seauen yeares after their returne out of Ireland in which time they had inlarged there kingdome South-ward vnto the Scottish sea now called the frith of Scotland About sixescore years after as may be gathered out of Beda the Northumbrian Saxons beeing at ciuile dissention amongst themselues and greatlie weakened by the often inuasion of the Danes the Scottes taking the aduantage entred further into the Land and inlarged their dominion ouer a great part of their Countrie which before was extended to the riuer of Cluide as by all antiquity is confessed Herevpon as Maister Camden well obserueth it commeth to passe that the Scottes who now inhabite the East coast called Low-land-men are descended from the English-Saxons and still speake the same language But the High-land-men Westward are naturall Scots and speake their ancient and peculiar Irish But for more manifest proofe that the Gothes which were sent hither by the foresaid Romaine Emperors were the very same people that were afterwards called Scottes it is not to bee omitted as Maister Camden also well obserueth that as the Lowe-land-men of Germanie call both Gothes and Scottes by one and the same name Scutten so the Britaine 's as appeareth out of their Histories called them both I-Scot King Alfread who translated Orosius aboue sixe hundred yeares agoe turned the Latine worde Scotos into Scittan And at this day our borderers call them Skitts and Sketts more often then Scots There are also certaine Islands beyond those of Orkney now called Scetlant which no doubt tooke that name of their inhabitants the Sketts Thus it appeareth plainely enough that the name Scott was first giuen them by the Pictes their next neighbours and confederates where-vpon the Saxons afterwards called their countrie Scotlandt in maner as they called the Isle from whence they came Gotlandt The Emperour Valentinian the younger being forced thorough want of oâ—her meanes to transport his bands from thence into Gaule for the defence thereof the wealth of this land was not only therby wasted but the strength also much abated by reason whereof the poore Britaines were left for a prey to their enemies the Pictes Scots against whom they were in the end compelled to call in the Saxons for their defence These strangers crossing the Easterne seas arriued here in great numbers and were friendly intertained of Vortigerne to whom the Brittaines had committed the soueraignty ouer them about the yeare of our Lord God 449. The enemy beeing repulsed and the Realme by their helpe reduced to a more quiet estate the Saxons became so farre in loue and liking with this Land that they had no good will to returne home againe Wherefore beeing growne to a mighty People for daylie they still flocked hither vnder some colourable pretence of quarrell they became friends for the time with the Pictes and Scots and bent all their force against the Brittaines Thus were they brought to a most miserable estate by them in whom they reposed greatest confidence not foreseeing how dangerous a thing it is for any nation to entertaine a forraine aide ouer-mighty to bee commanded at their pleasure For after some resistance made by those two Martiall British Princes Aurelius Ambrosius and King Arthur in the end they were expelled out off the more firtill parts into the Westerne corners of the Iland called thereupon by the Saxons Britwalsh and Cornwalsh now Wales and Cornwall where through the naturall strength by situation they might the better saue themselues from their enemies who neuer ceassed to pursue them The Saxon word Walsh signifieth Foraine accounting the Britaines aliens and strangers vnto theÌ„ Wales hath euen hitherto retained both the language and linage of the antient Brittaines but the Cornwalsh Brittaines being neither so many nor so well defended by the mountaines reliefe as the other were in short time forced to transport theÌ„selues to their Countrimen the Britaines on the other side of the Sea who not long before beeing caried ouer by Maximus the Vsurper as is aforesaid had by force planted themselues in that Prouince then called Armorica of the signification thereof as I haue already noted Of this transmigration of these first Brittaines Iulius Scaliger thus writeth Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca iugo The Saxons being thus setled in this Iland deuided the same into seauen principalities or little Kingdomes which continued in that estate till Egbert the seuententh from Cerdicius the first King of the West Saxons subduing foure of the other Saxon Kings tooke vpon him the Soueraigntie ouer the whole ordaining that from thenceforth it shall be called Englandt about the yeare of our Lord God 810. After an hundred and fortye yeares from thence his successors brought vnder their subiection the two other Prouinces So that in the end the former Heptarchie was reduced to a Monarchie These Saxons were not all one people but consisted of three seuerall Nations viz. The Angles who as it appeareth by their possessions heere were the greatest number the Iutes the Saxons but they were all the Inhabitants of some part or other of Denmarke For proofe