this honest bishop misliked not a little for sundrie causes wherefore he began their close and bestowed so much in building the same and pauing the stréets that his hungrie kinsmen did not a little grudge at his expenses thinking that his emptie cofers would neuer make them gentlemen for which preferment the freends of most bishops gaped earnestlie in those daies King Iohn was the greatest benefactor vnto this sée next vnto Offa and it is called Lichfield Quasi mortuorum campus bicause of the great slaughter of christians made there as some write vnder Dioclesian Howbeit in my time the valuation thereof is 703 pounds fiue shillings two pence halfepenie farthing a summe verie narrowlie cast by that auditor which tooke it first in hand Oxford hath Oxfordshire onelie a verie yoong iurisdiction erected by king Henrie the eight where in the time of quéene Marie one Goldwell was bishop who as I remember was a Iesuit dwelling in Rome and more conuersant as the constant fame went in the blacke art than skilfull in the scriptures and yet he was of great countenance amongst the Romane monarchs It is said that obseruing the canons of his order he regarded not the temporalities of that sée but I haue heard since that he wist well inough what became of those commodities for by one meane and other he found the swéetnesse of 354 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie yearelie growing to him which was euen inough if not too much for the maintenance of a frier toward the drawing out of circles characters lineaments of imagerie wherein he was passing skilfull as the fame then went in Rome and not vnheard of in Oxford Elie hath Cambridgshire and the I le of Elie. It was erected 1109 by Henrie the first being before a rich and wealthie abbeie One Heruie also was made bishop there as I haue found in a register belonging sometime to that house being translated from Bangor Finallie it paid to the pope at euerie alienation 7000 ducats as the registers there do testifie at large Albeit that in my time I find a note of 2134 pounds sixteene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whose disme ioined to those of all the bishopriks in England doo yéeld yearelie to hir maiesties coffers 23370 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whereby also the huge sums of monie going out of this land to the court of Rome dooth in some measure appéere Ethelwold afterward bishop of Winchester builded the first monasterie of Elie vpon the ruines of a nunrie then in the kings hands howbeit the same house whereof he himselfe was abbat was yer long destroied by enimies and he in lieu of his old preferment rewarded by king Edgar with the aforesaid bishoprike from whence with more than lionlike boldnesse he expelled the secular préests and stored with moonkes prouided from Abandune néere Oxford by the helpe of Edgar and Dunstane then metropolitane of England There was sometime a greeuous contention betwéene Thomas Lild bishop of this see and the king of England about the yeare of Grace 1355 which I will here deliuer out of an old record because the matter is so parciallie penned by some of the brethren of that house in fauour of the bishop for that I was also abused with the same in the entrance thereof at the first into my chronologie The blacke prince fauoring one Robert Stretton his chapleine a man vnlearned and not worthie the name of a clearke the matter went on so farre that what for loue and somewhat else of a canon of Lichfield he was chosen bishop of that see Herevpon the pope vnderstanding what he was by his Nuncio here in England staied his consecration by his letters for a time and in the meane season committed his examination to the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Rochester who felt and dealt so fauourablie with him in golden reasoning that his worthinesse was commended to the popes holinesse to Rome he goeth Being come to Rome the pope himselfe apposed him and after secret conference vtterlie disableth his election till he had prooued by substantiall argument and of great weight before him also that he was not so lightlie to be reiected Which kind of reasoning so well pleased his holinesse that Ex mera plenitudine potestatis he was made capable of the benefice and so returneth into England when he came home this bishop being in the kings
Clare hall Richard Badow chancellor of Cambridge 1459 13 Catharine hall Robert Woodlarke doctor of diuinitie 1519 14 Magdalen college Edw. duke of Buckingham Thom. lord Awdlie 1585 15 Emanuell college Sir Water Mildmaie c. The description of England Of colleges in Oxford Yeares Colleges  Founders 1539 1 Christes church by King Henrie 8. 1459 2 Magdalen college William Wainflet first fellow of Merton college then scholer at Winchester and afterward bishop there 1375 3 New college William Wickham bishop of Winchester 1276 4 Merton college Walter Merton bishop of Rochester 1437 5 All soules college Henrie Chicheleie archbishop of Canturburie 1516 6 Corpus Christi college Richard Fox bishop of Winchester 1430 7 Lincolne college Richard Fleming bishop of Lincolne 1323 8 Auriell college Adam Browne almoner to Edward 2. 1340 9 The queenes college R. Eglesfeld chapleine to Philip queene of England wife to Edward 3. 1263 10 Balioll college Iohn Balioll king of Scotland 1557 11 S. Iohns Sir Thomas White knight 1556 12 Trinitie college Sir Thomas Pope knight 1316 13 Excester college Walter Stapleton bishop of Excester 1513 14 Brasen nose William Smith bishop of Lincolne 873 15 Vniuersitie college William archdeacon of Duresine  16 Glocester college Iohn Gifford who made it a cell for thirteene moonks  17 S. Marie college  18 Iesus college now in hand Hugh ap Rice doctor of the ciuill law There are also in Oxford certeine hostels or hals which may rightwell be called by the names of colleges if it were not that there is more libertie in them than it to be séen in the other I mine opinion the liuers in these are verie like to those that are of Ins in the chancerie their names also are these so farre as I now remember Brodegates Hart hall Magdalen hall Alburne hall Postminster hall S. Marie hall White hall New In. Edmond hall The students also that remaine in them are called hostelers or halliers Hereof it came of late to passe that the right reuerend father in God Thomas late archbishop of Canturburie being brought vp in such an house at Cambridge was of the ignorant sort of Londoners called an hosteler supposing that he had serued with some inholder in the stable and therfore in despite diuerse hanged vp bottles of haie at his gate when he began to preach the gospell wheras in déed he was a gentleman borne of an ancient house in the end a faithfull witnesse of Iesus Christ in whose quarrell he refused not to shed his bloud and yéeld vp his life vnto the furie of his aduersaries Besides these there is mention and record of diuerse other hals or hostels that haue béene there in times past as Beefe hall Mutton hall c whose ruines yet appéere so that if antiquitie be to be iudged by the shew of ancient buildings which is verie plentifull in Oxford to be séene it should be an easie matter to conclude that Oxford is the elder vniuersitie Therin are also manie dwelling houses of stone yet standing that haue béene hals for students of verie antike workemanship beside the old wals of sundrie other whose plots haue béene conuerted into gardens since colleges were erected In London also the houses of students at the Commonlaw are these Sergeants In. Graies In. The Temple Lincolnes In. Dauids In. Staple In. Furniuals In. Cliffords In. Clements In. Lions In. Barnards In. New In. And thus much in generall of our noble vniuersities whose lands some gréedie gripers doo gape wide for and of late haue as I heare propounded sundrie reasons whereby they supposed to haue preuailed in their purposes But who are those that haue attempted this sute other than such as either hate learning pietie and wisedome or else haue spent all their owne and know not otherwise than by incroching vpon other men how to mainteine themselues When such a motion was made by some vnto king Henrie the eight he could answer them in this maner Ah sirha I perceiue the abbeie lands haue fleshed you and set your téeth on edge to aske also those colleges And whereas we had a regard onelie to pull downe sinne by defacing the monasteries you haue a desire also to ouerthrow all goodnesse by subuersion of colleges I tell you sirs that I iudge no land in England better bestowed than that which is giuen to our vniuersities for by their maintenance our realme shall be well gouerned when we be dead and rotten As you loue your welfares therfore follow no more this veine but content your selues with that you haue alreadie or else seeke honest meanes whereby to increase your liuelods for I loue not learning so ill that I will impaire the reuenues of anie one house by a penie whereby it may be vpholden In king Edwards daies likewise the same sute was once againe attempted as I haue heard but in vaine for saith the duke of Summerset among other spéeches tending to that end who also made answer there vnto in the kings presence by his assignation I flerning decaie which of wild men maketh ciuill of blockish and rash persons wise and godlie counsellors of obstinat rebels obedient subiects and of euill men good and godlie christians what shall we looke for else but barbarisme and tumult For when the lands of colleges be gone it shall be hard to saie whose staffe shall stand next the doore for then I doubt not but the state of bishops rich farmers merchants and the nobilitie shall be assailed by such as liue to spend all and thinke that what so euer another man hath is more meet for them and to be at their commandement than for the proper owner that hath sweat and laboured for it In quéene Maries daies the weather was too warme for anie such course to be taken in hand but in the time of our gratious quéene Elizabeth I heare that it was after a sort in talke the third time but without successe as mooued also out of season and so I hope it shall continue for euer For what comfort should it be for anie good man to sée his countrie brought into the estate of the old Gothes Uandals who made lawes against learning and would not suffer anie skilfull man to come into their councell house by meanes whereof those people became sauage tyrants and mercilesse helhounds till they restored learning againe and thereby fell to ciuilitie Of the partition of England into shires and counties Chap. 4. IN reding of ancient writers as Caesar Tacitus and others we find mention of sundrie regions to haue béene sometime in this Iland as the Nouantae Selgouae Dannonij Gadeni Oradeni Epdij Cerones Carnonacae Careni Cornabij Caledonij Decantae Logi Mertae Vacomagi Venicontes Texali or Polij Denani Elgoui Brigantes Parisi Ordouici aliàs Ordoluci Cornauij Coritaui Catieuchlani Simeni Trinouantes Demetae Cangi Silures Dobuni Atterbatij Cantij Regni Belgae Durotriges Dumnonij Giruij Murotriges Seueriani Iceni Tegenes Casij Caenimagni Segontiaci
and vnprofitable manners of strangers Dunstance was made bishop of Worcester and had also the administration of the see of London committed vnto him He was in such fauor with thescarse was anie stréet in England but Danes had king that he ruled most things at his pleasure Ethelwold which being first a moonke of Glastenburie and after abbat of Abington was likewise made bishop of Winchester and might doo verie much with the king Also Oswald which had béene a moonke in the abbeie of Florie in France and after was made bishop of Worcester and from thence remooued to the sée of Yorke was highlie in fauor with this king so that by these thrée prelates he was most counselled Iustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for although he were courteous and gentle towards his friends yet was he sharpe and hard to offendors so that no person of what estate or degree soeuer he was escaped worthie punishment if he did transgresse the lawes and ordinances of the realme There was no priuie theefe nor common robber that durst lay hands vpon other mens goods but he might looke to make amends with losse of his life if he were knowne to be giltie For how might men that did offend thinke to escape his hands which deuised waies how to ridIustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for the countrie of all wild rauening beasts that liued vpon sucking the bloud of others For as it is said he appointed Iudweall or Ludweall king of Wales to present him with thrée hundred woolues yéerelie in name of a tribute but after thrée yéeres space there was not a woolfe to be found and so that tribute ceased in the fourth yéere after it began to be paid The death of Alfred king Edgars wife or concubine causeth him to fall into a fowle offense an example teaching men to take heed how they put others in trust to woo for them earle Ethelwold cooseneth the king of his wife the danger of beholding a womans beautie with lustfull eies king Edgar killeth earle Ethelwold to marrie faire Alfred his wife the bloudie and vnnaturall speach of Ethelwolds base sonne examples of king Edgars great incontinencie and lewd life Dunstane putteth the king of penance for his vnchastitie the Welshmen rebell against him and are corrected king Edgars vision before his death of what religious or concubine causeth him to fall into a buildings he was founder his example a spur to others to doo the like moonks esteemed and secular priests little regarded king Edgars deformed reformation his vices stature and bodilie qualities he offereth to fight hand to hand with Kinadius king of Scots vpon occasion of words euill taken Kinadius submitteth himselfe and is pardoned his wiues and children the good state of the realme in king Edgars time the amplenesse of his dominions The xxiiij Chapter IN this meane time Alfred the wife of king Edgar as some say or rather as others write his concubine died of whome he had begot a sonne named Edward The death of this woman caused the king to commit an heinous offense For albeit at the same time the same went that Horgerius duke of Cornewall or rather Deuonshire had a daughter named Alfred a damosell of excellent beautie whome Edgar minding to haue in mariage appointed one of his noble men called earle Ethelwold to go with all speed into Cornewall or Deuonshire to sée if the yoong ladies beautie answered the report that went of hir and so to breake the matter to hir father in his behalfe yet Ethelwold being a yong ioslie gentleman tooke his iournie into Cornewall and comming to the duke offense For albeit at the same time the same was well receiued and had a sight of his daughter with whose beautie he was streight rauished so far in loue that not regarding the kings pleasure who had sent him thither he began to purchase the good will of both father and daughter for himselfe and did so much that he obteined the same in déed Herevpon returning to the king he informed him that the damosell was not of such beautie and comelie personage as might he thought woorthie to match in marige with his maiestie Shortlie after perceiuing the kings mind by his wrongfull misreport to be turned and nothing bent that way he began to sue to him that he might with his fauour marie the same damosell which the king granted as one that cared not for hir bicause of the credit which he gaue to Ethelwolds words And so by this meanes Ethelwold obteined Alfred in mariage which was to his owne destruction as the case fell out For when the same of hir passing beautie did spread ouer all the realme now that she was mariedwith his maiestie and came more abroad in sight of the people the king chanced to heare thereof and desirous to sée hir deuised vnder colour of hunting to come vnto the house of Ethelwold and so did where he had no sooner set his eie vpon hir but he was so farre wrapped in the chaine of burning concupiscence that to obteine his purpose he shortlie after contriued Ethelwolds death and maried his wife Some say that the woman kindled the brand of purpose for when it was knowne that the king would sée hir Ethelwold willed hir in no wise to trim vp hir selfe but rather to disfigure hir in fowle garments and some euill fauored attire that hir natiue beautie should not appeare but she perceiuing how the matter went of spite set out hir selfe to the vttermost so that the king vpon the first sight of hix beacame so farre inamored of hir beautie that taking hir husband foorth with him on hunting into a forrest or wood then called Warlewood after Horewood not shewing that he meant him anie hurt till at length he had got him within the thicke of the wood where he suddenlie stroke him through with his dart Now as his bastard son came to the place the king asked him how he liked the maner of hunting wherto he answered Uerie well if it like your grace for that that liketh you ought not to displease me With which answer the king was so pacified that he indeuored by pretending his fauor towards the sonne to extenuat the tyrannicall murther of the father Then did the king marie the countesse Alfred and of hir begat two sonnes Edmund which died yoong and Etheldred or Egelred Besides this cruell act wrought by king Edgar for the satisfieng of his fleshlie lust he also plaied another part greatlie to the staine of his honor mooued also by wanton loue with yoong damosell named Wilfrid for after that she had to auoid the danger of him either professed hir selfe a nun or else for colour as the most part of writers agrée got hirselfe into a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns wéed he tooke hir foorth of hir cloister and lay by hir sundrie times and begat on hir a daughter named Edith who comming to
Englishmen that after the conquest when the Normans oftentimes went about to abrogate the same there chanced no small mutinies and rebellions for reteining of those lawes But heere is to be noted that although they were called saint Edwards lawes they were for the more part made by king Edgar but now by king Edward restored after they had bin abrogated for a time by the Danes About this time earle Goodwine died suddenlie as some haue recorded as he sat at table with the king and vpon talke ministred of the death of Alfred the kings brother to excuse himselfe he tooke a peece of bread and did eate it saieng God let me neuer swallow this bread downe into my chest but that I may presentlie be choked therewith if euer I was weetting or consenting vnto Alfreds death and immediatlie therewith he fell downe starke dead Other say that he ended his life at Winchester where being suddenlie surprised with sicknesse as he sat at the table with the king vpon an Easter monday yet he liued till the Thursday following and then died His earledome was giuen vnto his sonne Harold and Harolds earledome which was Oxford was giuen vnto Algar the sonne of Leofrike This Goodwine as he was a man of great power wise hardie and politike so was he ambitious desirous to beare rule and loth that anie other person should passe him in authoritie But yet whether all be true that writers report of his malicious practises to bring himselfe and his sonnes to the chiefe seat of gouernement in the kingdome or that of hatred such slanders were raised of him it may of some perhaps be doubted because that in the daies of king Edward which was a soft and gentle prince he bare great rule and authoritie and so might procure to himselfe euill report for euerie thing that chanced amisse as oftentimes it commeth to passe in such cases where those that haue great dooings in the gouernement of the common wealth are commonlie euill spoken of and that now and then without their guilt But truth it is that Goodwine being in authoritie both in the daies of king Edward and his predecessors did manie things as should appeare by writers more by will than by law and so likewise did his sonnes vpon presumption of the great puissance that they and their father were of within the realme He had to wife Editha the sister of king Cnute of whome he begat thrée sonnes as some write that is to say Harold Biorne Tostie also his daughter Editha whome he found meanes to bestow in mariage vpon K. Edward as before ye haue heard But other write that he had but one son by Cnutes sister the which in riding of a rough horsse was throwen into the riuer of Thames and so drowned His mother also was stricken with a thunderbolt so perished worthilie as is reported for hir naughtie dooings She vsed to buy great numbers of yoong persons and namelie maids that were of anie excellent beautie and personage whome she sent ouer into Denmarke and there sold them to hir most advantage After hir deceasse as the same authors record Goodwine maried another woman by whome he had issue six sonnes Swanus or Swaine Harrold Tostie or Tosto Wilnot Girth and Leofrike of whom further mention is shall be made as places conuenient shall serue thereto Edward earle of Northumberland discomfiteth Mackbeth the vsurper of the Scotish kingdome and placeth Malcolme in the same a controuersie whether Siward were at this discomfiture or no his stout words when he heard that one of his sonnes was slaine in the field bishop Aldred is sent to fetch home Edward the sonne of K. Edmund Ironside into England earle Algar being banished ioineth with the Welshmen against the English and Normans and getteh the victorie Harold the son of earle Goodwine putteth earle Algar his retinue to their shifts by pursute pacification betweene the generals of both armies their hosts Siward earle of Northumberland dieth his giantlike stature his couragious heart at the time of his deceasse why Tostie one of Goodwins sonnes succeeded him in the earledome The fift Chapter ABout the thirteenth yeare of king Edward his reigne as some write or rather about the nineteéenth or twentith yeare as should appeare by the Scotish writers Siward the noble earle of Northumberland with a great power of horssemen went into Scotland and in battell put to flight Mackbeth that had vsurped the crowne of Scotland and that doone placed Malcolme surnamed Camoir the sonne of Duncane sometime king of Scotland in the gouernement of that realme who afterward slue the said Mackbeth and then reigned in quiet Some of our English writers say that this Malcolme was king of Cumberland but other report him to be sonne to the king of Cumberland But héere is to be noted that if Mackbeth reigned till the yeare 1061 and was then slaine by Malcolme earle Siward was not at that battell for as our writers doo testifie he died in the yeare 1055 which was in the yeare next after as the same writers affirme that he vanquished Mackbeth in fight and slue manie thousands of Scots and all those Normans which as ye haue heard were withdrawen into Scotland when they were driuen out of England It is recorded also that in the foresaid battell in which earle Siward vanquished the Scots one of Siwards sonnes chanced to be slaine whereof although the father had good cause to be sorowfull yet when he heard that he died of a wound which he had receiued in fighting stoutlie in the forepart of his bodie and that with his face towards the enimie he greatlie reioised thereat to heare that he died so manfullie But here is to be noted that not now but a little before as Henrie Hunt saith that earle Siward went into Scotland himselfe in person he sent his sonne with an armie to conquere the land whose hap was there to be slaine and when his father heard the newes he demanded whether he receiued the wound whereof he died in the forepart of of the bodie or in the hinder part and when it was told him that he receiued it in the forepart I reioise saith he euen with all my heart for I would not wish either to my sonne nor to my selfe any other kind of death Shortlie after Aldred the bishop of Worcester was sent vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron side into England whome king Edward was desirâ—us to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after he came into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Winchester or as an other saith in the church of S. Pauls in London ¶ About the same time K. Edward by euill counsell I wot not vpon what occasion but as it is thought without cause banished Algar the sonne of earle Leofrike wherevpon he got him into
