dominion Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius counted the first christian king of this nation he conuerted the three archflamines of this land into bishopriks and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them The first remained at London and his power extended from the furthest part of Cornewall to Humber water The second dwelled at Yorke and his power stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland The third aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales his power extended from Seuerne through all Wales Some write that he made but two and turned their names to archbishops the one to remaine at Canturburie the other at Yorke yet they confesse that he of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland either of which is sufficient to prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth a Romane but in bloud a Briton as some thinke and the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeâ—s sonne of Lud nephue of Cassibelane was shortlie after emperour king of Britons in whose time the people to whom his ancester Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse in Scotland conspired with the Scots receiued them from the Iles into Scotland But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méeting with their faith and false harts togither droue them all out of the maine land into Iles the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine But notwithstanding this glorious victorie the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romans imposed by treason of Androgeus ancestor to this Seuerus began to hate him whome yet they had no time to loue and who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their confederats in one battell thirtie thousand but such was the consideration of the common sort in those daies whose malice no time could diminish nor iust desert appease Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman and Geta borne by a Romane woman were the sonnes of this Seuerus who after the death of their father by the contrarie voices of their people contended for the crowne Few Britons held with Bassianus fewer Romans with Geta but the greater number with neither of both In the end Geta was slaine and Bassianus remained emperour against whom Carautius rebelled who gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited whereby his seison thereof appeareth Coill descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land was shortlie after king of the Britons whose onelie daughter and heire called Helen was married vnto Constantius a Romane who daunted the rebellion of all parts of great Britaine and after the death of this Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof and reigned in his state ouer them thirtéene or fouretéene yeares Constantine the sonne of this Constance and Helen was next king of Britons by the right of his mother who passing to Rome to receiue the empire thereof deputed one Octauius king of Wales and duke of the Gewisses which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons to haue the gouernment of this dominion But abusing the kings innocent goodnesse this Octauius defrauded this trust and tooke vpon him the crowne For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine Traheron great vncle to Constantine yet after the death of this Traheron he preuailed againe and vsurped ouer all Britaine Constantine being now emperor sent Marimius his kinsman hither in processe of time to destroie the same Octauius who in singular battell discomfited him Wherevpon this Maximius as well by the consent of great Constantine as by the election of all the Britons for that he was a Briton in bloud was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king and expelled and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine Finallie he inhabited all Scotland with Britons no man woman nor child of the Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it which as their Hector Boetius saith was for their rebellion and rebellion properlie could it not be except they had béene subiects He suffered the Picts also to remaine his subiects who made solemne othes to him neuer after to erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation but to remaine vnder the old empire of the onelie king of Britaine I had once an epistle by Leland exemplified as he saith out of a verie ancient record which beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine and entreth after this manner Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino mater Helena semper Augusta c. And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books For thereby I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter neuerthelesse if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were reserued It followeth on also in this maner as it is translated out of the Gréeke Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat nec fides recta aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam c. About fiue and fourtie yeares after this which was long time after the death of this Maximius with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Helga the Scots newlie arriued in Albania and there created one Fergus the second of that name to be there king But bicause they were before banished the continent land they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile in the fatall chaire of marble the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and two and twentie as they themselues doo write Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron brother to king Coill and vncle to Helene was by lineall succession next king of Britons but to appease the malice of Dionothus king of Wales who also claimed the kingdome he maried Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus and afterwards assembled a great power of Britons and entered Albania inuading Gallowaie Mers Annandale Pentland Carrike Kill and Cuningham and in battell slue both this Fergus then king of Scots and Durstus the king of Picts and exiled all their people out of the continent land wherevpon the few number of Scots then remaining a liue went to Argile and there made Eugenius their king When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in Britaine he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica where they subdued the king and depopulated the countrie which he gaue to Conan his cousine to be afterward inhabited by Britons by the name of Britaine the lesse and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the great which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this daie After the death of Maximian dissention being mooued betweene the nobles of Britaine the Scots swarmed togither againe and came to the wall of Adrian where this realme being diuided in manie factions they ouercame one
obeisance to this Cadwallo during eight and twentie yeares Thus Cadwallo reigned in the whole monarchie of great Britaine hauing all the seuen kings thereof as well Saxons as others his subiects for albeit the number of Saxons from time to time greatlie increased yet were they alwaies either at the first expelled or else made tributarie to the onelie kings of Britons for the time being as all their owne writers doo confesse Cadwallader was next king of the whole great Britaine he reigned twelue yeares ouer all the kings thereof in great peace and tranquillitie and then vpon the lamentable death of his subiects which died of sundrie diseases innumerablie he departed into little Britaine His sonne and cousine Iuor and Iue being expelled out of England also by the Saxons went into Wales where among the Britons they and their posteritie remained princes Upon this great alteration and warres being through the whole dominion betwéene the Britons and Saxons the Scots thought time to slip the collar of obedience and therevpon entred in league with Charles then king of France establishing it in this wise 1 The iniurie of Englishmen doone to anie of these people shall be perpetuallie holden common to them both 2 When Frenchmen be inuaded by Englishmen the Scots shall send their armie in defense of France so that they be supported with monie and vittels by the French 3 When Scots be inuaded by Englishmen the Frenchmen shall come vpon their owne expenses to their support and succour 4 None of the people shall take peace or truce with Englishmen without the aduise of other c. Manie disputable opinions may be had of warre without the praising of it as onlie admittable by inforced necessitie and to be vsed for peace sake onelie where here the Scots sought warre for the loue of warre onelie For their league giueth no benefit to themselues either in frée traffike of their owne commodities or benefit of the French or other priuilege to the people of both What discommoditie riseth by loosing the intercourse and exchange of our commodities being in necessaries more aboundant than France the Scots féele and we perfectlie know What ruine of their townes destruction of countries slaughter of both peoples haue by reason of this bloudie league chanced the histories be lamentable to read and horrible among christian men to be remembred but God gaue the increase according to their séed for as they did hereby sowe dissention so did they shortlie after reape a bloudie slaughter and confusion For Alpine their king possessing a light mind that would be lost with a little wind hoped by this league shortlie to subdue all great Britaine and to that end not onelie rebelled in his owne kingdome but also vsurped vpon the kingdome of Picts Whervpon Edwine king of England made one Brudeus king of Picts whom he sent into Scotland with a great power where in battell he tooke this Alpine king of Scots prisoner and discomfited his people And this Alpine being their king found subiect and rebell his head was striken off at a place in Scotland which thereof is to this daie called Pasalpine that is to saie the head of Alpine And this was the first effect of their French league Osbright king of England with Ella his subiect and a great number of Britons and Saxons shortlie after for that the Scots had of themselues elected a new king entered Scotland and ceassed not his war against them vntill their king and people fled into the Iles with whome at the last vpon their submission peace was made in this wise The water of Frith shall be march betwéene Scots and Englishmen in the east parts and shall be named the Scotish sea The water of Cluide to Dunbriton shall be march in the west parts betwéene the Scots and Britons This castell was before called Alcluide but now Dunbriton that is to say the castle of Britons and sometimes it was destroied by the Danes So the Britons had all the lands from Sterling to the Ireland seas and from the water of Frith Cluide to Cumber with all the strengths and commodities thereof and the Englishmen had the lands betwéene Sterling and Northumberland Thus was Cluide march betwéene the Scots and the Britons on the one side and the water of Frith named the Scotish sea march betwéene them and Englishmen on the other side and Sterling common march to thrée people Britons Englishmen and Scots howbeit king Osbright had the castle of Sterling where first he caused to be coined Sterling monie The Englishmen also builded a bridge of stone for passage ouer the water of Frith in the middest whereof they made a crosse vnder which were written these verses I am free march as passengers may ken To Scots to Britons and Englishmen Not manie yeares after this Hinguar and Hubba two Danes with a great number of people arriued in Scotland and slue Constantine whom Osbright had before made king wherevpon Edulfe or Ethelwulfe then king of England assembled his power against Hinguar and Hubba and in one battell slue them both but such of their people as would remaine and become christians he suffered to tarie the rest he banished or put to death c. This Ethelwulfe granted the Peter pence of which albeit Peter Paule had little need and lesse right yet the paiment thereof continued in this realme euer after vntill now of late yeares But the Scots euer since vnto this daie haue and yet doo paie it by reason of that grant which prooueth them to be then vnder his obeisance Alured or Alfred succéeded in the kingdome of England and reigned noblie ouer the whole monarchie of great Britaine he made lawes that persons excommunicated should be disabled to sue or claime anie propertie which law Gregour whome this Alured had made king of Scots obeied and the same law as well in Scotland as in England is holden to this daie which also prooueth him to be high lord of Scotland This Alured constreined Gregour king of Scots also to breake the league with France for generallie he concluded with him and serued him in all his warres as well against Danes as others not reseruing or making anie exception of the former league with France The said Alured after the death of Gregour had the like seruice and obeisance of Donald king of Scots with fiue thousand horssemen against one Gurmond a Dane that then infested the realme and this Donald died in this faith and obeisance with Alured Edward the first of that name called Chifod sonne of this Alured succéeded his father and was the next king of England against whome Sithrtic a Dane and the Scots conspired but they were subdued and Constantine their king brought to obeisance He held the realme of Scotland also of king Edward and this dooth Marian their owne countrieman a Scot confesse beside Roger Houeden and William of Malmesberie In the yeare of our Lord 923 the same king Edward was president and gouernour of
Scotland which could not be now for anie earledome did homage to the sonne of Henrie the second with a reseruation of the dutie to king Henrie the second his father Also the earledome of Huntingdon was as ye haue heard before this forfeited by Malcolme his brother and neuer after restored to the crowne of Scotland This William did afterward attend vpon the same Henrie the second in his warres in Normandie against the French king notwithstanding their French league and then being licenced to depart home in the tenth of this prince and vpon the fiftéenth of Februarie he returned and vpon the sixtéenth of October did homage to him for the realme of Scotland In token also of his perpetuall subiection to the crowne of England he offered vp his cloake his faddle and his speare at the high altar in Yorke wherevpon he was permitted to depart home into Scotland where immediatlie he mooued cruell warre in Northumberland against the same king Henrie being as yet in Normandie But God tooke the defense of king Henries part and deliuered the same William king of Scots into the hands of a few Englishmen who brought him prisoner to king Henrie into Normandie in the twentith yeere of his reigne But at the last at the sute of Dauid his brother Richard bishop of saint Andrews and other bishops and lords he was put to this fine for the amendment of his trespasse to wit to paie ten thousand pounds sterling and to surrender all his title to the earldome of Huntingdon Cumberland Northumberland into the hands of king Henrie which he did in all things accordinglie sealing his charters thereof with the great seale of Scotland and signets of his nobilitie yet to be seene wherein it was also comprised that he and his successours should hold the realme of Scotland of the king of England and his successours for euer And herevpon he once againe did homage to the same king Henrie which now could not be for the earledome of Huntingdon the right whereof was alreadie by him surrendred And for the better assurance of this faith also the strengths of Berwike Edenborough Roxborough and Striueling were deliuered into the hands of our king Henrie of England which their owne writers confesse But Hector Boetius saith that this trespasse was amended by fine of twentie thousand pounds sterling and that the erledome of Huntingdon Cumberland and Northumberland were deliuered as morgage into the hands of king Henrie vntill other ten thousand pounds sterling should be to him paid which is so farre from truth as Hector was while he liued from well meaning to our countrie But if we grant that it is true yet prooueth he not that the monie was paid nor the land otherwise redéemed or euer after came to anie Scotish kings hands And thus it appeareth that the earledome of Huntingdon was neuer occasion of the homages of the Scotish kings to the kings of England either before this time or after This was doone 1175. Moreouer I read this note hereof gathered out of Robertus Montanus or Montensis that liued in those daies and was as I take it confessor to king Henrie The king of Scots dooth homage to king Henrie for the kingdome of Scotland and is sent home againe his bishops also did promise to doo the like to the archbishop of Yorke and to acknowledge themselues to be of his prouince and iurisdiction By vertue also of this composition the said Robert saith that Rex Angliae dabat honores episcopatus abbatias alias dignitates in Scotia vel saltem eius consilio dabantur that is The king of England gaue honors bishopriks abbatships and other dignities in Scotland or at the leastwise they were not giuen without his aduise and counsell At this time Alexander bishop of Rome supposed to haue generall iurisdiction ecclesiasticall through christendome established the whole cleargie of Scotland according to the old lawes vnder the iurisdiction of the archbishop of Yorke In the yeare of our Lord 1185 in the moneth of August at Cairleill Rouland Talmant lord of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie with all that held of him In the two and twentith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the second Gilbert sonne of Ferguse prince of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie and left Dunecan his sonne in hostage for conseruation of his peace Richard surnamed Coeur de Lion because of his stoutnesse and sonne of this Henrie was next king of England to whome the same William king of Scots did homage at Canturburie for the whole kingdome of Scotland This king Richard was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostrich for whose redemption the whole realme was taxed at great summes of monie vnto the which this William king of Scots as a subiect was contributorie and paied two thousand markes sterling In the yeare of our Lord 1199 Iohn king of England sent to William king of Scots to come and doo his homage which William came to Lincolne in the moneth of December the same yeare and did his homage vpon an hill in the presence of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and of all the people there assembled and therevnto tooke his oth and was sworne vpon the crosse of the said Hubert also he granted by his charter confirmed that he should haue the mariage of Alexander his sonne as his liegeman alwaies to hold of the king of England promising moreouer that he the said king William and his sonne Alexander should keepe and hold faith and allegiance to Henrie sonne of the said king Iohn as to their chiefe lord against all maner of men that might liue and die Also whereas William king of Scots had put Iohn bishop of saint Andrew out of his bishoprike pope Clement wrote to Henrie king of England that he should mooue and induce the same William and if néed required by his roiall power and prerogatiue ouer that nation to compell him to leaue his rancor against the said bishop and suffer him to haue and occupie his said bishoprike againe In the yeare of our Lord 1216 and fiue twentith of the reigne of Henrie sonne to king Iohn the same Henrie and the quéene were at Yorke at the feast of Christmasse for the solemnization of a marriage made in the feast of saint Stephan the martyr the same yeare betwéene Alexander king of Scots and Margaret the kings daughter and there the said Alexander did homage to Henrie king of England for all the realme of Scotland In buls of diuerse popes were admonitions giuen to the kings of Scots as appeareth by that of Gregorie the fift and Clement his successor that they should obserue and trulie kéepe all such appointments as had béene made betwéene the kings of England and Scotland And that the kings of Scotland should still hold the realme of Scotland of the kings of England vpon paine of cursse and interdiction After the death of Alexander king of Scots Alexander his sonne
being nine yeares of age was by the lawes of Edgar in ward to king Henrie the third by the nobles of Scotland brought to Yorke and there deliuered vnto him During whose minoritie king Henrie gouerned Scotland and to subdue a commotion in this realme vsed the aid of fiue thousand Scotishmen But king Henrie died during the nonage of this Alexander whereby he receiued not his homage which by reason and law was respited vntill his full age of one and twentie yeares Edward the first after the conquest sonne of this Henrie was next king of England immediatlie after whose coronation Alexander king of Scots being then of full age did homage to him for Scotland at Westminster swearing as all the rest did after this maner I. D. N. king of Scots shall be true and faithfull vnto you lord E. by the grace of God king of England the noble and superior lord of the kingdome of Scotland and vnto you I make my fidelitie for the same kingdome the which I hold and claime to hold of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and lim and worldlie honour against all men faithfullie I shall knowlege and shall doo you seruice due vnto you of the kingdome of Scotland aforesaid as God me so helpe and these holie euangelies This Alexander king of Scots died leauing one onelie daughter called Margaret for his heire who before had maried Hanigo sonne to Magnus king of Norwaie which daughter also shortlie after died leauing one onelie daughter hir heire of the age of two yeares whose custodie and mariage by the lawes of king Edgar and Edward the confessor belonged to Edward the first whervpon the nobles of Scotland were commanded by our king Edward to send into Norwaie to conueie this yoong queene into England to him whome he intended to haue maried to his sonne Edward and so to haue made a perfect vnion long wished for betwéene both realmes Herevpon their nobles at that time considering the same tranquillitie that manie of them haue since refused stood not vpon shifts and delaies of minoritie nor contempt but most gladlie consented and therevpon sent two noble men of Scotland into Norwaie for hir to be brought to this king Edward but she died before their comming thither and therefore they required nothing but to inioie the lawfull liberties that they had quietlie possessed in the last king Alexanders time After the death of this Margaret the Scots were destitute of anie heire to the crowne from this Alexander their last king at which time this Edward descended from the bodie of Mawd daughter of Malcolme sometime king of Scots being then in the greatest broile of his warres with France minded not to take the possession of that kingdome in his owne right but was contented to establish Balioll to be king thereof the weake title betwéene him Bruse Hastings being by the humble petition of all the realme of Scotland cōmitted to the determination of king Edward wherein by autentike writing they confessed the superioritie of the realme to remaine in king Edward sealed with the seales of foure bishops seuen earles and twelue barons of Scotland and which shortlie after was by the whole assent of the three estates of Scotland in their solemne parlement confessed and enacted accordinglie as most euidentlie dooth appeare The Balioll in this wise made king of Scotland did immediatlie make his homage and fealtie at Newcastell vpon saint Stéeuens daie as did likewise all the lords of Scotland each one setting his hand to the composition in writing to king Edward of England for the kingdome of Scotland but shortlie after defrauding the benigne goodnesse of his superiour he rebelled and did verie much hurt in England Herevpon king Edward inuaded Scotland seized into his hands the greater part of the countrie and tooke all the strengths thereof Whervpon Balioll king of Scots came vnto him to Mauntrosse in Scotland with a white wand in his hand and there resigned the crowne of Scotland with all his right title and interest to the same into the hands of king Edward and thereof made his charter in writing dated and sealed the fourth yeare of his reigne All the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland also repaired to Berwike and did homage and fealtie to king Edward there becomming his subiects For the better assurance of whose oths also king Edward kept all the strengths and holdes of Scotland in his owne hands and herevpon all their lawes processes all iudgements gifts of assises and others passed vnder the name and authoritie of king Edward Leland touching the same rehearsall writeth thereof in this maner In the yeare of our Lord 1295 the same Iohn king of Scots contrarie to his faith and allegiance rebelled against king Edward and came into England and burnt and siue without all modestie and mercie Wherevpon king Edward with a great host went to Newcastell vpon Tine passed the water of Twéed besieged Berwike and got it Also he wan the castell of Dunbar and there were slaine at this brunt 15700 Scots Then he proceeded further and gat the castell of Rokesborow and the castell of Edenborow Striuelin and Gedworth and his people harried all the land In the meane season the said king Iohn of Scots considering that he was not of power to withstand king Edward sent his letters and besought him of treatie and peace which our prince benignlie granted and sent to him againe that he should come to the towre of Brechin and bring thither the great lords of Scotland with him The king of England sent thither Antonie Becke bishop of Durham with his roiall power to conclude the said treatise And there it was agreed that the said Iohn and all the Scots should vtterlie submit themselues to the kings will And to the end the submission should be performed accordinglie the king of Scots laid his sonne in hostage and pledge vnto him There also he made his letters sealed with the common scale of Scotland by the which he knowledging his simplenes and great offense doone to his lord king Edward of England by his full power and frée will yeelded vp all the land of Scotland with all the people and homage of the same Then our king went foorth to sée the mounteins and vnderstanding that all was in quiet and peace he turned to the abbeie of Scone which was of chanons regular where he tooke the stone called the Regall of Scotland vpon which the kings of that nation were woont to sit at the time of their coronations for a throne sent it to the abbeie of Westminster commanding to make a chaire therof for the priests that should sing masse at the high altar which chaire was made and standeth yet there at this daie to be séene In the yeare of our Lord 1296 the king held his parlement at Berwike and there he tooke homage singularlie of diuerse of the lords nobles of Scotland And for a perpetuall memorie of the same they
gentlemen which oftentimes doo beare more port than they are able to mainteine Secondlie by seruingmen whose wages cannot suffice so much as to find them bréeches wherefore they are now and then constreined either to kéepe high waies and breake into the wealthie mens houses with the first sort or else to walke vp and downe in gentlemens and rich farmers pastures there to sée and view which horsses féed best whereby they manie times get something although with hard aduenture it hath béene knowne by their confession at the gallowes that some one such chapman hath had fortie fiftie or sixtie stolne horsses at pasture here and there abroad in the countrie at a time which they haue sold at faires and markets farre off they themselues in the meane season being taken about home for honest yeomen and verie wealthie drouers till their dealings haue been bewrated It is not long since one of this companie was apprehended who was before time reputed for a verie honest and wealthie townesman he vttered also more horsses than anie of his trade because he sold a reasonable peniworth and was a faire spoken man It was his custome likewise to saie if anie man hucked hard with him about the price of a gelding So God helpe me gentleman or sir either he did cost me so much or else by Iesus I stole him Which talke was plaine inough and yet such was his estimation that each beleeued the first part of his tale and made no account of the later which was the truer indeed Our third annoiers of the common-wealth are roges which doo verie great mischeefe in all places where they become For wheras the rich onelie suffer iniurie by the firâ—t two these spare neither rich nor poore but whether it be great gaine or small all is fish that commeth to net with them and yet I saie both they and the rest are trussed vp apace For there is not one yeare commonlie wherein three hundred or foure 〈◊〉 of them are not deuoured and eaten vp by the gallowes in one place and other It appeareth by Cardane who writeth it vpon the report of the bishop of Lexouia in the geniture of king Edward the sixt how Henrie the eight executing his laws verie seuerelie against such idle persons I meane great theeues pettie théeues and roges did hang vp thréescore and twelue thousand of them in his time He seemed for a while greatlie to haue terrified the rest but since his death the number of them is so increased yea although we haue had no warres which are a great occasion of their breed for it is the custome of the more idle sort hauing once serued or but séene the other side of the sea vnder colour of seruice to shake hand with labour for euer thinking it a disgrace for himselfe to returne vnto his former trade that except some better order be taken or the lawes alreadie made be better executed such as dwell in vplandish townes and little villages shall liue but in small safetie and rest For the better apprehension also of theeues and mankillers there is an old law in England verie well prouided whereby it is ordered that if he that is robbed or any man complaine and giue warning of slaughter or murther committed the constable of the village wherevnto he commeth and crieth for succour is to raise the parish about him and to search woods groues and all suspected houses and places where the trespasser may be or is supposed to lurke and not finding him there he is to giue warning vnto the next constable and so one constable after serch made to aduertise another from parish to parish till they come to the same where the offendor is harbored and found It is also prouided that if anie parish in this businesse doo not hir dutie but suffereth the théefe for the auoiding of trouble sake in carrieng him to the gaile if he should be apprehended or other letting of their worke to escape the same parish is not onlie to make fine to the king but also the same with the whole hundred wherein it standeth to repaie the partie robbed his damages and leaue his estate harmlesse Certes this is a good law howbeit I haue knowne by mine owne experience fellons being taken to haue escaped out of the stocks being rescued by other for want of watch gard that théeues haue beene let passe bicause the couetous and greedie parishoners would neither take the paines nor be at the charge to carrie them to prison if it were far off that when hue and crie haue béene made euen to the faces of some constables they haue said God restore your losse I haue other businesse at this time And by such meanes the meaning of manie a good law is left vnexecuted malefactors imboldened and manie a poore man turned out of that which he hath swet and taken great paines for toward the maintenance of himselfe and his poore children and familie Of the maner of building and furniture of our houses Chap. 12. THe greatest part of our building in the cities and good townes of England consisteth onelie of timber for as yet few of the houses of the communaltie except here there in the West countrie townes are made of stone although they may in my opinion in diuerse other places be builded so good cheape of the one as of the other In old time the houses of the Britons were slightlie set vp with a few posts many radels with stable and all offices vnder one roofe the like whereof almost is to be séene in the fennie countries and northerne parts vnto this daie where for lacke of wood they are inforced to continue this ancient maner of building It is not in vaine therefore in speaking of building to make a distinction betwéene the plaine and wooddie soiles for as in these our houses are commonlie strong and well timbered so that in manie places there are not aboue foure six or nine inches betwéene stud and stud so in the open and champaine countries they are inforced for want of stuffe to vse no studs at all but onlie franke posts raisins beames prickeposts groundsels summers or dormants transoms and such principals with here and there a girding whervnto they fasten their splints or radels and then cast it all ouer with thicke claie to keepe out the wind which otherwise would annoie them Certes this rude kind of building made the Spaniards in quéene Maries daies to woonder but chéeflie when they saw what large diet was vsed in manie of these so homelie cottages in so much that one of no small reputation amongst them said after this maner These English quoth he haue their houses made of sticks and durt but they fare commonlie so well as the king Whereby it appeareth that he liked better of our good fare in such course cabins than of their owne thin diet in their princelike habitations and palaces In like sort as euerie countrie house is thus apparelled on the out side
all persons right and iustice all the daies of his life and lastlie being growne to great age died when he had reigned now this third time after most concordance of writers the tearme of foure yeares and was buried at Caerleill A Chapter of digression shewing the diuersitie of writers in opinion touching the computation of yeares from the beginning of the British kings of this Iland downewards since Gurguintus time till the death of Elidurus and likewise till king Lud reigned in his roialtie with the names of such kings as ruled betweene the last yeare of Elidurus and the first of Lud. The eight Chapter HEre is to be noted that euen from the beginning of the British kings which reigned here in this land there is great diuersitie amongest writers both touching the names and also the times of their reignes speciallie till they come to the death of the last mentioned king Elidurus Insomuch that Polydor Virgil in his historie of England finding a manifest error as he taketh it in those writers whome he followeth touching the account from the comming of Brute vnto the sacking of Rome by Brennus whome our histories affirme to be the brother of Beline that to fill vp the number which is wanting in the reckoning of the yeares of those kings which reigned after Brute till the daies of the same Brenne Beline he thought good to change the order least one error should follow an other and so of one error making manie he hath placed those kings which after other writers should séeme to follow Brenne and Beline betwixt Dunuallo and Mulmucius father to the said Beline and Brenne and those fiue kings which stroue for the gouernement after the deceasse of the two brethren Ferrex and Porrex putting Guintoline to succéed after the fiue kings or rulers and after Guintoline his wife Martia during the minoritie of hir sonne then hir said sonne named Sicilius After him succéeded these whose names follow in order Chimarius Danius Morindus Gorbonianus Archigallo who being deposed Elidurus was made king and so continued till he restored the gouernement as ye haue heard to Archigallo againe and after his death Elidurus was eftsoones admitted and within a while againe deposed by Uigenius and Peredurus and after their deceasses the third time restored Then after his deceasse followed successiuelie Ueginus Morganus Ennanus Idunallo Rimo Geruntins Catellus Coilus Porrex the second of that name Cherinus Fulgentius Eldalus Androgeus Urianus and Eliud after whom should follow Dunuallow Molmucius as in his proper place if the order of things doone the course of time should be obserued as Polydor gathereth by the account of yeares attributed to those kings that reigned before and after Dunuallo according to those authours whom as I said he followeth if they will that Brennus which led the Galles to Rome be the same that was sonne to the said Dunuallo Mulmucius and brother to Beline But sith other haue in better order brought out a perfect agréement in the account of yeares and succession of those kings which reigned and gouerned in this land before the sacking of Rome and also another such as it is after the same and before the Romans had anie perfect knowledge thereof we haue thought good to follow them therein leauing to euerie man his libertie to iudge as his knowledge shall serue him in a thing so doubtfull and vncerteine by reason of variance amongst the ancient writers in that behalfe And euen as there is great difference in writers since Gurguintus till the death of Elidurus so is there as great or rather greater after his deceasse speciallie till king Lud atteined the kingdome But as maie be gathered by that which Fabian and other whome he followeth doo write there passed aboue 185 yeares betwixt the last yeare of Elidurus and the beginning of king Lud his reigne in the which time there reigned 32 or 33 kings as some writers haue mentioned whose names as Gal. Mon. hath recorded are thâ—se immediatlie héere named Regâ—â— the sonne of Gorbolian or Gorbonian a worthie prince who iustlie and mercifullie gouerned his people Margan the sonne of Archigallo a noble prince likewise and guiding his subiects in good quiet Emerian brother to the same Margan but far vnlike to him in maners so that he was deposed in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ydwallo sonne to Uigenius Rimo the sonne of Peredurus Geruntius the sonne of Elidurus Catell that was buried at Winchester Coill that was buried at Nottingham Porrex a vertuous and most gentle prince Cherinus a drunkard Fulginius Eldad and Androgeus these thrée were sonnes to Chercinus and reigned successiuelie one after another after them a sonne of Androgeus then Eliud Dedaicus Clotinius Gurguntius Merianns Bledius Cop Owen Sicilius Bledgabredus an excellent musician after him his brother Archemall then Eldol Red Rodiecke Samuill Penisell Pir Capoir after him his sonne Gligweil an vpright dealing prince and a good iusticiarie whom succeeded his sonne Helie which reigned 60 yeares as the forsaid Gal. Mon. writeth where other affirme that he reigned 40 yeares and some againe say that he reigned but 7 moneths There is great diuersitie in writers touching the reignes of these kings and not onlie for the number of yéeres which they should continue in their reignes but also in their names so that to shew the diuersitie of all the writers were but to small purpose sith the dooings of the same kings were not great by report made thereof by any approoued author But this maie suffice to aduertise you that by conferring the yéeres attributed to the other kings which reigned before them since the comming of Brute who should enter this land as by the best writers is gathered about the yéere before the building of Rome 367 which was in the yéere after the creation of the world 2850 as is said with their time there remaineth 182 yéeres to be dealt amongst these 33 kings which reigned betwixt the said Elidure Lud which Lud also began his reigne after the building of the citie of Rome as writers affirme about 679 yéeres and in the yéere of the world 3895 as some that will séeme the precisest calculators doo gather Polydor Virgil changing as I haue shewed the order of succession in the British kings in bringing diuerse of those kings which after other writers followed Beline and Brenne to precéed them so successiuelie after Beline and Brenne reherseth those that by his coniecture did by likelihood succéed as thus After the decesse of Beline his sonne Gurguntius being the second of that name succeeded in gouernment of the land and then these in order as they follow Merianus Bladanus Capeus Ouinus Sicilius Bledgabredus Archemallus Eldorus Rodianus Redargius Samulius Penisellus Pyrrhus Caporus Dinellus and Helie who had issue Lud Cassibellane and Neurius Of king Helie who gaue the name to the I le of Elie of king Lud and what memorable edifices he made London sometimes called Luds towne
the countrie into his subiection without battell or bloudshed Gyldas also writing of this reuolting of the Britains saith thus When information thereof was giuen to the senate and that hast was made with a spéedie armie to reuenge the same there was no warlike nauie prepared in the sea to fight valiantlie for the defense of the countrie no square battell no right wing nor anie other prouision appointed on the shore to be séene but the backes of the Britains in stead of a shield are shewed to the persecutors and their necks readie to be cut off with the sword through cold feare running through their bones which stretched foorth their hands to be bound like womanlie creatures so that a common prouerbe followed thereof to wit That the Britains were neither valiant in warre nor faithfull in peace and so the Romans â—leaing manie of the rebels reseruing some and bringing them to bondage that the land should not lie altogither vntilled and desert returned into Italie out of that land which was void of wine and oile leauing some of their men there for gouernors to chastise the people not so much with an armie of men as with scourge and whip and if the matter so required to applie the naked sword vnto their sides so that it might be accounted Rome and not Britaine And what coine either of brasse siluer or gold there was the same to be stamped with the image of the emperour Thus farre Gildas In the British historie we find other report as thus that Claudius at his comming aland at Porchester besieged that towne to the rescue whereof came Guiderius and giuing battell to the Romans put them to the woorse till at length one Hamo being on the Romans side changed his shield and armour apparelling himselfe like a Britaine and so entring into the thickest prease of the British host came at length where the king was and there slue him But Aruiragus perceiuing this mischiefe to the end the Britains should not be discouraged therewith caused himselfe to be adorned with the kings cote-armor and other abiliments and so as king continued the fight with such manhood that the Romans were put to flight Claudius retired backe to his ships and Hamo to the next woods whom Aruiragus pursued and at length droue him vnto the sea side and there slue him yer he could take the hauen which was there at hand so that the same tooke name of him and was called a long time after Hamons hauen and at length by corruption of speach it was called Hampton and so continueth vnto this day commonlie called by the name of Southhampton Thus haue you heard how Guiderius or Guinderius whether you will came to his end which chanced as some write in the 28 yéere of his reigne Aruiragus the Britaine Claudius the Romane with their armies doo incounter a composition concerning mariage concluded betweene them Claudius returneth to Rome The third Chapter ARuiragus the yoongest son of Kymbeline and brother to Guinderius bicause the same Guinderius left no issue to succéed him was admitted king of Britaine in the yeere of our Lord 45 or rather 46. This Aruiragus otherwise called by the Britains Meuricus or Mauus of Tacitus Prasutagus is also named Armiger in the English chronicle by which chronicle as appéereth he bare himselfe right manfullie against Claudius and his Romans in the war which they made against him in so much that when Claudius had renewed his force and woone Porchester and after came to besiege Winchester in the which Aruiragus as then was inclosed Aruiragus assembling his power was readie to come foorth and giue Claudius battell wherevpon Claudius doubting the sequele of the thing sent messengers vnto Aruiragus to treat of concord and so by composition the matter was taken vp with condition that Claudius should giue his daughter Genissa in marriage vnto Aruiragus Aruiragus should acknowledge to hold his kingdome of the Romans Some write that Claudius in fauour of the valiant prowesse which he saw found in Aruiragus honored not onlie him with the mariage of his daughter the said Genissa but also to the end to make the towne more famous where this marriage was solemnized he therefore called it Claudiocestria after his name the which in the British toong was called before that daie Caerleon and after Glouernia of a duke that ruled in Demetia that hight Glunie but now it is called Glocester Other there be that write how Claudius being vanquished in battell by Aruiragus was compelled by the said Aruiragus to giue vnto him his said daughter to wife with condition as before is mentioned and that then Aruiragus was crowned king of Britaine But Suetonius maie séeme to reprooue this part of the British historie which in the life of Claudius witnesseth that he had by thrée wiues onlie three daughters that is to saie Claudia Antonia and Octauia and further that reputing Claudia not to be his caused hir to be cast downe at the doore of his wife Herculanilla whome he had forsaken by waie of diuorcement that he bestowed his daughter Antonia first on C. Pompeius Magnus and after on Faustus Silla verie noble yoong gentlemen and Octauia he matched with Nero his wiues son Whereby it should appéere that this supposed marriage betwixt Aruiragus and the daughter of Claudius is but a feined tale ¶ And héere to speake my fansie also what I thinke of this Aruiragus and other the kings whome Galfrid and such as haue followed him doo register in order to succéed one after another I will not denie but such persons there were and the same happilie bearing verie great rule in the land but that they reigned as absolute kings ouer the whole or that they succéeded one after another in manner as is auouched by the same writers it seemeth most vnlike to be true for rather it maie be gessed by that which as well Gyldas as the old approoued Romane writers haue written that diuerse of these kings liued about one time or in times greatlie differing from those times which in our writers we find noted As for example Iuuenal maketh this Aruiragus of whom we now intreat to reigne about Domitians time For my part therefore sith this order of the British kinglie succession in this place is more easie to be flatlie denied and vtterlie reprooued than either wiselie defended or trulie amended I will referre the reforming therof vnto those that haue perhaps séene more than I haue or more déepelie considered the thing to trie out an vndoubted truth in the meane time I haue thought good both to shew what I find in our histories and likewise in forren writers to the which we thinke namelie in this behalfe whilest the Romans gouerned there we maie safelie giue most credit doo we otherwise neuer so much content our selues with other vaine and fond conceits To procéed yet with the historie as we find it by our writers set foorth it is
to depart After he was remooued from the gouernment of Britaine one Perhennis capteine of the emperors gard or pretorian souldiers as they were then called bearing all the rule vnder the emperor Commodus appointed certeine gentlemen of meane calling to gouerne the armie in Britaine Which fond substituting of such petie officers to ouersée and ouerrule the people was to them an occasion of hartgrudge and to him a meanes of finall mischeefe both which it is likelie he might haue auoided had he béene prouident in his deputation For the souldiers in the same armie grudging and repining to be gouerned by men of base degrée in respect of those that had borne rule ouer them before being honorable personages as senators and of the consular dignitie they fell at square among themselues and about fiftéene hundred of them departed towards Rome to exhibit their complaint against Perhennis for what soeuer was amisse the blame was still laid to him They passed foorth without impeachment at all and comming in to Rome the emperour himselfe came foorth to vnderstand what they meant by this their comming in such sort from the place where they were appointed to serue Their answer was that they were come to informe him of the treason which Perhennis had deuised to his destruction that he might make his son emperor To the which accusation when Commodus too lightlie gaue eare beléeued it to be true namelie through the setting on of one Cleander who hated Perhennis for that he brideled him from dooing diuerse vnlawfull acts which he went about vpon a wilfull mind without all reason and modestie to practise the matter was so handled in the end that Perhennis was deliuered to the souldiers who cruellie mangled him and presentlie put him to a pitifull death Pertinax is sent as lieutenant into Britaine he is in danger to be slaine of the souldiers he riddeth himselfe of that perilous office Albinus with an armie of Britains fighteth against Seuerus and his power neere to Lions Seuerus is slaine in a conflict against the Picts Geta and Bassianus two brethren make mutuall warre for the regiment of the land the one is slaine the other ruleth The xxj Chapter NOw will we saie somewhat of the tumults in Britaine It was thought néedfull to send some sufficient capteine of autoritie thither and therefore was one Pertinax that had béene consull and ruler ouer foure seuerall consular prouinces appointed by Commodus to go as lieutenant into that I le both for that he was thought a man most méet for such a charge and also to satisfie his credit for that he had béene discharged by Perhennis of bearing anie rule and sent home into Liguria where he was borne and there appointed to remaine This Pertinax comming into Britaine pacified the armie but not without danger to haue béene slaine by a mutinic raised by one of the legions for he was stricken downe and left for dead among the staine carcasses But he woorthilie reuenged himselfe of this iniurie At length hauing chastised the rebels and brought the I le into méetelie good quiet he sued and obteined to be discharged of that roome because as he alledged the souldiers could not brooke him for that he kept them in dutifull obedience by correcting such as offended the lawes of armes THen was Clodius Albinus appointed to haue the rule of the Romane armie in Britaine whose destruction when Seuerus the emperour sought Albinus perceiued it quicklie and therefore choosing foorth a great power of Britains passed with the same ouer into France to encounter with Seuerus who was come thither towards him so that néere to the citie of Lions they ioined in battell and fought right sore in so much that Seuerus was at point to haue receiued the ouerthrow by the high prowesse and manhood of the Britains but yet in the end Albinus lost the field and was slaine Then Heraclitus as lieutenant began to gouerne Britaine as writeth Spartianus being sent thither by Seuerus for that purpose before And such was the state of this I le about the yeare of our Lord 195. In which season because that king Lucius was dead and had left no issue to succéed him the Britains as before ye haue heard were at variance amongst themselues and so continued till the comming of Seuerus whome the British chronographers affirme to reigne as king in this I le that by right of succession in bloud as descended of Androgeus the Britaine which went to Rome with Iulius Cesar as before ye haue heard THis Seuerus as then emperour of Rome began to rule this Ile as authors affirme in the yeare of our Lord 207 and gouerned the same 4 yeares and od moneths At length hearing that one Fulgentius as then a leader of the Picts was entred into the borders of his countrie on this side Durham he raised an host of Britains and Romans with the which he marched towards his enimies and méeting with the said Fulgentius in a place néere vnto Yorke in the end after sore fight Seuerus was slaine when he had ruled this land for the space almost of fiue yeares as before is said and was after buried at Yorke leauing behind him two sonnes the one named Geta and the other Bassianus This Bassianus being borne of a British woman succéeded his father in the gouernement of Britaine in the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord 211. The Romans would haue had Geta created king of Britaine bearing more fauour to him because he had a Romane ladie to his mother but the Britains moued with the like respect held with Bassianus And thervpon warre was raised betwixt the two brethren who comming to trie their quarrell by battell Geta was slaine and Bassianus with aid of the Britains remained victor and so continued king till at length he was slaine by one Carausius a Britaine borne but of low birth howbeit right valiant in armes and therefore well estéemed In somuch that obteining of the senat of Rome the kéeping of the coasts of Britaine that he might defend the same from the malice of strangers as Picts and others he drew to him a great number of souldiers and speciallie of Britains to whome he promised that if they would make him king he would cléerelie deliuer them from the oppression of the Romane seruitude Wherevpon the Britains rebelling against Bassianus ioined themselues to Carausius who by their support vanquished and slue the said Bassianus after he had reigned 6 or as some affirme 30 yeares ¶ Thus farre out of the English and British writers the which how farre they varie from likelihood of truth you shall heare in the next chapter what the approued historiographers Gréekes and Latines writing of these matters haue recorded The ambitious mind of the old emperour Seuerus he arriueth in Britaine with a mightie power to suppresse the rebellious Britains the emperours politike prouision for his souldiers in the fens and bogs the agilitie of the
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
author signifieth for Ada the sonne of the foresaid Ida succéeded his father in the kingdome of Brenitia reigning therein seuen yeares and Ella the sonne of Histria a most valiant duke began to gouerne Deira as both the said Matth. Westm. and other doo affirme VOtiporus the sonne of Aurelius Conanus succeeded his father and began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 576 in the 11 yeare of the emperour Flauius Anicius Iustinus in the fourth yeare of the reigne of Childeric king of France and in the fourth yeare of Clephis the Gothish king in Italie This Uortiporus vanquished the Saxons in battell as the British histories make mention and valiantlie defended his land and subiects the Britains from the danger of them and other their allies In the time of this kings reigne the foresaid Ella began to rule in the south part of the kingdome of Northumberland called Deira as before is mentioned according to the account of some authors who also take this Uortiporus to begin his reigne in the yeare 548. After that Uortiporus had ruled the Britans the space of 4 yeares he departed this life and left no issue behind him to succéed him in the kingdome Against this Uortiporus Gyldas also whetting his toong beginneth with him thus And why standest thou as one starke amazed Thou I say Uortiporus the tyrant of Southwales like to the panther in maner and wickednesse diuerslie spotted as it were with manie colors with thy hoarie head in thy throne full of deceits crafts and wiles and defiled euen from the lowest part of thy bodie to the crowne of thy head with diuers sundrie murthers committed on thine owne kin and filthie adulteries thus proouing a naughtie sonne of a good king as Manasses was to Ezechias How chanceth it that the violent streames of sinnes which thou swallowest vp like pleasant wine or rather art deuoured of them the end of thy life by little and little now drawing néere can not yet satisfie the What meanest thou that with fornication of all euils as it were the full heape thine owne wife being put away thou by hir honest death dooest oppresse thy soule with a certeine burthen that can not be auoided of thine vnshamefast daughter Consume not I pray thée the residue of thy daies to the offense of God c. These and the like woords vttered he exhorting him to repentance with admonitions taken out of the scriptures both for his comfort and warning ¶ If the circumstance of this that Gyldas writeth of Uortiporus be marked it may be perceiued that Geffrey of Monmouth and also Matthew of Westminster the author of the floures of histories are deceiued in that they take him to be the sonne of Aurelius Conanus and rather it may be gathered that not onlie the same Aurelius Conanus and Uortiporus but also Constantinus yea Cuneglasus and Maglocunus of the which he also intreateth as partlie shall be hereafter touched liued and reigned all at one time in seuerall parts of this I le and not as monarchs of the whole British nation but as rulers each of them in his quarter after the maner as the state of Ireland hath béene in times past before the countrie came vnder the English subiection if my coniecture herein doo not deceiue me Malgo reigneth ouer the Britains the noble qualities wherewith he was beautified by his filthie sinnes are blemished Gyldas reproueth Cuneglasus for making warre against God and man and this Malgo for his manifold offenses the vile iniquities wherevnto the British rulers were inclined the valiantnesse of Kenrike king of the Westsaxons his victories against diuers people his enimies succession in the gouernment of the Westsaxons Northumberland and Kentish Saxons the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons in this Iland Cheuling with his Westsaxons encounter with the Britains and get the vpper hand three kings of the Britains slaine and their people spoiled of their lands goods and liues The xvij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Uortiporus Malgo the nephue of Aurelius Conanus as some write was made king of Britaine began his reigne ouer the Britaines in the yéere of our Lord 580 in the fiftéenth yéere of the emperour Iustinian and in the 37 yéere of the reigne of Childerike king of the Frenchmen This Malgo is reported to haue béene the comeliest gentleman in beautie and shape of personage that was to be found in those daies amongst all the Britains and therewith of a bold and hardie courage He manfullie defended the country which he had in gouernance from the malice of the Saxons and subdued the out Iles as Orkenie and others But notwithstanding the noble qualities with the which his person was adorned yet he spotted them all with the filthie sinne of Sodomie so that he fell into the haâ—red of almightie God and being pursued of the Saxons receiued manie ouerthrowes at their hands as by the report oâ— the English writers is gathered more at large Finallie when he had reigned fiue yéeres and od moneths he departed this life It séemeth that this Malgo is named by Gyldas Maglocunus the which Gyldas before he speaketh of him inueieth against one Cimeglasus whom he reprooueth for that he warred both against God and man against God with grieuous sinnes as namelie adulterie in forsaking the companie of his lawfull wife and kéeping to concubine a sister of hirs that had professed chastilie against man with materiall armor and weapons which he vsed to the destruction of his owne countrimen with whom he kept warres and not against the enimies of the common wealth From Cuneglasus he commeth to the foresaid Maglâ—cunus whome he nameth the dragon of the Iles and the expeller of manie tyrants not onelie out of their kingdoms but also out of life the last of whom he treateth as he himselfe saith but the first in all mischéefe euill greater than manie in power and likewise in malice verie liberall in giuing but more plentifull in sinne strong and valiant in arms but stronger in destruction of his owne soule And so procéeding chargeth him with the sinne of the Sodomits sore blameth him for that where it had pleased God to make him higher than all other dukes of Britaine in kingdome and degrée he did not shew himselfe better but contrarilie far woorse than they both in maners and conditions He declareth also a little after that this Maglocune in his yoong yéeres slue in battell his vncle being king with the most valiant souldiers in maner that he had Also that where the said Maglocune tooke vpon him the profession of a moonke he after renounced the same and became a woorsse liuer than euer he was before abandoning his wife and kéeping his brothers sonnes wife while hir husband yet liued Thus by that which Gyldas writeth of the kings and rulers of the Britains which liued in his daies ye may perceiue that they were giuen to all
sea at the corner of Wirhall and so comming about to the riuer of Dee that passeth by Chester the same riuer bounded it on the west from Wales and likewise Seuerne vp to Bristow on the south it had the riuer of Thames till it came almost to London And in this sort it conteined Lincolneshire Notingam-shire Derbishire Chesshire Shropshire Worcestershire Glocestershire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hertefordshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire and Warwikeshire ¶ Thus haue ye heard how the Saxons in processe of time remoouing the Britains out of their â—eats dailie wan ground of them till at length they got possession of the best part of this I le and erected within the same seuen kingdoms which were gouerned by seuen seuerall kings who continued vntill the kings of Westsaxon brought them all at length into one monarchie as after shall appeere Matth. Westmin reckoneth eight kingdoms as thus The kingdom of Kent the kingdom of Sussex the kingdom of Essex the kingdom of Eastangle the kingdom of Mercia the kingdom of Westsex and the kingdom of Northumberland which was diuided into two kingdoms that is to say into Deira and into Bernicia wherevnto W. Harison addeth the ninth in the first part of his chronologie and calleth it Wales AFter that Malgo or Maglocune was departed this life one Careticus or as some write him Caretius was made king of the Britains and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 586 which was in the third yéere of the emperour Mauricius and thirtéenth of Chilperike king of France This Careticus was a nourisher of ciuill warre and dissention amongst his owne people the Britains so that he was hated both of God and man as writers testifie The Saxons vnderstanding that the Britains were not of one mind but diuided in partakings so as one was readie to deuoure an other thought it good time for them to aduance their conquests and ceassed not to pursue the Britains by force and continuall warre till they had constreined them for refuge to withdraw into Wales And as some haue written the Saxons meaning to make a full conquest of the land sent ouer into Ireland requiring one Gurmundus a king of the Affricans to come ouer into Britaine to helpe them against the Britains This Gurmundus appointing his brother Turgesius to pursue the conquest of Ireland came and arriued heere in Britaine making such cruell warre in aid of the Saxons against the Britains that Careticus was constreined to kéepe him within the citie of Chicester or Cirencester and was there besieged and at length by continuall assalts and skirmishes when he had lost manie of his men he was glad to forsake that citie and fled into Wales This Gurmundus tooke Cirencester or Chichester and destroied it in most cruell maner Some write that he tooke this citie by a policie of warre in binding to the féet of sparrowes which his people had caught certeine clewes of thred or matches finelie wrought tempered with matter readie to take fixe so that the sparrowes being suffered to go out of hand flue into the towne to lodge themselues within their neasts which they had made in stacks of corne and eues of houses so that the towne was thereby set on fire and then the Britains issuing foorth fought with their enimies and were ouercome and discomfited But whilest the battell continued Careticus stale away and got him into Wales After this the foresaid Gurmundus destroied this land throughout in pitifull wise and then deliuered it in possession to the Saxons the which thankfullie receiued it and because they were descended of those that first came ouer with Hengist they changed the name of the land and called it Hengistland accordinglie as the same Hengist had in times past ordeined the which name after for shortnesse of spéech was somewhat altered and so lastlie called England and the people Englishmen But rather it may be thought that sith a great part of those people which came ouer into this land out of Germanie with the said Hengist and other capteins were of those Englishmen which inhabited Germanie about the parts of Thoringhen they called this land England after their name when they had first got habitation within it and so both the land and people tooke name of them being called Angli a long time before they entered into this Ile as before is shewed out of Cornelius Tacitus and others But now to returne where we left Of this Gurmundus the old English writers make no mention nor also anie ancient authors of forren parties and yet saith the British booke that after he had conquered this land and giuen it to the Saxons he passed ouer into France and there destroied much of that land as an enimie to the faith of Christ. For which consideration he was the more readie to come to the aid of the Saxons who as yet had not receiued the christian faith but warred against the Britains as well to destroie the faith of Christ within this land as to establish to themselues continuall habitations in the same There be that omitting to make mention of Gurmundus write thus of the expelling of the Britains out of this land at that time when with their king Careticus they got them into Wales In the yéere of Grace 586 Careticus a louer of ciuill warre succéeded Malgo an enimie to God and to the Britains whose inconstancie when the English and Saxon kings perceiued with one consent they rose against him and after manie battel 's chased him from citie to citie till at length incountering with him in a pight field they droue him beyond Seuerne into Wales Héerevpon clerks and priests were driuen out of their places with bright swoords brandishing in all parts and fire crackling in churches wherewith the same were consumed The remnant of the Britains therefore withdrew into the west parts of the land that is to say into Cornwall and into Wales out of which countries they oftentimes brake out and made insurrections vpon the Saxons the which in maner aforsaid got possession of the chiefest parts of the land leauing to the Britains onlie three prouinces that is to say Cornwall Southwales and Northwales which countries were not easie to be woone by reason of the thicke woods inuironed with déepe mareshes and waters and full of high craggie rocks and mounteins The English and Saxon kings hauing thus remooued the Britains inlarged the bounds of their dominions There reigned in that season within this land beside the Britaine kings eight kings of the English and Saxon nations as Ethelbert in Kent Cissa in Sussex Ceauline in Westsex Creda or Crida in Mercia Erkenwine in Essex Titila in Estangle Elle in Deira and Alfrid in Bernicia In this sort the Britains lost the possession of the more part of their ancient seats and the faith of Christ thereby was greatlie decaied for the churches were destroied and the archbishops of Caerleon Arwiske London and Yorke
be a let but that when a bishop should be consecrated there might be thrée or foure present Also touching the bishops of France he willed Augustine in no wise to intermeddle with them otherwise than by exhortation and good admonition to be giuen but not to presume anie thing by authoritie sith the archbishop of Arles had receiued the pall in times past whose authoritie he might not diminish least he should séeme to put his sickle into another mans haruest But as for the bishops of Britaine he committed them vnto him that the vnlearned might be taught the weake with wholesome persuasions strengthened and the froward by authoritie reformed Moreouer that a woman with child might be baptised and she that was deliuered after 33 daies of a manchild and after 46 daies of a woman-child should be purified but yet might she enter the church before if she would The residue of Augustines demands consisted in these points to wit 1 Within what space a child should be christened after it was borne for doubt to be preuented by death 2 Within what time a man might companie with his wife after she was brought to bed 3 Whether a woman hauing hir floures might enter the church or receiue the communion 4 Whether a man hauing had companie with his wife might enter the church or receiue the communion before he was washed with water 5 Whether after pollusion by night in dreames a man might receiue the communion or if he were a priest whether he might say masse To these questions Gregorie maketh answere at full in the booke and place before cited which for bréefenesse we passe ouer He sent also at that time with the messengers aforesaid at their returne into England diuers learned men to helpe Augustine in the haruest of the Lord. The names of the chiefest were these Melitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffinianus He sent also the pall which is the ornament of an archbishop with vessels and apparell which should be vsed in churches by the archbishop and other ministers He sent also with the pall other letters to Augustine to let him vnderstand what number of bishops he would haue him to ordeine within this land Also after that Melitus and the other before mentioned persons were departed from Rome he sent a letter vnto the same Melitus being yet on his way toward Britaine touching further matter concerning the churches of England wherein he confesseth that manie things are permitted to be vsed of the people latelie brought from the errors of gentilitie in keeping feasts on the dedication daies which haue resemblance with the old superstitious rites of the Pagan religion For to hard and obstinate minds saith he it is not possible to cut away all things at once for he that coueteth to the highest place goeth vp by steps and not by leaps At the same time Gregorie did send letters vnto Augustine touching the miracles which by report he vnderstood were shewed by the fame Augustine counselling him in no wise to glorie in the same but rather in reioising to feare and consider that God gaue him the gift to worke such signes for the wealth of them to whom he was sent to preach the gospell he aduised him therefore to beware of vaine-glorie and presumption for the disciples of the truth faith he haue no ioy but onlie that which is common with all men of which there is no end for not euerie one that is elect worketh miracles but euerie of the elect haue their names written in heauen These letters with the other which Gregorie sent at this time vnto Augustine were dated the tenth day of the kalends of Iulie in the yéere of our Lord 602 which was the 19 yeere of the emperour Mauricius Moreouer he sent most courteous letters by these messengers to king Ethelbert in the which he greatlie commended him in that he had receiued the christian faith and exhorted him to continue in that most holie state of life whereby he might worthilie looke for reward at the hands of almightie God What reparations and foundations Augustine finished for clergimen to the supportation of the church the building of Paules in London and saint Peters in Westminster vncerteine a prouinciall councell called by Augustine he restoreth a blind man to his sight the Britains are hardlie weaned from their old custome of beliefe an heremits opinion of Augustine he requireth three things to be obserued of the Britains he ordeineth bishops at London and Rochester Sabert reigneth ouer the Eastsaxons Augustine dieth and is buried The xxj Chapter THus farre we haue waded in the forme and maner of conuerting the English nation to christianitie by the labours of Augustine and his coadiutors now therefore that we may orderlie procéed it remaineth that we say somewhat of the acts and déeds of the said Augustine of whom we read that after he was established archbishop and had his sée appointed him at Canturburie he restored another church in that citie which had béene erected there in times past by certeine of the Romans that were christians and did dedicate the same now to the honour of Christ our Sauiour He also began the foundation of a monasterie without that citie standing toward the east in the which by his exhortation king Ethelbert built a church euen from the ground which was dedicated vnto the holie apostles Peter and Paule in the which the bodie of the said Augustine was buried and likewise the bodies of all the archbishops of Canturburie and kings of Kent a long time after This abbie was called saint Austins after his name one Peter being the first abbat thereof The church there was not consecrated by Augustine but by his successor Laurence after he was dead Moreouer king Ethelbert at the motion of Augustine built a church in the citie of London which he latelie had conquered and dedicated it vnto saint Paule but whether he builded or restored this church of saint Paule it may be doubted for there be diuers opinions of the building thereof Some haue written that it was first builded by king Lud as before is mentioned Other againe write that it was builded afterward by Sigebert king of the Eastsaxons Also king Ethelbert builded the church of saint Andrews in Rochester It is likewise remembred by writers that the same king Ethelbert procured a citizens of London to build a church to S. Peter without the citie of London toward the west in a place then called Thorney that is to say the I le of thorns and now called Westminster though others haue written that it was built by Lucius king of Britaine or rather by Sibert king of the Eastsaxons This church was either newlie built or greatlie inlarged by king Edward surnamed the Confessor and after that the third Henrie king of England did make there a beautifull monasterie and verie richlie indowed the same with great possessions and sumptuous iewels The place was ouergrowne with vnderwoods
the vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by him he resigneth his kingdome and becometh a moonke he and his kinsman Egric are slaine in a skirmish against Penda king of Mercia The xxx Chapter AFter that king Oswald was slaine his brother Oswie being about 30 yeares of age tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Northumberland gouerning the same with great trouble for the space of 28 yeares being sore vexed by the foresaid Penda king of Mercia and his people which as yet were pagans In the first yeare of his reigne which was in the yeare of our Lord 644. Pauline the bishop of Rochester which had beene also archbishop of Yorke departed this life and then one Thamar an Englishman of the parties of Kent was ordeined bishop of Rochester by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie King Oswie had one Oswin partener with him in gouernment of the Northumbers in the first beginning of his reigne which was sonne to Osrike so that Oswie gouerned in Bernicia and Oswin in Deira continuing in perfect friendship for a season till at length through the counsell of wicked persons that coueted nothing so much as to sowe discord and variance betwixt princes they fell at debate and so began to make warres one against an other so that finallie when they were at point to haue tried their quarrell in open battell Oswin perceiuing that he had not an armie of sufficient force to incounter with Oswie brake vp his campe at Wilfaresdowne ten mile by west the towne of Cataracton and after withdrew himselfe onelie with one seruant named Condhere vnto the house of earle Hunwald whome he tooke to haue béene his trustie friend but contrarie to his expectation the said Hunwald did betraie him vnto Oswie who by his captaine Edelwine slue the said Oswin and his seruant the forsaid Condhere in a place called Ingethling the 13 kalends of September in the ninth yeare of his reigne which was after the birth of our Sauiour 651. This Oswin was a goodlie gentleman of person tall and beautifull and verie gentle of spéech ciuill in manners and verie liberall both to high low so that he was beloued of all Such a one he was to be breefe as bishop Aidan gessed that he should not long continue in life for that the Northumbers were not woorthie of so good and vertuous a gouernour Such humblenesse and obedience he perceiued to rest in him towards the law of the Lord in taking that which was told him for his better instruction in good part that he said he neuer saw before that time an humble king The same Aidan liued not past 12 daies after the death of the said Oswin whome he so much loued departing this world the last daie of August in the seuenteenth yeare after he was ordeined bishop His bodie was buried in the I le of Lindesferne After Aidan one Finan was made bishop in his place a Scotishman also and of the I le of Hui from whence his predecessor the foresaid Aidan came being first a man of religion professed in the monasterie there as some writers doo report IN the meane time after that Kinigils or Cinigilsus king of the Westsaxons had reigned 31 yeares he departed this life Anno 643 leauing his kingdome to his sonne Cenwalch or Chenwald who held the same kingdome the tearme of 30 yeares or 31 as some write in manner as his father had doone before him In the third or as others saie in the fift yeare of his reigne Penda king of Mercia made sharpe warre against him because he had put awaie his wife the sister of the said Penda and in this warre Chenwald was ouercome in battell driuen out of his countrie so that he fled vnto Anna king of the Eastangles with whome he remained the space of a yeare or as other say thrée yeares to his great good hap for before he was growen to be an enimie to the christian religion but now by the wholesome admonitions and sharpe rebukes of king Anna he became a christian and receiued his wife againe into his companie according to the prescript of Gods law and to be bréefe in all things shewed himselfe a new man imbracing vertue auoiding vice so that shortlie after through the helpe of God he recouered againe his kingdome Now when he was established in the same there came a bishop named Agilbertus out of Ireland a Frenchman borne but hauing remained in Ireland a long time to reade the scriptures This Agilbert comming into the prouince of the Westsaxons was gladlie receiued of king Chenwald at whose desire he tooke vpon him to exercise the roome of a bishop there but afterwards when the said king admitted another bishop named Wini which had béene ordeined in France and knew the toong better than Agilbert as he that was borne in England Agilbert offended for that the king had admitted him without making him of anie counsell therein returned into France and there was made bishop of Paris within a few yeares after the foresaid Wini was expelled also by king Chenwald who got him into Mercia vnto king Uulfhere of whome he bought the bishoprike of London which he held during his life and so the countrie of Westsaxon remained long without a bishop till at length the said Agilbert at the request of king Chenwald sent to him Elutherius that was his nephue YE haue heard that after Carpwald his brother Sigibert succéeded in rule of the Eastangles a man of great vertue and woorthinesse who whilest he remained in France as a banished man being constreined to flée his countrie vpon displeasure that king Redwald bare him was baptised there and after returning into his countrie and obteining at length the kingdome those things which he had séene well ordered in France he studied to follow the example of the same at home and herevpon considering with himselfe that nothing could more aduance the state of the common-wealth of his countrie than learning knowledge in the toongs began the foundation of certeine schooles and namelie at Cambridge where children might haue places where to be instructed and brought vp in learning vnder appointed teachers that there might be greater numbers of learned men trained vp than before time had béene within this land to the furtherance of true religion and vertue So that England hath good cause to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble prince king Sigibert for all those hir learned men which haue bin brought vp come foorth of that famous vniuersitie of Cambridge the first foundation or rather renouation whereof was thus begun by him about the yeare of our Lord 630. At length when this worthie king began to grow in age he considered with himselfe how hard a matter and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a realme as apperteined to the dutie of a good king wherevpon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conuenient yéeres and to
