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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56172	Historiarchos, or, The exact recorder being the most faithfull remembrancer of the most remarkable transactions of estate and of all the English lawes ... : as most elabourately they are collected ... out of the antiquities of the Saxon and Danish kings, unto the coronation of William the Conqueror, and continued unto the present government of Richard, now Lord Protector / by William Prynne, Esquire ...; Seasonable, legal, and historical vindication of the good old fundamental liberties, franchises, rights, properties, laws, government of all English freemen. Part 3	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.; Prynne, William, 1600-1669. Seasonable, legal, and historical vindication.	1659 (1659)	Wing P3974; ESTC R14832	281,609	400

erogavit and ●e●●●ng upon loca quaeque m●nita ●or●ed ●ing Alfred being so dis●ress●d ●hat he knew not what to do nor w●ither to turn himself to r●tire and save himsel● in the Isle Aethelingie for a sea●on ●ill recollecting his scattered Subj●cts and Forces together he vanquished Gi●hro and his Army in a set battel at Et●end●●e and then besieging him and his remaining forces ●5 dayes in a Castle to which they sled com●elled th●m by Famine and the Sword to make peace with ●im upon this Condition ut Regni et Regis infestationem perpetuo abjurarent That they should perp●tually abjure the infesting of the King and Realm and th●t they should ●u●n Christians which they accordingly performed Githro with 30 of the choicest men in his A●my being baptized at Alve 15 days after king Alfred being their Godfather and giving him the name of Aethelstane After which Alfred feasting him an● his Captains 12 days in his Court gave Githro Eastengland to inhabit wherein king Edmund reigned to be held of and under him Whereupon Githro and his Danes An. 879. leaving Cirencenster marched into the East parts of England which he divided amongst his Souldiers who then began to inhabit it by Alfreds donation U●on this accord or some time a●ter King Alfre and Gythro by the Common consent of their Great Councils and wise men made and enacted certain civil and Ecclesiastical Laws for the government of their People and Realms recorded in Bromton Lambert ● and Spelman where those who please may pernse them the Prologue and 2 first Laws whereof I shall only recite as both pertinent to my purpose and seasonable for our times much opposing the Magistrates coercive power in matters relating to God and Religion H●c est consili●m quod Alred●s Rex et Godrinus Rex eligerunt et condixerunt quando Angli e● Da● ad pacem et concordiam plenè convenerunt e● Sapientes et qui ●osteà successerunt saepiùs Hoc e●● assi ●●è renovantes in bonum semper adduxerunt Cap. 1. Inp●imis est ut unum Deum diligere velint et omni Paganismo sedulo renunciare et instituerunt secularem Iustitiam pro eo quod sciebant quod non poterant multos ali●èr castigare plures ve●ò Nolebant ad Dei cultum sicut deberent ali●è● Inclinari● et secularem emendationem instituerunt communem Christo et Regi ubicunque Recusabitur Lex Dei justè servari secundum dictionem Epis●opi Et hoc est primum edictum Ecclesiae Pax intra parietes suos ut Regis Handgri●h semper inconvulsa permaneat Cap. 2. Siquis Christanitatem suam malè mutat vel Paganismum veneretur verbis vel operibus reddat sic Weram sic Witam sic Lashlyte secundum quod factum sit that is Let him be fined and ransomed according to the quality of his off●nce This Noble King Alfred who fought no lesse than 46 bloody Battels with the Danes by Land and Sea for his Countries Liberties Although he was involved in perpetual Wars and Troubles wi●h the Danish Invaders all his daies as our Hi●●orians and this his Epitaph Demonstrates Nobilitas innata tibi probitatis Honorem Armipotens Alurede dedit Probitasque laborem Perpetuumque Labor nomen cui mixta dolori Gandia semper erant spes semper mixta timori Si modò victus erat ad crastina bella parabat Si modò victor erat ad crastina bella pavebat Cui vestes sudore jugi cui sica cruore Tincta jugi quantum sit onus regnare probarunt Non fuit immensi quisquam per climata mundi Cui tot in adversis vel respirare liceret Nec tamen aut ferro contritus ponere Ferrum Aut Gladio potuit vitae finisse Labores Iam post transactos Regni vitaeque Labores Christus ei sit vera quies sceptrumque perenne Yet these things are remarkable in him 1. That he most exactly and justly governed his people by and according to his and his Predecessors kn●wn Laws in the midst of all ●is Wars not by the harsh Laws of Conquest and the largest Sword 2. That he advanced Learning and all sorts of Learned Men erecting Schools of Learning and the famous University of Oxford which he founded or at least refounded when decayed in the heat of all his Wars and Troubles 3. That he was so far from spoyling the Church and Churchmen or any other his Subjects of their Lan●s Tithes or Revenues to maintain his perpetual Wars against the impious Pagan Danes who destroyed all Churches and Religious as well as other Houses where ever they came that he not only repared adorned endowed many old de●ayed Churches and Monasteries but likewise in the year ●88 he built two new Monasteries of his own at Ethelingei and Shafftesbury and endowed them with ample riches and possessions and by sundry Charters gave several Lands to the Churches of Durham Worcester and Canterbury Moreover he not only duly paid Tithes and other Duties to the Church himself but also by his Laws enjoyned all his Subjects under sundry mulcts justly to pay Tithes and Churchels to their Priests and Ministers with all other Duites and Oblations belonging to the Church for the maintenance of the Ministers and Gods worship together with Peterpence for the maintenance of the English School at Rome prohibiting all