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
King and his Nobility which seemeth to me very improbable having before shewn that the occasion of that invitation was solely grounded upon the Politick intentions of causing the King to fall in love with his Daughter meerly to gain the Crown This Vortigern was Duke of the Guises a Prince of a Noble extract Vortimer and Pascentius were his Issue by his first Wife By Rowena the Daughter of Hengist he had a Daughter whom afterwards he incestuously married of whom he begat a Son named Faustus who after mature judgment knowing himself to be the Off-spring of such impious Parents hoping thereby to divert those heavy Judgments which by reason thereof might otherwise fall upon him spent his time in continual Prayers and solitary Meditations The Nobility and Clergy being much disturbed at the sordid and inhumane Actions of this Prince endeavoured what in them lay to reclaim and reprehend his Insolencies and more especially to shew their dislike to his incestuous Marriage with his own Daughter and the spreading of the poysoning Doctrine of Pelagianisme which was again about to revive by the promotion of his Saxon kindred as appears by their second meeting in Councel which was as followeth Concilium aliud Britannicum à Sancto Germano Altisiodorensi Episc. magnoque Clericorum Laicorum numero contra renascentia ut videtur Pelagianae Haeresis virgulta contra incestuosas Regis Vortigerni cum filiâ suâ nuptias celebratum EOdem anno viz. 449 nunciatum est in Britannia Pelagianam perversitatem iterato paucis Authoribus de novo pullulasse rursusque ad Beatissimum Virum Germanum preces Saccrdotum omnium deseruntur ut causam DEI quam prius obtinucrat tuerctur Quornm petitioni festinus obtemperat Nam adjuncto sibi Severo totius Sanctitatis viro qui erat Discipulus Beatissimi Patris Lupi Trecassenorum Episcopi tunc Treveris ordinatus Episcopus gentibus primae Germaniae verbum Dci praedicabat mare conscendit consentientibus elementis tranquillo navigio Britannias petiit Praedicationis igitur antidoto vulnera sanat incredulitatis apostema Blasphemiae doctrinae curat medicina omniumque sententia pravitatum perversitas cum suis authoribus condemnatur factumque est ut in illis locis multò ex eo tempore sides intemerata perduraret It a compositis omnibus beati Sacerdotes ea qua venerant prosperitate redierunt Et super haec omnia mala adjiciens Guorthigirnus accepit filiam suam proximam in uxorem sibi quae peperit ei filium hoc autem cum compertum est à Sancto Germano venit corripere Regem cum omni Clero Britonum dum conventa esset Magna Synodus Clericorum Laicorum in uno Concilio ipse Rex praemonuit filiam suamut exiret ad Conventum ut daret filium suum in sinum Germani diceretque quod ipse erat pater cjus ipsa secit sicut edocta erat Sanctus Germanus eum benignè accepit dicere coepit Tibi Pater ero necte permittam nisi mihi novacula cum forcipe pectineque ad Patrem tuum carnalem tibi dare liceat Mox ut audivit puer obedivit verbo Senioris Sancti ad Avum suum carnalem patremque carnalem Guorthigirnum pertexit dixit illi Pater meus Tu caput meum tonde comam capitis mei pecte Ille autem siluit puero respondere noluit sed surrexit iratusque est vehementer ut à facie Sancti Germani sugeret quaerebat maledictus est damnatur â Beato Germanno omni Concilio Britonum Thus translated A second British Councel held by St. German Bishop of Auxerre and a great number of the Clergy and Laity against the arriving of the Pelagian Heresie and against the Incestuous marriage of King Vortigern with his Daughter THe same year viz. 449. 't was reported that the Pelagian Heresie in BRITAIN by the means of some few Abettours and Authors began to revive and bud out again afresh whereupon the prayers and earnest desires of the Clergy were forthwith sent to that Holy Man St. German beseeching him once more to take upon him the Cause of GOD in which but a little before he had been so victorious The Good Man very readily condescended to a compliance with their desires For joyning with himself in this Affair Severus a Man of eminent Sanctity who had been the Disciple of St. Loup Bishop of Troy's and then ordained Bishop of Triers and who had preached the Word of God to the People of the I'rov nce of Germania prima took Shipping and happily the Elements consenting arrived in Britain where by the antidote of Preaching he perfectly healed the wounds of Incredulity and by the medicine of his Doctrine cured the Imposthume of Blasphemy This Perversity or Heresie with its Authors in the Judgment of all men being condemned for a long time after the Faith remained pure and undefilable in these places All things being thus composed these Blessed Priests returned with the same happiness they arrived Besides all these Evils Vortigern took his own Daughter to Wife which bore him a Son but when this was fully known to St. German he came to reprehend the King with all the British Clergy but whilest a great Senate of Clergy and Laity were consulting the King praeinstructed his Daughter that she should go to the Assembly and deliver up her Son into St. German's Arms and say that he was the Father of it and so she did as she had been taught St. German received the Child with a great deal of Courtesie and began to say I will be to thee a Father but I will not suffer thee unless I have a Razor with a pair of Scissors and Comb which shall be lawful for thee to present to thy Carnal Father The Child as soon as he heard it very readily obeyed the good Old Man and going towards his carnal Grandfather and carnal Father Vortigern said My Father clip and comb the Hair of my head at which the King was silent and would return no Answer again to the Child but rose up exceeding angry seeking how he might conveniently flie from the face of St. German so that he was censured and condemned not only by St. German but all the British Clergy For some time many of Vortigern's Subjects as we have shewn at first applauded his Vertues but by the proofs of his succeeding Actions were sound to be vailed over only with the appearance of a dissembling Sanctity How long did he commit that Incestuous Marriage with his own Daughter yea the Off-spring of a Pelagian before it was discovered to the Councel How unworthily did he discard his first Wife who was a Christian to obtain through the dictates of his untamable Lusts and Concupiscence the Pagan Daughter of Hengist How politick was he in endeavouring to acquit himself of the blame and reproof of a whole Senate for begetting a Son of his own
pure from all unlawful things What necessity is there of making a long discourse of dividing Portions of shewing Hospitality and of doing Mercy to those that live a Common life when all that is overplus is to be bestowed upon Pious and Religious uses the Lord our Master teaching us all what remains bestow in Alms and hold all things are clean unto you Luke the 11th The third Question of Augustine Since there is but one Faith why are there divers customes of Churches One custome of Mass in the holy Roman Church and another in those of Gaul The Answer of Gregory Your Brotherhood knows the Custome of the Roman Church in which you may remember you were bred but it is my pleasure that if you can find either in the Roman Church or those of Gaul or in any other Church any thing more pleasing to God carefully choose it and what things soever you can gather from many Churches of honest Institution introduce them into the English Church which as yet is young in the Faith for things are not to be beloved for the places but places for the good things in them Out of every Church therefore choose what is Pious Religious and Right and gather them together as it were in a bundle and by practice infuse them into the minds of the English The fourth Question of Augustine I beseech you what punishment ought to be inflicted on him that commits Sacriledge The Answer of Gregory This your Brotherhood may understand from the person of the Thief how he ought to be corrected for there are some that have found ways to commit thest and there are others that offend in this nature out of necessity From whence it follows that some are to be punished with fines others with stripes some more severely others more gentily and when you proceed against any with more rigour than ordinary you must do it out of charity not fury because 't is done to him that is punished with this intent that he might not be committed to Holl fire For we ought to instruct the Faithful so as good Fathers are wont their carnal Children whom for their faults they whip and yet they desire that those whom they thus afflict should be their heirs and carefully keep for them whatsoever they possess whom angrily they thus seem to torment Alwales therefore keep in your mind this charity which suggests a mean in chastizing so that the mind can do nothing without the rule of Reason Perhaps you way ask How these things that are taken by stealth from the Church may be restored but God forbid that the Church should receive with increase for the loss of Earthly things or go about to make advantage of vain trifles The fifth Question of Augustine Whether two own Brothers may marry two own Sisters which are removed from them by many degrees The Answer of Gregory This is certainly lawful for we find nothing in inholy Writ that seems to contradict