dominion Coell the sonne of this Marius had issue Lucius counted the first christian king of this nation he conuerted the three archflamines of this land into bishopriks and ordeined bishops vnto ech of them The first remained at London and his power extended from the furthest part of Cornewall to Humber water The second dwelled at Yorke and his power stretched from Humber to the furthest part of all Scotland The third aboded at Caerleon vpon the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales his power extended from Seuerne through all Wales Some write that he made but two and turned their names to archbishops the one to remaine at Canturburie the other at Yorke yet they confesse that he of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland either of which is sufficient to prooue Scotland to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth a Romane but in bloud a Briton as some thinke and the lineall heire of the bodie of Androgeâ—s sonne of Lud nephue of Cassibelane was shortlie after emperour king of Britons in whose time the people to whom his ancester Marius gaue the land of Cathnesse in Scotland conspired with the Scots receiued them from the Iles into Scotland But herevpon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méeting with their faith and false harts togither droue them all out of the maine land into Iles the vttermost bounds of all great Britaine But notwithstanding this glorious victorie the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romans imposed by treason of Androgeus ancestor to this Seuerus began to hate him whome yet they had no time to loue and who in their defense and suertie had slaine of the Scots and their confederats in one battell thirtie thousand but such was the consideration of the common sort in those daies whose malice no time could diminish nor iust desert appease Antoninus Bassianus borne of a Briton woman and Geta borne by a Romane woman were the sonnes of this Seuerus who after the death of their father by the contrarie voices of their people contended for the crowne Few Britons held with Bassianus fewer Romans with Geta but the greater number with neither of both In the end Geta was slaine and Bassianus remained emperour against whom Carautius rebelled who gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited whereby his seison thereof appeareth Coill descended of the bloud of the ancient kings of this land was shortlie after king of the Britons whose onelie daughter and heire called Helen was married vnto Constantius a Romane who daunted the rebellion of all parts of great Britaine and after the death of this Coill was in the right of his wife king thereof and reigned in his state ouer them thirtéene or fouretéene yeares Constantine the sonne of this Constance and Helen was next king of Britons by the right of his mother who passing to Rome to receiue the empire thereof deputed one Octauius king of Wales and duke of the Gewisses which some expound to be afterward called west Saxons to haue the gouernment of this dominion But abusing the kings innocent goodnesse this Octauius defrauded this trust and tooke vpon him the crowne For which traitorie albeit he was once vanquished by Leonine Traheron great vncle to Constantine yet after the death of this Traheron he preuailed againe and vsurped ouer all Britaine Constantine being now emperor sent Marimius his kinsman hither in processe of time to destroie the same Octauius who in singular battell discomfited him Wherevpon this Maximius as well by the consent of great Constantine as by the election of all the Britons for that he was a Briton in bloud was made king or rather vicegerent of Britaine This Maximius made warre vpon the Scots and Scithians within Britaine and ceassed not vntill he had slaine Eugenius their king and expelled and driuen them out of the whole limits and bounds of Britaine Finallie he inhabited all Scotland with Britons no man woman nor child of the Scotish nation suffered to remaine within it which as their Hector Boetius saith was for their rebellion and rebellion properlie could it not be except they had béene subiects He suffered the Picts also to remaine his subiects who made solemne othes to him neuer after to erect anie peculiar king of their owne nation but to remaine vnder the old empire of the onelie king of Britaine I had once an epistle by Leland exemplified as he saith out of a verie ancient record which beareth title of Helena vnto hir sonne Constantine and entreth after this manner Domino semper Augusto filio Constantino mater Helena semper Augusta c. And now it repenteth me that I did not exemplifie and conueigh it into this treatise whilest I had his books For thereby I might haue had great light for the estate of this present discourse but as then I had no mind to haue trauelled in this matter neuerthelesse if hereafter it come againe to light I would wish it were reserued It followeth on also in this maner as it is translated out of the Gréeke Veritatem sapientis animus non recusat nec fides recta aliquando patitur quamcunque iacturam c. About fiue and fourtie yeares after this which was long time after the death of this Maximius with the helpe of Gouan or Gonan and Helga the Scots newlie arriued in Albania and there created one Fergus the second of that name to be there king But bicause they were before banished the continent land they crowned him king on their aduenture in Argile in the fatall chaire of marble the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and two and twentie as they themselues doo write Maximian sonne of Leonine Traheron brother to king Coill and vncle to Helene was by lineall succession next king of Britons but to appease the malice of Dionothus king of Wales who also claimed the kingdome he maried Othilia eldest daughter of Dionothus and afterwards assembled a great power of Britons and entered Albania inuading Gallowaie Mers Annandale Pentland Carrike Kill and Cuningham and in battell slue both this Fergus then king of Scots and Durstus the king of Picts and exiled all their people out of the continent land wherevpon the few number of Scots then remaining a liue went to Argile and there made Eugenius their king When this Maximian had thus obteined quietnesse in Britaine he departed with his cousine Conan Meridocke into Armorica where they subdued the king and depopulated the countrie which he gaue to Conan his cousine to be afterward inhabited by Britons by the name of Britaine the lesse and hereof this realme tooke name of Britaine the great which name by consent of forren writers it keepeth vnto this daie After the death of Maximian dissention being mooued betweene the nobles of Britaine the Scots swarmed togither againe and came to the wall of Adrian where this realme being diuided in manie factions they ouercame one
And herevpon their Hector Boetius as an hen that for laieng of one eg will make a great cakeling solemnlie triumphing for a conquest before the victorie alledgeth that hereby the Britons were made tributaries to the Scots and yet he confesseth that they won no more land by that supposed conquest but the same portion betwéene them and Humber which in the old partitions before was annexed to Albania It is hard to be beléeued that such a broken nation as the Scots at that time were returning from banishment within foure yeares before and since in battell loosing both their kings and the great number of their best men to be thus able to make a conquest of great Britaine and verie vnlikelie if they had conquered it they would haue left the hot sunne of the south parts to dwell in the cold snow in Scotland Incredible it is that if they had conquered it they would not haue deputed officers in it as in cases of conquest behooueth And it is beyond all beliefe that great Britaine or any other countrie should be woon without the comming of anie enimie into it as they did not but taried finallie at the same wall of Adrian whereof I spake before But what need I speake of these defenses when the same Boecius scantlie trusteth his owne beliefe in this tale For he saieth that Galfride and sundrie other authentike writers diuerslie varie from this part of his storie wherein his owne thought accuseth his conscience of vntruth herein also he further forgetting how it behooueth a lier to be mindfull of his assertion in the fourth chapter next following wholie bewraieth himselfe saieng that the confederat kings of Scots and Picts vpon ciuill warres betwéene the Britons which then followed hoped shortlie to inioie all the land of great Britaine from beyond Humber vnto the fresh sea which hope had bene vaine and not lesse than void if it had béene their owne by anie conquest before Constantine of Britaine descended from Conan king thereof cousine of Brutes bloud to this Maximian and his neerest heire was next king of Britaine he immediatlie pursued the Scots with wars and shortlie in battell slue their king Dongard in the first yeare of his reigne whereby he recouered Scotland out of their hands and tooke all the holdes thereof into his owne possessions Uortiger shortlie after obteined the crowne of Britaine against whom the Scots newlie rebelled for the repressing whereof mistrusting the Britons to hate him for sundrie causes as one that to auoid the smoke dooth oft fall into the fire receiued Hengest a Saxon and a great number of his countriemen with whom and a few Britons he entred Scotland ouercame them wherevpon they tooke the Iles which are their common refuge He gaue also much of Scotland as Gallowaie Pentland Mers and Annandale with sundrie other lands to this Hengest and his people to inhabit which they did accordinglie inioie But when this Hengest in processe of time thirsted after the whole kingdome of the south he was banished and yet afterward being restored he conspired with the Scots against Aurilambrose the sonne of Constantine the iust inheritor of this whole dominion But his vntruth and theirs were both recompensed togither for he was taken prisoner by Eldulph de Samor a noble man of Britaine and his head for his traitorie striken off at the commandement of Aurilambrose In the field the Scots were vanquished but Octa the sonne of Hengest was receiued to mercie to whome and his people this Aurilambrose gaue the countrie of Gallowaie in Scotland for which they became his subiects And hereby appeareth that Scotland was then againe reduced into his hands Uter called also Pendragon brother to Aurilambrose was next king of the Britons against whome these sworne Saxons now foresworne subiects confederate with the Scots newlie rebelled but by his power assembled against them in Gallowaie in Scotland they were discomfited Albania againe recouered vnto his subiection Arthur the sonne of of this Uter begotten before the mariage but lawfullie borne in matrimonie succéeded next to the crowne of great Britaine whose noble acts though manie vulgar fables haue rather stained than commended yet all the Scotish writers confesse that he subdued great Britaine and made it tributarie to him and ouercame the Saxons then scattered as far as Cathnesse in Scotland and in all these wars against them he had the seruice and obeisance of Scots and Picts But at the last setting their féet in the guilefull paths of their predecessors they rebelled and besieged the citie of Yorke Howell king of the lesse Britaine cousine to king Arthur being therein But he with an host came thither and discomfited the Scots chased them into a marsh and besieged them there so long that they were almost famished vntill the bishops abbats and men of religion for as much as they were christened people besought him to take them to his mercie and grace and to grant them a portion of the same countrie to dwell in vnder euerlasting subiection Upon this he tooke them to his grace homage and fealtie and when they were sworne his subiects and liegemen he ordeined his kinsman Anguisan to be their king and gouernour Urian king of Iland and Murefrence king of Orkeneie He made an archbishop of Yorke also whose authoritie extended through all Scotland Finallie the said Arthur holding his roiall feast at Cairleon had there all the kings that were subiects vnto him among which Angusian the said king of Scots did his due seruice and homage so long as he was with him for the realme of Scotland bare king Arthurs sword afore him Malgo shortlie after succéeded in the whole kingdome of great Britaine who vpon new resistance made subdued Ireland Iland the Orchads Norwaie and Denmarke and made Ethelfred a Saxon king of Bernicia that is Northumberland Louthian and much other land of Scotland which Ethelfred by the sword obteined at the hands of the wilfull inhabitants and continued true subiect to this Malgo. Cadwan succéeded in the kingdome of great Britaine who in defense of his subiects the Scots made warre vpon this Ethelfred but at the last they agréed and Cadwan vpon their rebellion gaue all Scotland vnto this Ethelfred which he therevpon subdued and inioied but afterward in the reigne of Cadwallo that next succeeded in great Britaine he rebelled Whervpon the same Cadwallo came into Scotland and vpon his treason reseised the countrie into his owne hands and hauing with him all the vicerois of the Saxons which then inhabited here as his subiects in singular battell he slue the same Ethelfred with his owne hands Oswald was shortlie after by Cadwallos gift made king of Bernicia and he as subiect to Cadwallo and by his commandement discomfited the Scots and Picts and subdued all Scotland Oswie the brother of this Oswald was by the like gift of Cadwallo made next king of Bernicia and he by like commandement newlie subdued the Scots and Picts and held them in that
obeisance to this Cadwallo during eight and twentie yeares Thus Cadwallo reigned in the whole monarchie of great Britaine hauing all the seuen kings thereof as well Saxons as others his subiects for albeit the number of Saxons from time to time greatlie increased yet were they alwaies either at the first expelled or else made tributarie to the onelie kings of Britons for the time being as all their owne writers doo confesse Cadwallader was next king of the whole great Britaine he reigned twelue yeares ouer all the kings thereof in great peace and tranquillitie and then vpon the lamentable death of his subiects which died of sundrie diseases innumerablie he departed into little Britaine His sonne and cousine Iuor and Iue being expelled out of England also by the Saxons went into Wales where among the Britons they and their posteritie remained princes Upon this great alteration and warres being through the whole dominion betwéene the Britons and Saxons the Scots thought time to slip the collar of obedience and therevpon entred in league with Charles then king of France establishing it in this wise 1 The iniurie of Englishmen doone to anie of these people shall be perpetuallie holden common to them both 2 When Frenchmen be inuaded by Englishmen the Scots shall send their armie in defense of France so that they be supported with monie and vittels by the French 3 When Scots be inuaded by Englishmen the Frenchmen shall come vpon their owne expenses to their support and succour 4 None of the people shall take peace or truce with Englishmen without the aduise of other c. Manie disputable opinions may be had of warre without the praising of it as onlie admittable by inforced necessitie and to be vsed for peace sake onelie where here the Scots sought warre for the loue of warre onelie For their league giueth no benefit to themselues either in frée traffike of their owne commodities or benefit of the French or other priuilege to the people of both What discommoditie riseth by loosing the intercourse and exchange of our commodities being in necessaries more aboundant than France the Scots féele and we perfectlie know What ruine of their townes destruction of countries slaughter of both peoples haue by reason of this bloudie league chanced the histories be lamentable to read and horrible among christian men to be remembred but God gaue the increase according to their séed for as they did hereby sowe dissention so did they shortlie after reape a bloudie slaughter and confusion For Alpine their king possessing a light mind that would be lost with a little wind hoped by this league shortlie to subdue all great Britaine and to that end not onelie rebelled in his owne kingdome but also vsurped vpon the kingdome of Picts Whervpon Edwine king of England made one Brudeus king of Picts whom he sent into Scotland with a great power where in battell he tooke this Alpine king of Scots prisoner and discomfited his people And this Alpine being their king found subiect and rebell his head was striken off at a place in Scotland which thereof is to this daie called Pasalpine that is to saie the head of Alpine And this was the first effect of their French league Osbright king of England with Ella his subiect and a great number of Britons and Saxons shortlie after for that the Scots had of themselues elected a new king entered Scotland and ceassed not his war against them vntill their king and people fled into the Iles with whome at the last vpon their submission peace was made in this wise The water of Frith shall be march betwéene Scots and Englishmen in the east parts and shall be named the Scotish sea The water of Cluide to Dunbriton shall be march in the west parts betwéene the Scots and Britons This castell was before called Alcluide but now Dunbriton that is to say the castle of Britons and sometimes it was destroied by the Danes So the Britons had all the lands from Sterling to the Ireland seas and from the water of Frith Cluide to Cumber with all the strengths and commodities thereof and the Englishmen had the lands betwéene Sterling and Northumberland Thus was Cluide march betwéene the Scots and the Britons on the one side and the water of Frith named the Scotish sea march betwéene them and Englishmen on the other side and Sterling common march to thrée people Britons Englishmen and Scots howbeit king Osbright had the castle of Sterling where first he caused to be coined Sterling monie The Englishmen also builded a bridge of stone for passage ouer the water of Frith in the middest whereof they made a crosse vnder which were written these verses I am free march as passengers may ken To Scots to Britons and Englishmen Not manie yeares after this Hinguar and Hubba two Danes with a great number of people arriued in Scotland and slue Constantine whom Osbright had before made king wherevpon Edulfe or Ethelwulfe then king of England assembled his power against Hinguar and Hubba and in one battell slue them both but such of their people as would remaine and become christians he suffered to tarie the rest he banished or put to death c. This Ethelwulfe granted the Peter pence of which albeit Peter Paule had little need and lesse right yet the paiment thereof continued in this realme euer after vntill now of late yeares But the Scots euer since vnto this daie haue and yet doo paie it by reason of that grant which prooueth them to be then vnder his obeisance Alured or Alfred succéeded in the kingdome of England and reigned noblie ouer the whole monarchie of great Britaine he made lawes that persons excommunicated should be disabled to sue or claime anie propertie which law Gregour whome this Alured had made king of Scots obeied and the same law as well in Scotland as in England is holden to this daie which also prooueth him to be high lord of Scotland This Alured constreined Gregour king of Scots also to breake the league with France for generallie he concluded with him and serued him in all his warres as well against Danes as others not reseruing or making anie exception of the former league with France The said Alured after the death of Gregour had the like seruice and obeisance of Donald king of Scots with fiue thousand horssemen against one Gurmond a Dane that then infested the realme and this Donald died in this faith and obeisance with Alured Edward the first of that name called Chifod sonne of this Alured succéeded his father and was the next king of England against whome Sithrtic a Dane and the Scots conspired but they were subdued and Constantine their king brought to obeisance He held the realme of Scotland also of king Edward and this dooth Marian their owne countrieman a Scot confesse beside Roger Houeden and William of Malmesberie In the yeare of our Lord 923 the same king Edward was president and gouernour of
all the people of England Cumberland Scots Danes and Britons King Athelstane in like sort conquered Scotland and as he laie in his tents beside Yorke whilest the warres lasted the king of Scots feined himselfe to be a minstrell and harped before him onelie to espie his ordinance and his people But being as their writers confesse corrupted with monie he sold his faith and false heart together to the Danes and aided them against king Athelstane at sundrie times Howbeit he met with all their vntruthes at Broningfield in the west countrie as is mentioned in the ninth chapter of the first booke of this description where he discomfited the Danes and slue Malcolme deputie in that behalfe to the king of Scots in which battell the Scots confesse themselues to haue lost more people than were remembred in anie age before Then Athelstane following his good lucke went throughout all Scotland and wholie subdued it and being in possession thereof gaue land there lieng in Annandale by his deed the copie wherof dooth follow I king Athelstane giues vnto Paulam Oddam and Roddam al 's good and al 's faire as euer they mine were and thereto witnesse Mauld my wife By which course words not onelie appeareth the plaine simplicitie of mens dooings in those daies but also a full proofe that he was then seized of Scotland At the last also he receiued homage of Malcolme king of Scots but for that he could not be restored to his whole kingdome he entered into religion and there shortlie after died Then Athelstane for his better assurance of that countrie there after thought it best to haue two stringes to the bowe of their obedience and therefore not onelie constituted on Malcolme to be their king but also appointed one Indulph sonne of Constantine the third to be called prince of Scotland to whome he gaue much of Scotland and for this Malcolme did homage to Athelstane Edmund brother of Athelstane succéeded next king of England to whome this Indulph then king of Scots not onelie did homage but also serued him with ten thousand Scots for the expulsion of the Danes out of the realme of England Edred or Eldred brother to this Edmund succéeded next king of England he not onelie receiued the homage of Irise then king of Scots but also the homage of all the barons of Scotland Edgar the sonne of Edmund brother of Athelstane being now of full age was next king of England he reigned onelie ouer the whole monarchie of Britaine and receiued homage of Keneth king of Scots for the kingdome of Scotland and made Malcolme prince thereof This Edgar gaue vnto the same Keneth the countrie of Louthian in Scotland which was before seized into the hands of Osbright king of England for their rebellion as is before declared He inioined Keneth their said king also once in euerie yéere at certeine principall feasts whereat the king did vse to weare his crowne to repaire vnto him into England for the making of lawes which in those daies was doone by the noble men or péeres according to the order of France at this daie He allowed also sundrie lodgings in England to him and his successours whereat to lie and refresh themselues in their iourneies whensoeuer they should come vp to doo their homages and finallie a péece of ground lieng beside the new palace of Westminster vpon which this Keneth builded a house that by him and his posseritie was inioied vntill the reigne of king Henrie the second In whose time vpon the rebellion of William king of Scots it was resumed into the king of Englands hand The house is decaied but the ground where it stood is called Scotland to this daie Moreouer Edgar made this law that no man should succéed to his patrimonie or inheritance holden by knights seruice vntill he accomplished the age of one and twentie yéeres because by intendment vnder that age he should not be able in person to serue his king and countrie according to the tenor of his deed and the condition of his purchase This law was receiued by the same Keneth in Scotland and as well there as in England is obserued to this daie which prooueth also that Scotland was then vnder his obeisance In the yeere of our Lord 974 Kinald king of Scots and Malcolme king of Cumberland Macon king of Man and the Iles Duuenall king of Southwales Siferth and Howell kings of the rest of Wales Iacob or Iames of Gallowaie Iukill of Westmerland did homage to king Edgar at Chester And on the morrow going by water to the monasterie of saint Iohns to seruice and returning home againe the said Edgar sitting in a barge and stirring the same vpon the water of Dée made the said kings to row the barge saieng that his successors might well be ioifull to haue the prerogatiue of so great honour and the superioritie of so manie mightie princes to be subiect vnto their monarchie Edward the sonne of this Edgar was next king of England in whose time this Keneth king of Scots caused Malcolme king of Scotland to be poisoned Wherevpon king Edward made warre against him which ceased not vntill this Keneth submitted himselfe and offered to receiue him for prince of Scotland whome king Edward would appoint Herevpon king Edward proclamed one Malcolme to be prince of Scotland who immediatlie came into England and there did homage vnto the same king Edward Etheldred brother of this Edward succéeded next ouer England against whome Swaine king of Denmarke conspired with this last Malcolme then king of Scots But shortlie after this Malcolme sorrowfullie submitted himselfe into the defense of Etheldred who considering how that which could not be amended must onelie be repented benignlie receiued him By helpe of whose seruice at last Etheldred recouered his realme againe out of the hands of Swaine and reigned ouer the whole monarchie eight and thirtie yéeres Edmund surnamed Ironside sonne of this Etheldred was next king of England in whose time Canutus a Dane inuaded the realme with much crueltie But at the last he married with Emme sometime wise vnto Etheldred and mother of this Edmund Which Emme as arbitratrix betweene hir naturall loue to the one and matrimoniall dutie to the other procured such amitie betwéene them in the end that Edmund was contented to diuide the realme with Canutus and keeping to himselfe all England on this side Humber gaue all the rest beyond Humber with the seigniorie of Scotland to this Canutus Wherevpon Malcolme then king of Scots after a little accustomable resistance did homage to the same Canutus for the kingdome of Scotland Thus the said Canutus held the same ouer of this Edmund king of England by the like seruices so long as they liued togither This Canutus in memorie of this victorie and glorie of his seigniorie ouer the Scots commanded Malcolme their king to build a church in Buchquhan in Scotland where a field betweene him and them was fought to be dedicated to Olauus patrone
being nine yeares of age was by the lawes of Edgar in ward to king Henrie the third by the nobles of Scotland brought to Yorke and there deliuered vnto him During whose minoritie king Henrie gouerned Scotland and to subdue a commotion in this realme vsed the aid of fiue thousand Scotishmen But king Henrie died during the nonage of this Alexander whereby he receiued not his homage which by reason and law was respited vntill his full age of one and twentie yeares Edward the first after the conquest sonne of this Henrie was next king of England immediatlie after whose coronation Alexander king of Scots being then of full age did homage to him for Scotland at Westminster swearing as all the rest did after this maner I. D. N. king of Scots shall be true and faithfull vnto you lord E. by the grace of God king of England the noble and superior lord of the kingdome of Scotland and vnto you I make my fidelitie for the same kingdome the which I hold and claime to hold of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and lim and worldlie honour against all men faithfullie I shall knowlege and shall doo you seruice due vnto you of the kingdome of Scotland aforesaid as God me so helpe and these holie euangelies This Alexander king of Scots died leauing one onelie daughter called Margaret for his heire who before had maried Hanigo sonne to Magnus king of Norwaie which daughter also shortlie after died leauing one onelie daughter hir heire of the age of two yeares whose custodie and mariage by the lawes of king Edgar and Edward the confessor belonged to Edward the first whervpon the nobles of Scotland were commanded by our king Edward to send into Norwaie to conueie this yoong queene into England to him whome he intended to haue maried to his sonne Edward and so to haue made a perfect vnion long wished for betwéene both realmes Herevpon their nobles at that time considering the same tranquillitie that manie of them haue since refused stood not vpon shifts and delaies of minoritie nor contempt but most gladlie consented and therevpon sent two noble men of Scotland into Norwaie for hir to be brought to this king Edward but she died before their comming thither and therefore they required nothing but to inioie the lawfull liberties that they had quietlie possessed in the last king Alexanders time After the death of this Margaret the Scots were destitute of anie heire to the crowne from this Alexander their last king at which time this Edward descended from the bodie of Mawd daughter of Malcolme sometime king of Scots being then in the greatest broile of his warres with France minded not to take the possession of that kingdome in his owne right but was contented to establish Balioll to be king thereof the weake title betwéene him Bruse Hastings being by the humble petition of all the realme of Scotland cōmitted to the determination of king Edward wherein by autentike writing they confessed the superioritie of the realme to remaine in king Edward sealed with the seales of foure bishops seuen earles and twelue barons of Scotland and which shortlie after was by the whole assent of the three estates of Scotland in their solemne parlement confessed and enacted accordinglie as most euidentlie dooth appeare The Balioll in this wise made king of Scotland did immediatlie make his homage and fealtie at Newcastell vpon saint Stéeuens daie as did likewise all the lords of Scotland each one setting his hand to the composition in writing to king Edward of England for the kingdome of Scotland but shortlie after defrauding the benigne goodnesse of his superiour he rebelled and did verie much hurt in England Herevpon king Edward inuaded Scotland seized into his hands the greater part of the countrie and tooke all the strengths thereof Whervpon Balioll king of Scots came vnto him to Mauntrosse in Scotland with a white wand in his hand and there resigned the crowne of Scotland with all his right title and interest to the same into the hands of king Edward and thereof made his charter in writing dated and sealed the fourth yeare of his reigne All the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland also repaired to Berwike and did homage and fealtie to king Edward there becomming his subiects For the better assurance of whose oths also king Edward kept all the strengths and holdes of Scotland in his owne hands and herevpon all their lawes processes all iudgements gifts of assises and others passed vnder the name and authoritie of king Edward Leland touching the same rehearsall writeth thereof in this maner In the yeare of our Lord 1295 the same Iohn king of Scots contrarie to his faith and allegiance rebelled against king Edward and came into England and burnt and siue without all modestie and mercie Wherevpon king Edward with a great host went to Newcastell vpon Tine passed the water of Twéed besieged Berwike and got it Also he wan the castell of Dunbar and there were slaine at this brunt 15700 Scots Then he proceeded further and gat the castell of Rokesborow and the castell of Edenborow Striuelin and Gedworth and his people harried all the land In the meane season the said king Iohn of Scots considering that he was not of power to withstand king Edward sent his letters and besought him of treatie and peace which our prince benignlie granted and sent to him againe that he should come to the towre of Brechin and bring thither the great lords of Scotland with him The king of England sent thither Antonie Becke bishop of Durham with his roiall power to conclude the said treatise And there it was agreed that the said Iohn and all the Scots should vtterlie submit themselues to the kings will And to the end the submission should be performed accordinglie the king of Scots laid his sonne in hostage and pledge vnto him There also he made his letters sealed with the common scale of Scotland by the which he knowledging his simplenes and great offense doone to his lord king Edward of England by his full power and frée will yeelded vp all the land of Scotland with all the people and homage of the same Then our king went foorth to sée the mounteins and vnderstanding that all was in quiet and peace he turned to the abbeie of Scone which was of chanons regular where he tooke the stone called the Regall of Scotland vpon which the kings of that nation were woont to sit at the time of their coronations for a throne sent it to the abbeie of Westminster commanding to make a chaire therof for the priests that should sing masse at the high altar which chaire was made and standeth yet there at this daie to be séene In the yeare of our Lord 1296 the king held his parlement at Berwike and there he tooke homage singularlie of diuerse of the lords nobles of Scotland And for a perpetuall memorie of the same they
noted and not vniustlie to degenerate from true nobilitie and betake themselues to husbandrie And euen the same enormitie tooke place sometime among the Romans and entred so farre as into the verie senate of whome some one had two or thrée ships going vpon the sea pretending prouision for their houses but in truth following the trades of merchandize till a law was made which did inhibit and restraine them Liuie also telleth of another law which passed likewise against the senators by Claudius the tribune and helpe onelie of C. Flaminius that no senator or he that had beene father to anie senator should possesse anie ship or vessell aboue the capacitie of thrée hundred amphoras which was supposed sufficient for the cariage and recariage of such necessities as should apperteine vnto his house sith further trading with merchandizes and commodities dooth delcare but a base and couetous mind not altogither void of enuie that anie man should liue but he or that if anie gaine were to be had he onelie would haue it himselfe which is a wonderfull dealing and must néeds proue in time the confusion of that countrie wherein such enormities are exercised Where in times part manie large and wealthie occupiers were dwelling within the compasse of some one parke and thereby great plentie of corne and cattell séene and to be had among them beside a more copious procreation of humane issue whereby the realme was alwaies better furnished with able men to serue the prince in his affaires now there is almost nothing kept but a sort of wild and sauage beasts cherished for pleasure and delight and yet some owners still desirous to inlarge those grounds as either for the bréed and feeding of cattell doo not let dailie to take in more not sparing the verie commons whervpon manie towneships now and then doo liue affirming that we haue alreadie too great store of people in England and that youth by marrieng too soone doo nothing profit the countrie but fill it full of beggars to the hurt and vtter vndooing they saie of the common wealth Certes if it be not one curse of the Lord to haue our countrie conuerted in such sort from the furniture of mankind into the walks and shrowds of wild beasts I know not what is anie How manie families also these great and small games for so most kéepers call them haue eaten vp and are likelie hereafter to deuoure some men may coniecture but manie more lament sith there is no hope of restraint to be looked for in this behalfe because the corruption is so generall But if a man may presentlie giue a ghesse at the vniuersalitie of this euill by contemplation of the circumstance he shall saie at the last that the twentith part of the realme is imploied vpon déere and conies alreadie which séemeth verie much if it be not dulie considered of King Henrie the eight one of the noblest princes that euer reigned in this land lamented oft that he was constreined to hire forren aid for want of competent store of souldiors here at home perceiuing as it is indeed that such supplies are oftentimes more hurtfull than profitable vnto those that interteine them as may chéeflie be seene in Ualens the emperor our Uortiger and no small number of others He would oft maruell in priuate talke how that when seauen or eight princes ruled here at once one of them could lead thirtie or fortie thousand men to the field against another or two of them 100000 against the third and those taken out onelie of their owne dominions But as he found the want so he saw not the cause of this decaie which grew beside this occasion now mentioned also by laieng house to house and land to land whereby manie mens occupiengs were conuerted into one and the bréed of people not a little thereby diminished The auarice of landlords by increasing of rents and fines also did so wearie the people that they were readie to rebell with him that would arise supposing a short end in the warres to be better than a long and miserable life in peace Priuileges and faculties also are another great cause of the ruine of a common wealth and diminution of mankind for whereas law and nature dooth permit all men to liue in their best maner and whatsoeuer trade they be exercised in there commeth some priuiledge or other in the waie which cutteth them off from this or that trade wherby they must néeds shift soile and séeke vnto other countries By these also the greatest commodities are brought into the hands of few who imbase corrupt and yet raise the prices of things at their owne pleasures Example of this last I can giue also in bookes which after the first impression of anie one booke are for the most part verie negligentlie handled whereas if another might print it so well as the first then would men striue which of them should doo it best and so it falleth out in all other trades It is an easie matter to prooue that England was neuer lesse furnished with people than at this present for it the old records of euerie manour be sought and search made to find what tenements are fallen either downe or into the lords hands or brought and vnited togither by other men it will soone appéere that in some one manour seuentéen eightéene or twentie houses are shrunke I know what I saie by mine owne experience notwithstanding that some one cotage be here and there erected of late which is to little purpose Of cities and townes either vtterlie decaied or more than a quarter or halfe diminished though some one be a little increased here and there of townes pulled downe for sheepe-walks and no more but the lordships now standing in them beside those that William Rufus pulled downe in his time I could saie somewhat but then I should swarue yet further from my purpose wherevnto I now returne Wée had no parkes left in England at the comming of the Normans who added this calamitie also to the seruitude of our nation making men of the best sort furthermore to become kéepers of their game whilest they liued in the meane time vpon the spoile of their reuenues and dailie ouerthrew townes villages and an infinit sort of families for the maintenance of their venerie Neither was anie parke supposed in these times to be statelie enough that conteined not at the least eight or ten hidelands that is so manie hundred acres or families or as they haue béene alwaies called in some places of the realme carrucats or cartwares of which one was sufficient in old time to mainteine an honest yeoman King Iohn trauelling on a time northwards to wit 1209 to warre vpon the king of Scots because he had married his daughter to the earle of Bullen without his consent in his returne ouerthrew a great number of parkes and warrens of which some belonged to his barons but the greatest part to the abbats and prelats of the cleargie
the same daies tooke name of them the one being called Wodensdaie and the other Freadaie which woords after in continuance of time by corruption of spéech were somewhat altered though not much as from Wodensdaie to Wednesdaie and from Freadaie to Fridaie The foresaid Woden was father to Uecta the father of Westgistus that was father to the foresaid Hengistus and Horsus But now to rehearse further touching those thrée people which at this time came ouer into Britaine out of Germanie Of the Uites or Iutes as Beda recordeth are the Kentishmen descended and the people of the I le of Wight with those also that inhabit ouer against the same I le Of the Saxons came the east the south the west Saxons Moreouer of the Angles procéeded the east Angles the middle Angles or Mercies and the Northerne men That these Angles were a people of Germanie it appeareth also by Cornelius Tacitus who called them Anglij which word is of thrée syllables as Polydor saith but some write it Angli with two syllables And that these Angli or Anglij were of no small force and authoritie in Germanie before their comming into this land maie appeare in that they are numbred amongst the twelue nations there which had lawes and ancient ordinances apart by themselues according to the which the state of their common wealth was gouerned they being the same and one people with the Thuringers as in the title of the old Thuringers lawes we find recorded which is thus Lex Angliorum Werinorum hoc est Thuringorum The law of the Angles and Werinians that is to saie the Thuringers which Thuringers are a people in Saxonie as in the description of that countrie it maie appeare But now to the matter Hengist perceiuing that his people were highlie in Uortigernes fauour began to handle him craftilie deuising by what means he might bring him in loue with his daughter Ronix or Rowen or Ronowen as some write which he beléeued well would easilie be brought to passe bicause he vnderstood that the king was much giuen to sensuall lust which is the thing that often blindeth wise mens vnderstanding and maketh them to dote and to lose their perfect wits yea and oftentimes bringeth them to destruction though by such pleasant poison they féele no bitter taste till they be brought to the extreame point of confusion in déed A great supper therefore was prepared by Hengist at the which it pleased the king to be present and appointed his daughter when euerie man began to be somewhat merrie with drinke to bring in a cup of gold full of good and pleasant wine and to present it to the kingâ—â— saieng Wassail Which she did in such comelie and decent maner as she that knew how to doo it well inough so as the king maruelled greatlie thereat and not vnderstanding what she ment by that salutation demanded what it signified To whom it was answered by Hengist that she wished him well and the meaning of it was that he should drinke after hir ioining thereto this answer Drinke haile Wherevpon the king as he was informed tooke the cup at the damsels hand and dranke Finallie this yoong ladie behaued hir selfe with such pleasant woords comelie countenance and amiable grace that the king beheld hir so long till he felt himselfe so farre in loue with hir person that he burned in continuall desire to inioy the same insomuch that shortlie after he forsooke his owne wife by the which he had thrée sonnes named Uortimerus Catagrinus and Pascentius and required of Hengist to haue his daughter the said Rowen or Ronowen in mariage Hengist at the first séemed strange to grant to his request and excused the matter for that his daughter was not of estate and dignitie méet to be matched with his maiestie But at length as it had béene halfe against his will he consented and so the mariage was concluded solemnized all Kent being assigned vnto Hengist in reward the which countrie was before that time gouerned by one Guorongus though not with most equall iustice which Guorongus was subiect vnto Uortigerne as all other the potentats of the I le were This mariage and liberalitie of the king towards the strangers much offended the minds of his subiects and hastened the finall destruction of the land For the Saxons now vnderstanding the affinitie had betwixt the king and Hengist came so fast ouer to inhabit héere that it was woonder to consider in how short a time such a multitude could come togither so that bicause of their great number and approoued puissance in warres they began to be a terrour to the former inhabitants the Britains But Hengist being no lesse politike in counsell than valiant in armes abusing the kings lacke of discretion to serue his owne turne persuaded him to call out of Germanie his brother Occa and his sonne named Ebusa being men of great valure to the end that as Hengist defended the land in the south part so might they keepe backe the Scots in the north Héerevpon by the kings consent they came with a power out of Germanie and coasting about the land they sailed to the Iles of Orknie and sore vexed the people there and likewise the Scots and Picts also and finallie arriued in the north parts of the realme now called Northumberland where they setled themselues at that present and so continued there euer after but none of them taking vpon him the title of king till about 99 yéeres after their first comming into that countrie but in the meane time remaining as subiects vnto the Saxon kings of Kent After their arriuall in that prouince they oftentimes fought with the old inhabitants there and ouercame them chasing away such as made resistance and appeased the residue by receiuing them vnder allegiance When the nobles of Britaine saw and perceiued in what danger the land stood by the dailie repaire of the huge number of Saxons into the same they first consulted togither and after resorting to the king mooued him that some order might be taken for the auoiding of them or the more part of them least they should with their power and great multitude vtterlie oppresse the British nation But all was in vaine for Uortigerne so estéemed and highlie fauoured the Saxons and namelie by reason of the great loue which he bare to his wife that he little regarded his owne nation no nor yet anie thing estéemed his owne naturall kinsmen and chiefe friends by reason whereof the Britains in fine depriued him of all kinglie honour after that he had reigned 16 yéeres and in his steed crowned his sonne Uortimer Gyldas and Beda make no mention of Uortimer but declare that after the Saxons were receiued into this land there was a couenant made betwixt them and the Britains that the Saxons should defend the countrie from the inuasion of enimies by their knightlie force and that in
season at sundrie times diuers great companies of the Saxons came ouer into Britaine out of Germanie and got possession of the countries of Mercia and Eastangle but as yet those of Mercia had no one king that gouerned them but were vnder certeine noble men that got possession of diuers parts in that countrie by means wherof great warres and manie incounters insued with a common waste of land both arable and habitable whiles each one being ambitiouslie minded heaping to themselues such powers as they were able to make by swoord and bloudshed chose rather to haue their fortune decided than by reason to suppresse the rage of their vnrulie affections For such is the nature of men in gouernement whether they be interessed to it by succession or possessed of it by vsurpation or placed in it by lawfull constitution vnlesse they be guided by some supernaturall influence of diuine conceit if they be more than one they cannot away with equalitie for regiment admitteth no companion but euerie one séeketh to aduance himselfe to a singularitie of honour wherein he will not to die for it participate with another which maie easilie be obserued in this our historicall discourse The beginning of the kingdome of the Eastsaxons what it conteined of Arthur king of Britaine his twelue victories ouer the Saxons against whome he mainteined continuall warre why the Scots and Picts enuied him his roialtie and empire a league betwixt Arthur and Loth king of the Picts Howell king of little Britaine aideth Arthur against Cheldrike king of Germanie who taking the ouerthrow is slaine by the duke of Cornewall the Picts are discomfited the Irishmen with their king put to slight and the Scots subdued Arthurs sundrie conquests against diuers people the vanitie of the British writers noted The twelfe Chapter IN those daies also the kingdome of the Eastsaxons began the chéefe citie whereof was London It conteined in effect so much as at this present belongeth to the diocesse of London One Erchenwin a Saxon was the first king thereof the which was sonne to one Offa the sixt in lineall descent from one Saxnot from whom the kings of that countrie fetched their originall Harison noteth the exact yéere of the erection of the kingdome of the Eastsaxons to begin with the end of the eight of Cerdicus king of the Westsaxons that is the 527 of Christ and 78 after the comming of the Saxons In the 13 yéere of the reigne of Cerdicus he with his sonne Kenrike and other of the Saxon capteins fought with the Britains in the I le of Wight at Witgarsbridge where they slue a great number of Britains and so conquered the Ile the which about foure yéeres after was giuen by Cerdicus vnto his nephues Stuffe and Witgar AFter the deceasse of Uter Pendragon as we doo find in the British histories his sonne Arthur a yoong towardlie gentleman of the age of 15 yéeres or thereabouts began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 516 or as Matt. Westmin saith 517 in the 28 yéere of the emperour Anastasius and in the third yéere of the reignes of Childebert Clothare Clodamire and Theodorike brethren that were kings of the Frenchmen Of this Arthur manie things are written beyond credit for that there is no ancient author of authoritie that confirmeth the same but surelie as may be thought he was some woorthie man and by all likelihood a great enimie to the Saxons by reason whereof the Welshmen which are the verie Britains in déed haue him in famous remembrance He fought as the common report goeth of him 12 notable battels against the Saxons in euerie of them went away with the victorie but yet he could not driue them quite out of the land but that they kept still the countries which they had in possession as Kent Sutherie Norfolke and others howbeit some writers testifie that they held these countries as tributaries to Arthur But truth it is as diuers authors agrée that he held continuall warre against them and also against the Picts the which were allied with the Saxons for as in the Scotish histories is conteined euen at the first beginning of his reigne the two kings of the Scots and Picts séemed to enuie his aduancement to the crowne of Britaine bicause they had maried the two sisters of the two brethren Aurelius Ambrosius and Uter Pendragon that is to say Loth king of Picts had married Anne their eldest sister and Conran king of Scots had in mariage Alda their yoonger sister so that bicause Arthur was be gotten out of wedlocke they thought it stood with more reason that the kingdome of the Britains should haue descended vnto the sisters sonnes rather than to a bastard namelie Loth the Pictish king which had issue by his wife Anna sore repined at the matter Wherefore at the first when he saw that by suit he could not preuaile he ioined in league with the Saxons and aiding them against Arthur lost many of his men of warre being ouerthrowne in battell which he had sent vnto the succours of Colgerne the Saxon prince that ruled as then in the north parts But finallie a league was concluded betwixt Arthur and the foresaid Loth king of Picts vpon certeine conditions as in the Scotish historie is expressed where ye may read the same with many other things touching the acts of Arthur somewhat in other order than our writers haue recorded ¶ The British authors declare that Arthur immediatlie after he had receiued the crowne of Dubright bishop of Caerleon went with his power of Britains against the Saxons of Northumberland which had to their capteine as before is said one Colgrime or Colgerne whome Arthur discomfited and chased into the citie of Yorke within which place Arthur besieged him till at length the same Colgrime escaped out of the citie leauing it in charge with his brother called Bladulfe passed ouer into Germanie vnto Cheldrike king of that countrie of whom he obteined succor so that the said Cheldrike made prouision of men and ships and came himselfe ouer into Scotland hauing in his companie fiftéene hundred sailes one with an other When Arthur was aduertised thereof he raised his siege and withdrew to London sending letters with all speed vnto Howell king of little Britaine in France that was his sisters sonne requiring of him in most earnest wise his aid Howell incontinentlie assembled his people to the number of fifteene thousand men and taking the sea landed with them at Southampton where Arthur was readie to receiue him with great ioy and gladnesse From thence they drew northwards where both the hosts of Arthur and Howell being assembled togither marched forward to Lincolne which citie Cheldrike did as then besiege Here Arthur and Howell assailed the Saxons with great force no lesse manhood and at length after great slaughter made of the enimies they obteined the victorie and chased Cheldrike with the residue
sacrament of baptisme by the preaching and vertuous instruction of Pauline But the other kingdome of Northumberland called Bernicia Eaufride the son of Edelfred or Edelfride tooke vpon him to gouerne This Eaufride during the time of Edwins reigne had continued in Scotland and there being conuerted to the christian faith was baptised But doth these princes after they had obteined possession of their earthlie kingdoms did forget the care of the heauenlie kingdome so that they returned to their old kind of idolatrie But almightie God did not long suffer this their vnthankefulnesse without iust punishment for first in the next summer when Osrike had rashlie besieged Cadwallo king of the Britains within a certeine towne Cadwallo brake foorth vpon him and finding him vnprouided to make resistance slue him with all his armie Now after this whilest Cadwallo not like a conqueror gouerned the prouinces of the Northumbers but like a tyrant wasted and destroied them in sleaing the people in tragicall maner he also slue Eaufride the which with twelue men of warre came vndiscréetlie vnto him to sue for peace and thus within lesse than twelue moneths space both these runagate kings were dispatched THen Oswald the sonne of Edelfred and brother to the foresaid Eaufride was created king of the Northumbers the sixt in number from Ida. This Oswald after that his father was slaine liued as a banished person a long time within Scotland where he was baptised and professed the christian religion and passed the flower of his youth in good exercises both of mind bodie Amongst other things he practised the vnderstanding of warlike knowledge minding so to vse it as it might stand him in stead to defend himselfe from iniurie of the enimies that should prouoke him and not otherwise HerevpoÌ„ Cadwallo king of the Britains made in maner no account of him for by reason that he had atchiued such great victories against the Englishmen and hauing slaine their two kings as before is expressed he ceassed not to proceed in his tyrannicall dooings reputing the English people for slouthfull and not apt to the warre boasting that he was borne to their destruction Thus being set vp in pride of courage he feared no perils but boldlie without considering at all the skilfull knowledge which Oswald had sufficientlie learned in feates of war tooke vpon him to assaile the foresaid Oswald that had brought an armie against him and was encamped in a plaine field néere vnto the wall which the Romans had builded in times past against the inuasion of Scots and Picts Cadwallo streight prouoked Oswald to trie the matter by battell but Oswald forbare the first day and caused a crosse to be erected in the same place where he was incamped in full hope that it should be an ensigne or trophie of his victorie causing all souldiers to make their praiers to God that in time of such necessitie it might please him to succour them that worship him It is said that the crosse being made and the hole digged wherein it should be set he tooke the crosse in his owne hands and putting the foot thereof into that hole so held it till his souldiers had filled the hole and rammed it vp and then caused all the souldiers to knéele downe vpon their knées and to make intercession to the true and liuing God for his assistance against the proud enimie with whom they should fight in a iust quarell for the preseruation of their people and countrie After this on the next morning he boldlie gaue battell to his enimies so that a sore and cruell fight insued betwixt them At length Oswald perceiued that the Britains began somwhat to faint and therfore caused his people to renew their force and more lustilie to preasse forward so that first â—e put that most cruell enimie to flight and after pursuing the chase ouertooke him and slue him with the most part of all his huge and mightie armie at a place called Denisborne but the place where he caused the crosse to be erected he named Heuenfield Thus Cadwallo the most cruell enimie of the English name ended his life he was terrible both in nature and countenance for the which cause they say the Britains did afterwards set vp his image that the same might be a terror to the enimies when they should behold it ¶ But here is to be remembred by the British historie of Gal. Mon. it should appeare that Cadwallo was not slaine at all but reigned victoriouslie for the space of 48 yéeres and then departed this life as in place afterwards it shall appéere But for that the contrarietie in writers in such points may sooner be perceiued than reformed to the satisfieng of mens fansies which are variable we will leaue euerie man to his libertie to thinke as séemeth him good noting now and then the diuersitie of such writers as occasion serueth PEnda the sonne of Wilba succéeded in the gouernement of the kingdome of Mercia after Ciarlus and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 636. He was fiftie yéeres of age before he came to be king and reigned 30 yeres he was a prince right hardie and aduenturous not fearing to ieopard his person in place of danger assured and readie of remembrance in time of greatest perill His bodie could not be ouercome with anie trauell nor his mind vanquished with greatnesse of businesse But these his vertues were matched with notable vices as first with such bitternesse of maners as had not béene heard of crueltie of nature lacke of courtesie great vnsted fastnesse in performing of woord and promise and of vnmeasurable hatred toward the christian religion Now vpon confidence in these his great vertues and vices from that time he was made king as though the whole Ile had bene due to him he thought not good to let anie occasion passe that was offered to make war as wel against his friends confederats as also against his owne sworne enimies Part of his dooings ye haue heard and more shall appeare hereafter ¶ Of the kings of the Eastsaxons Eastangles ye haue heard before of whom in places conuenient ye shall find further mention also and so likewise of the kings of the Southsaxons but bicause their kingdom continued not past fiue successions litle remembrance of them is made by writers Cadwallo king of Britain diuers deeds of his as the British writers haue recorded them wherevpon discord arose betweene Cadwallo Edwin who for two yeres space were linked in friendship Cadwallo vanquisht his flight of Pelitus the Spanish wizard Cadwallo ouerthroweth Penda and his power besieging Excester he arreareth battell against the Northumbers and killeth Edwin their king he seeketh to expell the Saxons out of the land Penda slaieth Oswald whose brother and successor Osunus by gifts and submission obteineth peace whom Penda spitefullie attempting to kill is killed himselfe Cadwallo dieth a brasen image on horssebacke set vp in his memoriall saint Martins at
before the day on the which Cnute by appointment should enter and in companie of Edmund Ironside whome they had chosen to be their king and gouernour they prepared to increase their numbers with new supplies meaning eftsoones to trie the fortune of battell against the Danish power Cnute perceiuing the most part of all the realme to be thus against him and hauing no great confidence in the loialtie of the Londouers tooke order to leauie monie for the paiment of his men of warre and mariners that belonged to his nauie left the citie and imbarking himselfe sailed to the I le of Shepie and there remained all the winter In which meane while Edmund Ironside came to London where he was ioifullie receiued of the citizens and continuing there till the spring of the yéere made himselfe stong against the enimies This Edmund for his noble courage strength of bodie and notable patience to indure and suffer all such hardnesse and paines as is requisite in a man of warre was surnamed Ironside began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 1016 in the sixtéenth yéere of the emperor Henrie the second surnamed Claudius in the twentieth yéere of the reigne of Robert king of France about the sixt yéere of Malcolme the second king of the Scots After that king Edmund had receiued the crowne in the citie of London by the hands of the archbishop of Yorke he assembled togither such a power as he could make and with the same marched foorth towards the west parts and made the countrie subiect to him In the meane time was Cnute proclaimed and ordeined king at Southampton by the bishops and abbats and diuerse lords also of the temporaltie there togither assembled vnto whome he sware to be their good and faithfull souereigne and that he would sée iustice trulie and vprightlie ministred After he had ended his businesse at Southampton he drew with his people towards London and comming thither besieged the citie both by water and land causing a great trench to be cast about it so that no man might either get in or come foorth Manie great assalts he caused to be giuen vnto the citie but the Londoners and others within so valiantlie defended the wals and gates that the enimies got small aduantage and at length were constreined to depart with losse Cnute then perceiuing that he might not haue his purpose there withdrew westward and besides Gillingham in Dorsetshire incountred with K. Edmund in the Rogation weeke and after sore sharpe battell was put to the woorse and constreined to forsake the field by the high prowesse manhood of the said Edmund King Cnute the same night after the armies were seuered departed towards Winchester so to get himselfe out of danger Shortlie after king Edmund hearing that an other armie of the Danes had besieged Salisburie marched thither to succour them within and immediatlie Cnute followed him so that at a place in Worcestershire called Scorastan on the foure and twentith of Iune they incountred togither and fought a verie cruell battell which at length the night parted with equall fortune And likewise on the next day they buckled togither againe and fought with like successe as they had doone the day before for towards euening they gaue ouer well wearied and not knowing to whome the victorie ought to be ascribed Writers haue reported that this second day when duke Edrike perceiued the Englishmen to be at point to haue got the vpper hand he withdrew aside and hauing by chance slaine a common souldier called Osmear which in visage much resembled king Edmund whose head he cut off held it vp shaking his swoord bloudie with the slaughter cried to the Englishmen Flee ye wretches flee and get awaie for your king is dead behold heere his head which I hold in my hands Héerewith had the Englishmen fled immediatlie if king Edmund aduised of this stratagem had not quicklie got him to an high ground where his men might sée him aliue and lustie Héerewith also the traitor Edrike escaped hardlie the danger of death the Englishmen shot so egerlie at him At length as is said the night parting them in sunder they withdrew the one armie from the other as it had béene by consent The third day they remained in armor but yet absteining from battell sate still in taking meate and drinke to relieue their wearied bodies and after gathered in heapes the dead car cases that had béene slaine in the former fight the number of which on either partie reckoned rose to the point of twentie thousand and aboue In the night following Cnuse remooued his campe in secret wise and marched towards London which citie in a maner remained besieged by the nauie of the Danes King Edmund in the morning when the light had discouered the departure of his enimies followed them by the tract and comming to London with small adoo remooued the siege and entered the citie like a conqueror Shortlie after he fought with the Danes at Brentford and gaue them a great ouerthrow In this meane while queene Emma the widow of king Egelred doubting the fortune of the warre sent hir two sonnes Alfred and Edward ouer into Normandie vnto hir brother duke Richard or rather fled thither hirselfe with them as some write Moreouer earle Edrike perceiuing the great manhood of king Edmund began to feare least in the end he should subdue and vanquish the Danes wherefore he sought meanes to conclude a peace and take such order with him as might stand with both their contentations which yer long he brought about This was doone as you shall heare by the consent of Cnute as some write to the intent that Edrike being put in trust with king Edmund might the more easilie deuise waies how to betraie him But Cnute disappointed of his purpose at London and fetching a great bootie and preie out of the countries next adioining repared to his ships to sée what order was amongst them which a little before were withdrawen into the riuer that passeth by Rochester called Medwaie Héere Cnute remained certeine daies both to assemble a greater power and also to hearken and learne what his enimies ment to doo the which he easilie vnderstood King Edmund who hated nothing woorse than to linger his businesse assembled his people and marching forward toward his enimies approched néere vnto them pitcht downe his tents not farre from his enimies campe exhorting his people to remember their passed victories and to doo their good willes at length by one battell so to ouerthrow them that they might make an end of the warre and dispatch them cleerelie out of the realme With these and the like woords he did so incourage his souldiers that they disdaining thus to haue the enimies dailie prouoke them and to put them to trouble with eger minds and fierce courages offered battell to the Danes which Cnute had
writers supposed Scithians passed by seas from Ireland and arriued in that part of Britaine called Albania against whome this Coell assembled his power and being entred Albania to expell them one Fergus in the night disguised entered the tent of this Coell and in his bed traitorouslie slue him This Fergus was therfore in reward of his great prowesse made there king whervpon they sat downe in that part with their wiues and children and called it Scotland and themselues Scots from the begining of the world foure thousand six hundred and seauentéene yeares after the Scotish accompt which by iust computation and confession of all their owne writers is six hundred yeares lacking ten after that Brutus had reigned ouer the whole Iland the same land being inioied by him and his posteritie before their comming during two and fiftie descents of the kings of Britaine which is a large prescription Certes this intrusion into a land so manie hundred yeares before inhabited and by so manie descents of kings quietlie inioied is the best title that all their owne writers can alledge for them But to proceed Fergus herevpon immediatlie did diuide Albania also among his capteins and their souldiers whereby it most euidentlie appeareth that there were no people of that nation inhabiting there before in proofe whereof the same partition shall follow The lands of Cathnes lieng against Orkneie betwéene Dummesbeie and the water of Thane was giuen vnto one Cornath a capteine and his people The lands betwéene the water of Thane Nes now called Rosse being in bredth from Cromart to the mouth of the water of Locht were giuen to Lutorke another capteine and his people The lands betwéene Spaie and Nes from the Almane seas to the Ireland seas now called Murraie land were giuen to one Warroch and his people The land of Thalia now called Boin Ainze Bogewall Gariot Formartine and Bowguhan were giuen to one Thalis and his people The lands of Mar Badezenoch and Lochquhaber were giuen to Martach and his people The lands of Lorne and Kintier with the hilles and mounteins thereof lieng from Mar to the Ireland seas were giuen to capteine Nanance and his people The lands of Athole were giuen to Atholus another capteine and his people The lands of Strabraun Brawdawane lieng west from Dunkell were giuen to Creones Epidithes two capteins The lands of Argile were giuen to Argathelus a capteine The lands of Linnox Clidisdale were allotted to Lolgona a capteine The lands of Siluria now called Kile Carrike Cuningham were giuen to Silurth another capteine The lands of Brigance now called Gallowaie were giuen to the companie called Brigandes which as their best men were appointed to dwell next the Britons who afterward expelled the Britons from Annandale in Albanie whereby it is confessed to be before inhabited by Britons The residue of the land now called Scotland that is to saie Meirnis Angus Steremond Gowrie Strahern Pirth Fiffe Striueling Callender Calderwood Lougthian Mers Teuedale with other the Rement Dales the Sherifdome of Berwicke were then enioied by a nation mingled in marriage with the Britons and in their obedience whose capteine called Beringer builded the castell and towne of Berwicke vpon Twede these people were called Picts vpon whome by the death of this Coell these Scots had oportunitie to vse wars whereof they ceased not vntill such time as it pleased God to appoint another Coell king of Britons against whose name albeit they hoped for a like victorie to the first yet he preuailed and ceased not his warre vntill these Scots were vtterlie expelled out of all the bounds of Britaine in which they neuer dared to reenter vntill the troublesome reigne of Sisilt king of Britons which was the twelft king after this Coell During all which time the countrie was reinhabited by the Britons But then the Scots turning the ciuill discord of this realme betweene this Sisilt and his brother Blede to their best aduantage arriued againe in Albania there made one Reuther their king Upon this their new arriuall new warre was made vpon them by this Sisilt king of Britons in which warre Reuther their new king died and Thereus succéeded against whome the warre of Britons ceased not vntill he freelie submitted himselfe to the said Sicill king of Britons at Ebranke that is Yorke where shortlie after the tenth yeare of his reigne he died Finnane brother of Iosine succeeded by their election to the kingdome of Scots who shortlie after compelled by the warres of the same Sicill declared himselfe subiect and for the better assurance of his faith and obeisance to the king of Britons deliuered his sonne Durstus into the hands of this Sicill who fantasieng the child and hoping by his owne succession to alter their subtiltie I will not saie duplicitie saith Adams married him in the end to Agasia his owne daughter This Durstus was their next king but for that he had married a Briton woman though indeed she was a kings daughter the Scots hated him for the same cause for which they ought rather to haue liked him the better and therefore not onelie traitorouslie slue him but further to declare the end of their malice dishinherited as much as in them was the issues of the same Durstus and Agasia Herevpon new warre sproong betwéene them and vs which ceased not vntill they were contented to receiue Edeir to their king the next in bloud then liuing descended from Durstus and Agasia and thereby the bloud of the Britons of the part of the mother was restored to the crowne of Albania so that nature whose law is immutable caused this bond of loue to hold For shortlie after this Edeir attended vpon Cassibelane king of Britons for the repulse of Iulius Caesar as their owne author Boetius confesseth who commanded the same as his subiect But Iulius Caesar after his second arriuall by treason of Androgeus preuailed against the Britons and therevpon pursued this Edeir into Scotland and as himselfe saith in his commentaries subdued all the I le of Britaine Which though the liuing Scots denie it their dead writers confesse that he came beyond Calender wood and cast downe Camelon the principall citie of the Picts And in token of this victorie not farre from Carron builded a round temple of stone which remained in some perfection vntill the reigne of our king Edward called the first after the conquest by whome it was subuerted but the monument thereof remaineth to this daie Marius the sonne of Aruiragus being king of all Britaine in his time one Roderike a Scithian with a great rabble of néedie souldiours came to the water of Frith in Scotland which is an arme of the sea diuiding Pentland from Fiffe against whome Marius assembled a power by which he slue this Rodericke and discomfited his people in Westmerland but to those that remained aliue he gaue the countrie of Cathnesse in Scotland which prooueth it be within his owne
