the southe part which part is the front and begynnyng of the Land and endeth narow or as it were in a straighte So the circuit or compasse of the Iland is .xviii. C. myles which is .200 lesse than Caesar doothe recken or accompt Thus muche I haue thought good to take out of Polydore touchynge the diuision of England with the forme and situation of the same Much other good matter that author doth alledge whiche here for breuitie I doo omitte referring those that desyre to know farther herof to that boke where he shall fynde the style and story bothe pleasant and profitable The Race of the kinges of England since Brute the fyrste of this Realme and in the margent are placed the yeares before Christ his byrth when euery kyng began their Reignes tylye come to Cimbilinus in whose tyme Christe the Sauioure of the world was born and then foloweth the yeares from Christ his byrthe AFter the commune and best allowed opinion of the moste ancient and best approued Authours Brute the sonne of Siluius Posthumius arryued in this Ilande at a place now called Toâ—nes in Deuonshire the yeare of the worlde .2855 the yeare before Christes natiuitie .1108 wherin he fyrst began to Reigne and named it Britayn which before was called Albion And therin he builded the noble Citie of London and named it new Troy buildyng there a Temple to Appolyn wherein he placed an Archeflamyn He deuided the same Iland among his thre sonnes vnto Locrine he gaue the midle part of Britayn now called Englande with the superioritie of al this Ile Unto Camber he gaue Wales and to Albanact Scotland After whiche partition he deceassed when he had reigned xxiiii yeres and was buried at London then called new Troy as is aforesayd Locryne the eldest sonne of Brute reigned .xx. yeres he chased the Hunnes whiche inuaded this Realme and pursued them so sharply that many of theÌ„ with their kyng were drowned in a ryuer whyche departeth Englande and Scotland And for so much as the kyng of Hunnes named Humbar was there drowned the ryuer is tyll this daye named Humbar so saythe Hardyng Fabian and other This king Locryn had to wyfe Gwendolynâ— daughter of Corineus duke of Cornewall by whom he had a sonne named Madan he also kept as paramor the beautiful lady Estrilde by whom he had a daughter named Sabryne And after the death of Corineus duke of Cornewal he put from him the sayd Guendolyn and wedded Estrylde but Gwendolyn repaired to Cornwall where she gathered a great power and fought with king Locryn and siue him he was buryed at Troynouant She drowned the ladye Estrylde wyth her doughter Sabrine in a ryuer that after the yong maydens name is called Seuerne Gwendolyne the daughter of Corineus and wyfe to Locryne for so much as Madan her sonne was to yong to gouerne the land was by common assent of all the Britaynes made ruler of the whole Isle of Britayn whiche she well and discretely ruled to the comforte of her subiectes .xv. yeares and then lefte the same to her sonne Madan Madan the sonne of Locryne and Gwendolyne was made ruler of Britayne of hym is lyttle memorie made by any wrtters but that he vsed greate tyranny among his Brytons And that beyng at his disport of huntyng he was deuoured by wyld wolues when he had reigned .xl. yeres He left after hym .ii. sonnes as is reported in Polycronica named Mempricius and Manlius Mempricius the sonne of Madan beyng Kyng by treason slewe his brother Manlius after whose death he lyued in more tranquillitie wherthrough he fell in slouth and so to lechery takynge the wyues and doughters of his subiectes and lastly becam so euyl that he forsoke his wyfe and concubines and fell to the synne of Sodomie with beastes wherby he became odible to God and man And goyng on huntyng lost his company and was destroyed of wyld wolues wherof the lande was then full when he had reigned .xx. yeres Ebranke the sonne of Mempricius was made ruler of Britayn he had as testifieth Policronica Gaufride and other .xxi. wiues of whom he receued .xx. sonnes and .xxx. daughters whiche he sent into Italye there to be maryed to the blood of the Troyans In Albanye now called Scotland he edified the castell of Alclude which is Dumbritain he made the