licence to go into Mercia was gladlie receiued of king Uulfhere and well enterteined in so much that the said king gaue vnto him lands and possessions conteining 50 families or housholds to build a monasterie in a certeine place within the countrie of Lindsey called Etbearne But the sée of his bishoprike was assigned to him at Lichfield in Staffordshire where he made him a house néere to the church in the which he with 7 or 8 other of his brethren in religion vsed in an oratorie there to praie and reade so often as they had leasure from labour and businesse of the world Finallie after he had gouerned the church of Mercia by the space of two yeares and an halfe he departed this life hauing 7 daies warning giuen him as it is reported from aboue before he should die after a miraculous maner which because in the iudgement of the most it may séeme méere fabulous we will omit and passe ouer His bodie was first buried in the church of our ladie but after that the church of saint Peter the apostle was builded his bones were translated into the same In the yeare of our Lord 671 which was the second yeare after that Theodorus the archbishop came into this land Oswie king of Northumberland was attached with a grieuous sicknesse and died thereof the 15 kalends of March in the 58 yeare of his age after he had reigned 28 yeares complet AFter Oswie his sonne Egfrid succéeded in rule of the kingdome of Northumberland in the third yeare of whose reigne that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 673 Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie kept a synod at Herford the first session whereof began the 24 of September all the bishops of this land being present either in person or by their deputies as Bisi bishop of Estangle Wilfrid of Northumberland by his deputie Putta bishop of Rochester Eleutherius bishop of Westsaxon and Wilfrid bishop of Mercia In the presence of these prelats the archbishop shewed a booke wherein he had noted ten chapters or articles taken out of the booke of the canons requiring that the same might be receiued 1 The first chapter was that the feast of Easter should be kept on the sundaie following the fourtéenth day of the first moneth 2 The second that no bishop should intermedle in an others diocesse but he contented with the cure of his flocke committed to him 3 The third that no bishop should disquiet in anie thing anie monasterie consecrated to God nor take by violence anie goods that belonged vnto the same 4 The fourth that bishops being moonks should not go from monasterie to monasterie except by sufferance and permission of their abbats should continue in the same obedience wherein they stood before 5 The fift that none of the cleargie should depart from his bishop to run into anie other diocesse nor comming from anie other place should be admitted except he brought letters of testimonie with him But if anie such chanced to be receiued if he refused to returne being sent for home both he and his receiuer should be excommunicated 6 The sixt that bishops and other of the cleargie being strangers should hold them content with the benefit of hospitalitie should not take in hand anie priestlie office without licence of the bishop in whose diocesse he chanced so to be remaining 7 The seuenth that twice in the yeare a synod should be kept but because of diuers impediments herein it was thought good to them all that in the kalends of August a synod should be kept once in the yeare at a certeine place called Cloofeshough 8 The eighth chapter was that no one bishop should by ambition séeke to be preferred aboue another but that euerie one should know the time and order of his consecration 9 The ninth that as the number of the christians increased so should there be more bishops ordeined 10 The tenth was touching mariages that none should contract matrimonie with anie person but with such as it should be lawfull for him by the orders of the church none should match with their kinsfolke no man should forsake his wife except as the gospell teacheth for cause of fornication But if anie man did put awaie his wife which he had lawfullie married if he would be accounted a true christian he might not be coopled with an other but so remaine or else be reconciled to his owne wife These articles being intreated of and concluded were confirmed with the subscribing of all their hands so as all those that did go against the same should be disgraded of their priesthood and separated from the companie of them all THe forsaid Bisi that was bishop of the Eastangles and present at this synod was successor vnto Bonifacius which Bonifacius held that sée 17 yéeres and then departing this life Bisi was made bishop of that prouince and ordeined by the archbishop Theodore This Bisi at length was so visited with sicknesse that he was not able to exercise the ministration so that two bishops were then there elected and consecrated for him the one named Aecci and the other Baldwin In this meane while that is about the yéere of our Lord 872 or in the beginning of 873 as Harison noteth Kenwalch king of the Westsaxons departed this life after he had reigned 30 yéeres This Kenwalch was such a prince as in the beginning he was to be compared with the woorst kind of rulers but in the middest and later end of his reigne to be matched with the best His godlie zeale borne towards the aduancing of the christian religion well appéered in the building of the church at Winchester where the bishops sée of all that prouince was then placed His wife Seghurga ruled the kingdome of Westsaxons after him a woman of stoutnesse inough to haue atchiued acts of woorthie remembrance but being preuented by death yer she had reigned one whole yéere she could not shew anie full proofe of hir noble courage I remember that Matth West maketh other report heereof declaring that the nobilitie remooued hir from the gouernment But I rather follow William Malmesburie in this matter TO procéed after Segburga was departed this life or deposed if you will néeds haue it so Escuinus or Elcuinus whose grandfather called Cuthgisio the brother of K. Kinigils succéeding in gouernment of the Westsaxons reigned about the space of two yéeres and after his deceasse one Centiuinus or Centwine tooke vpon him the rule and continued therein the space of nine yeeres But Beda saith that these two ruled at one-time and diuided the kingdom betwixt them Elcuinus fought against Uulfhere king of Mercia a great number of men being slaine on both parties though Uulfhere yet had after a maner the vpper hand as some haue written In the same yéere that the synod was holden at Herford that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 673 Egbert the king of
Kent departed this life in Iulie and left the kingdome to his brother Lothaire which held the same eleuen yéeres seuen moneths Some haue written that king Egbert by the suggestion of one Thunnir who had the chiefe rule of the kingdome vnder him suffered the same Thunnir in lamentable maner to kill the two innocent sonnes of Ermenredus the brother of king Ercombert that was father vnto king Egbert for doubt least they being towardlie yoong gentlemen might in time grow so into fauour with the people that it should be easie for them to depriue both Egbert and his issue of the kingdome Also that they were priuilie put to death and secretlie buried at the first but the place of their buriall immediatlie being shewed after a miraculous maner their bodies long after in the daies of king Egilred the sonne of king Edgar were taken vp conueied vnto Ramsey and there buried And although Egbert being giltie of the death of those his coosens did sore repent him for that he vnderstood they died giltlesse yet his brother Lothaire was thought to be punished for that offense as after shall be shewed Winfrid bishop of the Mercies for his disobedience in some point was depriued by archbishop Theodore and one Sexvulfe that was the builder and also the abbat of the monasterie of Meidhamsted otherwise called Peterborough was ordeined and consecrated in his place About the same time Erkenwald was ordeined bishop of the Eastsaxons and appointed to hold his sée in the citie of London This Erkenwald was reputed to be a man of great holinesse and vertue Before he was made bishop he builded two abbeies the one of moonks at Chertsey in Southerie where he himselfe was abbat and the other of nuns at Berking within the prouince of the Eastsaxons where he placed his sister Ethelburga a woman also highlie estéemed for hir deuout kind of life She was first brought vp and instructed in the rules of hir profession by one Hildelitha a nun of the parties beyond the seas whome Erkenwald procured to come ouer for that purpose After Erkenwald one Waldhere was made bishop of London in whose daies Sebbie king of the Eastsaxons after he had reigned thirtie yéeres being now vexed with a gréeuous sicknesse professed himselfe a moonke which thing he would haue doone long before if his wife had not kept him backe He died shortlie after within the citie of London and was buried in the church of saint Paule King Sighere which in the beginning reigned with him and gouerned a part of the Eastsaxons was departed this life before so that in his latter time the foresaid Sebbie had the gouernment of the whole prouince of the Eastsaxons and left the same to his sonnes Sighard and Sewfred About the yéere of our Lord 675 Uulfhere king of Mercia departed this life after he had reigned as some say 19 yéeres but as other affirme he reigned but 17 yéeres Howbeit they which reckon 19 include the time that passed after the slaughter of Penda wherein Oswie and Peada held the aforesaid kingdome Edilred king of Mercia inuadeth the kingdome of Kent and maketh great waste without resistance of Lothaire the king thereof Putta of a bishop becommeth a poore curat and teacheth musicke Wilfred deposed from his bishoprike by king Egfrid vpon displeasure he preacheth the gospell in Sussex by the licence of king Edilwalke no raine in Sussex for the space of three yeeres the woord and sacraments bring blessings with them bishop Wilfrid the first teacher to catch fish with nets the people haue him in great reuerence a great and bloudie battell betweene Egfrid king Edilred they are reconciled by the meanes of archbishop Theodore a synod holden at Hatfield the clergie subscribe to certeine articles of Hilda the famous abbesse of Whitbie The xxxv Chapter AFter Uulfhere his brother Edilred or Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of the kingdome of Mercia This Edilred inuaded the kingdome of Kent with a mightie armie in the yéere of our Lord 677 destroieng the countrie afore him not sparing churches nor abbeies but spoiling the same without respect as well as other common places King Lothaire durst not appéere in the field to giue him battell so that Edilred went thorough the countrie destroied the citie of Rochester and with great riches gotten by the spoile he returned home Putta the bishop of Rochester after that his church was spoiled and defaced by the enimies went to Sexvulfe bishop of Mercia and there obteining of him a small cure and a portion of ground remained in that countrie not once labouring to restore his church of his church of Rochester to the former state but went about in Mercia to teach song and instruct such as would learne musicke wheresoeuer he was required or could get intertainment Heerevpon the archbishop Theodore consecrated one William bishop of Rochester in place of Putta and after when the said William constreined by pouertie left that church Theodore placed one Gebmound in his stéed In the yéere of our Lord 678 in the moneth of August a blasing starre appéered with a long bright beame like to a piller It was séene euerie morning for the space of thrée moneths togither The same Egfrid king of Northumberland banished bishop Wilfrid vpon displeasure taken with him out of his sée and then were two bishops ordeined in his place to gouerne the church of the Northumbers the one named Bosa at Yorke and the other called Eata at Hagustald or Lindesferne Also one Eadhidus was ordeined about the same time bishop of Lindsey the which prouince king Egfrid had of late conquered and taken from Uulfhere the late king of Mercia whome he ouercame in battell and droue him out of that countrie The said thrée bishops were consecrated at Yorke by the archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus the which within thrée yéeres after ordeined two bishops more in that prouince of the Northumbers that is to say Tumbert at Hagustald Eata that was appointed to remaine at Lindesferne Trumuine was ordeined to haue the cure of the prouince of those Picts which as then were vnder the English dominion Also bicause Edilred king of Mercia recouered the countrie of Lindsey and ioined it to his dominion bishop Eadhedus comming from thence was appointed to gouerne the church of Rippon After that bishop Wilfrid was expelled out of his diocesse and prouince of the Northumbers he went to Rome and returning from thence came into the kingdome of the Southsaxons the which conteining seuen thousand housholds or families as yet was not conuerted to the christian faith Wherefore the said Wilfrid began there to preach the gospell with licence of king Edilwalke who as before is mentioned was conuerted and baptised in Mercia by the procurement of king Wolfher that then became his godfather and gaue him at the same time the I le of Wight and the prouince of the
people ancientlie called Meanuari which he had woon from the Westsaxons Bishop Wilfrid then by king Edilwalke his furtherance and helpe baptised the chiefest lords and gentlemen of that prouince But certein priests baptised the residue of the people either then or in the time following ¶ It chanced that for the space of thrée yeeres as it is said before the comming thither of bishop Wilfrid there had fallen no raine from the aire within that prouince of the Southsaxons so that the people were brought into great miserie by reson of famine which through want of necessarie fruits of the earth sore afflicted the whole countrie insomuch that no small numbers threw themselues hedlong into the sea despairing of life in such lacke of necessarie vittels But as God would the same day that Wilfrid began to minister the sacrament of baptisme there came downe swéet and plentifull showers of raine so watering the earth that thereby great store of all fruits plentifullie tooke root and yéelded full increase in growth to the great comfort and reliefe of all the people which before were in maner starued and lost through want of food Bishop Wilfrid also taught them in that countrie the maner how to catch fish with nets where before that time they had no great skill in anie kind of fishing except it were in catching éeles Hereby the said bishop grew there in great estimation with the people so that his words were the better credited amongst them for that through him they receiued so great benefits God by such meanes working in the peoples hearts a desire to come to the vnderstanding of his lawes The king also gaue vnto Wilfrid a place called Sealesew compassed about on each side except on the west halfe with the sea conteining 87 housholds or families where he built an abbeie and baptised all his tenants there amounting to the number of 250 bondmen and bondwomen whome he made frée both in bodie and soule for he did not onelie baptise them but also infranchised them of all bodilie seruitude and bondage In this meane while manie things happened in other parts of this land and first in the yeere after the appéering of the blasing starre before mentioned a mightie battell was fought betwixt the said Egfrid and Edilred king of Mercia néere to the riuer of Trent where Alswine the brother of king Egfrid was slaine with manie other of the Northumbers so that king Egfrid was constreined to returne home with losse The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus perceiuing that great warre and effussion of bloud was like to follow therevpon trauelled so in the matter betwixt them that they were made friends and Egfrid had a péece of monie in recompense of his losses The foresaid battell was fought in the yéere of our Lord 679 and in the yéere following that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 680 which was also in the tenth yéere of the reigne of Egfrid king of Northumberland the sixt yéere of Edelred king of Mercia the 17 of Aldvulfe king of Eastangles and in the 7 of Lother king of Kent The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus held another synod at Hatfield about the 15 kalends of October in the which all the clergie there present subscribed to certeine articles touching the beléefe of the trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the Godhead of the like substance and also of the same vnitie in trinitie according to the true faith of the church of God Moreouer they acknowledged by the like subscription the fiue generall councels of Nice of Constantinople the first of Ephesus of Calcedon and of Constantinople the second with the synod also holden at Rome in the daies of Martin bishop of Rome about the yéere of the emperour Constantine At this synod holden at Haifield was present one Iohn the archchanter of S. Peters church at Rome sent into this land of purpose to bring from hence a certificat vnto pope Agatho of the agréement of the English church in matters of faith with other churches of the christian world but the foresaid archchanter died by the way in France as he returned homewards and was buried at Towers in Towraine The same yéere that famous woman Hilda abbesse of Whitbie departed this life or as other say fiue yéeres after hauing first beene deteined long with gréeuous sickenesse She was the daughter of one Herrericus the nephue of king Edwin and conuerted to the faith of Christ at the preaching of bishop Pauline and afterwards instructed by bishop Aidan she professed hirselfe a nun applieng hir whole studie to the reading of the scriptures to praier other godlie exercises She builded the abbeie of Whitbie wherein were placed both men and women with such an equalitie in all things that there was no rich person amongst them nor anie that wanted things necessarie She departed this life on the 15 kalends of December being 66 yéeres of age As some haue written she argued stoutlie on bishop Colmans part at the disputation holden in the monasterie of Whitbie in the yéere of Grace 664 whereof ye haue heard before About the yéere of our Lord 682 that is to say in the seuenth yere of Centwine or Centiuinus king of Westsaxons the same Centwine fought with the Britains and ouercame them in battell pursuing them with fire and sword vnto the sea side ¶ Thus at this time as also at diuerse other times they were discomfited and put to flight being a people allotted and shared out as it were to suffer many an ouerthrow and abide manie a sharpe and shamefull repulse at the hands of their enimies who conuerted the distresse of that people to their profit and tooke pleasure in the extreamitie of the miseries wherein they were plunged as may be obserued by the pitifull alteration of their state vnder diuerse gouernors and speciallie vnder the Danish dominion who kept them in no lesse vile seruitude than Pharao did the Hebrues at the making of bricke chopping of straw So that some thinke this land to be corruptlie named Britania but ought rather to called Bridania that is Liberae Dania siue regio in qua Dani liberè viuant for they liued as lords in the land did for the time being what they listed But of this matter more shall be spoken hereafter in place conuenient Cadwallader king of Britaine the people are brought into great miserie and he forced to flee the land he dieth at Rome the British writers noted of error Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons the kingdome is diuided the valorous mind of Ceadwalla he is forced to forsake his countrie he vanquisheth and killeth Edilwalke king of the Westsaxons his returne into his kingdome with reuenge vpon Berthun duke of Sussex and other his heauie friends his vow if he might conquer the I le of Wight his bountifull offer to bishop Wilfrid the I le of Wight receiueth the faith Ceadwalla inuadeth Kent of a
life as afore is shewed his coosen Inas or Ine was made king of the Westsaxons begining his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 689 in the third yeere of the emperor Iustmianus the third the 11 yéere of the reigne of Theodoricus K. of France and about the second yéere of the reigne of Eugenius king of Scots now because the rule of The Britains commonlie called Welshmen ceassed in this realme as by confession of their owne writers it appéereth and that in the end the whole monarchie of the same realme came to the hands of the kings of Westsaxons we haue thought méet to refer things generall vnto the reignes of the same kings as before we did in the Britaine kings reseruing the particular dooings to the kings of the other prouinces or kingdoms as the same haue fallen out and shall come to hand This Inas whome some mistaking N for U doo wrongfullie name Iue or Iewe prooued a right excellent prince he was descended of the ancient linage of the kings of the Westsaxons as sonne to one Kenred that was sonne to Geolwald the son of Cutha or Cutwine that was sonne to Kenricke the sonne of Certicus the first king of Westsaxons But he was admitted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his woorthie person than for the successiue of spring of which he was descended The first â—biage that he made was against the Kentishmen on whome he purposed to reuenge the death of his coosen Mollo the griefe whereof as yet he kept in fresh memorie But when the Kentishmen perceiued that to resist him by force they were nothing able they attempted by monie to buy their peace and so obteined their purpose vpon paiment made to him of thirtie thousand marks of siluer After this about the 21 yéere of his reigne king Inas and his coosen Nun fought with Gerent king of the Britains In the beginning of the battell one Higelbald a noble man of the Westsaxons part was slaine but in the end Gerent with his Britains was chased In the 26 yéere of his reigne the same Inas fought a mightie battell against Cheolred king of Mercia at Wodenessburie with doubtfull victorie for it could not well be iudged whether part susteined greater losse In the 36 yéere of his reigne king Inas inuaded the Southsaxons with a mightie armie and slue in battell Ealdbright or Aldinius king of the Southsaxons and ioined that kingdome vnto the kingdome of the Westsaxons so that from thencefoorth the kingdome of those Southsaxons ceassed after they had reigned in that kingdome by the space of fiue kings successiuelie that is to say Ella Cissa Ethelwalke Berutius and this last Aldinius or Ealdbright Finallie when Inas had reigned 37 yéeres and 10 or 11 od moneths he renounced the rule of his kingdome togither with all worldlie pompe and went vnto Rome as a poore pilgrime and there ended his life but before this during the time of his reigne he shewed himselfe verie deuout and zealous towards the aduancement of the christian religion He made and ordeined also good wholesome lawes for the amendment of maners in the people which are yet extant and to be read written in the Saxon toong and translated into the Latine in times past and now latelie againe by William Lambert gentleman and printed by Iohn Day in the yéere 1568 togither with the lawes and statutes of other kings before the conquest as to the learned maie appéere Moreouer king Ine builded the monasterie of Glastenburie where Ioseph of Arimathea in times past builded an oratorie or chappell as before is recited when he with other christians came into this land in the daies of Aruiragus taught the gospell heere to the Britains conuerting manie of them to the faith Moreouer king Ine or Inas builded the church of Welles dedicating it vnto saint Andrew where afterwards a bishops sée was placed which at length was translated vnto Salisburie He had to wife one Ethelburga a woman of noâ—â—â—le linage who had béene earnest with him a long time to persuade him to forsake the world but she could by no meanes bring hir purpose to passe till vpon a time the king and she had lodged at a manor place in the countrie where all prouision had béene made for the receiuing of them and their traine in most sumptuous maner that might be as well in rich furniture of houshold as also in costlie viands and all other things needfull or that might serue for pleasure and when they were departed the quéene the foresaid Ethelburga caused the keeper of that house to remooue all the bedding hangings and other such things as had béen brought thither and ordeined for the beautifull setting foorth of the hosue and in place thereof to bring ordure straw such like filth as well into the chambers and hall as into all the houses of office and that doone to laie a fow with pigs in the place where before the kings bed had stood Héerevpon when she had knowledge that euerie thing was ordered according to hir appointment she persuaded the king to returne thither againe feining occasions great and necessarie Now when he was returned to that house which before séemed to the eie a palace of most pleasure and now finding it in such a filthie state as might loath the stomach of anie man to behold the same she tooke occasion therevpon to persuade him to the consideratino of the vaine pleasures of this world which in a moment turne to naught togither with the corruption of the flesh being a filthie lumpe of claie after it should once be dissolued by death and in fine where before she had spent much labour to mooue him to renounce the world though all in vaine yet now the beholding of that change in his pleasant place wherein so late he had taken great delight wrought such an alteration in his mind that hir woords lastlie tooke effect so that he resigned the kingdome to his coosen Ethelard and went himselfe to Rome as aboue is mentioned and his wife became a nun in the abbeie of Barking where she was made abbesse and finallie there ended hir life This Inas was the first that caused the monie called Peter pence to be paid vnto the bishop of Rome which was for euerie houshold within his dominion of penie In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred hauing gouerned the kingdome of Mercia by the tearme of 29 yéeres became a moonke in the abbeie of Bardenie and after was made abbat of that house He had to wife one Ostrida the sister of Egfride king of Northumberland by whome he had a sonne named Ceolred But he appointed Kenred the sonne of his brother Uulfher to succéed him in the kingdome The said Ostrida was cruellie slaine by the treason of hir husbands subiects about the yéere of our Lord 697. And as for Kenred he was
a prince of great vertue deuout towards God a furtherer of the common-wealth of his countrie and passed his life in great sinceritie of maners In the fift yéere of his reigne he renounced the world and went to Rome togither with Offa king of the Eastsaxons where he was made a moonke and finallie died there in the yéere of our Lord 711. By the aid and furtherance of this Kenred a moonke of saint Benets order called Egwin builded the abbbie of Eueshame who afterwards was made bishop of Worcester ¶ We find recorded by writers that this Egwin had warning giuen him by visions as he constantlie affirmed before pope Constantine to set vp an image of our ladie in his church Wherevpon the pope approouing the testifications of this bishop by his buls writ to Brightwald archbishop of Canturburie to assemble a synod and by authoritie thereof to establish the vse of images charging the kings of this land to be present at the same synod vpon paine of excommunication This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712 in the daies of Inas king of Westsaxons and of Ceolred king of Mercia successor to the foresaid Kenred After Kenred succéeded Ceolred the sonne of his vncle Edilred died in the 8 yeere of his reigne and was buried at Lichfield Then succéeded Ethelbaldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king Penda as the fourth from him by lineall succession This man gouerned a long time without anie notable trouble some warres he had and sped diuerslie In the 18 yéere of his reigne he besieged Sommerton and wan it He also inuaded Northumberland and got there great riches by spoile and pillage which he brought from thence without anie battell offered to him He ouercame the Welshmen in battell being then at quiet and ioined as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons But in the 37 yéere of his reigne he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same Cuthred with whome he was fallen at variance and within foure yéeres after that is to say in the 41 yéere of his reigne he was slaine in battell at Secandon or Sekenton by his owne subiects which arreared warres against him by the procurement and leading of one Bernred who after he had slaine his naturall prince tooke vpon him the kingdome but he prospered not long being slaine by Offa that succéeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia as after shall be shewed The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentz or Moguntz hauing assembled a councell with other bishops and doctors deuised a letter and sent it vnto this Ethelbald commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore and also for his vpright dealing in administration of iustice to the punishment of robbers and such like misdooers but in that he absteined from mariage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women and namelie with nuns they sore blamed him and withall declared in what in famie the whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication and namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example did forsake their wiues and defloured other women which they kept in adulterie as nuns and others Moreouer he shewed how that such euill women as well nuns as other vsed to make awaie in secret wise their children which they bare out of wedlocke and so filled the graues with dead bodies and hell with damned soules The same Bonifacius in an other epistle which he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Canturburie counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage bicause there were few cities either in France or Lombardie wherein might not be found English women that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome he is shauen and becommeth a moonke succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles Osred king of Northumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns he is slaine in battell Osrike renouncing his kingdome becommeth a moonke bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see Westsaxonie diuided into two diocesses bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment two blasing starres seene at once and what insued the king dieth the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent what prouinces were gouerned by bishops of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was Egbert archbishop of Yorke aduanceth his see a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda his death The second Chapter IN this meane time Sighard and Seufred kings of the Eastsaxons being departed this-life one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succéeded in 〈◊〉 â—uernment of that kingdome a man of great towardnesse and of right comelie countenance but after he had ruled a certeine time being mooued with a riligious deuotion he went to Rome in companie of Kenred king of Mercia and of one Egwine bishop of Worcester and being there shauen into the order of moonks so continued till he died After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good ruled the Eastsaxons the tearme of 38 yéeres After Alduife the king of Eastangles departed this fraile life which chanced about the yéere of our Lord 688 his brother Elewold or Akwold succeeded him and reigned about twelue yéeres After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles and reigned about 26 yéeres In this meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 705 Alfride king of Northumberland being dead his sonne Osred a child of 8 yéeres of age succeeded him in the kingdome and reigned 11 yéeres spending his time when he came to ripe yeeres in filthie abusing his bodie with nuns and other religious women About the seuenth yéere of his reigne that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 711 one of his capteins named earle Berthfride fought with the Picts betwixt two places called Heue and Cere and obteining the victorie slue an huge number of the enimies At length king Osred by the traitorous means of his coosens that arreared warre against him was slaine in batell and so ended his reigne leauing to those that procured his death the like fortune in time to come For Kenred reigning two yéeres and Osricke ten yeeres were famous onelie in this that being worthilie punished for shedding the bloud of their naturall prince and souereigne lord they finished their liues with dishonourable deaths as they had well deserued Osricke before his death which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 729 appointed Ceolwolfe the brother of his predecessor Kenred to succeed him in the kingdome which he did reigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of 8 yéeres currant and then renouncing his kingdom became a moonke in the I le of Lindesferne
same Edilbald at Hereford hauing before him the said earle Adelme in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine victorie neither was he deceiued for by the stout conduct and noble courage of the said Adelme the loftie pride of king Edelbald was abated so that he was there put to flight and all his armie discomfited after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined euen to the vttermost point In the 24 yeere of his reigne this Cuthred fougth eftsoones with the Welshmen and obteined the vpper hand without anie great losse of his people for the enimies were easilie put to flight and chased to their owne destruction In the yeere after king Cuthred fell sicke and in the 16 yéere of his reigne he departed this life after so manie great victories got against his enimies AFter him succéeded one Sigibert a cruell and vnmercifull prince at home but yet a coward abroad This Sigbert or Sigibert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755 verie néere ended He intreated his subiects verie euill setting law and reason at naught He could not abide to heare his faults told him and therefore he cruellie put to death an earle named Cumbra which was of his councell and faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings wherevpon the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great multitude of people and expelled him out of his estate in the beginning of the second or as some say the first yeare of his reigne Then Sigibert as he was fearefull of nature fearing to be apprehended got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald and there hid himselfe but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the late earle Cumbra at Priuetsfloud found him out and perceiuing what he was slue him in reuenge of his maisters death ¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense as well as in the world to come appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for the punishment of the people according as they deserue permitting some of them to haue gouernement a long time that both the froward nations may suffer long for their sins and that such wicked princes may in an other world tast to more bitter torments Againe other he taketh out of the waie that the people may be deliuered from oppression and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may spéedilie receiue due punishment AFter Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred which succéeded him so in the feare of the Lord that he prooued a right godlie prince This Ethelbert reigned as writers say the terme of 52 yeares After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the abbie of Lindesferne his vncles sonnes Egbert by order taken by the said Ceolvulfe succeeded him in the kingdome and gouerned the same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares and then became a moonke by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceoldulfe and also of diuers other kings in those daies so that he was the eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle as Simon Dunel writeth This Egbert in the 18 yeare of his reigne and Ungust king of Picts came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies and there receiued the Britains into their subiection the first day of August but the tenth day of the same month the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh was for the more part lost and destroied ¶ The same yeare on the 8 kalends of December the moone being as then in hir full appeared to be of a bloudie colour but at length she came to hir accustomed shew after a maruellous meanes for a starre which followed hir passed by hir went before hir the like distāce as it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light Offa king of Mercia his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen and Westsaxons he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or subtill deuise of profered curtesie he inuadeth his kingdome and possesseth it the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to Lichfield archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is depriued by king Offa he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses mistrusting his estate he alieth himselfe with other princes he maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and religious houses he goeth to Rome maketh his realme tributarie to the said see Peter pence paid he falleth sicke and dieth places to this day bearing his name in memorie of him the short reigne of his sonne The fourth Chapter AFter that Offa had slaien Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of Mercia as before is mentioned the same Offa tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome 758 a man of such stoutnesse of stomach that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind He reigned 39 yeares His dooings were great and maruellous and such as some times his vertues surpassed his vices and sometime againe his vices séemed to ouermatch his vertues He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at Otteford and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished and in battell put to flight With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in open battell and obteined a noble victorie with small losse of his people although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince and a good capteine Againe perceiuing that to procéed with craft should sooner aduance his purpose than to vse open force against Egilbert king of Eastangles vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in mariage he allured him to come into Mercia and receiuing him into his palace caused his head to be striken off and after by wrongfull meanes inuaded his kingdome and got it into his possession yet he caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane by a miraculous meanes brought to light to be taken vp and put in a rich shrine adorned with gold and stone building a goodlie church of excellent woorkmanship and founding a monasterie in that place in honor of the same saint which he indowed with great possessions He remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield thereby to aduance his kingdome of Mercia as well in dignitie preheminence of spirituall power as temporall He made great suit to bring his purpose to passe in the court of Rome and at length by great gifts and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first then gouerning the Romane sée And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was adorned with the pall and taken for archbishop hauing all those bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto him namelie Denebertus bishop of Worcester Werebertus
bishop of Chester Eadulfus bishop of Dorcester Wilnardus bishop of Hereford Halard bishop of Elsham and Cedferth bishop of Donwich There remained onelie to the archbishop of Canturburie the bishops of London Winchester Rochester and Shireburne This separation continued all the life time of the archbishop Lambert although he trauelled earnestlie to mainteine his prerogatiue Now for that he still defended his cause and would not reuolt from his will Offa depriued him of all his possessions reuenues that he held or inioied within anie part of his dominions Neither was Offa satisfied herewith but he also tooke into his hands the possessions of manie other churches and fléeced the house of Malmesburie of a part of hir reuenues Because of these other his hard dooings doubting the malice of his enimies he procured the friendship of forren princes Unto Brightricke king of the Westsaxons he gaue his daugther Ethelburga in mariage And sending diuers ambassadours ouer vnto Charles the great that was both emperor king of France he purchased his friendship at length athough before there had depended a péece of displeasure betwixt them insomuch that the intercourse for trade of merchandize was staied for a time One of the ambassadours that was sent vnto the said Charles as is reported was that famous clearke Albine or Alcwine by whose persuasion the same Charles erected two vniuersities as in place due and conuenient may more largelie appeare Finallie king Offa as it were for a meane to appease Gods wrath which he doubted to be iustlie conceiued towards him for his sinnes and wickednesse granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto churchmen and to poore people He also indowed the church of Hereford with great reuenues and as some write he builded the abbeie of Bath placing moonkes in the same of the order of saint Benet as before he had doone at saint Albons Moreouer he went vnto Rome about the yeare of our Lord 775 and there following the example of Inas kign of the Westsaxons made his realme subiect by way of tribute vnto the church of Rome appointing that euerie house within the limits of his dominions should yearelie pay vnto the apostolike see one pennie which paiment was after named Rome Scot and Peter pence After his returne from Rome perceiâ—ing himselfe to draw into yeares he caused his sonne Egfrid to be ordeined king in his life time and shortlie after departing out of this world left the kingdome vnto him after he had gouerned it by the space of 39 yeares Amongst other the dooings of this Offa which suerlie were great and maruellous this may not passe with silence that he caused a mightie great ditch tâ— be cast betwixt the marshes of his countrie and the Welsh confines to diuide thereby the bounds of their dominions This ditch was called Offditch euer after and stretched from the south side by Bristow vnder the mountaines of Wales running northward ouer the riuers of Seuerne and Dée vnto the verie mouth of Dee where that riuer falleth into the sea He likewise builded a church in Warwikeshire whereof the towne there taketh name and is called Offchurch euen to this day Egfrid taking vpon him rule began to follow the approoued good dooings of his father and first restored vnto the churches their ancient priuileges which his father sometimes had taken from them Great hope was conceiued of his further good procéeding but death cut off the same taking him out of this life after he had reigned the space of foure moneths not for his owne offenses as was thought but rather for that his father had caused so much bloud to be spilt for the confirming of him in the kingdome which so small a time he new inioied Osulph king of Northumberland traitorouslie murthered Edilwald succeedeth him the reward of rebellion a great mortalitie of foules fishes and fruits moonkes licenced to drinke wine great wast by fire Edelred king of Northumberland is driuen out of his countrie by two dukes of the same Ethelbert king of the Eastangles commended for his vertues Alfred the daughter of king Mercia is affianced to him tokens of missehaps towards him his destruction intended by queene Quendred hir platforme of the pactise to kill him Offa inuadeth Ethelberts kingdome Alfred his betrothed wife taketh his death greuouslie and becommeth a nun the decaie of the kingdome of Eastangles succession in the regiment of the Westsaxons the end of the gouernement of the Eastsaxons prince Algar is smitten blind for seeking to rauish virgine Friswide and at hir praiers restored to his sight The fift Chapter WHen Eadbert or Egbert K. of Northumberland was become a moonke his sonne Osulphus succéeded him but after he had reigned onelie one yeare he was traitorouslie murthered by his owne seruants at Mikilwongton on the 9 kalends of August Then succéeded one Moll otherwise called Edilwold or Edilwald but not immediatlie for he began not his reigne till the nones of August in the yeare following which was after the birth of our sauiour 759. This man prooued right valiant in gouernement of his subiects He slue in battell an earle of his countrie named Oswin who arrearing warre against him fought with him in a pitcht field at Eadwines Cliue and receiued the worthie reward of rebellion This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne and shortlie after that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 764 there fell such a maruellous great snow and therwith so extreame a frost as the like had not béene heard of continuing from the beginning of the wintes almost till the middest of the spring with the rigour whereof trees and fruits withered awaie and lost their liuelie shape and growth and not onelie feathered foules but also beasts on the land fishes in the sea died in great numbers The same yeare died Cedlwulf then king of Northumberland vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of histories of the English nation After that he was become a moonke in the monasterie of Lindesferne the moonks of that house had licence to drinke wine or ale whereas before they might not drinke anie other thing than milke or water by the ancient rule prescribed them of the bishop of Aidan first founder of the place The same yeare sundrie cities townes and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier chancing on the sudden as Stretehu Giwento Anwicke London Yorke Doncaster c. After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares he resigned his kingdome But other write that he reigned 11 yeares and was in the end slaine by treason of his successor Altred This Altred reigned ten years ouer the Northumbers and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his owne subiects Then was Ethelbert named also Edelred the sonne of the foresaid Moll made king of Northumberland and in the fift yeare of his reigne he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his
countrie named Edelbald and Herebert who mouing warre against him had slaine first Aldulfe the sonne of Bosa the generall of his armie at Kingescliffe and after Kinewulfe and Egga other two of his dukes at Helatherne in a sore foughten field so that Ethelbert despairing of all recouerie was constrained to get him out of the countrie And thus was the kingdome of Northumberland brought into a miserable state by the ambitious working of the princes and nobles of the same After that Ethelbert king of Eastangles was dead his sonne Ethelbert succéeded him a prince of great towardnesse and so vertuouslie brought vp by his fathers circumspect care and diligence that he vtterlie abhorred vice and delighted onelie in vertue and commendable exercises for the better atteining to knowledge and vnderstanding of good sciences There remaine manie sundrie saiengs dooings of him manifestlie bearing witnesse that there could not be a man more honorable thankefull courteous or gentle Amongest other he had this saieng oftentimes in his mouth that the greater that men were the more humble they ought to beare themselues for the Lord putteth proud and mightie men from their seates and exalteth the humble and méeke Moreouer he did not onelie shew himselfe wise in words but desired also to excell in staiednesse of maners and continencie of life Whereby he wan to him the hearts of his people who perceiuing that he was nothing delighted in the companie of women and therefore minded not mariage they of a singular loue and fauour towards him required that he should in anie wise yet take a wife that he might haue issue to succéed him At length the matter being referred to his councell he was persuaded to follow their aduises And so Alfreda the daughter of Offa king of Mercia was affianced to him so that he himselfe appointed as meanes to procure more fauour at his father in lawes hands to go fetch the bride from hir fathers house Manie strange things that happened to him in taking vpon him this iournie put him in great doubt of that which should follow He was no sooner mounted on his horsse but that as seemed to him the earth shooke vnder him againe as he was in his iournie abouâ— the mid-time of the day such a darke mist compassed him on ech side that he could not sée nordiscorne for a certeine time anie thing about him at all lastlie as he laâ—â— one night asléepe he thought he saw in a dreame the roofe of his owne palace fall downe to the ground But though with these things he was brought into great feare yet he kept on his iournie as he that mistrusted no deceit measuring other mens maners by his owne King Offa right honourablie receiued him but his wife named â—uendred a wise woman but therewith wicked conceiued a malicious deuise in hir hart streightwaies went about to persuade hir husband to put it in execution which was to murther king Ethelbert and after to take into his hands his kingdome Offa at the first was offended with his wife for this motion but in the end through the importunate request of the woman he consented to hir mind The order of the murther was committed vnto one Winnebert that had serued both the said Ethelbert his father before time the which feining as though he had béene sent from Offa to will Ethelbert to come vnto him in the night season slue him that once mistrusted not anie such treason Offa hauing thus dispatched Ethelbert inuaded his kingdome and conquered it But when the bride Alfreda vnderstood the death of hir liked make and bridegroome abhorring the fact she curssed father and mother and as it were inspired with the spirit of prophesie pronounced that woorthie punishment would shortlie fall on hir wicked mother for hir heinous crime committed in persuading so detestable a déed and according to hir woords it came to passe for hir mother died miserablie within three moneths after The maid Alfreda refusing the world professed hirselfe a nun at Crowland the which place began to wax famous about the yéere of our Lord 695 by the meanes of one Gutlake a man esteemed of great vertue and holinesse which chose to himselfe an habitation there and departing this life about the yéere of our Lord 714 was buried in that place where afterwards an abbeie of moonks was builded of saint Benets order The bodie of K. Ethelbert at length was buried at Hereford though first it was committed to buriall in a vile place néere to the banke of a riuer called Lug. The kingdome of Eastangles from thencefoorth was brought so into decaie that it remained subiect one while vnto them of Mercia an other while vnto the Westsaxons and somewhile vnto them of Kent till that Edmund surnamed the martyr got the gouernment thereof as after shall appéere After that Selred king of the Eastsaxons had gouerned the tearme of 38 yéeres he was slaine but in what maner writers haue not expressed After him succéeded one Swithed or Swithred the 11 and last in number that particularlie gouerned those people He was finallie expelled by Egbert K. of Westsaxons the same yéere that the said Egbert ouercame the Kentishmen as after shall be shewed and so the kings of that kingdome of the Eastsaxons ceassed adn tooke end ¶ About this time there was a maid in Oxford named Friswide daughter to a certeine duke of noble man called Didanus with whome one Algar a prince in those parties fell in loue and would haue rauished hir but God the reuenger of sinnes was at hand as the storie saith For when Algar followed the maid that fled before him she getting into the towne the gate was shut against him and his sight also was suddenlie taken from him But the maid by hir praiers pacified Gods wrath towards him so that his sight was againe restored to him But â—hether this be a fable or a true tale héereof grew the report that the kings of the realme long times after were afraid to enter into the citie of Oxford So easilie is the mind of man turned to superstition as saith Polydor. Kinewulfe king of Westsaxons his conquest ouer the Britains his securitie and negligence he is slaine by conspirators inquisition for Kineard the principall procurer of that mischiefe he is slaine in fight legats from the pope to the kings and archbishops of this land about reformation in the church a councell holden at Mercia iudge Bearne burnt to death for crueltie Alfwold reigneth ouer Northumberland his owne subiects murther him a booke of articles sent by Charles king of France into Britaine quite contrarie to the christian faith Albinus writeth against it great waste by tempests of wind and rage of fire The sixt Chapter AFter that theWestsaxons had depriued their vnprofitable king Sigibert they aduanced Kinewulfe or Cinevulfus the which began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 756 which was in the 16 yéere of the
life in whose place one Adelbert succéeded About the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons the Northumbers hauing to their capteine two noble men Osbald and Ethelherard burned one of their iudges named Bearne bicause he was more cruell in iudgement as they tooke the matter than reason required In which vengeance executed vpon the cruell iudge if he were so seuere as this attempt of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect all such of his liuerie calling are taught lenitie mildnes wherwith they should leuen the rigor of the lawe For capit indulgentia mentes Asperitas odium saeuáeque bella mouet Odimus accipitrem quia viuit semper in armis Et pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos At caret insidijs hominum quia mitis hirundo est Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet At the same time one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled and when the same Alfwald had reigned 10 or as some say 11 yéeres he was traitorouslie and without all guilt made away the chéefe conspirator was named Siga The same Alfwald was a iust prince and woorthilie gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation He was murthered by his owne people as before ye haue heard the 23 of September in the yéere of our Lord 788 and was buried at Hexham In the yéere 792 Charles king of France sent a booke into Britaine which was sent vnto him from Constantinople conteining certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod wherein were present aboue the number of thrée hundred bishops quite contrarie and disagréeing from the true faith namelie in this that images ought to be worshipped which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth Against this booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holie scripture which treatise with the booke in name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine he presented vnto the king of France ¶ In the yéere 800 on Christmasse éeuen chanced a maruellous tempest of wind which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in diuerse places and trees in great number beside other harmes which it did as by death of cattell c. Int the yeere following a great part of London was consumed by fire Britricus K. of the Westsaxons his inclination Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land why crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen what they did prognosticate the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts and the cause of their comming firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga hir ill qualities why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes the miserable end of Ethelburga Kenulfe king of Mercia his vertues he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield he inuadeth Kent taketh the king prisoner in the field and bountifullie setteth him at libertie the great ioy of the people therevpon his rare liberalitie to churchmen his death and buriall The seuenth Chapter AFter Kenwulfe Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of Westsaxons and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787 which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constantinus and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots This Brightrike was descended of the line of Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons the 16 in number from him He was a man of nature quiet temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succéeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled that euerie one as he grew in greatest power stroue to be king and supreame gouernour But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted that place as he that was of the bloud roiall and a man of great power and lustie courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie banished him the land and appointed him to go into France Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should aduance him in time obeied the kings pleasure About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne there fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortlie after in the yeere insuing there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth to apprehend those that were come on land howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them he was slaine but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the countries about began to assemble and were comming against them they fled to their ships and left their prey and spoile behind them for that time These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land being onelie sent as was perceiued after to view the countrie and coasts of the same to vnderstand how with a greater power they might be able to inuade it as shortlie after they did and warred so with the Englishmen that they got a great part of the land and held it in their owne possession In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng which betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed First a great dearth and famine and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes which shortlie followed as ye shall heare Finallie after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some write that he was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia as before ye haue heard and he maried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman proud and high-minded as Lucifer and therewith disdainfull She bare hir the more statelie by reason of hir fathers great fame and magnificence whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband and so put them in danger of their liues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour she would not sticke to poison them It happened one day as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman against whome she had a quarell the king chanced to tast of that cup and died thereof as before ye haue heard Hir purpose indeed was not to haue poisoned the king but onelie the yoong gentleman the which drinking after the king died also the poison was so strong and vehement For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes nor permit them to sit with them in open places
time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre when suddenlie newes came that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships were arriued on the English coasts and began to make sore warre in the land K. Egbert being thereof aduertised with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies Heerevpon incountring with them there was a sore foughten field betwixt them which continued with great slaughter on both sides till the night came on and then by chance of warre the Englishmen which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie were vanquished and put to flight yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond with two bishops to wit Herferd of Winchester and Uigferd of Shireborne were slaine in that battell which was foughten at Carrum about the 834 of Christ and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne In the yeere following the Danes with their nauie came into Westwales and there the Welshmen ioining with them rose against king Egbert but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen and that in great number at a place called Hengistenton The next yéere after also which was 836 he ouerthrew another armie of Danes which came against him as one autor writeth Finallie when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds which when he receiued was but of small compasse he departed this life leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined togither His bodie was buried at Winchester and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent Sussex and Essex ¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires as well forren as domesticall wherein is first to be obserued the order of his education in his tender yéeres which agréeing well with a princes nature could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no policie so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies to whome he gaue manie a fâ—wle discomfiture But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers being such as knew how to get the victorie and hauing gotten it were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit by their warinesse and héed taking for Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turbâ—â— The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons the end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex Kenelme king of Mercia murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred the order of hir wicked practise his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe the kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another the kingdome of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons he marrieth his butlers daughter his disposition the fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies the Danes sought the ruine of this I le how long they afflicted and troubled the same two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre the Danes discomfited the Englishmen chased Ethelwufs great victorie ouer the Danes a great slaughter of them at Tenet king Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches Peter pence paid to Rome he marieth the ladie Iudith his two sonnes conspire vpon occasion of breaking a law to depose him king Ethelwulfe dieth his foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga how he bequeathed his kingdoms The tenth Chapter WHen Cuthred K. of Kent had reigned 8 yeeres as before is mentioned he was constreined to giue place vnto one Baldred that tooke vpon him the gouernment reigned the space of 18 yéeres without anie great authoritie for his subiects regarded him but sorilie so that in the end when his countrie was inuaded by the Westsaxons he was easilie constreined to depart into exile And thus was the kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons after the same kingdome had continued in gouernment of kings created of the same nation for the space of 382 yéers that is to say from the yéere of our Lord 464 vnto the yéere 827. Suithred or Suthred king of Essex was vanquished and expelled out of his kingdome by Egbert king of Westsaxons as before ye maie read in the same yéere that the Kentishmen were subdued by the said Egbert or else verie shortlie after This kingdome continued 281 yeeres from the yéere 614 vnto the yeere 795 as by the table of the Heptarchie set foorth by Alexander Neuill appeereth After the deceasse of Kenwulfe king of Mercia his sonne Kenelme a child of the age of seuen yéeres was admitted king about the yeere of our Lord 821. He had two sisters Quendred and Burgenild of the which the one that is to say Quendred of a malicious mind mooued through ambition enuied hir brothers aduancement and sought to make him awaie so that in the end she corrupted the gouernour of his person one Ashbert with great rewards and high promises persuading him to dispatch hir innocent brother out of life that she might reigne in his place Ashbert one day vnder a colour to haue the yoong king foorth on hunting led him into a thicke wood and there cut off the head from his bodie an impe by reason of his tender yéeres and innocent age vnto the world void of gilt and yet thus traiterouslie murthered without cause or crime he was afterward reputed for a maryr There hath gone a tale that his death should be signified at Rome and the place where the murther was committed by a strange manner for as they say a white â—oue came and sighted vpon the altar of saint Peter bearing a scroll in hir bill which she let fall on the same altar in which scroll among other things this was conteined In clenc liou bath Kenelme kinbarsie â—eth vnder thorne heaued beâ—eaued that is at Clene in a 〈…〉 Keneline the kings child lieth beheaded vnder a thorne This tale I â—ehearse not for anie credit I thinke it woorthie of but onelie for that it séemeth to note the place where the yoong prince innocentlie lost his life After that Kenelme was thus made awaie his vncle Ceolwulfe the brother of king Kenulfe was created king of Mercia and in the second yéere of his reigne was expelled by Bernwulfe Bernwulfe in the third yéere of his reigne was vanquished and put to flight in battell by Egbert king of
and Lumbards the Saxons from Woden before they were mixed with the Danes and Normans the Frenchmen at this day from the Thracians the Germans from the children of Gwiston and other people from their farre fetcht ancestrie To conclude of this Ethelwulfe it is written that he was so well learned deuout that the clerks of the church of Winchester did chuse him in his youth to be bishop which function he vndertooke and was bishop of the said see by the space of seuen yéeres before he was king Bertwolfe king of Mercia tributarie to the Westsaxons the fame of Modwen an Irish virgine she was a great builder of monasteries she had the gift of healing diseases Ethelbald and Ethelbright diuide their fathers kingdome betwixt them Ethelbald marieth his mother he dieth Winchester destroied by the Danes they plaied the trucebreakers and did much mischiefe in Kent Ethelbright dieth Ethelred king of the Westsaxons his commendable qualities his regiment was full of trouble he fought againt the Danes nine times in one yere with happie successe the kings of Mercia fall from their sealtie and allegiance to Ethelred Hungar Vbba two Danish capteines with their power lie in Eastangle Osbright and Ella kings of Northumberland slaine of the Danes in battell they set Yorke on fire a commendation of bishop Adelstan his departure out of this life The eleuenth Chapter AFter Wightlafe king of Mercia one Bertwofe reigned as tributarie vnto the Westsaxons the space of 13 yeeres about the end of which tearme he was chased out of his countrie by the Danes and then one Burthred was made king of that kingdome which maried Ethelswida the sister of Ethelwolfe king of Westsaxons In this season one Modwen a virgine in Ireland was greatlie renowmed in the world vnto whome the forenamed king Ethelwolfe sent his sonne Alfred to be cured of a disease that was thought incurable but by hir meanes he recouered health and therefore when hir monasterie was destroied in Ireland Modwen came ouer into England vnto whom king Ethelwolfe gaue land to build two abbeies and also deliuered vnto hir his sister Edith to be professed a nun Modwen herevpon built two monasteries one at Pouleswoorth ioining to the bounds of Arderne wherein she placed the foresaid Edith with Osith and Athea the other whether it was a monasterie or cell the founded in Strenshall or Trentsall where she hir selfe remained solitarie a certeine time in praier and other vertuous exercises And as it is reported she went thrice to Rome and finallie died being 130 yéeres of age Hir bodie was first buried in an Iland compassed about with the riuer of Trent called Andresey taking that name of a church or chappell of saint Andrew which she had built in the same Iland and dwelled therein for the space of seuen yéeres Manie monasteries the builded both in England as partlie aboue is mentioned and also in Scotland as at Striueling Edenbrough and in Ireland at Celestline and elsewhere Ethelbald and Ethelbright diuiding their fathers kingdom betwixt them began to reigne Ethelbald ouer the Westsaxons and the Southsaxons and Ethelbright ouer them of Kent and Essex in the yéere of our Lord 857 which was in the second yéere of the emperor Lewes the second the 17 of Charles surnamed Caluus or the bald king of France and about the first yéere of Donald the fift of that name king of Scots The said Ethelbald greatlie to his reproch tooke to wise his mother in law quéene Iudith or rather as some write his owne mother whom his father had kept as concubine He liued not past fiue yéeres in gouernement of the kingdome but was taken out of this life to the great sorrow of his subiects whome he ruled right worthilie and so as they had him in great loue and estimation Then his brother Ethelbright tooke on him the rule of the whole gouernment as well ouer the Westsaxons them of Sussex as ouer the Kentishmen and them of Essex In his daies the Danes came on land and destroid the citie of Winchester but duke Osrike with them of Hamshire and duke Adelwolfe with the Barkeshire men gaue the enimies battell vanquishing them slue of them a great number In the fift yeere of Ethelbrights reigne a nauie of Danes arriued in the I le of Tenet vnto whome when the Kentishmen had promised a summe of monie to haue a truce granted for a time the Danes one night before the tearme of that truce was expired brake foorth and wasted all the east part of Kent wherevpon the Kentishmen assembled togither made towardes those trucebreakers and caused them to depart out of the countrie The same yéere after that Ethelbright had ruled well and peaceably the Westsaxons fiue yeeres and the Kentishmen ten yéeres he ended his life and was buried at Shireborne as his brother Ethelbald was before him AFter Ethelbright succéeded his brother Ethelred and began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and the more part of the English people in the yéere of our Lord 867 and in the 12 yéere of the emperour Lewes in the 27 yéere of the reigne of Charles Calnus king of France and about the 6 yéere of Constantine the second king of Scots Touching this Ethelred he was in time of peace a most courteous prince and one that by all kind of meanes sought to win the hearts of the people but abroad in the warres he was sharpe and sterne as he that vnderstood what apperteined to good order so that he would suffer no offense to escape vnpunished By which meanes he was famous both in peace and warre but he neither liued any long time in the gouernement nor yet was suffered to passe the short space that he reigned in rest and quietnesse For whereas he reigned not past six yeeres he was continuallie during that tearme vexed with the inuasion of the Danes and speciallie towards the latter end insomuch that as hath béene reported of writers he fought with them nine times in one yéere and although with diuers and variable fortune yet for the more part he went away with the victorie Beside that he oftentimes lay in wait for their forragers and such as straied abroad to rob and spoile the countrie whom he met withall and ouerthrew There were slaine in his time nine earles of those Danes and one king beside other of the meaner sort without number But here is to be vnderstood that in this meane time whilest Ethelred was busied in warre to resist the inuasions of the Danes in the south and west parts of this land the kings and rulers of Mercia and Northumberland taking occasion thereof began to withdraw their couenanted subiection from the Westsaxons and tooke vpon them as it were the absolute gouernment and rule of their countries without respect to aid one another but rather were contented to susteine the enimies within their dominions than to preuent the iniurie with dutifull assistance to those whom
by allegiance they were bound to serue and obeie By reason hereof the Danes without resistance grew into greater power amongst them whilest the inhabitants were still put in feare each day more than other and euerie late gotten victorie by the enimies by the increase of prisoners ministred occasion of some other conquest to follow Euen about the beginning of Ethelreds reigne there arriued vpon the English coasts an huge armie of the Danes vnder the conduct of two renowmed capteins Hungar and Ubbs men of maruellous strength and valiancie but both of them passing cruell of nature They lay all the winter season in 〈◊〉 compounding with them of the 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 vpon certeine conditions sparing 〈◊〉 a tune to shew their for as for quietnesse sake In the socond yéere of king Eâ—helâ—ed the said capteine came with their armies into Yorkshire finding the country vnprouided of necessarie defense bicause of the ciuill discord that reigned aniong the Northumbers the which had latelie expelled king Osbright that had the gouernement of those parts and placed one Ella in his roome howbeit now they were constreined to reuoke him home againe and sought to accord him and Ella But it was long yer that might be brought to passe notwithstanding yet at length they were mae friends by reason of this inuasion attempted by forren enimies and then raising their powers they came to Yorke where the Danes hauing wasted the countrie euen to the riuer of Tine were lodged The English host entring the citie began to fight with the Danes by reason whereof a fore battell insued betwixt them but in the end the two kings Osbright and Ella were slaine and a great number of the Northumbers what within the citie and what without lost their liues at that time the residue were constreined to take truce with the Danes This battell was fought the 21 day of Maâ—ch being in â—ent on the Friday before Palmsunday in the yere 657. ¶ Some haue written otherwise of this battell reporting that the Northumbers calling home king Osbright whome before they had banished incountred with the Danes in the field without the walles of Yorke but they were easilie beaten backe and chased into the citie the which by the Danes pursuing the victorie was set on fier and burnt togither with the king and people that were fled into it for succour How soeuer it came about certeine it is that the Danes got the victorie and now hauing subdued the Northumbers appointed one Egbert so reigne ouer them as king vnder their protection which Egbert reigned in that sort six yeares ouer those which inhabited beyond the riuer of Tine In the same yeare Adelstane bishop of Shireborne departed this life hauing gouerned that sée the terme of 50 yeares This Adelstane was a man of high wisedome and one that had borne no small rule in the kingdome of the Westsaxons as hereby it may be coniectured that when king Ethelwulfe returned from Rome he would not suffer him to be admitted king because he had doone in certeine points contrarie to the ordinances and lawes of the same kingdome wherevpon by this bishops means Ethelbald the sonne of the same king Ethelwulfe was established king and so continued till by agréement the kingdome was diuided betwixt them as before is mentioned Finallie he greatlie inriched the sée of Shireborne and yet though he was feruentlie set on couetousnesse he was neuerthelesse verie free and liberall in gifts which contrarie eâ—tremities so ill matched though in him the time wherein he liued being considered they might seeme somewhat tollerable yet simplie in truth they were vtterlie repugnant to the law of the spirit which biddeth that none should doo euill that good may come thereof Against which precept because Adelstane could not but offend in the heat of his couetousnes which is termed the root of all mischiefe though he was excéeding bountifull and large in distributing the wealth he had gréedilie gotten togither he must néeds incur reprehension But this is so much the lesse to be imputed vnto him as a fault by how much he was ignorant what by the rule of equitie and conscience was requirable in a christian man or one of his vocation Burthred king of Mercia with aid beseegeth the Danes in Notingham Basâ—reeg and Halden two Danish kings with their powers 〈◊〉 the Westsaxâ—â—â— they are incountred by 〈◊〉 earâ—e of Baâ—kâ—shire King 〈◊〉 giueth them and their cheefe guide a sore 〈◊〉 what Polydor Virgil recorder touching one 〈◊〉 king of the Danes and the warres that Ethelred had with them his death Edmuisd king of Eastangles giueth battell to the Danes he yeeldeth himselfe and for christian religion sake is by them most cruellie murthered the kingdome of the Eastangles endeth Guthran a Dane gouerneth the whole countrie K. Osbright rauisheth the wife of one Bearne a noble man a bloodie battell insueth therevpon wherein Osbright and Ella are slaine The twelft Chapter IN the yeare following that is to say in the third yéere of Ethelreds reigne he with his brother Alured went to aid Burthred king of Mercia against the two foresaid Danish capteines Hungar and Ubba the which were entred into Mercia and had woon the towne for the winter season Wherevpon the foresaid Ethelred and Burthred with their powers came to Notingham and besieged the Danes within it The Danes perceiuing themselues in danger made suite for a truce abstinence from war which they obtenred and then departed backe to Yorke where they sâ—â—urned the most part of all that yeare In the sixt yeare of king Ethelreds reigne a new armie of great force and power came into the countrie of the Westsaxons vnder two leaders or kings of the Danes Basréeg and Halden They lodged at Reding with their maine armie and within thrée daies after the earle of Berrockshire Edelwulfe fought at Englefield with two earles of those Danes vanquished them and slue the one of those earles whose name was Sidroc After this king Ethelred and his brother Alured came with a great host vnto Reading and there gaue battell vnto the armie of Danes so that an huge number of people died on both parts but the Danes had the victorie After this also king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought againe with those Danes at Aschdon where the armies on both sides were diuided into two parts so that the two Danish kings lead the one part of their armie certeine of their earles lead the other part Likewise on the English side king Ethelred was placed with one part of the host against the Danish kings and Alured with the other part was appointed to incounter with the earles Herevpon they being on both parts readie to giue battell the euening comming on caused them to deferre it till the morow And so earlie in the morning when the armies should ioine king Ethelred stated in his tent the heare diuine seruice whilest his brother vpon a
