that tyme reygned in kent or soone after Ethelbert or Athelbert whyche myghte be taken of some for Adelbryght And that other whyche he named Edylf myght be taken for Ella kynge of Southsaxons But this Ella shulde not by concorde of wryters be lyuynge at this tyme. It myght wyth more conuenyency accorde that yt shulde be a kynge of Deira or of NorthuÌ„berlande named Ella the whyche reygned more aboute this tyme and season Of these two kynges the sayde englyshe cronycle telleth a longe processe the whych for I fynde none authour of authoryte that wryteth or speketh of the same I passe yt ouer ye shall also furthermore vnderstande that after this daye the Brytons dayly dyscreasyd of lordshyppe and rule wythin Brytayne drewe them towarde Cambyr or walys so that the countre about Chestre was the chyefe of theyr lordshyp wythin Brytayne For dayly the Saxons landed wyth companyes and occupyed y e princypall partes of y e same as shortely here after shall appere The fyfthe kyngdome of the Saxons THE CIX CHAPITER IN the tyme of the reygne of this fore named Aurelius Conanus as wytnessyth Polycronica Guido other beganne the kyngdome or lordshyp of Brenicia vnder a Saxon named Ida the yere of our lorde .v. hundred and .xlvii and the seconde or laste yere of the sayd Conanus Thys lordshyp was in the north parte of Brytayne and grewe in short whyle more more so that fynally it was named the kyngdome of Northumberlande But ye shall vnderstande that this lordshyp was fyrste deuyded in two kyngdomes wherof the fyrste as aboue is sayde was called Brenicia and that other Deyra The meris or markis of this kyngdome of NorthuÌ„berlande were by Easte and by west the occean see by south the ryuer of Humber and so downwarde towarde the weste by the endys of y e shyres of Notynghm and Derby vnto the ryuer of Merse or Mercia and by north the Scottysshe see whyche is called forth in Scottysh in Brettyshe the werde The southsyde of thys lordshyppe was called Deyra whyche is nowe called the bysshopryke of Durham and the north syde was called Brenicia whyche were than departyd or seuered by the ryuer of Tyne Deyra conteyned the lande from Humber to the ryuer of Tyne and Brenicia included the countree from Tyne to the Scottysshe see In Brenicia regned fyrste as is aboue sayd Ida or Idas in Deyra regned fyrste Ella whych lordshyppes began bothe within .iii. yeres But in processe of tyme bothe in one were named the kyngdome of Northumberlande whych so contynued somwhyle vnder one kynge somewhyle vnder two by the terme of .iii. hundred and .xxi. yeres as sayth Ranulphe munke of Chester And after furth contynued y e name vnder Saxons and Danes tyll the comynge of Edredus brother of Ethelstane son of Edwarde y e elder The whiche Edredus in the .ix. or last yere of hys reygne ioyned thys to hys owne kyngdome By which reasoÌ„ it shulde seme that thys kyngdome endured vnder that name vpon .iiii. hundred and .ix. yeres The fyrste crysten prynce of thys kyngdome was named Edwynus that receyued the fayth of saynt Paulyne as testyfyeth Guydo In thys lordshyppe also were included these shyres and countrees nowe called yorke Notyngham shyre or Snothyngham shyre Derby shyre y e bysshopryke of Durham Copelande and other Amonge the many kynges y t reygned in thys lordshyppe whych after some wryters were to the nomber of xxiii reygned one accoÌ„pted the .viii. kynge by Guydo named Ethelfridê° sonne of Ethelricus whych Ethelfridus destroyed mo Brytons than all y e other kynges of SaxoÌ„s This was fader to saint Oswold Oswi He slewe also many of the BrytoÌ„s at a batayle that he had agayn them besyde Kaerlegyon or Chester and two thousande and a huÌ„dred of monkes of the house of Bangor as it ys testyfyed of Polycronicon in the .x. chapyter of hys .v. boke the whyche monkes were comen thyder to praye for the good spede of the Brytons And ouer thys forsayde nomber of monkes .l. fled whereby they wyth theyr leder named Brucyuall were sauyd Of suche a nomber of monkes of one house myghte be demyd a wonder But the sayd Policronica wyth Guydo and other wryters affermyn that in that house of Bangor were at those dayes for the more party thre tymes vii hundred monkes the whych lyued by the trauayle of theyr handes onely The forenamed Oswye was after Oswolde kynge of thys prouynce whych gaue wyth hys doughter Elfleda a nonne .xii. lordshyppes into y e chyrche to buylde wyth .xii. monasteryes whereof .vi. of the sayde lordshyppes were in Brenicia and .vi. in Deyra as sayth Guydo And also Ranulphe in hys .v. boke of Polycronyca and .xvi. chapyter affermyth the same THE CX CHAPITER UOrtiporiê° sonne of Aureliê° Conanus after the opynyon before sayd was ordeyned kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. hundred and .xlviii. and the .xxxiiii. yere of Clotharius thenne kynge of Fraunce Of the whych is lytell memory lefte in any cronycler or wryter excepte y t Guydo testyfyeth hym to be a vyctoryous knyght shewyng breefly that he in sondry batayles scomfyted the Saxons and defendyd hys lande and Brytons from y e daunger of them and other that the Saxons alyed them wyth In the tyme of the reygne of thys kynge a Saxon named Ella the son of Iffus began to reygne in y e south syde of the kyngdome of Northumberlande called Deyra as before is touchyd in the chapyter of the sayde kyngdome Then yt foloweth whan this Uortiporius hadde ruled the Brytons knyghtly by the terme of .iiii. yeres he dyed and was put to hys fader leuynge none heyre of hys body For as myche as all wryters agreen that the kynges of westsaxon at length subdued all the other kyngdomes and made of the hole land of mych Brytayne but one kyngdome or monarchye and all other as well of Brytons as of Saxons fayled or lefte of that all onely excepted therfore I entende to brynge in the name of euerych kyng of westsaxon froÌ„ the fyrst Cerdycus or Chyldricus ioyne them wyth the kynges of Brytons for so long as hereafter y e sayd Brytons contynued theyr reygne wythin any parte of Brytayne THE CXI CHAPITER MAlgo a duke of the Brytons and neuewe of Aureliê° Conanus as sayth the authour of the Floure of hystories begaÌ„ his reigne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .v. hundred .lii and the .xxxviii. yere of Clotharius then styll kynge of Fraunce and also the .xv. yere of Kenricus the sonne of Cerdicus and seconde kyng of westsaxoÌ„ aforesayd accomptyng .xv. yeres of the reygne of hys fader as Guydo allowyth Thys Malgo after y e accorde of all wryters that make mencyon was y e comlyest and moost personable man of all Brytons than lyuyng therewyth endowed with knyghtly manhode The whyche wythstode y e Saxons and kepte them of that they damaged not the lande the whyche he
hym and specyally besoughte hym to recoenyle her lorde husbande that she myght be restoryd to hys company But for Cadwan after many meanes and requestis myght not bryng that about he therfore tenderynge her necessyte kepte her in hys owne courte tyll she were lyghted The whyche at tyme brought fourth a man chylde whom she lette call Edwyn And soone after was the wyfe of Cadwan delyueryd of a sonne whom the father callyd Cadwalyn But the authour of the Floure of hystoryes sayth y t these two chyldern were long borne before this tyme. The whych shuld seme to be true for so myche as this Cadwalyn was of lawfull age to beweld his lande wheÌ„ his father dyed the which he coude not do yf he hadde nowe be borne But as affermeth Policronycon yt shulde seme lyke to a fable all the rehersayll that Gaufride maketh in the ende of hys boke as well for Cadwalyn and Edwyn as for the other cyrcuÌ„staunce of the mater there rehersyd whych varyeth from other wryters both for the tyme and also for the mater as somdeale is more in the hystorye hereof before made mencyon and also by the coÌ„tynuauÌ„ce of this storye For as Giraldus Cambrens and other seyen this Edwyn was the sonne of Elle or Ella kynge of Deyra the whyche was persecutyd of Ethelfridus before named theÌ„ kynge of both prouynces that is to meane Brennicia and Deyra so sore that he was compellyd to flee to Redwaldus then kynge of Gestanglys The whyche for mede or fere of the sayde Ethelfride was lastely consentynge to haue betrayed Edwyn of whyche daunger the sayde Edwyn was delyueryd by warnynge of a frende of hys After this escape as Edwyn satte vppon a time in a great study alone a straunger apperyd to hym sodeynly and sayde I know well the cause of thy thought and heuynes Therfore yf thyn enymyes were slayne thou restoryd vnto thy kyngdome sette the in better maner then any of thy forefathers woldyst thou not admytte such one for thy frende and assent and do by his rede and couÌ„sayll yes trewly sayd Edwyn and that I surely and fastely promise the. Then this man layd his hand vpon Edwynes hedde and sayde to hym Edwyn when this token is broughte to the then haue thou mynde of this tyme of trybulacyon and of this promyse thou haste made And anon as thys was spoken this man vanyshed out of his syght sodeynly In a conuenyent season after Edwyn assemblyd hys hoste and gaue batayll vnto Ethelfryde in the countrey of Mercia by eest the ryuer of Idle and slewe hym in that fyghte wyth a great noÌ„ber of his knyghtes and theÌ„ seasyd in his possessyon both the foresayde pryncypates and was kynge of Northumberlande by the terme of .xvii. yeres ye shall vnderstande that the forenamed Ethelfride hadde .iii. sonnes whyche are mynded besyde other The fyrste eldest was named Eaufricus the seconde Oswaldus and the thyrde Oswye The fyrst was of lawfull age so that he myght helpe and shyft for hym selfe But Oswald was but .xii. yeres of age and Oswy farre yonger wherfore theyr wardeyns immediatly after theyr faders deth sente theym into Armorica or lytell Brytayne there to be brought vppe or more veryly into Albania or Scotlande THE CXXIX CHAPITER ABoute this tyme and season as wytnessen Policronica Guydo and other began the kyngdome or lordshyp of Mercia vnder the stronge paynym and Saxon called Penda The whyche Mercia or Mercherike conteyned Huntyngdon shyre Hertfortshyre Gloucetershyre wyth dyuers other and was grettest and largeste of all the other was closyd in y e west syde wyth the ryuer of Dee stretchynge to Chestre Seuarne and so to Shrouesburye and Brystowe in the eest yt was closyd wyth the see Occean in the South with Thamys vnto London and in the north with y e ryuer of HoÌ„ber and had hys begynnynge vnder the fore named Penda as the accorde of dyuerse authours wytnessyth in the yere of oure lordes incarnacyon .vi. hundred .xxvi and after the fyrste commynge of Hengyste a hundred and lxxvi yeres All be yt that of the fyrste kyng dyuerse opynyons there ben wherof a cause maye be for so myche as this lordshyppe in the fyrst begynnyng was departyd in .iii that is to say y â— fyrst was called eest Mercia the .ii. was named myddell Mercia and the .iii. weste Mercia But after yt was brought to one pryncypate called Mercherike or of some wryter myddell Englande Of thys lordshyppe the fyrste crysten kynge was called wolpherus that was the sonne of the forenamed Penda But of all the kynges of thys kyngdome of Mercia whych were .xviii. in nomber as testyfyeth Policronica Offa was of moste myght and power as after shall more playnly appere This lordshippe endured to reken moste certaynly tyll the yere of oure lorde .viii. hundred and .lxxvi. In the whych yere Alurede or Alhered then kynge of westsaxons ioyned yt vnto his owne kyngdome whych by that accompte shulde be two hundred .l. yeres All be yt that some accompte the endurauÌ„ce therof to the last yere of Burdredus that was putte out by the Danes by whyche rekenynge yt shulde then endure .iiii. yeres lesse And some wryters accoÌ„pte the terme therof whyle the tyme of Edward called the elder whych after the deth of his fader Alured put out the Danes from the sayde lordshyppe and ioyned yt agayne to westsaxon and by that accompte yt shulde laste .ii. hundred .lxxx. yeres and odde ye shall also vnderstande that in this kyngdome reygned dyuerse holy kynges whyche nowe be alowed by the chyrche for sayntes as Offa Kenelphus Kenelmê° and other as hereafter somedeale shall appere I haue seen an old regyster within the chyrche of Poulys of London wherin ys conteyned many thynges concernynge the fyrst foundacyon of that chyrch wyth certayne olde cronycles of thys lande Amonge the whyche yt is there notyd that in the tyme and season when Cadwan was kynge or ruler of the Brytons that in the same moment and tyme reygned in dyuers partes of this lande these .vii. kynges vnder wryten As fyrste Sybertus that then was kynge of Eestsaxons no Essex Redwaldus was then kynge of Eestanglys now Norff. and Suff. Ethelbertus was then kyng of KeÌ„t Ethelwaldê° was kynge of Southsex Kyngylsus was kynge of westsaxons Penda was kynge of Mercheryke And Ethelfridus was then kynge of the North couÌ„tre or Northumb. All whyche regyster this worke accordyth with yf the storys of this Cadwan Careticus Cadwall be duely serchyd THE CXXX CHAPITER LEtte vs than retourne to the perfourmauÌ„ce of the story of Cadwan and of such dedes as were done in his dayes About the .xiiii. yere of his reygne Quincellinus y â— was brother vnto Kyngylsus and kynge with hym as before in the C. and .xxviii. chapyter is touchyd ruled y e westsaxoÌ„s sent vpon an Eester day a swerdman to sle Edwyn kyng of Northumberland This swerdeman came to a cytye besyde the water of Darwent in
thereby letted from many a vertuous purpose he lastely after many resystences by hym done to auoyde y e temtacyon therof besought god enterly that he wold sende to hym som contynuall sykenes in quenchyng of y e vyce that he were not vnprofytable to wordely besynesse serue god the better Then at goddes ordynauÌ„ce he had y e euyll called Fycê° wyth the whych sekenes he was greued many yeres and lastely cured of that holy virgyn saynt Modwenna then dwellyng in Irlande But after this cure by her done she came into Englande for so myche as her monastery or chyrch y t she there dwelled in was destroyed wherfore Adulfus father to Alured knowynge the vertue and holynesse of this mayden gaue to her ground to buylde vppon .ii. abbays of maydens That is to say one in Arderne at a place callyd Polliswortham another at Strenesalte in the Northe But this holy mayden dyed in the yland of Andrese besyde Burton after many yeres of the buyldynge of these sayd two abbays after .vii. yeres y t she had ben closyd within stone walles in the yle before named when Alurede was cured of this sekynes to him fyll an other the which contynued with hym from the .xx. yere of his age tyll the .xlv. yere of hys sayed age But y t not wythstaÌ„dynge he wedded a noble woman named Ethelwyda of the which he receyued two sonnes Edwarde surnamed the elder Egelwarde .iii. doughters Elphleda y t after was ladye of Mercia Ethelgota a meÌ„chon or nuÌ„ne y e thyrd was named Elfrida The whyche he caused all as well doughters as other â–ª to studye the arte or scyence of graÌ„mer to be noryshed wyth all vertue And when this Alurede was admyttyd to be kynge he well consyderyd the great daunger y t his lande was in wherfore he gaderyd to hym his lordes suche as he myghte not wyn wythout stryfe he wanne wyth great iustyce and fayre hostes So y t he shorlty assembled a stronge hoste and in the seconde moneth y t he was made kynge he mette wyth the Danys besyde wylton yelded to them batayll but not wythout great losse of men on both partyes Then he remeuyd his pleople and in sondry places faught wyth y e Danys in the fyrste yere .vi. tymes By meane wherof his peple were so sore mynyshed and wekyd that he was forsed to take peas wyth his enymyes vppon couenaunt that they shuld auoyde the countres prouynces y t he had domynyon of Uppon whych agremeÌ„t fermely concluded the Danis for a tyme voyded those couÌ„treys drew towarde London rested theym about y e coste the more parte of the yere folowynge from thens to Lyndesey in robbyng and spoylyng the townes villages as they wente holdynge y e coÌ„mon people vnder theyr seruage so contynued ouer the terme of two yeres But or the thyrde yere were endyd they yode vnto Repindon and there put down or slewe Burdredus then kyng of Mercia and betoke y e kyngdome vnto a seruaunt of his named Colwolphus vppon condicyon on that he shulde kepe it to theyr behofe And then they besegyd a town thereby called Hambourgth assauted yt right sharpely wherfore the people therof beynge in great drede and fere toke the body of that holy vyrgyne saynt werbourgth by vertue of whose body the enymyes were somwhat put a backe And after for a more suerty y e inhabytauntes of y e towne of Hamburgth wyth that holy treasure fled vnto westchester where at this daye she lyeth honorably shryned Then the kyng made oft peas with the Danys in truste wherof he rode with the fewer peple wherof they beyng ware layd bushemeÌ„tes for hym set so nere hym y t they slew a great parte of his coÌ„pany in a nyght as he rode towarde wynchester For this treason the hyng was sore amouyd agayne the Danys in as secrete maner as he myght he assembled a chosen coÌ„pany of knyghtes as wytnessyth Guydo fyll vpon theÌ„ sodeynly dystressed many of them and lefte them not tyll he had chased them to Chester or after an other authour to Exetour And there kynge Alurede kept the Danys so short y t he constrayned them to gyue to hym pledges to kepe the peace to dwell no lenger there then they myght puruey shyppynge at the next porte to sayle into Denmarke After which accorde thus fynyshed the kynge returned vnto Mercia or myddell England And for he harde y t Colwolphus was dede to whom the Danys had taken that lordshyp to kepe he therfore seasyd y t kyngedome and ioyned yt to his owne of west Saxons By whych reason the kyngedome of Mercia surseasyd y e had continued from theyr fyrst kyng named Penda as in the chapyter of this worke C.xxix precedynge is more at length declared Aboute the .v. yere of the reygne of Alurede the Danys as affermeth Policronica sayled fro warham towarde Exetour in the whyche iourney they loste .vi. score of theyr small shyppes by a tempeste in the see But some of them occupyed the towne of Chepynham and the countrey therunto adioynynge and chasyd y e Angles or made them as subiectes to y e Danys And so sore the power of theÌ„ augmentyd that the Angles loste dayly and they encresyd and y e more by reason of the landyng of a prynce of the Danys named Gutteron or Gowthram whyche ys named kyng of Denmarke THE CLXXII CHAPITER ALurede beynge thus ouerset in multytude of enymyes as affermeth Policronica other ladde an vncertayne lyfe and vneasy wyth few folkes aboute hym in the wode couÌ„trey of Somersetshyre and had ryght scante to lyue wyth but suche as he and hys peple myght purchase be huntyng and fyshynge In which mysery he thus by a certayn of tyme contynuynge he was by a vysyon to hym shewyd of saynte Cutbert comforted as folowyth Uppon a tyme when his coÌ„pany was from hym departed besyed in purchasyng of vytayle and he for a passetyme was redynge on a boke a pilgryme came to him and requyred his almes in goddes name The kynge lyfte vp hys handes towarde heuen and sayde I thanke god that of his grace he vysyteth hys poore man this day by an other poore man and that he woll wytsaue to aske of me y t he hath gyuen to me Then the kynge anon called his seruaunt that hadde but one lofe and a lytell what of wyne and badde hym gyue the halfe therof vnto the poore man The whyche receyued yt thankefully and sodaynly vanished from his syght so that no step of hym was sene in the nesshe fenne or more y t he passed thorough And also all that was gyuen to hym was lefte there by in such wyse as yt was to hym gyuen And shortely after his company returned to theyr maister and brought wyth theym great plenty of fyshe that they had then taken The nyght folowynge when the kynge was at his reste one apperyd to hym in
nere vnto a moore called Cole moore The whych was long and sore foughten by the Saxons by reason that the sayde moore closyd a parte of theyr hoste so strongly that the Brytons myght not winne vnto them for dauÌ„ger of theyr shot All be yt that fynally they were chasyd and many of theÌ„ of coÌ„straynt drowned and swalowed in the sayde moore And ouer and besyde these foure pryncypall bataylles Uortimerus had wyth the Saxons dyuers other conflictes as in Kent at Thetfoord in Northfolke and in Essex nere vnto Colchestre lefte not tyll he had byrafte from them the more parte of such possessyons as before tyme they had wonne and kepte them onely to the yle of Thanet the whych Uortymer ofteÌ„ greuyd by such nauy as he then hadde when that Ronowen doughter of Hengiste apperceyued the great myschyâ—f that her fader and the SaxoÌ„s were in by the mraciall knyghthode of Uortymer she sought suche meanes that shortly after as testyfyeth Gaufryde and other Uortimer was poysoned when he had ruled the Britons after moste concorde of wryters seuen yeres THE LXXXIX CHAPITER UOrtigernus fader of Uortymerus last dede was agayn restoryd to the kyngdome of myche Brytayne in the yere of oure lordes incarnacyon foure huÌ„dred .lxxi and the .xi. yere of Childericus then kyng of Fraunce the whyche all the tyme of the reygne of his sonne Uortimer had restyd hym in the couÌ„tre of Cambria or walys where in this passe tyme after some writers he buyldyd a stroÌ„ge castel in a place called GeneronÌ„ or Gwayneren in the west syde of walys nere vnto the riuer of Gwana in an hyll or vpon an hyll called Cloarcius But the olde cronycle before spoken of sayth y â— this Uortiger was kept somwhat vnder rule of certayne tutours to hym assygned in y e towne of Caerlegion or Chester and demeaned hym so well towarde hys sonne in aydynge of hym wyth hys counsayll and otherwyse that the Brytons for it cast to hym such a fauoure that they after the deth of Uortimer made hym agayne kynge It was not longe after that Uortiger was thus set in authoryte but that Hengistê° percyd this land with a great multytude of Saxons wherof herynge Uortyger in all haste assembled his Brytons and made towarde them And when Hengistus hadde experyence of the great hoste of Brytons he then ordeyned meanes of treaty and peas where lastly yt was concluded that a certayne noÌ„ber of Brytons and as many of Saxons shuld vpon a Maye day assemble vppon the playne of Ambrii now called Salesbury whyche daye certaynly prefyxyd Hengistus vsynge a new maner of treason chargyd all his Saxons by him appoynted that eche of them shulde putte secretely a longe knyfe in theyr hose at suche season as he gaue to theÌ„ this watche or by worde Nempnyth your sexis that eueryche of them shulde drawe hys knyfe and slee a Bryton not sparynge any one except Uortiger y e kyng And at y e day before appointed the kynge wyth a certayne of Brytons not ware of this purposed treason came in peasyble wyse to y e place before assygned where he fande redy Hengistus wyth hys Saxons The whyche after due obeysaunce made vnto the kynge receyued hym with a couÌ„tenauÌ„ce of all loue where after a tyme of coÌ„munycacyon had Hengiste beynge mynded to execute his former purposed treason shewed his watche word By reason wherof anon the Brytons were slayne as shepe amonge woluys hauynge no maner of wepyn to defeÌ„de them self excepte y t any of them myght by his manhode and strength get the knyfe of his enymye Amonge the nomber of these Brytons was an Erle called Edoll or Edolf erle of Caerlegion or Chestre y e whych seynge his felowes and frendes thus murdered as affermeth myne authoure Gaufryde and other he by his manhode wanne a stake in the hedge or ellys where wyth the whyche he knyghtly sauyd his owne lyfe and slewe of the Saxons .xvii and fledde to the cytye or towne of Ambry nowe named Salysburye After whyche treason thus executyd the kynge remayned wyth Hengistus as prysoner Of the takynge of Uortyger and sleynge of the lordes of Brytayne an authoure called Guillelmus de regibus sayth that Hengistê° agreed wyth Uortyger and hys Brytons and that he shulde enioye the castell by hym before made wyth a certayn of lande therunto adioynynge for hym and his SaxoÌ„s to dwell vpon And when the sayde agrement was suerly stablyshed this Hengiste entendynge treason desyred the kynge wyth a certayn nomber of his lordes to come to hym to dyner wythin his sayde castell The whych of y e kynge was graunted And at the daye assygned the kyng with his lordes came to the sayde Thongcastell to dyner where he wyth his was well and honourably receyued and also deyntely serued But when the kynge his lordes were in theyr moste myrth this Hengiste had commaunded before y t his owne knyghtes shuld falle at varyauÌ„ce among theÌ„ selfe whych so done the remenaunt of his Saxons as yt were in partynge of frayes shulde fall vppon the Britons slee theym all oute take onely the kynge The whyche was done lyke as ye haue before harde deuysed and the kynge was holden as prysoner THE XC CHAPITER HEngistus then hauynge the kynge as prysoner a great parte of the rulers of Britayne thus as before is sayd subdued was some deale exalted in pryde and compellyd the kynge to gyue vnto hym as wytnessyth Policronica thre prouynces in the eest parte of Brytayne whych thre prouynces shuld be KeÌ„t Southsaxon or Sussex and Eestanglys whych is to meane Norff. and Suff. as affermeth the authoure of the floure of hystoryes But Guydo de columna sayth that the foresayde thre prouynces was Kent Eestsaxon or Essex and Eestanglys which is Norff. and Suff. Of the whyche sayde prouynces when Hengist was possessyd he suffred the kynge to go at his lybertye And then Hengiste beganne his lordshyppe ouer the prouynce of Kent and sent other of his SaxoÌ„s to beweld the other two prouynces that is to saye Eestanglys and Eestsaxons tyll he hadde sente for other of his kynnesmen y t he enteÌ„dyd to gyue the sayd ê“uynces vnto The kyngdome of Kent here begynnyth THE XCI CHAPITER THus Hengistus beynge in the possessyon of this prouynce of Kent comaunded hys Saxons to call yt Hengistus lande wherof as some authours meane the hole lande of Brytayn toke his fyrst name of Englande But that sayeng shall appere coÌ„trary as shal be shewed hereafter in the storye of Egbert kynge of westsaxons The whych after he had subdued y e more parte of the kyngedomes of SaxoÌ„s made of all but one monarchye he then coÌ„maundyd this lande to be called Anglia his Saxons Anglys whych after by corrupcyon of speche was called Englande and the people Englyshemen This lordshyppe or kyngedome of Kent had his begynnyng vnder Hengiste in the yere of oure lorde after moste concordaunce of wryters and by reason of y e time
.iiii. huÌ„dred .lxxvi. And the fyfte yere of Uortygers last reygne But Denys and other that accoÌ„pt this kyngdome to begynne in the yere of our lord foure hundred and .lv. allowe the begynnynge therof to be when Hengistus had fyrst gyft of the same by reason that Uortyger maryed his doughter This lordeshyppe conteyned the countre that stretcheth from eest Occean vnto the ryuer of Thamys and had vpon the southeest Southerye and vppon the weste London vpon the northeest the Thamys aforesayd and Eestsaxon nowe Essex And this lordshyppe conteyned also the yle of Thanet whyche lordshyppe or kyngdome endured after moste wryters from the tyme of the fyrste yere of the reygne of Hengiste tyll the .xxv. yere of Egbert before named by the terme of .iii. hundred and .xlii. yeres folowynge that accompte At whyche season the sayde Egbert then kynge of westsaxons subdued Baldredus theÌ„ kynge of Kent and ioyned yt to hys owne kyngdome Al be yt that the authoure of Policronica affermeth yt to endure by the space of thre hundred and .lxviii vnder .xv. kynges wherof Baldredus was the laste whyche folowyth nere vnto the accompt of Denys before named The fyrste crysten kyng of this lordshippe was Ethelbertus or Ethelbert the whyche receyued the fayth of Cryste by that holy man saynt Austayne or Augustayne nere about the yere of our lordes incarnacyon foure hundred .lxxx. and .xvi. The whyche Ethelbert caused soone after to be edyfyed the monastery of saynt Peter and Paule in the eestsyde or ende of the cytye of Dorobernia now Caunterbury He gaue vnto this Austayn and his successours byshoppes of Caunterbury a place for the byshoppes see at Chrystes chyrche wythin the sayd cytye endowed it with many ryche possessioÌ„s This Hengiste and all the other Saxons whyche ruled the .xvii. pryncypates of Brytayne as after shall be shewed are called of moste wryters reguli whyche is to meane in oure vulgare or speche as small or lytell kynges So that this Hengist is accompted a lyttell kynge The whyche when he hadde thus rule of the foresayde .iii. prouynces he sent for mo Saxons gatheryd them y t were sparkled abrode so y t in these prouynces the fayth of Chryste was all quenchyd and in slepe Then Hengist wyth Octa his son gaderyd a great streÌ„gth of SaxoÌ„s and faught wyth the Brytons and ouercame the Brytons and chasyd them in suche wyse that Hengiste kepte his lordesshyppe in peace and warre by the space of .xxiiii. yeres as moste wryters testyfye THE XCII CHAPITER NOwe then lette vs retourne agayne to Uortiger y e which when he sawe the Saxons in suche wyse encrease theyr strength and the Brytons dayly dyscreace for as writeth myne authour Gaufryde y t Saxons had the rule of London yorke Lincolne or LindecolnÌ„ and KaergueÌ„t that is wynchester wyth other good townes wherfore as affermeth the sayd Gaufryde the kyng for fere of y e SaxoÌ„s also for that y â— he was some deale warned of the commyng of the .ii. bretherne Aurely and Uter sonnes of Constantyne he therfore consyderynge these many and great daungers fledde into Cambria or walys and there helde hym for the more suertye where as wytnessyth the sayde Gaufryde he then buylded the castel before mynded Of y e which buyldynge and impediment therof and also of the gettynge or byrthe of Merlyne and of his prophecyes he made a longe worke the whyche I passe ouer for dyuerse consyderacyons retourne agayne to Uortiger Trouth yt is that whyle Uortygernus was thus besyed in walys the forenamed brethern Aurely and Uter preparyd theyr nauy and men of armys and passed the see and landed at Totnesse as sayth the englysh cronycle wherof when the Brytons were ware that were disparklyd and seueryd in many couÌ„tres they drewe to them in all hasty wyse The which sayde bretherne when they sawe that they hadde a competent nomber of knyghtes they made towarde walys to dystresse Uortyger wherof he beynge warned for so myche as he well knewe y t he myght not make sufficyeÌ„t defence by streÌ„gth of knyghtes he therfore garnyshed his castell wyth strength of men and vytayll entendynge to sauegarde hym selfe by that meane but all in vayne For the sayde two bretherne wyth theyr armye besegyd the sayd castell and fynally after many assautes wyth wylde fyre consumed the sayde castell wyth Uortiger and all that was therin Of hym yt is redde that he shulde lye by his owne doughter in truste y e kynges shulde come of his blood For the whyche dede he was accursyd of saynte Germayne and lastely ended his lyfe as hefore is expressed when he hadde reygned nowe laste ix yeres THE XCIII CHAPITER AUrelius Ambrosius the seconde sonne of CoÌ„stantyne and brother to Constancius slayne by the treason of Uortyger was kynge made of the Brytons in the yere of oar lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. one and the .xxi. yere of Childericê° then kynge of Fraunce Of thys yt is sayd that when he hard of the dyuysion that was in the land of Brytayne betwene Uortiger and the Saxons and in what maner the SaxoÌ„s had subdued the Brytons he in all goodly haste wyth ayde of the kynge of lytell Brytayne spedde hym into thys lande where after the aboue sayde vyctory hadde of Uortiger he spedde hym towarde yorke as affermeth Gaufride and there chasyd the Saxons that helde the cytye wyth Octa or Osca sonne of Hengist and toke the sayde Octa kepte hym as a prysoner somwhat of tyme. But howe so yt was by treason of his keper or otherwyse he brake pryson And he wyth his fader gaderyd after a great hoste and mette Aurelius his Brytons at a place called Crekynford where was foughten a stronge myghty batayll to y e losse of both partyes but the more losse fyll to the SaxoÌ„s For of them was slayne foure dukes and .iiii. thousande of other men that other dele chasyd to theyr great daunger yet this not wytstandynge Hengiste contynued his lordshyppe in Kent and Aurelius Ambrose whyche the englyshe cronycle nameth Aurilambrose kepte the countre called Logiers or myddell Englande wyth walys and chasyd the Saxons y â— dwelled in y e .ii. forsayd prouynces of eest Saxon and eest Anglis out of those countres The seconde kyngdome THE XCIIII CHAPITER IN this passe tyme a SaxoÌ„ named Ella wyth his thre sonnes called Symen or Symon Plettynger and Cissa came wyth thre shyppes called Obilas and landed in the south parte of Brytayne and slewe many Brytons at a place that then was named Cuneueshore chased many vnto a wood theÌ„ called Andresleger and after occupyed y e countre inhabyted hym his Saxons wythin the sayde prouynce makyng hym selfe kyng and lorde therof By reason wherof by his might power the sayd prouynce or countre was after named y e kyngdome or lordshyp of Southsaxons The whyche after most concorde of wryters shuld haue his begynnyng y â— .xxxii. yere after the fyrst coÌ„myng of HeÌ„gist which
folowynge y e accompte shuld be in the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxxii and in the seconde yere of Aurely then kynge of Brytayne This kyngdome or lordshippe had in the eestsyde Kent in the south the see and the yle of wyght in the west Hampsyre and in the northe Southrey and conteyned as wytnessyth Guydo Southampton Somersetshyre Deuenshyre and Cornewayl Of whyche sayde kyngdome Ethelbaldus or Ethelwaldê° was the .iiii. kynge and the fyrste crysten kynge Thys kyngdome endured shorteste season of all the other kyngdomes and passyd soonest into the other For yt endured not aboue an hundred and .xii. yeres vnder .v. or .vii. kynges at moste THE XCV CHAPITER THen to returne where we left Aurely whyche as before ye haue harde helde and occupyed the myddell parte of Brytayne wyth CaÌ„bria or walys dyd hys dylygence to repayre ruynous places as well temples as other and caused y e seruyce of god to be sayde and done whyche by meane of the Saxons was greatly decayde thorough all Brytayne And after this Aureliê° beseged y â— Saxons in y e hyll of Badon or Badowe where he slewe many of theym But dayly the Saxons encreasyd landed in myche Brytayn as after shall appere For shortely after a Saxon named Porth landed wyth his two soÌ„nes at an haueÌ„ in Southsex After whome as some authours meane y e haueÌ„ was after called Portismouth whyche kepeth the name at this day And in lykewyse they came to lande in dyuers places of Britayne so that Aurelius had wyth them many conflyctys and bataylles in the whych he spedde dyuersly for he was somtyme vyctour and some season ouer set It is wryteÌ„ of hym in y e englyshe cronicle and other that he by y e helpe of Merlyn shuld fetche the great stones now standynge vpon the playne of Salysburye and called the stone henge oute of Irlande and caused theym to be sette there as they nowe stande in remembraunce of the Brytons that there were slayne and buryed in the tyme of the communycacyon had with Hengiste and his Saxons as before in the storye of Uortiger is touchyd But Polycronica alledgyth y t honour vnto Uter Pendragon his brother In the tyme of this Aurelius as wytnessyth also y e sayde Policronica dyed Hengist in his bed when he had reygned ouer y e Kentysh Saxons .xxiiii. yeres After whose deth Octa or Osca his sonne ruled y e sayd kyngdome other .xxiiii. yeres All be yt that the brytyshe bokes and also the cronycles of Enlande sheweth that after that Aurelius had in batayll slayne Hengiste he toke vnto his grace Octa his son gaue vnto hym a dwellynge place in the countre of Galewey for hym his SaxoÌ„s then lefte on lyue which semeth not to be true for mater that shall after ensue and also for y â— that before is touchyd of the Pictes and Scottes in the tyme of the myserye of the Brytons Then yt foloweth this Octa nother augmented nor mynyshed his lordshyp but helde hym therwyth contented as his fader had to hym lefte yt Lastely in the ende of the reygne of Aurely Pascentius the yongest son of Uortiger whiche after y e deth of his fader was fledde into Irland for fere of Aurely purchasyd ayde of Guilamour kyng of IrlaÌ„de And wyth a great armye inuadyd thys lande of Brytayne by the countre of walys in takynge the cytye of Menenia and in wastynge the sayd couÌ„tre wyth iron and fyre In the which season and tyme Aureliê° laye syke in his cytye of Kaerguent or wynchester For whych cause he desyred hys brother Uter to gather an hoste of BritoÌ„s to appease y e malice of Pascencius his adhereÌ„tis The whych accordyngly preparyd his hoste at length ouercame the hoste of PasceÌ„cius and slewe hym and the forenamed Guillamour in the same fyght In this whyle and season that Uter was thus gone agayne Pascentius a Saxon or other strauÌ„ger feynynge hym a Bryton a connyng man in physyke by the intycemet of Pascencius came vnto Aurely where he lay syke by his subtyle false meanes purchasyd such fauour wyth those y t were nyghe vnto the prynce that he was put in truste to mynystre medycines vnto the kyng This is named of writers Coppa or of some Eoppa The whyche when he had espyed his tyme coÌ„uenyent to brynge about his false purpose he gaue to Aureliê° a pocyon enpoysoned by vyolence wherof he shortely after was dede when he hadde reygned after moste wryters vppon .xix. yeres The thyrde or fyfte THE XCVI CHAPITER IN the tyme of y e reygne of this Aurelius as wytnesseth the authour of Policronica other y e kyngdome of Eestanglis began vnder a Saxon named Uffa about the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and xii and the .xi. yere of Aurelius The whych kyngdome conteyned Norlf and Suff. nowe called This hadde in this eest and north sydes the see in the northweste Cambryge shyre and in the weste saynte Edmundes dytche and Hertfordshyre and in the southe Essex This lordshyppe was called fyrste Uffynys lordshyp and the kynges therof were named Uffynys or after some authoures the people But fynally they were named eest Anglys The fyrst cristen kyng of this pryncypate was Redwaldus the thyrde kynge but he was not so stedfaste as belonged to his relygyon His sonne named Corpwaldus was more stedfaste whyche after was slayne of a mysbyleuynge man and for Crystes fayth as some wryte But Guydo sayth that Sebertus was fyrste cristen kynge of this lordshyppe that he made saynt Poulys chyrch of LoÌ„don This vnder .xii. kynges endured tyll the martyrdome of blessyd saynte Edmunde laste kynge therof the whych was martyred nere about the yere of our lord .viii. huÌ„dred and lxix By the whyche reason yt shuld folowe that this kyngdome shulde endure by the terme of .iii. C.lxxvii yeres And of this lordshyp at that dayes was Elman or Thetforde the chyfe towne But after Guydo this lordeshyppe shulde begynne the yere of Grace .v. hundred .lxx then shuld yt endure but .ii. hundred .iiii. score and .xix. yeres Francia THE XCVII CHAPITER CLodoueus the sonne of Childericus or Hildericus before named was after the deth of his fader ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in y e yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and .iiii and the thyrde yere of Aurelius then kyng of Brytayne This of some wryters is named Clodoueê° Lowys The whyche shortely after that he of this realme was authorysyd for kynge heryng reporte of the beaute and grete vertue of Clotildis neuewe to Cundebald kynge or ruler of Burgoyne sente vnto hym a knyght named Aurelius to treat a maryage betwene the kynge and Clotyld or Crotild The which Cundebald more for fere then for loue assentyd The cause wherof as myn authour sayth was for y t thys Crotyld was enherytour vnto the sayde lande of Burgoyne and that she be reason of y t maryage shuld recouer her ryghte and put hym from the