castle of Maidens now called Edenbrough he made also the castel of Bamburgh he buylded Yorke citie wherin he made a temple to Diane and set there an Archeflame and there was buried when he had reigned .lx. yeares About the yeare of the world .3000 according to the prophecie of Helie half the yeares of the world were fulfylled whyche was the yeare before Christes byrthe .963 Brute Greneshield the sonne of Ebranke ruled this lande .xii. yeares and was buried at Yorke leuyng after him a sonne named Leill Leill the sonne of Brute Greneshield beyng a iust man and louer of peace in his tyme buylded Carleile and made there a temple placyng therein a Flamyn to rule the same accordyng to the lawes of theyr gods at that tyme and there was buryed when he had ruled Britayn .xxv. yeares Lud Rudibras the sonne of Leille buylded Canterbury Winchester and Shaftsburye wherein he buylded .iii. temples and placed in the same .iii. flames lyke as byshoppes now be he reigned .xxix. yeares and left a sonne after him named Bladud Bladud sonne of Lud Rudibras who had longe studied at Athens broughte wyth hym .iiii. Philosophers to keepe schole in Britayn for the which he builded Stamford and made it an vniuersitie as saythe Merlyn wherein he had great numbre of scholers studyinge in all the .vii. liberall sciences whiche vniuersitie dured to the commynge of S. Augustine At whiche tyme the byshop of Rome interdited it for heresies that fell among the Sarons and Britons together mixt so saith Hardyng He builded Bathe and made there a temple to Apollo and placed there a Flamyn he made there the hote bathes and practised his necromancye He decked hymselfe in fethers and presumed to flye in the ayre and fallynge on hys temple of Apollo brake his necke when he had reigned .xx. yeares Leire sonne of Bladud succeded hys father he buylded Caire Leyr now called Leicester and made there a Temple of Ianus placyng a Flamyn there to gouerne the same he had .iii. daughters Gonorell Ragan and Cordelle Whiche Cordelle for her wysedom and vertue towardes her father succeded hym in the kyngedome When he had reygned .xl. yeare he deceassed and was buried at Leycester Cordyla the youngest daughter of Liere succedynge her father was sore vexed by her two nephues Morgan of Albanie and Conedagus of Camber and Cornewall who at the lengthe tooke and caste her in pryson where she beyng in dispayre of recoueryng her estate as testifieth Galfride slewe her selfe
castell of Malmesbury then the tower of London and afterwarde the towne of Notyngham with other holdes and castels betwene hym and kyng Stephen were foughten many battayles wherby thys realme was sore troubled Anno. 18. But at the last peace was agreed betweene Maude the empresse hir sonne Henry and kyng Stephen vpon thys condition that Stephen duryng his life should holde the kyngdom of England and Henry in the meane tyme to bee proclaymed heyre apparant in the chief cities throughout the realme Kyng Stephen buylded the abbey of Coggeshall in Essex He founded an other at Furneis in Lancashyre and the thyrde at Feuersham in Kente where now his body resteth and deceassed the xxv day of October in the yeare of oure Lord .1154 when he had reigned .xviii. yeres .x. moneths and .xxiiii. dayes King Henry the seconde Anno regni .1 HEnry the second of that name the sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet and Maude the Empresse daughter of kyng Henry the fyrst began his reigne ouer this realme of England the .xxv. day of October in the yere of our Lorde .1154 and deceassed in the yere of our Lord .1189 the .vi. daye of Iuly so that he reigned xxxiiii yeres .ix. monthes and .xii. dayes He was somwhat redde of face short of body and therwith fat Of speache reasonable well learned noble in chiualrie and fortunate in battayle Of couragious hearte wyse in counsell and one that loued well peace liberall to strangers but hard to his familiars slowe of answers vnstedfast of promise geuen somdeale to pleasure and an open breaker of wedlocke By his greate manhode policie the crowne of England was muche augmented wyth the annexyng of Scotland Ireland the Isles Orcades Britayne Poytow Guyan other