of Norwaie and Denmarke which church was by the same Malcolme accordinglie performed Edward called the Confessour sonne of Etheldred and brother to Edmund Ironside was afterward king of England he tooke from Malcolme king of Scots his life and his kingdome and made Malcolme soone to the king of Cumberland and Northumberland king of Scots who did him homage and fealtie This Edward perused the old lawes of the realme and somewhat added to some of them as to the law of Edgar for the wardship of the lands vntill the heire should accomplish the age of one and twentie yeeres He added that the marriage of such heire should also belong to the lord of whom the same land was holden Also that euerie woman marrieng a free man should notwithstanding she had no children by that husband enioie the third part of his inheritance during hir life with manie other lawes which the same Malcolme king of Scots obeied and which as well by them in Scotland as by vs in England be obserued to this day and directlie prooueth the whole to be then vnder his obeisance By reason of this law Malcolme the sonne of Duncane next inheritor to the crowne of Scotland being within age was by the nobles of Scotland deliuered as ward to the custodie also of king Edward During whose minoritie one Makebeth a Scot traitorouslie vsurped the crowne of Scotland Against whome the said Edward made warre in which the said Mackbeth was ouercome and slaine Wherevpon the said Malcolme was crowned king of Scots at Scone in the eight yeere of the reigne of king Edward aforesaid This Malcolme also by tenor of the said new law of wardship was married vnto Margaret the daughter of Edward sonne of Edmund Ironside and Agatha by the disposition of the same king Edward and at his full age did homage to this king Edward the Confessour for the kingdome of Scotland Moreouer Edward of England hauing no issue of his bodie and mistrusting that Harald the son of Goodwine descended of the daughter of Harald Harefoot the Dane would vsurpe the crowne if he should leaue it to his cousine Edgar Eatling being then within age and partlie by the petition of his subiects who before had sworne neuer to receiue anie kings ouer them of the Danish nation did by his substantiall will in writing as all our clergie writers affirme demise the crowne of great Britaine vnto William Bastard then duke of Normandie and to his heires constituting him his heire testamentarie Also there was proximitie in bloud betwéene them for Emme daughter of Richard duke of Normandie was wife vnto Etheldred on whom he begat Alured and this Edward and this William was son of Robert sonne of Richard brother of the whole bloud to the same Emme Whereby appeareth that this William was heire by title and not by conquest albeit that partlie to extinguish the mistrust of other titles and partlie for the glorie of his victorie he chalenged in the end the name of a conquerour and hath béene so written euer since the time of his arriuall Furthermore this William called the Bastard and the Conquerour supposed not his conquest perfect till he had likewise subdued the Scots Wherfore to bring the Scots to iust obeisance after his coronation as heire testamentarie to Edward the Confessour he entred Scotland where after a little resistance made by the inhabitants the said Malcolme then their king did homage to him at Abirnethie in Scotland for the kingdome of Scotland as to his superiour also by meane of his late conquest William surnamed Rufus sonne to this William called the Conquerour succéeded next in the throne of England to whome the said Malcolme king of Scots did like homage for the whole kingdome of Scotland But afterward he rebelled and was by this William Rufus slaine in plaine field Wherevpon the Scotishmen did choose one Donald or Dunwall to be their king But this William Rufus deposed him and created Dunkane sonne of Malcolme to be their king who did like homage to him Finallie this Dunkane was slaine by the Scots and Dunwall restored who once againe by this William Rufus was deposed and Edgar son of Malcolme and brother to the last Malcolme was by him made their king who did like homage for Scotland to this William Rufus Henrie called Beauelerke the sonne of William called the Conqueour after the death of his brother William Rufus succéeded to the crowne of England to whome the same Edgar king of Scots did homage for Scotland this Henrie Beauclerke maried Mawd the daughter of Malcome II. of Scots and by hir had issue Mawd afterward empresse Alexander the sonne of Malcolme brother to this Mawd was next king of Scots he did like homage for the kingdome of Scotland to this Henrie the first as Edgar had doone before him Mawd called the empresse daughter and heire to Henrie Beauclerke and Mawd his wife receiued homage of Dauid brother to hir and to this Alexander next king of Scots before all the temporall men of England for the kingdome of Scotland This Mawd the empresse gaue vnto Dauid in the marriage Mawd the daughter and heire of Uoldosius earle of Huntingdon Northumberland And herein their euasion appeareth by which they allege that their kings homages were made for the earledome of Huntingdon For this Dauid was the first that of their kings was earle of Huntingdon which was since all the homages of their kings before recited and at the time of this mariage long after the said Alexander his brother was king of Scots doing the homage aforesaid to Henrie Beauclerke son to the aforesaid ladie of whome I find this epitaph worthie to be remembred Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima partu Hic iacet Henrici filia sponsa parens In the yeere of our Lord 1136 and first yeere of the reigne of king Stephan the said Dauid king of Scots being required to doo his homage refused it for so much as he had doone homage to Mawd the empresse before time notwithstanding the sonne of the said Dauid did homage to king Stephan Henrie called Fitz empresse the sonne of Mawd the empresse daughter of Mawd daughter of Malcolme king of Scots was next king of England He receiued homage for Scotland of Malcolme sonne of Henrie sonne of the said Dauid their last king Which Malcolme after this homage attended vpon the same king Henrie in his warres against Lewis then king of France Whereby appeareth that their French league was neuer renewed after the last diuision of their countrie by Osbright king of England But after these warres finished with the French king this Malcolme being againe in Scotland rebelled wherevpon king Henrie immediatlie seized Huntingdon and Northumberland into his owne hands by confiscation and made warres vpon him in Scotland during which the same Malcolme died without issue of his bodie William brother of this Malcolme was next king of Scots he with all the nobles of
Scotland which could not be now for anie earledome did homage to the sonne of Henrie the second with a reseruation of the dutie to king Henrie the second his father Also the earledome of Huntingdon was as ye haue heard before this forfeited by Malcolme his brother and neuer after restored to the crowne of Scotland This William did afterward attend vpon the same Henrie the second in his warres in Normandie against the French king notwithstanding their French league and then being licenced to depart home in the tenth of this prince and vpon the fiftéenth of Februarie he returned and vpon the sixtéenth of October did homage to him for the realme of Scotland In token also of his perpetuall subiection to the crowne of England he offered vp his cloake his faddle and his speare at the high altar in Yorke wherevpon he was permitted to depart home into Scotland where immediatlie he mooued cruell warre in Northumberland against the same king Henrie being as yet in Normandie But God tooke the defense of king Henries part and deliuered the same William king of Scots into the hands of a few Englishmen who brought him prisoner to king Henrie into Normandie in the twentith yeere of his reigne But at the last at the sute of Dauid his brother Richard bishop of saint Andrews and other bishops and lords he was put to this fine for the amendment of his trespasse to wit to paie ten thousand pounds sterling and to surrender all his title to the earldome of Huntingdon Cumberland Northumberland into the hands of king Henrie which he did in all things accordinglie sealing his charters thereof with the great seale of Scotland and signets of his nobilitie yet to be seene wherein it was also comprised that he and his successours should hold the realme of Scotland of the king of England and his successours for euer And herevpon he once againe did homage to the same king Henrie which now could not be for the earledome of Huntingdon the right whereof was alreadie by him surrendred And for the better assurance of this faith also the strengths of Berwike Edenborough Roxborough and Striueling were deliuered into the hands of our king Henrie of England which their owne writers confesse But Hector Boetius saith that this trespasse was amended by fine of twentie thousand pounds sterling and that the erledome of Huntingdon Cumberland and Northumberland were deliuered as morgage into the hands of king Henrie vntill other ten thousand pounds sterling should be to him paid which is so farre from truth as Hector was while he liued from well meaning to our countrie But if we grant that it is true yet prooueth he not that the monie was paid nor the land otherwise redéemed or euer after came to anie Scotish kings hands And thus it appeareth that the earledome of Huntingdon was neuer occasion of the homages of the Scotish kings to the kings of England either before this time or after This was doone 1175. Moreouer I read this note hereof gathered out of Robertus Montanus or Montensis that liued in those daies and was as I take it confessor to king Henrie The king of Scots dooth homage to king Henrie for the kingdome of Scotland and is sent home againe his bishops also did promise to doo the like to the archbishop of Yorke and to acknowledge themselues to be of his prouince and iurisdiction By vertue also of this composition the said Robert saith that Rex Angliae dabat honores episcopatus abbatias alias dignitates in Scotia vel saltem eius consilio dabantur that is The king of England gaue honors bishopriks abbatships and other dignities in Scotland or at the leastwise they were not giuen without his aduise and counsell At this time Alexander bishop of Rome supposed to haue generall iurisdiction ecclesiasticall through christendome established the whole cleargie of Scotland according to the old lawes vnder the iurisdiction of the archbishop of Yorke In the yeare of our Lord 1185 in the moneth of August at Cairleill Rouland Talmant lord of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie with all that held of him In the two and twentith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the second Gilbert sonne of Ferguse prince of Galwaie did homage and fealtie to the said king Henrie and left Dunecan his sonne in hostage for conseruation of his peace Richard surnamed Coeur de Lion because of his stoutnesse and sonne of this Henrie was next king of England to whome the same William king of Scots did homage at Canturburie for the whole kingdome of Scotland This king Richard was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostrich for whose redemption the whole realme was taxed at great summes of monie vnto the which this William king of Scots as a subiect was contributorie and paied two thousand markes sterling In the yeare of our Lord 1199 Iohn king of England sent to William king of Scots to come and doo his homage which William came to Lincolne in the moneth of December the same yeare and did his homage vpon an hill in the presence of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and of all the people there assembled and therevnto tooke his oth and was sworne vpon the crosse of the said Hubert also he granted by his charter confirmed that he should haue the mariage of Alexander his sonne as his liegeman alwaies to hold of the king of England promising moreouer that he the said king William and his sonne Alexander should keepe and hold faith and allegiance to Henrie sonne of the said king Iohn as to their chiefe lord against all maner of men that might liue and die Also whereas William king of Scots had put Iohn bishop of saint Andrew out of his bishoprike pope Clement wrote to Henrie king of England that he should mooue and induce the same William and if néed required by his roiall power and prerogatiue ouer that nation to compell him to leaue his rancor against the said bishop and suffer him to haue and occupie his said bishoprike againe In the yeare of our Lord 1216 and fiue twentith of the reigne of Henrie sonne to king Iohn the same Henrie and the quéene were at Yorke at the feast of Christmasse for the solemnization of a marriage made in the feast of saint Stephan the martyr the same yeare betwéene Alexander king of Scots and Margaret the kings daughter and there the said Alexander did homage to Henrie king of England for all the realme of Scotland In buls of diuerse popes were admonitions giuen to the kings of Scots as appeareth by that of Gregorie the fift and Clement his successor that they should obserue and trulie kéepe all such appointments as had béene made betwéene the kings of England and Scotland And that the kings of Scotland should still hold the realme of Scotland of the kings of England vpon paine of cursse and interdiction After the death of Alexander king of Scots Alexander his sonne
made their letters patents sealed with their seales and then the king of England made William Warreine earle of Surrie and Southsax lord Warden of Scotland Hugh of Cressingham treasuror and William Ormesbie iustice of Scotland and foorthwith sent king Iohn to the Tower of London and Iohn Comin and the earle Badenauth the earle of Bohan and other lords into England to diuerse places on this side of the Trent And after that in the yeare of our Lord 1297 at the feast of Christmas the king called before him the said Iohn king of Scots although he had committed him to ward and said that he would burne or destroie their castels townes and lands if he were not recompensed for his costs and damages susteined in the warres but king Iohn and the other that were in ward answered that they had nothing sith their liues their deaths and goods were in his hands The king vpon that answer mooued with pitie granted them their liues so that they would doo their homage and make their oth solemnelie at the high altar in the church of the abbeie of Westminster vpon the eucharist that they and euerie of them should hold and keepe true faith obedience and allegiance to the said king Edward and his heires kings of England for euer And where the said king of Scots saw the kings banner of England displaied he and all his power should draw therevnto And that neither he or anie of his from thencefoorth should beare armes against the king of England or anie of his bloud Finallie the king rewarding with great gifts the said king Iohn and his lords suffered them to depart But they went into Scotland alwaie imagining notwithstanding this their submission how they might oppresse king Edward and disturbe his realme The Scots sent also to the king of France for succour and helpe who sent them ships to Berwike furnished with men of armes the king of England then being in Flanders In the yeare of our Lord 1298 the king went into Scotland with a great host and the Scots also assembled in great number but the king fought with them at Fawkirke on S. Marie Magdalens daie where were slaine thréescore thousand Scots Willain Walleis that was their capteine fled who being taken afterward was hanged drawen quartered at London for his trespasses After this the Scots rebelled againe and all the lords of Scotland chose Robert Bruse to be king except onelie Iohn Commin earle of Carrike who would not consent thereto bicause of his oth made to the king of England Wherefore Robert Bruse slue him at Dumfrise and then was crowned at Schone abbeie Herevpon the king of England assembled a great hoast and rode through all Scotland discomfited Robert Bruse slue eight thousand Scots tooke the most part of all the lords of Scotland putting the temporall lords to deth bicause they were forsworne Edward borne at Carnaruan sonne of this Edward was next king of England who from the beginning of his reigne enioied Scotland peaceablie dooing in all things as is aboue said of king Edward his father vntill toward the later end of his reigne about which time this Robert Bruse conspired against him and with the helpe of a few forsworne Scots forswore himselfe king of Scots Herevpon this Edward with Thomas earle of Lancaster and manie other lords made warre vpon him about the feast of Marie Magdalene the said Bruse and his partakers being alreadie accurssed by the pope for breaking the truce that he had established betwixt them But being infortunate in his first warres against him he suffered Edward the sonne of Balioll to proclame himselfe king of Scots and neuerthelesse held foorth his warres against Bruse before the ending of which he died as I read Edward borne at Windsore sonne of Edward the second was next king of England at the age of fifteene yeares in whose minoritie the Scots practised with Isabell mother to this Edward and with Roger Mortimer earle of the March to haue their homages released whose good will therein they obteined so that for the same release they should paie to this king Edward thirtie thousand pounds starling in three yeares next following that is to saie ten thousand pounds starling yeerelie But bicause the nobilitie and commons of this realme would not by parlement consent vnto it their king being within age the same release procéeded not albeit the Scots ceased not their practises with this quéene and earle But before those thrée yeares in which their menie if the bargaine had taken place should haue béene paied were expired our king Edward inuaded Scotland and ceassed not the warre vntill Dauid the sonne of Robert le Bruse then by their election king of Scotland absolutelie submitted himselfe vntohim But for that the said Dauid Bruse had before by practise of the quéene and the earle of March married Iane the sister of this king Edward he mooued by naturall zeale to his sister was contented to giue the realme of Scotland to this Dauid Bruse and to the heires that should be be gotten of the bodie of the said Iane sauing the reuersion and meane homages to this king Edward and to his owne children wherewith the same Dauid Bruse was right well contented and therevpon immediatlie made his homage for all the realme of Scotland to him Howbeit shortlie after causelesse conceiuing cause of displeasure this Dauid procured to dissolue this same estate tailée and therevpon not onelie rebelled in Scotland but also inuaded England whilest king Edward was occupied about his wars in France But this Dauid was not onelie expelled England in the end but also thinking no place a sufficient defense to his vntruth of his owne accord fled out of Scotland whereby the countries of Annandale Gallowaie Mars Teuidale Twedale and Ethrike were seized into the king of Englands hands and new marches set betwéene England and Scotland at Cockbuâ—nes path Sowtrie hedge Which when this Dauid went about to recouer againe his power was discomfited and himselfe by a few Englishmen taken brought into England where he remained prisoner eleuen yeares after his said apprehension During this time king Edward enioied Scotland peaceablie and then at the contemplation and wearie suit of his sorowfull sister wife of this Dauid he was contented once againe to restore him to the kingdome of Scotland Wherevpon it was concluded that for this rebellion Dauid should paie to king Edward the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling and there to destroie all his holdes and fortresses standing against the English borders and further assure the crowne of Scotland to the children of this king Edward for lacke of heire of his owne bodie all which things he did accordinglie And for the better assurance of his obeisance also he afterward deliuered into the hands of king Edward sundrie noble men of Scotland in this behalfe as his pledges This is the effect of the historie of Dauid touching his delings Now let vs sée what was doone
by Edward Balioll wherof our chronicles doo report that in the yéere of our Lord 1326 Edward the third king of England was crowned at Westminster and in the fift yeare of his reigne Edward Balioll right heire to the kingdome of Scotland came in and claimed it as due to him Sundrie lords and gentlemen also which had title to diuerse lands there either by themselues or by their wiues did the like Wherevpon the said Balioll and they went into Scotland by sea and landing at Kinghorns with 3000 Englishmen discomfited 10000 Scots and flue 1200 and then went foorth to Dunfermeline where the Scots assembled against them with 40000 men and in the feast of saint Laurence at a place called Gastmore or otherwise Gladmore were slaine fiue earls thirtéene barons a hundred and thrée score knights two thousand men of armes and manie other in all fortie thousand and there were staine on the English part but thirtéene persons onelie if the number be not corrupted In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward he assembled a great hoast and came to Berwike vpon Twéed and laid siege therto To him also came Edward Balioll king of Scots with a great power to strengthen aid him against the Scots who came out of Scotland in foure batels well armed araied Edward king of England and Edward king of Scots apparrelled their people either of them in foure battels and vpon Halidon hill beside Berwike met these two hoasts and there were discomfited of the Scots fiue and twentie thousand and seauen hundred whereof were slaine eight earles a thousand and thrée hundred knights and gentlemen This victorie doone the king returned to Berwike then the towne with the castell were yéelded vp vnto him In the eight yeare of the reigne of king Edward of England Edward Balioll king of Scots came to Newcastell vpon Tine and did homage for all the realme of Scotland In the yeare of our Lord 1346 Dauid Bruse by the prouocation of the king of France rebelled and came into England with a great hoast vnto Neuils crosse but the archbishop of Yorke with diuerse temporall men fought with him and the said king of Scots was taken and William earle of Duglas with Morrise earle of Strathorne were brought to London and manie other lords slaine which with Dauid did homage to Edward king of England And in the thirtith yeare of the kings reigne and the yeare of our Lord 1355 the Scots woone the towne of Berwicke but not the castell Herevpon the king came thither with a great hoast and anon the towne was yéelded vp without anie resistance Edward Balioll considering that God did so manie maruellous and gratious things for king Edward at his owne will gaue vp the crowne and the realme of Scotland to king Edward of England at Rokesborough by his letters patents And anon after the king of England in presence of all his lords spirituall and temporall let crowne himselfe king there of the realme of Scotland ordeined all things to his intent and so came ouer into England Richard the sonne of Edward called the Blacke prince sonne of this king Edward was next king of England who for that the said Iane the wife of the said king Dauid of Scotland was deceassed without issue and being informed how the Scots deuised to their vttermost power to breake the limitation of this inheritance touching the crowne of Scotland made foorthwith war against them wherein he burnt Edenbrough spoiled all their countrie tooke all their holds held continuallie war against them vntill his death which was Anno Dom. 1389. Henrie the fourth of that name was next king of England he continued these warres begun against them by king Richard and ceassed not vntill Robert king of Scots the third of that name resigned his crowne by appointment of this king Henrie and deliuered his sonne Iames being then of the age of nine yeares into his hands to remaine at his custodie wardship and disposition as of his superiour lord according to the old lawes of king Edward the confessor All this was doone Anno Dom. 1404 which was within fiue yeares after the death of king Richard This Henrie the fourth reigned in this estate ouer them fouretéene yeares Henrie the fift of that name sonne to this king Henrie the fourth was next king of England He made warres against the French king in all which this Iames then king of Scots attended vpon him as vpon his superiour lord with a conuenient number of Scots notwithstanding their league with France But this Henrie reigned but nine yeares whereby the homage of this Iames their king hauing not fullie accomplished the age of one twentie yeares was by reason and law respited Finallie the said Iames with diuerse other lords attended vpon the corps of the said Henrie vnto Westminster as to his dutie apperteined Henrie the sixt the sonne of this Henrie the fift was next king of England to whome the seigniorie of Scotland custodie of this Iames by right law and reason descended married the same Iames king of Scots to Iane daughter of Iohn earle of Summerset at saint Marie ouer Ise in Southwarke and tooke for the value of this mariage the summe of one hundred thousand markes starling This Iames king of Scots at his full age did homage to the same king Henrie the sixt for the kingdome of Scotland at Windsore in the moneth of Ianuarie Since which time vntill the daies of king Henrie the seuenth grandfather to our souereigne ladie that now is albeit this realme hath béene molested with diuersitie of titles in which vnmeet time neither law nor reason admit prescription to the preiudice of anie right yet did king Edward the fourth next king of England by preparation of war against the Scots in the latter end of his reigne sufficientlie by all lawes induce to the continuance of his claime to the same superioritie ouer them After whose death vnto the beginning of the reigne of our souereigne lord king Henrie the eight excéeded not the number of seauen and twentie yeares about which time the impediment of our claime of the Scots part chanced by the nonage of Iames their last king which so continued the space of one and twentie yeares And like as his minoritie was by all law and reason an impediment to himselfe to make homage so was the same by like reason an impediment to the king of this realme to demand anie so that the whole time of intermission of our claime in the time of the said king Henrie the eight is deduced vnto the number of thirteene yeares And thus much for this matter Of the wall sometime builded for a partition betweene England and the Picts and Scots Chap. 23. HAuing hitherto discoursed vpon the title of the kings of England vnto the Scotish kingdome I haue now thought good to adde here vnto the description of two walles that were in times past limits vnto both the said regions and therefore to
and called after their names as lord Henrie or lord Edward with the addition of the word Grace properlie assigned to the king and prince and now also by custome conueied to dukes archbishops and as some saie to marquesses and their wiues The title of duke commeth also of the Latine word Dux à ducendo bicause of his valor and power ouer the armie in times past a name of office due to the emperour consull or chéefe gouernour of the whole armie in the Romane warres but now a name of honor although perished in England whose ground will not long beare one duke at once but if there were manie as in time past or as there be now earles I doo not thinke but that they would florish and prosper well inough In old time he onelie was called marquesse Qui habuit terram limitaneam a marching prouince vpon the enimies countries and thereby bound to kéepe and defend the frontiers But that also is changed in common vse and reputed for a name of great honor next vnto the duke euen ouer counties and sometimes small cities as the prince is pleased to bestow it The name of earle likewise was among the Romans a name of office who had Comites sacri palatij comites aerarij comites stabuli comites patrimonij largitionum scholarum commerciorum and such like But at the first they were called Comites which were ioined in commission with the proconsull legate or iudges for counsell and aids sake in each of those seuerall charges As Cicero epistola ad Quintum fratrem remembreth where he saith Atque inter hos quos tibi comites adiutores negotiorum publicorum dedit ipsa respublica duntaxat finibus his praestabis quos ante praescripsi c. After this I read also that euerie president in his charge was called Comes but our English Saxons vsed the word Hertoch and earle for Comes and indifferentlie as I gesse sith the name of duke was not in vse before the conquest Goropius saith that Comes and Graue is all one to wit the viscont called either Procomes or Vicecomes and in time past gouerned in the countie vnder the earle but now without anie such seruice or office it is also become a name of dignitie next after the earle and in degrée before the baron His reléefe also by the great charter is one hundred pounds as that of a baronie a hundred marks and of a knight flue at the most for euerie fée The baron whose degrée answered to the dignitie of a senator in Rome is such a frée lord as hath a lordship or baronie whereof he beareth his name hath diuerse knights or fréeholders holding of him who with him did serue the king in his wars and held their tenures in Baronia that is for performance of such seruice These Bracton a learned writer of the lawes of England in king Henrie the thirds time tearmeth Barones quasi robur belli The word Baro indéed is older than that it may easilie be found from whence it came for euen in the oldest histories both of the Germans and Frenchmen written since the conquest we read of barons and those are at this daie called among the Germans Liberi vel Ingenui or Freihers in the Germane toong as some men doo coniecture or as one saith the citizens and burgesses of good townes and cities were called Barones Neuerthelesse by diligent inquisition it is imagined if not absolutelie found that the word Baro and Filius in the old Scithian or Germane language are all one so that the kings children are properlie called Barones from whome also it was first translated to their kindred and then to the nobilitie and officers of greatest honour indifferentlie That Baro and Filius signifieth one thing it yet remaineth to be séene although with some corruption for to this daie euen the common sort doo call their male children barnes here in England especiallie in the north countrie where that word is yet accustomablie in vse And it is also growne into a prouerbe in the south when anie man susteineth a great hinderance to saie I am beggered and all my barnes In the Hebrue toong as some affirme it signifieth Filij solis and what are the nobilitie in euerie kingdome but Filij or serui regum But this is farre fetched wherefore I conclude that from hensefoorth the originall of the word Baro shall not be anie more to seeke and the first time that euer I red thereof in anie English historie is in the reigne of Canutus who called his nobilitie and head officers to a councell holden at Cirnecester by that name 1030 as I haue else-where remembred Howbeit the word Baro dooth not alwaies signifie or is attributed to a noble man by birth or creation for now and then it is a title giuen vnto one or other with his office as the chéefe or high tribune of the excheker is of custome called lord chéefe baron who is as it were the great or principall receiuer of accounts next vnto the lord treasuror as they are vnder him are called Tribuni aerarij rationales Hervnto I may ad so much of the word lord which is an addition going not seldome and in like sort with sundrie offices and to continue so long as he or they doo execute the same and no longer Unto this place I also referre our bishops who are accounted honourable called lords and hold the same roome in the parlement house with the barons albeit for honour sake the right hand of the prince is giuen vnto them and whose countenances in time past were much more glorious than at this present it is bicause those lustie prelats sought after earthlie estimation and authoritie with farre more diligence than after the lost shéepe of Christ of which they had small regard as men being otherwise occupied and void of leisure to attend vpon the same Howbeit in these daies their estate remaineth no lesse reuerend than before and the more vertuous they are that be of this calling the better are they estéemed with high and low They reteine also the ancient name lord still although it be not a littie impugned by such as loue either to heare of change of all things or can abide no superiours For notwithstanding it be true that in respect of function the office of the eldership is equallie distributed betwéene the bishop and the minister yet for ciuill gouernements sake the first haue more authoritie giuen vnto them by kings and princes to the end that the rest maie thereby be with more ease reteined within a limited compasse of vniformitie than otherwise they would be if ech one were suffered to walke in his owne course This also is more to be maruelled at that verie manie call for an alteration of their estate crieng to haue the word lord abolished their ciuill authoritie taken from them and the present condition of the church in other things reformed whereas to saie trulie
Valuasor is now growne out of vse wherefore it sufficeth to haue said thus much of that function Knights be not borne neither is anie man a knight by succession no not the king or prince but they are made either before the battell to incourage them the more to aduenture trie their manhood or after the battell ended as an aduancement for their courage and prowesse alreadie shewed then are they called Milites or out of the warres for some great seruice doone or for the singular vertues which doo appeare in them and then are they named Equites aurati as common custome intendeth They are made either by the king himselfe or by his commission and roiall authoritie giuen for the same purpose or by his lieutenant in the warres This order seemeth to answer in part to that which the Romans called Equitum Romanorum For as Equites Romani were chosen Ex censu that is according to their substance and riches so be knights in England most commonlie according to their yearelie reuenues or aboundance of riches wherewith to mainteine their estates Yet all that had Equestrem censum were not chosen to be knights and no more be all made knights in England that may spend a knights lands but they onelie whome the prince will honour Sometime diuerse ancient gentlemen burgesses and lawiers are called vnto knighthood by the prince and neuerthelesse refuse to take that state vpon them for which they are of custome punished by a fine that redoundeth vnto his cofers and to saie truth is oftentimes more profitable vnto him than otherwise their seruice should be if they did yeeld vnto knighthood And this also is a cause wherfore there be manie in England able to dispend a knights liuing which neuer come vnto that countenance and by their owne consents The number of the knights in Rome was also vncerteine and so is it of knights likewise with vs as at the pleasure of the prince And whereas the Equites Romani had Equum publicum of custome bestowed vpon them the knights of England haue not so but beare their owne charges in that also as in other kind of furniture as armorie méet for their defense and seruice This neuerthelesse is certeine that who so may dispend 40 pounds by the yeare of frée land either at the coronation of the king or mariage of his daughter or time of his dubbing may be inforced vnto the taking of that degrée or otherwise paie the reuenues of his land for one yeare which is onelie fortie pounds by an old proportion and so for a time be acquited of that title We name him knight in English that the French calleth Cheualier and the Latins Equitem or Equestris ordinis virum And when any man is made a knight he knéeling downe is striken of the king or his substitute with his sword naked vpon the backe or shoulder the prince c saieng Soyes cheualier au nom de Dieu And when he riseth vp the king saith Aduances bon cheualier This is the maner of dubbing knights at this present and the tearme dubbing is the old tearme for that purpose and not creation howbeit in our time the word making is most in vse among the common sort At the coronation of a king or queene there be other knights made with longer and more curious ceremonies called knights of the bath But how soeuer one be dubbed or made knight his wife is by and by called madame or ladie so well as the barons wife he himselfe hauing added to his name in common appellation this syllable Sir which is the title whereby we call our knights in England His wife also of courtesie so long as she liueth is called my ladie although she happen to marie with a gentleman or man of meane calling albeit that by the coÌ„mon law she hath no such prerogatiue If hir first husband also be of better birth than hir second though this later likewise be a knight yet in that she pretendeth a priuilege to loose no honor through courtesie yéelded to hir sex she will be named after the most honorable or worshipfull of both which is not séene elsewhere The other order of knighthood in England and the most honorable is that of the garter instituted by king Edward the third who after he had gained manie notable victories taken king Iohn of France and king Iames of Scotland and kept them both prisoners in the Tower of London at one time expelled king Henrie of Castile the bastard out of his realme and restored Don Petro vnto it by the helpe of the prince of Wales and duke of Aquitaine his eldest sonne called the Blacke prince he then inuented this societie of honour and made a choise out of his owne realme and dominions and throughout all christendome of the best most excellent and renowmed persons in all vertues and honour and adorned them with that title to be knights of his order giuing them a garter garnished with gold and pretious stones to â—â—eare 〈◊〉 on the left leg onlie also a kirtic gowne cloke chaperon collaâ— and other solemne and magnifiâ—â—â— apparell both of stuffe and fashion exquisite hereâ—call to weare at high feasts as to so high and princelie an order apperteineth Of this companie also he and his successors kings and queenes of England be the souereignes and the rest by certeine statutes and lawes amongst themselues be taken as brethren and fellowes in that order to the number of six and twentie as I find in a certeine treatise written of the same an example whereof I haue here inserted word for word as it was deliuered vnto me beginning after this maner I might at this present make a long tractatioâ— of the round table and estate of the knights thereof erected sometimes by Arthur the great monarch of this Iland and therevnto intreat of the number of his knights and ceremonies belonging to the order but I thinke in so dooing that I should rather set downe the latter inuentions of other men than a true description of such ancient actions as were performed in deed I could furthermore with more facilitie describe the roialtie of Charles the great his twelue péeres with their solemne rites and vsages but vnto this also I haue no great deuotion considering the truth hereof is now so stained with errours and fables inserted into the same by the lewd religious sort that except a man should professe to lie with them for companie there is little sound knowledge to be gathered hereof worthie the remembrance In like maner diuerse aswell subiects as princes haue attempted to restore againe a round table in this land as for example Roger lord Mortimer at Killingworth but such were the excesiue charges apperteining therevnto as they did make allowance and so great molestation dailie insued therevpon beside the bréeding of sundrie quarrels among the knights and such as resorted hitherto from forreine countries as it
imagine himselfe to come into some publike schoole of the vniuersities where manie giue eare to one that readeth than into a princes palace if you conferre the same with those of other nations Would to God all honorable personages would take example of hir graces godlie dealing in this behalfe and shew their conformitie vnto these hir so good beginnings which if they would then should manie grieuous offenses wherewith God is highlie displeased be cut off and restreined which now doo reigne excéedinglie in most noble and gentlemens houses wherof they sée no paterne within hir graces gates I might speake here of the great traines and troopes of seruing men also which attend vpon the nobilitie of England in their seuerall liueries and with differences of cognisances on their sléeues whereby it is knowen to whome they apperteine I could also set downe what a goodlie sight it is to sée them muster in the court which being filled with them dooth yéeld the contemplation of a noble varietie vnto the beholder much like to the shew of the pecocks taile in the full beautie or of some medow garnished with infinit kinds and diuersitie of pleasant floures But I passe ouer the rehearsall hereof to other men who more delite in vaine amplification than I and séeke to be more curious in these points than I professe to be The discipline of firme peace also that is mainteined within a certeine compasse of the princes palace is such as is nothing inferiour to that we sée dailie practised in the best gouerned holds fortresses And such is the seuere punishment of those that strike within the limits prohibited that without all hope of mercie benefit of clergie or sanctuarie they are sure to loose their right hands at a stroke and that in verie solemne maner the forme whereof I will set downe and then make an end of this chapter to deale with other matters At such time therefore as the partie transgressing is conuicted by a sufficient inquest impanelled for the same purpose and the time come of the execution of the sentence the sergeant of the kings wood-yard prouideth a square blocke which he bringeth to some appointed place and therewithall a great beetle staple and cords wherewith to fasten the hand of the offendor vnto the said blocke vntill the whole circumstance of his execution be performed The yeoman of the scullarie likewise for the time being dooth prouide a great fire of coales hard by the blocke wherein the fearing irons are to be made readie against the chiefe surgeon to the prince or his deputie shall occupie the same Upon him also dooth the sergeant or chiefe farrour attend with those irons whose office is to deliuer them to the said surgeon when he shall be redie by searing to vse the same The groome of the salarie for the time being or his deputie is furthermore appointed to be readie with vineger and cold water and not to depart from the place vntill the arme of the offendor be bound vp and fullie dressed And as these things are thus prouided so the sergeant surgeon is bound from time to time to be readie to execute his charge and seare the stumpe when the hand is taken from it The sergeant of the cellar is at hand also with a cup of red wine and likewise the chiefe officer of the pantrie with manchet bread to giue vnto the said partie after the execution doone and the stumpe seared as the sergeant of the ewerie is with clothes wherein to wind and wrap vp the arme the yeoman of the poultrie with a cocke to laie vnto it the yeoman of the chandrie with seared cloths and finallie the maister cooke or his deputie with a sharpe dressing knife which he deliuereth at the place of execution to the sergeant of the larder who dooth hold it vpright in his hand vntill the execution be performed by the publike officer appointed therevnto And this is the maner of punishment ordeined for those that strike within the princes palace or limits of the same Which should first haue beene executed on sir Edmund Kneuet in the yeare 1541. But when he had made great sute to saue his right hand for the further seruice of the king in his warres and willinglie yeelded to forgo his left in the end the king pardoned him of both to no small benefit of the offendor and publication of the bountifull nature that remained in the prince The like priuilege almost is giuen to churches and churchyards although in maner of punishment great difference doo appeere For he that bralleth or quarelleth in either of them is by and by suspended Abingressu ecclesiae vntill he be absolued as he is also that striketh with the fist or laieth violent hands vpon anie whome so euer But if he happen to smite with staffe dagger or anie maner of weapon the same be sufficientlie found by the verdict of twelue men at his arrainement beside excommunication he is sure to loose one of his eares without all hope of release But if he be such a one as hath beene twise condemned and executed whereby he hath now none eares then is he marked with an hot iron vpon the chéeke and by the letter F which is seared déepe into his slesh he is from thencefoorth noted as a common barratour and fraie maker and therevnto remaineth excommunicate till by repentance he deserue to be absolued To strike a clearke also that is to saie a minister is plaine excommunication and the offendor not to be absolued but by the prince or his especiall cōmission Such also is the generall estate of the excōmunicate in euery respect that he can yéeld not testimonie in anie matter so long as he so standeth No bargaine or sale that he maketh is auaileable in law neither any of his acts whatsoeuer pleadable wherby he liueth as an outlaw a man altogither out of the princes protection although it be not lawfull to kill him nor anie man otherwise outlawed without the danger of fellonie Of armour and munition Chap. 16. HOw well or how stronglie our countrie hath beene furnished in times past with armor and artillerie it lieth not in me as of my selfe to make rehersall Yet that it lacked both in the late time of quéen Marie not onlie the experience of mine elders but also the talke of certeine Spaniards not yet forgotten did leaue some manifest notice Upon the first I néed not stand for few will denie it For the second I haue heard that when one of the greatest péeres of Spaine espied our nakednesse in this behalfe and did solemnelie vtter in no obscure place that it should be an easie matter in short time to conquer England bicause it wanted armor his words were then not so rashlie vttered as they were politikelie noted For albeit that for the present time their efficacie was dissembled and femblance made as though he spake but merilie yet at the verie enterance of this our gratious quéene
against Albion and Bergion Moreouer from henceforth was this I le of Britaine called Albion as before we haue said after the name of the said Albion because he was established chiefe ruler and king thereof both by his grandfather Osiris and his father Neptune that cunning sailour reigning therein as Bale saith by the space of 44. yeares till finally he was slaine in maner afore remembred by his vncle Hercules Libicus After that Hercules had thus vanquished and destroied his enimies hée passed to and fro thorough Gallia suppressing the tyrants in euerie part where he came and restoring the people vnto a reasonable kinde of libertie vnder lawfull gouernours This Hercules as we find builded the citie Alexia in Burgongne nowe called Alize Moreouer by Lilius Giraldus in the life of Hercules it is auouched that the same Hercules came ouer hither into Britaine And this dooth Giraldus writer by warrant of such Britons as saith he haue so written themselues which thing peraduenture he hath read in Gildas the ancient Briton poet a booke that as he confesseth in the 5. dialog of his histories of poets he hath séene The same thing also is confirmed by the name of an head of land in Britaine called Promontorium Herculis as in Ptolomie ye may read which is thought to take name of his arriuall at that place Thus much for Albion and Hercules But now whereas it is not denied of anie that this I le was called ancientlie by the name of Albion yet there be diuers opinions how it came by that name for manie doo not allow of this historie of Albion the giant But for so much as it apperteineth rather to the description than to the historie of this I le to rip vp and lay foorth the secret mysteries of such matters and because I thinke that this opinion which is here auouched how it tooke that name of the forsaid Albion sonne to Neptune may be confirmed with as good authoritie as some of the other I here passe ouer the rest procéed with the historie When Albion chiefe capteine of the giants was slaine the residue that remained at home in the I le continued without any rule or restraint of law in so much that they fell to such a dissolute order of life that they séemed little or nothing to differ from brute beasts and those are they which our ancient chronicles call the giants who were so named as well for the huge proportion of their stature sithens as before is said that age brought foorth far greater men than are now liuing as also for that they were the first or at the least the furthest in remembrance of any that had inhabited this countrie For this word Gigines or Gegines from whence our word giant as some take it is deriued is a Gréeke word and signifieth Borne or bred of or in the earth for our fore-elders specially the Gentiles being ignorant o the true beginning of mankind were persuaded that the first inhabitants of any countrie were bred out of the earth and therefore when they could go no higher reckoning the descents of their predecessours they would name him Terrae filius The sonne of the earth and so the giants whom the poets faine to haue sought to make battell against heauen are called the sonnes of the earth and the first inhabitants generally of euery countrie were of the Gréekes called Gigines or Gegines and of the Latines Aborigines and Indigenae that is People borne of earth from the beginning and comming from no other countrie but bred within the same These giants and first inhabitants of this I le continued in their beastlie kind of life vnto the arriuall of the ladies which some of our chronicles ignorantly write to be the daughters of Dioclesian the king of Assyria whereas in déed they haue béene deceiued in taking the word Danaus to be short written for Dioclesianus and by the same meanes haue diuers words and names beene mistaken both in our chronicles and in diuers other ancient written woorks But this is a fault that learned men should not so much trouble themselues about considering the same hath bin alreadie found by sundrie authors ling sithens as Hugh the Italian Iohn-Harding Iohn Rouse of Warwike and others speciallie by the helpe of Dauid Pencair a British historie who recite the historie vnder the name of Danaus and his daugthers And because we would not any man to thinke that the historie of these daughters of Danaus is onelie of purpose deuised and brought in place of Dioclesianus to excuse the imperfection of our writers whereas there as either no such historie or at the least no such women that arriued in this Ile the authoritie of Nennius a Briton writer may be auouched who wrote aboue 900. yeares past and maketh mention of the arriuall of such ladies To be short the historie is thus Belus the sonne of Epaphus or as some writers haue of Neptune and Lâ—bies whome Isis after the death of Apis maried had issue two sonnes the first Danaus called also Armeus and Aegyptus called also Rameses these two were kings among the Aegyptians Danaus the elder of the two hauing in his rule the vpper region of Aegypt had by sundrie wiues 50. daughters with whome his brother Aegyptus gaping for the dominion of the whole did instantlie labour that his sonnes being also 50. in number might match But Danaus hauing knowledge by some prophesie or oracle that a sonne in law of his should be his death refused so to bestow his daughters Hereupon grew warre betwixt the brethren in the end whereof Danaus being the weaker was inforced to flée his countrie and so prepared a nauie imbarked himselfe and his daughters and with them passed ouer into Gréece where he found meanes to dispossesse Gelenor sonne to Stenelas king of Argos of his rightfull inheritance driuing him out of his countrie and reigned in his place by the assistance of the Argiues that had conceiued an hatred towardes Gelenor and a great liking towardes Danaus who in verie deed did so farr excell the kings that had reigned there before him that the Gréekes in remembrance of him were after called Danai But his brother Aegyptus taking great disdaine for that he and his sonnes were in such sort despised of Danaus sent his sonnes with a great armie to make warre against their vncle giuing them in charge not to returne till they had either slaine Danaus or obteined his daugthers in mariage he yoong gentlemen according to their fathers commandement being arriued in Greece made such warre against Danaus that in the end he was constrained to giue vnto those his 50. nephues his 50. daughters to ioine with them in mariage and so they were But as the prouerbe saith In trust appeared treacherie For on the first night of the mariage Danaus deliuered to ech of his daughters a sword charging them that when their husbands after their bankets and pastimes were
gouernance both of his realme and person committed to hir charge She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefelie being admitted to the gouernance of the realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and wholsome order and therefore deuised and established profitable and conuenient lawes the which after were called Martian lawes of hir name that first made them These lawes as those that were thought good and necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth Alfred or Alured that was long after king of England translated also out of the British toong into the English Saxon speech and then were they called after that translation Marchenelagh that is to meane the lawes of Martia To conclude this worthie woman guided the land during the minoritie of hir sonne right politikelie and highlie to hir perpetuall renowme and commendation And when hir sonne came to lawfull age she deliuered vp the gouernance into his handes How long he reigned writers varie some auouch but seuen yeares though other affirme 15. which agréeth not so well with the accord of other histories and times He was buried at London Of Kimarus and his sudden end of Elanius and his short regiment of Morindus and his beastlie crueltie all three immediatlie succeeding each other in the monarchie of Britaine with the explorts of the last The sixt Chapter KImarus the sonne of Sicilius began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3657 and after the building of Rome 442 in the first yeare of the 117 Olsmpiad This Kimarus being a wild yoong man and giuen to follow his lusts and pleasures was slame by some that were his enimies as he was abroad in hunting when he had reigned scarselie three yeares ELanius the sonne of Kimarus or as other haue his brother began to rule the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3361 after the building of Rome 445 after the deliuerance of the Israelities 229 and in the fourth yeare of the Seleuciens after which account the bookes of Machabées doo reckon which began in the 14 after the death of Alexander This Elanius in the English Chronicle is named also Haran by Mat. Westin Danius and by an old chronicle which Fabian much followed Elanius and Kimarus should seeme to be one person but other hold the contrarie and saie that he reigned fullie 8. yeares MOrindus the bastard sonne of Elanius was admitted king of Britaine in the yeare of the world 366 after the building of Rome 451 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 236 and in the tenth yeare of Cassander K. of Macedonia which hauing dispatched Olimpias the mother of Alexander the great and gotten Roxanes with Alexanders sonne into his hands vsurped the kingdome of the Macedonians and held it 15 yéeres This Morindus in the English chronicle is called Morwith and was a man of worthie fame in chiualrie and martiall dooings but so cruell withall that his vnmercifull nature could scarse be satisfied with the torments of them that had offended him although oftentimes with his owne hands he cruellie put them to torture and execution He was also beautifull and comelie of personage liberall and bounteous and of a maruellous strength In his daies a certeine king of the people called Moriani with a great armie landed in Northumberland and began to make cruell warre vpon the inhabitants But Morindus aduertised héerof assembled his Britains came against the enimies and in battell putting them to flight chased them to their ships and tooke a great number of them prisoners whome to the satisfieng of his cruell nature he caused to be slaine euen in his presence Some of them were headed some strangled some panched and some he caused to be slaine quicke ¶ These people whome Gal. Mon. nameth Moriani I take to be either those that inhabited about Terrouane and Calice called Morini or some other people of the Galles or Germaines and not as some estéeme them Morauians or Merhenners which were not known to the world as Humfrey Llhoyd hath verie well noted till about the daies of the emperour Mauricius which misconstruction of names hath brought the British historie further out of credit than reason requireth if the circumstances be dulie considered But now to end with Morindus At length this bloudie prince heard of a monster that was come a land out of the Irish sea with the which when he would néeds fight he was deuoured of the same after he had reigned the terme of 8 yeeres leauing behind him fiue sonnes Gorbomanus Archigallus Elidurus Uigenius or Nigenius and Peredurus Of Gorbonianus Archigallus Elidurus Vigenius and Peredurus the fiue sons of Morindus the building of Cambridge the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation Elidurus three times admitted King his death and place of interrament The seuenth Chapter GOrbonianus the first son of Morindus succéeded his father in the kingdome of Britain in the yéere of the world 3676 after the building of Rome 461 and fourth yéere of the 121 Olimpiad This Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian and was a righteous prince in his gouernment and verie deuout according to such deuotion as he had towards the aduancing of the religion of his gods and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his kingdome and erected some new He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham as Caxton writeth and was beloued both of the rich and poore for he honoured the rich and relieued the poore in time of their necessities In his time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull state of man than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies He died without issue after he had reigned by the accord of most writers about the terme of ten yeares Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant now called Cambridge also Grantham but some thinke that those which haue so written are deceiued in mistaking the name for that Cambridge was at the first called Granta and by that meanes it might be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham and not Cambridge namelie because other write how that Cambridge as before is said was built in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline by one Cantaber a Spaniard brother to Partholoin which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland as before ye haue heard The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius builded a towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta which he closed with walles and fortified with a strong tower or castell and after procuring philosophers to come hither from Athens where in his youth he had bene a student he placed them there and so euen then was that place furnished as they saie with learned men and such as were readie to instruct others in knowledge of letters and
of the countrie at the last AFter him succéeded as lieutenant of Britaine one Iulius Frontinus who vanquished and brought to the Romane subiection by force of armes the people called Silures striuing not onelie against the stout resistance of the men but also with the hardnesse combersome troubles of the places ¶ Thus may you perceiue in what state this I le stood in the time that Aruiragus reigned in the same as is supposed by the best histories of the old Britains so that it may be thought that he gouerned rather a part of this land than the whole and bare the name of a king the Romans not hauing so reduced the countrie into the forme of a prouince but that the Britains bare rule in diuerse parts thereof and that by the permission of the Romans which neuerthelesse had their lieutenants and procuratours here that bare the greatest rule vnder the aforesaid emperours The state of this Iland vnder Marius the sonne of Aruiragus the comming in of the Picts with Roderike their king his death in the field the Picts and Scots enter into mutuall aliance the monument of Marius his victorie ouer the Picts his death and interrement The xv Chapter AFter the decease of Aruiragus his sonne Marius succeeded him in the estate and began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 73. In the old English chronicle he is fondlie called Westmer was a verie wise man gouerning the Britains in great prosperitie honour and wealth In the time of this mans reigne the people called Picts inuaded this land who are iudged to be descended of the nation of the Scithians neare knismen to the Goths both by countrie and maners a cruell kind of men and much giuen to the warres This people with their ringleader Roderike or as some name him Londorike entering the Ocean sea after the maner of rouers arriued on the coasts of Ireland where they required of the Scots new seats to inhabit in for the Scots which as some thinke were also descended of the Scithians did as then inhabit in Ireland but doubting that it should not be for their profit to receiue so warlike a nation into that I le feining as it were a friendship and excusing the matter by the narrownesse of the countrie declared to the Picts that the I le of Britaine was not farre from thence being a large countrie and a plentifull and not greatly inhabited wherefore they counselled them to go thither promising vnto them all the aid that might be The Picts more desirous of spoile than of rule or gouernment without delaie returned to the sea and sailed towards Britaine where being arriued they first inuaded the north parts thereof and finding there but few inhabiters they began to wast and forrey the countrie whereof when king Marius was aduertised with all speed he assembled his people and made towards his enimies and giuing them battell obteined the victorie so that Roderike was there slaine in the field and his people vanquished Unto those that escaped with life Marius granted licence that they might inhabit in the north part of Scotland called Catnesse being as then a countrie in maner desolate without habitation wherevpon they withdrew thither and setled themselues in those parties And bicause the Britains disdained to grant vnto them their daughters in mariage they sent vnto the Scots into Ireland requiring to haue wiues of their nation The Scots agréed to their request with this condition that where there wanted lawfull issue of the kings linage to succéed in the kingdome of the Picts then should they name one of the womans side to be their king which ordinance was receiued and obserued euer after amongst the Picts so long as their kingdome endured Thus the Picts next after the Romans were the first of anie strangers that came into this land to inhabit as most writers affirme although the Scotish chronicles auouch the Picts to be inhabiters here before the incarnation of our sauiour But the victorie which Marius obteined against their king Roderike chanced in the yéere after the incarnation 87. In remembrance of which victorie Marius caused a stone to be erected in the same place where the battell was fought in which stone was grauen these words Marij victoria The English chronicle saith that this stone was set vp on Stanesmoore and that the whole countrie thereabout taking name of this Marius was Westmaria now called Westmerland King Marius hauing thus subdued his enimies and escaped the danger of their dreadfull inuasion gaue his mind to the good gouernement of his people and the aduancement of the common wealth of the realme continuing the residue of his life in great tranquillitie and finallie departed this life after he had reigned as most writers say 52 or 53 yeeres Howbeit there be that write that he died in the yéere of our Lord 78 and so reigned not past fiue or six yéeres at the most He was buried at Caerleill leauing a sonne behind him called Coill Humfrey Lhoyd séemeth to take this man and his father Aruiragus to be all one person whether mooued thereto by some catalog of kings which he saw or otherwise I cannot affirme but speaking of the time when the Picts and Scots should first come to settle themselues in this land he hath these words Neither was there anie writers of name that made mention either of Scots or Picts before Uespasianus time about the yeere of the incarnation 72 at what time Meurig or Maw or Aruiragus reigned in Britaine in which time our annales doo report that a certeine kind of people liuing by pirasie and rouing on the sea came foorth of Sueden or Norwaie vnder the guiding of one Rhithercus who landed in Albania wasting all the countrie with robbing and spoiling so farre as Caerleill where he was vanquished in battell and slaine by Muragus with a great part of his people the residue that escaped by flight fled to their ships and so conueied themselues into the Iles of Orkney and Scotland where they abode quietlie a great while after Thus farre haue I thought good to shew of the foresaid Lhoyds booke for that it seemeth to carie a great likelihood of truth with it for the historie of the Picts which vndoubtedlie I thinke were not as yet inhabiting in Britaine but rather first placing themselues in the Iles of Orkney made inuasion into the maine I le of Britaine afterwards as occasion was offred In the British toong they are called Pightiaid that is Pightians and so likewise were they called in the Scotish and in their owne toong Now will we shew what chanced in this I le during the time of the foresaid Marius his supposed reigne as is found in the Romane histories Iulius Agricola is deputed by Vespasian to gouerne Britaine he inuadeth the I le of Anglesey the inhabitants yeeld vp them selues the commendable gouernement of Agricola his worthie practises to traine the Britains to ciuilitie his
the abridgement of the histories of Italie ¶ But here yet before we make an end with this maximus or Maximianus I haue thought good to set downe the words which we find in Gyldas where the writeth of the same Maximus vndoubtedlie a Britaine borne nephue to the empresse Helen and begotten by a Romane At length saith Gyldas the spring of tyrants budding vp and now increasing into an huge wood the Ile being called after the name of Rome but holding neither maners nor lawes according to that name but rather casting the same from it sendeth foorth a branch of hir most bitter planting to wit Maximus accompanied with a great number of warriors to gard him and apparelled in the imperiall robes which he neuer ware as became him nor put them on in lawfull wise but after the custome of tyrants was put into them by the mutining souldiers which Maximus at the first by craftie policie rather than by true manhood winding in as nets of his periurie and false suggestion vnto his wicked gouernement the countries prouinces next adioining against the imperiall state of Rome stretching one of his wings into Spaine and the other into Italie placed the throne of his most vniust empire at Trier and shewed such rage in his wood dealing against his souereigne lords that the one of the lawfull emperours he expelled out of Rome and the other he bereft of his most religious and godlie life Now without long tariance compassed about with such a furious and bold gard as he had got togither at the citie of Aquilia he loseth his wicked head which had cast downe the most honourable heads of all the world from their kingdome and empire From thencefoorth Britaine being depriued of all hir warlike souldiers and armies of hir gouernors also though cruell and of an huge number of hir youth the which following the steps of the foresaid tyrant neuer returned home againe such as remained being vtterlie vnskilfull in feats of warre were troden downe by two nations of beyond the seas the Scots from the west and the Picts from the north and as men thus quite dismaid lament their miserable case not knowing what else to doo for the space of manie yéeres togither By reason of whose gréeuous inuasion and cruell oppression wherewith she was miserablie disquieted she sendeth hir ambassadors vnto Rome making lamentable sute euen with teares to haue some power of men of warre sent to defend hir against the enimies promising to be true subiects with all faithfulnes of mind if the enimie might be kept off and remooued ¶ Thus farre Gyldas and more as in place hereafter you shall find recited What Gratianus it was that was sent ouer from Rome into Britaine by Maximus in what estimation the British souldiers haue beene the priuie treason of Andragatius whereby Gratian came to his end Maximus and his sonne Victor doo succeed him in the empire they are both slaine Marcus the Romane lieutenant suceeding them is murthered Gratianus also his successour hath the same end the election of Constantine a Britaine borne his praise and dispraise reported by writers he goeth into France maketh his sonne Constance partaker with him of the empire a sharpe incounter betwixt his power and two brethrens that had the keeping of the Pyrennie hils the issue of the battell The xxxj Chapter BUt now where the British histories and such of our English writers as follow them make mention of one Gratianus a Romane sent ouer with thrée legions of souldiers by Maximus as before ye haue heard we maie suppose that it was Gratianus the Britaine that afterwards vsurped the imperiall dignitie héere in Britaine in the daies of the emperour Honorius For it standeth neither with the concurrence of time nor yet with reason of the historie that it should be Gratianus surnamed Funarius father to Ualentinian and grandfather to the emperour Gratianus against whome Maximus rebelled And yet I remember not that anie of the Romane writers maketh mention of anie other Gratianus being a stranger that should be sent hither as lieutenant to gouerne the Romane armie except of the foresaid Gratianus Funarius who as appéereth by Amian Marcellinus was generall of the Romane armie héere in this I le and at length being discharged returned home into Hungarie where he was borne with honour and there remaining in rest was at length spoiled of his goods by the emperour Constantius as confiscate for that in time of the ciuill warres he had receiued Maxentius as he past thorough his countrie But let vs grant that either Gratianus the Britaine or some other of that name was sent ouer into Britaine as before is said by Maximus least otherwise some errour may be doubted in the writers of the British histories as hauing happilie mistaken the time and matter bringing Gratianus Funarius to serue vnder Maximus where peraduenture that which they haue read or heard of him chanced long before that time by them supposed and so thorough mistaking the thing haue made a wrong report where neuerthelesse it standeth with great likelihood of truth that some notable seruice of chiualrie was atchiued by the same Gratianus Funarius whilest he remained héere in this I le if the truth might be knowne of that which hath béene written by authors and happilie by the same Am. Marcellinus if his first thirtéene bookes might once come to light and be extant But now to end with Maximus William of Malmesburie as ye haue heard writeth that not Maximus but rather Constantine the great first peopled Armorica but yet he agréeth that both Maximus and also Constantinus the vsurper of whome after ye shall heare led with them a great number of the Britains out of this land the which Maximus or Maximianus and Constantinus afterwards being slaine the one by Theodosius and the other by Honorius the Britains that followeth them to the warres part of them were killed and the residue escaping by flight withdrew vnto the other Britains which Constantine the great had first placed in Armorica And so when the tyrants had left none in the countrie but rude people nor anie in the townes but such as were giuen to slouth and gluttonie Britaine being void of all aid of hir valiant youth became a prey to hir next neighbours the Scots and Picts Héere is yet to be considered in what price the souldiers of the British nation were had in those daies with whose onelie puissance Maximus durst take vpon him to go against all other the forces of the whole Romane empire and how he prospered in that dangerous aduenture it is expressed sufficientlie in the Romane histories by whose report it appéereth that he did not onlie conquer all the hither parts of France and Germanie namelie on this side the Rhine but also found meanes to intrap the emperour Gratian by this kind of policie He had a faithfull friend called Andragatius who was admirall of the seas perteining to the empire It was
