evidence of the Antiquity of that Sect whom I do make appear were Ancient Priests and Governours in Ecclesiastical and Civil matters in this Nation And by Reason Abraham lived under those Oaks of Mamre so piously the Druids in Example thereof although degenerating from the true substance and intent of so good an Example chose Groves of Oaks under which they performed all the invented Rites and Ceremonies belonging to their Religion To speak further we must confidently according to the Rule and Method of the British History believe Sarron to have Reigned as a British King from Anno Mundi MMVII to MMLXVIII when being Ambitious to extend his Empire he ended his life and kingdom and now we hear of Druis his Son DRUIS the Son of Sarron or as Basing stochius writes his Grand-son by his Son Namnes who died before him succeeded in the Kingdom He is made the Author of the Druids a famous Sect of Philosophers he began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXVIII and held the Government but fourteen years Then BARDUS the Son of Druis next entered upon the Kingdom This is the King of Poets Musicians and Heralds called from him Bardi they were very much given to composing of Genealogies and rehearsing them in publick Assemblies but notwithstanding their great skill in this matter we see they have the misfortune to be put after the Druids in Succession whereas in the fore-going Antiquities it is probably made out they were an Ancienter Order than they in Britain This Bardus began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXXXII and possest the Scepter seventy five years Now who would not have thought BRITAIN or SAMOTHEA an happy Island having so many Philosophers for their Kings but see the mischief of it Let Samothes Magus Sarron and Druis teach never so Divinely and Bardus Sing or Pipe never so sweetly yet the People will be Adders still there is no reclaiming of the Multitude No wonder therefore that giving themselves to a loose and luxurious life and not keeping up to the strict Rules that had been prescribed to them they were the sooner conquered and subdued by the Giant Albion so that Samothea was wrested from the Celts the Line of Japhet and brought in subjection to the Progeny of Ham. Now it is that stories complain of the miserable Thraldom of this Island by the Sons of Neptune and the delivery of it in part by the death of Albion slain by Hercules though long after it was molested by Giants until the Arrival of Brutus all which Circumstances I will pass over not because they are more Fabulous than the rest but because they seem if they were well timed and cleared of all the Ignorant Rubbish that by age and malice of Writers has over-burthened them to carry some foot-steps of the Phoenicians in this Island who were Men of exceeding proportion and of the Linage of Ham and early Traders into these Parts Likewise the story of Dioclesian or as Mr. Hollinshead corrects it Danaus his Daughter I will omit as too tedious a Fable and so proceed to the succession of the Celtick Kingdom of which Britain is feigned a part This I do not for Truths sake but Convenience It follows therefore out of Basinstoak LONGHO the Son of Bardus succeeded him in the Kindom of the Celtae He made War upon Scandia and gave name to the Longo Bards who afterwards proceeded from that Country I pass over how ridiculously and against all Geography Scandia by Basinstochius is placed about the Coasts of Britain and made an Island These are small faults He begun his Reign Anno Mundi MMCLVII and reigned twenty eight years BARDUS the Second succeeded him He carried Musick into Germany which had been first taught in Celtica by his Grand-father He Reigned seven and thirty years and left a young Son called Celtes who being not ripe enough to Administer the Kingdom LUCUS was elected King who Reigned but Eleven years and then CELTES assumed the Crown From this Prince the Celtae took their Denomination His Mother was called Galathea in honour of whose Memory he gave that name to his Daughter and afterwards married her to Hercules by whom she had a Son named Galathes from whom the Galli are derived He reigned but thirteen years and then HERCULES and GALATHEA succeeded This Hercules built Alexia and passing the Alpes he gave his younger Son Tuscus the Kingdom of Italy and his elder Son Galathes the Celtick Dominion The first Prince reigned nineteen years Galathes held the Kingdom of the Celts forty nine years and then left it to his Son NARBON the Son of Galathes during his Fathers life had the Island of Samothea intrusted to his Government but after the death of his Father he passed into Gallia and there built a City after his own Name he reigned eighteen years LUGDUS his Son succeeded him he built Lugdunum and reigned fifty one years BELIGIUS followed who gave name to the Belgae formerly called Beligici he died without Issue after he had reigned twenty years and the Kingdom of the Celts devolved on JASIUS This Prince was of the Line of Hercules and the year before was created King of Italy so that the two Kingdoms of Celtica and Italy were conjoyned in one Man Anno Mundi MMCCCLXXXIV This raised Envy in his Brother Dardanus who began a Civil-War but not being able to prevail by force of Arms he had recourse unto Policy so that feigning Reconciliation with his Brother he takes all his Goods and Shipping them enters into his Brothers Palace and there Murthers him as he was Bathing this being effected he flies into Samothrace afterwards into Phrygia Jasius had a Son named CORYBANTUS he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Italy but not of the Caeltes Jasius reigned fifty years ALLOBROX of the line of Hercules obtained the Kingdom of the Celti he Reigned sixty eight years and ROMUS his Son succeeded him he Governed twenty nine years PARIS the Son of Romus Ruled thirty nine years LEMANES the Son of Paris Reigned sixty seven years OLBIUS the Son of Lemanes Reigned five years From this Olbius Basinstochius derives Albion the Name of this Island GALATHES the Second succeeded him and Reigned eight and forty years NAMNES followed and Governed forty four years and being about to end his daies he bequeathed the Kingdom to his Son Remus REMUS the Son of Namnes Reigned forty years He left only a Daughter which he had married before to Phranicus a Prince of the Blood of Hector PHRANICUS held the Scepter in right of his Wife but leaving Samothea to be Governed by the Druids he betook himself to the Continent called by his Name France so that the Britains readily received King BRUTUS at his Arrival into this Island as is pretended by those who desired to claim an honourable Title from that Race of the Trojans This is the account of the Celtick Kings before BRUTE according to Berosus and Basinstochius Who can but wonder at the exact and
Let therefore the case of Brute remain as it did in Mr. Cambdens daies to be decided by the Senate of Antiquaries and great Clerks to the number of which cited by him namely are Boccace Ludovicus Vives Hadrian Junius Polidore Buchanan Vignier Genebrad Molinaeus Bodine who all reject this story I will now add that famous Antiquary Mr. Selden who askes this Question If the right of Primogeniture invested the eldest Son absolutely in the Kingdom according to the Custome of Troy as it is found in the succession of the Trojan Kings How comes it to pass that this Custome was not brought over into Britain a Question not hitherto fully Answered no not by Mr. Taylour Author of the History of Gavelkind who will have Mr. Selden to be in jest and merriment when he demands upon this account How our Britains claim their descent from the Trojans when as this Question was but sober and rational and hath true reference to the Custome of Troy where the Eldest Son alwaies Inherited the entire Dominion of his Father which by many of the British Kings was not observed Nay this usage of Troy was Religiously observed by the Successors of AEnaeas in the Kingdom of the Latins for when Silvius Posthumus and Iulus contended about the Right of Government Iulus was utterly deposed and invested only with the Priesthood and there was no thoughts of sharing the Kingdom By this it is manifest Mr. Selden had relation to the Custome of Troy and not to any Gavel-kind among the Welch And now I will proceed to the second British King LOCRINE the eldest Son of Brute began his Reign Anno Mundi 2874 over this part of the Island since called England which Portion was allotted to him by the division of his Father as being the fairest parcel of his Empire During his Reign his Brother Albanact was Invaded by Humber King of the Hunns or Scythians and finally by him slain Locrine and Camber raised Forces to revenge the death of their Brother and so marched into the North to seek out Humber and finding him upon the borders of Scotland then called Albania they gave him battle and speedily vanquisht him so as himself and Army after a hot Chase were drowned in a River and from that time the River was named HUMBER In this pursuit he took three fair Ladies the most beautiful of which named Estrild a Scythian Princess he most doted on that notwithstanding a former Contract between him and Guendolaena Corinaeus his Daughter resolved to take this Lady to wife but the power and authority of Corinaeus forced him to lay aside that present Resolution so that marrying Guendolaena nevertheless privately enjoyed his beloved Estrild keeping her in secret during the life of his Father in Law Corinaeus which he performed saith the Count Palatine by the help of a Vault to which under pretence of sacrificing to the Infernal Gods he often resorted No sooner Corinaeus was dead but he owned her for his Queen which so incensed Guendolaena that although Locrine was strengthened by the accession of Cambria upon the death of his Brother yet she goes into Cornwal and by powerful Sollicitations in the behalf of her self and young Son Madan the Cornish are brought to assist her With these Forces she marched again Locrine and in a pitcht Battle nigh the River Stour he is overcome and slain upon this according as she would have it the Kingdom fell to her Son MADAN the Son of Locrine by Guendolaena although a Child yet succeeded his Father Anno Mundi 2894. During his Minority his Mother was made Regent of the Kingdom which she administred with all Justice until the full Age of her Son and after the resignment of her Power she retired into Cornwal This Kings severity in putting the Laws in Execution was esteemed a Tyrant and after he had Reigned forty years he was devoured with Wild Beasts He built Madancaster now Dancaster but Dancaster or Doncaster took its Name as Mr. Cambden supposes from the River Dona upon which it standeth This Madan left two Sons behind him Mempricius and Manlius MEMPRICIUS the eldest Son of Madan began his Reign Anno Mundi 2949 over the whole Island but Manlius his younger Brother rebelled against him To suppress this Rebellion Mempricius signified a desire to Treat with his Brother who consenting to it was treacherously at a meeting Murthered The King having put an end to that trouble wallowed in Ease and Luxury and not content with his Wives and Concubines he falls to horrid Rapes and at last to unnatural Sodomy but in the conclusion of all was slain by wild Beasts after his Government had lasted about twenty years EBRANCKE the Son of Mempricius by his lawful Wife began to Rule Anno Mundi 2969 he had two and twenty Wives of whom he had Issue twenty Sons and thirty Daughters the Eldest of which was named Guales or Gualea These Daughters under the Conduct of their Brothers he sent to Silvius Alba the Eleventh King of Italy and the sixth King of the Latins and this he did because he heard the Sabines would not give their Daughters in Marriage to the Latins What a ridiculous Prolepsis is this of an Action that happened many years after in the daies of Romulus and how without any sense or reason is it ascribed to these Times The Sabines denied their Daughters to that scum of People Romulus by his Asylum had pickt up but why should they do it while the Kingdom of the Latins was in splendour under the Kings of Alba. In making of Silvius Alba the sixth King of the Latins Jeoffery of Monmouth is in the right and now we have a Clue to lead us in to the understanding of this Genealogy of AEnaeas namely he makes the Kings of Alba to succeed lineally from Father to Son and therefore because Silvius Posthumus followed Ascanius in the Kingdom he is ignorantly supposed his Son whereas Iulus was the Son of Ascanius who being deposed by the People Silvius the Son of AEnaeas by Lavinia was advanced to the Crown succeeding Ascanius his half Brother not his Father in the Kingdom By the same Mistake we find in the British History One and twenty Kings from Porrex to Minnegen to be made of a Lineal descent and yet but Ninety two years allowed for all their Reigns so that they begat one another at four or five years old whereas if there be any truth in the Lives of those Kings they ought to have been made Contemporary and to have Ruled different parts of the Island as the Government thereof was found divided in the daies of Julius Caesar when Kent alone had four Princes a little before whose time these KINGS are supposed But to return to Ebrancke After that his Sons had conducted their Sisters under the Conduct of their Brother Assaracus to Silvius Alba being provoked by the Germans they entred that Nation and by the assistance of Silvius Conquered it Some write
But to return to King Baldud Presuming too much either to his skill in Magiok or his Philosophical invention of Wings he brake his Neck from off the Temple of Apollo in Troy-novant from a Pinnacle whereof he endeavoured to have flown He Governed Britain twenty years Then LEIR the Son of Baldud succeeded Anno Mundi 3105 He built Caerleir called Legecestria Leogora Legeo-cester and now Leicester and there placed a Flamen He had never a Son but three Daughters Gonorilla Regana and Cordeilla his Darling In his Old Age being jealous of their Affection he called them before him and demands that they would give him some assurance of their Love The two Eldest called Heaven and Earth to witness that they loved him ten thousand times dearer than their own Souls that they were not able to express their infinite Kindnesses and at last concluded their Flattery with horrid Oaths and Asseverations of their Sincerity Cordeilla could not be heard amidst all this noise of Affection so that her Father turning towards her quickly by his Countenance gave her to understand that he had expected something from her also wherefore with a modest look and humble deportment she assured him that as a Father she had ever loved and honoured him and as her bounden duty was as a Father she should reverence and alwaies esteem him This Answer satisfied not the old King but he shewed his Resentments by his neglect of her and the sudden advancement of her Sisters marrying Regana to Henninus Duke of Cornwal and Gonorilla to Maglanus Duke of Albania reserving no Portion for Cordeilla but it so happened that Aganippus King of Gallia hearing of her Vertue desired her in Marriage to whom she was welcome without any Dower but her own Excellence King Leir having thus disposed of his Daughters began to grow Gray yet Youthsome giving hopes to his Subjects of a long life and Government This pleased not Gonorilla nor Regana who began by this time to reflect upon their Father as the only obstacle of their Happiness often wishing him removed and from wishes they passed on to desires and longing expectations after his Death This brought a contempt of his Age and afterwards neglect and hatred of his Person finally being instigated and assisted by their Husbands they offered so many Indignities and Violences to him that in the end he was constrained to leave the Realm and take Refuge with Cordeilla This rejected Daughter of his received him with all signs and testimonies of Affection and what was more significant assisted him with powerful Aids and in Person went to revenge his wrongs so that bringing a great Army into Britain she destroyed his Enemies and restored him to his Crown which he held for the space of two years whose Reign in all is computed to be full sixty years and was buried at Leicester CORDEILLA the youngest Daughter of Leir was admitted for Queen An. Mundi 3165 She governed the Realm discreetly for five years during which time her Husband Aganippus died Margan and Cunedage her Nephews by her Sisters Gonorilla and Regana disdaining to be under the Government of a Woman rebelled against her and so prevailed that they took her Prisoner but being a Woman endowed with a high Spirit she slew her self rather than to live under their Tyranny CUNEDAG and MARGAN possessing the whole Government Anno Mundi 3170 they divided the Land between them To Margan fell Albania to Cunedag all the Country on this side of Humber Margan was not long content with his Portion so he invaded his Brother but driven by him into Wales and there slain giving the name of Glan-Margan to that Country Cunedagius Ruling alone erected a Temple to Mars at Perth in Scotland placing there a Flamens Seat He also built a Temple of Minerva at Bangor and one to Mercury Mr. Hollinshead saith Apollo in Cornwal he died and was buried in Troynovant after he had Ruled 33 years RIVAL the Son of Cunedag came to the Crown Anno Mundi 3203 in his time it rained Blood for three daies together from the putrefaction a noysom and venemous Flie was bred which in swarms infested the whole Land and brought a Contagion both on Man and Beast and great was the Mortality that ensued in this Kings Reign Rome is supposed to be built about the eight and twentieth year of his Reign and in the year after Brutes Arrival 356 some say in the thirty second year of Rival He Reigned 46 years and bidding adieu to the World GURGUST his Son succeeded Anno Mundi 3249. In this Kings Reign the Olympiads were instituted by Iphitus namely in the year of the World 3256 and in the seventh year of his Government Sr. Walter Rawleigh placeth the building of Rome four and twenty years after the Fourth Olympiad namely in the year 3280 and seven years after the next King Silvius or Sisilius with which Prince I will begin the next Period supposing him to proceed from the Line of the Kings of Alba after the expulsion of Amulius from the Kingdom by Romulus and Remus the time so exactly agreeing with Silvius his leaving the Crown of Alba and this Silvius reigning in Britain that from the driving out of Amulius and his Family from the usurped Kingdom of the Latins and to the beginning of this Kings Reign in Britain there seems a just competent time allowable for a Voyage They who have respect to the British Histories let them consider that this Intercourse between Alba and Britain here supposed is no new thing being practiced in the daies of Ebrancke who sent his Daughters to Silvius Alba then King of the Latins likewise let them take notice that this way the British Kings Succeeding are grafted into the Family of AEnaeas by a Line not so questionable as Brutes namely the Kings of Alba called all SILVII and the undoubted Off-spring of that Silvius Posthumus upon whom Brute cannot with reason be Fathered In the next place let them consider that the Line of the British Kings at Silvius begins to be strangely confused the Lineal descent being ended in himself and a Collateral one begun so that although Silvius be made the Brother of Gurgast yet I take it to make much to my purpose that he is not made his Son according to the way the British History is over fond of Let them consider likewise what Wars and Tumults are reported in the daies of Silvius and his Successour Jago the constant Accidents attending new Invaders and seeing that Polidore Virgil could venture to place and displace Kings at his pleasure inverting in many places the long received Order of the British History and yet deserve commendation for it I hope I cannot be much blamed for setting down my Conjecture which although it be new yet it doth not derogate in the least from the Honour of the Britains being derived from the same Head although in a different Channel And I doubt not that any would willingly deny them either
He reigned ten years and was buried at Winchester COILUS began his reign Anno Mundi 3813 and reigned ten years then was buried at Notingham PORREX the second began Anno Mundi 3823. This was a good Prince he reigned five years CHERIMUS Sirnamed the Drunkard succeeded Anno Mundi 3828 and swayed the Scepter one year Then succeeded FULGENTIUS the eldest Son of Cherimus Anno Mundi 3829 and reigned also but one year after him ELDRED the second Son of Cherimus reigned another year more Anno Mundi 3830. ANDROGEUS the third Son of Cherimus enjoyed the Government another year being 3831. URIANUS the Son of Androgeus began his reign Anno Mundi 3831 and he lived three years and in that time gave himself to all Riot and Intemperance ELIUD Anno Mundi 3835 He was a great Astrologer and ruled five years DEDANTIUS or Dedacus A. M. 3840 and he Ruled five years DETONUS A. M. 3845 he reigned two years as Mr. How affirmeth the Count Palatine speaketh nothing of this King but placeth Clotenus after Dedacus so likewise doth Fabius and after Clotenus he setteth Gurguenites the same as I suppose with Gurguenius put in the same Order by Count Palatine so that supposing this Detonus to be the same person with Clotenus the next Prince is GURGUINEUS A. M. 3847 reigned three years Merianus by the consent of all Writers reigned two years Bleduns or Bladunus two years Gapenus three years Ovinus two years Sisilius the third two years Then BLEDGABREDUS succeeded Anno Mundi 3861 He so far exceeded all men saith the Count Palatine in the Art of Singing that he seemed to be the God of Musick and besides his skill in Vocal saith Galfridus he was expert in all Instrumental harmony He reigned ten years ARCHIMALUS succeeded he was the Brother of Bledgabredus and Ruled two years ELDOLUS began his Government Anno Mundi 3873 and Reigned four years In his daies many Prodigies in the Heavens as flakes of Fire breaking through the Element loud Noises appeared RODIANUS or Redian succeeded and reigned two years REDARGIUS Count Palat. calls Roderecius he reigned three years SAMULIUS was King two years Penisillus three Fabian saith Samulius Penisillus was the same Person and reigned five years PYRRHUS Pyrrus or Phyrrus according to Fabian was King two years and CAPORIUS two years after him DINELLUS the Son of Caporius Fabian calls Glyguell Dinell who began his Reign Anno Mundi 3891. Com. Pal. commends him for many Princely Vertues he reigned four years and then died HELI his Successor reigned not a year so that we see the beginning of King LUDS Reign who succeeded Heli falls in the year of the World 3895 twenty years before Julius Caesars Arrival into this Island who is supposed to have made it Tributary in the ninth year of Cassibelan the Successor of Lud so that taking in the Eleven years of King Lud and the Ninth of Cassibelan and we shall find the time to fall exactly I know there is great difference in Authors not only concerning the Names of these Princes but the Numbers of them and the times of their Reigns and thereby great confusion is made in the British History but more especially from Elidure to Lud But this Calculation I have faithfully gathered by comparing the Authors of most Credit and so have set down their Names as they are most generally Received And seeing there is so little time allowed from Elidure to Lud for such a number of Princes being two or three and thirty and but 186 years allotted for their Reigns we cannot give Hely forty years according to Jeoffery of Monmouth but are forced to comply with others who abridge him seven Months Likewise Coel the First by the Count Palatine hath twenty years assigned him whereas others allow him but ten But to give my Opinion concerning this matter I think that the making of so many Kings from Elidure to Lud to succeed one another cannot agree either with Truth or Reason for as also the latter Princes of this Catalogue for above twenty years together have not excepting three or four of them above one two or three years at most assigned them for their Reigns so the Compilers of this History have been too profuse in the time they gave for the first Kings Reigns and this will appear if we consider Elidure died an Old man in the year of the World according to the best of their Computations 3716. Yet we hear of a Son of his named Gurguntius beginning his reign Anno Mundi 3783 that is sixty seven years after his Fathers death and continuing his Reign twenty years so that he lived in all after his Fathers decease eighty seven years now allowing his Father to have begat him but twenty years before his death which is but reasonable considering his years and we shall find Gurguntius to be 107 years Old a prodigious Age so Rimo lived seventy one years after the death of his Father Peridurus so strangly prodigal were the Composers of this Genealogy to the former Princes and so exceeding niggardly to the latter It is more rational therefore to believe these Kings not to have all of them succeeded one another but many of them to have been Rulers contemporary of particular Provinces of the Island as the Government thereof was found to be even twenty years after at the Invasion of it by Julius Caesar. King HELY built him a Palace and resided most especially in that part of the Kingdom called after his name Ely but Bede derives the Isle of Ely from Eels Polidore l'irgil from the Greek Helos signifying a Fennish or Morish Ground Humphry Llhoid whom Mr. Cambden followeth from Nelig in the British Tongue signifying an Osyer or Sallow which grows in abundance in those Parts and of which the Inhabitants make great profit by weaving Baskets and such like Wares This King was buried in the same Island LUD the eldest Son of Hely began his Reign Anno Mundi 3895 He was endowed with all the excellent qualities belonging to a Prince and is set down as an excellent Pattern of a wise and prudent Governour Amongst the most remarkable Monuments of his Reign was his Repairing or building the Walls of Troy-novant and on the West-side thereof erecting a most sumptuous and beautiful Gate called at this day Lud-gate Verstegan will by no means suffer that this Gate took its denomination from King Lud because of the last termination of it Gate shews the Name to be of Saxon and not British Original but Verstegan might have considered that the Saxons although they expressed the Names of many British Places by words of their own Language signifying the same thing yet what could they substitute in the room of a proper Name which remains alwaies the same in all Languages Besides he forgot clearly that there are many Places in England that remain mixed compounds of both the British and Saxon Tongues As for Example Durham Dunholne Dorchester and a thousand
more I could name had I time besides many Usages and Customes in England which participate of both Languages alike To instance in the Compounds of Iavel a British word signifying a Tenure among the Welch we find Gavel-kind Sand-Gavel Gavel Oat Swine-Gavel and many others Why therefore may not Ludgate be Luds-Gate although it hath both Languages mixt in it Let us hear therefore Verstegan's ingenious Derivation Ludgate saith he is as much as to say Leodgate or the Peoples-Gate Leod signifying People Here Mr. Sheringham asks him but a reasonable question What did the People pass only through this Gate and the Bards and Druids through the other only And I may demand of him also upon what grounds he supposeth the Concourse of People to have been greater through this Gate than any other Indeed since the Suburbs have been built and increased above the greatness of the City and since his MAJESTY and the late Kings of England for many successions have been pleased to live in the Western parts of them the Trade by necessity hath been drawn into these quarters and so Ludgate hath been made the greatest Thorow-fare but before the Suburbs were built or before they were brought into Credit by his MAJESTIES Royal Person and Court or when the Kings of England lived in the City it self How came Ludgate to be the Gate of the People more than of the rest Neither is Lelands Opinion any thing more to be embraced who calleth it Fludgate from the little Rivolet running beneath it It is a thousand pities for the sake of this invention that the Gate was not built upon the Rivulet but now as the case standeth this most miserable Derivation is not to be helped out but by a faith that is able to remove Mountains Let therefore King Lud enjoy the Honour of that Structure whose very mute Statue as Mr. Sheringham saith seems to call out against those who would deprive him of it But besides these two Magnificent Works the Wall and the Gate this Prince is said to have taken such exceeding delight in this City that he built himself a Palace not far from Ludgate supposed by some to have been in the place where the Bishop of Londons Palace stood Others think at Bernards Castle he is thought to have built a Temple also not far from his Court where St. Pauls Cathedral afterwards stood and by these great Works and his continual residence in that City the name of Troy-novant was changed into London or Lundain that is the residency of King Lud. The British Histories write that the changing the name from Troy-novant into Lundain was the cause of great dissension between King Lud and a bold Commander of those times Nennius who eagerly opposed this Innovation whereby the Memory of Troy which so long bad been preserved would be utterly abolished But this story is very much suspected of late to have been altogether Fabulous and there are other Derivations given of the Name of that most Famous City Erasmus brings it from a City in Rhodes called Lindus but this is rejected by Mr. Cambden who in the place of it puts down two Conjectures The first is That seeing the Britains called any place fenced with Trees a Town or City which they expressed by the word Lihwn that this City by way of Excellence might be named the Lihwn and afterwards by corruption London But the second is more probable That it was called London from Lihong signifying in the British Tongue a Ship and Dinas in the same Language a City so that it is as much as the City of Ships And to confirm this Opinion he proves that it was called Anciently Longidinium and by an Old British Bard Lihong-Porth that is a Harbour of Ships In my thoughts this seems to be the truest Etymologie of that most honourable City which in all Ages hath been a place of great Traffick and Commerce with the whole World and by the convenience of its Scituation upon so Navigable a River can receive Ships of great Burthen and in great Multitudes so that the Masts of them appear to be what the Britains called Llhwun namely Woods and Forrests As concerning the Name of TROY-Novant by which this City is supposed to have formerly been called because I am now taking my leave of the British History and am come to the time of the Romans I will freely put down my Conjecture Nant in the British Tongue or Novant for they are both one as Mr. Cambden shews signifies a Valley and Cre Cri or Cra a City and both taken from the Phoenicians as I have shewn by several Places in Cornwal Crinovant therefore is as much as the City of the Vallies for the People who were under the subjection of this City lived Low upon the River Thames and the whole Region in a manner lay in a Valley so that they may be supposed to have been called as other places have been upon the same account Noantes Novantes or Nantuates and this City Crinovant or the City of the Novantes the similitude of which Name as I have shewn in another place gave occasion to those who began the Trojan Original to call it Troy-novant or the New-Troy King LUD after he had Reigned eleven years and was Interr'd in his Temple near Ludgate left behind him two Sons Androgeus and Theomantius Com. Pal. saith that this Lud was Sir-named Immanuentius and was slain by his Brother Cassibelan at Troy-novant and that his eldest Son Androgeus was Sir-named Mandubratius and was the same Prince of the Trinobantes whom we find in Caesar's Commentaries to have sled into Gallia and to have put himself under the protection of Caesar. Of this Mandubratius I shall have occasion to speak in the History of the Romans in this Island whom we shall find Invading it in the next Kings Reign called cassibelanus And seeing now we are come to the Times of the Roman Histories the Authority of which is unquestionable I shall faithfully Collect the Government of Britain under their Emperours from the Latin Writers themselves yet not altogether so as to neglect absolutely the British Histories in the Lives of their Kings and the Circumstances of their Government This I do because that the Histories of the Romans concerning this Island as their Government in it is often broke off and interrupted and those Breaches are supplied by the continuance of the British Succession but I shall place the Roman History in the first place as infinitely surpassing the British in its Authority and all along the British History shall be set under it as attending only and subservient to it THE NAMES OF THE Roman Emperours WHO GOVERNED THIS ISLAND FROM The first Invasion thereof by Julius Caesar until it was quitted of the Roman Jurisdiction by Honorius immediately before the Entrance of the Saxons AND A Catalogue of the Lieutenants employed by them JULIUS CAESAR The first Invader of the Britains after whose Second
seen an Eclipse of the Sun on the third of May which was followed by a grievous Dearth and Pestilence beginning in the south parts but spreading to the north and over all Ireland with great Mortality Sighere and his People unsteady in faith attributed this Plague to the displeasure of their old Gods and returned again to their Superstition building up their Altar and erecting their Images which had been cast down Which when Wulfur the Mercian came to understand he sent Jaruman a godly Bishop who by faithful endeavours in that kind soon recovered them of this second Apostasie But Sebba with those under his command held stedfast in the Faith and after the death of Sighere reigned many years until weary of the troubles of this World he resigned his Crown and took upon him the habit of a Monk in the Monastery of St. Pauls in London which habit he received at the hands of Waldhere or Walthere Bishop of London to whom he brought a great sum of mony to be distributed in Charitable uses reserving nothing for himself that he might faith my Author be as well poor in substance as in mind and all to gain the Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven where he died and was buried and his Tomb to our daies stood in the North-wall of the Chancel of that Church being thither translated in the year 1148. He had two Sons the eldest of which named Sigherd was a Monk with his Father as Bede saies and of the youngest named Seofrid there is nothing recorded though some make him to reign seven years after his Father Sighere married Oswith the Daughter of Edilfrith King of Northumberland who in the daies of her Husband is said to be the Abbess of Barking and was afterwards reputed a Saint By her he had a Son named Offa who succeeded Sebba in the Kingdom OFFA OFFA the Son of Sighere a comely person in his youth and as much admired for the endowments of mind as of body reigned the space of eight years much desired of the People When out of a Religious fondness he forsakes his Wife Kineswith the Daughter of Penda and with Kendred King of Mercia and Edwin Bishop of Worcester goes to Rome where he is shorn a Monk his Queen after his departure vowed her self a Vailed Nun in the Abby of Kineburg where his Sister was Abbess SELRED SELRED the Son of Sigibert the Good came at length to the Crown which he held thirty eight years and then died a violent death but how or from whom received is not reported leaving no Issue behind him SUTHRED SUTHRED the last King of the East-Saxons was driven out of his Kingdom by Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch at which time this Province with others was annexed to the Crown of all the Principality of the Saxons this had been most unstable in the Faith having twice fallen into open Apostasie And this perhaps might be the true Reason that of all the rest it was the most Inglorious being Tributary throughout to one Prince or other and never able to stand upon its own feet by the just judgment of God who visited their sins upon them that they who could stoop to stocks and stones should also be servants to their Neighbours For if we consider the outward advantages it enjoyed in the beginning of its foundation we should sooner judge it would be able to give Laws to its Neighbours than receive from them It was excellently bounded on the East and South by the Ocean and River Thames which at once enriched and secured it It had under its command the City of London which Bede in these daies writes was a Princely Mart for all Comers both by Sea and Land On the other side it had no bordering settlements of Saxons in its first infancy to share in its Conquests or strengthen its ground an inconvenience which many other Provinces were forced to struggle with The lands were seated very pleasant and fruitful and the Countries adjoyning lay open to their farther progress yet notwithstanding all these admirable advantages it was continually in a pining condition scarce able to bear up the name of a Province much less the dignity of a Kingdom And in its final surrender to Egbert hardly afforded a good morsel to that Conquerour For London obeying the Mercians went not along with it but holding out with the Countries near adjacent it cost some more time in the gaining of it THE KINGDOM OF THE South-SAXONS Contained Counties Surry Sussex KINGS Ella Cissa Edilwalch ELLA THE Kingdom of the South-Saxons was precedent to the former in time and the glory of its Actions but not continuance of its Dominion for as it was begun with the first so it was the soonest of all determined the foundations whereof were laid by ELLA the eleventh from Woden not long after the arrival of Hengist for whether sent for by him or coming on his own accord as a New Adventurer with his three Sons Kymen Pletting and Cissa in three ships he lands at a place since that called Kymenshore now Shoreham a well known Harbour in Sussex At his first landing he set upon the Britains and with great slaughter drove them into the Wood Andreds-league which Mr. Cambden calls Andreds-wald so named from Caer-Andred adjoyning which in the Book Notitia Provinciarum is termed Anderida with a Haven hard by of the same name But the Britains thus driven back suffered not Ella to enjoy his ground in quiet for continually sallying out upon him from the neighbouring Woods and Forrests and their chief Garrison at Caer-Andred called by the Saxons afterwards Andreds-cester now Newenden in Kent they often-times repelled him with great dammage and as is thought with the death of his two eldest Sons Kymen and Pletting Ella to supply these losses sends over to old Saxony at this day Holstein in Denmark for more Recruits which come he gives them battel at Mercredeshowrn or Mercreds-Burnamsted wherein he obtained an absolute Victory but Huntington makes doubtful which side carried the day And it appears that after this engagement new Forces were sent for into Germany but whether a second time or that the last supplies are to be placed after this battel is left uncertain But an Argument of Victory on the Saxons side is that now it is generally reported that Ella took upon him Kingly Dignity namely three years after the death of Hengist in the year of our Lord 492 for the difference of computations herein is not great unless we follow them who confound the time of his Entrance with that wherein he assumed Power ELLA grown great with Conquests and Recruits taking his Son Cissa with him besieges Andredchester the chief Rendezvous of the Enemy who nettled with the thoughts to see their principal Garrison invaded and weighing the fatal consequences if it should fall into his hands there being scarce any other place considerable left them in the South gather from all parts and strive if possible to
