Oratorie to exercise a Monasticall life and departed the world about the yeare of Grace 110. But who were the very first teachers and at what time the Christian faith was first of all received there it is not certainely knowne howbeit it is likely as I have before remembred that in the expedition of Claudius the Emperour which was about the third yeare of his raigne and twelve yeares after the assention of our Saviour some Christians of Rome and schollers of the Apostles themselves by occasion of those warres and by reason of the entercourse of affaires betweene both Nations became first knowne to the Britans who in processe of time were drawne by the exhortations and examples of their teachers to imbrace the truth the vnblameable life of those religious men mooving sometimes even their Princes though yet vnbeleeving to protect and regard them as Lucius then began to doe Besides that the Roman Lievtenants also as well in Britannie as other Provinces did sometimes tolerate the exercise of Christian Religion as not altogether disliking it howsoever for worldly respects they forbare to shew themselves openly in favour of it But Lucius declared his inclination thereto after another manner For inwardly disliking the profane superstitions then vsed among the Romans and being informed of the great constancy vertue and patience of the Christians at Rome and other places in suffering persecution and Martyrdome for the faith of Christ whereby the number of Christians whom many men esteemed for the miracles which they wrought was contrary to common expectation daily increased that Pertinax and Treâ—ellius two worthy Senators of Rome had beene lately converted from Paganisme to Christianitie that Marcus Aurelius the Roman Emperour then raigning began to conceive a better opinion of them then himselfe and his predecessors had done and so much the rather by reason he had not long before obtained a famous victory against his enemies the prosperous event whereof he attributed to the prayers of the Christians at Rome Vpon these considerations Lucius determined to be instructed in the Religion which they professed and first of all he commanded Elvanus and Meduinus two learned men of the Brittish Nation to goe to Rome where Elutherius was then Bishop to require some meete persons to be sent into Britannie to instruct him and his people for which purpose Fugatius and Damianus were specially appointed by Elutherius with all speede to repaire thither where they afterwards not without some danger by tempest vpon the seas arrived and applied themselves both by doctrine and example to performe the charge committed vnto them the successe therein proving answerable to their endevors For the Prince and his familie was by them baptised some of the inhabitants that had formerly received the faith were confirmed therein and others that remained yet in their infidelitie were converted to Christianity CHAP. IIII. Lucius Sendeth to Rome for the Lawes of the Empire The The counsell of Elutherius Bishop of Rome touching same Idolatrie suppressed in Lucius his dominions and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction established there The first Archbishop of London BVt Lucius the Prince having received instructions from the Sea of Rome for the direction of himselfe and his people in the profession and exercise of Christian Religion was desirous also to order his temporall estate according to the Roman policie and to that end solicited Elutherius the Bishop to send vnto him the lawes of the Empire out of which he might collect and compose some certaine ordinances for the administration of civill Iustice whereupon Elutherius sent Letters to the Prince commending therein his former zealous disposition in embracing the Truth then exhorting him to reade with humilitie and reverence the holy Scripture the divine law which he had lately received in his dominions and out of that by Gods grace and advise of faithfull Counsellors to collect meet observations for the framing of lawes necessarie for the preservation of his estate which observations so collected and lawes so framed he did affirme to be much better then the Imperiall Constitutions of the Romans or any other whatsoever that to make lawes and execute Iustice was the proper office of a Prince who was vpon earth the Vicar of God himselfe and received from him that title and authoritie to the end he should vse the same to the good of the Catholike Church and of the people living vnder his obedience Hereupon Lucius began first of all to provide for establishment of that Religion whereof he was become at the selfe same time both a professor and practiser Then was the worshipping of Images forbidden The seates of the Arch-Flamins at London Yorke and Chester were changed into the Seas of three Arch-bishops in the same places and those of the Flamins into so many Bishoprikes whereby the Temples vowed by Idolatrous Priests to prophane gods were consecrated to the service of the onely true God His temporall estate also he adorned with good profitable lawes comformable to the rule of Christian Religion whereupon ensued the blessings of Plentie and Peace in his dayes It is reported that he was founder of a Church at Cornhill in London which he dedicated to Saint Peter placing therein one Thean an Arch-bishop to have a superintendence over the other Bishops within his principalitie and that the Metropolitan seat continued there in the succession of 13. Archbishops about the space of 400. years vntil the comming of Augustine the Monk who translated the Archbishoprike from London to Canterburie And now Christianitie being thus generally received among the Britans kept on her course vntainted and without opposition till the time of Dioclesian the Emperour who kindled the fire of that raging persecution the last and longest in the Primitive Church which consumed the lives of many Christian Martyrs as well in Britannie as other places But returning to the raigne of Lucius and considering the state of Britannie vnder his government we may justly admire the felicitie of those times ascribing to the Britans for their greatest glory that among all other nations they had the happinesse to see and enjoy the first Christian Prince CHAP. V. The Northern Britans breaking downe Adrians wall vpon the borders enter and annoy the Province Vlpius Marcellus being sent by Commodus the Emperor to take charge of the armie in Britannie beateth them backe The rare vertues of Vlpius Marcellus the Governor He is dimissed of his office THis was the state of the Church in Britannie when new troubles began to the disturbance of the Province For the Northern Britans making a breach in the wall which Adrian the Emperour had built and finding the borders but weakly garded entred the Province and surprising the Roman General killed many of his Souldiers then ranging the countries they wasted and spoyled everie where without resistance till Vlpius Marcellus being sent over by Commodus the Emperour stayed their furie and with great difficultie forced them to retire within the Wall By which meanes the Province being quieted he
first Bishop there in the Saxons time Iustus the first Bishop of Rochester Câ—ntention betweene the English and Brittish Cleargie about celebration of the feast of Easter WIth these and other such like instructions the Messengers were dispatched into Britannie where at their returne they presented to Austen the Pall the ornament of a Bishop which the Bishop of Rome had sent vnto him as a 〈◊〉 and confirmation of his Ecclesiastical dignitie and authority and also certaine Vessels and Vestments which were thought meete to be vsed for 〈◊〉 in the English Churches 〈…〉 with divers other godly leaâ—ned men were appoynted to accompanie the Messengers into the Iland to the end they might assist Austen and the Priests there in preaching the Gospel At that time the Bishop of Rome sent also certaine gifts of great value to Ethelbert the Prince and by speciall Letters commended his favourable vsage and princely bountie shewed in receyving and mainteining such persons as came into his Countrey to instruct himselfe and his Subiects in the knowledge of true Religion the greatest blessing that ever any Nation could enjoy signifying withall that by his conformitie to those things which they taught a happie entrance was alreadie made for reducing the whole Iland to Christianitie and that if he persevered as he had begun he might vndoubtedly expect an eternall reward in heaven For albeit Ethelbert at the first was not verie readily induced to abandon the ancient superstitious customes of his owne Nation partly for that he had beene trained vp therein from his tender yeares and partly for that he was secretly informed that some of the Priests which then preached the faith of Christ were seditious persons exercising witchcraft and seducing the people vnder pretence of simplicitie yet after his conversion he became a zealous professor and practiseâ— of pietie erecting faire Temples for divine Service endowing them with large possessions and earnestly exhorting other Princes within the I le to do the like He founded a Church in the Citie of London which the Kentish Saxons in right of superioritie over the East-Saxons at that time possessed and dedicated it to the Apostle Saint Paul In more ancient times as some conjecture by the bones of such beasts as were vsually sacrificed by the Gentiles and found in that place there had beene a Temple dedicated to Diana of that Church Melitus being sent by Austen to preach the Christian faith to the East-Saxons was afterwards elected the first Bishop The Cittie of Rochester