shall not néed to remember ought héere that is there touched I will onelie speake of other things therefore concerning the estate of assemblie whereby the magnificence thereof shall be in some part better knowne vnto such as shall come after vs. This house hath the most high and absolute power of the realme for thereby kings and mightie princes haue from time to time béene deposed from their thrones lawes either enacted or abrogated offendors of all sorts punished and corrupted religion either dissanulled or reformed which commonlie is diuided into two houses or parts the higher or vpper house consisting of the nobilitie including all euen vnto the baron and bishop the lower called the nether house of knights squires gentlemen and burgesses of the commons with whome also the inferior members of the cleargie are ioined albeit they sit in diuerse places and these haue to deale onelie in matters of religion till it come that they ioine with the rest in confirmation of all such acts as are to passe in the same For without the consent of the thrâ—e estates that is of the nobilitie cleargie and laietie sildome anie thing is said to be concluded vpon and brought vnto the prince for his consent and allowance To be short whatsoeuer the people of Rome did in their Centuriatis or Tribunitijs comitijs the same is and may be doone by authoritie of our parlement house which is the head and bodie of all the realme and the place wherein euerie particular person is intended to be present if not by himselfe yet by his aduocate or atturneie For this cause also any thing ther enacted is not to be misliked but obeied of all men without contradiction or grudge By the space of fortie dais before this assemblie be begun the prince sendeth his writs vnto all his nobilitie particularlie summoning them to appeare at the said court The like he doth to the shiriffe of euerie countie with commandement to choose two knights within ech of their counties to giue their aduise in the name of the shire likewise to euerie citie and towne that they may choose their burgesses which commonlie are men best skilled in the state of their citie or towne either for the declaration of such benefits as they want or to shew which waie to reforme such enormities as thorough the practises of ill members are practised and crept in among them the first being chosen by the gentlemen of the shire the other by the citizens and burgesses of euerie citie and towne whereby that court is furnished The first daie of the parlement being come the lords of the vpper house as well ecclesiasticall as temporall doo attend vpon the prince who rideth thither in person as it were to open the doore of their authoritie and being come into the place after praiers made and causes shewed wherefore some not present are inforced to be absent each man taketh his place according to his degrée The house it selfe is curiouslie furnished with tapisterie and the king being set in his throne the spirituall lords take vp the side of the house which is on the right hand of the prince and the temporall lords the left I meane so well dukes and earles as viscounts and barons as I before remembred In the middest and a pretie distance from the prince lie certeine sackes stuffed with wooll or haire wheron the iudges of the realme the master of the rols and secretaries of estate doo sit Howbeit these iudges haue no voice in the house but onelie shew what their opinion is of such such matters as come in question among the lords if they be commanded so to doo as the secretaries are to answer such letters or things passed in the councell whereof they haue the custodie knowledge Finallie the consent of this house is giuen by each man seuerallie first for himselfe being present then seuerallie for so manie as he hath letters proxies directed vnto him saieng onlie Content or Not content without any further debating Of the number assembled in the lower house I haue alreadie made a generall report in the chapter precedent and their particulars shall follow here at hand These therefore being called ouer by name do choose a speaker who is as it were their mouth and him they present vnto the prince in whom it is either to refuse or admit him by the lord chancellor who in the princes name dooth answer vnto his oration made at his first entrance presentation into the house wherein he declareth the good liking that the king hath conceiued of his choise vnto that office function Being admitted he maketh fiue requests vnto that honorable assemblie first that the house may as in times past inioy hir former liberties and priuileges secondlie that the congregates may frankelie shew their minds vpon such matters as are to come in question thirdlie that if anie of the lower house doo giue anie cause of offense during the continuance of this assemblie that the same may inflict such punishment vpon the partie culpable as to the said assemblie shall be thought conuenient fourthlie if anie doubt should arise among them of the lower house that he in their name might haue frée accesse and recourse vnto his maiestie lords of the higher house to be further instructed and resolued in the same fiftlie and last he craueth pardon for himselfe if in his going to and fro betweene the houses he forget or mistake anie thing requiring that he may returne and be better informed in such things as be did faile in without offense vnto which petitions the lord chancellor dooth answer as apperteineth and this is doone on the first daie or peraduenture the second if it could not be conuenientlie performed in the first Beside the lord chancellor there is another in the vpper house called the clerke of the parlement whose office is to read the billes For euerie thing that commeth in consultation in either house is first put in writing in paper which being read he that listeth riseth vp and speaketh either with it or against it and so one after another so long as they shall thinke good that doone they go to another and so to the third c the instrument still wholie or in part raced or reformed as cause moueth for the amendment of the same if the substance be reputed necessarie In the vpper house the lord chancellor demandeth if they will haue it ingrossed that is to saie put in parchment which doone it is read the third time after debating of the matter to and fro if the more part doo conclude withall vpon the vtterance of these words Are ye contended that it be enacted or no the clerke writeth vnderneath So it baille aux commons and so when they sée time they send such billes approued to the commons by some of them that sit on the wooll sackes who comming into the house demanding licence to speake doo vse
this kind of words or the like to the speaker as sir Thomas Smith dooth deliuer and set them downe whose onelie direction I vse and almost word for word in this chapter requiting him with the like borowage as he hath vsed toward me in his discourse of the sundrie degrées of estates in the common-wealth of England which as I hope shall be no discredit to his trauell Master speaker my lords of the vpper house haue passed amongst them and thinke good that there should be enacted by parlement such an act and such an act reading their titles in such sort as he receiued them they praie you therefore to consider shew your aduise vpon them Which doone they go their waie and the doore being shut after them the speaker declareth what message was sent vnto them and if they be then void of consultation vpon anie other bill he presentlie demandeth what their pleasures are first of one then of another c which are solemnelie read or their contents bréeflie shewed and then debated vpon among them The speaker sitteth in a chair erected somewhat higher than the rest that he may see and be séene of all men and before him on a lower seat sitteth his clerke who readeth such bils as be first propounded in the lower house or sent downe from the lords for in that point each house hath equall authoritie to propound what they thinke méet either for the abrogation of old or making of new lawes All bils be thrise and on diuerse daies read and disputed vpon before they come to the question which is whether they shall be enacted or not and in discourse vpon them verie good order is vsed in the lower house wherein he that will speake giueth notice thereof by standing vp bare headed If manie stand vp at once as now then it happeneth he speaketh first that was first seene to moue out of his place and telleth his tale vnto the speaker without rehersall of his name whose speches he meaneth to confute so that with a perpetuall oration not with altercation these discourses are continued But as the partie confuted may not replie on that daie so one man can not speake twise to one bill in one daie though he would change his opinion but on the next he may speake againe yet but once as afore No vile seditious vnreuerent or biting words are vsed in this assemblie yet if anie happen to escape and be vttered the partie is punished according to the censure of the assemblie and custome in that behalfe In the afternoone they sit not except vpon some vrgent occasion neither hath the speaker anie voice in that house wherewith to moue or dissuade the furtherance or staie of anie bill but his office is vpon the reading thereof breeflie to declare the contents If anie bill passe which commeth vnto them from the lords it is thus subscribed Le commons ont assentus so if the lords agree vpon anie bill sent vnto them from the commons it is subscribed after this maner Les seigniours ont assentus If it be not agreed on after thrise reading there is conference required and had betwéene the vpper and nether houses by certeine appointed for that purpose vpon the points in question wherevpon if no finall agréement by the more part can be obteined the bill is dashed and reiected or as the saieng is cleane cast out of the doores None of the nether house can giue his voice by proxie but in his owne person and after he bill twise read then ingrossed and the third time read againe discoursed vpon the speaker asketh if they will go to the question whervnto if they agree he holdeth vp the bill saith So manie as will haue this bill go forward saie Yea hervpon so manie as allow of the thing crie Yea the other No as the crie is more or lesse on either side so is the bill to staie or else go forward If the number of negatiue and affirmatiue voices seeme to be equall so manie as allow of the bill go downe withall the rest sit still and being told by the poll the greater par doo carrie away the matter If something be allowed and in some part reiected the bill is put to certeine committées to be amended then being brought in againe it is read and passeth or staieth as the voices yéeld therto This is the order of the passage of our lawes which are not ratified till both houses haue agréed vnto them and yet not holden for law till the prince haue giuen his assent Upon the last daie therfore of the parlement or session the prince commeth in person againe into the house in his robes as at the first Where after thanks giuen to the prince first in the name of the lords by the lord chancellor then in the name of the commons by the speaker for his great care of the welfare of his realme c the lord chancellor in the princes name giueth thanks to the lords commons likewise for their paines with promise of recompense as opportunitie occasion shall serue therefore This doone one readeth the title of euerie act passed in that session and then it is noted vpon them what the prince doth allow of with these words Le roy veult If the prince like not of them it is written vpon them Le roy aduisera And so those acts are dashed as the other from thenceforoth are taken and holden for law and all imprinted except such as concerne some priuat persons which are onelie exemplified vnder the seale of the parlement as priuileges to his vse And this is the summe of the maner after which our parlements in England are holden without which no forfaiture of life member or lands of anie Englishman where no law is ordeined for the same before hand is auailable or can take place amongst vs. And so much in maner out of the third chapiter of the second booke of the common-wealth of England written by sir Thomas Smith whervnto I will annex a table of the counties cities boroughs and ports which send knights burgesses and barons to the parlement house and dooth insue as followeth The names of counties cities boroughs and ports sending knights citizens burgesses and barons to the parlement of England Bedford KNights 2 The borough of Bedford 2 Buckingham Knights 2 The borough of Buckingham 2 The borough of Wickombe 2 The borough of Ailesburie 2 Barckeshire Knights 2 The borough of New Windsore 2 The borough of Reading 2 The borough of Wallingford 2 The borough of Abington 2 Cornewall Knights 2 The borough of Launceston aliàs Newport 2 The borough of Leskerd 2 The borough of Lostwithiell 2 The borough of Dunheuet 2 The borough of Truro 2 The borough of Bodmin 2 The borough of Helston 2 The borough of Saltash 2 The borough of Camelford 2 The borough of Portighsam aliàs Portlow 2 The borough of Graunpount The borough of Eastlow 2 The borough of
whereby they may be set on worke a man should not haue heard at one assise of more than two or thrée Nisi priùs but verie seldome of an atteinct wheras now an hundred more of the first and one or two of the later are verie often perceiued and some of them for a cause arising of six pence or tweluepence Which declareth that men are growen to be farre more contentious than they haue béene in time past and readier to reuenge their quarels of small importance whereof the lawiers complaine not But to my purpose from whence I haue now digressed Beside these officers afore mentioned there are sundrie other in euerie countie as crowners whose dutie is to inquire of such as come to their death by violence to attach present the plées of the crowne to make inquirie of treasure found c. There are diuerse also of the best learned of the law beside sundrie gentlemen where the number of lawiers will not suffice and whose reuenues doo amount to aboue twentie pounds by the yeare appointed by especiall commission from the prince to looke vnto the good gouernement of hir subiects in the counties where they dwell And of these the least skilfull in the law are of the peace the other both of the peace and quorum otherwise called of Oier and Determiner so that the first haue authoritie onelie to heare the other to heare and determine such matters as are brought vnto their presence These also doo direct their warrants to the kéepers of the gailes within their limitations for the safe kéeping of such offendors as they shall iudge worthie to commit vnto their custodie there to be kept vnder ward vntill the great assises to the end their causes may be further examined before the residue of the countie these officers were first deuised about the eightéene yeare of Edward the third as I haue béene informed They méeting also togither with the shiriffes doo hold their aforesaid sessions at foure times in the yeare whereof they are called quarter sessions and herein they inquire of sundrie trespasses and the common annoiances of the kings liege people and diuerse other things determining vpon them as iustice dooth require There are also a third kind of sessions holden by the high constables and bailiffes afore mentioned called petie sessions wherein the weights and measures are perused by the clarke of the market for the countie who sitteth with them At these méetings also vittellers and in like sort seruants labourers roges and tunnagates are often reformed for their excesses although the burning of vagabounds through their eare be referred to the quarter sessions or higher courts of assise where they are iudged either to death if they be taken the third time haue not since their second apprehension applied themselues to labour or