there should be any difference between the Kings of Powis and Cardigan the meeting should be at Llyswen upon the River Wy and the King of Aberffraw to decide it This thô it seems to have been as wise a course as could be taken to maintain amity in a divided Kingdom yet did prove of no effect for it seems the Princes of these Countries did not long observe this Constitution of their Ancestour King Rodoric but perpetually weakned each other with Civil Wars so that the English taking advantage of their mutual divisions by assisting the weaker Prince against the stronger they at last by degrees reduced them all under the English Dominion as shall be further shewn in its proper place About this time Anarawd the Eldest Son of Rodorick above mentioned began his Reign over North-Wales This Year according to Asser the Danes stealing away privately after the Feast of Epiphany to Cypenham and having now got Horses marched through all the Country of the West-Saxons and there began to fix their Quarters forcing many of the Inhabitants beyond Sea and subjecting the rest of their Dominion in so much that King Alfred was forced with a few of his Nobles and with some Souldiers and Vassals to lurk among the Woody and Boggy parts of Somerset-shire where he led a very uneasie Life in great Trouble and Scarcity having no Provisions but what he could take away by frequent incursions from the Enemies or else those Christians who had submitted themselves to their Dominion and it is found in the Life of St. Neot as he lay hid with a certain Cow-herd it happened one day that as his Wife was making of Cakes the King sate by the Fire fitting up his Bow and Arrows and other Weapons but when the Woman saw the Cakes which lay before the fire begin to burn she presently ran and removed them and chiding the King whom she did not know said thus Doest thou Fellow think much to turn these Cakes which thou can'st eat fast enough when they are baked At which the King laughing took all in good part but be the Story true or false this much is certain that the King lay at this time so private that neither his Friends nor Enemies could tell where he was in so much that all this while the Royal Patrimony became a prey as well to the revolting English as to the Danes themselves But the Monkish writers of these times according to their usual Custom of interpreting all misfortunes to be God's Judgments will needs have this to be a judgment upon this King because that in the beginning of his Reign being taken up with the desire of Learning or else diverted by Hunting and other Juvenile Pleasures he had too much neglected the public affairs and that being admonished by St. Neot and refusing to amend the Holy Man foretold there would be a time when he should be driven from his Kingdom and from his own House But be this as it will whilest King Alfred was thus over-powered by the great multitude of Danes that daily entred the Kingdom he was forced to retreat yet even then being followed by a small band of Stout and Loyal Souldiers he often set upon the Enemies by surprize and with so good success that he let them see though he was overcome by numbers yet he was not vanquished since he remained formidable even in his flight but to this Retreat the then Woody and Bogy parts of Somersetshire between the Rivers Thone and Parret chiefly contributed which were then almost an Island and not to be enter'd without a Boat unless by one narrow way as Leland in his Itinerary hath rightly observed but Will of Malmesbury tells us That it is to no purpose to relate all the little Skirmishes and Adventures of this King during his Retreat only one passage will not be unpleasant whether it be true or false it happen'd one Day that whil'st King Alfred lay pivate in a little Castle or Fort in the Wood Athelney it being Winter time and the Waters frozen up he sent out his followers to seek for some Fish or Fowle whereby they might sustain Nature so that none were left at home but himself and his Mother for it seems the Queen his Wife was either dead or else lay concealed some where else but the King having to pass away the time taken up a Book and began to read as his custom was when he had nothing else to do a certain poor Man knocked at the door and begged an Alms whereupon the King calling to his Mother desired her to see if there was any thing for him to eat but she told him that there was no more than one Loaf left and this would not be enough for the whole Company when they returned home the King hearing this said no more but let God be blessed for all his gifts then praying his Mother to bestow half of it upon this poor Christian further added that he who had fed 5000 Men with Five Loaves and Two small Fishes could also if he pleased make half a Loaf suffice their necessities whereupon his Mother complying with his desire and the poor Man having got more than he looked for went his way but the King having read till he was tired happened to fall asleep and dreamt that he saw St. Cuthbert formerly Bishop of Lindisfarne coming to him and telling him that he was sent from God to let him know that he was now resolved to put an end to the long and grievous punishments which the English had hitherto suffered for their Sins and that the Alms which he had just now bestowed was so acceptable in his sight that he would restore him to his Kingdom and said as a sign of this his Servants who were then gone out a Fishing thô with very small hopes of catching any thing should return home so loaded that he should look upon it with wonder but that which is more strange his Mother fell also a sleep and dreamed the like Dream at the same time as she told the King her Son when he awaked her but whilest they with great astonishment discoursed of this Miracle his followers returned home bringing Fish enough with them to have served a little Army if there had been occasion But be this Story true or false it is certain that not long after the King received news that Hinguar and Hubba returning out of Wales where having made a great slaughter of the Britains they had past the Winter and being lately landed in Devon-shire with Twenty three Ships there met with some of the King's party by whom their Captain with 1200 Souldiers were slain near the Castle of Kenwith the manner of which was thus Odun Earl of Devon-shire with many others of the King's Subjects upon the arrival of Hubba had fled hither for refuge but when the Danes knew the Castle was but weakly fortified and they within were not provided of things necessary for a Siege they then
their Cables Anchors and other Tackle being broken or spoiled became unfit for Service this caused a great Consternation in the Army for there were not any other Ships left in which they could be again transported and all things necessary were wanting to refit them nor was there any Corn provided for them to Winter in these parts all which being known to the Britains their Princes though after the Fight they had agreed to perform those things which Caesar had injoyned yet when they understood that the Romans wanted Horses Ships and Provisions and had also judged of the paucity of their Souldiers from the small circuit of the Roman Camp which seemed the less because Caesar had transported his Legions without any Baggage they thought it the best course again to take Arms and thereby to hinder the Romans from fetching in Corn or other Provisions and so to protract the War till Winter came on for they thought if these were once vanquish'd and cut off from ever returning into Gaul none of them hereafter would again presume to transport an Army into Britain Therefore the Plot being thus laid they began by little and little to steal out of the Camp and privately to draw their Men out of the Fields But Caesar although he did not then know their design yet from the late disaster of his Ships as also from their neglecting to send in their Hostages suspected what would happen therefore provided for the worst for he every day brought in Corn out of the Fields into the Camp and as for those Ships that were most shatter'd he made use of their materials to refit the rest and what things were farther necessary he ordered to be brought from the Continent all which being executed by his Souldiers with the utmost labour and diligence only twelve Ships being lost he fitted out the rest ready to go to Sea Whilst these things were in action the seventh Legion being by course sent out to Forrage and that there was at that time no appearance of War whilst great part of their Men remain'd in the Fields and others of them went and came between that and the Camp those Souldiers who kept guard at its Entries gave notice that there appear'd a greater dust than was usual in that part of the Country toward which that Legion had marched whereupon Caesar suspecting that the Britains were undertaking some new design commanded those Cohorts which were then upon the Guard to march with him towards that Quarter ordering two more to take their places and the rest to Arm and immediately to follow him when he had marched some distance from the Camp he perceived his Souldiers to be overcharged by the Enemy and hardly able to sustain their assault and that the Legion being drawn up close together Darts were cast at them from all quarters for the Corn being cut and carried away in all other parts one piece was left and the Enemies guessing that the Romans would come thither for it had laid in ambush in the Woods and suddainly assaulting them being then without their Arms and busie in reaping killing some thereby routed the rest being then out of their Ranks hemming them in both with their Horse and Chariots For in their Battles they make use for the most part of Chariots with which they first of all scowre through all parts casting Darts as they go and so by the terror of their Horses and ratling of their Chariot-wheels they often break the Roman Ranks and when they have got in among the Troops of Horse they leap down from their Chariots and Fight on Foot in the mean time the Charioteers retire a little from the Battle and so place themselves that if they should be pressed by any number of their Enemies their Masters may find an easie retreat by which way of fighting they had both the speed of Horse-men and the steadiness of Foot Souldiers and had so enured themselves by daily use and Exercise as that they were able to stop their Horses in full speed though running down steep places as likewise they had been used to turn their Charriots in a narrow compass to run along the Pole to sit upon the Yoke that joyn or couple the Horses together and from thence quickly to return into their Chariots The Romans being much astonished with this new way of Fighting Caesar in a lucky moment came to their rescue At whose approach the Enemies stopped and the Romans began to recover themselves which thô done yet Caesar thinking it no fit time further to provoke the Enemy nor then to renew the Fight kept his ground and presently led back the Legions to the Camp whilst these things were doing the Britains who where in the Fields also retired During many days following there happned continual bad weather which both kept the Romans in the Camp and hindered the Enemies from attempting any thing against them But in the mean time the Britains sent Messengers into all parts publishing abroad the small number of the Roman Forces and how great a booty they were like to get that this was the time of freeing themselves for ever if they could but take the Roman Camp Upon which great numbers of Horse and Foot being now drawn together came to the Camp Caesar although he foresaw the Event by that which had happen'd before and that the Enemies if once stoutly repulsed would avoid the danger by flight having got about Thirty Horse whom Comius of Arras had brought over with him at his coming into Britain drew out the Legions in Battle before his Camp which when joyned the Enemy being not able to bear the assault of the Roman Souldiers turned their backs whom Caesar followed as long as his Men's speed and strength would permit After a great slaughter and burning of the Villages round about but they return'd to their Camp The same day Messengers came from the Britains to treat of Peace from whom Caesar demanded double the number of Hostages which he had before enjoyned commanding them to be brought over to him to the Continent because the Equinox approaching he did not think a Winter Voyage was to be undertaken with such weak crazy Vessels therefore having now got a convenient Season a little after midnight he hoisted Sail so that all the Ships got safe to the Continent It is not pertinent to our History to relate here how Caesar's Men as soon almost as they came on Shore were set upon by the Morini whom he had before left in peace and whom notwithstanding he routed and killed a great number of them till they were quite subdued But it seems the Britains had no great Opinion of Caesar's Power for only Two States of all Britain sent him Hostages the rest neglecting it These things being thus performed upon the reading of Caesar's Letters Twenty days supplication to the Gods was decreed by the Senate Thus far we have given you Caesar's own account of his first Expedition into Britain
Colledge Oxon. together with an Ingenious Dissertation of his own upon the same question But to return to the Matter in Hand from which we have too much digressed Caesar in the Fifth Book of his Commentaries tells us That having found a fit time he had Commanded his Souldiers again to Embarque for Britain when there happen'd a Mutiny rais'd by Dumnorix with his Aeduan Horse who would have left the Expedition and gone home but he being kill'd by some of Caesar's Souldiers whom he had order'd to do that Execution all those Horsemen return'd again to him Things being thus settled Labiâ—nus was left behind on the Continent with Three Legions and Two Thousand Horse to defend that Port and to provide Corn as also to observe the Motion of the Gauls Then Caesar with Five Legions and an equal Number of Horse to what he had left behind about Sun-set weigh'd Anchor and sailed on with a gentle Southern Gale but about Mid-night the Wind falling he could not hold on his Course but Day coming on found he had bin carried away by the Tide and that he had left Britain too much on his Left Hand But then again taking Advantage of the Change of the Tide he endeavour'd by the help of Oars to reach that part of the Island where he had found before to be the best Landing the last Year wherein the Souldiers deserved a great Commendation who made the heavy Transport Ships by the constant Labour of Rowing keep almost equal speed with the Gallies About Noon they arriv'd at Britain with all their Ships but there was not any Enemies to be seen in that Place for as Caesar learn'd afterwards from the Prisoners the Britains had been there with great Forces but were terrified with the vast Multitude of the Ships which with Vessels of Provision and others upon private Accounts amounted to above Eight Hundred so that the Britains had quickly left the Shore and retired into Places more remote Caesar having Landed his Army and chosen a fit Place for his Camp as soon as he learn'd from the Prisoners in what Place the Enemy's Forces were Encamped about the Third Watch of the Night marched toward them being not concern'd for his Ships because he left them at Anchor in a safe and bold Shore with Ten Cohorts and Three Hundred Horse to guard them under the Command of Q. Airius But Marching that Night about Twelve Miles towards Chilham in Kent as is suppos'd he at last saw the Enemies Forces who with their Horse marching down to the River Stoure lying between them began from the higher Ground to assail the Romans and to give them Battel but being repulsed by the Horse they convey'd themselves into the Woods where having a Place strongly Fortified as well by Art as Nature and which it seems they had before provided during their own Domestick Wars for all the Avenues to it were clos'd up with Trees laid overthwart the Passages The Britains fought straggling out of the Woods and hinder'd the Romans from entring within the Fortification But the Souldiers of the Seventh Legion making a Testudo did by a Mount rais'd against their Fortification soon take it and drove them out of the Woods having themselves receiv'd very little Loss but since they fled Caesar forbad to pursue them too far because he was ignorant of the Place and a great part of the Day being spent he would employ the rest of it for the Fortifying of his Camp The next Day early in the Morning he sent his Foot Souldiers and Horsemen being divided into Three Bodies upon another Expedition that they might now pursue those that fled But before they had march'd any great distance of Ground the Enemy being in sight some Horsemen came from Q. Atrius to Caesar telling him that a great Tempest having risen the Night before almost all the Ships were shatter'd and cast on Shore neither the Anchors nor Cables being able to hold them nor could the Masters of the Vessels nor Mariners withstand the Force of the Tempest so that by the Ships falling foul upon each other great Damage was receiv'd which when Caesar knew he return'd to his Ships and he himself beheld what he had heard from the Messengers so that about Forty Ships being lost the rest might be refitted though not without much Labour Therefore he chose some Carpenters out of the Legions and Commanded others to be sent for from the Continent and he writ to Labienus that he should by the help of those Legions he had with him speedily get ready as many Ships as he was able whilst he himself although it was a business of great Toyl thought it was most convenient to have all his Ships haled on Shore and to enclose them within the same Fortification with his Camp in which Work he spent about Ten Days without any Intermission of Labour Day or Night The Ships being thus drawn up and the Camp strongly Fortified he left the same Forces to guard them as before whilst he himself marched forward to the same Place from whence he had last return'd When he came thither he found much greater Forces of the Britains there assembled from all Parts The Chief Command for managing this War being by their common Consent committed to Cassibelan whose Territories the River Thames divided from the Maritime States being about Eighty Miles distant from the Sea There had been in former Times perpetual Wars between him and the Neighbouring Cities But the Britains being now terrified by this second Invasion had given him the Supreme Command over them all Now from hence you may see the Falshood of Geoffrey of Monmouth who makes this Island to have bin a Monarchy before Caesar's coming and Cassibelan to have bin the Sole King whereas we find him only to have been a small Inland Prince and the rest of the Island divided into many Petty States or Principalities The rest of what Caesar here tells us concerning the Manners of the Britains as also the Situation of this Island these being either already related or else needless as sufficiently known I shall pass over and return to Caesar's Actions as he relates them in the same Book In this March the British Cavalry and Charioteers fought sharply with the Roman Horsemen yet nevertheless these were Superior in all Places and drove them to the Hills and Woods many being slain but the Romans pursuing them too eagerly lost some of their own Men. Some time after this the Enemy on a suddain sallied out from the Woods the Romans not being aware of them being busie in Fortifying their Camp and charged briskly upon those who were upon the Guard before the Camp But two Cohorts the chief of two Legions being sent by Caesar to their assistance whilst they made a halt as being surpriz'd with their new way of Fighting the Enemy boldly charg'd back again through the midst of them without the loss of a Man So that Day Quintus Laberius
pass that the Empire should want no more standing Armies He was thus made away M. Aurelius Carus was advanced to the Empire by the Army he created his two Sons Carinus and Numerianus Caesars to Carinus he gave the Charge of Britain with the rest of the Western Provinces but taking Numerianus along with him into the East he invaded the Persians where he died suddenly as some relate being struck with Lightning thô Vospiscus saith he died a natural Death and that the Souldiers firing his Tent gave occasion to the former Report His pious Son Numerianus was slain by Aper one of his Captains and he again underwent the same Fate by Dioclesian who also in a set Battle not long after slew Carinus who by his Riot and Luxury had much wasted Britain and the other Provinces All these Transactions happened within the space of two Years C. Aurel. Dioclesian being advanced to the Empâ—re by the Choice of the Eastern Army adopted Mar. Aurel. Maximinianus Sirnamed Herculius his Associate in the Empire five Years after which the former of these Emperours nominated Galâ—rius and the latter adopted Constantius Clorus Caesars constraining them to divorce their former Wives and to marry their Daughters In the beginning of this Emperour's Reign Carausius a Man of mean Parentage born in Menapia that is about the Parts of Cleves and Juliers who through all Military Degrees was advanced at length to be Governour of Bononia Admiral of the Belgic and Armoric Seas then much infested by the Francks and Saxons but what he took from the Pirats he neither restored to the Owners nor accounted to the Publick whereby he much enriched himself not so much as guarding the Seas but rather conniving at those Pirats till at length he grew too great a Delinquent to be less than an Emperour therefore hearing that Maximinian had ordered him to be slain he then took upon him the Imperial Robe and hearing that this Emperour was marching against him with the Fleet under his Command passed over into Britain where he built a new Fleet after the Roman fashion getting into his Power the Legion that was left here in Garison with other Outlandish Cohorts he detained and listed the very Merchants and Factors of Gaul and with the Allurements of Spoil invited great numbers of other barbarous Nations to take his part and trained them to Sea-Service wherein the Romans had so much lost their Skill that Carausius with his Navy at Sea did what he listed robbing on all the Sea-Coasts whereby Maximinian not able to come nearer than the Shore of Bononia now Boloigne was forced to conclude a Peace with Carausius and yield him up Britain as one fittest to guard that Province against the Incursions of the Northern Britains This is the reason that in all Carausius's Silver Coins we find two Emperours taking hands with this Inscription on the Reverse CONCORDIA AUGG. But not long after Maximinian sent Constantius Chlorus now Caesar against Carausius who in the mean while had made himself strong both within the Land and without Geoffery of Monmouth writes that he made the Picts his Confederates to whom as being lately come out of Scythia he gave Albania now called Scotland to inhabit And it is indeed observable that about his time the Picts are found to be first mentioned by Eumenius in his Panegyrick to Maximinian where he also mentions the Hiberni together with Picts both which he there calls Half-naked Enemies But whether by those Hiberni are to be understood Irish-men as that word Gramatically imports and as our English Antiquaries understand it or else Scotch-men called Hiberni because they first came out of Ireland as Buchanan and Scaliger would have it since it depends upon so nice a Criticism in the Latin Tongue as whether the words Soli Britanni were intended by the Author for the Nominative Case Plural or else for the Genitive of the Singular Number I shall not take upon me to decide only the Reader may please to take notice that those who understand these words in the former sense do suppose the Scots to have first come out of Ireland into Britain after this time but I have given you the words themselves in the Margin that you may pass what Judgment you please upon them But as Nennius relates Carausius repaired and fortified the Walls of Severus with Castles and a round House of polish'd Stone on the Bank of Carron which River he saith was from him so called also in Gaul he kept Bononia with a Garison and all the Franoks which had by his permission seated themselves in Belgia were at his command but Constantius hasting into Gallia besieged Bononia now called Boloigne as I said before and with Stones and Timber blocking up the Harbour kept out all Relief that could be sent in by Carausius but before Constantius with the Fleet which he had prepared could arrive thither Carausius was slain in Britain by the Treachery of Allectus one of his chief Friends and Commanders who likewise for three Years usurped the Empire when Carausius worthily as some say or as others Tyrannically had Ruled this Island 7 Years But Constantius presently took hold of that Opportunity before Allectus should settle his Affairs therefore thô the weather were ill he put his Army to Sea with all expedition and that from several Havens the more to spread the Terrour of his Landing and render it doubtful where to expect him so in a Mist passing by Allectus with the British Fleet unseen that lay cruising near the Isle of Vecta now Wight he no sooner got on shore but he fired his own Ships to leave his Men no hopes of Safety but in Victory then forthwith the poor oppressed Britains came flocking in to Constantius offering themselves together with their Wives and Children to him as their Deliverer sent them from Heaven which when Allectus heard being much dismayed at this News he passed over to the British Shore where landing he resolved to try his Fortune in a Battle on the Land where being encountred by Asclepiodotus Captain of the Praetorian Bands and desperately rushing on being unmindful both of the well-ordering of his Men and of bringing them all in to fight except the noted Accessories of his Treason and his Outlandish Hirelings He was overthrown and slain with little or no loss to the Romans but great Execution on the Francks Allectus having before flung away his Imperial Robes that he might not be known his Body was found almost naked in the Field the rest of his Men flying to London and purposing with the Pillage of that City to escape by Sea were met by another part of the Roman Army whom the late mentioned Mist at Sea had separated and now by chance had brought up the Thames where landing they killed almost all the rest even in the very City whilst the Citizens had the pleasure to behold their own Deliverance By this Victory
be particulary shown in its proper place Not long after the Martyrdom of St. Alban suffered also the Priest who converted him and whose Name Geoffrey will have to be Amphibalus thô we had never heard of it at all but from this Author that word signifying properly not a Man's name but a long shag Cloak which it is supposed that good Man wore I shall also pass by the Martyrdoms of many other Christians said to be at Lichfield and Winchester and other places as being of very uncertain credit having no other Authors but Geoffrey and our Monks who lived and wrote at a great distance from those Times But the Emperors Dioclesian and Maximinian having both on the same day thô in different places resign'd the Empire to the two Caesar's above-mentioned and Constantinus choosing the Western Provinces whereof Britain was one for his share came over hither to settle affairs in this Island and Eutropius supposes Helena his Wife to have been a Britain by Birth whereupon our Geoffrey presumes further and makes her to have been the Daughter of one King Coil whom he supposes to have succeeded Asclepiodotus But since there is no ground for this fancy in any Authentick Writer I shall wholly slight it especially since Nicephorus and other Greek Historians relate her to be a Bithynian but to return to that which is more to our purpose it is certain that as soon as Augustus was declared he immediately put a stop to the Persecution against the Christians in his Provinces and then passing over into Britain Constantius not â—ong after made an Expedition against the Caledonians whom he overcame and not long after died at York having been all his life time a great favourer of the Christians though no professed Christian himself to whom succeeded Constantine his Son who came luckily Post from Rome to Boloigne just about the time saith Eusebius when his Father lay Sick upon his Death-bed where being by him nominated for his Successour he was immediately after his Father's Funerals by the whole Army saluted Emperour thô he declined it all he could concerning whom there is a great dispute whether he were a Britain or not our British Historians produce a passage out Eumenius's Oration to Constantine wherein he calls Britain the most blessed and fortunate of all Lands quia Constantinum Caesarem primum vidisti which words may yet be thus interpreted that is it did not behold Constantine Born but saw him first created Emperor which is undoubtedly true but since most of our English Historians understand it in the former Sense there being nothing of conclusive certainty deliver'd by Antient Authors concerning it I shall leave it as I found it thô it must be confessed that the learned Dr. Stillingfleet in his Orig. Britannicae Not only from several passages in Eumenius's Panegyrick but also by other Arguments hath made it highly probable that Constantine was born in Britain But this is more certain that Constantine before his departure hence seems to have had some Bickerings with the Britains in the Northern parts of this Island which having in some time composed he passed again into Gaul where leaving a great Army many of whom were before raised in Britain he from thence went into Italy and near Rome overthrew the Tyrant Maxentius who had seized that City together with the rest of Italy immediately after which Victory he declared himself a Christian in the presence of his whole Army which yet he would not have perhaps ventured to have done had he not been sure that a considerable Party of his Souldiers had been so before About the Fourth Year after Constantine return'd again into Britain but what he performed here is not left us by any Historian now extant more than what Eusebius tells us in general That Constantine passed over to the Britains who had it seems then revolted whom when he had subdued he turned his Eyes to those other parts of the World that he might relieve those that wanted his assistance which this Author supposes to be the rest of the Empire then oppressed by Mercurius thô all others make him to have been subdued in the very beginning of Constantine's Reign But Geoffery could he be believed gives us a very plausible account why Constantine came now again into Britain which is to this effect That Octavius Duke of the Gewisses taking advantage of the Emperor's absence had seized upon Britain for himself the circumstances of which I omit to shorten the Story as also how one Trahern who is there supposed to be this Emperor's Unkle by the Mother obtained a great Victory over this Octavius but that upon Traherns being kill'd at Verulam by the treachery of a Nobleman of Octavius's Party he again returned into Britain and making a Confederacy with the Northern Nations renewed the War whereupon Constantine coming upon Octavius on the suddain soon overcame him yet suffer'd him though Conquer'd still to Reign here as a Tributary to the Roman Empire But it is not likely Constantine would have given so great an encouragement to Rebellion nay what is yet more improbable he makes this Octavius to have Govern'd this Island even to the days of Gratian and Valentinian which must needs be false since the Coyns of all those Roman Emperors who succeeded between Constantine and Valentinian are found in this Island whereas no Coyn or Monument of this Octavius was ever yet to be seen and further none of the Historians of this Age do mention any such King of Britain as it is likely they would have done had they known of such a person But this is more likely that the Emperour Constantine alter'd the Ancient Divisions of Britain by adding to the former Provinces viz. Britannica Prima and Secunda Two others viz. Flavia and Maxima Caesariensis I have no more to add concerning Civil Affairs in this Emperor's Reign but as for Ecclesiastical History it is certain the British Church was now grown so considerable that it sent divers Bishops to the Council of Arles in Gallia which was held in Year of our Lord 114 as you may see in the First Tome of Gallick Councils where Eborius Bishop of the City of Eboracum in the Province of Britain and Restitutus Bishop of the City of London and Adelphius Bishop of the City of Colchester appeared as Deputies for the rest of the Bishops of Britain And though in the great Council of Nice which was assembled Anno Dom. 325 there is no express mention of the Names of the British Bishops which appear'd there because the Subscriptions to that Council are lost yet Athanasius as also Hillary Bishop of Poictiers do sufficiently confirm their being there as well as Constantine himself who in his Letter to the Alexandrians says that Easter was observed according to the manner prescribed in that Council by all the Nations he there mentions among whom the Britains are reckon'd for one Constantine dying divided the
Batavi Herculi Jovii and Victores he marched toward London that ancient City which was afterwards called Augusta and dividing his Forces into several Parties fell upon these Rovers whilst they marched scattered up and down laden with Booty so that easily routing them the Plunder and Captives he quickly recovered and having restored all to their respective owners except some small Portion bestowed on the weary Soldiers he returned to the said City in a triumphant manner and thô before it laboured under many Difficulties he hereby restored it to its former Splendour being emboldened with this Success to undertake greater Matters entring into a ferious consideration what was further to be done he found by what he got out of the Prisoners and Fugitives that the Enemy consisting of divers Nations was too fierce and numerous to be mastered by downright Force but rather by Stratagems and sudden Attacks He first therefore by Promises of Pardon brought most of his own Deserters and Stragglers to return to their Colours but being himself taken up with divers Cares he sent for Civilis to govern Britain as Vice-Praefect a Man of a sharp Wit and a strict observer of Justice with Dulcitius a Commander very famous for his Military Skill Of which Expedition the same Author gives us this short general Account in another place That Theodosius having by his Industry got together an Army of well-disciplined Souldiers marching from London he extreamly relieved the Calamities of the Britains seizing upon all Places from which he might infest the Enemy and commanding his common Souldiers nothing which he did not first undertake himself by which means he performed both the Duties of a valiant Souldier and a famous Commander divers Nations being put to flight who had before been encouraged by Impunity to assault the Roman Territories and repaired the Cities and Castles which had before suffered very much so that a firm Peace was hereby established for a long time But the Year following whil'st Theodosius was thus employ'd there happen'd a horrid Conspiracy which had like to have proved of dangerous Consequence had it not been stifled in its very Birth For one Valentinus of Pannonia a Man of an insolent and unquiet Spirit being for some great Crime banish'd into Britain this wretch impatient of rest contrived a Plot against Theodosius who was the only Obstacle to his wicked designs so that considering by what means he might bring them to pass his Ambitious desires still encreasing he excited some Souldiers and Outlaw'd persons by promising them both Pardon and Preferment And now the time drawing near for effecting his Treason the General being informed thereof and being now become more bold to take Revenge on the Conspirators seized them and delivered them all to Dulcius the Prefect to be put to Death but judging of things future by that long Military Experience in which he excelled all others of his time he forbid any further enquiry into the rest of the Plotters lest many being thereby made afraid those troubles which had been already compos'd should be again revived Then falling to the reforming more necessary things now the danger was over and that it was evident good fortune attended all his undertakings he restored the Cities and Garisons as we have already said fortifying the Borders with constant Watches and Guards which though now recovered had been formerly given up to the Enemy so that the Northern Province being restored to its former condition appointing a new Governour over it he order'd that it should for the future be called Valentia in Honour of Valentinian the Emperour He also removed the Areans from their Stations a sort of Men Instituted in former times to good purpose thô who these Men were we know not but there seems here to be somewhat wanting in the Copy but our Author tells us That he had said somewhat more of them in the Acts of Constans which Book is lost but these sort of Men now fallen into Vices were openly convicted that being allur'd by Promises and Rewards they were often wont to betray to the Barbarians whatsoever was done among the Romans though it ought to have been their business by running to and fro to give notice to the Roman Generals of the Motions of the neighbouring Nations So that all these actions being so well executed when Theodosius was recalled he left this Province in Peace and being attended with the general applause of all Men to the Sea-side he passed over to wait upon the Emperour who received him with great commendations Nor can I here omit inserting that noble Eulogy which Claudian the Poet hath given this renowned General Theodosius in his Panegyrick to his Grandson Honorius in these Verses Facta tui numerabit Avi quem littus adusti Horrescit Lybiae ratibusque impervia Thule Ille leves Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotumque vago mucrone secutus Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus undas He shall relate thy Gransier's Acts whose name Burnt Libya dreads and Thule known by Fame Who the light Moores and Painted Picts did tame And with his Sword the roving Scots pursued Whil'st with bold Oars He Northern Seas subdued By which last Verses he seems to intimate that as he tamed the Picts by Land so he pursued the Scots by Sea but what are meant by those Hyperborianae Waters whether the Irish Ocean or the Friths of Dunbritton called in the Old Scotish Laws Mare Scoticum I shall not take upon me to determine But those Antiquaries who would have the Scots to be planted in Ireland in the time of Claudian do urge these Verses of the same Poâ—t in the next Panegyrick to that Emperour when speaking in praise also of his said Grandfather he thus proceeds maduerunt Saxone fuso Orcades in caluit Pictorum Sanguine Thule Scotorum tumulos flevit glacialis Ierne The Orcades were moistened with a Flood Of Saxon Gore and Thule by the Blood Of Picts was warmed nor did Ierne fail Whole heaps of Scots then slaughter'd to bewail And about these times the Picts and Scots raising fresh disturbances the Emp. Valentinian sent Framarius King of the Almans whose Country had been totally destroyed by a late incursion into Britain though with no higher a command than that of a Tribune over a Regiment of his own Country Men then highly in request for their Valour and Fidelity but what he did here Ammianus ceases to tell us So that being for the future bereft of the help of good Historians we must be forced to take up with such scraps as we can pick up here and there out of Zosimus Orosius and with other Epitomators of better Authors now lost The Emperour now Valentinian dying his Sons Flavius Gratianus and Fl. Valentinianus succeeded him in the Western Empire in the Fifth Year of whose Reign the Emperour Gratian created Theodosius Son to the former his Partner in the Empire assigning him the East for his
but when they had both bloudily fought for a long time the Pagans being no longer able to withstand the Christians Arms a great part of their Troops was slain and the rest saved themselves by flight leaving behind them dead upon the place one of their Kings called Bachseg and several other great Men with many Thousands of common Souldiers needless here to be particularly mentioned but this King here called Bachseg the Danish History naâ—es Ivar the Son of Reynere so the rest of their Army fled that night to the Castle of Reading above-mentioned whither the Christians following killed them as long as day-light would permit But thô Asser the Writer of King Alfred's Life and Actions hath for his Honour attributed the whole Success of this Battle to that Prince yet it is more probable what the Manuscript called Scala Chronica cited by Mr. Speed relates That when Prince Aelfred's Men being now spent were ready to Retreat King Ethered came into the Battle from his Prayers and so well seconded his Brother with fresh Forces that renewing the Fight the Victory the greatest they had ever yet obtained was chiefly owing to their Valour But Fifteen Days after this King Aethered with his Brother Aelfred marched again towards Basing to fight the Enemy where another Battle happened and the Pagans making there an obstinate Resistance obtain'd the Victory and kept the Field after which Fight a fresh Army of Pagans coming from beyond Sea joyned themselves to the former But here the Saxon Annals further add That about two Months after this King Aethered and Aelfred his Brother fought again with the Pagans at Meretune now Merton in Surrey where the Army being divided into two Parts at first put the Enemy to the Rout and had the better for a great part of the day yet at last after a mighty slaughter the Danes kept the Field and there was slain Bishop Heamund with abundance of brave Men. After this Battle during the whole Summer following the Danes remained in quiet at Reading but the same Year King Aethered having now for five Years stoutly and nobly Govern'd his Kingdom thô with many Troubles deceased and was buried in the Monastery of Winburne in Dorsetshire But thô the Chronicle that goes under the Name of Abbot Bromton from I know not what Authority relates this King to have died of the Wounds which he had received in a Fight against one Somerled a Danish King who had newly destroyed the Town of Reading and the Inscription on this King's Tomb at Winborne cited by Mr. Camden in his Britannia relates him to be slain by the Danes yet since neither Asser Ingulph the Saxon Annals nor William of Malmesbury mention any such thing and that the Inscription it self is but Modern I rather suppose him to have died a natural Death of the Plague which then reigned This King is said by the Annals of Ireland to have had a Daughter named Thyra married to Gormun King of the Danes who on her begat Sweyn the Father of King Cnute This Ethered had also several Sons as Alfred supposed to be Grandfather to Ethelwerd called Quaestor the Historian as also Oswald who his Father mentions in his Charter to the Abbey of Abingdon King AELFRED otherwise called ALFRED Immediately after King Ethered's Death as Asser relates Prince Alfred who during the Lives of his three Brothers had been only their Deputy or Lieutenant now by the General Consent of the whole Kingdom took the Government upon him which he might have had if he pleased during their Life-time since he exceeded them all both in Wisdom and Courage so that indeed he Reigned almost whether he would or no. But before the first Month of his Reign was at an end he trusting on the Divine Assistance marched his Army thô but few in comparison of the Pagans to Wilton lying on the South side of the River Willie from which both the Town and Country take their Names where it was valiantly fought on both sides for great part of the day till the Pagans not being able any longer to endure the Force and Valour of the English began to turn their Backs but then finding the Number of the Pursuers to be small they rallied and obtaining the Victory kept the Field Nor let this seem strange to any that will but consider how small the Number of the Christians were in comparison of the Pagans for the English had in the space of one Year fought 8 or 9 Battles against them besides innumerable Skirmishes which King Alfred or his Commanders had with them wherein thô they lost one King and nine Earls or Principal Commanders yet receiving such frequent Recruits from beyond Sea whilst the Saxons every day grew weaker it is no Wonder if they prevailed yet notwithstanding Asser and the Saxon Annals tell us That this Year there was a Peace made with the Danes upon condition that they would depart the Kingdom which they for the present observed but to little purpose For the next Year as the same Author tells us the Danes having landed again marched from Reading to London and there took up their Winter-Quarters and the Mercians were forced to make Peace with them Also this Year according to the Chronicle of Mailross and Simeon of Durham the Northumbers expelled Egbert their King and Wulfher Arch-Bishop of York who both as Mat. Westminster relates flying to Bertulph King of the Mercians were by him honourably received About the same time according to Caradoc's Chronicle also died Gwgan King or Prince of Cardigan who as some British Chronicles relate was drowned by misfortune and at the same time the Danes destroyed the Town of Alcluid in Scotland This Year the Danish Army leaving the Countries about London marched into the Kingdom of the Northumbers and there Wintered in a place called Tursige now Torswick in Lindsey which was then part of the Northumbrian Kingdom so that the Neighbouring Nations were again forced to renew their League with them And now also according to Simeon of Durham Egbert King of Northumberland dying one Ricsige succeeded him and Arch-Bishop Wulfher was now restored to his Bishoprick The next Year the Pagan Army leaving Lindisse marched into Mercia and wintered in a place called Hreoptun now Repton in Derbyshire where they forced Burhred King of the Mercians to desert his Kingdom and pass the Seas to go to Rome where arriving he lived not long but there dying in the 22d Year of his Reign he was honourably buried at the English School or College in the Church of St. Mary thereunto belonging The Danes after his Expulsion brought the whole Kingdom of Mercia under their Dominion and then delivered it to one Ceolwulf an inconsiderable Fellow and Servant of the late King upon this miserable Condition That he should deliver it up to them again whensoever they required it and for this he gave Hostages swearing to obey them in all Things Now the Danish Army
