and Englishmen made war against such as succoured and defended his Uncle Jago and spoyled the Countries of Lhyyn and Kelynnoc Vawr whereby shortly after Jago was taken by Howels men who enjoyed his part of the land peaceably year 979 About the year 979. Edwal Vachan the son of Edwal Voel was slain by his Nephew Howel At this time Custenym Dhu that is Constantine the black son to Jago which then was prisoner hired Godfryd the son of Haroald with his Danes against his Cosin and they both together destroyed Anglesey and Lhyyn whereupon Howel gathered his army together and setting upon them at a place called Gwath Hirbarth overthrew them where Constantine was slain year 981 The year 981. Godfryd the son of Haroald gathered a great army and entred West Wales where spoyling all the Land of Dynet with the Church of St. Davids he fought the battail of Lhanwanoc Likewise in the year next ensuing Duke Alfred with an army of Englishmen spoyled and destroyed Brechnock and great part of the lands of Owen Prince of Southwales against whom Eneon the son of the said Owen and Howel King of Northwales did raise all their power and overthrow them in battail where the greatest part of Alfreds army was slain and the rest put to flight The year following the Gentlemen of Gwentland rebelled against their Prince and cruelly slew Eneon the soâ— of Owen which came thither to appease them This Eneon was a worthy and noble Gentleman who did many notable acts in his fathers time and left behind two sons Edwin and Theodor or Tewdor Mawr of whom came afterwards the Kings and Princes of Southwales In the year 984. Howel the son of Janaf King of Wales entered England with an army where he was fought and slain valiantly fighting This Howel had no son but his brethren reigned in his place Cadwallon the Son of Janaf After the death of Howel his Brother Cadwallon the second Son of Janaf took in hand the government of Northwales and first made War with Jonaval his Cofin the Son of Meyric and right heir to the Land and slew him but Edwal the youngest Brother escaped away secretly The year following Meredyth the Son of Owen King or Prince of Southwales with all his People entred into Northwales and in fight slew Cadwallon the son of Janaf and Meyric his Brother and conquered the land to himself wherein a man may see how God punished the wrong which Jago and Janaf the Sons of Edwal Voel did to their eldest brother Meyrick who was first disinherited and afterwards his eys put out and one of his Sons slain for first Janaf was imprisoned by Jago then Jago with his Son Constantine by Howel the Son of Ianaf and afterward the said Howel with his brethren Cadwallon and Meyric were slain and spoiled of their Lands Meredyth the Son of ap Howel Dha year 986 This Meredyth ap Owen havingslain Cadwallon obtained the Rule and government of Northwales in the year 986. Godfrid the Son of Haroald the third time entring the isle of Anglesey where having taken Lywarck the Son of Owen with two thousand prisoners besides he cruelly put out his eys whereupon Meredyth the Prince with the rest escaped and fled to Cardigan and the same year there was a great murrain of cattel throughout all Wales year 987 In the year 987. dyed Ianaf the Son of Edwal who had lived many years a private life The same year also dyed Owen the son of Howel Dha prince of Southwales This Owen had three Sons Eneon which dyed in his Fathers life time Lhywarck which lost both his eyes and Meredyth which as â—â—fore is declared had won Northwales and after his Fathers death took also into his possession all Southwales having no respect to his Brother Eneon his Sons Edwin and Theodor or Tewdor About the same time the Danes sailed from Hampton alongst the Sea coast The Tribute of the black Army spoiled Devonshire and Cornwall and so at last landed in Southwales and destroyed Saint Davids Lanbadarn Lhanrystid and Lhandydock which were all places of Religion and did so much hurt in the country besides that to be rid of them Meredyth was fain to agree with them and to give them a penny for every man within his land which was called the Tribute of the black Army year 989 The year 989. Owen the son of Dyfnwal was slain within a year after Meredith King of Wales destroyed the Town of Radnor at which time his Nephew Edwin the son of Encon having to his aid Duke Adelf and a great army of Englishmen and Danes spoiled all the land of Meredith in Southwales as Caerdigan Dynet Gwyr Kydwch and Saint Davids where Edwin took pledges of the chief men of those Countries In the mean time this Meredith with his people did spoil Glamorgan so that no place was free from Sword and fire but at the last Meredith and Edwin fell to an agreement and were made Friends Soon after Cadwalhon the son of Meredith dyed Meredith being thus imployed had so much to do in Southwales that Northwales lay open for the enemy which thing when the Danes perceived they arrived in Anglisey and destroyed the whole Isle Matth. West pag. 383. Jâ—a Castor 992. whereupon the Inhabitants of that country received Edwal the son of Meyric the right heir of Northwales for their Prince in the year 992. After these great troubles there followed within a year after such famine and scarcity in Southwales that many perished for want of food Edwal ap Meyric the son of Meredith This Edwal being in possession of the principality of Northwales studied to keep and defend his people from injuries and wrongs But Meredith gathered together all his power intending to recover again Northwales with whom Edwal met at Lhagwm and overthrew him in plain battel where Theodor or Tewdor Manor Meredith his Nephew was slain who left behinde him two Sons Rees and Rytherck and a Daughter called Elen. A little after this Swain the son of Haroald destroyed the Isle of Man and entring into Northwales slew Edwal the prince thereof who left behinde him a son called Jago In the year of Christ 998. the Danes came again to Saint Davids destroying all before them and there they slew Morgency or rather Vrgency Bishop of that See the same year also dyed Meredith the son of Owen King or Prince of Wales leaving behinde him one only Daughter called Angharad which was married to Lewellin ap Sitsylht and after his death to Convyn Hirdref or as other do think to Convyn ap Gwerystan who had children by either of them which was the cause of much war and mischief in Wales as shall appear hereafter Aedan the Son of Blegored The death of both these Princes forsomuch as Meredith had no Issue male and Edwal left behinde him a childe within years not able to take the charge of a Common-wealth did cause much trouble to ensue for in Northwales divers did aspire
Binius when it is evident that St. Claudia our Brittish Lady was the only wife of St. Pudens and Mother to those Saints Therefore to excuse the one from Errour and the other from Contradiction they must hold that both the Mother of St. Claudia and her self also was sometime called Priscilla as she was in Vmbria called Sabinella of her Husbands house at Sabinum there and this may sufficiently be gathered from those Antiquities Baronius citeth in which one St. Priscilla is called Priscilla senior the Elder or old Priscilla to make which justifiable Mr. Bro. f. 60. 8. we must also have Priscilla Junior the younger or young Priscilla and this is usual for distinction sake where the Mother and Daughter Father and Son be of one and the same name to call the Father and Mother by their names with the addition of Old or elder then the Sonne and Daughter with the distinction of young and younger added to them and there be other distinctions between these two The eldest Grandmother to these holy Children as the Roman Martyrology with others testifyeth who died at Rome having imployed her self and her goods to the service of Martyrs where we see her Festivity kept upon the 16. day of February Martyr Rom. 16. Feb. and that she dyed at Rome Of the other the younger if by any called Priscilla we find no such observation nor that she dyed at Rome but quite otherwise that after her husband St. Pudens death she lived so long at his house at Sabinum in Vmbria that she thereupon took her name Sabellina and by all writers died there far from Rome Secondly St. Pastor who lived in the Apostles time and familiarly in that our Brittish house in witnesse even Baronius acknowledging it that the elder St. Priscilla the Grandmother to St. Novatus Timotheus St. Pastor in actis St. Praxedis apud Baron in Anno Mart. Rom. die 16. Jan. Pudentia and Praxedes which were St. Claudia her Children was foundresse of that renowned Church-yard in via Salaria at Rome which bare her name and was founded before St. Claudia was of years to be foundresse thereof And it must needs be this and no other which prepared that most charitable Christian costly work for we find no other Saints of that name especially in that time but only her and St. Priscilla wife to St. Aquila divers times mentioned by St. Paul being a Jew who could not be Author of that foundation at Rome being at Corinth and there saluted by St. Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and was with her Husband Coadjutrice to St. Paul in those parts as the same Apostle testifyeth 1 Cor. c. 16. Neither did she with her Husband stay so long at Rome to effect such a businesse for as St. Luke proveth they came from Rome upon the banishment of the Jews from thence by Claudius Rom. 16. which was soon after their coming thither Acts 18. and they were at or near Ephesus a little before St. Pauls death as he proveth writing in his 2d Epistle then to St. Timothy 2 Tim. 4. Salute Priscilla and Aquila and the old Roman Martyrology with others give evidence they ended their lives in Asia the less upon the 8th day of July when the other St. Priscilla died as before Mart. Rom. 8. July at Rome far from thence the 16. of Jan. And Baronius who was an eye-witnesse of the chargeable work of that foundation found in his time shall prove all the wealth both of this St. Priscilla and her Husband St. Aquila being but Tent-makers as the scripture testifyeth was not able to effect such a work Baronius who had seen and often visited it Baronius Annal Tom. 2. An. 130. The costly and admirable building of a Brittish Lady in Rome Marty Rom. 21 Jul. Act. St. Prax. in Breviario die 2 Jul. St. Pudentianae die 19 Mai. St. Peters first Church and Seat at Rome in the house of a Brittish Lady compareth it to a City for largenesse and streets under the Earth relating that the whole City of Rome was amazed to see it so wonderful and chargeable a work with such streets turnings Churches places for divine service and Conventions Images of Saints and other things of great price as they argue the rich and noble decree of the blessed Foundresse so for a Lady of Brittain a stranger there to be at such excessive charge and expences to provide such a sanctuary for the honour of Christ safety reliefe and comfort both temporal and spiritual of his servants in a Forraign Country must be a perpetual Glory to this Nation and too give further testimony that this our renowned Country-woman was Foundresse thereof we find expresly that divers of her family and posterity namely St. Pudens her son in Law her Grandchildren his Daughters St. Pudentia and St. Praxedes as likely St. Timotheus and Novatus were honourably interred there And yet besides this memorable foundation for the publick good of the Church of Christ these Romans themselves do tell us and the late continued buildings do testifie that there was another such secret Church-yard at her own house to hide protect and bury holy Martyrs in And thus we have found out now at the last the house of our noble Christian Brittains at Rome to have been the first lodging of the great Apostle St. Peter there his first Church and seat the harbour of St. Paul and many of their Disciples and successors Popes of Rome after them the first Seminary Colledge or Mother of Christian Learning there or in the Western world the common and ordinary place of holy Christian Assemblies and Exercises from whence as from the Originall Well and Fountain the water of life did take course and current to diffuse it self unto all parts and Nations of the Occidental world we may make some estimate and apprehension of the wonderful charitable help and assistance this most happy house of our Noble Brittish Christian parents of St. Claudia yielded to the holy work of converting this and all other Western Countries if besides their extraordinary love to their own Nation we do reflect upon that the old Roman Martyrology hath told us of this Priscilla imploying her self and her substance to serve the Saints and servants of Christ That she and her husband were two of the chiefest of the Nobility of the Brittains kept Hostages at Rome for this Kingdome and yet after so many years spent and their Honourable Revenues much exhausted in these pious works in maintaining and relieving distressed Christians by themselves substance and great number of Attendants and servants attending also to those holy ends they left so much to posterity that in the Family of their Grand-child St. Pudentia in the same House there were Ninety six Christian men ordinary Attendants and St. Praxedes her sister being there nineteen holy Christians were Martyred in that House at one time Theat of great Brit. l. 9. c.