else to be set perpetuallie to worke in an house erected in euerie shire for that purpose of which punishment they stand in greatest feare I might here deliuer a discourse of sundrie rare customes and courts surnamed barons yet mainteined and holden in England but for somuch as some of the first are beastlie and therefore by the lords of the soiles now liuing conuerted into monie being for the most part deuised in the beginning either by malicious or licentious women in méere contempt and slauish abuse of their tenants vnder pretense of some punishment due for their excesses I passe ouer to bring them vnto light as also the remembrance of sundrie courts baron likewise holden in strange maner yet none more absurd and far from law than are kept yearlie at Kings hill in Rochford and therfore may well be called a lawlesse court as most are that were deuised vpon such occasions This court is kept vpon wednesdaie insuing after Michaelmasse daie after midnight so that it is begun and ended before the rising of the sunne When the tenants also are altogither in an alehouse the steward secretlie stealeth from them with a lanterne vnder his cloke and goeth to the Kings hill where sitting on a mole-hill he calleth them with a verie soft voice writing their appéerance vpon a péece of paper with a cole hauing none other light than that which is inclosed in the lanterne so soone as the tenants also doo misse the steward they runne to the hill with all their might and there answer all at once Here here wherby they escape their amercements which they should not doo if he could haue called ouer his bill of names before they had missed him in the alehouse And this is the verie forme of the court deuised at the first as the voice goeth vpon a rebellion made by the tenants of the honour of Raibie against their lord in perpetuall memorie of their disobedience shewed I could beside this speake also of some other but sith one hath taken vpon him to collect a number of them into a particular treatise I thinke it sufficient for me to haue said so much of both And thus much haue I thought good to set downe generallie of the said counties and their maner of gouernance although not in so perfect order as the cause requireth bicause that of all the rest there is nothing wherewith I am lesse acquainted than with our temporall regiment which to saie truth smallie concerneth my calling What else is to be added after the seuerall shires of England with their ancient limits as they agreed with the diuision of the land in the time of Ptolomie and the Romans and commodities yet extant I reserue vnto that excellent treatise of my fréend W. Cambden who hath trauelled therein verie farre whose worke written in Latine shall in short time I hope he published to the no small benefit of such as will read and peruse the same Of degrees of people in the common-wealth of England Chap. 5. WE in England diuide our people commonlie into foure sorts as gentlemen citizens or burgesses yeomen which are artificers or laborers Of gentlemen the first and chéefe next the king be the prince dukes marquesses earls viscounts and barons and these are called gentlemen of the greater sort or as our common vsage of spéech is lords and noblemen and next vnto them be knights esquiers and last of all they that are simplie called gentlemen so that in effect our gentlemen are diuided into their conditions whereof in this chapiter I will make particular rehearsall The title of prince dooth peculiarlie belong with vs to the kings eldest sonne who is called prince of Wales and is the heire apparant to the crowne as in France the kings eldest sonne hath the title of Dolphine and is named peculiarlie Monsieur So that the prince is so termed of the Latine word Princeps sith he is as I may call him the cheefe or principall next the king The kings yoonger sonnes be but gentlemen by birth till they haue receiued creation or donation from their father of higher estate as to be either visconts earles or dukes
monke if a man should leane to one side without anie conference of the asseuerations of the other But herin as I take it there lurketh some scruple for beside that S. Peters church stood in the east end of the citie and that of Apollo in the west the word Cornehill a denomination giuen of late to speake of to one street may easilie be mistaken for Thorney For as the word Thorney proceedeth from the Saxons who called the west end of the citie by that name where Westminster now standeth bicause of the wildnesse and bushinesse of the soile so I doo not read of anie stréete in London called Cornehill before the conquest of the Normans Wherfore I hold with them which make Westminster to be the place where Lucius builded his church vpon the ruines of that Flamine 264. yeeres as Malmesburie saith before the comming of the Saxons and 411. before the arriuall of Augustine Read also his appendix in lib. 4. Pontif. where he noteth the time of the Saxons in the 449. of Grace and of Augustine in the 596. of Christ which is a manifest accompt though some copies haue 499. for the one but not without manifest corruption and error Thus became Britaine the first prouince that generallie receiued the faith and where the gospell was freelie preached without inhibition of hir prince Howbeit although that Lucius and his princes and great numbers of his people imbraced the word with gréedinesse yet was not the successe thereof either so vniuersall that all men beleeued at the first the securitie so great as that no persecution was to be feared from the Romane empire after his decease or the procéeding of the king so seuere as that he inforced any man by publike authoritie to forsake and relinquish his paganisme but onelie this fréedome was enioied that who so would become a christian in his time might without feare of his lawes professe the Gospell in whose testimonie if néed had béene I doubt not to affirme but that he would haue shed also his bloud as did his neece Emerita who being constant aboue the common sort of women refused not after his decease by fire to yeeld hir selfe to death as a swéet smelling sacrifice in the nostrels of the Lord beyond the sea in France The faith of Christ being thus planted in this Iland in the 177. after Christ and Faganus and Dinaw with the rest sent ouer from Rome in the 178. as you haue heard it came to passe in the third yeare of the Gospell receiued that Lucius did send againe to Eleutherus the bishop requiring that he might haue some breefe epitome of the order of discipline then vsed in the church For he well considered that as it auaileth litle to plant a costlie vineyard except it afterward be cherished kept in good order and such things as annoie dailie remooued from the same so after baptisme and entrance into religion it profiteth little to beare the name of christians except we doo walke in the spirit and haue such things as offend apparentlie corrected by seuere discipline For otherwise it will come to passe that the wéedes of vice and vicious liuing will so quicklie abound in vs that they will in the end choke vp the good séed sowne in our minds and either inforce vs to returne vnto our former wickednesse with déeper securitie than before or else to become meere Atheists which is a great deale woorse For this cause therefore did Lucius send to Rome the second time for a copie of such politike orders as were then vsed there in their regiment of the church But Eleutherus considering with himselfe how that all nations are not of like condition and therefore those constitutions that are beneficiall to one may now and then be preiudiciall to another and séeing also that beside the word no rites and orders can long continue or be so perfect in all points but that as time serueth they will require alteration he thought it best not to laie any more vpon the necks of the new conuerts of Britaine as yet than Christ and his apostles had alreadie set downe vnto all men In returning therefore his messengers he sent letters by them vnto Lucius and his Nobilitie dated in the consulships of Commodus and Vespronius wherein he told them that Christ had left sufficient order in the scriptures for the gouernment of his church alreadie in his word and not for that onlie but also for the regiment of his whole kingdome if he would submit himselfe to yéeld and follow that rule The epistle it selfe is partlie extant and partlie perished yet such as it is and as I haue faithfullie translated it out of sundrie verie ancient copies I doo deliuer it here to the end I will not defraud the reader of anie thing that may turne to the glorie of God and his commoditie in the historie of our nation You require of vs the Romane ordinances and thereto the statutes of the emperours to be sent ouer vnto you and which you desire to practise and put in vre within your realme and kingdome The Romane lawes and those of emperours we may eft soones reprooue but those of God can neuer be found fault withall You haue receiued of late through Gods mercie in the realme of Britaine the law and faith of Christ you haue with you both volumes of the scriptures out of them therefore by Gods grace and the councell of your realme take you a law and by that law through Gods sufferance rule your kingdome for you are Gods vicar in your owne realme as the roiall prophet saith The earth is the Lords and all that is therein the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein Againe Thou hast loued truth and hated iniquitie wherefore God euen thy God hath annointed thée with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And againe according to the saieng of the same prophet Oh God giue thy iudgement vnto the king thy iustice vnto the kings sonne The kings sons are the christian people flocke of the realme which are vnder your gouernance and liue continue in peace within your kingdome * The gospell saith As the hen gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings so dooth the king his people Such as dwell in the kingdome of Britaine are yours whom if they be diuided you ought to gather into concord and vnitie to call them to the faith and law of Christ and to his sacred church to chearish and mainteine to rule also and gouerne them defending each of them from such as would doo them wrong and keeping them from the malice of such as be their enimies * Wo vnto the nation whose king is a child and whose princes rise vp earlie to banket and féed which is spoken not of a prince that is within age but of a prince that is become a child through follie sinne vnstedfastnesse of whom the prophet saith The bloudthirstie and deceitfull men
therein be side 27. parish-churches of which 15. or 16. haue their Parsons the rest either such poore Uicars or Curats as the liuings left are able to sustaine The names of the parishes in the Wight are these 1 Newport a chap. 2 Cairsbrosie v. 3 Northwood 4 Arriun v. 5 Goddeshill v. 6 Whitwell 7 S. Laurence p. 8 Nighton p. 9 Brading v. 10 Newchurch v. 11 S. Helene v. 12 Yauerland p. 13 Calborne p. 14 Bonechurch p. 15 Mottesson p. 16 Yarmouth p. 17 Thorley v. 18 Shalflete v. 19 Whippingham p. 20 Wootton p. 21 Chale p. 22 Kingston p. 23 Shorwell p. 24 Gatrombe p. 25 Brosie 26 Brixston p. 27 Bensted p. It belongeth for temporall iurisdiction to the countie of Hamshire but in spirituall cases it yéeldeth obedience to the sée of Winchester wherof it is a Deanerie As for the soile of the whole Iland it is verie fruitfull for notwithstanding the shore of it selfe be verie full of rocks and craggie cliffes yet there wanteth no plentie of cattell corne pasture medow ground wild foule fish fresh riuers and pleasant woods whereby the inhabitants may liue in ease and welfare It was first ruled by a seuerall king and afterwards wonne from the Britons by Vespasian the legat at such time as he made a voiage into the west countrie In processe of time also it was gotten from the Romans by the kings of Sussex who held the souereignti◠of the same and kept the king thereof vnder tribute till it was wonne also from them in the time of Athelwold the eight king of the said south region by Ceadwalla who killed Aruald that reigned there and reserued the souereigntie of that I le to himselfe and his successors for euermore At this time also there were 1200. families in that Iland whereof the said Ceadwalla gaue 300 to Wilfride sometime bishop of Yorke exhorting him to erect a church there and preach the gospell also to the inhabitants thereof which he in like maner performed but according to the precriptions of the church of Rome wherevnto he yéelded himselfe vassall and feudarie so that this I le by Wilfride was first conuerted to the faith though the last of all other that hearkened vnto the word After Ceadwalla Woolfride the parricide was the first Saxon prince that aduentured to flie into the Wight for his safegard whither he was driuen by Kenwalch of the Westsaxons who made great warres vpon him and in the end compelled him to go into this place for succour as did also king Iohn in the rebellious stir of his Barons practised by the clergie the said Iland being as then in possession of the Forts as some doo write that haue handled it of purpose The first Earle of this Iland that I doo read of was one Baldwijne de Betoun who married for his second wife the daughter of William le Grosse Earle of Awmarle but he dieng without issue by this ladie she was maried the second time to Earle Maundeuile and thirdlie to William de Fortes who finished Skipton castell which his wiues father had begun about the time of king Richard the first Hereby it came to passe also that the Forts were Earls of Awmarle Wight and Deuonshire a long time till the ladie Elizabeth Fortes sole heire to all those possessions came to age with whom king Edward the third so preuailed through monie faire words that he gat the possession of the Wight wholie into his hands held it to himselfe his successors vntill Henrie the sixt about the twentieth of his reigne crowned Henrie Beauchamp sonne to the lord Richard Earle of Warwike king thereof and of Iardesey and Gardesey with his owne hands and thervnto gaue him a commendation of the Dutchie of Warwike with the titles of Comes comitum Angliae lord Spenser of Aburgauenie and of the castell of Bristow which castell was sometime taken from his ancestors by king Iohn albeit he did not long enioy these great honors sith he died 1446. without issue and seuen yéeres after his father After we be past the Wight we go forward and come vnto Poole hauen wherein is an I le called Brunt Keysy in which was sometime a parish church and but a chapell at this present as I heare There are also two other Iles but as yet I know not their names We haue after we are passed by these another I le or rather Byland also vpon the coast named Portland not far from Waymouth or the Gowy a prettie fertile peece though without wood of ten miles in circuit now well inhabited but much better heretofore and yet are there about foure score housholds in it There is but one street of houses therein the rest are dispersed howbeit they belong all to one parish-church whereas in time past there were two within the compasse of the same There is also a castell of the kings who is lord of the I le although the bishop of Winchester be patrone of the church the parsonage whereof is the fairest house in all the péece The people there are no lesse excellent stingers of stones than were the Baleares who would neuer giue their children their dinners till they had gotten the same with their stings and therefore their parents vsed to hang their meate verie high vpon some bough to the end that he which strake it downe might onlie haue it whereas such as missed were sure to go without it Florus lib. 3. cap. 8. Which feat the Portlands vse for the defense of their Iland and yet otherwise are verie couetous And wheras in time past they liued onlie by fishing now they fall to tillage Their fire bote is brought out of the Wight and other places yet doo they burne much cow doong dried in the sunne for there is I saie no wood in the I le except a few elmes that be about the church There would some grow there no doubt if they were willing to plant it although the soile lie verie bleake and open It is not long since this was vnited to the maine and likelie yer long to be cut off againe Being past this we raise another also in the mouth of the Gowy betweene Colsford and Lime of which for the smalnesse thereof I make no great account Wherefore giuing ouer to intreat any farther of it I cast about to Iardsey and Gardesey which Iles with their appurtenances apperteined in times past to the Dukes of Normandie but now they remaine to our Quéene as parcell of Hamshire and iurisdiction of Winchester belonging to hir crowne by meanes of a composition made betwéene K. Iohn of England and the K. of France when the dominions of the said prince began so fast to decrease as Thomas Sulmo saith Of these two Iardsey is the greatest an Iland hauing thirtie miles in compasse as most men doo coniecture There are likewise in the same twelue parish-churches with a colledge which hath a Deane and Prebends It is distant from