men to invade the Churches Rights and Possessions under severe penalties 4. That he equally divided all his annual Revenues into two equal parts The first moity was for Pious uses which he subdivided into three parts The first parcel he bestowed in Almes ●o relieve the poor both at home and in forein parts The second he bestowed on Religious Houses and Persons The third he gave towards the maintenance of Schools Scholars Doctors and learned Men of all sorts resorting to and liberally rewarded by him according to their merits The other moity was for civil uses which he likewise divided into 3 equal portions The first he gave unto his Souldiers whom he divided into 3 Squadrons The first Squadron which were Horse waited one month on him at his Court as his Life-guard whiles the other two were imployed in military expeditious in the Field And when their month expired they all returned from the wars and then another new Company succeeded them And when their Month was ended they returning to their Houses the other Company succeeded them And so they successively kept their monthly courses during all his Reign being one month in actual service and two months at home about their own affairs The second part he gave to his Workmen and Artificers of all sorts skilfull in all Worldly affairs The third part he gave to Strangers in Royal Gifts and Presents and that as well to the Rich as Poor Besides he had a very great Care Ne à Vicecomitibus et Ministris pauperes opprimere●tur et indebitis exactionibos gravarentur That the poor people should not be oppressed by Sheriffs

because he had maried Gunilda a Noble ma●ron daughter of the King of Vandals unde metuebat ab illo vel à vitâ privari vel à regno expelli who was after drowned in the Sea or slain in the Orcades Anno 1030. In which year Robert Duke of Normandy going to Hierusalem Apud Fis●hamium PROCERES AD COLLOQUIUM VOCAVIT ibique Gulielmum filium suum haeredem sibi constituens fecit omnes ei fidelitatem jurare And the same year the Norwegians cruelly murdered Olaus their King Doctor Preacher and Apostle with an ax Indignabatur enim Gens illa pagana et cruentissima QUOD PRIMAS LEGES et superstitiosas idem sanctus Rex Olaus praedicando docendo evangelizando statuendo evacuaret But Cnutes gold was the prime cause thereof to get his Crown as he had done his Realm and Edmond Ironsides for whose soul he prayed and offered a rich embroydered Pale on his Tomb at Glastonbury Anno 1026. Hoc autem fecisse creditur ne in mortem ejus cui in certamine singulari confoederatus fuerat consenssisse videretar writes Mat. Westminster King Cnute Anno 1031 to palliate his Usurpations of other mens Crowns with the shew of Devotion travelled to Rome in very great pomp where he offered very great gifts in gold silver rich vestments and pretious stones and obtained from Pope Iohn That the English School should be frée from Tribute In his going and returning he not only gave large a●ms to the poor● but likewise removed and deleted many unjust Tolls and Taxes exacted from such who travelled to Rome giving a Great price to abolish them He solemnly vowed to God before the Sepulcher of the Apostle Peter a reformation both of his life and manners In pursuance whereof he writ a Letter from Rome to the Archhishops of Canterbury and Yorke all the Bishops Nobles and Rulers and to the whole English Nation as well Nobles as Plebeans wherein he certified them That he had procured from the Emp. of Germany King Radolphus the Pope and other Princes a release of all unjust Tolls and Taxes exacted of his people as they travelled out of devotion towards Rome and of the vast sums of money which the Archbishops paid to the Pope for their Palls After which he in forms them That he had vowed to justify his life to God himself in all things To govern the Kingdoms and Nations under his subjection justly and piously To observe just judgement in all things and if through the Intemperance or negligence of his youth he had hitherto done any things besides that which was IVST that he promised by Gods assistance to reform it all Therefore I obtest and command all my Counsellors to whom I have committed the Co●nsels and Iustice of my Realm that by no means either for fear of me or through favour to any potent person they should from henceforth doe any Injustice or cause it to sprout up in all my kingdom Likewise I command all the Sheriffs and Officers throughout my Realm as they desire to enjoy my favour or their own safety that they do No unjust violence to any Man neither to rich nor poor but it shall be lawfull for all as well Noble as Ignoble to enjoy justice and right from which they might not deviate in any manner neither for Regal favour nor for the person of any potent man nec propter mihi congerendam pecuniam quia nulla mihi necessitas est ut iniqua exactione pecunia mihi congeratur nor yet for raising o● heaping up money to me Because there is no necessity for me and let those who now plead Necessity both ●or their own illegal imposing levying of unjust uncessant heavy Taxes Imposts Excises on our Nations without grant and common consent in Parliam●n●● consider it that money should be raised and collected for my use by an injust exaction After this he en●oyns them by thi● Letter To pay all Debts and Duties due by the antient Law as Tithes of their corn and cattel Peter-pence and First fruits at the Feasts appointed under pain of the penalties inflicted by the Laws which he would strictly exact without pardon Neither was he wor●e than his word● writes Malmsbury for he commanded all the Laws made by antient Kings and especially by his predecessor King Ethelred to be for ever observed under pain of a regal mulct To the custody of all which ancient Laws Even now writes he our Kings are sworn under the name of King Edwards Lawes non quod illa statuerit sed observaverit And Matthew Westminster