castell which they besieged till the Danes within it gaue hostages and couenanted to depart out of the kings land The king caused the coasts about Seuerne to be watched that they should not breake into his countrie but yet they stale twise into the borders neuerthelesse they were chased and slaine as manie as could not swim and so get to their ships Then they remained in the I le of Stepen in great miserie for lacke of vittels bicause they could not go abroad to get anie At length they departed into Northwales and from thence sailed into Ireland The same yéere king Edward came to Buckingham with an armie and there taried a whole moneth building two castels the one vpon the one side of the water of Ouse and the other vpon the other side of the same riuer He also subdued Turketillus an earle of the Danes that dwelt in that countrie with all the residue of the noble men and barons of the shires of Bedford and Northampton In the 12 yéere of king Edwards reigne the Kentishmen and Danes fought togither at Holme but whether partie had the victorie writers haue not declared Simon Dunelm speaketh of a battell which the citizens of Canturburie fought against a number of Danish rouers at Holme where the Danes were put to flight but that should be as he noteth 8 yéeres before this supposed time as in the yéere 904 which was about the third yéere of king Edwards reigne After this other of the Danes assembled themselues togither and in Staffordshire at a place called Tottenhall fought with the Englishmen and after great slaughter made on both parties the Danes were ouercome and so likewise were they shortlie after at Woodfield or Wodenfield And thus king Edward put the Danes to the woorse in each place commonlie where he came and hearing that those in Northumberland ment to breake the peace he inuaded the countrie and so afflicted the same that the Danes which were inhabitants there gladlie continued in rest and peace But in this meane time Ericke the king of those Danes which held the countrie of Eastangle was about to procure new warre and to allure other of the Danes to ioine with him against the Englishmen that with common agréement they might set vpon the English nation and vtterlie subdue them King Edward hâ—â—ing intelligence héereof purposed to preuent him and therevpon entering with an armie into his countrie cruellie wasted and spoiled the same King Ericke hauing alreadie his people in armor through displeasure conceiued heereof and desire to be reuenged hasted foorth to incounter his enimies and so they met in the field and fiercelie assailed ech other But as the battell was rashlie begun on king Ericks side so was the end verie harmefull to him for with small a doo after great losse on both sides he was vanquished and put to flight After his comming home bicause of his great ouerthrow and fowle discomfiture he began to gouerne his people with more rigor sharper dealing than before time he had vsed Whereby he prouoked the malice of the Eastangles so highlie against him that they fell vpon him and murthered him yet did they not gaine so much hereby as they looked to haue doone for shortlie after they being brought low and not able to defend their countrie were compelled to submit themselues vnto king Edward And so was that kingdome ioined vnto the other dominions of the same king Edward who shortlie after annexed the kingdome of Mercia vnto other of his dominions immediatlie vpon the death of his sister Elfleda whom he permitted to rule that land all hir life Elfleda the sister of king Edward highlie commended for gouernment what a necessarie staie she was vnto him in hir life time what townes she builded and repared hir warlike exploits against the Danes hir death and buriall the greatest part of Britaine in K. Edwards dominion he is a great builder and reparer of townes his death the dreame of his wife Egina and the issue of the same what children king Edward had by his wiues and how they were emploied the decay of the church by the meanes of troubles procured by the Danes England first curssed and why a prouinciall councell summoned for the reliefe of the churches ruine Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie sent to Rome bishops ordeined in sundrie prouinces dissention among writers what pope should denounce the foresaid cursse a succession of archbishops in the see of Canturburie one brother killeth an other The xviij Chapter NOt without good reason did king Edward permit vnto his sister Elfleda the gouernment of Mercia during hir life time for by hir wise and politike order vsed in all hir dooings he was greatlie furthered assisted but speciallie in reparing and building of townes castels wherein she shewed hir noble magnificence in so much that during hir gouernment which continued about eight yéeres it is recorded by writers that she did build and repare these towns whose names here insue Tamwoorth beside Lichfield Stafford Warwike Shrewsburie Watersburie or Weddesburie Elilsburie or rather Eadsburie in the forrest of De la mere besides Chester Brimsburie bridge vpon Seuerne Rouncorne at the mouth of the riuer of Mercia with other Moreouer by hir helpe the citie of Chester which by Daâ—es had beene greatlie defaced was newlie repared fortified with walls and turrets and greatlie inlarged So that the castell which stood without the walls before that time was now brought within compasse of the new wall Moreouer she boldlie assalted hir enimies which went about to trouble the state of the countrie as the Welshmen and Danes She sent an armie into Wales and tooke the towne of Brecknocke with the queene of the Welshmen at Bricenamere Also she wan from the Danes the towne of Darbie and the countrie adioining In this enterprise she put hir owne person in great aduenture for a great multitude of Danes that were withdrawen into Darbie valiantlie defended the gates and entries in so much that they slue foure of hir chiefe men of warre which were named wardens of hir person euen fast by hir at the verie entrie of the gates But this notwithstanding with valiant fight hir people entered and so the towne was woon she got diuerse other places out of their hands constreined them of Yorkeshire to agree with hir so that some of them promised to become hir subiects some vowed to aid hir and some sware to be at hir commandement Finallie this martiall ladie and manlie Elfleda the supporter of hir countriemen and terrour of the enimies departed this life at Tamwoorth about the 12 of Iune in the 18 or rather 19 yéere of hir brother king Edwards reigne as by Matth. West it should appeere But Simon Dunelm writeth that she deceassed in the yeere of Christ 915 which should be about the 14 yéere of king Edwards reigne Hir bodie was conueied to
Wolstan archbishop of Yorke that liued in his daies for whose sake he greatlie inriched that bishoprike His fame spread ouer all the parties of Europe so that sundrie princes thought themselues happie if they might haue his friendship either by affinitie or otherwise by meanes whereof he bestowed his sisters so highlie in mariage as before ye haue heard He receiued manie noble and rich presents from diuers princes as from Hugh king of France horsses and sundrie rich iewels with certeine relikes as Constantines sword in the hilt whereof was set one of the nailes wherewith Christ was fastened to the crosse the speare of Charles the great which was thought to be the same where with the side of our sauiour was pearced the banner of saint Maurice with a part of the holie crosse andaffinitie or otherwise by meanes whereof he bestowed likewise a part of the thorned crowne yet Mandeuile saw the one halfe of this crowne in France and the other at Constantinople almost 400 yeares after this time as he writeth Of these iewels king Adelstane gaue part to the abbie of saint Swithon at Winchester and part to the abbie of Malmesburie Moreouer the king of Norwaie sent vnto him a goodlie ship of fine woorkmanship with gilt sterne and purple sailes furnished round about the decke within with a rowe of gilt pauises ¶ In the daies of this Adelstane reigned that right worthie Guy earle of Warwike who as some writers haue recorded fought with a mightie giant of the Danes in a singular combat and vanquished him Edmund succeedeth Adelstane in the kingdome the Danes of Northumberland rebell against him a peace concluded betwene Aulafe their king and king Edmund vpon conditions Aulafe dieth another of that name succeedethwithin with a rowe of gilt pauises ¶ In the daies him king Edmund subdueth the Danes aud compelleth them to receiue the christian faith Reinold and Aulafe are baptised they violate their fealtie vowed to king Edmund they are put to perpetuall exile why king Edmund wasted all Northumberland caused the eies of king Dunmails sonnes to be put out and assigned the said countrie to Malcolme king of Scots the Scotish chroniclers error in peruerting the time order of the English kings king Edmunds lawes by what misfortune he came to his end how his death was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale of the vertue of the crosse Dunstane reproueth duke Elstane his dreame and how the interpretation thereof came to passe The xxj Chapter AFter that Adelstane was departed this life without leauing issue behind to succéed him in the kingdome his brother Edmund sonnedeath was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale of Edward the elder borne of his last wife Edgiue tooke vpon him the gouernement of this land and began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 940 which was in the fift yeare of the emperor Otho the 1 in the 13 of Lewes surnamed Transmarinus king of France and about the 38 yeare of Constantine the third king of Scotland The Danes of Northumberland rebelled against this Edmund and ordeined Aulafe to be their king whom they haddeath was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale called out of Ireland Some write that this Aulafe which now in the beginning of Edmunds reigne came into Northumberland was king of Norwaie hauing a great power of men with him marched foorth towards the south parts of this land in pupose to subdue the whole but king Edmund raised a mightie armie and incountred with his enimies at Leicester Howbeit yer the matter came to the vttermost triall of battell through the earâ—est sute of the archbishop of Canturburie and Yorke Odo and Wolstan a peace was concluded so as Edmund should inioy all that part of the land which lieth from Watling stréet southward Aulafe should inioy the other part as it lieth from the same street northward Then Aulafe tooke to wife the 〈◊〉 Alditha daughter to earle Ormus by whoâ—e counsell and assistance he had thus obteined the vpper hand But this Aulafe in the yeere following after he had destroied the church of saint Balter and burned Tinningham departed this life Then the other Aulafeof the archbishop of Canturburie and Yorke Odo that was sonne to king Sithrike tooke vpon him to gouerne the Northumbers After this in the yeare 942 king Edmund assembling an armie first subdued those Danes which had got into their possession the cities and towns of Lincolne Leicester Darhie Stafford and Notingham constreining them to receiue the christian faith and reduced all the countries euen vnto Humber vnder his subiection This doone Aulafe and Reinold the sonne of Garmo who as you haue heard subdued Yorke as a meane the sooner to obteine peace offered to become christians to submit themselues vnto him wherevpon he receiued them to his peace There be that write that this Aulafe is not that Aulafe which was sonne to king Sithrike but rather that the other was he with whom king Edmund made partition of the realme but they agree that this second Aulafe was a Dane also being conuerted to the faith as well throughvnder his subiection This doone Aulafe and constraint of the kings puissance as through the preaching of the gospell was baptised king Edmund being godfather both vnto him and vnto the foresaid Reinold to Aulafe at the verie fontstone and to Reinold at his confirmation at the bishops hands Neuerthelesse their wicked natures could not rest in quiet so that they brake both promise to God and to their prince and were therefore in the yeare next following driuen both out of the countrie and punished by perpetuall exile And so king Edmund adioined Northumberland without admitting anie other immediat gouernor vnto his owne estate Moreouer he wasted and spoiled whole Cumberland because he could not reduce the people of that countrie vnto due obeisance and conformable subiection The two sonnes of Dunmaile king of that prouince he apprehended and caused their eies to be put out Herewith vpon consideration either of such aid as he had receiued of the Scots at that time or some other friendlie respect he assigned the said countrie of Cumberland vnto Malcolme king of Scots to hold the same by fealtie of him and his successors The Scotish chronicles peruerting the time and order of the acts and doings of the English kings which reigned about this season affirme that by couenants of peace concluded betwixt Malcolme king of Scotland and Adelstan king of England it was agréed that Cumberland should remaine to the Scots as in their chronicles you may find atsuch aid as he had receiued of the Scots at that full expressed And againe that Indulfe who succéeded Malcolme in the kingdome of Scotland aided king Edmund against Aulafe whom the same chronicles name Aualassus but the time which they attribute vnto the reignes of their kings will not alow the same to stand
conuenient age was made a nun A third example of his incontinencie is written by authors and that is this It chanced on a time that he lodged one night at Andeuer and hauing a mind to a lords daughter there he commanded that she should bee brought to his bed But the mother of the gentlewoman would not that hir daughter should be defloured and therefore in the darke of the night broughtinto a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns weed he tooke one of hir maidseruants and laid hir in the kings bed she being both faire proper and pleasant In the morning when the day began to appeare she made hast to arise and being asked of the king why she so hasted That I may go to my daies worke if it please your grace quoth she Herewith she being staied by the king as it were against hir will she fell downe on hir knées required of him that she might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights worke For saith she it is not for your honor that the woman which hath tasted the pleasure of the kings bodie should anie more suffer seruitude vnder the rule and appointment of a sharpe rough mistresse The king then being mooued in his spirits laughed at the matter though not from the heart as he that tooke great indignation at the dooings of the dutchesse and pitied the case of the poore wench But yet in fine turning earnest to a iest he pardoned all the parties and aduanced the wench to high honor farreshe might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights aboue those that had rule of hir afore so that she ruled them willed they nilled they for he vsed hir as his paramour till he maried the foresaid Alfred For these youthfull parts namelie for the rauishing of Wilfride which though she were no nun yet the offense seemed verie heinous for that he should not once touch anie woman shadowed vnder that habit he greatlie displeased Dunstane so that by him he was put to his seuen yéeres penance and kept from the crowne till the 12 yeere of his reigne or more For some write that he was not crowned nor annointed king till the 30 yeere of his age which should be about the 13 or 14 yeere of his reigne by that account sith he entred into the rule of the kingdome about the 16 yéere of his age In déed one author witnesseth that he was consecrated at Bath on a Whitsunday the 13 yéere of his reigne and that by Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie and Oswold archbishop of Yorke But some which suppose that he was consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death of Edridus affirme that he was crowned and annointed king by the archbishop Odo Dunstane as then remaining in exile from whence he was immediatlie reuoked by Edgar and first made bishop of Worcester as hath beene said and after the decease of Odo was aduanced to be archbishop of Canturburie But by some writers it appeareth that Dunstane was reuoked out of exile immediatlie vpon partition of the realme betwixt Edwin and Edgar which chanced in the yéere 957 by the rebellion of thewas consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death people of Mercia others as before ye haue heard and that in the yéere following the archbishop Odo died after whome succéeded Alfin bishop of Winchester who also died the same yeere that king Edward deceased as he went to fetch his pall from Rome and then Brighthelme bishop of Dorchester was elected archbishop But bicause he was not able to discharge so great an office by K. Edgars commandement he was forced to giue place to Dunstane Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the Welshmen mooued some rebellion against him Wherevpon he assembled an armie and entering the countrie of Glamorgan did much hurt in the same chastising the inhabitants verie sharpelie for their rebellious attempts Amongst other spoiles taken in those parties at that time by the men of war the bell of saint Ellutus was taken away and hanged about a horsses necke and as hath béene reported in the after noone it chanced that king Edgar laid him downe to rest wherevpon in sleepe there appeared Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the one vnto him and smote him on the breast with a speare By reason of which vision he caused all things that had béene taken away to be restored againe But within nine daies after the king died Whether anie such thing chanced or that he had anie such vision it forceth not But truth it is that in the 37 yéere of his age after he had reigned 16 yéeres and two moneths he departed this life the 8 day of Iulie and was buried at Glastenburie This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for such princelie qualities as appeared in him but chieflie for that he was so beneficiall to the church namelie to moonks the aduancement of whome he greatlie sought both in building abbeies new from the ground in reparing those that were decaied also by inriching them with great reuenues and in conuerting collegiat churches into monasteries remoouing secular priests and bringing in moonks in their places There passed no one yéere of his reigne wherin he founded not one abbeie or other The abbeie of This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for Glastenburie which his father had begun he finished The abbeie of Abington also he accomplished and set in good order The abbeies of Peterborough Thornie he established The nunrie of Wilton he founded and richlie endowed where his daughter Edith◠was professed and at length became abbesse there To be briefe he builded as the chronicles record to the number of 40 abbeies and monasteries in some of which he placed moonks and in some nuns By his example in those daies other nobles as also prelates This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for some of the laitie did begin the foundation of sundrie abbeies and monasteries as Adelwold bishop of Winchester builded the abbeie of Elie and as some say Peterborough Thornie though they were established by the king as before is mentioned Also earle Ailewin at the exhortation of the same bishop Adelwold builded the abbeie of Ramsey though some attribute the dooing thereof vnto Oswold the archbishop of Yorke and some to king Edward the elder To conclude the religious orders of moonks and nuns in these daies florished and the state of secular priests was smallie regarded insomuch that they were constreined to auoid out of diuerse colleges and to leaue the same vnto moonks as at Worcester and Winchester where in the new monasterie bicause the kings liued not in such sort as was then thought requisite the prebends were taken from them and giuen to vicars But when the vicars were thought to vse themselues no better but ratherEdward the elder worse than the other before them they were likewise put out and moonks placed
woorthie punishment for within one yéere after he was eaten to death with lice if the historie be true King Edward came to his death after he had reigned thrée yéeres or as other write thrée yéeres and eight moneths ¶ Whatsoeuer hath béene reported by writers of the murther committed on the person of this king Edward sure it is that if he were base begotten as by writers of no meane credit it should appéere he was in déed great occasion vndoubtedlie was giuen vnto quéene Alfred to seeke reuenge for the wrongfull keeping backe of hir son Egelred from his rightfull succession to the crowne but whether that Edward was legitimate or not she might yet haue deuised some other lawfull meane to haue come by hir purpose and not so to haue procured the murther of the yoong prince in such vnlawfull maner For hir dooing therein can neither be woorthilie allowed nor throughlie excused although those that occasioned the mischiefe by aduancing hir stepsonne sonne to an other mans right deserued most blame in this matter Thus farre the sixt booke comprising the first arriuall of the Danes in this land which was in king Britricus his reigne pag. 135 at which time the most miserable state of England tooke beginning THE SEVENTH BOKE of the Historie of England Egelred succeedeth Edward the martyr in the kingdome of England the decaie of the realme in his reigne Dunstane refusing to consecrate him is therevnto inforced Dunstans prophesies of the English people and Egelred their king his slouth and idlenes accompanied with other vices the Danes arriue on the coasts of Kent and make spoile of manie places warre betwixt the king and the bishop of Rochester archbishop Dunstans bitter denunciation against the king because he would not be pacified with the bishop of Rochester without moncie Dunstans parentage his strange trance and what a woonderfull thing he did during the time it lasted his education and bringing vp with what good qualities he was indued an incredible tale of his harpe how he was reuoked from louing and lusting after women whereto he was addicted his terrible dreame of a rough beare what preferments he obteined by his skill in the expounding of dreames The first Chapter IN the former booke was discoursed the troubled state of this land by the manisold and mutinous inuasions of the Danes who though they sought to ingrosse the rule of euerie part and parcell therof in to their hands yet being resisted by the valiantnesse of the gouernors supported with the aid of their people they were disappointed of their expectation and receiued manie a dishonorable or rather reprochfull repulse at their aduersaries hands Much mischiefe doubtlesse they did and more had doone if they had not béene met withall in like measure of extremitie as they offred to the offense and ouerthrow of great multitudes Their first entrance into this land is controuersed among writers some saieng that it was in the daies of king Britricus other some affirming that it was in the time of king Egbert c about which point sith it is a matter of no great moment we count it labour lost to vse manie woords onelie this by the waie is notewoorthie that the Danes had an vnperfect or rather a lame and limping rule in this land so long as the gouernors were watchfull diligent politike at home and warlike abroad But when these kind of kings discontinued and that the raines of the regiment fell into the hands of a pezzant not a puissant prince a man euill qualified dissolute slacke and licentious not regarding the dignitie of his owne person nor fauoring the good estate of the people the Danes who before were coursed from coast to coast and pursued from place to place as more willing to leaue the land than desirous to tarrie in the same tooke occasion of stomach and courage to reenter this I le waxing more bold and confident more desperate and venturous spared no force omitted no opportunitie let slip no aduantage that they might possiblie take to put in practise and fullie to accomplish their long conceiued purpose Now bicause the Danes in the former kings daies were reencountred and that renowmedlie so often as they did encounter and séeking the totall regiment where dispossessed of their partile principalilie which by warlike violence they obteined and for that the Saxons were interessed in the land and these but violent incrochers vnable to keepe that which they came to by constreint we haue thought it conuenient to comprise the troubled estate of that time in the sixt booke the rather for the necessarie consequence of matters then in motion and héere déeme it not amisse at so great and shamefull loosenesse speciallie in a prince ministring hart and courage to the enimie to begin the seuenth booke Wherin is expressed the chiefest time of their flourishing estate in this land if in tumults vprores battels and bloudshed such a kind of estate may possiblie be found For héere the Danes lord it héere they take vpon them like souereignes héere if at anie time they had absolute authoritie they did what they might in the highest degrée as shall be declared in the vnfortunate affaires of vngratious Egelred or Etheldred the sonne of king Edgar and of his last wife quéene Alfred who was ordeined king in place of his brother Edward after the same Edward was dispatched out of the waie and began his reigne ouer this realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 979 which was in the seuenth yéere of the emperor Otho the second in the 24 of Lothaine K. of France and about the second or third yéere of Kenneth the third of that name king of Scotland This Egelred or Etheldred was the 30 in number from Cerdicus he first king of the Westsaxons through his negligent gouernment the state of the commonwealth fell into such decaie as writers doo report that vnder him it may be said how the kingdome was 〈◊〉 to the vttermost point or period of old 〈…〉 age which is the next degrée to the graâ—e For wheras whilest the realme was diuided at the first by the Saxons into sundrie dominions it grew at length as it were increasing from youthfull yeeres to one absolute monarchie which passed vnder the late remembred princes Egbert Adelstane Edgar and others so that in their daies it might be said how it was growne to mans state but now vnder this Egelred through famine pestilence and warres the state thereof was so shaken turned vpside downe and weakened on ech part that rightlie might the season be likened vnto the old broken yéeres of mans life which through féeblenesse is not able to helpe it slefe Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie was thought to haue foreséene this thing and therfore refused to annoint Egelred king which by the murther of his brother should atteine to the gouernment but at length he was compelled vnto it and so he consecrated him at Kingston vpon Thames as the
The Danes followed them vnto Wilton which towne they rifled and ouercame From thence they went to Salisburie and so taking their pleasure there returned to their ships because as some write they were aduertised that the king was comming towards them with an huge armie In the yeare next insuing that is to saie 1004 which was about the 24 yeare of K. Egelreds reigne Sweine or Swanus king of Denmarke with a mightie nauie of ships came on the coast of Northfolke and there landing with his people made toward Norwich and comming thither tooke that citie and spoiled it Then went he vnto Thetford and when he had taken and rified that towne he burnt it notwithstanding a truce taken by Uikillus or Wilfketell gouernor of those parties with the same king Swaine after the taking of Norwich In reuenge therefore of such breach of truce the same Uikillus or Wilfeketell with such power as he could raise assaulted the host of Danes as they returned to their ships and slue a great number of them but was not able to mainteine the fight for his enimies ouermatched him in number of men And so he was constrained in the end to giue backe and the enimies kept on their waies to their ships In the yeare following king Swaine returned into Denmarke with all his fléet partlie constrained so to doo as some write by reason of the great famin want of necessarie sustenance which in that yeare sore oppressed this land In the yeare of our Lord 1006 king Swaine returned againe into England with a mightie huge nauie arriuing at Sandwich and spoiled all the countrie néere vnto the sea side King Egelred raised all his power against him and all the haruest time laie abroad in the field to resist the Danes which according to their woonted maner spared not to exercise their vnmercifull crueltie in wasting and spoiling the land with fire and sword pilfering and taking of preies in euerie part where they came Neither could king Egelred remedie the matter because the enimies still conueied themselues with their ships into some contrarie quarter from the place where they knew him to be so that his trauell was in vaine About the beginning of winter they remained in the I le of Wight in the time of Christmasse they landed in Hampshire and passing through that countrie into Barkeshire they came to Reading and from thence to Wallingford and so to Coleseie and then approching to Essington came to Achikelmeslawe and in euerie place wheresoeuer they came they made cleane worke For that which they could not carie with them they consumed with fire burning vp their innes and sleaing their hoasts In returning backe the people of the west countrie gaue them battell but preuailed not so that they did but inrich their enimies with the spoile of their bodies They came by the gates of Winchester as it were in maner of triumph with vittels and spoiles which they had fetched fiftie miles from the sea side In the meane time king Egelred lay about Shrewsburie sore troubled with the newes hereof and in the yeare next insuing by the aduise of his councell he gaue to king Swaine for the redeeming of peace 30000 pounds In the same yeare K. Egelred created the traitor Edrike earle of Mercia who although he had maried Edgiua the kings daughter was yet noted to be one of those which disclosed the secrets of the realme and the determinations of the councell vnto the enimies But he was such a craftie dissembler so greatlie prouided of sleight to dissemble and cloake his falshood that the king being too much abused by him had him in singular fauour whereas he vpon a malicious purpose studied dailie how to bring the realme into vtter destruction aduertising the enimies from time to time how the state of things stood whereby they came to knowledge when they should giue place and when they might safelie come forward Moreouer being sent vnto them oftentimes as a commissioner to treat to peace he persuaded them to warre But such was the pleasure of God to haue him and such other of like sort aduanced to honor in this season when by his diuine prouidence he meant to punish the people of this realme for their wickednesse and sinnes whereby they had iustlie prouoked his wrath and high displeasure In the 30 yeare of king Egelreds reigne which fell in the yeare of our Lord 1008 he tooke order that of euerie thrée hundred and ten hides of land within this realme there should one ship be builded and of euerie eight hides a complet armor furnished In the yeare following the kings whole fléet was brought togither at Sandwich and such souldiers came thither as were appointed to go to sea in the same fléet There had not béene seene the like number of ships so trimlie rigged and furnished in all points in anie kings daies before But no great profitable péece of seruice was wrought by them for the king had about that time banished a noble yoong man of Sussex called Wilnot who getting togither twentie sailes laie vpon the coasts taking prices where he could get them Brithrike the brother of earle Edrike being desirous to win honor tooke forth foure score of the said ships and promised to bring in the enimie dead or aliue But as he was sailing forward on the seas a sore tempest with an outragious wind rose with such violence that his ships were cast vpon the shore and Wilnot comming vpon them set them on fire and so burned them euerie one The residue of the ships when newes came to them of this mishap returned backe to London and then was the armie dispersed and so all the cost and trauell of the Englishmen proued in vaine After this in the haruest time a new armie of Danes vnder the conduct of thrée capteines Turkill Henning and Aulafe landed at Sandwich and from thence passed forth to Canturburie and had taken the citie but that the citizens gaue them a 1000 pounds to depart from thence and to leaue the countrie in peace Then went the Danes to the I le of Wight and afterwards landed and spoiled the countrie of Sussex and Hampshire King Egelred assembled the whole power of all his subiects and comming to giue them battell had made and end of their cruell harieng the countrie with the slaughter of them all if earle Edrike with forged tales deuised onelie to put him in feare had not dissuaded him from giuing battell The Danes by that meanes returning in safetie immediatlie after the feast of saint Martine returned into Kent and ladged with their nauie in the winter following in the Thames and oftentimes assaulting the citie of London were still beaten backe to their losse After the feast of Christmasse they passed through the countrie and woods of Chilterne vnto Oxford which towne they
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
4. AS few or no nations can iustlie boast themselues to haue continued sithence their countrie was first replenished without any mixture more or lesse of forreine inhabitants no more can this our Iland whose manifold commodities haue oft allured sundrie princes and famous capteines of the world to conquer and subdue the same vnto their owne subiection Manie sorts of people therfore haue come in hither and settled themselues here in this I le and first of all other a parcell of the linage and posteritie of Iaphet brought in by Samothes in the 1910. after the creation of Adam Howbeit in processe of time and after they had indifferentlie replenished and furnished this Iland with people which was doone in the space of 335. yeares Albion the giant afore mentioned repaired hither with a companie of his owne race procéeding from Cham and not onelie annexed the same to his owne dominion but brought all such in like sort as he found here of the line of Iaphet into miserable seruitude and most extreame thraldome After him also and within lesse than sixe hundred and two yeares came Brute the sonne of Syluius with a great traine of the posteritie of the dispersed Troians in 324. ships who rendering the like courtesie vnto the Chemminits as they had doone before vnto the séed of Iaphet brought them also wholie vnder his rule and gouernance and dispossessing the peeres inferior owners of their lands and possessions he diuided the countrie among such princes and capteines as he in his arriuall here had led out of Grecia with him From hencefoorth I doo not find any sound report of other nation whatsoeuer that should aduenture hither to dwell and alter the state of the land vntill the Romane emperours subdued it to their dominion sauing of a few Galles and those peraduenture of Belgie who first comming ouer to rob and pilfer vpon the coasts did afterward plant themselues for altogither neere vnto the shore and there builded sundrie cities and townes which they named after those of the maine from whence they came vnto vs. And this is not onelie to be gathered out of Cesar where he writeth of Britaine of set purpose but also else-where as in his second booke a litle after the beginning for speaking of Deuiaticus king of the Swessions liuing in his time he affirmeth him not onelie to be the mightiest prince of all the Galles but also to hold vnder his subiection the I le of Britaine of which his sonne Galba was afterward dispossessed But after the comming of the Romans it is hard to say with how manie sorts of people we were dailie pestered almost in euerie steed For as they planted their forworne legions in the most fertile places of the realme and where they might best lie for the safegard of their conquests so their armies did commonlie consist of manie sorts of people and were as I may call them a confused mixture of all other countries and nations then liuing in the world Howbeit I thinke it best bicause they did all beare the title of Romans to reteine onelie that name for them all albeit they were wofull ghests to this our Iland sith that with them came all maner of vice and vicious liuing all riot and excesse of behauiour into our countrie which their legions brought hither from each corner of their dominions for there was no prouince vnder them from whence they had not seruitours How and when the Scots a people mixed of the Scithian and Spanish blood should arriue here out of Ireland when the Picts should come vnto vs out of Sarmatia or from further toward the north the Scithian Hyperboreans as yet it is vncerteine For though the Scotish histories doo carrie great countenance of their antiquitie in this Iland yet to saie fréelie what I thinke I iudge them rather to haue stolne in hither within the space of 100. yeares before Christ than to haue continued here so long as they themselues pretend if my coniecture be any thing Yet I denie not but that as the Picts were long planted in this Iland before the Scots aduentured to settle themselues also in Britaine so the Scots did often aduenture hither to rob and steale out of Ireland and were finallie called in by the Meats or Picts as the Romans named them because they painted their bodies to helpe them against the Britains after the which they so planted themselues in these parts that vnto our time that portion of the land cannot he cleansed of them I find also that as these Scots were reputed for the most Scithian-like and barbarous nation and longest without letters so they vsed commonlie to steale ouer into Britaine in leather skewes and began to helpe the Picts about or not long before the beginning of Cesars time For both Diodorus lib. 6. and Strabo lib. 4. doo seeme to speake of a parcell of the Irish nation that should inhabit Britaine in their time which were giuen to the eating of mans flesh and therefore called Anthropophagi Mamertinus in like sort dooth note the Redshanks and the Irish which are properlie the Scots to be the onelie enimies of our nation before the comming of Caesar as appeareth in his panegyricall oration so that hereby it is found that they are no new ghestes in Britaine Wherefore all the controuersie dooth rest in the time of their first attempt to inhabit in this Iland Certeinlie I maruell much whie they trauell not to come in with Cantaber and Partholonus but I see perfectlie that this shift should be too grosse for the maintenance of their desired antiquitie Now as concerning their name the Saxons translated the word Scotus for Irish whereby it appeareth that those Irish of whom Strabo and Diodorus doo speake are none other than those Scots of whom Ierome speaketh A duersus Iouinianum lib. 2. who vsed to féed on the buttocks of boies and womens paps as delicate dishes Aethicus writing of the I le of Man affirmeth it to be inhabited with Scots so well as Ireland euen in his time Which is another proofe that the Scots and Irish are all one people They were also called Scoti by the Romans bicause their Iland originall inhabitation thereof were vnknowne and they themselues an obscure nation in the sight of all the world Now as concerning the Picts whatsoeuer Ranulphus Hygden imagineth to the contrarie of their latter enterance it is easie to find by Herodian and Mamertinus of which the one calleth them Meates the other Redshankes and Pictones that they were setled in this I le long before the time of Seuerus yea of Caesar and comming of the Scots Which is proofe sufficient if no further authoritie remained extant for the same So that the controuersie lieth not in their comming also but in the true time of their repaire and aduenture into this Iland out of the Orchades out of which they gat ouer into the North parts of our countrie as the
Robert but following the authoritie of an English préest then liuing in the court the English Peeres began to shew their disliking in manifest maner Neuerthelesse the Normans so bewitched the king with their lieng and bosting Robert the Archbishop being the chéefe instrument of their practise that he beléeued them and therevpon vexed sundrie of the nobilitie amongst whom Earle Goodwijn of Kent was the chéefe a noble Gentleman and father in law to king Edward by the mariage of his daughter The matter also came to such issue against him that he was exiled and fiue of his sonnes with him wherevpon he goeth ouer the sea and soone after returning with his said sonnes they inuaded the land in sundrie places the father himselfe comming to London where when the kings power was readie to ioine with him in battell it vtterlie refused so to doo affirming plainelie that it should be méere follie for one Englishman to fight against another in the reuenge of Frenchmens quarels which answer entred so déeplie into the kings mind that he was contented to haue the matter heard and appointing commissioners for that purpose they concluded at the vpshot that all the French should depart out of England by a day few excepted whom the king should appoint and nominate By this means therfore Robert the Archbishop of secret counsell with the king was first exiled as principall abuser seducer of the king who goeth to Rome there complaineth to the Pope of his iniurie receiued by the English Howbeit as he returned home againe with no small hope of the readeption of his See he died in Normandie whereby he saued a killing Certes he was the first that euer tendered complaint out of England vnto Rome with him went William Bishop of London afterward reuoked and Vlfo of Lincolne who hardlie escaped the furie of the English nobilitie Some also went into Scotland and there held themselues expecting a better time And this is the true historie of the originall cause of the conquest of England by the French for after they were well beaten at Douer bicause of their insolent demeanour there shewed their harts neuer ceased to boile with a desire of reuenge that brake out into a flame so soone as their Robert possessed the primacie which being once obteined and to set his mischéefe intended abroch withall a contention was quicklie procured about certeine Kentish lands and controuersie kindled whether he or the Earle should haue most right vnto them The king held with the priest as with the church the nobilitie with the Earle In processe also of this businesse the Archbishop accused the Earle of high treason burdening him with the slaughter of Alfred the kings brother which was altogither false as appeareth by a treatise yet extant of that matter written by a chaplaine to king Edward the Confessour in the hands of Iohn Stow my verie fréend wherein he saith thus Alfredus incautè agens in aduentu suo in Angliam a Danis circumuentus occiditur He addeth moreouer that giuing out as he came through the countrie accompanied with his few proud Normans how his meaning was to recouer his right vnto the kingdome and supposing that all men would haue yéelded vnto him he fell into their hands whome Harald then king did send to apprehend him vpon the fame onelie of this report brought vnto his eares So that to be short after the king had made his pacification with the Earle the French I say were exiled the Quéene restored to his fauour whom he at the beginning of this broile had imprisoned at Wilton allowing hir but one onlie maid to wait vpon hir and the land reduced to hir former quietnesse which continued vntill the death of the king After which the Normans not forgetting their old grudge remembred still their quarell that in the end turned to their conquest of this Iland After which obteined they were so cruellie bent to our vtter subuersion and ouerthrow that in the beginning it was lesse reproch to be accounted a slaue than an Englishman or a drudge in anie filthie businesse than a Britaine insomuch that euerie French page was superiour to the greatest Peere and the losse of an Englishmans life but a pastime to such of them as contended in their brauerie who should giue the greatest strokes or wounds vnto their bodies when their toiling and drudgerie could not please them or satisfie their gréedie humors Yet such was our lot in those daies by the diuine appointed order that we must needs obey such as the Lord did set ouer vs and so much the rather for that all power to resist was vtterlie taken from vs and our armes made so weake and feeble that they were not now able to remooue the importable load of the enimie from our surburdened shoulders And this onelie I saie againe bicause we refused grace offered in time and would not heare when God by his Preachers did call vs so fauourablie vnto him Oh how miserable was the estate of our countrie vnder the French and Normans wherein the Brittish and English that remained could not be called to any function in the commonwealth no not so much as to be constables and headburowes in small villages except they could bring 2. or 3. Normans for suerties to the Lords of the soile for their good behauiour in their offices Oh what numbers of all degrées of English and Brittish were made slaues and bondmen and bought and sold as oxen in open market In so much that at the first comming the French bond were set free and those that afterward became bond were of our owne countrie and nation so that few or rather none of vs remained free without some note of bondage and seruitude to the French Hereby then we perceiue how from time to time this Iland hath not onelie béene a prey but as it were a common receptacle for strangers the naturall homelings or Britons being still cut shorter and shorter as I said before till in the end they came not onelie to be driuen into a corner of this region but in time also verie like vtterlie to haue beene extinguished For had not king Edward surnamed the saint in his time after greeuous wars made vpon them 1063. wherein Harald latelie made Earle of Oxenford sonne to Goodwin Earle of Kent and after king of England was his generall permitted the remnant of their women to ioine in mariage with the Englishmen when the most part of their husbands and male children were slaine with the sword it could not haue béene otherwise chosen but their whole race must needs haue susteined the vttermost confusion and thereby the memorie of the Britons vtterlie haue perished among vs. Thus we see how England hath six times beene subiect to the reproch of conquest And wheras the Scots séeme to challenge manie famous victories also ouer vs beside gréeuous impositions tributs dishonorable compositions it shall suffice for answer that they deale in
moonke came into England the said Kinigils gaue him Dorchester and all the land within seauen miles about toward the maintenance of his cathedrall sea by meanes whereof he himselfe remooued his palace to Winchester The first kingdome began vnder Ida in the 548. of Christ and was called Northumberland bicause it laie by north of the riuer Humber And from the comming of Henghist to this Ida it was onlie gouerned by earls or Heretoches as an Heretochy till the said Ida conuerted it into a kingdome It conteined all that region which as it should séeme was in time past either wholie apperteining to the Brigants or whereof the said Brigants did possesse the greater part The cheefe citie of the same in like maner was Yorke as Beda Capgraue Leyland and others doo set downe who ad thereto that it extended from the Humber vnto the Scotish sea vntill the slaughter of Egfride of the Northumbers after which time the Picts gat hold of all betweene the Forth and the Twede which afterward descending to the Scots by meanes of the vtter destruction of the Picts hath not béene sithens vnited to the crowne of England nor in possession of the meere English as before time it had béene Such was the crueltie of these Picts also in their recouerie of the same that at a certeine houre they made a Sicilien euensong and slew euerie English man woman and child that they could laie hold vpon within the aforesaid region but some escaped narrowlie and saued themselues by flight Afterward in the yeare of Grace 560. it was parted in twaine vnder Adda that yeelded vp all his portion which lay betweene Humber and the Tine vnto his brother Ella according to their fathers appointment who called it Deira or Southumberland but reteining the rest still vnto his owne vse he diminished not his title but wrote himselfe as before king of all Northumberland Howbeit after 91. yeares it was revnited againe and so continued vntill Alfred annexed the whole to his kingdome in the 331. after Ida or 878. of the birth of Iesus Christ our Sauiour The seauenth kingdome called of the East-angles began at Norwich in the 561. after Christ vnder Offa of whom the people of that region were long time called Offlings This included all Norfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and Elie and continuing 228. yeares it flourished onelie 35. yeares in perfect estate of liberte the rest being consumed vnder the tribut and vassallage of the Mercians who had the souereigntie thereof and held it with great honour till the Danes gat hold of it who spoiled it verie sore so that it became more miserable than any of the other and so remained till the kings of the West-saxons vnited it to their crownes Some saie that Grantcester but now Cambridge a towne erected out of hir ruines was the chéefe citie of this kingdome and not Norwich Wherein I may well shew the discord of writers but I cannot resolue the scruple Some take this region also to be all one with that of the Icenes but as yet for my part I cannot yeeld to their assertions I meane it of Leland himselfe whose helpe I vse chéefelie in these collections albeit in this behalfe I am not resolued that he doth iudge aright The 8. last was that of Mertia which indured 291. yeares and for greatnesse exceeded all the rest It tooke the name either of Mearc the Saxon word bicause it was march to the rest and trulie the limits of most of the other kingdomes abutted vpon the same or else for that the lawes of Martia the Queene were first vsed in that part of the Iland But as this later is but a méere coniecture of some so the said kingdome began vnder Creodda in the 585. of Christ indured well néere 300. yeares before it was vnited to that of the West-saxons by Alfred then reigning in this I le Before him the Danes had gotten hold thereof and placed one Ceolulph an idiot in the same but as he was soone reiected for his follie so it was not long after yer the said Alfred I saie annexed it to his kingdome by his manhood The limits of the Mertian dominions included Lincolne Northampton Chester Darbie Nottingham Stafford Huntington Rutland Oxford Buckingham Worcester Bedford shires and the greatest part of Shropshire which the Welsh occupied not Lancaster Glocester Hereford aliàs Hurchford Warwijc and Hertford shires the rest of whose territories were holden by such princes of other kingdomes through force as bordered vpon the same Moreouer this kingdome was at one time diuided into south and north Mertia whereof this laie beyond and the other on this side of the Trent which later also Oswald of Northumberland did giue to Weada the sonne of Penda for kindred sake though he not long inioied it This also is worthie to be noted that in these eight kingdomes of the Saxons there were twelue princes reputed in the popish Catalog for saints or martyrs of which Alcimund Edwine Oswald Oswijn and Aldwold reigned in Northumberland Sigebert Ethelbert Edmond and another Sigebert among the Estangels Kenelme and Wistan in Mertia and Saint Edward the confessor ouer all but how worthilie I referre me to the iudgement of the learned Thus much haue I thought good to leaue in memorie of the aforesaid kingdomes and now will I speake somewhat of the diuision of this Iland also into prouinces as the Romanes seuered it whiles they remained in these parts Which being done I hope that I haue discharged whatsoeuer is promised in the title of this chapter The Romans therefore hauing obteined the possession of this Iland diuided the same at the last into fiue prouinces as Vibius Sequester saith The first whereof was named Britannia prima and conteined the east part of England as some doo gather from the Trent vnto the Twede The second was called Valentia or Valentiana and included the west side as they note it from Lirpoole vnto Cokermouth The third hight Britannia secunda and was that portion of the Ile which laie southwards betwéene the Trent and the Thames The fourth was surnamed Flauia Caesariensis and conteined all the countrie which remained betweene Douer and the Sauerne I meane by south of the Thames and wherevnto in like sort Cornewall and Wales were orderlie assigned The fift and last part was then named Maxima Caesariensis now Scotland the most barren of all the rest and yet not vnsought out of the gréedie Romanes bicause of the great plentie of fish and foule fine alabaster and hard marble that are ingendred and to be had in the same for furniture of houshold and curious building wherein they much delited More hereof in Sextus Rufus who liued in the daies of Valentine and wrate Notitiam prouinciarum now extant to be read A Catalog of the kings and princes of this Iland first from Samothes vnto the birth of our sauiour Christ or rather the comming of the Romans
of the I le of Manaw a bishops see was erected in the old monasterie of Columbus whereby the iurisdiction of those Iles was still mainteined and continued Certes there remaine yet in this Iland the old burials apperteinâ—ng to the most noble families that had dwelled in the west Iles but thrée aboue other are accompted the most notable which haue little houses builded vpon them That in the middest hath a stone whereon is written Tumuli regum Scotiae The burials of the kings of Scotland for as they saie fourtie eight of them were there interred Another is intituled with these words The burials of the kings of Ireland bicause foure of them lie in that place The third hath these words written thereon The graues of the kings of Norwaie for there eight of them were buried also and all through a fond suspicion conceiued of the merits of Columbus Howbeit in processe of time when Malcolme Cammor had erected his abbeie at Donfermeling he gaue occasion to manie of his successors to be interred there About this Iland there lie six other Iles dispersed small in quantitie but not altogither barren sometimes giuen by the kings of Scotland and lords of the Iles vnto the abbeie of saint Columbus of which the Soa albeit that it yeeld competent pasturage for shéepe yet is it more commodious by such egs as the great plentie of wildfoule there breeding doo laie within the same Then is there the I le of Shrewes or of women as the more sober heads doo call it Also Rudan next vnto that the Rering There is also the Shen halfe a mile from Mula whose bankes doo swarme with conies it hath also a parish church but most of the inhabitants doo liue and dwell in Mula There is also the Eorse or the Arse and all these belong vnto saint Columbus abbeie Two miles from Arse is the Olue an Iland fiue miles in length and sufficientlie stored with corne and grasse not without a good hauen for ships to lie and harbor in There is also the Colfans an Iland fruitfull inough and full of cornell trées There is not far off also the Gomater Stafa the two Kerneburgs and the Mosse I le in the old Brittish speech called Monad that is to saie Mosse The soile of it is verie blacke bicause of the corruption putrefaction of such woods as haue rotted thereon wherevpon also no small plentie of mosse is bred and ingendered The people in like maner make their fire of the said earth which is fullie so good as our English turffe There is also the Long six miles further toward the west Tirreie which is eight miles in length and thrée in breadth of all other one of the most plentifull for all kinds of commodities for it beareth corne cattell fish and seafowle aboundantlie It hath also a well of fresh water a castell and a verie good hauen for great vessels to lie at safegard in Two miles from this also is the Gun and the Coll two miles also from the Gun Then passed we by the Calfe a verie wooddie Iland the foure gréene Iles the two glasse or skie Ilands the Ardan the I le of woolfes then the great Iland which reacheth from the east into the west is sixteene miles in length and six in breadth full of mounteins and swelling woods and for asmuch as it is not much inhabited the seafoules laie great plentie of egs there whereof such as will may gather what number them listeth Upon the high cliffes and rocks also the Soland géefe are taken verie plentifullie Beyond this about foure miles also is the Ile of horsses and a little from that the hog Iland which is not altogither vnfruitfull There is a falcon which of custome bréedeth there and therevnto it is not without a conuenient hauen Not farre off also is the Canna and the Egga little Iles but the later full of Soland géefe Likewise the Sobratill more apt to hunt in than méet for anie other commoditie that is to be reaped thereby After this we come to the Skie the greatest Ile about all Scotland for it is two and fortie miles long and somewhere eight in some places twelue miles broad it is moreouer verie hillie which hilles are therevnto loaden with great store of wood as the woods are with pasture the fields with corne and cattell and besides all other commodities with no small heards of mares whereby they raise great aduantage and commoditie It hath fiue riuers verie much abounding with salmons and other fresh streams not altogither void of that prouision It is inuironed also with manie baies wherein great plentie of herrings is taken in time of the yéere It hath also a noble poole of fresh water fiue castels and sundrie townes as Aie S. Iohns Dunwegen S. Nicholas c. The old Scots called it Skianacha that is Winged but now named Skie There lie certeine small Ilands about this also as Rausa a batable soile for corne gras Conie Iland full of woods and conies Paba a theeuish Iland in whose woods théeues do lurke to rob such as passe by them Scalpe I le which is full of deere Crowling wherein is verie good harbour for ships Rarsa full of béechen woods and stags being in length seuen miles and two in breadth The Ron a woodie Ile and full of heath yet hath it a good hauen which hath a little Iland called Gerloch on the mouth thereof and therein lurke manie théeues There is not farre off from this Ron to wit about six miles also the Flad the Tiulmen Oransa Buie the lesse and Buie the more and fiue other little trifling Iles of whose names I haue no notice After these we come vnto the Ise a pretie fertile Iland to the Oue to the Askoome to the Lindill And foure score miles from the Skie towards the west to the Ling the Gigarmen the Berner the Magle the Pable the Flab the Scarpe the Sander the Uateras which later hath a noble hauen for great ships beside sundrie other commodities and these nine last rehearsed are vnder the dominion of the bishop of the Iles. After this we come to the Bar an Iland seauen miles in length not vnfruitfull for grasse and corne but the chiefe commoditie thereof lieth by taking of herrings which are there to be had abundantlie In one baie of this Iland there lieth an Islet and therein standeth a strong castell In the north part hereof also is an hill which beareth good grasse from the foot to the top and out of that riseth a spring which running to the sea doth carrie withall a kind of creature not yet perfectlie formed which some do liken vnto cockels and vpon the shore where the water falleth into the sea they take vp a kind of shelfish when the water is gone which they suppose to be ingendred or increased after this manner Betwéene the Barre and the Uisse lie also these Ilands Orbaus Oue
receiueth a pretie brooke descending from Frome Selwood west of Brackleie increased with sundrie rils whereof two come out of Selwood forrest and one of them from the Fratrie another out of Long lead parke from Horningsham and the fourth from Cofleie Hence our Frome goeth to Lullington Beckington Farleie castell Bord and Fresh foord and taking in the Silling brooke falleth into the Auon beneath Bradford and east of Freshford From thence going beneath Stoke it receiueth on the left hand a water comming from southwest increased by sundrie brookes whereof one commeth from Camelet by Litleton and Dankerton the other from Stone Eston Midsummer Norton by Welston Rodstocke Wrigleton Foscot and Wellow and there taking in a rill from Phillips Norton it goeth by Clauerton to Hampton and there it méeteth with another water comming from Barthford whose head is at Litleton from whence it runneth by west Kineton to Castell combe where it ioineth with a rill rising by north from Litleton drue and thence commeth south to Slaughtenford Haselburie Box Baithford and so into the Auon which turning plaine west hasteth to Baithwijc and meeting with another in his passage from Caldaston to Bath the Tiuertons and Coston Héere also it taketh in a rill by the waie from Markesburie by Wilmerton and Newton and then going on to Sawford it méeteth with one rill soone west of Northstocke named Swinford and another by Bitton from Durhain by Wike and so procéedeth still holding on his way to Caimsham a towne in Summerset shire so called of Caim an English saint by whose praiers as the countrie once beléeued all the adders snakes and serpents were turned into stone their formes reserued and for a certeine space of ground about the said towne and whereof some store as yet is to be found in those quaries But this miracle is so true as the historie of Hilda or that S. Patrike should chase all venemous creatures out of Italie with his staffe or that maid Radegund should driue the crowes to the pound which did annoie hir corne while she went vnto a chappell to heare sée a masse where it crosseth the Chute which issueth at Winford and goeth by bishops Chue to Penford and there receiueth the Clue comming from Cluton and from thence to Chute so into the Auon The Auon likewise after all these confluences goeth to Briselton and so to Bristow beneath which it receiueth a rill on each side wherof one commeth from about Stoke lodge in Glocestershire being a faire water and running by Acton Frampton Hambroch Stapleton and through Bristow the other by south from Dundreie hill and towne by Bisport and Bedminster and so descending yet lower goeth to Rawneham passage and Clifton then by S. Uincents rocke and Laie next of all to Crocampill and finallie into the sea whither all waters by nature doo resort Beside this water Leland maketh mention of Alderleie brooke which in some ancient records is also called Auon and runneth by Barkeleie In like maner he talketh of Douresleie booke whose principall head is in Douresleie towne howbeit he saith no thing of it more than that it serueth sundrie tucking lucking milles and goeth by Tortworth or foure miles further before it come at the Sauerne Finallie making mention of an excellent quarrie of hard stone about Douresleie he telleth of the Tortworth becke that runneth within a flight shot of Barkeleie towne and falleth on the left hand into Sauerne marches taking with all the Alderleie or Auon except I mistake his meaning which may soone be doone among his confused notes The description of the Sauerne such waters as discharge themselues into the same Chap. 13. THe Sauerne which Ptolomie calleth Sabriana Tacitus Sabrina diuideth England or that part of the Iland which sometime was called Lhoegres from Cambria so called of Camber the second sonne of Brute as our histories doo report But now that region hight Wales of the Germane word Walsh whereby that nation dooth vse to call all strangers without respect of countrie This riuer tooke the name of a certeine ladie called Habren or Hafren base daughter to Locrinus begotten vpon Estrildis daughter to Humber otherwise called Cumbrus or Umar and for which some write Chonibrus king of Scithia that sometime inuaded this Island and was ouerthrowne here in the daies of this Locrinus as shall be shewed at hand although I suppose rather that this ladie was called Ine and that the word Sabrina is compounded of Aber and Ine and the letter S added Propter euphoniam for the mouth or fall of euerie riuer in the British spéech is called Aber whereby Aber Ine is so much to saie as the fall of Ine But let vs returne againe to our discourse of Humber or Umar which is worthie to be remembred For after the death of Locrinus it came to passe that Guendolena his wife ruled the kingdome in the nonage of hir sonne and then getting the said Estrildis and Habren hir daughter into hir hands she drowned them both in this riuer And in perpetuall remembrance of hir husbands disloialtie towards hir she caused the streame to be called Habren of the yoong ladie for which the Romans in processe of time for readinesse and mildnesse of pronunciation wrote Sabrina and we at this time doo pronounce the Sauerne Of the drowning of the said Abren also I find these verses insuing In fluuium praecipitatur Abren Nomen Abren fluuio de virgine nomeneidem Nomine corrupto deinde Sabrina datur But to returne to our Sauerne It falleth into the maine sea betwéene Wales and Cornewall which is and shall be called the Sauerne sea so long as the riuer dooth keepe hir name But as the said streame in length of course bountie of water and depth of chanell commeth farre behind the Thames so for other commodities as trade of merchandize plentie of cariage store of all kind of fish as salmon trouts breames pikerell tench perch c it is nothing at all inferiour or second to the same Finallie there is nothing to be discommended in this riuer but the opennesse thereof in manie places to the weather whereby sundrie perils oft ouertake such as fish or saile in small vessels on the same The head of this noble streame is found in the high mounteines of south Wales called Helennith or Plim limmon in English the blacke mounteins or moore heads from whence also the Wie and the Rhidoll do procéed and therefore these thrée waters are commonlie called the thrée sisters and haue in latitude two and fiftie degrees ten minutes in longitude fiftéene and fiftie as the description inferreth So soone as it is out of the ground it goeth southeastward till it come within a mile of Laundlos where it receiueth a chanell from by south southwest called the Dulas which commeth thereinto on the south side southwest of Lan Idlos It riseth as it should séeme of diuerse heads in the edge of
neither regarding either maners or obedience doo oftentimes come to confusion which if anie correction or discipline had béene vsed toward them in youth might haue prooued good members of their common-wealth countrie by their good seruice and industrie I could make report likewise of the naturall vices and vertues of all those that are borne within this Iland but as the full tractation herof craueth a better head than mine to set foorth the same so will I giue place to other men that list to take it in hand Thus much therefore of the constitutions of our bodies and so much may suffice How Britaine at the first grew to be diuided into three portions Cap. 21. AFter the comming of Brutus into this Iland which was as you haue read in the foresaid treatise about the yeare of the world 2850 or 1217 before the incarnation of Christ although Goropius after his maner doo vtterlie denie our historie in this behalfe he made a generall surueis of the whole Iland from side to side by such means to view and search out not onelie the limits and bounds of his dominions but also what commodities this new atchiued conquest might yéeld vnto his people Ferthermore finding out at the last also a conuenable place wherin to erect a citie he began there euen the verie same which at this daie is called London naming it Trenouanton in remembrance of old Troie from whence his ancestors proceeded and for which the Romans pronounced afterward Trinobantum although the Welshmen doo call it still Trenewith This citie was builded as some write much about the tenth yeare of his reigne so that he liued not aboue fiftéene yeares after he had finished the same But of the rest of his other acts attempted and doone before or after the erection of this citie I find no certeine report more than that when he had reigned in this Iland after his arriuall by the space of foure and twentie yeares he finished his daies at Trenouanton aforesaid being in his yoong and florishing age where his carcase was honourablie interred As for the maner of his death I find as yet no mention thereof among such writers as are extant I meane whether it grew vnto him by defect of nature or force of gréeuous wounds receiued in his warres against such as withstood him from time to time in this Iland and therefore I can saie nothing of that matter Herein onelie all agree that during the time of his languishing paines he made a disposition of his whole kingdome diuiding it into three parts or portions according to the number of his sonnes then liuing whereof the eldest excéeded not eight and twentie yeares of age as my coniecturs giueth me To the eldest therefore whose name was Locrine he gaue the greatest and best region of all the rest which of him to this daie is called Lhoegres among the Britons but in our language England of such English Saxons as made conquest of the same This portion also is included on the south with the British sea on the est with the Germane Ocean on the north with the Humber and on the west with the Irish sea and the riuers Dee and Sauerne whereof in the generall description of this Iland I haue spoken more at large To Camber his second sonne he assigned all that lieth beyond the Sauerne and Dee toward the west which parcell in these daies conteineth Southwales and Northwales with sundrie Ilands adiacent to the same the whole being in maner cut off and separated from England or Lhoegria by the said streams wherby it séemeth also a peninsula or by-land if you respect the small hillie portion of ground that lieth indifferentlie betweene their maine courses or such branches at the least as run and fall into them The Welshmen or Britons call it by the ancient name still vnto this day but we Englishmen terme it Wales which denomination we haue from the Saxons who in time past did vse the word Walsh in such sort as we doo Strange for as we call all those strangers that are not of our nation so did they name them Walsh which were not of their countrie The third and last part of the Iland he allotted vnto Albanact his yoongest sonne for he had but three ill all as I haue said before whose portion séemed for circuit to be more large than that of Camber and in maner equall in greatnesse with the dominions of Locrinus But if you haue regard to the seuerall commodities that are to be reaped by each you shall find them to be not much discrepant or differing one from another for what soeuer the first second haue in plentie of corne fine grasse and large cattell this latter wanteth not in excéeding store of fish rich mettall quarries of stone and abundance of wild foule so that in mine opinion there could not be a more equall partition then this made by Brute and after the aforesaid maner This later parcell at the first tooke the name of Albanactus who called it Albania But now a small portion onelie of the region being vnder the regiment of a duke reteineth the said denomination the rest being called Scotland of certeine Scots that came ouer from Ireland to inhabit in those quarters It is diuided from Lhoegres also by the Solue and the Firth yet some doo note the Humber so that Albania as Brute left it conteined all the north part of the Iland that is to be found beyond the aforesaid streame vnto the point of Cathnesse To conclude Brute hauing diuided his kingdome after this maner and therein contenting himselfe as it were with the generall title of the whole it was not long after yer he ended his life and being solemnelie interred at his new citie by his thrée children they parted each from other and tooke possession of their prouinces But Scotland after two yeares fell againe into the hands of Locrinus as to the chiefe lord by the death of his brother Albanact who was slaine by Humber king of the Scithians and left none issue behind him to succéed him in that kingdome After what maner the souereigntie of this I le dooth remaine to the princes of Lhoegres or kings of England Chap. 22. IT is possible that some of the Scotish nation reading the former chapter will take offense with me for meaning that the principalitie of the north parts of this I le hath alwais belonged to the kings of Lhoegres For whose more ample satisfaction in this behalfe I will here set downe a discourse thereof at large written by diuerse and now finallie brought into one treatise sufficient as I thinke to satisfie the reasonable although not halfe enough peraduenture to content a wrangling mind sith there is or at the leastwise hath beene nothing more odious among some than to heare that the king of England hath ought to doo in Scotland How their historiographers haue attempted to shape manie coloured
excuses to auoid so manifest a title all men may see that read their bookes indifferentlie wherevnto I referre them For my part there is little or nothing of mine herein more than onelie the collection and abridgement of a number of fragments togither wherein chéeflie I haue vsed the helpe of Nicholas Adams a lawier who wrote thereof of set purpose to king Edward the sixt as Leland did the like to king Henrie the eight Iohn Harding vnto Edward the fourth beside thrée other whereof the first dedicated his treatise to Henrie the fourth the second to Edward the third and the third to Edward the first as their writings yet extant doo abundantlie beare witnesse The title also that Leland giueth his booke which I haue had written with his owne hand beginneth in this maner These remembrances following are found in chronicles authorised remaining in diuerse monasteries both in England and Scotland by which it is euidentlie knowne and shewed that the kings of England haue had and now ought to haue the souereigntie ouer all Scotland with the homage and fealtie of the kings there reigning from time to time c. Herevnto you haue heard alreadie what diuision Brute made of this Iland not long before his death wherof ech of his children so soone as he was interred tooke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeares it happened that Albanact was slaine wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raising their powers reuenged his death and finallie the said Locrinus made an entrance vpon Albania seized it into his owne hands as excheated wholie vnto himselfe without yéelding anie part thereof vnto his brother Camber who made no claime nor title vnto anie portion of the same Hereby then saith Adams it euidentlie appeareth that the entire seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example like law among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onelie benefit of the collaterall ascension from the youngest as well in Scotland as in England vnto this daie Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to saie the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine builded in Albania the castell of Maidens now called Edenborough so called of Aldan somtime king of Scotland but at the first named Cair Minid Agnes 1. the castell on mount Agnes and the castell of virgins and the castell of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scotish Hector Boetius confesseth whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seized This Ebranke reigned in the said state ouer them a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of Britaine descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill the time of the two sisters sonnes Morgan and Conedage lineall heires from the said Ebranke who brotherlie at the first diuided the realme betwéen them so that Morgan had Lhoegres and Conedage had Albania But shortlie after Morgan the elder brother pondering in his head the loue of his brother with the affection to a kingdome excluded nature and gaue place to ambition and therevpon denouncing warre death miserablie ended his life as the reward of his vntruth whereby Conedage obteined the whole empire of all Britaine in which state he remained during his naturall life From him the same lineallie descended to the onelie king of Britons vntill and after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex This Porrex requiring like diuision of the land affirming the former partitions to be rather of law than fauor was by the hands of his elder brother best loued of queene mother both of his life and hoped kingdome beereaâ—ed at once Wherevpon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir naturall malice for the death of hir one sonne without regard of the loosing of both miserablie slue the other in his bed mistrusting no such treason Cloten by all writers as well Scotish as other was the next inheritour to the whole empire but lacking power the onelie meane in those daies to obteine right he was contented to diuide the same among foure of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death of this Cloten his sonne Dunwallo Mulmutius made warre vpon these foure kings and at last overcame them and so recouered the whole dominion In token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the verie first of that mettall if anie at all were before in vse that was worne among the kings of this nation This Dunwallo erected temples wherein the people should assemble for praier to which temples he gaue benefit of sanctuarie He made the law for wager of battell in cases of murder and felonie whereby a théefe that liued and made his art of fighting should for his purgation fight with the true man whom he had robbed beléeuing assuredlie that the gods for then they supposed manie would by miracle assigne victorie to none but the innocent partie Certes the priuileges of this law and benefit of the latter as well in Scotland as in England be inioied to this daie few causes by late positiue laws among vs excepted wherin the benefit of wager of battell is restreined By which obedience to his lawes it dooth manifestlie appéere that this Dunwallo was then seized of Albania now called Scotland This Dunwallo reigned in this estate ouer them manie yeares Beline and Brenne the sonnes also of Dunwallo did after their fathers death fauourablie diuide the land betweene them so that Beline had Lhoegres Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and lord aduentured to marrie with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seized Albania into his owne hands and thervpon caused the notable waies priuileged by Dunwallons lawes to be newlie wrought by mens hands which for the length extended from the further part of Cornewall vnto the sea by north Cathnesse in Scotland In like sort to and for the better maintenance of religion in those daies he constituted ministers called archflamines in sundrie places of this Iland who in their seuerall functions resembled the bishops of our times the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and the whole region Caerbrantonica whereof Ptolomie also speaketh but not without wresting of the name whose power extended to the vttermost bounds of Albania wherby likewise appeareth that it was then within his owne dominion After his death the whole Ile was inioied by the onelie kings of Britaine vntill the time of Uigenius Peridurus lineall heires from the said Beline who fauourablie made partition so that Uigenius had all the land from Humber by south and Peridurus from thence northwards all Albania c. This Uigenius died and Peridurus suruiued and thereby obteined the whole from whom the same quietlie descended and was by his posteritie accordinglie inioied vntill the reigne of Coell the first of that name In his time an obscure nation by most
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
liberum affectans animum Voluntati sacrarum intendo scripturarum vos dissonantiam facitis verendúmque est nè aratrum sanctae ecclesiae quod in Anglia duo boues validi pari fortitudine ad bonum certantes id est rex archiepiscopus debeant trahere nunc oue vetula cum tauro indomito iugata distorqueatur à recto Ego ouis vetula qui siquietus essem verbi Dei lacte operimento lanae aliquibus possem fortassis non ingratus esse sed sime cum hoc tauro coniungitis videbitis pro disparilitate trahentium aratrum non rectè procedere c. Which is in English thus Of secular affaires I haue no skill bicause I will not know them for I euen abhor the troubles that rise about them as one that desireth to haue his mind at libertie I applie my whole indeuor to the rule of the scriptures you lead me to the contrarie And it is to be feared least the plough of holie church which two strong oxen to equall force and both like earnest to contend vnto that which is good that is the king and the archbishop ought to draw should thereby now swarue from the right forrow by matching of an old shéepe with a wild vntamed bull I am that old shéepe who if I might be quiet could peraduenture shew my selfe not altogither vngratfull to some by féeding them with the milke of the word of God and couering them with wooll but if you match me with this bull you shall sée that thorough want of equalitie in draught the plough will not go to right c as foloweth in the processe of his letters The said Thomas Becket was so proud that he wrote to king Henrie the second as to his lord to his king and to his sonne offering him his counsell his reuerence and due correction c. Others in like sort haue protested that they owght nothing to the kings of this land but their counsell onelie reseruing all obedience vnto the sée of Rome And as the old cocke of Canturburie did crew in this behalfe so the yoong cockerels of other sees did imitate his demeanor as may be séene by this one example also in king Stephans time worthie to be remembred vnto whome the bishop of London would not so much as sweare to be true subiect wherein also he was mainteined by the pope as appeareth by these letters Eugenius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei dilecto in Christo filio Stephano illustri regi Anglorū salutē apostolic ā benedictionē Adhaec superna prouidētia in ecclesiapontifices ordinauit vt Christianus populus ab eis pascua vitae reciperet tam principes seculares quà m inferioris conditionis homines ipsis pontificibus tanquam Christi vicarijs reuerentiam exhiberent Venerabilis siquidem frater noster Robertus London episcopus tanquam vir sapiens honestus relligionis amator à nobilitate tua benignè tractandus est pro collata à Deo prudentia propensiùs honorandus Quia ergò sicut in veritate comperimus cum animae suae salute ac snae ordinis periculo fidelitate quae ab eo requiritur astringi non potest volumus ex paterno tibi affectu consulimus quatenus praedictum fratrem nostrum super hoc nullatenus inquietes immò pro beati Petri nostra reuerentia eum in amorem gratiam tuam recipias Cùm autem illud iuramentum praestare non possit sufficiat discretioni tuae vt simplici veraci verbo promittat quòd laesionem tibi velterrae tuae non inferat Vale. Dat. Meldis 6. cal Iulij Thus we sée that kings were to rule no further than it pleased the pope to like of neither to chalenge more obedience of their subiects than stood also with their good will and pleasure He wrote in like sort vnto quéene Mawd about the same matter making hir Samsons calfe the better to bring his purpose to passe as appeareth by the same letter here insuing Solomone attestante didicimus quòd mulier sapiens aedificat domum insipiens autem constructam destruet manibus Gaudemus pro te deuotionis studium in Domino collaudamus quoniam sicut relligiosorum relatione accepimus timorem Deiprae oculis habens operibus pietatis intēdis personas ecclesiasticas diligis honoras Vt ergo de bono in melius inspirante Domino proficere valeas nobilitatē tuam in Domino rogamus rogando monemus exhortamur in Domino quatenus bonis initijs exitus meliores iniungas venerabilem fratrem nostrum Robertum London episcopū pro illius reuerentia qui cùm olim diues esset pro nobis pauper fieri voluit attentiùs diligas honores Apud virum tuum dilectum filium nostrum Stephanum in signem regem Anglorum efficere studeas vt monitis hortatu cōsilio tuo ipsum in benignitatem dilectionem suam suscipiat pro beati Petri nostra reuerentia propensiùs habeat commendatum Et quia sicut veritate teste attendimus eum sine salute sui ordinis periculo praefato filio nostro astringi non posse volumus paterno sibi tibi affectu consulimus vt vobis sufficiat veraci simplici verbo promissionē ab eo suscipere quòd laesionem vel detrimentum ei velterrae suae nō inferat Dat. vt supra Is it not strange that a peeuish order of religion deuised by man should breake the expresse law of God who commandeth all men to honour and obeie their kings and princes in whome some part of the power of God is manifest and laid open vnto vs And euen vnto this end the cardinall of Hostia also wrote to the canons of Paules after this maner couertlie incoraging them to stand to their election of the said Robert who was no more willing to giue ouer his new bishoprike than they carefull to offend the king but rather imagined which waie to kéepe it still maugre his displeasure yet not to sweare obedience vnto him for all that he should be able to do or performe vnto the contrarie Humilis Dei gratia Hostiensis episcopus Londinensis ecclesiae canoniois spiritū consilij in Domino Sicut rationi contraria prorsus est abijcienda petitio ita in hijs quae iustè desyderantur effectum negare omninò non conuenit Sanè nuper accepimus quòd Londinensis ecclesia diuproprio destituta pastore communi voto pari assensu cleri populi venerabilem filium nostrum Robertum eiusdem ecclesiae archidiaconum in pastorem episcopum animarum suarum susceperit elegerit Nouimus quidem eum esse personam quam sapientia desuper ei attributa honestas conuersationis morum reuerentia plurimùm commēdabilem reddidit Inde est quòd fraternitati vestrae mandando consulimus vt proposito vestro bono quod vt credimus ex Deo est vt ex literis