the lawfull son of Constantius and Helen and born in Brittain and that his Father Constantius was compelled by Herculius the Emperour to be divorced from Helen his true wife to take Theodora Daughter in Law of that Emperor Eutropius plainly saith that Constantine was son of Constantius in true marriage Constantinus Manasses saith St. Helen was the wife of Constantius and a most blessed Woman Hunibaldus above 1000. years since relateth the History of the composition between Constantius and our Brittish King Coel as our writers do As soon as Coel heard that Constantius was arrived he sent Embassadours desiring peace and promised to pay the tribute so that he might enjoy his Kingdom to which Constantius agrees this thus composed Coel within 40. dayes dyed whose Daughter Helen to whom for beauty and loveliness knowledge in the liberal sciences and rare skill in musick Theoph. Ceram in Chron. Egbert Albas Ser. 3. de mere manif Catho fidei Berengosus Abbas l. de in vent laud. S. Crucis c. 1 Brittain never bred the like Constantius took to wife by whom he begat Constantine who not only succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Brittain but also prevailing against Maxentius in the Empire Victor Eutropius Eusebius and other ancient Authors are witnesses that when Dioclesian made Constantius and Galerius Cesars he compelled then to put away both their lawful wives Constantius to put away St. Helen and to take Theodore his daughter in law and Galerius Veleria his own daughter which account of theirs that St. Helen was thus put away in the year 294. invincibly proveth how according to Eusebius and many others before setting down the age of Constantine to have been about 60 years that St. Helen had been the wife of Constantius 20. years Severus Sulpitius doth not only call St. Helen the true wife of Constantius but saith she was Empresse both in her husbands and sons time which proveth her daughter and heir to Coel our Brittish King by which title only she reigned with Constantine Theophilus Cepameus an old Greek writer saith there were Arrian Hereticks and Pagans which denied Constantine to be legitimate and that the lyed therein mentiuntur Egbertus saith she was Queen and mother of Constantine Beringosus an eyewitnesse of the most things writing of her saith first she was a Queen and so the lawful wife of Constantius for a Concubine of the greatest Emperour that ever was is not thereby a queen as the Authors name her Queen to Rule to Governe nor can the lawful true wives of Kings be termed Queens by such worth Authours except they were Queens by title of Inheritance or such like as our Antiquaries write of Queen Helen that she was daughter and heir to her father King Coel this worthy author doth also though a stranger to us confirme when he proveth she was of most noble parentage and by experimental arguments because he had seen the old buildings of her stately pallace continuing to in his time the pavement whereof was marble and Touchstone the most Regal Palace in all those parts the walls were gilded with old her chamber was so sumptuous that the like was not in the World Stately building of St. Helen Q. of Brittain and to free her from all slanders the chamber of her heart and soul was far more pure in all things she was obedient to the will of God and yet externally pleasing to her husband Constantius although more pleasing to God then to her husband Thus we see how far this most blessed and noble Queen and Empresse Bernigosus ibid. was in all times from being base either by birth or conversation such sanctify of life could never agree with that foule name by which some have so wrongfully termed her such parentage Pallaces and Revenues able to entertain the greatest Princes according to their state and dignity must denominate their noble owners with better termes and attributes The Hostesse Inkeeper Stabularia except we will expound them in so large a sense that we shall so stile Abraham and Lot that lodged the Angels those that entertained Christ all receivers of Kings Princes and Emperours and all Harbourers or Exercisers of Hospitality for so both St. Helen and King Coel entertained Constantius the one a husband the other a son in law as Princes use It seemeth this Pallace and lands in and about Trevers to have descended to St. Helen by her mother or some Ancestour of that Country for both Beringosus saith St. Helen was brought up at Trevers and Otho Frigensis saith she was by some of her Ancestours come from thence And Trevers being at that time the most renowned place of those countries for Nobility Learning and Christianity and she the only child of her father King Coel and to succed him in the Kingdom of Brittain he sent her thither to have the most noble education and there it was probably where she first came to be acquainted with Constantius then living in those parts And this made the Attonement between the Romans and K. Coel to be so soon and peacebly effected without any effusion of blood as our Antiquities tell us The marriage of Constantius and Helena is by what is said so clear that it is needlesse to speak any more of that subject I will only add this for the present The old Inscription of the Church of St. Gereon at Cullen founded by her proveth her to be a Queen and an example to Kings Regibus exemplum sacroque chrismate plena Condidit hoc Templum Sancti Gereonis Helena A patterne unto Kings this heavenly light St. Helen shining with all vertue bright In honour of St. Gereon here did raise This stately Church to her eternal praise At the agreement betwixt Constantius and Coel besides paying the Tribute Galf. Mon. H. Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 6. Pont. Virun and Coel to enjoy the Kingdom during his natural Life it was further agreed that Constantius should take again his wife St. Helen daughter and her to King Coel and by her right be King after the death of her father By which covenant and article agreed upon and truly executed as it was the first marriage between Constantius and Helen was even by Roman Pagan lawes themselves proved and declared to be true and lawfull and the children therein begotten legitimate and the taking of Theodora living with her and children by her to be adulterate and utterly unallowable in any sense even by their own Pagan constitutions for although those Pagan wicked decrees did allow to the Presidents of Provinces which were unmarried without penalty to keep Concubines prophanely thinking as some new seeming Christians have done that men unmarried could not live chast yet they never permitted it to married Praefects and Presidents such as Constantius was Elius Lamprid in Alex. Sever. as their own Historians witness By which Heathenish Roman Law Helena was not only the Concubine and no wife of Constantius but a Concubine prohibited
of the persecution during ten years and addeth that then the church of St. Alban was built to his honour within ten years of his martyrdom in the quiet of Christian times here which by that is said before must needs be in the time of Constantius Likewise we find in the antiquitie of the old Church of Winchester that being destroyed with the rest in this late persecution it was perfectly re-edified in the year of Christ 309. and so either was in building or warranted to be built in the dayes of Constantius then so or lately before by all accounts living and reigning here that it could not be done without his warrant or allowance The like we say of the Churches of St. Julius and St. Aaron and other Martyrs of that time and all both Cathedral churches and others destroyed here by Maximian the most horrible fact-man as Henry of Huntington calls him after whose leaving the Empire Christians were quiet here as he saith and restored to their former liberties and as Regino writteth not only in Brittain but generally where he ruled both Bishops were restored to their private Sees and many other things granted for the profit of Christian Religion and particularly saith that the Monastery of Trevers was begun in his time then much more in Brittain where he was both absolute Emperour and King to command and no man daring to resist him to this our late Antiquaries have given sufficient allowance when they grant that Constantius abolished the superstition of the Gentiles in this Dominions especially in Brittain where he now lived King and Emperour as also in abolishing the Pagan rights and observances for dislike of them and love to Christian Religion must needs for his short time be an extraordinary advancer thereof Stow Howes in Constant But when he had happily begun this holy work in repairing the ruines of the Church of Christ in this Kingdom and before he could bring it to due and his desired perfection he fell sick at the City of York where soon after he deceased Yet in this short time of his sicknesse his greatest care was to leave and commit this his charge both concerning his Empire and this Kingdom to his Eldest son Constantine Son of St. Helen who as he hoped for many reasons would be most ready and willing to maintain and defend true Religion and with Justice govern his Subjects And to this happy choice as both Zonoras and Pompeius Laetus do plainly testify Zonoras Annal Tom. 2. in Constant Pomp. Laetus Rom. Hist Camp in Const max. Eseb l. 1. de vita Const mag c. 18. Grin amart in cum locum and Eusebius and others sufficiently insinuate he was admonished and instructed by Gods direction and an Angell which is confimed by the effect and event it self not only of the general establishing of Christian religion in the world by Constantine in the time of his Empire but his extraordinary and miraculous preservation before he came to it and at this very time of his fathers sicknesse strangely escaping the Tyrants hands in Italy and coming safely unto his sick Father Constantius at York in our Brittain by the great providence of God as Eusebius noteth who had often preserved him to bring him thither so long and dangerous a journey at that very time to succeed his Father And this Author immediately addeth For presently when Constantine had escaped the stratagems of the deceits he came with all speed to his Father Euseb in vita Const l. 1. c. 14. and after a long space of time which he had been absent from him presented him to his sight at that moment Constantius was ready to die but when contrary to all hope he saw his sonne leaping out of bed he embraced him saying that he had now cast that out of his mind Cap. 15. which only troubled him at the point of death which was the absence of his Son and therefore did earnestly pray and give thanks for it to God affirming that now he rather desired to die then live and setting himself in the midst of his Children and in his place lying upon his Kingly bed giving over the inheritance of his Kingdom to his Eldest Son he departed this Life Thus hath Eusebius then living in that time Our Moderne Writers citing other ancient Authors not differing from Eusebius Hollenshed Hist of England l. 4 c. 28. 