AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND BY Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE BARONET Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine tangit Humanos animos LONDON Printed for Richard Simpson at the Three Trouts and Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-yard 1695. THE PREFACE I Have often complained that so ancient and noble a Nation as ours so renowned by the Fame of their Arms and Exploits abroad so applauded and envied for their wise and happy Institutions at home so flourishing in Arts and Learning and so adorned by excellent Writers in other Kinds should not yet have produced one good or approved general History of England That of France has been composed with great Industry by des Serres with Iudgment and Candor by Mezeray That of Spain with great Diligence and eloquent Stile by Mariana That of the Empire with much Pains and good Order as well as Learning by Pedro de Mexia but ours have been written by such mean and vulgar Authors so tedious in their Relations or rather Collections so injudicious in the Choice of what was fit to be told or to be let alone with so little Order and in so wretched a Style that as it is a Shame to be ignorant in the Affairs of our own Country so 't is hardly worth the Time or Pains to be informed since for that End a Man must read over a Library rather than a Book and after all must be content to forget more than he remembers 'T is true some Parcels or short Periods of our History have been left us by Persons of great Worth and Learning much honoured or esteemed in their Times as Part of Edward the fourth and Richard the third by Sir Thomas Moor Henry the soventh by Sir Francis Bacon Henry the eighth by the Lord Herbert Edward the sixth by Sir John Haywood and Queen Elizabeth by Mr. Camden There are besides these many voluminous Authors of ancient Times in Latin and of modern in English with some Forreigners as Froissart and Polidore Virgil out of all which might be framed a full and just Body of our general History if collected with Pains and Care and digested with good Order for the Architect is only wanting and not the Materials for such a Building I will confess I had it in my Thoughts at one Time of my Life and the most proper for such a Work to make an Abridgment of our English Story having observed that Mezeray's Abrege of his own was more esteemed and much more read than his larger Volume but those Thoughts were soon diverted by other Imployments wherein I had the Hopes as well as the Intentions of doing some greater Sevices to my Country I have since endeavoured to engage some of my Friends in the same Design whom I thought capable of atchieving it but have not prevailed some pretending Modesty and others too much valuing Ease Therefore to invite and encourage some worthy Spirit and true Lover of our Country to pursue this Attempt I have consented to the publishing of this Introduction to the History of England wherein I have traced a short Account of this Island the Names the Inhabitants and Constitutions thereof from the first Originals as far as I could find any Ground of probable Story or of fair Conjecture since Philosophers tell us that none can be said to know things well who does not know them in their Beginnings I have further deduced it through the great and memorable Changes of Names People Customs and Laws that passed here until the End of the first Norman Reign which made the last and great Period of this Kingdom leaving the Successions and Constitutions since that Time so fixed and Established as to have lasted for the Space of above six hundred Years withont any considerable Alteration from so long a Course of Time or such Variety of Events as have since arrived in the World I have hereby beaten through all the rough and dark Ways of this Iourney the rest lies fair and easie through a plain and open Country and I should think my self happy to see it well pursued by some abler Hand for the Honour of our Nation and the Satisfaction of our own as well as forreign Readers who shall be curious to know our Story I wish it may be performed with the same good Intentions and with much better Success than this small Endeavour of mine AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND BRitain was by the Ancients accounted the greatest Island of the known World and for ought is yet certain may be so still notwithstanding the later Discoveries of Madagascar and Iapan which are by some brought into Competition It extends from North to South about ten Degrees and about two hundred Miles in the Breadth of its most extended Angles It was anciently called Albion which seems to have been softned from Alpion the word Alp in some of the Original Western Languages signifying generally very high Lands or Hills as this Isle appears to those who approach it from the Continent But of those Times there is no Certainty remains in Story more than that it was so called and very little known to the rest of the World By the Romans and some time before Cesar it was called Britannia concerning which Name very much Debate and no Agreement