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
made their letters patents sealed with their seales and then the king of England made William Warreine earle of Surrie and Southsax lord Warden of Scotland Hugh of Cressingham treasuror and William Ormesbie iustice of Scotland and foorthwith sent king Iohn to the Tower of London and Iohn Comin and the earle Badenauth the earle of Bohan and other lords into England to diuerse places on this side of the Trent And after that in the yeare of our Lord 1297 at the feast of Christmas the king called before him the said Iohn king of Scots although he had committed him to ward and said that he would burne or destroie their castels townes and lands if he were not recompensed for his costs and damages susteined in the warres but king Iohn and the other that were in ward answered that they had nothing sith their liues their deaths and goods were in his hands The king vpon that answer mooued with pitie granted them their liues so that they would doo their homage and make their oth solemnelie at the high altar in the church of the abbeie of Westminster vpon the eucharist that they and euerie of them should hold and keepe true faith obedience and allegiance to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England for euer And where the said king of Scots saw the kings banner of England displaied he and all his power should draw therevnto And that neither he or anie of his from thencefoorth should beare armes against the king of England or anie of his bloud Finallie the king rewarding with great gifts the said king Iohn and his lords suffered them to depart But they went into Scotland alwaie imagining notwithstanding this their submission how they might oppresse king Edward and disturbe his realme The Scots sent also to the king of France for succour and helpe who sent them ships to Berwike furnished with men of armes the king of England then being in Flanders In the yeare of our Lord 1298 the king went into Scotland with a great host and the Scots also assembled in great number but the king fought with them at Fawkirke on S. Marie Magdalens daie where were slaine thréescore thousand Scots Willain Walleis that was their capteine fled who being taken afterward was hanged drawen quartered at London for his trespasses After this the Scots rebelled againe and all the lords of Scotland chose Robert Bruse to be king except onelie Iohn Commin earle of Carrike who would not consent thereto bicause of his oth made to the king of England Wherefore Robert Bruse slue him at Dumfrise and then was crowned at Schone abbeie Herevpon the king of England assembled a great hoast and rode through all Scotland discomfited Robert Bruse slue eight thousand Scots tooke the most part of all the lords of Scotland putting the temporall lords to deth bicause they were forsworne Edward borne at Carnaruan sonne of this Edward was next king of England who from the beginning of his reigne enioied Scotland peaceablie dooing in all things as is aboue said of king Edward his father vntill toward the later end of his reigne about which time this Robert Bruse conspired against him and with the helpe of a few forsworne Scots forswore himselfe king of Scots Herevpon this Edward with Thomas earle of Lancaster and manie other lords made warre vpon him about the feast of Marie Magdalene the said Bruse and his partakers being alreadie accurssed by the pope for breaking the truce that he had established betwixt them But being infortunate in his first warres against him he suffered Edward the sonne of Balioll to proclame himselfe king of Scots and neuerthelesse held foorth his warres against Bruse before the ending of which he died as I read Edward borne at Windsore sonne of Edward the second was next king of England at the age of fifteene yeares in whose minoritie the Scots practised with Isabell mother to this Edward and with Roger Mortimer earle of the March to haue their homages released whose good will therein they obteined so that for the same release they should paie to this king Edward thirtie thousand pounds starling in three yeares next following that is to saie ten thousand pounds starling yeerelie But bicause the nobilitie and commons of this realme would not by parlement consent vnto it their king being within age the same release procéeded not albeit the Scots ceased not their practises with this quéene and earle But before those thrée yeares in which their menie if the bargaine had taken place should haue béene paied were expired our king Edward inuaded Scotland and ceassed not the warre vntill Dauid the sonne of Robert le Bruse then by their election king of Scotland absolutelie submitted himselfe vntohim But for that the said Dauid Bruse had before by practise of the quéene and the earle of March married Iane the sister of this king Edward he mooued by naturall zeale to his sister was contented to giue the realme of Scotland to this Dauid Bruse and to the heires that should be be gotten of the bodie of the said Iane sauing the reuersion and meane homages to this king Edward and to his owne children wherewith the same Dauid Bruse was right well contented and therevpon immediatlie made his homage for all the realme of Scotland to him Howbeit shortlie after causelesse conceiuing cause of displeasure this Dauid procured to dissolue this same estate tailée and therevpon not onelie rebelled in Scotland but also inuaded England whilest king Edward was occupied about his wars in France But this Dauid was not onelie expelled England in the end but also thinking no place a sufficient defense to his vntruth of his owne accord fled out of Scotland whereby the countries of Annandale Gallowaie Mars Teuidale Twedale and Ethrike were seized into the king of Englands hands and new marches set betwéene England and Scotland at Cockbuâ—nes path Sowtrie hedge Which when this Dauid went about to recouer againe his power was discomfited and himselfe by a few Englishmen taken brought into England where he remained prisoner eleuen yeares after his said apprehension During this time king Edward enioied Scotland peaceablie and then at the contemplation and wearie suit of his sorowfull sister wife of this Dauid he was contented once againe to restore him to the kingdome of Scotland Wherevpon it was concluded that for this rebellion Dauid should paie to king Edward the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling and there to destroie all his holdes and fortresses standing against the English borders and further assure the crowne of Scotland to the children of this king Edward for lacke of heire of his owne bodie all which things he did accordinglie And for the better assurance of his obeisance also he afterward deliuered into the hands of king Edward sundrie noble men of Scotland in this behalfe as his pledges This is the effect of the historie of Dauid touching his delings Now let vs sée what was doone
by Edward Balioll wherof our chronicles doo report that in the yéere of our Lord 1326 Edward the third king of England was crowned at Westminster and in the fift yeare of his reigne Edward Balioll right heire to the kingdome of Scotland came in and claimed it as due to him Sundrie lords and gentlemen also which had title to diuerse lands there either by themselues or by their wiues did the like Wherevpon the said Balioll and they went into Scotland by sea and landing at Kinghorns with 3000 Englishmen discomfited 10000 Scots and flue 1200 and then went foorth to Dunfermeline where the Scots assembled against them with 40000 men and in the feast of saint Laurence at a place called Gastmore or otherwise Gladmore were slaine fiue earls thirtéene barons a hundred and thrée score knights two thousand men of armes and manie other in all fortie thousand and there were staine on the English part but thirtéene persons onelie if the number be not corrupted In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward he assembled a great hoast and came to Berwike vpon Twéed and laid siege therto To him also came Edward Balioll king of Scots with a great power to strengthen aid him against the Scots who came out of Scotland in foure batels well armed araied Edward king of England and Edward king of Scots apparrelled their people either of them in foure battels and vpon Halidon hill beside Berwike met these two hoasts and there were discomfited of the Scots fiue and twentie thousand and seauen hundred whereof were slaine eight earles a thousand and thrée hundred knights and gentlemen This victorie doone the king returned to Berwike then the towne with the castell were yéelded vp vnto him In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward of England Edward Balioll king of Scots came to Newcastell vpon Tine and did homage for all the realme of Scotland In the yeare of our Lord 1346 Dauid Bruse by the prouocation of the king of France rebelled and came into England with a great hoast vnto Neuils crosse but the archbishop of Yorke with diuerse temporall men fought with him and the said king of Scots was taken and William earle of Duglas with Morrise earle of Strathorne were brought to London and manie other lords slaine which with Dauid did homage to Edward king of England And in the thirtith yeare of the kings reigne and the yeare of our Lord 1355 the Scots woone the towne of Berwicke but not the castell Herevpon the king came thither with a great hoast and anon the towne was yéelded vp without anie resistance Edward Balioll considering that God did so manie maruellous and gratious things for king Edward at his owne will gaue vp the crowne and the realme of Scotland to king Edward of England at Rokesborough by his letters patents And anon after the king of England in presence of all his lords spirituall and temporall let crowne himselfe king there of the realme of Scotland ordeined all things to his intent and so came ouer into England Richard the sonne of Edward called the Blacke prince sonne of this king Edward was next king of England who for that the said Iane the wife of the said king Dauid of Scotland was deceassed without issue and being informed how the Scots deuised to their vttermost power to breake the limitation of this inheritance touching the crowne of Scotland made foorthwith war against them wherein he burnt Edenbrough spoiled all their countrie tooke all their holds held continuallie war against them vntill his death which was Anno Dom. 1389. Henrie the fourth of that name was next king of England he continued these warres begun against them by king Richard and ceassed not vntill Robert king of Scots the third of that name resigned his crowne by appointment of this king Henrie and deliuered his sonne Iames being then of the age of nine yeares into his hands to remaine at his custodie wardship and disposition as of his superiour lord according to the old lawes of king Edward the confessor All this was doone Anno Dom. 1404 which was within fiue yeares after the death of king Richard This Henrie the fourth reigned in this estate ouer them fouretéene yeares Henrie the fift of that name sonne to this king Henrie the fourth was next king of England He made warres against the French king in all which this Iames then king of Scots attended vpon him as vpon his superiour lord with a conuenient number of Scots notwithstanding their league with France But this Henrie reigned but nine yeares whereby the homage of this Iames their king hauing not fullie accomplished the age of one twentie yeares was by reason and law respited Finallie the said Iames with diuerse other lords attended vpon the corps of the said Henrie vnto Westminster as to his dutie apperteined Henrie the sixt the sonne of this Henrie the fift was next king of England to whome the seigniorie of Scotland custodie of this Iames by right law and reason descended married the same Iames king of Scots to Iane daughter of Iohn earle of Summerset at saint Marie ouer Ise in Southwarke and tooke for the value of this mariage the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling This Iames king of Scots at his full age did homage to the same king Henrie the sixt for the kingdome of Scotland at Windsore in the moneth of Ianuarie Since which time vntill the daies of king Henrie the seuenth grandfather to our souereigne ladie that now is albeit this realme hath béene molested with diuersitie of titles in which vnmeet time neither law nor reason admit prescription to the preiudice of anie right yet did king Edward the fourth next king of England by preparation of war against the Scots in the latter end of his reigne sufficientlie by all lawes induce to the continuance of his claime to the same superioritie ouer them After whose death vnto the beginning of the reigne of our souereigne lord king Henrie the eight excéeded not the number of seauen and twentie yeares about which time the impediment of our claime of the Scots part chanced by the nonage of Iames their last king which so continued the space of one and twentie yeares And like as his minoritie was by all law and reason an impediment to himselfe to make homage so was the same by like reason an impediment to the king of this realme to demand anie so that the whole time of intermission of our claime in the time of the said king Henrie the eight is deduced vnto the number of thirteene yeares And thus much for this matter Of the wall sometime builded for a partition betweene England and the Picts and Scots Chap. 23. HAuing hitherto discoursed vpon the title of the kings of England vnto the Scotish kingdome I haue now thought good to adde here vnto the description of two walles that were in times past limits vnto both the said regions and therefore to
perplexitie to whome they might best commit the roiall gouernement of the realme For there was not anie among them that had iust title thereto or able and apt to take the charge vpon him For although Edgar surnamed Edeling the sonne of Edward the outlaw that was sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the same time latelie come into England with his mother and sisters out of Hungarie where he was borne yet for that he was but a child not of sufficient age to beare rule they durst not as then commit the gouernement of the realme vnto him least as some haue thought his tendernesse of age might first bréed a contempt of his person and therewith minister occasion to ciuill discord wherby a shipwracke of the estate might ensue to the great annoie and present ouerthrow of such as then liued in the same But what consideration soeuer they had in this behalfe they ought not to haue defrauded the yoong gentlemen of his lawfull right to the crowne For as we haue heard and séene God whose prouidence and mightie power is shewed by ouerthrowing of high and mightie things now and then by the weake and féeble hath gouerned states and kingdomes oftentimes in as good quiet and princelie policie by a child as by men of age and great discretion But to the purpose beside the doubt which rested among the lords how to bestow the crowne the manifold and strange woonders which were séene and heard in those daies betokening as men thought some change to be at hand in the state of the realme made the lords aâ—raid and namelie bicause they stood in great doubt of William duke of Normandie who pretended a right to the crowne as lawfull heire appointed by king Edward for that he was kin to him in the second and third degree For Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie begot Richard the second and Emma which Emma bare Edward by hir husband Ethelred Richard the second had also issue Richard the third and Robert which Robert by a concubine had issue William surnamed the bastard that was now duke of Normandie and after the death of his coosine king Edward made claime as is said to the crowne of England Whilest the lords were thus studieng and consulting what should be best for them to doo in these doubts Harold the son of Goodwine earle of Kent proclaimed himselfe king of England the people being not much offended therewith bicause of the great confidence and opinion which they had latelie conceiued of his valiancie Some write among whome Edmerus is one how king Edward ordeined before his death that Harold should succéed him as heire to the crowne and that therevpon the lords immediatlie after the said Edwards deceasse crowned Harold for their king and so he was consecrated by Aldred archbishop of Yorke according to the custom and maner of the former kings or as other affirme he set the crowne on his owne head without anie the accustomed ceremonies in the yéere after the birth of our sauiour 1066 or in the yéere of Christ 1065 after the account of the church of England as before is noted But how and whensoeuer he came to the seat roiall of this kingdome certeine it is that this Harold in the begining of his reigne considering with himselfe how and in what sort he had taken vpon him the rule of the kingdome rather by intrusion than by anie lawfull right studied by all meanes which way to win the peoples fauour and omitted no occasion whereby he might shew anie token of bountious liberalitie gentlenesse and courteous behauiour towards them The gréeuous customes also and taxes which his predecessors had raised he either abolished or diminished the ordinarie wages of his seruants and men of warre he increased and further shewed himselfe verie well bent to all vertue and goodnesse whereby he purchased no small fauor among such as were his subiects Whilest Harold went about thus to steale the peoples good willes there came ouer vnlooked for sundrie ambassadours from William the bastard duke of Normandie with commission to require him to remember his oth sometime made to the said William in the time of his extremitie which was that he the said Harold should aid him in the obteining of the crowne of England if king Edward should happen to die without issue This couenant he made as it is supposed in king Edwards daies when by licence of the same Edward or rather as Edmerus writeth against his will he went ouer into Normandie to visit his brethren which laie there as pledges Howbeit at this present Harolds answer to the said ambassadors was that he would be readie to gratifie the duke in all that he could demand so that he would not aske the realme which alreadie he had in his full possession And further he declared vnto them as some write that as for the oth which he had made in times past vnto duke William the same was but a constreined no voluntarie oth which in law is nothing since thereby he tooke vpon him to grant that which was not in his power to giue he being but a subiect whilest king Edward was liuing For if a promised vow or oth which a maid maketh concerning the bestowing of hir bodie in hir fathers house without his consent is made void much more an oth by him made that was a subiect and vnder the rule of a king without his souereignes consent ought to be void and of no value He alledged moreouer that as for him to take an oth to deliuer the inheritance of anie realme without the generall consent of the estates of the same could not be other than a great péece of presumption yea although he might haue iust title therevnto so it was an vnreasonable request of the duke at this present to will him to renounce the kingdome the gouernance whereof he had alreadie taken vpon him with so great fauor and good liking of all men Duke William hauing receiued this answer and nothing liking thereof sent once againe to Harold requiring him then at the least-wise that he would take his daughter to wife according to his former promise in refusing whereof he could make no sound allegation bicause it was a thing of his owne motion and in his absolute power both to grant and to performe But Harold being of a stout courage with proud countenance frowned vpon the Norman ambassadors and declared to them that his mind was nothing bent as then to yéeld therevnto in any maner of wise And so with other talke tending to the like effect he sent them away without anie further answer The daughter of duke William whome Harold should haue maried was named Adeliza as Gemeticensis saith and with hir as the same author writeth it was couenanted by duke William that Harold should inioy halfe the realme in name of hir dower Howbeit some write that
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.