prouinces of France Anno. 2. Kyng Henry cast down diuers castels which were erected in the tyme of Stephen He wente into the northe partes and got from the Scots Cumberlande and Northumberland which they sayd were geuen to them by Maude his mother and set an order in that countreye Anno. 3. In England were sene .ii. sonnes in the fyrmament and in the Moone appered a redde crosse King Henry wēt with a strong armye into Wales and quieted that countrey and after buylded the stronge castell of Rutland and founded the abbey of Bassyngwerke Anno. 4. About this tyme came into England certaine Germaynes to the numbre of xxx which taught the abrogation of the Sacramentes of the altare Baptisme and Wedlocke Anno. 6. Lewes Kynge of Fraunce gaue his daughter Margaret in mariage to Henry the sonne of Kynge Henry of Englande By reason whereof was pacifyed the Warre and grudge betwene Englande and Fraunce for the landes of Poytowe and others Anno. 7. This yeare as sayth Fabyan kyng Heury went into Scotlande and made freshe warre vppon their kynge William so that at last he toke him and made hym yelde the castell of Carlyle the castell of Bamburgh with dyuers other and receued of him fealtie aud homage Anno. 8. This yeare the citie of Canterbury was fyred by negligence and a greate parte therof brent Anno. 10. Thomas Becket byshop of Canturbery fledde to Rome to complayn vpon the kyng to the byshop Anno. 14. King Henry caused Henry his eldest sonne to be crouned king as he thought to the great quietnes as well of himself as of his realme but as it proued to the vtter disturbance of them bothe Anno. 17. Thomas Becket by the mediation of Alexander byshop of Rome and Lewes the French kyng was restored to his byshoprike and not longe after by certayne gentylmen he was slayne at Canturbery Anno. 18. Kyng Henry sent ambassade to Alexāder bishop of Rome to purge him self of the death of Thomas Becket Among other thynges it was enioyned hym in his penance that it should be laufull to hys subiectes as often as them lysted to appeale to the sea of Rome and that no man should be accompted as Kynge vntyll such tyme as he were confirmed by the Romayn byshop Anno. 19. Thomas Becket was canonised by the byshop of Rome Anno. 21. Henry the sonne of Kynge Henry of England was crouned the second tyme with his wyfe Margarete the frenche kynges doughter Anno. 22. Kyng Henry the sonne by the setting on of the Kyng of France Alinour hys mother and certayn other nobles toke armes and raised deadly warre against his naturall father Dyuers strong batailes were foughten as well in England by the deputies and frends of both parties as also in Normandy Poytow Guyen Britain where they wer corporally present but y e victory fel alway to y e father There toke partie agaynste kyng Henry the father Lewys kyng of France William kynge of Scotlande Henry Geffrey and Iohn his own sonnes Robert Erle of Leicester Hughe of Chester and other But in the ende the sonnes with their alyes were constrayned to yeld to theyr father and desyre peace which he gentilly graunted and forgaue theyr trespas Anno. 24. In England fell greate wetherynge and tempest of thunder and lyghtening in the myddes of wynter and in Sommer folowing fell hayle of suche greatnes that it flewe bothe man and beast Anno. 2.6 At this tyme were manye Iewes in Englande whiche agaynste the feast of Easter did vse to sacrifice yong children in despite of christen religion Anno. 28. Henry the eldest sonne of Henry of Englande ended his lyfe Shortly after began the warre betwene kyng Henry and Philyp of France for homage that the Frenche kyng required to be done for the lands of Poytow and other and for the castell of Gysours Anno. 31. Heraclius Patriarke of Hierusalem whiche had ben in dyuers partes of Europe came to kynge Henry desyrynge hym of ayde agaynst the Turkes but was denied thereof as ye made reade in Fabian the .239 Chapter Anno. 32. At Bury the Iewes crucified a child in despite of Christes passion Anno. 34. Rycharde Earle of Poytowe made warre agaynst kyng Henry his father and taking part with the French kyng wan from hym dyuers cities townes and castels and namely the citie of Cenomannta For