Ella Eastangles Offa à quo Offlingae Mertia Creodda Limits of Mertia Britannia prima Valentia Britannia secunda Flauia Caesariensis Maxima Caesariensis Samothes Sarron Samothei Semnothei Druiyus Corruptors of religion Caesar. Strabo li. 4. Socion lib. success Cicero diuinat 1. Plinius lib. 16. cap. vltimo Metempsuchôssis Oke honored whereon mistle did grow and so doo our sorcerers euen to this daie thinking some spirits to deale about y e same for hidden treasure Logike and Rhetorike out of Gallia Estimation of the Druiydes or Druiysh preests Immunitie of the cleargie greater vnder idolatrie than vnder the gospell Bardus Gen. 4. 21. The Bards degenerate Lucan li. 1. What doctrine Cham and his disciples taught Chemesenua Chem Min. Cham made a god Translation of mortall men into heauen how it began Cyril aduersus Iul. lib. 6. sect 8. Which were properlie called Saturni Ioues Iunones and Hercules Isis Io and Iuno all one Coelum or Coelus Ogyges Sol. Pater deorum * Tydea Terra Vesta Aretia Luna Deorum mater FroÌ„ whence Brute did learne his religion Dis or Samothes made a god Mela. Diodorus Strab. 4. Plin. Caesar. 5. Ptol. Lucensis Monstrous proportions of idols Theodoret. Sophronius Iosephus Philip. Freculphus To. 2. lib. 2. cap. 4. Nennius Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 40. Isidorus lib. de vita obit dict patrum W. Malmes de antiq Glasconici monast Claudia Rufina a British ladie 2. Tim. 4. Li. 11. Epig. 54. Lib. 10. cap. 17. Taurinus * This is contrarie to the common talke of our Atheists who say Let vs liue here in wealth credit and authoritie vpon earth and let God take heauen and his religion to himselfe to doo withall what he listeth Lucius openeth his ears to good counsell as one desirous to serue God not prefer the world The purpose of Lucius opened vnto the congregation at Rome by Eleutherus A zealous prince maketh feruent subiects Faganus Dinauus Aaron Radulphus de la noir alias Niger 3. Cheefe Bishops in Britaine Theonus Theodosius London Yorke Caerlheon Britaine the first prouince that receiued the Gospell generallie Emerita neece vnto Lucius Lucius sendeth againe to Rome Ro. 8. ver 1 The wisedome of Eleutherus * â—hough most princes cannot heare 〈◊〉 that side Epistle of Eleutherus vnto Lucius Psal. 24. Psal. 45. Psal. 71. Here waâ—teth Psal. 55. Albane Amphibaâ—â—s Iulius Aaron Chlorus had three sons a daughter by Helena Lucion becommeth a christian Lucion a bishop Hermannus Schedelius Bruschius cap. 3. Festum Lucionis Iohn Bouchet Emerita martyred in Rhâ—â—ia Heresie and monastical life brought into Britaine at one time by Pelagius Bangor Anachorites Heremites Cyrillines Benedictines Monkes and Heremites onelie allowed of in Britaine The number of religious houses in England at their dissolution Roger Bakon his saieng of the preachers of his time who were the best lawyers and the worst Diuines More than 2100. monkes in the College or Abbaie of Bangor in whose territories the parish of Ouertoâ— standeth Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 34. Germanus Lupus Palladius Patricius Seâ—â—â—â— Sulpitiâ—s in vita Patrick Augustine the monke Augustine Monks of Canturburie plagued Meates Pictes Caledoniens Scotland conuerted to the faith of Christ. Paladius The first attempt of the bishop of Rome to bring Scotland vnder his obedience Fastidius bishop of London Paladius accompted for the apostle of the Scots 〈…〉 Henrie 8. Marie Nesiadae Insulae Scylurum Silcustrae Syllanae Sorlingae Sylley Hebrides Hebudes Meuaniae Orchades Hoo. Greane Shepey Elmesie Herresie Srureey Thanet * In Lincolneshire the word Hide or hideland was neuer in vse in old time as in other places but for Hide they vsed the word Carucate or â—artware or Teme and these were of no lesse compasse than an Hideland Ex Hugone le blanc Monacho Petrobâ—â—gensi Rutupium The last verse of one couple and first of an other Seolesey of Seles there taken Thorne Haling Port. Wight Guidh P. signifieth parsonages U. vicarages Brunt Keysy Portland Iardsey Gardesey Iardsey Horrible murther Gardsey S. Hilaries Cornet Serke Brehoc Gytho Herme Burhoo alià s the I le of rats Turkie conies Causes of the desolation of sundrie cities and townes Alderney Comment Brit. Iliad 6. Iliad 5. 7. Virgilius Aen. 12. Bruchsey Mount Iland S. Nicholas Iland Greefe Inis Prynin S. Michaels mount S. Clements I le Sylley Iles or Syl. S. Maries I le Agnus I le Annot. Minwisand Smithy sound Suartigan Rousuian Rousuiar Cregwin Moncarthat Inis Welseck Suethiall Rat Iland Anwall Brier Rusco Inis widdoÌ„ Round Iland S. Lides Notho Auing Tyan S. Martines Knolworth Sniuilliuer MenwethaÌ„ Vollis 1. Surwihe Vollis 2. Arthurs Ile Guiniliuer Nenech Gothrois Wild swine in Sylley Helenus Priamus Pendinas Barri Barri is a feight shot from the shore Dunwen Caldee Londy Schalmey Schoncold Limen or Ramsey Mawr Tudfall Penthlin Guelyn Anglesei cut from Wales by working of the sea Anglesei Holie head or Cair kiby Enilsnach holie I le Ancient buriall Adar Moil Rhomaid Ysterisd Adros Lygod Seriall Prestholme Credine Hilberie Eubonia Meuania Chronica Tinemuthi Tall men in Man Riuers Hilles Hauens Calfe of man The pile S. Michels Ile Sheepe Hogs Barnacles Barnacles neither fish nor flesh Bishop of Man Patrone of Man King of Man Wauay Fouldra Fola Roa Rauenglasse Iles in Scotland Hemodes of some called Acmodes sée Plinie Mela Martianus Capella Plutarch de defect orac Scarba Slate I le Ila Round I le Mula Iona. Regum tumuli The I le of Shrewes Mosse I le Skie Bar. Baptisme without preests Wild sheepe Tigers I le of Pigmeies Lewis called Thule by Tacitus with no better authoritie than the Angleseie Mona Tithe whales Suilscraie Colke foule Orchades If he speake all in truth Kirkwa Amber Lindesfarne or Holie Iland Farne Puffins Saint Cuthberts foules Little England Merseie Foulnesse Osithe Northeie Ramseie Reie Canwaie Thamesis Corinium Charwell Some write that the maine streame was brought thither which ranne before betweene Andredeseie and Culenham Pontium Saint Marie ouer Rhee Kenet Thetis Cole Brene Darwent Craie Salmons Carps a fish late brought into England and later into the Thames The iust distaÌ„ce betwéen one tide and another The streame oft checked in hir entrance into the land London bridge 2000 boates vpon the Thames and 3000 pooreineÌ„ mainteined by the same whose gaines come in most plentifullie in the tearme tune Isis. Couus Corinium Rhe. Amneie Colneius Colineus or Colunus Lecus or Leche Winrush Briwerus Comus Rolrich Euis Charwell Bure Culen Come Ocus Tudo Ornus Sotbrooke Souarus Sowar Burus Middest of England whereabouts Ocus Arun. Thame Blauius Cenethus Bedwiine Chalkeburne Lamburne Alburnus Lodâ—nus Ditis vadum Ikelus Elueius Ducus Erin Usâ— Higden Colus aliâ—s Uere and Uertume Gadus Uindeles Ueius Thuresbie Crawleie Abbinger Molis Brane Mariburne Bromis Lée Logus Marran Beane Sturus Alfred Rodon or Rodunus Lauer. Iuelus Darwent Craie Midwaie Frethus Theise Grane alià s Cranus Garunus Cranus Stoure Nailburne water also as I heare neer to Cantwarbirie but I
Robert but following the authoritie of an English préest then liuing in the court the English Peeres began to shew their disliking in manifest maner Neuerthelesse the Normans so bewitched the king with their lieng and bosting Robert the Archbishop being the chéefe instrument of their practise that he beléeued them and therevpon vexed sundrie of the nobilitie amongst whom Earle Goodwijn of Kent was the chéefe a noble Gentleman and father in law to king Edward by the mariage of his daughter The matter also came to such issue against him that he was exiled and fiue of his sonnes with him wherevpon he goeth ouer the sea and soone after returning with his said sonnes they inuaded the land in sundrie places the father himselfe comming to London where when the kings power was readie to ioine with him in battell it vtterlie refused so to doo affirming plainelie that it should be méere follie for one Englishman to fight against another in the reuenge of Frenchmens quarels which answer entred so déeplie into the kings mind that he was contented to haue the matter heard and appointing commissioners for that purpose they concluded at the vpshot that all the French should depart out of England by a day few excepted whom the king should appoint and nominate By this means therfore Robert the Archbishop of secret counsell with the king was first exiled as principall abuser seducer of the king who goeth to Rome there complaineth to the Pope of his iniurie receiued by the English Howbeit as he returned home againe with no small hope of the readeption of his See he died in Normandie whereby he saued a killing Certes he was the first that euer tendered complaint out of England vnto Rome with him went William Bishop of London afterward reuoked and Vlfo of Lincolne who hardlie escaped the furie of the English nobilitie Some also went into Scotland and there held themselues expecting a better time And this is the true historie of the originall cause of the conquest of England by the French for after they were well beaten at Douer bicause of their insolent demeanour there shewed their harts neuer ceased to boile with a desire of reuenge that brake out into a flame so soone as their Robert possessed the primacie which being once obteined and to set his mischéefe intended abroch withall a contention was quicklie procured about certeine Kentish lands and controuersie kindled whether he or the Earle should haue most right vnto them The king held with the priest as with the church the nobilitie with the Earle In processe also of this businesse the Archbishop accused the Earle of high treason burdening him with the slaughter of Alfred the kings brother which was altogither false as appeareth by a treatise yet extant of that matter written by a chaplaine to king Edward the Confessour in the hands of Iohn Stow my verie fréend wherein he saith thus Alfredus incautè agens in aduentu suo in Angliam a Danis circumuentus occiditur He addeth moreouer that giuing out as he came through the countrie accompanied with his few proud Normans how his meaning was to recouer his right vnto the kingdome and supposing that all men would haue yéelded vnto him he fell into their hands whome Harald then king did send to apprehend him vpon the fame onelie of this report brought vnto his eares So that to be short after the king had made his pacification with the Earle the French I say were exiled the Quéene restored to his fauour whom he at the beginning of this broile had imprisoned at Wilton allowing hir but one onlie maid to wait vpon hir and the land reduced to hir former quietnesse which continued vntill the death of the king After which the Normans not forgetting their old grudge remembred still their quarell that in the end turned to their conquest of this Iland After which obteined they were so cruellie bent to our vtter subuersion and ouerthrow that in the beginning it was lesse reproch to be accounted a slaue than an Englishman or a drudge in anie filthie businesse than a Britaine insomuch that euerie French page was superiour to the greatest Peere and the losse of an Englishmans life but a pastime to such of them as contended in their brauerie who should giue the greatest strokes or wounds vnto their bodies when their toiling and drudgerie could not please them or satisfie their gréedie humors Yet such was our lot in those daies by the diuine appointed order that we must needs obey such as the Lord did set ouer vs and so much the rather for that all power to resist was vtterlie taken from vs and our armes made so weake and feeble that they were not now able to remooue the importable load of the enimie from our surburdened shoulders And this onelie I saie againe bicause we refused grace offered in time and would not heare when God by his Preachers did call vs so fauourablie vnto him Oh how miserable was the estate of our countrie vnder the French and Normans wherein the Brittish and English that remained could not be called to any function in the commonwealth no not so much as to be constables and headburowes in small villages except they could bring 2. or 3. Normans for suerties to the Lords of the soile for their good behauiour in their offices Oh what numbers of all degrées of English and Brittish were made slaues and bondmen and bought and sold as oxen in open market In so much that at the first comming the French bond were set free and those that afterward became bond were of our owne countrie and nation so that few or rather none of vs remained free without some note of bondage and seruitude to the French Hereby then we perceiue how from time to time this Iland hath not onelie béene a prey but as it were a common receptacle for strangers the naturall homelings or Britons being still cut shorter and shorter as I said before till in the end they came not onelie to be driuen into a corner of this region but in time also verie like vtterlie to haue beene extinguished For had not king Edward surnamed the saint in his time after greeuous wars made vpon them 1063. wherein Harald latelie made Earle of Oxenford sonne to Goodwin Earle of Kent and after king of England was his generall permitted the remnant of their women to ioine in mariage with the Englishmen when the most part of their husbands and male children were slaine with the sword it could not haue béene otherwise chosen but their whole race must needs haue susteined the vttermost confusion and thereby the memorie of the Britons vtterlie haue perished among vs. Thus we see how England hath six times beene subiect to the reproch of conquest And wheras the Scots séeme to challenge manie famous victories also ouer vs beside gréeuous impositions tributs dishonorable compositions it shall suffice for answer that they deale in
moonke came into England the said Kinigils gaue him Dorchester and all the land within seauen miles about toward the maintenance of his cathedrall sea by meanes whereof he himselfe remooued his palace to Winchester The first kingdome began vnder Ida in the 548. of Christ and was called Northumberland bicause it laie by north of the riuer Humber And from the comming of Henghist to this Ida it was onlie gouerned by earls or Heretoches as an Heretochy till the said Ida conuerted it into a kingdome It conteined all that region which as it should séeme was in time past either wholie apperteining to the Brigants or whereof the said Brigants did possesse the greater part The cheefe citie of the same in like maner was Yorke as Beda Capgraue Leyland and others doo set downe who ad thereto that it extended from the Humber vnto the Scotish sea vntill the slaughter of Egfride of the Northumbers after which time the Picts gat hold of all betweene the Forth and the Twede which afterward descending to the Scots by meanes of the vtter destruction of the Picts hath not béene sithens vnited to the crowne of England nor in possession of the meere English as before time it had béene Such was the crueltie of these Picts also in their recouerie of the same that at a certeine houre they made a Sicilien euensong and slew euerie English man woman and child that they could laie hold vpon within the aforesaid region but some escaped narrowlie and saued themselues by flight Afterward in the yeare of Grace 560. it was parted in twaine vnder Adda that yeelded vp all his portion which lay betweene Humber and the Tine vnto his brother Ella according to their fathers appointment who called it Deira or Southumberland but reteining the rest still vnto his owne vse he diminished not his title but wrote himselfe as before king of all Northumberland Howbeit after 91. yeares it was revnited againe and so continued vntill Alfred annexed the whole to his kingdome in the 331. after Ida or 878. of the birth of Iesus Christ our Sauiour The seauenth kingdome called of the East-angles began at Norwich in the 561. after Christ vnder Offa of whom the people of that region were long time called Offlings This included all Norfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and Elie and continuing 228. yeares it flourished onelie 35. yeares in perfect estate of liberte the rest being consumed vnder the tribut and vassallage of the Mercians who had the souereigntie thereof and held it with great honour till the Danes gat hold of it who spoiled it verie sore so that it became more miserable than any of the other and so remained till the kings of the West-saxons vnited it to their crownes Some saie that Grantcester but now Cambridge a towne erected out of hir ruines was the chéefe citie of this kingdome and not Norwich Wherein I may well shew the discord of writers but I cannot resolue the scruple Some take this region also to be all one with that of the Icenes but as yet for my part I cannot yeeld to their assertions I meane it of Leland himselfe whose helpe I vse chéefelie in these collections albeit in this behalfe I am not resolued that he doth iudge aright The 8. last was that of Mertia which indured 291. yeares and for greatnesse exceeded all the rest It tooke the name either of Mearc the Saxon word bicause it was march to the rest and trulie the limits of most of the other kingdomes abutted vpon the same or else for that the lawes of Martia the Queene were first vsed in that part of the Iland But as this later is but a méere coniecture of some so the said kingdome began vnder Creodda in the 585. of Christ indured well néere 300. yeares before it was vnited to that of the West-saxons by Alfred then reigning in this I le Before him the Danes had gotten hold thereof and placed one Ceolulph an idiot in the same but as he was soone reiected for his follie so it was not long after yer the said Alfred I saie annexed it to his kingdome by his manhood The limits of the Mertian dominions included Lincolne Northampton Chester Darbie Nottingham Stafford Huntington Rutland Oxford Buckingham Worcester Bedford shires and the greatest part of Shropshire which the Welsh occupied not Lancaster Glocester Hereford aliàs Hurchford Warwijc and Hertford shires the rest of whose territories were holden by such princes of other kingdomes through force as bordered vpon the same Moreouer this kingdome was at one time diuided into south and north Mertia whereof this laie beyond and the other on this side of the Trent which later also Oswald of Northumberland did giue to Weada the sonne of Penda for kindred sake though he not long inioied it This also is worthie to be noted that in these eight kingdomes of the Saxons there were twelue princes reputed in the popish Catalog for saints or martyrs of which Alcimund Edwine Oswald Oswijn and Aldwold reigned in Northumberland Sigebert Ethelbert Edmond and another Sigebert among the Estangels Kenelme and Wistan in Mertia and Saint Edward the confessor ouer all but how worthilie I referre me to the iudgement of the learned Thus much haue I thought good to leaue in memorie of the aforesaid kingdomes and now will I speake somewhat of the diuision of this Iland also into prouinces as the Romanes seuered it whiles they remained in these parts Which being done I hope that I haue discharged whatsoeuer is promised in the title of this chapter The Romans therefore hauing obteined the possession of this Iland diuided the same at the last into fiue prouinces as Vibius Sequester saith The first whereof was named Britannia prima and conteined the east part of England as some doo gather from the Trent vnto the Twede The second was called Valentia or Valentiana and included the west side as they note it from Lirpoole vnto Cokermouth The third hight Britannia secunda and was that portion of the Ile which laie southwards betwéene the Trent and the Thames The fourth was surnamed Flauia Caesariensis and conteined all the countrie which remained betweene Douer and the Sauerne I meane by south of the Thames and wherevnto in like sort Cornewall and Wales were orderlie assigned The fift and last part was then named Maxima Caesariensis now Scotland the most barren of all the rest and yet not vnsought out of the gréedie Romanes bicause of the great plentie of fish and foule fine alabaster and hard marble that are ingendred and to be had in the same for furniture of houshold and curious building wherein they much delited More hereof in Sextus Rufus who liued in the daies of Valentine and wrate Notitiam prouinciarum now extant to be read A Catalog of the kings and princes of this Iland first from Samothes vnto the birth of our sauiour Christ or rather the comming of the Romans
which should be prima as yet I do not read except it should be Anglesei and then saith Malmesburie well In like sort Propertius speaketh of a Meuania which he called Nebulosa but he meaneth it euidentlie of a little towne in Umbria where he was borne lib. 4. eleg De vrbe Rom. Wherfore there néedeth no vse of his authoritie This in the meane time is euident out of Orosius lib 1. capite 2. that Scots dwelled somtime in this I le as also in Ireland which Ethicus also affirmeth of his owne time and finallie confirmeth that the Scots and Irish were sometime one people It hath in length 24. miles and 8. in bredth and is in maner of like distance from Galloway in Scotland Ireland and Cumberland in England as Buchanan reporteth In this Iland also were some time 1300. families of which 960. were in the west halfe and the rest in the other But now through ioining house to house land to land a common plague and canker which will eat vp all if prouision be not made in time to withstand this mischéefe that number is halfe diminished and yet many of the rich inhabiters want roome and wote not how and where to bestowe themselues to their quiet contentations Certes this impediment groweth not by reason that men were greater in bodie than they haue béene in time past but onelie for that their insatiable desire of inlarging their priuate possessions increaseth still vpon them and will doo more except they be restrained but to returne to our purpose It was once spoiled by the Scots in the time of king Athelstane chéeflie by Anlafus in his flight from the bloudie battell wherein Constantine king of Scotland was ouercome secondlie by the Scots 1388. after it came to the possession of the English for in the beginning the kings of Scotland had this Iland vnder their dominion almost from their first arriuall in this Iland and as Beda saith till Edwine king of the Northumbers wan it from them and vnited it to his kingdome After the time of Edwine the Scots gat the possession thereof againe and held it till the Danes Norwaies wan it from them who also kept it but with much trouble almost 370. yeares vnder the gouernance of their viceroies whome the kings of Norwaie inuested vnto that honor till Alexander the third king of that name in Scotland recouered it from them with all the rest of those Iles that lie vpon the west coast called also Sodorenses in the daies of Magnus king of Norwaie And sithens that time the Scotish princes haue not ceased to giue lawes to such as dwelled there but also from time to time appointed such bishops as should exercise ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in the same till it was won from them by our princes and so vnited vnto the realme of England Finallie how after sundrie sales bargains and contracts of matrimonie for I read that William Scroope the kings Uicechamberleine did buy this I le and crowne thereof of the lord William Montacute earle of Sarum it came vnto the ancestours of the earles of Darbie who haue béene commonlie said to be kings of Man the discourse folowing shall more at large declare Giraldus noteth a contention betwéene the kings of England Ireland for the right of this Iland but in the end when by a comprâ—mise the triall of the matter was referred to the liues or deaths of such venemous wormes as should be brought into the same and it was found that they died not at all as the like doo in Ireland sentence passed with the king of England so he reteined the Iland But howsoeuer this matter standeth and whether anie such thing was done at all or not sure it is that the people of the said Ile were much giuen to witchcraft and sorcerie which they learned of the Scots a nation greatlie bent to that horible practise in somuch that their women would oftentimes sell wind to the mariners inclosed vnder certeine knots of thred with this iniunction that they which bought the same should for a great gale vndoo manie and for the lesse a fewer or smaller number The stature of the men and also fertilitie of this Iland are much commended and for the latter supposed verie néere to be equall with that of Anglesei in all commodities There are also these townes therein as they come now to my remembrance Rushen Dunglasse Holme towne S. Brids Bala cury the bishops house S. Mich. S. Andrew kirk Christ kirk Louel S. Mathees kirk S. Anne Pala sala kirk S. Marie kirk Concane kirk Malu and Home But of all these Rushen with the castell is the strongest It is also in recompense of the common want of wood indued with sundrie pretie waters as first of al the Burne rising in the northside of Warehill botoms and branching out by southwest of kirk S. An it séemeth to cut off a great part of the eastside thereof from the residue of that Iland From those hils also but of the south halfe commeth the Holme and Holmey by a towne of the same name in the verie mouth whereof lieth the Pile afore mentioned They haue also the Bala passing by Bala cury on the westside and the Rame on the north whose fall is named Ramesei hauen as I doo read in Chronicles There are moreouer sundrie great hils therein as that wherevpon S. Mathees standeth in the northeast part of the I le a parcell whereof commeth flat south betwéene kirk Louell and kirk Marie yéelding out of their botoms the water Bala whereof I spake before Beside these and well toward the south part of the I le I find the Warehils which are extended almost from the west coast ouertwhart vnto the Burne streame It hath also sundrie hauens as Ramsei hauen by north Laxam hauen by east Port Iris by southwest Port Home and Port Michell by west In like sort there are diuers Ilets annexed to the same as the Calfe of man on the south the Pile on the west and finallie S. Michels Ile in the gulfe called Ranoths waie in the east Moreouer the sheepe of this countrie are excéeding huge well woolled and their tailes of such greatnesse as is almost incredible In like sort their hogs are in maner monstrous They haue furthermore great store of barnacles bréeding vpon their coasts but yet not so great store as in Ireland and those as there also of old ships ores masts peeces of rotten timber as they saie and such putrified pitched stuffe as by wrecke hath happened to corrupt vpon that shore Howbeit neither the inhabitants of this I le nor yet of Ireland can readilie saie whether they be fish or flesh for although the religious there vsed to eat them as fish yet elsewhere some haue beene troubled for eating of them in times prohibited for heretikes and lollards For my part I haue béene verie desirous to vnderstand the vttermost of the bréeding of
the people in sound maner to minister the sacraments to visit the sicke and brethren imprisoned and to performe such other duties as then belonged to their charges The bishop himselfe and elders of the church were also hearers and examiners of their doctrine and being in processe of time found meet workmen for the lords haruest they were forthwith sent abrode after imposition of hands and praier generallie made for their good proceeding to some place or other then destitute of hir pastor and other taken from the schoole also placed in their roomes What number of such clerks belonged now and then to some one sée the chronologie following shall easilie declare and in like sort what officers widowes and other persons were dailie mainteined in those seasons by the offerings and oblations of the faithfull it is incredible to be reported if we compare the same with the decaies and ablations séene and practised at this present But what is that in all the world which auarice and negligence will not corrupt and impaire And as this is a paterne of the estate of the cathedrall churches in those times so I wish that the like order of gouernment might once againe be restored vnto the same which may be doone with ease sith the schooles are alreadie builded in euerie diocesse the vniuersities places of their preferment vnto further knowledge and the cathedrall churches great inough to receiue so manie as shall come from thence to be instructed vnto doctrine But one hinderance of this is alreadie and more more to be looked for beside the plucking and snatching commonlie séene from such houses and the church and that is the generall contempt of the ministerie and small consideration of their former paines taken whereby lesse and lesse hope of competent maintenance by preaching the word is likelie to insue Wherefore the greatest part of the more excellent wits choose rather to imploy their studies vnto physike and the lawes vtterlie giuing ouer the studie of the scriptures for feare least they should in time not get their bread by the same By this meanes also the stalles in their quéeres would be better filled which now for the most part are emptie and prebends should be prebends indéed there to liue till they were preferred to some ecclesiasticall function and then other men chosen to succéed them in their roomes whereas now prebends are but superfluous additaments vnto former excesses perpetuall commodities vnto the owners which before time were but temporall as I haue said before But as I haue good leisure to wish for these things so it shall be a longer time before it will be brought to passe Neuerthelesse as I will praie for a reformation in this behalfe so will I here conclude this my discourse of the estate of our churches and go in hand with the limits and bounds of our seuerall sées in such order as they shall come vnto my present remembrance Of the number of bishoprikes and their seuerall circuits Chap. 2. HAuing alreadie spoken generally of the state of our church now will I touch the sées seuerallie saieng so much of ech of them as shall be conuenient for the time and not onelie out of the ancient but also the later writers and somewhat of mine owne experience beginning first with the sée of Canturburie as the most notable whose archbishop is the primat of all this land for ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and most accompted of commonlie bicause he is néerer to the prince and readie at euerie call The iurisdiction of Canturburie therefore exected first by Augustine the moonke in the time of Ethelbert king of Kent if you haue respect to hir prouinciall regiment extendeth it selfe ouer all the south and west parts of this Iland and Ireland as I haue noted in the chapter precedent and few shires there are wherein the archbishop hath not some peculiars But if you regard the same onelie that was and is proper vnto his see from the beginning it reacheth but ouer one parcell of Kent which Rudburne calleth Cantwarland the iurisdiction of Rochester including the rest so that in this one countie the greatest archbishoprike and the least bishoprike of all are linked in togither That of Canturburie hath vnder it one archdeaconrie who hath iurisdiction ouer eleauen deanries or a hundred sixtie one parish churches in the popish time in sted of the 3093 pounds eighteene shillings halfepenie farthing which it now paieth vnto hir maiestie vnder the name of first frutes there went out of this see to Rome at euerie alienation 10000 ducates or florens beside 5000 that the neâ—h elect did vsuallie paie for his pall each ducat being then worth an English crowne or thereabout as I haue béene informed The sée of Rochester is also included within the limits of Kent being erected by Augustine in the 604 of Grace and reigne of Ceolrijc ouer the west-Saxons The bishop of this sée hath one archdeacon vnder whose gouernment in causes ecclesiasticall are thrée deanries or 132 parish churches so that hereby it is to be gathered that there are 393 parish churches in Kent ouer which the said two archdeacons haue especiall cure charge He was woont to paie also vnto the court of Rome at his admission to that see 1300 ducats or florens as I read which was an hard valuation considering the smalnesse of circuit belonging to his sée Howbeit in my time it is so farre from ease by diminution that it is raised to 1432 crownes c or as we resolue them into our pounds 358 pounds thrée shillings six pence halfe-pennie farthing a reckoning a great deale more preciselie made than anie bishop of that sée dooth take any great delight in He was crosse-bearer in times past vnto the archbishop of Canturburie And there are and haue béene few sées in England which at one time or other haue not fetched their bishops for the most part from this see for as it is of it selfe but a small thing in déed so it is commonlie a preparatiue to an higher place But of all that euer possessed it Thomas Kempe had the best lucke who being but a poore mans sonne of Wie vnto which towne he was a great benefactor grew first to be doctor of both lawes then of diuinitie and afterward being promoted to this sée he was translated from thence to Chichester thirdlie to London next of all to Yorke and finallie after seauen and twentie yeares to Canturburie where he became also cardinall deacon and then preest in the court of Rome according to this verse Bis primas ter praeses bis cardine functus Certes I note this man bicause he bare some fauour to the furtherance of the gospell and to that end he either builded or repared the pulpit in Paules churchyard and tooke order for the continuall maintenance of a sermon there vpon the sabaoth which dooth continue vnto my time as a place from whence the soundest doctrine is alwaies to be looked for and for such
