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
Arviragus a Britan by birth and education did governe as King part of the I le of Britannie the Romans accounting it a poynt of policie to permit the Britans sometimes to be ruled by Princes of their owne Nation whose ayde and counsaile they might vse vpon occasions to the pacifying of rebellions and the establishing of their owne greatnesse For the common people whose affection doth oft times sway the fortunes of great Princes are much more easily brought vnder the obedience of their own Country-men then of strangers The end of the second Booke of the first Part of the Historie of Great Britannie The succession of the Roman Emperors from Nerva Cocceius vnto Honorius in whose time the Romans gave over the government of Britannie 13 Nerva Cocceius raigned one yeare and foure Moneths 14 Vlpius Trajanus a Spaniard nineteene yeares and six moneths 15 Aelius Adrianus twentie yeares 16 Antoninus Pius twentie three yeares 17 M. Aurel Antoninus Philosophus nineteene yeares L Verus his Collegue in the Empire 18 Aurel. Commodus the sonne of Antoninus Philosophus thirteene yeares 19 Aelius Pertinax six moneths 20 Didius Iulianus seven moneths 21 Septimius Severus Brit eighteene yeares Pessenius Niger Vsurpers Clodius Albinus 22 Anton Bassianus Caracalla Brit the eldest sonne of Sept Severus six yeares Geta Caesar Brit. the yonger sonne of Sept. Severus 23 Opilius Macrinus one yeare and two moneths 24 Varius Heliogabalus the base son of Caracalla 4. year 25 Alexander Severus a kinsman of Heliogab 13. year 26 Iul Maximinus three yeares Caesars elected Balbinus Pupienus 27 Gordianus the father with his two sonnes and his Nephew six yeares C. Valens Hostilianus Caesar. 28 Philippus the Arabian five yeares 29 Decius Trajanus two yeares 30 Vibius Pallus Hostilianus with his sonne Volusianus two yeares 31 Aemilius of Mauritania three moneths 32 Licinius Valerianus fifteene yeares 33 Gallienus the sonne of Valerianus nine yeares Valerianus the brother of Gallienus Caesar. Cassus Labienus Posthumus Caes. 34 Flavius Claudius two yeares 35 Aurelius Quintillus the brother of Claudius 17. daies 36 Valerius Aurelianus five yeares and six moneths 37 Tacitus six moneths 38 Annius Florianus the brother of Tacitus sixtie dayes 39 Valerius Probus six yeares and foure moneths 40 Carus Narbonensis two yeares Caesars the sonnes of Carus Numerianus Carinus 41 Dioclesianus twentie yeares Maximianus Herculeius Caesar. 42 Constantius Chlorus foure yeares 43 Galerius Maximus eleven yeares Caesars Severus Maximianus 44 Maxentius the sonne of Maximian six yeares 45 Licinius fourteene yeares 46 Constantinus Magnus thirtie yeares Magnentius Vsurper The three sonnes of Constantine the Great Constantinus Constans 47 Costantius 24. yeares 48 Iulianus Apostata one yeare six moneths 49 Iovinianus eight moneths 50 Valentinianus twelve yeares Valens his brother Caesar. 51 Gratianus six yeares Valentinianus Caesar. Theodosius Caesar. 52 Theodosius three yeares 53 Arcadius thirteene yeares 54 Honorius twentie eight yeares ⧠Lievtenants in Britannie from Nerva Cocceius his entrance into the Government of the Empire vntill the raigne of Honorius the Emperour Lievtenants vnder the Emperours Nerva and Traianus ¶ There is no mention of any Lievtenants in Britannie during the time of their government Lievetenants vnder Adrian Brit. ¶ Iulius Severus ¶ Priscus Licinius Lievtenants vnder Antoninus Pius ¶ Lollius Vrbicus Brit. Lievtenants vnder Antoninus Philosophus ¶ Calphurnius Agricola Lievtenants vnder Commodus ¶ Vlpius Marcellus ¶ Helvius Pertinax ¶ Clodius Albinus ¶ Iunius Severus Lievtenants vnder Pertinax ¶ Clodius Albinus Lievtenants vnder Did Iulianus ¶ Clodius Albinus Lievtenants vnder Sept. Severus Brit. ¶ Heraclianus ¶ Virius Lupus From the time of Bassianus Caracalla the Successor of Severus vnto Constantine the great there is no mention in approoved Histories of any Lievtenants in Britannie Deputies vnder Constantine the Great ¶ Pacatianus Deputies vnder Constantius the yongest sonne of Constantine the Great ¶ Martinus ¶ Alipius Deputies vnder Honorius ¶ Chrysanthus ¶ Victorinus Princes and secular men of speciall note among the Britans In the time of Calphurnius Agricolaes government vnder M. Aur. Antoninus Philosophus Lucius surnamed Lever-Maur the first Christian Prince in Britannie In the raigne of Aurelianus Bonosus Vsurper of the Empire in Britannie In the raigne of Constantius the yongest sonne of Constantine the Great Magnentius Taporus vsurper of the Empire in Britannie  Archbishops of London from the time of Lucius vntill the comming in of the Saxons 1 Thean 2 Clavus 3 Cador. 4 Obinns 5 Conanus 6 Paladius 7 Stephanus 8 Iltut 9 Dedwinus 10 Thedredus 11 Hillarius 12 Guidilinus 13 Vodinus who lived when the Saxons first entred the land THE FIRST PART The third Booke IMP NERVA CAES AVG P. M. TR P. P. P. CHAP. I. Nerva Cocceius succeedeth Domitian in the Empire leaving the same soone after to Vlpius Trajanus Adrianus the successour of Trajan sendeth Iulius Severus into Britannie to defend the borders of the Province against the incursions of the Northern Britans The Emperour himselfe with an Army entreth the Iland and buildeth there a wall of Turves for defence of the Province Licinius Priscus is Governour of Britannie HItherto hath beene declared the successe of times and affaires in Britannie vnder the first twelve Emperours of Rome the same being recorded by such Writers as had best meanes to vnderstand the truth thereof and were the principall Registrers of things done by the Romans in those times As for the occurrents ensuing the death of Domitian vntill the raigne of Honorius in whose time the Roman governement ceased they are imperfectly reported or a great part of them meerely omitted so that I am forced of many things to make onely a bare and briefe relation as vnwilling by adding or diminishing to alter in substance what Antiquitie hath left vs or to fill vp blancks with conjectures or projects of mine owne invention And therefore howsoever this Booke following which comprehendeth the acts of many more yeares then the former may seeme to carry with it a kinde of disproportion from the other two and likewise in respect of the stile and composition to be somewhat differing from them yet the cause thereof ought to be imputed to the very matters themselves being for the most part fragments and naked memorialls the loose ends of Time without observation of circumstances or congruitie in substance which will hardly admit any method fitting a continuate History And I owe so much love and reverence to Truth as I would rather expose her in the meanest and worst habit that Time hath left her then by disguising her to abuse the world and make her seeme a counterfet DOmitian the Emperour being slaine Nerva Cocceius a Prince much honored for his vertues succeeded in the Empire But in what estate the affaires of Britannie then stood the histories of those times make no mention either for that the Emperour being a man stricken in yeares and disposed to ease and quietnesse employed himselfe rather in reforming abuses at home then in maintaining warre abroad or else for that the
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
shaken with the blasts of schisme and division might easily miscarry for want of a Pastor he thought good while he lived to provide for it by appointing Laurence a grave and learned Priest to succeede him in the Sea of Canterbury and having to that end elected him and caused the election to be published he departed this life His body was buried in his owne Monastery within the Church which Ethelbert had there erected and an inscription in Latine was set over the place of his buriall declaring his name and qualitie and the time occasion and successe of his comming into the I le of Britannie CHAP. VI. Ethelbert the Prince provideth for the maintenance of religious persons Hee ordaineth lawes for civill governement publishing the same in the English tongue Edbald his sonne succeedeth him in the Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons His Apostacie Repentance Death IN the meane while Ethelbert the Prince persisting with great devotion in the profession of the Christian faith did move very many of his subiects to follow his example therein and such persons as professors of one faith with him he vsed with speciall favour the rest that refused to doe the like he would not compell saying that he had beene taught that The service of Christ must be voluntarie and not forced And as he was very forward in advancing and supporting the State ecclesiasticall so he was not altogether carelesse of the civill governement For by advice of the wisest and best learned men of his Province he made certaine constitutions after the manner of the Romans and published them in the English tongue to the end his people might vnderstand them and by knowing the penalties imposed vpon offences more readily avoid the offences themselves By these lawes he provided first for the weale and safegard of religious persons ordaining restitution and severe punishment for such as by theft or violence tooke away anything from Churches Bishops or Priests For he thought it very meete that he should by all meanes protect and prefer from worldly annoyance such men as watched and prayed for the health salvation of soules And thus spending the rest of his time in the exercise of pietie and all princely vertues after he had prosperously raigned many years he ended his daies in peace He had issue Edbald who succeeded him in the governement and Ethelburga married to Edwin Prince of Northumbers Edbald was by his fathers direction trained vp in the knowledge of the Christian faith which after he had obtained the Principalitie hee vtterly renounced being otherwise also defamed for divers notorious and detestable vices whereby the greater number of his subjects following his example returned againe to idolatry and ran head-long into all kinds of enormity from which in his fathers time rather feare of temporall punishment then love of vertue and religion restrained them Heereupon Iustus the Bishop of Rochester and Melitus the Bishop of London perceiving this generall defection in the Provinces both of the Kentish and East-Saxons by reason of Edbalds Apostacie and being vnable eyther to direct or to oppose themselves against the streame of superstition which sodainely brake in vpon them gave way to the time and secretly fled into France where they remained till Edbalds conversion Laurence the Arch-bishop also intended to have followed them but that he was admonished by a vision as it is reported that hee should not forsake his flocke In the meane time Edbald continuing his profane and vicious manner of living fell at the last through distemperature of minde into a frenzie being also possessed with an vncleane spirit When the Arch-bishop of Canterbury taking courage as in a good cause repaired boldly vnto him partly by admonition partly by exhortation prevailed so farre with the Prince as in the end he wan him to approve and professe the truth of Christianitie from which by infidelitie he had fallen whereupon soone after ensued the recoverie of his bodily health which by many grievous infirmities had beene a long time much empaired The remnant of his life after he was rebaptized he spent in devotion and deeds of charity to expiate and make satisfaction for his former impietie and Apostacie CHAP. VII Ercombert succeedeth Edbald in the Principality The institution of Lent Honorius the Arch-bishop of Canterbury divideth his Province into Parishes Deusdedit succeedeth Honorius in the Sea of Canterbury Egbert ruleth the Kentish-Saxons after the death of Ercombert Theodorus the Arch-bishop of Canterbury expelleth Wilfrid out of the Sea of York His learning in Divinitie and Philosophie His estimation in the Court of Rome THen Ercombert his son by Emma the daughter of the King of France a temperate and religious Prince prosecuted the worke which his father had begun in reestablishing the Christian faith within his Dominions The idolatrous Priests he banished razing their Temples to the ground and erecting others for the service of the true God The subjects of his Realme being much inclined to excesse in eating and drinking he restrained by commanding a publike fast during the space of fortie daies to be yeerely kept for the better exercise of devotion which custome continueth among the English even to this day The Church of Canterburie was governed in his time by Honorius who first as it is reported divided his Province into Parishes and left his Sea to Deus-dedit the first Saxon Arch Bishop the former being strangers of other nations his owne name was Frithona which for his zealous inclination towardes the advancement of the Church and Common-weale was changed into Deus-dedit as the man whom God himselfe had specially given After him Wighard was elected but died at Rome before his consecration Ercombert the Prince having peaceably ruled the Kentish Saxons about foure and twenty yeares ended his life when the continuance thereof was most desired He had by Sexourga one of the daughters of Anna Prince of the East-Angles a sonne named Egbert that succeeded him in the governement Egbert ruled the Kentish-Saxons with great moderation and had not his hands beene defiled with the innocent blood of Elbert and Egelbright his cosin germans he might worthily have beene registred in the number of their best princes In his time there lived Adrianus the Abbot and Theodorus a Graecian borne then Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the last of those that came out of Italie They were men of speciall regard for their learning and holinesse of life This Theodorus began first of all others to exercise his Pontificall authoritie over all Britannie placing and displacing Bishops at his pleasure consecrating contrary to ordinances of the church of Rome Bishops of other Seas in the Citie of Yorke and either by force or shew of right removing first Cedda and afterwards Wilfrid who had bin Bishops of that place pretending that the wealth and possessions of that Bishopricke alone were sufficient to maintaine three Bishops and that it was meete they should be divided accordingly but whether he did it for the selfe same end that
vntill the time of Totta 737 Totta twentie seven yeares 764 Edbertus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince fortie three yeares CHAP. I. The principalitie of the Mercians erected by Creda the Saxon. Penda persecuteth the Christians in his Province Peda succeedeth Penda his father in the government He marrieth the daughter of Oswin Prince of the Northumbers and receiveth the Christian faith THe middle part of the I le of Britannie containing at this day the Counties of Glocester Hereford Worcester Salop Chester Stafford Bathe Warwicke Leycester Rutland Nottingham Northampton Lincoln Huntington Bedford Buckingham Oxenford and part of the Countie of Hertford was in ancient time possessed by the Angles whom the inhabitants of the bordering Provinces round about did then call Mercians It was in circuit of ground much larger then either of the other principalities being at the first diuided into three parts according to the severall situations namely the East West and Middle Mercia The first Prince of the Mercians was Creda who about the yeare of Grace 586. either by his owne force or by the assistance of such Princes of his owne nation as were alreadie established in government expelling the Britans obtained the principalitie After him Wibba his sonne then Ceorla and Penda the sonnes of Wibba ruled successively Penda was a Prince of a hautie spirit and a great persecuter of the Christians he made continuall incursions vpon the borders of his neighbour Princes exercising all kind of crueltie where he vanquished Sebert Egricke and Ana three Religious Princes of the East-Angles were by him overthrowne The Princes of Northumberland Edwin and Oswold he slue in several battels Oswin the successor of Oswald after many assaults offering his richest Iewels and a great summe of monie to redeeme his peace could not procure it For Penda had made a solemne vow that he would never give over the warre till he had rooted out the whole Nation of the Northumbers Heruepon Oswin perceiving himself vnable to make resistance against so power-full an enemie prayed to God for helpe protesting that if he obtained the victorie against the Mercians his daughter Alfrid should be consecrated to serve him in perpetuall virginitie and a great quantitie of land should be assigned for the erection and maintenance of Monasteries both which the successe answering his desire he afterwards performed Peda the eldest sonne of Penda in the life of his father possessed that part of the Province which was called Middle-Mercia He married the daughter of Oswin Prince of the Northumbers vpon condition that he should receive the christian faith whereupon he was baptised by Finan the Bishop of Lindisfarn in the Province of the Northumbers and at his returne into Mercia brought with him certaine Priests to instruct and baptise his people which Penda himself was contented to tollerate either for the affection which he bare vnto Peda his sonne or else for that he could not but approve the conversation of such as taught Subjects to be humble charitable and obedient to their superiors by reason whereof he exercised lesse crueltie against the professors of Christianitie then in former times he had accustomed pursuing onely such persons as bearing the name of Christians lived dishonestly and irreligiously alledging that they who neglected the service of that God in whom alone they professed themselves to beleeve were very wretches and worthie of all kinds of punishment CHAP. II. Oswin Prince of the Northumbers ruleth the Mercians after the death of Peda till he is deposed by Wulfere the brother of Peda. Lichfield is made a Bishops Sea for the Province of the Mercians Chadde is Bishop of that place Wulfere is christned Ethelred his brother succeedeth him in the Principalitie He foundeth a Bishops Sea at Worcester He resigneth his government and goeth to Rome where both himselfe and Kinred his nephew take vpon them the habit of religion Celred his sonne succeedeth him PEnda being slaine in battell and Peda his son made away by the trecherie of his wife Oswin alone possessed the government having at that time also the soueraigntie over the South-Saxons The Picts that forreyed the borders of his Province he in short time reduced to obedience Then he provided for establishment both of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall state advancing the one by execution of Iustice and augmenting the other by large Donations to Religious houses He founded the church of Lichfield which he made the Bishops Sea for the province of Mercia Dwina a Scottish man Bishop of Holy-Iland was made Bishop also of that Province the number of Priests being then so smal that one man had the charge of two Bishoprikes The fift Bishop in succession from Dwina was Cedda a man much reverenced for his holinesse of life and after his death commonly called Saint Chadde But the Mercians desirous to advance Wulfere the brother of Peda to the government conspired against Oswin and expulsed him by force out of the Province which afterwards Wulfere peaceably enioyed Wulfere in the beginning of his raigne was a persecuter of the Christian faith His two sonnes that went to Bishop Chadde to be instructed therein he vnnaturally slue with his owne hands their dead bodies were by Ermenheld the Queene their mother buried in a Sepulchre of stone where afterwards a Church was erected the place by reason of the multitude of stones that were brought thither vpon devotion by the common people gave the name vnto the towne which is at this day called Stone in the Countie of Stafford But Wulfere after his conversion to the Christian faith endevoured as he thought to wipe away the guilt of that bloodie offence with the teares of repentance and satisfactorie works of charitie in erecting Churches and devoting the rest of his life to the service of God whose example therein Ermenheld his wife did follow after his death sequestring her self from the world and taking vpon her the veile in the Nunrie at Ely where Sexburga her mother was Abbesse Ethelred succeeding Wulfere his brother procured a Bishops Sea to be established at Worcester Of that place Bosellus was the first Bishop In his time diverse religious houses were erected as the Monasterie of Euesham then called Hothe-Holme founded by Egwinus the second Bishop of Worcester the priorie of Teuksburie by Odo and Dodo the Monasterie of Glocester by Osreck Bishop of Glocester and divers others The King himselfe having raigned about thirtie yeares became a Monke at Bardony in the Countie of Lincolne and Kinred the sonne of Wulfere his Nephew having enjoyed the governement fiue yeares went to Rome where he tooke vpon him the habite of religion Celred the sonne of Ethelred succeeding him shewed great courage in his warres against Ina the West-Saxon Prince but died before he could finish it CHAP. III. Ethelbald succeedeth Celred in the governement He is reprooved by Bonifacius an Englishman Bishop of Vtricht in Holland for his lascivious life His Repentance Hee erecteth the Monastery of