I haue exhorted you And all the other deale I shall suffer you to amende and refourme wythin your selfe but they wold not therof of Then saynt Augustyne sayde vnto them and warned them by maner of inspyracyon that syns they wold not receyue peace of theyr bretherne they shulde of other receyue warre wreche the whyche was after put in experyence by Ethelfrydus kynge of Northumberlande Longe yt were to tell the cyrcumstauÌ„ce of the lyfe of this blessyd man wherfore I passe ouer Lastly wheÌ„ he hadde in one daye crystyned .x. thousande of Saxons or Anglys in the weste ryuer that is called Swale besyde yorke and knewe that he shuld shortely dye after he ordeyned a successour named Laurence whyle he lyued for the state of holy chyrche in Brytayn was as yet but rude boystous But in y t doynge he folowed the ensample of Peter that was fyrst pope whyche made Clement by his lyfe helper and successour Also this Augustyne made Mellitus bysshop of London and of EestsaxoÌ„s whych after moste wryters were then newly entred the lande The ryuer of Thamys departed theym and Kent and after dyed and was buryed in y e monastery before rehersed wythoute the wallys of Dorobernia or Caunterburye THE CXX CHAPITER EThelbertus then confermyd in the fayth among other costly dedys beganne he foundacyon of Paulys chyrche wythin the cytye of London and ordeyned yt for the bysshoppes see of London For the archbyshoppes see that before tyme was at London was by Augustyne and Ethelbert at the prayer of y e cytezyns of Dorobernia traÌ„slated to the sayde cytye as in the .lix. chapyter of thys treatyse yt is more at length declared But of the buyldynge of thys chyrche of saynt Paule dyuerse opynyons ben For some wryters testyfye that yt was buylded or begonne to buylde by Sygebertus kynge of Eestanglys but more veryly kynge of EestsaxoÌ„s or Eestsex This Ethelbert also fouÌ„ded the chyrche of sayne Andrew in the cytye of Dorubres in Kent nowe called Rochester of the whyche Iustus was byshoppe ordeyned before of saynt Albane About y e tyme or a season after the forenamed Ethelfrydus whyche in the englyshe cronycle is named Elfryde foughte wyth the Brytons at the cytye of Legyscestre or Chestre slew of the Brytons a great nomber At whyche tyme and season a great nomber of the monkes of Bangor were also there assembled for to pray for the good spede of the Brytons wherof when Ethelfrydus was warned he fell also vppon theym and flewe of theym at that tyme as wytnessyth dyuers authours .xxi. huÌ„dred as yt is before shewyd in the C. and ix chapyter of this boke This forenamed Ethelbert excyted a dweller or cytezen of London to make a chyrche or chapell in the worshyp of saynte Peter in the west ende of London then called Thorney and now the towne of westmynster the whyche that tyme was forgrowen wyth bushes and bâ—eres excedyngly where the sayde cytezen be ganne and buylded the fyrst chyrche of westmynster in y e honour of saynt Peter whych was after by saynt Edwarde the coÌ„fessour enlarged or new buylded But of the thyrde Henry when he reygned as kynge of England yt was newe edyfyed made as yt now is a beauteous monastery and rychely endowed bothe wyth possessyon and relykes and ryche iewellys It is shewyd in the Englyshe cronycle of Englande that thys Ethelbert shulde be slayne in a fyghte betwene hym and Ethelfryde kynge of Northumberlande But Policronicon sayth that he dyed and went to heuen when he hadde reygned ouer the lordshyppe of Kent .lvi. yeres and the .xxi. yere after that he hadde receyuyd Crystendome The kyngdome of Eestsaxons THE CXXI CHAPITER DUrynge also the foresayde persecucyon of y e BrytoÌ„s or any ruler of theÌ„ were specyally named beganne the reygne of Eestsaxons as wytnessyth Policronicon vnder Sebertus theyr fyrste kynge nere about the yere of our lordes incarnacyon .vi. hundred and .xiiii. All be yt that Guydo de Columna sayth that yt beganne nere about the tyme and season when the kyngdome of Eestanglys beganne But I folowe Polycronicon for he leyeth holy Beda for his Authour in myche of his worke This kyngdome whych is to meane Essex hadde in the eest syde the see in the weste Myddelsex and London in the southe the cyuer of Thamys in the north Suffolke and endured after moste wryters by the terme of two hundred and odde yeres But by y â— sayeng of Policronica yt shuld not endure ouer two hundred yeres Neuerthelesse yt shulde appere by the storye of Edwarde the elder sonne of Aluredus y t yt shulde coÌ„tynue vnder the Danys and other wyse tyll the .viii. yere of his reygne And by that reason yt shulde endure two hundred .lxxx. .xiii. yeres The contynuauÌ„ce therof is more doutfull to be iustly determyned for so myche as wryters be of dyuers opynyons of the begynnyng therof All be it y e Polycronycon in the .li. chapyter of hys fyrste boke sayth that yt began vnder Sebertus and vnder .x. kynges tyll Egbertus kynge of westsaxons subdued yt and ioyned yt to his owne kyngedome The fyrste crysten kynge of thys lordshyppe was the forenamed Sebertus conuertyd by meanes of Mellitus byshoppe of London as sayth Guydo But after hys sayeng thys Sebertus shulde be the thyrd kynge of Essex All wryters agreen that the kynges of thys lordshyp were more comynly named vnder kynges and were more subiecte to other kynges and chefely vnto the kynges of Mercia or Mercheryke Then to retourne agayn vnto the Brytons whyche by all this season occupyed a parte of Cornewayl and the countres of Cambria as Uenedocia whyche now is called Northwalys ad Demecea whych now is called Southwalys and there held them in makynge assautes vpon the Saxons as before is touchyd some whyle in one coste and some whyle in that other vnder sondrye dukes as witnessyth Gaufryde and also the englysh cronycle The whych so contynued after moste accorde of tyme and to accorde thys hystorye wyth other by the terme of .xxiiii. yeres ouer and aboue thre yeres alowed for the reygne of Careticus aforesayd So that from the fyrste yere of Caretycus to the laste of these .xxiiii. yeres expyryd or flowyd .xxvii. yeres At whyche tyme the Brytons of one assent chase for theyr hedde or ruler y â— duke of Uenedocia or Southwalys named Cadwanus Francia THE CXXII CHAPITER CLotharius or Lotharius the sonne of Chilpericus second of y t name was made kynge of a parte of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of oure lorde .v. hundred lxxx and .viii and the .ii. yere of Careticus then kynge of the Brytons Thys Clotharius by the reporte of mayster Robert Gagwyne is notyd to be descendyd of Clodoueê° Lowis fyrste crystened kynge of Fraunce not expressely to be the sonne of Chilpericus But for so myche as in the cronycle of Chilperych I haue shewed to you somwhat of the dedys of Fredegund wyfe of Chylperiche therfore I
empyre and sette suche a man of myghte in the rome therof Thys Charlis had dyuers wyues But of the seconde named Eldegard he receyued .iii. sonnes that is to say Lewys Pepyn Charlis y e whyche Pepyn he made kynge of Longobardes or Italy as before is shewyd Of thys great conqueroure what shulde I holde lenger processe For lyke as I before shewyd of his notable dedys myght I make a great volume yf I shuld of them shew the clerenesse and the circuÌ„staunce of euery coÌ„quest that he in his tyme acheuyd But deth that is to all ê‘sones egall lastly toke him in his dymme dauÌ„ce when he had ben kynge of Fraunce with his brother alone .xlvii. yeres Of the whyche he ruled the empyre as before is shewyth .xiiii. yeres in y e yere of his age as sayen the frenche cronycles .lxxii and was buryed at Aquisgrany wyth great pompe in y e yere of our lordes incarnacyon .viii. hundred and .xv. wyth this superscripcyon vppon his toumbe Caroli Magne christianissimi imperatoris RomanoruÌ„ corpus sub hoc sepulchro condituÌ„ est which may be englished as folowith Of Charlis the great and emperour moste crysten Of Rome the bodye is hyd thys toumbe wythin Of the forenamed sonnes of Charlys suruyued y e eldest Lewys by name and the other two Pepin Charlys dyed before theyr father Anglia THE CLVII CHAPITER BRigthricus of the blood of Cerdicê° fyrst kyng of westsaxons desceÌ„dyd beganne hys reygne ouer the sayd Saxons in yere of oure lorde .vii. hundred and .lxxviii and the .x. yere of Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce This before tyme hadde maryed one of the doughters of Offa kynge of Mercia as before is touchyd by whose ayde and power he put out of hys rule Egbert the sonne of Alcumundus the whyche Egbert at that daye was an vnder kynge or ruler in the lordshyppe of westsaxon whyche Egbert was descendyd of y e blood of the holy Genulphus of whome som parte of the storye ys declared in the .xxv. chapyter of the .v. boke of Policronica And after he was thus of Brigthricus expulsyd he saylyd into Fraunce and there exercysyd hymselfe in featys of warre wyth the knyghtes of Charlys courte durynge the lyfe of the sayde Brigthricus About the .ii. yere of thys Brigthricus was sene in great Brytayne a wonder syghte For sodeynly as men walked in y e strete crossys lyke vnto blood fell vppon theyr clothes and blood fell from heuen lyke droppes of rayne This after some exposytours betokened the commynge of the Danes into this lande the whyche entryd shortely after For as wytnessyth Polycronica aboute the .ix. yere of Brigthricus the Danys fyrste entryd this lande In defence wherof thys sayde kynge sent forth hys stewarde of housholde wyth a smalle company whych shortly was slayn But by the strength of Brygthricus and the other kynges of Saxons they were coÌ„pellyd to voyde the land for that tyme and season Brigthricus thus well knyghtly rulynge his land his wyfe named Ethelburga not wyth hym coÌ„tentyd as she oughte to be soughte dyuerse wayes and meanes how she myghte brynge her lorde oute of lyfe so that fynally she poysoned hym wyth many other of hys housholde meyny wherfore she ferynge punyshement fledde into Fraunce and by suche freÌ„dshyppe as she there hadde was well cheryshed in Charlis courte surnamed the great Of her yt is told that whan he had hadde some informacyon of the vnstablenes of this womans condycyons he at that season beynge a wydowar vppon a season in passynge of the tyme wyth her sayde nowe I put to youre choyse whyther ye wyll haue me vnto your wedded lorde or ellys my sonne staÌ„dyng here in your presence And hym that you chose hym shall you haue and enioye for your husbande But she chase y e son and lefte the father Then sayde the kynge yf thou haddest chosen me thou shuldest haue hadde my sonne But for thou haste forsaken me thou shalt haue nother of vs. And after he closyd her in an abbey where in processe a lewde man kept with her such company that she was voydyd that place and after demeaned her so vycyously that in processe of tynie she fell in such pouerte that she dyed in great penurye and myserye For the whyche mysse demeanure of this woman that she had innaturally slayne her lorde and husbande the kyng of Anglis and specially of westsaxons wolde not suffer the wyues to be callyd Sueuys nor yet suffer them to sette by them in places of great honour or kyngely sete by a long tyme after Thus as before is shewyd by the impoysonynge of his own wyfe dyed y e kynge Brigthricus when he had ruled y e westsaxoÌ„s after most concorde of writers by the terme of .xvii. yeres THE CLVIII CHAPITER EGbertus the sonne of AlcumuÌ„dê° as before is shewyd began hys reygne ouer the westsaxons in y e yere of grace .vii. hundred .lxxx. and xv and y e .xxvii. yere of Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce Thys as before is sayde was dryuen oute of the lande of Britayne by y e streÌ„gth of Brigthricus But he hauynge knowlege of hys deth spedde out of Fraunce and in so knyghtely wyse hym demeaned that he obteyned the regiment and gouernaunce of the aboue sayde kynge Bernulphus kynge of Mercia had this Egbert in derysyon and made therof dyuerse scoffys iapynge rymes y t which he susteyned for a time But when he was somdeale stablysshed and hadde prouyd the myndes and hartis of his subiectes he lastly assembled his knyghtes and gaue to hym a batayll in a place called Elyndome in the prouynce of Hampton And all be yt that in that fyght was great dyuersyte of nomber as .vi. or viii agayne one yet Egbert had the victory For his knyghtes were lene megre pale and longe brethed so that they myghte endure to fyghte But Bernulphus knyghtes were fatte corpulent shorte brethed so that they were soone ouercome with swet and shorte labour Here is to be noted that after the deth of Offa kyng of Mercia or middell Englande of whome somwhat is touched in the story of Kenulphê° reygned his son Egfertê° after Egfertê° reygned Kenulfus or KeÌ„wolfus y e which Kenwolphus was father to y e holy martyr Kenelme to .ii. fayre vyrgyns Ouindred and Burgenulda or Ermenilda And after Kenwolfus succedyd the foresayd Kenelme and after Kenelme reygned Colwolphus and after hym succedyd Bernulphus before named Then to retourne agayne to Egbert the whych when he had as before is sayd ouercome Bernulphus he seasyd that lordshyppe into hys hande And that done he made war vppon the Kentyshe Saxons and at leÌ„gth in lyke wyse of them obteyned vyctorye And as wytnessyth Polycronica he also subdued the Northumbrys and caused the kynges of these thre kyngdomes to lyue vnder hym as trybutaryes or ioyned them to hys kyngedome as testyfyeth the authour of the Floure of hystories Thys Egbert also wanne from y e
in hys .xx. yere reygned after .xv. yeres they haue accoūted the .xv. yere whyche he reygned as crysten kynge and haue lette passe the other .xx. yere And so is it to be thought that the forsayd auctour Peter pictauiens dyd whych reason beynge alowed the sayde table maye agre wyth the sayd Peter wythoute any greate dyfference whyche testyfyeth y e sayd Lucius to reygne .lxxvii yere as kynge After whose deth in so moche that he dyed wythout any lawfull heyre a great contēcion sprange amonge the Brytons that endured by .xv. yeres as shall apere by the sequel Trouth it is after all histories that Seuerus a Romayne succeded Lucius in Brytayne But because y e tyme is nat certaynly sette whan the sayd Seuerus subdued the Brytōs therfore it is to noted that whanne it was shewed to the Romaynes of the sedicion and discorde of the Brytōs of the sleyng of the Romayns than beyng in Brytayn the senate sentte thyder the forsayd Seuerus wyth .ii legions of men whych bare thē selfe so manfully that in shorte whyle he compelled the Brytons to obey to the senate whyche Policronicon affermeth to be about the yere of our lord C.xcv. In whyche yere as hath Iacobus Philippus the sayde Seuerus began to raygne ouer the Romayns But that dysagreeth from other Cronycles For Eutropius Matheolus the forsayde Iacobus Philippus sayth that whan the sayde Seuerus had subdued the Arabyes Parthys and Gallys after many battayls he came into Brytayn where he beynge troubled wyth dyuers chaunces at laste died in y e towne of yorke where by it is to be supposed that in y e ende of hys reygn he came hether about the .xii. yere of hys reygne ouer the Romayns which was the yere of our lorde .ii. C.vii. and that after he reygned ouer the Brytons .v. yere wherefore it euydētly apereth that the forsayd dyscord dured .xv. yeres whych tyme Brytayne was wythoute a kynge Thus endeth the thyrde parte which conteyneth CC.lvi yeres SEuerus emperour of Rome as before is shewed in the .xii. yere of hys empyre and yere of oure lord .ii. C. .vii beganne hys reygne ouer the Brytōs and yere of y e world and reygned as kynge yeres .v. The fyrst persecucyon of the chrysten men was vnder this Seuerus about the yere of our lord .ii. C.x ca. lxi fo xxii Bassianus the sonn̄ of Seuerus began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C.xii the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxii folio xxii Carassius a yonge and lusty Brytayne of vnknowē blode by meanes as in hys story sheweth began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C. and .xviii. and yere of the worlde ruled yeres .viii. ca. lxiii fo xxiii Here agayn authours forget y e yeres of the kynges folowyng Of whyche I nat greatly maruyll For in thys tyme muche discencyon was among the Romayne prynces also amonge the Brytons cyuyll warre ceased nat For they were so styrred wyth dyscencyon and warre y t none coulde occupy the kyngedome any determynate tyme. For whyche cause and suche lyke authours coude nat assyne any certeyne tyme to the prynces as me semeth But that we maye come to some knowlege Policronicon sheweth that constantius y t was father to Constantine the great was sente by the senate into Brytayne about the yere of our lord .ii. C.lxxix and in the seconde yere of Probrus emperour that he shuld subdue to y e Romayns Coelus than there kyng From the whych tyme of the coming of the sayde Constantius vntyll the last yere of Bassianus accountynge bakwarde there passed .lxi. yeres In the tyme of whych yeres there reygned in thys Ilelande these .iiii. kynges that is to say Carassius Alectus Asclepiodotus and Coelus Allectus a duke or senatour of Rome began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .ii. C.xxvi of the worlde reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxiiii fo xxiii Asclepeodotus or after the Englysshe boke Asclepades began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde god CC.xxxii And the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .xxx. The syxt persecucyon of crysten men was about the yere of our lorde CC.xxxviii vnder Maximian The .vii. persecucyon was in y e yere of oure lorde CC.lv. vnder Decius In y e whych pope Fabyan was martyred The .viii. persecucion was in the yere of our lord CC.lx. vnder Ualeryan whych was the .xviii. yere of thys Asclepiodotus ca. lxv folio xxiiiii Coelus or Coyll erle of Colchester by exytyng of the Brytōs was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of oure lord CC.lxii reygned yeres .xxvii. Thys kyng after most wryters made the towne of Colchester in Essex ca. lxvi fo xxiiii Constancius a senatoure of Rome by reason of maryage knyt wyth Eleyn doughter of Coelus beganne to reygne as kyng of Brytayne in y e yere of our lord CC.lxxxix and of y e worlde and reygned yeres xxx The .ix. persecucyon of the crystēmen was vnder Aurelianus Saint Albon prothomartyr in the tyme of thys Constancius as some haue in y e x. persecucyō whych was vnder Dioclesian and Maximian was martyred ca. lxvii fo xxiiii Constancius surnamed the great sonn̄ of Constancius and of the holy Heleyne began his reygne ouer Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C.xix and of the worlde and reygned as kyng yeres .x. ca. lxviii folio xxv Octauius duke of Iesses or Iewesses and after named westsaxōs by extorte power began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C. .xxix. and of the worlde and reygned yeres .liiii ca. lxxi fo xxvii Of thys kynge folowynge called Maximius or after some Maximianus wryters dyuersly speke so that some say he raygned few yeres But in the concordaunce of cronycles it playnly apereth that the sayd Maximis began to reygn ouer the Brytōs in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxii that he was slayn of Theodosius the elder in the thyrd yere of his reygne whych began to reygne in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxviii And so it appereth playnly that he reygned ix yeres Maximius or Maximianus the son̄ of Leonyne brother to Trahern̄ vncle to Helcyne began hys reygne ouer Brytayn in the yere of our lord iii. C.lxxxii and reygned yeres .ix ca. lxxii fo xxvii Saynt Ursula wyth her felowes in thys kynges tyme were martyred of Enanus and Melga Gracianus an offycer or feede knyght of Maximius began to oppresse the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .iii. C.xc and tyrannysed yeres iiii ca. lxxiiii fo xxviii The storyes agre that after that Gracian was slayne Brytayne was vexed a longe whyle wyth oftē dyscēsions cyuyll warre But how longe thys dyscord dyd last authours trete diuersly for some say it lasted .l. yere some .xl. some .xxx. Therfore to know y e certeynty it is requisite that we dylygently serche howe many yeres passed frō the
last yere of GraciaÌ„ vntyll the begynnynge of the reygne of Constantyne or the certayn tyme whan ConstaÌ„tyne was made kyng who as witnesseth Guydo was crowned at Cicester in the yere of our lord iiii C.xxxv. The floure of hystoryes sayth also that in the thyrde yere of Theodocius the yonger emperour Constantyne began to rule the Brytons whych Theodocius begaÌ„ne to reygne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.xxxi wherby it apereth that from the last yere of GraciaÌ„ vntyll the begynnyng of Constantyne there passed about .xl. yeres But the very trewrule is y t in the yere of grace .iiii. C.li. the Saxons fyrst perced Brytayne and in the thyrd yere of Uortigern From whych takyng awaye for the reygne of Uortigern .ii. yeres fro the reygn of ConstaÌ„cius .v. yere fro the reygn of ConstaÌ„tyne .x. yere it foloweth y t the sayd dyssencion or mysery of the Brytons lasted .xxxix. yeres full And here ended the trybute that was payd to the Romayns that had endured aboue .iiii. C.lx. yeres Thus endeth the fourth parte that encludeth CC.xxv yeres ¶ The line of the kynges of Fraunce PHaramundus the sonÌ„ of Mercomirus began hys reygne as fyrst kyng of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .iiii. C.xx and the mysery of the Brytons the .xxvi. yere reygned yeres .xi. ca. lxxviii folio xxxi Clodius or Clodio or after some Crynitus and Capillatus the sonne of Pharamude was ordeyned the seconde kyng of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .iiii. hundreth and .xxxi the .xxxvii. yere of the myserye of the Brytons and reygned yeres .xix. capi lxxix folio xxxi Here begynneth the fyfthe parte COnstantinus the brother of Aldroenus kyng of lytell Brytayne beganne hys reygn ouer moche Brytayne Anno domini iiii hundreth and .xxxiii and the yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce the thyrd yere and reygned yeres .x. capi lxxx folio xxxii Constantinus the sonne of Constantyne before tyme a monke was made kynge of moche Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth and .xliii and the .xiii. yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .v. ca. lxxxi folio xxxii Uortigerus or Uortigernus duke of Cornewayll or Consull of Iesses was by treason made kynge in the yere of our lorde foure hundreth and lxviii and the .xviii. yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce and reyned yeres .xvii. The Saxons or Englysshemen in the thyrde yere of this kynges reygne fyrste entred thys Ilande capi lxxxii folio xxxii Meroneus neuewe or next allye vnto Clodio was made kynge of Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde iiii hundreth and .l and the seconde yere of Uortiger than kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .x. capi lxxxv folio xxxiiii Meroneus neuewe or next of Allye vnto Clodio was made kynge of Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde iiii C. and .l and the seconde yere of Uortiger than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .x. ca. lxxxv fo xxxiiii Chyldericus or Hylderycus the sonne of Meroneus was ordeyned kyng of Fraunce in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. C. and .lx and the .xii. yere of Uortiger than kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .xxiiii. ca. lxxxvi folio xxxv Uortimerus the sonnÌ„ of Uortiger was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxxiiii the iiii yere of Chylderych than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .vii. ca. lxxxviii fo xxxvi Uortigernus before named was agayne restored to the kyngdome in the yere of our lord .iiii. C.lxxi and y e xi yere of Chylderyche than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .ix. In thys kynges tyme aboute the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxvi the kyngdome of Kent the fyrste kyngdome of the SaxoÌ„s began vnder Hengystas appereth fo xxxvii ca. lxxxix folio xxxvi Aurelius Ambrosius the seconde sonne of Constantyne and brother to Constancius the monke slayne by reason of Uortiger was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde iiii C.lxxxi and the .xi. yere of Chylderych than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xix. In thys kynges tyme about the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxxii beganne the kyngedome of Southsaxones vnder Ella and hys sonnes And also in thys kynges tyme that is to saye in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C. lxxx.xii begaÌ„ne the kingdome of Estangles vnder Uâ—fa But Guydo sayeth it beganne in the yere of oure lorde .v. hundreth .lxx. as appereth capi xciiii fo xxxviii Clodoueus the sonne of Chyldericus or Hyldericus before named was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth lxxxiiii and the thyrde yere of Aurelius thanne kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .xxx. Thys was the fyrste crysten kynge whyche receyued the fayth of saynt Remygius aboute the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth .xcix. whereby it appereth that the fayth came into Brytayne aboue iii. hundreth yere before it came into Fraunce capi xcvii fo xxxix Uter surnamed Pendragon the yongest sonne of Constantyne brother to Aurelius was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C and the .xvi. yere of Clodoueus thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres xvi ca. c. fo xli Clotharius or Lotharius the sonÌ„ of Clodoueus beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde .v. C. and .xiiii and the yere of Uter than kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .l. ca. c.i. fo xlii Arthurus the sonÌ„ of Uter begaÌ„ne hys rygne ouer the BrytoÌ„s in y e yere of our lorde .v. C. and .xvii the .iii. yere of Lotharius thanne kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xxvi. In thys kynges tyme the kyngdom of SaxoÌ„s begaÌ„ vnder Serdicus about the yere of our lord .v. C.xxiii ca. c.iiii. fo xliiii Constantius the sonne of Cador began hys reygne ouer the lande of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .xliii and the .xxix. yere of Lotharius than kynge of Fraunce reygned yeres .iii. Totila kyng of Ostragathoris about this time spoyled Rome other cytyes in Italy ca. c.vii. folio xlv Aurelius Conanus the neuewe of CoÌ„stantyne begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .xlvi and y e .xxxii. yere of Lotharius forenamed reygned yeres .ii. In thys kynges tyme the kyngdome of Northumbers began vnder Ida about the yere of our lord .v. C. xivii ca. c.viii fo xlvi Uortiporius the sonÌ„ of Aurelius Conanus began to rule the BrytoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .v. C. .xlviii the yere of Clothare kyng of FrauÌ„ce xxxiiii and reygned yeres .iiii. ca. c.x. fo xlvii Malgo the brother of Uortiporius begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lord .v. C. and lii .xxxviii. yere of Lothayre fornamed reygned yeres after moste accorde of wryters .xxxv. ca. c.xi. folio xlvii Chilpericus the .iii. sonnÌ„ of Clotharius began hys reygne ouer the FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .lxiiii the .xiiii. yere of Malx thaÌ„ kyng of Brytayne
reygned yeres xiiii ca. c.xii. fo xlvii Careticus a Bryton of vncowthe byrth began hys tyraÌ„ny ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lord .v. C.lxxx .vi .xxii. yere of Chylperyche than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and tyrannysed yeres .iii. ca. c.xviii fo liii Here it is to be noted that after y e sayd Careticus was expulsed out of Brytayne the BrytoÌ„s abode in Cambria these partes fought ofteÌ„with the SaxoÌ„s Of whose captaynes fro thys Careticus vntyll Cadwan the story remeÌ„breth none yet by y e coÌ„cordauÌ„ce of other cronycles hystories it apereth y t betwene the laste yere of Careticus begynnyng of the reygn of Cadwan there passed about .xxiii. yeres as apereth by y e sequell Furthermore in this tyme Ethelbert king of Kent receyued the fayth about the yere of oure lorde .v. C.xcvi Thys Ethelbert bylded Poules church And about the yere of our lord .vi. C.xiii. began the kyngdome Estsaxons vnder Sebertus Lotharius or Clotharius y e sonÌ„ of Chylpericus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .v C.lxxxviii the .ii. yere of Careticus than kynge of Brytayne reygned yeres .xliii. ca. c.xxii fo lvi Cadwanus duke of Northwalis was of y e Brytons chosen kyng and begaÌ„ to reygne ouer a parte of BrytoÌ„s in the yere of our lorde .vi. C. and viii the .xxv. yere of the secoÌ„de Clothayre reygned yeres .xxii. In this kynges tyme the kyng done of Mercia began vnder Penda ca. c.xxviii folio lxiiii Dagobertus y e fyrst of y e name sonnÌ„ of y e secoÌ„d Clothayre begaÌ„ hys dominioÌ„ ouer y e FreÌ„chemeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vi. C. .xxxi y e .viii. yere of Cadwan than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .xiiii. Saynt Denys with hys felowes were fouÌ„d by this king by myracle ca. c.xxxi fo lxv Cadwallus the sonÌ„ of CadwanÌ„ began hys reygne ouer a parte of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .vi. C. xxxv and the .iiii. yere of the fyrste Dagoberte than kynge of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xlviii. ca. c.xxxiii folio .lxvii. Elodoueus the yoÌ„ger sonnÌ„ of Dagobertus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vi. C. .xlv and the .x. yere of Cadwall than kyng of Brytayn reygned yeres .xvi. ca. c.xxxvi fo lxxi Clotharius y e thyrde of that name and sonne of Clodoueus was made kyng of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord vi C.lxii and the .xxvi. yere of Cadwall than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .iiii. ca. xxxvii fo lxxii Theodoricus the brother of y e fornamed Lothayre began hys reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde vi C.lxvi and the .xxx. yere of the fore sayd Cadwall than kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xxxviii fo lxxii Chylderycus or Hylderycus y e .iii. sonne of Clodoueus began his reygne ouer the Frenchmen in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxix y e .xxxiii. of Cadwall yet kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.xxxix fo lxxii Cadwaladrus or after Bede Cedwalla sonne of Cadwallo began to rule the BrytoÌ„s in the yere of oure lorde .vi. C.lxxx and .iii the .xii. yere of Theodoricus thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xl. folio .lxxiii. Of the tyme of the raygne of this Cadwalader autours write diuersly and shew of him as of .ii. seuerall persones â–ª For Galfryde other say that whan he had reygned .xii. yeres he went to Rome thereof pope Sergius was made a monk and dyed in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxxix which sayeng differeth farre from other authours For Guido de caluÌ„ma sayeth in hys worke that he shortly gathered of the kynges of Brytayne that whan Cadwallader that also is named Cadwalla sonne of Cadwallon had peassably gouerned Brytayne iii. yeres he went to Rome of pope Sergius was made monk ended hys lyfe in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxxxix whych sayng Policronicon in hys .v. boke .xx. chapyter affermeth where he nameth the sayd Cadwalader king of Brytons and westsaxoÌ„s and that kyng Iew or Iue was hys successour And so by these authours other which PolicronicoÌ„ alledgeth for hym as Beda other whych name thys Cadwalader Ced walla it apereth that it was one person that thys tyme he reygned ouer the Brytons and westsaxones whyche was last kyng of the stok of the Brytons And because the kynges of westsaâ—oÌ„ in proces of tyme subdued all the other kinges therfore I wyll obserue the order of them vntyll I haue broughte thys ilande to one monarchy Here endeth the lyne of the kynges of Brytayne whyche contynued froÌ„ the fyrst Brute by M.viii C. .xxii. yeres Thus endeth the fyft parte whyche includeth CC.liii IEwe or Iue of y e blod of Saxons or after som writers Iuo beganne hys reygne ouer the westsaxones to rekyn after the departing of Cadwalader in the yere of oure lorde .vi. hundreth .lxxx. and .vii and the .xvi. yere of the seconde Theodoricus thanne kynge of Fraunce and reygned yered .xxxvii. ca. c.xli. folio .lxxvi Clodoueus the .iii. of that name secoÌ„d sonne of the second Theodoricus was made kyng of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord .vi. C.xc and the .iii. yere of Iewe thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxones reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xlii folio .lxxvi. Chyldebertus the second sonnÌ„ of Theodoryche begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chemeÌ„ in y e yere of our lord .vi C.lxxx .xiii the .vi. yere of Iue yet kyng of westsaxones reygned yeres .xvii. ca. c.xliii fo lxxvi Dagabertus y e secoÌ„d of y e name sonne of Chyldeberte was auctorysed kyng of FreÌ„chmeÌ„ in y e yere of our lord .vii. C. .x and the .xxiii. yere of Iewe yet kyng of westsaxones and reygned yeres .xi. ca. c.xliiii fo lxxvi Daniell y t was named Chylperyk a clerke was made kyng of Frenche men in the yere of our lorde .vii. C. xxi the .xxiiii. yere of Iewe yet king of westsaxons and reygned yeres .v. ca. c.xlv. fo lxxvi Ethelardus the neuewe of Iewe begaÌ„ his reygne ouer y e westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxiiii the thyrde yere of Daniell than king of Fraunce and reygned yeres .v. ca. c.xlvi. fo lxxvii Theodoricus the secoÌ„d of y e name and sonne of the seconde Dagobert began hys reygne ouer Frenchmen in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxvi the seconde yere of Ethelardus than king of westsaxones and reygned yeres .xiiii. ca. c.xlvii fo lxxvii Cutbertus y e neuewe of Ethelard began to reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxix the thyrd yere of the secoÌ„d Theodoricus and reygned yeres .xvi. ca. c.xlviii fo lxxix Hyldericus or Chyldericus the seconde of y e name sonne of Theodoricus was made kyng of FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vii. C. and .xl the .xi.