has been among the modern Learned of our Country or of others After raking into all the Rubbish of those Authors That which seems to me most probable is that the Strangers who came over into this Island upon the score of Traffick from the Coasts of Gaul or Germany called the Inhabitants by one common Name of Briths given them from the Custom among them of painting their naked Bodies and small Shields with an azure Blew which by them was called Brith and distinguish'd them from Strangers who came among them From this Name of the Inhabitants the Romans upon their Invasions Conquests and Colonies establish'd in Gaul which brought them first acquainted with this Island called it Britannia by giving a Latin termination to a barbarous Name and the same which appears to have been usual with them by the Appellations of many other Countries that fell under their Commerce or Conquests as Mauritania Lusitania Aquitania and several others commonly known The curious may observe this Care of the Romans in giving their own Terminations to many barbarous Countries and forming easie and pleasant Sounds out of the harshest and most offensive to such elegant Tongues and Ears as theirs I shall instance only in three among many more that are obvious to such as please themselves with these Speculations The Province of Britain in France was called among the Natives Al Mor which signisied Ad mare or near the Sea from this the Romans called it Armorica The Isle between the Branches of the Rhine which divide for some distance before they fall into the Sea was called by the Old Germans Vat awe which signifies fat or fruitful Earth and from this was framed the Latin word
between the Years 460 and 500. But this whole Story is left so uncertain or obscure by those poor Writers who have pretended to leave the Tales rather than the History of those times behind them that it remains in doubt whether to consider them as a part of the Story of that or the Fables of succeeding Ages Whatever there was of plain Stuff the Embroidery of it with the Knights of the Round Table their Orders and their Chivalry and the rest of that kind seems to have been introduced by that Vein of the Spanish Romances which many Ages after filled the World with so much of that idle Trash and chose for the Subject of them the Adventures and Successes of the first Christian pretended Heroes who renowned such fictitious Names by extravagant Actions or Adventures against the Pagans or the Saracens either in Spain or other parts of Europe and Asia And among these 't is probable those Writers found room for the many Legends of the British Arthur and his Romantick Adventures against the Heathen Saxons After the Year 500 for one Century or thereabouts the Saxon Forces were employed in subduing the midland Parts of Britain interjacent between their two first Establish'd Colonies or Kingdoms in the South or Kent and in the North or about Northumberland and to furnish Men for such Atchievments and the new Plantation of so great Tracts of Country after the Conquest and Devastation of the Old mighty numbers of the Saxon Race came over into Britain in several Expeditions and Landing at several Places That which is recorded to have made sudden and easie way for their final Conquests was a Treaty they entered into with the Britains where upon a Parley mediated between them Three Hundred of the Chief on each side agreed to meet and conclude the Treaty in a great Plain In the midst of Talk and Drink which had part in this Commerce the Saxons provoking maliciously and the Britains innocently resenting fell to quarrel first in Words and at last to Blows When the Saxons upon a Sign agreed between them drew out short Swords they had concealed under their upper Garments fell upon the unarmed Britains slew their whole number in the Field who being the best and bravest of their Nation left the rest exposed without Heart or Head to the Fury and Progress of the Saxon Arms. These heartned with Success and proud of so great Possessions and Territories invited and allured still greater Numbers of their own from abroad who being of several Branches and from several Coasts arrived here under several Names among whom the Angles from Schonen and Iutland swarmed over in such numbers that they gave a new Name at length to this Province which from them was called Angle-land and for easier sound England The Saxons pursued their Invasion with Courage and Fierceness equal to the Multitudes of their Nation that swarmed over into this Island and with such an uninterrupted Course of Fortune and Victories after the year 500. that by the end of the next Century they had subdued the whole Body of the Province and establish'd in it seven several Kingdoms which were by the Writers of those Times stiled the Heptarchy of the Saxons They had expelled the Britains out of the fairest and best of their ancient Possessions and driven their greatest numbers who escaped the Conqueror's Fury into Wales and Cornwal Countries mountainous and barren encompassed on three sides by the Sea and towards the Land of difficult Access Some great