Pope by his Bull drew the hearing of the Cause the King received this Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury who through many hazards brought the Bull to him into Scotland and thereby finding that the Pope had started an unheard of Claim to that Kingdom returns this Answer to the Bishop That he could not reply to the Popes Letters without the consent of his Barons most of which were at that time in Britain The next year coming into Britain he summons a Parliament at Lincoln Octabis Sancti Hilarii to advise with his Prelates Nobles and Commons how to defend the Rights of his Crown against this new Papal claim Upon reading of the Popes Bull it was long debated whether the King should return any Answer to it but in fine the Affirmative carried it The King to justifie his Title to Scotland and to prove it was alwaies a Feudatory Nation and that their Kings through all Ages paid Homage to the Kings of Britain begins his Claim from Brute and the division of the whole Island among his Three Sons Locrine Camber and Albanact wherein this constitution and Custome of Troy is asserted Ut dignitas haereditatis Primogenito perveniret and so he followeth on his Title through many British Princes as it may be seen at large in the Records in the Tower of London Anno 29. Edvardi primi Here we see Brutes story made use of in a Claim to a Crown then in real debate so that here a few things must be considered Who were the Persons that might be thought to have a great stroak in compiling this Letter The Writs the King issued out were to no less than three and forty Abbots Priors and Deans besides many others of the Clergy to search the Records of their Monasteries and Covents and to send up to Lincoln any thing which might concern the present question It appears that the Monks and Fryers had a great hand in making out this Title by Brute whose Story now was new vampt and from all Parts sent out of those shops where at first it had been forged and hammer'd out And this doth more evidently appear if we consider many other parts of the same Letter as it is found in the Records cited by Mr. Pryn but especially that Miracle of King Adelstane who in perpetuam rei memoriam to give an evident sign of his Right to Scotland with his Sword struck such a blow upon a Rock near Dunbar that he clest it at least an Ell wide It is no wonder if King Edward did oppose the Spiritual Right of the Pope with no less Aiery Titled and it was not unnecessary that he should endeavour to beat him at his own Weapons having so many Myrmedons to assist him who were excellently skill'd and so fitter to return upon Rome a Title which had no less pretences of Antiquity and Holiness than the Popes so that the Fable of Brute here made use of in the Circumstances of those Affairs was prudent and Politick yet makes not to the credit and reality of his History but shews that a wise Prince took the advantage to destroy an impertinent Demand with a Politick return Besides Albanact the Son of Brute by this time had been received by the Scots who were as Ambitious to derive their Nation from the Trojans as the English were contented with a younger Brother for their Prince seeing the English had prevented them in the right of Primogeniture by Locrinus so that Locrinus's Title against Albanact is good although in truth neither be valuable And so I leave the story of Brute and his Trojans to the Credit of its first Devisors and how far it may be taken hath been sifted sufficiently by all Authors I will only reply to one Argument often produced in favour of Brute to which hitherto I have seen no Answer It is taken from the words of Thaliassen an Ancient Poet supposed to live in the daies of Mailgon King of Venedotia or North-Wales in his Book entituled Hannes Thaliassen or the Errors of Thaliassen Mia deythymyma att Wedillhion Croia I return to the Relich of Troy Now granting this to be the true work of Thaliassen I see not why from hence the Britains must be concluded of Trojan Original The Phrase of Reliquiae Trojae aut Reliquiae Danûm may elegantly be used to express any Nation that is miserably brought from its Ancient Glory and reduced to so small a number as the Britains were by the Romans and especially by the Saxons It is a Poetical Elegancy used by Thaliassen to express the Calamities of his Nation yet such small Figures have often created great Kings in the Inventions of Fanciful Men as Magus the Celtick King took birth from the Poetical saying of Pliny and I believe verily Brutus from this of Thaliassen I have not time to instance in all the ridiculous particulars in Brutes History and how Troy-novant could signifie Troia nova before ever the Romans had brought the word Novum into Britain but it may be supposed that this conceit of Troy-novant took its beginning from that Cities standing in the Country of the Trinobantes so called by Caesar and they who followed on the contrivance of a Trojan Original might make use of the least similitude of Words to confirm their Opinions And this might give occasion to those words of King Edward the Confessor to streagthen the Priviledges of the City of London as to their Hustings and other Courts for he saith of the same City thus Fundata erit olim adificata ad instar ad modum in memoria Veteris Magnae Troiae Every Fiction muttlye sometime in the Womb before it can be brought to perfection and so it happened in thus that first the matter of a Trojan Original being prepared and by Tradition only received it grew up by the use Princes made of it Afterwards it received its form from the Writing of the Learned in those daies and so finally brought to maturity and delivered by Jeoffery and all this structure perhaps lying upon no other foundation than Britannia Brutus Trinovant Trivovantes and that elegant saying of Thaliassen Y Weddillhion Croia and this more evidently appears where I have treated of the Custome of the Greeks in giving Names to Nations and feigning of false Originals Many of the like I omit because they have by all Authors been sufficiently exposed to the view of the whole World I will only mention how the Count Palatine makes the Britanni and Brotones two different Nations and that the former were in this Island before Brutes Arrival and the latter took their Name from him For my part let Brute enjoy his Britones so the Britanni may be freed from so fond an Original but both sides will not agree in this composition and I am afraid the case will be the same as when Caesar with his two Names subscribed two Consuls That as one said if Julius be safe Caesar has no reason to complain
the Off-spring of AEnaeas or the Reliques of Troy if he could make out their Title to that Original by any other means than Brute THE CHRONICLE AND HISTORY OF Ancient Britain CHAP. XII SILVIUS the First King of BRITAIN who descended from the Kings of ALBA and not from BRUTE SILVIUS the first King of Britain is supposed to descend from the Kings of Alba and to have forsaken his Country under one of those two great Revolutions of State the former of which was caused by the Usurpation of Amulius upon his Brother Numitor the latter by the vindication of Numitor's Right by his Nephews Romulus and Remus The truth is Silvius seems rather to proceed from Amulius than Numitor upon the account that Numitor's Issue was destroyed by Amulius and his Daughter Ilia made a Vestal Nun so that none of Numitor's Male-Issue surviving this Silvius appears the Son of Amulius who upon the deprivation of his Father might seek out new Fortunes The Reasons that make this seem probable to me are these 1. The Intercourse of the British Histories mentioned between the Kings of Alba and Britain and that very Intercourse must needs be about this time by the very Circumstances produced by those Histories themselves For by their own confession it was in those daies when the Sabines denied their Daughters in Marriage to the House of AEnaeas which happened not according to the Roman Histories till the daies of Romulus and Remus 2. There hath been such an Intercourse between both Nations that they seem to allow it who have derived Britain from a Country in Italy of the same Name as in Polybius and other Authors is seen 3. The time of Silvius his Reign salleth about the Greeks first coming into Britain namely about the daies of Pythagoras at the beginning of the Historical Age nigh the first Olympiad Then it is that we find Silvius mentioned in the British Histories just upon the dissolution of the Line of the Alba Kings called SILVII 4. It is probable the Family of AEnaeas might by Ancient Tradition be delivered down to Govern this Island in Ancient times which Tradition by BRUTE cannot possibly be made out nor so likely by any King as this SILVIUS 5. We find that the Transmigration of the Soul was taught by the Druids of this Island insomuch that Lipsius saith That he knoweth not whether they learnt it of Pythagoras or he of them Now Pythagoras lived by the consent of most Writers not long after those daies of Silvius if not equal with him for who in things of so vast a distance can calculate Time exactly 6. There are many words in the British Language taken notice of which in great reason seem to be derived from the Kingdom of the Latins and shew from thence their Original which words were out of use before Julius Caesars time and so could not be introduced by him The Old Latins called Deformed persons Meriones the Cambro-Britains at this day do call ugly and Rustick Women Metrtones The Old Latins call Deceit Falla the Cambro-Britains Faell The Old Latins called a Great eater Glutton and Gluvia the Cambro-Britains Glwth The Old Latins called a Dug Ruma the Cambro-Britains Rhumen The Old Latins called the Chief Magistrate of the Osci Meddix and with the Cambro-Britains Meddu signifieth to be in Authority and Power The Old Latins called a Fool Dalivus the Cambro-Britains say Delff a stupid Fellow The Old Latins said Clueo I hear the Cambro-Britains call Hearing Clyn and to hear Clywed to which are added many Ancient Names of the Old Latins which have some signification in the British Clodius Clod Praise Drusus Drws a Door Sylla Syllu to See Celius Celu to Hide Cornelius Cornel a Corner Marcus March a Horse Silanus Silyn an Off-spring Cinna Cynne or Cynnew to Burn. The Names of Women Mammea Man Mother Livia Lliw Colour and many more which are left to the Britains to find out who best understand their own Language The Introduction of all which words into Britain cannot so well be attributed to Brutus had there ever been such a Person as to this Silvius upon the account that Brute was not so long in Italy to learn the Latin Tongue neither can the Latin Tongue be supposed to have been in those daies as most Learned persons do think any other than a Dialect of the Greek which mixing afterwards with the Sabins and Etruscans became to be the Original of that Tongue afterwards most in use in Italy so that Brute being excluded none can be found so likely as Silvius to be the Introducer of it into Britain 7. Seventhly and lastly The Cassiterides we find are called Scilly Islands whether from the first Arrival of this Prince which may be supposed in those parts upon the account of Trade or from the Rock Sylla upon the Coast of Italy is uncertain but the former Opinion seems most likely so that I shall conclude seeing that the time doth very well accord of the Expulsion of Silvius Amulius and the Landing of this Silvius in Britain and seeing an Alliance between the two Kingdoms of Alba and Britain is absurdly imagined before this time and with great Reason may be referred hither for seeing Varro's Historical Age now beginneth and some Records of the Greeks remain relating to these daies I will venture to begin the Historical Age with Silvius not condemning all the Traditions of the Britains about AEnaeas and Troy nor yet justifying every thing in those Histories of the following Kings But this I will say That many things in them contained may be Truth although Fabulously written For about this time as I said before the Grecians began to keep Records and much about the same time began their Voyages into Britain as may be seen in the fore-going Antiquities This King SILVIUS in the British History is also named SILIUS Nothing is Recorded of his fifteen years Reign but Brawls and Tumults and Harding calls him also Sicilius and the Son of Gurgust when as others make him his Brother which difference demonstrates the Line of Brute but loosly fastned about this place SICILIUS his Son then did succeed In whose time each man did other oppress The Law and Peace was exil'd so indeed That Civil wars and slaughter of Men express Was in every part of the Land without redress And Murtherers foul through all his Land daily Without redress or any other remedy Most agree that this King reigned nine and forty years some say but two a vast difference and not econcileable unless the distinction of Entrance and Conquest be allowed But of this I shall say no more but proceed to his Cozin Jago JAGO Cozin to Silvius although in all likelyhood not akin at all this being a Phoenician name began his Reign in the year of the World 3336 and died of a Lethargy without Issue after he had reigned twenty eight years leaving nothing memorable behind him but his Tyranny KINIMAGUS or Kimmacus according to most
to Southampton The fourth Hekencldis-street or Kikeneldis-street which goeth forth by Worcester Wickham Bermingham Leichfield Darby Chester-field and by York to Tinmouth By this time Brennus had got so sar into favour with Seginus the Duke of Armorica that he married his Daughter and by the consent of his Nobles in case he failed of Issue-Male the same Duke was admitted Heir of the Crown and not long after by the death of the said Prince he was accordingly received as their lawful Prince all States of the Realm swearing Fealty to him Being now in the possession of a Kingdom Brennus raiseth a powerful Army and Lands in Britain intending to revenge the wrongs done him by his Brother Belyn And now was it that both Armies were ready to give Battle when their Mother Conwenna interposed as a Mediatress between them and by her many tears and powerful perswasions brought them to a Friendly accord so that embracing each other they were heartily Reconciled to the exceeding joy of all Spectators After their Arrival at Troy-Novant they consulted which way best to employ their Armies where the motion was made by Brennus and accepted by Belinus to joyn Forces and undertake the Conquest of all Gallia which Enterprize was attended with a Fortune beyond expectation For they did not only Conquer all Gallia but Italy and great part of Germany also and in the end sacked Rome it self where some say Brennus lost his life others that he survived that great and general Overthrow Some make Belinus a Partner with him in his Greatness others say he went not into Gallia with him or if he did that he soon returned leaving the management of all those Forreign employments to the Conduct of his Brother Brennus whom we will leave to the Histories of the Romans as if so be this were the same Brennus that sackt Rome to receive what Fate in most probability is assigned to him Vitus maketh him to have killed himself at his Repulse before Delphos BELYN now absolute Monarch of Britain sets himself to the beautifying of his Dominions He built Caerleon upon Uske called from thence Caer Uske and Caer Huth where he placed an Arch-Flamen He also adorned Troy-novant with a Gate called to this day Belings-Gate on the top of which he caused a Tower to be made and at the Basis or Foundation thereof an Harbour for Ships to Ride in He is said to be the first Founder of the Tower of London After he had Reigned two and twenty years he died being the first of all the British Kings whose Corps was consumed in a Funeral-pile and his Ashes carefully gathered in a Brazen some say a Golden Urne and preserved on the highest Pinnacle of the Gate or Arch he had built as some think for that purpose GURGUINT Sir-named Brabtruc according to others Barbarous i. e. the Red-beard the English Chronicle calleth him Corinbratus and was the Son of Belyn and succeeded him Anno Mundi 1596. In his daies the Danes refused the payment of their Tribute whereupon he sailed into Denmark and by sorce of Arms obliging them to renew their Treaty received Homage of their Kings and Chief Nobility then Embarked again for Britain In his Return he met with a Fleet of thirty Sail about the Isle of Orkney these he Encounter'd and having taken their Captain Bartholoin or Partholoin he demanded of him what he was and the reasons of his Adventures into those Parts Partholoin answers That He and his Followers were named Balences or Basclenses and were Exiles of Spain and banished their Country with their Wives and Children and thereupon struck out to Sea to seek out an Habitation It is said the King gave them Ireland being a place not then Peopled After his Arrival into Britain the King made it his business to establish and confirm the Laws of his Ancestors and in his Reign that Famous University of Cambridge was Founded by Cantaber Brother of Bartholin This King also built Caer-werith or Lancaster Caer-Peris or Porchester in Hampshire the Seat of a Flamen and Caer-Gaurvie now Warwick where he was buried after he had reigned nineteen years GUINTELINUS or Guintellus the Son of Gurguint was Crowned King Anno Mundi 3615 He was a Prince learned prudent and of singular Justice and Moderation and that which conduceth more to the Glory of his Reign was that he was blest with a Lady with no less Endowments and Excellencies her names was Martia From this Lady that Law called Mathehelage or Marchenelaghe had its beginning and Name translated by King Alphred out of the British into the Saxon Tongue Mr. Hollinshead wonders and admires at Providence that two such wise Princes should come at once to the management of the Kingdom especially at a time when so many Civil Discords were reigning But I find none of these Civil Discords reigning either in his own his Fathers Grandfathers or Great-Grandfathers daies 'T is true Belyn had War with his Brother but in a few years it was wholly ended to the great satisfaction of them both Where then are these Civil Discords Indeed Polidore Virgil out of his great Providence placeth this King before his Great-Grandfather which I suppose he did for the wonderful wisdom of this Prince and his Wife whom he thought best able to end the Civil dissensions caused by the Pentarchy and therefore where Polidore admires the wonderful Providence of God we ought to take him as applauding his own Invention for never before him was ever such an Invention made for the stating of the British Kings But Mr. Hollinshead who followeth on the Received course of the Succession ought not to complain of Civil Discords in this Kings Reign because they had been long since ended And this I take notice of more especially because I find the same Errour in other Authors who have written after Polidore which was grounded from the delight of their own Fancies rather than to deliver the truth exactly down to the People This King Reigned twenty six years and was Interr'd at Troy-Novant now London SICILIUS the second and Son of Guintolin being about seven years of Age was received as King under the Regency of his Mother Martia Anno Mundi 3641 and it seemeth that those Laws called Martiae were exacted by this Queen during the Minority of her Son rather than in the life of her Husband The Count Palatine will have this King to have reigned fifteen years alone but it is generally thought he Governed not above fifteen in all seven under the Tuition of his Mother and eight after his full Age and having given the signs of a hopeful Prince he was suddenly snatcht out of this World by Death and then the Government fell to KIMARUS the Son of Sicilius who began his Reign over Britain A. M. 3656 and being of a wild and ungoverned disposition as given up to all manner of Lusts and Exorbitances was kill'd in the Woods in his pursuit after his game of Hunting some say by
an ambush of Men others by Wild Beasts He reigned but three years and was buried at Caer-leon ELANIUS or Danius his Brother succeeded Anno Mundi 3659 this King was not inferiour to his Predecessor in wickedness of his life in so much as some Chronicles make him one and the same Person sor so exactly did these two Princes correspond in their Vices He held the Scepter ten years then MORINDUS bastard Son of Elanius by his Concubine Tonguestula was admitted to the Crown A. M. 3669 a Man of great strength neat proportion of Body and of beautiful Features As to the quality of his mind he was liberal and bountiful but withal exceeding passionate In his daies the Moriani or rather Morini a People of Gaul Landing in Northumberland with fire and sword wasted that Country which Morindus hearing of with all expedition gathered up his Forces and with long and wearisom Marches made up to them and in one battle utterly defeated them It is said in this Encounter Morindus shewed all the signs of personal Courage Anger and Revenge lifting him up beyond the common ability of Humane nature The Captives that were taken felt the severity of his wrath being every one of them by several exquisite and new devised Tortures sacrificed to his severe Resentments so that in the punishment of these Miserable wretches it is a question whether he shewed more his Skill or his Cruelty Going along the Sea-coast for his Recreation he espied a hideous Monster arising out of the Irish Sea which immediately seized and devoured many who for their pleasures were walking upon the shoar The King beholding the lamentable destruction of his Subjects put Spurs to his Horse and with great fury and haste assailed this Devourer The Contest held a long time doubtful but at last great was the joy and shoutings of the Spectators to see this Monster fall but in the end greater was their sorrow when they saw the King with his fall overwhelmed and destroyed This happened in the ninth year of his Reign He left five Sons behind him Gorbomannus Archigallo Elidurus Vigenius and Peridurus GORBOMANNUS the eldest Son of Morindus possest himself of the Kingdom Anno Mundi 3678 a Religious Prince he evidenced himself to the World for repairing of decayed Temples and erecting New ones in several places in his Dominions in which he placed Flamens He is said to build Grantham in Lincolnshire and some say Cambridge Anciently called Granta Caer-Grant and Grant-chester although others will have it built by Cantaber and walled about by a Count named Grantinus see Cambria Triumphans page 68. He reigned ten years c. ARCHIGALLO the second Son of Morindus succeeded his Brother Gorbomannus Anno Mundi 3688. He endeavoured to depress theNobility by depriving them of all Power and Command to which purpose he contrived Plots and then discovered them having his Engins secretly employed who at any time would accuse whom they pleased of Delinquency or at least dissatisfaction to the present Government These pretended Crimes they redeemed with great Fines and intollerable Compositions for their Estates Many other things he committed as the advancing of Unworthy persons to Dignities and Offices and the spoiling and robbing of his Richest Subjects for all which he was Deposed after one years Government Upon this ELIDURE his Brother was with the general consent and applause of the whole Realm chosen King Anno Mundi 3689. He was called by his Subjects Elidure the Meek Hunting one day in the Wood Calater in the Thicket of the Wilderness he espied his Brother Archigallo and being struck with pitty of his Misfortune he secretly conveighed him home to his House at the City Aldud or Acliud where feigning himself sick he assembled by his Writ all the Nobles of his Realm and there partly by Perswasions and partly by Commands he engaged them to receive again his Brother Archigallo for their lawful Soveraign afterwards calling an Assembly of his Commons at York he there publickly resigned his Crown and taking it off his own Head placed it on his Brother Archigallo's after he had Reigned three years ARCHIGALLO being restored to his Crown Anno Mundi 3692 by his wise and sober deportment he redeemed the Affections of the Nobility and the love of his People He discards his former Favourites and adheres to the sage and prudent Advice of the best of his Nobility and Reigning to the general liking of all his Subjects for the space of ten years he died and was buried at Caerbranck at York Elidurus after the death of his Brother was lawful King of this Island and so with much Honour and Reputation received the second time the Crown An. Mundi 3702 but was soon deposed by the Ambition of his Brothers Vigenius and Peridurus after one years Government when being seized by them and his Person confined to the Tower of London they divided the Kingdom Peridurus received Albania and Vigenius the Country on this side Humber Vigenius died after he had reigned seven years so that the whole Kingdom came to Peridurus who managed it as some write with great Moderation and Justice as others say with Tyranny and Oppression but he died not till after he had Governed nine years in all and then was buried at Pykering a Town he himself had built Elidurus again resumed the Crown being delivered out of Prison where some say he was confined by his own Election and not by the Injustice of his Brothers This was in the year of the World 3712 and after he had Reigned four years to the general applause of all men He died and was buried at Caerlisle GORBONIANUS the Son of Regni and Grand-child to Elidure was Crowned King of Britain Anno Mundi 3716. He reigned with the general approbation of all People for the space of ten years Jeoffery of Monmouth maketh this Regni the Son of Gorbonian a worthy Prince MORGAN or Margan succeeded Anno Mundi 3726 he was the Son of Archigallo he ruled fourteen years with great peace and tranquility After him EMERIANUS another Son of Archigallo was advanced to the Crown Anno Mundi 3740. He was of a quite contrary disposition to his Brother so that Governing by Will and Pleasure and not according to Law he was laid aside after he had sat in the Throne seven years YDWALLO the Son of Vigenius followed Anno Mundi 3747. By the Example and Misfortune of his Predecessor he avoided Tyranny and held the Scepter twenty years RINCO the Son of Peridurus an Heroick Prince and a great Warriour assumed the Royal Dignity Anno Mundi 3767 and reigned sixteen years GERUNTIUS the Son of Elidurus followed him Anno Mundi 3783. He gave life to the Laws of his Predecessor and Governed with Justice and Moderation for the space of twenty years CATELLUS his Son reigned after him in the year of the World 3803 he was the great Patron of the Poor and Distressed insomuch as he hanged all such as were their Oppressors
Islanders came to be debauched receiving for their Trifles as many silly Luxuries of the Continent insomuch that afterwards they became so tame that one Band of Souldiers with a small Troop of Horse as Strabo witnesseth was able to hold them under in Obedience Nay so highly obliging were they to the Romans in the daies of Tiberius who lived also in this Kings Reign that when some of Germanicus Army crossing some part of the Seas were cast upon their Shoar they entertained them Courteously and sent them back to their General Nay so comfortable to the Romans was this Kymbelin himself that he caused Coyns to be stamped after the Custome of that State whereas before the payments of the Britains were made with Rings of Iron and Plates of Brass sized at a certain weight His Image was made exactly after the manner of the Emperours and on the Reverse was CAM signifying Camalodunum or Maldon in Essex his Royal Seat and it is more than to be suspected that Tribute likewise was paid for in a Coyn of his TASCIO is found in great Letters with a Man sitting a hammering which word implieth Tribute In the Third year of this Kymbeline and in the Two and fortieth of Augustus being the Year of the World 3966 and after the Flood 2311 from the Arrival of Brute 1116 Britain and all the World being blessed with a General Peace the Saviour of the World JESUS CHRIST was miraculously born of a Virgin the influence of whose Birth not long after extended unto Britain Some there are that affirm Cunobeline to have been at Rome and to reside in the Emperours Court when the News of our Saviours Birth was brought to Augustus but the time agreeth not For by the latest Account he is made King of this Island three years before our SAVIOUR and by some twenty three but the former Computation seemeth the truest For we find no other King between him and Guiderius who Reigned in the daies of Claudius Caesar and was the Son of this Cunobeline For how is it likely that Cunobeline should be King of this Island in the beginning of Augustus's Reign and yet have a Son that Reigned above fifty years after in Claudius his daies for the space of twenty eight years and after him a younger Son Arviragus that Reigned twenty eight years more so that it seemeth this King Ruled in the latter daies of Augustus and twenty of the twenty three years of Tiberius if not all of them and some part of Caligula's also TIBERIUS was a dissolute Prince given to Sloth and Luxury he thought it sufficient if he could maintain the Bounds of the Empire as Augustus left it producing for his Excuse a Schedule written with Augustus his own hand wherein was contained the whole Body of the Roman Empire how many Cities and Allies were in Arms the list of their Navies Kingdoms and Provinces to which was annexed the Convenience of the present Limits of the Empire the necessity to bound it on the East by Euphrates and Tigris two considerable Rivers on the North by the Rhine and Danube on the West by the Ocean so that Britain was excluded This Maxime so convenient in it self and so much conducing to the Ease of this Emperour was the Excuse that no Attempts was made upon this Island during the three and twenty years of his Reign And Tacitus where he reckons up what Legions were maintained and through what Countries distributed never maketh mention of many Forces in Britain in these Times It is certain that they paid Custome and Tolls but more for the convenience of Trading than out of Compulsion the Romans collecting them after a precarious manner and as Strabo saith not daring to compel them besides their Courtesie to Germanicus his Souldiers had much obliged the Romans all which Circumstances helped to procure their quiet under this Emperour Cunobeline I formerly spake of had five Sons Guiderius Adminius Togodumnus Caradocus and Arviragus to those as may be supposed he divided the Island and allotted them Principalities before his death For we find in Roman History that Adminius was banisht by him upon some misdemeanour and fled unto Caligula and yet in an Ancient Coyn Adminius seemeth to have been a King The Inscription on the Coyn is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ETIMINAIOY BA METROPOLIS ETIMINII REGIS Which Mr. Cambden judgeth to have been this Adminius of whom I find nothing else in the Roman or British Histories But this is to be taken notice of that Cunobelin's Reign extends through the daies of Caligula for Adminius was banished by his Father during his life and took the protection of Caligula and I suppose not without some reason he submitted his Principality to him which gave such occasion of Braggings to that Emperour that he made more noise of it than had been requisite if he had taken the whole Island of whose British Exploits take the account out of Roman Authors It is certain he had once an intention to Invade Britain but by his shittle Head sudden repentance and mighty designs against Germany all came to nothing To terrifie the Britains and Germans with some mighty piece of War he once made a Bridge over a Creek of the Sea in Campania three miles and six hundred paces in length He was a Prince idle and abounding in vain Conceits Having in Belgium taken into protection Adminius the Son of Cunobelyn banisht by his Father he sent boasting and magnificent Letters to Rome as if the whole Isle had been brought under his Subjection giving especial charge and command to the Post that at their Arrival at Rome they should drive their Charriots directly into the Market-place and the Curia and in no wise deliver his Messives to the Consuls but in the Temple of Mars and in a full Assembly of the Senate After this he brought all his Army to the Belgick Shoar where he received the News That the Britains had levied the strength of their Nation and stood ready to oppose his Landing if he should make any attempt upon them This affrighted not Caligulae who resolved not to maintain Fight but at sufficient distance and to keep the advantage of the Sea which secured him against the too near approaches of the Enemy Having therefore first commanded his Men to take a full view of the British Forces as if they had all such Prospective Glasses as Roger Bacon fancies Caesar discryed the Country with from the same Coasts and having encouraged them not to be daunted at their Numbers with Manhood not to be equalled he rowed a stones cast or two from the Shoar and there gave a notable defiance to them Then as if expecting to be assaulted he commanded all the Engines of Battery to be set up the Trumpets to sound a Charge and the men to fall on but no Enemy appearing as if upbraiding the Cowardize of the Britains in great Triumph he orders his Souldiers to fill