it selfe beareth witnesse notwithstanding that the papists prefer S. Osmond as they call him because he builded the minster there and made the portesse called Ordinale ecclesiastici officij which old préests were woont to vse The bishops also of this sée were sometimes called bishops of Sunning of their old mansion house neere vnto Reading as it should seeme and among those that liued before the said Iuell one Roger builded the castell of the Uies in the time of Henrie the first taken in those daies for the strongest hold in England as vnto whose gate there were regals and gripes for six or seuen port cullises Finallie this sée paid vnto Rome 4000 florens but vnto hir maiestie in my time 1367 pounds twelue shillings eight pence as I did find of late Excester hath Deuonshire and Cornewall sometime two seuerall bishopriks but in the end brought into one of Cornewall and from thence to Excester in the time of the Bastard or soone after It began vpon this occasion Anno Gratiae 905 in a prouinciall councell holden by the elder Edward Plegimond archbishop of Canturburie among the Gewises wherein it was found that the see of Winchester had not onelie béene without hir pastor by the space of seuen yéeres but also that hir iurisdiction was farre greater than two men were able well to gouerne therefore from the former two to wit Winchester and Shirburne three other were taken whereby that see was now diuided into fiue parts the latter thrée being Welles Kirton and Cornwall this of Cornwall hauing hir sée then at saint Patroks not farre from north-Wales vpon the riuer Helmouth he of Deuon holding his iurisdiction in Deuonshire Kirton or Cridioc and the bishop of Welles being allowed Dorset and Barkshires for his part to gouerne and looke vnto according to his charge Finallie these two of Deuon and Cornwall being vnited the valuation thereof was taxed by the sée of Rome at six thousand ducats or florens which were trulie paid at euerie alienation but verie hardlie as I gesse sith that in my time wherein all things are racked to the verie vttermost I find that it is litle worth aboue fiue hundred pounds by the yéere bicause hir tenths are but fiftie Bath whose see was sometime at Welles before Iohn the bishop there annexed the church of Bath vnto it which was 1094 hath Summersetshire onlie and the valuation thereof in the court of Rome was foure hundred thirtie florens but in hir maiesties books I find it fiue hundred thirtie and three pounds and about one od shilling which declareth a precise examination of the estate of that sée Of the erection of this bishoprike mentioned in the discourse of Excester I find the former assertion confirmed by another author and in somewhat more large maher which I will also remember onelie because it pleaseth me somewhat better than the words before alleged out of the former writer This bishoprike saith he was erected 905 in a councell holden among the Gewises whereat king Edward of the west-Saxons and Plegimond archbishop of Canturburie were present For that part of the countrie had béene seuen yéeres without anie pastorall cure And therfore in this councell it was agréed that for the two bishoprikes whereof one was at Winchester another at Shireburne there should be fiue ordeined whereby the people there might be the better instructed By this meanes Frithstan was placed at Winchester and Ethelme at Shireburne both of them being then void Shireburne also susteined the subdiuision so that Werstane was made bishop of Cridioc or Deuonshire whose sée was at Kirton Herstan of Cornwall and Eadulfe of Welles vnto whome Barkshire and Dorsetshire were appointed But now you sée what alteration is made by consideration of the limits of their present iurisdictions Worcester sometime called Episcopatus Wicciorum that is the bishoprike of the Wiccies or Huiccies hath Worcester part of Warwikeshires And before the bishoprike of Glocester was taken out of the same it paid to the pope two thousand ducats of gold at euerie change of prelat but now the valuation thereof is one thousand fortie nine pounds seauen pence halfe penie farthing except my remembrance doo deceiue me This sée was begunne either in or not long before the time of Offa king of the east-Angles and Boselus was the first bishop there after whome succéeded Ostfort then Egwine who went in pilgrimage to Rome with Kinredus of Mercia and the said Offa and there gat a monasterie which he builded in Worcester confirmed by Constantine the pope In this sée was one of your lordships ancestors sometime bishop whose name was Cobham and doctor both of diuinitie and of the canon law who during the time of his pontificalitie there builded the vault of the north side of the bodie of the church and there lieth buried in the same as I haue béene informed Certes this man was once elected and should haue béene archbishop of Canturburie in the roome of Reginald that died 1313 vnder Edward the second but the pope frustrated his election fearing least he would haue shewed himselfe more affectionate towards his prince than to his court of Rome wherefore he gaue Canturburie to the bishop of Worcester then being And furthermore least he should seeme altogither to reiect the said Thomas and displease the king he gaue him in the end the bishoprike of Worcester whereinto he entred 1317 Martij 31 being thursdaie as appeereth by the register of that house after long plée holden for the aforesaid sée of Canturburie in the court of Rome wherein most monie did oftenest preuaile This is also notable of that sée that fiue Italians succéeded ech other in the same by the popes prouision as Egidius Syluester Egidius his nephue for nephues might say in those daies Father shall I call you vncle And vncles also Son I must call thée nephue Iulius de Medices afterward pope Clement and Hieronymus de Nugutijs men verie likelie no doubt to benefit the common people by their doctrine Some of these being at the first but poore men in Rome and yet able by selling all they had to make a round summe against a rainie daie came first into fauor with the pope then into familiaritie finallie into orders and from thence into the best liuings of the church farre off where their parentage could not easilie be heard of nor made knowne vnto their neighbours Glocester hath Glocestershire onelie wherein are nine deanries and to the number of 294 parish churches as I find by good record But it neuer paid anie thing to Rome bicause it was erected by king Henrie the eight after he had abolished the vsurped authoritie of the pope except in quéene Maries if anie such thing were demanded as I doubt not but it was yet is it woorth yeerelie 315 pounds seauen shillings thrée pence as the booke of first fruits declareth Hereford hath Herefordshire and part of Shropshire and it paid to Rome at euerie
I haue seene and had an ancient iarror of the lands of this monasterie which agréeth verie well with the historie of Hugo le Blanc monke of that house In the charter also of donation annexed to the same I saw one of Wulfhere king of Mercia signed with his owne the marks of Sigher king of Sussex Sebbie of Essex with the additions of their names the rest of the witnesses also insued in this order Ethelred brother to Wulfehere Kindburg and Kindswith sisters to Wulfhere Deusdedit archbishop Ithamar bishop of Rochester Wina bishop of London Iarnman bishop of Mearc Wilfride and Eoppa préests Saxulfe the abbat Then all the earles and eldermen of England in order and after all these the name of pope Agatho who confirmed the instrument at the sute of Wilfride archbishop of Yorke in a councell holden at Rome 680 of a hundred fiue and twentie bishops wherein also these churches were appropriated to the said monasterie to wit Breding Reping Cedenac Swinesheued Lusgerd Edelminglond and Barchaing whereby we haue in part an euident testimonie how long the practise of appropriation of benefices hath béene vsed to the hinderance of the gospell and maintenance of idle moonks an humane inuention grounded vpon hypocrisie Bristow hath Dorsetshire sometime belonging to Salisburie a sée also latelie erected by king Henrie the eight who tooke no small care for the church of Christ and therefore eased a number of ancient sées of some part of their huge and ouer-large circuits and bestowed those portions deducted vpon such other erections as he had appointed for the better regiment and féeding of the flocke the value thereof is thrée hundred foure score and thrée pounds eight shillings and foure pence as I haue béene informed Lincolne of all other of late times was the greatest and albeit that out of it were taken the sees of Oxford and Peterborow yet it still reteineth Lincolne Leicester Huntingdon Bedford Buckingham shires and the rest of Hertford so that it extendeth from the Thames vnto the Humber and paid vnto the pope fiue thousand ducats as appeereth by his note at euerie alienation In my time and by reason of hir diminution it yéeldeth a tribute to whom tribute belongeth of the valuation of eight hundred ninetie and nine pounds eight shillings seauen pence farthing It began since the conquest about the beginning of William Rufus by one Remigius who remooued his sée from Dorchester to Lincolne not without licence well paid for vnto the king And thus much of the bishopriks which lie within Lhoegres or England as it was left vnto Locrinus Now it followeth that I procéed with Wales Landaffe or the church of Taw hath ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in Glamorgan Monmouth Brechnoch and Radnor shires And although it paid seuen hundred ducats at euerie exchange of prelat yet is it scarselie worth one hundred fiftie and fiue pounds by the yeare as I haue heard reported Certes it is a poore bishoprike as I haue heard the late incumbent thereof being called for not long since by the lord president in open court made answer The daffe is here but the land is gone What he meant by it I can not well tell but I hope that in the séed time and the frée planting of the gospell the meate of the labourer shall not be diminished and withdrawen S. Dauids hath Penbroke and Caermardine shires whose liuerie or first fruits to the sée of Rome was one thousand and fiue hundred ducats at the hardest as I thinke For if record be of anie sufficient credit it is little aboue the value of foure hundred fiftie and seauen pounds one shilling and ten pence farthing in our time and so it paieth vnto hir maiesties coffers but in time past I thinke it was farre better The present bishop misliketh verie much of the cold situation of his cathedrall church and therfore he would gladlie pull it downe and set it in a warmer place but it would first be learned what suertie he would put in to sée it well performed of the rest I speake not Bangor is in north-Wales and hath Caernaruon Angleseie and Merioneth shires vnder hir iurisdiction It paid to Rome 126 ducats which is verie much For of all the bishoprikes in England it is now the least for reuenues and not woorth aboue one hundred and one and thirtie pounds and sixtéene pence to hir maiesties coffers at euerie alienation as appéereth by the tenths which amount to much lesse thair of some good benefice for it yeeldeth not yéerelie aboue thirtéene pounds thrée shillings and seauen pence halfe penie as by that court is manifest S. Asaphes hath Prestholme and part of Denbigh and Flintshires vnder hir iurisdiction in causes ecclesiasticall which being laid togither doo amount to little more than one good countie and therefore in respect of circuit the least that is to be found in Wales neuerthelesse it paid to Rome 470 ducates at euerie alienation In my time the first fruits of this bishoprike came vnto 187 pounds eleuen shillings six pence wherby it séemeth to be somewhat better than Laâ—daffe or Bangor last remembred There is one Howell a gentleman of Flintshire in the compasse of this iurisdiction who is bound to giue an harpe of siluer yearelie to the best harper in Wales but did anie bishop thinke you deserue that in the popish time Howell or Aphowell in English is all one as I haue heard and signifie so much as Hugo or Hugh Hitherto of the prouince of Canturburie for so much therof as now lieth within the compasse of this Iland Now it resteth that I procéed with the curtailed archbishoprike of Yorke I saie curtailed because all Scotland is cut from his iurisdiction and obedience The see of Yorke was restored about the yeare of Grace 625 which after the comming of the Saxons laie desolate and neglected howbeit at the said time Iustus archbishop of Canturburie ordeined Paulinus to be first bishop there in the time of Eadwâ—jn king of Northumberland This Paulinus sate six yeares yer he was driuen from thence after whose expulsion that seat was void long time wherby Lindeffarne grew into credit and so remained vntill the daies of Oswie of Northumberland who sent Wilfred the priest ouer into France there to be consecrated archbishop of Yorke but whilest he taried ouer long in those parts Oswie impatient of delaie preferred Ceadda or Chad to that roome who held it three yeares which being expired Wilfred recouered his roome and held it as he might vntill it was seuered in two to wit Yorke Hagulstade or Lindâ—ffarne where Eata was placed at which time also Egfride was made bishop of Lincolne or Lindsie in that part of Mercia which he had goten from Woolfhere Of it selfe it hath now iurisdiction ouer Yorkeshire Notinghamshire whose shire towne I meane the new part thereof with the bridge was builded by king Edward the first surnamed the elder before the conquest and the rest of
Lancastershire onelie not subiect to the sée of Chester and when the pope bare authoritie in this realme it paid vnto his see 1000 ducates beside 5000 for the pall of the new elect which was more than he could well spare of late considering the curtailing diminution of his sée thorough the erection of a new metropolitane in Scotland but in my time it yéeldeth 1609 pounds ninetéene shillings two pence to hir maiestie whom God long preserue vnto vs to his glorie hir comfort and our welfares Chester vpon Dee otherwise called Westchester hath vnder hir iurisdiction in causes ecclesiasticall Chestershire Darbishire the most part of Lancastershire to wit vnto the Ribell Richmond and a part of Flint and Denbigh shires in Wales was made a bishoprike by king H. 8. anno regni 33. Iulij 16 and so hath continued since that time being valued 420 pounds by the yeare beside od twentie pence a streict reckoning as the record declareth Durham hath the countie of Durham and Northumberland with the Dales onelie vnder hir iurisdiction and hereof the bishops haue sometimes béene earles palantines ruled the rost vnder the name of the bishoprike and succession of S. Cuthbert It was a sée in mine opinion more profitable of late vnto hir maiesties coffers by 221 pounds eighteene shillings ten pence sarthing and yet of lesse countenance than hir prouinciall neuertheles the sunne-shine thereof as I heare is now somewhat eclipsed and not likelie to recouer the light for this is not a time wherein the câ—â—rch may looke to increase in hir estate I heare also that some other flitches haue forgone the like collops but let such maters be scanned by men of more discretion Capgraue saith how that the first bishop of this sée was called bishop of Lindseie or Lincolne that Ceadda laie in Liechfield of the Mercians in a mansion house néere the church But this is more worthie to be remembred that Cuthred of the Northumbers and Alfred of the Westsaxons bestowed all the land betwéene the These the Tine now called the bishoprike vpon S. Cuthbert beside whatsoeuer belonged to the sée of Hagulstade Edgar of Scotland also in the time of the Bastard gaue Coldingham and Berwike withall their appurtenances to that house but whether these donations be extant or no as yet I cannot tell Yet I thinke not but that Leland had a sight of them from whome I had this ground But whatsoeuer this bishoprike be now in externall outward apparance sure it is that it paid in old time 9000 ducates at euerie alienation to Rome as the record expresseth Aidan a Scot or Irishman was the first bishop of this sée who held himselfe as did manie of his successors at Colchester and in Lindeffarne I le till one came that remooued it to Durham And now iudge you whether the allegatlon of Capgraue be of anie accompt or not Caerleill was erected 1132 by Henrie the first and hereof one Ethelwoolfe confessor to Osmond bishop of Sarum was made the first bishop hauing Cumberland Westmerland assigned to his share of the deaneries and number of parish churches conteined in the same as yet I haue no knowledge more than of manie other Howbeit hereof I am sure that notwithstanding the present valuation be risen to 531 pounds foureteene shilings eleuen pence halfe penie the pope receiued out of it but 1000 florens and might haue spared much more as an aduersarie thereto confessed sometime euen before the pope himselfe supposing no lesse than to haue gained by his tale and so peraduenture should haue doone if his platforme had taken place But as wise men oft espie the practises of flatteries so the pope saw to what end this profitable speach was vttered As touching Caerleill it selfe it was sometime sacked by the Danes and eftsoones repared by William Rufus planted with a colonie of southerne men I suppose that in old time it was called Cairdoill For in an ancient booke which I haue séene and yet haue intituled Liber formularum literarum curiae Romanae octo capitulorum episcopatus Cardocensis And thus much generallie of the names and numbers of our bishoprikes of England whose tenths in old time yearelie amounting vnto 21111 pounds twelue shillings one penie halfe penie farthing of currant monie in those daies doo euidentlie declare what store of coine was transported out of the land vnto the papall vses in that behalfe onelie Certes I take this not to be one quarter of his gaines gotten by England in those daies for such commodities were raised by his courts holden here so plentifullie gat he by his perquisits as elections procurations appeales preuentions pluralities tot quots trialities tollerations legitimations bulles seales préests concubines eating of flesh and white meats dispensations for mariages times of celebration Peter pence and such like faculties that not so little as 1200000 pounds went yearelie from hence to Rome And therefore no maruell though he séeke much in these daies to reduce vs to his obedience But what are the tenths of England you will saie in comparison of all those of Europe For notwithstanding that manie good bishoprikes latelie erected be left out of his old bookes of record which I also haue séene yet I find neuertheles that the whole sum of them amounted to not aboue 61521 pounds as monie went 200 yeares before my time of which portion poore saint Peter did neuer heare of so much as one graie grote Marke therfore I praie you whether England were not fullie answerable to a third part of the rest of his tenths ouer all Europe and therevpon tell me whether our Iland was one of the best paire of bestowes or not that blue the fire in his kitchen wherewith to make his pot seeth beside all other commodities Beside all these we haue another bishoprike yet in England almost slipped out of my remembrance because it is verie obscure for that the bishop thereof hath not wherewith to mainteine his countenance sufficientlie and that is the see of Mona or Man somtime named Episcopatus Sodorensis whereof one Wimundus was ordeined the first bishop and Iohn the second in the troublesome time of king Stephan The gift of this prelacie resteth in the earles of Darbie who nominate such a one from time to time therto as to them dooth séeme conuenient Howbeit if that sée did know and might reape hir owne commodities and discerne them from other mens possessions for it is supposed that the mother hath deuoured the daughter I doubt not but the state of hir bishop would quicklie be amended Hauing therefore called this later sée after this maner vnto mind I suppose that I haue sufficientlie discharged my dutie concerning the state of our bishoprike and maner how the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the church of England is diuided among the shires and counties of this realme Whose bishops as they haue béene heretofore of lesse learning and yet of greater port dooings in the
common-wealth than at this present so are they now for the most part the best learned that are to be found in anie countrie of Europe sith neither high parentage nor great riches as in other countries but onelie learning and vertue commended somewhat by fréendship doo bring them to this honour I might here haue spoken more at large of diuerse other bishopriks sometime in this part of the Iland as of that of Caerlheon tofore ouerthrowen by Edelfred in the behalfe of Augustine the moonke as Malmesburie saith where Dubritius gouerned which was afterward translated to S. Dauids and taken for an archbishoprike secondlie of the bishoprike of Leircester called Legerensis whose fourth bishop Unwon went to Rome with Offa king of Mercia thirdlie of Ramsbirie or Wiltun and of Glocester of which you shall read in Matth. Westm. 489 where the bishop was called Eldad also of Hagulstade one of the members whereinto the see of Yorke was diuided after the expulsion of Wilfrid For as I read when Egfrid the king had driuen him awaie he diuided his see into two parts making Bosa ouer the Deiranes that held his sée at Hagulstade or Lindfarne and Eatta ouer the Bernicians who sate at Yorke and thereto placing Edhedus ouer Lindseie as is afore noted whose successors were Ethelwine Edgar and Kinibert notwithstanding that one Seâ—ulfus was ouer Lindseie before Edhedus who was bishop of the Mercians and middle England till he was banished from Lindseie and came into those quarters to séeke his refuge and succour I could likewise intreat of the bishops of Whiteherne or Ad Candidam Casam an house with the countrie wherein it stood belonging to the prouince of Northumberland but now a parcell of Scotland also of the erection of the late sée at Westminster by Henrie the eight But as the one so the other is ceased and the lands of this later either so diuided or exchanged for worse tenures that except a man should sée it with his eies point out with his finger where euerie parcell of them is bestowed but a few men would beléeue what is become of the same I might likewise and with like ease also haue added the successors of the bishops of euerie sée to this discourse of their cathedrall churches and places of abode but it would haue extended this treatise to an vnprofitable length Neuerthelesse I will remember the same of London my natiue citie after I haue added one word more of the house called Ad Candidam Casam in English Whiteherne which taketh denomination of the white stone wherwith it was builded and was séene far off as standing vpon an hill to such as did behold it The names and successions of so manie archbishops and bishops of London as are extant and to be had from the faith first receiued Archbishops Theon Eluanus Cadocus Ouinus Conanus Palladius Stephanus Iltutus Restitutus who liued 350 of grace Tadwinus alià s Theodwinus some doo write him Tacwinus Tatwinus Tidredus alià s Theodred Hilarius Fastidius liued Anno Dom. 430. Vodinus slaine by the Saxons Theonus The see void manie yeares Augustine the moonke sent ouer by Gregorie the great till he remooued his sée to Canturburie to the intent he might the sooner flée if persecution should be raised by the infidels or heare from or send more spéedilie vnto Rome without anie great feare of the interception of his letters Bishops Melitus The see void for a season Wina Erkenwaldus Waldherus Ingaldus Egulphus Wigotus Eadbricus Edgarus Kiniwalchus Eadbaldus Eadbertus Oswinus Ethelnothus Cedbertus Cernulphus Suiduiphus Eadstanus Wulfsinus Ethelwaldus Elstanus Brithelmus Dunstanus Tidricus Alwijnus Elswoldus Robertus a Norman Wilhelmus a Norman Hugo a Norman I read also of a bishop of London called Elsward or Ailward who was abbat of Eouesham and bishop of London at one time and buried at length in Ramseie howbeit in what order of succession he liued I can not tell more than of diuerse other aboue remembred but in this order doo I find them The see void twelue yeares 1 Mauricius 2 Richardus Beaumis 3 Gilbertus vniuersalis a notable man for thrée things auarice riches and learning 4 Robertus de Sigillo 5 Richardus Beaumis 6 Gilbertus Folioth 7 Richardus 8 Wilhelmus de sancta Maria. 9 Eustathius Falconberg 10 Rogerus Niger 11 Fulco Bascet 12 Henricus Wingham Richardus Talbot electus 15 Richard Grauesend 16 Radulfus Gandacensis 17 Gilbertus Segraue 18 Richardus de Newport 19 Stephanus Grauesend 20 Richard Bintworth 21 Radulfus Baldoc who made the tables hanging in the vesterie of Paules 22 Michael 23 Simon 24 Robertus 25 Thomas 26 Richardus 27 Thomas Sauagius 28 Wilhelmus 29 Wilhelm Warham 30 Wilhelmus Barnes 31 Cuthbertus Tunstall 32 Iohannes Stokesleie 33 Richardus fitz Iames. 34 Edmundus Boner remooued imprisoned 35 Nicholas Ridleie remooued and burned Edm. Boner restored remooued imprisoned 36 Edmundus Grindall 37 Edwinus Sandes 38 Iohannes Elmer Hauing gotten and set downe thus much of the bishops I will deliuer in like sort the names of the deanes vntill I come to the time of mine old master now liuing in this present yeare 1586 who is none of the least ornaments that haue beene in that seat Deanes 1 Wulmannus who made a distribution of the psalmes conteined in the whole psalter and apointed the same dailie to be read amongst the prebendaries 2 Radulfus de Diceto whose noble historie is yet extant in their librarie 3 Alardus Bucham 4 Robertus Watford 5 Martinus Patteshull 6 Hugo de Marinis 7 Radulfus Langfort 8 Galfridus de Berie 9 Wilhelmus StaÌ„man 10 Henricus Cornell 11 Walterus de Salerne 12 Robertus Barton 13 Petrus de Newport 14 Richardus Talbot 15 Galfredus de Fering 16 Iohannes Chishull 17 Herueus de Boreham 18 Thomas Eglesthorpe 19 Rogerus de Lalleie 20 Wilhelmns de Montfort 21 Radulfus de Baldoc postea episcopus 22 Alanus de Cantilup postea cardinalis Iohan. Sandulfe electus Richardus de Newport electus 23 Magister Vitalis 24 Iohannes Euerisdon 25 Wilhelmus Brewer 26 Richardus Kilmingdon 27 Thomas Trullocke 28 Iohannes Appulbie 29 Thomas Euer 30 Thomas Stow. 31 Thomas More 32 Reginaldus Kenton 33 Thomas Lisieux alià s Leseux 34 Leonardus de Bath 35 Wilhelmus Saie 36 Rogerus Ratcliffe 37 Thom. Winterburne 38 Wilhelmus Wolseie 39 Robert Sherebroke 40 IohaÌ„nes Collet founder of Paules schoole Richardus Paceus Richardus Sampson Iohannes Incent Wilhelmus Maius resignauit Iohannes Fakenham alià s Howman resignauit Henricus Colus remooued imprisoned Wilhelmus Maius restored Alexander Nouellus And thus much of the archbishops bishops and deanes of that honorable sée I call it honorable because it hath had a succession for the most part of learned and wise men albeit that otherwise it be the most troublesome seat in England not onelie for that it is néere vnto checke but also the prelats thereof are much troubled with sutors and no lesse subiect to the reproches of the common sort whose mouthes are