27. cit Euseb Sext Aurel. vict Nicep Tripart Hist thus Translate and Epitomate this History from them Whilest Constantine remained at Rome in manner as he had been a pledge with Gallerius in his Fathers time fled from hence and with all post hast returned to his Father in Brittain killing and hewing by the way all such horses as were appointed to stand at Inns ready for such as would ride in Post least being pursued he should have been overtaken and brought back again by such as might be sent on purpose after him Constantius whilest he lay on his death bed somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his son Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperors Dioclesian and Maximian with whom he remained as a pledge he received him with all joy and raising himself up in his bed in presence of his other sons and Councellours with a great number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him He set the Crown upon his sons head and adorned him with other Imperi-Robes and garments executing as it were himself the Office of an Herald and with all spake these words unto his said son and to his Councellours there about him Now is my death come unto me more welcome and my departure hence more pleasant I have here a large Epitaph and Monument of buriall to wit mine own son and one whom in earth I leave to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wipe away the tears of the Christians and revenge the cruelty exexercised by Tyrants This I reckon to chance unto me instead of most felecity Thus careful was this holy Emperour even at his death to advance the honour of Christ This he did prophesying how his son after him should advance Christian Religion now by his father declared Emperour but as Esebius writeth long before designed to that dignity by God the King of all This renowned Emperour Constantius died by divers in the year 306. by others 307 and by some 308. and by all at such time as it is already proved it must needs be he which among the Roman Emperours first gave order and warrant for the restoring and re-establishing Christian Religion here in Brittain after the desolation thereof by Dioclesian and Maximian and died happily and most blessedly And was so renowned that even by the Pagans he was accounted a God and had after his death all honour given unto him which belonged to an Emperour he was most honourably and Christian like buryed in the City of York Constantine his son the new Emperour present
now after his brothers death a professed friend to the Arian heresie or rather a professed Arian then reigning in Brittain maketh it evident that our Brittish Bishops which could not plead sufficient cause of excuse and absence were generally present there And it those few poor Bishops of Brittain which were not able to bear their own charges were drawn thither to be maintained by the Emperour how much rather must we judge the same of so many potent and rich in this Country which could pretend no such excuse So that we see no excuse but infirmity either by age or sicknesse to have caused any Brittish Bishops absence thence A late writer thinketh Iltutus then as he conjectureth Arch-Bishop of London the Arch-Bishops of York and Gaerleon the Bishops of Winchester Harris Eccles Hist Tom. 4. c. 24. Chichester and Glocester with others were there I see no particular warrant he bringeth more for those than any other of so many Episcopal Brittish Cities of that time which I have before remembred all of them being in the same condition for presence or absence but where just excuses and lets were singular to any in particular above the rest For good Authors have Testified that all in general were urged to be there without any exception or to be exempted And almost all Bishops in the world were then caused to be either at Ariminum in Italy where those of the West were Sulpi Sever. Sacr. histor l. 2. Epist Conc. Arim. ad Con. apud Theod. l. 2. Hist c. 19. Mr. Bro. fol. 552. Epist Arimin Conc. ad Constan Imp. apud Theod. l. 2. c. 20. alios or at Seleucia appointed for the Easterne Bishops and the command was for all Bishops generally to be there this was the Emperors command to the Presidents of the Provinces to compel all to be present And the Councel of Ariminum it self in the Epistle to Constantius the Arian Emperour testifieth plainly that all the Bishops of the West were there assembled The far greater part of these were Catholick Bishops and of the whole number about 400. There was not by Severus Sulpilius his relation above 80. Arians St. Athanasius saith there were 50 and more and St. Ambrose witnesseth that the greatest part of the Bishops there confirmed the faith of the Nicene Councel and condemned the Arian errors This is testified by the same Councel in two several Epistles to the Emperor that they neither could nor would swerve from the doctrine of the Nicene Councell And although the Emperour both by his Epistle to that Councel and otherwise by fraud and terrours endeavoured for to remove them from that holy minde and communicate with the Arians they plainly wrote answer again constantly averring they would change nothing they had decreed and gave their Legates charge to tell him as much in words And to make it manifest that although by many Writers divers of the Bishops being convented and overcome both with the deceit of the Arians and persecution of the Emperour did afterward subscribe to a material error our Bishops of Brittain were free both from imputation and suspition thereof Socrates Sozomen Nicephorus and others prove that the Emperour neglecting to return answer to the second absolute resolution and Epistle the Councel staying some time for answer and having none they all departed to their countries and Sees Hil. li. contra Arian Argent Socrat. Hist Ecoles l. 2. c. 29 41. Sozom Hist l. 4. c. 18. and wholely dissolved the Councel St. Hillary saith plainly this Councel endeth Religiously by all So our Bishops must remove from Ariminum none being returned home or so far from recalling by any new edict or stratagen of the Emperour then of Constantinople very far from Ariminum and further from our Bishops travel into Brittain they could be none of that number which were circumvented or verified to subscribe to the wicked Emperour and his Arian favourites designes This persecution of Vrsatius by the command of Constantius the Emperour stretched not so far as Brittain his malice and indignation being against Liberius Pope of Rome and the Bishops of Italy And our Historians have made it doubtful whether Constantius had so much power in Brittain after this time to execute such cruelty This Constantius was at the time of his death by Sozomen about 45 years old full 45 saith Socrates besides the time he reigned with his Father after his death Sozom. Hist Eccle. l. 5. c. 1. Socrat. l. 2. c. 37 say Socrates Sozomen and Nicephorus he was Emperour 25 yeares he died on the third day of the Nones of November by Nicephorus his account in the 367. year of Christ some set down his death somwhat sooner Baron Spo. Annal. Tom. 4. as they have done his Fathers before above 25 yeares sooner than this account of Nicephorus of the year of Christ 367. for Constantius his death yet grant he was Emperour 25. years after his Father died About this time Martinus an aged man was made Deputy of Brittain when Paulus a Spaniard surnamed Catena a name well sorting with his nature was sent thither as a Commissioner to enquire of such as had conspired with Magnentius Brittish Hist l. 3. fol. 140. But under colour of his authority he called in question such as were not faulty either upon false information or private displeasure and sometimes to make a gain of those that were accused which course Martinus the Deputy mislikeing intreated him that such as had been no actors in Rebellion might be no partners in punshment with offenders Whereupon Paulus discharging the Deputy himself as a favourer of Traytors and privy to the conspiracy did so far forth incense Martinus that being either impatient of reproaches or perhaps not altogether guiltlesse he struck at Paulus with his Sword intending to have killed him but failing in the execution he presently thrust the Sword into his own body Gratianus Funarius though he were not specially bound by oath to the Emperor as some others had been yet for that he had received Magnentius into his house was adjudged to forfeit all his goods the rest of the accused persons being fettered and presented to the Emperor he condemned some to death and some to exile Julianus Now was the Government of Gallia and Brittain assigned to Julianus afterwards called the Apostata whom Constantius had made Caesar Brittish Hist l. 3 fol. 141. Lupicinus Master of the Armour to the Emperor a good Souldier but notorious for his pride covetousnesse and cruelty and after him Alipius were sent into Brittain to represse the Inhabitants that had invaded the Province there whilst Julianus himself remained in Gallia not daring to passe into the Isle both for that he feared the Gaules who were ready upon the least occasion to revolt and also doubted the Almanes who were then up in Armes Mr. Bro. fol. 562. Constantius the last over-living Son of Constantine being dead Julianus brother to Gallus and Son to