also he assigned to Iustus who was consecrated the first Bishop of that Sea But while these things were a doing there arose some controversie betweene the English Roman Cleargie and certaine British Bishops concerning the celebration of the feast of Easter and other Rites and Ceremonies wherein the Brittish Church dissented from the Church of Rome for the Britans then dwelling in Wales and the West parts of the Ile continued there the exercise of the Christian faith which had beene preserved among them ever since it was first planted in the Iland though now and then the cleere course thereof was either by contagious Heresies or by prophane and irreligious Princes interrupted for a time howbeit when they perceived the Saxons themselves in some measure to approove it they beganne with boldnesse to make open profession of it as seeming therein to agree even with their enemies howsoever otherwise in respect of language situation or the law of Nations they were divided CHAP. V. Austen calleth a Synode to reconcile the differences between the Brittish and English Cleargie The Brittish Bishops aske counsaile of an Anchorite whether they should conforme themselves to such things as Austen the Monke should require of them They refuse to accept him for their Archbishop Austen appointeth Laurentius to succeed him in the Sea of Canterburie He dieth AVsten perceiving that this disagreement was likely to prove prejudiciall to the state of the new Church thought it the best and safest way to prevent the inconvenience in the verie beginning and to that end he summoned a Synod which by the meanes of Ethelbert the Prince he procured to be held vpon the borders of the West Saxons Country At that Synod seven Brittish Bishops certain Monks of Bangor the greatest Monasterie in the I le whereof Dinothus was then Abbot and diverse others well reputed for their learning and knowledge in divinitie were present It is reported that the Brittish Bishops before their comming thither asked counsaile of an Anchorite a wise and holie man living there about what he thought meetest for them to do in that great businesse which they had then in hand and whether they should follow the advice and directions of Austen or retaine still their ancient Traditious whereto it is said that the Anchorite made this answer If he be of God follow him and that shall you best discerne by his humilitie For Christ sayeth Take vpon you my yoke and learne of me for I am milde and humble of heart If therefore you perceive by his behaviour that hee is prowd and high minded then be ye well assured that he is not of God Heereupon when they came to the place where the Synod was to be kept and saw Austen sitting in a chaire but not saluting them at their first entrance nor seeming by his outward gesture to respect them they supposed the Anchorists speech to have beene in part then verified and with much impatiency heard the Arch-bishops oration wherein they were specially required to preserve the vnitie of the Christian faith and though they did many things contrarie to the vsage of the Roman Church yet to conforme themselves thereto in three points namely in celebrating the feast of Easter in due-time in exercising the ministery of Baptisme according to the manner of the Church of Rome and in joyning with him and the rest of the English Bishops in preaching the Gospel of Christ to the heathen of that Nation which if they would faithfully performe he promised for avoyding contention a matter very dangerous considering the present condition of the time to tolerate the continuance of any other old rites and traditions wherein they should dissent from the Church of Rome But the Britans imagining that he who at his first comming vsed them in that disdainefull manner would afterwards being setled in a superintendency over them vtterly despise them discovered plainely their discontentment by their countenances and made a short answer that they would neither observe those things which he required at their hands nor acknowledge him for their Bishop Whereto Austen with bitter words replyed that sith they would not receive peace when it was offered they should ere long feele the heavy hand of war and vengeance vpon themselves and their posteritie and so the assembly was dissolved Not long after Austen the Arch-bishop wearied with care and travaile of minde fell sicke of a languishing disease and doubting lest the state of the Church being as yet greene and
Crowland He is slaine in battaile EThelbald the successour of Celred was a professour of Christian religion though much addicted to wantonnesse and sensuall pleasures for which he was sharpely reprooved by Bonifacius an Englishman then Bishop of Vtricht in Holland and afterwards Arch-bishop of Mogunce in Germanie who wrote vnto him how fowle and dishonourable a thing it was that he which raigned over so many Nations should himselfe be the bondslave of fleshly lust signifying withall that those offences of impuritie which he committed were punished even among the heathen with death and cruell torments that by his ill example he corrupted his subjects that God himselfe for those vices had plagued many Princes both in their own persons and in their posteritie and finally that the pleasures of this life are but short and vaine and the paines ordained for sinne intolerable and eternall He likewise admonished Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury that hee should cause the light habites of Priests and Nunnes who fashioned themselves too much after the secular guise to be reformed But Ethelbald being stricken with compunction of heart for the lascivious follies of his youth sought by all good meanes to prevent those dangers into which through securitie and continuance in sinne he doubted that he might irrecoverably have fallen and first by the advise of his Clergie and temporall Nobilitie he ordained that all the Churches within his Dominions should be discharged of tribute and freed from all burthens and labours excepting onely such as were to be vndertaken for the necessary building of Towers Castles and Bridges for the defence and generall good of the Province in which case none were to be exempted and that persons professed in religion should enioy the profits of their lands entirely and not be constrained to make any other payments out of the same vnto the Prince About that time also Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury by the advice of Bonifacius the Arch-bishop of Mogunce made certaine constitutions for the governement of the Clergie vnder his jurisdiction by which amongst other things it was ordered that the holy Scriptures should be vsually read in Monasteries that Priests should be no buiers nor sellers of worldly commodities that they should receive no rewards for administring the Sacraments that there should be an vniformitie among them in the observation of Ecclesiasticall ceremonies that they should both learne themselves and teach others the Lords praier the articles of the Christian faith in the English tongue and that none should be admitted to holy Orders but such persons whose conversation and maner of living was first examined and approoved In the meane time Ethelbald the Prince partly of his owne religious inclination and being partly moved by the examples of his predecessors caused a great and goodly Monastery to be erected at Crowland in the Countie of Lincolne where for that the ground was fennie and vnable to support the weight of a stone building many huge piles of Oke were driven into the Marish and hard earth brought thither about nine miles by water was rammed in with the piles wherevpon the foundation of the Church was laid such was the zeale of Princes in those dayes as they could levell Mountaines convert fennie bogs into firme land and alter in a maner the verie course of nature no cost seeming too much no labour too great nor any thing impossible that they had a will to effect When he had reigned aboue fortie yeares Cuthred the West-Saxon Prince invaded the territorie of the Mercians during the continuance of which warres Ethelbald was slaine by Bartred a person notorions for his crueltie and was afterwards buried in the famous Monasterie of Rippon howbeit Bartred soone lost that which he had ill gotten for he was also slaine by Offa the Nephew of Ethelbald who succeeded him in the government CHAP. IIII. Offa ruleth the Mercians He foundeth the Monasterie of Saint Albans He maketh a ditch to divide the Territories of the English and Walshmen Kenelmus the Martyr The Catalogue of the Mercian Princes from Offa vntill the West-Saxons obtained their Principalitie OFfa was a warlike Prince and for the most part fortunate Kineulph the West-Saxon Prince he overthrew in a setbattaile and Ethelbert Prince of the East-Angles he surprized vnder colour of friendship and after his death vsurped that Province Howsoever ambition and desire of glorie transported him beyond the limits of his owne Principalitie yet was he a great benefactor to the Church for he erected a faire Monasterie in the honour of Saint Alban neere the Towne that now beareth the Martyrs name and richly endowed it by his Charter He founded also the Abbey of Bathe the Archi-Episcopall Sea he translated from Canterburie to Lichfield the chiefe seat of the Mercian government where it continued but a short time Betweene Wales and the borders of his Province he caused a ditch to be made for defence against the incursions of the Britans whom the Saxons then called Walsh which in their language signifieth stranger Elfrid his sonne succeeding him reigned but one yeare Then Kenulph descended from Penda the