learning or of good and vpright life as bishop Fox sometime noted who thought it sacrilege for a man to tarrie anie longer at Oxford than he had a desire to profit A man may if he will begin his studie with the law or physike of which this giueth wealth the other honor so soone as he commeth to the vniuersitie if his knowledge in the toongs and ripenesse of iudgement serue therefore which if he doo then his first degrée is bacheler of law or physicke and for the same he must performe such acts in his owne science as the bachelers or doctors of diuinitie doo for their parts the onelie sermons except which belong not to his calling Finallie this will I saie that the professors of either of those faculties come to such perfection in both vniuersities as the best students beyond the sea doo in their owne or else where One thing onlie I mislike in them and that is their vsuall going into Italie from whense verie few without speciall grace doo returne good men whatsoeuer they pretend of conference or practise chiefelie the physicians who vnder pretense of séeking of forreine simples doo oftentimes learne the framing of such compositions as were better vnknowen than practised as I haue heard oft alledged and therefore it is most true that doctor Turner said Italie is not to be séene without a guide that is without speciall grace giuen from God bicause of the licentious and corrupt behauiour of the people There is moreouer in euerie house a maister or prouost who hath vnder him a president certeine censors or deanes appointed to looke to the behauior and maners of the students there whom they punish verie seuerelié if they make anie default according to the quantitie and qualitie of their trespasses And these are the vsuall names of gouernours in Cambridge Howbeit in Oxford the heads of houses are now and then called presidents in respect of such bishops as are their visitors founders In ech of these also they haue one or moe thresurers whom they call Bursarios or Bursers beside other officers whose charge is to sée vnto the welfare and maintenance of these houses Ouer each vniuersitie also there is a seuerall chancelor whose offices are perpetuall howbeit their substitutes whom we call vicechancelors are changed euerie yeare as are also the proctors taskers maisters of the streates and other officers for the better maintenance of their policie and estate And thus much al this time of our two vniuersities in each of which I haue receiued such degree as they haue vouchsafed rather of their fauour than my desert to yeeld and bestow vpon me and vnto whose students I wish one thing the execution whereof cannot be preiudiciall to anie that meaneth well as I am resolutelie persuaded and the case now standeth in these our daies When anie benefice therefore becommeth void it were good that the patrone did signifie the vacation therof to the bishop and the bishop the act of the patrone to one of the vniuersities with request that the vicechancellor with his assistents might prouide some such able man to succeed in the place as should by their iudgement be méet to take the charge vpon him Certes if this order were taken then should the church be prouided of good pastors by whome God should be glorified the vniuersities better stored the simoniacall practises of a number of patrons vtterlie abolished and the people better trained to liue in obedience toward God and their prince which were an happie estate To these two also we may in like sort ad the third which is at London seruing onelie for such as studie the lawes of the realme where there are sundrie famous houses of which thrée are called by the name of Ins of the court the rest of the chancerie and all builded before time for the furtherance and commoditie of such as applie their minds to our common lawes Out of these also come manie scholers of great fame whereof the most part haue heretofore béene brought vp in one of the aforesaid vniuersities and prooue such commonlie as in processe of time rise vp onelie through their profound skill to great honor in the common-wealth of England They haue also degrées of learning among themselues and rules of discipline vnder which they liue most ciuilie in their houses albeit that the yoonger sort of them abroad in the streats are scarse able to be bridled by anie good order at all Certes this errour was woont also greatlie to reigne in Cambridge and Oxford â—etweene the students and the burgesses but as it is well left in these two places so in forreine counteies it cannot yet be suppressed Besides these vniuersities also there are great number of Grammer schooles through out the realme and those verie liberallie indued for the better reliefe of poore scholers so that there are not manie corporat townes now vnder the quéenes dominion that hain not one Gramar schoole at the least with a sufficient liuing for a maister and vsher appointed to the same There are in like maner diuerse collegiat churches as Windsor Wincester Eaton Westminster in which I was sometime an vnprofitable Grammarian vnder the reuerend father master Nowell now deane of Paules and in those a great number of poore scholers dailie mainteened by the liberalitie of the founders with meat bookes and apparell from whence after they haue béene well entered in the knowledge of the Latine and Gréeke toongs and rules of versifieng the triall whereof is made by certeine apposers yearelie appointed to examine them they are sent to certeine especiall houses in each vniuersitie where they are receiued the trained vp in the points of higher knowledge in their priuat hals till they be adiudged meet to shew their faces in the schooles as I haue said alreadie And thus much haue I thought good to note of our vniuersities and likewise of colleges in the same whose names I will also set downe here with those of their founders to the end the zeale which they bare vnto learning may appeare and their remembrance neuer perish from among the wise and learned Of the colleges in Cambridge with their founders Yeares of the foundations Colleges  Founders 1546 1 Trinitie college by King Henrie 8. 1441 2 The kings college K. Henrie 6. Edward 4. Henrie 7. and Henrie 8. 1511 3 S. Iohns L. Margaret grandmother to Henrie 8. 1505 4 Christes college K. Henrie 6. and the ladie Margaret aforesaid 1446 5 The queenes college Ladie Margaret wife to king Hentie 6. 1496 6 Iesus college Iohn Alcocke bishop of Elie. 1342 7 Bennet college The brethren of a popish guild called Corporis Christi 1343 8 Pembroke hall Maria de Valentia countesse of Pembroke 1256 9 Peter college Hugh Balsham bishop of Elie. 1348 1557 10 Gundeuill and Cauius college Edmund Gundeuill parson of Terrington and Iohn Caius doctor of physicke 1354 11 Trinitie hall William Bateman bishop of Norwich 1326 12
and yet may with farre more ease and lesse cost be prouided from other countries if we could vse the meanes I will not speake of iron glasse and such like which spoile much wood and yet are brought from other countries better chéepe than we can make them here at home I could exemplifie also in manie other But to leaue these things and procéed with our purpose and herein as occasion serueth generallie by waie of conclusion to speake of the common-wealth of England I find that it is gouerned and mainteined by thrée sorts of persons 1 The prince monarch and head gouernour which is called the king or if the crowne fall to the woman the quéene in whose name and by whose authoritie all things are administred 2 The gentlemen which be diuided into two sorts as the baronie or estate of lords which conteineth barons and all aboue that degree and also those that be no lords as knights esquiers simple gentlemen as I haue noted alreadie Out of these also are the great deputies and high presidents chosen of which one serueth in Ireland as another did sometime in Calis and the capteine now at Berwike as one lord president dooth gouerne in Wales and the other the north parts of this Iland which later with certeine councellors and iudges were erected by king Henrie the eight But forsomuch as I haue touched their conditions elsewhere it shall be mough to haue remembred them at this time 3 The third and last sort is named the yeomanrie of whom their sequele the labourers and artificers I haue said somewhat euen now Whereto I ad that they be not called masters and gentlemen but goodmen as goodman Smith goodman Coot goodman Cornell goodman Mascall goodman Cockswet c in matters of law these and the like are called thus Giles Iewd yeoman Edward Mountford yeoman Iames Cocke yeoman Herrie Butcher yeoman c by which addition they are exempt from the vulgar and common sorts Cato calleth them Aratores optimos ciues rei publicae of whom also you may read more in the booke of common wealth which sir Thomas Smith sometime penned of this land Of gentlemen also some are by the prince chosen and called to great offices in the common wealth of which said offices diuerse concerne the whole realme some be more priuat and peculiar to the kings house And they haue their places and degrées prescribed by an act of parlement made An. 31 Henr. octaui after this maner insuing These foure the lord Chancellor the lord Treasuror who is Supremus aerarij Anglici quaestor or Tribunus aerarius maximus the lord President of the councell and the lord Priuie seale being persons of the degrée of a baron or aboue are in the same act appointed to sit in the parlement and in all assemblies or councell aboue all dukes not being of the bloud roiall Videlicet the kings brother vncle or nephue And these six the lord great Chamberleine of England the lord high Constable of England the lord Marshall of England the lord Admirall of England the lord great master or Steward of the kings house and the lord Chamberleine by that act are to be placed in all assemblies of councell after the lord priuie seale according to their degrées and estats so that if he be a baron then he is to sit aboue all barons or an earle aboue all earles And so likewise the kings secretarie being a baron of the parlement hath place aboue all barons and if he be a man of higher degrée he shall sit and be placed according therevnto The rehearsall of the temporall nobilitie of England according to the anciencie of their creations or first calling to their degrees as they are to be found at this present The Marquise of Winchester The earle of Arundell The earle of Oxford The earle of Northumberland The earle of Shrewesburie The earle of Kent The earle of Derbi◠The earle of Worcester The earle of Rutland The earle of Cumberland The earle of Sussex The earle of Huntingdon The earle of Bath The earle of Warwike The earle of Southampton The earle of Bedford The earle of Penbrooke The earle of Hertford The earle of Leicester The earle of Essex The earle of Lincolne The viscont Montague The viscont Bindon The lord of Abergeuennie The lord Awdeleie The lord Zouch The lord Barkeleie The lord Morleie The lord Dacres of the south The lord Cobham The lord Stafford The lord Greie of Wilton The lord Scroope The lord Dudleie The lord Latimer The lord Stourton The lord Lumleie The lord Mountioie The lord Ogle The lord Darcie of the north The lord Mountegle The lord Sands The lord Uaulx The lord Windsore The lord Wentwoorth The lord Borough The lord Mordaunt The lord Cromwell The lord Euers The lord Wharton The lord Rich. The lord Willowbie The lord Sheffeld The lord Paget The lord Darcie of Chichester The lord Howard of Effingham The lord North. The lord Chaundos The lord of Hunsdon The lord saint Iohn of Bletso The lord of Buckhirst The lord Delaware The lord Burghleie The lord Compton The lord Cheineie The lord Norreis Bishops in their anciencie as they sat in parlement in the fift of the Queenes maiesties reigne that now is The archbishop of Canturburie The archbishop of Yorke London Durham Winchester The rest had their places in senioritie of consecration Chichester Landaffe Hereford Elie. Worcester Bangor Lincolne Salisburie S. Dauids Rochester Bath and Welles Couentrie and Lichfield Excester Norwich Peterborough Carleill Chester S. Assaph Glocester And this for their placing in the parlement house Howbeit when the archbishop of Canturburie siteth in his prouinciall assemblie he hath on his right hand the archbishop of Yorke and next vnto him the bishop of Winchester on the left hand the bishop of London but if it fall out that the archbishop of Canturburie be not there by the vacation of his see then the archbishop of Yorke is to take his place who admitteth the bishop of London to his right hand and the prelat of Winchester to his left the rest sitting alwaies as afore that is to saie as they are elders by consecration which I thought good also to note out of an ancient president Of the food and diet of the English Chap. 6. THe situation of our region lieng néere vnto the north dooth cause the heate of our stomaches to be of somewhat greater force therefore our bodies doo craue a little more ample nourishment than the inhabitants of the hotter regions are accustomed withall whose digestiue force is not altogither so vehement bicause their internall heat is not so strong as ours which is kept in by the coldnesse of the aire that from time to time speciallie in winter dooth enuiron our bodies It is no maruell therefore that our tables are oftentimes more plentifullie garnished than those of other nations and this trade hath continued with vs euen since the verie beginning For before the
Romans found out and knew the waie vnto our countrie our predecessors fed largelie vpon flesh and milke whereof there was great aboundance in this I le bicause they applied their chéefe studies vnto pasturage and féeding After this maner also did our Welsh Britons order themselues in their diet so long as they liued of themselues but after they became to be vnited and made equall with the English they framed their appetites to liue after our maner so that at this daie there is verie little difference betwéene vs in our diets In Scotland likewise they haue giuen themselues of late yeares to speake of vnto verie ample and large diet wherein as for some respect nature dooth make them equall with vs so otherwise they far excéed vs in ouer much and distemperate gormandize and so ingrosse their bodies that diuerse of them doo oft become vnapt to anie other purpose than to spend their times in large tabling and bellie chéere Against this pampering of their carcasses dooth Hector Boetius in his description of the countrie verie sharpelie inueigh in the first chapter of that treatise Henrie Wardlaw also bishop of S. Andrewes noting their vehement alteration from competent frugalitie into excessiue gluttonie to be brought out of England with Iames the first who had béene long time prisoner there vnder the fourth fift Henries and at his returne caried diuerse English gentlemen into his countrie with him whome he verie honorablie preferred there dooth vehementlie exclame against the same in open parlement holden at Perth 1433 before the three estats and so bringeth his purpose to passe in the end by force of his learned persuasions that a law was presentlie made there for the restreint of superfluous diâ—t amongest other things baked meats dishes neuer before this mans daies seene in Scotland were generallie so prouided for by vertue of this act that it was not lawfull for anie to eat of the same vnder the degrée of a gentleman and those onelie but on high and festiuall daies but alas it was soone forgotten In old time these north Britons did giue themselues vniuersallie to great abstinence and in time of warres their souldiers would often féed but once or twise at the most in two or thrée daies especiallie if they held themselues in secret or could haue no issue out of their bogges and marises through the presence of the enimie and in this distresse they vsed to eat a certeine kind of confection whereof so much as a beane would qualifie their hunger aboue common expectation In woods moreouer they liued with hearbes and rootes or if these shifts serued not thorough want of such prouision at hand then vsed they to créepe into the water or said moorish plots vp vnto the chins and there remaine a long time onelie to qualifie the heats of their stomachs by violence which otherwise would haue wrought and béene readie to oppresse them for hunger and want of sustinance In those daies likewise it was taken for a great offense ouer all to eat either goose hare or henne bicause of a certeine superstitious opinion which they had conceiued of those three creatures howbeit after that the Romans I saie had once found an entrance into this Iland it was not long yer open shipwracke was made of his religious obseruation so that in processe of time so well the north and south Britons as the Romans gaue ouer to make such difference in meats as they had doone before From thencefoorth also vnto our daies and euen in this season wherein we liue there is no restreint of anie meat either for religions sake or publike order in England but it is lawfull for euerie man to féed vpon what soeuer he is able to purchase except it be vpon those daies whereon eating of flesh is especiallie forbidden by the lawes of the realme which order is taken onelie to the end our numbers of cattell may be the better increased that aboundance of fish which the sea yeeldeth more generallie receiued Beside this there is great consideration had in making of this law for the preseruation of the nauie and maintenance of conuenient numbers of sea faring men both which would otherwise greatlie decaie if some meanes were not found whereby they might be increased But how soeuer this case standeth white meats milke butter cheese which were neuer so deere as in my time and woont to be accounted of as one of the chiefe staies throughout the Iland are now reputed as food appertinent onelie to the inferiour sort whilest such as are more wealthie doo féed vpon the flesh of all kinds of cattell accustomed to be eaten all sorts of fish taken vpon our coasts and in our fresh riuers and such diuersitie of wild and tame foules as are either bred in our Iland or brought ouer vnto vs from other countries of the maine In number of dishes and change of meat the nobilitie of England whose cookes are for the most part musicall headed Frenchmen and strangers doo most exceed sith there is no daie in maner that passeth ouer their heads wherein they haue not onelie béefe mutton veale lambe kid porke conie capon pig or so manie of these as the season yeeldeth but also some portion of the red or fallow déere beside great varietie of fish and wild foule and thereto sundrie other delicates wherein the swéet hand of the seafaring Portingale is not wanting so that for a man to dine with one of them and to tast of euerie dish that standeth before him which few vse to doo but ech one feedeth vpon that meat him best liketh for the time the beginning of euerie dish notwithstanding being reserued vnto the greatest personage that sitteth at the table to whome it is drawen vp still by the waiters as order requireth and from whome it descendeth againe euen to the lower end whereby each one may tast thereof is rather to yéeld vnto a conspiracie with a great deale of meat for the spéedie suppression of naturall health then the vse of a necessarie meane to satisfie himselfe with a competent repast to susteine his bodie withall But as this large feeding is not séene in their gests no more is it in their owne persons for sith they haue dailie much resort vnto their tables and manie times vnlooked for and thereto reteine great numbers of seruants it is verie requisit expedient for them to be somewhat plentifull in this behalfe The chiefe part likewise of their dailie prouision is brought in before them commonlie in siluer vessell if they be of the degrée of barons bishops and vpwards and placed on their tables wherof when they haue taken what it pleaseth them the rest is reserued and afterward sent downe to their seruing men and waiters who féed thereon in like sort with conuenient moderation their reuersion also being bestowed vpon the poore which lie readie at their gates in great numbers to receiue the same This is spoken of the principall tables whereat the nobleman
his terme if he haue not six or seuen yeares rent lieng by him therewith to purchase a new lease beside a faire garnish of pewter on his cupbord with so much more in od vessell going about the house thrée or foure featherbeds so manie couerlids and carpets of tapistrie a siluer salt a bowle for wine if not an whole neast and a dozzen of spoones to furnish vp the sute This also he taketh to be his owne cléere for what stocke of monie soeuer he gathereth laieth vp in all his yeares it is often séene that the landlord will take such order with him for the same when he renueth his lease which is commonlie eight or six yeares before the old be expired sith it is now growen almost to a custome that if he come not to his lord so long before another shall step in for a reuersion and so defeat him out right that it shall neuer trouble him more than the haire of his beard when the barber hath washed and shauen it from his chin And as they commend these so beside the decaie of housekéeping whereby the poore haue beene relieued they speake also of thrée things that are growen to be verie grieuous vnto them to wit the inhansing of rents latelie mentioned the dailie oppression of copiholders whose lords séeke to bring their poore tenants almost into plaine seruitude and miserie dailie deuising new meanes and séeking vp all the old how to cut them shorter and shorter doubling trebling and now then seuen times increasing their fines driuing them also for euerie trifle to loose and forfeit their tenures by whome the greatest part of the realme dooth stand and is mainteined to the end they may fléece them yet more which is a lamentable hering The third thing they talke of is vsurie a trade brought in by the Iewes now perfectlie practised almost by euerie christian and so commonlie that he is accompted but for a foole that dooth lend his monie for nothing In time past it was Sors pro sorte that is the principall onelie for the principall but now beside that which is aboue the principall properlie called Vsura we chalenge Foenus that is commoditie of soile fruits of the earth if not the ground it selfe In time past also one of the hundred was much from thence it rose vnto two called in Latine Vsura Ex sextante thrée to wit Ex quadrante then to foure to wit Ex triente then to fiue which is Ex quincunce then to six called Ex semisse c as the accompt of the Assis ariseth and comming at the last vnto Vsura ex asse it amounteth to twelue in the hundred and therefore the Latines call it Centesima for that in the hundred moneth it doubleth the principall but more of this elsewhere See Cicero against Verres Demosthenes against Aphobus and Athenaeus lib. 13. in fine and when thou hast read them well helpe I praie thée in lawfull maner to hang vp such as take Centū pro cento for they are no better worthie as I doo iudge in conscience Forget not also such landlords as vse to value their leases at a secret estimation giuen of the wealth and credit of the taker whereby they séeme as it were to cat them vp and deale with bondmen so that if the leassée be thought to be worth an hundred pounds he shall paie no lesse for his new terme or else another to enter with hard and doubtfull couenants I am sorie to report it much more gréeued to vnderstand of the practise but most sorowfull of all to vnderstand that men of great port and countenance are so farre from suffering their farmers to haue anie gaine at all that they themselues become grasiers butchers tanners shéepmasters woodmen and denique quid non thereby to inrich themselues and bring all the wealth of the countrie into their owne hands leauing the communaltie weake or as an idoll with broken or féeble armes which may in a time of peace haue a plausible shew but when necessitie shall inforce haue an heauie and bitter sequele Of cities and townes in England Cap. 13. AS in old time we read that there were eight and twentie flamines and archflamines in the south part of this I le and so manie great cities vnder their iurisdiction so in these our daies there is but one or two fewer and each of them also vnder the ecclesiasticall regiment of some one bishop or archbishop who in spirituall cases haue the charge and ouersight of the same So manie cities therefore are there in England and Wales as there be bishopriks archbishopriks For notwithstanding that Lichfield and Couentrie and Bath and Welles doo séeme to extend the aforesaid number vnto nine and twentie yet neither of these couples are to be accounted but as one entier citie and sée of the bishop sith one bishoprike can haue relation but vnto one sée and the said see be situate but in one place after which the bishop dooth take his name It appeareth by our old and ancient histories that the cities of this southerlie portion haue beene of excéeding greatnesse and beautie whereof some were builded in the time of the Samotheans and of which not a few in these our times are quite decaied and the places where they stood worne out of all remembrance Such also for the most part as yet remaine are maruellouslie altered insomuch that whereas at the first they were large and ample now are they come either vnto a verie few houses or appeare not to be much greater in comparison than poore simple villages Antoninus the most diligent writer of the thorough fares of Britaine noteth among other these ancient townes following as Sitomagus which he placeth in the waie from Norwich as Leland supposeth wherin they went by Colchester to London Nouiomagus that lieth betwéene Carleill and Canturburie within ten miles east of London and likewise Neomagus and Niomagus which take their names of their first founder Magus the sonne of Samothes second king of the Celtes that reigned in this Iland and not A profunditate onelie as Bodinus affirmeth out of Plinie as if all the townes that ended in Magus should stand in holes and low grounds which is to be disprooued in diuerse cities in the maine as also here with vs. Of these moreouer sir Thomas Eliot supposeth Neomagus to haue stood somewhere about Chester George Lillie in his booke of the names of ancient places iudgeth Niomagus to be the verie same that we doo now call Buckingham and lieth farre from the shore And as these and sundrie other now perished tooke their denomination of this prince so there are diuerse causes which mooue me to coniecture that Salisburie dooth rather take the first name of Sarron the sonne of the said Magus than of Caesar Caradoc or Seuerus as some of our writers doo imagine or else at the least wise of Salisburge of the maine from whence some Saxons