former evills he encreaseth the new with the old Harpsfield cap. 22. fol. 36. Thus in effect hath Gildas written it is to be noted that there were two writers of eminency of that name the one stiled Albanius the other Badonicus of whom Harpsfield thus relateth his opinion complaining first of the scarcity of Schollers and learned men in Brittain by reason of the Saxons cruelty and persecution Notwithstanding saith he there florished eminent and worthy men both in Scotland Ireland and that part of Brittain Gildas a Bâ—ittain of princely parentage which is now called Wales whose acts as much as they concern the Welshmen living in forrain Countries or abiding here at home we shall deliver unto you as we have gathered them out of authentick and approved authours it is therefore most certainly written that this age brought forth among other excellent and eminent men two both called Gildas the one surnamed Albanius which was the Disciple of the great St. Patrick and he born of princely or regal parentage of the Brittains the other Badonious surnamed Sapiens the wife The first is much extolled for the nobleness of his birth the great pilgrimages which he undertook even to Rome it self the better to enable his soul in learning and vertue to oppose and beat down the Pelagian heresie for singular devotion and solitary life for the severe and strict course of his living and rare abstinence and fasting thereby to bring under the wanton and rebellious flesh and make it obedient and subject to the spirit in so much that through his extream fasting his face looked as though he had been in a continual fever or ague He fled and avoided all terrestial and earthly negotiations thereby to have his mind more free and ready to contemplate celestial mysteries to which frame and example of life he exhorted his disciples with sweet and eloquent language He is reported to have written the Lives and acts of Germanus and Lupus the which I wish to God were extant he lived and was an Inhabitant in a certain Island seated near the river Severne where also he died about the fourth of the Kalends of February DXV His body was carryed to Glastenbury and there buryed Gildas Badonicus as he himself confesseth was born that year when the great slaughter of the Saxons was at Badon or Mons Badonicus of which you have heard before he was of Bangor Monastery Learned Religious and as much as could be in those turbulent times eloquent and a most free-spoken man inveighing without dread or fear as may appear by his books against the vices both of the Clergy Kings and Princes of his time reproving them with evident and convincing Text both out of sacred scripture and holy prophets He flourished Anno. 580. About 300. or rather more years after anther Guildas appeared who cloaked many ridiculous things in the name of this our Badonicus and as it were casting a mist before his readers eyes vended centons of lyes which he had forged upon the Anvile of Gaufride the Fable teller Aurelius Conanus After that Aurelius Conanus had slain Constantine as in the Brittish history is mentioned the same Conanus was made King of Brittain in the year of our Lord 546. Hollâ—nshed ut supra This Aurelius Conanus as is recorded by some writers was of a noble heart free and liberal but addicted much to softer and boulster up strife and contention among his Subjects light of credit and naturally had an open eare to receive and hear the reports of such a accused others Moreover he was noted of cruelty as one who took his Uncle who in all right and justice should have been King before him and kept him in prison securing his person and not so satisfied slew in Tyrannical manner his two Sons But God would not suffer him long to enjoy a Crown purchased with so much blood for he died after he had ruled two years leaving a son called Vortiporus which accordig to the agreement of Authours succeeded him in the Kingdom Of this Aurelius Conanus Gildas writeth calling unto him after he had made an end with his Predecessour Constantine in this wise saying And thou Lyons whelp as saith the Prophet Aurelius Conanus what dost thou Art thou not swallowed up in the filthy mire of murthering thy Kinsmen of committing fornications and adulteries like to the other before mentioned if not more deadly as it were with the waves and surges of the drenching sea overwhelming thee with her mercilesse rage Doest thou not in hating the peace of thy Country as a deadly serpent and thirsting after civil wars and spoyles oftentimes unjustly gotten shut up against thy soul the gates of Celestial peace and refreshment thou being left alone as a withering tree in the midst of the field call to remembrance I pray thee the vain youthful fantasy and over-timely death of thy father and thy brethren shalt thou being set apart and chosen forth of all thy linage for thy Godly deserts be reserved to live an hundred years or remain on earth till thou be as old as Methusalem No No. And after these Reprehensions with further Threatning of Gods Vengeance he exhorteth him to amendment of Life Howes saith that this King reigned thirty three years for which he citeth Flores Historiarum But Fabian agrees with Hollenshed allowing onely two years and citeth Gaufrid The Kingdome of Northumberland began first in Brittain under a Saxon named Ida about this time Vorliporus Vorliporus the Son of Aurelius Conanus succeeded his Father and began to Reign over the Brittains in the Year of our Lord 576. This Vorliporus vanquished the Saxons in Battel as the Brittish Histories record and valiantly defended his Land and Subjects the Brittains from the Danger of them and their Alleyes In the time of this King's Reign Ella began to Reign in the South part of the Kingdome of Northumberland called Peira according to the Account of some Writers who also take this Vorliporus to begin his Reign in the Year 548. Finally after that Vorliporus had ruled the Brittains the space of four years he departed this Life leaving no Issue behinde him to succeed him in the Kindome Against whom also Gildas turning his Pen beginneth with him thus And why standest thou as one quite amazed Thou I say Vortiporus the Tyrant of South-Wales like to the Panther in Manners and Wickedness diversly spotted as it were with many Colours with thy hoar head in thy Throne full of Deceits Crafts and Wiles and defiled even from the lowest part of thy Body to the Crown of the Head with divers and sundry Murders committed in thine own Kinde and filthy Adulteries Thus proving a naughty Son of a good King as Manusses was of Ezekias How chanceth it that the violent streams of sins which thou swallowllest up like pleasant Wine or rather art devoured of them the end of thy Life by little and little now drawing near cannot yet satisfie thee What meanest
medicinable and necessary to purge sad humors and cure diseases even so Tyrants are necessary to purge the sins and cure the vices of wicked Subjects To which end saith he Phalaris the Tyrant was ordained by Almighty God to govern the Agrigentins and Marius the Romans As for the brutish sin of Mempricius holy Gildas brings it in as one amongst the rest for which God so severely punished the Britains De excidio Britanniae and touching briefly the lives of some of the Kings and Princes that were in his time as of Constantius Aurelius Conanus Vortiporius Cuneglasus and Maglocus taxing them with Tyranny perjury sacrilegious murders and parricides committed even before the holy Altars c. yea and two of them of Sodomy for which and other general corruptions and wickedness Gildas threatneth or rather prophesyeth the utter ruine and destruction which was to follow which also Geffrey of Monmouth acknowledgeth saying that King Cadwallader the last of the Race of the Britains used these words as he fled by the Sea into France with the reliques of the Brittish Nation Vae nobis peccatoribus ob immania scaelera nostra c. And truly so great is the sin of Lust especially in Kings and great Dukes and other Commanders in the sight of God how little soever in these our sinful times we make of it that whole Kingdomes for it have been destroyed The Kingdom of Spain when it had flourished as well in Religion as Power from the time of King Richard the first Catholick King thereof for the space of 120 years the wicked King Vitiza being a man given over to all lust and carnality infected and corrupted all Spain not onely with the bad example of his one dissolute life having many Wives at once besides Concubines but also with abominable lawes whereby he gave leave to all sorts of men to have as many Wives and Concubines as they listed yea and forced Priests and such as lived Chast to Marry by which means all Spain became within a while to be no better then a common stew or brodel and although Almighty God according to his accustomed manner expected their conversion and amendment all the time of his Reign and layed only the penalty thereof upon him whom he deprived both of his Crown and of his Eye-sight by the means of Roderick who succeeded him in the Kingdome yet when the said Roderick followed his steeps as well in his vicious life as in the maintenance of his abominable Laws it pleased God of his justice to permit him to give the occasion both of his own ruine as also of the overthrow of all Spain by the sin of the flesh wherewith the whole Kingdome was as it were overflowed For as whereas King Roderick had sent a Kinsman of his own called Count Julian Ambassador into Africk and in the mean time Ravished his Daughter or as some write his Wife the Count understanding it at his return was so incensed therewith against the King that for revenge thereof he practised with the Moores to bring them into Spain who with his assistance Conquered it so speedily and with such destruction of the people that the punishment of God was most evident therein for having first overthrown King Roderick whose body could never after the battel be found they subdued almost all Spain in Eight months or in Fourteen as some say and slew 700000. of all sorts of people besides great numbers of Captives which they sent prisoners into Barbary and from that time forwards they remained in the possession of that Kingdome or in some great part thereof for the space of 700 years This example of the Conquest and subversion of Spain for the sins of the flesh was so famous and so much observed by Godly and Wise men at the same time when it hapned that St. Bonifacius a Countryman of ours and Bishop of Mentz in Cermany who lived in the same age and converted the Saxons and Frisons from Paganisme to the Christian Faith proposed it to one called Etholbud King of the Mercians to withdraw him from his dissolute life and tells him that in old Saxony where there was no Christianity