◠The Principalitie of the East-Saxons erected by Erchenwin Sebert the first Christian Prince Melitus the first Bishop of the East-Saxons hath his Sea at London Saint Pauls Church there founded by Ethelbert the first Christian Prince of the Kentish-Saxons The Church at Westminster founded by Sebert Cedda afterward called St. Chadde preacheth the Gospel to the East-Saxons Sigher and Sebbi ioyntly rule the Province 252. The Devotion Chastitie and Charitie of Sebbi the Prince The manner of his death Offa resigneth the governement and goeth to Rome where he entreth into religion Egbert the West-Saxon Prince obtaineth the Principalitie of the East-Saxons 254 ¶ The Principalitie of the East-Angles erected by Vffa Faelix a Burgundian preacheth the faith to the East-Angles His Episcopall Sea at Dunwich in Suffolke Sebert the first Christian Prince resigneth his government to Egrick and entereth into a Monasterie from whence he is drawne forth by his subiects when the Mercians invade his Province He is slaine in battaile with Egrick whom Ana succeedeth in the government 259 Athelhere the brother of Ana ruleth the East-Angles He is slaine by Oswin Prince of the Northumbers S. Ethelbert is murthered by Offa Prince of the Mercians Offa having made a voyage into the Holy-Iland dieth in his returne homewards Edmund succeedeth Offa in the government The Martyrdome of S. Edmund by the pagan Danes The Monastery of S. Edmunds-bury in Suffolke erected The principality of the East-Angles annexed to that of the West-Saxons 261 ¶ The Principality of the Northumbers divided into two Provinces namly Deira and Bernitia which are vnited by Ethelrick Ethelfrid defeateth the Britans and killeth the Monks of Bangor Edwin the first Christian Prince Paulinus preacheth the faith to the Northumbers and hath a Sea a signed to him at Yorke The death of Edwin 267 Oswald ruleth the Northumbers He is slaine in battaile against Penda the Mercian Prince He is honoured with the title of a Martyr Oswin his brother succeedeth him A Bishops Sea at Lichfield Egfrid the Prince removeth Bishop Wilfrid from his Sea at Yorke Ceolnulph and Egbert successively ruling give over the government to enter into religion Venerable Bede liveth in the time of Ceolnulph The Northumbers are brought vnder the subiection of the West-Saxons 271 The principalitie of the West-Saxons established by Cerdic Berinus preacheth the Christian faith to the West-Saxons The towne of Dorchester assigned to him for a Bishops Sea Kinegles the first Christian Prince Winchester is made a Bishops Sea by Kennewalch the West-Saxon Prince Ceadwall resigning the government to Ina goeth to Rome where he dieth 277 Ina succeedeth Ceadwall in the government of the West-Saxons Peterpence first paied to Rome The Bishopricke of the West-Saxons divided into two Seas Lawes made by Ina the Prince The Church at Wells made a Bishops Sea The first arrivall of the Danes in Britannie in the time of Britric Egbert the West-Saxon Prince subdueth divers Provinces which he annexeth to his owne Principality 281 ⧠The succession of the Kings of England from Egbert the first English Monarch vntill the Norman Conquest 1 Egbert raigned thitie seven yeares 2 Ethelwulfe the sonne of Egbert twentie yeares 3 Ethelbald the eldest sonne of Ethelwulfe five yeares 4 Ethelbert the second sonne of Ethelwulfe five yeares 5 Ethelred the third sonne of Ethelwulfe five yeares 6 Alfred the yongest sonne of Ethelwulfe 29. yeares 7 Edward surnamed the Elder twentie three yeares 8 Athelstane the eldest sonne of Edward sixteene yeares 9 Edmund the second sonne of Edward six yeares 10 Edred the yongest sonne of Edward nine yeares 11 Edwin the elder sonne of Edmond foure yeares 12 Edgar surnamed the Peaceable the yonger sonne of Edmond sixteene yeares 13 Edward surnamed the Martyr the elder sonne of Edgar foure yeares 14 Ethelred surnamed the Vnreadie the yonger sonne of Edgar thirtie seven yeares 15 Edmund surnamed Ironside the sonne of Ethelred in whose time the Danes possessed the greatest part of England ⧠The succession of the Princes of Denmarke in the Kingdome of England 1 Cnute raigned nineteene yeares 2 Harold the first surnamed Hare-foote the Bastard of Cnute foure yeares 3 Hardy-Cnute the sonne of Cnute two yeares 16 Edward the Confessor raigned twentie foure yeares 17 Harold the second the vsurper 18 William Duke of Normandie surnamed the Conqueror The beginning of the reigne of Egbert the first English Monarch EGBERT I SAX MONARCH VPon report of the death of Britric Egbert with great speed returned out of France where during the time of his abode he had served with good commendation in the warres vnder Charles the Great by meanes whereof his reputation encreasing among his owne Country men he was thought worthy of the government before he obtained it Besides the Nobilitie of his blood the pusillanimitie of the late Prince his predecessor seemed to adde more sufficiencie to his owne merit At his first entrance he assayled the Cornish and Walsh-men