this point in the least The sixth Question of Augustine To what degree the Faithful may marry with their kindred and whether it be lawful for Stepmothers and their kindred in Law to be joyned in wedlock Gregory's Answer A certain Secular law in the Roman Common wealth permits that whether Brother and Sister or the son and daughter of two own Brothers or two own Sisters may marry but we haue learnt by experience that from such kind of Marriages no issue can be produced and holy Writ forbids the uncovering of the Nakedness of our near kindred from whence it follows that the third and fourth generation of the Faithful may lawfully marry To be joyned in marriage with ones Mother-in-law is a great sin for 't is written in the Law Thou shalt not uncover thy Father's nakedness neither indeed may a Son discover the nakedness of his Father but because 't is written they shall be two in one flesh he that shall presume to uncover the nakedness of his Stepmother which was one flesh with his Father hath certainly uncovered his Father's nakedness 'T is forbidden also to marry a near Relation-in-law because by the former it was made as the flesh of the Brother for which thing John the Baptist was beheaded and ended his life in holy Martyrdom on whom it was not imposed to deny Christ and yet he was slain for confessing Christ but because our Lord Jesus Christ had said I am the Truth and because John was killed for the truth he poured out his blood for Christ. The seventh Interrogation of Augustine I desire to know whether a Divorce may be issued out against those that are married unlawfully and whether they may be denied the benefit of the Communion The Answer of Gregory Because there are many in England which still remain in Infidelity that are reported to be joyned in wicked and unlawful Matrimony when they shall come to the Faith they are to be admonished that they abstain and made to understand that it is a grievous sin Let them stand in fear of the terrible Judgment of God lest for a little carnal pleasure they incur eternal torments nevertheless they are not for this thing to be deprived of the Communion of the body and blood of our Lord lest we should seem to punish those things in them in which they had bound themselves through ignorance before the Laver of Baptism For in these times the holy Church corrects some things with rigour some things out of mildness it tolerates and other things it wisely dissembles and so bears with some faults and winks at them as at last what it disliketh by forbearances and seeming connivance it overcometh and all that are brought to the Faith are to be admonished that they commit no such thing and if any shall they are to be deprived of the Communion of the body and blood of our Lord because as in those things which they did through ignorance the fault in some measure is to be born withal so it ought resolutely to be prosecuted in those that are most afraid knowingly to offend The eight Interrogation of Augustine If for the great distance of places Bishops cannot easily meet whether a Bishop may be ordained without the presence of other Bishops The Answer of Gregory Certain it is in the Church of the English in which as yet there is no other Bishop but your self you can ordain a Bishop no other way than without Bishops for when can Bishops come from Gaul that may assist as witnesses at the ordination of a Bishop But we would that your Brotherhood should so ordain Bishops that they be not too far disjoyned from one another that there may be no hindrance but that at the ordination of a Bishop others may be present other Pastors also whose presence is very requisit ought to have easie means of access When therefore Bishops shall be so ordained in places near one another the ordination of a Bishop ought never to be without three or four Bishops assisting
day of the Sabbath which ye do who will not celebrate it upon the first day of the Sabbath Peter solemnized the Lord's day of Easter from the sisteenth Moon till the twenty first which ye do not who observe the Lords day of Easter from the fourteenth to the twentieth Moon so that on the thirteenth Moon at Evening ye often begin Easter Neither did our Lord the Author and giver of the Gospel eat the old passover on that day but on the fourteenth Moon at Evening or deliver the Sacraments of the New Testament to be celebrated in Commemoration of his Passion also the twenty first Moon which the Law especially commends to our Observation ye utterly reject in the celebration of your Easter so that as I said before ye neither agree with John nor Peter Law or Gospel in the solemnizing the great Festival To these things Colman answered Did Anatholius a holy man and much commended in the sore-mentioned Church History think contrary to either Law or Gospel who writ that Easter was to be kept from the fourteenth to the twentieth Is it to be imagined that our most reverend Father Columba and his Successors men beloved of God either thought or acted any thing contrary to Holy Writ When there were many amongst them of whose heavenly Holiness the wonders and powerful Miracles they wrought have given sufficient Testimony who as I ever thought them to be Holy men so I will never desist from following their times manners and discipline Then Wilfrid 'T is evident said he that Anatholius was a man very holy learned and praise-worthy but what does that concern ye when ve do not observe his Decrees for he in his Easter following the Rule of Truth set forth a Circle of nineteen years which ye are either ignorant of or else utterly contemn if ve acknowledg it to be kept by the whole Church of Christ. He in the Lord's Easter so reckoned the fourteenth Moon that he acknowledged that on the same day after the manner of the Egyptians to be the fifteenth Moon at evening so he observed the twentieth day for the Lord's Easter but so that he believed that the day being done to be the one and twentieth of which rule of distinction he proves thee ignorant because sometimes ye plainly keep your Easter before the full Moon that is on the thirteenth Month. As concerning your Father Columba and his Followers whose sanctity ye say ye will imitate and whose rules and precepts confirmed by heavenly signs ye are resolved to follow I might Answer when many at Judgment shall say to the Lord that they have prophesied in his Name and cast out Devils and wrought many wonders the Lord will answer that he never knew them But far be it from me that I should speak this of your Fathers since 't is more reasonable of uncertain things to entertain good thoughts than bad for which reason therefore I do not deny them to be the Servants of God and beloved by God who out of an innocent simplicity and a pious intention love God Neither do I think such an observation of Easter to be much prejudicial to them as long as no body comes among them that can shew decrees of a better institution which they may follow who nevertheless I believe had some Catholick Calculator better instructed them would have followed those things which they knew and had learned to be the Commands of God You therefore and your Associates if you despise to follow the decrees of the Apostolick See when you have heard them nay of the Universal Church and those confirmed by Holy writ without doubt ye sin What though your Fathers were holy are the paucity of these in a corner of the farthest Island to be preferred before the Universal Church of Christ over the World What if this your Columba and ours too if he be Christ's was holy and powerful in Miracles ought he to be preferred before the blessed Prince of the Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and to thee will I give the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven After Wilfrid had thus spoken the King said Colman is it true that these words were spoken by the Lord to Peter Who answered True O King Then said he Have you any thing that you can bring to prove so great power was given to Columba but he said No we have not The King again said Do both you agree without any controversie on this that these words were principally spoken to Peter and the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven were given him by the Lord They both answered Yes Then the King thus concluded And I say unto you because he is the Door-keeper I will not contradict him but as far as I know and am able I desire to obey his commands in all things lest perchance I coming to the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven there be no body to open he being turned aside whom you have proved to hold the Keys After the King had said thus both those that sate down and those that stood great and small assented so that the less perfect Institution being abandoned every one made haste to apply themselves to those things they thought better The Dispute being ended and the Assembly dismist Agilbert returned home Colman seeing his Doctrine slighted and his Party despised taking along with him those that were resolved to be of his sect i. e. they that would not admit of the Catholick Easter and shaving of the Crown for there was no little question about that returned into Scotland to treat with his Party what he should do in the business Chad leaving the tract of the Scotish Doctrine returned to his See as acknowledging the observation of the Catholick Easter This Disputation fell out in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 664 the twenty second year of King Oswy and the 30th year of the Bishoprick of the Scots which they had born in the Province of the English The wife of Oswy was Eanfled Daughter of Edwin King of Northumberland after the death of her husband she spent her daies in the Monastery of Streanshalch where she deceased and was interred in the Church of St. Peter in the same Monastery The Issue of King Oswy by Eanfled was this Elwin was slain in a battel against Ethelred King of the Mercians Elfled the eldest Daughter at a year old according to the Vow of her Father was committed to Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch to be bred up in Religion where she was afterwards Abbess and was buried in the Church of St. Peters in that Monastery Offrid the younger Daughter was married to Ethelred King of Mercia His natural Issue Alkfrid who succeeded Ethelwald in Deira came at last to the whole Crown of Northumberland Alkfled married to Peada Son of King Penda she is taxed by most Writers for the death of her Husband EGFRID