was buried in the church of Saint Paul in London and then Sigeherd and Seofrid his two sonnes successively ruled the Province of the East-Saxons After them it was governed by Offa the sonne of Sigeherd who married Geneswede the daughter of Penda Prince of the Mercians The possessions belonging to the Church of VVestminster he greatly augmented and resigning the governement to Celred went to Rome where he ended his life in a Religious house Celred succeeded Offa maintaining the state of the Province in peace till in the end he was slaine but in what maner or by whom I find no mention Then Suthred either by right of succession or by election obtained the governement which he enioyed but a short time for Egbert the VVest-Saxon Prince invaded at one time the Provinces both of the East and Kentish Saxons and in the end brought them vnder his subjection albeit the Citie of London remained vnder obedience of the Princes of Mercia so long as that principalitie continued The succession of the Princes of the East-Angles 1 Vffa 2 Titill 3 Redwald an Apostatae 4 Carpenwald the sonne of Redwald 5 Sebert the brother of Carpenwald 6 Egrick the kinsman of Sebert 7 Ana. 8 Athelhere the brother of Ana. 9 Adelwald the sonnes of Athelhere ruled ioyntly Aldulph Elohwold Hisberna 10 Ethelbert 1. 11 Ethelbert 2. 12 Offa. 13 S. Edmund ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the East-Angles 636 Faelix a Burgundian Bishop of Dunwich sate twelve yeares 648 Thomas his Deacon five yeares 653 Bonifacius alias Birtgilsus seventeene yeares 670 Bisi After Bisi the bishopricke was divided into two Seas ¶ Dunwich ¶ North-Elmeham 671 Aecca twentie three yeares Beadwinus 696 Aesculfus twentie foure yeares Northbertus 720 Eadberctus sixteene yeares Heatholacus 736 Cuthwinus eleven yeares Eahelfridus 747 Aldbertus foure yeares Lamfertus 771 Eglafus eight yeares Athelwulfus 779 Eadredus six yeares Hunfertus 785 Althunus three yeares Sibba 788 Titfridus twentie yeares Alherdus CHAP. I. 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 entreth-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 THe Counties of Norfolke Suffolke and Cambridge with the I le of Ely were the ancient habitations of the East-Angles among whom Vffa about the yeare of Grace 492. established a principalitie which he left vnto Tiâ—il of whom little or nothing is recorded save onely the name and title Then Redwald succeeding him entred into league with Edwin advauncing him to the government of the Northumbers after the death of Edelfrid their Prince whom Redwald had slain in battaile He was afterwards by the exhortation of Edwin the Prince converted to Christianitie from which he was within a short time withdrawne by his wiâ—es perswasion though Dorwald one of his sonnes persevering therein was cruelly murdered by Rochbert a Pagan and Carpenwald his other sonne succeeding his father in the government participated with his brother in his fortune for he was slaine by the same man and in the same maner Then Sebert his brother obtained the government During the raigne of Carpenwald he lived as a banished man in France where he was first instructed in the Christian Religion In his time Foelix the Burgundian came into Britannie and made suite to Honorius the Archbishop of Canterburie that he might be licensed to preach the Gospel to the East-Angles whereto the Archbishop approving his zealous intention willingly assented and so the Christian faith within few yeares was dispersed throughout the Province by the diligence and labor of Foelix whom the inhabitants reverenced as a man that being himselfe happie both in name and condition had power also to make others happie He was made Bishop of Dunwich in Suffolke which being then but a small town became afterwards very rich and populous and was governed according to the maner of the ancient and best Cities Many religious houses the fruits of devotion in that age were at sundry times erected in the place There was also a Mint wherein a certaine coine with the inscription of the name of the Citie was stamped But time hath worne out in a maner the remembrance of these things at this day and the sea hath devoured the greatest part of the building It continued an entire Bishops Sea but a while for Bisi the fourth Bishop in succession from Foelix divided it into two Bishopricks the one of Dunwich the other of Holinham In the meane time Sebert imitating the example of the Kentish Saxons provided meanes that the children born within his Dominions might be trained vp in learning and religion erecting Schooles and allowing stipends for the maintenance of Teachers He was also a great benefactor to Hospitals and Religious houses and in the end resigning the government to Egrick his kinsman hee entred into a Monasterie whereof himselfe had beene the founder and there remained peaceably till by the treacherous practise of Athelhere one of his nobilitie Penda the Mercian Prince with an armie of Pagans invaded his Province for then was hee forcibly drawne thence by his owne subjects who finding themselves too weake to resist their enemies brought Sebert himselfe into the field supposing perhaps that his personall presence would encourage his people to fight with more resolution but in that battaile the East-Angles were overthrowne and both Sebert and Egrick his cosin slaine The like successe in the selfe same manner befell Ana who succeeded Egrick in the Principalitie CHAP. II. Athelhere the brother of Ana ruleth the East-Angles He is slaine by Oswin Prince of the Northumbers S. Ethelbert is murdered 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 governement The Martyrdome of S. Edmund by the Pagan Danes The Monastery of S. Edmunds bury in Suffolke erected The Principalitie of the East-Angles annexed to that of the West-Saxons THen Athelhere the brother to Ana assumed the governement but preventing his time in the getting of it he lost it againe ere he was fully sâ—led for as by combining with Penda the Pagan 〈◊〉 had beene a meanes to hasten the death of his 〈◊〉 hee and kinsman so his owne blood together with Pendaes was soone after shed by Oswin Prince of the Northumbers Adelwald his brother with little better fortune succeeded him leaving the Principalitie to Aldulf Elohwold Hisberna the sonnes of his brother Athelhere who by civill discention supplanting one another made way for Ethelbert to attaine the government Ethelbert by his wife Laonorine had a sonne of his owne name that succeeded him Ethelbert the second was a Prince much renowmed for learning and piety He governed the Province with great wisedome and prosperous
◠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
THE HISTORIE OF Great Britannie Declaring the successe of times and affaires in that Iland from the Romans first entrance vntill the raigne of EGBERT the West-Saxon Prince who reduced the severall Principalities of the Saxons and English into a Monarchie and changed the name of Britannie into England AT LONDON Printed by Valentine Simmes 1606. The Race and Succession of the Roman Emperors from Iulius Caesar to Domitius Nero. Sextus Caesar. 1 Iulius Caesar Dict. Perp. 3. yeares Accius Balbus Iulia. C Octa Presid of Maced Accia Scribonia the sister of L Scribonius Libo the first wife of Aug 2 Oct Augustus Emperour 56. yeares Livia the relict of Nero father of Tiberius the 2 wife of Aug Iulia the wife of Vipsanius Agrippa 3 Tiberius Nero Emperour 23. yeares Drusus Agrippina Germanicus 5 Claudius Nero Emp 13. years and 9. months Valeria Messalian 4 C Caâ—igula Emperour 3. yeares and 10 months Agrippina the wife of Dom Nero. 6 Nero Emperor 14 yeares Britannicus ⧠Lieutenants in Britannie vnder the first five Emperors of Rome During the severall raignes of Iulius Caesar Augustus Tiberius and Caius the Romans had no setled forme of government in any part of the I le Lievtenants vnder Claudius the Emperor Aulus Plautius the first Lieutenant in Britannie Ostorius Scapula Didius Gallus Auitus ⧠The Princes and men of speciall note among the Britans In the time of Iulius Caesar. Cassibelin Prince of the Trinobantes Pettie Rulers in Kent Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus Segonax Mandubratius the Traitor whose father Imanentins preceeded Cassibelin in the government of the Trinobantes Cuno-belin Prince of the Trinobantes in the time of Augustus Sonnes of Cunobelin in the time of Caius Admimus Cataracacus Togodumnus a sonne of Cuno-belin in the time of Aul. Plautius government vnder Claudius the Emperor In the time of Ostorius Scapulaes government vnder Claudius the Emperor Cogidunus aduanced by the Romans Caractacus the renowmed Prince of the Silures Cartismandua Princesse of the Brigantes THese two Parts of the Historie may seeme not improperly to beare the name of Great Britannie in that for the most part they containe certaine generall reports of the affaires of the whole Iland which was afterwards divided into the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland Howbeit in the Second Part the accidents and occurrents in the state of Scotland then called North-Britannie are either purposely omitted or touched very briefely both to avoide confusion by entermingling them with the imperfect relations of the dismembred governments of the Saxons and English in the South parts of the I le and also for that England and Scotland having bin many hundred yeares two distinct Monarchies and that of Scotland the more antient it may be thought perhaps most meete that there should be severall Histories of the English and Scottish Nation from the first erection of either Kingdome vntill the vnion of them both the title of Britannie in the meane time remaining indifferent as well to the one as to the other The first Part is divided into three Bookes The first Booke Declaring the state of Britannie vnder the Romans from Iulius Caesar his first entrance into the I le vntill the death of Claudius the Emperor in whose time the East part of the I le was subdued and brought into the forme of a Province The second Booke Declaring the state of Britannie vnder the Romans from the death of Claudius the Emperour vntill the raigne of Domitian in whose time the vtmost limits of the I le were discovered and the greatest part thereof reduced into a setled Provinciall government The third Booke Declaring the state of Britannie vnder the Romans from the death of Domitian the Emperour vntill the raigne of Honorius in whose time the I le of Britannie was abandoned by the Romans and the inhabitants thereof left wholly to their owne government The second Part is divided into two Bookes The first Booke Declaring the state of affaires in Britannie after the Romans had given over the government there vntill such time as the Saxons and English obteined it The second Booke Containing an Epitome or a short imperfect relation of the chiefe occurrents in everie one of the seven Principalities of the Saxons and English vntill Egbert the West-Saxon Prince reduced them into a Monarchie The beginning of the Raigne of Egbert the first English Monarch THE FIRST PART OF the Historie of Great Britannie The first Booke C. IVL. CAESAR DICT PERP. The first CHAPTER The Originall of the Britans C. Iulius Caesar making warre in Gallia intendeth a voyage into Britannie C. Volusenus is sent to discover the Sea Coasts of the I le The Nature and customes of the Britans IT is recorded by the most true and antient of al Histories that the Iles of the Gentiles and north partes of the world were first divided and inhabited by the posteritie of Iaphet from whose eldest sonne called Goneer the Cimbrians as Writers report deriv'd their name and discent imparting the same to the Gauls and Germans and consequently to the Inhabitants of this I le as being originally discended from the Gauls that came over hither at the first either vpon a naturall desire which men commonly have to discover places vnknowne or to avoid the assaults of other Nations encroching vpon them or happly to disburden their native soil by seeking new habitations abroad And this opinion of the Britans first comming out of Gâ—llia seemes the more probable in regard both of the situation of this Iland in neernesse to that continent and also of the vniformitie of language religion and policy betweene the most ancient Gauls and Britans Touching the name of Britannie with the Gouernors and state thereof before the Romans arrivall as they are things not to have been neglected if any certain knowledge of them had been left vs by approved testimonies of former ages so I thinke it not now requisite either to recite the different conjectures of other men or of my self constantly to affirme any thing concerning the same aswell for that those matters have been alreadie handled at large by our modern Writers as also for that I suppose in ayming at such antique Originals there being but one truth amidst many errors a man may much more easily shoote wide then hit the marke I purpose therefore omitting Etymologies of words and varietie of opinions concerning the first inhabitants and their doings to take the name and affaires of this I le in such sort as they were first known to the Romans in the time of Iulius Caesar when the Roman state which had tried all kinds of government as namely that of Kings then of Consuls Tribunes Decemvirs began to be vsurped by a few soone after submitted it self to one For about the foure and fiftieth yeare before the birth of our Saviour Christ Caesar being then governor of Gallia for the Senat and people of Rome and having brought some part of that Countrey vnder obedience intended a voyage with an armie into Britannie
of their fighting with horses and Chariots being alike dangerous to those that retired and those that pursued Besides they divided their forces into companies when they fought and had severall stations with great distances betweene them one troope seconding an other and the sound and fresh men yeelding supplies to the wounded and wearie The day following the Britans were descried vpon the hils a farre off scattred here and there in great numbers togither being not verie forward to begin a new fight till Caesar having sent out three Legions and all his hors-men vnder the conduct of C. Trebonius the Lievtenant to go a forraging they flocked sodainly togither from all parts and set vpon the forragers not sparing to assaile the Ensigns and Legions themselves who strongly resisted them and made them turn their backs when the Roman hors-men also eagerly pursued them never giving over the chase as being confident in the ayde of the Legions that followed them vntill they had driven them headlong before them killing all those they overtooke and giving the rest no time either to gather themselves togither or to make a stand or once to forsake their Chariots After this overthrow many of the barbarous people who had come from diverse parts to aide their Countri-men shrunke away and Caesar vnderstanding what course the rest of the Britans meant to hold in prosecuting the warre led his armie to the bounds of Cassibelins Countrey vpon the River of Thames which was passable on foot in one place onely and that with some difficultie When he came thither he perceived that the Britans had great forces in readinesse on the further side of the River the banks whereof were fortified with sharpe pointed stakes or piles about the bignesse of a mans thigh and bound about with lead pitched neere the shore to empeach their passage and some others of the same kind the remnants whereof are to be seene at this day were planted covertly vnder water in the maine River Whereof Caesar having intelligence by some Fugitives and prisoners that he had taken commaunded the hors-men first to enter the River and the Legions to follow so as the dangerous places being discovered the Romans waded through their heads onely appearing above water and charged the Britans with such violence as they forced them to forsake the shore and betake themselves to flight CHAP. VII The Britans surprise the Roman horsemen The treacherie of Mandubratius the Britan whom Caesar protecteth Cassibelin wearied with ill successe of the warre submitteth himselfe to Caesar. Tribute imposed vpon the Britans Caesar saileth into France CAssibelin seeing no likeli-hood to maintaine the warre any longer by force dismissed the greater part of his power and keeping with him about foure thousand Chariots only retired into the woods and places of most safetie driving men and cattell before him out of the fields all that way by which he knew the Romans should passe with their armie whose hors-men as they roved vp and down to take booties he surprized with his Chariots and distressed them in such sort as they durst not march forward but keeping themselves in their strength gave over their former purpose and from thence-foorth sought onely to annoy the Britans by spoiling and burning their houses and townes In the meane time the Trinobantes one of the chief States in those parts sent Ambassadors to Caesar promising to submit themselves and to be at his commaundement There was also one Mandubratius who had fled over to Caesar when he was in Gallia and was now become a follower of his fortune while preferring the satisfaction of his owne discontented humor before the advancement of the common cause he served as an instrument to betray his native Country abusing the credit which he had with his Countrie-men by working their submission to his owne dishonor and the advantage of a forraine enemie His father Imanentius having bin sometimes chiefe ruler of the Citie of the Trinobantes and well esteemed among them was slaine by Cassibelin the present Governor against whom the Citizens desired Caesar to protect Mandubratius and to commit vnto him the government of their City which Caesar granted vpon deliverie of a certaine number of pledges and a sufficient proportion of vittaile for provision of his Armie Hereupon diverse pettie States there about sent Ambassadors and yeelded themselves to Caesar who vnderstood by them that Cassibelin his Towne being well stored with men and cattell was not farre from thence This towne as all others so called of the Britans in those dayes was onely a circuit of ground enclosed with woods and marishes or else entrenched with a rampire of earth about it Caesar comming with his Legioâ— to this place which he found verie strong as being fortified both naturally and also by the industrie of man began to assaile it on both sides The Britans having expected a while the event of the enterprise and perceiving themselves vnable to withstand the assault issued out at a backe way where many of them being slaine and some taken as they fled the towne it selfe and all the provisions within it were left as a spoile to the Romans While these things were in doing among the Trinobantes Cassibelin dispatched messengers into the country of Cantium that lies vpon the sea The inhabitants of those parts were then more civill and better furnished to make warre than any other of the I le The country at that time was governed by foure Kings as Caesar himselfe calleth them either for that they had among them a kind of absolute government in several or else for that being the Register of his owne acts he supposed it would be more for his glorie to be reputed a conqueror of Kings Their names were Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax whom Gassibelin then required to raise all the power they could make and on the sodaine to assaile the Roman forces that garded their ships at the sea side This was attempted accordingly but with ill successe for that the Romans having timely advertisement of their purpose prevented the execution therof by setting vpon them as they drew neere the Roman armie and so after a great slaughter made of the Britans Cingetorix a noble captaine and one of their Princes being taken prisoner the Romans returned in safetie to their Campe. Cassibelin hearing of the vnhappie issue of this enterprise after so many losses sustained on his part his Country being wasted with warre and himselfe in a maner forsaken by the revolt of the cities round about which most of all discouraged him sent Ambassadors to Caesar by Comius of Arras offering to submit himselfe vpon reasonable conditions Caesar determining to winter in Gallia the state of his affaires there requiring it and the summer being almost spent commanded that he should deliver certaine pledges for assurance of his obedience and that he should offer no wrong nor give cause of offence to Mandubratius or the Trinobantes whom he had taken into speciall protection