how they had sped nor one suffered to liue after anothers death either to reuenge their ruine or to lement their losse Thus were the limits of the Romane empire preserued at that time in Britaine which should séeme to be about the yéere of our Lord 399. ¶ Thus were the Romans as commonlie in all their martiall affaires so in this incounter verie fortunate the happie issue of the conflict faling out on their side And strange it is to consider and marke how these people by a celestiall kind of influence were begotten and borne as it were to prowesse and renowme the course of their dealings in the field most aptlie answering to their name For as some suppose the Romans were called of the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieng power and mightinesse and in old time they were called Ualentians A valendo of preuailing so that it was no maruell though they were victorious subduers of forren people sithens they were by nature created and appointed to be conquerors and thereof had their denomination What the poet Claudianus saith of the state of Britaine in the decaie of the Romane empire of the Scots and Picts cruellie vexing the Britains they are afflicted by inuasion of barbarous nations the practise of the Saxons of the Scots first comming into this Iland and from whence the Scotish chronographers noted for curiositie and vanitie The xxxv Chapter AFter this in the time of the emperour Honorius the Scots Picts and Saxons did eftsoones inuade the frontiers of the Romane prouince in Britaine as appéereth by that which the poet Claudianus writeth in attributing the honour of preseruing the same frontiers vnto the said emperour in his booke intituled Panegerycus tertij consulatus which fell in the yéere 396 as thus Ille leues Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotúmque vago mucrone secutus Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus vndas Et geminis fulgens vtróque sub axe tropheis Tethyos alternae refluas calcauit arenas The nimble Mores and Picts by right so cald he hath subdude And with his wandring swoord likewise the Scots he hath pursude He brake with bold couragious oare the Hyperborean waue And shining vnder both the poles with double trophies braue He marcht vpon the bubling sands of either swelling seas The same Caladianus vpon the fourth consulship of Honorius saith in a tetrastichon as followeth Quid rigor aeternus caeli quid frigora prosunt Ignotúmque fretum maduerunt Saxons fuso Orcades incaluit Pictonum sanguine Thule Sootorum cumulos fleuit glacialis Hyberne What lasting cold what did to them the frostlie climats gaine And sea vnknowne be moisted all with bloud of Saxons slaine The Orknies were with bloud of Picts hath Thule waxed warme And ysie Ireland hath bewaild the heaps of Scotish harme The same praise giueth he to Stilico the sonne in law of Honorius and maketh mention of a legion of souldiers sent for out of Britaine in the periphrasis or circumlocution of the Gotish bloudie warres Venit extremis legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat fraena truci ferróque notatas Perleget exanimes Picto moriente figuras A legion eke there came from out the farthest Britains bent Which brideled hath the Scots so sterne and marks with iron brent Vpon their liuelesse lims doth read whiles Picts their liues relent He rehearseth the like in his second Panegerycus of Stilico in most ample and pithie manner insuing Inde Calidonio velata Britannia monstro Ferro Picta genas cuius vestigia verrit Caerulus OceanÃque aestum mentitur amictus Me quoque vicinis pereuntem gentibus inquit Muniuit Stilico totam quum Scotus Hybernam Mouit infesto spumauit remige Thetis Illius effectum curis ne bella timerem Scotica ne Pictum tremerem ne littore toto Prospicerem dubijs venturum Saxona ventis Then Britaine whom the monsters did of Calidone surround Whose cheekes were pearst with scorching steele whose garments swept the ground Resembling much the marble hew of ocean seas that boile Said She whom neighbour nations did conspire to bring to spoile Hath Stilico munited strong when raisd by Scots entice All Ireland was and enimies ores the salt sea fome did slice His care hath causd that I all feare of Scotish broiles haue bard Ne doo I dread the Picts ne looke my countrie coasts to gard Gainst Saxon troops whom changing winds sent sailing hitherward Thus maie it appéere that in the time when the Romane empire began to decaie in like manner as other parts of the same empire were inuaded by barbarous nations so was that part of Britaine which was subiect to the Romane emperors grieuouslie assailed by the Scots and Picts and also by the Saxons the which in those daies inhabiting all alongst the sea coasts of low Germanie euen from the Elbe vnto the Rhine did not onelie trouble the sea by continuall rouing but also vsed to come on land into diuerse parts of Britaine and Gallia inuading the countries and robbing the same with great rage and crueltie To the which Sidonius Apollinaris thus alludeth writing to Namatius The messenger did assuredlie affirme that latelie ye blew the trumpet to warre in your nation and betwixt the office one while of a mariner and another while of a souldier wasted about the crooked shores of the ocean sea against the fléet of the Saxons of whome as manie rouers as ye behold so manie archpirats ye suppose to sée so doo they altogither with one accord command obeie teach and learne to plaie the parts of rouers that euen now there is good occasion to warne you to beware This enimie is more cruell than all other enimies He assaileth at vnwares he escapeth by forseeing the danger afore hand he despiseth those that stand against him he throweth downe the vnwarie if he be followed he snappeth them vp that pursue him if he flée he escapeth Of like effect for proofe hâ—ereof be those verses which he wrote vnto Maiorianus his panegyrike oration following in Latine and in English verse Tot maria intraâ—â—â— duce te longéque remotas Sole sub occiduo gentes victricia Caesar Signa Calidonios transuexit ad vsque Britannos Fuderiâ— quanquam Scotum cum Saxone Pictum Hostesquaesiuit quem iam natura vetabat Quâ—erere plus homines c. So manie seas Lontred haue and nations farre by west By thy conduct and Caesar hath his banners borne full prest Vnto the furthest British coast where Calidonians dwell The Scot and Pict with Saxons eke 〈◊〉 though he subdued fell Yet would he enimies seeke vnknowne whom nature had forbid c. ¶ Thus much haue we thought good to gather out of the Romane and other writers that ye might perceiue the state of Britaine the better in that time of the decaie of the Romane empire and that ye might haue occasion to marke by the waie how not onelie the Scots but also the Saxons
a pitcht field as in the Scotish historie more plainlie appeareth To be bréefe the Britains were brought into such danger and miserie that they knew not what way to take for remedie in such present perill likelie to be ouerrun and vtterlie vanquished of their enimies In the meane time Uortigerne not onelie troubled with these imminent euils but fearing also the returne of the two brethren Aurelius Ambrose and Uter Pendragon began to consider of the state of things and estéeming it most sure to worke by aduise called togither the principall lords and chéefe men of the realme to haue their counsell and opinion how to procéed in such a weightie businesse and so debating the matter with them measured both his owne force and also the force of his enimies and according to the condition and state of the time diligentlie considered and searched out what remedie was to be had and prouided At length after they had throughlie pondered all things the more part of the nobles with the king also were of this mind that there could be no better way deuised than to send into Germanie for the Saxons to come to their aid the which Saxons in that season were highlie renowmed for their valiancie in armes and manifold aduentures heretofore atchiued And so forthwith messengers were dispatched into Germanie the which with monie gifts and promises might procure the Saxons to come to the aid of the Britains against the Scots and Picts The Saxons glad of this message as people desirous of intertainment to serue in warres choosing forth a picked companie of Iustie yoong men vnder the leading of two brethren Hingist and Horsus got them aboord into certeine vessels appointed for the purpose and so with all spéed directed their course towards great Britaine This was in the yeare of our Lord 449 and in the second yeare of Uortigerns reigne as the most autentike writers both British and English séeme to gather although the Scotish writers and name Hector Boetius doo varie herein touching the iust account of yeares as to the perusers of the writings aswell of the one as the other may appeare But others take it to be in the 4 yéere of his reigne whereto Beda séemeth to agrée who noteth it in the same yeare that Martianus the emperour began to rule the empire which was as appeareth by the consularie table in the consulship of Protogenes and Austerius and third yeere of Meroneus king of France These Saxons thus arriuing in Britaine were courteouslie receiued hartilie welcomed of king Uortigerne who assigned to them places in Kent to inhabit and foorthwith led them against the Scots and Picts which were entred into Britaine wasting destroieng the countrie before them Héerevpon comming to ioine in battell there was a sore fight betwixt the parties for a while But at length when the Saxons called to their remembrance that the same was the day which should either purchase to them an euerlasting name of manhood by victorie or else of reproch by repulse began to renew the fight with such violence that the enimies not able to abide their fierce charge were scattered and beaten downe on ech side with great slaughter The king hauing gotten this victorie highlie rewarded the strangers according to their well deseruings as by whose prowesse he had thus vanquished his enimies which as some write were come as farre as Stamford and vsed at that time to fight with long darts and speares whereas the Saxons fought onelie with long swords and axes ¶ Some haue written that the Saxons were not sent for but came by chance into the I le and the occasion to be this There was an ancient custome among the English Saxons a people in Germanie as was also at the first among other nations that when the multitude of them was so increased that the countrie was not able to susteine and find them by commandement of their princes they should choose out by lots a number of yoong and able personages fit for the warrs which should go foorth to séeke them new habitations and so it chanced to those that they came into great Britaine and promised to serue the king for wages in his warres Hengistus the Saxon shooteth at the crowne and scepter of the kingdome by craftie and subtile practises a great number of forren people arriue in Britaine for the augmentation of his power of the faire ladie Rowne his daughter whereof Wednesdaie and Fridaie tooke their name of the Iutes Saxons and Angles Vortigerne being inflamed with the loue of Hengists daughter forsaketh his owne wife and marrieth hir Vortigerne giueth Hengist all Kent the Saxons come ouer by heaps to inhabit the land the British nobilitie moue the king to auoid them he is depriued of his kingdome the miserable destruction made by the Saxons in this land skirmishes betwixt them and the Britains The third Chapter NOw Hengistus being a man of great wit rare policie and high wisedome vnderstanding the kings mind who wholie trusted to the valiancie of the Saxons herewithall perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the countrie presentlie began to consider with himselfe by what wiles and craft he might by little settle heere and obteine a kingdome in the I le and so establish the same to him and his fore euer Therefore first he indeuored with all speed possible to fense that part of the countrie which was giuen him and his people and to inlarge and furnish it with garisons appointed in places most conuenient After this he did what he could to persuade the king that a great power of men might be brought ouer our of Germanie that the land being fortified with such strength the enimies might be put in feare and his subiects holden in rest The king not foreséeing the hap that was to come did not despise this counsell tending to the destruction of his kingdome and so was more aid sent for into Germanie wherevpon now at this second time shere arriued héere 16 vessels fraught with people and at the same time came the ladie Rowen or Ronix daughter to Hengist a maid of excellent beautie and comelinesse able to delight the eies of them that should behold hir and speciallie to win the heart of Uortigerne with the dart of concupiscence wherevnto he was of nature much inclined and that did Hengist well perceiue There came ouer into this land at that time and soone after thrée maner of people of the Germane nation as Saxons Vitae or Iutes and Angles ouer the which the said Hengist and Horse being brethren were capteines rulers men of right noble parentage in their countrie as descended of that ancient prince Woden of whom the English Saxon kings doo for the more part fetch their pedegrée as lineallie descended from him vnto whome also the English people falselie reputing him for a god consecrated the fourth daie of the wéeke as they did the sixt to his wife Frea so that
the warres which he had against the Saxons varieth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth as by his words here following ye maie perceiue Guortimer the sonne of Uortimer saith he thinking not good long to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and his countriemen the Britains preuented by the craft of the English Saxons set his full purpose to driue them out of the realme and kindled his father to the like attempt He therefore being the author and procurer seuen yeares after their first comming into this land the league was broken and by the space of 20 yeares they fought oftentimes togither in manie light incounters but foure times they fought puissance against puissance in open field in the first battell they departed with like fortune whilest the one part that is to meane the Saxons lost their capteine Horse that was brother to Hengist and the Britains lost Catigerne an other of Uortigerns sonnes In the other battels when the Englishmen went euer awaie with the vpper hand at length a peace was concluded Guortimer being taken out of this world by course of fatall death the which much differing from the soft and milde nature of his father right noblie would haue gouerned the realme if God had suffered him to haue liued But these battels which Uortimer gaue to the Saxons as before is mentioned should appeare by that which some writers haue recorded to haue chanced before the supposed time of Uortimers or Guortimers atteining to the crowne about the 6 or 7 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this realme with Hengist And hereto W. Harison giueth his consent referring the mutuall slaughter of Horsus and Catigerne to the 6 years of Martianus 455 of Christ. Howbeit Polydor Virgil saith that Uortimer succéeded his father and that after his fathers deceasse the English Saxons of whome there was a great number then in the I le comming ouer dailie like swarmes of bées and hauing in possession not onelie Kent but also the north parts of the realme towards Scotland togither with a great part of the west countrie thought it now a fit time to attempt the fortune of warre and first therefore concluding a league with the Scots and Picts vpon the sudden they turned their weapons points against the Britains and most cruellie pursued them as though they had receiued some great iniurie at their hands and no benefit at all The Britains were maruelouslie abashed herewith perceiuing that they should haue to doo with Hengist a capteine of so high renowme and also with their ancient enimies the Scots and Picts thus all at one time and that there was no remedie but either they must fight or else become slaues Wherefore at length dread of bondage stirred vp manhood in them so that they assembled togither and boldlie began to resist their enimies on ech side but being too weake they were easilie discomfited and put to flight so that all hope of defense by force of armes being vtterlie taken awaie as men in despaire to preuaile against their enimies they fled as shéepe scattered abroad some following one capteine and some another getting them into desart places woods and maresh grounds and moreouer left such townes and fortresses as were of no notable strength as a preie vnto their enimies Thus saith Polydor Virgil of the first breaking of the warres betwixt the Saxons and the Britains which chanced not as should appeare by that which he writeth thereof till after the death of Uortigerne Howbeit he denieth not that Hengist at his first comming got seates for him and his people within the countie of Kent and there began to inhabit This ought not to be forgotten that king Uortimer as Sigebertus hath written restored the christian religion after he had vanquished the Saxons in such places where the same was decaied by the enimies inuasion whose drift was not onelie to ouerrun the land with violence but also to erect their owne laws and liberties with out regard of clemencie Vortigerne is restored to his regiment in what place he abode during the time of his sonnes reigne Hengist with his Saxons re-enter the land the Saxons and Britains are appointed to meet on Salisburie plaine the priuie treason of Hengist and his power whereby the Britains were slaine like sheepe the manhood of Edol earle of Glocester Vortigerne i◠taken prisoner Hengist is in possession of three prouinces of this land a description of Kent The fift Chapter AFter all these bloudie broiles and tempestuous tumults ended Uortigerne was restored and set againe into the kingdome of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 471. All the time of his sonnes reigne he had remained in the parties now called Wales where as some write in that meane time he builded a strong castle called Generon or Guaneren in the west side of Wales nere to the riuer of Guana vpon a mounteine called Cloaricus which some referre to be builded in his second returne into Wales as shall be shewed hereafter And it is so much the more likelie for that an old chronicle which Fabian had sight of affirmeth that Uortigerne was kept vnder the rule of certeine gouernors to him appointed in the towne of Caerlegion and behaued himselfe in such commendable sort towards his sonne in aiding him with his counsell and otherwise in the meane season whilest his sonne reigned that the Britains by reason thereof began so to fauour him that after the death of Uortimer they made him king againe Shortlie after that Uortigerne was restored to the rule of the kingdom Hengist aduertised therof returned into the land with a mightie armie of Saxons whereof Uortigerne being admonished assembled his Britains and with all speed made towards him When Hengist had knowledge of the huge host of the Britains that was comming against him he required to come to a communication with Uortigerne which request was granted so that it was concluded that on Maie day a certeine number of Britains and as manie of the Saxons should meet togither vpon the plaine of Salisburie Hengist hauing deuised a new kind of treason when the day of their appointed méeting was come caused euerie one of his allowed number secretlie to put into his hose a long knife where it was ordeined that no man should bring anie weapon with him at all and that at the verie instant when this watchword should be vttered by him Nempt your sexes then should euerie of them plucke out his knife and slea the Britaine that chanced to be next to him except the same should be Uortigerne whom he willed to be apprehended but not slaine At the day assigned the king with his appointed number or traine of the Britains mistrusting nothing lesse than anie such maner of vnhaithfull dealing came vnto the place in order before prescribed without armor or weapon where he found Hengist readie with his Saxons the which receiued the king with amiable countenance
that king Edelferd had made slaughter of the Britains as before is rehearsed he entred the citie of Chester and from thence marched towards Bangor The Britains in the meane time had assembled their power vnder thrée capteins that is to say Blederike duke of Cornewall Margadud king of Southwales and Cadwane king of Northwales These ioining in battell with Edelferd flue 10066 of his souldiers and constreined him to flée out of the field for safegard of his life after he had receiued manie wounds On the part of the Britains the forsaid Blederike which was chiefe capteine of the field in that battell chanced to be slaine Thus saith Gal. Mon. But the ancient writers of the English kings as Beda William Malmesburie and Henrie Huntington make no mention of this last battell and victorie obteined by the Britains in maner as aboue is expressed in Galfrids booke But contrarilie we find that Edelferd hauing such good successe in his businesse abroad as he could wish vpon purpose to auoid danger at home banished Edwine the sonne of Alla or Elle a yoong gentleman of great towardnesse latelie come to the kingdome of the Northumbers by the death of his father But this Edwine in time of his exile being long tossed from place to place and finding no stedfast friendship now in time of his aduersitie at length came to Redwald that was king at that time of the Eastangles the third from Uffa and successor to Titullus which Titullus did succéed next after the said Uffa the first king of Eastangles as before is mentioned This Redwald did verie honourablie interteine Edwine insomuch that Edelferd being informed thereof was highlie displeased and sent ambassadors vnto Redwald to require him either to deliuer Edwine into his hands or else if he refused so to doo to declare and denounce vnto him open warres Redwald incouraged by his wife that counselled him in no wise to betraie his friend to whome he had giuen his faith for the menaces of his enimie assembled foorthwith an armie and at the sudden comming vpon Edelferd assaulted him yer he could haue time to assemble his people togither But yet the said Edelferd though he was beset and brought in danger at vnwares died not vnreuenged for putting himselfe in defense with such power as he could then get togither he boldlie incountred the enimies and giuing battell slue Remerius the sonne of Redwald and after was slaine himselfe hauing reigned ouer the Northumbers about 22 yéeres This battell was fought néere to the water of Idle The said Edelferd had issue by his wife Acca the daughter of Alla and sister to Edwine two sonnes Oswald being about two yéeres of age and Oswin about foure yéeres the which their father being thus slaine were by helpe of their gouernours conueied awaie into Scotland with all spéed that might be made Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons after he had reigned the space of 12 yeeres departed this life who in his time had mainteined great warre against manie of his neighbours the which for briefenesse I passe ouer One great battell he fought against them of Sussex in which the armies on both sides susteined great damage but the greater losse fell to the South saxons Cinegiscus and his sonne Richelinus reigne iointlie ouer the Westsaxons they fight with the Britains the indeuour of Laurence archbishop of Canturburie in setting religion at large and seeking a vniformitie in catholike orders he and his fellow-bishops write to the cleargie of Britaine and Scotland for a reformation Melitus bishop of London goeth to Rome the cause why and what he brought at his returne from pope Boniface The xxiij Chapter AFter the foresaid Ceowlfe reigned Cinegiscus or Kingils which was the sonne of Ceola which was the sonne of Cutha or Cutwin which was the sonne of Kenricke which was the sonne of king Certicke In the fourth yéere of his reigne he receiued into fellowship with him in gouernance of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus or Onichelinus and so they reigned iointlie togither in great loue and concord a thing seldome séene or heard of They fought with the Britains at Beandune where at the first approch of the battels togither the Britains fled but too late for there died of them that were ouertaken 2062. In this meane time Laurence archbishop of Canturburie who succéeded next after Augustine admitted thereto by him in his life time as before is said did his iudeuour to augment and bring to perfection the church of England the foundation whereof was latelie laid by his predecessor the foresaid Augustine who studied not onelie for the increase of this new church which was gathered of the English people but also he was busie to imploie his pastorlike cure vpon the people that were of the old inhabitants of Britaine and likewise of the Scots that remained in Ireland For when he had learned that the Scots there in semblable wise as the Britains in their countrie led not their liues in manie points according to the ecclesiasticall rules aswell in obseruing the feast of Easter contrarie to the vse of the Romane church as in other things he wrote vnto those Scots letters exhortatorie requiring them most instantlie to an vnitie of catholike orders as might be agréeable with the church of Christ spred and dispersed through the world These letters were not written onelie in his owne name but iointlie togither in the name of the bishops Melitus and Iustus as followeth To our deare brethren the bishops and abbats through all Scotland Laurence Melitus and Iustus bishops the seruants of the seruants of God wish health WHereas the apostolike see according to hir maner had sent vs to preach vnto the heathen people in these west parts as otherwise throgh the world and that it chanced to vs to enter into this Ile which is called Britaine before we knew vnderstood the state of things we had in great reuerence both the Scots Britains which beleeued bicause as we tooke the matter they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall church but after we had knowledge of the Britains we iudged the Scots to be better But we haue learned by bishop Daganus comming into this I le and by Columbanus the abbat comming into France that the Scots nothing differ in their conuersation from the Britains for bishop Daganus comming vnto vs would neither eat with vs no nor yet come within the house where we did eat The said Laurence also with his fellow-bishops did write to the Britains other letters woorthie of his degree dooing what he could to confirme them in the vnitie of the Romane church but it profited litle as appeareth by that which Beda writeth About the same time Melitus the bishop of London went to Rome to common with pope Boniface for necessarie causes touching the church of England and was present at a synod holden by the same pope at that season for ordinances to
Ludgate builded The xxviij Chapter CAdwallo or Cadwalline for we find him so named began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 635 in the yéere of the reigne of the emperour Heracleus 35 and in the 13 yere of Dagobert K. of France Of this man ye haue heard partlie before touching his dealings and warres against the Northumbers and other of the English nation but forsomuch as diuers other things are reported of him by the British writers we haue thought good in his place to rehearse the same in part as in Gal. Mon. we find writen leauing the credit still with the author sith the truth thereof may be the more suspected bicause other authors of good authoritie as Beda Henrie Huntington William Malmesburie and others séeme greatlie to disagrée from him herein But thus it is written This Cadwallo and Edwin the sonne of Ethelfred as Galfride saith were brought vp in France being sent thither vnto Salomon king of Britaine by king Cadwane when they were verie yoong Now after their returne into this land when they were made kings Cadwallo of the Britains Edwin of the Northumbers there continued for the space of two yéeres great friendship betwixt them till at length Edwin required of Cadwallo that he might weare a crowne and celebrate appointed solemnities within his dominion of Northumberland as well as Cadwallo did in his countrie Cadwallo taking aduice in this matter at length by persuasion of his nephue Brian denied to grant vnto Edwin his request wherewith Edwin tooke such displeasure that he sent woord vnto Cadwallo that he would be crowned without his leaue or licence sith he would not willinglie grant it Wherto Cadwallo answered that if he so did he would cut off his head vnder his diademe if he presumed to weare anie within the confines of Britaine Hereof discord arising betwixt these two princes they began to make fierce and cruell warre either of them against the other and at length ioining in batell with their maine forces Cadwallo lost the field with many thousands of his men and being chased fled into Scotland and from thence got ouer into Ireland and finally passed the seas into Britaine Armorike where of his coosin king Salomon he was courteouslie receiued and at length obteined of him 10000 men to go with him backe into his countrie to assist him in recouerie of his lands dominions the which in the meane time were cruellie spoiled wasted and haried by king Edwin At the same time Brian the nephue of Cadwallo whom he had sent into Britaine a little before to slea a certeine wizard or southsaier whom king Edwin had gotten out of Spaine named Pelitus that by disclosing the purpose of Cadwallo vnto Edwin greatlie hindered Cadwallos enterprises had fortified the citie of Excester mening to defend it till the comming of Cadwallo wherevpon Penda king of Mercia besieged that citie with a mightie army purposing to take it and Brian within it Cadwallo then aduertised hereof immediatlie after his arriuall hasted to Excester and diuiding his people in 4 parts set vpon his enimies tooke Penda and ouerthrew his whole armie Penda hauing no other shift to escape submitted himselfe wholie vnto Cadwallo promising to become his liegeman to fight against the Saxons in his quarrell Penda being thus subdued Cadwallo called his nobles togither which had bene dispersed abroad a long season with all spéed went against Edwin king of Northumberland and slue him in battell at Hatfield as before is mentioned with his son Osfride and Eodbold king of the Iles of Orknie which was come thither to his aid ¶ By this it should appeare that Fabian hath gathered amisse in the account of the reignes of the British kings for it appeareth by Beda and others that Edwin was slaine in the yéere of our Lord 634. And where Fabian as before is said attributeth that act diuers other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cadwallo yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most part of all other writers signifie that it was done by Cadwallo Harding assigneth but 13 yéeres to the reigne of Cadwan and declareth that he died in the yéere of our Lord 616 in the which as he saith Cadwallo began his reigne which opinion of his séemeth best to agrée with that which is written by other authors But to returne to the other dooings of Cadwallo as we find them recorded in the British storie After he had got this victorie against the Northumbers he cruellie pursued the Saxons as though he ment so farre as in him lay to destroie the whole race of them out of the coasts of all Britaine and sending Penda against king Oswald that succéeded Edwin though at the first Penda receiued the ouerthrow at Heauenfield yet afterwards Cadwallo himselfe highly displeased with that chance pursued Oswald and fought with him at a place called Bourne where Penda slue the said Oswald Wherevpon his brother Osunus succéeding in gouernment of the Northumbers sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ruling as king ouer all Britaine and at length by great gifts of gold and siluer and vpon his humble submission obteined peace till at length vpon spite Penda king of Mercia obteined licence of Cadwallo to make warres against the said Osunus in the which as it hapned Penda himselfe was slaine Then Cadwallo after two yéeres granted that Ulfridus the sonne of Penda should succeed in Mercia Thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appointment within this land And finallie when he had reigned 48 yéeres he departed this life the 22 of Nouember His bodie being embalmed and dressed with swéet confections was put into a brasen image by maruelous art melted and cast which image being set on a brazen horsse of excellent beautie the Britains set vp aloft vpon the west gate of London called Ludgate in signe of his conquests and for a terror to the Saxons Moreouer the church of S. Martin vnderneath the same gate was by the Britains then builded Thus haue the Britains made mention of their valiant prince Cadwallo but diuerse thinke that much of this historie is but fables bicause of the manifest varieng both from Beda and other antentike writers as before I haue said The true storie of the forenamed king Oswald his desire to restore christian religion Cormans preaching taking small effect among the Northumbers persuadeth him to depart into his owne countrie he slandereth them before the Scotish clergie Aidan a godlie man telleth the cause of the people 's not profiting by Cormans preaching Aidan commeth into England to instruct the people in the faith he varieth in the obseruation of Easter from the English churches custome the Northumbers haue him his doctrine in reuerence Oswalds earnest zeale to further religion by Aidans preaching and ministerie 15000 baptised within 7 daies Oswald hath the Britains Scots Picts English at his commandement his commendable deed of christian charitie the Westsaxons conuerted to
people ancientlie called Meanuari which he had woon from the Westsaxons Bishop Wilfrid then by king Edilwalke his furtherance and helpe baptised the chiefest lords and gentlemen of that prouince But certein priests baptised the residue of the people either then or in the time following ¶ It chanced that for the space of thrée yeeres as it is said before the comming thither of bishop Wilfrid there had fallen no raine from the aire within that prouince of the Southsaxons so that the people were brought into great miserie by reson of famine which through want of necessarie fruits of the earth sore afflicted the whole countrie insomuch that no small numbers threw themselues hedlong into the sea despairing of life in such lacke of necessarie vittels But as God would the same day that Wilfrid began to minister the sacrament of baptisme there came downe swéet and plentifull showers of raine so watering the earth that thereby great store of all fruits plentifullie tooke root and yéelded full increase in growth to the great comfort and reliefe of all the people which before were in maner starued and lost through want of food Bishop Wilfrid also taught them in that countrie the maner how to catch fish with nets where before that time they had no great skill in anie kind of fishing except it were in catching éeles Hereby the said bishop grew there in great estimation with the people so that his words were the better credited amongst them for that through him they receiued so great benefits God by such meanes working in the peoples hearts a desire to come to the vnderstanding of his lawes The king also gaue vnto Wilfrid a place called Sealesew compassed about on each side except on the west halfe with the sea conteining 87 housholds or families where he built an abbeie and baptised all his tenants there amounting to the number of 250 bondmen and bondwomen whome he made frée both in bodie and soule for he did not onelie baptise them but also infranchised them of all bodilie seruitude and bondage In this meane while manie things happened in other parts of this land and first in the yeere after the appéering of the blasing starre before mentioned a mightie battell was fought betwixt the said Egfrid and Edilred king of Mercia néere to the riuer of Trent where Alswine the brother of king Egfrid was slaine with manie other of the Northumbers so that king Egfrid was constreined to returne home with losse The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus perceiuing that great warre and effussion of bloud was like to follow therevpon trauelled so in the matter betwixt them that they were made friends and Egfrid had a péece of monie in recompense of his losses The foresaid battell was fought in the yéere of our Lord 679 and in the yéere following that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 680 which was also in the tenth yéere of the reigne of Egfrid king of Northumberland the sixt yéere of Edelred king of Mercia the 17 of Aldvulfe king of Eastangles and in the 7 of Lother king of Kent The archbishop of Canturburie Theodorus held another synod at Hatfield about the 15 kalends of October in the which all the clergie there present subscribed to certeine articles touching the beléefe of the trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the Godhead of the like substance and also of the same vnitie in trinitie according to the true faith of the church of God Moreouer they acknowledged by the like subscription the fiue generall councels of Nice of Constantinople the first of Ephesus of Calcedon and of Constantinople the second with the synod also holden at Rome in the daies of Martin bishop of Rome about the yéere of the emperour Constantine At this synod holden at Haifield was present one Iohn the archchanter of S. Peters church at Rome sent into this land of purpose to bring from hence a certificat vnto pope Agatho of the agréement of the English church in matters of faith with other churches of the christian world but the foresaid archchanter died by the way in France as he returned homewards and was buried at Towers in Towraine The same yéere that famous woman Hilda abbesse of Whitbie departed this life or as other say fiue yéeres after hauing first beene deteined long with gréeuous sickenesse She was the daughter of one Herrericus the nephue of king Edwin and conuerted to the faith of Christ at the preaching of bishop Pauline and afterwards instructed by bishop Aidan she professed hirselfe a nun applieng hir whole studie to the reading of the scriptures to praier other godlie exercises She builded the abbeie of Whitbie wherein were placed both men and women with such an equalitie in all things that there was no rich person amongst them nor anie that wanted things necessarie She departed this life on the 15 kalends of December being 66 yéeres of age As some haue written she argued stoutlie on bishop Colmans part at the disputation holden in the monasterie of Whitbie in the yéere of Grace 664 whereof ye haue heard before About the yéere of our Lord 682 that is to say in the seuenth yere of Centwine or Centiuinus king of Westsaxons the same Centwine fought with the Britains and ouercame them in battell pursuing them with fire and sword vnto the sea side ¶ Thus at this time as also at diuerse other times they were discomfited and put to flight being a people allotted and shared out as it were to suffer many an ouerthrow and abide manie a sharpe and shamefull repulse at the hands of their enimies who conuerted the distresse of that people to their profit and tooke pleasure in the extreamitie of the miseries wherein they were plunged as may be obserued by the pitifull alteration of their state vnder diuerse gouernors and speciallie vnder the Danish dominion who kept them in no lesse vile seruitude than Pharao did the Hebrues at the making of bricke chopping of straw So that some thinke this land to be corruptlie named Britania but ought rather to called Bridania that is Liberae Dania siue regio in qua Dani liberè viuant for they liued as lords in the land did for the time being what they listed But of this matter more shall be spoken hereafter in place conuenient Cadwallader king of Britaine the people are brought into great miserie and he forced to flee the land he dieth at Rome the British writers noted of error Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons the kingdome is diuided the valorous mind of Ceadwalla he is forced to forsake his countrie he vanquisheth and killeth Edilwalke king of the Westsaxons his returne into his kingdome with reuenge vpon Berthun duke of Sussex and other his heauie friends his vow if he might conquer the I le of Wight his bountifull offer to bishop Wilfrid the I le of Wight receiueth the faith Ceadwalla inuadeth Kent of a
barbarous warriour he becommeth a religious christian his vertues his death and buriall at Rome Egfrid king of Northumberland inuadeth Ireland he is slaine by Brudeus king of the Picts the neglect of good counsell is dangerous Etheldreda a wife and a widow hauing vowed chastitie liued a virgine 12 yeeres with hir husband Egfride she was called saint Auderie of Elie. The xxxvj Chapter BUt now to returne vnto that which is found in the British histories by the tenor wherof it should appeare that when their king Cadwallo was dead his son Cadwallader succéeded him in gouernement of the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 678 which was about the 10 yéere of the emperour Constantius Paganotus and in the 13 yéere of the reigne of Childericus king of France This Cadwallader being the sonne of Cadwallo was begot by him of the halfe sister of Penda king of Mercia for one father begot them both but of two sundrie mothers for she had to mother a ladie descended of the noble blood of the Westsaxons and was maried vnto Cadwallo when the peace was made betwixt him and hir brother the said Penda After that Cadwallader had reigned the space of 12 yéeres as Geffrey of Monmouth saith or as others write but 3 yéeres the Britains were brought into such miserie through ciuill discord and also by such great and extreme famine as then reigned through all the land that Cadwallader was constreined with the chéefest part of his people to forsake their natiue countrie and by sea to get them ouer into Britaine Armorike there to séeke reliefe by vittels for the sustentation of their languishing bodies ¶ Long processe is made by the British writers of this departure of Cadwallader of the Britains out of this land and how Cadwallader was about to haue returned againe but that he was admonished by a dreame to the contrarie the which bicause it séemeth but fabulous we passe ouer At length he went to Rome and there was confirmed in the christian religion by pope Sergius where shortlie after he fell sicke and died the 12 kalends of May in the yeere of our Lord 689. But herein appeareth the error of the British writers in taking one for another by reason of resemblance of names for where Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons about that time mooued of a religious deuotion after he was conuerted to the saith went vnto Rome and was there baptised or else confirmed of foresaid pope Sergius and shortlie after departed this life in that citie in the foresaid yéere of 689 or therabouts The Welshmen count him to be their Cadwallader which to be true is verie vnlike by that which may be gathered out of the learned writings of diuers good and approoued authors THis Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons succeeded after Centwine or Centiuinus which Centwine reigned nine yéeres though it should appeare by that which is written by authors of good credit that during two of those yéeres at the least the kingdome of Westsaxons was diuided betwixt him and Elcuinus or Escuinus so that he should not reigne past seuen yeeres alone But now to Ceadwalla whome some take to be all one with Cadwallader we find that he was lineallie descended from Cutha or Cutwine the brother of Ceauline or Keuling king of Westsaxons as sonne to Kenbert or Kenbright that was sonne to Ceadda the sonne of the foresaid Cutha or Cutwin Thus being extract of the noble house of the kings of Westsaxons he prooued in his youth a personage of great towardnesse and such a one as no small hope was of him conceiued he would let no occasion passe wherein he might exercise his force to shew proofe of his high valiancie so that in the end with his woorthie attempts shewed therein he purchased to himselfe the enuie of those that ruled in his countrie by reason whereof he was banished in a conspiracie made against him Wherevpon he tooke occasion as it were in reuenge of such vnthankefulnesse to withdraw out of his countrie leading with him all the principall youth of the same the which either pitieng his present estate or mooued with pleasure taken in his valiant dooings followed him at his going into exile The first brunt of his furious attempts after he was out of his countrie Edilwalke the king of the Southsaxons tasted who in defense of himselfe comming to trie battell with Ceadwalla was slaine with the most part of all his armie Ceadwalla then perceiuing the valiant courages of his souldiers filled with good hope of this happie atchiued victorie returned with good and prosperous spéed into his owne countrie and that yer he was looked for and earnestlie pursuing his aduersaries droue them out of the kingdome and taking vpon him to rule the same as king reigned two yéeres during the which he atchiued diuers notable enterprises And first whereas Berthun and Authun dukes of Sussex subiects vnto the late king Edilwalke had both expelled him out of that countrie after he had slaine the said Edilwalke and also taken vpon them the rule of that kingdome hauing now atteined to the gouernement of the Westsaxons he inuaded the countrie of Sussex againe and slue Berthun in battell bringing that countrie into more bondage than before He also set vpon the I le of Wight and well-néere destroied all the inhabitants meaning to inhabit it with his owne people Hee bound himselfe also by vow although as yet he was not baptised that if he might conquer it he would giue a fourth part thereof vnto the Lord. And in performance of that vow he offered vnto bishop Wilfride who then chanced to be present when he had taken that I le so much therof as conteined 300 housholds or families where the whole consisted in 1200 housholds Wilfrid receiuing thankefullie the gift deliuered the same vnto one of his clearks named Bernewine that was his sisters sonne appointing to him also a priest named Hildila the which should minister the word and the sacrament of baptisme vnto all those that would receiue the same Thus was the I le of Wight brought to the faith of Christ last of all other the parties of this our Britaine after that the same faith had failed here by the comming of the Saxons Moreouer king Ceadwalla inuaded the kingdome of Kent where he lost his brother Mollo as after shall appéere but yet he reuenged his death with great slaughter made of the inhabitants in that countrie Finallie this worthie prince Ceadwalla turning himselfe from the desire of warre and bloudshed became right courteous gentle and liberall towards all men so that ye could not haue wished more vertuous manners to rest in one as yet not christened And shortlie after willing to be admitted into the fellowship of the christians of whose religion he had taken good tast he went to Rome where of pope Sergius he was baptised and named Peter and shortlie after surprised with sickenesse he
reported to be martyrs because it was knowen they died innocentlie he mocked them and made but a iest at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him thereof and gaue in recompense to their mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the building of a monasterie THe foresaid Edrike after Lother was dead got the dominion of Kent and ruled as king thereof but not without ciuill warre insomuch that before he had reigned the full terme of two yeares he was slaine in the same warre Then Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons being thereof aduertised supposing of the time now to be come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentishmen all the displeasure he could entred with an armie into theri covntrie and began to waste and spoile the same on ech side till finallie the Kentishmen assembled themselues togither gaue battell to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was driuen from his companie and constrained to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued him set fire thereon and burned both the hosue and Mollo within it to ashes Yet did not Ceadwalla herewith deaprt out of the countrie but to wreake his wrath and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother he wasted and destroied a great part of Kent yer he returned home and left as it were in occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell with reuenging Wherein we sée the cankerd nature of man speciallie in a case of wrong or displeasure which we are so far from tollerating forgiuing that if with tooth and naile we be not permitted to take vengeance our hearts will breake with a full conceit of wrath But the law of nature teacheth vs otherwise to be affected namelie per te nulli vnquam iniuria fiat Sed verbis alijsque modis fuge laedere quenquam Quod tibi nolles alijs fecisse caueto Quódque tibi velles alijs praestare studeto Haec est naturae lex optima quam nisiad vnguem Seruabis non ipse Deo mihi crede placebis Póstque obitum infoelix non aurea sydera adibis Which lesson taught by nature and commanded of God if these men had followed as they minded nothing lesse in the fier of their furie they would haue béene content with a competent reuenge and not in such outragious maner with fier and sword haue afflicted one another nor which is more than tigerlike crueltie haue ministred occasion to posterities to reuenge wrongs giuen and taken of their ancestors But we will let this passe without further discourse meaning hereafter in due place to declare the processe The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuers had coueted the place and sought to atteine thereto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for the space of 6 yeares togither at length in the 7 yeare after Edricks death Withred an other of the sonnes of king Egbert hauing with diligent trauell ouercome enuie at home with monie redéemed peace abroad was with great hope conceiued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the 11 of Nobuember 205 after the death of Hengist he reigned 33 yeares not deceiuing his subiects of their good conceiued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie ciuill warre against him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the Westsaxons which ment to haue made him warre till with monie he was made his friend A little before that Withdred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent there reigned two kings in that countrie Suebhard and Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia gentis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the archbishop Theodorus being of the age of 88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare 692 the first daie of Iulie on Brightwald was chosen to succéed in the archbishops sée of Canturburie Withredus and Suebhardus as then reigning in Kent but whether Withredus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nidred it forceth not for certeine it is by the agréement of othere writers that till Withdred obteined the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernement and diuers there wre that sought and fought for it But this ought to be noted that the forenamed Brightwald was the eight archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sée of Canturburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were strangers borne and sent hither from Rome ¶ Here endeth the line and gouernement of the Britains now called Welshmen which tooke that name of their duke or leader Wallo or Gallo or else of a queene of Wales named Gales or Wales But howsoeuer that name fell first vnto them now they are called Welshmen which sometime were called Britains or Brutons and descended first of the Troians and after of Brute and lastlie of Mulmucius Dunwallo albeit they were mingled with sundrie other nations as Romans Picts c. and now they be called English that in their beginning were named Saxons or Angles To conclude therefore wiht this gouernement so manie times intercepted by forren power it appeareth by course of histories treating of these matters that the last yeare of Cadwallader was the yeare of our Lord 686 which makes the yere of the world 4647. So that as Fabian saith the Britains had the greater part of this land in rule reckoning from Brute till this time 1822 yeares Which terme being expired the whole dominion of this realme was Saxonish Thus farre the interrupted regiment of the Britains ending at the fift booke THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England Inas king of the Westsaxons the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen whom he was purposed to haue destroied he his coosen Nun fight with Gerent king of the Britains and Cheolred king of Mercia and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons the end of their kingdoms Inas giueth ouer his roialtie goeth in pilgrimage to Rome and there dieth his lawes written in the Saxon toong of what buildings he was the founder queene Ethelburgas deuise to persuade Inas to forsake the world he was the first procurer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome king Ethelred king Kenred and king Offa become moonks the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision king Ethelbalds exploits he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggestion of Bernred the vsurper Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald nuns kept for concubines their pilgrimage The first Chapter AFter tht Ceadwalla late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome where he departed this
life in whose place one Adelbert succéeded About the 25 yéere of Kenwulf king of Westsaxons the Northumbers hauing to their capteine two noble men Osbald and Ethelherard burned one of their iudges named Bearne bicause he was more cruell in iudgement as they tooke the matter than reason required In which vengeance executed vpon the cruell iudge if he were so seuere as this attempt of the two noble men dooth offer the readers to suspect all such of his liuerie calling are taught lenitie mildnes wherwith they should leuen the rigor of the lawe For capit indulgentia mentes Asperitas odium saeuáeque bella mouet Odimus accipitrem quia viuit semper in armis Et pauidum solitos in pecus ire lupos At caret insidijs hominum quia mitis hirundo est Quásque colat turres Chaonîs ales habet At the same time one Aswald or Alfewald reigned ouer the Northumbers being admitted K. after that Ethelbert was expelled and when the same Alfwald had reigned 10 or as some say 11 yéeres he was traitorouslie and without all guilt made away the chéefe conspirator was named Siga The same Alfwald was a iust prince and woorthilie gouerned the Northumbers to his high praise and commendation He was murthered by his owne people as before ye haue heard the 23 of September in the yéere of our Lord 788 and was buried at Hexham In the yéere 792 Charles king of France sent a booke into Britaine which was sent vnto him from Constantinople conteining certeine articles agreed vpon in a synod wherein were present aboue the number of thrée hundred bishops quite contrarie and disagréeing from the true faith namelie in this that images ought to be worshipped which the church of God vtterlie abhorreth Against this booke Albinus that famous clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holie scripture which treatise with the booke in name of all the bishops and princes of Britaine he presented vnto the king of France ¶ In the yéere 800 on Christmasse éeuen chanced a maruellous tempest of wind which ouerthrew whole cities and townes in diuerse places and trees in great number beside other harmes which it did as by death of cattell c. Int the yeere following a great part of London was consumed by fire Britricus K. of the Westsaxons his inclination Egbert being of the bloud roiall is banished the land why crosses of bloudie colour and drops of bloud fell from heauen what they did prognosticate the first Danes that arriued on the English coasts and the cause of their comming firie dragons flieng in the aire foretokens of famine and warre Britricus is poisoned of his wife Ethelburga hir ill qualities why the kings of the Westsaxons decreed that their wiues should not be called queenes the miserable end of Ethelburga Kenulfe king of Mercia his vertues he restoreth the archbishops see to Canturburie which was translated to Lichfield he inuadeth Kent taketh the king prisoner in the field and bountifullie setteth him at libertie the great ioy of the people therevpon his rare liberalitie to churchmen his death and buriall The seuenth Chapter AFter Kenwulfe Britricus or Brightrike was ordeined king of Westsaxons and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 787 which was about the 8 yéere of the gouernment of the empresse Eirene with hir son Constantinus and about the second yeere of the reigne of Achaius K. of Scots This Brightrike was descended of the line of Cerdicus the first king of Westsaxons the 16 in number from him He was a man of nature quiet temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stood in doubt of the noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succéeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicus was in that season so confounded and mingled that euerie one as he grew in greatest power stroue to be king and supreame gouernour But speciallie Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted that place as he that was of the bloud roiall and a man of great power and lustie courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more safetie banished him the land and appointed him to go into France Egbert vnderstanding certeinlie that this his departure into a forreine countrie should aduance him in time obeied the kings pleasure About the third yéere of Brightrikes reigne there fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raine Some tooke this woonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortlie after in the yeere insuing there arriued thrée Danish ships vpon the English coasts against whome the lieutenant of the parties adioining made foorth to apprehend those that were come on land howbeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashlie amongst them he was slaine but afterwards when the Danes perceiued that the people of the countries about began to assemble and were comming against them they fled to their ships and left their prey and spoile behind them for that time These were the first Danes that arriued here in this land being onelie sent as was perceiued after to view the countrie and coasts of the same to vnderstand how with a greater power they might be able to inuade it as shortlie after they did and warred so with the Englishmen that they got a great part of the land and held it in their owne possession In the tenth yéere of king Brightrikes reigne there were séene in the aire firie dragons flieng which betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed First a great dearth and famine and secondlie a cruell war of the Danes which shortlie followed as ye shall heare Finallie after that Brightrike had reigned the space of 16 yéeres he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some write that he was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga daughter vnto Offa king of Mercia as before ye haue heard and he maried hir in the fourth yere of his reigne She is noted by writers to haue bin a verie euill woman proud and high-minded as Lucifer and therewith disdainfull She bare hir the more statelie by reason of hir fathers great fame and magnificence whome she hated she would accuse to hir husband and so put them in danger of their liues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour she would not sticke to poison them It happened one day as she meant to haue poisoned a yoong gentleman against whome she had a quarell the king chanced to tast of that cup and died thereof as before ye haue heard Hir purpose indeed was not to haue poisoned the king but onelie the yoong gentleman the which drinking after the king died also the poison was so strong and vehement For hir heinous crime it is said that the kings of the Westsaxons would not suffer their wiues to be called quéenes nor permit them to sit with them in open places
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
of them by his Westsaxons and Mercians what lands came to king Edward by the â—eath of Edred duke of Mercia he recouereth diuers places out of the Danes hands and giueth them manie a foile what castels he builded he inuadeth Eastangles putteth Ericke a Danish king therof to flight his owne subiects murther him for his crueltie his kingdome returneth to the right of king Edward with other lands by him thereto annexed his sister Elfleda gouerned the countrie of Mercia during hir life The xvij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Alured his sonne Edward surnamed the elder began his reigne ouer the more part of England in the yeare of our Lord 901 which was in the second yeare of the emperor Lewes in the eight yeare of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France and about the eight yeare of Donald king of Scotland He was consecrated after the maner of other kings his ancestors by Athelred the archbishop of Canturburie This Edward was not so learned as his father but in princelie power more high and honorable for he ioined the kingdome of Eastangles and Mercia with other vnto his dominion as after shall be shewed and vanquished the Danes Scots and Welshmen to his great glorie and high commendation In the beginning of his reigne he was disquieted by his brother Adelwold which tooke the towne of Winborne besides Bath and maried a nun there whome he had defloured attempted manie things against his brother Wherevpon the king came to Bath and though Adelwold shewed a countenance as if he would haue abidden the chance of warre within Winborne yet he stole awaie in the night and fled into Northumberland where he was ioifullie receiued of the Danes The king tooke his wife being left behind and restored hir to the house from whence she was taken ¶ Some haue written that this Adelwold or Ethelwold was not brother vnto king Edward but his vncles sonne After this king Edward prouiding for the suertie of his subiects against the forraies which the Danes vsed to make fortified diuers cities and townes and stuffed them with great garrisons of souldiers to defend the inhabitants and to expell the enimies And suerlie the Englishmen were so invred with warres in those daies that the people being aduertised of the inuasion of the enimies in anie part of their countrie would assemble oftentimes without knowledge of king or capteine and setting vpon the enimies went commonlie awaie with victorie by reason that they ouermatched them both in number and practise So were the enimies despised of the English souldiers and laughed to scorne of the king for their foolish attempts Yet in the third yeare of king Edwards reigne Adelwold his brother came with a nauie of Danes into the parties of the Eastangles and euen at the first the Essex men yeelded themselues vnto him In the yéere following he inuaded the countrie of Mercia with a great armie wasting and spoiling the same vnto Crikelade and there passing ouer the Thames rode foorth till he came to Basingstoke or as some bookes haue Brittenden harieng the countrie on each side and so returned backe vnto Eastangles with great ioy and triumph King Edward awakened héerewith assembled his people and followed the enimies wasting all the countries betwixt the riuer of Ouse and saint Edmunds ditch And when he should returne he gaue commandement that no man should staie behind him but come backe togither for doubt to be forelaid by the enimies The Kentishmen notwithstanding this ordinance and commandement remained behind although the king sent seuen messengers for them The Danes awaiting their aduantage came togither and fiercelie fought with the Kentishmen which a long time valiantlie defended themselues But in the end the Danes obteined the victorie although they lost more people there than the Kentishmen did and amongst other there were slaine the foresaid Adelwold and diuerse of the chiefe capteins amongst the Danes Likewise of the English side there died two dukes Siwolfe Singlem or Sigbelme with sundrie other men of name both temporall and also spirituall lords and abbats In the fift yéere of his reigne king Edward concluded a truce with the Danes of Eastangle and Northumberland at Itingford But in the yéere following he sent an armie against them of Northumberland which slue manie of the Danes and tooke great booties both of people and cattell remaining in the countrie the space of fiue weekes The yéere next insuing the Danes with a great armie entered into Mercia to rob spoile the countrie against whome king Edward sent a mightie host assembled togither of the Westsaxons them of Mercia which set vpon the Danes as they were returning homeward and slue of them an huge multitude togither with their chiefe capteins and leaders as king Halden and king Eolwils earle Uter earle Scurfa and diuerse other In the yéere 912 or as Simon Dunel saith 908 the duke of Mercia Edred or Etheldred departed this life and then king Edward seized into his hands the cities of London and Oxford and all that part of Mercia which he held But afterwards he suffered his sister Elfleda to inioy the most part thereof except the said cities of London and Oxford which he still reteined in his owne hand This Elfleda was wife to the said duke Edred or Etheldred as before you haue heard of whose woorthie acts more shall be said heereafter In the ninth yéere of his reigne king Edward built a castell at Hertford and likewise he builded a towne in Essex at Wightham and lay himselfe in the meane time at Maldon otherwise Meauldun bringing a great part of the countrie vnder his subiection which before was subiect to the Danes In the yéere following the armie of the Danes departed from Northampton and Chester in breach of the former truce and slue a great number of men at Hochnerton in Oxfordshire And shortlie after their returne home an other companie of them went foorth and came to Leighton where the people of the countrie being assembled togither fought with them put them to flight taking from them all the spoile which they had got and also their horsses In the 11 yéere of king Edward a fleet of Danes compassed about the west parts came to the mouth of Seuerne and so tooke preies in Wales they also tooke prisoner a Welsh bishop named Camelgaret at Irchenfield whome they led to their ships but king Edward redéemed him out of their hands paieng them fortie pounds for his ransome After that the armie of Danes went foorth to spoile the countrie about Irchenfield but the people of Chester Hereford and other townes and countries thereabout assembled togither and giuing battell to the enimies put them to flight and slue one of their noble men called earle Rehald and Geolcil the brother of earle Uter with a great part of their armie draue the residue into a
Edward vnderstanding that Sithrike went about some mischiefe toward him persuaded his daughter to poison hir husband the said Sithrike Then Aulafe or Aualassus and Godfrie the sonnes of Sithrike finding out by diligent examination that Beatrice was of counsell in poisoning hir husband they caused hir to be apprehended and put to death on this wife She was set naked vpon a smithes cold anuill or stithie and there with hard rosted egs being taken out of the hot imbers were put vnder hir armepits and hir armes fast bound to hir bodie with a cord and so in that state she remained till hir life passed from hir King Edward in reuenge of his daughters death mooued warre against the two brethren Aulafe and Godfrie and in battell finallie vanquished them but was slaine in the same battell himselfe Thus haue the Scotish chronicles recorded of these matters as an induction to the warres which followed betwixt the Scots and Danes as confederates against king Adelstane but the truth thereof we leaue to the readers owne iudgement For in our English writers we find no such matter but that a daughter of king Edward named Edgitha or Editha after hir fathers deceasse was by hir brother king Adelstane about the first yéere of his reigne giuen in mariage as before ye haue heard vnto the foresaid Sithrike king of Northumberland that was descended of the Danish bloud who for the loue of the yoong ladie renounced his heathenish religion and became a christian but shortlie after forsaking both his wife and the christian faith he set vp againe the worshipping of idols and within a while after as an apostata miserablie ended his life Whervpon the yoong ladie hir virginitie being preserued and hir bodie vndefiled as they write passed the residue of hir daies at Polle swoorth in Warwikeshire spending hir time as the same writers affirme in fasting watching praieng and dooing of almesdéedes and so at length departed out of this world Thus our writers differ from the Scotish historie both in name and maner of end as concerning the daughter of king Edward that was coupled in mariage with Sithrike Adelstane subdueth Constantine king of Scots Howell king of Wales and Wulferth king of Northwales the Scots possesse a great part of the north countries Adelstane conquereth the Scots for aiding Godfrie his enimie a miracle declaring that the Scots ought to obey the king of England king Adelstane banisheth his brother Edwin he is for a conspiracie drowned in the sea Adelstane repenteth him of his rigour in respect of that misfortune against his brother Aulafe sometimes king of Northumberland inuadeth England he disguiseth himselfe like a minstrell and surueieth the English campe vnsuspected he is discouered after his departure he assaileth the English campe Adelstane being comforted with a miracle discomfiteth his enimies he maketh them of Northwales his tributaries he subdueth the Cornishmen his death the description of his person his vertues of what abbeis monasteries he was founder his estimation in forren realmes what pretious presents were sent him from other princes and how he bestowed them a remembrance of Guy the erle of Warwike The xx Chapter AFter that king Adelstane had subdued them of Northumberland he was aduertised that not onelie Constantine king of Scots but also Huduale or Howell K. of Wales went about a priuie conspiracie against him Herevpon with all conuenient spéed assembling his power he went against them and with like good fortune subdued them both and also Uimer or Wulferth R. of Northwales so that they were constreined to submit themselues vnto him who shortlie after moued with pitie in considering their sudden fall restored them all three to their former estates but so as they should acknowledge themselues to gouerne vnder him pronouncing withall this notable saieng that More honorable it was to make a king than to be a king Ye must vnderstand that as it appeareth in the Scotish chronicles the Scotishmen in time of wars that the Danes gaue the English nation got a part of Cumberland and other the north countries into their possession and so by reason of their néere adioining vnto the confines of the English kings there chanced occasions of warre betwixt them as well in the daies of king Edward as of this Adelstane his sonne although in déed the Danes held the more part of the north countries till that this Adelstane conquered the same out of their hands and ioined it vnto other of his dominions constreining as well the Danes of whome the more part of the inhabitants then consisted as also the Englishmen to obey him as their king and gouernour Godfrie as is said being fled to the Scots did so much preuaile there by earnest sute made to king Constantine that he got a power of men and entring with the same into Northumberland besiged the citie of Duresme soliciting the citizens to receiue him which they would gladlie haue doone if they had not perceiued how he was not of power able to resist the puissance of king Adelstane and therefore doubting to be punished for their offenses if they reuolted they kept the enimies out King Adelstane being sore moued against the king of Scots that thus aided his enimies raised an armie and went northward purposing to reuenge that iniurie At his comming into Yorkshire he turned out of the way to visit the place where saint Iohn of Beuerlie was buried and there offered his knife promising that if he returned with victorie he would redéeme the same with a woorthie price and so proceeded and went forwards on his iournie and entring Scotland wasted the countrie by land vnto Dunfoader and Wertermore and his nauie by sea destroied the coasts alongst the shore euen to Catnosse and so he brought the king of Scots and other his enimies to subiection at his pleasure constreining the same K. of Scots to deliuer him his son in hostage It is said that being in his iournie néere vnto the towne of Dunbar he praied vnto God that at the instance of saint Iohn of Beuerlie it would please him to grant that he might shew some open token whereby it should appeare to all them that then liued and should he 〈◊〉 succéed that the Scots ought to 〈◊〉 subiect vnto the kings of England Herewith the king with his sword sâ—ote vpon a great stone standing néere to the castle of Dunbar and with the stroke there appeared a clift in the saine stone to the length of 〈◊〉 which remained to be shewed as a 〈◊〉 backe to 〈◊〉 he redeemedes es year after At his 〈…〉 his knife with a large price as before he had promised After this was Edwin the kings brother a coused of some conspiracie by him begiâ—â— against the king wherevpon he was banished the land and sent out in an old rotten vessell without rower or mariner onelie accompanied with one esquier so that beingstanding néere to the castle of Dunbar and with