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
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
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-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
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
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
EGFRID eldest Son of King Oswy by his wife Eanfled succeeded his Father in the Kingdom A Prince as he is reported of an unquiet disposition His first wars were with Ethelred King of Mercia who had married his Sister with whom encountring by the River Trent he lost great part of his Army and his Brother Elswin a youth generally beloved who amongst the thickset was there unfortunately cut off Greater bloodshed had like to have ensued had not Theodorus Archbishop of York interposed and took up the quarrel so that a sum of mony being paid to Egfrid for the loss of his Brother the business was happily concluded His next wars were with the Irish a Nation saith Bede harmless and great friends to the English These he unprovoked furiously invades making no distinction between things holy or profane but with fire and sword laid waste the Country and buried it in the Ruines of its Cities Temples and Monasteries The Irish on the other side used no other weapons but Prayers and as my Author has it bitter Imprecations which may be supposed at last to have reached Heaven it self for the next year against the counsel and earnest perswasion of his sagest Friends and especially Cudbert the Bishop going to wars against the Picts he was trained into narrow straits by the Enemy and there cut off with most part of his Army This was so great a blow to the English that not only the Scots and Picts who before durst not look beyond their own Country but the Britains also began to bear up for Liberty and yearly to gain upon their old enemies This King took to wife Ethildrith Daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles she had been wife to Eunbert Prince of the Gervii a Nation lying in the Fens but notwithstanding marriage had kept her Virginity Nor did her second Nuptials with a King make her in the least alter her resolution and though invited to his Bed sometimes by passionate entreaties otherwhiles by perswasions of her friends who were made privy to it yet she continued obstinate contrary to the Apostle's Rule the dictates of Nature it self which at one time abhors communion and separation and against the Laws of common prudence and civility And all this to pursue an extravagant chastity and a purity of living against all other obligations whatsoever however she be cannonized St. Andrey of Ely where it seems leaving her Husband she ended her daies ALKFRYD ALKFRYD the natural Son of King Oswy during the Reign of his half Brother had retired into Ireland where he was well instructed in the Liberal Sciences and as Bede saith exceedingly well read in the Scriptures Advanced to the Crown he wore it with much prudence and moderation but the bounds of his Kingdom were much straitned by the inroads of the Picts and encroachments of the Britains But what he wanted in extent of Dominion he made up in the prudent management of what he had He married Kenburg Daughter of Penda the Mercian by whom he had an only Son that succeeded him he ruled twenty years OSRED OSRED the Son of Alkfrid was eight years of age when he came to the Crown but he was no sooner grown up to any ripeness but he gave himself to all viciousness of life committing Incest with veiled Nuns for which his wife Cuthburga weary of her own dishonour sued a divorce and built a Monastery at Winburn in Dorsetshire where she ended her daies But Osred lived not long after her departure for he was slain by his own Relations Kenred and Osric in the eleventh year of his Reign KENRED KENRED descended from Ida by a Bastard-line and succeeded Osred in the Kingdom of Northumberland his Reign is short being only of two years continuance during which time he left nothing memorable behind him OSRIC OSRIC Reigned ten years without memory of Acts Parentage Wife or Issue CEOLNULF CEOLNULF the Brother of Kenred Ruled the space of eight years when changing his Crown for a Cowl he turned Monk in Lindisfarn or Holy Island yet he proved none of the severest for he brought his Brethren from Milk and Water to drink good Wine and Ale bringing along with him good store of provisions and great Treasures by Simeon and all as the same Author writes to follow poor Christ. To him Bede dedicates his History but writes no more of him but that the beginning and process of his Reign met with many troubles and that the conclusion of them was doubtfully expected And this is the time of Peace so much commended by the foresaid Author when Princes Queens and Nobility forsaking their charges and other duties incumbent run themselves into Monasteries striving who should be foremost as if no salvation was to be obtained but in Cells and Cloysters His Brother was Archbishop of York and there founded a stately Library EGBERT EGBERT Nephew to King Ceolnulf succeeded in the Kingdom Whilst he was in wars against the Picts Ethelbald the Mercian taking advantage of his absence invaded part of Northumberland but upon what account or how revenged is not related In these Pictish Wars Egbert subdued Kyle and brought the Countries adjacent to it under his obedience Afterwards in the year 756 he joyns battel with Unust King of the Picts besieged and took by surrender the City Alcluith now Dunbritton in Lennox from the Britains of Cumberland and ten daies after lost his whole Army about Niwanbirig when resolving to lay down his Government though intreated to the contrary by his Subjects and Neighbouring Princes who profered to make good to him his losses by surrendring great Territories to him after the example of his Uncle turned Monk when he had Reigned twenty years About these times happened two extraordinary Eclipses one of the Sun in September Anno 733 the other of the Moon Anno 756. OSWULF OSWULF Son of Egbert succeeded his Father but in the same year was slain of his Servants at a place called Mikelwoughten ETHELWALD ETHELWALD sirnamed Mollo after the death of Oswulf was advanced to the Crown In his third year he fought a great battel at Eldune by Melros slew Oswyn a great Lord who rebelled against him and gained an absolute Victory but three years after he was slain by Alcred who succeeded him ALCRED ALCRED descended in the fifth degree from Ida King of Bernicia after the murther of his Soveraign seized the Kingdom of Northumberland In the fourth year of this King's Reign Cataracton now Catarik in Yorkshire a famous City in the time of the Romans was burnt to the ground by one Arnred a Tyrant who the same year came to the like end I should think that this Arnred might be Alcred did not others report that he Reigned five years Afterwards when driven out by his Subjects with a few Attendants he fled first to Bebba a strong Castle in those parts thence to Kinot King of the Picts He left Issue Osred who afterwards came to be