lesse feared then warre In times of service he was verie painfull and oft times more adventurous in his owne person then was fit for a Generall for himselfe would alwayes appoint his ground for pitching the campe and also be the first man in prooving the Thickets Bogges or any other places of danger not suffring any corners or secret harbors vnsearched but wasting and spoiling everie where with suddaine incursions and assaults Howbeit when by these meanes he had terrified the Britans then would he againe spare and forbeare as hoping thereby to allure them to peace whereupon many Cities which before that time stood vpon termes of equality gave hostages and meekly submitted themselves receiving garrisons and permitting the Romans to fortifie a worke performed with such foresight and judgement as nothing was ever attempted against them while he continued in office whereas before that time no new fortified place in all Britannie escaped vnassailed Thus farre had Agricola proceeded when the newes came that Vespasian was dead and Titus his sonne invested in the Empire CHAH. XI Agricolaes policie to plant civilitie among the Britans He leadeth his armie without resistance vnto Edenbourgh Frith in Scotland THe Winter ensuing was spent in a most profitable and politike devise For whereas the Britans were rude and dispersed and therefore prone vpon everie occasion to warre Agricola that he might induce them by pleasures to quietnesse and rest exhorted them in private and commaunded his Souldiers to helpe them to build Temples Houses and Places of publike resort commending such as were forward therein and checking the slow and idle persons seeming thereby to impose a kind of necessitie vpon them while everie man contended to gaine the Lievtenants good will Moreover the Noble-mens sonnes he tooke and caused to be instructed in the Liberall Sciences preferring the wits of the Britans before those of the students in Gallia the Britans also themselves being now curious to attaine the eloquence of the Roman language whereas they lately rejected the speech After that the Roman Attire grew to be in account and the Gowne much vsed among them and so by little and little they proceeded to those common provocations of vices namely sumptuous Galleries hote Baths and exquisite banquetings which things the ignorant people termed civilitie though it were in deede a badge of their bondage In the third yeare of his Government he discovered new Countries wasting all before him till he came to the firth of Taus Which thing so terrified the Northern Britans that although the Roman Armie had bin toyled and wearied with manie sharpe conflicts yet they durst not assaile it whereby the Romans had the more leysure to encampe themselves and to fortifie wherein Agricola was either so skilfull or so fortunate that no Castell planted by him was either forced by strength or vpon Conditions surrendred or as not defencible forsaken In all these Actions Agricola never sought to draw to himselfe the glorie of any exploit done by another but were he Centurion or of other degree that had atchieved it he would faithfully witnesse the fact and yeeld him alwayes his due commendation The fourth yeare of his office was spent in viewing and ordering that which he had over-run and if the valiant minds of his Souldiers and the glorie of the Roman name could have so permitted it there should have beene no need to have sought other limits of Britannie then were at that time discovered For Glota and Bodotria two armes of the two contrarie Seas shooting mightily into the land are onely divided asunder by a narrow partition of ground which passage was garded and fortifyed with Garrisons and Castels so that the Romans were now absolute Lords of all on this side having cast their enemies as it were into an other Iland CHAP. XII What opinion the Romans had of the conquest of Ireland Agricola setteth out a Navie to discover by Sea the vtmost limits of the Iland and marcheth himselfe by land into the Country of the Caledonians the ancient Inhabitants of the North part of Scotland The Roman Campe is assailed and delivered from danger by the comming in of Agricola THe fift yeare of the warre Agricola subdued with many and prosperous conflicts strange nations before that time vnknowne and furnished with forces that part of Britannie which lieth against Ireland And this he did more for hope of advantage then feare of danger For if Ireland might have beene wonne lying as it doth betwene Britannie and Spaine and commodious also for Gallia it would aptly have vnited to the vse and profite one of the other those strongest members of the Empire The Nature and fashions of the Irish did not then much differ from the British but the Ports and Haven Townes in Ireland were more knowne and frequented by reason of greater resort thither of Merchants Agricola having received a Prince of that Countrey driven thence by civill dissention did vnder colour of curtesie and friendship retain him till occasion should serve to make vse of him It was afterwards reported that with one Legion and some few Aydes Ireland might then have beene wonne and possessed and that it would have beene also a meane to have kept Britannie in obedience if the Roman forces had beene planted each where and libertie as it were cleane banished out of sight Now in the Summer following because a Generall rising in armes of the further Nations beyond Bodotria was feared the passages being all beset with the power of the barbarous people he manned a fleet to search the Creekes and harbours of the ample region beyond it backing them first of all with a navy with a goodly shew bringing warre both by land sea And ofttimes it chanced that the horsmen and footmen and the Sea-souldier met made merry in the same camp ech man extolling his owne prowesse and adventures and making their vaunts and comparisons souldier-like some of the woods and high mountaines that they had passed others of dangers of Rocks and Tempests that they had endured the one of the land and the enemie defeated the other of the Ocean assayed and subdued The Britans as by the Prisoners it was vnderstood were much amazed at the sight of the Navie supposing that the secrets of their Sea being now disclosed there remained no refuge for them if they were overcome Whereupon the Caledonians arming with great preparation and greater Fame as the maner is of matters vnknowne began to assaile their enemies Castles and some of the Roman Captains which would seeme to be wise being indeed but Cowards counselled the Generall to retire on this side Bodotria and rather to depart of his owne accord then to be driven backe with shame In the meane season Agricola had knowledge that the Britans meant to divide themselves and to give the onset in severall companies Whereupon lest he should be enclosed about and intrapped either by their multitude or by their skill in the Passages he
quarters found by the print of the Britans footesteps that their flight was vncertaine and that they were no where in companies together but scattered in divers places and altogether vnable to make any new attempt vpon the sodaine Wherefore Agricola the summer being now spent in this journey and the time past for imployment elsewhere brought his army into the borders of the Horrestians Country where having received hostages of the inhabitants he commanded the Admirall of his Navy being furnished with Souldiers and sufficient strength for that purpose to saile about Britannie whither the fame and terror of the Roman name was alreadie gone before Then he planted Garrisons vpon the borders between Glota Bodotria and disposed of his footemen and horsemen in the wintering places within the Province Thus after many conflicts about the space of one hundred thirtie sixe yeares from Iulius Caesars first entrance the vtmost limits of Britannie and the Iles of the Orchades lying on the North side of it were by the valour and industrie of Iulius Agricola first discovered and made knowne to the Romans and the South part of the I le in the fourth yeare of the raigne of Domitian being in the yeare of our Redemption 86. reduced into a full Province the governement whereof was peculiar to the Roman Emperours themselves and not at the disposition of the Senate This state of affaires heere Agricola signifyed by letters without any amplifying termes to Domitian the successor of Titus his brother in the Empire who after his manner with a cheerefull countenance and grieved heart received the newes being inwardly pricked with anger and disdaine to thinke that his late counterfeit Triumph of Germany wherein a shew was made of slaves boght for mony attired like captives of that Country was had in derision and justly scorned abroad whereas now a true and great victory so many thousands of enemies being slaine was currant in every mans mouth Besides he esteemed it as a most perillous point in a State that a private mans name should be exalted above the name of a Prince and he supposed that hee had in vaine suppressed the study of Oratory and all other politike Arts if he should in military glory be excelled by another for matters of other kinds as he supposed might more easily be passed over but to be a good Commander of an Army was to be above a private estate that being a vertue peculiar for a Prince Domitian beeing tormented with these and the like conceits and musing much in his closet alone which was commonly noted as a signe of some mischiefe in working thought it best for the present to cloake and dissemble his malice till the heate of Agricolaes glory and the love of his souldiers were somewhat abated for as yet Agricola remained in office Wherefore he commanded that all the honours of Triumphall ornaments the image Triumphall and what else was vsually bestowed in lieu of Triumph should in most ample and honorable termes be awarded him in Senate And then sending a successor he caused a bruit to be spread that the Province of Syria which was then void and specially reserved for men of great qualitie should be assigned to Agricola The common opinion was that Domitian sending one of his most secret and trustrie servants vnto him sent withall the commission of Lievtenancie for Syria with private instructions that if Agricola at the time of his comming should be still in Britannie then it should be delivered if otherwise it should be kept backe and that the same man meeting Agricola as he crossed the seas without speaking to him or delivering his message returned againe to Domitian Whether this were true or fained vpon a probable surmise as agreeable to the Princes disposition it could not directly be affirmd but in the mean season Agricola had yeelded vp the Province in good and peaceable estate vnto Cneus Trebellius or rather as some writers report to Salustius Lucullus CHAP. XVIII Agricola returneth to Rome and is admitted to the presence of Domitian the Emperour He betaketh himselfe to a retired life He is poysoned Salustius Lucullus his successor in the Government of the Province protecteth Arviragus the British Prince He is put to dâ—ath by the commandement of Domitian AGricola lest his comming to Rome should have bin noted by reason of the multitude of people which would have gone out to see and meete him did warily cut off the occasion of that curtesie entring the Citie by night and by night as he was commanded came to the pallace where being admitted to the Princes presence and received with a short salutation and no further speech he sorted himselfe with other Gentlemen of his ranke carrying himselfe ever after very temperately and warily in al his actions as knowing the present state of those times and the dangerous inclination of the Emperour himselfe who being as all other Princes are commonly more fearefull and jealous of the good then the bad envied in him those vertues and that honourable reputation whereof himselfe was not capable Yet as good deserts cannot be hid true worthinesse shining even in darknesse it selfe so the retired life which Agricola led did nothing diminish his glorie but rather like water sprinkled vpon a burning fire increased and continued the heate thereof Diverse times was he accused in his absence which ministred to his ill willers oportunitie of working his disgrace and as often in abseâ—ce was he acquited the opinion onely of his good deserts and no matter of crime giving the occasion while such as highly commended him to the Emperor seeming his friends but being indeed the most pestilent kind of enemies procured vnder-hand his perill and ruine in the end Howbeit the ill successe of the Roman armies in diverse Provinces at that time serving as a foile to set out his honourable actions drew him perforce into glorie and Domitian made pretences of his purpose to employ him thinking thereby to satisfie the people who then complained of the want of good Leaders But Vertue that never continueth long time in prosperous estate as being the common object of envie hastened the death of Agricola who as the constant fame went was made away by poyson and that not without the Emperours knowledge and consent These things concerning Agricolaes government in Britannie I have set downe particularly as they are reported by Cornelius Tacitus who writ the storie of his life which remaineth to the world as a perpetuall monument of the doings of the one and the writings of the other Salustius Lucullus succeeding Agricola left little memorie of himselfe by doing any thing here either for that no occasion was then offred to shew himselfe in action or else for that the fame of so worthie a predecessor blemished his reputation For having held the office but a short time he was by commaundement of Domitian put to death for suffering certaine Speares of new fashion to be called by his owne name About this time
Oratorie to exercise a Monasticall life and departed the world about the yeare of Grace 110. But who were the very first teachers and at what time the Christian faith was first of all received there it is not certainely knowne howbeit it is likely as I have before remembred that in the expedition of Claudius the Emperour which was about the third yeare of his raigne and twelve yeares after the assention of our Saviour some Christians of Rome and schollers of the Apostles themselves by occasion of those warres and by reason of the entercourse of affaires betweene both Nations became first knowne to the Britans who in processe of time were drawne by the exhortations and examples of their teachers to imbrace the truth the vnblameable life of those religious men mooving sometimes even their Princes though yet vnbeleeving to protect and regard them as Lucius then began to doe Besides that the Roman Lievtenants also as well in Britannie as other Provinces did sometimes tolerate the exercise of Christian Religion as not altogether disliking it howsoever for worldly respects they forbare to shew themselves openly in favour of it But Lucius declared his inclination thereto after another manner For inwardly disliking the profane superstitions then vsed among the Romans and being informed of the great constancy vertue and patience of the Christians at Rome and other places in suffering persecution and Martyrdome for the faith of Christ whereby the number of Christians whom many men esteemed for the miracles which they wrought was contrary to common expectation daily increased that Pertinax and Treâ—ellius two worthy Senators of Rome had beene lately converted from Paganisme to Christianitie that Marcus Aurelius the Roman Emperour then raigning began to conceive a better opinion of them then himselfe and his predecessors had done and so much the rather by reason he had not long before obtained a famous victory against his enemies the prosperous event whereof he attributed to the prayers of the Christians at Rome Vpon these considerations Lucius determined to be instructed in the Religion which they professed and first of all he commanded Elvanus and Meduinus two learned men of the Brittish Nation to goe to Rome where Elutherius was then Bishop to require some meete persons to be sent into Britannie to instruct him and his people for which purpose Fugatius and Damianus were specially appointed by Elutherius with all speede to repaire thither where they afterwards not without some danger by tempest vpon the seas arrived and applied themselves both by doctrine and example to performe the charge committed vnto them the successe therein proving answerable to their endevors For the Prince and his familie was by them baptised some of the inhabitants that had formerly received the faith were confirmed therein and others that remained yet in their infidelitie were converted to Christianity CHAP. IIII. Lucius Sendeth to Rome for the Lawes of the Empire The The counsell of Elutherius Bishop of Rome touching same Idolatrie suppressed in Lucius his dominions and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction established there The first Archbishop of London BVt Lucius the Prince having received instructions from the Sea of Rome for the direction of himselfe and his people in the profession and exercise of Christian Religion was desirous also to order his temporall estate according to the Roman policie and to that end solicited Elutherius the Bishop to send vnto him the lawes of the Empire out of which he might collect and compose some certaine ordinances for the administration of civill Iustice whereupon Elutherius sent Letters to the Prince commending therein his former zealous disposition in embracing the Truth then exhorting him to reade with humilitie and reverence the holy Scripture the divine law which he had lately received in his dominions and out of that by Gods grace and advise of faithfull Counsellors to collect meet observations for the framing of lawes necessarie for the preservation of his estate which observations so collected and lawes so framed he did affirme to be much better then the Imperiall Constitutions of the Romans or any other whatsoever that to make lawes and execute Iustice was the proper office of a Prince who was vpon earth the Vicar of God himselfe and received from him that title and authoritie to the end he should vse the same to the good of the Catholike Church and of the people living vnder his obedience Hereupon Lucius began first of all to provide for establishment of that Religion whereof he was become at the selfe same time both a professor and practiser Then was the worshipping of Images forbidden The seates of the Arch-Flamins at London Yorke and Chester were changed into the Seas of three Arch-bishops in the same places and those of the Flamins into so many Bishoprikes whereby the Temples vowed by Idolatrous Priests to prophane gods were consecrated to the service of the onely true God His temporall estate also he adorned with good profitable lawes comformable to the rule of Christian Religion whereupon ensued the blessings of Plentie and Peace in his dayes It is reported that he was founder of a Church at Cornhill in London which he dedicated to Saint Peter placing therein one Thean an Arch-bishop to have a superintendence over the other Bishops within his principalitie and that the Metropolitan seat continued there in the succession of 13. Archbishops about the space of 400. years vntil the comming of Augustine the Monk who translated the Archbishoprike from London to Canterburie And now Christianitie being thus generally received among the Britans kept on her course vntainted and without opposition till the time of Dioclesian the Emperour who kindled the fire of that raging persecution the last and longest in the Primitive Church which consumed the lives of many Christian Martyrs as well in Britannie as other places But returning to the raigne of Lucius and considering the state of Britannie vnder his government we may justly admire the felicitie of those times ascribing to the Britans for their greatest glory that among all other nations they had the happinesse to see and enjoy the first Christian Prince CHAP. V. The Northern Britans breaking downe Adrians wall vpon the borders enter and annoy the Province Vlpius Marcellus being sent by Commodus the Emperor to take charge of the armie in Britannie beateth them backe The rare vertues of Vlpius Marcellus the Governor He is dimissed of his office THis was the state of the Church in Britannie when new troubles began to the disturbance of the Province For the Northern Britans making a breach in the wall which Adrian the Emperour had built and finding the borders but weakly garded entred the Province and surprising the Roman General killed many of his Souldiers then ranging the countries they wasted and spoyled everie where without resistance till Vlpius Marcellus being sent over by Commodus the Emperour stayed their furie and with great difficultie forced them to retire within the Wall By which meanes the Province being quieted he
