by Edward Balioll wherof our chronicles doo report that in the yéere of our Lord 1326 Edward the third king of England was crowned at Westminster and in the fift yeare of his reigne Edward Balioll right heire to the kingdome of Scotland came in and claimed it as due to him Sundrie lords and gentlemen also which had title to diuerse lands there either by themselues or by their wiues did the like Wherevpon the said Balioll and they went into Scotland by sea and landing at Kinghorns with 3000 Englishmen discomfited 10000 Scots and flue 1200 and then went foorth to Dunfermeline where the Scots assembled against them with 40000 men and in the feast of saint Laurence at a place called Gastmore or otherwise Gladmore were slaine fiue earls thirtéene barons a hundred and thrée score knights two thousand men of armes and manie other in all fortie thousand and there were staine on the English part but thirtéene persons onelie if the number be not corrupted In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward he assembled a great hoast and came to Berwike vpon Twéed and laid siege therto To him also came Edward Balioll king of Scots with a great power to strengthen aid him against the Scots who came out of Scotland in foure batels well armed araied Edward king of England and Edward king of Scots apparrelled their people either of them in foure battels and vpon Halidon hill beside Berwike met these two hoasts and there were discomfited of the Scots fiue and twentie thousand and seauen hundred whereof were slaine eight earles a thousand and thrée hundred knights and gentlemen This victorie doone the king returned to Berwike then the towne with the castell were yéelded vp vnto him In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward of England Edward Balioll king of Scots came to Newcastell vpon Tine and did homage for all the realme of Scotland In the yeare of our Lord 1346 Dauid Bruse by the prouocation of the king of France rebelled and came into England with a great hoast vnto Neuils crosse but the archbishop of Yorke with diuerse temporall men fought with him and the said king of Scots was taken and William earle of Duglas with Morrise earle of Strathorne were brought to London and manie other lords slaine which with Dauid did homage to Edward king of England And in the thirtith yeare of the kings reigne and the yeare of our Lord 1355 the Scots woone the towne of Berwicke but not the castell Herevpon the king came thither with a great hoast and anon the towne was yéelded vp without anie resistance Edward Balioll considering that God did so manie maruellous and gratious things for king Edward at his owne will gaue vp the crowne and the realme of Scotland to king Edward of England at Rokesborough by his letters patents And anon after the king of England in presence of all his lords spirituall and temporall let crowne himselfe king there of the realme of Scotland ordeined all things to his intent and so came ouer into England Richard the sonne of Edward called the Blacke prince sonne of this king Edward was next king of England who for that the said Iane the wife of the said king Dauid of Scotland was deceassed without issue and being informed how the Scots deuised to their vttermost power to breake the limitation of this inheritance touching the crowne of Scotland made foorthwith war against them wherein he burnt Edenbrough spoiled all their countrie tooke all their holds held continuallie war against them vntill his death which was Anno Dom. 1389. Henrie the fourth of that name was next king of England he continued these warres begun against them by king Richard and ceassed not vntill Robert king of Scots the third of that name resigned his crowne by appointment of this king Henrie and deliuered his sonne Iames being then of the age of nine yeares into his hands to remaine at his custodie wardship and disposition as of his superiour lord according to the old lawes of king Edward the confessor All this was doone Anno Dom. 1404 which was within fiue yeares after the death of king Richard This Henrie the fourth reigned in this estate ouer them fouretéene yeares Henrie the fift of that name sonne to this king Henrie the fourth was next king of England He made warres against the French king in all which this Iames then king of Scots attended vpon him as vpon his superiour lord with a conuenient number of Scots notwithstanding their league with France But this Henrie reigned but nine yeares whereby the homage of this Iames their king hauing not fullie accomplished the age of one twentie yeares was by reason and law respited Finallie the said Iames with diuerse other lords attended vpon the corps of the said Henrie vnto Westminster as to his dutie apperteined Henrie the sixt the sonne of this Henrie the fift was next king of England to whome the seigniorie of Scotland custodie of this Iames by right law and reason descended married the same Iames king of Scots to Iane daughter of Iohn earle of Summerset at saint Marie ouer Ise in Southwarke and tooke for the value of this mariage the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling This Iames king of Scots at his full age did homage to the same king Henrie the sixt for the kingdome of Scotland at Windsore in the moneth of Ianuarie Since which time vntill the daies of king Henrie the seuenth grandfather to our souereigne ladie that now is albeit this realme hath béene molested with diuersitie of titles in which vnmeet time neither law nor reason admit prescription to the preiudice of anie right yet did king Edward the fourth next king of England by preparation of war against the Scots in the latter end of his reigne sufficientlie by all lawes induce to the continuance of his claime to the same superioritie ouer them After whose death vnto the beginning of the reigne of our souereigne lord king Henrie the eight excéeded not the number of seauen and twentie yeares about which time the impediment of our claime of the Scots part chanced by the nonage of Iames their last king which so continued the space of one and twentie yeares And like as his minoritie was by all law and reason an impediment to himselfe to make homage so was the same by like reason an impediment to the king of this realme to demand anie so that the whole time of intermission of our claime in the time of the said king Henrie the eight is deduced vnto the number of thirteene yeares And thus much for this matter Of the wall sometime builded for a partition betweene England and the Picts and Scots Chap. 23. HAuing hitherto discoursed vpon the title of the kings of England vnto the Scotish kingdome I haue now thought good to adde here vnto the description of two walles that were in times past limits vnto both the said regions and therefore to
was first vsed that in fine they gaue it ouer and suffered their whole inuentions to perish and decaie till Edward the third deuised an other order not so much pestered with multitude of knights as the round table but much more honorable for princelie port and countenance as shall appeare hereafter The order of the garter therefore was deuised in the time of king Edward the third and as some write vpon this occasion The quéenes maiestie then liuing being departed from his presence the next waie toward hir lodging he following soone after happened to find hir garter which slacked by chance and so fell from hir leg vnespied in the throng by such as attended vpon hir His groomes gentlemen also passed by it disdaining to stoope and take vp such a trifle but he knowing the owner commanded one of them to staie and reach it vp to him Why and like your grace saieth a gentleman it is but some womans garter that hath fallen from hir as she followed the quéenes maiestie What soeuer it be quoth the king take it vp and giue it me So when he had receiued the garter he said to such as stood about him You my maisters doo make small account of this blue garter here and therewith held it out but if God lend me life for a few moneths I will make the proudest of you all to reuerence the like And euen vpon this slender occasion he gaue himselfe to the deuising of this order Certes I haue not read of anie thing that hauing had so simple a beginning hath growne in the end to so great honour and estimation But to proceed After he had studied awhile about the performance of his deuise and had set downe such orders as he himselfe inuented concerning the same he proclamed a roiall feast to be holden at Windsore whither all his nobilitie resorted with their ladies where he published his institution and foorthwith inuested an apponâ—â—â—d number into the afore said fellowship whose names insue himselfe being the souereigne and principall of that companie Next vnto himselfe also he placed Edward prince of Wales Henrie duke of Lancaster N. earle of Warw. N. capt de Bouche N. earle of Stafford N. earle of Sarum N. lord Mortimer Sir Iohn Lisle Sir Bartholomew Burwash N. sonne of sir Iohn Beauchamp Sir N. de Mahun S. Hugh Courtneie S. Thomas Holland Sir Iohn Graie Sir Rich. Fitzsimon Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Thomas Wale Sir Hugh Wrotesley Sir Neale Lording Sir Iohn Chandos S. Iames Dawdleie Sir Otho Holland Sir Henrie Eme. Sir Sanchet Dambricourt Sir Walter Pannell alià s Paganell What order of election and what estatutes were prescribed vnto the elected at this first institution as yet I can not exactlie vnderstand neither can I learne what euerie prince afterward added therevnto before the six and thirtith yeare of king Henrie the eight and third of king Edward the sixt wherefore of necessitie I must resort vnto the estate of the said order as it is at this present which I will set downe so brieflie as I may When anie man therefore is to be elected vpon a roome found void for his admission into this fellowship the king directeth his letters vnto him notwithstanding that he before hand be nominated to the same to this effect Right trustie and welbeloued we gréete you well asserteining you that in consideration aswell of your approoued truth and fidelitie as also of your couragious and valiant acts of knighthood with other your probable merits knowne by experience in sundrie parties and behalfes we with the companions of the noble order of the Garter assembled at the election holden this daie within our manour of N. haue elected and chosen you amongst other to be one of the companions of the said Order as your deserts doo condignelie require Wherefore we will that with conuenient diligence vpon the sight herof you repaire vnto our presence there to receiue such things as to the said order apperteineth Dated vnder our signet at our maner of N. c. These letters are the exemplification of certeine which as it should séeme were written An. 3. Edwardi fexti at Gréenewich Aprilis 24 vnto the earle of Huntingdon the lord George Cobham your lordships honorable father at such time as they were called vnto the aforesaid companie I find also these names subscribed vnto the same Edward duke of Summerset vncle to the king The marq. of Northhampton Earle of Arundell L. Chamberleine Earle of Shrewesburie L. Russell lord priuie seale L. S. Iohn lord great master Sir Iohn Gage S. Anthonie Wingfield Sir William Paget Being elected preparation is made for his installing at Windsore the place appointed alwaies for this purpose whereat it is required that his banner be set vp of two yardes and a quarter in length and thrée quarters in bredth besidâ—â—â—he fringe Secondlie his sword of whatsoeuer length him séemeth good Thirdlie his helme which from the charnell vpwards ought to be of thrée inches at the least Fourthlie the crest with mantels to the helme belonging of such conuenient stuffe and bignesse as it shall please him to appoint Item a plate of armes at the backe of his staâ—â— and crest with mantels and beasts supportant to be grauen in the mettall Item lodging scutcheons of his armes inuironned with a garter and painted in paper or cloth of buckram which when he trauelleth by the waie are to be fixed in the common Ins where he dooth lodge as a testimonie of his presence and states from time to time as he did trauell Item two mantels one to remaine in the college at Windsore the other to vse at his pleasure with the scutcheon of the armes of S. George in the garter with laces tasselets and knops of blue silke and gold belonging to the same Item a surcote or gowne of red or crimosine veluet with a whood of the same lined with white sarcenet or damaske Item a collar of the garter of thirtie ounces of gold Troie weight Item a tablet of S. George richlie garnished with precious stones or otherwise Item a garter for his left leg hauing the buckle and pendant garnished with gold Item a booke of the statutes of the said order Item a scutcheon of the armes of S. George in the garter to set vpon the mantell And this furniture is to be prouided against his installation When anie knight is to be installed he hath with his former letters a garter sent vnto him and when he commeth to be installed he is brought into the chapter house where incontinentlie his commission is read before the souereigne or his deputie and the assemblie present from hence he is lead by two knights of the said order accompanied with the other of the nobilitie and officers towards the chappell hauing his mantell borne before him either by a knight of the order or else the king at armes to whome it secondarilie apperteineth to beare it This mantell shall be deliuered
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
of Norwaie and Denmarke which church was by the same Malcolme accordinglie performed Edward called the Confessour sonne of Etheldred and brother to Edmund Ironside was afterward king of England he tooke from Malcolme king of Scots his life and his kingdome and made Malcolme soone to the king of Cumberland and Northumberland king of Scots who did him homage and fealtie This Edward perused the old lawes of the realme and somewhat added to some of them as to the law of Edgar for the wardship of the lands vntill the heire should accomplish the age of one and twentie yeeres He added that the marriage of such heire should also belong to the lord of whom the same land was holden Also that euerie woman marrieng a free man should notwithstanding she had no children by that husband enioie the third part of his inheritance during hir life with manie other lawes which the same Malcolme king of Scots obeied and which as well by them in Scotland as by vs in England be obserued to this day and directlie prooueth the whole to be then vnder his obeisance By reason of this law Malcolme the sonne of Duncane next inheritor to the crowne of Scotland being within age was by the nobles of Scotland deliuered as ward to the custodie also of king Edward During whose minoritie one Makebeth a Scot traitorouslie vsurped the crowne of Scotland Against whome the said Edward made warre in which the said Mackbeth was ouercome and slaine Wherevpon the said Malcolme was crowned king of Scots at Scone in the eight yeere of the reigne of king Edward aforesaid This Malcolme also by tenor of the said new law of wardship was married vnto Margaret the daughter of Edward sonne of Edmund Ironside and Agatha by the disposition of the same king Edward and at his full age did homage to this king Edward the Confessour for the kingdome of Scotland Moreouer Edward of England hauing no issue of his bodie and mistrusting that Harald the son of Goodwine descended of the daughter of Harald Harefoot the Dane would vsurpe the crowne if he should leaue it to his cousine Edgar Eatling being then within age and partlie by the petition of his subiects who before had sworne neuer to receiue anie kings ouer them of the Danish nation did by his substantiall will in writing as all our clergie writers affirme demise the crowne of great Britaine vnto William Bastard then duke of Normandie and to his heires constituting him his heire testamentarie Also there was proximitie in bloud betwéene them for Emme daughter of Richard duke of Normandie was wife vnto Etheldred on whom he begat Alured and this Edward and this William was son of Robert sonne of Richard brother of the whole bloud to the same Emme Whereby appeareth that this William was heire by title and not by conquest albeit that partlie to extinguish the mistrust of other titles and partlie for the glorie of his victorie he chalenged in the end the name of a conquerour and hath béene so written euer since the time of his arriuall Furthermore this William called the Bastard and the Conquerour supposed not his conquest perfect till he had likewise subdued the Scots Wherfore to bring the Scots to iust obeisance after his coronation as heire testamentarie to Edward the Confessour he entred Scotland where after a little resistance made by the inhabitants the said Malcolme then their king did homage to him at Abirnethie in Scotland for the kingdome of Scotland as to his superiour also by meane of his late conquest William surnamed Rufus sonne to this William called the Conquerour succéeded next in the throne of England to whome the said Malcolme king of Scots did like homage for the whole kingdome of Scotland But afterward he rebelled and was by this William Rufus slaine in plaine field Wherevpon the Scotishmen did choose one Donald or Dunwall to be their king But this William Rufus deposed him and created Dunkane sonne of Malcolme to be their king who did like homage to him Finallie this Dunkane was slaine by the Scots and Dunwall restored who once againe by this William Rufus was deposed and Edgar son of Malcolme and brother to the last Malcolme was by him made their king who did like homage for Scotland to this William Rufus Henrie called Beauelerke the sonne of William called the Conqueour after the death of his brother William Rufus succéeded to the crowne of England to whome the same Edgar king of Scots did homage for Scotland this Henrie Beauclerke maried Mawd the daughter of Malcome II. of Scots and by hir had issue Mawd afterward empresse Alexander the sonne of Malcolme brother to this Mawd was next king of Scots he did like homage for the kingdome of Scotland to this Henrie the first as Edgar had doone before him Mawd called the empresse daughter and heire to Henrie Beauclerke and Mawd his wife receiued homage of Dauid brother to hir and to this Alexander next king of Scots before all the temporall men of England for the kingdome of Scotland This Mawd the empresse gaue vnto Dauid in the marriage Mawd the daughter and heire of Uoldosius earle of Huntingdon Northumberland And herein their euasion appeareth by which they allege that their kings homages were made for the earledome of Huntingdon For this Dauid was the first that of their kings was earle of Huntingdon which was since all the homages of their kings before recited and at the time of this mariage long after the said Alexander his brother was king of Scots doing the homage aforesaid to Henrie Beauclerke son to the aforesaid ladie of whome I find this epitaph worthie to be remembred Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima partu Hic iacet Henrici filia sponsa parens In the yeere of our Lord 1136 and first yeere of the reigne of king Stephan the said Dauid king of Scots being required to doo his homage refused it for so much as he had doone homage to Mawd the empresse before time notwithstanding the sonne of the said Dauid did homage to king Stephan Henrie called Fitz empresse the sonne of Mawd the empresse daughter of Mawd daughter of Malcolme king of Scots was next king of England He receiued homage for Scotland of Malcolme sonne of Henrie sonne of the said Dauid their last king Which Malcolme after this homage attended vpon the same king Henrie in his warres against Lewis then king of France Whereby appeareth that their French league was neuer renewed after the last diuision of their countrie by Osbright king of England But after these warres finished with the French king this Malcolme being againe in Scotland rebelled wherevpon king Henrie immediatlie seized Huntingdon and Northumberland into his owne hands by confiscation and made warres vpon him in Scotland during which the same Malcolme died without issue of his bodie William brother of this Malcolme was next king of Scots he with all the nobles of
Scotland which could not be now for anie earledome did homage to the sonne of Henrie the second with a reseruation of the dutie to king Henrie the second his father Also the earledome of Huntingdon was as ye haue heard before this forfeited by Malcolme his brother and neuer after restored to the crowne of Scotland This William did afterward attend vpon the same Henrie the second in his warres in Normandie against the French king notwithstanding their French league and then being licenced to depart home in the tenth of this prince and vpon the fiftéenth of Februarie he returned and vpon the sixtéenth of October did homage to him for the realme of Scotland In token also of his perpetuall subiection to the crowne of England he offered vp his cloake his faddle and his speare at the high altar in Yorke wherevpon he was permitted to depart home into Scotland where immediatlie he mooued cruell warre in Northumberland against the same king Henrie being as yet in Normandie But God tooke the defense of king Henries part and deliuered the same William king of Scots into the hands of a few Englishmen who brought him prisoner to king Henrie into Normandie in the twentith yeere of his reigne But at the last at the sute of Dauid his brother Richard bishop of saint Andrews and other bishops and lords he was put to this fine for the amendment of his trespasse to wit to paie ten thousand pounds sterling and to surrender all his title to the earldome of Huntingdon Cumberland Northumberland into the hands of king Henrie which he did in all things accordinglie sealing his charters thereof with the great seale of Scotland and signets of his nobilitie yet to be seene wherein it was also comprised that he and his successours should hold the realme of Scotland of the king of England and his successours for euer And herevpon he once againe did homage to the same king Henrie which now could not be for the earledome of Huntingdon the right whereof was alreadie by him surrendred And for the better assurance of this faith also the strengths of Berwike Edenborough Roxborough and Striueling were deliuered into the hands of our king Henrie of England which their owne writers confesse But Hector Boetius saith that this trespasse was amended by fine of twentie thousand pounds sterling and that the erledome of Huntingdon Cumberland and Northumberland were deliuered as morgage into the hands of king Henrie vntill other ten thousand pounds sterling should be to him paid which is so farre from truth as Hector was while he liued from well meaning to our countrie But if we grant that it is true yet prooueth he not that the monie was paid nor the land otherwise redéemed or euer after came to anie Scotish kings hands And thus it appeareth that the earledome of Huntingdon was neuer occasion of the homages of the Scotish kings to the kings of England either before this time or after This was doone 1175. Moreouer I read this note hereof gathered out of Robertus Montanus or Montensis that liued in those daies and was as I take it confessor to king Henrie The king of Scots dooth homage to king Henrie for the kingdome of Scotland and is sent home againe his bishops also did promise to doo the like to the archbishop of Yorke and to acknowledge themselues to be of his prouince and iurisdiction By vertue also of this composition the said Robert saith that Rex Angliae dabat honores episcopatus abbatias alias dignitates in Scotia vel saltem eius consilio dabantur that is The king of England gaue honors bishopriks abbatships and other dignities in Scotland or at the leastwise they were not giuen without his aduise and counsell At this time Alexander bishop of Rome supposed to haue generall iurisdiction ecclesiasticall through christendome established the whole cleargie of Scotland according to the old lawes vnder the iurisdiction of the archbishop of Yorke In the yeare of our Lord 1185 in the moneth of August at Cairleill Rouland Talmant lord of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie with all that held of him In the two and twentith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the second Gilbert sonne of Ferguse prince of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie and left Dunecan his sonne in hostage for conseruation of his peace Richard surnamed Coeur de Lion because of his stoutnesse and sonne of this Henrie was next king of England to whome the same William king of Scots did homage at Canturburie for the whole kingdome of Scotland This king Richard was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostrich for whose redemption the whole realme was taxed at great summes of monie vnto the which this William king of Scots as a subiect was contributorie and paied two thousand markes sterling In the yeare of our Lord 1199 Iohn king of England sent to William king of Scots to come and doo his homage which William came to Lincolne in the moneth of December the same yeare and did his homage vpon an hill in the presence of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and of all the people there assembled and therevnto tooke his oth and was sworne vpon the crosse of the said Hubert also he granted by his charter confirmed that he should haue the mariage of Alexander his sonne as his liegeman alwaies to hold of the king of England promising moreouer that he the said king William and his sonne Alexander should keepe and hold faith and allegiance to Henrie sonne of the said king Iohn as to their chiefe lord against all maner of men that might liue and die Also whereas William king of Scots had put Iohn bishop of saint Andrew out of his bishoprike pope Clement wrote to Henrie king of England that he should mooue and induce the same William and if néed required by his roiall power and prerogatiue ouer that nation to compell him to leaue his rancor against the said bishop and suffer him to haue and occupie his said bishoprike againe In the yeare of our Lord 1216 and fiue twentith of the reigne of Henrie sonne to king Iohn the same Henrie and the quéene were at Yorke at the feast of Christmasse for the solemnization of a marriage made in the feast of saint Stephan the martyr the same yeare betwéene Alexander king of Scots and Margaret the kings daughter and there the said Alexander did homage to Henrie king of England for all the realme of Scotland In buls of diuerse popes were admonitions giuen to the kings of Scots as appeareth by that of Gregorie the fift and Clement his successor that they should obserue and trulie kéepe all such appointments as had béene made betwéene the kings of England and Scotland And that the kings of Scotland should still hold the realme of Scotland of the kings of England vpon paine of cursse and interdiction After the death of Alexander king of Scots Alexander his sonne
made their letters patents sealed with their seales and then the king of England made William Warreine earle of Surrie and Southsax lord Warden of Scotland Hugh of Cressingham treasuror and William Ormesbie iustice of Scotland and foorthwith sent king Iohn to the Tower of London and Iohn Comin and the earle Badenauth the earle of Bohan and other lords into England to diuerse places on this side of the Trent And after that in the yeare of our Lord 1297 at the feast of Christmas the king called before him the said Iohn king of Scots although he had committed him to ward and said that he would burne or destroie their castels townes and lands if he were not recompensed for his costs and damages susteined in the warres but king Iohn and the other that were in ward answered that they had nothing sith their liues their deaths and goods were in his hands The king vpon that answer mooued with pitie granted them their liues so that they would doo their homage and make their oth solemnelie at the high altar in the church of the abbeie of Westminster vpon the eucharist that they and euerie of them should hold and keepe true faith obedience and allegiance to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England for euer And where the said king of Scots saw the kings banner of England displaied he and all his power should draw therevnto And that neither he or anie of his from thencefoorth should beare armes against the king of England or anie of his bloud Finallie the king rewarding with great gifts the said king Iohn and his lords suffered them to depart But they went into Scotland alwaie imagining notwithstanding this their submission how they might oppresse king Edward and disturbe his realme The Scots sent also to the king of France for succour and helpe who sent them ships to Berwike furnished with men of armes the king of England then being in Flanders In the yeare of our Lord 1298 the king went into Scotland with a great host and the Scots also assembled in great number but the king fought with them at Fawkirke on S. Marie Magdalens daie where were slaine thréescore thousand Scots Willain Walleis that was their capteine fled who being taken afterward was hanged drawen quartered at London for his trespasses After this the Scots rebelled againe and all the lords of Scotland chose Robert Bruse to be king except onelie Iohn Commin earle of Carrike who would not consent thereto bicause of his oth made to the king of England Wherefore Robert Bruse slue him at Dumfrise and then was crowned at Schone abbeie Herevpon the king of England assembled a great hoast and rode through all Scotland discomfited Robert Bruse slue eight thousand Scots tooke the most part of all the lords of Scotland putting the temporall lords to deth bicause they were forsworne Edward borne at Carnaruan sonne of this Edward was next king of England who from the beginning of his reigne enioied Scotland peaceablie dooing in all things as is aboue said of king Edward his father vntill toward the later end of his reigne about which time this Robert Bruse conspired against him and with the helpe of a few forsworne Scots forswore himselfe king of Scots Herevpon this Edward with Thomas earle of Lancaster and manie other lords made warre vpon him about the feast of Marie Magdalene the said Bruse and his partakers being alreadie accurssed by the pope for breaking the truce that he had established betwixt them But being infortunate in his first warres against him he suffered Edward the sonne of Balioll to proclame himselfe king of Scots and neuerthelesse held foorth his warres against Bruse before the ending of which he died as I read Edward borne at Windsore sonne of Edward the second was next king of England at the age of fifteene yeares in whose minoritie the Scots practised with Isabell mother to this Edward and with Roger Mortimer earle of the March to haue their homages released whose good will therein they obteined so that for the same release they should paie to this king Edward thirtie thousand pounds starling in three yeares next following that is to saie ten thousand pounds starling yeerelie But bicause the nobilitie and commons of this realme would not by parlement consent vnto it their king being within age the same release procéeded not albeit the Scots ceased not their practises with this quéene and earle But before those thrée yeares in which their menie if the bargaine had taken place should haue béene paied were expired our king Edward inuaded Scotland and ceassed not the warre vntill Dauid the sonne of Robert le Bruse then by their election king of Scotland absolutelie submitted himselfe vntohim But for that the said Dauid Bruse had before by practise of the quéene and the earle of March married Iane the sister of this king Edward he mooued by naturall zeale to his sister was contented to giue the realme of Scotland to this Dauid Bruse and to the heires that should be be gotten of the bodie of the said Iane sauing the reuersion and meane homages to this king Edward and to his owne children wherewith the same Dauid Bruse was right well contented and therevpon immediatlie made his homage for all the realme of Scotland to him Howbeit shortlie after causelesse conceiuing cause of displeasure this Dauid procured to dissolue this same estate tailée and therevpon not onelie rebelled in Scotland but also inuaded England whilest king Edward was occupied about his wars in France But this Dauid was not onelie expelled England in the end but also thinking no place a sufficient defense to his vntruth of his owne accord fled out of Scotland whereby the countries of Annandale Gallowaie Mars Teuidale Twedale and Ethrike were seized into the king of Englands hands and new marches set betwéene England and Scotland at Cockbuâ—nes path Sowtrie hedge Which when this Dauid went about to recouer againe his power was discomfited and himselfe by a few Englishmen taken brought into England where he remained prisoner eleuen yeares after his said apprehension During this time king Edward enioied Scotland peaceablie and then at the contemplation and wearie suit of his sorowfull sister wife of this Dauid he was contented once againe to restore him to the kingdome of Scotland Wherevpon it was concluded that for this rebellion Dauid should paie to king Edward the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling and there to destroie all his holdes and fortresses standing against the English borders and further assure the crowne of Scotland to the children of this king Edward for lacke of heire of his owne bodie all which things he did accordinglie And for the better assurance of his obeisance also he afterward deliuered into the hands of king Edward sundrie noble men of Scotland in this behalfe as his pledges This is the effect of the historie of Dauid touching his delings Now let vs sée what was doone
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
Rome and Italie and was so busied in the affaires of the empire iu those parts that as was thought he could not returne backe into Britaine seized into his hands the whole dominion of Britaine and held himselfe for king THis Octauius then beginning his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 329 prouoked Constantine to send against him one of his mothers vncles the foresaid Traherne This Trahernus or as some name him Traherne entred this land with three legions of souldiers in a field néere vnto Winchester was incountered by Octauius and his Britains by whome after a sore battell there striken betwixt them in the end Traherne was put to flight anâ—â—chased insomuch that he was constreined to forsake that part of the land and to draw towards Scotland Octauius hauing knowledge of his passage followed him in the countrie of Westmerland eftsoones gaue him battell but in that battell Octauius was put to the woorsse and constreined to forsake the land fled into Norway there to purchase aid and being readie with such power as he there gathered what of Britains and Norwegians to returne into Britaine Before his landing he was aduertised that an earle of Britaine which bare him heartie good will had by treason slaine Traherne Octauius then comming to land eftsoones got possession of Britaine which should be as Fabian gathereth about the yéere of our Lord 329 in the 20 yéere of the reigne of the emperour Constantine and about two yéeres after that the said Octauius first tooke vpon him to rule as king After this as the British chronicle affirmeth Octauius gouerned the land right noblie and greatlie to the contentation of the Britains At length when he was fallen in age and had no issue but one daughter he was counselled to send vnto Rome for one Maximianus a noble yoong man coosine to the emperour Constantine on the part of his mother Helena to come into Britaine and to take to his wife the said daughter of Octauius and so with hir to haue the kingdome Octauius at the first meant to haue giuen hir in mariage vnto one Conan Meridoc duke of Cornewall which was his nephue but wen the lords would not thereto agrée at the length he appointed one Maurice sonne to the said Câ—â—an to go to Rome to fetch the forenamed Maximianus Maurice according to his commission and instruction in that behalfe receiued came to rome and declared his message in such effectuall sort that Maximianus consented to go with him into Britaine and so taking with him a conuenient number set forward and did so much by his iournies that finallie he landed here in Britaine And notwithstanding that Conan Meridoc past not so much to haue béene dooing with him for malice that he conceiued towards him because he saw that by his meanes he should be put beside the crowne yet at length was Maximianus safelie brought to the kings presence and of him honorablie receiued and finallie the mariage was knit vp and solemnized in all princelie maner Shortlie after Octauius departed out of this life after he had reigned the terme of fiftie and foure yeares as Fabian gathereth by that which diuers authors doo write how he reigned till the daies that Gratian and Ualentinian ruled the Roman empire which began to gouerne in the yeare of our Lord as he saith 382 which is to be vnderstood of Gratian his reigne after the deceasse his vncle Ualens for otherwise a doubt maie rise because Ualentine the father of Gratian admitted the said Gratian to the title of Augustus in the yeare of our Lord 351. But to leaue the credit of the long reigne of Octauius with all his and others gouernement and rule ouer the Britains since the time of Constantius vnto our British and Scotish writers let vs make an end with the gouernement of that noble emperour Constantine an assured branch of the Britains race as borne of that worthie ladie the empresse Helen daughter to Coell earle of Colchester and after king of Britaine as our histories doo witnesse Unto the which empresse Constantine bare such dutifull reuerence that he did not onelie honour hir with the name of empresse but also made hir as it were partaker with him of all his wealth and in manie things was led and ruled by hir vertuous and godlie admonitions to the aduancement of Gods honour and maintenance of those that professed the true christian religion For the loue that she bare vnto Colchester and London she walled them about and caused great bricke and huge tiles to be made for the performance of the same whereof there is great store to be séene eyuen yet to this present both in the walls of the towne and castell of Colchester as a testimonie of the woorkemanship of those daies She liued 79 yeares and then departed this life about the 21 yeare of hir sonnes reigne First she was buried at Rome without the walls of the citie with all funerall pompe as to hir estate apperteined but after his corps was remoued and brought to Constantinople where it was eftsoones interred Hir sonne the emperour Constantine liued till about the yeare of Christ 340 and then deceassed at Nicomedia in Asia after he had ruled the empire 32 yeares and od moneths We find not in the Romane writers of anie great stur here in Britaine during his reigne more than the British and Scotish writers haue recorded so that after Traherne had reduced this land to quietnesse it maie be supposed that the Britains liued in rest vnder his gouernement and likewise after vnder his sonnes that succéeded him in the empire till about the yeare 360 at what time the Picts and Scots inuaded the south parts of the land But now to end with Octauius that the christian faith remained still in Britaine during the supposed time of this pretended kings reigne it maie appeare in that amongst the 36 prouinces out of the which there were assembled aboue 300 bishops in the citie of Sardica in Dacia at a synod held there against the Eusebians Britaine is numbred by Athanasius in his second apologie to be one And againe the said Athanasius in an epistle which he writeth to the emperour Iouinianus reciteth that the churches in Britaine did consent with the churches of other nations in the confession of faith articuled in the Nicene councell Also mention is made by writers of certeine godlie learned men which liued in offices in the church in those daies as Restitutus bishop of London which went ouer to the synod held at Arles in France and also one Kibius Corinnius sonne to Salomon duke of Cornewall and bishop of Anglesey who instructed the people that inhabited the parts now called Northwales and them of Anglesey aforesaid verie diligentlie But now to speake somewhat of things chancing in Britaine about this season as we find recorded by the Romane writers some trouble was likelie to