Duke William being return'd without any satisfactory Answer from King Harold the Duke employed the rest of the year in preparing all things necessary for his Expedition hiring Soldiers out of his own Countrey with large Pay and inviting Strangers from abroad with greater Allowances so that upon the Muster of his Forces he found that they did not only excel in strength of Body and height of Stature but also the chief Commanders and Captains of them were as remarkable for their Valour as for their Experience and Conduct Also his Bishops and Abbots strove with the Nobility who should by their liberal Contributions most advance this Enterprize But that the Duke might not prejudice the Equity of his Cause by precipitation he sent Ambassadors to Pope Alexander who did with great Eloquence set forth the Justice of the War which their Prince was going to undertake and that Harold not only had broken his Oath with him but refused to give him any Satisfaction either because that now he was a Crown'd Head or else that he distrusted his Cause Whereupon the Pope taking into his serious consideration this weighty matter approved of the Enterprize and sent the Duke a Consecrated Banner as an Omen of Victory which when the Duke had received he called a Great Council of his Nobility at Lillebone to ask all their Opinions in this great Affair and when they had all encouraged his Undertaking by great Promises of Assistance he appointed an Assessment for his Fleet and Army according to their several respective Estates and so they departed home till the time appointed for a General Rendezvouz But Mr. Cambden from the Authority of some Ancient Norman Writers I have not yet met with makes this Enterprize much more difficult than our Historians commonly do as that though he found his Chief Officers to whom he communicated his Design very chearful and resolute to follow him yet all the Skill lay how to bear the Charge of so great a War for when in an Assembly of all the States of Normandy a Subsidy was propounded their Answer was That in the late War against the French their Wealth was so much exhausted that if a new War should happen they should scarce be able to hold and defend their own and therefore that they were more obliged to look after the Defence of their own than to think of Invading the Territories of others That this intended War though never so just yet did not seem so necessary at that time as it was apparently hazardous and that besides the Normans were not by their Allegiance bound to Military Service in Foreign Parts Neither could they by any means be brought to grant a General Tax although William Fitz-osbern a man in high favour with the Duke and as gracious among the People endeavoured what he could to effect it and to draw in others by his own example promised to set out forty Ships at his own proper Charges Duke William then perceiving he could not bring this about in a Publick Meeting went another way to work and therefore sends for the wealthiest men of his Dutchy severally one by one to come to him then he speaks them fair and desires them to contribute somewhat toward this War Whereupon as if they had strove who should most largely assist their Prince they promised him liberally and he causing to be presently registred whatsoever they had promised it amounted to a vast Sum more than most men could reasonably ever have believed This Affair being thus dispatch'd he next craves Aid of the Princes his Neighbours to wit of the Earls of Anjou Poictou Maine and Bretaigne unto these he promised large Tracks of Land and great Possessions in England But how much each of these Princes contributed to this Expedition is not known tho as for Alan Earl of Bretaigne he certainly was so great an Assistant to Duke William that he was after this Conquest of King Harold made Earl of Richmond and had great part of the Country thereabouts given him by William when he came to be King to be held by Knights Service And for the rest of the Princes above-mentioned it is certain that they permitted Duke William to raise great store of men in their Territories who being headed by divers Noble Volunteers of those Countries at their own Charges afterwards enjoyed great Possessions in England as a Reward of their Services Duke William also made his Addresses to Philip King of France and went in Person to solicite his Assistance in this intended War against Harold voluntarily offering that King that in case he would assist him and that he thereby became victorious to hold England of him as his Vassal which King Philip refused to accept thinking it against the interest of France to make the Duke of Normandy greater than he was already who now began not to be so pliant to his Interests as he thought the many Obligations which Duke William owed the King his Father required Therefore as the growing Greatness of a Neighbouring Prince was then is and will ever be suspected by him who is his Rival in Power and Empire so King Philip was so far from giving the Duke any Assistance that he wholly dissuaded him from this Enterprize which nevertheless he vigorously pursued notwithstanding this discouragement But leaving Duke William to his Warlike Preparations we will return into England where our Annals tell us That Earl Tostige had been met upon the Northern Coast with three hundred Norwegian Ships commanded by Harold King of Norway to whom when he had joined those he had with them they all sail'd up the Humber till they came as far as York where the Earls Brothers Morcar and Eadwin met and fought them but it seems the King of Norway gain'd the Victory Ingulph is more express in this affair and says that Harold King of Norway sail'd up the River Ouse as far as York where the Fleet being left under a strong Guard they landed and stormed York and soon plundered it and slew many of the poor Inhabitants But the two Earls abovementioned having gotten together a small Recruit of ill-arm'd Countreymen were easily routed and according to our Annals when King Harold heard of it he immediately marched against the King of Norway and meeting him at Staenford-briâ—ge in Yorkshire there fought and slew that King with Earl Tostige his own Brother Ingulph adds That the Norwegians made a very stout resistance great multitudes of them being slain together with their Chief Commanders so that King Harold obtain'd an entire Victory only Prince Olave Son to Harold King of Norway and Paul Earl of Orcades were permitted quietly to return home with twenty Ships But before I dismiss this Relation I cannot omit a remarkable Example of one single Norwegian who standing upon the Bridge above-mentioned killed more than forty Englishmen with his Battel-Axe making good his Post against the whole Army till three a Clock in the Afternoon and then one going in
the Saxons being invited by the Britains over hither ever mention their being sent by any of their Kings but only by the Saxon Nation in general and if it continued thus in Bede's Time it ought reasonably to be concluded that it was likewise so before their coming over unless any Man can shew me some better Authority than ever I have yet met with to the contrary AND that this likewise continued so not only in Bede's Time but many Years after may appear from this Testimony of Johan Pomarius in his Saxon Chronicle which tho written in Latin yet not being able as yet to procure the sight of it I shall give you what he says almost to the same effect out of Verstegan's Restitution of decayed Intelligence As for the General Government of the Countrey they ordained twelve Noble-men chosen from among others for their Worthiness and Sufficiency These in the Time of Peace rode their several Circuits to see Justice and good Customs observed and they often of Course â—t appointed Times met all together to consult and give Order in Publick Affairs but ever in Time of War one of these twelve was chosen to be King and so to remain as long only as the War lasted and that being ended his Name and Dignity of King also ceased and he became as before and this Custom continued among them until the Time of their Wars with the Emperor Charles the Great at which time Wittekind one of the Twelve as aforesaid a Nobleman of Angria in Westphalia bore over the rest the Name and Authority of King and he being afterwards by the means of the said Emperor converted to the Faith of Christ had by him his mutable Title of King turned into the induring Title and Honour of Duke and the eleven others were in like manner by the said Emperor advanced to the honourable Titles of Earls and Lords with Establishment for the continual remaining of these Titles and Dignities unto them and their Heirs of whose Descents are since issued the greatest Princes at this present in Germany FROM what now I have given you I think nothing is more evident than that the Government of the Antient English Saxons was rather Aristocratical than Monarchical and admitting they allowed the King they had set over them somewhat more Power than those Noblemen abovementioned by whom they where governed in their own Countrey in time of Peace yet was this Power of theirs far short of that absolute Dominion which Dr. Howell in his Discourse of the Polity of the English-Saxons supposes tho without any just Ground that these Kings enjoyed and therefore he would have it That the Government was Monarchical and that not only in respect of the particular Kingdoms during the Heptarchy which had their peculiar Kings but even of the whole Body of the Nation which was usually commanded by one of the Seven of all which Bede takes notice in his Time BUT if every one of these Kings were no more a Monarch than he who was sometimes Supream or Chief above the Rest I doubt he will fall very short of that Title which is not found either in Bede or in the Saxon Annals or yet in any other Antient Writer before the Conquest until the Time of King Edred BUT I have said enough to confute this Notion I hope in the Preface THE Doctor 's next Argument is from the Nature of the Monarchy which he says We must believe at the first followed the Condition of the Tenure absolute Conquests and Territories both got and held by the Sword alone usually producing absolute Governments which many times either by reason of the infirm Foundation laid by the Conquerors themselves the Humour of the People not induring such Subjection or other Accidents change into more Moderate and less Arbitrary That Hengest Aella and the other Captains where they first erected their Dominations governed their Souldiers whom now being Kings they called Subjects with as great Authority and as full Command as formerly we little doubt IN answer to this and to shew you that notwithstanding what this Author hath alledged we have still great reason to doubt the Truth of it as being founded on no Authority but rather the quite contrary appears I shall therefore only desire the Reader in the first place to take notice that it is no good Argument at all to say that because the Saxon Princes were Conquerors by the means of their Followers therefore they must have submitted themselves absolutely to their Dominion when the War was over FOR the better Proof of which I would farther intreat the Reader to observe FIRST That those Princes or Generals over the English-Saxons thô all of them were descended from Woden their Common Ancestor knew no such Power as that of Kings of Home according to Bede or if we believe Pomarius the Title of King lasted at the most no longer than the War nor could those Princes be made Kings by their own Nation before they came over since being only meer Souldiers of Fortune they had as yet conquered no Dominions from whence they could receive that Denomination so that then it must fall out that they could only be so by the Election of their Souldiers and Followers that came over along with them which may be also proved from the ensuing Annals themselves FOR first they call Hengest and Horsa the two Brothers who came over hither only Heretogan i.e. Leaders or Captains of the Jutes that accompanied them as you may see An. 449. of these Annals NOR secondly do they begin the Reign of Hengest till the Death of Horsa his Brother Anno 455. six Years after his coming over so that it is plain he could have no other Right to his Kingdom of Kent but the free Election of the People that came over with him or else followed him not long afterwards THE like I might say of all the rest of the Kingdoms of the Heptarchy for the same Reason were there no express Authorities to prove it which yet also are not wanting FOR as to the Kingdom of the West-Saxons which afterwards swallowed up all the rest our Annals Anno 495. tell us Of Cerdic and Cynric his Son their landing in Britain with five Ships and having fought with the Britains they about six Years after their coming over upon their conquering the Countrey of the West-Saxons became their first Kings which is further confirmed under Anno 519. where it is expresly related that Cerdic and Cynric then began their Reigns over the West-Saxon Kingdom So likewise in Anno 547. it is there said that Ida began first to reign from whom is derived the Royal Stock of the Northumbrian Kings AND yet we find from Nennius and Malmesbury and all our other Historians who treat of this Matter that Octa and Ebusa Son and Nephew to Hengest had landed in the Northern Parts of England not long after Hengest himself and having conquered those Countries they and their Descendants ruled there
Nobility wherein Plegmund presided Here he thinks he hath a strong hold and therefore says That this Author tells us the meaning of the long Title of this Synod which just before he had mentioned viz. that the Bishops Abbots FIDELES Proceres POPVLVS were all NOBILES NOBLE-MEN that is the Ecclesiasticks and Laicks or the Bishops and Lay-Nobility and not the Vulgus Commons or ordinary sort of People SO then according to the Doctor 's Construction all the fore-going Relation of the Members of this Council was a jumbled heap of Tautologies of Noble Tenants in Capite Noble-men and Noble People BUT I must needs acknowledg that he is so far in the right that by these words Nobilium Anglorum are not meant the vulgar mean or ordinary sort of People or the Mob as they are now contemptuously term'd for certainly they had never any thing to do in those August Assemblies Nor does Mr. Petyt or my self maintain any such thing and yet for all this I think we may affirm that all the Members that appeared there were not Noble-men or Great Lords only in the sense they are now taken FOR to begin with the word Nobilis which the Doctor so much insists on it is his own too narrow Conception of that Title which has been I think one main Cause of the greatest part of the Quarrel between Mr. Petyt and him for in all the Counties of Europe except England it is very well known that the word Nobilis includes not only Noble-men of Title such as Dukes Marquesses c. but also all Gentlemen of Families who are well born and do not exercise Mechanick Trades Thus Nobilezza in Italian and Noblesse in French comprehends the less as well as the greater Nobility So likewise the word Aedelmen among the Germans comprehends all sorts of Noble-men as well those of Title as others which is owned by Sir H. Spelman in his Glossary in these words Anglorum Legibus Adelingos dici pro Nobilibus in genere qui omnes nobiles Aedelmen vocant à Saxonico Aedel nobilis And so it was here in England long after the Conquest as well as before when Knights and Gentlemen were reckoned inter Nobiles minores before the Title of Noble-men began to be appropriated to the higher Nobility or Peers only which is also owned by Dr. Brady in his Preface to his Compleat History where he tells us of Lands held by Knights Service as well in the Hands of the lower sort of Noblesse as of the greater Noble-men AND this being so I shall easily prove that all the rest of the words insisted upon by the Doctor do not signify only great Lords and Noblemen by Birth To go on therefore to the next word Proceres that neither this does signify only Men Noble by Birth Isidore an antient Spanish Author in his Origines says thus Proceres sunt Principes Civium that is the chiefest of Subjects or Citizens And the Learned Du-Fresne also tells us in his Glossary Proceres appellabantur qui in Civitatibus praecipuos Magistratus gerebant that those were called Proceres who were the chief Magistrates or Rulers in Cities and certainly these could scarce ever be Noble-men by Birth AND as for the word Primates it signifies no more than Principal or Chief Men however born and that it was understood no otherwise among our English-Saxons appears from Aelfric's Glossary above-mentioned at the end of Somner's Saxon Dictionary where he renders the words Primates vel Primores Civitatis seu Burgi by YLDEST BVRHWARA i. e. the Chief Magistrates in a City or Town who were then Persons of very considerable Note in the Nation as I shall prove further by and by I come now to the word Optimates which signifies no more than the better sort of Men and not always Noble-men and great Lords much less as confined to the King's Thanes or Tenants in Capite only since the same Du-Fresne in his Glossary defines Optimates to be Vassalli Barones qui ab ullo Domino ratione Hominii nudè pendent that is the Feudatory Barons that meerly depend on any Superiour Lord by reason of their Homage which tho spoken in relation to France five or six hundred Years ago yet was certainly used in the same sense and no otherwise in England as well before as after that time and did include all the Inferiour as well as Superiour Thanes such as were the only Freeholders in those Ages BUT for the word Principes he that understands any thing of the Latin Tongue knows that it doth not always signify Princes or Men Noble by Birth but any Chief or Principal Man remarkable by Place Office or Dignity and therefore we often read in Livy and other Latin Authors of Principes Civitatis and in the above-cited Laws out of Tacitus de moribus Germanorum it is plain that the word Princeps or Principes in the plural signified no more than chief or considerable Men among the Germans by reason of their Office or present Dignities without any respect to their Birth And in this sense I suppose every Member of Parliament may at this day be reckoned inter Principes among the most considerable or chief Men of the Kingdom BUT the Doctor lays a great stress upon a Passage out of two Manuscript Malmesburies one in the Bodleian Library cited by Sir William Dugdale and the other in the Treasury of the Records of the Church of Canterbury cited by Sir Henry Spelman who both report of this very Council that Edward the Elder Congregavit Synodum Senatorum Gentis Anglorum cui praesidebat Plegmundus c. i. e. convened a Synod of the Senators in Saxon the Aldermen of the English Nation that is such as were usually called to such Councils which were only the Nobiles and Great Men. IN Answer to this I must refer the Doctor again to good old Livy where he will find that the Roman Senators were not all Noble by Birth for they were tà m Patricii quà m Plebeii Ordinis BUT when Mr. Petyt cites William of Malmesbury for calling a Saxon Wittena Gemote Generalis Senatus Populi Conventus to distinguish the lesser Nobility from the greater the Doctor replies There is no heed to be taken how our old Monks and Historians stiled the Saxon Wittena Gemotes or their great and Common-Councils for the same Authors expressed them sometimes one way sometimes another nor were they ever exact and curious in observing and noting the Title or the Constituent Parts or Members of them FROM whence I cannot but observe the Doctor 's great Partiality for his own Opinion for whenever William of Malmesbury in the Manuscript above-cited mentions the word Senatores it must with him immediately signify nothing less than Great Noblemen or what we now call Peers but when the same Author mentions the lower degree of Men whom we now call Commons as a distinct Order from the
appointing a Successor proceeds thus Fit Magnus corà m Rege Episcoporum Procerúmque Conventus Magnus Plebis Vulgìque Consensus Wherein he makes a plain Distinction between the Assembly of the great Noble Men or Proceres from the Consent of the Commons here called Plebs and Vulgus AND tho I grant with the Doctor this Story of King Edward's Election in his Mother's Womb to have been but a Fiction yet it is certain that this Abbot then spoke according to his Belief of the manner of Electing a King in those Times and truly sets down the Parties whose Presence and Votes were necessary for the compleating of such an Election or else he must have spoke as much by way of Prophecy concerning this Matter as King Ethelred and the Estates of the Kingdom had done about K. Edward's being Elected in his Mother 's Womb. And the Reader may remember that these Authors abovecited lived and wrote many Years before the 49 th of Henry III. when the Doctor supposes the Commons were first summoned to Parliament and therefore could not be corrupted with the Notions not to say Prejudices of those who wrote after that Time BUT I know the Doctor has a Subterfuge as he thinks for these plain and full Authoriries and that is that by the Populus Plebs and Vulgus mentioned as you have heard the King's Thanes or less Barons as they were called after the Conquest who were all Tenants in Capite are hereby only to be understood and that no other but they had any Right to be present and vote in the Great Councils of the Kingdom and this he has endeavoured to make good in his Answer to Mr. Petyt's abovesaid Treatise BUT since the Doctor 's Authorities do there relate to the Times after his Conquest concerning which I shall not now say any thing I will content my self at present with asking him only these two Questions FIRST How he will prove that none but the Persons he there mentions appeared in those Councils since we cannot trace any Footsteps in our most Antient Laws or Historians of his Tenants in Capite being the only Constituent Parts of the Saxon Witena-Gemotes AND it was indeed very unlikely they should if we consider the many Free-Tenants who before the Conquest held in Allodio without any Military Services and this as Sir Henry Spelman well observes was opposed to Feud or Fee in the Antient Version of King Canutus his Laws where it is called in Saxon Bockland and in the Laws of King Alfred Terra Haereditaria and seems to be the same with our Fee-Simple which might be made over to Strangers without any Licence from the Lord of whom such Land was held OF which sort of Men there is also frequent mention in Doomsday Book under the Title of Alloarii and Allodiarii and of whom it is there also often said Potuit ire cum terrâ quo voluit or potuit se vertere ad alium Dominum Of these there were certainly many more before the Conquest than afterwards when I own the greatest part of the Kingdom was in a few Years parcell'd out into Knights Fees SECONDLY I desire to be informed how our Great Councils could consist of such a multitude of Persons as I find in Antient Charters and Historians to have appeared at those Assemblies not only before but long after the Conquest But of the Period before that Time and which I treat of in this Volume I shall give these remarkable Instances THE first is out of an Antient Manuscript in the Cottonian Library concerning the League between Alfred and Godrun the Dane which begins thus Circà Annum Salvatoris nostri DCCCLXXVI in Magno Concilio sive Mycel-Gemot Aluredus Rex Anglorum Godrunus Rex Anglo-Danorum Omnes Angligenae Sapientes omnis populus qui in Anglia mansit Pacis agenda sive foedus constituerunt Juramento confirmaverunt pro seipsis Junioribus suis Ingenitis Wherein this is worth observing that by the Angligenae Sapientes here mentioned the greater Wites or Noblemen are understood and by Populus the Representatives of the inferior People or Commons THE next is that at the end of King Ethelwolf's Charter of Tythes Anno 855. where you will find after the Subscriptions of the Bishops Earls and other Great Men or Thanes to this Law these following Parties are mentioned Aliorúmque Fidelium infinita Multitudo qui omnes Regium Chirographum laudaverunt Dignitates verò sua Nomina subscripserunt FROM whence you may observe that tho only the Dignified Persons subscribed their Names yet all the rest of this Multitude had a Right to approve and give their Consents to what was there transacted But it cannot be imagined that this Charter would ever take notice of the Approbation of the meer Rabble without however they might shew a Joy and Satisfaction at what was there done by their Hollowing and Shouting AND this I conceive to be the Reason why these Councils often met in the open Air when the Weather would permit because no one Room could easily hold them as appears by the Conclusion of King Edgar's Charter to Ely Abby bearing date at Wulsamere An. Dom. 970. Apud Wlsamere says the Record non clà m in angulo sed sub Dio palà m evidentissimè scientibus totius Regni mei Primatibus who were not only Primates Rega the King's Tenants in Capite but Primates Regni the principal or most considerable Men of the Kingdom I could give several more Instances to prove that our Antient Witena-Gemotes consisted of a much greater number than the Doctor 's Tenants in Capite which in the time of his Conqueror were not five or six hundred Persons and might not be half that number in the time of Edward the Confessor But since the rest of my Authorities fall out in the following Period I shall reserve them to the next succeeding Volume These are sufficient I think to make out that long before the time the Doctor allows the Commons had their Representatives in the Great Councils by those of their own Order but whether by Knights Citizens and Burgesses as now at this day I do not affirm BUT to pass from Charters to the Laws themselves that prove the English-Saxons Witena Gemotes to have then consisted of a great multitude of People I shall only instance in the famous Charter of Athelwolf's concerning Tithes Anno Dom. 855. which being confirmed into a Law at the Common-Council at Winchester there is both in the Copy of this Charter in Ingulph as also in that in Sir H. Spelman's first Volume of Councils this Conclusion after the Subscriptions of Arch-bishops Bishops Earldormen and others in these words Aliorumque Fidelium infinita multitudo qui omnes Regis Chirographum laudaverunt Dignitates verò sua nomina subscripserunt i. e. there were besides a great multitude of faithful Subjects who all approved of the Royal Subscriptions but the Dignities i. e. the dignified
never r. ever P. 24. l. 15. f. no r. any Introduction PAge 31. line 17. for longer read long Ib. l. 18. f. which r. and ib. r. enjoyed it P. 34. l. 27. del for a long time after P. 86. l. 13. del the Comma's in the Margin beginning at from whence you may observe and ending at well observes P. 89. l. 15. f. word r. words Ibid. l. 32. f. upon r. that Ib. del that P. 96. l. 29. f. Longobardarum r. Longobardorum P. 97. l. a. f. Crihtan r. Crihtan i. e. Knights P. 105. l. 38. f. consist r. reside ADDENDA CORRIGENDA SINCE this Volume was printed off coming to a more strict View of the whole Work than I could make when it was in loose Sheets I think fit to make some few Additions and Corrections as in these following Particulars BOOK IV. Pag. 195. The Consecration of Erkenwald Bishop of London being set down twice viz. in the beginning of Anno 675. and again at the end of that Year and was forgot to be struck out in the Page above-mentioned those first three Lines and half beginning at Line 23. may be struck out and that Relation referred to p. 196. at the end of the Year where it is already and you may read it in these words This Year also according to Matth. of Westminster for Bede does not give us the time when it was done Erkenwald a younger Son to Anna King of the East Angles was by Theodore the Arch-bishop consecrated Bishop of London he being in great Reputation for the Sanctity of his Life as having before he came to be a Bishop c. Read the rest as in the Print P. 198. Queen Etheldrithes being twice married and never lain with having been already mentioned p. 193. you may strike out part of three Lines in p. 198. beginning at Line 48. at who yet remained and ending line 51. with but she and then read it thus Wife of King Egfrid above-mentioned this Lady tho twice married still remaining a Virgin died at last c. BOOK V. Pag. 312. line ult The Continuation of Asser's Chronicle published by Dr. Gale having put this Action of Prince Ethelwald's there mentioned under the Year 904. and Florence of Worcester making him come as far as Crecanford now Crayford in Kent from the different Names of which Places and Years I supposed that this Action was not the same with that related in the Year 905. but upon better Consideration I am now satisfied that either Florence's Copy of the Annals or his Transcriber were mistaken and that Crecanford and Bradenewood mentioned by him under 905 and Creccagelade and Braeden set down in the Annals under the same Year are both the same Places setting aside the difference of the Years so that this is also but one and the same Action and therefore I rather now chuse to follow the printed Copies of the Saxon Annals and place the whole under Anno 905. therefore you may strike out the last Line of pag. 312. beginning at after as also the four first Lines of pag. 313. ending with so returned home P. 265. After the Reign of Ethelwulf Anno 855. add this that follows That about these Times the Scotish Kings held the Low-lands of Scotland as Tributaries to the Kings of Northumberland take this Relation from Lessely Bishop of Rosse's History of Scotland in the Reign of King Donald V. where he tells us that the Picts who had been lately conquered and expelled Scotland having hid themselves in Northumberland and the Neighbouring Countries combined with the Britains and Saxons to recover their Liberties who being thus confederated invaded Scotland whereupon King Donald gathering together his Army met them near Jetburgh and joining Battel with them put them to flight with which Success the King and his Men growing insolent and secure spent the Night following in Luxury and Drinking without keeping any Guard or observing Military Discipline of which the Enemies who it seems fled not far gaining Intelligence and laying hold of this Opportunity set upon them about Midnight and slew near 20000 Scots being then as it were buried in Wine and Sleep King Donald himself being also taken Prisoner and to purchase his Liberty was forced to give up all the Countries lying between the River Cluyde and Sterling to the Britains and Saxons and farther obliged himself and his Successors to the Annual Payment of a Sum of Money in Name of a Tribute and that then in the sixth Year of his unhappy Reign the English-Saxons in Memory of this Victory rebuilt the ruined Castle of Sterling and fortified the Bridg of Forth where they erected a Cross of Stone as a Monument of their Victory on which were engraven these barbarous Latine Verses Anglos à Scotis separat Crux ista remotis Arma hic stant Bruti stant Scoti sub hac Cruce tuti BUT in the mean time the Picts who were the Authors of this Scotish Slaughter were so far from being thereby restored to their Country that they were quite expell'd by the Saxons out of Britain THIS Relation Hector Boetius gives you much more prolix and makes King Osbern who reigned in Northumberland to have commanded the English-Saxons at the great Battle above-mentioned THE same Author likewise shews us in the Reign of K. Gregory Anno 872. how the Britains came to be driven out of Cumberland which they had till then enjoy'd viz. That the Britains having by the Assistance of the Danes expelled the Scots from divers Territories endeavoured also by secret Treacheries to drive them yet further but being surprized by K. Gregory were by him quite expelled Cumberland and Westmorland as a Punishment for having violated their Faith with him Pag. 313. l. 18. After East-Angles add this And Bromton's Chronicle in this Year further adds That Ethelwald having passed the Thames at Crekelade to Brithenden and marched as far as Brandenstoke now Bradenstoke in Wiltshire so that as Mr. Camden well observes our Modern Historians have been much mistaken in making that Place to be Basingstoke in Hampshire BOOK VI. Pag. 8. l. 1. You may strike out the three remaining Lines after Dunstan for I am satisfied upon better Consideration that the Assertion therein contained is not true as I have prov'd in the Introduction p. 71 72. Pag. 12. l. 8. After the words freely forgave him add this That the Low-lands of Scotland continued under the Dominion of the Kings of England till the Reign of King Edgar we have the express Testimony of John of Wallingford Abbot of St. Albans who wrote his Chronicle in the beginning of the Reign of King Henry the Third and before ever the Dispute concerning any Homage being due for the whole Kingdom of Scotland was raised which began not till the time of K. Edward the First This Author thus relates it in the beginning of the Reign of King Edgar viz. that about Anno Dom. 964 that King summoning the Northumbrian Barons i. e. Thanes to a
and unpolished and that the farther they were from the Continent the more ignorant they were of Foreign Riches abounding chiefly in Cattle That they died their Bodies with Woad uncertain whether for Ornament or some other Cause That they sought frequent Causes of War and disturbed each other from Ambition of Empire and desire of enlarging their Dominions That they fought not only on Horseback and on Foot but also arm'd like the Gauls in Chariots whose Axeltrees were arm'd with Scythes Cornelius Tacitus in his Life of Agricola tells us That the Britains were very like the Gauls whether the same Original or the likeness of Climate were the Cause of it so likewise their Speech was not much different They had the same boldness in seeking out Dangers and the same fear in declining of them when they were at hand Yet that the Britains shew'd greater fierceness as whom long Peace hath not yet softned for we have heard says he that the Gauls were once famous for War but Cowardice soon succeeded slothfulness their Valour and Liberty being lost together which hath also happened to the Britains already Conquer'd but that the rest of them remained such as the Gauls once were their chief Strength was in their Foot but that some Nations of them us'd also Chariots in fight the Charioteers were more Noble their Followers fighting for them That in Times past they obey'd Kings but were then divided by their Princes into Factions and Parties neither is there any thing so advantagious for the Romans against the strongest Nations than that they do not consult in Common for there are very seldom Assemblies for two or three Cities to repel common Danger so whilst they fight separately they are all alike overcome And in the next Chapter he goes on thus The Britains chearfully yielded to the Pressing of their Men paying Tribute and all the other Duties impos'd by the Emperor provided Injuries were not done them these they will hardly endure for they submit that they may obey not that they may serve as Slaves Dion Cassius epitomized by Xiphilin speaking of the more Northern Britains relates that they Tilled no Ground but liv'd on their Fruits and Hunting for of Fish though they had great Store they never tasted That they liv'd in their Cabines naked and barefooted They had their Wives in Common and all of them maintain'd the Children The chief Authority for the most part resided in the People They were much addicted to Steal They fought from Chariots and had little nimble Horses their Footmen ran very fast and also stood very firmly to their Posts Their Arms were a Shield and a short Spear at whose lower end there was a Ball of Brass that when they shake it they may terrifie their Enemies with the noise They wore long Daggers They can bear Hunger Cold and all sorts of Labour being in the Woods they can live upon the Bark of Trees They have still ready a certain sort of Food upon all Occasions of which if they take the quantity of a Bean they will not be Hungry or Thirsty for a great while after But Herodian is the first who describes the Northern People then the most barbarous sort of Britains and who I suppose were afterwards called Picti that is painted Men to have had their Bodies mark'd with divers Figures which whether it was their Custom in Ceasar's Time may be doubtful since he makes no mention of it But this Author thus proceeds The Britains know not the use of Garments but gird their Bellies and Necks with Iron thinking it an Ornament as well as a Sign of their Riches in the same manner as other Nations prize Gold They mark'd their very Bodies with divers Figures of all sorts of Animals wherefore they will not wear Cloths lest they should hide the Painting of their Bodies It is a warlike Nation and most greedy of Slaughter and use only a narrow Shield and a Lance besides a Sword hanging from their naked Bodies They knew not the use of the Breast-plate or Helmet thinking them a hinderance to them in their running over the Bogs of which they had great Store Pliny relates among their other Customs that they wore Rings on their middle Fingers and manured their Land with Marl which can be only meant of the more civilized Britains who undertook Husbandry which improvement is used with us in some Countries to this day but as for their Drink Solinus tells us they made it of Barly as we do now and as Dioscorides also notes who calls it though corruptly Curmy for Curw for so the modern Britains still call Ale So that whoever will but consider the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Britains may find them not to be much different from those of the naked Indians of some part of America when they were first discovered only then they had the use of Brass and Iron which those wanted until they were brought to them from other places and also had Horses and Chariots the use of all which were unknown to the Americans but in other things you will find them much alike only the latter seem to have been a better temper'd and more Vertuous People from whence the Reader may judge of the likelyhood of those Stories in Geoffrey of Monmouth when he makes such descriptions of the stately Cities Palaces and Fleets of the British Kings whilst Caesar and Lucan and Pliny describe their Vessels to have had their Ribs and Keels made of slight Timber interwoven with Wicker like our Baskets and covered with Hides sowed together not having the Art of making Saws to cut out Boards or Planks Having given you an account of their Ancient Manners and Government I will next say somewhat of their Religion Caesar tells us that the Religion of the Britains and Gauls were much the same that they had the same Gods and the same Priests viz. The Druids who had a great Authority not only in Religious but Civil Matters so that they could Excommunicate whom they thought fit and a Person so interdicted could not be admitted to their Sacrifices but was esteem'd among the number of the Accursed so that all Persons studiously avoided him not daring to come near him for fear of being infected with so dangerous a Curse These Druids taught the People that the Soul was Immortal and went out of one Body into another But whether they had learned this from the Greeks who traded amongst them or from the antient Phoenicians is uncertain But as for their Gods they were the same with the Gauls Jupiter was Worshipped under the Name of Taramis or Taran for Taran still signifies in Welsh Thunder Maximus Tyrius writes That they Worship'd the highest Oak they could find as the Figure or Representation of this God Tutates the God of Travellers is suppos'd to be the same with Mercury and by the Britains called Duw Taith the God of Journeys Mars was Worshipped by the Gauls and
Wind about the the Third Watch he set Sail commanding the Horsemen to march to the further Port and thence to go on board and follow him which orders proved too slowly executed But he himself together with the first Ships about Four a Clock in the Afternoon reached Britain where he found divers strong Troops of the Enemies lodged on the Hills the nature of which place was such these Hills hanging so steep over the Sea that a Dart might be cast from the higher ground to the Shore therefore judging this no fit place to Land his Men he lay at Anchor till Nine of the Clock that the rest of the Navy could come up to him in the mean time calling a Council of his Lieutenants and Tribunes he communicates those things he had learn'd from Volusenus and also what he would have done telling them that the Nature of all Military and especially Maritime Affairs having a sudden and unconstant motion all things should be executed by his orders and that in due time These being dismissed and having got the Wind and Tide both with him the signal being given and the Anchors weighed he sailed again forward about Eight Miles from that place to an open and plain Shore where he came to an Anchor But the Britains knowing the Roman's design having sent their Horses and Charioteers before which they were chiefly wont to use in Fight followed with the rest of their Forces and hinder'd the Romans from landing The difficulty of which was great in these respects because the Ships by reason of their great bulk were not able to ride but in a deep Sea whilst the Souldiers having their hands taken up with their Arms were yet in unknown places not only to Leap down from the Ships and to withstand the Billows but also at the same time to Fight their Enemies whilst they either fighting on the Shore or else marching but a little way into the Water and having their hands free fought in places where they were well acquainted and boldly spurr'd on their Horses already managed and used to it but the Romans being terrified with these things and altogether unskill'd in this sort of fighting did not shew the same briskness and courage as they were wont to express in Land Service which when Caesar perceived he ordered the long Ships or Gallies as both unusual to these Barbarians and more ready for use to fall off a little from the Ships of burthen and to be rowed towards the Shore and being laid against the naked side of the Enemies to drive them back with Slings Darts and other Engines which stood the Romans in good stead for the Britains being terrified with the strange shape of their Gallies the motion of their Oars and those unusual kind of Engines first stood still and then began a little to retreat But the Romans still delaying because of the depth of the Sea the Ensign of the Tenth Legion first invoking the Gods that this action might prove fortunate and successfull cried out Leap down fellow Souldiers unless you mean to betray this Eagle to the Enemies for I will certainly perform my duty to the Commonwealth and to the General When he had spoke thus with a loud Voice he cast himself into the Sea and began to carry the Eagle towards the Enemy Then the Roman Souldiers encouraging one another not to suffer so great a disgrace as the loss of their Ensign all leap'd out of the Ship whom when the others from the next Ships had beheld they also followed them and quickly reaching the Shore pressed upon the Enemy The Fight was sharp on both sides but the Romans were not able either to keep their Ranks nor get any firm footing nor yet to follow their Ensigns So that every Man being forced to joyn himself to the first Ensigns he met with they were hand put to it whilst the Enemies acquainted with all the shallows when ever from the Shore they beheld any marching from the Ships immediately spurring on their Horses they charged them at disadvantage many encompassing a few whilst others assaulting them on the unarmed side casts Darts against the rest which when Caesar perceived he commanded the Long Boats of the Gallies and smaller Vessels to be mann'd with Souldiers and sent them to the assistance of those whom he beheld most distressed The Romans as soon as they got on Shore making head all together charged the Enemy and put them to flight yet could not pursue them far for want of Horse this only was deficient to Caesar's wonted Fortune The Britains being worsted in fight as soon as they got together again presently dispatched Messengers to Caesar desiring Peace promising that they would give him Hostages and do whatever he injoyned together with these Ambassadours came Comius of Arras whom as I have before shown had been already sent by Caesar into Britain him as soon as he came out of the Ship and had related the General 's Message they laid hold on and put into bonds but the fight being over they sent him back and Petitioning for Peace cast the blame upon the common People and desired that because of their Ignorance this fault might be pardoned but Caesar complained That when they had of their own accord by their Ambassadours sent to him into the Continent desiring Peace Yet that they had without any Cause made War But he said he would pardon their Folly and therefore again injoyned them to send Hostages part of whom they gave him presently the residue they promised being to be sent for from places more remote to send him within a few days whereupon their Princes came from all parts and commended themselves and their States to Caesar. Peace being thus concluded within Four days after his arrival in Britain the Eighteen Ships which are already mentioned to have taken in the Horse sailed from the farther Port on the opposite Shore with a gentle Gale but when they drew near the Island and could be now discern'd from the Camp So great a Tempest suddenly arose that none of them could hold their course but some were driven back to the same place from whence they set forth whilst others were carried to the further part of the Island lying toward the West with very great hazard for casting out their Anchors they took in so much Water that they were forced thô in the Night out to Sea again and to Steer towards the Continent It also happened the same Night that the Moon was at the full which is wont to make the highest Tides in the Ocean but was then unknown to the Roman Mariners So that at the same time the Spring Tide had filled all those Gallies with Water in which Caesar had transported his Army though he had now drawn them on Shore whilst the Tempest had shattered the Vessels of burthen which lay at Anchor neither was it in their Men's power any ways to help them so that many Ships being Wrack'd the rest