from the likeness of his Name and History for the Jutes do often put a W before names beginning with a vowel which W the Latins express by a B so that Berig is no more than Erick or Werick His History is almost the same though in some few circumstances he seemeth after in time for Johannes and Olaus Magnus with other Northern Historians write of his coming into Gothland from Seanzia so far it agrees with the story of Erick but then they go farther when they say he went into the Country of the Ulmerugii now part of Pomerania and having subdued the Vandals who were supposed to be so called in the daies of the former Erick to have joyned them to his other acquests But whether these two be the same or different Persons the account of both their Actions is so small and inconsiderable that it is not worth the while to be too serious in the weighing of it When the Getes had increased to great numbers in their new Seats in Germany and began to want room many of them transplanted themselves into Scythia under the Conduct of FILEMAR their King the fifth from Berig This Filemar was the Son of Gudarig but of his Grandfather and Great-Grandfather not a word upon Record From thence they spread themselves even to the Bosphor and all over the Lake of Maeotis by degrees possessing all Thracia Dacia and Maecia and stretching as far as the Pontick Sea About this time next unto Filemar their King they had in special veneration one Xamolxis who taught them Laws and Manners and brought them to the orders of Civil and well governed Common-wealths then two great Families the House of the Amali and that of the Balthi the Ostrogoths were in subjection to the Amali and the Vesegoths to the Balthi both which names seem to signifie no more to me than the Eastern Goths and the West Goths as the Massagetes are derived by many from the Getick Massy which with us signifies great or heavy from the vast proportion of their Bodies and now the Getes being very powerfulin all those parts they took different Names from the different Countries they possessed being called Cimmerians Sarmates Scythians Thracians Dacians Maesians Istrians Ponticks from Cimmeria Sarmatia Scythia Thracia Dacia Maesia Istria and Pontus as in our parts they were called Saxons Angles Sueves Germans Celts upon the same and other like accounts But we must carefully take heed in reading the History of our Ancestours that we confound not their actions with the actions of those People whose Names they afterwards took as for example Because the Getes from the Conquest of Scythia were afterwards called Scythians and from dispossessing the Celtae part of them were called Celtae therefore to think as some have done that the ancient Scythians and Gauls were nothing but a Getick Nation were an opinion absurd and unreasonable The Getes being seated in these parts by FILEMAR and possessed of most Countries about the Bosphor the Pontick Sea the Lake Maeotis and the Euxine now it is that we hear so much of them in the Roman and Greek Historians and indeed this seemeth the full Zenith of their lustre and prosperity whether we measure them by the number of their Nations the glory of their Actions or the Conduct Might and Puissance of their Kings but because these things are fully treated of in Roman and Greek Historians from whence they may be easily fetched and because they seem remote to our purpose who intend only an account of the Getes as they returned again by degrees into these Western parts of Europe and at last into Britain it self I shall not trouble the Reader with the names of their several Kings or their Actions in so forraign parts but begin with WODEN from whom Hengist and Horsa who first made a publick Invasion in Britain derived themselves in the third degree For what hath been briefly yet fully delivered by faithful Collection from those who have read the Gothick Annals and out of the Northern Histories themselves together with what afterwards may be said of the Saxon Customes and Language will be sufficient to convince the Judgment as to points requisite to be known of so Ancient times and People namely that those very People who returned into Germany under the Conduct of Woden and they who afterwards came into Britain with Hengist and Horsa were the Race of the Ancient Getes or Goths so famous in History and from whom the Spaniards at this day though they are least able yet account it the highest Honour to derive themselves Having treated of the Getes or Jutes until their settlement in Scythia Cimmeria and upon the Bosphor I come now to speak of their return into Germany under the Conduct of WODEN their much admired Commander 'T was he that first brought them under the names of Saxons Sueves which Names they are supposed about his time to have taken up into Swedeland Denmark Rislandia and the Countries adjoyning The Gothick Nations according to the variety of Dialect call him variously Sometimes Uoden and Oden and Othen and Godan and Guodan the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dutch by transposing a letter Guoden Sometimes in short Wode and Ode and Othe Gode and Guode like wise Woen and Goen hence Wednesday the Dutch call Woensdach and Gorensdach And as his Name is delivered variously so are his Actions like wise some of them in Historical plainess others obscurely in hidden Mythology Parables and Fables which latter way of writing being I know not by what fate the constant delight of Primitive Ages and as I may say the pride of those first times ought not to detract from the truth of those things which are evidently and upon good Tradition distinctly set down For as it would argue lightness of Judgment to give credit to Reports monstrous and impossible though pretending to greatest Antiquity so it too much savours of novel Pride and Conceit if upon reading the works of the Ancients we immediately shut the Book and cry out all is false and ridiculous when indeed we only want the key to unlock those Mysteries which they purposely wrapt up in obscurity to the end they may render the Theology Religions Customes and Manners of their Country therein darkly couched more August and venerable Not to mention how it was the Custome of the Ancient Greeks and Romans we shall find the very same method used in our Northern Writers when they set down the Life and Actions of WODEN and other their Princes which sure may be pardonable in them seeing it is so much admired in the others especially seeing the chief Mythologist of the Northern Writers I mean the Compiler of the Eada which remains the most venerable Monument of Antiquity amongst us or rather the setter forth of it gives this ingenious account of the Work Edda et Ithret aff forndsctudum frodra manna Deemosogum og matgfundnum heitum hlutaima keinnanda Norreenann Skaldskap fyrer Aithiidu
Aurelian whose right he had usurped After this Massacre few or none being left in Britain whose wisdom in Councel or policy in War was able to do much for their Country Hengist had the leasure to establish his new Dominions And although we read of some few bickerings between him and the Britains afterwards yet by the consequences we shall find that these last were alwaies the loosers and the Saxons the only gainers And now about the year 477 Ella another Saxon Prince with his three Sons Cymen Pletig and Cissa entered the Island at a place in Sussex called Cymenshore and made great slaughter of the Britains but of his actions as being the founder of the Kingdom of the South Saxons there will be occasion to speak in that History It is sufficient here to be hinted that so fair a gap being laid open by Hengist not long after as if Britain was the field of Fortune many other Princes out of Saxony and those parts came flocking into the Island and soon after one another settled Seven distinct Kingdoms leaving to the Poor Britains no more than what nature seemed to provide for them namely inaccessible Mountains and Rocks scarcely passable where defending themselves and enjoying the use of their Religion they sometimes to little purpose as in the main appears made sallies upon the Saxons who not withstanding all resistance still more and more increased Some of them fled over to their Brethren in Armorica others into Holland where yet remains the Ruines of Brittenburg not far from Leyden to be seen at Low-water either built as the Dutch Writers affirm or seized by the Britains in their flight from Hengist Hengist reigned thirty four years and then as Marianus Scotus reports died honourably but Peter de Ikam Polydore and others say he was slain in Battel or taken by Edol Earl of Gloucester and beheaded at Conesborow He was a Prince of the chief Blood of the Saxons by birth of Angria in Westphalia and supposed Lord of that Territory called at this day Hengster-holt He is thus derived from the deified Woden Hengist the Son of Wetgisse the Son of Wecta the Son of Woden When Hengist came first into Britain he is said to have built Thong-Castle near Sydingborn in Kent so called because he had begged as much ground of the King to build it on as he could compass about with an Ox-hide Here he feasted Vortigern and here the fair Rowena in broken language drunk to him that fatal Wassal that for ever after like a strong yet lingring poyson stuck close to his side Thus Hengist obtained the Kingdom by Craft as much as Courage and established it in blood by Treachery yet there are who excuse that Massacre of the British Nobility and lay it upon chance not design alledging that in Saxony not long before there had been a meeting of Thuringers and Saxons where if the Saxons suspecting fraud had not come privily armed the Thuringers had dispatched them all fearing the like Treachery from the Britains they prepared for the worst in this Treaty and in the midst of their Cups as drink is quarrelsom they were provoked beyond the measure Wine is able to bear Thus Verstegan OERIC OERIC Sirnamed Oisc the Son of Hengiss succeeded in the Kingdom At the Battel of Creganford or Craford he gave signal proof of his Valour in assisting his Father in gaining that most remarkable Victory not long before he had been taken prisoner by the Britains and was held in custody at York but by secret workings he made his escape and came up to his Father before the fight began Being seated in the Throne like a wise Prince he set himself to the establishing his Kingdom by good Laws contracting his Dominions within the Province of Kent as most tenable and neglecting those Out-skirts of Essex Sussex and Middlesex left him by Hengist as not well bounded nor throughly subdued Sussex and Surry which touched him on the West he gave up to the Conquest of Ella the Saxon and Essex and Middlesex on the North he left free for Enchinwine another Saxon Adventurer to exercise his Valourin Thus whilst on all sides of his Kingdom the Britains were kept off by other hands he had leasure to follow the Arts and Methods of Peace like Numa to settle the Kingdom left him by his warlike-Predecessor And this is the reason that we hear little of his Son and Grand-son saving their Names and Issues till the time of Ethelbert For the Britains taken up with higher Wars had not opportunity or means to reach Kent and till Ethelbert's daies the other Saxons were so well imployed by the Britains that they had no leasure to fall out among themselves In memory of this Prince the founder of their Laws and Priviledges the Kentish Men afterwards called themselves Oiscings He reigned 24 years but hath not the honour by our Historians to be accounted the second Monarch of the English Men they giving that place to Ella founder of the South Saxons a more active and bustling Prince OCTA OCTA the Son of Eske or Oisc began his Reign about the year 513 What his Father peacably left he quietly enjoyed for twenty two years in which he had the pleasure to see many other Principalities of the Saxons begun in the Island He left the Kingdom to Ermiric ERMIRIC ERMIRIC the Son of Octa Reigned twenty nine years more honourable in his Posterity than any actions of his own He gave his Daughter Rikel in marriage to Sledda Son of Erchinwine first founder of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons by which alliance he endeared to himself the neighbouring Provinces of Essex and Middlesex his Kingdom he left to his Son Ethelbert ETHELBERT ETHELBERT the Son of Ermiric succeeded in the Kingdom of Kent He equalled in length of Reign both his Predecessors and as Bede rockoneth exceeded them three years At his first coming to the Crown he was very young and unexperienced by which means hastily aiming above his reach he fell almost beneath the contempt of his Neighbours The causes of his Ambition seem to be these We read that Hengist by leave of Vortigern had placed Octa and Ebissa in the North to keep off the Scots and Picts from molesting the Southern borders they and their Successors settling there a kind of Principality had held it for one hundred and eighty years yet as in subjection to Kent the elder Family and owning its Protection though far distant But Ida coming to govern in those parts about the year five hundred forty seven in the daies of Ermiric cast off all manner of obedience to that Crown and assumed an Absolute Royalty to himself which Indignity Ermeric as may probably be guessed resenting by making strong Alliances intended to revenge but being snatched away by untimely death the quarrel was left intire to young Ethelbert his Son who partly instigated by this affront whereby the honour of his Kingdom seemed to be
it as high a piece of Courtship to conform to the present way of worship their old Idolatry and now again revived Superstition In vain did Lawrence Successor to Augustine in the See of Canterbury endeavour by diligent preaching to stop the tide of this Apostasie for preferment at Court and the Countenance of the Prince drew more Proselites to Heathenisin than the good lives and examples of constant Professours could keep true and sincere in the maintenance of the Gospel But he was not long unpunished for whether workt by the strength of Education which suffereth not without violence principles well grounded to be rooted up or whether indeed as is related possessed with an evil Spirit he fell into soul fits of phrenzy and distraction the convulsions of the mind and often torments of an evil Conscience And now whilst in human appearance there seemed no hopes of amendment it so fell out that by extraordinary means he became penitent The story goes that Lawrence finding his labours ineffectual was resolved to retire into France and follow Justus and Melitus the one expelled London the other Rochester for the Apostasie was now spread wide into the Country of the East-Saxons also being at his devotions the night before his intended departure in the Church of St. Peter that Saint appeared to him and to make the Vision more sensible gave him many stripes for offering to desert his Charge the marks of which the next morning being shewn to the King with the cause why and the person from whom they were received so wrought upon his fancy already prepared that immediately forsaking his Incestuous life he embraced again the Christian Religion and became as zealous a Professour as he had been a violent Persecutor Though it should seem by the following Epistle of Pope Boniface that Justus not Laurentius was his Converter The Epistle of Boniface V. To Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successor of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury To our most Beloved Brother Justus Boniface sendeth Greeting WIth what devotion and watchfulness your Brotherhood hath laboured for the Gospel of Christ not only the tenour of your Letter directed to us hath manifested but the granted accomplishment of your undertaking For neither hath Almighty God forsaken the Obligation of his Name or the fruit of your Labour in what he faithfully promised to the preachers of the Gospel Behold I am with you even to the end of the World Which his clemency hath particularly shewn in your ministery opening the hearts of the Gentiles to receive the singular mystery of your preaching for with a great reward and the assistance of his goodness he hath illustrated the delightful course of your proceedings whilst of the Talents committed unto you by a faithful improvement rendring him a plentiful increase he hath prepared for you to lay up by multiplying the kind And this also is conferred on you by that retribution who constantly persisting in the ministry laid upon you with a commendable patience wait for the redemption of that Nation and that they might be profitable to yours their salvation is begun The Lord saying Whosoever shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Ye are saved therefore by a patient hope and the strength of forbearance that the hearts of unbelievers being purged from the natural disease of Superstition might obain the mercy of their Saviour For having received an express from King Eadbald our Son we find with how great knowledge in holy teaching your Brotherhood hath brought his mind to a true conversion and the belief of our undoubted faith Upon which occasion having a certain assurance of the continuance of the divine Clemency we believe that by the ministry of their preaching will follow not only the full conversion of those under his command but of the neighbouring Nations also Since as it is written The recompence of your works accomplished shall be given by the Lord the Rewarder of all good things And it may truly be effected that the sound of them hath gone throughout the whole earth and their words to the ends of the earth by an universal confession of Nations professing the Christian Faith Polydore Virgil relates that hereupon he was Baptized but it seemeth strange that Ethelbert so Religious a Prince had neglected that pious office to his Son and as for re-baptizing in case of Heresie or Apostasie it had been long before condemned in the Church After his conversion he re-called Melitus and Justus from banishment and built a Chappel within the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Canterbury He reigned twenty four years and by Emma daughter of Theodebert a French Prince had two Sons Ermenred and Ercombert Ermenred died before his Father and left a Daughter Dompnena and two infant Sons behind him Ethelred and Ethelbert but the Kingdom required a man to govern it Ercombert the younger Son succeeded his Father ERCOMBERT ERCOMBERT notwithstanding his elder Brother's Sons were living took possession of the Kingdom What he wanted in Right he made out in good Government being reported a most Religious and Christian King The Saxon Idols yet standing he utterly demolisht and commanded the Fast of Lent to be universally observed but he is noted by some for not restoring at his death the Kingdom to his Nephew whose undoubted Right it was But leaving two Sons behind Egbert and Lothair whom he had by Sexburg the daughter of Anna King of the East-Saxons it fell to them successively He reigned twenty four years EGBERT EGBERT the eldest Son of Ercombert after his Father's death obtained the Crown but conscious that the right of Inheritance lay in his Uncle's Sons Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure himself he dispatcht them both casting their bodies into a River that their murther might not be known but they were afterwards by the stream cast up upon the shore and discovered by the next Inhabitants who in great veneration for before they were esteemed Saints and now Martyrs interred their bodies and built over them a little Chappel or Oratory Their bones were afterwards removed and laid in the Abby of Ramsey in Hantshire Their Sister Dompnena married to Merwald a Mercian Prince founded the Abby of Minster in Kent wherein saith Stow she became the first Abbess Mr. Cambden placeth that Abby in Sheppy and saith it was founded by Sexburga Wife of Ercombert To make amends for this Murther he gave to the Mother of these Princes part of Tanet wherein to build and Abby His ill-gotten Power was but short reigning only nine years he left behind him two Sons Edric and Wigtred but his Brother Lothair seized the Kingdom In his days the Province of Kent was divided into Parishes by Theodorus not Honorius Arch-bishop of that See as Mr. Speed falsly accounteth who placeth also this Action in the days of Ercombert LOTHAIR LOTHAIR taking the advantage of the Minority of his Nephews stept into the Throne but he enjoyed it not in Peace
scyldig se man se ê§ana sie he age healf ê§ Æ¿iae daet Æ¿eorc If a Free man shall do it on that forbidden time he shall suffer the Mulct of Pillory and the Informer shall have half as well of the Mulct as the Wirgild Wirgild signifies a Composition made by the Party or his Friends for a fault committed This is all that we find upon Record either in Church or State that particularly relateth to King Wigtred He left Issue Edbert Ethelbert and Alric who all reigned in their turns EDBERT EDBERT the first Son of Wigtred reigned peaceably twenty three years nothing is left memorable upon Record during his Reign save that two blazing Comets appeared one before the Sun in the morning the other after him at night both darting their beams to the North. It was thought to portend the Desolations afterwards made by the Saracens who brake into France but were soon after expelled ETHELBERT the Second ETHELBERT the Second and second Son of Withred succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom He reigned for the space of eleven years and hath left nothing behind of Name or Issue He was buried among his Ancestors at Canterbury ALRIC ALRIC the third Son of Withred and last of the Royal Family of Hengist held the Scepter thirty four years He was slain in the battel of Otteford by the hands of OFFA the Mercian King whose overthrow saith Malmsbury was less dishonourable as vanquisht by so great a Monarch The Saxon Annals of 784 mention one EALMUND now reigning in Kent but he is no where else mentioned The following Kings either by wealth or faction obtained the Kingdom ETHELBERT the Third ETHELBERT the Third Sirnamed Pren the Annals call him Eadbright by what means is unknown usurped the Regal Power After two years reign contending with Kenulph the Mercian King who invaded his Territories he was taken Prisoner and led captive into Mercia and there for a while detained During his Imprisonment Cuthred was appointed by Kenulph to govern Kent and Simeon writes that Kenulph commanded to put out his eyes and cut of his hands but upon what occasion or whether the sentence was executed he hath left us in the dark Certain it is that Kenulph having finisht his Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire either out of commiseration of Human chance or relenting so severe a punishment or else to render the dedication of his Temple more illustrious taking this Princely Captive by the hand he led him to the High-Altar and there in the presence of Cuthred his Vice-Roy in Kent and ten Earls thirteen Bishops and many other Nobles he gave him his Liberty without Ransom and free leave to return to his Dominions But coming to Kent he was not received but retired to a private life and this is he and not the former Ethelbert whom the Annals of Canterbury affirm to be buried at Reculvers in the Isle of Tanct where he may be supposed to have lived after his expulsion a place most convenient and oftentimes used for such inglorious retreats He reigned only three years CUTHRED CUTHRED was created by Kenulph Vice-Roy of Kent but our Historians make him King and Usurper however he sate in the Throne but three years and we hear nothing of him but that he was present at the release of his Predecessor which should seem to argue that he was not the cause of his being kept out from the Crown BALDRED BALDRED last King of Kent was vanquished by Egbert the West-Saxon who seized his Dominion after he had reigned eighteen years and forced him to flie beyond the River Thames at which time this Kingdom and not long after the rest of the Heptarchy were reduced under the intire obedience of that Monarch THE KINGDOM OF THE East-SAXONS Contained Counties Essex Middlesex Part of Hartfordshire KINGS Sledda Sebert Sered Seward Sigibert the First Sigibert the Second Sigibert the Third Swithelm Sighere Sebba Offa. Selred Suthred SLEDDA SLEDDA the tenth from Woden is generally esteemed the first founder of the East-Saxon Kingdom though some following Huntington give the honour to Erchenwine his Father of whom nevertheless they tell us nothing saving his Name and Pedigree relating neither the number of his Forces the place of his landing or so much as the least encounter with the Britains In the same obscurity we might have passed over Sledda his Son had he not ennobled himself by the marriagt of Ricula Daughter of Emerick King of Kent and Sister to Ethelbert the first Christian Prince and Great Monarch of the English-men And indeed the whole transactions of this Province seem all along to have been redeemed from oblivion not by the glory or worth of its Princes or the greatness of its own proper atchievments but by the conjunction is had with other Kingdoms more powerful and the lustre it borrowed from neighbouring Princes with whom it was often linked in action In its beginning it was tributary to Kent and received its Protection from thence and this is the reason I have placed it next in order and though afterwards it came to be in a manner absolute yet it never rose to that height as to have one Monarch that could pretend to give Laws to other Kingdoms of the Saxons as all the rest at one time or another did It was bounded on the East with the Sea on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne on the North with the River Stour But these two latter limits often varied according to the encroachments of the Mercians made upon them in the West and the East-Angles and those of Northumberland on the North. Neither is the time of the beginning of this Kingdom more certain some place it as high as the year 516 under Erchinwin others eleven years after in the year 527 and the fifteenth of Oisc second King of Kent Some begin it at the first year of this Sledda's Reign which they will have to be in the year 587 but leaving them in their Disagreement I shall begin the computation of this Kingdom from the death of Sledda who having reigned without any actions recorded the space of many years departed this life Anno 596 leaving issue Sebert and Segebald SEBERT SEBERT the eldest Son of Sledda succeeded his Father nothing more famous than he saving that he was the first introducer of the Christian Faith into this Province He was converted at the perswasions of his Uncle Ethelbert and the preaching of Melitus afterwards Bishop of London and received Baptism at his hands in his chief City of London where by the assistance of King Ethelbert then chief Monarch of the English-men he founded a stately Church or rather repaired and enlarged the old Structure dedicating it to the honour of St. Paul constituting it the Cuthedral of the See of London This Church Ethelbert then present endowed with good possessions as in his Grant to Melitus is evident by this following Record AETHELBERT Rex
Deo Inspirante pro animae suae remedio dedit Episcopo Melito terram quae appellatur Tillingham ad Monasterium sive solatium scilicet Sancti Pauli Et ego Rex AETHELBERT ita firmiter concedo tibi Praesuli Melito potestatem ejus habendi possidendi ut in perpetuum in Monasterii utilitate permaneat c. Afterwards these two Princes founded the Church of St. Peters on the west of London at a place called Thorney where there stood a Ruinous structure built as the report goes by King Lucius upon the foundations of a Temple of Diana Here Sebert after thirteen years Reign was interred as likewise his Wife Anthelgoda more to be commended if he had laid the foundation of Christian Religion in the hearts of his Children as he had done in sticks and stones but dying his three Sons SERED SEWARD and SIGIBERT jumpt all at once into the Throne three heady and ungracious Princes for their Father was no sooner laid in the earth but they cast off publickly the Christian Religion and did open spight to its Professors Take the Relation from Bede Sebert departing this life to a better left his Kingdom to his three Sons who immediately returned to the open profession of Idolatry which during their Father's life they had partly dissembled and by publick allowance encouraged their Subjects in the worship of Idols when they saw the Bishop celebrating of Mass in the Church and delivering the Host to the people they haughtily demanded as report goes and with as much folly as impiety Why reach you not out the glittering Bread to us as well as you used to do to our Father Suaba for so in derision they called him and still continue to give unto the people To whom the Bishop made this Answer If you will be washed in the same fountain of life as your Father was you may also be partaker of the same Holy Bread But they persisting in their demands and the Bishop resolutely refusing they in great passion and fury banisht him their Kingdom who there-upon returned into Kent which at that time under Eadbald was in the same plight and afterwards passed into France with Justus then Bishop of Rochester But divine Vengeance suffered not long their impiety to go unpunished For going out to War against the West Saxons they were all cut off by the sword But nevertheless though the Authors of this Apostacy were taken away yet the people could not for some time be brought to embrace the Christian Religion Seward left Issue Sigibert SIGIBERT the First SIGIBERT Sirnamed the Little the Son of Seward the second Son of Sebert succeeded his Father in the Kingdom he hath left nothing behind him of his Reign so that he might be stiled the Little as well for his Actions as his Person He left a Son named Sighere and a Brother called Sebba but neither of them immediately succeeded him SIGIBERT the Second SIGIBERT the second of that name the Son of Segebald the Brother of Sebert reigned next in the Kingdom of the East-Saxons At his first coming to the Crown he was a Pagan with all his People but was at length converted by the ardent perswasions of OSWY King of Northumberland with whom he had contracted a near intimacy resorting often to the Court of that Prince to visit him Oswy who wisely knew how to improve the kindness of his Friend for the advantage of his Soul at last by friendly endearments at his own Palace upon the Wall brought him to Baptism which he received at the hands of Finnan a Bishop Being to return into his own Country he desired that some Preacher might be sent with him to instruct his People in the Religion which he himself had received Oswy to satisfie his just Requests chooseth one Gedda a laborious Pastor then residing in the Country of the Mercians to go along with him who coming into the Country of the East-Saxons by the help of others joyned with him in the Ministry so wrought upon the People committed to his charge that the Gospel of Christ daily increased more and more throughout the whole Province Gedda as a reward of his labours and to gain more Authority to his preaching was afterwards by Finnan at Lindesfern created Bishop of the East-Saxons which office he executed with great commendation for the space of many years ordaining Priests and Deacons for his assistance and Baptizing in all parts but especially at Ithancester and Tilbury Whilst these things were doing Sigibert who still continued stedfast in Religion was almost barbarously slain by the conspiracy of two of his Kinsmen who were attending of his person Being demanded after the Murther what it was that moved them to an act so foul and treasonable it is reported they returned this savage Answer That they had killed him for his easiness of Temper in forgiving Injuries and pardoning his enemies whenever they askt it Some have attributed his death to the judgment of God upon him for his disregarding the Censures of the Church and they give us this Relation One of these Earls that flew him had unlawfully married a Wife and being admonisht thereof refused notwithstanding to put her away for which sin being excommunicated but still continuing obstinate it was strictly forbidden under pain of the same Censure for any one to come under his Roof much less to eat or drink with him Notwithstanding this Sentence the King invited to a Banquet goes to his House but in his return meeting the Bishop he was struck with remorse and lighting from his Horse fell at his feet begging pardon for his offence It is said that the Bishop also alighting came up to the King and touching his head with his rod spake these words in the Authority of a Bishop Because thou wouldst not refrain from entring the House of the accursed in the same House shalt thou die And so indeed it came to pass This Gedda going afterwards to visit his Native Country of Northumberland upon the motion of King Ediswald there Reigning founded the Monastery of Lustinghem which he consecrated with Fasting and Prayer Sigibert is said to have Reigned fourteen years he left behind him a Son named Selred but the Crown fell not to him immediately after his Father's death but he followed many others who wore it before him SWITHELM SWITHELM the Brother of Segibert succeeded him in the Province of the East-Saxons we hear nothing of him but the course of his Christianity being baptized by Gedda in the Province of the East-Angles at a place of the Kings called Rendelsham Ediswald the Brother of King Anna and King of the East-Angles receiving him at the Font SIGHERE SIGHERE and SEBBA after the death of Swithelm took joyntly on them the government of the State the former was the Son of Sigibert the Little the latter his Brother They divided the Province into two Governments each of which they ruled distinctly In the beginning of their Reign there was
King of Northumberland and Alnud slain by the Danes and Canonized for a Saint ETHELRED ETHELRED the Son of Mollo succeeded who having caused three of his Nobles Adwulf Kinwulf and Ecca to be treacherously slain he was driven out of his Kingdom by Edelbald and Herebert who overcame him in a set battel ELFWALD ELFWALD the Son of Oswulf succeeded a just and upright Prince yet not freed from civil Commotions for in his second year Osbald and Ethelheard two Earls raising an Army against him routed his general Bearn and pursuing burnt him at a place called Seletune Others relate that Siga was chief Conspirator and that the King was slain at Scilcester on the wall and his body buried at Hexam upon Tine Siggan five years after laid violent hands on himself Elfwald left Issue Alfus and Alfin both slain by Ethelred Son of Mollo OSRED OSRED the Son of Alcred succeeded and the same year was deposed and driven from his Kingdom ETHELRED ETHELRED Son of Mollo after twelve years banishment imprisonment saith Alkuin was restored again to the Crown having taken Osred his Predecessour he shaved his Crown and encloystered him at York next he draws by fair promises Alfus and Alfwin Sons of Elfwald from the place they had taken Sanctuary in and barbarously murthers them at a place called Wonwaldremere a Village by the great Pool in Lancashire now called Winandermer Nor was his following Reign less bloody for Osred who by force had been made a Monk not liking the life had desired Banishment and obtained it And going into the Isle of Man raises some small Forces by the encouragement of certain Northumbrian Nobility with whom he kept intelligence and who promised by oath to assist him in his return but coming into his Country he is basely betrayed and deliveren unto Ethelred who immediately put him to death To strengthen himself in these Violencies he marries Elfled the Daughter of Ossa putting away his former wife but he enjoyed not long his Cruelties and Injustice for he was slain by his own Subjects at Cobre in the year 798. After his death many petty Princes or Dukes rather seized the Kingdom dividing it into parcels much molested by the Danes who made continual Inroads into those as well as other quarters which shall be treated of in order in the life of Egbert the West-Saxon who laid this as well as other Provinces to his own Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE East-ANGLES Contained Counties Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire Isle of Ely KINGS Uffa Titulus Redwald Earpenwald Sigebert Egric Anna. Ethelherd Edelwald Aldulf Elswold Beorn Ethelred Egilbert UFFA TITULUS THE name of this Province testifieth what Nation they were who seated themselves in it to wit the Angles a People of Denmark of the same stock and Original with the Saxons who coming some of them with Hengist others with other Captains chose at length these quarters as the principal Rendezvous of their particular Tribe whither they flocked so fast that as Bede reporteth their Native Country in his daies was left almost desolate and uninhabitable The first time of their fixing in these parts is uncertainly guessed at but with most probability supposed about the year 500 when coming over in several parcels saith Bede they were divided into as many Principalities and petty Governments continually striving among themselves as they had leasure and rest from the Common enemy But about the year 575 UFFA the eighth from Woden in strength and policy overpowered the rest and either quelling or uniting different factions moulded the several Lordships into one Crown which he wore with great honour leaving his name to his Subjects many years after called Uffins and his Scepter to his Son TITULUS who upheld the greatness of it during his whole Reign with equal glory but the particulars of his life and actions are utterly lost and had not the lustre of his Son and Successour redeemed his Name from oblivion he might well have been left out in the Catalogue of Kings And this is the reason I shall begin the date of this Kingdom from Redwald his Son who raised it to the highest glory and made its Infancy more illustrious than its riper years And this is to be said of this Province above others that in its first appearance in History we find it in its full proportions though they not so great as of other Kingdoms REDWALD REDWALD the Son of Titulus came to the Kingdom about the year 593. In this first beginnings he was Tributary to Ethelbert King of Kent and served him as a Vice-Roy over all his Dominions by which means he gained experience in Government and after the death of that Potent King so managed his business that he became Monarch of the English-men and had all his Neighbours at his disposal The great Scene of his life which raised him to extent of dominion and reputation in the World was his encounter with Edilfrid the Wild a mighty Conquequerour and who had stretched his Dominions from Sea to Sea Him Redwald in the height of his glory and the pride of Victory undertakes in the quarrel of Edwin as hath been related in the life of that Prince and overthrows with his whole Host at the River Idle near Nottingham after which he marched into Northumberland where having established Edwin in his Throne he returns into his own Country loaden with Honour leaving the World to admire his Moderation and Justice as well Conduct and Valour He had formerly been Baptized in Kent but it seems more in compliance to Ethelbert than that he was really perswaded of the truth of that Religion For returning into his own Country by the perswasions of his Wife he was easily brought to his old Idolatry but fearing perhaps that the Christian Faith might prove true he was not willing wholly to reject either so that to be sure on one side or other he crected in the same Temple an Altar for the service of Christ and another for burnt Sacrifices to his Idols This Prince kept his usual Court of residence at Rendelisham nigh Ufford in Suffolk and as Bede interpreteth the word Rendelisham it is nothing but Rendil's Mansion place that is saith Mr. Cambden Redwald's Court. EARPENWALD EARPENWALD the Son of Redwald succeeded him in the Kingdom and by the perswasions of Edwin King of Northumberland openly professed the Christian Religion which his Father would not own but by halves but he not long survived his Conversion for he was slain by Ricbert a Pagan He had been baptized by Foelix a Bishop a Burgundian by Nation whom Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury sent into the Province to teach the Nation who held his Seat at a place called Dommoc now Dunwick a Town well peopled even to the Conquerours daies and long after much frequented and strongly fortified till upon the removal of the Bishop's Seat and the breaking in of the Sea it became almost desolate SIGEBERT SIGEBERT succeeded in the