sorowe wherof shortly Kynge Henrye ended hys lyfe the .vi. daye of Iune in the yeare of our Lorde 4189. lyeth buried at Founteuerard Kinge Richarde the firste called Cueur de lyon Anno regni .1 RIcharde the fyrste of that name for his valyantnesse surnamed Cueurdelyon beyng the second son of Henry the seconde was crowned Kyng of Englande He began hys reigne the .vi. day of Iuly in the yere of our Lord .1289 and he deceased the yere of our Lord .1199 the .vi. day of Apryll so that he reigned .ix. yeres and .ix. monethes He was bygge of stature and had a mery countenance in the whiche appered as well a pleasant gentylnesse as a noble and princely maiestie to hys souldiors he was fauorable bountifull to hys frendes and to strangers a
called Anglia and the inhabitantes therof Angles or Englyshmen and the britaynes were called Walshemen whiche name they tooke of a duke called Wallus This happened .1791 yeres or as saith Fabian .1822 after that Brute fyrste arryued in thys lande After the conquest of Cesar .735 yeres From the entryng of the Saxons vnder their leaders Hengist and Horsus in the tyme of Uortiger .236 or nere therabout Thus ended the reigne of the Britons and nowe foloweth the reigne of the Saxons Althoughe the Saxons had deuyded this realme into seuen seuerall kyngdomes yet I wyll nowe speake chiefely of the weste saxons in order because that in proces of tyme they subdued the other kynges and brought it agayne into one monarchie AMong the west saxons reigned a noble man called Iewe of greate power and wysedome and therewith valiant and hardy in feates of armes very expert he mainteyned such warre agaynste the Kentyshe Saxons that hee constreigned them to seke and intreate meanes of peace geuyng to hym for the same great gyftes This man buylded first the colledge of Welles the abbey of Glastenbury he payd the Peter pens fyrst to Rome When he had gouerned the west Saxons by the space of .xxxvii. yeres by the earnest labour of his wife Etheldreda which was an holy womaÌ„ and abbesse of Backyng in Essex gaue vp his royall power and became a pore man and weÌ„t to Rome on pilgremage he is of Beda called Hunne or Iewe. AFter hym Ethelarde was kynge of west Saxons in whose tyme the reuerend Beda was famous and wrote his boke called Anglica historia to Offrick kyng of Northumberlande Ethelarde reigned v. yeares â—Uthred was kynge of West saxons This man made warre vpon Ethelwald or Mercia and lyed therin diuersly In his tyme appered twoo blasynge sterres castynge as it were burnynge brandes towardes the northe He reygned .xvi. yeares Ethelwald before named as Hardyng writeth buylded the abbey of Crowlande The holy man Beda whiche for hys lernyng and godly life was renoumed in all y e world ended his last day about the yeare of Christ .734 he in his lyfe compiled .lxxviii. bookes SIgebert was made kynge of Weste Saxons he was cruell and tyraÌ„nous towards his subiects and changed anciente lawes and customes after hys owne will and pleasure And because a certayn noble man somedeale sharpely aduertised hym to change his maners he malitiously caused the same persone to be put cruelly to deathe And for soo muche as he continued in his malice would not amende he was depriued of all kyngely authoritie and lastely as a person desolate and forlorne wandring alone in a wodd was slayn of a swineherde whose lorde and mayster when he had reigned as kyng he had wrongfully put to death when he had reigned iii. yeares KEnulphus of the lynage blood of Cerdicus fyrst king of West saxons reigned in the kyngdome .xxxi. yeares The vertue of this manne farre passed his fame At the begynnyng he appeased certayne murmours and grudges that were among the people for the deposyng of his predecessour Sigebert Kenulfe kyng of Mercia buylded the abbey of Wynchecombe Offa a noble man reygned in Mercia or myddle Englande he had warre with theym of Northumberlande and for a tyme subdued theim He warred also agaynst Etheldred kyng of east angles and vanquyshed and tooke prisoner Egbert kyng of Kent Offa kyng of Mercia builded the abbey of saynt Albons he chased the britons or Welshemen into Wales and made a famous dike betwene Wales and