in upon their Neighbours who had entred into League or made any submission to the Romans wasting their Country and with so much the more Vigour for that they thought this new General as not yet acquainted with his business nor having Experience of his Army would not be soon able to revenge it especially considering that Winter was near and that a Season unfit for Action but Ostorius knowing that the first Success makes the greatest Impression of Fear or Confidence resolved to put a stop to their Inroads betimes before they proceeded too far and for that end he quickly took with him some of his lightest Cohorts and unexpectedly seting upon them killed many following those that fled so close that he gave them no time to rally and lest for the future a treacherous unstable Peace might prove more dangerous and troublesome as well to himself as his Souldiers he disarmed all whom he suspected most likely to revolt and set Garrisons on the two Rivers Severn and Antona now Avon thereby to hinder the Incursions of the British Army By this means he reduced the most Southerly parts of the Island into the form of a Province having also planted there a Colony of Veterane Souldiers and to secure his Conquest the better he gave several Cities to Cogidunus to be held as Tributary to the Roman Empire under the Title of King by which he strongly engaged him to its interest it being an antient and received Policy of that State as Tacitus well observes to make Kings the Instruments of it's Ambition as well as of their own Servitude But the Iceni who Inhabited what we now call Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge and Huntington-shires a potent Nation and not yet wasted by War because they had voluntarily entered in alliance with the Romans not brooking these proceedings of Ostorius took Arms and by their Example encouraged many of their neighbouring Nations to do the like this done they encamped in a place chosen for that purpose casting up a Rampire of Earth leaving a very narrow Entrance for fear least the Enemy's Horse should break in upon them Ostorius although he had not his Legions but only his Auxiliaries with him yet resolved if he could to break down this Fence which he perceived was but rudely thrown up and setting all his Cohorts to work the Horse also alighting to that Service he himself giving the Signal at once they flung down the Works and drove the Enemy from their Fortress But the Britains as well through the Consciousness of their Rebellion as because all ways of escaping were blocked up made a notable Defence In which Battel M. Ostorius the Son of the Lieutenant gained the honour of having saved a Citizen The Iceni thus overcome the other States who hitherto stood in a doubtful Posture between War and Peace were confirmed in their Obedience by their sufferings After this Success Ostorius marched into the Country of the Cangi who they were is not well known where he plundered and laid waste their Fields they not daring to give him Battel and if at any time they ventur'd out of their Coverts to fall on his Rear they always met with sharp entertainment At last he approached near the Irish Sea where news was brought him of stirs among the Brigantes supposed to have been the Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lancashire and the other Northern Countries Upon this he resolves to return intending not to attempt any new Design till he had fully quieted those Commotions behind him and indeed the Brigantes were soon quieted those few who took Arms being all Slain and the rest pardoned But the Nation of the Silures the Inhabitants of the now South Wales were not to be won by Clemency or terrified by Severity but would needs have a War and if subdued were to be kept in obedience by Garrisons of Legionary Souldiers So he marched against these Silures who besides their natural Fierceness were much exalted with the Opinion they had of the Courage and Conduct of Caractacus who by many doubtful and some Fortunate Attempts had raised himself to a greater Reputation in Arms than any of the British Generals he finding himself over-matched in Strength made use of Policy he knew his Advantage lay in choice of Ground to that end he transferr'd the War to the rough unaccesâ—ible Country of the the Ordovices now those of North Wales chusing for the Seat of the War a place whose Avenues were most difficult to the Romans and easiest of Access to themselves there he raised a Fortification with great Stones on the tops of the Mountains and where a River running near made a dangerous and uncertain Ford placed a range or breast-work of larger Stones to defend the passage which place as Mr. Camden Conjectures has still from him the Name of Caer Caradoc lying on the West edge of Shropshire Caradoc being in the British Tongue supposed to be the same with Caractacus in the Latin Ostorius having drawn hither all his Forces since Caractacus resolved here to â—ight it to the last the Officers went about encouraging their Men diminishing their Fears and enlivening their Courage by all the Rhetorick of War But Caractacus notably bestir'd himself and with quick motions going from place to place Cryed out this was the Day and this the Field which would be either the recovery of their Liberty or the beginning of a new and perpetual Slavery and then invoked the Names of his glorious Ancestors who had driven out Caesar the Dictator and by whose Valour they had hitherto been freed from the Roman Axes and Tributes and still kept their Wives and Children preserved from dishonour At these or such like Speeches the Army testified their Joy by loud Shouts and Acclamations and every one according to his Country Superstition bound himself by Oath that neither Force nor Wounds should make them yield This Couragious alacrity in the Enemy startled the Roman General especially when he descried the River before him and the Rampire made upon its Banks both of great difficulty to be passed whilst the steep Hills full of Armed Men hanging over their heads gave a dismal prospect and made a terrible Scene of War but the Common Souldiers being eager for Battel required the Signal Crying out nothing was impregnable to Valour This impatience was increased by the Prefects and Tribunes who were of the same Opinion Then Ostorius having first tried which Fords were passable and which not led them on as insensible of Danger who with no great difficulty wading through the River when they were come near to the Rampire and that it came to be disputed with Darts and Javelins greater loss followed on the Roman than British side So that not being able longer to endure it the Legionary Souldiers joyning close together made a Testudo whereupon this rude Fortification of rough Stones being thrown down and the Romans meeting with them hand to hand the Barbarians soon fled to the tops of the Mountains but
Army she spoke to this Effect That since it was no new thing for the Britains to make a War under the Conduct of a Woman therefore for her part thô descended of Noble Ancestors she sought not so much to Revenge the loss of her Kingdom and Treasures but rather as one of the Common People the loss of her Liberty the bruising her Body with Stripes and the violated Chastity of her Daughters That the Roman Lust was such that they did not leave either old Age or Virginity undefil'd That the Gods had hitherto favour'd her just Revenge one Legion being already cut off which dared to fight the rest having hid themselves in their Camps sought how to run away as not being able to endure the Shouts and Clamours of so many Thousands much less their Power So that if they would but consider their own great Forces they ought either to overcome or die in that Battel Neither was Suetonius silent in so great a Danger and although he trusted much in his Soldiers Valour yet thought good to give them some Encouragement to this effect That they should despise the empty noisy Threats of those Barbarians That they beheld more Women than Fighting Men among them That being unwarlike and unarm'd they would presently give way as soon as they felt the sharp Swords and Valour of their Conquerors by whom they had been so often routed and That of so many Legions a few would serve to gain the Victory and that it would be an Addition to their Honour if so small a Force could obtain the same Glory as if it were an entire Army His Advice then was That they should keep close together and having cast their Darts should afterwards continue the Slaughter with their Pikes and Swords not minding the Spoil since the Victory once obtain'd all would be their own The Soldiers were so encouraged with this Speech that the Veterane Soldiers experienc'd by many Battles urged Suetonius to give the Signal Yet all the Legion stood unmov'd keeping that strait Entrance as a Defence before them But when the Enemy had approached nearer and had spent their Darts the Legion sallied forth all at once upon them in the form of a Wedge The like Assault was also made by the Auxiliaries whilst the Horse with their Spears routed all that stood before them The rest turn'd their Backs and fled but could hardly escape because their own Wagons had closed up all the Avenues But the Soldiers gave no Quarter not so much as to the Women and the very Draught-Cattel being run thorough increas'd the Heap of the dead Carcases This Victory was very eminent and the Glory of it equall'd those of Ancient Times since it is related that not less than 80000 Britains were then slain but of the Roman Soldiers not above 400 and about as many wounded Boadicia ended her Life by Poyson And Paenius Posthumus the Commander of the Second Legion when he heard the good Success of those of the Fourteenth and Twentieth since he had defrauded his own Men of the like Glory and had also contrary to the Rules of War refused to obey the Orders of his General run himself through with his own Sword The Army after a general Review still kept the Field to make an end of the War and Suetonius increased his Forces with 2000 Legionary Soldiers and 8 Cohorts of Auxiliaries together with 1000 Horse sent out of Germany by whose coming the Ninth Legion was recruited Whereupon all those Cohorts with some others were put into Winter-Quarters Whatsoever Nations continued either Enemies or Neuters were now destroy'd with Fire and Sword But nothing afflicted them so much as Hunger having been careless to sow Corn because they reckon'd upon the Roman Provisions as their own all their Hands being employ'd in the War But these fierce Nations were the less inclin'd to treat of Peace because Julius Classicianus who succeeded Catus differing with Suetonius their private Animosities hinder'd the publick Good the former giving out that a new Lieutenant was to be expected without the Rancour of a Conqueror and who would treat those that submitted to them with Mercy and Clemency Having also written to Rome that there was no End to be expected of this War unless Suetonius were remov'd attributing all Miscarriages to his ill Conduct and any happy Success to the good Fortune of the Commonwealth Polycletus therefore one of Nero's Freed-men is sent to inspect the State of Britain with great Hopes that he might by his Authority not only procure an Agreement between the Lieutenant and the Procurator but also work the Minds of the Barbarians to a Peace Polycletus after having been burthensome both to Italy and Gaul with his great Retinue and having cross'd the Ocean did not omit to become terrible also to the Roman Soldiers This gave Matter of Sport to the Enemy who then enjoying Liberty had not yet known the Power of these Freed-men but wonder'd that so great a General and an Army who had fought such Battels could obey Slaves But though all things were soften'd and fairly represented on the General 's behalf yet because whilst he was otherwise employ'd in Affairs he had lost a few Galleys near the Shore he was commanded though the War yet lasted to deliver up the Army to Petronius Turpilianus who was then just out of his Consulship who neither provoking the Enemy nor being provoked by them gave his own Slothfulness the honourable Title of Peace But Tacitus also in the Life of Agricola having given a short Relation of this War with Boadicia whom he there calls Voadicia owns that Britain had been lost if Paulinus had not speedily come to its Assistance most of which he restor'd by one Battel to its ancient Subjection though many still continued in Arms whom either the Guilt of Rebellion or the Fear of the Lieutenant still kept out who though he was a worthy Man yet carried himself too haughtily toward those that submitted and as a Revenger of his own Injuries imposed too hard Terms upon the Vanquished Therefore Petronius Turpilianus was sent in his stead as being more exorable who as one altogether ignorant of the Enemy's Failings would be more easie to their Repentance but all former Differences being composed he durst do nothing farther and so deliver'd the Province to Trebellius Maximus who being a Man of an unactive Temper and no Experience in Military Affairs govern'd the Province by a Softness and Complaisance yet nevertheless he continued still in the Government till the Reign of Vitellius But Tacitus here farther tells us That the Britains had now learnt to approve of the pleasant Vices of the Romans whilst the Intervention of their Civil Wars gave them a just Excuse for their own Cowardice But one thing is by no means to be passed by without particular Notice that it was in the Reign of one of these Emperors either Claudius or Nero though uncertain in which
they constrain'd to do his Duty Having thus escaped and none knowing what was become of them and having no Pilates they were carried at random as the Tides and Winds drove them to and fro Thus compassing the Island they practis'd Piracy where they landed and often fighting with the Britains who defended their Goods were sometimes Victors and sometimes worsted till at last they were driven to that great Extremity for want of Provision that first they devour'd the weakest of their own Men and then drew Lots who of them should be eaten afterwards Thus having floated round Britain and lost their Ships for want of Skill to steer them getting on Shore they were taken and sold as Pirates first by the Suevians and afterwards by the Frisians till at last they were sold into Britain where the strangeness of the Accident render'd this Discovery of the Island more famous But Agricola having in the beginning of this Summer lost a young Son made use of War as a Remedy to vent his Grief therefore he sent his Fleet before which by spoiling many Places on the Coast struck a greater Terror into the Enemy He himself with a flying Army consisting chiefly of Britains whose Courage and Faith he had long experienced following it marched as far as the Grampian Hills upon which the Enemy had Posted themselves for the Britains nothing daunted with the ill Success of the last Fight and expecting nothing but Revenge or Slavery from their new Leagues and Confederacies were got together Thirty Thousand strong more being daily expected nay the aged themselves would not be exempted from this Days Service but as they had been brave Men in their time so every one of them bore some Badge or Mark of his youthful Atchievements Among these was Galgacus chief in Authority and Birth who when the Army cry'd out for the Signal of Battel is brought in by Tacitus making a long yet noble Oration which thô it is likely he never spoke and that it is contrary to my Design to stuff these Annals with long Speeches yet since there is a great deal of good Sense and sharp Satyr expressed in it against his own Nation I shall contract some part of it and render the rest word for word In the first place having set forth the Occasion of making War upon the Romans from the Necessity of avoiding Slavery as being the last People of Britain that were yet unconquer'd and that beyond them there was no more Earth nor Liberty left That now the utmost Bounds of Britain were discovered and no other Nations but them left to employ the Roman Armies whose Pride they might seek to please in vain by Services and Submissions those Robbers of the World who having left no Land unplunder'd ransack even the Ocean it self If the Enemy be Rich they are greedy of his Wealth if Poor they covet Glory whom neither the East nor West could ever satisfie the only Men in the World who pursue both the Rich and the Needy with equal Appetite To Kill and Plunder they call Governing and when they have brought Desolation on a Country they term it Peace That Nature by nearest ties had link'd their Children and Relations to them yet even these were taken away and pressed into their Service That their Wives and Sisters if they escap'd their Violence yet could not avoid Dishonour since when they came as Guests into their Houses they were sure to Debauch them Their Goods and Fortunes they made their Tributes their Corn their Provisions to supply their Granâ—ries and wore out their Bodies in cutting down Woods and draining Fens and paving Marishes nay and all this amidst a Thousand Stripes and Indignities That Slaves who are born to Bondage were sold but once and afterwards kept at their Masters Charges but Britain daily bought its own Bondage and maintain'd it too He then proceeds to exhort them to be tenacious of their Liberty lest like the last Slave in a private Family who is the Sport and Scorn of his Fellows when conquer'd they should be flouted by those who had been used as Drudges long before advising them to take Courage and Example from the Brigantes who under the Conduct of a Woman had almost quite destroyed the Romans and might have driven them out of Britain had they not failed in the Attempt by their too great Security and Success Then magnifying the Valour and Strength of his own Nation and lessening that of the Romans as made up of divers Nations who unwillingly served them and as soon as they durst would turn against them he concluded with shewing what Advantages they had above the Romans to make them hope for Victory and the miserable Slavery they were like to undergo if they were vanquished and therefore going now to Battel advised them to remember the Freedom of their Ancestors as well as the Danger of Slavery to themselves and their Posterity The Britains received this Speech with great Testimonies of Joy such as Songs and confus'd Clamours after the Custom of their Country all which shew'd their Approbation and now their Arms began to glitter and every one to put himself in Array when Agricola scarce able to repress the Heat of his Soldiers yet thinking it convenient to say something to them made a Speech to this Effect for being somewhat long I shall make bold to Contract it First he told his Soldiers That this was the Eighth Year that their Valour protected by the Fortune of the Roman Empire had subdu'd the Britains in so many Battels and that as he had exceeded his Predecessors in Success so they had all former Armies That Britain was now no longer known only by Fame and Report and that as they have had the Honor to discover so likewise might they to subdue it That he had often heard them ask When they should meet the Enemy but now they had their Desires now was the time to shew their Valour and that as every thing would happen as they could wish if they Conquer'd so all things made against them if they were overcome That if it was Great and Noble to have Marched so much Ground to have past so many Woods and both the Friths yet if they fled the very same things would be their Hindrance and Destruction That as for his part he had been long since satisfied that to run away was neither safe for the Soldier nor General and that a Commendable Death was to be preferr'd before the Reproaches of an Ignominious Life that Safety and Honour were now inseparably conjoyned And let the worst happen yet how glorious would it be to die in the utmost Bounds of the World and Nature Then putting them in mind of their late Victories and representing these Britains they were now to fight with as the Meanest and most Rascally of all the Nations they had Conquer'd so he doubts not but they will afford them an occasion of a memorable Victory Then
concludes in advising them to make an end of the War and to Fifty Years Labours add one great concluding Day by which means they should approve themselves to their Country and that it should never be justly laid to their Charge that they had Protracted the War nor let slip any Opportunity of compleating their Conquest Whilst Agricola was yet speaking the Soldiers expressed great Signs of their Eagerness and Resolution but the Conclusion of his Speech was received with loud and joyful Acclamations whilst every Man stood to his Arms and shewed his Impatience to march on Agricola order'd the Battel after this manner his Main Body was made up of Eight Thousand Auxiliary Foot and Three Thousand Horse were placed in the Wings the Legions being set in the Rear before the Camp for the greater Glory of the Victory if it could be won without any loss of Roman Blood if otherwise for Succour and Assistance The British Army for the greater shew and Terror was drawn upon a rising Gound the first Battalion stood on the Plain the next a degree higher as the Hill ascended the Field rang with the Clattering Noise of Chariots and Horsemen rangeing up and down Agricola perceiving the Enemy exceeded him in numbers and fearing lest they might attack him in the Front and Flanks at once stretch'd out his Front in length and although by that means his Van-guard was somewhat thin and that many Councelled him to take the Legions into it yet he stood firm to his first Resolution and alighting from his Horse placed himself at the head of the Foot before the Ensigns The Fight began at a distance with missive Weapons wherein the Britains shew'd wondrous Skill and Constancy for with their broad Swords and short Targets they either avoided the Darts or shook them off and in return liberally bestow'd whole Showres of their own Agricola perceiving this Disadvantage commanded Three Batavian Cohorts and Two of the Tungrians that they should bring it speedily to dint of Sword which they easily performed as being fitted for it by long exercise but the Britains on the other side having little Targets and huge unwildly Swords without points lay under a great disadvantage nor could endure a close down right fighting so that when the Batavians came to exchange blows with them and to make at their Faces with the Pikes of their Targets they easily bore them down and prosecuting their Victory advanced to the side of the Hill the rest of the Cohorts being spurr'd on by Emulation and striking at all that were near them run on in the same course leaving for hast many behind them some half Dead others untouch'd in the mean while as the Horse-men fled the Chariots brake in upon the Foot so they who had lately terrified others were now distressed themselves being penn'd in by their own close Ranks as well as the unevenness of the Ground But the manner of this Battel was not like a loose skirmish of Horsemen but all keeping their Ranks endeavoured by the weight of their Horses to bear down the Enemy and now might be seen Chariots without Drivers and the affrighted Horses running to and fro without Riders overturning all that met them or thwarted their way But when those Britains who had not yet engaged but on the tops of the Hills despised the paucity of the Romans began to draw down by degrees and taking a compass to fall upon them in the Rear Agricola having foreseen their design with Four Squadrons of Horse which he had reserved for such a purpose opposed their Descent and driving them back with as great hast as they had come forward put them totally to flight so that now this project of the Britains was turned upon themselves some Troops of Horse being by the General 's order taken from the Front of the Battel and sent to charge the Enemy in the Rear then might have been seen in the open Plain a great and dismal Scene of War some pursuing wounding taking and then killing those that were taken when other fresh ones came in the way now whole Regiments of the Britains according to their several dispositions though Arm'd and more numerous turning their backs whilst others though unarm'd ran desperately upon the Swords of their Enemies the whole field was covered with scattered Arms Dead Bodies with mangled Limbs and Blood whilst many wallowing in their own gore ceased not to give some proofs of their last Anger and Revenge But when the Britains by running away had got nearer the Woods rallying again they circumvented those that pursued them as being unwary and ignorant of those places Agricola who was every where prevented this by sending out some Light Arms yet strong Cohorts and as also by Commanding some of his Horse-men to alight and scoure the thickest parts of the Wood these might have suffered considerably for their rashness But when the Britains once saw that the Romans followed the pursuit close and in good order they all fled thô not as before in whole Troops and Companies but dispersed and stragling into remote and by-places until Night and the satiety of slaughter put an end to the chase Of the Britains Ten Thousand were Slain Of the Romans Three Hundred and Forty amongst which was Aurelius Atticus Commander in chief of a Cohort who through Youthful heat and the over-much mettle of his Horse was carried into the midst of the Enemy The Night was spent with Joy by the Romans being now flush'd with Victory and Spoil but the Britains ran wandring up and down Men and Women howling together some lug'd on the Wounded whilst others cryed for help to those that were not hurt some forsook their Houses and of their own accord set Fire on them searching out holes to hide themselves in for safety which they as quickly left to find out others sometimes in consult together they entertained some glimmerings of hope and then again fell into despair being sometimes dispirited and some enraged at the sight of their dearest Relations and it is certain that many out of a cruel compassion laid violent hands on their Wives and Children to secure them from the cruelty of the Romans But Day appearing gave a plainer prospect of their Victory every where reign'd desolation and silence the Hills being forsaken and the Cottages smoaking afar off when the Scouts brought word that no body appear'd only that they found the uncertain Footsteps of their flight Whereupon Agricola because the Summer was far spent and that no fit Season to divide his Forces brought them in an entire body into the borders of the Horesti supposed to be the Inhabitants of Eske-Dale in Scotland where having received Hostages he Commanded the Admiral of his Fleet to Sail round about Britain furnishing him with all things necessary but the terrour of the Navy was gone before whilst he with slow and easie marches to the end he might strike the greater terrour into the new Conquer'd Nations
share In the Ninth Year of Gratian Maximus a Spaniard by Birth or Education at least thô most of our own Writers suppose him to have been Born in Britain and one who had long served in the British Wars being now General of the Roman Armies assumed the Imperial Purple being either discontented that Theodosius the Younger who had served with him in Britain had been prefer'd before him to the Empire or as Orosius reports being constrained thereunto by the Souldiers who hated and despised Gratian. The first Essays of his usurp'd power were indeed employ'd to the good and preservation of this Island for the Scots and Picts who with their Inroads continually wasted the Roman Territories he subdued and drove back the former into their own Country Ireland the latter beyond the Picts Wall and indeed all the Scotish Historians do now acknowledge that the Scots were so beaten and quelled by Maximus that with their King Eugenius they were forced to quit Britain and did not return again to renew their Kingdom in Britain till above Twenty Years after if they were here at all before that time which many of our best English Antiquaries utterly deny as I shall shew further when I come to those Times But the Year following when Gratian had further provoked the Roman Souldiers who took it very ill that the Allans were listed for Souldiers Maximus taking hold of this occasion carried over his Army then much encreased with a multitude of British Youth and landing at the mouth of the Rhine were there joyfully received by the Roman Souldiers in Belgia and Germany where he made Triers the seat of his Usurp'd Empire whence he is by called Gregorius Turonensis Trevericus Imperator and then saith Gildas spreading one of his Wings as far as Spain the other into Italy with the very terrour of his Name he brought under his Subjection the yet unconquer'd Germans Against this Usurper Gratian raised what Forces he could of Mercenary Allans which the Romans and especially the Moores taking for a fresh affront as if those Barbarians had been prefer'd before them in Courage and Fidelity they deserted him and went over to his Enemy so that Gratian being quickly put to Flight by the Forces of Maximus was forced to flye with Three Hundred Horse towards the Alpes Maximus thô glad of this advantage yet thought it not safe to let him escape so he dispatched after him Andragathius then his Magister Equitum or General who following him with all speed with some Light Horsemen overtook him near the Bridge of Singidunum and there killed him by which Act he Establish'd Maximus in his Usurp'd Empire This is the account which Zosimus gives us of this Action I know other Writers make a long relation of a Wile that Andragathius invented to make the Emperour believe that the Empress his Wife was coming to see him which he believing and coming to the Litter where he thought she was Andragathius leaping out of the sudden Murders him But this dos not seem so likely as the former Account Zosimus gives us of it for if Andragathius were stronger as without doubt he was What need was there of this device or who can believe that the Emperour should have no account of his Wives Motion nor of the Enemies coming in her stead All things thus succeeding according to his wicked desires having setled Gaul and cashier'd those Officers who had sided with Gratian his Son Fl. Victor having been declar'd Caesar and his Partner in the Empire to which he required or rather demanded of Theodosius to be admitted which was for the present consented unto by him since he was not in any capacity to resist him so he received from him the Title of Emperour and his Image was sent to Alexandria and set up in the publick Market-place to be reverenced according to the custom of those Times Maximus having thus by Treason and Murther made himself Master of so great a part of the Western Empire he now pretended a great concern for the Catholick Religion and by that means drew many Pious Bishops into an acknowledgment of his power and therefore to shew his Zeal he Sentenc'd Priscillia and other Hereticks of his party to Death who being Condemn'd in the Council of Bordeaux and appealing to his Tribunal were by him Sentenced to be beheaded although disswaded from it by St. Martin that good Bishop of Tours alledging it was sufficient that they were excommunicated by the Catholick Church to which in matters of Faith they were only answerable These were the first that were ever executed by any Christian Prince for meer matters of Faith which practice as it was only fit for such a Tyrant and Usurper to have begun so it had been well for the Church if Lawful Princes had not been too much led away by the intemperate Zeal of some Church-men to imitate so cruel an Example Neither did Maximus rest contented with what he had already got but then making War upon the Emperour Valentinian drove him out of Italy who thereupon was forced to fly Constantinople where he earnestly solicited Theodosius to undertake his quarrel who at last thô with some difficulty granting his request with all his Forces marched against the Tyrant who then lay secure at Aquileia and in two Batles overthrew him and not long after being besieged in that City his Souldiers finding his Affairs in a desperate Condition to make their own Peace delivered him up to Theodosius who by Three days after order'd him to be beheaded Whereupon Andragatius his Lieutenant who was then at Sea hearing this ill News cast himself head long out of the Ship and so was drownded and thereby prevented that publick Execution which he so justly deserved for thus murthering his Sovereign I have insisted the longer upon the Actions of Maximus not only because he first begun his Usurpation in this Island but also to let you see that great and prosperous Villanies do often meet with that punishment they deserve as well to the acters as contrivers But I cannot quit the Reign of Maximus without taking notice of that notorious invention of Geoffery of Monmouth who makes Dionotus Duke of Cornwall to whom Maximus at his departure committed the Government of Britain to have sent over his own Daughter Ursula with no fewer than Eleven Thousand Noble Virgins for her Attendants besides Sixty Thousand others of meaner Condition to Conan Duke of Britain on whom he with like truth supposes Maximus had before bestowed Armorica Ursula was to be the Wife of Conan himself and the rest to be bestowed upon the Britains who came over with him of which Virgins a great part perished by Sea and the rest being taken by Guanurs King of the Huns and Melgas King of the Picts were either killed or made Slaves Yet this Fable as improbable as it is has been greedily swallowed by Card Baronius who cites no better an Author than our
not so as hath been already shewn and shall be made clearer by and by For Bede is more exact and takes notice of some of those Princes that Reigned in Britain from the Death of Maximus to the coming in of the Saxons which Gildas and Nennius had omitted But thus much is agreed on by Gildas Nennius and Bede that Britain owed its first Ruine to Maximus his carrying over so great a number of Britains and Romans into Gaul from which time Britain being bereft of all its Military Forces and choicest Youth who followed that Tyrant and never returned again being either slain or else planting themselves in Armorica so that as Gildas saith the Island was thenceforth left to such cruel Rulers as stayed behind who being unexperienced in Warlike Affairs were still tormented by two transmarine Nations the Scots from the Northwest and the Picts from the North. But Bede expresly tells us that he calls those Transmarine Nations not because they then dwelt out of Britain but because they were divided from its Southern Parts by two Streights or Bays of the Sea whereof one from the West and the other from the East doth separate the Regions of Britain so that they do not joyn to each other these are the two Streights which were then called Glotta and Bodotria now the Friths of Edinburgh and Dunbritton from which Passage of Bede it is evident that he supposed the Scots to beat this time setled in this Island Whereupon the British Nation being unable any longer to bear the continual Incursions of the Scots and Picts sent Ambassadors to Rome with lamentable Letters desiring some Military Forces to be again sent to defend them which if it were performed and the Enemy once repulsed they vowed perpetual Subjection to the Roman Empire whereupon Stilico being at that time Tutor to the Emperour Honorius immediately dispatched to their Assistance a Legion sufficiently furnished with Arms and all Things necessary which arriving in this Island and fighting with its Enemies killed a great many of them and drove the rest out of the British Borders and so delivered the Inhabitants both from Spoil and inevitable Captivity This Action thô confounded by Gildas with the second Succours that were sent in the time of the Emperour Honorius seems most likely to be sent by Stilico in his first Consulship as hath been already said The Britains being thus relieved the Roman General whose Name is not told us thô Camden supposes him to be called Victorinus commanded them to build a Wall cross the Island between the two Seas which might be a Terrour to the Enemies and a Defence to the Natives but the Britains not building it with Stones but Turfs as not having Artificers sufficient for so great a Work it served to no purpose thô they drew it between the two Streights or Bays already mentioned for many thousand Paces and where the Defence of Water was wanting there they defended their Borders from the Irruption of the Enemy with a Trench of which Work Bede relates there remained most evident Tokens in his time For says he it begins near the space of two Miles from the Monastery of Abercorne towards the East in a place which is called in the Picts Tongue Penvahel in the English Penvellum and which running towards the West ends near the City of Aldcluith So far Bede This I have set down to shew that as yet the old Bounds were continued between the Picts and the Britains But this Legion returning home with great Joy and Triumph the same Enemies as soon as they saw the Roman Souldiers departed passing over in their small Vessels or Curroughs entering the Borders destroyed all before them How long they continued so to do is hard to determine but this is certain that fresh Ambassadours were thereupon again dispatched to Rome imploring new Aids and that they would not suffer this miserable Country to be destroyed nor a Roman Province which had been long so famous to be over-run by barbarous and foreign Nations whereupon another Legion was again sent over which coming unlook'd-for in the time of Autumn made great slaughter of the Enemies and drove out all those who escaped beyond the Friths above-mentioned over which they were wont to carry their Prey without any resistance But the Romans being now resolved to return home plainly told the Britains That they would not be any more wearied out in such laborious Expeditions for their Defence admonishing them to take Arms and to undergo themselves the Toil of encountering their Enemies nor should the Roman Ensigns march so far by Sea and Land to curb a few unwarlike wandering Robbers but that for the future they should defend themselves by fighting manfully for their Country in defending their Wives and Children and which is more their own Lives and Liberties and that they might do what good they could to these Confederates whom they were now forced to desert they made them build a Wall of Stone from Sea to Sea with Towers near the Shore to hinder the landing of the Enemy and having exercised them in Arms then took their Leave of them telling them They must expect their return no mote This is the substance of Gildas his Relation with whom Bede also agrees yet adds that the Romans at their departure did not only give this sluggish People fresh Encouragements by Words but also left them Patterns of the Arms and Weapons they would have them make and then gives a more particular description of this last Wall and saith That it was 8 Foot in breadth and 12 in height and that it stood where the Wall of Severus was before being made all of Stone and not of Turf as that unserviceable Wall was which the Britains had before without any Skill built by themselves betwixt the two Friths Glotta and Bodotria But before I quit this Subject I cannot but take notice of the great mistake of the Scotish Historian Buchanan who persisting in his former Errour will needs have this last Wall to be built in Scotland in the same place where he thô falsly supposes Severus's Wall to have been and where Bede makes the Turf Wall already mentioned to have been built But Arch-Bishop Usher plainly proves in his above-cited Work from the Authority of ancient Authors that Severus's Wall was built in the same place where Adrian's was before viz. between the Rivers Tine and Esk So that if â—as Bede saith this last Wall was built in the same place where the Wall of Severus stood it must also have been between those two last mention'd Rivers and not between the two Friths as Buchanan would have it who if he had but carefully perused Bede would have found that he sufficiently distinguishes between the place where this last Wall was seated and that of the former which he supposes to have begun near Abercorne and reached to Alclâ—id now called Dunbritton for in several other
these Objections Arch-bishop Usher in his Ant. Brit. Ecclesiae gives us a satisfactory answer viz. That before the coming in of the Saxons to settle here it appears that they made several Incursions by Sea as hath been already proved from divers Authorities and further Paulus Diaconus in the Relation of this story expresly says That whil'st these Bishops were here a strong Army of Scots and Picts Invaded Britain But as for the rest of the Miracles and Actions of Germanus and Lupus in Britain since they are only related by Nennius and some of our English Monks from certain Legends of little or no Credit as written long after those Times I shall wholly omit them only could wish that the Writers of this Story would have given us as exact a Relation of Civil Affairs in this Island as they do of those concerning the Religion of this Age that we might have known what Kings or Governours the Britains had from the time of the last departure of the Romans to the making of Vortigern King the want of which no doubt was a great encouragement to Geoffery of Monmouth to forge so many Fictitious Princes during this interval But for the other Objection it is I confess somewhat harder to be answer'd some Modern Writers suppose that in that sad Confusion and Corruption of Manners that happen'd after the departure of the Romans a great many of the Britains turned Idolaters or else which is most likely were Christians but in Name and so had never been Baptized at all till now I shall now conclude with the rest of the Ecclesiastical History of these Times This Year as our Saxon Annals from Prosper's Chronicle relate Palladius the Bishop was sent by Pope Coelestine to the Scots to confirm their Faith or as Bede in his Epitome Lib. 1. cap. as well as in his Epitome at the end under the Year CCCCXXX expresses it almost in the words of Prosper viz. Palladius was sent the first Bishop by the said Pope to the Scots believing in Christ but in one of the Copies of the Saxon Annals now in the Cottonian Library it is thus This Year Palladius was sent by Pope Coelestine to Preach Baptism i. e. Christianity to the Scots in which it agrees with Nennius who speaking of this matter says That this Bishop was first of all sent by the said Pope to convert the Scots to Christ But being hinder'd from God by certain Tempests departed from Ireland and arrived in Britain and there died in the Country of the Picts in which he is also followed by Probus and Joseline in their Lives of S. Patrick who thô they agree that Palladius was sent to Convert Ireland yet differ from him in the account how he came to fail in his design laying the fault upon the obstinacy of the Irish who would not receive his Doctrine but they both agree with Nennius that thereupon he left Ireland and dy'd in the confines of the Picts This difference in these Copies hath bred a great dispute between the English Antiquaries on the one side and the Scotish Historians and Antiquaries on the other the former supposing from the Authority of Nennius and the above cited Copy of the Saxon Chronicle besides that of the Irish Annals that the Scots were not converted to Christianity till the Year above mention'd and consequently were not made Christians so early as their Historians relate which Opinion hath been strenuously asserted by Arch-bishop Usher in his Britan. Eccles. Antiquitat as also by the Bishop of St. Asaph now Bishop of Litchfield in his Historical account of Church Goverment and been also further improved by the learned Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester in his Antiquity of the British Churches who all conclude that the Scots were converted to Christianity long before their planting in Britain which they suppose not to have happen'd till about the end of the Fifth or the beginning of the Sixth Century Against which Opinions though asserted by so many learned Men Sir George Mackenzy late Lord Advocate of Scotland hath Written two Treatises which he calls a defence of the Royal-line of Scotland in the former of which written against the said Bishop as well as the latter against Dr. Stillingfleet he alters the state of the Controversie from an Ecclesiastical to a Civil dispute making it a crime of loese Majesty so much as to question the reality of the Kings of Scotland before Fergus the Second but omitting the Proofs that he produces for the Antiquity of the Scotish Kings before that time as also what he writes for the Scots Conversion as performed in Scotland and not in Ireland being beyond the bounds of our History I shall leave the Reader for his farther satisfaction to peruse those Treatises if he think fit being writ with great Wit and Smartness But since I found the time of Palladius's being sent by the Pope to the Scots mentioned not only in Bede but in our Saxon Chronicles I could not well omit putting it down yet without taking upon me positively to determine whither the Scots of Scotland or those of Ireland are there meant since I confess the Words are Ambiguous and the Copies differ as I have already shewed But the Year after Palladius's being sent to the Scots whether in Ireland or Scotland the Saxon Annals tell us that Patrick was sent by the same Pope Coelestine to Preach Baptism i. e Christianity to the Scots Although I find in the Notes of upon Nennius p. 129 a Chronicle noting Anno Dom. 475 Venit S. Patricius ad Hiberniam Now that these were the Scots of Ireland is agreed on by all yet this Controversie is made more intricate by what Ranul Higden writes in his Polychron l. 4. c. 33. Celestinus Papa misit S. Patricium ad Hiberniam Convertendam Palladium Romanum Diaconum ad Scotos Convertendos Anno Scil. Pontificatus sui IX And also by what is found in a Manuscript Copy of Dicetus thus Celestinus Papa ad Scotos Palladium Primum mittit Episcopum Postquam ad eosdem ab eodem Celestino missus est S. Patricius filius Conches Sororis S. Martini Turonensis For which last Notes I must own my self obliged to the Learned Doctor Gale but on the other side if the Scots to whom Palladius is said to have been sent were not the same with those in Ireland but the Scots than living in Scotland it must then be confessed that the promiscuous use of the Name of Scotia sometimes for Ireland and sometimes for Scotland and of Scoti sometimes used by Bede and other Writers of those times for Irish Men and sometimes for Native Scots have so confounded the Histories of both these Nations that no Man without other Circumstances can tell when they mean the one or the other But since the Ecclesiastical History of Britain in these Times is very obscure and deficient there being so little to be found concerning it either in Bede or