the warres which he had against the Saxons varieth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth as by his words here following ye maie perceiue Guortimer the sonne of Uortimer saith he thinking not good long to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and his countriemen the Britains preuented by the craft of the English Saxons set his full purpose to driue them out of the realme and kindled his father to the like attempt He therefore being the author and procurer seuen yeares after their first comming into this land the league was broken and by the space of 20 yeares they fought oftentimes togither in manie light incounters but foure times they fought puissance against puissance in open field in the first battell they departed with like fortune whilest the one part that is to meane the Saxons lost their capteine Horse that was brother to Hengist and the Britains lost Catigerne an other of Uortigerns sonnes In the other battels when the Englishmen went euer awaie with the vpper hand at length a peace was concluded Guortimer being taken out of this world by course of fatall death the which much differing from the soft and milde nature of his father right noblie would haue gouerned the realme if God had suffered him to haue liued But these battels which Uortimer gaue to the Saxons as before is mentioned should appeare by that which some writers haue recorded to haue chanced before the supposed time of Uortimers or Guortimers atteining to the crowne about the 6 or 7 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this realme with Hengist And hereto W. Harison giueth his consent referring the mutuall slaughter of Horsus and Catigerne to the 6 years of Martianus 455 of Christ. Howbeit Polydor Virgil saith that Uortimer succéeded his father and that after his fathers deceasse the English Saxons of whome there was a great number then in the I le comming ouer dailie like swarmes of bées and hauing in possession not onelie Kent but also the north parts of the realme towards Scotland togither with a great part of the west countrie thought it now a fit time to attempt the fortune of warre and first therefore concluding a league with the Scots and Picts vpon the sudden they turned their weapons points against the Britains and most cruellie pursued them as though they had receiued some great iniurie at their hands and no benefit at all The Britains were maruelouslie abashed herewith perceiuing that they should haue to doo with Hengist a capteine of so high renowme and also with their ancient enimies the Scots and Picts thus all at one time and that there was no remedie but either they must fight or else become slaues Wherefore at length dread of bondage stirred vp manhood in them so that they assembled togither and boldlie began to resist their enimies on ech side but being too weake they were easilie discomfited and put to flight so that all hope of defense by force of armes being vtterlie taken awaie as men in despaire to preuaile against their enimies they fled as shéepe scattered abroad some following one capteine and some another getting them into desart places woods and maresh grounds and moreouer left such townes and fortresses as were of no notable strength as a preie vnto their enimies Thus saith Polydor Virgil of the first breaking of the warres betwixt the Saxons and the Britains which chanced not as should appeare by that which he writeth thereof till after the death of Uortigerne Howbeit he denieth not that Hengist at his first comming got seates for him and his people within the countie of Kent and there began to inhabit This ought not to be forgotten that king Uortimer as Sigebertus hath written restored the christian religion after he had vanquished the Saxons in such places where the same was decaied by the enimies inuasion whose drift was not onelie to ouerrun the land with violence but also to erect their owne laws and liberties with out regard of clemencie Vortigerne is restored to his regiment in what place he abode during the time of his sonnes reigne Hengist with his Saxons re-enter the land the Saxons and Britains are appointed to meet on Salisburie plaine the priuie treason of Hengist and his power whereby the Britains were slaine like sheepe the manhood of Edol earle of Glocester Vortigerne i◠taken prisoner Hengist is in possession of three prouinces of this land a description of Kent The fift Chapter AFter all these bloudie broiles and tempestuous tumults ended Uortigerne was restored and set againe into the kingdome of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 471. All the time of his sonnes reigne he had remained in the parties now called Wales where as some write in that meane time he builded a strong castle called Generon or Guaneren in the west side of Wales nere to the riuer of Guana vpon a mounteine called Cloaricus which some referre to be builded in his second returne into Wales as shall be shewed hereafter And it is so much the more likelie for that an old chronicle which Fabian had sight of affirmeth that Uortigerne was kept vnder the rule of certeine gouernors to him appointed in the towne of Caerlegion and behaued himselfe in such commendable sort towards his sonne in aiding him with his counsell and otherwise in the meane season whilest his sonne reigned that the Britains by reason thereof began so to fauour him that after the death of Uortimer they made him king againe Shortlie after that Uortigerne was restored to the rule of the kingdom Hengist aduertised therof returned into the land with a mightie armie of Saxons whereof Uortigerne being admonished assembled his Britains and with all speed made towards him When Hengist had knowledge of the huge host of the Britains that was comming against him he required to come to a communication with Uortigerne which request was granted so that it was concluded that on Maie day a certeine number of Britains and as manie of the Saxons should meet togither vpon the plaine of Salisburie Hengist hauing deuised a new kind of treason when the day of their appointed méeting was come caused euerie one of his allowed number secretlie to put into his hose a long knife where it was ordeined that no man should bring anie weapon with him at all and that at the verie instant when this watchword should be vttered by him Nempt your sexes then should euerie of them plucke out his knife and slea the Britaine that chanced to be next to him except the same should be Uortigerne whom he willed to be apprehended but not slaine At the day assigned the king with his appointed number or traine of the Britains mistrusting nothing lesse than anie such maner of vnhaithfull dealing came vnto the place in order before prescribed without armor or weapon where he found Hengist readie with his Saxons the which receiued the king with amiable countenance
vp vnto his legs and knees Wherewith the king started suddenlie vp and withdrew from it saieng withall to his nobles that were about him Behold you noble men you call me king which can not so much as staie by my commandement this small portion of water But know ye for certeine that there is no king but the father onelie of our Lord Iesus Christ with whome he reigneth at whose becke all things are gouerned Let vs therefore honor him let vs confesse and professe him to be the ruler of heauen earth and sea and besides him none other From thence he went to Winchester and there with his owne hands set his crowne vpon the head of the image of the crucifix which stood there in the church of the apostles Peter and Paule and from thenceforth he would neuer weare that crowne nor anie other Some write that he spake not the former words to the sea vpon anie presumptuousnesse of mind but onelie vpon occasion of the vaine title which in his commendation on of his gentlemen gaue him by way of flatterie as he rightlie tooke it for he called him the most mightiest king of all kings which ruled most at large both men sea and land Therefore to reprooue the fond flatterie of such vaine persons he deuised and practised the déed before mentioned thereby both to reprooue such flatterers and also that men might be admonished to consider the omnipotencie of almightie God He had issue by his wife quéene Emma a sonne named by the English chronicles Hardiknought but by the Danish writers Canute or Knute also a daughter named Gonilda that was after maried to Henrie the sonne of Conrad which also was afterwards emperour and named Henrie the third By his concubine Alwine that was daughter to Alselme whome some name earle of Hampton he had two bastard sonnes Harold and Sweno He was much giuen in his latter daies to vertue as he that considered how perfect felicitie rested onelie in godlines and true deuotion to serue the heauenlie king and gouernour of all things He repared in his time manie churches abbeies and houses of religion which by occasion of warres had béene fore defaced by him and his father but speciallie he did great cost vpon the abbeie of saint Edmund in the towne of Burie as partlie before is mentioned He also built two abbeies from the foundation as saint Benets in Norffolke seuen miles distant from Norwich and an other in Norwaie He did also build a church at Ashdone in Essex where he obteined the victorie of king Edmund and was present at the hallowing or consecration therof with a great multitude of the lords and nobles of the realme both English and Danes He also holpe with his owne hands to remooue the bodie of the holie archbishop Elphegus when the same was translated from London to Canturburie The roiall and most rich iewels which he his wife quéene Emma gaue vnto the church of Winchester might make the beholders to woonder at such their exceeding and bountifull munificence Thus did Cnute striue to reforme all such things as he and his ancestors had doone amisse and to wipe awaie the spot of euil dooing as suerlie to the outward sight of the world he did in deed he had the archbishop of Canturburie Achelnotus in singular reputation and vsed his counsell in matters of importance He also highlie fauoured Leofrike earle of Chester so that the same Leofrike bare great rule in ordering of things touching the state of the common wealth vnder him as one of his chiefe councellors Diuerse lawes and statutes he made for the gouernment fo the common wealth partlie agréeable with the lawes of king Edgar and other the kings that were his predecessors and partlie tempered according to his owne liking and as was thought to him most expedient among the which there be diuerse that concerne causes as well ecclesiasticall as temporall Whereby as maister Fox hath noted it maie be gathered that the gouernment of spirituall matters did depend then not vpon the bishop of Rome but rather apperteined vnto the lawfull authoritie of the temporall prince no lesse than matters and causes temporall But of these lawes statutes enacted by king Cnute ye may read more as ye find them set foorth in the before remembred booke of maister Willliam Lambert which for briefenesse we héere omit Variance amongest the peeres of the realme about the roiall succession the kingdome is diuided betwixt Harold the bastard sonne and Hardicnute the lawfullie begotten son of king Cnute late deceassed Harold hath the totall regiment the authoritie of earle Goodwine gardian to the queenes sonnes Harold is proclaimed king why Elnothus did stoutlie refuse to consecrate him why Harold was surnamed Harefoot he is supposed to be a shoomakers sonne and how it came to passe that he was counted king Cnutes bastard Alfred challengeth the crowne from Harold Goodwine vnder colour of friendlie interteinment procureth his retinues vtter vndooing a tithing of the Normans by the poll whether Alfred was interessed in the crowne the trecherous letter of Harold written in the name of queene Emma to hir two sons in Normandie wherevpon Alfred commeth ouer into England the vnfaithfull dealing of Goodwine with Alfred and his people teaching that in trust is treason a reseruation of euerie tenth norman the remanent slaine the lamentable end of Alfred and with what torments he was put to death Harold banisheth queene Emma out of England he degenerateth from his father the short time of his reigne his death and buriall The xiiij Chapter AFter that Cnute was departed this life there arose much variance amongst the peeres and great lords of the realme about the succession The Danes and Londoners which through continuall familiaritie with the Danes were become like vnto them elected Harold the base sonne of king Cnute to succéed in his fathers roome hauing earle Leofrike and diuerse other of the noble men of the north parts on their side But other of the Englishmen and namelie earle Goodwine earle of Kent with the chiefest lords of the west parts coueted rather to haue one of king Egelreds sonnes which were in Normandie or else Hardicnute the sonne of king Cnute by his wife quéene Emma which remained in Denmarke aduanced to the place This controuersie held in such wise that the realme was diuided as some write by lot betwixt the two brethren Harold and Hardicnute The north part as Mercia and Northumberland fell to Harold and the south part vnto Hardicnute but at length the whole remained vnto Harold bicause his brother Hardicnute refused to come out of Denmarke to take the gouernment vpon him But yet the authoritie of earle Goodwine who had the queene and the treasure of the realme in his kéeping staied the matter a certeine time professing himselfe as it were gardian to the yoong men the sonnes of the quéene
vnder his iurisdiction The earle who was a man of a bold courage and quicke wit did perceiue that the matter was made a great deale woorse at the first in the beginning than of likelihood it would prooue in the end thought it reason therefore that first the answere of the Kentishmen should be heard before anie sentence were giuen against them Héerevpon although the king commanded him foorthwith to go with an armie into Kent and to punish them of Canturburie in most rigorous maner yet he would not be too hastie but refused to execute the kings commandement both for that he bare a péece of grudge in his mind that the king should fauour strangers so highlie as he did and againe bicause héereby he should séeme to doo pleasure to his countriemen in taking vpon him to defend their cause against the rough accusations of such as had accused them Wherefore he declared to the king that it should be conuenient to haue the supposed offendors first called afore him and if they were able to excuse themselues then to be suffered to depart without further vexation and if they were found faultie then to be put to their fine both as well in satisfieng the king whose peace they had broken as also the earle whom they had in damaged Earle Goodwine departed thus from the king leauing him in a great furie howbeit he passed litle thereof supposing it would not long continue But the king called a great assemblie of his lords togither at Glocester that the matter might be more déepelie considered Siward earle of Northumberland and Leofrike earle of Chester with Rafe earle of Hereford the kings nephue by his sister Goda and all other the noble men of the realme onlie earle Goodwine and his sonnes ment not to come there except they might bring with them a great power of armed men and so remained at Beuerstane with such bands as they had leauied vnder a colour to resist the Welshmen whome they bruted abroad to be readie to inuade the marches about Hereford But the Welshmen preuenting that slander signified to the king that no such matter was ment on their parties but that earle Goodwine and his sonnes with their complices went about to mooue a commotion against him Héerevpon a rumor was raised in the court that the kings power should shortlie march foorth to assaile earle Goodwine in that place where he was lodged Wherevpon the same earle prepared himselfe and sent to his friends willing to sticke to this quarrell and if the king should go about to force them then to withstand him rather than to yéeld and suffer themselues to be troden vnder foot by strangers Goodwine in this meane time had got togither a great power of his countries of Kent Southerie and other of the west parts Swaine like wise had assembled much people out of his countries of Barkeshire Orfordshire Summersetshire Herefordshire and Glocestershire And Harold was also come to them with a great multitude which he had leuied in Essex Norffolke Sufforld Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire On the other part the earles that were with the king Leofrike Siward and Rafe raised all the power which they might make and the same approching to Glocester the king thought himselfe in more suertie than before in so much that whereas earle Goodwine who lay with his armie at Langton there not farre off in Glocestershire had sent vnto the king requiring that the earle of Bullongne with the other Frenchmen and also the Normans which held the castell of Douer might be deliuered vnto him The king though at the first he stood in great doubt what to doo yet hearing now that an armie of his friends was comming made answere to the messingers which Goodwine had sent that he would not deliuer a man of those whome Goodwine required and héerewith the said messengers being departed the kings armie entered into Glocester and such readie good wils appéered in them all to fight with the aduersaries that if the king would haue permitted they would foorth with haue gone out and giuen battell to the enimies Thus the matter was at point to haue put the realme in hazard not onelie of a field but of vtter ruine that might thereof haue insued for what on the one part and the other there were assembled the chiefest lords and most able personages of the land But by the wisedome and good aduise of earle Leofrike and others the matter was pacified for a time and order taken that they should come to a parlement or communication at London vpon pledges giuen and receiued as well on the one part as the other The king with a mightie armie of the Northumbers and them of Mercia came vnto London and earle Goodwine with his sonnes and a great power of the Westsaxons came into Southwarke but perceiuing that manie of his companie stale awaie and slipt from him he durst not abide anie longer to enter talke with the king as it was couenanted but in the night next insuing fled awaie with all spéed possible Some write how an order was prescribed that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine should depart the land as a banished man to qualifie the kings wrath and that Goodwine and one other of his sons that is to say Harold should come to an other assemblie to be holden at London accompanied with 12 seruants onelie to resigne all his force of knights gentlemen and souldiers vnto the kings guiding and gouernment But when this last article pleased nothing earle Goodwine and that he perceiued how his force began to decline so as he should not be able to match the kings power he fled the realme and so likewise did his sonnes He himselfe with his sonnes Swanus Tostie and Girth sailed into Flanders and Harold with his brother Leofwine gat ships at Bristow and passed into Ireland Githa the wife of Goodwine and Iudith the wife of Tostie the daughter of Baldwine earle of Flanders went ouer also with their husbands Goodwine and his sonnes are proclaimed outlawes their lands are giuen from them king Edward putteth awaie the queene his wife who was earle Goodwines daughter she cleareth hir selfe at the houre of hir death from suspicion of incontinencie and lewdnesse of life why king Edward forbare to haue fleshlie pleasure with hir earle Goodwine and his sonnes take preies on the coasts of Kent and Sussex Griffin king of Wales destroieth a great part of Herefordshire and giueth his incounterers the ouerthrow Harold and Leofwine two brethren inuade Dorset and Summerset shires they are resisted but yet preuaile they coast about the point of Cornwall and ioine with their father Goodwine king Edward maketh out threescore armed ships against them a thicke mist separateth both sides being readie to graple and fight a pacification betweene the king and earle Goodwine he is restored to his lands and libertie he was well friended counterpledges of agreement interchangablie deliuered Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine
sith not onelie the hilles on ech side of the said rillet but all the whole paroch hath sometime abounded in woods but now in manner they are vtterlie decaied as the like commoditie is euerie where not onelie thorough excessiue building for pleasure more than profit which is contrarie to the ancient end of building but also for more increase of pasture commoditie to the lords of the soile through their sales of that emolument whereby the poore tenants are inforced to buie their fewell and yet haue their rents in triple maner inhanced This said brooke runneth directlie from thence vnto Radwinter now a parcell of your lordships possessions in those parts descended from the Chamberleins who were sometime chéefe owners of the same By the waie also it is increased with sundrie pretie springs of which Pantwell is the chéefe whereof some thinke the whole brooke to be named Pant and which to saie the truth hath manie a leasing fathered on the same Certes by the report of common fame it hath béene a pretie water and of such quantitie that botes haue come in time past from Bilie abbeie beside Maldon vnto the moores in Radwinter for corne I haue heard also that an anchor was found there neere to a red willow when the water-courses by act of parlement wers surueied and reformed throughout England which maketh not a little with the aforesaid relation But this is strangest of all that a lord sometime of Winbech surnamed the great eater because he would breake his fast with a whole calfe and find no bones therein as the fable goeth falling at contention with the lord Iohn of Radwinter could worke him none other iniurie but by stopping vp the head of Pantwell to put by the vse of a mill which stood by the church of Radwinter and was serued by that brooke abundantlie Certes I know the place where the mill stood and some posts thereof do yet remaine But sée the malice of mankind whereby one becommeth a woolfe vnto the other in their mischeeuous moodes For when the lord saw his mill to be so spoiled he in reuenge of his losse brake the necke of his aduersarie when he was going to horsebacke as the constant report affirmeth For the lord of Radwinter holding a parcell of his manour of Radwinter hall of the Fitzwaters his sonne was to hold his stirrop at certeine times when he should demand the same Shewing himselfe therefore prest on a time to doo his said seruice as the Fitzwater was readie to lift his leg ouer the saddle he by putting backe his foot gaue him such a thrust that he fell backward and brake his necke wherevpon insued great trouble till the matter was taken vp by publike authoritie and that seruile office conuerted into a pound of pepper which is truelie paid to this daie But to leaue these impertinent discourses and returne againe to the springs whereby our Pant or Gwin is increased There is likewise another in a pasture belonging to the Grange now in possession of William Bird esquier who holdeth the same in the right of his wife but in time past belonging to Tilteie abbeie The third commeth out of the yard of one of your lordships manors there called Radwinter hall The fourth from Iohn Cockswets house named the Rotherwell which running vnder Rothers bridge méeteth with the Gwin or Pant on the northwest end of Ferrants meade southeast of Radwinter church whereof I haue the charge by your honours fauourable preferment I might take occasion to speake of another rill which falleth into the Rother from Bendish hall but bicause it is for the most part drie in summer I passe it ouer Yet I will not omit to speake also of the manor which was the chiefe lordship sometime of a parish or hamlet called Bendishes now worne out of knowledge and vnited partlie to Radwinter and partlie to Ashdon It belonged first to the Bendishes gentlemen of a verie ancient house yet extant of which one laieng the said manour to morgags to the moonks of Feuersham at such time as K. Edward the third went to the siege of Calis thereby to furnish himselfe the better toward the seruice of his prince it came to passe that he staied longer beyond the sea than he supposed Wherevpon he came before his daie to confer with his creditors who commending his care to come out of debt willed him in friendlie maner not to suspect anie hard dealing on their behalfes considering his businesse in seruice of the king was of it selfe cause sufficient to excuse his delaie of paiment vpon the daie assigned Herevpon he went ouer againe vnto the siege of Calis But when the day came the moonks for all this made seisure of the manour and held it continuallie without anie further recompense maugre all the friendship that the aforsaid Bendish could make The said gentleman also tooke this cousening part in such choler that he wrote a note yet to be séene among his euidences whereby he admonisheth his posteritie to beware how they trust either knaue moonke or knaue frier as one of the name and bescended from him by lineall descent hath more than once informed me Now to resume our springs that méet and ioine with our Pant. The next is named Froshwell And of this spring dooth the whole hundred beare the name after this confluencâ— the riuer it selfe wher vnto it falleth from by north so farre as I remember Certes all thâ—se sauing the first and second are within your lordships towne aforesaid The streame therfore running from hence now as I said called Froshwell of Frosh which signifieth a frog hasteth immediatlie vnto old Sandford then through new Sandford parke and afterward with full streame receiuing by the waie the Finch brooke that commeth thorough Finchingfield to Shalford Borking Stisted Paswijc and so to Blackewater where the name of Freshwell ceaseth the water being from hencefoorth as I heare commonlie called Blackwater vntill it come to Maldon where it falleth into the salt arme of the sea that beateth vpon the towne and which of some except I be deceiued is called also Pant and so much the rather I make this coniecture for that Ithancester stood somewhere vpon the banks thereof in the hundred of Danseie whose ruines as they saie also are swalowed vp by the said streame which can not be verified in our riuer that runneth from Pantwell which at the mouth and fall into the great current excéedeth not to my coniecture aboue one hundred foot But to returne to our Pant alià s the Gwin From Blackwater it goeth to Corall Easterford Braxsted and Wickham where it méeteth with the Barus and so going togither as one they descend to Heiebridge and finallie into the salt water aboue Maldon and at hand as is aforesaid As for the Barus it riseth in a statelie parke of Essex called Bardfield belonging to sir Thomas Wroth whilest he liued who hath it to him and his heires males for euer from
dominion Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius counted the first christian king of this nation he conuerted the three archflamines of this land into bishopriks and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them The first remained at London and his power extended from the furthest part of Cornewall to Humber water The second dwelled at Yorke and his power stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland The third aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales his power extended from Seuerne through all Wales Some write that he made but two and turned their names to archbishops the one to remaine at Canturburie the other at Yorke yet they confesse that he of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland either of which is sufficient to prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth a Romane but in bloud a Briton as some thinke and the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeâ—s sonne of Lud nephue of Cassibelane was shortlie after emperour king of Britons in whose time the people to whom his ancester Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse in Scotland conspired with the Scots receiued them from the Iles into Scotland But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méeting with their faith and false harts togither droue them all out of the maine land into Iles the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine But notwithstanding this glorious victorie the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romans imposed by treason of Androgeus ancestor to this Seuerus began to hate him whome yet they had no time to loue and who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their confederats in one battell thirtie thousand but such was the consideration of the common sort in those daies whose malice no time could diminish nor iust desert appease Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman and Geta borne by a Romane woman were the sonnes of this Seuerus who after the death of their father by the contrarie voices of their people contended for the crowne Few Britons held with Bassianus fewer Romans with Geta but the greater number with neither of both In the end Geta was slaine and Bassianus remained emperour against whom Carautius rebelled who gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited whereby his seison thereof appeareth Coill descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land was shortlie after king of the Britons whose onelie daughter and heire called Helen was married vnto Constantius a Romane who daunted the rebellion of all parts of great Britaine and after the death of this Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof and reigned in his state ouer them thirtéene or fouretéene yeares Constantine the sonne of this Constance and Helen was next king of Britons by the right of his mother who passing to Rome to receiue the empire thereof deputed one Octauius king of Wales and duke of the Gewisses which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons to haue the gouernment of this dominion But abusing the kings innocent goodnesse this Octauius defrauded this trust and tooke vpon him the crowne For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine Traheron great vncle to Constantine yet after the death of this Traheron he preuailed againe and vsurped ouer all Britaine Constantine being now emperor sent Marimius his kinsman hither in processe of time to destroie the same Octauius who in singular battell discomfited him Wherevpon this Maximius as well by the consent of great Constantine as by the election of all the Britons for that he was a Briton in bloud was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king and expelled and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine Finallie he inhabited all Scotland with Britons no man woman nor child of the Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it which as their Hector Boetius saith was for their rebellion and rebellion properlie could it not be except they had béene subiects He suffered the Picts also to remaine his subiects who made solemne othes to him neuer after to erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation but to remaine vnder the old empire of the onelie king of Britaine I had once an epistle by Leland exemplified as he saith out of a verie ancient record which beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine and entreth after this manner Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino mater Helena semper Augusta c. And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books For thereby I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter neuerthelesse if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were reserued It followeth on also in this maner as it is translated out of the Gréeke Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat nec fides recta aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam c. About fiue and fourtie yeares after this which was long time after the death of this Maximius with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Helga the Scots newlie arriued in Albania and there created one Fergus the second of that name to be there king But bicause they were before banished the continent land they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile in the fatall chaire of marble the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and two and twentie as they themselues doo write Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron brother to king Coill and vncle to Helene was by lineall succession next king of Britons but to appease the malice of Dionothus king of Wales who also claimed the kingdome he maried Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus and afterwards assembled a great power of Britons and entered Albania inuading Gallowaie Mers Annandale Pentland Carrike Kill and Cuningham and in battell slue both this Fergus then king of Scots and Durstus the king of Picts and exiled all their people out of the continent land wherevpon the few number of Scots then remaining a liue went to Argile and there made Eugenius their king When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in Britaine he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica where they subdued the king and depopulated the countrie which he gaue to Conan his cousine to be afterward inhabited by Britons by the name of Britaine the lesse and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the great which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this daie After the death of Maximian dissention being mooued betweene the nobles of Britaine the Scots swarmed togither againe and came to the wall of Adrian where this realme being diuided in manie factions they ouercame one
spred in this behalfe the report of their demeanor was quicklie brought to Harald who caused a companie foorthwith of Danes priuilie to laie wait for them as they roade toward Gilford where Alfred was slaine and whence Edward with much difficultie escaped to his ships and so returned into Normandie But to proceed This affirmation of the archbishop being greatlie soothed out with his craftie vtterance for he was lerned confirmed by his French fréends for they had all conspired against the erle and therevnto the king being desirous to reuenge the death of his brother bred such a grudge in his mind against Goodwine that he banished him and his sons cleane out of the land He sent also his wife the erles daughter prisoner to Wilton with one onelie maiden attending vpon hir where she laie almost a yeare before she was released In the meane season the rest of the peeres as Siward earle of Northumberland surnamed Digara or Fortis Leofrijc earle of Chester and other went to the king before the departure of Goodwine indeuouring to perfuade him vnto the reuocation of his sentence and desiring that his cause might he heard and discussed by order of law But the king incensed by the archbishop and his Normans would not heare on that side saieng plainelie and swearing by saint Iohn the euangelist for that was his common oth that earle Goodwine should not haue his peace till he restored his brother Alfred aliue againe vnto his presence With which answer the peeres departed in choler from the court and Goodwine toward the coast Comming also vnto the shore and readie to take shipping he knéeled downe in presence of his conduct to wit at Bosenham in the moneth of September from whence he intended to saile into Flanders vnto Baldwine the earle and there praied openlie before them all that if euer he attempted anie thing against the kings person of England or his roiall estate that he might neuer come safe vnto his cousine nor sée his countrie any more but perish in this voiage And herewith he went aboord the ship that was prouided for him and so from the coast into the open sea But sée what followed He was not yet gone a mile waie from the land before he saw the shore full of armed souldiers sent after by the archbishop and his freends to kill him yer he should depart and go out of the countrie which yet more incensed the harts of the English against them Being come also to Flanders he caused the earle the French king and other of his fréends among whome also the emperour was one to write vnto the king in his behalfe but all in vaine for nothing could be obteined from him of which the Normans had no liking wherevpon the earle and his sonnes changed their minds obteined aid and inuaded the land in sundry places Finallie ioining their powers they came by the Thames into Southwarke néere London where they lodged and looked for the king to incounter with them in the field The king séeing what was doone commanded the Londoners not to aid nor vittell them But the citizens made answer how the quarrell of Goodwine was the cause of the whose realme which he had in maner giuen ouer vnto the spoile of the French and therevpon they not onelie vittelled them aboundantlie but also receiued the earle and his chiefe fréends into the citie where they lodged them at their ease till the kings power was readie to ioine with them in battell Great resort also was made vnto them from all places of the realme so that the earles armie was woonderfullie increased and the daie and place chosen wherein the battell should be fought But when the armies met the kings side began some to flée to the earle other to laie downe their weapons and not a few to run awaie out right the rest telling him plainelie that they would neuer fight against their owne countriemen to mainteine Frenchmens quarrels The Normans also seeing the sequele fled awaie so fast as they might gallop leauing the king in the field to shift for himselfe as he best might whilest they did saue themselues elsewhere In the meane season the earles power would haue set vpon the king either to his slaughter or apprehension but he staied them saieng after this maner The king is my sonne as you all know and it is not for a father to deale so hardlie with his child neither a subiect with his souereigne it is not he that hath hurt or doone me this iniurie but the proud Normans that are about him wherefore to gaine a kingdome I will doo him no violence And therewithall casting aside his battell ax he ran to the king that stood altogither amazed and falling at his féet he craued his peace accused the archbishop required that his cause might be heard in open assemlie of his péeres and finallie determined as truth and equitie should deserue The king after he had paused a pretie while seeing his old father in law to lie groueling at his féet and conceiuing with himselfe that his sute was not vnreasonable seeing also his children and the rest of the greatest barons of the land to knéele before him and make the like request he lifted vp the earle by the hand had him be of good comfort pardoned all that was past and freendlie hauing kissed him and his sonnes vpon the chéekes he lead them to his palace called home the quéene and summoned all his lords vnto a councell Wherein it is much to read how manie billes were presented against the bishop his Normans some conteining matter of rape other of robberie extortion murder manslaughter high treason adulterie and not a few of batterie Wherwith the king as a man now awaked out of sléepe was so offended that vpon consultation had of these things he banished all the Normans out of the land onelie thrée or foure excepted whome he reteined for sundrie necessarie causes albeit they came neuer more so néere him afterward as to be of his pritie councell After this also the earle liued almost two yeares and then falling into an apoplexie as he sat with the king at the table he was taken vp and carried into the kings bedchamber where after a few daies he made an end of his life And thus much of our first broile raised by the cleargie and practise of the archbishop I would intreat of all the like examples of tyrannie practised by the prelats of this sée against their lords and souereignes but then I should rather write an historie than a description of this Iland Wherefore I refer you to those reports of Anselme and Becket sufficientlie penned by other the which Anselme also making a shew as if he had bin verie vnwilling to be placed in the sée of Canturburie gaue this answer to the letters of such his fréends as did make request vnto him to take the charge vpon him Secularia negotia nescio quia seire nolo eorum námque occupationes horreo