Tyrant obtained the regiment He assailed the territorie of the Kentish-Saxons and tooke prisoner Egbert their Prince whom afterwards he freely delivered vpon the selfe same day that he dedicated the Church at VVinchelcombe whereof he was the founder adding that speciall Act of clemencie to the other exercises of prayer and fasting then ordinarily vsed at such dedications In the Cittie of Hereford also he founded a Church which he consecrated to Saint Ethelbert Kenelm sonne of Ecfrid being about the age of seven yeares was slaine by Quinda his owne sister that aspired to the government and dying innocently was afterwards reputed a Martyr Then Ceolworth the brother of Kenulph having raigned but one yeare was expulsed the Principalitie by Bernulph and Bernulph himselfe after three yeares defeated by Egbert the VVest-Saxon Prince Then Lucan defending himselfe against the West-Saxons was assailed and overthrowne by the East-Angles VVithlasm for a time withstood the VVest-Saxons but in the end submitted himselfe to their subiection which he acknowledged by the payment of a yearely Tribute After his death Berthulf possessed the principalitie with like conditions till being assailed by the Pirates of Denmarke he was constrained for safegard of his life to abandon the Countrie Burdred succeeded Berthulf both in estate and fortunes for being chased out of Mercia by the Danes he fled to Rome where he died Then was some part of the principalitie assigned by the Danes to Ceolwolph who held it of them by homage till Alfred the nephew of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince entred the Province with an armie and expulsing both Ceolwolph and the Danes reduced it vnder the obedience of the VVest-Saxons ⧠The succession of the East-Saxon Princes 1 Erchenwin held the province of the East-Saxons as feodatarie to the Princes of Kent 2 Sledda the sonne of Erchenwin 3 Sebert the sonne of Sledda the first Christian Prince the
4. yeareâ— Â After whose death the Sea was voyd one yeare 628 Honorius 26. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 655 Deus-dedit 10. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 668 Theodorus 22. yeares 693 Bertualdus 38. yeares 731 Tatwinus 4. yeares 735 Nothelmus 5. yeares  After his death the Sea was voyd one yeare 740 Cuthbertus translated from the Sea of Hereford 18. yeares 759 Bregwinus 3. yeares 762 Lambrihtus who had formerly beene Abbot of St. Augustine 31. yeares 791 Aethelardus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince 13. yeares Anno Dom. Bishops of Rochester 604 Iustus ordained the first Bishoppe there by Augustine the Archbishop of Canterbury sate 20. yeares 624 Romanus 10 yeares 634 Paulinus translated from the Sea of Yorke 10. yeares 644 Ithamarus 12. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd foure yeares 656 Damianus 9. yeares 669 Putta 8. yeares 677 Quichelmus 4. yeares  After whose death the Sea was voyd three yeares 681 Gebmundus 9. yeares 693 Tobias 34. yeares 727 Aldwulfus 13. yeares 740 Dunnus 24. yeares 764 Eardulfus 11. yeares 775 Deora 15. yeares 790 Weremundus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince 12. yeares THE SECOND PART The second Booke HENGIST I PRINC SAX CHAP. I. The Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons established by Hengist whom Vsk Otta and Ermeric succeede in the government Austen the Monke is sent from Rome by Gregorie the Great to preach the Christian faith to the Saxons and English He landeth in Kent where he is curteousâ— â—ertained by Ethelbert the Prince of that Countrie THE Territorie of the Kentish-Saxons did at the first include only that part which at this day is contained within the county of Kent being the very entrance key of the whole Iland The west south sides of it butte vpon the firme land on the East the Brittish Ocean beateth and vppon the North runneth the famous river Thames navigable for ships of very great burden and ebbing and flowing many miles within the land whereby commodities are brought in and carryed forth to the enriching of it selfe and the Countries round about This Principalitie enlarged by addition of such Provinces as Vortiger after the slaughter of the Brittish Nobilitie delivered to the Saxons for his ransome was established by Hengist eight yeares after his arrivall about the yeare of grace 456. Valentinian the third of that name then shoring vp the decayed Empire in the West Although by consent of divers Writers he ruled a long time yet little or nothing is left of record concerning any thing done by him after he was setled in the governement either for that perhaps no great occasion was ministred to shew himselfe in action the Britans being now seated in the remote parts of the I le and his owne countrymen making warre in other places of the same or else for that being wearied with the warre he gave himselfe to ease and quietnesse supposing hee had done enough alreadie in making the first attempt in an enterprize so difficult and in getting and leaving to his posteritie the possession of so faire and fruitfull Countries After his death there raigned eyther joyntly or successively Vsk Otta and Ermeric concerning whom I finde no other mention then of their names onely Ethelbert succeeding Ermeric his father was in the beginning of his raigne much encumbred with warres which he made with very ill successe against Ceaulin Prince of the West-Saxons but afterwards his knowledge in militare affaires increasing with his yeares hee fortunately repaired those losses extending his Dominion by reducing the South Provinces to his obedience even to the water of Humber And the better to strengthen his estate by forraigne aliance hee married Bertha the danghter of Châ—rebert then King of France a vertuous Lady and a professor of Christianitie wherein the King her husband was not as yet instructed howbeit hee permitted both her selfe and Luidhard a French Bishop that accompanied her into Britannie to vse the Rites and Ceremonies of their owne Countrie and religion eyther for observance of the contract which Ethelbert before the marriage had made with the King her Father to that end or else for the heartie and entire affection which hee bare vnto her as his wife whom God had ordained to bee the meanes of his conversion to the Christian faith For in the yeare of grace five hundred ninetie sixe and fourteenth of the raigne of Mauritius the Emperour Austen a Monke was sent by Gregory the first surnamed the Great then Bishop of Rome to preach the faith to the Saxons and English then inhabiting the I le of Britannie where landing in the I le of Tanet vpon the coast of Kent hee was entertained in curteous manner by Ethelbert the Prince whose heart being somewhat prepared by his wives perswasion and by the example of Luidhard the devout Bishop that lived with her was more apt in time to take impression of the Truth whereto though himselfe assented not at the first yet hee licensed it to be taught privately and assigned to Austen a convenient seate at Canterbury the cheefe Citie of that Province giving him an olde Church which in former times had beene erected by certaine Romans exercising there the Christian religion and consecrated to our Saviour Christ. This Church was then reedified and not many yeares after Austen without the Citie Eastward layd the foundation of a Monasterie for which Ethelbert erected a Church wherein both Austen himselfe with his successours and also the Christian Princes of Kent were for the most part interred after their death This Monasterie being finished long time after Austens decease was dedicated to him by the name of Saint Austen whose memoriall the ruines of that place retaine even to this day CHAP. II. Austen converteth divers of the Saxons and English from Paganisme to Christianitie The cause that first moved Gregorie the Great to intend their conversion Austen is consecrated chief Bishop of the English Nation by the Bishop of Arles in France He advertiseth the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his voyage into Britannie and requireth directions touching the Ecclesiasticall governement to be there established IN the meane time Austen beeing now received as the Apostle of the English Nation and such Priests as were with him exercised their Ecclesiasticall functions without empeachment and for that they were altogether ignorant of the Brittish language they vsed the helpe of such Interpreters as they had brought with them out of France in preaching and instructing the people with whom partly by their doctrine and partly by their example they prevailed so much as many of them beleeved and were baptized for their teachers began then to expresse in their lives the practise of the Apostles in the Primitive Church by continuall watching fasting and praying contemning the world and contenting themselves with things necessarie to sustaine Life and Nature so strongly were they possessed with the