by the Saxons who fled thither for Refuge But that the Britains of Armorica were setled there long before the Britains here were driven out by the Saxons is proved by the above-cited Doctor Stillingfleet in his Antiquities of the British Churches which he proves by these Authorities First from Sidonius Appollinaris in whom there are two Passages which tend to the clearing this matter The first is concerning Arnâ—ndus accused at Rome of Treason in the time of Anthemius for persuading the King of the Goths to make War upon the Greek Emperour i. e. Anthemius who then came out of Greece And upon the Britains on the Loir as Sidonius Appolinaris expresly affirms who lived at that time and pitied his Case This hapned about Anno Dom. 467 before Anthemius was the second time Consul from whence it appears not only that there were Britains then setled on the Loir but that their Strength and Forces were considerable which cannot be supposed to consist of such miserable People as only fled from hence for fear of the Saxons and not being able to keep their own Country it is not likely they could that of others And it is farther observable that about this time Aurelius Ambrosius had success against the Saxons and either by Vortimer's Means or his the Britains were in great likelihood of driving them quite out of Britain so that there is no probability that the Warlike Britains should at that time leave their native Country A second Passage is concerning Riothamus a King of these Armorian Britains in the time of Sidonius Appollinaris and to whom he wrote who went with 12000 Britains to assist the Romans against Euricus King of the Goths but were intercepted by him as Jornandes relates the Story and Sigibert places it Anno Dom. 470 Now What clearer Evidence can be desired than this to prove that a considerable number of Britains were there setled and in a condition not only to defend themselves but to assist the Romans which cannot be imagined of such as meerly fled thither for Refuge after the Saxons coming into Britain Besides we find in Sirmondus's Gallican Councils Mansuetus a Bishop of the Britains subscribing to the first Council at Tours which was held Anno Dom. 461 by which we see the Britains had so full a Settlement then as not only to have Inhabitants but a King and Bishops of their own which was the great Encouragement for other Britains to go over when they found themselves so hard press'd by the Saxons at home For a People frighted from hence would hardly have ventured into a Foreign Country unless they had been secure before hand of a kind Reception there And if they must have fought for a Dwelling had they not far better have done it in their own Country From whence I conclude that there was a large Colony of Britains in Armorica before those Numbers went over upon the Saxon Cruelties of which Eginhardus and other Foreign Historians speak Though how it should come to be setled there unless some Colonies were carried over before by Maximus or Constantine the last Usurper of the Empire I know not but as for this it being very obscure I determine nothing K. Vortigern nothing bettered by these Calamities is said to have added this to his other Crimes that he took his own Daughter to Wife who brought forth a Son who according to Nennius was called Faustus and proved a Religious Man living in great Devotion by the River Rennis in Glamorganshire but for the rest of his Stories concerning the Dialogue between Vortigern and St. German and that the King was condemn'd for this Incest in a great Synod or Council of Clergy-men and Laicks in which St. German presided is certainly false he being then dead as appears from the best approved Authours the year before the Saxons arrived in Britain And indeed this whole Story of Vortigern's committing Incest with his own Daughter seems altogether unlikely for when should he do it Not before he married Rowena for Nennius places it afterwards nor could it well be during the time of his Marriage with her since as the same Authour relates she continued his Wife long after when he was taken Prisoner by Hengist and it is very strange he should fall in love with his own Daughter when at the same time he had another Wife whom he is said to have loved so well that he was divorced from his first Wife for her sake Geoffery of Monmouth relates That the Nobles of Britain being highly displeased at King Vortigern for the great Partiality he shewed to the Saxons and for the ill Success that followed it beseeched the King wholly to desert him but he refusing so to do they deposed him and chose his Son Vortimer King who following their Advice began to Expel the Saxons pursuing them as far as the River Diervent or Darent in Kent where obtaining the Victory he made a great Slaughter of them besides which that he fought also another Battle with them near the Ford which is called in the Saxon Tongue Episford and in the British Tongue Sathenegabail which is also confirmed by the Saxon Annals which say That Hengist and Horsa fought with King Vortigern at a place called Eglesford now Aylesford in Kent and that Horsa was there slain Nennius says by Cartigern the Brother of King Vortimer and that afterwards Hengist and his Son Aesk obtained the Kingdom of Kent and Matthew of Westminster relates that after the Death of his Brother Horsa the Saxons chose Hengist for their King being 8 Years after his arrival in England And yet after this Nennius supposes Vortimer to have fought a third Battle with them in a Field which was near the Stone Titulus which was fixed near the Shore of the Gallic Sea which place Arch-Bishop Usher will have to be Stonar in the Isle of Thanet but Mr. Somner in his Treatise of the Roman Ports and Forts in Kent supposes it should be written Lapis Populi in stead of Tituli and then Folkstone in Kent is most likely to be the place where this Battle was fought it having the same Signification as Lapis Populi in the Latin Geoffery of Monmouth and from him Matthew Westminster further relate That Hengist not being able to withstand the Valour of K. Vortimer was made to retire into the Isle of Thanet whither he was also pursued by the Sea and that at last the Saxons being forced on board their Ships returned into Germany Nennius adds That they durst not return again into this Island till after the Death of Vortimer which thô not mentioned in our English Saxon Annals yet is very likely to be true since Bede relates That about this time the Saxon Army returned home when the Natives thô before driven out or dispers'd began again to take fresh Courage and come out of their Hiding-Places and Retreats This Year Vortimer having obtained many Battels against the Saxons is
Cities and having called the dispersed Citizens together went about the repairing of it all his design being the restoring the Church and Kingdom from thence he went to Winchester and to Salisbury doing there as he had done at other places But in the passage thither Geoffrey launches out to purpose in his History of Stonehenge translated says he by Merlin out of Ireland to make a Monument for the British Nobles slain there by Hengists Treachery Which is such an Extravagancy that it is to be wondered any should follow him in it and yet Mat. Westminster transcribes the main of it and Walter of Coventry sets it down for Authentick History but he adds two Circumstances which make it seem probable that Stonehenge had some relation to Ambrosius viz. that here Ambrosius was Crowned and was not long after buried Polydore Virgil makes it the Monument of Ambrosius and John of Tinmouth in the Life of Dubricius calls it Mons Ambrosii and the name of Ambresburg a Town near it doth much confirm the probability of its being founded by Ambrosius rather than either by the Romans or Danes as some of our late Antiquaries and Architects have supposed But I shall not insist any longer on this Subject Geoffery adds yet further concerning Ecclesiastical Matters in his time that at a solemn Council he appointed two Metropolitans for the two Sees at that time vacant viz. Samptson one of Eminent Piety for York and Dubricius for Caer-leon but Mathew Westminster saith that Samptson was afterward driven into Armorica and there was made Arch-bishop of Dole among the Britains which is very likely to be true being confirmed by Sigebert in his Chronicle Anno Dom. 566. It is observed by H. of Huntington that after the Britains had a little respite from their Enemies they fell into Civil dissentions among themselves which is very agreeable to what Gildas hath said of this Geoffrey gives us no improbable account when he relates that one of Vortigerns Sons called Pascentius raised a Rebellion in the North against Ambrosius among the Britains who were overcome by him and put to flight what became of Vortigern is uncertain nor can the British Writers themselves agree â—ither about the time or the manner of his Death Nennius hath two several stories about it the one certainly false and the other very improbable The first is that St. German followed him into a Country in South Wales which was called by his own Name Guorthigernian where he lay hid with his Women in a Castle which he had built called Din Guortigern near the River Thebi to which Castle when St. German came he prayed and fasted there with his Clergy three whole Days and Nights it seems without any intermission when the Castle about Midnight was set on Fire from Heaven and Vortigern with his Wives and Family were all burnt and this Nennius says he found in the Book or Legend of St. German yet he declares That others relate how that Vortigern becoming hateful to all sorts and degrees of Men none would keep him company from the greatest to the least till at last as he wandred from place to place his Heart was broken I suppose for grief but Geoffery of Monmouth with more probability relates that Vortigern being again deposed was besieged and burnt in this Castle by his Successour Aurelius Ambrosius who set it on Fire But now it is time to return to our Saxon Chronicle where after Eight Years interval without any action mentioned We now find Hengist and Aesc joyned Battel with the Britains and took many Spoils and the Welshmen vanish'd before the English like Stubble before the Fire as the Saxon Chronicle words it After this there is no more said of any Victories gained by Hengist but now after Four Years interval began the Kingdom of the South Saxons for Aella with his Three Sons Cymen Wlencing or Pleting as Huntington calls him and Cissa landing in Britain at a place called Cymens ora which signifies in the Saxon Tongue Cymens Shore or Coast there they slew a great many Britains and made the rest fly into the Wood or Forrest called Andredes Leage supposed to be part of the wild of Kent and the Woody parts of Sussex where now are or were lately Aishdowne and Arundel Forrests with several others now disforrested Henry Huntington giveth a large account of this Action and tells us that upon the Saxons first landing a great many Britains immediately drew together at the Alarm and streight ways a great Fight was begun but the Saxons being taller and stronger Men received them couragiously and the Britains coming on very rashly in small stragling Parties were killed by the Saxons who were drawn up in close Order and so the Britains were routed upon the first encounter whereupon these Saxons possessed themselves of all the Sea Coast of Sussex enlarging their Territories more and more until the Eighth Year after their coming when Aella fought against the Britains near Mearcredes Burnamstede or Mecredesburne but where it lies is uncertain now it seems as H. Huntington relates all the Kings and Princes of the Britains were got together and fought with Aella and his Sons where the Victory remained doubtful for both Armies returned home very much weakned whereupon Aella sent unto his own Country for fresh supplies The same Year also Aurelius Ambrosius is supposed by the Welsh Chronicles to be chosen King having been before only General of the Britains and to have Reigned Nineteen Years Nennius tells us That he being King of all Britain bestowed Buelt and another Country in South Wales upon Pascent Son to Vortigern About Three Years after this Hengist King of Kent dyed For this Year as the Saxon Annals relate Aesc who is also called Oisc and by our Historians called Osric his Son began his Reign which continued Twenty Four Years but of Hengist his Father Will. of Malmesbury very well observes that he obtained a Crown by Craft as much as Valour but Aesc his Son who succeeded him maintained his Kingdom by the Valour of his Father rather than his own Merit and did not much encrease his Dominions This happened in the Time of Zeno the Emperour Nor can I here omit what Geoffery of Monmouth and from him Matheâ— of Westminster falsly relate concerning the Death of Hengist That fighting against Aurelius Ambrosius he was taken Prisoner near Coninsburgh in Yorkshire and not long afterwards beheaded by Eldol a feigned Duke of Gloucester which since it is not found in the Saxon Chronicle nor in any other Authentick Historian deserves little credit Aella and Cissa having now received fresh recruits out of Germany wherein they much confided did this Year besiege Andredesceaster supposed to be that we now call Newenden in Kent and took it by Force putting all the Britains to the Sword but H Huntington is very particular in the manner of this Siege and tells us that the Britains raised a great
King Arthur died this Year as all the British Writers agree but as for the manner of his Death it is uncertain The British Chronicles suppose him to have been slain in a Fight at Camala against his own Nephew Mordred who had usurped the Crown in his absence It is more uncertain who succeeded him Geoffery of Monmouth makes Arthur at his Death to have bequeath'd the Crown to one Constantine his Cousin Son of Cador Duke of Cornwal whom he makes to have fought several times with the Sons of Mordred that he slew them and after 4 Years Reign died But divers of the ancientest British Chronicles we have seen make no mention of this Constantine but leave here an Inter-regnum of near 11 Years But to return to our Saxon Annals Withgar died and was buried at Withgarasbyrig which Place being called after his own Name was certainly some Place in the Isle of Wight and is supposed to be the same with Caresbrook Castle in the same Island Let us now look back to the British Affairs King Constantine being supposed by Geoffery to have died about this time he makes his Nephew Aurelius Conan to have succeeded him who Reigning about two Years was followed by Vortipore who also dying four Years after was succeeded by Malgo called by Gildas Malgoclunus and is supposed to be the same with Maelgwn Guined so often mentioned in the Welsh Annals so that according to Geoffery these three Princes reigned successively after one another which can by no means to reconciled with Gildas's Epistle who speaks to all of them as living and reigning at one and the same time so that it is most likely that Malgo or Malgocunus was only King of North-Wales or else of the Northern Parts of Britain as some of the Welsh Chronicles affirm but that Vortipore was King of that part of South-Wales called Demetia Gildas himself relates whilst Aurelius Conan ruled in Powis Land or some other Southern Province as Arch-Bishop Usher with preat probability supposes but Gildas's Epistle wherein he so sharply inveighs against all these British Kings above-mentioned is to this effect Britain has Kings yet Tyrants it has Judges but preying upon and oppressing the Innocent their Kings have Wives of their own yet are Whoremongers often Swearing yet as often Perjuring themselves often making Wars but those unjust or Civil Ones prosecuting Thieves yet having the greatest near them even at their own Tables sitting in the Seat of Justice yet not observing the Rules of right Judgment despising the Innocent and Peaceable and countenancing the Bloody and Adulterous keeping Men in Prison whom they have put there rather out of Malice than Desert And then proceeds particularly to all the Kings then reigning beginning with Constantine whom he calls The Tyrannical Whelp of an impure Damonian Lioness and accuses him this very Year in which he wrote that Letter to have been guilty of murdering two innocent Youths of Royal Blood at the very Altar and under the Cope of the holy Abbot These are supposed to have been the two Sons of Mordred He likewise accuses this Prince that being polluted with frequent Adulteries he had contrary to Christ's Precept put away his own Wife In the next place applying himself to Aurelius Conan he accuses him of the like if not worse Parricides besides Fornications and Adulteries and that hateing the Peace of his Country he had out of desire of Prey fomented Civil Wars In the third place he comes to Vortipore whom he calls The wicked Son of a good Father and Tyrant of the Demetae that is South-Welshmen and whom he accuses of the like Faults and that thô his Head were then grey yet he was guilty of Adultery his Wife being put away him he also advises to Repentance Next he proceeds to Cuneglasus who is supposed by some Antiquaries to have been King of the Northern or Cambrian Britains but this is to be observed that Geoffery of Monmouth takes no notice of him which shews that either he never saw this Copy of Gildas or else if he did knew not where to place this Prince having already made as many Kings to succeed each other as the Time he had to bestow upon them would allow But whoever he was Gildas accuses him for fighting both against GOD and Men against Men by taking Arms against his own Country-men against God by infinite Wickedness and besides his other Faults that having put away his own Wife he had married her Cousin who had vowed perpetual Chastity Then he concludes with a sharp Reproof of Maglocunus whom he calls the Island Dragon and the Expeller of many other Tyrants he also accuses him of Sodomy asking him Why being taller in Stature and greater in Power than all the rest of the Princes in Britain he had made himself in stead of being better far worse than they Upbraiding him that in his Youth he had murdered the King his Uncle with many of his Men. After many other Reproofs threatens him with speedy Destruction unless he repent This is the Substance of Gildas's Reproof to the British Princes from which all that we can gather is First that there were no less than five Kings at this time in Britain thô by what Means or Title they came to the Crown is uncertain more than that it seems probable some of these Princes here mentioned were descended from Aurelius Ambrosius thô as Gildas observes highly degenerated from the Virtue of their Ancestors But what great Actions these Kings did during their Reigns or what good Qualities they were indued with is not known so that there is but a slender Account of them in the Rolls of Fame which may make us suspect they were guilty of but very few good Qualities because we here find a large Catalogue of their bad Ones Who succeeded each of these Kings in their distinct Territories the most authentick British Chronicles do not mention and therefore thô Geoffery makes one Careticus to have now governed that part of Britain which was still left unconquered by the Saxons and whom he will have to succeed Malgo and that thereupon the Saxons sent for one Gormund an African King with a great Army of his Country-men who making a League with the Saxons set upon Careticus and besieged him in the City of Circester and taking and burning it afterwards fought with Careticus and forced him to flie beyond the Mountains of Wales Yet since neither in our Saxon Annals nor any other good Historian there is any thing to be found concerning these Kings or any Africans that ever invaded Britain it is to be looked upon as no better than one of the bold Inventions of this Author But as I have given you Gildas's Character of their Kings so I shall now give you that of their Clergy whom he thus reproves Britain says he hath Bishops but without Discretion many Ministers but those Impudent many Clerks but subtle Prowlers Pastors in Name but indeed Wolves
iâ—tent upon all Occasions not to feed the Flock but to pamper and well line themsâ—lves making use of their Churches only for Lucre's sake teaching the People sound Doctrine but they themselves shewing evil Example rarely Officiating at the Altar and then scarce ever standing there with pure Hearts not correcting the People for their Sins as guilty of the same themselves despising the Precepts of Christ and fulfilling their own Lusts usurping the Chair of Peter but through the blindness of their own worldly Lusts stumbling upon the Seat of Judas deadly haters of Truth and lovers of Lies looking upon the poor Christians with Eyes of Pride and Contempt but fawning upon the wickedest rich Men without Shame great Promoters of other Men's Alms with set Exhortations but themselves ever contributing least concealing or slightly touching the reigning Sins of the Age but highly aggravating their own Injuries as done to Christ himself seeking Preferments and Dâ—grees in the Church more than Heaven and having so gained them make it more their study how to keep than to illustrate them by their good Examples dull and stupid to the Reproofs of holy Men if ever they hear them at all but shew themselves very attentive to the trivial Discourses of the Laity ready to act any unlawful Things carrying their heads a loft but having their affections nothwithstanding the checks of their own Consciences as low as Hell sad at the loss of a penny but joyed if they can get one in Apostolical Censures either through their own Ignorance or the greatness of the Sins Dull and Mute but very skillful in the cheating Tricks of Worldly business from which wicked sort of Conversation many run into Priests Orders which they buy for Money taking the Priesthood without observing its Rules and Institution or knowing what belongs to matters of Faith or Manners And then proceeding in a tedious invective against Simony he at last thus addresses himself to the Laity What can ye expect O unhappy People from these Beasts all Bellies Shall these amend thee who as the Prophet says weary themselves in commiting Iniquity Shalt thou sâ—e with their Eyes which regard only those ways that lead to Hell leave them rather as bids our Saviour least ye fall both blindfold into the same Perdition But are all thus Perhaps not all or not so grosly But what did it avail Eli to be himself blameless whil'st he connived at his Sons that were wicked Who of these hath been envied for his better Life Who of them have hated to consâ—rt with such or withstood their entring into the Ministry or zealously endeavoured their casting out This is the Sense of what he there says it being not only tedious but impossible to Translate Verbatim so barbarous and obscure a Writer thô otherwise he seems to have been a Man of great Wit and ardent Piety above what that Age would admit of But hence we may learn what the State of the Government and Religion among the Britains was in that long Calm of Peace which the Victory at Badon Hill had produced Also at the end of his History he gives a farther account of the sad state of Affairs and great corruption of Manners in those Times And complains That the Cities of his Country were not then inhabited as before but lay ruined and deserted for though Foreign Wars were ceased for a time yet so were not the Civil so that there did still remain upon the face of the Island evident marks of so miserable a destruction but that also as long as the memory of that unlooked for assistance lasted their Kings as well as their Bishops and Priests did pretty well observe due Orders but those deceasing as the next Generation succeeded which had not seen the former Calamities and were only sensible of the present Prosperity all the Principles of Truth and Justice were totally shaken and subverted So that scarce any footsteps remained of them in all the Orders and Degrees of Men above mentioned except some and those but few very few in respect of those who go to Hell so that although they are the only true Sons of our Mother the Church yet by reason of the smallness of their number she can scarce take any notice of them albeit they lye in her very Bosome This much may suffice to give an account as well of this Epistle of Gildas as of his History which Caradoc of Lancarvon in his Legendary Life of this Author supposes to have been writ whil'st he lived at Glastenbury But these passages I thought good to Transcribe from him as not unuseful to be inserted in these Annals not out of any desire to rip up or expose the faults of the ancient British Clergy or Nation much less to insult over their Calamities but rather to serve as a warning to us who live in this loose and corrupt Age that we may avoid the like Sins lest we provoke God to send the like Judgments upon us But to return to the Saxon Chronicle This Year began the Northumbrian Kingdom or in the Words of our Annals Ida began to Reign from whom is derived the Royal Family of the Northumbrian Kings the Saxon Annals here give us a long pedegree of this Ida who reigned Twelve Years and built Bebbanburgh now Bamborough Castle in Northumberland which was at first encompassed only with a Trench and afterwards with a Wall H. Huntington says This Prince was always in War and Will of Malmesbury and Mat. Westminster make him to have had Twelve Sons partly by Wives and partly by Concubines And the latter also tells us that he together with his Sons came into Britain and landed at Plensburgh with Forty Ships But though Ida was the first that took upon him the Title of King yet there were Princes of the Saxons in that Country many Years before for the same Authors tell us That Hengist had long before sent his Brother Ottha and his Son Ebusa Men of great Experience in War to Conquer the North Parts of Britain who pursuing his directions met with a success answerable to their endeavours for fighting often times with the Natives of the Country and conquering all those who indeavoured to resist them they received the rest into their Protection and so enjoyed the fruits of Peace But though they had by their own industry as well as the consent of their Subjects gained some Power in those Parts yet did they never till now take upon them the Title of Kings the same moderation descending also to their Posterity So that for near an Hundred Years the Princes Earls or Dukes of Northumberland lived like Vassals under the Protection of the Kings of Kent But this Nation being naturally haughty in the Year above recited that is Sixty Years after the Death of Hengist this Principality was changed into a Kingdom Ida first reigning there who without doubt was a very gallant Man being then in the prime of his Youth but whether he
his Province and as Bede tells us surveyed all Things and ordained Bishops in fit Places and those Things which he found less perfect than they should be he by their Assistance corrected among which when he found fault with Bishop Ceadda as not having been rightly Consecrated he humbly and modestly replied If you believe that I have not rightly undertook the Episcopal Charge I willingly quit it since as I never thought my self worthy so I never consented to accept it but in obedience to the Commands of my Superiours But the Arch-Bishop seeing his Humility answered That he would not have him lay aside his Episcopacy and so he again renewed his Ordination according to the Catholick Rites From whence it appears that this Arch-Bishop then thought the Ordination of the English and Scotish Bishops who differed from the Church of Rome as to the time of keeping Easter to be Uncanonical and for this reason Bede here also tells us That Bishop Wilfrid was sent into France to be Ordained But as for this Bishop Ceadda Florence of Worcester informs us That he was now also deprived of his Bishoprick and Wilfrid restored to it as having been unduly Elected thereunto which thô Bede doth not tell us in express Words yet he confirms it in the very next Chapter where he tells us That Jaruman Bishop of the Mercians being now dead King Wulfher did not ask Arch-Bishop Theodorus to Ordain a new One but only desired of King Oswi that Bishop Ceadda the Brother of Cedda should be sent to him to take that Charge who lived privately at his Monastery of Lestinghen where he was then Abbot Wilfrid then not only Governing the Diocess of York and all the Northumbers but also Picts as far as King Oswi's Dominions extended But to return again to the Saxon Annals This Year King Ecgbert gave to Basse the Priest Reculf where he built a Monastery This was afterwards called Reculver in Kent Oswi King of Northumberland died xv Kal. Martij and was buried at Streanshale Monastery and Ecverth or Egfrid his Son reigned after him also Lothaire Nephew of Bishop Agelbert took upon him the Episcopal Charge over the West Saxons and held it 7 Years Arch-Bishop Theodorus Consecrated him He whom these Annals call Lothair was the same with Leutherius Bishop of Winchester Bede tells us further of King Oswi That being worn out with a long Infirmity he was so much in love with the Roman Rites that if he had recovered of the Sickness of which he died he had resolved to go to Rome and end his Days at the Holy Places having engaged Bishop Wilfrid to be the Guide and Companion of his Journey promising him no small Rewards for his Pains ' This Year was a great slaughter of Birds H. Huntington renders it a great Fight of Birds which seems to have been some remarkable Combat of Crows or Jackdaws in the Air of which we have several wonderful Relations in our Histories Mat. Westminster relates that the strange Birds seemed to flie before those of this Country but that many Thousands were killed This next Year Cenwalch King of the West Saxons died and Sexburga his Wife held the Kingdom after him for one Year Of whom William of Malmesbury gives this Account That this King dying left the Kingdom to Sexburga his Wife nor did she want Spirit or Courage to discharge all the Functions of a King for she straitways began to raise new Forces as also to keep the Old to their Duty to govern her Subjects with moderation and to keep her Enemies in awe and in short to do such great Things that there was no Difference but the Sex between Her and a King But as she aimed at more than Feminine Undertakings so she left this Life when she had scarce Reigned a Year about But Mat. Westminster says she was expelled the Kingdom by the Nobles who despised Female Government But what Authority he had for this I know not for I do not find it in any other Author whereas if what William of Malmesbury says of her be true it was not likely they should Rebel against so good a Governess who seems to have been the perfect Pattern of an Excellent Queen After the Death of King Cenwalch and as I suppose Queen Sexburga likewise Bede relates That the Great Men or Petty Princes of that Kingdom divided it among them and so held it for 10 Years in which time Eleutherius Bishop of the West Saxons i. e. of Winchester dying Heddi was Consecrated by Arch-Bishop Theodorus in his stead in whose time those Petty Princes being all subdued Ceadwalla took the Kingdom but this does not agree with the Saxon Annals About this time thô Bede does not set down the Year King Egfrid of Northumberland waging War with Wulfher King of Mercia won from him all the Country of Lindsey About this time also died Ceadda Bishop of Litchfield according to Ran. Higden's Polychron but Bede does not tell us the time of his Death thô he mentions it and there gives a large Account of the great Humility and Piety of that good Bishop and of the Pious End he made He is called by us at this day St. Chad. This Year Egber◠King of Kent deceased according to Bede's Epitome who as says Math. Westminster gave part of the Isle of Thanet to build a Monastery to explate the Murder of his Cousins whom he had caused to be slain as you have already heard The same Year was a Synod of all the Bishops and great Men of England held at Heartford now Hartford which Synod as Bede tells us was called by Arch-Bishop Theodorus where Wilfred Bishop of York with all the rest of the Bishops of England were either in Person or by their Deputies as Florence relates and in which divers Decrees were made for the Reformation of the Church the first and chiefest of which was That Easter should be kept on the first Lord's Day after the Fourteenth Moon of the First Month i. e. 〈◊〉 which thô it had been before appointed by the Synod at Streanshale above-mentioned yet that being not looked upon as a General Council of the whole Kingdom it was now again renewed the rest of them concerning the Jurisdictions of the Bishops and the Priviledges and Exemptions of Monasteries I pass over and refer you to Sir H. Spelman's First Volume of Councils for farther satisfaction But I cannot omit that it was here first Ordained That thô Synods ought to be held twice a Year yet since divers Causes might hinder it therefore it seem'd good to the whole Council that a Synod should be assembled once a Year at a place called Cloveshoe This Year also the Saxon Annals relate That Etheldrethe late Wife to Egfrid King of Northumberland founded the Monastery of Ely in which she her self became the first Abbess She as Bede tells us had been twice married but would never let either
Miracles and mentioning other things only by the bye hath given us so slender an account of those times that if we had not found some assistance from the Saxon Annals as well as from other Writers the History of that Age though very short and obscure would yet have been much more imperfect without them But to proceed now with our Saxon Annals This Year K. Ethelbald took Sumerton and Acca was driven from his Bishoprick of Hagulstad I suppose by the then King of Northumberland though no Author expresly mentions it Will. of Malmesbury tells us that this Ethelbald was that great and powerful King of the Mercians to whom Boniface Bishop of Mentz being then the Pope's Legat writ a sharp Letter setting forth and reproving the then reigning Vices of this Nation and particularly of that King himself who relying on the vain Confidence of his Justice and Alms was not ashamed no more than the Noblemen of his Kingdom by his Example to commit Uncleanness even with Consecrated Nuns which wicked Actions the Bishop foretells would be the ruin of himself and Kingdom as it proved in the end But King Ethelbald after he had thus taken Somerton with an Army too powerful to be resisted by the K. of the West Saxons became to great that as H. Huntington observes he made all the rest of the Provinces of England together with their Kings subject to him as far as the River Humber This Somerton was anciently a great Town and Castle of the West-Saxon Kings and gave Name to that County which we now call Somersetshire though at present it be but an ordinary Country Village Also this Year the Sun was so much eclipsed that as the Epitome of Bede and Ethelward relate on 13 o Kal. Sept. it s whole Orb seem'd as it were covered with a black Sheild This Year also the Moon appear'd as it were stain'd with Blood and Simeon of Durham saith it lasted one whole hour and then a Blackness following it return'd to its natural Colour Also Tatwin the Archbishop deceased and Egbryht was made Bishop of York Now Bede also died But the Author of his Life in Manuscript in the Cottonian Library refers it to the Year following and the Chronicle of Mailros with greater Truth to the Year 736 for he was as his Life above-cited relates born Anno 677 and deceased in the 59th Year of his Age. But since Bede our Historian deceased about this time and that it is to him we are beholding for the greatest part of the History of this present Period it is fit we give you a short account of his Life He was born in the Province of Northumberland not far from the Monastery of Gyrwie the place is now called Yarrow near the Mouth of the River Were where he was bred up from seven Years of Age and in which being profess'd he lived a Monk all the rest of his Life spending his time in the Study of the Scriptures saying his Prayers or Writing Comments upon the Old and New Testaments as also his Ecclesiastical History so often cited by us besides divers other Books containing the Lives of Saints and other Matters of Humane as well as Divine Learning whose Titles you may find at the end of his said History 'Till at last being wasted by a long Asthma he there made an Heavenly End as may be seen in his Life above-mentioned So that Simeon of Durham very well observes that though he lay as it were hid in the utmost Corner of the World yet after his Death he became known in all Parts by his Learned Writings therefore he hath for his great Piety as well as Learning justly obtained the Title of Venerable Bede After whose decease as Will. of Malmesbury rightly observes all knowledge of Actions passed was almost lost even to his own Times since none proved an Emulator of his Studies nor a Follower of his Learning so that to a slothful Generation one more slothful still succeeding the Love of Learning for a long time grew cold in this whole Island ' This Year Bishop Egbriht received the Pall from Rome but you must here observe that by the Pope's thus sending a Pall to the Bishop of York he now became an Archbishop and consequently Metropolitan of all the Northumbrian Provinces that See having been ever since the Time of Paulinus's Flight out of Northumberland into Kent and carrying the Archiepiscopal Pall along with him no more than an ordinary Bishoprick subject to the Archbishop of Canterbury from whose Power it was from this time exempted and came now to have Supreme Jurisdiction over all the Bishops in Deira and Bernicia as far as the Pictish Kingdom ' The Arch-bishop Nothelm received his Pall from Rome This was the new Archbishop of Canterbury who succeeded Tatwine You may take notice that it was in those Times usual for the Pope to send a Pall to every new Archbishop upon his Consecration to shew his Dependance upon the See of Rome and for which every Archbishop paid a great Sum of Money to the Pope's Treasury This Nothelm when he was a Presbyter of the Church of London was he to whom Bede in the Epistle before his History owns himself beholding for divers ancient Monuments relating to the English Church as also Epistles out of the Pope's Repository This Year Forthere Bishop of Scireburn with Frithogithe Queen of the West-Saxons went to Rome Where as H. Huntington tells us they both took upon them the Monastick Habit which in those days very many of the English Nation of all Degrees and Qualities as well high as low were wont to do For now also as our Annals relate Ceolwulf King of Northumberland surrendred his Kingdom to Eadbert his Cousin who reigned Thirty one Years This Ceolwulf was he to whom Bede dedicated his History who after his professing himself a Monk in the Monastery of Lindisfarne as R. Hoveden relates brought the Monks of that place from the strict discipline of drinking only Milk or Water to drink Wine and Ale and they might very well afford it for he brought along with him good provisions to live easily as great Treasures and Revenues in Land recited at large by Simeon of Durham all which he bestowed on that Monastery no wonder then if such great Commendations be given by Monkish Writers to Kings becoming Monks The same Year also as Simeon of Durham and Mat. of Westminster relates Alwin Bishop of Lichfield dying there were two Bishops ordained in that Diocess viz. Wicca at Lichfield and Tocca the first Bishop of Leycester which Town from this time continued a Bishop's See for divers Ages Also this Year according to the Saxon Annals the Bishops Ethelwald and Acca deceased and Cynwulf was consecrated Bishop and the same Year Ethelbald King of the Mercians wasted the Contry of Northumberland And as H. Huntington adds carried away as much Spoil as he had a mind to from thence Also as Simeon of Durham
Cuthred fought against the Britains But of this the Welsh Chronicles are silent as well as other Authors The same Year also being the 12th Year of his Reign King Cuthred fought against Aethelbald King of the Mercians at Beorgford now Burford in Oxfordshire and there put him to flight But H. Huntington gives us this Battle more at large That King Cuthred being not any longer able to bear the Insolencies and Impositions of that proud King Ethelbald took Arms and met him with an Army in the Field preferring his Liberty before his Life being encouraged by Earl Ethelune above-mentioned who it seems was now cured and reconciled to the King relying upon whose Courage and Council he resolved to undertake this War but Ethelbald as a King of Kings had brought along with him besides his own Mercians the Kentish Men with the East Angles and Saxons which made all together a very great Army and being both drawn up on the Spot they approached each other whilst Earl Athelune marching before the West Saxons carried the Royal Standard being a Golden Dragon and in the beginning of the Battle challenging him to a single Combat there slew the Standard-bearer of the Enemy upon which a great Shout being given Cuthred's Souldiers were very much encouraged then both Armies engaging there followed a great and bloody Fight of which our Author gives us a long and pompous Relation Pride and Ambition says he inciting the Mercians and fear of Servitude provoking the West Saxons to fight it to the last but wherever Earl Ethelune charged the Enemies he with the force of his invincible Battle-Axe destroyed all before him but at last K. Ethelbald and the Earl meeting they fought together with great Obstinacy and Resolution till GOD who resisteth the Proud so discouraged this King that he turned his Back and fled whilst his Men still fought on yet at last they were all routed nor from that time to the day of his Death did GOD give him any more Success Cuthred King of the West Saxons departed this Life and according to Simeon Sigebert his Cousin succeeded him Also Cyneheard succeeded in the Bishoprick of Winchester after Hunferth and the same year the City of Canterbury was burnt This Year was very remarkable for now as our Annals inform us Cynwulf with the Wife and Noble Men of the West Saxons deprived King Sigebert of the whole Kingdom for his Cruelty and Injustice except Hampshire which he kept for some time until he slew one Cumbran an Ealderman who had continued longest with him so that at last Sigebert was driven into Andred's Wood where he remained till such time as a certain Hogheard ran him through with a Lance at Pruutes-Flood and thereby revenged the Death of Cumbran the Ealderman This King Cynwulf often overcame the Britains in Fight but after he had governed the Kingdom about 30 Years he was slain by Cyneheard Aetheling brother to Sigebert as shall be shewn hereafter H. Huntington is very particular in the Reasons and manner of King Sigebert's Deposition and tells us That being puff'd up with the good Succâ—ss of his Predecessours he grew intollerable to his Subjects for he had oppressed them by all manner of ways and wrested the Laws for his own Advantage insomuch that this Cumbran one of his noblest Earls at the Desire of the People represented their Grievances to this cruel King who because he perswaded him that he should govern them more gently and thereby become more beloved both by God and Man he presently commanded him to be slain and so daily increased in his Tyranny till in the beginning of his Second Year the Great Men and People of the whole Kingdom being gathered together by the Provident Deliberation and Unanimous Consent of them All he was expell'd the Kingdom and Cinewulf a notable young Man of the Blood Royal was Elected King in his room This is the first Example we have in our English History of the Solemn Deposition of a King by the Authority of the Great Council of the Kingdom concerning whom our Author bids us remark the manifold Justice and Providence of God how sometimes it doth not only recompence Kings according to their Merits in the World to come but also in this for oftentimes setting up Wicked Kings for the Deserved Punishment of their Subjects he lets some of them Tyrannize a great while that so a wicked People might be punished and the King becoming more wicked may be tormented for ever as may be seen in Aethelbald King of Mercia above-mentioned whilst God cuts others short by a speedy Destruction lest his People being oppress'd by too great Tyranny should not be able to subsist under it so that the immoderate Wickedness of a Prince does often accelerate his Punishment The same Year according to Caradoc's Chronicle published by Dr. Powel Conan Tindaethwy Son of Rodri Molwynoc began his Reign over the Britains in Wales This Year also according to the Saxon Annals Aethelbald King of the Mercians was slain at Seccandune now Secington in Warwickshire after he had reigned 41 Years and then Beornred usurped the Kingdom and held it but a little while and that with great Trouble for the same year King Offa expelled Beornred and taking Possession of the Throne held it 39 Years but his Son Egberth no more than 140 Days This Offa was the Son of Thincerth and he the Son of Eanwulf The rest of his Pedigree as far as Woden I omit Abbot Bromton's Chronicle farther adds concerning the Death of King Ethelbald That he was slain in a Fight at the Place above-mention'd yet was it not by the Enemy but by the Treachery of this Beornred Ingulph in his History of Croyland tells us That King Ethelbald having founded the Abby of Ripendune now Repton in Derbyshire being the most famous of that Age was there buried and also of this Beornred whom he calls a Tyrant that he did not long enjoy his Usurpation for it seems he was not of the Blood Royal of the Mercian Kings but when he was Expelled Offa succeeded him by the General Consent of the Nobles of Mercia but Mat. Westminster who puts the Succession of King Offa two Years later is more particular in this Transaction and relates That this Beornred governing very Tyrannically the whole Nation of the Mercians rose up against him so that both the Nobility and Commons joyning together under the Conduct of Offa a valiant young Man Nephew to the late King Aethelbald they expelled Beornred the Kingdom and then Offa by the General Consent of the Clergy and Laity of that Kingdom was crowned King This was that King Offa who afterwards became a Terrour to all the Kings of England Eadbert King of Northumberland and Unust King of the Picts brought an Army against the City Alkuith which the Britains delivered upon Conditions This is from the Authority of Simeon of Durham and lets us see that this City now in Scotland was then in the Hands