Colonies of them wholly abandoned their Native Country to their fierce Invaders sailed over into the North-west Parts of France where possessing new Seats they gave a new Appellation to that Peninsula which preserves still the Name and Memory of Britain there though about this time almost worn out at home This is the Account commonly given of the British Colonies first establishing themselves in that Canton of Gaul But there is another given by some learned Persons of their own and drawn as they say either from ancient Archives or Traditions among them and which to me seems the most probable When upon the Roman Wars in Gaul among several Pretenders to the Empire great numbers of the Britains as well as Roman Forces in that Island were drawn over to assist the contending Parties 'T is said that very great Multitudes of the British having followed the unfortunate side retired as fast as they could to that part of the Sea-coast nearest to their Isle and most likely to furnish them with Ships for their Transportation But that the miseries of their Native Country from the furious Inroads of the Picts and Scots so discouraged their Return that by Consent of the Gauls their Friends they established themselves in the furthest North-west Parts of that Province which has since that time retained their Language and their Name And this agrees with the Legend of King Arthur who is said to have been a young Prince or Leader sent from the Britains in France to assist their Country-men here against the Saxons Whatever the Beginnings of this Colony were or at what time 't is at least agreed to have been much augmented by the Resort of so many Britains as sought Refuge there from the Saxon Cruelty The weak and poor Remainders of the old Britains who were scattered among the Saxons in England were wholly spoiled of their Lands and Goods which were fallen under the Mercy of the Conquerors who sharing them all among themselves left the remaining Britains in a Condition of downright Servitude Used them for Tilling Ground Feeding Cattle and other Servile Works in House or Field sometimes Farming out certain parts of Land to them at certain Rents or Profits but held always at the Will and Pleasure of the Landlord The Children that were born of these miserable People belonged to the Lord of the Soil like the rest of the Stock or Cattle upon it and thus began Villenage in England which lasted till the time or end of Henry the Seventh's Reign Soon after the year 600. the Saxons in England having ended their old Quarrel with the Britains began new ones among themselves and according to the usual Circle of human Affairs War ended in Peace Peace in Plenty and Luxury these in Pride and Pride in Contention till the Circle ended in new Wars The Saxon Princes of the seven Kingdoms they had erected in Britain fell into Emulations of one anothers Greatness Disputes about the Bounds of their several Principalities or about Successions or Usurpations pretended or exercised in one or other of them These were followed by formal Wars among them the stronger swallowing up the weaker and these having recourse to their Neighbours for defence against encroaching Power Many fierce Encounters Sieges Battels Spoils and Devastations of Country succeeded in the progress and decision of these mutual Injuries and Invasions between the Saxon Kings for above Two Hundred Years but the account of them is very poorly given us with little order
which left all safe and quiet in the Southern Parts and main Body of the Kingdom whilst he marched with his Army against his Enemies in the North Nor is the Safety of a Prince so firm and well established upon any other Bottom as the general Safety and thereby Satisfaction of the common People which make the Bulk and Strength of all great Kingdoms whenever they conspire and unite in any common Passion or Interest For the Nobles without them are but like an Army of Officers without Soldiers and make only a vain Show or weak Noise unless raised and encreased by the Voice of the People which for this Reason is in a common Latin Proverb called the Voice of God No Prince ever made greater or happier Experience of this Truth than William the Conqueror both in the Events of the last and formidable Dangers which he so easily surmounted and in the whole Course of his subsequent Reign which was infested by many new Troubles either in England or in Normandy that would have proved fatal to him if he had been distracted by the common Discontents or Insurections of his English Subjects for his present Calm was not of long Continuance the Clouds soon gathered again and threatned another Storm and from the same Winds by which the last had been raised Malcolm King of Scotland still persisted in the Envy and Fear of his neighbouring Power and Greatness still esteemed it his own Interest to joyn with those of Edgar and his Dependants in England and thereby weaken the Force or disturb the Quiet of the Norman Government in England before it should by the Favour of Time and calm Seasons take too deep Root to be afterwards shaken He raised a greater Army than before