liberum affectans animum Voluntati sacrarum intendo scripturarum vos dissonantiam facitis verendúmque est nè aratrum sanctae ecclesiae quod in Anglia duo boues validi pari fortitudine ad bonum certantes id est rex archiepiscopus debeant trahere nunc oue vetula cum tauro indomito iugata distorqueatur à recto Ego ouis vetula qui siquietus essem verbi Dei lacte operimento lanae aliquibus possem fortassis non ingratus esse sed sime cum hoc tauro coniungitis videbitis pro disparilitate trahentium aratrum non rectè procedere c. Which is in English thus Of secular affaires I haue no skill bicause I will not know them for I euen abhor the troubles that rise about them as one that desireth to haue his mind at libertie I applie my whole indeuor to the rule of the scriptures you lead me to the contrarie And it is to be feared least the plough of holie church which two strong oxen to equall force and both like earnest to contend vnto that which is good that is the king and the archbishop ought to draw should thereby now swarue from the right forrow by matching of an old shéepe with a wild vntamed bull I am that old shéepe who if I might be quiet could peraduenture shew my selfe not altogither vngratfull to some by féeding them with the milke of the word of God and couering them with wooll but if you match me with this bull you shall sée that thorough want of equalitie in draught the plough will not go to right c as foloweth in the processe of his letters The said Thomas Becket was so proud that he wrote to king Henrie the second as to his lord to his king and to his sonne offering him his counsell his reuerence and due correction c. Others in like sort haue protested that they owght nothing to the kings of this land but their counsell onelie reseruing all obedience vnto the sée of Rome And as the old cocke of Canturburie did crew in this behalfe so the yoong cockerels of other sees did imitate his demeanor as may be séene by this one example also in king Stephans time worthie to be remembred vnto whome the bishop of London would not so much as sweare to be true subiect wherein also he was mainteined by the pope as appeareth by these letters Eugenius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei dilecto in Christo filio Stephano illustri regi Anglorū salutē apostolic ā benedictionē Adhaec superna prouidētia in ecclesiapontifices ordinauit vt Christianus populus ab eis pascua vitae reciperet tam principes seculares quà m inferioris conditionis homines ipsis pontificibus tanquam Christi vicarijs reuerentiam exhiberent Venerabilis siquidem frater noster Robertus London episcopus tanquam vir sapiens honestus relligionis amator à nobilitate tua benignè tractandus est pro collata à Deo prudentia propensiùs honorandus Quia ergò sicut in veritate comperimus cum animae suae salute ac snae ordinis periculo fidelitate quae ab eo requiritur astringi non potest volumus ex paterno tibi affectu consulimus quatenus praedictum fratrem nostrum super hoc nullatenus inquietes immò pro beati Petri nostra reuerentia eum in amorem gratiam tuam recipias Cùm autem illud iuramentum praestare non possit sufficiat discretioni tuae vt simplici veraci verbo promittat quòd laesionem tibi velterrae tuae non inferat Vale. Dat. Meldis 6. cal Iulij Thus we sée that kings were to rule no further than it pleased the pope to like of neither to chalenge more obedience of their subiects than stood also with their good will and pleasure He wrote in like sort vnto quéene Mawd about the same matter making hir Samsons calfe the better to bring his purpose to passe as appeareth by the same letter here insuing Solomone attestante didicimus quòd mulier sapiens aedificat domum insipiens autem constructam destruet manibus Gaudemus pro te deuotionis studium in Domino collaudamus quoniam sicut relligiosorum relatione accepimus timorem Deiprae oculis habens operibus pietatis intēdis personas ecclesiasticas diligis honoras Vt ergo de bono in melius inspirante Domino proficere valeas nobilitatē tuam in Domino rogamus rogando monemus exhortamur in Domino quatenus bonis initijs exitus meliores iniungas venerabilem fratrem nostrum Robertum London episcopū pro illius reuerentia qui cùm olim diues esset pro nobis pauper fieri voluit attentiùs diligas honores Apud virum tuum dilectum filium nostrum Stephanum in signem regem Anglorum efficere studeas vt monitis hortatu cōsilio tuo ipsum in benignitatem dilectionem suam suscipiat pro beati Petri nostra reuerentia propensiùs habeat commendatum Et quia sicut veritate teste attendimus eum sine salute sui ordinis periculo praefato filio nostro astringi non posse volumus paterno sibi tibi affectu consulimus vt vobis sufficiat veraci simplici verbo promissionē ab eo suscipere quòd laesionem vel detrimentum ei velterrae suae nō inferat Dat. vt supra Is it not strange that a peeuish order of religion deuised by man should breake the expresse law of God who commandeth all men to honour and obeie their kings and princes in whome some part of the power of God is manifest and laid open vnto vs And euen vnto this end the cardinall of Hostia also wrote to the canons of Paules after this maner couertlie incoraging them to stand to their election of the said Robert who was no more willing to giue ouer his new bishoprike than they carefull to offend the king but rather imagined which waie to kéepe it still maugre his displeasure yet not to sweare obedience vnto him for all that he should be able to do or performe vnto the contrarie Humilis Dei gratia Hostiensis episcopus Londinensis ecclesiae canoniois spiritū consilij in Domino Sicut rationi contraria prorsus est abijcienda petitio ita in hijs quae iustè desyderantur effectum negare omninò non conuenit Sanè nuper accepimus quòd Londinensis ecclesia diuproprio destituta pastore communi voto pari assensu cleri populi venerabilem filium nostrum Robertum eiusdem ecclesiae archidiaconum in pastorem episcopum animarum suarum susceperit elegerit Nouimus quidem eum esse personam quam sapientia desuper ei attributa honestas conuersationis morum reuerentia plurimùm commēdabilem reddidit Inde est quòd fraternitati vestrae mandando consulimus vt proposito vestro bono quod vt credimus ex Deo est vt ex literis
and called after their names as lord Henrie or lord Edward with the addition of the word Grace properlie assigned to the king and prince and now also by custome conueied to dukes archbishops and as some saie to marquesses and their wiues The title of duke commeth also of the Latine word Dux à ducendo bicause of his valor and power ouer the armie in times past a name of office due to the emperour consull or chéefe gouernour of the whole armie in the Romane warres but now a name of honor although perished in England whose ground will not long beare one duke at once but if there were manie as in time past or as there be now earles I doo not thinke but that they would florish and prosper well inough In old time he onelie was called marquesse Qui habuit terram limitaneam a marching prouince vpon the enimies countries and thereby bound to kéepe and defend the frontiers But that also is changed in common vse and reputed for a name of great honor next vnto the duke euen ouer counties and sometimes small cities as the prince is pleased to bestow it The name of earle likewise was among the Romans a name of office who had Comites sacri palatij comites aerarij comites stabuli comites patrimonij largitionum scholarum commerciorum and such like But at the first they were called Comites which were ioined in commission with the proconsull legate or iudges for counsell and aids sake in each of those seuerall charges As Cicero epistola ad Quintum fratrem remembreth where he saith Atque inter hos quos tibi comites adiutores negotiorum publicorum dedit ipsa respublica duntaxat finibus his praestabis quos ante praescripsi c. After this I read also that euerie president in his charge was called Comes but our English Saxons vsed the word Hertoch and earle for Comes and indifferentlie as I gesse sith the name of duke was not in vse before the conquest Goropius saith that Comes and Graue is all one to wit the viscont called either Procomes or Vicecomes and in time past gouerned in the countie vnder the earle but now without anie such seruice or office it is also become a name of dignitie next after the earle and in degrée before the baron His reléefe also by the great charter is one hundred pounds as that of a baronie a hundred marks and of a knight flue at the most for euerie fée The baron whose degrée answered to the dignitie of a senator in Rome is such a frée lord as hath a lordship or baronie whereof he beareth his name hath diuerse knights or fréeholders holding of him who with him did serue the king in his wars and held their tenures in Baronia that is for performance of such seruice These Bracton a learned writer of the lawes of England in king Henrie the thirds time tearmeth Barones quasi robur belli The word Baro indéed is older than that it may easilie be found from whence it came for euen in the oldest histories both of the Germans and Frenchmen written since the conquest we read of barons and those are at this daie called among the Germans Liberi vel Ingenui or Freihers in the Germane toong as some men doo coniecture or as one saith the citizens and burgesses of good townes and cities were called Barones Neuerthelesse by diligent inquisition it is imagined if not absolutelie found that the word Baro and Filius in the old Scithian or Germane language are all one so that the kings children are properlie called Barones from whome also it was first translated to their kindred and then to the nobilitie and officers of greatest honour indifferentlie That Baro and Filius signifieth one thing it yet remaineth to be séene although with some corruption for to this daie euen the common sort doo call their male children barnes here in England especiallie in the north countrie where that word is yet accustomablie in vse And it is also growne into a prouerbe in the south when anie man susteineth a great hinderance to saie I am beggered and all my barnes In the Hebrue toong as some affirme it signifieth Filij solis and what are the nobilitie in euerie kingdome but Filij or serui regum But this is farre fetched wherefore I conclude that from hensefoorth the originall of the word Baro shall not be anie more to seeke and the first time that euer I red thereof in anie English historie is in the reigne of Canutus who called his nobilitie and head officers to a councell holden at Cirnecester by that name 1030 as I haue else-where remembred Howbeit the word Baro dooth not alwaies signifie or is attributed to a noble man by birth or creation for now and then it is a title giuen vnto one or other with his office as the chéefe or high tribune of the excheker is of custome called lord chéefe baron who is as it were the great or principall receiuer of accounts next vnto the lord treasuror as they are vnder him are called Tribuni aerarij rationales Hervnto I may ad so much of the word lord which is an addition going not seldome and in like sort with sundrie offices and to continue so long as he or they doo execute the same and no longer Unto this place I also referre our bishops who are accounted honourable called lords and hold the same roome in the parlement house with the barons albeit for honour sake the right hand of the prince is giuen vnto them and whose countenances in time past were much more glorious than at this present it is bicause those lustie prelats sought after earthlie estimation and authoritie with farre more diligence than after the lost shéepe of Christ of which they had small regard as men being otherwise occupied and void of leisure to attend vpon the same Howbeit in these daies their estate remaineth no lesse reuerend than before and the more vertuous they are that be of this calling the better are they estéemed with high and low They reteine also the ancient name lord still although it be not a littie impugned by such as loue either to heare of change of all things or can abide no superiours For notwithstanding it be true that in respect of function the office of the eldership is equallie distributed betwéene the bishop and the minister yet for ciuill gouernements sake the first haue more authoritie giuen vnto them by kings and princes to the end that the rest maie thereby be with more ease reteined within a limited compasse of vniformitie than otherwise they would be if ech one were suffered to walke in his owne course This also is more to be maruelled at that verie manie call for an alteration of their estate crieng to haue the word lord abolished their ciuill authoritie taken from them and the present condition of the church in other things reformed whereas to saie trulie
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
and yet may with farre more ease and lesse cost be prouided from other countries if we could vse the meanes I will not speake of iron glasse and such like which spoile much wood and yet are brought from other countries better chéepe than we can make them here at home I could exemplifie also in manie other But to leaue these things and procéed with our purpose and herein as occasion serueth generallie by waie of conclusion to speake of the common-wealth of England I find that it is gouerned and mainteined by thrée sorts of persons 1 The prince monarch and head gouernour which is called the king or if the crowne fall to the woman the quéene in whose name and by whose authoritie all things are administred 2 The gentlemen which be diuided into two sorts as the baronie or estate of lords which conteineth barons and all aboue that degree and also those that be no lords as knights esquiers simple gentlemen as I haue noted alreadie Out of these also are the great deputies and high presidents chosen of which one serueth in Ireland as another did sometime in Calis and the capteine now at Berwike as one lord president dooth gouerne in Wales and the other the north parts of this Iland which later with certeine councellors and iudges were erected by king Henrie the eight But forsomuch as I haue touched their conditions elsewhere it shall be mough to haue remembred them at this time 3 The third and last sort is named the yeomanrie of whom their sequele the labourers and artificers I haue said somewhat euen now Whereto I ad that they be not called masters and gentlemen but goodmen as goodman Smith goodman Coot goodman Cornell goodman Mascall goodman Cockswet c in matters of law these and the like are called thus Giles Iewd yeoman Edward Mountford yeoman Iames Cocke yeoman Herrie Butcher yeoman c by which addition they are exempt from the vulgar and common sorts Cato calleth them Aratores optimos ciues rei publicae of whom also you may read more in the booke of common wealth which sir Thomas Smith sometime penned of this land Of gentlemen also some are by the prince chosen and called to great offices in the common wealth of which said offices diuerse concerne the whole realme some be more priuat and peculiar to the kings house And they haue their places and degrées prescribed by an act of parlement made An. 31 Henr. octaui after this maner insuing These foure the lord Chancellor the lord Treasuror who is Supremus aerarij Anglici quaestor or Tribunus aerarius maximus the lord President of the councell and the lord Priuie seale being persons of the degrée of a baron or aboue are in the same act appointed to sit in the parlement and in all assemblies or councell aboue all dukes not being of the bloud roiall Videlicet the kings brother vncle or nephue And these six the lord great Chamberleine of England the lord high Constable of England the lord Marshall of England the lord Admirall of England the lord great master or Steward of the kings house and the lord Chamberleine by that act are to be placed in all assemblies of councell after the lord priuie seale according to their degrées and estats so that if he be a baron then he is to sit aboue all barons or an earle aboue all earles And so likewise the kings secretarie being a baron of the parlement hath place aboue all barons and if he be a man of higher degrée he shall sit and be placed according therevnto The rehearsall of the temporall nobilitie of England according to the anciencie of their creations or first calling to their degrees as they are to be found at this present The Marquise of Winchester The earle of Arundell The earle of Oxford The earle of Northumberland The earle of Shrewesburie The earle of Kent The earle of Derbi◠The earle of Worcester The earle of Rutland The earle of Cumberland The earle of Sussex The earle of Huntingdon The earle of Bath The earle of Warwike The earle of Southampton The earle of Bedford The earle of Penbrooke The earle of Hertford The earle of Leicester The earle of Essex The earle of Lincolne The viscont Montague The viscont Bindon The lord of Abergeuennie The lord Awdeleie The lord Zouch The lord Barkeleie The lord Morleie The lord Dacres of the south The lord Cobham The lord Stafford The lord Greie of Wilton The lord Scroope The lord Dudleie The lord Latimer The lord Stourton The lord Lumleie The lord Mountioie The lord Ogle The lord Darcie of the north The lord Mountegle The lord Sands The lord Uaulx The lord Windsore The lord Wentwoorth The lord Borough The lord Mordaunt The lord Cromwell The lord Euers The lord Wharton The lord Rich. The lord Willowbie The lord Sheffeld The lord Paget The lord Darcie of Chichester The lord Howard of Effingham The lord North. The lord Chaundos The lord of Hunsdon The lord saint Iohn of Bletso The lord of Buckhirst The lord Delaware The lord Burghleie The lord Compton The lord Cheineie The lord Norreis Bishops in their anciencie as they sat in parlement in the fift of the Queenes maiesties reigne that now is The archbishop of Canturburie The archbishop of Yorke London Durham Winchester The rest had their places in senioritie of consecration Chichester Landaffe Hereford Elie. Worcester Bangor Lincolne Salisburie S. Dauids Rochester Bath and Welles Couentrie and Lichfield Excester Norwich Peterborough Carleill Chester S. Assaph Glocester And this for their placing in the parlement house Howbeit when the archbishop of Canturburie siteth in his prouinciall assemblie he hath on his right hand the archbishop of Yorke and next vnto him the bishop of Winchester on the left hand the bishop of London but if it fall out that the archbishop of Canturburie be not there by the vacation of his see then the archbishop of Yorke is to take his place who admitteth the bishop of London to his right hand and the prelat of Winchester to his left the rest sitting alwaies as afore that is to saie as they are elders by consecration which I thought good also to note out of an ancient president Of the food and diet of the English Chap. 6. THe situation of our region lieng néere vnto the north dooth cause the heate of our stomaches to be of somewhat greater force therefore our bodies doo craue a little more ample nourishment than the inhabitants of the hotter regions are accustomed withall whose digestiue force is not altogither so vehement bicause their internall heat is not so strong as ours which is kept in by the coldnesse of the aire that from time to time speciallie in winter dooth enuiron our bodies It is no maruell therefore that our tables are oftentimes more plentifullie garnished than those of other nations and this trade hath continued with vs euen since the verie beginning For before the
we haue now at Westminster Wherefore Edmund gaue lawes at London Lincolne Ethelred at Habam Alfred at Woodstock and Wannetting Athelstane in Excester Grecklade Feuersham Thundersleie Canutus at Winchester c other in other places whereof this may suffice Among other things also vsed in the time of the Saxons it shall not be amisse to set downe the forme of their Ordalian law which they brought hither with them from beyond the seas out of Scithia and vsed onelie in the triall of guiltie and vnguiltinesse Certes it conteined not an ordinarie procéeding by daies and termes as in the ciuill and common law we sée practised in these daies but a short dispatch triall of the matter by fire or water whereof at this present I will deliuer the circumstance as I haue faithfullie translated it out of an ancient volume and conferred with an imprinted copie latelie published by M. Lambert and now extant to be read Neuerthelesse as the Scithians were the first that vsed this practise so I read that it was taken vp and occupied also in France in processe of time yea and likewise in Grecia as G. Pachymerus remembreth in the first booke of his historie which beginneth with the empire of M. Paleologus where he noteth his owne sight and vew in that behalfe But what stand I herevpon The Ordalian saith the aforesaid author was a certeine maner of purgation vsed two waies wherof the one was by fire the other by water In the execution of that which was doone by fire the partie accused should go a certeine number of pases with an hot iron in his hand or else bare footed vpon certeine plough shares red hot according to the maner This iron was sometime of one pound weight and then was it called single Ordalium sometimes of thrée and then named treble Ordalium and whosoeuer did beare or tread on the same without hurt of his bodie he was adiudged giltlesse otherwise if his skin were scorched he was foorthwith condemned as guiltie of the trespasse whereof he was accused according to the proportion and quantitie of the burning There were in like sort two kinds of triall by the water that is to say either by hot or cold and in this triall the partie thought culpable was either tumbled into some pond or huge vessell of cold water wherein if he continued for a season without wrestling or strugling for life he was foorthwith acquited as guiltlesse of the fact wherof he was accused but if he began to plunge and labour once for breath immediatlie vpon his falling into that liquor he was by and by condemned as guiltie of the crime Or else he did thrust his arme vp to the shoulder into a lead copper or caldron of seething water from whence if he withdrew the same without anie maner of damage he was discharged of further molestation otherwise he was taken for a trespasser and punished accordinglie The fierie maner of purgation belonged onelie to noble men and women and such as were frée borne but the husbandmen and villaines were tried by water Wherof to shew the vnlearned dealing and blind ignorance of those times it shall not be impertinent to set foorth the whole maner which continued here in England vntill the time of king Iohn who séeing the manifold subtilties in the same by sundrie sorcerous and artificiall practises whereby the working of the said elements were restreined did extinguish it altogither as flat lewdnesse and bouerie The Rubrike of the treatise entereth thus Here beginneth the execution of iustice whereby the giltie or vngiltie are tried by hot iron Then it followeth After accusation lawfullie made and three daies spent in fasting and praier the priest being clad in all his holie vestures sauing his vestiment shall take the iron laid before the altar with a paire of tongs and singing the hymne of the three children that is to saie O all ye workes of God the Lord and in Latine Benedicite omnia opera c he shall carie it solemnelie to the fire alreadie made for that purpose and first saie these words ouer the place where the fire is kindled whereby this purgation shall be made in Latine as insueth Benedic Domine Deus locum istum vt sit nobis in eo sanitas sanctitas castitas virtus victoria sanctimonia humilitas bonitas lenitas plenitudo legis obedientia Deo patri filio spiritui sancto Haec benedictio sit super hunc locum super omnes habitantes in eo In English Blesse thou O Lord this place that it may be to vs health holinesse chastitie vertue and victorie purenesse humilitie goodnesse gentlenesse and fulnesse of the law and obedience to God the father the sonne and the holie ghost This blessing be vpon this place and all that dwell in it Then followeth the blessing of the fire Domine Deus pater omnipotens lumen indeficiens exaudi nos quia tu es conditor omnium luminum Benedic Domine hoc lumen quod ante sanctificatum est qui illuminasti omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum vel mundum vt ab eo lumine accendamur igne claritatis tuae Et sicut igne illuminasti Mosen ita nunc illumina corda nostra sensus nostros vt ad vitam aeternam mereamur peruenire per Christum c. Lord God father almightie light euerlasting heare vs sith thou art the maker of all lights Blesse O Lord this light that is alreadie sanctified in thy sight which hast lightned all men that come into the world or the whole world to the end that by the same light we may be lightned with the shining of thy brightnesse As thou diddest lighten Moses so now illuminate our hearts and our senses that we may deserue to come to euerlasting life through Christ our c. This being ended let him say the Pater noster c then these words Saluum fac seruum c. Mitte ei auxilium Deus c. De Sion tuere eum c. Dominus vobiscum c. That is O Lord saue thy seruant c. Send him helpe O God from thy holie place c. Defend him out of Sion c. Lord heare c. The Lord be with you c. The praier Benedic Domine sancte pater omnipotens Deus per inuocationem sanctissimi nominis tui per aduentum filij tui atque per donum spiritus paracleti ad manifestandum verum iudicium tuum hoc genus metalli vt sit sanctificatum omni daemonum falsitate procul remota veritas veri iudicij tui fidelibus tuis manifesta fiat per eundem Dominum c. In English Blesse we beséech thee O Lord holie father euerlasting God through the inuocation of thy most holie name by the comming of thy sonne and gift of the holie ghost and to the manifestation of thy true iudgement this kind of mettall that being hallowed and all fradulent practises of
at large concluding in the end that the said passage of this prince into France is verie likelie to be true and that he named a parcell of Armorica lieng on the south and in manner vpon the verie loine after his owne name and also a citie which he builded there Britaine For saith he it should séeme by Strabo lib. 4. that there was a noble citie of that name long before his time in the said countrie whereof Plinie also speaketh lib. 4. cap. 7. albeit that he ascribe it vnto France after a disordered maner More I find not of this foresaid Brute sauing that he ruled the land a certeine time his father yet liuing and after his decease the tearme of twelue yeares and then died and was buried at Caerbranke now called Yorke LEill the sonne of Brute Greeneshield began to reigne in the yeare of the world 3021 the same time that Asa was reigning in Iuda and Ambri in Israell He built the citie now called Carleil which then after his owne name was called Caerleil that is Leill his citie or the citie of Leill He repaired also as Henrie Bradshaw saith the citie of Caerleon now called Chester which as in the same Bradshaw appeareth was built before Brutus entrie into this land by a giant named Leon Gauer But what authoritie he had to auouch this it may be doubted for Ranulfe Higden in his woorke intituled Polychronicon saith in plaine wordes that it is vnknowen who was the first founder of Chester but that it tooke the name of the soiourning there of some Romaine legions by whome also it is not vnlike that it might be first built by P. Ostorius Scapula who as we find after he had subdued Caratacus king of the Ordouices that inhabited the countries now called Lancashire Cheshire and Salopshire built in those parts and among the Silures certeine places of defense for the better harbrough of his men of warre and kéeping downe of such Britaines as were still readie to moue rebellion But now to the purpose concerning K. Leill We find it recorded that he was in the beginning of his reigne verie vpright and desirous to sée iustice executed and aboue all thinges loued peace quietnesse but as yeares increased with him so his vertues began to diminish in so much that abandoning the care for the bodie of the common-wealth he suffered his owne bodie to welter in all vice and voluptuousnesse and so procuring the hatred of his subiects caused malice and discord to rise amongst them which during his life he was neuer able to appease But leauing them so at variance he departed this life was buried at Carleil which as ye haue heard he had builded while he liued LUd or Ludhurdibras the sonne of Leill began to gouerne in the yeare of the world 3046. In the beginning of his reigne hée sought to appease the debate that was raised in his fathers daies and bring the realme to hir former quietnesse and after that he had brought it to good end he builded the towne of Kaerkin now called Canterburie also the towne of Caerguent now cleped Winchester and mount Paladour now called Shaftsburie About the building of which towne of Shaftsburie Aquila a prophet of the British nation wrote his prophesies of which some fragments remaine yet to be seene translated into the Latine by some ancient writers When this Lud had reigned 29. yeares he died and left a sonne behind him named Baldud BAldud the sonne of Ludhurdibras began to rule ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3085. This man was well séene in the sciences of astronomie and nigromancie by which as the common report saith he made the hot bathes in the citie of Caerbran now called Bath But William of Malmesburie is of a contrarie opinion affirming that Iulius Cesar made those bathes or rather repaired them when he was here in England which is not like to be true for Iulius Cesar as by good coniecture we haue to thinke neuer came so farre within the land that way forward But of these bathes more shall be said in the description Now to procéed This Baldud tooke such pleasure in artificiall practises magike that he taught this art throughout all his realme And to shew his cunning in other points vpon a presumptuous pleasure which he had therein he tooke vpon him to flie in the aire but he fell vpon the temple of Apollo which stood in the citie of Troinouant and there was torne in péeces after he had ruled the Britaines by the space of 20. yeares LEir the sonne of Baldud was admitted ruler ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3105 at what time Ioas reigned in Iuda This Leir was a prince of right noble demeanor gouerning his land and subiects in great wealth He made the towne of Caerleir now called Leicester which standeth vpon the riuer of Sore It is written that he had by his wife thrée daughters without other issue whose names were Gonorilla Regan and Cordeilla which daughters he greatly loued but specially Cordeilla the yoongest farre aboue the two elder When this Leir therefore was come to great yeres began to waxe vnweldie through age he thought to vnderstand the affections of his daughters towards him and preferre hir whome he best loued to the succession ouer the kingdome Whervpon he first asked Gonorilla the eldest how well she loued him who calling hir gods to record protested that she loued him more than hir owne life which by right and reason should be most déere vnto hir With which answer the father being well pleased turned to the second and demanded of hir how well she loued him who answered confirming hir saiengs with great othes that she loued him more than toong could expresse and farre aboue all other creatures of the world Then called he his yoongest daughter Cordeilla before him and asked of hir what account she made of him vnto whome she made this answer as followeth knowing the great loue and fatherlie zeale that you haue alwaies borne towards me for the which I maie not answere you otherwise than I thinke and as my conscience leadeth me I protest vnto you that I haue loued you euer and will continuallie while I liue loue you as my naturall father And if you would more vnderstand of the loue that I beare you assertaine your selfe that so much as you haue so much you are worth and so much I loue you and no more The father being nothing content with this answer married his two eldest daughters the one vnto Henninus the duke of Cornewall and the other vnto Maglanus the duke of Albania betwixt whome he willed and ordeined that his land should be diuided after his death and the one halfe thereof immediatlie should be assigned to them in hand but for the third daughter Cordeilla he reserued nothing Neuertheles it fortuned that one of the princes
and all the late writers of Lucius Hereby it appeareth that whether one or mo yet kings there were in Britain bearing rule vnder the Romane emperors On the other part the common opinion of our chronicle-writers is that the chiefe gouernment remained euer with the Britains that the Romane senat receiuing a yearelie tribute sent at certeine times Ex officio their emperors and lieutenants into this I le to represse the rebellious tumults therein begun or to beat backe the inuasion of the enimies that went about to inuade it And thus would these writers inferre that the Britains euer obeied their king till at length they were put beside the gouernement by the Saxons But whereas in the common historie of England the succession of kings ought to be kept so oft as it chanceth in the same that there is not anie to fill the place then one while the Romane emperors are placed in their steads and another while their lieutenants and are said to be created kings of the Britains as though the emperors were inferiors vnto the kings of Britaine and that the Romane lieutenants at their appointments and not by prescript of the senat or emperours administred the prouince This may suffice here to aduertise you of the contrarietie in writers Now we will go foorth in following our historie as we haue doone heretofore sauing that where the Romane histories write of things done here by emperors or their lieutenants it shall be shewed as reason requireth sith there is a great appearance of truth oftentimes in the same as those that be authorised and allowed in the opinion of the learned Of Theomantius the tearme of yeares that he reigned and where he was interred of Kymbeline within the time of whose gouernment Christ Iesus our sauiour was borne all nations content to obeie the Romane emperors and consequentlie Britaine the customes that the Britaines paie the Romans as Strabo reporteth The xviij Chapter AFter the death of Cassibellane Theomantius or Tenantius the yoongest sonne of Lud was made king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3921 after the building of Rome 706 before the comming of Christ 45. He is named also in one of the English chronicles Tormace in the same chronicle it is conteined that not he but his brother Androgeus was king where Geffrey of Monmouth others testifie that Androgeus abandoned the land clerelie continued still at Rome because he knew the Britains hated him for treason he had committed in aiding Iulius Cesar against Cassibellane Theomantius ruled the land in good quiet and paid the tribute to the Romans which Cassibellane had granted and finallie departed this life after he had reigned 22 yeares and was buried at London KYmbeline or Cimbeline the sonne of Theomantius was of the Britains made king after the deceasse of his father in the yeare of the world 3944 after the building of Rome 728 and before the birth of out Sauiour 33. This man as some write was brought vp at Rome and there made knight by Augustus Cesar vnder whome he serued in the warres and was in such fauour with him that he was at libertie to pay his tribute or not Little other mention is made of his dooings except that during his reigne the Sauiour of the world our Lord Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God was borne of a virgine about the 23 yeare of the reigne of this Kymbeline in the 42 yeare of the emperour Octauius Augustus that is to wit in the yeare of the world 3966 in the second yeare of the 194 Olympiad after the building of the citie of Rome 750 nigh at an end after the vniuersall floud 2311 from the birth of Abraham 2019 after the departure of the Israelits out of Egypt 1513 after the captiuitie of Babylon 535 from the building of the temple by Salomon 1034 from the arriuall of Brute 1116 complet Touching the continuance of the yeares of Kymbelines reigne some writers doo varie but the best approoued affirme that he reigned 35 years and then died was buried at London leauing behind him two sonnes Guiderius and Aruiragus ¶ But here is to be noted that although our histories doo affirme that as well this Kymbeline as also his father Theomantius liued in quiet with the Romans and continuallie to them paied the tributes which the Britains had couenanted with Iulius Cesar to pay yet we find in the Romane writers that after Iulius Cesars death when Augustus had taken vpon him the rule of the empire the Britains refused to paie that tribute whereat as Cornelius Tacitus reporteth Augustus being otherwise occupied was contented to winke howbeit through earnest calling vpon to recouer his right by such as were desirous to sée the vttermost of the British kingdome at length to wit in the tenth yeare after the death of Iulius Cesar which was about the thirtéenth yeare of the said Theomantius Augustus made prouision to passe with an armie ouer into Britaine was come forward vpon his iournie into Gallia Celtica or as we maie saie into these hither parts of France But here receiuing aduertisements that the Pannonians which inhabited the countrie now called Hungarie and the Dalmatians whome now we call Slauons had rebelled he thought it best first to subdue those rebells neere home rather than to séeke new countries and leaue such in hazard whereof he had present possession and so turning his power against the Pannonians and Dalmatians he left off for a time the warres of Britaine whereby the land remained without feare of anie inuasion to be made by the Romans till the yeare after the building of the citie of Rome 725 and about the 19 yeare of king Theomantius reigne that Augustus with an armie departed once againe from Rome to passe ouer into Britaine there to make warre But after his comming into Gallia when the Britains sent to him certeine ambassadours to treat with him of peace he staied there to settle the state of things among the Galles for that they were not in verie good order And hauing finished there he went into Spaine and so his iournie into Britaine was put off till the next yeare that is the 726 after the building of Rome which fell before the birth of our sauiour 25 about which time Augustus eftsoons meant the third time to haue made a voiage into Britaine because they could not agrée vpon couenants But as the Pannonians and Dalmatians had aforetime staied him when as before is said he meant to haue gone against the Britans so euen now the Salassians a people inhabiting about Italie and Switserland the Cantabrians and Asturians by such rebellious sturrs as they raised withdrew him from his purposed iournie But whether this controuersie which appeareth to fall forth betwixt the Britans and Augustus was occasioned by Kymbeline or some other prince of the Britains I haue not to auouch for that by our writers