spere vpryghte in hys hande and that the kynge of Gothys shuld throwe or lay so mych syluer as shulde in processe couer the poynt of the sayd spere whyche sentence as testyfyeth mayster Robert Gagwyne the Gothis despysed sayenge that they had not suffycyent syluer wythin theyr land to perfourme the sayd sentence And for despyte of the same certeyne Gothys espyenge a prynce of FrauÌ„ce named Paterne beynge assocyate wyth some dyuerse Frenshmen in a lofte or chamber the whyche Paterne had ben solycytour for the Frenshe kynge in y e foresayd mater the sayde Gothys by crafty and false meanes caused the floorth of the sayd chamber to falle by whyche meane the sayde Paterne was greuously hurte and many of the other in lykewise some slayne wherof whan Clodoueus had wrytynge he beynge therwyth greatly amoued and also bycause y e Gothys dysobeyde the foresayd awarde he gadered shortly after a greate hoste And after certeyne offerynges done to saynt Martyn wyth also passyng the ryuer of Uian by myracle and ledynge of an harte he lastly came to the syghte of hys enemyes Thenne Clodoueus lodged hys hoost nere vnto the monastery of saint Hillary where in the nyght before y e batayle he receyued tokens of vyctory the whyche I passe ouer And vppon the morne he set hys people in araye and made towarde hys enemyes and mette wyth them in a felde called NoglodienÌ„ nere vnto y e ryuer of Cleue or Clyue where after sore and longe fyght he slewe the abouesayde Alaricus kynge of Gothys as sayth myne authour wyth hys owne hande But here shulde seme some discorde of tyme wyth other wryters For Cronica cronicarum Iacobus Philippus and other testyfye that thys Alaricus was dede many yeres before For he shulde be kynge of Gothys by theyr sayenge in the tyme y t Honorius brother vnto Archadius was emperour whyche was aboute the yere of our lord .iiii. huÌ„dred .ix. that he began hys empyre wherfore mayster Robert Gagwyne meaneth some other kynge of Gothys than Alaricê° For the sayd authours also affyrmen that this Alaricus dyed of sodayne sykenesse at a cytye named Cesancia whaÌ„ he had reygned after moste wryters .vi. yere Then it foloweth in y e story whan Clodoueus had thus opteyned vyctory of the Gothys and set the countre of Guyan in order he sped hym agayne into Fraunce And when he was comen into the countre of TuronÌ„ he was encouÌ„tred wyth embassadours of themperours Anastasius and presented from the sayd emperour wyth gyftes greate pryce and honour and also admytted for a consull of Rome whyche at that dayes was a dygnyte of moste honour whyche done he remytted the sayd embassade wyth great gyftes This sayenge is affyrmed of the other wryters the whych shewe this honour to hym to be done for as mych as he had ouercomen the Gothys enemyes of Crystes fayth But they name not the kynges name that then reygned ouer the Gothys Thys besynesse ouerpassed Clodoueus contynued hys iourney tyll he came to the monastery or chyrche of faynt Martyn where wyth great deuocyon accordyng to hys former promysse he offered his stede that he occupyed that iourney agayne the Gothys And after for that he entended to occupye the sayd hors yf he hadde lyke nede he redemed hym wyth a competent summe of golde But yet the hors myghte not be remoued Then y e kyng added to an hundreth pecys of golde which at those dayes were named golden shyllynges and so receyued hys stede wherfore the kynge sayd after in game that saynt Martyn was a good helper at nede but he was costelewe Thus thys noble and fyrste crysten prynce coÌ„tynued hys lyfe in noble and marcyall dedys in augmentynge hys kyngdome by knyghtly batayles and other worldy prouysyons and lastly dyed of goddes visytacyoÌ„ with all stedfastnes of fayth whan he hadde reygned .xxx. yeres leuyng after hym .iiii. sonnes of Clotylde hys wyfe that is to saye Clodomyrus Chyldebertus Theodoricus and Clotharius or after some Latarius and was buryed in y e monastery that he before nere vnto Parys hadde buylded wyth suche epytaphy or superscripcyon vppon hys tumbe as after shal be shewed But or I procede to the declaryng of the foresayd epitaphy for so mych as I haue hard dyuers hold an opynyon that the fayth of Cryste was receyued in Fraunce or it were receyued in this lande of Brytayne therfore I shall note here the tyme that this Clodoueus fyrst toke baptyme whyche was as Ranulphe monke other testyfye in the .xv. yere of hys reygne or nere about whyche was y e yere of our lord .iiii. C.lxxx .xix. wherby yt apperyth consyderynge the tyme of Luciê° fyrst crysteÌ„ prynce that euer was of Brytayne as before is shewed that Cristes fayth was by a longe tyme honoured in Brytayn or it were honoured in Fraunce excepte that suche as holde the forsayd opynyoÌ„ accompte the fyrste comyng of Crystes fayth into Brytayne at y e fyrste conuersyon of the Saxons whenne yt was prechyd by the holy monke saynt Augustyne and hys felowes whych is not to the purpose Than to the foresayde epitaphy or superscrypcyon as foloweth Diues opum virtute potens clarusque triumpho Condidit haue sedem rex Clodoueus idem Patricius magno subsimis fulsit honore Pfemis amore dei contempsit credere nusso Lumina qui varijs horrent potenta figuris Mox pur gatus aquis Christi fonte renatus Fragrantem gessit infulso crisinate crinem ExempluÌ„'que dedit sequitur quod plurima turâ—a Gentisis populi spretoque errore suorum Doctorem cultura deum verumque parentem Hijs felix meritis superauit gesta priorum Semper concilio castris bellisque tremendus Hortatu dux ipse bonus ac pectore fortis CoÌ„structas acies formauit in a gmine primus The whyche verses maye be thus expouned in our moder tuÌ„ge as here after foloweth Riche of goodes stronge in vertue in triumphe re shynynge Kyng Clodoueus this temple buyste of stone Fader of comon profete clad with his honour excellynge Replenyshed with goddes loue despysed hys olde foon And hys pagaun lawe wyth the straunge fygurs echone Purgid with holy water by cristes font born new And holy crisine enointed floured with vertue dew Example gyuyng hym foloweth many a man Forsakyng theyr errour and theyr fals goddes all And by his techynge honour but one god than Thus by his merytes he excelled his parentall And thorough his couÌ„sayle made citye and castell thrall He was a noble duke therwith of grete might And in front of batayle was euer the fyrst knyght Anglia THE C. CHAPITER VTer the laste or yongest sonne of CoÌ„stantyne and brother of Aurelius was made kyng of Britayn in the yere of our lorde .v. huudred euen and the .xvi. yere of Clodoueus than kynge of Fraunce Thys as before ys touched was surnamed PendragoÌ„ The cause therof was as wytnessyth y e Englysshe cronycle for so mych as Merlyn lykened hym
coÌ„forted enforced y t Britons wyth so sharpe fyght that they were compelled to forsake the felde and toke theym to flyght whom the Frenchemen chasyd and slewe wythout mercy In the whyche chase Cramyris wyth hys wyfe and chyldern were taken and presentyd vnto Lotharius The whyche shortly after settynge a parte all faderly loue compassion and pytye causyd a great fyre to be made into the whyche he commaunded to be caste the sayde Cramyris with also hys wyfe and chyldern Or as wytnessyth the frenche cronycle they were all enclosyd in a house and the house and they to gether consumyd wyth fyre Thus the moste cruell father without pyte chastysyd y e inobedyent son to the example and lernyng of other to bere dewe obedyeÌ„ce vnto theyr parentes After this vyctory and cruell chastysement executed by Lothariê° he retourned into Fraunce And so to the sepulcre or shryne of saynte Martyne yeldynge to god and hym thankes of thys vyctorye and offeryd there many ryche gyftes And after spedde hym to Soisons where he as kynge of all Fraunce excepte the lordshyppe of Austracy whyche Theobald sonne of his brother sons Theodorich then helde The father of this Theobald was Theodobert Then Lotharius seynge hys lande in reste and quyetnesse gaue hym to huntynge and chace of wylde bestes a game of great vse amoÌ„g all FreÌ„che prynces In whyche dysporte he beyng one daye greatly trauayled caught some surfet of the whyche ensued a mortall sykenes so that he dyed shortely after when he hadde reygned as before is specifyed ouer the lordshyppe of Soysons and other by the terme of .l. wynter full And was after buryed at Soisons with great pompe leuynge after hym foure sonnes GuÌ„thranus Aribertus Chilpericus Sigebertus It is testyfyed of mayster Robert Gagwyne that saynte Radegunde borne of the countre of Thurynge of a pagan father named Bernigarius was wyfe to this LotharÌ„ whose vertuous lyfe Antoninê° in his boke called SmÌ„ Antonini in the .viii. chapyter .xii. tytle of the seconde parte of his worke shewyth coÌ„peÌ„dyously Anglia THE CIIII. CHAPITER ARthurê° the sonne of Uter Pendragon a strepelynge of .xv. yeres of age beganne his reygne as kynge of Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde v. hundred and .xvii and the thyrde yere of Lotharius then kynge of Fraunce or of a parte therof as before is declared Of this Arthure is by Gaufryde recyted a longe storye and alowed by the englysh cronycle the whyche from other wryters ys greatly dyscordaunte But yet all authours agreen that he was noble an victoryous in all his dedys Fayne I wolde declare the fame of this noble prynce to the comforte of other to folowe his marcyall dedis so that I myght somwhat iustly fye my reporte by some authoure of authoryte But the more I am in doute bycause of the sayenge of Ranulphe monke of Chestre whyche vouchyth yt vppon wyllyam wryter of hystoryes of kynges as ys rehersed at length in the .vi. chapyter of the .v. boke of PolicronicoÌ„ which is there open to euery man that ys desyrous to knowe the sayde reporte or opynyon the whyche for the leÌ„gth therof I ouerpasse And somwhat to the honour of so great a champyon as was thys Arthur I shall lay vnto the reder that he may wyth authoryte shewe vnto the herers and ther wyth gladde the welsheman that he shuld desceÌ„de of so noble a vyctour whych so many dedys of honour executed in his dayes Then as testyfyeth Polycronycon and other Arthur faught .xii. no table batayllis agayne the Saxons and of them all was victour wherfore the fyrste was vpon the ryuer of Cleuy and .iiii. the nexte were foughten vpon the ryuer Douglys which rynneth vnder the town of wygan vpon ten myles from the ryuer of Merse in Lancashyre The .vi. batayll was vppon the ryuer called Bassa The .vii. besyde LyncolnÌ„ in a wood called CelidonÌ„ The .viii. and the .ix. were foughten about yorke The .x. was about Nycolf towne whyche is named warwyk as after some wryters The .xi. was at Bathe where he longe besegyd Cerdicus kynge of westsaxons The .xii. and last was at a place called Badon or Babowe hyll in which he slewe many Saxons But that notwythstandynge he myght not clerely voyde them his lande but that they kepte theyr couÌ„tes which they were before possessyd of as Kente Southerey and Norff all be it that some authours testyfy that they held these countres as trybutaryes vnto Arthure Thys noble warryour as wytnessyth holy Gildas slew with his own hande in one daye by y e helpe of our ladye saynte Marye whose picture he bare peynted in his shelde a hundred and .xl. Saxons whyche shelde he called PrydwenÌ„ his swerd was called Caliboure and his spere was called RonÌ„ after the brytyshe tunge or speche The thyrde or fourth THE CV CHAPITER ABout the .v. yere of this Arthur after the agrement of moste wryters beganne the lord shyppe of westsaxoÌ„s vnder y e Saxon called Cerdicus Kenricus hys sonne For Denys and other wytnesse that this lordshyppe or kyngdome shulde haue his begynnynge the .lxxi. yere after the fyrste commynge of Hengiste or the yere of oure lorde fyue hundred .xxii. which agreeth wyth the .v. yere of Arthure aforesayde Thys lordshyppe conteyned the weste countre of Englande as wylt wyltshyre Somersetshyre Berkê Dors. and other as Deuonshyre and Cornewayll and hadde in the Eest syde Southampton in y e north Thamys the famouse ryuer in the south and weste the see Occean This foresayde Cerdicus whyche of some authours is named Childricus laÌ„ded fyrst at Cerdyshore which nowe is called yermouth an hauen towne in the countre of Norff. And by helpe of other Saxons then inhabyted in that countre then called eest Anglys the sayd Cerdicus at leÌ„gth obteyned the foresayde countre and named yt westsaxon or westsaxonia and reygned therin as lorde or kyng a certayne of yeres and Kenricê° his sonne after hym The fyrste chrysten kynge of this prouynce was named Kyngilsus and coÌ„uertyd by meanes of that blessed man Berinus byshoppe of Dorchester To whom Quichelinus brother of the foresayd Kyngilsus gaue the sayd cytye to make there hys see after he also had receyued baptyme of the sayde Berinus And as Guydo wytnessyth the sayde Quichelinus gaue after to the byshoppe of wynchester .vii. myles compasse of lande to buylde there a byshoppes see the whyche was accomplyshed and finyshed by Kenwalcus his son Thys kyngdome enduryd longeste of all the other whyche were .vii. in nomber or .vi. besyde thys Some wryters accompte the terme of the duraunce of thys kyngdome from Cerdicus to Egbert and some to the laste yere of Aluredus But Guydo accomptyth the enduraunce of thys kyngdome from the fyrste yere of Cerdicus vnto the laste yere of Edwarde the coÌ„fessour By reason wherof yt shuld endure fyue hundred and .liiii. yeres But moste accordyngly yt shulde be rekened from the fyrst yere of Cerdicus to the laste yere of Aluredus For he
Gunthranus dyed vpon a yere folowyng the sayd fygures or sygnes when he hadde ben kyng of Orleaunce by the terme of .xxxvii. yeres and was buryed wyth great pompe in the cytye of Cabylon wythin the prouynce of Burgoyne in y e monastery of saynte Marke whyche he before had buylded and lefte for hys heyre of that kyngdome his neuewe the foresayde Chyldebert THE CXXIIII CHAPITER CHildebertus then hauyng the rule possessyon of hys owne enherytaunce that ys to saye of Austracy and also of Orleaunce castynge in his mynde howe he myghte be reuenged of Fredegunde y e which as before is shewed in the C. .xiii. chapyter of this lybell slewe hys father Sygebert called vnto hym his olde frende and councelloure Gundebald erle of Poytowe and then coÌ„maunded y t he shuld with his power inuade the countre of Soysons the whyche was in the rule of Clotharius wherof Fredegunde beyng warned assembled to her y e lordes of the countrey and exhorted them to wythstande the malyce of theyr enymyes shewynge to them furthermore that that thynge they shuld of iustyce and equyte do consyderynge that theyr kynge Clotharius was yet tender of age and hadde as yet no knyghtely prowesse to defende hym self and his lande And after a longe exhortacyon to them made she wyth her sonne prepared to go agayne the sayde enymyes And when all thynge to the warre was preparyd and redy she wyth a great army made toward the hoste of Gundebalde And when she knewe she was nere vnto the hoste she commaundyd her captaynes to reste fortyfye her people vppon all ê‘tes for brekyng in of her enymyes And agayne nyghte she called to her Laundry her olde paramoure wyth other wyllyng them that in the dede of the nyght they wolde manfully set vppon the other partye for so myche as she sayde to them that she was certaynly enfourmed by her espies that her sayde enymyes were sore weryed by reason of that dayes laboure After whose counseyll the sayde Laundry wyth other wrought and supprysed theyr enymyes so vnwarelye that of theym she slewe a parte chasyd the remanaunt And that done spedde them vnto Champayne nere vnto Reynes and spoyled and brent a parte of that countre Thys feat of warre thus compassyd by the subtyle wytte of Fredegunde was nere to a place called Truet Then Childebert entendyd after certentye hadde of the ouerthrowe of Gundebalde for to haue made newe warre vppon Fredegunde But he was let by meane of the Longobardis whyche than made warre vpon hym Of the whyche warre he hadde somdeale his entent and more shuld yf Mauricius emperour of ConstaÌ„tyne the noble had kept all promesse with hym before made After y e which warre in party endyd he retourned into hys owne countree and shortly after he and also hys wyfe dyed and not wythout suspeccyon of venym leuyng after hym two soÌ„nes named Theodobert and Theodorych gyuynge to the eldest the lordshyppe of Austraci and to the yonger the prouynce of Burgoyne About thys tyme the Hunes brake out of theyr places and warryd vpoÌ„ certeyne partyes of myddle Fraunce and dyd therein greate harme But lastly by meanes of greate gyftes by them receyued they left the countre drewe towarde Soysons Agayne whom FredeguÌ„de gaderyng a grete powar sent Clotharius hyr sonne kynge to the entent to defende the sayd Hunes that they shulde not inuade theyr countrees And shortly after bothe hostes mette in the felde where after longe and sharpe fyght the Frenchmen were vyctours and chased the Hunes in suche wyse that the more parte of them were slayne and taken for the whyche vyctory Fredegunde made excedynge ioye to hyr son Clothayre receyued hym with greate pleasure and excedynge gyftes After the whyche passyd not longe whyle but that she fell syke dyed and than buryed by hyr housbonde Chylperich whan the forenamed bretherne had knowlege of the deth of FredeguÌ„de they by the exhortacyon and styryng of Brunechieldis theyr graundmother callyng to mynde the wronges to theyr auncesters done by Fredegund and somdele by Lothayre assembled a greate powar met wyth Lothayre and hys powar at the ryuer of Arrune or ArueÌ„ne In y e which place was so sore fyght and so many slayne that the cource of the ryuer was let by the multytude of the caryens or dede bodyes y t were therein caste But the more parte fell of the knyghtes of Lothayre so y t he was forcyd to forsake the feld and thens to flee to the cyty of Meleon from thens to Parys whom the sayde bretherne folowed compelled hym to make peas after theyr pleasure The effecte of which peas was this Theodobert y e elder brother of these two shuld enioye all the lande lyeng bytwene the ryuer of Seyn Leyr vnto the Bryttysh Occean or the see of lytell Brytayne And Theodorich the yonger brother to haue all the lande from the sayd ryuer of Seyn vnto the ryuer of Isayr to the brynk of the see And to Clothayr shuld remayne .xii. prouinces which the sayd two ryuers of Isayr and Seyne flowen by or thorough whyche peas thus confermed and grauÌ„ted Theodobert to whom Neustria or Normandye belonged sent thyder a cheuetayne of hys court called Berthalde to defende the sayde countre But Clothayre of thys former accorde beynge nothynge contentyd sent his sonne Meroneê° vnder the gydynge of Laundry prefect or ruler of hys paleys into Neustria to warre in that countrey And for so mych as Berthalde sawe well he lakked power to wythstande so great an host he therfore toke the cytye of Orleaunce tyll he had gaderyd more company Then Laundry seasyd that parte of y e couÌ„trey cam to the wallys of the cytye and by dyuerse wordes of reproche excyted y e sayde Berthalde to gyue batayll to hym in the playne felde The whych he refusyd because of the inequalyte of nomber of knyghtes But he offeryd to issue out of y e cytye to fyght wyth Laundry hande to hand wyth that he myght be assuryd agayne his people the whyche offer Laundrye refusyd It was not longe after or bothe kynges wyth great hostes drewe into that countrey and at the ryuer of Stampis mette where betwene theÌ„ was foughten a stronge batayll But by the polycye of Theodobert Lothary was putte to a disuauÌ„tage For whyle the sayde Lotharye was coÌ„ueyeng hys people ouer the ryuer at a narowe passage Theodobert beganne so fyersly and kepte the passage so streyt that the peple of Clotharye came not two partes of theym to the felde Neuerthelesse the fyght coÌ„tynued by a longe season in whyche tyme Berthalde encountred many tymes Laundrye and prouoked hym to batayll but euer that other refusyd Lastly he seynge and knowyng well that he shuld wynne great worsshyppe and also profyte yf he myght slee or take this LauÌ„dry he therfore put hym selfe in the more daunger of hys enymys and fynally of theÌ„ was slayn But Theodobert in pursuyng Lotharye and in comfortynge of his knyghtes
Derbysshyre and wayted his tyme and lastly fand the kynge smally accompanyed and entended to haue ronne thorough the kynge wyth a sworde enuenemed But one Lilla the kynges trusty seruaunt dysgarnysshed of shylde or other wepyn to defende his mayster starte betwene the knyg the sword and was stryken thorough the body and dyed and the kynge was wounded with the same stroke And after he wouÌ„ded the thyrde and was takeÌ„ and confessyd by whom he was sent to worke that treason The other knyght that was secondly wounded dyed and the kynge laye after longe syke or he were helyd And the same nyght folowynge the quene was delyuered of a doughter the whyche kyng Edwyn caused to be crystened of Paulinus y e bysshop in tokeÌ„ that he wolde fulfylle all suche promyse as he before had made And she was named Enfleda and halowed vnto god And after whytsontyde y â— kyng beynge scantly hole of the wounde assembled his hoste made towarde the kynges of westsaxon and after a greate and sore fyghte venquysshed them and theyr hoste But Edwyn for all thys vyctory and other thynges gyuen to hym of god as he that was in helthe of the worlde forgate his former promesse and had lytell mynde therof excepte that he by the preachyng of Paulinus forsoke his maumeÌ„trye and for his excuse sayde that he myghte not clerely renye his olde lawe that his forefaders hadde kepte so longe and sodeynly be crystened without authoryte and good aduyse of hys counceyle He also receyued letters of exhortacyon and coÌ„forte to take the baptyme from y e .v. Boniface thaÌ„ pope The whiche also sent to the quene lyke letters with a myrrour garnysshed with syluer and a combe of iuory and for the kyng a shyrte wrought in soÌ„dry places with letters of golde But all this preuayled nothynge Then Paulinê° made his specyall prayers to god and had it shewed to hym by reuelacyon of the token that was gyuen to Edwyn in tyme of his trybulacyon After the which knowlege hadde Paulinus shortly after came vnto the kyng and layeng his hande on hys hed frayned of hym whyther he had any lyke remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of any lyke token The whyche whan the kynge hadde confessyd the holy bysshoppe sayde vnto hym Lo thou hast ouercomen thyne enemyes and wonne thy kyngdome holdest it in moste large wyse therfore perfourme thy promesse and be trew to hym that hath holpen thy It was not longe after that the kynge assemblyd hys counceyll and by theyr agremeÌ„t he was of the sayd Paulinus byshop of yorke baptysed wythin the sayde cytye the .xi. yere of hys reygne and the yere of grace as testifyeth Guido .vi. C.xxvii He was the fyrste crysten kyng that reygned in that couÌ„trey And after hym many of hys lordes subiectes were also crystened of the sayd Paulinus and the flamyns or bysshoppes of theyr false goddes were turned to Crystes faythe In token wherof they armed them as knyghtes bestrode good horses where before by theyr lawe they myghte vse none armoure nor ryde but onely on a mare From that tyme forthwardes by the term of .vi. yeres durynge the lyfe of kynge Edwyn Paulinus crystened contynuelly in bothe prouynces of Deyra and in BreÌ„nicia in the ryuers of Gweuy Swala whyche he vsed for hys fontes and preached in the shyre of Lyndesey and buylded there a chyrche of stone at Lyndecoln or Lyncolne In thys tyme was so great peace in that kyngdome of Edwyne that a woman myghte haue gone from one towne to an other without grefe or noyaunce And for the refresshynge of waye goers this Edwyn ordeyned at clere wellys cuppes or dysshes of iron or brasse to be fastened to postes standynge by the sayd wellys sydes and no man was so hardy to take awaye those cuppes he kept so good iustyce and with that he was knyghtely of hys dedes He was the fyrste that wanne this ile of Eubonia now called the ile of man And by hys meanes Orpewaldus or Corpewaldus the sonne of Redwaldus kynge of Eest anglis or Norphis to whom as before is touchyd Edwyn had fledde for socoure was conuerted to the true fayth and a greate parte of his men with hym And for this Edwyn excellyd y e other kynges they enuyed at hym and specyally Penda kynge of Mercia the whyche excyted Cadwan kynge of Brytons agayne hym So that they two assemblyd a great hoste agayne Edwyn and lastly met in a palce called Hatfelde and after sharpe fyght on bothe sydes there Edwyne was slayne whan he had reygned ouer y e Northumbris .xvii. yeres in the yere of our lorde as sayth Guydo .vi. C. xxxiii when these two kynges Cadwan or Cedwalla and Penda hadde thus ouercomen the kynge and hym slayne and mych of hys people they became so cruell to men of that countrey that they destroyed therin mych people as men women chyldren as well religyous as other wherfore Paulinus the archebysshop beholdyng theyr cruelnesse toke with him the quene Enfleda hyr doughter fled by water into Kent And for the bysshoprych of Rochester was than voyde by reason that Romanus the last bysshop was adreynte Paulyne was there ordeyned and made bysshop of that see and there dyed And also lefte there his Paull as affyrmeth Policronycon and other the archebysshoppes see of yorke was voyde .xxx. yeres after But y e quene whyche was named Etherberga became a menchon sayled into Gallia or Fraunce wherein an abbaye called Brydgence or Bryggence she lyued an holy lyfe and dyed and hyr doughter Enfleda coÌ„tynued hyr professyon and was afterwarde abbesse of Strenshalt in the vale of whitby After the deth of Edwyn Osrycus that was the sonne of Elfricê° which was brother of Ethelfridus toke vppon hym to be kynge of Deyra and Eaufricus the eldest sonne of Ethelfrida as before in the C. and. xxviii chapiter is touched was made kyng of Brennicia the whyche turned theÌ„ both froÌ„ Crystes fayth and became myscreauÌ„tes For the whych goddes wrech fell vpon them in short whyle after for they were bothe slayne in y e yere folowynge of y e fornamed Cadwan and Penda And whan these sayde two kynges were thus slayne Oswalde y â— second sonne of Ethelfrid began his reygne ouer the prouynce of Brennicia as chefe of that kyngdome of Northumberlande and had the rule of Deira in lyke wyse wherof whan Cadwan or Cedwalla was ware he gathered hys Brytons and thoughte to slee Oswalde as he hadde before slayne his brother Eaufricus But Oswald whan he was warned of the greate strength of thys Cadwan he made his prayers to god and besoughte hym mekely of helpe to withstande his enemyes And or he yode to prayer he arreryd a crosse of tre before the whyche he knelyd a longe whyle in a felde whyche longe after was called Heuynfelde and at thys daye is had in greate worshyppe That place is nere vnto the town or chyrche of Agustalde in Brennicia the whyche chyrche was there
wyth her son Clodoueê° vnto the guydyng tuycyon of a noble man of FrauÌ„ce theÌ„ mayster of hys Paleys named Agaynus he dyed when he had reygned xiiii yeres was buryed with great pompe in the forenamed monastery Of this Dagobert is reported by myne authour also the frenche cronycle besyde other wryters that an holy ancre or heremyte of Fraunce beynge in his medytacyons shuld se a company of fendes whyche beyng in the see shuld haue amonge theym in a bote the soule of Dagobert and were conueyenge yt towarde payne But thys spiryte ceasyd not to crye to call to saynt Denis and his felowes for helpe the whyche lastely came clad in whyte vestymentes delyuered that soule from the paynes of his enymyes and conueyed it vnto euerlastynge ioy as more at length and wyth more cyrcuÌ„staunce yt ys declared in the bokys beforesayde Anglia THE CXXXIII CHAPITER CAdwallus or Cadwalyne the sonne of Cadwan lastely spoken of in y e cronycle of mych Britayn as testyfyeth Guydo Gaufryde and other beganne hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of Crystes incarnacyon .vi. hundred .xxxv y e fyrst yere of the fyrst Dagobert then kyng of Fraunce and also the .xii. yere of Kyngilsus Quichillinus then kynges of westsaxon This Cadwallus was stronge and myghty warryd strongly vpon the SaxoÌ„s nere vnto hym and wanne from them both castels and townes and droue theym backe into the lande towarde London wherof herynge Penda kynge of Mercia he assembled his SaxoÌ„s and made towarde Cadwall But he was in the ende dystressyd and fayn to seche and purchace the fauoure of Cadwal and lyue vnder his tribute This Penda after this was in great fauour with Cadwall in so myche y t he toke parte wyth Cadwall agayne his other Saxon kynges as after shall appere About thys tyme Kyngylsus one of the kynges of westsaxons was by the doctryne of y e blessyd man Berinê° coÌ„uertyd to y e ryght beleue and cristyned of hym at the citye of Dortyke or Dorchester And Oswald kynge of Northumberland was hys godfather and weddyd his doughter afterwarde And then that cytye was geuen to the byshop to the ende that he shuld there ordeyne hys see where the sayde Berinê° sat .xiiii. yeres after there was buryed tyll Beda bishop of wynchester traÌ„slatyd his body to y e citye of wynchester all be it y t the chanoÌ„s of Dorchester sayeÌ„ that the sayd bodye of holy Beryne was not taken thens but a nother in the stede of hym And yet in tokeÌ„ therof a beers of wonder worke staÌ„dyth at this day ouer that graue where y e holy man was fyrst buryed It shuld seme that this cytye of Dorchester is now called Dorset Thys see was in the tyme of wyllyam conqueroure chaunged to Lyncolne About thys tyme Sigebertus or after some Segebertus kynge of Eestenglande or Norfolke whyche reygned there next his brother Corpwaldus ordeyned letters to be lernyd and set scolys in dyuerse places of his kyngdome and ordeyned ouer theÌ„ schole maysters pedagoges as he somtyme hadde seen in Fraunce The whyche Sygebert was conuertyd to Crystes fayth by the doctryne of an holy man named Felix y e which he was fyrste acqueynted wyth in FrauÌ„ce or in Burgoyne The whych Felix came soone after that acqueyntaunce into Eestanglia or Norfolke where the kynge made hym byshop of DuÌ„wyche nowe called Thetford Lastelye the kynge betoke hys kyngdome vnto hys neuew Egritus and became a munke in an abbay whych he hym selfe buyldyd But when Penda kynge of Mercia warryd after in that couÌ„trey the sayde Sygebert was agayne hys wyll pulled oute of the sayde monastery and went in armes or as some testyfye vnarmyd wyth a whyte rod in hys hande nycely so was slayne and well nere all his hoste of knyghtes that came wyth hym to that feld By this rehersayll apperyth here dyscorde of wryters of the begynnyng of this sayd kyngdome of Eestanglis For yf yt were true that this beganne as wytnessyth Policronycon in the .iiii. chapyter of hys fyfte boke in the yere of grace .iiii. huÌ„dred lxxx and .xii as before also I haue shewed in the .lxxx. and .xvi. chapyter of this worke then myght yt not agree wyth conuenyency of tyme that this Sygebert or Sebert shulde reygne as kynge at those dayes nowe mynded wherfore y e sayenge of Guydo is more concordaunte whyche shewyth this kyngdome to haue his begynnynge in the yere of grace .v. C. .lxx as in the ende of the forsayd chapyter yt is there shortly touched Then yt foloweth in the story after the deth of this Sigebert Anna was made kyng of Eestanglis And durynge the reygne of Sigebertus befell the woÌ„der y t is tolde of that holy man Furceê° as is shewed at leÌ„gth in the .xiii. chapiter of the .v. boke of Policronicon aforesayd and in the .xiii. tytle of the .vi. chapyter of the .ii. parte of y e famous worke called Summa Antonini And about this season reygned or began to reygne the cursyd secte of y e detestable false prophete Machomet y e which syns y e tyme hath so enfected y t it hath enfectyd .ii. priÌ„cipall ê‘tes of y e world as Asia Affrica the more part of y e third named Europa dayly wynneth vpon the crysten peple great laÌ„des possessions Aboute the .vii. yere of thys forenamed Cadwall kynge of Britons reygned in Kent a Saxon kyng named Ercombertus the whyche had that pryncypate .xx. yeres nobly And amonge other of hys famous dedys he reuyued and quyckened agayne the fayth of Cryste that in some places of hys kyngedome was sore appallyd For he destroyed the temples of false goddes thorough all that countrey and ordeyned by the aduyse of his clergye the tyme of lente to be fasted He wedded the doughter of Anna kynge of Eestanglis named Sexburga of whom he receyuyd a doughter and named her Eukengoda y e whyche after was a menchon or nunne in the abbey of Brydgence in Fraunce before mynded where Ethelburga y e wyfe somtyme of Edwyn kynge of Northoumberlande serued god as in the hundred and .xxx. chapyter precedynge yt ys shewed and eyther of them was abbesse of the same place And though at those dayes there were many abbeys in thys yle of myche Brytayne yet many both of men and of women sayled into other landes as FrauÌ„ce and Burgoyne and other places because the conuersacyon and lyuynge of those countres were of more fame and perfeccyon then was then vsyd in thys yle of Brytayne About thys tyme as yt were about the .viii. yere of Cadwall dyed kyngylsus kyng of westsaxons when he had reygned with his brother and alone .xxxi. yeres And Kenwalcus his sonne was kynge after hym y e which in y e begynnyng of his reygne wolde not be crystyned forsoke hys wyfe the doughter of PeÌ„da toke to hym a nother wherfore Penda in aduengynge hys doughter gatheryd hys
hoste and chasyd Kynwalcus out of his kyngdome kept hym thens .iii. yeres By whyche season was Anna kynge of Eestanglis there conuertyd to the feyth of Cryste cristyned of Felix aforenamed then byshoppe of DuÌ„wyke or Thetforde and after he recoueryd hys kyngdome by the ayde and assystence of the sayde Anna when Kenwalcus was restoryd to hys lande he made a byshoppes see at Kaerguent or wynchestre and ordeyned there a byshop named Agilbert a frenche man of byrthe but he was called out of IrlaÌ„d The which when he had sytten there a certayn of tyme he was put theÌ„s I ne wote for what cause and in his place was set an other named wyn Of this wyn as sayeth Policronicon the towne of wynchester toke y e name as he declaryth in y e .liii. chapyter of his fyrst boke as yt were wynnes cytye But he was also putthens and then was Leutherius byshop and after Leutherius succedyd Cedda And after Theodorus the archbyshop of Caunterbury ordeyned two byshoppes to that prouynce of westsaxoÌ„ That one at wynchester to that was subiecte two couÌ„treys Southrey and South hampshyre And that other see he ordeyned at Shyreborne to the which were subiecte .vi. couÌ„treys that is to saye Berkshyre wyltshyre Somersetshyre Dorsetshyre Deuenshyre Cornewayll But in wyllyam the coÌ„querours tyme y e see of Shyreborne was tourned to Salysbury with the see of RaÌ„mysburye It was not longe after that Kenwalcus was warreyd with the kyng of Brytons the whyche fought with hym at a place called wyght Gosneborough and were of him there ouercomyn Then Cadwall assembled a newe hoste of Brytons and mette wyth Kenwalcus at a place called the hyll of Pent where after longe fyghte the Brytons were putte to flyghte YE haue harde before how that blessyd man Oswall the son of Ethelfryde was ordeyned kynge of Northumberlande the whyche contynued hys lyfe in iustyce and vertue as kynge by the terme of .ix. yeres But Penda kynge of Mercia that to hym to all crysten men had great disdayne and enuye about the ix yere of Cadwall made warre vppon Oswald and slew hym in a feld callyd Meserfeld where after hys deth god shewed for hym many myracles But after one yere of his deth Oswy his yonger brother recoueryd the kyngdome and buryed his hed in the chyrcheyarde of Lyndesar for the bodye was conueyed by the Pagans and deuyded in sundry peces But yt is sayde that the hed is nowe at Durham betwene saynt Cutberttus armes And the other parte of y e bodye whyche was longe after founden was had to the abbay of Burdeaux by Ostrida doughter of Oswy quene of Mercia where strauÌ„gnesse was made by the ruler of that hous for the receyte of those relykes tyll a myracle or dyuyne token there was shewyd But after the sayde bodye bones were brought to Glowceter to an hous of chanoÌ„s and one of hys armes is at Peterboroughe hole of fleshe fell as some haue and tellen whan Oswy had a season rulyd hys kyngdome he fande vnlefull meanes to slee Oswyn that was kynge of Deyra This Oswyn was the son of Eaufrycus eldest brother of Oswalde whyche Oswyn was good of condycyon and there wyth both meke and mylde when thys Oswyn was slayn by the consent of his neuewe Oswy then Oswy toke to hym as felow of that kyngdome his broders sonne Odylwaldus the son of Oswalde Thys Oswalde gaue vnto Cedda byshoppe of whynchester before named a grouÌ„de in a place of the North couÌ„trey in the hygh hylles called Lastyngaye for to buylde vpon an abbay which he there buyldyd after there taught his brother Chymbyllus how he shuld rule that place PeÌ„da kynge of Mercia which forgate not the strengthynge and fauourynge that Anna kynge of Eestanglys had shewyd to Kenwalchus hys doughters husband and his enymye gaderyd a power of knyghtes and yode agayne the sayde Anna slewe hym in playne batayll And the same yere one Botulphus buyldyd an abbay besyde Lindecolne or Lincolne in a place that hyght I canno And as wytnessyth Beda in the .iiii. chapiter of his thyrd boke thys yere whych shuld be the .xxi. yere of y e reygne of Cadwall Penda that of thys former vyctory was supprysyd wyth great pryde came wyth hys hoste into the boundes of Northumland entendynge to slee Oswy as before he had slayne his brother Oswalde wherof wheÌ„ Oswy was ware he assemblyd hys knyghtes made towarde hym And for affynyte of maryage y e was betwene theyr chyldren as after shall be shewed and other causes Oswy offeryd to hym many great offers to the entente to haue had hym refused that batayll to haue hadde peace with hym when Oswy perceyued the obstynacye and pryde of PeÌ„da and saw that by no reasonable offers he myghte of hym wynne no peace he sayde sens thys paynym can not receyue our gyftes and proffers that we haue offeryd to hym we shall offer theÌ„ to hym that can receyue theym And anon he made hys auowe vnto god that yf he myght haue vyctory of his enymyes he shuld offer his doughter Elfleda to hym wyth suffycyent possessyons for to buylde .xii. abbayes and after ioyned in batayll with the sayde Penda in the couÌ„trey of Ledis not farre from yorke which was so sore foughten y t the lyke therof was not seen many yeres beforne But fynally Penda was slayne and xxx of his chefe captayns with hym and yet he had thryes the people that Oswy hadde And those that scaped the shot and the swerde were for the more partye drowned in the ryuer of wynwed whyche was nere vnto the place of that batayll And among the prysoners that were taken at this felde the wyfe of Penda was one and her sonnes vncle named Egfridus was an other Then Oswy yelded hys thankes to god and accordynge to hys former promyse he offryd hys doughter Elfleda or Enfleda of the age of .iii. yeres vnto god and toke her to the lore of Hylda abbesse of Hertsey or Hertis iland And after that the sayde Hylda remoued to the abbaye of Stremshalte in the vale of whitby .xxx. myle from yorke where she was after abbesse y e sayd Elfleda also And Oswy as he had promysed gaue landes and rentes to buyld .xii. abbeys wherof .vi. were in the prouynce of BreÌ„nicia and .vi. in the prouynce of Deyra This fornamed Penda hadde dyuerse sonnes by accorde of wryters that is to meane wolferê° weda and Egfridus besyde other not mynded To this seconde sonne weda Oswy had beforetyme maryed a doughter of his by coÌ„sent of Penda his fader The whyche weda by helpe of Oswy was made kynge of south Mercia the whyche lordshyp is seueryd from the northe Mercia by the ryuer of Trent and conteyned by recorde of holy Beda fyue thousande housholdes This weda also promysed when he maryed the sayd doughter of Oswy that he shulde become a crysten man the whyche he perfourmyd