we exhort all Men that they pay Tythes of whatsoever they possess because it is God's special Commandment that every Man live and give Alms of the other 9 parts Whence you may observe that as this is the first Decree of any Council in England concerning payment of Tythes so also is it hereby declared that they are due by Divine Right The Nineteenth Decree is against Mens observing any Pagan Rites and particularly of making marks and scars in any part of their Bodies for any false God There are also other Decrees which seem very trivial as against cutting off Horses Ears or Tails and slitting their Noses as also against eating Horse-flesh which it seems was then much in fashion amongst the Common sort of People as also against casting of Lots for the deciding of Civil Controversies It also here appears by the Address of the Pope's Legates made to him at the end of this Council that there were two distinct Sessions of it the first was held before King Aelfwald and Arch Bishop Eanbald and all the Bishops belonging to the Northumbrian Kingdom as also all the Senators Ealdermen and People of that Country who when these Decrees were proposed to them did all of them with great devotion promise to observe them and subscribed them with the Sign of the Cross. Then follow the subscriptions of the King the Arch-Bishop of York and the rest of the Bishops of that Province after them follow also the Subscriptions of the Presbyters and Deacons of Churches Judges Chief and Noble Men some of whom do there subscribe for all the rest Where this Council was held for the Kingdom of Northumberland is uncertain but the second Session of it was held at Calcuith now supposed to be in the Kingdom of Mercia which as also in the conclusion of this Council it is thus recited King Offa with all the Senators of his Kingdom with Janbryht Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the other Bishops of that Province the same Decrees being read before the Council as well in Latin as in Saxon so that all might understand them they all agreed with one accord to observe them then follow the Subscriptions of King Offa and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with divers of the Nobles there present who subscribed in the name of all the rest But Will. of Malmesbury in his First Book de Pontif hath given us a further account of the Acts of this Council than what are expressed in the Canons themselves viz. That in this Council Arch-bishop Janbryht was forced to resign part of his Province to the Bishop of Litchfield who thereby became an Arch-Bishop so that there remained no more Bishops under the Jurisdiction of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury but those of London Winchester Rochester and Shireburne But thô it had been obtained by King Offa from the Pope by great importunity and false suggestions that Arch-Bishop Janbryht should be thus deprived of his Primacy yet was it not counted of any force till it was confirmed in a great Council and that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury himself had consented to it The same Author further adds That also in this Council Offa the most potent King of the Mercians did then cause his Eldest Son Egfred a Comely and Valiant Young Man and endued with all good Qualities to be solemnly Crowned King who obeying his Father in all things Reigned together with him so long as he lived But it is very observable that neither Alrich then King of Kent nor any of his Deputies did appear at this Council for which I can give no other Reason than that this King did not approve of the Removal of the chief Archiepiscopal See from Canterbury in his own Dominions to Litchfield in another Prince's Territories But as Will of Malmesbury observes This Violence done to the See of Canterbury thô it lasted all the Reign of King Offa and also during the Life-time of Arch-Bishop Janbryht who spared neither cost nor pains to get his See restored to its Ancient Dignity yet was it all to no purpose till such time as Kenwulf King of the Mercians restored the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury to its former Rights Litchfield becoming again an ordinary Bishoprick subject to the See of Canterbury to this day having continued an Arch-Bishoprick only during the times of two Arch-Bishops viz. for the space of about Eleven Years But it is time to return to Civil Affairs The same Year as H. Huntington relates the Sign of the Cross appeared of it self upon Mens Cloaths which if true is wonderful to future Ages King Brithric now married Eadburghe the Daughter of King Offa which was done as Will. of Malmesbury relates to strengthen his Interest with his Neighbouring Princes also about those times as Ethelwerd and the Saxon Annals inform us arrived in the West Country three Ships of Danes or Norwegians from Herethaland that is the Country of Pyrates these landing the King 's Geref or Officer coming thither on Horseback endeavoured to carry them to the King's Town of Dorchester because he knew not from whence they came but he was there slain with those that attended on him after which great Multitudes of People flocking in the Danes were at last forced to Flee to their Ships and leave their prey behind them these were the first Danish Ships that ever infested the English Nation Where Note That the same People who are first called Normans in the Saxon Annals are there also named Danes in other places which shews that the Danes and Normans were then looked upon to be one and the same People This Year there was a general Synod assembled at Pyncanhale or Finkenhale now Finkley in the Bishoprick of Durham then part of the Kingdom of Northumberland where Eanbald Arch-Bishop of York presided whose Decrees you may see in Sir H. Spelman's 1 Vol. of Councils but its constitutions being wholly about Ecclesiastical Discipline and the right observation of Easter it is beside my purpose to take any further notice of them This Year also according to the Annals Albert the Abbot deceased and King Charles passed through Almany to the very Borders of Bavaria as the Latin Text of the Laudean Copy relates Alfwold King of Northumberland was slain by one Sicga on the IX Kal. Octob. This King is said by Simeon of Durham and Roger Hoveden to have been a very Just and Worthy Prince and that he was Slain by the Treachery of this Sicga who was one of his chief Noblemen and being Murthered at Cilceaster near the Pict's Wall there was frequently seen a Light from Heaven over the Place where he was Slain He was buried in the Cathedral Church of Hagulstad with great Solemnity and there was afterwards a Church built in the Place where he was killed and Osred the Son of Alchrâ—d Reigned after him who was the Nephew of King Alfwold There was also at this time another Synod held at Aclea The same Year likewise according to Mat. Westminster Offa
King of the Mercians fought against Kenwulf King of the West-Saxons at the Siege of Bensington Castle But Kenwulf being worsted was forced to flee and so Offa took the Castle Now Janbryht the Archbishop deceased and Ethelheard the Abbot was elected Archbishop Also Osred King of the Northumbers was betray'd and driven out of his Kingdom and Ethelred the Son of Ethelwald Sirnamed Mull reigned after him or rather was again restored to the Kingdom having reigned there before as hath been already shewn But Simeon of Durham adds farther that this Osred the late King of this Kingdom having been also shaven a Monk against his Will escaped again out of the Monastery into the Isle of Man But the next Year As Simeon relates Oelf and Oelfwin Sons of Alfwold formerly King of Northumberland were drawn by fair Promises from the Principal Church of York and afterwards at the Command of King Ethelred cruelly put to Death at Wonwalderemâ—re a Village by the great Pool in Lancashire now called Winanderemere Also about this time according to the same Author one Eardulf an Earl being taken and brought to Ripun was there Sentenced by the said King to be put to Death without the Gate of the Monastery whose Body when the Monks had carried to the Church with solemn Dirges and placed under a Pavilion was about Midnight found alive But this Relation is very imperfect for it neither tells us how he escaped Death nor how he was conveyed away though we find him five Years after this made King of Northumberland This Year as Simeon of Durham and Mat. Westminster relate Charles King of France sent certain Synodal Decrees into England in which alas for with great Grief our Author speaks it were found many inconvenient things and altogether contrary to the true Faith For it had been decreed in a Council at Constantinople by more than Three Hundred Bishops that Images ought to be adored which the Church of God does say they wholly abominate Then Albinus that is our Alcuin wrote an Epistle wherein he proved it by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures to be utterly Unlawful and this he offered together with the Book it self to the King of France on the behalf of all our Bishops and Great Men and this Letter of Alcuinus is thought to have wrought such an effect on the Synod of Francfort assembled about two Years after that the Worship of Images was therein solemnly condemned From which it is evident that Image-Worship as now practised in the Greek and Roman Churches was not then received in England And this Year also according to the same Author Osred late King of Nortbumberland being deceived by the Oaths of some great Men returned privately from the Isle of Man when his Souldiers deserting him and being taken Prisoner by King Ethelred he was by his Command put to Death at a Place called Aynsburg but his Body was buried at the famous Monastery at the mouth of Tine and the same Year King Ethelred betrothed Elfrede the Daughter of King Offa. In whom also there was found as little Faith as Mercy for this Year according to our Annals Will. of Malmesbury and Mat. Westminster Ethelbert the Son of Ethelred King of the East-Angles notwithstanding the disswasions of his Mother going to the Court of King Offa in order to Wooe his Daughter was there slain by the wicked instigations of Queen Quendrith so that out of an Ambition to seize his Kingdom Offa was perswaded to make him away but by what means it is not agreed The Annals relate him to have been beheaded But the same Annals and Florence of Worcester agree That his Body was buried in the Monastery at Tinmouth But the Chronicle ascribed to Abbot Bromton as also Mat. Westminster have given us long and Legendary Accounts of the Death of this Prince and the latter of these as well as other Monks who were favourers of this King Offa would have this Murther to be committed without this King's knowledge and Mat. Westminster has a long Story about it but not all probable especially since the King was so well pleased with the Fact when it was done that he presently seized the Kingdom of this poor Murthered Prince and added it to his own Dominions This Year as Mat. Paris and his Namesake of Westminster relate King Offa was warned by an Angel to remove the Reliques of St. Alban into a more noble Shrine and so either for this cause or else which is more likely to expiate the several Murthers he had committed began to build a new Church and Monastery in honour of St. Alban and thither removing his Bones into a Silver shrine all gilt and adorned with precious Stones he placed them in the new Church that he had built without the Town where as the Monks pretended they wrought great Miracles This King having made a journey on purpose to Rome obtained of Pope Adrian to have him Canonized King Offa also conferred upon this Monastery very great Privileges and vast Possessions all which he confirmed by his Charter which you may find in the first Volume of Monast. Anglic. as that also Anno. Dom. 1154. One Nicholas having been first a Servant in this Abbey and afterwards was Bishop of Alba Elected Pope by the name of Adrian IV he by his Bull ordained that as St. Alban was the first Martyr of England so this Abbot should be the first in Dignity of all the Abbots in England and Pope Honorius did by a Bull in the Year 1118 not only ratifie all the Privileges made and confirmed by former Popes but also granted to the Abbot and his Successours Episcopal Rights together with the Habit and that he and his Monks should be exempt from all Jurisdiction to the Bishop of Lincoln with other Exemptions too long here to be set down Also this Year there appeared strange Prodigies in the Country of Northumberland which mightily terrified the People of that Province viz. immoderate Lightnings there were also seen Meteors like fiery Dragons flying in the Air after which signs followed a cruel Famine and a little after the same Year 6 o Idus Jan. certain Heathens i.e. Danes miserably destroyed the Church of God in Lindisfarne committing great Spoils and Murthers Simeon of Durham says These Danes not only pillaged that Monastery but killing divers of the Friers carried away the rest Captive sparing neither Priests nor Laymen This Year also Sicga died he who killed the good King Alfwold who now as Roger Hoveden relates slew himself And the same Year according to Florence of Worcester Ethelard was ordained Arch-Bishop of York and as Simeon of Durham relates the same Year died Alric Third Son to Withred King of Kent after a long Reign of Thirty Four Years in whom ended the Race of Hengist Thenceforth as Will. of Malmesbury observes whomsoever Wealth or Faction advanced took on him the Title of King of that Province This Year both Pope Adrian
as his own ever since the time that King Offa took it but now the Mercians tried to recover it by Force The same Year was also held another Synodal Council at Cloveshoe for the Kingdom of Mercia under K. Beornwulf and Wilfred Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with all the Bishops and Chief Men of that Kingdom wherein some disputes about Lands between Heabert Bishop of Worcester and a certain Monastery called Westburgh were determined This Year Ludican King of the Mercians and five of his Ealdermen were slain and Wiglaf began to Reign in his stead Ingulf and Will of Malmesbury tell us That this Ludican was Kinsman to the last mentioned King Beornwulf and leading an Army against the East-Angles to revenge his Death was there overcome and Slain and that both these Tyrants were justly removed who had not only made Kings without any Right but had also by their imprudence been the occasion of the destruction of the Military Forces of that Kingdom which had till then proved Victorious and that thereupon one Withlaf being before Ealderman of Mâ—rcia was by the consent of all the People created King whose Son Wimond had Married Alfleda the Daughter of Ceolwulf the late King This King Withlaf Reigned thirteen Years as Tributary to King Egbert as shall be further related anon The Moon was Eclipsed on Christmass day at Night and the same Year King Egbryht subdued the Kingdom of Mercia and all the Country that lay South of Humber He was the Eighth King who Ruled over all Britain but the First who had so great a Command was Aella King of the South Saxons the Second was Ceaâ—lin King of the West-Saxons the Third was Aethelbryght King of Kent the Fourth was Redwald King of the East Angles the Fifth was Edwin King of Northumberland the Sixth was Oswald who succeeded him the Seventh was Oswi the Brother of Oswald and the Eight was Egbryght King of the West-Saxons who not long after led an Army against the Northumbers as far as Dore which place is supposed to have been in York-shire beyond the River Hâ—mber but the Northumâ—ers offering him Peace and due Subjection they parted Friends From which passage in the Saxon Annals it is apparent that this Supream Dominion of one English King over all the rest was no new thing Bede having taken notice of it long before yet did they not therefore take upon them the Title of Monarchs any more than Egbert who now succeeded them in that Power thô most of our Historians who have written the Saxon History in English have but without any just reason given them that Title which could not properly belong to Kings who had divers others under them with the like Regal Jurisdiction within their own Territories not but that King Egbert was in a more peculiar manner the Supream King of England because by his Absolute Conquest of the Kingdoms of Kent and of the South and East Saxons he was the greatest King who had hitherto Reigned in England all the rest of the Kings that remained Reigning by his permission and paying him Tribute a power which never had been exercised by any other King before him But to return to our History it seems that King Egbert was so highly displeased with the Mercians for setting up a King without his consent that Ingulf and Florence of Worcester tell us That as soon as ever Withlaf was made King before he could raise an Army he was expell'd his Kingdom which Egbert added to his own but Withlaf being search'd for by Egbert's Commanders through all Mercia he was by the industry of Seward Abbot of Croyland concealed in the Cell of the Holy Virgin Etheldrith Daughter of King Offa and once the Spouse of Ethelbert King of the East Angles where King Withlaf found a safe retreat for the space of Four Months until such time as by the Mediation of said Abbot Seward he was reconciled to King Egbert and upon promise of the payment of an Yearly Tribute permitted to return to his Kingdom in Peace which is by him acknowledged in that Charter of his that Ingulf hath given us of his Confirmation of the Lands and priviledges of the Abbey of Croyland It was made in the Great Council of the whole Kingdom in the presence of his Lords Egbert King of West-Saxony and his Son Ethelwulf and before the Bishops and great Men of all England Assembled at the City of London to take Counsel against the Daniâ—h Pyrats then infesting the English Coasts And in the Year 833 as you shall see when we come to that Year This Restoration of King Withlaf to his Kingdom is also mentioned in the Saxon Annals of the next Year where it is said That Withlaf again obtained the Kingdom of the Mercians and Bishop Ethelwald deceased also the same Year King Egbryht led an Army against the Northern Britains and reduced them absolutely to his Obedience For it seems they had again rebelled Now likewise as Mat. Westminster relates King Egbert vanquished Swithred King of the East-Saxons and drove him out of his Kingdom upon whose expulsion the West Saxon Kings ever after possest that Kingdom Now according to the same Authour King Egbert having subdued all the South Parts of England led a great Army into the Kingdom of Northumberland and having grievously wasted that Province made King Eandred his Tributary which is also confirmed by Will of Malmesbury who relates that the Northumbers who stood out the last fearing least this King's anger might break out upon them now giving Hostages submitted themselves to his Dominion but they continued still under Kings of their own as you will further find To this Year I think we may also refer that great Transaction which the Annals of the Cathedral Church of Winchester printed in Monast. Angl. from an ancient Manuscript in the Cottonian Library place under the Year following viz. That King Egbert having thus subdued all the Kingdoms above-mentioned and forced them to submit to his Dominions called a great Council at Winchester whereto were summoned all the Great Men of the whole Kingdom and there by the General Consent of the Clerus Populus i. e. the Clergy and Laity King Egbert was crowned King of Britain And at the same time he Enacted That it should be for ever after called England and that those who before were called Jutes or Saxons should now be called English â—en And this I could not omit because thô William of Malmesbury and other Historians agree of the Matter of Fact yet I think this the truest and most particular Account of the Time and manner when it was performed Also this Year Wilfred the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury deceased and Feologild the Abbot was Elected Arch-Bishop 7 Kal. Maij. and was Consecrated 5. Id. Junij being Sunday and dyed the 3. Kal. Sept. after But here is certainly a mistake in this Copy of the Annals for it was not Feologild but Ceolnoth who was then chosen
take in all the County of Northumberland lying between Tine and Tweed to the utmost Orcades this is by no means to be admitted since as the Lord Primate Usher learnedly observes That Country had long after not only English but Danish Kings as shall in the pursuit of this History be clearly made out and after those were extinct we may read in Turgot's Chronicle of the Bishops of Durham the Earls appointed by the Kings of England under them Governed that Country For as Roger Hoveden in the Year 953 expresly relates after Eric to whom the Northumbers had sworn Allegiance that Province was committed by K. Edred to Earl Oswald who afterwards in the Reign of King Edgar had one Olsac assigned him as a partner in that Government the former Commanding all that lay on the North side of Tyne and the latter all York-shire there also follow all the Successours of these Earls as low as the Time of Edward the Confessour under whom Tosti Governed it who loosing his Earldom by reason of his Tyranny it was by King Edward committed to Earl Morchar but he being taken up with great Imployments committed the Government of that part of it beyond Tyne to one Oswulf who afterwards by the Gift of K. William enjoyed the Government of the whole Country But that Loden and the other Low-Land Countries of Scotland as far as Edinburgh were long after in the possession of the English shall be shewn when we come to the Reign of King Edgar About this Time Eanred King of Northumberland dying Ethelred his Son succeeded him as Simeon of Durham and Mat. of Westminster relate thô the latter places this the Year before But to give some account of the Affairs of Wales from Caradoc's Chronicle About this time was fought the Battle of Ketell betwixt Burthred King of Mercia and the Britains wherein as some do write Mervyn Vrych King of the Britains was Slain leaving behind him a Son afterwards called Rodri Mawr that is to say Redoric the Great yet according to Nennius this King Mervyn was alive Anno Dom. 854 which was the Twenty Fourth Year of this Kings Reign and in which that Authour in his Preface says He wrote his History but I believe there is either an errour in Nennius's Account or else in the Transcribers since all the Welsh Chronicles agree that about this time Mervyn dyed and Rodri succeeded him This Prince Commonly called Rodoric the Great began his Reign over Wales this Year it was he who divided all Wales into three Territories of Aberfraw Dineuawr and Mathraval he had great Wars with Burhred King of Mercia who by the aid of King Ethelulph entred North Wales with a great Power and destroyed Anglesey and fought with the Welshmen of Northwales divers times and slew Meyric a great Prince among them This Year according to Mat. Westminster Aethelred King of Northumberland was driven from his Kingdom I suppose by a Rebellion the usual method in that unquiet Country and one Redwald succeeded him who as soon as ever he was made King fought a Battle with the Danes at a place called Aluethelie where the King and Earl Alfred were slain with the greatest part of their Army and that then K. Ethelred was again restored to the Throne but this Authour does not tell us by what means nor is the Year expressed and thô this Action is found in no other Authour yet is it likely enough to be true for Simeon of Durham in his History of that Church thô he does not mention this Kings Expulsion and Restitution to the Throne yet he there expresly mentions King Ethelred to have about this time succeeded his Father Eandred This Year according to our Annals Eanwulf the Ealdorman with the Somerset-shire Men Men and Ealstan the Bishop and Osric the Ealdorman with the Dorset-shire Men fought with the Danish Army at the mouth of Pedidan called by Hoveden Pendred's Mouth and was indeed the River Parret in Somerset-shire where they made a great slaughter of them and obtained the Victory over the Danes after which the Kingdom enjoyed Peace for divers Years But the Northumbers still continued their old custom of driving out or killing their Kings for about 3 Years after as Florence of Worcester and Simeon of Durham relate Ethelred King of the Northumbers being Slain Osbert Reigned in his stead Eighteen Years and the same Year there was an Eclipse of the Sun about the Sixth Hour of the Day on the Kal. of October this is that King Osbert who was afterwards killed by the Danes According to Florence and Mat. Westminster a Son called Aelfred was now Born to King Ethelwulf at Wanating now Wantige in Berk-shire his Mother was Osberge the Daughter of Aslat or Oslac chief Butler to King Aethelwulf who was related to Stuffe and Whitgar first Princes of the Isle of Wight she was a Woman as remarkable for her Piety as her Birth and deserved to be the Mother of him who was afterwards to prove so great a Prince The same Year also from the same Authours Berthferth the Son of Bertwulf King of Mercia wickedly slew his Cousin Wulstan who was Nephew to both the late Kings of Mercia but his Body was buried at the Famous Monastery of Rependun now Repton in Darby-shire in the Tomb of Wiglaf his Grandfather and if we may believe our Historians a Pillar of Light reaching up to Heaven stood over the place for Thirty Days which procured him the Title of a Saint This Year the Pagan Danes returned hither and Ceorl the Ealdorman together with the Forces of Devonshire fought with their Army at Wicganbeorch supposed to be Wenbury in Devon-shire and there obtained the Victory And the same Year also King Aethelstan and Duke Ealcher fought with them a Sea Fight and routed a great Fleet of them near Sandwic now Sandwich in Kent took 9 Ships and put the rest to Flight now also the Danes Wintered in the Isle of Thanet or as Asser in his Annals relates in the Isle of Sheppy and the same Year came 300 of their Ships into the Mouth of Thames and the Danes landing took Canterbury and London and routed Beorthwulf King of the Mercians with his whole Army who had come out to Fight with them after which the Danes marched Southward beyond Thames into Surry and there K. Aethelwulf and his Son Aethelbald with the Forces of the West-Saxons fought against them at Aclea now called Oakley in Surry where they made a greater slaughter of the Pagan Army than had been heard of at any time before so that the greatest part of them were destroyed The same Year also according to sir H. Spelman's 1. Vol. of Councils was held the Council of Kingsbury under Berthwulf King of the Mercians Ceolnoth Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with the other Bishops and Wise Men of the Province being present wherein besides the publick business of the Kingdom several grievances of the Monks were redressed
England and took up their Winter Quarters at Theodford the same Winter King Eadmund fought with them but the Danes gained the Victory and slew that holy King and destroying all the Monasteries that lay in their way they wholly conquered that Kingdom The Names of the Princes who slew him were Higwais and Uâ—ba whom other Writers call Hinguar and Hubba At the same time also they came to Medeshamstead which Monastery they burnt and destroyed killing the Abbots and Monks with all the Men they found there carrying away all the rich Spoil of that place But since the Saxon Annals are very short in this Relation I shall give you from Ingulph a more particular Account of what they did this Year in their march into East England who further adds That Winter being ended the Danes took Shipping and went into Lindisse in Lincolnshire and landing at Humberstan spoiled all that Country at which time that famous and ancient Monastery of Bardney was destroyed the Monks and all others being slain in the Church without Mercy and when they had there stayed wasting the Country for the whole Summer About Michaelmas they did the like to the Country of Kesteven in the same Province where they committed the same Murders and Desolations The same Year in the Month of September Count Algar drew together all the Youth of Hoyland now called Holland in Lincolnshire with two Knights his Senescals Wibert and Leofric who marched in the Head of them together with a brave Body of 200 Men belonging to Croyland Abbey who being all stout Fellows were led by one Toly then a Monk but formerly a famous Souldier among the Mercians these taking with them about 300 stout and warlike Men more from Deping Lanioft and Boston to whom also joyned Morchar Lord of Branne with his strong and numerous Family and being met by the Sheriff of Lincoln a valiant and ancient Souldier with the Lincolnshire Forces all which mustering together in Kesteven on St. Maurice's Day they joyned Battle with the Pagans where GOD gave them the Victory three Kings being slain with a very great multitude of Souldiers the Christians pursued the Pagans to their very Camp where finding a stout Resistance Night at last parted them and the Earl drew back his Army But it seems there returned that Night to the Danish Camp all the rest of the Princes of that Nation who dividing the Country among them had marched out to plunder their names are Barbarous and too long to be repeated but their chief Kings were Godrum and Basseg and their Earls or Leaders Hingar and Hubba with others who then returned with great Forces and a multitude of Captives and a great deal of Spoil and their coming being known the greatest part of the Christians struck with terrour fled away whil'st those that were left early in the Morning after hearing Divine Service and receiving the Sacrament being resolved to dye for Christ and in Defence of their Country marched into the Field against their Enemies but the Earl perceiving his Forces to be too much weaken'd appointed Fryer Toly with his Five Hundred Men to Fight in the Right Wing because they were the strongest and Earl Morchar with those who followed him as also the Sheriff of Lincoln making other Five Hundred in the Left Wing whilest he with his Senescals kept the main Body as ready to help either Wing if there were occasion but the Danes being now enraged at the slaughter of their Men having buried their Three Kings at a place which is thence called Trekingham afterwards 2 Kings and 8 Counts marched out whilst the rest guarded the Camp and Captives but the Christians because of their smaller Number drawing themselves up in one Body made with their Shields a strong Testudo against the force of their Enemies Arrows and kept off the Horse with their Pikes and thus being well ordered by their Commanders they kept their Ground the whole day But thô they remained unbroken till night and had still withstood the force of their Enemies Arrows but their Horses being then tired began to flag the Pagans feigning a Flight on purpose seemed to quit the Field which the Christians perceiving althô their Commanders forbad and opposed it yet nevertheless breaking their Ranks were all dispersed through the Plain without any Order or Command but the Pagans returning like Lions upon a Flock of Sheep made a great Slaughter amongst them whilst the stout Count Algar and Frier Toly with some Souldiers getting upon a rising Ground and being drawn up into a round Body did for a long time endure the Pagans Insults and when the said Earl and other Captains saw the stoutest Men of their small Army slain they got upon the thickest heaps of the Christian dead Bodies and there being resolved to sell their Lives as dear as they could they fell down dead having received many Wounds only a few young Men of Sutton and Gedeney flinging away their Arms fled into a Neighbouring Wood and so escaping came the Night following to the Monastery of Croyland and there related the slaughter of the Christians and the loss of their whole Company which when they had told at the Church door with great lamentations the Abbot and Monks being extreamly confounded at this ill news resolved to keep only with them the Elder Monks and some few Children to provoke compassion and so sent away all the Younger Men together with the Reliques Jewels and Charters of their Monasteries by Boat to the Wood of Ancarig adjoining to their Island where they staid with one Foret an Anchorite Four days being Thirty in number whereof Ten were Priests But the Abbot having hid the rest of the Plate with the rich Table of the Altar and put on his Sacred Vestments and had with his Brethren said Mass and communicated they had scarce finished all this when the Pagans breaking into the Church slew Abbot Theodore at the Altar who perished by the hands of their King Oketule all the rest as well Old Men as Children being also slain except one handsome Boy of about Ten Years Old who being intended for a Monk was saved by Count Sidroc the Younger and stripping him of his Habit put on him a Danish Coat ordering him to follow him where ever he went and so the Boy sticking close to him his Life was saved and he alone escaping gave a relation of what he had seen but the Danes when they had broke open the Tombs of St. Guthleak and the Princes there buried and finding no more Plunder set the Church on Fire and burnt the dead bodies that were in it together So likewise of the destruction of the Monastery of Medeshamstead this Author hath given us a larger account than what we find in this Copy of the Annals viz. That four days after the destruction of Croyland the Danes march'd towards that Monastery where finding the Gates lock'd they began to make an assault upon it but receiving a Repulse at the
where their King used to reside but here our Author supposes the King to have never yet resisted them and therefore that they would first seizeon him to prevent him from raising any Forces against them which is not at all likely especially since the Saxon Annals tell us expresly that King Edmund had already fought against him and been put to flight But this seems more probable that the King being then fled to one of his Houses in the Country called Heglesdune was by the Danes discovered Whereupon Hinguar sent one of his Servants on a Message to him the Substance of which was That Earl Hinguar his Lord commanded him to deliver up all his Treasures and that he should submit himself and his Kingdom to his Power which if he refused to do he should then be deprived both of his Kingdom and Life To which the King answered That he would never renounce the Vow he had made in Baptism and being made King by the General Consent of the whole People he was resolved never to do any thing to the Prejudice of the Common-weal of the English Nation nor ever to submit his Neck to any Yoke but that of Christ whose Example he now intended to imitate and by his Grace would Suffer for his Name And so he bid the Messenger return and tell this to his Master It seems the King had no sooner finished what he had to say but as the Messenger was going back with this Answer Hinguar himself met him to whom having told what the King had said he immediately commanded his Men to enter the Palace and to lay hold of none but the King and He being there soon found was immediately tied and brought before the Captain who commanded him first to be cruelly beaten and then bound to a Neighbouring Tree to be inhumanly whipped all which he manfully endured still calling on the Name of Christ Whereat his Enemies being enraged in a most barbarous manner shot his Body so full of Arrows that it seemed capable of receiving no more yet none of the Wounds killing him outright Hinguar at last commanded one of his Souldiers to cut off his Head which our Author describes with a great deal of Monkish Eloquence This being done and leaving his Body there they carried away the Head along with them that so it might not be buried with it but at last they flung it into a Wood which John of Tinmouth in his Historia Aurea calls Heglesdun but the People after they were gotten out of their Hiding-places began to look for it and having long searched up and down the Wood they at length heard the Head when they cried out to one another Where are you Answer in English Here here Nor ceased repeating those words till they came where it lay As for this part of the Story it sounds so like a Legend that I shall leave it to be swallowed by those who are apt to be taken with such Things I have no more to add but that King Edmund Suffered on the 12th of the Kal. of December in the Year above-mentioned But enough in Conscience if not too much of this King's Martyrdom who had afterwards a Church and Monastery erected to his Memory as you will find when you come to it for it is certain the English Saxons attributed as great Sanctity to this as to any of their ancient Saints and had as great a Belief of his Miracles his Body being preserved uncorrupt whether by Art or Miracle I shall not determine for many Ages after I have no more to Remark under this Year but that now Ceolnoth the Arch-Bishop deceased and Ethelred Bishop of Wiltun-scire was Elected Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in his stead Also that the Town of Dunmoc being now destroyed by the Danes Helmham in Norfolk continued to be the sole Bishop's See for the Kingdom of the East Angles till it was long after removed to Norwich This Year as both Asser and the Saxon Annals relate the Army of the Danes leaving the East Angles marched into the West Saxon Kingdom and came to a Town of the King 's called Reading lying on the South side of Thames in that County which was then called Bearrockâ—â—â—â—â— now Berkshire and the third Day after their coming divers of their Commanders rid out with great part of their Forces to Plunder whilst the rest remained behind to cast up a Trench between the two Rivers Thames and Kynton on the right side of the Town whom Earl Aethelwulf with his Forces met at Englefeild in that County where it was stoutly fought on both sides but after a long Battle one of the Counts Sydrock being slain and a great part of his Army routed the rest escaping by flight the Christians got the Victory and kept the Field And four Days after King Aethered and Aelfred his Brother joyning their Forces together marched to Reading and when they came to the Castle they killed and destroyed all the Danes whom they found without the Gaâ—es but they within did not make a less obstinate Resistance for fâ—llying out the Fight became very sharp on both sides in so much that the Christians were at last forced to turn their Backs and the Pagans gained the Victory and there Earl Aethelwulf above-mentioned was slain amongst the rest with which the Christians being much provoked 4 days after they fought with them again at a place called Aescesdune now Aston in Berkshire when the Pagans divided themselves into two equal Bodies for they had then two Kings besides many Earls so they allotted one part of the Army to the two Kings and the other to the Earls whicâ— the Christians perceiving they likewise did the same with their Army But Elfred came sooner into the Field with his Men than did the King his Brother for as Asser tells us he had heard from those that were there that the King was then in his Tent hearing Mass and positively affiâ—ming that he would not depart thence till it was finished which he made good and this Piety of the King 's was thought to prevail much with God for the Christians had resolved that King Ethered with his Forces should maintain the Fight against the two Pagan Kings whilst Aelfred his Brother with his Detachment should oppose the Earls And now both Armies being drawn up in Battle Array whilst the King stayed somewhat long as his Prayers Prince Aelfred then his Brother's Lieutenant was not strong enough alone to sustain all the Pagan Forces for thô he saw he must either Retreat or else Engage the Enemy before his Brother's coming up which still the King delayed yet the Prince trusting on the Divine Assistance and having put his Men in good Order presently marched against the Enemy who had much the â—dvantage of him by reason of the higher Ground they had got There was also in the same Field a single Thorn Tree which Asser says he himself had seen about which the Enemies Troops were all drawn up
Men being very much wounded and tired in the Fight surrendred themselves The Danes sailed up the Skeld to Cundoth which was then a Monastery and is now supposed to be Conde upon the River Escaut where they stayed a whole Year Now also Marinus that Religious Pope sent some of the Wood of our LORD's Cross to Alfred and in Return the King sent to Rome the Alms he had vowed by the Hands of Sighelm and Ethelstan Also he sent other Alms into India to St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew who being there martyr'd are accounted the Indian Apostles And about that time the English Army lay encamped against the Danes who held London where yet thanks be to GOD all Things succeeded prosperously Also this Year according to the Chronicle of Mailross and Simeon of Durham King Alfred having slain the two Danish Captains Ingwar and Halfdene caused the wasted Parts of Northumberland to be again Inhabited then Edred the Abbot being so commanded by Cuthbert in a Vision redeemed a certain Youth who had been sold to a Widow at Withingham and made him King of Northumberland by the joynt Consent both of the English and Danes King Alfred himself confirming the Election This King Guthred in Gratitude to St. Cuthbert did also bestow all the Land between the Rivers of Weol and Tyne and says upon that Saint that is upon the Bishop of Lindisfarne who this Year removed the Bishop's See from thence to a place then called Concacestre now Chester and thither they also removed the Body of St. Cuthbert But as for the Miracle of the Earth's opening and swallowing up a whole Army of Scots who came to fight with King Cuthred I leave it to the Monks to be believed by them if they please This is certain that thus making this poor Youth King the Church got all that Country now called the Bishoprick of Durham And who can tell but all this Vision was a Contrivance of Abbot Edred's for that very Design yet if it were so it was but a Pious Fraud which highly tended to the enriching of that Church The same Year according to Florence of Worcester died Asser Bishop of Shirburne who could not be the same with that Asser who writ the Life and Actions of King Alfred since that Author writ to Anno 993 being the 45th Year of King Alfred's Age as appears by that Work Arch Bishop Usher supposes this Asser the Historian to have been he who was afterwards the Bishop of St. David's and was the second of that Name who sate in that See but without any good Authority This Year the Danes sailed up the River Sunne i. e. Some as far as Embenum now Amiens in Picardy where they remained one whole Year And now also deceased the worthy Bishop Athelwold The Danes being thus employed abroad did nothing this Year in England but the next we find in Asser that the Pagan Army divided it self into two Bodies the one whereof sailed to the East Parts of France whilst the other making up the Rivers of Thames and Medway besieged the City of Rochester and having built a strong Fort before the Gates from thence assaulted the City yet could by no means take it because the Citizens valianty defended themselves until such times as King Aelfred came to their Assistance with a powerful Army which when the Pagans saw quitting their Forts and all the Horses which they had brought with them out of France together with a great many Prisoners to the English they in great hast fled away to their Ships and being compelled by necessity passed again that Summer in France King Aelfred having now reinforced his Fleet was resolved to fall upon the Danish Pyrates who then sheltered among their Country Men of East England upon which he sent his Fleet that he had got ready in Kent being very well Mann'd into the mouth of the River Stoure not that in Kent but another that runs by Harwich where they were met by Sixteen Danish Pyrates who lay there watching for a Prey and immediately setting upon them after a sharp resistance the King's Men boarding thâ—m they were all taken together with great Spoils and most of the Men killed But as the King's Fleet were returning home they fell among another Fleet of Danes much stronger with whom fighting again the Danes obtained the Victory thô with what Loss to the English the Annals do not say But the rest of the Danes of East England were so much incensed at this Victory as also with the slaughter of their Country Men that setting out a greet Fleet very well Mann'd they sail'd to the mouth of Thames where setting upon divers of the King's Ships by surprize in the Night when all the Men were asleep they had much the better of them but what damage the King's Ships received and how many Men were lost our Authour does not tell us The same Year somewhat before Christmass Charles King of the Western Franks was killed by a wild Boar which he was then hunting but his Brother Lewis dyed the Year before They were both Sons to that King Lewis who deceased the Year of the last Eclipse and he was the Son of that Charles whose Daughter Ethelwulf King of the West Saxons had married The same Year happened a great Sea Fight among the ancient Saxons of Germany but the Annals do not acquaint us with whom they fought However it is supposed to have been with the Danes and they further add That they fought twice this Year where the Saxons being assisted by the Frisians obtained the Victory Here also Asser as well as our Annals proceed to give us a further account of the French and German affairs with a brief descent of their Kings from Charles the Great as that this Year Charles King of the Allmans received all the Kingdoms of the Western Franks which lye between the Mediteranean Sea and that Bay which was between the Ancient Saxons and the Gauls by the voluntary consent of all the People the Kingdom of Armorica that is of lesâ—er Britain only excepted This Charles was the Son of Lewis Brother of that Charles last mention'd and both the Kings were the Sons of Lewis the Younger Son of Charles the Great who was the Son of King Pipin The same Year also the good Pope Marinus deceased who freed the English School at Rome at the entreaty of King Aelfred from all Tax and Tribute Also about the same time the Danes of East England broke the Peace which they had lately made with King Aelfred The Pagans who had before Invaded the East quitting that now marched towards the West parts of France and passing up the River Seine took their Winter Quarters at Paris The same Year according to Asser as well as the Annals King Alfred after so many Cities being burnt and such great destruction of People not only took the City of London from the Danes who had it long in their Possession but he