the vtter boundes of Mercia whiche is nowe called Offa dike Kenulphus kyng of west saxons as he haunted to a woman whych he kept at Merton was slayne by treason of of one Clio the kynsemanne of Sigeberte late Kynge He was buryed at Wynchester BRithricus of the bloud of Cerdidicus was made kynge of weste saxons and knyghtely ruled his lande y e space of .xvii. yeres he maried one of the daughters of Offa kyng of Mercia by whose power hee expelled Egberte that was an vnder kyng in the lordship of west saxons In his tyme as saythe Fabyan it rayned blood from heauen whiche fallyng on mens clothes appered lyke crosses The Danes fyrst entred this land of Britayne but by the strength and puissance of Brithricus and other kynges of the saxons they were driuen backe and compelled to voyde the lande Brithricus was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga For whiche deede the nobles ordeined that from thenseforthe the kynges wyues shuld not be called Quenes nor suffred to sytte with them in places of estate EGbert the saxon whyche by Brithricus was chased oute of the Realme hauynge knowledge of the deathe of Brithricus returned onte of Fraunce and in so knightely wise demeaned hym selfe that he obteyned the gouernement of Weste Saxons hee tamed the welshe men vanquyshed Berthulphus kynge of myddle Englande and subdued to his seignorie and obeysance the Kentysh saxons eastsaxons and Northumbers reigned as kynge ouer the more part of EnglaÌ„d the space of .xxxvii. yeares and was buried at Wynchester The Danes with a great host entred this landd the second tyme and spoyled the Isle of Shepey in Kente agaynste whom Egbert the kyng addressed hym with his power whom the Danes forst to flee the field After which tyme som of the Danes continually abode in one place or other of this lande EEthelwolphus the sonne of Egbert began his reigne ouer y e more part of England This man in his youth was wyllyng to haue bene a priest entred y e order of subdeacon howbest after he maried a wyfe by whome he had .iiii. sonnes whiche reigned after hym successiuely He went to Rome where he repaired the englysshe schoole whyche was fyrst fouÌ„ded by Offa kyng of Mercia This schoole was after tourned to an hospitall for englyshemen whyche came to Rome he fyrst founded the vniuersitie of Oxenford which some wryters attribute to Offa kyng of Mercia that was in the tyme of Charles the great .ix. yeres before this tyme. He reigned .xxiii. yeares and was buryed at Wynchester EThewlaldus after the death of his father began his reign in England he maried a woman whiche his father had kepte before as his concubine and dyed when he hadde not reygned fully one yeare EEthelbert the brother of Ethelwold was made king ouer the more part of Englande In the begynnynge of hys reigne the Danes entred the west part of the realme and spoiled the countrey afore them tyll they came to Wynchester and by strength toke it But by the kynge and his dukes they were forced to leaue Wynchester and in retiryng towardes their shyps they lost a great number of theyr men He reigned .vii. yeares and was buryed at Sherborne ETheldred the thyrde sonne of Ethelwolphus toke on him the gouernaÌ„ce of Westsaxones and other Prouinces of Englande He was a man framed of nature
myddle Englande that rose agaynste hym was depriued when he had reigned .iiii. yeres he was buried in the cathedrall churche of Wynchester EDgar brother to Edwyne began his reigne in Englande He was a prince of worthy memorye for hys manyfold vertues greately renoumed so excellent in iustice and sharpe in correction of vices aswell in his maiestrates as other subiectes that neuer before his dayes was vsed the lesse felony by robbers or extorcion or briberye by fals officers He chastised also the great negligence couetousnes and vicious liuyng of the clergye he refourmed and brought them to a better order of stature he was but litle but of mynde valyant and hardy very expert in marciall policye he prepared a great nauy of shyppes which he disposed in .iii. partes of his realme and had souldioures alway prest and ready agaynste the incursions of foreyn and strange enemies be reigned xvi yeares He