being nine yeares of age was by the lawes of Edgar in ward to king Henrie the third by the nobles of Scotland brought to Yorke and there deliuered vnto him During whose minoritie king Henrie gouerned Scotland and to subdue a commotion in this realme vsed the aid of fiue thousand Scotishmen But king Henrie died during the nonage of this Alexander whereby he receiued not his homage which by reason and law was respited vntill his full age of one and twentie yeares Edward the first after the conquest sonne of this Henrie was next king of England immediatlie after whose coronation Alexander king of Scots being then of full age did homage to him for Scotland at Westminster swearing as all the rest did after this maner I. D. N. king of Scots shall be true and faithfull vnto you lord E. by the grace of God king of England the noble and superior lord of the kingdome of Scotland and vnto you I make my fidelitie for the same kingdome the which I hold and claime to hold of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and lim and worldlie honour against all men faithfullie I shall knowlege and shall doo you seruice due vnto you of the kingdome of Scotland aforesaid as God me so helpe and these holie euangelies This Alexander king of Scots died leauing one onelie daughter called Margaret for his heire who before had maried Hanigo sonne to Magnus king of Norwaie which daughter also shortlie after died leauing one onelie daughter hir heire of the age of two yeares whose custodie and mariage by the lawes of king Edgar and Edward the confessor belonged to Edward the first whervpon the nobles of Scotland were commanded by our king Edward to send into Norwaie to conueie this yoong queene into England to him whome he intended to haue maried to his sonne Edward and so to haue made a perfect vnion long wished for betwéene both realmes Herevpon their nobles at that time considering the same tranquillitie that manie of them haue since refused stood not vpon shifts and delaies of minoritie nor contempt but most gladlie consented and therevpon sent two noble men of Scotland into Norwaie for hir to be brought to this king Edward but she died before their comming thither and therefore they required nothing but to inioie the lawfull liberties that they had quietlie possessed in the last king Alexanders time After the death of this Margaret the Scots were destitute of anie heire to the crowne from this Alexander their last king at which time this Edward descended from the bodie of Mawd daughter of Malcolme sometime king of Scots being then in the greatest broile of his warres with France minded not to take the possession of that kingdome in his owne right but was contented to establish Balioll to be king thereof the weake title betwéene him Bruse Hastings being by the humble petition of all the realme of Scotland cōmitted to the determination of king Edward wherein by autentike writing they confessed the superioritie of the realme to remaine in king Edward sealed with the seales of foure bishops seuen earles and twelue barons of Scotland and which shortlie after was by the whole assent of the three estates of Scotland in their solemne parlement confessed and enacted accordinglie as most euidentlie dooth appeare The Balioll in this wise made king of Scotland did immediatlie make his homage and fealtie at Newcastell vpon saint Stéeuens daie as did likewise all the lords of Scotland each one setting his hand to the composition in writing to king Edward of England for the kingdome of Scotland but shortlie after defrauding the benigne goodnesse of his superiour he rebelled and did verie much hurt in England Herevpon king Edward inuaded Scotland seized into his hands the greater part of the countrie and tooke all the strengths thereof Whervpon Balioll king of Scots came vnto him to Mauntrosse in Scotland with a white wand in his hand and there resigned the crowne of Scotland with all his right title and interest to the same into the hands of king Edward and thereof made his charter in writing dated and sealed the fourth yeare of his reigne All the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland also repaired to Berwike and did homage and fealtie to king Edward there becomming his subiects For the better assurance of whose oths also king Edward kept all the strengths and holdes of Scotland in his owne hands and herevpon all their lawes processes all iudgements gifts of assises and others passed vnder the name and authoritie of king Edward Leland touching the same rehearsall writeth thereof in this maner In the yeare of our Lord 1295 the same Iohn king of Scots contrarie to his faith and allegiance rebelled against king Edward and came into England and burnt and siue without all modestie and mercie Wherevpon king Edward with a great host went to Newcastell vpon Tine passed the water of Twéed besieged Berwike and got it Also he wan the castell of Dunbar and there were slaine at this brunt 15700 Scots Then he proceeded further and gat the castell of Rokesborow and the castell of Edenborow Striuelin and Gedworth and his people harried all the land In the meane season the said king Iohn of Scots considering that he was not of power to withstand king Edward sent his letters and besought him of treatie and peace which our prince benignlie granted and sent to him againe that he should come to the towre of Brechin and bring thither the great lords of Scotland with him The king of England sent thither Antonie Becke bishop of Durham with his roiall power to conclude the said treatise And there it was agreed that the said Iohn and all the Scots should vtterlie submit themselues to the kings will And to the end the submission should be performed accordinglie the king of Scots laid his sonne in hostage and pledge vnto him There also he made his letters sealed with the common scale of Scotland by the which he knowledging his simplenes and great offense doone to his lord king Edward of England by his full power and frée will yeelded vp all the land of Scotland with all the people and homage of the same Then our king went foorth to sée the mounteins and vnderstanding that all was in quiet and peace he turned to the abbeie of Scone which was of chanons regular where he tooke the stone called the Regall of Scotland vpon which the kings of that nation were woont to sit at the time of their coronations for a throne sent it to the abbeie of Westminster commanding to make a chaire therof for the priests that should sing masse at the high altar which chaire was made and standeth yet there at this daie to be séene In the yeare of our Lord 1296 the king held his parlement at Berwike and there he tooke homage singularlie of diuerse of the lords nobles of Scotland And for a perpetuall memorie of the same they
few of them doo agrée vpon forme of discipline and gouernement of the church succedent wherein they reâ—enable the Capuans of whome Liuic dooth speake in the slaughter of their senat Neither is it possible to frame a whole monarchie after the patterne of one towne or citie or to stirre vp such an exquisite face of the church as we imagine or desire sith our corruption is such that it will neuer yéeld to so great perfection for that which is not able to be performed in a priuat house will much lesse be brought to passe in a common-wealth and kingdome before such a prince be found as Xenophon describeth or such an orator as Tullie hath deuised But whither am I digressed from my discourse of bishops whose estates doo daily decaie suffer some diminution Herein neuerthelesse their case is growne to be much better than before for whereas in times past the cleargie men were feared bicause of their authoritie and seuere gouernment vnder the prince now are they beloued generallie for their painefull diligence dailie shewed in their functions and callings except peraduenture of some hungrie wombes that couet to plucke snatch at the loose ends of their best commodities with whom it is as the report goeth a common guise when a man is to be preferred to an ecclesiasticall liuing what part thereof he will first forgo and part with to their vse Finallie how it standeth with the rest of the clergie for their places of estate I neither can tell nor greatlie care to know Neuerthelesse with what degrées of honour and worship they haue béene matched in times past Iohannes Bohemus in his De omnium gentium moribus and others doo expresse and this also found beside their reports that in time past euerie bishop abbat and pelting prior were placed before the earles and barons in most statutes charters and records made by the prince as maie also appeare in the great charter and sundrie yeares of Henrie the third wherein no duke was heard of But as a number of their odious comparisons and ambitious titles are now decaied and worthilie shroonke in the wetting so giuing ouer in these daies to mainteine such pompous vanitie they doo thinke it sufficient for them to preach the word hold their liuings to their sées so long as they shall be able from the hands of such as indeuour for their owne preferrement to fléece and diminish the same This furthermore will I adde generallie in commendation of the cleargie of England that they are for their knowledge reputed in France Portingale Spaine Germanie and Polonia to be the most learned diuines although they like not anie thing at all of their religion and thereto they are in deed so skilfull in the two principall toongs that it is accounted a maime in anie one of them not to be exactlie seene in the Greeke and Hebrue much more then to be vtterlie ignorant or nothing conuersant in them As for the Latine toong it is not wanting in anie of the ministerie especiallie in such as haue beene made within this twelue or fourtéene yeares whereas before there was small choise and manie cures were left vnserued bicause they had none at all And to saie truth our aduersaries were the onelie causers hereof For whilest they made no further accompt of their priesthood than to construe sing read their seruice and their portesse it came to passe that vpon examination had few made in quéene Maries daies and the later end of king Henrie were able to to doo anie more and verie hardlie so much so void were they of further skill and so vnapt to serue at all Dukes marquesses earles visconts and barons either be created of the prince or come to that honor by being the eldest sonnes or highest in succession to their parents For the eldest sonne of a duke during his fathers life is an erle the eldest sonne of an erle is a baron or sometimes a viscont according as the creation is The creation I call the originall donation and condition of the honour giuen by the prince for good seruice doone by the first ancestor with some aduancement which with the title of that honour is alwaies giuen to him and his heires males onelie The rest of the sonnes of the nobilitie by the rigor of the law be but esquiers yet in common spéech all dukes and marquesses sonnes and earles eldest sonnes be called lords the which name commonlie dooth agrée to none of lower degrée than barons yet by law and vse these be not esteemed barons The baronie or degrée of lords dooth answer to the degree of senators of Rome as I said and the title of nobilitie as we vse to call it in England to the Romane Patricij Also in England no man is commonlie created baron except he maie dispend of yearelie reuenues a thousand pounds or so much as maie fullie mainteine beare out his countenance and port But visconts erles marquesses and dukes excéed them according to the proportion of their degrée honour But though by chance he or his sonne haue lesse yet he kéepeth this degrée but if the decaie be excessiue and not able to mainteine the honour as Senatores Romani were amoti à senatu so sometimes they are not admitted to the vpper house in the parlement although they keepe the name of lord still which can not be taken from them vpon anie such occasion The most of these names haue descended from the French inuention in whose histories we shall read of them eight hundred yeares passed This also is worthie the remembrance that Otto the first emperour of that name indeuouring to restore the decaied estate of Italie vnto some part of hir pristinate magnificence did after the French example giue Di gnitates praedia to such knights and souldiers as had serued him in the warres whom he also adorned with the names of dukes marquesses earles valuasors or capteins and valuasines His Praedia in like maner were tributes tolles portage bankage stackage coinage profits by salt-pits milles water-courses and whatsoeuer emoluments grew by them such like But at that present I read not that the word Baro was brought into those parts And as for the valuasors it was a denomination applied vnto all degrées of honor vnder the first three which are properlie named the kings capteins so that they are called Maiores minores minimi valuasores This also is to be noted that the word capteine hath two relations either as the possessor therof hath it from the prince or from some duke marquesse or earle for each had capteins vnder them If from the prince then are they called Maiores valuasores if from anie of his thrée péeres then were they Minores valuasores but if anie of these Valuasors doo substitute a deputie those are called Minimi valuasores and their deputies also Valuasini without regard vnto which degrée the valuasor dooth apperteine but the word