Bassianus he withdrew himselfe to Eboracum a Colonie of the Romans being then the Station of the Sixt Legion called Victrix and afterwards growing to be one of the chiefe places of account among the Brigantes For these Stations of the Roman Legions were commonly the seed-plots of townes and cities both in this I le and divers other parts of the Empire It was reported that in his passage thither a Moore with a Cypresse garland on his head did meet and salute him by the name of a God and that at his entrance into the Citie he was by error of the Soothsayer that guided him brought into the temple of Bellona and that black beasts being appointed for sacrifice did of themselves follow him to his Pallace These things howsoever they fell out accidentally yet they were interpreted as ominous in respect of the event And now Severus perceiving his death to approach called before him some of his Counsellers and chiefe Captaines vnto whom he is said to have spoken in this manner It is now about eighteene yeares since I was first declared Emperour by the Army in Pannonia during which time with what care paine and travaile I have weilded this vast body of the Empire my continuall employment in wars both at home and abroad may witnesse sufficiently For at my first entrance I found the State incumbred every where and now I shall leave it peaceable even to the Britans The future prosperitie whereof must depend vpon the mutuall agreement of my two sonnes For neither multitude of men nor abundance of treasure are so availeable to defend and maintaine Common-weales as Amity and Vnity between Governors For by Concord we see that smal things grow to greatnes whereas by Discord the greatest fall to ruine I must now leave to them as my successors the Imperiall Diadem that which Bassianus hath so long thirsted after though he know not yet whether it be a thing to be wished or feared as having not proved the difference betwixt a Prince and a private person But ambitious mindes are carried blind-fold they wot not whither in desiring that which having once obtained they can neither keepe without great care nor leave without extreame perill such a thing is Soverainty whose greatnesse is not contained in it selfe but consisteth for the most part in the opinion and dependeth vpon the dispositions of other men It is Vertue onely not glorious titles which makes men truely great My selfe at this present may serve for an example to shew vpon what a weake foundation humane greatnesse is built For I have beene all things though now it availe me nothing seeing I must pay my debt to Nature and after all my exploits in the East West parts of the world I must die as I may say out of the world in a strange Country if any Country may be termed strange to the Romans who have now by conquest made all Countries their owne I exhort you therefore as you tender the welfare of the Roman Empire of your owne selves and your posteritie be true and faithfull to my sonnes as you have beene to me assisting them with your counsel and perswading them to mutuall concord as the maine pillar to support both their estates and your owne When he had vttered these or the like speeches hee turned aside and shortly after yeelded vp the Ghost CHAP. X. Bassianus practiseth with the armie to make him sole Emperour by excluding Geta his yonger brother The crueltie of Bassianus The Funerals of Severus the Emperour The state of Britannie from Bassianus to Gallienus not mentioned in Histories Some of the Thirtie Tyrants vsurpe the government in Britannie in the time of Gallienus Bonosus a Britan doth the like in the raigne of Aurelianus Victorinus a favorite of Probus the Emperour murdereth the Governor of the Province Vandals and Burgundiaus seate themselves in Britannie The Britans licenced to plant Vines Carus succeeding Probus in the Empire assigneth Britannie to Carinus one of his sonnes who possesseth it till Dioclesian is declared Emperour C. Carausius Admirall of the British fleet is sent to sea to gard the Coasts of Gallia and Britannie against Pirates BAssianus being advertised of his fathers death practised with the Souldiers by bribes and faire promises that he might be declared sole Emperor wherto when he could not perswade them for the reverence they bare to his father Severus he made a league with the Northern Britans that then assailed the borders and returned to Eboracum to meet with Iulia the Empresse his mother in law and Geta his brother There he caused the Physitians to be put to death for not ridding his father sooner out of the way as he had commanded them Then he appointed secretly to the slaughter all those that for their vertue and wisdom had beene esteemed and advanced by his father and all such as having beene Tutors to him and his brother advised them to mutuall concord This done he entred into consultation about his fathers funerals which were solemnised by the armie with all due rites according to the ancient custome in times of warre The ashes of the dead bodie being put into a Golden Vrna were afterwards by Iulia the Empresse accompanied with the two Caesars carried to Rome where Severus after the vsuall ceremonies was consecrated a god Now the affaires of Britannie for the space of about fiftie yeares togither were passed over in silence as being either omitted through the negligence of Writers in that age or perishing through the calamitie of the times that ensued vnder the Emperors following namely Popilius Macrinus the successor of Bassianus Varus Heliogabalus Alexander Severus Maximinus Gordianus the first second and third Philippus Arabs Decius Valerianus But when Gallienus who succeeded Vacerian had obtained the Empire the Roman state was much encumbred and oppressed with her owne forces while certaine Captaines commonly called The Thirtie Tyrants disdained the government of so cruell and dissolute a Prince as Gallienus and being chosen Emperors by the armies which they commanded vsurped absolute authoritie in diverse Provinces Among these Collianus Victorinus Posthumus Tetricus and Marius as Histories report ruled in Britannie The Roman Empire Flavius Claudius Valerius Aurelianus Tacitus Valerius Probus held successively after Gallienus In the time of the forenamed Aurclianus the Emperour it is not to be forgotten that Bonosus a Britan by birth and famous for excesse in drinking invaded the Empire with Proculus vsurping Britannie Spaine and Gallia Braccata But being afterwards vanquished by Probus the Emperor he hanged himselfe whereof there went a common jest among the Souldiers that a drinking vessell not a man was hanged vp Then the Gouernor of the Province in Britannie being preferred to the office by meanes of Victorinus a Moore a man in great favour with Probus the Emperor began to raise sedition among the Souldiers there with which practise Probus secretly acquainted Victorinus who supposing himselfe touched with the imputation of his crime
by Commodus the Emperour to take charge of the Armie in Britannie beateth them backe The rare vertues of Vlpius Marcellus the Governour Hee is dismissed of his office 113 A Mutenie in the Roman Armie Perennius vndertaketh to appeaâ—e it He is accused and put to death Helvius Pertinax being sent by Commodus to pacifie the tumults in the Armie is in danger to be slaine He maketh sute to be discharged of the Lievtenancie 115 Clodius Albinus succeedeth Pertinax in the governement of the Province He is honoured with the title of Caesar. Being suspected of Commodus the Emperour he retireth himselfe from affaires Helvius Pertinax and Didius Iulianus are elected Emperours successively after the death of Commodus Severus succeedeth Iulianus in the Empire Heraclianus is Governour of the Province which hee afterwards resigneth to Virius Lupus Warre betweene Severus the Emperour and Clodius Albinus The death of Albinus 117 Severus the Emperour maketh preparation for a voyage into Britannie The civill governement of the Province committed to Geta his younger son whom Papinianus the famous Lawyer assisteth in the administration of Iustice there Severus with Bassianus his elder sonne marcheth towards Caledonia Mortalitie in the Roman Campe. The Caledonians obtaine peace vpon conditions Bassianus taketh the charge of the Arme and Severus his father returnes into the Province 119 The Caledonians invade the Roman Campe and carrying away the booties which they had taken are pursued and put to the sword by the Romans Severus the Emperour repaireth Adrians wall cutteth a Trench and carrieth it thwart the Iland from Sea to Sea He falleth sicke at Yorke His counsell to his sonnes His death 122 Bassianus practiseth with an Armie to make him sole Emperor by excluding Geta his younger brother The crueltie of Bassianus The Funeralls of Severus the Emperour The state of Britannie from Bassianus to Gallienus not mentioned in Histories Some of the Thirtie Tyrants vsurpe the governement in Britannie in the time of Gallienus Bonosus a Britan doth the like in the raigne of Aurelianus Victorinus a favorite of Probus the Emperour murdereth the Governour of the Province Vandals and Burgundians seate themselves in Britannie The Britans licensed to plant Vines Carus succeeding Probus in the Empire assigneth Britannie to Carinus one of his sonnes who possesseth it till Dioclesian is declared Emperour C. Carausius Admirall of the Brittish fleet is sent to sea to gard the coasts of Gallia and Britannie against the Pirates 125 Carausius vsurpeth the Empire in Britannie in the joynt raigns of Dioclesian and Maximianus who assume to them Maximinus and Constantius Chlorus for assistants by the name of Caesars Carausius is slaine by Alectus and Alectus by Asclepiodatus London taken and sacked by the Franks the ancestors of the French whom the Romans encountring deprived of their bâ—oties 128 The persecution of Christians in Britannie vnder Dioclesian the Emperour The death of Saint Alban the first Brittish Martyr 130 A briefe Relation of the state of the Brittish Church from the raigne of Dioclesian vnto the comming of Austen the Monk who converted the Saxons and English to the Christian faith 132 Constantius Chlorus staieth the persecution in Britannie He dieth at Yorke Helena his wife the mother of Constantine the Great travaileth to Ierusalem to seeke out the Crosse whereon our Saviour suffered Her pietie and zeale towards the advancement of Christian Religion The vertues of Constantius Caesar her husband 135 Constantine the Great is declared Emperour at Yorke Hee subdueth Maxentius and Licinius the one vsurping the West Empire and the other the East He establisheth a new forme of gouernment in Britannie appointing Pacatianus to rule the Province there as Deputie to the Praefectus Praetorio of Gallia He translateth the seate of the Empire from Rome to Bizantium His three sonnes Constantinus Constans and Constantius raigne successively after his death Gratianus Funarius hath the charge of the Armie in Britannie when Constans the Emperour is slaine by Magnentius Martinus Deputie in Britannie vnder Constantius Paulus Catena a Commissioner to enquire of Magnentius confederates 138 The governement of Gallia and Britannie is assigned to Iulianus Lupicinus and Alipius are at severall times sent into Britannie Iovinian succeedeth Iulianus in the Empire which Valentinian the first ioyntly with Valens his brother doth governe after the death of Iovinian The Picts and Scottishmen invade the Province The originall and manners of both Nations Mutinies in the Roman Armie appeased by Theodosius 141 Gratianus the successour of Valentinian the first electeth Valentinian the second and Theodosius the younger to be his associates in the Empire Clemens Maximus commanding the Armie in Britannie vsurpeth the soveraigntie Gratianus the Emperour murdered Saint Ambrose is sent from Valentinian to Maximus to treate of peace Theodosius the younger pursueth Maximus who is taken and put to death The Britans that follow Maximus seate themselves in Amorica in France which thereupon tooke the name of Britannie 146 Stilico is sent into Britannie by Honorius the successour of Theodosius his father in the Westerne Empire to defend the Province against the Picts and Scottishmen Emperours elected and deposed by the Armie in Britannie Chrysanthus the Deputie of the Province is made Bishop of Constantinople The Romans send over one Legion out of France into Britannie They grow wearie of the governement there The Britans implore their aide 148 A second supply of forces sent by the President of Gallia into Britannie The Romans erect a wall of stone for defence of the Province The Picts and Scottishmen breake it down The Pelagian heresie is suppressed in Britannie by the means of Germanus and Lupus two French Bishops The Scottishmen are converted to the Christian faith by S. Palladius the Picts by S. Ninianus and the Irishmen by S. Patricius 150 The distressed Britans flie into Wales Cornwall and Britannie in France The end of the Roman governement in the Iland 154 The Princes that ruled in Britannie after the Romans had given over the governement there vntill the Saxons and English obtained it Vortiger deposed Vortimer Vortiger restored Aurelianus Ambrosius Arthur the war-like Bishops and other persons of note for Learning and Pietie either among the Britans themselves or sent vnto them from forreine parts after the Romans had given over the protection of them vntill the comming in of Austen the Monke FAstidius Priscus a bishop in Britannie but of what particular place it is vncertaine a man of great knowledge in Divinitie and a diligent preacher He lived in the time of Honorius the Emperour about the yeare of our redemption 420. Ninianus Bernitius descended from the race of the British Princes who first converted the Picts to Christianitie Palladius a Graecian sent from Coelestine Bish. of Rome to preach the Christian faith to the Scottishmen and to suppresse the Pelagian heresie sprung vp among them Patricius surnamed Magonius borne in Britannie of the familie of a Senator whence he tooke the name Patricius was sent by
