neither regarding either maners or obedience doo oftentimes come to confusion which if anie correction or discipline had béene vsed toward them in youth might haue prooued good members of their common-wealth countrie by their good seruice and industrie I could make report likewise of the naturall vices and vertues of all those that are borne within this Iland but as the full tractation herof craueth a better head than mine to set foorth the same so will I giue place to other men that list to take it in hand Thus much therefore of the constitutions of our bodies and so much may suffice How Britaine at the first grew to be diuided into three portions Cap. 21. AFter the comming of Brutus into this Iland which was as you haue read in the foresaid treatise about the yeare of the world 2850 or 1217 before the incarnation of Christ although Goropius after his maner doo vtterlie denie our historie in this behalfe he made a generall surueis of the whole Iland from side to side by such means to view and search out not onelie the limits and bounds of his dominions but also what commodities this new atchiued conquest might yéeld vnto his people Ferthermore finding out at the last also a conuenable place wherin to erect a citie he began there euen the verie same which at this daie is called London naming it Trenouanton in remembrance of old Troie from whence his ancestors proceeded and for which the Romans pronounced afterward Trinobantum although the Welshmen doo call it still Trenewith This citie was builded as some write much about the tenth yeare of his reigne so that he liued not aboue fiftéene yeares after he had finished the same But of the rest of his other acts attempted and doone before or after the erection of this citie I find no certeine report more than that when he had reigned in this Iland after his arriuall by the space of foure and twentie yeares he finished his daies at Trenouanton aforesaid being in his yoong and florishing age where his carcase was honourablie interred As for the maner of his death I find as yet no mention thereof among such writers as are extant I meane whether it grew vnto him by defect of nature or force of gréeuous wounds receiued in his warres against such as withstood him from time to time in this Iland and therefore I can saie nothing of that matter Herein onelie all agree that during the time of his languishing paines he made a disposition of his whole kingdome diuiding it into three parts or portions according to the number of his sonnes then liuing whereof the eldest excéeded not eight and twentie yeares of age as my coniecturs giueth me To the eldest therefore whose name was Locrine he gaue the greatest and best region of all the rest which of him to this daie is called Lhoegres among the Britons but in our language England of such English Saxons as made conquest of the same This portion also is included on the south with the British sea on the est with the Germane Ocean on the north with the Humber and on the west with the Irish sea and the riuers Dee and Sauerne whereof in the generall description of this Iland I haue spoken more at large To Camber his second sonne he assigned all that lieth beyond the Sauerne and Dee toward the west which parcell in these daies conteineth Southwales and Northwales with sundrie Ilands adiacent to the same the whole being in maner cut off and separated from England or Lhoegria by the said streams wherby it séemeth also a peninsula or by-land if you respect the small hillie portion of ground that lieth indifferentlie betweene their maine courses or such branches at the least as run and fall into them The Welshmen or Britons call it by the ancient name still vnto this day but we Englishmen terme it Wales which denomination we haue from the Saxons who in time past did vse the word Walsh in such sort as we doo Strange for as we call all those strangers that are not of our nation so did they name them Walsh which were not of their countrie The third and last part of the Iland he allotted vnto Albanact his yoongest sonne for he had but three ill all as I haue said before whose portion séemed for circuit to be more large than that of Camber and in maner equall in greatnesse with the dominions of Locrinus But if you haue regard to the seuerall commodities that are to be reaped by each you shall find them to be not much discrepant or differing one from another for what soeuer the first second haue in plentie of corne fine grasse and large cattell this latter wanteth not in excéeding store of fish rich mettall quarries of stone and abundance of wild foule so that in mine opinion there could not be a more equall partition then this made by Brute and after the aforesaid maner This later parcell at the first tooke the name of Albanactus who called it Albania But now a small portion onelie of the region being vnder the regiment of a duke reteineth the said denomination the rest being called Scotland of certeine Scots that came ouer from Ireland to inhabit in those quarters It is diuided from Lhoegres also by the Solue and the Firth yet some doo note the Humber so that Albania as Brute left it conteined all the north part of the Iland that is to be found beyond the aforesaid streame vnto the point of Cathnesse To conclude Brute hauing diuided his kingdome after this maner and therein contenting himselfe as it were with the generall title of the whole it was not long after yer he ended his life and being solemnelie interred at his new citie by his thrée children they parted each from other and tooke possession of their prouinces But Scotland after two yeares fell againe into the hands of Locrinus as to the chiefe lord by the death of his brother Albanact who was slaine by Humber king of the Scithians and left none issue behind him to succéed him in that kingdome After what maner the souereigntie of this I le dooth remaine to the princes of Lhoegres or kings of England Chap. 22. IT is possible that some of the Scotish nation reading the former chapter will take offense with me for meaning that the principalitie of the north parts of this I le hath alwais belonged to the kings of Lhoegres For whose more ample satisfaction in this behalfe I will here set downe a discourse thereof at large written by diuerse and now finallie brought into one treatise sufficient as I thinke to satisfie the reasonable although not halfe enough peraduenture to content a wrangling mind sith there is or at the leastwise hath beene nothing more odious among some than to heare that the king of England hath ought to doo in Scotland How their historiographers haue attempted to shape manie coloured
Britaine successiuelie after Brute The fift Chapter LOcrinus or Locrine the first begotten sonne of Brute began to reigne ouer the countrie called Logiers in the yeare of the world 1874 and held to his part the countrie that reached from the souht sea vnto the riuer of Humber While this Locrinus gouerned Logiers his brother Albanact ruled in Albania where in fine he was slaine in a battell by a king of the Hunnes or Scythians called Humber who inuaded that part of Britaine and got possession thereof till Locrinus with his brother Camber in reuenge of their other brothers death and for the recouerie of the kingdome gathered their powers togither and comming against the said king of the Hunnes by the valiancie of their people they discomfited him in battell and chased him so egerlie that he himselfe and a great number of his men were drowned in the gulfe that then parted Loegria and Albania which after tooke name of the said king and was called Humber and so continueth vnto this daie Moreouer in this battell against the Hunnes were thrée yong damsels taken of excellent beautie specially one of them whose name was Estrild daughter to a certeine king of Scythia With this Estrild king Locrine fell so farre in loue notwithstanding a former contract made betwixt him and the ladie Guendoloena daughter to Corineus duke of Cornwall that he meant yet with all spéed to marie the same Estrild But being earnestlie called vpon and in manner forced thereto by Corineus hée changed his purpose and married Guendoloena keeping neuertheles the aforesaid Estrild as paramour still after a secret sort during the life of Corineus his father in law Now after that Corineus was departed this world Locrine forsooke Guendoloena and maried Estrild Guendoloena therefore being cast off by hir husband got hir into Cornewall to hir friends and kinred and there procured them to make warre against the said Locrine hir husband in the which warres hée was slaine and a battell fought néere to the riuer of Sture after he had reigned as writers affirme twentie yeares was buried by his father in the Citie of Troinouant leauing behind him a yoong sonne begotten of his wife Guendoloena named Madan as yet vnméete to gouerne Guendoloena or Guendoline the wife of Locrinus and daughter of Corineus duke of Cornewall for so much as hir sonne Madan was not of yeeres sufficient to gouerne was by common consent of the Britons made ruler of the I le in the yéere of the world 2894 and so hauing the administration in hir hands she did right discreetlie vse hir selfe therein to the comfort of all hir subiects till hir sonne Madan came to lawfull age and then she gaue ouer the rule and dominion to him after she had gouerned by the space of fifteene yeares MAdan the sonne of Locrine and Guendoline entred into the gouernement of Britaine in the 2909 of the world There is little left in writing of his doings sauing that he vsed great tyrannie amongst his Britons and therefore after he had ruled this land the tearme of 40. yeares he was deuoured of wild beastes as he was abroad in hunting He left behind him two sonnes Mempricius and Manlius He builded as is reported Madancaistre now Dancastre which reteineth still the later part of his name MEmpricius the eldest sonne of Madan began his reigne ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2949 he continued not long in peace For his brother Manlius vpon an ambitious mind prouoked the Britons to rebell against him so that sore and deadly warre continued long betweene them But finallie vnder colour of a treatie Manlius was slaine by his brother Mempricius so that then he liued in more tranquillitie and rest Howbeit being deliuered thus from trouble of warres he fell into slouth and so into vnlawfull lust of lecherie and thereby into the hatred of his people by forcing of their wines and daughters and finallie became so beastlie that he forsooke his lawfull wife and all his concubines and fell into the abhominable sinne of Sodomie And thus from one vice he fell into another till he became odious to God and man and at length going on hunting was lost of his people and destroied of wild beastes when he had reigned twentie yeares leauing behind him a noble yoong sonne named Ebranke begotten of his lawfull wife EBranke the sonne of Mempricius began to rule ouer the Britons in the yeare of the world 2969 He had as writers doo of him record one and twentie wiues on whom he begot 20. sonnes and 30. daughters of the which the eldest hight Guales or Gualea These daughters he sent to Alba Syluius which was the eleuenth king of Italie or the sixt king of the Latines to the end they might be married to his noble men of the bloud of Troians because the Sabines refused to ioine their daughters with them in marriage Furthermore he was the first prince of his land that euer inuaded France after Bute and is commended as author and originall builder of many cities both in his owne kingdome and else where His sonnes also vnder the conduct of Assaracus one of their eldest brethren returning out of Italie after they had conducted their sisters thither inuaded Germanie being first molested by the people of that countrie in their rage and by the helpe of the said Alba subdued a great part of that countrie there planted themselues Our histories say that Ebracus their father married them in their returne and aided them in their conquests and that he builded the citie of Caerbranke now called Yorke about the 14 yeare of his reigne He builded also in Albania now called Scotland the castle of Maidens afterward called Edenburgh of Adian one of their kings The citie of Alclud was builded likewise by him as some write now decaied After which cities thus builded he sailed ouer into Gallia now called France with a great armie and subduing the Galles as is aforesaid he returned home with great riches and triumph Now when he had guided the land of Britaine in noble wise by the tearme of fortie yeares he died and was buried at Yorke BRute Greeneshield the sonne of Ebranke was made gouernor of this land in the yeare of the world 3009 Asa reigning in Iuda and Baasa in Israell This prince bare alwaies in the field a gréene shield whereof he tooke his surname and of him some forraine authors affirme that he made an attempt to bring the whole realme of France vnder his subiection which he performed because his father susteined some dishonor and losse in his last voiage into that countrie Howbeit they say that when he came into Henaud Brinchild a prince of that quarter gaue him also a great ouerthrow and compelled him to retire home againe into his countrie This I borrow out of William Harison who in his chronologie toucheth the same
same Edilbald at Hereford hauing before him the said earle Adelme in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine victorie neither was he deceiued for by the stout conduct and noble courage of the said Adelme the loftie pride of king Edelbald was abated so that he was there put to flight and all his armie discomfited after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined euen to the vttermost point In the 24 yeere of his reigne this Cuthred fougth eftsoones with the Welshmen and obteined the vpper hand without anie great losse of his people for the enimies were easilie put to flight and chased to their owne destruction In the yeere after king Cuthred fell sicke and in the 16 yéere of his reigne he departed this life after so manie great victories got against his enimies AFter him succéeded one Sigibert a cruell and vnmercifull prince at home but yet a coward abroad This Sigbert or Sigibert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755 verie néere ended He intreated his subiects verie euill setting law and reason at naught He could not abide to heare his faults told him and therefore he cruellie put to death an earle named Cumbra which was of his councell and faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings wherevpon the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great multitude of people and expelled him out of his estate in the beginning of the second or as some say the first yeare of his reigne Then Sigibert as he was fearefull of nature fearing to be apprehended got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald and there hid himselfe but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the late earle Cumbra at Priuetsfloud found him out and perceiuing what he was slue him in reuenge of his maisters death ¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense as well as in the world to come appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for the punishment of the people according as they deserue permitting some of them to haue gouernement a long time that both the froward nations may suffer long for their sins and that such wicked princes may in an other world tast to more bitter torments Againe other he taketh out of the waie that the people may be deliuered from oppression and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may spéedilie receiue due punishment AFter Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred which succéeded him so in the feare of the Lord that he prooued a right godlie prince This Ethelbert reigned as writers say the terme of 52 yeares After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the abbie of Lindesferne his vncles sonnes Egbert