obtained that the Primacy of England was translated from Canterbury to Litchfield in his own Dominions He obtained of Charles the Great that the English going to Rome should be free from Customes and other duties With Charles the Great during his whole Reign he had great intercourse sometimes enmity otherwhiles friendship as appears by the kind Letters of that Emperour written to him yet extant wherein he stiles him the MOST POTENT KING OF THE WEST CHRISTIANS And now about this time were Images first brought into the English Church to be worshipped for Charles the Great sent the decrees of the Synod of Nice into Britain of which hear what Hoveden writes wherein saith he Alas for pity by the unanimous consent of three hundred Bishops or more met together in that Councel were decreed many things inconvenient may quite contrary to the true Faith as is most especially the worshipping of Images which the Church of God doth absolutely hate Against which Book Albinus wrote an Epistle excellently well strengthned with the Authority of the Holy Scriptures which together with the aforesaid Book himself presented in the name of the Princes and Bishops of this Land unto the aforesaid Charles King of France Which Book is reported to have so worked with that Emperour that in the Synod of Frankford he caused those Constitutions to be repealed This Offa to keep the Britains from making inrode into his Country caused a Ditch or Trench to be made almost an hundred miles in length from Sea to Sea that is from the mouth of the River Wy unto Dee concerning which in after daies John of Salisbury in his Policration writeth thus Herald ordained a Law that what Welch-man soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offa's Dike he should have his Right hand cut off by the King's Officers The Issue of King Offa was Fgfrid his Son and Successour Ethelburga married to Birthric King of the West-Saxons of whose life and death you will read in the next Kingdom Elsled supposed second wife of Ethelred King of Northumberland Elsrid the youngest Daughter promised in marriage to Egilbert King of the East-Angles EGFRID EGFRID the Son of Offa had in his life time been made Partner with his Father in the Kingdom and as if his life had been woven up with his he survived him but four Months having given his Subjects the hopes of a longer Reign he restored to the Church whatever his Father and Predecessours had taken from them He had neither Wife nor Issue and was buried in the Church of St. Albans of his Father's foundation KENWOLF KENWOLF of the Royal blood succeeded Egfrid in the Kingdom he had Wars with Ethelbert sirnamed Pren King of Kent whom taking prisoner he brought into Mercia and soon after at the High Altar dismissed having as Simeon reports put out his eyes and lopt off his hands He Reigned twenty one years and was buried in the Monastery of Winchcomb which himself had founded KENELM KENELM the Son of Kenwolf a Child of seven years was left under the Tuition of his elder Sister Quendrid but she ambitious to Rule her self caused him to be made away by one Askbert who alluring him to the Woods on pretence to hunt there slew him and secretly buried his body the murther is said to be miraculously discovered by a Dove dropping a written Note on the Altar at Rome it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Milton thus renders it Low in a Mead of Kine under a Thorn Of head bereast ly'th poor Kenelm King-born Soon after the death of this Prince the Kingdom of Mercia became Tributary to Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch though not without some strugling on both sides but the Actions of suceeding Princes in this Kingdom as they were but few and happened all in the life of that Monarch so I shall reserve them to be told there in their due place for in this Heptarchy I design not to write any further than to his daies who by degrees united the divided States and moulded them into one entire Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE West-SAXONS Contained Counties Cornwall Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hantshire Barkshire KINGS Cerdic Kenric Ceaulin Cearlick Ceowlf Kingils Kenwalch Eskwyn Ketwyn Ceadwalla Ina. Ethelard Cuthred Sigibert Kinwulf Birthric CERDIC CERDIC the Tenth in descent from Woden and the Beginner of the West-Saxon Kingdom with five ships and Kenric his Son setting forth from Germany arrived at Britain in the year 495 and landed at a place afterwards called from his name Cerdic-Shore He was an old experienced Souldier and long exercised in the Wars of Saxony At his first setting foot on land he gave signal proofs of his Valour by often repelling the Britains who endeavoured to hinder this New settlement and for six years together without any fresh supplies maintained his ground with advantage about which time Porta another Saxon with his two Sons Bida and Megla in two ships arrive at Portsmouth thence called and at their first landing slay a British Noble man with many of the Common sort who disorderly gathered against them The Britains to redeem these losses with strong Musters though slowly assemble together under Natanleod or Nazaleod a British King and one of their greatest saith Huntington however he came by so unusual a name but are miserably defeated with the death of their Prince and five thousand of his men In this battel it is said that Cerdic was assisted by Ella the South-Saxon and Oisc King of Kent together with Porta who had now been seven years in the Island From this British King the Saxon Annals write that a small Region adjoyning to Cerdicsford was called Nazaleod Six years after Stuf and Withgar Cerdic's Nephews with three ships land at Cerdics-ford or as others say Certic shore and in a set battel overthrow the Britains and five years following if the former battel be not to be referred to this time Cerdic again with his Son obtained another signal Victory upon the gaining of which and the strength of the new supplies he at last assumed Regal Dignity After he had continued conquering in the Isle twenty four years the Saxon Annals report a third Battel fought at the same place but with doubcful success as if this only had been the field of fortune Mr. Cambden in his Chronographical Description of these two places Cerdic shoar and Cerdics-ford hath much confounded the natural course of this History by placing them at so vast a distance which if true can never be reconciled with the truth of these Relations Cerdic shoar be placeth as far as Yarmouth Cerdic a warlike Saxon saith he landed here i. e. at Yarmouth whereupon the Inhabitants at this day call the place Cerdic-sand and the writers of Histories Cerdic shoar and after he had made sore War upon the Icent took Sea and sayled from hence into the West parts
think thereto by Quatratus a Disciple of the Apostles and Aristides a Philosopher of Athens who wrote an Apology for them He died in the year of our Lord one hundred thirty nine and of his Age sixty two in his life time he had designed Caesar Lucius AElius a man exceedingly dear to him but he dying Antoninus Pius received the Empire Antoninus Pius ANTONINUS for his Princely Vertues Sirnamed PIUS and by the Senate called the Father of his Country was a Lombard born Son of Aurelius Fulvius and Nephew to Titus Aurelius Fulvius who had been Consul and held other Offices of great Authority and State At his first entrance into the Empire by an Ordinance of his as many as were of the Roman World were made Citizens of Rome by which Edict the Southern Britains within Hadrians Wall as well as other Provinces enjoyed that high Dignity and Priviledge but the Northern Inhabitants not content with their Liberty and the Bounds assigned them brake into the Roman Pale and began to waste wide but by the Conduct of Lollius Urbicus then Lieutenant they were not only driven back but confined to a narrower compass namely the Friths of Edinborough and Dunbritton where Lollius repaired the Ancient Fortification first begun by Agricola That this Wall built by Lollius was in Scotland Mr. Cambden learnedly proves and not where Hadrian built his to wit between Carlile and New-castle He saith Capitolinus cited by Mr. Cambden vanquisht the Britains and having driven out the Barbarians made another Wall of Turffs beyond that of Hadrians which makes me wonder at Speed who proves the same Author to say that it was Hadrian's Wall The same Errours he commits in writing That for these Atchievments Lollius obtained the name of Britannicus when indeed it was Antoninus himself to whom Fronto as the Panegyrical Oratour saith ascribed the Honour of this War and hath testified that He Although sitting still at home in the Palace of Rome had given charge and Commission to another General for the War yet like the Pilot of a Gally sitting at the Stern and guiding the Helm deserved the Honour of the whole Voyage and Expedition In the time of this Emperour the Brigantes also a Nation of all others most impatient of Forreign Servitude brake in upon Genounia which Mr. Cambden guesses to be Ginnethia or North-Wales within the Jurisdiction of the Romans but were soon driven back and fined with the loss of one part of their Territory This is all upon Record touching Britain in the daies of Antoninus Pius saving that Sejus Saturrinus as is collected from the Digests had charge here of the Roman Navy He Reigned twenty three years or as others say twenty two years seven months and twenty six daies and died of a Feavour at Lorium the seventh day of March in the year of his life 75 and of Christ 162. Among many of his Vertues which fill out a worthy Character it is most especially Recorded of him In his Youth he did nothing Rashly nor any thing in his Age Negligently Marcus Aurelius MArcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus Philosophus for by so many names he was called was the Son of Elius Verus who died Praetor and whose Family was derived from Numa Pompilius second King of Rome his Mother was Domitia Gamilla Daughter of Claudius Tullus He was the adopted Son of Antoninus Pius and ingrafted into his Family by the marriage of Faustina his Daughter having taken upon him the Title of Emperour he chose Lucius Verus the Son of Lucius Ceionius Commodus for his associate in the Empire It is observable that this Verus was born the same day as Nero and indeed he imitated him in all the Vices and Cruelties of his nature so that whilest these two Princes sate together upon the Throne then might Mankind be judge and spectatour at the same time of a