domini papae cognoscetis non tepidè non lentè debitum finem imponatis ne tam nobilis ecclesia sub occasione huiusmodi spiritualium quod absit temporalium detrimentum patiatur Ipsius námque industria credimus quòd antiqua relligio formadisciplinae grauitas habitus in ecclesia vestra reparari si quae fuerint ipsius contentiones ex pastoris absentia Dei gratia cooperante eodem praesente poterint reformari Dat. c. Hereby you sée how king Stephan was dealt withall And albeit the archbishop of Canturburie is not openlie to be touched herewith yet it is not to be doubted but he was a dooer in it so far as might tend to the maintenance of the right and prerogatiue of holie church And euen no lesse vnquietnesse had another of our princes with Iohn of Arundell who fled to Rome for feare of his head and caused the pope to write an ambitious and contumelious letter vnto his fouereigne about his restitution But when by the kings letters yet extant beginning thus Thomas proditionis non expers nostrae regiae maiestati insidias fabricauit the pope vnderstood the botome of the matter he was contented that Thomas should be depriued and another archbishop chosen in his sted Neither did this pride state at archbishops and bishops but descended lower euen to the rake-helles of the clergie and puddels of all vngodlinesse For beside the iniurie receiued of their superiors how was K. Iohn dealt withall by the vile Cistertians at Lincolne in the second of his reigne Certes when he had vpon iust occasion conceiued some grudge against them for their ambitious demeanor and vpon deniall to paie such summes of moneie as were allotted vnto them he had caused seizure to be made of such horsses swine neate and other things of theirs as were mainteined in his forrests They denounced him as fast amongst themselues with bell booke and candle to be accurssed and excommunicated Therevnto they so handled the matter with the pope and their friends that the kings was faine to yéeld to their good graces insomuch that a meeting for pacification was appointed betwéene them at Lincolne by meanes of the present archbishop of Canturburie who went oft betweene him and the Cistertian commissioners before the matter could be finished In the end the king himselfe came also vnto the said commissioners as they sat in their chapiter house and there with teares fell downe at their feet crauing pardon for his trespasses against them and heartilie requiring that they would from thencefoorth commend him and his realme in their praiers vnto the protection of the almightie and receiue him into their fraternitie promising moreouer full satisfaction of their damages susteined and to build an house of their order in whatsoeuer place of England it should please them to assigne And this he confirmed by charter bearing date the seauen and twentith of Nouember after the Scotish king was returned into Scotland departed from the king Whereby and by other the like as betweene Iohn Stratford and Edward the third c a man may easilie conceiue how proud the cleargie-men haue beene in former times as wholie presuming vpon the primassie of their pope More matter could I alledge of these and the like brotles not to be found among our common historiographers howbeit to seruing the same vnto places more conuenient I will ceasse to speake of them at this time and go forward with such other things as my purpose is to speake of At the first therefore there was like and equall authoritie in both our archbishops but as he of Canturburie hath long since obteined the prerogatiue aboue Yorke although I saie not without great trouble sute some bloudshed contention so the archbishop of Yorke is neuerthelesse written printate of England as one contenting himselfe with a péece of a title at the least when all could not be gotten And as he of Canturburie crowneth the king so this of Yorke dooth the like to the quéene whose perpetuall chapleine he is hath beene from time to time since the determination of this controuersie as writers doo report The first also hath vnder his iurisdiction to the number of one and twentie inferiour bishops the other hath onlie foure by reason that the churches of Scotland are now remooued from his obedience vnto an archbishop of their owne whereby the greatnesse and circuit of the iurisdiction of Yorke is not a little diminished In like sort each of these seauen and twentie sées haue their cathedrall churches wherein the deanes a calling not knowne in England before the conquest doo beare the chéefe rule being men especiallie chosen to that vocation both for their learning and godlinesse so néere as can be possible These cathedrall churches haue in like maner other dignities and canonries still remaining vnto them as héeretofore vnder the popish regiment Howbeit those that are chosen to the same are no idle and vnprofitable persons as in times past they haue béene when most of these liuings were either furnished with strangers especiallie out of Italie boies or such idiots as had least skill of all in discharging of those functions wherevnto they were called by vertue of these stipends but such as by preaching and teaching can and doo learnedlie set foorth the glorie of God and further the ouerthrow of antichrist to the vttermost of their powers These churches are called cathedrall bicause the bishops dwell or lie néere vnto the same as bound to keepe continuall residence within their iurisdictions for the better ouersight and gouernance of the same the word being deriued A cathedra that is to saie a chaire or seat where he resteth and for the most part abideth At the first there was but one church in euerie iurisdiction wherinto no man entred to praie but with some oblation or other toward the maintenance of the pastor For as it was reputed an infamie to passe by anie of them without visitation so it was a no lesse reproch to appeare emptie before the Lord. And for this occasion also they were builded verie huge and great for otherwise they were not capable of such multitudes as came dailie vnto them to heare the word and receiue the sacraments But as the number of christians increased so first monasteries then finallie parish churches were builded in euerie iurisdiction from whence I take our deanerie churches to haue their originall now called mother churches and their incumbents archpréests the rest being added since the conquest either by the lords of euerie towne or zealous men loth to trauell farre and willing to haue some ease by building them neere hand Unto these deanerie churches also the cleargie in old time of the same deanrie were appointed to repaire at sundrie seasons there to receiue wholesome ordinances and to consult vpon the necessarie affaires of the whole iurisdiction if necessitie so required and some image hereof is yet to be seene in the north parts
alienation 1800 ducats at the least but in my time it paieth vnto hir maiesties cofers 768 pounds ten shillings ten pence halfe penie farthing In this sée there was a bishop sometime called Iohn Bruton vpon whome the king then reigning by likelihood for want of competent maintenance bestowed the keeping of his wardrobe which he held long time with great honour as his register saith A woonderfull preferment that bishops should be preferred from the pulpit to the custodie of wardrobes but such was the time Neuerthelesse his honorable custodie of that charge is more solemnlie remembred than anie good sermon that euer he made which function peraduenture he committed to his suffragane sith bishops in those daies had so much businesse in the court that they could not attend to doctrine and exhortation Lichefield wherevnto Couentrie was added in the time of Henrie the first at the earnest sute of Robert bishop of that see hath Staffordshire Darbishire part of Shropshire and the rest of Warwikeshire that is void of subiection to the sée of Worcestershire It was erected in the time of Peada king of the south Mercians which laie on this side the Trent and therein one Dinas was installed about the yeare of Grace 656 after whom Kellac first then Tunher an Englishman succéeded this later being well learned and consecrated by the Scots In the time of the bastard I wot not vpon what occasion one Peter bishop of this sée translated his chaire to Chester and there held it for a season whereby it came to passe that the bishops of Lichfield were for a while called bishops of Chester But Robert his successor not likeing of this president remooued his chaire from Chester to Couentrie and there held it whilest he liued whereby the originall diuision of the bishoprike of Lichfield into Lichefield Chester and Couentrie dooth easilie appeare although in my time Lichfield and Couentrie be vnited and Chester remaineth a bishoprike by it selfe It paid the pope at euerie alienation 1733 florens or as some old bookes haue 3000 a good round summe but not without a iust punishment as one saith sith that anno 765 Edulfe bishop there vnder Offa king of Mercia would by his helpe haue bereaued the archbishop of Canturburie of his pall so did in déed vnder pope Hadrian holding the same vntill things were reduced vnto their ancient forme Before the time also of bishop Langton the prebends of this see laie here and there abroad in the citie where the vicars also had an house of which this honest bishop misliked not a little for sundrie causes wherefore he began their close and bestowed so much in building the same and pauing the stréets that his hungrie kinsmen did not a little grudge at his expenses thinking that his emptie cofers would neuer make them gentlemen for which preferment the freends of most bishops gaped earnestlie in those daies King Iohn was the greatest benefactor vnto this sée next vnto Offa and it is called Lichfield Quasi mortuorum campus bicause of the great slaughter of christians made there as some write vnder Dioclesian Howbeit in my time the valuation thereof is 703 pounds fiue shillings two pence halfepenie farthing a summe verie narrowlie cast by that auditor which tooke it first in hand Oxford hath Oxfordshire onelie a verie yoong iurisdiction erected by king Henrie the eight where in the time of quéene Marie one Goldwell was bishop who as I remember was a Iesuit dwelling in Rome and more conuersant as the constant fame went in the blacke art than skilfull in the scriptures and yet he was of great countenance amongst the Romane monarchs It is said that obseruing the canons of his order he regarded not the temporalities of that sée but I haue heard since that he wist well inough what became of those commodities for by one meane and other he found the swéetnesse of 354 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie yearelie growing to him which was euen inough if not too much for the maintenance of a frier toward the drawing out of circles characters lineaments of imagerie wherein he was passing skilfull as the fame then went in Rome and not vnheard of in Oxford Elie hath Cambridgshire and the I le of Elie. It was erected 1109 by Henrie the first being before a rich and wealthie abbeie One Heruie also was made bishop there as I haue found in a register belonging sometime to that house being translated from Bangor Finallie it paid to the pope at euerie alienation 7000 ducats as the registers there do testifie at large Albeit that in my time I find a note of 2134 pounds sixteene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whose disme ioined to those of all the bishopriks in England doo yéeld yearelie to hir maiesties coffers 23370 pounds sixtéene shillings thrée pence halfe penie farthing whereby also the huge sums of monie going out of this land to the court of Rome dooth in some measure appéere Ethelwold afterward bishop of Winchester builded the first monasterie of Elie vpon the ruines of a nunrie then in the kings hands howbeit the same house whereof he himselfe was abbat was yer long destroied by enimies and he in lieu of his old preferment rewarded by king Edgar with the aforesaid bishoprike from whence with more than lionlike boldnesse he expelled the secular préests and stored with moonkes prouided from Abandune néere Oxford by the helpe of Edgar and Dunstane then metropolitane of England There was sometime a greeuous contention betwéene Thomas Lild bishop of this see and the king of England about the yeare of Grace 1355 which I will here deliuer out of an old record because the matter is so parciallie penned by some of the brethren of that house in fauour of the bishop for that I was also abused with the same in the entrance thereof at the first into my chronologie The blacke prince fauoring one Robert Stretton his chapleine a man vnlearned and not worthie the name of a clearke the matter went on so farre that what for loue and somewhat else of a canon of Lichfield he was chosen bishop of that see Herevpon the pope vnderstanding what he was by his Nuncio here in England staied his consecration by his letters for a time and in the meane season committed his examination to the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Rochester who felt and dealt so fauourablie with him in golden reasoning that his worthinesse was commended to the popes holinesse to Rome he goeth Being come to Rome the pope himselfe apposed him and after secret conference vtterlie disableth his election till he had prooued by substantiall argument and of great weight before him also that he was not so lightlie to be reiected Which kind of reasoning so well pleased his holinesse that Ex mera plenitudine potestatis he was made capable of the benefice and so returneth into England when he came home this bishop being in the kings
presence told him how he had doone he wist not what in preferring so vnméet a man vnto so high a calling With which speach the king was so offended that he commanded him out of hand to auoid out of his presence In like sort the ladie Wake then duchesse of Lancaster standing by and hearing the king hir cousine to gather vp the bishop so roundlie and thereto an old grudge against him for some other matter dooth presentlie picke a quarrell against him about certeine lands then in his possession which he defended in the end obteined against hir by plée and course of law yer long also afore hapned in a part of hir house for which she accused the bishop and in the end by verdict of twelue men found that he was priuie vnto the fact of his men in the said fact wherfore he was condemned in nine hundred pounds damages which he paid euerie penie Neuerthelesse being sore grieued that she had as he said wrested out such a verdict against him and therein packed vp a quest at hir owne choise he taketh his horsse goeth to the court and there complaineth to the king of his great iniurie receiued at hir hands But in the deliuerie of his tale his speech was so blockish termes so euill fauoredlie though maliciouslie placed that the king tooke yet more offense with him than before insomuch that he led him with him into the parlement house for then was that court holden and there before the lords accused him of no small misdemeanor toward his person by his rude and threatening speeches But the bishop egerlie denieth the kings obiections which he still auoucheth vpon his honor and in the end confirmeth his allegations by witnesse wherevpon he is banished from the kings presence during his naturall life by verdict of that house In the meane time the duchesse hearing what was doone she beginneth a new to be dealing with him and in a brabling fraie betweene their seruants one of hir men was slaine for which he was called before the magistrat as chiefe accessarie vnto the fact But he fearing the sequele of his third cause by his successe had in the two first hideth himselfe after he had sold all his moouables and committed the monie vnto his trustie friends And being found giltie by the inquest the king seizeth vpon his possessions and calleth vp the bishop to answer vnto the trespasse To be short vpon safe-conduct the bishop commeth to the kings presence where he denieth that he was accessarie to the fact either before at or after the deed committed and therevpon craueth to be tried by his péeres But this petition was in vaine for sentence passeth against him also by the kings owne mouth Wherevpon he craueth helpe of the archbishop of Canturburie and priuileges of the church hoping by such meanes to be solemnlie rescued But they fearing the kings displeasure who bare small fauour to the clergie of his time gaue ouer to vse anie such meanes but rather willed him to submit himselfe vnto the kings mercie which he refused standing vpon his innocencie from the first vnto the last Finallie growing into choler that the malice of a woman should so preuaile against him he writeth to Rome requiring that his case might be heard there as a place wherein greater iustice saith he is to be looked for than to be found in England Upon the perusall of these his letters also his accusers were called thither But for so much as they appéered not at their peremptorie times they were excommunicated Such of them also as died before their reconciliations were taken out of the churchyards and buried in the fields and doong-hilles Vnde timor turba saith my note in Anglia For the king inhibited the bringing in and receipt of all processes billes and whatsoeuer instruments should come from Rome such also as aduentured contrarie to this prohibition to bring them in were either dismembred of some ioint or hanged by the necks Which rage so incensed the pope that he wrote in verie vehement maner to the king of England threatening far greater cursses except he did the sooner staie the furie of the lady reconcile himself vnto the bishop and finallie making him amends for all his losses susteined in these broiles Long it was yer the king would be brought to peace Neuerthelesse in the end he wrote to Rome about a reconciliation to be had betwéene them but yer all things were concluded God himselfe did end the quarrell by taking awaie the bishop And thus much out of an old pamphlet in effect word for word but I haue somewhat framed the forme of the report after the order that Stephan Birchington dooth deliuer it who also hath the same in manner as I deliuer it The see of Norwich called in old time Episcopatus Donnicensis Dononiae or Eastanglorum was erected at Felstow or Felixstow where Felix of Burgundie sometime schoolemaster to Sigebert of the east-Angles by whose persuasion also the said Sigebert erected the vniuersitie at Cambridge being made bishop of the east-Angles first placed his sée afterward it was remooued from thence to Donwich thence to Helmham Anno 870 about the death of Celnothus of Canturburie thirdlie to Theodford or Thetford finallie after the time of the Bastard to Norwich For iurisdiction it conteineth in our daies Norffolke and Suffolke onelie whereas at the first it included Cambridgeshire also and so much as laie within the kingdome of the east-Angles It began about the yéere 632 vnder Cerpenwald king of the east-Saxons who bestowed it vpon Felix whome pope Honorius also confirmed and after which he held it by the space of seauenteene yéeres It paid sometimes at euerie alienation 5000 ducats to Rome But in my time hir maiestie hath 899 pounds 8 shillings 7 pence farthing as I haue been informed In the same iurisdiction also there were once 1563 parish churches and 88 religious houses but in our daies I can not heare of more churches than 1200 and yet of these I know one conuerted into a barne whilest the people heare seruice further off vpon a greene their bell also when I heard a sermon there preached in the gréene hanged in an oke for want of a stéeple But now I vnderstand that the oke likewise is gone There is neuerthelesse a litle chappellet hard by on that common but nothing capable of the multitude of Ashlie towne that should come to the same in such wise if they did repaire thither as they ought Peterborow sometimes a notable monasterie hath Northampton and Rutland shires vnder hir iurisdiction a diocesse erected also by king Henrie the eight It neuer paid first fruits to the pope before queene maries daies if it were then deliuered wherof I doubt because it was not recorded in his ancient register of tenths and fruits although peraduenture the collectors left it not vngathered I wot not for what purpose it yéeldeth now foure hundred and fiftie pounds one penie abated
alwaies wide open vnto reprehension and eies readie to espie anie thing that they may reprooue and carpe at I would haue doone so much for euerie see in England if I had not had consideration of the greatnesse of the volume and small benefit rising by the same vnto the commoditie of the readers neuerthelesse I haue reserued them vnto the publication of my great chronologie if while I liue it happen to come abrode Of Vniuersities Chap. 3. THere haue béene heretofore and at sundrie times diuerse famous vniuersities in this Iland and those euen in my daies not altogither forgotten as one at Bangor erected by Lucius and afterward conuerted into a monasterie not by Congellus as some write but by Pelagius the monke The second at Carlbeon vpon Uske neere to the place where the riuer dooth fall into the Seuerne founded by king Arthur The third at Theodford wherein were 600 students in the time of one Rond sometime king of that region The fourth at Stanford suppressed by Augustine the monke and likewise other in other places as Salisburie Eridon or Criclade Lachlade Reading and Northampton albeit that the two last rehearsed were not authorised but onelie arose to that name by the departure of the students from Oxford in time of ciuill dissention vnto the said townes where also they continued but for a little season When that of Salisburie began I can not tell but that it flourished most vnder Henrie the third and Edward the first I find good testimonie by the writers as also by the discord which fell 1278 betwéene the chancellor for the scholers there on the one part and William the archdeacon on the other whereof you shall sée more in the chronologie here following In my time there are thrée noble vniuersities in England to wit one at Oxford the second at Cambridge and the third in London of which the first two are the most famous I meane Cambridge and Oxford for that in them the vse of the toongs philosophie and the liberall sciences besides the profound studies of the ciuill law physicke and theologie are dailie taught and had whereas in the later the laws of the realme are onlie read and learned by such as giue their minds vnto the knowledge of the same In the first there are not onelie diuerse goodlie houses builded foure square for the most part of hard fréestone or bricke with great numbers of lodgings and chambers in the same for students after a sumptuous sort through the excéeding liberalitie of kings quéenes bishops noblemen and ladies of the land but also large liuings and great reuenues bestowed vpon them the like whereof is not to be séene in anie other region as Peter Martyr did oft affirme to maintenance onelie of such conuenient numbers of poore mens sonnes as the seuerall stipends bestowed vpon the said houses are able to support When these two schooles should be first builded who were their originall founders as yet it is vncerteine neuerthelesse as there is great likelihood that Cambridge was begun by one Cantaber a Spaniard as I haue noted in my chronologie so Alfred is said to be the first beginner of the vniuersitie at Oxford albeit that I cannot warrant the same to be so yong sith I find by good authoritie that Iohn of Beuerleie studied in the vniuersitie hall at Oxford which was long before Alfred was either horne or gotten Some are of the opinion that Cantabrigia was not so called of Cantaber but Cair Grant of the finisher of the worke or at the leastwise of the riuer that runneth by the same and afterward by the Saxons Grantcester An other sort affirme that the riuer is better written Canta than Granta c but whie then is not the towne called Canta Cantium or Cantodunum according to the same All this is said onlie as I thinke to deface the memorie of Cantaber who doâ—â—â—ting from the Brigants or out of Biscaie called the said towne after his owne and the name of the region from whence he came Neither hath it béene a rare thing for the Spaniards heretofore to come first into Ireland and from thense ouer into England sith the chronologie shall declare that it hath béene often seene and that out of Britaine they haue gotten ouer also into Scithia and contrariwise coasting still through Yorkeshire which of them also was called Brigantium as by good testimonie appeareth Of these two that of Oxford which lieth west and by north from London standeth most pleasantlie being inâ—â—roned in maner round about with woods on the hilles aloft and goodlie riuers in the bottoms and vallies beneath whose courses would bréed no small commoditie to that citie and countrie about if such impediments were remooued as greatlie annoie the same and hinder the cariage which might be made thither also from London That of Cambridge is distant from London about fortie and six miles north and by east and standeth verie well sauing that it is somewhat néere vnto the fens whereby the wholesomenesse of the aire there is not a litle corrupted It is excellentlie well serued with all kinds of prouision but especiallie of freshwater fish and wildfoule by reason of the riuer that passeth thereby and thereto the I le of Elie which is so néere at hand Onlie wood is the chéefe want to such as studie there wherefore this kind of prouision is brought them either from Essex and other places thereabouts as is also their cole or otherwise the necessitie thereof is supplied with gall a bastard kind of Mirtus as I take it and seacole whereof they haue great plentie led thither by the Grant Moreouer it hath not such store of medow ground as may suffice for the ordinarie expenses of the towne and vniuersitie wherefore the inhabitants are inforced in like sort to prouide their haie from other villages-about which minister the same vnto them in verie great aboundance Oxford is supposed to conteine in longitude eightéene degrees and eight and twentie minuts and in latitude one and fiftie degrées and fiftie minuts whereas that of Cambridge standing more northerlie hath twentie degrees and twentie minuts in longitude and therevnto fiftie and two degrées and fifteene minuts in latitude as by exact supputation is easie to be found The colleges of Oxford for curious workemanship and priuat commodities are much more statelie magnificent commodious than those of Cambridge and therevnto the stréets of the towne for the most part more large and comelie But for vniformitie of building orderlie compaction and politike regiment the towne of Cambridge as the newer workmanship excéedeth that of Oxford which otherwise is and hath béene the greater of the two by manie a fold as I gesse although I know diuerse that are of the contrarie opinion This also is certeine that whatsoeuer the difference be in building of the towne stréets the townesmen of both are glad when they may match and annoie the students by incroching vpon
Ancaâ—â—tes Bibroci and Kentishmen and such like But 〈◊〉 the seuerall places where most of them laie are not yet verie perfectlie knowne vnto the learned of these daies I doo not meane to pronounce my iudgement vpon such doubtfull cases least that in so dooing I should but increase coniectures and leading peraduenture the reader from the more probable intangle his mind in the end with such as are of lesse value and things nothing so likelie to be true as those which other men haue remembred and set downe before me Neither will I speake oughts of the Romane partitions limits of their legions whose number and place of abode except of the Uictorian and Augustane is to me vtterlie vnknowne It shall suffice therfore to begin with such a ground as from whence some better certeintie of things may be deriued and that is with the estate of our Iland in the time of Alfred who first diuided England into shires which before his daies and since the comming of the Saxons was limited out by families and hidelands as the Britons did the same in their time by hundreds of townes which then were called cantreds as old records doo witnesse Into how manie shires the said Alfred did first make this partition of the Iland it is not yet found out howbeit if my coniecture be anie thing at all I suppose that he left not vnder eight and thirtie sith we find by no good author that aboue fifteene haue beene added by anie of his successours since the time of his decease This prince therefore hauing made the generall partition of his kingdome into shires or shares he diuided againe the same into lathes as lathes into hundreds and hundreds into tithings or denaries as diuers haue written and maister Lambert following their authorities hath also giuen out saieng almost after this maner in his description of Kent The Danes saith he both before in the time of king Alfred had flocked by the sea coasts of this Iland in great numbers sometimes wasting and spoiling with sword and fire wheresoeuer they might arriue and somtime taking great booties with them to their ships without dooing anie further hurt or damage to the countrie This inconuenience continuing for manie yéeres togither caused our husbandmen to abandon their tillage and gaue occasion and hardinesse to euill disposed persons to fall to the like pillage as practising to follow the Danes in these their thefts and robberies And the better to cloake their mischeefe withall they feigned themselues to be Danish pirats and would sometime come a land in one port and sometime in another driuing dailie great spoiles as the Danes had doone vnto their ships before them The good king Alfred therefore who had maruellouslie trauelled in repelling the barbarous Danes espieng this outrage and thinking it no lesse the part of a politike prince to root out the noisome subiect than to hold out the forren aduersarie by the aduise of his nobilitie and the example of Moses who followed the counsell of Iethro his father in law to the like effect diuided the whole realme into certeine parts or sections which of the Saxon word Schyran signifieng to cut he termed shires or as we yet speake shares or portions of which some one hath fortie miles in length as Essex and almost so manie broad Hereford foure twentie in length and twentie in breadth and Warwike six and thirtie in length c and some of them also conteine ten twelue thirteene sixtéene twentie or thirtie hundreds more or lesse as some hundreds doo sixteene twentie thirtie fortie fiftie or sixtie townes out of which the king was alwaies to receiue an hundred able men to serue him in the warres or a hundred men able to be pledges and ouer each of the portions he appointed either an earle or alderman or both to whome he committed the gouernement of the same These shires also he brake into lesser parts whereof some were called lathes of the word Gelathian which is to assemble togither other hundreds for that they enioied iurisdiction ouer an hundred pledges and other tithings bicause there were in each of them to the number of ten persons whereof euerie one from time to time was suertie for others good abearing He prouided also that euerie man should procure himselfe to be receiued into some tithing to the end that if anie were found of so small and base a credit that no man would become pledge or suertie for him he should foorthwith be committed to prison least otherwise he might happen to doo more harme abroad Hitherto master Lambert By whose words we may gather verie much of the state of this Iland in the time of Alfred whose institution continued after a sort vntill the comming of the Normans who changed the gouernement of the realme in such wise by bringing in of new officers and offices after the maner of their countries that verie little of the old regiment remained more than the bare names of some officers except peraduenture in Kent so that in these daies it is hard to set downe anie great certeintie of things as they stood in Alfreds time more than is remembred and touched at this present Some as it were roming or rouing at the name Lath doo saie that it is deriued of a barne which is called in old English a lath as they coniecture From which spéech in like sort some deriue the word Laistow as if it should be trulie written Lath stow a place wherein to laie vp or laie on things of whatsoeuer condition But hereof as yet I cannot absolutelie be satisfied although peraduenture some likelihood in their iudgements may séeme to be therein Other vpon some further consideration affirme that they were certeine circuits in euerie countie or shire conteining an appointed number of townes whose inhabitants alwaies assembled to know and vnderstand of matters touching their portions in to some one appointed place or other within their limits especiallie whilest the causes were such as required not the aid or assistance of the whole countie Of these lathes also as they saie some shires had more some lesse as they were of greatnesse And M. Lambert séemeth to be of the opinion that the léets of our time wherein these pledges be yet called Franci plegij of the word Free burgh doo yeeld some shadow of that politike institution of Alfred But sith my skill is so small in these cases that I dare not iudge anie thing at all as of mine owne knowledge I will not set downe anie thing more than I read least I should roue at randon in our obscure antiquities and reading no more of lathes my next talke shall be of hundreds The hundred and the wapentake is all one as I read in some and by this diuision not a name appertinent to a set number of townes for then all hundreds should be of equall quantitie but a limited iurisdiction within the compasse whereof were an hundred
they happened oftentimes vpon Lempet shels péeces of rustie anchors and kéeles of great vessels wherevpon some by and by gathered that either the Thames or some arme of the sea did beat vpon that towne not vnderstanding that these things might aswell happen in great lakes and meres wherof there was one adioining to the north side of the citie which laie then as some men thinke vnwalled but that also is false For being there vpon occasion this summer passed I saw some remnant of the old wals standing in that place which appeared to haue béene verie substantiallie builded the ruines likewise of a greater part of them are to be séene running along by the old chappell hard by in maner of a banke Whereby it is euident that the new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old and that the bridge whereof the historie of S. Albane speaketh was at the nether end 〈◊〉 Halliwell stréet or there about for so the view of the place doth inforce me to coniecture This mere which the Latine copie of the description of Britaine written of late by Humfrey Lhoid our countrie man calleth corruptlie Stagnum enaximum for Stagnum maximum at the first belonged to the king and thereby Offa in his time did reape no small commoditie It continued also vntill the time of Alfrijc the seuenth abbat of that house who bought it outright of the king then liuing and by excessiue charges drained it so narrowlie that within a while he left it drie sauing that he reserued a chanell for the riuer to haue hir vsuall course which he held vp with high bankes bicause there was alwaies contention betwéene the moonks and the kings seruants which fished on that water vnto the kings behoofe In these daies therefore remaineth no maner mention of this poole but onelie in one stréet which yet is called Fishpoole stréet wherof this may suffice for the resolution of such men as séeke rather to yéeld to an inconuenience than that their Gildas should seeme to mistake this riuer Hauing thus digressed to giue some remembrance of the old estate of Verolamium it is now time to returne againe vnto my former purpose Certes I would gladlie set downe with the names and number of the cities all the townes and villages in England and Wales with their true longitudes and latitudes but as yet I cannot come by them in such order as I would howbeit the tale of our cities is soone found by the bishoprikes sith euerie sée hath such prerogatiue giuen vnto it as to beare the name of a citie to vse Regaleius within hir owne limits Which priuilege also is granted to sundrie ancient townes in England especiallie northward where more plentie of them is to be found by a great deale than in the south The names therefore of our cities are these London Yorke Canturburie Winchester Cairleill Durham Elie. Norwich Lincolne Worcester Glocester Hereford Salisburie Excester Bath Lichfield Bristow Rochester Chester Chichester Oxford Peterborow Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaph Whose particular plots and models with their descriptions shall insue if it may be brought to passe that the cutters can make dispatch of them before this chronologie be published Of townes and villages likewise thus much will I saie that there were greater store in old time I meane within three or foure hundred yeare passed than at this present And this I note out of diuerse records charters and donations made in times past vnto sundrie religious houses as Glassenburie Abbandon Ramseie Elie and such like and whereof in these daies I find not so much as the ruines Leland in sundrie places complaineth likewise of the decaie of parishes in great cities and townes missing in some six or eight or twelue churches and more of all which he giueth particular notice For albeit that the Saxons builded manie townes and villages and the Normans well more at their first comming yet since the first two hundred yeares after the latter conquest they haue gone so fast againe to decaie that the ancient number of them is verie much abated Ranulph the moonke of Chester telleth of generall surueie made in the fourth sixtéenth nineteenth of the reigne of William Conqueror surnamed the Bastard wherein it was found that notwithstanding the Danes had ouerthrowâ—e a great manie there were to the number of 52000 townes 45002 parish churches and 75000 knights fées whereof the cleargie held 28015. He addeth moreouer that there were diuerse other builded since that time within the space of an hundred yeares after the comming of the Bastard as it were in lieu or recompense of those that William Rufus pulled downe for the erection of his new forrest For by an old booke which I haue and sometime written as it seemeth by an vndershiriffe of Nottingham I find euen in the time of Edw. 4. 45120 parish churches and but 60216 knights fées whereof the cleargie held as before 28015 or at the least 28000 for so small is the difference which he dooth séeme to vse Howbeit if the assertions of such as write in our time concerning this matter either are or ought to be of anie credit in this behalfe you shall not find aboue 17000 townes and villages and 9210 in the whole which is little more than a fourth part of the aforesaid number if it be throughlie scanned Certes this misfortune hath not onelie happened vnto our Ile nation but vnto most of the famous countries of the world heretofore and all by the gréedie desire of such as would liue alone and onelie to themselues And hereof we may take example in Candie of old time called Creta which as Homer writeth was called Hetacompolis bicause it conteined an hundred cities but now it is so vnfurnished that it may hardlie be called Tripolis Diodorus Siculus saith that Aegypt had once 18000 cities which so decaied in processe of time that when Ptolomeus Lagus reigned there were not aboue 3000 but in our daies both in all Asia Aegypt this lesser number shall not verie readilie he found In time past in Lincolne as the fame goeth there haue beene two and fiftie parish churches and good record appeareth for eight and thirtie but now if there be foure and twentie it is all This inconuenience hath growen altogither to the church by appropriations made vnto monasteries and religious houses a terrible canker and enimie to religion But to leaue this lamentable discourse of so notable and gréeuous an inconuenience growing as I said by incroching and ioining of house to house and laieng land to land whereby the inhabitants of manie places of our countrie are deuoured and eaten vp and their houses either altogither pulled downe or suffered to decaie by litle and litle although sometime a poore man peraduenture dooth dwell in one of them who not being able to repare it suffereth it to fall downe thereto thinketh himselfe verie friendlie dealt withall if he may haue an acre of ground assigned vnto him whereon to kéepe
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
and diuerse other which I haue prouided readie for the purpose beside the monuments and liuelie images of sundrie philosophers and kings of this Iland since the time of Edward the Confessor Wherof although presentlie I want a few yet I doo not doubt but to obteine them all if friendship at the leastwise procured for monie shall be able to preuaile But as it hath doone hitherto so the charges to be emploied vpon these brasen or copper images will hereafter put by the impression of that treatife whereby it maie come to passe that long trauell shall soone proue to be spent in vaine and much cost come to verie small successe Whereof yet I force not greatlie sith by this means I haue reaped some commoditie vnto my selfe by searching of the histories which often minister store of examples readie to be vsed in my function as occasion shall mooue me But to procéed with my purpose Before the comming of the Romans there was a kind of copper monie currant here in Britaine as Caesar confesseth in the fift booke of his Commentaries but I find not of what maner it was Hereto he addeth a report of certeine rings of a proportionate weight which they vsed in his time in stead likewise of monie But as hitherto it hath not bene my lucke I saie to haue the certeine view of anie of these so after the comming of the Romans they inforced vs to abandon our owne and receiue such imperiall monies or coines as for the paiment of their legions was dailie brought ouer vnto them What coines the Romans had it is easie to be knowne and from time to time much of it is found in manie places of this Iland as well of gold and siluer as of copper brasse and other mettall much like stéele almost of euerie emperour So that I account it no rare thing to haue of the Roman coine albeit that it still represent an image of our captiuitie and maie be a good admonition for vs to take heed how we yéeld our selues to the regiment of strangers Of the store of these monies found vpon the Kentish coast I haue alreadie made mention in the description of Richborow and chapter of Iles adiacent vnto the British Albion and there shewed also how simple fishermen haue had plentie of them and that the conies in making profers and holes to bréed in haue scraped them out of the ground in verie great abundance In speaking also of S. Albans in the chapter of townes and villages I haue not omitted to tell what plentie of these coines haue bene gathered there wherfore I shall not néed here to repeat the same againe Howbeit this is certeine that the most part of all these antiquities to be found within the land distant from the shore are to be gotten either in the ruines of ancient cities and townes decaied or in inclosed burrowes where their legions accustomed sometime to winter as by experience is dailie confirmed What store hath béene séene of them in the citie of London which they called Augusta of the legion that soiourned there likewise in Yorke named also Uictrix of the legion Victoria or Altera Roma because of the beautie and fine building of the same I my selfe can partlie witnesse that haue séene often had of them if better testimonie were wanting The like I maie affirme of Colchester where those of Claudius Adrian Traian Vespasian and other are oftentimes plowed vp or found by other means also of Cantorburie Andredeschester now decaied Rochester then called Durobreuum Winchester and diuerse other beyond the Thames which for breuitie sake I doo passe ouer in silence Onelie the chiefe of all and where most are found in deed is néere vnto Carleon and Cairgwent in Southwales about Kenchester thrée miles aboue Hereford Aldborow Ancaster Bramdon Dodington where a spurre and péece of a chaine of gold were found in king Henrie the eight his daies besides much of the said Roman coine Binchester Camalet Lacocke vpon Auon and Lincolne Dorchester Warwike and Chester where they are often had in verie great abundance It seemeth that Ancaster hath beene a great thing for manie square colored pauements vaults and arches are yet found and often laid open by such as dig and plow in the fields about the same And amongst these one Uresbie or Roscbie a plowman did ere vp not long since a stone like a trough couered with another stone wherein was great foison of the aforesaid coines The like also was séene not yet fortie yeares agone about Grantham But in king Henrie the eight his daies an husbandman had far better lucke at Harleston two miles from the aforesaid place where he found not onelie great plentie of this coine but also an huge brasse pot and therein a large helmet of pure gold richlie fretted with pearle and set with all kind of costlie stones he tooke vp also chaines much like vnto beads of siluer all which as being if a man might ghesse anie certeintie by their beautie not likelie to be long hidden he presented to quéene Katharine then lieng at Peterborow and therewithall a few ancient rolles of parchment written long agone though so defaced with mouldinesse and rotten for age that no man could well hold them in his hand without falling into péeces much lesse read them by reason of their blindnesse In the beginning of the same kings daies also at Killeie a man found as he eared an arming girdle harnessed with pure gold and a great massie pomell with a crosse hilt for a sword of the same mettall beside studs and harnesse for spurs and the huge long spurs of like stuffe whereof one doctor Ruthall got a part into his hands The boroughs or buries wherof I spake before were certeine plots of ground wherin the Romane souldiers did vse to lie when they kept in the open fields as chosen places from whence they might haue easie accesse vnto their aduersaries if anie outrage were wrought or rebellion mooued against them And as these were the vsuall aboads for those able legions that serued dailie in the wars so had they other certeine habitations for the old and forworne souldiers whereby diuerse cities grew in time to be replenished with Romane colonies as Cairleon Colchester Chester and such other of which Colchester bare the name of Colonia long time and wherein A. Plautius builded a temple vnto the goodesse of Uictorie after the departure of Claudius which Tacitus calleth Aram sempiternae dominationis a perpetuall monument of that our British seruitude But to returne vnto our borowes they were generallie walled about with stone wals and so large in compasse that some did conteine thirtie fourtie three score or eightie acres of ground within their limits they had also diuerse gates or ports vnto each of them and of these not a few remaine to be seene in our time as one for example not far from great Chesterford in Essex néere to the limits of Cambridgshire which I haue often
to supplie those turnes with no lesse skill than their husbands which is an hard worke for the poore butcher sith he through this means can seldome be rich or wealthie by his trade In like sort the flesh of our oxen and kine is sold both by hand and by weight as the buier will but in yoong ware rather by weight especiallie for the stéere and heighfer sith the finer béefe is the lightest wheras the flesh of buls and old kine is of sadder substance and therefore much heauier as it lieth in the scale Their hornes also are knowne to be more faire and large in England than in anie other places except those which are to be séene among the Paeones which quantitie albeit that it be giuen to our bréed generallie by nature yet it is now and then helped also by art For when they be verie yoong manie grasiers will oftentimes annoint their budding hornes or tender tips with honie which mollifieth the naturall hardnesse of that substance and thereby maketh them to grow vnto a notable greatnesse Certes it is not strange in England to sée oxen whose hornes haue the length of a yard or thrée foot betweene the tips and they themselues thereto so tall as the heigth of a man of meane and indifferent stature is scarse equall vnto them Neuerthelesse it is much to be lamented that our generall bréed of catell is not better looked vnto for the greatest occupiers weane least store bicause they can buie them as they saie far better cheape than to raise and bring them vp In my time a cow hath risen from foure nobles to foure marks by this means which notwithstanding were no great price if they did yearelie bring foorth more than one calfe a péece as I heare they doo in other countries Our horsses moreouer are high and although not commonlie of such huge greatnesse as in other places of the maine yet if you respect the easinesse of their pase it is hard to saie where their like are to be had Our land dooth yéeld no asses and therefore we want the generation also of mules and somers and therefore the most part of our cariage is made by these which remaining stoned are either reserued for the cart or appointed to beare such burdens as are conuenient for them Our cart or plough horsses for we vse them indifferentlie are commonlie so strong that fiue or six of them at the most will draw thrée thousand weight of the greatest tale with ease for a long iourneie although it be not a load of common vsage which consisteth onelie of two thousand or fiftie foot of timber fortie bushels of white salt or six and thirtie of baie or fiue quarters of wheat experience dailie teacheth and I haue elsewhere remembred Such as are kept also for burden will carie foure hundred weight commonlie without anie hurt or hinderance This furthermore is to be noted that our princes and the nobilitie haue their cariage commonlie made by carts wherby it commeth to passe that when the quéenes maiestie dooth remooue from anie one place to another there are vsuallie 400 carewares which amount to the summe of 2400 horsses appointed out of the countries adioining whereby hir cariage is conueied safelie vnto the appointed place Hereby also the ancient vse of somers and sumpter horsses is in maner vtterlie relinquished which causeth the traines of our princes in their progresses to shew far lesse than those of the kings of other nations Such as serue for the saddle are commonlie gelded and now growne to be verie déere among vs especiallie if they be well coloured iustlie limmed and haue thereto an easie ambling pase For our countriemen séeking their ease in euerie corner where it is to be had delight verie much in these qualities but chieflie in their excellent pases which besides that it is in maner peculiar vnto horsses of our soile and not hurtfull to the rider or owner sitting on their backes it is moreouer verie pleasant and delectable in his eares in that the noise of their well proportioned pase dooth yéeld comfortable sound as he trauelleth by the waie Yet is there no greater deceipt vsed anie where than among our horssekeepers horssecorsers and hostelers for such is the subtill knauerie of a great sort of them without exception of anie of them be it spoken which deale for priuat gaine that an honest meaning man shall haue verie good lucke among them if he be not deceiued by some false tricke or other There are certeine notable markets wherein great plentie of horsses and colts is bought and sold and wherevnto such as haue néed resort yearelie to buie and make their necessarie prouision of them as Rippon Newport pond Wolfpit Harborow and diuerse other But as most drouers are verie diligent to bring great store of these vnto those places so manie of them are too too lewd in abusing such as buie them For they haue a custome to make them looke faire to the eie when they come within two daies iourneie of the market to driue them till they sweat for the space of eight or twelue houres which being doone they turne them all ouer the backs into some water where they stand for a season and then go forward with them to the place appointed where they make sale of their infected ware and such as by this meanes doo fall into manie diseases and maladies Of such outlandish horsses as are dailie brought ouer vnto vs I speake not as the genet of Spaine the courser of Naples the hobbie of Ireland the Flemish roile and Scotish nag bicause that further spéech of them commeth not within the compasse of this treatise and for whose breed and maintenance especiallie of the greatest sort king Henrie the eight erected a noble studderie and for a time had verie good successe with them till the officers waxing wearie procured a mixed brood of bastard races whereby his good purpose came to little effect Sir Nicholas Arnold of late hath bred the best horsses in England and written of the maner of their production would to God his compasse of ground were like to that of Pella in Syria wherin the king of that nation had vsuallie a studderie of 30000 mares and 300 stallions as Strabo dooth remember Lib. 16. But to leaue this let vs sée what may be said of sheepe Our shéepe are verie excellent sith for sweetnesse of flesh they passe all other And so much are our woolles to be preferred before those of Milesia and other places that if Iason had knowne the value of them that are bred and to be had in Britaine he would neuer haue gone to Colchis to looke for anie there For as Dionysius Alexandrinus saith in his De situ orbis it may by spinning be made comparable to the spiders web What fooles then are our countrimen in that they séeke to bereue themselues of this commoditie by practising dailie how to transfer the same to other nations in
altogither passe ouer this chapter without the rehersall of something although the whole summe of that which I haue to saie be nothing indeed if the performance of a full discourse hereof be anie thing hardlie required Of fishes therefore as I find fiue sorts the flat the round the long the legged and shelled so the flat are diuided into the smooth scaled and tailed Of the first are the plaice the but the turbut birt floke or sea flounder dorreie dab c. Of the second the soles c. Of the third our chaits maidens kingsons flath and thornbacke whereof the greater be for the most part either dried and carried into other countries or sodden sowsed eaten here at home whilest the lesser be fried or buttered soone after they be taken as prouision not to be kept long for feare of putrifaction Under the round kinds are commonlie comprehended lumps an vglie fish to sight and yet verie delicat in eating if it be kindlie dressed the whiting an old waiter or seruitor in the court the rochet sea breame pirle hake sea trowt gurnard haddocke cod herring pilchard sprat and such like And these are they whereof I haue best knowledge and be commonlie to be had in their times vpon our coasts Under this kind also are all the great fish conteined as the seale the dolphin the porpoise the thirlepole whale and whatsoeuer is round of bodie be it neuer so great and huge Of the long sort are congers eeles garefish and such other of that forme Finallie of the legged kind we haue not manie neither hane I seene anie more of this sort than the Polypus called in English the lobstar crafish or creuis and the crab As for the little crafishes they are not taken in the sea but plentifullie in our fresh riuers in banks and vnder stones where they kéepe themselues in most secret maner and oft by likenesse of colour with the stones among which they lie deceiue euen the skilfull takers of them except they vse great diligence Carolus Stephanus in his maison rustique doubted whether these lobstars be fish or not and in the end concludeth them to grow of the purgation of the water as dooth the frog and these also not to be eaten for that they be strong and verie hard of digestion But hereof let other determine further I might here speake of sundrie other fishes now and then taken also vpon our coasts but sith my mind is onelie to touch either all such as are vsuallie gotten or so manie of them onelie as I can wel rehearse vpon certeine knowledge I thinke it good at this time to forbeare the further intreatie of them As touching the shellie sort we haue plentie of oisters whose valure in old time for their swéetnesse was not vnknowne in Rome although Mutianus as Plinie noteth lib. 32 cap. 6. preferre the Cyzicene before them and these we haue in like maner of diuerse quantities and no lesse varietie also of our muskles and cockles We haue in like sort no small store of great whelkes scalops and perewinkles and each of them brought farre into the land from the sea coast in their seuerall seasons And albeit our oisters are generallie forborne in the foure hot moneths of the yeare that is to saie Maie Iune Iulie and August which are void of the letter R yet in some places they be continuallie eaten where they be kept in pits as I haue knowne by experience And thus much of our sea fish as a man in maner vtterlie vnacquainted with their diuersitie of kinds yet so much haue I yéelded to doo hoping hereafter to saie some what more and more orderlie of them if it shall please God that I may liue and haue leasure once againe to peruse this treatise and so make vp a perfect péece of worke of that which as you now sée is verie slenderlie attempted and begun Of sauage beasts and vermines Chap. 4. IT is none of the least blessings wherewith God hath indued this Iland that it is void of noisome beasts as lions beares tigers pardes wolfes such like by means whereof our countrimen may trauell in safetie our herds and flocks remaine for the most part abroad in the field without anie herdman or kéeper This is cheefelie spoken of the south and southwest parts of the Iland For wheras we that dwell on this side of the Twed may safelie boast of our securitie in this behalfe yet cannot the Scots doo the like in euerie point within their kingdome sith they haue greeuous woolfes and cruell foxes beside some other of like disposition continuallie conuersant among them to the generall hinderance of their husbandmen and no small damage vnto the inhabiters of those quarters The happie and fortunate want of these beasts in England is vniuersallie ascribed to the politike gouernement of king Edgar who to the intent the whole countrie might once be clensed and clearelie rid of them charged the conquered Welshmen who were then pestered with these rauenous creatures aboue measure to paie him a yearelie tribute of woolfes skinnes to be gathered within the land He appointed them thereto a certeine number of three hundred with free libertie for their prince to hunt pursue them ouer all quarters of the realme as our chronicles doo report Some there be which write how Ludwall prince of Wales paid yearelie to king Edgar this tribute of thrée hundred woolfes whose carcases being brought into Lhoegres were buried at Wolfpit in Cambridgeshire and that by meanes thereof within the compasse and terme of foure yeares none of those noisome creatures were left to be heard of within Wales and England Since this time also we read not that anie woolfe hath béene séene here that hath beene bred within the bounds and limits of our countrie howbeit there haue béene diuerse brought ouer from beyond the seas for gréedinesse of gaine and to make monie onlie by the gasing and gaping of our people vpon them who couet oft to see them being strange beasts in their eies and sildome knowne as I haue said in England Lions we haue had verie manie in the north parts of Scotland and those with maines of no lesse force than they of Mauritania were sometimes reported to be but how and when they were destroied as yet I doo not read They had in like sort no lesse plentie of wild and cruell buls which the princes and their nobilitie in the frugall time of the land did hunt and follow for the triall of their manhood and by pursute either on horssebacke or foot in armor notwithstanding that manie times they were dangerouslie assailed by them But both these sauage cretures are now not heard of or at the least wise the later scarselie known in the south parts Howbeit it this I gather by their being here that our Iland was not cut from the maine by the great deluge or flood of Noah but long after otherwise the generation of those
either round on beapes or at length von some hillocke or elsewhere in the grasse They are found onelie in our woodland countries and highest grounds where sometimes though seldome a speckled stone called Echites in dutch Ein atter stein is gotten out of their dried carcases which diuers report to be good against their poison As for our snakes which in Latine are properlie named Angues they commonlie are seene in moores fens lomie wals and low bottoms And as we haue greats store of todes where adders commonlie are found so doo frogs abound where snakes doo kéepe their residence We haue also the sloworme which is blacke and graieth of colour and somewhat shorter than an adder I was at the killing once of one of them and there by perceiued that she was not so called of anie want of nimble motion but rather of the contrarie Neuerthelesse we haue a blind worme to be found vnder logs in woods and timber that hath lien long in a place which some also doo call and vpon better ground by the name of flow worms and they are knowen easilie by their more or lesse varietie of striped colours drawen long waies from their heads their whole bodies little excéeding a foot in length yet is there venem deadlie This also is not to be omitted that now an then in our fennie countries other kinds of serpents are found of greater quantitie than either our adder or our snake but as these are not ordinarie and oft to be séene so I meane not to intreat of them among our common annoiances Neither haue we the scorpion a plague of God sent not long since into Italie and whose poison as Apollodorus saith is white neither the tarantula or Neopolitane spider whose poison bringeth death except musike be at hand Wherfore I suppose our countrie to be the more happie I meane in part for that it is void of these two grieuous annoiances wherewith other nations are plagued We haue also efts both of the land and water and likewise the noisome swifts whereof to saie anie more it should be but losse of time sith they are well knowne and no region to my knowledge found to be void of manie of them As for flies sith it shall not be amisse a little to touch them also we haue none that can doo hurt or hinderance naturallie vnto anie for whether they be cut wasted or whole bodied they are void of poison and all venemous inclination The cut or girt wasted for so I English the word Insecta are the hornets waspes bées and such like whereof we haue great store and of which an opinion is conceiued that the first doo bréed of the corruption of dead horsses the second of peares and apples corrupted and the last of kine and oxen which may be true especiallie the first and latter in some parts of the beast and not their whole substances as also in the second sith we haue neuer waspes but when our fruit beginneth to wax ripe In déed Virgil and others speake of a generation of bées by killing or smoothering of a brused bullocke or calfe and laieng his bowles or his flesh wrapped vp in his hide in a close house for a certeine season but how true it is hitherto I haue not tried Yet sure I am of this that no one liuing creature corrupteth without the production of another as we may see by our selues whose flesh dooth alter into lice and also in shéepe for excessiue numbers of flesh flies if they be suffered to lie vnburiâ—â— or vneaten by the dogs and swine who often and happilie preuent such néedlesse generations As concerning bées I thinke it good to remember that wheras some ancient writers affirme it to be a commoditie wanting in our Iland it is now found to be nothing so In old time peraduenture we had none in déed but in my daies there is such plentie of them in maner euerie where that in some vplandish townes there are one hundred or two hundred hiues of them although the said hiues are not so huge as those of the east countrie but far lesse as not able to conteine aboue one bushell of corne or fiue pecks at the most Plinie a man that of set purpose deliteth to write of woonders speaking of honie noteth that in the north regions the hiues in his time were of such quantitie that some one combe conteined eight foot in length yet as it should séeme he speketh not of the greatest For in Podolia which is now subiect to the king of Poland their hiues are so great and combes so abundant that huge bores ouerturning and falling into them are drowned in the honie before they can recouer find the meanes to come out Our honie also is taken and reputed to be the best bicause it is harder better wrought and clenlier vesselled vp than that which commeth from beyond the sea where they stampe and streine their combs bées and yoong blowings altogither into the stuffe as I haue béene informed In vse also of medicine our physicians and apothecaries eschew the forren especiallie that of Spaine and Ponthus by reason of a venemous qualitie naturallie planted in the same as some write and choose the home made not onelie by reason of our soile which hath no lesse plentie of wild thime growing therein than in Sicilia about Athens and makth the best stuffe as also for that it bréedeth being gotten in haruest time lesse choler and which is oftentimes as I haue séene by experience so white as sugar and corned as if it were salt Our hiues are made commonlie of rie straw and wadled about with bramble quarters but some make the same of wicker and cast them ouer with claie Wée cherish none in trées but set our hiues somewhere on the warmest side of the house prouiding that they may stand drie and without danger both of the mouse and moth This furthermore is to be noted that wheras in vessels of oile that which is néerest the top is counted the finest and of wine that in the middest so of honie the best which is heauiest and moistes is alwaies next the bottome and euermore casteth and driueth his dregs vpward toward the verie top contrarie to the nature of other liquid substances whose groonds and léeze doo generallie settle downewards And thus much as by the waie of our bées and English honie As for the whole bodied as the cantharides and such venemous creatures of the same kind to be abundantlie found in other countries we heare not of them yet haue we béetles horseflies turdbugs or dorres called in Latine Scarabei the locust or the grashoppers which to me doo séeme to be one thing as I will anon declare and such like whereof let other intreat that make an exercise in catching of flies but a far greater sport in offering them to spiders As did Domitian sometime and an other prince yet liuing who delited
Aristotle Socion Plinie Laertius Bodinus and others which I will gather in briefe and set downe as followeth They had as Caesar saith the charge of common priuate sacrifices the discussing of points of religion the bringing vp of youth the determining of matters in variance with full power to interdict so manie from the sacrifice of their gods and the companie of men as disobeied their award Polydore affirmeth how they taught that mens soules could not die but departed from one bodie to another and that to the intent to make men valiant and dreadlesse of death Tullie writeth that partlie by tokens and partlie by surmises they would foretell things to come And by the report of Hector Boetius some of them were not ignorant of the immortalitie of the one and euerlasting God All these things they had written in the Greeke toong insomuch that Wolf Lazius vpon the report of Marcellinus declareth how the Gréeke letters were first brought to Athens by Timagenes from the Druides And herevpon it commeth also to passe that the British toong hath in it remaining at this day some smacke of the Gréeke Among other abuses of the Druides they had according to Diodorus one custome to kill men and by the falling bleeding and dismembring of the to diuine of things to come for the which and other wicked practises their sect was first condemned for abhominable as some haue written and dissolued in Gallia as Auentinus witnesseth by Tiberius and Cladius the emperours and lastlie abolished here in Britaine by the report of Caius when the gospell of Christ by the preaching of Fugatius and Damianus was receiued among the Britaines vnder Lucius king of Britaine about the yeare of our sauior 179. BArdus the sonne of Druis succéeded his father in the kingdome of Celtica and was the fift king ouer the Celtes and Samotheans amongst whom he was highlie renoumed as appeareth by Berosus for inuention of dities and musicke wherein Annius of Viterbo writeth that he trained his people and of such as excelled in this knowledge he made an order of philosophicall poets or heraulds calling them by his owne name Bardi And it should séeme by doctor Caius and master Bale that Caesar found some of them here at his arriuall in this I le and reported that they had also their first begining in the same The profession and vsages of these Bardi Nonnius Strabo Diodorus Stephanus Bale and sir Iohn Prise are in effect reported after this sort They did vse to record the noble exploits of the ancient capteins and to drawe the pedegrées and genealogies of such as were liuing They would frame pleasant dities and songs learne the same by heart and sing them to instruments at solemne feasts and assemblies of noble men and gentlemen Wherefore they were had in so high estimation that if two hosts had beene readie ranged to ioine in battell and that any of them had fortuned to enter among them both the hosts as well the enimies as the friends would haue holden their hands giuen eare vnto them and ceassed from fight vntill these Bards had gone out of the battell Of these Bards Lucane saith Vos quoque qui fortes animas bellóque peremptas Laudius in longum vates dimittitis aeuum Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi And you ô poet Bards from danger void that dities sound Of soules of dreadlesse men whom rage of battell would confound And make their lasting praise to time of later age rebound Because the names of these poets were neither discrepant from the ciuilitie of the Romans nor repugnant to the religion of the Christians they of all the other sects before specified were suffered onlie to continue vnabolished in all ages insomuch that there flourished of them among the Britains according to Bale before the birth of Christ Plenidus and Oronius after Christ as Prise recounteth Thalestine and the two Merlins Melkin Elaskirion and others and of late daies among the Welshmen Dauid Daie Iollo Gough Dauid ap William with an infinite number more And in Wales there are sundrie of them as Caius reporteth remaining vnto this day where they are in their language called as Leland writeth Barthes Also by the witnes of Humfrey Llhoyd there is an Iland néere vnto Wales called Insula Bardorum and Bardsey whereof the one name in Latine and the other in Saxon or old English signifieth the Iland of the Bardes or Barthes Thus farre the gouernement of the Celts in this I le An appendix to the former chapter AFter Bardus the Celts as Bale saith loathing the streict ordinances of their ancient kings and bâ—â—aking themselues to pleasure and idlenesse were in short time and with small labour brought vnder the subiection of the giant Albion the sonne of Neptune who altering the state of things in this Iland streicted the name of Celtica and the Celts within the bounds of Gallia from whence they came first to inhabit this land vnder the conduct of Samothes as before ye haue heard accordinglie as Annius hath gathered out of Berosus the Chaldean who therein agréeth also with the scripture the saieng of Theophilus the doctor and the generall consent of all writers which fullie consent that the first inhabitants of this I le came out of the parties of Gallia although some of them dissent about the time and maner of their comming Sir Brian Tuke thinketh it to be ment of the arriuall of Brute when he came out of those countries into this I le Caesar and Tacitus séeme to be of opinion that those Celts which first inhabited here came ouer to view the countrie for trade of merchandize Bodinus would haue them to come in a Gods name from Languedoc and so to name this land Albion of a citie in Languadoc named Albie Beda and likewise Polydore who followeth him affirme that they came from the coasts of Armorica which is now called little Britaine But that the authorities afore recited are sufficient to proue the time that this Iland was first inhabited by the Celts the old possessors of Gallia not onelie the néernesse of the regions but the congruence of languages two great arguments of originals doo fullie confirme the same Bodinus writeth vpon report that the British and Celtike language was all one But whether that be true or not I am not able to affirme bicause the Celtike toong is long sithens growne wholie out of vse Howbeit some such Celtike words as remaine in the writings of old authours may be perceiued to agrée with the Welsh toong being the voncorrupted spéech of the ancient Britains In déed Pausanias the Grecian maketh mention how the Celts in their language called a horsse Marc and by that name doo the Welshmen call a horsse to this day and the word Trimarc in Pausanias signifieth in the Celtike toong thrée horsses Thus it appeareth by the authoritie
of writers by situation of place and by affinitie of language that this Iland was first found and inhabited by the Celts that there name from Samothes to Albion continued here the space of 310 yeares or there abouts And finallie it is likelie that aswell the progenie as the spéech of them is partlie remaining in this I le among the inhabitants and speciallie the British euen vnto this day Of the giant Albion of his comming into this Iland diuers opinions why it was called Albion why Albion and Bergion were slaine by Hercules of Danaus and of his 50. daughters The third Chapter NEptunus called by Moses as some take it Nepthuim the sixt sonne of Osiris after the account of Annius and the brother of Hercules had appointed him of his father as Diodorus writeth the gouernement of the ocean sea wherefore he furnished himselfe of sundrie light ships for the more redie passage by water which in the end grew to the number of a full nauie so by continuall exercise he became so skilfull and therewith so mightie vpon the waters as Higinus Pictonius doo write that he was not onelie called the king but also estéemed the god of the seas He had to wife a ladie called Amphitrita who was also honored as goddesse of the seas of whose bodie he begat sundrie children and as Bale reporteth he made euerie one of them king of an Iland In the I le of Britaine he landed his fourth son called Albion the giant who brought the same vnder his subiection And herevpon it resteth that Iohn Textor and Polydor Virgil made mention that light shippes were first inuented in the British seas and that the same were couered round with the hides of beasts for defending them from the surges and waues of the water This Albion being put by his father in possession of this I le of Britaine within short time subdued the Samotheans the first inhabitantes thereof without finding any great resistance for that as before ye haue heard they had giuen ouer the practise of all warlike and other painefull exercises and through vse of effeminate pleasures whereunto they had giuen themselues ouer they were become now vnapt to withstand the force of their enimies and so by the testimonie of Nicholaus Perottus Rigmanus Philesius Aristotle and Humfrey Llhoyd with diuers other both forraine home-writers this Iland was first called by the name of Albion hauing at one time both the name and inhabitants changed from the line of Iaphet vnto the accursed race of Cham. This Albion that thus changed the name of this Ile and his companie are called giants which signifieth none other than a tall kind of men of that vncorrupt stature and highnesse naturallie incident to the first age which Berosus also séemeth to allow where he writeth that Noah was one of the giants and were not so called only of their monstrous greatnesse as the common people thinke although in deed they exceeded the vsuall stature of men now in these daies but also for that they tooke their name of the soile where they were borne for Gigantes signifieth the sons of the earth the Aborigines or as Cesar calleth them Indigenae that is borne and bred out of the earth were they inhabited Thus some thinke but verelie although that their opinion is not to be allowed in any condition which maintaine that there should be any Aborigines or other kind of men than those of Adams line yet that there haue béene men of far greater stature than are now to be found is sufficientlie prooued by the huge bones of those that haue beene found in our time or lately before whereof here to make further relation it shall not need sith in the description of Britaine ye shall find it sufficientlie declared But now to our purpose As Albion held Britaine in subiection so his brother Bergion kept Ireland and the Orkenies vnder his rule and dominion and hearing that their coosine Hercules Lybicus hauing finished his conquests in Spaine meant to passe through Gallia into Italie against their brother Lestrigo that oppressed Italie vnder subiection of him other of his brethren the sons also of Neptune as well Albion as Bergion assembling their powers togither passed ouer into Gallia to stoppe the passage of Hercules whose intention was to vanquish and destroie those tyrants the sonnes of Neptune their complices that kept diuers countries and regions vnder the painefull yoke of their heauie thraldome The cause that moned Hercules thus to pursue vpon those tyrants now reigning thus in the world was for that not long before the greatest part of them had conspired togither and slaine his father Osiris not withstanding that they were nephues to the same Osiris as sonnes to his brother Neptune and not contented with his slaughter they diuided his carcase also amongst them so that each of them got a peece in token of reioising at their murtherous atchiued enterprise For this cause Hercules whome Moses calleth Laabin proclamed warres against them all in reuenge of his fathers death and first he killed Triphon and Bustris in Aegypt then Anteus in Mauritania the Garions in Spaine which enterprise atchiued he led his armie towardes Italie and by the way passed through a part of Gallia where Albion and Bergion hauing vnited their powers togither were readie to receiue him with battell and so néere to the mouth of the riuer called Rhosne in Latine Rhodanus they met fought At the first there was a right terrible and cruell conflict betwixt them And albeit that Hercules had the greatest number of men yet was it verie doubtfull a great while to whether part the glorie of that daies worke would bend whereupon when the victorie began outright to turne vnto Albion and to his brother Bergion Hercules perceiuing the danger and likelihood of vtter loose of that battell speciallie for that his men had wasted their weapons he caused those that stood still and were not otherwise occupied to stoope downe and to gather vp stones whereof in that place there was great plentie which by his commandement they bestowed so fréelie vpon their enimies that in the end hée obteined the victorie and did not only put his aduersaries to flight but also slue Albion there in the field togither with his brother Bergion and the most part of all their whole armie This was the end of Albion and his brother Bergion by the valiant prowesse of Hercules who as one appointed by Gods prouidence to subdue the cruell vnmercifull tyrants spent his time to the benefit of mankind deliuering the oppressed from the heauie yoke of miserable thraldome in euerie place where he came And by the order of this battell wée maye learne whereof the poets had their inuention when they faine in their writings that Iupiter holpe his sonne Hercules by throwing downe stones from heauen in this battell