there if either Maid or Wife did commit Adultery or Fornication she was first strangled and after burnt and he that corrupted her Hanged over her or else she was stripped naked to the middle and whipped by chast Matrons from Town to Town and prickt with sharp Knives till shee dyed therewith EBRANCK EBranck after the unfortunate death of his Father by the general consent and Approbation of both Nobles and Commons is invested in the Regal Dignity Anno mundi Creationis Policronica Gaufride and others 4182. Authors affirm that he had a thing in those times not unusual one and twenty wives by whom he was enriched with a plentifull and numerous off-spring to wit twenty Sons and thirty daughters whereof the most fair and beautifull was named Guales or Gualea these daughters intending to uphold the Trojan blood he sent to Alba Silvius the eleventh King of Italy or seventh of the Latines there to be espoused unto Trojans This Ebranck was a comely man Majestical and well proportioned of incomparable valour and as desirous of Martial Attempts as his Progenitor Brutus and therefore providing all Warlike Engines and Furniture correspondent to his designs he attempts to invade France which is testified by Jacobus Bergomas in the sixth of his Chronicles and Jacobus Lessabeus in the description of Henalt affirmeth the same and that he was driven back by Brunchildis Lord of Henalt with some loss of his men Yet Fabian affirmeth this Voyage to have been prosperous and successfull insomuch that what by his own fancies judgement and policie being assisted by the Trojan-Latines or Latine-Trojans where he had espoused his daughter he over-ran and conquered a great part of Germany Some Authors ascribe this Conquest and good fortune to Assaracus the second Son of Ebranck with the rest of the younger brothers and esteem it no great service or enterprise of moment for that Europe was then scarce peopled and Colonized unless towards the Sea Coasts as Dalmatia Italy and the coasts of France of these Brethren had Germany the name à Germanis fratribus who subdued it Ebrank thus fortunate either in his own undertakings or in these of his children having setled his affairs to his hearts desire begins to take into consideration the beautifying and strengthning Britannia and as Brutus about an hundred and fourty years if he built it in the second year of his Reign before to his eternal glory had built Troynovant Ebranck with no less ambition to continue and perpetuate his name and memory layeth the foundation of a glorious City calling it being fully finished after his own nomenclation Caer Ebrank which now we call York A late learned Author saith it is a common received opinion among our Antiquaries Mr. Brough fol. 280. 2. that Ebrancus son to Mempricius a hundred years after the
ab eo quem laeserat veniam impetraverit That the Temples of the Gods should enjoy such immunities and priviledges that no malefactor flying unto them for succour should be drawn from thence untill he should obtain pardon from him whom he had offended Vt hujusmodi privilegium immunitatis habeant etiam ipsae viae quae ducunt ad templa urbes that the high ways leading to the Temples and Cities should enjoy the like immunities and priviledges Immo jumenta quoque illa quae rei rusticae subserviunt denique Colonorum aratra ipsa tali prerogativa libertatis perfruantur nay even the Cattle which were imployed in husbandry should have like priviledges Ne qua terra vacaret cultura neve populus inopia rei frumentariae premeretur aut ea minueretur si pecora sola occuparent agros qui ab hominibus coli deberent constituit quot aratra quaelibet Diaecesis haberet ac paenas statuit per quas ille numerus aratrorum minueretur Least any Land should lie until'd or the people be famisht for want of bread-Corn or Grain be diminished by feeding Herds and Flocks where Tillage ought to be to which end he appointed how many Ploughs should be in every Diocess or Shire inflicting a punishment upon whomsoever should diminish the number of them Item vetuit bovem aratorem pro debito pecuniae assignari creditoribus si alia bona creditoris essent He also prohibited the working Oxen or Plough-bullock to be distrained upon for any debt if any other Chattels or personal estate be to be found Ita fore ne compendii causa homines pecuarii agros incultos redderent sic enim fore nequid earum rerum quas natura praebet hominibus usquam deesse posset that by that means Grasiers and Drovers for their own private interest should not deprive their fellow Subjects of natures benefits and liberal gifts Optimus iste Rex viros incumbentes ad bonas artes opibus favore juvit adeo ut exemplo suo principes regni ad faciendum idem juventatem totam ad virtutes capessendas excitaverit This good King was such a patron to those who endeavoured to learn Arts and Sciences that he not only graced them with his countenance but also assisted them with competent subsistance by which his example he invited other Nobles of his Realm to do the like a great encouragement to youth to endeavour to train themselves up in vertuous education Item pondera mensuras rebus emendis vendendisque posuit fures omne noxium genus hominum severissime punivit Itaque sub hoc principe latrocinia rapinae saevitia generis omnis aberat à populo nec audebat quisquam vim alteri inferre vel injuriam propter exquisitam legis observationem He caused weights and measures to be made for buyers and sellers Thieves and all loytering idle vagabonds he severely banished so that none was found who durst to offer either force or violence to any man being terrified with the severity of the Laws Having now regulated all things for the due and requisite Governing of the Commonwealth by the general request and advice of his Nobles and Council he caused a Diadem of Gold to be made with which according to the Rights and Ceremonies of those times he was solemnly Crowned in so much that properly speaking we may call him the first King or rather Monarch of Great Brittaine He caused several Cities and Towns to be made amongst which Malmesbury seems to have been the chief a verity which Mr. Cambden seems not much to deny Dum exilis est Malmesburie collem sibi imminentem substringit receptoque profluente fere incingit Oppidum sane elegans pannis laneis sane celebre quod ut in Historiarum Eulogio le itur Dunwallo Mulmutius Brittannorum Rex una cum Lacok Tetbury castris adjacentibus construxit Caer Bladon nominavit Malmesbury a polite and neat Town and famous for Wollen Cloaths which as it is written in the Eulogy of Histories was founded by Dunwallo Mulmutius as also the Neighbouring Castles Lacock and Tetbury which Town he called Caer Bladon The Saxons called this Town in their tongue Ingelborn which appellation continued a long time till Maildulphus a Scot a man of singular learning and piety being much taken with the shades and solitarinesse of the Woods and Groves he resolved there to live an Heremetical life and there setting up a schoole he himself together with his Scholars and Auditors addicted himself to a monastical rule of living so that from this Maildulphus the old appellations both Caer Bladon the Brittish and Ingleborn the Saxon being by little and little worn out the Town got a new name and was called Maildulfesburge Bede calls it Maildulphi Vrbs others Meldunum corruptly Malmesbury Amongst the Disciples of this Maildulph the chiefest and most remarkable was Adelmus his appointed Successour who by the help of Adelmus a West Saxon Bishop to whom the jurisdiction of that place belonged built there a most famous Monastery and was therein the first Prior or Abbot insomuch that in an ancient manuscript this Town is called Adelmesberg but this new nomenclation quickly vanished though the memory of Adelmus continued in esteem he being canonized and registred amongst the happy number of the Saints after his death not as the Saints in these our times who are Saints while they live and I know not what after death upon the feast day of this St. the Fair is kept where souldiers were appointed to guard and watch least jangling and discord should arise amongst so great concourse of people Truly saith Mr. Cambden he deserved that his name should everlastingly flourish being the first who writ in Latin and taught the English Art of Poetry and versifying as he himselfe witnesseth Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas If Heaven lend life from Helicon I 'le bring Th' Aonian Muses in this Isle to sing Athelstane the great who had made choice of this Saint for his patron for his sake honoured this Town with many priviledges and enriched the Monastery with many princely gifts making choice of it for the place of his Sepulchre as the Inhabitants will inform you to this day shewing his Monument From Athelstanes time this Monastery flourished in abundance of wealth and was the prop and upholder of the Town when by the love and expenses of Robert Bishop of Salisbury it was fortifyed with a Castle and inclosed with Walls in the time of the Wars betwixt Henry the Son of Matilda and King Stephen in which season it indured a siege by Hen. 2d but shortly by the permission of K. John in favour of the Monks it was demolished thereby to inlarge the precincts of their Monastery and so continued till the fatal hand of Henry the 8. laid it level with the ground yet a wealthy and rich Clothier whom Mr. Cambden colls