Just and equal Government and a Proud and insolent Tyranny Aurelius was nothing but Glemency moderation and goodness on the other hand Verus gave himself to Pride carelessness haughtiness and cruelty and as the Vertues of the one secured him from the attempts and mixtures of the others Vices so were the Exorbitances of this Verus nothing allayed by the sweetness of Aurelius his deportment so that what is a rare Example and perhaps not to be equalled in all precedent and future Ages from the same height of Power at the same time streamed forth the most different Extreams of unlimited Greatness But Goodness was the longest survivor for Verus dying of an Apoplexy after nine years Reign Aarelius was left in possession of the whole Empire And now the Britains impatient alwaies of Forreign Subjection raised new Commotions for the appeasing whereof Galphurnius Agricola was sent Lieutenant The Sirname of Agricola no doubt was terrible to the Britains who could not but remember the great Overthrows they had received formerly under a General of that name and indeed the Commotions lasted not long after his Arrival but seemed to be ended with fortunate success for which there was raised an Altar in gratitude to the Syrian Goddess a peculiar Deity of this Island as appeareth by this Inscription found in a Stone taken out of the Picts Walls DEAE SURI AE SUB CALP URNIO AGR ICOLA LEG AUG PR PR A. LICINIUS CLEMENS PRAEF C. O. H. I. HAMMIOR The glory of having dispatched this War so soon Fronto for Roman Eloquence inferiour to none ascribes wholly to the Emperour Aurelius for although the State still as residing in Person in the Court of Rome gave out only the Commission for the War yet he protesteth That like a Pilot at the Helm who steers and directs the Ship he deserved the Honour of the whole course Nothing else is recorded of Britain during Antoninus his Reign saving that Helvius Pertinax afterwards Emperour was employed in these Wars being translated hither from his Service against the Parthians and here for some time afterwards remained Antoninus Reigned nineteen years and eleven daies and died on the seventeenth day of April in the year of our Lord 181 having by his Vertue kept up to the Renown of his Predecessour and so endeared the Name of the 〈◊〉 that it was held by the Romans afterwards in equal veneration with there of the Gods and in nothing was he unhappy saith Capitolinus save that he left behind him a Son Comm. Antoninus COMMODUS ANTONINUS the Son of Aurelius degenerated from the Vertues of his Father and may be said the successour of Verus rather than of Antonine The known Adulteries of his Mother Faustina and himself being a Twin together with the Wickedness of his life gave liberty to some to please themselves in thinking he was not the true Son of so worthy a Father At nineteen years of Age he was invested in the Empire when the violence of his Temper which under the Authority of a Father and the discipline of worthy Tutors could not be kept under meeting
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
Hengists further Advice in hastning speedy Orders for a greater supply of German Forces in pretence of securing the Land more firmly from the rage and power of his Enemies which in truth at last proved but to promote and strengthen his own Greatness which so long he had fore-cast in his head to accomplish esteeming it also to be a great Honour to his Name and Family that he should approve himself to be the only Man that first laid the foundation of a Saxon Monarchy in so Great and Renowned a Kingdom as BRITAIN which was not only so esteemed in those daies but by the Phoenicians Greeks and Romans their Predecessours And we have just cause to believe his Affairs were managed with more than ordinary prudence and policy when in one of his Armies was conveyed hither the comely and most beautiful Rowena on purpose to entice and steal away the Kings heart that her Father might take the better advantage in compleating his Emperial designs The King no sooner saw this Beautiful Virgin at a Banquet unto which he was invited by Hengist but so infinitely admired her Person Beauty and Noble Behaviour that nothing would divert his resolution or quench the heat of so sudden a passion but the deserting his own Queen to obtain Rowena in Marriage but Hengist craftily managing his designs modestly complements the King with humble and submissive Excuses much after this manner That neither his Daughters degree Person or Fortune was suitable to Majesty or the Greatness of his Dominions and Empire yet at last through the earuestness of the Kings Importunities he gave his consent for his speedy Marriage By this Hengist was not only honoured in being Related to a British Prince but firmly received a confirmation of the Kings Gratitude the Kingdom of Kent for his Recompence which formerly had been governed by one Guorongus a Vice-Roy to manage State Affairs in that Province This German Alliance with King Vortigern in a short time made the Saxon Confederates more burthensome to the State than their late Enemies which at first a little startled the King nevertheless the crafty and fortunate inventions of Hengist strengthned by the power of that beloved Rowena so eclipsed the Kings sight yea so weakned his Power that he gained further leave to send into Germany for his Brother Occa and his Son Ebusa The pretence was that the Enemy grew too heady and strong for him and that by such aids and assistance he could better undertake the defence of the South parts when at the same time They if here might preserve the North. Some report although not without contradiction to others that this Occa was the Son of Hengist and Ebusa his Uncles Son but the difference in Opinions in this point is not much material sufficient that the story is true that such Persons by name were called hither by the advice and procurement of Hengist to promote the power of a Saxon Interest The Nobility of the British Nation now sensible of their destruction knew it was too late to reclaim a Luxurious and careless Prince and as to little purpose to endeavour the recalling of a neglected opportunity wherein once they might have stopt the current of such dangerous Events and Accidents For their Consultations now with the King how to prevent Occa and Ebusa from entring the British shoars were wholly rejected through the inseparable affection he bore to the content and happiness of his new Associate The manner of Occa and Ebusa's behaviour after their Arrival is briefly thus After the King had given his consent for the landing of a powerful Army of Germans there came with them as their Generals Occa and Ebusa and coasting towards Britain they struck Sail for the Orkney Isles after whose arrival the Inhabitants received great and unspeakable damages and not long after the Scots and Picts bore an equal share in affliction for after they had sufficiently executed their Tyranny upon the Britains they proceeded to Northumberland where for some time at their first entrance intended only to make a short stay but in process of time too well approving the accommodation of that Country they esteemed it a place worthy of longer residence yet not so fully and absolutely possessing it as to govern it under the title of KINGS but Subjects of Kent till ninety nine years after their first possession Now it is that again we hear how infinitely afflicted and moved the Subjects of King Vortigern were at the increasing Power of the Saxons and because as I said before they could not perswade him into the belief of such great dangers likely to happen they universally agreed in Counsel among themselves to bereave him of his Regal Power and Dignity and in whose stead they placed his Son Vortimer which for the present put the Nation into no small confusion and hubbub besides gave new occasions to the Saxons to revive Insurrections and commit upon the distressed Inhabitants most deplorable spoil and havock Bede and others are silent of Vortimers taking possession of the Crown about this time and consequently that there happened no such fewd and heart-burning between King Vortigern and his Nobility upon the account of the Saxons Arrival into this Land For they say that when the Saxons came into the Land they were received as Friends Aiders and Assisters of the disturbed Britains against their Enemies But I conceive Bede and others might mistake the true Timing of Transactions in that State forgetting the time of the breach of Covenant between them and so might easily mistake one time for another as I find the British History in several other cases are worthy of too great blame and reprehension What Courage the Britains took after all these discouragements in the daies of Aurelius Ambrosius shall be shewn in a following Treatise relating to the transactions in that Princes Reign Hengist by Birth however he dissembled his Quality in that modest behaviour of his in behalf of his Daughter to King Vortigern was of the Princely Blood of the Saxon Race born in Angria in Westphalia the Son of Wiht-Gisil of the Line of Prince Wooden The Kingdom of Kent he obtained by his power and policy not Right which in the daies of Julius Casar was never known to be an intire Province as it was alwaies governed by four Petty Kings of the British Race And although he obtained not the Kingdom by right of Inheritance yet was he to be commended for his Policy Valour and Conduct He possest not the Kingdom above seven years but laid the foundation of the Saxon Government and approved himself an Example yea the first Rule and direction to Egbert afterwards a K. of the West Saxons how to reduce the whole Kingdom into one happy and entire state of Monarchy So that before we proceed to the History and Chronicle of his Successours who after their Arrival bore the greatest sway in this Kingdom and by success of Arms and vast supplies received from the