spirit of zeale in first planting the Christian religion among Idolatrous Saxons and English It is reported that Gregorie the Great when he was but Archdeacon of the Sea of Rome tooke notice first of the state of the I le of Britannie by seeing certaine yong men borne in a Province of the Northumbers presented in an open Market at Rome to be there sold For marking well their faire complexions and comlinesse of stature he enquired whence they were and vnderstanding that they were Angles of a Province called Deira and vnder the government of Alla but as yet heathen for so the Inhabitants of those parts then were he seemed much to lament that such excellent outward gifts of Nature should want the ornaments of inward grace and thereupon alluding to the name of their Prince and Country according to their significations in the Latin and Hebrew tongue he vttered these words as it were by way of Prophecie These men are worthily called Angles for they have the verie faces of Angels and they shall be one day fellow heires with Angels in Heaven For the people of Deira must be delivered De-ira Divina by their conversion to the Christian faith and Alla their King must be taught to sing Alleluia to the praise of the most high God which worke being now Bishop of Rome he was made the Instrument to effect by sending Austen at this time to preach the faith of Christ in Britannie where in a short space the Christian Religion encreased in such measure that vpon one day wherein the memoriall of the birth of our Saviour was celebrated there was above ten thousand men besides women and children baptized in a river the water thereof being hallowed by Austen the Monke who commanded the people by reason of the great multitude and the small number of Priests to go in by couples and one to baptise another In the name of the blessed Trinitie When these things were done Austen went into France where according to order given by the Sea of Rome before his departure thence he was by Etherius Bishop of Arles consecrated chiefe Bishop of the English Nation and at his returne into Britannie he sent Laurence a Priest and Peter a Monke to advertise the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his labors requiring also further instructions in some doubtfull points concerning the discipline of the Church and other matters of ceremonie and observance CHAP. III. Instructions sent to Austen from the bishop of Rome for the ordering and government of the new Church in Britannie The Primacie of the Sea of Canterburie The first English bishops of London and Yorke HEreupon the Bishop of Rome signified by his Letters to Austen and the rest of his Associates how acceptable a worke to God and his Church they had performed commending their great zeale and constant minds which neither the travaile of a long and laborious journey nor feare of danger by sea or land could dismay from persisting in their good intention giving thanks to God that had assisted them with his spirit and exhorting them to hold on the course into which they were alreadie entred Touching the Ecclesiasticall government if there were any thing either in the Church of Rome France or any other Church which Austen thought meete to be altered for the better service of God he willed him therein to vse his pastorall authoritie and to select out of everie one of them what himselfe thought most requisite for setling an vniformitie of government in the Church of Britannie affirming that divine worship was not to be esteemed in regard of the place but the place to be honoured in regard of the divine worship Further he put him in mind of the ancient custome of the Sea of Rome which had ordeined the profits and revenues of Bishoprikes to be divided into foure equall parts whereof the first was assigned to the Bishop him self and the family for the maintenance of hospitalitie the second for the benefite of the Clergie in generall the third for reliefe of the poore and the fourth for repairing of Churches Then he admonished him to deale gently with the new Converts and to tollerate some of their erronious Traditions for a time lest by restraining them at first to the precise observation of Christian discipline in everie point he might divert them from their good purpose and hinder the proceeding in the generall cause For he supposed it a matter of verie great difficultie to plucke vp at once those ranke weedes of Superstition which by long continuance of time had taken deepe â—oote in their affections considering well that he that desireth to attaine the highest place must ascend thither by steps and degrees and not by leapes as it were in an instant He answered likewise many other objections propounded by Austen concerning degrees of consanguinitie and aliance to be observed in cases of Marriage and also touching the admission of meete persons to be partakers of the Lords Supper Touching the punishment of Sacrilege he advised that offenders therein might first be charitably corrected admonished to the end that knowing the greatnesse of the crime they might by penance and restitution make amends and detest from thence-foorth to commit the like With the Bishops of France he willed him not to intermeddle otherwise then by counsaile and exhortatation lest by interposing himselfe in matters of Ecclesiasticall government there he should seeme to thrust his Sickle into an other mans Harvest but he appointed all the Bishops of Britannie to be vnder his jurisdiction giving him power to nominate and consecrate Bishops in severall places where he thought convenient Howbeit it was then decreed that the Bishop of London should ever after be consecrated by his owne Synod and receive his Pall from the Sea of Rome for he appointed the Citie of London to be the Metropolis and chiefe Sea though Austen contrarie to the Bishop of Romes direction in that behalfe transferred it afterwards to Canterburie as a place vnto which he was well affected for the good entertainment he had there first received and also for that it was more commodious for sending by Sea to Rome and more free from danger then the miner parts about London whose inhabitants were lesse civill and not so well in inclined to receive the doctrine of christianity as the 〈◊〉 were For Pope Gregorie ordained London and Yorke to be the Seas of two Archbishoprikes and that each of them should have vnder it twelve inferior Bishopriks but that neither of the Archbishops should be subject to other nor take place of precedence otherwise then according to prioritie of consecration save onely that for Austens honour he appointed all of them to remaine vnder his jurisdiction during his life CHAP. IIII. Austen receiveth the Pall from Rome Gregorie the Great sendeth gratulatorie Letters to Ethelbert who is converted to the faith being the first Christiâ—n Prince of the English nation The Church of Saint Paul in London is founded Melitus the
sonnes of Sebert ruled ioyntly Serred Seward Sigbert 4 Sigebert surnamed the Little the sonne of Seward 5 Sigbert the sonne of Sigebald brother of Sebert 6 Sigher 7 Sebbi 8 Sigeherd the sonne of Sebbi 9 Seofride the brother of Sigeherd 10 Offa the sonne of Sigeherd 11 Celred 12 Suthred defeated by Egbert Prince of the West-Saxons ⧠The succession of the Bishops of London in the Province of the East-Saxons 604 Melitus the first Bishop sent from Rome sate thirteene yeares after whose translation the Sea was void about fortie yeares 658 Cedda eight yeares 666 Wina translated from the Sea of Winton 9. yeares 675 Erkenwaldus twenty two yeares 697 Waldherus eighteene yeares 715 Ingualdus thirtie one yeares 746 Egwulfus eight yeares 754 Wighedus seven yeares 761 Eadbrichtus eleven yeares 775 Deora nine yeares 784 Eadbaldus eleven yeares 795 Heathobertus in the time of Egbert the West-Saxon Prince eighteene yeares The first CHAPTER The principalitie of the East-Saxons erected by Erchenwin Sebert the first Christian Prince Miletus the first Bishop of the East-Saxons hath his Sea at London Saint Pauls church there founded by Ethelbert the first Christian Prince of the Kentish-Saxons The Church at Westminster founded by Sebert Cedda afterward called St. Chadde preacheth the Gospel to the East-Saxons Sigher and Sebbi ioyntly rule the Province ERchenwin was the first of all the Saxons that erected a Provinciall government among the East-Saxons who then inhabited those parts which now containe the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of the Countie of Hartford all which both himself and his successors many yeares togither held by homage of the Kentish Princes as of their superiour Lords This Prince having reigned a long time with what successe I find no certaine report left the government to Sledda his sonne who to strengthen his estate by affinitie married Ricula the daughter of Ermerick the Prince of Kent by whom he had issue Sebert that succeeded him Sebert governed peaceably the Province of the East-Saxons which in his time was converted to Christianitie for in the yeare of Grace 604. Miletus was sent by Augustin the Archbish. to preach the faith of Christ to that people and had the Cittie of London assigned to him for his Episcopall Sea where Ethelbert the Kentish Prince erected a Church which he dedicated to Saint Paul endowing it with large possessions and Sebert following his example therein founded an other at the West end of the citie where afterwards a Monasterie was builded The place at that time being environed with water and overgrowen with thornes was called Thorney and afterwards by reason of the situation thereof the West-Minster It is reported that in more ancient times there had beene a Temple of Apollo which being overthrowen by an Earth-quake Lucius the first Christian Prince of the Britans reedified and converted to a Church for the exercise of the Christian Religion Sebert having spent the most part of his time after his conversion in deedes of Charitie and Devotion ended his life and was buried in that Church togither with his wife Ethelgoda Serred Seward and Sigbert his sonnes ruled ioyntly the province of the East-Saxons They were all men of disordered conversation and open despisers of religious rites for being not yet baptised they would have receyved the Sacrament of Christs bodie wherein for that Miletus the Bishop had opposed himself against them they expelled him from his Sea at