of their Vessels set upon Three English Ships which lay on the dry ground and Fighting with them there slew Lucomon the King's Admiral and Wulfherd Aebba and Aethelerd being all Frizelanders who it seems then served in the King's Fleet so that of the Frisons and English there were slain Sixty Two of the Danes One Hundred and Twenty But the Tide returning the Danish Ships got away before the English could have out theirs at Sea thô they were so shatter'd that they could scarce reach the Coast of Sussex for two of them were ran on Shore and the Men being brought to the King at Winchester he Commanded them all to be Hang'd But those who were in the Third Ship being very much wounded with great difficulty reached East-England The same Year there perished no less than Twenty of their Ships together with the Seamen near the Southern Coast and then also Wulfred Master of the King's Horse Deceased who was a British or Welsh Gerefe or Governour Aethelm Ealdorman of Wiltshire deceased Nine days before Midsummer and the same Year also Aealhstan Bishop of London dyed This Year according to the Welsh Chronicle Igmond the Dane with a great number of Soldiers Landed in the Isle of Man or Anglesey where the Welshmen gave him Battle at a place called Molerain or Meilon wherein we may suppose the Danes got the Victory for their Chronicle says nothing to the contrary and besides Merwy Son to Rodri King of Powis was there slain Also now King Alfred Deceased six days before the Feast of All Saints He was King over all the English Nation except what was under the power of the Danâ—s But since we are come to the end of this King's Life I shall here give you Florence of Worcester's Character of â—him viz. That Famous and Victorious Warriour King Alfred the Defender of Widows and Orphans the most skillful of all the Saxon Poets who excelled in Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance being as Discreet and Diligent in hearing of Causes and giving Judgments as he was devout in the Service of God was also most Liberal and affable to all Men so that for these Vertues he was highly beloved by his Subjects now died of an Infirmity under which he had long laboured whose Body lies buried in the new Monastery of Winchester in a stately Tomb of Porphyrie But I shall from Asser's History of this King's Life and Actions give you a larger account of him from his Infancy He was as you have already heard born Anno Dom. 849 and had been twice at Rome but after his last Return together with his Father He tells us He was bred up at Court with the great Care and Affection both of his Father and Mother who loved him above the rest of his Brothers because he was not only more Witty and Handsome but also of a sweeter Disposition and it had been well if he could have improved his own excellent Parts by Humane Learning for to his great regret afterwards by the extream fondness of his Parents or by the negligence of those who had the care of his Education he remained till the Twelfth Year of his Age without so much as being taught his Letters only having an excellent Memory he learned by heart several Saxon Poems being repeated to him by others for he had a great and natural Inclination to Poetry as our Authour himself had often observed and as an instance of the quickness of his Parts gives us this Account That one Day when his Mother shewed him and the rest of his Brothers a certain fine Book in Saxon Verse with which they were very well pleased he being taken with the beauty of the Capital Letters at the beginning of it she promised to give it to him that should soonest understand and get it by heart which Alfred undertaking to do he carried it to his Master and not only learned to Read it but also got it without Book and so repeating it to his Mother had the Book given him for his pains after this he also learned the Daily Office and then some Psalms and Prayers by heart which being writ together in a Book he still carried in his Bosome for his daily use But alas England could not then supply him with any fit Tutors in the Liberal Arts which he often complained was one of the greatest hindrances in his Life that at the time when he had most leasure to learn he had no Masters that could teach him and afterwards when he grew more in Years he was troubled with incessant Pains both Night and Day the causes of which were unknown to Physicians but when he came to be King he was then taken up with the cares of the Government and how to resist the Invasions of the Danes so that he had but little time for Study yet notwithstanding all these impediments from his very Child-hood to the day of his Death he never ceased to have an insatiable desire after knowledge insomuch that he did not only at leisure times learn himself but also communicated that learning to others by translating into the English Saxon Tongue Orosius's Roman and Bede's Ecclesiastical Histories the latter of which Versions is Printed but the former is still in Manuscript in the Library of Corpus Christi Coll. Oxon. as also in other places he had likewise begun to Translate the Psalms of David but was prevented by Death from making an end of it But to how low an Ebb Learning was then reduced by the frequent Wars and devastations of the Danes King Alfred himself tells us in his Preface to St. Gregorie's Pastoral that learning was so decay'd in the English Nation that very few Priests on this side of Humber could understand the Common Service of the Church and he knew none South of Thames who could turn an ordinary piece of Latine into English though things were now somewhat better yet that he himself had turn'd this Book into English by the help of Arch-Bishop Plegmond with Grimbald and John his Priests and had sent one of them to every Bishops See in the Kingdom with an Aestel as the Saxon Word is or Stilus as in the Latin Version upon each Book of fifty Mancuses in value charging them in God's Name neither to take away that Aestel from the Book nor any of those Books out of the Church seeing it was uncertain how long there would continue such Learned Bishops as now God be Thanked were in all parts of this Kingdom But how this can consist with the supposed Relation out of Asser concerning the flourishing state of Learning at Oxford before that King 's Founding the University I do not understand But in the Twentieth Year of his Age as soon as he was Married that Distemper took him which held him till about his Fortieth Year the cause whereof being unknown to his Physicians it was supposed by some that he was bewitched and it was so sharp that he feared the
of England gives us a very good Reason if true why the King dealt thus severely with this young Princess his Niece which was this That Aelfwinna not making the King her Uncle whom her Mother had appointed her Guardian privy to her Designs had contracted a Mariage with Reginald King of the Danes Whereupon King Edward to prevent his Enemy entred the Country of Mercia and took it into his own Hands and also carried the said Lady away with him The same Author likewise reporteth That about this time Leofred a Dane and Griffyth ap Madoc Brother-in-Law to the Prince of West-Wales came from Ireland with a great Army to Snowdon in Caernarvonshire and designing to bring all Wales and the Marches thereof to their subjection over-ran and subdued all the Countrey as far as Chester before ever King Edward had Intelligence of their Arrival whereat he was very much offended but being loath to trouble his Subjects in that behalf he made a Vow That he and his Sons with their own people would be revenged on Leofred and Griffyth and thereupon he came to Chester and took the City from them After this he made two Divisions of his Army whereof he and his Son Athelstan led the first and Edmund and Edred the second and followed them with such Celerity that he overtook them at the Forest of Walewode now Sherwood where Leofred and Griffyth set upon him so fiercely that the King at the beginning was in some distress until Prince Athelstan stepped in between his Father and Leofred and gave the Dane such a Wound in the Arm that it disabled him from holding his Spear whereupon he was soon taken and committed to the Custody of Athelstan In the mean time Prince Edmund and Edred encountering with Griffyth slew him and brought his Head to their Father Upon that Athelstan caused Leofred to be beheaded likewise and so both their Heads were set up together on the top of the Tower of Chester and Edward and his Sons returned home with a great Triumph But it appears by the Age of Prince Edmund when he came to the Crown that this Relation concerning himself and his Brother Edred's commanding part of their Father's Army cannot be true for he was not above Four years old when King Edward his Father died and not above Eighteen when he began to reign This year according to our Annals King Edward commanded his men to go to the Town of Tofeceaster now Tocester in Northamptonshire and to rebuild it after which the same year about Lent he commanded the Town of Wigingamere now Wigmore in Herefordshire to be rebuilt But the same Summer between Whitsuntide and Midsummer the Danes of Hamptune i. e. Northampton as was said before and Ligeracester and those that lay Northward broke the Peace and marched to Tofeceaster and assaulting the Town a whole day hoped to take it but those that were within defending it until such time as more men could come to their assistance the Danes were forced to leave the Town and march'd off After this they often went out by night to plunder and falling upon those that were unprovided took a great many men and much Cattle between Barnewoode and Eglesbyrig the former of which was Barnwood Forest near Bury-hill and the latter Alisbury both in Buckinghamshire About the same time the Danes of Huntandune i. e. Huntington and the East-Angles marched out and built a Castle at Temsford where they settled themselves for they had left that at Huntandune supposing that from thence they might recover a greater share of the Countrey and so they march'd till they came to Bedanford but the men who were within it going out to meet them killed great numbers of them putting the rest to flight After this a great Army of Danes being got together advanced to the Town of Wiggingamere and stormed it for most part of the day but those who were within defending it very well they were forced to leave the Town and retreat carrying away with them all the Cattel they found thereabouts After this also the same Summer there were great Forces assembled of King Edward's Subjects from the Towns round about Temesford whither they went and laying close Siege to the Town they at length took it and kill'd a Danish King and Taglosse an Earl and Mannan his Son together with his Brother and all those who defended the Town From which time according to Florence the Danish Power did by little and little decrease and that of the English increase But this Author places all these actions of this year under Anno 917. The same year a great many men assembled together in Autumn as well from Kent Surry and Essex as from the neighbouring Towns and marching to Colneceaster i.e. Colchester assaulted that City till they took it and all the Plunder they found in it and killed all the men except those that escaped over the Wall After which also the same Autumn a great Army of Danes were got together with the East-Angles both Land-Soldiers and Pyrates whom they had invited to their assistance hoping thereby to revenge the Defeat they had lately received wherefore they went directly to Maeldune and besieged that Town till such time that more men coming to its assistance the Danes were forced to quit it and retreat but the men who were within it together with those that came to their assistance overtaking the Danes killed many hundreds of the Land-men as well as Pyrates not long after which King Edward marched with an Army of South-Saxons to Passenham i. e. Pasham in Northamptonshire and there continued till the Town of Tofeceaster could be encompassed with a Stone-Wall where Earl Thurferth and the chief Commander of the Danish Forces that belonged to Hamtune with all towards the North as far as Weolade that is the River Weland accepted King Edward for their Lord and Protector but about the time that the King's Army was to return home he sent out fresh Forces to the Town of Huntandune who repaired and rebuilt it in those places that were destroyed according to the King's Command so that all the people of that Countrey that ramained alive surrendred themselves to King Edward and sought his Peace and Protection Likewise this very year before Martinmass the King marched with an Army of West-Saxons to Colneceaster and rebuilt the Wall and repaired all places which were ruinous Then many as well of the East-Angles as also of the East-Saxons who were before under the Danish Dominion and had been so for above thirty years now delivered themselves up to the King and also all the Danish Army in East-England swore Allegiance to him promising to do whatever he thought good and to defend his Subjects as well by Sea as by Land but the Army that belonged to Grantanbyrig i. e. Cambridge did by themselves chuse the King for their Lord and Patron confirming it by their Oaths as he had appointed him This year also Sytric the Danish King
and easily killed the Bishop with all his Followers Ingulph who seems more exact than any other Historian in this matter writes That Anlaf tho he had brought with him an infinite multitude of Danes Norwegians Scots and Picts yet either out of Diffidence or Craft familiar to his Nation chose rather by night to surprize his Enemy than fairly to give him Battel in the open field and by day-light so he fell suddenly upon the English and kill'd a Bishop who was come but the Evening before to the Camp which causing a great Clamour and Tumult the King ' tho a Mile off took the Alarm with his whole Army who putting themselves into such order as the Surprize would permit by break of day came up to the Enemy where finding them tir'd and disorder'd by their late March for want of sleep King Athelstan in Person leading on the West-Saxons fell upon Anlaf himself whilst Turketul his Kinsman and Chancellor who had the Conduct of the Londoners and the Mercians assaulted Constantine the Scotish King their Missil Weapons being quickly spent they came to hand-blows and to fight it out with Sword and Buckler where many of them lost their Lives and the Carkasses of mean persons lay confusedly together with the slain Bodies of Princes Death making no distinction The Dispute continuing very long and violent by reason the multitude of Enemies was so great Turketul took with him some of the Londoners whom he knew to be most valiant and a Captain of the Worcestershire-men called Singin one of approved Courage who being taller than the rest and of well compacted Limbs and the stoutest of all those London Heroes that accompanied him then Turketul rushing into the very midst of his Enemies and laying vigorously about him hewed down whole ranks of men on both sides of him insomuch that he passed through whole Troops of Orcadians and Picts bearing a Wood of Arrows on his Breast-plate and making his way through whole Companies of Cumbrians and Scots he at length reached Constantine himself whom he dismounted and would have taken alive but the Scots were so concerned for their King that they had a very smart Conflict about him and many of them pressing upon the few English that followed him and all of them aiming chiefly at Turketul he began to repent of his Rashness seeing no means either of escaping himself or getting off his Prisoner when on the sudden Captain Singin coming in afresh to his Rescue killed King Constantine And now their King being slain the Scots were so discouraged that they soon retired and the Report of their Discomfiture flying about the Army Anlaf and all his Followers ran away after an incredible Slaughter of Danes and Scots upon the place So much Ingulph relates for the greater Honour of this Turketul the Chancellor who was afterwards Abbot of the Abby of Croyland and his Predecessor in the Government of that Monastery where he left a large Memorial of his Secular Employments And the same Author farther adds that besides Constantine five other Kings were there slain twelve Earls and an infinite number of Common Soldiers But though Ingulph and William of Malmesbury do thus confidently relate Constantine King of Scots to have been slain in this Battel yet all the Scotch Historians as well as our own Annals asserting the contrary it is not to be insisted on as true and therefore I shall pass it by yet granting he was not kill'd in that Battel John Fordon and Buchanan do both agree that he became not long after dead to the world for being quite tired out with his late ill success he professed himself a Monk amongst the Culdees of St. Andrews an Order of Monks so called of whom this King became Abbot But the Scotch Historians do all confess the greatness of the Victory on the English and the great Loss on their own side acknowledging the Fall of Eugenius King of Deira whom our Historians call King of Cumberland but will not own King Constantine to have been so much as present at this fight but only Malcolme his Cousin who upon his retiring into a Monastery was declared King in his room Yet Hector Boethius and Buchanan to lessen this Victory as much as they can do suppose though I do not know from what Authority since Fordon mentions no such thing That the English under King Athelstan being much weaker in Forces he was fain to supply that by Cunning and Artifice and having strengthen'd his Army by fresh Supplies he commanded them at the first Onset to make as if they fled and when they found the Enemy had broken their Ranks to turn again on their Pursuers which being punctually observed by King Athelstan's Army the Danes and Scots supposing themselves to be Victors immediately fell to spoiling the Enemies Camp and thereupon a Sign being given by King Athelstan they fell upon the Enemy now laden with Prey and destroyed them like so many Sheep insomuch that in this Fight most of the Scotch Nobility were slain whilst they rather chose to dye than to survive the Ignominy of having deserted their Companions But this sounds very Romantick as does also his Relation of the Battel which neither agrees with the plain downright way of fighting used in that age nor with the Stout and Martial Genius of this King But let the Manner of gaining the Victory be as it will they all agree upon the Effect of it That King Athelstan his Enemies being astonish'd with so great a loss took Cumberland and Westmorland from the Scots and recovered Northumberland from the Danes But since the Monks will scarce let so great a Victory pass without a Miracle I cannot forbear relating what Fordun and the Chronicle ascribed to Abbot Bromton have related from a certain Legend of St. John of Beverly viz. That King Athelstan going to make War against the Scots and by the way paying a Visit to the Tomb of that Saint there pawn'd his Knife at the Altar promising to redeem it at his return but when they had thus fought against the Scots he begged of God a Sign whereby it might appear to future Ages that they were justly vanquished by the English and thereupon the King striking a certain Rock with his Sword near the Castle of Dunbar he made a Gap in it an Ell deep this Miracle is so gross that even John Fordon himself ridicules it But it seems King Athelstan made good his Promise and upon his return with Victory enrich'd the Church of St. John with great Possessions and so I suppose got his Knife again As for the oâ—her Miracle related also by the Monks of King Athelstan's Sword being lost out of the Scabbard just when he was ready to fight and another was by Miracle put in the place at the Prayers of Archbishop Odo which Sword they pretend was kept in the King's Treasury it is no less a Wonder than the former and one such as these is enough at one time This
and also brave Horses richly equipped he sent the King a certain Vessel made of an Onyx curiously engraven with Vines and the Figures of Men he likewise presented him with the Sword of Constantine the Great in the Hilt of which being all overlaid with Plates of Gold was set one of the Nails of Christ's Cross also with the Lance of Charles the Great and the Banner of the Martyr St. Maurice both which the said King had made use of in a Battel against the Saracens and a Gold Crown or Diadem set with Precious Stones But that which was more Valuable than all the rest was a little Piece of Christ's Cross and a Bit of his Crown of Thorns both set in Chrystal and which the King afterwards bestowed upon the Abby of Malmesbury with very large Endowments as appears by his Charters above-cited and in whose Church he had ordered the Bodies of his Cousins Aelwin and Aethelwin the Sons of his Uncle Aethelward to be interr'd whom he lost in the Battel against King Anlaf And though this King died at Gloucester yet was his Body carried to Malmesbury and there interr'd with great Pomp. There is yet to be seen in the said Church of which only the Nave is now left an Image made for him in Stone though of no Antiquity as any one may easily discover that observes it But since this King also made many good Laws some of them which are the most remarkable I shall here set down from Mr. Lambard's Saxon Copy These Laws were made at Graetanleage in a Great Council there held by King Athelstan but the Year not being express'd it is supposed to be about Anno 928. After a Religious Preface The first Law is against Thieves requiring that if a Thief be taken in the Fact no man shall spare him if he be above twenty years old and had stole any thing above the value of eight pence If any one do contrarily thereunto he shall pay the value of the Thief 's Head or make amends for the fault and yet the Thief himself shall not be spared who if he contumaciously make Resistance or fly for it shall find no favour A Thief cast into Prison shall there stay forty days and then after the payment of an 120 shillings be discharged but his Kindred must give Security for his future good behaviour after which if he steal again they must either pay the value of his Head or bring him back to Prison and in case any one resist he shall pay to the King or to any other whom it concerns the value of his own Head and if any stand by him i. e. defend him he shall pay to the King an 120 shillings The sixth Law is against Witchcrafts Enchantments and such like deeds that procure Death that if any one by them be made away and the thing cannot be denied such Practisers shall be put to death but if they endeavour to purge themselves and be cast by the threefold Ordeal they shall lye in Prison an hundred and twenty days which ended then their Kindred may redeem them by the Payment of an 120 shillings to the King and farther pay to the Kindred of the slain the full valuation of the Party's Head and then the Criminals shall also procure Sureties for their good behaviour for the time to come The same Punishment shall be inflicted on Incendiaries and such as rescue Thieves nay such as endeavour to rescue them though no man be wounded in the attempt shall pay an 120 shillings to the King As for Enchantments mentioned in this Law the Saxon word is Liblacum which signifies the Art of Conjuration or Witchcraft yet not all in general but that sort of it properly called Fascination or Enchantment used by certain Ligatures Fasciae or Bands The seventh ordains concerning simple Ordeal That if one accused several times of Theft be cast by it and have no body to be Surety for him he shall be sent to Prison and thence freed by his Kindred as was before said The tenth forbids any Commutation of Goods unless in the presence of the King 's Reeve the Priest of the Town or the Lord of the Soil or some other credible person under the penalty of thirty shillings and the forfeiture of the thing changed to the Lord of the Soil and if any shall bear false witness he shall be infamous and no credit given to him ever after and also shall forfeit 30 shillings The twelfth confirms the first part of the Law of King Edward the Elder decreeing no man's buying any thing out of a Town which exceeds the value of twenty-pence and within the Town unless in the presence of the Portreeve or some other credible person or else in the presence of the King's Sheriff or Justice in Folcmote The fourteenth appoints through all the King's Dominions that one and the same Money be currant and that it shall not be coined out of some Town and if any Minter or Coiner shall embase the Coin he shall lose his hand which being cut off shall be affixed to the Workhouse If any be accused of adulterating Money and will purge himself he shall by the Ordeal of hot Iron cleanse his hands of such wickedness but if by Ordeal he be cast then he shall be punished as now was said Then follow the places appointed for Publick Mints viz. at Canterbury there shall be seven Minters or Coiners whereof four for the King two for the Bishop and one for the Abbot At Rochester there shall be three whereof two for the King and the third for the Bishop At London eight At Winchester six At Lewes two At Hastings one At Chichester one At Hampton two At Werham two At Excester two At Salisbury as many and in every other great Town one That which follows commands That for every Plow a man shall keep two well-furnished Horsemen Which shews that this Law for the Militia's being laid according to the Rate of Estates is one of the ancientest of this kind in England as also the most general Tax being laid upon Corn then the most staple Commodity of the Kingdom The eighteenth forbids Horses to be transported except such as are sent abroad as Free Gifts or Presents The twentieth Law enacts That if any one absent himself from Folcmote thrice he shall be punished as contumacious against the King if so be that the holding of the Assembly was declared a seven-night before in such case if he refuse to do Right and pays not his Mulct to the King the ancient men of the Countrey are to go and seize upon all that he hath and take Security for his appearance The twenty second in confirmation of a former Law requires that no person receive another man's Man as this Law words it into his Family without leave first obtained of his Master he that doth otherwise shall restore the man and pay the Mulct of Contumacy against the King and no man is to put away his
if they cannot get them then they should take him alive or dead and seize on all his Estate whereof the Complaining Party having received such a share as should satisfy him the one half of the remainder shall go to the Lord of the Soil and the other half to the Hundred And if any of that Court being either akin to the Party or a stranger to his Blood refuse to go to put this in execution he should forfeit 120 shillings to the King And farther That such as are taken in the very act of stealing or betraying their Masters should not be pardoned during life The Eighth and last ordains That one and the same Money should be current throughout the King's Dominions which no man must refuse and that the measure of Winchester should be the Standard and that a Weigh of Wool should be fold for half a Pound of Money and no more The former of those is the first Law whereby the Private Mints to the Archbishops and several Abbots being forbid the King's Coin was only to pass But to return to our Annals Ten days before the Death of King Edgar Bishop Cyneward departed this life King EDWARD sirnamed the Martyr KING Edgar being dead as you have now heard Prince Edward succeeded his Father though not without some difficulty for as William of Malmesbury and R. Hoveden relate the Great Men of the Kingdom were then divided Archbishop Dunstan and all the rest of the Bishops being for Prince Edward the Eldest Son of King Edgar whilst Queen Aelfreda Widow to the King and many of her Faction were for setting up her Son Ethelred being then about Seven Years of Age that so she might govern under his Name But besides the pretence was which how well they made out I know not That King Edgar had never been lawfully married to Prince Edward's Mother Whereupon the Archbishops Dunstan and Oswald with the Bishops Abbots and many of the Ealdormen of the Kingdom met together in a Great Council and chose Prince Edward King as his Father before his Death had ordained and being thus Elected they presently Anointed him being then but a Youth of about Fifteen Years of Age. But it seems not long after the Death of King Edgar though before the Coronation of King Edward Roger Hoveden and Simeon of Durham tell us that Elfer Earl of the Mercians being lustily bribed by large Presents drove the Abbots and Monks out of the Monasteries in which they had been settled by King Edgar and in their places brought in the Clerks i.e. Secular Chanons with their Wives but Ethelwin Ealdorman of the East-Angles and his Brother Elfwold and Earl Brythnoth opposed it and being in the Common Council or Synod plainly said They would never endure that the Monks should be cast out of the Kingdom who contributed so much to the Maintenance of Religion and so raising an Army they bravely defended the Monasteries of the East-Angles so it seems that during this Interregnum arose this Civil War about the Monks and the above-mentioned Dissention amongst the Nobility concerning the Election of a new King But this serves to explain that Passage in our Annals which would have been otherwise very obscure viz. That then there was viz. upon the Death of King Edgar great Grief and Trouble in Mercia among those that loved God because many of his Servants that is the Monks were turned out till God being slighted shewed Miracles on their behalf and that then also Duke Oslack was unjustly banished beyond the Seas a Nobleman who for his Long Head of Hair but more for his Wisdom was very remarkable And that then also strange Prodigies were seen in the Heavens such as Astrologers call Comets and as a Punishment from God upon this Nation there followed a great Famine Which shews this Copy of the Annals was written about this very time And then the Author concludes with Aelfer the Ealdorman's commanding many Monasteries to be spoiled which King Edgar had commanded Bishop Athelwold to repair All which being in the Cottonian Copy serves to explain what has been already related But the next year ' Was the great Famine in England as just now mentioned About the same time according to Caradoc's Chronicle Aeneon the Son of Owen Prince of South-Wales destroyed the Land of Gwyr the second time This year after Easter was that great Synod at Kirtlingtun which Florence of Worcester and R. Hoveden call Kyrleing but where that place was is very uncertain Florence places it in East-England but Sir H. Spelman acknowledges that he does not know any place in those parts that ever bore that name but supposes it to have been the same with Cartlage now the Seat of the Lord North But had not Florence placed it in East-England that Town whose name comes nearest to it is Kyrtlington in Oxfordshire which is also the more confirmed by that which follows in these Annals viz. That Sydeman the Bishop of Devonshire i. e. of Wells died here suddenly who desired his Body might be buried at Krydeanton his Episcopal See but King Edward and Archbishop Dunstan order'd it to be carried to St. Maâ—ies in Abingdon were he was honourably Interr'd in the North Isle of St. Paul's Church Therefore it is highly probable that the place where this Bishop died was not far from Abingdon where he was buried as Kirtlington indeed is But what was done in this Council can we no where find only it is to be supposed that it was concerning this great Difference between the Monks and the Secular Chanons as the former Council was The same year also were great Commotions in Wales for Howel ap Jevaf Prince of North-Wales with a great Army both of Welsh and Englishmen made War upon all who defended or succoured his Uncle Jago and spoiled the Countries of Lhyn Kelynnoc Vawr so that Jago was shortly after taken Prisoner by Prince Howel's men who after that enjoyed his part of the Countrey in peace Nor can I here omit what some of our Monkish Writers and particularly John Pike in his compendious Supplement of the Kings of England now in Manuscript in the Cottonian Library relates That there being this year a Great Council held at Winchester again to debate this great Affair concerning the turning out of the Monks and restoring the Secular Chanons and it being like to be carried in their favour a Crucifix which then stood in the room spoke thus God forbid it should be so This amazing them they resolved to leave the Monks in the condition they then were But whether these words were ever spoke at all or if they were whether it might not be by some person that stood unseen behind the Crucifix I shall leave to the Reader to determine as he pleases Next year all the Grave and Wise Men of the English Nation being met about the same Affair at Calne in Wiltshire fell down together from a certain Upper Room where they were assembled
in Council unless it were St. Dunstan the Archbishop who fixed his foot upon a certain Beam but some were sadly bruised and hurt whilst others were killed outright But since William of Malmesbury hath given us a larger account of this Council and what was done in it I shall give it you in his words But mens minds being not yet settled another Council was summoned at Calne in Wiltshire but the King was absent by reason of his Youth where the same Affair was again debated with great Heat and Contention But when many Reproaches were cast upon Archbishop Dunstan that Bulwark of the Church who could by no means be shaken upon a sudden the Floor of the Chamber fell down all there present being very much bruised except Dunstan who escaped upon a Beam all the rest being either hurt or killed This Miracle says he obtained quiet for the Archbishop and all the Monks of England who were for ever after of his opinion This Accident is also related by Mat. Westminster and copied by Cardinal Baronius into his Annals and is likewise mentioned by other Authors But it is very probable that this Misfortune did not happen without the fore-knowledge if not the Contrivance of Archbishop Dunstan since he had now persuaded the King not to be there though he was present at the last Council But H. Huntington would have it be a sign from Heaven that they should fall from God's love and be oppress'd by Foreign Nations as followed not long after And according to Florence of Worcester there was a Third Synod at Ambresbury but what was done there he does not tell us But to return to our Annals The same year King Edward was killed at Corfesgeate now Corfe-Castle in the Isle of Purbeck on the 15 th of the Kalends of April and was buried at Werham without any Royal Pomp. There was not since the time that the English Nation came into Britain any thing done more wickedly than this But though men murthered him yet God exalted him and he that was an Earthly King is now a Saint in Heaven and though his Relations would not revenge his Death yet God perform'd it severely The rest to the same effect in these Annals I omit because I would not be tedious But I shall give you a more particular account of the manner of this Prince's Death from William of Malmesbury and the Chronicle called Bromton's the former of which relates it thus That as for King Edward he was of so extraordinary Religious and Mild a Nature that for quietness sake he let his Mother-in-Law order all things as she pleased giving her all Respects as to his own Mother and regarding his Younger Brother with all the tenderness imaginable She on the contrary from his Kindness and Love conceives greater and more implacable Malice against him and with the Sovereignty she already enjoyed was so ill satisfied that she must needs take from him the very Title also This Design she covered with notable dissimulation till a convenient opportunity presented it self for the execution of it At length the poor Innocent Prince being one day wearied with hunting and being very thirsty while his Companions followed the Game and minded not what became of him knowing that the Queen's House was not far off rode thither all alone fearing nothing because of his own Innocence and supposing every one meant as honestly as himself Whereupon the Queen receives him with all the seeming kindness imaginable and fain would have had him to light from his Horse but he refusing that and only asking to see his Brother she caused some Drink to be presently brought him but whilest the Cup was at his mouth one of her Servants privately before instructed stabbed him with a Dagger in the Back He exceedingly astonished at this unexpected ill treatment clapp'd Spurs to his Horse and fled away as fast as he could towards his Company but the Wound being Mortal and he spent with loss of blood fell to the ground and having one foot in the Stirrup was dragged through By-ways but being trac'd by his Blood by those she sent after him they brought back the Dead Corps which they buried privately at Werham where they imagin'd they had also buried his Memory as well as his Body but the place of his Sepulture as it 's said soon grew famous for Miracles Queen Elfreda was upon this so convinced of her Wickedness that from her Courtly and Delicate Way of Living she betook her self to very severe Penances as wearing Hair-cloath sleeping on the ground without a Pillow with such other Austerities as were used in that Age and herein she continued all her life So fell this good King Edward after he had only born the Name of King Three years and an half who for his Innocence and the Miracles supposod to be wrought after his Death obtained the Sirname of Martyr Which opinion of his Sanctity was the more confirmed by other great Miseries which shortly after befel the Land which the people did verily believe were inflicted on them for his Murther This year according to Florence a strange Cloud appeared about Midnight all over England being first seen of the Colour of Blood then of Fire and then like a Rainbow of divers Colours King ETHELRED IMmediately after the unfortunate Murther of King Edward there being no other Male Issue of King Edgar left alive Ethelred his Brother was without any difficulty Elected as the Ancient Annals of Thorney Abby preserved in the Cottonian Library relate and was also Crowned King by the Archbishop Dunstan and Oswald and ten other Bishops at Kingston the 8 th Kal. May he being as R. Hoveden describes him a Youth of a most Comely Aspect but not being above Twelve Years of Age William of Malmesbury gives us this short Character of Him and his Reign That he rather distressed than governed the Kingdom for Seven and thirty years that the course of his Life was cruel at the beginning miserable in the middle and dishonourable in the conclusion To Cruelty he attributes the Death of his Brother which he seemed to approve of because he did not punish he was remarkable for his Cowardice and Laziness and miserable in respect of his Death His Sluggishness was predicted by Archbishop Dunstan when at his Christening he superadded his own Water to that of the Font and thereupon Mat. Westminster makes him to swear By God and St. Mary this Boy will prove a Lazy Fellow But all this looks like a Monkish Story invented by those who did not love his Memory since the same thing though of somewhat a grosser nature is likewise related of the Emperor Constantine from thence named Copronymus Yet sure it was no sign of ill nature if what William of Malmesbury and Bromton's Chronicle relate be true That when he wept at the News of his Brother's Death it put his Mother into such a violent Passion that having not a Rod by her she beat
him so unmercifully with a Wax Taper which she then light upon that he was almost dead which caused in him such an aversion to Wax-Lights ever after that he could never endure any such to be brought before him But this sounds too Romantick and therefore I leave it to the Reader 's discretion what credit to give it But to come to somewhat more certain and material all Authors agree that Archbishop Dunstan crown'd this King with great reluctancy yet he was forced to do it as not having any of the Blood Royal fit to set up But because the Monks will have their St. Dunstan to have had the Spirit of Prophecy like the Prophets in the Old Testament they relate that denouncing God's Judgments against this King at his Coronation he said thus Because thou hast aspired to the Kingdom by the Death of thy Brother thus saith the Lord God The Sin of thine Ignominious Mother shall not be expiated neither the Sin of those that were her Counsellors but by great Bloodshed of thy miserable People for such Miseries shall come upon England as it never underwent since it had that name But this Doom was very unjust for it is certain that the King never knew of nor desired his Brother's Death and it was very hard to denounce God's Judgments upon the whole Nation for the Contrivance of one wicked Woman and which was put in execution by but a few of her Accomplices So that if the Nation was guilty of any fault it was only in so far conniving at the Crime as out of fear or partiality to permit the Authors of it to pass unpunished and for this the Bishops they having then so great a sway in the whole Council of the Nation had as much to answer for as any of the Laity But passing by God's Judgments which are too deep for us to fathom About this time as the Welsh Chronicles relate Custenyn Dhu i. e. Constantine the Black Son to Prince Jago then a Prisoner hired Godfryd the Dane to bring his men against his Cousin Howel ap Jevaf Prince of North-Wales so joining their Forces together they destroyed Anglesey and Lhyn Whereupon Prince Howel gathered an Army and setting upon the Danes and Welshmen who assisted them at a place called Gwayth Horborth routed them and Constantine was slain I shall now return to our Annals which under the next year relate That Archbishop Dunstan and Elfer the Ealdorman having taken up the Body of King Edward which lay buried at Werham they carried and buried it at Scaeftesbyrig i. e. Sbaftsbury with great Funeral Pomp. The occasion of which Removal by Elfer Earl of the Mercians according to Bromton's Chronicle was that old sign of an English Saxon Saint so often repeated in this History whether true or false I shall not affirm viz. a Column of Light streaming down from Heaven over the place where his Body lay buried as also that when it was taken up out of the Grave it was as whole and uncorrupt as when it was first buried three years before whereupon having washed and dressed it in new Cloathes they buried it with great Solemnity at the Monastery above-mentioned where his Sister Edith the Daughter of King Edgar by Wulfritha the Nun was then her self professed But as for the strange Miracles which are here related to have been done at his Tomb I willingly omit them But William of Malmesbury further adds about this Queen Elfreda That she took upon her the Habit of a Nun at Werewell a Nunnery which she lately founded and there passed the rest of her days in great Austerities and Devotions She also about the same time built another Nunnery at Ambresbury in Wiltshire this being the usual way to expiate the most horrid Murthers in those dark times This year came seven Danish Ships full of Pyrates and destroyed Southampton and as Florence adds though under the year before plundered the Town and either killed or carried away the Townsmen Prisoners William of Malmesbury also takes notice of this because they were so much talked of as being the first that had invaded England after above 60 years intermission and were only the forerunners of many more that follow'd To which we may also refer that which is added by Simeon of Durham under the year before but should be put under this That the same Fleet also wasted Taenetland that is the Isle of Thanet and the same year also the Province of Chester was much spoiled by the Norwegian Pyrates The same year the Danish Pyrates landed in Cornwal and burnt the Church and Monastery of St. Petroc Also Godfryd the Son of Harold the Dane landed with a great Army of his Countreymen in West-Wales where spoiling all the Land of Dyvet with the Church of St. Davids he fought the Battel of Lhanwanoc though who had the Victory the Welshmen or the Danes Caradoc's Chronicle which gives us this relation does not tell us This year according to R. Hoveden Three Ships of these Pyrates landed in Dorsetshire and spoiled the Isle of Portland The same year also the City of London was miserably destroyed by Fire About this time also according to the same Author Alfred and Ealdorman or English Earl joining as the Welsh Manuscript Annals relate with Howel the Son of Edwal destroyed Brecknock and spoil'd a great part of the Lands of Owen Prince of South-Wales against whom Eneon the Son of the said Owen and Howel King of North-Wales raising an Army met with them and totally defeated them so that the greatest part of Earl Alfred's Army was slain and the rest put to flight Also about this time the Churches of Wales began first to acknowlege the Superiority of the Archbishops of Canterbury Gacon Bishop of Landaffe being now consecrated by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury This year Aelfer the Ealdorman deceased and Aelfric his Son took his Government some of the Monks further add That he was eaten up with Lice the reason is plain for this Aelfer had not long before turn'd the Monks out of their Cloysters as you have heard and they seldom fail'd to revenge such an Affront upon those that did so either alive or dead And the same year the Gentlemen of Gwentland in Southwales rebelled against their Prince and cruelly slew Eneon the Son of Prince Owen though he came only to appease them This Eneon was a Gallant Young Prince that did many brave Actions for the Defence of his Countrey in his Father's life time he left behind him Two Sons Edwyn and Theodore from whom descended the Princes of South-Wales This year deceased Athelwald that good Bishop of Winchester who was the Father of the Monks And well might they call him so for he rebuilt or repaired above a dozen great Monasteries so that as William of Malmesbury observes it is a great wonder how a Bishop's Purse could afford to do that in those days which a King could scarce perform when he