against Albion and Bergion Moreouer from henceforth was this I le of Britaine called Albion as before we haue said after the name of the said Albion because he was established chiefe ruler and king thereof both by his grandfather Osiris and his father Neptune that cunning sailour reigning therein as Bale saith by the space of 44. yeares till finally he was slaine in maner afore remembred by his vncle Hercules Libicus After that Hercules had thus vanquished and destroied his enimies hée passed to and fro thorough Gallia suppressing the tyrants in euerie part where he came and restoring the people vnto a reasonable kinde of libertie vnder lawfull gouernours This Hercules as we find builded the citie Alexia in Burgongne nowe called Alize Moreouer by Lilius Giraldus in the life of Hercules it is auouched that the same Hercules came ouer hither into Britaine And this dooth Giraldus writer by warrant of such Britons as saith he haue so written themselues which thing peraduenture he hath read in Gildas the ancient Briton poet a booke that as he confesseth in the 5. dialog of his histories of poets he hath séene The same thing also is confirmed by the name of an head of land in Britaine called Promontorium Herculis as in Ptolomie ye may read which is thought to take name of his arriuall at that place Thus much for Albion and Hercules But now whereas it is not denied of anie that this I le was called ancientlie by the name of Albion yet there be diuers opinions how it came by that name for manie doo not allow of this historie of Albion the giant But for so much as it apperteineth rather to the description than to the historie of this I le to rip vp and lay foorth the secret mysteries of such matters and because I thinke that this opinion which is here auouched how it tooke that name of the forsaid Albion sonne to Neptune may be confirmed with as good authoritie as some of the other I here passe ouer the rest procéed with the historie When Albion chiefe capteine of the giants was slaine the residue that remained at home in the I le continued without any rule or restraint of law in so much that they fell to such a dissolute order of life that they séemed little or nothing to differ from brute beasts and those are they which our ancient chronicles call the giants who were so named as well for the huge proportion of their stature sithens as before is said that age brought foorth far greater men than are now liuing as also for that they were the first or at the least the furthest in remembrance of any that had inhabited this countrie For this word Gigines or Gegines from whence our word giant as some take it is deriued is a Gréeke word and signifieth Borne or bred of or in the earth for our fore-elders specially the Gentiles being ignorant o the true beginning of mankind were persuaded that the first inhabitants of any countrie were bred out of the earth and therefore when they could go no higher reckoning the descents of their predecessours they would name him Terrae filius The sonne of the earth and so the giants whom the poets faine to haue sought to make battell against heauen are called the sonnes of the earth and the first inhabitants generally of euery countrie were of the Gréekes called Gigines or Gegines and of the Latines Aborigines and Indigenae that is People borne of earth from the beginning and comming from no other countrie but bred within the same These giants and first inhabitants of this I le continued in their beastlie kind of life vnto the arriuall of the ladies which some of our chronicles ignorantly write to be the daughters of Dioclesian the king of Assyria whereas in déed they haue béene deceiued in taking the word Danaus to be short written for Dioclesianus and by the same meanes haue diuers words and names beene mistaken both in our chronicles and in diuers other ancient written woorks But this is a fault that learned men should not so much trouble themselues about considering the same hath bin alreadie found by sundrie authors ling sithens as Hugh the Italian Iohn-Harding Iohn Rouse of Warwike and others speciallie by the helpe of Dauid Pencair a British historie who recite the historie vnder the name of Danaus and his daugthers And because we would not any man to thinke that the historie of these daughters of Danaus is onelie of purpose deuised and brought in place of Dioclesianus to excuse the imperfection of our writers whereas there as either no such historie or at the least no such women that arriued in this Ile the authoritie of Nennius a Briton writer may be auouched who wrote aboue 900. yeares past and maketh mention of the arriuall of such ladies To be short the historie is thus Belus the sonne of Epaphus or as some writers haue of Neptune and Lâ—bies whome Isis after the death of Apis maried had issue two sonnes the first Danaus called also Armeus and Aegyptus called also Rameses these two were kings among the Aegyptians Danaus the elder of the two hauing in his rule the vpper region of Aegypt had by sundrie wiues 50. daughters with whome his brother Aegyptus gaping for the dominion of the whole did instantlie labour that his sonnes being also 50. in number might match But Danaus hauing knowledge by some prophesie or oracle that a sonne in law of his should be his death refused so to bestow his daughters Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren in the end whereof Danaus being the weaker was inforced to flée his countrie and so prepared a nauie imbarked himselfe and his daughters and with them passed ouer into Gréece where he found meanes to dispossesse Gelenor sonne to Stenelas king of Argos of his rightfull inheritance driuing him out of his countrie and reigned in his place by the assistance of the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardes Gelenor and a great liking towardes Danaus who in verie deed did so farr excell the kings that had reigned there before him that the Gréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai But his brother Aegyptus taking great disdaine for that he and his sonnes were in such sort despised of Danaus sent his sonnes with a great armie to make warre against their vncle giuing them in charge not to returne till they had either slaine Danaus or obteined his daugthers in mariage he yoong gentlemen according to their fathers commandement being arriued in Greece made such warre against Danaus that in the end he was constrained to giue vnto those his 50. nephues his 50. daughters to ioine with them in mariage and so they were But as the prouerbe saith In trust appeared treacherie For on the first night of the mariage Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword charging them that when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were
may be déemed to agrée with those authors that haue written of their comming into this I le But as for an assured proofe that this I le was inhabited with people before the comming of Brute I trust it may suffice which before is recited out of Annius de Viterbo Theophilus Gildas and other although much more might be said as of the comming hither of Osiris as well as in the other parties of the world and likewise of Ulysses his being here who in performing some vow which he either then did make or before had made erected an altar in that part of Scotland which was ancientlie called Calidonia as Iulius Solinus Polyhistor in plaine words dooth record ¶ Upon these considerations I haue no doubt to deliuer vnto the reader the opinion of those that thinke this land to haue bene inhabited before the arriuall here of Brute trusting it may be taken in good part sith we haue but shewed the coniectures of others till time that some sufficient learned man shall take vpon him to decipher the doubts of all these matters Neuerthelesse I thinke good to aduertise the reader that these stories of Samothes Magus Sarron Druis and Bardus doo relie onelie vpon the authoritie of Berosus whom most diligent antiquaries doo reiect as a fabulous and counterfet author and Vacerius hath laboured to prooue the same by a speciall treatise latelie published at Rome THE SECOND BOOKE of the Historie of England Of Brute and his descent how he slue his father in hunting his banishment his letter to king Pandrasus against whom he wageth battell taketh him prisoner and concludeth peace vpon conditions The first Chapter HItherto haue we spoken of the inhabitants of this I le before the comming of Brute although some will néeds haue it that he was the first which inhabited the same with his people descended of the Troians some few giants onelie excepted whom he vtterlie destroied and left not one of them aliue through the whole I le But as we shall not doubt of Brutes comming hither so may we assuredly thinke that he found the I le peopled either with the generation of those which Albion the giant had placed here or some other kind of people whom he did subdue and so reigned as well ouer them as ouer those which he brought with him This Brutus or Brytus for this letter Y hath of ancient time had the sounds both of V and I as the author of the booke which Geffrey of Monmouth translated dooth affirme was the sonne of Siluius the sonne of Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas the Trioan begotten of his wife Creusa borne in Troie before the citie was destroied But as other doo take it the author of that booke whatsoeuer he was and such other as follow him are deceiued onelie in this point mistaking the matter in that Posthumus the sonne of Aeneas begotten of his wife Lauinia and borne after his fathers deceasse in Italie was called Ascanius who had issue a sonne named Iulius who as these others doo coniecture was the father of Brute that noble chieftaine and aduenturous leader of those people which being descended for the more part in the fourth generation from those Troians that escaped with life when that roiall citie was destroied by the Gréekes got possession of this woorthie and most famous I le To this opinion Giouan Villani a Florentine in his vniuersall historie speaking of Aeneas and his ofspring kings of Italie séemeth to agrée where he saith Siluius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Lauinia fell in loue with a néece of his mother Lauinia and by hir had a sonne of whom she died in trauell and therefore was called Brutus who after as he grew in some stature and hunting in a forrest slue his father vnwares and therevpon for feare of his grandfather Siluius Posthumus he fled the countrie and with a retinue of such as followed him passing through diuers seas at length he arriued in the I le of Britaine Concerning therefore our Brute whether his father Iulius was sonne to Ascanius the sonne of Aeneas by his wife Creusa or sonne to Posthumus called also Aseanius and sonne to Aeaneas by his wife Lauinia we will not further stand But this we find that when he came to the age of 15. yéeres so that he was now able to ride abrode with his father into the forrests and chases he fortuned either by mishap or by Gods prouidence to strike his father with an arrow in shooting at a déere of which wound he also died His grandfather whether the same was Posthumus or his elder brother hearing of this great misfortune that had chanced to his sonne Siluius liued not long after but died for verie greefe and sorow as is supposed which he conceiued thereof And the yoong gentleman immediatlie after he had slaine his father in maner before alledged was banished his countrie and therevpon got him into Grecia where trauelling the countrie he lighted by chance among some of the Troian ofspring and associating himselfe with them grew by meanes of the linage whereof he was descended in proces of time into great reputation among them chieflie by reason ther were yet diuers of the Troian race and that of great authoritie in that countrie For Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles hauing no issue by his wife Hermione maried Andromache late wife vnto Hector and by hir had thrée sonnes Molossus Pileus and Pergamus who in their time grew to be of great power in those places and countries and their ofspring likewise whereby Brutus or Brytus wanted no friendship For euen at his first comming thither diuers of the Troians that remained in seruitude being desirous of libertie by flocke resorted vnto him And amongst other Assaracus was one whom Brute intertained receiuing at his hands the possession of sundrie forts and places of defense before that the king of those parties could haue vnderstanding or knowledge of any such thing Herewith also such as were readie to make the aduenture with him repaired to him on ech side wherevpon he first placed garisons in those townes which had bene thus deliuered vnto him and afterwards with Assaracus and the residue of the multitude he withdrew into the mountains néere adioining And thus being made strong with such assistance by consultation had with them that were of most authoritie about him wrote vnto the king of that countrie called Pandrasus in forme as followeth A letter of Brute to Pandrasus as I find it set downe in Galfride Monumetensis BRute leader of the remnant of the Troian people to Pandrasus king of the Greekes sendeth greeting Bicause it hath beene thought a thing vnworthie that the people descended of the noble linage of Dardanus should be otherwise dealt with than the honour of their nobilitie dooth require they haue withdrawne themselues within the close couert of the woods For they haue chosen rather after the maner of wild beasts to liue on flesh and
at large concluding in the end that the said passage of this prince into France is verie likelie to be true and that he named a parcell of Armorica lieng on the south and in manner vpon the verie loine after his owne name and also a citie which he builded there Britaine For saith he it should séeme by Strabo lib. 4. that there was a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie whereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it vnto France after a disordered maner More I find not of this foresaid Brute sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time his father yet liuing and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares and then died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke LEill the sonne of Brute Greeneshield began to reigne in the yeare of the world 3021 the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda and Ambri in Israell He built the citie now called Carleil which then after his owne name was called Caerleil that is Leill his citie or the citie of Leill He repaired also as Henrie Bradshaw saith the citie of Caerleon now called Chester which as in the same Bradshaw appeareth was built before Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer But what authoritie he had to auouch this it may be doubted for Ranulfe Higden in his woorke intituled Polychronicon saith in plaine wordes that it is vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester but that it tooke the name of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions by whome also it is not vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula who as we find after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited the countries now called Lancashire Cheshire and Salopshire built in those parts and among the Silures certeine places of defense for the better harbrough of his men of warre and kéeping downe of such Britaines as were still readie to moue rebellion But now to the purpose concerning K. Leill We find it recorded that he was in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright and desirous to sée iustice executed and aboue all thinges loued peace quietnesse but as yeares increased with him so his vertues began to diminish in so much that abandoning the care for the bodie of the common-wealth he suffered his owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse and so procuring the hatred of his subiects caused malice and discord to rise amongst them which during his life he was neuer able to appease But leauing them so at variance he departed this life was buried at Carleil which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued LUd or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of the world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne hée sought to appease the debate that was raised in his fathers daies and bring the realme to hir former quietnesse and after that he had brought it to good end he builded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie also the towne of Caerguent now cleped Winchester and mount Paladour now called Shaftsburie About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie Aquila a prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies of which some fragments remaine yet to be seene translated into the Latine by some ancient writers When this Lud had reigned 29. yeares he died and left a sonne behind him named Baldud BAldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3085. This man was well séene in the sciences of astronomie and nigromancie by which as the common report saith he made the hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath But William of Malmesburie is of a contrarie opinion affirming that Iulius Cesar made those bathes or rather repaired them when he was here in England which is not like to be true for Iulius Cesar as by good coniecture we haue to thinke neuer came so farre within the land that way forward But of these bathes more shall be said in the description Now to procéed This Baldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises magike that he taught this art throughout all his realme And to shew his cunning in other points vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein he tooke vpon him to flie in the aire but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo which stood in the citie of Troinouant and there was torne in péeces after he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20. yeares LEir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3105 at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda This Leir was a prince of right noble demeanor gouerning his land and subiects in great wealth He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester which standeth vpon the riuer of Sore It is written that he had by his wife thrée daughters without other issue whose names were Gonorilla Regan and Cordeilla which daughters he greatly loued but specially Cordeilla the yoongest farre aboue the two elder When this Leir therefore was come to great yeres began to waxe vnweldie through age he thought to vnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him and preferre hir whome he best loued to the succession ouer the kingdome Whervpon he first asked Gonorilla the eldest how well she loued him who calling hir gods to record protested that she loued him more than hir owne life which by right and reason should be most déere vnto hir With which answer the father being well pleased turned to the second and demanded of hir how well she loued him who answered confirming hir saiengs with great othes that she loued him more than toong could expresse and farre aboue all other creatures of the world Then called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him and asked of hir what account she made of him vnto whome she made this answer as followeth knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue alwaies borne towards me for the which I maie not answere you otherwise than I thinke and as my conscience leadeth me I protest vnto you that I haue loued you euer and will continuallie while I liue loue you as my naturall father And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I beare you assertaine your selfe that so much as you haue so much you are worth and so much I loue you and no more The father being nothing content with this answer married his two eldest daughters the one vnto Henninus the duke of Cornewall and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of Albania betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be diuided after his death and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should be assigned to them in hand but for the third daughter Cordeilla he reserued nothing Neuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes
his bountifulnâ—s and buriall The ninth Chapter HEere note by the waie a thing not to be be forgotten that of the foresaid Helie the last of the said 3â— kings the I le of Elie tooke the name bicause that he most commonlie did there inhabit building in the same a goodly palace and making great reparations of the sluces ditches causies about that I le for conueiance awaie of the water that els would sore haue indamaged the countrie There be that haue mainteined that this I le should rather take name of the great abundance of éeles that are found in these waters and fennes wherwith this Ile is inuironed But Humfrey Llhoyd holdeth that it tooke name of this British word Helig which signifieth willowes wherwith those fennes abound After the decesse of the same Helie his eldest son Lud began his reigne in the yéere after the creation of the world 3895 after the building of the citie of Rome 679 before the comming of Christ 72 and before the Romances entred Britaine 19 yéeres This Lud proued a right worthie prince amending the lawes of the realme that were defectiue abolishing euill customs and maners vsed amongst his people and repairing old cities and townes which were decaied but speciallie he delited most to beautifie and inlarge with buildings the citie of Troinouant which he compassed with a strong wall made of lime and stone in the best maner fortified with diuerse faire towers and in the west part of the same wall he erected a strong gate which he commanded to be called after his name Ludsgate and so vnto this daie it is called Ludgate S onelie drowned in pronuntiation of the word In the same citie also he soiorned for the more part by reason whereof the inhabitants increased and manie habitations were builded to receiue them and he himselfe caused buildings to be made betwixt London stone and Ludgate and builded for himselfe not farre from the said gate a faire palace which is the bishop of Londons palace beside Paules at this daie as some thinke yet Harison supposeth it to haue bin Bainards castell where the blacke friers now standeth He also builded a faire temple néere to his said palace which temple as some take it was after turned to a church and at this daie called Paules By reason that king Lud so much esteemed that citie before all other of his realme inlarging it so greatlie as he did and continuallie in manner remained there the name was changed so that it was called Caerlud that is to saie Luds towne and after by corruption of spéech it was named London Beside the princelie dooings of this Lud touching the aduancement of the common wealth by studies apperteining to the time of peace he was also strong valiant in armes in subduing his enimies bountious and liberall both in gifts and kéeping a plentifull house so that he was greatlie beloued of all the Britaines Finallie when he had reigned with great honour for the space of 11 yéeres he died and was buried néere Ludgate leauing after him two sons Androgeus and Theomancius or Tenancius Of Cassibellane and his noble mind Iulius Caesar sendeth Caius Volusenus to â—â—â—uey the coasts of this Iland he lieth with his fleet at Calice purposing to inuade the countrie his attempt is bewraied and withstood by the Britains The tenth Chapter GAssibellane the brother of Lud was admitted king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3908 after the building of Rome 692 and before the comming of Christ 58 complet For sith the two sonnes of Lud were not of age able to gouerne the rule of the land was committed to Cassibellane but yet as some haue written he was not created king but rather appointed ruler protector of the land during the nonage of his nephewes Now after he was admitted by whatsoeuer order to the administration of the common wealth he became so noble a prince and so bountious that his name spred farre and néere and by his vpright dealing in seeing iustice executed he grew in such estimation that the Britaine 's made small account of his nephewes in comparison of the fauour which they bare towards him But Cassibellane hauing respect to his honour least it might be thought that his nephewes were expelled by him out of their rightfull possessions brought them vp verie honourablie assigning to Androgeus London and Kent and to Theomantius the countrie of Cornwall Thus farre out of the British histories whereby it maie be gathered that the yéeres assigned to these kings that reigned before Cassibellane amount to the summe of 1058. But whether these gouernors whose names we haue recited were kings or rather rulers of the common wealth or tyrants and vsurpers of the gouernment by force it is vncerteine for not one ancient writer of anie approued authoritie maketh anie remembrance of them and by that which Iulius Cesar writeth it maie and dooth appéere that diuerse cities in his daies were gouerned of themselues as héereafter it shall more plainlie appéere Neither doth he make mention of those townes which the British histoie affirmeth to be built by the same kings In déed both he and other Latine writers speake of diuerse people that inhabited diuers portions of this land as of the Brigantes Trinobantes Iceni Silures and such other like but in what parts most of the said people did certeinlie inhabit it is hard to auouch for certeine truth But what Iohn Leland thinketh héereof being one in our time that curiouslie searched out old antiquities you shall after heare as occasion serueth and likewise the opinions of other as of Hector Boetius who coueting to haue all such valiant acts as were atchiued by the Britains to be ascribed to his countriemen the Scots draweth both the Silures and Brigantes with other of the Britains so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of the Scotish countries And what particular names soeuer they had yet were they all Scots with him and knowne by that generall name as he would persuade vs to beléeue saieng that they entred into Britaine out of Ireland 330 yéeres before the incarnation of our Sauiour Neuerthelesse how generall soeuer the name of Scots then was sure it is that no speciall mention of them is made by anie writer till about 300 yeares after the birth of our sauiour And yet the Romans which ruled this land and had so much adoo with the people thereof make mention of â—iuerse other people nothing so famous as Boetius would make his Scotish men euen then to be But to leaue to the Scots the antiquitie of their originall beginning as they and other must doo vnto vs our descent from Brute and the other Troians sith the contrarie dooth not plainelie appeare vnlesse we shall leane vnto presumptions now are we come to the time in the which what actes were atchiued there remaineth more certeine record and therefore
wind and weather for his purpose got himselfe aboord with his people and returned into Gallia ¶ Thus writeth Cesar touching his first iournie made into Britaine But the British historie which Polydor calleth the new historie declareth that Cesar in a pitcht field was vanquished at the firt encounter and so withdrew backe into France Beda also writeth that Cesar comming into the countrie of Gallia where the people then called Morini inhabited which are at this day the same that inhabit the diocesse of Terwine from whence lieth the shortest passage ouer into Britaine now called England got togither 80 saile of great ships and row gallies wherewith he passed ouer into Britaine there at the first being wearied with sharpe and sore fight and after taken with a grieuous tempest he lost the greater part of his nauie with no small number of his souldiers and almost all his horssemen and therwith being returned into Gallia placed his souldiors in stéeds to soiourne there for the winter season Thus saith Bede The British historie moreouer maketh mention of thrée vnder-kings that aided Cassibellane in this first battell fought with Cesar as Cridiorus alias Ederus king of Albania now called Scotland Guitethus king of Uenedocia that is Northwales and Britaell king of Demetia at this day called Southwales The same historie also maketh mention of one Belinus that was generall of Cassibellanes armie and likewise of Nenius brother to Cassibellane who in fight happened to get Cesars swoord fastened in his shield by a blow which Cesar stroke at him Androgeus also and Tenancius were at the battell in aid iof Cassibellane But Nenius died within 15 daies after the battell of the hurt receiued at Cesars hand although after he was so hurt he slue Labienus one of the Romane tribunes all which may well be true sith Cesar either maketh the best of things for his owne honour or else coueting to write but commentaries maketh no account to declare the néedeles circumstances or anie more of the matter than the chiefe points of his dealing Againe the Scotish historiographers write that when it was first knowne to the Britains that Cesar would inuade them there came from Cassibellane king of Britaine an ambassador vnto Ederus king of Scots who in the name of king Cassibellane required aid against the common enimies the Romains which request was granted and 10 thousand Scots sent to the aid of Cassibellane At their comming to London they were most ioifullie receiued of Cassibellane who at the same time had knowledge that the Romans were come on land and had beaten such Britains backe as were appointed to resist their landing Wherevpon Cassibellane with all his whole puissance mightilie augmented not onlie with the succours of the Scots but also of the Picts which in that common cause had sent also of their people to aid the Britains set forward towards the place where he vnderstood the enimies to be At their first approch togither Cassibellane sent foorth his horssemen and charets called Esseda by the which he thought to disorder the araie of the enimies Twice they incountred togither with doubtfull victorie At length they ioined puissance against puissance and fought a verie sore and cruell battell till finally at the sudden comming of the Welshmen and Cornishmen so huge a noise was raised by the sound of bels hanging at their trappers and charets that the Romans astonied therewith were more easilie put to flight The Britains Scots and Picts following the chase without order or araie so that by reason the Romans kept themselues close togither the Britains Scots Picts did scarse so much harme to the enimies as they themselues receiued But yet they followed on still vpon the Romans till it was darke night Cesar after he had perceiued them once withdrawne did what he could to assemble his companies togither minding the next morning to séeke his reuenge of the former daies disaduantage But forsomuch as knowledge was giuen him that his ships by reason of a sore tempest were so beaten and rent that manie of them were past seruice he doubted least such newes would incourage his enimies and bring his people into despaire Wherfore he determined not to fight till time more conuenient sending all his wounded folks vnto the ships which he commanded to be newlie rigged and trimmed After this kéeping his armie for a time within the place where he was incamped without issuing foorth he shortlie drew to the sea side where his ships laie at anchor and there within a strong place fortified for the purpose he lodged his host and finallie without hope to atchieue anie other exploit auaileable for that time he tooke the sea with such ships as were apt for sailing and so repassed into Gallia leauing behind him all the spoile and baggage for want of vessels and leisure to conueie it ouer ¶ Thus haue the Scots in their chronicles framed the matter more to the conformitie of the Romane histories than according to the report of our British and English writers and therefore we haue thought good to shew it héere that the diuersitie of writers and their affections may the better appéere Of this sudden departing also or rather fléeing of Iulius Cesar out of Britaine Lucanus the poet maketh mention reciting the saieng of Pompeius in an oration made by him vnto this souldiers wherin he reprochfullie and disdainfullie reprooued the dooings of Cesar in Britaine saieng Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis Caesar taketh a new occasion to make warre against the Britains he arriueth on the coast without resistance the number of his ships both armies incounter why Caesar forbad the Romans to pursue the discomfited Britains he repaireth his nauie the Britains choose Cassibellane their cheefe gouernour and skirmish afresh with their enimies but haue the repulse in the end The xiiij Chapter NOw will we returne to the sequele of the matter as Cesar himselfe reporteth After his comming into Gallia there were but two cities of all Britaine that sent ouer their hostages according to their couenant which gaue occasion to Cesar to picke a new quarrel against them which if it had wanted he would yet I doubt not haue found some other for his full meaning was to make a more full conquest of that I le Therefore purposing to passe againe thither as he that had a great desire to bring the Britains vnder the obedience of the Romane estate he caused a great number of ships to be prouided in the winter season and put in a readinesse so that against the next spring there were found to be readie rigged six hundred ships beside 28 gallies Héerevpon hauing taken order for the gouernance of Gallia in his absence about the beginning of the spring he came to the hauen of Calice whither according to order by him prescribed all his ships were come except 40 which by tempest were driuen backe and could not as yet come to him After he had staied at Calice
reported that after the solemnization of this marriage which was doone with all honour that might be deuised Claudius sent certeine legions of souldiers foorth to go into Ireland to subdue that countrie and returned himselfe to Rome Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power the Romane host is kept backe from landing queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict what the Romane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine the end of Aruiragus The fourth Chapter THen did king Aruiragus ride about to view the state of his realme repairing cities and townes decaied by the warre of the Romans and saw his people gouerned with such iustice and good order that he was both feared and greatlie beloued so that in tract of time he grew verie welthie and by reason thereof fell into pride so that he denied his subiection to the Romans Wherevpon Claudius appointed Uespasian with an armie to go as lientenant into Britaine This iournie was to him the beginning of his aduancement to that honour which after to him most luckilie befell But if we shall credit our Britaine writers he gained not much at Aruiragus hands for where he would haue landed at Sandwich or Richborough Aruiragus was readie to resist him so as he durst not once enter the hauen for Aruiragus had there such a puissant number of armed men that the Romans were afraid to approch the land Uespasian therefore withdrew from thence and coasting westward landed at Totnesse and comming to Excester besieged that citie but about the seuenth day after he had planted his siege came Aruiragus and gaue him battell in the which both the armies susteined great losse of men and neither part got anie aduantage of the other On the morrow after quéene Genissa made them friends and so the warres ceassed for that time by hir good mediation ¶ But séeing as before I haue said the truth of this historie maie be greatlie mistrusted ye shall heare what the Romane writers saie of Uespasianus being héere in Britaine beside that which we haue alreadie recited out of Dion in the life of Guiderius In the daies of the emperor Claudius through fauour of Narcissus one that might doo all with Claudius the said Uespasian was sent as coronell or lieutenant of a legion of souldiers into Germanie and being remooued from thence into Britaine he fought thirtie seuerall times with the enimies and brought vnto the Romane obeisance two most mightie nations and aboue twentie townes togither with the I le of Wight and these exploits he atchiued partlie vnder the conduct of Aulus Plautius ruler of Britaine for the emperor Claudius and partlie vnder the same emperor himselfe For as it is euident by writers of good credit he came first ouer into Britaine with the said Aulus Plautius and serued verie valiantlie vnder him as before in place we haue partlie touched By Tacitus it appeereth that he was called to be partener in the gouernment of things in Britaine with Claudius and had such successe as it appéered to what estate of honour he was predestinate hauing conquered nations and taken kings prisoners But now to make an end with Aruiragus when he perceiued that his force was too weake to preuaile against the Romane empire and that he should striue but in vaine to shake the yoke of subiection from the necks of the Britains he made a finall peace with them in his old age and so continued in quiet the residue of his reigne which he lastlie ended by death after he had gouerned the land by the space of thirtie yéeres or but eight and twentie as some other imagine He died in the yéere of Grace 73 as one author affirmeth and was buried at Glocester Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes the antiquitie of christian religion Britaine gouerned by Lieutenants and treasurers of the Romane emperors the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Oxfordshire he vanquisheth the Welshmen appeaseth the Yorkshiremen and brideleth the rage of the Silures The fift Chapter IN the daies of the said Aruiragus about the yeare of Christ 53 Ioseph of Arimathia who buried the bodie of our sauiour being sent by Philip the Apostle as Iohn Bale following the authoritie of Gildas and other British writers reciteth after that the Christians were dispersed out of Gallia came into Britaine with diuers other godlie christian men preaching the gospell there amongst the Britains instructing them in the faith and lawes of Christ conuerted manie to the true beliefe and baptised them in the wholsome water of regeneration there continued all the residue of his life obteining of the king a plot of ground where to inhabit not past a foure miles from Wells and there with his fellowes began to laie the first foundation of the true and perfect religion in which place or néere therevnto was afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie Nicephorus writeth in his second booke and fourth chapter that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine And Theodoretus in his 9. booke De curandis Graecorum affectibus sheweth that Paule being released of his second imprisonment and suffered to depart from Rome preached the gospell to the Britains and to other nations in the west The same thing in manner dooth Sophronius the patriarch of Ierusalem witnesse Tertullian also maie be a witnesse of the ancientnes of the faith receiued here in Britaine where he writing of these times saith Those places of the Britains to the which the Romans could not approch were subiect vnto Christ as were also the countries of Sarmatia Dacia Germania Scithia and others ¶ Thus it maie appeare that the christian religion was planted here in this land shortlie after Christes time although it certeinlie appeareth not who were the first that preached the gospell to the Britains nor whether they were Gréekes or Latins Cornelius Tacitus writeth that the Romane emperours in this season gouerned this land by lieutenants and treasurers the which were called by the name of legats and procurators thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome of the order of consuls was sent hither as the first legat or lieutenant in maner as before ye haue heard after him Ostorius Scapula who at his comming found the I le in trouble the enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were friends to the Romans the more presumptuouslie for that they thought a new lieutenant with an armie to him vnacquainted and come ouer now in the beginning of winter would not be hastie to march foorth against them But Ostorius vnderstanding that by the first successe and chance of warre feare or hope is bred and augmented hasted forward to encounter with them and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on euerie side and pursued such as fled to the end they
execution I should straight haue béene forgotten But if you now grant me life I shall be a witnesse for euer of your mercifull clemencie The emperour with these words being pacified granted life both to Caratake and also to his wife and brethen who being loosed from their bands went also to the place where the empresse Agrippina sat not farre off in a chaire of estate whom they reuerenced with the like praise and thanks as they had doone before to the emperour After this the senat was called togither who discoursed of manie things touching this honourable victorie atchiued by the taking of Caratake estéeming the same no lesse glorious than when P. Scipio shewed in triumph Siphar king of the Numidians or L. Paulus the Macedonian king Perses or other Romane capteins anie such king whom they had vanquished Héerevpon it was determined that Ostorius should enter the citie of Rome with triumph like a conqueror for such prosperous successe as hither to had followed him but afterwards his procéedings were not to luckie either for that after Caratake was remooued out of the waie or bicause the Romans as though the warre had beene finished looked negligentlie to themselues either else for that the Britians taking compassion of the miserable state of Caratake being so worthie a prince through fortunes froward aspect cast into miserie were more earnestlie set to reuenge his quarrell Héerevpon they incompassed the maister of the campe and those legionarie bands of souldiers which were left amongst the Silures to fortifie a place there for the armie to lodge in and if succour had not come out of the next towns and castels the Romans had béene destroied by siege The head capteine yet and eight centurions and euerie one else of the companies being most forward were slaine Shortlie after they set vpon the Romane forragers and put them to flight and also such companies of horssemen as were appointed to gard them Héerevpon Ostorius set foorth certeine bands of light horssemen but neither could he staie the flight by that meanes till finallie the legions entred the battell by whose force they were staid and at length the Romans obteined the better but the Britains escaped by flight without great losse by reason the daie was spent After this manie bickerings chanced betwixt the Britains and Romans oftentimes they wrought their feats more like the trade of them that vse to rob by the high waies than of those that make open warre taking their enimies at some aduantage in woods and bogs as hap or force ministred occasion vpon malice conceiued or in hope of prey sometimes by commandement and sometimes without either commandement or knowledge of capteine or officer At one time the Britains surprised two bands of footmen that were with the Romans in aid and sent foorth to forreie abroad vnaduisedlie through couetousnesse of the capteins This feat was atchiued by the Silures also the which in bestowing prisoners and part of the spoile vpon other of their neighbours procured them likewise to rebell against the Romans and to take part with them The Silures were the more earnestlie set against the Romans by occasion words which the emperor Claudius had vttered in their dissauour as thus that euen as the Sicambres were destroied and remooued into Gallia so likewise must the Silures be dealt with and the whole nation of them extinguished These words being blowne abroad and knowne ouer all caused the Silures to conceiue a woonderfull hatred against the Romans so that they were fullie bent either to reteine their libertie or to die in defense thereof vpon the enimies swoord In the meane time Ostorius Scapula departed this life a right noble warrior and one who by litle litle insuing the steps of Aulus Plautius his predecessor did what he could to bring the I le into the forme of a prouince which in part he accomplished There be some led by coniecture grounded vpon good aduised considerations that suppose this Ostorius Scapula began to build the citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of Caratacus for in those parties he fortified sundrie holds and placed a number of old souldiers either there in that selfe place or in some other néere therevnto by waie of a colonie And forsomuch saie they as we read of none other of anie name thereabouts it is to be thought that he planted the same in Chester where his successors did afterwards vse to harbour their legions for the winter season and in time of rest from iournies which they haue to make against their common enimies In déed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns which in that citie are vnder the ground with some part of the castell And verelie as Ranulfe Higden saith a man that shall view and well consider those buildings maie thinke the same to be the woorke of Romans rather than of anie other people That the Romane legions did make their abode there no man séene in antiquities can doubt thereof for the ancient name Caer leon ardour deuy that is The citie of legions vpon the water of Dée proueth it sufficientlie enough But to returne vnto Ostroius Scapula we find in Corn. Tacitus that during his time of being lieutenant in this I le there were certeine cities giuen vnto one Cogidune a king of the Britains who continued faithfull to the Romans vnto the daies of the remembrance of men liuing in the time of the said Cornelius Tacitus who liued and wrote in the emperor Domitianus time This was doone after an old receiued custom of the people of Rome to haue both subiects and kings vnder their rule and dominion as who so shall note the acts and déeds of the Roman emperours from C. Iulius Cesar who chased Pompeie out of Italie and was the first that obteined the Romane empire to himselfe of whom also the princes and emperours succéeding him were called Cesars to Octauian Tiberius Caligula c maie easilie marke and obserue For they were a people of singular magnanimitie of an ambitious spirit gréedie of honour and renowne and not vnaptlie termed Romani rerurn domini c. A. Didius is sent to supplie Ostorius his roome in Britaine the trecherie and lecherie of queene Cartimanda Venutius keepeth the kingdome in spite of the Romans by what meanes their confines in this I le were inlarged the error of Hector Boetius and others touching the Siluers Brigants and Nouants notified the Britains giue the Romans a shamefull ouerthrow The eight Chapter AFter the deceasse of Ostorius Scapula one A. Didius was sent to supplie his roome but yer he could come things were brought out of order and the Britains had vanquished the legion the whereof Manlius Ualens had the conduct this victorie was set foorth by the Britains to the vttermost that with the bruit thereof they might strike a feare into the lieutenants hart now vpon his first comming ouer And he
after certeine bickerings he slue the said Constantine at Arles although not without great bloudshed He pursued also the residue of the Britains driuing them to the verie sea coasts where they shrowded themselues among the other Britains that before were setled in the countrie there ancientlie called as before we said Armorica that is a region lieng on the sea coast for Ar in the British toong signifieth vpon and Moure perteining to the sea And as this Constantine the father was slaine by Constantius so was Constans the sonne killed at Uienna by one of his owne capteines named Gerâ—ntius Whereby it came to passe that Honorius shortlie after hauing thus obteined the victorie of both these vsurpers recouered the Ile but yet not till the yeare next following and that by the high industrie and great diligence of that valiant gentleman earle Constantius The slaughter of Constantine his sonne happened in the 1 yeare of the 297 Olympiad 465 after the comming of Cesar 1162 after the building of Rome the dominicall letter being A and the golden number 13 so that the recouering of the Iland fell in the yeare of our Lord 411. Here also is eftsoones to be considered the valure of the British souldiers who following this last remembred Constantine the vsurper did put the Romane state in great danger and by force brake through into Spaine vanquishing those that kept the streicts of the mounteins betwixt Spaine and Gallia now called France an exploit of no small consequence sith thereby the number of barbarous nations got frée passage to enter into Spaine whereof insued manie battels sacking of cities and townes and wasting of the countries accordinglie as the furious rage of those fierce people was mooued to put their crueltie in practise ¶ If therefore the Britaine writers had considered and marked the valiant exploits and noble enterprises which the Brittish aids armies and legions atchiued in seruice of the Romane emperours by whome whilest they had the gouernement ouer this I le there were at sundrie times notable numbers conueied foorth into the parties of beyond the seas as by Albinus and Constantius also by his sonne Constantine the great by Maximus and by this Constantine both of them vsurpers if I saie the British writers had taken good note of the numbers of the British youth thus conueied ouer from hence what notable exploits they boldlie attempted no lesse manfullie atchiued they néeded not to haue giuen eare vnto the fabulous reports forged by their Bards of Arthur and other their princes woorthie in déed of verie high commendation And pitie it is that their fame should be brought by such meanes out of credit by the incredible and fond fables which haue béene deuised of their acts so vnlike to be true as the tales of Robin Hood or the gests written by Ariost the Italian in his booke intituled Orlando furioso sith the same writers had otherwise true matter inough to write of concerning the worthie feats by their countriemen in those daies in forren parts boldlie enterprised and no lesse valiantlie accomplished as also the warres which now and then they mainteined against the Romans here at home in times when they felt themselues oppressed by their tyrannicall gouernment as by that which is written before of Caratacus Uoadicia Cartimandua Uenusius Galgagus or Galdus as some name him and diuers other who for their noble valiancies deserue as much praise as by toong or pen is able to be expressed But now to returne vnto the British historie we will procéed in order with their kings as we find them in the same mentioned and therefore we haue thought good to speake somewhat further of Gratian from whome we haue digressed Gratians rough regiment procureth his owne destruction the comming of his two brethren Guanius and Melga with their armies the Scots and Picts plague the Britains they send for aid to Rome Valentinian sendeth Gallio Rauenna to releeue them the Romans refuse anie longer to succour the Britains whom they taught how to make armour and weapons the Scots and Picts enter afresh into Britaine and preuaile the Britains are brought to extreme miserie ciuill warres among them and what mischiefe dooth follow therevpon their lamentable letter to Actius for succour against their enimies their sute is denied at what time the Britains ceased to be tributaries to the Romans they send ambassadors to the K. of Britaine in France and obteine their sute The xxxiij Chapter GRatianus then whome Maximus or Maximinus had sent into Britaine as before ye haue heard hearing that his maister was slaine tooke vpon him the rule of this our Britaine and made himselfe king therof in the yeare 390. He was a Britaine borne as Polydor writeth coniecturing so by that he is named of authors to be Municeps that is to saie a frée man of the countrie or citie where he inhabited For his sternehesse and rough gouernement he was of the Britains as the histories alledge slaine and dispatched out of the waie after he had reigned the space of foure yeares or rather foure moneths as should seeme by that which is found in autentike writers Then the forenamed kings Guanius and Melga which as some write were brethren returned into this land with their armies increased with new supplies of men of warre as Scots Danes the Norwegians and destroied the countrie from side to side For the Britains in this season were sore inféebled and were not able to make anie great numbers of souldiers by reason that Maximus had led foorth of the land the floure and chiefest choise of all the British youth into Gallia as before ye haue heard Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga of the Hunnes but rehearsing this great destruction of the land declareth as before ye haue heard that the Scots and Picts were the same that did all the mischiefe whome he calleth two nations of beyond the seas the Scots comming out of the northwest and the Picts out of the northeast by whome as he saith the land was ouerrun and brought vnder foot manie yeares after Therefore the Britains being thus vexed spoiled and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts if we shall so take them sent messengers with all spéed vnto Rome to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the yéere 414 which easilie repelled the enimies and chased them backe with great slaughter to the great comfort of the Britains the which by this meanes were deliuered from danger of vtter destruction as they thought But the Romans being occasioned to depart againe out of the land appointed the Britains to make a wall as had béene aforetime by the emperours Adrian Antoninus and Seuerus ouerthwart the countrie from sea to sea stretching from Penuelton vnto the citie of Aclud whereby the enimies might be staid from entring the land but this
had attempted to inuade the Britains before anie mention is made of the same their attempts by the British and English writers But whether the Scots had anie habitation within the bounds of Britaine till the time supposed by the Britaine writers we leaue that point to the iudgement of others that be trauelled in the search of such antiquities onelie admonishing you that in the Scotish chronicle you shall find the opinion which their writers haue conceiued of this matter and also manie things touching the acts of the Romans doone against diuerse of the Britains which they presume to be doone against their nation though shadowed vnder the generall name of Britains or of other particular names at this daie to most men vnknowne But whensoeuer the Scots came into this I le they made the third nation that inhabited the same comming first out of Scithia or rather out of Spaine as some suppose into Ireland and from thence into Britaine next after the Picts though their writers fetch a farre more ancient beginning as in their chronicles at large appéereth referring them to the reading thereof that desire to vnderstand that matter as they set it foorth Thus farre the dominion and tribute of the Romans ouer this land of Britaine which had continued by the collection of some chronographers the space of 483. yeeres And heere we thinke it conuenient to end this fourth booke THE FIFT BOOKE of the Historie of England Constantinus at the generall sute of the Britains vndertaketh to gouerne this Iland he is crowned king his three sonnes he is traitorouslie slaine of a Pict Constantius the eldest sonne of Constantine hauing bene a monke is created king the ambitious slie practises of duke Vortigerne to aspire to the gouernment he procureth certeine Picts and Scots to kill the king who had reteined them for the gard of his person his craftie deuises and deepe dissimulation vnder the pretense of innocencie he winneth the peoples harts and is chosen their king The first Chapter HAuing ended our former booke with the end of the Romane power ouer this Iland wherein the state of the Iland vnder them is at full described it remaineth now that we procéed to declare in what state they were after the Romans had refused to gouerne them anie longer Wherefore we will addresse our selues to saie somewhat touching the succession of the British kings as their histories make mention Constantinus the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine at the sute and earnest request of the archbishop of London made in name of all the Britains in the I le of great Britaine was sent into the same I le by his said brother Aldroenus vpon couenants ratified in manner as before is recited and brought with him a conuenient power landing with the same at Totnesse in Deuonshire Immediatlie after his coÌ„ming on land he gathered to him a great power of Britains which before his landing were hid in diuerse places of the I le Then went he foorth with them and gaue battell to the enimies whom he vanquished slue that tyrannicall king Guanius there in the field as some bookes haue Howbeit this agréeth not with the Scotish writers which affirme that they got the field but yet lost their king named Dongard as in their historie ye maie read But to procéed as our writers report the matter When the Britains had thus ouercome their enimies they conueied their capteine the said Constantine vnto Cicester and there in fullfilling their promise and couenant made to his brother crowned him king of great Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 433 which was about the fift yéere of the emperour Ualentinianus the second and third yéere of Clodius king of the Frankners after called Frenchmen which then began to settle themselues in Gallia whereby the name of that countrie was afterwards changed and called France Constantine being thus established king ruled the land well and noblie and defended it from all inuasion of enimie during his life He begat of his wife thrée sonnes as the British historie affirmeth Constantius Aurelius Ambrosius and Uter surnamed Pendragon The eldest bicause he perceiued him to be but dull of wit and not verie toward he made a moonke placing him within the abbie of Amphibalus in Winchester Finallie this Constantine after he had reigned ten yéeres was traitoroustie staine one day in his owne chamber as some write by a Pict who was in such fauor with him that he might at all times haue frée accesse to him at his pleasure Neither the Romane writers nor Beda make anie mention of this Constantine but of the other Constantine they write which immediatlie after the vsurper Gratian was dispatched out of the way as before ye haue heard was aduanced to the rule of this land and title of emperour onelie in hope of his name and for no other respect of towardnesse in him afore time being but a meane souldier without anie degrée of honour The same Constantine as writers record going ouer into Gallia adorned his sonne Constantius with the title and dignitie of Cesar the which before was a moonke and finallie as well the one as the other were slaine the father ar Arles by earls Constantius that was sent against him by the emperour Honorius and the sonne at Uienna as before ye haue heard by one of his owne court called Gerontius as in the Italian historie ye may sée more at large This chanced about the yeere of our Lord 415. ¶ This haue we thought good to repeat in this place for that some may suppose that this Constantine is the same that our wrâ—ters take to be the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine as the circumstance of the time and other things to be considered may giue them occasion to thinke for that there is not so much credit to be yéelded to them that haue written the British histories but that in some part men may with iust cause doubt of sundrie matters conteined in the same and therfore haue we in this booke béene the more diligent to shew what the Romans and other forreine writers haue registred in their bookes of histories touching the affaires of Britaine that the reader may be the better satisfied in the truth But now to returne to the sequele of the historie as we find the same written by the British chroniclers After that Constantine was murthered as before ye haue heard one Uortigerus or Uortigernus a man of great authoritie amongst the Britains wrought so with the residue of the British nobilitie that Constantius the eldest sonne of their king the fore-remembred Constantine was taken out of the abbie of Winchester where he remained and was streightwaies created king as lawfull inheritour to his father Ye haue heard how Constantius was made a moonke in his fathers life time bicause he was thought to be too soft and childish in wit to haue anie publike rule committed to his hands
the same daies tooke name of them the one being called Wodensdaie and the other Freadaie which woords after in continuance of time by corruption of spéech were somewhat altered though not much as from Wodensdaie to Wednesdaie and from Freadaie to Fridaie The foresaid Woden was father to Uecta the father of Westgistus that was father to the foresaid Hengistus and Horsus But now to rehearse further touching those thrée people which at this time came ouer into Britaine out of Germanie Of the Uites or Iutes as Beda recordeth are the Kentishmen descended and the people of the I le of Wight with those also that inhabit ouer against the same I le Of the Saxons came the east the south the west Saxons Moreouer of the Angles procéeded the east Angles the middle Angles or Mercies and the Northerne men That these Angles were a people of Germanie it appeareth also by Cornelius Tacitus who called them Anglij which word is of thrée syllables as Polydor saith but some write it Angli with two syllables And that these Angli or Anglij were of no small force and authoritie in Germanie before their comming into this land maie appeare in that they are numbred amongst the twelue nations there which had lawes and ancient ordinances apart by themselues according to the which the state of their common wealth was gouerned they being the same and one people with the Thuringers as in the title of the old Thuringers lawes we find recorded which is thus Lex Angliorum Werinorum hoc est Thuringorum The law of the Angles and Werinians that is to saie the Thuringers which Thuringers are a people in Saxonie as in the description of that countrie it maie appeare But now to the matter Hengist perceiuing that his people were highlie in Uortigernes fauour began to handle him craftilie deuising by what means he might bring him in loue with his daughter Ronix or Rowen or Ronowen as some write which he beléeued well would easilie be brought to passe bicause he vnderstood that the king was much giuen to sensuall lust which is the thing that often blindeth wise mens vnderstanding and maketh them to dote and to lose their perfect wits yea and oftentimes bringeth them to destruction though by such pleasant poison they féele no bitter taste till they be brought to the extreame point of confusion in déed A great supper therefore was prepared by Hengist at the which it pleased the king to be present and appointed his daughter when euerie man began to be somewhat merrie with drinke to bring in a cup of gold full of good and pleasant wine and to present it to the kingâ—â— saieng Wassail Which she did in such comelie and decent maner as she that knew how to doo it well inough so as the king maruelled greatlie thereat and not vnderstanding what she ment by that salutation demanded what it signified To whom it was answered by Hengist that she wished him well and the meaning of it was that he should drinke after hir ioining thereto this answer Drinke haile Wherevpon the king as he was informed tooke the cup at the damsels hand and dranke Finallie this yoong ladie behaued hir selfe with such pleasant woords comelie countenance and amiable grace that the king beheld hir so long till he felt himselfe so farre in loue with hir person that he burned in continuall desire to inioy the same insomuch that shortlie after he forsooke his owne wife by the which he had thrée sonnes named Uortimerus Catagrinus and Pascentius and required of Hengist to haue his daughter the said Rowen or Ronowen in mariage Hengist at the first séemed strange to grant to his request and excused the matter for that his daughter was not of estate and dignitie méet to be matched with his maiestie But at length as it had béene halfe against his will he consented and so the mariage was concluded solemnized all Kent being assigned vnto Hengist in reward the which countrie was before that time gouerned by one Guorongus though not with most equall iustice which Guorongus was subiect vnto Uortigerne as all other the potentats of the I le were This mariage and liberalitie of the king towards the strangers much offended the minds of his subiects and hastened the finall destruction of the land For the Saxons now vnderstanding the affinitie had betwixt the king and Hengist came so fast ouer to inhabit héere that it was woonder to consider in how short a time such a multitude could come togither so that bicause of their great number and approoued puissance in warres they began to be a terrour to the former inhabitants the Britains But Hengist being no lesse politike in counsell than valiant in armes abusing the kings lacke of discretion to serue his owne turne persuaded him to call out of Germanie his brother Occa and his sonne named Ebusa being men of great valure to the end that as Hengist defended the land in the south part so might they keepe backe the Scots in the north Héerevpon by the kings consent they came with a power out of Germanie and coasting about the land they sailed to the Iles of Orknie and sore vexed the people there and likewise the Scots and Picts also and finallie arriued in the north parts of the realme now called Northumberland where they setled themselues at that present and so continued there euer after but none of them taking vpon him the title of king till about 99 yéeres after their first comming into that countrie but in the meane time remaining as subiects vnto the Saxon kings of Kent After their arriuall in that prouince they oftentimes fought with the old inhabitants there and ouercame them chasing away such as made resistance and appeased the residue by receiuing them vnder allegiance When the nobles of Britaine saw and perceiued in what danger the land stood by the dailie repaire of the huge number of Saxons into the same they first consulted togither and after resorting to the king mooued him that some order might be taken for the auoiding of them or the more part of them least they should with their power and great multitude vtterlie oppresse the British nation But all was in vaine for Uortigerne so estéemed and highlie fauoured the Saxons and namelie by reason of the great loue which he bare to his wife that he little regarded his owne nation no nor yet anie thing estéemed his owne naturall kinsmen and chiefe friends by reason whereof the Britains in fine depriued him of all kinglie honour after that he had reigned 16 yéeres and in his steed crowned his sonne Uortimer Gyldas and Beda make no mention of Uortimer but declare that after the Saxons were receiued into this land there was a couenant made betwixt them and the Britains that the Saxons should defend the countrie from the inuasion of enimies by their knightlie force and that in
consideration therof the Britains should find them prouision of a vittels wherewith they held them contented for 〈◊〉 But afterwards they began to pike quarrels as though they were not sufficientlie furnished of their due proportion of vittels threatening that if they were not prouided more largelie thereof they would surelie spoile the countrie So that without deferring of time they performed their woords with effect of deeds beginning in the east part of the I le with fire and swoord passed foorth wasting and destroieng the countrie till they came to the vttermost part of the west so that from sea to sea the land was wasted and destroied in such cruell and outragious manner that neither citie towne nor church was regarded but all committed to the fire the priests slaine and murthered euen afore the altars and the prelats with the people without anie reuerence of their estate or degrée dispatched with fire and swoord most lamentablie to behold Manie of the Britains séeing the demeanour of the Saxons fled to the mounteins of the which diuers being apprehended were cruellie slaine and other were glad to come foorth and yeeld themselues to eternall bondage for to haue reléefe of meate and drinke to asswage their extremitie of hunger Some other got them out of the realme into strange lands so to saue themselues and others abiding still in their countrie kept them within the thicke woods and craggie rocks whither they were fled liuing there a poore wretched life in great feare and vnquietnesse of mind But after that the Saxons were departed and withdrawne to their houses the Britains began to take courage to them againe issuing foorth of those places where they had lien hid and with one consent calling for aid at Gods hand that they might be preserued from vtter destruction they began vnder the conduct of their leader Aurelius Ambrose to prouoke the Saxons to battell and by the helpe of God they obteined victorie according to their owne desires And from thence foorth one while the Britains and an other while the Saxons were victors So that in this British people God according to his accustomed maner as it were present Israell tried them from time to time whether they loued him or no vntill the yeare of the siege of Badon hill where afterwards no small slaughter was made of the enimies which chanced the same yeare in the which Gyldas was borne as he himselfe witnesseth being about the 44 yeare after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine Thus haue Gyldas Beda following by likelihood the authoritie of the same Gyldas written of these first warres begun betwéene the Saxons and Britains But now to go foorth with the historie according to the order of our chronicles as we doo find recorded touching the doings of Uortimer that was elected king as ye haue heard to gouerne in place of his father Uortigerne Vortimer is created king in the roome of his father Vortigerne he giueth the Saxons sore and sharpe battels a combat fought betweene Catigerne the brother of Vortimer and Horsus the brother of Hengist wherein they were both slaine the Britains driue the Saxons into the I le of Tenet Rowen the daughter of Hengist procureth Vortimer to be poisoned the Saxons returne into Germanie as some writers report they ioine with the Scots and Picts against the Britains and discomfit them The fourth Chapter THis Uortimer being eldest sonne to Uortigerne by the common assent of the Britains was made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 464 which was in the fourth yeare of the emperour Lea the fist and about the sixt yeare of Childericus king of France as our common account runneth which is far disagréeing from that whereof W. Harison dooth speake in his chronologie who noteth Uortigerne to be deposed in the 8 after his exaltation to the crowne 454 of Christ and 5 currant after the comming of the Saxons which concurreth with the 4420 of the world and 8 of Meroneus as by his chronologie dooth more at large appeare But to procéed Uortimer being thus aduanced to the gouernment of the realme in all hast made sore warre against the Saxons and gaue vnto them a great battell vpon the riuer of Derwent where he had of them the vpper hand And the second time he fought with them at a place called Epiford or Aglisthrop in the which incounter Catagrine or Catigernus the brother of Uortimer and Horsus the brother of Hengist after a long combat betwixt them two either of them slue other but the Britains obteined the field as saith the British historie The third battell Uortimer fought with them néere to the sea side where also the Britains chased the Saxons droue them into the I le of Tenet The fourth battell was stricken néere to a moore called Colemoore the which was sore fought by the Saxons and long continued with great danger to the Britains because the foresaid moore inclosed a part of their host so stronglie that the Britains could not approch to them being beaten off with the enimies shot albeit in the end the Saxons were put to flight manie of them drowned and swallowed vp in the same moore Beside these foure principall battels Uortimer had diuers other conflicts with the Saxons as in Kent and at Tetford in Norfolke also néere to Colchester in Essex for he left not till he had berest them of the more part of all such possessions as before time they had got so that they were constrained to kéepe them within the I le of Tenet where he oftentimes assailed them with such ships as he then had When Ronowen the daughter of Hengist perceiued the great losse that the Saxons susteined by the martiall prowesse of Uortimer she found means that within a while the said Uortimer was poisoned after he had ruled the Britains by the space of 6 or 7 yeares and od moneths ¶ By the British historie it should séeme that Uortimer before his death handled the Saxons so hardlie kéeping them besieged within the I le of Tenet till at length they were constrained to sue for licence to depart home into Germanie in safetie and the better to bring this to pas they sent Uortigerne whome they had kept still with them in all these battels vnto his sonne Uortimer to he a meane for the obteining of their sute But whilest this treatie was in hand they got them into their ships and leauing their wiues and children behind them returned into Germanie Thus far Gal Mon. But how vnlikelie this is to be true I will not quake anie further discourse but onelie refer euerie man to that which in old autentike historiographers of the English nation is found recorded as in Will. Malmes Henr. Hunt Marianus and others vnto whome in these matters concerning the dooings betwixt the Saxons and Britains we maie vndoubtedlie and safelie giue most credit William Malmes writing of this Uortuner or Guortigerne and of
the warres which he had against the Saxons varieth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth as by his words here following ye maie perceiue Guortimer the sonne of Uortimer saith he thinking not good long to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and his countriemen the Britains preuented by the craft of the English Saxons set his full purpose to driue them out of the realme and kindled his father to the like attempt He therefore being the author and procurer seuen yeares after their first comming into this land the league was broken and by the space of 20 yeares they fought oftentimes togither in manie light incounters but foure times they fought puissance against puissance in open field in the first battell they departed with like fortune whilest the one part that is to meane the Saxons lost their capteine Horse that was brother to Hengist and the Britains lost Catigerne an other of Uortigerns sonnes In the other battels when the Englishmen went euer awaie with the vpper hand at length a peace was concluded Guortimer being taken out of this world by course of fatall death the which much differing from the soft and milde nature of his father right noblie would haue gouerned the realme if God had suffered him to haue liued But these battels which Uortimer gaue to the Saxons as before is mentioned should appeare by that which some writers haue recorded to haue chanced before the supposed time of Uortimers or Guortimers atteining to the crowne about the 6 or 7 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this realme with Hengist And hereto W. Harison giueth his consent referring the mutuall slaughter of Horsus and Catigerne to the 6 years of Martianus 455 of Christ. Howbeit Polydor Virgil saith that Uortimer succéeded his father and that after his fathers deceasse the English Saxons of whome there was a great number then in the I le comming ouer dailie like swarmes of bées and hauing in possession not onelie Kent but also the north parts of the realme towards Scotland togither with a great part of the west countrie thought it now a fit time to attempt the fortune of warre and first therefore concluding a league with the Scots and Picts vpon the sudden they turned their weapons points against the Britains and most cruellie pursued them as though they had receiued some great iniurie at their hands and no benefit at all The Britains were maruelouslie abashed herewith perceiuing that they should haue to doo with Hengist a capteine of so high renowme and also with their ancient enimies the Scots and Picts thus all at one time and that there was no remedie but either they must fight or else become slaues Wherefore at length dread of bondage stirred vp manhood in them so that they assembled togither and boldlie began to resist their enimies on ech side but being too weake they were easilie discomfited and put to flight so that all hope of defense by force of armes being vtterlie taken awaie as men in despaire to preuaile against their enimies they fled as shéepe scattered abroad some following one capteine and some another getting them into desart places woods and maresh grounds and moreouer left such townes and fortresses as were of no notable strength as a preie vnto their enimies Thus saith Polydor Virgil of the first breaking of the warres betwixt the Saxons and the Britains which chanced not as should appeare by that which he writeth thereof till after the death of Uortigerne Howbeit he denieth not that Hengist at his first comming got seates for him and his people within the countie of Kent and there began to inhabit This ought not to be forgotten that king Uortimer as Sigebertus hath written restored the christian religion after he had vanquished the Saxons in such places where the same was decaied by the enimies inuasion whose drift was not onelie to ouerrun the land with violence but also to erect their owne laws and liberties with out regard of clemencie Vortigerne is restored to his regiment in what place he abode during the time of his sonnes reigne Hengist with his Saxons re-enter the land the Saxons and Britains are appointed to meet on Salisburie plaine the priuie treason of Hengist and his power whereby the Britains were slaine like sheepe the manhood of Edol earle of Glocester Vortigerne i◠taken prisoner Hengist is in possession of three prouinces of this land a description of Kent The fift Chapter AFter all these bloudie broiles and tempestuous tumults ended Uortigerne was restored and set againe into the kingdome of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 471. All the time of his sonnes reigne he had remained in the parties now called Wales where as some write in that meane time he builded a strong castle called Generon or Guaneren in the west side of Wales nere to the riuer of Guana vpon a mounteine called Cloaricus which some referre to be builded in his second returne into Wales as shall be shewed hereafter And it is so much the more likelie for that an old chronicle which Fabian had sight of affirmeth that Uortigerne was kept vnder the rule of certeine gouernors to him appointed in the towne of Caerlegion and behaued himselfe in such commendable sort towards his sonne in aiding him with his counsell and otherwise in the meane season whilest his sonne reigned that the Britains by reason thereof began so to fauour him that after the death of Uortimer they made him king againe Shortlie after that Uortigerne was restored to the rule of the kingdom Hengist aduertised therof returned into the land with a mightie armie of Saxons whereof Uortigerne being admonished assembled his Britains and with all speed made towards him When Hengist had knowledge of the huge host of the Britains that was comming against him he required to come to a communication with Uortigerne which request was granted so that it was concluded that on Maie day a certeine number of Britains and as manie of the Saxons should meet togither vpon the plaine of Salisburie Hengist hauing deuised a new kind of treason when the day of their appointed méeting was come caused euerie one of his allowed number secretlie to put into his hose a long knife where it was ordeined that no man should bring anie weapon with him at all and that at the verie instant when this watchword should be vttered by him Nempt your sexes then should euerie of them plucke out his knife and slea the Britaine that chanced to be next to him except the same should be Uortigerne whom he willed to be apprehended but not slaine At the day assigned the king with his appointed number or traine of the Britains mistrusting nothing lesse than anie such maner of vnhaithfull dealing came vnto the place in order before prescribed without armor or weapon where he found Hengist readie with his Saxons the which receiued the king with amiable countenance