ouer the Frenchemen after moste wryters two yeres THE CXL CHAPITER THeodoricus before deposyd was by the lordes of FrauÌ„ce agayne restoryd to hys former dygnyty in the yere of our lorde .vi. huÌ„dred .lx. and .xi and the .xxxv. yere of Cadwall forenamed Therof when Eboryn was warned he anon drew vnto the kynges presence By whose fauour hys owne strength he was agayne restoryd to his former dignytie honour so that he was in lyke authorite as he before tyme had ben Then he gatheryd to hym great strength and chasyd Lyndesyle then mayster of the paleys vnto a place named Boccauyle and shortly after was possessyd of the kynges treasorye After the which season this Eboryn faynynge loue and amytye vnto the sayde Lyndesyle trayterouslye slewe hym And when Eboryne had thus delyuerid LiÌ„desyle he thought he myght the better exercyse his olde tyranny and wylfull actes So that then he exylyd dyuerse prelates and men of the chyrche and sette in theyr places suche as hym lyked wherof the nobles of Fraunce beynge aduertysed and specyally Martyne and Pepyn two of the most nobles of the regyon they called to them assysteÌ„ce to wythstande the tyrannye of Eboryne the whyche yf yt myghte be so sufferyd shulde destroye the comonwele of the lande Then this Pepyn whyche after the rehersayle before made in the C. and .xxxii. chapyter shulde be the seconde of that name and surnamed Uetulus and Breuis also yet by conuenyency of the tyme to me yt semeth to be one man that ruled in the tyme of Dagobert and nowe all be yt the frenche cronycle meaneth two sondry persones wyth the forenamed Martyne assembled a great hoste and gaue batayll vnto the sayde Eboryn But that was to theyr harme for the loste they felde and were coacted to flee the one to the cytye of Laon and that other to Austracye And Eboryne whych amonge vsed his accustomyd treason vnder dyssymyled loue slew the sayde Martyne as he before had slayne Lyndesyle In thys tyme flouryd Harmefreditus a nere kynnesman of the holy byshop Leodegayre that Eboryn before had martyred as before is shewyd The whyche Harmefreditus berynge in mynde the passyon of hys sayde kynnesman waytyd his tyme and slewe the sayde Eboryne After whose deth dyssencyon grewe amoÌ„g the Frenche men for the admyssyon of a mayster of the paleys all be yt that after the sayde varyaunce one Graccon was chosen and admytted But yt was longe after that Gyllomarus his sonne putte hys father from the rule therof Thys after he hadde a whyle occupyed he dyed of sodayne deth After whom succedyd agayne hys father Graccon or Garacon the whyche also dyed shortely after Then beganne newe questyons amonge the nobles of FrauÌ„ce for this offyce so that lastely they chase a man of lowe byrth and vnmete to that Rome named Bethayr or Barthayr But Pepyn whych by all this season was in y e couÌ„trey of Austracy and harde of the contrauersies and dyuerse opynyons of the Frenche men assembled to him a stroÌ„ge hoste and spedde hym towarde the kynge entendynge to haue the rule of hym rather then suche other that were of lesse authoryte and honoure wherof the kynge beynge warned by the prouysyon of Barthayer foresayde he gatheryd hys armye and mette with Pepyn And after a sharpe fyghte betwene bothe hostes hadde Barthayre was slayne and the kyng chasyd and finally was forced to admyt Pepyn for the mayster and gouernour of his paleys But for as mych as Pepyn had theÌ„ the rule of Austracy and myght not well ouerse bothe charges he therfore purueyed vnder hym a substitute named Nordobert whyle he returned into Austracy or Lorayne And shortly after dyed the kynge when he hadde borne y e name therof by the terme of .xix. yeres leuynge after hym two sonnes named Clodoueus and Childebertus Anglia THE CXL CHAPITER CAdwaladrus that of y e reuerente Beda is named Cedwalla beganne to aryse and rule the Brytons and also the westsaxons in the yere of grace vi hundred .lxxx. and thre and y e .xii. yere of Theodoricus then kynge of Fraunce and also the last yere of Kenewinus or Kentwinus then kynge of westsaxon This of Gaufryde and other authours wyth y e englyshe cronicle is called the sonne of Cedwall But wyllyam that wrote the actes dedys of kynges sayth that he was the sonne of Kenebryght and descendyd lynyally of the blode of Cerdicê° the fyrste kynge of the westsaxons The which Cadwaladyr or Cedwalla made warre vpon Lothariê° kyng of Kent and destroyed myche of that prouynce and wan the yle of wyght and gaue the fourth parte therof vnto saynte wylfryde in the whyche sayde .iiii. parte were accompted .iii. hundred housholdes The whyle that Calwaladyr was besyed in one parte of Kent his brother named Mulkyn wyth a certayn of knyghtes was beseged and lastely brente in a nother parte therof In reuengement wherof Cadwaladyr of new destroyed a more parte of the sayde prouynce Contynuynge the whyche warre Lotharius forenamed was wouÌ„ded and dyed After whom Edricus was kynge y e whych reygned but a shorte season Aboute this tyme saynte Cutbert was byshop of Hogulstald or Durham after byshop of Lyndefarn But lastely he rufusyd that and became an anker in the yle of Farne and there dyed This I le now is called holy ilande TheÌ„ Cadwaladyr made warre vppon Athelwold kynge of Southsaxons or Southsex and slewe hym in playne batayll and after made hys prouynce thrall to hym But thys agreeth not with y e former sayeng rehersyd in the .lxxx. .xiiii. chapyter of this worke precedynge where yt is sayde that the kyngdome of Southsaxons enduryd but a hundred .xii. yeres By whyche reason this Ethelwolde or Athelwolde shulde not at this season be kyng of SouthsaxoÌ„s For the terme of a hundred and .xii. yeres was expyrd more then .lxxx. and .viii. yeres before this daye But ye shall vnderstande y t this forsayde terme of a hundred and .xii. yeres is ment for the contynuaunce of this kyngedome or they were subdued and the kynges therof named vnder kynges as this Ethelwold was Then yt foloweth when Cadwaladyr hadde ruled the Brytons and also the westsaxons by the terme of thre yeres as wytnessyth Ranulphe munke of Chester he then of pure deuocyon renouncyd the pompe and pryde of the worlde and yode in pylgrymage to Rome where of the fyrst Sergius then pope he was confyrmyd and after made a white munke and contynued there hys lyfe tyme in perfyte holynes Of thys Cadwaladyr or Cedwalla many and dyuers opynyons are wryten of authours both of hys reygne and also of the contynuaunce therof and ouer that of the tyme wheÌ„ he forsoke hys lande wherin is great varyaunce as I haue shewed in the table in the begynnyng of this symple worke So that it shuld seme that these two names shulde sounde to be sondry persones wherof the coÌ„trary is a certayned by the foresayde Ranulphe where as he sayeth that Cadwaladrê° or
Cedwalla was but one persone the whyche was laste kyng of Britons and of westsaxons Also for so mych as they ioyned next vnto Cambria or walys If I shuld here bryng in the cause of the auoydynge of thys lande by Cadwaladyr as is rehersyd by Gaufryde yt wolde aske a longe tracte of tyme and also to me yt apperyth the more doutefull that yt is not testyfyed of the authour of Policronycon consyderynge the great nomber of authours whyche he sought and allegyd for his authoryte as yt shewyth in the fyrste chapyter of his fyrst boke And specyally syns that holy Gyldas and Bede is amonge the sayde authours accomptyd y e whych dyd great dilygence in serchynge of the dedes and actes of the Brytons and of the aungellis monycyon that to hym was geuen with also the prophecye of Merlyn that the Brytons shulde not recouer this lande tyll the relykes of Cadwaladyr wyth other of holy saintes were brought hyther out of Rome I hold that for no part of my beleue though many welshemen yt do wherfore to folowe the moste authoryte as before is sayde when this Cadwaladyr had reygned thre yeres he went to Rome there lastely dyed and was buryed in the chyrche of saynt Peter with this epythaphye or superscrypcyon vppon his toumbe as foloweth in metyr Culmen opus sobolem pollencia regna triumphos Eximias proceros moenia castra lares Quaeque patrum virtus quae congesserat ipse Cadwald armipotens linquit amore dei The whyche versys may be englysshed in maner as foloweth worshypfull ryches kynred triumphes assuryd Plenteous welth wyth clothes rychly dyghte Houses castellys and townes stroÌ„gly muryd And other honours whyche by hys parentes myght And his ownes this marcyall vertuous knyghte Cadwalde the stronge descendyd of kynges bloode For Crystes loue renouncyd all hys good And thus here endeth the lyfe rule of the Brytons nowe called welshemen whych toke that name of theyr duke or leder as sayth Guydo called wallo or Guallo or ellys of a quene of walys named Galaes or walaes But how so y e name came first to theÌ„ onw are they called welshe meÌ„ y t somtyme were named Brytons or Brutons descendyd fyrste of Troyans and after of Brute lastely of DuÌ„wallo Moliuncius or Molmucius DuÌ„wallo All be yt they were gretly mynglyd or medelyd wyth other nacyoÌ„s as Romayns Pictes other as by the redyng of the premisses ye may wel perceyue know And now be they englyshe that in theyr begynnyng were named SaxoÌ„s or Anglis But yet for so myche as welchmeÌ„ extolle so hougely theyr blode allyauÌ„ce fetchyng yt froÌ„ Pryam but not from Eneas regarded so lytle the progeny or lynyall descent of y e SaxoÌ„s or Anglis therfore to y e enteÌ„t to kele somwhat theyr hygh corage or to oppÌ„sse in ê‘ty their brutyshe blastê I will bryng in here y e sayng of Guydo other y e auauÌ„ce the blode or dyssent of the SaxoÌ„s to be farre aboue the Britons as they y t ar descendyd of goddes men immortall where the Britons clayme the ofsprynge to come of men they were mortall not moste to be alowed in honour yf they thynke vppon Eneas vntrouth and treason Then to folowe the foresayde authour Guydo that sayth woden of whom the Saxons taken theyr orygynall was y e sonne of Frealoffe the sonne of Fredewolfe the sonne of Flyn the son of Flokwald the son of Geta that was the sonne of Minos that is nexte in honour to Pluto god of hell and chefe iudge of his infernall iurisdyccyon Therfore ye welshe men here after nurture lere And dyspyse not SaxoÌ„s that ben to god so nere Thus then apperyth by the conueyaunce of this worke y t the last or thyrd yere of Cadwaldyr was y e yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxxx. vi which maketh the yere of y e worlde .v. thousand .viii. huÌ„dred .lxxx. .v. By which reason yt apperyth that the Britons had the rule of this land for the more party to reken froÌ„ the fyrst coÌ„mynge of the duke or leader Brute by the space of a thousande .viii. hundred xxii yeres And thus here an ende of the fyfte parte of this worke for the consyderacyon before rehersyd that Briton kynges after this day reygned none in this realme and the Saxons or Anglis began fully to haue domynyon therof wherfore as before tyme I haue vsed and done in the other parties before specyfyed so now I here agayn salute and gyue thankes to that moste excelleÌ„t virgyn our lady saynt Mary with the .v. ioyes of the forenamed seuen ioyes begynnynge Gaude mater miserorum c. Thou mother to wretches and other disconsolate Hayll and be glad for god of worldes all To them that here in this presente state Done to the worshyppe he rewarde shall Wyth condygne meryte passynge all temporall In heuen to be stallyd wyth moste felicyte Euermore to reygne with thy sonne and thâ— This .v. parte to be accompted from the laste yere of the mysery of Brytons or the fyrste yere of Constantyne brother to kynge of Armorica vnto the thyrd or last yere of Cadwaladyr includyth of yeres CCliii Thus endyth the fyfte parte THE SEXTE PARTE After that Cadwaladyr was thus departyd y e londe as some authours meane this lande of Brytayne was in great dyscensyon by meane of the Brytons and Saxons by the terme of a .xi. yeres And ouer that the mortalyte before spoken of encreasyd so hugely and therewyth great hunger famyne ouer sprad the lande that by occasion of one and other the people of this realme was wonderfully mynyshed lassed so ferforthly that as wytnessyth Gaufryde also the englyshe cronycle the quycke bodyes suffysed not to bury y e ded But in so mych as of this spekyth not the muÌ„ke of Chester nor other authours as before is shewyd in the forsayde table the whych I remytte to the correccyon of such as be lerned and not onely to englyshe reders as there is fortherly declaryd I therfore as before is sayd folow the sayd Ranulph muÌ„ke of Chester where he sayth that Iewe or Iue was kynge of westsaxons next after y e forenamed Cadwaladyr The whych I shall fyrst shew the story of and so of the successours of hym in that kyngedome for that that they subdued lastly all the other kyngedomes and somdeale touche of the other kyngdomes or lordshyppes as tyme conuenyente shall requyre in expressynge of the storyes of the sayd westsaxon kynges tyll the lande be brought agayne to one monarchye And for the dyuysyon of the sayde kyngdomes stande somdeale farte asonder so that to the reders yt were somwhat paynfull to serche for eueryche of them I therfore haue sette them out in the compasse folowyng that yt maye appere to the reder the begynnynge of eueryche of theym and howe longe a season or tyme eyther of the sayde kyngdomes contynued or enduryd the names also of euery kyngdome and in what parte of
thys lande euery lordshyp was stablyshed for the tyme and sette THE CXLI CHAPITER IUe or Iewe discendyd of the blode of Saxons was ruler or kyng of westsaxons nexte after that y e forenamed Cadwaladyr had renounced the pompe of the worlde The whyche to folowe the opynyon of Policronicon began hys reygne the yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxxx. vii and the .xvi. yere of the seconde Theodoricus then kynge of Fraūce and ruled the westsaxons knyghtly and maynteyned such warre agayn the Kentyshe Saxons y t the men of Dorobernia or Caunterbury grauntyd vnto hym to haue peace And also for a recompensement of the deth of Mulkynge brother to Cadwaladyr before slayne as is shewed in the precedynge chapyter by the sayde Kentyshe Saxons they gaue vnto hym for the sayd consyderacyōs thre thousande pounde About y e yere of the reygne of Iue the holy man Cutlake about y e .xxiiii. yere of his age renouncyd the pōpe and pryde of this worlde and toke y e order of munkes in the abbay of Repyndon And the .iii. yere after he wēt to Crowlande and there lad for the whyle an holy Ankers lyfe and dyd there many myracles and there fynally was buryed In whyche yle and place of hys buryenge standeth nowe a fayre abbay the whyche for the greate resorte of gestes that thyther drawyth and for the good and frendely chere that gestes there receyue and take the sayd place hath purchasyd a surname and is named Crowlande the curteys the whyche is a place of good fame And there lyeth also the holy confessoure Neotus somtyme dyscyple of Erkenwalde byshoppe of London In the .xi. yere of the reygne of Iue befell the wounder and meruayle that ys tolde of Bryghtwaldus the whyche after he hadde ben a longe whyle ded was restoryd to lyfe agayne and tolde many thynges of great wonder to many men whereby he causyd great almys and many other dedes of charyte to be executyd And after the dysposycyon of hys owne goodes by the agremēt of his wyfe he went vnto y e abbay of Maylroos and there in great holynes contynued the resydue of his lyfe About the .xvi. yere of the reygne of Iue Etheldredus before mynded in the C. xxxv chapiter kyng of Mercia forsoke this wordly honour and became a munke at Bardeney when he hadde longe tyme rulyd the men of Mercia or myddell Anglys Hys brother Kenredus was kynge after hym the whych also after he had reygned fyue yeres lefte his kyngdome vnto Colredus the sonne of hys vncle and he wyth Offa the sonne of Iue now kynge of westsaxons and wyth Egwinus byshop of wykcies or of wyke whych see is now at worceter wyth thys forsayde companye this Kenredus yode vnto Rome in pilgrimage and there endyd his life And aboute the .xviii. yere of the reygne of Iue dyed the holy byshop Aldelme whyche fyrste was munke and abbot of Malmesbury and the laste byshoppe Of hym yt is writen that when he was styryd by his gostly enymy to the synne of the fleshe he to do the more torment to hym selfe and of hys body wolde holde within his bedde by hym a fayre mayden by so longe tyme as he myght say ouer the hole sauter all be yt that such holynesse is no artycle of saynt Benettis lore yor yet for dyuerse inconuenyence moste alowyd by holy doctours And amonge many of his vertuous holy dedys Ranulph mūke of Chester she with that for the same of hys holynes sprange wyde Sergius the fyrste of that name beynge pope sente for hym to Rome In whyche season of his there beynge the sayde Sergius was accusyd or defamed of the gettynge of a chylde the whyche the .ix. daye of the sayde chyldes age was brought to holy Aldelme to be crystyned By vertue of whose prayer the sayde chylde answered vnto certayn questyons and cleryd the pope of that cryme y t was before put vppon hym Nere about the .xxiii. yere of Iue Colredus then kynge of Mercia for cause of variaunce betwene him and Ine vnremembred of myn authour assembled hys knyghtes and began to warre vppon hym wherof y e other hauynge knowlege in lykewyse gatheryd his power and lastely met to both theyr harmes at a place called wodynsburgth where after longe fyght eyther of them sped so vnhappely that yt was not knowen whether hoste hadde moste domage And nere about y e .xxv. yere of Iue as wytnessyth holy Beda saynte Iohan of Beuerlay that then was bysshoppe of yorke dyed and was buryed in the porche of the mynster of Deyrwood or Beuerlay Thē Iewe or Iue callynge to mynde the counsayll of holy Aldelme y t beforetyme had coūsaylyd hym to buylde an abbay at Glastenbury began the sayd worke about the .xxxii. yere of his reygne and founded there an abbaye the whyche contynued prosperously tyll y e comynge of y e Danis by whose cruelty yt was then sore blemyshed But afterward by the helpe of saynt Dunstane in the tymes of Edmond and Edgare yt was agayne suffycyently repayred so cōtynued tyll the comyng of the Normās after which season yt was agayne besette wyth hard happes But now at this daye yt standeth a place of great welthe and honour Then yt folowyth when Iue had ruled the westsaxons nobly by the terme of .xxxvii. yeres by the assyduate labour of hys holy wyfe Ethelburga as she that longe had laboured hym to leue the world and coude not brynge about her purpose vpon a season when the kyng and she had restyd them in a fayre paleys rychely behanged and were vpon the morne thens departed she by her commaundement caused the sayd paleys to be replenysshyd wyth all kynd of fylth and dunge and hogges and vyle bestes there in to be layde as well in y e chambers as other houses of offyce And when she knewe that thys paleys was thus deformyd she besought the kynge to vysyte the sayde paleys And when she had broughte hym therunto she sayde to hym I praye you my lorde behold now this house where are now the ryche tappets and clothes of gold and of silke and other ryche apparell that we left here thys other daye And where be the delyces and plesaunt seruytours and costly dyshes that you and I lately were seruyd wyth Be not all these passyd and gone My lorde in lyke maner shall we passe and sodenly as ye se these worldely thynges ben passyd And oure bodyes whych now ben delycately kepyd shall fall and turne into fylth of y e erthe wherfore haue in mynde my wordes that before this tyme to you I haue often shewyd told and busy you to purchase that paleys y e euer shal endure in ioy wythout transmutacyon By meane of these wordes other the quene turnyd so y e kynges mynd that shortly after he resygned the gouernaunce of his kyngdome vnto Ethellardus his neuewe he for the loue of Cryste toke vpon hym the habyte of a poore man and settynge a parte
the premysses for a reformacyon of the same sent hys ambassade to the pope then beynge zacharye before named askyng hys aduyse whether yt was more necessary or welfull for the realme of FrauÌ„ce that he shulde be admytted for kyng that dyd nothynge but applye hys mynde to all pleasure of hys bodye wythout cure or charge takynge vppon hym for the guydynge of the lande and the people of the same or he that toke upon him all the charge and payne in defence of the lande and kepynge of the people in due subieccyon To this the pope answeryd and wrote vnto Pepyn that he was beste worthy and moste profytable for the realme to be admyttyd for kynge that ruled well the comynaltye by iustyce and prudence and the enymyes therof defendyth and subdueth by his polycy and manhode The whyche answere thus receyued frome the pope and declared vnto the lordes and barons of the realme anone they of one assente and mynde procedyd and went to the deposynge and puttynge downe of theyr kynge and gouernour Hylderyche And in shorte space after closyd hym in a monastery or house of relygyon when he hadde ben occupyer of a kynges rome by the name onely .x. yeres And that done the Frenche men electyd and chase Pepyn for theyr souerayne and kynge In the whyche Hilderyche or Childerych endyd the lyfe or progeny of Meroneus of whome the Frenche kynges lynyally descendyd by contynuaunce of tyme as foloweth Meroneus x. yeres Childericus xxiiii yeres Clodoueus xxx yeres Dagobertus xiiii yeres Clodoueus xvi yeres Clotharius iiii yeres Theodoricus iii. yeres Childericus ii yeres Lotharius l. yeres Chilpericus xxiiii yeres Lotharius xliii yeres Clodoueus iii. yeres Childebertus xvii yeres Dagobertus xi yeres Danyel v. yeres Theodoricus xiiii yeres Theodoricus xix yeres Hildericus x. yeres Anglia THE CL. CHAPITER SIgebertê° or Sigbertus the cosyne of Cutbert laste kynge of the westsaxons beganne his reygne ouer y e sayd Saxons in the yeres of y e incarnacyon of Cryst .vii. huÌ„dred and xlv and the .v. yere of Hildericê° then kyng of Fraunce He was cruell and tyrannous to his subiectes turnyd theyr lawes and customes of his fore fathers after his owne wyll and pleasure And for y e one of the noble men of his dominyon somdele sharply aduertysed him to chauÌ„ge his maners and to behaue hym more prudently towarde his pleople he therfore malycyously caused hym to be putte to cruell deth About this tyme Egbertus after the yonger wylfryde was made archbyshoppe of yorke The whyche brought agayn thyther the pall that his predecessours hadde forgone syns the tyme that the fyrst Paulinê° had lefte that see and fled to Rochester in Kent and there lefte the sayd pall This Egbert was brother vnto Egbert kyng of NorthumberlaÌ„d by whose assystence and comforte he dyd many thynges for the weale of y e see made there a noble library Then yt folowyth for so myche as the kyng Sygebert contynued in his malyce cruell condycyons his subiectes conspired agayn hym and putte hym from all kyngely dygnyte So y t he fell after to great desolacyon mysery in such wyse y t he was founden after in a wood or desolate place wandryng alone without coÌ„forte where he beyng so foundeÌ„ by a swyne herd or vylayne some tyme belongyng to the erle CoÌ„branê° y t he before tyme wyckydly had slayn in auengement of his sayd lordes deth slew hym in y e sayd place which sayd Sigebertus was thus depryued froÌ„ al houour wheÌ„ he after most writers had reygned or tyrannysed .ii. yeres THE CLI CHAPITER KEnulphus of the lyne or blode of Cerdicus fyrst kyng of westsaxons began hys domynyon ouer the sayde westsaxons in the yere of grace .vii. hundred .xlviii and the vii yere of Hildericus then kynge of Fraunce The vertue of thys man passyd his fame For after he hadde with the agrement of the westsaxons depryued Sygebert theyr kynge froÌ„ his authorite and regally he fyrst appeasyd dyuers murmurs and grudgis that kyndelyd among his subiectes set his lordshyp in great quyetnesse and rest touchynge theyr ciuyle dyscorde About the .viii. yere of the reygne of this Kenulphus Offa slewe a tyraunt named Beoruredus y t before had slayne Ethelwald kyng of Mercia After whose deth the sayde Offa as neuew to the sayd Ethelwald reygned as kynge of that prouynce Of this Offa is tolde many notable dedes wherof somwhat I entende to shew He hadde warre wyth the Northumbres theÌ„ for a tyme subdued He also had warre wyth Etheldrede kynge of eest anglys and wyth Egbert otherwyse called Pren kynge of Kent whome he toke prysoner and led hym bounden wyth hym into Mercia Then after these vyctoryes Offa buylded the chyrch of wychcom In tyme of the whyche buyldynge in presens of .xiii. byshoppes and many other great estatys kynge Offa enlargyd the sayde Egbert of imprysonement In token wherof the people beynge there present made such an exclamacyon of ioye and gladnesse that the chyrche therof range Thys kynge Offa hadde suche dyspleasure vnto the cytyzens of Caunterburye that he remoued the archbyshoppes see by the agremente of the fyrste Adryane then pope vnto Lychefelde He also chased the Brytons or welshmeÌ„ into walys made a famouse dyke betwene walys and the vtter bondys of Mercia or mydle Englande the whyche to this day is named Offedyche And after he buyldyd there a chyrch whych longe tyme after was called Offekyrke This Offa also by angelycall inspyracyon translatyd the holy prothomartyr saynt Albone and was fyrst founder of that famous monasterye ouer that holy bodye The whyche syns the fyrste foundacyon hath by sondry tymes ben perished and hurt by Danys other and newely syns that tyme reedyfyed This holy Albon was martyred as before apperyth in the .lxvii. chapyter and storye of CoÌ„stantius about the yere of our lorde two hundred .lxxx. and .xvii. By whych reason he shuld lye or he were translatyd ouer foure hundred and lx yeres This Offa also maried one of hys doughters to Bryghtricus y â— was kynge of westsaxons And for that in his tyme was varyaunce betwene hym and the FreÌ„che men that passage of marchauntes was forboden therfore he sente that famouse doctour Anselmus vnto Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce to comon the meanes of a peace whyche Charlis hadde after thys Anselmus in suche fauour that he became hys discyple Then retourne we to Kenelphus y t whyche before tyme had had often warre wyth Offa and with hym many conflyctes and lastely agreed About the .xi. yere of thys Kenelphê° Egbert kynge of Northumbres renouncyd his kyngly dignyte and became a munke And lastely the sayde Offa when he had reygned ouer Mercia .xxxix. yeres as sayth Guydo he lefte the kyngdome to hys sonne also named Kenelphus and yode to Rome And this Kenulphê° kynge of westsaxon kepte strongely hys lordshyp agayn y e power of all his enymyes hadde his subiectes in due order of
sayd Policronica sayth And for this Lewys was mylde he was often troubled of hys own men and of other tyll he delte wyth them more sharpely and wysely and ruled the people more straytly It is there also shewyd that when this Lewys had promotyd a yonge man named Frederyke to the see of Utryke and to hym hadde gyuen sadde and good exhortacyon that he shuld folowe the stablenes of hys antecessours and that he shulde purpose the sothe and trouth wythoute excepcyon of persones and punyshe mysdoers as well the ryche as the poore the sayde byshoppe shulde answere to hym and saye I beseche thy magestye syr emperour to take in pacyence that I maye dysclose to the that thynge that hath long walowed turned in my mynde Say thy plesure sayd the emperour I praye thy syr emperour shewe me thy mynde whyther is more accordynge to attame thys fyshe here presente fyrste at the hedde or at the tayle The emperour answered shortely and sayd at the hedde the fyshe shall be fyrste attamyd So yt is lorde emperoure sayd the byshoppe that crysten fayth maye cause the to cease of thyne erroure that thy subiectes be not boldyd to folowe thy mysdoynge wherfore fyrste forsake thou thy vnlawefull wedloke that thou haste made wyth Indyth thy nere kynnes woman By meane of those wordes the kyng was reconcylyd and lefte the company of his wyfe tyll he hadde purchasyd a lycence of the pope And the emperour forgaue the sayde byshop all trespassys but the woman hyred two knyghtes that slewe hym in his vestymentes when he hadde ended hys masse After thys the empresse was falsely accused of wronge cryme and made a menchon But the same yere the emperoure delyueryd her from that habyte when he hadde suffycyently prouyd the sayde cryme to be false Then to retorne where I lefte whā this Lewys had longe lyen in thys agonyous sykenes and knewe well that he amendyd nothynge but feblyd more and more he commaundyd his iewellys to be broughte before hym wherof by hys owne hand he haue a parte vnto the chyrche of Rome and to Lotharius his sonne there presente he gaue his crowne his sworde commaundynge hym straytly vppon his blessynge that he shuld haue in honour hys moder Indith that to Charlis his brother he shulde owe true loue amyte that he shuld hym his lādes deffende to the vttermoste of his power Then the lordes spirituall and temporall and specyally the archebysshoppe of Meaws made a lamentable requeste to the emperoure for his sonne Lewys that he wolde accepte hym to his grace and mercye and to forgyue hym hys insolente and wanton wylde dedys wherof when the emperour harde he fell in suche wepynge that he myghte not speke of a good whyle after And when he hadde refrayned hym therof he remembryd to y e lordes the many and great benefytes y t he had done to hym and the innaturall vnkyndnes that the sayd Lewys had agayn shewyd vnto hym how often tymes he had perdoned his vnkynd sonnes trespasse And finally all this not wythstandyng he was at y e oure in perfyte charite wyth hym and forgaue hym as he trusted to be forgyuen prayenge the lordes there present and specyally chargynge y e sayd byshop that he wold shew vnto hys sayd son that great daunger that he was in agaynst god for the dyspleasures done to him and specially that he was a cause of the abrygement or shortynge of hys dayes Then to brynge this story to effect wherof yf I shuld declare the special tyes therof wolde aske a longe tyme for ye shall vnderstand that these .ii. storyes of the great Charlis and of this Lewys occupye in Frenche of leuys of great scantelyn ouer .lxiiii wherfore I conclude y t he dyed lyke a good crysten prynce when he had ben emperour of Rome and kynge of Fraunce by the terme of .xxvi. yeres and was buryed wyth great solemnyte at Meaws or at Mettis by hys mother Hyldegarde as sayth mayster Robert Gaguyne in the yere of hys age .lxiiii leuynge after hym the foresayde thre sonnes Lothayre Lewys and Charlys the Ballyd Anglia THE CLXII CHAPITER ADeulpus or Ethelwolphus the son of Egbertus beganne hys reygne ouer the westesaxons or Anglys in the yere of oure lordes incarnacyon .viii. hundred and .xxxii and the xvii yere of Lewys the mylde then kynge of Fraunce Thys in his youth was wyllynge to be a preste and was enteryd the order of subdeacon But there after by dyspensacyon of Pascall the fyrst of that name pope he was maryed to Osburga a woman of lowe byrthe By whome he hadde foure sonnes that is to meane Ethelwalde Ethelbert Etheldrede and Alurede the whyche after theyr father reygned as kynges of Englād that one after that other as after shall appere This Adeulphus after he hadde a certayne tyme ben kyng he went to Rome and toke wyth hym his yongest sonne Alurede or Alphrede and taryed there by the space of a yere In the whyche season he repayred the Saxon scole the whyche before tyme was there founden by Offa kynge of Mercia as Guydo sayeth and other but more veryly of Iue kynge of westsaxons as sayth the authoure of the Floure of historyes And for that he graunted of euery house of his kyngdome a peny as in his storye is before shewyd But thys scole was sore decayed and the house therof lately brent the whyche thys Adeulphus newely repayred and sette yt in better order then yt before was vsyd Thys kynge also to refourme the greuouse correccyons that he sawe there executyd to Englyshe men for spyrytuall offensys as in werynge of irons and guyues he graunted of euery fyre house of hys lande .i. d as Iue foresayde hadde done By the whyche sayenge yt shulde seme that by these two kynges shuld be grauntyd vnto Rome .ii. d. of euery fyre house thorough theyr lande But that maye not be so vnderstande for thys Rome scot ys gaderyd of euery house a peny wythout more wherfore yt muste folowe that yt is mysse taken of wryters that allege this dede to that one kynge for that other How be yt yt maye stande by reason that Iue made the fyrste graunte and this kynge after confermyd the same But the authoure of Cronica cronycarum sayth that thys Adeulphus graunted to saynte Peter these sayde Peter pens and spekyth no word of Iue nor of none other It is also shewyd of this kynge by Policronica that he shulde for the acquytynge of the chyrches of Englād of all maner of kynges trybute payed yerely to Rome thre hundred markes That ys to meane to saynte Peters chyrche a hundred markes to the lyghte of saynt Paule a hundred marke and to the popys treasorye a hundred marke And ouer all thys of hys pure deuocyon he offred to god to saynte Peter the .x. parte of hys moueable goodes And also one cronycler sayth that thys kynge founded fyrste the vnyuersytye of Oxynforde whyche was lykely to be
this day in the vtter most border of Fraūce after to Uyenne To y e which citye of Uyen shortly after came vnto hym hys brother Lewys where they two assembled a newe hoste In the whych passetyme as Charlis was comynge towarde hys bretherne messyngers mette with hym sent from his bretherne to comon of a peace So that fynally he was accordyd that the realme of Fraunce shulde be dyuyded in .iii as the father had before dysposyd yt That is to meane Lothayr shuld enioy ouer the landes belongyng to the empyre the countrey of Austracy the whych in processe of tyme was called Lothayre or Lotharingia whyche is to meane Lorayne after his name And to Lewys shulde remayne the prouynce of Germany wyth the coūtrey of Buyan or Benery And to Charlys shulde remayne the countrey called myddell or chefe Fraunce wyth the prouynces of Normandy Burgoyne whyche sayde myddle Fraūce is reportyd to be in space from y e Occean of Brytayne to the ryuer of Mawze The whyche concorde thus fermely stablyshed and fynyshed eyther of other toke theyr departynge and resorted vnto theyr owne lordshyppes But Lothayre dyed shortely after leuynge after hym thre sonnes named Lewys Lothayre and Charlis But this deth of Lothayre is not taken for temporall deth for yt is sayd y t he forsoke the trauayle of y e world and became a munke at the abbaye of Pruny and lyued there a solytary lyfe many yeres after THE CLXIIII CHAPITER CHarlis y e Ballyd thus beyng in peaseble possessyon of the chefe parte of the realme of Fraunce and guydynge yt wyth all sobernes and indifferēt iustyce was well drad and also beloued of his subiectes In processe of tyme as vpon .viii. yeres after that Lothayr abouesayd renouncyd the pompe of the worlde dyed fyrste Charlys the yongest son of the thre of the foresayd Lothayre And after dyed Lothayre the second sonne so that the sayde Lewys onely suruyued whych was after his father enoynted emperour when Charlis kynge of Fraunce knewe certaynely of the deth of these two forsayde brethern and that with out yssu anon he assembled his power and entred the prouynce of Austracy or Lorayne the which his brother Lothayre hadde gyuen to Lothayre his sonne And in shorte whyle after crowned hym kynge of that prouynce wythin the chyrche of saynte Stephan of the cytye of Meaws chefe cyty of that lordshyppe kyngdome wyth the whyche dede Lewys his brother and kynge of Germany and Bayon was dyscontentyd thynkyng hym selfe more ryghtfull enheritour then Charlis for so myche as he was y e elder brother and also brother to the fyrste Lothayre of father of mother where as Charlis was but halfe brother and by the fathers syde onely For this y e sayd Lewys sent to Charlys the Ballyd certayn messyngers gyuynge to hym monycyon that he shulde call to memory the couenauntes betwene theym before tyme stablyshed and that he shulde not meddell hym nor haue to do wythin the landes of his cosyn lately deed vnto such tyme as yt were determyned by theyr bothe counsayles whyther of theym hadde the better ryght this to be obseruyd vppon payne of excōmunycacyon or cursyng But for to Lewys was well sene that his brother Charlis nothyng absteyned hym from the occupyenge of the forenamed countrey he therfore gaderyd an armye to warre vppon his sayde brother In the whych passe tyme Charlys toke to his second wyfe a woman namyd Rychent or Ricent the whyche he before tyme hadde vsyd as his cōcubyne or paramoure And soone after the Danys or Normans inuadyd the landes of Charlys the whych for that tyme he was fayne to appease please wyth ryche gyftes and other pleasures Then Charlys receyued from his brother a seconde ambassade or message the whyche shewyd vnto hym excepte he wold voyde his knyghtes and strengthes that he had sette and put in dyuerse places of the lande of Austracy he shuld be sure to haue of his sayd brother an enymy and that in all haste he wolde entre his lande wyth great force and warre wheruppon was suche answere sente that by both theyr agrementes the mater was hadde in suche cōmunycacyon that fynally yt was agreed that the sayde landes shulde egally be departyd betwene them whyche conclusyon perfyted Lewys wyth his people retournyd into Germany But yt was not longe after that Lewys repented hym of hys agrement so that newe legacyons were made vppon both partyes and lastely wyth myche payne newly agreed After whyche agrement and accorde fynyshed Lewys the emperour and sonne of the fyrste Lothayre sente an ambassade to both the fornamed bretherne admonestynge and warnyng them that nother the one nor y e other shulde intermyt wyth the foresayde landes for so myche as the ryghte therof belonged to him as next heyre to his brother and not to them that were a degre forther The answere of this was deferryd by Charlys how be it his brother Lewis as sayth myne authour gaue ouer his parte shortly after to Lewys y e emperour In this passe tyme Charlys the sonne of Charlis the Ballyd by hys fyrste wyfe whome the father had made ruler of a countrey called Belge hadde rulyd hym insolently and done in that countrey dyuerse outragiouse dedes For the whyche he beyng cōplayned of was brought vnto his father and so by hym commaundyd to pryson But shortely after he was deliueryd at y e requeste of some nobles of Fraūce kept after in his fathers courte where he contynued but a shorte whyle For wythin a lytle season after his father beynge at Lyons he departyd from y e sayde courte and gaderyd to hym a wylde company of euyll dysposyd persons and went agayne into the sayd countrey of Belge and dyd more harme then he had done before season and so contynuyd a long whyle But lastly he was taken and caste agayne in pryson where after longe punyshement he was reued of his syght and then sent vnto the monastery of Corbenyke there safely to be kepte But at length by the entycemēt of his vncle Lewys kynge of Germany and the treason of two mūkes of y e place he scapyd thens and fledde vnto the sayd Lewys his vncle In the which tyme Charlys his father was occupyed in the defence of the Danys or Normannys that then by strength had wonne the citye of Angyers and done therein myche harme whome the kynge closyd wythin the sayd cytye wyth a stronge syege and fynally compellyd theym to seke meanys of peace at the kynges pleasure After whych peace cōcludyd and the sayd Danys auoydyd the kynge repossessyd the sayde cytye It was not longe after that tydynges were brought vnto Charlis of the deth of Lewys the emperoure After knowlege wherof the kynge sent hys other sonne named Lewys into Austracy to haue the rule and y e guydynge of y e countrey And after other thynges ordered for y e weale of hys realme he wyth a stronge company of men of armys passyd y e moūtaynes and
so sharpely that he was constrayned to leue the countrey and sayled into Fraunce and lefte the nuÌ„ne behynde hym the whych the kynge caused to be restoryd agayn to the house y t she was taken fro The nexte yere folowyng the sayd Clito wyth his coÌ„pany landed in eest Englande gaderyd to hym y e Danys of that countrey and with theyr ayde destroyed and pylled the countrey about Crekynforde Criklade And then passed y e ryuer of Thamis spoyled the land to Bradenestoke and so froÌ„ thens retourned into eest Anglia y t is Norffolke Suffolke The kynge folowed his enymyes and spoyled of theyr landes whyche they helde by composycyon from the ryuer of Owse to the bordure of saynte Edmundus lande commaundynge hys knyghtes of hys hoste that none shulde dragge or tarye after hys hoste for fere that they were not beclyppyd of theyr enmyes But the Kentyshe men whych trusted to myche in theyr owne strength dysobeyed that commaundement wherfore the Danys awaytynge theyr praye fyll vppon them by bushementes and slewe the more partye of theym wherwyth the kyng was sore dyscontentyd Soone after bothe hostes mette where after longe fyght Clyto wyth many of the Danys was slayne and the remenaunt constrayned to seche peace the whyche was graunted vppon certayne condycyons that they shulde holde theym wythin the boundes to theym lymytted and ouer that paye yerely a certayne money in waye of trybute After whyche peace wyth them stablyshed he repayred cytyes townes and castellys that by the sayde Danys were shatered and broken And about the .viii. yere of his reygne kynge Edwarde repayred the wallys and also the cytye of Kaerlyon that now is called Chester To the whych were great helpers Etheldredê° duke of Mercia Elfleda his wyfe doughter of Alurede as before is shewyd suster of this kynge Edwarde And that done the kynge buylded a stronge castell at Herforde in y e egge of walys And he enlarged so greatly y e walles of Chester y t the castell whych before tyme was wyth out the wall is now wythin And the .ix. yere of his reygn Etheldredê° duke of Mercia by couÌ„sayll of his wyfe traÌ„slated y e bones of y e holy kyng Oswald froÌ„ Bradony to Gloucestre there buylded a fayre monastery in the worshyp of saynt Peter In the .xii. yere of kyng Edwardes reygne the Danes repentynge them of theyr couenauntes before made myndyng enteÌ„dyng y e breche of the same asseÌ„bled an hoste met with y e kynge in Staffordeshyre at a place called Toten halle and soone after at wodenesseylde At whyche .ii. places the kynge slew two kynges two erlys and many thousandes of the Danys that then occupyed the countrey of Northumberlande And soon after dyed the noble man Etheldredus duke or erle of Mercia or myddell Englande After whose deth the kynge for so myche as he hadde often prouyd her wysedome he toke the rule of that countrey to hys wyfe Elfleda London alonely exceptyd the whyche he toke vnder his onwe rule THE CLXXX CHAPITER OF this noble woman Elfleda yf I shulde shewe all the vertues yt shuld aske a long tyme and leasure But amonges other of her noble dedes she buylded and newly repayred many townes cytyes and castellys as Tomworth besyde Lychefeld Stafforde warwyke Shrowesbury watrysbury Eldysbury in the forest besyde Chester that nowe is ouer tourned and destroyed Also she buylded a cytye wyth a castell in the Northe ende of Mercia vpon y t ryuer Merce that in those dayes was named RuncofanÌ„ but now yt is called RuncornÌ„ And she also buylded a brydge ouer the ryuer of SeuernÌ„ whyche is or was named Brymmysburye brydge This stronge virago fauour of cytezeyns and fere of enymyes halpe myche the kyng her brother in gyuynge of counsayll buyldynge of cytyes Of her is told that when she hadde ones assayed the wo and sorowe that women fele and suffer in berynge of a chylde she hated the enbrasynge of her husband euer and toke wytnesse of god and sayde that yt was not coÌ„uenyent or semely to a kinges doughter to vse such flesshely lykynge wherof suche sorowe shuld ensue or folowe In the .xiii. yere of the reygne of this Edwarde a great nauy of Danys whych in tyme of Alurede were driuen into Fraunce now retourned agayn and sayled about the west couÌ„trey and landed in dyuers places toke prayes and went to theyr shyppes agayn And at one time amoÌ„ges other they robbed and spoyled at a place called Irchynfeylde and toke a Brytyshe byshop and caryed hym to theyr shyppes and fynally raunsomed hym at .xl. pounde But as soone as kynge Edwarde had knowlege of theyr beyng he assembled his knyghtes and sped hym westwarde by lande and sent a nother hoste by shyppe to encounter the Danys vppon the see wherof heryng the sayd Danys fledde into Irlande and by that course voyded the land and handes of the kynge Then the kynge for strengthynge of the countrey made a castell at the mouth of the water of Auene and a nother castell at Bokyngham and the thyrd faste therby y t is to meane vpon eyther syde of y e ryuer of Owseone And after retourned into Northamtonshyre and Bedfordshyre faughte there wyth the Danys of these couÌ„tres and at length subdued theâ— wyth theyr leder or duke called Turketyllus About the .xvii. yere of this kynges reygned Elfleda lady of Mercia before mynded gaderyd her knightes And where the Brytons or walshe men brake into the lande about Brekenoke she wyth her people wythstode theym and amonge other prysoners prayes toke there the quene of walshemen And the yere folowynge kynge Edwarde buylded or newly reedyfyed the townes of Towsetour and wygmore and destroyed the castell that the Danys hadde made at Temesforde And that yere the noble Elfleda wanne the towne of Derby from the power of the Danys where they put her in such adueÌ„ture that foure knyghtes whyche were called Gardeyns of her corps were slayne faste by her And y e .xviii. yere of his reygne dyed that noble pryncesse Elfleda in the moneth of Iune and was buryed in the monastery of saynt Peter which her lorde and she before tyme hadde buylded wythin the towne of Gloucetour as aboue is touched ouer the bones of that holy kynge saynte Oswalde whyche monastery was after throwen to grounde by the Danys But Aldredus byshop both of yorke of worcetour made there an other whyche is now chefe house or abbay of that towne or cytye when Elfleda was deed her doughter named Elswyna helde the lordeshyppe of Mercia a season But for the kynge coÌ„sydered yt to be to great a thynge for her to rule he therfore dyscharged her therof and ioyned it to his kyngedome but not all wythout stryfe For dyuers townes kepte of the kyng for a tyme as Snotyngham or Nothyngam Tomworth Derbye and other supposynge the doughter wold haue defended them as the mother by her lyfe had done But finally they came to the