records further V●cecomitibus Regni Angliae et Praepositis districtè mandav●● ut nulli hominum vim inferant nec propter pecuniam fisco reponendam in aliquo a Iustitia deviant dum non habeat necessitatem de peccato pecuniam a●augere If this Forein Danish Conqueror and Usurper of the Crown of England● quod Bellico Iure ob●inebat e● armorum violentia as Willi●m Thorne records was at last so just and equal to the English as to reform all his former extravagant acts of Injustice Exactions Oppressions to rel●ase all unjust Taxes Exactions Oppressions and not to exact or raise any monies unjustly on the people upon any real or pretended necessity without their common consent in Parliament by any of his Officers should not our own English Conquerors domineering Grandees now much more imitate this his laudable Example who pretend not only to equal but exceed him in Saintship Justice Devotion no longer to oppress the griev'd people with their arbitrary Tyrannical Taxes Excises Imposts extravagan● violent poceedings in new wayes of highest Injustice as hitherto they have done against all their Oaths Covenants Declarations promises and Engagements to the Nation King Cnute returning from Rome into England Anno 1032. treated the English very justly and civilly confessed redressed his own former and his ancestors extortions oppressions rapines endowed many Monasteries with lands and priviledges and ratified them with his Charters Hereupon Brithmerus Abbot of Croyland Cum Cnutonem Regem super Angliam stabilitum cerneret universos Anglios civiliter satis amicabiliter tractare insuper sanctam Ecclesiam speciali devotione deligere ac filiali subjectione honorare monasteriis multisque sanctorum locis benè facere quaedam verò Monasteria ad summam gloriam promovere thereupon resolved to go to the King procure his Charter of confirmation of the Abbey Lands liberties of Croyland quorundam adversariorum qui tempore guerrae multum creverant vim formidans Which Charter he readily obtained in these memorable words wherein he acknowlegeth his rapines and bloodshed to posterity Cnutus Rex totius Angliae Danmarchiae Norwagiae magnae partis Swavorum omnibus Provinciis nationibus populis meae potestati Subjectis tam minoribus quam majoribus salutem Cum terram Angliae progenitores mei parentes DURIS EXTORTIONIBUS DIRIS DEPR

to wit the Monasterie called West-Burgh the Lands whereof with the Books the Bishop then had as Aethelfrick had before commanded that they should be restored to the Church of Worcester This Bishop with 50 Mass Priests and 160 other Priests Deacons Monks and Abbots whose names are recorded in the Manuscript swore that this Land and Monastery were impropriated to his possession and Church which Oath with all these fellow swearers he was ordered to take at Westminster and did it accordingly after 30 nights respite Whereupon It was ordained and decreed by the Archbishop all the Council consenting with him that the Bishop should enjoy the Monastery Lands and Books to him and his Church and so that sute was ended and this Decree pronounced thereupon Qua propter si quis hunc agrum ab illâ Ecclesiâ in Ceastre nititur evellere contra Decreta sanctorum Canonum sciat se facere quia sancti Canones decernunt Quicqu●● Sancta Synodus universalis cum Catholico Archiepiscopo suo adjudicaverit nullo modo fractum vel irritum esse faciendum Haec au●em gesta sunt Hi sunt Testes Confirmatores hujus rei quorum nomina hic infr● notantur ● die tertio Calend Novembrium Ego Beornulf Rex Merciorum hanc chartulam Synodalis decreti signo sanctae Christi Crucis confirmavi Then follows the Archbishops Subscription and confirmation in like words with the subscriptions of sundry Bishops Abbots D●kes and Nobles being 32 in number all ratifying this D●cree An. 833. Egbert King of West-Saxons Athelwulfe his Son Witlasius king of Mercians both the Archbishops Abbots cum Proceribus majoribus totius Angliae with the greatest Nobles of all England were all assembled together at London in a National Parliamentary Council pro consilio c●piendo contra Danicos Pir●tas Littora Angliae assidne infestantes to take Counsel what to do against the Danish Pirates dayly infesting the Sea-Coasts of England In this Council the Charter of Witlasius king of Mercians to the Abbey of Croyland where he was hid and secured from his enemies was made and ratified wherein he granted them many rich gi●ts of Plate Gold Silver Land and the Privilege of a Sanctuary for all offenders flying to it for shelter which grant could not be valid without a Parliamentary confirmation for he being elected Ki●g omnium consensu after the slaughters of Bernulf and Ludican two invading Tyrants cut off in a short time qui contra fa● purpuram induerent regno vehementet oppresso totam militiam ejus quae quondam plurima extiterat victoriosissima sua imprudentia perdiderant as Ingulphus writes was enforced to hold his kingdom from Egbert king of West-Saxons under a Tribute And thereupon conferring divers Lands by his Charter to this Abbey for ever to be held of him his heirs and Successors Kings of Mercia in perpetual and pure Frankalmoigne quietae solutae ab omnibus oneribus secularibus exactionibus vectigalibus universis quocunque nomine censeantur That his grant might be sound and valid he was necessitated to have it con●irmed in ●●is Parliamentary Council by the consent of King Egbert and his Son and of all the Bishops Abbots● et Proceribus Majoribus Angliae and the greater Nobles of England the●e present most of them subscribing and ratifying this Charter with the sign of the Cross and their names About the year of Grace 838. there was a Parliamentary Counc●● held at Kingston in which Egbert king of the West-Sa●ons and his Son Aethelwulfe Ceolnoth Archbishop of Canterbury with the rest of the Bishops and Nobles of England were present Amongst many things there