to deliuer into their hands a great part of the south and east parts of the realme so that they had in possession London Yorke Lincolne Winchester with other cities townes he not onelie fearing their puissance but also the returne of Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uter pendragon withdrew him into Wales where he began to build a strong castell vpon a mounteine called Breigh or after other Cloaric néere to the riuer of Guana which is in the west side of Wales in a place within the compasse of the same hill called Generon or Guemeren Of the building of this castell and of the hinderance in erecting the same with the monstrous birth of Merlin and his knowledge in prophesieng the British histories tell a long processe the which in Caxton and in Galfâ—ides bookes is also set foorth as there ye maie sée but for that the same séemeth not of such credit as deserueth to be registred in anie sound historie we haue with silence passed it ouer Whilest Uortigerne was busied in building of this castell the two foresaid brethren Aurelius and Uter prepared a nauie of ships and an armie of men by helpe of such their kinsmen and fréends as they found in Britaine Armorike and so passed the sea and landed at Totnesse whereof when the Britains were aduertised the which were scattered abroad and seuered in diuers parties and countries they drew vnto the said two brethren with all spéed that might be When Aurelius and his brother Uter perceiued that they were sufficientlie furnished of people they marched foorth towards Wales against Uortigerne who hauing knowledge of their approch had fortified his castell verie strongly with men munition and vittels but yet all auailed him nothing for in the end after his enimies had giuen diuers assaults to the said castell they found meanes with wild fire to burne it downe to the earth and so consumed it by fire togither with the king and all other that were within it Thus did Uortigerne end his life as in the British historie is recorded Much euill is reported of him by the same historie and also by other writers and among other things it is written that he should lie by his owne daughter and of hir beget a sonne in hope that kings should come of him and therefore he was excommunicated by S. Germane It is also said that when the same S. Germane came into Britaine as before ye haue heard this Uortigerne on a time should denie the same S. Germane harbour but one that kept the kings heards of cattell receiued him into his house and lodged him and slue a calfe for his supper which calfe after supper was ended S. Germane restored againe to life and on the morrow by the ordinance of God he caused Uortigerne to be deposed from his kinglie estate and tooke the heardman and made him king But Ranulfe Hig. in his Polychronicon alledging Gyldas for his author saith that this chand to a ceking that ruled in Powsey whose name was Bulie and not to Uortigerne so that the successors of that Bulie reigning in that side of Wales came of the linage of the same heardman Moreouer it hath beene said as one writer recordeth that when Uortigerne refused to heare the preaching of saint Germane and fled from him as he would haue instructed him one night there fell fire from heauen vpon the castell wherein the king was lodged and so the king being destroied with the fall of the house and the fire togither was neuer after séene ¶ But these are fables and therfore I passe them ouer hoping that it shall suffice to shew here with what stuffe our old historiographers haue farced vp their huge volumes not so much regarding the credit of an historie as satisfieng the vanitie of their owne fond fantasies studieng with a pretended skilfulnesse to cast glorious colours vpon lies that the readers whom they presupposed either ignorant or credulous would be led away with a flowing streme of woords void of reason and common sense Which kind of men knew not belike that the nature of an historie defined to be Rei verè gestae memoria will not beare the burthen or lode of a lie sith the same is too heauie otherwise they would haue deposed matters conspiring with the truth Aurelius Ambrosius the brother to Constantius created king of Britaine he incountereth with the Saxons Hengist their generall is beheaded Occa his sonne submitteth himselfe to Aurelius he putteth all the Saxons out of the land repaireth places decaied and restoreth religion the memorable monument of the stones that are so much spoken of on Salisburie plaine the exploits of Pascentius Vortigerns yongest sonne Aurelius lieth sicke Vter goeth against Pascentius and giueth him the ouerthrow Aurelius is poisoned of a counterfet moonke the place of his buriall Polydor Virgils report of the acts and deeds of Aurelius against the Saxons Hengist is slaine Osca and Occa his two sonnes make a fowle spoile of the west part of the land Vortimer dieth the disagreement of writers touching matters interchangeablie passed betwene the Britains and Saxons The eight Chapter AUrelius Ambrose the second sonne of king Constantine brother to Constantius and murthered by the treason of Uortigerne as before ye haue heard was made king of Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 481 which was about the third yéere of the reigne of the emperour Zenâ— and the 23 of Childericus king of France Odocer king of the Herulians then vsurping the gouernment of Italie When this Aurelius Ambrosius had dispatched Uortigerne and was now established king of the Britains he made towards Yorke and passing the riuer of Humber incountred with the Saxons at a place called Maesbell and ouerthrew them in a strong battell from the which as Hengist was fléeing to haue saued himselfe he was taken by Edoll earle of Glocester or as some say Chester and by him led to Conningsborrow where he was beheaded by the counsell of Eldad then bishop of Colchester Howbeit there be some that write how that Hengist was taken at another battell fought vpon the riuer of Dune in the yéere of our Lord 489 and not in the chase of the battell which was fought at Maesbell in the yéere 487 as the same authors doo alledge Occa the son of Hengist by flight escaped to Yorke and being there besieged at length was constreined to yéeld himselfe to Aurelius who dealing fauourablie with him assigned vnto him and other of the Saxons a countrie bordering neere to the Scots which as some affirme was Galloway where the said Occa and the Saxons began to inhabit Then did Aurelius Ambrosius put the Saxons out of all other parts of the land repaired such cities townes and also churches as by them had beene destroied or defaced and placed againe priests and such other as should attend on the ministerie and seruice of God in the
same churches Also for a perpetuall memorie of those Britains that were slaine on the plaine of Salisburie by the treason of Hengist he caused stones to be fetched out of Ireland and to be set vp in the same place where that slaughter was committed and called the place Stoneheng which name continueth vnto this day Fiftéene thousand men as Galfrid ◠saith were sent for those stones vnder the leading of Uter Pendragon the kings brother who giuing battell vnto Gillomanus king of Ireland that went about to resist the Britains and would not permit them to fetch away the same stones out of his countrie discomfited him and his people and so maugre his hart brought the stones away with him Shortlie after Pascentius that was Uortigerns yoongest sonne and had escaped into Ireland when Aurelius Ambrosius came into Britaine returned with a great power of strange nations and tooke the citie of Meneuia in Wales afterwards called saint Dauids and did much hurt in the countrie with fire and swoord At which time the same Aurelius Ambrosius lay sicke at Winchester and being not able to go foorth himselfe desired his brother Uter Pendragon to assemble an armie of Britains and to go against Pascentius and his adherents Uter according to his brothers request gathering his people went foorth and incountering with the enimies gaue them the ouerthrow slue Pascentius and Gillomare or Gilloman king of Ireland that was come ouer with him in aid against the Britains In the meane while a Saxon or some other stranger whose name was Eopa or Copa not long before procured thereto by Pascentius fained himselfe to be a Britaine and for a colour counterfeiting himselfe a moonke and to haue great knowledge in physicke was admitted to minister as it were medicins to Aurelius but in stead of that which should haue brought him health he gaue him poison wherof he died shortlie after at Winchester aforesaid when he had reigned after most accord of writers nintéene yeeres his bodie was conueied to Stoneheng and there buried ¶ Thus find we in the British and common English histories of the dooings of Aurelius Ambrosius who as ye haue hard makes him a Britaine borne and descended of the bloud of the ancient Britains But Gyldas and Beda report him to be a Romane by descent as before is mentioned Polydor Virgil writeth in this sort of the victorious acts atchiued by the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius Then saith he the Saxons hauing alreadie gotten the whole rule of the I le practised their outragious cruelties speciallie against the princes of the Britains to the end that the said princes being ouercome and destroied they might with more ease obteine possession of the whole I le which thing they on-like sought But the fauour of almightie God was not wanting to the miserable Britains in that great necessitie For behold Aurelius Ambrosius was at hand who had no sooner caused the trumpet to sound to armor but euerie man for himselfe prepared and repaired vnto him praieng beseeching him to helpe to defend them and that it might stand with his pleasure to go foorth with them against the enimies in all speed Thus an armie being assembled Aurelius Ambrosius went against them and valiantlie assailed them so that within the space of a few daies they fought thrée battels with great fiercenesse on both sides in triall of their high displeasures and vttermost forces in which at length the Britains put the Saxons to flight Horsus the brother of Hengist being slaine with a great number of his people But yet notwithstanding the enimies rage was little abated hereby for within a few daies after receiuing out of Germanie a new supplie of men they brake foorth vpon the Britains with great confidence of victorie Aurelius Ambrosius was no sooner aduertised thereof but that without delaie he set forward towards Yorke from whence the enimies should come and hearing by the way that Hengist was incamped about seuen twentie miles distant from that citie néere to the banke of a riuer at this day called Dune in the place where Doncaster now standeth he returned out of his waie and marched towards that place and the next day set on the enimie and vanquished him Hengist at the first méeting of the battell being slaine with a 〈◊〉 number of the Germans The fame of this 〈◊〉 saith Polydor is had in memorie with the inhabitants of those parties euen vnto this day which victorie did sore diminish the power of the Saxons insomuch that they began now to thinke it should be more for their profit to sit in rest with that dishonour than to make anie new warres to their great disaduantage and likelihood of present losse Hengist left behind him two sonnes Osca and and Occa which as men most sorowfull for the ouerthrow of fate receiued assembled such power as they could togither and remooued therewith towards the west part of the I le supposing it to be better for them to draw that way foorth than to returne into Kent where they thought was alreadie a sufficient number of their people to resist the Britains on that side Now therefore when they came into the west parts of the land they wasted the countrie burnt villages and absteined from no maner of crueltie that might be shewed These things being reported vnto Aurelius Ambrosius he straightwaies hasted thither to resist those enimies and so giuing them battell eftsoones discomfited them but he himselfe receiuing a wound died thereof within a few daies after The English Saxons hauing thus susteined so manie losses within a few moneths togither were contented to be quiet now that the Britains stirred nothing against them by reason they were brought into some trouble by the death of such a noble capteine as they had now lost In the meane time Uortimer died whome Uier surnamed Pendragon succéeded Thus hath Polydor written of the forsaid Aurelius Ambrosius not naming him to be king of Britaine and differing in déed in sundrie points in this behalfe from diuerse ancient writers of the English histories for where he attributeth the victorie to the Britains in the battell fought wherein Horsus the brother of Hengist was slaine by the report of Polychronicon and others the Saxons had the victorie in that reincounter and William of Malmesburie saith that they departed from that batell with equall fortune the Saxons losing their capteine Horsus and the Britains their capteine Katigerne as before ye haue heard But there is such contrarietie in writers touching the dooings betwixt the Britains and Saxons in those daies as well in account of yéeres as in report of things doone that setting affection aside hard it is to iudge to which part a man should giue credit For Fabian and other authors write that Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne ouer the Britains about the yéere of our Lord 481 and Horsus was slaine about the yéere 458 during the reigne of Uortimer as aboue is
After him succéeded a sonne whom he left behind him who being attentiue rather to defend than to inlarge his kingdome neuer set foot out of his fathers bounds during the space of 24 yéeres in the which he reigned About thrée yéeres after the deceasse of Hengist a new supplie of men of warre came out of Germanie vnto the aid of Ella king of Sussex who hauing his power increased besieged the citie of Andredescester which was verie strong and well furnished with men and all things necessarie The Britains also assembling togither in companies greatlie annoied the Saxons as they lay there at â—â—ege laieng ambushes to destroie such as went abroad and ceassing not to giue alarums to the campe in the night season and the Saxons could no sooner prepare them selues to giue the assalt but the Britains were readie to assaile them on the backs till at length the Saxons diuiding themselues into two companies appointed the one to giue the assalt and the other to incounter with the armie of the Britains without and so finallie by that meanes preuailed tooke the citie and destroied man woman and child Neither so contented they did also vtterlie race the said citie so as it was neuer after that daie builded or readified againe The east Angles kingdome beginneth the arriuall of Cerdic and Kenric with fiue ships of warre in this land he putteth the Britains to flight the west Saxons kingdom begineth Vter Pendragon made king of Britaine the etymon of his name he taketh Occa and Osca the two sonnes of Hengist prisoners how Hector Boetius varieth from other chronographers in the relation of things concerning Pendragon he falleth in loue with the duke of Cornewalls wife killeth him and marieth hir Occa and Osca escape out of prison they freshlie assault the Britains they are both slaine in a foughten field the Saxons send and looke for aid out of Germanie Pendragon is poisoned The tenth Chapter MOreouer in the daies of the afore-named Aurelius Ambrosius about the yeare of our Lord 561 the kingdome of the east Angles began vnder a Saxon named Uffa This same kingdome conteined Northfolke and Suffolke hauing on the east and north parts the sea on the northwest Cambridgeshire and on the west saint Edmunds ditch with a part of Hertfordshire and on the southside lieth Essex At the first it was called Uffines dominion and the kings that reigned or the people the inhabited there ware at the first named Uffines but at length they were called east Angles FUrthermore about the yeare of our Lord 495 and in the eight yeare after that Hengist was dead one Cerdicus and his sonne Kenricus came out of Gerrmanie with fiue ships and landed at a place called Cerdicshore which as some thinke is called Yermouth in Northfolke He was at the first receiued with battell by the Britains but being an old skilfull warriour he easilie beate backe and repelled the inconstant multitude of his enimies and caused them to flée by which good successe he procured both vndoubted assurance to himselfe for the time to come and to the inhabitants good and perfect quietnes For they thinking good neuer after to prouoke him more by resistance submitted themselues to his pleasure but yet did not he then giue himselfe to slouthfull rest but rather extending his often atchiued victories on ech side in the 24 yeare after his comming into this land he obteined the rule of the west parts thereof and gouerned there as king so that the kingdome of the west Saxons began vnder the said Cerdicus in the 519 of Christ as after shall be shewed ¶ Thus ye maie sée that Aurelius Ambrosius did succéed Uortigerne and reigned in the time supposed by the British histories as before is alledged the land euen in his daies was full of trouble and the old inhabitants the Britains sore vexed by the Saxons that entred the same so that the Britains were dailie hampered and brought vnder subiection to the valiant Saxons or else driuen to remooue further off and to giue place to the victors But now to procéed with the succession of the British kings as in their histories we find them registred which I deliuer such as I find but not such as I doo wish being written with no such colour of credit as we maie safelie put foorth same for an vndoubted truth After that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Uter Pendragon whome some call Aurelius Uterius Ambrosianus was made king in the yeare of our Lord 500 in the seuenth yeare of the emperour Anastasius and in the sixtéenth yeare of Clodoueus king of the Frenchmen The cause why he was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merline the great prophet likened him to a dragons head that at the time of his natiuitie maruelouslie appeared in the firmament at the corner of a blasing star as is reported But others supposed he was so called of his wisedome and serpentine subiltie or for that he gaue the dragons head in his banner This Uter hearing that the Saxons with their capteins Occa or Otta the sonne of Hengist and his brother Osca had besieged the citie of Yorke hasted thither and giuing them battell discomfited their power and tooke the said Occa and Osca prisoners From this varieth Hector Boetius in his chronicle of Scotland writing of these dooing in Britaine for he affirmeth that the counterfeit moonke which poisoned Aurelius Ambrosius was suborned and sent to woorke that feat by Occa and not by his brother Pascentius and further that about the selfesame time of Aurelius his death his brother Uter Pendragon lay in Wales not as yet fullie recouered of a sore sicknesse wherewith of late he had béene much vexed Yet the lords of Britaine after the buriall of Aurelius Ambrosius came vnto him and crowned him king and though he was not able to go against the Saxons which as then by reason of Aurelius Ambrosius his death were verie busie and more earnest in pursuing the warre than before yet an armie was prepared and sent foorth with all conuenient spéed vnder the leading of one Nathaliod a man neither of anie great ancient house nor yet of skill in warlike affaires The noble men were nothing pleased herewith as misliking altogither the lacke of discretion in their new king doubted sore least in time to come he would haue more delight to aduance the men of base degrée than such as were descended of noble parentage Yet because they would not put the state of the common wealth in danger through anie mutinie they agréed to go foorth with him in that iournie Occa had aduertisement giuen him by certeine letters sent to him from some close friends amongest the Britains of the whole matter and therefore in hope of the better spéed he hasted foorth to incounter the Britains and so the whole armie comming within sight of the other they prepared to the battell and shortlie after buckling togither the Britains were soone
where he should remaine for a time and then to returne againe and reigne in as great authoritie as euer he did before might well perceiue themselues deceiued in crediting so vaine a fable But yet where it might otherwise be doubted whether anie such Arthur was at all as the British histories mention bicause neither Gyldas nor Beda in their woorks speake anie thing of him it may appéere the circumstances considered that suerly such one there was of that name hardie and valiant in armes though not in diuerse points so famous as some writers paint him out William Malmesburie a writer of good credit and authoritie amongst the learned hath these woords in his first booke intituled De regibus Anglorum saieng But he being dead meaning Uortimer the force of the Britains waxed féeble their decaied hope went backward apace and euen then suerlie had they gon to destruction if Ambrosius who alone of the Romans remained yet aliue and was king after Uortigerne had not kept vnder and staied the loftie barbarous people that is to say the Saxons by the notable aid and assistance of the valiant Arthur This is the same Arthur of whom the trifling tales of the Britains euen to this day fantasticallie doo descant and report woonders but woorthie was he doubtlesse of whom feined fables should not haue so dreamed but rather that true histories might haue set foorth his woorthie praises as he that did for a long season susteine and hold vp his countrie that was readie to go to vtter ruine and decaie incouraging the bold harts of the Britains vnto the warre and finallie in the siege of Badon hill he set vpon nine hundred of the enimies and with incredible slaughter did put them all to flight On the contrarie part the English Saxons although they were tossed with sundrie hops of fortune yet still they renewed their bands with new supplies of their countriemen that came out of Germanie and so with bolder courage assailed their enimies and by little and little causing them to giue place spread themselues ouer the whole I le For although there were manie battels in the which sometime the Saxons and sometime the Britains got the better yet the greater number of Saxons that were slaine the greater number of them still came ouer to the succour of their countriemen being called in and sent for out of euerie quarter about them Héere is also to be noted that where the British historie declareth that Gawaine or Gallowine being slaine in the battell fought betwixt Arthur and Mordred in Kent was buried at Douer so that his bones remained there to be shewed a long time after yet by that which the foresaid William Malmesburie writeth in the third booke of his volume intituled De regibus Anglorum the contrarie maie séeme true his woords are these Then saith he in the prouince of Wales which is called Rosse the sepulture of Gallowine was found who was nephue to Arthur by his sister not going out of kind from so woorthie an vncle He reigned in that part of Britaine which vnto this day is called Walwichia a knight for his high prowesse most highlie renowmed but expelled out of his kingdome by the brother and nephue of Hengist of whome in the first booke we haue made mention first requiting his banishment with great detriment and losse to those his enimies wherein he was partaker by iust desert to his vncles woorthie praise for that he staied for a great manie yéeres the destruction of his countrie which was now running headlong into vtter ruine and decaie But Arthurs graue no where appéereth yet the others toome as I haue said was found in the daies of William the conqueror king of England vpon the sea side and conteined in length fouretéene foot where he was as some say wounded by his enimies and cast vp by shipwracke But other write that he was slaine at a publike feast or banket by his owne countriemen Thus saith William Malmesburie ¶ But heere you must consider that the said Malmesburie departed this life about the beginning of the reigne of king Henrie the second certeine yéers before the bones of Arthur were found as ye haue heard But omitting this point as néedles to be controuerssed letting all dissonant opinions of writers passe as a matter of no such moment that we should néed to sticke therein as in a glewpot we will procéed in the residue of such collections as we find necessarilie pertinent to the continuation of this historie and now we will say somewhat of quéene Guenhera or Guenouer the wife of the foresaid king Arthur Some iudge that she tooke hir name of hir excellent beautie bicause Guinne or Guenne in the Welsh toong signifieth faire so that she was named Guennere or rather Guenlhean euen as you would say the faire or beautifull Elenor or Helen She was brought vp in the house of one Cador earle of Cornewall before Arthur maried hir and as it appeareth by writers she was euill reported of as noted of incontinencie breach of faith to hir husband in maner as for the more part women of excellent beautie hardlie escape the venemous blast of euill toongs and the sharpe assaults of the followers of Uenus The British historie affirmeth that she did not onelie abuse hir selfe by vnlawfull companie with Mordred but that also in Arthurs absence she consented to take him to husband It is likewise found recorded by an old writer that Arthur besieged on a time the marishes neere to Glastenburie for displeasure that he bare to a certeine lord called Melua who had rauished Gueneuer and led hir into those marishes and there did kéepe hir Hir corps notwithstanding as before is recited was interred togither with Arthurs so that it is thought she liued not long after his deceasse Arthur had two wiues as Gyraldus Cambrensis affirmeth of which the latter saith he was buried with him and hir bones found with his in one sepulchre but yet so diuided that two parts of the toome towards the head were appointed to receiue the bones of the man and the third part towards the féet conteined the womans bones apart by themselues Here is to be remembred that Hector Boetius writeth otherwise of the death of Arthur than before in this booke is mentioned also that Gueneuer being taking prisoner by the Picts was conueied into Scotland where finallie she died and was there buried in Angus as in the Scotish chronicles further appeareth And this may be true if he had thrée sundrie wiues each of them bearing the name of Gueneuer as sir Iohn Price dooth auouch that he had Now bicause of contrarietie in writers touching the great acts atchiued by this Arthur and also for that some difference there is amongst them about the time in which he should reigne manie haue doubted of the whole historie which of him is written as before ye haue heard ¶ But others there be of a constant beléefe who hold it for
of two children of noble and kinglie race and likewise of their two gouernours yea and that as I said amongest the sacred altars the armes of which persons so slaine not stretched foorth to defend themselues with weapons the which few in those daies handled more valiantlie than they but stretched foorth I saie to God and to his altar in the day of iudgement shall set vp the reuerent ensignes of their patience and faith at the gates of the citie of Christ which so haue couered the seat of the celestiall sacrifice as it were with the red mantle of their cluttered bloud These things he did not after anie good déeds doone by him deseruing praise for manie yeares before ouercome with the often and changeable filths of adulterie forsaking his lawfull wife contrarie to the lawes of God c he now brought foorth this crime of quelling his owne kinsmen and violating the church but neither being loosed from the snares of his former euils he increaseth the new with the old ¶ Thus in effect hath Gyldas written of this Constantine with more for turning his tale to him he reproueth him of his faults and counselleth him to repent AFter that Aurelius Conanus had slaine the foresad Constantine as in the British histories is mentioned the same Conan was made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 546 in the 20 yeare of Iustinianus and in the 33 of the reigne of Childebert king of the Frenchmen This Aurelius Conanus as is recorded by some writers was of a noble heart frée and liberall but giuen much to the maintenance of strife and discord amongst his people light of credit and namelie had an open eare to receiue and heare the reports of such as accused other Moreouer he was noted of crueltie as he that tooke his vncle who of right should haue béene king and kept him in prison and not so satisfied slue in tyrannous maner the two sons of his said vncle But God would not suffer him long to inioy the rule of the land in such vniust dealing for he died after he had reigned the space of two yeares and left a sonne behind him called Uortiporus which succéeded him in the kingdome as authors doo record Of this Aurelius Conanus Gyldas writeth calling vnto him after he had made an end with his predecessor Constantine saieng in this wise And thou lions whelpe as saith the prophet Aurelius Conanus what doost thou Art thou not swallowed vp in the filthie mire of murthering thy kinsmen of committing fornications and adulteries like to the other before mentioned if not more deadlie as it were with the waues and surges of the drenching seas ouerwhelming thée with hir vnmercifull rage Dooest thou not in hating the peace of thy countrie as a deadlie serpent and thirsting after ciuill wars and spoiles oftentimes vniustlie gotten shut vp against thy soule the gates of celestiall peace and refreshment Thou being left alone as a withering trée in the middle of a field call to remembrance I praie thée the vaine youthfull fantasie and ouer-timelie death of thy fathers and thy brethren Shalt thou being set apart and chosen foorth of all thy linage for thy godlie deserts be reserued to liue an hundred yeares or remaine on earth till thou be as old as Methusalem No no. And after these reprehensions with further threatnings of Gods vengeance he exhorted him to amendment of life and so proceedeth to talke with Uortiporus whome he nameth the king or rather the tyrant of Southwales as after shall be rehearsed The beginning of the kingdome of Brenitia of whome the king of Kent Mertia and west Saxons descended Ida the Saxon commended the originall of the kingdome of Deira the circuit and bounds therof of Ella the gouernour of the same when the partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced Vortiporus reigneth ouer the Britains he vanquisheth the Saxons Gyldas sharplie reprooueth Vortiporus for manie greeuous offenses and exhorteth him to amendement The xvj Chapter IN the yeare of the Lord 547 which was about the first yeare of the reigne of Aurelius Conanus the kingdome of Brenitia bagan vnder a Saxon ruler there called Ida descended of Woden For where the said Woden had three sonnes Weldecius Withlegris and Beldecius of the first the kings of Kent were lineallie extracted of the second the kings of Mertia and of the third sonne came the kings of Westsaxon and also of him was this Ida descended being the ninth in lineall succession from the said Beldecius and the tenth from Woden The same Ida was vndoubtedlie a right noble personage and changed first that dukedome into a kingdome where before that time the Saxons that ruled there were subiects vnto the kings of Kent Whether he tooke vpon him of his owne accord to vsurpe the kinglie title and roiall authoritie or whether that the same was giuen to him by consent of other the certeintie appeareth not But sure it is that he being a woorthie prince did not degenerate from his noble ancestors inuincible in warre abroad and at home qualifieng his kinglie seueritie with a naturall kind of courteous humanitie The bounds of his kingdome called as is said Brenitia began in the south at the riuer of Tine and ended in the north at the Forth in Scotland in the British toong called Werd About the same time or rather about 14 yeares after one Ella a Saron also reigned as king in Diera which kingdome began at the said riuer of Tine in the north ended at the riuer of Humber toward the south These two kingdomes were sometime gouerned by two seuerall kings and afterwards at other times they were ioined in one and gouerned by one onelie king and named the kingdome of Northumberland which in processe of time was much inlarged so that it included the shires of Yorke Notingham Darbie Lancaster the bishoprike of Durham Copland and other countries betwixt the east and the west seas euen vnto the riuer of Mersie The foresaid Ella was sonne to Iffus being descended from Woden as the 12 in succession from him though not by right line as William Malmesburie hath noted Ida as the same Malmesburie dooth testifie reigned 14 yeares Now Ella who was successor to Ida as he saith reigned thirtie yeares and verie valiantlie inlarged his kingdome But one author writeth how Ida reigned but 12 yeares and that he builded the castell of Bamburge first fensing it with pales and after with a wall of stone The same Ida had by his wife six sonnes begotten in lawfull bed Ada Ebric Theodoric Athelric Osmer and Theofred Moreouer he begat of certeine concubines which he kept six bastard sonnes Oga Aleric Ettha Osbale Segor and Segother These came altogither into this land and arriued at Flemesburke with fortie ships as Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis hath recorded The partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced after the deceasse of Ida as the same
enimie twelue hundred of them are slaine Edelfride entreth the citie of Chester the Britains assembling their power vnder three capteins incounter with Edelfride slaie manie of his souldiers and put him to flight warres betweene Edelfride and Redwald king of the Eastangles about Edwine the sonne of king Elle Edelfride is slaine Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons dieth The xxij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Chelricus king of the Westsaxons we find that Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned twelue yéeres He began his reigne as should appéere by some writers about the yeere of our Lord 597 and spent his time for the more part in warres not giuing place to idlenesse but séeking either to defend or inlarge the confines of his dominion He was the sonne of Cutha which was the sonne of Kenrike which was the sonne of Certike After Wibba or Wipha king of Mercia who nothing inferiour to his father did not onelie defend his kingdome but also inlarge it by subduing the Britains on ech side one Ceorlus succéeded in that kingdome being not his sonne but his kinsman This Ceorlus began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 594 as Matth. West recordeth Ye haue heard that Edelferd which otherwise is called also by writers Edelfride surnamed the wild gouerned still the Northumbers which Edelferd did more damage to the Britains than anie one other king of the English nation None of them destroied their countries more than he did neither did anie prince make more of the Britains tributaries or inhabited more of their countries with English people than he Héerevpon Edan king of those Scots which inhabited Britaine being therewith mooued to see Edelfride prosper thus in his conquests came against him with a mightie armie but ioining in battell with Edelfride and his power at a place called Degsastane or Degsastone or Deglaston he lost the most part of his people and with the residue that were left aliue he escaped by flight This was a sore foughten battell with much bloudshed on both parties For notwithstanding that the victorie remained with the Northumbers Theobaldus the brother of Edelferd was slaine with all that part of the English host which he gouerned and it was fought in the yéere of our Lord 603 in the 19 yeere of the reigne of the foresaid Edelferd and in the sixt yéere of Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons and in the first yéere of the emperor Phocas or rather in the last yéere of his predecessor Mauricius From that day till the daies of Beda not one of the Scotish kings burst presume to enter into Britaine againe to giue battell against the English nation as Beda himselfe writteth But the Scotish writers make other report of this matter as in the historie of Scotland ye maie find recorded The Britains that dwelt about Chester through their stoutnesse prouoked the aforesaid Edelferd king of the Northumbers vnto warre wherevpon to tame their loftie stomachs he assembled an armie came forward to besiege the citie of Chester then called of the Britains Carleon ardour deué The citizens coueting rather to suffer all things than a siege and hauing a trust in their great multitude of people came foorth to giue batell abroad in the fields whome he compassing about with ambushes got within his danger and easilie discomfited It chanced that he had espied before the battell ioined as Beda saith where a great number of the British priests were got aside into a place somewhat out of danger that they might there make their intercession to God for the good spéed of their people being then readie to giue battell to the Northumbers Manie of them were of that famous monasterie of Bangor in the which it is said that there was such a number of moonks that where they were diuided into seuen seuerall parts with their seuerall gouernors appointed to haue rule ouer them euerie of those parts conteined at the least thrée hundred persons the which liued altogither by the labour of their hands Manie therefore of those moonks hauing kept a solemne fast for thrée daies togither were come to the armie with other to make praier hauing for their defender one Brocmale or Broemael earle or consull as some call him of Chester which should preserue them being giuen to praier from the edge of the enimies swoord King Edelferd hauing as is said espied these men asked what they were and what their intent was and being informed of the whole circumstance and cause of their being there he said Then if they call to their God for his assistance against vs suerlie though they beare no armour yet doo they fight against vs being busied in praier for our destruction Wherevpon he commanded the first onset to be giuen them and after slue downe the residue of the British armie not without great losse of his owne people Of those moonks and priests which came to praie as before is mentioned there died at that battell about the number of 12 hundred so that fiftie of them onelie escaped by flight Brocmale or Broemael at the first approch of the enimies turning his backe with his companie left them whom he should haue defended to be murthered through the enimies swoord Thus was the prophesie of Augustine fulfilled though he was long before departed this life as Beda saith ¶ Héere is to be noted if this battell was fought in the seuenth yéere of Ceowlfe king of Westsaxon as some haue written and that Augustine liued 12 yéeres after his entrance into the gouernment of the sée of Canturburie as some write it is euident that he liued foure yéeres after this slaughter made of the British priests and moonks by Edelferd as before is recited For Ceowlfe began his reigne as before is mentioned about the yéere of our Lord 596 and in the seuenth yeere of his reigne the battell was fought at Degsastane betwixt the English the Scots which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 604 as Beda himselfe recordeth A late chronographer running vpon this matter and preciselie setting downe his collection saith that Athelbright or Edelfride K. of the Northumbers Ethelbert K. of Kent hauing Augustine in their companie in the eight yéere after his arriuall made warre vpon such Britains as refused to obserue the canons of the late councell mentioned 603 and killed 1200 moonks of the monasterie of Bangor which laboured earnestlie and in the sweat of their browes thereby to get their liuings c. Uerclie Galf. Mon. writeth that Ethelbert king of Kent after he saw the Britains to disdaine and denie their subiection vnto Augustine by whome he was conuerted to the christian faith stirred vp Edelferd king of the Northumbers to warre against the Britains But heereof Maister Fox doubteth and therefore saith that of vncerteine things he hath nothing certeinlie to saie much lesse to iudge But now to the matter where we left After
they séemed to haue giuen ouer insomuch that now they openlie worshipped idols and gaue libertie to their subiects to do the like And when the bishop Melitus at the solemnizing of masse in the church distributed the eucharisticall bread vnto the people they asked him as it is said wherfore he did not deliuer of that bright white bread vnto them also as well as he had béene accustomed to doo to their father Saba for so they vsed to call him Unto whome the bishop made this answer If you will be washed in that wholesome fountaine wherein your father was washed ye may be partakers of that holie bread whereof he was partaker but if you despise the washpoole of life ye may by no meanes tast the bread of saluation But they offended herewith replied in this wise We will not enter into that fountaine for we know we haue no néed thereof but yet neuerthelesse we will be refreshed with that bread After this when they had beene earnestlie and manie times told that vnlesse they would be baptised they might not be partakers of the sacred oblation at length in great displeasure they told him that if he would not consent vnto them in so small a matter there should be no place for him within the bounds of their dominion and so he was constrained to depart Wherevpon he being expelled resorted into Kent there to take aduise with his fellow-bishops Laurence and Iustus what was to be doone in this so weightie a matter Who finallie resolued vpon this point that it should be better for them to returne into their countrie where with frée minds they might serue almightie God rather than to remaine amongest people that rebelled against the faith without hope to doo good amongest them Wherefore Melitus and Iustus did depart first and went ouer into France minding there to abide till they might sée what the end would be But shortlie after those brethren the kings of Essex which had expelled their bishop in maner aboue said suffered woorthilie for their wicked dooings For going forth to battell against the Westsaxons they were ouerthrowen and slaine altogither with all their armie by the two kings Kinigils and Quichelme But neuerthelesse albeit the authors of the mischiefe were thus taken awaie yet the people of that countrie would not be reduced againe from their diuelish woorshipping of false gods being eftsoones fallen thereto in that season by the incouragement and perilous example of their rulers Wherefore the archbishop Laurence was in mind also to follow his fellowes Melitus and Iustus but when he minded to set forward he was warned in a dreame and cruellie scourged as hath beene reported by the apostle saint Peter who reprooued him for that he would so vncharitablie for sake his flocke leaue it in danger without a shepherd to kéepe the woolfe from the fold The archbishop imboldned by this vision and also repenting him of his determination came to king Eadbald and shewed to him his stripes and the maner of his dreame The king being herewith put in great feare renounced his heathenish worshipping of idols and was baptised and as much as in him laie from thenceforth succoured the congregation of the christians and aduanced the church to his power He sent also into France and called home the bishops Melitus and Iustus so that Iustus was restored to his sée of Rochester But the Eastsaxons would not receiue Melitus to his sée at London but continued in their wicked mawmetrie in obeieng a bishop of their pagan law whom they had erected for that purpose Neither was king Eadbald of that authoritie and power in those parties as his father was before whereby he might constreine them to receiue their lawfull bishop But suerlie the said king Eadbald with his people after he was once conuerted againe gaue himselfe wholie to obeie the lawes of GOD and amongst other déeds of godlie zeale he builded a church to our ladie at Canturburie within the monasterie of saint Peter afterwards called saint Agnes This church was consecrated by Melitus who after the death of Laurence succéeded in gouernance of the archbishops sée of Canturburie After Melitus who departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 624 Iustus that before was bishop of Rochester was made archbishop of Canturburie and ordeined one Romanus to the sée of Rochester About that time the people of the north parts beyond Humber receiued the faith by occasion as after shall appéere Edwin reigneth ouer the Northumbers his great power and reputation a marriage betweene him and Ethelburga the sister of king Eadbald vpon religious couenants the traitorous attempts of murtherous Eumerus against him his wife Ethelburga is deliuered of a daughter he assalteth the Westsaxons and discomfiteth them Boniface the fift writeth to him to desist from his idolatrie and to his ladie to persist in true christianitie the vision of Edwin when he was a banished man in the court of Redwald king of the Eastangles whereby he was informed of his great exaltation and conuersion to christian religion The xxv Chapter YE haue heard how Edelfred the king of Northumberland was slaine in battell neere to the water of Idel by Redwald king of the Eastangles in fauour of Edwin whom the said Edelfred had confined out of his dominion 24 yéeres before The foresaid Redwald therefore hauing obteined that victorie found meanes to place Edwin in gouernement of that kingdome of the Northumbers hauing a title thereto as sonne to Alla or Elle sometime king of Northumberland This Edwin prooued a right valiant prince grew to be of more power than anie other king in the daies of the English nation not onelie ruling ouer a great part of the countries inhabited with English men but also with Britains who inhabited not onelie in Wales but in part of Chesshire Lancashire Cumberland and alongst by the west sea-coast in Galloway and so foorth euen vnto Dumbritaine in Scotland which I haue thought good to note that it may appeare in what countries Cadwall◠bare rule of whome so often mention is made in this part of the historie But as concerning Edwin his reputation was such as not onelie the English men Britains and Scots but also the Iles of Orknie and these of Man and others the west Iles of ancient time called Meuaniae had him in reuerence and feared his mightie power so as they durst not attempt anie exploit to offend him It chanced that shortlie after king Redwald had aduanced him to the kingdom of Northumberland to wit about 6 yeares the same Redwald deceassed which made greatlie for the more augmentation of Edwins power For the people of the Eastangles which whilest Edwin remained amongst them as a banished man had conceiued a good opinion of him for his approoued valiancie and noble courage offered themselues to be wholie at his commandement But Edwin suffering Carpwald or Erpwald the sonne of Redwald to inioie the bare title and name of the king
of that countrie ruled all things at his owne will and pleasure Neither was there anie prouince within Britaine that did not obeie him or was not readie to doo him seruice the kingdome of Kent onelie excepted for he suffered the Kentishmen to liue in quiet because he began to haue a liking to the sister of king Eadbald namelie the ladie Ethelburga otherwise called Tate or Tace He made request therefore by sending ambassadours to hir brother to haue the said ladie in marriage and at length obteined hir with condition that she being a christian woman might not onelie vse the christian religion but also that all those whether men or women priests or ministers which came with hir might haue licence to doo the same without trouble or impeachment of anie maner of person Herevpon she being sent vnto him there was appointed to go with hir besides manie other one Pauline which was consecrated bishop by the archbishop Iustus the 21 of Iulie in the yeare of our Lord 625 who at his comming into Northumberland thus in companie with Ethelburga trauelled earnestlie in his office both to preserue hir and such christians in the faith of Christ as were appointed to giue their attendance on hir least they should chance to fall and also sought to win some of the Pagans if it were possible vnto the same faith though at the first he little profited in that matter In the yeare following there came a murtherer vnto the court of king Edwin as then soiourning in a palace which stood vpon the side of the riuer of Dorwent being sent from Quichelme king of the Westsaxons to the intent to murther Edwin because he had of late sore damnified the countries of the Westsaxons This murtherer was called Eumerus caried vnder his coate a short double edged woodknife inuenomed of purpose that if the king being but a little hurt therewith should not die of the wound yet he should not escape the danger of the poison This Eumerus on Easter mondaie came to the king and making foorth to him as it had béene to haue declared some message from his maister when he had espied his time drew his weapon and offered to strike the king But one of the kings seruants named Lilla perceiuing this slept betwixt the king and the blow Howbeit the murtherer set the stripe forward with such force that the knife running through the bodie of Lilla wounded also the king a little and before this murtherer could be beaten downe he slue another of the kings seruants a knight that attended vpon him called Fordher The same night Ethelburga was deliuered of a daughter named Eanfled for the which when king Edwin gaue thanks vnto his gods in the presence of bishop Pauline the bishop did admonish him rather to giue thanks vnto the true and onelie God by whose goodnesse it came to passe that the queene was safelie and without danger deliuered The king giuing good eare vnto the bishops wholesome admonition promised at that present to become a christian if he might reuenge his iniuries receiued at the hands of the Westsaxons And to assure Pauline that his promise should take place he gaue vnto him his new borne daughter to be made holie to the Lord that is to say baptised The bishop receiuing hir on Whitsundaie next following baptised hir with twelue other of the kings houshold she being the first of the English Northumbers that was so washed in the founteine of regeneration In the meane time K. Edwin being recouered of his hurt assembled an armie and went against the Westsaxons with whome incountring in battell he either slue or brought to his subiection all them that had conspired his death and so returned as a conquerour into his countrie But yet he delaied time in performance of his promise to become a christian howbeit he had left his dooing of sacrifice to idols euer since he made promise to be baptised He was a sage prince and before he would alter his religion he politikelie thought good to heare matters touching both his old religion and the christian religion throughlie examined Now whilest he thus hoong in doubt vnto whether part he should incline there came letters to him from pope Boniface the fift of that name exhorting him by sundrie kinds of gentle perswasions to turne to the worshipping of the true and liuing God and to renounce the worshipping of mawmets and idols The pope wrote also to quéene Ethelburga praieng hir to continue in hir good purpose and by all meanes possible to doo what might be doone for the conuerting of hir husband vnto the faith of Christ. But the thing that most mooued the king was a vision which sometime he had while he remained as a banished man in the court of Redwald king of the Eastangles as thus After that king Ethelfred was informed that the foresaid Redwald had receiued Edwin he ceased not by his ambassadours to moue Redwald either to deliuer Edwin into his hands or to make him awaie At length by often sending promises made of large summes of monie mixed with threatnings he obteined a grant of his sute so that it was determined that Edwin should either be murthered or else deliuered into his enimies hands One of Edwins friends hauing intelligence hereof in the night season came to Edwins chamber and leading him abroad told him the whole practise and what was purposed against him offering to helpe him out of the countrie if he would so aduenture to escape Edwin being woonderouslie amazed thanked his friend but refused to depart the countrie sith he had no iust cause outwardlie giuen to play such a slipper part choosing rather to ieopard his life with honour than to giue men cause to thinke that he had first broken promise with such a prince as Redwald was to whome he had giuen his faith Herevpon his friend departing from him left him sitting without the doores where after he had reuolued manie things in his mind and thought long vpon this matter at length he perceiued one to come towards him vnknowne and in strange apparell séeming to him in euerie point a stranger at which sight for that he could not imagine who it should be Edwin was much afraid but the man comming to him saluted him and asked of him what he made there at that time of the night when other were at rest Edwin on the other part asked what he had to doo therewith and whether he vsed to lie abroad in the night or within house Who answering said Thinke not Edwin that I am ignorant of thy heauinesse of thy watchings and this thy solitarie sitting here without doores For I know who thou art wherefore thou art thus pensiue and what euils thou fearest to be towards thée at hand But tell me what wouldest thou giue him that could deliuer thée out of this heauinesse and perswade Redwald that he should neither doo thée hurt nor deliuer thée to
Ludgate builded The xxviij Chapter CAdwallo or Cadwalline for we find him so named began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 635 in the yéere of the reigne of the emperour Heracleus 35 and in the 13 yere of Dagobert K. of France Of this man ye haue heard partlie before touching his dealings and warres against the Northumbers and other of the English nation but forsomuch as diuers other things are reported of him by the British writers we haue thought good in his place to rehearse the same in part as in Gal. Mon. we find writen leauing the credit still with the author sith the truth thereof may be the more suspected bicause other authors of good authoritie as Beda Henrie Huntington William Malmesburie and others séeme greatlie to disagrée from him herein But thus it is written This Cadwallo and Edwin the sonne of Ethelfred as Galfride saith were brought vp in France being sent thither vnto Salomon king of Britaine by king Cadwane when they were verie yoong Now after their returne into this land when they were made kings Cadwallo of the Britains Edwin of the Northumbers there continued for the space of two yéeres great friendship betwixt them till at length Edwin required of Cadwallo that he might weare a crowne and celebrate appointed solemnities within his dominion of Northumberland as well as Cadwallo did in his countrie Cadwallo taking aduice in this matter at length by persuasion of his nephue Brian denied to grant vnto Edwin his request wherewith Edwin tooke such displeasure that he sent woord vnto Cadwallo that he would be crowned without his leaue or licence sith he would not willinglie grant it Wherto Cadwallo answered that if he so did he would cut off his head vnder his diademe if he presumed to weare anie within the confines of Britaine Hereof discord arising betwixt these two princes they began to make fierce and cruell warre either of them against the other and at length ioining in batell with their maine forces Cadwallo lost the field with many thousands of his men and being chased fled into Scotland and from thence got ouer into Ireland and finally passed the seas into Britaine Armorike where of his coosin king Salomon he was courteouslie receiued and at length obteined of him 10000 men to go with him backe into his countrie to assist him in recouerie of his lands dominions the which in the meane time were cruellie spoiled wasted and haried by king Edwin At the same time Brian the nephue of Cadwallo whom he had sent into Britaine a little before to slea a certeine wizard or southsaier whom king Edwin had gotten out of Spaine named Pelitus that by disclosing the purpose of Cadwallo vnto Edwin greatlie hindered Cadwallos enterprises had fortified the citie of Excester mening to defend it till the comming of Cadwallo wherevpon Penda king of Mercia besieged that citie with a mightie army purposing to take it and Brian within it Cadwallo then aduertised hereof immediatlie after his arriuall hasted to Excester and diuiding his people in 4 parts set vpon his enimies tooke Penda and ouerthrew his whole armie Penda hauing no other shift to escape submitted himselfe wholie vnto Cadwallo promising to become his liegeman to fight against the Saxons in his quarrell Penda being thus subdued Cadwallo called his nobles togither which had bene dispersed abroad a long season with all spéed went against Edwin king of Northumberland and slue him in battell at Hatfield as before is mentioned with his son Osfride and Eodbold king of the Iles of Orknie which was come thither to his aid ¶ By this it should appeare that Fabian hath gathered amisse in the account of the reignes of the British kings for it appeareth by Beda and others that Edwin was slaine in the yéere of our Lord 634. And where Fabian as before is said attributeth that act diuers other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cadwallo yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most part of all other writers signifie that it was done by Cadwallo Harding assigneth but 13 yéeres to the reigne of Cadwan and declareth that he died in the yéere of our Lord 616 in the which as he saith Cadwallo began his reigne which opinion of his séemeth best to agrée with that which is written by other authors But to returne to the other dooings of Cadwallo as we find them recorded in the British storie After he had got this victorie against the Northumbers he cruellie pursued the Saxons as though he ment so farre as in him lay to destroie the whole race of them out of the coasts of all Britaine and sending Penda against king Oswald that succéeded Edwin though at the first Penda receiued the ouerthrow at Heauenfield yet afterwards Cadwallo himselfe highly displeased with that chance pursued Oswald and fought with him at a place called Bourne where Penda slue the said Oswald Wherevpon his brother Osunus succéeding in gouernment of the Northumbers sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ruling as king ouer all Britaine and at length by great gifts of gold and siluer and vpon his humble submission obteined peace till at length vpon spite Penda king of Mercia obteined licence of Cadwallo to make warres against the said Osunus in the which as it hapned Penda himselfe was slaine Then Cadwallo after two yéeres granted that Ulfridus the sonne of Penda should succeed in Mercia Thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appointment within this land And finallie when he had reigned 48 yéeres he departed this life the 22 of Nouember His bodie being embalmed and dressed with swéet confections was put into a brasen image by maruelous art melted and cast which image being set on a brazen horsse of excellent beautie the Britains set vp aloft vpon the west gate of London called Ludgate in signe of his conquests and for a terror to the Saxons Moreouer the church of S. Martin vnderneath the same gate was by the Britains then builded Thus haue the Britains made mention of their valiant prince Cadwallo but diuerse thinke that much of this historie is but fables bicause of the manifest varieng both from Beda and other antentike writers as before I haue said The true storie of the forenamed king Oswald his desire to restore christian religion Cormans preaching taking small effect among the Northumbers persuadeth him to depart into his owne countrie he slandereth them before the Scotish clergie Aidan a godlie man telleth the cause of the people 's not profiting by Cormans preaching Aidan commeth into England to instruct the people in the faith he varieth in the obseruation of Easter from the English churches custome the Northumbers haue him his doctrine in reuerence Oswalds earnest zeale to further religion by Aidans preaching and ministerie 15000 baptised within 7 daies Oswald hath the Britains Scots Picts English at his commandement his commendable deed of christian charitie the Westsaxons conuerted to
the faith by the preaching of Birinus king Kinigils is baptised he maketh Birinus bishop of Dorcester Penda king of Mercia maketh war against the christian kings of the Westsaxons both sides after a bloudie battell fall to agrement Ercombert the first English king that destroied idols throughout the whole land he ordeineth Lent why English men became moonks and English women nunnes in monasteries beyond the seas why Penda king of Mercia enuieth vertuous king Oswald he is assaulted slaine in battell and canonized a saint after his death The xxix Chapter NOw will we after all these differing discourses of the British chronologers approch and draw as néere as we can to the truth of the historie touching Oswald king of the Northumbers of whom we find that after he had tasted of Gods high fauour extended to himwards in vanquishing his enimies as one minding to be thankefull therefore he was desirous to restore the christian faith through his whole kingdome sore lamenting the decay thereof within the same and therefore euen in the beginning of his reigne he sent vnto Donwald the Scotish king with whome he had béene brought vp in the time of his banishment the space of 18 yéeres requiring him to haue some learned Scotishman sent vnto him skilfull in preaching the word of life that with godly sermons and wholesome instructions he might conuert the people of Northumberland vnto the true and liuing God promising to interteine him with such prouision as apperteined At his instance there was sent vnto him one Corman a clerke singularlie well learned and of great grauitie in behauiour but for that he wanted such facilitie and plaine vtterance by waie of gentle persuading as is requisite in him that shall instruct the simple onelie setting foorth in his sermons high mysteries and matters of such profound knowledge as the verie learned might scarselie perceiue the perfect sense and meaning of his talke his trauell came to small effect so that after a yéeres remaining there he returned into his countrie declaring amongst his brethren of the cleargie that the people of Northumberland was a froward stubborne and stiffe-harted generation whose minds he could not frame by anie good meanes of persuasion to receiue the christian faith so that he iudged it lost labour to spend more time amongst them being so vnthankfull and intractable a people as no good might be doone vnto them Amongst other learned and vertuous prelats of the Scots there chanced one to be there present at the same time called Aidan a man of so perfect life that as Beda writeth he taught no otherwise than he liued hauing no regard to the cares of this world but whatsoeuer was giuen him by kings or men of wealth and riches that he fréelie bestowed vpon the poore exhorting other to doo the like This Aidan hearing Cormans woords perceiued anon that the fault was not so much in the people as in the teacher and therefore declared that as he thought although it were so that the people of Northumberland gaue no such attentiue eare vnto the preaching of that reuerend prelate Corman as his godlie expectation was they should haue doone yet might it be that his vttering of ouer manie mysticall articles amongst them farre aboue the capacitie of the vnderstanding of simple men was the cause why they so lightlie regarded his diuine instructions whereas if he had according to the counsell of Saint Paule at the first ministred vnto their tender vnderstandings onelie milke without harder nourishments he might happilie haue woone a farre greater number of them vnto the receiuing of the faith and so haue framed them by little and little to haue digested stronger food And therefore he thought it necessarie in discharge of their duties towards God and to satisfie the earnest zeale of king Oswald that some one amongst them might be appointed to go againe into Northumberland to trie by procéeding in this maner afore alledged what profit would thereof insue The bishops hearing the opinion of Aidan and therewith knowing Cormans maner of preaching iudged the matter to be as Aidan had declared and therevpon not onelie allowed his woords but also willed him to take the iournie vpon him sith they knew none so able with effect to accomplish their wished desires in that behalfe Aidan for that he would not seeme to refuse to take that in hand which he himselfe had motioned was contented to satisfie their request and so set forward towards Northumberland and comming thither was ioifullie receiued of king Oswald who appointed him the I le of Lindesfarne wherein to place the see of his new bishoprike This Aidan in one point varied from the vse of the new begun church of England that is to say touching the time of obseruing the feast of Easter in like maner as all the bishops of the Scots and Picts inhabiting within Britaine in those daies did following therein as they tooke it the doctrine of the holie and praise-woorthie father Anatholius But the Scots that inhabited the south parts of Ireland alreadie were agréed to obserue that feast according to the rules of the church of Rome Howbeit Aidan being thus come into Northumberland applied himselfe so earnestlie in praier and preaching that the people had him within short while in woonderfull estimation chiefelie for that he tempered his preachings with such swéet and pleasant matter that all men had a great desire to heare him insomuch that sometime he was glad to preach abroad in churchyards bicause the audience was more than could haue roome in the church One thing was a great hinderance to him that he had not the perfect knowledge of the Saxon toong But Oswald himselfe was a great helpe to him in that matter who being desirous of nothing so much as to haue the faith of Christ rooted in the harts of his subiects vsed as an interpretor to report vnto the people in their Saxon toong such whole sermons as Aidan vttered in his mother toong For Oswald hauing béene brought vp as ye haue hard in Scotland during the time of his banishment was as readie in the Scotish as he was in the Saxon toong The people then seeing the kings earnest desire in furthering the doctrine set foorth by Aidan were the more inclined to heare it so that it was a maruellous matter to note what numbers of people dailie offred themselues to be baptised insomuch that within the space of seuen daies as is left in writing he christened 15 thousand persons of the which no small part forsaking the world betooke themselues to a solitarie kind of life Thus by his earnest trauell in continuall preaching and setting foorth the gospell in that countrie it came to passe in the end that the faith was generallie receiued of all the people and such zeale to aduance the glorie of the christian religion dailie increased amongst them that no where could be found greater Heerevpon were no small number of
liue from thencefoorth a priuat kind of life and so resigning the administration vnto his kinsman Egricus he became a moonke and led the rest of his life in a certeine abbeie Shortlie after it so came to passe that Penda king of Mercia that cruell ethnike tyrant made sore warres vpon Egricus wherevpon the people of Eastangles compelled Sigibert to come foorth of his monasterie to go with them into the field against Penda Sigibert being thus constreined against his will would not put on armour or beare anie other kind of weapon than onelie a wand in his hand in steed of a scepter and so the armie of the Eastangles in hope of good spéed by the presence of Sigibert ioined in battell with their enimies but the Eastangles were finallie vanquished and the more part of them slaine togither with Sigibert and his coosen Egricus their king This happened in the yere after the birth of our Sauiour as some haue noted 652. In the daies whilest Sigibert as yet ruled the Eastangles there came out of Ireland a deuout person named Furseus who comming into the countrie of the Eastangles was gladlie receiued of king Sigibert by whose helpe afterwards he builded the abbeie of Cumbreburge in the which Sigibert as some haue written when he renounced his kingdome was professed a moonke Of this Furseus manie things are written the which for briefenesse we ouerpasse After that Felix the bishop of the Eastangles was dead one Thomas was ordeined in his place who after he had béene bishop fiue yéeres died and then one Beretgils was ordeined in his roome by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie The said Honorius himselfe when he had run the race of his naturall life deceassed also the last of September in the yéere of our Lord 653. Anna king of Eastangles is slaine by Penda king of Mercia his brother succeeding him is slaine also by Oswie king of Northumberland the Mercians or Middle angles receiue the faith vnder vertuous Peda their prince he requesteth Alchfled the king of Northumberlands daughter in mariage he is baptised by bishop Finnan by whose meanes the Eastsaxons imbraced christian religion vnder Sigibert their king he is murthered of two brethren that were his kinsmen vpon a conceiued hatred against him for his good and christian life how dangerous it is to keepe companie with an excommunicate person the authoritie of a bishop The xxxj Chapter AFter Egricus succeeded Anna the sonne of Enus in the kingdome of Eastangle and was likewise slaine by Penda king of Mercia with the most part of his armie as he gaue battell vnto the said Penda that inuaded his countrie He left behind him manie children but his brother Edelhere succéeded him in gouernment of the kingdome who was slaine by Oswie the king of Northumberland togither with the foresaid Penda and woorthilie sith he would aid that tyrant which had slaine his kinsman and his brother that were predecessors with him in his kingdome After this when the sée of Canturburie had béene vacant by the space of one whole yeere and six moneths one Deus dedit of the countrie of the Westsaxons was elected and consecrated by Ithamar the bishop of Rochester on the 7 kalends of Aprill He gouerned the church of Canturburie by the tearme of nine yéeres foure moneths and two daies When he was departed this life the foresaid Ithamar consecrated for him one Damianus of the countrie of Sussex ABout this time the people of Mercia commonlie called Middleangles receiued the christian faith vnder their king named Peda or Peada the sonne of Penda king of Mercia who being a towardlie yoong gentleman and woorthie to haue the guiding of a kingdome his father Penda aduanced him to the rule of that kingdome of the Middleangles during his owne life ¶ Héere maie you note that the kingdome of the Middleangles was one and the kingdome of Mercia another though most commonlie the same were gouerned by one king This yoong Peda came to Oswie king of Northumberland requiring of him to haue his daughter Alchfled in mariage but when he was informed that he might not haue hir except he would become a christian then vpon hearing the gospell preached with the promise of the celestiall ioies and immortalitie by the resurrection of the flesh in the life to come he said that whether he had king Oswies daughter to wife or not he would suerlie be baptised and chieflie he was persuaded therevnto by his kinsman Alchfrid who had in mariage his sister the daughter of Penda named Cimburgh Wherefore he was baptised by bishop Finnan with all those which came thither with him at a place called At the wall and taking with him foure priests which were thought méete to teach and baptise his people he returned with great ioy into his owne countrie The names of those priests were as followeth Cedda Adda Betti and Diuna of the which the last was a Scot by nation and the other were Englishmen These priests comming into the prouince of the Middleangles preached the woord and were well heard so that dailie a great number of the nobilitie communaltie renouncing the filthie dregs of idolatrie were christned Neither did king Penda forbid the preaching of the gospell within his prouince of Mercia but rather hated and despised those whome he knew to haue professed themselues christians and yet shewed not the woorks of faith saieng that Those were wretches and not to be regarded which would not obeie their God in whome they beléeued This alteration of things began about two yéeres before the death of king Penda ABout the same time the Eastsaxons at the instance of Oswie king of Northumberland receiued eftsoones the faith which they had renounced when they banished their bishop Melitus Ye haue heard that Serred Siward and Sigibert brethren and the sonnes of king Sabert which brethren occasioned the reuolting of that prouince from the faith of Christ were slaine in battell by the kings of Westsaxon after whome succéeded Sigibert surnamed the little sonne to the middlemost brother Siward as some write This Sigibert the litle left the kingdome to an other Sigibert that was sonne to one Sigebald the brother of king Sabert which second Sigibert reigned as king in that prouince of the Eastsaxons being a most especiall friend of king Oswie so that oftentimes he repaired into Northumberland to visit him whervpon king Oswie ceassed not most earnestlie at times conuenient to exhort him to receiue the faith of Iesus Christ and in the end by such effectuall persuasions as he vsed Sigibert gaue credit to his woords and so being conuerted receiued the sacrament of baptisme by the hands of bishop Finnan at the kings house called At the wall so named bicause it was built néere to the wall which the Romans had made ouerthwart the I le as is often before remembred being twelue miles distant from the east sea King Sigibert hauing
reported to be martyrs because it was knowen they died innocentlie he mocked them and made but a iest at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him thereof and gaue in recompense to their mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the building of a monasterie THe foresaid Edrike after Lother was dead got the dominion of Kent and ruled as king thereof but not without ciuill warre insomuch that before he had reigned the full terme of two yeares he was slaine in the same warre Then Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons being thereof aduertised supposing of the time now to be come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentishmen all the displeasure he could entred with an armie into theri covntrie and began to waste and spoile the same on ech side till finallie the Kentishmen assembled themselues togither gaue battell to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was driuen from his companie and constrained to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued him set fire thereon and burned both the hosue and Mollo within it to ashes Yet did not Ceadwalla herewith deaprt out of the countrie but to wreake his wrath and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother he wasted and destroied a great part of Kent yer he returned home and left as it were in occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell with reuenging Wherein we sée the cankerd nature of man speciallie in a case of wrong or displeasure which we are so far from tollerating forgiuing that if with tooth and naile we be not permitted to take vengeance our hearts will breake with a full conceit of wrath But the law of nature teacheth vs otherwise to be affected namelie per te nulli vnquam iniuria fiat Sed verbis alijsque modis fuge laedere quenquam Quod tibi nolles alijs fecisse caueto Quódque tibi velles alijs praestare studeto Haec est naturae lex optima quam nisiad vnguem Seruabis non ipse Deo mihi crede placebis Póstque obitum infoelix non aurea sydera adibis Which lesson taught by nature and commanded of God if these men had followed as they minded nothing lesse in the fier of their furie they would haue béene content with a competent reuenge and not in such outragious maner with fier and sword haue afflicted one another nor which is more than tigerlike crueltie haue ministred occasion to posterities to reuenge wrongs giuen and taken of their ancestors But we will let this passe without further discourse meaning hereafter in due place to declare the processe The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuers had coueted the place and sought to atteine thereto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for the space of 6 yeares togither at length in the 7 yeare after Edricks death Withred an other of the sonnes of king Egbert hauing with diligent trauell ouercome enuie at home with monie redéemed peace abroad was with great hope conceiued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the 11 of Nobuember 205 after the death of Hengist he reigned 33 yeares not deceiuing his subiects of their good conceiued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie ciuill warre against him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the Westsaxons which ment to haue made him warre till with monie he was made his friend A little before that Withdred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent there reigned two kings in that countrie Suebhard and Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia gentis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the archbishop Theodorus being of the age of 88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare 692 the first daie of Iulie on Brightwald was chosen to succéed in the archbishops sée of Canturburie Withredus and Suebhardus as then reigning in Kent but whether Withredus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nidred it forceth not for certeine it is by the agréement of othere writers that till Withdred obteined the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernement and diuers there wre that sought and fought for it But this ought to be noted that the forenamed Brightwald was the eight archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sée of Canturburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were strangers borne and sent hither from Rome ¶ Here endeth the line and gouernement of the Britains now called Welshmen which tooke that name of their duke or leader Wallo or Gallo or else of a queene of Wales named Gales or Wales But howsoeuer that name fell first vnto them now they are called Welshmen which sometime were called Britains or Brutons and descended first of the Troians and after of Brute and lastlie of Mulmucius Dunwallo albeit they were mingled with sundrie other nations as Romans Picts c. and now they be called English that in their beginning were named Saxons or Angles To conclude therefore wiht this gouernement so manie times intercepted by forren power it appeareth by course of histories treating of these matters that the last yeare of Cadwallader was the yeare of our Lord 686 which makes the yere of the world 4647. So that as Fabian saith the Britains had the greater part of this land in rule reckoning from Brute till this time 1822 yeares Which terme being expired the whole dominion of this realme was Saxonish Thus farre the interrupted regiment of the Britains ending at the fift booke THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England Inas king of the Westsaxons the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen whom he was purposed to haue destroied he his coosen Nun fight with Gerent king of the Britains and Cheolred king of Mercia and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons the end of their kingdoms Inas giueth ouer his roialtie goeth in pilgrimage to Rome and there dieth his lawes written in the Saxon toong of what buildings he was the founder queene Ethelburgas deuise to persuade Inas to forsake the world he was the first procurer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome king Ethelred king Kenred and king Offa become moonks the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision king Ethelbalds exploits he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggestion of Bernred the vsurper Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald nuns kept for concubines their pilgrimage The first Chapter AFter tht Ceadwalla late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome where he departed this