Stumpuis partly by petitioning and supplications but without doubt not without emptying his bags obtained that the Church might stand which is now the Parish-Church This Town saith a new Author Anonymus was by Antoninus in his Itinerarium called Cunetio from the River Kennet and Marleburgh as being seated in a Chalkie soyle which in some places still well called by the name of Marle Here Hen. 3. held a Parliament in which were many statutes and as the preamble saith right necessary for the peace and tranquility of the people now a title of honour and hath given stile of EARLE to 1. James L. Ley L. Tr. Created Earle of Marlborough 1. Car. Feb. 7. 2. Henry Ley. 3. James Ley E. of Mal. Argent a cheveron between 3 Bears Heads Couped Sable The next place which Mulmutius Dunwallo built was The-Vies which Florentius Wigorniensis calls Divisio another De vies and Nubrigensis Divisae Here was a Castle built by Roger the rich Bishop of Salisbury for scituation and workmanship giving place to none but Fortune is a Goddesse both blind and fickle for he who even now was the second Head in the Kingdom by the frowns or rather avarice of K. Stephen is not only plunder'd of his vast and almost inexhaustible Treasure but also cast into a loathsome Gaol where the poor old Man with Hunger and what with Afflictions and Miseries betwixt the fear of death and torments of his life would feign have died yet knew not how to die Mulmutius Dunwallo having with great honour rul'd the Brittains by the space of forty years yielded to death what was mortal and was buried in the Temple of Troynovant which he had built leaving his two Sons Bellinus and Brennus joyntly to succeed in the Kingdome BELLINVS and BRENNVS BEllinus and Brennus the two Sons of Mulmutius began to Reign joyntly as Kings of great Brittain in the year of the World four thousand eight hundred and eight To Bellinus according to the agreement of Partition fell Loegria Cambria and Cornwall that is to say England Wales and Cornwall and to Brennus by the same accord all the Land beyond the River of Humber This Partition according to Policron and others pleased and gave full content to both the Brothers for the space of five years The reason why Bellinus had the bigger and better share was Quia erat primogenitus Vitus fol. 209. Trojana consuetudo requirebat ut dignitas Haereditatis perveniret ad eum Hanc vero fuisse consuetudinem Trojanorum scribens Herodotus ad Alexandrum ait non erat perventurum Regnum cum Hector major natu Herodotus virtute praestantior quam ille Regnum defuncto Priamo suscepturus esset Idem scribit Messala Corvinus in libello de Augusti Progenie Troem à quo dicta Troja est Regem Trojanorum habuisse duos filios Ilum Assaracum atque Ilum defuncto patre quod ipse major natu esset obtinuisse Regnum Messala Corvinus Denique is qui dicitur Dares Phrygius in libro de excidio Trojae narrat Priamum commone fecisse filios quos habebat multos ut majores natu minoribus Imperarent ex quo sequitur ut minores majoribus subderentur Adeoque Legem hanc latam in Anglia esse propter ius istud Trojanae consuetudinis atque servatam esse scribit Andreas Taraquellus in praesatione primogenitorum Andreas Taraquellus Bartolus Bartolus ad l. 1. Codicis de summa Trinitate Consuetudinis est in Anglia inquit ut primogenitus succedat in omnibus bonis Because he was eldest and the Trojan custome was that the Inheritance should fall to the Eldest and this to have been the Trojan custome sheweth Herodotus saying that the Kingdom of Troy after the death of Priamus was not to fall to Alexander but to Hector who was both the more Valiant and also the Eldest by birth and Messala Corvinus in his Book of the Progeny of Augustus confirms as much saying that King Tros from whom Troy took its Name had two Sons Ilus and Assaracus and that Ilus his Father being dead for that he was the Eldest enjoyed the Kingdom and he also who is called Dares Phrygius in his Book of the Destruction of Troy tells us That Priamus who had many Sons admonished them that the Elder should have Power over the Younger c. and this Law to have taken root in England as being derived from the old Trojan Custome affirmeth Andreas Tarquellus After five years thus in brotherly love and amity expired Brennus supposing himself injured and intending to enlarge his Territories raised Forces and in hostile manner sets upon his brother Bellinus but as his quarrel was unjust so the sequel proved Fatal for he was totally Routed and to save his life compelled to fly into Armorica now called Little Brittain or as Gaufride will have it into the Country of the Allobroges others affirm that without the knowledge or consent of his Brother he sailed into Norway and there married the Daughter of Elfunge or Elfinge Duke of that place which tydings when they were brought to Bellinus he seized into his hands all the Lands of Brennus and fortified his Cities Castles and other strong Holds with his own Garrisons Fame quickly brought these Rumours to Brennus who neglected no time but gathering a strong Army of Norwegians ships himself for his own Principality where by the way he was met by Guilthdacus or Guiclidacus King of Denmark who being inflamed with the Love of the Lady whom Brennus had espoused awaited his coming and being now met the two Fleets strongly encounter each other and in short time come to grappling a most bitter and bloudy Conflict ensueth But the Danish King having surprized the Vessel in which the Object both of his love and anger was imbarked though he had totally dispersed his Enemies Navy pursued no further thinking himself highly rewarded with the beautiful prize which he had already taken and there withal resolves as a most victorious Conqueror to return to Denmark yet whether Fortune to shew her accustomed fickleness and cross the Designs of such as think themselves most fortunate and her darlings or rather Neptune incensed to see so violent a Rape committed within his watery Kingdom with his revenging trident turned up and undermined the calm waves and ploughed them into hideous ridges such a tempest arose that the Heavens were darkned the winds blustered the billows roared and made such a hideous noise that Guilthdacus each minute expected to be swallowed up in the mercilesse surges of the angry Ocean this death-threatning storm continued for the space of five dayes at the end whereof the skies began to clear the winds and waves to leave their Violence and the Danish King to understand he was driven upon the coasts of his Enemies Country for his tattered Fleet so much as was left of it was now arrived in Northumberland Belâ—inus to make good that he had already begun and
were all marvellous glad Thus came Camillus to take this Charge of General upon him and found there were twenty thousand good fighting men abroad and well Armed Then got he further ayd also of their Allies and Confederates and prepared daily to go and set upon the enemies So was Camillus chosen now Dictator the second time and went into the City of Veies where he spoke with the Romane Souldiers that were there and leavied a great number of Allies besides to go fight with the enemies as soon as he could But whilst Camillus was thus preparing certain of the Gauls in Rome walking out by chance on that side of the Capitol where Pontius Cominius had gotten up the night before spied in divers places the prints of his feet and hands as he had griped and gotten hold stiâ—l digging to get hold and saw the weeds also and herbs growing upon the Rocks and the earth also in the like manner flat trodden down whereupon they went presently unto the King to let him understand the same who forthwith came to view the place and having considered it well did nothing at that time but when dark night was come he called a company of the lightest Gauls together and that used most to dig in Mountains and said unto them our enemies themselves do shew us the way how to take them which we could not have found out but by themselves for they having gone up before us do give us easily to understand that it is no impossible thing for us to clime up also wherefore we were utterly shamed having already began well if we should fail also to end well and to leave this place as invincible for if it were easie for one man alone by digging to clime up to the top thereof much less is it hard for many to get up one after another so that one do help the other Therefore Sirs I do assure you those that do take the pains to get up shall be honourably rewarded according to their just desert when the King had spoken these words unto the Gauls they fell to it lustily every man to get up and about midnight they began many of them to dig and make steps up to the Rock one after another as softly as could possibly with catching hold the best they could by the hanging of the Rock which they found very steep but nevertheless easier to clime then they took it at the beginning so that the foremost of them being up to the top were now ready to take the wall and to set upon the Watch that slept for there was neither man nor dog that heard them It chanced then there were holy Geese kept in the Temple of Juno which at other times were wont to be fed till their crops were full But victuals being very strait and scant at that time even to finde the men the poor Geese were so hardly handled and so little regarded that they were in a manner starved for lack of meat This Fowl indeed naturally is very quick of hearing and so also very fearfull by nature and being in a manner almost famished with their hard allowance they were so much the more wakefull and easier to be afraid upon this occasion therefore they heard the coming of the Gauls and also began to run up and down and cry for fear with which noise they did wake those that were within the Castle The Gauls being bewrayed by these foolish Geese left their stealing upon them and came in with all open noise and terrour they could The Romans hearing this Alarm every man took such weapon as came first to hand and they run suddenly to rescue that place from whence they understood the noyse amongst those the foremost man of all was Marcus Manlius a man that had been Consull who had a lusty body and as stout a heart His hap being to meet with two of the Gauls together as one of them was lifting up his Ax to knock him on the head he prevented him and struck off his hand with his sword and clapt his Target on the others face so fiercely that he threw him backward down the Rock and coming afterwards unto the Wall with others that ran thither with him he repulsed the rest of the Gauls that were gotten up who were not many in number Thus the Romans having escaped this danger the next morning they threw the Captain down the Rocks from the Castle who had charge of the Watch the night before and gave Manlius in recompence of the good service he had done a more honourable then profitable reward which was this every man of them gave him half a pound of the Country Wheat which they call Far and the fourth part of the measure of wine which the Grecians call Cotile and this might be about a Quart being the ordinarie allowance of every man by the day After this Repulse the Gauls began to be discouraged partly for that their victuals failed them and durst no more forrage abroad in the fields for