supplies which should then of force be employed else-where for defence there might be some hope of a speedie and full end of the warre the event whereof otherwise was now more to be feared then in former times if the North-Britans whetted with desire of revenge and having space of breathing given them should make head and assaile them againe This counsell seeming profitable howsoever it prooved pernitious in the end was allowed by the King eyther for that he foresaw not the perill likely to ensue thereupon or else for that such things as God himselfe hath determined are doubtlesse though sometimes foreseene yet never prevented CHAP. IIII. Saxons Iutes and Angles arrive in Britannie Vortiger marrieth Hengists daughter He is deposed IN the meane while the Germans inflamed with continuall reports of the wealth and fruitfulnesse of the Ile and sollicited by Hengist who discovered to them the weake estate of the Britans and the facillitie of supplanting them hired certaine small vessels wherein themselves their wives children and families were transported into diverse parts of the Land at which time Rowen the daughter of Hengist a woman of excellent beautie and not of the worst behavior having beene specially sent for by her father arrived in Kent and was forthwith conveyed to the pallace where Vortiger and Hengist made their abode Of those Germans that then came over there were three severall kinds of people namely Saxons Iutes and Angles though the Saxons seemed to beare the most sway by reason both of the generall respect of that Nation for their many and great exploits and also for the authoritie of their Captains Hengist and Horsa who were of the linage of Woden from whom the Saxon Princes that afterwards reigned in the Ile vsed alwayes for honours sake to derive their discent From these Saxons the East West and South Saxons had their originall The Iutes as some writers report and as the affinitie of the names may seeme in some sort to inferre were discended from the Getes and Gothes and dwelt in the vpper part of Denmarke which is at this day called Iuitland From them the Kentishmen with the Inhabitants of the I le of Wight and of that part of the firme land which lieth over against it had their beginning The name of the Iutes was of no long continuance in Britannie notwithstanding their posteritie was incorporated into the Saxons and Angles who were accounted but one Nation the name of either of them being indifferently vsed as common to both till in the end the Angles possessing the greatest part of the land they were all knowen and called by that name alone The Angles in those dayes were a people well esteemed among the Germans and in number exceeded both the Saxons and Iutes Touching their ancient seat the opinions of Writers are differing though it be most probable that they did sometimes inhabit that part of Denmarke yet retaining the name of Angle which lieth betweene Iuitland and Holsatia From them came the East Angles the Mercians and Northumbers But Hengist knowing well that fraud and cunning practises ofttimes prevaile where force it selfe cannot resolved as occasion might serve to make vse of both and to that end observing well the Kings humor he applied himselfe in all things to follow it specially by soothing and nourishiug him in those vices to which by Nature he was most addicted supposing thereby to strengthen his owne estate and with more securitie to accomplish his desire while the King intended nothing more then the satisfaction of his immoderate appetite in sensuall pleasures which had alreadie brought him into contempt and hatred with his people and would by all likelihood open the way to his speedie destruction Whereupon one day inviting Vortiger to a feast he appointed Rowen his daughter to attend vpon him as his Cup-bearer at which time by her fathers instruction she behaved herselfe in such maner as the King fell in love with her and although he had a wife then living yet was he not ashamed to tell Hengist in plaine termes that he earnestly desired to become his sonne in law if he might attaine his consent for the mariage of his danghter Hengist who had cast out his bait of purpose to catch him pretended respect of Vortigers owne reputation which as he said should be too much impaired by matching with a poore Maiden a stranger by birth farre inferior to him in degree and no way worthy of so great fortune howbeit in the end he seemed by intreatie to yeeld to that which himselfe would voluntarily have offred and so making vse of the occasion he was content to take the thanks which he of right should have given Hereupon Vortiger having cast behind him all regard both of divine and humane lawes did put away his lawfull wife by whom he had three children and contrarie to the advise of his faithfull Counsellers married Hengist the Saxons daughter Vpon the conclusion of this marriage a great part of the Countrey of Kent which had beene many yeares togither governed by Guorongus as the Kings deputie there was assigned to Hengist who like a wilie Serpent having now gotten in his head found meanes in a short time to wind in his whole bodie It is reported by some Writers that Vodin then Archbishop of London reprooving the King for his incontinencie and other vices which drew him down with his Realme to ruine was by the commandement of Hengist put to death with many other Priests and religious Votaries as persons too well affected to their Country and odious to the Saxons for profession of Christianitie This inconsiderate match and immesurable bountie of the King was much disliked by the Britans for that the Saxons presuming of the Kings favour by reason of his new affinitie with them came over dayly in great numbers pestering the East parts of the I le and many times offering abuse to the naturall Inhabitants Whereupon the Brittish Nobilitie complained to the King that their estate was now much woorse then before the Saxons arrivall that Strangers vnder the colour of friendship robbed them of their goods and bereaved them of their lands that secret practises of such as they trusted were no lesse to be feared then open hostilitie and that if speedie order were not taken to expell them they would in short time roote out the ancient Britans and make themselves Lords of the whole Iland But Vortiger whose affection to his wife and her kindred weighed downe all other respects whatsoever neglected their complaints till by his owne experience he was taught what daungerous inconveniences proceede from wilfull rashnesse and mis-government For the Britans disdaining to be any longer commanded by such a Prince as had neither power to command his owne affections nor care to provide for the safetie of his Subjects declared him vncapable and by generall consent deprived him of all regall authoritie CHAP. V. Vortimer succeedeth his father in the government Vortiger is restored The most noble of the
4. yeareâ— Â After whose death the Sea was voyd one yeare 628 Honorius 26. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 655 Deus-dedit 10. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 668 Theodorus 22. yeares 693 Bertualdus 38. yeares 731 Tatwinus 4. yeares 735 Nothelmus 5. yeares  After his death the Sea was voyd one yeare 740 Cuthbertus translated from the Sea of Hereford 18. yeares 759 Bregwinus 3. yeares 762 Lambrihtus who had formerly beene Abbot of St. Augustine 31. yeares 791 Aethelardus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince 13. yeares Anno Dom. Bishops of Rochester 604 Iustus ordained the first Bishoppe there by Augustine the Archbishop of Canterbury sate 20. yeares 624 Romanus 10 yeares 634 Paulinus translated from the Sea of Yorke 10. yeares 644 Ithamarus 12. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd foure yeares 656 Damianus 9. yeares 669 Putta 8. yeares 677 Quichelmus 4. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 681 Gebmundus 9. yeares 693 Tobias 34. yeares 727 Aldwulfus 13. yeares 740 Dunnus 24. yeares 764 Eardulfus 11. yeares 775 Deora 15. yeares 790 Weremundus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince 12. yeares THE SECOND PART The second Booke HENGIST I PRINC SAX CHAP. I. The Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons established by Hengist whom Vsk Otta and Ermeric succeede in the government Austen the Monke is sent from Rome by Gregorie the Great to preach the Christian faith to the Saxons and English He landeth in Kent where he is curteousâ— â—ertained by Ethelbert the Prince of that Countrie THE Territorie of the Kentish-Saxons did at the first include only that part which at this day is contained within the county of Kent being the very entrance key of the whole Iland The west south sides of it butte vpon the firme land on the East the Brittish Ocean beateth and vppon the North runneth the famous river Thames navigable for ships of very great burden and ebbing and flowing many miles within the land whereby commodities are brought in and carryed forth to the enriching of it selfe and the Countries round about This Principalitie enlarged by addition of such Provinces as Vortiger after the slaughter of the Brittish Nobilitie delivered to the Saxons for his ransome was established by Hengist eight yeares after his arrivall about the yeare of grace 456. Valentinian the third of that name then shoring vp the decayed Empire in the West Although by consent of divers Writers he ruled a long time yet little or nothing is left of record concerning any thing done by him after he was setled in the governement either for that perhaps no great occasion was ministred to shew himselfe in action the Britans being now seated in the remote parts of the I le and his owne countrymen making warre in other places of the same or else for that being wearied with the warre he gave himselfe to ease and quietnesse supposing hee had done enough alreadie in making the first attempt in an enterprize so difficult and in getting and leaving to his posteritie the possession of so faire and fruitfull Countries After his death there raigned eyther joyntly or successively Vsk Otta and Ermeric concerning whom I finde no other mention then of their names onely Ethelbert succeeding Ermeric his father was in the beginning of his raigne much encumbred with warres which he made with very ill successe against Ceaulin Prince of the West-Saxons but afterwards his knowledge in militare affaires increasing with his yeares hee fortunately repaired those losses extending his Dominion by reducing the South Provinces to his obedience even to the water of Humber And the better to strengthen his estate by forraigne aliance hee married Bertha the danghter of Châ—rebert then King of France a vertuous Lady and a professor of Christianitie wherein the King her husband was not as yet instructed howbeit hee permitted both her selfe and Luidhard a French Bishop that accompanied her into Britannie to vse the Rites and Ceremonies of their owne Countrie and religion eyther for observance of the contract which Ethelbert before the marriage had made with the King her Father to that end or else for the heartie and entire affection which hee bare vnto her as his wife whom God had ordained to bee the meanes of his conversion to the Christian faith For in the yeare of grace five hundred ninetie sixe and fourteenth of the raigne of Mauritius the Emperour Austen a Monke was sent by Gregory the first surnamed the Great then Bishop of Rome to preach the faith to the Saxons and English then inhabiting the I le of Britannie where landing in the I le of Tanet vpon the coast of Kent hee was entertained in curteous manner by Ethelbert the Prince whose heart being somewhat prepared by his wives perswasion and by the example of Luidhard the devout Bishop that lived with her was more apt in time to take impression of the Truth whereto though himselfe assented not at the first yet hee licensed it to be taught privately and assigned to Austen a convenient seate at Canterbury the cheefe Citie of that Province giving him an olde Church which in former times had beene erected by certaine Romans exercising there the Christian religion and consecrated to our Saviour Christ. This Church was then reedified and not many yeares after Austen without the Citie Eastward layd the foundation of a Monasterie for which Ethelbert erected a Church wherein both Austen himselfe with his successours and also the Christian Princes of Kent were for the most part interred after their death This Monasterie being finished long time after Austens decease was dedicated to him by the name of Saint Austen whose memoriall the ruines of that place retaine even to this day CHAP. II. Austen converteth divers of the Saxons and English from Paganisme to Christianitie The cause that first moved Gregorie the Great to intend their conversion Austen is consecrated chief Bishop of the English Nation by the Bishop of Arles in France He advertiseth the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his voyage into Britannie and requireth directions touching the Ecclesiasticall governement to be there established IN the meane time Austen beeing now received as the Apostle of the English Nation and such Priests as were with him exercised their Ecclesiasticall functions without empeachment and for that they were altogether ignorant of the Brittish language they vsed the helpe of such Interpreters as they had brought with them out of France in preaching and instructing the people with whom partly by their doctrine and partly by their example they prevailed so much as many of them beleeved and were baptized for their teachers began then to expresse in their lives the practise of the Apostles in the Primitive Church by continuall watching fasting and praying contemning the world and contenting themselves with things necessarie to sustaine Life and Nature so strongly were they possessed with the
spirit of zeale in first planting the Christian religion among Idolatrous Saxons and English It is reported that Gregorie the Great when he was but Archdeacon of the Sea of Rome tooke notice first of the state of the I le of Britannie by seeing certaine yong men borne in a Province of the Northumbers presented in an open Market at Rome to be there sold For marking well their faire complexions and comlinesse of stature he enquired whence they were and vnderstanding that they were Angles of a Province called Deira and vnder the government of Alla but as yet heathen for so the Inhabitants of those parts then were he seemed much to lament that such excellent outward gifts of Nature should want the ornaments of inward grace and thereupon alluding to the name of their Prince and Country according to their significations in the Latin and Hebrew tongue he vttered these words as it were by way of Prophecie These men are worthily called Angles for they have the verie faces of Angels and they shall be one day fellow heires with Angels in Heaven For the people of Deira must be delivered De-ira Divina by their conversion to the Christian faith and Alla their King must be taught to sing Alleluia to the praise of the most high God which worke being now Bishop of Rome he was made the Instrument to effect by sending Austen at this time to preach the faith of Christ in Britannie where in a short space the Christian Religion encreased in such measure that vpon one day wherein the memoriall of the birth of our Saviour was celebrated there was above ten thousand men besides women and children baptized in a river the water thereof being hallowed by Austen the Monke who commanded the people by reason of the great multitude and the small number of Priests to go in by couples and one to baptise another In the name of the blessed Trinitie When these things were done Austen went into France where according to order given by the Sea of Rome before his departure thence he was by Etherius Bishop of Arles consecrated chiefe Bishop of the English Nation and at his returne into Britannie he sent Laurence a Priest and Peter a Monke to advertise the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his labors requiring also further instructions in some doubtfull points concerning the discipline of the Church and other matters of ceremonie and observance CHAP. III. Instructions sent to Austen from the bishop of Rome for the ordering and government of the new Church in Britannie The Primacie of the Sea of Canterburie The first English bishops of London and Yorke HEreupon the Bishop of Rome signified by his Letters to Austen and the rest of his Associates how acceptable a worke to God and his Church they had performed commending their great zeale and constant minds which neither the travaile of a long and laborious journey nor feare of danger by sea or land could dismay from persisting in their good intention giving thanks to God that had assisted them with his spirit and exhorting them to hold on the course into which they were alreadie entred Touching the Ecclesiasticall government if there were any thing either in the Church of Rome France or any other Church which Austen thought meete to be altered for the better service of God he willed him therein to vse his pastorall authoritie and to select out of everie one of them what himselfe thought most requisite for setling an vniformitie of government in the Church of Britannie affirming that divine worship was not to be esteemed in regard of the place but the place to be honoured in regard of the divine worship Further he put him in mind of the ancient custome of the Sea of Rome which had ordeined the profits and revenues of Bishoprikes to be divided into foure equall parts whereof the first was assigned to the Bishop him self and the family for the maintenance of hospitalitie the second for the benefite of the Clergie in generall the third for reliefe of the poore and the fourth for repairing of Churches Then he admonished him to deale gently with the new Converts and to tollerate some of their erronious Traditions for a time lest by restraining them at first to the precise observation of Christian discipline in everie point he might divert them from their good purpose and hinder the proceeding in the generall cause For he supposed it a matter of verie great difficultie to plucke vp at once those ranke weedes of Superstition which by long continuance of time had taken deepe â—oote in their affections considering well that he that desireth to attaine the highest place must ascend thither by steps and degrees and not by leapes as it were in an instant He answered likewise many other objections propounded by Austen concerning degrees of consanguinitie and aliance to be observed in cases of Marriage and also touching the admission of meete persons to be partakers of the Lords Supper Touching the punishment of Sacrilege he advised that offenders therein might first be charitably corrected admonished to the end that knowing the greatnesse of the crime they might by penance and restitution make amends and detest from thence-foorth to commit the like With the Bishops of France he willed him not to intermeddle otherwise then by counsaile and exhortatation lest by interposing himselfe in matters of Ecclesiasticall government there he should seeme to thrust his Sickle into an other mans Harvest but he appointed all the Bishops of Britannie to be vnder his jurisdiction giving him power to nominate and consecrate Bishops in severall places where he thought convenient Howbeit it was then decreed that the Bishop of London should ever after be consecrated by his owne Synod and receive his Pall from the Sea of Rome for he appointed the Citie of London to be the Metropolis and chiefe Sea though Austen contrarie to the Bishop of Romes direction in that behalfe transferred it afterwards to Canterburie as a place vnto which he was well affected for the good entertainment he had there first received and also for that it was more commodious for sending by Sea to Rome and more free from danger then the miner parts about London whose inhabitants were lesse civill and not so well in inclined to receive the doctrine of christianity as the 〈◊〉 were For Pope Gregorie ordained London and Yorke to be the Seas of two Archbishoprikes and that each of them should have vnder it twelve inferior Bishopriks but that neither of the Archbishops should be subject to other nor take place of precedence otherwise then according to prioritie of consecration save onely that for Austens honour he appointed all of them to remaine vnder his jurisdiction during his life CHAP. IIII. Austen receiveth the Pall from Rome Gregorie the Great sendeth gratulatorie Letters to Ethelbert who is converted to the faith being the first Christiâ—n Prince of the English nation The Church of Saint Paul in London is founded Melitus the