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
spred in this behalfe the report of their demeanor was quicklie brought to Harald who caused a companie foorthwith of Danes priuilie to laie wait for them as they roade toward Gilford where Alfred was slaine and whence Edward with much difficultie escaped to his ships and so returned into Normandie But to proceed This affirmation of the archbishop being greatlie soothed out with his craftie vtterance for he was lerned confirmed by his French fréends for they had all conspired against the erle and therevnto the king being desirous to reuenge the death of his brother bred such a grudge in his mind against Goodwine that he banished him and his sons cleane out of the land He sent also his wife the erles daughter prisoner to Wilton with one onelie maiden attending vpon hir where she laie almost a yeare before she was released In the meane season the rest of the peeres as Siward earle of Northumberland surnamed Digara or Fortis Leofrijc earle of Chester and other went to the king before the departure of Goodwine indeuouring to perfuade him vnto the reuocation of his sentence and desiring that his cause might he heard and discussed by order of law But the king incensed by the archbishop and his Normans would not heare on that side saieng plainelie and swearing by saint Iohn the euangelist for that was his common oth that earle Goodwine should not haue his peace till he restored his brother Alfred aliue againe vnto his presence With which answer the peeres departed in choler from the court and Goodwine toward the coast Comming also vnto the shore and readie to take shipping he knéeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence he intended to saile into Flanders vnto Baldwine the earle and there praied openlie before them all that if euer he attempted anie thing against the kings person of England or his roiall estate that he might neuer come safe vnto his cousine nor sée his countrie any more but perish in this voiage And herewith he went aboord the ship that was prouided for him and so from the coast into the open sea But sée what followed He was not yet gone a mile waie from the land before he saw the shore full of armed souldiers sent after by the archbishop and his freends to kill him yer he should depart and go out of the countrie which yet more incensed the harts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders he caused the earle the French king and other of his fréends among whome also the emperour was one to write vnto the king in his behalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obteined from him of which the Normans had no liking wherevpon the earle and his sonnes changed their minds obteined aid and inuaded the land in sundry places Finallie ioining their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke néere London where they lodged and looked for the king to incounter with them in the field The king séeing what was doone commanded the Londoners not to aid nor vittell them But the citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whose realme which he had in maner giuen ouer vnto the spoile of the French and therevpon they not onelie vittelled them aboundantlie but also receiued the earle and his chiefe fréends into the citie where they lodged them at their ease till the kings power was readie to ioine with them in battell Great resort also was made vnto them from all places of the realme so that the earles armie was woonderfullie increased and the daie and place chosen wherein the battell should be fought But when the armies met the kings side began some to flée to the earle other to laie downe their weapons and not a few to run awaie out right the rest telling him plainelie that they would neuer fight against their owne countriemen to mainteine Frenchmens quarrels The Normans also seeing the sequele fled awaie so fast as they might gallop leauing the king in the field to shift for himselfe as he best might whilest they did saue themselues elsewhere In the meane season the earles power would haue set vpon the king either to his slaughter or apprehension but he staied them saieng after this maner The king is my sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardlie with his child neither a subiect with his souereigne it is not he that hath hurt or doone me this iniurie but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a kingdome I will doo him no violence And therewithall casting aside his battell ax he ran to the king that stood altogither amazed and falling at his féet he craued his peace accused the archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemlie of his péeres and finallie determined as truth and equitie should deserue The king after he had paused a pretie while seeing his old father in law to lie groueling at his féet and conceiuing with himselfe that his sute was not vnreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest barons of the land to knéele before him and make the like request he lifted vp the earle by the hand had him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and freendlie hauing kissed him and his sonnes vpon the chéekes he lead them to his palace called home the quéene and summoned all his lords vnto a councell Wherein it is much to read how manie billes were presented against the bishop his Normans some conteining matter of rape other of robberie extortion murder manslaughter high treason adulterie and not a few of batterie Wherwith the king as a man now awaked out of sléepe was so offended that vpon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the land onelie thrée or foure excepted whome he reteined for sundrie necessarie causes albeit they came neuer more so néere him afterward as to be of his pritie councell After this also the earle liued almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sat with the king at the table he was taken vp and carried into the kings bedchamber where after a few daies he made an end of his life And thus much of our first broile raised by the cleargie and practise of the archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of tyrannie practised by the prelats of this sée against their lords and souereignes but then I should rather write an historie than a description of this Iland Wherefore I refer you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficientlie penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if he had bin verie vnwilling to be placed in the sée of Canturburie gaue this answer to the letters of such his fréends as did make request vnto him to take the charge vpon him Secularia negotia nescio quia seire nolo eorum námque occupationes horreo
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
persons called pledges as I said or ten denaries or tithings of men of which ech one was bound for others good abering and laudable behauiour in the common-wealth of the realme The chiefe man likewise of euerie denarie or tithing was in those daies called a tithing man in Latine Decurio but now in most places a borsholder or burgholder as in Kent where euerie tithing is moreouer named a burgh or burrow although that in the West countrie he be still called a tithing man and his circuit a tithing as I haue heard at large I read furthermore and it is partlie afore noted that the said Alfred caused ech man of frée condition for the better maintenance of his peace to be ascribed into some hundred by placing himselfe in one denarie or other where he might alwais haue such as should sweare or saie vpon their certeine knowledge for his honest behauior and ciuill conuersation if it should happen at anie time that his credit should come in question In like sort I gather out of Leland and other that if anie small matter did fall out worthie to be discussed the tithing man or borsholder now officers at the commandement of the high constable of which euerie hundred hath one at the least should decide the same in their léetes whereas the great causes were referred to the hundreds the greater to the lathes and the greatest of all to the shire daies where the earles or aldermen did set themselues make finall ends of the same according vnto iustice For this purpose likewise in euerie hundred were twelue men chosen of good age and wisedome and those sworne to giue their sentences without respect of person and in this manner as they gather were things handeled in those daies Which waie the word wapentake came in vse as yet I cannot tell howbeit the signification of the same declareth as I conceiue that at the chiefe towne the soldiers which were to serue in that hundred did méet fetch their weapons go togither from thence to the field or place of seruice by an ordinarie custome then generallie knowen amongst them It is supposed also that the word Rape commeth a Rapiendo as it were of catching and snatching bicause the tenants of the hundred or wapentakes met vpon one or sundrie daies made quicke dispatch of their lords haruest at once and in great hast But whether it be a true imagination or not as yet I am vncerteine and therefore it lieth not in me to determine anie thing thereof wherefore it shall suffice to haue touched them in this maner In my time there are found to be in England fourtie shires and likewise thirtéene in Wales and these latter erected of late yeares by king Henrie the eight who made the Britons or Welshmen equall in all respects vnto the English and brought to passe that both nations should indifferentlie be gouerned by one law which in times past were ordred by diuerse and those far discrepant and disagreing one from another as by the seuerall view of the same is yet easie to be discerned The names of the shires in England are these whereof the first ten lie betwéene the British sea and the Thames as Polydor also dooth set them downe Kent Sussex Surreie Hampshire Barkeshire Wilshire Dorsetshire Summerset Deuon Cornewall There are moreouer on the northside of the Thames and betwéene the same and the riuer Trent which passeth through the middest of England as Polydor saith sixtéene other shires whereof six lie toward the east the rest toward the west more into the mddest of the countrie Essex somtime all forrest saue one hundred Middlesex Hartfordshire Suffolke Norffolke Cambridgeshire in which are 12 hundreds Bedford Huntington wher in are foure hundreds Buckingham Oxford Northampton Rutland Leircestershire Notinghamshire Warwike Lincolne We haue six also that haue their place westward towards Wales whose names insue Glocester Hereford Worcester Shropshire Stafford Chestershire And these are the thirtie two shires which lie by south of the Trent Beyond the same riuer we haue in like sort other eight as Darbie Yorke Lancaster Cumberland Westmerland Richemond wherein are fiue wapentaxes when it is accompted as parcell of Yorkeshire out of which it is taken then is it reputed for the whole Riding Durham Northumberland So that in the portion sometime called Lhoegres there are now fortie shires In Wales furthermore are thirtéene whereof seuen are in Southwales Cardigan or Cereticon Penmoroke or Penbrooke Caermardine wherein are 9. hundreds or commots Glamorgan Monmouth Breckenocke Radnor In Northwales likewise are six that is to saie Angleseie Carnaruon Merioneth Denbigh Flint Montgomerie Which being added to those of England yéeld fiftie and thrée shires or counties so that vnder the quéenes Maiestie are so manie counties whereby it is easilie discerned that hir power farre excéedeth that of Offa who of old time was highlie honored for that he had so much of Britaine vnder his subiection as afterward conteined thirtie nine shires when the diuision was made whereof I spake before This is moreouer to be noted in our diuision of shires that they be not alwaies counted or laid togither in one parcell whereof I haue great maruell But sith the occasiō hath growen as I take it either by priuiledge or some like occasion it is better briefelie to set downe how some of these parts lie than to spend the time in séeking a iust cause of this their od diuision First therefore I note that in the part of Buckinghamshire betweene Amondesham Beconsfield there is a peece of Hartfordshire to be found inuironed round about with the countie of Buckingham and yet this patch is not aboue three miles in length and two in breadth at the verie most In Barkeshire also betwéene Ruscombe and Okingham is a péece of Wilshire one mile in breadth and foure miles in length whereof one side lieth on the Loden riuer In the borders of Northamptonshire directlie ouer against Luffeld a towne in Buckkinghamshire I find a parcell of Oxfordshire not passing two miles in compasse With Oxfordshire diuerse doo participate in so much that a péece of Glocestershire lieth halfe in Warwikeshire halfe in Oxfordshire not verie far from Horneton Such another patch is there of Glocestershire not far from long Compton but lieng in Oxford countie a péece of Worcestershire directlie betwéene it Glocestershire Glocester hath the third péece vpon the north side of the Winrush neere Falbrocke as Barkeshire hath one parcell also vpon the selfe side of the same water in the verie edge of Glocestershire likewise an other in Oxfordshire not verie farre from Burford and the third ouer against Lach lade which is parted from the main countie of Barkeshire by a little strake of Oxfordshire Who would thinke that two fragments of Wilshire were to be seene in Barkeshire vpon the Loden and the riuer that falleth into it whereof and the like sith there are verie manie
I thinke good to giue this briefe admonition For although I haue not presentlie gone thorough with them all yet these may suffice to giue notice of this thing wherof most readers as I persuade my selfe are ignorant But to procéed with our purpose Ouer ech of these shires in time of necessitie is a seuerall lieutenant chosen vnder the prince who being a noble man of calling hath almost regall authoritie ouer the same for the time being in manie cases which doo concerne his office otherwise it is gouerned by a shiriffe a word deriued of Schire and Greue and pronounced as Shire and Reue whose office is to gather vp and bring his accounts into the excheker of the profits of his countie receiued whereof he is or may be called Quaestor comitatus or Prouinciae This officer is resident and dwelling somewhere within the same countie and called also a vicount Quasi vicarius comitis or Procomes in respect of the earle or as they called him in time past the alderman that beareth his name of the countie although it be seldome séene in England that the earle hath anie great store of possessions or oughts to doo in the shire whereof he taketh his name more than is allowed to him through his personall resiance if he happen to dwell and be resident in the same In the election also of these magistrates diuerse able persons aswell for wealth as wisedome are named by the commons at a time and place appointed for their choise whose names being deliuered to the prince he foorthwith pricketh some such one of them as he pleaseth to assigne vnto that office to whome he committeth the charge of the countie and who herevpon is shiriffe of that shire for one whole yeare or vntill a new be chosen The shiriffe also hath his vnder shiriffe that ruleth holdeth the shire courts and law daies vnder him vpon sufficient caution vnto the high shiriffe for his true execution of iustice preseruation from impeachment and yéelding of accompt when he shall be therevnto called There are likewise vnder him certeine bailiffes whose office is to serue and returne such writs and processes as are directed vnto them from the high shiriffe to make seisure of the goods and cattels and arrest the bodies of such as doo offend presenting either their persons vnto him or at the leastwise taking sufficient bond or other assurance of them for their dutifull appearance at an appointed time when the shiriffe by order of law ought to present them to the iudges according to his charge In euerie hundred also are one or more high constables according to the quantitie thereof who receiuing the writs and iniunctions from the high shiriffe vnder his seale or from anie other officers of the prince either for the prouision of vittels or for other causes or priuat purueiance of cates for the maintenance of the roiall familie doo forthwith charge the petie constables of euerie towne within their limits with the execution of the same In each countie likewise are sundrie law daies holden at their appointed seasons of which some retaine the old Saxon name and are called Motelagh of the word motes and law They haue also an other called the shiriffes turne which they hold twise in their times in euerie hundred according to the old order appointed by king Edgar as king Edward reduced the folkmote ordeined by king Arthur to be held yearelie on the first of Maie vntill the first of euerie moneth and in these two latter such small matters as oft arise amongst the inferior sort of people are heard and well determined They haue finallie their quarter sessions wherein they are assisted by the iustices and gentlemen of the countrie twise in the yeare gaile deliuerie at which time the iudges ride about in their circuits into euerie seuerall countie where the nobilitie and gentlemen with the iustices there resiant associat them minister the lawes of the realme with great solemnitie iustice Howbeit in dooing of these things they reteine still the old order of the land in vse before the conquest For they commit the full examination of all causes there