he dyed and was enteryd or buryed at TroynouaÌ„t or London THE V. CHAPITER LOcrinus or Locryne y e fyrst or eldest son of Brute was made kynge of Brytayne of y e countre of Logiers the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .lxxx. and .vii. The whych helde to his parte as sayth Policronicon and also Guydo de Columna the countre that stretcheth from the south see vnto the ryuer of Humbre as before is expressyd whyle this Locrinus thus reygned in Logiers his brother Albanactus beynge ruler as before is sayd of Albania or Scotlande was warreyd by a duke whome the cronycle of EngaÌ„ld nameth Humbre y e which slewe Albanakt in playne batayll ye shall vnderstande y t this Humber at the daye of his commynge into Albania was not named Humber but after olde wryters he was called kynge of Hunnys or kyng of Sithia without other addicyon This kyng as before is sayde after he thus subduyd Albanactus held the lande of Albania tyll after y e Locrinus wyth his brother Cambre gathered a gret power of men of armys and yode agaynst the sayde kynge of Hunnys and by strength of theyr Britons chasyd and subduyd the sayde HuÌ„nys so sharpely that many of theÌ„ with theyr kyng were drowned in a ryuer which departyth England and Scotland And for so myche as to the wryter of the storye of Brytons his name was declared to be Humber therfore the sayde auctor affermyth that the sayd Humber y e ryuer toke the fyrste name of hym whyche yet contynueth to this daye Furthermore testyfyeth the sayde auctour that after this victory thus obteyned by these two forsayde brotherne this Locrinus enamowred hym selfe vppon a fayre wenche named Estrylde and doughter of the forenamed Humber and her kept vnlefully by a certayne of tyme. where wyth his wyfe named Guendoloena beynge sore dyscontent excyted her fader and freÌ„des to make warre vppon the sayde Locryne her husbande In the whyche warre lastly he was slayne when he hadde reygned or ruled Loegria or Logiers after the concordaunce of moste writers .xx. yeres and was buryed by his fader in the cytye of Troynouaunt leuyng after hym a yonge sonne gotteÌ„ vppon his wyfe named Madan THE VI. CHAPITER GUeÌ„doloena or GueÌ„doleyne the wyfe of Locrinus doughter of Corineê° duke of Cornewayle for so myche as Madan her sonne was yonge to gouerne the lande was by coÌ„mune assent of all y e BrytoÌ„s made ruler of the yle of Brytayne the yere of the world .iiii. thousande a huÌ„dred and .vii. And so hauyng possession of the sayde yle we le and dyscretly she ruled yt to the comfort of her subiectes tyll the tyme her sonne Madan came vnto hys lawfull age At the whiche season she gaue ouer the rule and domynyon to hym after she had ruled as before ys sayde thys yle xv yeres THE VII CHAPITER MAdan the sonne of Locryne of GueÌ„dolyne before named was made ruler of Britayne in the yere of y e world iiii thousande C. and .xxii. Of thys is lytell or no memory made by any wryters excepte that some wryte of hym that he vsed great tyranny amonge his Brytons Neuerthelesse all or the more ê‘te of writers agreen that he ruled this I le of Britayn by y e terme of .xl. yeres At y e ende of which terme he beynge at his dysporte or huntyng was of wyld bestes or woluys slayne or deuouryd and left after him two sonnes as sayth Policronica named Menprecius Manliê° THE VIII CHAPITER MEnprecius the eldest sonne of Madan was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii thousande C.lxii. But he reygned not loÌ„ge in peace For his yonger broder Manlius of a malycyous and couetyse mynde entendynge to be kynge and to expell or subdue his brother excyted the Britons in such wyse to rebell agayne Menprecius y e great and dedly warre contynued longe amonge them Howe be yt lastely by mediacyons of frendes a daye of communycacyon in louynge maner ner attwene these two bretherne was appoynted At whyche daye of assemble Menpriciê° by treason slewe his brother Manlius after whose deth he lyued in more tranquylite and rest where through he fyll into slowth and by meane of slowth into vnlefull lykynge and lechery and by that vyce into hatered of his subiectes by takynge of they re wyues and chylder and fynally became so vnhappy y t he forsoke his lefull wyfe and concudynes and fyll into the synne of Sodomye Thus from one vice he grew into a nother so that he became odyble to god and man and lastely goyng on huntynge and lost of his people was distroyed of wyld bestes when he had reygned .xx. yeres leuyng after hym a goodly yonlynge begoten of his lefull wyfe named Ebranke THE IX CHAPITER EBranke the sonne of Menprecius was made ruler of this lande of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde foure thousande a hundred lxxx and .ii and had as testyfyeth Policronica Gaufryde other wryters .xxi. wyues of the whych he receyued .xx. sonnes and .xxx. doughters wherof the fayrest was named Gwales or after some Gualea He sent these doughters to Albia Siluius whych was the .xi. kynge of Italye or the .vii kynge of Latynes to the ende to haue them maryed to the blood of Troyans This Ebranke was also a man of fayre statute of great strengthe by his power and myght he enlarged his domynyon in so myche that he wanne and occupyed a great parte of Germania by y e ayde and helpe of the Latynes and retourned theÌ„s wyth great pray ryches After whych retourne he buylded the cytye of Caerbrank now called yorke whych shulde be as sayth the authour named Flos historiaruÌ„ or the Floure of historyes wryten in frenche in the .xxiii. yere of y e reygne of the sayd Ebranke which accompt to folow yt shuld seme that Troynouant or LoÌ„don was buylded before the sayd cytye of yorke about an hundred and .xl. yeres supposyng the cytye of London to be begonne in the seconde yere of Brutes reygne Also he buylded iÌ„ Albania or Scotlande the castell of Maydens the whych is called Edynborgh After which edyfyces ended and made he wyth a great armye sayled into Gallia nowe Fraunce and subdued the Gallis and retourned wyth great triumphe and rychesse And when he had guyded this lande of Brytayne nobly by the terme of .lx. yeres after moste concordaunce of wryters he dyed and was buryed at Caerbrank or yorke leuynge after hym for hys heyre his eldest sonne as sayth Gaufryde named Brute Greneshyelde THE X. CHAPITER BRute Greneshyelde the sonne of Ebranke was made gouernour of this lande of Brytayne the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .ii. huÌ„dred and xlii Of this Brute is no memory made touchynge any fame excepte y e Gaufryde sayth that he ruled this lande of Brytayne his fader lyuynge a certayne tyme after his fader by the terme of .xii. yeres The whyche yeres expyred or endyd he dyed and lyeth buryed
entred the boundes of Italy wherof herynge y e pope and the emperour than as before is sayd beynge at Papye busyed in a great counceyle dissoluyd the same And the pope incontyneÌ„tly toke leue of the emperour departyd agayne to Rome And Charlys wyth a great power that he had gaderyd as well of Italyans as of hys owne people made towarde hys neuewe wherof herynge the sayde Charlone turned agayne by the waye that he had comen tyll he came to hys owne countrey as sayth myne authour also y e French boke But more verely Charlone kepyng togyther hys hoste and hauynge fauour of dyuers lordes of Italye the emperoure Charlys remouyd to y e cytye of Mantue where he was grudged wyth a feuer For remedy wherof he toke a pocyon of a physycyon Iewe named Sedechias whyche was intoxicat by meane of whych venemous pocyon he dyed shortly after whan he hadde reygned as kynge emperoure after moste accorde of writers by y e space of .xxxvii. yeres wherof he reygned as emperoure .iii. yeres leuynge after hym a sonne named Lewys whyche as before is shewed was ruler of the couÌ„trey of Austracy or Lorayne whan thys Charlys was dede hys frendes entendynge to haue caryed the corps into Fraunce causyd it to be seryd and enoynted wyth ryche and precyous bawmes and other oyntmentes and aromatykes But all myghte not stoppe the intolerable ayre of hys body so that they were fayne to bury hym at Uercyle wythin the monastery of saynt Euseby where he laye ouer .vii. yeres after and then taken vp and conueyed to saynt Denys in FrauÌ„ce and there honorably buryed THE CLXVI CHAPITER IN the tyme of thys Charlys the Ballyd as wytnessen many wryters began the erledome of Flaunders the whyche