Kingdom he was the Son of Redwald's Wife half-Brother to the late King The jealousies of Redwald had caused him to retire into France where he continued during his Reign and the Reign of his Successour having the opportunity all the while to instruct himself in good Literature in which that Country then abounded and learn the Christian Religion of which he was a sound Professour After the death of Earpenwald returning home of his own accord or as others write recalled he took upon him the Government of the Kingdom which with great prudence he ruled taking care first that his People should be rightly instructed in the Christian Religion and that afterwards they might secure themselves from Ignorance and Idolatry he introduced the custom of France in their Schools modelling a form after the example he had received there And sending for some Teachers out of Kent by the assistance of Foelix his Bishop he settled a place of teaching generally thought to be the University of Cambridge after which he betook himself to a monastick life recommending the care of Government to Egric his near Kinsman EGRIC EGRIC Reigned four years when being invaded by Penda the Mercian in one battel he lost both life and kingdom It is said that before the fight began the East-Angles trusting to the conduct of Sigibert their former King had intreated him to take the Command that day having to that purpose though much unwilling drawn him from his Monastery to the Camp But he playing the Monk not Captain with only a white Wand in his hand went upon the enemy where with Egric he was slain ANNA ANNA next of Blood and descended from Ufsa in the sisth degree succeeded Egric in the Kingdom of the East-Angles Recorded a just and good man but his vertues exempted him not from the fate of his Predecessours for he was taken off by the same hands of Penda the Mercian His eldest Son Firmimus fell in battel with him and was buried with him at Blithborow his other Son was Erchenwald Abbot of Chertside and Bishop of London his Daughters were royally married and we meet with them as they are mixed in the Histories only thus much may be said of them together That after their death they had all the fortune to be Canonized ETHELHERD ETHELHERD the Brother of Anna succeeded him in the Kingdom Fearing the power of Penda he joyned with him who was now about to make war upon Northumberland but he found the Amity of that Pagan as fatal to him as his Arms had been to his Brother and former Predecessours For whilst in a battel against Oswy he assisted that Tyrant he fell with him leaving three Sons behind him Aldulf Elswolf and Beorn who all three not long after succeeded in the Kingdom His wife was Hereswith Sister of Hilda the famous Abbess of Streanshalch and Great-Grandchild to Edwin King of Northumberland EDELWALD EDELWALD succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom of the East-Angles and held it nine years without any Action leaving a Son called Ethelred who came not to the Crown till Ethelherd's Children had Reigned in their turns ALDULF ALDULF the eldest Son of Ethelherd succeeded his Uncle Edelwald in the Kingdom and held it ten years without other memory ELFWOLD ELFWOLD the second Son of King Ethelherd Reigned seven years in the same obscurity BEORN BEORN the youngest Son of King Ethelberd succeeded without any other circumstance of his life only his Reign is supposed to be twenty three years But indeed the length and continuance of these three last Princes Reigns are uncertainly calculated by Historians whether it were that the Province of the East Angles lay at so great distance from the Scene of Action in these daies or indeed that they did nothing worth Recording The next Prince we hear of is Ethelred ETHELRED ETHELRED the Son of King Edelwald Brother of Anna succeeded in the Kingdom of the East Angles about the year of Grace as may be most probably guessed 714 and reigned fifty two years all which time is passed over in silence saving that the Writer of his Life mentioneth his Wive's name to be Leofrun the Mother of the next unfortunate Prince EGILBERT EGILBERT Son of Ethelred and Leofrun his wife succeed in the Kingdom of the East Angles A Prince of great hopes in his youth addicting himself to the studies of good Literature and in his advancement to the Crown ruling his Kingdom with great justice prudence and moderation But in the year 792 he was taken off by the treachery of Ofsa the Mercian who by fair promises of giving him his Daughter in marriage drew him to his Court at Sutton Wallis in the County of Hereford and there against all Laws of Nature and common Hospitality most batbarously chopt off his head Matthew of Westminster reporteth it done by the instigation of his wife envying the pomp and splendour of this Princely Woer who to take his Lady it seems brought with him a gay and more than ordinary Retinue His body was at first privately buried at Morden upon the River Lug but afterwards upon remorse Ofsa removed it to Hereford And to make amends at least to the Church for the murther he hunts out the Relicks of St. Alban it seems his particular Saint and them miraculously found enshrines in pearl and gold such trivial satisfactions shewed in those times to daub over the Conscience for Villanies scarce practised amongst the most barbarous Pagans For notwithstanding this splendid kind of Repentance Ofsa takes possession of the Inheritance of the murthered laying the Country of the East Angles to his own Dominions which Vineyard as it was bloodily obtained so it lasted not long unto him or his posterity For the Danes breaking in like wild Bores laid it waste not long after But of the occurrences of those times I shall speak in the successive Ages they were done in intending in this Heptarchy to write only to the times of King Egbert the West Saxon the first sole Monarch of England The Kingdom of the East Angles was bounded on the East and North by the Sea on the South it bordered upon Essex and Hartfordsbire and on the West it had a Ditch commonly called St. Edmund's Ditch for its principal limits THE KINGDOM OF MERCIA Contained Counties Cheshire Darbyshire Nottingham Staffordshire Shropshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Huntington Rutland Warwickshire Worcestershire Oxfordshire Glocestershire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Part of Hertfordshire KINGS Crida Wibba Ceorl Penda Peada Vulfer Ethelred Kenred Kelred Ethelbald Beornred Offa. Egfrid Kenmolf Kenelm THE Kingdom of Mercia though of largest extent yet was inferiour in point of strength and power to far lesser Provinces whose Pavilions though not stretched so wide were sure fixed in the earth and had means by turns to prey upon this great body not able at once on all sides to secure it self from their several incursions Thus like a Bull at stake seated in the
midst of the Island though sometimes it found means to toss and almost overturn particular Kingdoms yet staved off by others and constantly kept warm by new Assailants it ever lost behind what it gained forwards and was not at any time able so to keep all employed but that one or other taking breath would return afresh upon it It had on the north the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Limits on that side were the Humber and Mersey from whence it is supposed to have taken name On the East it extended to the Sea through Lincolnshire and South-east had the East-Angles and East-Saxon Kingdoms lying upon it South it reached to the Thames where it was obnoxious to Kent the South and West-Saxons and on the West it was kept in by the Severn and Dee which gave passage to the Britains to break in upon it Thus we see this unwieldy Kingdom which in front would seem to bear down all before it is so coopt up and hem'd in on every side that it rather labours under its own greatness CRIDA WIBBA CEORL THE first beginner of this Kingdom was CRIDA the eleventh from VVoden who having reigned ten years without other memory left it to his Son WIBBA in the year 594 who enlarging the bounds of his Kingdom by continual Conquests upon the Britains reigned twenty years and had Issue three Son Penda Kenwalk and Eoppa and a Daughter Sexburg married to Kenwald King of the VVest-Saxons But he was succeeded by his Nephew CEORL who holding the Scepter twelve years dying left it to the right Heir PENDA PENDA the Son of Wibba at fifty years of Age came to the Crown a war-like Captain but withal bloody and restless His first Wars were with Kingils and Cuichelm joynt Kings of the West-Saxons whom he met at Cirencester and after a battel fought well on both sides made Truce with them in the year 632. He joyned with Kedwalla or Cadwallon King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland slaying him in Battel with his Son Osfrid at a place called Hethfield In the year 642. with his own forces he overcame Oswald the Successour of Edwin who before had victoriously cut off Cadwallon with his whole Host at a place called Maserfield now Oswestre in Shropshire where he slew him He conquered Sigebert Egbert and Anna Kings of the East-Angles and killed them in the field as hath been related in the story of those Princes Next he makes War upon Kenwalch King of the West-Saxons who had taken his Sister in marriage and unjustly put her away him he drives out of his Kingdom When proud with these Successes taking into his Society Ethelherd King of the East-Angles and Ethelwald King of Deira he resolves upon the Conquest of Northumberland but Oswy then King of that Country with a few forces soberly managed cut him off with the greatest part of his Army The news of his death was joyfully received by all the Saxon Princes glad to be well rid of him who during his Life had given them so much trouble He was a Pagan through choice not ignorance and in several Conjunctions with Christian Princes had learnt to despise the Professours of that way as who owning in words a Faith more excellent shewed nothing less in their Actions yet he prohibited not preaching in his Dominions but giving free liberty to all he only hated and despised such who did not obey that God in whom they chose to believe His Male Issue by Kinswith his Queen runs thus Peada his eldest Son Ulfere and Ethelred both Monarchs of the English Merkthel famous for holiness of Life Merwald who had a Principality in Mercia and married Edburga daughter of Egbert King of Kent His Daughters were Kineburg Wife of Alkfrid King of Northumberland Kiniswith Wife of Offa King of the East-Angles both which Daughters afterwards became Nuns PEADA PEADA the eldest Son of Penda succeeded not in the whole Kingdom of Mercia for Oswy King of Northumberland entring the Country took possession in right of a Conqueror but to Peada who had married his Daughter he gave by Donation all on the South-side of Trent and reserved to himself the North. By his Father Penda long before he had been made Prince of the Mid-Angles a particular branch of the Mercian Crown and there with his good liking had planted the Christian Religion to the knowledge of which he came upon this occasion Applying to King Oswy for his Daughter Alckfled he received Answer That unless he turned Christian and admitted that Religion into his Dominions he should surcease his Suit Peada unwilling to be baffled accepts the motion and having heard some Preachers to that purpose professeth himself to be so taken with the Doctrine that whether he receive the Lady or not he resolves to embrace it with all his People which good Intentions of his were furthered by Alckfrid Oswy's Son who besides that he had taken to wife Cymburga his Sister had contracted a near Friendship with him All things therefore agreed he is baptized by Bishop Finan at the King's Pallace on the Wall and then with his Wife and new Religion returns into his own Country most part of which by the assistance of some Priests carried along with him he soon brought to the same profession But now Prenda being dead and his Territory enlarged through the Accession of South Mercia he had not reigned three years when he was cut off by the Treason of his Wife whom he had taken for a special Christian WULFER WULFER the Brother of King Peada succeeded him not only in the Province of South-Mercia but in the entire Kingdom of his Ancestors For Immin Eaba and Eadbert three Potent Earls casting off the Yoke of Oswy restored the whole North into his possession which he maintained during the whole Reign of that Monarch But Oswy dead Egfrid his Son and Successour endeavoured to recover what his Father had lost and invading this Wulfer won from him the Isle of Lindsey and the Countrys adjacent and content with that revenge returns home with his forces But Wulfer was now employed in War with Kenwald King of the West-Saxons against whom he had better success for entering his Country with a powerful Army he laid it waste from one end to the other took away from him the Isle of VVight which with some Countrys of the Meannari adjoyning he gave to Edilwalch the South-Saxon whom he had made a Christian and received at the Font. Afterwards he fought a Battel with Escwin King of the VVest-Saxons at a place called Bedanhafde but which side won the day is not recorded He reigned seventeen years and was buried at Peterborough his Queen Ermenheld after his death vailed her self at Ely He is reported to have had three Sons whereof the eldest named Kenred reigned after his Brother Ethelred his two younger Vulfald and Rufin as the Records of Peterborough report were slain by their Fathers own hands being found in an Assembly of
a place called Wodens-Beorth or Wodens-Dic that is to say Woden's Mount the conclusion of which was that the Saxons lost the day with the ruine of their whole Army and Ceaulin for this or other miscarriages was driven out of his Kingdom and the year after died in Exile after he had Reigned thirty two years CEARLIK CEARLIK the Son of Guthwolf Brother of the late King followed his Uncle Ceaulin advanced as may be guessed from his Father's vertues and the dislike the people had to the Line of Ceaulin who by his Son Cuthwin left two Grandchildren Kenbald and Cuth whose Right it was to inherit but the latter of these Reigned afterwards in his Posterity being the Grandfather of the famous Ine the eleventh King of this Province whose Brother Ingils was Progenitor in the fourth degree to Egbert that reduced the whole Heptarchy into an entire Monarchy This Cearlik as he had obtained the Kingdom by fraud and usurpation so he held it but a short while Reigning five years and odd months and them without any action worthy of remembrance CEOWOLF CEOWOLF the Son of Cuth the third and youngest Son of Kenric after the death of his Cousin-German Cearlic obtained the Kingdom During the whole time of his Reign which lasted twelve years he had continual wars sometimes with the Britains then with Redwald King of the East-Angles and afterwards with the South-Saxons with interchangeable success but saith Huntington with the greatest loss to them of the South In these Wars he died leaving his Kingdom to Kingils KINGILS KINGILS the Son of Ceola younger Brother to the late Ceowolf second Son of Cuth who was the third Son of Kearic succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom He assumed for his Associate Cuichelm his Brother or as Florent of Worcester and Matthew of Westminster write his Son In their third year with joynt Forces they engaged the Britains at Beandune now Bindon in Dorcetshire and at the first encounter put them to flight with the slaughter of above two thousand Cuichelm proud with this success and envying the glory of Edwin who now Reigned in great honour King of the Northumberlands and had lately molested the West-Saxons drew a greater War upon himself and Associate by sending an Assassin to murther that Prince The name of this Villain was Eumcrus who under pretence of a Message from his Master was admitted to the presence of Edwin then at his Court on Easter-monday on the River Derwent in Yorkshire being advanced up to the King as if he would deliver his Embassie he suddenly drew forth a poysoned weapon which he had privately hid under his Coat and made a blow at him but by the interposition of Lilla one of the Kings Attendants who stepping between received the Ponyard through his own body the thrust was put off yet not so fully but that part of the weapon reached the King's Person By this time the whole company came in and incompassed the Murtherer who now grown desperate died not tamely but revenged his fate with the death of Forder a Courtier who next pressed upon him Edwin thus delivered though lying under cure resolves upon Revenge and promiseth Paulinus who had been long working him to the Christian Faith that if God would bestow Victory on him over his Enemies he would embrace the Faith and receive Baptism With these assurances given he raises an Army and invades the West-Saxons and with that success that overcoming them in several battels he gets into his hands many of those who had conspired his death some of which he executes others pardons and at last returns with great Honour into his own Country This expedition happened about the year 625. Four years after Kingils and Cuichelm had a battel with Penda the Mercian at Cirencester the result of which was a League of peace and amity betwixt them About this time the Kingdom of the West-Saxons received the Faith by the example of Kingils who was converted thereto by the preaching of Berinus and encouragement of Oswald who was then Suiter to his Daughter and received him at the Font the circumstances of which as likewise the progress of Religion under his success take altogether out of Bede who hath exactly related it The Conversion of the West-SAXONS THE Nation of the West-Saxons anciently called Gevisses in the Reign of Kingils received the Faith of Christ by the preaching of Berinus Bishop who by the advice of Pope Honorius came into Britain having promised by his assistance to go into the innermost Countries of the English where never yet Doctour had been and there sow the seed of holy Faith Whereupon by the command of the same Pope he received Episcopal Orders at the hands of Asterius Bishop of Genua But being arrived at Britain and first setting foot on the Country of the Guisses finding them all Pagans in the highest degree he thought it more profitable to preach the Word there than by going further to hunt out those whom he first intended Wherefore preaching in the aforesaid Province when the King himself first catechized and instructed together with his People were washing in the fountain of Baptism it happened that the most holy and victorious King of the Northumberlands Oswald was then present and received him at the Font. By a blessed conjunction taking him for his Son in the second Birth whose Son himself was to be by the marriage of his Daughter Both the Kings thereupon gave to the same Bishop the City of Dorchester for an Episcopal Seat where having built up and dedicated Churches and by labouring converted many people He departed this life and was buried in the same City This King dying Cenwalch his Son and Successour refused to receive the Faith and Sacraments of the Heavenly kingdom and not long after lost his Earthly one For putting away his wife the sister of Penda King of Mercia he took another wherefore being invaded by him he was driven out of his Kingdom and forced to flie to Anna King of the East-Angles with whom living in exile three years he acknowledged the Faith and embraced the truth For the King with whom he lived in exile was a good man and happy in a good and holy off-spring When Genwalch was restored to his Kingdom there came into his Province out of Ireland a certain Bishop by name Agilbert by Nation a Gaul but yet who had been in Ireland for the reading of the Scriptures not a little while He joyned himself with the King on his own accord taking upon him the Ministry of preaching whose learning and industry when the King perceived he made motion that he would accept there an Episcopal Seat and remain Bishop of his Nation who at his requests for many years ruled that Province with Sacerdotal Jurisdiction At last the King who understood the Saxon tongue only growing weary of a forraign Dialect underhand brought another Bishop of his own language into the Province by name Wini who
reject them In the progress of the History I shall make some reflections upon the most observable Circumstances as they carry either the appearance of Truth or the marks of Falshood and Forgery contenting my self that this Chronicle be divided as the Ages of the World since the Flood into Fabulous and Historical following rather the Ancient Custome in yielding something to the Zeal of Antiquity whereby the Original of Nations is made more venerable than by erring on the other hand to bring the Antiquity of a Nation lower than its just proportion Yet in following of the Judgment of Varro I have ventured to bring down the Genealogy of SILVIUS or Sisillius who is supposed to Reign in Britain about the first Olympiad in another Method than hitherto hath been done And if the Progeny of AEneas must needs be granted to govern this Island I shall shew that it is far more probable to suppose him the First rather than BRUTE whose Name was never known in Alba or Rome till the first Consul by a feigned stupidity had contracted it so that it is not likely that the name of Brutus could be given as a disgrace to the Consul which before had been an Honourable Title of one of their Princes Sons But referring the disquisition of this matter to its proper place I will begin with the most Fabulous part namely the GELTICK Kings as they are delivered by Berosus or as Mr. Selden saith Fathered upon him by Annius I'iterbiensis and thrust into the World under the specious name of a Chaldaean Priest to which I will add the Succession from Bardus out of Count Palatine not yet extant in the English Tongue We must understand therefore that NOAH divided the Earth into three Parts according to the number of his Sons giving SHEM the possession of that part now called Asia to HAM or CHAM Africa and to his Eldest Son JAPHET Europe and all the Islands appertaining to it of which BRITAIN was the Chief JAPHET divided Europe among his Sons Mesech for his Lot received all the Countries lying between the River Rhyne and the Pyraenean Mountains He is supposed to be called SAMOTHES and DIS and is made the founder of the Celtick Kingdom Others make these Parts to have been Peopled first by Gomer and asterwards driven out of their Seats by Samothes It would be endless to trace all the Absurdities and Contradictions herein contained seeing that MESECH the Son of Japhet is supposed upon better grounds to be the Father of the Moschi and GOMER not of the Gauls but Phrygians his latter Mistake arising from not distinguishing that People in Gallia their Ancient Possession and in Phrygia their after Conquests Now as in all Forgeries there must be some marks of Truth to carry it out so this Samothes must be called Dis because Caesar writes that the Gauls derived their Original from Dis Pater or Father Dis. His name Samothes is given him because he must be made the Father of a Sect falsly called as Mr. Selden proves Samothei for Semnothei H. Stephanus quoted by Mr. Selden gives the Original of their Name two waies either because they had alwaies in their mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or because they seem'd like venerable Deities the former opinion Stephanus follows and Mr. Selden the latter The Custome of the Gauls and Britains in measuring their Time by Nights and not Daies as is reported by Caesar is fathered upon this Prince by Basingstoak a Count Palatine He is reported also to excel in the knowledge of Coelestial Bodies the course and motion of the Stars and the nature of Inferiour Creatures with all the Sciences Moral and Politick and to have delivered the same in Phoenician Characters From Him this Island is feigned to be called SAMOTHEA He began his Reign Anno Mundi MDCCCCX according to Basingstoak and so reigned six and forty years MAGUS his Son succeeded him a Prince no doubt by his Name excellently skill'd in the Art of Magick and so we find him named the Founder of the Magi in Persia and this is grounded upon that Hyperbolical saying in Pliny namely That the Britains were so addicted to the Art of Magick that the Persians might seem to have learnt it from them And this is ground enough for a bold and confident Writer to say no worse of Annius to create this Prince Magus who being granted to Reign in these Parts we have a Founder of those many Cities ending in Magus or Magum both in Britain and Gaul as Sitomagus Neomagus c. This King first reduced Men into distinct Tribes and Cities whereas before they lived dispersed in Woods and Mountains He first brought in Propriety and set out bounds and limits of Grounds all which he performed by his wonderful Eloquence perswading the Barbarous People to the conveniencies of such distinctions He is supposed to have begun his Reign Anno Mundi MDCCCCLVI and to have Reigned fifty one years leaving his Kindgom to his Sou SARRON the third King of the Britains and Celts He was not famous for any new Laws as Stephanus Forcatulus quoted by Mr. Selden witnesseth but for establishing the Constitutions of his Father and Grand-father under severe Penalties to which purpose he is said to have reduced them into one Volume and to have erected Publick places for Students He is seigned to be the Founder of the Sect of the Sarronides when indeed the Sarronides were but another name for the Druids as appeareth by the derivation of their Name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oak as likewise by the description Diodorus gives of them namely that without the Sarronides no Sacrifice either publick or private could be rightly performed which is the very same Caesar writes of the Druids so that we see this King and the following Druids should be the same Person The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the name Druid is derived proceeded from the Oaks that grew in the Plain of Mamre under which in times past those Religious Men called Druids to whom the office of Priesthood was committed lived most devoutly That it was a holy place we read in Genesis that blessed Abraham dwelt among the Oaks of Mamre where he pitched his Tent and built a Tabernacle and Altar unto the Lord in which he offered Rams Geats Calves c. in Sacrifice and moreover that he performed there all other Sacerdotal Rites and Ceremonies appertaining to his Priestly-office in those daies From these Oaks of Mamre which some call otherwise Palm Trees sprang the Original Sect of Druids which reached up as high as Abrahams time and it is positively recorded by some Authentick Authors that the Druid Colledges flourished also very eminently in the daies of Hermio a German Prince which happened not long after Abrahams death This I esteem to be very much assisting to a clearer proof and
punctual Chronology in things of so vast a distance the Religious care of the Historiographers lest the minutest Circumstances should be omitted Who can but admire at their ingenious Contrivances least the Reigns of these things should want some diverting Circumstances and their Governments run dully without the usual rubs of Ambition and Usurpation If we seriously consider these matters we may easily find that the Government of these Princes began not many hundred years ago The Opinion of Isacius Tzetzes concerning imaginary Regions in the British Seas was never more true then when we consider these Aiery Princes and their phantastical Governments so that hitherto we find rather an History of Utopia than Britain From Samothes his Reign beginning An. Mundi MDCCCCX which is 254 years after the Flood to the end of Phranicus his Reign are 945 years so that the Entrance of Brute into this Island according to this account is in the year of the World MMDCCCLV and after the Flood 1199 years But as if there were some great truth in this matter that required wonderful Exactness we find much variance in Authors Berosus makes Samothes's Kingdom about 152 years after the Flood and that it continued 335 years in his Posterity Mr. Hollinshead saies 310 and then Albion Arrived but from Samothes to the end of Bardus his Reign is but 247 years so that here a vast Inter-regnum is made between Bardus and Albion Besides the differences between 254 and 152 years in which Samothes is said to begin his Kingdom cuts short the seventy five years of Bardus his Reign which are assigned him by the Count Palatine The Entrance of Brute according to this Computation differs something from that which is generally received namely That he arrived at this Island in the year of the World 2887 and after the Flood 1231 in the Eighteenth year of Eli his Priesthood and before Christ 1059. And here Mr. Speed comes upon Brutes History with his Scripture Chronology like a Goliah Let us see to what purpose Brute saith he is the fourth discent from AEneas namely thus AEneas Ascanius Silvius Brutus Now allowing favourably according to Herodotus and I add according to the Britains Thirty years for a Generation we shall find that if Brute entred this Isle Anno Mundi 2887 that the Trojan War in the daies of AEneas happened Anno Mundi 2768 in the Eight and thirtieth year of Gideons Government But this cannot be saies Mr. Speed why not Because saies he Clemens Alexandrinus alleadged out of Pergamenus and Letus placeth the Trojan War fully Two hundred and thirty years after namely in the Reign of King Solomon so that Brute entred not this Island in Ely's Priesthood but in the Usurpation of Juda's Kingdom by Athaliah in the year of the World 3118. and so we see Brutes Antiquity cut off Two hundred and thirty years O wonderful exactness in Chronology will any one henceforth be able to defend Brutes History no certainly especially if they consider the deadly blow that is coming Josephus saies he confidently affirms he is able to prove by Phoenician Records that the City Carthage was built by Dido Sister to Pigmaleon 155 years after the Reign of King Hiram which was Solomons Friend and 143 years and eight months after the building of his most beautiful Temple Now Dido and AEneas according to Virgil were contemporary By this computation we find Troys destruction fell out about the twentieth year of Joash his Reign over Judah which was in the year of the Worlds Creation 3143 to which if we add One hundred and twenty years for the Four discents from AEneas to Brute then will Brutes Conquest of this Island fall with the twelfth of Jothams Reign in Anno Mundi 3263 and thus we see Brute hath miserably lost again 375 years of his Antiquity The greatest loss is to follow and here it is that Mr. Speed saies that he has made a deep breach into Brute's History Manethon saies he the Historian Priest of Egyt in his second Book cited by Josephus affirmeth that the Israelites departure from AEgypt was almost 1000 years before the Wars of Troy and this Mr. Speed saith Josephus seems to allow By this measure Brute is lessened 752 years but I would fain know why he thinks Josephus allows this Computation when as before Josephus is brought in confidently maintaining another Account and that out of the Phoenician Annals Josephus might allow this Computation of Manethon the Egyptian perhaps according to the Egyptian manner of Years which consisted of three Months and so the 1000 years will in reality be but 250 effectually But what makes all this against Brute whose time depends upon the timing of the Trojan War for can any one be so mad or simple as by any Scripture Computation to bring down the War of Troy below the daies of Alexander and almost equalling it with the Punick Clemens Alexandrinus might erre in this Chronology and Virgil is generally reproved for making AEneas and Dido contemporary The Trojan War it self is so disputable that who can expect an exact timing of it If the Author that Jeffery of Monmouth pretends to have translated did place the Entrance of Brute under the Priesthood of Ely it was a fancy grounded upon some Computation of his own which whether it be true or false concerns not the question of Brutes Arrival who knew not and consequently could not deliver down his Entrance in the Priesthood of Ely There are too many Circumstances that condemn the story of Brute and it is vain to confute an Author in a small matter whereas greater things may be laid to his charge like him who declaiming against Nero insisted most in his defects in Musick so if there were nothing to be said against Brutes and Samothes's stories but the ill harmony of Time possibly they may be found as perfect in those points as most Histories But the destroying of Brute by any Computation is as if one would by the same Weapons prove there was never a Trojan Horse or Minerva's fatal Statue and so I proceed to Brutes History THE CHRONICLE OF THE British Kings CHAP. XI The History of BRUTE BRUTUS Brito or as the Count Palatine calls him Brotus is on all hands agreed to be the Off-spring of AEneas but whether by his Wife Creusa or Lavinia there is great variance manifested in Authors AEnaeas dying he left his Kingdom to Ascanius whom he had by his first Wife Creusae Lavinia his second Wife surviving and finding her self big with Child began to dread the power of Ascanius least the odious name of a Step-mother and the jealousie of an half Brother and Competitor in the Kingdom might carry him on to some violence against her Person Upon this she fled into the Woods and was delivered of a Son whom she named Silvius Posthumus from the place of his Birth and by reason he was born after the decease