who commonly vpon the change of Governors vsed to make incursions into the Provinces next adioyning to them continuing their claime as it were to those countries from which the Britans their ancestors had beene expelled and though formerly they had thereby sustained many and great losses yet it well appeared that they had not altogither lost their wonted courage hereditarie to that warlike Nation The Cornish-men being first subdued he employed his whole forces against the Walsh whom he earnestly pursued never desisting vntill he had pierced into the verie vtmost limits of Wales vpon the Westerne Sea This fortunate proceeding bred both enuy and iealousie in diverse Princes of the land specially in Bernulph the governour of the English-Mercians who thought it a necessarie point of policie to make opposition betimes lest the West-Saxons growing too great the Principality of Mercia might be endangered considering withall that it would be more advantageable to make an offensive warre then to rest meerely vpon defence wherein the perill and hazard was likely to be as great as in the other the gaine and glory much lesse Herevpon he entred the Province of the West-Saxons with a huge armie consisting of men for the most part vnmeete for militarie service as being by long ease and idlenesse corrupted and become faint hearted and vnwealdie so that at the first assault made by their enemies they turned their backs and being confounded by their owne numbers were over whelmed one vpon an other in their flight The fortune of this battaile did cut in sunder the verie sinewes of the Mercian government which soone after as vnable to support it self any longer fell to the principalitie of the West-Saxons And now Egbert conceaving hope of like successe in attempting the Conquest of the other provinces and knowing well that the Kentish Prince was then scarce setled in his government and hated of his subjects he supposed a fit oportunitie was offered to bring that part of the I le also vnder subjection and thereupon sent his sonne with an armie to invade it
readinesse Then giving the signe of battell he assailed the Rampire and brake it disordering the Britans who being stricking with a kind of remorse for their rebellious attempts and seeing the passages stopped vp on al sides shewed verie great courage and valour in defending themselves as it falleth out oft times where extremitie of danger it selfe takes away all feare of danger In this fight M. Ostorius the Lievtenants sonne was crowned with an Oken Garland as an honourable reward for saving a Roman Citizen Now by the slaughter of the Icenians the rest of the Britans who stood vpon doubtfull termes as wavering betweene warre and peace were well quieted and Ostorius led his armie against the Cangi whose country he spoyled and wasted while the inhabitants durst not come into the field but privily surprised such as they found stragling behind the Roman armie which was now come neere the sea coast that lookes toward Ireland whenas certaine tumults stirred among the Brigantes brought backe the General who thought it best not to enter into any new action before he had made all sure in those parts howbeit vpon his comming thither some few of the Brigantes that first began to take armes being taken and put to death the residue were pardoned and the Countrey quieted For the Generall wisely considering that in such cases lenitie sometimes prevaileth where force and rigor cannot did seeke to win favour of the Britans by curteous vsage of such as either fled vnto him for protection or else by the fortune of warre fell into his hands sometimes pardoning them sometimes rewarding them and sometimes vsing them in service against their owne nation as he did Cogidunus a British Prince vpon whom he had bestowed certaine Cities in free gift according to an ancient custome among the Romans who vsed even Kings themselves for instruments of bondage But the south- Silures could neither by crueltie nor faire meanes be held in so as the Generall saw there was no way to keepe them vnder but with a garrison of Legionarie Souldiers and to that end the Colonie at Camalodunum consisting of a strong companie of old Souldiers was brought into the subdued Country to defend it against such as should rebell and to make the confederates more willing to live in obedience CHAP. XIIII Ostorious the Roman Generall maketh warre vpon the Silures and Ordovices the ancient Inhabitants of South-wales and North-wales Caractacus their captaine being overthrowne in battaile flieth for succor to Cartismandua the Princesse of the Brigantes who then inhabited that part of the Ile which now conteyneth the counties of Yorke Lancaster Durham Westmerland and Cumberland He is betraied and delivered to Ostorius THen the armie marched against the Silures who besides their naturall boldnes relied much vpon the strength of Caractacus their leader a man that had waded through great dangers and had bin fortunate in many adventures having gotten thereby such