Raynys whan he had reygned in great trouble .xxi. yeres leuynge for hys heyre a sonne named Lothayr Anglia THE CLXXXVIII CHAPITER EDmunde y e brother of EthelstanÌ„ and sonne of Edwarde the elder of Ethelwyda the thyrde wyfe of the sayd Edwarde begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .xl and the .vii. yere of the .v. Lewys thaÌ„ kynge of Fraunce In the fyrste yere of hys reygne the Danys of Northumberland rebelled agayne hym And for to make theyr party the stroÌ„ger they sent for a prynce of Danys named Aulaffe than beynge in Irlande The which brought wyth hym an other prynce or ruler of Danys named Reygnald wyth a great hoste of Danys other strauÌ„ge nacyons and entred the foresayd countre and warred vppon the next borders in wastynge and spoylynge the inhabytauÌ„tes of the same wherof whan kyng Edmund was warned anone he assembled his people and sped hym toward y e countre and lastly faught wyth the two sayd prynces of the Danys or at the leest chaced them from towne to towne tyll he forsyd them wyth all theyr coÌ„pany of straunge nacyons to forsake vtterly that prouynce and bet down that countre of Cumberlande y t had mych fauoured and ayded the sayde enmyes agayne hym and toke therin greate prayes and deuyded them amoÌ„ges hys knyghtes And y e done other for the good seruyce that MalcolynÌ„ kynge of Scotlande hadde in thys vyage done vnto the kynge or for the trowth and allegyaunce that he in tyme folowyng shulde bere vnto hym or for bothe the kynge gaue there to the sayd MalcolynÌ„ the countre of Cumberlande and seased all y e resydue of the kyngdom or lordshyp of Northumberlande and ioyned it vnto hys owne kyngdome But yet y e Danys retorned agayn in the tyme of Edredus the nexte kynge as after shal be shewed so that as yet the fyne or ende of thys kyngdome is not accompted In thys Edmundus dayes the authour of Polycronyca sayth that whan Edmunde hadde ended hys iourney and set that countree in an order he toke wyth hym the bones of the holy abbot Colfrydus and of that holy abbesse Hylda brought theym vnto Glastenbury and there shryned theym This Colfryde was abbot of Bedas abbey or of the abbey of Gyrwye Hilda was abbesse of Stenshalt or whytby And as affermeth y e sayd authour both places ben in y e North partyes of England Thys kynge Edwarde had a noble woman to wyfe named Elgina of whom he receyued two sonnes named Edwyne and Edgar And as testyfyeth Henry archedekeÌ„ of Huntyngdon thys Edward had ofte warre wyth the Danes the whyche as he affermeth helde than many good townes in myddle England as LyncolnÌ„ NothinghmÌ„ Derby Stafforde Laycetour y e which by his knyghtly manhode he wanne from them And by the helpe of holy Dunstan he ameÌ„ded many thynges within his realm y t had beÌ„ loÌ„ge tyme misordered by meane of y e Danys Of the ende or fyne of thys Edmunde dyuers opynyons there be For Marianus the Scot sayth that whyle thys kynge Edmunde endeuered hym selfe to saue his sewer froÌ„ the dauÌ„ger of hys enemye that wold haue slayne hym at Pulkerchyrche the kynge in ryddynge of the fraye was wounded to the deth and dyed shortly after But wyllyam de regibus sayth that the kynge beynge at a feest at y e foresayd towne or place vppon the daye of saynte Augustyne espyed a felon syttyng in y e halle named Leof whych he before tyme for hys felony hadde exyled and lept ouer the table and plucked that thefe by the here of the hedde to the grounde In whych doynge the sayd felon wyth a knyfe wounded the kynge to the deth and also wyth the same knyfe wounded many other of the kynges seruauntes and at length was all to hewen dyed forthwyth If this be trewe it shulde seme that kynges at those dayes vsed not the honour that they nowe haue and exercyse But whych of these two meanes was vsed in the kynges deth by agreemeÌ„t of all wryters thys kynge dyed whan he had reygned .vi. yeres and more was buryed at Glastenbury the whyche before he hadde sumptuously repayred and lafte after hym two yonge sonnes as before is remembred Edwyne and Edgar But for they were to yonge to rule the lande therfore y e rule therof was coÌ„mytted to Edredê° theyr vncle brother to theyr fader THE CLXXXIX CHAPITER EDredus y e brother of EdmuÌ„de and sonne of Edwarde the elder and of Ethylswyda hys thyrde wyfe began his reygne ouer the realme of Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .lxvii and the xiii yere of the fyfte Lewys thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce The whych as before is towched was admytted kyng by authoryte of hys barony For so myche as the two forenamed chylderne of Edmunde Edwyn and Edgar were thought to yonge and insuffycyent to take vpon them so great a charge The whyche Edrede was enoynted kynge of Oddo archbyshop of CauÌ„terbury in y e towne of Kyngestowne And soone after he warred vpon the Danys that then were reentred into Northumberland or after some wryters there dwellynge vnder trybute of the kynge subdued before of Edmunde hys brother and bette theym downe and caused theym to holde and obeye vnto theyr former couenauntes And the Scottes than began to varye which he also brought vnto due obedyence After a certayne terme y e Danys of Northumberlande whyche euer contynued full of gyle and dowblenesse not beyng content to holde the couenauÌ„tes before made promisses vnto Edredus the kynge called vnto theym theyr olde accessaryes and helpers and bereuyd from the kynges subiectes the cytye of yorke and other stronge townes and castelles to the great hurte of the couÌ„trey and vtter dyspleasure of the kynge wherfore he beynge therof aduertysed in goodly and conuenyent haste assembled hys people and spedde hym thyther and destroyed myche of the lande And in that fury brent the abbey of Rypon whyche the Danys kept for a fortresse and strength and wan from them myche of the strengthes that they to fore had woÌ„ne and broughte theym agayne vnder hys subieccyon when this kynge Edrede had thus spedde hys iourney and was retournynge into Englande nothynge suspectynge the sayde Danys a company of them by the excytyng of Hyrcus a kyng or prynce of the Danys theÌ„ folowyd the kinges hoste and on thys halfe yorke fyll vppon the kynges rerewarde and destroyed slew many a man For the whyche doyng the kynge was sore amoued tourned hys people agayne entendynge to haue destroyed y e countrey vtterly wherof the Danys beynge ware so lowely meked theym vnto hym gaue to hym suche gyftes that the kyng refrayned hym of the great yre that he had purposed to theym But amonges other articles y t he bounde them vnto one was that they shuld banyshe and vtterly refuse theyr fore sayde duke or kynge called Hyrcus whyche thynge with dyuers and many other graunted
fermely bounde to kepe as well by hostages taken as other suertye the kynge retourned into England ioynyng this kyngedome to hys other So that here is rekened the ende of this kyngdome whyche shulde endure as before is shewyd in the C.ix. chapyter of thys worke by the terme of foure hundred .ix. yeres In the same yere that the kynge hadde thus subdued the danys a strong sykenesse toke hym wherfore he sent for holy byshoppe Dunstane to come vnto hym The whych Dunstane in goynge towarde the kynge harde a voyce saye vnto hym now restyth kynge Edredus in peace At tyme of whych voyce thus sayenge the horse of that holy byshop fyll to the grounde and dyed wythout hurtynge of hys mayster Then this holy man continued his iourney and fande the kynge dede at his commynge whome he buryed wyth great reuerence in the monastery or cathedrall chyrche of the cytye of wynchester in the .xxviii. yere of his age and the .x. yere of hys reygne as testyfyeth Guydo and other THE CXC CHAPITER LOtharius the eldest sonne of the v. Lewys began his reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of our lordes incarnacy on .ix. hundred lv and y e .viii. yere of Edredus then kynge of Englande Thys Lothayr by meanes of Thebaude or Theobalde erle of Chartres toke partye agayne Rycharde duke of Normandye And for to haue agayn hym som groūdely cause he sent vnto y e duke monyshynge hym to haue in mynde the fayth and allegyaunce that the dukes of Normandye ought to bere vnto the kynges of Fraūce And for maynteynynge of the same and for other maters that he hadde to speke wyth hym of he wylled hym to come to a place appoynted where all such maters myght haue farther expedicion All whyche commaundement or request was graunted of the duke when the kynge had receyued this answere from the duke wherof he demyd before the contrary he sent for Arnolde erle of Flaundres Godfrey erle of Angewe and Theobalde before named By whose counsaylles after many argumentes made the kynge agreed to call the duke vnto the ryuer of Isayr there to betraye hym At which daye place appoynted y e duke with a cōuenyent cōpany came vnto the sayd ryuersyde there abydyng the cōmyng of Lothayr vppon y e other syde whyche lastly came thyther wyth a great people wherof when the duke was ware he fered treason for the whyche cause he sent espyes to knowe of the kynges entent And they as wyse mē espyed all the purpose of the hoste and shortely retourned and shewed to the duke that he was in great daunger The whyche shortely after apperyd for the Frenchemen began to passe the ryuer in great nomber Then duke Rychard consyderyng that he was of so litell myght to with stande the great power of the Frēche hoste sente a parte of his men to defende the passage wyth the remenaunt retourned vnto the cytye of Roan̄ wherof the kynge beyng ware that the duke was hym escaped called agayne his people wyth great dyspleasure retourned vnto Laon. It was not longe after y t the kyng assembled a great hoste of Burgonyons and Frenchemen entred into Normandye and beseged the cytye of Bayon and lastly wanne it by the treason of one Gylberde a smyth belongynge vnto y e erle Theobald aboue named when the kynge hadde thus wōne y e citye of Bayon he betoke the kepynge therof vnto the sayde erle The whyche puttynge therin a strength of knyghtes yode vnto a castell called Harmauyle besegyd yt wyth a certayn of knyghtes In whyche season the kynge for nedes of his realme retourned into Fraunce when duke Rycharde was ware of the kynges departure he wyth hys people passed the water of Sayn̄ costed the countrey fyll sodaynely vppon erle Theobalde lyenge at the foresayd syege and slewe of his men vi hūdred .xl. persons and put the erle in such a fere that he scaped with great daunger and fledde with smal company tyll he came to his owne citye of Charters Then duke Rycharde consyderyng the great malice of his foon strēgth of them sent vnto the kynge of Denmarke then named Erarde requyryng him of ayde or helpe for to withstande the malyce of his enymyes The whych Erarde receyued gladly that message promysed to them all theyr request shortely after sent to the sayd duke a great army of Danys which sped thē by y e see tyll they came to to the place where the water of Sayn̄ falleth into the see wherof the duke beynge aduertysed in short space drew vnto them wyth his people and so with them entred the coūtrey of y e erle of Chartris in wastyng destroynge it wythout mercy and after entred the landes of Fraunce in pyllynge robbynge brennynge wastynge yt and slew y e people with out mercy and pytye For this mysery tyranny thus exercysed by the Danys y e kyng beyng therwyth confused sente for the bysshoppes of his land to haue theyr aduyce Amonges the which the bishop of Chartris beynge present was by the hole counsayll admitted to go to the duke and knowe the cause why that he beynge a crysten man made suche destruccyon of the crysten people and occupyed the land of crysten men with so manyfolde harmes and seathes and to conclude the trew or trewce for a certayne of tyme. The sayde byshoppe accomplyssynge the kynges pleasure was answered of the duke that this vexacyon that he put the lande of Fraunce to was for the iniurye y t the kyng hadde before tyme done vnto hym yet cōtynued the same in holdynge from hym hys cytye of Bayon the whych he hadde gyuen to his great enymy the erle of Chartris So that in conclusyon a restraynte of warre was graunted vppon condycyon that by a day assygned the kynge wold apoynte a day of communycacyon and in the meane tyme restore vnto hym hys cytye of Bayon when the kynge had receyued y e answere from the duke he made suche meanes that y e duke receyued his city of Bayon with all dyspeasure forgyuen agayn y e forenamed Theobald whych was done by medyacyon of a relygyous munke as affermeth the Frenche boke And after the daye of metynge was appoynted at a place called Gyndolfoss where the duke made ordynaūce for receyuynge of y e kyng and cōmaunded the paynyms and Danis to behaue them reuerently agayne the kynge and his people the whych was obeyed in all due maner And y e kyng there receyued with myche honour hadde vnto the duke many goodly wordes requyrynge hym to forget all his former vnkyndnesse trustynge to shewe vnto hym suche pleasures in tyme to come that shulde recompence all the former displeasures and vnkyndnes by him before commytted wyth whyche fayre speche the duke takynge yt wythout dyssymulacyon was well satysfyed and content so that after assuraunce of amytye and peace betwene theym stablysshed eyther gyuynge vnto other great and ryche gyftes they departed as frendes The whych
of the age of .xvi. yere when he was admytted for kynge and that he was not crowned kynge tyll he hadde reygned the full terme of .xii. yeres whych terme ended and expyred he was enoynted and crowned kynge in the cytye of Bathe vppon a whytsondaye fallyng then vpon the .xv. day in May of Dunstane and Oswolde byshoppes that one of Caunterburye and that other of yorke In the begynnynge of his reygn he called home holy Dunstane that before was exyled of kyng Edwyne whych Dunstane harde aungellys synge peace be to the lande of Englyshemen Then he made DuÌ„stane that was abbot of Glastenburye byshoppe of worceter and vnyed and knyt into one the prouynce and lorshyppes of Englande and made of theym one monarchye and kyngedome In many places he putte away clerkes and prestes that lyued vycyously and sette there for theym munkes And as wytnessyth Guydo Policronica and other he buylded and repayred to the nomber of .xl. houses of relygyon wherof Abyndon Peterburgh Thorney Ramesey and wyltonÌ„ were parcell of theym And at wynchester in the newe abbay he putte in munkes where before dayes were seculer prestes The cause wherof was for so myche as the prestes fled or neglygently slowthed the dyuyne seruyce of god and sette vykers in theyr places whyle they lyued at theyr pleasure in other places and spente the patrymonye of that chyrche after theyr sensuall wyll Then kynge Edgar gaue to the vykers the lande that before belonged to the prebendaryes trustynge therby that they wolde do theyr duetyes But yt was not longe to or the sayd vycares were as neglygent as the other wherfore fynally the kyng by authoryte of pope IohnÌ„ the .xiii. of that name voyded clerely the prestes ordeyned there moÌ„kes though some of hys prelates where not therwyth contented This Edgar kepte suche iustyce and dyd so sharpe execucyon that neuer before his days was vsyd lesse felony or robberyes And for he wold haue the rauenous bestes destroyed thorough hys lande he caused Ludwallus prynce or kynge of walys to yelde to hym yerely by way of trybute thre hundred woluys By meane wherof wythin the space of .iiii. yeres after in Englande and walys myght scantely be founden one wolf a lyue It is wytnessyd of dyuers authours that Kynadus kynge of Scotlande dispysed Edgar for that that he was lytell of stature wherof Edgar beynge warned desyred the sayd Kynadus to dyner and made to him good countenaunce After whych dyner ended he toke the sayd Kynadus by y e arme and so wyth hym helde company tyll they came into y e feldes where beynge dysseuered from bothe theyr seruauntes Edgar drew from vnder his garment two swordes desyred Kynadus to take the chose of theym sayd to hym nowe thou hast good laysure to a saye thy strength wyth myne that before tyme thou haste so myche dyspysed And lette vs nowe proue whyche is more worthy to be subiecte to other It is not syttynge for a knyghte to make great boste at the borde and to do lytell in felde when the Scottyshe kynge hard the kyng thus challenge hym he knew well his wordes before spoken were disclosyd to y e kynge wherof he was not a litle abashed But for apeace y e kynge he behaued hym so lowely and gaue to hym suche plesaunte wordes that the kynge forgaue the trespace This Edgar amonge other of hys polytyke dedes vsed in the somer tyme to scowre the see wyth certayne shyppes of warre And agayn y e wynter he prouyded to laye the sayd shyppes in sure hauens and had redy in his owne seruyce and in hys lordes houses a certayne nomber of soâ—dyours that were alway redy when the kyng had nede of them And his shyp maysters were in wages wyth hym thorough the yere that euer atteÌ„dyd vpon the shippes to se that nothyng fayled that vnto theym was necessary By meane wherof he kepte hys land in great quyete fro outward enmyes And in the wynter he vsed to ryde ouer the land and to se how hys offycers entreated the people And yf any were accused of extorcyon or other crymes and agayne them suffycyently proued he dyd vppon all suche sharpe correccyon And for so mych as in his days grete multytude of Danys dwelled in dyuers places of England which vsed many vyces specyally great drynkynge wherof ensued dronkenesse and many other vices to the euyll examples and hurte of hys commons and subiectes he therfore ordeyned certayne cuppes with pynnes or nayles set in them and ordeyned made a law that what person dranke past that marke at one drought shuld for fayte a certayn peny wherof the one half shuld fall to the accusour that other half to the ruler of y e brough or towne that the offence was done in It is told of this Edgar by dyuers authours y t he vpon a season beyng at Chester entred y e ryuer of Dee there syttynge in a bote toke the rule of the helme and caused .viii. kynges whyche of Guydo are called regulâ— whyche is to meane small or lytell kynges or vnder kinges y e whyche he commaunded to rowe hym vp and downe the ryuer vnto saynte IohnÌ„s chyrche and from thens to hys owne paleys in token y t he was lorde kynge of so many prouynces This noble Edgar had two wyues By the fyrste y t was called Egelfleda the whyte he hadde a son that was named Edwarde He was after kynge and slayne by reason of hys stepmoder Alfrita called in the englyshe cronycle Estrylde And vpon his seconde wyfe Alfrida or Estrylde he gat a son named Egelredus or after the englyshe boke Eldrede which was kynge after Edwarde the martyr as after shall be shewyd And of saynte wylfryth whych of some wryters is accoÌ„pted for a meÌ„chon he had a doughter named saynte Edyth in ê“cesse of ryme But this was of bast and not in wedloke For as Guydo and Policronicon testyfyen this virgyne wylfryth knowynge that the kyng caste to her vnlawfull loue put vppon her the habyte of a nuÌ„ne thynkyng thereby to wythdrawe the kynges loue But that not wythstandynge she was at length brought to the kynges bedde For whych dede he was greatly blamed of the holy byshop Dunstane and dyd therfore vii yere penauÌ„ce by the heste or byddynge of the sayde Dunstane And the forenamed wylfrith after y e chyld borne lyued so relygyousely y t she is now coÌ„pted for a saynt in heuen Of her doughter Edyth yt is radde that at lawefull age she was at wyltonÌ„ shorne a nunne where she vsyd more gayer apparell then was thought coÌ„uenyent to her religyon For y e which she beynge blamed of the holy bysshop Ethelwolde answered Goddes dome that maye not fayle is pleasyd onely wyth conscyence wherfore I truste that vnder these clothes maye be as clene a soule as vnder other y e ben of lasse shewynge Many vertues ben rehersed of this holy virgyn Edyth in the .ix. chapyter of the .vi. boke of
vppon the breste wyth a spere So y t the kynge awoke wyth that stroke and charged that the belle shulde be restored to the chyrche of Saynt Eltutus and all other thynges that were taken wyth the same But the kynge dyed wythin .x. dayes after whan he had reygned after moste wryters the full terme of .xvi. yeres And was buryed at Glastenbury leuynge after hym two sonnes Edwarde the martyr Egelredê° by .ii. sondry wyues Henricus the hystographer made of hym these verses folowynge Ayder of the poore and punyssher of trespasse The gyuer of worshyp kyng Edgar is now gone To the kyngdome of heuen whyche lyke to prayse was As Salomon that for wysdome aboue all shone A fader in peas a lyone to his foone Founder of temples of monkes stronge patrone Oppresser of all wronge and of iustyce guardone WIllelmus de regibus testifyeth that in the yere of our lorde M.lii whiche was after the deth of this noble kynge Edgar .lxxvi. yeres an abbot of Glastenbury named Aylewarde dygged the graue of this noble man vnreuerently At whyche tyme the body was fouÌ„den hole and so full of flesshe that the body wolde not entre into a newe cheste without pressynge By reason wherof fresshe droppes of blode issued out of the same body Than the abbot foresayd fyll sodeynly madde and went out of the chyrch and brake hys necke and so dyed Than the body was put in a shryne that he before tyme had gyuen to the place set vppon y e auter wyth the hed of saynt Apolinare and other relyques of saynt Uyncent the whych y e kyng Edgare before dayes had brought thyther and gyuen to y e house wherfore it maye well appere to all that rede thys story that what lyuynge thys man was demed of y t he purged hym in suche wyse by penauÌ„ce that he made a seth and amendes to goddes pleasure THE CXCV. CHAPITER IN y e story of thys noble prynce Edgare I fynde wryten a story the whyche is alleged by the authour y t it shulde be done by a kyng of Syrye named Cambyses in the tyme of the reygne of thys Edgare But in that sayenge he varyeth froÌ„ other authours and wryters very farre as Uincencius hystorialis Antoninus Ranulphus and other For all be it the sayde acte was done by y e sayd Cambyse as the forenamed authoure affermeth yet it was by the sayd Cambyses executed longe before the incarnacyon of Cryste For thys Cambyses was the sonne of Cirus kyng of Parsys and of Medis whyche reygned ouer those prouynces about the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousand .lxx before the commynge of Cryste folowyng the accompte of thys worke .xi. hundred yeres .xxix. But it myghte be y t the whyte monke that was authoure or wryter of this acte to the story of Edgare was moued for the greate iustyce that he radde in the story of thys Edgare thynkyng to enhaunce it by the reason herof where he sayth that in the tyme of thys CaÌ„byses a iudge was to hym accused and conuycte vppon the same accusacyon that he hadde gyuen a wronge sentence by meane of takynge of mede wherfore thys Cambyses to the terrour and fere of other commaunded the sayde iudge to be flayne quycke and the skynne to be spred ouer the place or stole of iudgement and that done made the sone of the foresayd iudge to sytte as iudge in the place where hys fader before sat wyth these verses wryten vppon the face of the sayde place of iudgement as foloweth Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta A manibus reuoces munus ab aure preces Sit tibi sucerna sex sux pessisque paterna Qua recedes natus pro patre sponte datus whyche verses maye be englysshed in maner and fourme as foloweth Thou that syttest in thys iudycyall place Sytte vp ryght holde thyne handes from mede Thyne erys from prayer fauoure from the chace Let lawe be thy gyde kepe iustyce in thy rede Thy faders skynne whych doth thy chayer sprede Haue in thy mynde fall not to lyke offence Leste for thy faute thou make lyke recompence AS I haue before shewed this acte was put in execucyon y e xi C. yere and odde before the commynge of Cryste And syns the sayd coÌ„mynge or incarnacyon haue expyred .xv. hundred yeres more which all maketh ouer two thousande .vi. hundred yeres In all whyche tyme I haue nat radde in any cronycle of thys lande nor other where that any iudge hath ben put to lyke sentence wherfore it is to presuppose that in the lawes bothe spyrytuall temporall all iudges haue wel borne these verses in mynde and exercysed them in mynystrynge of dewe iustyce as perfytely as theyr cusshons had ben fresshely lyned wyth the foresayde skinne empriÌ„ted so narowly these verses in the boke of theyr coÌ„science that they in all theyr iudgementes set asyde all parcyalyte and fauour and holde theyr handes from all medes and rewardes so that now it is thus wyth more or ellys thus it shulde be THE CXCVI. CHAPITER EDwarde the sonne of Edgare and of hys fyrste wyfe named Egelfleda beganne hys reygn ouer thys realme of Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .lxxvii and the .xii. yere of Lothayre than kynge of Fraunce ye shall vnderstand that after the deth of Edgare stryfe arose amonge the lordes for admyssyon of theyr kyng For Elfryda or Estrylde with Alphrede duke of Mercia made dyuers frendes to haue her sonne Egelredus promoted to that dygnite a chylde of .vii. yeres of age that she he myghte haue the rule of the land But holy Dunstane wyth ayde of other bysshoppes and of the erle of eest Englande or Essex wythstode so that doynge that he crowned thys Edwarde kynge at y e towne of Kyngestowne to the greuous dyspleasure of hys sayd moder Elfryda and other of her affynyte In the tyme of thys Edward appered stella cometa a blasing sterre wherafter ensued many inconuenyences as well to men as to bestes as sykenesse hunger moreyne other lyke myseryes But none of this fyll in the dayes of this Edwarde but after hys deth The forenamed Alpherus duke of Mercia whyche in all thynges fauoured mych the dedes of the quene put out y e monkes at wynchester that kyng Edgare as before is shewed had there set in brought in for theym wanton clerkes or as Ranulphe sayth clerkes wyth concubynes But Dunstane and the erle of Essex wythsayde that doyng and helde agayne the duke and suche as fauoured hys partye For the whych arose greate stryfe bytwene the prestes and the monkes of Englande For y e clerkes that were before tyme put out by Edgare sayd that it were a wretched and cursed dede that a newe comon company vnknowen shulde put out olde landysmen from theyr place nor it shulde not be pleasyng to god y t had graunted y e place to the olde woÌ„ner nor no good man ought to alowe
suche doynge for the ensample that therof myght ensewe The monkes sayde yetCryste alowed nother the olde dweller nor yet the persone But who so wolde take the crosse of penaunce vppon hym and folow Cryste in vertuous lyuynge he shulde be hys dyscyple For thys was holden a generall counsayle of bysshoppes and all the clergy of the land at wynchester where holy DuÌ„stane helde wyth the vertuous And whyle they were there in greate argument for thys mater as dyuers wryters testyfyeÌ„ a rode there beyng or standynge in the wall spake myraculously and sayd that Dunstanes wayes was good and trewe But for all thys the stryfe seased not In so mych that a new assemble of the clergye and other was appoynted after at a place called the strete of Calue where the counsayle was kept in an vpper lofte In thys counsayle DuÌ„stane was greuously despysed and rebuked of some vnskylfull meÌ„ But yet he kept hys opynyon grounded vpon iustyce and vertue And whyle they were there in thys greate dyuysyon and argument whyche waye shulde be admytted and alowed sodeynly the ioystes of the lofte fayled and the people fell downe so y t many were slayne greuously hurte But holy Dunstane escaped wyth fewe other that toke hys partye vnhurte This wonder with the other caused sylence amonges them that enteÌ„ded to maynteyne this foresayd quarell so that Dunstane had all hys wyll Thus passynge the tyme of the reygne of Edwarde the kynge he came vppon a season from huntyng in the forest or woode after some wryters nere to the castell of Corfe in y e west countre where he losynge hys company and seruauntes resorted vnto the castell before sayd where at that tyme hys moder with her sonne Egelredê° kept her housholde whan the quene was warned of hys commynge anone she called to a seruauÌ„t of hers whych she mych trusted and tolde to hym all her counsayle shewynge to hym forther how he shulde behaue hym in accomplysshynge of her wyll and mynde And that done she went towarde the kynge and receyued hym wyth all outwarde gladnesse and desyred hym to tary wyth her that nyght But he in curteyse maner excused hym selfe for spede desyred to drynke vpon hys horse syttyng y e whych was shortly brought And whyle the cuppe was at hys mouth the seruaunt before of the quene enfourmed strake hym to the herte wyth a sworde or a longe dagger sharpe on both sydes After whiche stroke by the kynge receyued he toke the horse wyth the spores and ranne towarde the place that he was comen fro or ellys suche waye as he supposed to mete of hys company But he bled so sore that for fayntnes he fyll from hys horse hys one fote beynge faste in the styrroppe By reason wherof he was drawen of y e horse ouer wayes and feldes tyll he came to a place named than Corysgate where he was founden dede And for y e maner of hys deth was vnknoweÌ„ â–ª and also he for kynge not knowen he was buryed vnworthely at the towne of warehmÌ„ and there rested by the terme of .iii. yeres after In whyche tyme and season god shewed for hym dyuers myracles as syghte to the blynde helthe to the syke and herynge to y e defe wyth dyuers other whyche I ouer passe wherof herynge hys stepmoder began to take repentaunce and entended to vysyte hym by way of pylgrymage But how or for what cause she entended inwardly I can nat saye but the horse or beest y t she rode vpon myght not nyghe y e place by a certayne space for betynge or any other thynge that to hym myght be done by man But after this by her meanes he was translated from theÌ„s to SeptonÌ„ that now is called Shaftesbury there buried with great honour But syn that tyme parte of his bodye was translated to the abbaye of Leof besyde Hereforde in the edge of walys and some parte therof to AbyndonÌ„ And yt is reported that at Shaftesbury remayne hys lunges and ben shewed in the place that is called Edwardysstowe For the murder of this blessed man yt is sayde as before is shewed in the story of Edgar that his stepmother fouÌ„ded two monasteryes of women y e one at Ambrisbury and that other at warwell In the whyche place of warwell in her latter dayes she refusynge the pompe of the worlde helde there a solytary and strayte lyfe and ended her lyfe wyth great penaunce and repentaunce and was there buryed when she dyed Thus as ye haue harde was this vertuous yonge kynge Edwarde martyred wheÌ„ he had reygned after most wryters .iiii. yeres leuyng none yssue wherfore the rule of the lande fyll to Egelredus his brother THE CXCVII CHAPITER EGelredus the sonne of Edgar and Alfrida or Estryld his last wyfe beganne his reygne ouer Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix huÌ„dred .lxxxi and the .xxvi. yere of Lothayre then kynge of Fraunce This is named of some wryters Etheldredus and in the englyshe cronycle Eldrede In whose begynnyng the grounde waxed bareyne and all myseryes before bodyd by the apperynge of the blasynge starre in the dayes of Edwarde the martyr nowe beganne to take place and encreace vppon the erth This as the other of his ê“genytours was crowned kyng at Kyngestone of the holy archbysshoppe Dunstane and of Oswalde archebyshop of yorke To whome as yt is redde in the lyfe of saynt Dunstane amonges his prophecyes that in the day of his coronacyon he sayd vnto the kynge for thou comest to this kingdome by the deth of thy brother in whose deth Englyshemen coÌ„spyred with thy wykked moder they shall not be wythout blood shedynge and sworde tyll there come people of vnknowen tunge and brynge them into thraldome And thys trespace shall not be clensyd wythoute longe vengeaunce Of this Egelredê° wryters agreen that he was goodly of shappe and of vysage but that was mynged wyth lechery and cruelty It is also redde that when holy Dunstane shuld crysten hym as he helde hym ouer the fonte he felyd the holy lyker wyth y e fruyte of his wombe wherfore holy Dunstane sware by god and by hys mother this shal be vnkynde to god and his chyrche whych fayled not in his forth goynge for he was vngracyous in his begynnynge wretched in y e myddell of his lyfe and hatefull to men in the ende therof In the seconde yere of his reygn a cloude was sene in Englande the whyche appered halfe lyke blood the other halfe lyke fyre and chaunged after into sundry colours dysaperyd at the laste In the thyrd yere of his reygn y e Danys aryued in sundry places of his lande as in the yle of Thanet besyde Kente in Cornewayll and Sussex and dyd in those costes myche harme And after some of theym came to London but there they were put of How be yt they destroyed a great part of Chestershyre And in the ende of the same yere a great parte of the cytye of London was wasted with fyre
orderyd in his lande deuyded his sayd lande in foure partes That is to meane the fyrst princypall which at those dayes was westsaxon he helde vnder hys owne gydyng Eestenglande whych coÌ„teyned Norff. Suff. he betoke to the rule of y e erle Turkyllê° a Dane of whome somwhat is in the .iii. chapyter of y e story of Egelredê° Mercia he betoke to the subtell erle Edricus And the .iiii. Northumberlande vnto a Dane named Hircius But lyke as the man of Inde at no tyme chauÌ„ged his colour so this Edricus chauÌ„ged neuer his fals maners But not wythstandynge the great benefytes that he dayly receyued of his prynces there as he to other hadde ben false and dysceyuable in dayes past euen so nowe he demeaned hym agayne Canutus wherfore he beynge accused proued wyth defaute was commauÌ„ded of the kyng to haue iudgement The whyche was done immediatly his hedde for dyuerse causes smyten of and yt wyth the bodye for spyte caste into a fowle and fylthy place But Ranulf sayth that he was slayne by the kynges agrement wythin his paleys at London and his body wyth the hed throwne after into the towne dyche Thus wyth shame he ended that in falshode dyssymulacyoÌ„ had contynued myche of his lyfe Aboute the .ix. yere of his reygne Canutê° called a parliament at Oxenford where amonges other thynges yt was enacted that Englyshmen Danys shuld holde the lawes of Edgar lately kynge In this pastyme dyed Swanus brother to Canutus kynge of Denmarke wythout issue wherfore that lande fyll to Canutus For the which cause he wyth a stronge army sayled thyther to take the possessyon and to set the countrey in an order or after some wryters to apeas wythstande the wandelys y t then had perced that lande and done therin myche harme where GoodwynÌ„ the erle whose doughter Edwarde the confessour after maryed wyth a certayne nomber of Englyshmen fyll vpon y e wandalys by nyght dystressed theym in suche wyse that Canutus had of them his pleasure For this dede the kyng had erle GoodwynÌ„ euer after in good fauoure and loued Englyshmen more specyally And when he was returned into Englande he shortely after or before maryed Emma the wyfe lately of Egelredus Of the whych he receyued in processe of tyme a son named hym Hardicunitus or after some Hardykynitus after the Englyshe boke Hardyknough And aboute this tyme fyll voyde y â— see of Lyndesser or Durham to the whyche by dyuyne inspyracyon and knowlege receyued by a voyce from the tumbe of saynt Cuthbert blessed EdmuÌ„de after thre yere of vacacyon was electe to that see But ye shal vnderstande that thys was not saynte Edmunde of Ponteney For he was archbyshoppe of Caunterbury in the dayes of Henry the thyrde THE CXCVI. CHAPITER CAnutus about the .vii. yere of his reygne by exhortacyon of Egelnothus then archbishop of CauÌ„terbury translated the body of saynt Elphegus late archbyshoppe of the sayd see martyred by the Danys as before is shewed in the seconde chapiter of the storye of Egelredus and shryued hym in hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury foresayde In the tyme also of thys Canutus aboute the .xvi. yere of hys reygne the Scottes rebelled agayne hym wherfore he with a great army entred Scotlande at length ouercame the kynge of that lande named then Malcolyne and brought them agayne to hys subieccyon as is recorded in the bokes of Marianus the Scot. By reason of whych vyctory Canutus was then kynge of .iiii. kyngdoms of England of ScotlaÌ„d of Denmarke and Norwaye Then as wytnessyth dyuerse authours after he had betaken this lande of Englande to the gydynge of Leofricus Egelnothus and other he then returned into Denmarke And from theÌ„s he yode to Rome in the .xv. yere of his reygn made there great offerynges to saynte Peter and Poule redemed the scole of Saxons fre of all former trybute graunted as before in the storyes of Iue and Offa and other kynges of Saxons is som deale more touched whyche redempcyon of tribute as sayth Guydo was called Rome Scot. But it shall seme in that sayenge some douteth for so myche as at thys daye in dyuers places of EnglaÌ„d as in Northamptonshyre and other the peter pens are yet gaderyd Canutus also after he had in Rome accomplyshed his purpose he in hys returne towarde Englande executed wonderfull dedes of almes in releuynge of the poore and other goftly workes payde great good for raunsom of crysten prysoners amonges other of his dedes It is wytnessyd that he shulde agree with the pope that was called Benet the .viii. of that name pay to hym certayne summes of money that his archbyshoppes after y t daye myghte haue the pall wythoute payenge of money therfore And wheÌ„ he was comen in the citye of Papia in Italy in hys way home warde he there brought the arme of saynte Augustyne the doctour for a hundred pounde of syluer and a talent of golde And here is to be noted that there be thre maners of taleÌ„tes The fyrst and grettest is of y â— weyght of .vi. score pounde weyghte the seconde of the weyght of .lxxii pounde and the thyrde and leest of .l. pounde weyght Then yf we reken this talent with the leest in a pouÌ„de of gold after troye weyght is .xii. vuces and in .l. pounde is .vi. huÌ„dred vnces and euery vnce of fyne golde is worth xl s. By whyche reason this talent shulde be in value to the summe of xii hundred pounde This precyous relyque y e kyng gaue vnto his trusty frende Leofricus y e whych he myche loued and trusted and remayned at Couentre many yeres after whyle Canutus was occupyed in thys iourney coÌ„playnt was brought vnto hym of some mysse demeanurs and rule that were occupyed and exercysed in his absence wythin this realme wherfore he wrote home letters to the lordes chargynge theym straytely that all such defautes were redressed agayne hys coÌ„myng home Thys kynge as wythnesseth Guydo was of great magnyfycence and vsed suche iustyce and temperaunce that in his dayes in the weste partes of the worlde was no prynce of renowne as was Canutus And ouer that he was gretly beloued dradde of hys subiectes In the tyme of this Canutus as tessyfyeth Guillelmus de pontificibus a munke of GlasteÌ„bury named Bryghtwolde whyche was after bysshop of wylton beynge in hys contemplacyon and prayer bethoughte hym on the lynage of Englyshe kynges And in that thought fyll into a slumber in whyche tyme of his slepe he sawe saynte Peter the apostle standynge by hym and holdynge in hys hande Edwarde the sonne of Egelredus which then was in Normandy the whyche to his thynkynge he saw saynte Peter saker y e sayde Edward as kynge of Englande And shewed to hym farther how holy this Edwarde shulde be in hys lyuynge and how he shuld reygne as kynge .xxiii. yeres Then thys monke frayned saynt Peter of the ofsprynge of thys Edwarde and who shulde be