euer before these dayes the ruler therof was called the forester of the kynge of FrauÌ„ce whyche erledome had hys begynnynge by thys meane ye haue harde before in the story of Adeulphus kynge of westsaxons how in hys retornynge from Rome he maryed the doughter of Charlys y e Ballyd named Indith The which Indyth after the deth of her sayde husbonde retornyd by Flaunders towarde Fraunce thynkynge to passe wythout daunger bycause the sayde countrey was vnder the obedyence or her father But at those dayes was ruler or forester in that partyes a noble yonge amerous man callyd Bawdewyne the whyche herynge of the great beautye of thys Indith gaue attendaunce vppon her And receyued her in hys best maner makyng to her all the chere that to hym was possyble and fynally cast to hyr suche loue that whan she supposed to departe and to haue gone into Fraunce he delayed the mater in suche curteys and wyse maner that he wan such fauour of her that she made no greate haste to departe frome hym all be it that moste authours agre that he kepte hyr perforce whan Charlys hadde wyttynge that Bawdewyne thus helde hys doughter Indith he sent to hym straytly chargynge hym to sende home hys doughter but that holpe not the mater ThaÌ„ he purchasyd agayn hym the censures of holy chyrch and accursed the sayd Bawdewyne But whan the kynge conceyued that the yonge man hadde suche loue to Indyth that he sette not by that punysshement and also was certeynly enformed that hyr harte was gyuen vnto hym he in processe by y e meane of some bysshoppes and frendes of the sayd Bawdewine agreed that he shulde take hyr to wyfe and in the name of hyr dowar he shulde holde and enioye the sayd countre of FlauÌ„ders And for he wolde haue hys doughter to be the more honoured he creatyd the sayde Bawdewyne an erle and commaunded hym to be called after that daye erle of FlauÌ„ders It is also shewyd in the Frenche cronycle and of other wryters that thre dayes before hys deth hys spiryte shulde be rauysshed from hys body and vnto places of payne and turment where thys Charlys by the ledynge of an aungell shulde se hylles and mountaynes brenne pyttes full of sulphyr pytche and hote boylynge lede In whyche paynes the sayde Charlys shulde se many of hys progenytours and bysshoppes that counceyled prynces to debate or stryfe or gaue counceyle to them to rayse of theyr subiectys vnlefull taskys or imposycyons wyth many other thynges whyche I passe ouer for length of the mater Anglia THE CLXVII CHAPITER EThelwaldus or Ethelwoldus y e eldeste sonne of Adeulphus began hys reygne ouer the westesaxons or ouer y e more partye of Englande in the yere of our lorde viii hundred and .lv and the .x. yere of Charlys the Ballyd than kynge of Fraunce The whyche became so vnhappy that he maryed y e woman whyche hys father hadde somtyme kepte or holden for hys concubyne as wytnessyth y e authour of y e Floure of hystoryes But Polycronycon sayth that he wedded his stepmoder whyche dysaccordyth wyth the sayenge of other wryters which testifye his stepmoder to be maryed to Bawdewyn erle of FlauÌ„ders as in y e story of Charlys last before is shewyd Thys Ethelwolde though it be not expressyd by what hap he dyed whan he hadde reygned one yere as sayth Polycronyca But another cronycle beryth wytnesse that he was slayne as a martyr of Hungar and Hubba prynces of Danys About thys tyme the holy kynge saynt Edmund coÌ„tynued his reygne ouer the Eest Anglis or Norfolke THE CLXVIII CHAPITER EThelbertus the seconde sonne of Adeulphê° began his reygn ouer the more partye of Englande in the yere of our lorde .viii. hundred lvi the .xi. yere of Charlis y e Ballid then kynge of Fraunce In whose tyme the Danys wyth more strengthes entred y e west part of this land and robbed and spoyled the couÌ„trey before theym tyll they came to wynchester toke the cytye by strength and dyd therin what they wold But the kynge made suche prouysyon that by hym his dukes they were forcyd to forsake the cytye And as they yode toward theyr shippes they were fought wyth and a great parte of theym slayne and taken Of this kynge is nothynge ellys lefte in memory more then before is shewyd but that he dyed when had reygned after moste wryters .vi. yeres and was buryed at Shyrborne leuynge after hym none yssu of hys body wherfore the rule of the lande fell to his brother Etheldrede THE CLXIX CHAPITER ETheldredus the thyrde sonne of Adeulphus beganne hys reygne ouer the west Anglis and the more parte Englande in the yere of our lorde .viii. hundred .lxiii the xviii yere of Charlis y e Ballyd then kynge of Fraunce In the begynnyng of this kynges reygne the Danes landed in eest England or Norff. and Suff. But they were compellyd to forsake that countrey and so toke agayne shyppynge and saylyd northwarde and landed in Northumberlande where they were mette wyth of the kynges then there reynynge callyd Osbryghte and Ella whyche gaue to theym a stronge fyghte But that not wythstandynge the Danys wyth helpe of suche as enhabyted y e countrey wan the
e pope and he shulde be by hym restoryd to perfytte helthe whyche was done and he heled as the legende of sayntes bereth wytnesse Thus haue I shewed to you a part of the dedys of Constantyne whych yf I shulde coÌ„tynue the hole processe of his reygne that endured as emperoure by the space of .xxx. yeres I shulde therof make a large volume But it concernyth nothynge of th entent of this worke as touchynge the lande of Brytayne therfore I woll retourne my style to Octauius from whom I haue made a loÌ„g digressyoÌ„ THE LXX CHAPITER IN this passetyme whyle Constantyne occupyed hym in nedes of th empyre as aboue is shewed Octauius beynge lieutenant in the lande of Brytayne vnder Constantyne ruled the lande to the pleasure of the Brytons a certayne of tyme. But when he perceyued that he was in fauoure of them and that Constantyne was farre from hym castynge also in his mynde that y e sayd Constantyne beyng then emperour wold or myght not lyghtly retourne into Britayn he therfore with helpe of his affynyte and freÌ„des withstode the Romaynes lefte in Brytayne of Constantyne and vsurpyd the rule domynyon of y e lande wherof wheÌ„ certayntie came to y e knowlege of CoÌ„stantyne he in all hast sent into Brytayne a duke named TrahernÌ„ the whyche was vncle vnto Heleyne moder of Constantyne when this TrahernÌ„ was arryued in Brytayne with iii. legions of knyghtes anon Octauius made towarde hym wyth hys Brytons and wyth hym mette nere the citye then called Kaerperis now called Porte chestre or Porchestre but more verely in a felde nere vnto the cytye of Kaerguent that now ys called wynchester whych felde then was named Maesurian The .ii. hostes mette wyth great ire and fough ten longe whyle But in y e ende TrahernÌ„ was compelled to forsake the felde and after drewe wyth his Romaynes towarde Albania or Scotlande wherof Octauius beyng warned folowed hym and in the countre of westmerlande gaue vnto hym the seconde batayll where then Octauius was chasyd TrahernÌ„ was vyctour the whych pursued Octauius so egerly that he coÌ„pelled hym to forsake the lande of Britayne and to sayle into the countre of Norway for his sauegarde But yt was not longe after that the sayde Octauius gaderyd a newe people of Brytons Norways and was redy to retourne agayn into Britayne In whych tyme as testyfyeth myne authour Gaufryde an erle of Brytayne that entyerly loued Octauius by treason slewe the sayd TrahernÌ„ a lytell before the landynge of the sayde Octauius whyche shortly subdued the Romaynes and y e lande to his owne vse This shuld be after moste concordaunce of wryters wheÌ„ Constantyne wyth also the ayde of TrahernÌ„ hadde ruled this lande of Brytayne by the terme of .x. yeres THE LXXI CHAPITER OCtauiê° duke of y e Iessis otherwyse westsaxons beganne his reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .iii. hundred .xxix. This in the englyshe boke is called Octauian the whych as testyfyeth Gaufryde gaderyd in shorte whyle after so great plentye of treasoure and rychesse that he feryd no man and ruled this lande in peasyble wyse So that of hym or of his actes is left lytell memorye excepte that when he was fallen into age by the counsayll of Brytons he sent vnto Rome for a noble yonge man of the aliy of Heleyne moder vnto Constantyne called Maximianê° as after more playnly shal be shewed all be yt that some aduysed hym to make one