reputation as he was preferred before all the British captaines But as in policie and knowledge of the country he had an advantage of the Romans so perceiving himselfe to be vnequally matched in strength he removed the warre to the Ordovices who entring into the action with him as fearing alike the Roman power resolved ioyntly to hazard the chaunce of warre And hereupon they prepared for battell having chosen a place verie commodious for themselves and disadvantageable for their enemies Then they went to the top of an hill and where they found any easy passage vp they stopped the way with heapes of stones in maner of a rampire Not farre off ran a River with an vncertaine foord where vpon the banke a company of the best souldiers were placed for a defence in the fore-ward The leaders went about exhorting and encouraging the common souldiers vsing such perswasions as might best fit their humors and the present occasion and Caractacus himselfe coursing vp and downe protested that that day and that battel should be either the beginning of recoverie of libertie or of perpetuall servitude Then he called vpon the names of his auncesters that had chased Caesar the Dictator out of the I le and had delivered them from hatchets and Tributes and protected their wives and children from shame and violence While he vttered these or the like speeches the people round about him made a noyse and euerie man sware according to the religion of his Country that neither their enemies weapons nor their owne wounds should make them to give over That cheerfull crie terrified and astonied the Roman Generall and the rather when he considered how he was couped in having the river beneath him the fort before him the high hils hanging over it and all things on euerie side threatning daunger and destruction to the assailers Howbeit his souldiers demaunded the battell crying That there was nothing which valour could not overcome The Prefects and Tribunes vsing the like speeches added courage to the rest Then Ostorius having viewed the places of difficult accesse led his Souldiers being hot and eagre of the fight vnto the further side of the river and from thence to the Rampire where while they fought with their Darts they had the woorst but having broken downe the rude compacted heape of stones with a Testudo and both armies comming to handie strokes vpon equal advauntage the Britans turned their backs and ran to the hill top the Romans pursuing them both with their light and heauie armed souldiers the one assailing with darts and the other as they marched thicke togither breaking the ranks and beating downe the barbarous people who had neither head-peece nor armor to defend themselves so that being hedged in betweene the Legionarie souldiers and the Auxiliaries the greatest part of them were slaine in the place At this assault Caractacus his wife and daughter were taken prisoners and his brethren yeelded to the enemies but himselfe driven to extremitie escaped by flight into the Countrie of the Brigantes hoping to receive some aide of Cartismandua the soveraigne Lady there But as it falleth out commonly with men in adversitie to be forsaken and left succorlesse so insteed of finding the reliefe which he expected he fell into the danger which he little doubted For Cartismandua either fearing her owne estate or thinking to win favour of the Conqueror as Princes oft times make vse of one anothers misfortunes to serve their own turnes detained him in prison a while and afterward delivered him to Ostorius who was exceeding glad that he had gotten him and forthwith sent him to Rome as a prize of great worth and the happie fruits of nine yeares service in the warres CHAP. XV. Caractacus the British Prince is sent to Rome and presented there before Claudius the Emperour His habite speech and behaviour He is pardoned and dismissed THe report of Caractacus misfortune was soone spred throughout the Iles and Provinces adioyning for his name was renowmed in most parts of Italie and each man desired to see him
Coelestine bishop of Rome to the Irish and Scottish-men inhabiting the Iles of the Orcades and Hebredes to instruct them in the Christian faith and to confirme them therein against the Pelagian heresie Bacchiarius the Scholler of Patricius was brought vp in Rome and lived in great favour with the Bishop of that place Leo the first Dubrius who as some write was Archbishop of Chester Legâ—â— of the Sea Apostolike Primate of all Britannie He gave over his Ecclesiasticall dignities and betooke himselfe to an Eremiticall life Congellus the first Abbot of the Monasterie of Bangor about the yeare 530. David Menevensis the vncle as some writers report of the warre-like Prince Arthur translated the Archbishoprike from Chester to Saint Davids in Wales whereupon that Sea is called to this day of his name Menevensis Kentegernus a learned Abbot Helmothus Gyldas a Monke of Bangor and a writer of some part of the British storie Daniel the first Bishop of Bangor Sampson the successor of