Continent easily overcame and mastered the distressed Natives a People at that time reduced to a small number laden with Distresses yea worn out with continual Calamities it will not be amiss first to set down their Original and progress through most parts of the World ere they arrived into this Island their Religion some Customes annexing other memorable things relating to their Arts and Polity that having at once before our eyes the Vertues and Vices of our Ancestours we may know the better what to follow what to avoid and may the better be enabled how to discern the methods and means whereby to preserve that Empire intire and inviolable the Foundations whereof have been by them laid so firm solid and lasting But before we proceed to the Antiquity and History of the Saxons it will be necessary to treat briefly of the Original and Antiquity of the Romans a People so renowned for their ancient Conquests and so well esteemed for their good Government in this Nation THE ANTIQUITY AND ORIGINAL OF THE ROMANS THEIR Religion government in State Affairs discipline in War with several of their Rules and Methods relating to their Polity Unto which is added Some Observations upon what relates more particularly to the Greek Idolatry omitted in a former Treatise PLUTARCH reckons up many supposed Founders of ROME Herodotus Marsylus and some others will have them descended from the Graecians and Coecilius a Roman Historiographer in Strabo proves that Rome was built by the Graecians because the Romans after the manner of the Greeks by ancient Institution and Custome did sacrifice to Hercules and that the Romans also worshipt the Mother of Evander Yet the most vulgar received Opinion is that Rome was the work of ROMULUS from the Foundation and that the Romans were a Body aggregate and compounded of Sabines and Latins and others are of Opinion which I have shewn in another place that they were a conflux of the worst of the Neighbouring People of that State For Romulus after the deposing and murthering his Uncle Amulius and re-instating his Grandfather Numitor in the Albane Throne having got together Shepheards and some Malefactours that had fled for of Justice from their natural Princes soon left Aiba to the quiet enjoyment of his Grandfather he himself not being willing to live under any other Laws than his own or else the nobleness of his Ambition dehorting him from injuring one whom lately he had so generously restored resolves to contrive the model and platform of his future Government yea lay himself the foundation of his own Greatness For being made KING by the general consent of his ragged Associates and that consent confirmed ratified and establisht by lucky signs and tokens from the Gods after several contrivances and designs pitches upon Mount Palatine where he himself and his Brother had been exposed by their Uncle Amulius as a fortunate place for their erecting a New City hoping that as the Gods from a poor miserable and abandoned Infant had made him a glorious King so by the same power they might in time of this little Village make a considerable Kingdom Moreover he looked upon this Mountain as the fittest place for defence if any Enemy should dare to oppose him and a place very inconvenient for the approaches and assaults of all Besiegers nevertheless secured it with a Ditch and Wall But lest the three adjoyning Mountains viz. Capitoline Coelian and Quirinal might rather serve as they lay then for Forts and Bulwarks from whence the Enemy might storm and molest his New City he fortified them with a Ditch and a Wall also and placing therein Garrisons they served instead of Castles for the security of the City But after he had subdued T. Tatius King of the Sabines he gave to him and his People the Tarpeian or Capitoline Mountain to inhabit bringing it also within the Walls and compass of the City L. Tarquinius Priscus mended and repaired the Walls with Stone which before were cast up with Mud and ordinary Rubbish but Servius Tullius was the first that encompast Rome with a Stone-wall adding to the City three other Hills also both Kings and People being as ambitious in augmenting their City as they were in propagating and increasing the largeness of their Dominion and Empire Lastly It was so enlarged and admirably beautified with the Spoyls and Ornaments of the Chiefest places of EUROPE that Rome which was first scarce a Mile in compass was afterwards esteemed as one of the Wonders of the Earth And without question 't was a pleasing spectacle which could make St. Augustine otherwise a Person of great gravity and self-denial to his other two pious wishes annexed this Of seeing ROME in its full Glory Of the distinction and division of the People WHEN Romulus had secured his City he began to think on convenient waies of Policy whereby he might the better attain to a certain method of Government that might be best suitable to the genius of his rude and disorderly Subjects who therefore ranged them into three National Tribes or Wards 1. The first Ward was of the SABINES called Tatienses 2. The second of the ALBANS viz. Ramnenses 3. The third was of the LUCERES named so from the Grove where the Asylum or Sanctuary stood whither the People of all conditions daily repaired for defence and protection and every Ward was divided into ten Parishes Then he distinguisht them according to their Degrees and Offices calling the Oldest best and ablest of his Citizens if they had Children Patricii and the Meane sort Plebeii enacting Laws containing the duty negotiation and obligation of both The Patricii were to superintend Religion bear City Offices administer Justice to the Common people The Commons were to look to their Cattle tyll the Ground exercise all Handicrafts Out of all those Seniours he chose an hundred whom he called Senators from their Age who for distinctions sake wore a half-Moon upon their Shooes after this manner ☽ the letter standing for one hundred With these he consulted in things more particularly concerning the Common-wealth but lest puft up with Pride these Patricii should contemn and trample upon the Commonalty and the Meaner sort envy the happiness of the Great ones which in time might prove the seeds of Sedition to prevent such Inconveniences he so effected the matter that each should be mutually obliged and absolutely depend one upon another making it lawful for any of the Commons to choose according to an old Custome of the Thessali and Athenians whom he pleased out of the Patricii for his Patron The Patron was bound by Office to appear and answer for his Client in all Law-suits to manage his business to the best advantage whether absent or present In a word to endeavour as much as he could his ease and quiet The Client was to pay all due respects to his Patron assist him with his Purse in raising Portions for his Daughters to redeem him and his Sons if taken
Injury to be avoided all Strife and Controversies he determined by the acuteness of his Judgment making the peace and Happiness of Mankind his great business The Good by perswasions he invited to proceed in Vertue and the Insolencies of the Wicked he restrained by fear of punishment He Travelled through most parts of the World publickly denouncing War against all Robbers and Irreligious Persons commending and introducing Equity and Laws About the same time is reported his Victory over the Giants who depending upon their strength unjustly opprest and brought into slavery the rest of their Neighbours In few words for all these benefits he was accounted a God and sett Sacrifices appointed for him but as he grew up to this height of Glory so we have good reason to believe if good Authors but especially the Poets have not belyed him that he soon fell from his wonted Vertue nay by their relations he was so far from a Divinity that he is made altogether a Monster in humanity What Woman but of ordinary Beauty near him could escape the fury and violence of this lecherous hot-backt Deity The Oblations he most delighted in were Maiden-heads of his own sacrificing wherefore he translated more Whores to Heaven for their kindness and Beauty than Religious Persons for their Piety and Vertue many of the Stars being supposed to have been either his Concubines or Bastards and that he might be wicked and debauched enough for a Heathen-God he is reported to have married his own Sister and to have offended in the sin of Sodom with his little Ganimedes but perhaps many of those stories were put upon him by some Heathens who thought the Essence of a Deity consisted rather in the largeness of its Power than in the universality of its Goodness He was painted according to Albricus sitting in his Majesty in an Ivory Throne having in his Left hand a Royal Scepter with the other casting Thunderbolts to Hell and trampling under his feet the Giants