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
not through want of strength kéepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in order of battell they were slaine by their owne fellowes least they should be left behind for a prey to the enimies Héereby there died in this iournie of the Romane armie at the point of fiftie thousand men but yet would not Seuerus returne till he had gone through the whole I le and so came to the vttermost parts of all the countrie now called Scotland and at last backe againe to the other part of the I le subiect to the Romans the inhabitants whereof are named by Dion Cassius Meatae But first he forced the other whom the same Dion nameth Caledontj to conclude a league with him vpon such conditions as they were compelled to depart with no small portion of the countrie and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons In the meane time the emperour Seuerus being worne with age fell sicke so that he was constreined to abide at home within that part of the Ile which obeied the Romans and to appoint his sonne Antoninus to take charge of the armie abroad But Antoninus not regarding the enimies attempted little or nothing against them but sought waies how to win the fauour of the souldiers and men of warre that after his fathers death for which he dailie looked he might haue their aid and assistance to be admitted emperour in his place Now when he saw that his father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue wished he practised with physicians and other of his fathers seruants to dispatch him by one meane or other Whilest Antoninus thus negligentlie looked to his charge the Britains began a new rebellion not onlie those that were latelie ioined in league with the emperour but the other also which were subiects to the Romane empire Seuerus tooke such displeasure that he called togither the souldiers and commanded them to inuade the countrie and to kill all such as they might méet within anie place without respect and that his cruell commandement he expressed in these verses taken out of Homer Nemo manus fugiat vestras caedémque cruentam Non foetus grauida mater quem gessit in aluo Horrendam effugiat caedem But while he was thus disquieted with the rebellion of the Britains and the disloiall practises of his sonne Antoninus which to him were not vnknowne for the wicked sonne had by diuers attempts discouered his traitorous and vnnaturall meanings at length rather through sorrow and griefe than by force of sicknesse he wasted awaie and departed this life at Yorke the third daie before the nones of Februarie after he had gouerned the empire by the space of 17 yeares 8 moneths 33 daies He liued 65 yeres 9 moneths 13 daies he was borne the third ides of April By that which before is recited out of Herodian and Dion Cassius of the maners vsages of those people against whome Seuerus held warre here in Britaine it maie be coniectured that they were the Picts the which possessed in those daies a great part of Scotland and with continuall incursions and rodes wasted and destroied to the borders of those countries which were subiect to the Romans To kéepe them backe therefore and to represse their inuasions Seuerus as some write either restored the former wall made by Adrian or else newlie built an other ouerthwart the I le from the east sea to the west conteining in length 232 miles This wall was not made of stone but of turfe and earth supported with stakes and piles of wood and defended on the backe with a déepe trench or ditch and also fortified with diuerse towers and turrets built erected vpon the same wall or rampire so néere togither that the sound of trumpets being placed in the same might be heard betwixt and so warning giuen from one to another vpon the first descrieng of the enimies Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our Lord 211 his son Antoninus otherwise called also Bassianus would faine haue vsurped the whole gouernment into his owne hands attempting with bribes and large promises to corrupt the minds of the souldiers but when he perceiued that his purpose would not forward as he wished in that behalfe he concluded a league with the enimies and making peace with them returned backe towards Yorke and came to his mother and brother Geta with whome he tooke order for the buriall of his father And first his bodie being burnt as the maner was the ashes were put into a vessell of gold and so conueied to Rome by the two brethren and the empresse Iulia who was mother to Geta the yonger brother and mother in law to the elder Antoninus Bassianus by all meanes possible sought to maintaine loue and concord betwixt the brethren which now at the first tooke vpon them to rule the empire equallie togither But the ambition of Bassianus was such that finallie vpon desire to haue the whole rule himselfe he found meanes to dispatch his brother Geta breaking one daie into his chamber and slaieng him euen in his mothers lap and so possessed the gouernment alone till at length he was slaine at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia by one of his owne souldiers as he was about to vntruffe his points to doo the office of nature after he had reigned the space of 6 yeares as is aforesaid Where we are to note Gods iudgment prouiding that he which had shed mans bloud should also die by the sword Of Carausius an obscure Britaine what countries he gaue the Picts and wherevpon his death by Alectus his successor the Romans foiled by Asclepiodotus duke of Cornewall whereof Walbrooke and the name the couetous practise of Carausius the vsurper The xxxiij Chapter CArausius a Britan of vnknowne birth as witnesseth the British histories after he had vanquisht slaine Bassianus as the same histories make mention was of the Britains made king and ruler ouer them in the yeare of our Lord 218 as Galfridus saith but W. H. noteth it to be in the yeare 286. This Carausius either to haue the aid support of the Picts as in the British historie is conteined either else to be at quietnesse with them being not otherwise able to resist them gaue to them the countries in the south parts of Scotland which ioine to England on the east marshes as Mers Louthian and others ¶ But here is to be noted that the British writers affirme that these Picts which were thus placed in the south parts of Scotland at this time were brought ouer out of Scithia by Fulgentius to aid him against Seuerus and that after the death of Seuerus and Fulgentius which bother died of hurts receiued in the batell fought betwixt them at Yorke the Picts tooke part with Bassianus and at length betraied him in the battell which he fought against Carausius for he corrupting them by such subtile practises as
rigging them in sundrie places tooke order for thier setting forward to his most aduantage for the easie atchiuing of his enterprise He appointed to passe himselfe from the coasts of Flanders at what time other of capteines with their fleets from other parts should likewise make saile towards Britaine By this meanes Alectus that had vsurped the title dignitie of king or rather emperour ouer the Britains knew not where to take héed but yet vnderstanding of the nauie that was made readie in the mouth of Saine he ment by that which maie be coniectured to intercept that fléet as it should come foorth and make saile forwards and so for that purpose he laie with a great number of ships about the I le of Wight But whether Asclepiodotus came ouer with that nauie which was rigged on the coasts of Flanders or with some other I will not presume to affirme either to or for because in déed Mamertinus maketh no expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus but notwithstanding it is euident by that which is conteined in his oration that not Maximian but some other of his capteins gouerned the armie which slue Alectus so that we maie suppose that Asclepiodotus was chiefteine ouer some number of ships directed by Maximians appointment to passe ouer into this I le against the same Alectus and so maie this which Mamertinus writeth agrée with the truth of that which we doo find in Eutropius Héere is to be remembred that after Maximians had thus recouered Britaine out of their hands that vsurped the rule thereof from the Romans it should séeme that not onelie great numbers of artificers other people were conueied ouer into Gallia there to inhabit and furnish such cities as were run into decaie but also a power of warlike youths was transported thither to defend the countrie from the inuasion of barbarous nations For we find that in the daies of this Maximian the Britains expelling the Neruians out of the citie of Mons in Henaud held a castell there which was called Bretaimons after them wherevpon the citie was afterward called Mons reteining the last syllable onlie as in such cases it hath often happened Moreouer this is not to be forgotten that as Humfrey Lhoyd hath very well noted in his booke intituled Fragmenta historiae Britannicae Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegyrike oration dooth make first mention of the nation of Picts of all other the ancient Romane writers so that not one before his time once nameth Picts or Scots But now to returne where we left The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting tyrant of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine what miracles were wrought at his death whereof Lichfield tooke the name of Coilus earle of Colchester whose daughter Helen was maried to Constantius the emperour as some authours suppose The xxvj Chapter AFter that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans Dioclesian and Maximian ruling the empire the Iland tasted of the crueltie that Dioclesian exercised against the christians in presecuting them with all extremities continuallie for the space of ten yéeres Amongst other one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester a towne now bearing his name was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this persecution being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian Amphibalus whom he receiued into his house insomuch that when there came sergeants to séeke for the same Amphibalus the foresaid Alban to preserue Amphibalus out of danger presented himselfe in the apparell of the said Amphibalus so being apprehended in his stead was brought before the iudge and examined and for that he refused to doo sacrifice to the false gods he was beheaded on the top of an hill ouer against the towne of Werlamchester aforesaid where afterwards was builded a church and monasterie in remembrance of his martyrdome insomuch that the towne there restored after that Werlamchester was destroied tooke name of him and so is vnto this day called saint Albons It is reported by writers that diuers miracles were wrought at the time of his death insomuch that one which was appointed to doo the execution was conuerted and refusing to doo that office suffered also with him but he that tooke vpon him to doo it reioised nothing thereat for his eies fell out of his head downe to the ground togither with the head of that holie man which he had then cut off There were also martyred about the same time two constant witnesses of Christ his religion Aaron and Iulius citizens of Caerleon Arwiske Moreouer a great number of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of life preached by that vertuous man Amphibalus were slaine by the wicked pagans at Lichfield whereof that towne tooke name as you would say The field of dead corpses To be briefe this persecution was so great and greeuous and thereto so vniuersall that in maner the Christian religion was thereby destroied The faithfull people were slaine their bookes burnt and churches ouerthrowne It is recorded that in one moneths space in diuers places of the world there were 17000 godlie men and women put to death for professing the christian faith in the daies of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellow Maximian COelus earle of Colchester began his dominion ouer the Britains in the yeere of our Lord 262. This Coelus or Coell ruled the land for a certeine time so as the Britains were well content with his gouernement and liued the longer in rest from inuasion of the Romans bicause they were occupied in other places but finallie they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius put Coelus in such dread that immediatlie vpon his arriuall Coelus sent to him an ambassage and concluded a peace with him couenanting to pay the accustomed tribute gaue to Constantius his daughter in mariage called Helen a noble ladie and a learned Shortlie after king Coell died when he had reigned as some write 27 yéeres or as other haue but 13 yeeres ¶ But by the way touching this Coelus I will not denie but assuredly such a prince there was howbeit that he had a daughter named Helen whom he maried vnto Constantius the Romane lieutenant that was after emperor I leaue that to be decided of the learned For if the whole course of the liues as well of the father and the sonne Constantius and Constantine as likewise of the mother Helen be consideratelie marked from time to time and yeere to yéere as out of authors both Greeke and Latin the same may be gathered I feare least such doubt maie rise in this matter that it will be harder to prooue Helen a Britaine than Constantine to be borne in Bithynia as Nicephorus auoucheth But forsomuch as I meane not to step from the course of our countrie writers in such points where the receiued
opinion may séeme to warrant the credit of the historie I will with other admit both the mother and sonne to be Britains in the whole discourse of the historie following as though I had forgot what in this place I haue said A further discourse of the forenamed Constantius and Helen hs regiment ouer this Iland his behauiour and talke to his sonne and councellors as he lay on his death-bed a deuise that he put in practise to vnderstand what true Christians he had in his court his commendable vertues that the Britains in his time imbraced the christian faith is prooued The xxvij Chapter COnstantius a senatour of Rome began to reigne ouer the Britains in the yeere of our Lord 289 as our histories report This Constantius as before ye haue heard had to wife Helen the daughter of the foresaid king Coel of whome he begat a sonne named Constantinus which after was emperour and for his woorthie dooings surnamed Constantine the great S. Ambrose following the common report writeth that this Helen was a maid in an inne and some againe write that she was concubine to Constantius and not his wife But whatsoeuer she was it appeareth by the writers of the Romane histories that Constantius being the daughters sonne of one Crispus that was brother to the emperour Claudius came into Britaine and quieted the troubles that were raised by the Britains and there as some write maried the foresaid Helen being a woman of an excellent beautie whom yet after he was constreined to forsake and to marrie The odora the daughter in law of Herculeus Maximianus by whome he had six sonnes and finallie was created emperour togither with the said Galerius Maximianus at what time Dioclesianus and his fellow Herculeus Maximianus renounced the rule of the empire and committed the same vnto them The empire was then diuided betwixt them so that to Constantius the regions of Italie Affrike France Spaine and Britaine were assigned to Galerius Illyricum Grecia and all the east parts But Constantine being a man void of ambition was contented to leaue Italie and Affrike supposing his charge to be great inough to haue the gouernement in his hands of France Spaine and Britaine as Eutropius saith But as touching his reigne ouer the Britains we haue not to say further than as we find in our owne writers recorded as for his gouernement in the empire it is to be considered that first he was admitted to rule as an assistant to Maximian vnder the title of Cesar and so from that time if you shall account his reigne it maie comprehend 11 12 or 13 yeeres yea more or lesse according to the diuersitie found in writers Howbeit if we shall reckon his reigne from the time onelie that Dioclesian and Maximian resigned their title vnto the empire we shall find that he reigned not fullie thrée yéeres For whereas betwéene the slaughter of Alectus and the comming of Constantius are accounted 8 yéeres and od moneths not onelie those eight yéeres but also some space of time before maie be ascribed vnto Constantius for although before his comming ouer into Britaine now this last time for he had béene here afore as it well appéereth Asclepiodotus gouerning as legat albeit vnder Constantius who had a great portion of the west parts of the empire vnder his regiment by the title as I haue said of Cesar yet he was not said to reigne absolutelie till Dioclesian and Maximian resigned But now to conclude with the dooings of Constantius at length he fell sicke at Yorke and there died about the yeere of our Lord 306. This is not to be forgotten that whilest he laie on his death-bed somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his sonne Constantine was come and escaped from the emperours Dioclesian and Maximian with whom he remained as a pledge as after shall be partlie touched he receiued him with all ioy and raising himselfe vp in his bed in presence of his other sonnes counsellours with a great number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him he set the crowne vpon his sonnes head and adorned him with other imperiall robes and garments executing as it were him selfe the office of an herald and withall spake these woords vnto his said sonne and to his counsellours there about him Now is my death to me more welcome and my departure hence more pleasant I haue heere a large epitaph and monument of buriall to wit mine owne sonne and one whome in earth I leaue to be emperour in my place which by Gods good helpe shall wipe away the teares of the Christians and reuenge the crueltie exercised by tyrants This I reckon to chance vnto me in stéed of most felicitie After this turning himselfe to the multitude he commanded them all to be of good comfort meaning those that had not forsaken true vertue and godlinesse in Christ which Christ he vndertooke should continue with his sonne Constantine in all enterprises which in warres or otherwise he should take in hand That deuise also is woorthie to be had in memorie which he put in practise in his life time to vnderstand what true and sincere Christians were remaining in his court For whereas he had béene first a persecuter and after was conuerted it was a matter easie to persuade the world that he was no earnest Christian and so the policie which he thought to worke was the sooner brought to passe which was this He called togither all his officers and seruants feining himselfe to choose out such as would doo sacrifice to diuels and that those onelie should remaine with him and kéepe their office and the rest that refused so to doo should be thrust out and banished the court Héervpon all the courtiers diuided themselues into companies and when some offered willinglie to doo sacrifice and other some boldlie refused the emperour marking their dealings sharpelie rebuked those which were so readie to dishonour the liuing God accounting them as traitours of his diuine maiestie and not woorthie to remaine within the court gates but those that constantlie stood in the profession of the christian faith he greatlie commended as men woorthie to be about a prince and withall declared that from thencefoorth they should be as chiefe counsellours and defenders both of his person and kingdome estéeming more of them than of all the treasure he had in his coffers To conclude he was a graue prince sober vpright courteous and liberall as he which kept his mind euer frée from couetous desire of great riches insomuch that when he should make anie great feast to his friends he was not ashamed to borow plate and siluer vessell to serue his turne and to furnish his cupbord for the time being contented for himselfe to be serued in cruses earthen vessels He was woont to haue this saieng in his mouth that better it was that the subiects should haue store of monie and riches than the
haue growne vnto the Britains by receiuing certeine men of warre that fled out of Italie into Britaine whome the emperour Constantius would haue punished because they had taken part with Maxentius his aduersarie Paulus a Spaniard and notarie was sent ouer by him with commission to make inquirie of them and to sée them brought to light to answere their transgressions which Paulus began to deale roughlie in the matter whereof he was called Catera and to rage against the Britains and partakers with the fugitiues in that they had receiued and mainteined them as he alledged but in the â—nd being certified by Martinus the lieutenant of their innocencie and fearing least his extreame rigour might alienate the hearts of the inhabitants altogither and cause them to withdraw their obedience from the Romane empire he turned the execution of his furie from them vnto the Romans and made hauocke of those that he suspected till the said Martinus fell at square with him thinking on a time to kill him he drew his sword and smote at him But such was his age and weakenesse that he was not able to kill him or giue him anie deadlie wound wherefore he turned the point of his sword against himselfe and so ended his life being contented rather to die than sée his countriemen and subiects of the empire so to be abused After this the said Paulus returned backe againe into Italie from whence he came after whose departure it was not long yer he also was slaine and then all the Scots and Picts sore disquieted the Romane subiects for the suppressing of whose attempts Lupicinus was sent ouer out of Gallia by Iulianus as shall be declared out of Amianus Marcellinus after we haue first shewed what we find written in our owne writers concerning the Scots and Picts who now began to rob and spoile the British inhabitants within the Romane prouinces here in this I le and that euen in most outragious maner Maximianus or Maximus gouerneth this I le why writers speake ill of him strife betwixt him and Conan duke of Cornewall Maximus is proclaimed emperour in Britaine he transporteth the British youth seruiceable for warres into France little Britaine in France why so called eleuen thousand maids sent thither to match with Conans people whereof some were drowned and other some murthered in the way by Guanius king of Hunnes and Melga king of Picts they flie into Ireland murther requited with murther the words of Gyldas concerning Maximus The xxx Chapter AFter the deceasse of Octauius or Octauian as the old English chronicle nameth him Maximianus or Maximus as the Romane writers call him began to rule the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 383 he was the sonne of one Leonine and coosen germane to Constantine the great a valiant personage hardie of stomach but yet because he was cruell of nature and as Fabian saith somewhat persecuted the christians he was infamed by writers but the chiefe cause why he was euill reported was for that he slue his souereigne lord the emperour Gratianus as after shall appeare for otherwise he is supposed woorthie to haue had the rule of the empire committed to his hands in ech respect Betwixt him and the abouenamed Conan Meridoc duke of Cornewall chanced strife and debate so that Conan got him into Scotland and there purchasing aid returned and comming ouer Humber wasted the countrie on ech side Maximianus thereof hauing aduertisement raised his power and went against him and so fighting with him diuers battels sometime departed awaie with victorie and sometime with losse At length through mediation of friends a peace was made betwixt them Finallie this Maximianus or as the Romane histories say Maximus was by the souldiers chosen and proclaimed emperour here in Britaine although some write that this was doone in Spaine After he had taken vpon him the imperiall dignitie vpon desire to haue inlarged his dominion he assembled togither all the chosen youth of this land méet to doo seruice in the warres with the which he passed ouer into France there as our writers record he first subdued the countrie ancientlie called Armorica and slue in battell the king thereof called Imball This doone he gaue the countrie vnto Conan Meridoc which was there with him to hold the same of him and of the kings of great Britaine for euer He also commanded that the said countrie from thencefoorth should be called litle Britaine and so was the name changed What people soeuer inhabited there before the ancient name argueth that they were rather Britains than anie other for Armorica in the British toong signifieth as much as a countrie lieng vpon the sea Conan then placing himselfe and his Britains in that quarter of Gallia auoided all the old inhabitants peopling that countrie onelie with Britains which abhorring to ioine themselues with women borne in Gallia Conan was counselled to send into Britaine for maids to be coupled with his people in mariage Herevpon a messenger was dispatched vnto Dionethus at that time duke of Cornwall and gouernour of Britaine vnder Maximianus requiring him to send ouer into little Britaine 11000 maids that is to say 8000 to be bestowed vpon the meaner fort of Conans people and 3000 to be ioined in mariage with the nobles and gentlemen Dionethus at Conans request assembled the appointed number of maids and amongst them he also appointed his daugther Ursula a ladie of excellent beautie to go ouer and to be giuen in mariage to the foresaid Conan Meridoc as he had earnestlie requested These number of maids were shipped in Thames and passing forward toward Britaine were by force of weather and rage of wind scattered abroad and part or them drowned and the residue among whom was the foresaid Ursula were slaine by Guanius king of the Hunnes and Melga king of the Picts into whose hands they fell the which Guanius and Melga were sent by the emperour Gracian to the sea coasts of Germanie to oppresse and subdue all such as were friends and mainteiners of the part of Maximianus We find in some bookes that there were sent ouer at that time 51000 maids that is to say 11000 gentlewomen and 40000 other After that Guanius and Melga had murthered the foresaid virgins they entred into the north parts of Britaine where the Scots now inhabit and began to make sore warre on the Britains whereof when Maximus was aduertised he sent into Britaine one Gratianus with thrée legions of souldiers who bare himselfe so manfullie against the enimies that he constreined the said Guanius and Melga to flie out of the land and to withdraw into Ireland In this meane while Maximus hauing slaine the emperor Gratian at Lions in France and after entring into Italie was slaine himselfe at Aquilia after he had gouerned the Britains eight yéeres by the emperour Theodosius who came in aid of Ualentinian brother to the said emperor Gratian as ye may find in
trumpets had blowne the sound to battell through out the whole Romane empire most cruell nations being stirred vp inuaded the borders next adioining the Almans wasted and destroied the parts of Gallia and Rhetia as the Sarmatians and Quadi did Pannonia the Picts the Saxons the Scots and the Attacots vexed the Britains with continuall troubles and gréeuous damages the Austorians and the people of the Moores ouerran the countrie of Affrike more sharpelie than in time past they had done the pilfring troops of the Goths spoiled Thracia the king of Persia set in hand to subdue the Armenians and sought to bring them vnder his obeisance hasting with all spéed toward Numonia pretending though vniustlie that now after the deceasse of Iouinius with whome he had contracted a league and bond of peace there was no cause of let what he ought not to recouer those things which as he alledged did belong to his ancestors and so foorth Moreouer the same Marcellinus in another place writeth in this wise where he speaketh of the said Ualentinianus Departing therefore from Amiens and hasting to Trier he was troubled with gréeuous newes that were brought him giuing him to vnderstand that Britaine by a conspiracie of the barbarous nations was brought to vtter pouertie that Nectaridus one of the emperours house earle of the sea coast hauing charge of the parties towards the sea was slaine and that the generall Bulchobaudes was circumuented by traines of the enimies These things with great horrour being knowne he sent Seuerus as then erle or as I may call him lord steward of his houshold to reforme things that were amisse if hap would so permit who being shortlie called backe Iouinius going thither and with spéed hasting forward sent for more aid and a great power of men as the instant necessitie then required At length for manie causes and the same greatlie to be feared the which were reported and aduertised out of that I le Theodosius was elected and appointed to go thither a man of approoued skill in warlike affaires and calling togither an hardie youthfull number of the legions and cohorts of men of warre he went foorth no small hope being conceiued of his good spéed the fame wherof spred and went afore him A litle after Marcellinus adding what people they were that troubled the Britains in this wise saith thus This shall suffice to be said that in this season the Picts diuided into two nations Dicalidones and Victuriones and in like maner the Attacotti a right warlike nation and the Scots wandering here and there made fowle woorke in places where they came The confines of France were disquieted by the Frankeners and Saxons borderers vnto them euerie one as they could breaking foorth dooing great harme by cruell spoile fire and taking of prisoners To withstand those dooings if good fortune would giue him leaue that most able capteine going vnto the vttermost bounds of the earth when he came to the coast of Bullen which is seuered from the contrarie coast on the other side by the sea with a narrow streight where sometime the water goeth verie high and rough shortlie after becommeth calme pleasant without hurt to those that passe the same transporting ouer at leasure he arriued at Sandwich or rather Richburrow where there is a quiet road for vessels to lie at anchor Wherevpon the Bataui and Heruli with the souldiers of the legions called Iouij and Victores being companies that trusted well to their owne strength marched foorth drew towards London an ancient citie which now of late hath bin called Augusta Herewith diuiding his armie into sundrie parts he set vpon the troops of his enimies as they were abroad to forrey the countrie pestered with burdens of their spoiles and pillage and spéedilie putting them to flight as they were leading away those prisoners which they had taken with their booties of cattell he bereft them of their preie the which the poore Britains that were tributaries had lost To be briefe restoring the whole except a small portion bestowed amongst the wearie souldiers he entred the citie which before was opprest with troubles but now suddenlie refreshed bicause there was hope of reliefe and assured preseruation After this when Theodosius was comforted with prosperous successe to attempt things of greater importance and searching waies how with good aduise to woorke suerlie whilest he remained doubtfull what would insue he learned as well by the confession of prisoners taken as also by the information of such as were fled from the enimies that the scattered people of sundrie nations which with practise of great crueltie were become fierce and vndanted could not be subdued but by policie secretlie practised and sudden inuasions At length therefore setting foorth his proclamations and promising pardon to those that were gone awaie from their capteins or charge he called them backe againe to serue and also those that by licence were departed and laie scattered here and there in places abroad By this meanes when manie were returned he being on the one side earnestlie prouoked and on the other holden backe with thoughtfull cares required to haue one Ciuilis by name sent to him to haue the rule of the prouinces in Britaine in steed of the other gouernours a man of sharpe wit and an earnest mainteiner of iustice He likewise required that one Dulcitius a capteine renowmed in knowledge of warlike affaires might be sent ouer to him for his better assistance These things were doone in Britaine Againe in his eight and twentith booke the same Marcellinus reciting further what the same Theodosius atchiued in Britaine hath in effect these words Thedosius verelie a capteine of woorthie fame taking a valiant courage to him and departing from Augusta which men of old time called London with souldiers assembled by great diligence did succour and reléeue greatlie the decaied and troubled state of the Britains preuenting euerie conuenient place where the barbarous people might lie in wait to doo mischiefe and nothing he commanded the meane souldiers to doo but that whereof he with a chéerefull mind would first take in hand to shew them in example By this meanes accomplishing the roome of a valiant souldier and fulfilling the charge of a noble capteine he discomfited and put to flight sundrie nations whome presumption nourished by securitie emboldened to inuade the Romane prouinces and so the cities and castels that had béene sore endamaged by manifold losses and displeasures were restored to their former state of wealth the foundation of rest and quietnesse being laid for a long season after to insue But as these things were a dooing one wicked practise was in hand like to haue burst foorth to the gréeuous danger of setting things in broile if it had not béene staied euen in the beginning of the first attempt For there was one Ualentinus borne in the parties of Ualeria adioining to Pannonia