David Menevensis in the Bishoprike of Saint Davids Elnodugus Assaph the Scholler of Abbot Kentegerne who was made Bishop of Elgoa in Wales which place was afterwards called Assaph according to his name which it continueth to this present He was the first that received his authoritie and consecration from those religious men that were sent by Gregorie the Great to preach the Christian faith to the English Nation Herlanus Elbodus Dinothus Abbot of Bangor in the time of Austen the Monke Samuel Nivius THE SECOND PART of the Historie of Great Britannie The first Booke VORTIGER VLT PRINC BRIT The first CHAPTER A repetition of the Contents of the former part A briefe Relation of the condition of the Britans vnder the Picts and Scottishmen from the Romans departure thence vntill the beginning of the raigne of Vortiger the last Brittish Prince THe Conquest of Britannie as hath beene afore shewed was first attempted by the Romans in the time of Iulius Caesar whose short aboad in the I le and occasions of imploiment else-where would not permit him to go forward therewith After him Caius the Emperor vpon lightnesse and ambition pretended a voyage thither which Claudius his successor prosecuted with effect for he entred the Iland in his owne person and subdued a small part thereof which he brought into the forme of a Province placing there Aulus Plautius the first Lievtenant vnder whom Vespasian and Titus his sonne being then but private men bare office in the camp Thence-forth men of special note regard were commonly sent thither namely Ostorius Scapula that tamed the Silures and Ordovices and tooke Caractacus their Captaine prisoner Suetonius Paulinus that conquered the I le of Anglesey and recovered the Province well neere lost by the generall revolt of the Britans Petilius Cerealis that brought the Brigantes vnder subjection Iulius Agricola who enlarged the limits of the Province and marched with his forces even to Caledonia making the Romans Lords in a maner of the whole Iland as commanding all both by sea and land Within few yeares after Adrian the Emperor himselfe having transported an armie thither to expell the Picts north Britans that then invaded the Province began first of all to reare a Wall of Turfes to defend it and this example Lollius Vrbicus the Lievtenant vnder Antoninus Pius advisedly following raised another wall also of like stuffe to strengthen the borders with a double rampire which fortresses the Northern Britans boldly assailed greatly annoying the Province till by Vlpius Marcellus they were opposed and repulsed After whose departure there chanced in the Roman Campe diverse mutinies which Pertinax that soone after obtained the Empire fortunately appeased Then lived the Britans in peace for a time till Clodius Albinus the Lievtenant affecting innovation in the state and presuming vpon the strength and valour of the armie in Britannie assumed there the title of Caesar and carried over with him into France a great number of the most warlike Britans to renforce his armie for support of his vsurped Soveraigntie by which meanes the Province was much weakned and the Picts encouraged againe to assaile it Severus the Emperour also for desire of glorie made a voiage thither with Caracalla and Geta his two sonns and successors in the Empire intending the conquest of the most remote and Northerne part of the I le beyond Adrians wall but his ill successe in the beginning and despaire of better made him soone give over the enterprise and to retire himselfe vnto the borders of the Province where having repaired the decayed wall and cut a trench thwart the I le from sea to sea he ended his life at Yorke What was done there from the time of Caracalla to Gallienus the Emperour whose state as well in Britannie as other places was disturbed by the Thirtie Tyrants the hystories now extant make little mention till Carausius the Admirall of the Brittish fleete and after him Alectus vsurped the Empire in Britannie at what time Constantius Caesar ruled the Province and afterwards dying there left it as a member of the Empire to his sonne Constantine surnamed the Great who was first declared Emperor in Britannie whence he transported no small number of the Inhabitants that had beene trained vp vnder the Roman Legions there to make warre in France and Germanie which were then in Armes for Maxentius After the death of Constantine the discord betweene his three sonnes gave advantage also to Magnentius Taporus whose father was a Britan to vsurpe the Empire in Britannie and even then was the Province in danger to have beene over-run by the Scottish-men and Picts if Theodosius had not providently repressed their furie Clemens Maximus in like maner vpon emulation of Theodosius glory attempted the Empire and shipped over the flower of all Britannie into Belgia and France where such as escaped the sword of the enemie did afterwards seat themselves leaving to their posteritie the continuance of their name in that place even to this day Then ensued