London and themselves soone after were by Kinegles the West-Saxon Prince deprived both of government and life Sigebert surnamed the Little the sonne of Seward succeeded in the principalitie which in short time he left to Sigbert the nephew of Sebert the first Christian Prince of the East-Saxons Sigbert was by perswasion of Oswin chiefe governor of the Northumbers converted from Paganisme to Christianitie wherein he was confirmed by Cedda a devout learned man that then preached to the East-Saxons and recovered many of them which after the expulsion of Miletus had fallen from the faith He was afterwards by Finan the Bishop of Holy-Iland consecrated bishop of the East-Saxons amongst whom he preached the Gospell of Christ without interruption till such time as Sigbert the Prince procoring the dislike of his Subjects for that he shewed too much clemency to the Mercians his enemies was trecherously murdered by one of his owne kindred After his death Swidhelin the sonne of Sexbald obtained the regement and was baptised by Cedda the Bishop Then Sigher Sebbi ruled togither but not with absolute authoritie for at that time they acknowledged allegeance to Wulfere Prince of the Mercians In those dayes great plague and mortalitie fell vpon the Inhabitants of the Province and Sigher renouncing the faith fell to Idolatry which in a short time greatly encreased till Iarumanus the Bishop of Lichfield and certain priests being sent thither by VVulfere to that end laboured with all diligence to stop the course thereof and in the end suppressed it CHAP. II. The Devotion Chastitie and Chiritie of Sebbi the Prince The maner of his death Offa resigneth the government and goeth to Rome where he entreth into Religion Egbert the West-Saxon Prince obtaineth the principalitie of the East-Saxons IN the meane time Sebbi and the people vnder his obedience notwithstanding the relapse of their Country-men persisted constantly in the faith of Christ and Sebbi himselfe by praying fasting and Almes ceeds manifested his owne earnest desire to maintaine the same being so strongly possessed with the spirit of zeale and love of Chastitie as he perswaded his wife to a separation whereby they might serve God with more puritie of heart and his pietie and humilitie was had in such estimation even among the religious persons as they reputed him more meete to have beene a Priest then a Prince After he had with much difficultie obtained his wives consent for a separation he bestowed the greatest part of his worldly wealth vpon the poore reserving nothing for himselfe besides his necessarie maintenance but onely the expectation of a future recompence In his time lived Erkenwald a godly Priest who was afterward Bishop of London He founded two Monasteries the one for himselfe at Chartsey in Surrey and the other for Ethelburga his sister at Barking in Essex Sebbi having ruled about thirtie yeares fell sicke of a grieuous and verie painfull disease by reason whereof doubting lest â—hrough frailtie of the flesh he might burst out into any intemperate speeches or do any other thing vnseemely for his person profession he desired Waldher the successor of Erkenwald then Bishop of London by prayers and ghostly counsaile to assist him in his agonies and that no more then himselfe and two of his Chaplains onely might be present at the time of his departure so great a care had this religious Prince in well finishing that race which he had prosperously continued the most part of his life and in preventing all occasions of scandall to the faith which he professed His bodie
was buried in the church of Saint Paul in London and then Sigeherd and Seofrid his two sonnes successively ruled the Province of the East-Saxons After them it was governed by Offa the sonne of Sigeherd who married Geneswede the daughter of Penda Prince of the Mercians The possessions belonging to the Church of VVestminster he greatly augmented and resigning the governement to Celred went to Rome where he ended his life in a Religious house Celred succeeded Offa maintaining the state of the Province in peace till in the end he was slaine but in what maner or by whom I find no mention Then Suthred either by right of succession or by election obtained the governement which he enioyed but a short time for Egbert the VVest-Saxon Prince invaded at one time the Provinces both of the East and Kentish Saxons and in the end brought them vnder his subjection albeit the Citie of London remained vnder obedience of the Princes of Mercia so long as that principalitie continued The succession of the Princes of the East-Angles 1 Vffa 2 Titill 3 Redwald an Apostatae 4 Carpenwald the sonne of Redwald 5 Sebert the brother of Carpenwald 6 Egrick the kinsman of Sebert 7 Ana. 8 Athelhere the brother of Ana. 9 Adelwald the sonnes of Athelhere ruled ioyntly Aldulph Elohwold Hisberna 10 Ethelbert 1. 11 Ethelbert 2. 12 Offa. 13 S. Edmund ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the East-Angles 636 Faelix a Burgundian Bishop of Dunwich sate twelve yeares 648 Thomas his Deacon five yeares 653 Bonifacius alias Birtgilsus seventeene yeares 670 Bisi After Bisi the bishopricke was divided into two Seas ¶ Dunwich ¶ North-Elmeham 671 Aecca twentie three yeares Beadwinus 696 Aesculfus twentie foure yeares Northbertus 720 Eadberctus sixteene yeares Heatholacus 736 Cuthwinus eleven yeares Eahelfridus 747 Aldbertus foure yeares Lamfertus 771 Eglafus eight yeares Athelwulfus 779 Eadredus six yeares Hunfertus 785 Althunus three yeares Sibba 788 Titfridus twentie yeares Alherdus CHAP. I. The Principalitie of the East-Angles erected by Vffa Faelix a Burgundian preacheth the faith to the East-Angles His Episcopall sea at Dunwich in Suffolke Sebert the first Christian Prince resigneth his government to Egrick and entreth-into a Monasterie from whence he is drawne forth by his subiects when the Mercians invade his Province He is slaine in battaile with Egrick whom Ana succeedeth in the government THe Counties of Norfolke Suffolke and Cambridge with the I le of Ely were the ancient habitations of the East-Angles among whom Vffa about the yeare of Grace 492. established a principalitie which he left vnto Tiâ—il of whom little or nothing is recorded save onely the name and title Then Redwald succeeding him entred into league with Edwin advauncing him to the government of the Northumbers after the death of Edelfrid their Prince whom Redwald had slain in battaile He was afterwards by the exhortation of Edwin the Prince converted to Christianitie from which he was within a short time withdrawne by his wiâ—es perswasion though Dorwald one of his sonnes persevering therein was cruelly murdered by Rochbert a Pagan and Carpenwald his other sonne succeeding his father in the government participated with his brother in his fortune for he was slaine by the same man and in the same maner Then Sebert his brother obtained the government During the raigne of Carpenwald he lived as a banished man in France where he was first instructed in the Christian Religion In his time Foelix the Burgundian came into Britannie and made suite to Honorius the Archbishop of Canterburie that he might be licensed to preach the Gospel to the East-Angles whereto the Archbishop approving his zealous intention willingly assented and so the Christian faith within few yeares was dispersed throughout the Province by the diligence and labor of Foelix whom the inhabitants reverenced as a man that being himselfe happie both in name and condition had power also to make others happie He was made Bishop of Dunwich in Suffolke which being then but a small town became afterwards very rich and populous and was governed according to the maner of the ancient and best Cities Many religious houses the fruits of devotion in that age were at sundry times erected in the place There was also a Mint wherein a certaine coine with the inscription of the name of the Citie was stamped But time hath worne out in a maner the remembrance of these things at this day and the sea hath devoured the greatest part of the building It continued an entire Bishops Sea but a while for Bisi the fourth Bishop in succession from Foelix divided it into two Bishopricks the one of Dunwich the other of Holinham In the meane time Sebert imitating the example of the Kentish Saxons provided meanes that the children born within his Dominions might be trained vp in learning and religion erecting Schooles and allowing stipends for the maintenance of Teachers He was also a great benefactor to Hospitals and Religious houses and in the end resigning the government to Egrick his kinsman hee entred into a Monasterie whereof himselfe had beene the founder and there remained peaceably till by the treacherous practise of Athelhere one of his nobilitie Penda the Mercian Prince with an armie of Pagans invaded his Province for then was hee forcibly drawne thence by his owne subjects who finding themselves too weake to resist their enemies brought Sebert himselfe into the field supposing perhaps that his personall presence would encourage his people to fight with more resolution but in that battaile the East-Angles were overthrowne and both Sebert and Egrick his cosin slaine The like successe in the selfe same manner befell Ana who succeeded Egrick in the Principalitie CHAP. II. Athelhere the brother of Ana ruleth the East-Angles He is slaine by Oswin Prince of the Northumbers S. Ethelbert is murdered by Offa Prince of the Mercians Offa having made a voyage into the Holy-Iland dieth in his returne homewards Edmund succeedeth Offa in the governement The Martyrdome of S. Edmund by the Pagan Danes The Monastery of S. Edmunds bury in Suffolke erected The Principalitie of the East-Angles annexed to that of the West-Saxons THen Athelhere the brother to Ana assumed the governement but preventing his time in the getting of it he lost it againe ere he was fully sâ—led for as by combining with Penda the Pagan 〈◊〉 had beene a meanes to hasten the death of his 〈◊〉 hee and kinsman so his owne blood together with Pendaes was soone after shed by Oswin Prince of the Northumbers Adelwald his brother with little better fortune succeeded him leaving the Principalitie to Aldulf Elohwold Hisberna the sonnes of his brother Athelhere who by civill discention supplanting one another made way for Ethelbert to attaine the government Ethelbert by his wife Laonorine had a sonne of his owne name that succeeded him Ethelbert the second was a Prince much renowmed for learning and piety He governed the Province with great wisedome and prosperous