first Bishop there in the Saxons time Iustus the first Bishop of Rochester Câ—ntention betweene the English and Brittish Cleargie about celebration of the feast of Easter WIth these and other such like instructions the Messengers were dispatched into Britannie where at their returne they presented to Austen the Pall the ornament of a Bishop which the Bishop of Rome had sent vnto him as a 〈◊〉 and confirmation of his Ecclesiastical dignitie and authority and also certaine Vessels and Vestments which were thought meete to be vsed for 〈◊〉 in the English Churches 〈…〉 with divers other godly leaâ—ned men were appoynted to accompanie the Messengers into the Iland to the end they might assist Austen and the Priests there in preaching the Gospel At that time the Bishop of Rome sent also certaine gifts of great value to Ethelbert the Prince and by speciall Letters commended his favourable vsage and princely bountie shewed in receyving and mainteining such persons as came into his Countrey to instruct himselfe and his Subiects in the knowledge of true Religion the greatest blessing that ever any Nation could enjoy signifying withall that by his conformitie to those things which they taught a happie entrance was alreadie made for reducing the whole Iland to Christianitie and that if he persevered as he had begun he might vndoubtedly expect an eternall reward in heaven For albeit Ethelbert at the first was not verie readily induced to abandon the ancient superstitious customes of his owne Nation partly for that he had beene trained vp therein from his tender yeares and partly for that he was secretly informed that some of the Priests which then preached the faith of Christ were seditious persons exercising witchcraft and seducing the people vnder pretence of simplicitie yet after his conversion he became a zealous professor and practiseâ— of pietie erecting faire Temples for divine Service endowing them with large possessions and earnestly exhorting other Princes within the I le to do the like He founded a Church in the Citie of London which the Kentish Saxons in right of superioritie over the East-Saxons at that time possessed and dedicated it to the Apostle Saint Paul In more ancient times as some conjecture by the bones of such beasts as were vsually sacrificed by the Gentiles and found in that place there had beene a Temple dedicated to Diana of that Church Melitus being sent by Austen to preach the Christian faith to the East-Saxons was afterwards elected the first Bishop The Cittie of Rochester also he assigned to Iustus who was consecrated the first Bishop of that Sea But while these things were a doing there arose some controversie betweene the English Roman Cleargie and certaine British Bishops concerning the celebration of the feast of Easter and other Rites and Ceremonies wherein the Brittish Church dissented from the Church of Rome for the Britans then dwelling in Wales and the West parts of the Ile continued there the exercise of the Christian faith which had beene preserved among them ever since it was first planted in the Iland though now and then the cleere course thereof was either by contagious Heresies or by prophane and irreligious Princes interrupted for a time howbeit when they perceived the Saxons themselves in some measure to approove it they beganne with boldnesse to make open profession of it as seeming therein to agree even with their enemies howsoever otherwise in respect of language situation or the law of Nations they were divided CHAP. V. Austen calleth a Synode to reconcile the differences between the Brittish and English Cleargie The Brittish Bishops aske counsaile of an Anchorite whether they should conforme themselves to such things as Austen the Monke should require of them They refuse to accept him for their Archbishop Austen appointeth Laurentius to succeed him in the Sea of Canterburie He dieth AVsten perceiving that this disagreement was likely to prove prejudiciall to the state of the new Church thought it the best and safest way to prevent the inconvenience in the verie beginning and to that end he summoned a Synod which by the meanes of Ethelbert the Prince he procured to be held vpon the borders of the West Saxons Country At that Synod seven Brittish Bishops certain Monks of Bangor the greatest Monasterie in the I le whereof Dinothus was then Abbot and diverse others well reputed for their learning and knowledge in divinitie were present It is reported that the Brittish Bishops before their comming thither asked counsaile of an Anchorite a wise and holie man living there about what he thought meetest for them to do in that great businesse which they had then in hand and whether they should follow the advice and directions of Austen or retaine still their ancient Traditious whereto it is said that the Anchorite made this answer If he be of God follow him and that shall you best discerne by his humilitie For Christ sayeth Take vpon you my yoke and learne of me for I am milde and humble of heart If therefore you perceive by his behaviour that hee is prowd and high minded then be ye well assured that he is not of God Heereupon when they came to the place where the Synod was to be kept and saw Austen sitting in a chaire but not saluting them at their first entrance nor seeming by his outward gesture to respect them they supposed the Anchorists speech to have beene in part then verified and with much impatiency heard the Arch-bishops oration wherein they were specially required to preserve the vnitie of the Christian faith and though they did many things contrarie to the vsage of the Roman Church yet to conforme themselves thereto in three points namely in celebrating the feast of Easter in due-time in exercising the ministery of Baptisme according to the manner of the Church of Rome and in joyning with him and the rest of the English Bishops in preaching the Gospel of Christ to the heathen of that Nation which if they would faithfully performe he promised for avoyding contention a matter very dangerous considering the present condition of the time to tolerate the continuance of any other old rites and traditions wherein they should dissent from the Church of Rome But the Britans imagining that he who at his first comming vsed them in that disdainefull manner would afterwards being setled in a superintendency over them vtterly despise them discovered plainely their discontentment by their countenances and made a short answer that they would neither observe those things which he required at their hands nor acknowledge him for their Bishop Whereto Austen with bitter words replyed that sith they would not receive peace when it was offered they should ere long feele the heavy hand of war and vengeance vpon themselves and their posteritie and so the assembly was dissolved Not long after Austen the Arch-bishop wearied with care and travaile of minde fell sicke of a languishing disease and doubting lest the state of the Church being as yet greene and
was pretended or for envie at the glorie and greatnesse of that Sea I will not take vpon me to censure Howbeit Wilfrid being thus expelled and his Sea dismembred exhibited his complaint to Agatho then Bishop of Rome notwithstanding he sought thereby rather to manifest his owne innocency then to accuse Theodorus Whereupon being in the end acquited by judgement of the Court of Rome he was remanded into his former seate which yet he could not obtaine by reason that Egfrid the Prince of Northumberland refused to receive him while Theodorus either openly opposed against his re-admission or cunningly vnderhand laboured to empeach it the reputation of this Arch-bishop as of a stowt Prelate and very well learned both in Philosophie and Divinitie being so great with the Church of Rome in those daies as she would not alter or make frustrate what he indirectly had established for further proofe whereof also may serve the verie testimonie of Agatho the Bishop of Rome who deferred the Session of the sixth Synod at Constantinople where the Bishops of all other Nations were assembled vpon expectation onely of Theodorus his comming thither out of Britannie CHAP. VIII Lothar by intrusion succeedeth Egbert his brother in the governement The West-Saxons invade the Province of Kent Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury calleth a Synod for reformation of abuses in the Clâ—rgy The succession of the Kentish Princes from Lothar to Alrich Kent is subdued and annexed to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons AFter Egbert Lothar his brother vsurped the governement which by right appertained to Edrick his Nephew and seeking by force to keepe and maintaine what by wrongfull intrusion he had gotten was in the end after many conflicts wounded with a dart whereof he died Then Edrick the sonne of Egbert recovered the Principalitie which hee possessed with little quiet partly by reason of civill dissention among some of his owne subjects that aspired to the governement and partly for that the Kentish Territorie was then invaded by Moll the brother of Ceadwall Prince of the West-Saxons and divers valiant Captaines his associates whom the Kentishmen by casting fire vppon their Tents destroyed and consumed to ashes Whereupon Ceadwall to revenge his brothers death hotly pursued the war in Kent and expulsed Edrick the Prince spoiling and burning Townes as he marched and chasing the inhabitants from place to place with little or no resistance By reason of these troubles the Province remained certaine yeares without a Governor till Withred the sonne of Egbert purchasing peace with money obtained the Regiment although Swebherd at that time held part of the Province either by vsurpation or composition About this time Berctualdus governed the Sea of Canterbury vnto which Tatwinus succeeded and after him Nothelmus who was a speciall helper of venerable Bede in furnishing him with notes and instructions for composing his storie of the Church of England After the death of Withred his three sonnes Edbert Edelbert Alrich ruled successively During the raigne of Edbert the Prince Cuthbert was translated from the Sea of Hereford to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury where he sate about eighteene yeares Hee was had in great reverence both of religious and secular men in regard of his holinesse of life and zealous care for reforming abuses in the Clergie For to that end he summoned a counsell of the Bishops and Prelates of the land at which Ethelbert the Prince of the Mercians with the most part of his Nobilitie were present Alrich raigned many yeares and fortunately defended his Dominions against the Mercians till at the last he was overthrowne in battaile by Offa their Prince who in his owne person invaded the Province of Kent He died without issue being the last Prince of the Kentish line which was cut in sunder with the threed of his life Then Edelbert surnamed Pren vsurping the State made warre vpon the Mercians by whom he was taken prisoner and afterwards escaped though recovering his libertie he could not recover his former dignitie Cuthred likewise assum'd for a time the title of Prince which he left to Balbred his sonne But now the Provinciall governement of the Kentish-Saxons which had continued about 380. yeares drawing on to his fatall period Egbert the West-Saxon Prince strongly assailed the chiefe places of defence driving the Mercians out of the Province and forcing Balbred also to abandon it by which meanes in the end making a conquest of the whole Countrie he vnited it to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons ⧠The succession of the South-Saxon Princes 1 ALla ruled about 24. yeares Simen the two elder sonnes of Alla. Plening 2 Cissa the youngest sonne of Alla. 3 Edilwalch the first Christian Prince 4 Aldin the last Prince of the South-Saxons It is very likely that there were more Princes of the South-Saxons though I finde no certaine report of any other then those aboue mentioned ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the South-Saxons Bishops of Selesey 681 Wilfrid expulsed from his Sea in Northumberland sate 5. yeares 686 Hedda who was also at the same time Bishop of Winton sate 19. yeares 705 Daniel who likewise held the Sea of Winton sate 6. yeares 711 Eadbertus 8. yeares 719 Eolla 9. yeares After the death of Eolla the Sea was void about 5. yeares 733 Sigga 28. yeares 761 Alubertus 29. yeares 790 Osa alias Bosa who was Bishop of Selesey in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince sate 27. yeares The first CHAPTER The principalitie of the South-Saxons established by Ella Cissa his yongest sonne succeedeth him therein Edilwalch the first Christian Prince of the South-Saxons ELLA the Saxon was one of those Captains which Hengist vpon pretence of ayding the Britans against the Picts had sent for out of Germanie while himselfe was making warre in Kent About the yeare of Grace 478. being well appointed for men shipping and other warlike provisions he arrived on the coast of Sussex with his three sonnes Cimen Plening and Cissa and after many sharpe encounters with the Britans inhabiting those parts was constrained by reason of his ill successe in the beginning to send into Germanie for new supplies wherewith he besieged Andred-Cester a place situated neere a verie great Forrest the chiefe and most defensible fortresse in all the Southern parts and having by policie intercepted the Brittish forces that came to relieve it entred the Citie by assault and put to the sword all those that were within the souldiers ransacking the houses for bootie murdering the inhabitants and defacing the Citie it selfe whereof Time hath left no other remembrance to this day then onely the name and calamitie of the place After this great losse the Britans sought rather to provide for their owne saftie by flying into the woods whence they might sallie forth vpon advantage and retire themselves againe then by making open resistance which oft-times procured apparant and irrecoverable daunger In the meane time Ella began to erect a Provinciall government over that
part of the Ile lying vpon the sea South-ward which at this day containeth the Counties of Surrey and Sussex though his successors by encroching vpon their neighbor Princes extended it afterwards even to the Firth of Humber After his death his two elder sonnes Cimen and Plening being either slain in the field or dead by course of nature Cissa his yongest sonne was by generall consent of the people of his owne nation received as Governor The chiefe seate of his principalitie was the Citie of Chichester which he reedified and called by his owne name He also fortified the place now called Cissburie in Sussex by casting a trench about it for defence of the Province What other things were done by him as also by the rest of the South-Saxon Princes the Writers of the occurrents of that age have for the most part omitted or Time it selfe hath vnhappily bereaved vs of the knowledge of them He ruled the South-Saxons verie many yeares and died naturally leaving the government in peaceable estate to Edilwalch who succeeded him therein Edilwalch by the earnest perswasion of Wulfhere the religious Prince of the Mercians was first moved to embrace the Christian faith and Wulfhere himselfe being his Godfather did at the time of his baptisme give vnto him the I le of Wight and another small Province in the West part of Britannie CHAP. II. Variance betweene the Archbishops of Canterburie and Yorke Wilfrid chiefe Bishop of the Northumbers expulsed from his owne sea at Yorke flieth into Sussex where he converteth the inhabitants to the Christian faith He is curteously entertained by Edelwalch the Prince who assigneth to him the I le of Selesey for an Episcopall sea The South-Saxons are brought vnder the obedience of the West-Saxon Princes IN the meane time Wilfrid chief Bishop of the North-humbers being expulsed from his sea at York by Theodorus the Archbi of Canterburie openly disgraced by Egfrid then Prince of Northumberland appealed to the Court of Rome from which he obtained a definitive sentence for his justification touching those matters wherewith he was charged and also for his restitution and reestablishment in his Sea But Egfrid the Prince refused to receive him protesting against the sentence as vnduly procured whereupon Wilfrid the Bishop fled secretly into Sussex and preached the Christian faith to the South-Saxons whose Prince named Edelwalch received him with great joy assigning vnto him for his Sea the I le of Selesey where afterwards the foundation of a Monasterie was laid After the death of Egfrid Prince of the Northumbers he was revoked and restored to his former dignitie which yet he enjoyed not long without interruption He was a man of great courage as having beene continually exercised with troubles and worldly incumbrances which do commonly deject and oppresse such as yeeld thereunto but do engender constancie or obduracie in such as encounter and oppose them The authoritie of the Sea of Rome he was euer stiffely bent to maintaine The custome of celebrating the feast of Easter after the Roman maner he diligently taught and defended in publike disputation against the Bishops of Scotland who observed the vsage of the East Churches according to the tradition of the Iewes It is reported of him that while he remained in the Province of the South-Saxons he instructed the rude poore people dwelling vpon the Sea coasts in the art of fishing with Nets and Ginnes by which meanes they were relieved in the time of famine wherewith the Country was then much afflicted The province enjoyed a long time of prosperitie vnder this Christian Prince till in the end it was assailed by Ceadwall a man of great power and courage descended from the race of the West-Saxon Princes who being banished from his owne Country attempted by force to have expulsed Edelwalch and finally after many conflicts slue him in battaile Howbeit the greatest number of his owne forces being spent in that warre he was afterwards constrained to abandon the Province which Aldin then governed till afterwards obteyning the West-Saxon Principalitie he assaied the recoverie of it againe and in the end by conquest annexed it to that government when it had remained about three hundred yeares vnder the obedience of the South-Saxon Princes The succession of the Mercian Princes 1 Creda the first Prince of the Mercians ruled about ten yeares 2 Wibba the sonne of Creda twentie yeares 3 Ceorla the sonne of Wibba ten yeares 4 Penda surnamed the Stowt the sonne of Wibba thirtie yeares 5 Peda the sonne of Penda the first christian Prince 6 Oswin 7 Wulfere the brother of Peda. 8 Ethelred the brother of Wulfhere 9 Kinred the sonne of Wulfhere 10 Celred the sonne of Ethelred 11 Ethelbald 12 Bartred 13 Offa the nephew of Ethelbald 14 Ecfrid the sonne of Offa. 15 Kenulph nephew to Penda in the fifth degree 16 Kenelm a child of seven yeares the sonne of Ecfrid murdered by his owne sister and reputed a Martyr 17 Ceolwulph brother to Kenulph 18 Bernulph defeated by Egbert Prince of the West-Saxons ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the Mercians till the raigne of Egbert the first English Monarch Bishops of Lichfield and Chester 656 Diuma the first Bishop of the Mercians sate two yeares 658 Cella two yeares 660 Trumherus five yeares 665 Iarumannus foure yeares 669 Cedda removed from the Sea of Yorke three yeares 672 Winfridus foure yeares 676 Sexulphus sixteene yeares 692 Hedda twentie-foure yeares 716 Aldwinus twentie one yeares 737 Witta fourteene yeares 751 Hemetus thirteene yeares 764 Cuthfridus nine yeares 773 Bertunus seven yeares 780 Higbertus ten yeares 790 Aldulfus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince twentie foure yeares Bishops of Lindisferne now called Holy-Iland 678 Edhedus sate one yeare 679 Aethelwinus twenty two yeares 701 Edgarus nineteene yeares 720 Kenebertus thirteene yeares 733 Alwich eighteene yeares 751 Aldulphus sixteene yeares 767 Ceolwulfus seventeene yeares 784 Vnwona two yeares 786 Ealdulphus after whose death the Sea was void certaine yeares lived about the time of Egbert the West-saxon Prince Bishops of Hereford 680 Putta sate eleven yeares 691 Tirthelus twelve yeares 703 Tortherus fifteene yeares 718 Walstodus eighteene yeares 736 Cuthbertus five yeares 741 Podda five yeares 746 Ecca six yeares 752 Cedda six yeares 758 Aldbertus eleven yeares 769 Esna six yeares 775 Ceolmundus eight yeares 783 Vtellus five yeares 788 Wulfhardus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince twentie one yeares Bishops of Worcester 688 Boselus sate twelve yeares 692 Ostforus one yeare 693 Egwinus twentie foure yeares 717 Wilfridus twentie seven yeares 744 Mildredus thirtie two yeares 776 Weremundus three yeares 779 Wolberus two yeares 782 Eathoredus seven yeares 789 Denebertus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince thirtie three yeares Bishops of the Middle-English whose Sea was at Leycester 692 Wilfrid expulsed from his province of Northumberland sate ten yeares after whose departure the Sea of Leycester was governed by the Bishops of Lichfield