of the countrie at the last AFter him succéeded as lieutenant of Britaine one Iulius Frontinus who vanquished and brought to the Romane subiection by force of armes the people called Silures striuing not onelie against the stout resistance of the men but also with the hardnesse combersome troubles of the places ¶ Thus may you perceiue in what state this I le stood in the time that Aruiragus reigned in the same as is supposed by the best histories of the old Britains so that it may be thought that he gouerned rather a part of this land than the whole and bare the name of a king the Romans not hauing so reduced the countrie into the forme of a prouince but that the Britains bare rule in diuerse parts thereof and that by the permission of the Romans which neuerthelesse had their lieutenants and procuratours here that bare the greatest rule vnder the aforesaid emperours The state of this Iland vnder Marius the sonne of Aruiragus the comming in of the Picts with Roderike their king his death in the field the Picts and Scots enter into mutuall aliance the monument of Marius his victorie ouer the Picts his death and interrement The xv Chapter AFter the decease of Aruiragus his sonne Marius succeeded him in the estate and began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 73. In the old English chronicle he is fondlie called Westmer was a verie wise man gouerning the Britains in great prosperitie honour and wealth In the time of this mans reigne the people called Picts inuaded this land who are iudged to be descended of the nation of the Scithians neare knismen to the Goths both by countrie and maners a cruell kind of men and much giuen to the warres This people with their ringleader Roderike or as some name him Londorike entering the Ocean sea after the maner of rouers arriued on the coasts of Ireland where they required of the Scots new seats to inhabit in for the Scots which as some thinke were also descended of the Scithians did as then inhabit in Ireland but doubting that it should not be for their profit to receiue so warlike a nation into that I le feining as it were a friendship and excusing the matter by the narrownesse of the countrie declared to the Picts that the I le of Britaine was not farre from thence being a large countrie and a plentifull and not greatly inhabited wherefore they counselled them to go thither promising vnto them all the aid that might be The Picts more desirous of spoile than of rule or gouernment without delaie returned to the sea and sailed towards Britaine where being arriued they first inuaded the north parts thereof and finding there but few inhabiters they began to wast and forrey the countrie whereof when king Marius was aduertised with all speed he assembled his people and made towards his enimies and giuing them battell obteined the victorie so that Roderike was there slaine in the field and his people vanquished Unto those that escaped with life Marius granted licence that they might inhabit in the north part of Scotland called Catnesse being as then a countrie in maner desolate without habitation wherevpon they withdrew thither and setled themselues in those parties And bicause the Britains disdained to grant vnto them their daughters in mariage they sent vnto the Scots into Ireland requiring to haue wiues of their nation The Scots agréed to their request with this condition that where there wanted lawfull issue of the kings linage to succéed in the kingdome of the Picts then should they name one of the womans side to be their king which ordinance was receiued and obserued euer after amongst the Picts so long as their kingdome endured Thus the Picts next after the Romans were the first of anie strangers that came into this land to inhabit as most writers affirme although the Scotish chronicles auouch the Picts to be inhabiters here before the incarnation of our sauiour But the victorie which Marius obteined against their king Roderike chanced in the yéere after the incarnation 87. In remembrance of which victorie Marius caused a stone to be erected in the same place where the battell was fought in which stone was grauen these words Marij victoria The English chronicle saith that this stone was set vp on Stanesmoore and that the whole countrie thereabout taking name of this Marius was Westmaria now called Westmerland King Marius hauing thus subdued his enimies and escaped the danger of their dreadfull inuasion gaue his mind to the good gouernement of his people and the aduancement of the common wealth of the realme continuing the residue of his life in great tranquillitie and finallie departed this life after he had reigned as most writers say 52 or 53 yeeres Howbeit there be that write that he died in the yéere of our Lord 78 and so reigned not past fiue or six yéeres at the most He was buried at Caerleill leauing a sonne behind him called Coill Humfrey Lhoyd séemeth to take this man and his father Aruiragus to be all one person whether mooued thereto by some catalog of kings which he saw or otherwise I cannot affirme but speaking of the time when the Picts and Scots should first come to settle themselues in this land he hath these words Neither was there anie writers of name that made mention either of Scots or Picts before Uespasianus time about the yeere of the incarnation 72 at what time Meurig or Maw or Aruiragus reigned in Britaine in which time our annales doo report that a certeine kind of people liuing by pirasie and rouing on the sea came foorth of Sueden or Norwaie vnder the guiding of one Rhithercus who landed in Albania wasting all the countrie with robbing and spoiling so farre as Caerleill where he was vanquished in battell and slaine by Muragus with a great part of his people the residue that escaped by flight fled to their ships and so conueied themselues into the Iles of Orkney and Scotland where they abode quietlie a great while after Thus farre haue I thought good to shew of the foresaid Lhoyds booke for that it seemeth to carie a great likelihood of truth with it for the historie of the Picts which vndoubtedlie I thinke were not as yet inhabiting in Britaine but rather first placing themselues in the Iles of Orkney made inuasion into the maine I le of Britaine afterwards as occasion was offred In the British toong they are called Pightiaid that is Pightians and so likewise were they called in the Scotish and in their owne toong Now will we shew what chanced in this I le during the time of the foresaid Marius his supposed reigne as is found in the Romane histories Iulius Agricola is deputed by Vespasian to gouerne Britaine he inuadeth the I le of Anglesey the inhabitants yeeld vp them selues the commendable gouernement of Agricola his worthie practises to traine the Britains to ciuilitie his
Rome in the yéere 169 according to the opinion of the most diligent chronographers of our time and gouerned fiftéene yeeres and thirtéene daies And yet there are that affirme how Lucius died at Glocester in the yéere of our Lord 156. Other say that he died in the yere 201 and other 208. So that the truth of this historie is brought into doubt by the discord of writers concerning the time and other circumstances although they all agrée that in this kings daies the christian faith was first by publike consent openlie receiued and professed in this land which as some affirme should chance in the twelfe yéere of his reigne and in the yéere of our Lord 177. Other iudge that it came to passe in the eight yeere of his regiment and in the yéere of our Lord 188 where other as before is said alledge that it was in the yéere of the Lord 179. Nauclerus saith that this happened about the yeare of our Lord 156. And Henricus de Herfordea supposeth that it was in the yéere of our Lord 169 and in the nintéenth yéere of the emperor Marcus Anfonius Uerus and after other about the sixt yéere of the emperor Commodus But to conclude king Lucius died without issue by reason whereof after his deceasse the Britains fell at variance which continued about the space of fiftéene yéeres as Fabian thinketh howbeit the old English chronicle affirmeth that the contention betwixt them remained fiftie yéeres though Harding affirmeth but foure yéeres And thus much of the Britains and their kings Coilus and Lucius Now it resteth to speake somewhat of the Romans which gouerned here in the meane while After that Agricola was called backe to Rome the Britains and namelie those that inhabited beyond Tweed partlie being weakned of their former strength and partlie in consideration of their pledges which they had deliuered to the Romans remained in peace certeine yéeres The Britains after the deceasse of Lucius who died without issue rebell against the Romans the emperor Adrian comming in his owne person into Britaine appeaseth the broile they go about to recouer their libertie against the Romans but are suppressed by Lollius the Romane lieutenant the vigilantnesse or wakefulnesie of Marcellus and his policie to keepe the souldiers waking the Britains being ruled by certaine meane gentlemen of Perhennis appointing doo falselie accuse him to the emperor Commodus he is mangled and murthered of his souldiers The xx Chapter IN the meane time the Romane lieutenant Cneus Trebellius that succéeded Iulius Agricola could no foresee all things so preciselie but that the souldiers waxing vnrulie by reason of long rest fell at variance among themselues and would not in the end obey the lieutenant but disquieted the Britains beyond measure Wherefore the Britains perceiuing themselues sore oppressed with intollerable bondage and that dailie the same incresed they conspired togither vpon hope to recouer libertie and to defend their countrie by all meanes possible and herewith they tooke weapon in hand against the Romans and boldlie assailed them but this they did yet warilie and so that they might flie vnto the woods and bogs for refuge vpon necessitie according to the maner of their countrie Herevpon diuers slaughters were commited on both parties and all the countrie was now readie to rebell whereof when the emperour Adrian was aduertised from Trebellius the lieutenant with all conuenient speed he passed ouer into Britaine and quieted all the I le vsing great humanitie towards the inhabitants and making small account of that part where the Scots now inhabit either bicause of the barrennesse thereof or for that by reason of the nature of the countrie he thought it would be hard to be kept vnder subiection he deuised to diuide it from the residue of Britaine and so caused a wall to be made from the mouth of Tine vnto the water of Eske which wall conteined in length 30 miles After this the Britains bearing a malicious hatred towards the Romane souldiers and repining to be kept vnder the bond of seruitude eftsoones went about to recouer libertie againe Whereof aduertisement being giuen the emperour Pius Antoninus sent ouer Lollius Urbicus as lieutenant into Britaine who by sundrie battels striken constreined the Britains to remaine in quiet and causing those that inhabited in the north parts to remooue further off from the confines of the Romane prouince caised another wall beyond that which the emperor Adrian had made as is to be supposed for the more suertie of the Romane subiects against the inuasion of the enimies But yet Lollius did not so make an end of the warrs but that the Britains shortlie after attempted afresh either to reduce their state into libertie or to bring the same into further danger WHerevpon Marcus Antonius that succéeded Pius sent Calphurnius Agricola to succéed Lollius in the gouernement of Britaine the which easilie ouercame and subdued all his enimies After this there chanced some trouble in the daies of the emperour Commodus the son of Marcus Antonius and his successor in the empire for the Britans that dwelled northwards beyond Adrians wall brake through the same and spoiled a great part of the countrie against whom the Romane lieutenant for that time being come foorth gaue them battell but both he and the Romane souldiers that were with him were beaten downe and slaine With which newes Commodus being sore amazed sent against the Britains one Ulpius Marcellus a man of great diligence and temperance but therewith rough and nothing gentle He vsed the same kind of diet that the common souldiers did vse He was a captaine much watchfull as one contented with verie little sléepe and desirous to haue his souldiers also vigilant and carefull to kéepe sure watch in the night season Euerie euening he would write twelue tables such as they vsed to make on the lind trée and deliuering them to one of his seruants appointed him to beare them at seuerall houres of the night to sundrie souldiers whereby supposing that their generall was still watching and not gone to bed they might be in doubt to sléepe And although of nature he could well absteine from sléepe yet to be the better able to forbeare it he vsed a maruellous spare kind of diet for to the end that he would not fill himselfe too much with bread he would eat none but such as was brought to him from Rome so that more than necessitie compelled him he could not eat by reason that the stalenesse tooke awaie the pleasant tast thereof and lesse prouoked his appetite He was a maruellous contemner of monie so that bribes might not mooue him to doo otherwise than dutie required This Marcellus being of such disposition sore afflicted the Britains and put them oftentimes to great losses through fame wherof Cōmodus enuieng his renowme was after in mind to make him away but yet spared him for a further purpose and suffered him
the vniuersitie of Cambridge founded by him he resigneth his kingdome and becometh a moonke he and his kinsman Egric are slaine in a skirmish against Penda king of Mercia The xxx Chapter AFter that king Oswald was slaine his brother Oswie being about 30 yeares of age tooke vpon him the rule of the kingdome of Northumberland gouerning the same with great trouble for the space of 28 yeares being sore vexed by the foresaid Penda king of Mercia and his people which as yet were pagans In the first yeare of his reigne which was in the yeare of our Lord 644. Pauline the bishop of Rochester which had beene also archbishop of Yorke departed this life and then one Thamar an Englishman of the parties of Kent was ordeined bishop of Rochester by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie King Oswie had one Oswin partener with him in gouernment of the Northumbers in the first beginning of his reigne which was sonne to Osrike so that Oswie gouerned in Bernicia and Oswin in Deira continuing in perfect friendship for a season till at length through the counsell of wicked persons that coueted nothing so much as to sowe discord and variance betwixt princes they fell at debate and so began to make warres one against an other so that finallie when they were at point to haue tried their quarrell in open battell Oswin perceiuing that he had not an armie of sufficient force to incounter with Oswie brake vp his campe at Wilfaresdowne ten mile by west the towne of Cataracton and after withdrew himselfe onelie with one seruant named Condhere vnto the house of earle Hunwald whome he tooke to haue béene his trustie friend but contrarie to his expectation the said Hunwald did betraie him vnto Oswie who by his captaine Edelwine slue the said Oswin and his seruant the forsaid Condhere in a place called Ingethling the 13 kalends of September in the ninth yeare of his reigne which was after the birth of our Sauiour 651. This Oswin was a goodlie gentleman of person tall and beautifull and verie gentle of spéech ciuill in manners and verie liberall both to high low so that he was beloued of all Such a one he was to be breefe as bishop Aidan gessed that he should not long continue in life for that the Northumbers were not woorthie of so good and vertuous a gouernour Such humblenesse and obedience he perceiued to rest in him towards the law of the Lord in taking that which was told him for his better instruction in good part that he said he neuer saw before that time an humble king The same Aidan liued not past 12 daies after the death of the said Oswin whome he so much loued departing this world the last daie of August in the seuenteenth yeare after he was ordeined bishop His bodie was buried in the I le of Lindesferne After Aidan one Finan was made bishop in his place a Scotishman also and of the I le of Hui from whence his predecessor the foresaid Aidan came being first a man of religion professed in the monasterie there as some writers doo report IN the meane time after that Kinigils or Cinigilsus king of the Westsaxons had reigned 31 yeares he departed this life Anno 643 leauing his kingdome to his sonne Cenwalch or Chenwald who held the same kingdome the tearme of 30 yeares or 31 as some write in manner as his father had doone before him In the third or as others saie in the fift yeare of his reigne Penda king of Mercia made sharpe warre against him because he had put awaie his wife the sister of the said Penda and in this warre Chenwald was ouercome in battell driuen out of his countrie so that he fled vnto Anna king of the Eastangles with whome he remained the space of a yeare or as other say thrée yeares to his great good