confusion of all things in Britannie the Souldiers there swaying them at their owne will now naming Emperours then deposing them againe and declaring others in their stead among whom they proclaimed one Constantine for the names sake onely a man fatally ordained to be the instrument of the subversion of the Province For by transporting into France the remnant of the Brittish Souldiers he vtterly dis-furnished it and laid it open to all oportunities of annoyance by the Picts and Scottish-men who afterwards waxing insolent with their prosperous successe in subduing a great part of the Province and now and then falling at variance and open warre among themselves about the distribution of such spoyles and booties as they had taken did thereby give intermission and time of breathing to the distressed Britans that stood for the most part vpon doubtfull termes as wavering betweene hope and despaire and yet sometimes like men not vtterly dejected or neglecting occasions of advantage when they were offered
perhaps most fit to avoid contention which many times ariseth among great spirits about superioritie of place These Knights were commonly chosen for their valour and skill in feats of Armes wherein they strived vpon emulation one to excel another Into this societie were admitted strangers of divers Nations who for desire of glory came over into the Iland to make proofe of their sufficiency by exercise of armes with the Brittish Knights For Arthur himself by vndertaking great difficult enterprises in forraigne Countries after he had subdued the Saxons in Britannie made his name no lesse famous abroad then at home Touching his birth some have doubted whether he were a Roman or a Britan though the Britans challenge him for their Countryman confidently affirming that he was borne at Tyndagel in Cornewall and surely if the acts of such worthy men as at sundry times were transported out of the I le to aide the Romans in the wane of the Westerne Empire had beene faithfully registred the glorie of the Brittish Nation might well have been preserved from all suspition of vntruth without the support of forged and fabulous inventions As for the place where he died or the manner of his death I find no certaine report concerning the same in any approved Writer But his body was buried at Glastenbury betweene two Pyramides where the enscription of his name engraven vpon a leaden Crosse was discovered many hundred yeares after his death namely in the raigne of King Henry the second who having some intelligence of the place by the songs of the Brittish Bards commanded it to be digged and the Monument to be sought for Divers strange and incredible things to the prejudice of posteritie have beene written of this Prince of Queene Guinever his wife of Gawen his sisters sonne and of Merlin a phantastical Prophet with others commonly called Wandring Knights matters indeede more fit for feined Legends and poeticall fictions then for a Historie which ought to be a Register of things either truely done or at least warrantable by probabilitie And albeit those ridiculous and absurd reports of idle Writers doe seeme to have repaired the reputation of this Prince and to have called in question the truth it selfe so farre forth as some have doubted whether there were ever any such man or not yet divers Authors of good regard pittying his misfortune in that behalfe have both confirmed his being and commended him as a great souldier and the chiefe pillar of the State of Britannie in his time CHAP. IX The Britans flie into Wales and Cornewall where they seate themselves The Saxons and English possesse the greatest part of the I le which is afterwards divided into severall Principalities AFter the death of the noble Prince Arthur the hope of the Britans was cleane abated and a great number of them fled secretly into Wales and Cornewall as places furthest off from annoyance by the enemie and naturally defensible by reason of the bogges woods and high mountaines on the one side and the seas on the other Then the Saxons finding little or no resistance began in processe of time to erect certaine Provinciall governments in the South parts of the I le in the end divided the whole Land excepting that portion which the Scottishmen and Picts inhabited Northward into seven Principalities which were severed by certaine limits and governed for the most part by Princes according to order of succession till by making continuall warre one vpon another and the Provinces subdued augmenting the Dominions of the Conqueror the whole land was in the end brought into a Monarchy by the West Saxons But in what manner these things were done the Writers of former ages have much varied and the actions and events of those times being set downe so darkely and corruptly that I purposed to have omitted the relation of them as a hard and vnpleasant taske for me to vndertake and likely to receive small approbation of others if I had not beene thereto induced partly for respect of order which required a