to be heard to the consideration of twelue sober graue and wise men chosen out of the same countie and foure of them of necessitie out of the hundred where the action lieth or the defendant inhabiteth which number they call an inquest of these inquests there are more or lesse impanneled at euerie assise as the number of cases there to be handled dooth craue and require albeit that some one inquest hath often diuerse matters to consider of And when they haue to their vttermost power consulted and debated of such things as they are charged withall they returne againe to the place of iustice with their verdict in writing according wherevnto the iudge dooth pronounce his sentence be it for life or death or anie other matter what soeuer is brought before him It is also verie often séene that such as are nominated to be of these inquests doo after their charge receiued seldome or neuer eat or drinke vntill they haue agréed vpon their verdict and yeelded it vp vnto the iudge of whome they receiued the charge by meanes whereof sometimes it commeth to passe that diuerse of the inquest haue béene welneere famished or at least taken such a sickenesse thereby as they haue hardlie auoided And this commeth by practise when the one side feareth the sequele and therefore conueieth some one or more into the iurie that will in his behalfe neuer yéeld vnto the rest but of set purpose put them to this trouble Certes it is a common practise if the vnder shiriffe be not the better man for the craftier or stronger side to procure and packe such a quest as he himselfe shall like of whereby he is sure of the issue before the charge be giuen and beside this if the matter doo iustlie procéed against him it is a world to sée now and then how the honest yeomen that haue Bona fide discharged their consciences shall be sued of an atteinct bound to appéere at the Starre chamber with what rigor they shall be caried from place to place countie to countie yea and sometime in carts which hath and dooth cause a great number of them to absteine from the assises yeeld to paie their issues rather than they would for their good meaning be thus disturbed dealt withall Sometimes also they bribe the bailiffes to be kept at home whervpon poore men not hauing in their pursses wherewith to beare their costes are impanelled vpon iuries who verie often haue neither reason nor iudgement to performe the charge they come for Neither was this kind of seruice at anie time halfe so painefull as at this present for vntill of late yeares that the number of lawiers and atturneies hath so exceedinglie increased that some shifts must néeds be found and matters sought out
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
better hope in the beginning than of Bladudus and yet I read of none that made so ridiculous an end in like sort there hath not reigned anie monarch in this I le whose waies were more feared at the first than those of Dunwallon king Henrie the fift excepted and yet in the end he prooued such a prince as after his death there was in maner no subiect that did not lament his funerals And this onelie for his policie in gouernance seuere administration of iustice and prouident framing of his lawes and constitutions for the gouernment of his subiects His people also coueting to continue his name vnto posteritie intituled those his ordinances according to their maker calling them by the name of the lawes of Mulmutius which indured in execution among the Britons so long as our homelings had the dominion of this I le Afterward when the comeling Saxons had once obteined the superioritie of the kingdom the maiestie of those lawes fell for a time into such decaie that although Non penitùs cecidit tamen potuit cecidisse videri as Leland saith and the decrêes themselues had vtterlie perished in déed at the verie first brunt had they not beene preserued in Wales where they remained amongst there likes of the Britons not onlie vntill the comming of the Normans but euen vntill the time of Edward the first who obteining the souereigntie of that portion indeuoured verie earnestlie to extinguish those of Mulmutius and to establish his owne But as the Saxons at their first arriuall did what they could to abolish the British lawes so in processe of time they yéelded a little to relent not so much to abhorre and mislike of the lawes of Mulmutius as to receiue and imbrace the same especiallie at such time as the said Saxon princes entered into amitie with the British nobilitie and after that began to ioine in matrimonie with the British ladies as the British barons did with the Saxon frowes both by an especiall statute and decrée wherof in another treatise I haue made mention at large Héerof also it came to passe in the end that they were contented to make a choise and insert no small numbers of them into their owne volumes as may be gathered by those of Athelbert the great surnamed king of Kent Inas and Alfred kings of the west Saxons and diuerse other yet extant to be séene Such also was the lateward estimation of them that when anie of the Saxon princes went about to make new ordinances they caused those of Mulmutius which Gildas sometime translated into Latine to be first expounded vnto them and in this perusall if they found anie there alreadie framed that might serue their turnes they foorthwith reuiued the same and annexed them to their owne But in this dealing the diligence of Alfred is most of all to be commended who not onelie chose out the best but gathered togither all such whatsoeuer the said Mulmutius had made and then to the end they should lie no more in corners as forlorne bookes and vnknowne to the learned of his kingdome he caused them to be turned into the Saxon toong wherein they continued long after his decease As for the Normans who for a season neither regarded the British nor cared for the Saxon statutes they also at the first vtterlie misliked of them till at the last when they had well weied that one kind of regiment is not conuenient for all peoples and that no stranger being in a forren countrie newlie brought vnder obedience could make such equall ordinances as he might thereby gouerne his new common-wealth without some care trouble they fell in with such a desire to sée by what rule the state of the land was gouerned in time of the Saxons that hauing perused the same they not onelie commended their maner of regiment but also admitted a great part of their lawes now currant vnder the name of S. Edwards lawes and vsed as principles and grounds whereby they not onelie qualified the rigor of their owne and mitigated their almost intollerable burden of seruitude which they had latelie laid vpon the shoulders of the English but also left vs a greeat number of the old Mulmutian lawes whereof the most part are in vse to this daie as I said albeit that we know not certeinlie how to distinguish them from others that are in strength amongst vs. After Dunwallon the next lawgiuer was Martia whome Leland surnameth Proba and after him John Bale also who in his Centuries dooth iustlie confesse himselfe to haue béene holpen by the said Leland as I my selfe doo likewise for manie things conteined in this treatise Shée was wife vnto Gutteline king of the Britons and being made protectrix of the realme after hir husbands deceasse in the nonage of hir sonne and séeing manie things dailie to grow vp among hir people worthie reformation she deuised sundrie and those verie politike lawes for the gouernance of hir kingdome which hir subiects when she was dead and gone did name the Martian statutes Who turned them into Latine as yet I doo not read howbeit as I said before of the lawes of Mulmutius so the same Alfred caused those of this excellentlie well learned ladie whome diuerse commend also for hir great knowledge in the Gréeke toong to be turned into his owne language wherevpon it came to passe that they were dailie executed among his subiects afterward allowed of among the rest by the Normans and finallie remaine in vse in these our daies notwithstanding that we can not disseuer them also verie readilie from the other The seuenth alteration of lawes was practised by the Saxons for I ouerpasse the vse of the ciuill ordinances vsed in Rome finallie brought hither by the Romans yet in perfect notice among the Ciuilians of our countrie though neuer generallie nor fullie receiued by all the seuerall regions of this Iland Certes there are great numbers of these later which yet remaine in sound knowlege and are to be read being comprehended for the most part vnder the names of the Martian and the Saxon law Beside these also I read of the Dane law so that the people of middle England were ruled by the first the west Saxons by the second as Essex Norffolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and part of Herfordshire were by the third of all the rest the most inequall and intollerable And as in these daies what soeuer the prince in publike assemblie commanded vpon the necessitie of his subiects or his owne voluntarie authoritie was counted for law so none of them had appointed anie certeine place wherevnto his people might repaire at fixed times for iustice but caused them to resort commonlie to their palaces where in proper person they would often determine their causes and so make shortest worke or else commit the same to the hearing of other and so dispatch them awaie Neither had they any house appointed to assemble in for the making of their ordinances as
he they teach you to repent too late of your great gentlenesse Caietanus in his common-wealth hath finallie no liking of them as appéereth in his eight booke of that most excellent treatise But what haue I to deale whether they be profitable or not sith my purpose is rather to shew what plentie we haue of them which I will performe so far as shall be néedfull There haue béene in times past great store of castels places of defense within the realme of England of which some were builded by the Britons manie by the Romans Saxons and Danes but most of all by the barons of the realme in about the time of king Stephan who licenced each of them to build so manie as them listed vpon their owne demeasnes hoping thereby that they would haue imploied their vse to his aduantage and commoditie But finallie when he saw that they were rather fortified against himselfe in the end than vsed in his defense he repented all too late of his inconsiderate dealing sith now there was no remedie but by force for to subdue them After his decease king Henrie the second came no sooner to the crowne but he called to mind the inconuenience which his predecessour had suffered and he himselfe might in time sustaine by those fortifications Therefore one of the first things he did was an attempt to race and deface the most part of these holds Certes he thought it better to hazard the méeting of the enimie now and then in the plaine field than to liue in perpetuall feare of those houses and the rebellion of his lords vpon euerie light occasion conceiued who then were full so strong as he if not more strong and that made them the readier to withstand and gainesaie manie of those procéedings which he and his successours from time to time intended Herevpon therefore he caused more than eleuen hundred of their said castels to be raced and ouerthrowne whereby the power of his nobilitie was not a little restreined Since that time also not a few of those which remained haue decaied partlie by the commandement of Henrie the third and partlie of themselues or by conuersion of them into the dwelling houses of noble men their martiall fronts being remooued so that at this present there are verie few or no castels at all mainteined within England sauing onelie vpon the coasts and marches of the countrie for the better kéeping backe of the forren enimie when soeuer he shall attempt to enter and annoie vs. The most prouident prince that euer reigned in this land for the fortification thereof against all outward enimies was the late prince of famous memorie king Henrie the eight who beside that he repared most of such as were alreadie standing builded sundrie out of the ground For hauing shaken off the more than seruile yoke of popish tyrannie and espieng that the emperour was offended for his diuorce from quéene Catharine his aunt and thereto vnderstanding that the French king had coupled the Dolphin his sonne with the popes neece and maried his daughter to the king of Scots whereby he had cause more iustlie to suspect than safelie to trust anis one of them all as Lambert saith he determined to stand vpon his owne defense and therefore with no small spéed and like charge he builded sundrie blockehouses castels and platformes vpon diuerse frontiers of his realme but chieflie the east and southeast parts of England whereby no doubt he did verie much qualifie the conceiued grudges of his aduersaries and vtterlie put off their hastie purpose of inuasion But would to God he had cast his eie toward Harwich and the coasts of Norffolke and Suffolke where nothing as yet is doone albeit there be none so fit and likelie places for the enimie to enter vpon as in those parts where at a full sea they may touch vpon the shore and come to land without resistance And thus much brieflie for my purpose at this present For I néed not to make anie long discourse of castels sith it is not the nature of a good Englishman to regard to be caged vp as in a coope and hedged in with stone wals but rather to meet with his enimie in the plaine field at handstrokes where he may trauaise his ground choose his plot and vse the benefit of sunne shine wind and weather to his best aduantage commoditie Isocrates also saith that towres walles bulworkes soldiers and plentie of armour are not the best kéepers of kingdomes but freends loue of subiects obedience vnto martiall discipline which they want that shew themselues either cruell or couetous toward their people As for those tales that go of Beston castell how it shall saue all England on a daie and likewise the brag of a rebellious baron in old time named Hugh Bigot that said in contempt of king Henrie the third and about the fiftith yeare of his reigne If I were in my castell of Bungeie Vpon the water of Waueneie I wold not set a button by the king of Cockneie I repute them but as toies the first méere vaine the second fondlie vttered if anie such thing were said as manie other words are and haue béene spoken of like holds as Wallingford c but now growen out of memorie and with small losse not heard of among the common sort Certes the castell of Bungeie was ouerthrowen by the aforesaid prince the same yeare that he ouerthrew the walles and castell of Leircester also the castels of Treske and Malesar apperteining to Roger Mowbraie and that of Fremlingham belonging likewise to Hugh Bigot wherof in the chronologie following you may read at large I might here in like sort take occasion to speake of sundrie strong places where camps of men haue lien and of which we haue great plentie here in England in the plaine fields but I passe ouer to talke of any such néedlesse discourses This neuerthelesse concerning two of them is not to be omitted to wit that the one néere vnto Cambridge now Gogmagogs hill was called Windleburie before time as I read of late in an old pamphlet And to saie the truth I haue often heard them named Winterburie hilles which difference may easilie grow by corruption of the former word the place likewise is verie large and strong The second is to be séene in the edge of Shropshire about two miles from Colme betwéene two riuers the Clun or Colunus and the Tewie otherwise named Themis wherevnto there is no accesse but at one place The Welshmen call it Cair Carador and they are of the opinion that Caractatus king of the Sillures was ouercome there by Ostorius at such time as he fled to Cartimanda quéene of the Brigants for succour who betraied him to the Romans as you may sée in Tacitus Of palaces belonging to the prince Chap. 15. IT lieth not in me to set down exactlie the number names of the palaces belonging to the prince nor to make anie description of hir graces