acted and spoken Archbishop Ceolnoth sh●wed before the whole Council That the foresaid Kings Egbert and Ae●helwulfe had given to Christchurch the Mannor called Malinges in Su●●ex free from all secular service and Regal Tributes excepting only these three Expedi●ion building of Bridge and Castle which foresaid Mannor and Lands King Baldred g●ve to Christchurch Sed quia ille Rex cunctis Principibus non placuit noluerunt donum ejus permanere ratum But because this King pleased not all his Nobles they would not that this his gift should continue firm To which Sir Henry Spelman adds this Marginal Note Rex non potuit distrahere patrimonium Regni sine assensu Procerum Wherefore the foresaid Kings in this Parliamentary Council with ●heir Nobles assent at the request of the said Archbishop regranted and confirmed it to Christchurch with this Anathema annexed against the infringers of this grant If any shall presume to violate it on the behalf of God and of us Kings Bishops Abbots and all Christians let him be separated from God and let his portion be with the Devil and his Angols Polydor Virgil records that King Athelwulfe in the year 847. going in pilgrimage to Rome repaired the English School there lately burned down and in imitation of King Ina made that part of his Kingdom which Egbert his Father had added Tributary towards it Legeque sancivit and enacted by a Law made in a Parliamentary Council that those who received 30 pence rent every year out of their possessions or had more houses should pay for those houses they inhabited every of them a penn● a peece to the Pop● for the maintenance of this School at the Feast of Peter and Paul or at least of St. Peters bonds which Law some writes he though falsely ascribr to his Son Alfred which act others refer to the years 855 or 857 and that more truly Abbot Ingulphus in his Hist. of the Abby of Croyland records that Bertulf usurping the Crown by the treacherous murder of his Cosen St. Westan tantâ ferebatur ad regnandum ambitione passing by the Abbey of ●royland most wickedly and violently took away all the Iewels Plate and ornaments of the Church which his B●other Withlasius and other Kings had given to it together with all ●he mony he could find in the Monastery and hiring Souldiers therewith against the Danes then wasting the Country about London he was vanquished and put to flight by the Pagans Whereupon this King soon after holding a great Council at Benningdon An. 850. with the Prelates and Nobles of his whole Realm of Mercia there assembled about the Danes invasions how to rai●e forces and monies to resist them as is most probable by our Historians Abbot Siward and the Monks of Croyland therein complained before them all by Askillus their fellow Monk of certain injuries malitiously do●e unto them by their Adversaries who lying in wa●t in the uttermost banks of their Rivers did seise upon their servants being such as fled thither for Sanctuary in case at any time they went out of their precincts never so little way either to fish or bring back their stragling Sheep Oxen or other Cattle as infringers of their Sanctuary and subjected them to the publick Laws to their cond●mnation and destruction to

Civibus magna ope conantibus dum unusq●●sque sud●●es suos Principi ostentare et pro eo pulchrum putaret emori Hostium pars prostrata pars in flumine Thamesi necuta Hereupon Swain despairing to take the City marched with his torn shattered Army first to Wallingford plundering and demolishing all things they met with in their way● after ●heir wonted manner and at last they came to Bath where Ethelmere Earl of the West Country with all his people came and submitted to him giving him hostages for their loyalty Having thus finished all things according to his desire he returned with his Hostages to his Navy being both called and reputed King by all the People of England London excepted si Rex jure queat vocari qui fere cuncta Tyrannice faciebat ●ite Florence o● Worceste Simeon D●nelmensis ver● ca●e●o●sly Nec adhuc flecterentur Londinenses tota jam Anglia in clientelam ejus inclinata nisi Ethelredus praesentia eos destitueret sua as Malmesbury observes King Ethelred being a man given to sloathfullness and through consciousness of his own demerits very fearful deeming no man faithfull to him by reason of the tragical death of his Brother Edwaod for which he felt this Divine revenge not daring to raise an Army not fight the Enemy wi●h it when raised Ne Nobiles Regni quos injuste exhaeredaverat lest the Nobles of the Rea●m whom he had unju●●ly dis-inherited should desert and deliver him up to the Enemy declining the necessity of war and of a new siege most un●orthily deserted the Londoners his faithfull valiant Subjects and Pro●ectors in the midst of their dangers Enemies ●lying away secretly f●ō them to Hamshire by secret journies from w●ence he sailed to the Isle of Wight Hereupon the Londoners Laudandi prorsus vi●i quos Mars ipse collata non sperneret hasta si Ducem habuissent Cu●us dum vel sola umbra protegerentur totius pugnae aleam ipsam obsidionem etiam non paucis mensibus luserunt Seeing themselves thus unworthily deserted by their Soveraign in their extremities moved by the example of the rest of their Countrymen submitted themselves likewise to King Swain sending Hostages to and making their peace wi●h him the rather for that they feared Swains fury was so much incensed against them for his former shamefull repulses by them that if they submitted not to ●●m of their own accords he would not only spoil them of all their goods but likewise command either all their eyes to be pulled out or their hands and feet to be cut off i● he subdued them by force Iohn Speed against the current of other Historians informs us That Swain after his repulse from London having received a certain sum of money went back into Denmark for want of victuals and