they happened oftentimes vpon Lempet shels péeces of rustie anchors and kéeles of great vessels wherevpon some by and by gathered that either the Thames or some arme of the sea did beat vpon that towne not vnderstanding that these things might aswell happen in great lakes and meres wherof there was one adioining to the north side of the citie which laie then as some men thinke vnwalled but that also is false For being there vpon occasion this summer passed I saw some remnant of the old wals standing in that place which appeared to haue béene verie substantiallie builded the ruines likewise of a greater part of them are to be séene running along by the old chappell hard by in maner of a banke Whereby it is euident that the new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old and that the bridge whereof the historie of S. Albane speaketh was at the nether end 〈◊〉 Halliwell stréet or there about for so the view of the place doth inforce me to coniecture This mere which the Latine copie of the description of Britaine written of late by Humfrey Lhoid our countrie man calleth corruptlie Stagnum enaximum for Stagnum maximum at the first belonged to the king and thereby Offa in his time did reape no small commoditie It continued also vntill the time of Alfrijc the seuenth abbat of that house who bought it outright of the king then liuing and by excessiue charges drained it so narrowlie that within a while he left it drie sauing that he reserued a chanell for the riuer to haue hir vsuall course which he held vp with high bankes bicause there was alwaies contention betwéene the moonks and the kings seruants which fished on that water vnto the kings behoofe In these daies therefore remaineth no maner mention of this poole but onelie in one stréet which yet is called Fishpoole stréet wherof this may suffice for the resolution of such men as séeke rather to yéeld to an inconuenience than that their Gildas should seeme to mistake this riuer Hauing thus digressed to giue some remembrance of the old estate of Verolamium it is now time to returne againe vnto my former purpose Certes I would gladlie set downe with the names and number of the cities all the townes and villages in England and Wales with their true longitudes and latitudes but as yet I cannot come by them in such order as I would howbeit the tale of our cities is soone found by the bishoprikes sith euerie sée hath such prerogatiue giuen vnto it as to beare the name of a citie to vse Regaleius within hir owne limits Which priuilege also is granted to sundrie ancient townes in England especiallie northward where more plentie of them is to be found by a great deale than in the south The names therefore of our cities are these London Yorke Canturburie Winchester Cairleill Durham Elie. Norwich Lincolne Worcester Glocester Hereford Salisburie Excester Bath Lichfield Bristow Rochester Chester Chichester Oxford Peterborow Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaph Whose particular plots and models with their descriptions shall insue if it may be brought to passe that the cutters can make dispatch of them before this chronologie be published Of townes and villages likewise thus much will I saie that there were greater store in old time I meane within three or foure hundred yeare passed than at this present And this I note out of diuerse records charters and donations made in times past vnto sundrie religious houses as Glassenburie Abbandon Ramseie Elie and such like and whereof in these daies I find not so much as the ruines Leland in sundrie places complaineth likewise of the decaie of parishes in great cities and townes missing in some six or eight or twelue churches and more of all which he giueth particular notice For albeit that the Saxons builded manie townes and villages and the Normans well more at their first comming yet since the first two hundred yeares after the latter conquest they haue gone so fast againe to decaie that the ancient number of them is verie much abated Ranulph the moonke of Chester telleth of generall surueie made in the fourth sixtéenth nineteenth of the reigne of William Conqueror surnamed the Bastard wherein it was found that notwithstanding the Danes had ouerthrowâ—e a great manie there were to the number of 52000 townes 45002 parish churches and 75000 knights fées whereof the cleargie held 28015. He addeth moreouer that there were diuerse other builded since that time within the space of an hundred yeares after the comming of the Bastard as it were in lieu or recompense of those that William Rufus pulled downe for the erection of his new forrest For by an old booke which I haue and sometime written as it seemeth by an vndershiriffe of Nottingham I find euen in the time of Edw. 4. 45120 parish churches and but 60216 knights fées whereof the cleargie held as before 28015 or at the least 28000 for so small is the difference which he dooth séeme to vse Howbeit if the assertions of such as write in our time concerning this matter either are or ought to be of anie credit in this behalfe you shall not find aboue 17000 townes and villages and 9210 in the whole which is little more than a fourth part of the aforesaid number if it be throughlie scanned Certes this misfortune hath not onelie happened vnto our Ile nation but vnto most of the famous countries of the world heretofore and all by the gréedie desire of such as would liue alone and onelie to themselues And hereof we may take example in Candie of old time called Creta which as Homer writeth was called Hetacompolis bicause it conteined an hundred cities but now it is so vnfurnished that it may hardlie be called Tripolis Diodorus Siculus saith that Aegypt had once 18000 cities which so decaied in processe of time that when Ptolomeus Lagus reigned there were not aboue 3000 but in our daies both in all Asia Aegypt this lesser number shall not verie readilie he found In time past in Lincolne as the fame goeth there haue beene two and fiftie parish churches and good record appeareth for eight and thirtie but now if there be foure and twentie it is all This inconuenience hath growen altogither to the church by appropriations made vnto monasteries and religious houses a terrible canker and enimie to religion But to leaue this lamentable discourse of so notable and gréeuous an inconuenience growing as I said by incroching and ioining of house to house and laieng land to land whereby the inhabitants of manie places of our countrie are deuoured and eaten vp and their houses either altogither pulled downe or suffered to decaie by litle and litle although sometime a poore man peraduenture dooth dwell in one of them who not being able to repare it suffereth it to fall downe thereto thinketh himselfe verie friendlie dealt withall if he may haue an acre of ground assigned vnto him whereon to kéepe
began his reigne ouer the Britains about the yeare of our Lord 180 as Fabian following the authoritie of Peter Pictauiensis saith although other writers seeme to disagrée in that account as by the same Fabian in the table before his booke partlie appeareth wherevnto Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis affirmeth that this Lucius was borne in the yeare of our Lord 115 and was crowned king in the yeare 124 as successor to his father Coillus which died the same yeare being of great age yer the said Lucius was borne It is noted by antiquaries that his entrance was in the 4132 of the world 916 after the building of Rome 220 after the comming of Cesar into Britaine and 165 after Christ whose accounts I follow in this treatise This Lucius is highlie renowmed of the writers for that he was the first king of the Britains that receiued the faith of Iesus Christ for being inspired by the spirit of grace and truth euen from the beginning of his reigne he somewhat leaned to the fauoring of Christian religion being moued with the manifest miracles which the Christians dailie wrought in witnesse and proofe of their sound and perfect doctrine For euen from the daies of Ioseph of Arimathia and his fellowes or what other godlie men first taught the Britains the gospell of our Sauiour there remained amongest the same Britains some christians which ceased not to teach and preach the word of God most sincerelie vnto them but yet no king amongst them openlie professed that religion till at length this Lucius perceiuing not onelie some of the Romane lieutenants in Britaine as Trebellius and Pertinax with others to haue submitted themselues to that profession but also the emperour himselfe to begin to be fauorable to them that professed it he tooke occasion by their good example to giue eare more attentiuelie vnto the gospell and at length sent vnto Eleutherius bishop of Rome two learned men of the British nation Eluane and Meduine requiring him to send some such ministers as might instruct him and his people in the true faith more plentifullie and to baptise them according to the rules of christian religion ¶ The reuerend father Iohn Iewell sometime bishop of Salisburie writeth in his replie vnto Hardings answer that the said Eleutherius for generall order to be taken in the realme and churches héere wrote his aduice to Lucius in maner and forme following You haue receiued in the kingdome of Britaine by Gods mercie both the law and faith of Christ ye haue both the new and the old testament out of the same through Gods grace by the aduise of your realme make a law and by the same through Gods sufferance rule you your kingdome of Britaine for in that kingdome you are Gods vicar Herevpon were sent from the said Eleutherius two godlie learned men the one named Fugatius and the other Damianus the which baptised the king with all his familie and people and therewith remoued the worshipping of idols and false gods and taught the right meane and waie how to worship the true and immortall God There were in those daies within the bounds of Britaine 28 Flamines thrée Archflamines which were as bishops and archbishops or superintendents of the pagan or heathen religion in whose place they being remoued were instituted 28 bishops thrée archbishops of the christian religion One of the which archbishops held his sée at London another at Yorke and the third at Caerleon Arwiske in Glamorganshire Unto the archbishop of London was subiect Cornewall and all the middle part of England euen vnto Humber To the archbishop of Yorke all the north parts of Britaine from the riuer of Humber vnto the furthest partes of Scotland And to the archbishop of Caerleon was subiect all Wales within which countrie as then were seuen bishops where now there are but foure The riuer of Seuern in those daies diuided Wales then called Cambria from the other parts of Britaine Thus Britaine partlie by the meanes of Ioseph of Arimathia of whome ye haue heard before partlie by the wholesome instructions doctrines of Fugatius and Damianus was the first of all other regions that openlie receiued the gospell and continued most stedfast in that profession till the cruell furie of Dioclesian persecuted the same in such sort that as well in Britaine as in all other places of the world the christian religion was in manner extinguished and vtterlie destroied There be that affirme how this Lucius should build the church of saint Peter at Westminster though manie attribute that act vnto Sibert king of the east Saxons and write how the place was then ouergrowne with thornes and bushes and thereof tooke the name and was called Thorney They ad moreouer that Thomas archbishop of London preached read and ministred the sacraments there to such as made resort vnto him Howbeit by the tables hanging in the reuestrie of saint Paules at London and also a table sometime hanging in saint Peters church in Cornehill it should séeme that the said church of saitn Peter in Cornehill was the same that Lucius builded But herein saith Harison anno mundi 4174 dooth lie a scruple Sure Cornell might soone be mistaken for Thorney speciallie in such old records as time age euill handling haue oftentimes defaced But howsoeuer the case standeth truth it is that Lucius reioising much in that he had brought his people to the perfect light and vnderstanding of the true God that they néeded not to be deceiued anie longer with the craftie temptations and feigned miracles of wicked spirits he abolished all prophane worshippings of false gods and conuerted all such temples as had béene dedicated to their seruice vnto the vse of christian religion and thus studieng onlie how to aduance the glorie of the immortall God and the knowledge of his word without seeking the vaine glorie of worldlie triumph which is got with slaughter and bloudshed of manie a giltlesse person he left his kingdome though not inlarged with broder dominion than he receiued it yet greatlie augmented and inriched with quiet rest good ordinances and that which is more to be estéemed than all the rest adorned with Christes religion and perfectlie instructed with his most holie word and doctrine He reigned as some write 21 yeares though other affirme but twelue yeares Againe some testifie that he reigned 77 others 54 and 43. Moreouer here is to be noted that if he procured the faith of Christ to be planted within this realme in the time of Eleutherius the Romane bishop the same chanced in the daies of the emperour Marcus Aurelius Antonius and about the time that Lucius Aurelius Commodus was ioined and made partaker of the empire with his father which was seuen yéere after the death of Lucius Aelius Aurelius Uerus and in the 177 after the birth of our Sauiour Iesus Christ as by some chronologies is easie to be collected For Eleutherius began to gouerne the sée of
behold them and when he considered and well viewed their faire skins their swéet visages and beautifull bushes of their bright and yeallow heares he demanded out of what region or land they came vnto whome answere was made that they were brought out of Britaine the inhabitants of which countrie were of the like beautifull aspect Then he asked whether the men of that countrie were christians or as yet intangled with blind heathenish errors Wherevnto it was answered that they were not christened but followed the religion of the Gentiles Whereat Gregorie fetching a déepe sigh said Ah alas that the author of darkenesse dooth as yet possesse men of so brightsome countenances and that with the grace of such faire shining visages they beare about minds void of inward grace Moreouer he demanded by what name the people were called whereto answere was made that they were called Angli that is to say Englishmen Right woorthilie saith he for they haue angels faces and such as ought to be made fellow heires with angels in heauen Then asked he the name of the prouince from whence they were brought and it was told him they were of Deira It is well said he they are to be deliuered De ira dei that is to say from the ire and wrath of God and called to the mercie of Christ our Lord What name said he hath the king of that prouince Wherevnto answere was made that he was called Alla wherevpon alluding to that name he said Alleluia ought to be soong in those parts to the praise and honor of God the creator Herevpon comming to Benedict the first of that name as then bishop of Rome he required him that some learned men might be sent into England to preach the gospell vnto the Englishmen offering himselfe to be one of the number But though Benedict was contented to grant his request yet the Romans had him in such estimation that they would not consent that he should depart 〈◊〉 farre from the citie so that by them he was at that time staied of that his godlie purpose Howbeit when he came to be bishop he thought to person 〈◊〉 if though not by himselfe yet by other and so Augustine and his fellowes were sent by him about it as before is said By the way as they were passing in their iourâ—â—â— such a sudden feare entred into their hearts that as some write they returned all Others write that Augustine was sent backe to Gregorie to sue that they might be released of that voiage so dangerous and vncerteine amongst such a barbarous people whose language they neither knew nor whose rudenesse they were able to resist Then Gregorie with pithie perswasions confirming and comforting him sent him againe with letters vnto the bishop of Arles willing him to helpe and aid the said Austine and his companie in all what so euer his néede required Also other letters he directed by the foresaid Austine vnto his fellowes exhorting them to go forward boldlie in the Lords woorke as by the tenor of the said epistle here following may appeare Gregorie the seruant of Gods seruants to the seruants of our Lord. FOr as much as it is better not to take good things in hand than after they be begun to thinke to reuolt backe from the same againe therefore now you may not nor cannot dere children but with all feruent studie and labour must needs go forward in that good businesse which thorough the helpe of God you haue well begun Neither let the wearisomnesse of your iournie nor the slanderous toongs of men appall you but that with all instance and feruencie ye proceed and accomplish the thing which the Lord hath ordeined you to take in hand knowing that your great trauell shall be recompensed with reward of greater glorie hereafter to come Therefore as we send here Austine to you againe whome also we haue ordeined to be your gouernour so doo you humblie obey him in all things knowing that it shall be profitable for your soules what soeuer at his admonition ye shall doo Almightie God with his grace defend you and grant me to see in the eternall countrie the fruit of your labours though heere I cannot labour in the same fellowship with you togither The Lord God keepe you safe most deere and welbeloued children Dated the tenth before the kalends of August in the reigne of our souereigne lord Mauricius most vertuous emperor the fourtenth of his empire Thus emboldned and comforted through the good woords and wholesome exhortation of Gregorie they set forward againe and spéeding foorth their iournie first arriued at the I le of Thanet in Kent in the moneth of Iulie being in number about fortie persons of the which diuerse were interpretors whome they brought with them out of France These they sent vnto king Ethelbert signifieng the occasion of their comming who hearing the messengers within a few daies after went into that I le and there abroad out of anie house sat downe and caused Augustine and his fellowes to come before him for he would not come vnder anie roofe with them sore doubting to be bewitched by them being persuaded that they were practised in nigromancie But they comming to him not by the power of the diuell as they said but by the might and power of almightie God bearing in steed of a banner a crosse of siluer and an image of our Lord and Sauiour painted in a table and thereto singing the letanies made intercession vnto the Lord for the euerlasting preseruation of themselues and of all them for whome and to whome they came Now when they being set downe by commandement of the king had preached the woord of life to him and to all those that came thither with him he made them this answer that their woords and promises were good but for as much as the same were new vncerteine to him that had béen brought vp in the contrarie doctrine he could not rashlie assent to their admonitions leaue that beléefe which he and the English nation had so long a time obserued and kept but said he because ye haue trauelled farre to the intent to make vs partakers of those things which ye beléeue to be most true and perfect we will thus much graunt vnto you that ye shall be receiued into this countrie and haue harbrough with all things sufficient found vnto you for your maintenance and sustentation neither will we hinder you but that ye may by preaching associat and ioine as manie of our subiects as you can vnto your law and beléefe They had therefore assigned vnto them a place to lodge in within the citie of Canturburie which was the head citie of all his dominion It is said that as they approched the citie according to their maner they had a crosse borne before them with an image of our Lord Iesus Christ and they followed singing this letanie Deprecamur te Domine in omni misericordia tua vt auferatur furor
be a let but that when a bishop should be consecrated there might be thrée or foure present Also touching the bishops of France he willed Augustine in no wise to intermeddle with them otherwise than by exhortation and good admonition to be giuen but not to presume anie thing by authoritie sith the archbishop of Arles had receiued the pall in times past whose authoritie he might not diminish least he should séeme to put his sickle into another mans haruest But as for the bishops of Britaine he committed them vnto him that the vnlearned might be taught the weake with wholesome persuasions strengthened and the froward by authoritie reformed Moreouer that a woman with child might be baptised and she that was deliuered after 33 daies of a manchild and after 46 daies of a woman-child should be purified but yet might she enter the church before if she would The residue of Augustines demands consisted in these points to wit 1 Within what space a child should be christened after it was borne for doubt to be preuented by death 2 Within what time a man might companie with his wife after she was brought to bed 3 Whether a woman hauing hir floures might enter the church or receiue the communion 4 Whether a man hauing had companie with his wife might enter the church or receiue the communion before he was washed with water 5 Whether after pollusion by night in dreames a man might receiue the communion or if he were a priest whether he might say masse To these questions Gregorie maketh answere at full in the booke and place before cited which for bréefenesse we passe ouer He sent also at that time with the messengers aforesaid at their returne into England diuers learned men to helpe Augustine in the haruest of the Lord. The names of the chiefest were these Melitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffinianus He sent also the pall which is the ornament of an archbishop with vessels and apparell which should be vsed in churches by the archbishop and other ministers He sent also with the pall other letters to Augustine to let him vnderstand what number of bishops he would haue him to ordeine within this land Also after that Melitus and the other before mentioned persons were departed from Rome he sent a letter vnto the same Melitus being yet on his way toward Britaine touching further matter concerning the churches of England wherein he confesseth that manie things are permitted to be vsed of the people latelie brought from the errors of gentilitie in keeping feasts on the dedication daies which haue resemblance with the old superstitious rites of the Pagan religion For to hard and obstinate minds saith he it is not possible to cut away all things at once for he that coueteth to the highest place goeth vp by steps and not by leaps At the same time Gregorie did send letters vnto Augustine touching the miracles which by report he vnderstood were shewed by the fame Augustine counselling him in no wise to glorie in the same but rather in reioising to feare and consider that God gaue him the gift to worke such signes for the wealth of them to whom he was sent to preach the gospell he aduised him therefore to beware of vaine-glorie and presumption for the disciples of the truth faith he haue no ioy but onlie that which is common with all men of which there is no end for not euerie one that is elect worketh miracles but euerie of the elect haue their names written in heauen These letters with the other which Gregorie sent at this time vnto Augustine were dated the tenth day of the kalends of Iulie in the yéere of our Lord 602 which was the 19 yeere of the emperour Mauricius Moreouer he sent most courteous letters by these messengers to king Ethelbert in the which he greatlie commended him in that he had receiued the christian faith and exhorted him to continue in that most holie state of life whereby he might worthilie looke for reward at the hands of almightie God What reparations and foundations Augustine finished for clergimen to the supportation of the church the building of Paules in London and saint Peters in Westminster vncerteine a prouinciall councell called by Augustine he restoreth a blind man to his sight the Britains are hardlie weaned from their old custome of beliefe an heremits opinion of Augustine he requireth three things to be obserued of the Britains he ordeineth bishops at London and Rochester Sabert reigneth ouer the Eastsaxons Augustine dieth and is buried The xxj Chapter THus farre we haue waded in the forme and maner of conuerting the English nation to christianitie by the labours of Augustine and his coadiutors now therefore that we may orderlie procéed it remaineth that we say somewhat of the acts and déeds of the said Augustine of whom we read that after he was established archbishop and had his sée appointed him at Canturburie he restored another church in that citie which had béene erected there in times past by certeine of the Romans that were christians and did dedicate the same now to the honour of Christ our Sauiour He also began the foundation of a monasterie without that citie standing toward the east in the which by his exhortation king Ethelbert built a church euen from the ground which was dedicated vnto the holie apostles Peter and Paule in the which the bodie of the said Augustine was buried and likewise the bodies of all the archbishops of Canturburie and kings of Kent a long time after This abbie was called saint Austins after his name one Peter being the first abbat thereof The church there was not consecrated by Augustine but by his successor Laurence after he was dead Moreouer king Ethelbert at the motion of Augustine built a church in the citie of London which he latelie had conquered and dedicated it vnto saint Paule but whether he builded or restored this church of saint Paule it may be doubted for there be diuers opinions of the building thereof Some haue written that it was first builded by king Lud as before is mentioned Other againe write that it was builded afterward by Sigebert king of the Eastsaxons Also king Ethelbert builded the church of saint Andrews in Rochester It is likewise remembred by writers that the same king Ethelbert procured a citizens of London to build a church to S. Peter without the citie of London toward the west in a place then called Thorney that is to say the I le of thorns and now called Westminster though others haue written that it was built by Lucius king of Britaine or rather by Sibert king of the Eastsaxons This church was either newlie built or greatlie inlarged by king Edward surnamed the Confessor and after that the third Henrie king of England did make there a beautifull monasterie and verie richlie indowed the same with great possessions and sumptuous iewels The place was ouergrowne with vnderwoods