had attempted to inuade the Britains before anie mention is made of the same their attempts by the British and English writers But whether the Scots had anie habitation within the bounds of Britaine till the time supposed by the Britaine writers we leaue that point to the iudgement of others that be trauelled in the search of such antiquities onelie admonishing you that in the Scotish chronicle you shall find the opinion which their writers haue conceiued of this matter and also manie things touching the acts of the Romans doone against diuerse of the Britains which they presume to be doone against their nation though shadowed vnder the generall name of Britains or of other particular names at this daie to most men vnknowne But whensoeuer the Scots came into this I le they made the third nation that inhabited the same comming first out of Scithia or rather out of Spaine as some suppose into Ireland and from thence into Britaine next after the Picts though their writers fetch a farre more ancient beginning as in their chronicles at large appéereth referring them to the reading thereof that desire to vnderstand that matter as they set it foorth Thus farre the dominion and tribute of the Romans ouer this land of Britaine which had continued by the collection of some chronographers the space of 483. yeeres And heere we thinke it conuenient to end this fourth booke THE FIFT BOOKE of the Historie of England Constantinus at the generall sute of the Britains vndertaketh to gouerne this Iland he is crowned king his three sonnes he is traitorouslie slaine of a Pict Constantius the eldest sonne of Constantine hauing bene a monke is created king the ambitious slie practises of duke Vortigerne to aspire to the gouernment he procureth certeine Picts and Scots to kill the king who had reteined them for the gard of his person his craftie deuises and deepe dissimulation vnder the pretense of innocencie he winneth the peoples harts and is chosen their king The first Chapter HAuing ended our former booke with the end of the Romane power ouer this Iland wherein the state of the Iland vnder them is at full described it remaineth now that we procéed to declare in what state they were after the Romans had refused to gouerne them anie longer Wherefore we will addresse our selues to saie somewhat touching the succession of the British kings as their histories make mention Constantinus the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine at the sute and earnest request of the archbishop of London made in name of all the Britains in the I le of great Britaine was sent into the same I le by his said brother Aldroenus vpon couenants ratified in manner as before is recited and brought with him a conuenient power landing with the same at Totnesse in Deuonshire Immediatlie after his coÌ„ming on land he gathered to him a great power of Britains which before his landing were hid in diuerse places of the I le Then went he foorth with them and gaue battell to the enimies whom he vanquished slue that tyrannicall king Guanius there in the field as some bookes haue Howbeit this agréeth not with the Scotish writers which affirme that they got the field but yet lost their king named Dongard as in their historie ye maie read But to procéed as our writers report the matter When the Britains had thus ouercome their enimies they conueied their capteine the said Constantine vnto Cicester and there in fullfilling their promise and couenant made to his brother crowned him king of great Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 433 which was about the fift yéere of the emperour Ualentinianus the second and third yéere of Clodius king of the Frankners after called Frenchmen which then began to settle themselues in Gallia whereby the name of that countrie was afterwards changed and called France Constantine being thus established king ruled the land well and noblie and defended it from all inuasion of enimie during his life He begat of his wife thrée sonnes as the British historie affirmeth Constantius Aurelius Ambrosius and Uter surnamed Pendragon The eldest bicause he perceiued him to be but dull of wit and not verie toward he made a moonke placing him within the abbie of Amphibalus in Winchester Finallie this Constantine after he had reigned ten yéeres was traitoroustie staine one day in his owne chamber as some write by a Pict who was in such fauor with him that he might at all times haue frée accesse to him at his pleasure Neither the Romane writers nor Beda make anie mention of this Constantine but of the other Constantine they write which immediatlie after the vsurper Gratian was dispatched out of the way as before ye haue heard was aduanced to the rule of this land and title of emperour onelie in hope of his name and for no other respect of towardnesse in him afore time being but a meane souldier without anie degrée of honour The same Constantine as writers record going ouer into Gallia adorned his sonne Constantius with the title and dignitie of Cesar the which before was a moonke and finallie as well the one as the other were slaine the father ar Arles by earls Constantius that was sent against him by the emperour Honorius and the sonne at Uienna as before ye haue heard by one of his owne court called Gerontius as in the Italian historie ye may sée more at large This chanced about the yeere of our Lord 415. ¶ This haue we thought good to repeat in this place for that some may suppose that this Constantine is the same that our wrâ—ters take to be the brother of Aldroenus king of little Britaine as the circumstance of the time and other things to be considered may giue them occasion to thinke for that there is not so much credit to be yéelded to them that haue written the British histories but that in some part men may with iust cause doubt of sundrie matters conteined in the same and therfore haue we in this booke béene the more diligent to shew what the Romans and other forreine writers haue registred in their bookes of histories touching the affaires of Britaine that the reader may be the better satisfied in the truth But now to returne to the sequele of the historie as we find the same written by the British chroniclers After that Constantine was murthered as before ye haue heard one Uortigerus or Uortigernus a man of great authoritie amongst the Britains wrought so with the residue of the British nobilitie that Constantius the eldest sonne of their king the fore-remembred Constantine was taken out of the abbie of Winchester where he remained and was streightwaies created king as lawfull inheritour to his father Ye haue heard how Constantius was made a moonke in his fathers life time bicause he was thought to be too soft and childish in wit to haue anie publike rule committed to his hands
to deliuer into their hands a great part of the south and east parts of the realme so that they had in possession London Yorke Lincolne Winchester with other cities townes he not onelie fearing their puissance but also the returne of Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uter pendragon withdrew him into Wales where he began to build a strong castell vpon a mounteine called Breigh or after other Cloaric néere to the riuer of Guana which is in the west side of Wales in a place within the compasse of the same hill called Generon or Guemeren Of the building of this castell and of the hinderance in erecting the same with the monstrous birth of Merlin and his knowledge in prophesieng the British histories tell a long processe the which in Caxton and in Galfâ—ides bookes is also set foorth as there ye maie sée but for that the same séemeth not of such credit as deserueth to be registred in anie sound historie we haue with silence passed it ouer Whilest Uortigerne was busied in building of this castell the two foresaid brethren Aurelius and Uter prepared a nauie of ships and an armie of men by helpe of such their kinsmen and fréends as they found in Britaine Armorike and so passed the sea and landed at Totnesse whereof when the Britains were aduertised the which were scattered abroad and seuered in diuers parties and countries they drew vnto the said two brethren with all spéed that might be When Aurelius and his brother Uter perceiued that they were sufficientlie furnished of people they marched foorth towards Wales against Uortigerne who hauing knowledge of their approch had fortified his castell verie strongly with men munition and vittels but yet all auailed him nothing for in the end after his enimies had giuen diuers assaults to the said castell they found meanes with wild fire to burne it downe to the earth and so consumed it by fire togither with the king and all other that were within it Thus did Uortigerne end his life as in the British historie is recorded Much euill is reported of him by the same historie and also by other writers and among other things it is written that he should lie by his owne daughter and of hir beget a sonne in hope that kings should come of him and therefore he was excommunicated by S. Germane It is also said that when the same S. Germane came into Britaine as before ye haue heard this Uortigerne on a time should denie the same S. Germane harbour but one that kept the kings heards of cattell receiued him into his house and lodged him and slue a calfe for his supper which calfe after supper was ended S. Germane restored againe to life and on the morrow by the ordinance of God he caused Uortigerne to be deposed from his kinglie estate and tooke the heardman and made him king But Ranulfe Hig. in his Polychronicon alledging Gyldas for his author saith that this chand to a ceking that ruled in Powsey whose name was Bulie and not to Uortigerne so that the successors of that Bulie reigning in that side of Wales came of the linage of the same heardman Moreouer it hath beene said as one writer recordeth that when Uortigerne refused to heare the preaching of saint Germane and fled from him as he would haue instructed him one night there fell fire from heauen vpon the castell wherein the king was lodged and so the king being destroied with the fall of the house and the fire togither was neuer after séene ¶ But these are fables and therfore I passe them ouer hoping that it shall suffice to shew here with what stuffe our old historiographers haue farced vp their huge volumes not so much regarding the credit of an historie as satisfieng the vanitie of their owne fond fantasies studieng with a pretended skilfulnesse to cast glorious colours vpon lies that the readers whom they presupposed either ignorant or credulous would be led away with a flowing streme of woords void of reason and common sense Which kind of men knew not belike that the nature of an historie defined to be Rei verè gestae memoria will not beare the burthen or lode of a lie sith the same is too heauie otherwise they would haue deposed matters conspiring with the truth Aurelius Ambrosius the brother to Constantius created king of Britaine he incountereth with the Saxons Hengist their generall is beheaded Occa his sonne submitteth himselfe to Aurelius he putteth all the Saxons out of the land repaireth places decaied and restoreth religion the memorable monument of the stones that are so much spoken of on Salisburie plaine the exploits of Pascentius Vortigerns yongest sonne Aurelius lieth sicke Vter goeth against Pascentius and giueth him the ouerthrow Aurelius is poisoned of a counterfet moonke the place of his buriall Polydor Virgils report of the acts and deeds of Aurelius against the Saxons Hengist is slaine Osca and Occa his two sonnes make a fowle spoile of the west part of the land Vortimer dieth the disagreement of writers touching matters interchangeablie passed betwene the Britains and Saxons The eight Chapter AUrelius Ambrose the second sonne of king Constantine brother to Constantius and murthered by the treason of Uortigerne as before ye haue heard was made king of Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 481 which was about the third yéere of the reigne of the emperour Zenâ— and the 23 of Childericus king of France Odocer king of the Herulians then vsurping the gouernment of Italie When this Aurelius Ambrosius had dispatched Uortigerne and was now established king of the Britains he made towards Yorke and passing the riuer of Humber incountred with the Saxons at a place called Maesbell and ouerthrew them in a strong battell from the which as Hengist was fléeing to haue saued himselfe he was taken by Edoll earle of Glocester or as some say Chester and by him led to Conningsborrow where he was beheaded by the counsell of Eldad then bishop of Colchester Howbeit there be some that write how that Hengist was taken at another battell fought vpon the riuer of Dune in the yéere of our Lord 489 and not in the chase of the battell which was fought at Maesbell in the yéere 487 as the same authors doo alledge Occa the son of Hengist by flight escaped to Yorke and being there besieged at length was constreined to yéeld himselfe to Aurelius who dealing fauourablie with him assigned vnto him and other of the Saxons a countrie bordering neere to the Scots which as some affirme was Galloway where the said Occa and the Saxons began to inhabit Then did Aurelius Ambrosius put the Saxons out of all other parts of the land repaired such cities townes and also churches as by them had beene destroied or defaced and placed againe priests and such other as should attend on the ministerie and seruice of God in the
mentioned so that it cannot stand with the truth of the British histories the which Fabian followeth that Horsus was slaine by Aurelius Ambrosius if according to the same histories he returned not into Britaine till the time there supposed But diuerse such maner oh contrarieties shall ye find in perusing of those writers that haue written the chronicles of the Britains and Saxons the which in euerie point to recite would be too tedious and combersome a matter and therefore we are forced to passe the same ouer not knowing how to bring them to anie lust accord for the satisfieng of all mens minds speciallie the curious which may with diligent search satisfie themselues happilie much better than anie other shall be able to doo in vttering his opinion neuer so much at large and agreeable to a truth This therefore haue we thought good as it were by the waie to touch what diuerse authors doo write leauing it so to euerie mans iudgement to construe thereof as his affection leadeth him We find in the writings of those that haue registred the dooings of these times that Aurelius hauing vanquished the Saxons restored churches to the furtherance of the christian religion which by the inuasion of the Saxons was greatlie decaied in diuerse parts of Britaine and this chanced in the daies of the emperour Theodosius the yoonger The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon his three sonnes disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battel 's fought by Hengist and his death the beginning of the Kentish kingdome a battell fought betweene the Britains and Saxons the first are conquered the last are conquerors The ninth Chapter IN the time of the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius one Ella a Saxon with his 3 sonnes Cymen Plettinger and Cissa came out of Germanie with thrée ships and landed in the south parts of Britaine and being incountred with a power of Britains at a place called Cuneueshore discomfited them and chased them vnto a wood then called Andredescester and so tooke that countrie and inhabited there with his people the Saxons which he brought with him and made himselfe king and lord thereof in somuch that afterwards the same countrie was named the kingdome of the Southsaxons which had for limits on the east side Kent on the south the sea and I le of Wight on the west Hamshire and on the north part Southerie This kingdome after some began vnder the foresaid Ella about the 32 yeere after the first comming of the Saxons into this land which by following that account should be about the second yéere of the reigne of Aurelius Ambrosius and about the yéere of our Lord 482. But other write that it did begin about the 30 yéere after the first comming of Hengist which should be two yéeres sooner William Harison differing from all other noteth it to begin in the fourth yéere after the death of Hengist 4458 of the world 2 of the 317 Olympiad 1243 of Rome 492 of Christ and 43 after the comming of the Saxons his woords are these Ella erected the kingdome of the Southsaxons in the 15 after his arriuall and reigned 32 yéeres the chiefe citie of his kingdome also was Chichester and after he had inioied the same his kingdome a while he ouerthrew the citie called Andredescester which as then was taken for one of the most famous in all the south side of England ¶ For my part I thinke my dutie discharged if I shew the opinions of the writers for if I should therto a◠mine owne I should but increase coniectures whereof alreadie we haeu superfluous store To procéed thereforr as I find About the ninth yéere after the comming of Ella the Britains perceiuing that he with his Saxons still inlarged the bounds of his lordship by entring further into the land assembled themselues togither vnder their kings and rulers and gaue battell to Ella and his sonnes at Mecredesbourne where they departed with doubtfull victorie the armies on both sides being sore diminished and so returned to their homes Ella after this battell sent into his countrie for more aid But now touching Hengist who as ye haue heard reigned as king in the prouince of Kent the writers of the Wnglish kings varie somewhat from the British histories both in report of the battels by him fought against the Britains and also for the maner of his death as thus After that Uortimer was dead who departed this life as some write in the first yéere of the emperor Leo surnamed the great and first of that name that gouerned the empire who began to rule in the yéere of our Lord 457 we find that Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca gathered their people togither that were before sparkled and hauing also receiued new aid out of Germanie fought with the Britans at a place called Crekenford where were slaine of the Britains foure dukes or capteins and foure thousand of other men the residue were chased by Hengist out of Kent vnto London so that they neuer returned afterwards againe into Kent thus the kingdome of Kent began vnder Hengist the twelfe yéere after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine and Hengist reigned in Kent after this as the same writers agree foure and twentie yéeres It is remembred that those Germans which latelie were come ouer to the aid of Hengist being chosen men mightie and strong of bodie with their axes and swoords made great slaughter of the Britains in that battell at Crekenford or Creiford which Britains were ranged in foure battels vnder their aforesaid foure dukes or capteins and were as before is mentioned slaine in the same battell About the sixt yéere of the said emperor Leo which was in the 17 yéere after the comming of the Saxons Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca fought at Wipets field in Kent néere to a place called Tong with the Britains and slue of them twelue dukes or capteins on the part of the Saxons was slaine beside common souldiers but onelie one capteine called Wipet of whom the place after that daie tooke name This victorie was nothing plesant to the Saxons by reason of the great losse which they susteined as well by the death of the said Wipet as of a great number of others and so of a long time neither did the Saxons enter into the confines of the Britains nor the Britains presumed to come into Kent But whilest outward wars ceassed among the Britains they exercised ciuill battell falling togither by the eares among themselues one striuing against another Finallie Hengist departed this life by course of nature in the 39 yéere after his first comming into Britaine hauing procéeded in his businesse no lesse with craft and guile than with force and strength following therewith his natiue crueltie so that he rather did all things with rigour than with gentlenesse
After him succéeded a sonne whom he left behind him who being attentiue rather to defend than to inlarge his kingdome neuer set foot out of his fathers bounds during the space of 24 yéeres in the which he reigned About thrée yéeres after the deceasse of Hengist a new supplie of men of warre came out of Germanie vnto the aid of Ella king of Sussex who hauing his power increased besieged the citie of Andredescester which was verie strong and well furnished with men and all things necessarie The Britains also assembling togither in companies greatlie annoied the Saxons as they lay there at â—â—ege laieng ambushes to destroie such as went abroad and ceassing not to giue alarums to the campe in the night season and the Saxons could no sooner prepare them selues to giue the assalt but the Britains were readie to assaile them on the backs till at length the Saxons diuiding themselues into two companies appointed the one to giue the assalt and the other to incounter with the armie of the Britains without and so finallie by that meanes preuailed tooke the citie and destroied man woman and child Neither so contented they did also vtterlie race the said citie so as it was neuer after that daie builded or readified againe The east Angles kingdome beginneth the arriuall of Cerdic and Kenric with fiue ships of warre in this land he putteth the Britains to flight the west Saxons kingdom begineth Vter Pendragon made king of Britaine the etymon of his name he taketh Occa and Osca the two sonnes of Hengist prisoners how Hector Boetius varieth from other chronographers in the relation of things concerning Pendragon he falleth in loue with the duke of Cornewalls wife killeth him and marieth hir Occa and Osca escape out of prison they freshlie assault the Britains they are both slaine in a foughten field the Saxons send and looke for aid out of Germanie Pendragon is poisoned The tenth Chapter MOreouer in the daies of the afore-named Aurelius Ambrosius about the yeare of our Lord 561 the kingdome of the east Angles began vnder a Saxon named Uffa This same kingdome conteined Northfolke and Suffolke hauing on the east and north parts the sea on the northwest Cambridgeshire and on the west saint Edmunds ditch with a part of Hertfordshire and on the southside lieth Essex At the first it was called Uffines dominion and the kings that reigned or the people the inhabited there ware at the first named Uffines but at length they were called east Angles FUrthermore about the yeare of our Lord 495 and in the eight yeare after that Hengist was dead one Cerdicus and his sonne Kenricus came out of Gerrmanie with fiue ships and landed at a place called Cerdicshore which as some thinke is called Yermouth in Northfolke He was at the first receiued with battell by the Britains but being an old skilfull warriour he easilie beate backe and repelled the inconstant multitude of his enimies and caused them to flée by which good successe he procured both vndoubted assurance to himselfe for the time to come and to the inhabitants good and perfect quietnes For they thinking good neuer after to prouoke him more by resistance submitted themselues to his pleasure but yet did not he then giue himselfe to slouthfull rest but rather extending his often atchiued victories on ech side in the 24 yeare after his comming into this land he obteined the rule of the west parts thereof and gouerned there as king so that the kingdome of the west Saxons began vnder the said Cerdicus in the 519 of Christ as after shall be shewed ¶ Thus ye maie sée that Aurelius Ambrosius did succéed Uortigerne and reigned in the time supposed by the British histories as before is alledged the land euen in his daies was full of trouble and the old inhabitants the Britains sore vexed by the Saxons that entred the same so that the Britains were dailie hampered and brought vnder subiection to the valiant Saxons or else driuen to remooue further off and to giue place to the victors But now to procéed with the succession of the British kings as in their histories we find them registred which I deliuer such as I find but not such as I doo wish being written with no such colour of credit as we maie safelie put foorth same for an vndoubted truth After that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Uter Pendragon whome some call Aurelius Uterius Ambrosianus was made king in the yeare of our Lord 500 in the seuenth yeare of the emperour Anastasius and in the sixtéenth yeare of Clodoueus king of the Frenchmen The cause why he was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merline the great prophet likened him to a dragons head that at the time of his natiuitie maruelouslie appeared in the firmament at the corner of a blasing star as is reported But others supposed he was so called of his wisedome and serpentine subiltie or for that he gaue the dragons head in his banner This Uter hearing that the Saxons with their capteins Occa or Otta the sonne of Hengist and his brother Osca had besieged the citie of Yorke hasted thither and giuing them battell discomfited their power and tooke the said Occa and Osca prisoners From this varieth Hector Boetius in his chronicle of Scotland writing of these dooing in Britaine for he affirmeth that the counterfeit moonke which poisoned Aurelius Ambrosius was suborned and sent to woorke that feat by Occa and not by his brother Pascentius and further that about the selfesame time of Aurelius his death his brother Uter Pendragon lay in Wales not as yet fullie recouered of a sore sicknesse wherewith of late he had béene much vexed Yet the lords of Britaine after the buriall of Aurelius Ambrosius came vnto him and crowned him king and though he was not able to go against the Saxons which as then by reason of Aurelius Ambrosius his death were verie busie and more earnest in pursuing the warre than before yet an armie was prepared and sent foorth with all conuenient spéed vnder the leading of one Nathaliod a man neither of anie great ancient house nor yet of skill in warlike affaires The noble men were nothing pleased herewith as misliking altogither the lacke of discretion in their new king doubted sore least in time to come he would haue more delight to aduance the men of base degrée than such as were descended of noble parentage Yet because they would not put the state of the common wealth in danger through anie mutinie they agréed to go foorth with him in that iournie Occa had aduertisement giuen him by certeine letters sent to him from some close friends amongest the Britains of the whole matter and therefore in hope of the better spéed he hasted foorth to incounter the Britains and so the whole armie comming within sight of the other they prepared to the battell and shortlie after buckling togither the Britains were soone
betwéene Tine and Tweed as in the Scotish chronicles may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Britains at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was present Hector Boetius affirmeth by authoritie of Vâ—remond that wrote the Scotish chronicles to haue chanced the second time of his comming ouer into this land where Beda auoucheth it to be at his first being heere Againe the same Boetius writeth that the same victorie chanced in the daies of Uter Pendragon Which can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touching the time of the death of the said Germane for where he departed this life before the yeare of our Lord 459 as aboue is said Uter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Uter began to reigne In déed some writers haue noted that the third battell which Uortimer fought against the Saxons was the same wherein S Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluia as before ye haue heard Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth and to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written touching the time of the being héere of the said Germane that the opinion of other which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Uter The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that gouerned Britaine about that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498 and ruled but seuen yeares and then succéeded Uter which reigned 18 yeares and departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521. ¶ Notwithstanding the premisses here is to be remembred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Uter had against the Saxons and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power in those old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we find no such matter but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares defending his kingdome onelie and not séeking to inlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth succéeded more resembling their father than their grandfather or great grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the chronicles but whether they reigned iointlie togither or seuerallie apart either after other it is not certeinlie perceiued Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth warre betweene Nazaleod king of the Britains and the Saxons the Britains are ouethrowen and slaine the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth the compasse or continent thereof the meanes whereby it was inlarged The eleuenth Chapter NOw will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first happened during the reigne of Uter Pendragon We find that one Porth a Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in Sussex about the beginning of the said Uters reigne and slue a noble yoong man of the Britains and manie other of the meaner sort with him Of this Porth the towne hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name as some haue thought Moreouer about 40 yeares after the comming of the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie king amongst the Britains assembled all the power he could make to fight with Certicus king of the West saxons who vnderstanding of the great power of his enimies required aid of Osca king of Kent also of Elle king of Sussex and of Porth and his sonnes which were latelie before arriued as ye haue heard Certicus being then furnished with a conuenient armie diuided the same into two battels reseruing the one to himselfe and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led was of more strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned he set first vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easilie ouercome the other Herevpon he gaue such a fierce charge vpon that wing that by verie force he opened the same and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side making great slaughter of them as they were scattered Which maner of dealing when Kenrike saw he made forward with all spéed to succour his father and rushing in amongst the Britains on their backs he brake their armie in péeces and slue their king Nazaleod and withall put his people to flight There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men and the residue escaped by fléeing as well as they might In the sixt yeare after this battell Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus came with three ships and landed at Certicesford and ouerthrew a number of Britains that came against them in order of battell and so by the comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins the part of Certicus became much stronger About the same time Elle king of the Southsaxons departed this life after whome succéeded his sonne Cissa of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of About the yeare of our Lord 519 and in the yeare after the comming of the Saxons 71 which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour Anastasius the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike at Certicesford where the capteins of the Britains stood to it manfullie but in the end they were discomfited and great slaughter was made there of them by the Saxons and greater had béene if the night comming on had not parted them and so manie were saued From that day forward Certicus was reputed taken for king of Westsaxons so began the same kingdome at that time which was as W. Harison noteth in the yéere of Christ 519 after the building of Rome 1270 of the world 4485 of the comming of the Saxons 70 of Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east the first and third of the renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire Summersetshire Barkeshire Dorsetshire and Cornewall hauing on the east Hamshire on the north the riuer of Thames and on the south and west the Ocean sea Howbeit at the first the kings of the Westsaxons had not so large dominions but they dailie wan ground vpon the Britains and so in the end by inlarging their confines they came to inioy all the foresaid countries and the whole at the last In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus he eftsoones sought with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid where great slaughter was made on both parts This Certicesford was in times past called Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains About this
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
of two children of noble and kinglie race and likewise of their two gouernours yea and that as I said amongest the sacred altars the armes of which persons so slaine not stretched foorth to defend themselues with weapons the which few in those daies handled more valiantlie than they but stretched foorth I saie to God and to his altar in the day of iudgement shall set vp the reuerent ensignes of their patience and faith at the gates of the citie of Christ which so haue couered the seat of the celestiall sacrifice as it were with the red mantle of their cluttered bloud These things he did not after anie good déeds doone by him deseruing praise for manie yeares before ouercome with the often and changeable filths of adulterie forsaking his lawfull wife contrarie to the lawes of God c he now brought foorth this crime of quelling his owne kinsmen and violating the church but neither being loosed from the snares of his former euils he increaseth the new with the old ¶ Thus in effect hath Gyldas written of this Constantine with more for turning his tale to him he reproueth him of his faults and counselleth him to repent AFter that Aurelius Conanus had slaine the foresad Constantine as in the British histories is mentioned the same Conan was made king of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 546 in the 20 yeare of Iustinianus and in the 33 of the reigne of Childebert king of the Frenchmen This Aurelius Conanus as is recorded by some writers was of a noble heart frée and liberall but giuen much to the maintenance of strife and discord amongst his people light of credit and namelie had an open eare to receiue and heare the reports of such as accused other Moreouer he was noted of crueltie as he that tooke his vncle who of right should haue béene king and kept him in prison and not so satisfied slue in tyrannous maner the two sons of his said vncle But God would not suffer him long to inioy the rule of the land in such vniust dealing for he died after he had reigned the space of two yeares and left a sonne behind him called Uortiporus which succéeded him in the kingdome as authors doo record Of this Aurelius Conanus Gyldas writeth calling vnto him after he had made an end with his predecessor Constantine saieng in this wise And thou lions whelpe as saith the prophet Aurelius Conanus what doost thou Art thou not swallowed vp in the filthie mire of murthering thy kinsmen of committing fornications and adulteries like to the other before mentioned if not more deadlie as it were with the waues and surges of the drenching seas ouerwhelming thée with hir vnmercifull rage Dooest thou not in hating the peace of thy countrie as a deadlie serpent and thirsting after ciuill wars and spoiles oftentimes vniustlie gotten shut vp against thy soule the gates of celestiall peace and refreshment Thou being left alone as a withering trée in the middle of a field call to remembrance I praie thée the vaine youthfull fantasie and ouer-timelie death of thy fathers and thy brethren Shalt thou being set apart and chosen foorth of all thy linage for thy godlie deserts be reserued to liue an hundred yeares or remaine on earth till thou be as old as Methusalem No no. And after these reprehensions with further threatnings of Gods vengeance he exhorted him to amendment of life and so proceedeth to talke with Uortiporus whome he nameth the king or rather the tyrant of Southwales as after shall be rehearsed The beginning of the kingdome of Brenitia of whome the king of Kent Mertia and west Saxons descended Ida the Saxon commended the originall of the kingdome of Deira the circuit and bounds therof of Ella the gouernour of the same when the partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced Vortiporus reigneth ouer the Britains he vanquisheth the Saxons Gyldas sharplie reprooueth Vortiporus for manie greeuous offenses and exhorteth him to amendement The xvj Chapter IN the yeare of the Lord 547 which was about the first yeare of the reigne of Aurelius Conanus the kingdome of Brenitia bagan vnder a Saxon ruler there called Ida descended of Woden For where the said Woden had three sonnes Weldecius Withlegris and Beldecius of the first the kings of Kent were lineallie extracted of the second the kings of Mertia and of the third sonne came the kings of Westsaxon and also of him was this Ida descended being the ninth in lineall succession from the said Beldecius and the tenth from Woden The same Ida was vndoubtedlie a right noble personage and changed first that dukedome into a kingdome where before that time the Saxons that ruled there were subiects vnto the kings of Kent Whether he tooke vpon him of his owne accord to vsurpe the kinglie title and roiall authoritie or whether that the same was giuen to him by consent of other the certeintie appeareth not But sure it is that he being a woorthie prince did not degenerate from his noble ancestors inuincible in warre abroad and at home qualifieng his kinglie seueritie with a naturall kind of courteous humanitie The bounds of his kingdome called as is said Brenitia began in the south at the riuer of Tine and ended in the north at the Forth in Scotland in the British toong called Werd About the same time or rather about 14 yeares after one Ella a Saron also reigned as king in Diera which kingdome began at the said riuer of Tine in the north ended at the riuer of Humber toward the south These two kingdomes were sometime gouerned by two seuerall kings and afterwards at other times they were ioined in one and gouerned by one onelie king and named the kingdome of Northumberland which in processe of time was much inlarged so that it included the shires of Yorke Notingham Darbie Lancaster the bishoprike of Durham Copland and other countries betwixt the east and the west seas euen vnto the riuer of Mersie The foresaid Ella was sonne to Iffus being descended from Woden as the 12 in succession from him though not by right line as William Malmesburie hath noted Ida as the same Malmesburie dooth testifie reigned 14 yeares Now Ella who was successor to Ida as he saith reigned thirtie yeares and verie valiantlie inlarged his kingdome But one author writeth how Ida reigned but 12 yeares and that he builded the castell of Bamburge first fensing it with pales and after with a wall of stone The same Ida had by his wife six sonnes begotten in lawfull bed Ada Ebric Theodoric Athelric Osmer and Theofred Moreouer he begat of certeine concubines which he kept six bastard sonnes Oga Aleric Ettha Osbale Segor and Segother These came altogither into this land and arriued at Flemesburke with fortie ships as Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis hath recorded The partition of the kingdome of Northumberland chanced after the deceasse of Ida as the same