by order taken by the said Ceolvulfe succeeded him in the kingdome and gouerned the same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares and then became a moonke by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceoldulfe and also of diuers other kings in those daies so that he was the eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle as Simon Dunel writeth This Egbert in the 18 yeare of his reigne and Ungust king of Picts came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies and there receiued the Britains into their subiection the first day of August but the tenth day of the same month the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh was for the more part lost and destroied ¶ The same yeare on the 8 kalends of December the moone being as then in hir full appeared to be of a bloudie colour but at length she came to hir accustomed shew after a maruellous meanes for a starre which followed hir passed by hir went before hir the like distāce as it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light Offa king of Mercia his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen and Westsaxons he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or subtill deuise of profered curtesie he inuadeth his kingdome and possesseth it the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to Lichfield archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is depriued by king Offa he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses mistrusting his estate he alieth himselfe with other princes he maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and religious houses he goeth to Rome maketh his realme tributarie to the said see Peter pence paid he falleth sicke and dieth places to this day bearing his name in memorie of him the short reigne of his sonne The fourth Chapter AFter that Offa had slaien Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of Mercia as before is mentioned the same Offa tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome 758 a man of such stoutnesse of stomach that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind He reigned 39 yeares His dooings were great and maruellous and such as some times his vertues surpassed his vices and sometime againe his vices séemed to ouermatch his vertues He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at Otteford and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished and in battell put to flight With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in open battell and obteined a noble victorie with small losse of his people although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince and a good capteine Againe perceiuing that to procéed with craft should sooner aduance his purpose than to vse open force against Egilbert king of Eastangles vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in mariage he allured him to come into Mercia and receiuing him into his palace caused his head to be striken off and after by wrongfull meanes inuaded his kingdome and got it into his possession yet he caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane by a miraculous meanes brought to light to be taken vp and put in a rich shrine adorned with gold and stone building a goodlie church of excellent woorkmanship and founding a monasterie in that place in honor of the same saint which he indowed with great possessions He remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield thereby to aduance his kingdome of Mercia as well in dignitie preheminence of spirituall power as temporall He made great suit to bring his purpose to passe in the court of Rome and at length by great gifts and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first then gouerning the Romane sée And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was adorned with the pall and taken for archbishop hauing all those bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto him namelie Denebertus bishop of Worcester Werebertus
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
maner then was on the 24 day of Aprill assisted by Oswald archbishop of Yorke and ten other bishops But as hath béene reported Dunstane then said that the English people should suffer condigne punishment generallie with losse of ancient liberties which before that time they had inioied Dunstane also long before prophesied of the slouthfulnesse that should remaine in this Egelred For at what time he ministred the sacrament of baptisme to him shortlie after he came into this world he defiled the font with the ordure of his wombe as hath beene said whervpon Dunstane being troubled in mind By the Lord saith he and his blessed mother this child shall prooue to be a slouthfull person It hath beene written also that when he was but ten yeeres of age and heard that his brother Edward was slaine he so offended his mother with wéeping bicause she could not still him that hauing no rod at hand she tooke tapers or sizes that stood before hir and beat him so sore with them that she had almost killed him whereby he could neuer after abide to haue anie such candels lighted before him This Egelred as writers say was nothing giuen to warlike enterprises but was slouthfull a louer of idlenesse and delighting in riotous lusts which being knowne to all men caused him to be euill spoken of amongst his owne people and nothing feared amongst strangers Heerevpon the Danes that exercised rouing on the seas began to conceiue a boldnesse of courage to disquiet and molest the sea-coasts of the realme in so much that in the second yéere of this Egelreds reigne they came with seuen ships on the English coasts of Kent and spoiled the I le of Tenet the towne of Southampton and in the yeere following they destroied S. Petroks abbeie in Cornwall Porthland in Deuonshire and diuerse other places by the sea side speciallie in Deuonshire Cornwall Also a great part of Cheshire was destroied by pirats of Norway The same yéere by casualtie of fire a great part of the citie of London was burnt In the yeere of our Lord 983 Alfer duke of Mercia departed this life who was coosen to king Edgar his sonne Alfrike tooke vpon him the rule of that dukedome and within thrée yéeres after was banished the land About the eight yéere of his reigne Egelred maried one Elgina or Ethelgina daughter of earle Egbert In the ninth yeere of his reigne vpon occasion of strife betwéene him and the bishop of Rochester he made warre against the same bishop wasted his lordships and besieged the citie of Rochester till Dunstan procured the bishops peace with paiment of an hundred pounds in gold And bicause the K. would not agrée with the bishop without moneie at the onelie request of Dunstane the said Dunstane did send him woord that sithens he made more account of gold than of God more of monie than of S. Andrew patrone of the church of Rochester and more of couetousnesse than of him being the archbishop the mischiefs which the Lord had threatned would shortlâ—e fall and come to passe but the same should not chance whilest he was aliue who died in the yéere following on the 25 of Maie being saturdaie Of this Dunstane manie things are recorded by writers that he should be of such holinesse and vertue that God wrought manie miracles by him both whilest he liued heere on earth and also after his deceasse He was borne in Westsaxon his father was named Heorstan and his mother Cinifride who in his youth set him to schoole where he so profited that he excelled all his equals in age Afterward he fell sicke of an ague which vexed him so sore that it draue him into a frensie and therefore his parents appointed him to the cure the charge of a certeine woman where his disease grew so on him that he fell in a trance as though he had béene dead and after that he suddenlie arose by chance caught a staffe in his hand and ran vp and downe through hils and dales and laid about him as though he had béene afraid of mad dogs The next night as it is said he gat him to the top of the church by the helpe of certeine ladders that stood there for woorkemen to mend the roofe and there ran vp and downe verie dangerouslie but in the end came safelie downe and laid him to sléepe betwéene two men that watched the church that night when he awaked he maruelled how he came there Finallie recouering his disease his parents made him a priest and placed him in the abbeie of Glastenburie where he gaue himselfe to the reading of scriptures and knowledge of vertue But as well his kinsmen as certeine other did raise a report of him that he gaue not himselfe so much to the reading of scriptures as to charming coniuring and sorcerie which he vtterlie denied howbeit learned he was in déed could doo manie pretie things both in handie woorke and other deuises he had good skill in musicke and delighted much therein At length he grew in such fauour that he was aduanced into the seruice of king Adelstane Upon a time as he came to a gentlewomans house with his harpe and hoong the same on the wall while he shaped a priests stole the harpe suddenlie began to plaie a psalme which draue the whole houshold in such feare that they ran out and said he was too cunning and knew more than was expedient wherevpon he was accused of necromancie and so banished out of the court After this he began to haue a liking to women and when Elfeagus then bishop of Winchester and his coosen persuaded him to become a moonke he refused it for he rather wished to haue maried a yoong damosell whose pleasant companie he dailie inioied But being soone after striken with such a swelling disease in his bellie that all his bodie was brought into such state as though he had béene infected with a foule leprosie he bethought him selfe and vpon his recouerie sent to the bishop who immediatlie shore him a moonke in which life he liued in so great opinion of holinesse as he in time became abbat of Glastenburie where on a time as he was in his praiers before the altar of S. George he fell asléepe and imagining in his dreame that an vglie rough beare came towards him with open mouth and set his forefeet vpon his shoulders readie to deuoure him he suddenlie wakening for feare caught his walking staffe which he commonlie went with and laid about him that all the church rang thereof to the great woonder of such as stood by The common tale of his plucking the diuell by the nose with a paire of pinsors for tempting him with women while he was making a chalice the great loue that the ladie Elfleda néere kinswoman to king Adelstane bare him to hir dieng day with a great manie of other such like matters I leaue as
Grimsdale Kirke Andros Beaumont falleth into the sea beneath the Rowcliffe castell And thus much of the Eden which Leland neuerthelesse describeth after another sort whose words I will not let to set downe here in this place as I find them in his commentaries The Eden after it hath run a pretie space from his head méeteth in time with the Ulse water which is a great brooke in Westmerland and rising aboue Maredale a mile west of Loder it commeth by the late dissolued house of Shappe priorie théee miles from Shappe and by Brampton village into Loder or Lodon Certes this streame within halfe a mile of the head becommeth a great lake for two miles course and afterward waxing narrow againe it runneth foorth in a meane and indifferent bottome The said Eden in like sort receiueth the Aimote about thrée miles beneath Brougham castell and into the same Aimote falleth the Dacor becke alreadie touched which riseth by northwest in Materdale hils foure miles aboue Dacor castell and then going through Dacor parke it runneth by east a good mile lower into Eimote a little beneath Delamaine which standeth on the left side of Dacor In one of his bookes also he saith how Carleill standeth betwéene two streames that is to saie the Deua which commeth thither from by southwest and also the Logus tha descendeth from the southeast He addeth moreouer how the Deua in times past was named Uala or Bala and that of the names of these two Lugibala for Caerleill hath beene deriued c. and thus much out of Leland But where he had the cause of this his coniecture as yet I haue not read Of this am I certeine that I vse the names of most riuers hete and else-where described accordinglie as they are called in my time although I omit not to speake here and there of such as are more ancient where iust occasion mooueth me to remember them for the better vnderstanding of our histories as they doo come to hand Blacke Leuen and white Leuen waters fall into the sea in one chanell and with them the Lamford and the Eske the last confluence being not a full mile from the maine sea The white and blacke Leuen ioining therfore aboue Bucknesse the confluence goeth to Bracken hill Kirkleuenton and at Tomunt water meeteth with the Eske In like sort the Kirsop ioining with the Lidde out of Scotland at Kirsop foot running by Stangerdike side Harlow Hathwater and taking in the Eske aboue the Mote it looseth the former name and is called Eske vntill it come to the sea Hauing thus gone thorough the riuers of England now it resteth that we procéed with those which are to be found vpon the Scotish shore in such order as we best may vntill we haue fetched a compasse about the same and come vnto Barwike whence afterward it shall be easie for vs to make repaire vnto the Thames from which we did set forward in the beginning of our voiage The first riuer that I met withall on the Scotish coast is the Eske after I came past the Solueie which hath his head in the Cheuiot hilles runneth by Kirkinton and falleth into the sea at Borow on the sands This Eske hauing receiued the Ewis falleth into the Solueie first at Atterith After this I passed ouer a little créeke from Kirthell and so to Anand whereof the vallie Anandale dooth séeme to take the name There is also the Nide whereof commeth Nidsdale the Ken the Dée the Crale and the Bladnecke and all these besides diuerse other small rilles of lesse name doo lie vpon the south of Gallowaie On the north side also we haue the Ruan the Arde the Cassile Dune the Burwin the Cluide wherevpon sometime stood the famous citie of Alcluide and whereinto runneth the Carath the Hamell the Dourglesse and the Lame From hence in like maner we came vnto the Leuind mouth wherevnto the Blake on the southwest and the Lomund lake with his fléeting Iles and fish without finnes yet verie holesone dooth séeme to make his issue This lake of Lomund in calme weather ariseth sometimes so high and swelleth with such terrible billowes that it causeth the best marriners of Scotland to abide the leisure of this water before they dare aduenture to hoise vp sailes on hie The like is seene in windie weather but much more perillous There are certeine Iles also in the same which mooue and remooue oftentimes by force of the water but one of them especiallie which otherwise is verie fruitfull for pasturage of cattell Next vnto this is the Leue the Rage the Long the Goile the Heke which for the excéeding greatnesse of their heads are called lakes Then haue we the Robinseie the Foreland the Tarbat the Lean and the Abir wherevnto the Spanseie the Loine the Louth the Arke and the Zefe doo fall there is also the Sell the Zord the Owin the Newisse the Orne the Lang the Drun the Hew the Brun the Kell the Dowr the Faro the Nesse the Herre the Con the Glasse the Maur the Urdall the Fers that commeth out of the Caldell the Fairsoke which two latter lie a little by west of the Orchades and are properlie called riuers bicause they issue onelie from springs but most of the other takes bicause they come from linnes and huge pooles or such low bottomes fed with springs as séeme to haue no accesse but onelie recesse of waters whereof there be manie in Scotland But to procéed Hauing once past Dungisbie head in Cathnesse we shall yer long come to the mouth of the Wifle a prettie streame comming by south of the mounteins called the Maidens pappes Then to the Browre the Clin the Twin whereinto runneth three riuers the Shin the Sillan and Carew the Nesse which beside the plentie of samon found therein is neuer frosen nor suffereth yce to remaine there that is cast into the poole From thence we come vnto the Narding the Finderne the Spaie which receiues the Uine the Fitch the Bulich the Arrian the Leuin and the Bogh from whence we saile vntill we come about the Buquhan head and so to the Downe and d ee which two streames bring forth the greatest samons that are to be he had in Scotland and most plentie of the same Then to the north Eske whereinto the Esmond runneth aboue Brechin the south Eske then the Louen and the Taw which is the finest riuer for water that is in all Scotland and wherevnto most riuers and lakes doo run As Farlake Yrth Goure Loich Cannach Linell Loion Irewer Erne and diuerse other besides small rillets which I did neuer looke vpon Then is there the lake Londors vpon whose mouth saint Andrewes dooth stand