hap for before he was growen to be an enimie to the christian religion but now by the wholesome admonitions and sharpe rebukes of king Anna he became a christian and receiued his wife againe into his companie according to the prescript of Gods law and to be bréefe in all things shewed himselfe a new man imbracing vertue auoiding vice so that shortlie after through the helpe of God he recouered againe his kingdome Now when he was established in the same there came a bishop named Agilbertus out of Ireland a Frenchman borne but hauing remained in Ireland a long time to reade the scriptures This Agilbert comming into the prouince of the Westsaxons was gladlie receiued of king Chenwald at whose desire he tooke vpon him to exercise the roome of a bishop there but afterwards when the said king admitted another bishop named Wini which had béene ordeined in France and knew the toong better than Agilbert as he that was borne in England Agilbert offended for that the king had admitted him without making him of anie counsell therein returned into France and there was made bishop of Paris within a few yeares after the foresaid Wini was expelled also by king Chenwald who got him into Mercia vnto king Uulfhere of whome he bought the bishoprike of London which he held during his life and so the countrie of Westsaxon remained long without a bishop till at length the said Agilbert at the request of king Chenwald sent to him Elutherius that was his nephue YE haue heard that after Carpwald his brother Sigibert succéeded in rule of the Eastangles a man of great vertue and woorthinesse who whilest he remained in France as a banished man being constreined to flée his countrie vpon displeasure that king Redwald bare him was baptised there and after returning into his countrie and obteining at length the kingdome those things which he had séene well ordered in France he studied to follow the example of the same at home and herevpon considering with himselfe that nothing could more aduance the state of the common-wealth of his countrie than learning knowledge in the toongs began the foundation of certeine schooles and namelie at Cambridge where children might haue places where to be instructed and brought vp in learning vnder appointed teachers that there might be greater numbers of learned men trained vp than before time had béene within this land to the furtherance of true religion and vertue So that England hath good cause to haue in thankfull remembrance this noble prince king Sigibert for all those hir learned men which haue bin brought vp come foorth of that famous vniuersitie of Cambridge the first foundation or rather renouation whereof was thus begun by him about the yeare of our Lord 630. At length when this worthie king began to grow in age he considered with himselfe how hard a matter and how painefull an office it was to gouerne a realme as apperteined to the dutie of a good king wherevpon he determined to leaue the charge thereof to other of more conuenient yéeres and to
Kent departed this life in Iulie and left the kingdome to his brother Lothaire which held the same eleuen yéeres seuen moneths Some haue written that king Egbert by the suggestion of one Thunnir who had the chiefe rule of the kingdome vnder him suffered the same Thunnir in lamentable maner to kill the two innocent sonnes of Ermenredus the brother of king Ercombert that was father vnto king Egbert for doubt least they being towardlie yoong gentlemen might in time grow so into fauour with the people that it should be easie for them to depriue both Egbert and his issue of the kingdome Also that they were priuilie put to death and secretlie buried at the first but the place of their buriall immediatlie being shewed after a miraculous maner their bodies long after in the daies of king Egilred the sonne of king Edgar were taken vp conueied vnto Ramsey and there buried And although Egbert being giltie of the death of those his coosens did sore repent him for that he vnderstood they died giltlesse yet his brother Lothaire was thought to be punished for that offense as after shall be shewed Winfrid bishop of the Mercies for his disobedience in some point was depriued by archbishop Theodore and one Sexvulfe that was the builder and also the abbat of the monasterie of Meidhamsted otherwise called Peterborough was ordeined and consecrated in his place About the same time Erkenwald was ordeined bishop of the Eastsaxons and appointed to hold his sée in the citie of London This Erkenwald was reputed to be a man of great holinesse and vertue Before he was made bishop he builded two abbeies the one of moonks at Chertsey in Southerie where he himselfe was abbat and the other of nuns at Berking within the prouince of the Eastsaxons where he placed his sister Ethelburga a woman also highlie estéemed for hir deuout kind of life She was first brought vp and instructed in the rules of hir profession by one Hildelitha a nun of the parties beyond the seas whome Erkenwald procured to come ouer for that purpose After Erkenwald one Waldhere was made bishop of London in whose daies Sebbie king of the Eastsaxons after he had reigned thirtie yéeres being now vexed with a gréeuous sicknesse professed himselfe a moonke which thing he would haue doone long before if his wife had not kept him backe He died shortlie after within the citie of London and was buried in the church of saint Paule King Sighere which in the beginning reigned with him and gouerned a part of the Eastsaxons was departed this life before so that in his latter time the foresaid Sebbie had the gouernment of the whole prouince of the Eastsaxons and left the same to his sonnes Sighard and Sewfred About the yéere of our Lord 675 Uulfhere king of Mercia departed this life after he had reigned as some say 19 yéeres but as other affirme he reigned but 17 yéeres Howbeit they which reckon 19 include the time that passed after the slaughter of Penda wherein Oswie and Peada held the aforesaid kingdome Edilred king of Mercia inuadeth the kingdome of Kent and maketh great waste without resistance of Lothaire the king thereof Putta of a bishop becommeth a poore curat and teacheth musicke Wilfred deposed from his bishoprike by king Egfrid vpon displeasure he preacheth the gospell in Sussex by the licence of king Edilwalke no raine in Sussex for the space of three yeeres the woord and sacraments bring blessings with them bishop Wilfrid the first teacher to catch fish with nets the people haue him in great reuerence a great and bloudie battell betweene Egfrid king Edilred they are reconciled by the meanes of archbishop Theodore a synod holden at Hatfield the clergie subscribe to certeine articles of Hilda the famous abbesse of Whitbie The xxxv Chapter AFter Uulfhere his brother Edilred or Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of the kingdome of Mercia This Edilred inuaded the kingdome of Kent with a mightie armie in the yéere of our Lord 677 destroieng the countrie afore him not sparing churches nor abbeies but spoiling the same without respect as well as other common places King Lothaire durst not appéere in the field to giue him battell so that Edilred went thorough the countrie destroied the citie of Rochester and with great riches gotten by the spoile he returned home Putta the bishop of Rochester after that his church was spoiled and defaced by the enimies went to Sexvulfe bishop of Mercia and there obteining of him a small cure and a portion of ground remained in that countrie not once labouring to restore his church of his church of Rochester to the former state but went about in Mercia to teach song and instruct such as would learne musicke wheresoeuer he was required or could get intertainment Heerevpon the archbishop Theodore consecrated one William bishop of Rochester in place of Putta and after when the said William constreined by pouertie left that church Theodore placed one Gebmound in his stéed In the yéere of our Lord 678 in the moneth of August a blasing starre appéered with a long bright beame like to a piller It was séene euerie morning for the space of thrée moneths togither The same Egfrid king of Northumberland banished bishop Wilfrid vpon displeasure taken with him out of his sée and then were two bishops ordeined in his place to gouerne the church of the Northumbers the one named Bosa at Yorke and the other called Eata at Hagustald or Lindesferne Also one Eadhidus was ordeined about the same time bishop of Lindsey the which prouince king Egfrid had of late conquered and taken from Uulfhere the late king of Mercia whome he ouercame in battell and droue him out of that countrie The said thrée bishops were consecrated at Yorke by the archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus the which within thrée yéeres after ordeined two bishops more in that prouince of the Northumbers that is to say Tumbert at Hagustald Eata that was appointed to remaine at Lindesferne Trumuine was ordeined to haue the cure of the prouince of those Picts which as then were vnder the English dominion Also bicause Edilred king of Mercia recouered the countrie of Lindsey and ioined it to his dominion bishop Eadhedus comming from thence was appointed to gouerne the church of Rippon After that bishop Wilfrid was expelled out of his diocesse and prouince of the Northumbers he went to Rome and returning from thence came into the kingdome of the Southsaxons the which conteining seuen thousand housholds or families as yet was not conuerted to the christian faith Wherefore the said Wilfrid began there to preach the gospell with licence of king Edilwalke who as before is mentioned was conuerted and baptised in Mercia by the procurement of king Wolfher that then became his godfather and gaue him at the same time the I le of Wight and the prouince of the
emperor Constantinus surnamed Copronimos in the 6 yéere of the reigne of Pipin king of France and about the 22 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Kinewulfe prooued a right woorthie and valiant prince and was descended of the right line of Cerdicus He obteined great victories against the Britains or Welshmen but at Bensington or Benton he lost a battell against Offa king of Mercia in the 24 yéere of his reigne and from that time forward tasting manie displeasures at length through his owne follie came vnto a shamefull end For whereas he had reigned a long time neither slouthfullie nor presumptuouslie yet now as it were aduanced with the glorie of things passed he either thought that nothing could go against him or else doubted the suertie of their state whom he should leaue behind him and therefore he confined one Kineard the brother of Sigibert whose fame he perceiued to increase more than he would haue wished This Kineard dissembling the matter as he that could giue place to time got him out of the countrie and after by a secret conspiracie assembled togither a knot of vngratious companie and returning priuilie into the countrie againe watched his time till he espied that the king with a small number of his seruants was come vnto the house of a noble woman whome he kept as paramour at Merton wherevpon the said Kineard vpon the sudden beset the house round about The king perceiuing himselfe thus besieged of his enimies at the first caused the doores to be shut supposing either by curteous woords to appease his enimies or with his princelie authoritie to put them in feare But when he saw that by neither meane he could doo good in a great chafe he brake foorth of the house vpon Kineard and went verie néere to haue killed him but being compassed about with multitude of enimies whilest he stood at defense thinking it a dishonour for him to flée he was beaten downe and slaine togither with those few of his seruants which he had there with him who chose rather to die in séeking reuenge of their maisters death than by cowardise to yeeld themselues into the murtherers hands There escaped none except one Welshman or Britaine an hostage who was neuerthelesse sore wounded and hurt The brute of such an heinous act was streightwaies blowne ouer all and brought with speed to the eares of the noble men and peeres of the realme which were not farre off the place where this slaughter had béene committed Amongst other one Oâ—rike for his age and wisedome accounted of 〈◊〉 authoritie 〈◊〉 ted the residue that in no wife they should suffor the death of their souereigne lord to passe vnpunished vnto their perpetuall shame and reproofe Wherevpon in all hast they ran to the place where they knew to find Kineard who at the first began to plead his cause to make large promises to pretend coosenage and so foorth but when he perceiued all that he could say or doo might not preuaile he incouraged his companie to shew themselues valiant and to resist their enimies to the vttermost of their powers Heerevpon followed a doubtfull fight the one part striuing to saue their liues and the other to atteine honour and punish the slaughter of their souereigne lord At length the victorie rested on the side where the right was so that the wicked murtherer after he had fought a while at length was slaine togither with fourescore and eight of his mates The kings bodie was buried at Winchester the murtherers at Repingdon Such was the end of king Kinewulfe after he had reigned the tearme of 31 yéeres In the yeere of our Lord 786 pope Adrian sent two legats into England Gregorie or as some copies haue George bishop of Ostia and Theophylactus bishop of Tuderto with letters commendatorie vnto Offa king of Mercia Alfwold king of Northumberland Ieanbright or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie and Eaubald archbishop of Yorke These legats were gladlie receiued not onlie by the foresaid kings and archbishops but also of all other the high estates aswell spirituall as temporall of the land namelie of Kinewulfe king of the Westsaxons which repaired vnto king Offa to take counsell with him for reformation of such articles as were conteined in the popes letters There were twentie seuerall articles which they had to propone on the popes behalfe as touching the receiuing of the faith or articles established by the Nicene councell and obeieng of the other generall councels with instructions concerning baptisme and kéeping of synods yéerelie for the examination of priests and ministers and reforming of naugthie liuers Moreouer touching discretion to be vsed in admitting of gouernors in monasteries and curats or priests to the ministerie in churches and further for the behauior of priests in wearing their apparell namelie that they should not presume to come to the altar bare legged lest their dishonestlie might be discouered And that in no wise the chalice or paten were made of the horne of an oxe bicause the same is bloudie of nature nor the host of a crust but of pure bread Also whereas bishops vsed to sit in councels to iudge in secular causes they were now forbidden so to doo Manie other things were as meanes of reformation articled both for spirituall causes and also concerning ciuill ordinances as disabling children to be heirs to the parents whch by them were not begot in lawfull matrimonie but on concubines whether they were nunnes or secular women Also of paiment of tithes performing of vowes auoiding of vndecent apparell and abolishing of all maner of heathenish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order of christianitie as curtailing of horsses and eating of horsses flesh These things with manie other expressed in 20 principall articles as we haue said were first concluded to be receiued by the church of the Northumbers in a councell holden there and subscribed by Alfwold king of the Northumbers by Delberike bishop of Hexham by Eubald archbishop of Yorke Higwald bishop of Lindisferne Edelbert bishop of Whiterne Aldulfe bishop of Mieth Ethelwine also another bishop by his deputies with a number of other of the clergie and lords also of the temporaltie as duke Alrike duke Segwulfe abbat Alebericke and abbat Erhard After this confirmation had of the Northumbers there was also a councell holden in Mercia at Cealtide in the which these persons subscribed Iambert or Lambert archbishop of Canturburie Offa king of Mercia Hughbright bishop of Lichfield Edeulfe bishop of Faron with Unwone bishop of Ligor and nine other bishops besides abbats and thrée dukes as Brorda Farwald and Bercoald with earle Othbald But now to returne backe to speake of other dooings as in other parts of this land they fell out About the yéere of our Lord 764 the sée of Canturburie being void one Iambert or Lambert was elected archbishop there and the yéere 766 the archbishop of Yorke Egbert departed this