enimie twelue hundred of them are slaine Edelfride entreth the citie of Chester the Britains assembling their power vnder three capteins incounter with Edelfride slaie manie of his souldiers and put him to flight warres betweene Edelfride and Redwald king of the Eastangles about Edwine the sonne of king Elle Edelfride is slaine Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons dieth The xxij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Chelricus king of the Westsaxons we find that Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned twelue yéeres He began his reigne as should appéere by some writers about the yeere of our Lord 597 and spent his time for the more part in warres not giuing place to idlenesse but séeking either to defend or inlarge the confines of his dominion He was the sonne of Cutha which was the sonne of Kenrike which was the sonne of Certike After Wibba or Wipha king of Mercia who nothing inferiour to his father did not onelie defend his kingdome but also inlarge it by subduing the Britains on ech side one Ceorlus succéeded in that kingdome being not his sonne but his kinsman This Ceorlus began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 594 as Matth. West recordeth Ye haue heard that Edelferd which otherwise is called also by writers Edelfride surnamed the wild gouerned still the Northumbers which Edelferd did more damage to the Britains than anie one other king of the English nation None of them destroied their countries more than he did neither did anie prince make more of the Britains tributaries or inhabited more of their countries with English people than he Héerevpon Edan king of those Scots which inhabited Britaine being therewith mooued to see Edelfride prosper thus in his conquests came against him with a mightie armie but ioining in battell with Edelfride and his power at a place called Degsastane or Degsastone or Deglaston he lost the most part of his people and with the residue that were left aliue he escaped by flight This was a sore foughten battell with much bloudshed on both parties For notwithstanding that the victorie remained with the Northumbers Theobaldus the brother of Edelferd was slaine with all that part of the English host which he gouerned and it was fought in the yéere of our Lord 603 in the 19 yeere of the reigne of the foresaid Edelferd and in the sixt yéere of Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons and in the first yéere of the emperor Phocas or rather in the last yéere of his predecessor Mauricius From that day till the daies of Beda not one of the Scotish kings burst presume to enter into Britaine againe to giue battell against the English nation as Beda himselfe writteth But the Scotish writers make other report of this matter as in the historie of Scotland ye maie find recorded The Britains that dwelt about Chester through their stoutnesse prouoked the aforesaid Edelferd king of the Northumbers vnto warre wherevpon to tame their loftie stomachs he assembled an armie came forward to besiege the citie of Chester then called of the Britains Carleon ardour deué The citizens coueting rather to suffer all things than a siege and hauing a trust in their great multitude of people came foorth to giue batell abroad in the fields whome he compassing about with ambushes got within his danger and easilie discomfited It chanced that he had espied before the battell ioined as Beda saith where a great number of the British priests were got aside into a place somewhat out of danger that they might there make their intercession to God for the good spéed of their people being then readie to giue battell to the Northumbers Manie of them were of that famous monasterie of Bangor in the which it is said that there was such a number of moonks that where they were diuided into seuen seuerall parts with their seuerall gouernors appointed to haue rule ouer them euerie of those parts conteined at the least thrée hundred persons the which liued altogither by the labour of their hands Manie therefore of those moonks hauing kept a solemne fast for thrée daies togither were come to the armie with other to make praier hauing for their defender one Brocmale or Broemael earle or consull as some call him of Chester which should preserue them being giuen to praier from the edge of the enimies swoord King Edelferd hauing as is said espied these men asked what they were and what their intent was and being informed of the whole circumstance and cause of their being there he said Then if they call to their God for his assistance against vs suerlie though they beare no armour yet doo they fight against vs being busied in praier for our destruction Wherevpon he commanded the first onset to be giuen them and after slue downe the residue of the British armie not without great losse of his owne people Of those moonks and priests which came to praie as before is mentioned there died at that battell about the number of 12 hundred so that fiftie of them onelie escaped by flight Brocmale or Broemael at the first approch of the enimies turning his backe with his companie left them whom he should haue defended to be murthered through the enimies swoord Thus was the prophesie of Augustine fulfilled though he was long before departed this life as Beda saith ¶ Héere is to be noted if this battell was fought in the seuenth yéere of Ceowlfe king of Westsaxon as some haue written and that Augustine liued 12 yéeres after his entrance into the gouernment of the sée of Canturburie as some write it is euident that he liued foure yéeres after this slaughter made of the British priests and moonks by Edelferd as before is recited For Ceowlfe began his reigne as before is mentioned about the yéere of our Lord 596 and in the seuenth yeere of his reigne the battell was fought at Degsastane betwixt the English the Scots which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 604 as Beda himselfe recordeth A late chronographer running vpon this matter and preciselie setting downe his collection saith that Athelbright or Edelfride K. of the Northumbers Ethelbert K. of Kent hauing Augustine in their companie in the eight yéere after his arriuall made warre vpon such Britains as refused to obserue the canons of the late councell mentioned 603 and killed 1200 moonks of the monasterie of Bangor which laboured earnestlie and in the sweat of their browes thereby to get their liuings c. Uerclie Galf. Mon. writeth that Ethelbert king of Kent after he saw the Britains to disdaine and denie their subiection vnto Augustine by whome he was conuerted to the christian faith stirred vp Edelferd king of the Northumbers to warre against the Britains But heereof Maister Fox doubteth and therefore saith that of vncerteine things he hath nothing certeinlie to saie much lesse to iudge But now to the matter where we left After
churches built in all places abroad in those parties by procurement of the king all men liberallie consenting according to the rate of their substance to be contributorie towards the charges By this meanes the kingdome of the Northumbers flourished as well in fame of increase in religion as also in ciuill policie and prudent ordinances insomuch that as Beda writeth Oswald atteined to such power that all the nations and prouinces within Britaine which were diuided into foure toongs that is to say Britains Picts Scots and Englishmen were at his commandement But yet he was not lifted vp in anie pride or presumption but shewed himselfe maruellous courteous and gentle and verie liberall to poore people and strangers It is said that he being set at the table vpon an Ester day hauing bishop Aidan at diner then with him his almoner came in as the bishop was about to say grace and declared to the king that there was a great multitude of poore folks set before the gates to looke for the kings almes The king héerewith tooke a siluer dish which was set on the table before him with meate commanded the same meate streightwaies to be distributed amongst the poore the dish broken into small péeces and diuided amongst them for which act he was highlie commended of the bishop as he well deserued By the good policie and diligent trauell of this king the prouinces of Deira and Bernicia which hitherto had béene at variance were brought to peace and made one ABout the same time the Westsaxons were conuerted to the christian faith by the preaching of one Birinus a bishop who came into this land at the exhortation of pope Honorius to set foorth the gospell vnto those people which as yet were not baptised By whose diligent trauell in the Lords haruest Cinigils or Kinigils one of the kings of that countrie receiued the faith and was baptised about the fiue twentith yéere of his reigne K. Oswald that should haue had his daughter in mariage was present the same time who first yer he became a sonne in law was made a godfather vnto Kinigils that should be his father in law by receiuing him at the fontstone in that his second birth of regeneration To this Birinus who was an Italian king Kinigils now that he was become a conuert or christian appointed and assigned the citie of Dorcester situat by the Thames distant from Oxford about seuen miles to be the sée of his bishoprike where he procured churches to be built and by his earnest trauell setting foorth the woord of life conuerted much people to the right beliefe In the yéere following Quichelmus the other king of the Westsaxons and sonne to Kinigils was also christened and died the same yéere and so Cinigilsus or Kinigils reigned alone In this meane while Penda king of Mercia that succéeded next after Ciarlus being a man giuen to séeke trouble in one place or other leauied warre against the kings of Westsaxon Kinigils and Quichelmus the which gathering their power gaue him battell at Cirenchester where both the parties fought it out to the vttermost as though they had forsworne to giue place one to another insomuch that they continued in fight and making of cruell slaughter till the night parted them in sunder And in the morning when they saw that if they shuld buckle togither againe the one part should vtterlie destroie the other they fell to agréement in moderating ech others demands After this in the yéere of our Lord 640 Eadbald king of Kent departed this life after he had reigned 24 yéeres leauing his kingdome to his sonne Ercombert This Ercombert was the first of the English kings which tooke order for the vtter destroieng of all idols throughout his whole kingdome He also by his roiall authoritie commanded the fast of fortie daies in the Lent season to be kept and obserued appointing woorthie and competent punishment against the transgressors of that commandement He had by his wife Segburga that was daughter vnto Anna king of the Eastangles a daughter named Eartongatha a professed nunne within the monasterie of Briege or Cala in France for in those daies bicause there were not manie monasteries builded within this land a great number of Englishmen that tooke vpon them the profession of a religious life got them ouer vnto abbeies in France and there professed themselues moonks and manie there were which sent their daughters ouer to be professed nuns within the nunneries there and speciallie at Briege Cala and Andelie amongst other there were Sedrike the lawfull daughter and Edelburgh the bastard daughter of the said king Anna both which in processe of time were made abbesses of the said monasterie of Briege Ye haue heard alreadie how Oswald king of Northumberland bare himselfe in all points like a most woorthie prince not ceasing to releeue the necessitie of the poore aduancing the good and reforming the euill whereby he wan to himselfe excéeding praise and commendation of all good men and still his fame increased for his vertuous dooings namelie for the ardent zeale he had to the aduancing of the christian faith Herevpon Penda king of Mercia enuieng the prosperous procéedings of Oswald as he that could neuer abide the good report of other mens well-dooings began to imagine how to destroie him and to conquere his kingdome that he might ioine it to his owne At length he inuaded his countrie by open warre met with him in the field at a place called Maserfield and there in sharpe and cruell fight Oswald was slaine on the fift day of August in the yeare of our Lord 642 and in the 38 yeare of his age after he had reigned the tearme of eight or nine yeares after some which account that yeare vnto his reigne in the which his predecessors Osrike and Eaufride reigned whome they number not amongest kings because of their wicked apostasie and renouncing of the faith which before they had professed Such was the end of that vertuous prince king Oswald being cruellie slaine by that wicked tyrant Penda Afterwards for the opinion conceiued of his holinesse the foresaid Oswald was canonized a saint and had in great worship of the people being the first of the English nation that approoued his vertue by miracles shewed after his departure out of this life Oswie succeedeth Oswald in the kingdome of Northumberland he is sore vexed by Penda Oswie and Oswin are partners in gouernement they fall at strife Oswin is betraeied into the hands of Oswie and slaine a commendation of his personage and goodlie qualities bishop Aidan dieth Cenwalch king of the Westsaxons Penda maketh warre against him for putting away his wife his flight he becommeth a christian and recouereth his kingdome bishop Agilbert commeth into Westsaxon and afterwards departing vpon occasion is made bishop of Paris Wini buieth the bishoprike of London Sigibert king of the Eastangles
barbarous warriour he becommeth a religious christian his vertues his death and buriall at Rome Egfrid king of Northumberland inuadeth Ireland he is slaine by Brudeus king of the Picts the neglect of good counsell is dangerous Etheldreda a wife and a widow hauing vowed chastitie liued a virgine 12 yeeres with hir husband Egfride she was called saint Auderie of Elie. The xxxvj Chapter BUt now to returne vnto that which is found in the British histories by the tenor wherof it should appeare that when their king Cadwallo was dead his son Cadwallader succéeded him in gouernement of the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 678 which was about the 10 yéere of the emperour Constantius Paganotus and in the 13 yéere of the reigne of Childericus king of France This Cadwallader being the sonne of Cadwallo was begot by him of the halfe sister of Penda king of Mercia for one father begot them both but of two sundrie mothers for she had to mother a ladie descended of the noble blood of the Westsaxons and was maried vnto Cadwallo when the peace was made betwixt him and hir brother the said Penda After that Cadwallader had reigned the space of 12 yéeres as Geffrey of Monmouth saith or as others write but 3 yéeres the Britains were brought into such miserie through ciuill discord and also by such great and extreme famine as then reigned through all the land that Cadwallader was constreined with the chéefest part of his people to forsake their natiue countrie and by sea to get them ouer into Britaine Armorike there to séeke reliefe by vittels for the sustentation of their languishing bodies ¶ Long processe is made by the British writers of this departure of Cadwallader of the Britains out of this land and how Cadwallader was about to haue returned againe but that he was admonished by a dreame to the contrarie the which bicause it séemeth but fabulous we passe ouer At length he went to Rome and there was confirmed in the christian religion by pope Sergius where shortlie after he fell sicke and died the 12 kalends of May in the yeere of our Lord 689. But herein appeareth the error of the British writers in taking one for another by reason of resemblance of names for where Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons about that time mooued of a religious deuotion after he was conuerted to the saith went vnto Rome and was there baptised or else confirmed of foresaid pope Sergius and shortlie after departed this life in that citie in the foresaid yéere of 689 or therabouts The Welshmen count him to be their Cadwallader which to be true is verie vnlike by that which may be gathered out of the learned writings of diuers good and approoued authors THis Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons succeeded after Centwine or Centiuinus which Centwine reigned nine yéeres though it should appeare by that which is written by authors of good credit that during two of those yéeres at the least the kingdome of Westsaxons was diuided betwixt him and Elcuinus or Escuinus so that he should not reigne past seuen yeeres alone But now to Ceadwalla whome some take to be all one with Cadwallader we find that he was lineallie descended from Cutha or Cutwine the brother of Ceauline or Keuling king of Westsaxons as sonne to Kenbert or Kenbright that was sonne to Ceadda the sonne of the foresaid Cutha or Cutwin Thus being extract of the noble house of the kings of Westsaxons he prooued in his youth a personage of great towardnesse and such a one as no small hope was of him conceiued he would let no occasion passe wherein he might exercise his force to shew proofe of his high valiancie so that in the end with his woorthie attempts shewed therein he purchased to himselfe the enuie of those that ruled in his countrie by reason whereof he was banished in a conspiracie made against him Wherevpon he tooke occasion as it were in reuenge of such vnthankefulnesse to withdraw out of his countrie leading with him all the principall youth of the same the which either pitieng his present estate or mooued with pleasure taken in his valiant dooings followed him at his going into exile The first brunt of his furious attempts after he was out of his countrie Edilwalke the king of the Southsaxons tasted who in defense of himselfe comming to trie battell with Ceadwalla was slaine with the most part of all his armie Ceadwalla then perceiuing the valiant courages of his souldiers filled with good hope of this happie atchiued victorie returned with good and prosperous spéed into his owne countrie and that yer he was looked for and earnestlie pursuing his aduersaries droue them out of the kingdome and taking vpon him to rule the same as king reigned two yéeres during the which he atchiued diuers notable enterprises And first whereas Berthun and Authun dukes of Sussex subiects vnto the late king Edilwalke had both expelled him out of that countrie after he had slaine the said Edilwalke and also taken vpon them the rule of that kingdome hauing now atteined to the gouernement of the Westsaxons he inuaded the countrie of Sussex againe and slue Berthun in battell bringing that countrie into more bondage than before He also set vpon the I le of Wight and well-néere destroied all the inhabitants meaning to inhabit it with his owne people Hee bound himselfe also by vow although as yet he was not baptised that if he might conquer it he would giue a fourth part thereof vnto the Lord. And in performance of that vow he offered vnto bishop Wilfride who then chanced to be present when he had taken that I le so much therof as conteined 300 housholds or families where the whole consisted in 1200 housholds Wilfrid receiuing thankefullie the gift deliuered the same vnto one of his clearks named Bernewine that was his sisters sonne appointing to him also a priest named Hildila the which should minister the word and the sacrament of baptisme vnto all those that would receiue the same Thus was the I le of Wight brought to the faith of Christ last of all other the parties of this our Britaine after that the same faith had failed here by the comming of the Saxons Moreouer king Ceadwalla inuaded the kingdome of Kent where he lost his brother Mollo as after shall appéere but yet he reuenged his death with great slaughter made of the inhabitants in that countrie Finallie this worthie prince Ceadwalla turning himselfe from the desire of warre and bloudshed became right courteous gentle and liberall towards all men so that ye could not haue wished more vertuous manners to rest in one as yet not christened And shortlie after willing to be admitted into the fellowship of the christians of whose religion he had taken good tast he went to Rome where of pope Sergius he was baptised and named Peter and shortlie after surprised with sickenesse he
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
same Edilbald at Hereford hauing before him the said earle Adelme in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine victorie neither was he deceiued for by the stout conduct and noble courage of the said Adelme the loftie pride of king Edelbald was abated so that he was there put to flight and all his armie discomfited after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined euen to the vttermost point In the 24 yeere of his reigne this Cuthred fougth eftsoones with the Welshmen and obteined the vpper hand without anie great losse of his people for the enimies were easilie put to flight and chased to their owne destruction In the yeere after king Cuthred fell sicke and in the 16 yéere of his reigne he departed this life after so manie great victories got against his enimies AFter him succéeded one Sigibert a cruell and vnmercifull prince at home but yet a coward abroad This Sigbert or Sigibert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755 verie néere ended He intreated his subiects verie euill setting law and reason at naught He could not abide to heare his faults told him and therefore he cruellie put to death an earle named Cumbra which was of his councell and faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings wherevpon the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great multitude of people and expelled him out of his estate in the beginning of the second or as some say the first yeare of his reigne Then Sigibert as he was fearefull of nature fearing to be apprehended got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald and there hid himselfe but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the late earle Cumbra at Priuetsfloud found him out and perceiuing what he was slue him in reuenge of his maisters death ¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense as well as in the world to come appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for the punishment of the people according as they deserue permitting some of them to haue gouernement a long time that both the froward nations may suffer long for their sins and that such wicked princes may in an other world tast to more bitter torments Againe other he taketh out of the waie that the people may be deliuered from oppression and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may spéedilie receiue due punishment AFter Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred which succéeded him so in the feare of the Lord that he prooued a right godlie prince This Ethelbert reigned as writers say the terme of 52 yeares After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the abbie of Lindesferne his vncles sonnes Egbert by order taken by the said Ceolvulfe succeeded him in the kingdome and gouerned the same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares and then became a moonke by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceoldulfe and also of diuers other kings in those daies so that he was the eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle as Simon Dunel writeth This Egbert in the 18 yeare of his reigne and Ungust king of Picts came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies and there receiued the Britains into their subiection the first day of August but the tenth day of the same month the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh was for the more part lost and destroied ¶ The same yeare on the 8 kalends of December the moone being as then in hir full appeared to be of a bloudie colour but at length she came to hir accustomed shew after a maruellous meanes for a starre which followed hir passed by hir went before hir the like distāce as it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light Offa king of Mercia his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen and Westsaxons he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or subtill deuise of profered curtesie he inuadeth his kingdome and possesseth it the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to Lichfield archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is depriued by king Offa he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses mistrusting his estate he alieth himselfe with other princes he maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and religious houses he goeth to Rome maketh his realme tributarie to the said see Peter pence paid he falleth sicke and dieth places to this day bearing his name in memorie of him the short reigne of his sonne The fourth Chapter AFter that Offa had slaien Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of Mercia as before is mentioned the same Offa tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome 758 a man of such stoutnesse of stomach that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind He reigned 39 yeares His dooings were great and maruellous and such as some times his vertues surpassed his vices and sometime againe his vices séemed to ouermatch his vertues He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at Otteford and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished and in battell put to flight With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in open battell and obteined a noble victorie with small losse of his people although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince and a good capteine Againe perceiuing that to procéed with craft should sooner aduance his purpose than to vse open force against Egilbert king of Eastangles vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in mariage he allured him to come into Mercia and receiuing him into his palace caused his head to be striken off and after by wrongfull meanes inuaded his kingdome and got it into his possession yet he caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane by a miraculous meanes brought to light to be taken vp and put in a rich shrine adorned with gold and stone building a goodlie church of excellent woorkmanship and founding a monasterie in that place in honor of the same saint which he indowed with great possessions He remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield thereby to aduance his kingdome of Mercia as well in dignitie preheminence of spirituall power as temporall He made great suit to bring his purpose to passe in the court of Rome and at length by great gifts and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first then gouerning the Romane sée And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was adorned with the pall and taken for archbishop hauing all those bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto him namelie Denebertus bishop of Worcester Werebertus
bishop of Chester Eadulfus bishop of Dorcester Wilnardus bishop of Hereford Halard bishop of Elsham and Cedferth bishop of Donwich There remained onelie to the archbishop of Canturburie the bishops of London Winchester Rochester and Shireburne This separation continued all the life time of the archbishop Lambert although he trauelled earnestlie to mainteine his prerogatiue Now for that he still defended his cause and would not reuolt from his will Offa depriued him of all his possessions reuenues that he held or inioied within anie part of his dominions Neither was Offa satisfied herewith but he also tooke into his hands the possessions of manie other churches and fléeced the house of Malmesburie of a part of hir reuenues Because of these other his hard dooings doubting the malice of his enimies he procured the friendship of forren princes Unto Brightricke king of the Westsaxons he gaue his daugther Ethelburga in mariage And sending diuers ambassadours ouer vnto Charles the great that was both emperor king of France he purchased his friendship at length athough before there had depended a péece of displeasure betwixt them insomuch that the intercourse for trade of merchandize was staied for a time One of the ambassadours that was sent vnto the said Charles as is reported was that famous clearke Albine or Alcwine by whose persuasion the same Charles erected two vniuersities as in place due and conuenient may more largelie appeare Finallie king Offa as it were for a meane to appease Gods wrath which he doubted to be iustlie conceiued towards him for his sinnes and wickednesse granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto churchmen and to poore people He also indowed the church of Hereford with great reuenues and as some write he builded the abbeie of Bath placing moonkes in the same of the order of saint Benet as before he had doone at saint Albons Moreouer he went vnto Rome about the yeare of our Lord 775 and there following the example of Inas kign of the Westsaxons made his realme subiect by way of tribute vnto the church of Rome appointing that euerie house within the limits of his dominions should yearelie pay vnto the apostolike see one pennie which paiment was after named Rome Scot and Peter pence After his returne from Rome perceiâ—ing himselfe to draw into yeares he caused his sonne Egfrid to be ordeined king in his life time and shortlie after departing out of this world left the kingdome vnto him after he had gouerned it by the space of 39 yeares Amongst other the dooings of this Offa which suerlie were great and maruellous this may not passe with silence that he caused a mightie great ditch tâ— be cast betwixt the marshes of his countrie and the Welsh confines to diuide thereby the bounds of their dominions This ditch was called Offditch euer after and stretched from the south side by Bristow vnder the mountaines of Wales running northward ouer the riuers of Seuerne and Dée vnto the verie mouth of Dee where that riuer falleth into the sea He likewise builded a church in Warwikeshire whereof the towne there taketh name and is called Offchurch euen to this day Egfrid taking vpon him rule began to follow the approoued good dooings of his father and first restored vnto the churches their ancient priuileges which his father sometimes had taken from them Great hope was conceiued of his further good procéeding but death cut off the same taking him out of this life after he had reigned the space of foure moneths not for his owne offenses as was thought but rather for that his father had caused so much bloud to be spilt for the confirming of him in the kingdome which so small a time he new inioied Osulph king of Northumberland traitorouslie murthered Edilwald succeedeth him the reward of rebellion a great mortalitie of foules fishes and fruits moonkes licenced to drinke wine great wast by fire Edelred king of Northumberland is driuen out of his countrie by two dukes of the same Ethelbert king of the Eastangles commended for his vertues Alfred the daughter of king Mercia is affianced to him tokens of missehaps towards him his destruction intended by queene Quendred hir platforme of the pactise to kill him Offa inuadeth Ethelberts kingdome Alfred his betrothed wife taketh his death greuouslie and becommeth a nun the decaie of the kingdome of Eastangles succession in the regiment of the Westsaxons the end of the gouernement of the Eastsaxons prince Algar is smitten blind for seeking to rauish virgine Friswide and at hir praiers restored to his sight The fift Chapter WHen Eadbert or Egbert K. of Northumberland was become a moonke his sonne Osulphus succéeded him but after he had reigned onelie one yeare he was traitorouslie murthered by his owne seruants at Mikilwongton on the 9 kalends of August Then succéeded one Moll otherwise called Edilwold or Edilwald but not immediatlie for he began not his reigne till the nones of August in the yeare following which was after the birth of our sauiour 759. This man prooued right valiant in gouernement of his subiects He slue in battell an earle of his countrie named Oswin who arrearing warre against him fought with him in a pitcht field at Eadwines Cliue and receiued the worthie reward of rebellion This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne and shortlie after that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 764 there fell such a maruellous great snow and therwith so extreame a frost as the like had not béene heard of continuing from the beginning of the wintes almost till the middest of the spring with the rigour whereof trees and fruits withered awaie and lost their liuelie shape and growth and not onelie feathered foules but also beasts on the land fishes in the sea died in great numbers The same yeare died Cedlwulf then king of Northumberland vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of histories of the English nation After that he was become a moonke in the monasterie of Lindesferne the moonks of that house had licence to drinke wine or ale whereas before they might not drinke anie other thing than milke or water by the ancient rule prescribed them of the bishop of Aidan first founder of the place The same yeare sundrie cities townes and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier chancing on the sudden as Stretehu Giwento Anwicke London Yorke Doncaster c. After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares he resigned his kingdome But other write that he reigned 11 yeares and was in the end slaine by treason of his successor Altred This Altred reigned ten years ouer the Northumbers and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his owne subiects Then was Ethelbert named also Edelred the sonne of the foresaid Moll made king of Northumberland and in the fift yeare of his reigne he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his
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
life in whose place one Adelbert succéeded About the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons the Northumbers hauing to their capteine two noble men Osbald and Ethelherard burned one of their iudges named Bearne bicause he was more cruell in iudgement as they tooke the matter than reason required In which vengeance executed vpon the cruell iudge if he were so seuere as this attempt of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect all such of his liuerie calling are taught lenitie mildnes wherwith they should leuen the rigor of the lawe For capit indulgentia mentes Asperitas odium saeuáeque bella mouet Odimus accipitrem quia viuit semper in armis Et pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos At caret insidijs hominum quia mitis hirundo est Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet At the same time one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled and when the same Alfwald had reigned 10 or as some say 11 yéeres he was traitorouslie and without all guilt made away the chéefe conspirator was named Siga The same Alfwald was a iust prince and woorthilie gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation He was murthered by his owne people as before ye haue heard the 23 of September in the yéere of our Lord 788 and was buried at Hexham In the yéere 792 Charles king of France sent a booke into Britaine which was sent vnto him from Constantinople conteining certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod wherein were present aboue the number of thrée hundred bishops quite contrarie and disagréeing from the true faith namelie in this that images ought to be worshipped which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth Against this booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holie scripture which treatise with the booke in name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine he presented vnto the king of France ¶ In the yéere 800 on Christmasse éeuen chanced a maruellous tempest of wind which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in diuerse places and trees in great number beside other harmes which it did as by death of cattell c. Int the yeere following a great part of London was consumed by fire Britricus K. of the Westsaxons his inclination Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land why crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen what they did prognosticate the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts and the cause of their comming firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga hir ill qualities why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes the miserable end of Ethelburga Kenulfe king of Mercia his vertues he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield he inuadeth Kent taketh the king prisoner in the field and bountifullie setteth him at libertie the great ioy of the people therevpon his rare liberalitie to churchmen his death and buriall The seuenth Chapter AFter Kenwulfe Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of Westsaxons and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787 which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constantinus and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots This Brightrike was descended of the line of Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons the 16 in number from him He was a man of nature quiet temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succéeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled that euerie one as he grew in greatest power stroue to be king and supreame gouernour But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted that place as he that was of the bloud roiall and a man of great power and lustie courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie banished him the land and appointed him to go into France Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should aduance him in time obeied the kings pleasure About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne there fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortlie after in the yeere insuing there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth to apprehend those that were come on land howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them he was slaine but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the countries about began to assemble and were comming against them they fled to their ships and left their prey and spoile behind them for that time These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land being onelie sent as was perceiued after to view the countrie and coasts of the same to vnderstand how with a greater power they might be able to inuade it as shortlie after they did and warred so with the Englishmen that they got a great part of the land and held it in their owne possession In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng which betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed First a great dearth and famine and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes which shortlie followed as ye shall heare Finallie after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some write that he was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia as before ye haue heard and he maried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman proud and high-minded as Lucifer and therewith disdainfull She bare hir the more statelie by reason of hir fathers great fame and magnificence whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband and so put them in danger of their liues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour she would not sticke to poison them It happened one day as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman against whome she had a quarell the king chanced to tast of that cup and died thereof as before ye haue heard Hir purpose indeed was not to haue poisoned the king but onelie the yoong gentleman the which drinking after the king died also the poison was so strong and vehement For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes nor permit them to sit with them in open places