emperor Constantinus surnamed Copronimos in the 6 yéere of the reigne of Pipin king of France and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant prince and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus He obteined great victories against the Britains or Welshmen but at Bensington or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia in the 24 yéere of his reigne and from that time forward tasting manie displeasures at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull end For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor presumptuouslie yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things passed he either thought that nothing could go against him or else doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert whose fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished This Kineard dissembling the matter as he that could giue place to time got him out of the countrie and after by a secret conspiracie assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie and returning priuilie into the countrie againe watched his time till he espied that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the house of a noble woman whome he kept as paramour at Merton wherevpon the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about The king perceiuing himselfe thus besieged of his enimies at the first caused the doores to be shut supposing either by curteous woords to appease his enimies or with his princelie authoritie to put them in feare But when he saw that by neither meane he could doo good in a great chafe he brake foorth of the house vpon Kineard and went verie néere to haue killed him but being compassed about with multitude of enimies whilest he stood at defense thinking it a dishonour for him to flée he was beaten downe and slaine togither with those few of his seruants which he had there with him who chose rather to die in séeking reuenge of their maisters death than by cowardise to yeeld themselues into the murtherers hands There escaped none except one Welshman or Britaine an hostage who was neuerthelesse sore wounded and hurt The brute of such an heinous act was streightwaies blowne ouer all and brought with speed to the eares of the noble men and peeres of the realme which were not farre off the place where this slaughter had béene committed Amongst other one Oâ—rike for his age and wisedome accounted of 〈◊〉 authoritie 〈◊〉 ted the residue that in no wife they should suffor the death of their souereigne lord to passe vnpunished vnto their perpetuall shame and reproofe Wherevpon in all hast they ran to the place where they knew to find Kineard who at the first began to plead his cause to make large promises to pretend coosenage and so foorth but when he perceiued all that he could say or doo might not preuaile he incouraged his companie to shew themselues valiant and to resist their enimies to the vttermost of their powers Heerevpon followed a doubtfull fight the one part striuing to saue their liues and the other to atteine honour and punish the slaughter of their souereigne lord At length the victorie rested on the side where the right was so that the wicked murtherer after he had fought a while at length was slaine togither with fourescore and eight of his mates The kings bodie was buried at Winchester the murtherers at Repingdon Such was the end of king Kinewulfe after he had reigned the tearme of 31 yéeres In the yeere of our Lord 786 pope Adrian sent two legats into England Gregorie or as some copies haue George bishop of Ostia and Theophylactus bishop of Tuderto with letters commendatorie vnto Offa king of Mercia Alfwold king of Northumberland Ieanbright or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie and Eaubald archbishop of Yorke These legats were gladlie receiued not onlie by the foresaid kings and archbishops but also of all other the high estates aswell spirituall as temporall of the land namelie of Kinewulfe king of the Westsaxons which repaired vnto king Offa to take counsell with him for reformation of such articles as were conteined in the popes letters There were twentie seuerall articles which they had to propone on the popes behalfe as touching the receiuing of the faith or articles established by the Nicene councell and obeieng of the other generall councels with instructions concerning baptisme and kéeping of synods yéerelie for the examination of priests and ministers and reforming of naugthie liuers Moreouer touching discretion to be vsed in admitting of gouernors in monasteries and curats or priests to the ministerie in churches and further for the behauior of priests in wearing their apparell namelie that they should not presume to come to the altar bare legged lest their dishonestlie might be discouered And that in no wise the chalice or paten were made of the horne of an oxe bicause the same is bloudie of nature nor the host of a crust but of pure bread Also whereas bishops vsed to sit in councels to iudge in secular causes they were now forbidden so to doo Manie other things were as meanes of reformation articled both for spirituall causes and also concerning ciuill ordinances as disabling children to be heirs to the parents whch by them were not begot in lawfull matrimonie but on concubines whether they were nunnes or secular women Also of paiment of tithes performing of vowes auoiding of vndecent apparell and abolishing of all maner of heathenish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order of christianitie as curtailing of horsses and eating of horsses flesh These things with manie other expressed in 20 principall articles as we haue said were first concluded to be receiued by the church of the Northumbers in a councell holden there and subscribed by Alfwold king of the Northumbers by Delberike bishop of Hexham by Eubald archbishop of Yorke Higwald bishop of Lindisferne Edelbert bishop of Whiterne Aldulfe bishop of Mieth Ethelwine also another bishop by his deputies with a number of other of the clergie and lords also of the temporaltie as duke Alrike duke Segwulfe abbat Alebericke and abbat Erhard After this confirmation had of the Northumbers there was also a councell holden in Mercia at Cealtide in the which these persons subscribed Iambert or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie Offa king of Mercia Hughbright bishop of Lichfield Edeulfe bishop of Faron with Unwone bishop of Ligor and nine other bishops besides abbats and thrée dukes as Brorda Farwald and Bercoald with earle Othbald But now to returne backe to speake of other dooings as in other parts of this land they fell out About the yéere of our Lord 764 the sée of Canturburie being void one Iambert or Lambert was elected archbishop there and the yéere 766 the archbishop of Yorke Egbert departed this
battell king Ardulfe was expelled out of the state ¶ Thus ye may consider in what plight things stood in Northumberland by the often seditions tumults and changings of gouernors so that there be which haue written how after the death of king Ethelbert otherwise called Edelred diuers bishops and other of the chiefest nobles of the countrie disdaining such traitorous prince-killings ciuill seditions and iniurious dealings as it were put in dailie practise amongst the Northumbers departed out of their natiue borders into voluntarie exile and that from thencefoorth there was not anie of the nobilitie that durst take vpon him the kinglie gouernement amongst them fearing the fatall prerogatiue thereof as if it had béene Seians horsse whose rider came euer to some euill end But yet by that which is héeretofore shewed out of Simon Dunelm it is euident that there reigned kings ouer the Northumbers but in what authoritie and power to command it may be doubted Howbeit this is certeine that the sundrie murtherings and banishments of their kings and dukes giue vs greatlie to gesse that there was but sorie obedience vsed in the countrie whereby for no small space of time that kingdome remained without an head gouernor being set open to the prey and iniurie of them that were borderers vnto it and likewise vnto strangers For the Danes which in those daies were great rouers had landed before in the north parts spoiled the abbeie of Lindisferne otherwise called holie Iland and perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the countrie and easinesse for their people to inuade it bicause that through their priuate quarelling there was little publike resistance to be looked for at their comming home entised their countriemen to make voiages into England and so landing in Northumberland did much hurt and obteined a great part of the countrie in manner without resistance bicause there was no ruler there able to raiseanie power of men by publike authoritie to incounter with the common enimies whereby the countrie was brought into great miserie partlie with war of the Danes and ciuill dissention amongest the nobles and people themselues no man being of authoritie I say able to reforme such misorders Yet we find that the nobles and capteines of the countrie assembling togither at one time against the Danes that were landed about Tinmouth constreined them by sharpe fight to flée backe to their ships and tooke certeine of them in the field whose heads they stroke off there vpon the shore The other that got to their ships suffered great losse of men and likewise of their vessels by tempest ¶ Here then we are taught that the safest way to mainteine a monarchie is when all degrées liue in loialtie And that it is necessarie there should be one supereminent vnto whome all the residue should stoope this fraile bodie of ours may giue vs sufficient instruction For reason ruleth in the mind as souereigne and hath subiect vnto it all the affections and inward motions yea the naturall actions are directed by hir gouernement whereto if the will be obedient there cannot créepe in anie outrage or disorder Such should be the sole regiment of a king in his kingdome otherwise he may be called Rex à regendo as Mons à e mouendo For there is not a greater enimie to that estate than to admit participants in roialtie which as it is a readie way to cause a subuersion of a monarchie so it is the shortest cut ouer to a disordered anarchie But to procéed in the historie After that Alrike the last of king Witchtreds sonnes which reigned in Kent successiuelic after their father was dead the noble ofspring of the kings there so decaied and began to vade awaie that euerie one which either by flattering had got riches togither or by seditious partaking was had in estimation sought to haue the gouernement and to vsurp the title of king abusing by vnworthie means the honor and dignitie of so high an office Amongest others one Edbert or Edelbert surnamed also Prenne gouerned the Kentishmen for the space of two yeares and was in the end vanquished by them of Mercia and taken prisoner as before is said so that for a time he liued in captiuitie and although afterwards he was set at libertie yet was he not receiued againe to the kingdome so that it is vncerteine what end he made Cuthred that was appointed by Kinevulfe the king of Mercia to reigne in place of the same Edbert or Edelbert continued in the gouernement eight yéeres as king rather by name than by act inheriting his predecessors euill hap and calamitie through factions and ciuill discord After that Iambrith or Lambert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed this life one Edelred was ordeined in his place vnto whome the primasie was restored which in his predecessors time was taken awaie by Offa king of Mercia as before is recited Also after the death of Eubald archbishop of Yorke another of the same name called Eubald the second was admitted to succeed in that sée After that Brightrike the king of Westsaxons was departed this life messengers were sent with all spéed into France to giue knowledge thereof vnto Egbert which as before is shewed was constreined by the said Brightrike to depart the countrie At the first he withdrew vnto Offa king of Mercia with whome he remained for a time till at length through suit made by Brightrike he perceiued he might not longer continue there without danger to be deliuered into his enimies hands and so Offa winking at the matter he departed out of his countrie and got him ouer into France But being now aduertised of Brightriks death and required by earnest letters sent from his friends to come and receiue the gouernement of the kingdome he returned with all conuenient spéed into his countrie and was receiued immediatlie for king by the generall consent of the Westsaxons as well in respect of the good hope which they had conceiued of his woorthie qualities and aptnesse to haue gouernement as of hid roiall linage being lineallie descended from Inigils the brother of king Inas as sonne to Alkemound that was the sonne of one Eaffa which Eaffa was sonne to Ope the sonne of the foresaid Inigils Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons his practise or exercise in the time of his exile his martiall exploits against the Cornishmen and Welshmen Bernulfe king of Mercia taketh indignation at Egbert for the inlarging of his roiall authoritie they fight a sore battell Egbert ouercommeth great ods betweene their souldiers bishop Alstan a warriour Kent Essex Southerie Sussex and Eastangles subiect to Egbert he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia and conquereth the whole kingdome Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie the Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert he conquereth Northwales and the citie of Chester he is crowned supreme gouernour of the whole land when this I le was called England the Danes inuade the land they discomfit Egberts host the Welshmen ioine
men fought against the Danes at a place called Pedredesmuth and vanquished them with great triumph In the sixtéenth yeere of his reigne king Ethelwulfe and his sonne Edelbald hauing assembled all their powers togither gaue battell at Ocley to ◠huge host of Danes the which with foure hundred and fiftie ships had arriued at Thames mouth and destroied the famous cities of London and Canturburie and also had chased Brightwulfe king of Mercia in battell and being now entered into Sontherie were incountered by king Ethelwulfe at Ocley aforesaid after sore fight and incredible slaughter made on both sides in the end the victorie by the power of God was giuen to those that beléeued on him and the losse rested with great confusion to the miscreants Thus king Ethelwulfe obteined a glorious victorie in so mightie a battell as a greater had not beene lightlie heard of to chance within the English dominions The same yeere also Athelstan king of Kent and duke Ealhere fought by sea with the Danes and tooke 9 of their ships and chased the residue Moreouer one earle Ceorle hauing with him the power of Deuonshire fought with the Danes at Winleshore and got the victorie This yéere was verie luckie to the English nation but yet the armie of the Danes lodged all the winter season in the I le of Tenet And this was the first time that they remained héere all the winter vsing afore time but to come and make an inuasion in one place or other and immediatlie to returne home with the prey In the 18 yeere of king Ethelwufes reigne he aided Burthred king of Mercia against the Welshmen as before is mentioned and gaue to him his daughter in marriage the solemnization whereof was kept at Chipnham The same yéere king Ethelwulfe sent his sonne Alured as then but fiue yeeres of age to Rome where he was consecrated K. by pope Leo the fourth and was receiued of him as if he had beene his owne sonne Duke Ealhere or Eachere with the Kentishmen and one Huda or rather Wada with the men of Southerie fought against the armie of Danes at Tenet where great slaughter was made on both sides the Englishmen preuailing in the beginning but in the end both their foresaid dukes or leaders died in that battell beside manie other that were slaine and drowned In the 19 yéere of his reigne king Ethelwulfe ordeined that the tenths or tithes of all lands due to be paid to the church should be frée from all tribute duties or seruices regall And afterwards with great deuotion he went to Rome where he was receiued with great honour and taried there one whole yeere he tooke with him his sonne Alured who had béene there before as ye haue heard He repaired the Saxons schoole which Offa king of Mercia had sometime founded in that citie and latelie had béene sore decaied by fire He confirmed the grant of Peter pence to the intent that no Englishmen from thence-foorth should doo penance in bounds as he saw some there to doo before his face It is also written that he should acquit all the churches of his realme of paieng tribute to his coffers as before ye haue heard moreouer couenanted to send vnto Rome euerie yéere three hundred marks that is to say one hundred marks to saint Peters church an other hundred marks to saint Paules light and the third hundred marks to the Pope In his returne thorough France he married the ladie Iudith daughter to Charles the bald then K. of France and bringing hir with him into his countrie placed hir by him in a chaire of estate with which déed he offended so the minds of his subiects bicause it was against the order taken before him for the offense of Ethelburga that his sonne Ethelbald and Adelstan bishop of Shireborne with Enwulfe earle of Summerset conspired to depose him from his kinglie authoritie but by mediation of friends the matter was taken vp and so ordered that the kingdome was diuided betwixt the father and the sonne with such parcialitie that the sonne had the better part lieng westward and the father was constreined to content himselfe with the east part being the woorst Of this trouble of Ethelwulfe some write otherwise after this manner word for word ¶ Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons being returned from Rome the parties beyond the seas was prohibited the entrance into his realme by Adelstane bishop of Shireborne and Ethelbald his eldest sonne pretending outwardlie the coronation of Alfride the mariage of Iudith the French kings daughter and open eating with hir at the table to be the onelie cause of this their manifest rebellion Whereby he séemeth to inferre that this reuolting of Adelstane and his son should procéed of the ambitous desire of Ethelbald to reigne and likelie inough or else this vnequall partition should neuer haue béene made But howsoeuer the matter stood king Ethelwulfe liued not long after his returne from Rome but departed this life after he had ruled the kingdome of the Westsaxons the space of 20 yéeres and od moneths His bodie was buried at Winchester He left behind him foure sonnes Ethelbald Ethelbert or Ethelbright Ethelred and Alfred or Alured which was begotten of his first wife Osburga A little before his death he made his testament and last will appointing his sonne Ethelbald to succéed him in the whole regiment of his kingdoms of Westsex and Sussex which he held by inheritance but the kingdoms of Kent and Essex he assigned to his son Ethelbright About the same tune also the Danes soiourned all the winter season in the I le of Shepie ¶ The old Saxons doo bring the genealogie of this Ethelwulfe to Adam after this maner following Ethelwulfe the sonne of Egbert the son of Alcmund the son of Eaffa the son of Eoppa the son of Ingils the son of Kenred the son of Coelwald the son of Cudwine the son of Ceawlin the son of Kenric the son of Cerdic the son of Eslie the son of Gewise the son of Wingie the son of Freawin the son of Fridagare the son of Brendie the son of Beldegie the son of Woden the son of Frethelwold the son of Freolaffe the son of Frethewolfe the son of Finnie the son of Godulfe the son of Geta the son of Teathwie the son of Bcame the son of Sceldie the son of Seafe the son of Heremod the son of Itermod the son of Hordie the son of Wale the son of Brdwie the son of Sem the son of Noah and so foorth to Adam as you shall find it by retrogradation from the 32 verse vnto the first of the fift chapter of Genesis Which genealogicall recapitulation in their nationall families and tribes other people also haue obserued as the Spaniards who reckon their descent from Hesperus before the Gothes and Moors ouerran their land the Italians from Aeneas before they were mingled with with the Uandals
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
a castell in that countrie and after went into the borders of Wales and builded another castell neere vnto the riuer of Seuerne but being driuen out of that countrie they returned againe into Essex Those that had besieged Excester vpon knowledge had of king Alfreds comming fled to their ships and so remaining on the sea roaued abroad séeking preies Besides this other armies there were sent foorth which comming out of Northumberland tooke the citie of Chester but there they were so beset about with their enimies that they were constreined to eate their horsses At length in the 24 yéere of king Alfred they left that citie and fetcht a compass about Northwales and so meaning to saile round about the coast to come into Northumberland they arriued in Essex and in the winter following drew their ships by the Thames into the water of Luie That armie of Danes which had besieged Excester tooke preies about Chichester and was met with so that they lost manie of their men and also diuerse of their ships In the yéere following the other armie which had brought the ships into the riuer Luie began to build a castell néere to the same riuer twentie miles distant from London but the Londoners came thither and giuing battell to the Danes slue foure of the chiefe capteins But by Simon Dunel and Matt. Westm. it should seeme that the Londoners were at this time put to flight and that foure of the kings barons were slaine in fight Howbeit Henrie Hunt hath written as before I haue recited and further saith that when the Danes fled for their refuge to the castell king Alfred caused the water of Luie to be diuided into thrée chanels so that the Danes should not bring backe their ships out of the place where they laie at anchor When the Danes perceiued this they left their ships behind them and went into the borders of Wales where at Cartbridge vpon Seuerne they built another castell and lay there all the winter following hauing left their wiues and children in the countrie of Eastangles King Alfred pursued them but the Londoners tooke the enimies ships and brought some of them to the citie and the rest they burnt Thus for the space of thrée yéeres after the arriuing of the maine armie of the Danes in the hauen of Luie they sore indamaged the English people although the Danes themselues susteined more losse at the Englishmens hands than they did to them with all pilfering and spoiling In the fourth yéere after their comming the armie was diuided so that one part of them went into Northumberland part of them remained in the countrie of Eastangles another part went into France Also certeine of their ships came vpon the coast of the Westsaxons oftentimes setting their men on land to rob and spoile the countrie But king Alfred tooke order in the best wise he might for defense of his countrie and people and caused certeine mightie vessels to be builded which he appointed foorth to incounter with the enimies ships Thus like a worthie prince and politike gouernor he preuented each way to resist the force of his enimies and to safegard his subiects Finallie after he had reigned 29 yéeres and an halfe he departed this life the 28 day of October His bodie was buried at Winchester he left behind him issue by his wife Ethelwitha the daughter vnto earle Etherlred of Mercia two sonnes Edward surnamed the elder which succéeded him and Adelwold also thrée daughters Elfleda or Ethelfleda Ethelgeda or Edgiua and Ethelwitha How Elfleda king Alfreds daughter being maried contemned fleshlie pleasure the praise of Alfred for his good qualities his lawes for the redresse of theeues his diuiding of countries into hundreds and tithings of what monasteries he was founder he began the foundation of the vniuersitie of Oxford which is not so ancient as Cambridge by 265 yeeres king Alfred was learned his zeale to traine his people to lead an honest life what learned men were about him the pitifull murthering of Iohn Scot by his owne scholers how Alfred diuided the 24 houres of the day and the night for his necessarie purposes his last will and bequests the end of the kingdome of Mercia the Danes haue it in their hands and dispose it as they list Eastangle and Northumberland are subiect vnto them the Northumbers expell Egbert their king his death the Danes make Guthred king of Northumberland priuileges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine the death of Guthred and who succeeded him in the seat roiall The xvj Chapter IN the end of the former chapter we shewed what children Alfred had their number names among whome we made report of Elfleda who as you haue heard was maried vnto duke Edelred This gentlewoman left a notable example behind hir of despising fleshlie plesure for bearing hir husband one child and sore handled before she could be deliuered she euer after forbare to companie with hir husband saieng that it was great foolishnesse to vse such pleasure which therwith should bring so great griefe To speake sufficientlie of the woorthie praise due to so noble a prince as Alfred was might require eloquence learning and a large volume He was of person comelie and beautifull and better beloued of his father and mother than his other brethren And although he was as before is touched greatly disquieted with the inuasion of forren enimies yet did he both manfullie from time to time indeuour himselfe to repell them and also attempted to sée his subiects gouerned in good and vpright iustice And albeit that good lawes amongst the clinking noise of armor are oftentimes put to silence yet he perceiuing how his people were gréeued with theeues and robbers which in time of warre grew and increased deuised good statutes and wholsome ordinances for punishing of such offendors Amongst other things he ordeined that the countries should be diuided into hundreds and tithings that is to say quarters conteining a certeine number of towneships adioining togither so that euerie Englishman liuing vnder prescript of lawes should haue both his hundred and tithing that if anie man were accused of anie offense he should find suertie for his good demeanor and if he could not find such as would answer for him then should he tast extremitie of the lawes And if anie man that was giltie fled before he found suertie or after all the inhabitants of the hundred or tithing where he dwelt shuld be put to their fine By this deuise he brought his countrie into good tranquillitie so that he caused bracelets of gold to be hanged vp aloft on hils where anie common waies lay to sée if anie durst be so hardie to take them away by stealth He was a liberall prince namely in relieuing of the poore To churches he confirmed such priuileges as his father had granted before him and he also sent rewards by way of deuotion vnto Rome and to the
of them by his Westsaxons and Mercians what lands came to king Edward by the â—eath of Edred duke of Mercia he recouereth diuers places out of the Danes hands and giueth them manie a foile what castels he builded he inuadeth Eastangles putteth Ericke a Danish king therof to flight his owne subiects murther him for his crueltie his kingdome returneth to the right of king Edward with other lands by him thereto annexed his sister Elfleda gouerned the countrie of Mercia during hir life The xvij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Alured his sonne Edward surnamed the elder began his reigne ouer the more part of England in the yeare of our Lord 901 which was in the second yeare of the emperor Lewes in the eight yeare of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France and about the eight yeare of Donald king of Scotland He was consecrated after the maner of other kings his ancestors by Athelred the archbishop of Canturburie This Edward was not so learned as his father but in princelie power more high and honorable for he ioined the kingdome of Eastangles and Mercia with other vnto his dominion as after shall be shewed and vanquished the Danes Scots and Welshmen to his great glorie and high commendation In the beginning of his reigne he was disquieted by his brother Adelwold which tooke the towne of Winborne besides Bath and maried a nun there whome he had defloured attempted manie things against his brother Wherevpon the king came to Bath and though Adelwold shewed a countenance as if he would haue abidden the chance of warre within Winborne yet he stole awaie in the night and fled into Northumberland where he was ioifullie receiued of the Danes The king tooke his wife being left behind and restored hir to the house from whence she was taken ¶ Some haue written that this Adelwold or Ethelwold was not brother vnto king Edward but his vncles sonne After this king Edward prouiding for the suertie of his subiects against the forraies which the Danes vsed to make fortified diuers cities and townes and stuffed them with great garrisons of souldiers to defend the inhabitants and to expell the enimies And suerlie the Englishmen were so invred with warres in those daies that the people being aduertised of the inuasion of the enimies in anie part of their countrie would assemble oftentimes without knowledge of king or capteine and setting vpon the enimies went commonlie awaie with victorie by reason that they ouermatched them both in number and practise So were the enimies despised of the English souldiers and laughed to scorne of the king for their foolish attempts Yet in the third yeare of king Edwards reigne Adelwold his brother came with a nauie of Danes into the parties of the Eastangles and euen at the first the Essex men yeelded themselues vnto him In the yéere following he inuaded the countrie of Mercia with a great armie wasting and spoiling the same vnto Crikelade and there passing ouer the Thames rode foorth till he came to Basingstoke or as some bookes haue Brittenden harieng the countrie on each side and so returned backe vnto Eastangles with great ioy and triumph King Edward awakened héerewith assembled his people and followed the enimies wasting all the countries betwixt the riuer of Ouse and saint Edmunds ditch And when he should returne he gaue commandement that no man should staie behind him but come backe togither for doubt to be forelaid by the enimies The Kentishmen notwithstanding this ordinance and commandement remained behind although the king sent seuen messengers for them The Danes awaiting their aduantage came togither and fiercelie fought with the Kentishmen which a long time valiantlie defended themselues But in the end the Danes obteined the victorie although they lost more people there than the Kentishmen did and amongst other there were slaine the foresaid Adelwold and diuerse of the chiefe capteins amongst the Danes Likewise of the English side there died two dukes Siwolfe Singlem or Sigbelme with sundrie other men of name both temporall and also spirituall lords and abbats In the fift yéere of his reigne king Edward concluded a truce with the Danes of Eastangle and Northumberland at Itingford But in the yéere following he sent an armie against them of Northumberland which slue manie of the Danes and tooke great booties both of people and cattell remaining in the countrie the space of fiue weekes The yéere next insuing the Danes with a great armie entered into Mercia to rob spoile the countrie against whome king Edward sent a mightie host assembled togither of the Westsaxons them of Mercia which set vpon the Danes as they were returning homeward and slue of them an huge multitude togither with their chiefe capteins and leaders as king Halden and king Eolwils earle Uter earle Scurfa and diuerse other In the yéere 912 or as Simon Dunel saith 908 the duke of Mercia Edred or Etheldred departed this life and then king Edward seized into his hands the cities of London and Oxford and all that part of Mercia which he held But afterwards he suffered his sister Elfleda to inioy the most part thereof except the said cities of London and Oxford which he still reteined in his owne hand This Elfleda was wife to the said duke Edred or Etheldred as before you haue heard of whose woorthie acts more shall be said heereafter In the ninth yéere of his reigne king Edward built a castell at Hertford and likewise he builded a towne in Essex at Wightham and lay himselfe in the meane time at Maldon otherwise Meauldun bringing a great part of the countrie vnder his subiection which before was subiect to the Danes In the yéere following the armie of the Danes departed from Northampton and Chester in breach of the former truce and slue a great number of men at Hochnerton in Oxfordshire And shortlie after their returne home an other companie of them went foorth and came to Leighton where the people of the countrie being assembled togither fought with them put them to flight taking from them all the spoile which they had got and also their horsses In the 11 yéere of king Edward a fleet of Danes compassed about the west parts came to the mouth of Seuerne and so tooke preies in Wales they also tooke prisoner a Welsh bishop named Camelgaret at Irchenfield whome they led to their ships but king Edward redéemed him out of their hands paieng them fortie pounds for his ransome After that the armie of Danes went foorth to spoile the countrie about Irchenfield but the people of Chester Hereford and other townes and countries thereabout assembled togither and giuing battell to the enimies put them to flight and slue one of their noble men called earle Rehald and Geolcil the brother of earle Uter with a great part of their armie draue the residue into a
in Cornwall Werstan to Shireborne Adelme to Welâ—es and Edulfe to Kirton Also to the prouince of Sussex he ordeined one Bernegus and to Dorchester for the prouince of Mercia one Cenulfus ¶ Héere ye must note that where William Malme Polychro and other doo affirme that pope Formosus did accursse king Edward and the English nation for suffering the bishops sées to be vacant it can not stand with the agréement of the time vnlesse that the cursse pronounced by Formosus for this matter long afore was not regarded vntill Edward had respect thereto For the same Formosus began to gouerne the Romane sée about the yéere of our Lord 892 and liued in the papasie not past six yeeres so that he was dead before king Edward came to the crowne But how so euer this matter maie fall out this ye haue to consider although that Pleimond was sent vnto Rome to aduertise the pope what the king had decréed doone in the ordeining of bishops to their seuerall sées as before ye haue heard yet as maister Fox hath noted the gouernance and direction of the church depended chieflie vpon the kings of this land in those daies as it manifestlie appeereth as well by the decrees of king Alfred as of this king Edward whose authoritie in the election of bishops as before ye haue heard séemed then alone to be sufficient Moreouer I thinke it good to aduertise you in this place that this Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie of whome ye haue heard before was the 19 in number from Augustine the first archbishop there for after Brightwold that was the 8 in number and first of the English nation that gouerned the sée succéeded Taduin that sat thrée yéeres Notelin fiue yéeres Cuthbert 18 yéeres Brethwin thrée yeeres Lambert 27 yéeres Adelard 13 yéeres Wilfred 28 yéeres Theologildus or Pleogildus â— yéeres Celuotus or Chelutus 10 yéeres Then succéeded Aldred of whome king Edward receiued the crowne and he was predecessor to Pleimond A litle before the death of king Edward Sithrike the king of Northumberland killed his brother Nigellus and then king Reinold conquered the citie of Yorke Adelstane succeedeth his father Edward in the kingdome Alfred practising by treason to keepe him from the gouernement sanke downe suddenlie as he was taking his oth for his purgation the cause why Alfred opposed himselfe against Adelstane whose praise is notable what he did to satisfie the expectation of his people ladie Beatrice king Edwards daughter maried to Sithrike a Danish gouernor of the Northumbers by whose meanes Edwin king Edwards brother was drowned practises of treason the ladie Beatrice strangelie put to death by hir stepsons for being of counsell to poison hir husband Sithrike hir death reuenged vpon the tormentors by hir father king Edward and how chronographers varie in the report of this historie The xix Chapter ADelstane the eldest sonne of king Edward began his reigne ouer the more part of all England the yéere of our Lord 924 which was in the 6 yere of the emperour Henrie the first in the 31 yéere of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France thrée moneths after the burning of Pauie about the 22 or 23 yéere of Constantine the third king of Scotland This Adelstane was crowned and consecrated king at Kingstone vpon Thames of Aldelme the archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded Pleimond He was the 24 king in number from Cerdicus or Cerdike the first king of the Westsaxons There were in the beginning some that set themselues against him as one Alfred a noble man which practised by treason to haue kept him from the gouernement but he was apprehended yer he could bring his purpose to passe and sent to Rome there to trie himselfe giltie or not giltie And as he tooke his oth for his purgation before the altar of saint Peter he suddenlie fell downe to the earth so that his seruants tooke him vp and bare him into the English schoole or hospitall where the third night after he died Pope Iohn the tenth sent vnto king Adelstane to know if he would that his bodie should be laid in christian buriall or not The king at the contemplation of Afreds friends and kinsfolks signified to the pope that he was contented that his bodie should be interred amongst other christians His lands being forfeited were giuen by the king vnto God and saint Peter The cause that mooued Alfred and other his complices against the king was as some haue alledged his bastardie But whether that allegation were true or but a slander this is certeine that except that steine of his honor there was nothing in this Adelstane worthie of blame so that he darkened all the glorious same of his predecessors both in vertuous conditions and victorious triumphs Such difference is there to haue that in thy selfe wherein to excell rather than to stand vpon the woorthinesse of thine ancestors sith that can not rightlie be called a mans owne After that king Adelstane was established in the estate he indeuored himselfe to answer the expectation of his people which hoped for great wealth to insue by his noble and prudent gouernance First therfore meaning to prouide for the suertie of his countrie he concluded a peace with Sithrike king of the Northumbers vnto whome as ye haue heard he gaue one of his sisters named Editha in mariage Sithrike liued not past one yéere after he had so maried hir And then Adelstane brought the prouince of the Northumbers vnto his subiection expelling one Aldulph out of the same that rebelled against him There be that write that Godfrie and Aulafe the sonnes of Sithrike succéeding their father in the gouernement of Northumberland by practising to mooue warre against king Adelstane occasioned him to inuade their countrie and to chase them out of the same so that Aulafe fled into Ireland Godfrie into Scotland but other write that Godfrie was the father of Reignold which wan Yorke after that Sithrike had slaine his brother Nigellus as before is mentioned ¶ The Scotish chronicles varie in report of these matters from the English writers whose chronicles affirme that in the life time of king Edward his daughter Beatrice was giuen in mariage to Sithrike the gouernor of the Danes in Northumberland with condition that if anie male were procreated in that mariage the same should inherit the dominions of king Edward after his decease King Edward had a brother as they say named Edwin a iolie gentleman and of great estimation amongst the Englishmen He by Sithrikes procurement was sent into Flanders in a ship that leaked and so was drowned to the great reioising of all the Danes least if he had suruiued his brother he would haue made some businesse for the crowne About the same time Adelstane a base sonne of K. Edward fled the realme for doubt to be made away by some like traitorous practise of the Danes Shortlie after king
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
For by account of their writers king Malcolme began not his reigne till after the deceasse of king Adelstan who departed this life in the yeare 940. And Malcolme succéeded Constantine the third in the yeare 944 which was about the third yeare of king Edmunds reigne and after Malcolme that reigned 15 yeares succeeded Indulfe in the yeare 959. The like discordance precedeth and followeth in their writers as to the diligent reader in conferring their chronicles with ours manifestlie appeareth We therefore to satisfie the desirous to vnderstand and sée the diuersitie of writers haue for the more part in their chronicles left the same as we found it But now to the other dooings of king Edmund the third in the yeare 944 which was about it is recorded that he ordeined diuers good and wholsome lawes verie profitable and necessarie for the commonwealth which lawes with diuers other of like antiquitie are forgot and blotted out by rust of time the consumer of things woorthie of long remembrance as saith Polydor but sithens his time they haue béene recouered for the more part by maister William Lambert turned into Latine were imprinted by Iohn Day in the yeare 1568 as before I haue said Finallie this prince king Edmund after he had reigned sixe yeares and a halfe he came to his end by great miisfortune For as some say it chanced that espieng where one of his seruants was in danger to be slaine amongest his enimies that were about him with drawen swords as he stepped in to haue holpen his seruant he was slaine at a place called Pulcher church or as other haue Michelsbourgh Other say that kéeping a great feast at the aforesaid place on the day of saint Augustine the Englishas before I haue said Finallie this prince king apostle which is the 26 of Maie and as that yeare came about it fell on the tuesday as he was set at the table he espied where a common robber was placed neere vnto him whome sometime he had banished the land and now being returned without licence he presumed to come into the kings presence wherewith the king was so moued with high disdaine that he suddenlie arose from the table and flew vpon the theefe and catching him by the heare of the head threw him vnder his féet wherewithas before I haue said Finallie this prince king the théefe hauing fast hold on the king brought him downe vpon him also and with his knife stroke him into the bellie in such wise that the kings bowels fell out of his chest and there presentlie died The theefe was hewen in péeces by the kings seruants but yet he slue and hurt diuers before they could dispatch him This chance was lamentable namelie to the English people which by the ouertimelie death of their king in whome appeared manie euident tokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they had conceiued of great wealth to increase by his prudent and most princelie gouernement His bodie was buried at Glastenburie where Dunstane was then abbat There be that write that the death of king Edmund was signified aforehand to Dunstane who about the same time attending vpon the same king as he remooued from one place to an other chanced to accompanie himselfe with a noble man one duke Elstane and as they rode togither behold suddenlietokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they Dunstane saw in the waie before him where the kings musicians rode the diuell running and leaping amongst the same musicians after a reioising maner whome after he had beheld a good while he said to the duke Is it possible that you may see that which I sée The duke answered that he saw nothing otherwise than he ought to sée Then said Dunstane Blesse your eies with the signe of the crosse and trie whether you can see that I sée And when he had doone as Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in likenesse of a little short euill fauoured Aethiopian dansing and leaping whereby they gathered that some euill hap was towards some of the companie but when they had crossed and blessed them the foule spirit vanished out of their sight Now after they had talked of this vision and made an end of their talke touching the same the duke required of Dunstane to interpret a dreame which he had of late in sléepe and that was this He thought that he saw in a vision the king with all his nobls sitas Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in in his dining chamber at meate and as they were there making merrie togither the king chanced to fall into a dead sléepe and all the noble men and those of his councell that were about him were changed into robucks and goats Dunstane quicklie declared that this dreame signified the kings death and the changing of the nobles into dum and insensible beasts betokened that the princes gouernors of the realme should decline from the waie of truth and wander as foolish beasts without a guide to rule them Also the night after this talke when the king was set at supper Dunstane saw the same spirit or some other walke vp and downe amongst them that waited at the table and within thrée daies after the king was slaine as before ye haue heard Edred succedeth his brother Edmund in the realme of England the Northumbers rebell against him they and the Scots sweare to be his true subiects they breake their oth and ioine with Aulafe the Dane who returneth into Northumberland and is made king thereof the people expell him and erect Hericius in his roome king Edred taketh reuenge on the Northumbers for their disloialtie the rereward of his armie is assalted by an host of his enimies issuing out of Yorke the Northumbers submit themselues and put awaie Hericius their king Wolstane archbishop of Yorke punished for his disloialtie whereto Edred applied himselfe afterin the realme of England the Northumbers the appeasing of ciuill tumults his death and buriall a special signe of Edreds loue to Dunstane abbat of Glastenburie his practise of cousenage touching king Edreds treasure The xxij Chapter EDred the brother of Edmund and sonne to Edward the elder and to Edgiue his last wife began his reigne ouer the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 946 or as other say 997 which was in the twelfe yéere of the emperor Otho the first and in the 21 yéere of the reigne of Lewes K. of France about the third or fourth yéere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was crowned and annointed the 16 day of August by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie at Kingstone vpon Thames In the first yéere oflast wife began his reigne ouer his reigne the Northumbers rebelled against him wherevpon he raised an armie inuaded their countrie and subdued them by force This doone he went forward into Scotland but the Scots without shewing anie resistance
and vnprofitable manners of strangers Dunstance was made bishop of Worcester and had also the administration of the see of London committed vnto him He was in such fauor with thescarse was anie stréet in England but Danes had king that he ruled most things at his pleasure Ethelwold which being first a moonke of Glastenburie and after abbat of Abington was likewise made bishop of Winchester and might doo verie much with the king Also Oswald which had béene a moonke in the abbeie of Florie in France and after was made bishop of Worcester and from thence remooued to the sée of Yorke was highlie in fauor with this king so that by these thrée prelates he was most counselled Iustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for although he were courteous and gentle towards his friends yet was he sharpe and hard to offendors so that no person of what estate or degree soeuer he was escaped worthie punishment if he did transgresse the lawes and ordinances of the realme There was no priuie theefe nor common robber that durst lay hands vpon other mens goods but he might looke to make amends with losse of his life if he were knowne to be giltie For how might men that did offend thinke to escape his hands which deuised waies how to ridIustice in his daies was strictlie obserued for the countrie of all wild rauening beasts that liued vpon sucking the bloud of others For as it is said he appointed Iudweall or Ludweall king of Wales to present him with thrée hundred woolues yéerelie in name of a tribute but after thrée yéeres space there was not a woolfe to be found and so that tribute ceased in the fourth yéere after it began to be paid The death of Alfred king Edgars wife or concubine causeth him to fall into a fowle offense an example teaching men to take heed how they put others in trust to woo for them earle Ethelwold cooseneth the king of his wife the danger of beholding a womans beautie with lustfull eies king Edgar killeth earle Ethelwold to marrie faire Alfred his wife the bloudie and vnnaturall speach of Ethelwolds base sonne examples of king Edgars great incontinencie and lewd life Dunstane putteth the king of penance for his vnchastitie the Welshmen rebell against him and are corrected king Edgars vision before his death of what religious or concubine causeth him to fall into a buildings he was founder his example a spur to others to doo the like moonks esteemed and secular priests little regarded king Edgars deformed reformation his vices stature and bodilie qualities he offereth to fight hand to hand with Kinadius king of Scots vpon occasion of words euill taken Kinadius submitteth himselfe and is pardoned his wiues and children the good state of the realme in king Edgars time the amplenesse of his dominions The xxiiij Chapter IN this meane time Alfred the wife of king Edgar as some say or rather as others write his concubine died of whome he had begot a sonne named Edward The death of this woman caused the king to commit an heinous offense For albeit at the same time the same went that Horgerius duke of Cornewall or rather Deuonshire had a daughter named Alfred a damosell of excellent beautie whome Edgar minding to haue in mariage appointed one of his noble men called earle Ethelwold to go with all speed into Cornewall or Deuonshire to sée if the yoong ladies beautie answered the report that went of hir and so to breake the matter to hir father in his behalfe yet Ethelwold being a yong ioslie gentleman tooke his iournie into Cornewall and comming to the duke offense For albeit at the same time the same was well receiued and had a sight of his daughter with whose beautie he was streight rauished so far in loue that not regarding the kings pleasure who had sent him thither he began to purchase the good will of both father and daughter for himselfe and did so much that he obteined the same in déed Herevpon returning to the king he informed him that the damosell was not of such beautie and comelie personage as might he thought woorthie to match in marige with his maiestie Shortlie after perceiuing the kings mind by his wrongfull misreport to be turned and nothing bent that way he began to sue to him that he might with his fauour marie the same damosell which the king granted as one that cared not for hir bicause of the credit which he gaue to Ethelwolds words And so by this meanes Ethelwold obteined Alfred in mariage which was to his owne destruction as the case fell out For when the same of hir passing beautie did spread ouer all the realme now that she was mariedwith his maiestie and came more abroad in sight of the people the king chanced to heare thereof and desirous to sée hir deuised vnder colour of hunting to come vnto the house of Ethelwold and so did where he had no sooner set his eie vpon hir but he was so farre wrapped in the chaine of burning concupiscence that to obteine his purpose he shortlie after contriued Ethelwolds death and maried his wife Some say that the woman kindled the brand of purpose for when it was knowne that the king would sée hir Ethelwold willed hir in no wise to trim vp hir selfe but rather to disfigure hir in fowle garments and some euill fauored attire that hir natiue beautie should not appeare but she perceiuing how the matter went of spite set out hir selfe to the vttermost so that the king vpon the first sight of hix beacame so farre inamored of hir beautie that taking hir husband foorth with him on hunting into a forrest or wood then called Warlewood after Horewood not shewing that he meant him anie hurt till at length he had got him within the thicke of the wood where he suddenlie stroke him through with his dart Now as his bastard son came to the place the king asked him how he liked the maner of hunting wherto he answered Uerie well if it like your grace for that that liketh you ought not to displease me With which answer the king was so pacified that he indeuored by pretending his fauor towards the sonne to extenuat the tyrannicall murther of the father Then did the king marie the countesse Alfred and of hir begat two sonnes Edmund which died yoong and Etheldred or Egelred Besides this cruell act wrought by king Edgar for the satisfieng of his fleshlie lust he also plaied another part greatlie to the staine of his honor mooued also by wanton loue with yoong damosell named Wilfrid for after that she had to auoid the danger of him either professed hir selfe a nun or else for colour as the most part of writers agrée got hirselfe into a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns wéed he tooke hir foorth of hir cloister and lay by hir sundrie times and begat on hir a daughter named Edith who comming to
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
midst of his enimies weapons and was glad that he might so escape and so with the residue of his armie ceassed not to iournie day and night till he came to Bath where Ethelmere an earle of great power in those west parts of the realme submitted himselfe with all his people vnto him who shortlie after neuerthelesse as some write was compelled through want of vittels to release the tribute latelie couenanted to be paied vnto him for a certeine summe of monie which when hée had receiued he returned into Denmarke meaning shortlie to returne againe with a greater power King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue béene rid out of all troubles of warre with the Danes But the nobles of the realme thought otherwise and therefore willed him to prepare an armie with all spéed that might be made Swaine taried not long to proue to doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge but that with swift spéed he returned againe into England and immediatlie vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against him into the field Herevpon they ioined in battell which was sore foughten for a time till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen that turned to the enimies side the discomfiture fell with such slaughter vpon the English host that king Egelred well perceiued the state of his regall gouernement to bée brought into vtter danger Wherevpon after the losse of this field he assembled the rest of his people that were escaped and spake vnto them after this manner The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers I Shuld for euer be put to silence it there wanted in vs the vertue of a fatherlie mind in giuing good aduise counsel for the well ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth or if their lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to defend our countrie Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we are borne I confesse it a woorthie thing and I for my part am readie to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of my kingdome But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine We are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people we did at the first prepare a nauie against the enimies the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their hands Againe oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false and disloiall whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the enimies vpon dishonorable conditions euen as necessitie required which to ouercome resteth onelie in God Such kind of agreement hath beene made in deed in our destruction sith the enimies haue not sticked to breake it they being such a wicked king of people as neither regard God nor man contrarie to right and reason and beside all our hope expectation So that the matter is come now to this passe that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our gouernement but least the name of the whole English nation be destroied for euer Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand and as it were ouer our heads you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had in good regard prouide take counsell and see to succor the state of your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable ruine Herevpon they fell in consultation euerie one alledging and bringing foorth his opinion as seemed to him best but it appeared they had the woolfe by the eare for they wist not which way to turne them If they should giue battell it was to be doubted least through treason among themselues the armie should be batraied into the enimies hands the which would not faile to execute all kind of crueltie in the slaughter of the whole nation And if they stood not valiantlie to shew themselues readie to defend their countrie there was no shift but yeeld themselues Which though it were a thing reprochfull and dishonorable yet should it be lesse euill as they tooke the matter for thereby might manie be preserued from death and in time to come be able to recouer the libertie of their countrie when occasion should be offered This point was allowed of them all and so in the end they rested vpon that resolution King Egelred therefore determined to commit himselfe into the hands of his brother in law Richard duke of Normandie whose sister as ye haue heard he had maried But bicause he would not doo this vnaduisedlie first he sent ouer his wife quéene Emma with his sonnes which he had begotten of hir Alfred and Edward that by their interteinment he might vnderstand how he should be welcome Duke Richard receiued his sister and his nephues verie ioifullie and promised to aid his brother king Egelred in defense of his kingdome But in this meane while had Swaine conquered the more part of all England and brought by little and little that which remained vnder his subiection The people through feare submitting themselues on each hand king Egelred in this meane time for the Londoners had submitted themselues to Swaine was first withdrawne vnto Gréenwich and there remained for a time with the nauie of the Danes which was vnder the gouernement of earle Turkill and from thence sailed into the I le of Wight and there remained a great part of the winter and finallie after Christmas himselfe sailed into Normandie and was of his brother in law ioifullie receiued greatlie comforted in that his time of necessitie Swaine king of Denmarke is reputed king of this land he oppresseth the English people cruellie and spoileth religious houses the strange and miraculous slaughter of Swaine vaunting of his victories the Danish chronicles write parciallie of him and his end Cnute succeedeth his father Swaine in regiment the Englishmen send king Egelred woord of Swaines death Edward king Egelreds eldest sonne commeth ouer into England to know the state of the countrie and people of certeintie Egelred with his power returneth into England what meanes Cnute made to establish himselfe king of this land and to be well thought of among the English people Egelred burneth vp Gainesbrough and killeth the inhabitants therof for their disloialtie Cnutes flight to Sandwich his cruel decree against the English pledges he returneth into Denmarke why Turkillus the Danish capteine with his power compounded with the Englishmen to tarrie in this land his faithlesse seruice to Egelred his drift to make the whole realme subiect to the Danish thraldome The seuenth Chapter SWaine hauing now got the whole rule of the land was reputed full king and so commanded that his armie should be prouided of wages and vittels to be taken vp leuied through the realme In like maner Turkill
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
before the day on the which Cnute by appointment should enter and in companie of Edmund Ironside whome they had chosen to be their king and gouernour they prepared to increase their numbers with new supplies meaning eftsoones to trie the fortune of battell against the Danish power Cnute perceiuing the most part of all the realme to be thus against him and hauing no great confidence in the loialtie of the Londouers tooke order to leauie monie for the paiment of his men of warre and mariners that belonged to his nauie left the citie and imbarking himselfe sailed to the I le of Shepie and there remained all the winter In which meane while Edmund Ironside came to London where he was ioifullie receiued of the citizens and continuing there till the spring of the yéere made himselfe stong against the enimies This Edmund for his noble courage strength of bodie and notable patience to indure and suffer all such hardnesse and paines as is requisite in a man of warre was surnamed Ironside began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 1016 in the sixtéenth yéere of the emperor Henrie the second surnamed Claudius in the twentieth yéere of the reigne of Robert king of France about the sixt yéere of Malcolme the second king of the Scots After that king Edmund had receiued the crowne in the citie of London by the hands of the archbishop of Yorke he assembled togither such a power as he could make and with the same marched foorth towards the west parts and made the countrie subiect to him In the meane time was Cnute proclaimed and ordeined king at Southampton by the bishops and abbats and diuerse lords also of the temporaltie there togither assembled vnto whome he sware to be their good and faithfull souereigne and that he would sée iustice trulie and vprightlie ministred After he had ended his businesse at Southampton he drew with his people towards London and comming thither besieged the citie both by water and land causing a great trench to be cast about it so that no man might either get in or come foorth Manie great assalts he caused to be giuen vnto the citie but the Londoners and others within so valiantlie defended the wals and gates that the enimies got small aduantage and at length were constreined to depart with losse Cnute then perceiuing that he might not haue his purpose there withdrew westward and besides Gillingham in Dorsetshire incountred with K. Edmund in the Rogation weeke and after sore sharpe battell was put to the woorse and constreined to forsake the field by the high prowesse manhood of the said Edmund King Cnute the same night after the armies were seuered departed towards Winchester so to get himselfe out of danger Shortlie after king Edmund hearing that an other armie of the Danes had besieged Salisburie marched thither to succour them within and immediatlie Cnute followed him so that at a place in Worcestershire called Scorastan on the foure and twentith of Iune they incountred togither and fought a verie cruell battell which at length the night parted with equall fortune And likewise on the next day they buckled togither againe and fought with like successe as they had doone the day before for towards euening they gaue ouer well wearied and not knowing to whome the victorie ought to be ascribed Writers haue reported that this second day when duke Edrike perceiued the Englishmen to be at point to haue got the vpper hand he withdrew aside and hauing by chance slaine a common souldier called Osmear which in visage much resembled king Edmund whose head he cut off held it vp shaking his swoord bloudie with the slaughter cried to the Englishmen Flee ye wretches flee and get awaie for your king is dead behold heere his head which I hold in my hands Héerewith had the Englishmen fled immediatlie if king Edmund aduised of this stratagem had not quicklie got him to an high ground where his men might sée him aliue and lustie Héerewith also the traitor Edrike escaped hardlie the danger of death the Englishmen shot so egerlie at him At length as is said the night parting them in sunder they withdrew the one armie from the other as it had béene by consent The third day they remained in armor but yet absteining from battell sate still in taking meate and drinke to relieue their wearied bodies and after gathered in heapes the dead car cases that had béene slaine in the former fight the number of which on either partie reckoned rose to the point of twentie thousand and aboue In the night following Cnuse remooued his campe in secret wise and marched towards London which citie in a maner remained besieged by the nauie of the Danes King Edmund in the morning when the light had discouered the departure of his enimies followed them by the tract and comming to London with small adoo remooued the siege and entered the citie like a conqueror Shortlie after he fought with the Danes at Brentford and gaue them a great ouerthrow In this meane while queene Emma the widow of king Egelred doubting the fortune of the warre sent hir two sonnes Alfred and Edward ouer into Normandie vnto hir brother duke Richard or rather fled thither hirselfe with them as some write Moreouer earle Edrike perceiuing the great manhood of king Edmund began to feare least in the end he should subdue and vanquish the Danes wherefore he sought meanes to conclude a peace and take such order with him as might stand with both their contentations which yer long he brought about This was doone as you shall heare by the consent of Cnute as some write to the intent that Edrike being put in trust with king Edmund might the more easilie deuise waies how to betraie him But Cnute disappointed of his purpose at London and fetching a great bootie and preie out of the countries next adioining repared to his ships to sée what order was amongst them which a little before were withdrawen into the riuer that passeth by Rochester called Medwaie Héere Cnute remained certeine daies both to assemble a greater power and also to hearken and learne what his enimies ment to doo the which he easilie vnderstood King Edmund who hated nothing woorse than to linger his businesse assembled his people and marching forward toward his enimies approched néere vnto them pitcht downe his tents not farre from his enimies campe exhorting his people to remember their passed victories and to doo their good willes at length by one battell so to ouerthrow them that they might make an end of the warre and dispatch them cleerelie out of the realme With these and the like woords he did so incourage his souldiers that they disdaining thus to haue the enimies dailie prouoke them and to put them to trouble with eger minds and fierce courages offered battell to the Danes which Cnute had
prepared to receiue whensoeuer the Englishmen approched and heerewith bringing his men into araie he came foorth to méet his enimies Then was the battell begun with great earnestnesse on both sides continued foure houres till at length the Danes began somewhat to shrinke which when Cnute perceiued he commanded his horssemen to come forward into the forepart of his dawnted host But whilest one part of the Danes gaue backe with feare and the other came slowlie forward the arraie of the whole armie was broken then without respect of shame they fled amaine so that there died that day of Cnutes side foure thousand and fiue hundred men and of king Edmunds side not past six hundred and those were footmen This battell was fought as should appéere by diuerse writers at Okefort or Oteford It was thought that if king Edmund had pursued the victorie and followed in chase of his enimies in such wise as he safelie might haue doone Edriks counsell he had made that day an end of the warres but he was counselled by Edrike as some write in no condition to follow them but to staie and giue time to his people to refresh their wearie bodies Then Cnute with his armie passed ouer the Thames into Essex and there assembled all his power togither and began to spoile and waste the countrie on each hand King Edmund aduertised thereof hasted foorth to succour his people and at Ashdone in Essex three miles from Saffron Walden gaue battell to Cnute where after sore and cruell fight continued with great slaughter on both sides a long time duke Edrike fled to the comfort of the Danes and to the discomfort of the Englishmen Héerevpon king Edmund was constreined in the end to depart out of the field hauing first doone all that could be wished in a woorthie chiestaine both by woords to incourage his men by deeds to shew them good example so that at one time the Danes were at point to haue giuen backe but that Cnute aduised thereof rushed into the left wing where most danger was and so relieued his people there that finallie the Englishmen both wearied with long fight and also discouraged with the running awaie of some of their companie were constreined to giue-ouer and by flight to séeke their safegard so that king Edmund might not by anie meanes bring them againe into order Héere vpon all the waies and passages being forelaid and stopped by the enimies the Englishmen wanting both carriage to make longer resistance and perceiuing no hope to rest in fléeing were beaten downe and slaine in heapes so that few escaped from that dreadfull and bloudie battell There died on king Edmunds side duke Edmund duke Alfrike and duke Goodwine with earle Ulfekettell or Urchell of Eastangle and duke Aileward that was sonne to Ardelwine late duke of Eastangle and to be briefe all the floure of the English nobilitie There were also slaine at this battell manie renowmed persons of the spiritualtie as the bishop of Lincolne and the abbat of Ramsey with others king Edmund escaping awaie got him into Glocestershire and there began to raise a new armie In the place where this field was fought are yet seuen or eight hils wherein the carcases of them that were slaine at the same field were buried and one being digged downe of late there were found two bodies in a coffin of stone of which the one laie with his head towards the others féet and manie chaines of iron like to the water-chains of the bits of horsses were found in the same hill But now to the matter London other great cities townes submit themselues to Cnute be hasteth after Edmund with his power both their armies being readie to incounter by occasion are staied the oration of a capteine in the hearing of both hosts the title and right of the realme of England is put to the triall of combat betweene Cnute and Edmund Cnute is ouermatâ—ched his woords to king Edmund both kings are pacified and their armies accorded the realme diuided betwixt Cnute and Edmund king Edmund traitorouslie slaine the dissonant report of writers touching the maners of his death and both the kings dealing about the partition of the realme Cnute causeth Edrike to be slaine for procuring king Edmunds death wherein the reward of treason is noted how long king Edmund reigned and where he was buried the eclipsed state of England after his death and in whose time it recouered some part of it brightnesse The tenth Chapter IN the meane while that Edmund was buâ—ie to leauie a new armie in Glocester and other parties of Mercia Cnute hauing got so great a victorie as before is mentioned receiued into his obeisance not onelie the citie of London but also manie other cities and townes of great name and shortlie after hasted forward to pursue his enimie king Edmund who was readie with a mightie host to trie the vttermost chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine Héerevpon both the armies being readie to giue the onset the one in sight of the other at a place called Dearehurst neere to the riuer of Seuerne by the drist of duke Edrike who then at length began to shew some token of good meaning the two kings came to a communication and in the end concluded an agreement as some haue written without anie more adoo Others write that when both the armies were at point to haue ioined one of the capteins but whether he were a Dane or an Englishman it is not certeinlie told stood vp in such a place as he might be heard of both the princes boldlie vttered his mind in former following The oration of a capteine in the audience of the English and Danish armie WE haue most woorthie capteins fought long inough one against another there hath beene but too much bloud shed betweene both the nations and the valiancie of the souldiers on both sides is sufficientlie seene by triall either of your manhoods likewise and yet can you beare neither good nor euill fortune If one of you win the battell he pursueth him that is ouercome and if he chance to be vanquished he resteth no till he haue recouered new strength to fight eftsoones with him that is victor What should you meane by this your inuincible courage At what marke shooteth your greedie desire to beare rule and your excessiue thirst to atteine honour If you fight for a kingdome diuide it betweene you two which sometime was sufficient for seuen kings but if you couet to winne fame and glorious renowme and for the same are driuen to try the hazard whether ye shall command or obeie deuise the waie whereby ye may without so great slaughter and without such pitifull bloudshed of both your guiltlesse peoples trie whether of you is most woorthie to be preferred Thus made he an end and the two princes allowed well of his last motion and so order was taken that they should
fight togither in a singular combat within a litle Iland inclosed with the riuer of Seuerne called Oldney with condition that whether of them chanced to be victor should be king and the other to resigne his title for euer into his hands The two princes entering into the place appointed in faire armour began the battell in sight of both their armies ranged in goodlie order on either side the riuer with doubtfull minds and nothing ioifull as they that wauered betwixt hope and feare The two champions manfullie assailed either other without sparing First they went to it on horssebacke and after on foot Cnute was a man of a meane stature but yet strong and hardie so that receiuing a great blow by the hand of his aduersarie which caused him somewhat to stagger yet recouered himselfe and baldly stept forward to be reuenged But perceiuing he could not find aduantage and that he was rather too weake and shrewdlie ouermatched he spake to Edmund with a lowd voice on this wise What necessitie saith he ought thus to mooue vs most valiant prince that for the obteining of a kingdome we should thus put our liues in danger Better were it that laieng armour and malice aside we should condescend to some reasonable agreement Let vs become sworne brethren and part the kingdome betwixt vs and let vs deale so friendlie that thou maist vse my things as thine owne and I thine as though they were mine King Edmund with those woords of his aduersarie was so pacified that immediatlie he cast awaie his swoord and comming to Cnute ioined hands with him Both the armies by their example did the like which looked for the same fortune to fall on their countries which should happen to their princes by the successe of that one battell After this there was an agreement deuised betwixt them so that a partition of the realme was made and that part that lieth fore against France was assigned to Edmund and the other fell to Cnute There be that write how the offer was made by king Edmund for the auoiding of more bloudshed that the two princes should trie the matter thus togither in a singular combat But Cnute refused the combat bicause as he alledged the match was not equall For although he was able to match Edmund in boldnesse of stomach yet was he farre too weake to deale with a man of such strength as Edmund was knowne to be But sith they did pretend title to the realme by due and good direct meanes he thought it most conuenient that the kingdome should be diuided betwixt them This motion was allowed of both the armies so that king Edmund was of force constreined to be contented therewith ¶ Thus our common writers haue recorded of this agreement but if I should not be thought presumptuous in taking vpon me to reprooue or rather but to mistrust that which hath béene receiued for a true narration in this matter I would rather giue credit vnto that which the author of the booke intituled Encomium Emmae dooth report in this behalfe Which is that through persuasion of Edrike de Streona king Edmund immediatelie after the battell fought at Ashdone sent ambassadors vnto Cnute to offer vnto him peace with halfe the realme of England that is to say the north parts with condition that king Edmund might quietlie inioy the south parts and therevpon haue pledges deliuered interchangeablie on either side Cnute hauing heard the effect of this message staied to make answer till he heard what his councell would aduise him to doo in this behalfe and vpon good deliberation taken in the matter considering that he had lost no small number of people in the former battell and that being farre out of his countrie he could not well haue anie new supplie where the Englishmen although they had likewise lost verie manie of their men of warre yet being in their owne countrie it should be an easie matter for them to restore their decaid number it was thought expedient by the whole consent of all the Danish capteins that the offer of king Edmund should be accepted Herevpon Cnute calling the ambassadors before him againe declared vnto them that he was contented to conclude a peace vpon such conditions as they had offered but yet with this addition that their king whatsoeuer he should be should paie Cnutes souldiers their wages with monie to be leuied of that part of the kingdome which the English king should possesse For this saith he I haue vndertaken to sée them paid and otherwise I will not grant to anie peace The league and agréement therefore being concluded in this sort pledges were deliuered and receiued on both parties and the armies discharged But God saith mine author being mindfull of his old doctrine that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe cannot long stand shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life and by such meanes séemed to take pitie of the English kingdome lest if both the kings should haue continued in life togither they should haue liued in danger And incontiuenlie herevpon was Cnute chosen and receiued for absolute king of all the whole realme of England Thus hath he written that liued in those daies whose credit thereby is much aduanced Howbeit the common report of writers touching the death of Edmund varieth from this who doo affirme that after Cnute and Edmund were made friends the serpent of enuie and false conspiracie burnt so in the hearts of some traitorous persons that within a while after king Edmund was slaine at Oxford as he sat on a priuie to doo the necessaries of nature The common report hath gone that carle Edrike was the procurer of this villanous act and that as some write his sonne did it But the author that wrote Encomium Emmae writing of the death of Edmund hath these words immediatlie after he had first declared in what sort the two princes were agréed and had made partition of the realme betwixt them But God saith he being mindfull of his old doctrine that Euerie kingdome diuided in it selfe can not long stand shortlie after tooke Edmund out of this life and by such meanes séemed to take pitie vpon the English kingdome least if both the kings should haue continued in life togither they should both haue liued in great danger and the realme in trouble With this agreeth also Simon Dunel who saith that king Edmund died of naturall sicknesse by course of kind at London about the feast of saint Andrew next insuing the late mentioned agreement And this should séeme true for whereas these authors which report that earle Edrike was the procurer of his death doo also write that when he knew the act to be done he hasted vnto Cnute and declared vnto him what he had brought to passe for his aduancement to the gouernment of the whole realme Wherevpon nute abhorring such a detestable fact said vnto him Bicause thou hast for my sake