with which he threatned again to invade England and led them himself though still in Favour only of Edgar's Title and Advancement to the Crown He entered into new Practises with several of the English Nobles who had followed him though unfortunately in the last Expedition and were resolved to repair their former Losses by venturing greater rather than give over the Game Nor could the Hopes of the discontented English ever die while the Root was alive and they were fomented by the Malice and encouraged by the Forces of so powerful a Neighbour joyned with so just Pretensions as those of Edgar were generally esteemed When the Preparations in Scotland and Intelligences in England were ripe for Execution the Earl Edwin made his Escape and fled towards the North but was by the Way murdered by some of his own Retinue The Earls Morchar and Hereward who were already upon the Wing for the same Flight discouraged by this Misadventure durst not pursue it but yet already engaged too far to make a Retreat they made Way to possess themselves of the Isle of Ely fortified there the best they could and hoped the Scotch Invasion would divert the King's Forces from attempting them before Winter and that the Season and Scituation together would there cover them for some Time On the contrary the Scotch King was discouraged from beginning his March by the News of these Disasters among his Confederates in England and chose rather to send the Bishop of Durham and Earl Syward out of Scotland to relieve and animate those Lords retired to the Isle of Ely than to enter England without Hopes of their making some Diversion But the King who never feared or slighted any Dangers and knew they were like Diseases to be taken in time marched immediately with his Forces to the Isle of Ely beset it upon one side with a great Number of flat bottom Boats and on another made a Bridge of two Miles long with incredible Diligence and Labour and with such Speed as both surprised and terrified his Enemies within So as despairing of further Resistance they all submitted to the King's Mercy except Hereward who with some few Followers escaped through the Fens and through many Dangers arrived safe in Scotland The rest of the Lords were sent Prisoners to several Parts of the Kingdom where some remained during the King's Life and others dyed be-before him with whom they could not be content to live The King after this small Adventure so happily atchieved and the present Peace of his Kingdom restored yet considering the Root of all his Dangers was in Scotland and unwilling to take up present Quiet and Safety at too great an Interest of Dangers to come resolved to march into Scotland with a powerful Army and endeavour to secure himself on that Side either by a Peace or Victory He first sent Roger a Norman then Gospatrick Earl of Northumberland with Part of his Forces into the North to oppose the Scotch Army that was already entred those Provinces with great Spoils and Ravages of the Country and to keep them at a Bay till the King came up with the rest of his Army In the mean time he assembled his Forces at York with the best Choice of Men and Officers and such Numbers as he judged necessary for such an Expedition composed of English and Normans whose Emulation he encouraged with Promises of Reward and Hopes of establishing their common Safety by the Success of this Enterprise From York to Durham he met with many Hardships and Difficulties from the Wants of his Army in a Country which had been so lately wasted by the Scotch Forces and his own and with which he was then contented to prevent another Invasion But having surmounted all by his own Care and the Patience of his Men from the Example of their Leaders he marched near the Borders without any Opposition though common Fame had made him expect the Scotch would give him Battle in England and not the Trouble of so long a March. But Malcolm their King now destitute of Hopes or Assistances from any forreign Confederates or any Insurrections in England after the late Disasters of the discontented Lords began to cool the Heats of his Blood and instead of further invading England changed his Counsels and resolved only upon a defensive War At the News of King William's Entrance into the Northern Provinces he quitted Northumberland and with good Order retreated back to the Borders and there encamped his Army to the best Advantage without making any further Incursions into the English Territories either to secure his Provisions or not to provoke his Enemies and render all Terms of Reconcilement desperate or not to endanger his Retreat in Case of any Disaster The King of England approaching the Borders and thereby the Scotch Army thought fit likewise to encamp his own both to refresh his Soldiers harassed by so long and difficult a March as also to discover the Forces of the Enemy observe their Countenance their Order and their Motions and thereby judge of their Designs and direct his own to the best Advantage So that for some Days the two Armies stood at a Bay seeming both prepared for a fierce Encounter and yet both content to delay it