créeke I passe it ouer and come streight to another water descending from Burge by Skegnes From hence I go to the issue of a faire brooke which as I heare dooth rise at Tetford and thence goeth by Somerbie Bagenderbie Ashwardbie Sawsthorpe Partneie Ashbie the Stepings Thorpe croft and so into the sea As for Wainflete water it commeth from the east sea and goeth betwéene S. Maries Alhallowes by Wainflete towne and treading the path of his predecessors emptieth his chanell to the maintenance of the sea Now come I to the course of the Witham a famous riuer whereof goeth the beword frequented of old and also of Ancolme which I before described Ancolme ele and Witham pike Search all England and find not the like Leland calleth it Lindis diuerse the Rhe and I haue read all these names my selfe and thereto that the Lincolneshire men were called in old time Coritani and their head citie Lindus Lindon or Linodunum in which region also Ptolomie placeth Rage which some take to be Notingham except my memorie doo faile me It riseth among the Wickhams in the edge of Lincolnshire and as I take it in south-Wickham paroch from whence it goeth to Coâ—sterworth Easton Kirkestoke Paunton and Paunton Houghton and at Grantham taketh in a rill from by southwest as I heare From Grantham it runneth to Man Thorpe Bolton and Barneston where crossing a becke from northeast it procéedeth further southwest ward by Mereston toward Faston there also taking in a brooke that riseth about Denton and goeth by Sidbrooke it hasteth to Dodington Clapale Barmebie Beckingham Stapleford Bassingham Thursbie and beneath Amburgh crosseth a water that commeth from Stogilthorpe by Somerton castell After this confluence also our Witham goeth still foorth on his waie to the Hickhams Boltham Bracebridge and Lincolne it selfe for which the Normans write Nicholl by transposition of the letters or as I may better saie corruption of the word But yer it come there it maketh certeine pooles whereof one is called Swan poole and soone after diuiding it selfe into armes they run both thorough the lower part of Lincolne each of them hauing a bridge of stone ouer it thereby to passe through the principall stréet and as the bigger arme is well able to beare their fisher botes so the lesser is not without his seuerall commodities At Lincolne also this noble riuer méeteth with the Fosse dike whereby in great floods vessels may come from the Trents side to Lincolne For betweene Torkseie where it beginneth and Lincolne citie where it endeth are not aboue seuen miles as Leland hath remembred Bishop Atwater began to clense this ditch thinking to bring great vessels from Trent to Lincolne in his time but sith he died before it was performed there hath no man beene since so well minded as to prosecute his purpose The course moreouer of this our streame following from Lincolne to Boston is fiftie miles by water but if you mind to ferrie you shall haue but 24. For there are foure common places where men are ferried ouer as Short ferrie fiue miles from Lincolne Tatersall ferrie eight miles from Short ferrie Dogdike ferrie a mile Langreth ferrie fiue miles and so manie finallie to Boston But to go forward with the course of Lindis whereof the whole prouince hath béene called Lindeseie when it is past Linclone it goeth by Shepewash Wassingburg Fiskerton and soone after taketh in sundrie riuers in one chanell whereby his greatnesse is verie much increased From this confluence it goeth to Bardolfe and there receiuing a rill descending from betweeâ—e Sotbie and Randbie and going by Harton it slideth foorth by Tupham to Tatersall castell taking vp there in like sort thrée small rills by the waie whereof I haue small notice as yet and therefore I referre them vnto a further consideration to be had of them hereafter if it shall please God that I may liue to haue the filling of these rude pamphlets yet once againe somewhat more leasure to peruse them than at this time is granted Finallie being past Tatersall and Dogdike ferrie the Witham goeth toward Boston thence into the sea Thus haue I briestie dispatched this noble riuer Witham But hauing another note deliuered me thereof from a fréend I will yéeld so farre vnto his gratification that I will remember his trauell here and set downe also what he hath written thereof although the riuer be sufficientlie described alredie Into Witham therefore from by north and seuen miles beneath Lincolne there falleth a faire water the head whereof is at Hakethorne from whence it goeth by Hanworth Snarford Resbie Stainton and at Bullington méeteth with a water on ech side whereof one commeth from Haiton and Turxington the other from Sudbrooke and likewise beneath Birlings with the third comming from Barkeworth by Stansted and ioining all in one soone after it is not long yer it fall into the chanell of Witham and so are neuer more heard of There is also a brooke by southwest that commeth from Kirbie to Cateleie Biltingams and the Ferrie At Taterfall it méeteth with the Bane which riseth aboue Burgh and néere vnto Ludford goeth downe to Dunnington Stanigod Hemmingsbie Bamburgh Fillington Horne castell where it crosseth a rill from Belchworth Thornton Marton Halton Kirkebie Comsbie Tatersall and so to Dogdike ferrie Aboue Boston likewise it taketh in a water comming from Lusebie by Bolingbrooke Stickeford Stickneie Sibbeseie and Hildrike And to Boston towne it selfe doo finallie come sundrie brookes in one chanell called Hammond becke which rising at Donesbie runneth on to Wrightbold where it casteth one arme into Holiwell water Thence it hasteth toward Dunnington receiuing foure brookes by the waie whereof the first commeth from Milshorpe the second from Fokingham called Bollingborow or after some I wote not vpon what occasion Sempringham water the third from Bridge end the fourth from Sempringham and afterwards the maine streame is found to run by Kirton holme and so into the Witham Into the Wiland likewise falleth the Holiwell which riseth of a spring that runneth toward the east from Haliwell to Onebie Esonden Gretford and so to Catbridge where it receiueth another rising at Witham and west of Manthorpe and the second comming from Laund and so run from thence togither to Willesthorpe and Catbridge and then into the Haliwell which after these confluences goeth to Tetford and Eastcote where it meeteth with a draine comming from Bourne and so through the sennes to Pinchbecke Surfleet and Fosdike where it méeteth with the Welland in the mouth of the Wash as I haue noted vnto you Hauing thus set foorth the riuers that fall into the Witham now come we to the Wiland or Welland wherevnto we repaire after we be past Boston as drawing by litle and litle toward the Girwies which inhabit in the fennes for Gir in the old Saxon speach dooth signifie déepe fennes and marishes and these beginning at Peterborow eastward extend themselues by the
his terme if he haue not six or seuen yeares rent lieng by him therewith to purchase a new lease beside a faire garnish of pewter on his cupbord with so much more in od vessell going about the house thrée or foure featherbeds so manie couerlids and carpets of tapistrie a siluer salt a bowle for wine if not an whole neast and a dozzen of spoones to furnish vp the sute This also he taketh to be his owne cléere for what stocke of monie soeuer he gathereth laieth vp in all his yeares it is often séene that the landlord will take such order with him for the same when he renueth his lease which is commonlie eight or six yeares before the old be expired sith it is now growen almost to a custome that if he come not to his lord so long before another shall step in for a reuersion and so defeat him out right that it shall neuer trouble him more than the haire of his beard when the barber hath washed and shauen it from his chin And as they commend these so beside the decaie of housekéeping whereby the poore haue beene relieued they speake also of thrée things that are growen to be verie grieuous vnto them to wit the inhansing of rents latelie mentioned the dailie oppression of copiholders whose lords séeke to bring their poore tenants almost into plaine seruitude and miserie dailie deuising new meanes and séeking vp all the old how to cut them shorter and shorter doubling trebling and now then seuen times increasing their fines driuing them also for euerie trifle to loose and forfeit their tenures by whome the greatest part of the realme dooth stand and is mainteined to the end they may fléece them yet more which is a lamentable hering The third thing they talke of is vsurie a trade brought in by the Iewes now perfectlie practised almost by euerie christian and so commonlie that he is accompted but for a foole that dooth lend his monie for nothing In time past it was Sors pro sorte that is the principall onelie for the principall but now beside that which is aboue the principall properlie called Vsura we chalenge Foenus that is commoditie of soile fruits of the earth if not the ground it selfe In time past also one of the hundred was much from thence it rose vnto two called in Latine Vsura Ex sextante thrée to wit Ex quadrante then to foure to wit Ex triente then to fiue which is Ex quincunce then to six called Ex semisse c as the accompt of the Assis ariseth and comming at the last vnto Vsura ex asse it amounteth to twelue in the hundred and therefore the Latines call it Centesima for that in the hundred moneth it doubleth the principall but more of this elsewhere See Cicero against Verres Demosthenes against Aphobus and Athenaeus lib. 13. in fine and when thou hast read them well helpe I praie thée in lawfull maner to hang vp such as take Centū pro cento for they are no better worthie as I doo iudge in conscience Forget not also such landlords as vse to value their leases at a secret estimation giuen of the wealth and credit of the taker whereby they séeme as it were to cat them vp and deale with bondmen so that if the leassée be thought to be worth an hundred pounds he shall paie no lesse for his new terme or else another to enter with hard and doubtfull couenants I am sorie to report it much more gréeued to vnderstand of the practise but most sorowfull of all to vnderstand that men of great port and countenance are so farre from suffering their farmers to haue anie gaine at all that they themselues become grasiers butchers tanners shéepmasters woodmen and denique quid non thereby to inrich themselues and bring all the wealth of the countrie into their owne hands leauing the communaltie weake or as an idoll with broken or féeble armes which may in a time of peace haue a plausible shew but when necessitie shall inforce haue an heauie and bitter sequele Of cities and townes in England Cap. 13. AS in old time we read that there were eight and twentie flamines and archflamines in the south part of this I le and so manie great cities vnder their iurisdiction so in these our daies there is but one or two fewer and each of them also vnder the ecclesiasticall regiment of some one bishop or archbishop who in spirituall cases haue the charge and ouersight of the same So manie cities therefore are there in England and Wales as there be bishopriks archbishopriks For notwithstanding that Lichfield and Couentrie and Bath and Welles doo séeme to extend the aforesaid number vnto nine and twentie yet neither of these couples are to be accounted but as one entier citie and sée of the bishop sith one bishoprike can haue relation but vnto one sée and the said see be situate but in one place after which the bishop dooth take his name It appeareth by our old and ancient histories that the cities of this southerlie portion haue beene of excéeding greatnesse and beautie whereof some were builded in the time of the Samotheans and of which not a few in these our times are quite decaied and the places where they stood worne out of all remembrance Such also for the most part as yet remaine are maruellouslie altered insomuch that whereas at the first they were large and ample now are they come either vnto a verie few houses or appeare not to be much greater in comparison than poore simple villages Antoninus the most diligent writer of the thorough fares of Britaine noteth among other these ancient townes following as Sitomagus which he placeth in the waie from Norwich as Leland supposeth wherin they went by Colchester to London Nouiomagus that lieth betwéene Carleill and Canturburie within ten miles east of London and likewise Neomagus and Niomagus which take their names of their first founder Magus the sonne of Samothes second king of the Celtes that reigned in this Iland and not A profunditate onelie as Bodinus affirmeth out of Plinie as if all the townes that ended in Magus should stand in holes and low grounds which is to be disprooued in diuerse cities in the maine as also here with vs. Of these moreouer sir Thomas Eliot supposeth Neomagus to haue stood somewhere about Chester George Lillie in his booke of the names of ancient places iudgeth Niomagus to be the verie same that we doo now call Buckingham and lieth farre from the shore And as these and sundrie other now perished tooke their denomination of this prince so there are diuerse causes which mooue me to coniecture that Salisburie dooth rather take the first name of Sarron the sonne of the said Magus than of Caesar Caradoc or Seuerus as some of our writers doo imagine or else at the least wise of Salisburge of the maine from whence some Saxons