Conan Meryadok his cosyne kynge after hym But by the instaÌ„t labour of Caradok then duke of Cornewayll Octauius lastly sent vnto Rome Mauryce the sonne of the forenamed Caradok to brynge or conuey the sayd Maximianus into Brytayne for to mary the onely doughter of Octauius and by reason therof to enioy y e realme of Brytayne This Maximianê° is of some auctour named Maximius the whych as wytnessyth Gaufride was the sonne of Leonyne brother to Heleyne and vncle vnto CoÌ„stantyne the great whych saynge affermeth also Iacobus Philippê° authour of a boke called Supplementum cronicarum wherin he nameth the sayde Maximianus a knyght of the Bryton blood Then it foloweth when the forenamed Maurice had spedde his nedes so y t he came to the presence of Maximianê° shewed theffecte of his Message the sayd Maximianus to hym graunted in all haste prepared for his voyage into Brytayne shortly after with coÌ„uenient cuÌ„pany landed at Southampton wherof beynge warned Conan Meryadok he wyth a certayne of knyghtes of his affinytye was purposed to haue frayed with the sayd Maximianê° to haue destressed hym for so mych as he wel knewe that by hym he shuld be puâ— from the rule of the lande But thys purpose was let by the commaundement of the kynge or otherwyse so y t the sayd Maximianus was coÌ„ueyed safely to the kynges presence shortly after wyth consent of the more partye of his lordes gaue his doughter vnto the sayde Maximianus wyth possessyon of this yle of Brytayne The whyche mariage solemnysed endyd the sayde Octauiê° dyed shortly after But howe long he reygned none of the foresayde authours testystye excepte dyuers of them agre y t he contynued his reygne tyll y e tyme that Gracyan and Ualentinyan ruled the empyre the whyche beganne to reygne the yere of our lorde .iii. huÌ„dred .lxxx. and .ii. By whyche reason yt muste folowe that the sayd Octauius reygned at the leest .liiii. yeres THE LXXII CHAPITER MAximianê° or Maximiê° y e son of Leonine cosyn Germayn of Constantyne the great was made kynge of Bryton in the yere of oure lorde .iii. hundred .lxxx. and .ii. Thys in the englyshe boke is named Maximian the whych as testyfyeth Gaufryde and other was stalworth and myghty of his handes But for he was cruell and pursued somdele the cristen he therfore of all wryters is called Maximianê° the tyrant Attwene this Conan before named was stryfe and debate and dyuers conflyctes attwene theÌ„ was foughten in the whyche eyther of them spedde dyuersly all be yt that lastely they were made frendes So that Maximianê° reygned a season in quyete and gaderyd rychesse treasour not all wyth out grudge Lastely he was moued exyted to warre vpon the Galles thorow whych couÌ„cell he wyth a great hoste of BrytoÌ„s sayled into Armorica that now is called lytell Brytayne and bare hym so knyghtly that he subdued that countre vnto his lordshyp after gaue the sayde countre to Conan Meryadok to hold of hym and of the kyngeê of great Brytayn for euer And then commaunded the sayde lande to be called lytell Brytayne For this vyctory his knyghtes proclamed hym emperour where thorough he beynge the more exaltyd in pryde passed farther in the landes of the emprye vyctoryously subdued a great parte of Gallia or Fraunce and all Germania For thys dede dyuers authours accompt hym false and periuryd wherfore yt shulde seme that before his departynge froÌ„ Rome he was sworne vnto Gracian and Ualentynyane emperours
as witnesseth Gaufryde was a Pict that was myche loued and greatly fauouryd of Constantyne so that he myghte at all tymes come to the kynges presence The whyche beyng an erraunt traytoure and sechynge conuenyent tyme to execute his detestable treason by a secrete meane slewe the kynge in his chamber when he hadde ben kyng after moste wryters tenne yeres THE LXXXI CHAPITER COnstantius sonne of Constantyne by meane of Uortigernus was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde foure hundred and .xliii. This as before is touched for so myche as his fader thought he was not very apt to take so great a charge as to gouerne the lande after hym became a relygious man in the monastery before named Or as some wryters meane the sayd Constante of pure deuocyon that he hadde to god and saynt Amphiabyl made hym selfe a monke vnwyttynge the kynge his fader and other his frendes But how or in what maner so euer he became a monke trouth it is that Uortigerus or Uortigernus after y e deth of Constantyne founde suche meanes that he was taken out of the abbey and crowned kynge of Brytayne By meane wherof the sayde Uortiger had all the rule of the land so that Constante hadde but onely the name This Uortyger then consyderynge the innocencye and myldenes of the kyng cast in his mynde how he myght be kynge hym selfe And amonge other meanes founde to haue aboute y e kynges persone an hundred Pictes or after some Scottes y e whych he ordeyned for a garde for the kynges persone which done he bare hym in such wyse agayne the Pictes by meanes of great gyftes otherwyse that they at length had Uortyger in such fauoure that they feryd not to saye openly that Uortyger was more worthy to be kyng theÌ„ Constant. In this whyle Uortyger gatte into his possessyon the kynges treasour and what was of hym coÌ„maunded was done though other therat murmured and grudge And euer in ryght and wronge he fauoured the foresayd Pictes or Scottes The whyche at length perceyuynge his corrupte mynde when they sawe that they had conuenyent tyme fyll vpon the kynge and hym slewe or murderyd After whych cruell dede by theym done they presentyd the hed of Constante vnto Uortiger then beyng at London wherof when he was ware to the ende that the Brytons shulde thynke that dede to be done agayne his mynde and wyll wepte made semblaunt of all sorowe and heuenes and causyd the sayde hundred knyghtes to be taken in all haste after and theym by dome and lawe of y e laÌ„d to be be heddyd by reason wherof he was taken not culpable or innocent of the kynges deth when the kynges deth was knowen to suche persones as hadde the kepyng of the two yonger bretherne Aurelius and Uter they in all haste for the more sauegarde of them fledde into lytell Brytayne there kept theym tyll yt pleasyd god ortherwyse to purueye for theym And thus as ye haue herd was kynge Constante slayne when he hadde reygned after moste wryters fyue yere THE LXXXII CHAPITER UOrtigernus duke of y e Iuesses or Uortigerê° erle of Iewesses after called westsaxons was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred and .xlviii. and the .xviii. yere of Clodio kyng of FrauÌ„ce whych after y e deth of Constant by strength and otherwise was made kynge and ruled the land not all wythout trouble For yt was not longe or the Pictes whych hauyng knowlege of the deth and iudgemeÌ„t of theyr knightes and kynsmen that they inuaded the north partes of the lande doynge therin great harme and domage And ouer that many dyuerse of the great of the Brytons perceyuyng that the kyng Constant was not murderyd all wythout consent of the sayde Uortyger rebelled agayne hym and dayly sent and say led ouer into lytell Brytayne to the ayde and assystence of the foresayde chyldern of Constant whyche putte the sayde Uortiger to great vnrestfulnesse and the more for that that he wyst not nor knewe not in whom he myght putte his truste and confydence in wyth these perturbauÌ„ces was medled plenty of corne frute y t the lyke therof had not ben sene many yeres passyd wherwyth was ioyned lechery pestylence with many other incoÌ„ueniences so y e vice was accoÌ„pted for small or none offence The which reygned not onely in the temporalty but also in the spiritualtie hedes of the same So y e euery maÌ„ turned the poynt of his spere agaynst the trewe innocent man the coÌ„mons gaue them all to dronkeÌ„nes and ydelnes where thorough ensued fyghtynge stryfe and mych enuy Of which foresayd myschyues ensued mych mortalyte and deth of men that the lyuyng scantly suffysed in some countres to bury the dede And ouer this y e kyng was so hard beset with y e forenamed enymyes that he was coÌ„strayned as affermyth Policronica to sende for paynems as the SaxoÌ„s to helpe to withstand his enemyes and defende his lande and also he dayly ferid the landyng of Aurely and Uther Uortyger thus beynge beset wyth many aduersytyes in vysytynge hys lande and then beynge for dyuerse causes hym mouyng at Dorobernia or