whereof besides the authoritie of Bede Maister Camden citeth an ancient Author Fabius Ethelwardus who writeth thus Anglia vetus sita est inter Saxones Giotos habens opidum capitale quod sermone Saxonico Sleswick secundum vero Danos Haithby that is The old England is situate between the Saxons and the Iutes whose chiefe Towne was cald by the Saxons Sleswick but by the Danes Hathbie And as Maister Camden well obserueth there is at this day a prouince in Denmarke thereabout called Angell from whence he supposeth that these Angells or Angles came hither These people were generally addicted to superstitious paganisme sacrificing humaine flesh to their Idolls among whom Wooden and Fria were of greatest account To him they dedicated the third day of the weeke to her the fift calling them after their names Woodensday Friday appropriated to the seruice of them through out the whole yeare Besides these they had an other Goddesse named Eoster in the honor of whoÌ„ they did yearely offer sacrifice in the month of Aprill wherupon the feast of the Pascall coÌ„ming alwaies in or nere that month was is still called Easter The word I take it commeth from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ the Latins called Aurora which is the first appearance of the Sun in the East which the Germaines call Oost whereupon I gather that their Eoster was the diuine worship which these Pagans gaue the Sun at his rising in that month reioysing at the approch of Sommer In imitation of whom the Christians haue since vsed in time of prayer to turne their faces towardes the East according to the manner of the standing of our Churches East West Hereby it appeareth that by the coÌ„ming of the Saxons the profession of Christ which before had taken some little roote was now exterpate plucked vp But after 150. years
of keeping order they pursued them more egarlie then warily which the enemy perceauing taking the exspected aduantage vpon a sudden turned againe and redily reducing his troopes into good order set vpon them a fresh made a great slaughter of them Many were beaten downe while they were thinking whether it were better to fight or to flie But the greater number keeping their stand close togither on the heigth of a hill and incoraging one the other not to shrinke manfully fought it out a long time as though they had purposely chosen that place to giue the more honor vnto their deaths In the end Harold being shot into the head with an arrow togither with Githe his brother yeelded vp their fainting spirits Edwine and Morcar with some fewe moe escaping by flight gaue place to time the diuine prouidence after the fight had continewed froÌ„ the first appearance of daylight vnto the shutting vp of the same In this battaile were slaine of Normans fewe lesse then sixe thousand but of the Englishmen a farre greater number The Duke hauing obtained this notable victory had no small cause to reioyce thereat neuerthelesse hee attrbuted the honour and glory thereof to the giuer of all happinesse and by publique thankesgiuing acknowledged the same Hee lodged that night in the field his pauilion being set vp in the middest of the deade bodies The next day taking order for the buriall of the dead on both sides he returned to Hastings as well to consult in what sort to prosecute his late victory as also to giue some refreshing to his wearied army But when the wofull relation of this ouerthrow was brought to the Citie of London and to other parts further of the whole realme was greatly perplexed therewith as being then men vtterly forlorne Githe the mother of Harold after the manner of women gaue ouer her selfe wholie to greeuous lamentations and with most humble petition obtaining of the Duke the dead bodies of hir two sonnes she caused them to be buried in the monasterie of Waltham Earle Edwine sent Algithe the Queenes sister into the furthest partes of the realme aduising both the Noblemen and commons to awaken their heauie spirits and to consult betimes vpon some good course for the present reliefe of their distressed languishing estate The Archbishop of Yorke the Londoners and officers of the Nauie thought it best to make Edgar Atheling their King and to gather new forces out of hand to incounter the Duke The two Earles Edwine and Morcar secretly practised how to set the crowne vpon one of their heads But the Bishops and Prelates and such other as stood in feare of the Popes thunder-botls and damning exsecrations held it best to submit themselues to the Duke and no further to prouoke the Conquerors haughty minde by taking armes afresh against him the successe whereof was doubtfull Neither would it auaile them any thing to contend with the diuine prouidence which for their outragious sinnes had giuen them into the hands of their enimies the Normans The Duke in the meane time leauing a garrison behind him at Hastings determined to go to London but to strike the more terror into the Englishmens hearts and to make all safe at his backe he deuided his forces into seuerall companies who ranging thorow some part of Kent Sussex Surrie Hamshire and Barkshire wasted and burned all the townes and villages that stood