came to inhabit in this land And for this later not vnlikelie sith before the comming of the Saxons the king of the Suessionenses had a great part of this Iland in subiection as Caesar saith and in another place that such of Belgie as stale ouer hither from the maine builded and called diuerse cities after the names of the same from whence they came I meane such as stood vpon the coast as he himselfe dooth witnesse But sith coniectures are no verities and mine opinion is but one mans iudgement I will not stand now vpon the proofe of this matter least I should séeme to take great paines in adding new coniectures vnto old in such wise to deteine the heads of my readers about these trifles that otherwise peraduenture would be farre better occupied in matters of more importance To procéed the refore As soone after the first inhabitation of this Iland our cities began no doubt to be builded and increased so they ceased not to multiplie from time to time till the land was throughlie furnished with hir conuenient numbers whereof some at this present with their ancient names doo still remaine in knowledge though diuerse be doubted of and manie more perished by continuance of time and violence of the enimie I doubt not also but the least of these were comparable to the greatest of those which stand in our time for sith that in those daies the most part of the Iland was reserued vnto pasture the townes and villages either were not at all but all sorts of people dwelled in the cities indifferentlie an image of which estate may yet be seene in Spaine or at the lestwise stood not so thicke as they did afterward in the time of the Romans but chéefelie after the comming of the Saxons and after them the Normans when euerie lord builded a church neare vnto his owne mansion house and thereto imparted the greatest portion of his lands vnto sundrie tenants to hold the same of him by coppie of court roll which rolles were then kept in some especiall place indifferentlie appointed by them and their lord so that the one could haue no resort vnto them without the other by which means the number of townes and villages was not a little increased If anie man be desirous to know the names of those ancient cities that stood in the time of the Romans he shall haue them here at hand in such wise as I haue gathered them out of our writers obseruing euen their manner of writing of them so neare as to me is possible without alteration of anie corruption crept vp into the same 1. London otherwise called Trenouanton Cair Lud. Londinum or Longidinium Augusta of the legion Augusta that soiourned there when the Romans ruled here 2 Yorke otherwise called Cairbranke Vrouicum or Yurewijc Eorwijc or Eoforwijc Yeworwijc Eboracum Victoria of the legion victrix that laie there sometime 3 Canturburie Duroruerno alià s Duraruenno Dorobernia Cantwarbirie 4 Colchester Cair Colon. Cair Colden Cair Colkin of Coilus Cair Colun of the riuer that runneth thereby Colonia of the colonie planted there by the Romans Coloncester Camulodunum Plin. lib. 2. ca. 75. Tacitus Ptolome 5 Lincolne Cair Lud Coit of the woods that stood about it Cair Loichoit by corruption Lindum Lindocollinum 6 Warwijc had sometime 9 parish churches Cair Guttelin Cair Line or Cair Leon. Cair Gwair Cair Vmber Cair Gwaerton 7 Chester vpon Vske was a famous vniuersitie in the time of Arthur Cair legion Carlheon Cairlium Legecester 〈◊〉 legionum 8 Carleill Cair Lueill Cair Leill Lugibalia Cair Doill 9 S. Albanes Cair Maricipit Cair Municip Verolamium Verlamcester Cair Wattelin of the street wheron it stood 10 Winchester Cair Gwent Cair Gwin Cair Wine Venta Simenorum 11 Cisceter Cair Churne Cair Kyrne Cair Kery Cair Cery Cirnecester Churnecester 12 Silcester Cair Segent Selecester 13 Bath Cair Badon Thermae Aquae solis 14 Shaftesbyry Cair Paladour Septonia 15 Worcester Wigornia Cair Gworangon Brangonia Cair Frangon Woorkecester 16 Chichester Cair Key or Kair Kis Cair Chic 17 Bristow Cair Odernant Badon Oder Cair Bren. Venta Belgarum Brightstow 18 Rochest Durobreuis corruptlie Rofcester Roffa Durobrouis Dubobrus Durobrius 19 Portchester Cair Peris Cair Poreis 20 Cairmarden Cair Maridunum Cair Merdine Maridumum Caiâ— Marlin Cair Pridâ—in 21 Glocester Cair Clowy Cair Glow Claudiocestria 22 Leircester Cair Beir Cair Leir Cair Lirion Wirall teste Matth. West 895. 23 Cambridge Grantabric Cair Graunt 24 Cair Vrnach peraduenture Burgh castell 25 Cair Cucurat 26 Cair Draiton now a slender village 27 Cair Celennon 28 Cair Megwaid As for Cair Dorme another whereof I read likewise it stood somewhere vpon the Nene in Huntingdon shire but now vnknowne fith it was twise raced to the ground first by the Saxons then by the Danes so that the ruines thereof are in these daies not extant to be séene And in like sort I am ignorant where most of them stood that are noted with the staâ— I find in like sort mention of a noble citie called Alcluid ouer and beside these afore mentioned sometime builded by Ebracus of Britaine as the fame goeth and finallie destroied by the Danes about the yeare of Grace 870. It stood vpon the banks of the riuer Cluda to wit betwéene it and the blanke on the north and the Lound lake on the west and was sometime march betwéene the Britons and the Picts and likewise the Picts and the Scots neuerthelesse the castell as I heare dooth yet remaine and hath béene since well repared by the Scots and called Dombrittain or Dunbritton so that it is not an hard matter by these few words to find where Alcluid stood I could here if leisure serued and hast of the printer not require dispatch deliuer the ancient names of sundrie other townes of which Stafford in time past was called Stadtford and therfore as I gesse builded or the name altered by the Saxons Kinebanton now Kimbalton But if anie man be desirous to sée more of them let him resort to Houeden in the life of Henrie the second and there he shall be furthor satisfied of his desire in this behalfe It should séeme when these ancient cities flourished that the same towne which we now call saint Albons did most of all excell but chéefelie in the Romans time and was not onelie nothing inferior to London it selfe but rather preferred before it bicause it was newer and made a Municipium of the Romans whereas the other was old and ruinous and inhabited onelie by the Britons as the most part of the Iland was also in those daies Good notice hereof also is to be taken by Matthew Paris and others before him out of whose writings I haue thought good to note a few things whereby the maiestie of this ancient citie may appeare vnto posteritie and the former estate of Uerlamcester not lie altogither as it hath doone hitherto raked vp in forgetfulnes through the negligence of such as might haue
deserued better of their successours by leauing the description thereof in a booke by it selfe sith manie particulars thereof were written to their hands that now are lost and perished Tacitus in the foureteenth booke of his historie maketh mention of it shewing that in the rebellion of the Britons the Romans there were miserablie distressed Eadeth clades saith he municipio Verolamio fuit And herevpon Nennius in his catalog of cities casteth it Cair municip as I before haue noted Ptolonie speaking of it dooth place it among the Catyeâ—chlanes but Antoâ—â—nus maketh it one end twentie Italian miles from London placing Sullomaca nine mile from thence whereby it is euident that Sullomaca stood neere to Barnet if it were not the verie same Of the old compasse of the walles of Verolamlum there is now small knowledge to be had by the ruines but of the beautie of the citie it selfe you shall partlie vnderstand by that which followeth at hand after I haue told you for your better intelligence what Municipium Romanorum is for there is great difference betweene that and Colonia Romanorum sith Colonia alio traducitur a ciuitate Roma but Municipes aliundè in ciuitatem veniunt suisque iuribus legibus viuuni moreouer their soile is not changed into the nature of the Romane but they liue in the stedfast fréendship and protection of the Romans as did somtime the Ceretes who were the first people which euer obteined that priuilege The British Verolamians therefore hauing for their noble seruice in the warres deserued great commendations at the hands of the Romans they gaue vnto them the whole fréedome of Romans whereby they were made Municipes and became more frée in truth than their Colonies could be To conclude therefore Municipium is a citie in franchised and indued with Romane priuileges without anie alteration of hir former inhabitants or priuileges whereas a Colonie is a companie sent from Rome into anie other region or prouince to possesse either a citie newlie builded or to replenish the same from whence hir former citizens haue beene expelled and driuen out Now to proceed In the time of king Edgar it fell out that one Eldred was abbat there who being desirous to inlarge that house it came into his mind to search about in the ruines of Verolamium which now was ouerthrowne by the furie of the Saxons Danes to sée if he might there come by anie curious peeces of worke wherewith to garnish his building taken in hand To be short he had no sooner begun to dig among the rubbis but he found an excéeding number of pillers péeces of antike worke thresholds doore frames and sundrie other peeces of fine masonrie for windowes and such like verie conuenient for his purpose Of these also some were of porphyrite stone some of diuerse kinds of marble touch and alabaster beside manie curious deuises of hard mettall in finding whereof he thought himselfe an happie man and his successe to be greatlie guided by S. Albane Besides these also he found sundrie pillers of brasse and sockets of latton alabaster and touch all which he laid aside by great heaps determining in the end I saie to laie the foundation of a new abbaie but God so preuented his determination that death tooke him awaie before his building was begun After him succéeded one Eadmeerus who followed the dooings of Eldred to the vttermost and therefore not onlie perused what he had left with great diligence but also caused his pioners to search yet further within the old walles of Verolamium where they not onelie found infinite other péeces of excellent workemanship but came at the last to certeine vaults vnder the ground in which stood diuers idols and not a few altars verie superstitiouslie and religiouslie adorned as the pagans left them belike in time of necessitie These images were of sundrie mettals and some of pure gold their altars likewise were richlie couered all which ornaments Edmerus tooke awaie and not onelie conuerted them to other vse in his building but also destroied an innumerable sort of other idols whose estimation consisted in their formes and substances could doo no seruice He tooke vp also sundrie curious pots iugs and cruses of stone and wood most artificiallie wrought and carued and that in such quantitie besides infinite store of fine houshold stuffe as if the whole furniture of the citie had beene brought thither of purpose to be hidden in those vaults In proceeding further he tooke vp diuerse pots of gold siluer brasse glasse and earth whereof some were filled with the ashes and bones of the gentils the mouths being turned downewards the like of which but of finer earth were found in great numbers also of late in a well at little Massingham in Norffolke of six or eight gallons a péece about the yeare 1578 and also in the time of Henrie the eight and not a few with the coines of the old Britons and Romane emperours All which vessels the said abbat brake into péeces and melting the mettall he reserued it in like sort for the garnishing of his church He found likewise in a stone wall two old bookes whereof one conteined the rites of the gentils about the sacrifices of their gods the other as they now saie the martyrdome of saint Albane both of them written in old Brittish letters which either bicause no man then liuing could read them or for that they were not woorth the keeping were both consumed to ashes sauing that a few notes were first taken out of this later concerning the death of their Albane Thus much haue I thought good to note of the former beautie of Verolamium whereof infinite other tokens haue beene found since that time and diuerse within the memorie of man of passing workemanship the like whereof hath no wher 's else béene séene in anie ruines within the compasse of this I le either for cost or quantitie of stuffe Furthermore whereas manie are not afraid to saie that the Thames came sometimes by this citie indeed it is nothing so but that the Uerlume afterward called Uere and the Mure did and dooth so still whatsoeuer Gildas talketh hereof whose books may be corrupted in that behalfe there is yet euident proofe to be confirmed by experience For albeit that the riuer be now growne to be verie small by reason of the ground about it which is higher than it was in old time yet it kéepeth in maner the old course and runneth betwéene the old citie that was and the new towne that is standing on Holmehirst crag as I beheld of late Those places also which now are medow beneath the abbaie were sometimes a great lake mere or poole through which the said riuer ran and as I read with a verie swift and violent course wheras at this present it is verie slow and of no such deapth as of ancient times it hath beene But heare what mine author saith further of the same As those aforsaid workemen digged in these ruines
they happened oftentimes vpon Lempet shels péeces of rustie anchors and kéeles of great vessels wherevpon some by and by gathered that either the Thames or some arme of the sea did beat vpon that towne not vnderstanding that these things might aswell happen in great lakes and meres wherof there was one adioining to the north side of the citie which laie then as some men thinke vnwalled but that also is false For being there vpon occasion this summer passed I saw some remnant of the old wals standing in that place which appeared to haue béene verie substantiallie builded the ruines likewise of a greater part of them are to be séene running along by the old chappell hard by in maner of a banke Whereby it is euident that the new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old and that the bridge whereof the historie of S. Albane speaketh was at the nether end 〈◊〉 Halliwell stréet or there about for so the view of the place doth inforce me to coniecture This mere which the Latine copie of the description of Britaine written of late by Humfrey Lhoid our countrie man calleth corruptlie Stagnum enaximum for Stagnum maximum at the first belonged to the king and thereby Offa in his time did reape no small commoditie It continued also vntill the time of Alfrijc the seuenth abbat of that house who bought it outright of the king then liuing and by excessiue charges drained it so narrowlie that within a while he left it drie sauing that he reserued a chanell for the riuer to haue hir vsuall course which he held vp with high bankes bicause there was alwaies contention betwéene the moonks and the kings seruants which fished on that water vnto the kings behoofe In these daies therefore remaineth no maner mention of this poole but onelie in one stréet which yet is called Fishpoole stréet wherof this may suffice for the resolution of such men as séeke rather to yéeld to an inconuenience than that their Gildas should seeme to mistake this riuer Hauing thus digressed to giue some remembrance of the old estate of Verolamium it is now time to returne againe vnto my former purpose Certes I would gladlie set downe with the names and number of the cities all the townes and villages in England and Wales with their true longitudes and latitudes but as yet I cannot come by them in such order as I would howbeit the tale of our cities is soone found by the bishoprikes sith euerie sée hath such prerogatiue giuen vnto it as to beare the name of a citie to vse Regaleius within hir owne limits Which priuilege also is granted to sundrie ancient townes in England especiallie northward where more plentie of them is to be found by a great deale than in the south The names therefore of our cities are these London Yorke Canturburie Winchester Cairleill Durham Elie. Norwich Lincolne Worcester Glocester Hereford Salisburie Excester Bath Lichfield Bristow Rochester Chester Chichester Oxford Peterborow Landaffe S. Dauids Bangor S. Asaph Whose particular plots and models with their descriptions shall insue if it may be brought to passe that the cutters can make dispatch of them before this chronologie be published Of townes and villages likewise thus much will I saie that there were greater store in old time I meane within three or foure hundred yeare passed than at this present And this I note out of diuerse records charters and donations made in times past vnto sundrie religious houses as Glassenburie Abbandon Ramseie Elie and such like and whereof in these daies I find not so much as the ruines Leland in sundrie places complaineth likewise of the decaie of parishes in great cities and townes missing in some six or eight or twelue churches and more of all which he giueth particular notice For albeit that the Saxons builded manie townes and villages and the Normans well more at their first comming yet since the first two hundred yeares after the latter conquest they haue gone so fast againe to decaie that the ancient number of them is verie much abated Ranulph the moonke of Chester telleth of generall surueie made in the fourth sixtéenth nineteenth of the reigne of William Conqueror surnamed the Bastard wherein it was found that notwithstanding the Danes had ouerthrowâ—e a great manie there were to the number of 52000 townes 45002 parish churches and 75000 knights fées whereof the cleargie held 28015. He addeth moreouer that there were diuerse other builded since that time within the space of an hundred yeares after the comming of the Bastard as it were in lieu or recompense of those that William Rufus pulled downe for the erection of his new forrest For by an old booke which I haue and sometime written as it seemeth by an vndershiriffe of Nottingham I find euen in the time of Edw. 4. 