conuenient age was made a nun A third example of his incontinencie is written by authors and that is this It chanced on a time that he lodged one night at Andeuer and hauing a mind to a lords daughter there he commanded that she should bee brought to his bed But the mother of the gentlewoman would not that hir daughter should be defloured and therefore in the darke of the night broughtinto a nunrie and clad hir in a nuns weed he tooke one of hir maidseruants and laid hir in the kings bed she being both faire proper and pleasant In the morning when the day began to appeare she made hast to arise and being asked of the king why she so hasted That I may go to my daies worke if it please your grace quoth she Herewith she being staied by the king as it were against hir will she fell downe on hir knées required of him that she might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights worke For saith she it is not for your honor that the woman which hath tasted the pleasure of the kings bodie should anie more suffer seruitude vnder the rule and appointment of a sharpe rough mistresse The king then being mooued in his spirits laughed at the matter though not from the heart as he that tooke great indignation at the dooings of the dutchesse and pitied the case of the poore wench But yet in fine turning earnest to a iest he pardoned all the parties and aduanced the wench to high honor farreshe might be made frée in guerdon of hir nights aboue those that had rule of hir afore so that she ruled them willed they nilled they for he vsed hir as his paramour till he maried the foresaid Alfred For these youthfull parts namelie for the rauishing of Wilfride which though she were no nun yet the offense seemed verie heinous for that he should not once touch anie woman shadowed vnder that habit he greatlie displeased Dunstane so that by him he was put to his seuen yéeres penance and kept from the crowne till the 12 yeere of his reigne or more For some write that he was not crowned nor annointed king till the 30 yeere of his age which should be about the 13 or 14 yeere of his reigne by that account sith he entred into the rule of the kingdome about the 16 yéere of his age In déed one author witnesseth that he was consecrated at Bath on a Whitsunday the 13 yéere of his reigne and that by Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie and Oswold archbishop of Yorke But some which suppose that he was consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death of Edridus affirme that he was crowned and annointed king by the archbishop Odo Dunstane as then remaining in exile from whence he was immediatlie reuoked by Edgar and first made bishop of Worcester as hath beene said and after the decease of Odo was aduanced to be archbishop of Canturburie But by some writers it appeareth that Dunstane was reuoked out of exile immediatlie vpon partition of the realme betwixt Edwin and Edgar which chanced in the yéere 957 by the rebellion of thewas consecrated king immediatlie vpon the death people of Mercia others as before ye haue heard and that in the yéere following the archbishop Odo died after whome succéeded Alfin bishop of Winchester who also died the same yeere that king Edward deceased as he went to fetch his pall from Rome and then Brighthelme bishop of Dorchester was elected archbishop But bicause he was not able to discharge so great an office by K. Edgars commandement he was forced to giue place to Dunstane Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the Welshmen mooued some rebellion against him Wherevpon he assembled an armie and entering the countrie of Glamorgan did much hurt in the same chastising the inhabitants verie sharpelie for their rebellious attempts Amongst other spoiles taken in those parties at that time by the men of war the bell of saint Ellutus was taken away and hanged about a horsses necke and as hath béene reported in the after noone it chanced that king Edgar laid him downe to rest wherevpon in sleepe there appeared Toward the latter end of king Edgars daies the one vnto him and smote him on the breast with a speare By reason of which vision he caused all things that had béene taken away to be restored againe But within nine daies after the king died Whether anie such thing chanced or that he had anie such vision it forceth not But truth it is that in the 37 yéere of his age after he had reigned 16 yéeres and two moneths he departed this life the 8 day of Iulie and was buried at Glastenburie This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for such princelie qualities as appeared in him but chieflie for that he was so beneficiall to the church namelie to moonks the aduancement of whome he greatlie sought both in building abbeies new from the ground in reparing those that were decaied also by inriching them with great reuenues and in conuerting collegiat churches into monasteries remoouing secular priests and bringing in moonks in their places There passed no one yéere of his reigne wherin he founded not one abbeie or other The abbeie of This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for Glastenburie which his father had begun he finished The abbeie of Abington also he accomplished and set in good order The abbeies of Peterborough Thornie he established The nunrie of Wilton he founded and richlie endowed where his daughter Edith◠was professed and at length became abbesse there To be briefe he builded as the chronicles record to the number of 40 abbeies and monasteries in some of which he placed moonks and in some nuns By his example in those daies other nobles as also prelates This Edgar is highlie renowmed of writers for some of the laitie did begin the foundation of sundrie abbeies and monasteries as Adelwold bishop of Winchester builded the abbeie of Elie and as some say Peterborough Thornie though they were established by the king as before is mentioned Also earle Ailewin at the exhortation of the same bishop Adelwold builded the abbeie of Ramsey though some attribute the dooing thereof vnto Oswold the archbishop of Yorke and some to king Edward the elder To conclude the religious orders of moonks and nuns in these daies florished and the state of secular priests was smallie regarded insomuch that they were constreined to auoid out of diuerse colleges and to leaue the same vnto moonks as at Worcester and Winchester where in the new monasterie bicause the kings liued not in such sort as was then thought requisite the prebends were taken from them and giuen to vicars But when the vicars were thought to vse themselues no better but ratherEdward the elder worse than the other before them they were likewise put out and moonks placed
friuolous and wholie impertinent to our purpose onelie this I read that through declaring of his dreames and visions he obteined in the time of king Edgar first the bishoprike of Worcester after the London last of all the archbishoprike of Canturburie But leauing Dunstane and the fond deuises depending vpon the commemoration of his life we will now returne to the dooings of Egelred and speake of such things in the next chapter as chanced in his time The Danes inuade England on each side they are vanquished by the English Goda earle of Deuonshire slaine the Danes in a battell fought at Maldon kill Brightnod earle of Essex and the most of this armie ten thousand pounds paid to them by composition that they should not trouble the English subiects they cease their crueltie for a time but within a while after fall to their bloudie bias the English people despaire to resist them Egelred addresseth a nauie against the Danes vnder the erles Alfrike and Turold Alfrike traitorouslie taketh part with the Danes his ship and souldiers are taken his sonne Algar is punished for his fathers offense the Danes make great wast in many parts of this Iland they besiege London and are repelled with dishonor they driue king Egelred to buy peace of them for 16000 pounds Aulafe king of Norwey is honorablie interteined of Egelred to whome he promiseth at his baptisme neuer to make warre against England the great zeale of people in setting forward the building of Durham towne and the minster The second Chapter SHortlie after the decease of Dunstane the Danes inuaded this realme on each side wasting and spoiling the countrie in most miserable wise They arriued in so manie places at once that the Englishmen could not well deuise whither to go to encounter first with them Some of them spoiled a place or towne called Wichport and from thence passing further into the countrie were met with by the Englishmen who giuing them battell lost their capteine Goda but yet they got the victorie and beat the Danes out of the field and so that part of the Denish armie was brought to confusion Simon Dunel saith that the Englishmen in déed wan the field here but not without great losse For besides Goda who by report of the same author was Earle of Deuonshire there died an other valiant man of warre named Strenwold In the yeere 991 Brightnod earle of Essex at Maldon gaue battell to an armie of Danes which vnder their leaders Iustine and Guthmond had spoiled Gipswich and was there ouercome and slaine with the most part of his people and so the Danes obteined in that place the victorie In the same yéere and in the 13 yeere of king Egelreds reigne when the land was on each side sore afflicted wasted and haried by the Danes which couered the same as they had béene grashoppers by the aduise of the archbishop of Canturburie Siricius which was the second of that séee after Dunstane a composition was taken with the Danes so that for the sum of ten thousand pounds to be paied to them by the king they should couenant not to trouble his subiects anie further This monie was called Denegilt or Dane monie and was leuied of the people Although other take that to be Danegilt which was giuen vnto such Danes as king Egelred afterwards reteined in his seruice to defend the land frm other Danes and enimies that sought to inuade his dominions But by what name so euer this monie which the Danes now receiued was called true it is that herevpon they ceassed from their most cruell inuasions for a time But shortlie after they had resfreshed themselues and recouered new strength they began to play their old parts againe dooing the like mischéefe by their semblable inuasions as they had vsed before By reason hereof such feare came vpon the English people that they despaired to be able to resist the enimies The king yet caused a nauie to be set foorth at London whereof he appointed earle Alfrike whome before he had banished to be high admerall ioining with him earle Turold This nauie did set forward from London toward the enimies who hauing warning giuen them from Alfrike escaped away without hurt Shortly after a greater nauie of the Danes came and incountered with the kings fléet so that a great number of the Londoners were slaine and all the kings ships taken for Alfrike like a traitor turned to the Danes side ¶ Matt. West maketh other report of this matter declaring that Alfrike in déed being one of the chiefe capteins of the fléet aduertised them by forewarning of the danger that was toward them and that when they should come to ioining the same Alfrike like a traitor fled to the Danes and after vpon necessitie being put to â—light escaped away with them but the other capteins of the kings fléet as Theodred Elstan and Escwen pursued the Danes tooke one of their ships and slue all those that were found therein The Londoners also as the same Matt. West saith met with the nauie of the Danish rouers as they fled away and slue a great number and also tooke the ship of the traitor Alfrike with his souldiers armor but he himselfe escaped though with much paine hauing plaied the like traitorous part once before and yet was reconciled to the kings fauor againe Upon this mischiefe wrought by the father the king now tooke his sonne Algar and caused his eies to be put out About the same time was Bambrough destroied by the Danes which arriued after in Humber and wasted the countrie of Lindsey and Yorkeshire on either side that riuer And when the Englishmen were assembled to giue them battell before they ioined the capteines of the English armie Frena Godwin and Fredegist that were Danes by their fathers side began to flie away and escaped so giuing the occasion of the ouerthrow that lighted on their people But by some writers it should appéere that after the Danes had destroied all the north parts as they spred abroad without order and good arraie the people of the countrie fell vpon them and slue some of them and chased the residue Other of the Danes with a nauie of 94 ships entered the Thames and besieged London about our ladie daie in September They gaue a verie sore assault to the citie and assaied to set it on fire but the citizens so valiantlie defended themselues that the Danes were beaten backe and repelled greatlie to their losse so that they were constreined to depart thence with dishonor Then they fell to and wasted the countries of Essex Kent Sussex and Hamshire and ceassed not till they had inforced the king to compound with them for 16 thousand pounds which he was glad to pay to haue peace with them Moreouer whereas they wintered that yéere at Southampton the king procured Aulafe king of the Norwegians to come vnto Andeuer where at
that time he lay vpon pledges receiued of the king for his safe returne Elphegus bishop of Winchester and duke Ethelwold were appointed by king Egelred to bring Aulafe vnto him in most honorable maner The same time was Aulafe baptised king Egelred receiuing him at the fontstone and so he promised neuer after to make anie war within this land And receiuing great gifts of the king he returned into his countrie and kept his promise faithfullie but the euils tooke not so an end for other of the Danes sprang vp as they had béene the heads of the serpent Hydra some of them euer being readie to trouble the quiet state of the English nation About this season that is to say in the yéere of our Lord 995 bishop Aldaine which was fled from Chester in the stréet otherwise called Cunecester with the bodie of saint Cuthbert for feare of the inuasion of Danes vnto Rippon brought the same bodie now vnto Durham and there began the foundation of a church so that the sée of that bishoprike was from thencefoorth there established and the woods were there cut downe which before that time couered and ouergrew that place wherevpon it began first to be inhabited Earle Uthred who gouerned that countrie greatlie furthered the bishop in this worke so that all the people inhabiting betweene the riuers of Coquid and Theis came togither to rid the woods and to helpe forwards the building of the church and towne there The Danes inuading the west parts of this land make great hauocke by fire and sword they arriue at Rochester and conquer the Kentishmen in field king Egelred ouercommeth the Danes that inhabited Cumberland and wasteth the countrie the Summersetshire men are foiled the miserable state of the realme in those daies the English bloud mixed with the Danes and Britaines and what inconueniences grew thervpon the disordered gouernement of king Egelred sicknesses vexing the people treason in the nobles the tribute paid to the Danes vnmercifullie inhansed the realme brought to beggerie king Egelred by politike persuasion and counsell marrieth Emma the duke of Normandies daughter vpon what occasion the Normans pretended a title to the crowne of England they conquer the whole land what order king Egelred tooke to kill all the Danes within his kingdome and what rule they bare in this realme yer they were murdered the thraldome of the English people vnder them whereof the word Lordane sprang The third Chapter IN the ninteenth yere of king Egelreds reigne the Danes sailed about Cornewall and comming into the Seuerne sea they robbed tooke preies in the coasts of Deuonshire Southwales and landing at Wicheport they burned vp the countrie and came about vnto Penwithstréet on the south coast and so arriuing in the mouth of Tamer water came vnto Lidford and there wasted all afore them with force of fire They burned amongst other places the monasterie of saint Ordulfe at Essingstocke After this they came into Dorcetshire and passed through the countrie with flame and fire not finding anie that offered to resist them The same yéere also they soiourned in the I le of Wight and liued vpon spoiles preies which they tooke in Hampshire and Sussex At length they came into the Thames and so by the riuer of Medwey arriued at Rochester The Kentishmen assembled togither and fought with the Danes but they were ouercome and so left the field to the Danes After this the same Danes sailed into Normandie and king Egelred went into Cumberland where the Danes inhabited in great numbers whome he ouercame with sore warre and wasted almost all Cumberland taking great spoiles in the same About the same time or shortlie after the Danes with their nauie returning out of Normandie came vnto Exmouth and there assaulted the castell but they were repelled by them that kept it After this they spread abroad ouer all the countrie exercising their accustomed trade of destroieng all before them with fire and sword The men of Summersetshire fought with them at Pentho but the Danes got the vpper hand Thus the state of the realme in those daies was verie miserable for there wanted worthie chiestains to rule the people and to chastise them when they did amisse There was no trust in the noble men for euerie one impugned others dooing and yet would not deuise which way to deale with better likelihood When they assembled in councell and should haue occupied their heads in deuising remedies for the mischiefe of the common wealth they turned their purpose vnto the altercation about such strifes contentions and quarels as each one had against other and suffered the generall case to lie still in the dust And if at anie time there was anie good conclusion agreed vpon for the withstanding of the enimie reléefe of the common wealth anon should the enimie be aduertised thereof by such as were of aliance or consanguinitie to them For as Caxton Polychr and others say the English bloud was so mixed with that of the Danes and Britains who were like enimies to the Englishmen that there was almost few of the nobilitie and commons which had not on the one side a parent of some of them Whereby it came to passe that neither the secret purposes of the king could be concealed till they might take due effect neither their assemblies proue quiet without quarelling and taking of parts Manie also being sent foorth with their powers one way whilest the king went to make resistance another did reuolt to his enimies and turned their swords against him as you haue heard of Elfrike and his complices and shall read of manie others so that it was no maruell that Egelred sped no better and yet was he as valiant as anie of his predecessors although the moonks fauour him not in their writings because he demanded aid of them toward his warres and was nothing fauorable to their lewd hypocrisie But what is a king if his subiects be not loiall What is a realme if the common wealth be diuided By peace concord of small beginnings great and famous kingdomes haue oft times procéeded whereas by discord the greatest kingdoms haue oftner bene brought to ruine And so it proued here for whilest priuat quarels are pursued the generall affaires are vtterlie neglected and whilest ech nation séeketh to preferre hir owne aliance the Iland it selfe is like to become a desert But to proceed with our monasticall writers certes they lay all the fault in the king saieng that he was a man giuen to no good exercise he delighted in fleshlie lustes and riotous bankettings and still sought waies how to gather of his subiects what might be got as wll by vnlawfull meanes as otherwise For he would for feined or for verie small light causes disherit his natiue subiects and cause them to redéeme their owne possessions for great summes of monie Besides these oppressions diuers
midst of his enimies weapons and was glad that he might so escape and so with the residue of his armie ceassed not to iournie day and night till he came to Bath where Ethelmere an earle of great power in those west parts of the realme submitted himselfe with all his people vnto him who shortlie after neuerthelesse as some write was compelled through want of vittels to release the tribute latelie couenanted to be paied vnto him for a certeine summe of monie which when hée had receiued he returned into Denmarke meaning shortlie to returne againe with a greater power King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue béene rid out of all troubles of warre with the Danes But the nobles of the realme thought otherwise and therefore willed him to prepare an armie with all spéed that might be made Swaine taried not long to proue to doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge but that with swift spéed he returned againe into England and immediatlie vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against him into the field Herevpon they ioined in battell which was sore foughten for a time till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen that turned to the enimies side the discomfiture fell with such slaughter vpon the English host that king Egelred well perceiued the state of his regall gouernement to bée brought into vtter danger Wherevpon after the losse of this field he assembled the rest of his people that were escaped and spake vnto them after this manner The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers I Shuld for euer be put to silence it there wanted in vs the vertue of a fatherlie mind in giuing good aduise counsel for the well ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth or if their lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to defend our countrie Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we are borne I confesse it a woorthie thing and I for my part am readie to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of my kingdome But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine We are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people we did at the first prepare a nauie against the enimies the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their hands Againe oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false and disloiall whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the enimies vpon dishonorable conditions euen as necessitie required which to ouercome resteth onelie in God Such kind of agreement hath beene made in deed in our destruction sith the enimies haue not sticked to breake it they being such a wicked king of people as neither regard God nor man contrarie to right and reason and beside all our hope expectation So that the matter is come now to this passe that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our gouernement but least the name of the whole English nation be destroied for euer Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand and as it were ouer our heads you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had in good regard prouide take counsell and see to succor the state of your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable ruine Herevpon they fell in consultation euerie one alledging and bringing foorth his opinion as seemed to him best but it appeared they had the woolfe by the eare for they wist not which way to turne them If they should giue battell it was to be doubted least through treason among themselues the armie should be batraied into the enimies hands the which would not faile to execute all kind of crueltie in the slaughter of the whole nation And if they stood not valiantlie to shew themselues readie to defend their countrie there was no shift but yeeld themselues Which though it were a thing reprochfull and dishonorable yet should it be lesse euill as they tooke the matter for thereby might manie be preserued from death and in time to come be able to recouer the libertie of their countrie when occasion should be offered This point was allowed of them all and so in the end they rested vpon that resolution King Egelred therefore determined to commit himselfe into the hands of his brother in law Richard duke of Normandie whose sister as ye haue heard he had maried But bicause he would not doo this vnaduisedlie first he sent ouer his wife quéene Emma with his sonnes which he had begotten of hir Alfred and Edward that by their interteinment he might vnderstand how he should be welcome Duke Richard receiued his sister and his nephues verie ioifullie and promised to aid his brother king Egelred in defense of his kingdome But in this meane while had Swaine conquered the more part of all England and brought by little and little that which remained vnder his subiection The people through feare submitting themselues on each hand king Egelred in this meane time for the Londoners had submitted themselues to Swaine was first withdrawne vnto Gréenwich and there remained for a time with the nauie of the Danes which was vnder the gouernement of earle Turkill and from thence sailed into the I le of Wight and there remained a great part of the winter and finallie after Christmas himselfe sailed into Normandie and was of his brother in law ioifullie receiued greatlie comforted in that his time of necessitie Swaine king of Denmarke is reputed king of this land he oppresseth the English people cruellie and spoileth religious houses the strange and miraculous slaughter of Swaine vaunting of his victories the Danish chronicles write parciallie of him and his end Cnute succeedeth his father Swaine in regiment the Englishmen send king Egelred woord of Swaines death Edward king Egelreds eldest sonne commeth ouer into England to know the state of the countrie and people of certeintie Egelred with his power returneth into England what meanes Cnute made to establish himselfe king of this land and to be well thought of among the English people Egelred burneth vp Gainesbrough and killeth the inhabitants therof for their disloialtie Cnutes flight to Sandwich his cruel decree against the English pledges he returneth into Denmarke why Turkillus the Danish capteine with his power compounded with the Englishmen to tarrie in this land his faithlesse seruice to Egelred his drift to make the whole realme subiect to the Danish thraldome The seuenth Chapter SWaine hauing now got the whole rule of the land was reputed full king and so commanded that his armie should be prouided of wages and vittels to be taken vp leuied through the realme In like maner Turkill
entrance into this countrie dearth by tempests earle Goodwines sonne banished out of this land he returneth in hope of the kings fauour killeth his coosen earle Bearne for his good will and forwardnes to set him in credit againe his flight into Flanders his returne into England the king is pacified with him certeine Danish rouers arriue at Sandwich spoile the coast inrich themselues with the spoiles make sale of their gettings and returne to their countrie the Welshmen with their princes rebelling are subdued king Edward keepeth the seas on Sandwich side in aid of Baldwine earle of Flanders a bloudie fraie in Canturburie betwixt the earle of Bullongne and the townesmen earle Goodwine fauoureth the Kentishmen against the Bullongners why he refuseth to punish the Canturburie men at the kings commandement for breaking the kings peace he setteth the king in a furie his suborned excuse to shift off his comming to the assemblie of lords conuented about the foresaid broile earle Goodwine bandeth himselfe against the king he would haue the strangers deliuered into his hands his request is denied a battell readie to haue bene fought betweene him and the king the tumult is pacified and put to a parlement earle Goodwines retinue forsake him he his sonnes and their wiues take their flight beyond the seas The second Chapter YE must vnderstand that K. Edward brought diuerse Normans ouer with him which in time of his banishment had shewed him great friendship wherefore he now sought to recompense them Amongst other the forenamed Robert of Canturburie was one who before his comming ouer was a moonke in the abbeie of Gemeticum in Normandie and being by the king first aduanced to gouerne the sée of London was after made archbishop of Canturburie and bare great rule vnder the king so that he could not auoid the enuie of diuerse noble man and 〈◊〉 of earle Goodwâ—â—e as shall appeare About the third yeere of king Edwards wigne Osgot Clappa was banished the realme And in the yéere following that is to say in the yeere 1047 there fell a marvellous great snow couering the ground from the beginning of Ianuarâ—e vntill the 17 day of March. Besides this there hapned the same yeere such tempest and lightnings that the corne vpon the earth was burnt vp and blasted by reason whereof there followed a great dearth in England and also death of men cettell About this time Swame the sonne of earle Goodwine was banished the land and fled into Flanders This Swaine kept Edgiua the abbesse of the monasterue of Leoffe and forsaking his wife ment to haue married the foresaid abbesse Within a certeine time after his banishment he returned into England in hope to purchase the kings peace by his fathers meanes and other his friends But vpon some malicious pretense he slue his coosen earle Bearne who was about to labour to the king for his pardon and so then fled againe into Flanders till at length Allered the archbishop of Yorke obteined his pardon and found meanes to reconcile him to the kings fauour In the meane time about the sixt yéere of king Edwards reigne certeine pirats of the Danes arriued in Sandwich hauen and entring the land wasted and spoiled all about the coast There be that write that the Danes had at that time to their leaders two capteins the one named Lother and the other Irling After they had béene at Sandwich and brought from thence great riches of gold and siluer they coasted about vnto the side of Essex and there spoiling the countrie went backe to the sea and sailing into Flanders made sale of their spoiles and booties there and so returned to their countries After this during the reigne of king Edward there chanced no warres neither forren nor ciuill but that the same was either with small slaughter luckilie ended or else without anie notable aduenture changed into peace The Welshmen in déed with their princes Rise and Griffin wrought some trouble but still they were subdued and in the end both the said Rise and Griffin were brought vnto confusion although in the meane time they did much hurt and namelie Griffin who with aid of some Irishmen with whome he was alied about this time entred into the Seuerne sea and tooke preies about the riuer of Wie and after returned without anie battell to him offered About the same time to wit in the yéere 1049 the emperor Henrie the third made warres against Baldwine earle of Flanders and for that he wished to haue the sea stopped that the said earle should not escape by flight that waie foorth he sent to king Edward willing him to kéepe the sea with some number of ships King Edward furnishing a nauie lay with the same at Sandwich and so kept the seas on that side till the emperor had his will of the earle At the same time Swaine sonne of earle Goodwine came into the realme and traitorouslie slue his coosen Bearne as before is said the which trauelled to agrée him with the king Also Gosipat Clappa who had left his wife at Bruges in Flanders comming amongst other of the Danish pirats which had robbed in the coasts of Kent Essex as before ye haue heard receiued his wife and departed backe into Denmarke wiâ—h six ships leauing the residue being 23 behind him About the tenth yéere of king Edwards reigne Eustace earle of Bullongne that was father vnto the valiant Godfrey of Bullongne Baldwin both afterward kings of Hierusalem 〈…〉 England in the moneth of September to 〈◊〉 his brother in law king Edward whose sister named Godâ— he had maried she then being the 〈◊〉 of Guaâ—ter de Maâ—â—â—t He found the king at Glocester and being there 〈◊〉 receiued after he had once dispatched such matters for the which he therefore came he tooke leaue and returned homeward But at Canturburie one of his heâ—â—ngers 〈◊〉 roughlie with one of the citizens about a lodging which he sought to haue rather by force than by in treatance occasioned his owne death Whereof when the erle was aduertised he hasted thither to revenge the slaughter of his seruant and fiue both the citizen which had killed his man and eighteene others The citizens héerewith in a great furie got them to armor and set vpon the earle and his returne of whom they slue twentie persons out of hand wounded a great number of the residue so that the earle scarse might escape with one or two of his men from the fraie with all spéed returned backe to the king presenting gréeuous information against them of Canturburie for their cruell vsing of him not onlie in fleaing of his seruants but also in putting him in danger of his life The king crediting the earle was highlie offended against the citizens and with all spéed sending for earle Goodwine declared vnto him in greeuous wise the rebellious act of them of Canturburie which were
made by the foresaid duke of Normandie to set downe his pedegrée thereby to shew how he descended from the first duke of that countrie who was named Rollo and after by receiuing baptisme called Robert The said Rollo or Rou was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion who hauing two sons the said Rou and Gourin and being appointed to depart the countrie as the lots fell to him and other according to the maner there vsed in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine refused to obeie that order and made warre there against the king who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion and his sonne Gourin so that Rou or Rollo hauing thus lost his father and brother was compelled to forsake the countrie with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king Thus driuen to séeke aduentures at length he became a christian and was created duke of Normandie by gift of Charles king of France surnamed le Simple whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also maried but she departing this life without issue he maried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Baieulx whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée and a daughter named Gerlota William Longespée or Longaspata had to wife the ladie Sporta daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandie who married the ladie Agnes the daughter of Hugh le grand earle of Paris of whome no issue procéeded but after hir deceasse he maried to his second wife a gentlemwoman named Gonnor daughter to a kinght of the Danish line by whom he had thrée sonnes Richard that was after duke of Normandie the third of that name Robert and Mauger He had also by hir three daughters Agnes otherwise called Emma married first to Egelred king of England and after to K. Cnute Helloie otherwise Alix bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais Richard the third of that name maried Iudith sister to Geffrey earle of Britaine by whome he had issue thrée sonnes Richard Robert and William and as manie daughters Alix married to Reignold earle of Burgogne Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders and the third died yoong being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric sister to Cnute king of England and Denmarke from whome he purchased to be diuorsed and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie by whome he had issue two sonnes William earle of Arques and Mauger archbishop of Rouen Richard the fourth of that name duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Richard the third died without issue and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a burgesse of Felais William surnamed the bastard afterward duke of Normandie and by conquest king of England Of whose father duke Robert his paramour Arlete take this pleasant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses In the yéere of Christ 1030 Robert the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his duke dome seuen yéeres for performance of a penance that he had set to himselfe appointed a pilgrimage to Ierusalem leauing behind him this William a yoong prince whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete whom after he held as his wife with whose beautifull fauour louelie grace and presence at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched for familiar vtterance of his mind what he had further to say would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone where when she was bestowed thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked it might haue séemed not so maidenlie a part so when the duke was about as the maner is to haue 〈◊〉 vp hir linnen the in an humble modestie staid hir lords hand and rent downe hir smocke asunder from the collar to the verie skirt Heereat the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment In great lowlines with a feate question she answerd againe My lord were it méet that any part of my garments dependant about me downeward should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward Let your grace pardon me He liked hir answer and so and so foorth for that time This duke before his voiage calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne Willliam whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gilbert and the defense of the gouernance vnto Henrie the French king So Robert passing foorth in his pilgrimage shewed in euerie place and in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince and pleasant withall who once in Iurie not well at ease in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie Friend quoth he if my people at thy returne aske after me tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to heauen by diuels The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life did their dutie to the yoong prince faithfullie but after they heard of his fathers death they slackened apace euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne Whereby not manie yéeres after as Gilbert the gouernour by Rafe the childes coosine germane was slaine the dukedome anon by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts Thus much a litte of duke Robert the father and of prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched being a conclusion introductorie as is said in the argument IN the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedfull reader that after the opinion of most writers Brute did first inhabit this land and called it then after his owne name Britaine in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855 and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶ Furthermore the said land of Britaine was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ and so continued 483 yéeres So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute from Brute vntill the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalladar which was in the yéere of our Lord
the word Alb white or Alp an hill as Bodinus is no lesse troubled with fetching the same ab Olbijs or as he wresteth it ab Albijs gallis But here his inconstancie appeareth in that in his Gotthadamca liber 7. he taketh no lesse paines to bring the Britaines out of Denmarke whereby the name of the Iland should be called Vridania Freedania Brithania or Bridania tanquam libera Dania as another also dooth to fetch the originall out of Spaine where Breta signifieth soile or earth But as such as walke in darkenesse doo often straie bicause they wot not whither they go euen so doo these men whilest they séeke to extenuate the certeintie of our histories and bring vs altogither to vncerteinties their coniectures They in like maner which will haue the Welshmen come from the French with this one question vnder Walli nisia Gallis or from some Spanish colonie doo greatlie bewraie their ouersights but most of all they erre that endeuour to fetch it from Albine the imagined daughter of a forged Dioclesian wherewith our ignorant writers haue of late not a little stained our historie and brought the sound part thereof into some discredit and mistrust but more of this hereafter Now to speake somewhat also of Neptune as by the waie sith I haue made mention of him in this place it shall not be altogither impertinent Wherfore you shall vnderstand that for his excellent knowledge in the art of nauigation as nauigation then went he was reputed the most skilfull prince that liued in his time And therfore and likewise for his courage boldnesse in aduenturing to and fro he was after his decease honoured as a god and the protection of such as trauelled by sea committed to his charge So rude also was the making of ships wherewith to saile in his time which were for the most part flat bottomed and broad that for lacke of better experience to calke and trim the same after they were builded they vsed to naile them ouer with rawe hides of bulles buffles and such like and with such a kind of nauie as they say first Samothes then Albion arriued in this Iland which vnto me doth not séeme a thing impossible The northerlie or artike regions doo not naile their ships with iron which they vtterly want but with wooden pins or els they bind the planks togither verie artificiallie with bast ropes osiers rinds of trées or twigs of popler the substance of those vessels being either of fir or pine sith oke is verie deintie hard to be had amongst them Of their wooden anchors I speake not which neuerthelesse are common to them and to the Gothlanders more than of ships wrought of wickers sometime vsed in our Britaine and couered with leather euen in the time of Plinie lib. 7. cap. 56. as also bofes made of rushes and réeds c. Neither haue I iust occasion to speake of ships made of canes of which sort Staurobates king of India fighting against Semiramis brought 4000. with him and fought with hir the first battell on the water that euer I read of and vpon the riuer Indus but to his losse for he was ouercome by hir power his nauie either drowned or burned by the furie of hir souldiers But to proceed when the said Albion had gouerned here in this countrie by the space of seauen yeares it came to passe that both he and his brother Bergion were killed by Hercules at the mouth of Rhodanus as the said Hercules passed out of Spaine by the Celtes to go ouer into Italie and vpon this occasion as I gather among the writers not vnworthie to be remembred It happened in time of Lucus king of the Celts that Lestrigo and his issue whom Osyris his grandfather had placed ouer the Ianigenes did exercise great tyrannie not onelie ouer his owne kingdome but also in molestation of such princes as inhabited round about him in most intollerable maner Moreouer he was not a little incouraged in these his dooings by Neptune his father who thirsted greatly to leaue his xxxiii sonnes settled in the mightiest kingdoms of the world as men of whom he had alreadie conceiued this opinion that if they had once gotten foot into any region whatsoeuer it would not be long yer they did by some meanes or other not onelie establish their seats but also increase their limits to the better maintenance of themselues and their posteritie for euermore To be short therefore after the giants and great princes or mightie men of the world had conspired and slaine the aforsaid Osyris onelie for that he was an obstacle vnto them in their tyrannous dealing Hercules his sonne surnamed Laabin Lubim or Libius in the reuenge of his fathers death proclaimed open warres against them all and going from place to place he ceased not to spoile their kingdomes and therewithall to kill them with great courage that fell into his hands Finallie hauing among sundrie other ouercome the Lomnimi or Geriones in Spaine and vnderstanding that Lestrigo and his sonnes did yet remaine in Italie he directed his viage into those parts and taking the kingdome of the Celts in his waie he remained for a season with Lucus the king of that countrie where he also maried his daughter Galathea and begat a sonne by hir calling him after his mothers name Galates of whom in my said Chronologie I haue spoken more at large In the meane time Albion vnderstanding how Hercules intended to make warres against his brother Lestrigo he thought good if it were possible to stop him that tide and therefore sending for his brother Bergion out of the Orchades where he also reigned as supreame lord and gouernour they ioined their powers and sailed ouer into France Being arriued there it was not long yer they met with Hercules and his armie neare vnto the mouth of the riuer called Roen or the Rhodanus where happened a cruell conflict betwéene them in which Hercules and his men were like to haue lost the day for that they were in maner wearied with long warres and their munition sore wasted in the last viage that he had made for Spaine Herevpon Hercules perceiuing the courages of his souldiours somewhat to abate and seeing the want of artillerie like to be the cause of his fatall daie and present ouerthrowe at hand it came suddenlie into his mind to will each of them to defend himselfe by throwing stones at his enimie whereof there laie great store then scattered in the place The policie was no sooner published than hearkened vnto and put in execution whereby they so preuailed in the end that Hercules wan the field their enimies were put to flight and Albion and his brother both slaine and buried in that plot Thus was Britaine rid of a tyrant Lucus king of the Celts deliuered from an vsurper that dailie incroched vpon him building sundrie cities and holds of which some were placed
writers doo report and from whence they came at the first into the aforsaid Ilands For my part I suppose with other that they came hither out of Sarmatia or Scythia for that nation hauing how alwaies an eie vnto the commodities of our countrie hath sent out manie companies to inuade and spoile the same It may be that some will gather those to be the Picts of whom Caesar saith that they stained their faces with wad and madder to the end they might appeare terrible and fearefull to their enimies and so inferre that the Picts were naturall Britans But it is one thing to staine the face onelie as the Britans did of whom Propertius saith Nunc etiam infectos demummutare Britannos And to paint the images and portrattures of beasts fish and foules ouer the whole bodie as the Picts did of whom Martial saith Barbara depictis veni Bascauda Britannis Certes the times of Samothes and Albion haue some likelie limitation and so we may gather of the comming in of Brute of Caesar the Saxons the Danes the Normans and finallie of the Flemmings who had the Rosse in Wales assigned vnto them 1066. after the drowning of their countrie But when first the Picts then the Scots should come ouer into our Iland as they were obscure people so the time of their arriuall is as far to me vnknowne Wherefore the resolution of this point must still remaine In tenebris This neuerthelesse is certeine that Maximus first Legate of Britaine and afterward emperour draue the Scots out of Britaine and compelled them to get habitation in Ireland the out Iles and the North part of the maine and finallie diuided their region betwéene the Britaines and the Picts He denounced warre also against the Irishmen for receiuing them into their land but they crauing the peace yéelded to subscribe that from thence-foorth they would not receiue any Scot into their dominions and so much the more for that they were pronounced enimies to the Romans and disturbers of the common peace and quietnesse of their prouinces here in England The Saxons became first acquainted with this I le by meanes of the piracie which they dailie practised vpon our coastes after they had once begun to aduenture themselues also vpon the seas thereby to seeke out more wealth than was now to be gotten in the West parts of the maine which they and their neighbours had alreadie spoiled in most lamentable and barbarous maner howbeit they neuer durst presume to inhabit in this Iland vntill they were sent for by Vortiger to serue him in his warres against the Picts and Scots after that the Romans had giuen vs ouer and lest vs wholie to our owne defense and regiment Being therefore come vnder Hengist in three bottoms or kéeles and in short time espieng the idle and negligent behauiour of the Britaines and fertilitie of our soile they were not a little inflamed to make a full conquest of such as at the first they came to aid and succour Herevpon also they fell by little and little to the winding in of greater numbers of their countrimen and neighbours with their wiues and children into this region so that within a while these new comlings began to molest the homelings and ceased not from time to time to continue their purpose vntill they had gotten possession of the whole or at the leastwise the greatest part of our countrie the Britons in the meane season being driuen either into Wales and Cornewall or altogither out of the Iland to séeke new habitations In like maner the Danes the next nation that succéeded came at the first onelie to pilfer and robbe vpon the frontiers of our Iland till that in the end being let in by the Welshmen or Britons through an earnest desire to be reuenged vpon the Saxons they no lesse plagued the one than the other their fréends than their aduersaries seeking by all meanes possible to establish themselues also in the sure possession of Britaine But such was their successe that they prospered not long in their deuise for so great was their lordlinesse crueltie and infatiable desire of riches beside their detestable abusing of chast matrons and yoong virgins whose husbands and parents were dailie inforced to become their drudges and slaues whilest they sat at home and fed like drone bées of the sweet of their trauell and labours that God I say would not suffer them to continue any while ouer vs but when he saw his time he remooued their yoke and gaue vs libertie as it were to breath vs thereby to see whether this his sharpe scourge could haue mooued vs to repentance and amendment of our lewd and sinfull liues or not But when no signe thereof appeared in our hearts he called in an other nation to vex vs I meane the Normans a people mixed with Danes and of whom it is worthilie doubted whether they were more hard and cruell to our countrimen than the Danes or more heauie and intollerable to our Iland than the Saxons or the Romans This nation came out of Newstria the people thereof were called Normans by the French bicause the Danes which subdued that region came out of the North parts of the world neuerthelesse I suppose that the ancient word Newstria is corrupted from West-rijc bicause that if you marke the situation it lieth opposite from Austria or Ost-rijc which is called the East region as Newstria is the Weast for Rijc in the old Scithian toong dooth signifie a region or kingdome as in Franc-rijc or Franc-reich Westsaxon-reich Ost saxon-reich Su-rijc Angel-rijc c is else to be séene But howsoeuer this falleth out these Normans or Danish French were dedlie aduersaries to the English Saxons first by meane of a quarell that grew betwéene them in the daies of Edward the Confessour at such time as the Earle of Bullen and William Duke of Normandie arriued in this land to visit him their freends such Normans I meane as came ouer with him and Emma his mother before him in the time of Canutus and Ethelred For the first footing that euer the French did set in this Iland sithence the time of Ethelbert Sigebert was with Emma which Ladie brought ouer a traine of French Gentlemen and Ladies with hir into England After hir also no small numbers of attendants came in with Edward the Confessour whome he preferred to the greatest offices in the realme in so much that one Robert a Norman became Archbishop of Canturburie whose preferment so much enhanced the minds of the French on the one side as their lordlie and outragious demeanour kindled the stomachs of the English nobilitie against them on the other insomuch that not long before the death of Emma the kings mother and vpon occasion of the brall hapning at Douer whereof I haue made sufficient mention in my Chronologie not regarding the report of the French authors in this behalfe who write altogither in the fauour of their Archbishop
I thought good speake also of another of no lesse heigth than either of these and liuing of late yeares but these here remembred shall suffice to prooue my purpose withall I might tell you in like sort of the marke stone which Turnus threw at Aeneas and was such as that twelue chosen and picked men saith Virgil Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus were not able so stur and remooue out of the place but I passe it ouer and diuerse of the like concluding that these huge blocks were ordeined and created by God first for a testimonie vnto vs of his power and might and secondlie for a confirmation that hugenes of bodie is not to be accompted of as a part of our felicitie sith they which possessed the same were not onelie tyrants doltish euill men but also oftentimes ouercome euen by the weake féeble Finallie they were such indéed as in whom the Lord delited not according to the saieng of the prophet Baruch Ibi fuerunt gigantes nominati illi qui ab initio fuerunt statura magna scientes bellum hos non elegit Dominus neque illis viam disciplinae dedit propterea perierunt quoniam non habuerunt sapientiam interierunt propter suam insipientiam c. that is There were the giants famous from the beginning that were of great stature and expert in warre those did not the Lord choose neither gaue he the waie of knowledge vnto them but they were destroied because they had no wisedome and perished through their owne foolishnesse That the bodies of men also doo dailie decaie in stature beside Plinie lib. 7. Esdras likewise confesseth lib. 4. cap. 5. whose authoritie is so good herein as that of Homer or Plinie who doo affirme so much whereas Goropius still continuing his woonted pertinacitie also in this behalfe maketh his proportion first by the old Romane foot and then by his owne therevpon concludeth that men in these daies be fullie so great as euer they were whereby as in the former dealing he thinketh it nothing to conclude against the scriptures chosen writers and testimonies of the oldest pagans But see how he would salue all at last in the end of his Gigantomachia where he saith I denie not but that od huge personages haue bene seene as a woman of ten and a man of nine foot long which I my selfe also haue beholden but as now so in old time the common sort did so much woonder at the like as we doo at these because they were seldome séene and not commonlie to be heard of Of the languages spoken in this Iland Cap. 6. WHat language came first with Samothes and afterward with Albion and the giants of his companie it is hard for me to determine sith nothing of sound credit remaineth in writing which may resolue vs in the truth hereof Yet of so much are we certeine that the speach of the ancient Britons and of the Celts had great affinitie one with another so that they were either all one or at leastwise such as either nation with small helpe of interpretors might vnderstand other and readilie discerne what the speaker meant Some are of the opinion that the Celts spake Greeke and how the British toong resembled the same which was spoken in Grecia before Homer did reforme it but I see that these men doo speake without authoritie and therefore I reiect them for if the Celts which were properlie called Galles did speake Gréeke why did Cesar in his letters sent to Rome vse that language because that if they should be intercepted they might not vnderstand them or why did he not vnderstand the Galles he being so skilfull in the language without an interpretor Yet I denie not but that the Celtish and British speaches might haue great affinitie one with another and the British aboue all other with the Greeke for both doo appéere by certeine words as first in tri for three march for an horsse trimarchia whereof Pausanias speaketh for both Atheneus also writeth of Bathanasius a capitaine of the Galles whose name is méere British compounded of Bath Ynad signifieth a noble or comelie iudge And wheras he saith that the reliques of the Galles tooke vp their first dwelling about Isther and afterward diuided themselues in such wise that they which went and dwelled in Hungarie were called Sordsai and the other that inhabited within the dominion of Tyroll Brenni whose seate was on the mount Brenhere parcell of the Alpes what else signifieth the word Iscaredich in British from whence the word Scordisci commeth but to be diuided Hereby then and sundrie other the like testimonies I gather that the British and the Celtish speaches had great affinitie one with another as I said which Cesar speaking of the similitude or likenesse of religion in both nations doth also auerre Tacitus in vita Agricolae in like sort plainlie affirmeth or else it must needs be that the Galles which inuaded Italie and Greece were meere Britons of whose likenes of speech with the Gréeke toong I need not make anie triall sith no man I hope will readilie denie it Appianus talking of the Brenni calleth them Cymbres and by this I gather also that the Celts and the Britons were indifferentlie called Cymbri in their owne language or else that the Britons were the right Cymbri who vnto this daie doo not refuse to be called by that name Bodinus writing of the meanes by which the originall of euerie kingdome and nation is to be had and discerned setteth downe thrée waies whereby the knowledge thereof is to be found one is saith he the infallible testimonie of the sound writers the other the description and site of the region the third the relikes of the ancient speech remaining in the same Which later if it be of any force then I must conclude that the spéech of the Britons and Celts was sometime either all one or verie like one to another or else it must follow that the Britons ouerflowed the continent vnder the name of Cymbres being peraduenture associat in this voiage or mixed by inuasion with the Danes and Norwegiens who are called Cymbri and Cymmerij as most writers doo remember This also is euident as Plutarch likewise confesseth In vita Mary that no man knew from whence the Cymbres came in his daies and therfore I â—â—â—â—eeue that they came out of Britaine for all the maine was well knowne vnto them I meane euen to the vttermost part of the north as may appeare furthermore by the slaues which were dailie brought from thence vnto them whom of their countries they called Daui for Daci Getae for Gothes c for of their conquests I need not make rehearsall sith they are commonlie knowne and remembred by the writers both of the Greekes and Latines The British toong called Camberaec dooth yet remaine in that part of the Iland which is now called Wales whither the Britons were
philosophicall contemplation But alas this integritte continued not long among his successors for vnto the immortalitie of the soule they added that after death it went into another bodie of which translation Ouid saith Morte carent animae sempérque priore relicta Sede nouis domibus viuunt habitántque receptae The second or succedent being alwaies either more noble or more vile than the former as the partie deserued by his merits whilest he liued here vpon earth And therefore it is said by Plato and other that Orpheus after his death had his soule thrust into the bodie of a swanne that of Agamemnon conueied into an egle of Aiax into a lion of Atlas into a certeine wrestler of Thersites into an ape of Deiphobus into Pythagoras and Empedocles dieng a child after sundrie changes into a man whereof he himselfe saith Ipse ego námque fui puer olim deinde puella Arbustum volucris mutus quóque in aequore piscis For said they of whom Pythagoras also had and taught this errour if the soule apperteined at the first to a king and he in this estate did not leade his life worthie his calling it should after his decease be shut vp in the bodie of a slaue begger cocke owle dog ape horsse asse worme or monster there to remaine as in a place of purgation and punishment for a certeine period of time Beside this it should peraduenture susteine often translation from one bodie vnto another according to the quantitie and qualitie of his dooings here on earth till it should finallie be purified and restored againe to an other humane bodie wherein if it behaued it selfe more orderlie than at the first after the next death it should be preferred either to the bodie of a king againe or other great estate And thus they made a perpetuall circulation or reuolution of our soules much like vnto the continuall motion of the heauens which neuer stand still nor long yeeld one representation and figure For this cause also as Diodorus saith they vsed to cast certeine letters into the fire wherein the dead were burned to be deliuered vnto their deceased fréends whereby they might vnderstand of the estate of such as trauelled here on earth in their purgations as the Moscouits doo write vnto S. Nicholas to be a speach-man for him that is buried in whose hand they bind a letter and send him with a new paire of shooes on his féet into the graue and to the end that after their next death they should deale with them accordinglie and as their merits required They brought in also the worshipping of manie gods and their seuerall sacrifices they honoured likewise the oke whereon the mistle groweth and dailie deuised infinit other toies for errour is neuer assured of hir owne dooings whereof neither Samothes nor Sarron Magus nor Druiyus did leaue them anie prescription These things are partlie touched by Cicero Strabo Plinie Sotion Laertius Theophrast Aristotle and partlie also by Caesar Mela Val. Max. lib. 2. and other authors of later time who for the most part doo confesse that the cheefe schoole of the Druiydes was holden here in Britaine where that religion saith Plinie was so hotlie professed and followed Vt dedisse Persis videri possit lib. 30. cap. 1. and whither the Druiydes also themselues that dwelt among the Galles would often resort to come by the more skill and sure vnderstanding of the mysteries of that doctrine And as the Galles receiued their religion from the Britons so we likewise had from them some vse of Logike Rhetorike such as it was which our lawiers practised in their plees and common causes For although the Gréeks were not vnknowne vnto vs nor we to them euen from the verie comming of Brute yet by reason of distance betwéene our countries we had no great familiaritie and common accesse one vnto another till the time of Gurguntius after whose entrance manie of that nation trauelled hither in more securitie as diuers of our countriemen did vnto them without all danger to be offered vp in sacrifice to their gods That we had the maner of our plees also out of France Iuuenal is a witnesse who saith Gallia causidicos docuit facunda Britannos Howbeit as they taught vs Logike and Rhetorike so we had also some Sophistrie from them but in the worst sense for from France is all kind of forgerie corruption of maners and craftie behauiour not so soone as often transported into England And albeit the Druiydes were thus honored and of so great authoritie in Britaine yet were there great numbers of them also in the Iles of Wight Anglesey and the Orchades in which they held open schooles of their profession aloofe as it were from the resort of people wherein they studied and learned their songs by heart Howbeit the cheefe college of all I say remained still in Albion whither the Druiydes of other nations also beside the Galles would of custome repaire when soeuer any controuersie among them in matters of religion did happen to be mooued At such times also the rest were called out of the former Ilands whereby it appeareth that in such cases they had their synods and publike meetings and therevnto it grew finallie into custome and after that a prouerbe euen in variances falling out among the princes great men and common sorts of people liuing in these weast parts of Europe to yeeld to be tried by Britaine and hir thrée Ilands bicause they honoured hir préests the Druiydes as the Atheniens did their Areopagites Furthermore in Britaine and among the Galles and to say the truth generallie in all places where the Druiysh religion was frequented such was the estimation of the préests of this profession that there was little or nothing doone without their skilfull aduise no not in ciuill causes perteining to the regiment of the common-wealth and countrie They had the charge also of all sacrifices publike and priuate they interpreted oracles preached of religion and were neuer without great numbers of young men that heard them with diligence as they taught from time to time Touching their persons also they were exempt from all temporall seruices impositions tributes and exercises of the wars which immunitie caused the greater companies of scholers to flocke vnto them from all places to learne their trades Of these likewise some remained with them seuen eight ten or twelue years still learning the secrets of those vnwritten mysteries by heart which were to be had amongst them and commonlie pronounced in verse And this policie as I take it they vsed onelie to preserue their religion from contempt whereinto it might easilie haue fallen if any books thereof had happened into the hands of the common sort It helped also not a little in the exercise of their memories wherevnto bookes are vtter enimies insomuch as he that was skilfull in the Druiysh religion would not let readilie to rehearse manie hundreds of verses togither
therein be side 27. parish-churches of which 15. or 16. haue their Parsons the rest either such poore Uicars or Curats as the liuings left are able to sustaine The names of the parishes in the Wight are these 1 Newport a chap. 2 Cairsbrosie v. 3 Northwood 4 Arriun v. 5 Goddeshill v. 6 Whitwell 7 S. Laurence p. 8 Nighton p. 9 Brading v. 10 Newchurch v. 11 S. Helene v. 12 Yauerland p. 13 Calborne p. 14 Bonechurch p. 15 Mottesson p. 16 Yarmouth p. 17 Thorley v. 18 Shalflete v. 19 Whippingham p. 20 Wootton p. 21 Chale p. 22 Kingston p. 23 Shorwell p. 24 Gatrombe p. 25 Brosie 26 Brixston p. 27 Bensted p. It belongeth for temporall iurisdiction to the countie of Hamshire but in spirituall cases it yéeldeth obedience to the sée of Winchester wherof it is a Deanerie As for the soile of the whole Iland it is verie fruitfull for notwithstanding the shore of it selfe be verie full of rocks and craggie cliffes yet there wanteth no plentie of cattell corne pasture medow ground wild foule fish fresh riuers and pleasant woods whereby the inhabitants may liue in ease and welfare It was first ruled by a seuerall king and afterwards wonne from the Britons by Vespasian the legat at such time as he made a voiage into the west countrie In processe of time also it was gotten from the Romans by the kings of Sussex who held the souereignti◠of the same and kept the king thereof vnder tribute till it was wonne also from them in the time of Athelwold the eight king of the said south region by Ceadwalla who killed Aruald that reigned there and reserued the souereigntie of that I le to himselfe and his successors for euermore At this time also there were 1200. families in that Iland whereof the said Ceadwalla gaue 300 to Wilfride sometime bishop of Yorke exhorting him to erect a church there and preach the gospell also to the inhabitants thereof which he in like maner performed but according to the precriptions of the church of Rome wherevnto he yéelded himselfe vassall and feudarie so that this I le by Wilfride was first conuerted to the faith though the last of all other that hearkened vnto the word After Ceadwalla Woolfride the parricide was the first Saxon prince that aduentured to flie into the Wight for his safegard whither he was driuen by Kenwalch of the Westsaxons who made great warres vpon him and in the end compelled him to go into this place for succour as did also king Iohn in the rebellious stir of his Barons practised by the clergie the said Iland being as then in possession of the Forts as some doo write that haue handled it of purpose The first Earle of this Iland that I doo read of was one Baldwijne de Betoun who married for his second wife the daughter of William le Grosse Earle of Awmarle but he dieng without issue by this ladie she was maried the second time to Earle Maundeuile and thirdlie to William de Fortes who finished Skipton castell which his wiues father had begun about the time of king Richard the first Hereby it came to passe also that the Forts were Earls of Awmarle Wight and Deuonshire a long time till the ladie Elizabeth Fortes sole heire to all those possessions came to age with whom king Edward the third so preuailed through monie faire words that he gat the possession of the Wight wholie into his hands held it to himselfe his successors vntill Henrie the sixt about the twentieth of his reigne crowned Henrie Beauchamp sonne to the lord Richard Earle of Warwike king thereof and of Iardesey and Gardesey with his owne hands and thervnto gaue him a commendation of the Dutchie of Warwike with the titles of Comes comitum Angliae lord Spenser of Aburgauenie and of the castell of Bristow which castell was sometime taken from his ancestors by king Iohn albeit he did not long enioy these great honors sith he died 1446. without issue and seuen yéeres after his father After we be past the Wight we go forward and come vnto Poole hauen wherein is an I le called Brunt Keysy in which was sometime a parish church and but a chapell at this present as I heare There are also two other Iles but as yet I know not their names We haue after we are passed by these another I le or rather Byland also vpon the coast named Portland not far from Waymouth or the Gowy a prettie fertile peece though without wood of ten miles in circuit now well inhabited but much better heretofore and yet are there about foure score housholds in it There is but one street of houses therein the rest are dispersed howbeit they belong all to one parish-church whereas in time past there were two within the compasse of the same There is also a castell of the kings who is lord of the I le although the bishop of Winchester be patrone of the church the parsonage whereof is the fairest house in all the péece The people there are no lesse excellent stingers of stones than were the Baleares who would neuer giue their children their dinners till they had gotten the same with their stings and therefore their parents vsed to hang their meate verie high vpon some bough to the end that he which strake it downe might onlie haue it whereas such as missed were sure to go without it Florus lib. 3. cap. 8. Which feat the Portlands vse for the defense of their Iland and yet otherwise are verie couetous And wheras in time past they liued onlie by fishing now they fall to tillage Their fire bote is brought out of the Wight and other places yet doo they burne much cow doong dried in the sunne for there is I saie no wood in the I le except a few elmes that be about the church There would some grow there no doubt if they were willing to plant it although the soile lie verie bleake and open It is not long since this was vnited to the maine and likelie yer long to be cut off againe Being past this we raise another also in the mouth of the Gowy betweene Colsford and Lime of which for the smalnesse thereof I make no great account Wherefore giuing ouer to intreat any farther of it I cast about to Iardsey and Gardesey which Iles with their appurtenances apperteined in times past to the Dukes of Normandie but now they remaine to our Quéene as parcell of Hamshire and iurisdiction of Winchester belonging to hir crowne by meanes of a composition made betwéene K. Iohn of England and the K. of France when the dominions of the said prince began so fast to decrease as Thomas Sulmo saith Of these two Iardsey is the greatest an Iland hauing thirtie miles in compasse as most men doo coniecture There are likewise in the same twelue parish-churches with a colledge which hath a Deane and Prebends It is distant from
Gardsey full 21. miles or therabouts and made notable by meanes of a bloudie fact doone there in Queene Maries daies whereby a woman called Perotine Massie wife vnto an honest minister or préest being great with childe by hir husband was burned to ashes through the excéeding crueltie of the Deane and Chapiter then contending manifestlie against God for the mainteinance of their popish and antichristian kingdome In this hir execution and at such time as the fire caught holde of hir wombe hir bellie brake and there issued a goodly man-childe from hir with such force that it fell vpon the cold ground quite beyond the heate and furie of the flame which quicklie was taken vp and giuen from one tormentor and aduersarie to an other to looke vpon whose eies being after a while satisfied with the beholding thereof they threw it vnto the carcase of the mother which burned in the fire whereby the poore innocent was consumed to ashes whom that furious element would gladlie haue left vntouched wherevnto it ministred as you heare an hurtlesse passage In this latter also there haue béene in times past fiue religious houses and nine castels howbeit in these daies there is but one parish-church lest standing in the same There are also certeine other small Ilands which Henrie the second in his donation calleth Insulettas beside verie manie rocks whereof one called S. Hilaries wherein sometime was a monasterie is fast vpon Iardsey another is named the Cornet which hath a castel not passing an arrow shot from Gardsey The Serke also is betwéene both which is six miles about and hath another annexed to it by an Isthmus or Strictland wherein was a religious house therwithall great store of conies There is also the Brehoc the Gytho and the Herme which latter is foure miles in compasse and therein was sometime a Canonrie that afterward was conuerted into an house of Franciscanes There are two other likewise neere vnto that of S. Hilarie of whose names I haue no notice There is also the rockie I le of Burhoo but now the I le of rats so called of the huge plentie of rats that are found there though otherwise it be replenished with infinit store of conies betwéene whome and the rats as I coniecture the same which we call Turkie conies are oftentimes produced among those few houses that are to be seene in this Iland Some are of the opinion that there hath béene more store of building in this I le than is at this present to be seene that it became abandoned through multitudes of rats but hereof I find no perfect warrantise that I may safelie trust vnto yet in other places I read of the like thing to haue happened as in Gyara of the Cyclades where the rats increased so fast that they drauc away the people Varro speaketh of a towne in Spaine that was ouerthrowne by conies The Abderits were driuen out of Thracia by the increase of mice frogs and so manie conies were there on a time in the Iles Maiorca and Minorca now perteining to Spaine that the people began to starue for want of bread and their cattell for lacke of grasse And bicause the Ilanders were not able to ouercome them Augustus was constreined to send an armie of men to destroie that needlesse brood Plin. lib. 8. cap. 55. A towne also in France sometime became desolate onelie by frogs and todes Another in Africa by locustes and also by grashoppers as Amicla was by snakes and adders Theophrast telleth of an whole countrie consumed by the palmer-worme which is like vnto an huge caterpiller Plinie writeth of a prouince vpon the borders of Aethiopia made void of people by ants and scorpions and how the citizens of Megara in Grecia were faine to leaue that citie through multitudes of bées as waspes had almost driuen the Ephensians out of Ephesus But this of all other whereof Aelianus intreateth is most woonderfull that when the Cretenses were chased out of a famous citie of their Iland by infinit numbers of bees the said bees conuerted their houses into hiues and made large combes in them which reached from wall to wall wherein they reserued their honie Which things being dulie considered I doo not denie the possibilitie of the expulsion of the inhabitants out of the I le of Burho by rats although I say that I doo not warrant the effect bicause I find it not set downe directlie in plaine words Beside this there is moreouer the I le of Alderney a verie pretie plot about seuen miles in compasse wherin in a préest not long since did find a coffin of stone in which lay the bodie of an huge giant whose fore téeth were so big as a mans fist as Leland dooth report Certes this to me is no maruell at all sith I haue read of greater and mentioned them alreadie in the beginning of this booke Such a tooth also haue they in Spaine wherevnto they go in pilgrimage as vnto S. Christophers tooth but it was one of his eie teeth if Ludouicus Viues say true who went thither to offer vnto the same S. August de ciuit lib. 15. cap. 9. writeth in like sort of such another found vpon the coast of Vtica and thereby gathereth that all men in time past were not onlie far greater than they be now but also the giants farre exceeding the huge stature and height of the highest of them all Homer complaineth that men in his time were but dwarfes in comparison of such as liued in the wars of Troy See his fift Iliad where he speaketh of Diomedes and how he threw a stone at Aeneas which 14. men of his time were not able to stirre and therewith did hit him on the thigh and ouerthrew him Virgil also noteth no lesse in his owne deuise but Iuuenall bréefelie comprehendeth all this in his 15. Satya where he saith Saxa inclinatis per humum quaesita lacertis Incipiunt torquere domestica seditione Tela nec hunc lapidem quali se Turnus Aiax Et quo Tytides percussit pondere coxam Aeneae sed quem valeant emittere dextrae Illis dissimiles nostro tempore nata Nam genus hoc viuo iam decrescebat Homero Terra malos homines nunc educat atque pusillos Ergo Deus quicunque aspexit ridet odit But to returne againe vnto the I le of Alderney from whence I haue digressed Herein also is a prettie towne with a parish-church great plentie of corne cattell conies and wilde foule whereby the inhabitants doo reape much gaine and commoditie onelie wood is their want which they otherwise supplie The language also of such as dwell in these Iles is French but the wearing of their haire long the attire of those that liued in Gardsey and Iardsey vntill the time of king Henrie the eight was all after the Irish guise The I le of Gardsey also was sore