buylded Peters Bury Thorney Ramsey and many other was buried at Glastenbury Ludwallus prince of Wales payd to hym yerely in name of tribute .3000 wolues by meane wherof within .iiii. yeares in England and Wales myght scantly be founde one wolfe This Edgare in his floryshing youthe was some deale geuen to the luste of the flesshe whyche he afterwarde greuousely repented In his tyme as well the Danes as all other people in Englande vsed the vice of great drinking The kyng therfore rode through the realme and put downe many alehouses and would suffer but one in a village or town except it were a great borough and ordeined certayne cuppes with pynnes and nailes and made a lawe that who soeuer dranke past that marke at one draught shoulde forfayt a certayne payn wherof the accuser should haue the one half and the ruler of the Towne the other halfe It is written by Fabyan and others that Edgar bring at Chester entred the ryuer of Dee and syttynge in the bote he toke the rule of the helme and caused .viii. kynges to row hym vp down the riuer vnto S. Iohns church and from thens to his palaice in tokē y t he was lord king of so many prouinces EDward the sonne of Edgar by his fyrst wyfe began hys ceigne ouer this realme contrary to the mynd and pleasure of Elfride his stepmother and other of her alliance In all kyndes of honest vertue this man might well bee compared to his father and began hys Reygne wyth suche modestye and myldenesse that hee was woorthylye fauoured of all menne Excepte onely Elfryde whyche euer bare a grudge agaynste hym for so muche as she desyred to haue the gouernaunce of the Realme for her owne soonne Egelrede Edwarde whyle hee was huntyng in a forrest by chaunce loste hys companye and rode alone to refreshe hym at the Castell of Corffe where by the counsayle of hys stepmother Elphrede he was traiterously murthered as hee satte on his horse When hee had reigned .iii. yeares hee was buryed at Shaftesbury After his death God shewed for hym dyuers myracles Wherfore he is numbred among the sayntes and martirs Before the death of thys Edward appeared a blasynge starre of meruailous greatnes It is of some authors writen that the forsaid Elphrede afterwarde take great penaunce and that she buylded twoo Monasteryes of Nonnes Almesbury and Warwell in whyche Warwell she after liued a solitarie lyfe tyll she dyed EGelrede or Etheldrede the sonne of kyng Edgar and Alphrede was ordeyned kynge of Englande and crowned at Kingstoune He was goodly of shape and visage but wholly geuē to idlenes and abhorred all princely exercises a louer of ryotte lecherie and dronkennes and vsed extreme cruelty towardes his subiectes hauyng his eares open to all vniust complaintes In feates of armes of all men moste ignorant his crueltie made hym odious to his subiects and his cowardise encoraged straunge ennemies to inuade his kyngdome By meanes whereof thys lande was sore afflicted with warre famyne and pestilence In his tyme decayed the noble kyngdom of England and became tributarie to the Danes whereby the Danes when they had spent the sayd tribute fel streight again to robberye and arryued in sundry places of Englande as in the Isle of Thenet In Cornewall and Sussex and after many damages by them done and ryche gyftes receaued of the Kynge they retourned into theyr countreye for a tyme. But shortly they agayn entred this lande in so many places that the kynge Etheldrede was to seeke to whiche coast he should fyrst go to withstande hys enemies In conclusyon for aduoydyng of further daunger he was compelled to appeare them with great summes of money but when the money was spente they fell to newe robbyng and cessed not to spoyle the land and lastly besieged Lōdon And to augment the kyngs sorow Elphricus that then was admirall of England traiterously fledde to the Danes And after beyng reconciled fledde to them the seconde tyme While this cruel warre continued in England by meane of a byshop named Elphegus a peace was concluded at whiche tyme as Polidore wytnesseth the kynge made his lande tributarie to the Danes the payment wherof from the summe of ten thousand poundes in few yeres was raised to fifty thousand The bloudy