of his Father But it seems the People ill resenting the flight of Lavinia Ascanius was obliged to re-call her and giving to her and her Son the City Lavinium he built Albae Longa where he Reigned At his death he bequeathed his Kingdom to his Son Iulus between whom and Silvius Controversies arose concerning the Right of Government at last it was found that the People inclined rather to Silvius as being descended of Lavinia the Daughter of Latinus and inheriting the blood of the Trojans and Latins the whole Kingdom devolved on him By this Iulus was constrained to take up with the Priest-hood There is great uncertainty in Roman Authors concerning the Line of AEnaeas and Livy doubts whether Iulus was the Son of AEneas by Creusa or Lavinia but this seemeth to be the clearest Genealogy To this Genealogy gathered out of Roman Authors John of Weathamstead Abbot of St. Albaens a right Judicious Man had respect in his Censures long ago upon Brutes History where he saith That Ascanius begat no such Son as had for his proper name SILVIUS but left Issue an only Son Iulus from whom the Family of the IULII afterwards proceeded and that Silvius Posthumus whom perhaps Jeoffery of Monmouth meaneth was the Son of AEneas by his Wife Lavinia who begat AEnaeas Silvius and in the Eight and thirtieth year of his Reign ended his life by a Natural death How therefore could he be slain by his Son Brute or if any such thing had happened how came so memorable an Accident to be omitted This argues the story to be Poetical as he saith rather than Historical and that Jeoffery or whoever compiled it was altogether ignorant of the Genealogy of AEnaeas which will appear more evidently by the sequel Let us see therefore to which Line our supposed Brute can with most reason be referred In this he seems to confound Silvius with Iulus making them the same Persons who indeed were but Competitors in the same Kingdom so that Silvius in the Line of Lavinia is brought into the Line of Creusa Others to mend the matter make Brute descend of AEnaeas and Lavinia but then they bring Ascanius of the Line of Creusa in to the Line of Lavinia and so make him the same with Silvius Posthumus by that to have begotten Iulus the Father of Brute whereas Silvius Posthumus begat Silvius AEnaeas and was the Father of those many Silvii who succeeded in the Kingdom of Alba. Hitherto we see Brute the Grandfather of AEnaeas by a mixt Genealogy but Gyonan Villani cited by Mr. Hollinshead brings his Line absolutely from AEnaeas and Lavinia and seems to make him the Grand-child of AEnaeas by his Son Silvius Posthumus who marrying the Neece of his Mother Lavinia had Issue BRUTE so called because she died in Travail of him I suppose he means Brotus but how ridiculously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made to signifie any such thing I leave it to the Judicious to determine But how comes it to pass that he should flie his Country fearing as is said his Grandfather Silvius Posthumus when as there is no mention made in Gyonan Villani of another Silvius in this Line the Son of Silvius Posthumus and the Father of Brute However it comes to pass Brute must be the Off-spring of AEneas and we must not be too busie in asking questions for if one demand how the name of Brute which was afterwards given to the first Consul for his feigned Stupidity to be a name of the Princes Son in the same Kingdom it will be answered he was called Brotus not Brutus because his Mother died in Child-bed of him If it be asked why he sted for the accidental killing his Father the Count Palatine saies it is a mistake for it was only a Rumour spread of him and the truth was rather by other discontents that he was moved to flight If enquiry be made how it comes to pass that the Latin Writers who reckon up the Progeny of AEneas and the Silvii make not the least mention of him and Gildas the Ancient Britain hath Altum silentium in this point The Reply is easie That it is not the business of every Author to mention every particular for the Romans contented themselves with what related to their own Nation and Gildas made no mention of it being a thing beyond dispute For the present we will attend this BRUTE the supposed Son of Silvius with the same care and diligence we have done the Celtick Kings Being of the Age of fifteen he left his Country and arriving at Greece he found a number of the scattered Trojans who lived under the Dommion of Pandrasus Finding them a discontented Party he managed his Interest wisely with them often inculcating the Nobility of their Ancestors and the slavery of their present condition he offered himself to be their Head and Leader and so encouraged them to stand upon honourable Terms They willingly embraced this motion and many of them being in Authority under Pandrasus revolted and so brought over great Parties with them BRUTE being thus strengthened great numbers continually flockt to him with encouragements to execute his designs securing himself in Woods and making sure to him many considerable Forts and strong Holds but first writes a smart Letter to Pandrasus wherein he demands the liberty of his Trojans The King amazed at his sudden Imperiousness but considering with calmer thoughts the Paucity of the Rebels resolved by force of Arms to chastise their Arrogance by reducing them to Obedience In all haste he levies a considerable Power and marching against him with greater heat than conduct and supposing his Enemies to be hid in the Woods near a Town called Sparatinum he is set upon by Brute who had three thousand of his well appointed Trojans in Ambuscado for that Expedition so that Pandrasus his Army marching loosely and without order or discipline as if they had not expected an Enemy so near them were quickly routed and put to flight Brute pursues his Victory to the River Akalon in which many of the Graecians miserably perished Neither could the Courage of Antigonus Brother to Pandrasus prevail although he often from small Parties rallyed and made Head against the Enemy for by the general Consternation of his Men he was defeated and taken Prisoner After this success Brute entred Sparatinum and placing a Garrison in it of six hundred Men he returns with the rest of his Body into the Woods bringing them the joyful News of his eminent Victories Pandrasus being overcome with shame and sorrow for the loss of his Brother and this unexpected Defeat resolves at last with a greater Power and more care and circumspection to renew the War To this end he gathers up his dispersed Souldiers and with fresh supplies from all parts of his Kingdom laies Siege to Sparatinum wherein he thought Brute in Person resided This Opinion made him carry on the Siege with more violence storming it at several
likelyhood Son of Silvius but others will needs have him Brother of Jago succeeded Anno Mundi 3364. There is nothing Recorded of this Prince but that he was buried at York after he had reigned four and fifty years GORBODUG the Son of Kinimacus the fourth from Silvins An. Mundi 3418 is stigmatized with the same reproach of Tyranny and was buried at Troy-novant after he had Ruled rather to compleat the account of Histories than in truth sixty three years He left behind him two Sons Ferrex and Porrex FERREX and PORREX began joyntly to reign Anno Mundi 3476. This is the third time that the Kingdom fell not entirely to the Elder Brother As after the Laws of Troy the Sovereignty And all resort of Right doth appertain To the Eldest Brother in Property The Eldest Sisters right so by right should have been Soveraign Lady and over them all Queen By equitee of that ilk Law and Right In place where it is holden Law perfeight These Brothers for five years in great Amity ruled the Island until Porrex the younger inflamed with the Ambition of being sole Governour attempts privately upon the life of Ferrex But it seems Ferrex had notice given him of his Brothers design thought it proved not so timely as to give opportunity to avoid the stroak by any other way than flight Gallia was esteemed the nighest and securest retirement where Arriving he sollicits the Princes of that Realm and especially Gunhardus or Suardus to assist him in vindicating his Right to the Crown This just Request being obtained he returns into Britain and with a mighty Army gives his Brother battle Fortune not favouring the just and equitableness of his cause his Army was defeated and in the Battle himself lost his life Porrex enjoyed not long his unnatural Conquest for his own Mother Idone or Widen looking upon him as the bloody murtherer of her Son Ferrex by a deed no less Barbarous prosecutes her Revenge for finding Porrex asleep privately murthered him neither could Motherly pity asswage her Anger until she had cut and mangled his Body in a thousand pieces For this unnatural and much admired Cruelty she was slain by the sury of the Multitude This extinguisht the House of Gorboduc and periodized the Line of AEnaeas insomuch as the Kingdom fell into innumerable divisions from thence into a Heptarchy One seized Loegria another Cambria a third Cornwal a fourth Albania and the fifth division is not specified distinctly by any Authors but is supposed to be Northumberland or Kent which in old Pedigrees their names are cited to be these RUDAUCUS King of Wales CLOTENUS King of Cornwal PINNOR King of Loegria STATORIUS King of Scotland YEVAN King of Northumberland Histories make particular mention of Pinnor otherwise called Pireman King of Loegria and of Rudacus King of Cambria Staterus King of Albania Cloten King of Cornwal but are silent in the other Princes names This Heptarchy is conjectured to have continued One and fifty years until Dunwallo Son of Cloten King of Cornwal whether by the clearest Right and Title or the longest Sword obtained the whole Kingdom is uncertain According to the foregoing Computation we need not with Polidore Virgil invert the Order of the British History in this place but continue the succession of Monarchy from this Period with Guintolin and not Donvallo Molmutius For allowing Molmutius to follow immediately after the Heptarchy his two Sons Belinus and Brennus will be found to be Kings of Britain about the time when Rome was sackt and so may not be obliged to set those two Princes any farther backward as Polidore hath done three hundred years but rather a little more forward For from the Entrance of Brute Anno Mundi 2850 to Belinus and Brennus Anno Mundi 3574 are 724 years whereas Rome is supposed to be sackt in the seven hundred and tenth year after Brutes Arrival as is gathered by Polidore Virgil out of Eusebius This Controversie with some others relating to the same Belinus and Brennus is particularly managed by Sr. John Price against Polidore Virgil as also by many others But seeing the true evidence of this matter is to be made out by Computations which account in seven hundred years according to diversity of Authors differ half in half it is the safer way in my Judgment to follow the usual method in the Succession of the British Kings than by the dependance of the uncertainty of Chronology in things of so vast a distance to invert the whole Order of their Reigns and so like Witches who would conjure them out of the World read them backwards MOLMUTIUS called Dūnvallo Son of Cloten King of Cornwal either judging himself to have the better Right or longer Sword invaded his Neighbour Princes First he began with Pinnor King of Loegria whom he overcame and slew before he could joyn with his Confederates Rudacus King of Cambria and Staterius King of Albania After this success he sets upon the fore-mentioned Princes with an Army of thirty thousand Men but the Victory hanging too long for his eager expectation he made use of a stratagem for counterfeiting the Arms of his Enemies he gave them a terrible overthrow in the Encounter The King of Northumberland or Kent is not mentioned in this Battle wherefore he is supposed beforehand to have surrendred his Kingdom By thismeans Molmutius Dunvallo called also Donebant became the sole Monarch of this Island Anne Mundi 3529. If he got the Crown by Oppression he managed it with no less prudence and moderation enacting several excellent Laws translated out of the British Speech into the Latin by Gildas and afterwards out of the Latin into the English Tongue by Alfred King of England And these Laws are Recorded by Count Palatine and are taken notice of by Mr. Sheringham and particularly recited by Mr. Selden in his Janus Anglorum They were to this effect 1. Ut Templa Deorum c. That the Temples of the Gods should enjoy such Priviledges and Immunities that no Malefactor flying to them for Sanctuary could be seized or by force drawn from them before he had obtained pardon 2. That High-waies leading to Temples or Roads to great Cities should have the like Priviledges 3. That Ploughs Oxen and other Labouring Cattle should enjoy the same Immunities and the reason of this Law is given because otherwise the Ground might lie untill'd and the People perish for want of Bread 4. He set out the number of Ploughs that should be in every Shire and Hundred with severe Penalties upon all that should be the occasion of lessening the Number 5. The fifth is the same almost with the third only it seems a little to restrain it namely That no Oxen or Labouring Beast should be seized for Debt unless there were no other Goods or Chattels to make satisfaction 6. He ordained set Weights and Measures for buying and selling 7. A Law against Thieves and Robbers These are the Molmutian Laws
at variance Hirilda was slain whereupon Cassibelan summons Ewelin to appear before him to answer for the death of his Nephew but being encouraged by Androgeus refused to obey the Summons Upon this Cassibelan begins to make War upon Androgeus who finding himself not able to deal with him fled unto Caesar into Gallia and invited him to return into Britain for Caesar upon his ill success had left the Island Caesar took Hostages of him and among the rest Scaeva Androgeus his Son and so returns where encountring at his Landing with Cassibelan he was worsted until Androgeus coming upon the back of the Britains totally overthrew them Neither had the Romans any success against the Britains but what they obtained by the means of Androgeus whom I said before is called by Caesar Mandubratius and the aforesaid Reason is given by the British Histories of his flight unto Gallia Count Palatine writes that when Caesar was led by Androgeus he found the Britains drawn up at the Stowr in Kent he drave them from the opposite Bank with an Elephant armed with Iron-plates and a Tower upon his back and that the British Horses like those of Greece and no doubt all of Trojan breed could not endure the scent of the Elephant and so gave back drawing the Britains in their Charriots after them Likewise that the Breast-plate stuck with Pearls which Caesar dedicated to Venus Genetrix was presented him by Cassibelan at his departure from the Island and that Caesar in return of so seasonable a Gift for he had no time to gather any himself recompenced him with no less honourable Munificence After the final departure of Caesar Androgeus Mandubratius was not restored to the Kingdom of the Trinobantes but whether through the Ill will of Cassibelan or the general Hatred the People had to him for the enslaving of his Country is uncertain so that leaving Britain he again be took himself unto Caesar and attended him to Rome where he was entertained as King of Britain and saluted Friend to the Commonwealth At last he was slain in the Battle of Thessalia against Pompey Cassibelan after the Departure of the Romans reigned ten years which time he employed in Revenging himself upon the Cities that had Revolted from him during the Wars with Caesar. He was Buried at York in the year before Christ 42 and after the building of Rome 705. THE Inter Regnum OF THE ROMANS DURING the last ten years of Cassibelan and till the time of the Emperour Claudius the Britains were free from the yoak of the Romans and were ruled by their own Kings and governed by their own Laws so that for a while we must take our farewel of the Roman History collecting it only as we find it scattered here and there and follow the Succession of the British THEOMANTIUS or Tenantius Nephew of Cassibelan succeeded his Unkle in the Kingdom having before enjoyed the Principality of Cornwal far remote from the Troubles of the times and by that means not engaged by assisting his Brother to take to a Roman Interest or by ayding Cassibelan to justifie his Violences by which indifferent Carriage by the general Applause of the People he assumed the Crown Anno ante Christum XLV In this Kings Reign Octavius the Grand-child of Julia Caesars Sister obtained the Empire of Rome but before he had fully possest himself of it and was yet strugling with Antony and Lepidus Theomantius sends his Son Kymbelin to him to attend upon him in his Wars hoping thereby to ingratiate himself with Augustus and obtain a relaxation of the Tributes And indeed Cunobelin so behaved himself that he grew into especial favour with the Emperour and accompanied him to Rome where he was saluted by the name of FRIEND of the Commonwealth and bred up in all the splendour and magnificence of the Court. During his residence there Tenantius paid in Tribute which the British Histories set upon the score of this great Favourite of Augustus but the Roman Authors seem generally to imply That the Troubles of the Empire and the bandings of Great men after the death of Caesar were the causes of the Quiet of the Britains during these Civil Dissensions This carries most probability with it for we find Augustus no sooner setled in the Roman State but he began to cast his thoughts towards Britain And although Tacitus draws the neglect of this Island in Augustus to a wholsome State-Maxime of not making the Empire too unweildy and Strabo would have us think that he absolutely slighted it as a place of no importance and whose Enmity or Friendship conduced nothing to the good or ill of the Empire yet we find him twenty years after the Departure of Caesar Advanced as far as Gallia in order to the Reducing of it For had not a Revolt in Pannonia diverted him he had certeinly Attempted it About seven years after with the same Resolutions be once more drew down into Gallia and the Britains hearing thereof sent their Embassadors and promised their Tribute which Submission at the present he accepted of because some Commotions in Gallia arising he was willing to give himself totally to the Suppression of them The year following some differences arising about performance of Covenants he was again hindered by disturbances in Spain the Biscans and they between Gallicia and Portugal having Revolted This last designed Invasion was in the two and twentieth year of the Reign of Tenantius who in the thirtieth year died and was buried at London KYMBELIN or KUNOBELIN succeeded him in the Third year before CHRIST And if he was not Educated at Rome yet the kind Correspondence between the Romans and Britains about these Times gave fair occasion to the British Writers so to imagine it for now the Britains began to learn all the Arts and Intreagues of Courtiers to flatter for Advantage and by Gifts to appease a Prince and buy off a War They sent some Presents to Augustus and others to the Roman Gods to be offered with their Submission in the Capitol with such like obsequious Addresses This I suppose gave occasion to Horace to write Coelo tonantem credidimus JOVEM Regnare praesens Divus habebitur AUGUSTUS adjectis Britannis Imperio Gravibusque Persis JOVE we beleive the Heavens do sway CAESAR's a God below He makes the Britains Homage pay And the stiff Persians bow But although they shifted off the Tribute yet they yielded to Taxes and Impositions which were of more dangerous consequences to them For by that means they admitted the Romans into the Trading part of the Nation and although their Commodities vented on the Continent were inconsiderable such as Ivory-Bones Iron-Chains and such like Trinckets of Amber and Glass yet by this means the Roman Collectors were of necessity to be Admitted and their Enemies got more insight into them by this Amicable Correspondence than ever Caesar could do in both his Expeditions Nay by this means the
called in the British and Scotch Tongue Phightiaid a Warlike and fierce Nation and to make up their terrible Character they were Scythians by descent and near Kinsmen at least to the Gothes and as some think the Off-spring of the Nation of the Agathyrses a Race of painted Cannibals setting forth from their Native Country or as some write from Sweden or Norway With these most excellent endowments as Pirates and Rovers they arrived on the Coast of Ireland where they met with their Brethren the Scots who then inhabited that Island who easily understood their Language as being themselves of Scythian extraction Having scarce landed their Forces they required Places to inhabit but the Scots who well understood the stomach of their Country-men and had but just now given over themselves to eat one another so diverted and shifted themoff with telling them the pleasures of Britain and the plenty thereof I wonder they should omit their Painting also The Picts hoysting up Sail made for this blessed Island little dreaming of the warm entertainment they were to receive for the Scots had laid the sairest side outwards and concealed the Courage and Numbers of the Britains When they had arrived upon the North of this Island finding there but few Inhabitants they began to waste wide and forrage all those Tracts which Nature it self had sufficiently laid desolate King Marius informed of the insolent Behaviour of these Strangers levies Forces and with speedy Marches hastned into the North and there gave them Battle The success was so great on the Britains side that the Picts were totally discomfited many slain among whom was their Leader Rodorick and the rest all taken Prisoners to whom King Marius gave license to inhabit the Northern part of Scotland called Cattness a cold and Mountainous Country They had not long lived there but they began to think of warm Bed-fellows and to that purpose sent unto the Britains for Wives but their Suit being there entertained with scorn they applied themselves to the Scots who granted them their Daughters upon this condition That if the Male Issue of the King should fail then the next Heir on the Womans side should succeed in the Kingdom which Ordinance ever after was observed among them and this was the cause of the great Union of both these Nations This Victory of King Marius against the Picts was obtained at Stanes-moor in Westmoreland and from his name was the Country called Westmaria But that which seemeth to give some credit to this Relation was this Inscription found in Carlile MARII VICTORIAE of which the Reverend Bishop Usher writes thus Although the British History in many things is found faulty yet the testimony of the Inscription of Marius his Victory is not altogether to be slighted For before Jeofferies Translation an Author much Graver William of Malmsbury writeth of it in this manner In the City Luguballia commonly called Carlile there is seen a Dining Room built of Stone and arched with Vaults which neither the force of Weather nor Fire on purpose set to it could scatter or destroy And on the Fore-front of it was this Inscription MARII VICTORIAE that is To the Victory of Marius Mr. Cambden who draws all Antiquities to the Romans saith That another making mention of this Stone who that other is he tells us not saith It was not inscribed Marii Victoriae but Marti Victori and this he saith may better content some and seemeth to come nearer to Truth But however it may please some vet it is absolutely against the meaning of Malmsbury who immediately adds What this Inscription should mean I know not unless part of the Cimbri should inhabit these Places after they were driven out of Italy by Marius the Consul of whom Ranulphus maketh mention in his Polycronicon This is Malmsbury's guess as being certain it was Marii Victoriae not Marti Victori and having never seen the British History he gave it to that Consul rather than no body little thinking how improbable it was that a Nation driven from its Country should raise Trophies to their Conquerour But if it must be Marii Victoriae Mr. Cambden hath a Roman of that name to fix it upon namely MARIUS who was proclaimed Emperour against Gallienus a Man of wonderful strength insomuch that it was written of him That he had no Veins in his Fingers but all Sinews saith Mr. Cambden but who they are he again nameth not and attributes this Inscription to him and so let it be for what Victory could ever slip from the hands of so nervous a Person King Marius died in the year of Grace 132 and was Interr'd at Carlile he left the Kingdom to his Son Coyll COYLL in his youth had been educated at Rome where he employed his time in learning the Sciences and the discipline of War He loved the Romans and was by them highly esteemed and honoured so that paying his Tribute and receiving their Protection he filled out a long just and peaceable Reign governing Britain 54 years to the fifth year of Commodus the Emperour when we shall hear of his Son LUCIUS the first Christian Prince of the British Line till whose daies the British Histories are silent there being nothing else memorable in the life of this Coyll save that some ascribe to him the building of Colchester in Essex which work others give to a later Coyll which reigned next after Asclepeodotuis THE Roman History HADRIAN having called away Julius Severus as likewise Priscus Licinius both Governours in Britain to subdue the Jews who were then in Rebellion it will not be amiss to fill out the remainder of this Emperours Reign with a short account of his Atchievments against that Nation seeing they were performed by Men whose experience in War was gained in our British Island The Jews a stubborn People and sick of the Roman yoak as who daily expected a glorious Messiah and were impatient of his coming at last of themselves took Arms in the Eighteenth year of Hadrian and began a dangerous Rebellion But Hadrian raising great Forces and electing his choicest Generals to Command them soon put a stop to their Fury who in the heat of the Revolt spared neither Roman nor Christian. And to revenge their Insolence besides an infinite number of them slain and tortured their City Jerusalem was razed to the ground themselves utterly banisht and made unlawful for them to look towards that City or their Native Soyl. Besides where Jerusalem had stood although not upon the same Foundations he built a new City calling it after his own name AELIA upon the Gate whereof that leadeth to Bethlehem that the Jews even in disguise might be kept as much as might be from visiting it he caused a Swine to be engraven a Beast which he had learnt by their Law was accounted the most unclean and of all others most abominable He was favourable to the Christians forbidding by Publick Edict the Persecution against them moved as some
same Errour by ill timing of Actions and confounding the Names of Persons hath made it so intricate that it is impossible to find out what he meaneth for he makes Septimius Severus the Emperour the same as Junius Severus who was sent by Commodus into Britain to succeed Albinus as manifestly appeareth where he saith That Severus a Senatour after the death of Lucius was sent into Britain by the Senate with two Legions to compose there the differences arising and restore the Kingdom to the Romans which by Dissentions was much drawn from them This must needs be meant of Junius Severus for Septimius Severus was not Senatour but Emperour when he entred Britain and it was many years after the death of Lucius and yet presently after relating the same mans Actions he adds That he made a Wall between Deira and Albania which can be meant of none but Severus the Emperour I wonder that the British History in making Severus a King of Britain and Successour of Lucius does not give some Reason for it If he had the Kingdom in Right of his first Wife Martia Sister to Fulgentius how comes it to pass that Fulgentius is not reckoned a British Prince and a Rightful Inheritour of the Crown which if he had been created it follows dying in the Battle fought against Severus the Kingdom would devolve on Severus by the Womans side according to the Old Compact the British Histories makes mention of between these Northern Picts and their Brethren the Scots of Ireland when they gave them Wives That in case the Male Issue failed the Heir of the Woman should inherit in the Kingdom of the Picts So that Severus holding by Right of his Wife his Son Bassianus was lawful Inheritour and the British Succession should have run thus Lucius Fulgentius Severus in Right of Martia Bassianus c. but of this more than enough Bass. Caracalla Anto. And His BROTHER Septimius Geta. AFter the death of Old Severus his eldest Son CARACALLA for a while pursued the Relicks of the War by his Captains when weary of so troublesome an employment he hudled up a Peace and taking Hostages returned to Rome And now grown impatient of a Partner in Power he slew his Brother GETA after he had Reigned with him a year and twenty two daies He caused likewise his Name to be raced out of all Monuments which was accordingly observed even in Britain as appeareth by an Inscription dug out of the Earth in Monmouthshire wherein the name of GETA by the tract of Letters may be discovered to have once been although afterwards raced out PRO SALUTE AUG G. N. N. SEVERI ET ANTON NI ET GET AE CAES. P. SALTIENUS P. F. MAE CIA THALAMUS HADRI PRAEF LEG II. AUG C. VAMPEIANO ET LUCILIAN And that which made more to the horridness of the Murther was that he slew him in the Arms of his Mother Julia But it seems her Sorrows quickly blew over for not long after she consented a Marriage with her Son in Law Bassianus the Murtherer of her own Son for Bassianus was the Son of Martia a former Wife of Severus Thus we see this Julia who twitted the British Ladies with their Crimes committed a greater of her own nay such an One as St. Paul saith Is not to be named among the Gentiles After his Murther and Incest he was slain by one of his own Souldiers Macrinus who succeeded him being the contriver of it He Governed but six years and two months and left no Issue by his Incestuous Mother or Grantilla his Wise whom he banisht into Sicily but by Julia Simiamira his cousin German and Mistris he had Heliogabalus who afterwards came to be Emperour THE British History THE Count Palatine maketh Bassianus King of Britain in Right of his Mother Martia who by the British Histories is said to be a Native of this Island but Sabellicus taketh her to have been an African by Birth but allowing her a Britain how cometh it to pass that Fulgentius her Brother is not accounted a King of this Island For she could have no right to the Kingdom till his death so that if Fulgentius be excluded his Sister Martia could create no Title either to Severus her Husband or our present Bassianus her Son He likewise saith That Bassinus sent into Britain Virius Lupus to quell the Picts who had entred the Island under Fulgentius but what Authority he hath for it I know not The Roman Authors say he was sent by Severus and the British Histories are silent of him as to the daies of this Emperour Jeoffery of Moumouth with the like absurdity makes Carausius to be chosen King of Britain in the year 218 which is the last of this Emperours Reign whereas his appearance in Britain was not till the year 284 as by true History is collected Nevertheless the British Writers generally tell the story thus Carausius being chosen King of Britain and made Commander of the Picts who after the death of Fulgentius wanted a Leader presently makes Head against Bassianus and giveth him Battle Bassianus had many Picts in his Army but Carausius a Man of a subtile Wit by fair Promises had so won their affections that in the Fight they betrayed him so that deserted by so great a part of his Forces the rest were totally routed and himself slain Carausius to gratifie the Picts gave them the Countries in the South parts of Scotland which joyns to England on the East Marches as Mers Louthean and others Thus Bassianus by the report of the British Writers died in Britain CARAGALLA slain MACRINUS the contriver of his death was chosen by the Army Emperour in whose daies as likewise many of his Successours we find no mention made in this our Island whether it were that the Empire declining apace or that good Authors grew scarce or were lost or which is more probable the former Princes being advanced by the heady Affection of the Souldiers and as soon cast down again had no time to atchieve great Matters so far off Certain it is that for some years we are left in the dark having a few fragments only lying scattered here and there which give just light enough to shew that Britain still continued a Roman Province and had its Proproetors and Presidents The British Histories themselves as if they were only ill Comments on the Roman Records and wanted breath where the other ceased do now fall in pieces leaving wide gaps and Inter-regnums for many years together so that if we would we could not piece up these Times with their Rags and Fables And were it not undecent to leave so great a breach in the midst of this History many of the following Emperours might be spared And indeed I might easily have been induced to have omitted them had not these Reasons moved me to the contrary First By vertue of their being Emperours they were undoubted possessours of this Island and so have a right to have their Names
the Souldiers proclaimed him Emperour and Trebonianus with his Son to revenge themselves were both slain in fight against him after they had sate in the Empire not quite two years but AEmilian was in four months afterwards deposed and slain by the same Souldiers that advanced him P. Licinius Valerianus VALERIANUS was advanced to the Empire by the Praetorian Souldiers a Man of so great Repute and so infinitely beloved that he soon eclipsed the glory of AEmilian He began the Eighth Persecution but after he had Reigned seven years in a Battle against Sapor King of Persia he was taken Prisoner and for seven years more lived in a miserable Captivity being made the Footstool of that Tyrant suffering all manner of Indignities that an Insolent and Barbarous Conquerour could invent for him Publius Licinius Galienus GALIENUS the Son of Valerian succeeded his Father in the Empire He is described a proud and unfortunate Prince and yet not ill beloved by the People because his Vices were agreeing with the times He was prodigal and luxurious wasting the Publick Treasury in vain and fruitless Experiments all tending to Lust Gluttony and Riot careless of the Common danger and through a haughty Ignorance unapprehensive of his own In his daies the Empire was on all sides strongly Invaded the Germans infested Italy the Goths Greece Pontus and Asia the Sarmatians seized Austrick and Hungary the Persians spoiled Syria the Saxons brake into Gallia the Francks into Spain so that the Empire had been utterly ruined through the careless neglect of Galienus had not several Commanders in several places undertaken the defence of it They were Thirty together and all assumed the Imperial Robe and are called by Historians the Thirty Tyrants Six of them namely Lollianus Victorinus Posthumus the two Tetrici Father and Son and Marius are conjectured to have risen or born sway in this Island as appeareth by many of their Coyns found in England but especially at Colchester The memory of Marius as Mr. Cambden conjectureth is preserved in that Inscription MARII VICTORIAE of which I have spoken before and some think that a Stone found in Hampshire bearing this Inscription MEMORIAE FL. VICTORI NAE T. TAM VICTOR CONJUX POSUIT It was erected to the honour of Victorina or Victoria the Mother of Victorinus the second Tyrant afterwards slain by his Souldiers This Victorina was called Master Castrorum or the Mother of the Camp and did not only set up her Son and Grand-son both of them Victorini against Galienus but after their deaths Marius also and both the Tetrici Hence it is that Porphyrius a Philosopher then living saith That BRITAIN was a soyl fruitful of Tyrants Marius enjoyed his new Soveraignty but three daies as for Tetricus and his Son they held it out till the time of Aurelianus when we shall hear more of them Galienus Reigned eight years after the Captivity of his Father and was then slain at the Siege of Milan by three of his own Captains Martian Heraclian and Ceronius who agreed among themselves to divide the Empire but their Treason was so ill resented that they never durst put in their Pretentions M. Aurelius Flavius Claudius HE was a most worthy Prince wise of Counsel and experienced in Wars The Publick Invaders of the Empire the Goths he drove back with the slaughter of three hundred thousand fighting Men and two thousand Ships the Germans he utterly subdued and established again their Subjection to the Roman Power Having performed these great Actions and minding now to reduce the Empire to its Unity in Government he died of a Feavour as he was preparing against Tetricus who held the Western Provinces He Ruled two years and then his Brother QUINTILIUS was chosen by the Italian Souldiers but he enjoyed his Election but seventeen daies for the Victorious Army of Claudius thinking they had better right to create an Emperour set up AURELIUS in somuch that Quintilius finding it in vain to contend ended his life by opening his own Veins or as other say was slain by his Army for his too great severity in Discipline THE British Writers CONCERNING CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS by our Writers is allowed a lawful King of this Island for from the daies of Gordian which are twenty four years our home-spun Histories make an Inter-regnum GORDIAN was allowed King as being the Father of this Claudius for as I said before by the Law of the British Histories the Right of Inheritance ascends and even Grandfathers hold their Kingdoms by the title of their Grand-children Let us see therefore by what Right Claudius is accounted King We have heard before that one of his Titles to the Crown was that from his Line descended Constantius who held it in right of his Wife Helena a British Woman and so sent the Title up to his Ancestour the present Claudius The Genealogy runs thus Claudius had two Brothers Quinctilius and Crispus Claudius and Quinctilius dying without Issue Crispus had a Daughter named Claudia who marrying Eutropius was the Mother of Constantius But now I shall shew his other Title by which he claims gathered out of the Roman Histories Pollio a Roman Writer in the Life of Claudius hath these words He seemeth to draw his Original from Dalmatia although others say he was a Dardanian by Birth descended of the Trojans in Ilium and of the Blood of Dardanus himself thus far Pollio And can we think that the British Writers will slip so fair an occasion of making another Trojan Prince in this Island No certainly hear therefore I pray Basingstoke There is a wonderful and secret power of Nature saith he whereby the Trojan Original of the Britains despised by so many and slighted by Julius Caesar is still brought to the Empire as is manifest in Severus his marriage with Martia and Constantius taking Helena to Wife which Constantius descended of Claudius who was of Trojan Race Thus we see the Kingdom of Brute by the wonderful working of Nature restored again to the Trojans and that it may not be done without an Oracle take this story out of Pollio which for the worthiness of it I set down among the British Histories Claudius being well setled in the Empire required of the Gods how long he 〈◊〉 enjoy it The Answer was given Tu qui nunc Patrias gubernas or as Et mundum Regis arbiter Deorum in veteres tuis novelliis Regnabunt etenim ter minores Et Reges facient suos minores Thou who thy Fathers Kingdom now dost Rule And dost the World and Gods Command The next is imperfect but then follows Thy Off-spring after thee shall bear the sway And Kings shall their Inferiours stand By his Off-spring is meant Constantius and his Son Constantine but it seems Claudius not yet satisfied enquires further of his own life The Oracle answered Tertia dum Latio regnantem viderit aestas Three Summers thou in Italy shalt reign When finding the Gods more favourable to his