Caunterbury tydynges came to hym of the arryuynge of thre longe shyppes full of armed men at the yle of Tenet wherof fyrst he made countenaunce as though he hadde ben in doute whether it had ben the two brethern of Constant or none But wheÌ„ the same was blowen aboute y t they were none enymyes anon he caused the leders of them to be brought vnto his presence freynynge of theym the cause of theyr landyng of theyr nacyon and countre The whych answered vnto the kynge and sayd they were of the couÌ„tre of Germany and put out of theyr countre by a maner sorte or lot at soÌ„dry tymes vsed with in the sayde lande the whyche was vsed for so myche as the people therin encreasyd so faste that wythoute such prouysyon had the couÌ„tre shuld not suffyce for the people the whych was suche as foloweth At sondry tymes when the sayd couÌ„tre was replenyshed of people the prynces and rulers therof wolde assemble at a certayne place and call before theym the lusty yonge folkes Of the whych they wold chose out a certayne nomber and appoynte to them certayne dukes or leders with all thyng necessary to the warre And them so garnyshed wold coÌ„maunde to serche theyr adueÌ„ture to wynne some lande by theyr knyghthode where they myght inhabyte theÌ„selfe By whych vse custome thus longe vsyd now was fallen to theyr lotte to do as theyr fore faders had done before theym wherfore syns fortune had brought them to this land they besought the kyng that he wold take them to his seruyce they wold be redy to fyght for y e defence of him and his countre And when the kyng hadde enquyred farther he fouÌ„de that they had two leders named Hengistê° and Horsus and they and theyr people were called Saxons The
the place certayne of hys knyghtes to pull or take hym thens per force And when they came wythin a myle of y e sayde chapell they were so astonyed that they myghte not go one fote forwarde to do the beste they coude when they hadde long stryueÌ„ with oute preuaylynge they retournyd to the kynge and shewed to hym y e trouthe in all thynge as they had done The kynge beynge dyscontent wyth theyr reporte blamed theym and sayde that they feryd hys sonne for the whyche cause they hadde fayned that excuse And incontynently he sente forth an other company the which were delte wyth in lyke maner as y e other were Lothariê° somdele troubled wyth the reporte of his seruauntes consyderyd the chapell to be nere vnto Paris where he then lay coÌ„maundyd his horse to be brought for he wolde proue the mater hym selfe But lyke as his seruauntes were seruyd euen so became of hym so that he myghte go or ryde frowarde or sydewarde but towarde the chapell myght he in no wyse atteyne when this was knowen to y e kyng he coÌ„sydered well yt was the handy-worke of god wherfore by fayre and easy meanes he called home his son and recouncylyd hym and forgaue all trespace To this accordyth the legende of the lyfe of saynte Denys wyth more that shall after folowe in the storye of this Dagobert After thys reconcylyacyon Lotharius ordeyned vnder hym hys sonne Dagobert to be ruler of the sygnory of Austracye But whyther yt were by the elacyon of hys owne mynde or by badde counsayll he shortely after rebellyd agayne hys father and wolde haue reteyned that prouynce to his owne vse For thys were chosen .xii. noble men of FrauÌ„ce to arbytre and deme betwene the father and the son The whyche Lordes after they had longe debated this mater by fayre entreatyse contentyd so the father that he gaue vnto the sonne the sayde lordshyppe of Austracy Soone after thys accorde Clothayre made warre vppon the Gothis or Saxons and them at length subdued For yt is to be knoweÌ„ that lyke as the sayde Saxons inuadyd myche Brytayne or Englande in lykewyse warryd they in Fraunce and lastely subdued the prouynce of Neustria and named yt after theym Normandye as after in the storye of Charlis the symple shall more euydently appere Of thys vyctorye of Saxons ys made a longe rehersayll and howe lastly when Clothayre hadde slayne the kynge or ruler of theym named Berthrande he after yode into the countrey of Germanye and slewe man and chylde that passyd y e length of hys swerde Of this and other dedes by this Lothayre done I myght make a longe worke but I passe ouer Then yt foloweth when Lothayre hadde set his countrey in some reste he assembled hys lordes at a cytye or towne called Traacas or Trecas And after dyuers maters dyscussyd and endyd he axed of theym perfyte allegeaunce and fydelite to hym and hys heyres to be kepte The wyche by the sayde lordes fyrmely promysed and assuryd he commaundyd eueryche of theym to repayre to theyr owne countreys And soone after he made an assemble of hys byshoppes and spyrytuall men at the cytye or towne of Troys by whose counsayllys he orderyd thynges and maters concernynge the we le of the chyrche And shortly after he was vexyd with greuous sekenes wherof he fynally dyed when he hadde reygned after moste wryters .xliii. yeres leuynge for heyre the forenamed Dagobert the whyche enterryd hys fader wyth great poÌ„pe at the abbey of saynt Uincent wythoute the wallys of Paris the whiche abbey is at thys daye called saynte Germaynes The foresayde yeres accomptyd for the reygne of Lothayre be accomptyd from the fyrste daye that he was ordeyned kynge of Soysons vnto the daye of hys deth wherof he reygnyd after some wryters ouer a parte .xxvii. yeres ouerall FrauÌ„ce xvi yeres whyche make the full of xliii yeres Anglia THE CXXVIII CHAPITER CAdwanus or Cadwan the whyche of Guydo ys named duke of Uenedoyce or of Northwalys was by one assente of the BritoÌ„s lastly made theyr souerayne or gouernour in the yere of our lorde .vi. hundred and xiii and the .xxv. yere of the seconde Clothayre kynge of Fraunce and also the fyrst yere of Colwolphus then kynge of westsoxons accomptynge for the reygne of Ceawlmus kynge of the sayde westsaxons .xxxi. yeres And for Colricus nexte succedynge hym .v. yeres ye haue before hard what dyscorde and trouble was amonge the Brytons in the tyme of Careticus laste kynge longe after by reason wher of the SaxoÌ„s wanne the more land and as before is rehersyd in the C. and .xx. chapyter howe Ethelfryde kynge of Northumberlande ouer set the Brytons at the cytye of Chestre forcyd theÌ„ to take ouer Seuarne and so into walys where they then chase thys Eadwane to theyr duke and leder The whyche after he was putte in authoryte assembled hys Brytons and came agayne into Britayne and gaue batayll vnto the sayde Ethelfryde In the whych they spedde dyuersly so that some season the Saxons wanne and some while the Brytons But the Brytons held Chestre other good townes whych they hadde recoueryd sene theyr last commynge It shulde seme by the meanynge of Policronica that thys Cadwan or Cedwall shulde at length slee the sayde Ethelfryde and Osricus bothe kynges of Brennicia and Deyra But Guydo and also Gaufryde wytnessen that after thys Cadwan had the better of Ethelfryde by medyatours yt was agreed that Ethelfryd shulde enioye all the lande ouer and beyonde Humber vnto Scotlande and Cadwan shulde haue the lande from Humber towarde the sowthe To the whyche sayenge agreeth the englyshe cronycle affermynge also that he shulde be the sonne of Brucyuall kynge of Leyceter the whych of other wryters is not testyfyed It is also there shewed that after y e sayde accorde betwene Ethelfryde Cadwan confyrmed that they contynued durynge the lyfe of Cadwan as two especiall louers and frendes and durynge the reygne of this Cadwan the two sonnes of Colricê° Kyngilsus and Quichillynus after the deth of theyr fathers brother Colwolphus ruled ioyntly the pryncypate of westsaxons The whyche in theyr begynnynge faught agayn the Brytons at Ampton besyde Oxynford wanne of them the towne other holdes whyche the Brytons in y t couÌ„tre occupyed But by agrement of wryters this Cadwan was not at this coÌ„flycte nor yet medlyd hym so farre within y e land But as yt shuld seme by Guydo these Brytons shulde be some coÌ„pany that shulde lyue vnder trybute of the Saxons y e whych for the manhode y t they hard reported of Cadwan rebelled agayn y e Saxons Then it foloweth wheÌ„ this Cadwan had thus contynued his amite wyth Ethelfryde a chaunge fell that this Ethelfryde for hatered or otherwise put froÌ„ hym hys wyfe beynge great wyth chylde toke to hym an other wherfore thys woman beynge reedlesse callyng to mynde y e great loue that was betwene her husbande and Cadwan she went vnto