to recruit his shattered Army whence returning soon after he was immediatly met by the English where betwixt them was struck a sore battel which had been with good success had not the Treason of some hindred it in turning to the Danes King Ethelred therefore seeing himself and the Land betrayed on this manner to those few true English that were left used this Speech as followeth If there wanted in me a fatherly care either for the defence of the Kingdom or ad●inis●ration of Justice in the Commonwealth or in you the carriage of Souldiers for defence of your Native Country then truly silent would I be for ever and bear those calamities with a more dejected mind but as the case stands be it as it is I for my part am resolved to rush into the midst of the Enemy and to lose my life for my kingdom and Crown And you I am sure hold it a worthy death that is purchased for the Liberties of your selves and kindred and therein I pray you let us all die for I see both God and destiny against us and the name of the English Nation brought almost to the last period for we are overcome not by weapons and hostile warr but by Treason and dom●stick falshood our Navy betrayed into the Danes hands our battel weakned by the revolt of our Captains our designs betrayed to them by our own Counsellers and they also inforcing composition of dishonourable Peace I my self disesteemed and in scorn termed Ethelred the unready Your valour and loyalty betrayed by your own Leaders and all our poverty yearly augmented by the payment of their Danegelt which how to re●ress God only knoweth and we are to seek For if we pay money for peace and that confirmed by Oath these Enemies soon break it as a people that nei●her regard God nor man contrary to equity and the Laws of War● and of Nations and so f●r off is all hope of better success as we have cause to fear the losse of our kingdom you the extinction of the English Nations revenue Therefore seeing our enemies are at hand and their hands at our throats let us by fore-sight and counsel save our own lives or else by courage sheath our swords in their bowels either of which I am willing to enter into to secure our Estate and Nation from an irrecoverable Ruine After which Speech he and his Army retreated and gave way to the prevailing Enemy Swain herepon setling all things according to his own will when as he knew that no man durst resist him commanded himself to be called King of England Dum non fuit alius qui pro jure regni decertare vel se regem confiteri a●sus fuisset as Matt. Westminster and others write Such a strange fear and stupidity was then fallen upon Ethelred and the whole English Nation After this Ethelred privily departed from London to Hampton and from thence to the Isle of Weight as aforesaid where advising with the Abbots and Bishops there assembled in Council what course was best to steer he spake thus unto them the History whereof I shall fully relate in William of Malmesbury his words Ibi Abbates et Episcopos● Qui nec in tali necessitate Dominum suum deserendum putarent in hanc convenit sententiam Vide●ent quam in angusto res essent suae et suorum se perfidia Ducum avito extorrem solio et opis egentem a●i●nae in cujus manu al●orum ●olebat salus pendere quondam Monarcham et Potentem modo miserum et exulem dolendum sibi hanc commutationem quia facilius toleres o●es non habuisse quam habitas amisisse Pudendam Anglis eo magis quod deserti Ducis exemplu● processurum sit in orbem terrarum I●●os amore sui sine sumptibus voluntariam sube untes fugam domos et facultates suas praedonibus exposuisse in arcto esse victum omnibus vestitum deesse pluribus probare se fidem illorum ● sed non reperire salutem adeo jam subjugata terra observari littora ut nusquam sine periculo sit exitus Quapropter considerent in m●dium quid

Danicos solidarios imposuerat as Brompton renders it in another place Roger de Hunedon Annalium pars 1. p. 441. Rodolphus de Diceto Abbreviatione Chronicorum col 145. ●●e the same words Ailredus Abbas Rievallis de vita miraculis Edwardi Confessori Col. 383. thus relates it Insuper Tributum illud gravissimum quod tempore patris sui primo classi Danicae pendeb●tur Postmodum vero fisco regio Annis singulis infer●batur regia liberalitate remisit et ab onere hoc importabili in perpetuum Angliam absolvit Vnde sancto huic regi non inconvenienter aptatur quod scriptum est B●●tus vir qui inventus sine macula qui post aurum non abiit nec speravit in pecuniae thesauris Post aurum non abiit quod potius d●spersit nec speravit in thesauris quos in Dei opere non tam minuit quam consumpsit Matthew Westminster records it in these words Anno gratiae 1051. Rex Edwardus A vectigali gravissimo Anglos absolvit quod patre vivente Danicis stipend●ariis Triginto octo millia librarum solvi consuevit Henry de Knighton De eventibus Angliae l. 1. c. 9. fol. 233 1● and Higden in his Polychronicon lib. 6. c. 24. f. 254. thus relate it Rex Edvardus absolvit Anglos a Gravi Tributo quod pa●ur ejus Ethelredus Danicis solidariis solvi fecerat jam per 40. annos duraverat which Fabian in his Cronicle part 8. c. 210. p. 282. Gra●ton in his Cronicle p. 170. Speed in his History p. 410. Holinsh●ad and others thus expresse This King Enward discharged English men of the great and most heavy Tribute called Danegeld which his Father Ethelred had made them pay to the Souldiers of Denmark and had then dured 40. years So that after that day it was no more gathered Abbot Iuguphus Historiae pag. 897. thus records it more at large Eodem etiam Anno 1051. cum terra non daret solitâ fertilitate fructus suos sed fames plurimos habitatores devoraret in tantum ut bladuum carentia panis inopia multa hominum millia morierentur miserecordiâ motus super populum pi●ssimus Rex Edwardus Tributum gravisimum quod Danigelo dicebatur omni Angliae in perpetuum relaxavit Ferunt quidam regem sanctissimum cum dictum