kynge after hym To the whyche questyon was answered by Peter the kyngedome of Englyshemen is the kyngedome of god wherfore the kynges therof shall stande at goddes puruyaunce And also a nother doctour called Henry of Huntyngdon shewyd that an holy man warned Englyshe men y â— a lorde whyche they thought nothynge vppon shulde come out of Fraunce brynge them ryght lowe In the tyme also of thys Canutê° by agrement of many wryters fyll one thynge worthy mynde and memory In a town of Saxony named Calbis in y e dyocesys of Magburgh and parysshe of saynt Magii xviii men and .xv. women vppon the euen of the Natyuyte of our lorde began a daunce about the chyrche yarde of saynt Magu afore sayd the person or other prestes beyng than at masse wythin y e same chyrche which beyng troubled wyth the noyse of the mynstrellys also the dynne of the sayde men and women sent vnto them in monysshynge them to seace of that doynge But all was in vayne for they wolde not seace of theyr dysport for any commauÌ„dement y t to theÌ„ was gyuen wherwyth the preste beynge dyscontented that they none other wyse reuerenced y e sacrament noryed that solempne season besought god and saynte Magii that they shulde contynue theyr daunce by the space of an hole yere The whyche prayer was harde in suche wyse that they contynued the same songe daunce tyll that daye twelue monethes and neuer eate nor dranke nor rested theÌ„ in all y e season And moreouer dewe nor rayne fyll vppon them in all that yere nor garment nor no thyng that was about them was impayred shoo nor other At the yeres ende Horobertus archbysshop of that dyocesys came vnto y e sayde place and lowsed them of that bonde whych the preste had bounde them in and before the awlter of the chyrche them reconsyled Of the whyche a prestes doughter and two other dyed forth wyth and the remenaunt yode to reste and slepte by the space of .iii. dayes and iii. nyghtes folowynge where after some of them dyed and suche as lyued fell lame of theyr lymmes And one of the same .xviii. men beyng named Ubertus or Hupertus wrote thys wonder wyth hys owne hande for a more recorde of the trowth Then let vs retorne to Canutus of whom it is redde that after hys coÌ„myng from Rome he beganne somdele to presume in pryde set more by hym selfe than good wysdome wolde In tyme of whyche exaltacyoÌ„ of hys mynde he went vnto the Tamys syde and behelde howe the water swelled or flowed And so standynge nere the water the water touched hys fete Than he charged the water that he shuld flowe no hygher and that in no wyse he shulde to wche hys lordes clothes But the water kepte his course and wette at length the kynges thyes wherewyth y e kyng abasshed sterte backe and sayde all erthly kynges may know that theyr powers be vayne and that none is worthy to haue the name of a kynge but he that hath all thynges subiecte to hys hestes as here is shewed by worchynge of hys treature by thys water And for thys as wytnesseth Polycronycon and other he offered hys crowne to y e rode of wynchester and neuer bare it vpon his hed after It is also wytnessed of the sayde authour that Canutus maryed hys doughter hadde by hys laste wyfe vnto Henry sonne of Conradus the emperour the seconde of that name as also it is testyfyed of the authour of Cronica cronicarum And he repayred many monasteryes and specyally suche as before tyme were hurte or throwne downe in the tyme of hys fathers persecucyon And began and ended the monastery of saynt Edmundes Bury endowed it wyth ryche possessyons as before is towched And dyed fynally at Shaftesbury and was buryed at wynchester whan he hadde reygned .xix. yeres leuyng after hym two sonnes of hys wyues the eldest was named Harolde and the yonger Hardykynytus the whyche lyuyng hys fader was made kynge of Denmarke Francia THE CCVII. CHAPITER HEnry the sonne of Robert begaÌ„ hys domynyon ouer the French men in the yere of our lord M.xxix and the .x. yere of Canutus than kynge of Englande To the whyche Henry CoÌ„stantyne the moder was so vnkynde that she by her meanes wolde haue preferred her yonger sonne Roberte duke of Burgoyne to the rule of the lande before thys Henry so that by her meanes bothe cytyes and castels were wyth holden from hym and was by her suche other as toke her parte so ouer lad that he was forced to resorte to Robert than duke of Normandy for to aske helpe of hym to wythstande hys enemyes ye shall vnderstande that this Robert was the .vi. duke of Normandy and sonne of Richarde the seconde and also father vnto wyllyaÌ„ bastard that conquered Englande Thys Roberte was lyberall and noble of condycyon but defamed of y e deth of hys elder brother Rychard the thyrde For the whyche murder as wytnessyth dyuers authours the vii yere of hys dowchery he went to Iherusalem and dyd in that pylgre mage many honourable and liberall actes the whyche in good order ben remembred in the .xix. chapyter of the vi boke of Polycronicon This Robert receyued kyng Henry wyth all honour and gaue vnto hym greate and ryche gyftes sent for hys frendes and knyghtes so y e the kynge had by hys ayde a greate myghty hoste And retorned agayn into Fraunce and in short whyle after recouered from hys sayde moder bothe cytyes townes and castelles that she and her fautours from hym wythhelde And fynally agreed so wyth her that he and she contynued frendes theyr lyfe tymes enduryng After whyche accorde about the .v. yere of hys reygne he made warre vppon Eudo erle of Champayne vppon Baldewine erle of FlauÌ„ders and in processe of tyme wan froÌ„ them certayne cytyes and castelles the whyche Constance his moder hadde before tymes gyuen to them in tyme of dyscencyon In thys warre was slayne Eudo erle of Champayne wherfore hys .ii. sonnes Stephen Thybaud maynteyned the warre agayne the kynge but to theyr bothe harmes in y e ende For Stephen loste therby the cytyes of Chartres and towers and Thybaude y e cytyes of Troyes Maulx wyth other whan Henry hadde ended thys warre set hys lande in some quyetnesse he thaÌ„ buylded a monastery of saynt Martyne called Des ChaÌ„ps besyde Parys and set therin seculer prestes In thys passetyme Robert duke of Normandy moued in conscyence to vysyte the holy sepulture of oure lorde called before hym hys lordes of hys lande wyllynge and coÌ„maundynge them to owe theyr trewe allegaunce vnto hys yonger sonne wyllyam and to take hym for theyr lord and duke yf he retorne not agayne And to thys he caused to swere Robert than archbysshop of Roan with the other of hys lordes and after departed vppon the sayd iourney and dyed in the cytye of Bethenia as he was coÌ„mynge homewarde wherof y e lordes of Normandy beynge assertayned
dresse So in tyme passed was vsed great sadnesse In the chyrche But nowe men lyghte be wherfore the maners muste wyth men agree SO that by such light answere they planed or excused y e sharpenesse of theyr mysse lyuynge About this tyme whyche shuld by Ranulff be about the .xii. yeare of y e reygne of Edward Marianê° the Scot that before I haue often named that wrote myche of y e dedes of y e kynges of England at the age of .xxv. yeres forsoke the world went on pylgrymage was after shorne munke at Coleyne in Almayne in the abbay of Scottes whyche Marianus after some wryters was in great fauoure with Malcolyne kyng of Scottes In the .xiii. yere of kynge Edward the Scottes rebelled agayn y e kyng wherfore Sewarde erle of Northumberlande by the kynges commaundement gadered a great hoste and entred that lande and behaued hym so manfully that in processe he subdued the Scottes chased y e kynge out of his couÌ„trey so that after kyng Edwarde gaue that kyngedome vnto MalcolynÌ„ sonne of the kynge of Cumbrys to beholden of hym hys heyres kynges as chefe lordes of Scotlande Uppon Ester mondaye aboute the sayde yere GoodwynÌ„ syttynge at the kynges bourde wyth other lordes in y e castell of wyndsore yt happed one of the kynges cuppe berers to stumble and to recouer agayne so that he shedde none of the drynke wherat GoodwynÌ„ lough and sayde nowe that one brother hath susteyned that other wherby he ment that the one fote or legge hathe sustayned y e other from fallynge wyth whyche wordes the kyng marked him sayd Ryght so my brother Alfrede shuld haue holden me ne had Goodwyn ben The erle then conceyued that the kynge suspected hym of hys brothers deth and sayde vnto the kynge in defendynge hys vntrouth syr as I perceyue well it is told to the y t I shuld be y e cause of thy brothers deth So mought I sauely swalowe this mor fel of brede y t I here hold in my haÌ„de as I am giltlesse of the dede But as soone as he had receyued the brede forthwyth he was choked Then the kynge commauÌ„ded hym to be draweÌ„ from the table and so was conueyed to wynchester and there buryed Marianus sayth that as erle GoodwynÌ„ sat at the kynges table at wynchester he was sodaynly taken with a palsye or some other sykenes vpon the Ester mondaye and dyed y e thyrd day after And his lordshyppes were gyuen vnto Harold his eldest sonne then lyuynge Haroldes erledome was gyuen to Algarus the sonne of Leofricus whych was the erledome of Oxenford after some wryters It was not longe after y e kynge Edwarde sent vnto the .iiii. Henry than emperour of Almayne Aldredus bysshop of worceter wyth other noble men prayenge hym that he wolde sende vnto England hys cosyn Edwarde sonne of EdmuÌ„de Ironsyde for so myche as he entended to make hym hys heyre The whyche request was fulfylled so that he came into Englande soone after the whych as ye haue harde before was named Edwarde the outlawe But as witnessyth Guydo and other the yere after that he came into Englande he dyed at London and was buryed at westmynster Thys yere folowynge kynge Edwarde thorough yll counsayll exiled wythout gylte Algarus the sonne of Leofricus The whych assocyat hym wyth Gryffyne kynge or duke of walys and destroyed y e countre of Harforde dyd mych harme to y e towne and set the mynster on fyre and slew vii chanons therof Then the kyng sent Harolde agayn hym the whiche chased the walshmen into theyr own boundes and recoueryd the sayde towne by appoyntement holden by the sayde Algarus and amended all hurtes before done by the walshmeÌ„ and lastely recouncyled the sayde Algarus and his companye vnto the kynges grace THE CCXIII. CHAPITER ABoute the .xv. yere of kynge Edwarde dyed y e noble duke Sewarde ruler of Northumberland of the flux of whome Guydo reherseth dyuers notable actes whyche I passe ouer Of whom yt is radde that when he sawe well he shulde dye he caused hys armour to be put vppon hym and so armed and syttynge in a cheyre hauynge all the ryghtes of the chyrch sayde that so yt became a knyght and man of honour to dye not lyenge as an other mene man and so dyed was buryed at yorke And hys erledome was after gyuen to Tosty or Costy son of GoodwynÌ„ In the yere folowynge or .xvi. yere of kynge Edwarde dyed also y e good erle Leofricus erle of Mercia and of Chester and was buryed in the abbay of Couentre the whyche before he hadde buylded This man purchased many great pryuyleges for y e towne of Couentre and made it free of all maner of toll excepte onely of horse For the whyche to haue also free the comen fame telleth that after longe requeste made vnto hym by his wyfe named Godina he grauÌ„ted her to haue yt therof freed wyth that that she wolde ryde naked thorough the towne by meane wherof yt was freed Then Algarus hys son was erle after hym Harolde then the eldeste sonne of GoodwynÌ„ was in great authoryte ruled myche of the kynges armye The yere folowyng Algarus was accused by malyce exylded the land wherfore he fled agayne to Gryffyne duke of walis as he before had done of whom he was ioyously receyuyd and maynteyned The kynge therof beyng infourmed sent Harolde into walys to make warre vppon Gryffyne The whyche quytte hym in so knyghtely wyse that he chased the walshmen brent the sayde Gryffyns paleys at a place callyd RutlanÌ„ and his nauy and then returned into Englande about mydlent But aboute rogacyon dayes nexte folowyng the sayde Harolde with his brother Tosty was sente thyther agayne wyth a stronge army At whyche season they destroyed a great parte of walys in conclusion brought the walshmen vnto dew subieccyon and forced theÌ„ to gyue pledges for the contynuance of the same And that done pursued so sore vppon the sayde Gryffyne that in the ende his owne people for purchase of theyr owne lyues slewe the sayde Gryffyne and sent his hed vnto Harolde in the moneth of Auguste so that after the deth of thys Griffyne by the commaundement of the kynge the couÌ„trey of walys was commytted to the gydynge of the .ii. bretherne of Gryffyne the whyche had fauoured more the kynges party in tyme of the foresayd warre then theyr brother And this warre in walys thus brought to ende Harold by his polycy recouncyled agayne Algarus erle of Mercia to y e kyngê grace so that he contynued in hys fauoure durynge hys lyfe after About thys tyme a woman of Bakley in Barkshyre vsed yll craftes of sorcery The whyche as she was syttynge vpon a daye at a feste or great dyner a crowe that she had lykyngly fedde and brought vp kreked louder then he was accustomed to do â–ª when the woman harde that noyse her knyfe fyll out of her hande she waxed sodaynly pale And
neuew vnto Edward the confessour as before is shewed beganne hys domynyon ouer thys realme of Englande the .xv. daye of October in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon a thousand .lxvii and y e ix yere of the fyrste Phylyppe then kyng of Fraunce and was crowned kynge of the same vppon Crystmas daye nexte folowynge of Aldredus archbyshoppe of yorke for so myche as at that tyme Stigandus archbysshoppe of Caunterbury was then absent or durste not come in the pÌ„sence of the kynge to whome he ought no great fauour as in the sequele shall appere when wyllyam had sette in quyet a great parte of thys lande he betoke the gydyng therof to his brother the byshop of Bayon and in lent folowynge sayled into Normandye and led wyth hym the chefe rulers of England for doute of sturryng in tyme of his absence Amonge the whyche the two erles Marcarê° and Edwyne rulers of Northumberlande Mercia were two wyth also Stigandus and Edgare Ethelynge To the why the Stigandus wyllyam shewed great reuerence and couÌ„tenaunce of fauoure But all proued to great dissymulacyon after as was shewed by the depryuynge of the sayd Stigandus and prysonment of hym in wynchester towne by a longe terme and season In the next wynter whan wyllyam had sped hys besynesse in Normandy he retourned into England wyth greate pompe and sette a greuous trybute vpon the Englyshmen By reason wherof some partyes of the lande rebelled agayne hym and specyally the cytye of Excetour the whyche defended hym for a certayne of tyme. But lastly by force he wanne the sayde cytye and punysshed the cytesyns greuously For thys and other sterne dedes of wyllyam Marcharus erle of Northumberlande wyth Edgare Athelynge and dyuers other as hys moder and two systers Margarete and Crystyan sayled into Scotlande But another cronycle telleth y t Edgare entendynge wyth Agatha hys moder and hys two systers to haue sayled into Almayne where he was borne was by tempest of the see dryuen into Scotlande where of Malcolyne than kynge of Scottes they were ioyously receyued And in processe of tyme the sayde Malcolyne caste suche loue vnto the sayd Margaret that he toke her to wyfe as before is touched in the fyrste chapyter of the story of Canutê° Of the which Margaret the sayde Malcolyne receyued .ii. doughters and .vi. sonnes wherof thre named Edgare AlexauÌ„der Dauyd were kynges of Scotlande nexte folowynge theyr fader And Molde one of y e foresayd doughters was after maryed vnto the fyrst Henry kynge of Englande And the other doughter Mary was maryed to Eustace erle of Bolongii Of Molde the fyrste doughter Henry receyued .ii. sonnes named wyllyam and Rychard the whych bothe dyed before theyr fader as after in y e story of the sayd Henry shall appere And he receyued also two doughters named Molde and Mary whych Molde or Mawde was maryed to y e fyfte Henry emperour of Almayne After whose deth she was agayne maryed to Godfrey of Geoffrey PlaÌ„tagenet erle of Aungeowe Of whom descended Henry surnamed shorte mantell and kynge of Englande called Henry the seconde And the other doughter Mary was maryed vnto the erle of Blaynes of whoÌ„ descended Molde or Mawde that was wyfe vnto kynge Stephen Than it foloweth that thys wyllyam after thys foresayd trybute so leuyed of the Englysshemen and knowynge of the depertynge of the lordes foresayde kepte the other the streyter But it was not longe after that Marcharus was reconsyled to the kynges grace and fayled agayn as folowynge shall be shewed For thys and other causes whyche were tedyous to shewe wyllyam exalted the Normans and gaue vnto them the chyefe possessyons of the lande so that they dayly encreased in great honour and welth and the Englysh men as faste decayed Kynge wyllyaÌ„ also made .iiii. stronge castels where of two be sette at yorke the thyrde at Lyndetyngham or Notynghm and manned them wyth Normans and the .iiii. at Lyncolne About the thyrde yere of his reygne Harolde Canutus sonnes of Swanus kynge of Denmarke came on lande in the North of Humber wyth a stronge nauy and in all haste drew them towarde yorke Than the Normans whyche hadde the rule of the towne and castelles feryng that the Englysshemen wolde ayde the Danys and wyth the houses of the suburbes of the towne haue fylled the towne dyches sette the suburbes on fyre wherof y e flame was so bygge and wyth the wynde so stronge that it toke into the cytye brent a parte therof wyth the mynster of saynt Peter In tyme wherof the Danys by fauour of some of the citesyns entred the cytye and slewe more than thre thousande of the Normans But it was not longe or kynge wyllyam chased the Danys to theyr shyppes and toke so greate dyspleasure wyth the inhabytauntes of that prouynce that he destroyed the land lyenge bytwene yorke and Durham in suche wyse that .ix. yeres after or there about the lande laye vnlabored vntylled onely out taken saynt IohnÌ„s lande of Beuerley the which was for borne by reason of a wreche done by dyuyne power vpon one of kynge wyllyams knyghtes The whych as he was besyed in wastyng and spoylynge of the sayde countre fyll sodeynly wyth hys horse so that hys horse brake hys necke and the knyghtes face was turned to his backe And of the famyne that the people of that countre susteyned wonders are reported that they shuld eate all maner of vermyn as cattes rattes dogges other so harde they were kepte by the warre of the kyng And in that yere also Molde or Mawde the wyfe of kynge wyllyaÌ„ was crowned quene of England of Aldredus archebysshop of yorke In the .iiii. yere of the reygne of thys kynge the Scottes with Malcolyne theyr kynge entred Northumberlande and wasted and destroyed sore that countre and slewe there in myche people and many they toke prysoners helde theÌ„ as bonde men But in the .vi. yere of hys kyngdome wyllyam made such warre vppon the Scottes that he lastely forced the sayde Malcolyne to swere to hym bothe homage and feauty as it is wytnessed of wyllyam of Malmesbery and other wryters THE CCXX CHAPITER Kynge willyam by counsayle of the erle of Hortford and other caused the abbeyes of Englande to be serched And what money in them at that season was founde he caused it to be brought to hys treasour For the whyche dede after the exposycyoÌ„ of some authours the sayd erle was punysshed as after shall be shewed Soone vpon thys in the tyme by twene Easter and wytsontyde was holden a solempne counsayle at wynchester of the clergy of Englande At the whyche counsayle were presente two cardynalles sent from y e second Alexaunder than pope In thys couÌ„sayle Stygandus archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury was depryued from his dygnytye and that for thre skylles The fyrste was for that he had holden wrongfully that bysshopryche whyle Robert the archebysshop was lyuynge The seconde cause was for that he hadde receyued the Paule
feuours amonges the people and also great huÌ„ger and barreynes of y e erth Also in this yere great hurt was done in many places of y e lande by fyre and specyally in the cytye of London where vpon the .vii. day of the moneth of Iulii sodayne fyre began the whyche brent a great parte of the chyrche of saynte Paule wyth also a great parte of the cytye Then kynge wyllyam beynge in Normandye was syke and kept his â—hamber at RoanÌ„ a longe time wherfore Phylyppe the Frenche kynge in hys game sayde that wyllyam lay in chyldbeddeâ— and noryshed hys fatte wombe The whyche wordes when they were blowen to kynge wyllyaÌ„s crys he was greuously dyscontent and sayde when I am chyrched I shall offer to hym a thousande candellys lyghte wyth the whyche he shall holde hym smally contented The whyche promyse he after performed For in the moneth of Iuly wheÌ„ Corne fruyt and grapes were moste florishynge he entred Fraunce with a great army and sette on fyre many cytyes and townes in the west syde of Fraunce and lastely came to the cytye of Meaus and fyred yt brent a parte therof wyth the chyrch of our lady wherin he brent a womaÌ„ beyng closed in the walle of the sayd chyrch as a recluse But of this thynge speketh not the cronycle of Fraunce Nor yet for the more parte of any thynge that soundeth to theyr dyshonour done vnto theym by Englyshemen In this hete or as some wryters haue by y e lepyng of an horse kyng wyllyam toke such a dysease or sykenes that yt was the cause of hys deth And when he felt hym thus greued he called his sonnes before hym and exhorted theym in his beste maner that they shulde charytably loue and fauoure euery of them the other and holde to gyder as louyng bretherne after made his testameÌ„t and therin ordeyned wyllyam Ruffus or wyllyam the rede to be kynge of England And Normandye he beset vnto Rober Curthose And to Henry his yongest sonne he bequethed his treasour and mouable goodes And that done he enfourmed hys two eldest sonnes of the dysposycyon of both peoples and warned wyllyam to be louynge and lyberall to his subiectes and Robert to be sterne and sturdy vnto his Then he was moued with myldenes and delyueryd from prison hys own brother the byshop of Bayon Marcharus erle of NorthuÌ„berlande wylnotus the sonne of Harolde or after some the sonne of Goodwyne that was sent to wyllyaÌ„ by Edwarde the confessour to remayne for a pledge for his sayde fader Goodwyn And shortely after these thynges wyth other done he dyed in Normandye and was buryed in y e cytye of CaanÌ„ when he had reygned as kyng of Englande .xxi. yeres and vppon .x. monethes in the moneth of Iuly and the yere of hys duchery the .lii. when wyllyam was dede men spake of hym as they do of other prynces and sayd that he was wyse and gylefull ryche and couetous loued well to be magnifyed and praysed a fayre speker a greatr dyssymuler a man of skylfull stature but somdeale fatte in the bely sterne of face and stronge in armys and therwyth bolde and had therwyth great pleasure in huntyng and in makyng of great festes But he passed al other in leuyenge of taskes whyche condycyon hys subiectes construed .iii. maner of wayes and saydeyt was to the entente that he wolde excell all other in rychesse or ellys for to withstaÌ„de and defende his enymyes or ellys to staunche the appetyte of his couetyse mynde He buylded .ii. abbayes in Englande one at batayl in Sussex where he wanne the felde agayne Harolde and is at thys daye called the abbay of Batail y e other he sette besyde London vppon the south syde of Thamys and named yt Barmoundesay And in Normandye he buylded two also Thys man made the newe forest in the countrey of Southampton the whyche to brynge aboute he caste downe dyuers chyrches by the space of .xxx. myles and replenyshed yt wyth wylde bestes and made harde and sharpe lawes for the encreasyng of them as losyng of eyen and other And he helde Englyshemen so lowe that in hys dayes was almoste no Englyshe man that bare any offyce of honoure or rule But yet somedeale he fauoured the cytye of London and graunted to the cytezens the fyrste charter that euer they had the whych is wryten in Saxon tunge and sealed wyth grene waxe and expressed in .viii. or .ix. lynes THE CCXXIII. CHAPITER Wyllyam Rufus or wyllyam the erede the second sonne of wyllyam Conquerour beganne hys reygne ouer Englande in the moneth of Iulye and the yere of our lorde a thousande .lxxxix and the xxxi yere of the fyrste Phylyppe then kynge of Fraunce Ranulfe monke of Chester sheweth in hys boke of Polycronycon y t Robert Curthose eldest sonne of wyllyam Conquerour was at the tyme of hys fathers deth absent The whyche heryng that his father hadde preferred hys yonger brother to y e kyngdome of Englande was therwyth greatly amoued in so myche that he layde his dukedome to pledge to his brother Henry and wyth that good gatheryd to him a stronge army and so landed at HamptonÌ„ wherof wyllyam hys brother beynge warned in all haste sent vnto hym messangers to whome he gaue coÌ„myssyon to say in maner as foloweth Thy brother wyllyam prayeth y t to take no grefe with y t he hath done for he clepeth hym selfe not kynge but as vnder kynge to reygne vnder the and by helpe of the that arte gretter then he better rather borne And yf thou consyder yt well he hath nothynge mysused hym agayn the. For he hath taken vppon hym for a tyme bycause of thyne absence But for he is nowe in authoryte by thy sufferaunce he prayeth y t he may vnder the so contyue payeng to the yerely .iii. thousande marke wyth coÌ„dycyon that who so ouer lyueth may enioye the kyngdome when Robert had harde that message to the ende he wagged hys hedde as he that conceyued some doublenesse in thys reporte But for he was lyberall and allowed more the honour then he dyd hys profyte as in other thynges folowyng of his dedes yt shall appere therfore he lyghtely assented to all that was desyred and returned shortly after into Normandye wyth pleasaunt wordes wythout profyte Thys wyllyam was crowned the xxvii daye of September vppon the daye of saynte Cosma and Damyan and was well ayded of LamfraÌ„k whyle he lyued He was dyuers unstable of maners so y t betwene hym his lordes was ofteÌ„ dyssencyoÌ„ In y e spryngyng of somer folowyng hys coronacyon Odo byshoppe of BayoÌ„ whych as before ye haue hard was delyuered out of pryson by wylliam CoÌ„querour came into EnglaÌ„d whom the kynge ioyously receyued and gaue vnto hym shortly after the erledome of Kent But he toke vppon hym in processe of tyme to rule in suche wyse as the kynge grudged wyth hys doynge And for thys the kynge and his sayde vncle fyll at vnkyndnesse
abbot and munkes of the same wherfore the kynge spedde hym thyther in all haste But for theyr sauergarde the munkes were compelled to fortyfye the chyrche and to defende them by force of armys so that betwene them and the Burgonions many an arbalaster and stone was shot cast And for the kynge myght not so hastly furnyshe hym of his soldyours he therfore sent vnto the erle of Neuers by whose meane as to the kyng was shewed this ryot began commaundynge hym that he shuld se this ryot appeased and that the chyrch of Uerdeley were restored of suche harmys as to theym was done by the inhabytauntes of the towne But of thys cōmaundement the erle set but lytle so that the burgeses perseuered in theyr erroure wherfore the abbot sente agayne to the kynge besechyng hym of his moste gracyouse ayde and socoure Then the kynge herynge of the erles dysobedyence was therwyth greatly dyspleasyd and suspected y e erle to be partye in the cause sped hym y e faster thetherwarde But when the erle was enfourmed of the kynges cōmynge he somdeale feryd and mette wyth the kynge at a place called Moret and there demeaned hym in suche wyse that the kyng forgaue his offense Then he promysed that the kynges pleasure shulde be fullfylled in all thynge as he hadde before cōmaunded wyth more as yt lyked hym to dyuyse Uppon whych promyse so made he commaunded that the Burgonyons shulde fyrste refrayne theym of that rebellyon agayn the chyrch and that they shuld newly be sworne to be obedient vnto the abbot and vnto hys successours as theyr p̄decessours had ben ouer that for the hurtes harmys y t they had done to the place at that season they shulde paye to the sayde abbot and couēt .lx. thousand sous A sous is in value after sterlyng money i. d. ob so that .lx. thousand sous amounteth in sterlyng money .iii. hundred lxxv pounde After whych ende thus made the kynge retourned into Fraunce It was not longe after that y e kyng receyued of quene Alys hys wyfe a sonne and named yt Phylyppe But for y e kyng Lewys had made many pylgrymages and vsed many ways of charyte in gyuynge of almes and otherwyse for to haue a sonne to be his heyre therfore he surnamed this chylde A dieu done a chyld gyuen of god Then thys Lewys for the intollerable dedes of the Iewes whiche in these dayes had great inhabytynge wyth in the lande of Fraūce vsed vsery sleynge of Crysten chyldren he ponyshed many by deth and many he banyshed his lande but yet many remayned Of this Lewys dedes is lytle more cronacled excepte when his son Philyppe was of the age of .xiii. yeres his fader caused hym to be crowned and resygned to hym all the rule of the lande and dyed the yere folowynge at Parys in the moneth of October in the yere of grace .xi. hūdred and .lxxix. By whyche reason he reygned to reken from his faders deth to his owne vppon .xliii. yeres and was rychely enterred by y e meane of his last wife at the monastery of Barbell the whyche he founded in hys yonge days After whose deth y e sayd quene Alys adorned his sepulture in the moste rychest maner wyth gold syluer and precyous gemmys vppon whose tombe was grauen these two versis folowyng as a counsayll left vnto his sonne Phylyppe 〈◊〉 superos tu qui super es successor honoris Degener es si degeneris a laude prioris whyche versys are to be vnderstanden as after foloweth Nowe take good hede thou that doest ouer lyue Hym that in honoure and vertue dyd excelle Se thou alter not nor thy selfe depryue But folowe hym which was of honoure the well For yf thou do not men shall of the tell Thou arte degenerate and growen out of kynde Thy progenytours laude hauynge nothynge in mynde Anglia THE CCXXXVI CHAPITER HEnry the second of that named sonne of Geffrey Plātagenet erle of Angeou and of Molde y e empresse doughter of Henry y e first began hys reygn ouer the realme of England in the moneth of October the yere of our lorde god .xi. hundred and .lv and. y e xix yere of Lewys the viii then kynge of Fraunce Thys Henry was somdeale redde of face brode of breste shorte of body therwyth fatte the whych to aswage he toke the lesse of metes and drynkes and exercysed myche huntynge He was resonable of speche and well lettered orped and also noble in knyghthode wyse in counsayll and dred to myche distenyes He was also free and lyberall to straūgers and harde and holdynge from hys famylyers seruauntes And whome he loued enterely or hated harde it was to turne hym to the contrary He was slowe of answere vnstedfaste of promyse gylefull of dede open spouse breker hamour of holy chyrch and alwayes vnkynde to god He also loued reste and peace to the ende he myghte the more folowe hys delectacyon pleasure wyth mo vyces rehersed by Gyralde the whyche for length I passe ouer This Henry yet as wytnessyth Ranulfe was not all bareyn of vertues For he was of so gret courageousnes that he wolde often say that all the world suffysyth not to a coragyous harte And he encreasyd hys herytage so myghtyly that he wanne Irlande by strength and toke wyllyam kynge of Scottes and ioyned that kyngdome to his owne From the suthe Occean to the north ylandes of Orkeys he closed all the landes as yt were vnder one pryncypate and spradde so largely hys empyre that men rede not of none of hys progenytours that hadde so many prouynces and countreys vnder theyr domynyon and rule For besyde the realme of Englande he hadde in hys rule Normandy Gascoyn and Guyan Angeou and Chynon And he made subiecte to hym Aluerne and other landes And by hys wyfe he obteyned as her ryghte the mountes and hyllys of Spayne called montes Pyrany Of the whyche wyfe Elynoure by name deuorced as before ys sayde from the viii Lewys kynge of Fraunce he receyued .vi. sonnes and thre doughters Of the sonnes fyue were named wyllyam Henry Rycharde Godfrey and Iohn̄ The eldeste of the maydens hight Molde or Maude and was maryed to the duke of Saxon the seconde Elyanoure to the kynge of Spayne and the thyrd named Iane to wyllyam kynge of Scycyle Thys Henry was prosperouse in hys begynnynge and vnfortunate in hys ende and specyally in the last fyue yeres of hys reygne For in the fyrst of those fyue yeres his strength beganne to mynyshe the seconde yere he loste a vyage in Irlande the thyrde he loste Aluerne agayne the kynge of Fraunce the fourth yere he loste Butyrycan and the fyfte yere he loste the cytye of Cenomenea and Turon wyth many holdes to theym belongynge Thys Henry the seconde ascertayned of the deth of Stephan spedde hym into Englande and was crowned the sondaye before Crystemasse daye of Theobalde archbyshoppe of Caunterbury in westmynster chyrch
hys reygne ouer England the xvii daye of Nouembre the morowe after saynt Edmond the archbisshop in the yere of our lorde M.CC lxxii the .ii. yere of the .iii. Phylype than kynge of Fraunce reygned nobly yeres .xxxiiii. fo lv Elyanoure mother to kyng Richard was enlarged fo iiii Edmounde Crouchbak was maried to the doughter of y e erle of Amnarle as apereth in fo xliiii EdmouÌ„d wodstocke wroughte treason fo lxxxviii Edward the sonne of Henry foresayd distressed the barons as it is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde forsayd dystressed the Barons the seconde tyme as is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde the holy kyng and confessour was translated as it shewed in folio xliiii Edwarde was crossed into the holy lande and of hys feates there done folio xlv Edwarde of Carnaruan as apereth folio lviii Edward the second called Edwarde Carnaruan the sonne of the fyrst Edwarde began hys domynyon ouer Englande in the moneth of Iuly and yere of our lorde god M.iii. C. vii and the .xxi. yere of the .iiii. Phylyppe or Philip the fayre than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres full xix fo lxxiiii Edwarde the fyrst maryed to hys .ii. wyfe the Frenche kynges syster folio lxv Edwarde the .iii. of that name sonÌ„ of Edwarde the secoÌ„de and of dame Isabell the doughter of Philippe le Beawe or the .iiii. Phylyp late kyng of Fraunce whych Edwarde aboute the age of .xv. yeres began hys reygn ouer the realme of England the .xxv. daye of Ianuary in the yere of grace M.iii. C. .xxvi and the .iiii. yere of Charles the fayre thaÌ„ king of FrauÌ„ce the whyche reygned yeres .li. folio lxxxvi Edwarde Carnaruan was myserably slayne as is shewed fo lxxxvii Edwarde Bayloll was made kynge of Scottes fo lxxxviii Edwarde the .iii. sayled into Braban wyth hys wyfe loke in fo xci Edward the .iii. chaleÌ„ged y e hole kingdome of Fraunce fo xciii Edward the eldest sonÌ„ of the duke of yorke was electe for king of EnglaÌ„d loke in fo cc.vi. Edwarde the .iiii. of that name and eldest sone of Rychard duke of yorke whych was proclaymed heyre paraÌ„t to the crowne began hys domynyon ouer the realme of Englande in the iiii day of Marche in y e yere of grace M.iiii C.lx the .ii. yere of the .xi. Lowys than kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned at that tyme .viii. monethes yeres viii fo cc.xiiii Edwarde the .iiii. beforenamed wan the felde of Barnet vpon Ester daye agayne kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. in the yere of grace M.iiii C.lxxi yere of Lowys the French kyng aforesayd and reygned after that day .x. monethes and yeres .xii. So that fyrste laste he reygned ouer .vii. monethes assygned to Henry the .vi. dayes .xxxvi. monethes yeres .xxi. or wyth the sayde monethes of Henry the .vi. set to Edwardes reygne make .xxii. yeres and odde dayes fo cc.xx. Edwarde the .v. of that name sonne of Edward the .iiii. of the age of .xiiii. yeres and lasse began to reygne as kyng of EnglaÌ„d the .x. daye of Apryll yere of our lord M. iiii.lxxxiii the xxxv yere of the .xi. Lowys thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce and reygned tyll the .xx. day of Iuly next folowyng in which season passed dayes .lxxii. folio cc.xxiiii Elizabeth the holy womaÌ„ doughter of the kyng of Hungery fo xxi Eleanoure quene of her progenye loke in fo lxi Emperoure of Almayne came into England fo c.lxvii Emperour forsayd came agayn into thys lande fo c.lxxii Enuye of Frenchmen fo v Enguerram was put to deth folio lxxxiii Epytaphye of Rychard the fyrste as apereth in fo x Epytaphye of Frederyke the emperour fo xxv Epytaphye of Edward the fyrst loke in fo lxviii Epytaphye of Edward the .iii. folio cxvi Epytaphye of kyng Rycharde the .ii. loke in fo clxvi Erthquake fell in EnglaÌ„d fo xxv Erle of Penbroke was ouerset with Frenchmen other fo cxiii ExpressemeÌ„t of the grudges atwene kyng Rychard the fyrst the FreÌ„che kynge fo iiii Eugeny pope and of hys actes folio clxxxvii FAlse Cryst was crucyfyed as is shewed in fo xix False clerke of Oxenforde whych fayned hym selfe madde came to wodstocke enteÌ„dyng to haue slayne king Henry the .iii. fo xxii Faytes or actes of warre done at DoÌ„stable fo xcvi Fysshes wonderfull takeÌ„ in the .xxxv yere of kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. fo cci FlorenÌ„ of golde was made by kynge Edward the .iii. fo xcvii Fryers mynors came fyrst into Englande loke in fo xix Fryers Augustynes in the .xxxv. yere of kynge HeÌ„ry the .iii. buylded theyr house in a place in walys called wodhous as is shewed fo xxvi Fryers were put to deth loke in folio clix Frenche kyng sent for hys doughter that was kynge Rychardes wyfe folio clix FreÌ„ch nauy dyscoÌ„fyted fo clxxiiii Froste excedyng loke in fo clxviii GAscoynes make warre agaiÌ„st FrenchmeÌ„ borderers in kyng Charles the .v. days as is shewed in folio lxxxvi Gabell or taxe reysed vppon salte in Fraunce loke in fo cxix Guynes castell was yoldeÌ„ to Englishmen loke in fo ci Grudge betwene Baldwyn and his monkes fo vii Grudge arose betwene kyng IohnÌ„ hys lordes fo xvi Grudge and dyspleasure betwene y e bysshop of wynchester and the duke of Glouceter it is shewed in folio clxxxi Grudge and murmure toke place amonge the nobles of Fraunce as appereth fo cc.xxviii HArme done by thonder as appereth in fo cvii Hawâ—e wythout reuerence of the sacrament was slayne in the churche folio cxli Hastynges lord Chamberleyne was sodeynly put to deth fo ccxxiiii Henry the thyrd of that name sonnÌ„ of king IohnÌ„ a chyld of .x. yeres began to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the moneth of Octobre and yere of oure lorde M.CC. .xvii and the .xxxvii. yere of Phylype thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .lvi fo xviii Henry Bolyng broke y e .iiii. of y e name and sonne heyre of IohnÌ„ of Gaunt duke of LaÌ„castre the whyche IohnÌ„ was secoÌ„d sonne of Edwarde the .iii. lyuyng after theyr father or the .iii. sonne to rekyn prynce Edward this Henry after the deposicioÌ„ of Rychard in the ende of the moneth of SepteÌ„bre begaÌ„ to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxxx xix and the .xix. yere of Charles y e .vii than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xiii. fo clxiii Henry the .vi. of that name sonnÌ„ of Henry the .v. of y e name sonne of HeÌ„ry the .iiii. began hys reygne ouer the realme of EnglaÌ„d vppon the morne after saynt Cuthbertys day or y e â—xi day of Marche in the ende of y e yere of grace M.iiii C. .xiii and y e â—xxii yere of Charles the .vii. than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ix. fo .clxx HeÌ„ry the .v. dame Kateryne doughter of Charles the .vi. or .vii. a chylde of halfe yere of age begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce in the ende of the moneth of Iuly and yere
after smote hym wych hys crosse vpon the lefte syde Upon the morne after the pope was fouÌ„den dede and hys bedde all blody But of thys is nothynge in the cronycle or storye of Innocent After that sayenge of Polycronycon this byshoppe Grostehede shuld dye in the .xxxvii. yere of thys kynge Henry the whyche sayenge agreeth better with the storye except that the sayde pope lyued after the deth of the sayde byshoppe .vi. yere Anno domini M.CC.l.  Anno domini M.CC.li.  Humfrey Basse.  IohnÌ„ Norman  Anno .xxxiiii.  wyllyam fyz Rycharde  IN this .xxxiiii. yere was an excedynge wynde the whyche in sondry places of England dyd great harme whyche was in the begynnynge of this yere vppon the daye of Symon and Iude. About thys tyme in the duchy of Burgoyne as testyfyeth Fasciculus temporuÌ„ and other an hyll remouyd from hys proper place and glode by many a myle and lastely ioyned hym vnto other hyllys In the whyche glydynge or ronnynge the sayde hyll oppressyd or slewe v. thousande people And thys yere Symon fyz mary alderman of London for hys dysobedyence and euyll counsaill that he gaue vnto Margarete Uyell before in the xxxi yere of thys kynge touchyd wyth other secret labours and maters entendyd by hym to the hurte of the cytye was dyschargyd of hys aldermanshyppe and put oute of the counsayll of the cytye Anno domini M.CC.li.  Anno domini M.CC.lii  Laurence Frowyke  Adam Basynge  Anno .xxxv.  Nycholas Batte  IN thys .xxxv. yere of kynge Henry beganne the frere Augustynes to buylde or inhabyte them in walys in a place callyd woodhouse And in this yere maryed kyng Henry his doughter Mary or after some wryters Margarete vnto Alexander kynge of Scottys at the cytye of yorke and dyd receyue homage of the sayde Alexander for the kyngedome of Scottes or for the prouynce of Scotlande in lyke maner as many of his progenytours had done dyuerse and many tymes before as in this worke both before thys tyme and also after is shewyd Anno domini M.CC.li.  Anno domini M.CC.lii  wyllyam Durham  IohnÌ„ Toleson  Anno .xxxvi.  Thomas wymborne  IN thys .xxxvi. yere the kynge graunted vnto the shryues of London that they shulde yerely be alowyed of .vii. pounde for certayne pryuyleges or grounde belongynge to saynte Paules chyrche the whych at this daye is allowyd by the Barons of the kynges excheker to euerey shryue when they make theyr accompte in the offyce of the pype Also thys yere was grauÌ„ted by the kynge for the citesens more ease that where before tyme they vsyd yerely to present theyr mayre to y e kynges presence in any such place as he then were in Englande that nowe from thys tyme forthwarde they shulde for lacke of the kynges presence beynge at westmynster presente theyr mayre so chosen vnto the barons of hys Excheker and there to be sworne admyttyd as he before tymes was before the kynge Anno domini M.CC.lii  Anno domini M.CC.liii  IohnÌ„ Northampton  Nycholas Batte  Anno .xxxvii.  Rycharde Pycarde  IN thys .xxxvii. yere the water of the see aboute the daye of saynte Paulyn in the moneth of Ianuary rose of suche heyghte that yt drowned many vyllagys and housys nere vnto yt in dyuerse places of Englande And thys yere the kynge the quene and syr Edwarde his son wyth Bonyface archebyshoppe of Caunterburye and dyuerse other nobles of the realme sayled into Normandye and taryed at Burdeaux a certayne of tyme. But of theyr dedys or cause of theyr saylynge thyther is no mencyon made in the cronycle of England How be yt in the FreÌ„che boke yt is shewed y t the cause was to ioyne Edwarde the kynges sonne vnto the syster of y e kyng of Spayne by maryage This yere also the water of Thamys sprange so hygh that yt drowned many housys about the waters syde by meane wherof myche maâ—chaundyse was peryshed and loste And thys yere the cytezyns hadde graunted of the kynge that no cytesyns shulde paye scauage or tolle for any bestes by them brought as they before tymes hadde vsyd Anno domini M.CC.liii  Anno domini M.CC.liiii  Robert Belyngton  Rycharde Hardell  Anno .xxxviii.  Ranfe Aschewye  IN thys .xxxviii. yere by procurement of syr Rycharde erle of Cornewayll for dyspleasure whyche he bare towarde y e citye for exchauÌ„ge of certayne grounde to the same belongynge the kynge vnder coloure that the mayre hadde not done due execucyon vppon the bakers for lackynge of theyr syzys seased the lybertyes of the cytye That ys to be vnderstanden that where the mayre and comynaltye of the cytye hadde by the kynges graunte the cytye to ferme wyth dyuerse customys and offyces for astynted and ascertayned summe of money now the kyng sette in offycers at hys pleasure the whiche were accomptable vnto hym for all reuenues and profytes that grew wythin the sayde cytye But wythin foure dayes folowynge the feste of saynte Edmunde the byshop or by the .xix. daye of Nouember the cytesyns agreed wyth the sayde erle for .vi. hundred marke After whych agrement wyth hym concluded they soone after were restoryd vnto theyr lybertyes This yere syr Edward the kynges sonne and heyre was maryed vnto Eleanour y e kinges sister of Spayn And in the Cristmas weke the kyng landed at Douer and y e quene wyth hym wyth many other lordes when the kynge was comen to London he was lodgyd in the towre where he sent for to come vnto hym the mayre and the shryues wyth whom he resoued greuously for the escape of one callyd IohnÌ„ Gate This IohnÌ„ had murderyd a pryour allyed vnto the kynge The mayre layde the charge of this mater from hym vnto y e shryues for so myche as to theym belonged the kepynge of all prysons wyth in the cytye so that the mayre returnyd home and the shriues remayned there as prisoners by y e space of a moneth after or more And in theyr places and for theym were chosen Steuen Oystergate Henry walmoode But how the old shryues passyd out of the kynges daunger I fynde not Anno domini M.CC.liiii  Anno domini M.CC.lv.  Stephan Oystergate  Rycharde Hader  Anno .xxxix.  Henry walmoode  IN this .xxxix. yere in the feaste of saynte Etheldrede dame Eleanour wyfe vnto the kynges son syr Edwarde came vnto London where she was honorably receued of the cytesyns and the cytye rychely curteyned and garnyshed wyth dyuerse ryche clothes where the kynge was present at her commynge And she was honorably coÌ„ueyed through the cytye to saynte IohnÌ„s wythoute Smythfelde and there lodgyd for a whyle But after she was remouyd vnto Sauoy It was not longe after y t the kyng seasyd the lybertyes of the cytye for certayne money whyche y e quene claymed for her ryght of the cytesyns so that about saynte Martyns tyde in