fear of Camillus and partly also for that the Plague came amongst them being lodged amongst heaps of dead bodies lying in every place above ground without burial and amongst burnt houses destroyed where the ashes being blown very high by the wind and vehemency of heat did give a dry piercing ayr that did marvellously poyson their bodies when they came to draw in the breath of it But the greatest cause of all their mischief was the change of their wonted Diet who coming out of a fresh Country where there were excellent pleasant places to retire unto to avoid the discomodity of the parching heat of the Summer were now in a naughty plain Country for them to remain in in the later season of the year All these things together did heap diseases upon them besides the long continuance of the siege about the Capitol for it was then about the 7. moneth by reason whereof there grew a marvellous death in their Camp through the great numbers of them that died daily and lay unburied But notwithstanding all the death and trouble of the Gauls the poor besieged Romans were nothing holpen and the Famine still did grow upon them And because they could hear nothing of Camillus they were almost grown into despair and send unto him they could not the Gauls kept so strait a watch upon them in the City whereupon both parties finding themselves in hard estate first the Watch on each side began to cast out words of peace amongst themselves and afterwards by consent of the heads Sulpitius Tribune of the Souldiers came to parley with Brennus In which parley it was articuled that the Romans should pay a thousand pound weight of gold and that the Gauls should incontinently after the Receit of the same depart out of their City and all their Territories this decree being passed by oath from both the gold was brought And when it came to be weighed the Gauls at the first privily began to deal falsely with
Gildas saith of them that they stood out in the Army of Christ with greatest magnanimity Giral sup Itin. com l. 1. c. 5. Summa magnanimitate in acie Christi praestantes dico Giraldus Cambrensis is witness that amongst the Martyrs of that time they were the chiefest next to St. Alban and St. Amphibalus Post Albanum Amphibalum praecipui martyrio coronati Julius Aron How they were honoured of the holy Catholick Christians of that time with Churches dedicated to them Pilgrimages to the places of their Martyrdom and they both there and in other places honoured invocated and prayed unto presently upon the ceasing of the Persecution Now it will suffice to conclude with that their title of glory and renown which the ancient and learned Bishop of their Nation before hath given them and the due and honour to the place of their triumphant death Jacent hic duo nobilis Brittanniae Majoris Protomartyres ibidem Martyrio coronati Julius Aron Here lie at Caerlegion the two Noble Protomartyrs of great Brittain Julius and Aron and there crowned with Martyrdom This title to be the first Martyrs of Brittain in the most terrible persecution and with such exceeding magnanimity and Christian constancy as hath been related in induring torments till then never heard of without any example going before them but giving themselves the first example hereof so wonderfull patience love of Christ and Heroical true fortitude to so many thousands which by their singular example with invincible courage imitated them therein is the greatest honour we can yeild to such blessed Saints on earth their Festivity is celebrated by the old Roman Martyrologie upon the first day of July Baronius in Indice non Sanct. in Julie Arone On which day as Baronius plainly writeth many others suffered Martyrdom with them Julius Aron Martyres cum aliis plurimis in Brittania sub Dioclesiano primo die Julii So likewise affirmeth the English Writer and the Roman Martyrologe which Baronius glosseth upon may very well carry that construction for setting down for a certain truth that these two holy Martyrs were put to death in Brittany upon the first day of July Primo die Julii in Brittannia Sanctorum Martyrum Julii Aron qui in persecutione Dioclesiani passi sunt it presently addeth quo tempore ibidem quam plurimi diversis cruciatibus torti saevissime lacerati ad supernae civitatis gaudia consummato agone pervenerunt At the same time in the same place very many tortured with divers torments and most cruelly torn having ended their combats came to the joys of heaven And St. Bede saith that ea tempestate at that time when St. Julius and St. Aron were martyred divers others both men and women were put to death Alii utriusque sexus passi sunt ea tempestate So hath Henry of Huntington Passi sunt eo tempore Julius Aron alii quoque plures utriusque sexus And we cannot probably think that these raging Persecutors who in places where there were not in any degree so many Christians as in this renowned City an Archiepiscopal See and Christian University put them to death by thousands sent these here by cruel Martyrdom to heaven alone These holy Martyrs by all Antiquities suffered Martyrdom at Caerlegion and both Giraldus Cambrensis and Ranulphus Higeden writing at Winchester As also our late Antiquaries of the same Country plainly say it was at Caerlegion in Monmouthshire which was the Archiepiscopal City and School distinguishing it from Winchester by some called Caerlegion also I will only cite one Englished to my hand by a Modern In this Region Monmouthshire is seated the most ancient and most noble City of Legions which our Countrymen call Caerleon on Usk that is to say the City of Legions upon Usk for difference sake between it and the other which is built in Northwales upon the River Dee of which Giraldus writeth thus The same was a Noble and ancient Town the tokens whereof remain as yet an huge Palace a Giant like Tower goodly Baths and Hot-houses Reliques of Churches and places like Theaters compassed with beautifull walls partly yet standing also buildings under the ground Conducts secret passages and Vaults under the Earth framed with wondeâ—full Workmanship There lyeth Julius and Aron which had Churches dedicated unto them Vna Julii Martyris altera Araonis In the Church of St. Julius which is now called St. Julians and is distant from the now Caerleon a mile seated fast by the River of Vsk which runneth through the Town belonging to the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury and Castle Issand a most stately house in this Church formerly Virgineo choro de corata was a Nunnery for in this Town were two famous Monasteries one of Monks or Canon Regulars the other of Nuns M. Broug fol. 603. 9. Matth. Westm an 541. dedicated to St. Julius in which Queen Guenhumara wife to King Arthur did after receive the habit of Religion Guenhumara Regina in Monasterio Julii Martyris inter Moniales habitum Religionis suscepit Not far from Caerlegion is a place called St. Albans standing on the ascent of a hill at the bottom whereof runneth the River of Vsk where by an old Tradition the Inhabitants believe St. Alban was put to death and will not be perswaded out of their errour by any reason wherefore to convince that mistake Mr. Br. 443 though the circumstances of the place be something alike where St. Alban was put to death for St. Bede writeth that the people who came to behold his Martyrdom were so many that being to passe over the River by a Bridge if St. Alban had not so miraculously dryed up the River they could hardly have gone over by the Bridge before night Ita fluminis occupabat pontem ut intra vesperam transire vix posset There was scarcely any left in the City Cunctis pene egressis a great multitude of both Sexes divers Estates and Ages came thither by instinct Vtriusque sexus conditionis diversae aetatis quae sine dubio divinitatis instinctu ad obsequium beatissimi confessoris ac Martyris vocabantur Therefore so many of divers conditions being thus called by the inspiration of God to such an holy purpose we cannot but think many of them were there converted at that time St. Bede setetth this to be done at St. Albans death before the great miracle of Angels appearing and praising of God and honouring St. Alban the night following at his place of burial and so soon as this miracle appeared the Pagans presently came thither in great numbers to hear and see it publikely professing that those Miracles were wrought by the power of Christ the Sonne of GOD and so being converted unto him a thousand of them at one time took their Journey to seek Saint Amphibalus in those parts which we now call Wales so far distant from Verulamium now St. Albans in England where by the help
This is one of the chiefest things that they labour most to beat into mens minds that their Souls die not but do after death pass from one to another and hereby they think men should be most stirred unto vertue when fear of death is nothing regarded Also they dispute many other things as of the stars of their movings of the bignesse of the world and the earth of the nature of things of the strength and power of the immortal Gods and do therein instruct their youth Thus we have heard what those Druids and their Followers were Now let us a little examine their cause by their own Writers and their own proceedings for to write at large of their most grosse and inhumane absurdities would require a Volume from me as the like had done of other Writers against such Pagan Gentils their superstitions whereas all Creatures cry out unto us especially the more noble as the Celestial bodies in searching whose natures and effects these men were most conversant that there is an eternal and omnipotent Maker and Causer which created all things who being without beginning or ending was made or caused by no other Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum ejus anunciat firmamentum Mr. Br. f. 244. And divine worship is onely due unto him for his Almighty Excellency and the benefit which man a reasonable Creature received and further expecteth and needeth to receive from him which we commonly call Religion a Releiging Religation or dutiful binding of man informed with a reasonable intellectual and immortal Soul ordained as it were the Lieutenant and Viceroy of God to govern this inferior world and by his better eternal part assured that better and eternal things are ordained for him if he doth not deprive himself