flixe the burnyng feuer wyth dyuers other maladies vexed the people throughout all Englande Etheldred kyng of England toke to wyfe Emma the syster of Rycharde Duke of Normandie whyche for her beautie was called the Flower of Normandie Etheldrede beyng greatly inhanced in his mynd for this his mariage sent forth into al partes of his realme secrete and strayght cōmissions chargyng the rulers that vppon a certayne day and hower assygned the Danes whiche proudely vsed great crueltie in the land should be sodeinly slayn and so was if doone Which thyng was after cause of great misery For Swain kyng of Denmark hearyng of the murder of the Danes and beynge sore moued therwith landed with a strong armye in dyuers partes of thys realme and so cruelly without mercy and pity spoyled the countreye and slue the people that the englysh men wer brought to mooste extreeme and vnspeakable mysery But yet after certayne space a peace was intreated For whyche the Englyshemen payde thirtye thousande poundes Howbeit dyuers princes of the Danes styll continued wastynge the lande in dyuers places Swayn kyng of Denmarke repented of the former couenāts made with the englyshmen thinkyng to attayne to the whole dominiō of this land with a strong army entred fyrste Northumberland than myddle England and so wente foorthe tyll he came to London whyche he besieged and destroyed the countrey of Kent At this tyme Egelrede the kyng despairyng of all recouerie not ones proferynge to resyste his ennemies with his wyfe and children fledde to Richard duke of Normandy then possessed Swayn y e hole kingdom of this realm who spoiled the landes of s Edmunds But after his death succeded Canutus
his sonne who inclosed y e same with a depe dyche and grauÌ„ted to the inhabitantes therof great fredom And after builded a church ouer y e place of his sepulture and ordeined there an house of monkes enduyng them with fayre possessioÌ„s And after it was vsed y e kings of EnglaÌ„d wheÌ„ thei wer crouned sent for an offering their crounes vnto S. Edmondes shryne and redemed the same with a good price The englyshe men sente agayne for Etheldred out of Normandye who by the healpe of the Normans and present assistance of his commons expelled Canutus but shortly Canutus returned agayne into Englande where he spared nothynge that myght be destroyed with sworde fyre In whiche tyme king Etheldred ended his lyfe when he had reigned .xxxviii. yeares and was buried in the Northe Isle of Paules churche in London aboue the aultar Fabian saythe that in the seconde yeare of this kynges reigne a great part of the citie of London was wasted with fyre but how it beganne hys aucthor telleth not But ye shal vnderstand that this day the citie of London had moste housyng and buyldynge from Ludgate towarde Westminster and littell or none where the chiefe or hart of the citie is now except in diuers places was housynge but they stoode without order So that many townes cities as CaÌ„terbury York and dyuers other in Englande passed London in buyldyng at those dayes as I haue sene sayth Fabyan by an old boke somtime in the Guyld halle of London named Domes daye But after the conquest it increased and shortly after passed and excelled all the other Aboute the .viii. yeare of this kyngs reign dyed Ethelwald byshop of Wynchester who was born in Wynchester and ther buylded an abbey of Nunnes as sayth Fabyan AFter y e deth of Etheldred great variance fell betwene y e englishe meÌ„ for the election of theyr kyng for y e citezens of London with certayn other named Edmund the son of Etheldred a yong man of lusty and valiant courage in martiall aduentures both hardy and wyse and one that could very well endure all paynes Wherefore hee was surnamed Ironsyde but the more part fauored Canutus the Dane By meanes wherof betwene those two princes were foughten many great battayles in the which either party sped diuersly to the great slaughter of theÌ„ that toke their partes But lastly it was agreed that the two Captayns shold try theyr quarell betwene them selues onely In which fight although Edmund semed to haue the vpper hand yet be condisceÌ„ded to deuyde the realm and make Canutus felow with