successe till by the perfidious dealing of Offa the Mercian Prince he was shamefully murdered For being betrothed to Alfride the daughter of Offa who ambitiously affected the Principality of the East-Angles he was vnder colour of friendship invited to a feast where Offa by the perswasion of his wife commanded his head to be cut off and his body to be buried in the banke of a river By this dishonourable act the Mercians obtained the Province But Offa being afterwards touched with sorrow and compunction of heart for committing it caused Ethelberts body to be taken vp and to be conveied to the Citie of Hereford not farre from the place where he was slaine and there to be very solemnly enterred supposing thereby to expiate in part the guilt of his former offence Afterwards a Church was there built and dedicated to Ethelbert by the name of a Saint Then Offa vndertooke a voyage to the Holy-land and passing through Saxony was there received with great ioy by Alkemond the King his kinsman and Syware his wife at that time he adopted Edmund the son of Alkemond to be his heire and to succeede him in the Principalitie of the East-Angles which did soone after fall vnto him for Offa in his returne from the Holy-land ended his life at Port St. George whereupon Edmund speedily repaired into Britannie where he was received by the East-Angles as their Prince In his time Hinguar Hubba the two Danish Pirates invaded Northumberland and Hinguar having enriched himselfe with the spoyles of that Country sailed towards the coast of the East-Angles where afterwards landing hee surprized their chiefe Citie consuming it by fire The Citizens also without respect of age or sect he cruelly murdered and in the end tooke Edmund the Prince whom first the Pagan Danes perswaded to renounce the profession of Christianitie But when they could neither by promises of assurance of life and safetie nor by threats and terror of death prevaile with him therein they beate him with staves scourged him with whips and vsed him with all kindes of barbarous in civilitie and crueltie which the religious Prince with great meekenesse and patience endured cheerefully calling vpon the name of Iesus as reioycing for his sake to suffer those torments and indignities The Pagans seeing his great constancie and courage were transported with furie and at the last wounded him with their shafts which they shot at him till his body was covered over with them Theâ— they cut off his head and cast it into a bush His body being afterwards found was enterred at Bury in folke where a goodly Monastery was erected and â—â—â—dicated to him the ruines therof remaining yet to this day After his death the Principalitie of the East-Angles was possessed by the Danes about 50. yeares till Edward the sonne of Etheldred the West-Saxon Prince expulsing them annexed both that Province the country of the East-Saxons adjoyning to it vnto his owne government ⧠The succession of the Princes of the Northumbers 1 Ida. 2 Alla. 3 Ethelrick the younger sonne of Ida. 4 Ethelfrid the brother of Ethelrick 5 Edwin the first Christian Prince 6 Osric 7 Eanfrid 8 Oswald the Martyr brother of Eanfrid 9 Oswin the brother of Oswald the Martyr 10 Adilwald the sonne of Oswald the Martyr 11 Egfrid the sonne of Adilwald 12 Alfred the bastard sonne of Oswin 13 Osred the sonne of Alfred 14 Osric 15 Kenred 16 Ceolnulph 17 Egbert 18 Oswolf 19 Moll 20 Alered 21 Etheldred 22 Aelfwold 23 Osred ⧠The succession of Bishops in the Principalitie of the Northumbers Arch-bishops of Yorke 625 Paulinus sate nine yeares 666 Cedda three yeares 669 Wilfrid nine yeares 678 Bosa nine yeares 687 Wilfrid restored foure yeares 691 Bosa fourteene yeares 705 Ioannes sixteene yeares 721 Wilfridus two yeares 738 Egbertus nine and twenty yeares 767 Ethelbertus thirteene yeares 780 Eanbaldus 1. sixteene yeares 796 Eanbaldus 2. sixteene yeares Bishops of Lindisfarn Holy-Iland 635 Aidanus sate seventeene yeares 652 Finanus nine yeares 661 Colmannus three yeares 664 Tuda two yeares 666 Cedda three yeares 669 Wilfridus nine yeares 678 Eata five yeares 685 Cuthbertus two yeares 687 Wilfridus restored one yeare 688 Eadbertus ten yeares 698 Eadfridus twentie three years 721 Aethelwoldus nineteen years 740 Kinewulfus thirty nine years 779 Higbaldus twenty foure years Bishops of Haugustald Hexham 678 Eata sate two yeares 680 Tumbertus five yeares 686 Ioannes one yeare 687 Wilfridus foure yeares 691 Ioannes after Wilfrids expulsion 705 Wilfrid restored foure yeares 709 Acca thirtie yeares 739 Frithebertus twenty seven yeares 766 Alhmundus fourteene yeares 780 Tilherus nine yeares 789 Aethelbertus eight yeares 797 Heardredus three yeares 800 Heanbertus ten yeares Bishops of Whit-hern in Scotland 723 Pethelmus sate thirteene yeares 736 Frithewaldus twenty seven yeares 763 Pechtwinus fourteene yeares 777 Aethelbertus thirteene yeares 790 Beadwulfus CHAP. I. The Principalitie of the Northumbers divided into two Provinces namely Deira and Bernitia which are vnited by Ethelrick Ethelfrid defeateth the Britans and killeth the Monks of Bangor Edwin the first Christian Prince Paulinus preacheth the faith to the Northumbers and hath a Sea assigned him at Yorke The death of Edwin THe Principalitie of the Northumbers extended northward over all that part of the land which at this day containeth the Counties of Lancaster Yorke Durham Cumberland Westmerland and Northumberland all which were possessed by the Angles and divided into two Regiments whereof the one was called Deira and the other Bernitia Bernitia was bounded with the river Tyne and Edenborough Firth and Deira with the Tyne and Humber When Hengist was setled in the possession of the Kentish governement he sent Octa his brother and Ebusa his sonne to vndertake the conquest of those parts which with verie much difficultie they obtained The Province afterwardes during the space of ninetie and nine yeares was governed by certaine Dukes or Captaines who held the same by homage of the Kentish-Saxons About the yeare of grace 547. Ida erected a Principalitie in Deira and Alla his kinsman succeeded him therein for at that time Adda the eldest sonne of Ida ruled the Bernicians Alla governed Deira many yeares but little mention is made of him save onely that in his time the English Nation was first made knowne to Gregorie then Arch-deacon of the Sea Apostolike who being afterwards Bishop of Rome sent Augustin the Monke into Britannie to preach the Gospel of Christ vnto the inhabitants there Ethelrick the younger sonne of Ida succeeded Alla in the government of Deira and in short time adioyned thereto the Province of Bernicia making of them both one entire Principality which he left to Ethelfrid his brother Ethelfrid was a valiant and victorious Prince Hee made continuall warre vppon the Britans that inhabited the borders of his Province and chasing them from their habitations planted his owne subjects therein But Aidan the King of Scots suspecting the neighbourhoode of so mightie an enemie assayed by force
to empeach his further passage Northward till by the Northumbers being fewer in number then the Scottes hee was in battaile overthrowne Then Ethelfrid incouraged with this good successe remooved the warre to Chester where the Britans in great number had assembled themselves to make resistance but while the Monks and other religious persons were praying there that the Britans their countrymen might speed and prosper well in that enterprize Ethelfrid with his forces furiously assayled them putting to the sword about one thousand and two hundred religious persons of the Monastery of Bangor driving the rest of the Britans into the woods and marishes many of them perishing by the hand of the enemie before they could recover those places When Ethelfrid had raigned about twentie seven yeares he was slaine in a battaile by Redwald Prince of the East-Angles and left behind him seven sonnes whom Edwin that succeeded in the government dispossessed and banished out of the Province Edwin was by Boniface the Bishop of Rome exhorted to embrace the Christian faith and in the yeare of Grace 6â—6 Paulinus the third Bishop of Rochester in succession was appointed by Iustus the Archbishop of Canterburie to preach the Gospel vnto the Northumbers and to be their Bishop to which end also Edbald the Prince of the Kentish-Saxons had by letters recommended him to Edwin his brother in law In the mean time Evichelm the West-Saxon Prince ambitiously affecting the soveraigntie of the Northumbers practised with Eumer a man easily corrupted for desire of gaine to murder Edwin the Prince for the execution of which detestable purpose Eumer with a poysoned weapon hidden vnder his garment assailed the Prince and had slaine him in the place