DANIGELD cublcularii sui collectum in regis cameram infudissent ad videndum tanti Thesauri cumulum ipsum adduxissent ad primum aspectum exhorruisse protestantem Se daemonem super acervum pecuniae saltantem nimio gaudio exultantem prospexisse unde pristinis possessoribus jussit statim reddere de tam fera exactione ne jota unum voluit retinere quin in perpetuum remisit anno scilicet 38. ex quo tempore Regis Ethelredi patris sui Suanus Rex Danorum suo exercitui illud solvi singulis annis imperavit This History of the Devils dancing upon this Mony is thus more fully related by Roger de Honeden Annali●m pars prior pag. 447. Item de eodem Rege Edvardo quadam die contigit quod cum praedistus Rex Anglorum Edwardus Regninâ comite Haraldo deducentibus aerarium suum intravit ut pecuniam videret magnam quam Regina Comes Haraldus Rege ipso nesciente colligissent ad opus Regis scilicet per singulos comitatus totius Angliae de unaquaque hida terrae quatuor denarios ut Rex inde contra natale Domini pannos emeret ad opus militum servientium suorum cumque Rex intrasset aerarium suum comitantibus Regnia Comite Haraldo videt diabolum sedentem inter Denarios illos ait illi Rex quid hic facis cui daemon respondit custodio hic pecuniam meam dixit Rex conjuro te per Patrem Filium Spiritum sanctum ut indices mihi Quamobrem pecunia ista tua est respondens dixit ei daemon Quia injuste accquisita est de substantia pauperum Illi autem qui illum comitabantur stabant stupefacti audientes quidem illos loquentes neminem autem videntes praeter solum Regem ait illis Rex Reddite denarios istos illis a quibus capti sunt fecerunt sicut praecepit illis Rex which is likewise remembred by Capgrave Surius Ribadeniera and others in the life of King Edward the Confessor From all which relations compared together it is apparent First That Dangeld was a great most heavy and intolerable Tribute first imposed in King Ethelreds reign to pay the Danish Navy and Souldiers then invading England to keep them from plundering and spoiling the people 2. That King Swane the invading and usurping Dane after he had gotten the power of this Realm imposed it annualy on the English and made it any early Tribute to pay his Army 3. That the Danish succeding Kings continued and made it a kind of annual revenue to cloath and pay their Souldiers and Marriners for sundry years together 4. That it was yearly paid unto the Kings Exchequer and reduced to a certainty to wit four pence a year out of every Hide or plough land thorowout England or else twelve pence or two shilings a year as the laws of Edward the Confessor the black Book of the Exchequ●r and Sir Henry Spelman in his Glossary● Title Danegold affirms 5. That King Edwards Officers after the Danish Kings expired reignes did collect it of the English Subjects without his privitie to cloath and pay his Souldiers and followers 6. That he out of mercy piety conscience and justice to his people not only restored it to them when collected and brought into his Exchequer without retaining one farthing of it but likewise for ever released it to them so that it was no more collected during his reign 7. That Taxes unjustly leavied upon the poor oppressed people are very pleasing and acceptable to the devill himself who claimes the money so collected for his own and that the Collectors and exacters of such Taxes though for the payment of Armies and Souldiers are really but the devils agents and instruments who will one day pay them their deserved wages 8. That heavy oppressions and taxes though for pretended publike necessities continued for many years together ought not onely to be eternally remitted but restored when collected by all conscientious piou● righteous mercifull Saintlike Kings and Governours 9. That illegall heavy Taxe● imposed by or for invading Usurpers if once submitted to and not strongly opposed by the generality of the people wil soon be claymed l●avied as a customary early legall revennue both by the imposers and their successors and hardly be laid down and discontinued again for the peoples ease 10. That this tax of Danegeld amounting but to thirty eight or fourty thousand po●nds in one whole year was in truth an heavy and intolerable burden and grievous oppression to the whole N●tion fit to be abolished a●d released especially in times

corroboratae consec●a●ae sunt prae caeteris regni legibus Leges Regis Edwardi quae quidem prius inventae constitutae ●uerunt tempore Regis Edgari avi sui Veruntatem post mortem ipsius Regis Edgari usque ad Coronationem S. Regis Edw. quod continet annos 67 predictae leges sopitae sunt et penitus praetermissae Sed postquam Rex Edwardus in regno fuit sublimatus Consilio Baronum Angliae Legem 67 annis ●opitain excitavit excitatam reparavit reparatam decoravit decoratam confirmavit confirmata vocata est Lex sancti Regis Edwardi non quod prius ipse invenisset eam sed cum praetermissa fuisset oblivioni penitus dedita ● morte avi sui Regis Edgari qui prius inventor ejus fuisse dicitur usque ad sua tempora videlicet 67 annis The Chronicle of Bromton col 956 957. gives us this large account of these and our other ancient Laws This holy King Edward the Confessor Leges communes Anglorum genti tempore suo ordinavit ordained common Laws in his time for the English Nation because the Laws promulged in former times were over-partial For Dunwallo Molmucius first of all set forth Laws in Britain whose Laws were called Molmucine sufficiently famous until the times of King Edward amongst which he ordained That the Cities and Temples of the Gods and the ways leading to them and the Ploughs of Husbandmen should enjoy the privilege of Sanctuary After which Marcia Queen of the Britons Wife of Guithelin from whom the Provinces of the Mercians is thought to be denonated publish●d a Law full of discretion and justice which is called Mercian Law● These two Laws the