Britain taking notice only in this place of the words of our Gildas as followeth No sooner was the heat of the Persecution quenched but the Christians appeared with comfort and courage in Publick rebuilt the Churches so despicably laid low they founded the Temples of the holy Martyrs they built and compleated the Banners of the Victory in all places kept Festival-daies and with undefiled words and hearts performed the Rights and Ceremonies belonging to the true Church and this they could not do till they had been enabled by a freedom to leave their Woods Deserts and secret Caves which had before so long bound them up to such Slavery and Bondage for self-preservation This kindness of the Emperour to the Christians gained him a great Name nay many Names to advance his Dignity as high as might be IMPERATOR FORTISSIMUS A C BEATISSIMUS PIISSIMUS FELIX URBIS LIBERATOR QUIETIS FUNDATOR REIPUBLICAE INSTAURATOR PUBLICAE LIBERTATIS AUCTOR RESTITUTOR URBIS ROMAE AT QUE ORBIS MAGNUS MAXIMUS INVICTUS INVICTISSIMUS PERPETUUS SEMPER AUGUSTUS RERUM HUMANARUM OPTIMUS PRINCEPS VIRTUTE FORTISSIMUS ET PIETATE CLEMENTISSIMUS QUI VENERANDA CHRISTIANORUM FIDE ROMANUM MUNIVIT IMPERIUM DIVUS DIVAE MEMORIAE DIVINAE MEMORIAE c. Most Valiant and Blessed Emperour most Pious Happy Redeemer of Rome City Founder of Peace Restorer of Rome City and the whole World Great most Great Invincible most Invincible Perpetual Ever AUGUSTUS The best Prince of the World For Vertue most Valiant and for Piety most Merciful who also fortified the Roman Empire with the Reverend Faith of the Christians Sacred of Sacred memory of Divine memory c. He translated the Seat of the Empire from Rome to Bizantium now Constantinople and having Reigned thirty one years to the great commendation of all but especially the Christians he fell sick and counselled by his Physicians to go to the hot-Baths of Nicomedia a City of Bithinia he died on his Journy leaving his Empire divided among his three Sons To his eldest CONSTANTINUS he gave Britain France Spain and part of Germany To his second Son CONSTANS Italy Africa Slavonia Dalmatia and Greece To CONSTANTIUS the youngest Thracia Syria Mesopotamia and AEgypt Of which Emperours I shall write in their orders not as they held together the Roman Empire but as they successively Ruled this Island and first of Constantine THE British History In the Daies of CONSTANTINE THE GREAT SEEING that CONSTANTINE changed the form of Government in this Island it is no wonder that the British Histories will not suffer so memorable an Action to pass over in silence without fastning some remarkable story upon it We must understand therefore what was said before that Constantine having made a Praefect of the Praetorium of Gall under whom the Vicar of Britain was substituted the Britains who had hitherto lived in equal esteem with the Gauls taking it ill to be under the Jurisdiction of a forreign Commander rose up in Arms and began to defend their priviledges Octavius Duke of the Gewisses whom Jeffery of Monmouth calleth a British Lord the first as saith Basing stoak who held the employment of Praefect of the Praetorium taking occasion of the Revolt of the Britains enters the Island and having punisht the Revolters and secured his own Power at length taking the advantage of the Emperours absence and occupation in Forreign Wars seized the Kingdom of Britain to himself Constantine hearing of his Usurpation sends Trahernus his Unkle by his Mothers side whom he had made Senatour of Rome to reduce him to Obedience Traherne with three Legions arrived at Britain and at his landing took a City named Caerperis at which place Octavius meeting him with a great Army not far from Winchester in a set Battle overthrew and put him to flight Traherne escaping into Albania or Scotland by Sea saith Basing stoak was pursued by Octavius but not with like success for meeting him in a place called Vestenavalia the Manuscript hath it Westmarlandia he was by him overcome and constrained to flie into Norway leaving his quarrel to be revenged by the Count of Westmorland Whilest he is soliciting the Norwegians for help Traherne is slain in an Ambush laid for him in a Valley as he came from the City London of whose death Octavius having notice returns into Britain and again assumes the Kingdom This happened saith Fabian about the year 329 in the 22 or 23d of Constantine and about two years after the said Octavius had usurped Being again established he Ruled the Island as the British Chronicle affirmeth with great Justice and Moderation even to the daies of Gratian and Valentinian which saith Fabian was fifty four years But in this he erreth in not considering that Gratian was admitted by his Father Valentinian to the Empire in the fourth year of his Reign which was An. Dom. 368. and according to Fabian whose account differeth three years in the year 371 so that from the first usurping of Octavius in the year 327 to 368 in the daies of Valentinian and Gratian are but forty one years and adding three more for Fabians account are but forty four at most Octavius now grown Old began to think of a Successour he had one only Daughter whom he had thoughts to give in marriage unto Conan Meridoc the Duke of Cornwals Nephew but the Nobles not consenting he was advised to send to Rome for a Noble Man named Maximian Cousin to the Emperour Constantine by his Mother Helena's side to invite him to take his Daughter and with her the Kingdom Maurice the Son of Conan though the Historian might have chosen a fitter Person was sent on this Embassage and performed it in such effectual manner that Maximian readily embraced the motion arrived in Britain and notwithstanding the opposition made by Conan Meridoc to the contrary obtained the Daughter and with great solemnity performed the Nuptials This Maximian in the Roman History is called Maximus of whom we shall hear more hereafter Basing stoak writeth that Octavius was reduced by Constantine in Person and that after his Victory by the intreaty of his Mother Helona he encompassed London with a Wall of three miles in circuit having six Gates and where the River Thames begins and ends the City at those two Corners he built a Tower and Castle Hence he saith this City was called AUGUSTA and the Provost of the Augustian Treasury mentioned in the Roman History and first instituted by this Emperour in Britain had his name not from the Emperours who were called Augusti but being Treasurers of Augusta or London Constantinus Junior WHEN Constantine was dead Britain together with France Spain and part of Germany fell to the portion of his eldest Son the present CONSTANTINE but he not content with his share in the Empire though most considerable invaded the Right and Possession of his Brother Constans and was by him slain after he had Reigned the term of three years He is
force of the Souldiers in advancing him to that Authority in hostile manner he passed the Alpes and intended to march directly against Rome But having information that Alaricus King of the Goths whom lately he had made his Ally was dead he returned to Arles where he planted his Imperial Seat and commanded the City to be called CONSTANTINA in imitation perhaps of Constantine the Great who had done the like in the East and whose Name he had found so lucky to him in all his concerns Here he ordained that the Assemblies of Assizes for seven Provinces should be held And now well seated in the Empire he sent into Spain for his Son Constans to the end that meeting together they might consult further concerning the establishment of the Empire Constans receiving his Fathers Message without any delay sets forward on his Journey to him leaving his Wife and the furniture of his Court at Caesar Augusta or Caragosa and trusting the management of all Affairs during his absence to the care and conduct of Gerontius a Britain whom a little while after upon slight occasion he again displaced Constans being now come to his Father seemed rather to be sent for to partake with him in his Vices than Counsels for by this time grown heedless of any danger from Italy he gave himself up to all Riot and Luxury so that advising his Son to return into Spain he was mindful of nothing more than the pleasing his Appetite alone and providing of delicate Meats to satisfie his Gluttony Constans taking his leave of his Father having sent his Forces and Retinue before receives unwelcome News that Gerontius having revolted from his Obedience had set up Maximus one of his Vassals and Followers for Emperour and having gathered together great Forces of Barbarians was upon his march against him and his Father Constans allarum'd with these Tidings dispatcht immediately Edo-beccus unto the German Nations himself attended with Decimius Rusticus who of the Master of the Offices was advanced to be Praefect and accompanied with his Army of Franks and Almanes and other Military Forces passeth into France intending with all speed to return again to his Father Constantine but intercepted by Gerontius in his way at Vienna in France in a Combat lost his life Gerontius marching to meet Constantine found him at Arles against which City he laid close siege calling the Vandals to his assistance who encouraged by him as before by him they had been represt breaking into France overrun most part of the Province By this time Honorius had sent an Army out of Italy under the Command of Constantius Comes his General at the arrival whereof in those parts Gerontius deserted by his own Forces retired into Spain where also growing into contempt and hatred with his Souldiers his House in the night was beset by them with a few of his Servants he manfully defended himself slew above three hundred of them and when his Darts and Weapons were spent though he might have escaped at a back Door as all his Servants had done yet out of kindness to Alanus and his Wife he refused to do it And first having cut off the head of his Friend Alanus as was agreed in the next place he dispatches though with great reluctancy his Wife also being much intreated and importuned by her refusing to out-live her Husband and desiring to be freed from the Violence of an inraged Crew for which her resolution Sozomenus an Ecclesiastical Writer gives her high praise and commendation This done he turns his Sword against himself but that missing to perform the work with his Ponyard he finisheth his resolution and dies Constantius now streightned on all hands and discouraged with some ill success of Edobeccus after he had been besteged with his other Son Julian four Months and Reigned four years flings off his Purple Robe and turns Priest and hoping under that shelter to secure himself not long after surrenders the Town but his habit proving no sanctuary to him he was carried into Italy and there beheaded together with his Son to whom he had given the Title of NO BILISSIMUS and a Brother named Sebastian Whilest these things were doing the Barbarians taking advantage of the negligent Government of Constantine who at Arles minded nothing but his Pleasures brake into the Provinces the Scots and Picts into Britain and the Vandals into Gaul The Britains now destitute of aid yet held under by them who had not power to protect them forthwith took Arms and resolving to stand on their own defence freed their Cities and States In like manner their Neighbours the Britains of Armorica and the rest of the Gaulish Provinces by their example did the same casting out the Roman Presidents and setting up for Liberty ordained Common-wealths of their own But the Roman Power which had been called into Italy when once the fear of Alarick was over and Constantine dead made return into the several Provinces And it seemeth that Victorinus of Tholosa might be sent Praefect of this Island if it were not he whom Stilico sent hither Buchanan and Cambden whom I follow assign the time of his being here after Gratianus Municeps and Constantine the Tyrant though others say it was before however certain it is that during his residence here he was very active against the Scots and Picts and Buchanan writes that endeavouring to reduce the Picts into a Province he gave occasion of their calling back Furgutius and the Scots whom Maximus by their help had quite driven out of the Island He is highly commended by Rutilius Clandius the Poet out of whose Verses his History is gathered they are these Conscius Oceanus virtutum conscia Thule Et quaecunque ferox arva Britannus erat Quae Praefectorum vicibus fraenata potestas Perpetuum magni foenus amoris habet Extremum pars illa quidem discessit in orbem Sed tanquam medio rector in orbe fuit Plus palmae est illos inter voluisse placere Inter quos minor est displicuisse pudor The Seas and Thule with his Praise resound And wheresoe're fierce Britains tyll their ground That Power which others in their turns possest Him with increase of love intirely blest Though from the World his Province too did stand Yet as by all o're seen he did command 'T is more renown good Actions to express There where to govern ill the shame is less Seeing that this Victorinus by most Authors is placed after Constantine the Tyrant I suppose he might be sent with that Legion whom Honorius upon the second request of the Britains granted to their assistance or if it were before that he governed here and was recalled against Alaricus then besieging Rome certain it is that the Britains exhausted of their Youth by Maximus first who transplanted them into Gallia on the Coast of Armorica and afterwards by Constantine not having Power sufficient of their own to defend themselves from the Northern Incursions and wanting the
overthrow but the Scotch Writers seeming to grasp all to their own Honours make themselves sole Masters of that daies enterprize and yet confess that they lost DONGARD their King in the same Battle But as the story goes for the general part after the Britains had obtained the Victory they conveyed their General Constantine to Chichester and there according to their promise Crowned him King This establishment spirited not a little the King to rule his People nobly and justly using his utmost endeavour to defend them from the assaults of their Enemies This Constantine as some think was slain by the treachery of Vortigern of whom I have spoken particularly in this place to shew by what ways and devices Ambition advanced Vortigern to the Imperial Government For before Constantine was to be made a Sacrifice in his own House to the treachery of the Conspirator he privately procures a censiderable Party of the Nobility and Commons to Vote with him that Constantius King Constantines eldest Son in case the King should die might be sent for out of the Abby of Winchester to succeed in his Fathers Government who during the Kings life continued there a Monk the People then believing his parts uncapable of a better employment Now observe I pray Vortigern's policy for because he thought he would afterwards continue as simple and indiscreet for Government was preferred to his Fathers Dignity and so not being able to govern himself the trust of State-Affairs Vortigern hoped in a short time might be committed to his care Which thinks he is a very good preparation for me more insensibly to the World to invest my self not only with the Robes but Authority of my Soveraign And at last indeed so it proved for abusing the mild Nature and good Disposition of the King in a short time graspt both Power and Soveraignty into his own possession The Guardians of his two Brothers Aurellus Ambrosius and Uter Sirnamed Pendragon being too sensible of Vortigern's fraudulent deportment hurried them away into Britany in France to Aldrogius although the Britains at that time perceived not his delusions thinking verily that what he acted was out of an honest and sincere principle more to protect the King and his People than any advance of his own power or Interest But the conclusion proved to the contrary for after by a new plot he had procured also Constantius to be made away the better to gild over his own Innocency prosecutes several of the innocent Scots with death as I have already shewn in suspicion only of being concerned in murthering the King This so infinitely pleased the People that when they met to choose a new King by reason Constantius's two Brothers were in France and besides too green in years to Govern he Complemented some of the chiefest of the Nobility to joyn with the Commonalty especially such as he knew had a good opinion of him to elect him for their Soveraign saying It would conduce much to the satisfaction of the People and consequently preserve Peace in that disturbed Age inferring moreover that they had no just cause to be in the least jealous of him who had given them such frequent testimonies of his honest deportment care and loyalty so that managing his business so crastily it was impossible that so rude and credulous an Age should prie and dive into his so sudden designs but must be answered in their desire in compleating him their absolute Monarch who after receiving the Kingdom into his protection the better to secure to himself the continuance of his ill-gotten Power strengthned the Tower of London with a considerable Garrison After that he Records the better to ingratiate himself with the People in a List all his especial Favourites that had promised him to assist the severe prosecution of Constantine and his Sons Adherents But the Scots and Picts hearing how unjustly the new British King had dealt with their Country-men rose up in Arms against him who reduced the Britains to that extremity and sorrow that for that instant of time they knew no certain expedient to prevent their attending distractions After the deposing of Vortigern entred his Son VORTIMER upon the Government but after a few years Reign his Father again was restored Vortimer's Salutation soon after his reception by the People was with a new raised War against the Saxons which happened in several Battles of which I shall only treat in brief The first Encounter was near the River Derwent where he gave the Saxons a great overthrow the second at Episford in which Battle Catigern Vortimer's Brother and Horsus the Brother of Hengist flew each other but this Victory as the British Histories will have it must be allowed then also The third was when the Britains fought them by the Sea-side and drave them to the Isle of Tenet Also at Colemore where after a sharp contest the Britains again had the better of them Besides these Vortimer fought them in Kent at Thetford in Norfolk also not far from Colchester in Fssex but the place where and time when I have not seen Recorded ROWENA the Wife of Vortigern perceiving that the fortunate Successes of her Sons undertakings would wholly destroy her Husbands Interests by contriving his death puts a stop to the current of his atchieving Greatness which proved a means too to conclude the Troubles of a six years Government for being destroyed by Rowena to preserve her own Interest Vortigern was again restored during the time of whose Banishment he made his abode in Wales where he built a Castle upon the Mountain Cloaricus called Seneron or Guanercu because it stood not far from the River Guana but whether built at his first or second entrance into Wales Authors differ The time of this his Restauration seemeth according to some Relaters to be in the daies of Hengist For 't is said that so soon as Hengist was advised of Vortigern's Reception he collected together a great Army but hearing the Britains at that time in all probability were likely to over-power him he sent for Vortigern to meet him upon Salisbury-Plain with the chiefest of his Nobility unarmed on purpose as he pretended to treat for Peace but Hengist intending Treachery that what he could not obtain by force he would compel by policy secretly advised his Associates to put under their long Coats crooked Knives that as soon as the Watch-word was given they were to execute their But chery upon the British Nobility and their Attendants which as the story is related was executed upon all save Vortigern Eldol Earl of Gloucester made his escape who only was concluded should be taken Prisoner the better to qualifie the rage and fury of the Britains against him The King to redeem himself out of the Saxon Captivity delivered to them the sole Government of three Provinces William of Malmsbury seems to believe this Massacre of the Britains to be acted at a Banquet unto which Hengist had invited the
but the only Argument to prove this a British Monument is Catigern's Tomb who fell in a Battle against Horsa where the Tomb only differs from this in bigness and as being fixed without Mortises and Tenons as we have it expressed by Mr. Cambden in his description of Kent wherein he sets down several other things worthy of observation relating to that Country THE CONTINUATION OF THE British KINGS In the Daies of the SAXONS TO Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded his Brother UTER PENDRAGON a Prince nothing inferiour to him either in Valour or Fortune he is reported a Roman but the greatest demonstration we have of his being so was that whilest he lived he not only buoyed up the sinking genius of Britain by his own Vertues but had also freed this ISLE from a troublesome Intruder as the Saxon in all probability was like to prove had not Divine providence preordained to the contrary si Pergama dextra Defendi potuisse etiam hac defensa fuisset Before he came to the Crown he was sent by Aurelius who then lay sick to oppose Pascentius Vortigern's second Son a Man likely to prove a dangerous Enemy as pretending to the Crown and at that time in conjunction with another malevolent Planet GILLAMARE King of Ireland Against these Uter prudently made all the haste he could with resolution upon the first opportunity to give them Battle lest this new Pretender through length of time might steal away the Affections of the unstable Britains and he himself bring his own Credit in question by delaying the Engagement insomuch that the one being actuated by his own natural fierceness from whence termed UTER the other spurr'd on by Ambition the Fight for a long time stood doubtful but in the end Pascentius and his Irish Associates were slain ill defending their claim to that which their Fathers before them held by as bad a Title Aurelius being dead and himself freed from all Competitors in the Kingdom he began to have an eye upon the proceedings of the Saxons For understanding how Esk and Occa Hengist's Sons had harrassed and spoiled the Country as far as the City of York with all the speed therefore imaginable he wade after these Free-Booters and as suddenly defeated them taking the two Brethren prisoners A good natured Prince without doubt that spared the Lives of those that were by piece-meal stealing his Kingdom and whose Father but a little before had sacrificed 300 of his Nobility In this Prince his time landed Kerdic the Saxon a new Enemy sierce and hardy who notwithstanding all opposition Pendragon could make daily discomsited the Britains and gained Territories large enough for himself and his Followers Now whether this happened whilst he was doting on the fair Dutchess of Cornwall and so could not spare time to attend their Motions sure it is we read that the Britains to recover what they had lost set upon the Saxons under the Conduct of Natanleod or Nazeleod a certain King of Britain but were sufficiently routed by Kerdic and his Saxons from whence the place in Hantshire as far as Kerdicsford now Chardford was called of old Nazaleod Now some and not improbably suppose this Nazeleod to be the right name of Uter Pendragon who for the terrour of his eagerness in fight became more known by the Sir name of Uter signifying in the Welch Tongue dreadful as Edward was termed the Black Prince for the same Reason We shall speak nothing here of his lying with Igren Dutchess of Cornwall nor how by the art of Merlyn he was made so like the Duke of Cornwall that neither the Dutchess nor Servants could perceive the cheat contenting our selves since it cannot be helped that from that adulterous Bed the vertuous Prince Arthur sprang ARTHUR after the death of Pendragon his Son Arthur by the Dutchess of Cornwall was advanced to the Throne being then not above fifteen years old early he came by his honour and as early troubles the usual Concomitants of it overtook him but on purpose as it seems to make him more glorious For Lotho King of the Picts and Gouran King of the Scots having married Anna and Alda the Sisters of Uter laid claim to the Crown in right of their Wives These had Justice on their side and Arthur eleven points of the Law Possession and a good Sword to make it good they often backt their Pretences with a good Army and were as often defeated by this young Prince yet not so throughly but that they held him in Plea all his life-time upon occasions assisting the Saxon against him and at Cambula in Cornwall saith Leland this British Hector encountering Mordred Lotho's Son slew him outright and received of him his own deaths wound Ninnius reports that he over-threw the Saxons in twelve great Battels but with what credit I know not Kerdic the Saxon during all the time of Arthurs Reign continually gained ground of him and possest himself of Somerset and Hantshire in defyance of all the opposition he could make against him but after the fight at Mount Badon the Saxons are said to have sate down quietly for a good while after which those restless Spirits would scarce have done had they not stood in fear of an Army more powerful than their own Therefore we may with some Reason believe he gave the Saxons some considerable defeat and might with all probability have eased the Kingdom of that troublesom Enemy had not his generous Spirit been almost consumed and over-wearied by their continual Supplys Fame has done no Prince more Injury than this for by representing him so far beyond all proportion she has made him Monstrous and by her over-fond talking hath made Posterity suspect with some reason whether there ever was any such Person The Bards styled him IMPERATOR BRITANNIAE GALLIAE GERMANIAE DACIAE now who can believe that he should ramble so far to purchase new Countreys especially with the blood of his own People that could not defend his own against the Enemy at home Caradoc relates that Melvas King of that Country which is now called Somerset detained from him his wife Guenever in the Town of Glaston for the space of a whole year and afterwards restored her at the desire of Gildas not by any compulsion or force that Arthur could make against him If this be true then Arthur seems to be a very unlikely Man to run-over Germany that could not chastise the affront of a little Prince of Somerset that had so much defiled his Bed Now the greatest Argument we have to prove there was ever such a Man as ARTHUR is this King HENRY the Second whilest he was at Pembroke diligently hearkning to a Welch Bard that was singing the notable Exploits of King ARTHUR and taking particular notice of the place of his Burial the Song designing it to be in the Churchyard of Glastonbury and that betwixt two Pyramids commanded for his further satisfaction that they should dig thereabouts When they came some
seven foot deep they found an huge broad Stone with a Leaden-Cross fastened to it and on that side that lay downward in rude Letters was written this Inscription HIC JACET SEPULTUS INCLYTUS REX ARTURIUS IN INSULA AVALONIA And digging nine foot deeper his Body was found in the Trunk of a Tree the Bones of a great bigness and in his Skull were perceived ten wounds the last very great and plainly seen By him also lay GUINEVER his Queen seeming perfect and whole till it was toucht then appearing to be nothing but Dust but the Restorer of Stonehenge with more probability hath found her Tomb at Ambresbury Among other Sepulchres saies he found at the said Monastery it is worthy Memory that about the beginning of this Century one of them hewn out of a firm Stone and placed in the middle of a Wall was opened having upon its coverture rude Letters of massie Gold to this purpose R. G. A. C. 600. Thus Interpreted Regina Guinevera Arturi Conjux The Bones within which Scpulchre were all firm fair yellow coloured Hair about the Skull a supposed piece of the Liver near upon the bigness of a Wall-nut very dry and hard and together therewith were found several Royal habiliments as Jewels Veils Scarfs c. retaining even till then their proper Colours All which were afterwards very choicely kept in the Collection of the Right Honourable EDWARD then Earl of Hertford and of the aforesaid Gold divers Rings were made and worn by his Lordships principal Officers Concerning which Tomb is supposed by the same Author to be the Sepulchre of Queen GUINEVER Wife of King ARTHUR especially the letters R. G. c. viz. Regina Guinevera c. and the date Anno Christi 600 if rightly Copied agreeing with the time of her death Besides Leyland affirms that several Writers make mention she took upon her a Nuns Veil at Ambresbury died and was there buried unto which he gives so much credit that whatever Giraldus Cambrensis delivers to the contrary he will by no means allow either her Body to be afterwards translated from Ambresbury or at any time buried by her Husband King ARTHUR at Glastonbury Unto Leyland's Reasons for her Interrment at Ambresbury Mr. Cambden it seems inclines also because wholly silent of her Sepulchre discovered any where else though at large sets down the Circumstances of her Husbands Body it being found at Glastonbury for had Mr. Cambden found any thing inducing him to believe her Body had been together with his there found he would never certainly have concealed it from Posterity Constantine the IV. THis CONSTANTINE according to some Writers after the death of Prince Arthur Reigned as a Tyrant over Cornwal and Devonshire at the same time with Aurelius Conanus Vortipor and Malgo but according to others by the appointment of Arthur a little before his death he succeeded him alone in the Kingdom the Britains unanimously ratifiing the choice as expecting mighty things from the Person their admired Champion had pitched upon for their Governour But as many private Persons who were before good Subjects have proved but bad Kings after they came to the Crown So it fared with this Constantine who being more conceited of his Power than knowing in the waies of Governing grew on a sudden so intollerably proud that he slighted his Enemies contemned his Friends and measured Justice by the length and strength of his own Sword Possibly he had found the inconvenience of it sooner had not the Pictish War broke out which diverted the minds of his incensed Britains another way For the Picts hearing that after the death of Arthur Constantine was made King appeared with an Army in favour of the Sons of Mordred Arthur's Nephews to settle them in their Right But these he happily routed chasing his two Rivals with their Governours taking Sanctuary the one in Winchester the other in London to the very Altar but the sacred Reverence of the place stopt not his fury for he slew them there with their two Governours without any consideration of the tenderness of their years or holiness of the place Gildas sharply inveighs against this Prince for his Adultery forsaking his lawful Wife and for his Perjury c. lastly for murthering these two Children Yet these being the Sons of the false Mordred who had created his predecessour Arthur so much trouble all his life time by his frequent Rebellions and at last gave him his deaths wound seems a little to take away from the Cruelty of the Action After he had Reigned about four years he was slain by his Kinsman Aurelius Conanus and Interr'd at Stone-henge by his Ancestour Uter Pendragon After the death of Constantine there appeared three Pretenders to the Crown at once AURELIUS CONANUS Lord of North-Wales VORTIPOR Lord of South-Wales and MALGO CONANUS as Gildas stiles him Dragon of the Isles Every one of these usurping the Title of KING of BRITAIN though too weak to defend themselves and it from the swelling Greatness of the Victorious Saxons Most Historians make them to have reigned successively but they seem to me to have been petty Kings at one and the same time for by the reprehensions of Gildas 't is plain that those Princes lived all at one and the same time unto whom he spake personally which could not be had such successions of years past as is laid down by those Historians Besides 't is said that Aurelius Conanus was a Prince of a Noble heart free and liberal but given much to the maintenance of strife and discord among his People which in my mind will best be understood of his difference with his two Competitours Vortipor and Malgo and their Subjects which indeed were his also as taking upon him the stile of KING of BRITAIN especially if we consider he had watchful Neighbours about him who were willing to take the greatest advantage over him they could Gildas in his Invectives terms Vortipor the unworthy Son of a good King as Manasses was to Ezechias Now this good King cannot be Aurelius Conanus who is reprehended for his Vicious life by him as much as any and consequently Vortipor was none of his Son so that how he came to succeed him in the Kingdom as their Historians pretend can scarce be made out What great Actions these three Kings did during their Reign or what good qualities they were indued with is not hitherto known there 's but a very slender account of them in the Rolls of Fame which may make us suspect they were guilty of very few and those scarce worth the committing to posterity In Gildas and other Histories we may find a large Catalogue of their bad ones CARETICUS BY this time the SAXONS had fixt themselves secure enough in Britain none of the British KINGS being able utterly to dispossess them through the continual Supplies they received out of Germany of their new Acquisitions yet this Prince something revived the decaying Spirit of the Britains by