if Lilla had not thrust himselfe betweene his person and the danger and by making himselfe the memorable example of a faithfull servant preserved his masters life with the losse of his owne In revenge of this trecherous act Edwin invaded the territory of the West-Saxons after a great slaughter of the Inhabitants of that Province reduced the most part of it vnder his obedience Then to shew the fruits of his conversion to Christianitie he gave vnto Paulinus the Citie of Yorke to be a Bishops Sea for him and his successors laying the foundation of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Peter which was afterwards finished by Oswald About the same time also Paulinus himselfe erected the great Church at Lincoln This prince in felicitie of government excelled all his predecessors he was greatly beloved and honored of his people and no lesse feared of his neighbor Princes who for the most part held their Provinces of him by homage The Roman Banner Tufa was carried before him in token of triumph as well in times of peace as warre It is not to be forgotten that he caused certain cups of Iron and Brasse to be set by cleare Wels and fountaines running by high wayes for the vse of Pilgrims and Travailers which Cups remained long after in those places no man attempting to convey them away either for the reverence they bare vnto the Prince by whose appointment they were set there or else that they made a conscience to convert to their private commoditie such things as were ordained for a publike good But Edwin having reigned about seventeene years was in the end assailed at one time both by Penda the Prince of the Mercians and Ceadwall the Brittish Prince till with the losse of his life he made an end of the warre CHAP. II. Oswald ruleth the Northumbers He is slaine in battaile against Penda the Mercian Prince He is honoured with the title of a Martyr Oswin his brother succeedeth him A Bishops Sea at Lichfield Egfrid the Prince removeth Bishop Wilfrid from his Sea at Yorke Ceolnulph and Egbert successively ruling give over the government to enter into Religion Venerable Bede liveth in the time of Ceolnulph The Northumbers are brought vnder the subiection of the West-Saxons AFter his death the Principalitie of the Northumbers was dismembred againe For Osrick the sonne of Elfrick Prince Edwins vncle held onely the government of Deira and Eanfrid the sonne of Ethelfrid commanded the Bernicians Both these Princes forsaking the Christian faith fell to Idolatrie and were slain in battell by Ceadwall the Brittish Prince that spoiled wasted the country of Northumberland til Oswald the brother of Eanfrid opposed himselfe against the power of the Britans whose Captaine Ceadwall with the greatest number of his forces perished in the field After this victorie Oswald possessed the Province in peace and then sent for Aidan a Scottish-man to preach the Christian faith vnto his people assigning to him Holy-Iland for his Sea The Inhabitants of Deira and Bernicia who for the hatred which they bare one to another had submitted themselves to severall heads he wisely reconciled and vniting them in affection brought them vnder the obedience of one governor He was a zealous professor of the Catholike Religion which he endevoured to establish throughout all his Dominions When he had raigned about eight yeares he was killed in a conflict with Penda the Mercian Prince a cruell Pagan who commanded his head and armes to be cut from the rest of his bodie and in reprochfull maner to be hanged vp vpon high polles by reason whereof and for his holy conversation while he lived he was after his death honoured with the title of a Martyr Then Oswin the brother of Oswald succeeding him was much incumbred partly by the invasion of the Mercians and partly by the rebellion of his own sonne Elfrid Adilwald the sonne of Oswald the Martyr attempted by force to have recovered the Province and Oswy the sonne of Osrick sometime governor of Deira being trecherously delivered into his hands he caused to be murdered He fought oft times with fortunate successe against the Mercians whom after he had vanquished Penda he procured to be instructed in the christian faith and the better to strengthen his purpose therin he erected the Church at Lichfield to be the Bishops Sea for that Province After he had raigned about thirtie two yeares he ended his life in peace Then Egfrid his son ruled the Northumbers He married Mildred one of the daughters of Ana Prince of the East-Angles It is reported of her that living with her husband about twelve yeares she continued all that time both a wife and a virgin and in the end tooke vpon her the vaile of a Nun at Ely where she erected a Monasterie and was her selfe the first Abbesse In the meane while Egfrid removed Wilfrid from his Bishopricke at Yorke appointing two other Bishops over the Northumbers for their better instruction in the knowledge of Religion In his time diverse Synods were called by Theodorus then Archbishop of Canterburie for reformation of abuses in the Church for approbation of the five first general Councels and for the condemnation of the heresie of Eutyches who denied the humanitie of Christ. Not long before his death he made warre
sister of Penda the Mercian Prince and afterwards put her away whereupon Penda to revenge the indignitie offered to his sister made warre vpon him and drave him out of the Province which he afterwards recovered by the assistance of Ana Prince of the East-Angles for Kennewalch during the troubles in his owne dominions had fled thither and was there baptised by Faelix the Bishop He founded the Cathedrall Church at Winchester to be the Bishops Sea for the Province of the West-Saxons and appointed Wiâ—a to be the first Bishop of that place Hee gave also to the Abbot Aldelmus the towne of Malâ—esbury where by the helpe of Elutherius that succeeded Wiâ—â— in the Bishopricke of the West-Saxons he erected a faire Monasterie of which William of Malmesbury who wrote in Latine part of the English History was sometimes a Monke After his death Sexburga his wife held the Principalitie but finding that by reason of the weakenesse of her sexe she was vnable to support so weightie a burthen she soone gave it over and went into a Nunnery in the I le of Shepey which her selfe had founded Then Eascwin the nephew of Kinegles succeeded He began a warre against Wolpher the Mercian Prince with whom he fought a set battaile What other things were done by him worthy remembrance I finde little reported Then Kenewin the youngest sonne of Kinegles ruled the West-Saxons He was oft times annoyed by the Britans whom in the end he chased into the vtmost parts of the Province Westward Ceadwall the nephew of Ceaulin possessing the government subdued the Province of the South-Saxons and wasted the Kentish Territories in the pursuit of which warre he gave vnto the Church even before he was baptised the tenths of all those spoiles which hee tooke Wherein howsoever his intention may be censured yet the example is no way justifiable considering it is written That hee which offereth vnto God the goods of the innocent doth as it were sacrifice the Son in the â—ight of the Father After hee had subdued the I le of Wight he sent thither Wilfrid the Bishop to instruct the inhabitants in the knowledge of Christian religion and being wearied with worldly affaires resigned the governement to Ina and went to Rome where he was baptised by the name of Peter and soone after ended his life His body was buried in the Church of Saint Peter and over the place where he was 〈◊〉 the inscription of his name and condition was engraven CHAP. II. Ina succeedeth Ceadwall in the governement of the West-Saxons Peter Pence first paied to Rome The Bishopricke of the West-Saxons divided into two Seas Lawes made by Ina the Prince The Church at Wells made a Bishops Sea The first arrivall of the Danes in Britannie in the time of Britric Egbert the West-Saxon Prince subdueth divers provinces which he annexeth to his 〈◊〉 Principalitie INa was lineally descended from the West-Saxon Princes He was a Prince of great courage and wisedome and for the most part fortunate in his attempts For 〈…〉 Prince he withstood by open forcâ— the Kentish-Saxons being weakned by many formeâ— assaults he constrained with great summes of money to purchase peace at his hands and the Province of the 〈…〉 after the death of Anthâ—â— their Prince 〈…〉 in battaile he reduced wholly vnder his obedience Then he manifested his good inclination to support and advance the state of the Church to which end he 〈…〉 at Wâ—llâ— that was afterwards 〈◊〉 to a Bishops Sea He builded also anew the Abbey of 〈◊〉 bestowing great cost vpon the Church there which he caused to be very â—ichly garnished with gold and 〈…〉 for the religious persons He instituted a certaine yeerely payment to the Sea of 〈◊〉 â—â—ipyning every 〈◊〉 of his Read me that 〈…〉 This payment was first called the Kings Almes and afterwards the Peter pence In his time the Bishopricke of the West-Saxons becomming voide was divided into two Seas whereof the one remained at Winchester and the other was established at Shirborn He made many good lawes both for the administration of justice in civill causes and also for the governement of the Church some of which even in these our daies are extant in the Saxon tongue After he had raigned a long time in great prosperity he was perswaded by Ethelburga his wife to resigne the Principalitie to Ethelard his kinsman and to goe to Rome where afterwards professing voluntary poverty he ended his latter daies in as lowly and meane estate 〈◊〉 he had formerly spent the greatest number