continuation and partly vpon desire to preserve the memory of some men whose names as marks of our Christianitie imposed vpon vs in our baptisme and registred in our calenders Churches are at this day in some vse with vs deserving well considering the state and condition of that age not to be altogether forgotten howsoever their doings through the negligence or ignorance of some Writers have beene left to posteritie as records of Antiquitie farced with absurdities and composed meerely of fragmâ—nts peeced together sometimes without method and for the most part without due coherence of circumstances and matters For many of those Writers being Monks and religious persons vnacquainted with matters of estate applyed themselves for the most part to register the charitable deeds of their Bishops and benefactors founders and maintainers of Monasteries and Hospitalls or such like generall observations and if aught were well written by any secular man the same hath perished by the many calamities of the Country a thing common to vs with other Nations or Time it selfe hath worn out in a manner the remembrance thereof I purpose therefore to make onely a bare and simple narration of the names of the Princes and to point out the most memorable things as I finde them reported in their severall raignes distinguishing the Principalities themselves and relating successively one after another such actions as for the most part concurred in time whereby though I shall be sometimes forced to report the same matters yet I shall more easily avoide confusion and obscuritie which the handling of them all joyntly would bring with it And so superficially passing over these imperfect affaires of the seven-fold regiment of the Saxons and English I will hasten to the occurrents of those times which afford more certaine and plentifull matter of discourse and may yeeld perhaps some contentation to the Writer and more profite and delight to the Reader The end of the First Booke of the Second Part of the Historie of Great Britannie ⧠The suceession of the Kentish-Saxon Princes 1 HEngist ruled 31. yeares 2 Vsk 24. yeares 3 Otta 20. yeares 4 Ermeric 29. yeares 5 Ethelbert the first Christian Prince 26. years 6 Edbald 24. yeares 7 Eâ—combert 24. yeares 8 Egbert 9. yeares 9 Lothar 12. yeares 10 Edrick 2 yeares 11 Withred 33. yeares 12 Edbert 23. yeares 13 Edelbert 11. yeares 14 Alric 34. yeares ⧠The Archbishops and Bishops in the Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons the times of their succession and continuance in their Seas from the conversion of the English Nation to Christianity vntill the raâ—gne of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince who first obtained the Monarchy Anno Dom. Archbishops of Canterbury 598 Augustine the Monke sent by Gregorie the Great then Bishop of Rome to preach the Christian faith to the English sate 16. yeares 614 Laurentius 5. yeares 619 Mellitus translated from the Sea of London 5. yeares 624 Iustus translated from the Sea of Rochester
successe till by the perfidious dealing of Offa the Mercian Prince he was shamefully murdered For being betrothed to Alfride the daughter of Offa who ambitiously affected the Principality of the East-Angles he was vnder colour of friendship invited to a feast where Offa by the perswasion of his wife commanded his head to be cut off and his body to be buried in the banke of a river By this dishonourable act the Mercians obtained the Province But Offa being afterwards touched with sorrow and compunction of heart for committing it caused Ethelberts body to be taken vp and to be conveied to the Citie of Hereford not farre from the place where he was slaine and there to be very solemnly enterred supposing thereby to expiate in part the guilt of his former offence Afterwards a Church was there built and dedicated to Ethelbert by the name of a Saint Then Offa vndertooke a voyage to the Holy-land and passing through Saxony was there received with great ioy by Alkemond the King his kinsman and Syware his wife at that time he adopted Edmund the son of Alkemond to be his heire and to succeede him in the Principalitie of the East-Angles which did soone after fall vnto him for Offa in his returne from the Holy-land ended his life at Port St. George whereupon Edmund speedily repaired into Britannie where he was received by the East-Angles as their Prince In his time Hinguar Hubba the two Danish Pirates invaded Northumberland and Hinguar having enriched himselfe with the spoyles of that Country sailed towards the coast of the East-Angles where afterwards landing hee surprized their chiefe Citie consuming it by fire The Citizens also without respect of age or sect he cruelly murdered and in the end tooke Edmund the Prince whom first the Pagan Danes perswaded to renounce the profession of Christianitie But when they could neither by promises of assurance of life and safetie nor by threats and terror of death prevaile with him therein they beate him with staves scourged him with whips and vsed