45120 parish churches and but 60216 knights fées whereof the cleargie held as before 28015 or at the least 28000 for so small is the difference which he dooth séeme to vse Howbeit if the assertions of such as write in our time concerning this matter either are or ought to be of anie credit in this behalfe you shall not find aboue 17000 townes and villages and 9210 in the whole which is little more than a fourth part of the aforesaid number if it be throughlie scanned Certes this misfortune hath not onelie happened vnto our Ile nation but vnto most of the famous countries of the world heretofore and all by the gréedie desire of such as would liue alone and onelie to themselues And hereof we may take example in Candie of old time called Creta which as Homer writeth was called Hetacompolis bicause it conteined an hundred cities but now it is so vnfurnished that it may hardlie be called Tripolis Diodorus Siculus saith that Aegypt had once 18000 cities which so decaied in processe of time that when Ptolomeus Lagus reigned there were not aboue 3000 but in our daies both in all Asia Aegypt this lesser number shall not verie readilie he found In time past in Lincolne as the fame goeth there haue beene two and fiftie parish churches and good record appeareth for eight and thirtie but now if there be foure and twentie it is all This inconuenience hath growen altogither to the church by appropriations made vnto monasteries and religious houses a terrible canker and enimie to religion But to leaue this lamentable discourse of so notable and gréeuous an inconuenience growing as I said by incroching and ioining of house to house and laieng land to land whereby the inhabitants of manie places of our countrie are deuoured and eaten vp and their houses either altogither pulled downe or suffered to decaie by litle and litle although sometime a poore man peraduenture dooth dwell in one of them who not being able to repare it suffereth it to fall downe thereto thinketh himselfe verie friendlie dealt withall if he may haue an acre of ground assigned vnto him whereon to kéepe
and diuerse other which I haue prouided readie for the purpose beside the monuments and liuelie images of sundrie philosophers and kings of this Iland since the time of Edward the Confessor Wherof although presentlie I want a few yet I doo not doubt but to obteine them all if friendship at the leastwise procured for monie shall be able to preuaile But as it hath doone hitherto so the charges to be emploied vpon these brasen or copper images will hereafter put by the impression of that treatife whereby it maie come to passe that long trauell shall soone proue to be spent in vaine and much cost come to verie small successe Whereof yet I force not greatlie sith by this means I haue reaped some commoditie vnto my selfe by searching of the histories which often minister store of examples readie to be vsed in my function as occasion shall mooue me But to procéed with my purpose Before the comming of the Romans there was a kind of copper monie currant here in Britaine as Caesar confesseth in the fift booke of his Commentaries but I find not of what maner it was Hereto he addeth a report of certeine rings of a proportionate weight which they vsed in his time in stead likewise of monie But as hitherto it hath not bene my lucke I saie to haue the certeine view of anie of these so after the comming of the Romans they inforced vs to abandon our owne and receiue such imperiall monies or coines as for the paiment of their legions was dailie brought ouer vnto them What coines the Romans had it is easie to be knowne and from time to time much of it is found in manie places of this Iland as well of gold and siluer as of copper brasse and other mettall much like stéele almost of euerie emperour So that I account it no rare thing to haue of the Roman coine albeit that it still represent an image of our captiuitie and maie be a good admonition for vs to take heed how we yéeld our selues to the regiment of strangers Of the store of these monies found vpon the Kentish coast I haue alreadie made mention in the description of Richborow and chapter of Iles adiacent vnto the British Albion and there shewed also how simple fishermen haue had plentie of them and that the conies in making profers and holes to bréed in haue scraped them out of the ground in verie great abundance In speaking also of S. Albans in the chapter of townes and villages I haue not omitted to tell what plentie of these coines haue bene gathered there wherfore I shall not néed here to repeat the same againe Howbeit this is certeine that the most part of all these antiquities to be found within the land distant from the shore are to be gotten either in the ruines of ancient cities and townes decaied or in inclosed burrowes where their legions accustomed sometime to winter as by experience is dailie confirmed What store hath béene séene of them in the citie of London which they called Augusta of the legion that soiourned there likewise in Yorke named also Uictrix of the legion Victoria or Altera Roma because of the beautie and fine building of the same I my selfe can partlie witnesse that haue séene often had of them if better testimonie were wanting The like I maie affirme of Colchester where those of Claudius Adrian Traian Vespasian and other are oftentimes plowed vp or found by other means also of Cantorburie Andredeschester now decaied Rochester then called Durobreuum Winchester and diuerse other beyond the Thames which for breuitie sake I doo passe ouer in silence Onelie the chiefe of all and where most are found in deed is néere vnto Carleon and Cairgwent in Southwales about Kenchester thrée miles aboue Hereford Aldborow Ancaster Bramdon Dodington where a spurre and péece of a chaine of gold were found in king Henrie the eight his daies besides much of the said Roman coine Binchester Camalet Lacocke vpon Auon and Lincolne Dorchester Warwike and Chester where they are often had in verie great abundance It seemeth that Ancaster hath beene a great thing for manie square colored pauements vaults and arches are yet found and often laid open by such as dig and plow in the fields about the same And amongst these one Uresbie or Roscbie a plowman did ere vp not long since a stone like a trough couered with another stone wherein was great foison of the aforesaid coines The like also was séene not yet fortie yeares agone about Grantham But in king Henrie the eight his daies an husbandman had far better lucke at Harleston two miles from the aforesaid place where he found not onelie great plentie of this coine but also an huge brasse pot and therein a large helmet of pure gold richlie fretted with pearle and set with all kind of costlie stones he tooke vp also chaines much like vnto beads of siluer all which as being if a man might ghesse anie certeintie by their beautie not likelie to be long hidden he presented to quéene Katharine then lieng at Peterborow and therewithall a few ancient rolles of parchment written long agone though so defaced with mouldinesse and rotten for age that no man could well hold them in his hand without falling into péeces much lesse read them by reason of their blindnesse In the beginning of the same kings daies also at Killeie a man found as he eared an arming girdle harnessed with pure gold and a great massie pomell with a crosse hilt for a sword of the same mettall beside studs and harnesse for spurs and the huge long spurs of like stuffe whereof one doctor Ruthall got a part into his hands The boroughs or buries wherof I spake before were certeine plots of ground wherin the Romane souldiers did vse to lie when they kept in the open fields as chosen places from whence they might haue easie accesse vnto their aduersaries if anie outrage were wrought or rebellion mooued against them And as these were the vsuall aboads for those able legions that serued dailie in the wars so had they other certeine habitations for the old and forworne souldiers whereby diuerse cities grew in time to be replenished with Romane colonies as Cairleon Colchester Chester and such other of which Colchester bare the name of Colonia long time and wherein A. Plautius builded a temple vnto the goodesse of Uictorie after the departure of Claudius which Tacitus calleth Aram sempiternae dominationis a perpetuall monument of that our British seruitude But to returne vnto our borowes they were generallie walled about with stone wals and so large in compasse that some did conteine thirtie fourtie three score or eightie acres of ground within their limits they had also diuerse gates or ports vnto each of them and of these not a few remaine to be seene in our time as one for example not far from great Chesterford in Essex néere to the limits of Cambridgshire which I haue often
diuision of languages Herevpon Theophilus hath these words Cùm priscis temporibus pauei forant homines in Arabia Chaldaea post linguarum diuisonem aucti multiplicati paulatim sunt hinc quidam abierunt versus orientem quidam concessere ad partes maioris continentis alij porrò profecti sunt ad septentrionem sedes quaesiuâ—â—i nec priùs desierunt terram vbique occupare quà m etiam 〈◊〉 annos in Arctois climatibus accesserint c. That is When at the first there were not manie men in Arabia and Chaldaea it came to passe that after the diuision of toongs they began somewhat better to increase and multiplie by which occasion some of them went toward the east and some toward the parts of the great manie land diuers went also northwards to seeke them dwelling places neither staid they to replenish the earth as they went till they came vnto the Iles of Britaine lieng vnder the north pole Thus far Theophilus These things considered Gildas the Britaine had great reason to thinke that this countrie had bene inhabited from the beginning And Polydor Virgil was with no lesse consideration hereby induced to confesse that the I le of Britaine had receiued inhabitants foorthwith after the floud Of Samothes Magus Sarron Druis and Bardus fiue kings succeeding each other in regiment ouer the Celts and Samotheans and how manie hundred yeeres the Celts inhabited this Iland The second Chapter SAmothes the first begotten sonne of Iaphet called by Moses Mesech Dis by others receiued for his portion according to the report of Wolfgangus Lazius all the countrie lieng betwéene the riuer of Rhene and the Pyrenian mountains where he founded the kingdome of Celtica ouer his people called Celtae Which name Bale affirmeth to haue bene indifferent to the inhabitants both of the countrie of Gallia and the I le of Britaine that he planted colonies of men brought foorth of the east parts in either of them first in the maine land and after in the Iland He is reported by Berosus to haue excelled all men of that age in learning and knowledge and also is thought by Bale to haue imparted the same among his people namelie the vnderstanding of the sundrie courses of the starres the order of inferiour things with manie other matters incident to the morall and politike gouernment of mans life and to haue deliuered the same in the Phenician letters out of which the Gréekes according to the opinion of Achilochus deuised deriued the Gréeke characters insomuch that Xenophon and Iosephus doo constantlie report although Diogenes Laertius be against it that both the Gréekes and other nations receiued their letters and learning first from these countries Of this king and his learning arose a sect of philosophers saith Annius first in Britaine and after in Gallia the which of his name were called Samothei They as Aristotle and Secion write were passing skilfull both in the law of God and man and for that cause excéedinglie giuen to religion especiallie the inhabitants of this I le of Britaine insomuch that the whole nation did not onelie take the name of them but the Iland it selfe as Bale and doctor Caius agree came to be called Samothea which was the first peculiar name that euer it had and by the which it was especiallie knowne before the arriuall of Albion MAgus the sonne of Samothes after the death of his father was the second king of Celtica by whome as Berosus writeth there were manie townes builded among the Celts which by the witnesse of Annius did beare the addition of their founder Magus of which townes diuers are to be found in Ptolomie And Antoninus a painfull surueior of the world and searcher of cities maketh mention of foure of them here in Britaine Sitomagus Neomagus Niomagus and Nouiomagus Neomagus sir Thomas Eliot writeth to haue stood where the citie of Chester now standeth Niomagus George Lillie placeth where the towne of Buckingham is now remaining Beside this Bale dooth so highlie commend the foresaid Magus for his learning renowned ouer all the world that he would haue the Persians and other nations of the south and west parts to deriue the name of their diuines called Magi from him In déed Rauisius Textor and sir Iohn Prise affirme that in the daies of Plinie the Britons were so expert in art magike that they might be thought to haue first deliuered the same to the Persians What the name of Magus importeth and of what profession the Magi were Tullie declareth at large and Mantuan in briefe after this maner Ille penes Persas Magus est qui sidera norit Qui sciat herbarum vires cultumú deorum Persepoli facit ista magos prudentia triplex The Persians terme him Magus that the course of starres dooth knowe The power of herbs and worship due to God that man dooth owe By threefold knowledge thus the name of Magus then dooth growe SArron the third king of the Celts succéeded his father Magus in gouernement of the contrie of Gallia and the I le Samothea wherein as D. Caius writeth he founded certaine publike places for them that professed learning with Berosus affirmeth to be done to the internt to restraine the wilfull outrage of men being as then but raw and void of all ciuilitie Also it is thought by Annius that he was the first author of those kind of philosophers which were called Sarronides of whom Diodorus Siculus writeth in this sort There are saith he among the Celts certaine diuines and philosophers called Sarronides whom aboue all other they haue in great estimation For it is the manner among them not without a philosopher to make anie sacrifice sith they are of beléefe that sacrifices ought onelie to be made by such as are skilfull in the diuine mysteries as of those who are néerest vnto God by whose intercession they thinke all good things are to be required of God and whose aduise they vse and follow as well in warre as in peace DRuis whom Seneca calleth Dryus being the sonne of Sarron was after his father established the fourth king of Celtica indifferentlie reigning as wel ouer the Celts as Britons or rather as the inhabitants of this I le were then called Samotheans This prince is commended by Berosus to be so plentifullie indued with wisedome and learning that Annius taketh him to be the vndoubted author of the beginning and name of the philosophers called Druides whome Caesar and all other ancient Gréeke and Latine writers doo affirme to haue had their begining in Britaine and to haue bin brought from thence into Gallia insomuch that when there arose any doubt in that countrie touching any point of their discipline they did repaire to be resolued therein into Britaine where speciallie in the I le of Anglesey as Humfrey Lâ—â—oyd witnesseth they made their principall abode Touching their vsages many things are written by