say Mylburga Myldreda and Mylguida and a sonne of great holynesse named Meresyn But after some wryters all these forsayde chyldren shulde be the chyldren of wolpherus and not of Etheldrede And wolpherus also had .ii. holy susters named Kynedda and Kyneswyda bothe nonnes and buryed at Peterborough where saynte Ethelwolde buyldyd after an abbey of maydens ye haue harde before how wylfryd was put out of y e see of yorke wherefore he went to Rome and complayned hym to Agathon the pope and was well allowed in some thynges But the kynge and Theodorus had there such protectours and frendes that he retourned without spedynge of hys cause wherfore he retourned vnto the South Saxons and buylded an abbey in Silesey and preachyd to the south Saxons .xv. yeres and conuertyd myche people and shewed there a greate wonder For where by y e terme of .iii. yeres before hys commynge there fell no rayne vppon the grounde by hys prayer god sent to them rayne the grouÌ„de began to burgen and wax grene y t before was bareyn dryed for lacke of water He also taught to them the crafte of fysshynge Egfrydus kynge of Northumberlande claymed the lande that Etheldrede kynge of Mercia helde for the whyche dyuerse assembles of treaty bytwene them were had but all were dyssoluyd wythout agremeÌ„t wherefore eyther ê‘ty gathered hys streÌ„gth and met vppon a playne nere vnto y e ryuer of Trent where was foughteÌ„ bytwene them a longe and sharpe fyght In the whiche among a great nombre on bothe parties was slayn y e brother of Egfryde named Elswynus but Edfryde or Egfryde had the better Than after this batayle meanes of peace were agayn treatyd so y t fynally Edfryde had great summes of Money in recompencement of his Brothers deth so restyd the sayd .ii. kynges accorded In this batayll was takeÌ„ as prisoner a knyght of Egfryde the which after hys takynge was solde to one Fryson by the knyghtes of Ethelfryde This Fryson to th entent to haue his prysoner the shortelyer redemed kept hym in bandes of iron which prysoner had to his brother a preest a vertuous man that for the delyuere of his brother prayed dayly By meane of whose prayers as ofteÌ„ as y e sayd preste sang masse so often were the bandes of iron lousyd from the prysoner duryng the tyme of the masse The whyche so coÌ„tynued tyll he was clerely delyuered and hys raunson payde And in thys yere apperyd stella comata a blasynge sterre whyche betokeneth deth or mortalyte of y e people And in the yere folowynge dyed of y e Epedemye sykenesse the holy abbes of Ely saynt Etheldrede hyr suster Sexburga that somtyme hadde ben wyfe to Ercobert kyng of Kent was hyr successoure And thys yere also dyed Helda y e holy abbesse of whythy before spoken of whiche was neuew to Edwyne lately kynge of NorthuÌ„berlande In thys abbey were also bretherne vnder the rule of Hylda as at these dayes ben at SyoÌ„ vnder the abbesse there wherfore sondry of theÌ„ were made bisshoppes as Besa wylfryde and other Amonge these bretherne was one named Cedman a man of greate perfeccyon y e which by inspyracyon was taught to make dytyes and songes to moue men to deuocion wherin he passyd all other at those dayes Soone after thys tyme Theodorê° for dyuerse causes kepte a synode or counceyll of Bysshoppes and other men of the chyrche at Hatfelde By authoryte of whych counceyll he deuyded the prouynce of Mercia that Sexwolphus then ruled alone into v. bysshopryches that is one to Chestre the seconde to worcetyr y e thyrd to Lychefelde the fourth to Cedema in Lyndesey the .v. to Dorchester About the .xlvi. yere of the reygne of Cadwall Kenewynus kynge of westsaxons had occasyon of warre agayne y e Brytons so that they met nere vnto the west see where after a sharpe skyrmysshe y e BrytoÌ„s were chasyd And soone after Egfrydus kynge of Northumberlande made warre vpon the Pyctes or Scottes bycause they fauouryd greatly y e cest anglis agayne hym But lastly by colour or fleyng backe they brought Edfryde into a streyte amonge Hylles and mountaynes and slewe hym there with a grete part of his people And after his deth a bastard brother of hys named Alfridus Notus was kynge of Northumberlande reygned there .xviii. yeres as wytnessyth willyam wryter of storyes of kynges And shortly after dyed Cadwall or Cadwalyne kynge of BrytoÌ„s when he hadde reygned as testyfyeth Galfryde Guydo other .xlviii. yeres But nother Polycronyca nor none of the other authours of authoryte which Policronica allegyd shewyth any lyke actes of thys Cadwall as Galfryde doth nor yet that he shuld be buryed to the terrour and fere of the Saxons or an image of brasse set of hym vppon an horse ouer the west gate of LondoÌ„ called Ludgate or yet the chyrche of saynt Martyne there now stondynge shulde be buyldyd by the Brytons to the ende to pray for the sayd Cadwall and hys Frendes or y e Cadwaladrus whych of Beda is named Cedwalla shulde be hys sonne as of y e sayd Gaufryde is affermed Francia THE CXXXVI CHAPITER CLodoueus y e yonger sonne of Dagobert of Nautylda hys wyfe beganne hys reygne ouer the myddell parte of Fraunce and other partes therof in the yere of our lorde .vi. C.xlv and the .x. yere of Cadwall then kynge of Brytons And hys elder brother Sigebert was made kynge of Austracy or Lorayne accordynge to the wyll of Dagobert theyr fader Thys as before is sayd of some wryters is called Lowes the which was guyded by hys mother by the couÌ„seyle of Agaynus than mayster of hys Paleys to whom the fader had by hys lyfe commytted hym for he at thys daye was yonge of age and of dyscrecyon And shortly after he was made kynge all suche porcyon as belonged to the ryght of hys brother Sigebert which was the thyrd of hys faders treasour and iewelles was to hym delyuered whych dystrybucyon made he sped hym to Orleaunce and thyder called to hym the lordes of Burgoyne and receyued of them feauty and homage ordeyned there for hys leutenaunte or deputye a noble Burgonyon named FlantasÌ„ gaue to hym in mariage the neuew of hys mother Nautylda named Ranebert And after with a due charge to hym gyuen for guydyng of the sayd countrey sent hym and the other lordes into Burgoyn But wythin a season of tyme after wilibaldus a great man of birth and myght enuyed this FlantasÌ„ in suche wyse that he had hym in dysdaynynge and began to dystourbe the countrey the kynges peace wherof herynge Clodoueus in all hast commaunded the sayd wilibaldus to appere before hym But whyle wilibaldus sent an erle a bysshop to y e kynges courte to purchace hym frendys about the kynge he was in that whyle slayne by the gyle of hys enemy FlantasÌ„ About the .iiii. yere of the reygne of Clodoueus dyed his mother Nautylda a
testyfyeth myne authour mayster Robert Gagwyne But the Frenche boke sayth that thys dede was done by Frederyke bysshoppe or Utryke where fore he was after pyteously slayne by such as fauoured y e quene and not all wythout her concent as wytnessyth the sayd cronycle And whan Lewys had in thys other thynges agreed vnto hys sonnes and thought hym self to be in surete of theyr amyte and fauours sodeynly he was coÌ„ueyed vnto the monastery of saynt Medrid or as sayth the Frenche boke he was conueyed to a towne called in Frenche Melanguy wyth hys yonge sonne Charlys And that done the sayd thre sonnes deuyded theyr fathers possessyons amonge theym thre That is to saye Lothayre the eldeste had to his porcyon the londes of the empyre Pepyn the countrey of Guyan and to Lewys the yongest fell the countrey of Bayon whyche mysery of the emperour whan the pope had beholden seen he wyth greate mornynge retorned into Iuly so vnto Rome In which tyme of prysonemeÌ„t of the emperour the sayd Lewys made dyteys pystelles of greate sorowe and lamentacyon to the ensample of all erthlye prynces and to the entent that hys sonnes shulde of hym haue the more compassyon and pytye The whyche I ouer passe for length of tyme and the rather for in tyme of prysonemeÌ„t of Edwarde the seconde callyd Carnaruan was by hym made a lyke coÌ„playnt where of when tyme place comyth I entende to expresse some parte therof whan Lewys had thus a season remayned in pryson for so myche as the comons shulde not thynke that thys shuld be done by the authoryte of y e thre sonnes onely therfore they causyd a couÌ„sayle to be callyd at the cytye of Compeyne there by theyr meanes and labours