intent of the statute is verie profitable for the reparations of the decaied places yet the rich doo so cancell their portions and the poore so loiter in their labours that of all the six scarcelie two good days works are well performed and accomplished in a parish on these so necessarie affaires Besides this such as haue land lieng vpon the sides of the waies doo vtterlie neglect to dich and scowre their draines and water-courses for better auoidance of the winter waters except it may be set off or cut from the meaning of the statute whereby the stréets doo grow to be much more gulled than before and thereby verie noisome for such as trauell by the same Sometimes also and that verie often these daies works are not imploied vpon those waies that lead from market to market but ech surueior amendeth such by-plots lanes as séeme best for his owne commoditie and more easie passage vnto his fields and pastures And whereas in some places there is such want of stones as thereby the inhabitants are driuen to seeke them farre off in other soiles the owners of the lands wherein those stones are to be had and which hitherto haue giuen monie to haue them borne awaie doo now reape no small commoditie by raising the same to excessiue prices whereby their neighbours are driuen to grieuous charges which is another cause wherefore the meaning of that good law is verie much defrauded Finallie this is another thing likewise to be considered of that the trées and bushes growing by the stréets sides doo not a little keepe off the force of the sunne in summer for drieng vp of the lanes Wherefore if order were taken that their boughs should continuallie be kept short and the bushes not suffered to spread so far into the narrow paths that inconuenience would also be remedied and manie a slough proue hard ground that yet is déepe and hollow Of the dailie incroching of the couetous vpon the hie waies I speake not But this I know by experience that wheras some stréets within these fiue and twentie yeares haue béene in most places fift◠foot broad according to the law whereby the traueller might either escape the théefe or shift the mier or passe by the loaden cart without danger of himselfe and his horsse now they are brought vnto twelue or twentie or six and twentie at the most which is another cause also whereby the waies be the worse and manie an honest man encombred in his iourneie But what speake I of these things whereof I doo not thinke to heare a iust redresse because the error is so common and the benefit thereby so swéet and profitable to manie by such houses and cotages as are raised vpon the same Of the generall constitution of the bodies of the Britons Chap. 20. SUch as are bred in this Iland are men for the most part of a good complexion tall of stature strong in bodie white of colour and thereto of great boldnesse and courage in the warres As for their generall comelinesse of person the testimonie of Gregorie the great at such time as he saw English capteins sold at Rome shall easilie confirme what it is which yet dooth differ in sundrie shires and soiles as also their proportion of members as we may perceiue betwéene Herefordshire and Essex men or Cambridge shire and the Londoners for the one and Pokington and Sedberrie for the other these latter being distinguished by their noses and heads which commonlie are greater there than in other places of the land As concerning the stomachs also of our nation in the field they haue alwaies beene in souereigne admiration among forren princes for such hath béene the estimation of our souldiers from time to time since our Isle hath béene knowne vnto the Romans that wheresoeuer they haue serued in forren countries the cheefe brunts of seruice haue beene reserued vnto them Of their conquests and bloudie battels woone in France Germanie and Scotland our histories are full where they haue beene ouercome the victorers themselues confessed their victories to haue béene so déerelie bought that they would not gladlie couet to ouercome often after such difficult maner In martiall prowesse there is little or no difference betwéene Englishmen and Scots for albeit that the Scots haue beene often and verie gréeuouslie ouercome by the force of our nation it hath not béene for want of manhood on their parts but through the mercie of God shewed on vs and his iustice vpon them sith they alwaies haue begun the quarels and offered vs méere iniurie with great despite and crueltie Leland noting somewhat of the constitution of our bodies saith these words grounding I thinke vpon Aristotle who writeth that such as dwell neere the north are of more courage and strength of bodie than skilfulnesse or wisdome The Britons are white in colour strong of bodie and full of bloud as people inhabiting neere the north and farre from the equinoctiall line where the soile is not so fruitfull and therefore the people not so feeble whereas contrariwise such as dwell toward the course of the sunne are lesse of stature weaker of bodie more nice delicate fearefull by nature blacker in colour some so blacke in déed as anie crow or rauen Thus saith he Howbeit as those which are bred in sundrie places of the maine doo come behind vs in constitution of bodie so I grant that in pregnancie of wit nimblenesse of limmes and politike inuentions they generallie exceed vs notwithstanding that otherwise these gifts of theirs doo often degenerate into méere subtiltie instabilitie vnfaithfulnesse crueltie Yet Alexander ab Alexandro is of the opinion that the fertilest region dooth bring foorth the dullest wits and contrariwise the harder soile the finest heads But in mine opinion the most fertile soile dooth bring foorth the proudest nature as we may see by the Campanians who as Cicero also saith had Penes eos ipsum domicilium superbiae But nether of these opinions do iustlie take hold of vs yet hath it pleased the writers to saie their pleasures of vs. And for that we dwell northward we are commonlie taken by the forren historiographers to be men of great strength and little policie much courage and small shift bicause of the weake abode of the sunne with vs whereby our braines are not made hot and warmed as Pachymerus noteth lib. 3 affirming further that the people inhabiting in the north parts are white of colour blockish vnciuill fierce and warlike which qualities increase as they come neerer vnto the pole whereas the contrarie pole giueth contrarie gifts blacknesse wisdome ciuilitie weakenesse and cowardise thus saith he But alas how farre from probabilitie or as if there were not one and the same conclusion to be made of the constitutions of their bodies which dwell vnder both the poles For in truth his assertion holdeth onelie in their persons that inhabit néere vnto and vnder the equinoctiall As for the small tariance of the sunne
with vs it is also confuted by the length of our daies Wherefore his reason seemeth better to vphold that of Alexander ab Alexandro afore alledged than to prooue that we want wit bicause our brains are not warmed by the tariance of the sunne And thus also dooth Comineus burden vs after a sort in his historie and after him Bodinus But thanked be God that all the wit of his countriemen if it may be called wit could neuer compasse to doo so much in Britaine as the strength and courage of our Englishmen not without great wisedome and forecast haue brought to passe in France The Galles in time past contemned the Romans saith Caesar bicause of the smalnesse of their stature howbeit for all their greatnesse saith he and at the first brunt in the warres they shew themselues to be but féeble neither is their courage of any force to stand in great calamities Certes in accusing our wisedome in this sort he dooth in mine opinion increase our commendation For if it be a vertue to deale vprightlie with singlenesse of mind sincerelie and plainlie without anie such suspicious fetches in all our dealings as they commonlie practise in their affaires then are our countrimen to be accompted wise and vertuous But if it be a vice to colour craftinesse subtile practises doublenesse and hollow behauiour with a cloake of policie amitie and wisedome then are Comineus and his countrimen to be reputed vicious of whome this prouerbe hath of old time beene vsed as an eare marke of their dissimulation Galli ridendo fidem frangunt c. How these latter points take hold in Italie I meane not to discusse How they are dailie practised in manie places of the maine he accompted most wise and politike that can most of all dissemble here is no place iustlie to determine neither would I wish my countrimen to learne anie such wisedome but that a king of France could saie Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare or viuere their owne histories are testimonies sufficient Galen the noble physician transferring the forces of our naturall humors from the bodie to the mind attributeth to the yellow colour prudence to the blacke constancie to bloud mirth to phlegme courtesie which being mixed more or lesse among themselues doo yéeld an infinit varietie By this means therefore it commeth to passe that be whose nature inclineth generallie to phlegme cannot but be courteous which ioined with strength of bodie and sinceritie of behauiour qualities vniuersallie granted to remaine so well in our nation as other inhabitants of the north I cannot see what may be an hinderance whie I should not rather conclude that the Britons doo excell such as dwell in the hoter countries than for want of craft and subtilties to come anie whit behind them It is but vanitie also for some to note vs as I haue often heard in common table talke as barbarous bicause we so little regard the shedding of our bloud and rather tremble not when we sée the liquor of life to go from vs I vse their owne words Certes if we be barbarous in their eies bicause we be rather inflamed than appalled at our wounds then are those obiectors flat cowards in our iudgement sith we thinke it a great péece of manhood to stand to our tackling vntill the last drop as men that may spare much bicause we haue much whereas they hauing lesse are afraid to lose that little which they haue as Frontinus also noteth As for that which the French write of their owne manhood in their histories I make little accompt of it for I am of the opinion that as an Italian writing of his credit A papist intreating of religion a Spaniard of his méekenesse or a Scot of his manhood is not to be builded on no more is a Frenchman to be trusted in the report of his owne affaires wherein he dooth either dissemble or excéed which is a foule vice in such as professe to deale vprightlie Neither are we so hard to strangers as Horace wold séeme to make vs sith we loue them so long as they abuse vs not make accompt of them so far foorth as they despise vs not And this is generallie to be verified in that they vse our priuileges and commodities for diet apparell and trade of gaine in so ample manner as we our selues enioy them which is not lawfull for vs to doo in their countries where no stranger is suffered to haue worke if an home-borne be without But to procéed with our purpose With vs although our good men care not to liue long but to liue well some doo liue an hundred yéers verie manie vnto foure score as for thrée score it is taken but for our entrance into age so that in Britaine no man is said to wax old till he draw vnto thréescore at which time God spéed you well commeth in place as Epaminondas sometime said in mirth affirming that vntill thirtie yeares of age You are welcome is the best salutation and from thence to thréescore God kéepe you but after thréescore it is best to saie God spéed you well for at that time we begin to grow toward our iournies end whereon manie a one haue verie good leaue to go These two are also noted in vs as things apperteining to the firme constitutions of our bodies that there hath not béene séene in anie region so manie carcasses of the dead to remaine from time to time without corruption as in Britaine and that after death by slaughter or otherwise such as remaine vnburied by foure or fiue daies togither are easie to be knowne and discerned by their fréends and kindred whereas Tacitus and other complaine of sundrie nations saieng that their bodies are Tam fluidae substantiae that within certeine houres the wife shall hardlie know hir husband the mother hir sonne or one fréend another after their liues be ended In like sort the comelinesse of our liuing bodies doo continue from midle age for the most euen to the last gaspe speciallie in mankind And albeit that our women through bearing of children doo after fortie begin to wrinkle apace yet are they not commonlie so wretched and hard fauoured to looke vpon in their age as the French women and diuerse of other countries with whom their men also doo much participate and there to be so often waiward and peeuish that nothing in maner may content them I might here adde somewhat also of the meane stature generallie of our women whose beautie commonlie excéedeth the fairest of those of the maine their comlinesse of person and good proportion of limmes most of theirs that come ouer vnto vs from beyond the seas This neuerthelesse I vtterlie mislike in the poorer sort of them for the wealthier doo sildome offend herein that being of themselues without gouernement they are so carelesse in the education of their children wherein their husbands also are to be blamed by means whereof verie manie of them neither fearing God
Romans found out and knew the waie vnto our countrie our predecessors fed largelie vpon flesh and milke whereof there was great aboundance in this I le bicause they applied their chéefe studies vnto pasturage and féeding After this maner also did our Welsh Britons order themselues in their diet so long as they liued of themselues but after they became to be vnited and made equall with the English they framed their appetites to liue after our maner so that at this daie there is verie little difference betwéene vs in our diets In Scotland likewise they haue giuen themselues of late yeares to speake of vnto verie ample and large diet wherein as for some respect nature dooth make them equall with vs so otherwise they far excéed vs in ouer much and distemperate gormandize and so ingrosse their bodies that diuerse of them doo oft become vnapt to anie other purpose than to spend their times in large tabling and bellie chéere Against this pampering of their carcasses dooth Hector Boetius in his description of the countrie verie sharpelie inueigh in the first chapter of that treatise Henrie Wardlaw also bishop of S. Andrewes noting their vehement alteration from competent frugalitie into excessiue gluttonie to be brought out of England with Iames the first who had béene long time prisoner there vnder the fourth fift Henries and at his returne caried diuerse English gentlemen into his countrie with him whome he verie honorablie preferred there dooth vehementlie exclame against the same in open parlement holden at Perth 1433 before the three estats and so bringeth his purpose to passe in the end by force of his learned persuasions that a law was presentlie made there for the restreint of superfluous diâ—t amongest other things baked meats dishes neuer before this mans daies seene in Scotland were generallie so prouided for by vertue of this act that it was not lawfull for anie to eat of the same vnder the degrée of a gentleman and those onelie but on high and festiuall daies but alas it was soone forgotten In old time these north Britons did giue themselues vniuersallie to great abstinence and in time of warres their souldiers would often féed but once or twise at the most in two or thrée daies especiallie if they held themselues in secret or could haue no issue out of their bogges and marises through the presence of the enimie and in this distresse they vsed to eat a certeine kind of confection whereof so much as a beane would qualifie their hunger aboue common expectation In woods moreouer they liued with hearbes and rootes or if these shifts serued not thorough want of such prouision at hand then vsed they to créepe into the water or said moorish plots vp vnto the chins and there remaine a long time onelie to qualifie the heats of their stomachs by violence which otherwise would haue wrought and béene readie to oppresse them for hunger and want of sustinance In those daies likewise it was taken for a great offense ouer all to eat either goose hare or henne bicause of a certeine superstitious opinion which they had conceiued of those three creatures howbeit after that the Romans I saie had once found an entrance into this Iland it was not long yer open shipwracke was made of his religious obseruation so that in processe of time so well the north and south Britons as the Romans gaue ouer to make such difference in meats as they had doone before From thencefoorth also vnto our daies and euen in this season wherein we liue there is no restreint of anie meat either for religions sake or publike order in England but it is lawfull for euerie man to féed vpon what soeuer he is able to purchase except it be vpon those daies whereon eating of flesh is especiallie forbidden by the lawes of the realme which order is taken onelie to the end our numbers of cattell may be the better increased that aboundance of fish which the sea yeeldeth more generallie receiued Beside this there is great consideration had in making of this law for the preseruation of the nauie and maintenance of conuenient numbers of sea faring men both which would otherwise greatlie decaie if some meanes were not found whereby they might be increased But how soeuer this case standeth white meats milke butter cheese which were neuer so deere as in my time and woont to be accounted of as one of the chiefe staies throughout the Iland are now reputed as food appertinent onelie to the inferiour sort whilest such as are more wealthie doo féed vpon the flesh of all kinds of cattell accustomed to be eaten all sorts of fish taken vpon our coasts and in our fresh riuers and such diuersitie of wild and tame foules as are either bred in our Iland or brought ouer vnto vs from other countries of the maine In number of dishes and change of meat the nobilitie of England whose cookes are for the most part musicall headed Frenchmen and strangers doo most exceed sith there is no daie in maner that passeth ouer their heads wherein they haue not onelie béefe mutton veale lambe kid porke conie capon pig or so manie of these as the season yeeldeth but also some portion of the red or fallow déere beside great varietie of fish and wild foule and thereto sundrie other delicates wherein the swéet hand of the seafaring Portingale is not wanting so that for a man to dine with one of them and to tast of euerie dish that standeth before him which few vse to doo but ech one feedeth vpon that meat him best liketh for the time the beginning of euerie dish notwithstanding being reserued vnto the greatest personage that sitteth at the table to whome it is drawen vp still by the waiters as order requireth and from whome it descendeth againe euen to the lower end whereby each one may tast thereof is rather to yéeld vnto a conspiracie with a great deale of meat for the spéedie suppression of naturall health then the vse of a necessarie meane to satisfie himselfe with a competent repast to susteine his bodie withall But as this large feeding is not séene in their gests no more is it in their owne persons for sith they haue dailie much resort vnto their tables and manie times vnlooked for and thereto reteine great numbers of seruants it is verie requisit expedient for them to be somewhat plentifull in this behalfe The chiefe part likewise of their dailie prouision is brought in before them commonlie in siluer vessell if they be of the degrée of barons bishops and vpwards and placed on their tables wherof when they haue taken what it pleaseth them the rest is reserued and afterward sent downe to their seruing men and waiters who féed thereon in like sort with conuenient moderation their reuersion also being bestowed vpon the poore which lie readie at their gates in great numbers to receiue the same This is spoken of the principall tables whereat the nobleman
but little skill to procéed in the same accordinglie it shall suffice to set downe some generall discourse of such as are vsed in our daies and so much as I haue gathered by report and common heare-saie We haue therefore in England sundrie lawes and first of all the ciuill vsed in the chancerie admeraltie and diuerse other courts in some of which the seuere rigor of iustice is often so mitigated by conscience that diuerse things are thereby made easie and tollerable which otherwise would appeare to be méere iniurie and extremitie We haue also a great part of the Canon law dailie practised among vs especiallie in cases of tithes contracts of matrimonie and such like as are vsuallie to be séene in the consistories of our bishops and higher courts of the two archbishops where the exercise of the same is verie hotlie followed The third sort of lawes that we haue are our owne those alwaies so variable subiect to alteration and change that oft in one age diuerse iudgements doo passe vpon one maner of case whereby the saieng of the poet Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis may verie well be applied vnto such as being vrged with these words In such a yeare of the prince this opinion was taken for sound law doo answer nothing else but that the iudgement of our lawiers is now altered so that they saie farre otherwise The regiment that we haue therefore after our owne ordinances dependeth vpon thrée lawes to wit Statute law Common law Customarie law and Prescription according to the triple maner of our trials and iudgments which is by parlement verdict of twelue men at an assise or wager of battell of which the last is little vsed in our daies as no appeale dooth hold in the first and last rehearsed But to returne to my purpose The first is deliuered vnto vs by parlement which court being for the most part holden at Westminster néere London is the highest of all other consisteth of three seuerall sorts of people that is to saie the nobilitie cleargie and commons of this realme And thereto is not summoned but vpon vrgent occasion when the prince dooth see his time and that by seuerall writs dated commonlie full six wéekes before it begin to be holden Such lawes as are agreed vpon in the higher house by the lords spirituall and temporall and in the lower house by the commons and bodie of the realme whereof the conuocation of the cleargie holden in Powles or if occasion so require in Westminster church is a member there speaking by the mouth of the knights of the shire and burgesses remaine in the end to be confirmed by the prince who commonlie resorteth thither of custome vpon the first and last daies of this court there to vnderstand what is doone and giue his roiall consent to such statutes as him liketh of Comming therefore thither into the higher house and hauing taken his throne the speaker of the parlement for one is alwaies appointed to go betwéene the houses as an indifferent mouth for both readeth openlie the matters there determined by the said thrée estates and then craueth the princes consent and finall confirmation to the same The king hauing heard the summe and principall points of each estatute brieflie recited vnto him answereth in French with great deliberation vnto such as he liketh Il nous plaist but to the rest Il ne plaist whereby the latter are made void and frustrate That also which his maiestie liketh of is hereby authorised confirmed euer after holden for law except it be repealed in anie the like assemblie The number of the commons assembled in the lower house beside the cleargie consisteth of ninetie knights For each shire of England hath two gentlemen or knights of greatest wisedome and reputation chosen out of the bodie of the same for that onelie purpose sauing that for Wales one onlie is supposed sufficient in euerie countie whereby the number afore mentioned is made vp There are likewise fourtie and six citizens 289 burgesses and fourtéene barons so that the whole assemblie of the laitie of the lower house consisteth of foure hundred thirtie and nine persons if the iust number be supplied Of the lawes here made likewise some are penall and restraine the common law and some againe are found to inlarge the same The one sort of these also are for the most part taken strictlie according to the letter the other more largelie and beneficiallie after their intendment and meaning The Common law standeth vpon sundrie maximes or principles and yeares or termes which doo conteine such cases as by great studie and solemne argument of the iudges sound practise confirmed by long experience fetched euen from the course of most ancient lawes made farre before the conquest and thereto the déepest reach and foundations of reason are ruled and adiudged for law Certes these cases are otherwise called plees or action wherof there are two sorts the one criminall and the other ciuill The meanes and messengers also to determine those causes are our writs or bréefes whereof there are some originall and some iudiciall The parties plaintiffe defendant when they appeare procéed if the case doo so require by plaint or declaration barre or answer replication reioinder and so by rebut surre but to issue and triall if occasion so fall out the one side affirmatiuelie the other negatiuelie as common experience teacheth Our trials and recoueries are either by verdict and demourre confession or default wherein if anie negligence or trespasse hath béene committed either in processe and forme or in matter and iudgement the partie grieued may haue a writ of errour to vndoo the same but not in the same court where the former iudgement was giuen Customarie law consisteth of certeine laudable customes vsed in some priuat countrie intended first to begin vpon good and reasonable considerations as gauell kind which is all the male children equallie to inherit and continued to this daie in Kent where it is onelie to my knowledge reteined and no where else in England It was at the first deuised by the Romans as appeareth by Caesar in his cōmentaries wherein I find that to breake and daunt the force of the rebellious Germans they made a law that all the male children or females for want of males which holdeth still in England should haue their fathers inheritance equallie diuided amongst them By this meanes also it came to passe that whereas before time for the space of sixtie yeares they had put the Romans to great and manifold troubles within the space of thirtie yeares after this law made their power did wax so feeble and such discord fell out amongst themselues that they were not able to mainteine warres with the Romans nor raise anie iust armie against them For as a riuer runing with one streame is swift and more plentifull of water than when it is drained or drawne into manie branches so the
gentlemen which oftentimes doo beare more port than they are able to mainteine Secondlie by seruingmen whose wages cannot suffice so much as to find them bréeches wherefore they are now and then constreined either to kéepe high waies and breake into the wealthie mens houses with the first sort or else to walke vp and downe in gentlemens and rich farmers pastures there to sée and view which horsses féed best whereby they manie times get something although with hard aduenture it hath béene knowne by their confession at the gallowes that some one such chapman hath had fortie fiftie or sixtie stolne horsses at pasture here and there abroad in the countrie at a time which they haue sold at faires and markets farre off they themselues in the meane season being taken about home for honest yeomen and verie wealthie drouers till their dealings haue been bewrated It is not long since one of this companie was apprehended who was before time reputed for a verie honest and wealthie townesman he vttered also more horsses than anie of his trade because he sold a reasonable peniworth and was a faire spoken man It was his custome likewise to saie if anie man hucked hard with him about the price of a gelding So God helpe me gentleman or sir either he did cost me so much or else by Iesus I stole him Which talke was plaine inough and yet such was his estimation that each beleeued the first part of his tale and made no account of the later which was the truer indeed Our third annoiers of the common-wealth are roges which doo verie great mischeefe in all places where they become For wheras the rich onelie suffer iniurie by the firâ—t two these spare neither rich nor poore but whether it be great gaine or small all is fish that commeth to net with them and yet I saie both they and the rest are trussed vp apace For there is not one yeare commonlie wherein three hundred or foure 〈◊〉 of them are not deuoured and eaten vp by the gallowes in one place and other It appeareth by Cardane who writeth it vpon the report of the bishop of Lexouia in the geniture of king Edward the sixt how Henrie the eight executing his laws verie seuerelie against such idle persons I meane great theeues pettie théeues and roges did hang vp thréescore and twelue thousand of them in his time He seemed for a while greatlie to haue terrified the rest but since his death the number of them is so increased yea although we haue had no warres which are a great occasion of their breed for it is the custome of the more idle sort hauing once serued or but séene the other side of the sea vnder colour of seruice to shake hand with labour for euer thinking it a disgrace for himselfe to returne vnto his former trade that except some better order be taken or the lawes alreadie made be better executed such as dwell in vplandish townes and little villages shall liue but in small safetie and rest For the better apprehension also of theeues and mankillers there is an old law in England verie well prouided whereby it is ordered that if he that is robbed or any man complaine and giue warning of slaughter or murther committed the constable of the village wherevnto he commeth and crieth for succour is to raise the parish about him and to search woods groues and all suspected houses and places where the trespasser may be or is supposed to lurke and not finding him there he is to giue warning vnto the next constable and so one constable after serch made to aduertise another from parish to parish till they come to the same where the offendor is harbored and found It is also prouided that if anie parish in this businesse doo not hir dutie but suffereth the théefe for the auoiding of trouble sake in carrieng him to the gaile if he should be apprehended or other letting of their worke to escape the same parish is not onlie to make fine to the king but also the same with the whole hundred wherein it standeth to repaie the partie robbed his damages and leaue his estate harmlesse Certes this is a good law howbeit I haue knowne by mine owne experience fellons being taken to haue escaped out of the stocks being rescued by other for want of watch gard that théeues haue beene let passe bicause the couetous and greedie parishoners would neither take the paines nor be at the charge to carrie them to prison if it were far off that when hue and crie haue béene made euen to the faces of some constables they haue said God restore your losse I haue other businesse at this time And by such meanes the meaning of manie a good law is left vnexecuted malefactors imboldened and manie a poore man turned out of that which he hath swet and taken great paines for toward the maintenance of himselfe and his poore children and familie Of the maner of building and furniture of our houses Chap. 12. THe greatest part of our building in the cities and good townes of England consisteth onelie of timber for as yet few of the houses of the communaltie except here there in the West countrie townes are made of stone although they may in my opinion in diuerse other places be builded so good cheape of the one as of the other In old time the houses of the Britons were slightlie set vp with a few posts many radels with stable and all offices vnder one roofe the like whereof almost is to be séene in the fennie countries and northerne parts vnto this daie where for lacke of wood they are inforced to continue this ancient maner of building It is not in vaine therefore in speaking of building to make a distinction betwéene the plaine and wooddie soiles for as in these our houses are commonlie strong and well timbered so that in manie places there are not aboue foure six or nine inches betwéene stud and stud so in the open and champaine countries they are inforced for want of stuffe to vse no studs at all but onlie franke posts raisins beames prickeposts groundsels summers or dormants transoms and such principals with here and there a girding whervnto they fasten their splints or radels and then cast it all ouer with thicke claie to keepe out the wind which otherwise would annoie them Certes this rude kind of building made the Spaniards in quéene Maries daies to woonder but chéeflie when they saw what large diet was vsed in manie of these so homelie cottages in so much that one of no small reputation amongst them said after this maner These English quoth he haue their houses made of sticks and durt but they fare commonlie so well as the king Whereby it appeareth that he liked better of our good fare in such course cabins than of their owne thin diet in their princelike habitations and palaces In like sort as euerie countrie house is thus apparelled on the out side
a cow or wherein to set cabbages radishes parsneps carrets melons pompons or such like stuffe by which he and his poore household liueth as by their principall food sith they can doo no better And as for wheaten bread they eat it when they can reach vnto the price of it contenting themselues in the meane time with bread made of otes or barleie a poore estate God wot Howbeit what care our great incrochers But in diuers places where rich men dwelled sometime in good tenements there be now no houses at all but hopyards and sheads for poles or peraduenture gardens as we may sée in castell Hedingham and diuerse other places But to procéed It is so that our soile being diuided into champaine ground and woodland the houses of the first lie vniformelie builded in euerie towne togither with stréets and lanes wheras in the woodland countries except here and there in great market townes they stand scattered abroad each one dwelling in the midst of his owne occupieng And as in manie and most great market townes there are commonlie thrée hundred or foure hundred families or mansions two thousand communicants or peraduenture more so in the other whether they be woodland or champaine we find not often aboue fortie fiftie or thrée score households and two or thrée hundred communicants whereof the greatest part neuerthelesse are verie poore folkes offentimes without all maner of occupieng sith the ground of the paâ—ish is gotten vp into a few mens hands yea sometimes into the tenure of one two or thrée whereby the rest are compelled either to be hired seruants vnto the other or else to beg their bread in miserie from doore to doore There are some saith Leland which are not so fauourable when they haue gotten such lands as to let the houses remaine vpon them to the vse of the poore but they will compound with the lord of the soile to pull them downe for altogither saieng that if they did let them stand they should but toll beggers to the towne therby to surcharge the rest of the parish laie more burden vpon them But alas these pitifull men sée not that they themselues hereby doo laie the greatest log vpon their neighbors necks For sith the prince dooth commonlie loose nothing of his duties accustomable to be paid the rest of the parishioners that remaine must answer and beare them out for they plead more charge other waies saieng I am charged alreadie with a light horsse I am to answer in this sort and after that maner And it is not yet altogither out of knowledge that where the king had seuen pounds thirteene shillings at a taske gathered of fiftie wealthie householders of a parish in England now a gentleman hauing three parts of the towne in his owne hands foure housholds doo beare all the aforesaid paiment or else Leland is deceiued in his Commentaries lib. 13. latelie come to my hands which thing he especiallie noted in his trauell ouer this I le A common plague enormitie both in the hart of the land and likewise vpon the coasts Certes a great number complaine of the increase of pouertie laieng the cause vpon God as though he were in fault for sending such increase of people or want of wars that should consume them affirming that the land was neuer so full c but few men doo sée the verie root from whence it dooth procéed Yet the Romans found it out when they florished and therefore prescribed limits to euerie mans tenure and occupieng Homer commendeth Achilles for ouerthrowing of fiue and twentie cities but in mine opinion Ganges is much better preferred by Suidas for building of thrée score in Inde where he did plant himselfe I could if néed required set downe in this place the number of religious houses and monasteries with the names of their founders that haue béene in this Iland but sith it is a thing of small importance I passe it ouer as impertinent to my purpose Yet herein I will commend sundrie of the monasticall votaries especiallie moonkes for that they were authors of manie goodlie borowes and endwares néere vnto their dwellings although otherwise they pretended to be men separated from the world But alas their couetous minds one waie in inlarging their reuenues and carnall intent an other appéered herin too too much For being bold from time to time to visit their tenants they wrought oft great wickednesse and made those endwares little better than brodelhouses especiallio where nunries were farre off or else no safe accesse vnto them But what doo I spend my time in the rehearsall of these filthinesses Would to God the memorie of them might perish with the malefactors My purpose was also at the end of this chapter to haue set downe a table of the parish churches and market townes thorough out all England and Wales but sith I can not performe the same as I would I am forced to giue ouer my purpose yet by these few that insue you shall easilie see what order I would haue vsed according to the shires if I might haue brought it to passe Shires Market townes Parishes Middlesex 3 73 London within the walles and without  120 Surrie 6 140 Sussex 18 312 Kent 17 398 Cambridge 4 163 Bedford 9 13 Huntingdon 5 78 Rutland 2 47 Barkeshire 11 150 Northhampton 10 326 Buckingham 11 196 Oxford 10 216 Southhampton 18 248 Dorset 19 279 Norffolke 26 625 Suffolke 25 575 Essex 18 415 Of castels and holds Chap. 14. IT hath béene of long time a question in controuersie and not yet determined whether holds and castels néere cities or anie where in the hart of common-wealths are more profitable or hurtfull for the benefit of the countrie Neuertheles it séemeth by our owne experience that we here in England suppose them altogither vnnéedfull This also is apparant by the testimonie of sundrie writers that they haue béene the ruine of manie a noble citie Of old Salisburie I speake not of Anwarpe I saie nothing more than of sundrie other whereof some also in my time neuer cease to incroch vpon the liberties of the cities adioining thereby to hinder them what and wherin they may For my part I neuer read of anie castell that did good vnto the citie abutting theron but onelie the capitoll of Rome and yet but once good vnto the same in respect of the nine times whereby it brought it into danger of vtter ruine and confusion Aristotle vtterlie denieth that anie castle at all can be profitable to a common wealth well gouerned Timotheus of Corinthum affirmeth that a castle in a common wealth is but a bréeder of tyrants Pyrhus king of Epire being receiued also on a time into Athens among other courtesies shewed vnto him they led him also into their castell of Pallas who at his departure gaue them great thanks for the fréendlie intertainment but with this item that they should let so few kings come into the same as they might least saith
Britaine and to paie him a yéerelie tribute These couenants being agréed vpon and hostages taken for assurance he was set at libertie and so returned into his countrie The tribute that he couenanted to paie was a thousand pounds as the English chronicle saith When Beline had thus expelled his brother and was alone possessed of all the land of Britaine he first confirmed the lawes made by his father and for so much as the foure waies begun by his father were not brought to perfection he therefore caused workmen to be called foorth and assembled whom he set in hand to paue the said waies with stone for the better passage and ease of all that should trauell through the countries from place to place as occasion should require The first of these foure waies is named Fosse and stretcheth from the south into the north beginning at the corner of Totnesse in Cornewall and so passing foorth by Deuonshire and Somersetshire by Tutherie on Cotteswold and then forward beside Couentrie vnto Leicester and from thence by wild plaines towards Newarke and endeth at the citie of Lincolne The second waie was named Watling stréete the which stretcheth ouerthwart the Fosse out of the southeast into the northeast beginning at Douer and passing by the middle of Kent ouer Thames beside London by-west of Westminster as some haue thought and so foorth by S. Albons and by the west side of Dunstable Stratford Toucester and Wedon by-south of Lilleborne by Atherston Gilberts hill that now is called the Wreken and so foorth by Seuerne passing beside Worcester vnto Stratton to the middle of Wales and so vnto a place called Cardigan at the Irish sea The third way was named Ermingstréet which stretched out of the west northwest vnto the east southeast and beginneth at Meneuia the which is in Saint Dauids land in west Wales and so vnto Southampton The fourth and last waie hight Hiknelstréete which leadeth by Worcester Winchcombe Birmingham Lichfield Darbie Chesterfield and by Yorke and so foorth vnto Tinmouth After he had caused these waies to be well and sufficientlie raised and made he confirmed vnto them all such priuileges as were granted by his father Brennus marrieth with the duke of Alobrogs daughter groweth into great honour commeth into Britaine with an armie against his brother Beline their mother reconcileth them they ioine might munition and haue great conquests conflicts betweene the Galles and the Romans the two brethren take Rome The third Chapter IN the meane time that Beline was thus occupied about the necessarie affaires of his realme and kingdome his brother Brenne that was fled into Gallia onelie with 12. persons bicause he was a goodlie gentleman and séemed to vnderstand what apperteined to honour grew shortlie into fauour with Seginus the duke afore mentioned and declaring vnto him his aduersitie and the whole circumstance of his mishap at length was so highlie cherished of the said Seginus deliting in such worthie qualities as he saw in him dailie appearing that he gaue to him his daughter in mariage with condition that if he died without issue male then should he inherit his estate duke dome and if it happened him to leaue anie heire male behind him then should he yet helpe him to recouer his land and dominion in Britaine béerest from him by his brother These conditions well and surelie vpon the dukes part by the assent of the nobles of his land concluded ratified and assured the said duke within the space of one yéere after died And then after a certeine time being knowne that the duches was not with child all the lords of that countrie did homage to Brenne receiuing him as their lord and supreme gouernour vpon whome he likewise for his part in recompense of their curtesie bestowed a great portion of his treasure Shortlie after also with their assent he gathered an armie and with the same eftsoones came ouer into Britaine to make new warre vpon his brother Beline Of whose landing when Beline was informed he assembled his people and made himselfe readie to méete him but as they were at point to haue ioined battell by the intercession of their mother that came betwixt them and demeaned hirselfe in all motherlie order and most louing maner towards them both they fell to an agréement and were made friends or euer they parted asunder After this they repaired to London and there taking aduice togither with their peeres and councellors for the good order and quieting of the land at length they accorded to passe with both their armies into Gallia to subdue that whole countrie and so following this determination they tooke shipping and sailed ouer into Gallia where beginning the warre with fire and sword they wrought such maisteries that within a short time as saith Geffrey of Monmouth they conquered a great part of Gallia Italie and Germanie and brought it to their subiection In the end they tooke Rome by this occasion as writers report if these be the same that had the leading of those Galles which in this season did so much hurt in Italie and other parts of the world After they had passed the mountains were entred into Tuscan they besieged the citie of Clusium the citizens whereof being in great danger sent to Rome for aid against their enimies Wherevpon the Romanes considering with themselues that although they were not in anie league of societie with the Clusians yet if they were ouercome the danger of the next brunt were like to be theirs with all spéed they sent ambassadours to intreat betwixt the parties for some peace to be had They â—hat were sent required the capteines of the Galles in the name of the senat and citizens of Rome not to molest the friends of the Romans Wherevnto answere was made by Brennus that for his part he could be content to haue peace if it were so that the Clusians would be agréeable that the Galles might haue part of the countrie which they held being more than they did alreadie well occupie for otherwise said he there could be no peace granted The Romane ambassadours being offended with these wordes demanded what the Galles had to doo in Tuscan by reason of which and other the like ouerthwart wordes the parties began to kindle in displeasure so farre that their communication brake off and so they from treating fell againe to trie the matter by dint of sword The Romane ambassadours also to shew of what prowesse the Romans were contrarie to the law of nations forbidding such as came in ambassage about anie treatie of peace to take either one part or other tooke weapon in hand and ioined themselues with the Clusians wherewith the Galles were so much displeased that incontinentlie with one voice they required to haue the siege raised from Clusium that they might go to Rome But Brennus thought good first to send messengers thither to require the deliuerie
may we the more boldlie procéed in this our historie In this season that Cassibellane had roiall gouernment héere in Britaine Caius Iulius Cesar being appointed by the senat of Rome to conquer Gallia was for that purpose created consull and sent with a mightie army into the countrie where after he had brought the Galles vnto some frame he determined to assaie the winning of Britaine which as yet the Romans knew not otherwise than by report The chiefest cause that mooued him to take in hand that enterprise was for that he did vnderstand that there dailie came great succours out of that I le to those Galles that were enimies vnto the Romans And though the season of that yéere to make warre was farre spent for summer was almost at an end yet he thought it would be to good purpose if he might but passe ouer thither and learne what maner of people did inhabit there and discouer the places hauens and entries apperteining to that I le Héerevpon calling togither such merchants as he knew to haue had traffike thither with some trade of wares he diligentlie inquired of them the state of the I le but he could not be throughlie satisfied in anie of those things that he coueted to know Therefore thinking it good to vnderstand all things by view that might apperteine to the vse of that warre which he purposed to follow before he attempted the same he sent one Caius Uolusenus with a gallie or light pinesse to surucie the coasts of the I le commanding him after diligent search made to returne with spéed to him againe He him selfe also drew downewards towards Bullenois from whence the shortest cut lieth to passe ouer into Britaine In that part of Gallia there was in those daies an hauen called Itius Portus which some take to be Calice and so the word importeth an harbourgh as then able to receiue a great number of ships Unto this hauen got Cesar all the ships he could out of the next borders parties and those speciallie which he had prouided and put in a readinesse the last yeare for the warres against them of Uannes in Armorica now called Britaine in France he caused to be brought thither there to lie till they should heare further In the meane time his indeuour being knowne and by merchants reported in Britaine all such as were able to beare armour were commanded and appointed to repaire to the sea side that they might be readie to defend their countrie in time of so great danger of inuasion ¶ Cesar in his commentaries agréeth not with our historiographers for he writeth that immediatlie vpon knowledge had that he would inuade Britaine there came to him ambassadours from diuers cities of the I le to offer themselues to be subiects to the Romans and to deliuer hostages Whome after he had exhorted to continue in their good mind he sent home againe and with them also one Comius gouernor of Artois commanding him to repaire vnto as manie cities in Britaine as he might and to exhort them to submit themselues to the Romans He maketh no mention of Cassibellane till the second iournie that he made into the I le at what time the said Cassibelane was chosen as ye shall heare to be the generall capteine of the Britains and to haue the whole administration of the warre for defense of the countrie but he nameth him not to be a king Howbeit in the British historie it is conteined that Cesar required tribute of Cassibelane and that he answered how he had not learned as yet to liue in seruage but to defend the libertie of his countrie and that with weapon in hand if néede were as he should well perceiue if blinded through couetousnesse he should aduenture to séeke to disquiet the Britains Caius Volusenus discouereth to Caesar his obseruations in the I le of Britaine he maketh haste to conquere it the Britains defend their countrie against him Caesar after consultation had changeth his landing place the Romans are put to hard shifts the Britains begin to giue backe the courage of a Roman ensigne-bearer a sharpe encounter betweene both armies The eleuenth Chapter CAius Uolusenus within fiue daies after his departure from Cesar returned vnto him with his gallie and decalred what he had séene touching the view which he had taken of the coasts of Britan Cesar hauing got togither so manie saile as he thought sufficient for the transporting of two legions of souldiers after he had ordered his businesse as he thought expedient and gotten a conuenient wind for his purpose did embarke himselfe and his people and departed from Calice in the night about the third watch which is about three or foure of the clocke after midnight giuing order that the horssemen should take ship at an other place 8 miles aboue Calice and follow him Howbeit when they somewhat slacked the time about ten of the clocke in the next day hauing the wind at will he touched on the coast of Britaine where he might behold all the shore set and couered with men of warre For the Britains hearing that Cesar ment verie shortlie to come against them were assembled in armour to resist him and now being aduertised of his approch to the land they prepared themselues to withstand him Cesar perceiuing this determined to staie till the other ships were come and so he lay at anchor till about 11 of the clocke and then called a councell of the marshals and chiefe capteines vnto whome he declared both what he had learned of Uolusenus and also further what he would haue doone willing them that all things might be ordered as the reason of warre required And because he perceiued that this place where he first cast anchor was not méete for the landing of his people sith from the heigth of the cliffes that closed on ech side the narrow créeke into the which he had thrust the Britains might annoy his people with their bowes and dartes before they could set foote on land hauing now the wind and tide with him he disanchored from thence and drew alongst the coast vnder the downes the space of 7 or 8 miles and there finding the shore more flat and plaine he approched néere to the land determining to come to the shore The Britains perceiuing Cesars intent with all spéed caused their horssemen and charets or wagons which Cesar calleth Esseda out of the which in those daies they vsed to fight to march forth toward the place whither they saw Cesar drew and after followed with their maine armie Wherefore Cesar being thus preuented inforced yet to land with his people though he saw that he should haue much a doo For as the Britains were in redinesse to resist him so his great and huge ships could not come néere the shore but were forced to kéepe the déepe so that the Romane soldiers were put to verie hard shift
to wit both to leape forth of their ships and being pestered with their heauie armour and weapons to fight in the water with their enimies who knowing the flats and shelues stood either vpon the drie ground or else but a little waie in the shallow places of the water and being not otherwise encumbred either with armour or weapon but so as they might bestir themseues at will they laid load vpon the Romans with their arrowes and darts and forced their horsses being thereto inured to enter the water the more easilie so to annoy and distresse the Romans who wanting experience in such kind of fight were not well able to helpe themselues nor to keepe order as they vsed to doo on land wherfore they fought nothing so lustilie as they were woont to doo Cesar perceiuing this commanded the gallies to depart from the great ships and to row hard to the shore that being placed ouer against the open sides of the Britains they might with their shot of arrows darts and slings remoue the Britains and cause them to withdraw further off from the water side This thing being put in execution according to his commandement the Britains were not a little astonied at the strange sight of those gallies for that they were driuen with ores which earst they had not séene and shrewdlie were they galled also with the artillerie which the Romans discharged vpon them so that they began to shrinke and retire somewhat backe Herewith one that bare the ensigne of the legion surnamed Decima wherein the eagle was figured as in that which was the chiefe ensigne of the legion when he saw his fellowes nothing eager to make forward first beséeching the gods that his enterprise might turne to the weale profit and honor of the legion he spake with a lowd voice these words to his fellowes that were about him Leape forth now euen you woorthie souldiers saith he if you will not betraie your ensigne to the enimies for surelie I will acquit my selfe according to my duetie both towards the common wealth and my generall and therewith leaping forth into the water he marched with his ensigne streight vpon the enimies The Romans douting to lose their ensigne which should haue turned them to great reproch leapt out of their ships so fast as they might and followed their standard so that there ensued a sore reencounter and that which troubled the Romans most was because they could not keepe their order neither find anie sure footing nor yet follow euerie man his owne ensigne but to put themselues vnder that ensigne which he first met withall after their first comming forth of the ship The Britains that were inured with the shelues and shallow places of the water when they saw the Romans thus disorderlie come out of their ships ran vpon them with their horsses and fiercelie assailed them and now and then a great multitude of the Britains would compasse in and inclose some one companie of them and other also from the most open places of the shore bestowed great plentie of darts vpon the whole number of the Romans and so troubled them verie sore The Romans get to land on the English coast the Britains send to Caesar for a treatie of peace they staie the Romane ambassadour as prisoner Caesar demandeth hostages of the Britains the Romane nauie is driuen diuers waies in a great tempest the British princes steale out of Caesars campe and gather a fresh power against the Romans their two armies haue a sharpe encounter The twelfe Chapter CAesar perceiuing the maner of this fight caused his men of warre to enter into boates and other small vessels which he commanded to go to such places where most néed appeared And relieuing them that fought with new supplies at length the Romans got to land and assembling togither they assailed the Britains a fresh and so at last did put them all to flight But the Romans could not follow the Britains farre because they wanted their horssemen which were yet behind through slacking of time could not come to land And this one thing séemed onelie to disappoint the luckie fortune that was accustomed to follow Cesar in all his other enterprises The Britains after this flight were no sooner got togither but that with all speed they sent ambassadours vnto Cesar to treat with him of peace offering to deliuer hostages and further to stand vnto that order that Cesar should take with them in anie reasonable sort With these ambassadours came also Comius whome Cesar as you haue heard had sent before into Britaine whome notwithstanding that he was an ambassadour and sent from Cesar with commission and instructions sufficientlie furnished yet had they staied him as a prisoner But now after the battell was ended they set him at libertie and sent him backe with their ambassadours who excused the matter laieng the blame on the people of the countrie which had imprisoned him through lacke of vnderstanding what apperteined to the law of armes and nations in that behalfe Cesar found great fault with their misdemenor not onelie for imprisoning his ambassador but also for that contrarie to their promise made by such as they had sent to him into Gallia to deliuer hostages in lieu thereof they had receiued him with warre yet in the end he said he would pardon them and not séeke anie further reuenge of their follies And herewith required of them hostages of which part were deliuered out of hand and made promise that the residue should likewise be sent after crauing some respit for performance of the same bicause they were to be fetched farre off within the countrie Peace being thus established after the fourth day of the Romans arriuall in Britaine the 18 ships which as ye haue heard were appointed to conuey the horssemen ouer loosed from the further hauen with a soft wind Which when they approched so néere the shore of Britaine that the Romans which were in Cesars campe might see them suddenlie there arose so great a tempest that none of them was able to kéepe his course so that they were not onelie driuen in sunder some being caried againe into Gallia and some westward but also the other ships that lay at anchor and had brought ouer the armie were so pitifullie beaten tossed and shaken that a great number of them did not onelie lose their tackle but also were caried by force of wind into the high sea the rest being likewise so filled with water that they were in danger by sinking to perish and to be quite lost For the moone in the same night was at the full therefore caused a spring tide which furthered the force of the tempest to the greater periall of those ships and gallies that lay at anchor There was no way for the Romans to helpe the matter wherefore a great number of those ships were so bruised rent and weather-beaten that without new reparation they would serue to
as well for a conuenient wind as for other incidents certeine daies at length when the weather so changed that it serued his purpose he tooke the sea hauing with him fiue legions of souldiers and about two thousand horssemen he departed out of Calice hauen about sun setting with a soft southwest wind directing his course forward about midnight the wind fell so by a calme he was carried alongst with the tide so that in the morning when the day appéered he might behold Britaine vpon his left hand Then following the streame as the course of the tide changed he forced with â—ares to fetch the shore vpon that part of the coast which he had discouered and tried the last yeere to be the best landing place for the armie The diligence of the souldiers was shewed héere to be great who with continuall toile droue foorth the heauie ships to kéepe course with the gallies so at length they landed in Britaine about noone on the next day finding not one to resist his comming ashore for as he learned by certeine prisoners which were taken after his comming to land the Britains being assembled in purpose to haue resisted him through feare striken into their harts at the discouering of such an huge number of ships they forsooke the shore and got them vnto the mountaines There were in deed of vessels one and other what with vittellers those which priuat men had prouided and furnished foorth for their owne vse being ioined to the ordinarie number at the least eight hundred saile which appeering in sight all at one time made a wonderfull muster and right terrible in the eies of the Britains But to procéed Cesar being got to land incamped his armie in a place conuenient and after learning by the prisoners into what part the enimies were withdrawne he appointed one Quintus Atrius to remaine vpon the safegard of the nauie with ten companies or cohorts of footmen and three hundred horssemen and anon after midnight marched foorth himselfe with the residue of his people toward the Britains and hauing made 12 miles of way he got sight of his enimies host who sending downe their horssemen and charets vnto the riuer side skirmished with the Romans meaning to beate them backe from the higher ground but being assailed of the Romane horssemen they were repelled tooke the woods for their refuge wherein they had got a place verie strong both by nature and helpe of hand which as was to be thought had béene fortified before in time of some ciuill warre amongst them for all the entries were closed with trées which had béene cut downe for that purpose Howbeit the souldiers of the 7 legion casting a trench before them found meanes to put backe the Britains from their defenses and so entring vpon them droue them out of the woods But Cesar would not suffer the Romans to follow the Britains bicause the nature of the countrie was not knowne vnto them and againe the day was farre spent so that he would haue the residue thereof bestowed in fortifieng his campe The next day as he had sent foorth such as should haue pursued the Britains word came to him from Quintus Atrius that his nauie by rigour of a sore and hideous tempest was gréeuouslie molested and throwne vpon the shore so that the cabels and tackle being broken and destroied with force of the vnmercifull rage of wind the maisters and mariners were not able to helpe the matter Cesar calling backe those which he had sent foorth returned to his ships and finding them in such state as he had heard tooke order for the repairing of those that were not vtterlie destroied and caused them so to be drawne vp to the land that with a trench he might so compasse in a plot of ground that might serue both for defense of his ships and also for the incamping of those men of warre which he should leaue to attend vpon the safegard of the same And bicause there were at the least a fortie ships lost by violence of this tempest so as there was no hope of recouerie in them he saw yet how the rest with great labour and cost might be repaired wherefore he chose out wrights among the legions sent for other into Gallia and wrote ouer to such as he had left there in charge with the gouernment of the countrie to prouide so manie ships as they could and to send them ouer vnto him He spent a ten daies about the repairing of his nauie and in fortifieng the campe for defense thereof which done he left those within it that were appointed there before and then returned towards his enimies At his comming backe to the place where he had before incamped he found them there readie to resist him hauing their numbers hugelie increased for the Britains hearing that he was returned with such a mightie number of ships assembled out of all parts of the land and had by general consent appointed the whole rule and order of all things touching the warre vnto Cassiuellane or Cassibelane whose dominion was diuided from the cities situat néere to the sea coast by the riuer of Thames 80 miles distant from the sea coast This Cassibellane before time had bin at continuall warre with other rulers and cities of the land but now the Britains moued with the comming of the Romans chose him to be chiefe gouernour of all their armie permitting the order and rule of all things touching the defense of their countrie against the Romans onelie to him Their horssemen and charets skirmished by the waie with the Romans but so as they were put backe oftentimes into the woods and hills adioining yet the Britains slue diuers of the Romans as they followed anie thing egerlie in the pursute Also within a while after as the Romans were busie in fortifieng their campe the Britains suddenlie issued out of the woods and fierselie assailed those that warded before the campe vnto whose aid Cesar sent two of the chiefest cohorts of two legions the which being placed but a little distance one from another when the Romans began to be discouraged with this kind of fight the Britains therewith burst through their enimies and came backe from thence in safetie That daie Quintus Laberius Durus a tribune was slaine At length Cesar sending sundrie other cohorts to the succour of his people that were in fight and shrewdlie handled as it appéered the Britains in the end were put backe Neuerthelesse that repulse was but at the pleasure of fortune for they quited themselues afterwards like men defending their territories with such munition as they had vntill such time as either by policie or inequalitie of power they were vanquished as you shall sée after in the course of the historie Howbeit in fine they were ouer-run and vtterlie subdued but not without much bloudshed and slaughter The Romans heauie armor their great hinderance the maner of the Britains fighting in warre their incounter with
reported that after the solemnization of this marriage which was doone with all honour that might be deuised Claudius sent certeine legions of souldiers foorth to go into Ireland to subdue that countrie and returned himselfe to Rome Aruiragus denieth subiection to the Romans Vespasian is sent to represse him and his power the Romane host is kept backe from landing queene Genissa pacifieth them after a sharpe conflict what the Romane writers say of Vespasians being in Britaine the end of Aruiragus The fourth Chapter THen did king Aruiragus ride about to view the state of his realme repairing cities and townes decaied by the warre of the Romans and saw his people gouerned with such iustice and good order that he was both feared and greatlie beloued so that in tract of time he grew verie welthie and by reason thereof fell into pride so that he denied his subiection to the Romans Wherevpon Claudius appointed Uespasian with an armie to go as lientenant into Britaine This iournie was to him the beginning of his aduancement to that honour which after to him most luckilie befell But if we shall credit our Britaine writers he gained not much at Aruiragus hands for where he would haue landed at Sandwich or Richborough Aruiragus was readie to resist him so as he durst not once enter the hauen for Aruiragus had there such a puissant number of armed men that the Romans were afraid to approch the land Uespasian therefore withdrew from thence and coasting westward landed at Totnesse and comming to Excester besieged that citie but about the seuenth day after he had planted his siege came Aruiragus and gaue him battell in the which both the armies susteined great losse of men and neither part got anie aduantage of the other On the morrow after quéene Genissa made them friends and so the warres ceassed for that time by hir good mediation ¶ But séeing as before I haue said the truth of this historie maie be greatlie mistrusted ye shall heare what the Romane writers saie of Uespasianus being héere in Britaine beside that which we haue alreadie recited out of Dion in the life of Guiderius In the daies of the emperor Claudius through fauour of Narcissus one that might doo all with Claudius the said Uespasian was sent as coronell or lieutenant of a legion of souldiers into Germanie and being remooued from thence into Britaine he fought thirtie seuerall times with the enimies and brought vnto the Romane obeisance two most mightie nations and aboue twentie townes togither with the I le of Wight and these exploits he atchiued partlie vnder the conduct of Aulus Plautius ruler of Britaine for the emperor Claudius and partlie vnder the same emperor himselfe For as it is euident by writers of good credit he came first ouer into Britaine with the said Aulus Plautius and serued verie valiantlie vnder him as before in place we haue partlie touched By Tacitus it appeereth that he was called to be partener in the gouernment of things in Britaine with Claudius and had such successe as it appéered to what estate of honour he was predestinate hauing conquered nations and taken kings prisoners But now to make an end with Aruiragus when he perceiued that his force was too weake to preuaile against the Romane empire and that he should striue but in vaine to shake the yoke of subiection from the necks of the Britains he made a finall peace with them in his old age and so continued in quiet the residue of his reigne which he lastlie ended by death after he had gouerned the land by the space of thirtie yéeres or but eight and twentie as some other imagine He died in the yéere of Grace 73 as one author affirmeth and was buried at Glocester Ioseph of Arimathia came into Britane and Simon Zelotes the antiquitie of christian religion Britaine gouerned by Lieutenants and treasurers of the Romane emperors the exploits of Ostorius Scapula and the men of Oxfordshire he vanquisheth the Welshmen appeaseth the Yorkshiremen and brideleth the rage of the Silures The fift Chapter IN the daies of the said Aruiragus about the yeare of Christ 53 Ioseph of Arimathia who buried the bodie of our sauiour being sent by Philip the Apostle as Iohn Bale following the authoritie of Gildas and other British writers reciteth after that the Christians were dispersed out of Gallia came into Britaine with diuers other godlie christian men preaching the gospell there amongst the Britains instructing them in the faith and lawes of Christ conuerted manie to the true beliefe and baptised them in the wholsome water of regeneration there continued all the residue of his life obteining of the king a plot of ground where to inhabit not past a foure miles from Wells and there with his fellowes began to laie the first foundation of the true and perfect religion in which place or néere therevnto was afterward erected the abbeie of Glastenburie Nicephorus writeth in his second booke and fourth chapter that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine And Theodoretus in his 9. booke De curandis Graecorum affectibus sheweth that Paule being released of his second imprisonment and suffered to depart from Rome preached the gospell to the Britains and to other nations in the west The same thing in manner dooth Sophronius the patriarch of Ierusalem witnesse Tertullian also maie be a witnesse of the ancientnes of the faith receiued here in Britaine where he writing of these times saith Those places of the Britains to the which the Romans could not approch were subiect vnto Christ as were also the countries of Sarmatia Dacia Germania Scithia and others ¶ Thus it maie appeare that the christian religion was planted here in this land shortlie after Christes time although it certeinlie appeareth not who were the first that preached the gospell to the Britains nor whether they were Gréekes or Latins Cornelius Tacitus writeth that the Romane emperours in this season gouerned this land by lieutenants and treasurers the which were called by the name of legats and procurators thereby to kéepe the vnrulie inhabitants the better in order And Aulus Plautius a noble man of Rome of the order of consuls was sent hither as the first legat or lieutenant in maner as before ye haue heard after him Ostorius Scapula who at his comming found the I le in trouble the enimies hauing made inuasion into the countrie of those that were friends to the Romans the more presumptuouslie for that they thought a new lieutenant with an armie to him vnacquainted and come ouer now in the beginning of winter would not be hastie to march foorth against them But Ostorius vnderstanding that by the first successe and chance of warre feare or hope is bred and augmented hasted forward to encounter with them and such as he found abroad in the countrie he slue out right on euerie side and pursued such as fled to the end they