in their way carrying with them whatsoeuer they found worth the taking Then passing ouer Theames at Wallingford they filled euery place with horror trembling The great men were so possessed with inward distrust and enuy one at another that they wholy neglected the care they should haue taken for the good of the common-weale For to auoide the ecclesiasticall censure threats of the Bishop of Rome who now began to tyrannize not onely ouer the vulgar and inferior sort but also ouer mightie Kings and kingdomes the realme being false into a most desperate estate they so firmely resolued to yeeld themselues that therevpon many prouiding in time for their best safetie left the Citie to all aduentures Alfread Archbishop of Yorke Wolstaine Bishop of Worcester diuers other great Prelats together with Edgar Atheling Edwine and Morcar mette the Duke at Barkhamsteed giuing pledges for the assurance of their fidelitie submitted themselues vnto him Then posting presently to London he was with great ioy and solemne acclamation intertained and saluted with Viue le Roy. The Duke forthwith prepared al things fit for his coronation which by his appointment was solemnized the Christmas following In the meane time he wholy busied himselfe how to order euery thing for the more firme establishment of his newly atchieued conquereâ— kingdome Here ended the gouerment of the Saxon Kings ouer this land hauing continued 600. yeares Some did attribuâ—e this notoriouâ— alteration and change â—o the corruption in the magistrates and the superstitious cowardlinesse of the Cleargie others to the influence of a Coâ—et others immediatly referred the cause thereof to the diuine prouidence that disposeth of Kingdomes by an vnknowne but neuer vniust sentence and decree But they that more strictly examined that point and looked into the next appearing cause cast the blame chiefely vpon King Edward who thorough a vaine glorious showe of religious chastitie tooke no more care to raise vp seede vnto himselfe for want whereof his Kingdome after his death was left a prey to the ambition of man These Normanes were a mixt people of Noruâ—gians Suevians and Danes who in the time of Charles the great exercised piracie vpon these Coasts At length by strong hand they seated themselues in that part of France which they hold till this day about the mouth of the Riuer of Sene. That prouince was theÌ„ called Neustria and now Normandie of the name Norman giuen vnto them because they came out off the North parts These people so much preuailed afterwards against Charles of France surnamed the Simple that he was constrained to make peace with them by giuing his Daughter in marriage to Rollo their Prince together with that whole Prouince for her Dowrie whereof hee created him Duke from whom this Duke William was the fift in lineall descent that succeeded after him Hauing thus farre proceeded and brought this our most noble and florishing Iland of Brittaine vnder the seuerall gouernements of the two absolute Kings of England and Scotland my purpose is as briefly as I can to prosecute the ioynct History of these two Nations onely so farre sorth as the matter shall concerne them both whether it tendeth to warre and variance or to peace and amitie William the Conquerour King of England DVke William hauing by force of armes in manner aforesaid obtained the Soueraigntie ouer this land 1066. was with much solemnitie crowned King of England on Christmas day in the yeare of our redemption 1066. who taking vpon him the part of a Conqueror performed the same in his right kind
Earles he gaue Earledomes to Barons Baronies and to others according to their degrees About the beginning of the next yeare he returned to London He was no sooner out off Scotland with his army but presently there was a new Viceroy set vp one of the Cumines who began to raise new stirs there amongst some other they tooke the Castle of Striueling But vnderstanding that king Edward was gathering new forces wherewith to enter into Scotland againe they began to consult what was best to be done not only for the preuēting of his presēt approch but especially for the recouery of the kingdome which was now in great danger by cōquest to be annexed to the Crowne of Engl In the end they resolued with all speed to procure an abstinence from war to the intent that in the meane season the might labor Pope Boniface to take vpon him the protection of the realme of Scotland thereby to auoid shake off al maner of subiection to the king of England for the Pope had lately before so far preuailed alreadie with king Edward as that at his intreaty Iohn Balliol was committed to the custodie of the Bishop of Cambray who vndertooke in the Popes behalfe that his liberty should not preiudice the quiet estate of either nation Engl or Scotland According to this their resolution the lords of Scotl procured Philip de Valois the French king to effect this their desired truce which was granted for eleuen months to Whitsontide following beeing the more easilie cōpassed by him by reasō king Edward had lately before married his sister Hereupon for this time the army was dissolued being euen ready to