his bountifulnâ—s and buriall The ninth Chapter HEere note by the waie a thing not to be be forgotten that of the foresaid Helie the last of the said 3â— kings the I le of Elie tooke the name bicause that he most commonlie did there inhabit building in the same a goodly palace and making great reparations of the sluces ditches causies about that I le for conueiance awaie of the water that els would sore haue indamaged the countrie There be that haue mainteined that this I le should rather take name of the great abundance of éeles that are found in these waters and fennes wherwith this Ile is inuironed But Humfrey Llhoyd holdeth that it tooke name of this British word Helig which signifieth willowes wherwith those fennes abound After the decesse of the same Helie his eldest son Lud began his reigne in the yéere after the creation of the world 3895 after the building of the citie of Rome 679 before the comming of Christ 72 and before the Romances entred Britaine 19 yéeres This Lud proued a right worthie prince amending the lawes of the realme that were defectiue abolishing euill customs and maners vsed amongst his people and repairing old cities and townes which were decaied but speciallie he delited most to beautifie and inlarge with buildings the citie of Troinouant which he compassed with a strong wall made of lime and stone in the best maner fortified with diuerse faire towers and in the west part of the same wall he erected a strong gate which he commanded to be called after his name Ludsgate and so vnto this daie it is called Ludgate S onelie drowned in pronuntiation of the word In the same citie also he soiorned for the more part by reason whereof the inhabitants increased and manie habitations were builded to receiue them and he himselfe caused buildings to be made betwixt London stone and Ludgate and builded for himselfe not farre from the said gate a faire palace which is the bishop of Londons palace beside Paules at this daie as some thinke yet Harison supposeth it to haue bin Bainards castell where the blacke friers now standeth He also builded a faire temple néere to his said palace which temple as some take it was after turned to a church and at this daie called Paules By reason that king Lud so much esteemed that citie before all other of his realme inlarging it so greatlie as he did and continuallie in manner remained there the name was changed so that it was called Caerlud that is to saie Luds towne and after by corruption of spéech it was named London Beside the princelie dooings of this Lud touching the aduancement of the common wealth by studies apperteining to the time of peace he was also strong valiant in armes in subduing his enimies bountious and liberall both in gifts and kéeping a plentifull house so that he was greatlie beloued of all the Britaines Finallie when he had reigned with great honour for the space of 11 yéeres he died and was buried néere Ludgate leauing after him two sons Androgeus and Theomancius or Tenancius Of Cassibellane and his noble mind Iulius Caesar sendeth Caius Volusenus to â—â—â—uey the coasts of this Iland he lieth with his fleet at Calice purposing to inuade the countrie his attempt is bewraied and withstood by the Britains The tenth Chapter GAssibellane the brother of Lud was admitted king of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3908 after the building of Rome 692 and before the comming of Christ 58 complet For sith the two sonnes of Lud were not of age able to gouerne the rule of the land was committed to Cassibellane but yet as some haue written he was not created king but rather appointed ruler protector of the land during the nonage of his nephewes Now after he was admitted by whatsoeuer order to the administration of the common wealth he became so noble a prince and so bountious that his name spred farre and néere and by his vpright dealing in seeing iustice executed he grew in such estimation that the Britaine 's made small account of his nephewes in comparison of the fauour which they bare towards him But Cassibellane hauing respect to his honour least it might be thought that his nephewes were expelled by him out of their rightfull possessions brought them vp verie honourablie assigning to Androgeus London and Kent and to Theomantius the countrie of Cornwall Thus farre out of the British histories whereby it maie be gathered that the yéeres assigned to these kings that reigned before Cassibellane amount to the summe of 1058. But whether these gouernors whose names we haue recited were kings or rather rulers of the common wealth or tyrants and vsurpers of the gouernment by force it is vncerteine for not one ancient writer of anie approued authoritie maketh anie remembrance of them and by that which Iulius Cesar writeth it maie and dooth appéere that diuerse cities in his daies were gouerned of themselues as héereafter it shall more plainlie appéere Neither doth he make mention of those townes which the British histoie affirmeth to be built by the same kings In déed both he and other Latine writers speake of diuerse people that inhabited diuers portions of this land as of the Brigantes Trinobantes Iceni Silures and such other like but in what parts most of the said people did certeinlie inhabit it is hard to auouch for certeine truth But what Iohn Leland thinketh héereof being one in our time that curiouslie searched out old antiquities you shall after heare as occasion serueth and likewise the opinions of other as of Hector Boetius who coueting to haue all such valiant acts as were atchiued by the Britains to be ascribed to his countriemen the Scots draweth both the Silures and Brigantes with other of the Britains so farre northward that he maketh them inhabitants of the Scotish countries And what particular names soeuer they had yet were they all Scots with him and knowne by that generall name as he would persuade vs to beléeue saieng that they entred into Britaine out of Ireland 330 yéeres before the incarnation of our Sauiour Neuerthelesse how generall soeuer the name of Scots then was sure it is that no speciall mention of them is made by anie writer till about 300 yeares after the birth of our sauiour And yet the Romans which ruled this land and had so much adoo with the people thereof make mention of â—iuerse other people nothing so famous as Boetius would make his Scotish men euen then to be But to leaue to the Scots the antiquitie of their originall beginning as they and other must doo vnto vs our descent from Brute and the other Troians sith the contrarie dooth not plainelie appeare vnlesse we shall leane vnto presumptions now are we come to the time in the which what actes were atchiued there remaineth more certeine record and therefore
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
impression of the Romans fled out on the contrarie side of the towne where the enimies were not Within this place a great number of cattell was found and manie of the Britains taken by the Romans that followed them in chase and manie also slaine Cassibellane dooth send vnto the foure kings of Kent for aid against Caesars host he offereth submission to Caesar the Britains become his tributaries he returneth into Gallia with the remnant of his armie the differing report of Caesars commentaries and our historiographers touching these warlike affaires of a sore fray with bloudshed and manslaughter vpon a light occasion Caesar taketh oportunitie to get the conquest of the land by the diuision betweene Cassibellane and Androgeus the time of the Britains subiection to the Romans The xvj Chapter NOw whilest these thinges passed on this sort in those parts Cassibellane sent messengers into Kent vnto foure kings which ruled that side of the land in those daies Cingetorix Caruilius Taximagulus and Segonax commanding them that assembling togither their whole puissance they should assaile the campe of the Romans by the sea side where certeine bands lay as ye haue heard for safegard of the nauie They according to his appointment came suddenlie thither and by the Romans that sailed forth vpon them were sharplie fought with and lost diuers of their men that were slaine and taken and amongst the prisoners that the Romans tooke Cingetorix was one When Cassibellane heard these newes being sore troubled for these losses thus chancing one in the necke of an other but namelie most discouraged for that diuers cities had yeelded vnto the Romans he sent ambassadours by means of Romius of Arras vnto Cesar offering to submit himselfe Cesar meaning to winter in Gallia and therefore because summer drew towards an end willing to dispatch in Britaine commanded that hostages should be deliuered and appointed what tribute the Britains should yéerelie send vnto the Romans He also forbad and commanded Cassibellane that he should not in anie wise trouble or indamage Madubratius or the Londoners After this when he had receiued the hostages he brought his armie to the sea and there found his ships well repaired decked and in good point therefore he commanded that they should be had downe to the sea And because he had a great number of prisoners and diuers of his ships were lost in the tempest he appointed to transport his armie ouer into Gallia at two conueies which was doone with good successe about the middest of September though the ships returning for the residue of the armie after the first conueie were driuen so with force of weather that a great number of them could not come to land at the place appointed so that Cesar was constreined to fraught those that he could get with a greater burden and so departed from the coast of Britaine and safelie landed with the remnant of his people in Gallia with as good spéed as he could haue desired He thought not good to leaue anie of his people behind him knowing that if he should so doo they were in danger to be cast awaie And so because he could not well remaine there all the winter season for doubt of rebellion in Gallia he was contented to take vp and returne thither sith he had doone sufficientlie for the time least in coueting the more he might haue come in perill to lose that which he had alreadie obteined Thus according to that which Cesar himselfe and other autentike authors haue written was Britaine made tributarie to the Romans by the conduct of the same Cesar. ¶ But our histores farre differ from this affirming that Cesar comming the second time was by the Britains with valiancie and martiall prowesse beaten and repelled as he was at the first and speciallie by meanes that Cassibellane had pight in the Thames great piles of trées piked with yron through which his ships being entred the riuer were perished and lost And after his comming a land he was vanquished in battell and constrained to flee into Gallia with those ships that remained For ioy of this second victorie saith Galfrid Cassibellane made a great feast at London and there did sacrifice to the gods At this feast there fell variance betwixt two yoong gentlemen the one named Hirilda nephew to Cassibellane and the other Euelie or Eweline being of aliance to Androgeus earle of London They fell at discord about wrestling and after multiplieng of words they came to dealing of blowes by meanes whereof parts were taken so that there ensued a sore fraie in the which diuerse were wounded and hurt and amongst other Hirilda the kings nephew was slaine by the hands of Eweline The king sore displeased herewith meant to punish Eweline according to the order of his lawes so that he was summoned to appeare in due forme to make answer to the murder but Eweline by the comfort of Androgeus disobeied the summons departed the court with Androgeus in contempt of the king and his lawes The king to be reuenged vpon Androgeus gathered a power and began to make warre vpon him Androgeus perceiuing himselfe not able to withstand the kings puissance sent letters to Iulius Cesar exhorting him to returne into Britaine and declaring the whole matter concerning the variance betwixt him and the king promising to aid the Romans in all that he might Iulius Cesar ioifull of this message prepared his nauie and with all spéed with a mightie host imbarked in the same came toward Britaine but yet he would land doubting some treason in Androgeus he receiued from him in hostage his sonne named Scena and thirtie other of the best and most noble personages of all his dominion After this he landed and ioining with Androgeus came into a vallie néere to Canturburie and there incamped Shortlie after came Cassibellane with all his power of Britains and gaue battell to the Romans But after the Britains had long fought and knightlie borne themselues in that battell Androgeus came with his people on a wing and so sharplie assailed them that the Britains were constrained to forsake the field and tooke themselues to flight The which flight so discomforted them that finallie they all fled and gaue place to the Romans the which pursued and slue them without mercie so that Cassibellane with the residue of his people withdrew to a place of suertie but being enuironed about with the puissance of the Romans and of Androgeus who had with him seuen thousand men there in the aid of the Romans Cassibellane in the end was forced to fall to a composition in couenanting to paie a yearelie tribute of thrée thousand pounds When Cesar had ordered his businesse as he thought conuenient he returned and with him went Androgeus fearing the displeasure of Cassibellane The reuerend father Bede writing of this matter saith thus After that Cesar being returned into Gallia had placed his souldiors abroad in the countrie to soiorne for the winter season he