the lanched foorth from the shore through despaire Edwin leapt into the sea and drowned himselfe but the esquier that was with him recouered his bodie and brought it to land at Withsand besides Canturburie But Iames Maier in the annales of Flanders saieth that he was drowned by fortune of the seas in a small vessell and being cast vp into a créeke on the coast of Picardie was found by Adolfe earle of Bullongne that was his coosin germane and honorablie buried by the same Adolfe in the church of Bertine In consideration of which déed of pietie and dutie of mindfull consanguinitie the king of England both hartilie thanked earle Adolfe and bestowed great gifts vpon the church where his brother was thus buried For verelie king Adelstane after his displeasure was asswaged and hearing of this miserable end of his brother sore repented himselfe of his rigour so extended towards him in so much that he could neuer abide the man that had giuen the information against him which was his cupbearer so that on a time as the said cupbearer serued him at the table and came towards him with a cup of wine one of his feet chanced to slide but he recouered himselfe with the helpe of the other foot saieng One brother yet hath holpen succored the other which words cost him his life For the king remembring that by his accusation he had lost his brother that might haue béene an aid to him caused this said cupbearer to be straight put to death In this meane while Aulafe the sonne of Sitherike had giuen the information against him which was late king of Northumberland who is also named by writers to be king of the Irishmen and of manie Ilands assembled a great power of Danes Irishmen Scots and other people of the out Iles and imbarked them in 615 ships and craiers with the which he arriued in the mouth of Humber and there comming on land began to inuade the countrie This Aulafe had maried the daughter of Constantine king of Scots by whose procurement notwithstanding his late submission Aulafe tooke in hand this iournie King Adelstane aduertised of his enimies arriuall gathered his people and with all conuenient spéed hasted towards them and approching néerer vnto them pitcht downe his field at a place called by sonne Brimesburie by others Brimesford and also Brunaubright and by the Scotish writers Browmingfield When knowledge hereof was had in the enimies campe Aulafe enterprised a maruelous exploit for taking with him an harpe he came into the Englishhis late submission Aulafe tooke in campe offring himselfe disguised as a minstrell to shew some part of his cunning in musicke vpon his instrument and so being suffered to passe from tent to tent and admitted also to plaie afore the king surueied the whole state and order of the armie This doone he returned meaning by a cammisado to set vpon the kings tent But one that had serued as a souldier sometime vnder Aulafe chanced by marking his demeanour to know him and after he was gone vttered to the king what he knew The king séemed to be displeased in that he had not told him so much before Aulafs departure but in excusing himselfe the souldier said Ye must remember if it like your grace that the same faith which I haue giuen vnto you I sometime owght vnto Aulafe therfore if I should haue betraied him now you might well stand in doubt least I should hereafter doo the like to you but if you will follow mine aduise remoue your tent least happilie he assaile you vnwares The king did so and as it chanced in thegone vttered to the king what he knew The king night following Aulafe came to assaile the English campe and by fortune comming to the place where the kings tent stood before he found a bishop lodged which with his companie was come the same day to the armie and had pitcht vp his tent in that place from whence the king was remoued and so was the same bishop and most part of his men there slaine which slaughter executed Aulafe passed forward and came to the kings tent who in this meanegone vttered to the king what he knew The king time by reason of the alarum raised was got vp and taking to him his sword in that sudden fright by chance it fell out of the scabbard so that he could not find it but calling to God and S. Aldelme as saith Polychron his sword was restored to the scabbard againe The king comforted with that miracle boldlie preased foorth vpon his enimies and so valiantlie resisted them that in the end he put them to flight and chased them all that morning and day following so that he slue of them an huge number Some haue written that Constantine king of Scots was slaine at this ouerthrow and fiue other small kings or rulers with 12 dukes and welnéere all the armie of those strange nations which Aulafe had gathered togither But the Scotish chronicles affirme that Constantine was not there himselfe but sent his sonne Malcolme which yet escaped sore hurt and wounded from the battell as in the same chronicles ye may sée more at large When K. Adelstane had thus vanquished his enimies he went against them of Northwales whose rulers and princes he caused to come before him at Hereford and there handled them in such sort that they couenanted to pay him yeerlie in lieu of a tribute 20 pounds of gold 300 pounds of siluer and 25 head of neate with hawks and hownds a certeine number After this he subdued the Cornishmen and whereas till those daies they inhabited the citie of Excester mingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one nation was as strong within that citie as the other he rid them quite out of the same and repared the walles and fortified them with ditches and turrets as the maner then was and so remoued the Cornish men further into the west parts of the countrie that he made Tamer water to be the confines betwéene the Englishmen and them Finallie the noble prince king Adelstane departed out of this world the 26 day of October after he had reigned the tearme of 16 yeares His bodie was buried atmingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one Malmesburie He was of such a stature as exceeded not the common sort of men stooping somewhat and yellowe haired for his valiancie ioined with courtesie beloued of all men yet sharpe against rebels and of inuincible constancie his great deuotion toward the church appeared in the building adorning indowing of monasteries and abbeis He built one at Wilton within the diocesse of Salisburie and an other at Michelnie in Summersetshire But besides these foundations there were few famous monasteries within this land but that he adorned the same either with some new péece of building iewels bookes or portion of lands He had in excéeding fauour
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
Moreouer fortie of their ships or rather as some write 45 were reteined to serue the king promising to defend the realme with condition that the souldiers and mariners should haue prouision of meate and drinke with apparell found them at the kings charges As one autor hath gathered Swaine king of Denmarke was in England at the concluding of this peace which being confirmed with solemne othes and sufficient hostages he departed into Denmarke The same author bringeth the generall slaughter of Danes vpon S. Brices day to haue chanced in the yéere after the conclusion of this agréement that is to say in the yéere 1012 at what time Gunthildis the sister of king Swaine was slaine with hir husband hir sonne by the commandement of the false traitor Edrike But bicause all other authors agrée that the same murther of Danes was executed about ten yéeres before this supposed time we haue made rehearsall thereof in that place Howbeit for the death of Gunthildis it maie be that she became hostage either in the yéere 1007 at what time king Egelred paied thirtie thousand pounds vnto king Swaine to haue peace as before you haue heard or else might she be deliuered in hostage in the yéere 1011 when the last agréement was made with the Danes as aboue is mentioned But when or at what time soeuer she became hostage this we find of hir that she came hither into England with hir husband Palingus a mightie earle and receiued baptisme héere Wherevpon she earnestlie trauelled in treatie of a peace betwixt hir brother and king Egelred which being brought to passe chieflie by hir sute she was contented to become an hostage for performance thereof as before is recited And after by the commandement of earle Edrike she was put to death pronouncing that the shedding of hir bloud would cause all England one day sore to rue She was a verie beautifull ladie and tooke hir death without all feare not once changing countenance though she saw hir husband and hir onelie sonne a yoong gentleman of much towardnesse first murthered before hir face Turkillus the Danish capteine telleth king Swaine the faults of the king nobles commons of this realme he inuadeth England the Northumbers and others submit themselues to him Danes receiued into seruice vnder Egelred London assalted by Swaine the citizens behaue themselues stoutlie and giue the Danish host a shamefull repulse Ethelmere earle of Deuonshire and his people submit themselues to Swaine he returneth into Denmarke commeth back againe into England with a fresh power is incountred withall of the Englishmen whose king Egelred is discomfited his oration to his souldiers touching the present reliefe of their distressed land their resolution and full purpose in this their perplexitie king Egrlred is minded to giue place to Swaine lie sendeth his wife and children ouer into Normandie the Londoners yeeld vp their state to Swaine Egelred saileth ouer into Normandie leauing his land to the enimie The sixt Chapter NOw had Turkillus in the meane time aduertised king Swaine in what state things stood here within the realme how king Egelred was negligent onlie attending to the lusts pleasures of the flesh how the noble men were vnfaithfull and the commons weake and féeble through want to good and trustie leaders Howbeit some write that Turkillus as well as other of the Danes which remained héere in England was in league with king Egelred in somuch that he was with him in London to helpe and defend the citie against Swaine when he came to assalt it as after shall appéere Which if it be true a doubt may rise whether Swaine receiued anie aduertisement from Turkillus to mooue him to rather to inuade the realme but such aduertisements might come from him before that he was accorded with Egelred Swaine therefore as a valiant prince desirous both to reuenge his sisters death and win honor prepared an huge armie and a great number of ships with the which he made towards England and first comming to Sandwich taried there a small while and taking eftsoones the sea compassed about the coasts of the Eastangles and arriuing in the mouth of Humber sailed vp the water and entering into the riuer of Trent he landed at Gainesbourgh purposing to inuade the Northumbers But as men brought into great feare for that they had béene subiect to the Danes in times past and thinking therefore not to reuolt to the enimie but rather to their old acquaintance if they should submit themselues to the Danes streightwaies offered to become subiect vnto Swaine togither with their duke named Wighthred Also the people of Lindsey and all those of the northside of Watlingstreet yéelded themselues vnto him and deliuered pledges Then he appointed his sonne Cnutus to haue the kéeping of those pledges and to remaine vpon the saâ—egard of his ships whiles he himselfe passed forward into the countrie Then marched he forward to subdue them of south Mercia and so came to Oxford to Winchester making the countries subiect to him through out wheresoeuer he came With this prosperous successe Swaine being greatlie incouraged prepared to go vnto London where king Egelred as then remained hauing with him Turkillus the Dane which was reteined in wages with other of the Danes as by report of some authors it maie appeare and were now readie to defend the citie against their countriemen in support of king Egelred togither with the citizens Swaine bicause he would not step so farre out of the way as to go to the next bridge lost a great number of his men as he passed through the Thames At his comming to London he bagan to assault the citie verie fiercelie in hope either to put his enimie in such feare that he should despaire of all reliefe and comfort or at the least trie what he was able to doo The Londoners on the other part although they were brought in some feare by this sudden attempt of the enimies yet considering with themselues that the hazard of all the whole state of the realme was annexed to theirs sith their citie was the chiefe and metropolitane of all the kingdome they valiantlie stood in defense of themselues and of their king that was present there with them beating backe the enimies chasing them from the walles and otherwise dooing their best to kéepe them off At length although the Danes did most valiantlie assault the citie yet the Englishmen to defend their prince from all iniurie of enimies did not shrinke but boldlie sallied foorth at the gates in heapes togither and incountered with their aduersaries and began to fight with them verie fiercelie Swaine whilest he went about to kéepe his men in order as one most desirous to reteine the victorie now almost gotten was compassed so about with the Londoners on each side that after he had lost a great number of his men he was constreined for his safegard to breake out through the
shortlie after erle Turkill with 9 of those ships sailed into Denmarke submitted himselfe vnto Cnute counselled him to returne into England and promised him the assistance of the residue of those Danish ships which yet remained in England being to the number of thirtie with all the souldiers and mariners that to them belonged To conclude he did so much by his earnest persuasions that Cnute through aid of his brother Harrold king of Denmarke got togither a nauie of two hundred ships so roially decked furnished and appointed both for braue shew and necessarie furniture of all maner of weapons armor munition as it is strange to consider that which is written by them that liued in those daies and tooke in hand to register the dooings of that time Howbeit to let this pompe of Cnutes fléete passe which no doubt was right roiall consider a little and looke backe to Turkill though a sworne seruant to king Egelred how he did direct all his drift to the aduancement of Cnute and his owne commoditie cloking his purposed treacherie with pretended amitie as shall appeare hereafter by his deadlie hostilitie A great waste by an inundation or in-breaking of the sea a tribute of 30000 pounds to the Danes king Egelred holdeth a councell at Oxford where he causeth two noble men of the Danes to be murdered by treason Edmund the king eldest sonne marieth one of their wiues and seizeth vpon his 〈◊〉 lands Cnute the Damsn king returneth into England the Damsn and English armies encounter both 〈…〉 Cnute maketh waste of certeine 〈◊〉 Edmund preuenteth 〈◊〉 purposed treason Edrike de Streona 〈◊〉 to the Danes the Westernemen yeeld to Cnute Mercia refuseth to be subiect vnto him Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes Egelred assembleth an armie against them in vaine Edmund Vtred with ioined forces lay waste such countries and people as became subiect to Cnute his policie to preuent their purpose through what countries he passed Vtred submitteth himselfe to Cnute and deliuereth pledges he 〈◊〉 put to death and his lands alienated Cnute pursueth Edmund to London and prepareth to besiege the citie the death and buriall of Egelred his wiues what issue he had by them his infortunatenesse and to what affections and vices he was inclined his too late and bootlesse seeking to releeue his decaied kingdome The eight Chapter BUt now to returne to our purpose and to shew what chanced in England after the departure of Cnute In the same yeare to the forsaid accustomed mischiefes an vnwoonted misaduenture happened for the sea rose with such high spring-tides that ouerflowing the countries next adioining diuers villages with the inhabitants were drowned and destroied Also to increase the peoples miserie king Egelred commanded that 30000 pounds should be leuied to paie the tribute due to the Danes which lay at Gréenewich This yeare also king Egelred held a councell at Oxford at the which a great number of noble men were present both Danes and Englishmen and there did the king cause Sigeferd and Morcad two noble personages of the Danes to be murdered within his owne chamber by the traitorous practise of Edrike de Streona which accused them of some conspiracie But the quarell was onelie as men supposed for that the king had a desire to their goods and possessions Their seruants tooke in hand to haue reuenged the death of their maisters but were beaten backe wherevpon they fled into the steeple of saint Friswids church and kept the same till fire was set vpon the place and so they were burned to death The wife of Sigeferd was taken sent to Malmsburie being a woman of high fame and great worthinesse wherevpon the kings eldest sonne named Edmund tooke occasion vpon pretense of other businesse to go thither and there to sée hir with whome he fell so far in loue that he tooke and maried hir That doone he required to haue hir husbands lands and possessions which were an earles liuing and lay in Northumberland And when the king refused to graunt his request he went thither and seized the same possessions and lands into his hands without hauing anie commission so to doo finding the farmers and tenants there readie to receiue him for their lord Whilest these things were a dooing Cnute hauing made his prouision of ships and men with all necessarie furniture as before ye haue heard for his returne into England set forward with full purpose either to recouer the realme out of Egelreds hands or to die in the quarrell Herevpon he landed at Sandwich and first earle Turkill obteined licence to go against the Englishmen that were assembled to resist the Danes and finding them at a place called Scoraâ—tan he gaue them the ouerthrow got a great bootie and returned therewith to the ships After this Edrike gouernor of Norwaie made a rode likewise into an other part of the countrie with a rich spoile and manie prisoners returned vnto the nauie After this iournie atchiued thus by Edrike Cnute commanded that they should not waste the countrie anie more but gaue order to prepare all things readie to besiege London but before he attempted that enterprise as others write he marched foorth into Kent or rather sailing round about that countrie tooke his iournie westward came to Fromundham and after departing from thence wasted Dorsetshire Summersetshire Wiltshire King Egelred in this meane time lay sicke at Cossam and his sonne Edmund had got togither a mightie hoast howbeit yer he came to ioine battell with his enimies he was aduertised that earle Edrike went about the betraie him and therefore he withdrew with the armie into a place of suertie But Edrike to make his tratorous purpose manifest to the whole world fled to the enimies with fortie of the kings ships fraught with Danish souldiers Herevpon all the west countrie submitted it selfe vnto Cnute who receiued pledges of the chiefe lords and nobles and then set forward to subdue them of Mercia The people of that countrie would not yéeld but determined to defend the quarrell and title of king Egelred so long as they might haue anie capteine that would stand with them and helpe to order them In the yeare 1016 in Christmas Cnute and earle Edrike passed the Thames at Kirkelade entring into Mercia cruellie began with fire and sword to waste and destroie the countrie and namelie Warwikeshire In the meane time was king Egelred recouered of his sicknesse and sent summons forth to raise all his power appointing euerie man to resort vnto him that he might incounter the enimies and giue them battell But yet when his people were assembled he was warned to take héed vnto himselfe and in anie wise to beware how he gaue battell for his owne subiects were purposed to betraie him Herevpon the armie brake vp king Egelred withdrew to London there to abide his enimies within the walles with whom in the field he doubted