him with all kindes of barbarous in civilitie and crueltie which the religious Prince with great meekenesse and patience endured cheerefully calling vpon the name of Iesus as reioycing for his sake to suffer those torments and indignities The Pagans seeing his great constancie and courage were transported with furie and at the last wounded him with their shafts which they shot at him till his body was covered over with them Theâ— they cut off his head and cast it into a bush His body being afterwards found was enterred at Bury in folke where a goodly Monastery was erected and â—â—â—dicated to him the ruines therof remaining yet to this day After his death the Principalitie of the East-Angles was possessed by the Danes about 50. yeares till Edward the sonne of Etheldred the West-Saxon Prince expulsing them annexed both that Province the country of the East-Saxons adjoyning to it vnto his owne government ⧠The succession of the Princes of the Northumbers 1 Ida. 2 Alla. 3 Ethelrick the younger sonne of Ida. 4 Ethelfrid the brother of Ethelrick 5 Edwin the first Christian Prince 6 Osric 7 Eanfrid 8 Oswald the Martyr brother of Eanfrid 9 Oswin the brother of Oswald the Martyr 10 Adilwald the sonne of Oswald the Martyr 11 Egfrid the sonne of Adilwald 12 Alfred the bastard sonne of Oswin 13 Osred the sonne of Alfred 14 Osric 15 Kenred 16 Ceolnulph 17 Egbert 18 Oswolf 19 Moll 20 Alered 21 Etheldred 22 Aelfwold 23 Osred ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the Northumbers Arch-bishops of Yorke 625 Paulinus sate nine yeares 666 Cedda three yeares 669 Wilfrid nine yeares 678 Bosa nine yeares 687 Wilfrid restored foure yeares 691 Bosa fourteene yeares 705 Ioannes sixteene yeares 721 Wilfridus two yeares 738 Egbertus nine and twenty yeares 767 Ethelbertus thirteene yeares 780 Eanbaldus 1. sixteene yeares 796 Eanbaldus 2. sixteene yeares Bishops of Lindisfarn Holy-Iland 635 Aidanus sate seventeene yeares 652 Finanus nine yeares 661 Colmannus three yeares 664 Tuda two yeares 666 Cedda three yeares 669 Wilfridus nine yeares 678 Eata five yeares 685 Cuthbertus two yeares 687 Wilfridus restored one yeare 688 Eadbertus ten yeares 698 Eadfridus twentie three years 721 Aethelwoldus nineteen years 740 Kinewulfus thirty nine years 779 Higbaldus twenty foure years Bishops of Haugustald Hexham 678 Eata sate two yeares 680 Tumbertus five yeares 686 Ioannes one yeare 687 Wilfridus foure yeares 691 Ioannes after Wilfrids expulsion 705 Wilfrid restored foure yeares 709 Acca thirtie yeares 739 Frithebertus twenty seven yeares 766 Alhmundus fourteene yeares 780 Tilherus nine yeares 789 Aethelbertus eight yeares 797 Heardredus three yeares 800 Heanbertus ten yeares Bishops of Whit-hern in Scotland 723 Pethelmus sate thirteene yeares 736 Frithewaldus twenty seven yeares 763 Pechtwinus fourteene yeares 777 Aethelbertus thirteene yeares 790 Beadwulfus CHAP. I. The Principalitie of the Northumbers divided into two Provinces namely Deira and Bernitia which are vnited by Ethelrick Ethelfrid defeateth the Britans and killeth the Monks of Bangor Edwin the first Christian Prince Paulinus preacheth the faith to the Northumbers and hath a Sea assigned him at Yorke The death of Edwin THe Principalitie of the Northumbers extended northward over all that part of the land which at this day containeth the Counties of Lancaster Yorke Durham Cumberland Westmerland and Northumberland all which were possessed by the Angles and divided into two Regiments whereof the one was called Deira and the other Bernitia Bernitia was bounded with the river Tyne and Edenborough Firth and Deira with the Tyne and Humber When Hengist was setled in the possession of the Kentish governement he sent Octa his brother and Ebusa his sonne to vndertake the conquest of those parts which with verie much difficultie they obtained The Province afterwardes during the space of ninetie and nine yeares was governed by certaine Dukes or Captaines who held the same by homage of the Kentish-Saxons About the yeare of grace 547. Ida erected a Principalitie in Deira and Alla his kinsman succeeded him therein for at that time Adda the eldest sonne of Ida ruled the Bernicians Alla governed Deira many yeares but little mention is made of him save onely that in his time the English Nation was first made knowne to Gregorie then Arch-deacon of the Sea Apostolike who being afterwards Bishop of Rome sent Augustin the Monke into Britannie to preach the Gospel of Christ vnto the inhabitants there Ethelrick the younger sonne of Ida succeeded Alla in the government of Deira and in short time adioyned thereto the Province of Bernicia making of them both one entire Principality which he left to Ethelfrid his brother Ethelfrid was a valiant and victorious Prince Hee made continuall warre vppon the Britans that inhabited the borders of his Province and chasing them from their habitations planted his owne subjects therein But Aidan the King of Scots suspecting the neighbourhoode of so mightie an enemie assayed by force