of 〈…〉 pompe and glory Ethelard at his first entrance was much troubled with civill discention which Oswald one of the princely blood aspiring to the governement had raised 〈◊〉 the West-Saxons but that rebellion being appâ—â—â—ed he raigned the rest of his life in peace Then Cutâ—red the kinsman of Ethelard succeeded The borders of his Province bâ—ing strongly assailed by the 〈◊〉 he fortunately defended In his time there appeared two blazing Stars which were afterwards noted to be ominous predictions of those calamities which befell the Province vnder the tyranny of the Danes Then 〈◊〉 obtained the Principality of the West-Saxons He was a Prince much deâ—ained for 〈◊〉 and oppression of his subjects the antient lawes and customes of the Province 〈…〉 in such like outragious practises he was at the last by his owne people deprived of all authoritie and enforced for safeguard of his life to hide himselfe in woods and forrests where he lived in great misery secluded from the societie of men whereof by his inhumanitie he had made himselfe vnworthy till at the last he was slaine in Andreds-wald by a Swineheard whose Maister in former times Sigebert had injuriously put to death Kenulph descended from the line of Cerdic the first Prince of the West-Saxons was partly for the honour of his blood and partly for the generall opinion of his sufficiencie advanced to the government Such factions and popular tumults as had risen by the deposing of his predecessor hee pacified with great wisedome and moderation He was the first founder of the church at Wells where a Bishops Sea was afterwards placed Howbeit hee was much inclined to the wanton pleasures of the flesh which were the occasion of his destruction in the end for going in private manner to visite a strumpet whom he kept he was entrapped by one of Sigeberts kinsmen and murdered in the way Then Britric being also of the race of Cerdic governed the West-Saxons Hee was a Prince by nature more addicted to peace then warre He married Eadburga the daughter of Offa Prince of the Mercians by whose ayd hee expelled Egbert the West-Saxon that invaded his Province forcing him to flie into France where afterwards he lived like a banished man In his time about the yeare of grace 800. the Danes first attempted to land in Britannie whereat their arrivall they tooke the I le of Portland but Britric combining with some other of the Saxon Princes ioyntly assailed them and in
short time chased them out of the land and Britric himselfe having raigned about seventeene yeares was poisoned by Eadburga his wife who fled into France transporting thither great store of treasure But not finding that good entertainement which she expected at the French Kings hands she became a Nunne and afterwards Abbesse of a religious house from whence a◠the last shee was expulsed for committing adulterie with a lay person and ended her vitious and dishonourable life in extreame povertie After the death of Britric the West-Saxons were governed by Egbert who enlarged his dominions by many and great conquests for first he brought vnder obedience the Walshmen who had beene alwaies accustomed vpon advantage to make incursions into the Province then with like successe he assailed and subdued the Mercians the Northumbers the Kentish and the East-Saxons whose Provinces he annexed to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons as by relation of that which followeth more plainely shall appeare The end of the Second Booke of the Second Part of the Historie of Great Britannie ⧠The Table of the Contents of the Chapters in the Second Part of the Historie of Great Britannie The first Booke A Repetition of the Contents of the former part A briefe relation of the condition of the Britans vnder the Picts and Scottishmen from the Romans departure thence vntill the beginning of the raigne of Vortiger the last Brittish Prince page 173 The Britans elect Vortiger to be their King They send for the Saxons to aide them The originall and manners of the Saxons 177 The Saxons vanquish the Scottishmen and Picts Hengist deviseth how he may get possession of the East part of the Iland 182 Saxons Iutes and Angles arrive in Britannie Vortiger marrieth Hengists daughter He is deposed 186 Vortimer succeedeth his father in the government Vortiger is restored The most noble of the Britans are trecherously murdered by the Saxons vpon Salisburie Plaines 190 The calamities of the Britans The professors of Christian religion in Britannie are persecuted by the Saxons whose idolatry and superstitious rites are described 193 Germanus the Bishop conducteth the Armie of the Christian Britans against their enemies being Pagans who by his meanes are defeated He departeth out of Britannie 196 Aurelianus Ambrosius aydeth the Britans against the Saxons The valiant acts of Arthur the Warlike 198 The Britans flie into Wales and Cornewall where they seate themselves The Saxons and English possesse the greatest part of the I le which is afterwards divided into several Principalities 201 The second Booke THe Principality of the Kentish-Saxons established by Hengist whom Vsk Otta and Ermeric succeede in the governement Austen the Monke is sent from Rome by Gregorie the Great to preach the Christian faith to the Saxons and English He landeth in Kent where he is curteously entertained by Ethelbert the Prince of that Countrie 209 Austen converteth divers of the Saxon and English from Paganisme to Christianitie The cause that first moved Gregorie the Great to intend their conversion Austen is consecrated chiefe Bishop of the English Nation by the Bishop of Arles in France He advertiseth the Bishop of Rome of the successe of his voyage into Britannie and requireth directions touching the Ecclesiasticall government to be there established 212 Instructions sent to Austen from the Bishop of Rome for the ordering and governement of the new Church in Britannie The primacie of the Sea of Canterbury The first English Bishops of London and Yorke 214 Austen receiveth the Pall from Rome Gregorie the Great sendeth gratulatorie letters to Ethelbert who is converted to the faith being the first Christian Prince of the English Nation The Church of Saint Paul in London is founded Melitus the first Bishop there in the Saxons time Iustus the first Bishop of Rochester Contention betweene the English and Brittish Cleargy about the celebration of the feast of Easter 217 Austen calleth a Synod to reconcile the differences betweene the Brittish and English Cleargie The Brittish Bishops aske counsell of an Anchorite whether they should conforme themselves to such things as Austen the Monks should require of them They refuse to accept him for their Arch-bishop Austen appointeth Laurentius to succeede him in the Sea of Canterburie He dieth 220 Ethelbert the Prince provideth for the maintenance of religious persons Hee ordaineth lawes for civill government publishing the same in the English tongue Edbald his sonne succeedeth him in the Principalitie of the Kentish-Saxons His Apostacie Repentance Death 222 Ercombert succeedeth Edbald in the Principalitie The institution of Lent Honorius the Arch-bishop of Canterbury divideth his Province into Parishes Deus-Dedit succeedeth Honorius in the Sea of Canterbury Egbert ruleth the Kentish-Saxons after the death of Ercombert Theodorus the Arch-bishop of Canterbury expelleth Wilfrid out of the Sea of Yorke His learning in Divinitie and Philosophie His estimation in the Court of Rome 225 Lothar by intrusion succeedeth Egbert his brother in the government The West-Saxons invade the Province of Kent Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury calleth a Synod for reformation of abuses in the Clergy The succession of the Kentish Princes from Lothar to Alrich Kent is subdued and annexed to the Principalitie of the West-Saxons 227 ¶ The Principalitie of the South-Saxons established by Ella Cissa his youngest sonne succeedeth him therein Edilwalch the first Christian Prince of the South-Saxons 233 Variance between the Arch-bishops of Canterbury and Yorke Wilfrid chiefe Bishop of the Northumbers expulsed from his owne Sea at Yorke flieth into Sussex where he converteth the inhabitants to the Christian faith Hee is curteously entertained by Edelwalch the Prince who assigneth to him the I le of Selesey for an Episcopall Sea The South-Saxons are brought vnder the obedience of the West-Saxon Princes 235 ¶ The Principalitie of the Mercians erected by Creda the Saxon Penda persecuteth the Christians in his Province Peda succeedeth Penda his father in the governement He marrieth the daughter of Oswin Prince of the Northumbers and receiveth the Christian faith 241 Oswin Prince of the Northumbers ruleth the Mercians after the death of Peda till he is deposed by Wulfere the brother of Peda. Lichfield is made a Bishops Sea for the Province of the Mercians Chadde is Bishop of that place Wulfere is christned Ethelred his brother succeedeth him in the Principalitie He foundeth a Bishops Sea at Worcester He resigneth his governement and goeth to Rome where both himselfe and Kinred his nephew take vpon them the habit of religion Celred his sonne succeedeth him 243 Ethelbald succeedeth Celred in the governement He is reproved by Bonifacius an Englishman Bishop of Vtricht in Holland for his lascivious life His repentance He erecteth the Monasterie of Crowland He is slaine in battaile 245 Offa ruleth the Mercians Hee foundeth the Monastery of Saint Albans He maketh a ditch to divide the Territories of the English and Walshmen Kenelmus the Martyr The Catalogue of the Mercian Princes from Offa vntill the West-Saxons obtained their Principality 248