causyd theyr father by authoryte of spyrytuall temporall lordys to be discharged of all rule and domynyon as well of the empyre as of the realme of FrauÌ„ce by authoryte of the sayd couÌ„sayle or parliament and after caused hym to renouÌ„ce all hys temporall habyte and to become a munke in the monastery of saynt Matke where he was lefte of his sonne Lothayre not with out sure watche and kepynge But full often it is seen that whaÌ„ the erthlye power of man faylyth or wekyth god of hys greate mercy the repentaunt synner to grace callyth hym by hys dyuyne power aydeth and strengtheth and so he dyd thys Lewys For after thys mysery and trybulacyon thus to hym fallen the peple in dyuerse placys of this londe murmured and grudgyd very sore agayne the innaturall dealynge of the sonnes agayne theyr father In these dayes was a greate ruler in Fraunce named Guyllyam stuarde or constable of that lande y e which wyth one Egebard or Edgare a man of greate byrth and alyaunce couÌ„sayled togyder for the enlargyng of y e emperour And lastly wyth ayde of theyr frendes assembled a greate peple And than drewe vnto them .ii. noble men of Burgoyne called Barnarde and Gueryn the whyche sometyme had ben well cherysshed wyth the emperoure Lewys All thys season Lothayre had restyd hym for y e more partye at Aquysgrany But whan he harde of the assemblynge of these foresayd lordes he sped hym towarde Parys And whan he was thyther comen the foresayd lordes sent vnto hym two noble men Rowlande and Gantelyne the whych made request vnto Lothayre in the name of the other lordes that it wolde lyke hym to restore hys father vnto hys former dygnyte wyth other thynges concernynge theyr legacyon To the whyche two lordes Lothayre gaue answere that of hys fathers restorynge to hys fyrste or former dygnyte no man lyuynge wolde be therof more fayne than he wolde But y e deposyng of hym was done by the hole authoryte of y e land wherfore yf he shulde be agayne restoryd it must be by the same authoryte and not by hym onely All be yt that they myghte knowe of hys benyuoleÌ„ce and fauour that he bare towarde hys father he wylled them to stonde a parte whyle he had some coÌ„munycacyon of his lordes for y e same mater By reason wherof were it for fere or for fauour the emperour was shortly after put at hys lybertye and restoryd to all hys fyrst honoure and dygnyte than with great honoure conueyed to a cytye or towne called Ciriciake where met wyth hym hys other two soÌ„nes Pepyn and Lewys and there restyd hym certayne dayes in makyng all feest and ioye and after rode vnto Aquysgrany and there restyd an other season In whych tyme of hys there beyng was brought vnto hym from y e place where she had ben prisoner his wyfe Indyth But whan Lothariê° knewe that hys father had hyr agayne receyued contrary to hys mynde and pleasure he in wrath dyspleasure entryd the countrey of Burgoyne made in it sharpe and cruell warre executed therin many spoylynges and other inordynate dedys The whyche cruelty to wythstande let hys father wyth hys sonne Pepyn wyth a greate hoste sped hym thyder warde But anone as he had knowlege therof mystrustyng his streÌ„gth he yelded hym vnto his faders grace and mercy whom the meke fader receyued and forgaue to hym hys trespasse And after that of hym and dyuerse of hys lordes he had taken assuryd othes and other suretyes he thaÌ„ sent the sayd Lothayre into Italy with a certayne nomber of knyghtes to defende the countrey from daunger of enemyes and strengthynge of the straytes and mountaynes And that wyth other thynges orderyd and done for the weale of hys realme Lewys than toke vpon hym to ryde about hys lande to th entent that he myghte be somwhat enformed of the rule of hys offycers and how the countreys were ruled by the rulers of them And where he found any mysgouernaunce he punysshed the executers therof as well y e bysshoppes as other as farre as his authoryte in that behalfe stretchyd Than Indith consyderynge the emperoure fell into greate age and hyr sonne and his Charlis by name had as yet no suffycyent landes nor possessyons to maynteyne any estate wyth she compassed many wayes in hyr mynde how she myghte acheue hyr entent and to brynge it to good purpose where fynally by counceyll of hyr frendes to y e ende to purchase the loue and fauour of Lothayre she axed of hyr lorde and husbonde that the sayd Lothayre myghte be tutour and gyder of hys yonge sonne Charles Of this request y e emperour was very glad and graunted hyr hyr peticion And so it fell soone after certayne messengers came to the emperoure from Lothayre hys sonne To the whych whan Lewys had gyuen answere to such maters as they were sent fore and gyueÌ„ vnto them other instruccyons he sent them forthe agayne and with them certeyne other to wylle his sayd sonne to come vnto hym in as goodly wyse as he myght But at that season he excusyd hym by sykenesse and whan he was recouered he fayned an other excuse In thys meane tyme worde was brougth
to the emperoure that hys sonne Lothayre had greued y e chyrch of Rome and takyn from it certeyne possessyons wherewyth Lewys beynge before amoued sent vnto hys sonne cōmaundynge hym in sharpe wordes y t he shulde haue in mynde the othe before by hym made that he shulde in exchewynge his dyspleasure make restytucyō of all thynges that he before hadde taken from the chyrch the whyche cōmaundement Lothayre promysed to obey in all wyse And where Lewys was determyned to haue gone vnto Rome to haue sene y e sayd promesse fulfylled also to haue spoken wyth the pope for dyuers maters nedefull for the chyrche he was lette by occasyon of Danes or Normannes y t than had newly inuaded the lōdes of Fraūce the whyche he shortly after expellyd and droue out of hys londys And that done the emperour yode vnto Aquysgrany where by the frendes of Indith other of the nobles of Fraunce the emperour gaue vnto hys yongest sonne Charlis a porcyō of y e empyre whyche after shall more clerely appere And soone after at a counsayle holdyn at Cirycyake before namyd in the presence of his son Lewys he gaue to hym the order of knyghthode adournyd hym wyth kynges clothynge And ouer all thys in the presence of many lordes of Fraunce he gaue to the sayde Charlys the hole countrey of Neustria that now is named Normandye Of whyche honoure and gyftes though hys moder were ioyous and gladde yet hys brother Lewys was therewyth nothynge contentyd whyche of Indith and of hyr frendes was well apperceyuyd and knowen wherefore as she before tyme had done than of newe she made request vnto hyr lorde and husband that he wolde of hys moste especyall grace graunte vnto hyr that Lothayre myghte haue the gouernaunce of hyr sonne Charlys the whych of hym was the seconde tyme graunted Uppon whyche graunte thus to her made the emperour sent vnto hys son Lothayre pleasaūt letters wyllyng hym in all goodly hast to resorte vnto hys court The which obeyenge hys fathers commaundement retourned into Fraunce shortly after the receyte of the said letters and came vnto his father to the citye of Uernayse of whome he was ioyously receyued And after he hadde a season dwellyd with the emperour he gaue vnto hym the coūtrey of Austracy the whyche countrey as shall after be shewyd in thys Lotharius story was after his name named Lorayne But a parte of the sayde prouynce or countrey that stretchyd towarde Hungrye the sayde Lowys gaue vnto his yongest son Charlys And immedyatly after thys gyftes before many lordes confermyd the emperoure in presence of the sayd lordes toke Charlys by the hande and delyueryd hym vnto his brother Lothayre wyllynge and straytly chargynge hym that he shulde take hym vnto his cure and be to hym as curyouse as he wolde be vnto hys own chyld and to guyde hym and his possessyons as the father shulde guyde the chylde And to Charlys he commaunded that he shulde take obey hym as his father and loue and worshyppe hym as his brother y e whych vppon eyther partye was promysyd to be obseruyd And shortly after the sayd Lothayr with his brother Charlys toke congy of father and mother and returned agayn into Italy About this tyme dyed Pepyn the seconde sonne of Lewys and duke of Guyan the whych yf all shuld be expressyd putte his father to great trouble and vexacyon wherfore for hym was made the lesse mournynge This left after hym a son named Pepyn of whome somwhat the storye spekyth after But now I wyll