his own Example behaving himself briskly and proving fortunate against them in several Battles whereupon the Saxons to rid themselves of so dangerous an Enemy called to their assistance Gurmundus a Norwegian Captain but as some say sent for from Ireland who surrounding the Britains dismayed at so great an Army secured themselves in the Town of Chichester but the Besiegers though they were not excellent at taking Towns by Assault thought upon an Invention that did their business as well for fastning fire to the feet of several Sparrows they had taken for that purpose being let loose they flew into the Town and lighting upon the Thatched-houses and other combustible matter set all on fire Upon this the Britains rather burnt out than carried on by Courage made a short sally but being over-powred by numbers were at last discomfited leaving many of their Nobility dead upon the place In the mean time whilest the Britains maintained this Fight Careticus stole out of the Battle securing himself among the Mountains in Wales where he found more security though less plenty Now were the Saxons Lords of all Britain this being the last British King that had any thing to do in the Eastern parts of this Kingdom being confined thence forward in the West by the Rivers Severne and Dee Gurmundus after he had destroyed a great part of the Country he delivered it up into the possession of the Saxons who willingly and thankfully received it at his hands CADWAN THe BRITAINS ever since the Battle of Badon hill had been at variance amongst themselves and now since the Fight of Careticus they could not agree who should be their Governour twenty four years together they were led by sundry Rulers against the Enemy but finding by experience into what precipices and disadvantages their stubborness and rash Counsels had brought them with joynt consent chose CADWAN Ruler of North-Wales King over them This Prince though his Dominions were lesser than those his Ancestours formerly possest yet he gave early proofs to the World that the greatness of his Mind was nothing diminished For presently after his Election he raised a large Army resolving to enforce satisfaction from the Saxons for shedding the Innocent blood of 1200 Monks of Bangor EDELFERD King of Northumberland who had caused this Massacre understanding his design thought not to be behind hand with him wherefore associating himself with most of the Saxon Princes brought a good Army into the Field to meet his Opposer Both Armies were now in sight and every one expected when the Storm that was over their Heads would break but on a sudden it blew over and fair Weather immediately appeared to both Parties For partly by mediation of Friends and partly from a serious consideration of what sad consequence Victory it self must needs be to either Party a Peace was concluded and these two irreconcilable Enemies became for a long time after loving Friends He Reigned over the Britains with great Honour twenty two years CADWALLO THis PRINCE was nothing inferiour if not superiour to many of his Predecessours in Conduct and Valour alwaies behaving himself victoriously too severely and rigorously according to the Saxon Writers how true I know not against his old Enemy the Saxons PENDA King of Mercia whether by Agreement or Conquest is doubtful promised to espouse his Quarrels against the Saxons who joyning their Forces together fell so vigorously upon the Northumbrians that they not only discomsited their whole Army but left King EDWIN dead upon the place Vengeance though late overtook these Northumbrians for Inhumanly butchering the Monks of Bangor pursuing afterwards the Saxons with that vehemence that nothing could satisfie his fury but the extirpation of both their Race and Name Besides he not only slew many of their Princes and most commonly routed their Armies but dispossessed them of their Kingdoms at his pleasure two years after Penda's death making a Grant of the Kingdom of Mercia to his Son Ulfridus He Reigned forty eight years his Body being embalmed was enclosed in a Brazen Image and set upon a Brazen Horse of excellent beauty This the Britains set up aloft upon the West Gate of London called Ludgate in token of his Conquests and for a terrour to the Saxons Bede very much detracts from the Honour of this Prince but being a Saxon with what credit or upon what grounds he hath done it my time will not permit me to examine According to the British Historians Cadwallader succeeded Cadwalls but if we consider the Eminent Saxons he is said to have slain his going to Rome to be Baptized by Pope Seigius his dying shortly afterwards and his being buried in the Church of St. Peters at Rome he will appear to have been one and the same with Cadwallader the Saxon for which cause we omit a particular discourse of him in this place and this observation Mr. Speed and some others have not made concerning the same as they have set him down positively a succeeding King in the British Government FOR the better reading the English Saxon words as likewise the more Ancient Runick or Gothick Alphabet which in the following Treatise do often necessarily occur and may serve to explain what Monuments Mr. Cambden hath set down in the Character confessing he knew not the meaning of them I have thought fit to prefix their distinct Alphabets in this place The English Saxon Alphabet A. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 C. D. E. F. G. h. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. V. r. X. Y. Z. a. b. c. d. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. i. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. n. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. p. x. y. z. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An imperfect Sentence the English Saxons marked with a single point a full period with three placed thus v The Old Gothick Alphabet A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. V. X. Y. Z. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gothick Alphabet of Vuphilas A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. Th. V. W. Ch. X. Z. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Goths marked an imperfect Sentence with a single point a full Period with two and a W among them is sometimes pronounced as a V. It is to be observed that the Gothick or Runick Character was the Character of our Saxon Ancestors and generally of all the Northern Nations as Swedeland Denmark c. and is found in many Monuments in Britain now England cited by Mr. Cambden although without any Interpretation annexed to them THE ANTIQUITY AND ORIGINAL OF THE SAXONS BEING to write of the SAXONS a Nation who next to the Romans possessed this ISLAND and so well establisht their Laws and Language therein as to this day they remain in force to their Posterity being not as yet wholly rooted out though often subject to alterations and
he takes up the Lot which hath the sign of the Cross they shall be innocent that have sworn but if he take up the other then every one of the seven shall make his own Lot that is a Taene made of a Twig and shall sign it with his own mark so distinctly that he and the rest that stand about may know it again to be his This done they shall wrap them all up in a clean Cloth and then lay them on the Altar or Relicks then the Priest if any be present or if not as was said before some innocent Child shall take them one by one from the Altar and as they come demanding at every one whose Lot it is shall deliver it to the true party that knoweth it to be his own he whose Letter is last of all drawn shall be forced to make composition for the Man-slaughter the rest whose Lots came before shall go free Had not this custome by deciding Controversies by Lot been used in a Religious way by the Heathen Saxons the Christians had never brought it into the Church who though they thought it necessary to comply with some Customes which the headiness of those times would not be weaned from yet they never thought fit to advance them to a higher nature so that what was here performed on the Christian Altars was no more than what had been done on the Heathen before the Object only of the worship being changed from Tanfana their God of Lots to the true GOD who knoweth all things Alfur by this name they called their Elves inhabiting Rocks and Caves and the Sacrifices to them were called Alfblot they were supposed not above a cubit long the Goths called them Dwergh and the Saxons Dpeng and Dpeonh from hence we call a little Man a Durgin at this day The chief of these Elves or Fairy's was Mod Sognor the second Durin c. their Nation was divided into Guttels or Trulls and Coballs good and evil Spirits but of this enough We read of another famous Idol among the Saxons named Irman-saul the Original of its name is variously guessed at some would have it written Metmes saul i. e. the Pillar of Hermes or Mercury who appears was worshipped by the Germans Verstegan calls him Ermensewl and as he thinks more rightly Ermesewl as much as to say the Pillar or Stay of the Poor from Saul or Sewl a Pillar and Earm with the Netherlands Arm signifying Poor but this is a more Novel opinion and grounded upon no foundation much like them who will needs have him Mars and Ermensaul to be nothing but Arms-Sawl or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saul Mars his Pillar or the Pillar of Arms. His Effigies represented a Man in Armour in his right hand a Military Engine or Standard bearing a Rose to signifie that as that flower was but of short continuance and no sooner blown than withered so was the event of Battles In his left hand he held a pair of Scales the emblem of War to shew that as one side riseth so the other falleth Upon his Breast he carried a Bear to intimate the inward Courage of mind and on his Shield a Lion to set forth how Valour should be invincible in Onset He was placed in a field of Flowers to intimate that nothing is sweeter to a Souldier than the field strowed with Enemies His Statue was found at Mersburge with this Inscription DUX EGO GENTIS SAXONUM VICTORIAM CER TAM POLLICEOR M E VENERANTIBUS The Inscription being Latin it should seem that it was the Statue of some Hero set up by the Saxons after their acquaintance with the Romans And because the proper name of it is Irmen Saul not Hermes Saul for how came the Germans to be acquainted with the Greek name of Mercury Schedius with great reason guesseth it was the Effigles of Harminius Captain of the Cherusti a Saxon Nation in the daies of Augustus Caesar and that by corruption of time for Harmans Saul it came to be pronounced Irman Saul which alteration is so small and the divise of the Statue agreeth so exactly with the History of Harminius that his opinion seemeth more than probable For never man deserved more to be placed in the number of the Gods than this HARMINIUS who by Roman Writers themselves is stiled The Deliverer of Germany and is confessed to have given the Roman Empire then in its full strength such a blow as made the foundation of it shake for a long time after His History therefore I shall not think impertinent or tedious to deliver because it condubeth to the Illustration of this Monument and to the Honour of our Ancestors who at the first grapling with the Roman Eagles under the Conduct of this Harminius gave them such sensible marks of their power and policy as their Emperour himself at that time nor their Writers after could never dissemble Quinctilius Varus a man of a quiet disposition and easy parts more accustomed to the slow method of Camps than the quick motions of War dull and covetous was Commander of the German Army who thinking the Germans had nothing of Man in them but voice and figure began to cast with himself that whom the Sword could not tame Laws and Jurisdiction might allure and temper With this design having entered the midst of Germany he set up his Courts and Tribunals and drew out the Summer in hearing and determining Causes But they who in the midst of their fierceness had secret reserves of cunning and craft a Nation full of subtilty and deceit now with feigned processes and seeming hot accusations of one another then when the Cause was decided with high prayers of the Roman Justice which ended those Controversies by Hearing which used to be determined by the Sword drew Quinctilius into so great security that he thought himself rather a Judge in the Roman Courts than a General in the midst of Germany Whereupon a young Gentleman of a sudden apprehension and quick wit by name HARMINIUS the Son of Sigimer a Prince of that Country of a lively Countenance and carrying the sparkes of disdain in his eyes who had served formerly under the Romans and attained to the Equestral Order seeing the pride of Quinctilius increase with his security entered into thoughts how he might ease his Nation from that growing Insolence For now the Germans generally began to be weary of Quinctilius who with his Rods and Axes exercised a too arbitrary and lordly power over them wherefore taking into his Conspiracy a few of the chief of his Country namely Liber a Priest of the Catti Segimund the Son of Segestus a Priest of the Cherusci Veromarus Egmarus and his Son Sosithacus Berthorites Theodoricus all Saxon Princes he began to put his designs in execution but he could not carry it so privately but that intelligence was brought to Quinctilius of the design by Segestes the Father of Segimund one of the Conspirators but Quinctilius not
might be laid prostrate in humility but let this your humility have its confidence too for I a Sinner have most certain hope that your sins are forgiven through the grace of our Omnipotent Creator and God our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. And to this end you were Elected that others sins might be forgiven through you Neither shall you hereafter find sorrow for any guilt because you endeavour to make joy in Heaven by the conversion of so many the same our Creator and Redeemer when he speaks of the repentance of Man saies I say thus unto you There shall be greater joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repents than over ninety nine Just persons that need no repentanca Now if over one Penitent there is made great joy in Heaven what great rejoyceing do we think there was at the conversion of such a number of People from their Errours who coming to the faith by repentance has condemned the evil it had done Amidst therefore the joy of Heaven and the Angels let us repeat those words of the Angels which we said before let us say therefore Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men Observations upon this Epistle Bede recites this Epistle but not all only as much of it as is included within these two fore-going Marks as thus ††but the Date which is here wanting he shews for when he writ a Letter to Melitus going into Britain dated as you see above the fifteenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of our said Lord the eighteenth year in the fourth Indiction He adds in the following Chapter about which time he sent a Letter to Augustine concerning Miracles which he knew were wrought by him in which lest through the number of them he should incur the danger of self-opinion and pride he exhorts him in these words I know Most Dear Brother that Almighty God c. as above That date of the fifteenth of the Kalends of July agrees with the year of our Lord 601 about which time he wrote more Epistles Gregory To Aldiberga Queen of the English HE that desires after this Earthly dominion to acquire the glory of an Heavenly kingdom to gain his ends ought diligently to labour in the service of his Creator that by degrees of working he may attain to what he desires which we rejoyce you have done our Beloved Son Laurence the Priest and Peter the Monk at their return related in what manner your Majesty behaved it self towards our most Reverend Brother and Follow Bishop Augustine and what assistances and comfort you bestowed on them likewise And indeed we bless Almighty God who out of his mercy propitiously vouchsafed to reserve the Conversion of the English Nation for your glory and advancage For as by Helen of Blessed memory the Mother of the most pious Emperour Constantine he inflamed the hearts of the Romans towards the Christian Faith So in regard of the frequent Zeal of your Majesty we hope his mercy will effectually work upon the English Nation And indeed you ought also long since by your good prudence which is purely Christian to have inclined the mind of our most glorious Son your Husband that for the good of his Kingdom and of his own Soul he should follow that Faith which you profess forasmuch as by him and through him in the Conversion of the whole Nation a reward worthy of you would spring up in the joyes of heaven Since as we have said your Highness hath been confirmed in the right Faith and taught the Scriptures this thing ought not to have been difficult or tedious to you And because by God's appointment a fit time is now offered strive the Divine grace assisting you to repair with gain what has hitherto been neglected therefore by daily exhortations strengthen the mind of your most Glorious Husband in the love of the Christian Faith Let your care and example increase in him a love towards God and let it so stir up his mind especially for a through Conversion of the whole Nation under yee that from the servency of his devotion yee may offer up to Almighty God an acceptable sacrifice that those things which are reported of you may increase and in all respects be found true concerning you Your excellent vertues are not only known to the Romans who more particularly pray for your life but also in divers places even as far as Constantinople to the most excellent Emperour that as we have joy in the consolation of your Christianity so also in the Heavens the Angels may rejoyce at your further perfection So therefore with all diligence and devotion apply your selves to the assistance of our above-named Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop and of the rest of the Servants of God whom we sent thither for the conversion of of your Nation that with our Most glorious Son and your Husband you may reign with happiness here and after a long time of years attain to the endless joyes of the life to come We beseech Almighty God that he would inflame the heart of your Majesty with the fire of his Grace to a performance of these things we have spoken of and of his good pleasure grant you the fruit of an eternal Reward Observations upon this Epistle It may be doubted what Queen of England this Adilberga was for the Wife of King Edilbert was called Bertha as Bede affirms lib. 1. cap. 25. but I think them both the same but as it commonly happens strange words are ill rendred by Forreigners as hero Bdrga for Bertha for Ald and Aldi are sometimes corruptly added in proper names for Edil and Athel signlfying in the Saxon Language Noble or Honourable which may be seen in the Title of the following Epistle where Gregory calls the King Aldibert whom Bede every where calls Edilberth others for the most part Ethelbert Ald also because it properly signifies Old may by Translation denote Honourable and may seem to be added to the name of Berga or Bertha as an honourable Attribute so that Aldi-berga signifies the same with Noble and Honourable Berga or Bertha Gregory To Aldibert King of the English He congratulates with him concerning the Conversion of that Nation FOR this reason Almighty God commonly advances the best Men to the government of Nations that by them the gifts of his Grace might be dispersed among all those whom they are set over which thing we know has been done in the English Nation over which Your Majesty was therefore made chief that by the good qualities that are given you You might the better convey those Heavenly comforts to the Nation under your subjection And therefore Most Renowned Son carefully preserve that Grace which you have received by the especial providence of God make haste to propagate the Christian Faith among your Subjects increase the servency of your own Faith in furthering their
Convension Destroy the worship of Idols raze their Temples establish the Manners of your Subjects in the great Purity of good living by exhorting terrifying encouraging correcting and by showing the Examples of Good works that you may find him your Rewarder in Heaven whose name and knowledg you shall extend upon Earth for he shall make your Name more glorious to Posterity whose Honour you endeavour to advance and preserve in your Nation So formerly Constantine a most Pious Emperour freeing the Roman Commonwealth from the preverse worship of Idols submitted himself and It to our Almighty LORD Jesus Christ and applied himself and his Subjects with his whole mind unto GOD from whence it came to pass that he transcended his Predecessours as much in Fame as he exceeded them in good works And now therefore let your Majesty make all possible haste to disperse the knowledg of one GOD the Father Son and Holy Ghost to Kings and their Subjects that you may in commendation and merit pass the Ancient Kings of that Nation And by how much you endeavour to wipe away the sins of others by so much you may rest more secure of your own offences before the dreadful examination of Almighty God Our most Reverend Brother Augustine Bishop well taught in the rules of Monastick life filled with the knowledg of the Holy Scripture and endued through God's grace with good works whatsoever he shall advise you willingly hear devoutly perform and carefully lay up in your memory because if you shall hear him in that which he speaks for God Almighty the same Almighty God will the sooner hear him intreating for you But if which God forbid you should neglect his words when do you think Almighty God will hear him for you whom you neglected to hear for God With all your mind therefore joyn your self with him in the fervency of Faith and assist him relying on that power which God has given you that he may make you partakers of his Kingdom whose Faith you have received and endeavoured to preserve in your Kingdom Furthermore we would that your Majesty should understand that as we know in Sacred Writ out of the words of our Almighty Lord that the end of this present World is at hand and that the Kingdom of the Saints shall come of which there shall be no end But the end of the World drawing near many things shall happen which before were not viz. alterations of the Air terrours from Heaven and contrary to the course of Seasons Tempest Wars Famine Pestilences Earth-quakes in divers places all which shall not come to pass in our daies but all of them shall certainly follow our daies If therefore you shall find any of these things happen in your Land let your mind in no sort be disturbed because these signs concerning the end of the World are therefore sent before that we should be careful of our Souls mistrustful of the hour of death that we may be found in good works prepared for the Judg at his coming These things I have spoken to you in short Most Excellent Son that when the Christian Faith shall be increased in your Kingdom my discourse also may be inlarged towards you then 't will be more proper to speak more when the joyes for the perfect conversion of the whole Nation shall be multiplied in your breast We have sent you also some small Presents which will not be small unto you when you shall receive them from us with the benediction of the blessed Apostle Peter Almighty God preserve and perfect in you that Grace he hath begun and extend your life to the course of many years and after long time receive you into the Congregation of his Heavenly Country Let the Grace of Heaven my Royal Son keep your Highness safe Given the tenth of the Kalends of July in the nineteenth year of our Lord Mauritius Tiberlus Augustue Emperour after the Consulship of the same eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 161. Gregory To Virgilius Bishop of Arles He commends to him Bishop Augustine HOW great kindness ought to be shewn to Brethren coming of their own accord may be gathered from hence that to shew our charity they are most commonly invited by us and therefore if it should so fall out that our common Brother Bishop Augustine should come unto you let your charity as it ought receive him with all tenderness and affection and cherish him with the benefits of your consolation and teach others how fraternal charity ought to be respected And because it falls out that those that are furthest off commonly are informed first of what ought to be corrected if he shall make mention to your Brotherhood of any enormities committed either by Priests or others sitting with him by diligent search and scrutining examine all things and behave your selves so strict and careful in those things that offend God and provoke him to anger that for the example and amendment of others punishment only may strike the guilty and that false judgment afflict not the innocent Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July Indiction the fourth Bede after this saich Afflict not the Innocent here in the end and so goes on God keep you safe Most Reverend Brother Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 601. Gregory To Melltus Abbot in France He gives Command to be sent to Augustine about the conversion of that Nation AFter the departure of our Congregation which is with you we were in great suspence because we could hear nothing of the happiness of your Journey but when it shall please Almighty God to bring you to our most Reverend Brother Bishop Augustine tell him I have a long time carefully considered of the condition of the English and am of opinion that the Temples of the Idols in that Nation ought by no means to be destroyed but only the Idols themselves that are in them Let holy water be provided and sprinkled about those Temples let Altars be built and Reliques kept in them For if those Churches are Elegantly built it is necessary they should be taken from the worship of Devils and appropriated to the service of the true God that whilst the people see their Churches are not destroyed they may put away their Errors from their hearts and knowing and worshipping the True God may more familiarly resort to those places they were wont to frequent And because many Oxen were wont to be slain in the sacrifice of Devils some other solemnity ought to be introduced instead of it that on the day of Dedication or Birth-day of the Holy Martyrs whose Reliques are there laid up let them make Arbors to themselves of the Branches of Trees about those Churches that were formerly Temples and let them celebrate the
for Ethelred the Mercian continually molested him on the one hand and Edric dispossest of his Right sate not down with his loss but pursued all means to recover it by force so that gaining the Assistance of the South-Saxons to whose Protection he fled he enters Kent with an Army and proclaims his Title to the Crown many flocked unto him whilst others adhered to Lothair Thus the Kingdom of Kent was not only vexed with forreign forces but miserably divided in it self At last in a bloody battel Lothair was shot through with a Dart and dyed under his Chirurgeon's hands In him saith Malmsbury were punished the murders committed by his Brother Egbert because he made a scoff at the death of his Kinsmen and laughed at the publick mournings of the people But we shall find divine Vengeance following the Sons of Egbert himself and the whole Family for the Crown continued not in it to the third Generation Lothair reigned ten years and was buried at Canterbury among his Predecessors EDRIC EDRIC his Uncle Lothair being dead had none who could claim before him yet during his short Reign of two years he was continually exercised in Civil Wars and finally slain in them What were the Causes of his troubles Historians have not related possibly they rose from Lothair's Faction not suppressed with his death or it may be from the general hatred of the people to the whole Family which had been so deeply embrued in the blood of their beloved Princes And this seemeth more likely for his Brother Wigtred though a virtuous youth and not personally engaged in the Crimes of his House yet came not to the Crown till seven years after his Brothers death no Cause being related why he was so long held from it unless it proceeded from the following Wars For Ceadwalla the West-Saxon an ambitious and turbulent Prince taking advantage of the civil Commotions and marching easily through the Kingdom of the South-Saxons whom he had subdued entered Kent with an Army and miserably spoiled the Country with fire and sword laying waste where-ever he came the Kentish men though at variance among themselves yet in the publick danger reconciling their home differences unite all parties against the common Enemy and with joynt force meet him in a set Battel The West-Saxons not able to withstand their violence were driven back with great slaughter leaving Mollo their King's Brother a prey to the Enemy who in the flight with twelve of his Attendance to avoid the heat of pursuit hid himself in a Cottage but either discovered or betrayed was beset by the pursuers and there burnt alive Ceadwalla nearly touched with his Brothers misfortune and his own dishonour rallies his dispersed forces and making head again sets upon the greedy pursuers routs and chases them into their own Country and never left the Province till with fire and sword he had revenged the death of his Brother WIGTRED VVIGTRED the Brother of Edric obtained the Kingdom about the year 693. Ceadwalla being dead he purchased his peace of King Inas with a round Sum of Money and governed quietly for the space of thirty years Bede mentioneth one Swebhard that reigned with him possibly some Prince of a contrary Faction and ascribeth to Wigtred thirty three years He was a Prince that highly favoured the Church as it was termed in those daies by granting several priviledges and immunities to Religious persons and exempting them from publick Contributions Subsidies Tolls Taxes and Imposts especially in a full Synod of his whole Clergy held at a place called Becanceld in which himself presided among many liberties in general conferred on them he particularly by name priviledged these Monasteries namely Upminster Raculf Sudminster Dofras Folcanstan Hymming Stepes and Hor with severe Anathema's to all his Successours or any persons whatsoever that should at any time violate or infringe these his Royal Concessions which in aeternam rei memoriam were to be kept upon Record in Christ-Church in Canterbury and this done for the health of his Soul and the Souls of his Predecessours Such was the Zeal of these times heightned and improved by the pride and ambition of the Clergy to gain honour and riches to themselves by preaching whatever was done to them was done to the person of Christ but from what knowledg this Zeal was likely to spring we may learn from that sad though ingenuous confession of King Wigtred himself who in a grant afterwards made of some lands in Thanet to Ebba an Abbess plainly tells the World that not being able to write his name he had set his mark to the Deeds namely the sign of the Cross as likewise did his Queen Kynigith and the rest of his Nobles not likely to have more skill than their Soveraign Nay the Clergy themselves without any injury done to them may be shrewdly suspected not to be much exceeding in knowledge for the way of their subscriptions is per signum manus and we are certainly informed of the times not two hundred years after and that from King Alfred himself alearned and pious Prince in his sorrowful Epistle upon that occasion to Wulfug a Bishop That on this side Humber there were few Priests that understood their Latin prayers or could turn them into English so few faith he that when I began to Reign on all the South-side of the Thames I remember but one Such a mixture of blind devotion and ignorance possessed those times Another Councel this King Wigtred held at Berghamsted which is found in a famous Manuscript entituled TEXTUS ROFFENSIS composed by Ernulph Bishop of Rochester in the year 1116 but because it is omitted by Lambard and in several places as Sr. Henry Spelman confesseth not understood rightly by himself I have purposely omitted especially considering that there is nothing of moment in it which bears not the same stamp as his other Constitutions being stuft with many Immunities granted to the Clergy with additions of certain pecuniary mulcts for the breach of Fasting-daies Adulteries and Theft only thus much I thought would not be improper namely to set down that part of it which particularly relates to the strict observation of the Lords-day which is the first that we meet with on this occasion and is thus found in the 10 11 and 12 Articles of this Councel The Old Saxon. The English Gif eshe ofer dryhtnes haere þeoþ ƿeorc ƿyrce an sunnan aefen efter hire setl gange oþ monan aefenes setlgang LXXX scill de dryhtne gebete If in the Evening preceding Sunday after the Sun is set or the Evening preceding Monday after Sun set any Servant by command of his Master shall do any servile work the Master shall be punisht 80 shillings for the fact Gif esne def his pade ƿaes daeger VI sc ƿið dryhten gebete oþþe sinehyd If a Servant shall go a Journey on these daies he shall pay his Master 6 shillings Gif friman þonne an ðane forbodenan timan sio he heals fange
Authors give no account contented to satisfie us in the Nobility of his extraction But however he came to wear the Dignity he is certainly reported worthy of it being invincible in War and in Peace tempering the awe of Majesty with a natural sweetness and humanity with which Princely qualities he Reigned fourteen years some say but twelve during which time he built the Castle or Town of Bebanburg or Bamburg which he first fenced with Pales aad afterwards encompast with a Stone-wall He had twelve Sons half by Wives half by Concubines His Legitimate were as Huntington reporteth Adda Bealric Thedric Ethelric Osmer and Thedred Illegitimate Oga Ecca Oswald Ailric Soge and Sogother who saith Matthew of Westminster arrived at Flemuburg in fourty ships and assisted their Father in many of his Wars The bounds of this Kingdom began in the South at the River Tine and extended to the North as far as the Frith of Edenborough and Dunbritton ELLA ABOUT this time namely in the year 561. 〈◊〉 Prince the twelfth from Woden but by another Line follow 〈◊〉 example of lda erected another Kingdom in 〈◊〉 the bounds whereof reached from the Humber to the River Tine He reigned thirty years and left a Son called Edwin and a Daughter named Acca but after his death the Kingdom was seized by the race of lda who taking advantage of the Childhood of Edwin kept him from the Crown and annext the whole Territory to their own Dominion ETHELRIC ETHELRIC the only Son of lda surviving after his Brothers and Kinsmen had reigned without other Memory in Bernicia came to the Crown in his old age Nothing of him memorable is recorded and 〈◊〉 writeth that had it not been for the lustre of his Son succeeding him he might utterly have been forgotten however we must not pass over that during his Reign Edwin the lawful King of Deira enjoyed not that Crown but whether Ethelric usurped his right or only managed the state during his Minority is left uncertain but sure it is that he held both the Provinces and so left them to his Son and Successour Edelfrid who resolved to keep what his Father left him though never so unjustly EDELFRID EDELFRID sir named the wild succeeded in his Father's Kingdom of Northumberland a Prince valiant and thirsty of Renown and some describe him a Lover of War for War's sake only None of the Saxons ever wasted the Britains so much as he whose Countries he either peopled with his own Nation or made Tributary to him Edan King of the bordering Scots jealous of his success raiseth a mighty Army and invades his Kingdom whom Edelfrid meeting at a place called Degsastone in a set Battel totally discomfits and with such slaughter that Bede writes none of the Scotish Kings to his days durst ever after in hostile manner pass into Britain But the Victory was not obtained without great loss on the Saxons side also for Theobald the Kings Brother and that wing which he commanded was unfortunately cut off After this he turned his Arms against the Britains moved thereunto as some report by the instigation of Ethelbert King of Kent at the request of St. Augustine because the Britains refused obedience to his Authority but the whole course of this action I have before related in the life of Ethelbert King of Kent But Edelfrid growth so famous abroad began to be disquleted with Jealousies at home he knew the Title Edwin had to half his Dominions and though he had made some amends for his Injustice to that Prince in marrying of his Sister Acca yet for all that he could not be sure of his affection and never rested till he drove him out of his Government who wandring from place to place was at last enrertained in the Court of Redwald then King of the East-Angles Edelfrid informed of his kind reception with that Prince grows incensed thereat and sends his Embassadours to have him delivered into his hands or else declares open War Redwald at his Message at first somewhat startled but at length yielding is disswaded from it by his Wife who laid before him the inviolable Laws of Hospitality and how pitiful and mean a thing it was for the menaces of an Enemy to betray his friend to whom he had sworn protection upbraided with his weakness Redwald to make amends not only refuses to deliver him but resolves to maintain his Cause and to be before-hand with Edelfrid with an Army suddenly raised he comes upon him little dreaming of an Invasion and in a fight near the River Idle easily dissipates those forces he had collected together and in the same Battel slays Edelfrid himself who yet dyed not unrevenged For to shew that it was the Errour of his fortune not valour that he lost the day with his own hands he slew Reiner the Kings Son Thus died Edilfrid after he had reigned victoriously for the space of twenty two years to whom Bede applies the saying of Jacob to Benjamin That like a ravening Wolf he devoured his prey in the morning and divided the spoil in the evening His three Sons were conveyed into Scotland by their Mother Acca not daring to trust the good nature and generosity of Edwin whom their Father had so injuriously offended EDWIN EDWIN the Son of Ella established in his Kingdom by the assistance of Redwald the East-Angle as hath been related extended his Dominions further than any King of Northumberland had done before him for Eanfrid Oswald and Oswy the Sons of the late Edilfrid flying into Scotland left the Province of Bernicia absolute to his disposal But besides this addition to his Paternal right partly by Conquest and partly by Resignation he annexed to his Territory the Counties of Durham Chester and Lancashire subduing all both British and English ar far as the Mevanian Islands Anglesey and Man all which he either new planted or made Tributary to him He had not regined above six years when Redwald the chief Monarch then of the English-men departed this life leaving his Son Earpwald to succeed him in the Kingdom of the East-Angles Him Edwin though intreated himself to accept of the Government seated in the Throne of his Fathers contented with the same acknowledgments from him as he received from the rest of the Saxon Provinces Kent only excepted namely some small confessions of Power and the owning of his supreme governance Having thus well established all things round about him he sends to Eadbold Son of Ethelbert then reigning in Kent to desire his Sister in marriage But by his Embassadours he receives this Answer That the Christian Law did not permit them to give their Daughters unto Pagans Edwin whose business was Love not Religion replies that that ought not to be any hinderance for the free exercise of her own waies in her own Family with all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging thereunto should be left entire to her disposal and if upon due examination he found the Christian Law