which no small praise was thought to be due vnto the said quéene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir match so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir line the crowne was thus recouered out of the hands of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise which some haue intituled Encomium Emmae and was written in those daies it dooth and may appeare Which booke although there be but few copies thereof abroad giueth vndoubtedlie great light to the historie of that time But now to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in which he was thus maried through persuasion of his wife quéene Emma sent awaie the Danish nauie and armie home into Denmarke giuing to them fourescore and two thousand pounds of siluer which was leuied throughout this land for their wages In the yeare 1018 Edrike de Streona earle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called before the king into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarrell that was picked to him he began verie presumptuouslie to vpbraid the king of such pleasures as he had before time doone vnto him I did said he for the loue which I bare towards you forsake my souereigne lord king Edmund and at length for your sake slue him At which words Cnute began to change countenance as one maruellouslie abashed and straightwaies gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise Thou art woorthie saith he of death and die thou shalt which art guiltie of treason both towards God and me sith that thou hast slaine thine owne souereigne lord and my déere alied brother Thy bloud therefore be vpon thine owne head sith thy toong hath vttered thy treason And immediatlie he caused his throat to be cut and his bodie to be throwne out at the chamber window into the riuer of Thames ¶ But others say that hands were laid vpon him in the verie same chamber or closet where he murdered the king straightwaies to preuent all causes of tumults hurlieburlies he was put to death with terrible torments of fierbrands links which execution hauing passed vpon him a second succeeded for both his féet were bound together and his bodie drawne through the streets of the citie in fine cast into a common ditch called Houndsditch for that the citizens threw their dead dogs and stinking carrion wish other filth into it accounting him worthie of worse rather than of a better buriall In such haired was treason had being a vice which the verie infidels and grosse pagans abhorred else would they not haue said 〈…〉 Treason I loue but a traitor I hate This was the end of Edrike surnamed de Stratten or Streona a man of great infamie for his craftie dissimulation falshood and treason vsed by him to the ouerthrow of the English estate as partlie before is touched But there be that concerning the cause of this Edriks death séeme partlie to disagrée from that which before is recited declaring that Cnute standing in some doubt to be betraied through the treason of Edrike sought occasion how to rid him and others whome he mustrusted out of the way And therefore on a day when Edrike craued some preferment at Cnuts hands said that he had deserued to be well thought of sith by his fight from the battell at Ashendon the victorie therby inclined to Cnutes part Cnute hearing him speake these words made this answere And canst thou quoth he be true to me that through fraudulent meanes did fiddest deceiue thy souereigne lord and maister But I will reward thée according to thy deserts so as from henceforth thou shalt not deceiue anie other and so forthwith commanded Erike one of his chiefe capteines to dispatch him who incontinentlie cut off his head with his are or halbert Uerelie Simon Dunelmenfis saith that K. Cnute vnderstanding in what sort both king Egelred and his sonne king Edmund Ironside had béene betraied by the saith Edrike stood in great doubt to be likewise deceiued by him and therefore was glad to haue some pretended quarell to dispatch both him and others whome he likewise mistrusted as it well appeared For at the same time there were put to death with Edrike earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwin and brother to earle Leofrike also Adelward the sonne of earle Agelmare and Brightrike the sonne of Alfegus gouernor of Deuonshire without all guilt or cause as some write And in place of Norman his brother Leofrike was made earle of Mercia by the king and had in great fauour This Leofrike is commonlie also by writers named earle of Chester After this Cnute likewise banished Iric and Turkill two Danes the one as before is recited gouernor of Northumberland and the other of Northfolke and Suffolke or Eastangle Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands wherevpon he studied to preserue the people in peace and ordeined lawes according to the which both Danes and Englishmen should be gouerned in equall state and degrée Diuers great lords whome he found vnfaithfull or rather suspected he put to death as before ye haue heard beside such as he banished out of the realme He raised a tar or tribute of the people amounting to the summer of fourescore two thousand pounds besides 11000 pounds which the Londoners paid towards the maintenance of the Danish armie But whereas these things chaunced not all at one time but in sundrie Seasons we will returne somewhat backe to declare what other exploits were atchiued in the meane time by Cnute not onelie in England but also in Denmarke and elsewhere admonishing the reader in the processe of the discourse following that much excellent matter is comprehended whereout if the same be studiouslie read and diligentlie confidered no small profit is to be reaped both for the augmentation of his owne knowledge and others that be studious Cnute saileth into Denmarke to subdue the Vandals earle Goodwins good seruice with the English against the said Vandals and what benefit accrewed vnto the Englishmen by the said good seruice he returneth into England after the discomfiture of the enimie he saileth ouer againe into Denmarke and incountreth with the Sweideners the occasion of this warre or incounter taken by Olaâ—us his hard hap vnluckie fortune and wofull death wrought by the hands of his owne vnnaturall subiects Cnuts confidence in the Englishmen his deuour voiage to Rome his returne into England his subduing of the Scots his death and interrement The twelfth Chapter IN the third yeare of his reigne Cnute sailed with an armie of Englishmen and Danes into Denmarke to subdue the Uandals there which then sore anncied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke Earle Goodwine which had the souereigne conduct of the Englishmen the night before the day appointed for the battell got him forth of the campe with his people and suddenlie assailing the Uandals in their lodgings easilie distressed
filijs Edwardo Alfredo materna impertit salutamina DuÌ„ domini nostri regis obitum separatim plangimus filij charissimi dúmque dietim magis magisque regno haereditatis vestrae priuamini miror quid captetis consilij dum sciatis intermissionis vestrae dilatione inuasoris vestri imperij fieri quotidiè soliditateÌ„ Is enim incessanter vicos vrbes circuit sibi amicos principes muneribus minis precibus facit sed vnum è vobis super se mallent regnare quà m istius qui nunc ijs imperat teneri ditione Vnde rogo vnus vestrum ad me velociter priuatè veniat vt salubre à me consilium accipiat sciat quo pacto hoc negotium quod volo fieri debeat per praesentem quóque internuncium quid super his facturi estis remandate Valete cordis mei viscera The same in English EMma in name onelie queene to hir sons Edward and Alfred sendeth motherlie greeting Whilest we separatelie bewaile the death of our souereigne lord the king most deare sonnes and whilest you are euerie day more and more depriued from the kingdome of your inheritance I maruell what you doo determine sith you know by the delay of your ceassing to make some enterprise the grounded force of the vsurper of your kingdom is dailie made the stronger For incessantlie he goeth from towne to towne from citie to citie and maketh the lords his friends by rewards threats and praiers but they had rather haue one of you to reigne ouer them than to be kept vnder the rule of this man that now gouerneth them Wherefore my request is that one of you doo come with speed and that priuilie ouer to me that he may vnderstand my wholesome aduise and know in what sort this matter ought to be handled which I would haue to go forward and see that ye send mee word by this present messenger what you meane to doo herein Fare ye well euen the bowels of my heart These letters were deliuered vnto such as were made priuie to the purposed treason who being fullie instructed how to bale went ouer into Normandie and presenting the letters vnto the yoong gentlemen vsed the matter so that they thought verelie that this message had béene sent from their mother and wrote againe by them that brought the letters that one of them would not falle but come ouer vnto hir according to that she had requested and withall appointed the day and time The messengers returning to king Harold informed him how they had sped The yoonger brother Alfred with his brothers consent tooke with him a certeine number of gentlemen and men of warre and first came into Flanders where after he had remained a while with earle Baldwine he increased his retinue with a few Bullognes and passed ouer into England but approching to the shore he was streightwaies descried by his enimies who hasted foorth to set vpon him but perceiuing their drift he had the ships cast about and make againe to the sea then landing at an other place he ment to go the next way to his mother But earle Goodwine hearing of his arriuall met him receiued him into his assurance and binding his credit with a corporall oth became his man and therwith leading him out of the high way that leadeth to London he brought him to Gilford where he lodged all the strangers by a score a doozen and halfe a score togither in innes so as but a few remained about the yoong gentleman Alfred to attend vpon him There was plentie of meat and drinke prepared in euerie lodging for the refreshing of all the companie And Goodwine taking his leaue for that night departed to his lodging promising the next morning to come againe to giue his dutifull attendance on Alfred But behold after they had filled themselues with meats and drinks and were gone to bed in the dead of the night came such as king Harold had appointed and entring into euerie inne first seized vpon the armor and weapons that belonged to the strangers which done they tooke them and chained them fast with fetters and manacles so kéeping them sure till the next morning Which being come they were brought foorth with their hands bound behind their backs and deliuered to most cruell tormentors who were commanded to spare none but euerie tenth man as he came to hand by lot and so they slue nine and left the tenth aliue Of those that were left aliue some they kept to serue as bondmen other for couetousnesse of gaine they sold and some they put in prison of whome yet diuerse afterwards escaped This with more hath the foresaid author written of this matter declaring further that Alfred being conueied into the I le of Elie had not onelie his eies put out in most cruell wise but was also presentlie ther murthered But he speaketh not further of the maner how he was made away sauing that he saith he forbeareth to make long recitall of this matter bicause he will not renew the mothers gréefe in hearing it sith there can be no greater sorrow to the mother than to heare of hir sonnes death ¶ I remember in Caxton we read that cruell tormentors should cause his bellie to be opened taking out one end of his bowels or guts tied the same to a stake wh ich they had set fast in the ground then with néedels of iron pricking his bodie they caused him to run about the stake till he had woond out all his intrailes so ended he his innocent life to the great shame obloquie of his cruel aduersaries But whether he was thus tormented or not or rather died as I thinke of the anguish by putting out his eies no doubt but his death was reuenged by Gods hand in those that procured it But whether erle Goodwine was chéefe causer thereof in betraieng him vnder a cloked colour of pretended fréendship I cannot say but that he tooke him and slue his companie as some haue written I cannot thinker it to be true both as well for that which ye haue he 〈◊〉 recited out of the author that wrote Encomium Emâ—â—â— as also for that it should séeme he might neuer be soâ— directlie charged with it but that he had matter to alledge in his owne excuse But now to other affaires of Harold After he had made away his halfe brother Alfred he spoiled his mother in law quéene Emma of the most part of hir riches and therewith banished hir quite out of the realme so that she sailed ouer to Flanders where she was honourable receiued of earle Baldwine and hauing of him honourable prouision assigned hir she continued there for the space of thrée yeeres till that after the death of Harold she was sent for by hir sonne Hardiknought that succéeded Harold in the kingdome Moreouer Harold made small account of his subiects degenerating from the noble vertues of his father following him in few things except in exacting of
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
which fell also about the fourth yeare of the emperour Henrie the third surnamed Niger in the 12 yeare of Henrie the first of that name king of France and about the third yeare of Macbeth king of Scotland This Edward the third of that name before the conquest was of nature more méeke and simple than apt for the gouernement of the realme therefore did earle Goodwine not onelie séeke the destruction of his elder brother Alfred but holpe all that he might to aduance this Edward to the crowne in hope to beare great rule in the realme vnder him whome he knew to be soft gentle and easie to be persuaded But whatsoeuer writers doo report hereof sure it is that Edward was the elder brother and not Alfred so that if earle Goodwine did shew his furtherance by his pretended cloake of offering his friendship vnto Alfred to betraie him he did it by king Harolds commandement and yet it may be that he meant to haue vsurped the crowne to him selfe if each point had answered his expectation in the sequele of things as he hoped they would and therfore had not passed if both the brethren had béene in heauen But yet when the world framed contrarie peraduenture to his purpose he did his best to aduance Edward trusting to beare no small rule vnder him being knowen to be a man more appliable to be gouerned by other than to trust to this owne wit and so chieflie by the assistance of earle Goodwine whose authoritie as appeareth was not small within the realme of England in those daies Edward came to atteine the crowne wherevnto the earle of Chester Leofrike also shewed all the furtherance that in him laie Some write which seemeth also to be confimed by the Danish chronicles that king Hardiknought in his life time had receiued this Edward into his court and reteined him still in the same in most honorable wise But for that it may appeare in the abstract of the Danish chronicles what their writers had of this matter recorded we doo here passe ouer referring those that be desirous to know the diuersitie of our writers and theirs vnto the same chronicles where they may find it more at large expressed This in no wise is to be left vnremembred that immediatlie after the death of Hardiknought it was not onelie decreed agreed vpon by the great lords nobles of the realme that no Dane from thenceforth should reigne ouer them but also all men of warre and souldiers of the Danes which laie within anie citie or castell in garrison within the realme of England were then expelled and put out or rather slaine as the Danish writers doo rehearse Amongst other that were banished the ladie Gonild neece to king Swaine by his sister was one being as then a widow and with hir two of hir sonnes which she had then liuing Heming and Turkill were also caused to auoid Some write that Alfred the brother of king Edward came not into the realme till after the death of Hardiknought and that he did helpe to expell