was dyscarged of his offyce and syr Hugh Bygotte then admytted for hym And for the foresayde Pyers harde of the murmure in the courte ferynge that the kynge shuld be aduertysed shortely to alter from his promyse therfore they enteÌ„dyng to make theyr partye the stroÌ„ger vppon the morowe folowynge Marye Magdaleyns daye the kyng beyng at westmynster the erle Marshall the erle of Leyceter wyth dyuerse other came vnto the Guyldehall of LoÌ„don where the mayre aldermen and comynaltye of the cytye were assembled where the sayd lordes shewyd an instrument or wrytynge at the whyche hynge many labellys wyth sealys as the kynges seale syr Edwarde hys sonnes seale wyth many other of the nobles of the lande the whyche was the contente of the artycles whych were ordeyned and made at Oxenforde wyllynge the mayre and aldermen cuÌ„syderynge the sayd actys were made to the honoure of god fydelyte vnto the kynge profyte of the realme that they wold also in vpholdynge of the same sette theyr common seale of the cytye After which requeste thus to the mayre and the cytesyns made after aduyse and counsayll amonge theym selfe taken they desyred a sparyng of the lordes tyll they myght speke wyth y e kyng and know his pleasure in that behafe But fynally no sparynge at that tyme myghte be graunted so that in the ende by the laboure that the lordes made wyth helpe of suche solycytoures as they hadde wythin the cytye the common seale was put to and the mayre and dyuerse of the cytye sworne to maynteyne the same theyr allegeaunce sauyd to the kyng wyth preseruacyon of the lybertyes and fraunchyses and so departed Then daye by daye after the sayd douze Perys assemblyd at the newe temple in where they kept theyr counsaylys and courtes for the reformacyon of the olde greuys and remoued from the kynge dyuerse of hys menyall of houselde and sette in theyr places and offycys suche as lyked theym And vppon the .ix. daye of August proclamacyon was made in dyuerse accustomyd places of the sayde cytye that none of the kynges takers shulde take any thynge wythin the cytye wythout the wyll of the owner excepte two tunne of wyne whyche the kyng accustomably hadde of euery shyppe commynge from Burdeaux payenge but .xl. s. for a tunne By meane of whyche proclamacyon nothynge was taken by the kynges offycers but yt were streyght payed fore wythin the cytye and lybertye of the same whyche vsaunce contynued but a whyle Anno domini M.CC.lvii  Anno domini M.CC.lviii Draper Thomas fyz Rycharde  Rycharde Hardell  Anno .xlii.  Robert Catelyon  IN this .xlii. yere the kyng held one parlyameÌ„t at westmynster and a nother or ellys prorogyd the same to wynchester And in this yere syr Hugh Bygotte iustyce wyth Roger Turkelay and other kept his courte at saynte Sauyours and helde there the plees callyd Itinerii The wyche is to meane the trauaylynge or the waye plees For ye shall vnderstande that at those dayes they were kepte in dyuerse places of Englande whyche nowe ben holden at westmynster and iudgys ordeyned to kepe a cyrcuyte as now they kepe the syzys in tyme of vacacyoÌ„ At this sayde courte these iudges ponyshed sore baylyes and other oâ—ycers that before theym were conuycte for dyuers trespassys and specyally for takynge of merceamentes otherwyse then the lawe theym commaundyd For the whych the sayd chefe iustyce prysoned them and after sessyd them at greuous fynys Also he somonyd the cytesyns of London to come vnto the sayde courte for tollys that they hadde taken vppon the farther syde of the water But yt was answered that the tollys that they there toke were takeÌ„ lawfully as they were redy to proue in places and court coÌ„uenyent to the same whyche was wythin the precyncte of theyr lybertye But not wythstandynge that answere the sayde syr Hughe chargyd vppon queste .xii. knyghtes of Surey to enquyre of that mater and other the whych acquyted the sayde cytesyns and shewyd that the sayde tolle belongyd to them of ryghte In processe of tyme after the sayd syr Hugh wyth other came to Guyld hall and kepte hys courte and plees there wythout all order of lawe and contrarye to the lybertyes of the cytye and there punyshed the bakers for lacke of syze by the Tumberell where before tymes they were punysshed by the pyllory and orderyd many thynges at hys wyll more then by any good order of lawe Thys yere vppon Candelmasse euen came vnto LoÌ„don from beyonde the see Rycharde kynge of Almayne and erle of Cornewayll wyth hys wyfe and chyldren whyche had ben there and taken possessyon of that kyngedome as before is shewyd Agayne whose commynge the cytye of London was rychely haÌ„ged wyth clothes of sylke and aras ioyously he was receyuyd of the cytesyns Anno domini M.CC.lviii  Anno domini M.CC.lix Peperer IohnÌ„ Adryan  IohnÌ„ Gysours  Anno .xliii.  Robert Cornehyll  IN thys .xliii. yere the frydaye folowynge the feaste of Symonde and Iude in the parlyament holden at westmynster were radde in presence of all the lordes and comynaltye at sondry tymes all the actys and ordynauÌ„ces before made in y e parliament holden at Oxenforde wyth certayn other artycles by y e fore sayd xii Peers there vnto added After redyng of which articles there beynge reuested the archebyshoppe of Caunterbury wyth dyuerse other to the nomber of .ix. byshoppes besyde abbotes other denouncyd all them accursyd that attemptyd in worde or dede to breke the sayd actes or any of them In this parilameÌ„t also was graunted vnto the kynge a taske callyd the Scutage that is to meane xl s. of euery knyghtes fee thorough Englande the whyche extendyd to a great summe of money For after dyuerse writers there be in EnglaÌ„de in possessyon of the spyrytualtye and of the temporaltye or at that dayes were ouer beyonde .lx M. kynghtes fees whych after y â— rate shuld exteÌ„de vnto .vi. score M. li. more And yf it shuld be gadered of y e teÌ„poral meÌ„ onely than yt shulde not amounte ouer the summe of .lxiiii. thousande pounde The kynge vppon the daye of saynte Leonarde or the .vi. daye of Nouember came vnto Pawlys where by his commaundement was assembled the courte of Folkmoot where the kynge accordynge to the former ordynaunces made axyd lycence of the comynaltye of the cytye for to passe the see promysed there in the presence of a great multytude of people that he wolde be good and gracyous lorde vnto the cytye by the mouth of syr Hugh Bygotte hys chefe iustyce and to maynteyne theyr lybertyes vnhurte For y t whyche the people for ioye made an excedynge showte Uppon the .viii. day of Nouember the kynge rode thoroughe the citye towarde the see syde And vppon the daye of saynte Bryce or the .xiii. daye of Nouember he toke hys shyppe and so sayled vnto Burdeaux where when he had taryed a season he rode vnto the Frenche kynge then beyng
of theyr pryncys y t is to mene the corps of Lewys and theyr naturall prynce Phylyppe hys son and of the obseruaunces done and great assembles of the lordes spirytuall and temporall to welcome theyr prynce and doynge of theyr duties euery man according to honour But after al these ceremonies in due order fynyshed prouysyon was made for the coronacyon of the kynge The whyche was crowned at the cytye of Raynes vppon the daye of the assumpcyon of our lady in the yere of grace .xii. hundred .lxxi. SHortely after that the solempnyte of this coronacyon was passed kynge Phylyppe for his recreacyon rode into the countrey of Uermendoyse where after he had derestyd hym a season Robert erle of Artoys requyred hym to vysyte hys countrey where he was receyuyd of the burgeysys of Artoys wyth great honour and gladnes and there was feastyd with all disport and gladnes by a certayne of tyme after The whiche expyryd he returned into FrauÌ„ce About the thryde yere of his reygne the erle of Foys contrary y e kynges pleasure toke partye agayn Getarde a knyght lorde of the castell of Casseboun or Tasseboun y e which before had slayn y e brother of the erle of Armenac specyall freÌ„d of the sayd erle of Foyz whyche sayde two erles to reuenge the deth of theyr sayd brother pursued the sayde Gerarde so narrowly that for his sauegarde he refused his owne castell and fled vnto a castell of the kynges and there helde hym wyth his wyfe chyldren and substauÌ„ce But when the two erles were ware therof they sped them thyder wyth theyr powers and layd syege to the castell and in the ende threwe it downe to the grounde and slewe all the souldyours that they there founde as well the kynges seruauntes as other hopynge to haue founde theyr enymye Gerarde the whyche was escapyd thens secretly when the rumour of this dede came vnto the kynge he dysdayned sore that dede and toke yt ryght grevously In so myche that he called hys lordes and by theyr counsayll assembled hys knyghtes and entred wyth force the prouince of the erle of Foyz The whyche herynge of the kynges great dyspleasure fortyfyed hys castell and there helde hym The which was so besette wyth rokkes of stone that the kynge myght not wynne to yt wyth ease wherfore the kynge coÌ„maunded the rokkes to be cutte with masons and other worke men made a solempne othe that he wold not depart thens or he hadde the erle and his castell at his pleasure when the erle hadde beholden the great power of his enymyes and the prouysyon of the kyng to wynne his castell wyth other ieopardyes he made meanes to the kynge for grace and fynally putte hym and his into his mercy Then the kynge commauÌ„ded hym to be bounde and so to be conueyed to the casrell of Beauquesu where he was imprysoned by an hole yere after And the kyngâ—â—eased all hys landes and set a certayne of hys knyghtes to kepe hys castell and caryed hys wyfe and chyldren wyth hym into Fraunce But after a yere runne the kynge was so laboured to by the frendes of the sayd erle that he was eularged from pryson and vppon suertye suffred to serue in the kynges courte where he bare hym so well y t fynally the kyng made hym knyght restored hym to all his laÌ„des But what fyll of y e erle of Armenac the story sheweth not Aboute the .vi. yere of his reygne kynge Phylyppe maryed Mary the doughter of the erle of Burbon or after some the doughter of Iohan the duke of Braban the whych he loued entyerly wherof Peter de Broshe then beynge lorde chamberlayne hauynge enuy and disdayn sought the wayes and meanes to mynyshe the great loue betwene her lord and her and fonde by his meane that a sonne of y e kynges named Lewys was prysoned the whyche dede he by subtyle secrete meanes as though yt had nothyng comen of hym layde yt to y e charge of the quene For this y e kyng made many maner of inquysycyons as well by sorcery as other But in al his workes he found his quene gyltlesse wherfore he sufferyd the mater to passe tyll he myght haue more assured profe in that mater Aboute thys season Ferdinandus kynge of Castyle that before tyme hadde maryed Blanche doughter of saynt Lewis dyed leuyng after hym two sonnes borne of y e sayd Blanch named Ferdinande and Alphons whych by couenaunt at the mariage made shulde be heyres vnto the kyngdome of Spayne and Castyle But the father of this Ferdinande so beynge dede contrary hys honour and promise wrote vnto the lordes of Castyle amonestynge theym that they shulde admytte for theyr kynge hys seconde son named SaÌ„xyon or Sanxio and swere to hym both feautye homage The whyche was all done accordyng to hys commaundement so that Blanche was dyspoynted of her dower and her chyldern of theyr ryght and enherytauÌ„ce For y e which kyng Phylyppe her brother was greuously dysconteÌ„tyd and for reforma cyon therof sente vnto the kynge of Spayn his chefe boteler wyth other desyryng hym to perfourme all such couenauÌ„tes as betwene hym and his fader were coÌ„cluded at the maryage of his syster Blanche or at the laste yf that he refusyd y t to do y t he wold sende hys sayde syster wyth her two chyldern sauely into Fraunce In coÌ„clusyon y e mother wyth her two chyldern were brought by the sayde boteler vnto the kynge wythoute other pleasure other in worde or in dede For the whyche he the yere folokyng gaderyd a stronge hoste and passed wyth theym by Poyteau and Gascoyne tyll he came vnto a towne ioynynge to the border of Spayne named Sainterre where the kyng met another party of his hoste There by counsayll of some of his lordes the kynge concluded to retourne into Fraunce for daunger of wynter that was coÌ„mynge and other hyd causes But the rumour in the hoste went y t some of the kynges counsayll hadde receyued rewardes of the kynge of Spayn By meane wherof the kyng loste that iourney and returned into Fraunce to his great dyshonour and damage In tyme of kynge Phylyppes returne into Fraunce tydynges were broughte to hym that Eustace de Beau Marche whom the kyng had appointed to haue the gydyng of the countrey or kyngdome of Nauarye was besyeged in the citye of Pampulyne wherfore y e kyng coÌ„maunded y e erle of Artoys to spede hym thyder to rescowe the sayde Eustace The whyche behauyd hym so manfully that he rescowed the sayde Eustace and chasyd Garsymerans chefe styrrer of that rebellion and brought the people of that countrey agayne to due subieccyon whyle the erle of Artoys was thus occcupyed in the sayd countrey messangers came to hym from the kynge of Spayne requyrynge hym sene that he was so nere that he was so nere y t he wold come disport him there for a season wher of y e erle of Artoys sent kyng Philip worde hauyng of hym
lyceÌ„ce yode vnto the sayd kyng of Spayn as to his nere kynnesmaÌ„ there disported him a certayn of tyme to his great coÌ„solacioÌ„ In which season diuers letters came out of FrauÌ„ce froÌ„ some of y e kinges couÌ„sall By reason wherof y e kynge of Spayne was informed of mych of the FreÌ„che kinges couÌ„sayll which letters he shewed vnto y e erle of Artoys sayeÌ„g y t he was not without freÌ„des in FrauÌ„ce But he wold not disclose what ê‘sons they were wheÌ„ the erle had taryed in Spayn a coÌ„petent seasoÌ„ he toke leue of y e king deê‘ted with great giftes so sped hym y e in ê“cesse of tyme he cam vnto y e king of FrauÌ„ce at coÌ„uenient leyser shewed vnto hym of the letters shewed vnto him by y e kyng of Spayn wherof the king was not a litle ameruayled It was not loÌ„ge after y t a currour or messanger which vsed to bere letters froÌ„ Pet de Brosh vnto y e king of Spayn fyll syke at an abbay where when he knew he shuld die were it by exortacion of his gostly fader or otherwyse he called to hym y e abbot or hed of y e house chargyng him y t he wold delyuer such letters as he there had vnto y e FreÌ„che kyngê own ê‘son after dyed After whose deth y e said religyous man in coÌ„uenyet hast sped hym vnto y e kinges court presented him with the said letters shewyng vnto him y e mynde of y e sayd messanger which letters when the kyng had vnclosyd he anon knew y t his chaÌ„berlayne Peter de Broshe was the discloser of all his couÌ„saylles wherfore forthwith he coÌ„mauÌ„ded y e said Peter to be had vnder saufe kepyng wherof heryng the bysshop of Bayon fled streyght y e lande so yode vnto Rome The kynge theÌ„ yode vnto Paris where he called a couÌ„sayl of his lordes to examyne y e sayd Peter where finally he was iudged to be haÌ„ged After which iudgemeÌ„t he was coÌ„mytted vnto ward tyll y e morow folowyng At which season long before the son rysyng y o duke of Burgoyn the duke of Braban the erle of Artoys with y e prouost of Paris came vnto the gayole there receyued the said Peter saw him hanged or the sonne were vp IT was not long after y e Peter was thus put to deth but meanes were made betwene these .ii. kynges so that a day of metyng was appoynted y t the said kyng shuld mete to haue coÌ„munycacion for the mater coÌ„cernyng the wroÌ„ges done to dame Blanche her .ii. chyldren beforenamed wherfore y e king of Spayn cam vnto y e citie of Bayon king Philip to a town in yÌ„ prouynce of Tholouse named MouÌ„t marchauÌ„t where these two princes beyng in coÌ„municacyon of y e foresayd mater certayn messangers cam to theÌ„ froÌ„ y e pope then Mantyne y e .iiii chargyng them vpoÌ„ payn of fallyng into y e ceÌ„sures of y t chirch that they agree fall vnto accorde that warre betwen theym be not exercysed By reason wherof kyng Phylyp remitted the mater to y e pope returned vnto Tholouse where mette him the kyng of Aragon named Peter The which after he had there taryed with kyng Philip a tyme at his pleasure he toke his leue of y e kynge after went into Catholoyne where he met with CoÌ„stance his wife doughter of Manfred somtyme kyng of Scycyll y â— which was pryued of his lyfe kyngdome by Charles broder of saint Lewis as before in y e .iiii. chapyter of the storye of saynt Lewys is shortly touched This CoÌ„stance in all y t she might exorted her husbaÌ„d togader his people to enter y e land of Scicill ascertainyng him y t y e Scicillyens wolde take his patye agayne Charles for so myche as they well knew that she was rightfull heyre to that kyngdome In thys tyme and season whyche was the .x. yere of kynge Phylyppe the ryuer of Sayne rose of suche an hyght that yt compassed the cytye of Parys in suche wyse that no man myght come thyther wythoute bote or barge And the water passed wyth suche vyolence that yt brake vi arches of the great brydge of Parys and one of the small brydges Then let vs turne to y e kyng of Aragon whych by incensyng of his wyfe gadered his peple and vnder colour that he wold haue gone agaynste the Turkes hadde graunte of the pope to receyue y e dymes of his owne land for certayne yeres whyle this was in doynge he sent certayne persones into Scycyle to see the state of that countrey The whyche made confederacyes wyth dyuers great men of Scycylyens and ouer that brought wyth theym dyuers of the rulers to the presence of y e kynge wyth whom the sayd Peter made certayn appoyntementes and after retourned them into Scycyle where after theyr returne they cousayled so wyth theyr rulers of Palermo and Messene of other cytyes that in one nyght all the Frenche men in Scycylle were slayne and after in most cruell wyse slewe the women as wel those y t were wyth chylde as other and lefte few or none of the Frenche men in all the chefe cytyes or townes of Scicyll on lyue wheÌ„ tydynges of this myschyef was brought vnto Charles beynge then in the countrey of Angeou he sent messangers vnto the pope Martyne the .iiii requyrynge his ayde to defende his enymyes The whych in all hast sent vnto Palermo y e byshop of saynte Sabyne to charge the cytesyns vppon payne of cursynge to obey vnto Charles for theyr kyng to none other But the rulers of Palermo and also of Messene wold not suffer the sayd byshoppe to passe any farther And also sayde that Peter was entred the countrey of whome they wolde holde and on none other wyth whyche answere he was fayne to retourne In this whyle Charles hadde sent vnto his neuew Phylyppe kynge of FrauÌ„ce the whyche wyth his power to reuoke Peter from Scycyll enteryd the lande of Aragon by Purpunyan and toke the cytye of Ieane In whyche passe tyme Charles entred Scycyl and besyeged Messene But the towne was so strongely fortyfyed that he loste there his labour wherfore he left that syege and yode into the playnes of saynt Martyne and there taryed the coÌ„mynge of hys son then prynce of Salerne The pope theÌ„ accursed Peter for as much as certayne worde was broughte to hym that he hadde proclaymed hym selfe kynge of Scycyll And to the entent to styre the more people agayne hym he gaue his lande of Aragon vnto Charlys erle of Ualoys son of kynge Phylyp of Fraunce when Phylyppe as before is sayde kynge of FrauÌ„ce had won Ieane for as myche as the ways towarde Aragon were harde to passe as well for prouysyons made by the enmyes as otherwyse the kyng therfore sought great aduyse how he myght with lest daunger wyn to his enymyes And after many meanes sought a Russylyan was broughte vnto
there in hys owne persone they were the more egre vppon the Aragons to the entente to haue taken or siayne theyr kynge So that fynally they compelled theym to forsake the felde to saue them selfe by flyght by reason wherof the kynge with the more parte of his knyghtes were saued from the daūger of theyr enemyes But in this fyght Peter kyuge of Aragone was so hurte that he dyed shortly after whan these foresayd knyghtes with theyr prysoners were returned vnto the Frenche kynge had shewed vnto hym of that vyctory he reioyced therof greatly more wolde haue done yf he had knowen how sore his enemy Peter was woūded But to brynge to fyne his purpose he dayly more and more assauted the towne In y e tyme that Gereonde or Gyrōde was thus besyeged of y e Frēche kynge the erle of Foyz that to the capytayne of the towne ought great fauour many tymes by lycence of y e kynge yode into the towne and had dyuers comunycacyons with hym so that he lastly knowynge the sayde towne to be bare of vytayle shewed to the kynge that he wolde laboure the sayde capytayne named syr Raymōde de Cerdon y t the towne myght be gyuē vp into the kynges handes so that soone after y t sayde capytayne desyred a respyte of .viii. dayes to send vnto y e king of Aragō to knowe whether he wolde rescowe the towne or nat Upon y ◠whiche graūte made the messangers were sente and returned with a certaynte of the kynges dethe Upon whiche knowledge had the sayde capytayne agreed to delyuer the towne vpon cōdicion to haue with thē suche mouables as he with y e cytezyns sowdyours had within the towne All whiche condicions assured the kynge receyued the towne of Geronde into his possessyon The whiche whan he had manned with knyghtes of his owne he the by cousayle whiche tourned after to his harme diuided his nauy and sente a parte of them into Fraunce and the other into Tholous wher the kynge entended to tary the wynter folowynge But so spone as his nauy was thus deuyded the Aragons mette with them that rested in the hauen of Russilian and gaue to them suche batayle that they toke many of them and slewe the kynges admyrall and many other noble men of Fraunce and helde the Frenchemen so shorte that for so moche as they wolde nat that so good shyppes shulde come to the handes of theyr enemyes they set fyre vpon the remenaūt brent thē and after resorted vnto the kynge whē kynge Phylyp was ascertayned of the losse of his nauy he toke it greuously in somoche that for that and other thynges that he myght not brynge to his purpose he fyll into a feuer was therwith greatly anoyed Than for strengthe of his enemyes whiche kepte the passage of the mountaynes called in latyn Mōtes Pireni and for wekyng of hym selfe by reason of his sekenesse he passed by the strayte places tyll he came to Parpynyan where his sekenes encreased so sore that he dyed in shorte tyme of his thyder cōmynge in y t moneth of October whā he had regned xv yeres lackynge certayne dayes whose bowelles were buried at Nerbon and his body at saynt Denys This Phylyp had .ii. wyues By the fyrst Isabel by name and doughter of the kynge of Aragon Iaques or Iames by name he had .iii. sōnes Lewes whiche was poysoned Phylyp whiche for his beaute and fayre shappe was named Phylyp le Beau or Phylyp the fayre Charles the Ualoys And by Mary his wyfe and doughter of the duke of Braban he had Lewes Margaret Blaūche whiche Margarete was after maryed to Edwarde the fyrste than kynge of Englande Thus endeth Phylyp the .iii. of Fraunce Anglia EDwarde y e fyrst of that name sone of Henry y e thyrde surnamed lōge shāke begā his reygne ouer Englāde in the moneth of Nouember and .xvii. day of y e same and the yere of our lorde .xii. C.lxxii seconde yere of the thyrde Phylyp than kynge of Fraunce This Edwarde as before is shewed in the .lv. yere of his father was in y e holy lāde whan his father dyed there at the cytie of Acon or Acris he dyd many feates of warre wherof the cronycle maketh certayne mencyon where he beynge so exercysed in Marciall actes tidīges was brought vnto hym that his father was deed wherfore in all hast he spedde hym into Englād so that he came to London the secōde day of August and was crowned at westmynster the .xiiii. day of December folowyuge whiche was in the begynnynge of the seconde yere of his reygne Anno dn̄i M.CC.lxxii  Anno dn̄i M.CC.lxxiii  Iohan Horne  Syr walter Heruy  Anno primo  walter Potter  IN this fyrst yere of kynge Edwarde the fyrst vpon the daye of Symon and Iude were certayne attemptes made by some of the cytyzyns to haue made suche a mayre as they had lysted but for they were dyspoynted of theyr accessaryes they let for that tyme whiche in the yere folowyng vpon the same day toke further effecte as in the begynnynge of the nexte yere shal be towched In y e ende of this yere and seconde day of Auguste kynge Edwarde came to London from his great iourney of y e holy lande where of the cytezyns he was receyued with all ioy honour and so conueyed vnto westmynster where he kepte great obseruaunces for his father by a certayne tyme after Anno dn̄i M.CC.lxxiii  Anno dn̄i M.CC.lxxiiii  Nicholas wynchester  Henry waleys  Anno .ii.  Henry Couentre  IN thys seconde yere of this kynge and daye of Symon Iude whan Phylyp le Tayloure which before was chose to be mayre shulde as that daye haue taken his charge in the Guyldehall of Londō dyuers cytezyns put hym besyde the mayres seet and set therin syr walter Heruy that the yere before had been mayre For the whiche great rumour and grudge arose amonge the cytezyns wherfore the mater was after brought before the kyng the whiche herynge the reasons of bothe partyes for somoche as he coude not agre theym he putte bothe the sayde syr walter and the sayd Phylyp asyde and chase Henry Forwyk for custos of the cytye the whych so contynued tyll Cādelmas after At whych tyme by dyscrete and wyse peasyble meanes the forenamed syr walter Heruy was set in auctorite as mayre and so contynued the full of the yere after Thys yere vppon the .xiiii. daye of Decembre was the kynge crowned at westmynster of mayster Roberte kylwarby than archebisshop of Caūterbury For Bonyface hys predecessour dyed the yere that kynge Henry dyed At thys coronaciō was present Alexandre kynge of Scottes the whyche vpon the morowe folowyng dyd homage to kyng Edward for the kyngdome of Scotlande After the Solempnytie of the coronacyon was ended the kyng heryng of the rebellyon of Lewelyne prynce of walys that dysdayned to come to hys coronacyon anone
payd in one yere but by deuided porcions in .iii. yeres ensuyng And of the lay fee or temporall men of EnglaÌ„de he had grauÌ„ted to hym the .x. peny of theyr mouables the which was payd in .ii. yeres next ensuyng And thys yere in y e moneth of Marche was drawen hanged at London for treason done in Fraunce a knyghte called syr Thomas Turbeuyle And aboute y e tyme of Easter whan Charlys de Ualoys as ye before in that other yere haue harde had lyen longe at the castell of Ryon myght nothyng wynne vpoÌ„ the Englyshmen but dayly loste of the best of hys knyghtes he sent for more ayde and socoure At whyche tyme came vnto hym syr Rauffe Nele constable of Fraunce with a fressh company and thaÌ„ assawted it of new But whan they had lyen there a season sawe they preuayled nothynge agayn theyr enemys they yode vnto an holde there by named Poudency and it assauted for so moche as the more nombre of the sowdyours there were Normans and after .viii. days by appoyntemente or otherwyse gat the sayd holde so that all the Englisshemen had theyr lybertye goodes and the Normans taken as prysoners the whyche they brought after vnto the castell of Ryon and there in syghte of the sowdyours hanged al or the more partye of the sayde Normans whan the Gascoynes beynge wythin the towne and castell of Ryons sawe then theyr cosyns and couÌ„trey men hanged before theyr eyen they caste in theyr myndes that yt was done by treason of the Englysshmen and that they wolde at length deale wyth them in lyke maner By reason wherof stryfe and varyauÌ„ce arose betwene the EnglysshemeÌ„ and the Gascoygnes so that eyther of theym feryd the treason of the other For the whyche cause syr Iohan Seyn Iohan syr IohnÌ„ de Britayn syr Robert Typtoft syr Rauffe TaÌ„ny syr Hugh Bardolfe syr Adam Cretynge with dyuers other fledde by see and in that maner saued them selfe and soone after the sayd towne and castell of Ryons was wonne by the Frenchemen and the inhabytauÌ„tes of the same sworne vnto the freÌ„ch kynge ye haue harde before in the .xxii. yere of thys kynge howe after the dethe of Alexander kyng of Scottes many questyons fyll amonge y â— sayd scottes who by ryght of enherytauÌ„ce shulde be kynge of that lande consyderynge that the sayde Alexander had lefte after hym thre doughters the whyche lyuyng theyr father were maryed The fyrste to syr Iohan Bayloll the seconde to Roberte le Bruze and the thyrde to one named Hastynges Many of the lordes of Scotlande wolde haue crowned syr Iohan Bayloll by reason that he maryed the eldest of the doughters But the frendes of Robert le Bruze withstode it with all theyr power And other there were that heâ—de with Hastynges so that after greate stryfe and longe varyaunce the matter was broughte before kynge Edwarde as chyef lord and soueraygne of that lande promysinge to hym to abyde all suche determynacyon and iugemente as he shulde sette therin Than kynge Edwarde to the ende that the scottes shulde knowe perfytely that the kyng of EnglaÌ„de ought of ryghte to be there chyefe hede and soueraygne shewed vnto theym suche olde wrytynges as he lyttell tofore had caused to be serched and founde in the whyche it was conteyned by the auctorytye of olde cronycles and wryters as Maryanus y e scotte wyllyam of Malmesbury Roger of Huntyngdon and other that in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.xx kynge Edwarde the elder made subget vnto hym the kynges of Cumbrys and scottes Also in the yere of grace .ix. C. and xxi the foresayd scottes Cumbrys chase the sayd Edwarde the elder to be theyr chyefe lord and patron And in y e yere of our lord .ix. C.xxvi Ethelstane than kynge of Englande subdued constantyne than kyng of scottes and after admytted the sayd Constantyne to reygne as kynge vnder him by othe of obeysauÌ„s with feaute and homage Also Edredus brother to the sayde Ethelstane subdued of newe the scottes with the Northumbrys and receyued of them agayne othe and homage And ouer that it is founde in the sayd cronycles that Edgar ouercame Alphunius the son of Kynadus kynge of Scottes and receyued of hym feawty homage and helde hym vnder hys obeysauÌ„ce as he had done hys father Kynadus before tyme. Moreouer it is there wytnessed that Canutus in the .xvi. yere of hys reygne subdued Malcolyne than kyng of scottes and receyued of hym feawty and homage Furthermore wyllyam Conquerour in the .vi. yere of his reygne subdued Malcolyne kyng of Scotlande the whyche before tymes had receyued the sayde kyngdome of the gyfte of Edwarde kynge and confessoure And wyllyam the rede dyd in lykewyse vnto the sayde Malcolyne and vnto hys two sonnes that reygned in Scotlande the one after the other Also Dauyd kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Stephane than kyng of Englande And wyllyam kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Henry the thyrde at the tyme of hys coronacyon and after came vnto hys father Henry the seconde whan the forenamed HeÌ„ry was deed in Normandy made hys homage to hym agayne Thys Henry that was sonne vnto Henry the seconde is of many wryters named Henry the thyrd for so moche as he was the .iii. kyng that was crowned of that name But for he dyed before hys father hys dedes ben lytell spoken of so that of some wryters he is nothyng mynded And it foloweth in the story howe that AlexaÌ„dre kyng of Scottes in y t .xxxv. yere of HeÌ„ry the thyrd or son of kyng IohnÌ„ maryed at yorke Margarete doughter of the sayd Henry and dyd vnto hym homage for the realme of Scotlande and bouÌ„de hym and hys heyres kynges of Scotlande by hys letters patentes to be trewe vnto the sayd HeÌ„ry vnto his heyres kynges of Englande lyke as before tyme wyllyam kyng of Scottes had oblyged hym vnto the seconde Henry as before in the .xxii. yere of hys reygne is more manyfestly shewed And more to them was shewed y â— popes bulles the whych were sent before tymes into Scotlande by auctoryte wherof the kynges of ScotlaÌ„de were accursed for they wolde nat be obedyent to theyr lordes kynges of Englande WHan all these presedentes were sene by y e Scottes a day was assygned of metyng at NorhmÌ„ in the marches betwene Englande and Scotlande whyther vnto the kyng came the chief rulers of the Scottes where they excused them to be bouÌ„de vnto the kyng for the obseruynge of the kynges ordenaunce for so moche as they lacked a kynge an hede by whome all suche ordenaunces shuld be maynteyned and holdeÌ„ But after by aduyce of bothe parties agremeÌ„t was made by the scottes that they shuld be bounde to obey the kynges iugement wheruppon bondes were made vpon bothe partyes that is to meane the kyng was bounde to theÌ„ in an hondreth thousande pounde y t within .ii. monethes after he had receyued the possessyon of the lande he shulde gyue it vnto
hym that was thought most ryghtfull enherytour And the scottes were agayne bouÌ„de vnto hym that they shuld holde ferme stable all suche decre and iugement as the kyng shuld gyue in that mater and also that they shulde vpholde maynteyne for theyr kyng ruler hym that the kynge shulde admitte chose and none other After whych bondes made and delyuered vpon bothe sydes the scottes seased kyng Edwarde and delyuered vnto hym by theyr chartours the possessioÌ„ of Scotlande with castelles with rightes with customes and al other appertynauÌ„ces to that kyngdome belongynge and sette wardeynes in the townes maners and castelles that shuld saue to hym that the kyng admytted al aduauntages and profytes of the sayde townes and other in that meane whyle growyng And whan all assurauÌ„ce was made and fynysshed to the agrement of bothe parties the kyng called before hym and hys counsayll all those partyes that made clayme vnto y e kyngdome of Scotlande And after theyr reasons were wele and suffycyently argued and debated vpon al sydes by aduyce aswell of some of the lordes of Scotlande as by hys owne counsayll he fynally admytted for kynge syr Iohan Bayloll as moste ryghtefull enherytour to the crowne of Scotlande The whych receyued it of hym thankefully and for the same in presence of the barony of Englande and of Scotlande dyd vnto the sayde kynge Edwarde hys homage and sware vnto hym feawty And that done the scottes with theyr newe kynge retourned into Scotlande And thys yere was takeÌ„ the forenamed Madok or Meredok whych as ye before haue herde in the .xxiii. yere caused the walshemen to rebell and was drawyn and hanged at London Anno domini .xii. C. cxvi  Anno dnÌ„i M. CC.cxvii  Thomas de Suff.  Syr IohnÌ„ Bryton  Anno .xxv.  Adam de Fullam  IN thys .xxv. yere the kyng commaunded in dyuers shyres of Englande great quantyte of wheâ—e to be gadered sent it into Gascoyne and Guyan to the nombre of an C.M. quarters after some writers and soone after sent thyder syr Edmunde hys brother erle of Lancastre syr HeÌ„ry Lacy erle of Lyncolne syr wyllyam Ueysy baroÌ„ with diuers other lordes knyghtes to strength suche people as he there had redy whyle he prepared an other army to haue agaynst the scottes ye haue herde in the precedynge chapytre howe syr Iohan Bayloll kyng of scottes made othe homage vnto kyng Edwarde for y e kyngdom of Scotlande Of the whych othe he shortly repeÌ„ted hym after by meane of couÌ„sayll of the abbot of Menros as sayth PolycronycoÌ„ All be it that it shuld seme to be as wel by the couÌ„sayll of the kyng of FrauÌ„ce by wordes that ben wrytten in the frenche cronycle But how so it was by one or by both full vntrewly he forsoke hys former othe promyse arrered warre agayne the kynge wherfore kyng Edward sped hym thyder with a great hoost in processe layde hys syege vnto the towne of Berwyk But the scottes defeÌ„ded it egerly bete the Englysshe men backe and brent some of the Englyssh shyppes wyth the whyche enterpryse they were so enflamyd wyth pryde that in derisioÌ„ of the kyng they made this mokkysshe ryme folowyng ¶ what wenys kyng Edwarde with hys longe shankys To haue wonne Berwyke all oure vnthankys Gaas pykes hym And whan he hath it Gaas dykys hym WHan kynge Edwarde herde of y e pryde of the scottes and knewe of theyr scornefull ryme he was somdeale amoued encouraged his knyghtes in suche wyse that they wanne the dyche of the towne after in processe with greate laboure and daunger the Bulwerkes so that they came vnto the gates and made there so stronge assawte that in the ende they wanne the towne slewe of the scottes as wytnesseth dyuers wryters ouer the nombre of .xxv. M. and tooke prysoners syr wyllyam Douglas syr Symon de Freysell the erle Patryk syr Robert Bruze wyth dyuers other and in shorte tyme after the wardeyn of the castell of Berwyke seynge that to hym was sent no socoure yelded vp the sayd castell by appoyntement And whaÌ„ the kyng had possession of the towne and castell of Berwyke he than strengthed theym wyth Englysshe men And after wanne the holdes of Tyndall of Exham of wyerbyrd and of Lamerstoke wyth dyuers other And whyle y t kyng Edwarde was thus besyed about the wynnyng of these forsayd holdes he seÌ„t syr Hugh Spencer with syr Hugh Percy and other noble men with a parte of his host to laye siege vnto Dunbarre where wheÌ„ they had layne a certayne of tyme an host of Scottes came thyder to remoue the syege with whome the Englysshe men had a fyers and cruel batayle But in y e ende by helpe of god and saynt George the Englysshe meÌ„ had the vyctorye slewe of the Scottes aboue the nombre of .xx. M and lost of the Englysshe company a very fewe in nombre wherfore the Englysshe meÌ„ in reproche of the Scottes made this ryme folowynge These scaterande Scottes Holde we for sottes Of wrenches vnware Erly in a mornynge In an euyll tymynge Came they to Dunbarre ANd after this vyctorye the towne castell of Dunbarre was wonne in the whiche were takeÌ„ prysoners thre erles vii barons and xxvii knyghtes with dyuers men of the churche Than the kynge spedde hym to Edenborow and in processe of tyme wanne the towne with the castell In the whiche were founde y e regalyes of ScotlaÌ„de y t is to meane the crowne with the septre clothe of astate the whiche after were offered by kynge Edwarde at the shryne of saynt Edwarde vpon the morowe after the feast of saynt Botholfe or y e xviii day of Iunii in the yere folowynge And when the kynge had thus subdued the Scottes and set the couÌ„tre in a rule he retourned with many prysoners into EnglaÌ„de In whiche tyme and season the Englysshemen susteyned many harde shoures in Gascoyne Gyan Among y e whiche one is remembred in the Frenche cronycle sayenge that Edmunde duke or erle of Lancastre dyed at Bayon After whose dethe whyle the towne and other stronge holdes prepared them to withstande the Frenchemen Robert erle of Artoys whiche a lytel tofore had encouÌ„tred with syr IohnÌ„ had ben of hym ouerset resembled his coÌ„pany and made hym an other skyrmysshe In the whiche he slewe vpon an hundreth EnglysshmeÌ„ and Gascoynes and toke prysoners the forenamed syr Iohan Seyn Iohan syr wyllyam Mortymer and other to the nombre of .lxx y â— whiche were sente into Fraunce vnto dyuers prysones Anno dnÌ„i xii C.xcvii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CC.xcviii  IohnÌ„ de Stortforde  Syr IohnÌ„ Bryton  Anno .xxvi.  wyllyam de Stortforde  IN this .xxvi. yere kynge Edwarde with a pusaunte armye in the moneth of August toke shyppynge at douer sayled into Flaunders to ayde and to helpe Guy than erle of Flaunders agayne y e Frenche kynge The which at that tyme was
shortly after was called a greate couÌ„sayll for maters whyche in the story of kynge Iohanne shall after be shewed whan the feelde was thus fynysshed prynce Edward after dewe thaÌ„kes and louynges gyuen to god and saynt George for thys tryuÌ„phauÌ„t vyctory he with his sayd prysoners sped hym toward Burdeaux where y e sayd kyng was kept tyll Easter after Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lv.  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lvi.  Rycharde NotynghmÌ„  Henry Pycharde  Anno .xxxi.  Thomas Dosell  IN thys .xxxi. yere that is to say the .xvi. daye of the moneth of Apryll y e noble prynce Edwarde thaÌ„ vppon the age of .xxviii. yeres toke shyppynge wyth hys prysoners at Burdeaux and arryued in EnglaÌ„de shortly after And the .xxiiii. daye of Maye he was with great honoure gladnesse receyued of the cytezyns of London and so conueyed vnto the kynges palays at westmynster wher the kynge syttynge in hys astate in westmynster hal receyued hym with due honour and after conueyed to a lodgynge for hym prouyded where he laye a certayne season And after was y e sayd French kyng had vnto a place called Sauoy whyche thanne was a pleasaunt palays fayre lodgynge belongynge that tyme vnto y e duke of Lancastre and after brente dystroyed by Iak Strawe and hys fawtours in the .iiii. yere of Rychard the seconde nexte kyng of Englande as in y e sayd yere after shal be shewed In whyche place the sayde Frenche kynge laye longe after And in the wynter folowyng were royall iustes holden in smythfelde of LondoÌ„ and many goodly knyghtly feates of armys doon to the great honoure of the kyng all his realm and gladdyng of all beholdours At the whych dysporte was present the kyng of Englande the FreÌ„ch kyng and y e kyng of Scottes wyth many noble astates of all the .iii. prouinces or kyngdomes wherof the more partye of the straungers were than prysoners Anno domini M.CCC.lvi  Anno domini M.CCC.lvii  Stephyn Caundysshe  IohnÌ„ Stody  Anno xxxii  Bartylmewe frostelynge  IN thys .xxxii. yere pope Innocent the syxte of that name sent into Englande twoo cardynalles to treat of a peace betwene y e two kyngê The whyche two cardinalles taryed the more parte of a yere in London other places of the lande to brynge theyr purpose to some effecte but they sped lytell of theyr cause And in thys yere after moste wryters Dauyd le Bruze kyng of Scottes was delyuered frome the castell of OdyhmÌ„ at hys lybertye whan he had put kynge Edwarde in a suerty of an hundreth thousande markes for hys raunsome Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lvii  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lviii  IohnÌ„ Bernes  IohnÌ„ Luffyn  Anno .xxxiii.  IohnÌ„ Burys  IN thys .xxxiii. yere as wytnessyth the Frenche cronycle syr Robert Knollys syr Iames Pype with other of theyr retynewe warred in Brytayne And as testyfyeth the Frenche cronycle in the moneth of Marche and x. daye of the sayd moneth the sayde capytaynes wyth one whyche the Frenche boke nameth Thomlyn Fowke came erely in the mornynge vnto a towne that was nere vnto Incerre called Kegennes beynge in the rule of Englysshmen where the sayde capytaynes takyng wyth theÌ„ more streÌ„gth yode streyght vnto the foresayde towne of Ancerre beyng wythin two Englyshe myles and scaled the walles wyth ladders and quyt them so maÌ„fully that they had the rule of the town or the sonne rysynge And in that castell was taken prysoner syr Guyllyam de Chalon the sonne of the erle of Ancerre hys wyfe and many other In takynge of whyche towne and castell fewe folkes were slayne how be it there were of armed men aboue two thousande as sowdyours to defende the towne Then the Englyshmen serched so nere that as the comoÌ„ fame wente they fande iewellys as they hadde ben preuy to the hydyng of theym and that of greate value Amonge the which as sayth the sayd cronycle they fande certayne skynnes the whyche were valued at .v. thousande motons of golde ye shall vnderstande that a moton is a coyne vsed in Fraunce and Brytayne and is of value after the rate of sterlynge money vppon .v. s. or there aboute whan the Englysshemen hadde pylled and spoyled the towne by the space of .viii. dayes and raunsomed suche as were of any substaunce then they shewed vnto the rulers of the towne that they wolde sette it vppon a fyre excepte that they wold gyue vnto theym a certayne summe of money For the whych after longe treaty of thys mater the rulers of y e towne to haue possessyon therof and to haue it preserued froÌ„ fyre agreed to gyue vnto the Englysshe capytaynes .xl. thousande motons and lx perlys valued at .x. thousande motons whyche .l. thousande motons shulde amounte after the rate of sterlynge money to .xii. thousand and .v. hundreth pownde or nere aboute So that what they fande wythin y e towne of any value they bare it with theym excepte the iewellys and ornamentes of the chyrch of saynt Germayne the whyche goodes and iewelles they toke for pledge of suche money as was vnpayde of the foresayd .xl. M. motons of golde for the rauÌ„some of the towne For y e whyche goodes the towne of Ancerre was bounde vnto the hedes of the chyrch to pay for or to redeme y e sayd goodê by the feastes of mydsomer nexte folowynge or ellys to paye yerely inperpetuyte to y e sayd chyrch in maner of quyte rent .iii. M. motoÌ„s wherof y e value is shewed in the fyrst chapyter of Phylyp the .iiii. And ouer all thys the dwellers of the towne agreed that y e Englyshmen shuld brenne the gates of y e towne and in dyuers partyes of the towne throw the wallys to the grounde Uppon .iiii. dayes folowynge the ende of the sayd agremente the foresayd syr Iames Pype and syr OthaÌ„ of Holande other to the nombre of xvi or .xviii. Englysshmen enteÌ„dyng to haue wonne some enterpryse were layd for by the sowdyours of a place called the great Semyre and by theÌ„ taken holden as prysoners And in the moneth of Apryll next ensuyng a towne called in Frenche Dabygny sur le Metre was by the Englysshemen gotten in lyke maner fourme as was the foresayd towne of Ancerre And the .ii. daye of Maye was wonne by syr Robert Knolles hys company a towne called Chasteleyn sur Lounayn and pylled it as they dyd the other And after wyth theyr pyllage and prysoners amoÌ„ge the whyche were many women and chyldren of .iiii. of fyue yeres of age the sayd EnglyshmeÌ„ yode to the new castell vpon Loyre And ye shall vnderstande that the partye of the Englysshemen was greately strengthed by the helpe of the kyng of Nauerne and of syr Phylyppe his brother and other as more playnely shal be shewed in the Frenche cronycle or story of kynge Iohan folowynge And thus the sayde syr Roberte Knolles wyth ayde of the kynges men of Nauerne dayly wanne many