his Reasons measured the truth of all Religions by Worldly success for he was angry that his Gods had not advanced him to the King's favour above others was the first that gave his consent offering himself to the King as the fittest Instrument to destroy those Idols whose worship he himself had so much promoted After this Paulinus had free liberty openly to preach the Gospel and the King with his Sons born to him of his first wife Quenburga with a great part of his Nobility and People renounced their Idolatry and were baptized The King with his Family in St. Peter's Church at York which he had hastily erected of Timber and the People for their number near the Rivers of Glevie in the Province of Bernicia and Swale in the Province of Deira After the Conversion of Northumberland Paulinus dispersed the seeds of Faith amongst them of Lindsey a Province in Lincolnshire First he converted Blecca Governour of the City of Lincoln and his Family where he built a Church curiously wrought of stone which was very much decayed in Bede's time Neither was Edwin any less careful to set forward the Conversion of the English by assisting Paulinus and by his perswading Eorpwald the Son of Redwald to embrace the Faith who soon after was slain by one Richert his own Countryman Pope Honorius after he had heard of the Conversion of the Northumbers sent to Paulinus a Confirmation of his being Archbishop of York withal exhortatory Letters to Edwin to perswade him to continue firmly in the Faith he professed the stile and substance of which Epistle as much as relates to him was this Bishop Honorius servant of the Servants of God To Edwin King of the English Greeting THe integrity of your Christianity is so warmed through the zeal of Faith towards the worship of the Omnipotent Creatour that it casts a lustre every where and is talkt of over all the World so that we with you may abundantly enjoy the reward of your labour for then you may account your selves Kings when having been informed of your King and Creatour by a true and Orthodox preaching you believe in God by worshipping him sincerely and paying to him as much as the weakness of your condition will permit the unseigned devotion of your minds For what else are we to offer up to our God but that per severing in good actions and confessing him to be the Authour of Mankind we make haste to worship him and to pay our vows unto him And therefore Most excellent Son we exhort you as is meet with a Fatherly love that since the Divine pity has vouch safed to call you to his Grace you would endeavour with a careful mind and by continual praying to preserve it that he who in this present World has brought you free from all Errour to the knowledge of his Name would prepare for you the Mansions of the heavenly Country After King Edwin had Reigned seventeen years Cadwallo King of the Britains rose up against him who being assisted by Penda the Merolan who envied Edwin's Greatness after a terrible battel at Heithfield slew this great King and his Son Osfrid This Edwin was renowned for his justice and moderation and the great care he took to help and ease his poor Subjects For in his time any one might travel safely all over his Dominions even from Sea to Sea and for the benefit of the wayfaring Man he commanded Iron-dishes should be fastned to every Fountain for conveniency of Travellers to drink Neither was he unmindful of his own Grandure having a Royal Banner alwaies carried before him He was buried in St. Peter's Church at Streanshal afterwards called Whitby His Queen Ethelburga with her Children and Paulinus fled into Kent to her Brother Eadbald who kindly received his Sister and her Children and made Paulinus Bishop of Rochester in which See he ended his daies and to which at his death he bequeathed the Pall which he had received for York Ethelburga afterwards spent her daies in a Monastery of Nuns built by her self near the Sea-side at a place called Lymming The Issue of King Edwin by Quinburga his first wife Daughter of Creda King of Mercia but Bede faith of Ceorl is this Osfrid the eldest Son of King Edwin was slain with his Father he and his Son Iffy had been both baptized by Paulinus Iffy after the death of his Father for fear of Oswald was conveyed into France where he died in his Childhood Edfrid second Son of Edwin for fear of Oswald fled to Penda King of Mercia and was barbarously murthered by him He left Issue Hererik of whom and his wife Bertswith descended Hilda the famous Abbess of Streanshalch and Hereswith wife of Ethelhere King of the East Angles And the Issue of the said Edwin by Ethelburg his second wife Daughter of Ethelbert King of Kent is Ethelme who died young and not long after he had received Baptism and was buried in St. Peter's Church in York Uskfrea was conveyed into Kent and afterwards into France with Iffy his half Brother with whom also he died and was buried Eanfled the elder Daughter was married to Oswy King of Northumberland Ethelred the younger died an Infant after he had received baptism and was buried with her brother Ethelm OSRIC EANFRITH AFter the death of Edwin the Kingdom of Northumberland became divided as in former times each rightful Heir seizing his part OSRIC the Son of Alfrid Edwin's Uncle by profession a Christian and baptized by Paulinus Reigned in Deira and EANFRITH the Son of Edilfrid the Wild in Bernicia He had been conveyed into Scotland with his two Brothers Oswald and Oswin and there with others of the Nobility had been baptized and instructed in the Christian Faith But now these two Kings having each of them a Crown turned Apostates from the Church and fell again to their old Religion and Idolatry But divine Vengeance soon followed at their heels for in less than the compass of a year they were both destroyed one by the force the other by the fraud and treachery of Cadwallo the manner whereof is thus related in Bede as likewise the succeeding Calamities in Northumberland caused by the tyranny and oppression of the Conquerour Cadwallader the British King the Summer following slew them both and though by force and violence sufficiently wicked yet the vengeance was by them deserved OSRIC was surprized with his whole Army and in a City of his own besieged and there finally with all his Forces destroyed After which the Conquerour entring Northumberland brought all under his power using his victory not with the moderation of a King but the pride and insolence of a merciless Tyrant laying wide desolation wherever he came EANFRITH the other King coming to him to beg his peace was barbarously put to death This year saith he is counted to this day hateful and unfortunate both for the Apostasie of these English Kings as the fury and tyranny of the British wherefore
But our Historians make no mention of his ever changing his design or sayling into any other parts after his first landing and I am afraid the Coincidence of like Names honourably to derive a place was the cause of this neat invention for otherwise what reason could there be that he should forsake a Country wherein he had good success and from whence he might easier expect supplies from Saxony to go seek out new Territories further off and where for ought we know he had no reason to expect better quarters or kinder entertainment Let us see therefore where he placeth Cerdics-ford for by the course of the story Cerdic-shoar is not to be sought far from it and we shall find them both on the Coasts of Hantshire Hard by the Western bounds saith Mr. Cambden the River Aven carrieth a still stream and no sooner runneth into this shoar but it meeteth with the Ford of Cerdicus in old time Cerdics-ford afterward Cerdeford and now by Contraction of the word Chardford so named of Cerdic that Warlike English Saxon For here the said Cerdic in a set Battel so daunted the Britains that not only he enlarged the bounds of his Empire but also delivered an easie War unto his Posterity having before time in the year of our Salvation 508 after great Conflicts in his Tract vanquish't the most mighty King of the Britains Natanleod called also Nazaleod by others with many of his people Of whose name likewise a small Region reaching unto this Place was termed Natanleod as we read in the Annals of the English Saxons which I sought very curiously for but hitherto could not find so much as any small sign or sample of that Name neither can I guess who that Natanleod should be This seemeth naturally to be the place where the foresaid Actions were performed for besides the Testimony of the Name the place it self lying at a moderate distance from the South-Saxons new acquests it is reasonable to think that Cerdic would not go much further but rather sit down at such a convenient distance where he might give or receive Assistance as occasion should serve from his Country-men already settled It being therefore granted that this Charford was the ancient Cerdics-ford let us see if we cannot find Cerdic-shoar also upon this Coast. For since his Nephews are said to land at Cerdics-shoar and bring him thither new Supplies after his Battel at Cerdics-ford either Cerdics-shoar must be nigh this Cerdics-ford or else they must land at Cerdics shoar at Yarmouth and so through the Enemies Country march to Cerdics-ford in Hantshire which is fondness to suppose Or lastly the whole action must be laid at Yarmouth which will not suit with the foundation of the Western Kingdom I have sought many places on this Coast of Hantshire but can find none that answer exactly to the name of Cerdic but allowing that Cerdicford as Mr. Cambden says makes Charford we find another place of the same name not far off upon the Sea-side in the Isle of Purbek in Dorsetshire and Norwest of Pool a Town called Charborough as much as Cherdic-borough but herein I desire not to be too fanciful but certain it is by the consent of all our Historians where ever Cerdics-ford lay Cerdics-shoar was not far distant though the name be now worn out and perhaps the places aforementioned as likewise Charmouth by Lime may give some satisfaction that this was the Coast. Mr. Speed with whom nothing would go down of the British History whilst he followed the Light of Mr. Cambden now he is left to himself in the Saxon swallows whatever any fabulous Monk Trivial Legend or his Brother Stow imposeth upon him from them I suppose it is that he reporteth that the Isle of VVight after the Conquest of it by Cerdic was given to his Nephews Stuff and VVithgar the later of which slew the Iahabitants thereof and named the place of his Victory VVithgarbirg and afterwards reigning King there was after his death buried in his Royal City VVithgar This is a reach I suppose whoever was Inventor to derive the name of the Island for in Authentick story we find no such Relation Cerdic had Issue two Sons Kenric and Chelwolf the former succeeded him in the Kingdom Chelwolf died before his Father but left a Son of whose race afterwards sate upon the Throne Cerdic Reigned nineteen years after he had assumed Royal Title and left his Kingdom to his Son Kenric KENRIC KENRIC the eldest Son of Cerdic succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Twice he fought the Britains and foiled them once at Searesbirig now Salisbury in the eighteenth year of his Reign and four years after at Beranvirig now Banbury accompanied with his Son Ceaulin In this field the Britains saith Huntington were divided into three Battalions but the Saxon charged in one main body the success saith he was doubtful on both sides and the night parted them Kenric Reigned twenty seven years and had three Sons Ceaulin Cuthwolf and Cuth the last of which was notable in his Issue for his eldest Son came to be King the second was Father the third Grandfather of a King as in the following History will appear CEAULIN CEAULIN the eldest Son of Kenric his Father dead entered upon the Kingdom In the beginning of his Reign he employed his Arms against young Ethelbert of Kent who as hath been related aspired to an universal Monarchy and forced him to sit down quiet with the harassing of his Country and the death of two of his chief Earls In his tenth year he managed his Wars by his Brother Cuthwolf who encountering the Britains at Bedanford now Bedford gave them a great defeat and took four Towns from them Liganborough Egelsborough or Allsbury Besington now Benson in Oxfordshire and Ignesham or Evesham but he out-lived not long his good success but left a Son behind him who succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom Cuthwolf dead Ceaulin in person with his Son Cuthwin undertakes the War and about the year 581 at a place called Diorth Deorrham in Glocestershire he obtains a great Victory slaying in one battel three British Kings Coinmagil Condidan and Farimnagil which good success was attended with the surrender of as many Cities Badencester Glocester and Cireneester About five years after at a place called Fedanly or Fechanly possibly about Fekenham Forest in Worcestershire he again met the Britains but not with like success for Matthew of Westminster giveth a clear Victory to the Britains and Huntington alloweth the beginning of the day to be theirs for with the death of Cuthwin the Saxons were wholly put to rout but Ceaulin rallying his scattered Forces not only put stop to the pursuit but as that Author writeth recovered an intire Victory with the purchase over and above of many Towns and large Territories But the sequel declareth nothing less for the same year or not long after we find the Britains again giving him battel and that in Wiltshire at
Affairs in the Island the AEduans in Burgundy entertained to build their Temples and Publick Edifices Peace thus establisht in Britain and the State quieted Dioclesian who had hitherto employed his Valour with success against his Enemies now used his Rage in a bloody Persecution against his Innocent and Obedient Subjects the Christians This is the tenth Persecution and of all the fore-going the most Bloody and of longest continuance the fatal Bill of their Martyrdom was seventeen thousand a Month besides infinite numbers that suffered by Confiscation Banishment Prisons c. The Christian Churches were every where demolisht their Bibles sought out and burnt and death for any to conceal them and all means practiced not only to extinguish the Professours but to root out the very Name of their Religion The most remarkable that had their shares in Britain were first ALBAN of Verulam beheaded at Holmhurst since called Derswould where now the Town of St. Albans bearing his name is built of whom Fortunatus Priscus in his Book of the praise of Virginity writes Albanum Egregium faecunda Britannia profert Next his Instructour Amphibolus then Julius and Aaron of Caerleon upon Uske in Monmouthshire Bede saith of Leicestershire and in Litchfield so many that the place became another Golgotha and so the name importeth as John Ross of Warwick reporteth namely the Field of Dead Bodies For this cause the City even unto this day saith Mr. Speed doth bear for their Seal of Arms an Eschochean or Field charged with many Martyrs Dioclesian and Maximian reigned twenty years and resigned the Empire to their two Caesars Constantius and Galerius Dioclesian retired into Dalmatia and lived a private life in the City Solonia where afterwards he poysoned himself saies Aurelius Victor Eusebius reporteth he died mad Maximian again attempting to resume the Empire was slain for contriving the murther of Constantius Eusebius avoucheth he hanged himself in the City Marseittes thus ended these two Tyrants THE British History In the Daies of DIOCLESIAN AND MAXIMIAN AFter BONOSUS succeeded CARAUSIUS in the Kingdom of Britain in the year 289 the fourth of these Emperours He made the Picts his Confederates and entertaining all who flockt to him under the hopes of Pillage and Plunder He constrained the Britains to make him their King who not knowing now who was their Friend or Foe partly for fear and partly for want of a lawful Inheritour elected him to the Crown Having thus gained the Power first he rewards the Picts with the vast Territories in Albania and not content with Invading the property of his Subjects and dispossessing the Ancient Britains like a proud Tyrant he infringed all their Rights and Priviledges The Romans hearing thereof sent Alectus with three Legions to kill him and to restore Britain to the Empire Carausius accordingly was slain after he had reigned seven years but instead of giving the Kingdom to the Romans Alectus himself usurped it and assumed the Crown in the year 269. He punished with great slaughter those Britains who forsaking the Common-wealth had adhered to the society of Carausius and been partakers in his Robberies which they sorely resenting chose Asclepiodotus to revenge exhorting him to set upon him in London whilest he was celebrating a Feast to his Country Gods at whose Arrival Alectus forsaking his Sacrifice and marching out with the choice of his Souldiers entered Battle with him but was slain after he had reigned three years Livius Gallus a Captain of Alectus still held London to the reducing whereof Asclepiodotus now King summoned the Demeta or the Inhabitants of that part of the Island now called South-Wales the Venedoti and those of Deira and Albania With these Forces he beleagures the City and with his War-like Engines batters down great part of the Wall Gallus perceiving himself able to hold out no longer comes to Parly and surrenders the Town upon Condition to march out Armed which being agreed to Asclepiodotus enters but the Venedoti contrary to Articles fell upon Gallus and slew him at a Brooks-side within the City called after his Name Walbrooke or Gal-brooke Thus Asclepiodotus got the full possession of the Kingdom but being not able or skilful to defend his Subjects from the cruelty of the Roman Emperours who in his daies raised the Persecution in Britain he was slain by Coilus Duke of Colchester after he had reigned about one year COIL the third of that name after the death of Asclepiodotus assumed the Crown and now Constantius having heard of the Troubles in Britain under the several Usurpers lands upon the Coast Coil informed thereof sends Embassadours to crave Peace and promises Subjection and Homage upon condition that he should enjoy the Kingdom of Britain paying the accustomed Tributes and Tolls to the Romans To this Constantius agrees and receives Hostages and not long after marries Helena his Daughter than whom a fairer Virgin never lived and who besides that she was an excellent Musitian and generally instructed in all Liberal Arts and Sciences Coil after one years Reign died and left the Kingdom to Constantius who Governed in the Right of his Wife Helena so that again the British Succession returned to that of the Romans Fl. Val. Constantius Chlorus AFTER the Resignation of Dioclesian and Maximian the Empire which hitherto was held entire though often under many Heads was now divided into two several Estates independent of each other and ameanable only to their particular Princes which as Eusebius noteth proved the fatal end of the Imperial Glory The Western Provinces the Government whereof alone relateth to our present History fell to CONSTANTIUS the Son of a Daughter to Crispus Brother to Claudius the second of that name Emperour of Rome A Prince wise and valiant and so free from Ambition that he chose rather to Govern well than much resigning to Galerius the Provinces of Italy and Africk as lying too remote from the Seat of his Residence which he held in Britain He favoured and encouraged the Christians and abhorred the Superstitious worship of divers Gods acknowledging but One only the Maker and Ruler of all things and to try the Faith of his Courtiers he proclaimed a publick Sacrifice at the solemnity whereof whosoever should be absent and refuse to offer were immediately as he pretended to be discarded and those only that conformed should be retained Such were alwaies sure to be of the Religion of their Prince who had held the Faith only as a Court-fashion presently crept and cringed to the Gods as they thought of their Soveraign But the Complement took not that they were all turned out of their Services with this Rebuke That he who is difloyal to his God can never be true and faithful to his Prince Many other worthy Actions are reported of this Constantius in favour to the Christians but the full establishing their Religion and the publick Authorizing thereof was reserved to Constantine his Son and Successour
For having reigned two years he died at York in his last Expedition against the Caledonians and Picts CONSTANTINE his Son hearing of his Fathers sickness escaped from Galerius with whom he was left Hostage and riding Post from Rome on the way lamed and maim'd all the Post-Horses to the end he might not be overtaken or pursued and so arriving at York was with great joy received by his Father who sitting up-right in his Bed in the presence of his Counsellors spake as followeth I have here a large Epitaph and Monument to wit mine own Son whom I leave on Earth to succeed me in the Empire who by Gods assistance shall wipe away the Tears of the Christians and revenge the Tyranny used against them and in this above all things I have placed my felicity which said Constantine received his Fathers last breath whereupon an Ancient Oratour spake thus unto him Thou entredst this Sacred place not as a Competitour of the Empire but as Heir apparent and ordained already and forthwith that Fathers house of thine saw Thee the lawful Successour For there was no doubt but the Inheritance in right belonged unto him whom the Destinies had ordained the first begotten Son to the Emperour Helena was the Wife of Constantius and Mother of Constantine by birth a Britain the Daughter of Coilus a British Prince as Eutropius mentions but Nicephorus is of Opinion that she was of Bithynia and others of her Parentage declare themselves doubtful This HELENA in an Ancient Inscription for purging Jerusalem from Idols building a Temple upon the same ground CHRIST suffered finding his Cross and so holily preserving it building on the same place after diligent search for Christs Cribb or Manger wherein he was born a stately Church dedicated to Christian Devotion and lastly as she was the only cause of her Husbands Conversion to the Christian Faith so likewise many distressed Christians for her sake that had been hid in Caves and dark holes of the Earth to escape the bloody persecution of their Enemies were now freed from that danger and dismal slavery They enjoyed publick liberty in their Devotion and for the better propagating the Christian Faith they had free leave not only to reedifie and repair decayed and demolisht Temples but to build new is called VENERABILIS ET PIISSIMA AUGUSTA a Title no whit unbecoming such eminent Vertues as a venerable and most pious Princess Maximianus perhaps not so much envying her Vertues as desirous to advance his Daughter compelled Constantius without just cause to desert and put her away and to marry his Daughter Theodora The Jews who are Enemies to all such as own any thing Sacred in memory of our Saviour called this pious Helena the deserted Queen of Constantius Stabularia as much as to say an Hostess because she sought out the Manger where Christ was born Bede calls her a Concubine from thence inferring That an Inholdress is usually kind to her Guest all which in matter of truth were reproachful Titles given her by way of derision for her Zeal and Sanctity in the due worship and honour of her Heavenly Father our Saviour for she was a truly Vertuous Queen and worthy of great renown in that Age and this rude and impious way of scoffing her the Gentiles also as unworthily imitated The Funeral Oration made by Ambrosius upon Theodosius rightly Comments upon the desert of her in which he takes occasion to speak as followeth They say that this Lady was at first an Inholder or Hostess c. Well saith Ambrose did not this good Hostess Helena hasten to Jerusalem and find out the place of our Lords Passion and made diligent search for the Lords Crib This good Hostess was not ignorant of that good Guest which cured the Wayfaring-mans heart that was wounded by Thieves This good Hostess chose to be reputed a Stable-sweeper that she might thereby gain Christ. It appeareth out of the Panegyrick spoken to Constantine the Son of Constantius that this Constantius obtained some notable Victory at a Town of the Segontiaci called Vindo now Silcester in Hampshire where in Person he received a wound but against what Enemy is not recorded but it seemeth to have been done about his first Arrival into the Island Basingstoak out of Adolphus Mekurchus writes that the City Brett in Germany took its name from some Britains who attended Constantius and his Queen Helena out of Britain as likewise the City Speizs from a Garrison or Seed-plot of Britains there left by the same Emperour but with what truth I leave to others to judge aslikewise he reporteth that Prince Coilus the Father of Helen was Master of the Horse to the Emperour and upon that very account the Enemies of Queen Helen took occasion to call her Stabularia She is reported to have been born at Colchester and to have built the Walls thereof and it is said that the Arms which that City gives is a Cross enragled between four Crowns in memory of our Saviours Cross which was found by her CONSTANTINE the Great CONSTANTIUS dying at York his Son CONSTANTINE by the last Will and Testament of his Father was designed Emperour but he at first out of modesty refusing so great and weighty an Employment or out of design to sift out the Inclinations of the People for forbearing a while to undertake it was at last constrained by the Souldiers whose affections to him overswayed the fears and jealousies which he had conceived of those powerful Competitors who had already possession of the Empire and of Maximian who although the Empire resigned yet carried on private practices in the State and could not choose but have great Interest therein being not long before Master of the whole Power which by the occasion of Dioclesian and much against his own inclinations he had laid down But the greatest encouragement he received was from Erocus King of the Almanes a powerful Nation which Erocus had attended his Father in Britain as some write as others say was Constantines Companion in his flight from Rome However it seems he was a great lover of that Family and a close and constant adherer to their Interest yet the Panegyrick Oration to our Constantine wholly attributes his unwillingness to accept of the Empire to his Modesty and the deep apprehensions of the weight and care of Government which prove most commonly if not here also the certain signs of more than ordinary desire of Rule and are oftentimes but appearances only attended with most exorbitant Passions and the fore-runner of an arbitrary and bloody Reign But however they write that the Souldiers respecting rather the Publick good than yielding to his private affections forcibly invested him in the Purple Robe he weeping set spurs to his Horse because he would avoid the endeavour and importunity of the Army that called so instantly upon him The felicity of the Common-wealth over-ruled his Modesty and therefore the Panegyrick crieth out
Christians For this King at first as is said was a great Persecutor of that way and if Fame belye him not after his conversion none of the sincerest Christians For the Bishoprick of London he sould to Wini who had been driven out of Winchester by Kenwalch the Saxon King But however this Simony be blameable in Wulfer yet he afterwards made amends in sending Jerumannus a painful Bishop to recover the East-Saxons who had fell from the Christian Religion into open Idolatry ETHELRED ETHELRED the Brother of Wulfer obtained next the Kingdom for Kenred the Son of Wulfer was put by upon what Account is not recorded His first Actions were the recovery of Lindsey and other Territories adjoyning which his Brother had lost to Egfrid King of Northumberland Afterwards he turned his Arms upon Kent wasted that Country sparing neither Church or Monastery and sacked the City of Rochester notwithstanding what resistance Lothair could make against him Putta their Bishop was forced to fly into Mercia where he sustained his old age by teaching School But Ethelred after thirty years Reign weary of the cares of Government retired to a Monastery at Bradney which himself had built and to make amends for his Injustice he restored the Crown to Kenred his Nephew though he had a Son of his own of Age able to succeed him His Wife Ostrid was slain by her own Subjects as Bedes Epitome Records Florence names them South-Imbrians but tells not the occasion of such horrid Treason KENRED KENRED having received the Crown from his Uncle Ethelred held it but four years when desirous to return to his private Life he commended the care of Government to Kelred the Son of Ethelred and in company of Offa the Son of Siger the East-Angle King and Edwin Bishop of Worcester went to Rome in the time of POPE Constantine the first where he and his Royal Companion were both shorn Monks and ended their days KELRED KELRED the Son of Ethelred by the Resignation of Kenred came to the Crown of Mercia in the year 715 he had an encounter with Ina King of the West-Saxons at a place called Wodnesburg in Wiltshire the success whereof is left doubtful Mr. Speed in his succession of English Monarchs treating of this Kelred gives him high commendations as a Prince beloved of his Subjects for his Vertues and much lamented by them at his death Thus he dresseth him up whom he will needs have to be the fourteenth Monarch but as his custom is without the least shew of Authority nay absolutely against it For we read in an Epistle of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz written to his Successor Ethelbald and yet extant that he was a defiler of Nuns and a breaker of the Priviledges of the Church And he admonisheth that Prince by his example to beware of such ossences lest they bring him into the same destruction For Kelred one day sitting at a Feast with his Nobles in the midst of his jollity was taken with an evil Spirit which worke him into high fits of distraction so that mad and raging he talked wildly by himseif and refusing the comforts of the Ministry and Saeraments finally died in despair of his salvation ETHELBALD ETHELBALD of the Royal blood succeeded Kelred not unlike him in his exorbitant life as the same Epistle of the Archbishop of Mentz doth witness but reclaimed in the end by that and other good advices he proved an excellent Prince Aften the death of King Ina the West-Saxon he so managed his affairs that all on this side Humber was intire at his Command He besieged and took the Town of Somerton about the year 740. And whilst Eadbert King of Northumberland was taken up in his Putish wars he entered his Country in his absence as the supplement of Bede's Epitome Records testifie Afterwards he waged War with Cuthred the West-Saxon newly come to his Crown whom he often engaged with inter changeable success But at last coming to a Peace they joyn both their Forces and invade the Welch whom in a great battel they overthrow But in the year 752 Cuthred the West-Saxon falling again at variance with him they sought another battel at Borford now Burford in Shropshire and a year after at a place called Secundune now Seckinton eight miles from Tamworth in Warmickshire He was slain as Huntington reporteth by the same Prince others say he was murthered in the night by his own Guards through the Treason of Beornred out of ambition to succeed him In this King's Reign at a Synod held at Gloveshow by Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury it was ordained among other things that the Lord's day should be carefully observed that the reading of the Holy Scriptures should be generally used in Monasteries that the Creed and Lord's Prayer should be taught in the English tongue and that publick Supplications should be made for Kings and all in Authority BEORNRED BEORNRED having trayterously slain King Ethelbald stept into the Throne himself about the year 754 but he enjoyed not long his ill-gained Honour for Offa the next of the Royal Family having for some time lain concealed until he could unite his Interest at length came upon him and in a set battel slew him after he had held the Kingdom by Usurpation for the space of two years or thereabouts as may be most probably calculated OFFA OFFA at the death of Beornred was received by the universal consent of his People and advanced to the Crown of his Ancestours He proved the Greatest that ever swayed this Scepter but though he often gave fair strokes for the whole Monarchy of the Island yet he was never able to compass that design His first enterprize was against the Hestings a neighbouring People whom he quickly subdued and added to his own Dominions Next he invades Kent and slaies their King Alric at a place called Ottenford then recalled by the West-Saxon King he engages with him at Besington where he wins the day and the Town for which they contended And now to add Treachery to his Conquests he invites Egilbert King of the East-Angles to his Court with fair promises of his Daughter in marriage whom no sooner come but he beheads ' and then seizeth his Kingdom But the baseness of this action blunted his Sword and we never after find him the same man as before so that the remaining part of his life will be spent in recounting his satisfactions Pilgrimage and such other deeds To expiate this murther he gave the Tenths of all he had to the Church and great possessions to the Church of Hereford where Egilbert was buried He caused the Reliques of St. Alban to be enshrined in a Cask of Gold set with precious Jewels and to the Martyr himself gives Lands and Tenements the Ancient demesns of his Crown He took a Journy to Rome to the Colledge of English there he gave a yearly Pension and a Tribute to the Pope through all his Dominions for which he