retourne to Lewys the thyrde sonne of the emperoure THE CLXI CHAPITER TRouth yt is that whē the yonger brother Lewys sawe the bountye of his father so largely extende towarde his two brethern and to hym nothynge he was therwyth in his mynde greatly dyscontent all be yt that for the tyme he kepte yt secrete to hym selfe But when he was departyd from hys father and returnyd to his owne lordshyppe he gaderyd a myghty power and began to make warre vpon the dwellers nere about the Ryne wherfore the emperour wyth a conuenyent power approchyd vnto the citye of Dodayng and sent from thens vnto hys sayde sonne wordes of reconcylyacyon by meane wherof the sayde Lowes put hym holy in the grace of hys father and was to hym reconcyled without shedynge of mannys blood But whyle the emperour was besyde at the citye of Cleremoūt in the countye of Auerne to set a dyreccion amonge the Gascoynes for opynyons that were reryd amonge theym for the sonne of Pepyn there lately kynge or duke dyscessyd whyche son as aboue is sayde was also named Pepyn and there about had taken great payne and labour thyther to hym tydynges were newly brought that hys sayde sonne Lewys hadde wyth y e Saxons or Soysons with the Thorynges made alliaunce and was entryd into Germany and therin made warre in moste cruell wyse wyth whyche tydynges Lowis was so greuously passyoned that to hys great age was by meane of thys vnkynde anger fyxyd a sykenes that lefte hym not whyle he lyued After yet thys not wythstandyng he lyke a strong hartyd knyght shewyd forth a good and comfortable coūtenaunce And after he hadde in knyghtly wyse preparyd all thynge necessarye to the warre he spedde hym towarde Almayne and contynued hys iourney tyll he came vnto Thorynge where a season he restyd hym and his people tyll he myght be better assuryd where his sonne Lewys restyd hym But the sonne hauynge knowlege of the great power of hys father and also beynge in despayre of purchasynge of mercy consyderyng his many offences fled by the coūtrey of Sclauony and so by that costes retourned into Bayon or Bauery and so escapyd the daunger of hys father Then the emperoure beyng surely enformyd of the scape of hys sonne helde on his iourney tyll he came to Magoūce And after came vnto the cytye of Uermayse where he called a counsayle of his lordes spyrytuall and temporall and ordeyned there dyuerse thynges for the state of the empyre And more entendyd to haue done but sykenesse increasyd so sore in hym that by the space of .xl. days he toke no temporall sustenaunce But in that tyme he vsyd often to take the blessed sacrament the which as he often sayde strengthyd bothe the soule and the bodye Then he sent for Lothayre to come vnto hym the whyche wythoute taryenge obeyed his commaundemēt and abode styll wyth hym Of this Lewys Policronicon maketh a shorte rehersall and sayth y ◠by his fyrste wyfe named Hermyngarde he had .iii. sonnes Lothayre Pepyn and Lewys The fyrst beyng felowe with his father of the empyre was crowned of pope Pascall vpon an Ester daye and he was also kyng of Italy And Pepyn he made duke of Gascoyne and Guyan And Lewys was made ruler of Bauary And by his second wife named Indyth and doughter of y e duke of Bayon he hadde Charlis the Ballyd to whome he gaue the countrey of Burgoyn as the
the cytye made vpon the Danys a great scomfyture So that by the prowesse of the foresayde two temporall lordes and assystens of this spyrituall man Rollo was compelled to fle and forsake his siege not without huge slaughter Rollo then hauynge greate dysdayne and dyspleasure of thys ouerthrowe and scumfyture of hys Danys reassembled them that were abrode scatered and coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to ouer ryde the countre and to destroye it in all that they myght After whych coÌ„maundement thus to them gyuen this cruell people slewe man women chylde that were not apte to do to them seruyce and brent the chyrches and temples and rauyshed virgyns as well religious as other So that miserable it was to beholde the greate abhomynacyon of these tyrannous Danys that brent robbed and slewe that innocent people wythout mercy The lordes and comons thus beset with cruell fury of theyr enmyes assembled them by sondry coÌ„panyes and went vnto the kynge shewynge vnto hym theyr mysery and blamed as they durste hys ferefulnesse and negligence that he nor none for hym otherwyse wythstode the crueltye of the Danys that hadde destroyed a greate parte of hys lande THE CLXXXII CHAPITER CHarlys herynge this exclamacyon of hys subgettes and coÌ„syderyng hys lacke of power to withstande that malyce of hys enemyes was ryght pensyfe and heuy in hys herte and castynge in hys mynde many sondry wayes he lastly determyned to sende agayne the aboue named Frank byshop of Roan vnto Rollo prynce of Danys shewynge hym that yf he wolde renye hys pagan lawe and become a crysten man he wolde to hym gyue in maryage Gylda his doughter wyth the hole countre of Neustria for her dowar whan Rollo had receyued this tydynges from the kyng by the mouth of his frende Frank he somwhat attempred hys fury and crueltye and condescended to a trewe by the counsayle of hys lordes for y e terme of .iii. monethes in the whyche tyme he myghte haue some coÌ„munycacyon wyth the kynge for ferther processe of thys mater So that after it was concluded by the counsayle of bothe prynces that theyr metynge shulde be vpon y e ryuer or flode named Ept. where shortly after the sayd prynces had coÌ„munycacyon the one wyth the other theyr people standynge vpon eyther syde of the sayd ryuer where it was concluded that Rollo shulde forsake hys pagan lawe and take vppon hym the lyuerey of Crystes baptym and after to marye the forenamed Gylda and to receyue wyth her as is aboue shewed whyche conclusyon thus taken eyther fro other departed and shortly after at the cytye of Roan all the foresayd couenauÌ„tes were executed and fulfylled And whan the sayd Rollo was crystened his name was chaunged and called Robert after the erle of Poytowe whyche receyued hym at the fonte stone Of thys Rollo or Robert dyscended lynyally duke wyllyam of Normandy whych conquered England as after shal be more clerely shewed Than this Robert thus crystened was seased of the couÌ„tre of Neustria whom the kynge created duke and named hym duke of Neustria But it was not longe after y t this name of Neustria was chaunged called Normandye after the name of Normayns or men commyng out of the North or of Nor that is to meane North and men whyche two syllables togyder make Norman or a man of the North. whyche Normans or Danys after the exposycyon of mayster Gagwyne shulde be descended of the nacyon called the Gothes whyche Gothes of the cytye or men of Sithica ben descended The whyche Gothys in the dayes of the grete CoÌ„stantine for theyr feersnesse and cruelty were dryuen from theyr countre then by them inhabyted nere vnto the ryuer called Thamys in y e North partyes of Europe and nowe ben inhabyted in Dacia whych in our speche is called DeÌ„marke And where some men holde an opynyon that Danys and Saxons shulde be one maner of people it may congruly folowe For Saxons ben of the couÌ„tre of Germany and contayne the lande after the sayenge of Strabo in the west parte of Germania From the flode called Uistergus or wysera vnto the famous ryuer called the Ryne And Dacia or Denmarke is in the North partyes Than to retorne to thys Rollo or Robert the story sayth y t he became a good crysten man In token wherof as affermeth the French boke he gaue vnto dyuers chyrches and monasteryes of Fraunce greate gyftes as well of possessions as of mouable goodes contynued hys pease with the kyng as he before had promised After whyche pease thus stablysshed bytwene the kynge and the Danys Robert brother vnto Eudo last kyng of FrauÌ„ce contrary hys trouth and allegyaunce seased certayne cytyes and other holdes of the kynges enherytaunce wherfore the kynge seynge that he coude not refourme hym of that errour by no meanes of entreaty or other lyke wayes assembled an hoste and met wyth hym in playne batayle in the whych y e sayde Robert was slayne Thys Robert hadde a suster whyche was maryed vnto Hebert erle of Uermendoys whyche erle herynge of the deth of his brother in lawe by enticement of hys wyfe as the story demeth mette the kynge at the retorne of the felde and requyred hym in moste humble wyse that he