in their roomes by authoritie of pope Iohn the 13. This reformation or rather deformation was vsed by king Edgar in many other places of the realme He was as appeareth by diuers writers namelie in his beginning cruell against his owne people and wanton in lusting after yoong women as you haue heard before Of stature proportion of bodie he was but small and low but yet nature had inclosed within so little a personage such strength that he durst incounter and combat with him that was thought most strong onelie doubting this least he which should haue to doo with him should stand in feare of him And as it chanced at a great feast where oftentimes men vse their toongs more liberrallie than néedeth Kenneth the king of Scots cast out certeine words in this maner It may saith hée séeme a maruell that so manie countries and prouinces should be subiect to such a little silliehe was but small and low but yet nature had inclosed bodie as Edgar is These words being borne awaie by a â—ester or minstrell and afterwards vttered to Edgar with great reproch he wiselie dissembled the matter for a time although he kept the remembrance thereof inclosed within his breast and vpon occasion at length feigned to go on hunting taking the king of Scots forth with him and hauing caused one of his seruants to conuey two swords into a place within the forrest by him appointed in secret wise of purpose he withdrew from the residue of his companie and there accompanied onelie with the Scotish king came to the place where the swords were laid and there taking the one of them deliuered the other to the Scotish king willing him now to assaie his strength that they might shew by proofe whether of them ought to be subiect to the other Start not but trie it with me saith he for it is a shame for a king to be full of brags at bankets and not to be readie to fight when triall should be made abroad The Scotish king herewith being astonied and maruellouslie abashed fell downe at his féet and with much humilitie confessed his fault desired pardon for the same which vpon such his humble submission king Edward easilie granted This noble prince had two wiues Egelfrida or Elfrida surnamed the white the daughter of a mightie duke named Ordiner by whome he had issue a sonne named Edward that succéeded him His second wife was called Alfreda the daughter of Orgar duke of Deuon or Cornewall as some saie by whome he had issue Edmund that died before his father and Egelred which afterwards was king Also he had issue a base daughter named Editha begotten of his concubine Wilfrid as before ye haue heard The state of the realme in king Edgars daies was in good point for both the earth gaue hir increase verie plentiouslie the elements shewed themselues verie sauorable according to the course of times peace was mainteined and no inuasion by forraine enimies attempted For Edgar had not onelie all the whole I le of Britaine in subiection but also was ruler souereigne lord ouer all the kings of the out Iles that lie within the seas about all the coasts of the same Britaine euen vnto the realme of Norwaie He brought also a great part of Ireland vnder his subiection with the citie of Dublin as by authentike records it dooth and may appeare Contention amongest the peeres and states about succession to the crowne the monkes remoued and the canons and secular priests restored by Alfer duke of Mercia and his adherents a blasing starre with the euents insuing the same the rood of Winchester speaketh a prettie shift of moonks to defeat the priests of their possessions the controuersie betweene the moonks and the priests ended by a miracle of archbishop Dunstane great hope that Edward would tread his fathers steps the reuerent loue he bare his stepmother queene Alfred and hir sonne Egelred hir diuelish purpose to murther Edward hir stepsonne accomplished his obscure funerall in respect of pompe but famous by meanes of miracles wrought by and about his sepulture queene Alfred repenting hir of the said prepensed murther dooth penance and imploieth hir substance in good woorkes as satisfactorie for hir sinnes king Edwards bodie remoued and solemnlie buried by Alfer duke of Mercia who was eaten vp with lice for being against the said Edwards aduancement to the crowne queene Alfreds offense by no meanes excusable The xxv Chapter AFter the deceasse of king Edgar there was some strife and contention amongst the lords péeres of the realme about the succession of the crowne for Alfred the mother of Egelredus or Ethelredus and diuers other of hir opinion would gladlie haue aduanced the same Egelredus to the rule but the archbishop Dunstan taking in his hands the baner of the crucifix presented his elder brother Edward vnto the lords as they were assembled togither and there pronounced him king notwithstanding that both queene Alfred and hir friends namelie Alfer the duke of Mercia were sore against him especiallie for that he was begot in vnlawfull bed of Elfleda the nun for which offense he did seuen yeares pâ—nance and not for lieng with Wilfrid as maister Fox thinketh But Dunstane iudging as is to be thought that Edward was more fit for their behoofe to continue the world in the former course as Edgar had left it than his brother Egelred whose mother and such as tooke part with hir vnder hir sonnes authoritie were likelie inough to turne all vpside downe vsed the matter so that with helpe of Oswald the archbishop of Yorke and other bishops abbats and certeine of the nobilitie as the earle of Essex and such like he preuailed in his purpose so that as before is said the said Edward being the second of that name which gouerned this land before the conquest was admitted king and began his reigne ouer England in the yeare of our Lord 975 in the third yeare of the emperour Otho the second in the 20 yeare of the reigne of Lothar king of France and about the fourth yeare of Cumelerne king of Scotland He was consecrated by archb Dunstane at Kingston vpon Thames to the great griefe of his mother in law Alfred and hir friends ¶ About the beginning of his reigne a blasing starre was seene signifieng as was thought the miserable haps that followed And first there insued barrennesse of ground and thereby famine amongest the people and morraine of cattell Also duke Alfer or Elfer of Mercia and other noble men destroied the abbies which king Edgar and bishop Adelwold had builded within the limits of Mercia The priests or canons which had beene expelled in Edgars time out of the prebends and benefices began to complaine of the wrongs that were doone to them in that they had beene put out of possession from their liuings alleging it to be a great offense and miserable case that a
woorthie punishment for within one yéere after he was eaten to death with lice if the historie be true King Edward came to his death after he had reigned thrée yéeres or as other write thrée yéeres and eight moneths ¶ Whatsoeuer hath béene reported by writers of the murther committed on the person of this king Edward sure it is that if he were base begotten as by writers of no meane credit it should appéere he was in déed great occasion vndoubtedlie was giuen vnto quéene Alfred to seeke reuenge for the wrongfull keeping backe of hir son Egelred from his rightfull succession to the crowne but whether that Edward was legitimate or not she might yet haue deuised some other lawfull meane to haue come by hir purpose and not so to haue procured the murther of the yoong prince in such vnlawfull maner For hir dooing therein can neither be woorthilie allowed nor throughlie excused although those that occasioned the mischiefe by aduancing hir stepsonne sonne to an other mans right deserued most blame in this matter Thus farre the sixt booke comprising the first arriuall of the Danes in this land which was in king Britricus his reigne pag. 135 at which time the most miserable state of England tooke beginning THE SEVENTH BOKE of the Historie of England Egelred succeedeth Edward the martyr in the kingdome of England the decaie of the realme in his reigne Dunstane refusing to consecrate him is therevnto inforced Dunstans prophesies of the English people and Egelred their king his slouth and idlenes accompanied with other vices the Danes arriue on the coasts of Kent and make spoile of manie places warre betwixt the king and the bishop of Rochester archbishop Dunstans bitter denunciation against the king because he would not be pacified with the bishop of Rochester without moncie Dunstans parentage his strange trance and what a woonderfull thing he did during the time it lasted his education and bringing vp with what good qualities he was indued an incredible tale of his harpe how he was reuoked from louing and lusting after women whereto he was addicted his terrible dreame of a rough beare what preferments he obteined by his skill in the expounding of dreames The first Chapter IN the former booke was discoursed the troubled state of this land by the manisold and mutinous inuasions of the Danes who though they sought to ingrosse the rule of euerie part and parcell therof in to their hands yet being resisted by the valiantnesse of the gouernors supported with the aid of their people they were disappointed of their expectation and receiued manie a dishonorable or rather reprochfull repulse at their aduersaries hands Much mischiefe doubtlesse they did and more had doone if they had not béene met withall in like measure of extremitie as they offred to the offense and ouerthrow of great multitudes Their first entrance into this land is controuersed among writers some saieng that it was in the daies of king Britricus other some affirming that it was in the time of king Egbert c about which point sith it is a matter of no great moment we count it labour lost to vse manie woords onelie this by the waie is notewoorthie that the Danes had an vnperfect or rather a lame and limping rule in this land so long as the gouernors were watchfull diligent politike at home and warlike abroad But when these kind of kings discontinued and that the raines of the regiment fell into the hands of a pezzant not a puissant prince a man euill qualified dissolute slacke and licentious not regarding the dignitie of his owne person nor fauoring the good estate of the people the Danes who before were coursed from coast to coast and pursued from place to place as more willing to leaue the land than desirous to tarrie in the same tooke occasion of stomach and courage to reenter this I le waxing more bold and confident more desperate and venturous spared no force omitted no opportunitie let slip no aduantage that they might possiblie take to put in practise and fullie to accomplish their long conceiued purpose Now bicause the Danes in the former kings daies were reencountred and that renowmedlie so often as they did encounter and séeking the totall regiment where dispossessed of their partile principalilie which by warlike violence they obteined and for that the Saxons were interessed in the land and these but violent incrochers vnable to keepe that which they came to by constreint we haue thought it conuenient to comprise the troubled estate of that time in the sixt booke the rather for the necessarie consequence of matters then in motion and héere déeme it not amisse at so great and shamefull loosenesse speciallie in a prince ministring hart and courage to the enimie to begin the seuenth booke Wherin is expressed the chiefest time of their flourishing estate in this land if in tumults vprores battels and bloudshed such a kind of estate may possiblie be found For héere the Danes lord it héere they take vpon them like souereignes héere if at anie time they had absolute authoritie they did what they might in the highest degrée as shall be declared in the vnfortunate affaires of vngratious Egelred or Etheldred the sonne of king Edgar and of his last wife quéene Alfred who was ordeined king in place of his brother Edward after the same Edward was dispatched out of the waie and began his reigne ouer this realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 979 which was in the seuenth yéere of the emperor Otho the second in the 24 of Lothaine K. of France and about the second or third yéere of Kenneth the third of that name king of Scotland This Egelred or Etheldred was the 30 in number from Cerdicus he first king of the Westsaxons through his negligent gouernment the state of the commonwealth fell into such decaie as writers doo report that vnder him it may be said how the kingdome was 〈◊〉 to the vttermost point or period of old 〈…〉 age which is the next degrée to the graâ—e For wheras whilest the realme was diuided at the first by the Saxons into sundrie dominions it grew at length as it were increasing from youthfull yeeres to one absolute monarchie which passed vnder the late remembred princes Egbert Adelstane Edgar and others so that in their daies it might be said how it was growne to mans state but now vnder this Egelred through famine pestilence and warres the state thereof was so shaken turned vpside downe and weakened on ech part that rightlie might the season be likened vnto the old broken yéeres of mans life which through féeblenesse is not able to helpe it slefe Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie was thought to haue foreséene this thing and therfore refused to annoint Egelred king which by the murther of his brother should atteine to the gouernment but at length he was compelled vnto it and so he consecrated him at Kingston vpon Thames as the
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
shortlie after erle Turkill with 9 of those ships sailed into Denmarke submitted himselfe vnto Cnute counselled him to returne into England and promised him the assistance of the residue of those Danish ships which yet remained in England being to the number of thirtie with all the souldiers and mariners that to them belonged To conclude he did so much by his earnest persuasions that Cnute through aid of his brother Harrold king of Denmarke got togither a nauie of two hundred ships so roially decked furnished and appointed both for braue shew and necessarie furniture of all maner of weapons armor munition as it is strange to consider that which is written by them that liued in those daies and tooke in hand to register the dooings of that time Howbeit to let this pompe of Cnutes fléete passe which no doubt was right roiall consider a little and looke backe to Turkill though a sworne seruant to king Egelred how he did direct all his drift to the aduancement of Cnute and his owne commoditie cloking his purposed treacherie with pretended amitie as shall appeare hereafter by his deadlie hostilitie A great waste by an inundation or in-breaking of the sea a tribute of 30000 pounds to the Danes king Egelred holdeth a councell at Oxford where he causeth two noble men of the Danes to be murdered by treason Edmund the king eldest sonne marieth one of their wiues and seizeth vpon his 〈◊〉 lands Cnute the Damsn king returneth into England the Damsn and English armies encounter both 〈…〉 Cnute maketh waste of certeine 〈◊〉 Edmund preuenteth 〈◊〉 purposed treason Edrike de Streona 〈◊〉 to the Danes the Westernemen yeeld to Cnute Mercia refuseth to be subiect vnto him Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes Egelred assembleth an armie against them in vaine Edmund Vtred with ioined forces lay waste such countries and people as became subiect to Cnute his policie to preuent their purpose through what countries he passed Vtred submitteth himselfe to Cnute and deliuereth pledges he 〈◊〉 put to death and his lands alienated Cnute pursueth Edmund to London and prepareth to besiege the citie the death and buriall of Egelred his wiues what issue he had by them his infortunatenesse and to what affections and vices he was inclined his too late and bootlesse seeking to releeue his decaied kingdome The eight Chapter BUt now to returne to our purpose and to shew what chanced in England after the departure of Cnute In the same yeare to the forsaid accustomed mischiefes an vnwoonted misaduenture happened for the sea rose with such high spring-tides that ouerflowing the countries next adioining diuers villages with the inhabitants were drowned and destroied Also to increase the peoples miserie king Egelred commanded that 30000 pounds should be leuied to paie the tribute due to the Danes which lay at Gréenewich This yeare also king Egelred held a councell at Oxford at the which a great number of noble men were present both Danes and Englishmen and there did the king cause Sigeferd and Morcad two noble personages of the Danes to be murdered within his owne chamber by the traitorous practise of Edrike de Streona which accused them of some conspiracie But the quarell was onelie as men supposed for that the king had a desire to their goods and possessions Their seruants tooke in hand to haue reuenged the death of their maisters but were beaten backe wherevpon they fled into the steeple of saint Friswids church and kept the same till fire was set vpon the place and so they were burned to death The wife of Sigeferd was taken sent to Malmsburie being a woman of high fame and great worthinesse wherevpon the kings eldest sonne named Edmund tooke occasion vpon pretense of other businesse to go thither and there to sée hir with whome he fell so far in loue that he tooke and maried hir That doone he required to haue hir husbands lands and possessions which were an earles liuing and lay in Northumberland And when the king refused to graunt his request he went thither and seized the same possessions and lands into his hands without hauing anie commission so to doo finding the farmers and tenants there readie to receiue him for their lord Whilest these things were a dooing Cnute hauing made his prouision of ships and men with all necessarie furniture as before ye haue heard for his returne into England set forward with full purpose either to recouer the realme out of Egelreds hands or to die in the quarrell Herevpon he landed at Sandwich and first earle Turkill obteined licence to go against the Englishmen that were assembled to resist the Danes and finding them at a place called Scoraâ—tan he gaue them the ouerthrow got a great bootie and returned therewith to the ships After this Edrike gouernor of Norwaie made a rode likewise into an other part of the countrie with a rich spoile and manie prisoners returned vnto the nauie After this iournie atchiued thus by Edrike Cnute commanded that they should not waste the countrie anie more but gaue order to prepare all things readie to besiege London but before he attempted that enterprise as others write he marched foorth into Kent or rather sailing round about that countrie tooke his iournie westward came to Fromundham and after departing from thence wasted Dorsetshire Summersetshire Wiltshire King Egelred in this meane time lay sicke at Cossam and his sonne Edmund had got togither a mightie hoast howbeit yer he came to ioine battell with his enimies he was aduertised that earle Edrike went about the betraie him and therefore he withdrew with the armie into a place of suertie But Edrike to make his tratorous purpose manifest to the whole world fled to the enimies with fortie of the kings ships fraught with Danish souldiers Herevpon all the west countrie submitted it selfe vnto Cnute who receiued pledges of the chiefe lords and nobles and then set forward to subdue them of Mercia The people of that countrie would not yéeld but determined to defend the quarrell and title of king Egelred so long as they might haue anie capteine that would stand with them and helpe to order them In the yeare 1016 in Christmas Cnute and earle Edrike passed the Thames at Kirkelade entring into Mercia cruellie began with fire and sword to waste and destroie the countrie and namelie Warwikeshire In the meane time was king Egelred recouered of his sicknesse and sent summons forth to raise all his power appointing euerie man to resort vnto him that he might incounter the enimies and giue them battell But yet when his people were assembled he was warned to take héed vnto himselfe and in anie wise to beware how he gaue battell for his owne subiects were purposed to betraie him Herevpon the armie brake vp king Egelred withdrew to London there to abide his enimies within the walles with whom in the field he doubted
to trie the battell His sonne Edmund got him to Utred an earle of great power inhabiting beyond Humber and persuading him to ioine his forces with his forth they went to waste those countries that were become subiect to Cnute as Staffordshire Leicestershire and Shropshire not sparing to exercise great crueltie vpon the inhabitants as a punishment for their reuolting that others might take example thereby But Cnute perceiuing whereabout they went politikelie deuised to frustrate their purpose and with dooing of like hurt in all places where he came passed through Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire and so through the fens came to Stamford and then entred into Lincolnshire and from thence into Notinghamshire so into Yorkeshire not sparing to doo what mischiefe might be deuised in all places where he came Utred aduertised hereof was constreined to depart home to saue his owne countrie from present destruction and therefore comming backe into Northumberland perceiuing himselfe not able to resist the puissant force of his enimies was constreined to deliuer pledges and submit himselfe vnto Cnute But yet was he not hereby warranted from danger for shortlie after he was taken and put to death and then were his lands giuen vnto one Iricke or Iricius whome afterward Cnute did banish out of the realme because that he did attempt to chalenge like authoritie to him in all points as Cnute himselfe had After that Cnute had subdued the Northumbers he pursued Edmund till he heard that he had taken London for his refuge and staied there with his father Then did Cnute take his ships and came about to the coasts of Kent preparing to besiege the citie of London In the meane time king Egelred sore worne with long sicknesse departed this life on the 23 of Aprill being saint Georges day or as others say on saint Gregories day being the 12 of March but I take this to be an error growen by mistaking the feast-day of saint Gregorie for saint George He reigned the tearme of 37 yeares or little lesse His bodie was buried in the church of saint Pauls in the north I le besids the quéere as by a memoriall there on the wall it maie appeare He had two wiues as before is mentioned By Elgina his first wife he had issue thrée sonnes Edmund Edwine and Adelstane besides one daughter named Egiua By his second wife Emma daughter to Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie and sister to Richard the second he had two sonnes Alfrid and Edward This Egelred as you haue heard had euill successe in his warres against the Danes and besides the calamitie that fell thereby to his people manie other miseries oppressed this land in his daies not so much through his lacke of courage and slouthfull negligence as by reason of his presumptuous pride whereby he alienated the hearts of his people from him His affections he could not rule but was led by them without order of reason for he did not onlie disherit diuerse of his owne English subiects wishout apparant cause of offense by plaine forged cauillations and also caused all the Danes to be murdered through his realme in one day by some light suspicion of their euill meanings but also gaue himselfe to lecherous lusts in abusing his bodie with naughtie strumpets for saking the bed of his owne lawfull wife to the great infamie shame of that high degrée of maiestie which by his kinglie office he bare and susteined To conclude he was from his tender youth more apt to idle rest than to the exercise of warres more giuen to pleasures of the bodie than to anie vertues of the mind although that toward his latter end being growen into age and taught by long experience of worldlie affaires and proofe of passed miseries he sought though in vaine to haue recouered the decaied state of his common wealth and countrie ¶ In this Egelreds time and as it is recorded by a British chronographer in the yéere of our Lord 984 one Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ieuaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made warre with Ionauall his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwall the yoongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yéere following Meredith the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entered into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ieuaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man maie sée how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ieuaf the sonnes of Edwall Uoest did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ieuaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howell the son of Ieuaf and afterward the said Howell with his brethren Cadwalhon and Meyric were flaine and spoiled of all their lands Edmund Ironside succedeth his father in the kingdome the spiritualtie fauouring Cnute would haue him to be king the Londoners are his backe friends they receiue Edmund their king honorablie and ioifullie Cnute is proclaimed king at Southampton manie of the states cleaue vnto him he besiegeth London by water and land the citizens giue him the foile he incountreth with king Edmund and is discomfited two battels fought betweene the Danes and English with equall fortune and like successe the traitorous stratagem of Edrike the Dane king Edmund aduisedlie defeateth Edriks trecherie 20000 of both armies slaine Cnute marching towards London is pursued of Edmund the Danes are repelled incountred and vanquished queene Emma prouideth for the safetie of hir sonnes the Danes seeke a pacification with Edmund thereby more easilie to betraie him Cnute with his armie lieth neere Rochester king Edmund pursueth them both armies haue a long and a sore conflict the Danes discomfited and manie of them slaine Cnute with his power assemble at Essex and there make waste king Edmund pursueth them Edrike traitorouslie reuolteth from the English to succour the Danes king Edmund is forced to get him out of the field the Englishmen put to their hard shifts and slaine by heapes what noble personages were killed in this battell of two dead bodies latelie found in the place where this hot and heauie skirmish was fought The ninth Chapter AFter that king Egelred was dead his eldest sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside was proclaimed king by the Londoners and others hauing the assistance of some lords of the realme although the more part and speciallie those of the spiritualtie fauoured Cnute bicause they had aforetime sworne fealtie to his father Some write that Cnute had planted his siege both by water and land verie stronglie about the citie of London before Egelred departed this life and immediatlie vpon his deceasse was receiued into the citie but the armie that was within the citie not consenting vnto the surrender made by the citizens departed the night
till at length he was constreined to giue ouer his hold and conforme himselfe to the stronger part and greater number And so at Oxford where the assemblie was holden about the eelction Harold was proclaimed king and consecrated according to the maner as some write But it should appeere by other that Elnothus the archbishop of Canturburie a man indued with all vertue and wisedome refused to crowne him for when king Harold being elected of the nobles and péeres required the said archbishop that he might be of him consecrated and receiue at his hands the regall scepter with the crowne which the archbishop had in his custodie and to whome it onelie did apperteine to inuest him therewith the archbishop flatlie refused and with an oth protested that he would not consecrate anie other for king so long as the quéenes children liued for saith he Cnute committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I kéepe my faith and loiall obedience The scepter and crowne I héere lay downe vpon the altar and neither doo I denie nor deliuer them vnto you but I forbid by the apostolike authoritie all the bishops that none of them presume to take the same awaie and deliuer them to you or consecrate you for king As for your selfe if you dare you maie vsurpe that which I haue committed vnto God and his table But whether afterwards the king by one meane or other caused the archbishop to crowne him king or that he was consecrated of some other he was admitted king of all the English people beginning his reigne in the yéere of our Lord a thousand thirtie and six in the fouretenth yéere of the emperor Conrad the second in the sixt yéere of Henrie the first king of France and about the seuen and twentith yéere of Malcolme the second king of Scots This Harold for his great swiftnesse was surnamed Harefoot of whome little is written touching his dooings sauing that he is noted to haue béene an oppressor of his people and spotted with manie notable vices It was spoken of diuerse in those daies that this Harold was not the sonne of Cnute but of a shoomaker and that his supposed mother Elgina king Cnutes concubine to bring the king further in loue with hir feined that she was with child and about the time that she should be brought to bed as she made hir account caused the said shoomakers son to be secretlie brought into hir chamber and then vntrulie caused it to be reported that she was deliuered and the child so reputed to be the kings sonne Immediatlie vpon aduertisement had of Cnutes death Alfred the sonne of king Egelred with fiftie saile landed at Sandwich meaning to challenge the crowne and to obteine it by lawfull claime with quietnesse if he might if not then to vse force by aid of his friends and to assaie that waie foorth to win it if he might not otherwise obteine it From Sandwich he came to Canturburie and shortlie after earle Goodwine feining to receiue him as a friend came to meet him and at Gilford in the night season appointed a number of armed men to fall vpon the Normans as they were asléepe and so tooke them togither with Alfred slue the Normans by the poll in such wise that nine were slaine tenth reserued But yet when those that were reserued seemed to him a greater number than he wished to escape he fell to and againe tithed them as before Alfred had his eies put out and was concueied to the I le of Elie where shortlie after he died ¶ How Alfred should claime the crowne to himselfe I sée not for verelie I can not be persuaded that he was the elder brother though diuers authors haue so written sith Gemeticensis the author of the booke called Encomium Emmae plainlie affirme that Edward was the elder but it might be that Alfred being a man of a stouter stomach than his brother Edward made this attempt either for himselfe or in the behalfe of is brother Edward being as then absent and gone into Hungarie as some write but other say that as well Edward as Alfred ame ouer at this time with a number of Norman knights and men of warre imbarked in a few ships onelie to speake with their mother who as then lay at Winchester whether to take aduise with hir how to recouer their right heere in this land or to aduance their brother Hardicnute or for some other purpose our authors doo not declare But the lords of the realme that bare their good wils vnto Harold and though contrarie to right ment to mainteine him in the estate seemed to be much offended with the comming of these two brethren in such order for earle Goodwine persuaded them that it was great danger to suffer so manie strangers to the enter the realme as they had brought with them Wherevpon earle Goodwine with the assent of the other lords or rather by commandement of Harold went foorth and at Gilford met with Alfred that was comming towards king Harold to speake with him accordinglie as he was of Harold required to doo But now being taken and his companie miserablie murthered as before ye haue heard to the number of six hundred Normans Alfred himselfe was sent into the I le of Elie there to remaine in the abbeie in custodie of the moonks hauing his eies put out as soone as he entered first into the same I le William Malmesburie saith that Alfred came ouer and was thus handeled betwixt the time of Harolds death the comming in of Hardicnute Others write that this chanced in his brother Hardicnuts daies which séemeth not to be true for Hardicnute was knowne to loue his brethren by his mothers side too dearelie to haue suffered anie such iniurie to be wrought against either of them in his time ¶ Thus ye sée how writers dissent in this matter but for the better clearing of the truth touching the time I haue thought good to shew also what the author of the said booke intituled Encomium Emmae writeth hereof which is as followeth When Harold was once established king he sought meanes how to rid quéene Emma out of the way and that secretlie for that openlie as yet he durst not attempt anie thing against hir She in silence kept hir selfe quiet looking for the end o these things But Harold remembring himselfe of a malicious purpose by wicked aduise tooke counsell how he might get into his hands and make away the sons of quéene Emma 〈◊〉 â—e out of danger of all annoiance that by them might be procured against him Wherefore he caused a letter to be written in the name of their mother Emma which he sent by certeine messengers suborned for the same purpose into Normandie where Edward and Alfred as then remained The tenour of which letter here insueth The tenour of a letter forged and sent in queene Emmas name to hir two sonnes EMmatantùm nomine regina
filijs Edwardo Alfredo materna impertit salutamina DuÌ„ domini nostri regis obitum separatim plangimus filij charissimi dúmque dietim magis magisque regno haereditatis vestrae priuamini miror quid captetis consilij dum sciatis intermissionis vestrae dilatione inuasoris vestri imperij fieri quotidiè soliditateÌ„ Is enim incessanter vicos vrbes circuit sibi amicos principes muneribus minis precibus facit sed vnum è vobis super se mallent regnare quà m istius qui nunc ijs imperat teneri ditione Vnde rogo vnus vestrum ad me velociter priuatè veniat vt salubre à me consilium accipiat sciat quo pacto hoc negotium quod volo fieri debeat per praesentem quóque internuncium quid super his facturi estis remandate Valete cordis mei viscera The same in English EMma in name onelie queene to hir sons Edward and Alfred sendeth motherlie greeting Whilest we separatelie bewaile the death of our souereigne lord the king most deare sonnes and whilest you are euerie day more and more depriued from the kingdome of your inheritance I maruell what you doo determine sith you know by the delay of your ceassing to make some enterprise the grounded force of the vsurper of your kingdom is dailie made the stronger For incessantlie he goeth from towne to towne from citie to citie and maketh the lords his friends by rewards threats and praiers but they had rather haue one of you to reigne ouer them than to be kept vnder the rule of this man that now gouerneth them Wherefore my request is that one of you doo come with speed and that priuilie ouer to me that he may vnderstand my wholesome aduise and know in what sort this matter ought to be handled which I would haue to go forward and see that ye send mee word by this present messenger what you meane to doo herein Fare ye well euen the bowels of my heart These letters were deliuered vnto such as were made priuie to the purposed treason who being fullie instructed how to bale went ouer into Normandie and presenting the letters vnto the yoong gentlemen vsed the matter so that they thought verelie that this message had béene sent from their mother and wrote againe by them that brought the letters that one of them would not falle but come ouer vnto hir according to that she had requested and withall appointed the day and time The messengers returning to king Harold informed him how they had sped The yoonger brother Alfred with his brothers consent tooke with him a certeine number of gentlemen and men of warre and first came into Flanders where after he had remained a while with earle Baldwine he increased his retinue with a few Bullognes and passed ouer into England but approching to the shore he was streightwaies descried by his enimies who hasted foorth to set vpon him but perceiuing their drift he had the ships cast about and make againe to the sea then landing at an other place he ment to go the next way to his mother But earle Goodwine hearing of his arriuall met him receiued him into his assurance and binding his credit with a corporall oth became his man and therwith leading him out of the high way that leadeth to London he brought him to Gilford where he lodged all the strangers by a score a doozen and halfe a score togither in innes so as but a few remained about the yoong gentleman Alfred to attend vpon him There was plentie of meat and drinke prepared in euerie lodging for the refreshing of all the companie And Goodwine taking his leaue for that night departed to his lodging promising the next morning to come againe to giue his dutifull attendance on Alfred But behold after they had filled themselues with meats and drinks and were gone to bed in the dead of the night came such as king Harold had appointed and entring into euerie inne first seized vpon the armor and weapons that belonged to the strangers which done they tooke them and chained them fast with fetters and manacles so kéeping them sure till the next morning Which being come they were brought foorth with their hands bound behind their backs and deliuered to most cruell tormentors who were commanded to spare none but euerie tenth man as he came to hand by lot and so they slue nine and left the tenth aliue Of those that were left aliue some they kept to serue as bondmen other for couetousnesse of gaine they sold and some they put in prison of whome yet diuerse afterwards escaped This with more hath the foresaid author written of this matter declaring further that Alfred being conueied into the I le of Elie had not onelie his eies put out in most cruell wise but was also presentlie ther murthered But he speaketh not further of the maner how he was made away sauing that he saith he forbeareth to make long recitall of this matter bicause he will not renew the mothers gréefe in hearing it sith there can be no greater sorrow to the mother than to heare of hir sonnes death ¶ I remember in Caxton we read that cruell tormentors should cause his bellie to be opened taking out one end of his bowels or guts tied the same to a stake wh ich they had set fast in the ground then with néedels of iron pricking his bodie they caused him to run about the stake till he had woond out all his intrailes so ended he his innocent life to the great shame obloquie of his cruel aduersaries But whether he was thus tormented or not or rather died as I thinke of the anguish by putting out his eies no doubt but his death was reuenged by Gods hand in those that procured it But whether erle Goodwine was chéefe causer thereof in betraieng him vnder a cloked colour of pretended fréendship I cannot say but that he tooke him and slue his companie as some haue written I cannot thinker it to be true both as well for that which ye haue he 〈◊〉 recited out of the author that wrote Encomium Emâ—â—â— as also for that it should séeme he might neuer be soâ— directlie charged with it but that he had matter to alledge in his owne excuse But now to other affaires of Harold After he had made away his halfe brother Alfred he spoiled his mother in law quéene Emma of the most part of hir riches and therewith banished hir quite out of the realme so that she sailed ouer to Flanders where she was honourable receiued of earle Baldwine and hauing of him honourable prouision assigned hir she continued there for the space of thrée yeeres till that after the death of Harold she was sent for by hir sonne Hardiknought that succéeded Harold in the kingdome Moreouer Harold made small account of his subiects degenerating from the noble vertues of his father following him in few things except in exacting of