of Shropshire Cheshire and Lancashire which people together with other that misliked of the Romane gouernment he ioined in one and chose a plot of ground for his aduantage determining there to trie the vttermost hazard of battell The place which he thus chose was such as the entries the backwaies and the whole situation thereof made for the Britains aduantage and cleane contrarie to the Romans as inclosed among high hils And if there were anie easie passage to enter it vpon anie side the same was shut vp with mightie huge stones in manner of a rampire and afore it there ran a riuer without anie certeine foord to passe ouer it This place is supposed to lie in the confines of Shropshire aloft vpon the top of an high hill there enuironed with a triple rampire and ditch of great depth hauing thrée entries into it not directlie one against an other but aslope It is also they saie compassed about with two riuers to wit on the left hand with the riuer called Clun on the right hand with an other called Teuid On thrée sides thereof the clime is verie steepe and headlong and no waie easie to come or reach vnto it but onelie one Caratac hauing thus fortified himselfe within this place and brought his armie into it to encourage his people he exhorted them to shew their manhood affirming that to be the day and that armie to be the same wherein should appeare the beginning either of libertie then to be recouered or else of perpetuall bondage for euer to be susteined He rehersed also speciallie by name those their elders which had resisted Iulius Cesar by whose high valiancie they liued free from the bloudie thraldome and tributes of the Romans and enioied their wiues and children safe and vndefiled Thus discoursing of manie things with them in such hope of assured victorie that they began to raise their cries ech one for him selfe declaring that he was bound by the dutie he owght to the gods of his countrie not to shrinke for feare of anie wounds or hurts that might chance vnto them by the enimies weapon This chéerefulnesse of the Britains greatlie astonished the Romane lieutenant The hideous course also of the riuer before his face the fortifications and craggie higth of the hils all set full of enimies readie to beat him backe put him in great feare for nothing he saw afore him but that which séemed dreadfull to those that should assaile But the souldiers yet séemed to be verie desirous of battell requesting him to bring them to it protesting that nothing was able to resist the force of noble prowes Herewith the capteins and tribunes discoursing the like pricked forward the earnest willes which their souliders had to fight Ostorius perceiuing such courage and readie wils in the men of warre as well souldiers as capteins began to bestirre himselfe and left nothing vndone that might serue to set forward their earnest desire to battell And hauing aduisedlie considered which waies were hard and vnpossible to be entered vpon and which were most easie for his people to find passage by he led them foorth being most earnestlie bent to cope with the enimie Now hauing passed the water without any great difficultie but comming to the rampire he lost manie of his people so long as the fight was continued with shot and casting of darts but after that the Romans couering themselues with their targets came once close togither and approched vnder the rampire they remooued away the stones which the Britains had roughlie couched togither and so came to ioine with them at handblowes The Britains being vnarmed and not able to abide the force of the armed men withdrew to the top of the hilles but as well their enimies that were light armed as the other with heauie armour followed and brake in among them so as the Britains could not turne them anie way to escape for the light armed men with shot a farre off and the heauie armed with weapons at hand sought to make slaughter and wracke of them on ech side so that this was a verie dolefull day to the Britains The wife and daughter of Caratake were taken prisoners and his brethren also yéeled themselues He himselfe escaped and committing his person vnto the assurance trust of Cartemandua queene of the Brigants was by hir deliuered into the hands of the Romans All this happened about nine yeres after the warres in Britaine first began The name of Caratacus famous in Italie the maner how he and his alies were led captiues by the Romans in triumph his courage and manlie speech to the emperour Claudius whereby he and his obteine mercie and pardon the Britains vndertake a new reuenge against the Romans the cause why the Silures hated the Romans Ostorius Scapula dieth the citie of Chester builded The seuenth Chapter THe name of Caratacus being brought out of the Iles was alreadie spred ouer the prouinces adioining and began now to grow famous through Italie Men therefore were desirous to sée what maner of man he was that had so manie yéeres set at naught the puissant force of the empire For in Rome the name of Caratacus was much spoken of insomuch that the emperour whilest he went about to preferre his owne honour aduanced the glorie of him also that was vanquished for the people were called foorth as vnto some great notable sight or spectacle The pretorian bands stood in order of battell armed in the field that laie before their lodgings through which field Caratake shuld come Then passed by the traine of his friends and seruants and such armor riches iewels and other things as had béene gotten in those warres were borne forward and openlie shewed that all men might behold the same After these followed his brethren wife and daughters and last of all came Caratacus himselfe whose countenance was nothing like to theirs that went afore him For whereas they fearing punishment for their rebellion with wailefull countenance craued mercie he neither by countenance nor words shewd anie token of a discouraged mind but being preâ—sented before the emperour Claudius sitting in his tribunall seat he vttered this speach as followeth If there had béene in me so much moderation in time of prosperitie as there was nobilitie of birth and puissance I had come to this citie rather as a friend than as a capteine neither should I haue thought scorne being borne of most noble parents and ruling ouer many people to haue accepted peace by waie of ioining with you in league My present estate as it is to me reprochfull so to you it is honorable I had at commandement horsses men armor and great riches what maruell is it if I were loth to forgo the same For if you shall looke to gouerne all men it must néeds follow that all men must be your slaues If I had at the first yéelded my selfe neither my power nor your glorie had béene set foorth to the world vpon mine
execution I should straight haue béene forgotten But if you now grant me life I shall be a witnesse for euer of your mercifull clemencie The emperour with these words being pacified granted life both to Caratake and also to his wife and brethen who being loosed from their bands went also to the place where the empresse Agrippina sat not farre off in a chaire of estate whom they reuerenced with the like praise and thanks as they had doone before to the emperour After this the senat was called togither who discoursed of manie things touching this honourable victorie atchiued by the taking of Caratake estéeming the same no lesse glorious than when P. Scipio shewed in triumph Siphar king of the Numidians or L. Paulus the Macedonian king Perses or other Romane capteins anie such king whom they had vanquished Héerevpon it was determined that Ostorius should enter the citie of Rome with triumph like a conqueror for such prosperous successe as hither to had followed him but afterwards his procéedings were not to luckie either for that after Caratake was remooued out of the waie or bicause the Romans as though the warre had beene finished looked negligentlie to themselues either else for that the Britians taking compassion of the miserable state of Caratake being so worthie a prince through fortunes froward aspect cast into miserie were more earnestlie set to reuenge his quarrell Héerevpon they incompassed the maister of the campe and those legionarie bands of souldiers which were left amongst the Silures to fortifie a place there for the armie to lodge in and if succour had not come out of the next towns and castels the Romans had béene destroied by siege The head capteine yet and eight centurions and euerie one else of the companies being most forward were slaine Shortlie after they set vpon the Romane forragers and put them to flight and also such companies of horssemen as were appointed to gard them Héerevpon Ostorius set foorth certeine bands of light horssemen but neither could he staie the flight by that meanes till finallie the legions entred the battell by whose force they were staid and at length the Romans obteined the better but the Britains escaped by flight without great losse by reason the daie was spent After this manie bickerings chanced betwixt the Britains and Romans oftentimes they wrought their feats more like the trade of them that vse to rob by the high waies than of those that make open warre taking their enimies at some aduantage in woods and bogs as hap or force ministred occasion vpon malice conceiued or in hope of prey sometimes by commandement and sometimes without either commandement or knowledge of capteine or officer At one time the Britains surprised two bands of footmen that were with the Romans in aid and sent foorth to forreie abroad vnaduisedlie through couetousnesse of the capteins This feat was atchiued by the Silures also the which in bestowing prisoners and part of the spoile vpon other of their neighbours procured them likewise to rebell against the Romans and to take part with them The Silures were the more earnestlie set against the Romans by occasion words which the emperor Claudius had vttered in their dissauour as thus that euen as the Sicambres were destroied and remooued into Gallia so likewise must the Silures be dealt with and the whole nation of them extinguished These words being blowne abroad and knowne ouer all caused the Silures to conceiue a woonderfull hatred against the Romans so that they were fullie bent either to reteine their libertie or to die in defense thereof vpon the enimies swoord In the meane time Ostorius Scapula departed this life a right noble warrior and one who by litle litle insuing the steps of Aulus Plautius his predecessor did what he could to bring the I le into the forme of a prouince which in part he accomplished There be some led by coniecture grounded vpon good aduised considerations that suppose this Ostorius Scapula began to build the citie of Chester after the ouerthrow of Caratacus for in those parties he fortified sundrie holds and placed a number of old souldiers either there in that selfe place or in some other néere therevnto by waie of a colonie And forsomuch saie they as we read of none other of anie name thereabouts it is to be thought that he planted the same in Chester where his successors did afterwards vse to harbour their legions for the winter season and in time of rest from iournies which they haue to make against their common enimies In déed it is a common opinion among the people there vnto this daie that the Romans built those vaults or tauerns which in that citie are vnder the ground with some part of the castell And verelie as Ranulfe Higden saith a man that shall view and well consider those buildings maie thinke the same to be the woorke of Romans rather than of anie other people That the Romane legions did make their abode there no man séene in antiquities can doubt thereof for the ancient name Caer leon ardour deuy that is The citie of legions vpon the water of Dée proueth it sufficientlie enough But to returne vnto Ostroius Scapula we find in Corn. Tacitus that during his time of being lieutenant in this I le there were certeine cities giuen vnto one Cogidune a king of the Britains who continued faithfull to the Romans vnto the daies of the remembrance of men liuing in the time of the said Cornelius Tacitus who liued and wrote in the emperor Domitianus time This was doone after an old receiued custom of the people of Rome to haue both subiects and kings vnder their rule and dominion as who so shall note the acts and déeds of the Roman emperours from C. Iulius Cesar who chased Pompeie out of Italie and was the first that obteined the Romane empire to himselfe of whom also the princes and emperours succéeding him were called Cesars to Octauian Tiberius Caligula c maie easilie marke and obserue For they were a people of singular magnanimitie of an ambitious spirit gréedie of honour and renowne and not vnaptlie termed Romani rerurn domini c. A. Didius is sent to supplie Ostorius his roome in Britaine the trecherie and lecherie of queene Cartimanda Venutius keepeth the kingdome in spite of the Romans by what meanes their confines in this I le were inlarged the error of Hector Boetius and others touching the Siluers Brigants and Nouants notified the Britains giue the Romans a shamefull ouerthrow The eight Chapter AFter the deceasse of Ostorius Scapula one A. Didius was sent to supplie his roome but yer he could come things were brought out of order and the Britains had vanquished the legion the whereof Manlius Ualens had the conduct this victorie was set foorth by the Britains to the vttermost that with the bruit thereof they might strike a feare into the lieutenants hart now vpon his first comming ouer And he
himselfe reported it by letters to the emperour after the largest manner to the end that if he appeased the matter he might win the more praise or if he were put to the woorst and should not preuaile that then his excuse might séeme the more reasonable and woorthie of pardon The Siluers were they that had atchiued this victorie and kept a fowle stur ouer all the countries about them till by the comming of Didius against them they were driuen backe and repelled But héerewith began trouble to be raised in another part for after that Caratac was taken the chiefest and most skillfull capteine which the Britains had was one Uenutius a ruler of the people named Iugants a man that remained a long time faithfull to the Romans and by their power was defended from his enimies who had married with Cartimanda queene of the Brigants or Yorkeshire men This Cartimanda as ye haue heard had deliuered Caratac into the Romans hands thereby ministring matter for the emperour Claudius to triumph by which pleasure shewed to the Romans she increased thorough their friendship in power and wealth whereof followed riotous lust to satisfie hir wanton appetite so as she falling at square with hir husband married Uellocatus one of his esquires to whom she gaue hir kingdome and so dishonoured hir selfe Héere vpon insued cruell warre in so much that in the end Uenutius became enimie also to the Romans But first they tugged togither betwixt themselues the quéene by a craftie policie found meanes to catch the brother and coosens of Uenutius but hir enimies nothing therewith discouraged but kindled the more in wrath against hir ceassed not to go forward with their purpose Manie of the Brigants disdaining to be subiect vnto a womans rule that had so reiected hir husband reuolted vnto Uenutius but yet the quéenes sensuall lust mixed wich crueltie mainteined the adulterer Uenutius therefore calling to him such aid as he could get and strengthened now by the reuolting of the Brigants brought Cartimanda to such a narrow point that she was in great danger to fall into the hands of hir enimies which the Romans forséeing vpon suit made sent certeine bands of horssemen and footmen to helpe hir They had diuerse incounters with the enimies at the first with doubtfull successe but at length they preuailed and so deliuered the quéene out of perill but the kingdome remained to Uenutius against whom the Romans were constreined still to mainteine warre About the same time the legion also which Cesius Nasicaled got the vpper hand of those Britains against whom he was sent For Didius being aged and by victories past inough renowmed thought it sufficient for him to make warre by his capteins so to staie and kéepe off the enimie Certeine castels and holds in déed he caused to be built and fortified further within the countrie than had béene afore attempted by anie of his predecessors and so thereby were the confines of the Romans in this I le somewhat inlarged Thus haue ye heard with what successe the Britains mainteined warre in defense of their libertie against the Romans whilest Claudius ruled the empire according to the report of the Romane writers ¶ But here you must note that Hector Boetius following the authoritie of one Veremond a Spaniard of Cornelius Hibernicus also of Campbell remooueth the Silures Brigants and Nouants so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of those countries which the Scots haue now in possession and were euen then inhabited as he affirmeth partlie by the Scots and partlie by the Picts as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at large so that what notable feat soeuer was atchiued by the old Britains against the Romans the same by him is ascribed to the Scots and Picts throughout his whole historie whereas in verie truth for somuch as may be gathered by coniecture and presumption of that which is left in writing by ancient authors the Brigants inhabited Yorkshire the Silures Wales and the Marches and the Nouants the countrie of Cumberland But forsomuch as he hath diligentlie gathered in what maner the warres were mainteined by those people against the Romans and what valiant exploits were taken in hand and finished thorough their stoutnesse and valiancie ye may there read the same and iudge at your pleasure what people they were whome he so much praiseth aduertising you hereof by the way that as we haue before expressed none of the Romane writers mentioneth any thing of the Scots nor once nameth them till the Romane empire began to decay about the time of the emperor Constantius father of Constantine the great so that if they had béene in this I le then so famous both in peace and warre as they are reported by the same Boetius maruell might it séeme that the Romane writers would so passe them ouer with silence After the death of Claudius the emperor of Rome Claudius Domitianus Nero succéeded him in gouernement of the empire In the seuenth yéere of whose reigne which was after the incarnation 53 the Romans receiued a great ouerthrow in Britaine where neither the lieutenant A. Didius Gallus whom in this place Cornelius Tacitus calleth Auitus could during the time of his rule doo no more but hold that which was alreadie gotten beside the building of certeine castels as before ye haue heard neither his successor Uerannius beating and forreieng the woods could atthiue anie further enterprise for he was by death preuented so as he could not procéed forward with his purpose touching the warres which he had ment to haue folowed whose last words in his testament expressed detected him of manifest ambition for adding manie things by way of flatterie to content Neros mind he wished to haue liued but two yéeres longer in which space he might haue subdued prouinces vnto his dominion meaning therby the whole I le of Britaine But this was a Romans brag sauouring rather of ambition than of truth or likelihood The gouernment of P. Suetonius in this Iland he inuadeth Angle sey and winneth it a strange kind of women of the Druides the Britains lament their miserie and seruitude and take aduise by weapon to redresse it against the Romans their enimies The ninth Chapter BUt now when this great losse chanced to the Romans Paulinus Suetonius did gouerne here as lieutenant a man most plentifullie furnished with all gifts of fortune and vertue and therewith a right skilfull warrior This Suetonius therefore wishing to tame such of the Britains as kept out prepared to assaile the I le of Anglesey a countrie full of inhabitants and a place of refuge for all outlawes and rebels He builded certeine brigantins with flat kéeles to serue for the ebbes and shallow shelues here and there lieng vncerteinlie in the straits which he had to passe The footmen ferried ouer in those vessels the horssemen following by the foords and swimming when they came into the deepe got likewise to
the aged men nor women sent awaie whereby the yoong able personages might without trouble of them the better attend to the defense of the citie but euen as they had béene in all suertie of peace and frée from suspicion of anie warre they were suddenlie beset with the huge armie of the Britains and so all went to spoile and fire that could be found without the inclosure of the temple into the which the Romane souldiers striken with sudden feare by this sudden comming of the enimies had thronged themselues Where being assieged by the Britains within the space of two daies the place was woonne and they that were found within it slaine euerie mothers sonne After this the Britains incouraged with this victorie went to méet with Petus Cerealis lieutenant of the legion surnamed the ninth and boldlie incountering with the same legion gaue the Romans the ouerthrow and slue all the footmen so that Cerealis with much adoo escaped with his horssemen and got him backe to the campe and saued himselfe within the trenches Catus the procurator being put in feare with this ouerthrow and perceiuing what hatred the Britains bare towards him hauing with his couetousnesse thus brought the warre vpon the head of the Romans got him ouer into Gallia But Suetonius aduertised of these dooings came backe out of Anglesey and with maruellous constancie marched through the middest of his enimies to London being as then not greatlie peopled with Romans though there was a colonie of them but full of merchants and well prouided of vittels he was in great doubt at his comming thither whether he might best staie there as in a place most conuenient or rather séeke some other more easie to be defended At length considering the small number of his men of warre and remembring how Cerealis had sped by his too much rashnesse he thought better with the losing of one towne of saue the whole than to put all in danger of irrecouerable losse And therewith nothing mooued at the praier teares of them which besought him of aid and succour he departed and those that would go with him he receiued into his armie those that taried behind were oppressed by the enimies and the like destruction happened to them of Uerolanium a towne in those daies of great fame situat néere to the place where the towne of Saint Albons now standeth The Britains leauing the castels and fortresses vnassaulted followed their gaine in spoiling of those places which were easie to get and where great plentie of riches was to be found vsing their victorie with such crueltie that they slue as the report went to the number of 70 thousand Romans and such as tooke their part in the said places by the Britains thus woon and conquered For there was nothing with the Britains but slaughter fire gallowes and such like so earnestlie were they set on reuenge They spared neither age nor sex women of great nobilitie and woorthie fame they tooke and hanged vp naked and cutting off their paps sowed them to their mouthes that they might séeme as if they sucked and fed on them and some of their bodies they stretched out in length and thrust them on sharpe stakes All these things they did in great despite whilest they sacrificed in their temples and made feasts namelie in the wood consecrated to the honour of Andates for so they called the goddesse of victorie whom they worshipped most reuerentlie P. Suetonius the Romane with a fresh power assalteth the Britains whose armie consisted as well of women as men queene Voadicia incourageth hir souldiers so dooth Suetonius his warriors both armies haue a sharpe conflict the Britains are discomfited and miserablie slaine the queene dieth Penius Posthumus killeth himselfe the Britains are persecuted with fire swoord and famine the grudge betweene Cassicianus and Suetonius whome Polycletus is sent to reconcile of his traine and how the Britains repined at him The xiij Chapter IN this meane time there came ouer to the aid of Suetonius the legion surnamed the 14 and other bands of souldiers and men of warre to the number of ten thousand in the whole wherevpon chieflie bicause vittels began to faile him he prepared to giue battell to his enimies and chose out a plot of ground verie strong within straits and backed with a wood so that the enimies could not assault his campe but on the front yet by reason of their great multitude and hope of victorie conceiued by their late prosperous successe the Britains vnder the conduct of quéene Uoadicia aduentured to giue battell hauing their women there to be witnesses of the victorie whome they placed in charrets at the vttermost side of their field Uoadicia or Boudicia for so we find hir written by some copies and Bonuica also by Dion hauing hir daughters afore hir being mounted into a charret as she passed by the souldiers of ech sundrie countrie told them it was a thing accustomed among the Britains to go to the warres vnder the leading of women but she was not now come foorth as one borne of such noble ancestors as she was descended from to fight for hir kingdome and riches but as one of the meaner sort rather to defend hir lost libertie and to reuenge hir selfe of the enimie for their crueltie shewed in scourging hir like a vagabond and shamefull deflouring of hir daughters for the licentious lust of the Romans was so farre spred and increased that they spared neither the bodies of old nor yoong but were readie most shame fullie to abuse them hauing whipped hir naked being an aged woman and forced hir daughters to satisfie their filthie concupiscence but saith she the gods are at hand readie to take iust reuenge The legion that presumed to incounter with vs is slaine and beaten downe The residue kéepe them close within their holds or else séeke waies how to flée out of the countrie they shall not be once able so much as to abide the noise and clamor of so manie thousands as we are héere assembled much lesse the force of our great puissance and dreadfull hands If ye therefore said she would wey and consider with your selues your huge numbers of men of warre and the causes why ye haue mooued this warre ye would surelie determine either in this battell to die with honour or else to vanquish the enimie by plaine force for so quoth she I being a woman am fullie resolued as for you men ye maie if ye list liue and be brought into bondage Neither did Suetonius ceasse to exhort his people for though he trusted in their manhood yet as he had diuided his armie into three battels so did he make vnto ech of them a seuerall oration willing them not to feare the shrill and vaine menacing threats of the Britains sith there was among them more women that men they hauing no skill in warrelike discipline and heereto being naked without furniture of armour would foorthwith giue place when they should féele
the sharpe points of the Romans weapons and the force of them by whom they had so often béene put to flight In manie legions saith he the number is small of them that win the battell Their glorie therefore should be the more for that they being a small number should win the fame due to the whole armie if they would thronging togither bestow their weapons fréelie and with their swoords and targets preasse forward vpon their enimies continuing the slaughter without regard to the spoile they might assure themselues when the victorie was once atchiued to haue all at their pleasures Such forwardnesse in the souldiers followed vpon this exhortation of the couragious generall that euerie one prepared himselfe so readilie to doo his dutie and that with such a shew of skill and experience that Suetonius hauing conceiued an assured hope of good lucke to follow caused the trumpets to sound to the battell The onset was giuen in the straits greatlie to the aduantage of the Romans being but a handfull in comparison to their enimies The fight in the beginning was verie sharpe and cruell but in the end the Britains being a let one to another by reason of the narrownesse of the place were not able to susteine the violent force of the Romans their enimies so that they were constreind to giue backe and so being disordered were put to flight and vtterlie discomfited There were slaine of the Britains that day few lesse than 80000 thousand as Tacitus writeth For the straits being stopped with the charrets staied the flight of the Britains so as they could not easilie escape and the Romans were so set on reuenge that they spared neither man nor woman so that manie were slaine in the battell manie amongst the charrets and a great number at the woods side which way they made their flight and manie were taken prisoners Those that escaped would haue fought a new battell but in the meane time Uoadicia or Bonuica deceassed of a naturall infirmitie as Dion Cassius writeth but other say that she poisoned hir selfe and so died because she would not come into the hands of hir bloodthirstie enimies There died of the Romans part in this most notable battell 400 and about the like number were grieuouslie hurt and most pitifullie wounded Penius Posthumus maister of the campe of the second legion vnderstanding the prosperous successe of the other Romane capteins because he had defrauded his legion of the like glorie and had refused to obeie the commandements of the generall contrarie to the vse of warre slue himselfe After this all the Romane armie was brought into the field to make an end of the residue of the warre And the emperour caused a supplie to be sent out of Germanie being 2000 legionarie souldi ers and 8 bands of aids with 1000 horssemen by whose comming the bands of the ninth legion were supplied with legionarie souldiers and those bands and wings of horssemen were appointed to places where they might winter and such people of the Britains as were either enimies or else stood in doubt whether to be friends or enimies in déed were persecuted with fire and sword But nothing more afflicted them than famine for whilest euerie man gaue himselfe to the warre and purposed to haue liued vpon the prouision of the Romans and other their enimies they applied not themselues to tillage nor to anie husbanding of the ground and long it was yer they being a fierce kind of people fell to embrace peace by reason that Iulius Cassicianus who was sent into Britaine as successor to Catus fell at square with Suetonius and by his priuat grudge hindered the prosperous successe of publike affaires He sticked not to write to Rome that except an other were sent to succéed in the roome that Suetonius did beare there would be no end of the warres Herevpon one Polycletus which sometime had béene a bondman was sent into Britaine as a commissioner to surueie the state of the countrie to reconcile the legat and procurator also to pacifie all troubles within the I le The port which Polycletus bare was great for he was furnished with no small traine that attended vpon him so that his presence seemed verie dreadfull to the Romans But the Britains that were not yet pacified thought great scorne to see such honorable capteins and men of warre as the Romans were to submit themselues to the order of such a one as had béene a bondslaue In what state the Iland stood whiles Aruiragus reigned the dissolute and loose gouernement of Petronius Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus and Victius Volanus three lieutenants in Britaine for the Romane emperours of Iulius Frontinus who vanquished the Silures The xiiij Chapter IN place of Suetonius was Petronius Turpilianus who had latelie béene consull appointed to haue the gouernance of the armie in Britaine the which neither troubling the enimie nor being of the enimie in anie wise troubled or prouoked did colour slouthfull rest with the honest name of peace and quietnesse and so sat still without exploiting anie notable enterprise AFter Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus was made lieutenant of Britaine who likewise with courteous demeanous sought to kéepe the Britains in rest rather than by force to compell them And now began the people of the I le to beare with pleasant faults and flattering vices so that the ciuill warres that chanced in those daies after the death of the emperour Nero at home might easilie excuse the slouthfulnesse of the Romane lieutenants Moreouer there rose dissention amongest their men of warre which being vsed to lie abroad in the field could not agrée with the idle life so that Trebellius Maximus was glad to hide himselfe from the sight of the souldiers being in an vprore against him till at length humbling himselfe vnto them further than became his estate he gouerned by waie of intreatie or rather at their courtesie And so was the commotion staied without bloudshed the armie as it were hauing by couenant obteined to liue licentiouslie and the capteine suertie to liue without danger to be murthered NEither Uictius Uolanus that succéeded Maximus whilest the time of the ciuill warres as yet endured did trouble the Britains vsing the same slacknesse and slouth that the other lieutenants had vsed before him and permitted the like licence to the presumptuous souldiers but yet was Uolanus innocent as touching himselfe and not hated for anie notable crime or vice so that he purchased fauour although authoritie wanted But after that the emperour Uespasianus had subdued his aduersaries and atteined the imperiall gouernment as well ouer Britaine as ouer other parts of the world there were sent hither right noble capteins with diuers notable bands of souldiers and Petilius Cerialis being appointed lieutenant put the Britains in great feare by inuading the Brigants the mightiest nation of all the whole Iland and fighting manie battels and some right bloudie with those people he subdued a great part
exploits fortunatelie atchiued against diuerse people as the Irish c. The 16. Chapter AFter Iulius Frontinus the emperor Uespasian sent Iulius Agricola to succéed in the gouernement of Britaine who comming ouer about the midst of summer found the men of warre thorough want of a lieutenant negligent inough as those that looking for no trouble thought themselues out of all danger where the enimies neuerthelesse watched vpon the next occasion to worke some displeasure and were readie on ech hand to mooue rebellion For the people called Ordonices that inhabited in the countrie of Chesshire Lancashire and part of Shropshire had latelie before ouerthrowne and in maner vtterlie destroied a wing of such horssemen as soiourned in their parties by reason whereof all the prouince was brought almost into an assured hope to recouer libertie Agricola vpon his comming ouer though summer was now halfe past and that the souldiers lodging here there abroad in the countrie were more disposed to take rest than to set forward into the field against the enimies determined yet to resist the present danger and therewith assembling the men of warre of the Romans and such other aids as he might make he inuaded their countrie that had done this foresaid displeasure and slue the most part of all the inhabitants thereof Not thus contented for that he thought good to follow the steps of fauourable fortune and knowing that as the begining proued so would the whole sequele of his affaires by likelihood come to passe he purposed to make a full conquest of the I le of Anglesey from the conquest wherof the Romane lieutenant Paulinus was called backe by the rebellion of other of the Britains as before ye haue heard But whereas he wanted ships for the furnishing of his enterprise his wit and policie found a shift to supplie that defect for choosing out a piked number of such Britains as he had there with him in aid which knew the foords and shallow places of the streames there and withall were verie skilfull in swimming as the maner of the countrie then was he appointed them to passe ouer on the sudden into the I le onelie with their horsses armor and weapon which enterprise they so spéedilie and with so good successe atchiued that the inhabitants much amazed with that dooing which looked for a nauie of ships to haue transported ouer their enimies by sea and therefore watched on the coast began to thinke that nothing was able to be defended against such kind of warriors that got ouer into the I le after such sort and maner And therefore making sute for peace they deliuered the I le into the hands of Agricola whose fame by these victories dailie much increased as of one that tooke pleasure in trauell and attempting to atchiue dangerous enterprises in stead whereof his predecessors had delighted to shew the maiesties of their office by vaine brags statelie ports and ambitious pomps For Agricola turned not the prosperous successe of his procéedings into vanitie but rather with neglecting his fame increased it to the vttermost among them that iudged what hope was to be looked for of things by him to be atchiued which with silence kept secret these his so woorthie dooings Moreouer perceiuing the nature of the people in this I le of Britaine and sufficientlie taught by other mens example that armor should little auaile where iniuries followed to the disquieting of the people he thought best to take away and remooue all occasions of warre And first beginning with himselfe and his souldiers tooke order for a reformation to be had in his owne houshold yéelding nothing to fauor but altogither in respect of vertue accounting them most faithfull which therein most excelled He sought to know all things but not to doo otherwise than reason mooued pardoning small faults and sharpelie punishing great and heinous offenses neither yet deliting alwaies in punishment but oftentimes in repentance of the offendor Exactions and tributes he lessened qualifieng the same by reasonable equitie And thus in reforming the state of things he wan him great praise in time of peace the which either by negligence or sufferance of the former lieutenants was euer feared and accounted woorse than open warre This was his practise in the winter time of his first yeere But when summer was come he assembled his armie and leading foorth the same trained his souldiers in all honest warlike discipline commending the good and reforming the bad and vnrulie He himselfe to giue example tooke vpon him all dangers that came to hand and suffered not the enimies to liue in rest but wasted their countries with sudden inuasious And when he had sufficientlie chastised them and put them in feare by such manner of dealing he spared them that they might againe conceiue some hope of peace By which meanes manie countries which vnto those daies had kept themselues out of bondage laid rancor aside and deliuered pledges and further were contented to suffer castels to be builded within them and to be kept with garrisons so that no part of Britaine was frée from the Romane power but stood still in danger to be brought vnder more and more In the winter following Agricola tooke paines to reduce the Britains from their rude manners and customs vnto a more ciuill sort and trade of liuing that changing their naturall fiercenesse and apt disposition to warre they might through tasting pleasures be so inured therewith that they should desire to liue in rest and quietnesse and therefore he exhorted them priuilie and holpe them publikelie to build temples common halls where plées of law might be kept and other houses commending them that were diligent in such dooings and blaming them that were negligent so that of necessitie they were driuen to striue who should preuent ech other in ciuilitie He also procured that noble mens sonnes should learne the liberall sciences and praised the nature of the Britains more than the people of Gallia bicause they studied to atteine to the knowledge of the Romane eloquence By which meanes the Britains in short time were brought to the vse of good and commendable manners and sorted themselues to go in comelie apparell after the Romane fashion and by little and little fell to accustome themselues to fine fare and delicate pleasures the readie prouoke vs of vices as to walke in galleries to wash themselues in bathes to vse banketting and such like which amongst the vnskilfull was called humanitie or courtesie but in verie deed it might be accounted a part of thraldome and seruitude namelie being too excessiuelie vsed In the third yéere of Agricola his gouernment in Britaine he inuaded the north parts thereof vnknowne till those daies of the Romans being the same where the Scots now inhabit for he wasted the countrie vnto the water of Tay in such wise putting the inhabitants in feare that they durst not once set vpon his armie though it
were so that the same was verie sore disquieted and vexed by tempest and rage of weather Wherevpon finding no great let or hinderance by the enimies he builded certeine castels and fortresses which he placed in such conuenient stéeds that they greatlie annoied his aduersaries and were so able to be defended that there was none of those castels which he builded either woon by force out of the Romans hands or giuen ouer by composition for feare to be taken so that the same beeing furnished with competent numbers of men of warre were safelie kept from the enimies the which were dailie vexed by the often issues made foorth by the souldiers that laie thus in garrison within them so that where in times past the said enimies would recouer their losses susteined in summer by the winters aduantage now they were put to the woorse and kept backe as well in the winter as in the summer In the fourth summer after that Agricola was appointed vnto the rule of this land he went about to bring vnder subiection those people the which before time he had by incursions and forreies sore vexed and disquieted and therevpon comming to the waters of Clide and Loughleuen he built certeine fortresses to defend the passages and entries there driuing the enimies beyond the same waters as it had beene into a new Iland In the fift summer Agricola causing his ships to be brought about and appointing them to arriue on the north coasts of Scotland he passed with his armie ouer the riuer of Clide and subdued such people as inhabited those further parts of Scotland which till those daies had not beene discouered by the Romans And bicause he thought it should serue well to purpose for some conquest to be made of Ireland if that part of Scotland which bordereth on the Irish seas might be kept in due obedience he placed garrisons of souldiers in those parties in hope verelie vpon occasion to passe ouer into Ireland and for the more easie aduancement of his purpose therein he interteined with honourable prouision one of the kings of Ireland which by ciuill discord was expelled and driuen out of his countrie In déed Agricola perceiued that with one legion of souldiers and a small aid of other men of warre it should be an easie matter to conquer Ireland and to bring it vnder the dominion of the Romans which enterprise he iudged verie necessarie to be exploited for better kéeping of the Britains in obedience if they should sée the iurisdiction of the Romans euerie where extended and the libertie of their neighbours suppressed In the sixt summer of Agricola his gouernment he proceeded in subduing the furthermost parts of Scotland northwards causing his nauie to kéepe course against him by the coast as he marched foorth by land so that the Britains perceiuing how the secret hauens and créekes of their countries were now discouered and that all hope of refuge was in maner cut off from them were in maruellous feare On the other part the Romans were sore troubled with the rough mounteins and craggie rocks by the which they were constreined to passe beside the dangerous riuers lakes woods streicts and other combersome waies and passages The danger also of them that were in the ships by sea was not small by reason of winds and tempests and high spring tides which tossed and turmoiled their vessels verie cruellie but by the painfull diligence of them that had béene brought vp and inured with continuall trauell and hardnesse all those discommodities were ouercome to their great reioising when they met and fell in talke of their passed perils For oftentimes the armie by land incamped so by the shore that those which kept the sea came on land to make merrie in the campe and then ech one would recount to others the aduentures that had happened as the manner is in semblable cases The Britains of Calenderwood assalt the Romans vpon aduantage bloudie battels fought betwixt them great numbers slaine on both sides the villanous dealing of certeine Dutch souldiers against their capteins and fellowes in armes the miserie that they were driuen vnto by famine to eate one another a sharpe conflict betweene the Romans and Britains with the losse of manie a mans life and effusion of much bloud The xvij Chapter THe Britains that inhabited in those daies about the parts of Calenderwood perceiuing in what danger they were to be vtterlie subdued assembled themselues togither in purpose to trie the fortune of battell whereof Agricola being aduertised marched foorth with his armie diuided in three battels so that the enimies doubting to trie the matter in open field espied their time in the night and with all their whole puissance set vpon one of the Romane legions which they knew to be most féeble and weake trusting by a camisado to distresse the same and first sleaing the watch they entred the campe where the said legion laie and finding the souldiers in great disorder betwixt sléepe and feare began the fight euen within the campe Agricola had knowledge of their purposed intent and therefore with all spéed hasted foorth to come to the succours of his people sending first his light horssemen and certeine light armed footmen to assaile the enimies on their backs and shortlie after approched with his whole puissance so that the Romane standards beginning to appéere in sight by the light of the daie that then began to spring the Britains were sore discouraged and the Romans renewing their force fiercelie preassed vpon them so that euen in the entrie of the campe there was a sore conflict till at length the Britains were put to flight and chased so that if the mareshes and woods had not saued them from the pursute of the Romans there had beene an end made of the whole warre euen by that one daies worke But the Britains escaping as well as they might and reputing the victorie to haue chanced not by the valiancie of the Romane soldiers but by occasion and the prudent policie of their capteine were nothing abashed with that their present losse but prepared to put their youth againe into armour and therevpon they remooued their wiues and children into safe places and then assembling the chiefest gouernours togither concluded a league amongst themselues ech to aid other confirming their articles with dooing of sacrifice as the manner in those daies was The same summer a band of such Dutch or Germaine souldiers as had béene leuied in Germanie sent ouer into Britaine to the aid of the Romans attempted a great and woonderfull act in sleaing their capteine and such other of the Romane souldiers which were appointed to haue the training and leading of them as officers and instructors to them in the feats of warre and when they had committed that murther they got into thrée pinesses and became rouers on the coasts of Britaine and incountring with diuerse of the Britains that were readie to defend their countrie from
Britains their nimblenesse the painting of their bodies with diuerse colours their furniture their great sufferance of hunger cold c diuerse conflicts betweene the Romans and the Britains their subtile traines to deceiue their enimies the Romans pitifullie distressed Seuerus constreineth the Caledonians to conclude a league with him he falleth sicke his owne sonne practiseth to make him away the Britains begin a new rebellion the cruell commandement of Seuerus to kill and slea all that came to hand without exception his age his death and sepulchte Bassianus ambitiouslie vsurpeth the whole regiment he killeth his brother Geta and is slaine himselfe by one of his owne souldiers The xxij Chapter THe emperour Seuerus receiuing aduertisment from the lieutenant of Britaine that the people there mooued rebellion wasted the countrie with roads and forraies so that it was néedful to haue the prince himselfe to come thither within great power to resist the enimies he of an ambitions mind reâ—oised not a little for those newes bicause he saw occasion offered to aduance his renowâ—e and fame with increase of new victories now in the west after so manie triumphs purchased and got by him in the east and north parts of the world Héerevpon though he was of great age yet the desire that he had still to win honour caused him to take in hand to make a iournie into this land and so being furnished of all things necessarie he set forwards being carried for the more part in a litter for his more ease for that beside his féeblenesse of age he was also troubled with the gout He tooke with him his two sonnes Antoninus Bassianus and Geta vpon purpose as was thought to auoid occasions of such inconuenience as he perceiued might grow by discord mooued betwixt them through flatterers and malicious sycophants which sought to set them at variance which to bring to passe he perceiued there should want no meane whilest they continued in Rome amidst such pleasures idle pastimes as were dailie there frequented and therefore he caused them to attend him in this iournie into Britaine that they might learne to liue soberlie and after the manner of men of warre Seuerus being thus on his iournie towards Britaine staied not by the waie but with all diligence sped him foorth and passing the sea verie swiftlie entred this Ile and assembled a mightie power togither meaning to assaile his enimies and to pursue the warre against them to the vttermost The Britains greatlie amazed with this sudden arriuall of the emperour and hearing that such preparation was made against them sent ambassadours to him to intreat of peace and to excuse their rebellious dooings But Seuerus delaieng time for answere as he that was desirous to atchiue some high enterprise against the Britains for the which he might deserue the surname of Britannicus which he greatlie coueted still was busie to prepare all things necessarie for the warre and namelie caused a great number of bridges to be made to lay ouer the bogs and mareshes so that his souldiers might haue place to stand vpon and not to be incumbered for lacke of firme ground when they should cope with their enimies for the more part of Britaine in those daies as Herodianus writeth was full of fens maresh ground by reason of the often flowings and washings of the sea tides by the which maresh grounds the enimies being thereto accustomed would run and swim in the waters and wade vp to the middle at their pleasure going for the more part naked so that they passed not on the mud and mires for they knew not the vse of wearing cloths but ware hoopes of iron about their middles and necks esteeming the same as an ornament and token of riches as other barbarous people did gold Moreouer they marked or as it were painted their bodies in diuerse sorts and with sundrie shapes and figures of beasts and fowles and therefore they vsed not to weare anie garments that such painting of their bodies might the more apparantlie be séene which they estéemed a great brauerie They were as the same Herodianus writeth a people giuen much to war and delighted in slaughter and bloudshed vsing none other weapons or armour but a slender buckler a iaueline and a swoord tied to their naked bodies as for headpéece or habergeon they estéemed not bicause they thought the same should be an hinderance to them when they should passe ouer anie maresh or be driuen to swim anie waters or flée to the bogs Moreouer to suffer hunger cold and trauell they were so vsed and inured therewith that they would not passe to lie in the bogs and mires couered vp to the chin without caring for meate for the space of diuerse daies togither and in the woods they would liue vpon roots and barks of trées Also they vsed to prepare for themselues a certeine kind of meate of the which if they receiued but so much as amounted to the quantitie of a beaâ—e they would thinke themselues satisfied and féele neither hunger nor thirst The one halfe of the I le or little lesse was subiect vnto the Romans the other was gouerned of themselues the people for the most part hauing the rule in their hands Seuerus therefore meaning to subdue the whole and vnderstanding their nature and the manner of their making warre prouided him selfe of all things expedient for the annoiance of them and helpe of his owne souldiers and appointing his sonne Geta to remaine in that part of the Ile which was subiect to the Romans he tooke with him his other sonne Antoninus and with his armie marched foorth and entred into the confines of the enimies and there began to waste and forrey the countrie whereby there insued diuerse conflicts and skirmishes betwixt the Romans and the inhabitants the victorie still remaining on the Romans side but the enimies easilie escaped without anie great losse vnto the woods mountains bogs and such other places of refuge as they knew to be at hand whither the Romans durst not follow nor once approch for feare to be intrapped and inclosed by the Britains that were readie to returne and assaile their enimies vpon euerie occasion of aduantage that might be offered This maner of dealing sore troubled the Romans and so hindered them in their procéedings that no spéedie end could be made of that warre The Britains would oftentimes of purpose laie their cattell as oxen kine shéepe and such like in places conuenient to be as a stale to the Romans and when the Romans should make to them to fetch the same awaie being distant from the residue of the armie a good space they would fall vpon them and distresse them Beside this the Romans were much annoied with the vnwholesomnesse of the waters which they were forced to drinke and if they chanced to straie abroad they were snapped vp by ambushes which the Caledonians laid for them and when they were so féeble that they could
he vsed they turned to his side to the ouerthrow and vtter destruction of Bassianus for the which traitorous part they had those south countries of Scotland giuen vnto them for their habitation But by the Scotish writers it should appeare that those Picts which aided Fulgentius and also Carausius were the same that long before had inhabited the north parts of Britaine now called Scotland But whatsoeuer they were truth it is as the British histories record that at length one Alectus was sent from Rome by the senat with 3 legions of souldiers to subdue Carausius which he did and slue him in the field as the same histories make mention after he had reigned the space of 7 or 8 yeares and in the yeare of our saluation two hundred ninetie three A Lectus in haung vanquished and slaine Carausius tooke vpon him the rule and gouernment of Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 293. This Alectus when he had restored the land to the subiection of the Romans did vse great crueltie against such Britains as had maintained the part of Carausius by reason whereof he purchased much euill will of the Britains the which at length conspired against him and purposing to chase the Romans altogither out of their countrie they procured one Asclepiodotus whome the British chronicles name duke of Cornewall to take vpon him as chiefe captaine that enterprise Wherevpon the same Asclepiodotus assembling a great armie made such sharpe warres on the Romans that they being chased from place to place at length withdrew to the of London and there held them till Asclepiodotus came thither and prouoked Alectus and his Romans so much that in the end they issued foorth of the citie and gaue battell to the Britans in the which much people on both parts were slaine but the greatest number died on the Romans side and amongst others Alectus himselfe was slaine the residue of the Romans that were left aliue retired backe into the citie with a capteine of theirs named Liuius Gallus and defended themselues within the walles for a time right valiantlie Thus was Alectus slaine of the Britains after he had reigned as some suppose about the terme of six yeares or as some other write thrée yeares ASclepiodotus duke of Cornewall began his reigen ouer the Britains in the yeare of our Lord 232. after he had vanquished the Romans in battell as before is recited he laid his siege about the citie of London and finallie by knightlie force entred the same and flue the forenamed Liuius Gallus néere vnto a brooke which in those daies ran through the citie threw him into the same brooke by reason whereof long after it was called Gallus or Wallus brooke And at this present the streete where the same brooke did run is called Walbrooke Then after Asclepiodotus had ouercome all his enimies he held this land a certeine space in good rest and quiet and ministred iustice vprightlie in rewarding the good and punishing the euill Till at length through slanderous toongs of malicious persons discord was raised betwixt the king and one Coill or Coilus that was gouernour of Colchester the occasion whereof appeareth not by writers But whatsoeuer the matter was there insued such hatred betwixt them that on both parts great armies were raised and méeting in the field they fought a sore and mightie battell in the which Asclepiodotus was slaine after he had reigned 30 yeares Thus haue Geffrey of Monmouth and our common chroniclers written of Carausius Alectus and Asclepiodotus which gouerned héere in Britaine But Eutropius the famous writers of the Romane histories in the acts of Dioclesian hath in effect these woords About the same time Carausius the which being borne of most base ofspring atteined to high honour and dignitie by order of renowmed chiualrie seruice in the warres receiued charge at Bolein to kéepe the seas quiet alongst the coasts of Britaine France and Flanders and other countries thereabouts bicause the Frenchmen which yet inhabited within the bounds of Germanie and the Saxons sore troubled those seas Carausius taking oftentimes manie of the enimies neither restored the goods to them of the countrie from whome the enimies had bereft the same nor yet sent anie part therof to the emperours but kept the whole to his owne vse Whervpon when suspicion arose that he should of purpose suffer the enimies to passe by him till they had taken some prises that in their returne with the same he might incounter with them and take that from them which they had gotten by which subtile practise he was thought greatly to haue inriched him selfe Maximianus that was fellow in gouernment of the empire with Dioclesianus remaining then in Gallia and aduertised of these dooings commanded that Carausius should be slaine but he hauing warning thereof rebelled and vsurping the imperiall ornaments and title got possession of Britaine against whom being a man of great experience in all warlike knowledge when warres had béene attempted and folowed in vaine at length a peace was concluded with him and so he enioied the possession of Britaine by the space of seuen yéeres then was slaine by his companion Alectus the which after him ruled Britaine for the space of thrée yéeres and was in the end oppressed by the guile of Asclepiodotus gouernour of the pretorie or as I maie call him lord lieutenant of some precinct and iurisdiction perteining to the Romane empire Also so was Britaine recouered by the foresaid Asclepiodotus about ten yéeres after that Carausius had first vsurped the gouernment there and about the yéere of our Lord 300 as Polydor iudgeth wherein he varieth much from Fabian and others ¶ But to shew what we find further written of the subduing of Alectus I thinke it not amisse to set downe what Mamertinus in his oration written in praise of Maximianus dooth report of this matter which shall be performed in the chapter following The substance of that which is written touching Britaine in a panegyrike oration ascribed to Mamertinus which he set foorth in praise of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximian it is intituled onelie to Maximian whereas neuerthelesse both the emperors are praised and likewise as ye may perceiue Constantius who was father to Constantine the great is here spoken of being chosen by the two foresaid emperors to assist them by the name of Caesar in rule of the empire of whom hereafter more shall be said The xxiiij Chapter ALl the compasse of the earth most victorious emperor being now recouered through your noble prowesse not onelie so farre as the limits of the Romane empire had before extended but also the enimies borders beeing subdued when Almaine had beene so often vanquished and Sarmatia so often restreined brought vnder the people called Vitungi Quadi Carpi so often put to flight the Goth submitting himselfe the king of Persia by offering gifts suing for peace one
despitefull reproch of so mightie an empire and gouernement ouer the whole greeued vs to the heart as now at length we will not sticke to confesse and to vs it seemed the more intollerable bicause it onlie remained to the accomplishing of your perfect renowne and glorie And verilie as there is but one name of Britaine so was the losse to be esteemed smal to the common wealth of a land so plentifull of corne so abundant with store of pastures so flowing with veines of mettall so gainfull with reuenues rising of customs and tributes so enuironed with hauens so huge in circuit the which when Cesar the founder of this your honourable title being the first that entered into it writ that he had found an other world supposing it to be so big that it was not compassed with the sea but that rather by resemblance the great Ocean was compassed with it Now at that time Britaine was nothing furnished with ships of warre so that the Romans soone after the warres of Carthage and Asia had latelie beene exercised by sea against pirats and afterwards by reason of the warres against Mithridates were practised as well to fight by sea as land besides this the British nation then alone was accustomed but onelie to the Picts and Irishmen enimies halfe naked as yet not vsed to weare armor so that the Britains for lacke of skill easilie gaue place to the Romane puissance insomuch that Cesar might by that voiage onelie glorie in this that he had sailed and passed ouer the Ocean sea But in this wicked rebellious robberie first the nauie that in times pat defended the coasts of Gallia was led away by the pirat when he fled his waies and beside this a great number of other ships were built after the mould of ours the legion of Romane souldiers was woon and brought to take part with the enimie and diuers bands of strangers that were also souldiers were shut vp in the ships to serue also against vs. The merchants of the parties of Gallia were assembled and brought togither to the musters and no small numbers of barbarous nations procured to come in aid of the rebels trusting to inrich themselues by the spoile of the prouinces and all these were trained in the wars by sea through the instruction of the first attemptors of this mischieuous practise And although our armies were inuincible in force and manhood yet were they raw and not accustomed to the seas so that the fame of a greeuous and great trouble by warre that was toward by this shamefull rebellious robberie was blowne and sounded in ech mans eare although we hoped well of the end Unto the enimies forces was added a long sufferance of their wicked practises without punishment which had puffed vp the presumptuous boldnesse of desperate people that they bragged of our stay as it had bene for feare of them whereas the disaduantage which we had by sea seemed as it were by a fatall necessitie to deferre our victorie neither did they beleeue that the warre was put off for a time by aduise and counsell but rather to be omitted through despaire of dooing anie good against them insomuch that now the feare of common punishment being laid aside one of the mates slue the archpirat or capteine rouer as I may call him hoping in reward of so great an exploit to obteine the whole gouernement into his hands This warre then being both so necessarie so hard to enter vpon so growne in time to be stubborne stiffenesse and so well prouided for of the enimies part you noble emperour did so take it in hand that so soone as you bent the thundering force of your imperiall maiestie against that enimie ech man made account that the enterprise was alreadie atchiued For first of all to the end that your diuine power being absent the barbarous nations should not attempt anie new trouble a thing chieflie to be foreseene it was prouided for aforehand by intercession made vnto your maiestie for you your selfe you I say mightie lord Maximian eternall emperour vouchedsafe to aduance the comming of your diuine excellencie by the neerest way that might be which to you was not vnknowne You therefore suddenlie came to the Rhine and not with anie armie of horssemen or footmen but with the terrour of your presence did preserue and defend all that frontire for Maximian once being there vpon the riuage counteruailed anie the greatest armies that were to be found For you most inuincible emperour furnishing and arming diuers nauies made the enimie to vncerteine of his owne dooing and void of counsell that then at length he might perceiue that he was not defended but rather inclosed with the Ocean sea Here commeth to mind how pleasant and easefull the good lucke of those princes in gouerning the commong wealth with praise was which sitting still in Rome had triumphs and surnames appointed them of such nations as their capteins did vanquish Fronto therefore not the second but match with the first honor of the Romane eloquence when he yeelded vnto the emperor Antoninus the renowne of the warre brought to end in Britaine although he sitting at home in his palace within the citie had committed the conduct and successe of that warre ouer vnto the same Fronto it was confessed by him that the emperour sittings as it were at the helme of the ship deserued the praise by giuing of perfect order to the full accomplishing of the enterprise But you most inuincible emperour haue bene not onlie the appointer foorth how all this voiage by sea and prosecuting the warre by land should bee demeaned as apperteined to you by vertue of your imperiall rule and dignitie but also you haue beene an exhorter and setter forward in the things themselues and through example of your assured constancie the victorie was atchiued For you taking the sea at Sluice did put an irreuocable desire into their hearts that were readie to take ship at the same time in the mouth of the riuer of Saine insomuch that when the capteins of that armie did linger out the time by reason the seas and aire was troubled they cried to haue the sailes hoised vp and signe giuen to lanch foorth that they might passe forward on their iournie despising certeine tokens which threatened their wrecke and so set forward on a rainie and tempestuous day sailing with a crosse wind for no forewind might serue their turne But what was he that durst not commit himselfe vnto the sea were the same neuer so vnquiet when you were once vnder saile and set forward One voice and exhortation was among them all as report hath gone thereof when they heard that you were once got forth vpon the water What doo we dout what mean we to staie He is now loosed from land he is forward on his waie and peraduenture is alreadie got ouer Let vs put all things in proofe let vs venter through anie dangers of sea whatsoeuer What is
there that we may stand in feare of we follow the emperour Neither did the opinion of your good hap deceiue them for as by report of them selues we doo vnderstand at that selfe time there fell such a mist and thicke fog vpon the seas that the enimies nauie laid at the I le of wight watching for their aduersaries and lurking as it were in await these your ships passed by and were not once perceiued neither did the enimie then staie although he could not resist But now as concerning that the same vnuanquishable army fighting vnder your ensignes aud name streightwaies after it came to land set fire on their ships what mooued them so to doo except the admonitions of yoru diuine motion Or what other reason persuaded them to reserue no furtherance for their flight if need were nor to feare the doubtfull chances of war nor as the prouerbe saith to thinke the hazard of martiall dealings to be common but that by contemplation of your prosperous hap it was verie certeine that there needed no doubt to be cast for victorie to be obteined There were no sufficient forces at that present among them no mightie or puissant strength of the Romans but they had onelie consideration of your vnspeakable fortunate successe comming from the heauens aboue For whatsoeuer battell dooth chance to be offered to make full account of victorie resteth not so much in the assurance of the souldiers as in the good lucke and felicitie of the capteine generall That same ringleader of the vngratious faction what ment he to depart from that shore which he possessed Why did he forsake both his nauie and the hauen But that most inuincible emperour he stood in feare of your comming whose sailes he beheld readie to approch towards him how soeuer the matter should fall out he chose rather to trie his fortune with your capteins than to abide the present force of your highnes Ah mad man that vnderstood not that whither soeuer he fled the power of your diuine maiestie to be present in all places where your countenance banners are had in reuerence But he fleeing from your presence fell into the hands of your people of you was he ouercome of your armies was he oppressed To be short he was brought into such feare and as it were still looking behind him for doubt of your comming after hun that as one out of his wits and amazed he wist not what to doo he hasted forward to his death so that he neither set his men in order of battell nor marshalled such power as he had about him but onlie with the old authors of that conspiracie and the hired bands of the barbarous nations as one forgetfull of so great preparation which he had made ran headlong forwards to his destruction insomuch noble emperour your felicitie yeeldeth this good hap to the common wealth that the victorie being atchiued in the behalfe of the Romane empire there almost died not one Romane for as I heare all those fields and hills lay couered with none but onelie with the bodies of most wicked enimies the same being of he barbarous nations or at the least-wise apparelled in the counterfet shapes of barbarous garments glistering with their long yellow haires but now with gashes of wounds and bloud all deformed and lieng in sundrie manners as the pangs of death occasioned by their wounds had caused them to stretch foorth or draw in their maimed lims and mangled parts of their dieng bodies And among these the chiefe ringleader of the theeues was found who had put off those robes which in his life time he had vsurped and dishonoured so as scarse was he couered with one peece of apparell whereby he might be knowne so neere were his words true vttered at the houre of his death which he saw at hand that he would not haue it vnderstood how he was slaine Thus verelie most inuincible emperour so great a victorie was appointed to you by consent of the immortall gods ouer all the enimies whome you assailed but namelie the slaughter of the Frankeners and those your souldiers also which as before I haue said through missing their course by reason of the mist that lay on the seas were now come to the citie of London where they slue downe right in ech part of the same citie what multitude soeuer remained of those hired barbarous people which escaping from the battell ment after they had spoiled the citie to haue got awaie by flight But now being thus slaine by your souldiers the subiects of your prouince were both preserued from further danger and tooke pleasure to behold the slaughter of such cruell enimies O what a manifold victorie was this worthie vndoubtedlie of innumerable triumphes by which victorie Britaine is restored to the empire by which victorie the nation of the Frankeners is vtterlie destroied by which manie other nations found accessaries in the conspiracie of that wicked practise are compelled to obedience To conclude the seas are purged and brought to perpetuall quietnesse Glorie you therefore inuincible emperour for that you haue as it were got an other world in restoring to the Romane puissance the glory of conquest by sea haue added to the Romane empire an element greater than all the compasse of the earth that is the mightie maine ocean You haue made an end of the warre inuincible emperour that seemed as present to threaten all prouinces and might haue spred abroad and burst out in a flame euen so largelie as the ocean seas stretch and the mediterrane gulfs doo reach Neither are we ignorant although through feare of you that infection did fester within the bowels of Britaine onelie and proceeded no further with what furie it would haue aduanced it selfe else where if it might haue beene assured of means to haue ranged abroad so far as it wished For it was bounded in with no border of mounteine nor riuer which garrisons appointed were garded and defended but euen so as the ships although we had your martiall prowes and prosperous fortune redie to releeue vs was still at our elbowes to put vs in feare so farre as either sea reacheth or wind bloweth For that incredible boldnesse and vnwoorthie good hap of a few sillie captiues of the Frankeners in time of the emperour Probus came to our remembrance which Frankeners in that season conueieng awaie certeine vessels from the coasts of Pontus wasted both Grecia and Asia and not without great hurt and damage ariuing vpon diuers parts of the shore of Libia at length tooke the citie of Saragose in Sicile an hauen towne in times past highlie renowmed for victories gotten by sea after this passing thorough the streicts of Giberalterra came into the Ocean and so with the fortunate successe of their rash presumptuous attempt shewed how nothing is shut vp in safetie from the desperate boldnesse of pirats where ships maie come and haue accesse And so therefore by this