with the Danes against Egbert they are both vanquished Egbert dieth The ninth Chapter THis Egbert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 800 which was the 4 yeare almost ended after that the emperour Eirine began the second time to rule the expire and in the 24 yeare of the reigne of Charles the great king of France which also was in the same yeare after he was made emperour of the west and about the second yeare of Conwall king of Scots Whilest this Egbert remained in exile he turned his aduersaries into an occasion of his valiancie as it had béene a grindstone to grind awaie and remoue the râ—st of sluggish slouthfulnes in so much that hawnting the wars in France in seruice of Charles the great he atteined to great knowledge and experience both in matters apperteining to the wars and likwise to the well ordering of the common wealth in time of peace The first wars that he tooke in hand after he had atteined to the kingdome was against the Cornishmen a remnant of the old Britains whome he shortlie ouercame and subdued Then he thought good to tame the vnquiet Welshmen the which still were readie to moue rebellion against the Englishmen as they that being vanquished would not yet seeme to be subdued wherefore about the 14 yeare of his reigne he inuaded the countrie of Wales and went through the same from cast to west not finding anie person that durst resist him King Egbert hauing ouercome his enimies of Wales and Cornewall began to grow in authoritie aboue all the other rulers within this land in somuch that euerie of them began to feare their owne estate but namelie Bernulfe king of Mercia sore stomached the matter as he that was wise and of a loftie courage and yet doubted to haue to doo with Egbert who was knowen also to be a man both skilfull and valiant At length yet considering with himselfe that if his chance should be to speed well so much the more should his praise be increased he determined to attempt the fortune of warre and therevpon intimated the same vnto Egbert who supposing it should be a dishonor vnto him to giue place boldlie prepared to méete Bernulfe in the field Herevpon they incountred togither at Ellendon fought a sore battell in the which a huge number of men were slaine what on the one part and on the other but in the end the victorie remained with Egbert although he had not the like host for number vnto Bernulfe but he was a politike prince and of great experience hauing chosen his souldiers of nimble leane and hartie men where Bernulfs souldiers through long ease were cowardlie persons and ouercharged with flesh The battell was fought in the yeare of our Lord 826. King Egbert hauing got this victorie was aduanced into such hope that he persuaded himselfe to be able without great adoo to ouercome the residue of his neighbours whose estates he saw plainelie sore weakened and fallen into great decaie Herevpon before all other he determined to assaile Edelvulfe king of Kent whome he knew to be a man in no estimation amongest his subiects A competent armie therefore being leuied he appointed his sonne Ethelwulfe Alstan bishop of Shireborne with earle Walhard to haue the conduct therof and sent them with the same into Kent where they wrought such maisteries that they chased both the king and all other that would not submit themselues out of the countrie constreining them to passe ouer the Thames And herewith the Westsaxons following the victorie brought vnder subiection of king Egbert the countries of Kent Essex Southerie and Sussex The Eastangles also about the same time receiued king Egbert for their souereigne Lord and comforted by his setting on against Bernulfe king of Mercia inuaded the confines of his kingdome in reuenge of displeasures which he had doone to them latelie before by inuading their countrie and as it came to passe incountring with the said Bernulfe which came against them to defend his countrie they slue him in the field Thus their minds on both parts being kindled into further wrath the Eastangles estsoones in the yeare following fought with them of Mercia and ouercame them againe and slue their king Ludicenus who succéeded Bernulfe in that kingdome with 5 of his earles The state of the kingdome of Mercia being weakened Egbert conceiued an assured hope of good successe in the 27 yeare of his reigne made an open inuasion into the countrie and chasing Whitlafe king of Mercia that succeeded Ludicenus out of his estate conquered the whole kingdome of the Mercies But yet in the yéere next following or in the third yeare after he restored it againe to Whitlafe with condition that he should inioy the same as tributarie to him and acknowledge him for his supreme gouernour The same yeare that Bernulfe king of Mercia was slaine by the Eastangles there was a sore battell foughten at Gauelford betwixt them of Deuonshire and the Britains in the which manie thousand died on both parts King Egbert hauing conquered all the English people inhabiting on the south side of Humber led foorth his armie against them of Northumberland but the Northumbers being not onelie vexed with ciuill sedition but also with the often inuasion of Danes perceiued not how they should be able to resist the power of king Egbert and therefore vpon good aduisement taken in the matter they resolued to submit themselues and therevpon sent ambassadors to him to offer their submission committing themselues wholie vnto his protection King Egbert gladlie receiued them and promised to defend them from all forren enimies Thus the kingdome of Northumberland was brought vnder subiection to the kings of the Westsaxons after the state had béen sore weakened with contention and ciuill discord that had continued amongst the nobles of the countrie for the space of manie yeeres beside the inuasion made by outward enimies to the gréeuous damage of the people After that king Egbert had finished his businesse in Northumberland he turned his power towards the countrie of Northwales and subdued the same with the citie of Chester which till those daies the Britains or Welshmen had kept in their possession When king Egbert had obteined these victories and made such conquests as before is mentioned of the people héere in this land he caused a councell to be assembled at Winchester and there by aduise of the high estates he was crowned king as â—ouereigne gouernour and supreame lord of the whole land It is also recorded that he caused a commission to be directed foorth into all parts of the realme to giue commandement that from thence forward all the people inhabiting within this land should be called English men and not Saxons and likewise the land should be called England by one generall name though it should appéere as before is mentioned that it was so called shortlie after the first
maner then was on the 24 day of Aprill assisted by Oswald archbishop of Yorke and ten other bishops But as hath béene reported Dunstane then said that the English people should suffer condigne punishment generallie with losse of ancient liberties which before that time they had inioied Dunstane also long before prophesied of the slouthfulnesse that should remaine in this Egelred For at what time he ministred the sacrament of baptisme to him shortlie after he came into this world he defiled the font with the ordure of his wombe as hath beene said whervpon Dunstane being troubled in mind By the Lord saith he and his blessed mother this child shall prooue to be a slouthfull person It hath beene written also that when he was but ten yeeres of age and heard that his brother Edward was slaine he so offended his mother with wéeping bicause she could not still him that hauing no rod at hand she tooke tapers or sizes that stood before hir and beat him so sore with them that she had almost killed him whereby he could neuer after abide to haue anie such candels lighted before him This Egelred as writers say was nothing giuen to warlike enterprises but was slouthfull a louer of idlenesse and delighting in riotous lusts which being knowne to all men caused him to be euill spoken of amongst his owne people and nothing feared amongst strangers Heerevpon the Danes that exercised rouing on the seas began to conceiue a boldnesse of courage to disquiet and molest the sea-coasts of the realme in so much that in the second yéere of this Egelreds reigne they came with seuen ships on the English coasts of Kent and spoiled the I le of Tenet the towne of Southampton and in the yeere following they destroied S. Petroks abbeie in Cornwall Porthland in Deuonshire and diuerse other places by the sea side speciallie in Deuonshire Cornwall Also a great part of Cheshire was destroied by pirats of Norway The same yéere by casualtie of fire a great part of the citie of London was burnt In the yeere of our Lord 983 Alfer duke of Mercia departed this life who was coosen to king Edgar his sonne Alfrike tooke vpon him the rule of that dukedome and within thrée yéeres after was banished the land About the eight yéere of his reigne Egelred maried one Elgina or Ethelgina daughter of earle Egbert In the ninth yeere of his reigne vpon occasion of strife betwéene him and the bishop of Rochester he made warre against the same bishop wasted his lordships and besieged the citie of Rochester till Dunstan procured the bishops peace with paiment of an hundred pounds in gold And bicause the K. would not agrée with the bishop without moneie at the onelie request of Dunstane the said Dunstane did send him woord that sithens he made more account of gold than of God more of monie than of S. Andrew patrone of the church of Rochester and more of couetousnesse than of him being the archbishop the mischiefs which the Lord had threatned would shortlâ—e fall and come to passe but the same should not chance whilest he was aliue who died in the yéere following on the 25 of Maie being saturdaie Of this Dunstane manie things are recorded by writers that he should be of such holinesse and vertue that God wrought manie miracles by him both whilest he liued heere on earth and also after his deceasse He was borne in Westsaxon his father was named Heorstan and his mother Cinifride who in his youth set him to schoole where he so profited that he excelled all his equals in age Afterward he fell sicke of an ague which vexed him so sore that it draue him into a frensie and therefore his parents appointed him to the cure the charge of a certeine woman where his disease grew so on him that he fell in a trance as though he had béene dead and after that he suddenlie arose by chance caught a staffe in his hand and ran vp and downe through hils and dales and laid about him as though he had béene afraid of mad dogs The next night as it is said he gat him to the top of the church by the helpe of certeine ladders that stood there for woorkemen to mend the roofe and there ran vp and downe verie dangerouslie but in the end came safelie downe and laid him to sléepe betwéene two men that watched the church that night when he awaked he maruelled how he came there Finallie recouering his disease his parents made him a priest and placed him in the abbeie of Glastenburie where he gaue himselfe to the reading of scriptures and knowledge of vertue But as well his kinsmen as certeine other did raise a report of him that he gaue not himselfe so much to the reading of scriptures as to charming coniuring and sorcerie which he vtterlie denied howbeit learned he was in déed could doo manie pretie things both in handie woorke and other deuises he had good skill in musicke and delighted much therein At length he grew in such fauour that he was aduanced into the seruice of king Adelstane Upon a time as he came to a gentlewomans house with his harpe and hoong the same on the wall while he shaped a priests stole the harpe suddenlie began to plaie a psalme which draue the whole houshold in such feare that they ran out and said he was too cunning and knew more than was expedient wherevpon he was accused of necromancie and so banished out of the court After this he began to haue a liking to women and when Elfeagus then bishop of Winchester and his coosen persuaded him to become a moonke he refused it for he rather wished to haue maried a yoong damosell whose pleasant companie he dailie inioied But being soone after striken with such a swelling disease in his bellie that all his bodie was brought into such state as though he had béene infected with a foule leprosie he bethought him selfe and vpon his recouerie sent to the bishop who immediatlie shore him a moonke in which life he liued in so great opinion of holinesse as he in time became abbat of Glastenburie where on a time as he was in his praiers before the altar of S. George he fell asléepe and imagining in his dreame that an vglie rough beare came towards him with open mouth and set his forefeet vpon his shoulders readie to deuoure him he suddenlie wakening for feare caught his walking staffe which he commonlie went with and laid about him that all the church rang thereof to the great woonder of such as stood by The common tale of his plucking the diuell by the nose with a paire of pinsors for tempting him with women while he was making a chalice the great loue that the ladie Elfleda néere kinswoman to king Adelstane bare him to hir dieng day with a great manie of other such like matters I leaue as