him in the kingdom whyche agreement was at laste concluded In this tyme there was an englishe Earle called Edricus which by hys falshode had wrought muche hurte to hys naturall country and lastelye was aucthor of the deth of the noble Edmund And therof himself brought fyrst knowledge to Canutus the Dane sayinge in this wyse Thus haue I doone Canutus for the loue of thee To whom hee answered sayinge For my loue thou hast murdered thyne owne soueraigne Lord whome I loued most entierly I shall in rewarde therof exalt thy head aboue all the lordes of Englande And foorthwith commanded hym to be headed and his head to be set vpon a spear on the hyghest gate of London These princes reygned together .ii. yeares Thys Edmund was buryed at Glastenburye VUhen Canutus was stablished in the kyngdom he had knowledge how Olanns king of Norway in his absence inuaded the couÌ„trey of Denmarke wherfore in all hast he sped him thitherward by the maÌ„hod of the english souldiors obteined of them a noble victory recouered Norway to his seignory wherfore when he returned into England he demeaned him toward all men as a sage gentle moderat prince and so continued .xx. yeares Canutus called a parliameÌ„t at OxeÌ„ford where it was decreed that english men and Danes should hold the lawes of Edgare late kyng Canutus subdued the Scots wherby he was king of .iiii. kingdoms y t is to say of England ScotlaÌ„d Denmark Norway After that he weÌ„t into Denmark and so to Rome And after returned again into England Where he kept all his life tyme good iustice and did many charitable dedes And after his deathe was buried in s. Swithins at Winchester Of this Canutus Polidore hath writen a notable history in y e end of his vii boke of the historie of England HArold the sonne of Canutus by hys wyfe Elgina for hys swyftnes surnamed Harefote began hys reygne ouer thys realme of England In the begynning hee shewed some token of crueltie in that he banyshed his stepmother Emma and tooke from her suche iewelles and treasure as she hadde He reigned iii. yeares Hee was buryed at Westmynster and after at S. Clementes without Temple barre HArdikenitus king of Denmarke after the deathe of Harolde was ordeyned kyng of Englande He for the iniurie done to his mother Emma caused the corps of Harolde to be taken out of the sepulchre and smyting of the head caste it with the body into the ryuer of Thames where by a fysher it was taken vp and vnreuerently buried at S. Clementes as afore is sayd He burdeined his subiectes with eractions and tribute and in meat and dryncke was so prodygall that hys tables were spreade .iiii. tymes in the day and the people serued with great excesse whan he had reigned .iii. yeares he dyed sodeinly at Lambeth not without suspection of poysonynge and was buried at Winchester Hardikenitus beyng deade the Danes were beaten slayn and dryuen out of this lande into theyr owne countrey xxviii yeares after that Swayn began fyrst to reigne EDwarde the sonne of Egelrede or Etheldred by the aduice of Goodwyne and Leofricus Erle of Chester after the deathe of Hardikenitus was sent for out of Normandie to take on him the goueruaunce of this realme of Englande whiche hee guyded with much wisdome and iustice from whom issued as out of a fountaiue very godlinesse mercie pitie and liberalitie towarde the pore and gentylnes and iustice towards all men and in all honest lyfe gaue moste godly example to hys people He discharged the englyshmen of the great tribute called y e Dane gelt whiche was often before time leuied to y e impouerishyng of the people He subdued the Wesâ—hemen whiche rebelled and made warre vpon their borders The .xvi. yere of this kyng Edward died y e good Erle Leofricus erle of Mercia of Chester who was buried in the abbey of Couentrie which he hym selfe had caused to be buylded He purchased many great priuileges for the aforesaid towne of Couentrie Willyam bastard duke of Normandie about this tyme came with a goodly company into England and was honorablye receyued to whom the kynge made great cheere And at his returne enriched hym with great gyftes pleasures and as som write made promise to hym that if he died without issue the same