the Danes which being doon he was slaine by earle Goodwine and other of his complices But how this may stand considering the circumstances of the time with such things as are written by diuers authors hereof it may well be doubted Neuerthelesse whether earle Goodwine was guiltie to the death of Alfred either at this time or before certeine it is that he so cleared himselfe of that crime vnto king Edward the brother of Alfred that there was none so highlie in fauour with him as earle Goodwine was insomuch that king Edward maried the ladie Editha the daughter of earle Goodwine begotten of his wife Thira that was sister to king Hardiknought and not of his second wife as some haue written Howbeit king Edward neuer had to doo with hir in fleshlie wise But whether he absteined because he had happilie vowed chastitie either of impotencie of nature or for a priuie hate that he bare to hir kin men doubted For it was thought that he estéemed not earle Goodwine so greatlie in his heart as he outwardlie made shew to doo but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled with him least he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of losse of life and kingdome Howsoeuer it was he vsed his counsell in ordering of things concerning the state of the common wealth and namelie in the hard handling of his mother queene Emma against whome diuers accusations were brought and alledged as first for that she consented to marie with K. Cnute the publike enimie of the realme againe for that she did nothing aid or succour hir sons while they liued in exile but that woorse was contriued to make them away for which cause she was despoiled of all hir goods And because she was defamed to be naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of Winchester both she and the same bishop were committed to prison within the citie of Winchester as some write Howbeit others affirme that she was strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell till by way of purging hir selfe after a maruellous manner in passing barefooted ouer certeine hot shares or plough-irons according to the law Ordalium she cleared hir selfe as the world tooke it and was restored to hir first estate and dignitie Hir excessiue couetousnesse without regard had to the poore caused hir also to be euill reported of Againe for that she euer shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had by hir second husband Cnute than to hir children which she had by hir first husband king Egelred as it were declaring how she was affected toward the fathers by the loue borne to the children she lost a great péece of good will at the hands of hir sonnes Alfred and Edward so that now the said Edward inioieng the realme was easilie iuduced to thinke euill of hir and therevpon vsed hir the more vncurteouslie But hir great liberalitie imploied on the church of Winchester which she furnished with maruellous rich iewels and ornaments wan hir great commendation in the world and excused hir partlie in the sight of manie of the infamie imputed to hir for the immoderate filling of hir coffers by all waies and meanes she could deuise Now when she had purged hir selfe as before is mentioned hir sonne king Edward had hir euer after in great honor and reuerence And whereas Robert archbishop of Canturburie had béene sore against hir he was so much abashed now at the matter that he fled into Normandie where he was borne But it should séeme by that which after shal be said in the next chapter that he fled not the realme for this matter but bicause he counselled the king to banish earle Goodwine and also to vse the Englishmen more strictlie than reason was he should Why Robert archbishop of Canturburie queene Emmas heauie friend fled out of England the Normans first
entrance into this countrie dearth by tempests earle Goodwines sonne banished out of this land he returneth in hope of the kings fauour killeth his coosen earle Bearne for his good will and forwardnes to set him in credit againe his flight into Flanders his returne into England the king is pacified with him certeine Danish rouers arriue at Sandwich spoile the coast inrich themselues with the spoiles make sale of their gettings and returne to their countrie the Welshmen with their princes rebelling are subdued king Edward keepeth the seas on Sandwich side in aid of Baldwine earle of Flanders a bloudie fraie in Canturburie betwixt the earle of Bullongne and the townesmen earle Goodwine fauoureth the Kentishmen against the Bullongners why he refuseth to punish the Canturburie men at the kings commandement for breaking the kings peace he setteth the king in a furie his suborned excuse to shift off his comming to the assemblie of lords conuented about the foresaid broile earle Goodwine bandeth himselfe against the king he would haue the strangers deliuered into his hands his request is denied a battell readie to haue bene fought betweene him and the king the tumult is pacified and put to a parlement earle Goodwines retinue forsake him he his sonnes and their wiues take their flight beyond the seas The second Chapter YE must vnderstand that K. Edward brought diuerse Normans ouer with him which in time of his banishment had shewed him great friendship wherefore he now sought to recompense them Amongst other the forenamed Robert of Canturburie was one who before his comming ouer was a moonke in the abbeie of Gemeticum in Normandie and being by the king first aduanced to gouerne the sée of London was after made archbishop of Canturburie and bare great rule vnder the king so that he could not auoid the enuie of diuerse noble man and 〈◊〉 of earle Goodwâ—â—e as shall appeare About the third yeere of king Edwards wigne Osgot Clappa was banished the realme And in the yéere following that is to say in the yeere 1047 there fell a marvellous great snow couering the ground from the beginning of Ianuarâ—e vntill the 17 day of March. Besides this there hapned the same yeere such tempest and lightnings that the corne vpon the earth was burnt vp and blasted by reason whereof there followed a great dearth in England and also death of men cettell About this time Swame the sonne of earle Goodwine was banished the land and fled into Flanders This Swaine kept Edgiua the abbesse of the monasterue of Leoffe and forsaking his wife ment to haue married the foresaid abbesse Within a certeine time after his banishment he returned into England in hope to purchase the kings peace by his fathers meanes and other his friends But vpon some malicious pretense he slue his coosen earle Bearne who was about to labour to the king for his pardon and so then fled againe into Flanders till at length Allered the archbishop of Yorke obteined his pardon and found meanes to reconcile him to the kings fauour In the meane time about the sixt yéere of king Edwards reigne certeine pirats of the Danes arriued in Sandwich hauen and entring the land wasted and spoiled all about the coast There be that write that the Danes had at that time to their leaders two capteins the one named Lother and the other Irling After they had béene at Sandwich and brought from thence great riches of gold and siluer they coasted about vnto the side of Essex and there spoiling the countrie went backe to the sea and sailing into Flanders made sale of their spoiles and booties there and so returned to their countries After this during the reigne of king Edward there chanced no warres neither forren nor ciuill but that the same was either with small slaughter luckilie ended or else without anie notable aduenture changed into peace The Welshmen in déed with their princes Rise and Griffin wrought some trouble but still they were subdued and in the end both the said Rise and Griffin were brought vnto confusion although in the meane time they did much hurt and namelie Griffin who with aid of some Irishmen with whome he was alied about this time entred into the Seuerne sea and tooke preies about the riuer of Wie and after returned without anie battell to him offered About the same time to wit in the yéere 1049 the emperor Henrie the third made warres against Baldwine earle of Flanders and for that he wished to haue the sea stopped that the said earle should not escape by flight that waie foorth he sent to king Edward willing him to kéepe the sea with some number of ships King Edward furnishing a nauie lay with the same at Sandwich and so kept the seas on that side till the emperor had his will of the earle At the same time Swaine sonne of earle Goodwine came into the realme and traitorouslie slue his coosen Bearne as before is said the which trauelled to agrée him with the king Also Gosipat Clappa who had left his wife at Bruges in Flanders comming amongst other of the Danish pirats which had robbed in the coasts of Kent Essex as before ye haue heard receiued his wife and departed backe into Denmarke wiâ—h six ships leauing the residue being 23 behind him About the tenth yéere of king Edwards reigne Eustace earle of Bullongne that was father vnto the valiant Godfrey of Bullongne Baldwin both afterward kings of Hierusalem 〈…〉 England in the moneth of September to 〈◊〉 his brother in law king Edward whose sister named Godâ— he had maried she then being the 〈◊〉 of Guaâ—ter de Maâ—â—â—t He found the king at Glocester and being there 〈◊〉 receiued after he had once dispatched such matters for the which he therefore came he tooke leaue and returned homeward But at Canturburie one of his heâ—â—ngers 〈◊〉 roughlie with one of the citizens about a lodging which he sought to haue rather by force than by in treatance occasioned his owne death Whereof when the erle was aduertised he hasted thither to revenge the slaughter of his seruant and fiue both the citizen which had killed his man and eighteene others The citizens héerewith in a great furie got them to armor and set vpon the earle and his returne of whom they slue twentie persons out of hand wounded a great number of the residue so that the earle scarse might escape with one or two of his men from the fraie with all spéed returned backe to the king presenting gréeuous information against them of Canturburie for their cruell vsing of him not onlie in fleaing of his seruants but also in putting him in danger of his life The king crediting the earle was highlie offended against the citizens and with all spéed sending for earle Goodwine declared vnto him in greeuous wise the rebellious act of them of Canturburie which were
a notable rebell and pirat his troubled conscience his wicked life and wretched death The third Chapter THE king hauing perfect knowledge that earle Goodwine had refused to come to the court in such order as he had prescribed him and that he was departed the realme with his sonnes he proclaimed them outlawes and gaue the lands of Harold vnto Algar the sonne of earle Leofrike who guided the same verie woorthilie and resigned them againe without grudging vnto the same Harold when he was returned out of exile Also vnto earle Oddo were giuen the counties of Detionshire and Summersetshire Moreouer about the same time the king put his wife quéene Editha from him and appointed hir to streict keeping in the abbeie of Warwell This Editha was a noble gentlewoman well learned and expert in all sciences yet hir good name was stained somewhat as though she had not liued so continentlie as was to be wished both in hir husbands life time and after his deceasse But yet at the houre of hir death which chanced in the daies of William Conqueror she cleared hir selfe in taking it vpon the charge of hir soule that she had euer liued in perfect chastitie for king Edward as before is mentioned neuer touched hir in anie actuall maner By this streict dealing with the quéene that was daughter to earle Goodwine now in time of hir fathers exile it hath séemed to manie that king Edward forbare to deale with hir in carnall wise more for hatred of hir kin than for anie other respect But to proceed In the second yéere to Goodwines banishment both he and his sonnes hauing prouided themselues of ships and men of warre conuenient for the purpose came vpon the coasts of England and after the maner of rouers tooke preies where as they espied aduantage namelie on the coasts of Kent and Sussex In the meane time also Griffin the K. of Wales destroid a great part of Herefordshire against whom the power of that countrie also manie Normans that lay in garrison within the castell of Hereford comming to giue battell were ouerthrowne on the same day in the which about two and twentie yéeres before or as some ropies haue thirtéene yéeres the Welshmen had slaine Edwine the brother of earle Leofrike Shortlie after earle Harold and his brother Leofwine returning out of Ireland entered into the Seuerne sea landing on the coasts of Summersetshire and Dorsetshire where falling to spoile they were incountred by a power assembled out of the counties of Deuonshire and Summersetshire but Harold put his aduersaries to flight and slue thirtie gentlemen of honor or thanes as they called them with a great number of others Then Harold and his brethren returning with their preie and bootie to their ships and coasting about the point of Cornwall came and ioined with their father their other brethren then soiorning in the I le of Wight King Edward to withstand their malice had rigged and furnished foorth sixtie ships of warre with the which he himselfe went to the water not sticking to lie aboord at that season although he had appointed for capteines and admerals two earles that were his coosins Odo and Rafe who had charge of the whole armie Rafe was his nephue as soone to his sister Goda by hir first husband Gualter de Maunt. But although they were knowne to be sufficient men for the ordering of such businesse yet he thought the necessitie to be such as his person could not be presentlie spared Therefore he was diligent in foreséeing of things by good aduise although age would not giue him leaue to execute the same by his owne hand and force of bodie But as the nauies on both parts were readie to haue ioined they were seuered by reason of a thicke mist that then rose wherby their furious rage was restreined for that time and immediatlie therevpon Goodwine and his complices were forced by a contrarie wind to returne to the places from whence they came Shortlie after by mediation of friends a peace was made and earle Goodwine restored home and obteined againe both the kings sauour and all his former liuings for he was such an eloquent wise man that he clered and purged himselfe of all such crimes and accusations as in anie sort had béene laid against him Thus haue some written concerning this agréement betwixt king Edward and erle Goodwine where other make somewhat larger report thereof as thus At the same time that the two sonnes of erle Goodwine Harold and Leofwine came foorth of Ireland and inuaded the west countrie king Edward rigged foorth fortie ships the which throughlie furnished with men munition and vittels he sent vnto Sandwich commanding the capteines there to wait for the comming of erle Goodwine whom he vnderstood to be in a readinesse to returne into England but notwithstanding there wanted no diligence in them to looke to their charge erle Goodwine secretlie with a few ships which he had got togither ariued in Kent and sending foorth his letters and messengers abroad to the citizens of Canturburie to them of Sussex Southerie others required aid of them who with one consent promised to liue and die with him The capteines of the nauie at Sandwich aduertised hereof made towards the place where they thought to haue found erle Goodwine but he being warned of their comming escaped by flight and got him out of their danger wherevpon they withdrew to Sandwich and after returned to London Earle Goodwine aduertised thereof sailed to the I le of Wight and wasted vp and downe those seas till his sonnes Harold and Leofwine came and ioined their nauie with his and ceassing from spoile onlie sought to recouer vittels to serue their turne And increasing their power by such aid as they might any where procure at length they came to Sandwich wherof king Edward hauing knowledge being then at London he sent abroad to raise all the power he might make But they that were appointed to come vnto him lingred time in which meane while earle Goodwine comming into the Thames so vp the riuer arriued in Southwarke on the day of the exaltation of the crosse in September being monday and their staieng for the tide solicited the Londoners so that he obteined of them what he could desire Afterwards without disturbance he passed vp the riuer with the tide through the south arch of the bridge at the same instant a mightie armie which he had by land mustered in the fields on that south side the same riuer and herewith his nauie made towards the north side of the riuer as if they ment to inclose the kings nauie for the king had also a nauie an armie by land but yet sith there were few either on the one part or the other that were able to doo anie great feat except Englishmen they were loth to fight one against another wherevpon the wiser sort on both sides sought meanes to make an atonement and
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