haue entred into Scotlād In the meane time the Scotish lords sent Ambassadors to Rome presēting to the Pope a grieuous complaint of the proceedings of king Edward That hee was fully bent to make a conquest of their country vnlesse it would please his Holines by the vertue of his prerogatiue in such cases to cōpound order all differences as wel amongst thēselues as also betweene the king of Engl and them at his will and pleasure wherunto they would willingly submit themselues The Pope gaue eare to their petition hoping to gaine somthing by the bargaine for with him no peny no Pater noster And first he began to quarrel with king Edward because he would not at his intreatie restore vnto Edward Balliol those landes in England which descended vpon him by the death of Iohn Balliol his father now latelie deceassed Then he forbad him from thence-forth to make war with the Scots because they had submitted themselues to the protection of the Sea Apostolicall in whose power it now only rested to dispose of their kingdome as seemed best to the same And by way of preuention he further declared that al such homage fealtie as the kings of Scotland in former times had done to the kings of England was onely for Tiuidale Penreth and such other Lands as they held within England and not for the realme of Scotland as hee would haue it Lastly whereas the kings of Scotland had some-times serued the kings of England in their warres both at home and abroade and had bin sondry times present at their coronations al this proceeded of their voluntary accord and especial fauor towards them by reason of their neerenesse in bloud and not as he tooke it of any duty binding them thereto King Edward in his answere herevnto proued by euident reasons that the right of Superiority and command ouer the realme of Scotland did iustlie belong vnto him and that the allegations made to the contrarie were vaine and frivolous Besides the kings letters the Nobility also of the realme being now assēbled in Parliament at Lincolne ioyned in the framing of an other letter answering in the name of the three estates vnto that poynt of the Popes pretended right to intermeddle in the cause betweene the king their maister and the Lords of Scotland that it was neuer before knowne that the kings of England had answered or of right ought to answere for any thing they clamed before any iudge ecclesiasticall or seculer yea though the king would therevnto yeald yet wold they neuer giue their consentes vnto it seeing it would so much preiudice his dignity royall and the ancient customes and priuileges of the realme This letter bare date the twelft of February in the yeare of grace 1301. and was signed vnder the hands and seales of these Noblemen whose names follow viz. Iohn Earle Warren Thomas Earle of Lancaster Ralfe de Monthermer Earle of Glocester Herford Humfrey de Bohum Earle of Hereford and Essex and Constable of England Roger Bigod Earle of Norfolke Marshall of England Guie Earle of Warwick Richard Earle of Arundel Audomar de valence lord of Monterney Henry de Lancaster Lord of Monmouth Iohn de Hastings Lord of Bergeuenny Henry de Percy Lord of Topeliffe Edmond de Mortimer Lord of Wigmor Robert fitzwater Lord of Woodham Iohn de Saint Iohn Lord of Hannake Hugh de veer Lord of Swanestampe William de Brewse Lord of Gower Robert de Mounthault Lord of Hewarden Robert de Tateshal Lord of Wokeham Reignald de Grey Lord of Ruthin Henry de Gray Lord of Codnore Hugh Bardalfe Lord of Wormegaie Robert de Clifforde Chatellaine of Appleby Peter de Malow Lord of Mulgreene Philip Lord of Kine Robert Fitz Roger Lord of Claueringes Ioh. de Mohun Lo. of Dunester Almerick de S. Amonde Lord of Widehay Williā de Ferrers Lo. of Groby Alaine de Zouche Lo. of Asby Theobalde de Vernon Lo. of Webbeley Tho. de Furniuall Lo. of Schefield Tho. de Moulton Lo. of Egremont William Latimer Lo. of Corbie Tho. Lord Berkeley Foulke Fitzwarren Lo. of Mitingham Iohn Lo. Seagraue Edmond de Enicourt Lo. of Thurgerton Peter Corbet Lord of Cans William de Cantelow Lord of Rauensthorpe Iohn de Beauchampe Lo. of Hacchie Roger de Mortimere Lo. of Penkethlin Iohn Fitz Reinald Lord of Blenleuenie Ralfe de Neuell Lord of Rabie Brian Fitz-Alaine Lo. of Bedale William Marshall Lord of Heugham Walter Lo. Huntercombe Williā Martin Lo. of Camies Henrie de Thies Lord of Chilton Roger de Ware Lo. of Isefield Iohn de Riuers Lo. of Augre Iohn de Lancaster Lo. of Grisedale Robert Fitz-Paine Lo of Lumnier Henry Tregoz Lord of Garings Robert Pipard Lo. of Lomford Walter Lord Faucomberg Roger le Strange Lord of Ellesmere Iohn le Strange Lo. of Cuokin Tho. de Chances Lo. of Norton Water de Beauchampe lor. of Alecester Rich. Talbot lor. of Eccleswell Iohn Butetourt lord of Mendesham Iohn Eugain lor. of Colum Hugh de Poynes lor. of Corneualet Adam lord of Welles Simond lord Montacute Iohn lord Sulle Iohn de Moells lord of Candeburie Edmond Baron Stafford Iohn Louell lord of Hackings Edmond lor. of Elchimhonocks Ralfe Fitz-William lo. of Grimthope Robert de Scales lor. of Neusells William Tuchet lo. of Lewenhales Iohn Abadan lor. of Deuerstone Iohn de Hatterings lor. of Graston Robert