Historian Gildas translated out of the British into the Latine tongue and so it was afterwards commonly called Merchenelaga that is The Law of the Mercians by which Law 8 Counties were formerly judged namely Gloucestershire Worcestershire Herefordshire Shropshire Chesshire Staffordshire Warwickshire and Oxfordshire After these there was supe●added a Law written in the Saxon or English tongue by Ina King of West-Saxons to which Alfred King of the West-Saxons afterwar●s superadded the Law which was stiled West-Saxenelega that is the Law of the West-Saxons By which Law in antient times the 9 Southern Counties divided by the River of Thames from the rest of England were judged namely Kent Sussex Surrey Berkeshire Wiltshire Southampton Somersetshire Dorset and Devonshire At length the Danes dominering in the Land a third Law sprang up which was called Danelega that is the Law of the Danes by which Law heretofore the 15 Eastern and Northern Counties were judged to wit Middlesex Suthfolk Northfolk Herthfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire Lincolnshire Nott●nghamshire Derbyshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Buckinghamshire Beddefordshire and Yorkshire which County of York heretofore contained all Northumberland from the water of Humber to the River of Twede which is the beginning of Scotland and is now divided into six Shires Now out of the foresaid three Laws Merchenelega West-Saxenelega and Danelega this King Edward set forth one common Law which even to this day is called the Law of Edward The like is recorded by Hygden in his Polychronicon l. 1. c. 50. Mr. Iohn Fox in his Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 213 214. Samuel Daniel his Collection of the History of England p. 22. Iohn Speed his History of Great Britain p. 410. Fabian H●linshed Caxton Grafton and others almost in the self-same words These Laws are no where extant in any Manuscripts or printed Authors as they were originally compiled and digested into one body by him and his Barons but as they were presented upon Oath to and confirmed by King William the Conqueror in the 4th year of his reign of which Ingulphus Abbot of Croyland in the close of his History to which they are annexed in some Manuscripts gives us this account flourishing in that age Attuli eadem vice mecum de London●is in meum Monasterium Leges aequissimi Regis Edwardi quas Dominus meus inclytus Rex Willielmus autenticas esse et perpetuas per totum Regnum Angliae inviolabiliter tenendas sub paenis gravissimis proclamarat et suis Insticiariis commendarat eodem idiomate quo editae runt ne per ignorantiam contingat nos vel nostros aliquando in nostrum grave periculum contraire offendere ausu temerario regiam majestatem ne in ejus censuras rigidissimas improvidum pedem ferre contentas saepius in eisdem hoc modo These Laws are partly Ecclesiastical partly Civil recorded by Roger de Hoveden Annalium pars posterior p. 611. to 631 by Mr. Lambard in his Archaion Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 4. Spelmanni Concili p. 613. Mr. Iohn Selden ad Eadm●rum Notae Spicelegium p. 172. to 195 Mr. Iohn Fox his Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 214. wherein those who please may peruse them ●n these Laws it is observable 1. That all capital corporal pecuniary punishments fines for criminal offences and all reliefs services and duties to the King are reduced to a certainty not lef● arbitrary to the King his Iustices or other Officers for the Subjects greater liberty ease and security 2. That they protect preserve the Possessions Privileges Persons of the Church and Clergy from all Invasion injury violence disturbance and specially enact That not only all Clerks and Clergy men but all other persons shall enjoy the peace of God and the Church free from all assaults arrests and other disturbances whatsoever both on Lords-days Solemn Festivals and other times of publike Church meetings eundo subsistendo redeundo both in going to continuing at and returning from the Church and publike duties of Gods worship or to Synods and Chapters to which they are either summoned or where they have any business requiring their personal presence wherewith the Statute of 8 H. 6. c. 1. concurs as to the later clause Therefore all Quakers Anabaptists and others who disturb affront and revile assault or abuse our Ministers or their people as many now doe in going to or returning from the Church or whiles they continue in it as well before or after as during Divine Service Sermons or Sacraments there administred may and ought by the Common Law of England confirmed both by Confessor and Conquerour in their Parliamentary Councils to be duly punished as Breakers of the Peace by all our Kings Justices and Ministers of publike Iustice being ratified by Magna Charta c. 1. and the Coronation Oaths of all our Kings which all our Judges and Justices are bound to observe To keep to God and holy Church to the Clergy and to the People Peace and Concord entirely according to their power especially during the publike worship of God in the Church and in going to tarrying at and returning from the duties which they owe unto him both as his Creatures and Servants And to grant keep and confirm the Laws Customs