overthrown with the same near him was an Eagle which flying between his legs carried away by force a beautiful Boy named Ganimedes having in his hand a Bolt or Beaker-Cup ready as it were to present it to Jupiter CERES CERES was the Daughter of Saturn and Ops and had in great estimation both by the Greeks and Latins She was respected as the Goddess of Husbandry and supposed to have been the first that taught Men the Art of Sowing She is also reported to have given out good Laws to make the life of Man more easie and pleasant The Ceremonies and Sacrifices which were performed to her were brought into Rome out of Greece by Evander She was painted in a Matrons habit adorned with a Garland of Corn sometimes sad with a Torch in her hand as if she were seeking out her Daughter Proserpina ravisht by Pluto the God of Hell at other times with an handful of Corn and Poppey as may be seen in Ancient Coyns PAN. PAN was the Son of Mercury and superintendent both of Sheep and Shepheards He was an ancient Deity of the Arcadians and translated by them from Arcadia into Italy where according to the command of Themis they built him a Temple in the place where Romulus was nursed by a Wolf called by the Romans Lupercal afterwards was much respected at Rome several Games and Sacrifices being set up and instituted in his Honour The Ceremonies used were these Two Goats being sacrificed two Noble mens Sons stood by whose foreheads some stained with their bloody Knives and others presently dried it up with Wool dipped in Milk it being necessary for the young Men to turn round about and whilest their foreheads were drying to laugh After this the Goat skins being cut into Thongs they run about almost naked having only their private parts covered striking with those Thongs whomsoever they met neither would the younger sort of Women endeavour the avoiding those stroaks because they thought they very much furthered Conception and facilitated their Delivery At the same time was sacrificed a Dog as an irreconcilable enemy to a Wolf He was pictured Naked having Horns in likeness to the Sun-beams a long Beard his Face red his Breast shining with Stars the nether part of his Body rough his Feet like a Goat having in one hand a Pipe in the other a Shepheards-Crook and was alwaies imagined to laugh But we should very much injure the wisdom of the Ancients if we should suppose that the Learneder sort also believed in such sensless Deities and ridiculous stories concerning them or that they could really entertain any good opinion of such odd and antick forms of Worships as were used at their Sacrifices Many of their Writings assure us sufficiently to the contrary and many of the Philosophers understood GOD to be the first Eternal Infinite and most Unchangable Being Plato in his Metaphysicks stoutly asserted the Unity Simplicity and Immutability of GOD he also demonstrated his All-sufficiency Incomprehensibility and Omnipresence also Socrates asserted the spiritual infinite and eternal Nature of God and his unity which was the great Reason why he suffered death and dyed a Martyr for the true God He affirmed likewise that vertue was the effect of neither Naturenor Art but the product of Divine Inspiration Antisthenes Socrates his Schollar taught That Vertue was the chiefest Good and that God cannot be resembled to any thing upon Earth and not elsewhere known but only in that everlasting Country of which we have no Idea or Image at all Plato terms his own divine Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledg of the first Being and proves that it is most conversant about God thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which always is is always most to be known St. Augustine says that this Plato merifice iis delectatus est quae de uno Dco tradita fuerant that he was strangely taken with those things which were delivered concerning one God and although they were forced sometimes to please the Civil Magistrate to intermix their own Grecian Trumperies and Fooleries with serious truths and for fear of the superstitious humour of the rabble to deliver many of their notions concerning God under those common and more conceived Appellations of Jupiter and Apollo yet the Sentiments and Apprehensions they really had of the Deity were far more noble and refined than those of the Vulgar though they were many times shrouded in cryptick and aenigmatical Expressions Justin Martyr bouldly affirms that Plato never spoke any thing of Moses for fear of the times his words are these Plato Mosis mentionem facere obid quod unum solumque Deum docueraet sibi apud Athenienses tutum non putavit veritus Areopagum Plato for fear of the Judgment and inquisition of the Areopagites thought it not safe to make any mention of Moses to the Athenians in that he affirmed there is but one God And Pythagoras condemned Homer and Hesiod to Hell to be there stung and bitten by
Language spoken in Britain in the daies of Bede differed very little from what was spoke on the Continent from the mouth of the Rhine round to Pomerania and through all those Inland Countries of Saxony Alsatia Westphalia and indeed all those Territories were possest by the same Nation of the Saxons though called by different Names And the very Coasts lying upon the British Sea even to Frisia Batavia and the River Scaldis even to the shore of Flanders was Anciently called by the name of Lower Saxony as may be gathered out of an old Chronicle writ about three hundred years ago in old Teutonick Verses Syt des sekex en gewis Be of this assured and certain Dat die Graeffchap van Holland is That the Earldom of Holland is Gen stucvan Urieslant ghenomen A piece of Friesland taken off Dude Boeken hoorde ic gewagen Old Books I have heard mention Dat all hetland Ueneden Nitemagen That all the Land beneath Newmagen Wylen ueder Sassen hight Was formerly called Lower Saxony And then he goeth on Alsoo al 's die stroom versscheit Uander Maze end vander Rhyn Die Schelt was dat west end Syn. That is That the Scheld taking in its waters from the Rhine and Mosel was the western bounds of it The same Dutch Author addeth further Die neder Sassen heitu nu Uriesen That is The Neather Saxons are now called Frisians By which it is plain that the Frisians mentioned by Procopius as Inhabitants of Britain were not a different Nation from the Saxons And this may suffice to be spoken of the divers Countries from whence our Ancestors proceeded and of their Customes Laws and Religion before their entrance into Britain In the next place shall further faithfully be related by what means and under whose conduct they gained that Empire here in Britain the foundations whereof yet remain unshaken THE HEPTARCHY OF THE SAXONS IN BRITAIN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE KINGDOM OF KENT Contained KENT KINGS Hengist Oeric alias Oisc Octa. Ermiric Ethelbert Eadbald Ercombert Egbert Lothair Edric Wigtred Edbert Ethelbert the Second Alric Ethelbert the Third Cuthred Baldred HENGIST TO resume the History where it broke off HENGIST having given his Daughter to VORTIGERN King of Britain and in Reward for her received the whole Country of Kent by donation began now to lay the foundation of a Saxon Monarchy in that part of the Island By gaining so fair and large Possessions as Kent so opportune for Navigation lying nearest to the Continent and open in its Ports he had means to receive and room to encourage any new Adventurers he should have occasion to invite over Besides these great advantages of Territory by near alliance to the Crown he gained these main points namely a trust and confidence in the King and consequently a certain dependance of the British Nobility upon him He had now a kind of Authority at Court and carried a stroke in their choicest Councels if at any time jealousies of him arose they were either stifled by a temporizing remembrance of his good Services or over-awed by his alliance and interest with the King Such who had the wit to disern or the honesty to give warning of his growing Ambition were looked upon as disaffected to the Government and Persons dissatisfied with the present management of Affairs And what added fewel to these Jealousies was that Vortigern himself was but an Usurper and Ambrose the Lawful Prince kept out by violence so that continually looking on that side from whence he expected most danger he was blind to the designs and contrivances of Hengist and lay open to all his encroachments Add to this that Vortigern whether by Nature so framed or by Custome changed after his advancement to the license of a Scepter was a slothful and amorous Prince uneasie to business and restless saving only in his delightful pleasures Hengist on the other hand watchful and contriving and one who well knew how to make the best use of those fair opportunities which were given him so that the one continually losing the other insensibly gaining the one never failing in his demands the other not daring to deny any thing the Saxons got such firm rooting at last that the hands that planted them were not able to pluck them up when they most desired it And now Hengist being well warm in his Principality of Kent obtains leave of the King to call over Octa and Ebissa his own and Brother's Son alledging that if Lands were given them in the North they might be as a Bulwark and Fence against the incursions of