kinds of sicknesses vexed the people also as the bloodie flix and hot burning agues which then raged through the land so that manie died thereof By such manner of meanes therefore what through the misgouernance of the king the treason and disloialtie of the nobilitie the lacke of good order and due correction amongst the people and by such other scourges and mishaps as afflicted the English nation in that season the land was brought into great ruine so that where by strength the enimie could not be kept off there was now no helpe but to appease them with monie By reason hereof from time of the first agréement with the Danes for 10 thousand pounds tribute it was inhanced to 16000 pounds as you haue heard after that at 20000 pounds then to 24000 pounds so to 30000 pounds lastlie to 40000 pounds till at length the relme was emptied in maner of all that monie and coine that could be found in it In this meane time died Elgina or Ethelgina the quéene Shortlie after it was deuised that the king should be a suter vnto Richard duke of Normandie for his sister Emma a ladie of such excellent beautie that she was named the floure of Normandie This sute was begun and tooke such good successe that the king obteined his purpose And so in the yeare of our Lord 1002 which was about the 24 yeare of king Egelreds reigne he maried the said Emma with great solemnitie This mariage was thought to be right necessarie honorable and profitable for the realme of England because of the great puissance of the Norman princes in those daies but as things afterward came to passe it turned to the subuersion of the whole English state for by such affinitie and dealing as hapned hereby betwixt the Normans and Englishmen occasion in the end was ministred to the same Normans to pretend a title to the crowne of England in prosecuting of which title they obteined and made the whole conquest of the land as after shall appeare Egelred being greatlie aduanced as he thought by reason of his mariage deuised vpon presumption thereof to cause all the Danes within the land to be murthered in one day Herevpon he sent priuie commissioners to all cities burrowes and townes within his dominions commanding the rulers and officers in the same to kill all such Danes as remained within their liberties at a certeine day prefixed being saint Brices day in the yeare 1012 and in the 34 yeare of king Egelreds reigne Herevpon as sundrie writers agree in one day houre this murther began and was according to the commission and iniunction executed But where it first began the same is vncerteine some say at Wellowin in Herefordshire some at a place in Staffordshire called Hownhill others in other places but whersoeuer it began the dooers repented it after But now yer we procéed anie further we will shew what rule the Danes kept here in this realme before they were thus murthered as in some bookes we find recorded Whereas it is shewed that the Danes compelled the husbandmen to til the ground doo all maner of labour and toile to be doone about husbandrie the Danes liued vpon the fruit and gaines that came thereof and kept the husbandmens wiues their daughters maids and seruants vsing and abusing them at their pleasures And when the husbandmen came home then could they scarse haue such sustenance of meats and drinkes as fell for seruants to haue so that the Danes had all at their commandements eating and drinking of the best where the sillie man that was the owner could hardlie come to his fill of the worst Besids this the common people were so oppressed by the Danes that for feare and dread they called them in euerie such house where anie of them soiourned Lord Dane And if an Englishman and a Dane chanced to méet at anie bridge or streight passage the Englishman must staie till the Lord Dane were passed But in processe of time after the Danes were voided the land this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes turned by Englishmen into a name of reproch as Lordane which till these our daies is not forgotten For when the people in manie parts of this realme will note and signifie anie great idle lubber that will not labour nor take paine for his liuing they will call him Lordane Thus did the Danes vse the Englishmen in most vile manner and kept them in such seruile thraldome as cannot be sufficientlie vttered A fresh power of Danes inuade England to reuenge the slaughter of their countrimen that inhabited this Ile the west parts betraied into their hands by the conspiracie of a Norman that was in gouernement earle Edrike feined himselfe sicke when king Egelred sent vnto him to leuie a power against the Danes and betraieth his people to the enimies Sweine king of Denmarke arriueth on the coast of Northfolke and maketh pitifull spoile by fire and sword the truce taken betweene him and Vikillus is violated and what reuengement followeth king Sweine forced by famine returneth into his owne countrie he arriueth againe at Sandwich why king Egelred was vnable to preuaile against him the Danes ouerrun all places where they come and make cruell waste king Egelred paieth him great summes of monie for peace the mischiefes that light vpon a land by placing a traitorous stranger in gouernement how manie acres a hide of land conteineth Egelreds order taken for ships and armour why his great fleet did him little pleasure a fresh host of Danes vnder three capteines arriue at Sandwich the citizens of Canturburie for monie purchase safetie the faithlesse dealing of Edrike against king Egelred for the enimies aduantage what places the Danes ouerran and wasted The fourth Chapter VPon knowledge giuen into Denmarke of the cruell murder of the Danes here in England truth it is that the people of the countrie were greatlie kindled in malice and set in such a furious rage against the Englishmen that with all spéed they made foorth a nauie full fraught with men of warre the which in the yeare following came swarming about the coasts of England and landing in the west countrie tooke the citie of Excester and gat there a rich spoile One Hugh a Norman borne whome queene Emma had placed in those parties as gouernour or shirife there conspired with the Danes so that all the countrie was ouerrun and wasted The king hearing that the Danes were thus landed and spoiled the west parts of the realme he sent vnto Edricus to assemble a power to withstand the enimies Herevpon the people of Hampshire and Wiltshire rose and got togither but when the armies should ioine earle Edricus surnamed de Streona feigned himselfe sicke and so betraied his people of whome he had the conduct for they perceiuing the want in their leader were discouraged and so fled
with a faire riuer increased by diuerse waters before it come at the Doue whereinto it falleth as I heare northeast of Mexburgh After this confluence likewise the Doue goeth by Sprothorow to Warnesworth Doncaster Wheatleie there méeting with the Hampall créeke on the northeast side which riseth east of Kirbie thence to Sandall Kirke Sandall Branwith ferrie Stanford Fishlake and so to Thuorne or Thurne where it crosseth the Idle whose description followeth and finallie into Trent and so into the Humber But before I deale with the description of the Idle I will adde somewhat of the Rume a faire water For though the description thereof be not so exactlie deliuered me as I looked for yet such as it is I will set downe conferring it with Lelands booke and helping their defect so much as to me is possible It riseth by south of Maunsfield fiue miles from Rumford abbeie and when the streame commeth neere the abbeie it casteth it selfe abroad and maketh a faire lake After this it commeth againe into a narrow chanell and so goeth on to Rumford village carrieng the Budbie and the Gerberton waters withall From thence and with a méetlie long course it goeth to Bawtrie or Uautrie a market towne in Nottinghamshire fiue miles from Doncaster and so into the Trent Beneath Rumford also commeth in the Girt which goeth vnto Southwell milles and so into the Trent Now as concerning our Idle The Idle which some call Brier streame riseth at Sutton in Ashfield from whence it runneth to Maunsfield Clipston Allexton where it taketh in a water that riseth in the forrest one mile north of Bledworth and runneth on by Rughford abbeie till it come to Allexton The forresters call this Manbecke whereof Leland also speaketh who describeth it in this maner Manbrooke riseth somewhere about Linthirst wood from whence it goeth to Blisthorpe and so to Allerton But to procéed The Idle hauing taken in the Manbecke it runneth to Bothomsall by Boughton Perlethorpe but yer it come there it méeteth the Meding Maiden or Midding brooke which rising about Teuersall goeth to Pleasleie Nettleworth Sawcan Warsop Budleie Thursbie Bothomsall and so into the Idle After this it proceedeth to Houghton west Draiton but yer it touch at Graunston or Gaunston it taketh in the Wilie which commeth from Clowne to Creswell Holbecke Woodhouse Wilebecke Normenton Elsleie Graunston and so into the Idle Being thus increased the Idle runneth on to Idleton Ordsall Retford Bollam Tilneie Matterseie abbeie and so to Bawtrie where it méeteth another from the shire Okes that riseth aboue Geitford passeth on to Worksop or Radfurth Osberton Bilbie and Blith there vniting it selfe with thrée rilles in one bottome whereof one commeth from Waldingwell to Careleton and so thorough a parke to Blith towne another from by west Furbecke thrée miles and so to Blith but the third out of the White water néere to Blith and there being vnited they passe on to Scrobie and so into the Idle From hence it runneth on to Missen to Sadlers bridge and next of all to Santoft where it méeteth with the Sandbecke which rising not farre from Sandbecke towne passeth by Tickhill Rosington bridge Brampton Rilholme Lindholme and one mile south of Santoft into the Idle water which runneth from thence to Thorne where it méeteth with the Doue and so with it to Crowleie Finallie inuironing the I le of Areholme it goeth vnto Garthorpe Focorbie so into the Trent Leland writing of the Wilie Wile or Gwilie as some write it saith thus therof The Wile hath two heads whereof one is not farre aboue the place where Wilbecke abbeie stood the other riseth further off by west aboue Welbecke or Wilebecke towne finallie ioining in one they runne to Cuckeneie village where crossing a becke that commeth in from by west it holdeth on two miles further there taking in the second rill and so resort to Rufford To this riuer likewise saith he doo two other waters repaire whereof the one goeth hard by Maunsfield rising foure miles from thence by west and then commeth thrée miles lower to Rufford the other so far as I remember goeth quite through the towne Of such falles of waters as ioine with the sea betweene Humber and the Thames Chap. 16. HAuing in this maner described the Ouze and such riuers as fall into the same now it resteth that I procéed in my voiage toward the Thames according to my former order Being therefore come againe into the maine sea I find no water of anie countenance or course to my remembrance till I come vnto the Ancolme a goodlie water which riseth east of Mercate Rafing and from thence goeth by middle Rafing Then receiuing a short till from by south it runneth on vnder two bridges by the waie till it come to Wingall northeast where also it méeteth with another brooke from Wâ—â—â—bie that commeth thither by Uresbie goeth by Cadneie taking in the two rilles in one bottome that descend from Howsham and north Leiseie and thence to Newsted Glanford Wardeleie Thorneham Applebie Horflow north Ferribie and so into the sea Being past Ancolme we go about the Nesse and so to the fall of the water which commeth from Keledie by Cotham abbeie Nersham abbeie Thorneton and leauing Coxhill by west it falleth into the Ocean The next is the fall of another brooke comming from Fleting all alongst by Stasâ—ingburne Then crossed we Grimsbie gullet which issuing aboue Erebie commeth to Lasebie the two Cotes and then into the sea After this we passed by another portlet whose backwater descendeth from Balesbie by Ashbie Briggesleie Wath and Towneie and finallie to the next issue before we come at Saltflete which branching at the last leaueth a prettie Iland wherein Comsholme village standeth This water riseth short as I heare of Tathe well from whence it goeth to Rathbie Hallington Estington Lowth Kidirington Auingham and then branching aboue north Somerton one arme méeteth with the sea by Grauethorpe the other by north of Somercote Saltflete water hath but a short course for rising among the Cockeringtons it commeth to the sea at Saltflete hauen howbeit the next vnto it is of a longer race for it riseth as I take it at Cawthorpe paroch and descendeth by Legburne the Carletons the west middle and east Saltfletes and so into the Ocean The water that riseth aboue Ormesbie and Oribie goeth to Cawsbie Swabie abbeie Clathorpe Belew Tattle Witherne Stane and northcast of Thetilthorpe into the maine sea Maplethorpe water riseth at Tharesthorpe and going by Markeleie Folethorpe and Truthorpe it is not long yer it méet with the Germane Ocean Then come we to the issue that commeth from aboue Hotost and thence to Mumbie chappell whither the water comming from Claxbie Willowbie and Slouthbie and whereinto another rill falleth dooth runne as there to doo homage vnto their lord and souereigne As for Ingold mill
créeke I passe it ouer and come streight to another water descending from Burge by Skegnes From hence I go to the issue of a faire brooke which as I heare dooth rise at Tetford and thence goeth by Somerbie Bagenderbie Ashwardbie Sawsthorpe Partneie Ashbie the Stepings Thorpe croft and so into the sea As for Wainflete water it commeth from the east sea and goeth betwéene S. Maries Alhallowes by Wainflete towne and treading the path of his predecessors emptieth his chanell to the maintenance of the sea Now come I to the course of the Witham a famous riuer whereof goeth the beword frequented of old and also of Ancolme which I before described Ancolme ele and Witham pike Search all England and find not the like Leland calleth it Lindis diuerse the Rhe and I haue read all these names my selfe and thereto that the Lincolneshire men were called in old time Coritani and their head citie Lindus Lindon or Linodunum in which region also Ptolomie placeth Rage which some take to be Notingham except my memorie doo faile me It riseth among the Wickhams in the edge of Lincolnshire and as I take it in south-Wickham paroch from whence it goeth to Coâ—sterworth Easton Kirkestoke Paunton and Paunton Houghton and at Grantham taketh in a rill from by southwest as I heare From Grantham it runneth to Man Thorpe Bolton and Barneston where crossing a becke from northeast it procéedeth further southwest ward by Mereston toward Faston there also taking in a brooke that riseth about Denton and goeth by Sidbrooke it hasteth to Dodington Clapale Barmebie Beckingham Stapleford Bassingham Thursbie and beneath Amburgh crosseth a water that commeth from Stogilthorpe by Somerton castell After this confluence also our Witham goeth still foorth on his waie to the Hickhams Boltham Bracebridge and Lincolne it selfe for which the Normans write Nicholl by transposition of the letters or as I may better saie corruption of the word But yer it come there it maketh certeine pooles whereof one is called Swan poole and soone after diuiding it selfe into armes they run both thorough the lower part of Lincolne each of them hauing a bridge of stone ouer it thereby to passe through the principall stréet and as the bigger arme is well able to beare their fisher botes so the lesser is not without his seuerall commodities At Lincolne also this noble riuer méeteth with the Fosse dike whereby in great floods vessels may come from the Trents side to Lincolne For betweene Torkseie where it beginneth and Lincolne citie where it endeth are not aboue seuen miles as Leland hath remembred Bishop Atwater began to clense this ditch thinking to bring great vessels from Trent to Lincolne in his time but sith he died before it was performed there hath no man beene since so well minded as to prosecute his purpose The course moreouer of this our streame following from Lincolne to Boston is fiftie miles by water but if you mind to ferrie you shall haue but 24. For there are foure common places where men are ferried ouer as Short ferrie fiue miles from Lincolne Tatersall ferrie eight miles from Short ferrie Dogdike ferrie a mile Langreth ferrie fiue miles and so manie finallie to Boston But to go forward with the course of Lindis whereof the whole prouince hath béene called Lindeseie when it is past Linclone it goeth by Shepewash Wassingburg Fiskerton and soone after taketh in sundrie riuers in one chanell whereby his greatnesse is verie much increased From this confluence it goeth to Bardolfe and there receiuing a rill descending from betweeâ—e Sotbie and Randbie and going by Harton it slideth foorth by Tupham to Tatersall castell taking vp there in like sort thrée small rills by the waie whereof I haue small notice as yet and therefore I referre them vnto a further consideration to be had of them hereafter if it shall please God that I may liue to haue the filling of these rude pamphlets yet once againe somewhat more leasure to peruse them than at this time is granted Finallie being past Tatersall and Dogdike ferrie the Witham goeth toward Boston thence into the sea Thus haue I briestie dispatched this noble riuer Witham But hauing another note deliuered me thereof from a fréend I will yéeld so farre vnto his gratification that I will remember his trauell here and set downe also what he hath written thereof although the riuer be sufficientlie described alredie Into Witham therefore from by north