Crowland He is slaine in battaile EThelbald the successour of Celred was a professour of Christian religion though much addicted to wantonnesse and sensuall pleasures for which he was sharpely reprooved by Bonifacius an Englishman then Bishop of Vtricht in Holland and afterwards Arch-bishop of Mogunce in Germanie who wrote vnto him how fowle and dishonourable a thing it was that he which raigned over so many Nations should himselfe be the bondslave of fleshly lust signifying withall that those offences of impuritie which he committed were punished even among the heathen with death and cruell torments that by his ill example he corrupted his subjects that God himselfe for those vices had plagued many Princes both in their own persons and in their posteritie and finally that the pleasures of this life are but short and vaine and the paines ordained for sinne intolerable and eternall He likewise admonished Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury that hee should cause the light habites of Priests and Nunnes who fashioned themselves too much after the secular guise to be reformed But Ethelbald being stricken with compunction of heart for the lascivious follies of his youth sought by all good meanes to prevent those dangers into which through securitie and continuance in sinne he doubted that he might irrecoverably have fallen and first by the advise of his Clergie and temporall Nobilitie he ordained that all the Churches within his Dominions should be discharged of tribute and freed from all burthens and labours excepting onely such as were to be vndertaken for the necessary building of Towers Castles and Bridges for the defence and generall good of the Province in which case none were to be exempted and that persons professed in religion should enioy the profits of their lands entirely and not be constrained to make any other payments out of the same vnto the Prince About that time also Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury by the advice of Bonifacius the Arch-bishop of Mogunce made certaine constitutions for the governement of the Clergie vnder his jurisdiction by which amongst other things it was ordered that the holy Scriptures should be vsually read in Monasteries that Priests should be no buiers nor sellers of worldly commodities that they should receive no rewards for administring the Sacraments that there should be an vniformitie among them in the observation of Ecclesiasticall ceremonies that they should both learne themselves and teach others the Lords praier the articles of the Christian faith in the English tongue and that none should be admitted to holy Orders but such persons whose conversation and maner of living was first examined and approoved In the meane time Ethelbald the Prince partly of his owne religious inclination and being partly moved by the examples of his predecessors caused a great and goodly Monastery to be erected at Crowland in the Countie of Lincolne where for that the ground was fennie and vnable to support the weight of a stone building many huge piles of Oke were driven into the Marish and hard earth brought thither about nine miles by water was rammed in with the piles wherevpon the foundation of the Church was laid such was the zeale of Princes in those dayes as they could levell Mountaines convert fennie bogs into firme land and alter in a maner the verie course of nature no cost seeming too much no labour too great nor any thing impossible that they had a will to effect When he had reigned aboue fortie yeares Cuthred the West-Saxon Prince invaded the territorie of the Mercians during the continuance of which warres Ethelbald was slaine by Bartred a person notorions for his crueltie and was afterwards buried in the famous Monasterie of Rippon howbeit Bartred soone lost that which he had ill gotten for he was also slaine by Offa the Nephew of Ethelbald who succeeded him in the government CHAP. IIII. Offa ruleth the Mercians He foundeth the Monasterie of Saint Albans He maketh a ditch to divide the Territories of the English and Walshmen Kenelmus the Martyr The Catalogue of the Mercian Princes from Offa vntill the West-Saxons obtained their Principalitie OFfa was a warlike Prince and for the most part fortunate Kineulph the West-Saxon Prince he overthrew in a setbattaile and Ethelbert Prince of the East-Angles he surprized vnder colour of friendship and after his death vsurped that Province Howsoever ambition and desire of glorie transported him beyond the limits of his owne Principalitie yet was he a great benefactor to the Church for he erected a faire Monasterie in the honour of Saint Alban neere the Towne that now beareth the Martyrs name and richly endowed it by his Charter He founded also the Abbey of Bathe the Archi-Episcopall Sea he translated from Canterburie to Lichfield the chiefe seat of the Mercian government where it continued but a short time Betweene Wales and the borders of his Province he caused a ditch to be made for defence against the incursions of the Britans whom the Saxons then called Walsh which in their language signifieth stranger Elfrid his sonne succeeding him reigned but one yeare Then Kenulph descended from Penda the Tyrant obtained the regiment He assailed the territorie of the Kentish-Saxons and tooke prisoner Egbert their Prince whom afterwards he freely delivered vpon the selfe same day that he dedicated the Church at VVinchelcombe whereof he was the founder adding that speciall Act of clemencie to the other exercises of prayer and fasting then ordinarily vsed at such dedications In the Cittie of Hereford also he founded a Church which he consecrated to Saint Ethelbert Kenelm sonne of Ecfrid being about the age of seven yeares was slaine by Quinda his owne sister that aspired to the government and dying innocently was afterwards reputed a Martyr Then Ceolworth the brother of Kenulph having raigned but one yeare was expulsed the Principalitie by Bernulph and Bernulph himselfe after three yeares defeated by Egbert the VVest-Saxon Prince Then Lucan defending himselfe against the West-Saxons was assailed and overthrowne by the East-Angles VVithlasm for a time withstood the VVest-Saxons but in the end submitted himselfe to their subiection which he acknowledged by the payment of a yearely Tribute After his death Berthulf possessed the principalitie with like conditions till being assailed by the Pirates of Denmarke he was constrained for safegard of his life to abandon the Countrie Burdred succeeded Berthulf both in estate and fortunes for being chased out of Mercia by the Danes he fled to Rome where he died Then was some part of the principalitie assigned by the Danes to Ceolwolph who held it of them by homage till Alfred the nephew of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince entred the Province with an armie and expulsing both Ceolwolph and the Danes reduced it vnder the obedience of the VVest-Saxons ⧠The succession of the East-Saxon Princes 1 Erchenwin held the province of the East-Saxons as feodatarie to the Princes of Kent 2 Sledda the sonne of Erchenwin 3 Sebert the sonne of Sledda the first Christian Prince the
sonnes of Sebert ruled ioyntly Serred Seward Sigbert 4 Sigebert surnamed the Little the sonne of Seward 5 Sigbert the sonne of Sigebald brother of Sebert 6 Sigher 7 Sebbi 8 Sigeherd the sonne of Sebbi 9 Seofride the brother of Sigeherd 10 Offa the sonne of Sigeherd 11 Celred 12 Suthred defeated by Egbert Prince of the West-Saxons ⧠The succession of the Bishops of London in the Province of the East-Saxons 604 Melitus the first Bishop sent from Rome sate thirteene yeares after whose translation the Sea was void about fortie yeares 658 Cedda eight yeares 666 Wina translated from the Sea of Winton 9. yeares 675 Erkenwaldus twenty two yeares 697 Waldherus eighteene yeares 715 Ingualdus thirtie one yeares 746 Egwulfus eight yeares 754 Wighedus seven yeares 761 Eadbrichtus eleven yeares 775 Deora nine yeares 784 Eadbaldus eleven yeares 795 Heathobertus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince eighteene yeares The first CHAPTER The principalitie of the East-Saxons erected by Erchenwin Sebert the first Christian Prince Miletus 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 ERchenwin was the first of all the Saxons that erected a Provinciall government among the East-Saxons who then inhabited those parts which now containe the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of the Countie of Hartford all which both himself and his successors many yeares togither held by homage of the Kentish Princes as of their superiour Lords This Prince having reigned a long time with what successe I find no certaine report left the government to Sledda his sonne who to strengthen his estate by affinitie married Ricula the daughter of Ermerick the Prince of Kent by whom he had issue Sebert that succeeded him Sebert governed peaceably the Province of the East-Saxons which in his time was converted to Christianitie for in the yeare of Grace 604. Miletus was sent by Augustin the Archbish. to preach the faith of Christ to that people and had the Cittie of London assigned to him for his Episcopall Sea where Ethelbert the Kentish Prince erected a Church which he dedicated to Saint Paul endowing it with large possessions and Sebert following his example therein founded an other at the West end of the citie where afterwards a Monasterie was builded The place at that time being environed with water and overgrowen with thornes was called Thorney and afterwards by reason of the situation thereof the West-Minster It is reported that in more ancient times there had beene a Temple of Apollo which being overthrowen by an Earth-quake Lucius the first Christian Prince of the Britans reedified and converted to a Church for the exercise of the Christian Religion Sebert having spent the most part of his time after his conversion in deedes of Charitie and Devotion ended his life and was buried in that Church togither with his wife Ethelgoda Serred Seward and Sigbert his sonnes ruled ioyntly the province of the East-Saxons They were all men of disordered conversation and open despisers of religious rites for being not yet baptised they would have receyved the Sacrament of Christs bodie wherein for that Miletus the Bishop had opposed himself against them they expelled him from his Sea at London and themselves soone after were by Kinegles the West-Saxon Prince deprived both of government and life Sigebert surnamed the Little the sonne of Seward succeeded in the principalitie which in short time he left to Sigbert the nephew of Sebert the first Christian Prince of the East-Saxons Sigbert was by perswasion of Oswin chiefe governor of the Northumbers converted from Paganisme to Christianitie wherein he was confirmed by Cedda a devout learned man that then preached to the East-Saxons and recovered many of them which after the expulsion of Miletus had fallen from the faith He was afterwards by Finan the Bishop of Holy-Iland consecrated bishop of the East-Saxons amongst whom he preached the Gospell of Christ without interruption till such time as Sigbert the Prince procoring the dislike of his Subjects for that he shewed too much clemency to the Mercians his enemies was trecherously murdered by one of his owne kindred After his death Swidhelin the sonne of Sexbald obtained the regement and was baptised by Cedda the Bishop Then Sigher Sebbi ruled togither but not with absolute authoritie for at that time they acknowledged allegeance to Wulfere Prince of the Mercians In those dayes great plague and mortalitie fell vpon the Inhabitants of the Province and Sigher renouncing the faith fell to Idolatry which in a short time greatly encreased till Iarumanus the Bishop of Lichfield and certain priests being sent thither by VVulfere to that end laboured with all diligence to stop the course thereof and in the end suppressed it CHAP. II. The Devotion Chastitie and Chiritie of Sebbi the Prince The maner of his death Offa resigneth the government and goeth to Rome where he entreth into Religion Egbert the West-Saxon Prince obtaineth the principalitie of the East-Saxons IN the meane time Sebbi and the people vnder his obedience notwithstanding the relapse of their Country-men persisted constantly in the faith of Christ and Sebbi himselfe by praying fasting and Almes ceeds manifested his owne earnest desire to maintaine the same being so strongly possessed with the spirit of zeale and love of Chastitie as he perswaded his wife to a separation whereby they might serve God with more puritie of heart and his pietie and humilitie was had in such estimation even among the religious persons as they reputed him more meete to have beene a Priest then a Prince After he had with much difficultie obtained his wives consent for a separation he bestowed the greatest part of his worldly wealth vpon the poore reserving nothing for himselfe besides his necessarie maintenance but onely the expectation of a future recompence In his time lived Erkenwald a godly Priest who was afterward Bishop of London He founded two Monasteries the one for himselfe at Chartsey in Surrey and the other for Ethelburga his sister at Barking in Essex Sebbi having ruled about thirtie yeares fell sicke of a grieuous and verie painfull disease by reason whereof doubting lest â—hrough frailtie of the flesh he might burst out into any intemperate speeches or do any other thing vnseemely for his person profession he desired Waldher the successor of Erkenwald then Bishop of London by prayers and ghostly counsaile to assist him in his agonies and that no more then himselfe and two of his Chaplains onely might be present at the time of his departure so great a care had this religious Prince in well finishing that race which he had prosperously continued the most part of his life and in preventing all occasions of scandall to the faith which he professed His bodie
to empeach his further passage Northward till by the Northumbers being fewer in number then the Scottes hee was in battaile overthrowne Then Ethelfrid incouraged with this good successe remooved the warre to Chester where the Britans in great number had assembled themselves to make resistance but while the Monks and other religious persons were praying there that the Britans their countrymen might speed and prosper well in that enterprize Ethelfrid with his forces furiously assayled them putting to the sword about one thousand and two hundred religious persons of the Monastery of Bangor driving the rest of the Britans into the woods and marishes many of them perishing by the hand of the enemie before they could recover those places When Ethelfrid had raigned about twentie seven yeares he was slaine in a battaile by Redwald Prince of the East-Angles and left behind him seven sonnes whom Edwin that succeeded in the government dispossessed and banished out of the Province Edwin was by Boniface the Bishop of Rome exhorted to embrace the Christian faith and in the yeare of Grace 6â—6 Paulinus the third Bishop of Rochester in succession was appointed by Iustus the Archbishop of Canterburie to preach the Gospel vnto the Northumbers and to be their Bishop to which end also Edbald the Prince of the Kentish-Saxons had by letters recommended him to Edwin his brother in law In the mean time Evichelm the West-Saxon Prince ambitiously affecting the soveraigntie of the Northumbers practised with Eumer a man easily corrupted for desire of gaine to murder Edwin the Prince for the execution of which detestable purpose Eumer with a poysoned weapon hidden vnder his garment assailed the Prince and had slaine him in the place if Lilla had not thrust himselfe betweene his person and the danger and by making himselfe the memorable example of a faithfull servant preserved his masters life with the losse of his owne In revenge of this trecherous act Edwin invaded the territory of the West-Saxons after a great slaughter of the Inhabitants of that Province reduced the most part of it vnder his obedience Then to shew the fruits of his conversion to Christianitie he gave vnto Paulinus the Citie of Yorke to be a Bishops Sea for him and his successors laying the foundation of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Peter which was afterwards finished by Oswald About the same time also Paulinus himselfe erected the great Church at Lincoln This prince in felicitie of government excelled all his predecessors he was greatly beloved and honored of his people and no lesse feared of his neighbor Princes who for the most part held their Provinces of him by homage The Roman Banner Tufa was carried before him in token of triumph as well in times of peace as warre It is not to be forgotten that he caused certain cups of Iron and Brasse to be set by cleare Wels and fountaines running by high wayes for the vse of Pilgrims and Travailers which Cups remained long after in those places no man attempting to convey them away either for the reverence they bare vnto the Prince by whose appointment they were set there or else that they made a conscience to convert to their private commoditie such things as were ordained for a publike good But Edwin having reigned about seventeene years was in the end assailed at one time both by Penda the Prince of the Mercians and Ceadwall the Brittish Prince till with the losse of his life he made an end of the warre CHAP. II. 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 AFter his death the Principalitie of the Northumbers was dismembred againe For Osrick the sonne of Elfrick Prince Edwins vncle held onely the government of Deira and Eanfrid the sonne of Ethelfrid commanded the Bernicians Both these Princes forsaking the Christian faith fell to Idolatrie and were slain in battell by Ceadwall the Brittish Prince that spoiled wasted the country of Northumberland til Oswald the brother of Eanfrid opposed himselfe against the power of the Britans whose Captaine Ceadwall with the greatest number of his forces perished in the field After this victorie Oswald possessed the Province in peace and then sent for Aidan a Scottish-man to preach the Christian faith vnto his people assigning to him Holy-Iland for his Sea The Inhabitants of Deira and Bernicia who for the hatred which they bare one to another had submitted themselves to severall heads he wisely reconciled and vniting them in affection brought them vnder the obedience of one governor He was a zealous professor of the Catholike Religion which he endevoured to establish throughout all his Dominions When he had raigned about eight yeares he was killed in a conflict with Penda the Mercian Prince a cruell Pagan who commanded his head and armes to be cut from the rest of his bodie and in reprochfull maner to be hanged vp vpon high polles by reason whereof and for his holy conversation while he lived he was after his death honoured with the title of a Martyr Then Oswin the brother of Oswald succeeding him was much incumbred partly by the invasion of the Mercians and partly by the rebellion of his own sonne Elfrid Adilwald the sonne of Oswald the Martyr attempted by force to have recovered the Province and Oswy the sonne of Osrick sometime governor of Deira being trecherously delivered into his hands he caused to be murdered He fought oft times with fortunate successe against the Mercians whom after he had vanquished Penda he procured to be instructed in the christian faith and the better to strengthen his purpose therin he erected the Church at Lichfield to be the Bishops Sea for that Province After he had raigned about thirtie two yeares he ended his life in peace Then Egfrid his son ruled the Northumbers He married Mildred one of the daughters of Ana Prince of the East-Angles It is reported of her that living with her husband about twelve yeares she continued all that time both a wife and a virgin and in the end tooke vpon her the vaile of a Nun at Ely where she erected a Monasterie and was her selfe the first Abbesse In the meane while Egfrid removed Wilfrid from his Bishopricke at Yorke appointing two other Bishops over the Northumbers for their better instruction in the knowledge of Religion In his time diverse Synods were called by Theodorus then Archbishop of Canterburie for reformation of abuses in the Church for approbation of the five first general Councels and for the condemnation of the heresie of Eutyches who denied the humanitie of Christ. Not long before his death he made warre