necessyte was compelled to come to the cytye of Burdeaux for to haue aske ayde of prynce Edward Thys Peter was ryghtefull heyre vnto the crowne of of Castyle and Henry hys brother after moste wryters was bastarde But thys Peter was so vyle of condycyons that hys subgectes had to hym but lytell fauoure And so the warre contynued a season betwene hys brother and hym as after shall appere in the whych prynce Edward wyth hys archers toke partye wyth thys Peter and the Frenche kynge wyth hys speres tooke partye wyth Henry And in thys yere at the kynges coÌ„maundement Adam Bury thanne mayre of London was dyscharged y e xxviii daye of Ianuary and for hym electe and chosen mayre IohnÌ„ Loue kyn grocer And as wytnesseth Polycronicon other thys yere was coÌ„maunded by the kynge that Peter pens shulde no more be gadered in Englande nor payde vnto Rome as they of longe tyme had ben vsed and grauÌ„ted in the tyme of Iuo or Iewe somtyme kynge of west Saxons as before in hys story is shewed But howe so at that dayes it was than by the kynge forbodeÌ„ yet neuer thelesse at thys present tyme and season they be gadered in sondry shyres of Englande Anno domini M.CCC.lxv  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxvi  IohnÌ„ warde  IohnÌ„ Louekyn  Anno .xli.  wyllyam Dykman  IN thys .xli. yere was borne the secoÌ„de sonnÌ„ of prynce Edward at Burdeaux named Rychard in the moneth of Apryll and the thyrd daye of the sayd moneth The sayd prynce Edward wyth the kyng of Nauerne and the foresayd Peter kynge of Castyle mette wyth Henry Bastarde vsurper of the sayde kyngdome nere vnto a towne called Domyng wher betwene them was a cruell and long fyght Howe be it in the ende the victorye fyll vnto the Englysshemen Henry and hys men were chased In thys bataylle was taken syr Barthram de Glaycon syr Arnold Dodenhamme thanne Marshall of Fraunce wyth other aswell French as Brytaynes and slayne vppon fyue thousande men vpon the partie of the sayde Henry and vppon .xvi. hondreth vppon prynce Edwardes partye After whyche vyctory the prynce wyth the sayde Peter spedde theym vnto the cytye of Burgys whyche was yolden to theÌ„ shortly after theyr commynge and after holpe the sayd Peter to wynne other cytyes and holdes so that he taryed there tyll the moneth of August folowynge At whych season as sayth the cronicle of Fraunce he retourned vnto Burdeaux wythout paymente of wages for hys sowdyours that before was to hym by the sayde Peter promysed In thys season that prynce Edwarde was thus in Spayne Henry Bastarde fledde wyth hys wyfe into Fraunce abode in a place or couÌ„tre called Carcasson But so soone as he was warned that prynce Edwarde was retourned vnto Burdeaux he gadered to hym a new coÌ„pany passed by the mouÌ„taynes of the forestes so entred the sayd lande of Castile the .xxvii. daye of the moneth of Septembre folowynge had the citie called Calahore yolded vnto hym whervnto hym drewe moche people of the countre so that hys strengthe encreased hougely Than froÌ„ thens he yode vnto the cytye of Burgys where he was ioyously receyued behaued hym in suche wyse y t in short whyle after he had the hole rule of the laÌ„de of Castyle hys brother was fayne to auoyde the laÌ„de and to seche ayde of the Sarazyns as affermeth y e foresayde cronycle And in thys yere aboute the monethe of Iuny the company before mynded in the .xxxvi. yere of thys kynge entred the duchy of Guyan and there helde them in doyng moch harme to that countre lyke as they before hadde done in dyuers places of Fraunce by all that season of iiii yeres passed And in the moneth of Decembre they departed from thens and yode into the couÌ„trees of Auerne and Berry And in the moneth of February they passed the ryuer of Loyre and toke the waye towarde Marcyll and after entred the countre of Burgoyne And euer as they passed the countrees they raunsomed men and spoyled many townes as they wente And all be it that the French kyng appoynted dyuers of hys lordes and knyghtes to go agayne them yet at suche seasoÌ„s as they drewe nere vnto them they wolde suffre theym to departe wythout batayl For they were so many that they were nombred at lx M. But of theyr capytaynes is none named Howe be it there were Englyshmen Gascoynes Pycardes Frenchemen men of Nauerne and of many other nacyons whych the cronycle reherseth nat contynued in theyr force and strengthe longe after to the greate dammage of the countrees whyche they passed thorough as Normandy Gascoygne Guyan Burgoyne and all the chyef countrees of Fraunce and lyued by rauen and pyllage to the great enpoueryssynge of the sayde countrees and townes which they passed by or lodged in Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lxvi  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.lxvii  IohnÌ„ Torgolde  Iames Andrewe  Anno .xlii.  wyllyam Dykman  IN thys .xlii. yere and moneth of Marche apered Stella cometa that is a blasynge sterre And in the moneth of Apryll next ensuynge that is to saye the syxt day of the sayde moneth Leonell y e sonne of thys kynge Edwarde entred the cytye of Parys where he was of the dukes of Berry and Burgoyne honourably receyued and so by theym coÌ„ueyed vnto theyr brother the kyng of Fraunce vnto Louure where he at that seasoÌ„ was lodged Of whome he was also ioyously receyued logged wythin the kynges palays dyned souped wyth the kynge at hys owne table And vppon the morowe folowynge he dyned wyth the quene at a place of the kynges nere to saint Poule where the quene thaÌ„ was lodged And whan after dyuer he had a whyle daunsed and passed the tyme wyth other dysportes he than wyth the sayd .ii. dukes was agayne conueyed vnto the kynge souped with hym agayne that nyght And vppon the mornynge beynge tuysdaye the sayd dukes fested the sayde syr Leonell at a place of theyrs in Parys named Artoys And vpoÌ„ the wednesdaye he dyned souped agayne wyth the quene And vpon the thursday morowe folowynge the sayde syr Leonell toke hys leue of the kyng quene the whyche gaue vnto hym gyftes to suche as were in hys coÌ„pany to y e value of .xx. M. floryns aboue was coÌ„ueyed wyth noble men as the erle of Cancaruyle other tyll he was comen to Sens wyth knyghtê tyll he came to the borders of FrauÌ„ce where he gaue vnto theym ryche gyftes wyth great thankes And after he contynued hys iourney tyll he came vnto y e cytie of Mylayne where shortly after he maryed the doughter of Galyace duke of the sayde cytye and couÌ„tre had by her greate possessyons by reason that her sayde father dyed shortely after And in the ende of thys yere the erles of Armenak of Bret and of Perygort wyth dyuers other nobles of the duchye of Guyan
sayde erle of Northumberlande that he for insuffycyency whyche he knewe hymselfe to be of to occupye so greate a charge as to gouerne thys realme of Englande he wolde gladly leue of and renouÌ„ce the ryght and tytle aswell of that as of hys tytle to the crowne of FrauÌ„ce and hys mageste vnto Henry duke of Herforde and that to do in suche conuenyente wyse as by the lernyd men of hys lande it shulde moste suffyciently be by them deuysed and ordeyned To the whyche rehersall the kynge in our sayde presences answered benyngly and sayde that suche promyse he made and so to the same he was at that howre in full purpose to perfourme and fulfyll sauyng he desyred fyrst to haue personal speche wyth the sayde duke and wyth the archebysshoppe of Caunterbery hys cosyns And ferthermore he desyred to haue a byll drawen of the sayde resygnacyon that he myghte be perfyghte in the rehersall therof After whiche copy to hym by me the sayde erle delyuered we the sayde lordes and other departed And vppon the same after noone the kynge desyrynge moche the commynge of the duke of Lancaster at the laste the sayd duke wyth the archebysshoppe entred the foresayde chaumber bryngynge wyth theym the lorde Roos the lorde Burgeyny and the lorde wylloughby wyth dyuerse other where after due obeysaunce done by them vnto the kynge he famylyarly and wyth a gladde countenaunce to vs aperynge talked wyth the sayde archebysshop and duke a good season And that communycacyon fynyshed the kynge wyth a gladde countenaunce in presence of vs and the other aboue rehersed sayde openly that he was redy to renounce and resygne all his kyngelye mageste in maner and fourme as he before seasons had promised And all thoughe he had and myght sufficyently haue declared his renouncement by the redyng of an other meane persone yet he for the more suretie of the mater and for the sayd resygnacyon shulde haue hys full force and strengthe he therfore redde the scrowle of resignacyon him selfe in maner and fourme as foloweth In the name of god Amen I Rycharde by the grace of god kynge of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce and lorde of Irelande acquyte and assoyle all archebysshoppes bysshoppes and other prelates seculer or relygyous of what dygnite degre state or condicyon that they be of and also all dukes marques erles barons lordes and al myne other lyege men bothe spirituall and seculer of what maner name or degre they be frome theyr othe of feaute and homage all other dedes and priuileges made vnto me and from all maner baÌ„des of allegeaunce and regaly or lordeshyppe In the whiche they were or be bounden to me or in any otherwyse constrayned and theym theyr heyres and successours for euermore from the same bandes and othes I release deliuer acquite and let them for fre dyssolued and acquyte and to be harmelesse for so moche as longeth to my persone by any maner waye or tytle of ryght y t to me might folowe of the foresayd thynges or of any of them And also I resygne all my kyngely dygnyte mageste and crowne with all the lordeshyppes power priuyleges to the foresayd kyngely dygnite and crowne belongynge and all other lordeshyppes and possessyons to me in any maner of wyse pertaynynge what name condicyon they be of out take the landes and possessyons for me and myne obyte purchased and bought And I renounce all ryghte and coloure of ryght and all maner tytle of possessyon and lordeshyppe the whyche I euer hadde or haue or by any maner of meane myght haue in the same lordeshyppes and possessyons or any of them or to them with any maner ryghtes belongynge or appertayning vnto any parte of theÌ„ And also the rule and gouernauÌ„ce of the same kyngedome and lordeshyppes with all admynistracyons of the same and all thynges eueryche of theym that to the hole empyre and iurisdiccyon of the same belongeth of right or in any wyse may belonge And also I renounce the name worshyppe and regalye and kyngly hyghnesse clerely frely syngulerly and holly in the mooste best maner and fourme that I may and with dede and worde I leaue of and resygne them and go frome theym for euermore sauyng alwaye to my successours kynges of EnglaÌ„de all the ryghtes priuileges appurtenaunces to y e said kyngdome lordeships abouesaid belongynge appertayninge For well I wote knowlege deme my selfe to be and haue ben vnsufficient vnable and also vnprofytable and for myne open desertes nat vnworthy to be put downe And I swere vpon y e holy EuaÌ„gels here presently with my handes touched y t I shal neuer repugne to this resygnacyon dimyssyon or yeldyng vp nor neuer inpugne theym in any maner by worde or by dede by my selfe nor by none other Nor I shall nat suffre it to be impugned iÌ„ as moche as in me is preuely nor apperte But I shall haue holde kepe thys renousing dimyssyon leuynge vp for ferme and stable for euer more in all and in euery parte thereof so god me helpe and all sayntes and by this holy euangels by me bodely touched kyssed And for more recorde of the same here openly I subscrybe and sygne this present resygnacyon with myne owne hande And forthwith in our presences and other subscrybed the same and after delyuered it vnto the archebysshope of Canterbury sayâ—ng that if it were in his power or at his assignemeÌ„t he wold that the duke of Lancaster there present shulde be his successour â—ing after hym And in token thereof he toke a rynge of golde froÌ„ his fynger beynge his sygnet and put it vpon the sayd dukes fynger desyrynge requirynge y e archebysshop of yorke to shewe and make reporte vnto the lordes of the parlyament of hys voluntary resygnacyon And also of his entent and good mynde that he bare towarde his cosyn the duke of LaÌ„caster to haue him his successour and kyng after him And this done â–ª euery man toke their leaue and returned to theyr owne UPon the morowe folowynge beynge tuisday and the laste day of Septembre all the lordes spirytuall and temporall with also the commons of the sayde parlyamente assembled at westmynster where in in the presence of them the archebysshoppe of yorke accordinge vnto the kynges desyre shewed vnto them seryously the voluntary renounsynge of the kynge with also the fauoure the whiche he oughte vnto his cosyn y e duke of Lancaster for to haue hym hys successoure And ouer y e shewed vnto theym the cedule or byll of renouncemente sygned wyth kynge Rychardes hande After whyche thynges in ordre by him fynisshed the questyon was axed fyrste of the lordes yf they wolde admytte and alowe the sayde renouncement The whyche whan it was of the lordes graunted and confyrmed the lyke questyon was axed of the commons and of theym in lyke maner affyrmed After whiche admyssyon it was than declared that nat withstandynge the foresaid renounsynge so by the lordes and commons
â—saiâ— 36 Et dabo pueros principes corum effeminati dominabuntur eis I shall sayeth our lorde gyue chyldren to be theyr rulers and prynces and weke or ferefull shall haue domynyon ouer them But of hys greate mercy he hath vysyted vs I truste hys peculier people and sente vs a man to haue the rule of vs and putte by chylderne y t before tyme ruled thys lande after chyldysshe condycyons as by y e werkes of theym it hath ryght lately appered to the greate dysturbaunce of all thys realme and for want or lack of a man For as sayeth the apostell Paule ad Coryntheos primo capitulo .xiii. Cum essem â–ª paruusus sapiebam vt paruusus soquebar vt paruusus c. Quam so autem factus sum viâ— euacuani quae erant paruusi That is to meane whanne I was a chylde I sauoured and spake as a chylde But at the tyme whanne I came vnto the state of a man thanne I putte by all my chyldysshe condycyons The apostell sayth he fauoured and spake as a chylde in whome is no stedfastnesse or constancy For a chylde wyll lyghtely promyse and lyghtly he wyll breke hys promyse do all thynges that hys appetyte gyueth hym vnto forgeteth lyghtely what he hath done By whych reason it foloweth that nedely great inconuenyence muste fall to that people y t a chylde is ruler and gouernour of Nor it is nat possyble for that kynge dome to stande in felicite where such condycyons reygne in the hede and ruler of the same But now we ought all to reioyse that all suche defautes ben expelled and that a man and nat a chylde shall haue lordshyp ouer vs. To whome it belongeth to haue a sure rayne vpon hys tunge that he maye be knowen fronra chylde or a man vsyng chyldysche condycyons Of whome I truste I may say as y e wyse man sayeth in hys Prouerbys Prouerbiorum tercio capitulo Bea tus homo qui inuenit sapientiam et qui affluit prudentia The whyche is to meane Blessed be the man y t hathe sapyence or wysedome and that haboundeth in prudence For that man that is ruled by sapience must nedes loue and drede our lorde god And who so loueth and dredeth him must consequentely folowe that he muste kepe hys commaundementes By force wherof he shall mynyster trewe iustyce vnto his subiectes and do no wronge nor iniury to any maÌ„ so that than shall folowe the wordes of the wyse man the whyche ben rehersed Prouerbiorum decimo Benedictio domini super caput iusti os autem impiorum operit iniquitatem which is to meane The blessynge of oure lorde god shall a lyght vpon the hede of our kyng beyng a iuste and rightwyse man for the tunge of hym worketh equyte iustyce But the tunge of wycked and of synners couereth iniquyte And who that werketh or mynystreth iustyce in due ordre he nat allonely sauegardeth hym selfe but also holdeth y e people in a surete of restfulnesse of the whyche ensueth peace pleÌ„te And therfore it is sayde of the wyse kyng SalomoÌ„ Ecclesiastes decimo Beata tetra 〈◊〉 tex nobilis est 〈◊〉 principes vescuntur in tempore sun whyche is to be vnderstande that blessed and happy is that lande of the whych the kynge or ruler is noble and wyse the prynces ben blessed that lyue in hys tyme. As who wolde say they may take exaumple of hym to rule guyde theyr subiectes For by the discressyon of a noble wyse maÌ„ beyng in auctorite many euylles be sequestred and put a parte and all dyssmilers put vnto sylence For the wyse man coÌ„sidereth noteth well the great inconuenyences whyche dayly nowe growe of it where the chylde or insypyente drynketh the swete delycyous wordes vnauysydly perceyueth nat entoxycacion whyche they ben mynged or myxte with tyll he be inuyroned and wrapped in al daunger as lately the experyence therof hath ben apparent to all our syghtes knowleges and nat without the great daunger of all this realme And all was for lacke of wysedome in the ruler whych demed taught as a chylde gyuyng senteÌ„ce of wylfulnes and nat of reason So that whyle a chylde reygned selfe wyll iuste reygned reason wyth good conscyeÌ„ce were outlawed with iustyce stedfastnesse many other vertuys But of thys parell daunger we ben delyuered by the especyal helpe grace of god Quia vir dominabitur tur in populo that is to meane he that is nat a chylde but perfyght in reason For he commeth natte to execute hys owne wyll but hys wyll that sente hym that is to wytte goddes wyl as a man to whome god of hys habundaunte grace hath gyuen perfyghte reason and dyscrescyon to dyscerne deme as a perfyght man wherefore nat alonely of thys man we shall say that he shall dwell in wysedome but as a perfyght man and nat a chylde he shall thynke deme haue suche a cyrcuÌ„specte wyth hym that he shall dylygently foreloke se that goddes wyll be done and nat hys And therefore nowe I truste the wordes of the wyse man Ecclesiastici decimo shal be veryfyed in our kynge sayenge index sapiens iudicabit populum suum principatus sensati stabilis erit that is as sayeth the wyse man A wyse and dyscrete iuge shall now deme hys people the domynyon or lordshyppe of a dyscrete wyse man shall stande stedfast wher upon shall than folowe the seconde verse of the same chapyter sayenge Secundum iudicem populi sic ministri eius c. that is Lyke as the hede and soueraygne is replenysshed wyth all sapyence and vertue in guydynge of hys people admynistrynge to theym lawe wyth due conuenyent iustyce so shall the subiectes agayn warde be garnysshed wyth awe and louynge drede bere vnto hym nexte god all honoure trouthe allegeaunce So that than it maye be concluded wyth the resydue of the foresayde verses Qu alis rector est ciuitatis tales inhabitantes in ca. whyche is to meane Suche as y e ruler of the cytye is suche than be the inhabytauntes of the same So that consequentely it foloweth a good mayster maketh a good dyscyple And in lykewyse an euyll kynge or ruler shall lose hys people and the cytyes of hys kyngedome shal be left desolate and vnhabyted wherefore thus I make an ende in stede of a chylde wylfully doynge hys luste and pleasure wythout reason nowe shall a man be lorde and ruler y t is replenysshed wyth sapieÌ„ce and reason and shall gouerne the people by skylfull domys settynge a parte all wylfulnesse and pleasure of hym selfe So that the worde that I beganne wyth maye be veryfyed of hym Ecce quia vir dominabitur in populo The whyche our lorde graunte and that he maye prosperously reygne to the pleasure of god and welthe of his realme Amen The whyche oracion beyng thus fynyshed the people answerynge wyth greate gladnesse Amen the kynge
as foloweth Upon the .ix. day of October dyed IohnÌ„ Bryan sheryfe and for hym was chosen to that offyce IohnÌ„ Parnes Draper Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xviii  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xix  IohnÌ„ Bryan  wyllyam Seuenoke Grocer Rauffe Barton Anno .vii.  IohnÌ„ Parnesse  THys yere the foresayde syege aboute the cytye of Roan coÌ„tynuynge vpon the .xii. daye of Ianuary foresayde the Frenchmen offeryd to treate whych treaty y e kyng admytted vnto the erlys of warwike and Salysbury wyth other And for the Frenche party was appoynted the captayne of the cytye named syr Guy de Bocyer other By reason of whyche treaty it was agreed that y e sayd capitayne vpon the .xix. day of the sayd present moneth of Ianuary at such an houre as it shuld please y e kynge to assygne shulde delyuer vnto suche persons as the kynge wolde appoynte the cytye castell of Roan in all peasyble wyse excepte the sayd cytye and castell be rescowyd by the dolphyne of Fraunce before the sayd xix daye And the .xxii. daye of the sayd moneth the inhabytauntes of the sayde cytye to paye vnto the kynge .xv. C. scutes of golde wherof two shulde alwaye be worth and englysshe noble And other .xv. huÌ„dred of lyke scutes they shulde paye vpon the .xxiii. daye of February next folowynge whiche couenauntes with many and diuers other coÌ„prysed to .xxv. artycles were by the assuraunce of both partyes surely ratifyed and assured And for no rescouse by the sayde dolphyn or any other Frenchman was made by the daye aboue lymytted therfore y e said capytayne accordynge to hys bonde and promysse delyuered the sayd cytye and castell vppon the .xix. day of Ianuary afore sayde beyng the daye of saynt wolstan The wynnynge of thys cytye of Roan ascrybeth Gaguinus vnto y e ciuyle dyscord that was bytwene the cytesyns and theyr fyrste capytayne named erle of Danmale whom they expulsyd y e cyty with a strong power of Normans But yet as he affermeth the cytesyns helde the cyty tyll they were coÌ„strayned for lacke of vytayll to eate horses dogges cattes rattes and other vermyn whan kynge Henry had set y e cyty of Roan in an order he then passed y e countrees towarde Fraunce so that he subdued the cityes and townes as he rode And the .xx. daye of Maye he came to Troys in ChaÌ„payne where he was honourably receyued In whyche passetyme IohnÌ„ duke of Burgoyne that before tyme had ben the occasyon of the murder of the duke of Orleaunce was now slayne in the presence of the dolphyn lyke as before I haue shewed to you in y e xxxix yere of Charles the .vii. wherfore Phylyppe hys sonne and duke after hym refused the dolphyns partye and drewe hym vnto kynge Henry and delyuered to hym the possessyon of Charlys the Frenche kynge and dame Katheryne hys doughter as affermyth Gaguinus Then were meanes of concorde and vnyte soughte and laboured by the Frenchemen in so effectuall maner that shortely after for a fynall peas to be hadde bytwene both realmes kynge Henry at Troys in ChaÌ„payne forsayde by the meanes of the sayde Phylyppe duke of Burgoyn maryed the forenamed Katheryne vppon Trynite sondaye than beyng the .iii. daye of Iuny Before solempnysacyon of which maryage a treaty and conclusyon of a peas conteynyng .xxxvii. artycles bytwene bothe kynges was concluded wherof y e effecte was that kyng Henry shulde be admytted and named regent of Fraunce and y t Charles shulde be kynge for terme of hys lyfe and receyue the issues and profytes of the same and quene Isabell hys wyfe to enioye her dower for terme of her lyfe to quenes of FrauÌ„ce due and accustomed And quene Katheryne kynge Henryes wyfe to haue her dower in Englande to the value of .xl. thousande scutes whyche shulde be in value tenne thousande marke Englysshe And yf the ouerlyued kynge Henry then she to haue dower of the realme of Fraunce to y e value .xx. thousande frankes yerely to beleuyed of suche lordshyppes as Blaunche somtyme wyfe to Phylyple Beaw helde And after the dethe and tyme of the forsayde Charlys the crowne wyth all ryghtes belongynge to the same of the realme of Fraunce to remayne vnto kynge Henry and to hys heyres kynges Bâ—d for the sayde Charlys was vysyted wyth sykenesse the kynge as regent shulde haue the hole gouernaunce of the sayde realme and defence of the same specyally agayne the dolphyne whyche entended and dyd hys vttermost power to distourbe the sayde peas And that the lordes and nobles of Fraunce as well spyrytuall as temporall shall make othe vnto kynge Henry to be obedyent vnto his lefull commaundmentes concernynge the foresayd gouernaunce and defence and they with y e hedes and rulers of cytyes castelles and townes to mayntayne vphold the sayde peas to the vttermost of theyr powers and after the dethe of y e sayd Charles to become his trewe subiectes and lyege men And that al suche lordshyppes as after that daye shulde be be conquered or wonne fro the Dolphyn and other dysobedyentes that they shulde remayne to the vse of the sayd Charles durynge his naturall lyfe Prouyded that yf any were wonne within y e duchy of Normandy that they shulde incontynently remayne to kynge Henryes vse And that after the dyscease of the sayde Charles the duchy of NormaÌ„dy all other lordshyppes therunto belongynge to be as one monarchye vnder the crowne of FrauÌ„ce And also that durynge the lyfe of the sayde Charles kynge Henry shulde nat name or wryte hym selfe kynge of Fraunce And that the sayd Charles shulde in all his wrytynges name kynge Henry his moost derest sonne Henry kynge of Englande and enherytour of the crowne of FrauÌ„ce And that none imposycyon or taske shuld be put vpon the comons of Fraunce but to the necessary defeuce weale of the realme And that by the aduyce of bothe couÌ„sayles of the realmes of Englande and of Fraunce suche stablysshed ordynauÌ„ces myght be deuysed that when the sayde realme of Fraunce shulde fall to the possessyon of kynge Henry or his heyres that it myght with suche vnyte ioyne vnto the realme of EnglaÌ„de y e one kynge myght rule both kyngdomes as one monarchye reserued alwayes to eyther pryncypate or realme all ryghtes lybertyes fraÌ„chyses and lawes so that nother realme shulde be subiecre vnto other And that perpetuall amyte and frendshyp with all famylyer conuersacion aswell by byenge sellynge and all other lefull to be coÌ„tonued atwene bothe subiectes for euer all customes and pryuyleges to eyther realme to be payde and obeyed And that kynge Charles nor Phylyp duke of Burgoyne shulde make any concorde or peaâ— with the Dolphyn of Uyen without the assent agrement of kynge Henry Nor he in lykewyse without the consent of the sayde Charles and Phylyp And the sayd Charles duryng his lyfe shulde honorably be founde and entreated and to haue in his housholde and aboute hym noble men of his owne nacyon with all other
be socoured kyng Edwarde for the same entent wyth a stronge power persed the realme of Scotlande after layde hys syege vnto the towne of Berwyke Uppon the .xix. daye of the foresayd moneth of Iuly the Scottes wyth a greate power purposyng to remoue y e sayde syege came towarde the sayd towne wherof kyng Edward beyng enfourmed made towarde theÌ„ ar a place called Halydone hyll gaue to y e sayd Scottes batayll of them had triuÌ„phaunte vyctorye in so moche that he slewe of them as testifyen dyuerse wryters viii erles ix huÌ„dreth knyghtes banerettes iiii C. esquyres and vpon .xxxii. M. of the comon people of Englysshe men were slayne but onely .xv. persones After whych victory thus by the kynge opteyned the capitayne of Berwyke vpoÌ„ y e morew folowynge beyng saynt Margarettes day yelded to the kyng the sayde towne with the castel And that done kyng Edward betoke the guydyng therof with all other castelles townes within that lande vnto the forenamed syr Edward Baylol as kyng of Scottes shortly after retourned into Englande Than Dauyd the sonne of Robert le Bruze beynge as before is sayd kyng of Scottes was constrayned with hys wyfe secretely to sayle into Fraunce thyder was brought by a Flemyng named Marcuell as testyfyeth the Frenche cronycle where of Phylyppe de Ualoyes than Frenche kyng the sayd Dauyd with Iane of the towre his wyfe was receyued And for theyr comforte the sayde Frenche kyng gaue vnto them the castell of Gaylarde tyll fortune to them wolde be more frendelye Thys yere also as wytnesseth y e sayd frenche cronycle the Frenche kynge sente vnto the kynge of Englande y e bysshop of Beauuays and the hyghe constable of FrauÌ„ce whych shewed vnto kynge Edwarde that theyr soueraygne lorde entendyd a voyage into the holy laÌ„de and requyred hym of hys ayde and coÌ„pany for perfourmaunce of the sayd iournay whereunto the kynge gaue answere vnto that request than whan the Frenche kynge had perfourmed all suche condycions as he before tymes had promysed to do than he sayd he shuld be conteÌ„ted to gyue suche answere vnto y t request by theÌ„ in hys name made as theruÌ„to shulde be coÌ„uenient And more he added to the same y t he maruayled greatly that the sayd Frenche kynge entended any suche voyage tyll he had clerelye acquyted hym of the sayd promysse couenaunt with whyche answere the Frenche kynge was nothynge contented so that malyce and murmour grewe and encreased betwene them dayly after And an occasyon of thys sharpe answere was for so moche as kynge Edward was credyble enfourmed that the Frenche kynge had vytayll and manned .x. greate shyppes to haue saylled into Scotlande and there to haue warred the whyche by tempest were wedyr dryuen into Flaunders so sore betyn with the see that after they had sold moch of theyr stuffe at y e hauyn of Sluce they were coÌ„pelled of necessyte to retorne without worship into Fraunce Thys with other kyndelyd suche a dedely hate betwene these .ii. crysten prynces y â— moche crysten blode in ê“cesse of tyme folowing was for theyr quarelles shadde Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxxi  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxxii  Nycholas Pyke  IohnÌ„ Preston  Anno .vii.  IohnÌ„ Husbande  IN thys .vii. yere in the wynter season and as sayeth Guydo in the moneth of NoueÌ„bre the kynge yode agayne towarde ScotlaÌ„de and helde hys Crystmas at yorke And after the solempnytie of that hyghe feast ended he sped hym into ScotlaÌ„de where her layde siege vnto y e castel of Kylbrydge lastely wan it by strengthe set the countrey in some quyetnesse And after retourned vnto Newe castel vpon Tyne and taryed there a certayne of tyme and helde there hys feaste of Pentecoste wyth great royalte whyther within shorte space after came syr Edward Baylol kyng of Scottes and vpon the day of saint Geruasi Prothasi or y â— .xix. day of Iune made his homage vnto kynge Edwarde and in presence of many other noble meÌ„ of bothe laÌ„des sware vnto hym feawty or fydelyte And y e done he retourned into Scotlande kyng Edward vnto yorke so vnto wyndesore TheÌ„ were al such lordes of Englande as before tyme were in Edward the secondes dayes disseased of suche landes as they had in ScotlaÌ„d restored agayne to theyr sayd possessions for theym made theyr homage vnto y e kyng of Scottes sauynge theyr allegeaunce vnto theyr naturall soueraygne lorde Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxiii  IohnÌ„ Hamonde  Iohan Ponteney  Anno .viii.  wyllyam Hansarde  IN thys eyghte yere certayne ambassadours were sent from Philip de Ualoyes kyng of FrauÌ„ce as the bysshop of Thuroyn and the lorde of Ferry and Peynguy for to coÌ„clude certayn artycles of variauÌ„ce betwene theyr lord the kyng of England But theyr purpose toke none effecte except that the kyng grauÌ„ted to sende vnto the FreÌ„ch kyng shortly after a certayn of hys lordes to haue forther comunycacion with hym towchyng the sayd artycles The whych promyse he fulfylled as appereth in he next yere ensuyng Anno domini M.CCC.xxxiii  Anno domini M.CCC.xxxiiii  Iohan. Hynkstone  Reynolde at Cunduyte  Anno .ix.  walter Turke  IN thys .ix. yere fell excedynge plente of rayne therupoÌ„ ensuyed great moreyne of beestes And in the moneth of Decembre the kyng entred agayne into Scotlande and helde hys Crystmas at the castell of Rokkysborough the whyche he caused to be newly repayred And after thynges there ordered to hys pleasure he retourned into Englande And soone after he sent the archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury syr Phylip de MouÌ„tague syr Geffrey Scrope vnto the Frenche kynge to the entent to haue concluded an amyte betwene hym and the sayd french kyng whych before was moued by y e freÌ„ch ambassade as before is shewed in the eyghte yere of hys reygne But whaÌ„ these sayde lordes were landed in Fraunce they were longe delayed or they myghte come to the kynges presence in so moche that they sayd playnly vnto suche lordes of FrauÌ„ce as were assygned by y e Frenche kyng to passe the tyme wyth theym that they supposed that it was nat the kynges pleasure to speke with them By meane of whyche wordes they were shortly after broughte vnto the kynges presence of whome they were receyued wyth ioyous countenaunce and so contynued by a certayne of tyme in furtheryng of theyr ambassade so y t in processe of tyme a conclusyoÌ„ of peas to be had betwene Englande and Fraunce was accorded and so ferfourth spedde that proclamacioÌ„ therof shuld haue beÌ„ made in Parys and the countrey there aboute vppon the morowe folowynge But how it came in y e kynges mynde the Englysshe ambassadoures were scantlye retourned to theyr lodgynges whan they were agayne sente fore and farther enfourmed thanne that the kynges pleasure and mynde was to haue Dauyd late kynge of Scottes to be included wythin the same peace
and that he shuld agayn be restored vnto hys kyngdome whereunto yt was answered by the Englyssh ambassadours that theyr coÌ„myssyon stretched nat so farre nor that theyr prince had gyuen vnto theÌ„ any suche auctoryte wherefore all y e former comunycacyoÌ„ was reuoked adnulled they retourned into Englande wythoute any conclusyon takynge Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxiiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxv  walter Mordon  Reynolde at Cunduyte  Anno .x.  Rycharde Upton  IN thys .x. yere for so moche as no conclusyon of vnyte peas myght be had betwene the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce therfore warre was proclaymed vpon bothe partyes The whyche warre was greatly procured by the meane of syr Robert of Artoys as in the story of Phylyp de Ualoyes shal be after shewed Then eyther prynce sought y e wayes and meanes howe eyther of theym myghte discontent other in so moche that the Frenche kynge sente soone after into Scotlande a crewe of Frenchemen to ayde suche enemyes as kynge Edwarde there had By reason whereof the sayde Scottes made sharpe warre vppon the kynges seruauÌ„tes and frendes and putte the lande to greate vexacyon and trouble in so moche that y e kyng was forced to assemble hys power to spede hym agayne thyther Than about mydsomer the kynge entred Scotlande by the see warred vpoÌ„ the Scottes and FrenchemeÌ„ Of the whych no notary batayl is specified except in that iournay the kyng subdued hys enemyes toke there dyuerse prysoners Amonge the which one called erle of Morreta Frencheman was chyefe y â— after was with other in ê“cesse of tyme there deliuered in exchauÌ„ge for y e erle of Namur another freÌ„ch lord whych thaÌ„ was takeÌ„ by gyle of Scottê as he was comyng towarde saynte Iohfis towne for to ayde the partye of kynge Edwarde whaÌ„ kyng Edward had agayn pacifyed the Scottes and takeÌ„ homage of suche as before rebelled he than as testyfyeth the Frenche cronicle stablysshed y e fore named Edward Bayloll as kyng of Scottes commytted the rule of the lande vnto hym as he before tymes had done Than the Scottes for the greate kyndenesse whyche they had founde in the kyng in recoÌ„peÌ„semeÌ„t of the great charge whych he by sundrye tymes had had in the defendyng of theyr enemyes graunted bounde them vnto hym to hys heyres kynges of England that they shuld ayde assyste hym agayne all prynces And whan so euer he had warre or any kynge of EnglaÌ„de beynge ryghtfull enherytoure agayn any prynce other wythin hys lande or without y e Scottes at theyr propre costes expenses shuld fynde iii. C. horsemeÌ„ well armed and a M fotemen well suffycyently arrayed for the warre the whiche .xiii. C. men the Scottes shulde wage for an hole yere And yf the kynge of Englande ended nat hys warre within the yere than he to hyre and wage the sayde Scottes as he doth the other of hys souldyours After whyche grauntes made bondes for the suertie therof receyued by y e kynge as wytnesseth the Frenche cronycle the kynge leuynge at Edenborough a certayne of hys knyghtes to strength y t Scottes agaynste the FrenchemeÌ„ whych compassed all the wayes they myght to brynge Dauyd the sonne of Robert le Bruze in possessyon of that laÌ„de he shortlye after retourned into Englande Anno domini M.CCC.xxxv  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvi  wyllyam Brykelsworthe  IohnÌ„ Pontnay  Anno .xi.  IohnÌ„ Northall  IN thys xiâ— yere y e kynge remeÌ„brynge the greate charge y t he had with the warre in ScotlaÌ„de and also for the charge y t he dayly had in Guyan more contynually shulde haue in defeÌ„dyng of y e freÌ„chmeÌ„ wynnyng of hys right he therfore gathered treasour vpoÌ„ euery syde by dyuerse sundry ways wherof y e maner is nat expressed But so great plente came to hys vse y t it was scaÌ„t thorow out y e realme By reason of whyche scarcytie vytayll moche other Mercimonies were exceding good chepe For at LoÌ„doÌ„ a quarter of whete was solde for .ii. s a fat oxe for .vi. s. viii. d a fat shepe for .vi. d. .viii. d. vi peioÌ„s for a peny a fatte goos for .ii. d a pygge for a peny so al other vytayl after y e rate This yere also vpoÌ„ holy Rode day or y e .xiiii. day of SepteÌ„bre dyed syr IohnÌ„ of ElthaÌ„ erle of Corne wayl brother vnto y e kyng without issu wherfore y e sayd erldoÌ„ fell into y e kynges haÌ„de This maÌ„ lyeth buryed at westmynster vpoÌ„ y e right haÌ„de of y e hygh aulter In this yere also apered Stella cometa in englysshe named y e blasyng starre in an huge stremyng maner wherof many dyuerse construccioÌ„s were had amoÌ„ge the comoÌ„ people whych I passe ouer Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvi  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvii  walter Neale  Henry Darcy  Anno .xii.  Nycholas Crane  IN thys .xii. yere y e kynge helde hys parlyament at westmynster about the tyme of lent Durynge the whych he made of the erledâ—m of Cornewayle duchy gaue it with the erledam of Chestre vnto Edward hys sonne And at thys parlyamente were made .vi. erles that is to say of Derby of Northampton of Hâ—Ì„tyngdon of Salysbury of Glouceter of Suff â–ª as Henry of Lancastre was created erle of Derby or after somme wryters of Leyceter wyllyam de Bothum erle of NorthamptoÌ„ wyllyam de Clynton erle of HuÌ„tyngedon wyllyam de MouÌ„tague erle of Salysbury Hugh of Audeley erle of Glouceter Robert of Ufforde erle of Suffolke And in thys parlyamente was an acte enacted that no man shulde were no maner of sylk in gowne cote or doublet but yf he myghte spende of good rente an hundreth â—â— by yere whyche acte was nat longe holden In thys yere also the kynge amonge dyuerse pryuyleges grauÌ„ted vnto y e cytezeyns of London that the offycers of the mayres sheryfes shulde from that day forthwarde vse marys of syluer parcell gylte The kynge of Fraunce thys yere for so moche as he was credybly enfourmed that kyng Edwarde wolde entre the lande of FrauÌ„ce to make warre vpoÌ„ thesame he therfore made great purueyaunce to resyste hym For the coÌ„mon fame ranne thanne in FrauÌ„ce y t kyng Edward enteÌ„ded nat onely to clayme Gascoyne Guyan but also all Fraunce as hys propre rightfull enherytaunce in the ryghte of hys mother wherefore the French kynge assembled an huge hoste and commytted the rule of it vnto the kynge of Nauerne and to the erle of Alenson brother vnto the sayde Frenche kynge â–ª whyche sayde capytaynes wyth theyr people awayted dayly the kynge of Englandes commynge whyche theym for that yere dyspoynted But as testyfyeth the same Frenche cronycle kynge Edwarde in thys whyle sent into Flaunders a knyghte called syr Barnarde de Brette for to treate of an amyâ—e betwene hym and the Flemynges For this cause the erle of Flaunders whych was