Rogation wéeke Harold eftsoones by the kings commandement went against the Welshmen and taking the sea sailed by Bristow round about the coast compassing in maner all Wales His brother Tostie that was earle of Northumberland met him by appointment with an host of horssemen and so ioining togither they destroied the countrie of Wales in such sort that the Welshmen were compelled to submit themselues to deliuer hostages and conditioned to paie the ancient tribute which before time they had paied And moreouer they renounced their prince the forenamed Griffin so that he remained as a banished person and finallie about the fift day of August they slue him and sent his head to earle Harold Afterwards king Edward granted the rule of Wales vnto Blengent or Blethgent Riuall Griffins two brethren which did homage vnto him for the same and had serued vnder Harold against their brother the foresaid Griffin There be which write that not onelie Griffin but also another of his brethren called Rice was brought to his death by the manfull meanes and politike order of earle Harold all the sauage people of Wales reduced into the forme of good order vnder the subiection of king Edward Shortlie after earle Harold chanced to passe ouer into Normandie whither of hap or of purpose it is hard to define writers doo varie so much in report thereof Some write that he made earnest sute to king Edward to haue licence to go ouer to sée his brother Wilnot and his nephue Hacune which as ye haue heard were deliuered as pledges to king Edward sent into Normandie to remaine there with duke William and at length with much adoo got leaue but yet he was told aforehand of the king that he would repent his iournie and doo the thing that should be preiudiciall to the realme Other write that Harold lieng at his manor of Bosham went aboord one day into his fishers boat or craier and caused the same to lanch forth to the sea for his pleasure but by misfortune at the same time a contrarie wind suddenlie came about and droue the vessell on land into France vpon the coast of Ponthieu where he was taken by the countrie people presented to the earle of Ponthieu named Guie or Guido who kept him as prisoner meaning to put him to a grieuous ransome But Harold remembring himselfe of a wile dispatched a messenger forth with all spéed vnto William duke of Normandie signifieng vnto him that he being sent from king Edward to confirme such articles as other meane men that had béene sent vnto him afore had talked of by chance he was fallen into the hands of the earle of Ponthieu and kept as prisoner against all order of law reason or humanitie Duke William thus informed by the messenger sent to the earle of Ponthieu requiring him to set earle Harold at libertie that he might repaire to him according to his commission The earle of Ponthieu at the dukes request did not onelie restore Harold to his libertie but also brought him into Normandie and presented him there to the duke of whome he was most ioifullie receiued There be that agrée partlie with this report and partlie varie for they write that earle Harold tooke the sea vpon purpose to haue sailed into Flanders and that by force of wâ—â—d he was driuen to the coast of Pouthieu and so after came into Normandie in maner as before is mentioned But by what means or occasion soeuer he came thither certeine it is that he was ioifullie receiued and had great chéere made him by the said duke William who at that time was readie to make a iournie against the Britains and tooke earle Harold with him to haue his companie in armes in that iournei that he might haue the better triall of his valiancie Earle Harold behaued himselfe so that he shewed good proofe both of his wisedome and policie and also of his forwardnesse to execute that with hand which by wit he had deuised so that duke William had him in high fauour and as it hath béene said earle Harold to procure him more friendship at the dukes hands declared vnto him that king Edward had ordeined him his heire if he died without issue and that he would not faile to kéepe the realme of England to the dukes vse according to that ordinance if K. Edward died without issue And to performe this promise he receiued a corporall oth whether willinglie to win the more credit or forced thereto by duke William writers report it diuerslie At the same time duke William promised vnto him his daughter in marriage whom Harold couenanted in like maner to take to wife Harold at his returne into England reporteth to K. Edward what he had doone beyond the seas and what the king said vnto him in that behalfe who foresaw the comming of the Normans into this land to conquer it when and why king Edward promised to make duke William his heire wherein note his subtiltie diffention betwixt Harold and Tostie two brethren the sonnes of earle Goodwine their vnnaturall and cruell dealing one with another speciallie of the abhominable and merciles murthers committed by Tostie against whome the Northumbers rebell vpon diuerse occasions and reward him with answerable reuengement Harold is sent against them but preuaileth not they offer to returne home if they might haue a new gouernor they renounce Tostie and require Marchar in his roome Tostie displeased getteth him into Flanders king Edward dieth his manners and disposition note woorthie his charitie and deuotion the vertue of curing the maladie called the kings euill deriued from him to the succeeding kings of this land he was warned of his death by a ring he is canonized for a saint the last woords that he spake on his death-bed wherein he vttered to the standers by a vision prophesieng that England should be inhabited with strangers a description of the kings person of a blasing starre fore-telling his death the progenie of the Westsaxon kings how long they continued the names of their predecessors and successors whence the first kings of seuen kingdoms of Germanie had their pedegree c. The seuenth Chapter NOw when Harold should returne into England duke William deliuered him his nephue Hacune but kept his brother Wilnote with him still as a pledge Then went earle Harold into England and declared vnto king Edward what he had doone who said vnto him Did not I tell thee that thou wouldest doo the thing whereof thou shouldest repent thee and procure a mischiefe to follow vnto thy countrie But God of his mercie turne that euill hap from this realme or at the least if it be his pleasure that it must needs come to passe yet to staie it till after my daies Some by Harolds purposed going ouer into Normandie doo gather that king Edward foresaw the comming of the Normans and that he meant nothing lesse than to performe the promise made vnto
this daughter of duke William was departed this life before the comming of these ambassadors and that Harold therevpon thought himselfe discharged of the oth and couenants made to duke William and therefore sent them away with such an vntoward answer But howsoeuer it was after the departure of these ambassadors king Harold doubting what would insue caused his ships to be newlie rigged his men of warre to be mustered and spéedilie put in a readinesse to the end that if anie sudden inuasion should be made and attempted by his enimie he might be able to resist them ¶ About the same time also and vpon the 24 of Aprill whilest Harold was making prouision to withstand the Norman force there appeared a blasing starre which was séene not onelie here in England but also in other parts of the world and continued the space of seuen daies This blasing starre might be a prediction of mischéefe imminent hanging ouer Harolds head for they neuer appeare but as prognosticats of afterclaps To be resolutelie instructed herein doo but peruse a treatise intituled A doctrine generall of comets or blasing starres published by a bishop of Mentz in Latine and set foorth in English by Abraham Fleming vpon the apparition of a blasing starre séene in the southwest on the 10 of Nouember 1577 and dedicated to the right worshipfull sir William Cordell knight then maister of hir maiesties rolles c. Earle Tostie afflicteth his brother Harold on sea and land he taketh the repulse and persuadeth Harfager king of Norweâ—e to attempt the conquest of England against Harold Harfager Tostie with their powers arriue at Humber they fight with the Northumbers vnder the conduct of Edwine and Marchar and discomfit them Harold leuieth an armie against them the rare valiantnes of a Norwegian souldior Harfager and Tostie slaine in battell the Norwegians are foiled and flie Harolds vnequall and parciall diuiding of the spoile he goeth to Yorke to reforme things amisse The ninth Chapter WHilest Harold desirous to reteine and verie loth to let go his vsurped roialtie had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with solemne othes had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against him it came to passe that the proud and presumptuous man was to begin withall vexed in his owne flesh I meane his owne kinred For Tostie the brother of king Harold who in the daies of king Edward for his crueltie had béene chased out of the realme by the Northumbers returning out of Flanders assembled a nauie of ships from diuers parts to the number of 60 with the which he arriued in the I le of Wight there spoiled the countrie and afterward sailing about by the coasts of Kent he tooke sundrie preies their also and came at the last to Sandwich so that Harold was now constreined to appoint the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans to go against his brother earle Tostie Whereof the said Tostie being aduertised drew towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire and there taking land did much hurt in the countrie both with sword and fire till at length Edwine earle of Mercia and Marchar earle of Northumberland aided with the kings nauie chased him from thence and caused him to flie into Scotland not without some losse both of his men and ships This trouble was scarse quieted but streightwaies another came in the necke thereof farre more dangerous than the first For Tostie perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie account of sailed forth into Norweie and there persuaded Harold Harfager king of that realme to saile with an armie into England persuading him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled betwixt the king and his lords which was not so it should be an easie matter for him to make a conquest of the whole realme and reigne ouer them as his predecessors had done before Some authors affirme that Harold king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand of his owne mind and not by procurement of Tostie saieng that Tostie méeting with him in Scotland did persuade him to go forward in his purposed busines and that the said Harold Harfager with all conuenient spéed passed foorth with a nauie of 300 saile entered into the riuer of Tine where after he had rested a few daies to refresh his people earle Tostie came also with his power according to an appointment which should be made betweene them They ad furthermore that they sailed forth alongst the coast till they arriued in the mouth of Humber then drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse they landed at length at a place called Richhall from whence they set forward to inuade the countrie néere vnto Yorke on the north-side of the citie they fought with the power of the Northumbers which was led by the earls Edwine and Marchar two brethren and there discomfited and chased them into the citie with great slaughter and bloudshed Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance made the more hast forward for he was alreadie in the field with his armie intending also to come towards his enimies so that vpon the fift day after he came to Stamford bridge finding there the said king Harfager and Tostie readie imbattelled he first assailed those that kept the bridge where as some writers affirme a Norwegian souldier with his axe defended the passage mauger the whole host of the Englishmen and slue fortie of them or more with his axe might not be ouercome till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge and through and hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare yet Matt. West saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king Harold his seruants threw at him so ended his life Which bridge being woone the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer and ioined with their enimies and after a verie great and sore battell put them all to flight In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was slaine so was Tostie the king of England his brother besides a great number of other as well in the battell as in the chase neither did the Englishmen escape all frée for the Norwegians fought it out a long time verie stoutlie beating downe and killing great numbers of such as assailed them with great courage and assurance The residue of the Norwegians that were left to keepe their ships vnder the guiding of Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie and Paule earle of Orkneie after they vnderstood by their fellowes that escaped from the field how the mater went with Harfager and Tostie they hoised vp their sailes and directed their course homewards bearing sorowfull newes with them into their countrie of the losse of their king and ouerthrow of all his people Some write that
made by the foresaid duke of Normandie to set downe his pedegrée thereby to shew how he descended from the first duke of that countrie who was named Rollo and after by receiuing baptisme called Robert The said Rollo or Rou was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion who hauing two sons the said Rou and Gourin and being appointed to depart the countrie as the lots fell to him and other according to the maner there vsed in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine refused to obeie that order and made warre there against the king who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion and his sonne Gourin so that Rou or Rollo hauing thus lost his father and brother was compelled to forsake the countrie with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king Thus driuen to séeke aduentures at length he became a christian and was created duke of Normandie by gift of Charles king of France surnamed le Simple whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also maried but she departing this life without issue he maried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Baieulx whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée and a daughter named Gerlota William Longespée or Longaspata had to wife the ladie Sporta daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandie who married the ladie Agnes the daughter of Hugh le grand earle of Paris of whome no issue procéeded but after hir deceasse he maried to his second wife a gentlemwoman named Gonnor daughter to a kinght of the Danish line by whom he had thrée sonnes Richard that was after duke of Normandie the third of that name Robert and Mauger He had also by hir three daughters Agnes otherwise called Emma married first to Egelred king of England and after to K. Cnute Helloie otherwise Alix bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais Richard the third of that name maried Iudith sister to Geffrey earle of Britaine by whome he had issue thrée sonnes Richard Robert and William and as manie daughters Alix married to Reignold earle of Burgogne Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders and the third died yoong being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric sister to Cnute king of England and Denmarke from whome he purchased to be diuorsed and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie by whome he had issue two sonnes William earle of Arques and Mauger archbishop of Rouen Richard the fourth of that name duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Richard the third died without issue and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a burgesse of Felais William surnamed the bastard afterward duke of Normandie and by conquest king of England Of whose father duke Robert his paramour Arlete take this pleasant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses In the yéere of Christ 1030 Robert the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his duke dome seuen yéeres for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe appointed a pilgrimage to Ierusalem leauing behind him this William a yoong prince whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete whom after he held as his wife with whose beautifull fauour louelie grace and presence at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone where when she was bestowed thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked it might haue séemed not so maidenlie a part so when the duke was about as the maner is to haue 〈◊〉 vp hir linnen the in an humble modestie staid hir lords hand and rent downe hir smocke asunder from the collar to the verie skirt Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment In great lowlines with a feate question she answerd againe My lord were it méet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward Let your grace pardon me He liked hir answer and so and so foorth for that time This duke before his voiage calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne Willliam whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert and the defense of the gouernance vnto Henrie the French king So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage shewed in euerie place and in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince and pleasant withall who once in Iurie not well at ease in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie Friend quoth he if my people at thy returne aske after me tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to heauen by diuels The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie but after they heard of his fathers death they slackened apace euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne Whereby not manie yéeres after as Gilbert the gouernour by Rafe the childes coosine germane was slaine the dukedome anon by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts Thus much a litte of duke Robert the father and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched being a conclusion introductorie as is said in the argument IN the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedfull reader that after the opinion of most writers Brute did first inhabit this land and called it then after his owne name Britaine in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855 and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶ Furthermore the said land of Britaine was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ and so continued 483 yéeres So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute from Brute vntill the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalladar which was in the yéere of our Lord