caused ships to be made readie to the number of 600 with the which repassing into Britaine whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the enimies his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest were either beaten one against another or else cast vpon the flats and sands and so broken so that fortie of them were vtterlie perished and the residue with great difficultie were repaired The horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the woorsse and Labienus the tribune slaine In the second conflict he vanquished the Britains not without great danger of his people After this he marched to the riuer of Thames which as then was passable by foord onelie in one place and not else as the report goeth On the further banke of that riuer Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude of enimies and had pitcht and set the banke and almost all the foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes the tokens of which vnto this day are to be séene and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer closed with lead This being perceiued of the Romans and auoided the Britains not able to susteine the violent impression of the Roman legions hid themselues in the woods out of the which by often issues they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed the Romans and did them great damage In the meane time the strong citie of Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages yéelded vnto Cesar whose example manie other cities following allied themselues with the Romans by whose information Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane situat betwixt two marches fensed also with the couert of woods hauing within it great plentie of all things After this Cesar returned into France and bestowed his armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season The Scotish writers report that the Britains after the Romans were the first time repelled as before ye haue heard refused to receiue the aid of the Scotish men the second time and so were vanquished as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed Thus much touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains in bringing them vnder tribute to the Romans But this tributarie subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season ¶ Now here is to be noted that Cesar did not vanquish all the Britains for he came not amongst the northerne men onlie discouering and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas so that sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnestlie trauell to bring the Britains vnder their subiection which were euer redie to rebell so manie sundrie times Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed Britaine to the Romans than to haue deliuered the possession of the same This subiection to the which he brought this Ile what maner of one soeuer it was chanced about the yeare of the world 3913 after the building of Rome 698 before the birth of our sauior 53 the first and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad after the comming of Brute 1060 before the conquest made by William duke of Normandie 1120 and 1638 yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585 after Harisons account The state of Britaine when Caesar offered to conquer it and the maner of their gouernement as diuerse authors report the same in their bookes where the contrarietie of their opinions is to be obserued The xvij Chapter AFter that Iulius Cesar had thus made the Britains tributaries to the Romans and was returned into Gallia Cassibellane reigned 7 yeares and was vanquished in the ninth or tenth yeare after he began first to reigne so that he reigned in the whole about 15 or as some haue 17 yeares and then died leauing no issue behind him There hath bin an old chronicle as Fabian recordeth which he saw and followeth much in his booke wherein is conteined that this Cassibellane was not brother to Lud but eldest sonne to him for otherwise as may be thought saith he Cesar hauing the vpper hand would haue displaced him from the gouernement and set vp Androgeus the right heire to the crowne as sonne to the said Lud. But whatsoeuer our chronicles or the British histories report of this matter it should appere by that which Cesar writeth as partlie ye haue heard that Britaine in those daies was not gouerned by one sole prince but by diuers and that diuers cities were estates of themselues so that the land was diuided into sundrie gouernements much after the forme and maner as Germanie and Italie are in our time where some cities are gouerned by one onelie prince some by the nobilitie and some by the people And whereas diuers of the rulers in those daies here in this land were called kings those had more large seigniories than the other as Cassibellane who was therefore called a king And though we doo admit this to be true yet may it be that in the beginning after Brute entered the land there was ordeined by him a monarchie as before is mentioned which might continue in his posteritie manie yeares after and yet at length before the comming of Cesar through ciuill dissention might happilie be broken and diuided into parts and so remained not onelie in the time of this Cassibellane but also long after whilest they liued as tributaries to the Romans till finallie they were subdued by the Saxons In which meane time through the discord negligence or rather vnaduised rashnes of writers hard it is to iudge what may be affirmed and receiued in their writings for a truth namelie concerning the succession of the kings that are said to haue reigned betwixt the daies of Cassibellane and the comming of the Saxons The Roman writers and namelie Tacitus report that the Britains in times past were vnder the rule of kings and after being made tributaries were drawne so by princes into sundrie factions that to defend and kéepe off a common ieopardie scarselie would two or thrée cities agrée togther and take weapon in hand with one accord so that while they fought by parts the whole was ouercome And after this sort they say that Britaine was brought into the forme of a prouince by the Romans from whom gouernors vnder the name of legats and procurators were sent that had the rule of it But yet the same authors make mention of certeine kings as hereafter shall appeare who while the Romane emperors had the most part of the earth in subiection reigned in Britaine The same witnesseth Gildas saieng Britaine hath kings but they are tyrants iudges it hath but the same are wicked oftentimes spoiling and tormenting the innocent people And Cesar as ye haue heard speaketh of foure kings that ruled in Kent and thereabouts Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention of Prasutagus and Cogidunus that were kings in Britaine and Iuuenal speaketh of Aruiragus
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
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
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
a grounded truth that such a prince there was and among all other a late writer who falling into necessarie mention of prince Arthur frameth a spéech apologeticall in his and their behalfe that were princes of the British bloud discharging a short but yet a sharpe inuectiue against William Paruus Polydor Virgil and their complices whom he accuseth of lieng toongs enuious detraction malicious slander reprochfull and venemous language wilfull ignorance dogged enuie and cankerd minds for that they speake vnreuerentlie and contrarie to the knowne truth concerning those thrisenoble princes Which defensitiue he would not haue deposed but that he takes the monuments of their memories for vndoubted verities The British histories and also the Scotish chronicles doo agrée that he liued in the daies of the emperour Iustinian about the fiftéenth yeere of whose reigne he died which was in the yéere of our Lord 542 as diuerse doo affirme Howbeit some write farther from all likelihood that he was about the time of the emperor Zeno who began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 474. The writer of the booke intituled Aurea historia affirmeth that in the tenth yéere of Cerdicus king of Westsaxons Arthur the warriour rose against the Britains Also Diouionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftentimes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one moneth he arose in an other moneth more fierce and strong to giue battell than before At length Arthur wearied with irkesomnes after the twelfth yéere of the comming of Cerdicus gaue vnto him vpon his homage doone and fealtie receiued the shires of Southampton and Somerset the which countries Cerdicius named Westsaxon This Cerdicius or Cerdicus came into Britaine about the yéere of your Lord 495. In the 24 yere after his comming hither that is to say about the yéere of our Lord 519 he began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and gouerned them as king by the space of 15 yéeres as before ye haue heard But to follow the course of our chronicles accordinglie as we haue began we must allow of their accounts herein as in other places and so procéed The decaie of christian religion and receiuing of the Pelagian heresie in Britaine by what meanes they were procured and by whom redressed Constantine succeedeth Arthur in the kingdome ciuill warre about succession to the crowne the chalengers are pursued and slaine Constantine is vnkindlie killed of his kinsman a bitter and reprochfull inuectiue of Gyldas against the British rulers of his time and namelie against Constantine Conan that slue Constantine reigneth in Britaine his vertues and vices his two yeeres regiment the seuere reprehensions of Gyldas vttered against Conan discouering the course of his life and a secret prophesie of his death The xv Chapter IN this meane while that the realme was disquieted with sore continuall warres betwixt the Britains and Saxons as before ye haue heard the christian religion was not onelie abolished in places where the Saxons got habitations but also among the Britains the right faith was brought into danger by the remnant of the Pelagian heresie which began againe to be broched by diuers naughtie persons But Dubritius that was first bishop of Landaffe and after archbishop of Caerleon Arwiske and his successour Dauid with other learned men earnestlie both by preaching and writing defended the contrarie cause to the confuting of those errors and restablishing of the truth AFter the death of Arthur his coosine Constantine the sonne of Cador duke or earle of Cornewall began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord 542 which was about the 15 yéere of the emperour Iustinianus almost ended the 29 of Childebert king of France and the first yéere well néere complet of the reigne of Totilas king of the Goths in Italie Arthur when he perceiued that he shuld die ordeined this Constantine to succéed him and so by the consent of the more part of the Britains he was crowned king but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claimed the rule of the land by iust title and claime of inheritance to them from their father descended Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that diuers battels were striken betwéene them and in the end the two brethren were constreined to withdraw for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine pursuing them first came to Winchester and by force entered the citie and slue the one brother that was fled thither within the church of saint Amphibalus and after comming to London entered that citie also and finding the other brother within a church there slue him in like maner as he had doone the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thought to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortlie after his owne kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arrered warre against him who ioining with him in battell slue him in the field after he had reigned foure yéeres His bodie was conueied to Stonheng and there buried beside his ancestour Uter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment which Gyldas writeth in his booke intituled De excidio Britanniae where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his time he writeth thus Britaine hath kings but the same be tyrants iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentines péeling and harming the innocent people reuenging and defending but whom such as be guâ—ltie persons and robbers hauing manie wiues but yet breaking wedlocke oftentimes swearing and yet for swearing themselues vowing and for the more part lieng warring but mainteining ciuill vniust warres pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie and yet not onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them but also highlie rewarding them giuing almesse largelie but on the other part heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes sitting in the seat of sentence but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement despising the innocent and humble persons and exalting so farre as in them lieth euen vp to the heauens most bloudie and proud murtherers théeues and adulterers yea the verie professed enimies of God if he would so permit kéeping manie in prison whome they oppresse in loding them with irons through craft rather to serue their owne purpose than for anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned taking solemne oths before the altars and shortlie after despising the same altars as vile and filthie stones Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant who this yeare after the receiuing of his dreadfull oth whereby he bound himselfe that in no wise he should hurt his subiects God first and then his oth with the companie of saints and his mother being there present did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers as the church and their carnall mother vnder the coule of the holie abbat deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth the tender sides yea and the entrailes
now receiued the christian faith when he should returne into his countrie required king Oswie to appoint him certeine instructors and teachers which might conuert his people to the faith of Christ. King Oswie desirous to satisfie his request sent vnto the prouince of the Middleangles calling from thence that vertuous man Cedda and assigning vnto him another priest to be his associat sent them vnto the prouince of the Eastsaxons there to preach the christian faith vnto the people And when they had preached taught through the whole countrie to the great increase and inlarging of the church of Christ it chanced on a time that Cedda returned home into Northumberland to conferre of certeine things with bishop Finnan which kept his sée at Lindesherne where vnderstanding by Cedda the great fruits which it had pleased God to prosper vnder his hands in aduancing the faith among the Eastsaxons he called to him two other bishops and there ordeined the foresaid Cedda bishop of the East saxons Héerevpon the same Cedda returned vnto his cure went forward with more authoritie to performe the woorke of the Lord building churches in diuerse places ordeined priests and deacons which might helpe him in preaching and in the ministerie of baptising speciallie in the citie of Ithancester vpon the riuer of Pent and likewise in Tileburge on the riuer of Thames Whilest Ced was thus bufle to the great comfort and ioy of the king and all his people in the setting forward of the christian religion with great increase dailie procéeding it chanced thorough the instigation of the deuill the common enimie of mankind that king Sigibert was murthered by two of his owne kinsmen who were brethren the which when they were examined of the cause that should mooue them to that wicked fact they had nothing to alledge but that they did it bicause they had conceiued an hatred against the king for that he was too fauourable towards his enimies and would with great mildnesse of mind forgiue iniuries committed against him such was the kings fault for the which he was murthered bicause he obserued the commandements of the gospell with a deuout hart Notwithstanding in this his innocent death his offense was punished wherein he had suerlie transgressed the lawes of the church For whereas one of them which slue him kept a wife whome he had vnlawfullie maried and refused to put hir away at the bishops admonition he was by the bishop excommunicated and all other of the christian congregation commanded to absteine from his companie This notwithstanding the king being destred of him came to his house to a banket and in his comming from thence met with the bishop whome when the king beheld he waxed afraid and alighted from his horsse and fell downe at his féet beséeching him of pardon for his offense The bishop which also was on horssebacke likewise alighted and touching the king with his rod which he had in his hand as one something displeased and protesting as in the authoritie of a bishop spake these words Bicause saith he thou wouldst not absteine from entring the house of that wicked person being accurssed thou shalt die in the same house and so it came to passe Suidhelme king of the Eastsaxons he is baptised the bishoplike exercises of Ced in his natiue countrie of Northumberland Ediswald K. of Deira reuerenceth him the kings deuout mind to further and inlarge religion the maner of consecrating a place appointed for a holie vse the old order of fasting in Lent bishop Ced dieth warre betweene Oswie and Penda Oswie maketh a vow to dedicate his daughter a perpetuall virgine to God if he got the victorie he obteineth his request and performeth his vow she liueth dieth and is buried in a monasterie the benefit insuing Oswies conquest ouer his enimies the first second and third bishops of Mercia the victorious proceeding of king Oswie prince Peada his kinsman murthered of his wife The xxxij Chapter AFter Sigbert succeeded Suidhelme in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons he was the son of Sexbald and baptised of Ced in the prouince of the Eastangles at a place of the kings there called Rendlessham Ediswald king of the Eastangles the brother of king Anna was his godfather at the fontsone Ced the bishop