sister of Penda the Mercian Prince and afterwards put her away whereupon Penda to revenge the indignitie offered to his sister made warre vpon him and drave him out of the Province which he afterwards recovered by the assistance of Ana Prince of the East-Angles for Kennewalch during the troubles in his owne dominions had fled thither and was there baptised by Faelix the Bishop He founded the Cathedrall Church at Winchester to be the Bishops Sea for the Province of the West-Saxons and appointed Wiâ—a to be the first Bishop of that place Hee gave also to the Abbot Aldelmus the towne of Malâ—esbury where by the helpe of Elutherius that succeeded Wiâ—â— in the Bishopricke of the West-Saxons he erected a faire Monasterie of which William of Malmesbury who wrote in Latine part of the English History was sometimes a Monke After his death Sexburga his wife held the Principalitie but finding that by reason of the weakenesse of her sexe she was vnable to support so weightie a burthen she soone gave it over and went into a Nunnery in the I le of Shepey which her selfe had founded Then Eascwin the nephew of Kinegles succeeded He began a warre against Wolpher the Mercian Prince with whom he fought a set battaile What other things were done by him worthy remembrance I finde little reported Then Kenewin the youngest sonne of Kinegles ruled the West-Saxons He was oft times annoyed by the Britans whom in the end he chased into the vtmost parts of the Province Westward Ceadwall the nephew of Ceaulin possessing the government subdued the Province of the South-Saxons and wasted the Kentish Territories in the pursuit of which warre he gave vnto the Church even before he was baptised the tenths of all those spoiles which hee tooke Wherein howsoever his intention may be censured yet the example is no way justifiable considering it is written That hee which offereth vnto God the goods of the innocent doth as it were sacrifice the Son in the â—ight of the Father After hee had subdued the I le of Wight he sent thither Wilfrid the Bishop to instruct the inhabitants in the knowledge of Christian religion and being wearied with worldly affaires resigned the governement to Ina and went to Rome where he was baptised by the name of Peter and soone after ended his life His body was buried in the Church of Saint Peter and over the place where he was 〈◊〉 the inscription of his name and condition was engraven CHAP. II. Ina succeedeth Ceadwall in the governement of the West-Saxons Peter Pence 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 〈◊〉 Principalitie INa was lineally descended from the West-Saxon Princes He was a Prince of great courage and wisedome and for the most part fortunate in his attempts For 〈…〉 Prince he withstood by open forcâ— the Kentish-Saxons being weakned by many formeâ— assaults he constrained with great summes of money to purchase peace at his hands and the Province of the 〈…〉 after the death of Anthâ—â— their Prince 〈…〉 in battaile he reduced wholly vnder his obedience Then he manifested his good inclination to support and advance the state of the Church to which end he 〈…〉 at Wâ—llâ— that was afterwards 〈◊〉 to a Bishops Sea He builded also anew the Abbey of 〈◊〉 bestowing great cost vpon the Church there which he caused to be very â—ichly garnished with gold and 〈…〉 for the religious persons He instituted a certaine yeerely payment to the Sea of 〈◊〉 â—â—ipyning every 〈◊〉 of his Read me that 〈…〉 This payment was first called the Kings Almes and afterwards the Peter pence In his time the Bishopricke of the West-Saxons becomming voide was divided into two Seas whereof the one remained at Winchester and the other was established at Shirborn He made many good lawes both for the administration of justice in civill causes and also for the governement of the Church some of which even in these our daies are extant in the Saxon tongue After he had raigned a long time in great prosperity he was perswaded by Ethelburga his wife to resigne the Principalitie to Ethelard his kinsman and to goe to Rome where afterwards professing voluntary poverty he ended his latter daies in as lowly and meane estate 〈◊〉 he had formerly spent the greatest number of 〈…〉 pompe and glory Ethelard at his first entrance was much troubled with civill discention which Oswald one of the princely blood aspiring to the governement had raised 〈◊〉 the West-Saxons but that rebellion being appâ—â—â—ed he raigned the rest of his life in peace Then Cutâ—red the kinsman of Ethelard succeeded The borders of his Province bâ—ing strongly assailed by the 〈◊〉 he fortunately defended In his time there appeared two blazing Stars which were afterwards noted to be ominous predictions of those calamities which befell the Province vnder the tyranny of the Danes Then 〈◊〉 obtained the Principality of the West-Saxons He was a Prince much deâ—ained for 〈◊〉 and oppression of his subjects the antient lawes and customes of the Province 〈…〉 in such like outragious practises he was at the last by his owne people deprived of all authoritie and enforced for safeguard of his life to hide himselfe in woods and forrests where he lived in great misery secluded from the societie of men whereof by his inhumanitie he had made himselfe vnworthy till at the last he was slaine in Andreds-wald by a Swineheard whose Maister in former times Sigebert had injuriously put to death Kenulph descended from the line of Cerdic the first Prince of the West-Saxons was partly for the honour of his blood and partly for the generall opinion of his sufficiencie advanced to the government Such factions and popular tumults as had risen by the deposing of his predecessor hee pacified with great wisedome and moderation He was the first founder of the church at Wells where a Bishops Sea was afterwards placed Howbeit hee was much inclined to the wanton pleasures of the flesh which were the occasion of his destruction in the end for going in private manner to visite a strumpet whom he kept he was entrapped by one of Sigeberts kinsmen and murdered in the way Then Britric being also of the race of Cerdic governed the West-Saxons Hee was a Prince by nature more addicted to peace then warre He married Eadburga the daughter of Offa Prince of the Mercians by whose ayd hee expelled Egbert the West-Saxon that invaded his Province forcing him to flie into France where afterwards he lived like a banished man In his time about the yeare of grace 800. the Danes first attempted to land in Britannie whereat their arrivall they tooke the I le of Portland but Britric combining with some other of the Saxon Princes ioyntly assailed them and in
short time chased them out of the land and Britric himselfe having raigned about seventeene yeares was poisoned by Eadburga his wife who fled into France transporting thither great store of treasure But not finding that good entertainement which she expected at the French Kings hands she became a Nunne and afterwards Abbesse of a religious house from whence a◠the last shee was expulsed for committing adulterie with a lay person and ended her vitious and dishonourable life in extreame povertie After the death of Britric the West-Saxons were governed by Egbert who enlarged his dominions by many and great conquests for first he brought vnder obedience the Walshmen who had beene alwaies accustomed vpon advantage to make incursions into the Province then with like successe he assailed and subdued the Mercians the Northumbers the Kentish and the East-Saxons whose Provinces he annexed to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons as by relation of that which followeth more plainely shall appeare The end of the Second Booke of the Second Part of the Historie of Great Britannie ⧠The Table of the Contents of the Chapters in the Second Part of the Historie of Great Britannie The first Booke 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 page 173 The Britans elect Vortiger to be their King They send for the Saxons to aide them The originall and manners of the Saxons 177 The Saxons vanquish the Scottishmen and Picts Hengist deviseth how he may get possession of the East part of the Iland 182 Saxons Iutes and Angles arrive in Britannie Vortiger marrieth Hengists daughter He is deposed 186 Vortimer succeedeth his father in the government Vortiger is restored The most noble of the Britans are trecherously murdered by the Saxons vpon Salisburie Plaines 190 The calamities of the Britans The professors of Christian religion in Britannie are persecuted by the Saxons whose idolatry and superstitious rites are described 193 Germanus the Bishop conducteth the Armie of the Christian Britans against their enemies being Pagans who by his meanes are defeated He departeth out of Britannie 196 Aurelianus Ambrosius aydeth the Britans against the Saxons The valiant acts of Arthur the Warlike 198 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 several Principalities 201 The second Booke THe Principality of the Kentish-Saxons established by Hengist whom Vsk Otta and Ermeric succeede in the governement Austen the Monke is sent from Rome by Gregorie the Great to preach the Christian faith to the Saxons and English He landeth in Kent where he is curteously entertained by Ethelbert the Prince of that Countrie 209 Austen converteth divers of the Saxon and English from Paganisme to Christianitie The cause that first moved Gregorie the Great to intend their conversion Austen is consecrated chiefe Bishop of the English Nation by the Bishop of Arles in France He advertiseth the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his voyage into Britannie and requireth directions touching the Ecclesiasticall government to be there established 212 Instructions sent to Austen from the Bishop of Rome for the ordering and governement of the new Church in Britannie The primacie of the Sea of Canterbury The first English Bishops of London and Yorke 214 Austen receiveth the Pall from Rome Gregorie the Great sendeth gratulatorie letters to Ethelbert who is converted to the faith being the first Christian Prince of the English Nation The Church of Saint Paul in London is founded Melitus the first Bishop there in the Saxons time Iustus the first Bishop of Rochester Contention betweene the English and Brittish Cleargy about the celebration of the feast of Easter 217 Austen calleth a Synod to reconcile the differences betweene the Brittish and English Cleargie The Brittish Bishops aske counsell of an Anchorite whether they should conforme themselves to such things as Austen the Monks should require of them They refuse to accept him for their Arch-bishop Austen appointeth Laurentius to succeede him in the Sea of Canterburie He dieth 220 Ethelbert the Prince provideth for the maintenance of religious persons Hee ordaineth lawes for civill government publishing the same in the English tongue Edbald his sonne succeedeth him in the Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons His Apostacie Repentance Death 222 Ercombert succeedeth Edbald in the Principalitie The institution of Lent Honorius the Arch-bishop of Canterbury divideth his Province into Parishes Deus-Dedit succeedeth Honorius in the Sea of Canterbury Egbert ruleth the Kentish-Saxons after the death of Ercombert Theodorus the Arch-bishop of Canterbury expelleth Wilfrid out of the Sea of Yorke His learning in Divinitie and Philosophie His estimation in the Court of Rome 225 Lothar by intrusion succeedeth Egbert his brother in the government The West-Saxons invade the Province of Kent Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury calleth a Synod for reformation of abuses in the Clergy The succession of the Kentish Princes from Lothar to Alrich Kent is subdued and annexed to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons 227 ¶ The Principalitie of the South-Saxons established by Ella Cissa his youngest sonne succeedeth him therein Edilwalch the first Christian Prince of the South-Saxons 233 Variance between the Arch-bishops of Canterbury and Yorke Wilfrid chiefe Bishop of the Northumbers expulsed from his owne Sea at Yorke flieth into Sussex where he converteth the inhabitants to the Christian faith Hee is curteously entertained by Edelwalch the Prince who assigneth to him the I le of Selesey for an Episcopall Sea The South-Saxons are brought vnder the obedience of the West-Saxon Princes 235 ¶ The Principalitie of the Mercians erected by Creda the Saxon Penda persecuteth the Christians in his Province Peda succeedeth Penda his father in the governement He marrieth the daughter of Oswin Prince of the Northumbers and receiveth the Christian faith 241 Oswin Prince of the Northumbers ruleth the Mercians after the death of Peda till he is deposed by Wulfere the brother of Peda. Lichfield is made a Bishops Sea for the Province of the Mercians Chadde is Bishop of that place Wulfere is christned Ethelred his brother succeedeth him in the Principalitie He foundeth a Bishops Sea at Worcester He resigneth his governement and goeth to Rome where both himselfe and Kinred his nephew take vpon them the habit of religion Celred his sonne succeedeth him 243 Ethelbald succeedeth Celred in the governement He is reproved by Bonifacius an Englishman Bishop of Vtricht in Holland for his lascivious life His repentance He erecteth the Monasterie of Crowland He is slaine in battaile 245 Offa ruleth the Mercians Hee foundeth the Monastery of Saint Albans He maketh a ditch to divide the Territories of the English and Walshmen Kenelmus the Martyr The Catalogue of the Mercian Princes from Offa vntill the West-Saxons obtained their Principality 248
appointing Alstan the warlike Bishop of Shirburne and VValhard a man of good reputation for armes in those times to assist him with direction and advice in the prosecution of the warre which was begun and ended prosperously both in one yeare In the meane while the East-Saxons being taught by their neighbors example how much better more safe it is to prevent the calamities of an invasion by yeelding obedience then by standing vpon termes of defiance where there is no hope to preuail voluntarily submitted themselves But the Northumbers held out yet longer making open resistance against the VVest Saxons till partly by their owne civil discord and partly by the irruption of the Danes that annoyed their coasts they were glad to seek the ayd and protection of the VVest-Saxons as holding it a better course in that case of necessitie to become subiect to a nation that they knew then to be made slaves to strangers Thus were the Principalities of the Kentish and East-Saxons with the English-Mercians and Northumbers brought vnder Egberts obedience 〈…〉 greatest part of the I le made in a maner one Monarchie which forme of government it seemed in some sort to retaine even during the continuance of the seven-fold regiment of the English-Saxons amongst whom some one Prince was alwaies of greater power then other had a right of superioritie above the rest Neither was there any thing now wanting for the establishment of an absolute governmnt for the VValsh-men the posterity of the antient Britans were for the most part slaine in battell those that survived were vtterly disarmed and thrust into a corner of the I le The citie of Chester their strongest hold was possessed by the English with out al hope to be recovered As for the South-Saxons East-English whose Provinces remained as yet vnconquered they were but a handfull in comparison of the rest more likely to seeke the assurance of their estates by a reasonable composition then by standing any long time vpon defence if they should be assailed But Egbert knowing well that there was as much wisdome requisite in the keeping and well ordering as there had beene valor shewed in the getting of those Provinces held a generall assembly at VVinchester the chiefe Citie of the VVest-Saxon Princes where he was with great and vnusuall ceremonies of state declared King Then for the vniting and setling of the Soveraigntie in himselfe his successors he ordained that the Inhabitants who had been a long time distinguished by diverse names should now be made an entire nation and being governed by one Prince should bear iointly one name to that end he commanded by publike Edict that the several Provinces so vnited shuld for ever after he called Angles-land which by a contraction of the word or corruption of the time was afterwards as at this day it is called England For the memorie of the Iutes being long since worn out the name of the Saxons now suppressed by edict the Angles only remained who in respect of their number might seem to chalenge by right the denomination and it is certaine that the Inhabitants of the greatest part of the I le were many yeares before commonly called Angles or English Certaine short Notes touching the Roman state militare for the better vnderstanding of the first Part of this Historie namely for the helpe of such as are ignorant in the ancient Roman Stories THe forces which the Romans vsed in their foreine warres consisted of Legions and Aydes The Legions were generally divided into Footmen Horsemen whose number was oft times changed according to the difference of times alteration of the state the Citie of Rome being first governed by Kings afterwards by the Senate and people vnder the Consuls and Tribunes which was commonly called The free State and Time of Libertie and lastly by the Emperors The Legion vnder the first Emperors for to speake of former times is not so proper to this purpose consisted of 6000. Foot and 600 Horse or there-abouts The chiefe Officer of the Legion was called Legatus Legionis Lievtenant of the Legion who had the principall charge as well of Horse as Foot vnder the Lievtenant generall of the Armie or Governor of the Province for the Emperor which Lievtenant and Governor is commonly called in the Roman storie Legatus or Propretor as the Governor for the Senate and people was called Proconsull for some Provinces were at the disposition of the Emperors only and others were assigned by the Senate and People The inferior Officers of the Legion were the Centurion Ensign-bearers c. The Footmen in the Legion were equally divided into ten Cohorts or Companies whereof each one had a Superintendent Officer The 600. Horse in the Legion were divided into ten Troopes called Turmaâ— everie Troope containing three Decuries or Thirty Horse over whom were placed Officers called Decuriones that had everie one the particular charge of ten Horse The chiefe Officer of the Troope was called Praefectus Turmae In the Legion none were to be inrolled for Soldiers but Citizens of Rome and men of ingenious professions The additions of number as namely the First Second Third Legion c were given to the Legions at first in regard of the time and order of mustering and became afterwards Surnames togither with other additions of place person and qualitie imposed either vpon accident or for distinctions sake ¶ The Aydes or Auxiliarie forces sent from forreine Countries being by league and contract bound to assist the Romans in their warres were divided into companies of Foot called Cohortes and wings of Horse which they termed Alae Everie Cohort conteined six hundred Foot whose chiefe Officer was called Praefectus There were eight Cohortes commonly assigned for the Aydes of one Legion Everie Ala or wing of Horse contained about three hundred whose chiefe Officer was also called Praefectus and the inferior Officers Decuriâ—nes There were commonly two of these wings assigned togither with the eight Cohorts of Foot above named for the Aydes of one Legion Who so desireth to be more particularly instructed herein let them read the learned and judiciall Annotations vpon Tacitus translated by Sir Henrie Savile Knight whence I haue extracted these notes as also borowed a great part of the Translation it selfe as may appeare in the second Booke of the first Part of this worke The names of certain Writers of the Roman and English Storie out of whose workes the matter of the precedent Historie hath beene for the most part collected Writers of the Roman Storie IVlius Caesar his Commentaries de bello Gallico Cor. Tacitus Dio Cassius his Bookes of History His Annales translated into English by Richard Grenoway His first foure Bookes of Historie and the life of Iulius Agricola translated into English by sir Henrie Savile knight Ammianus Marcellinus his 18. Bookes of Historie Master Camden his Britannia The Writer of the Booke entitled The three Conversions of England from
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