entrance into this countrie dearth by tempests earle Goodwines sonne banished out of this land he returneth in hope of the kings fauour killeth his coosen earle Bearne for his good will and forwardnes to set him in credit againe his flight into Flanders his returne into England the king is pacified with him certeine Danish rouers arriue at Sandwich spoile the coast inrich themselues with the spoiles make sale of their gettings and returne to their countrie the Welshmen with their princes rebelling are subdued king Edward keepeth the seas on Sandwich side in aid of Baldwine earle of Flanders a bloudie fraie in Canturburie betwixt the earle of Bullongne and the townesmen earle Goodwine fauoureth the Kentishmen against the Bullongners why he refuseth to punish the Canturburie men at the kings commandement for breaking the kings peace he setteth the king in a furie his suborned excuse to shift off his comming to the assemblie of lords conuented about the foresaid broile earle Goodwine bandeth himselfe against the king he would haue the strangers deliuered into his hands his request is denied a battell readie to haue bene fought betweene him and the king the tumult is pacified and put to a parlement earle Goodwines retinue forsake him he his sonnes and their wiues take their flight beyond the seas The second Chapter YE must vnderstand that K. Edward brought diuerse Normans ouer with him which in time of his banishment had shewed him great friendship wherefore he now sought to recompense them Amongst other the forenamed Robert of Canturburie was one who before his comming ouer was a moonke in the abbeie of Gemeticum in Normandie and being by the king first aduanced to gouerne the sée of London was after made archbishop of Canturburie and bare great rule vnder the king so that he could not auoid the enuie of diuerse noble man and 〈◊〉 of earle Goodwâ—â—e as shall appeare About the third yeere of king Edwards wigne Osgot Clappa was banished the realme And in the yéere following that is to say in the yeere 1047 there fell a marvellous great snow couering the ground from the beginning of Ianuarâ—e vntill the 17 day of March. Besides this there hapned the same yeere such tempest and lightnings that the corne vpon the earth was burnt vp and blasted by reason whereof there followed a great dearth in England and also death of men cettell About this time Swame the sonne of earle Goodwine was banished the land and fled into Flanders This Swaine kept Edgiua the abbesse of the monasterue of Leoffe and forsaking his wife ment to haue married the foresaid abbesse Within a certeine time after his banishment he returned into England in hope to purchase the kings peace by his fathers meanes and other his friends But vpon some malicious pretense he slue his coosen earle Bearne who was about to labour to the king for his pardon and so then fled againe into Flanders till at length Allered the archbishop of Yorke obteined his pardon and found meanes to reconcile him to the kings fauour In the meane time about the sixt yéere of king Edwards reigne certeine pirats of the Danes arriued in Sandwich hauen and entring the land wasted and spoiled all about the coast There be that write that the Danes had at that time to their leaders two capteins the one named Lother and the other Irling After they had béene at Sandwich and brought from thence great riches of gold and siluer they coasted about vnto the side of Essex and there spoiling the countrie went backe to the sea and sailing into Flanders made sale of their spoiles and booties there and so returned to their countries After this during the reigne of king Edward there chanced no warres neither forren nor ciuill but that the same was either with small slaughter luckilie ended or else without anie notable aduenture changed into peace The Welshmen in déed with their princes Rise and Griffin wrought some trouble but still they were subdued and in the end both the said Rise and Griffin were brought vnto confusion although in the meane time they did much hurt and namelie Griffin who with aid of some Irishmen with whome he was alied about this time entred into the Seuerne sea and tooke preies about the riuer of Wie and after returned without anie battell to him offered About the same time to wit in the yéere 1049 the emperor Henrie the third made warres against Baldwine earle of Flanders and for that he wished to haue the sea stopped that the said earle should not escape by flight that waie foorth he sent to king Edward willing him to kéepe the sea with some number of ships King Edward furnishing a nauie lay with the same at Sandwich and so kept the seas on that side till the emperor had his will of the earle At the same time Swaine sonne of earle Goodwine came into the realme and traitorouslie slue his coosen Bearne as before is said the which trauelled to agrée him with the king Also Gosipat Clappa who had left his wife at Bruges in Flanders comming amongst other of the Danish pirats which had robbed in the coasts of Kent Essex as before ye haue heard receiued his wife and departed backe into Denmarke wiâ—h six ships leauing the residue being 23 behind him About the tenth yéere of king Edwards reigne Eustace earle of Bullongne that was father vnto the valiant Godfrey of Bullongne Baldwin both afterward kings of Hierusalem 〈…〉 England in the moneth of September to 〈◊〉 his brother in law king Edward whose sister named Godâ— he had maried she then being the 〈◊〉 of Guaâ—ter de Maâ—â—â—t He found the king at Glocester and being there 〈◊〉 receiued after he had once dispatched such matters for the which he therefore came he tooke leaue and returned homeward But at Canturburie one of his heâ—â—ngers 〈◊〉 roughlie with one of the citizens about a lodging which he sought to haue rather by force than by in treatance occasioned his owne death Whereof when the erle was aduertised he hasted thither to revenge the slaughter of his seruant and fiue both the citizen which had killed his man and eighteene others The citizens héerewith in a great furie got them to armor and set vpon the earle and his returne of whom they slue twentie persons out of hand wounded a great number of the residue so that the earle scarse might escape with one or two of his men from the fraie with all spéed returned backe to the king presenting gréeuous information against them of Canturburie for their cruell vsing of him not onlie in fleaing of his seruants but also in putting him in danger of his life The king crediting the earle was highlie offended against the citizens and with all spéed sending for earle Goodwine declared vnto him in greeuous wise the rebellious act of them of Canturburie which were
so at length by their diligent trauell the matter was taken vp and the armies being dismissed on both parts earle Goodwine was restored to his former dignitie Herevpon were pledges deliuered on his behalfe that is to say Wilnotus one of his sonnes and Hacun the sonne of Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine These two pledges were sent vnto William duke of Normandie to be kept with him for more assurance of Goodwines loialtie Some write that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine was not reconciled to the kings fauour at this time but whether he was or not this is reported of him for a truth that after he had attempted sundrie rebellions against king Edward he lastlie also rebelled against his father Goodwine and his brother Harold and became a pirate dishonouring with such manifold robberies as he made on the seas the noble progenie whereof he was descended Finallie vpon remorse of conscience as hath béene thought for murthering of his coosine or as some say his brother erle Bearne he went on pilgrimage to Hierusalem and died by the way of cold which he caught in returning homeward as some write in Licia but others affirme that he fell into the hands of Saracens that were robbers by the high waies and so was murthered of them At what time William duke of Normandie came ouer into England king Edward promiseth to make him his heire to the kingdom and crowne the death of queene Emma earle Goodwine being growne in fauor againe seeketh new reuenges of old grudges causing archbishop Robert and certeine noble Normans his aduersaries to be banished Stigand intrudeth himselfe into archbishop Roberts see his simonie and lacke of learning what maner of men were thought meet to be made bishops in those daies king Edward beginneth to prouide for the good and prosperous state of his kingdome his consideration of lawes made in his predecessours times and abused the lawes of S. Edward vsuallie called the common lawes how whereof and wherevpon institured the death of earle Goodwine being sudden as some say or naturall as others report his vertues and vices his behauiour and his sonnes vpon presumption and will in the time of their authorities his two wiues and children the sudden and dreadfull death of his mother hir selling of the beautifull youth male and female of this land to the Danish people The fourth Chapter THe foresaide William duke of Normandie that after conquered this land during the time of Goodwines outlawrie 〈…〉 to this land with 〈…〉 of men and 〈…〉 receiued of the king 〈…〉 great chéere Now after he had taried a season hereturned into his countrie not without great gifts of iewels and other things which the king most liberallie bestowed vpon him And as some write the king promised him at that time to make him his heire to the realme of England if he chanced to die without issue ¶ Shortlie after or rather somewhat before queene Emma the kings mother died and was buried at Winchester After that earle Goodwine was restored to the kings fauour bicause he knew that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie had beene the chéefe procurer of the kings euill will towards him he found means to weare him out of credit and diuers other specially of the Normans bearing the world in hand that they had sought to trouble the state of the realme to set variance betwixt the king and the lords of the English nation whereas the Normans againe alledged that earle Goodwine and his sonnes abused the kings soft and gentle nature would not sticke to ieast and mocke at his curteous and mild procéedings But howsoeuer the matter went archbishop Robert was glad to depart out of the realme and going to Rome made complaint in the court there of the iniuries that were offred him but in returning through Normandie he died in the abbeie of Gemmeticum where he had bene moonke before his comming into England Diuerse others were compelled to forsake the realme at the same time both spirituall men and temporall as William bishop of London and Ulfe bishop of Lincolne Osberne named Pentecost and his companion Hugh were constreined to surrender their castels and by licence of earle Leosrike withdrew thorough his countrie into Scotland where of king Mackbeth they were honorablie receiued These were Normans for as partlie ye haue heard king Edward brought with him no small number of that nation when he came from thence to receiue the crowne and by them he was altogither ruled to the great offending of his owne naturall subiects the Englishmen namelie earle Goodwine and his sonnes who in those daies for their great possessions and large reuenues were had in no small reputation with the English people After that Robert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed the realme as before ye haue heard Stigand was made archbishop of Canturburie or rather thrust himselfe into that dignitie not being lawfullie called in like manner as he had doone at Winchester for whereas he was first bishop of Shireborne he left that church and tooke vpon him the bishoprike of Winchester by force and now atteining to be archbishop of Canturburie he kept both Winchester and Canturburie in his hand at one instant This Stigand was greatlie infamed for his couetous practises in sale of possessions apperteining to the church He was nothing learned but that want was a common fault amongest the bishops of that age for it was openlie spoken in those daies that he was méet onelie to be a bishop which could vse the pompe of the world voluptuous pleasures rich rament and set himselfe foorth with a iollie retinue of gentlemen and seruants on horssebacke for therein stood the countenance of a bishop as the world then went and not in studie how to haue the people fed with the word of life to the sauing of their soules King Edward now in the twelfth yeare of his reigne hauing brought the state of the realme quite from troubles of warre both by sea and land began to foresée as well for the welth of his subiects as for himselfe being naturallie inclined to wish well to all men He therefore considered how by the manifold lawes which had beene made by Britaines Englishmen and Danes within this land occasion was ministred to manie which measured all things by respect of their owne priuate gaine and profit to peruert iustice and to vse wrongfull dealing in stead of right clouding the same vnder some branch of the lawe naughtilie misconstrued Wherevpon to auoid that mischiefe he picked out a summe of that huge and vnmesurable masse and heape of lawes such as were thought most indifferent and necessarie therewith ordeined a few those most wholesome to be from thenceforth vsed according to whose prescript men might liue in due forme and rightfull order of a ciuill life These lawes were afterwards called the common lawes and also saint Edward his lawes so much esteemed of the
perplexitie to whome they might best commit the roiall gouernement of the realme For there was not anie among them that had iust title thereto or able and apt to take the charge vpon him For although Edgar surnamed Edeling the sonne of Edward the outlaw that was sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the same time latelie come into England with his mother and sisters out of Hungarie where he was borne yet for that he was but a child not of sufficient age to beare rule they durst not as then commit the gouernement of the realme vnto him least as some haue thought his tendernesse of age might first bréed a contempt of his person and therewith minister occasion to ciuill discord wherby a shipwracke of the estate might ensue to the great annoie and present ouerthrow of such as then liued in the same But what consideration soeuer they had in this behalfe they ought not to haue defrauded the yoong gentlemen of his lawfull right to the crowne For as we haue heard and séene God whose prouidence and mightie power is shewed by ouerthrowing of high and mightie things now and then by the weake and féeble hath gouerned states and kingdomes oftentimes in as good quiet and princelie policie by a child as by men of age and great discretion But to the purpose beside the doubt which rested among the lords how to bestow the crowne the manifold and strange woonders which were séene and heard in those daies betokening as men thought some change to be at hand in the state of the realme made the lords aâ—raid and namelie bicause they stood in great doubt of William duke of Normandie who pretended a right to the crowne as lawfull heire appointed by king Edward for that he was kin to him in the second and third degree For Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie begot Richard the second and Emma which Emma bare Edward by hir husband Ethelred Richard the second had also issue Richard the third and Robert which Robert by a concubine had issue William surnamed the bastard that was now duke of Normandie and after the death of his coosine king Edward made claime as is said to the crowne of England Whilest the lords were thus studieng and consulting what should be best for them to doo in these doubts Harold the son of Goodwine earle of Kent proclaimed himselfe king of England the people being not much offended therewith bicause of the great confidence and opinion which they had latelie conceiued of his valiancie Some write among whome Edmerus is one how king Edward ordeined before his death that Harold should succéed him as heire to the crowne and that therevpon the lords immediatlie after the said Edwards deceasse crowned Harold for their king and so he was consecrated by Aldred archbishop of Yorke according to the custom and maner of the former kings or as other affirme he set the crowne on his owne head without anie the accustomed ceremonies in the yéere after the birth of our sauiour 1066 or in the yéere of Christ 1065 after the account of the church of England as before is noted But how and whensoeuer he came to the seat roiall of this kingdome certeine it is that this Harold in the begining of his reigne considering with himselfe how and in what sort he had taken vpon him the rule of the kingdome rather by intrusion than by anie lawfull right studied by all meanes which way to win the peoples fauour and omitted no occasion whereby he might shew anie token of bountious liberalitie gentlenesse and courteous behauiour towards them The gréeuous customes also and taxes which his predecessors had raised he either abolished or diminished the ordinarie wages of his seruants and men of warre he increased and further shewed himselfe verie well bent to all vertue and goodnesse whereby he purchased no small fauor among such as were his subiects Whilest Harold went about thus to steale the peoples good willes there came ouer vnlooked for sundrie ambassadours from William the bastard duke of Normandie with commission to require him to remember his oth sometime made to the said William in the time of his extremitie which was that he the said Harold should aid him in the obteining of the crowne of England if king Edward should happen to die without issue This couenant he made as it is supposed in king Edwards daies when by licence of the same Edward or rather as Edmerus writeth against his will he went ouer into Normandie to visit his brethren which laie there as pledges Howbeit at this present Harolds answer to the said ambassadors was that he would be readie to gratifie the duke in all that he could demand so that he would not aske the realme which alreadie he had in his full possession And further he declared vnto them as some write that as for the oth which he had made in times past vnto duke William the same was but a constreined no voluntarie oth which in law is nothing since thereby he tooke vpon him to grant that which was not in his power to giue he being but a subiect whilest king Edward was liuing For if a promised vow or oth which a maid maketh concerning the bestowing of hir bodie in hir fathers house without his consent is made void much more an oth by him made that was a subiect and vnder the rule of a king without his souereignes consent ought to be void and of no value He alledged moreouer that as for him to take an oth to deliuer the inheritance of anie realme without the generall consent of the estates of the same could not be other than a great péece of presumption yea although he might haue iust title therevnto so it was an vnreasonable request of the duke at this present to will him to renounce the kingdome the gouernance whereof he had alreadie taken vpon him with so great fauor and good liking of all men Duke William hauing receiued this answer and nothing liking thereof sent once againe to Harold requiring him then at the least-wise that he would take his daughter to wife according to his former promise in refusing whereof he could make no sound allegation bicause it was a thing of his owne motion and in his absolute power both to grant and to performe But Harold being of a stout courage with proud countenance frowned vpon the Norman ambassadors and declared to them that his mind was nothing bent as then to yéeld therevnto in any maner of wise And so with other talke tending to the like effect he sent them away without anie further answer The daughter of duke William whome Harold should haue maried was named Adeliza as Gemeticensis saith and with hir as the same author writeth it was couenanted by duke William that Harold should inioy halfe the realme in name of hir dower Howbeit some write that
made by the foresaid duke of Normandie to set downe his pedegrée thereby to shew how he descended from the first duke of that countrie who was named Rollo and after by receiuing baptisme called Robert The said Rollo or Rou was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion who hauing two sons the said Rou and Gourin and being appointed to depart the countrie as the lots fell to him and other according to the maner there vsed in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine refused to obeie that order and made warre there against the king who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion and his sonne Gourin so that Rou or Rollo hauing thus lost his father and brother was compelled to forsake the countrie with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king Thus driuen to séeke aduentures at length he became a christian and was created duke of Normandie by gift of Charles king of France surnamed le Simple whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also maried but she departing this life without issue he maried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Baieulx whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée and a daughter named Gerlota William Longespée or Longaspata had to wife the ladie Sporta daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandie who married the ladie Agnes the daughter of Hugh le grand earle of Paris of whome no issue procéeded but after hir deceasse he maried to his second wife a gentlemwoman named Gonnor daughter to a kinght of the Danish line by whom he had thrée sonnes Richard that was after duke of Normandie the third of that name Robert and Mauger He had also by hir three daughters Agnes otherwise called Emma married first to Egelred king of England and after to K. Cnute Helloie otherwise Alix bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais Richard the third of that name maried Iudith sister to Geffrey earle of Britaine by whome he had issue thrée sonnes Richard Robert and William and as manie daughters Alix married to Reignold earle of Burgogne Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders and the third died yoong being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric sister to Cnute king of England and Denmarke from whome he purchased to be diuorsed and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie by whome he had issue two sonnes William earle of Arques and Mauger archbishop of Rouen Richard the fourth of that name duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Richard the third died without issue and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a burgesse of Felais William surnamed the bastard afterward duke of Normandie and by conquest king of England Of whose father duke Robert his paramour Arlete take this pleasant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses In the yéere of Christ 1030 Robert the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his duke dome seuen yéeres for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe appointed a pilgrimage to Ierusalem leauing behind him this William a yoong prince whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete whom after he held as his wife with whose beautifull fauour louelie grace and presence at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone where when she was bestowed thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked it might haue séemed not so maidenlie a part so when the duke was about as the maner is to haue 〈◊〉 vp hir linnen the in an humble modestie staid hir lords hand and rent downe hir smocke asunder from the collar to the verie skirt Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment In great lowlines with a feate question she answerd againe My lord were it méet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward Let your grace pardon me He liked hir answer and so and so foorth for that time This duke before his voiage calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne Willliam whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert and the defense of the gouernance vnto Henrie the French king So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage shewed in euerie place and in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince and pleasant withall who once in Iurie not well at ease in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie Friend quoth he if my people at thy returne aske after me tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to heauen by diuels The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie but after they heard of his fathers death they slackened apace euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne Whereby not manie yéeres after as Gilbert the gouernour by Rafe the childes coosine germane was slaine the dukedome anon by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts Thus much a litte of duke Robert the father and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched being a conclusion introductorie as is said in the argument IN the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedfull reader that after the opinion of most writers Brute did first inhabit this land and called it then after his owne name Britaine in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855 and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶ Furthermore the said land of Britaine was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ and so continued 483 yéeres So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute from Brute vntill the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalladar which was in the yéere of our Lord
686. And so the Britains had continuance of the gouernement of this land the space of 1794 yéeres Then was the realme of Britaine an heptarchie that is diuided into seuen kingdoms And Britaine receiued the faith of Christ in the 7 yéere of the reigne of king Lucius which was in the 187 yéere after the birth of Christ. ¶ Next after the Britains entered the Saxons in the third yéere of king Uortiger and in the yéere of our Lord 450 and they gouerned vntill the last yéere of king Athelstane which was in the yéere of Christ 938. So that the time of the Saxons first entrance into this realme and the time of their regiment was the space of 487 yéeres ¶ Howbeit in the time of their gouernement that is to say in the 9 yéere of king Britricus which was in the yéere of our Lord 387 the Danes entred into this land spoiling and persecuting the people therin most gréeuouslie At the last Sweno or Swaine the Dane obteined possession roiall in the yéere of Grace 1012 whose time of regiment lasted about three yéeres After whom his sonne Canutus succéeded and reigned 19 yéeres After him Harold his sonne who ruled thrée yeeres and after him Hardicnute the sonne of Canutus whose gouernement continued but thrée yeeres This Hardicnute was the last king of the Danes at which time the Danes were expelled and hunted out of the realme which was in the yeere of our Lord 1042. So that it may appeare by this collection that the Danes ruled as kings in this land by the space of 28 yéeres Hereby also it is euident that from the time of the first entrance of the Danes into this realme vntill their last expulsion riddance was 255 yéeres ¶ Finallie the Normans entred this land likewise and conquered the same as before is expressed in the yéere of our Lord 1067 which is since vntill this present yéere of our Lord 1585 drawing néere to the number of 600 and od yéeres Now let these alterations of regiments be remembred touching the which read a notable animaduersion in the description of Britaine pag. 28 29 and teach vs that therein the iudgements of God reuealed themselues to speciall purposes And whatsoeuer hath béene mentioned before either concerning the subuersion of people the desolation of prouinces the ouerthrow of nobles the ruine of princes and other lamentable accidents diuerslie happening vpon sundrie occasions let vs I say as manie as will reape fruit by the reading of chronicles imagine the matters which were so manie yéeres past to be present and applie the profit and commoditie of the same vnto our selues knowing as one wisely said Post sacram paginam chronica viâ—um veritatis typum gerere that next vnto the holie scripture chronicles doo carit credit But now to the sequele and first to duke William of Normandie Thus farre the historie of England from Noah and his sonnes c to William duke of Normandie Hereafter followeth a chronologicall continuation beginning at the first yeere of the said dukes reigne ouer this land vntill the 25 yeere of the Queenes most excellent maiestie Elizabeth c whose daies God in mercie prolong like the daies of heauen in peace and prosperitie c. Wil. Conqu Wil. Rufus Henricus 1. Stephanus Henricus 2. Richardus 1. Ioannes Henricus 3. Eduardus 1. Eduardus 2. Eduardus 3. Richardus 2. Henricus 4. Henricus 5. Henricus 6. Eduardus 4. Eduardus 5. Richardus 3. Henricus 7. Henricus 8. Eduardus 6. Phil. Mar. Elisabeth Loydus Lelandus Prisius Stous Holinshedius Lambardus Morus Camdenus Thinnius Hallus Vocalis aliâs Hookerus Graftonus Foxius Harrisonus Hardingus Gildas Staniherstus Beda Neuillus Flemingus Parkerus Noah first diuided the earth among his sonnes The diuision of the earth not yet certeinâ—ie knowne Uariance among the writers about the diuision of the earth The earth diuided into fiue parts whereas Belforrest hath but foure in Prefat lib. 4. Cape di bonâ— Speranzae The formâ— of the fift part Unto what portion Britaine is referred How Britaine lieth from the maine The longitude and latitude of this I le Longest day The compasse of Britaine The 〈◊〉 Promontories of Britaine The distaÌ„ce from the maine Dis Samothes Neptimus Marioticus The first conquest of Britaine Britaine vnder the Celts 341. yeares Neptune God of the sea The maner of dressing of ships in old time Lestrigo Ianigenes were the posteritie of Noah in Italie Neptune had xxxiii sonnes Lomnimi Geriones Galathea Galates or Kelts Bergion Pomponius Mela cap. de Gallia Strabo lib. 4. Yet Timeus Ephorus and some of the Grecians know the name Britannia as appeareth also by Diodorus c before the comming of Cesar. Of this opinion is Belforest lib. 3. cap. 44. Samotheans Britains Chemminits Romans Scots Picts Of the Picts The hurt by forren aid Danes The Normans The cause of the conquest by the Normans Archbishop of Can. exiled and the rest of the French Erle Goodwine slandered by the French writers The miserie of the English vnder the French The cause of our miserie In this voiage the said Harald builded Portaschith which Caradoch ap Griffin afterward ouerthrew and killed the garrison that Harald left therein * Esay 30. vers 25. Antheus Lucane lib. 4. in fine Corineus Gomagot Cap. 6. vers 5. Anti. li. 1. â—â— cap. 13. verse 33 34. Deut. 3. vers 11. Og of Basan Cap 17. ver 4 5 6. Goliah Cap. 21. ver 26 17 c. De ciuitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 9. Iohannes Boccacius A carcase discouered of 200. cubits Mat. Westmon Iohannes Leland Mafieus Lib. 14. Triuet Mat. West Hector Boet. Geruasius Tilberiensis Sir Thomas Eliot Leland in Combrit Richard Grafton The Symmetrie or proportion of the bodie of a comelie man Syluester Gyraldus Constans fama Gallorum Briat In vita Seriorij de Antheo Philostrate Lib. 7. Trallianus A mouth of sixteene foot wide A counterfect made of a monstrous carcase by one tooth taken out of the head This man was more fauorable to this monster than our papists were to the bodies of the dead who tare them in peeces to make money of them Grandiáque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris Vis vnita fortior est eadem dispersa Cap. 3 36. 4. Esd. cap. 5. British Small difference betweene the British and Celtike languages British corrupted by the Latine and Saxon speeches The Britons diligent in petigrees Latine The Saxon toong The French toong The helpers of our English toong Englishmen apt to learne any forren toong The Cornish toong Scottish english The wild Scots Redshanks Rough footed Scots Irish scots Irish speech Britaine at the first one entire kingdome Wales diuided into three kingdomes Gâ—inhed Venedotia Anglesei Arfon Merioneth Stradcluyd or Tegenia Powisy Bangor Mailrosse Fowkes de Warren Helene Mellent The originall of Fitz-Henries Demetia Cair Maridunum Pictland Scotland Picts Scots Kent Henghist South sax Esta Eastsaâ— Erkenwiin Westsax Cerdiic Brennicia alià s Northumberland Ida. Deira
Esgin Uent Gilders beck Knare East Alen. West Alen. Darwent Corue Were Burdop Wallop Kellop Wascrop Bedburne Pidding brooke Pilis Thesis Hude Lune Arnegill Skirkewith Bander Rere crosse Skerne Thorpe alià s Leuand Trawthorne Eske Ibur Hull Humber Ure alià s Ouze or Isis. Burne Wile Skell Swale Fosse Ouze Hull or Hulne Cottingham Fowlncie Skelfléet Darwent Kenford Shirihutton Crambecke Rie Ricoll Seuen Costeie Pickering Pocklington Rie Costeie Seuen Dou or Doue Hodgebecke Ricoll Fesse Holbecke Fosse Kile Swale Barneie Arcleie Holgate Mariske becke Rauenswath Rhe. Bedall alià s Leming Wiske Cawdebec Kebecke Cuckwolds becke Skell Lauer. Nidde Killingale Couer Burne Wharfe alià s Gwerfe Padside Washburne Cockebecke Air. Otterburne Winterburne Glike Lacocke Woorth Moreton Redwell Went. Hebden Chald. Trent Foulebrooke Sow Penke Blith Tame Rhée Cote Blith Burne Rhée Anchor Mese Dou. Manifold Hansleie Churne Dunsmere Yendor Aula Canuti Ashenhirst Teine Uttoxeter or Uncester Darwent Neue Burbroke Wie Hawkeshow Wile Rufford alià s Manbecke Lathkell Bradford Amber Moreton Eglesburne Sora or Surus Eie Leland calleth one of these rilles Croco Warke Urke or Wrâ—ke Erwash Dene Snite A miracle Doue Midhop Cowleie Rother Iber. Brampton Crawleie Gunno Mesebrooke Hampall Budbie Gerberton Girt Idle Manbecke Meding becke Wilie Blith Sandbecke Ancolme Kâ—lis Saltflete Maplethorpe Lindis witham Rhe. Fosse dike Witham Hake Bane Bollingborow Sempringham Wiland Braie Warke Brooke water Whitnell Newdrene South Writhlake Shéepes eie Auon Nene Vedunus Florus â—ugius Kilis Rother Ocleie Corbie Isis 3. Sisa Imelus Erin Garan Verus Cle alià s Claius Saw These rise not far from Michelborow one of them in Higham parke Verus or the Were Stoueus Stoueus Helenus Elmerus Riuelus Granta Babren Rhée Sturus Bulbecke Burne Dale Dunus Bradunus fortè Linus Congunus Rising Ingeli Glouius Wantsume Yocus Hierus Gernâ— Wauen Bure Thurinus Wauen Einus Fritha Cokelus Ford. Orus Fromus Glema Iâ—â—n or Ike Deua Clarus fons Urus Sturus Kettle baston Ocleie Mosa Claco Colunus Gwin or Pant. Froshwell Barus Chelmer Lindâ—s Roxford Lée Burne Northumberland Durham Yorkeshire Lincolneshire Northfolke Suffolke Essex Kent Sussex The aire of Britaine The soile Criacht Marle Plentie of riuers Hilles * Here lacks * Here lacks Winds Building Husbandrie amended Pasture Medowes Corne. Cattell Meall and Disnege Wine Wad Madder Rape Flax. Eleg. 2. Principes longè magis exemplo quà m culpa peccare solent Earths Uallies Fennes Commons Fosse Watling stréet Erming stréet Ikenild Non vi sed virtute non armis sed ingenio vinctâ—nâ—tur Aâ—â—gli Salutations according to our ages Locrine Lhoegria Camber Cambria Albanact Albania Locrine king also of Scotland The Scots alwaies desirous to shake off y e English subiection haue often made cruell odious attempts so to doo but in vaine Out of Hector Boecius lib. 5. Berouicum potiùs à Berubio promontorio Durstus Marius Coelus Seuerus Bassianus Coill Constantine Maximian Some thinke the Seimors to come from this man by lineall descent and I suppose no lesse Nicholas Adams Some referre this to an Edward Lawfull age and wardship of heires To whome the marriage of the ward perteineth Edward the Confessour William Bastard William Rufus Henrie 1. Mawd. Henrie 2. Because they were taken from him before The Scots dreame that this was the stone whereon Iacob slept when he fled into Mesopotamia This was doone vpon the nine twentith of Ianuarie 1306. The first beginner of the Picts wall The finisher of the wall The wall goeth not streict by a line but in and out in manie places The stuffe of the wall Two other wals A rampire The course of the wall from west to east Foure woonders of England Anselme Thomas Becket Forfitan naturalem Twentie one bishoprikes vnder y e see of Canturburie Onelie foure sees vnder the archbishop of Yorke Deanes Canonries Ordinarie sermons Ordinarie expositions of the scriptures The bishops preach diligentlie whose predecessors heretofore haue beene occupied in temporall affairs Archdecons High commissioners A prophesie or conference Ministers deacons Apparell Hospitalitie Mariage Thred-bare gownes from whence they come Number of churches in France Pretie packing Old estate of cathedrall churches Canturburie Rochester London Chichester Winchester Salisburie Excester Bath The bishoprike of Shirburne diuided into thrée Worcester Glocester Hereford Lichfield Elie. Norwich Peterborow Bristow Lincolne Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaphes Yorke Chester Durham Caerleill Man Glocester a verie ancient bishoprike Manie vniuersities somtime in England Thrée vniuersities in England When the vniuersities were builded vncerteine Oxford fiftie miles from London Cambridge six and fortie miles from London Longitude latitude of both Cambridge burned not long since Readers in priuat houses Publike readers mainteined by the prince Studie of the quadriuials and perspectiues neglected Sophisters Batchelers of art Masters of art Batcheler of diuinitie Doctor This Fox builded Corpus Christâ— college in Oxford So much also may be inferred of lawiers London Grammar schooles Windsor Winchester Eaton Westminster He founded also a good part of Eaton college and a frée schole at Wainflet where he was borne Erection of colleges in Oxford the ouerthrow of hals Now abbeies be gone our dingthrifts prie after church and college possessions Alfred brought England into shires which the Britons diuided by cantreds and the first Saxons by families Shire and share all one Englishmen noisome to their owne countrie Earle and alderman What a lath is Léetes Hundred or wapentake Denarie or tithing Tithing man in Latine Decurio Borsholder Burrow Twelue men Fortie shires in England thirtéene in Wales Od parcels of shires Lieutenants Shiriffes Undershiriffes Bailiffes High constables Petie constables Motelagh Shiriffes turne Gaile deliuerie or great assises Inquests Atteinct Iustices of peax quorum Quarter sessions Petie sessions Duke Marquesse Earle Uiscont Baron Bishops 1. Sam. b 15. 1. Reg. a 7. De Asia cap. 12 No Gréeke no grace Bene con bene can bene le Duke marquesse earle viscont Barons Of the second degrée of gentlemen Praedia Valuasores Knights Milites Equiteâ— aurati Knights of the bath Knights of the garter Round table Roger Mortimer The occasion of the deuise Peraduenture but a blue ribben Election Admission Installation Mantell Stall A timber conteineth fortie skins peltes or felles Installation Estatutes Gentleman of bloud Degrées of reproch Apparell Sicke or absent Offering Buriall Disgrading * Some think that this was the answer of the quéene when the king asked what men would thinke of hir in losing the garter after such a maner Bannerets Esquire Gentlemen Lawiers students in vniuersities Physicians Capteins Citizens and burgesses Merchants Yeomen Englishmen on foot and Frenchmen on horssebacke best Capite censi or Proletarij No slaues nor bondmen in England No duke in England Earles Uisconts Barons Cleargie Ro. Bacon Béere Artificer I haue dined so well as my lord maior Bread A famine at hand is first séene in the horsse manger when the poore doo fall to horssecorne Primarius panis Cheat bread Rauelled bread The size of