that king Edelferd had made slaughter of the Britains as before is rehearsed he entred the citie of Chester and from thence marched towards Bangor The Britains in the meane time had assembled their power vnder thrée capteins that is to say Blederike duke of Cornewall Margadud king of Southwales and Cadwane king of Northwales These ioining in battell with Edelferd flue 10066 of his souldiers and constreined him to flée out of the field for safegard of his life after he had receiued manie wounds On the part of the Britains the forsaid Blederike which was chiefe capteine of the field in that battell chanced to be slaine Thus saith Gal. Mon. But the ancient writers of the English kings as Beda William Malmesburie and Henrie Huntington make no mention of this last battell and victorie obteined by the Britains in maner as aboue is expressed in Galfrids booke But contrarilie we find that Edelferd hauing such good successe in his businesse abroad as he could wish vpon purpose to auoid danger at home banished Edwine the sonne of Alla or Elle a yoong gentleman of great towardnesse latelie come to the kingdome of the Northumbers by the death of his father But this Edwine in time of his exile being long tossed from place to place and finding no stedfast friendship now in time of his aduersitie at length came to Redwald that was king at that time of the Eastangles the third from Uffa and successor to Titullus which Titullus did succéed next after the said Uffa the first king of Eastangles as before is mentioned This Redwald did verie honourablie interteine Edwine insomuch that Edelferd being informed thereof was highlie displeased and sent ambassadors vnto Redwald to require him either to deliuer Edwine into his hands or else if he refused so to doo to declare and denounce vnto him open warres Redwald incouraged by his wife that counselled him in no wise to betraie his friend to whome he had giuen his faith for the menaces of his enimie assembled foorthwith an armie and at the sudden comming vpon Edelferd assaulted him yer he could haue time to assemble his people togither But yet the said Edelferd though he was beset and brought in danger at vnwares died not vnreuenged for putting himselfe in defense with such power as he could then get togither he boldlie incountred the enimies and giuing battell slue Remerius the sonne of Redwald and after was slaine himselfe hauing reigned ouer the Northumbers about 22 yéeres This battell was fought néere to the water of Idle The said Edelferd had issue by his wife Acca the daughter of Alla and sister to Edwine two sonnes Oswald being about two yéeres of age and Oswin about foure yéeres the which their father being thus slaine were by helpe of their gouernours conueied awaie into Scotland with all spéed that might be made Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons after he had reigned the space of 12 yeeres departed this life who in his time had mainteined great warre against manie of his neighbours the which for briefenesse I passe ouer One great battell he fought against them of Sussex in which the armies on both sides susteined great damage but the greater losse fell to the South saxons Cinegiscus and his sonne Richelinus reigne iointlie ouer the Westsaxons they fight with the Britains the indeuour of Laurence archbishop of Canturburie in setting religion at large and seeking a vniformitie in catholike orders he and his fellow-bishops write to the cleargie of Britaine and Scotland for a reformation Melitus bishop of London goeth to Rome the cause why and what he brought at his returne from pope Boniface The xxiij Chapter AFter the foresaid Ceowlfe reigned Cinegiscus or Kingils which was the sonne of Ceola which was the sonne of Cutha or Cutwin which was the sonne of Kenricke which was the sonne of king Certicke In the fourth yéere of his reigne he receiued into fellowship with him in gouernance of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus or Onichelinus and so they reigned iointlie togither in great loue and concord a thing seldome séene or heard of They fought with the Britains at Beandune where at the first approch of the battels togither the Britains fled but too late for there died of them that were ouertaken 2062. In this meane time Laurence archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded next after Augustine admitted thereto by him in his life time as before is said did his iudeuour to augment and bring to perfection the church of England the foundation whereof was latelie laid by his predecessor the foresaid Augustine who studied not onelie for the increase of this new church which was gathered of the English people but also he was busie to imploie his pastorlike cure vpon the people that were of the old inhabitants of Britaine and likewise of the Scots that remained in Ireland For when he had learned that the Scots there in semblable wise as the Britains in their countrie led not their liues in manie points according to the ecclesiasticall rules aswell in obseruing the feast of Easter contrarie to the vse of the Romane church as in other things he wrote vnto those Scots letters exhortatorie requiring them most instantlie to an vnitie of catholike orders as might be agréeable with the church of Christ spred and dispersed through the world These letters were not written onelie in his owne name but iointlie togither in the name of the bishops Melitus and Iustus as followeth To our deare brethren the bishops and abbats through all Scotland Laurence Melitus and Iustus bishops the seruants of the seruants of God wish health WHereas the apostolike see according to hir maner had sent vs to preach vnto the heathen people in these west parts as otherwise throgh the world and that it chanced to vs to enter into this Ile which is called Britaine before we knew vnderstood the state of things we had in great reuerence both the Scots Britains which beleeued bicause as we tooke the matter they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall church but after we had knowledge of the Britains we iudged the Scots to be better But we haue learned by bishop Daganus comming into this I le and by Columbanus the abbat comming into France that the Scots nothing differ in their conuersation from the Britains for bishop Daganus comming vnto vs would neither eat with vs no nor yet come within the house where we did eat The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church but it profited litle as appeareth by that which Beda writeth About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome to common with pope Boniface for necessarie causes touching the church of England and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season for ordinances to
the vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by him he resigneth his kingdome and becometh a moonke he and his kinsman Egric are slaine in a skirmish against Penda king of Mercia The xxx Chapter AFter that king Oswald was slaine his brother Oswie being about 30 yeares of age tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Northumberland gouerning the same with great trouble for the space of 28 yeares being sore vexed by the foresaid Penda king of Mercia and his people which as yet were pagans In the first yeare of his reigne which was in the yeare of our Lord 644. Pauline the bishop of Rochester which had beene also archbishop of Yorke departed this life and then one Thamar an Englishman of the parties of Kent was ordeined bishop of Rochester by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie King Oswie had one Oswin partener with him in gouernment of the Northumbers in the first beginning of his reigne which was sonne to Osrike so that Oswie gouerned in Bernicia and Oswin in Deira continuing in perfect friendship for a season till at length through the counsell of wicked persons that coueted nothing so much as to sowe discord and variance betwixt princes they fell at debate and so began to make warres one against an other so that finallie when they were at point to haue tried their quarrell in open battell Oswin perceiuing that he had not an armie of sufficient force to incounter with Oswie brake vp his campe at Wilfaresdowne ten mile by west the towne of Cataracton and after withdrew himselfe onelie with one seruant named Condhere vnto the house of earle Hunwald whome he tooke to haue béene his trustie friend but contrarie to his expectation the said Hunwald did betraie him vnto Oswie who by his captaine Edelwine slue the said Oswin and his seruant the forsaid Condhere in a place called Ingethling the 13 kalends of September in the ninth yeare of his reigne which was after the birth of our Sauiour 651. This Oswin was a goodlie gentleman of person tall and beautifull and verie gentle of spéech ciuill in manners and verie liberall both to high low so that he was beloued of all Such a one he was to be breefe as bishop Aidan gessed that he should not long continue in life for that the Northumbers were not woorthie of so good and vertuous a gouernour Such humblenesse and obedience he perceiued to rest in him towards the law of the Lord in taking that which was told him for his better instruction in good part that he said he neuer saw before that time an humble king The same Aidan liued not past 12 daies after the death of the said Oswin whome he so much loued departing this world the last daie of August in the seuenteenth yeare after he was ordeined bishop His bodie was buried in the I le of Lindesferne After Aidan one Finan was made bishop in his place a Scotishman also and of the I le of Hui from whence his predecessor the foresaid Aidan came being first a man of religion professed in the monasterie there as some writers doo report IN the meane time after that Kinigils or Cinigilsus king of the Westsaxons had reigned 31 yeares he departed this life Anno 643 leauing his kingdome to his sonne Cenwalch or Chenwald who held the same kingdome the tearme of 30 yeares or 31 as some write in manner as his father had doone before him In the third or as others saie in the fift yeare of his reigne Penda king of Mercia made sharpe warre against him because he had put awaie his wife the sister of the said Penda and in this warre Chenwald was ouercome in battell driuen out of his countrie so that he fled vnto Anna king of the Eastangles with whome he remained the space of a yeare or as other say thrée yeares to his great good hap for before he was growen to be an enimie to the christian religion but now by the wholesome admonitions and sharpe rebukes of king Anna he became a christian and receiued his wife againe into his companie according to the prescript of Gods law and to be bréefe in all things shewed himselfe a new man imbracing vertue auoiding vice so that shortlie after through the helpe of God he recouered againe his kingdome Now when he was established in the same there came a bishop named Agilbertus out of Ireland a Frenchman borne but hauing remained in Ireland a long time to reade the scriptures This Agilbert comming into the prouince of the Westsaxons was gladlie receiued of king Chenwald at whose desire he tooke vpon him to exercise the roome of a bishop there but afterwards when the said king admitted another bishop named Wini which had béene ordeined in France and knew the toong better than Agilbert as he that was borne in England Agilbert offended for that the king had admitted him without making him of anie counsell therein returned into France and there was made bishop of Paris within a few yeares after the foresaid Wini was expelled also by king Chenwald who got him into Mercia vnto king Uulfhere of whome he bought the bishoprike of London which he held during his life and so the countrie of Westsaxon remained long without a bishop till at length the said Agilbert at the request of king Chenwald sent to him Elutherius that was his nephue YE haue heard that after Carpwald his brother Sigibert succéeded in rule of the Eastangles a man of great vertue and woorthinesse who whilest he remained in France as a banished man being constreined to flée his countrie vpon displeasure that king Redwald bare him was baptised there and after returning into his countrie and obteining at length the kingdome those things which he had séene well ordered in France he studied to follow the example of the same at home and herevpon considering with himselfe that nothing could more aduance the state of the common-wealth of his countrie than learning knowledge in the toongs began the foundation of certeine schooles and namelie at Cambridge where children might haue places where to be instructed and brought vp in learning vnder appointed teachers that there might be greater numbers of learned men trained vp than before time had béene within this land to the furtherance of true religion and vertue So that England hath good cause to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble prince king Sigibert for all those hir learned men which haue bin brought vp come foorth of that famous vniuersitie of Cambridge the first foundation or rather renouation whereof was thus begun by him about the yeare of our Lord 630. At length when this worthie king began to grow in age he considered with himselfe how hard a matter and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a realme as apperteined to the dutie of a good king wherevpon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conuenient yéeres and to
Edelhere king of Eastangles was slaine as before is mentioned his brother Edelwald succéeded him in that kingdome reigning as king thereof by the space of nine yeares Then after Edelwald succéeded Aldulfe the son of Edelhere in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned 25 yeares After Finan bishop of the Northumbers that held his see at Lindesferne as Aidan did before him one Colman was ordeined bishop a Scot borne and an earnest obseruer of the customes vsed amongest them of his nation so that when the controuersie began to be reuiued for the holding of the feast of Easter he would by no meanes yeeld to them that would haue perswaded him to haue followed the rite of the Romane church There was a great disputation kept about this matter and other things as shauing or cutting of heares and such like in the monasterie of Whitbie at the which king Oswie and his sonne Alcfrid were present where Colman for his part alledged the custome of Iohn the euangelist and of Anatholius and the contrarie side brought in proofe of their opinion the custome of Peter and Paule At length when bishop Colman perceiued that his doctrine was not so much regarded as he thought of reason it ought to haue béene he returned into Scotland with those which taking part with him refused to obserue the feast of Easter according to the custome of the church of Rome nor would haue their crownes shauen about which point no small reasoning had beene kept This disputation was holden in the yeare of our Lord 664 and in the yeare of the reigne of king Oswie 22 and 30 yeare after the Scotishmen began first to beare the office of bishops within Northumberland which was as W. Harison saith 624. For Aidan gouerned 17 yeares Finan 10 yeares Colman 3 yeares After that Colman was returned into his countrie one Tuda that had béene brought vp amongest the Southerne Scots and ordeined bishop by them succéeded in his roome hauing his crowne shauen and obseruing the feast of Easter according to the custome of the prouince and rite of the Romane church ¶ The same yeare there chanced a great eclipse of the sunne the third of Maie about 10 of the clocke in the day A great dearth and mortalitie insued both in all the parties of this our Britaine and likewise in Ireland Amongest other the foresaid bishop Tuda died and was buried in the abbeie of Pegnalech After this Tuda succéeded in gouernement of the church of Lindesferne otherwise called Holie Iland one Wilfrid which was sent by king Alcfrid into France to be ordeined there About the same time king Oswie the father of king Alcfrid mooued with the good example of his sonne sent Ceadda the brother of Ced sometime bishop of the Eastsaxons into Kent to be ordeined bishop of Yorke but at his comming into Kent he found that Deus dedit the archbishop of Canturburie was dead and none other as yet ordeined in his place so that Ceadda repaired into the prouince of the Westsaxons where he was ordeined by bishop Wini who tooke two other bishops of the British nation vnto him to be his associats which vsed to obserue the feast of Easter contrarie to the custome of the Romane church But there was no other shift sith none other bishop was then canonicallie ordeined in the prouince of the Westsaxons in those daies this Wini onlie excepted and therefore was he constreined to take such as he might get and prouide After that Ceadda was thus ordeined he began forthwith to follow the true rules of the church liued right chastlie shewed himselfe humble and continent applied his studie to reading and trauelled abroad on foot and not on horssebacke through the coimtries townes and villages to preach the word of God He was the disciple of Aidan and coueted by his example and also by the example of Ced to instruct his hearers with the like dooings maners as he had knowen them to doo Wilfrid also being consecrated bishop and returned into England indeuored to plant the orders of the Romane church in the churches of England whereby it came to passe that the Scots which inhabited amongst the Englishmen were constreined either to follow the same or else to returne into their owne countrie IN this meane time king Ercombert being departed this life after he had gouerned the Kentishmen by the space of twentie yeares his sonne Egbert succéeded him in the kingdome and reigned nine yeares There is little remembrance of his dooings which in that short time were not much notable except ye will ascribe the comming into this land of the archbishop Theodorus and the abbat Adrian vnto his glorie which chanced in his time For in the yeare of the great eclipse and sore mortalitie that insued it chanced that both king Ercombert the archbishop Deus dedit departed this life so that the see of Canturburie was void a certeine time in so much that king Egbert who succéeded his father Ercombert togither with king Oswie did send one Wighart a priest of good reputation for his excellent knowledge in the scriptures vnto Rome with great gifts and rich vessels of gold and siluer to be presented vnto the pope requiring him that he would ordeine the foresaid Wighart archbishop of Canturburie to haue rule of the English church But this Wighart comming vnto Rome and declaring his message vnto Uitalianus then gouerning the church of Rome immediatlie after he died of the pestilence that then reigned in that citie with all those that came with him The pope then taking aduice whome he might ordeine vnto the see of Canturburie being thus destitute of an archbishop appointed a moonke named Adrian to take that office vpon him but Adrian excused himselfe as not sufficient for such a roome and required the pope to appoint one Andrew a moonke also wherevnto the pope consented But when Andrew was preuented by death eftsoones Adrian should haue béene made archbishop but that he named one Theodore an other moonke that abode as then in Rome but was borne in the citie of Tharsus in Cilicia verie well learned both in the Gréeke and Latine and being of reuerend yeares as of 76. This Theodore by the presentment of Adrian was appointed to be ordeined archbishop of Canturburie with condition that Adrian should neuerthelesse attend vpon him into England both for that he had béene twise before this time in France and so knew the coasts and againe for that he might assist him in all things and looke well to the matter that Theodore should not bring into the church of England anie rite or custome of the Gréekes contrarie to the vse of the Romane church Theodore being first ordeined subdeacon tarried foure moneths till his heare was growen that he might haue his crowne shauen after the maner of Peter For he was rounded or shauen after the maner of the East church which was as they persuaded
submitted themselues vnto him and so both Scots and Northumbers receiued an oth to be true vnto him which they obserued but a small while for he was no sooner returned into the south parts but that Aulafe which had beene chased out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye haue heard returned into Northumberland with a great nauie of ships and was ioifullie receiued of the inhabitants and restored againe to the kingdome which he held by the space of foure yéeres and then by the accustomed disloialtie of the Northumbers he was by them expelled and then they set vp one Hirke or Hericius the sonne of one Harrold to reigne ouer them who held not the estate anie long time For in the third yeere of his reigne Edred in the reuenge of such disloiall dealings in the Northumbers out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye destroied the countrie with fire swoord sleaing the most part of the inhabitants He burnt the abbeie of Rippon which was kept against him As he was returning homeward an host of enimies brake out of Yorke and setting vpon the rereward of the kings armie at a place called Easterford made great slaughter of the same Wherefore the king in his rage ment to haue begun a new spoile and destruction but the Northumbers humbled themselues so vnto him that putting awaieout of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye their forsaid king Hirke or Hericius and offering great rewards and gifts to buy their peace they obteined pardon But bicause that Wolstane the archbishop of Yorke was of counsell with his countriemen in reuolting from king Edred and aduancing of Hericius king Edred tooke him and kept him in prison a long time after but at length in respect of the reuerence which he bare to his calling he set him at libertie and pardoned him his offense Matth. Westm. reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment as thus In the yéere of Grace saith he 951 king Edred put the archbishop of Yorke in close prison bicause of often complaints exhibited against him as he which had commanded manie townesmen of Theadford to be put to death in reuenge of the abbat Aldelme by them vniustlie slaine and murthered After this when Edred had appeased all ciuill tumults and dissentions within his land he applied him selfe to the aduancing of religion wholie followingWestm reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment the mind of Dunstane by whose exhortation he suffered patientlie manie torments of the bodie and exercised himselfe in praier and other deuout studies This Edred in his latter daies being greatlie addicted to deuotion religious priests at the request of his mother Edgiua restored the abbeie of Abington which was built first by king Inas but in these daies sore decaied and fallen into ruine Finallie after he had reigned nine yéeres and a halfe he departed this life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising of angels as it is written and was buried at Winchester in the cathedrall church there ¶ Heere is to be noted that the foresaid Edred when he came first to the crowne vpon a singular and most especiall fauour which he bare towards Dunstane the abbat of Glastenburie committed vnto him the chiefest part of all his treasure as charters of lands with other monuments and such ancient princelie iewels as belonged to the former kings with other such as he got of his owne willing him to lay the same inthis life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising safe kéeping within his monasterie of Glastenburie Afterward when king Edred perceiued himselfe to be in danger of death by force of that sickenesse which in déed made an end of his life he sent into all parties to such as had anie of his treasure in kéeping to bring the same vnto him with all spéed that he might dispose thereof before his departure out of this life as he should sée cause Dunstane tooke such things as he had vnder his hands hasted forward to deliuer the same vnto the king and to visit him in that time of his sickenesse according to his dutie but as he was vpon the waie a voice spake to him from heauen saieng Behold king Edred is now departed in peace At the hearing of this voice the horsse wheron Dunstane rode fell downe and died being not able to abide the presence of the angell that thus spake to Dunstane And when he came to the court he vnderstood that the king died the same houre in which it was told him by the angell as before ye haue heard Edwin succeedeth Edred in the kingdome of England his beastlie and incestuous carnalitie with a kinswoman of his on the verie day of his coronation he is reproued of Dunstane and giueth ouer the gentlewomans companie Dunstane is banished for rebuking king Edwin for his vnlawfull lust and lewd life the diuell reioised at his exile what reuenging mischiefs the king did for displeasure sake against the said Dunstane in exile the middle part of England rebellethye haue heard against king Edwin and erecteth his brother Edgar in roiall roome ouer them he taketh thought and dieth Edgar succeedeth him he is a fauourer of moonks his prouision for defense of his realme his policie and discretion in gouernment what kings he bound by oth to be true vnto him eight princes row his barge in signe of submission the vicious inconueniences that grew among the Englishmen vpon his fauouring of the Danes a restraint of excessiue quaffing Dunstane is made bishop of Worcester and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester iustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed theft punished with death a tribute of woolfs skins paid him out of Wales and the benefit of that tribute The xxiij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Edred his nephue Edwin the eldest sonne of king Edmund was made king of England and began his reigne ouer the same in the yeere of our Lord 955 in the 20 yeere of the emperor Otho the first in theiustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed 28 and last yéere of the reigne of Lewes king of France and about the twelfe yeere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was consecrated at Kingston vpon Thames by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie On the verie day of his coronation as the lords were set in councell about weightie matters touching the gouernment of the realme he rose from the place gat him into a chamber with one of his néere kinswomen and there had to doo with hir without anie respect or regard had to his roiall estate and princelie dignitie Dunstane latelie before named abbat of Glastenburie did not onlie without feare of displeasure reprooue the K. for such shamefull abusing of his bodie but also caused the archbishop of Canturburie to constreine him to forsake that woman whom vnlawfullie he kept There be that write that there were two