and Franchises granted by the glorious King Edward 3. That they prescribe the due payment of Tithes to God and his Ministers as well personal as praedial under Ecclesiastical and temporal penalties being granted and consented unto a Rege et Baronibus et Populo 4. That the Causes and pleas of the Church ought first to be heard ended in Courts and Councils before any other Iustitia enim est ut Deus ubique prae caeteris honoretur 5. That they thus define Danegild Danegaldi redditio propter Piratas primitus Statuta est Patriam enim infestantes vastationi ejus pro posse suo insistebant Ad eorum quidem insolentiam reprimendam Statutum est Danegaldum annuatim reddi scilicet duodecim denarios de unaquaque Hida totius Patriae ad conducendos eos qui Piratarum eruptioni Resistendo obviarent To which Hoveden Knyghton Lambard and others subjoyn De hoc quoque Danegaldo omnis ecclesia libera est quieta omnis terra quae in proprio dominico Ecclesiae erat ubicunque jacebat nihil prorsus in tali redemptione persolvens quia magis in Ecclesiae confidebant orationibus quam in armorum defensionibus usque tempora Willielmi junioris qui Ruffus vocabatur donec eodem a Baronibus Angliae auxilium requirente ad Normanniam requirendam retinendam de Roberto suo fratre cognomine Cortehose Ierusalem proficiscente Concessum est et non Lege sancitum neque confirmatum sed hac necessitatis causa ex unaquaque hida sibi dari quatuor solidos Ecclesia non excepta Dum vero collectio census fieret proclamabat Ecclesia suam reposcens libertatem sed nil profecit By which it is apparent 1. That this grievous Tax of Danegeld was first gran●ed and appointed by a publike Law in a Parliamentary Council to hire men to resist the eruption of the Pyrates and Enemies That it amounted but to 12 d. a year upon every Ploughland That the Church and Demesne Lands of the Church where ever they lay were exempted from it till William Rufus his time who first exacted it from the Clergy upon a pretended necessity and rai●ed it from 12 d. to 4 s. a Ploughland by grant of the Barons without any Law to enact or confirm it for fear of drawing it into consequence 6ly That these Laws thus describe the Duty and Office of a King The King because he is the Vicar of the highest King is constituted for this end that he may rule the earthly kingdom and the Lords people and above all things that he may reverence his holy Church and defend it from injuries pluck away evil doers from it and utterly to d●stroy and disperse them Which unless he shall doe the name of a King agreeth not unto him the Prophet Pope John witnessing Nomen Regis perdit qui quod Regis est non faciat he loseth the name of a King who dischargeth not the duty of a King Pepin and Charls his Son being not yet Kings but Princes under the French King hearing this definitive Sentence as well truly as prudently pronoun●ed concerning the name of a King by William the bastard King of England foolishly writ to Pope John demanding this que●●ion of him Whether the Kings of France ought so to continue being content only with the name of a King Who answered That it is convenient to call them Kings who do watch over defend and govern the Church of God and his people imitating King David the Psalmograph saying He shall not dwell in my House which worketh pride c. After which it followeth in Mr. Fox and some others but not in Hoveden and Knyghton ● Moreover the King by his right and by his Office ought to defend and conserve fully and wholly in all ampleness without diminution all the Lands Honours Dignities Rights and Liberties of the Crown of his Kingdom And further to reduce into their pristine state all such things as have been dispersed wasted and lost which appertain to his kingdom Also the whole and universal Land with all Ilands about the same in Norwey and Denmark be appertaining to the Crown of his kingdom and be of the appurtenances and dignity of the King making one Monarchy and one Kingdom which sometimes was called the Kingdom of Britain and now the Kingdom of England such bounds and limits as is abovesaid be appointed and limited to the name of this kingdom A King abov● all things ought to fear God to ●ove and observe his commandements and cause them to be observed through his whole kingdom He ought also to keep cherish maintain and govern the holy Church within his kingdom with all integrity and Liberty according to the constitution of his ancestors and predecessors and to defend the same against all Enemies so that God above all things be honoured and ever before his eyes He ought also to set up Good Laws aud Customs such as be wholesom and approved Such as be otherwise to repeal them and thrust them out of his kingdom Item he ought to doe Iudgement and Iustice in his kingdom by the counsel of his Realm All these things ought a King in his own person to do taking his Oath upon the Evangelist swearing in the presence of the whole State of the Realm as well of the Temporalty 〈◊〉 of the Spiritualty before he be crowned of the Archbishops and Bishop● Three Servants the King ought to hav● under his feet as Vassals Fleshly Lust Avarice and Gr●edy desire whom if he keep under as his Seruants and Slaves he shall reign well and honourably in his Kingdom All things are to be done with good advisement and premeditation and that properly belongeth to a King For hasty rashness bringeth all things to ruine according to the saying of the Gospel Every kingdom divided in it self shall be desolate c. A clear evidence that our Saxon King● had no arbitrary nor tyrannical power to condemn banish imprison oppresse or Tax their Subjects in any kinde against their Laws Liberties Properties And thus much touching King Edwards Laws Qui ob vitae integritatem Regnandi Iustitiam clementiam Legumque sive à se latarum sive ex veteribus sumptarum Equitatem inter Sanctos relatus est as Matthew Parker records of him In the year of Christ 1053. as many or 1054. as others compute it that old perjured Traytor Earl Godwin came to a most soddein shamefull exemplary death by divine justice which the marginal Historians thus relate and Abbot Ailred thus prefaceth Inserendum arbitror qu●modo Godwinum proditionum suarum donatum stipendiis divini judicii ultrix ira consumpserit detestandique facinoris quod in Regem fratremque ejus cōmiserat populo spectante ipsam quam meruerat poenam exolverat This Godwin being the Kings Father-in-law abusing his simplicity multa in regno contra jus et fas pro potestate faciebat did many things in the