your victorie not Britaine alone is deliuered from bondage but vnto all nations is safetie restored which might by the vse of the seas come to as great perils in time of warre as to gaine of commodities in time of peace Now Spaine to let passe the coasts of Gallia with hir shores almost in sight is in suertie now Italie now Afrike now all nations euen vnto the fens of Meotis are void of perpetuall cares Neither are they lesse ioifull the feare of danger being taken awaie which to feele as yet the necessitie had not brought them but they reioise to so much the more for this that both in the guiding of your prouidence and also furtherance of fortune so great a force of rebellion by seamen is calmed vpon the entring into their borders and Britaine it selfe which had giuen harbour to so long a mischiefe is euidentlie knowne to haue tasted of your victorie with hir onelie restitution to quietnesse Not without good cause therfore immediatlie when you hir long wished reuenger and deliuerer were once arriued your maiestie was met with great triumph the Britains replenished with all inward gladnesse came foorth and offered themselues to your presence with thier wiues and children reuerencing not onlie your selfe on whom they set their eies as on one descended downe to them from heauen but also euen the sailes and tackling of that ship which had brought your diuine presence vnto their coasts and when you should set foot on land they were readie to lie downe at your feet that you might as it were march ouer them so desirous were they of you Neither was it anie maruell if they shewed them selues so ioifull sith after their miserable captiuitie so manie yeeres contiuued after so long abusing of their wiues and filthie bondage of their children at length yet were they now restored to libertie at length made Romans at length refreshed with the true light of the imperiall rule and gouernement for beside the fame of your clemencie and pitie which was set forth by the report of all nations in your countenance Cesar they perceiued the tokens of all vertues in your face grauitie in your eies mildnesse in your ruddie cheekes bashfulnesse in your words iustice all which things as by regard they acknowledged so with voices of gladnesse they signified on high To you they bound themselues by vow to you they bound their children yea and to your children they vowed all the posteritie of their race and ofspring We trulie O perpetuall parents and lords of mankind require this of the immortall gods with most earnest supplication and heartie praier that our children and their children and such other as shall come of them for euer hereafter may be dedicated vnto you and to those whom you now bring vp or shall bring vp hereafter For what better hap can we wish to them that shall succeed vs than to be enioiers of that felicitie which now we our selues enioy The Romane common wealth dooth now comprehend in one coniunction of peace all whatsoeuer at sundrie times haue belonged to the Romans and that huge power which with too great a burden was shroonke downe and riuen in sunder is now brought to ioine againe in the assured ioints of the imperiall gouernment For there is no part of the earth nor region vnder heauen but that either it remaineth quiet through feare or subdued by force of armies or at the lestwise bound by clemencie And is there anie other thing else on other parts which if will and reason should mooue men thereto that might be obteined Beyond the Ocean what is there more than Britaine which is so recouered by you that those nations which are nere adioinign to the bounds of that I le are obedient to your commandements There is no occasion that may mooue you to passe further except the ends of the Ocean sea which nature forbiddeth should be sought for All is yours most inuincible princes which are accounted woorthie of you and thereof commeth it that you may equallie prouide for euerie one sith you haue the whole in our maiesties hands And therefore as heretofore most excellent emperour Dioclesian by your commandement Asia did supplie the desert places of Thracia with inhabitants transported thither as afterward most excellent emperour Maximian by your appointment the Frankeners at length brought to a pleasant subiection and admitted to liue vnder lawes hath peopled and manured the vacant fields of the Neruians and those about the citie of Trier And so now by your victories inuincible Constantius Cesar whatsoeuer did lie vacant about Amiens Beauois Trois and Langres beginneth to florish with inhabitants of sundrie nations yea and more ouer that your most obedient citie of Autun for whose sake I haue a peculiar cause to reioise by meanes of this triumphant victorie in Britaine it hath receiued manie diuerse artificers of whom those prouinces were ful and now by their workemanship the same citie riseth vp by repairing of ancient houses and restoring of publike buildings and temples so that now it accounteth that the old name of brotherlie incorporation to Rome is againe to hir restored when she hath you eftsoones for hir founder I haue said inuincible emperour almost more than I haue beene able not so much as I ought that I may haue most iust cause by your clemencies licence both now to end often hereafter to speake and thus I ceasse What is to be obserued and noted out of the panegyrike oration of Mamertinus afore remembred with necessarie collections out of other Antiquaries The xxv Chapter NOw let vs consider what is to be noted out of this part of the foresaid oration It should seeme that when the emperour Maximian was sent into Gallia by appointment taken betwixt him and Dioclesian after he had quieted things there he set his mind foorthwith to reduce Britaine vnder the obedience of the empire which was at that present kept vnder subiectionof such princes as mainteined their state by the mightie forces of such number of ships as they had got togither furnished with all things necessarie namelie of able seamen as well Britains as strangers among whome the Frankeners were chiefe a nation of Germanie as then highly renowmed for their puissance by sea néere to the which they inhabited so that there were no rouers comparable to them But because none durst stirre on these our seas for feare of the British fléet that passed to and fro at pleasure to the great annoiance of the Romane subiects inhabiting alongst the coasts of Gallia Maximian both to recouer againe so wealthie and profitable a land vnto the obeisance of the empire as Britaine then was and also to deliuer the people of Gallia subiect to the Romans from danger of being dailie spoiled by those rouers that were mainteined here in Britaine he prouided with all diligence such numbers of ships as were thought requisite for so great an enterprise and
prince to kéepe if close in his treasurie where it serued to no vse By such courteous dealing the prouinces which were in his charge flourished in great wealth and quietnesse He was a verie wise and politike prince in the ordering of all weightie matters and verie skillfull in the practise of warres so that he stood the Romane empire in great stéed and was therefore highlie beloued of the souldiers insomuch that immediatlie after his deceasse they proclaimed his some Constantine emperour That The christian faith was imbraced of the Britains in this season it maie appéere in that Hilarius bishop of Poictiers writeth to his brethren in Britaine and Constantine in an epistle as Theodoretus saith in his first booke and tenth chapter maketh mtention of the churches in Britaine which also Sozomenus dooth affirme For the Britains after they had receiued the faith defended the same euen with the shedding of their bloud as Amphibalus who in this Constantius daies being apprehended suffered at Redburne neere to Werlamchester about 15 yéeres after the martyrdome of his host S. Albane Constantine created emperour in Britaine he is sollicited to take vpon him the regiment of those countries that his father gouerned he is requested to subdue Maxentius the vsurping tyrant Maximianus his father seeketh to depose him Constantines death is purposed by the said Maximianus the father his sonne Maxentius Fausta the daughter of Maximianus wife to Constantine detecteth hir fathers trecherie to hir husand Maximianus is strangled at Constantines commandement league and alliance betweene him and Licinius he is slâ—ine the empresse Helen commended the crosse of Christ found with the inscription of the same what miracles were wrought thereby of the nailes wherewith Christ was crucified Constantine commended the state of Britaine in his time The xxviij Chapter COnstantine being the son of the forenamed Constantius begot of his first wife Helen the daughter as some affirme of Coell late king of the Britains began to reigne in the yéere of our Lord 306. This worthie prince begotten of a British woman borne of hir in Britaine as our writers doo affirme and created certeinlie emperour in Britaine did doubtlesse make his natiue countrie partaker of his high glorie and renowme which by his great prowes politike wisedome woorthie gouernment and other his princelie qualities most abundantlie planted in his noble person he purchased and got thorough the circuit of the whole earth insomuch that for the high enterprises and noble acts by him happilie brought to passe and atchiued he was surnamed as before is said the great Constantine Whilest this Constantine remained at Rome in manner as he had béene a pledge with Galerius in his fathers life time he being then but yoond fled from thence and with all post hast returned to his father into Britaine killing or howghing by the waie all such horsses as were appointed to stand at innes readie for such as should ride in post least being pursued he should haue béene ouertaken and brought backe againe by such as might be sent to pursue him At his comming into Britaine he found his father sore vexed with sicknesse whereof shortlie after he died and then was he by helpe of such as were about him incouraged to take vpon him as emperour and namclie one Erocus king of the Almains which had accompanied his father thither assisted him thereto so that being prclaimed emperour he tooke vpon him the rule of those countries which his father had in gouernment that is to saie France Spaine the Alpes and Britaine with other prouinces héere in the west and ruling the same with great equitie and wisdome he greatly wan the fauour of the people insomuch that the fame of his politike gouernment and courteous dealing being spred abroad when Maxentius the tyrant that occupied the rule of the empire at Rome and in Italie by wrongfull vsurping abusing the same was grown into the hatred of the Romans and other Italians Constantine was earnestlie by them requested to come into Italie and to helpe to subdue Maxentius that he might reforme the state of things there This Maxentius was sonne to Herculeus Maximianus and Constantine had married Fausta the daughter of the said Maximianus Now so it was that Maximianus immediatlie after that his sonne Maxentius had taken the rule vpon him sought meanes to haue deposed him and to haue resumed and taken eftsoones into his owne hands the gouernment of the empire But solliciting Dioclesian to doo the like he was much reprooued of him for his vnreasonable and ambitious purpose so that when he perceiued that neither Dioclesian would be thereto agreeable nor induce the souldiers to admit him they hauing alreadie established his sonne began to deuise waies how to assure the state more stronglie to his said sonne And hearing that his sonne in law Constantine was minded to come into Italie against him he purposed to practise Constantines destruction insomuch that it was iudged by this which followed that Herculeus Maximianus did but for a colour séeme to mislike that which his said son Maxentius had doone to the end he might the sooner accomplish his intent for the dispatching of Constantine out of the waie Héerevpon as it were fléeing out of Italie he came to Constantine who as then hauing appointed lieutenants vnder him in Britaine remained in France and with all ioy and honour that might be receiued his father in law the which being earnestlie bent to compasse his purpose made his daughter Fausta priuie thereto which ladie either for feare least the concealing thereof might turne hir to displeasure either else for the entire loue which she bare to hir husband reuealed hir fathers wicked purpose Wherevpon whilest Constantine went about to be reuenged of such a traitorous practise Herculeus fled to Marsiles purposing there to take the sea and so to retire to his sonne Maxentius into Italie But yer he could get awaie from thence he was strangled by commandement of his sonne in law Constantine and so ended his life which he had spotted with manie cruell acts as well in persecuting the professours of the christian name as others In this meane time had Maximianus adopted one Licinius to assist him in gouernance of the empire proclaiming him Cesar. So that now at one selfe time Constantine gouerned France and the west parts of the empire Maxentius held Italie Affrike and Aegypt and Maximianus which likewise had beene elected Cesar ruled the east parts and Licinius Illyrium and Grecia But shortlie after the emperour Constantine ioined in league with Licinius and gaue to him his sister in marriage named Constantia for more suertie of faithfull friendship to indure betwixt them He sent him also against Maximianus who gouerning in the cast part of the empire purposed the destruction of Constantine and all his partakers but being vanquished by Licinius at Tarsus he shortlie after died being eaten with lice Constantine after
this was called into Italie to deliuer the Romans and Italians from the tyrannie of Maxentius which occasion so offered Constantine gladlie accepting passed into Italie and after certeine victories got against Maxentius at length slue him After this when Maximianus was dead who prepared to make warre against Licinius that had married Constantia the sister of Constantine he finallie made warre against his brother in law the said Licinius by reson of such quarrels as fell out betwixt them In the which warre Licinius was put to the woorse and at length comming into the hands of Constantine was put to death so that Constantine by this meanes got the whole empire vnder his rule and subiection He was a great fauourer of the Christian religion insomuch that to aduance the same he tooke order for the conuerting of the temples dedicated to the honour of idols vnto the seruice of the true and almightie God He commanded also that none should be admitted to serue as a souldier in the warres except he were a christian nor yet to haue rule of anie countrie or armie He also ordeined the weeke before Easter and that which followed to be keptas holie and no person to doo anie bodilie woorks during the same He was much counselled by that noble and most vertuous ladie his mother the empresse Helen who being a godlie and deuout woman did what in hir laie to mooue him to the setting foorth of Gods honour and increase of the christian faith wherein as yet he was not fullie instructed ¶ Some writers alledge that she being at Ierusalem made diligent search to find out the place of the sepulchre of our Lord and at length found it though with much adoo for the infidels had stopped it vp and couered it with a heape of filthie earth and builded aloft vpon the place a chappell dedicated to Uenus where yoong women vsed to sing songs in honour of that vnchast goddesse Helen caused the same to be ouerthrowne the earth to be remooued and the place cleansed so that at length the sepulchre appéered and fast by were found there buried in the earth thrée crosses and the nailes But the crosse wherevpon our Sauiour was crucified was knowne by the title written vpon it though almost worne out in letters of Hebrew Gréeke and Latine the inscription was this Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudaeorum It was also perceiued which was that crosse by a miracle as it is reported but how trulie I can not tell that should be wrought thereby for being laid to a sicke woman onlie with the touching thereof she was healed It was also said that a dead man was raised from death to life his bodie onlie being touched therewith Wherevpon Constantine mooued with these things forbad that from thencefoorth anie should be put to death on the crosse to the end that the thing which afore time was accounted infamous and reprochfull might now be had in honour and reuerence The empresse Helen hauing thus found the crosse builded a temple there taking with hir the nailes returned with the same to hir sonne Constantine who set one of them in the crest of his helmet an other in the bridle of his horsse and the third he cast into the sea to asswage and pacifie the furious tempests and rage thereof She also brought with hir a parcell of that holie crosse and gaue it to hir sonne the said Constantine the which he caused to be closed within an image that represented his person standing vpon a piller in the market place of Constantine or as some late writers haue he caused it to be inclosed in a coffer of gold adorned with rich stones and pearls placing it in a church called Sessortana the which church he indued with manie great gifts and precious ornaments Manie woorks of great â—eale and vertue are remembered by writers to haue béene doone by this Constantine and his mother Helen to the setting foorth of Gods glorie and the aduancing of the faith of Christ. But to be briefe he was a man in whome manie excellent vertues and good qualities both of mind and bodie manifestlie appéered chieflie he was a prince of great knowledge and experience in warre and therewith verie fortunate an earnest louer of iustice and to conclude borne to all honour But now to speake somewhat of the state of Britaine in his time ye shall vnderstand that as before is recorded at his going ouer into France after that he was proclaimed emperour he left behind him in Britaine certeine gouernours to rule the land and almongst other one Maximinus a right valiant capteine He tooke with him a great part of the youth of Britaine and diuerse of the chiefe men amongst the nobilitie in whose approoued manhood loialtie and constancie he conceiued a great hope to go thorough with all his enterprises as with the which being accompanied and compassed about he passed ouer into Gallia entred into Italie and in euerie place ouercame his enimies Some write that Constantine thus conueieng ouer sea with him a great armie of Britains and by their industrie obteining victorie as he wished he placed a great number of such as were discharged out of wages and licenced to giue ouer the warre in a part of Gallia towards the west sea coast where their posteritie remaine vnto this daie maruellouslie increased afterwards and somewhat differing from our Britains the Welshmen in manners and language Amongst those noble men which he tooke with him when he departed out of this land as our writers doo testifie were thrée vncles of his mother Helen that is to say Hoelmus Traherinus and Marius whome he made senators of Rome Of Octauius a British lord his reigne ouer the Britains he incountereth with Traherne first neere Winchester and afterwards in Westmerland Octauius being discomfited fleeth into Norway Traherne is slaine Octauius sendeth for Maximianus on whom he bestoweth his daughter and the kingdome of Britaine the death of Octauius Helena builded the wals of Colchester and London she dieth and is buried Constantine departeth this life Britaine reckoned among the prouinces that reteined the christian faith Paulus a Spaniard is sent into Britaine he dealeth roughlie with the people Martinus the lieutenant excuseth them as innocent his vnluckie end Paulus returneth into Italie The xxix Chapter NOw in the meane time that Constantine had obeteined and ruled the whole empire Britaine as it were hauing recouered libertie in that one of hir children being hir king had got the gouernment of the whole earth remained in better quiet tan afore time she had doone But yet in the meane season if we shall credit the British chronicle and Geffrey of Monmouth the interpretor thereof there was a British lord named Octauius or Octauian as the old English chronicle nameth him that was duke of the Gewisses and appointed by Constantine to be ruler of the land in his absence the which Octauius after that Constantine had recouered
after certeine bickerings he slue the said Constantine at Arles although not without great bloudshed He pursued also the residue of the Britains driuing them to the verie sea coasts where they shrowded themselues among the other Britains that before were setled in the countrie there ancientlie called as before we said Armorica that is a region lieng on the sea coast for Ar in the British toong signifieth vpon and Moure perteining to the sea And as this Constantine the father was slaine by Constantius so was Constans the sonne killed at Uienna by one of his owne capteines named Gerâ—ntius Whereby it came to passe that Honorius shortlie after hauing thus obteined the victorie of both these vsurpers recouered the Ile but yet not till the yeare next following and that by the high industrie and great diligence of that valiant gentleman earle Constantius The slaughter of Constantine his sonne happened in the 1 yeare of the 297 Olympiad 465 after the comming of Cesar 1162 after the building of Rome the dominicall letter being A and the golden number 13 so that the recouering of the Iland fell in the yeare of our Lord 411. Here also is eftsoones to be considered the valure of the British souldiers who following this last remembred Constantine the vsurper did put the Romane state in great danger and by force brake through into Spaine vanquishing those that kept the streicts of the mounteins betwixt Spaine and Gallia now called France an exploit of no small consequence sith thereby the number of barbarous nations got frée passage to enter into Spaine whereof insued manie battels sacking of cities and townes and wasting of the countries accordinglie as the furious rage of those fierce people was mooued to put their crueltie in practise ¶ If therefore the Britaine writers had considered and marked the valiant exploits and noble enterprises which the Brittish aids armies and legions atchiued in seruice of the Romane emperours by whome whilest they had the gouernement ouer this I le there were at sundrie times notable numbers conueied foorth into the parties of beyond the seas as by Albinus and Constantius also by his sonne Constantine the great by Maximus and by this Constantine both of them vsurpers if I saie the British writers had taken good note of the numbers of the British youth thus conueied ouer from hence what notable exploits they boldlie attempted no lesse manfullie atchiued they néeded not to haue giuen eare vnto the fabulous reports forged by their Bards of Arthur and other their princes woorthie in déed of verie high commendation And pitie it is that their fame should be brought by such meanes out of credit by the incredible and fond fables which haue béene deuised of their acts so vnlike to be true as the tales of Robin Hood or the gests written by Ariost the Italian in his booke intituled Orlando furioso sith the same writers had otherwise true matter inough to write of concerning the worthie feats by their countriemen in those daies in forren parts boldlie enterprised and no lesse valiantlie accomplished as also the warres which now and then they mainteined against the Romans here at home in times when they felt themselues oppressed by their tyrannicall gouernment as by that which is written before of Caratacus Uoadicia Cartimandua Uenusius Galgagus or Galdus as some name him and diuers other who for their noble valiancies deserue as much praise as by toong or pen is able to be expressed But now to returne vnto the British historie we will procéed in order with their kings as we find them in the same mentioned and therefore we haue thought good to speake somewhat further of Gratian from whome we haue digressed Gratians rough regiment procureth his owne destruction the comming of his two brethren Guanius and Melga with their armies the Scots and Picts plague the Britains they send for aid to Rome Valentinian sendeth Gallio Rauenna to releeue them the Romans refuse anie longer to succour the Britains whom they taught how to make armour and weapons the Scots and Picts enter afresh into Britaine and preuaile the Britains are brought to extreme miserie ciuill warres among them and what mischiefe dooth follow therevpon their lamentable letter to Actius for succour against their enimies their sute is denied at what time the Britains ceased to be tributaries to the Romans they send ambassadors to the K. of Britaine in France and obteine their sute The xxxiij Chapter GRatianus then whome Maximus or Maximinus had sent into Britaine as before ye haue heard hearing that his maister was slaine tooke vpon him the rule of this our Britaine and made himselfe king therof in the yeare 390. He was a Britaine borne as Polydor writeth coniecturing so by that he is named of authors to be Municeps that is to saie a frée man of the countrie or citie where he inhabited For his sternehesse and rough gouernement he was of the Britains as the histories alledge slaine and dispatched out of the waie after he had reigned the space of foure yeares or rather foure moneths as should seeme by that which is found in autentike writers Then the forenamed kings Guanius and Melga which as some write were brethren returned into this land with their armies increased with new supplies of men of warre as Scots Danes the Norwegians and destroied the countrie from side to side For the Britains in this season were sore inféebled and were not able to make anie great numbers of souldiers by reason that Maximus had led foorth of the land the floure and chiefest choise of all the British youth into Gallia as before ye haue heard Gyldas maketh no mention of these two kings Guanius and Melga of the Hunnes but rehearsing this great destruction of the land declareth as before ye haue heard that the Scots and Picts were the same that did all the mischiefe whome he calleth two nations of beyond the seas the Scots comming out of the northwest and the Picts out of the northeast by whome as he saith the land was ouerrun and brought vnder foot manie yeares after Therefore the Britains being thus vexed spoiled and cruellie persecuted by the Scots and Picts if we shall so take them sent messengers with all spéed vnto Rome to make sute for some aid of men of war to be sent into Britaine Wherevpon immediatlie a legion of souldiers was sent thither in the yéere 414 which easilie repelled the enimies and chased them backe with great slaughter to the great comfort of the Britains the which by this meanes were deliuered from danger of vtter destruction as they thought But the Romans being occasioned to depart againe out of the land appointed the Britains to make a wall as had béene aforetime by the emperours Adrian Antoninus and Seuerus ouerthwart the countrie from sea to sea stretching from Penuelton vnto the citie of Aclud whereby the enimies might be staid from entring the land but this
wall being made of turfs and sods rather than with stones after the departure of the Romans was easilie ouerthrowne by the Scots and Picts which eutsoones returned to inuade the confines of the Britains and so entring the countrie wasted and destroied the places before them according to their former custome Herevpon were messengers with most lamentable letters againe dispatched towards Rome for new aid against those cruell enimies with promise that if the Romans would now in this great necessitie helpe to deliuer the land they should be assured to find the Britains euermore obedient subiects and redie at their commandement Ualentinianus pitieng the case of the poore Britains appointed another legion of souldiers of the which one Gallio of Rauenna had the leading to go to their succours the which arriuing in Britaine set on the enimies and giuing them the ouerthrow slue a great number of them and chased the residue out of the countrie The Romans thus hauing obteined the victorie declared to the Britains that from thencefoorth they would not take vpon them for euerie light occasion so painefull a iournie alledging how there was no reason why the Romane ensignes with such a number of men of warre should be put to trauell so far by sea and land for the repelling and beating backe of a sort of scattering rouers and pilfring théeues Wherfore they aduised the Britains to looke to their dueties and like men to indeuour themselues to defend their countrie by their owne force from the enimies inuasions And because they iudged it might be an helpe to the Britains they set in hand to build a wall yet once againe ouerthward the I le in the same place where the emperour Seuerus caused his trench and rampire to be cast This wall which the Romans now built with helpe of the Britains was 8 foot in bredth and 12 in length trauersing the land from east to west was made of stone After that this wall was finished the Romans exhorted the Britains to plaie the men and shewed them the way how to make armor weapons Besides this on the coast of the east sea where their ships lay at rode where it was douted that the enimies would land they caused towers to be erected with spaces betwixt out of the which the seas might be discouered These things ordered the Romans bad the Britains farewell not minding to returne thither againe The Romans then being gon out of the land the Scots and Picts knowing thereof by by came againe by sea being more emboldened than before bicause of the deniall made by the Romans to come any more to the succor of the Britains they tooke into possession all the north and vttermost bounds of the I le euen vnto the foresaid wall therein to remaine as inhabitans And wheras the Britains got them to their wall to defend the same that the enimies should not passe further into the countrie they were in the end beaten from it and diuers of them slaine so that the Scots and Picts entred vpon them and pursued them in more cruell maner than before so that the Britains being chased out of their cities townes and dwelling houses were constreined to flie into desert places and there to remaine and liue after the maner of sauage people and in the end began to rob and spoile one another so to auoid the danger of staruing for lacke of food and thus at the last the countrie was so destroied and wasted that there was no other shift for them that was left aliue to liue by except onelie by hunting and taking of wild beasts and foules And to augment their miserie the commons imputing the fault to rest in the lords and gouernors arose against them in armes but were vanquished and easilie put to fight at two seuerall times being beaten downe and slaine through lacke of skill in such numbers especiallie the latter time that the residue which escaped withdrew into the craggie mounteins where within the bushes and caues they kept themselues close sometimes comming downe and fetching away from the heards of beasts and flocks of shéepe which belonged to the nobles and gentlemen of the countrie great booties to relieue them withall But at length oppressed with extreme famine when neither part could long remaine in this state as néeding one anothers helpe necessitie made peace betwixt the lords and commons of the land all iniuries being pardoned and cléerelie forgiuen This ciuill warre decaied for force of the Britains little lesse than the tyrannicall practises of Maximus for by the auoiding of the commons thus out of their houses the ground laie vntilled whereof insued such famine for the space of thrée yéeres togither that a woonderfull number of people died for want of sustenance Thus the Britains being brought generallie into such extreame miserie they thought good to trie if they might purchase some aid of that noble man Actius which at that time remained in France as yet called Gallia gouerning the same as lieutenant vnder the emperor Honorius and herevpon taking counsell togither they wrote a letter to him the tenor whereof insueth To Actius thrise consull THe lamentable request of vs the Britains beseeching you of aid to bee ministred vnto the prouince of the Romane empire vnto our countrie vnto our wiues and children at this present which stand in most extreame perill For the barbarous people driue vs to the sea and the sea driueth vs backe vnto them againe Hereof rise two kinds of death for either we are slaine or drowned and against such euils haue we no remedie nor helpe at all Therefore in respct of your clemencie succor your owne we most instantlie require you c. Notwithstanding the Britains thus sought for aid at Actius hands as then the emperours lieutenant yet could they get none either for that Actius would not as he that passed litle how things went bicause he bare displeasure in his mind against Ualentinian as then emperor or else for that he could not being otherwise constreined to imploie all his forces in other places against such barbarous nations as then inuaded the Romane empire And so by that means was Britaine lost and the tribute which the Britains were accustomed to pay to the Romans ceassed iust fiue hundred yéeres after that Iulius Cesar first entred the Ile The Britains being thus put to their shifts manie of them as hunger-starued were constrained to yéeld themselues into the griping hands of their enimies whereas other yet kéeping within the mounteins woods and caues brake out as occasion serued vpon their aduersaries and then first saith Gyldas did the Britains not putting their trust in man but in God according to the saieng of Philo Where mans helpe faileth it is needfull that Gods helpe be present make slaughter of their enimies that had béene accustomed manie yéeres to rob and spoile them in maner as before is recited and so the bold attempts
but for that cause speciallie did Uortigerne séeke t' aduance him to the end that the king being not able to gouerne of himselfe he might haue the chiefest swaie and so rule all things as it were vnder him preparing thereby a way for himselfe to atteine at length to the kingdome as by that which followed was more apparentlie perceiued THis Constantius then the sonne of Constantine by the helpe as before ye haue heard of Uortigerne was made king of Britaine in the yere of our Lord 443. But Constantius bare but the name of king for Uortigerne abusing his innocencie and simple discretion to order things as was requisite had all the rule of the land and did what pleased him Wherevpon first where there had béene a league concluded betwixt the Britains Scots and Picts in the daies of the late king Constantine Uortigerne cause the same league to be renewed waged an hundred Picts and as manie Scots to be attendant as a gard vpon the kings person diuers of the which corrupting them with faire promises he procured by subtile meanes in the end to murther the king and immediatlie vpon the deed doone he caused the murtherers to be strangled that they should not afterwards disclose by whose procurement they did that déed Then caused he all the residue of the Scots and Picts to be apprehended and as it had béene vpon a zeale to sée the death of Constantius seuerelie punished be framed such inditements and accusations against them that chieflie by his meanes as appeared the giltlesse persons were condemned and hanged the multitude of the British people béeing woonderfullie pleased therewith and giuing great commendations to Uortigerne for that déed Thus Constantius was made awaie in maner as before ye haue heard after he had reigned as most writers affirme the space of fiue yéeres After his death was knowne those that had the bringing vp and custodie of his two yoonger brethren Aurelius Ambrose and Uter Pendragon mistrusting the wicked intent of Uortigerne whose dissimulation and mischieuous meaning by some great likelihoods they suspected with all spéed got them to the sea and fled into litle Britaine there kéeping them till it pleased God otherwise to prouide for them But Uortigerne could so well dissemble his craftie workings and with such conueiance and cloked maner could shadow and colour the matter that most men thought and iudged him verie innocent and void of euill meaning insomuch that he obteined the fauour of the people so greatlie that he was reputed for the onelie staie and defender of the common wealth Herevpon it came to passe that when the councell was assembled to elect a new king for so much as the other sonnes of king Constantine were not of age sufficient to rule Uortigerne himselfe was chosen diuers of the nobles whom he had procured thereto giuing their voices to this his preferment as to one best deseruing the same in their opinion and iudgement This Uortigerne as by indirect meanes and sinister procéedings he aspired to the regiment hauing no title therevnto otherwise than as blind fortune vouchsafed him the preferment so when he was possessed but not interessed in the same he vncased the crooked conditions which he had couertlie concealed and in the end as by the sequele you shall sée did pull shame and infamie vpon himselfe Vortigerne furnisheth the tower with a garrison he bewraieth his crueltie Aurelius and Pendragon brethren to the late king Constantius flie into Britaine Armorike what common abuses and sinnes did vniuersally concurre with a plentifull yeere the Scots and Picts reuenge the death of their countrimen Vortigerne is in doubt of his estate the Britains send for succour to the Saxons they come vnder the conduct of Hengist and Horsus two brethren where they are assigned to be seated they vanquish the Scots disagreement in writers touching the Saxons first comming into this Iland The second Chapter VOrtigerne by such diuelish meanes and vnconscionable practises as you heare stealing away the hearts of the people was chosen and made king of Britaine in the yéere of our Lord 446 in the 3 consulship of Aetius 1197 of Rome 4 of the 305 Olympiad 4112 of the world the dominicall letter going by F the prime by 10 which fell about the 21 yéere of the emperour Ualentinianus the same yéere that Meroneus began to reigne ouer the Frenchmen Before he was made king he was earle or duke of the Geuisses a people which held that part of Britaine where afterwards the west Saxons inhabited Now when he had with treason fraud and great deceit at length obteined that for the which he had long looked he first of all furnished the tower of London with a strong garrison of men of warre Then studieng to aduance such onelie as he knew to be his speciall friends and fauorers he fought by all meanes how to oppresse other of whose good will he had neuer so litle mistrust and namelie those that were affectionate towards the linage of Constantine he hated deadlie and deuised by secret meanes which way he might best destroy them But these his practises being at the first perceiued caused such as had the gouernance of the two poong gentlemen with all spéed to get them ouer as ye haue heard into Britaine Armorike there to remaine out of danger with their vncle the king of that land Diuers of the Britains also that knew themselues to be in Uortigerne his displeasure sailed ouer dailie vnto them which thing brought Uortigerne into great doubt and feare of his estate It chanced also the same time that there was great plentie of corne store of fruit the like wherof had not béene seene in manie yéeres before and therevpon insued riot strife lecherie and other vices verie heinous yet accounted as then for small or rather none offenses at all These abuses great enormities reigned not onelie in the temporaltie but also in the spiritualtie and chéefe rulers in the same so that euerie man turned the point of his speare euen as he had consented of purpose against the true and innocent person The commons also gaue themselues to voluptuous lust drunkennesse and idle loitering whereof followed fighting contention enuie and much debate Of this plentie therefore insued great pride and of this abundance no lesse hautinesse of mind wherevpon followed great wickednesse lacke of good gouernement and sober temperancie and in the necke of these as a iust punishment death and mortalitie so that in some countries scarse the quicke sufficed to burie the dead And for an augmentation of more mischeefe the Scots and Picts hearing how their countrimen through the false suggestion of Uortigerne had bene wrongfullie and most cruellie put to death at London began with fire sword to make sharpe cruell warre against the Britains wasting their countrie spoiling and burning their townes and giuing them the ouerthrow in
mentioned so that it cannot stand with the truth of the British histories the which Fabian followeth that Horsus was slaine by Aurelius Ambrosius if according to the same histories he returned not into Britaine till the time there supposed But diuerse such maner oh contrarieties shall ye find in perusing of those writers that haue written the chronicles of the Britains and Saxons the which in euerie point to recite would be too tedious and combersome a matter and therefore we are forced to passe the same ouer not knowing how to bring them to anie lust accord for the satisfieng of all mens minds speciallie the curious which may with diligent search satisfie themselues happilie much better than anie other shall be able to doo in vttering his opinion neuer so much at large and agreeable to a truth This therefore haue we thought good as it were by the waie to touch what diuerse authors doo write leauing it so to euerie mans iudgement to construe thereof as his affection leadeth him We find in the writings of those that haue registred the dooings of these times that Aurelius hauing vanquished the Saxons restored churches to the furtherance of the christian religion which by the inuasion of the Saxons was greatlie decaied in diuerse parts of Britaine and this chanced in the daies of the emperour Theodosius the yoonger The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon his three sonnes disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battel 's fought by Hengist and his death the beginning of the Kentish kingdome a battell fought betweene the Britains and Saxons the first are conquered the last are conquerors The ninth Chapter IN the time of the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius one Ella a Saxon with his 3 sonnes Cymen Plettinger and Cissa came out of Germanie with thrée ships and landed in the south parts of Britaine and being incountred with a power of Britains at a place called Cuneueshore discomfited them and chased them vnto a wood then called Andredescester and so tooke that countrie and inhabited there with his people the Saxons which he brought with him and made himselfe king and lord thereof in somuch that afterwards the same countrie was named the kingdome of the Southsaxons which had for limits on the east side Kent on the south the sea and I le of Wight on the west Hamshire and on the north part Southerie This kingdome after some began vnder the foresaid Ella about the 32 yeere after the first comming of the Saxons into this land which by following that account should be about the second yéere of the reigne of Aurelius Ambrosius and about the yéere of our Lord 482. But other write that it did begin about the 30 yéere after the first comming of Hengist which should be two yéeres sooner William Harison differing from all other noteth it to begin in the fourth yéere after the death of Hengist 4458 of the world 2 of the 317 Olympiad 1243 of Rome 492 of Christ and 43 after the comming of the Saxons his woords are these Ella erected the kingdome of the Southsaxons in the 15 after his arriuall and reigned 32 yéeres the chiefe citie of his kingdome also was Chichester and after he had inioied the same his kingdome a while he ouerthrew the citie called Andredescester which as then was taken for one of the most famous in all the south side of England ¶ For my part I thinke my dutie discharged if I shew the opinions of the writers for if I should therto a◠mine owne I should but increase coniectures whereof alreadie we haeu superfluous store To procéed thereforr as I find About the ninth yéere after the comming of Ella the Britains perceiuing that he with his Saxons still inlarged the bounds of his lordship by entring further into the land assembled themselues togither vnder their kings and rulers and gaue battell to Ella and his sonnes at Mecredesbourne where they departed with doubtfull victorie the armies on both sides being sore diminished and so returned to their homes Ella after this battell sent into his countrie for more aid But now touching Hengist who as ye haue heard reigned as king in the prouince of Kent the writers of the Wnglish kings varie somewhat from the British histories both in report of the battels by him fought against the Britains and also for the maner of his death as thus After that Uortimer was dead who departed this life as some write in the first yéere of the emperor Leo surnamed the great and first of that name that gouerned the empire who began to rule in the yéere of our Lord 457 we find that Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca gathered their people togither that were before sparkled and hauing also receiued new aid out of Germanie fought with the Britans at a place called Crekenford where were slaine of the Britains foure dukes or capteins and foure thousand of other men the residue were chased by Hengist out of Kent vnto London so that they neuer returned afterwards againe into Kent thus the kingdome of Kent began vnder Hengist the twelfe yéere after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine and Hengist reigned in Kent after this as the same writers agree foure and twentie yéeres It is remembred that those Germans which latelie were come ouer to the aid of Hengist being chosen men mightie and strong of bodie with their axes and swoords made great slaughter of the Britains in that battell at Crekenford or Creiford which Britains were ranged in foure battels vnder their aforesaid foure dukes or capteins and were as before is mentioned slaine in the same battell About the sixt yéere of the said emperor Leo which was in the 17 yéere after the comming of the Saxons Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca fought at Wipets field in Kent néere to a place called Tong with the Britains and slue of them twelue dukes or capteins on the part of the Saxons was slaine beside common souldiers but onelie one capteine called Wipet of whom the place after that daie tooke name This victorie was nothing plesant to the Saxons by reason of the great losse which they susteined as well by the death of the said Wipet as of a great number of others and so of a long time neither did the Saxons enter into the confines of the Britains nor the Britains presumed to come into Kent But whilest outward wars ceassed among the Britains they exercised ciuill battell falling togither by the eares among themselues one striuing against another Finallie Hengist departed this life by course of nature in the 39 yéere after his first comming into Britaine hauing procéeded in his businesse no lesse with craft and guile than with force and strength following therewith his natiue crueltie so that he rather did all things with rigour than with gentlenesse
discomfited by reason that one of their chiefest capteins called Gothlois disdaining to be at the appointment of Nathaliod got him vp to the next hill with the next battell which he led leauing the other Britains in all the danger which they séeing began by by to flée There died no great number of the Britains except those that were killed in the fight for Occa mistrusting what Gothlois meant by his withdrawing aside would not suffer the Saxons to follow the chase but in the night following Gothlois got him awaie and rested not till he was out of danger Occa then perceiuing himslefe to haue the vpper hand sent an herald vnto king Uter with a certeine message threatning destruction to him and to his people if he refused to doo that which he should appoint Uter perceiuing what disloialtie rested in the harts of his owne subiects agréed that the matter might be committed to eight graue and wise courrestors foure Britains and foure Saxons which might haue full power to make an end of all controuersies and variances depending betwixt the two nations Occa was likewise contented therewith wherevpon were named on either part foure persons of such wisedome knowledge and experience as were thought meetest for the ordering of such a weightie matter So that by the arbitrement award and doome of those eight persons authorised thereto a league was concluded vpon certeine articles of agreement amongst the which the chiefest was that the Saxons from thencefoorth should quietlie inioy all that part of Britaine which lieth fore against the Almaine seas the same to be called euer after Engistlaund and all the residue should remaine to the Britains as their owne rightfull and ancient inheritance Thus far Hector Boetius But now to returne vnto Uter according to that we find in the British histories and to procéed after our owne historians we find that when he had vanquished the Saxons and taken their two chiefeteins prisoners in processe of time he fell in loue with a verie beautifull ladie called Igwarne or Igerna wife to one Gorolus or Gorlois duke of Cornewall the which duke he slue at length neere to his owne castell called Diuulioc in Cornewell to the end that he might inioy the said ladie whome he afterwards maried and begot on hir that noble knight Arthur and a daughter named Amie or Anna Occa and Osca escaping also out of prison assembled eftsoones a poer of Saxons and made warre against the Britains whereof Uter hauing aduertisement prepared to resist them and finallie went himselfe in person against them and at saint Albans as some write gaue them battell and slue them both in the field By that which Polydor Virgil writeth it should séeme that Germane the bishop of Auxerre came into Britaine in the daies of this Uter by whose presence the Britains had victorie against the Saxons as before ye haue heard after which victorie both rested from troubling either other for a time The Saxons as it were astonied with that present miracle the Britains not following their good successe shortlie after fell at discord amongst themselues which finallie brought them to vtter decaie as after shall appeare But the Saxons desirous to spoile the Britains of the whole possession of that part of the Ile which they held whereas they accounted the cities and townes of small strength to be defended they got them to an high mounteine called Badon hill which Polydor supposeth to be Blackamore that lieth néere to the water of Theise which diuideth the bishoprike of Durham from Yorkeshire hauing at the mouth thereof an hauen méet to receiue such ships as come out of Germanie from whence the Saxons looked for aid hauing alreadie sent thither for the same The Britains being thereof aduertised made hast towards the place and besieged it on euerie side They also laie the sea coasts full of souldiers to kéepe such of the enimies from landing as should come out of Germanie The Saxons kept themselues for a certeine space aloft vpon the high ground but in the end constreined through want of vittels they came downe with their armie in order of battell to the next plaines and offering to fight the battell was anon begun which continued from the morning till far in the day with such slaughter that the earth on euerie side flowed with bloud but the Saxons susteined the greater losse their capteins Occa and Osca being both slaine so that the Britains might séeme quite deliuered of all danger of those enimies but the fatall destinie could not be auoided as hereafter may appeare And thus was the slaughter made of the Saxons at Badon hill whereof Gyldas maketh mention and chanced the same yeare that he was borne which was in the 44 yeare after the first comming of the Saxons into this land the yeare of Grace 492 15 indiction About the same time Uter departed out of this life saith Polydor so that this account agréeth nothing with the common account of those authors whome Fabian and other haue followed For either we must presuppose that Uter reigned before the time appointed to him by the said authors either else that the siege of Badon hill was before he began to reigne as it should séeme in déed by that which Wil. Malmesburie writeth thereof as hereafter shall be also shewed Finallie according to the agréement of the English writers Uter Pendragon died by poison when he had gouerned this land by the full terme of 16 years was after buried by his brother Aurelius at Stoneheng otherwise called Chorea Gigantum leauing his sonne Arthur to succéed him ¶ Here ye must note that the Scotish chronicles declare that in all the warres for the more part wherein the Britains obteined victorie against the Saxons the Scots aided them in the same warres and so likewise did the Picts but the same chronicles doo not onelie varie from the British writers in account of yeares but also in the order of things doone as in the same chronicles more plainelie may appeare namelie in the discourse of the accidents which chanced during the reigne of this Uter For whereas the British histories as ye haue heard attribute great praise vnto the same Uter for his victories atchiued against the Saxons and their king Occa whome he slue in battell and obteined a great victorie the Scotish writers make other report affirming in deed that by the presence of bishop Germane he obteined victorie in one battell against them but shortlie after the Britains fought againe with the Saxons and were discomfited although Occa in following the chase ouer rashlie chanced to be slaine after whose deceasse the Saxons ordeined his sonne named also Occa to succéed in his place who to make himselfe strong against all his enimies sent into Germanie for one Colgerne the which with a great power of Dutchmen came ouer into this our Britaine and conquered by Occas appointment the countrie of Northumberland situate
betwéene Tine and Tweed as in the Scotish chronicles may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Britains at what time Germane bishop of Auxerre was present Hector Boetius affirmeth by authoritie of Vâ—remond that wrote the Scotish chronicles to haue chanced the second time of his comming ouer into this land where Beda auoucheth it to be at his first being heere Againe the same Boetius writeth that the same victorie chanced in the daies of Uter Pendragon Which can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touching the time of the death of the said Germane for where he departed this life before the yeare of our Lord 459 as aboue is said Uter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yeare of our Lord 500 or as the same Hector Boetius saith 503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Uter began to reigne In déed some writers haue noted that the third battell which Uortimer fought against the Saxons was the same wherein S Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluia as before ye haue heard Which seemeth to be more agréeable to truth and to stand also with that which holie Beda hath written touching the time of the being héere of the said Germane that the opinion of other which affirme that it was in the time of the reigne of Uter The like is to be found in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the time speciallie of the reignes of the British kings that gouerned Britaine about that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 498 and ruled but seuen yeares and then succéeded Uter which reigned 18 yeares and departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 521. ¶ Notwithstanding the premisses here is to be remembred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Uter had against the Saxons and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battell by him and his power in those old writers which haue registred the acts of the English Saxon kings we find no such matter but rather that after the deceasse of Hengist his sonne Osca or Occa reigned in Kent 24 yeares defending his kingdome onelie and not séeking to inlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irmenrike sonne to the same Oth succéeded more resembling their father than their grandfather or great grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the chronicles but whether they reigned iointlie togither or seuerallie apart either after other it is not certeinlie perceiued Porth the Saxon arriueth at Portesmouth warre betweene Nazaleod king of the Britains and the Saxons the Britains are ouethrowen and slaine the kingdome of the west Saxons beginneth the compasse or continent thereof the meanes whereby it was inlarged The eleuenth Chapter NOw will we breefelie discourse vpon the incidents which first happened during the reigne of Uter Pendragon We find that one Porth a Saxon with his two sons Megla and Beda came on land at Portesmouth in Sussex about the beginning of the said Uters reigne and slue a noble yoong man of the Britains and manie other of the meaner sort with him Of this Porth the towne hauen of Portesmouth tooke the name as some haue thought Moreouer about 40 yeares after the comming of the Saxons into this land with their leader Hengist one Nazaleod a mightie king amongst the Britains assembled all the power he could make to fight with Certicus king of the West saxons who vnderstanding of the great power of his enimies required aid of Osca king of Kent also of Elle king of Sussex and of Porth and his sonnes which were latelie before arriued as ye haue heard Certicus being then furnished with a conuenient armie diuided the same into two battels reseruing the one to himselfe and the other he appointed to his sonne Kenrike King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus led was of more strength than the other which Kenrike gouerned he set first vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easilie ouercome the other Herevpon he gaue such a fierce charge vpon that wing that by verie force he opened the same and so ouerthrew the Saxons on that side making great slaughter of them as they were scattered Which maner of dealing when Kenrike saw he made forward with all spéed to succour his father and rushing in amongst the Britains on their backs he brake their armie in péeces and slue their king Nazaleod and withall put his people to flight There died of the Britains that daie 5000 men and the residue escaped by fléeing as well as they might In the sixt yeare after this battell Stuff and Wightgar that were nephues to Certicus came with three ships and landed at Certicesford and ouerthrew a number of Britains that came against them in order of battell and so by the comming of those his nephues being valiant and hardie capteins the part of Certicus became much stronger About the same time Elle king of the Southsaxons departed this life after whome succéeded his sonne Cissa of whome we find little left in writing to be made account of About the yeare of our Lord 519 and in the yeare after the comming of the Saxons 71 which was in the 26 yeare of the emperour Anastasius the Britains fought with Certicus and his sonne Kenrike at Certicesford where the capteins of the Britains stood to it manfullie but in the end they were discomfited and great slaughter was made there of them by the Saxons and greater had béene if the night comming on had not parted them and so manie were saued From that day forward Certicus was reputed taken for king of Westsaxons so began the same kingdome at that time which was as W. Harison noteth in the yéere of Christ 519 after the building of Rome 1270 of the world 4485 of the comming of the Saxons 70 of Iustinus Anicius emperour of the east the first and third of the renowmed prince Patricius Arthurus then reigning ouer the Britains The said kingdome also conteined the countries of Wiltshire Summersetshire Barkeshire Dorsetshire and Cornewall hauing on the east Hamshire on the north the riuer of Thames and on the south and west the Ocean sea Howbeit at the first the kings of the Westsaxons had not so large dominions but they dailie wan ground vpon the Britains and so in the end by inlarging their confines they came to inioy all the foresaid countries and the whole at the last In the ninth yéere of the reigne of Certicus he eftsoones sought with the Saxons at Certicesford aforesaid where great slaughter was made on both parts This Certicesford was in times past called Nazaleoy of the late remembred Nazaleod king of the Britains About this
not about to practise anie deceitfull traines nor fraudulent deuises against the Englishmen The Britains otherwise called Welshmen though for the more part of a peculiar hatred they did impugne the English nation the obseruance of the feast of Ester appointed by the whole catholike church yet both diuine and humane force vtterlie resisting them they were not able in neither behalfe to atteine to their wished intentions as they which though they were partlie free yet in some point remained still as thrall and mancipate to the subiection of the Englishmen who saith Beda now in the acceptable time of peace and quietnesse manie amongst them of Northumberland laieng armour and weapon aside applied themselues to the reading of holie scriptures more desirous to be professed in religious houses then to exercise feates of warre but what will come therof saith he the age that followeth shall sée and behold With these words dooth Beda and his historie continued till the yéere of our Lord 731 which was from the comming of the Englishmen into this land about 285 yéeres according to his account In the yéere following that is to say 732 in place of Wilfrid the second Egbert was ordeined bishop of Yorke Ths Egbert was brother vnto an other Egbert who as then was king of Northumberland by whose helpe he greatlie aduanced the see of Yorke and recouered the pall so that where all the other bishops that held the same sée before him sith Paulins daies wanted the pall and so were counted simplie but particular bishops now was he intituled by the name of archbishop He also got togither a great number of good books which he bestowed in a librarie at Yorke ¶ In the yéere 733 on the 18 kalends of September the sunne suffered a great eclipse about three of the clocke in the after noone in somuch that the earth seemed to be couered with a blacke and horrible penthouse In the yéere 735 tht reuerend and profound learned man Beda departed this life being 82 yéeres of age vpon Ascension day which was the 7 kalends of Iune and 26 of Maie as Matt. Westm. hath diligentlie obserued W. Harison addeth hitherto that it is to be read in an old epistle of Cutbert moonke of the same house vnto Cuthwine that the said Beda lieng in his death-bed translated the gospell of saint Iohn into English and commanded his brethren to be diligent in reading and contemplation of good bookes and not to exercise themselues with fables and friuolous matters Finallie he was buried in the abbeie of Geruie distant fiue miles from Wiremouth and abbeie also in the north parts not far from Newcastell as is before remembred He was brought vp in those two abbeies and was scholer to Iohn of Beuerley How throughlie he was séene in all kinds of good literature the bookes which hée wrote doo manifestlie beare witnesse His iudgement also was so much estéemed ouer all that Sergius the bishop of Rome wrote vnto Celfride the abbat of Wiremouth requiring him to send Beda vnto the court of Rome for the deciding of certein questions mooued there which without his opinion might séeme to rest doubtfull But whether he went thither or not we can not affirme but as it is thought by men worthie of credit he neuer went out of this land but continued for the most part of his life in the abbeies of Geruie and Wiremouth first vnder Benet the first abbat and founder of the same abbeies and after vnder the said Celfride in whose time he receiued orders of priesthood at the hands of bishop Iohn surnamed of Beuerley so that it may be maruelled that a man borne in the vttermost corner of the world should proue so excellent in all knowledge and learning that his fame should so spread ouer the whole earth and went neuer out of his natiue contrie to séeke it But who that marketh in reading old histories the state of abbeies and monasteries in those daies shall well perceiue that they were ordered after the maner of our schooles or colleges hauing in them diuerse learned men that attended onelie to teach bring vp youth in knowledge of good learning or else to go abroad and preach the word of God in townes and villages adioining The same yéere died archbishop Tacuine and in the yéere following that is to say 735 Nothelmus was ordeined archbishop of Canturburie in his place and Egbert the archbishop of Yorke the same yéere got his pall from Rome and so was confirmed archbishop and ordeined two bishops Fruidberd and Fruidwald But some refer it to the yéere 744. Cuthred king of the Westsaxons he is greatlie troubled by Ethelbald king of Mercia they are pacified Kenric king Cuthreds sonne slaine earle Adelme rebelleth against him whom the king pardoneth Cuthred fighteth with Ethelbald at Hereford he hath the victorie he falleth sicke and dieth Sigebert succedeth him in the kingdome he is cruell to his people he is expelled from his roiall estate murther reuenged with murther succession in the kingdome of Eastangles kings change their crownes for moonks cowles the Britaines subiect to the king of Northumberland and the king of Picts the moone eclipsed The third Chapter AFter the decease of Ethelard king of Westsaxons his coosine Cuthred was made king and gouernour of those people reigning the tearme of 16 yéeres He began his reigne in the yeere of our Lord 740 in the twentie fourth yere of the emperour Leo Isaurus in the 14 yéere of the reigne of the second Theodorus Cala K. of France and about the 6 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots This Cuthred had much to doo against Edilbald king of Mercia who one while with stirrin◠his owne subiects the Westsaxons to rebellion an other while with open warre and sometime by secret craft and subtill practises sought to disquiet him Howbeit in the fourth yeere of his reigne a peace as concluded betwixt them and then ioining their powers togither they went against the Welshmen gaue them a great ouerthrow as before is partlie touched In the 9 yeere of this Cuthreds reigne his sonne Kenric was slaine in a seditious tumult amongst his men of warre a gentleman yoong in yeeres but of a stout courage and verie forward wherby as was thought he came the sooner to his wofull end In the 11 yeere of his reigne Cuthred had wars against one of his earls called Adelme who raising a commotion against him aduentured to giue battell though he had the smaller number of men and yet was at point to haue gone away with victorie if by a wound at that instant receiued his periurie had not béene punished and the kings iust cause aduanced to triumph ouer his aduersarie whom yet by way of reconciliation he pardoned In the 13 yeere of his reigne king Cuthred being not well able to susteine the proud exactions and hard dooings of Edilbald king of Mercia raised his power and encountered with the
battell king Ardulfe was expelled out of the state ¶ Thus ye may consider in what plight things stood in Northumberland by the often seditions tumults and changings of gouernors so that there be which haue written how after the death of king Ethelbert otherwise called Edelred diuers bishops and other of the chiefest nobles of the countrie disdaining such traitorous prince-killings ciuill seditions and iniurious dealings as it were put in dailie practise amongst the Northumbers departed out of their natiue borders into voluntarie exile and that from thencefoorth there was not anie of the nobilitie that durst take vpon him the kinglie gouernement amongst them fearing the fatall prerogatiue thereof as if it had béene Seians horsse whose rider came euer to some euill end But yet by that which is héeretofore shewed out of Simon Dunelm it is euident that there reigned kings ouer the Northumbers but in what authoritie and power to command it may be doubted Howbeit this is certeine that the sundrie murtherings and banishments of their kings and dukes giue vs greatlie to gesse that there was but sorie obedience vsed in the countrie whereby for no small space of time that kingdome remained without an head gouernor being set open to the prey and iniurie of them that were borderers vnto it and likewise vnto strangers For the Danes which in those daies were great rouers had landed before in the north parts spoiled the abbeie of Lindisferne otherwise called holie Iland and perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the countrie and easinesse for their people to inuade it bicause that through their priuate quarelling there was little publike resistance to be looked for at their comming home entised their countriemen to make voiages into England and so landing in Northumberland did much hurt and obteined a great part of the countrie in manner without resistance bicause there was no ruler there able to raiseanie power of men by publike authoritie to incounter with the common enimies whereby the countrie was brought into great miserie partlie with war of the Danes and ciuill dissention amongest the nobles and people themselues no man being of authoritie I say able to reforme such misorders Yet we find that the nobles and capteines of the countrie assembling togither at one time against the Danes that were landed about Tinmouth constreined them by sharpe fight to flée backe to their ships and tooke certeine of them in the field whose heads they stroke off there vpon the shore The other that got to their ships suffered great losse of men and likewise of their vessels by tempest ¶ Here then we are taught that the safest way to mainteine a monarchie is when all degrées liue in loialtie And that it is necessarie there should be one supereminent vnto whome all the residue should stoope this fraile bodie of ours may giue vs sufficient instruction For reason ruleth in the mind as souereigne and hath subiect vnto it all the affections and inward motions yea the naturall actions are directed by hir gouernement whereto if the will be obedient there cannot créepe in anie outrage or disorder Such should be the sole regiment of a king in his kingdome otherwise he may be called Rex à regendo as Mons à e mouendo For there is not a greater enimie to that estate than to admit participants in roialtie which as it is a readie way to cause a subuersion of a monarchie so it is the shortest cut ouer to a disordered anarchie But to procéed in the historie After that Alrike the last of king Witchtreds sonnes which reigned in Kent successiuelic after their father was dead the noble ofspring of the kings there so decaied and began to vade awaie that euerie one which either by flattering had got riches togither or by seditious partaking was had in estimation sought to haue the gouernement and to vsurp the title of king abusing by vnworthie means the honor and dignitie of so high an office Amongest others one Edbert or Edelbert surnamed also Prenne gouerned the Kentishmen for the space of two yeares and was in the end vanquished by them of Mercia and taken prisoner as before is said so that for a time he liued in captiuitie and although afterwards he was set at libertie yet was he not receiued againe to the kingdome so that it is vncerteine what end he made Cuthred that was appointed by Kinevulfe the king of Mercia to reigne in place of the same Edbert or Edelbert continued in the gouernement eight yéeres as king rather by name than by act inheriting his predecessors euill hap and calamitie through factions and ciuill discord After that Iambrith or Lambert the archbishop of Canturburie was departed this life one Edelred was ordeined in his place vnto whome the primasie was restored which in his predecessors time was taken awaie by Offa king of Mercia as before is recited Also after the death of Eubald archbishop of Yorke another of the same name called Eubald the second was admitted to succeed in that sée After that Brightrike the king of Westsaxons was departed this life messengers were sent with all spéed into France to giue knowledge thereof vnto Egbert which as before is shewed was constreined by the said Brightrike to depart the countrie At the first he withdrew vnto Offa king of Mercia with whome he remained for a time till at length through suit made by Brightrike he perceiued he might not longer continue there without danger to be deliuered into his enimies hands and so Offa winking at the matter he departed out of his countrie and got him ouer into France But being now aduertised of Brightriks death and required by earnest letters sent from his friends to come and receiue the gouernement of the kingdome he returned with all conuenient spéed into his countrie and was receiued immediatlie for king by the generall consent of the Westsaxons as well in respect of the good hope which they had conceiued of his woorthie qualities and aptnesse to haue gouernement as of hid roiall linage being lineallie descended from Inigils the brother of king Inas as sonne to Alkemound that was the sonne of one Eaffa which Eaffa was sonne to Ope the sonne of the foresaid Inigils Egbert reigneth ouer the Westsaxons his practise or exercise in the time of his exile his martiall exploits against the Cornishmen and Welshmen Bernulfe king of Mercia taketh indignation at Egbert for the inlarging of his roiall authoritie they fight a sore battell Egbert ouercommeth great ods betweene their souldiers bishop Alstan a warriour Kent Essex Southerie Sussex and Eastangles subiect to Egbert he killeth Bernulfe K. of Mercia and conquereth the whole kingdome Whitlafe the king thereof becommeth his tributarie the Northumbers submit themselues to Egbert he conquereth Northwales and the citie of Chester he is crowned supreme gouernour of the whole land when this I le was called England the Danes inuade the land they discomfit Egberts host the Welshmen ioine