and seuen miles beneath Lincolne there falleth a faire water the head whereof is at Hakethorne from whence it goeth by Hanworth Snarford Resbie Stainton and at Bullington méeteth with a water on ech side whereof one commeth from Haiton and Turxington the other from Sudbrooke and likewise beneath Birlings with the third comming from Barkeworth by Stansted and ioining all in one soone after it is not long yer it fall into the chanell of Witham and so are neuer more heard of There is also a brooke by southwest that commeth from Kirbie to Cateleie Biltingams and the Ferrie At Taterfall it méeteth with the Bane which riseth aboue Burgh and néere vnto Ludford goeth downe to Dunnington Stanigod Hemmingsbie Bamburgh Fillington Horne castell where it crosseth a rill from Belchworth Thornton Marton Halton Kirkebie Comsbie Tatersall and so to Dogdike ferrie Aboue Boston likewise it taketh in a water comming from Lusebie by Bolingbrooke Stickeford Stickneie Sibbeseie and Hildrike And to Boston towne it selfe doo finallie come sundrie brookes in one chanell called Hammond becke which rising at Donesbie runneth on to Wrightbold where it casteth one arme into Holiwell water Thence it hasteth toward Dunnington receiuing foure brookes by the waie whereof the first commeth from Milshorpe the second from Fokingham called Bollingborow or after some I wote not vpon what occasion Sempringham water the third from Bridge end the fourth from Sempringham and afterwards the maine streame is found to run by Kirton holme and so into the Witham Into the Wiland likewise falleth the Holiwell which riseth of a spring that runneth toward the east from Haliwell to Onebie Esonden Gretford and so to Catbridge where it receiueth another rising at Witham and west of Manthorpe and the second comming from Laund and so run from thence togither to Willesthorpe and Catbridge and then into the Haliwell which after these confluences goeth to Tetford and Eastcote where it meeteth with a draine comming from Bourne and so through the sennes to Pinchbecke Surfleet and Fosdike where it méeteth with the Welland in the mouth of the Wash as I haue noted vnto you Hauing thus set foorth the riuers that fall into the Witham now come we to the Wiland or Welland wherevnto we repaire after we be past Boston as drawing by litle and litle toward the Girwies which inhabit in the fennes for Gir in the old Saxon speach dooth signifie déepe fennes and marishes and these beginning at Peterborow eastward extend themselues by the
life as afore is shewed his coosen Inas or Ine was made king of the Westsaxons begining his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 689 in the third yeere of the emperor Iustmianus the third the 11 yéere of the reigne of Theodoricus K. of France and about the second yéere of the reigne of Eugenius king of Scots now because the rule of The Britains commonlie called Welshmen ceassed in this realme as by confession of their owne writers it appéereth and that in the end the whole monarchie of the same realme came to the hands of the kings of Westsaxons we haue thought méet to refer things generall vnto the reignes of the same kings as before we did in the Britaine kings reseruing the particular dooings to the kings of the other prouinces or kingdoms as the same haue fallen out and shall come to hand This Inas whome some mistaking N for U doo wrongfullie name Iue or Iewe prooued a right excellent prince he was descended of the ancient linage of the kings of the Westsaxons as sonne to one Kenred that was sonne to Geolwald the son of Cutha or Cutwine that was sonne to Kenricke the sonne of Certicus the first king of Westsaxons But he was admitted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his woorthie person than for the successiue of spring of which he was descended The first â—biage that he made was against the Kentishmen on whome he purposed to reuenge the death of his coosen Mollo the griefe whereof as yet he kept in fresh memorie But when the Kentishmen perceiued that to resist him by force they were nothing able they attempted by monie to buy their peace and so obteined their purpose vpon paiment made to him of thirtie thousand marks of siluer After this about the 21 yéere of his reigne king Inas and his coosen Nun fought with Gerent king of the Britains In the beginning of the battell one Higelbald a noble man of the Westsaxons part was slaine but in the end Gerent with his Britains was chased In the 26 yéere of his reigne the same Inas fought a mightie battell against Cheolred king of Mercia at Wodenessburie with doubtfull victorie for it could not well be iudged whether part susteined greater losse In the 36 yéere of his reigne king Inas inuaded the Southsaxons with a mightie armie and slue in battell Ealdbright or Aldinius king of the Southsaxons and ioined that kingdome vnto the kingdome of the Westsaxons so that from thencefoorth the kingdome of those Southsaxons ceassed after they had reigned in that kingdome by the space of fiue kings successiuelie that is to say Ella Cissa Ethelwalke Berutius and this last Aldinius or Ealdbright Finallie when Inas had reigned 37 yéeres and 10 or 11 od moneths he renounced the rule of his kingdome togither with all worldlie pompe and went vnto Rome as a poore pilgrime and there ended his life but before this during the time of his reigne he shewed himselfe verie deuout and zealous towards the aduancement of the christian religion He made and ordeined also good wholesome lawes for the amendment of maners in the people which are yet extant and to be read written in the Saxon toong and translated into the Latine in times past and now latelie againe by William Lambert gentleman and printed by Iohn Day in the yéere 1568 togither with the lawes and statutes of other kings before the conquest as to the learned maie appéere Moreouer king Ine builded the monasterie of Glastenburie where Ioseph of Arimathea in times past builded an oratorie or chappell as before is recited when he with other christians came into this land in the daies of Aruiragus taught the gospell heere to the Britains conuerting manie of them to the faith Moreouer king Ine or Inas builded the church of Welles dedicating it vnto saint Andrew where afterwards a bishops sée was placed which at length was translated vnto Salisburie He had to wife one Ethelburga a woman of noâ—â—â—le linage who had béene earnest with him a long time to persuade him to forsake the world but she could by no meanes bring hir purpose to passe till vpon a time the king and she had lodged at a manor place in the countrie where all prouision had béene made for the receiuing of them and their traine in most sumptuous maner that might be as well in rich furniture of houshold as also in costlie viands and all other things needfull or that might serue for pleasure and when they were departed the quéene the foresaid Ethelburga caused the keeper of that house to remooue all the bedding hangings and other such things as had béen brought thither and ordeined for the beautifull setting foorth of the hosue and in place thereof to bring ordure straw such like filth as well into the chambers and hall as into all the houses of office and that doone to laie a fow with pigs in the place where before the kings bed had stood Héerevpon when she had knowledge that euerie thing was ordered according to hir appointment she persuaded the king to returne thither againe feining occasions great and necessarie Now when he was returned to that house which before séemed to the eie a palace of most pleasure and now finding it in such a filthie state as might loath the stomach of anie man to behold the same she tooke occasion therevpon to persuade him to the consideratino of the vaine pleasures of this world which in a moment turne to naught togither with the corruption of the flesh being a filthie lumpe of claie after it should once be dissolued by death and in fine where before she had spent much labour to mooue him to renounce the world though all in vaine yet now the beholding of that change in his pleasant place wherein so late he had taken great delight wrought such an alteration in his mind that hir woords lastlie tooke effect so that he resigned the kingdome to his coosen Ethelard and went himselfe to Rome as aboue is mentioned and his wife became a nun in the abbeie of Barking where she was made abbesse and finallie there ended hir life This Inas was the first that caused the monie called Peter pence to be paid vnto the bishop of Rome which was for euerie houshold within his dominion of penie In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred hauing gouerned the kingdome of Mercia by the tearme of 29 yéeres became a moonke in the abbeie of Bardenie and after was made abbat of that house He had to wife one Ostrida the sister of Egfride king of Northumberland by whome he had a sonne named Ceolred But he appointed Kenred the sonne of his brother Uulfher to succéed him in the kingdome The said Ostrida was cruellie slaine by the treason of hir husbands subiects about the yéere of our Lord 697. And as for Kenred he was
a prince of great vertue deuout towards God a furtherer of the common-wealth of his countrie and passed his life in great sinceritie of maners In the fift yéere of his reigne he renounced the world and went to Rome togither with Offa king of the Eastsaxons where he was made a moonke and finallie died there in the yéere of our Lord 711. By the aid and furtherance of this Kenred a moonke of saint Benets order called Egwin builded the abbbie of Eueshame who afterwards was made bishop of Worcester ¶ We find recorded by writers that this Egwin had warning giuen him by visions as he constantlie affirmed before pope Constantine to set vp an image of our ladie in his church Wherevpon the pope approouing the testifications of this bishop by his buls writ to Brightwald archbishop of Canturburie to assemble a synod and by authoritie thereof to establish the vse of images charging the kings of this land to be present at the same synod vpon paine of excommunication This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712 in the daies of Inas king of Westsaxons and of Ceolred king of Mercia successor to the foresaid Kenred After Kenred succéeded Ceolred the sonne of his vncle Edilred died in the 8 yeere of his reigne and was buried at Lichfield Then succéeded Ethelbaldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king Penda as the fourth from him by lineall succession This man gouerned a long time without anie notable trouble some warres he had and sped diuerslie In the 18 yéere of his reigne he besieged Sommerton and wan it He also inuaded Northumberland and got there great riches by spoile and pillage which he brought from thence without anie battell offered to him He ouercame the Welshmen in battell being then at quiet and ioined as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons But in the 37 yéere of his reigne he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same Cuthred with whome he was fallen at variance and within foure yéeres after that is to say in the 41 yéere of his reigne he was slaine in battell at Secandon or Sekenton by his owne subiects which arreared warres against him by the procurement and leading of one Bernred who after he had slaine his naturall prince tooke vpon him the kingdome but he prospered not long being slaine by Offa that succéeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia as after shall be shewed The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentz or Moguntz hauing assembled a councell with other bishops and doctors deuised a letter and sent it vnto this Ethelbald commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore and also for his vpright dealing in administration of iustice to the punishment of robbers and such like misdooers but in that he absteined from mariage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women and namelie with nuns they sore blamed him and withall declared in what in famie the whole English nation in those daies remained by common report in other countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication and namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example did forsake their wiues and defloured other women which they kept in adulterie as nuns and others Moreouer he shewed how that such euill women as well nuns as other vsed to make awaie in secret wise their children which they bare out of wedlocke and so filled the graues with dead bodies and hell with damned soules The same Bonifacius in an other epistle which he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Canturburie counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage bicause there were few cities either in France or Lombardie wherein might not be found English women that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome Offa king of the Eastsaxons with other go to Rome he is shauen and becommeth a moonke succession in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons and Eastangles Osred king of Northumberland hath carnall knowledge with nuns he is slaine in battell Osrike renouncing his kingdome becommeth a moonke bishop Wilfrid twise restored to his see Westsaxonie diuided into two diocesses bishop Aldhelme a founder of religious houses Ethelard succeedeth Inas in regiment two blasing starres seene at once and what insued the king dieth the successiue reigne of Wichtreds three sonnes ouer Kent what prouinces were gouerned by bishops of what puissance Ethelbald king of Mercia was Egbert archbishop of Yorke aduanceth his see a notable remembrance of that excellent man Beda his death The second Chapter IN this meane time Sighard and Seufred kings of the Eastsaxons being departed this-life one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succéeded in 〈◊〉 â—uernment of that kingdome a man of great towardnesse and of right comelie countenance but after he had ruled a certeine time being mooued with a riligious deuotion he went to Rome in companie of Kenred king of Mercia and of one Egwine bishop of Worcester and being there shauen into the order of moonks so continued till he died After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good ruled the Eastsaxons the tearme of 38 yéeres After Alduife the king of Eastangles departed this fraile life which chanced about the yéere of our Lord 688 his brother Elewold or Akwold succeeded him and reigned about twelue yéeres After whose decease one Beorne was made king of Eastangles and reigned about 26 yéeres In this meane while that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 705 Alfride king of Northumberland being dead his sonne Osred a child of 8 yéeres of age succeeded him in the kingdome and reigned 11 yéeres spending his time when he came to ripe yeeres in filthie abusing his bodie with nuns and other religious women About the seuenth yéere of his reigne that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 711 one of his capteins named earle Berthfride fought with the Picts betwixt two places called Heue and Cere and obteining the victorie slue an huge number of the enimies At length king Osred by the traitorous means of his coosens that arreared warre against him was slaine in batell and so ended his reigne leauing to those that procured his death the like fortune in time to come For Kenred reigning two yéeres and Osricke ten yeeres were famous onelie in this that being worthilie punished for shedding the bloud of their naturall prince and souereigne lord they finished their liues with dishonourable deaths as they had well deserued Osricke before his death which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 729 appointed Ceolwolfe the brother of his predecessor Kenred to succeed him in the kingdome which he did reigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of 8 yéeres currant and then renouncing his kingdom became a moonke in the I le of Lindesferne