had given him with her Then Vthred married Siga the Daughter of Styre the Son of Vlfelme The King marched into Cumerland i. e. Cumberland and laid it almost waste but neither our Annals nor any other Author tell us wherefore he made this War nor upon whom it was made but John Fordon in his Scotch History gives us this Account of it That King Ethelred having paid great Tributes to the Danes sent to Malcolm then Prince of Cumberland under Gryme King of the Scots commanding him that he should make his Subjects of Cumberland pay part of this Tribute as well as the rest of the People of England which he denying sent the King word That neither he nor his Subjects ought to pay any Tribute but only were obliged to be ready at the King's Command to make War together with the rest of the Kingdom whenever he pleased for he said it was much better to fight manfully than only to buy Liberty with Money For this cause as well as for that the King affirmed that the Prince of Cumberland favoured the Danes King Ethelred invaded that Countrey and carried away great spoils from thence but presently after the two Princes being reconciled they entred into a firm Peace for ever after But to proceed with our Annals After the King had thus wasted Cumberland he commanded his Ships to sail round by Legceaster i. e. Chester to meet him there but they could not do it by reason of the contrary Winds so they wasted the Island Manige now called Anglesey for the Danish Fleet was turned this Summer upon the Dukedom of Normandy But the next year Their Fleet being now returned into England there arose great Troubles in this Island by reason of this Fleet which every where spoiled the Countries and burnt the Towns and landing they marched in one day as far as Aetheling gadene which is supposed to be Alton in Hampshire but there the Forces of that County marched against and fought with them and there Aethelweard the King 's High Sheriff and Leofric Gerif of Whitcircan i. e. Whitchurch in Hampshire and Leofwin the King's High-Sheriff and Wulfer the Bishop's Thane and Godwin the Gerif were all slain at Weorthige the place is now unknown as also Aelfsige the Bishop's God-son and of all sorts of men Eighty one yet many more of the Danes were slain there though indeed they kept the Field of Battel But from thence their Fleet sail'd toward the West until they came to Devonshire where met him Pallig with what Ships he could gather together He had revolted from King Ethelred divers times notwithstanding his Faith plighted to him and though the King had largely rewarded him both with Lands and Money Then they burnt Tengton i. e. Taunton and many other good Towns more than we can now name which being done there was a League clapt up with them After this they went to Exanmuthan i. e. Exmouth from whence they marched in one day to Peanhoe now Pen in Somerset-shire where Cola the King's High-Sheriff and Eadsig the King's Gerif met them with what Forces they could but they were put to flight and many of them slain and the Danes kept the Field so the next morning they burnt the Towns of Peanho and Clistune or Clifton and several other good Towns Then the Danes returned to the Isle of Wight and there one morning burnt the Town of Weltham with divers other Villages and presently after a League was made with them and they hearken'd to Terms of Peace But the Laudean and Cottonian Copies differ very much from that of Cambridge in the telling of this story for they make the Danes to have first sailed up the River Exe as far as Eaxcester and to have besieged the City but not being able to take it they raised the Siege and then marched all over the Countrey killing and destroying whatever they met with and that then a strong Army of the Devonshire and Somersetshire men fought with them at Peanho with the success above-mentioned The rest differs but little from the Printed Copy but this last relation seems most likely to be true The year following it was decreed by the King and his Wise Men That a Tribute should be paid to the Danish Fleet and Peace should be concluded with them upon condition that they would cease from doing mischief Then the King sent Leofsig the Ealdorman to the Fleet who treated with them on the behalf of the King and his Council of Wise Men proposing that they would be content with Provisions and Money which they agreed to Then not long after they paid them Four and twenty thousand Pounds In the mean time Leofsig the Ealdorman killed Aelfric the King 's High Sheriff upon which the King banished the other the Kingdom And the Lent afterwards came hither Aelgiva Daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy to be married to the King The same Summer Eadulf Archbishop of York deceased And this year also the King commanded all the Danes in England to be slain at the Feast of St. Brice because it was told the King that they endeavoured to deprive him and all his Great and Wise Men of their lives and to seize the Kingdom to themselves without any opposition Matthew of Westminster casts the Odium of this Action from the King and lays it upon one of his Evil Counsellors whom he calls Huena General of the King's Forces â—o manage the chief Affairs of the Kingdom He seeing the Insolencies of the Danes and that after the late Agreement they were grown insupportable to the Kingdom for they violated the Wives and Daughters of Persons of Quality and committed divers other Injuries not to be endured Thereupon he came in great seeming trouble to the King making most dismal Complaints of these unspeakable Outrages at which the King was so incensed that by the Counsel of the said Huena he sent private Letters into all parts of the Kingdom commanding all his Subjects without exception That upon a certain Day they should every where privily set upon the Danes and without mercy cut them off In these Letters was also signified that the Danes had a design to deprive him of his Life and Kingdom and to destroy all the Nobility in order to bring the whole Island under their subjection And thus the Danes who a little before by a League solemnly sworn on both sides had been admitted quietly to inhabit among the English were most treacherously and barbarously murthered not many of them escaping even the very Women were put to death and their Children's Brains dash'd out against the Walls particularly at London when this Bloody Decree was to be executed many of the Danes fled into a certain Church of that City but for all that it proved no Sanctuary to them for they were all there cruelly murthered even at the very Altar H. Huntington moreover adds That he himself being a Child had heard it from certain Old Men that by the King's Command
the Danes made no less Incursions but went whereever they pleased and this Expedition did the people more damage than any Army could do Winter coming on the English Forces return'd home and the Danes about Martinmass retired to their old Sanctuary the Isle of Wight whither they carried whatever they had need of and afterwards about Christmass they marched out to seek for fresh Provisions in Hamptunshire and Berrocseire as far as Reading and havocking according to their usual custom burnt the Beacons whereever they found them and from thence they marched to Wealingaford i. e. Wallingford which Town they wholly destroyed Then marching to Aescesdune now Aston near Wallingford they came to Cwicchelmeslaw now Cuckamsley-hill in Berkshire without ever touching near the Sea and at last return'd home another way About the same time an English Army was mustered at Cynet i. e. Kennet in Wiltshire where a Battel was fought but the English Troops were immediately worsted after which the Danes carried off all their Booty to the Sea-side There might one have seen the Wiltshire men like a Cowardly sort of people suffer the Danes to return to the Sea-side even just by their doors with their Provisions and Spoils In the mean time the King marched over Thames into Scrobbesbyrigscire i. e. Shropshire and there kept his Christmass At that time the Danes struck so great a Terror into the English Nation that no man could devise how to get them out of the Kingdom nor how well to maintain it against them because they had destroyed all the Countries of the West-Saxons with Burnings and Devastations Then the King often consulted with his Wise Men about what was best to be done in this case whereby they might save the Countrey before it was quite ruined and after mature deliberation it was at length decreed by them all for the Common Good of the Nation though much against their wills That Tribute should be again paid to the Danes Then the King sent to their Army to let them know that he was contented to enter into a Peace with them and to pay them Tribute and also find them Provisions during their stay To which Terms all the Danes assented So it seems the whole English Nation was forced to maintain them And the beginning of the year following This Tribute was again paid to them to wit Thirty thousand Pounds Also the same year Aedric was made Ealdorman over all the Kingdom of Mercia This Aedric though he had married the King's Daughter is characterized by all our Historians for a Proud False and Unconstant Man and who by his Treachery proved the Ruin of his Countrey as well as of many particular Persons of great Worth For not long before as Florence relates he made away Athelme that Noble Ealdorman at Shrewsbury inviting him to a Feast and afterwards carrying him out a hunting where he hired the City-Hangman to set his Dog upon him called Porthund which tore him to pieces And not long after his two Sons Walfheage and Vflgeat had their Eyes put out by the King's Order at Cotham where he then resided But we may hence observe to how sad a state the Nation was reduced under a Voluptuous and Cowardly King and a Degenerate Nobility And the reason why the Annals say That the People's being kept in Arms all the Winter did them as much harm as the Enemy was because having then no standing Forces the Countrey Militia were fain to be kept upon Duty at their own Charges whilst their Families were ready to starve at home So impossible a thing it is to maintain any long War either at home or abroad without a Standing Army But now the King having too late perceived his Error viz. That the greatest Cause of his Ruin proceeded from the want of a good Fleet He then commanded Ships to be built all over England to wit to every Hundred and ten Hides of Lands one Ship and of every Eight Hides a Helmet and Breast-plate And so by the next year His Ships were all finished and they were both so many and withal so good that as our Histories affirm England never saw the like before Then after they were all well mann'd and victual'd they were brought to Sandwic and there remain'd in order to defend the Kingdom against the Invasion of Strangers yet notwithstanding all those Preparatives the English Nation was so unhappy that this great Fleet met with no better success than often before for it happen'd about this time or a little sooner that Brightric a false and ambitious man the Brother of Aedric above mentioned accused Wulfnoth a Thane of the South Saxons and Father of Earl Godwin to the King upon which Wulfnoth saving himself by flight got together twenty Ships and with them turning Pyrate took Prizes all round the Southern Coast and did a world of mischief but as soon as it was told the King's Fleet that they might easily surprize him if they would but cruise about that place Brightric upon this taking Eighty Sail along with him had mighty hopes by seizing of him either alive or dead to make himself signally famous but as he was sailing thither so great a Tempest arose as never had been in the memory of man by which all his Fleet was shipwrack'd or stranded on the shore and Wulfnoth coming thither presently after burnt all the rest that were left Now when this News came to that part of the Fleet where the King was in Person the whole Action seem'd to be undertaken very precipitately without any good Advice at all And thereupon the King with all his Ealdormen and Great Men return'd home leaving both the Ships and Men to shift for themselves But those that were in them carried them up to London And thus did all the Labour and Expence of the whole Nation come to nothing without in the least diminishing the Power of their Enemies as the people hoped they would have done When all these Naval Preparations were thus defeated there arrived presently after Harvest a mighty Fleet of Danes at Sandwic and after they were landed they immediately marched to Canterbury which City they would forthwith have destroyed had they not humbly besought a Peace of them Upon which all the East Kentish men came and clapt up a Peace with the Danes and purchased it at the Price of Three thousand Pounds But these Heathens presently afterwards sail'd round again till they came to Wihtland i. e. the Isle of Wight and there as also in Southseax Hamtunscire and Bearruscire they plunder'd and burnt Towns as they used to do Hereupon the King commanded the whole Nation to be summoned that every Province should defend it self against them But for all this they still marched whereever they pleased without any body 's disturbing them But one time when the King had hemm'd them in with his whole Army as they were going to their Ships and all his Forces were just ready to fall upon them Aedric
the Meat should be taken away untouched from such as were invited than that those who were not invited should complain for want of Victuals whereas saith he the custom of our time is either out of Covetousness or as they pretend because their people cannot eat for Great Men to allow their Followers but one Meal a day which shews that the custom of Set Suppers hath had divers Vicissitudeâ— being not commonly used in England in Great Mens Families at the time when H. Huntington wrote and therefore is an English Custom prevailing since that time the Norman Fashions being then most used John Rouse also in his Manuscript Treatise de Regibus Ang. already cited relates That the day of King Hardâ—cnute's Death was in his time kept by the English as an Holiday being called Hock-Wednesday on which they danced and drew Cords cross the way as they do in several Parishes in England even at this day to stop people till they will pay them some Money King Edward called the Confessor BEfore King Hardecnute was buried all the People chose Edward Aethâ—ling King at London who reigned as long as God permitted him But William of Malmesbury with greater probability says That this King did not come to the Crown without some difficulty for when he had received the News of his Brother Hardecnute's Death he was in great perplexity what was most advisable for him to do at last after mature deliberation he thought it the safest course to trust his Fortune to Earl Godwin's Advice who being sent for to a friendly Conference for some time he was considering whether he should come to him or not but at length he agreed to speak with him and upon the Enterview Edward was about to lay himself at his Feet but that he would by no means suffer Then the Prince earnestly desired he would assist him in his safe return to Normandy when immediately Godwin gave him this unexpected answer That he had better live gloriously King of England than dye ignominiously in Exile That the Crown did of Right belong to him as Son of Ethelred and Grandchild of Edgar That he was one of mature Age inur'd to Labour and who had learnt by experience how to order Publick Affairs with Justice and had been taught by his own late Afflictions how to remove and prevent the Miseries of the People That to bring this about there would be no great Obstacle for if he would but trust himself to him he should find that his Interest was very powerful in the Nation and that Fortune would be favourable to his just Pretensions and if he would accept of the Royal Dignity he was confident there would be none to oppose it but on condition that he would establish a firm Friendship with him and his Family by promising to prefer his Sons and marry his Daughter that then he should soon find himself a King Edward's case at this time was such as not to reject so fair Proposals but rather agree to any Conditions and comply with the present state of Affairs whatsoever therefore Godwin required he promised and swore to perform Now the Earl was a Man fitted by Nature for managing such an Intrigue having a very smooth and plausible Tongue so Eloquent that he could move and charm the Affections of the People insinuate into them whatsoever he pleased and bring them entirely over to his Interest and Service Upon this he procures a Great Council to be summoned at Gillingham some Copies have it at London and there he influenced some by his own Authority gain'd over others by his Promises and those who were inclined before to Prince Edward's Cause he fully settled and confirmed to his Party the rest that made opposition being over-power'd were first of all turn'd out of their Places and then banished the Land The Annals of the Abby of Winchester printed in the Monast. Ang. from the Manuscript in the Cottonian Library not only agree with William of Malmesbury in this Relation but are also much more particular viz. That Prince Edward coming to Godwin one morning in disguise to London fell at his Feet begging him to preserve his Life but the Earl taking him up promised to use him like his Son and also gave him farther Encouragements and Assurance so that Edward returning again to Winchester to his Mother Godwin shortly after summoned all the Great Men of the Kingdom to meet there to consult about making a New King Then these Annals proceed to relate the manner of this Election Viz. That Earl Godwin raising the Prince from the place where he sate at his feet being then incognito having his Hood over his Face said thus Behold your King This is Prince Edward the Son of King Ethelred and Queen Emma This is He whom I Elect c. and so first did him Homage Then after some Debates among themselves they all at last consented to his Election so that if it displeased any there they durst not shew their Discontent since Earl Godwin would have it so and Edward being thus Elected was not long after crown'd at Westminster Which is also confirmed by an Ancient Chronicle in the Cottonian Library already cited ending with this Prince which saith That Hardecnute being dead Eadward was advanced to the Crown by the endeavours chiefly of Earl Godwin and Living Bishop of Worcester Bromton's Chronicle farther adds That at this Grand Council all the Great Men of England agreed and swore with one consent That no Danes should reign over them any more because of the great Affronts and Contempts they had received from that Nation For they held the English in such servile subjection That if an Englishman had met a Dane upon a Bridge he was obliged to stand still till the other had passed by and if he had not bowed to the Dane he was sure to be well basted for his neglect so that as soon as King Hardecnute was dead the English drove all the Danes out of the Kingdom But notwithstanding the great happiness the English now received by having a King of their own Nation yet it seems This year was unfortunate for the Intemperance of the Season which as our Annals relate destroyed the Fruits of the Earth so that a great number of Cattel died Also about this time Aelf Abbot of Burgh deceased and Arnwi a Monk was chosen Abbot being a mild and good man About the same time also according to the Welsh Chronicle Prince Conan the Son of Jago who had fled into Ireland to save his life and coming now over from thence being assisted with the Forces of Alfred the Danish King of Dublin entred North-Wales by surprize took Prince Griffyth Prisoner and was carrying him away to his Ships But the people of the Countrey hearing of it they immediately rose and pursued the Irishmen and at last overtaking them rescued their Prince and made a great flaughter among them the rest with much difficulty got to their Ships and returned with
do not now know and others Northward to a Castle of Archbishop Rodbert's who together with Bishop Vlf and all their Party going out at the East Gate I suppose of London kill'd and wounded many young men who I suppose went about to seize them thence they went directly to Ealdulphe's Naese now the Nesse-Point in Essex where the Archbishop going on board a small Vessel left his Pall and Bishoprick behind him as God would have it since he had attain'd that Honour without God's Approbation From all which Transactions we may draw these Observations That all this Contest between the King and Earl Godwin seems to have been chiefly from the two great Factions that of the Normans whom the King brought over with him and that of his English Subjects and which happening under a Weak and Easy King that had neither the Prudence nor Courage to keep the Balance even it produced this Pyratical War made by Earl Godwin and his Sons to force the King to restore them to their Estates All which not only shews the great Power of this Earl and his Partizans but also that those who have the Command at Sea may force a King of England to what Terms they please It is also evident that these Annals were wrote by some Monk of the English Party who was wholly of Earl Godwin's side But to return again to them Then was appointed a Great Council without London where all the Earls and Chief Men then in England were present and there Earl Godwin pleaded for himself and was acquitted before the King and the whole Nation and affirmed that he and Harold his Son with the rest of his Children were innocent of the Crimes whereof they stood accused Whereupon the King received the Earl and his Sons with all those of his Party into his full Grace and Favour restoring him to his Earldom and whatsoever else he before enjoyed as likewise to every one his own again And then too the King restored to the Queen his Wife who had been before sent away whatsoever she had been possessed of but Archbishop Rodbert and all the Frenchmen were outlaw'd and banish'd because they were those who had been the chief Incendiaries of this Quarrel between the King and the Earl and Bishop Stigand was then made Archbishop of Canterbury Though our Annals are in the Relation of what passed at this Great Council much more particular than most of our Historians yet in the Account of this War between the King and Earl Godwin there are some things to be further taken notice of as what Simeon of Durham relates That Earl Harold when he came out of Ireland first entred the Mouth of Severne and there spoiled the Coast of Somersetshire plundering both the Towns and Countrey round about and then coming back to his Ships loaden with Prey he presently sail'd round Penwithstâ—ot i. e. the Land's-End and met his Father as you have heard before and when it was told King Edward that Earl Godwin was come to Sandwic he commanded all those who had not revolted from him to make haste to his Assistance but they delay'd so long their coming up that in the mean while Godwin with his Fleet sail'd up the River Thames as far as Southweork and there lay till the Tide but yet not without sending Messengers to some of the chief Citizens of London whom he had before drawn over to his Party by fair Promises and so far prevailed with them that they absolutely engaged themselves to be at his service and do whatever he would command them Then all things being thus prepared the next Tide they weighed Anchor and sail'd Southward up the Stream no body opposing them on the Bridge From whence we may observe that those Ships he had were only small Galleys with Masts to be taken up and down at pleasure much like our Huoys at this day Then came the Earl's Land-Army and flanking themselves all along the side of the River made a very thick and terrible Body insomuch that he turned his Fleet toward the Northern Shore as if he were resolved to have encompassed that of the King's which it seems then lay above-Bridge over-against London And though He had at that time both a Fleet and a Numerous Land-Army of Foot-Soldiers yet they being all English abhorred to fight against their own Kinsfolks and Countreymen and therefore the wiser sort of both sides laid hold on this Opportunity and became such powerful Mediators between the King and the Earl as made them mutually to strike up a Peace and so dismiss their Armies The next day the King held a Great Council and restored Earl Godwin and his Sons to their former Honours and Estates except Sweyn who being prick'd in Conscience for the Murther of his Cousin Beorn was gone from Flanders barefoot as far as Jerusalem and in his return homeward died in Lycia of a Disease contracted through extreme Cold. A firm Concord and Peace being thus concluded both the King and the Earl promised right Law i. e. Justice to all people and banished all those Normans that had introduced unjust Laws and given false Judgments and committed many Outrages upon the English though some of them were permitted to stay as Robert the Deacon and Richard Fitzscrob his Son-in-Law as also Alred the Yeoman of the King's Stirrup Anfred sirnamed Cocksfoot and some others who had been the King's greatest Favourites and always faithful to him and the People all the rest were sent away and amongst them was also William Bishop of London but he being a good honest man was called back again in a short time Osbern sirnamed Pentecost from whom the Castle above-mention'd was so called and his Companion Hugh surrender'd their Castles and by the License of Earl Leofric passing through his Earldom of Mercia went into Scotland and were there kindly received by King Macbeth Mr. Selden in his Titles of Honour refers that Relation in Bromton's Chronicle to this Great Council held this very year in which the manner of King Edward's Reconciliation with Earl Godwin is more particularly set down viz. That the King having summoned a Great Council as soon as he there beheld Earl Godwin immediately accused him before them all of having betrayed and murthered his Brother Prince Alfred in these words Thou Traytor Godwin I accuse thee of the Death of Alfred my Brother whom thou hast traitorously murthered and for the Proof of this I refer my self to the Judgment of Curiae Vestrae i. e. your Court. Then the King proceeded thus ' You most Noble Lords the Earls and Barons of the Kingdom where note That by Barons are to be understood Thanes for they were one and the same before the Conquest You who are my Liege-men being here assembled have heard my Appeal as also the Answer of Earl Godwin I will that you now give a Right Sentence between us in this my Appeal and afford due Justice therein Then the Earls and Barons having maturely debated
this matter among themselves some were for giving Judgment for the King but others differed from them saying That Earl Godwin had never been obliged to the King by either Homage Service or Fealty and therefore could be no Traytor to him and besides that he had not kill'd the Prince with his own hands But others replied That no Earl Baron nor any other Subject of the King could by Law wage Battel against him in his Appeal but ought upon the whole matter to submit himself to the King's Mercy and offer him reasonable Amends Then Leofric Earl of Chester who was an upright and sincere man both with respect to God and the world spoke thus Earl Godwin who next to the King is indeed a Person of the best Quality in England cannot deny but that by his Counsel Alfred the King's Brother was killed and therefore my opinion is That both he himself and his Sons and Twelve of us Earls that are his Friends and Kinsmen should appear humbly before the King each of us carrying as much Gold and Silver as he can bold in his Arms and offering it to him most humbly supplicate for his Pardon and then the King should remit to the Earl all Rancor and Anger whatsoever against him and having received his Homage and Fealty peacebly restore him to all his Lands To this the Assembly agreed and those that were appointed loading themselves with Treasure after the manner aforesaid went unto the King shewing him the order and manner of their Judgment which he being unwilling to contradict complied with and so ratified whatever they had before decreed This tho written a long time after the Conquest as appears by the Words there used viz. Parliament Baron Homage and Fealty yet it might be true in the main as being transcribed out of some Ancient Records of the Great Councils of those times which are now lost and if so would be a Notable Precedent of the large Authority of the Witena Gemot or Great Council of the Nation not only in assenting to new Laws but also of their Judicial Authority in giving Judgment upon all Suits or Complaints brought before them as well in Appeals between Subject and Subject as also where the King himself was a Party and if Authentick would also shew not only that this Tenure of the King by Homage and Fealty was in use before the Conquest but also according to the Judgment of this Great Council that there was no Allegiance due by Birth nor until a man had actually performed his Homage or sworn Fealty to the King and lastly that a satisfaction made by Money was looked upon as sufficient for the Death even of the King 's own Brother Yet to deal ingenuously with the Reader notwithstanding this fair story Bromton himself seems to doubt the truth of it for after he hath there told us from some nameless Author that Earl Godwin out of fear of some of the English Nobility who had sworn to be revenged of him for the murther of Prince Alfred retired into Denmark during the Reign of King Hardecnute but returning in the beginning of King Edward's Reign he appeared at a Parliament at London where the King impeached him of the Death of his Brother in the manner as you have already heard and if so this could not fall out as Mr. Selden supposes in this Great Council after this last return of Earl Godwin which happen'd not in the beginning but the middle of this King's Reign With which Relation also agree two Ancient Chronicles in French written in the time of Edward the Third and are both in the Cottonian Library And Bromton himself acknowledges that according to most Authors Earl Godwin never went into Denmark at all nor left England during the Reign of King Hardecnute so that this Transaction if it ever happen'd at all seems most likely to have fell out in the Reign of King Hardecnute when that King charged Earl Godwin with his Brother's Death and made him redeem it with a great Present as we have above told you But to conclude this year From the Peterburgh Copy of these Annals it appears that about this time Arnwy Abbot of Burgh resigned his Dignity by reason of his bad Health and conferred it with the King's License and the Consent of the Monks upon Leofriâ— a Monk of that Abby But Abbot Arnwy lived eight years after During which time Abbot Leofric so adorned that Monastery with rich Guildings that it was called the Golden Burgh he also endowed it very much with Lands as well as other Treasures This year according to Florence of Worcester Griffyn Prince of Wales entring England spoiled great part of Hâ—refordshire against whom many Inhabitants of that County marched together with the Norman Garison of Hereford Castle but Prince Griffyn meeting with them killed a great many and putting the rest to flight carried away a great deal of Booty This year Earl Godwin deceased 17 th Kal. of May and was buried in the Old Monastery of Winchester Of the manner of whose Death though our Annals are silent yet I shall here set down what I find concerning it by almost all our Historians and it is thus That King Edward celebrating the Feast of Easter at Winchester or at Windsor as some will have it Earl Godwin as his Custom was sitting at Table with him was suddenly seized with so violent a Distemper that it struck him speechless and made him fall off from the Chair on which he sate and his Three Sons Harold Tosti and Gyrth being present they immediately removed him into the King's Chamber hoping it was but a sudden Fit and would be speedily over but he lay in that languishing condition four days and died on the fifth This is the account of his Death to which the Norman Monks and such as write in favour of them add other Circumstances which shew either his Guilt or their Malice since they relate That mention being made by somebody at the King's Table of Alfred his late Brother he thereupon looked very angrily at Earl Godwin when he to vindicate himself told King Edward He perceived that upon the least mentioning of that Prince he cast a frowning Countenance upon him But saith he let not God suffer me to swallow this Morsel if I am guilty of any thing done either toward the taking away his Life or against your Interest After which words being presently choaked with the Bit he had just before put into his Mouth he sunk immediately down and never recovered more But let the manner of his death be as it will he was a Man of an Active and Turbulent Spirit not over-nicely conscientious either in getting or keeping what he could not to be excused for his too much forcing his Sovereign to whatever he listed But had he not been so great a Lover of his Countrey and an Enemy to Strangers those that wrote in the Norman times and who durst not write any thing but
Victory being thus easily obtained the Prince and the Earl entred Hereford and having killed seven of the Chanons that defended the doors of the Church they burnt it together with the Monastery above-mention'd with all the Reliques of St. Aethelbert and the Rich Ornaments that were in it and so having slain divers of the Citizens and carried away great Numbers of them Prisoners they returned home laden with Booty But as soon as the King was acquainted with it he presently commanded an Army to be raised through all England which being mustered at Gloucester He appointed the Valiant Earl Harold to be Commander in chief who obeying the King's Orders immediately pursued Prince Griffyn and Earl Aelfgar and entring the Borders of Wales pitched his Camp beyond Straetdale as far as Snowdon but they who knew him to be a Brave and Warlike Commander not daring to engage him fled into South-Wales which Harold perceiving left there the greater part of his men with Orders to fight the Enemy if they could come at them and with the rest he returned to Hereford which he fortified by drawing a new Trench about it But whilst he was thus employed the two Captains on the contrary side thinking it best for them to make Peace sent Messengers to him and at last procuring a Meeting at a place called Byligeseage a firm Peace and Friendship was there concluded in pursuance whereof Earl Aelfgar sent his Ships to Chester till they could be paid off and he himself went up to the King from whom he received his former Earldom Henry Emperor of the Germans now died and Henry his Son succeeded him This is only mentioned in the Latin Copy of these Annals But the same year according to Simeon of Durham and R. Hoveden Leofgar who was lately ordained Bishop of Hereford in the room of Bishop Athelstan deceased being together with his Clerks and the Sheriff Agelnoth set upon by Griffyn Prince of Wales at a place called Glastbyrig and was there slain with all his followers after which Aldred Bishop of Worcester to whom the King had committed the Bishoprick of Hereford as also the Earls Leofric and Harold mediated a Peace between King Edward and the said Griffyn This year Edward Aetheling Son to King Edmund returned into this Kingdom together with his Children and shortly after deceased whose Body lies buried in St. Paul's Church at London Also Pope Victor now dying Stephanus Abbot of Mountcassin was consecrated in his stead But the Cottonian Copy of these Annals as also Florence of Worcester place the death of this Pope under the year preceding Earl Leofric also deceased and Aelfgar his Son received the Earldom which his Father enjoyed This is that Leofric Earl of Mercia who together with his Wife Godiva built the rich and stately Monastery of Coventry as hath been already related in which Church he was buried He died this year in a good Old Age whose Wisdom and Counsel was often profitable to England This year Pope Stephanus deceased and Benedict was consecrated in his stead This Pope sent the Pall to Archbishop Stigand Upon whom William of Malmesbury is here very sharp saying That Stigand was so intolerably Covetous that he held both the Bishoprick of Winchester and that of Canterbury at the same time but could never obtain the Pall from the Apostolick See until this Benedict an Intruder as he calls him sent it to him either as first being brib'd by Money or else because as is observed evil men love to favour one another The same year also according to the Annals deceased Heacca Bishop of the South-Saxons i. e. of Chichester and Archbishop Stigand consecrated Aegelric a Monk of Christ-Church Bishop of that See as also Syward the Abbot Bishop of Rochester Also this year according to Simeon of Durham and Florence of Worcester Earl Aelfgar was the second time banished by King Edward but by the help of Griffyn Prince of Wales and of a Norwegian Fleet which came to his assistance he was soon restored to his Earldom again though it was by force In so deplorable a condition was this poor King Edward that those of his Nobility who were strong enough to make any Resistance were sure to be pardoned The same year also according to the above-mentioned Authors Aldred Bishop of Worcester having newly rebuilt the Church of St. Peter in Gloucester went on Pilgrimage through Hungary to Jerusalem as says Simeon of Durham which no English Archbishop or Bishop was ever known to have done before This year Nicholaus Bishop of Florence was made Pope and Benedict was expell'd who was Pope before him Kynsige Archbishop of York deceased the xi Kal. Jan. and Bishop Ealdred succeeded in that See This was that Aldred Bishop of Worcester who had been lately at Rome Also Walter was now made Bishop of Hereford And in the Latin Copy of the Annals it is related That Henry King of France now dying Philip his Son succeeded him This year also deceased Duduc Bishop of Somersetshire i. e. Wells and Gisa was his Successor The same year also deceased Bishop Godwin at St. Martins vii Id. Martii Also Wulfrick Abbot of St. Augustine's in Canterbury deceased in the Easter Week xiv Kal. Maii. Which News being brought to the King he appointed Aethelsige a Monk of the old Church at Winchester to be Abbot who was consecrated by Archbishop Stigand at Windlesore i. e. Windsor at the Feast of St. Augustine And this year according to Simeon of Durham Aldred Archbishop of York went with Earl Tostige to Rome and there received his Pall from Pope Nicholaus But in the mean time Malcolm King of Scots entred Northumberland and depopulated the Earldom of Tostige formerly his sworn Brother This year according to the Latin Copy of our Annals the City of Man was taken by William Duke of Normandy Also about this time Earl Harold afterwards King of England founded the Abby of the Holy Cross at Waltham in Essex so called from a certain Crucifix said to be found by a Vision to a Carpenter at a place called Montacute which Crucifix being brought to Waltham and many Miraculous Stories told there of it one Tovi the Stallere or Chief Standard-Bearer to King Cnute built here a Church for two Priests to keep it which place coming into the hands of Earl Harold he built this Church anew together with a Noble Monastery for a Dean and Twelve Secular Chanons which in the time of Henry the Second were turned to Chanons Regular This Abby being richly endow'd the Foundation was confirmed by King Edward as may be seen by his Charter bearing date Anno 1062. All which appears from an Ancient Manuscript History of the Foundation of this Abby now in the Cottonian Library This year according to our Annals Earl Harold and Earl Tostige his Brother marched with a great Army both by Land and Sea into Brytland i. e. Wales and subdued that Countrey
a Saint yet they give him the Title of Confessor which had been in the Primitive Times bestowed only on those who suffered for Christ though not unto death but how he could claim that Title upon this Account I know not unless his resisting the ordinary motions of the Flesh may be looked upon as such a kind of suffering having been as is already related so chaste that he never knew his own Wife though a very Beautiful Lady for which as well as his other Virtues and particularly his Charity to the Poor he is commonly stiled St. Edward the Confessor But he was indeed but a Weak and Easy Prince and so the more liable to be drawn away by the false suggestions of those about him as may be observed in his severe proceedings against his Mother and his Wife though that very Weakness and Easiness of Nature is in him reckoned for a Virtue as you may see by this Story which is related by Abbot Ailred viz. That this King Edward being one Afternoon laid down upon his Bed to repose himself and no body left in the Chamber with him and the Curtains close drawn round about him there came in by chance a Boy that was employed in the meaner Offices of the House who seeing no body in the room and finding there a certain Chest open in which the Chamberlain kept the Money for the King 's ordinary Expences and which had been through negligence forgot to be lock'd the Boy ran hastily to it and filling his Pockets went away with the Money But the King perceiving him through the Curtains said nothing but let him go The Boy finding he had sped so well resolved to go again to make the best of his time and having laid by the Money he had stolen came again to fetch more whereupon the King thinking him then a little too bold called out to him saying Sirrah you had best be contented with what you have got for if Hugolin come for so was the Chamberlain call'd he will not only whip you soundly but likewise take away all you have purloined already The Boy hearing a Voice but seeing no body ran away in a great fright and the King concerned himself no further about it but Hugolin coming in not long after and finding both the Chest open and a good deal of Money taken out of it was in a great Passion which the King taking notice of bid him rest contented For said he the Poor Rogue that hath it wants it more than we do So that upon the whole I think we may safely rely upon William of Malmesbury's Character of this Prince That if you consider his Simplicity he seemed very unfit for Government yet by reason of his Virtue and Piety towards God he was so directed by him that the most Politick and Couragious Kings have scarce ruled more happily For during his Reign the Kingdom was never iâ—vaded by Foreign Enemies nor were there any Civil Disturbances but what were immediately suppressed But though the Abbot of Rievalle who hath wrote his Life hath also given us a long Bed-roll of his Miracles which I shall not take upon me to relate yet cannot but take notice of one or two of them how it is said that he cured some blind People by only washing their Eyes with fair Water in which his own Fingers had been first dipped and that he also healed a Woman who had been grievously over-run with those Swellings we now call the King 's Evil by his bare washing the Sores with his own hands and from whose Blessing or Example I will not dispute the Touch of our Kings of England have ever since been thought very effectual for curing the King's-Evil But among these Miracles this seems not the least That this Author makes him to have been Elected King by his Father's Command and that in a Great Council whilst he was yet in his Mother's Belly As for his private Recreations he loved Hawking and Hunting above all the rest and would be in a Passion if he had been crossed in his Game For a Countrey Clown once spoiling his Sport the King riding up to him as if he would have beat him only said By God's-Mother I would be even with you if I could He is said not to be excessive at his private Meals nor at solemn Festivals was he at all elated with the Costly Robes he wore which his Queen curiously embroidered for him with Silk and Gold And being thus Mild Charitable and Beneficent to all his People it was no wonder if his Death was so deeply lamented by all his Subjects But this they grant to be his Fault that he brought too many Normans over with him into England and they having great Offices and Preferments bestow'd upon them soon corrupted the then English Simplicity by their Norman Customs So that as Ingulph well observes the English Nobility growing as it were ashamed of their own began to imitate the French Manners the generality of the Noblemen speaking the French Tongue in their Houses as being then most modish and made their Charters and other Writings after the French way and this humour still more and more prevailed till at length they became as it were Slaves and Vassals to those they before so extremely admired So true a Maxim is it generally speaking that where a Foreign Tongue prevails it is reckoned half a Conquest As for this King's Person he is described to be Tall and Comely of a very Fair and Ruddy Complexion and in his latter years Venerable for his long and white Beard as you may see in his Seals and Pictures And which is most remarkable he was the first English King whose Seals we can find affixed to his Charters as you may see in Mr. Speed Yet perhaps other Kings might have Seals to their Charters before him however they are now defaced But though this King made many excellent Laws which being wrote in the Saxon Tongue are now almost quite lost yet since some Heads or Extracts of them are to be found in R. Hoveden and Mr. Lambard's Collections I shall give you such of them as are necessary for the clearing of our Ancient Constitution and for shewing what liberty the English Subjects enjoyed before the Conquest which Laws were also confirmed by King William the First in the Fourth Year of his Reign but they not specifying any time when they were made I have referr'd them to this place The first of these Laws establishes the Goods and Possessions of all Clerks and Scholars The second appoints the times and days of the King's Peace making it more Penal to violate it from the Advent of our Lord to the Octaves of the Epiphany and in like manner from Lent to the Octaves of Easter i. e. eight days after that Feast and from our Lord's Ascension to the Octaves of Pentacost and also on all Saturdays from Nine a Clock to the Monday morning following likewise on the Vigils of all Holidays as