wolde vouchesafe to lodge wyth hym in hys manour called the castell of Perone The kynge castynge no parell thanked hym of hys kynde request and grauÌ„ted to go wyth hym where he was receyued and fested wyth all honoure But whan thys erle hadde conueyed the kynges frendes and strength from hym he thaÌ„ kepte him there as a prisoner or murdred hym so that he neuer came at large after whyche tydynges certaynly knoweÌ„ Algina wyfe vnto the sayd Charlys the symple mystrustynge the Frenchmen wyth fewe accoÌ„panyed toke secrete shyppyng and wyth her yonge sonne named Lewys sayled into Englande there to be comforted of her fader Edwarde surnamed the elder And thus ended the reygne of thys Charlys the symple whan he hadde reygned after the sayeng of Uynsent hystoryall and other by the terme of xvi yere full leuynge after hym the foresayde chylde named Lewys THE CLXXXIII CHAPITER RAdulphus the sonne of Rycharde duke of Burgoyne began his reygne ouer the FreÌ„chmen in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred xxii and the .xxi. yere of Edwarde y e elder than kynge of Englande Here is to be noted that for so mych as Algina wyfe vnto Charlys the symple was thus secretly voyded y e lande of Fraunce wyth her sonne Lewys and that the lande myghte not be wyth out a ruler the lordes assembled at Parys and there toke theyr counsayle for the admyssyon of an hed or kyng of the lande which lordes after longe debatynge of this mater fynally agreed that thys abouerâ—amed Radulphus or Rauf son of the duke of Burgoyne as aboue is sayd as nexte heyre to the crowne shulde be admytted for kynge and so was admytted Of the whyche lytell of hys dedes are put in memory except that in the tyme of hys
greate daunger toke hys barge so in all haste rowed to London nat wythout great maymys hurtys receyued by many of hys seruauntes For thys the old raÌ„cour malyce whyche neuer was clerely cured anon begaÌ„ to breke oute in so moche that the quenes couÌ„sayll wolde haue had the sayd erle arested and committed vnto the towre wherfore he shortly after departed toward warwyke and by polycy purchased soone after a commyssioÌ„ of the kyng and so yode or sayled vnto Calays Thanne encreased thys olde malyce more more in so moche that where the quene and hyr couÌ„sayll sawe that they myght nat be auenged vppoÌ„ the erle that so vnto Calays was departed than they malygned agayne hys father the erle of Salysbury imagened how he myght be brought out of lyfe And in processe of tyme after as he was rydynge towarde Salysbury or after som from hys lodgyng towarde London the lorde Audeley wyth a stroÌ„g company was assygned to mete wyth hym as prysoner to bryng hym vnto LondoÌ„ whereof the sayde erle beynge warned gathered vnto hym the mo men kepyng hys iourney mette wyth the sayd lord Audeley at a place called Bloreheth where both companyes ran together had there a stroÌ„ge by keryng wherof in the ende the erle was vyctoure and slewe there the lorde Audeley many of hys retynew At thys skyrmys she were the .ii. sonnes of the sayd erle sore wouÌ„ded named sir Thomas and syr IohnÌ„ the whyche shortly after as they were goynge homeward were by some of the quenys party taken as prysoners sente vnto Chestry whan thys was knowen vnto y e duke of yorke and to the other lordes of hys party they knewe understode that yf they ê“uyded nat shortly for remedy for them selfe they shulde all be destroyed And for that they by one assent gathered to them a stroÌ„ge hoste of men as of Marche men and other in the moneth of Octobre y t was in the begynnyng of the .xxxviii yere of the reygne of kynge Henry the later ende of thys mayres yere they drewe them towarde the kynge to the entent to remoue froÌ„ hym such persones as they thought were enemyes vnto the commoÌ„ weale of Englande But the quene and hyr counsayll heryng of the entent strength of these lordes caused the kyng in all haste to sende forthe coÌ„myssyons to gather the people so that in shorte whyle the kyng was strongely accoÌ„panyed so spedde hym vppon hys iourney to warde the duke of yorke hys company wherof heryng y e sayd duke thaÌ„ beyng wyth hys peple nere vnto the towne of Ludlowe pyghte there a sure stroÌ„ge feelde that none of hys foes myght vppon any parte entre where he so lyeng came to him frome Calays the erle of warwyke wyth a stronge bande of meÌ„ amonge the whyche was Andrewe Trollop and many other of y e best souldiours of Calays The duke thus kepynge hys feelde vpon that one party and the kyng wyth hys people vpon that other vpon the nyght precedyng the daye that bothe hostes shulde haue met the forenamed Andrewe Trolloppe wyth all the chefe soudyours of Calays secretly departed frome y e dukes hoste and wente vnto the kynges where they were ioyously receyued whaÌ„ thys thynge to the duke and the other lordes was asserteyned they were therewhyth sore dysmayed and specyally for the sayd lordes had to the sayd Andrew shewed the hoole of theyr ententes whych thanne they knewe well shuld be clerelye dyscouered vnto theyr enemyes wherfore after couÌ„sayll for a remedye taken they concluded to flee to leue the feelde standyng as they had ben presente and styll abydyng And so incontynently the sayd duke wyth hys twoo sonnes a few other persones fledde towarde walys and from thens passed sauely into Irelande And the erles of Salysbury of Marche of warwyke and other wyth a secrete company also departed and toke the waye into Deuonshyre where a squyer named Iohan Dynham whyche after was a lorde and hyghe tresourer of Englande so lastlye in Henry the .vii. dayes and xvi yere of hys reygne dyed bought a shyp for a C. .x. markes or a leuen score nobles and in the same shyppe the sayd lordes went so sayled into Gerneley And whaÌ„ they had a seasoÌ„ there soiourned and refresshed them selfe they departed thens as in the begynnyng of the nexte mayres yere shal be clerely shewed Uppon the morowe whan all thys couyne was knowen to the kynge and the lordes vpon hys party there was sendynge and ruÌ„nynge wyth all spede towarde euery cooste to take these lordes but none myght be fouÌ„de And forthwith the kyng rode vnto Ludlowe dyspoyled the towne and castell sente the duchesse of yorke wyth hyr chyldren vnto the duchesse of BuckynghaÌ„ hyr syster where she rested loÌ„ge after Anno. dnÌ„i M. CCCC.lix  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.lx Fysshemonger HohnÌ„ Plummer  wyllyam Hulyn  Anno .xxxviii.  IohnÌ„ Stocker  THys yere that is to meane vppon the fryday next ensuyng Alhalowen day after the sayde erles of Salysbury of Marche of warwyke had as before is said refresshed them in the I le of Gernesey they vpoÌ„ the fryday foresayd laÌ„ded at Calays and there were at a posterne by theyr freÌ„des ioyously receyued ThaÌ„ anon vpon this these foresayd lordes were proclaymed rebellys traytours the yonge duke of Somerset was made capitayne of Calays wherfore in all haste he made purueyaunce saylyd thyther to take possessyon of y e town But he fayled of hys purpose for the foresayde erles there beynge kept so y e towne that there he myght haue no rule natwythstandyng that he shewed the kynges letter pateÌ„tys wyth many other strayght commauÌ„dementes of the kynge For whyche cause the sayd duke yode vnto Guynys and there helde hym for a seasoÌ„ And anone as the sayd duke was laÌ„ded some of the shypmen which had brought hym thyther for good wyll that they owed vnto the erle of warwyke coÌ„ueyed theyr shippes streyght into Calays hauen brought wyth them certayne persones named Genyn Fenbyll IohnÌ„ Felowe Kayles and Purser whyche were enemyes vnto the sayde erle of warwyke the whyche were presented vnto the lordes and soone after wythin the sayd towne of Calays they were beheded Thys rumoure thus contynuynge dayly came vnto these lordes greate socoure out of EnglaÌ„de And vppon that other partye the duke as before is sayd lyeng in the castel of Guynes gate vnto hym ayde and strengthe of souldyours made out and skyrmysshed wyth them of Calays many and sundry tymes In whych assautes many meÌ„ were slayen hurte vppon both partyes but moste wekyd the dukes partye For all be that the lordes lost many men yet they dayly came so thycke to them out of dyuers partyes of EnglaÌ„de that theyr losse was nat espyed so that they wantyd no meÌ„ but money to maynteynÌ„ theyr dayly charge with For remedy wher of they shyfted wyth the staple of