made away the worthiest bodie of the world I shall raise thy head aboue all the lords of England and so caused him to be put to death Thus haue some bookes Howbeit this report agreeth not with other writers which declare how Cnute aduanced Edrike in the beginning of his reigne vnto high honor and made him gouernor of Mercia and vled his counsell in manie things after the death of king Edmund as in banishing Edwin the brother of king Edmund with his sonnes also Edmund and Edward But for that there is such discordance and variable report amongst writers touching the death of king Edmund and some fables inuented thereof as the manner is we will let the residue of their reports passe sith certeine it is that to his end he came after he had reigned about the space of one yéere and so much more as is betwéene the moneth of Iune and the latter end of Nouember His bodie was buried at Glastenburie neere his vncle Edgar With this Edmund surnamed Ironside fell the glorious maiestie of the English kingdome the which afterward as it had beene an aged bodie being sore decaied and weakened by the Danes that now got possession of the whole yet somewhat recouered after the space of 26 yéers vnder king Edward surnamed the Confessor and shortlie therevpon as it had béene falne into a resiluation came to extreame ruine by the inuasion and conquest of the Normans as after by Gods good helpe and fauorable assistance it shall appeare So that it would make a diligent and marking reader both muse and moorne to see how variable the state of this kingdome hath béene thereby to fall into a consideration of the frailtie and vncerteintie of this mortall life which is no more frée from securitie than a ship on the sea in tempestuous weather For as the casualties wherewith our life is inclosed and beset with round about are manifold so also are they miserable so also are they sudden so also are they vnauoidable And true it is that the life of man is in the hands of God and the state of kingdoms dooth also belong vnto him either to continue or discontinue But to the processe of the matter Cnute vndertaketh the totall regiment of this land he assembleth a councell at London the nobles doo him homage he diuideth the realme into foure parts to be gouerned by his assignes Edwin and Edward the sonnes of Edmund are banished their good fortune by honorable mariages King Cnute marieth queene Emma the widow of Egelred the wise and politike conditions wherevpon this mariage was concluded the English bloud restored to the crowne and the Danes excluded queene Emma praised for hir high wisedome in choosing an enimie to hir husband Cnute dismisseth the Danish armie into Denmarke Edrike de Streona bewraieth his former trecherie and procureth his owne death through rashnesse and follie the discordant report of writers touching the maner cause of his death what noble men were executed with him and banished out of England Cnute a monarch The xj Chapter CAnute or Cnute whome the English chronicles doo name Knought after the death of king Edmund tooke vpon him the whole rule ouer all the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 1017 in the seuentéenth yeere of the emperour Henrie the second surnamed Claudus in the twentith yéere of the reigne of Robert king of France and about the 7 yeere of Malcolme king of Scotland Cnute shortlie after the death of king Edmund assembled a councell at London in the which he caused all the nobles of the realme to doo him homage in receiuing an oth of loiall obeisance He diuided the realme into foure parts assigning Northumberland vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius Mercia vnto Edrike and Eastangle vnto Turkill and reseruing the west part to his owne gouernance He banished as before is said Edwin the brother of king Edmund but such as were suspected to be culpable of Edmunds death he caused to be put to execution whereby it should appeere that Edrike was not then in anie wise detected or once thought to be giltie The said Edwin afterwards returned and was then reconciled to the kings fauor as some write but shortlie after traitorouslie slaine by his owne seruants He was called the king of churles Others write that he came secretlie into the realme after he had béene banished and kéeping himselfe closelie out of sight at length ended his life and was buried at Tauestocke Moreouer Edwin and Edward the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the land and sent firt vnto Sweno king of Norweie to haue bin made away but Sweno vpon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie where they found great fauor at the hands of king Salomon insomuch that Edwin maried the daughter of the same Salomon but had no issue by hir Edward was aduanced to marie with Agatha daughter of the emperour Henrie and by hir had issue two sonnes Edmund and Edgar surnamed Edeling and as many daughters Margaret and Christine of the which in place conuenient more shall be said When king Cnute had established things as he thought stood most for his suertie he called to his remembrance that he had no issue but two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno begotten of his concubine Alwine Wherefore he sent ouer to Richard duke of Normandie requiring to haue quéene Emma the widow of king Egelred in mariage and so obteined hir not a little to the woonder of manie which thought a great ouersight both in the woman and in hir brother that would satisfied the request of Cnute herein considering he had beene such a mortall enimie to hir former husband But duke Richard did not onelie consent that his said sister should be maried vnto Cnute but also he himselfe tooke to wife the ladie Hestritha sister to the said Cnute ¶ Here ye haue to vnderstand that this mariage was not made without great consideration large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obteine queene Emma to his wife it was fullie condescended agréed that after Cnuts decease the crowne of England should remaine to the issue borne of this mariage betwixt hir Cnute which couenant although it was not performed immediatlie after the deceasse of king Cnute yet in the end it tooke place so as the right séemed to be deferred and not to be taken away nor abolished for immediatlie vpon Harolds death that had vsurped Hardicnute succéeded as right heire to the crowne by force of the agréement made at the time of the mariage solemnized betwixt his father and mother and being once established in the kingdome he ordeined his brother Edward to succéed him whereby the Danes were vtterlie excluded from all right that they had to pretend vnto the crowne of this land and the English bloud restored thereto chieflie by that gratious conclusion of this mariage betwixt king Cnute and quéene Emma For the
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
vp vnto his legs and knees Wherewith the king started suddenlie vp and withdrew from it saieng withall to his nobles that were about him Behold you noble men you call me king which can not so much as staie by my commandement this small portion of water But know ye for certeine that there is no king but the father onelie of our Lord Iesus Christ with whome he reigneth at whose becke all things are gouerned Let vs therefore honor him let vs confesse and professe him to be the ruler of heauen earth and sea and besides him none other From thence he went to Winchester and there with his owne hands set his crowne vpon the head of the image of the crucifix which stood there in the church of the apostles Peter and Paule and from thenceforth he would neuer weare that crowne nor anie other Some write that he spake not the former words to the sea vpon anie presumptuousnesse of mind but onelie vpon occasion of the vaine title which in his commendation on of his gentlemen gaue him by way of flatterie as he rightlie tooke it for he called him the most mightiest king of all kings which ruled most at large both men sea and land Therefore to reprooue the fond flatterie of such vaine persons he deuised and practised the déed before mentioned thereby both to reprooue such flatterers and also that men might be admonished to consider the omnipotencie of almightie God He had issue by his wife quéene Emma a sonne named by the English chronicles Hardiknought but by the Danish writers Canute or Knute also a daughter named Gonilda that was after maried to Henrie the sonne of Conrad which also was afterwards emperour and named Henrie the third By his concubine Alwine that was daughter to Alselme whome some name earle of Hampton he had two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno He was much giuen in his latter daies to vertue as he that considered how perfect felicitie rested onelie in godlines and true deuotion to serue the heauenlie king and gouernour of all things He repared in his time manie churches abbeies and houses of religion which by occasion of warres had béene fore defaced by him and his father but speciallie he did great cost vpon the abbeie of saint Edmund in the towne of Burie as partlie before is mentioned He also built two abbeies from the foundation as saint Benets in Norffolke seuen miles distant from Norwich and an other in Norwaie He did also build a church at Ashdone in Essex where he obteined the victorie of king Edmund and was present at the hallowing or consecration therof with a great multitude of the lords and nobles of the realme both English and Danes He also holpe with his owne hands to remooue the bodie of the holie archbishop Elphegus when the same was translated from London to Canturburie The roiall and most rich iewels which he his wife quéene Emma gaue vnto the church of Winchester might make the beholders to woonder at such their exceeding and bountifull munificence Thus did Cnute striue to reforme all such things as he and his ancestors had doone amisse and to wipe awaie the spot of euil dooing as suerlie to the outward sight of the world he did in deed he had the archbishop of Canturburie Achelnotus in singular reputation and vsed his counsell in matters of importance He also highlie fauoured Leofrike earle of Chester so that the same Leofrike bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of the common wealth vnder him as one of his chiefe councellors Diuerse lawes and statutes he made for the gouernment fo the common wealth partlie agréeable with the lawes of king Edgar and other the kings that were his predecessors and partlie tempered according to his owne liking and as was thought to him most expedient among the which there be diuerse that concerne causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall Whereby as maister Fox hath noted it maie be gathered that the gouernment of spirituall matters did depend then not vpon the bishop of Rome but rather apperteined vnto the lawfull authoritie of the temporall prince no lesse than matters and causes temporall But of these lawes statutes enacted by king Cnute ye may read more as ye find them set foorth in the before remembred booke of maister Willliam Lambert which for briefenesse we héere omit Variance amongest the peeres of the realme about the roiall succession the kingdome is diuided betwixt Harold the bastard sonne and Hardicnute the lawfullie begotten son of king Cnute late deceassed Harold hath the totall regiment the authoritie of earle Goodwine gardian to the queenes sonnes Harold is proclaimed king why Elnothus did stoutlie refuse to consecrate him why Harold was surnamed Harefoot he is supposed to be a shoomakers sonne and how it came to passe that he was counted king Cnutes bastard Alfred challengeth the crowne from Harold Goodwine vnder colour of friendlie interteinment procureth his retinues vtter vndooing a tithing of the Normans by the poll whether Alfred was interessed in the crowne the trecherous letter of Harold written in the name of queene Emma to hir two sons in Normandie wherevpon Alfred commeth ouer into England the vnfaithfull dealing of Goodwine with Alfred and his people teaching that in trust is treason a reseruation of euerie tenth norman the remanent slaine the lamentable end of Alfred and with what torments he was put to death Harold banisheth queene Emma out of England he degenerateth from his father the short time of his reigne his death and buriall The xiiij Chapter AFter that Cnute was departed this life there arose much variance amongst the peeres and great lords of the realme about the succession The Danes and Londoners which through continuall familiaritie with the Danes were become like vnto them elected Harold the base sonne of king Cnute to succéed in his fathers roome hauing earle Leofrike and diuerse other of the noble men of the north parts on their side But other of the Englishmen and namelie earle Goodwine earle of Kent with the chiefest lords of the west parts coueted rather to haue one of king Egelreds sonnes which were in Normandie or else Hardicnute the sonne of king Cnute by his wife quéene Emma which remained in Denmarke aduanced to the place This controuersie held in such wise that the realme was diuided as some write by lot betwixt the two brethren Harold and Hardicnute The north part as Mercia and Northumberland fell to Harold and the south part vnto Hardicnute but at length the whole remained vnto Harold bicause his brother Hardicnute refused to come out of Denmarke to take the gouernment vpon him But yet the authoritie of earle Goodwine who had the queene and the treasure of the realme in his kéeping staied the matter a certeine time professing himselfe as it were gardian to the yoong men the sonnes of the quéene
till at length he was constreined to giue ouer his hold and conforme himselfe to the stronger part and greater number And so at Oxford where the assemblie was holden about the eelction Harold was proclaimed king and consecrated according to the maner as some write But it should appeere by other that Elnothus the archbishop of Canturburie a man indued with all vertue and wisedome refused to crowne him for when king Harold being elected of the nobles and péeres required the said archbishop that he might be of him consecrated and receiue at his hands the regall scepter with the crowne which the archbishop had in his custodie and to whome it onelie did apperteine to inuest him therewith the archbishop flatlie refused and with an oth protested that he would not consecrate anie other for king so long as the quéenes children liued for saith he Cnute committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I kéepe my faith and loiall obedience The scepter and crowne I héere lay downe vpon the altar and neither doo I denie nor deliuer them vnto you but I forbid by the apostolike authoritie all the bishops that none of them presume to take the same awaie and deliuer them to you or consecrate you for king As for your selfe if you dare you maie vsurpe that which I haue committed vnto God and his table But whether afterwards the king by one meane or other caused the archbishop to crowne him king or that he was consecrated of some other he was admitted king of all the English people beginning his reigne in the yéere of our Lord a thousand thirtie and six in the fouretenth yéere of the emperor Conrad the second in the sixt yéere of Henrie the first king of France and about the seuen and twentith yéere of Malcolme the second king of Scots This Harold for his great swiftnesse was surnamed Harefoot of whome little is written touching his dooings sauing that he is noted to haue béene an oppressor of his people and spotted with manie notable vices It was spoken of diuerse in those daies that this Harold was not the sonne of Cnute but of a shoomaker and that his supposed mother Elgina king Cnutes concubine to bring the king further in loue with hir feined that she was with child and about the time that she should be brought to bed as she made hir account caused the said shoomakers son to be secretlie brought into hir chamber and then vntrulie caused it to be reported that she was deliuered and the child so reputed to be the kings sonne Immediatlie vpon aduertisement had of Cnutes death Alfred the sonne of king Egelred with fiftie saile landed at Sandwich meaning to challenge the crowne and to obteine it by lawfull claime with quietnesse if he might if not then to vse force by aid of his friends and to assaie that waie foorth to win it if he might not otherwise obteine it From Sandwich he came to Canturburie and shortlie after earle Goodwine feining to receiue him as a friend came to meet him and at Gilford in the night season appointed a number of armed men to fall vpon the Normans as they were asléepe and so tooke them togither with Alfred slue the Normans by the poll in such wise that nine were slaine tenth reserued But yet when those that were reserued seemed to him a greater number than he wished to escape he fell to and againe tithed them as before Alfred had his eies put out and was concueied to the I le of Elie where shortlie after he died ¶ How Alfred should claime the crowne to himselfe I sée not for verelie I can not be persuaded that he was the elder brother though diuers authors haue so written sith Gemeticensis the author of the booke called Encomium Emmae plainlie affirme that Edward was the elder but it might be that Alfred being a man of a stouter stomach than his brother Edward made this attempt either for himselfe or in the behalfe of is brother Edward being as then absent and gone into Hungarie as some write but other say that as well Edward as Alfred ame ouer at this time with a number of Norman knights and men of warre imbarked in a few ships onelie to speake with their mother who as then lay at Winchester whether to take aduise with hir how to recouer their right heere in this land or to aduance their brother Hardicnute or for some other purpose our authors doo not declare But the lords of the realme that bare their good wils vnto Harold and though contrarie to right ment to mainteine him in the estate seemed to be much offended with the comming of these two brethren in such order for earle Goodwine persuaded them that it was great danger to suffer so manie strangers to the enter the realme as they had brought with them Wherevpon earle Goodwine with the assent of the other lords or rather by commandement of Harold went foorth and at Gilford met with Alfred that was comming towards king Harold to speake with him accordinglie as he was of Harold required to doo But now being taken and his companie miserablie murthered as before ye haue heard to the number of six hundred Normans Alfred himselfe was sent into the I le of Elie there to remaine in the abbeie in custodie of the moonks hauing his eies put out as soone as he entered first into the same I le William Malmesburie saith that Alfred came ouer and was thus handeled betwixt the time of Harolds death the comming in of Hardicnute Others write that this chanced in his brother Hardicnuts daies which séemeth not to be true for Hardicnute was knowne to loue his brethren by his mothers side too dearelie to haue suffered anie such iniurie to be wrought against either of them in his time ¶ Thus ye sée how writers dissent in this matter but for the better clearing of the truth touching the time I haue thought good to shew also what the author of the said booke intituled Encomium Emmae writeth hereof which is as followeth When Harold was once established king he sought meanes how to rid quéene Emma out of the way and that secretlie for that openlie as yet he durst not attempt anie thing against hir She in silence kept hir selfe quiet looking for the end o these things But Harold remembring himselfe of a malicious purpose by wicked aduise tooke counsell how he might get into his hands and make away the sons of quéene Emma 〈◊〉 â—e out of danger of all annoiance that by them might be procured against him Wherefore he caused a letter to be written in the name of their mother Emma which he sent by certeine messengers suborned for the same purpose into Normandie where Edward and Alfred as then remained The tenour of which letter here insueth The tenour of a letter forged and sent in queene Emmas name to hir two sonnes EMmatantùm nomine regina
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
a triple habergion guilt on their bodies with guilt burgenets on their heads a swoord with guilt hilts girded to their waâ—â—es a battell are after the maner of the Daues on the left shoulder a target with bosses and mails guilt in their left hand a dart in their right hand and thus to conclude they were furnished at all points with armor and weapon accordinglie It hath beene said that earle Goodwine minded to marie his daughter to one of these brethren and perceiuing that the elder brother Alfred would disdaine to haue hir thought good to dispatch him that the other taking hir to wife hée might be next heire to the crowne and so at length inioy it as afterwards came to passe Also about that time when the linage of the kings of England was in maner extinct the English people were much carefull as hath béene said about the succession of those that should inioie the crowne Wherevpon as one Brightwold a moonke of Glastenburie that was afterward bishop of Wincester or as some haue written of Worcester studied oftentimes thereon it chanced that he dreamed one night as he slept in his bed that he saw saint Peter consecrate annoint Edward the sonne of Egelred as their remaining in exile in Normandie king of England And as he thought he did demand of saint Peter who should succéed the said Edward Wherevnto answer was made by the apostle Haue thou no care for such matters for the kingdome of England is Gods kingdome Which suerlie in good earnest may appeare by manie great arguments to be full true vnto such as shall well consider the state of this realme from time to time how there hath béene euer gouernours raised vp to mainteine the maiestie of the kingdome and to reduce the same to the former dignitie when by anie infortunate mishap it hath beene brought in danger But to returne now to king Hardicnute after he had reigned two yéeres lacking 10 daies as he sat at the table in a great feast holden at Lambeth he fell downe suddenlie with the pot in his hand and so died not without some suspicion of poison This chanced on the 8 of Iune at Lambeth aforesaid where on the same day a mariage was solemnized betwéene the ladie Githa the daughter of a noble man called Osgot Clappa and a Danish lord also called Canute Prudan His bodie was buried at Winchester besides his fathers He was of nature verie curteous gentle and liberall speciallie in keeping good chéere in his house so that he would haue his table couered foure times a day furnished with great plentie of meates and drinks wishing that his seruants and all strangers that came to his palace might rather leaue than want It hath béene commonlie told that Englishmen learned of him their excessiue gourmandizing vnmeasurable filling of their panches with meates and drinkes whereby they forgat the vertuous vse of sobrietie so much necessarie to all estates and degrées so profitable for all common-wealths and so commendable both in the sight of God and all good men In this Hardicnute ceased the rule of the Danes within this land with the persecution which they had executed against the English nation for the space of 250 yeres more that is to say euer since the tenth yeere of Brithrike the king of Westsaxons at what time they first began to inuade the English coasts Howbeit after others they should séeme to haue ruled here but 207 reckoning from their bringing in by the Welshmen in despite of the Saxons at which time they first began to inhabit here which was 835 of Christ 387 after the comming of the Saxons and 35 néere complet of the reigne of Egbert ¶ But to let this peece of curiositie passe this land felt that they had a time of arriuall a time of inuading a time of ouerrunning and a time of ouerrunling the inhabitants of this maine continent Wherof manifest proofes are at this day remaining in sundrie places sundrie ruines I meane and wastes committed by them vpon the which whensoeuer a man of a relenting spirit casteth his eie he can not but enter into a dolefull consideration of former miseries and lamenting the defacements of this I le by the crueltie of the bloudthirstie enimie cannot but wish if he haue but Minimam misericordiae guttam quae maiorest spatioso oceano as one saith and earnestlie desire in his heart that the like may neuer light vpon this land but may be auerted and turned away from all christian kingdomes through his mercie whose wrath by sinne being set on fire is like a consuming flame and the swoord of whose vengeance being sharpened with the whetstone of mens wickednesse shall hew them in péeces as wood for the fornace Thus farre the tumultuous and tyrannicall regiment of the Danes inferring fulnesse of afflictions to the English people wherewith likewise the seuenth booke is shut vp THE EIGHT BOOKE of the Historie of England Edward the third of that name is chosen king of England by a generall consent ambassadours are sent to attend him homewardes to his kingdome and to informe him of his election William duke of Normandie accompanieth him Edward is crowned king the subtill ambition or ambitious subtiltie of earle Goodwine in preferring Edward to the crowne and betraieng Alfred the Danes expelled and rid out of this land by decree whether earle Goodwine was guiltie of Alfreds death king Edward marieth the said earles daughter he forbeareth to haue carnall knowledge with hir and why he vseth his mother queene Emma verie hardlie accusations brought against hir she is dispossessed of hir goods and imprisoned for suffering bishop Alwine to haue the vse of hir bodie she purgeth and cleareth hir selfe after a strange sort hir couetousnesse mothers are taught by hir example to loue their children with equalitie hir liberall deuotion to Winchester church cleared hir from infamie of couetousnesse king Edward loued hir after hir purgation why Robert archbishop of Canturburie fled out of England into Normandie The first Chapter IMmediatlie vpon the deth of Hardiknought and before his corps was committed to buriall his halfe brother Edward sonne of king Egelred begotten of quéene Emma was chosen to be K. of England by the generall consent of all the nobles and commons of the realme Therevpon where ambassadours sent with all spéed into Normandie to signifie vnto him his election and to bring him from thence into England in deliuering pledges for more assurance that no fraud nor deceit was ment of the Englishmen but that vpon his comming thither he should receiue the crowne without all contradiction Edward then aided by his coosine William duke of Normandie tooke the sea with a small companie of Normans came into England where he was receiued with great ioy as king of the realme immediatlie after was crowned at Winâ—hester by Edsinus then archbishop of Canturburie on Easter day in the yeare of our Lord 1043
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
vnder his iurisdiction The earle who was a man of a bold courage and quicke wit did perceiue that the matter was made a great deale woorse at the first in the beginning than of likelihood it would prooue in the end thought it reason therefore that first the answere of the Kentishmen should be heard before anie sentence were giuen against them Héerevpon although the king commanded him foorthwith to go with an armie into Kent and to punish them of Canturburie in most rigorous maner yet he would not be too hastie but refused to execute the kings commandement both for that he bare a péece of grudge in his mind that the king should fauour strangers so highlie as he did and againe bicause héereby he should séeme to doo pleasure to his countriemen in taking vpon him to defend their cause against the rough accusations of such as had accused them Wherefore he declared to the king that it should be conuenient to haue the supposed offendors first called afore him and if they were able to excuse themselues then to be suffered to depart without further vexation and if they were found faultie then to be put to their fine both as well in satisfieng the king whose peace they had broken as also the earle whom they had in damaged Earle Goodwine departed thus from the king leauing him in a great furie howbeit he passed litle thereof supposing it would not long continue But the king called a great assemblie of his lords togither at Glocester that the matter might be more déepelie considered Siward earle of Northumberland and Leofrike earle of Chester with Rafe earle of Hereford the kings nephue by his sister Goda and all other the noble men of the realme onlie earle Goodwine and his sonnes ment not to come there except they might bring with them a great power of armed men and so remained at Beuerstane with such bands as they had leauied vnder a colour to resist the Welshmen whome they bruted abroad to be readie to inuade the marches about Hereford But the Welshmen preuenting that slander signified to the king that no such matter was ment on their parties but that earle Goodwine and his sonnes with their complices went about to mooue a commotion against him Héerevpon a rumor was raised in the court that the kings power should shortlie march foorth to assaile earle Goodwine in that place where he was lodged Wherevpon the same earle prepared himselfe and sent to his friends willing to sticke to this quarrell and if the king should go about to force them then to withstand him rather than to yéeld and suffer themselues to be troden vnder foot by strangers Goodwine in this meane time had got togither a great power of his countries of Kent Southerie and other of the west parts Swaine like wise had assembled much people out of his countries of Barkeshire Orfordshire Summersetshire Herefordshire and Glocestershire And Harold was also come to them with a great multitude which he had leuied in Essex Norffolke Sufforld Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire On the other part the earles that were with the king Leofrike Siward and Rafe raised all the power which they might make and the same approching to Glocester the king thought himselfe in more suertie than before in so much that whereas earle Goodwine who lay with his armie at Langton there not farre off in Glocestershire had sent vnto the king requiring that the earle of Bullongne with the other Frenchmen and also the Normans which held the castell of Douer might be deliuered vnto him The king though at the first he stood in great doubt what to doo yet hearing now that an armie of his friends was comming made answere to the messingers which Goodwine had sent that he would not deliuer a man of those whome Goodwine required and héerewith the said messengers being departed the kings armie entered into Glocester and such readie good wils appéered in them all to fight with the aduersaries that if the king would haue permitted they would foorth with haue gone out and giuen battell to the enimies Thus the matter was at point to haue put the realme in hazard not onelie of a field but of vtter ruine that might thereof haue insued for what on the one part and the other there were assembled the chiefest lords and most able personages of the land But by the wisedome and good aduise of earle Leofrike and others the matter was pacified for a time and order taken that they should come to a parlement or communication at London vpon pledges giuen and receiued as well on the one part as the other The king with a mightie armie of the Northumbers and them of Mercia came vnto London and earle Goodwine with his sonnes and a great power of the Westsaxons came into Southwarke but perceiuing that manie of his companie stale awaie and slipt from him he durst not abide anie longer to enter talke with the king as it was couenanted but in the night next insuing fled awaie with all spéed possible Some write how an order was prescribed that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine should depart the land as a banished man to qualifie the kings wrath and that Goodwine and one other of his sons that is to say Harold should come to an other assemblie to be holden at London accompanied with 12 seruants onelie to resigne all his force of knights gentlemen and souldiers vnto the kings guiding and gouernment But when this last article pleased nothing earle Goodwine and that he perceiued how his force began to decline so as he should not be able to match the kings power he fled the realme and so likewise did his sonnes He himselfe with his sonnes Swanus Tostie and Girth sailed into Flanders and Harold with his brother Leofwine gat ships at Bristow and passed into Ireland Githa the wife of Goodwine and Iudith the wife of Tostie the daughter of Baldwine earle of Flanders went ouer also with their husbands Goodwine and his sonnes are proclaimed outlawes their lands are giuen from them king Edward putteth awaie the queene his wife who was earle Goodwines daughter she cleareth hir selfe at the houre of hir death from suspicion of incontinencie and lewdnesse of life why king Edward forbare to haue fleshlie pleasure with hir earle Goodwine and his sonnes take preies on the coasts of Kent and Sussex Griffin king of Wales destroieth a great part of Herefordshire and giueth his incounterers the ouerthrow Harold and Leofwine two brethren inuade Dorset and Summerset shires they are resisted but yet preuaile they coast about the point of Cornwall and ioine with their father Goodwine king Edward maketh out threescore armed ships against them a thicke mist separateth both sides being readie to graple and fight a pacification betweene the king and earle Goodwine he is restored to his lands and libertie he was well friended counterpledges of agreement interchangablie deliuered Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine
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
so at length by their diligent trauell the matter was taken vp and the armies being dismissed on both parts earle Goodwine was restored to his former dignitie Herevpon were pledges deliuered on his behalfe that is to say Wilnotus one of his sonnes and Hacun the sonne of Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine These two pledges were sent vnto William duke of Normandie to be kept with him for more assurance of Goodwines loialtie Some write that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine was not reconciled to the kings fauour at this time but whether he was or not this is reported of him for a truth that after he had attempted sundrie rebellions against king Edward he lastlie also rebelled against his father Goodwine and his brother Harold and became a pirate dishonouring with such manifold robberies as he made on the seas the noble progenie whereof he was descended Finallie vpon remorse of conscience as hath béene thought for murthering of his coosine or as some say his brother erle Bearne he went on pilgrimage to Hierusalem and died by the way of cold which he caught in returning homeward as some write in Licia but others affirme that he fell into the hands of Saracens that were robbers by the high waies and so was murthered of them At what time William duke of Normandie came ouer into England king Edward promiseth to make him his heire to the kingdom and crowne the death of queene Emma earle Goodwine being growne in fauor againe seeketh new reuenges of old grudges causing archbishop Robert and certeine noble Normans his aduersaries to be banished Stigand intrudeth himselfe into archbishop Roberts see his simonie and lacke of learning what maner of men were thought meet to be made bishops in those daies king Edward beginneth to prouide for the good and prosperous state of his kingdome his consideration of lawes made in his predecessours times and abused the lawes of S. Edward vsuallie called the common lawes how whereof and wherevpon institured the death of earle Goodwine being sudden as some say or naturall as others report his vertues and vices his behauiour and his sonnes vpon presumption and will in the time of their authorities his two wiues and children the sudden and dreadfull death of his mother hir selling of the beautifull youth male and female of this land to the Danish people The fourth Chapter THe foresaide William duke of Normandie that after conquered this land during the time of Goodwines outlawrie 〈…〉 to this land with 〈…〉 of men and 〈…〉 receiued of the king 〈…〉 great chéere Now after he had taried a season hereturned into his countrie not without great gifts of iewels and other things which the king most liberallie bestowed vpon him And as some write the king promised him at that time to make him his heire to the realme of England if he chanced to die without issue ¶ Shortlie after or rather somewhat before queene Emma the kings mother died and was buried at Winchester After that earle Goodwine was restored to the kings fauour bicause he knew that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie had beene the chéefe procurer of the kings euill will towards him he found means to weare him out of credit and diuers other specially of the Normans bearing the world in hand that they had sought to trouble the state of the realme to set variance betwixt the king and the lords of the English nation whereas the Normans againe alledged that earle Goodwine and his sonnes abused the kings soft and gentle nature would not sticke to ieast and mocke at his curteous and mild procéedings But howsoeuer the matter went archbishop Robert was glad to depart out of the realme and going to Rome made complaint in the court there of the iniuries that were offred him but in returning through Normandie he died in the abbeie of Gemmeticum where he had bene moonke before his comming into England Diuerse others were compelled to forsake the realme at the same time both spirituall men and temporall as William bishop of London and Ulfe bishop of Lincolne Osberne named Pentecost and his companion Hugh were constreined to surrender their castels and by licence of earle Leosrike withdrew thorough his countrie into Scotland where of king Mackbeth they were honorablie receiued These were Normans for as partlie ye haue heard king Edward brought with him no small number of that nation when he came from thence to receiue the crowne and by them he was altogither ruled to the great offending of his owne naturall subiects the Englishmen namelie earle Goodwine and his sonnes who in those daies for their great possessions and large reuenues were had in no small reputation with the English people After that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed the realme as before ye haue heard Stigand was made archbishop of Canturburie or rather thrust himselfe into that dignitie not being lawfullie called in like manner as he had doone at Winchester for whereas he was first bishop of Shireborne he left that church and tooke vpon him the bishoprike of Winchester by force and now atteining to be archbishop of Canturburie he kept both Winchester and Canturburie in his hand at one instant This Stigand was greatlie infamed for his couetous practises in sale of possessions apperteining to the church He was nothing learned but that want was a common fault amongest the bishops of that age for it was openlie spoken in those daies that he was méet onelie to be a bishop which could vse the pompe of the world voluptuous pleasures rich rament and set himselfe foorth with a iollie retinue of gentlemen and seruants on horssebacke for therein stood the countenance of a bishop as the world then went and not in studie how to haue the people fed with the word of life to the sauing of their soules King Edward now in the twelfth yeare of his reigne hauing brought the state of the realme quite from troubles of warre both by sea and land began to foresée as well for the welth of his subiects as for himselfe being naturallie inclined to wish well to all men He therefore considered how by the manifold lawes which had beene made by Britaines Englishmen and Danes within this land occasion was ministred to manie which measured all things by respect of their owne priuate gaine and profit to peruert iustice and to vse wrongfull dealing in stead of right clouding the same vnder some branch of the lawe naughtilie misconstrued Wherevpon to auoid that mischiefe he picked out a summe of that huge and vnmesurable masse and heape of lawes such as were thought most indifferent and necessarie therewith ordeined a few those most wholesome to be from thenceforth vsed according to whose prescript men might liue in due forme and rightfull order of a ciuill life These lawes were afterwards called the common lawes and also saint Edward his lawes so much esteemed of the
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
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
Asserius Meneuensis Werefridus Iohn Scot. Grimbald Alured diuided the time for his necessarie vses His last will and testament Cewulfe 886 Matth. West Guthrun K. of the eastangles died 890. Simon Dun. Simon Dun. 872 Egbert king of Northumberland expelled from his kingdome Egbert departed this life Ricsig The Danes winter in Lindseie 975 Ricsig departed this life 983 Guthred ordeined king of Northumberland The bishops sée remooued froÌ„ holie iland to Chester in the stréet Priuiledges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine 894 Polydor. Will. Malmes Wil. Malm. Sithrike Edward the elder 901. Winborne Hen. Hunt Adelwold fleeth to the Danes Wil. Malm. The English nation practised in wars go commonlie awaie with the victorie Hen. Hunt Essex yéeldes to Adelwold Ran. Higd. Brittenden Hen. Hunâ— The Kentishmen disobeiing the kings commandement are surprised by the enimies Adelwold king Edwards brother Fortie daies saith Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt Wightham Chester or rather Leicester as I thinke Digetune Irchenfield Danes discomfited The I le of Stepen Deomedun Danes saile into Ireland Turketillus an earle Simon Dun. Anno 911. Simon Dun. Polydor. Ericke king of Eastangles King Edward inuadeth the countrie of the Eastangles Ericke put to flight The kingdom of the Eastangâ—es subdued by K. Edward Hen. Hunt Matth. West Simon Dun. Tamwoorth was by hir repared anno 914. Eadsburie and Warwike 915 Chester repared 905. Sim. Dun. Quéene of the Welshmen taken Brecanamere Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt 918 Darbie won from the Danes Hen. Hunt Anno Christ 919 Matt. West Simon Dun. Ranul Translated by Abraham Fleming This Alfwen was sister to Edelfled as H. Hunt saith Strateluid or Stretcled a kingdome in Wales K. Edward a great builder and reparer of townes Notingham bridge built Matt. West Manchester repared Anno 816. Simon Dun. Henr. Hunt Polydor. A dreame Matt. West Polydor. The issue of K. Edward â—has Edgiua Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. Matth. West England first â—â—curssed Anno 903. Winchester Cornwall Shireborne Welles Kirton Mercia Wil. Malm. saith that pope Formosus pronounced this cursse 904 Polydor. Hen. Hunt Adelstan Matt. West Will. Malmes 924 Alfred striueth in vaine to kéepe Adelstane from the gouernment Wâ—l Malm. See more hereof in the acts and monuments set foorth by M. Fox vol. 1. leafe 195. Anno 925. Simon Dun. Polydor. Wil. Malm. H. Hunt Hect. Boetius The Scotish writers varie from our English authors Beatrice daughter to K. Edward as the Scotish writers say Edwin was not brother to K. Edward but son to him Adelstane flieth the realme Beatrice put to death by his stepsons Editha a virgine Wil. Malm. Matth. West The noble saieng of king Adeâ—stane 926 Polydoc 934 Ran. Higd. Sim. Dun. The Scots subdued A token shewed iniraculoâ—ske that the Scots ought to be subiect to the kings of England Wil. Malm. Matt. West 934. Repentance too late Wil. Malm. 937 Simon Dun. Hen. Hunc Wil. Malm. Matth. West Hector Boet. Ran. Higd. Aulafe disguised commeth to view the English camp Aulafe assaileth the English campe Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. The enimies discomfited Ran. Higd. Tribute The Cornish men subdued Excester repared 940 Simon Dun. The decease of king Adelstane The deâ—cription of king Adelstane Wolstan archbishop of Yorke His estimation in foraine realmes Harding Edmund Wil. Malm. 940. Simon Dun. A peace concluded 941 Matth. West Aulafe deceasseth Another Aulafe taketh vpon him to rule 942 Gâ—rmo or Godfrey Will. Malm. 944 Simon Dun. Leolin king of Southwales aided king Edmund in this enterprise 946 Polydor. The lawes of king Edmund Fiue yeares and 7 months hath Si. Dun. Pridecire saith Si. Dun. Will. Malm. Matth. West 946 Capgraue A vaine tale Crossing bringeth sight of the diuels and crossing driueth them away Dunstane an interpretor of dreames Dunstan séeth the diuell often but now he was become a watter at the table when Dunstane sat with the king Edred 946 Edred Hen. Hunt The Northumbers rebell and are subdued Aulafe returned into Northumberland Hirke or Hericius Wil. Malm. The disloialtie of the Northumbers punished Aulafe returned into Northumberland Ran. Higd. Simon Dun. Easterford Aulafe returned into Northumberland The archbishop of Yorke imprisoned Matth. West 951. Wil. Malm. Edredus departeth this life Dunstane in fauour But was not this a deuise thereby to deteine the treasure for I doo not read that he deliuered it out of his hands An angell or as some thinks a woorse creature Edwin 955 Will. Malmes Polydor. Iohn Cap. graue Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane banished the realme Will. Malmes Polydor. Dunstane séeth not the diuell Dunstane departed into exile Wil. Malm. Edwine displaceth monks and putteth secular priests in their roomes Rebellion raised against king Edwine Simon Dun. Edwin departeth this life Edgar 959 Polydor. Edgar a fauorer of moonks The diligent prouision of K. Edgar for defense of the realme Wil. Malm. Mascutius Kings of Welshmen King Edgar roweth on the water of Dée Ran. Higd. King Edgar fauoureth Danes English learned to quaffe of the Danes Wil. Malm. Englishmen learne other vices of strangers Ethelwold made bishop of Winchester Oswald Floriacum Moonks must néeds write much in praise of Edgar who had men of their cote in such estimatioÌ„ A tribute instituted of woolskins Osborne and Capgraue hold that she was not his wife but a nun Wil. Malm. â—â—orger â—â—orger Earle Ethelwold deceueth the king of his wiâ—e King Edgar séeketh the destruction of earle Ethelwold King Edgar a murtherer His licentious life incontinencie Note the déep hypocrisie of Dunstane Ran. Higd. Fabian out of Guido de Columâ—â— Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Ranul Hig. Polydor. Matt. West Simon Dun. Fabian Ran. Higd. The Welshmen rebel and are chastised Fabian Ran. Higd. The welshmen rebel and are chastised Will. Malmet Hen. Hunt King Edgar departeth this life Wherfore Edgar is praised of some writers Fabian Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt Wil. Malm. Hen. Huna Matt. West Moonks estéemed secular priests little regarded Ran. Higd. lib. 6. cap. 9. Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Tho. Eliot Edgar small of stature but strong and hardie Kenneth king of Scots The noble courage of king Edgar Wil. Malm. Ireland subiect to king Edgar Edward Some write that the father king Edgar appointed Edward to succéed him Simon Dun. Iohn Capg After duke of Mercia and other immeâ—â—atlie vpon Edgars death before the crowne was established remooued the moonks and restored the canons Simon Dun. 975 Wil. Malm. Alfer or Elfer duke of Mercia Iohn Capâ— Wil. Malm. Ran. Higd. Matt. West Simon Dun. Simon Dun. Polydor. A pretie shift of the moonks to disappoint the priests Polydor. Wil. Malm. Dunstane by woorking miracles had his will when arguments failed Polydor. Wil. Malms The wicked purpose of quéene Alfred The shameful murther of K. Edward Matth. West Fabian Sim. Dun. Wil. Malm. Miracles Building of abbeies in those daies was thought to be a full satisfaction for all maner of sinues Elferus Polydor. Will. Malmes Egelred 979 Simon Dun. Will. Malmes Polydor. Ran. Higd. 980 Sim. Dun. Ran. Higd. 982 983 Alfer
writers doo report and from whence they came at the first into the aforsaid Ilands For my part I suppose with other that they came hither out of Sarmatia or Scythia for that nation hauing how alwaies an eie vnto the commodities of our countrie hath sent out manie companies to inuade and spoile the same It may be that some will gather those to be the Picts of whom Caesar saith that they stained their faces with wad and madder to the end they might appeare terrible and fearefull to their enimies and so inferre that the Picts were naturall Britans But it is one thing to staine the face onelie as the Britans did of whom Propertius saith Nunc etiam infectos demummutare Britannos And to paint the images and portrattures of beasts fish and foules ouer the whole bodie as the Picts did of whom Martial saith Barbara depictis veni Bascauda Britannis Certes the times of Samothes and Albion haue some likelie limitation and so we may gather of the comming in of Brute of Caesar the Saxons the Danes the Normans and finallie of the Flemmings who had the Rosse in Wales assigned vnto them 1066. after the drowning of their countrie But when first the Picts then the Scots should come ouer into our Iland as they were obscure people so the time of their arriuall is as far to me vnknowne Wherefore the resolution of this point must still remaine In tenebris This neuerthelesse is certeine that Maximus first Legate of Britaine and afterward emperour draue the Scots out of Britaine and compelled them to get habitation in Ireland the out Iles and the North part of the maine and finallie diuided their region betwéene the Britaines and the Picts He denounced warre also against the Irishmen for receiuing them into their land but they crauing the peace yéelded to subscribe that from thence-foorth they would not receiue any Scot into their dominions and so much the more for that they were pronounced enimies to the Romans and disturbers of the common peace and quietnesse of their prouinces here in England The Saxons became first acquainted with this I le by meanes of the piracie which they dailie practised vpon our coastes after they had once begun to aduenture themselues also vpon the seas thereby to seeke out more wealth than was now to be gotten in the West parts of the maine which they and their neighbours had alreadie spoiled in most lamentable and barbarous maner howbeit they neuer durst presume to inhabit in this Iland vntill they were sent for by Vortiger to serue him in his warres against the Picts and Scots after that the Romans had giuen vs ouer and lest vs wholie to our owne defense and regiment Being therefore come vnder Hengist in three bottoms or kéeles and in short time espieng the idle and negligent behauiour of the Britaines and fertilitie of our soile they were not a little inflamed to make a full conquest of such as at the first they came to aid and succour Herevpon also they fell by little and little to the winding in of greater numbers of their countrimen and neighbours with their wiues and children into this region so that within a while these new comlings began to molest the homelings and ceased not from time to time to continue their purpose vntill they had gotten possession of the whole or at the leastwise the greatest part of our countrie the Britons in the meane season being driuen either into Wales and Cornewall or altogither out of the Iland to séeke new habitations In like maner the Danes the next nation that succéeded came at the first onelie to pilfer and robbe vpon the frontiers of our Iland till that in the end being let in by the Welshmen or Britons through an earnest desire to be reuenged vpon the Saxons they no lesse plagued the one than the other their fréends than their aduersaries seeking by all meanes possible to establish themselues also in the sure possession of Britaine But such was their successe that they prospered not long in their deuise for so great was their lordlinesse crueltie and infatiable desire of riches beside their detestable abusing of chast matrons and yoong virgins whose husbands and parents were dailie inforced to become their drudges and slaues whilest they sat at home and fed like drone bées of the sweet of their trauell and labours that God I say would not suffer them to continue any while ouer vs but when he saw his time he remooued their yoke and gaue vs libertie as it were to breath vs thereby to see whether this his sharpe scourge could haue mooued vs to repentance and amendment of our lewd and sinfull liues or not But when no signe thereof appeared in our hearts he called in an other nation to vex vs I meane the Normans a people mixed with Danes and of whom it is worthilie doubted whether they were more hard and cruell to our countrimen than the Danes or more heauie and intollerable to our Iland than the Saxons or the Romans This nation came out of Newstria the people thereof were called Normans by the French bicause the Danes which subdued that region came out of the North parts of the world neuerthelesse I suppose that the ancient word Newstria is corrupted from West-rijc bicause that if you marke the situation it lieth opposite from Austria or Ost-rijc which is called the East region as Newstria is the Weast for Rijc in the old Scithian toong dooth signifie a region or kingdome as in Franc-rijc or Franc-reich Westsaxon-reich Ost saxon-reich Su-rijc Angel-rijc c is else to be séene But howsoeuer this falleth out these Normans or Danish French were dedlie aduersaries to the English Saxons first by meane of a quarell that grew betwéene them in the daies of Edward the Confessour at such time as the Earle of Bullen and William Duke of Normandie arriued in this land to visit him their freends such Normans I meane as came ouer with him and Emma his mother before him in the time of Canutus and Ethelred For the first footing that euer the French did set in this Iland sithence the time of Ethelbert Sigebert was with Emma which Ladie brought ouer a traine of French Gentlemen and Ladies with hir into England After hir also no small numbers of attendants came in with Edward the Confessour whome he preferred to the greatest offices in the realme in so much that one Robert a Norman became Archbishop of Canturburie whose preferment so much enhanced the minds of the French on the one side as their lordlie and outragious demeanour kindled the stomachs of the English nobilitie against them on the other insomuch that not long before the death of Emma the kings mother and vpon occasion of the brall hapning at Douer whereof I haue made sufficient mention in my Chronologie not regarding the report of the French authors in this behalfe who write altogither in the fauour of their Archbishop
where their maiesties should bée shewed manie yéeres after Ethelburga fearing punishment fled into France with gâ—eat riches and treasure was well cherished in the court of king Charles at the first but after she was thrust into an abbeie and demeaned hirselfe so lewdlie there in keeping companie with one of hir owne countriemen that she was banished the house and after died in great miserie Egbert king of Mercia departing this life after he had reigned foure moneths ordeined his coosine Kenulfe to succeed in his place which Kenulfe was come of the line of Penda king of Mercia as rightlie descended from his brother Kenwalke This Kenulfe for his noble courage wisedome and vpright dealing was woorthie to be compared with the best princes that haue reigned His vertues passed his fame nothing he did that enuie could with iust cause reprooue At home he shewed himselfe godlie and religious in warre he became victorious he restored the archbishops sée againe to Canturburie wherein his humblenes was to be praised that made no account of worldlie honour in his prouince so that the order of the ancient canons might be obserued He had wars left him as it were by succession from his predecessour Offa against them of Kent and thervpon entring that countrie with a mightie armie wasted and spoiled the same and encountering in battell with king Edbert or Ethelbert otherwise called Prenne ouerthrew his armie and tooke him prisoner in the field but afterwards he released him to his great praise and commendation For whereas he builded a church at Winchcombe vpon the day of the dedication thereof he led the Kentish king as then his prisoner vp to the high altar and there set him at libertie declaring thereby a great proofe of of his good nature There were present at that sight Cuthred whom he had made king of Kent in place of Ethelbert or Edbert with 13 bishops and 10 dukes The noise that was made of the people in reioising at the kings bountious liberalitie was maruellous For not onelie he thus restored the Kentish king to libertie but also bestowed great rewards vpon all the prelates and noble men that were come to the feast euerie priest had a peece of gold and euerie moonke a shilling Also he dealt and gaue away great gifts amongst the people and founded in that place an abbeie indowing the same with great possessions Finallie after he had reigned 4 yéeres he departed this life and appointed his buriall to be in the same abbeie of Winchcombe leauing behind him a sonne named Kenelme who succeeded his father in the kingdome but was soone murthered by his vnnaturall sister Quendred the 17 of Iulie as hereafter shall be shewed Osrike king of Northumberland leaueth the kingdome to Edelbert reuoked out of exile king Alfwalds sons miserablie slaine Osred is put to death Ethelbert putteth away his wife and marieth another his people rise against him therefore and kill him Oswald succeeding him is driuen out of the land Ardulfe king of Northumberland duke Wade raiseth warre against him and is discomfited duke Aldred is slaine a sore battell fought in Northumberland the English men aflict one another with ciuill warres king Ardulfe deposed from his estate the regiment of the Northumbers refused as dangerous and deadlie by destinie what befell them in lieu of their disloialtie the Danes inuade their land and are vanquished the roiall race of the Kentish kings decaâ—eth the state of that kingdome the primasie restored to the see of Canturburie Egbert after the death of Britricus is sent for to vndertake the gouernement of the Westsaxons his linage The eight Chapter WHen Aswald king of Northumberland was made away his brother Osred the sonne of Alred tooke vpon him the rule of that kingdom anno 788 and within one yeere was expelled and left the kingdome to Ethelbert or Edelred as then reuoked out of exile in which he had remained for the space of 1 yéeres and now being restored he continued in gouernement of the Northumbers 4 yéeres or as some say 7 yéeres in the second yéere whereof duke Eardulfe was taken and led to Ripon and there without the gate of the monasterie wounded as was thought to death by the said king but the moonks taking his bodie and laieng it in a tent without the church after midnight he was found aliue in the church Moreouer about the same time the sonnes of king Alfwald were by force drawne out of the citie of Yorke but first by a wile they were trained out of the head church where they had taken sanctuarie and so at length miserablie slaine by king Ethelbert in Wonwaldremere one of them was named Alfus the other Alfwin In the yéere of our Lord 792 Osred vpon trust of the othes and promises of diuerse noble men secretly returned into Northumberland but his owne souldiers for sooke him and so was he taken and by king Ethelberts commandement put to death at Cunburge on the 14 day of September The same yéere king Ethelbert maried the ladie Alfled the daughter of Offa king of Mercia forsaking his former wife which he had hauing no iust cause of diuorce giuen on hir part whereby his people tooke such displeasure against him that finallie after he had reigned now this second time 4 yéeres or as other say seuen yéeres he could not auoid the destinie of his predecessors but was miserablie killed by his owne subiects at Cobre the 18 day of Aprill After whome one Oswald a noble man was ordeined king and within 27 or 28 daies after was expelled and constreined to flie first into the I le of Lindisferne and from thence vnto the king of Picts Then Ardulfe that was a duke and sonne to one Arnulfe was reuoked out of exile made king consecrated also at Yorke by the archbishop Cumbald and thrée other bishops the 25 of Iune in the yéere 396. About two yeeres after to wit in the yéere 798 one duke Wade and other conspirators which had beene also partakers in the murthering of king Ethelbert raised warre against king Ardulfe and fought a batteâ—l with him at Walleg but king Ardulfe got the vpper hand and chased Wade and other his enimies out of the field In the yéere 799. duke Aldred that had murthered Ethelbert or Athelred king of Northumberland was slaine by another duke called Chorthmond in reuenge of the death of his maister the said Ethelbert Shortlie after about the same time that Brightrike king of Westsaâ—ons departed this life there was a sore battell foughtten in Northumberland at Wellehare in the which Alricke the sonne of Herbert and manie other with him were slaine but to rehearse all the battels with their successes and issues it should be too tedious and irkesome to the readers for the English people being naturallie hard and high-minded continuallie scourged each other with intestine warres About six or seuen yéeres after this
submitted themselues vnto him and so both Scots and Northumbers receiued an oth to be true vnto him which they obserued but a small while for he was no sooner returned into the south parts but that Aulafe which had beene chased out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye haue heard returned into Northumberland with a great nauie of ships and was ioifullie receiued of the inhabitants and restored againe to the kingdome which he held by the space of foure yéeres and then by the accustomed disloialtie of the Northumbers he was by them expelled and then they set vp one Hirke or Hericius the sonne of one Harrold to reigne ouer them who held not the estate anie long time For in the third yeere of his reigne Edred in the reuenge of such disloiall dealings in the Northumbers out of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye destroied the countrie with fire swoord sleaing the most part of the inhabitants He burnt the abbeie of Rippon which was kept against him As he was returning homeward an host of enimies brake out of Yorke and setting vpon the rereward of the kings armie at a place called Easterford made great slaughter of the same Wherefore the king in his rage ment to haue begun a new spoile and destruction but the Northumbers humbled themselues so vnto him that putting awaieout of the countrie by king Edmund as before ye their forsaid king Hirke or Hericius and offering great rewards and gifts to buy their peace they obteined pardon But bicause that Wolstane the archbishop of Yorke was of counsell with his countriemen in reuolting from king Edred and aduancing of Hericius king Edred tooke him and kept him in prison a long time after but at length in respect of the reuerence which he bare to his calling he set him at libertie and pardoned him his offense Matth. Westm. reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment as thus In the yéere of Grace saith he 951 king Edred put the archbishop of Yorke in close prison bicause of often complaints exhibited against him as he which had commanded manie townesmen of Theadford to be put to death in reuenge of the abbat Aldelme by them vniustlie slaine and murthered After this when Edred had appeased all ciuill tumults and dissentions within his land he applied him selfe to the aduancing of religion wholie followingWestm reciteth an other cause of Wolstans imprisonment the mind of Dunstane by whose exhortation he suffered patientlie manie torments of the bodie and exercised himselfe in praier and other deuout studies This Edred in his latter daies being greatlie addicted to deuotion religious priests at the request of his mother Edgiua restored the abbeie of Abington which was built first by king Inas but in these daies sore decaied and fallen into ruine Finallie after he had reigned nine yéeres and a halfe he departed this life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising of angels as it is written and was buried at Winchester in the cathedrall church there ¶ Heere is to be noted that the foresaid Edred when he came first to the crowne vpon a singular and most especiall fauour which he bare towards Dunstane the abbat of Glastenburie committed vnto him the chiefest part of all his treasure as charters of lands with other monuments and such ancient princelie iewels as belonged to the former kings with other such as he got of his owne willing him to lay the same inthis life to the great gréeuance of men and reioising safe kéeping within his monasterie of Glastenburie Afterward when king Edred perceiued himselfe to be in danger of death by force of that sickenesse which in déed made an end of his life he sent into all parties to such as had anie of his treasure in kéeping to bring the same vnto him with all spéed that he might dispose thereof before his departure out of this life as he should sée cause Dunstane tooke such things as he had vnder his hands hasted forward to deliuer the same vnto the king and to visit him in that time of his sickenesse according to his dutie but as he was vpon the waie a voice spake to him from heauen saieng Behold king Edred is now departed in peace At the hearing of this voice the horsse wheron Dunstane rode fell downe and died being not able to abide the presence of the angell that thus spake to Dunstane And when he came to the court he vnderstood that the king died the same houre in which it was told him by the angell as before ye haue heard Edwin succeedeth Edred in the kingdome of England his beastlie and incestuous carnalitie with a kinswoman of his on the verie day of his coronation he is reproued of Dunstane and giueth ouer the gentlewomans companie Dunstane is banished for rebuking king Edwin for his vnlawfull lust and lewd life the diuell reioised at his exile what reuenging mischiefs the king did for displeasure sake against the said Dunstane in exile the middle part of England rebellethye haue heard against king Edwin and erecteth his brother Edgar in roiall roome ouer them he taketh thought and dieth Edgar succeedeth him he is a fauourer of moonks his prouision for defense of his realme his policie and discretion in gouernment what kings he bound by oth to be true vnto him eight princes row his barge in signe of submission the vicious inconueniences that grew among the Englishmen vpon his fauouring of the Danes a restraint of excessiue quaffing Dunstane is made bishop of Worcester and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester iustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed theft punished with death a tribute of woolfs skins paid him out of Wales and the benefit of that tribute The xxiij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Edred his nephue Edwin the eldest sonne of king Edmund was made king of England and began his reigne ouer the same in the yeere of our Lord 955 in the 20 yeere of the emperor Otho the first in theiustice in Edgars time seuerelie executed 28 and last yéere of the reigne of Lewes king of France and about the twelfe yeere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was consecrated at Kingston vpon Thames by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie On the verie day of his coronation as the lords were set in councell about weightie matters touching the gouernment of the realme he rose from the place gat him into a chamber with one of his néere kinswomen and there had to doo with hir without anie respect or regard had to his roiall estate and princelie dignitie Dunstane latelie before named abbat of Glastenburie did not onlie without feare of displeasure reprooue the K. for such shamefull abusing of his bodie but also caused the archbishop of Canturburie to constreine him to forsake that woman whom vnlawfullie he kept There be that write that there were two
women both mother and daughter whome king Edward kept as concubines for the mother being of noble parentage sought to satisfie the kings lust in hopeto doo with hir without anie respect or regard had to that either he would take hir or hir daughter vnto wife And therefore perceiuing that Dunstane was sore against such wanton pastime as the king vsed in their companie she so wrought that Dunstane was through hir earnest trauell banished the land This is also reported that when he should depart the realme the diuell was heard in the west end of the church taking vp a great laughter after his roring maner as though he should shew himselfe gled and ioifull at Dunstanes going into exile But Dunstane perceiuingto doo with hir without anie respect or regard had to his behauiour spake to him and said Well thou aduersarie doo not so greatly reioise at the matter for thou dooest not now so much reioise at my departure but by Gods grace thou shalt be as sorrowfull for my returne Thus was Dunstane banished by king Edwine so that he was compelled to passe ouer into Flanders where he remained for a time within a monasterie at Gant finding much friendship at the hands of the gouernor of that countrie Also the more to wreake his wrath the king spoiled manie religious houses of their goods and droue out the moonks placing secular priests in their roomes as namelie at Malmesburie where yet the house was not empaired but rather inriched in lands and ornaments by the kings liberalitie and the industrious meanes of the same priests which tooke vp the bones of saint Aldelme and put the same into a shrine At length the inhabitants of the middle part of England euen from Humber to Thames rebelled against him andof the gouernor of that countrie Also the more to elected his brother Edgar to haue the gouernement ouer them wherwith king Edwine tooke such griefe for that he saw no meane at hand how to remedie the matter that shortlie after when he had reigned somewhat more than foure yéeres he died and his bodie was buried at Winchester in the new abbeie EDgar the second sonne of Edmund late king of England after the decease of his elder brother the foresaid Edwine began his reigne ouer this realme of England in the yeere of our Lord God 959 in the 22 yéere of the emperour Otho the first in the fourth yéere of the reigne of Lotharius king of France 510 almost ended after the comming of the Saxons 124 after the arriuall of the Danes and in the last yéere of Malcolme king of Scotland He was crowned consecrated at Bath or as some say at Kingstone vpon Thames by Odo the archbishop of Tanturburie being as then not past 16 yéeres of age when he was thus admitted king He was no lesse indued with commendable gifts ofrealme of England in the yeere of our Lord God mind than with strength and force of bodie He was a great fauorer of moonks and speciallie had Dunstane in high estimation Aboue all things in this world he regarded peace and studied dailie how to preserue the same to the commoditie aduancement of his subiects When he had established things in good quiet and set an order in matters as séemed to him best for the peaceable gouernement of his people he prepared a great nauie of ships and diuiding them in thrée parts he appointed euerie part to a quarter of the realme to wast about the coast that no forren enimie should approch the land but that they might be incountered and put backe before they could take land And euerie yeere after Easter he vsed to giue order that his ships should assemble togither in their due places and then would he with the east nauie saile to the west parts of his realme and sending those ships backe he would with the west nauie saile into the north parts and with the north nauie come backe againe into the east This custome he vsed that he might fcowre the seas of all pirats theeues In the winter season and spring time he would ride through the prouinces of his realme searching out how the iudges and great lords demeaned themselues in the administration of iustice sharpelie punishing those that were found guiltie of extortion or had done otherwise in anie point than dutie required In all things he vsed such politike discretion that neither was he put in danger by treason of his subiects into the north parts and with the north nauie come nor molested by forren enimies He caused diuerse kings to bind themselues by oth to be true and faithfull vnto him as Kinadius or rather Induf king of Scotland Malcolme king of Cumberland Mascutius an archpirat or as we may call him a maister rouer and also all the kings of the Welshmen as Duffnall Girffith Huvall Iacob and Iudithill all which came to his court and by their solemne othes receiued sware to be at his commandement And for the more manifest testimonie therof he hauing them with him at Chester caused them to enter into a barge vpon the water of Dée and placing himselfe in the forepart of the barge at the helme he caused those eight high princes to row the barge vp and downe the water shewing thereby his princelie prerogatiue and roiall magnificence in that he might vse the seruice of so manie kings that were his subiects And there vpon he said as hath him reported that then might his successours account themselues kings of England when they inioiedAnd for the more manifest testimonie therof such prerogatiue of high and supreme honor The fame of this noble prince was spred ouer all as well on this side the sea as beyond insomuch that great resort of strangers chanced in his daies which came euer into this land to serue him and to sée the state of his court as Saxons and other yea and also Danes which became verie familiar with him He fauored in déed the Danes as hath béene said more than stood with the commoditie of his subiects for scarse was anie stréet in England but Danes had their dwelling in the same among the Englishmen whereby came great harme for whereas the Danes by nature were great drinkers the Englishmen by continuall conuersation with them learned the same vice King Edgar to reforme in part such excessiue quaffing as then began to grow in vse caused by the procurement of Dunstane nailes to be set incups of a certeine measure marked for the purpose that none should drinke more than was assigned by such measured cups Englishmen also learned of the Saxons scarse was anie stréet in England but Danes had Flemings and other strangers their peculiar kind of vices as of the Saxons a discordered fiercenesse of mind of the Flemings a féeble tendernesse of bodie where before they reioised in their owne simplicitie and estéemed not the lewd
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
the king of England permitted them franklie to depart with 20 ships hauing first caused them to deliuer such hostages as they had receiued of the citizens of Yorke Harold reioising in that he had atteined so glorious a victorie and being now surprised with pride and couetousnesse togither he diuided the spoile of the field nothing equallie but to such as he fauored he distributed liberallie and to other though they had much better deserued he gaue nothing at all reteining still the best part of all to himselfe by reason whereof he lost the fauor of manie of his men who for this his discourtesie did not a little alienate their good willes from him This doone he repaired to Yorke and there staied for a time to reforme the disordered state of the countrie which by reason of those warres was greatlie out of frame ¶ But Harold being more presumptuous and foole-hardie than prouident and wise in his enterprise bending all his force to redresse enormities in those quarters of Yorkeshire much like vnto him whom the Comediographer marketh for a foole Ea tantùm quae ad pedes iacent contemplans non autem ventura praeuidens neglected the kinglie care which he should haue had of other parts of his realme from the which he had withdrawen himselfe and as it is likelie had not left sufficientlie prouided of a conuenient vicegerent to gouerne the same by his warranted authoritie and such fortifications as might expell and withstand the enimie Which want of foresight gaue occasion to the enimie to attempt an inuasion of the English coasts as in the next chapt shall be shewed William duke of Normandie prepareth to inuade England and to conquere it the earle of Flanders and the French king assist him the number of his ships his arriuall at Peuensey in Sussex vpon what occasions he entred this realme the pope liked well duke Williams attempt why king Harold was hated of the whole court of Rome why duke William would not suffer his souldiers to wast the countries where they came Harold goeth towards his enimies why his vnskilfull espials tooke the Normans being old beaten souldiers for priests Girth dissuadeth his brother Harold from present incountering with the duke where note the conscience that is to be had of an oth and that periurie can not scape vnpunished The tenth Chapter WIlliam duke of Normandie hauing knowledge after what maner K. Harold was busied in the north parts of his realme and vnderstanding that the south parts thereof remained destitute of due prouision for necessarie defense hasted with all diligence to make his purueiance of men and ships that he might vpon such a conuenient occasion set forward to inuade his enimie And amongest other of his friends vnto whome he laboured for aid his father in law Baldwine earle of Flanders was one of the chiefest who vpon promise of great summes of monie and other large offers made did aid him with men munition ships and victuals verie freelie The French king also did as much for his part as laie in him to helpe forwards this so high an enterprise Wherefore when all things were now in a readinesse he came to the towne of S. Ualerie where he had assembled tigither an huge nauie of ships to the number as some authors affirme of three hundred saile and when he had taried there a long time for a conuenient wind at length it came about euen as he himselfe desired Then shipping his armie which consisted of Normans Flemings Frenchmen and Britains with all expedition he tooke the sea and directing his course towards England he finallie landed at a place in Sussex ancientlie called Peuensey on the 28 day of September where he did set his men on land prouided all things necessarie to incourage and refresh them At his going out of his ship vnto the shore one of his féet slipped as he stepped forward but the other stacke fast in the sand the which so soone as one of his knights had espied and séeing his hand wherevpon he staied full of earth when he rose he spake alowd and said Now sir duke thou hast the soile of England fast in thy hand shalt of a duke yer long become king The duke hearing this tale laughed merilie thereat and comming on land by and by he made his proclamation declaring vpon what occasions he had thus entered the realme The first and principall cause which he alleged was for the chalenge his right meaning the dominion of the land that to him was giuen and assigned as he said by his nephue king Edward late ruler of the same land The second was to reuenge the death of his nephue Alured or Alfred the brother of the same king Edward whome Goodwine earle of Kent and his adherents had most cruellie murthered The third was to be reuenged of the wrong doone vnto Robert archbishop of Canturburie who as he was informed was exiled by the meanes and labor of Harold in the daies of king Edward Wherein we haue to note that whether it were for displeasure that the pope had sometime conceiued for the wrong doone to the archbishop or at the onlie sute of duke William certeine it is that the pope as then named Alexander the second fauored this enterprise of the duke and in token thereof sent him a white banner which he willed him to set vp in the decke of the ship wherein he himselfe should saile In déed as writers report the pope with his cardinals and all the whole court of Rome had king Harold euer in great hatred and disdaine because he had taken vpon him the crowne without their consent or anie ecclesiasticall solemnitie or agréement of the bishops And although the pope and his brethren the said cardinals dissembled the matter for the time yet now beholding to what end his bold presumption was like to come with frowning fortune they shewed themselues open aduersaries inclining streightwaies to the stronger part after the manner of couetous persons or rather of the réed shaken with a sudden puffe of wind Duke William at his first landing at Peuensey or Pemsey whether you will fortified a péece of ground with strong trenches and leauing therein a competent number of a men of warre to kéepe the same he sped him toward Hastings and comming thither he built an other fortresse there with all spéed possible without suffering his souldiers to rob or harrie the countrie adioining saieng that it should be great follie for him to spoile that people which yer manie daies to come were like to be his subiects K. Harold being as yet in the north parts and hearing the duke William was thus landed in England sped him southward and gathering his people togither out of the countries as he went forwards at length came néere his enimies and sending espials into their campe to vnderstand of what strength they were the vnskilfull messengers regarding smallie