in their roomes by authoritie of pope Iohn the 13. This reformation or rather deformation was vsed by king Edgar in many other places of the realme He was as appeareth by diuers writers namelie in his beginning cruell against his owne people and wanton in lusting after yoong women as you haue heard before Of stature proportion of bodie he was but small and low but yet nature had inclosed within so little a personage such strength that he durst incounter and combat with him that was thought most strong onelie doubting this least he which should haue to doo with him should stand in feare of him And as it chanced at a great feast where oftentimes men vse their toongs more liberrallie than néedeth Kenneth the king of Scots cast out certeine words in this maner It may saith hée séeme a maruell that so manie countries and prouinces should be subiect to such a little silliehe was but small and low but yet nature had inclosed bodie as Edgar is These words being borne awaie by a â—ester or minstrell and afterwards vttered to Edgar with great reproch he wiselie dissembled the matter for a time although he kept the remembrance thereof inclosed within his breast and vpon occasion at length feigned to go on hunting taking the king of Scots forth with him and hauing caused one of his seruants to conuey two swords into a place within the forrest by him appointed in secret wise of purpose he withdrew from the residue of his companie and there accompanied onelie with the Scotish king came to the place where the swords were laid and there taking the one of them deliuered the other to the Scotish king willing him now to assaie his strength that they might shew by proofe whether of them ought to be subiect to the other Start not but trie it with me saith he for it is a shame for a king to be full of brags at bankets and not to be readie to fight when triall should be made abroad The Scotish king herewith being astonied and maruellouslie abashed fell downe at his féet and with much humilitie confessed his fault desired pardon for the same which vpon such his humble submission king Edward easilie granted This noble prince had two wiues Egelfrida or Elfrida surnamed the white the daughter of a mightie duke named Ordiner by whome he had issue a sonne named Edward that succéeded him His second wife was called Alfreda the daughter of Orgar duke of Deuon or Cornewall as some saie by whome he had issue Edmund that died before his father and Egelred which afterwards was king Also he had issue a base daughter named Editha begotten of his concubine Wilfrid as before ye haue heard The state of the realme in king Edgars daies was in good point for both the earth gaue hir increase verie plentiouslie the elements shewed themselues verie sauorable according to the course of times peace was mainteined and no inuasion by forraine enimies attempted For Edgar had not onelie all the whole I le of Britaine in subiection but also was ruler souereigne lord ouer all the kings of the out Iles that lie within the seas about all the coasts of the same Britaine euen vnto the realme of Norwaie He brought also a great part of Ireland vnder his subiection with the citie of Dublin as by authentike records it dooth and may appeare Contention amongest the peeres and states about succession to the crowne the monkes remoued and the canons and secular priests restored by Alfer duke of Mercia and his adherents a blasing starre with the euents insuing the same the rood of Winchester speaketh a prettie shift of moonks to defeat the priests of their possessions the controuersie betweene the moonks and the priests ended by a miracle of archbishop Dunstane great hope that Edward would tread his fathers steps the reuerent loue he bare his stepmother queene Alfred and hir sonne Egelred hir diuelish purpose to murther Edward hir stepsonne accomplished his obscure funerall in respect of pompe but famous by meanes of miracles wrought by and about his sepulture queene Alfred repenting hir of the said prepensed murther dooth penance and imploieth hir substance in good woorkes as satisfactorie for hir sinnes king Edwards bodie remoued and solemnlie buried by Alfer duke of Mercia who was eaten vp with lice for being against the said Edwards aduancement to the crowne queene Alfreds offense by no meanes excusable The xxv Chapter AFter the deceasse of king Edgar there was some strife and contention amongst the lords péeres of the realme about the succession of the crowne for Alfred the mother of Egelredus or Ethelredus and diuers other of hir opinion would gladlie haue aduanced the same Egelredus to the rule but the archbishop Dunstan taking in his hands the baner of the crucifix presented his elder brother Edward vnto the lords as they were assembled togither and there pronounced him king notwithstanding that both queene Alfred and hir friends namelie Alfer the duke of Mercia were sore against him especiallie for that he was begot in vnlawfull bed of Elfleda the nun for which offense he did seuen yeares pâ—nance and not for lieng with Wilfrid as maister Fox thinketh But Dunstane iudging as is to be thought that Edward was more fit for their behoofe to continue the world in the former course as Edgar had left it than his brother Egelred whose mother and such as tooke part with hir vnder hir sonnes authoritie were likelie inough to turne all vpside downe vsed the matter so that with helpe of Oswald the archbishop of Yorke and other bishops abbats and certeine of the nobilitie as the earle of Essex and such like he preuailed in his purpose so that as before is said the said Edward being the second of that name which gouerned this land before the conquest was admitted king and began his reigne ouer England in the yeare of our Lord 975 in the third yeare of the emperour Otho the second in the 20 yeare of the reigne of Lothar king of France and about the fourth yeare of Cumelerne king of Scotland He was consecrated by archb Dunstane at Kingston vpon Thames to the great griefe of his mother in law Alfred and hir friends ¶ About the beginning of his reigne a blasing starre was seene signifieng as was thought the miserable haps that followed And first there insued barrennesse of ground and thereby famine amongest the people and morraine of cattell Also duke Alfer or Elfer of Mercia and other noble men destroied the abbies which king Edgar and bishop Adelwold had builded within the limits of Mercia The priests or canons which had beene expelled in Edgars time out of the prebends and benefices began to complaine of the wrongs that were doone to them in that they had beene put out of possession from their liuings alleging it to be a great offense and miserable case that a
them sleaing a great number of them and chasing the residue In the morning earlie when as Cnute heard that the Englishmen were gone foorth of their lodgings he supposed that they were either fled awaie or else turned to take part with the enimies But as he approched to the enimies campe he vnderstood how the mater went for he found nothing there but bloud dead bodies and the spoile For which good seruice Cnute had the Englishmen in more estimation euer after and highlie rewarded their leader the came carle Goodwine When Cnute had ordered all things in Denmarke as was thought be hoofefull he returned againe into England and within a few daies after he was aduertised that the Swedeners made warre against his subiects of Denmarke vnder the loding of two great princes Ulfe and Ulafe Wherefore to defend his dominions in those parts he passed againe with an armie into Denmarke incountred with his enimies and receiued a sore ouerthrow loosing a great number both of Danes and Englishmen But gathering togither a new force of men he set againe vpon his enimies and ouercame them constreining the two foresaid princes to agrée vpon reasonable conditions of peace Matth. West recounteth that at this time earle Goodwine and the Englishmen wrought the enterprise aboue mentioned of assaulting the enimies campe in the night season after Cnute had first lost in the day before no small number of his people and that then the foresaid princes or kings as he nameth them Ulfus and Aulafus which latter he calleth Eiglafe were constrained to agrée vpon a peace The Danish chronicles alledge that the occasion of this warre rose hereof This Olanus aided Cnute as the same writers report against king Edmund and the Englishmen But when the peace should be made betweene Cnute and Edinund there was no consideration had of Olaus whereas through him the Danes chieflie obteined the victorie Herevpon Olanus was sore offended in his mind against Cnute and now vpon occasion sought to be reuenged But what soeuer the cause was of this warre betwixt these two princes the end was thus that Olnus was expelled out of his kingdome and constreined to flée to Gerithaslaus a duke in the parties of Eastland and afterward returning into Norwaie was slaine by such of his subiects as tooke part with Cnute in manner as in the historie of Norwaie appeareth more at large with the contrarietie found in the writings of them which haue recorded the histories of those north regions But here is to be remembred that the fame and glorie of the English nation was greatlie aduanced in these warres as well against the Swedeners as the Norwegians so that Cnute began to loue and trust the Englishmen much better than it was to be thought he would euer haue doone Shortlie after that Cnute was returned into England that is to say as some haue in the 15 yeare of his reigne he went to Rome to performe his vow which he had made to visit the places where the apostles Peter and Paule had their buriall where he was honorablie receiued of pope Iohn the 20 that then held the sée When he had doone his deuotion there he returned into England In the yeare following he made a iournie against the Scots which as then had rebelled but by the princelie power of Cnute they were subdued and brought againe to obedience so that not onelie king Malcolme but also two other kings Melbeath and Ieohmare became his subiects Finallie after that this noble prince king Cnute had reigned the tearme of 20 yeares currant after the death of Ethelred he died at Shaftsburie as the English writers affirme on the 12 of Nouember and was buried a Winchester But the Danish chronicles record the he died in Normandie and was buried at Rone as in the same chronicles ye may reade more at large The trespuissance of Cnute the amplenesse of his dominions the good and charitable fruits of his voiage to Rome redounding to the common benefit of all trauellers from England thither with what great personages he had conference and the honour that was doone him there his intollerable pride in commanding the waters of the flouds not to rise he humbleth himselfe and confesseth Christ Iesus to be king of kings he refuseth to weare the crowne during his life he reproueth a gentleman flatterer his issue legitimate and illegitimate his inclination in his latter yeares what religious places he erected repaired and inriched what notable men he fauoured and reuerenced his lawes and that in causes as well ecclesiasticall as tempoporall he had cheefe and sole gouernement in this land whereby the popse vsurped title of vniuersall supremasie is impeached The xiij Chapter THis Cnute was the mightiest prince that euer reigned ouer the English people for he had the souereigne rule ouer all Denmark England Norwaie Scotland and part of Sweiden Amongest other of his roiall acts he caused such tolles and tallages as were demanded of way-goers at bridges and stréets in the high way betwixt England and Rome to be diminished to the halfes and againe got also a moderation to be had in the paiment of the archbishops fées of his realme which was leuied of them in the court of Rome when they should receiue their palles as may appeare by a letter which he himselfe being at Rome directed to the bishops and other of the nobles of England In the which it also appeareth that besides the roiall interteinment which he had at Rome of pope Iohn he had conference there with the emperour Conrad with Rafe the king of Burgongne and manie other great princes and noble men which were present there at that time all which at this request in fauour of those Englishmen that should trauell vnto Rome granted as haue said to diminish such duties as were gathered of passingers He receiued there manie great gifts of the emperour and was highlie honored of him and likewise of the pope and of all other the high princes at that time present at Rome so that when he came home as some write he did grow greatlie into pride insomuch that being néere to the Thames or rather as other write vpon the sea strand néere to South-hampton and perceiuing the water to rise by reason of the tide he east off his gowne and wrapping it round togither threw it on the sands verie neere the increasing water and sat him downe vpon it speaking these or the like words to the sea Thou art saith he within the compasse of my dominion and the ground whereon I sit is mine and thou knowest that no wight dare disoboie my commandements I therefore doo now command thée not to rise vpon my ground nor to presume to wet anie part of thy souereigne lord and gouernour But the sea kéeping hir course rose still higher and higher and ouerflowed not onelie the kings féet but also flashed
a triple habergion guilt on their bodies with guilt burgenets on their heads a swoord with guilt hilts girded to their waâ—â—es a battell are after the maner of the Daues on the left shoulder a target with bosses and mails guilt in their left hand a dart in their right hand and thus to conclude they were furnished at all points with armor and weapon accordinglie It hath beene said that earle Goodwine minded to marie his daughter to one of these brethren and perceiuing that the elder brother Alfred would disdaine to haue hir thought good to dispatch him that the other taking hir to wife hée might be next heire to the crowne and so at length inioy it as afterwards came to passe Also about that time when the linage of the kings of England was in maner extinct the English people were much carefull as hath béene said about the succession of those that should inioie the crowne Wherevpon as one Brightwold a moonke of Glastenburie that was afterward bishop of Wincester or as some haue written of Worcester studied oftentimes thereon it chanced that he dreamed one night as he slept in his bed that he saw saint Peter consecrate annoint Edward the sonne of Egelred as their remaining in exile in Normandie king of England And as he thought he did demand of saint Peter who should succéed the said Edward Wherevnto answer was made by the apostle Haue thou no care for such matters for the kingdome of England is Gods kingdome Which suerlie in good earnest may appeare by manie great arguments to be full true vnto such as shall well consider the state of this realme from time to time how there hath béene euer gouernours raised vp to mainteine the maiestie of the kingdome and to reduce the same to the former dignitie when by anie infortunate mishap it hath beene brought in danger But to returne now to king Hardicnute after he had reigned two yéeres lacking 10 daies as he sat at the table in a great feast holden at Lambeth he fell downe suddenlie with the pot in his hand and so died not without some suspicion of poison This chanced on the 8 of Iune at Lambeth aforesaid where on the same day a mariage was solemnized betwéene the ladie Githa the daughter of a noble man called Osgot Clappa and a Danish lord also called Canute Prudan His bodie was buried at Winchester besides his fathers He was of nature verie curteous gentle and liberall speciallie in keeping good chéere in his house so that he would haue his table couered foure times a day furnished with great plentie of meates and drinks wishing that his seruants and all strangers that came to his palace might rather leaue than want It hath béene commonlie told that Englishmen learned of him their excessiue gourmandizing vnmeasurable filling of their panches with meates and drinkes whereby they forgat the vertuous vse of sobrietie so much necessarie to all estates and degrées so profitable for all common-wealths and so commendable both in the sight of God and all good men In this Hardicnute ceased the rule of the Danes within this land with the persecution which they had executed against the English nation for the space of 250 yeres more that is to say euer since the tenth yeere of Brithrike the king of Westsaxons at what time they first began to inuade the English coasts Howbeit after others they should séeme to haue ruled here but 207 reckoning from their bringing in by the Welshmen in despite of the Saxons at which time they first began to inhabit here which was 835 of Christ 387 after the comming of the Saxons and 35 néere complet of the reigne of Egbert ¶ But to let this peece of curiositie passe this land felt that they had a time of arriuall a time of inuading a time of ouerrunning and a time of ouerrunling the inhabitants of this maine continent Wherof manifest proofes are at this day remaining in sundrie places sundrie ruines I meane and wastes committed by them vpon the which whensoeuer a man of a relenting spirit casteth his eie he can not but enter into a dolefull consideration of former miseries and lamenting the defacements of this I le by the crueltie of the bloudthirstie enimie cannot but wish if he haue but Minimam misericordiae guttam quae maiorest spatioso oceano as one saith and earnestlie desire in his heart that the like may neuer light vpon this land but may be auerted and turned away from all christian kingdomes through his mercie whose wrath by sinne being set on fire is like a consuming flame and the swoord of whose vengeance being sharpened with the whetstone of mens wickednesse shall hew them in péeces as wood for the fornace Thus farre the tumultuous and tyrannicall regiment of the Danes inferring fulnesse of afflictions to the English people wherewith likewise the seuenth booke is shut vp THE EIGHT BOOKE of the Historie of England Edward the third of that name is chosen king of England by a generall consent ambassadours are sent to attend him homewardes to his kingdome and to informe him of his election William duke of Normandie accompanieth him Edward is crowned king the subtill ambition or ambitious subtiltie of earle Goodwine in preferring Edward to the crowne and betraieng Alfred the Danes expelled and rid out of this land by decree whether earle Goodwine was guiltie of Alfreds death king Edward marieth the said earles daughter he forbeareth to haue carnall knowledge with hir and why he vseth his mother queene Emma verie hardlie accusations brought against hir she is dispossessed of hir goods and imprisoned for suffering bishop Alwine to haue the vse of hir bodie she purgeth and cleareth hir selfe after a strange sort hir couetousnesse mothers are taught by hir example to loue their children with equalitie hir liberall deuotion to Winchester church cleared hir from infamie of couetousnesse king Edward loued hir after hir purgation why Robert archbishop of Canturburie fled out of England into Normandie The first Chapter IMmediatlie vpon the deth of Hardiknought and before his corps was committed to buriall his halfe brother Edward sonne of king Egelred begotten of quéene Emma was chosen to be K. of England by the generall consent of all the nobles and commons of the realme Therevpon where ambassadours sent with all spéed into Normandie to signifie vnto him his election and to bring him from thence into England in deliuering pledges for more assurance that no fraud nor deceit was ment of the Englishmen but that vpon his comming thither he should receiue the crowne without all contradiction Edward then aided by his coosine William duke of Normandie tooke the sea with a small companie of Normans came into England where he was receiued with great ioy as king of the realme immediatlie after was crowned at Winâ—hester by Edsinus then archbishop of Canturburie on Easter day in the yeare of our Lord 1043
so at length by their diligent trauell the matter was taken vp and the armies being dismissed on both parts earle Goodwine was restored to his former dignitie Herevpon were pledges deliuered on his behalfe that is to say Wilnotus one of his sonnes and Hacun the sonne of Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine These two pledges were sent vnto William duke of Normandie to be kept with him for more assurance of Goodwines loialtie Some write that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine was not reconciled to the kings fauour at this time but whether he was or not this is reported of him for a truth that after he had attempted sundrie rebellions against king Edward he lastlie also rebelled against his father Goodwine and his brother Harold and became a pirate dishonouring with such manifold robberies as he made on the seas the noble progenie whereof he was descended Finallie vpon remorse of conscience as hath béene thought for murthering of his coosine or as some say his brother erle Bearne he went on pilgrimage to Hierusalem and died by the way of cold which he caught in returning homeward as some write in Licia but others affirme that he fell into the hands of Saracens that were robbers by the high waies and so was murthered of them At what time William duke of Normandie came ouer into England king Edward promiseth to make him his heire to the kingdom and crowne the death of queene Emma earle Goodwine being growne in fauor againe seeketh new reuenges of old grudges causing archbishop Robert and certeine noble Normans his aduersaries to be banished Stigand intrudeth himselfe into archbishop Roberts see his simonie and lacke of learning what maner of men were thought meet to be made bishops in those daies king Edward beginneth to prouide for the good and prosperous state of his kingdome his consideration of lawes made in his predecessours times and abused the lawes of S. Edward vsuallie called the common lawes how whereof and wherevpon institured the death of earle Goodwine being sudden as some say or naturall as others report his vertues and vices his behauiour and his sonnes vpon presumption and will in the time of their authorities his two wiues and children the sudden and dreadfull death of his mother hir selling of the beautifull youth male and female of this land to the Danish people The fourth Chapter THe foresaide William duke of Normandie that after conquered this land during the time of Goodwines outlawrie 〈…〉 to this land with 〈…〉 of men and 〈…〉 receiued of the king 〈…〉 great chéere Now after he had taried a season hereturned into his countrie not without great gifts of iewels and other things which the king most liberallie bestowed vpon him And as some write the king promised him at that time to make him his heire to the realme of England if he chanced to die without issue ¶ Shortlie after or rather somewhat before queene Emma the kings mother died and was buried at Winchester After that earle Goodwine was restored to the kings fauour bicause he knew that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie had beene the chéefe procurer of the kings euill will towards him he found means to weare him out of credit and diuers other specially of the Normans bearing the world in hand that they had sought to trouble the state of the realme to set variance betwixt the king and the lords of the English nation whereas the Normans againe alledged that earle Goodwine and his sonnes abused the kings soft and gentle nature would not sticke to ieast and mocke at his curteous and mild procéedings But howsoeuer the matter went archbishop Robert was glad to depart out of the realme and going to Rome made complaint in the court there of the iniuries that were offred him but in returning through Normandie he died in the abbeie of Gemmeticum where he had bene moonke before his comming into England Diuerse others were compelled to forsake the realme at the same time both spirituall men and temporall as William bishop of London and Ulfe bishop of Lincolne Osberne named Pentecost and his companion Hugh were constreined to surrender their castels and by licence of earle Leosrike withdrew thorough his countrie into Scotland where of king Mackbeth they were honorablie receiued These were Normans for as partlie ye haue heard king Edward brought with him no small number of that nation when he came from thence to receiue the crowne and by them he was altogither ruled to the great offending of his owne naturall subiects the Englishmen namelie earle Goodwine and his sonnes who in those daies for their great possessions and large reuenues were had in no small reputation with the English people After that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed the realme as before ye haue heard Stigand was made archbishop of Canturburie or rather thrust himselfe into that dignitie not being lawfullie called in like manner as he had doone at Winchester for whereas he was first bishop of Shireborne he left that church and tooke vpon him the bishoprike of Winchester by force and now atteining to be archbishop of Canturburie he kept both Winchester and Canturburie in his hand at one instant This Stigand was greatlie infamed for his couetous practises in sale of possessions apperteining to the church He was nothing learned but that want was a common fault amongest the bishops of that age for it was openlie spoken in those daies that he was méet onelie to be a bishop which could vse the pompe of the world voluptuous pleasures rich rament and set himselfe foorth with a iollie retinue of gentlemen and seruants on horssebacke for therein stood the countenance of a bishop as the world then went and not in studie how to haue the people fed with the word of life to the sauing of their soules King Edward now in the twelfth yeare of his reigne hauing brought the state of the realme quite from troubles of warre both by sea and land began to foresée as well for the welth of his subiects as for himselfe being naturallie inclined to wish well to all men He therefore considered how by the manifold lawes which had beene made by Britaines Englishmen and Danes within this land occasion was ministred to manie which measured all things by respect of their owne priuate gaine and profit to peruert iustice and to vse wrongfull dealing in stead of right clouding the same vnder some branch of the lawe naughtilie misconstrued Wherevpon to auoid that mischiefe he picked out a summe of that huge and vnmesurable masse and heape of lawes such as were thought most indifferent and necessarie therewith ordeined a few those most wholesome to be from thenceforth vsed according to whose prescript men might liue in due forme and rightfull order of a ciuill life These lawes were afterwards called the common lawes and also saint Edward his lawes so much esteemed of the