Esgin Uent Gilders beck Knare East Alen. West Alen. Darwent Corue Were Burdop Wallop Kellop Wascrop Bedburne Pidding brooke Pilis Thesis Hude Lune Arnegill Skirkewith Bander Rere crosse Skerne Thorpe alià s Leuand Trawthorne Eske Ibur Hull Humber Ure alià s Ouze or Isis. Burne Wile Skell Swale Fosse Ouze Hull or Hulne Cottingham Fowlncie Skelfléet Darwent Kenford Shirihutton Crambecke Rie Ricoll Seuen Costeie Pickering Pocklington Rie Costeie Seuen Dou or Doue Hodgebecke Ricoll Fesse Holbecke Fosse Kile Swale Barneie Arcleie Holgate Mariske becke Rauenswath Rhe. Bedall alià s Leming Wiske Cawdebec Kebecke Cuckwolds becke Skell Lauer. Nidde Killingale Couer Burne Wharfe alià s Gwerfe Padside Washburne Cockebecke Air. Otterburne Winterburne Glike Lacocke Woorth Moreton Redwell Went. Hebden Chald. Trent Foulebrooke Sow Penke Blith Tame Rhée Cote Blith Burne Rhée Anchor Mese Dou. Manifold Hansleie Churne Dunsmere Yendor Aula Canuti Ashenhirst Teine Uttoxeter or Uncester Darwent Neue Burbroke Wie Hawkeshow Wile Rufford alià s Manbecke Lathkell Bradford Amber Moreton Eglesburne Sora or Surus Eie Leland calleth one of these rilles Croco Warke Urke or Wrâ—ke Erwash Dene Snite A miracle Doue Midhop Cowleie Rother Iber. Brampton Crawleie Gunno Mesebrooke Hampall Budbie Gerberton Girt Idle Manbecke Meding becke Wilie Blith Sandbecke Ancolme Kâ—lis Saltflete Maplethorpe Lindis witham Rhe. Fosse dike Witham Hake Bane Bollingborow Sempringham Wiland Braie Warke Brooke water Whitnell Newdrene South Writhlake Shéepes eie Auon Nene Vedunus Florus â—ugius Kilis Rother Ocleie Corbie Isis 3. Sisa Imelus Erin Garan Verus Cle alià s Claius Saw These rise not far from Michelborow one of them in Higham parke Verus or the Were Stoueus Stoueus Helenus Elmerus Riuelus Granta Babren Rhée Sturus Bulbecke Burne Dale Dunus Bradunus fortè Linus Congunus Rising Ingeli Glouius Wantsume Yocus Hierus Gernâ— Wauen Bure Thurinus Wauen Einus Fritha Cokelus Ford. Orus Fromus Glema Iâ—â—n or Ike Deua Clarus fons Urus Sturus Kettle baston Ocleie Mosa Claco Colunus Gwin or Pant. Froshwell Barus Chelmer Lindâ—s Roxford Lée Burne Northumberland Durham Yorkeshire Lincolneshire Northfolke Suffolke Essex Kent Sussex The aire of Britaine The soile Criacht Marle Plentie of riuers Hilles * Here lacks * Here lacks Winds Building Husbandrie amended Pasture Medowes Corne. Cattell Meall and Disnege Wine Wad Madder Rape Flax. Eleg. 2. Principes longè magis exemplo quà m culpa peccare solent Earths Uallies Fennes Commons Fosse Watling stréet Erming stréet Ikenild Non vi sed virtute non armis sed ingenio vinctâ—nâ—tur Aâ—â—gli Salutations according to our ages Locrine Lhoegria Camber Cambria Albanact Albania Locrine king also of Scotland The Scots alwaies desirous to shake off y e English subiection haue often made cruell odious attempts so to doo but in vaine Out of Hector Boecius lib. 5. Berouicum potiùs à Berubio promontorio Durstus Marius Coelus Seuerus Bassianus Coill Constantine Maximian Some thinke the Seimors to come from this man by lineall descent and I suppose no lesse Nicholas Adams Some referre this to an Edward Lawfull age and wardship of heires To whome the marriage of the ward perteineth Edward the Confessour William Bastard William Rufus Henrie 1. Mawd. Henrie 2. Because they were taken from him before The Scots dreame that this was the stone whereon Iacob slept when he fled into Mesopotamia This was doone vpon the nine twentith of Ianuarie 1306. The first beginner of the Picts wall The finisher of the wall The wall goeth not streict by a line but in and out in manie places The stuffe of the wall Two other wals A rampire The course of the wall from west to east Foure woonders of England Anselme Thomas Becket Forfitan naturalem Twentie one bishoprikes vnder y e see of Canturburie Onelie foure sees vnder the archbishop of Yorke Deanes Canonries Ordinarie sermons Ordinarie expositions of the scriptures The bishops preach diligentlie whose predecessors heretofore haue beene occupied in temporall affairs Archdecons High commissioners A prophesie or conference Ministers deacons Apparell Hospitalitie Mariage Thred-bare gownes from whence they come Number of churches in France Pretie packing Old estate of cathedrall churches Canturburie Rochester London Chichester Winchester Salisburie Excester Bath The bishoprike of Shirburne diuided into thrée Worcester Glocester Hereford Lichfield Elie. Norwich Peterborow Bristow Lincolne Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaphes Yorke Chester Durham Caerleill Man Glocester a verie ancient bishoprike Manie vniuersities somtime in England Thrée vniuersities in England When the vniuersities were builded vncerteine Oxford fiftie miles from London Cambridge six and fortie miles from London Longitude latitude of both Cambridge burned not long since Readers in priuat houses Publike readers mainteined by the prince Studie of the quadriuials and perspectiues neglected Sophisters Batchelers of art Masters of art Batcheler of diuinitie Doctor This Fox builded Corpus Christâ— college in Oxford So much also may be inferred of lawiers London Grammar schooles Windsor Winchester Eaton Westminster He founded also a good part of Eaton college and a frée schole at Wainflet where he was borne Erection of colleges in Oxford the ouerthrow of hals Now abbeies be gone our dingthrifts prie after church and college possessions Alfred brought England into shires which the Britons diuided by cantreds and the first Saxons by families Shire and share all one Englishmen noisome to their owne countrie Earle and alderman What a lath is Léetes Hundred or wapentake Denarie or tithing Tithing man in Latine Decurio Borsholder Burrow Twelue men Fortie shires in England thirtéene in Wales Od parcels of shires Lieutenants Shiriffes Undershiriffes Bailiffes High constables Petie constables Motelagh Shiriffes turne Gaile deliuerie or great assises Inquests Atteinct Iustices of peax quorum Quarter sessions Petie sessions Duke Marquesse Earle Uiscont Baron Bishops 1. Sam. b 15. 1. Reg. a 7. De Asia cap. 12 No Gréeke no grace Bene con bene can bene le Duke marquesse earle viscont Barons Of the second degrée of gentlemen Praedia Valuasores Knights Milites Equiteâ— aurati Knights of the bath Knights of the garter Round table Roger Mortimer The occasion of the deuise Peraduenture but a blue ribben Election Admission Installation Mantell Stall A timber conteineth fortie skins peltes or felles Installation Estatutes Gentleman of bloud Degrées of reproch Apparell Sicke or absent Offering Buriall Disgrading * Some think that this was the answer of the quéene when the king asked what men would thinke of hir in losing the garter after such a maner Bannerets Esquire Gentlemen Lawiers students in vniuersities Physicians Capteins Citizens and burgesses Merchants Yeomen Englishmen on foot and Frenchmen on horssebacke best Capite censi or Proletarij No slaues nor bondmen in England No duke in England Earles Uisconts Barons Cleargie Ro. Bacon Béere Artificer I haue dined so well as my lord maior Bread A famine at hand is first séene in the horsse manger when the poore doo fall to horssecorne Primarius panis Cheat bread Rauelled bread The size of
The couenants made at the mariage betwixt Cnute and Emma The english bloud restored The praise of quéene Emma for hir wisdome Encomium Emmae Matth. West Wil. Malm. 1018 Edrike put to death Simon Dâ—n 〈…〉 Hen. Hunt Lords put to death A taxe raised 1019 King Câ—â—â—passeth into Denmarke Earle God wen his seruice in Denmarke Cnute had the Englishman in estimation for their good seriuce 1028 Cnute 〈◊〉 againe into Denmarke Will. Male. Matth. West Albernus Crance Magnus Olauus Fabian Polydor. Hen. Hunt Other say that he went forth of Denmarke to Rome Simon Dun. Anno 1013. 1032 Wil. Malm. Matth. West 1033 Scots subdued Hen. Hunt Anno 1035. Wil. Malm. The death of king Cnute Hen. Hunt Alb. Crantz The large dominion of K. Cnute Hen. Hunt Alb. Crantz Grants made to the benefit of Englishmen at the instance of king Cnute Fabian Polydor. Matt. West He caused his chaire to be set there as Matth. West saith Hen. Hunt The saieng of king Cnute Zealouslie inough if it had bm according to true knowledge Ran. Higd. Polydor. Matth. West Polydor. Flatterie reproued Polydor. Alb. Crantz Polydor. Fabian Which is supposed to be Barelow for Aâ—hdone it selfe is halfe a mile from thence 1020 Simon Dun. Leofrike earle of Chester King Cnutes lawes Harold Matth. West Wil. Malm. Controâ—eâ—sâ— for the crownâ— Simon Dun. The realme diuided betwixt Harold and Harticnute The authoritie of earle Goodwine H. Hunt The refusall of the archbishop Elnothus to consecrate king Harold 1036 Harold why he is surnamed Harefoot Harold euill spoken of Ran. Higd. ex Mariano Matth. West â—an Higd. Sée maister Fox acts and monuments pag. 112. Simon Dun. A counterfet letter Goodwin was suspected to do this vnder a colour to betray him as by writers it séemeth Not onelie Goodwine but other such as king Harold appointed took Alfred with his Normans Simon Dun. Quéene Emma banished Polydor. Harold degenerateth from his father Hen. Hunt A name in a readinesse Euill men the longer they liue the more they grow into miserie Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. Hardicnute or Hardiknought Alteration in the state of things Simon Dun. â— Matt. West say that he was at Bruges in Flanders with his mother when he was thus sent for being come thither to visit hir 1041 Quéene Emma sent for The bodie of king Harold taken vp and throwen into Thames S Clement Danes A tribute raised Hen. Hunt Simoâ— Dun. Wil. Mâ—lm Matth. West Sim. Dun. Matt. West Ran. Higd. Marianus Polydor. The bishop of worcester accused for making away of Alfred Earle Goodwin excuseth himselfe The gift which earle Goodwiâ— gaue to the king Polydor. The death of K. Hardicnute Sim. Dunel Matth. West 1042 K. Hardicnute his conditions and liberalitie in housekéeping Hen. Hunt Of whom the Englishmen learned excessiue féeding The end of the Danish rulers Edward Hen. Hunt Polydor. Henâ— Hunt Wil. Malm. The third of Aprill 1043 Ran. Higd. ex Mariano Alb. Crantz Polydor. Danes expelled Simon Dun. Goniâ—â— néece to K. Swaine Polydor. K. Edward marieth the daughter of earle Goodwine Polydor. K. Edward absteineth from the companie of his wife K. Edward dealeth strictlie with his mother quéene Emma Quéene Emma despoiled of hir goods She is accused of dissolute liuing Ran. Higd. She purgeth hir selfe by the law Ordalum Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Robert archbishop of Canturburie Frenchmen or Normans first entered into England 1047 〈…〉 〈…〉 This Bearne was the sonne of Uâ—ius a Dane vncle to this Swaine vp his mother the â—â—â—ter of K. Swaine H. Hunt Hen. Hunt The Danes spoile Sandwich Rise â— Griâ—fin princes of wales 1049 Simon Dun. Hermanus Contractus Ia. Meir Simon Dun. Fabian 1051 Matth. West 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The earle 〈◊〉 to the king Earle Goodwine offended with the king for fauouring strangers A councel called at Glocester Siward earle of Northumberland Leofrike earle of Chester Rafe earle of Hereford Will. Malmes Earle Goodwine meaneth to defend him selfe against the king Swaine Ran. Higd. Matth. West Simon Dun. Harold Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Swaine eldest sonne to Goodwine banished Earle Goodwine fled the realme Goodwine and his sonnes proclaimed outlawes The king put awaie his wife Editha 1052 Hen. Hunt Griffin king of wales destroieth Herefordshire Harold inuadeth the shires of Dorset and Summerset Simon Dun. It séemeth that earle Goodwine was well friended Ran. Higd. Matth. West Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Will. Malmes William duke of Normandie commeth ouer into England Polydor. K. Edwards promise to duke William The archbishop of Canturburie banished Normans vanished the realme 〈◊〉 archbishop of Canturburie Ranul Hig. Fabian Stigand infamed of simonie What maner of men méet to be bishops in those daies Polydor. The lawes of S. Edward instituted 1053 or 1054 Hector Boet. Polydor. Will. Malmes Matth. West Ran. Higd. ex Mariano Simon Dun. This is the likeliest tale Hen. Hunt Polydor. Will. Malm. Matth. West 1054 Hector Boet. Simon Dun. M. West Matth. West 105â— Hent Hunt 1055 Matth. West Simon Dun. The welshmen obteine the victorie against Englishmen and Normans Stratcluid Snowdon The citie of Hereford fortified by Harold The deceasse of Siward earle of Northumberland Ran. Higd. Edward the outlaw departed this life 1057 Leofrike earle of Chester departed this life Ran. Higd. Mat. West Couentrie made frée of toll and custome Churches in Chester built Hent Hunt Algar earle of Chester exiled 1058 Simon Dun. 1063 Simon Dun. Mat. West Wales destroied and harried by the Englishmen The welshmen agrée to pay their accustomed tribute 1064 Wil. Malm. Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Harold goeth ouer into Normandie Polydor. Edmerus Mat. West Wil. Malm. Harold is presented to william duke of Normandie Hen. Hunt Harold was highlie welcomed of duke William Matth. West Duke William promised to Harold his daughter in marriage Polydor. When the promise was made by king Edward to make 〈◊〉 William 〈◊〉 heire Hen. Hunt Matth. West Fabian Falling out betwixt brethren The cruell dealing of earle Tostie The Northumbers râ—bell against Tostie their earle Wil. Malm. Marcharus made earle of Northumberland It Edward departed this life Simon Dun. K. Edward his maners and disposition of mind described A diuell fetching gambols A tale of a ring King Edward canonized for a saint Wil. Molms Matt. Westm. Matt. West Simon Dun. Io. Textor Harold K. Edward departed this life An Christi 1065 after the account of the church of England Matth. West Polydor. Edeling that is a noble man and such one as is come of the kings bloud Dukes of Normandie Harold proclaimed king of England Edmerus Matth. West Harold séeketh to win the peoples hearts Sim. Dunel An ambassage from Nâ—â—mandie K. Harolds answer Eâ—dmerus Matth. West Duke William eftsoones sendeth to king Harold Gemeticensis Wil. Malm. Polydor. Rog. Houed Simon Dun. Tostie séekes to disquiet his brother Matt. VVest saith but 40. Polydor. Ran. Higd. Sim. Dun. Wil. Malm. Tostie repelled Polydor. Ran. Higd. Harold Harfager king of Norweie Matt. West Simon Dun. Simon Dun. saith 500. The Norwegians arriue in Humber Richhall Hen. Hunt The English men discomfited This battell was fought on the the euen of S. Matthew the apostle as saith Si. Dun. Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Matt. West The Norwegians discomfited The king of Norwaie and Tostie slaine This battell was fought on the 25 of September as saith Si. Dun. Matth. West Simon Dun. M. West Unequell diuiding of the spoile Wil. Malm. Ia. Meir Baldwine earle of Flanders aided duke William to conquere England Wil. Geme The chronicles of Normandie haue 896 ships Duke william landed at Peuensey now Pemsey Hen. Hunt Wil. Lamb. The pope fauored duke Williams enterprise Matth. West Gemeticensis Wil. Malm. Matth. West Normans berds shauen Wil. Malm. Hen. Marle Girth would not haue his brother king Harold fight himselfe Gemeticensis Tibul. lib. 1. Will. Malmes The order of the Englishmen Matth. West The arraie of the Normans Hen. Hunt Will. Malmes Polydor. The battell betwixt king Harold and duke William is begun The policie of duke William to disorder his enimies H. Hunt Will. Malm. A sore foughten battell King Harold slaine Wil. Malm. Matth. West The Englishmen put to flight Chron. de bello Wil. Geme The Normans fall into a ditch Giral Camb. Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Matth. West Floriac Simon Dun. Henr. Hunt Polydor. The chronicles of Normandie haue of English men slaine 67974 and of Normans 6013. Ex 6. libro Polycraticon siue de nugis curialâ—â—m Iohn Saâ—ish 1069 Ye must note that there was one Richard duke of Normandie before Rollo Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph lib. 6. cap. 19. Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph lib. 6. cap. 19. Ran. li. 6. ca. 19. Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ran. ibib Ran. ibid. Ran. ibid. Wil. Mal. idem Ran. idem Britaine inhabited by Brute 1 Britaine conquered by the Romans 2 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Saxons 3 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Danes 4 Britaine conquered and possessed by the Normans