the Scots and Picts They therefore sayling as far as the Orcades as some write with five thousand Men and all along curbing the insolencies of those Nations at last seated themselves on that part of the Island which is now called Northumberland Affairs stated in this posture and the Island lying open at both ends to receive fresh supplies of Saxons Hengist thought it now or never high time to strike for the whole Empire he wanted not pretences for a quarrel alledging first that his Souldiers pay was run much in arrear which being advanced to them he then saies plainly that their wages was not proportionable to their service and requires an augmentation otherwise threatens open War Whilst the British Councels pause what Answer to return to these sudden demands He who desired not so much to be satisfied in that point as to gain occasion of quarrelling immediately takes hold of their deliberating for a positive denial and entring into League with the Scots and Picts issuing out of Kent before any opposition could be made he laies waste the whole Country as far as the Western Sea Now begun the Britains to feel the dismal effects of forreign Succours they had not now their old Enemies alone to deal with but a Nation far more experienced in War and what was more Pagan and Barbarous whole Towns and Colonies were overturned not as in fair War where the Conqueror is contented with confession of Victory but as it were to the utter extirpating of the Inhabitants desolation was heapt upon desolation Temples and Palaces Priest and People lay buried in the wide Ruines of their Country And yet these heavy Judgments to the shame be it spoken of a stupid and sinful Nation were not more deplorable saith Gildas than justly deserved As for Vortigern himself he was so far from being wakened by these Calamities that to the scandal of his Christian Profession he committed Incest with his own Daughter a sin scarcely named among the Gentiles for which being censured in a Councel by the advice of the Peers he retired to a strong Castle which he had built in Radnorshire leaving the management of Affairs to his Son Vortimer whom for his active courage and vertuous behaviour the Britains generally chose for their Leader This Prince in all likelyhood we may gather had already given good proofs of his Conduct in repulsing the Saxons during the Government
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
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
the Historians of those times have thought convenient that the memory of these Apostate Kings should be utterly razed and the same year reckoned the first of King Oswald a man dearly beloved of God OSWALD OSWALD after the death of his Brother was made King of Northumberland He was a Prince well grounded in his Religion and besides many other vertues had accomplisht himself during his Exile in all Military exercises to which in his youth he had studiously addicted himself And indeed the state of the Kingdom at his first entrance upon it being miserably harassed by Cadwallo required no ordinary man to redeem the glory and honour of it He had to deal with an enemy used to Conquer but withal proud and boasting and who by often beating the Northumberlands had now little opinion of the Saxon Valour in general and was therefore grown somewhat secure and negligent in his proceeding Him therefore Oswald with a small but Christian Army attacks by a little River running into Tine near the old Roman Wall the place called Denisborn and after a sharp fight slaies him with the greatest part of his huge Host which he boasted was Invincible It is reported that the first day Oswald though provoked would not joyn battel but spent the whole time in prayers and supplications commanding his Army to do the like and to shew that his trust was more in the protection of the Almighty than the arm of flesh and to profess himself the Souldier os Christ he erected for his Standard a great 〈◊〉 in the field wherein he encamped sustaining the same with his own hands until the Souldiers with earth filled up the ground it was fixed in from this Cross and the Victory ensuing the place was afterwards called 〈◊〉 and the Cross it self was long after much frequented for the Miracles said to be wrought by it Being settled in his Throne by the death of his potent Enemy like a good Prince his first care was to have his people again instructed in the Christian Religion which by the Apostasie of the former Princes and devastations of those times was almost utterly lost among them To this purpose he sends into Scotland where himself had been bred up to have some godly and laborious Preachers sent unto him his desires were readily assented to by the Clergy of that Country and Aidan a Monk and Bishop with others to assist him are accordingly dispatched who coming into Northumberland by their good example and diligent preaching wonderfully restored the Christian Religion insomuch that many thousands are said in few daies to have been Baptized by them This Aidan had assigned to him from the King for an Episcopal Seat a place then called Lindesfarn now Holy Island but he was not so famous by the dignity of his Sec as the singular vertues of his mind being a man above the level of that Age of wonderful moderation and not carried away with the nice and trivial points of Theology which most desperately infected those and latter times And this will more evidently appear by the Testimony of Bede in his preamble to the Councel of Whitby which you may find in the Reign of the following Prince And this might be the reason that he gained so much on the minds of his Auditors for whereas others following the example of Colmar a preacher then in Northumberland delighted more to shew their profound skill in points then controverted than plainly to set forth the grounds of Christianity Aidan on the contrary by easie Doctrine and yielding in things Ceremonial made more Christians by far though fewer Disputants Neither is the devotion and humility of Oswald himself to be passed over who disdained not to be Interpreter to the Bishop in his first preaching for whereas Aidan at his first coming spoke Scotch only or very broken English the King himself to secure him from contempt and to make his words carry more Authority was as you have heard himself the conduit to coveigh them to his People Neither is this King less celebrated for his exceeding Charity and pity to the poor feeding them with his own hands at the Gate and often distributing the plate it self amongst them for which it is said that Aidan being once present taking the King by the right hand thus said or prophesied That it was impossible that hand should parish which had so often sustained others which report goes after his death was fulfilled for that hand remaining uncorrupted was afterwards shrined in Silver and preserved entire in St. Peter's Church in Bebba now Bamborow Thus the Kingdom of Northumberland by the blessing of God and the good endeavours of King Oswald enjoyed the benefits of peace during which time Religion good Laws and Ordinances were established Churches erected through the whole Province and the general State so flourished that all the neighbouring Countries invited by the Princely vertues of Oswald especially the moderation of his Government daily flocked under his obedience insomuch that he had at command at one time people of four different languages Britains Picts Scotch and English Thus after he had Reigned the space of eight years worthy of a longer life he fell by the same fate and the same hands 〈◊〉 Edwin his Predecessour For 〈◊〉 the Pugan King of Mercia envying the greatness of his State made war upon 〈◊〉 and at a place called Maserfield now Oswester in Shropshire cut him in pieces with a great part of his Army on the fifth of August 642. His Body was buried at Bradney in Lincoinshire By his wife Kinburg Daughter of Kingils he had a Son named Ethelwald who being left young was put by the Kingdom by his base Uncle Oswy but he continually gave him trouble in the keeping of it and obtained lastly a Principality in Derra which he held by force after that Oswy had slain Oswyn the Nephew of Edwin who for seven years had held it OSWY OSWY the base Son of Edilfrid the Wild after the death of his Brother succeeded him in the Kingdom The beginning of his Reign was exceedingly turmoiled with the continual incursions of Penda the rebellions of his base Son Alkfrid and the opposition of Ethelwald Son of Edwin and rightful Heir of the Crown But his greatest eye-sore was Oswyn the Son of Osric Edwin's Brother who had possession of Deira a Prince highly beloved by his People for his good nature and much admired for zeal in Religion and humility in the profession of it Against him Oswy raiseth an Army and Oswyn meeteth him but finding himself far Inferiour in number he broke up his Camp which was then at Wilfaresdown ten miles west of Cataracton and reserving himself for a better opportunity with one Attendant named Condhere he withdrew to the house of Earl Hunwald on whose fidelity he much relied but contrary to his expectation he was by the said Earl basely betrayed to King Oswy and by his order as basely murthered at Ingethling Aidan the good Bishop survived not
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
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