Ireland and there prouiding 18 ships of rouers returned landing in Wales ioined himselfe with Griffin the king or prince of Wales and did much hurt on the borders about Hereford of which place Rafe was then earle that was sonne vnto Goda the sister of K. Edward by hir first husband Gualter de Maunt. This earle assembling an armie came forth to giue battell to the enimies appointing the Englishmen contrarie to their manner to fight on horssebacke but being readie on the two twentith of October to giue the onset in a place not past two miles from Hereford he with his Frenchmen and Normans fled and so the rest were discomfited whome the aduersaries pursued and slue to the number of 500 beside such as were hurt and escaped with life Griffin and Algar hauing obteined this victorie entered into the towne of Hereford set the minster on fire slue seuen of the canons that stood to defend the doores or gates of the principall church and finallie spoiled and burned the towne miserablie The king aduertised hereof gathered an armie ouer the which Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine was made generall who followed vpon the enimies that fled before him into Northwales staied not till hauing passed through Stratâ—luid he came to the mountaines of Snowdon where he pitched his field The enimies durst not abide him but got them into Southwales whereof Harold being aduertised left the more part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there with the residue of his people came backe vnto Hereford recouered the towne and caused a great and mightie trench to be cast round about it with an high rampire and fensed it with gates and other fortifications After this he did so much that comming to a communication with Griffin and Algar at a place called Biligelhage a peace was concluded and so the nauie of earle Algar sailed about and came to Chester there to remaine till the men of warre and marriners had their wages while he went to the king who pardoned his offense restored him to his earledome After this in the verie same yeare being the 15 of king Edwards reigne as some writers affirme Siward the noble earle of Northumberland died of the slix of whom it is said that when he perceiued the houre of death to be néere he caused him selfe to be put in armour set vp in his chaire affirming that a knight and a man of honour ought to die in that sort rather than lieng on a couch like a féeble and fainthearted creature and sitting so vpright in his chaire armed at all points he ended his life and was buried at Yorke O stout harted man not vnlike to that famous Romane remembred by Tullie in his Tusculane questions who suffered the sawing of his leg from his bodie without shrinking looking vpon the surgeon all the while hauing no part of his bodie bound for shrinking The said Siward earle of Northumberland was a man of a giantlike stature thereto of a verie stout and hardie courage because his sonne Walteif was but an infant and as yet not out of his cradell the earledome was giuen vnto earle Tostle one of Goodwins sonnes Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside is sent for to be made heire apparant to crowne his death the deceasse of Leofrike earle of Chester the vertues and good deeds of him and his wife Gudwina Couentrie free from custome and toll churches and religious places builded and repared Algar succeedeth his father Leofrike in the earledome he is accused of treason and banished he recouereth his earledome by force of armes Harold is sent with a power against Griffin king of Wales the countrie wasted and the people forced to yeeld they renounce Griffin their king kill him and send his head to Harold Griffins brethren rule Wales after him by grant of king Edward Harolds infortunate going ouer into Normandie the earle of Ponthieu taketh him prisoner and releaseth him at the request of William duke of Normandie for whose vse Harold sweareth to keepe possession of the realme of England the duke promiseth him his daughter in mariage The sixt Chapter NOt long after in the yeare 1057 Aldred bishop of Worcester was sent ouer vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside into England whome king Edward was desirous to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after that he was returned into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Westminster or as others say in the church of S. Paule within London The same yeare that is to say in the seuentéenth yeare or in the sixtéenth yeare of king Edwards reigne as some write Leofrike the noble earle of Chester or Mercia that was sonne to duke Leofwine departed this life in his owne towne of Bromelie on the last day of August and was buried at Couentrie in the abbeie there which he had builded This earle Leofrike was a man of great honor wise and discréet in all his dooings His high wisdome and policie stood the realme in great stéed whilest he liued He had a noble ladie to his wife named Gudwina at whose earnest sute he made the citie of Couentrie frée of all manner of toll except horsses and to haue that toll laid downe also his foresaid wife rode naked through the middest of the towne without other couerture saue onlie hir haire Moreouer partlie moued by his owne deuotion and partlie by the persuasion of his wife he builded or beneficiallie augmented and repared manie abbeies churches as the said abbeie or priorie at Couentrie the abbeies of Wenlocke Worcester Stone Euesham and Leof besides Hereford Also he builded two churches within the citie of Chester the one called S. Iohns and the other S. Werbrough The value of the iewels ornaments which he bestowed on the abbeie church of Couentrie was inestimable After Leofriks death his sonne Algar was made earle and intituled in all his lands and seigniories In the yeare following to wit 1058 the same Algar was accused againe through malice of some enuious persons of treason so that he was exiled the land wherevpon he repaired againe vnto his old friend Griffin prince of Northwales of whome he was ioifullie receiued shortlie after by his aid also by the power of a nauie of ships that by chance arriued in those parts at that selfe same season vnlooked for out of Norwaie the said Algar recouered his earledome by force as some haue written King Edward about the twentith yeare of his reigne as then remaining at Glocester appointed earle Harold to inuade the dominions of Griffin king of Wales Harold taking with him a power of horssemen made spéed and came to Rutland and there burned Griffins palace and also his ships and then about Midlent returned againe into England After this about the
or Ele as in other places plâ—â—â—lie apeareth Cadwallo vanquisheâ— by Edwin Cadwallo flieth the 〈◊〉 634. Oswald slaine Oswie Matth. West 654 678 Matt. West saith 676. Oswald meaneth to be thankefull to God for his benefits Beda li. 3. cap. 3. 5. 6. Hector Boet. Corman Aidan S. Paules counsell Aidan commeth into England to preach the gospell Beda li. 3. ca. 3. Hector Boet. Beda Oswald an interpretor to the preacher Hector Boet. Oswalds zeale to aduance religion Beda lib. 5. ca. 6 Oswald had in estimation with his neighbours Beda lib. 3. 〈◊〉 Birinus conuerteth the Westsaxons 〈◊〉 the christian faith Kinigils king of Westsaxon becommeth a christian Polydor. Dorcester ordeined a bishops sée Henr. Hunt This chanceâ— in the yéere 620 as Math West saith 640 Beda lib. 3. cap. 7. Matth. West Lent first ordeined to be kept in England Segburga Aimoinus Penda inuadeth the Northumbers Beda lib. 3. cap. 9. King Oswald slaine Matt. Westm. saith 644. Will. Malmes Oswie king of Northumberland Beda li. 3. ca. 14. 644 Bernicia 651 Cenwalch Hen. Hunt 943 Ran. Higd. Agilbertus a bishop Sigibert Beda lib. 3. cap. 4. The vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by king Sigibert Bale saith 636. Sigibert resigneth his kingdome to Egricus Sigibert and Egricus slaine 652 Baleus Beda lib. 3. cap. 19. Furseus 653 Anna. Will. Malmes Edelhere K. of Eastangle Deus dedit Beda histaeâ—â—â— lib. 3. cap. 21. 653. Peda or Peada king of Middleangles Ad 〈…〉 The saieng of king Penda Beda lib. 3. cap. 22. King Sigibert receiued the faith This was about the yéere 649 as Matth. West hath noted Cedda Ced or Cedda bishop of the Eastsaxons Tilberie The authoritie of a bishop Suidhelme Beda lib. 3. cap. 22. Matt. VVest Beda lib. 3. cap. 23. The maner of the old fast Lindesferne holie Iland Beda lib. 3. cap. 24. War betwéene king Oswie king Penda The victorie of the Northumbers Elfled Herteshey saith Matt. West Hilda Loides The first bishop of Mercia The victorious proceeding of king Oswie Southmercia Northmercia 659 Matt. West Beda lib. 3. cap. 24. Vulfhere Beda lib. 3. cap. 24. 〈◊〉 Hâ—nt Matt. West Tâ— Britains put to slight by Chenwald Chenwald vanquished by Uulfhere Edelwold of Sussex Beda lib. 3. cap. 24. Colman ordeined bishop Beda lib. 3. cap. 25. Controuersie about shauing of crownes Cap. 6. 664 Tuda ordeined bishop Cap. 27. In eclipse Punishment of God for yelding to superstition Wilfrid bishop Cap. 28. Ceadda ordeined archbishop of Yorke Egbert king of Kent Beda lib. 3. cap. 9. Wighart Beda lib. 4. cap. 1. Adrian Theodore ordeined archbishop of Canturburie 668 Ran. Cest. Matth. West Beda Singing in churches brought in vse Putta bishop of Rochester The worthie praise of Theodore and Adrian Englishmen happie and why Beda Benedict or Benet surnamed Biscop 670 Glasiers first brought into England Ran. Cest. Beda lib. 3. cap. 39. Bishop Iaruman or Iaroman 671 Matth. West Egfrid Beda lib. 4. cap. 5. Matth. West 673 A synod holden at Herlord Articles proponed by Theodore Bisi bishop of the Eastangles 872 Matt. West de reg lib. 1. Escuinus Will. Malmes Hen. Hunt Beda lib. ca. supr dict Io. Lothaire Wil. Malm. Beda de reg lib. 1. Thunnir A vile murther Bishop winfrid deposed Sexbulfe ordeined bishop of the Mercies 685 as Matth. VVestm saith Bishop Erkenwald Ethelburga Iohn Cap. graue Waldhere Sebbie king of Eastsaxons Beda lib. 4. cap. 16. Wil. Malm. 675 Will. Malmâ— But other affirme that he reigned 17 yéeres Beda Peada or rather Weada Edilred 677 Hen. Hunt 678 A blasing starre Matth. West Beda lib. 4. ca. 12. Bishop wilfrid banished Hagustald Hexham Eadhidus Lindesferne Holie Iland The church of Rippon Wilfrid by licence of king Edilwalke preacheth the gospel to them of Sussex Lacke of raine Catching of fish with nets Bondmen made trulie free 679 680 A synod at Hatfield Articles subscribed Bale The abbesse Hilda Beda Bale Ran. Cest. Matth. West Beda Henrie Hunt The Britains discomfited Gorop in Goto danica lib. 7. pag. 759. Cadwallader 676 saith Matth. West Galfrid Cadwallader constreined to forsake the land 689 Ceadwalla Wil. Malm. Beda Wil. Malm. Ranulf Cest. Ceadwalla driuen to depart out of the countrie Beda lib. 4. cap. 15. Berthun a duke of Sussex slaine Ceadwalla his vow The I le of Wight conquered The I le of Wight receiueth the saith 689 Beda liâ— 4. cap. 26. Ireland inuaded bâ— the Northumbers King Egfride slain by Brudeus king of the Picts These Britains were those vndouttedlie y t dwelt in the northwest parts of this I le and is not ment onlie by them of Wales Echelreda 〈◊〉 Alfride 685. 698 Beda in Epit. Matt. VVest 705 Beda Iohn archbishop of Yorke He resigneth his sée 721 686 saith Matth. West Lother king of Kent dieth of a wound Wil. Malm. Capgraue faith their sister Edricke Mollo brother to king Ceadwalla burnt to death Withdredis made king â— Kent Hen Hunt Beda lib. 5. Suebhard and Nidred kings by vsurpation and not by succeâ—sion as Heâ—â— Hunt writeth Brightwald the first archbishop of the English nation Inas 689 The Britains ceasse to reigne in this land Fabian H. Hunt Mart. Wastm Wil. Malm. Anno 708 as is noted by Matt. West H. Hunt Matt. VVest saith 718. Matth. West saith 722. The end of the kingdome of the Southsaxons Inas went to Rome and there died Polydor. Ethelburga Will. Malmes The deuise of quéene Ethelburga to persuade hir husband to forsake the world Peter pence King Ethelred becommeth a moonk Ostrida Beda in Epit. 697 King Kenred 711 Nauclerus Egwin bishop of Worcester A fabulous and trifling deuise Bale 712 H. Hunt Ran. Cestreâ— Hen. Hunt Bereford 755 Three miles from Tamwoorth Wil. Malm. 758 Matth. West The historie of Magd. Nuns kept for concubines Pilgrimage of nuns Kings of the Eastsaxons Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. Offa king of Eastsaxons Kâ—ng Sclred 688 705 〈…〉 of Northumberland Henr. Hunt Picts ouerthrowne by the Northumbers King Osred slaine in battell 729 Beda Acca bishop of Hexham 710 Two bishops sees Matth. West Bishop Dâ—niell Bishop Aldhelme The abbeie of Maâ—lmesburie Ethelard 728 Matt. West saith 727. Matth. West 729 Blasing stars Wil. Malm. Beda lib. 5. cap. â—4 731 Bishops what prouinces they gouerned Matth. West Ethelbald K. of Mercia of what puisance he was 732 Wil. Malm. 733 735 Beda departed this 〈◊〉 Craâ—â—â—â—â— 735 Cuthred 740 Matt. West Hen. Hunt Kenric the kings sonne slaine 749 Matth. West 751 752 Matt. West K. Edilbald put to flight Sigibert 755 Ethelred 738 Egbert king of Northumberland 758 Changing of crownes for moonkes cowles 756 Offa. 758 Matth. West Wil. Malm. The victories of king Offa. Matth. West 779 Falsehood in fellowship The archbishops sée remoued from Canturburie to Lichfield 785 Matt. VVest The archbishop Lambert defended his cause Offa alieth himselfe with other princes Matt. Westm. The intercourse of merchants staied Alcwine an Englishman Polydor. 775 Peter pence or Rome Scot. Will. Malmâ— 797 Offa departed this life Ofâ—ditch
Asserius Meneuensis Werefridus Iohn Scot. Grimbald Alured diuided the time for his necessarie vses His last will and testament Cewulfe 886 Matth. West Guthrun K. of the eastangles died 890. Simon Dun. Simon Dun. 872 Egbert king of Northumberland expelled from his kingdome Egbert departed this life Ricsig The Danes winter in Lindseie 975 Ricsig departed this life 983 Guthred ordeined king of Northumberland The bishops sée remooued froÌ„ holie iland to Chester in the stréet Priuiledges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine 894 Polydor. Will. Malmes Wil. Malm. Sithrike Edward the elder 901. Winborne Hen. Hunt Adelwold fleeth to the Danes Wil. Malm. The English nation practised in wars go commonlie awaie with the victorie Hen. Hunt Essex yéeldes to Adelwold Ran. Higd. Brittenden Hen. Hunâ— The Kentishmen disobeiing the kings commandement are surprised by the enimies Adelwold king Edwards brother Fortie daies saith Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt Wightham Chester or rather Leicester as I thinke Digetune Irchenfield Danes discomfited The I le of Stepen Deomedun Danes saile into Ireland Turketillus an earle Simon Dun. Anno 911. Simon Dun. Polydor. Ericke king of Eastangles King Edward inuadeth the countrie of the Eastangles Ericke put to flight The kingdom of the Eastangâ—es subdued by K. Edward Hen. Hunt Matth. West Simon Dun. Tamwoorth was by hir repared anno 914. Eadsburie and Warwike 915 Chester repared 905. Sim. Dun. Quéene of the Welshmen taken Brecanamere Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt 918 Darbie won from the Danes Hen. Hunt Anno Christ 919 Matt. West Simon Dun. Ranul Translated by Abraham Fleming This Alfwen was sister to Edelfled as H. Hunt saith Strateluid or Stretcled a kingdome in Wales K. Edward a great builder and reparer of townes Notingham bridge built Matt. West Manchester repared Anno 816. Simon Dun. Henr. Hunt Polydor. A dreame Matt. West Polydor. The issue of K. Edward â—has Edgiua Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. Matth. West England first â—â—curssed Anno 903. Winchester Cornwall Shireborne Welles Kirton Mercia Wil. Malm. saith that pope Formosus pronounced this cursse 904 Polydor. Hen. Hunt Adelstan Matt. West Will. Malmes 924 Alfred striueth in vaine to kéepe Adelstane from the gouernment Wâ—l Malm. See more hereof in the acts and monuments set foorth by M. Fox vol. 1. leafe 195. Anno 925. Simon Dun. Polydor. Wil. Malm. H. Hunt Hect. Boetius The Scotish writers varie from our English authors Beatrice daughter to K. Edward as the Scotish writers say Edwin was not brother to K. Edward but son to him Adelstane flieth the realme Beatrice put to death by his stepsons Editha a virgine Wil. Malm. Matth. West The noble saieng of king Adeâ—stane 926 Polydoc 934 Ran. Higd. Sim. Dun. The Scots subdued A token shewed iniraculoâ—ske that the Scots ought to be subiect to the kings of England Wil. Malm. Matt. West 934. Repentance too late Wil. Malm. 937 Simon Dun. Hen. Hunc Wil. Malm. Matth. West Hector Boet. Ran. Higd. Aulafe disguised commeth to view the English camp Aulafe assaileth the English campe Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. The enimies discomfited Ran. Higd. Tribute The Cornish men subdued Excester repared 940 Simon Dun. The decease of king Adelstane The deâ—cription of king Adelstane Wolstan archbishop of Yorke His estimation in foraine realmes Harding Edmund Wil. Malm. 940. Simon Dun. A peace concluded 941 Matth. West Aulafe deceasseth Another Aulafe taketh vpon him to rule 942 Gâ—rmo or Godfrey Will. Malm. 944 Simon Dun. Leolin king of Southwales aided king Edmund in this enterprise 946 Polydor. The lawes of king Edmund Fiue yeares and 7 months hath Si. Dun. Pridecire saith Si. Dun. Will. Malm. Matth. West 946 Capgraue A vaine tale Crossing bringeth sight of the diuels and crossing driueth them away Dunstane an interpretor of dreames Dunstan séeth the diuell often but now he was become a watter at the table when Dunstane sat with the king Edred 946 Edred Hen. Hunt The Northumbers rebell and are subdued Aulafe returned into Northumberland Hirke or Hericius Wil. Malm. The disloialtie of the Northumbers punished Aulafe returned into Northumberland Ran. Higd. Simon Dun. Easterford Aulafe returned into Northumberland The archbishop of Yorke imprisoned Matth. West 951. Wil. Malm. Edredus departeth this life Dunstane in fauour But was not this a deuise thereby to deteine the treasure for I doo not read that he deliuered it out of his hands An angell or as some thinks a woorse creature Edwin 955 Will. Malmes Polydor. Iohn Cap. graue Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane banished the realme Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane séeth not the diuell Dunstane departed into exile Wil. Malm. Edwine displaceth monks and putteth secular priests in their roomes Rebellion raised against king Edwine Simon Dun. Edwin departeth this life Edgar 959 Polydor. Edgar a fauorer of moonks The diligent prouision of K. Edgar for defense of the realme Wil. Malm. Mascutius Kings of Welshmen King Edgar roweth on the water of Dée Ran. Higd. King Edgar fauoureth Danes English learned to quaffe of the Danes Wil. Malm. Englishmen learne other vices of strangers Ethelwold made bishop of Winchester Oswald Floriacum Moonks must néeds write much in praise of Edgar who had men of their cote in such estimatioÌ„ A tribute instituted of woolskins Osborne and Capgraue hold that she was not his wife but a nun Wil. Malm. â—â—orger â—â—orger Earle Ethelwold deceueth the king of his wiâ—e King Edgar séeketh the destruction of earle Ethelwold King Edgar a murtherer His licentious life incontinencie Note the déep hypocrisie of Dunstane Ran. Higd. Fabian out of Guido de Columâ—â— Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Ranul Hig. Polydor. Matt. West Simon Dun. Fabian Ran. Higd. The Welshmen rebel and are chastised Fabian Ran. Higd. The welshmen rebel and are chastised Will. Malmet Hen. Hunt King Edgar departeth this life Wherfore Edgar is praised of some writers Fabian Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. Hen. Huna Matt. West Moonks estéemed secular priests little regarded Ran. Higd. lib. 6. cap. 9. Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Tho. Eliot Edgar small of stature but strong and hardie Kenneth king of Scots The noble courage of king Edgar Wil. Malm. Ireland subiect to king Edgar Edward Some write that the father king Edgar appointed Edward to succéed him Simon Dun. Iohn Capg After duke of Mercia and other immeâ—â—atlie vpon Edgars death before the crowne was established remooued the moonks and restored the canons Simon Dun. 975 Wil. Malm. Alfer or Elfer duke of Mercia Iohn Capâ— Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Matt. West Simon Dun. Simon Dun. Polydor. A pretie shift of the moonks to disappoint the priests Polydor. Wil. Malm. Dunstane by woorking miracles had his will when arguments failed Polydor. Wil. Malms The wicked purpose of quéene Alfred The shameful murther of K. Edward Matth. West Fabian Sim. Dun. Wil. Malm. Miracles Building of abbeies in those daies was thought to be a full satisfaction for all maner of sinues Elferus Polydor. Will. Malmes Egelred 979 Simon Dun. Will. Malmes Polydor. Ran. Higd. 980 Sim. Dun. Ran. Higd. 982 983 Alfer
or Elfer duke of Mercia departed this life Alfrike or Elfrike duke of Mercia Fabian Wil. Malm. Matt. West Vita Dunstani Iohn Capgr Osborne Ran. Higd. Polychron Wil. Malm. Matt. Westm. The Danes inuade this land Alias Wecederport H. Hunt Simon Dun. Danes vanquished Simon Dun. Goda earle of Deunonshire slaine Matt. VVest 991 Ten thousand pounds paid to the Danes Danegilt Wil. Malm. 992 Hen. Hunt A nauie set forth Alfrike a traitour to his countrie Matth. West Henr. Hunt The son punished for his fathers offense 993 Simon Dun. Polydor. Matth. West Aulafe king of Norway Swein king of Denmarke were capteins of this fleet as saith Simon Dun. 994 Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. The king compoundeth with the Danes for monie Matt. West Simon Dun. Aulafe king of Norwey baptised His promise Iohn Leland Simon Dun. 995 The church of Durham builded Earle Uthred Durham town and minster builded 997 The Danes inuade the west parts of this land Tauestocke 998 999 The Danes arriue in the Thames 1000 1001 Exmouth Pentho Disagréement with councellors what 〈◊〉 fruit it bringeth The misgouernement of the king Sicknesse vexing the people Treason in the nobilitie The inhancing of the tribute paid to the Danes The death of quéene Elgina Emma Hen. Hunt 1002 Emma daughter of R. duke of Normandie maried to K. Edgar 1012 The 13 of Nouember The murder of the Danes Hownhill or Houndhill a place within Merchington parish beside the forest of Néedwood somewhat more than two miles from Utoxcester The miserable state of this realme vnder the thraldome of the Danes Hector Boet. Lordane whereof the word came Hen. Hunt Simon Dun. The Danes returne to inuade England Excester taken 1002 Hugh a Norman conspireth with the Danes The counterfeit sicknesse of duke Edrike Wilton spoiled Simon Dun. 1004 Swein king of Denmarke Norwich taken by the Danes Thetford burnt Uikillus or Wilfeketell gouernour of Norffolke Hen. Hunt 1005 Swaine returned into Denmarke Simon Dun. 1006 Hen. Hunt Swaine returned into England The Danes winter in the I le of Wight They inuade Hampshire Barkeshire c. Winchester 1007 36000 pound saith Si. Dun. Edrike de Streona made duke or earle of Mercia Wil. Malm. Henr. Hunt Simon Dun. An hundred acres is an hide of land 1008 Prouision for ships and armour Matt. West Danes land at Sandwich 1009 3000 pound saith Si. Dun. Sussex and Hampshire spoiled The Danes returne into Kent 1010 Oxford burnt Stanes Gipswich in Suffolke Simon Dun. Caput formicae Thetford Cambridge Hen. Hunt She Danes arriue in the Thames 1011 Northampton burnt by Danes How manie shires the Danes wasted The king senbeth to the Danes Simon Dun. 1011 Canturburie woone by Danes Fabian ex Anâ—onino The archbishop Elphegus taken Hen. Hunt Antoninus Vincentius Wil. Lamb. ex Asserio Meneuensi alijs 1112 Henr. Hunt The archbishop Elphegus murthered Miracles Elphegus buried in London Translated to Canturburie Wil. Malms Turkillus held Norffolk and Suffolke 48 thousand pound as saith Sim. Dun. and M. West Henr. Hunt Matth. West Gunthildis the sister of K. Swaine murthered Wil. Malm. Turkillus discloseth the secrets of the realme to K. Swaine Simon Dun. Swaine prepareth an armie to inuade England He landeth at Sandwich 1013 Gainsbourgh The Northumbers yeeld to Swaine The people of Lindsey yeeld themselues to him Simon Dun. South Mercia Sim. Dunel Swaine assaulteth London Polydor. Wil. Malm. Erle of Deuonshire as saith Matt. West Polydor. Swaine returneth into Denmarke Swaine returneth into England to make warre King Egelred discomfited in battell King Egelred determineth to giue place vnto Swaine He sendeth his wife and sonnes ouer into Normandie Richard duke of Normandie Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt Turkill 1014 King Egelred passeth into Normandie Swaine handleth the Englishmen hardlie Fabian S. Edmund fighteth for the wealth but not for the slaughter of his people Simon Dun. 1115 Albertus Crantz Saxo Granamaticus Wil. Malm. H. Hunt Canute or Cnute Egelred sent for home Edmund K. Egelreds eldest sonne King Egelred returneth into England Cnutes endeuor to establish himselfe in the kingdome S. Edmunds ditch Polydor. Fabian Cnute driuen to forsake the land He was driuen thither by force of contrarie winds as should appeare by Matth. West The cruell decrée of Cnute against the English pledges Will. Malmes This Turkill was reteined in seruice with Egelred as I thinke Encomium Emmae 1015 Matt. VVest Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Matth. West A councell at Oxford Sigeferd and Morcad murdered Edmund the kings eldest sonne marrieth the widow of Sigeferd Cnute returneth into England 〈…〉 Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Matth. West Sim. Dun. King Egelred sicke Matth. West Edrike de Streona â—â—eth to the Danes Simon Dun. The west countrie The people of Mercia would not yéeld Matth. West Hen. Hunt 1016 Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes King Egelred recouered of his sicknesse He assembleth an armie in vaine Wil. Malm. Edmund king Egelreds sonne Cnute what countries he passed through Earle Utred deliuered pledges to Cnute Alâ—ds Egricus Cnute prepareth to besiege London King Egelred departed this life Simon Dun. Matth. West He is buried in the church of S. Paul at London The pride of king Egelred alienated the harts of his people Sée the historie of Cambriae pag. 62 63 Edmund Ironside The kingdom goeth where the spiritualtie fauoureth The author of the booke intituled Encomium Emmae saith that it was reported that Edmund offered the combate vnto Cnute at this his going from the citie but Cnute refused it 1016 Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt Simon Dun. London besieged Cnute at Galingham in Dorsetshire put to flight Polydor. Salisburie besieged Simon Dun. Matt. West Wit Malm. I battell with equall fortune An other battell with like successe Edrike de Streona his treason Simon Dun. Twentie thousand dead bodies The armies dislodged The Danes ouercome at Brentford Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Fabian Caxton Polydor. Hent Hunt The riuer of Medwaie King Edmunds diligence The battell is begun The Danes put to flight The number of Danes slaine Polydor. Fabian Ran. Higd. Matt. West Hen. Hunt Will. Malmes Noble men slaine at the battell of Ashdone Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. King Edmund withdraweth unto Glocestershire Polydor. Matth. West Simon Dun. Matth. West saith this was Edrike The two kings appoint to try the matter by a combat Oldney Matt. Westm. Cnute of what stature he was Cnute ouermatched Cnutes woords to Edmund H. Hunt They take vp the matter betwixt them selues Wil. Malm. Encomium Emmae This is alleged touching the partitioÌ„ of the kingdome K. Edmund traitorcuster slaine at Oxford Fabian Simon Dan. This is allged againe for the proofe of Edmunds natural death Fabian Ranul Hig. Hen. Hunt Some thinke that he was duke of Mercia before and now had Essex adioined thereto Diuerse and discordant reports of Edmunds death Ran. Higd. Will. Malm. Canute Knought or Cnute 1017 Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. King of châ—rles Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Polydor. King Cnute maried to quéene Emma the widow of Egelred in Iulie anno 1017. Polydor.