with the Danes against Egbert they are both vanquished Egbert dieth The ninth Chapter THis Egbert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 800 which was the 4 yeare almost ended after that the emperour Eirine began the second time to rule the expire and in the 24 yeare of the reigne of Charles the great king of France which also was in the same yeare after he was made emperour of the west and about the second yeare of Conwall king of Scots Whilest this Egbert remained in exile he turned his aduersaries into an occasion of his valiancie as it had béene a grindstone to grind awaie and remoue the râ—st of sluggish slouthfulnes in so much that hawnting the wars in France in seruice of Charles the great he atteined to great knowledge and experience both in matters apperteining to the wars and likwise to the well ordering of the common wealth in time of peace The first wars that he tooke in hand after he had atteined to the kingdome was against the Cornishmen a remnant of the old Britains whome he shortlie ouercame and subdued Then he thought good to tame the vnquiet Welshmen the which still were readie to moue rebellion against the Englishmen as they that being vanquished would not yet seeme to be subdued wherefore about the 14 yeare of his reigne he inuaded the countrie of Wales and went through the same from cast to west not finding anie person that durst resist him King Egbert hauing ouercome his enimies of Wales and Cornewall began to grow in authoritie aboue all the other rulers within this land in somuch that euerie of them began to feare their owne estate but namelie Bernulfe king of Mercia sore stomached the matter as he that was wise and of a loftie courage and yet doubted to haue to doo with Egbert who was knowen also to be a man both skilfull and valiant At length yet considering with himselfe that if his chance should be to speed well so much the more should his praise be increased he determined to attempt the fortune of warre and therevpon intimated the same vnto Egbert who supposing it should be a dishonor vnto him to giue place boldlie prepared to méete Bernulfe in the field Herevpon they incountred togither at Ellendon fought a sore battell in the which a huge number of men were slaine what on the one part and on the other but in the end the victorie remained with Egbert although he had not the like host for number vnto Bernulfe but he was a politike prince and of great experience hauing chosen his souldiers of nimble leane and hartie men where Bernulfs souldiers through long ease were cowardlie persons and ouercharged with flesh The battell was fought in the yeare of our Lord 826. King Egbert hauing got this victorie was aduanced into such hope that he persuaded himselfe to be able without great adoo to ouercome the residue of his neighbours whose estates he saw plainelie sore weakened and fallen into great decaie Herevpon before all other he determined to assaile Edelvulfe king of Kent whome he knew to be a man in no estimation amongest his subiects A competent armie therefore being leuied he appointed his sonne Ethelwulfe Alstan bishop of Shireborne with earle Walhard to haue the conduct therof and sent them with the same into Kent where they wrought such maisteries that they chased both the king and all other that would not submit themselues out of the countrie constreining them to passe ouer the Thames And herewith the Westsaxons following the victorie brought vnder subiection of king Egbert the countries of Kent Essex Southerie and Sussex The Eastangles also about the same time receiued king Egbert for their souereigne Lord and comforted by his setting on against Bernulfe king of Mercia inuaded the confines of his kingdome in reuenge of displeasures which he had doone to them latelie before by inuading their countrie and as it came to passe incountring with the said Bernulfe which came against them to defend his countrie they slue him in the field Thus their minds on both parts being kindled into further wrath the Eastangles estsoones in the yeare following fought with them of Mercia and ouercame them againe and slue their king Ludicenus who succéeded Bernulfe in that kingdome with 5 of his earles The state of the kingdome of Mercia being weakened Egbert conceiued an assured hope of good successe in the 27 yeare of his reigne made an open inuasion into the countrie and chasing Whitlafe king of Mercia that succeeded Ludicenus out of his estate conquered the whole kingdome of the Mercies But yet in the yéere next following or in the third yeare after he restored it againe to Whitlafe with condition that he should inioy the same as tributarie to him and acknowledge him for his supreme gouernour The same yeare that Bernulfe king of Mercia was slaine by the Eastangles there was a sore battell foughten at Gauelford betwixt them of Deuonshire and the Britains in the which manie thousand died on both parts King Egbert hauing conquered all the English people inhabiting on the south side of Humber led foorth his armie against them of Northumberland but the Northumbers being not onelie vexed with ciuill sedition but also with the often inuasion of Danes perceiued not how they should be able to resist the power of king Egbert and therefore vpon good aduisement taken in the matter they resolued to submit themselues and therevpon sent ambassadors to him to offer their submission committing themselues wholie vnto his protection King Egbert gladlie receiued them and promised to defend them from all forren enimies Thus the kingdome of Northumberland was brought vnder subiection to the kings of the Westsaxons after the state had béen sore weakened with contention and ciuill discord that had continued amongst the nobles of the countrie for the space of manie yeeres beside the inuasion made by outward enimies to the gréeuous damage of the people After that king Egbert had finished his businesse in Northumberland he turned his power towards the countrie of Northwales and subdued the same with the citie of Chester which till those daies the Britains or Welshmen had kept in their possession When king Egbert had obteined these victories and made such conquests as before is mentioned of the people héere in this land he caused a councell to be assembled at Winchester and there by aduise of the high estates he was crowned king as â—ouereigne gouernour and supreame lord of the whole land It is also recorded that he caused a commission to be directed foorth into all parts of the realme to giue commandement that from thence forward all the people inhabiting within this land should be called English men and not Saxons and likewise the land should be called England by one generall name though it should appéere as before is mentioned that it was so called shortlie after the first
time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre when suddenlie newes came that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships were arriued on the English coasts and began to make sore warre in the land K. Egbert being thereof aduertised with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies Heerevpon incountring with them there was a sore foughten field betwixt them which continued with great slaughter on both sides till the night came on and then by chance of warre the Englishmen which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie were vanquished and put to flight yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond with two bishops to wit Herferd of Winchester and Uigferd of Shireborne were slaine in that battell which was foughten at Carrum about the 834 of Christ and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne In the yeere following the Danes with their nauie came into Westwales and there the Welshmen ioining with them rose against king Egbert but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen and that in great number at a place called Hengistenton The next yéere after also which was 836 he ouerthrew another armie of Danes which came against him as one autor writeth Finallie when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds which when he receiued was but of small compasse he departed this life leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined togither His bodie was buried at Winchester and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent Sussex and Essex ¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires as well forren as domesticall wherein is first to be obserued the order of his education in his tender yéeres which agréeing well with a princes nature could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no policie so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies to whome he gaue manie a fâ—wle discomfiture But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers being such as knew how to get the victorie and hauing gotten it were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit by their warinesse and héed taking for Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turbâ—â— The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons the end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex Kenelme king of Mercia murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred the order of hir wicked practise his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe the kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another the kingdome of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons he marrieth his butlers daughter his disposition the fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies the Danes sought the ruine of this I le how long they afflicted and troubled the same two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre the Danes discomfited the Englishmen chased Ethelwufs great victorie ouer the Danes a great slaughter of them at Tenet king Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches Peter pence paid to Rome he marieth the ladie Iudith his two sonnes conspire vpon occasion of breaking a law to depose him king Ethelwulfe dieth his foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga how he bequeathed his kingdoms The tenth Chapter WHen Cuthred K. of Kent had reigned 8 yeeres as before is mentioned he was constreined to giue place vnto one Baldred that tooke vpon him the gouernment reigned the space of 18 yéeres without anie great authoritie for his subiects regarded him but sorilie so that in the end when his countrie was inuaded by the Westsaxons he was easilie constreined to depart into exile And thus was the kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons after the same kingdome had continued in gouernment of kings created of the same nation for the space of 382 yéers that is to say from the yéere of our Lord 464 vnto the yéere 827. Suithred or Suthred king of Essex was vanquished and expelled out of his kingdome by Egbert king of Westsaxons as before ye maie read in the same yéere that the Kentishmen were subdued by the said Egbert or else verie shortlie after This kingdome continued 281 yeeres from the yéere 614 vnto the yeere 795 as by the table of the Heptarchie set foorth by Alexander Neuill appeereth After the deceasse of Kenwulfe king of Mercia his sonne Kenelme a child of the age of seuen yéeres was admitted king about the yeere of our Lord 821. He had two sisters Quendred and Burgenild of the which the one that is to say Quendred of a malicious mind mooued through ambition enuied hir brothers aduancement and sought to make him awaie so that in the end she corrupted the gouernour of his person one Ashbert with great rewards and high promises persuading him to dispatch hir innocent brother out of life that she might reigne in his place Ashbert one day vnder a colour to haue the yoong king foorth on hunting led him into a thicke wood and there cut off the head from his bodie an impe by reason of his tender yéeres and innocent age vnto the world void of gilt and yet thus traiterouslie murthered without cause or crime he was afterward reputed for a maryr There hath gone a tale that his death should be signified at Rome and the place where the murther was committed by a strange manner for as they say a white â—oue came and sighted vpon the altar of saint Peter bearing a scroll in hir bill which she let fall on the same altar in which scroll among other things this was conteined In clenc liou bath Kenelme kinbarsie â—eth vnder thorne heaued beâ—eaued that is at Clene in a 〈…〉 Keneline the kings child lieth beheaded vnder a thorne This tale I â—ehearse not for anie credit I thinke it woorthie of but onelie for that it séemeth to note the place where the yoong prince innocentlie lost his life After that Kenelme was thus made awaie his vncle Ceolwulfe the brother of king Kenulfe was created king of Mercia and in the second yéere of his reigne was expelled by Bernwulfe Bernwulfe in the third yéere of his reigne was vanquished and put to flight in battell by Egbert king of
Westsaxons and shortlie after slaine of the Eastangles as before ye haue heard Then one Ludicenus or Ludicanus was created king of Mercia and within two yeeres after came to the like end that happened to his predecessor before him as he went about to reuenge his death so that the kingdome of Britaine began now to réele from their owne estate and leane to an alteration which grew in the end to the exection of a perfect monarchie and finall subuersion of their particular estates and regiments After Ludicenus succeeded Wightlafe who first being vanquisht by Egbert king of Westsaxosn was afterwards restored to the kingdome by the same Egbert and reigned 13 yeeres whereof twelue at the least were vnder tribute which he paied to the said Egbert and to his sonne as to his souereignes and supreame gouernours The kingdome of Northumberland was brought in subiection to the kings of Westsaxons as before is mentioned in the yéere of our Lord 828 and in the yéere of the reigne of king Egbert 28 but yet béere it tooke not end as after shall appéere Ethelwulfus otherwise called by some writers Athaulfus began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons in the yéere 837 which was in the 24 yéere of the emperor Ludouicus Pius that was also K. of France in the tenth yéere of Theophilus the emperor of the East about the third yéere of Kenneth the second of that name king of Scots This Ethelwulfe minding in his youth to haue béene a priest entered into the orders of subdeacon and as some write he was bishop of Winchester but howsoeuer the matter stood or whether he was or not sure it is that shortlie after he was absolued of his vowes by authoritie of pope Leo and then maried a proper gentlewoman named Osburga which was his butlers daughter He was of nature courteous and rather desirous to liue in quiet rest than to be troubled with the gouernment of manie countries so that contenting himselfe with the kingdome of Westsaxons he permitted his brother Adelstan to inioy the residue of the countries which his father had subdued as Kent and Essex with other He aided Burthred the king of Mercia against the Welshmen and greatlie aduanced his estimation by giuing vnto him his daughter in mariage But now the fourth destruction which canced to this land by forren enimies was at hand for the people of Denmarke Norway and other of those northeast regions which in that season were great rouers by sea had tasted the wealth of this land by such spoiles and preies as they had taken in the same so that perceiuing they could not purchase more profit anie where else they set their minde to inuade the same on ech side as they had partlie begun in the daies of the late kings Brightriâ—e and Egbert The perfecution vsed by those Danes séemed more gréeâ—ous than anie of the other persecutions either before or sithens that time for the Romans hauing quicklie subdued the land gouerned it noblie without seeking the subuersion thereof The Scots and Picts onelie inuaded the north parts And the Saxons seeking the conquest of the land when they had once go it they kept it and did what they could to better and aduance it to a flourishing estate The Normans likewise hauing made a conquest granted both life and ancient lawes to the former inhabitants but the Danes long time and often assailing the land on euerie side now inuading it in this place and now in that did not at the first so much couet to conquer it as to spoile it nor to beare rule in it as to waste and destroie it who if they were at anie time ouercome the victors were nothing the more in quiet for a new nauie and a greater armie was readie to make some new inuasion neither did they enter all at one place nor at once but one companie on the east side and an other in the west or in the north and south coasts in such sort that the Englishmen knew not whether they should first go to make resistance against them This mischiefe began chieflie in the daies of this king Ethelwulfe but it continued about the space of two hundred yeeres as by the sequele of this booke it shall appéere King Ethelwulfe was not so much giuen to ease but that vpon occasion for defense of his countrie and subiects he was readie to take order for the beating backe of the enimies as occasion serued and speciallie chose such to be of his counsell as were men of great experience and wisedome Amongst other there were two notable prelats Suithune bishop of Winchester and Adelstan bishop of Shireborne who were readie euer to giue him good aduise Suithune was not so much expert in worldlie matters as Adelstan was therefore chieflie counselled the king in things apperteining to his soules health but Adelstan tooke in hand to order matters apperteining to the state of the commonwealth as prouiding of monie and furnishing foorth of men to withstand the Danes so that by him manie things were both boldlie begun and happilie atchiued as by writers hath béene recorded He gouerned the sée of Shireborne the space of 50 yéeres by the good counsell and faithfull aduise of those two prelats King Ethelwulfe gouerned his subiects verie politikelie and by himselfe and his capteins oftentimes put the Danes to flight though as chance of warre falleth out he also receiued at their hands great losses and sundrie sore detriments In the first yéere of his reigne the Danes arriued at Hampton with 33 ships against whome he sent earle Wulhard with part of his armie the which giuing battell to the enimies made great slaughter of them and obteined a noble victorie He sent also earle Adelhelme with the Dorsetshire men against an other number of the Danes which were landed at Portesmouth but after long fight the said Adelhelme was slaine and the Danes obteined the victorie In the yéere following earle Herbert fought against the Danes at Merseware and was there slaine and his men chased The same yeere a great armie of Danes passing by the east parts of the land as through Lindsey Eastangle and Kent slue and murthered an huge number of people The next yéere after this they entered further into the land and about Canturburie Rochester and London did much mischiefe King Ethelwulfe in the fift yéere of his reigne with a part of his armie incountred with the Danes at Carrum the which were arriued in those parties with 30 ships hauing their full fraught of men so that for so small a number of vessels there was a great power of men of warre in so much that they obteined the victorie at that time and put the king to the woorse About the tenth yéere of king Ethelwulfs reigne one of his capteins called Ernwulfe and bishop Adelstan with the Summersetshire men and an other capteine called Osred with the Dorsetshire
Danes vpon the sea they sweare to him that they will depart out of his kingdome they breake the truce which was made betwixt him and them he giueth them battell and besides a great discomfiture killeth manie of their capteines the Danes and English fight neere Abington the victorie vncerteine seuen foughten fieldes betwixt them in one yeare the Danes soiourne at London The xiij Chapter AFter the decease of king Ethelred his brother Alured or Alfred succéeded him and began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and other the more part of the people of England in the yeare of our Lord 872 which was in the 19 yeare of the emperour Lewes the second and 32 yeare of the reigne of Charles the bald king of France and about the eleuenth yeare of Constantine the second king of Scotland Although this Alured was consecrated king in his fathers life time by pope Leo as before ye haue heard yet was he not admitted king at home till after the decease of his thrée elder brethren for he being the yoongest was kept backe from the gouernement though he were for his wisdome and policie most highlie estéemed and had in all honour In the beginning of his reigne he was wrapped in manie great troubles and miseries speciallie by the persecution of the Danes which made sore and greeuous wars in sundrie parts of this land destroieng the same in most cruell wise About a moneth after he was made king he gaue battell to the Danes of Wilton hauing with him no great number of people so that although in the beginning the Danes that day were put to the woorse yet in the end they obteined the victorie Shortlie after a truce was taken betwixt the Danes and the Westsaxons And the Danes that had lien at Reading remoued from thence vnto London where they lay all the winter season In the second yeare of Alured his reigne the Danish king Halden led the same armie from London into Lindseie and there lodged all that winter at Torkseie In the yeare following the same Halden inuaded Mercia and wintered at Ripindon There were come to him thrée other leaders of Danes which our writers name to be kings Godrun Esketell Ammond so that their power was greatlie increased Burthred king of Mercia which had gouerned that countrie by the space of 22 yéeres was not able to withstand the puissance of those enimies wherevpon he was constreined to auoid the countrie and went to Rome where he departed this life and was buried in the church of our ladie néere to the English schoole In the fourth yeare of king Alured the armie of the Danes diuided it selfe into two parts so that king Halden with one part thereof went into Northumberland and lay in the winter season néere to the riuer of Tine where hee diuided the countrie amongest his men and remained there for the space of two yeares and oftentimes fetched thither booties and preies out of the countrie of the Picts The other part of the Danish armie with the thrée foresaid kings or leaders came vnto Cambridge and remained there a whole yeare In the same yeare king Alured fought by sea with 7 ships of Danes tooke one of them chased the residue In the yeare next insuing the Danes came into the countrie of the Westsaxons and king Alured tooke truce with them againe and they sware to him which they had not vsed to doo to anie afore that time that they would depart the countrie Their armie by sea sailing from Warham toward Excester susteined great losse by tempest for there perished 120 ships at Swanewicke Moreouer the armie of the Danes by land went to Excester in breach of the truce and king Alured followed them but could not ouertake them till they came to Excester and there he approched them in such wise that they were glad to deliuer pledges for performance of such couenants as were accorded betwixt him and them And so then they departed out of the countrie and drew into Mercia But shortlie after when they had the whole gouernment of the land from Thames northward they thought it not good to suffer king Alured to continue in rest with the residue of the countries beyond Thames And therefore the thrée foresaid rulers of Danes Godrun Esketell and Ammond inuading the countrie of Westsaxons came to Chipnam distant 17 miles from Bristow there pitched their tents King Alured aduertised hereof hasted thither and lodging with his armie néere to the enimies prouoked them to battell The Danes perceiuing that either they must fight for their liues or die with shame boldlie came foorth and gaue battell The Englishmen rashlie incountered with them and though they were ouermatched in number yet with such violence they gaue the onset that the enimies at the first were abashed at their hardie assaults But when as it was perceiued that their slender ranks were not able to resist the thicke leghers of the enimies they began to shrinke looke backe one vpon an other and so of force were constreined to retire and therewithall did cast themselues into a ring which though it séemed to be the best way that could be deuised for their safetie yet by the great force and number of their enimies on each side assailing them they were so thronged togither on heaps that they had no roome to stir their weapons Which disaduantage notwithstanding they â—lue a great number of the Danes and amongest other Hubba the brother of Agner with manie other of the Danish capteins At length the Englishmen hauing valiantlie foughten a long time with the enimies which had compassed them about at last brake out and got them to their campe To be briefe this battell was foughten with so equall fortune that no man knew to whether part the victorie ought to be ascribed But after they were once seuered they tooke care to cure their hurt men and to burie the dead bodies namelie the Danes interred the bodie of their capteine Hubba with great funerall pompe and solemnitie which doone they held out their iournie till they came to Abington whither the English armie shortlie after came also and incamped fast by the enimies In this meane while the rumor was spread abroad that king Alured had béene discomfited by the Danes bicause that in the last battell he withdrew to his campe This turned greatlie to his aduantage for thereby a great number of Englishmen hasted to come to his succour On the morrow after his comming to Abington he brought his armie readie to fight into the field neither were the enimies slacke on their parts to receiue the battell and so the two armies ioined and fought verie sore on both sides so that it séemed by Englishmen had not to doo with those Danes which had béene diuerse times before discomfited and put to flight but rather with some new people fresh and lustie But neither
castell which they besieged till the Danes within it gaue hostages and couenanted to depart out of the kings land The king caused the coasts about Seuerne to be watched that they should not breake into his countrie but yet they stale twise into the borders neuerthelesse they were chased and slaine as manie as could not swim and so get to their ships Then they remained in the I le of Stepen in great miserie for lacke of vittels bicause they could not go abroad to get anie At length they departed into Northwales and from thence sailed into Ireland The same yéere king Edward came to Buckingham with an armie and there taried a whole moneth building two castels the one vpon the one side of the water of Ouse and the other vpon the other side of the same riuer He also subdued Turketillus an earle of the Danes that dwelt in that countrie with all the residue of the noble men and barons of the shires of Bedford and Northampton In the 12 yéere of king Edwards reigne the Kentishmen and Danes fought togither at Holme but whether partie had the victorie writers haue not declared Simon Dunelm speaketh of a battell which the citizens of Canturburie fought against a number of Danish rouers at Holme where the Danes were put to flight but that should be as he noteth 8 yéeres before this supposed time as in the yéere 904 which was about the third yéere of king Edwards reigne After this other of the Danes assembled themselues togither and in Staffordshire at a place called Tottenhall fought with the Englishmen and after great slaughter made on both parties the Danes were ouercome and so likewise were they shortlie after at Woodfield or Wodenfield And thus king Edward put the Danes to the woorse in each place commonlie where he came and hearing that those in Northumberland ment to breake the peace he inuaded the countrie and so afflicted the same that the Danes which were inhabitants there gladlie continued in rest and peace But in this meane time Ericke the king of those Danes which held the countrie of Eastangle was about to procure new warre and to allure other of the Danes to ioine with him against the Englishmen that with common agréement they might set vpon the English nation and vtterlie subdue them King Edward hâ—â—ing intelligence héereof purposed to preuent him and therevpon entering with an armie into his countrie cruellie wasted and spoiled the same King Ericke hauing alreadie his people in armor through displeasure conceiued heereof and desire to be reuenged hasted foorth to incounter his enimies and so they met in the field and fiercelie assailed ech other But as the battell was rashlie begun on king Ericks side so was the end verie harmefull to him for with small a doo after great losse on both sides he was vanquished and put to flight After his comming home bicause of his great ouerthrow and fowle discomfiture he began to gouerne his people with more rigor sharper dealing than before time he had vsed Whereby he prouoked the malice of the Eastangles so highlie against him that they fell vpon him and murthered him yet did they not gaine so much hereby as they looked to haue doone for shortlie after they being brought low and not able to defend their countrie were compelled to submit themselues vnto king Edward And so was that kingdome ioined vnto the other dominions of the same king Edward who shortlie after annexed the kingdome of Mercia vnto other of his dominions immediatlie vpon the death of his sister Elfleda whom he permitted to rule that land all hir life Elfleda the sister of king Edward highlie commended for gouernment what a necessarie staie she was vnto him in hir life time what townes she builded and repared hir warlike exploits against the Danes hir death and buriall the greatest part of Britaine in K. Edwards dominion he is a great builder and reparer of townes his death the dreame of his wife Egina and the issue of the same what children king Edward had by his wiues and how they were emploied the decay of the church by the meanes of troubles procured by the Danes England first curssed and why a prouinciall councell summoned for the reliefe of the churches ruine Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie sent to Rome bishops ordeined in sundrie prouinces dissention among writers what pope should denounce the foresaid cursse a succession of archbishops in the see of Canturburie one brother killeth an other The xviij Chapter NOt without good reason did king Edward permit vnto his sister Elfleda the gouernment of Mercia during hir life time for by hir wise and politike order vsed in all hir dooings he was greatlie furthered assisted but speciallie in reparing and building of townes castels wherein she shewed hir noble magnificence in so much that during hir gouernment which continued about eight yéeres it is recorded by writers that she did build and repare these towns whose names here insue Tamwoorth beside Lichfield Stafford Warwike Shrewsburie Watersburie or Weddesburie Elilsburie or rather Eadsburie in the forrest of De la mere besides Chester Brimsburie bridge vpon Seuerne Rouncorne at the mouth of the riuer of Mercia with other Moreouer by hir helpe the citie of Chester which by Daâ—es had beene greatlie defaced was newlie repared fortified with walls and turrets and greatlie inlarged So that the castell which stood without the walls before that time was now brought within compasse of the new wall Moreouer she boldlie assalted hir enimies which went about to trouble the state of the countrie as the Welshmen and Danes She sent an armie into Wales and tooke the towne of Brecknocke with the queene of the Welshmen at Bricenamere Also she wan from the Danes the towne of Darbie and the countrie adioining In this enterprise she put hir owne person in great aduenture for a great multitude of Danes that were withdrawen into Darbie valiantlie defended the gates and entries in so much that they slue foure of hir chiefe men of warre which were named wardens of hir person euen fast by hir at the verie entrie of the gates But this notwithstanding with valiant fight hir people entered and so the towne was woon she got diuerse other places out of their hands constreined them of Yorkeshire to agree with hir so that some of them promised to become hir subiects some vowed to aid hir and some sware to be at hir commandement Finallie this martiall ladie and manlie Elfleda the supporter of hir countriemen and terrour of the enimies departed this life at Tamwoorth about the 12 of Iune in the 18 or rather 19 yéere of hir brother king Edwards reigne as by Matth. West it should appeere But Simon Dunelm writeth that she deceassed in the yeere of Christ 915 which should be about the 14 yéere of king Edwards reigne Hir bodie was conueied to
to trie the battell His sonne Edmund got him to Utred an earle of great power inhabiting beyond Humber and persuading him to ioine his forces with his forth they went to waste those countries that were become subiect to Cnute as Staffordshire Leicestershire and Shropshire not sparing to exercise great crueltie vpon the inhabitants as a punishment for their reuolting that others might take example thereby But Cnute perceiuing whereabout they went politikelie deuised to frustrate their purpose and with dooing of like hurt in all places where he came passed through Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire and so through the fens came to Stamford and then entred into Lincolnshire and from thence into Notinghamshire so into Yorkeshire not sparing to doo what mischiefe might be deuised in all places where he came Utred aduertised hereof was constreined to depart home to saue his owne countrie from present destruction and therefore comming backe into Northumberland perceiuing himselfe not able to resist the puissant force of his enimies was constreined to deliuer pledges and submit himselfe vnto Cnute But yet was he not hereby warranted from danger for shortlie after he was taken and put to death and then were his lands giuen vnto one Iricke or Iricius whome afterward Cnute did banish out of the realme because that he did attempt to chalenge like authoritie to him in all points as Cnute himselfe had After that Cnute had subdued the Northumbers he pursued Edmund till he heard that he had taken London for his refuge and staied there with his father Then did Cnute take his ships and came about to the coasts of Kent preparing to besiege the citie of London In the meane time king Egelred sore worne with long sicknesse departed this life on the 23 of Aprill being saint Georges day or as others say on saint Gregories day being the 12 of March but I take this to be an error growen by mistaking the feast-day of saint Gregorie for saint George He reigned the tearme of 37 yeares or little lesse His bodie was buried in the church of saint Pauls in the north I le besids the quéere as by a memoriall there on the wall it maie appeare He had two wiues as before is mentioned By Elgina his first wife he had issue thrée sonnes Edmund Edwine and Adelstane besides one daughter named Egiua By his second wife Emma daughter to Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie and sister to Richard the second he had two sonnes Alfrid and Edward This Egelred as you haue heard had euill successe in his warres against the Danes and besides the calamitie that fell thereby to his people manie other miseries oppressed this land in his daies not so much through his lacke of courage and slouthfull negligence as by reason of his presumptuous pride whereby he alienated the hearts of his people from him His affections he could not rule but was led by them without order of reason for he did not onlie disherit diuerse of his owne English subiects wishout apparant cause of offense by plaine forged cauillations and also caused all the Danes to be murdered through his realme in one day by some light suspicion of their euill meanings but also gaue himselfe to lecherous lusts in abusing his bodie with naughtie strumpets for saking the bed of his owne lawfull wife to the great infamie shame of that high degrée of maiestie which by his kinglie office he bare and susteined To conclude he was from his tender youth more apt to idle rest than to the exercise of warres more giuen to pleasures of the bodie than to anie vertues of the mind although that toward his latter end being growen into age and taught by long experience of worldlie affaires and proofe of passed miseries he sought though in vaine to haue recouered the decaied state of his common wealth and countrie ¶ In this Egelreds time and as it is recorded by a British chronographer in the yéere of our Lord 984 one Cadwalhon the second sonne of Ieuaf tooke in hand the gouernance of Northwales and first made warre with Ionauall his coosen the sonne of Meyric and right heire to the land and slue him but Edwall the yoongest brother escaped awaie priuilie The yéere following Meredith the sonne of Owen king or prince of Southwales with all his power entered into Northwales and in fight slue Cadwalhon the sonne of Ieuaf and Meyric his brother and conquered the land to himselfe Wherein a man maie sée how God punished the wrong which Iago and Ieuaf the sonnes of Edwall Uoest did to their eldest brother Meyric who was first disherited and afterward his eies put out and one of his sonnes slaine For first Ieuaf was imprisoned by Iago then Iago with his sonne Constantine by Howell the son of Ieuaf and afterward the said Howell with his brethren Cadwalhon and Meyric were flaine and spoiled of all their lands Edmund Ironside succedeth his father in the kingdome the spiritualtie fauouring Cnute would haue him to be king the Londoners are his backe friends they receiue Edmund their king honorablie and ioifullie Cnute is proclaimed king at Southampton manie of the states cleaue vnto him he besiegeth London by water and land the citizens giue him the foile he incountreth with king Edmund and is discomfited two battels fought betweene the Danes and English with equall fortune and like successe the traitorous stratagem of Edrike the Dane king Edmund aduisedlie defeateth Edriks trecherie 20000 of both armies slaine Cnute marching towards London is pursued of Edmund the Danes are repelled incountred and vanquished queene Emma prouideth for the safetie of hir sonnes the Danes seeke a pacification with Edmund thereby more easilie to betraie him Cnute with his armie lieth neere Rochester king Edmund pursueth them both armies haue a long and a sore conflict the Danes discomfited and manie of them slaine Cnute with his power assemble at Essex and there make waste king Edmund pursueth them Edrike traitorouslie reuolteth from the English to succour the Danes king Edmund is forced to get him out of the field the Englishmen put to their hard shifts and slaine by heapes what noble personages were killed in this battell of two dead bodies latelie found in the place where this hot and heauie skirmish was fought The ninth Chapter AFter that king Egelred was dead his eldest sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside was proclaimed king by the Londoners and others hauing the assistance of some lords of the realme although the more part and speciallie those of the spiritualtie fauoured Cnute bicause they had aforetime sworne fealtie to his father Some write that Cnute had planted his siege both by water and land verie stronglie about the citie of London before Egelred departed this life and immediatlie vpon his deceasse was receiued into the citie but the armie that was within the citie not consenting vnto the surrender made by the citizens departed the night
which no small praise was thought to be due vnto the said quéene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir match so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir line the crowne was thus recouered out of the hands of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise which some haue intituled Encomium Emmae and was written in those daies it dooth and may appeare Which booke although there be but few copies thereof abroad giueth vndoubtedlie great light to the historie of that time But now to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in which he was thus maried through persuasion of his wife quéene Emma sent awaie the Danish nauie and armie home into Denmarke giuing to them fourescore and two thousand pounds of siluer which was leuied throughout this land for their wages In the yeare 1018 Edrike de Streona earle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called before the king into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarrell that was picked to him he began verie presumptuouslie to vpbraid the king of such pleasures as he had before time doone vnto him I did said he for the loue which I bare towards you forsake my souereigne lord king Edmund and at length for your sake slue him At which words Cnute began to change countenance as one maruellouslie abashed and straightwaies gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise Thou art woorthie saith he of death and die thou shalt which art guiltie of treason both towards God and me sith that thou hast slaine thine owne souereigne lord and my déere alied brother Thy bloud therefore be vpon thine owne head sith thy toong hath vttered thy treason And immediatlie he caused his throat to be cut and his bodie to be throwne out at the chamber window into the riuer of Thames ¶ But others say that hands were laid vpon him in the verie same chamber or closet where he murdered the king straightwaies to preuent all causes of tumults hurlieburlies he was put to death with terrible torments of fierbrands links which execution hauing passed vpon him a second succeeded for both his féet were bound together and his bodie drawne through the streets of the citie in fine cast into a common ditch called Houndsditch for that the citizens threw their dead dogs and stinking carrion wish other filth into it accounting him worthie of worse rather than of a better buriall In such haired was treason had being a vice which the verie infidels and grosse pagans abhorred else would they not haue said 〈…〉 Treason I loue but a traitor I hate This was the end of Edrike surnamed de Stratten or Streona a man of great infamie for his craftie dissimulation falshood and treason vsed by him to the ouerthrow of the English estate as partlie before is touched But there be that concerning the cause of this Edriks death séeme partlie to disagrée from that which before is recited declaring that Cnute standing in some doubt to be betraied through the treason of Edrike sought occasion how to rid him and others whome he mustrusted out of the way And therefore on a day when Edrike craued some preferment at Cnuts hands said that he had deserued to be well thought of sith by his fight from the battell at Ashendon the victorie therby inclined to Cnutes part Cnute hearing him speake these words made this answere And canst thou quoth he be true to me that through fraudulent meanes did fiddest deceiue thy souereigne lord and maister But I will reward thée according to thy deserts so as from henceforth thou shalt not deceiue anie other and so forthwith commanded Erike one of his chiefe capteines to dispatch him who incontinentlie cut off his head with his are or halbert Uerelie Simon Dunelmenfis saith that K. Cnute vnderstanding in what sort both king Egelred and his sonne king Edmund Ironside had béene betraied by the saith Edrike stood in great doubt to be likewise deceiued by him and therefore was glad to haue some pretended quarell to dispatch both him and others whome he likewise mistrusted as it well appeared For at the same time there were put to death with Edrike earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwin and brother to earle Leofrike also Adelward the sonne of earle Agelmare and Brightrike the sonne of Alfegus gouernor of Deuonshire without all guilt or cause as some write And in place of Norman his brother Leofrike was made earle of Mercia by the king and had in great fauour This Leofrike is commonlie also by writers named earle of Chester After this Cnute likewise banished Iric and Turkill two Danes the one as before is recited gouernor of Northumberland and the other of Northfolke and Suffolke or Eastangle Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands wherevpon he studied to preserue the people in peace and ordeined lawes according to the which both Danes and Englishmen should be gouerned in equall state and degrée Diuers great lords whome he found vnfaithfull or rather suspected he put to death as before ye haue heard beside such as he banished out of the realme He raised a tar or tribute of the people amounting to the summer of fourescore two thousand pounds besides 11000 pounds which the Londoners paid towards the maintenance of the Danish armie But whereas these things chaunced not all at one time but in sundrie Seasons we will returne somewhat backe to declare what other exploits were atchiued in the meane time by Cnute not onelie in England but also in Denmarke and elsewhere admonishing the reader in the processe of the discourse following that much excellent matter is comprehended whereout if the same be studiouslie read and diligentlie confidered no small profit is to be reaped both for the augmentation of his owne knowledge and others that be studious Cnute saileth into Denmarke to subdue the Vandals earle Goodwins good seruice with the English against the said Vandals and what benefit accrewed vnto the Englishmen by the said good seruice he returneth into England after the discomfiture of the enimie he saileth ouer againe into Denmarke and incountreth with the Sweideners the occasion of this warre or incounter taken by Olaâ—us his hard hap vnluckie fortune and wofull death wrought by the hands of his owne vnnaturall subiects Cnuts confidence in the Englishmen his deuour voiage to Rome his returne into England his subduing of the Scots his death and interrement The twelfth Chapter IN the third yeare of his reigne Cnute sailed with an armie of Englishmen and Danes into Denmarke to subdue the Uandals there which then sore anncied and warred against his subiects of Denmarke Earle Goodwine which had the souereigne conduct of the Englishmen the night before the day appointed for the battell got him forth of the campe with his people and suddenlie assailing the Uandals in their lodgings easilie distressed
tributes and paiments He caused indeed eight markes of siluer to be leuied of euerie port or hauen in England to the reteining of 16 ships furnished with men of warre which continued euer in a readinesse to defend the coasts from pirats To conclude with this Harold his spéedie death prouided well for his fame bicause as it was thought if his life had béene of long continuance his infamie had been the greater But after he had reigned foure yeeres or as other gathered three yéeres and thrée moneths he departed out of this world at Oxford was buried at Winchester as some day Other say he died at Meneford in the moneth of Aprill and was buried at Westminster which should appeare to be true by that which after is reported of his brother Hardiknoughts cruell dealing and great spite shewed toward his dead bodie as after shall be specified Hardicnute is sent for into England to be made king alteration in the state of Norwaie and Denmarke by the death of king Cnute Hardicnute is crowned he sendeth for his mother queene Emma Normandie ruled by the French king Hardicnute reuengeth his mother exile vpon the dead bodie of his stepbrother Harold queene Emma and erle Goodwine haue the gouernment of things in their hands Hardicnute leuieth a sote tribute vpon his subiects contempt of officers deniall of a prince his tribute sharpelie punished prince Edward commeth into England the bishop of Worcester accused and put from his see for being accessarie to the murthering of Alfred his restitution procured by contribution Earle Goodwine being accused for the same trespasse excuseth himselfe and iustifieth his cause by swearing but speciallie by presenting the king with an inestimable gift the cause why Goodwine purposed Alfreds death the English peoples care about the succession to the crowne moonke Brightwalds dreame and vision touching that matter Hardicnute poisoned at a bridall his conditions speciallie his hospitalitie of him the Englishmen learned to eate and drinke immoderatlie the necessitie of sobrietie the end of the Danish regiment in this land and when they began first to inuade the English coasts The xv Chapter AFter that Harold was dead all the nobles of the realme both Danes Englishmen agréed to send for Hardiknought the sonne of Canute by his wife quéene Enma and to make him king Héere is to be noted that by the death of king Canute the state of things was much altered in those countries of beyond the seas wherein he had the rule and dominion For the Norwegians elected oen Magnus the sonne of Olauus to be their king and the Danes chose this Hardiknought whome their writers name Canute the third to be their gouernor This Hardiknought or Canute being aduertised of the death of his halfe brother Harold and that the lords of England had chosen him to their king with all conuenient speed prepared a nauie and imbarking a certeine number of men of warre tooke the sea and had the wind so fauorable for his purpose that he arriued vpon the coast of Kent the sixt day after he set out of Denmarke and so comming to London was ioifullie receiued and proclaimed king and crowned of Athelnotus archbishop of Canturburie in the yere of our Lord 1041 in the first yéere of the emperour Henrie the third in the 9 yeere of Henrie the first of that name king of France and in the first yéere of Magâ—â—nloch alià s Machabeda king of Scotland Incontinentlie after his establishment in the rule of this realme he sent into Flanders for his mother queene Emma who during the time of hir banishment had remained there For Normandie in that season was gouerned by the French king by reason of the minoritie of duke William surnamed the bastard Moreouer in reuenge of the wrong offered to quéene Emma by hir sonne in law Harold king Hardicnute did cause Alfrike archbishop of Yorke and earle Goodwine with other noble men to go to Westminster and there to take vp the bodie of the same Harold and withall appointed that the head thereof should be striken off and the trunke of it cast into the riuer of Thames Which afterwards being found by fishers was taken vp and buried in the churchyard of S. Clement Danes without Temple barre at London He committed the order and gouernement of things to the hands of his mother Emma and of Goodwine that was erle of Kent He leuied a sore tribute of his subiects here in England to pay the souldiers and mariners of his nauie as first 21 thousand pounds 99 pounds and afterward vnto 32 ships there was a paiment made of a 11 thousand and 48 pounds To euerie mariuer of his nauie he caused a paiment of 8 marks to be made and to euerie master 12 marks About the paiment of this monie great grudge grew amongst the people insomuch that two of his seruants which were appointed collectors in the citie of Worcester the one named Feader and the other Turstane were there slaine In reuenge of which contempt a great part of the countrie with the citie was burnt and the goods of the citizens put to the spoile by such power of lords and men of warre as the king had sent against them Shortlie after Edward king Hardicnutes brother came foorth of Normanâ—ie to visit him and his mother quéene Emma of whome he was most ioifullie and honorablie welcomed and interteined and shortlie after made returne backe againe It should appeare by some writers that after his comming ouer out of Normandie he remained still in the realme so that he was not in Normandie when his halfe brother Hardicnute died but here in England although other make other report as after shall bée shewed Also as before ye haue heard some writers seeme to meane that the elder brother Alfred came ouer at the same time But suerlie they are therein deceiued for it was knowne well inough how tenderlie king Hardicnute loued his brethren by the mothers side so that there was not anie of the lords in his daies that durst attempt anie such iniurie against them True it is that as well earle Goodwine as the bishop of Worcester that was also put in blame and suspected for the apprehending and making away of Alfred as before ye haue heard were charged by Hardicnute as culpable in that matter insomuch that the said bishop was expelled out of his see by Hardicnute and after twelue moneths space was restored by meanes of such summes of monie as he gaue by waie of amends Earle Goodwine was also put to his purgation by taking an oth that he was not guiltie Which oth was the better allowed by reason of such a present as he gaue to the king for the redéeming of his fauour and good will that is to say a ship with a sterne of gold conteining therein 80 souldiers wearing on each of their armes two braceiets of gold of 16 ounces weight
which fell also about the fourth yeare of the emperour Henrie the third surnamed Niger in the 12 yeare of Henrie the first of that name king of France and about the third yeare of Macbeth king of Scotland This Edward the third of that name before the conquest was of nature more méeke and simple than apt for the gouernement of the realme therefore did earle Goodwine not onelie séeke the destruction of his elder brother Alfred but holpe all that he might to aduance this Edward to the crowne in hope to beare great rule in the realme vnder him whome he knew to be soft gentle and easie to be persuaded But whatsoeuer writers doo report hereof sure it is that Edward was the elder brother and not Alfred so that if earle Goodwine did shew his furtherance by his pretended cloake of offering his friendship vnto Alfred to betraie him he did it by king Harolds commandement and yet it may be that he meant to haue vsurped the crowne to him selfe if each point had answered his expectation in the sequele of things as he hoped they would and therfore had not passed if both the brethren had béene in heauen But yet when the world framed contrarie peraduenture to his purpose he did his best to aduance Edward trusting to beare no small rule vnder him being knowen to be a man more appliable to be gouerned by other than to trust to this owne wit and so chieflie by the assistance of earle Goodwine whose authoritie as appeareth was not small within the realme of England in those daies Edward came to atteine the crowne wherevnto the earle of Chester Leofrike also shewed all the furtherance that in him laie Some write which seemeth also to be confimed by the Danish chronicles that king Hardiknought in his life time had receiued this Edward into his court and reteined him still in the same in most honorable wise But for that it may appeare in the abstract of the Danish chronicles what their writers had of this matter recorded we doo here passe ouer referring those that be desirous to know the diuersitie of our writers and theirs vnto the same chronicles where they may find it more at large expressed This in no wise is to be left vnremembred that immediatlie after the death of Hardiknought it was not onelie decreed agreed vpon by the great lords nobles of the realme that no Dane from thenceforth should reigne ouer them but also all men of warre and souldiers of the Danes which laie within anie citie or castell in garrison within the realme of England were then expelled and put out or rather slaine as the Danish writers doo rehearse Amongst other that were banished the ladie Gonild neece to king Swaine by his sister was one being as then a widow and with hir two of hir sonnes which she had then liuing Heming and Turkill were also caused to auoid Some write that Alfred the brother of king Edward came not into the realme till after the death of Hardiknought and that he did helpe to expell the Danes which being doon he was slaine by earle Goodwine and other of his complices But how this may stand considering the circumstances of the time with such things as are written by diuers authors hereof it may well be doubted Neuerthelesse whether earle Goodwine was guiltie to the death of Alfred either at this time or before certeine it is that he so cleared himselfe of that crime vnto king Edward the brother of Alfred that there was none so highlie in fauour with him as earle Goodwine was insomuch that king Edward maried the ladie Editha the daughter of earle Goodwine begotten of his wife Thira that was sister to king Hardiknought and not of his second wife as some haue written Howbeit king Edward neuer had to doo with hir in fleshlie wise But whether he absteined because he had happilie vowed chastitie either of impotencie of nature or for a priuie hate that he bare to hir kin men doubted For it was thought that he estéemed not earle Goodwine so greatlie in his heart as he outwardlie made shew to doo but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled with him least he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of losse of life and kingdome Howsoeuer it was he vsed his counsell in ordering of things concerning the state of the common wealth and namelie in the hard handling of his mother queene Emma against whome diuers accusations were brought and alledged as first for that she consented to marie with K. Cnute the publike enimie of the realme againe for that she did nothing aid or succour hir sons while they liued in exile but that woorse was contriued to make them away for which cause she was despoiled of all hir goods And because she was defamed to be naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of Winchester both she and the same bishop were committed to prison within the citie of Winchester as some write Howbeit others affirme that she was strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell till by way of purging hir selfe after a maruellous manner in passing barefooted ouer certeine hot shares or plough-irons according to the law Ordalium she cleared hir selfe as the world tooke it and was restored to hir first estate and dignitie Hir excessiue couetousnesse without regard had to the poore caused hir also to be euill reported of Againe for that she euer shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had by hir second husband Cnute than to hir children which she had by hir first husband king Egelred as it were declaring how she was affected toward the fathers by the loue borne to the children she lost a great péece of good will at the hands of hir sonnes Alfred and Edward so that now the said Edward inioieng the realme was easilie iuduced to thinke euill of hir and therevpon vsed hir the more vncurteouslie But hir great liberalitie imploied on the church of Winchester which she furnished with maruellous rich iewels and ornaments wan hir great commendation in the world and excused hir partlie in the sight of manie of the infamie imputed to hir for the immoderate filling of hir coffers by all waies and meanes she could deuise Now when she had purged hir selfe as before is mentioned hir sonne king Edward had hir euer after in great honor and reuerence And whereas Robert archbishop of Canturburie had béene sore against hir he was so much abashed now at the matter that he fled into Normandie where he was borne But it should séeme by that which after shal be said in the next chapter that he fled not the realme for this matter but bicause he counselled the king to banish earle Goodwine and also to vse the Englishmen more strictlie than reason was he should Why Robert archbishop of Canturburie queene Emmas heauie friend fled out of England the Normans first
vnto the possession of the crowne they were so prouidentlie called to remembrance and such spéedie reformation sought of all hands for the redresse of this inconuenience that our countrie was sooner furnished with armour and munition from diuerse parts of the maine beside great plentie that was forged here at home than our enimies could get vnderstanding of anie such prouision to be made By this policie also was the no small hope conceiued by Spaniards vtterlie cut off who of open fréends being now become our secret enimies and thereto watching a time wherein to atchieue some heauie exploit against vs and our countrie did there vpon change their purposes whereby England obteined rest that otherwise might haue béene sure of sharpe and cruell wars Thus a Spanish word vttered by one man at one time ouerthrew or at the least wise hindered sundrie priuie practises of manie at another In times past the chéefe force of England consisted in their long bowes But now we haue in maner generallie giuen ouer that kind of artillerie and for long bowes in déed doo practise to shoot compasse for our pastime which kind of shooting can neuer yéeld anie smart stroke nor beat downe our enimies as our countrie men were woont to doo at euerie time of néed Certes the Frenchmen and Rutters deriding our new archerie in respect of their corslets will not let in open skirmish if anie leisure serue to turne vp their tailes and crie Shoote English and all bicause our strong shooting is decaied and laid in bed But if some of our Englishmen now liued that serued king Edward the third in his warres with France the bréech of such a varlet should haue beene nailed to his bum with one arrow and an other fethered in his bowels before he should haue turned about to sée who shot the first But as our shooting is thus in manner vtterlie decaied among vs one waie so our countrie men wex skilfull in sundrie other points as in shooting in small péeces the caliuer and handling of the pike in the seuerall vses whereof they are become verie expert Our armour differeth not from that of other nations and therefore consisteth of corslets almaiâ—e riuets shirts of maile iackes quilted and couered ouer with leather fustian or canuas ouer thicke plates of iron that are sowed in the same of which there is no towne or village that hath not hir conuenient furniture The said armour and munition likewise is kept in one seuerall place of euerie towne appointed by the consent of the whole parish where it is alwaies readie to be had and worne within an houres warning Sometime also it is occupied when it pleaseth the magistrate either to view the able men take note of the well kéeping of the same or finallie to sée those that are inrolled to exercise each one his seuerall weapon at the charge of the townesmen of each parish according to his appointment Certes there is almost no village so poore in England be it neuer so small that hath not sufficient furniture in a readinesse to set foorth thrée or foure soldiors as one archer one gunner one pike a bilman at the least No there is not so much wanting as their verie liueries and caps which are least to be accounted of if anie hast required so that if this good order may continue it shall be vnpossible for the sudden enimie to find vs vnprouided As for able men for seruice thanked be God we are not without good store for by the musters taken 1574 and 1575 our number amounted to 1172674 and yet were they not so narrowlie taken but that a third part of this like multitude was left vnbilled and vncalled What store of munition and armour the quéenes maiestie hath in hir store-houses it lieth not in me to yéeld account sith I suppose the same to be infinit And whereas it was commonlie said after the losse of Calis that England should neuer recouer the store of ordinance there lest and lost that same is at this time prooued false sith euen some of the same persons doo now confesse that this land was neuer better furnished with these things in anie kings daies that reigned since the conquest The names of our greatest ordinance are commonlie these Robinet whose weight is two hundred pounds and it hath one inch and a quarter within the mouth Falconet weigheth fiue hundred pounds and his widenesse is two inches within the mouth Falcon hath eight hundred pounds and two inches and a halfe within the mouth Minion poiseth eleauen hundred pounds and hath thrée inches and a quarter within the mouth Sacre hath fiftéene hundred poundes and is three inches and a halfe wide in the mouth Demie Culuerijn weigheth three thousand pounds and hath foure inches and a halfe within the mouth Culuerijn hath foure thousand pounds and fiue inches and an halfe within the mouth Demie Canon six thousand pounds and six inches and an halfe within the mouth Canon seauen thousand pounds and eight inches within the mouth E. Canon eight thousand pounds and seauen inches within the mouth Basiliske 9000 pounds eight inches and thrée quarters within the mouth By which proportions also it is easie to come by the weight of euerie shot how manie scores it doth flée at point blanke how much pouder is to be had to the same finallie how manie inches in height ech bullet ought to carrie The names of the greatest ordinance  Weight of the shot Scores of cariage Pounds of pouder Height of bullet Robinet hath 1. li. 0 ½ 1 Falconet 2. li. 14 2 1 2 4 Falcon. 2. ½ 16 2 ½ 2 ¼ Minion 4. ½ 17 4 ½ 3 Sacre 5 18 5 3 ¼ Demie Culuerijn 9 20 9 4 Culuerijn 18 25 18 5 ¼ Demie canon 30 38 28 6 ¼ Canon 60 20 44 7 ¾ E. Canon 42 20 20 6 ¾ Basiliske 60 21 60 8 ¼ I might here take iust occasion to speake of the princes armories But what shall it néed sith the whole realme is hir armorie and therefore hir furniture infinit The Turke had one gun made by one Orban a Dane the caster of his ordinance which could not be drawen to the siege of Constantinople but by seauentie yokes of oxen and two thousand men he had two other there also whose shot poised aboue two talents in weight made by the same Orban But to procéed As for the armories of some of the nobilitie whereof I also haue séene a part they are so well furnished that within some one barons custodie I haue séene thrée score or a hundred corslets at once beside caliuers handguns bowes sheffes of arrowes pikes bils polaxes flaskes touchboxes targets c the verie sight wherof appalled my courage What would the wearing of some of them doo then trow you if I should be inforced to vse one of them in the field But thanked be God our peaceable daies are such as no man hath anie great cause to occupie them at all but
onelie taketh good leisure to haue them in a readinesse and therefore both high and lowe in England Cymbalae pro galeis pro scutis tympanaâ— pulsant I would write here also of our maner of going to the warres but what hath the long blacke gowne to doo with glistering armour what sound acquaintance can there be betwixt Mars and the Muses or how should a man write anie thing to the purpose of that wherewith he is nothing acquainted This neuerthelesse will I adde of things at home that seldome shall you sée anie of my countriemen aboue eightéene or twentie yéeres old to go without a dagger at the least at his backe or by his side although they be aged burgesses or magistrates of anie citie who in appeerance are most exempt from brabling and contention Our nobilitie weare commonlie swords or rapiers with their daggers as dooth euerie common seruing man also that followeth his lord and master Some desperate cutters we haue in like sort which carrie two daggers or two rapiers in a sheath alwaies about them wherewith in euerie dronken fraie they are knowen to worke much mischiefe their swords daggers also are of a great length and longer than the like vsed in anie other countrie whereby ech one pretendeth to haue the more aduantage of his enimie But as manie orders haue béene taken for the intollerable length of these weapons so I sée as yet small redresse but where the cause thereof doth rest in sooth for my part I wote not I might here speake of the excessiue staues which diuerse that trauell by the waie doo carrie vpon their shoulders whereof some are twelue or thirtéene foote long beside the pike of twelue inches but as they are commonlie suspected of honest men to be theeues and robbers or at the leastwise scarse true men which beare them so by reason of this and the like suspicious weapons the honest traueller is now inforced to ride with a case of dags at his sadle bow or with some pretie short snapper whereby he may deale with them further off in his owne defense before he come within the danger of these weapons Finallie no man trauelleth by the waie without his sword or some such weapon with vs except the minister who coÌ„monlie weareth none at all vnlesse it be a dagger or hanger at his side Seldome also are they or anie other waifaring men robbed without the consent of the chamberleine tapster or ostler where they bait lie who féeling at their alighting whether their capcases or budgets be of anie weight or not by taking them downe from their sadles or otherwise see their store in drawing of their purses do by and by giue intimation to some one or other attendant dailie in the yard or house or dwelling hard by vpon such matches whether the preie be worth the following or no. If it be for their turne then the gentleman peraduenture is asked which waie he trauelleth and whether it please him to haue another ghest to beare him companie at supper who rideth the same waie in the morning that he doth or not And thus if he admit him or be glad of his acquaintance the cheate is halfe wrought And often it is séene that the new ghest shall be robbed with the old onelie to colour out the matter and kéepe him from suspicion Sometimes when they knowe which waie the passenger trauelleth they will either go before and lie in wait for him or else come galloping apace after wherby they will be sure if he ride not the stronger to be fingering with his purse And these are some of the policies of such shrews or close booted gentlemen as lie in wait for fat booties by the high waies and which are most commonlie practised in the winter season about the feast of Christmas when seruing men and vnthriftie gentlemen want monie to plaie at the dice and cards lewdlie spending in such wise whatsoeuer they haue wickedlie gotten till some of them sharplie set vpon their cheuisances be trussed vp in a Tiburne tippet which happeneth vnto them commonlie before they come to middle age Wherby it appéereth that some sort of youth will off haue his swinge although it be in a halter I might also intreat of our old maner of warfare vsed in and before the time of Cesar when as the cheefe brunt of our fight was in Essedis or wagons but this I also passe ouer noting neuerthelesse out of Propertius that our said wagons were gorgeous and gailie painted which he setteth downe in these foure verses insuing Arethusae ad Lycotam lib. 4. eleg 3. Te modò viderunt iteratos Bactra per ortus Te modò munito Sericus hostis equo HibernÃque Getae pictóque Brittannia curru Vstus Eoa discolor Indus aqua Of the nauie of England Chap. 17. THere is nothing that hath brought me into more admiration of the power and force of antiquitie than their diligence and care had of their nauies wherein whether I consider their spéedie building or great number of ships which some one kingdome or region possessed at one instant it giueth me still occasion either to suspect the historie or to thinke that in our times we come verie farre behind them For what a thing is it to haue a ship growing on the stub and sailing on the sea within the space of fiue and fiftie daies And yet such a nauie was to be séene in the first war of Carthage led thither by Duellius the Romane In the warres also against Hieron two hundred and twentie tall ships bare leafe saile within fiue and fortie daies In the second warre of Carthage the nauie that went with Scipio was felled in the wood and séeme to saile on the sea fullie furnished in sixe weekes which vnto them that are ignorant of things doth séeme to be false and vnpossible In like maner for multitude we find in Polybius that at one skirmish on the sea the Romans lost seauen hundred vessels which bare ech of them fiue rowes of ores on a side and the Carthaginenses fiue hundred And albeit the formes and apparell of these vessels were not altogither correspondent to our ships and gallies made in these daies yet the capacitie of most of them did not onelie match but farrre excéed them so that if one of their biremes onlie conteined so much in burden as a ship of ours of six hundred tun what shall we thinke of those which had seauen rowes of ores walking on a side But least I should séeme to speake more of these forren things than the course of the historie doth permit without licence to digresse giue me leaue I be séech thee gentle reader to wade yet a little further in the report of these ancient formes kinds of vessels For albeit that the discourse hereof maketh little to the description of our present nauie in England yet shall the report thereof not be vnprofitable and vnpleasant to such as shall reade among the writings of