him so kept seal'd up for a year and a day within which time if the Murtherer was found out upon his being delivered to the King's Justice they were to be repaid but in case within that time he could not be discovered then were the Kindred of the Murthered Party to have six of the said Marks and the King the other forty if he had no Kindred his Lord was to receive it and if he had no Lord then his sworn Friend and Companion but if there were none of these then the King should have the whole Sum to himself The sixteenth Article shews us how this way of discovering Murther and punishing the Hundred came to be in use where the Murtherer could not be found viz. That King Cnute when he had gotten England and settled it in Peace and at the request of the English Barons had sent back his Army into Denmark those Barons became Sureties that all the Danes that staid behind with him should in all things enjoy perfect Peace so that in case an Englishman kill'd any of them if he could not clear himself by the Judgment of God that is by Water or Iron meaning the Ordeal Justice was to be executed upon him and in case he ran away Payment was to be made as is aforesaid This Law to prevent the killing of the Normans was likewise continued by King William the Conqueror for in case a man were found slain he was to be taken for a Norman and his Death to be more grievously punished than that of an Englishman unless the Englescherie of him that was killed could be made out before the King's Justices that is that he was an Englishman as Bracton hath particularly shewn us But I shall reserve the speaking further of this Law to the next Volume The seventeenth declares the Office of a King in these words The King who is the Vicegerent of the Supreme King is appointed to this very end That he may Govern and Defend his Earthly Kingdom and the People of the Lord and above all things should reverence his Holy Church and extirpate evil doers out of it which unless he shall do not so much as the Name of a King shall remain to him but he shall utterly lose it as Pope John witnesses Then follows the occasion of this opinion of Pope John's viz. His having given it in answer to the Letter which Pepin and Charles his Son wrote concerning a foolish King of France whether they should still continue him on the Throne or not which being no material part of the Law I omit And then there is somewhat concerning Barons which have Courts and Customs of their own in these words The Archbishops Bishops Earls Barons and all those who have Sac Soc Thol Team and Infangâ—heof shall have their Knights Servants and all other sorts of Dependants under their Friburg that is should either have them forth coming or else should answer for them that if they shall forfeit to any one and a Complaint be made by the Neighbours against them they must bring them forth to have Justice done them in their own Court The eighteenth nineteenth twentieth and one and twentieth are explanations of the Saxon terms in the above-mentioned Law which being explained already in the Introduction I thither refer you The two and twentieth declares all Jews that were in the Kingdom to be under the Protection of the King so that none of them could put himself in the service of any great man without the King's leave for that the Jews and all that are there are the King 's By the three and twentieth King Edward forbad all Usurers to continue in his Kingdom and if any one were convicted that he exacted Usury he should forfeit his Goods and be looked upon as out-law'd After which follows in Mr. Lambard's Copy another Law declaring the King's Power by Virtue of his Royal Dignity to pardon Life and loss of Member but with this Proviso That the Male-factor make satisfaction to such as he hath injured according to his power and besides find Sureties for his good Behaviour which if he did not he was to be banished From whence you may observe That this Prerogative of pardoning in the King was not to extend to the prejudice of the Party injured or his Kindred to whom an Appeal was hereby reserved Concerning which The nineteenth in like manner declares his Royal Prerogative to be such that the King may set at liberty any Captive or Prisoner whenever he comes in any City Borough Castle c. or if he meet him in the way by his mere Word or Command Yet was he that was thus set at liberty bound to make satisfaction to the injured Party But a Murtherer Traytor or one guilty of such like Crimes altho the King should pardon him as to Life and Member according to Law he shall in no wise stay in the Countrey but shall swear that he will depart to the Sea-coast within a stated time set him by the Justice and pass over as soon as he can get opportunity of a Ship and Wind and in case any such prove perjured and shall stay in the Land beyond the time any one that meets them may do Justice upon them i. e. take away their lives From whence you may observe the Antiquity of the Law for abjuring the Realm for such great Offences to which the King's Pardon did not then absolutely extend The rest of this Law which only recites the Penalties for the harbouring or favouring such Malefactors I omit The twenty seventh Article gives leave to harbour a Stranger or Foreigner whom in English they termed Couth or Vncouth that is known or unknown as a Guest for two nights in which space if he transgress he that harboured him shall not be answerable for him but if any one be injured and complaint is made that it was by the Counsel and Advice of him that lodged him he shall with two honest Neighbours by Oath purge himself as to the Advice and Fact or otherwise shall make satisfaction The reason whereof was because after the third night the Law then was such that this stranger was to be looked upon as one of the Family and the Master of it was to answer for him if he transgressed The twenty eighth appoints how Money or Cattel brought into a Town and said by him who brought them that they were found shall be disposed of and who shall have the Custody of them The thirtieth enjoins That those who have the King's Peace either by his Hand or Letters shall take care not to injure others under a double Penalty The thirty first declares the particular Mulcts or Penalties of those who shall violate the King's Peace above-mentioned and especially that of the eight days of his Coronation or of any of the Feasts aforesaid and who should have the Forfeitures arising from thence how much the King and how much the Earl and how much the Dean or the Bishop in whose
a Boat under the Bridge wounded him to death in the lower parts through a hole that it seems he found there But King Harold returning to York had no long time to enjoy his Victory for immediately after the News being brought him that Duke William was landed at Pevensey near Hastings upon Michaelmas day he made all the haste he could to march towards him leaving the Earls Edwin and Morchar behind him with great part of the Forces But since our Annals are very short in the relation of all these Affairs between the Duke and King Harold I shall give you a larger account of it from William of Malmesbury and other Authors who tell us That Duke William with all his Nobility being met in August at St. Walleries a Port-Town in Normandy lay there a long while waiting for a Wind but that continuing contrary for several days the Soldiers at last began thus to murmur in their Camp as it is ordinary for such men when they lye long still and have nothing to do saying among themselves That the man was mad who would go to take away another man's Territories against God's Will which it was plain this was since he had now so long withheld the Wind. This being spread abroad one would have thought it had been enough to have discouraged any one less valiant than the Duke who thereupon consulting with his Chief Officers what was best to be done the wisest of them advised him to bring forth the Body of St. Wallerie to try if by that means they could obtain a fair Wind however perhaps it might put some stop to his Soldiers Discontents What effect the Saint's Body wrought I cannot tell but so much is certain that not long after a fresh Gale offering the Duke immediately set sail for England and his Ship being first got out to Sea casting Anchor lay there till the rest of his Fleet could come up to him who all following the King's Ship which then rid Admiral they in the Afternoon with an easy and gentle Breeze reached Hastings near which the Duke going on Shore his foot by accident slipping he fell down which a Soldier standing by immediately turned into a good Omen saying Sir you have only taken Seisin of that Land of which you will shortly be King As soon as ever his Army had landed he strictly charged them to commit no Outrages nor plunder saying They ought to spare those things which would shortly be their own So the Duke lying still for fifteen days and having strongly fortified his Camp with certain Palisadoes which he had brought over along with him seemed to mind nothing less than War But King Harold precipitated by his own bad Fortune marched against the Duke with but part of his Forces for besides those that had been killed in the late Engagement a great many of his best Soldiers had already deserted him being discontented that they had been denied their share of the Norwegian Plunder yet those Forces which still remained with him he thought sufficient because he heard the Duke was landed but with a small Army so that notwithstanding the strongest and most valiant of his Army were either slain in the late Battel with the Norwegians or else gone from him he yet resolved to fight King Harold being now arrived near Hastings pitched his Camp upon a Hill about Nine Miles from that place and immediately sent out Spies to give him what Account they could of the Number and Forces of the Enemy some of whom being taken within Duke William's Camp though he might have executed them by the Laws of War yet he only commanded them to be led round about it and then having well fed them he ordered them to be sent back to their Lord and being returned King Harold asked them What news they could tell him They hereupon having set forth the generous Behaviour of the Enemies General seriously added That all their Army seemed to be Priests because they had all their Faces with both their Lips close shaven for the English then wore long Beards But the King laughing at their simplicity said He too well knew those they had seen were no Priests but brave Soldiers then Gyrth his youngest Brother being a very young man but of an Understanding and Courage far above his years taking the words out of the King's mouth said thus Sir if you can so far allow the Valour of the Norman Duke I think it is then indiscreet for you to enter the Field against him lest you should be found inferior to him either in Strength or Justice of your Cause for you can no ways deny but that voluntarily or involuntarily you have sworn to him Therefore in my opinion you would do more prudently to withdraw your self from the present Danger and leave to us the Decision of the Day who being free from all Oaths and Promises can with a safe Conscience draw our Swords in defence of our Countrey for it is to be feared that if you your self should engage either your Death or more shameful Flight may ensue whereas if we alone engage with him your Cause will be every where safe for you may either assist us if we should be put to fly or else bury us if we should happen to be slain But the King 's immoderate Pride and Rashness made him deaf to the wholesome Advice of his Brother and he thought it Inglorious and a Dishonour to his past Life to seem afraid of any Danger Therefore being push'd on by his unlucky Fate he hastily sent away the Monk that was newly before come from Duke William to him with these Proposals viz. That either he should quit the Throne or hold it and reign under him or else try the Justice of his Cause by their two single Swords in the sight of both Armies or in case Harold should refuse all these that he was ready to submit it to the Judgment of the Apostolick See I say he hastily sent him away with only this short Answer That he would leave it to God to determine the matter between them So that the Monk being returned with this Answer it added fresh Courage to the Normans whereupon the Generals on both sides immediately drew up their Armies in order to a Battel each according to his Countrey fashion The English had spent the night in drinking and roaring and being thus heated marched early out the next morning against the Enemy The Pikes and Bill-men mingled with a strong Detachment of Targetiers made up the Front and Main Body of the English Army and by their close Order render'd it so impenetrable that nothing but their being outwitted by the Norman Duke could ever have broke it as you will see by and by But King Harold together with his Brethren being all on foot placed themselves near the Royal Standard that by thus being all of them in equal danger with the meanest Soldier no man should so much as think of Flight Whilst in the
forced to retire beyond 〈…〉 her Brother of Normandy for safety Id. p. 38. Aelgiva a Hampshire Lady Daughter of Aelfhelm the Ealdorman one of Cnute's Wives bore him Harold whom before his death his Father appointed to be King of England after him l. 6. â— 56. But the Story seems a littlâ— improbable for it is said she was barren and therefore â—â—etenâ—ing a Big-Belly imposed on the credulous King a Supposititious Birth viz. the Son of a Shoemaker then newly born Id. p. 61. In the English-Saxon is the same with Emma in the Norman-French Dialect the Widow of King Cnute who was banished England by King Harold Id. p. 64. Aella with his three Sons slew a great many of the Britains and possessed themselves of all the Sea-Coast of Sussex l. 3. p. 132. He and Ciffa receiving fresh Supplies besieged Anâ—redesceaster and â—ook it by force and put all the Britains to the Sword Ibid. His Death Id. p. 136. Is said to be the first that ruled all over Britain l. 5. p. 254. Aella King of Deira l. 3. p. 147. A general Name given to the Kings of Deira l. 4. p. 152. His Death l. 3. p. 148. Aella a Tyrant and Usurper made King of that Countrey by the Northumbers who had expelled Osbryht newly before who was their lawful King l. 5. p. 267. Aelmer an Archdeacon betrays Canterbury to the Danes l. 6. p. 35 36. Aemilianus Emperor of Rome but three Months l. 2. p. 81. Aeneon Vid. Eneon Aescasdune now called Aston near Wallingford l. 4. p. 182 188. l. 5. p. 275. Aescwin reigns over the West-Saxons is supposed to be the next of the Royal Line l. 4. p. 194. Son of Cenwulf the Battel he fought and with whom His Death Id. 195 198. Aescwin Bishop of the East-Saxons his Death and who succeeded him l. 4. p. 196. Aesk also called Oisk and Osric Hengest's Son began his Reign when and how long he continued it l. 3. p. 132. His Death Id. p. 136. Aestel the signification of it uncertain l. 5. p. 304. Aethelbald King of the Mercians held it forty years l. 4. p. 217. His Pedigree Ibid. Took Somerton and was that great and powerful King as not to be ashamed of committing Uncleanness even with Consecrated Nuns Id. p. 221 222. Made all the rest of the Provinces of England and their Kings subject to him as far as the Humber l. 4. p. 222. Wasted the Countrey of Northumberland and carried away with him great Spoil Id. p. 223. His War with Cuthred King of the West-Saxons and the various success of it Id. p. 224 226. Slain at Seccandune in Warwickshire and buried in Ripendune Abbey which he himself had founded Id. p. 227. Aethelbald Son of Ethelwulf King of the West-Saxons and his Father made a greater slaughter of the Danes than ever was done before l. 5. p. 261. Forms a most wicked Conspiracy in the West of England against his Father upon the account of his new Wife and so gets the Kingdom divided betwixt his Father and him which before was united l. 5. p. 263 264. Vid. Ethelbald Aethelbryght Vid. Ethelbert Aethelburga returns by Sea into Kent with Paulinus the Archbishop and is received with great Honour by King Eadbald and Archbishop Honorius l. 4. p. 176. Destroys the Castle of Taunton-Dean in Somersetshire and for what reason Id. p. 218. Aethelfleda King Alfred's Eldest Daughter married to Eadred or Ethelred King of the Mercians l. 5. p. 311. Vid. Ethelfleda Aethelgiva Vid. Algiva Aethelheard the Bishop dies at York l. 4. p. 232. Vid. Ethelheard Aethelred Vid. Ethelred Aethelswithe Queen Sister to King Alfred and Widow of Burhred King of Mercia dies in her Journey to Rome l. 5. p. 298. Aethelwald Edward the Elder 's Cousin-German rebels against him and going over to the Danish Army they joyfully received him for their King He takes a Nun out of the Monastery of Winburn and marries her but going over to France to raise new Recruits King Edward seizes her and brings her back again l. 5. p. 312. Returns from France and with a mighty Army coming into Kent gets much Plunder there and then ravages over other Countries but at last is killed in fight Id. p. 313. Aethelwald Abbot received the Bishoprick of Winchester and is consecrated His many good Works and what Monasteries he repaired and built l. 6. p. 4 21. Was Father of the Monks His Decease Id. p. 21. Aethelwulf Vid. Ethelwulf Aetius somewhat recovered the Credit of the Roman Empire in Gaul l. 2. p. 106. Received doleful Latters from the Britains imploring Assistance l. 3. p. 115. Expecting a War with Attila King of the Huns Ibid. Agatha the Queen of Hungary's Sister is married to Prince Edward Son to Edmund Ironside l. 6. p. 49. Agatho the Pope his Bull to the Abbey of Medeshamstead supposed to be forgâ—d long after by the Monks of Peterburgh l. 4. p. 200. Agelbert Bishop of Kent but turned out and wherefore l. 4. p. 181 182. Left King Cenwalch and took the Bishoprick of Paris l. 4. p. 182 188. Vid. Aegelbyerth Agricola sent into Britain in Vespasian the Emperor's time as his Lieutenant Almost cut 's off the whole Nation of the Ordovices Going with his men to subdue Mona the Island sues for Peace and delivers â—t self up to him Increases his Fame by his Successes and Moderation l. 2. p. 55. His wise Conduct both in his own Family and in Britain Id. p. 56. Brought here in fashion the Roman Language Garb and Gown No Castle of his ever taken by force Rewarded with Triumphal Ornaments His farther Conquests Places Garisons in that part of Britain that lay over-against Ireland Id. p. 57. Carries on the War both by Sea and Land and overcomes the Caledonians Id. p. 58 59. Which is confessed to be more owing to his own Conduct than the Courage of the Roman Soldiers Id. p. 59. His Speech to his Soldiers and after what manner he ordered the Battel against Galgacus Id. p. 61. Overthrows and puts the Britains to flight His Ruin secretly designed by his Prince Id. p. 62 63. How at his Return he is received at Rome Accused to Domitian but acquitted Oftâ—n near his Ruin as well by his own Virtues as by the Vices of others The Proconsulship of Africa seemingly offered to him void by the Death of Civica Id. p. 64. His Death whether by Poyson or otherwise uncertain He carried the Roman Eagles to the utmost Bounds of Britain Id. p. 65. He was the Son of Severian a Pelagian Bishop Id. p. 107. Agrippina presiding over the Roman Ensigns l. 2. p. 44. Aidan a Scotch Bishop desires Edwin to remember his Vision and Promise and become a Christian l. 4. p. 173. Is sent to Oswald to ground his Subjects in the Christian Faith from the Monâ—stery of the Isle of Hye Id. 177 178. His Character being an excellent Pattern for succeeding Bishops and Clâ—rgymen to follow Id. p. 178. His Death Id. p. 182 183.
Bondman he that is cast by the Ordeal to be branded with a hot Iron for the first Offence and for the second to be put to death l. 6. p. 42. Bonosus a matchless Drinker made himself as Emperor for a time but being vanquished by the Emperor Probus he hanged himself He was by Descent a Britain l. 2. p. 82. Bosa Bishop of Dunmoc now Dunwich in Suffolk deprived by reason of his great Infirmities l. 4. p. 193. Governed the Province of Deira having his Episcopal See at the City of York l. 4. p. 197. Bosenham that is Bosham in Sussex where Sweyne made a League with Edward the Confessor l. 6. p. 74. Boston in Lincolnshire supposed anciently to be called Icanho l. 4. p. 185. Bottulf when he began to build a Monastery at Icanho Id. Ib. Bounds The old ones continued in the year 395. between the Picts and the Britains l. 2. p. 100. Bracelets The Oath the Danes took to King Alfred upon a Sacred Bracelet they had which Oath they would never take to any Nation before immediately to depart the Kingdom l. 5. p. 278. Of Gold if hung up at the parting of several Highways in Alfred's time none would dare to touch them Justice was so strictly observed Id. p. 291. Bradanford in Wiltshire now Bradford l. 4. p. 183. Brandanrelie supposed to be a little Island now called Shepholm in the mouth of Severn l. 5. p. 319. Breach of the Peace Alfred's Laws about it l. 5. p. 292 295 297. What he shall forfeit that sets upon a man in his own house l. 5. p. 347. The Punishment of this Offence in several Instances l. 6. p. 43. Brecklesey-Island whither the Danes fled when they were beaten by King Alfred l. 5. p. 300. Brecknock-Castle supposed by Brecenanmere which Aethelfleda took with her Army l. 5. p. 319. In Wales destroyed by Earl Alfred who joined with Howel the Son of Edwal l. 6. p. 21. Bregowin consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury but enjoyed that See not long for his Death happen'd about three years after l. 4. p. 228. Brennus and Belinus divided the Kingdom between them and what happen'd afterwards l. 1. p. 12 13. Brigantes supposed to be the Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lancashire and the other Northern Countries l. 2. p. 42. Their State attack'd by Petilius Caerialis most of which he conquered Id. p. 54. Under the Conduct of a Woman had almost quite destroy'd the Romans Id. p. 60. Breaking in upon Genoani or North-Wales were driven back by Lollius Urbicus Id. p. 68. No mention of them beyond the River Tweed Id. p. 91. Brige now Bruges in Flanders where Earcongota the Daughter of Earcombert a Virgin of great Piety went to be a Nun in a Monastery built there by a Noble Abbess there being at that time not many Monasteries in Britain l. 4. p. 180. Bridgenorth in Shropshire anciently Bricge and the Town is generally called by the common people Brigge at this day l. 5. p. 316. Brightnoth a Monk made Abbot of Elig Monastery where there had been Nuns before l. 6. p. 4. Brihtric when he began to reign over the West-Saxons when he died and where he was buried l. 4. p. 233 242. Married Eadburghe the Daughter of King Offa and for what reason of State Id. p. 235 243. A fuller Account of his Death and Character Id. p. 243. Brihtric accuses Wulfnoth to King Ethelred and pursuing him by Sea loses all his part of the Fleet and how l. 6. p. 33. Britain briefly described anciently called Albion and whence its Name l. 1. p. 1 2. First discovered by the Phoenicians known to the Greeks though Mr. Cambden seems to deny it Who the first Inhabitants l. 1. p. 2 3 4 6 7. Generally speaking no body came hither besides Merchants l. 2. p. 24. Was divided into many Petty States or Principalities in the Romans time and subject to divers Kings l. 1. p. 6. Id. p. 33 39. Invaded by the Emperor Claudius in the Reign of Togodumnus supposed to be the same with Guidar or Guinder Id. p. 38 39. During the Reigns of the succeeding Emperors to Domitian as far as the Friths of Dunbritton and Edinburgh it was entirely redated into the Form of a Roman Province Id. p. 65. Hadrian though he restrained the Limits yet by no means would part with this Province Id. p. 67. Is divided into two Governments by Severus the Emperor Id. p. 73. Continued a Roman Province in Opilius Macrinus his time and had its Propraetors Id. p. 80. The Occasion of Porphyrius the Philosopher's saying That Britain was a Soil fruitful of Tyrants Id. p. 81 91. The Province wholly recovered to the Roman Empire by Constantius and Asclepiodotus after it had been Ten Years in Rebellion Id. p. 84. Great store of good Workmen and excellent Builders in those times of Publick Disturbance Id. p. 85. The ancient Divisions of it alter'd by Constantine Id. p. 88. Reduced to the last Extremities in Valentinian's time Id. p. 92. The Northern Province of it being by Theodosius restored to its former condition he ordered it for the future to be called Valentia in honour of Valentinian the Emperor Id. p. 93. It s History very obscure and uncertain espâ—cially as to the times when things were done from the Death of Maximus to the coming in of the Saxons Id. p. 99. Ow'd its first Ruin to Maximus his carrying over so many Britains and Romans into Gaul Ibid. Bede ascribes the chief Causes of its Ruin to God's Vengeance on the Inhabitants for their great Wickedness and Corruption of Manners l. 3. p. 137. By what means she was brought to the Knowledge of Christ l. 4. p. 152. The present state of it when Bede wrote his History l. 4. p. 221. Though subdued to the Roman Empire yet they used their Victory with moderation making the conquer'd partakers both of their Laws and Civility l. 5. p. 246. Great Britain Edred was the first who stiled himself King of Great Britain in a Charter to the Abbey of Croyland l. 6. p. 351. Britains had no Notion of the Unalterable Right of Succession in the Eldest Brother over all the rest no not after they became Christians l. 1. p. 17. An Account of the Inhabitants their Religion Customs and Manner of living l. 2. p. 21 22 23. Would not suffer their Kings by becoming Tyrants to make their people Slaves l. 1. p. 18 l. 2. p. 22. Not much different in several respects from the naked Indians of some parts of America l. 2. p. 23. Hinder'd the Romans from landing though with much difficulty but being afterwards worsted by them they desired Peace which was granted and Hostages sent but they soon again take up Arms Id. p. 26 27 28. Treat of Peace but now a double number of Hostages being required only two Estates of all Britain sent them Id. p. 29. Their Engagement with Caesar and his Romans in his second Expedition Id. p. 33. Cassibelan is forced to make Peace with
of Land to one Wulfred By the Assistance of King Aethelwulf made North-Wales subject to him Marries Aethelwulf's Daughter with great Solemnity l. 5. p. 261 262. Is forced by the Danes to desert his Kingdom and pass the Seas to Rome where not long after he died and was buried at the English College in the Church of St. Mary Id. p. 277. Byrinus an Italian coming hither by his Preaching converts the West-Saxons and had a City in Oxfordshire conferred on him to fix his Episcopal See in l. 4. p. 179. Baptizes Cuthred at Dorchester being a Prince of the Blood-Royal Id. p. 180. Byrnstan consecrated Bishop of Winchester and how long he held it l. 5. p. 331. His Death and Burial at Winchester Id. p. 332 333. C CAdelh Prince of South-Wales is fallen upon by his Brother Anarawd who grievously spoils his Countries l. 5. p. 299. Second Son to Rodoric the Great and Father to Howel Dha his Decease Id. p. 315. Cadocus Abbot of Lancarvan in Glamorganshire His Life written by John of Tinmouth l. 3. p. 149. Cadwallader his supposed Journey to Rome l. 3. p. 145. The last King of the Britains His death l. 4. p. 190 191. Cadwallo King of the Britains an Account of his being routed and killed l. 4. p. 177. Cadwallo and Ceadwalla these two Names are confounded together by the British Historians Id. p. 204. Cadwallo supposed to be Edwal sirnamed Ywrch and for what reason Id. p. 205. Cadwallo succeeds his Father Cadwan in the Kingdom of Britain Id. p. 171. Is overcome by Edwin and flies to Ireland but returning afterwards he beats Penda and they joining together fight Edwin and slay him and rout his whole Army He is in Profession a Christian but in his Actions shews himself worse than a Pagan Id. p. 176. Cuts off Osric on a sudden and all his Army and basely kills Eanfrid Id. p. 177. Cadwan Prince of North-Wales is chose King of all the Britains l. 3. p. 149. Caedmon the English-Saxon Poet what he wrote and what he printed l. 4. p. 199. Caerialis Petilius sent hither as soon as Vespatian was acknowledged in Britain as his Lieutenant He had inured Agricola to Labours and Dangers l. 2. p. 54. Caer-Leon upon Usk in South-Wales an Archiepiscopal See l. 3. p. 149. Caesar's landing in Britain in the Reign of Cassibelan a small Inland Prince l. 1. p. 19. l. 2. p. 33. His Account of the Inhabitants their Religion and Manner of living l. 2. p. 21. The Pretences he made for his Expedition hither l. 2. p. 24. But first he sends Ca. Volusenus to make his Observations of the Countrey and then upon on his Arrival Ambassadors come to him from divers Princes and States of this Island promising Obedience to the Roman Empire Id. p. 25. He had no great cause to boast of his first Expedition and why l. 2. p. 29. Most of his Horse were cast away in a violent Storm therefore goes into Italy resolving to make another Descent upon them and orders new Ships to be built and directs after what Model whereupon six hundred such were built besides eight and twenty Gallies Id. p. 30. Setting sail again for Britain and landing he fought and conquered the next day he had news That by a great Tempest rising that night forty of his Ships had fallen foul upon one another and were lost and the rest much shatter'd Id. p. 31 32. His care about the remainder and directions for others to be built His Engagements with the Britains and their various successes Id. p. 32 33 34. His description of a British Town Id. p. 35. Makes Cassibelan submit and give Hostages to him and then goes over to the Continent and at his Return to Rome he offers to Venus a Breast-plate covered with British Pearl Id. Ib. Calais never used for a Port until Philip Earl of Buloigne built and walled the Town l. 2. p. 31. Calcuithe the troublesome Synod there where Archbishop Janbryht lost part of his Province to the See of Litchfield l. 4. p. 233 235. The Nicene Creed and the Seven first General Councils received and confirmed in it and many Canons made concerning Matters of Religion and Ecclesiastical Discipline Id. p. 233. There were two distinct Sessions of it Id. p. 234. It was supposed to be held in the Kingdom of Mercia Ibid. A Synod held there under Wilfrid Archbishop of Canterbury and Kenwulf King of the Mercians l. 5. p. 251. Caledonians make great Preparations for War in shew more than in reality against Agricola l. 2. p. 58. But they were miserably routed by his Forces Id. p. 59. Rodorick King of the Picts aids them but is slain by Marius Id. p. 66. Caligula Caius the Magnificent Letters he sent to Rome l. 2. p. 37. Marches his Army to the Belgick Shore and his foolish Bravado after he had put a little to Sea in a Galley and then returned to Land carrying the Shells that he and his Army had gathered on the shore to Rome and his Galleys and demands a Triumph but the Senate refused it and at last he was murthered Id. p. 38. Camalodunum now Maldon in Essex where Andraste supposed to have been the Goddess of Victory had a Temple l. 2. p. 24. On the Reverse of Kynobelin's Coin is CAM signifying Camalodunum which was his Royal Seat Id. p. 37 40. Taken by Claudius who obtaining a Victory over the Britains left them to the Government of Plautius Id. p. 40. Cambden's History in Latin commended highly by this Author l. 2. p. 20. Cambria Vid. Wales Cambridge anciently called Caer-grant and Grant-Chester l. 1. p. 14. Grantbridge l. 5. p. 272 322. l. 6. p. 34. Quatbridge l. 5. p. 302. And Grantecester l. 5. p. 318. Lay in the Kingdom of the East Angles and had no University or School there in the time of King Alfred l. 4. p. 179 180. The Antiquity of this University illustrated l. 5. p. 318. All their former Privileges confirmed by King Edward the Elder 's Charter to them for ever to endure by a perpetual Right Id. p. 317 318. Improbable that it should have continued an University during the Danish Wars under the Possession of Three Danish Kings but this Edward did restore the University Id. p. 318. Is burnt by the Danes with Oxford likewise and then all Studies ceased at both places till about 1133. from which time the Scholars have continued at both Universities l. 6. p. 34 35. Camelford in Cornwall anciently Gafulford where was a Battel fought between the Britains and Devonshire-men the latter getting the Victory l. 5. p. 253. Candida Casa Vid. Witerne Candidus a Presbyter whom the Pope sent to receive and dispose of the Church's Revenues in France l. 4. p. 153. Canterbury anciently called Caerkin by whom it was first pretended to be built l. 1. p. 10. And Cantwic l. 5. p. 259. The Metropolis of King Ethelbert's Kingdom appointed for the Residence of Augustine and his Monks l. 4. p. 153
5. p. 326 327. Eighth the Eighth an Island so called in the River Severne anciently known by the name of Olanege where a League was concluded between Edmund sirnamed Ironside and King Cnute l. 6. p. 47. Elbodius a Learned and Pious Bishop of North-Wales gets it decreed in a general Synod of the British Nation That Easter should be kept after the Romish Custom l. 4. p. 229. Archbishop of North-Wales that is of St. Asaph deceases but when uncertain l. 5. p. 249. Election of Kings Vid. Kings Eleutherius Bishop of Rome when chosen Pope The story of Lucius his sending to him to receive Christianity of suspicious credit l. 2. p. 69. His Letters to King Lucius the Contents of them discover their Imposture Id. p. 70. Elfeage succeeds Byrnstan in the Archbishoprick of Winchester l. 5. p. 333. Deceases at the Feast of St. Gregory Anno 951. Id. p. 350. Elfeage whose Sirname was Goodwin succeeds Athelwald in the Bishoprick of Winchester He was first Abbot of Bathe and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury at last was killed by the Danes l. 6. p. 21. Is sent to King Anlaff with Aethelward the Ealdorman and upon what occaslon Id. p. 25. When made and consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury Id. p. 31. Is taken Prisoner by the Danes and killed because they had not Three thousand Pounds in Silver for his Ransom he is buried in St. Paul's Minster Id. p. 36. His Reliques translated from London to Canterbury by Archbishop Ethelnoth Id. p. 53. Elfer Ealdorman of the Mercians drives the Monks out of the Monasteries and commands them to be spoiled l. 6. p. 15. His Death is reported by the Monks that he was eaten up with Lice Id. p. 21. Elfgar Cousin to King Edgar and Earl of Devonshire his Death l. 6. p. 4. The Son of Earl Leofric had the Earldom given him which Harold formerly enjoyed Id. p. 78. Is outlaw'd in a Great Council and convicted for being a Traytor to the King and whole Nation His going to Griffyn Prince of North-Wales and their burning Hereford City Id. p. 86 87. At length is restored to the Peace and to his former Earldom Id. p. 87. Upon the Decease of his Father Leofric he receives the Earldom of Mercia and is banished a second time but soon restored to his Earldom and by what Force Id. p. 88. Elfin Bishop of Winchester succeeds Odo in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury his trampling on the Tombstone of that Pious Prelate c. Going to Rome for his Pall upon the Alps is found frozen to death l. 6. p. 2. Elfleda or Egelfleda the Fair Daughter of Earl Eodmar or Ordmar by whom King Edgar had a Son called Edward the Martyr but whether this Lady was married to the King or not is uncertain l. 6. p. 6 12. Elfric Archbishop turns the Secular Chanons out of the Cathedral of Christ-Church in Canterbury and places Monks in their rooms l. 4. p. 167. Elfwald King of the East-Angles his Death l. 4. p. 225. Vid. Alfwald Elfwinna Daughter and Heir of Aethelfleda is deprived of the Dominion of the Mercians by King Edward the Elder upon Contracting her self in Marriage with Reginald King of the Danes and brought into West-Seax by him l. 3. p. 320. Elgiva Vid. Aelgiva Elidurus the Pious Resigns the Crown which the Kingdom had given him to Reinstate his Brother who had been Deposed l. 1. p. 14. After his Brother's Death he receives the Crown the Second time but is soon Deposed by the Ambition of his Brethren who Seized and Confined his Person to the Tower of London for several years whilst they divided the Kingdom betwixt them but they dying he Resumes the Crown the Third Time and Governs for Four years to the general satisfaction of all Id. p. 15. Ellendune supposed to be Wilton near Salisbury where a Battel was Fought between Egbert King of the West-Saxons and Beornwulf King of the Mercians l. 5. p. 253. Ellwye in North-Wales a Bishoprick now known by the Name of St. Asaph l. 3. p. 149. Elutherius a Priest comes from France to King Cenwalc and is Ordained Bishop of the West-Saxons that is Winchester by Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury l. 4. p. 182 192. His Death and Succession Id. p. 193. Ely-Monastery Founded by Etheldrethe late Wife to King Egfrid in which she became the first Abbess l. 4. p. 193. Is destroyed by the Danes and when and afterwards Re-edified by King Edgar Ibid. Emma said to be King Ethelred's only Wife had Edward and Alfred by him l. 6. p. 45. Is Married afterwards to King Cnute and how she is Censured for it Id. p. 51. Her Son Hardecnute his Father before his Death appointed to be King of Denmark Id. p. 56. Decreed in a Great Council that she should reside at Winchester with the Domesticks of the late King her Husband and possess all West-Saxony She is also called Elgiva Id. p. 61. Her Decease and Character is accused of having been too Familiar with Bishop Alwyn for which she undergoes the Ordeal Id. p. 79. Emperor the First Emperors that were not Romans were Trajan and Hadrian who were both Spaniards l. 2. p. 67. Eneon the Son of Owen Prince of South-Wales subdues all the Countrey of Gwin or Gwyr in North-Wales l 6. p. 6. Destroys it again the second time Id. p. 16. The greatest part of Earl Alfred's Army is slain by him and his Forces and the rest put to flight But the Year after the Gentlemen of Guentland in South-Wales cruelly slay him His Character Id. p. 21. England Old England seated between the Saxons and the Jutes having for its Capital City that which is called in the Saxon Tongue Sleswic but by the Danes Heathaby l. 3. p. 118. When the Nation came under this General Name l. 5. p. 246 247 255. Never had any long respite from Invasions by the Danes c. from King Egbert's time to the beginning of the Reign of William the First l. 5. p. 247. Wasted for many years by the Danes Norwegians Goths Sweeds and Vandals Id. p. 255. Is divided first into Counties and those inâ—o Hundreds and Tythings by King Alfred Id. p. 291. Englisherie what and the Law made concerning it in Edward the Confessor's time l. 6. p. 101. English-men by the general Consent of the Clerus and Populus Assembled in the Great Council it is Enacted That those who before were called Jutes or Saxons should now be call'd by this Name l. 5. p. 255 292. English-Saxons their Character vid. Saxons In one year had fought eight or nine Battles against the Danes c. besides innumerable Skirmishes l. 5. p. 277. Entail of the Crown mentioned by Alfred in his last Will to have been made formerly in a General Council of the West-Saxon Nobility at Swinburne l. 5. p. 309. Of Lands also to be in force in his time Ibid. 310. Eoppa who he was and what his Pedigree l. 4. p. 217. Eoric a Danish King of the East-Angles killed in
or Incest l. 4. p. 233 234. Honour and Obedience to be rendered to them and none to speak evil of them The Punishment either for Conspiring the Death of Kings or actually Killing of them Id. p. 234. l. 6. p. 59. Chief Lords of any Countrey in Wales when called Kings l. 4. p. 241. The Supreme Dominion of One English King over all the rest no new thing in King Egbert's time l. 5. p. 254. At the Great Councils they used to appear in State with the Crown on their Heads Id. p. 261. A weak Prince by the assistance of Able and Faithful Councellors may Govern his Kingdom prudently and happily Id. p. 267. King of England was anciently called King of London Id. p. 279. Alfred's Law concerning the Death of the King Id. p. 292. In Athelstan's time the Mercians had not lost their Ancient Right of chusing their own Kings Id. p. 329. The King's House no shelter to him that sheds Blood l. 5. p. 347. How dangerous it was for Kings to provoke the Ruling part of the Priests and People Id. p. 354. Neither in Edgar's time nor long after the Conquest did any King Elect take the Title of King till after his Coronation l. 6. p. 8. To be blamed for trusting those who had before betrayed them Id. p. 30. Sworn to observe the good Laws of King Edward not that he only Ordained but obser-served them Id. p. 56. Provision for his Houshold how to be made not to Oppress the Subject Id. p. 59. No Subjâ—ct in their Hunting to meddle with the King's Game Id. p. 60. His Office how declared by Edward the Confessor's Law His power to pardon Life and loss of Member but with a Proviso Id. p. 102. Kingsbury a Council held there under Berthwulf King of the Mercians l. 5. p. 261. King's-Evil Edward the Confessor the first that Cured it by his bare washing the Sores with his own hands l. 6. p. 98. King's Houshold Vid. Provision Kingsige King Edward the Confessor's Chaplain succeeds Aelfric in the Archbishoprick of York l. 6. p. 79. His Deatâ— Id. p. 88. Knight's-Service in England in King Wightred's time l. 4. p. 211. Knute vid. Cnute Kynan vid. Conan Prince of South-Wales Kynobelin at Rome saluted by the Emperor a Friend of the Commonwealth l. 2. p. 36. Being King he caused Coins to be stamp'd after the Roman manner Ibid. Died not long before the Roman Invasion by Claudius Id. p. 38. L LAncaster anciently called Caer-Werith supposed to be built by Gurguint l. 1. p. 13. Lands-End the Point anciently called Penwithsteort l. 6. p. 26 82. Langoemagog that is the Giants Leap from a persons taking up the mighty Giant Gogmagog in his Arms and flinging him off from a Cliff in Cornwal into the Sea l. 1. p. 9. Lanthorns first Invented in England by King Alfred of Cow's-Horns cut into thin plates l. 5. p. 305. Lashlite a Fine or Mulct the English and Danes were to pay according to the value of their heads for the Violation of the Laws made between them l. 5. p. 284. Lawrence a Priest and Peter a Monk sent to the Pope to acquaint him that by Augustine and his Monks their Preaching the English had received the Christian Faith and to have his Opinion about certain Questions l. 4. p. 155 165. Consecrates the Old Church rebuilt by Augustine at Canterbury and succeeds him as Archbishop there Id. p. 157 166. Draganus refuses to Eat with him and why Id p. 166. What happened to him upon his going to desert his Flock in Britain Id. p. 169. His Death and Burial Id. p. 171. Laws called Mercevenlage from whence said to be derived l. 1. p. 13. What those were in King Ethelbert's Reign l. 4. p. 163. Ecclesiastical Laws made between King Alfred and Guthrune the Dane l. 5. p. 284 285. Every man to enjoy the benefit of the Law and to have equal Justice done him l. 6. p. 13 58. Three sorts of Laws in use in Brompton the Chronicler's time viz. Merchenlage West-Saxonlage and Danelage Id. p. 103. League or Agreement made between King Alfred and King Guthrune setting out the Territories of each of those Princes l. 5. p. 283 284. Between Edward the Elder and the Danes Inhabiting East-England and Northumberland l. 5. p. 314. Vide Peace Learning reduced to a very low ebb in King Alfred's time by reason of the Danish Wars l. 5. p. 304. Lease of Abbey-Lands made in a Great Council the first Example of it l. 4. p. 230. Lee a River anciently called Ligan which divides Middlesex and Essex l. 5. p. 301.316 Leeds in Yorkshire anciently called Loyden where the Battel was fought between Oswy King of Northumberland and Penda King of the Mercians l. 4. p. 185. Legancester that is West-Chester Vide Chester Legion Roman being sent over to Britain made a great Slaughter of their Enemies driving the rest out of the British Borders and so delivered the Inhabitants from being destroyed l. 2. p. 99 100. Legions a City now Caerleon upon Uske l. 2. p. 85. Westchester was anciently called by this Name l. 4. p. 164. Leicester anciently Caer-Leir by whom said to be first Built l. 1. p. 11. Tocca the first Bishop there which continued a Bishop's See for divers Ages l. 4. p. 223. Anciently called Ligceaster and when Repaired l. 5. p. 314. And Ligraceaster Id. p. 319. Leighton in Bedfordshire anciently called Ligtune l. 3. p. 145. l. 5. p. 319. Lent by the Authority of Earcombert Ordained to be observed which seems to have been the first observed in England by a Law l. 4. p. 180. Leo the Pope whom the Romans took and cut out his Tongue and put out his Eyes Deposing him but he was Restored to every thing he had lost Miraculously l. 4. p. 241. When he Died l. 5. p. 251. Leo Bishop of Treve sent by Pope John as his Nuntio to King Ethelred with Letters of Complaint against the Marquiss of Normandy l. 6. p. 24. Leof a notorious Thief Banished by King Edmund but be returned and at a great Entertainment of the King 's Stabs him so that he instantly died l. 5. p. 345. Leofgar Ordained Bishop of Hereford in the room of Bishop Athelstane together with his Clerks is Slain by Griffyn Prince of Wales l. 6. p. 87. Leofred a Dane his Ravages in Wales but at last is Beheaded by Athelstan's Order l. 5. p. 321. Leofric Earl of Mercia with his Lady Godiva Founders of the Monastery of Coventry and the Repairers of several others l. 6. p. 71 72. Comes to the Great Council at Glocester about Earl Godwin Id. p. 77. His Death and Burial in the Church of the Monastery of Coventry Id. p. 88. Leofric King Edward the Confessor's Chaplain succeeds Living Bishop of Devonshire that is of Exeter l. 6. p. 73. Is Enthroned there be walking to Church between the King and Queen Editha his Wife Id. p. 78. Leofwin the Abbot is unjustly Expelled from the Monastery of Elig goes