of the Eastsaxons vsed oftentimes to visit his countrie of Northumberland where he was borne and by preaching exhorted the people to godlie life Wherevpon it chanced that king Ediswald the son of king Oswald which reigned in the parties of Deira mooued with the fame of his vertuous trade of liuing had him in great reuerence and therefore vpon a good zeale and great deuotion willed him to choose foorth some plot of ground where he might build a monasterie in the which the king himselfe and others might praie heare sermons the oftener and haue place where to burie the dead The bishop consenting to the kings mind at length espied a place amongst high and desert mounteins where he began the foundation of a monasterie afterwards called Lestinghem Wherefore meaning first of all to purge the place with praier fasting he asked leaue of the king that he might remaine there all the Lent which was at hand and so continuing in that place for that time fasted euerie daie sundaie excepted from the morning vntill euening according to the maner nor receiued anie thing then but onlie a little bread and a hens eg with a little milke mixt with water for he said that this was the custome of them of whome he had learned the forme of his regular order that they should consecrate those places vnto the Lord with praier and fasting which they latelie had receiued to make in the same either church or monasterie And when there remained ten daies of Lent yet to come he was sent for to the king wherefore he appointed a brother which he had being also a priest named Cimbill to supplie his roome that his begun religious woorke should not be hindered for the kings businesse Now when the time was accomplished he ordeined a monasterie there appointing the moonks of the same to liue after the rules of them of Lindesferne where he was brought vp Finallie this bishop Ced comming vnto this monasterie afterwards by chance in time of a sicknesse died there and left that monasterie to the gouernance of another brother which he had named Ceadda that was after a bishop as afterwards shall be shewed There were foure brethren of them and all priests Ced Cimbill Ceulin and Ceadda of the which Ced and Ceadda were bishops as before is said About the same time Oswie king of Northumberland was sore oppressed by the warres of Penda king of Mercia so that he made great offers of high gifts and great rewards vnto the said Penda for peace but Penda refused the same as he that meant vtterlie to haue destroied the whole nation of Oswies poeple so that Oswie turning himselfe to seeke
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
quicklie into arâ—â—ie began to charge them againe afresh and so hauing them at that aduantage they slue them downe on euerie side The Englishmen on the other part fought sore and though their king was beaten downe among them and slaine yet were they loth to flée or giue ouer so sharpe was the battell that duke William himselfe had thrée horsses slaine vnder him that day and not without great danger of his person Some of the Englishmen got them to the height of an hill and beate backe the Normans that forced themselues to win the hill of them so that it was long yer the Normans could preuaile being oftentimes driuen downe into the botome of the vallie beneath At length the Englishmen perceiuing themselues to be ouermatched and beaten downe on euerie side and therevnto greatlie discouraged with slaughter of their king began first to giue ground and after to scatter and to run away so that well was he that might then escape by flight When they had fought the most part of all that saturday the Normans followed the chase with such eger rashnesse that a great number of them falling with their horsses and armour into a blind ditch shadowed with reed and sedges which grew therein were smouldered and pressed to death yer they could be succoured or get anie reliefe The next day the Normans fell to gathering in the spoile of the field burieng also the dead bodies of their people that were slaine at the battell giuing licence in semblable manner to the Englishmen to doo the like Of the death of Harold diuerse report diuerslie in so much that Girald Cambrensis saith that after king Harold had receiued manie wounds and lost his left eie he fled from the field vnto the citie of Westchester and liued there long after an holie life as an anchoret in the cell of S. Iames fast by S. Iohns church and there made a godlie end But the saieng of Girald Cambren in that point is not to be credited bicause of the vnlikelihood of the thing it selfe and also generall consent of other writers who affirme vniuersallie that he was killed in the battell first being striken thorough the left eie by the scull into the braine with an arrow wherevpon falling from his horsse to the ground he was slaine in that place after he had reigned nine moneths and nine daies as Floriacensis dooth report He was a man of a comelie stature and of a hawtie courage albeit that for his valiancie he was highlie renowmed and honored of all men yet through his pride and ambition he lost the harts of manie There were slaine in this battell besides king Harold and his two brethren Girth and Leofrike what on the one side and on the other aboue twentie thousand men The bodie of king Harold being found among other slaine in the field was buried at Waltham within the monasterie of the holie crosse which he before had founded and indowed to the behoofe of such canons as he had placed there with faire possessions Uerelie as some old writers haue reported there was nothing in this man to be in anie wise dispraised if his ambitious mind could haue beene staied from coueting the kingdome and that he could haue béene contented to haue liued as subiect Among other manifest proofes of his high valiancie this is remembred of him that being sent against the Welshmen as before is partlie mentioned knowing their readie nimblenesse in seruice and how with their light armed men they were accustomed to annoie and distresse those that should assaile them he likewise to match them prepared light armed men for the purpose so being furnished with such bands of nimble men and light souldiers entered vpon the mounteins of Snowdon and there remained amongst the enimies for the space of two yéeres He sore afflicted the Welsh nation tooke their kings and sent their heads vnto the king that sent him about his businesse and proceeding in such rigorous maner as might mooue the hearers to lament and pitie the case he caused all the male kind that might be met with to be miserablie slaine and so with the edge of his swoord he brought the countrie to quiet and withall made this lawe that if anie Welshman from thencefoorth should presume to passe the limits ouer Offas ditch with anie weapon about him he should lose his right hand To conclude by the valiant conduct of this chieftaine the Welshmen were them so sore brought vnder than in maner the whole nation might séeme to faile and to be almost vtterlie destroied And therefore by permission of the king of England the women of Wales ioined themselues in marriage with Englishmen Finallie héereby the bloud of the Saxons ceassed to reigne in England after they had continued possession of the same from the first comming of Hengist which was about the yéere of our Sauiour 450 or 449 vntill that present yeere of king Harolds death which chanced in the yéere 1069. So that from the beginning of Hengist his reigne vnto Harolds death are reckoned 916 yéeres or after some 617 as by the supputation of the time will easilie appeere By all the which time there reigned kings of the Saxons bloud within this land except that for the space of twentie yéeres and somewhat more the Danes had the dominion of the realme in their possession for there are reckoned from the beginning of K. Swaines reigne which was the first Dane that gouerned England vnto the last yéere of K. Hardicnute the last Dane that ruled heere 28 yéeres in which meane space Egelred recouering the kingdome reigned 2 yéeres then after him his sonne Edmund Ironside continued in the rule one yéere so that the Danes had the whole possession of the land but 25 yéeres in all Touching this alteration and others incident to this Iland read a short aduertisement annexed by waie of conclusion to this historie comprising a short summarie of the most notable conquests of this countrie one after an other by distances of times successiuelie The rule of this realme by Gods prouidence allotted to duke William his descent from Rollo the first duke of Normandie downewards to his particular linage he was base begotten vpon the bodie of Arlete duke Roberts concubine a pleasant speech of hirs to duke Robert on a time when he was to haue the vse of hir person a conclusion introductorie for the sequele of the chronicle from the said duke of Normandies coronation c with a summarie of the notable conquests of this Iland The twelfe Chapter NOw forsomuch as it pleased God by his hid and secret iudgement so to dispose the realme of England and in such wise as that the gouernance therof should fall after this maner into the hands of William duke of Normandie I haue thought good before I enter further into this historie being now come to the conquest of the realme
name common to vs all let vs now euen now I saie because we haue not doone it heretofore and whilest the remembrance of our ancient libertie remaineth sticke togither and performe that thing which dooth perteine to valiant and hardie courages to the end we maie inioie not onelie the name of libertie but also fréedome it selfe and thereby leaue our force and valiant acts for an example to our posteritie for if we which haue béene liberallie and in honest maner brought vp should vtterlie forget our pristinate felicitie what may we hope for in those that shall sucéed vs and are like to be brought vp in miserie and thraldome I doo not make rehearsall of these things vnto you to the end I would prouoke you to mislike of this present estate of things for well I know you abhorre it sufficientlie alreadie neither to put you in feare of those things that are likelie to fall hereafter because you doo feare and sée them verie well before hand but to the end I maie giue you heartie thankes and woorthie commendations for that of your owne accord and meanes you determine so well to prouide for things necessarie thereby to helpe both me and your selues with willing minds as men that are nothing in doubt of all the Romane puissance If you consider the number of your enimies it is not greater than yours if you regard their strength they are no stronger than you and all this dooth easilie appéere by the bassinets habergeons greiues wherewith you be armed and also by the walls ditches and trenches that you haue made for your own defense to kéepe off their excursions who had rather fight with vs a farre off than cope deale with vs at hand strokes as our custome of the warres and martiall discipline dooth require Wherefore we doo so farre exceed them in force that in mine opinion our armie is more strong than stone walls and one of our targets woorth all the armour that they doo beare vpon them by meanes whereof if the victorie be ours we shall soone make them captiues or if we lose the field we shall easilie escape the danger Furthermore if after the flight we shall indeuour to méet anie where we haue the marishes héere beneath to hide vs in and the hils round about to kéepe them off so that by no meanes they shall haue their purpose of vs whereas they being ouercharged with heauie armour shall neither be able to follow if we flée nor escape out of our danger if they be put to flight if they happen to breake out at anie time as desirous to make a rode they returne by and by to their appointed places where we maie take them as birds alreadie in cage In all which things as they are farre inferior to vs so most of all in this that they can not indure hunger thirst cold heat and sunne-shine as we can doo In their houses also and tents they make much account of their baked meates wine oile and abroad of the shadow that if anie of these doo faile them they either die foorthwith or else in time they languish and consume whereas to vs euerie hearbe and root is meat euerie iuice an oile all water pleasant wine and euerie trée an house Beside this there is no place of the land vnknowne to vs neither yet vnfriendlie to succour vs at néed whereas to the Romans they are for the most part vnknowne and altogither dangerous if they should stand in néed we can with ease swim ouer euerie riuer both naked and clad which they with their great ships are scarse able to performe Wherefore with hope and good lucke let vs set vpon them couragiouslie and teach them to vnderstand that since they are no better than hares and foxes they attempt a wrong match when they indeuour to subdue the grehounds and the woolues With which words the quéene let an hare go out of hir lap as it were thereby to giue prognostication of hir successe which comming well to passe all the companie showted and cried out vpon such as not long before had doone such violence to so noble a personage Presentlie vpon this action Uoadicia calling them togither againe procéeded forward with hir praier which she made before them all holding vp hir hands after this manner I giue thée thanks O Adraste and call vpon shee thou woman of women which reignest not ouer the burthen-bearing Aegyptians as Nitocris neither ouer their merchants as dooth Semiramis for these trifles we haue learned latelie of the Romans neither ouer the people of Rome as a litle héeretofore Messalina then Agrippina and now Nero who is called by the name of a man but is in déed a verie woman as dooth appéere by his voice his harpe and his womans attire but I call vpon thee as a goddesse which gouernest the Britains that haue learned not to till the field nor to be handicrafts men but to lead their liues in the warres after the best manner who also as they haue all other things so haue they likewise their wiues and children common whereby the women haue the like audacitie with the men and no lesse boldnesse in the warres than they Therefore sithens I haue obteined a kingdome among such a mightie people I beséech thée to grant them victorie health and libertie against these contentious wicked and vnsatiable men if they maie be called men which vse warme bathings delicate fare hot wines swéet oiles soft beds fine musicke and so vnkindlie lusts who are altogither giuen to couetousnesse and crueltie as their dooings doo declare Let not I beséech thée the Neronian or Domitian tyrannie anie more preuaile vpon me or to saie truth vpon thée but let them rather serue thée whose heauie oppression thou hast borne withall a long season and that thou wilt still be our helper onlie our defender our fauourer and our furtherer O noble ladie I hartilie beséech thee Queene Voadicia marcheth against the Romans to whom she giueth a shamefull and bloudie ouerthrow without anie motion of mercie dredfull examples of the Britains crueltie indifferentlie executed without exception of age or sex The twelfe Chapter WHen Uoadicia had made an end of hir praier she set forward against hir enimies who at that time were destitute in déed of their lieutenant Paulinus Suetonius being as then in Anglesey as before ye haue heard Wherefore the Romans that were in Camelodunum sent for aid vnto Catus Decianus the procurator that is the emperours agent treasurer or receiuer for in that citie although it were inhabited by Romans there was no great garrison of able men Wherevpon the procurator sent them such aid as he thought he might well spare which was not past two hundred men and those not sufficientlie furnished either with weapon or armour The citie was not compassed with anie rampire or ditch for defense such as happilie were priuie to the conspiracie hauing put into the heads of the Romans that no fortification néeded neither were
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