of them but find out and perform the Will and Commandment of so infinite good and bountiful a Creator Preserver and Maintainer of all things especially for the use and end of Man so dignified and exalted among his Creatures which these Druids and their Disciples were so far from effecting that they gave him no honour at all never remembring him among those that they worshipped but doing the greatest dishonour they could unto him in giving that glory and majesty which is only proper and due to him to his rebellious Creatures and professed Enemies damned and infernal souls hundreds of thousands before them and divers of these by probable Historical accounts of later Time and Creation then the Author of their own Sect Druius was And if we will follow Julius Cesar who of all writeth most of their pretended Religion living in the time of their chiefest Sway and best knew what they professed he writeth of the Germans that they differed much from the French and their Druids in their Religion having no sacrifices and only accounting for their gods whom they see and by whom they are manifestly helped as the Sun the Moon and such visible things and heard not of any God Germani multum à Gallorum consuetudine differunt Neque sacrificiis student deorum numero eos solos ducunt quos ceruunt quorum aperte opibus juvantur Solem Vulcanum Lunam yet the German Writers are so confident that the Druids ruled there in Religion that they shew unto this day in Germany as far as Bavaria two especiall places where they were wont to assemble under great Oaks to exercise their superstitions and in detestation thereof two Monasteries called Oberaltaich and Nederaltaich were founded to blot out their Memory Pont. de viris Illust Ger. part 1. p. 40 41. In Bavaria quoque inferiore sub quercu magna superiore inferiore suam superstitionem exercebant quae loca postea in Monasteria conversa etiamnum Oberaltaich Neberaltaich appellantur Therefore these could not be Professors and Teachers of the true God his Worship and Religion which for divers People and Countries and for themselves also had such variety and change of gods and Religion in divers times and places and yet all of them professing most grosse and stupid ignorance or woeful Idolatry the greatest irreligion that can be And as they thus proved themselves to be Atheists leaving no possible true God to be worshipped so by their error of transmigration of souls from one body to another they fell into one of these absurdities that one soul should in the end inform many even hundreds of bodies or else cease at the last to inform cease to be and made mortal And as Chimerical a fiction it was of them to say as Lucan expoundeth them that when a soul left a body in this world it went into another world and there informed another body Vobis Autoribus umbrae Non tacitas Erebi sedes Ditisque profundi Pallida Regna petunt Regit idem spiritus artus Orbe alio longe For so they must needs make more worlds where generation and corruption is besides this terrestrial and sublunary where we inhabit and therefore justly doth the same Author call their profession barbarous Rites a false manner of worship and singular against all the world besides Et vos barbaricos ritus moremque sinistrum Sacrorum Druidae positis repetistis ab armis Solis nosse Deos Coeli sydera vobis Aut solis nescire datum St. Gildas tells us that the monstrous Idols in Brittain were not inferior in number to those of Egypt commonly esteemed the most idolatrous Nation of the world and some of them with deformed lineaments remained to be seen in his time and the people of Brittain gave divine honour even to Mountains Hills and Rivers And yet besides these had Errors and Idolatries common with other Nations Non omittentes priscos communesque cum omnibus gentibus errores quibus ante adventum Christi in carne omne genus humanum obligabatur obstrictum nec enumerans patria portenta ipsa Diabolica pene numero Egyptiaca vincentia Gildas li. de Exid. Britt quorum nonnulla lineamentis adhuc deformibus intra vel extra deserta maenia solito more rigantia torvis vultibus intuemur neque nominatim inclamitant montes ipsos aut colles aut fluvios olim exitiales nunc vero humanis usibus utiles quibus divinus honor à coeco tunc populo cumulabatur The same have other later Writers and the sacrifices which they offered to those abominable idols were the most detestable and for such not unworthily ranked by the Pagan and Christian Writers amongst the most cruel and barbarous savages of the world Pro victimis homines immolant administrisque ad ea sacrificia Druidibus utuntur Publicéque ejusdem generis habent instituta sacrificia They offer men for Sacrifices Caesar lib. 6. belli Gallic and the Druids be the Ministers of such sacrifices and such sacrifices be instituted by publick Authority among them thus hath Caesar and others Cicero speaking of these Druids saith His quicquam Sanctum ac Religiosum videri potest qui etiamsi quando
tidings being brought to Marius he leaveth a considerable Army and marcheth towards his Enemies to give them battle in which Londricus or as others call him Rodicus with a great part of his Army was slain In remembrance of which Victory King Marius caused to be erected a great stone and thereon to be ingraven Marii Victoria or the Victory of Marius but VVilliam of Malmsbury is of opinion that this stone was erected in memory of Marius the Roman Consul the country round about being called Fince that time Westmaria and now VVestmerland and it pleased K. Ri. the second to add unto the Titles of the Nevills of Raby the higher and more eminent stile of EARLS of Westmerland 1 Raph Nevill Lord of Raby Sir Marshall 2 Raph Nevill 3 Raph Nevill 4 Raph Nevill 5 Hen. Nevill 6 Charls Nevill Gules a Salton Argent Francis Fane Eldest son of Mary Lady Dispencer descended from the Nevills Earl of VVestmerland created Earl of VVestmerland 22. Ja. Decemb. 29. Mildmay Fane Earl of VVestmerland Azure 3 left hand Gauntlets Or. The Picts being thus slain and vanquisht those who where left undestroyed with all humble submission requested of King Marius to graunt them a place of habitation who assigned unto them an angle or canton in the remotest parts of Scotland which by some Authors was called Cathenesia which these people the Brittains disdaining to give them their Daughters the Irish contracted their children which in processe of time increased into a great Colony and the Country as affirmeth Policronicon in the 37. Chap. of the first book was first called Ireland Secondly Pictania and lastly Scotland Marius giving way to fate was buried at Caerlile Having in short shewed you the Lives and Deaths of the Brittish Kings and Princes to the death of Marius let ut cast our eyes a while upon the Romans and view the remainder of their proceedings not yet related in this Isle The a The ancient Inhabitants of the Counties of Gloucester and Oxford Boduni then living under the Government of the b The ancient Inhabitants of Buckingham Bedford and Hertford Cattieuchlani betook themselves to the protection of Plautius who leaving Garisons in those parts marched towards a River over which the Brittains supposed that the Romans could not passe without a Bridge and therefore imagined themselves safe having pitched their Camp on the other side of the water But Plautius sent over certaine Germans who being accustomed to swim over Rivers with swift currents even in their Armour found an easie passage to the further bank and there set upon the Brittains wounding the Horses withdrew their Chariots and by that means overthrowing their Riders and disordering their whole power Then was Flavius Vespasian who had the leading of the second Legion and Sabinus his brother appointed to passe over and to charge them on a sudden as they were dispersed if we follow John Harding he will tell us that St. Joseph and his Religious company came hither with Vespasian Lieutenant to the Roman Emperour and that by the intreaty of Vespasian the then King and Queen of the Brittains Arviragus and Gennissa those Favours and Freedoms which by our Histories he enjoyed at Glastenbury were bestowed upon him for thus speaking of Vespasian he saith With whom Joseph full holy and full wise Of Aramathie with his fellowes fourteen Into this Land then came and gave content For whom so then Vespasian pray'd the King The Queen also to him to be good Lord And good Lady which they granted in all thing When Vespasian returned to Rome home again The King indued Joseph in Meatrine Which relation wanteth no probability to make it good for Vespasian came hither out of Germany by which St. Joseph must needs passe in his journey towards Brittain from the Asiatical Gallia and the adjoyning Countries neither was Vespasian an Enemy but a Friend and lover of Christians of whom we shall have occasion to speak more when we come to the time of his being Emperour Some of the Brittains being slain and others taken prisoners the night made an end of the skirmish The next morning the rest of the dispersed rout shewed themselves upon the shore and gave occasions of a new Fight which continued a long time with equall advantage till C. Sydius Geta being in danger to have been taken recovered himself and at the last enforced the Brittains to retire For which service he had afterwards triumphal honors assigned him although he were no Consul in this conflict Vespasian being beset round about with the Brittains was in great danger either to have been slain or taken if he had not been timely rescued by Titus his son who then exercised the office of Tribune of the Souldiers and began in his tender years to give some proof of his valour After this battle the Brittains withdrew themselves to the mouth of the River Thamesis near the place where it falls into the Sea and being skilful in the shallowes and firm grounds passed over in safety when as the Romans that pursued them not knowing the dangerous places were oftentimes in great hazard Some of the Germans that were most forward to adventure by reason of their skill in swimming as soon as they had got to the further shore were compassed about and killed by the Natives and the rest of the Roman Army that followed was much distrested in the passage and sharply assailed at their comming on land where began a bloody fight in the which Togodumius a Brittish Prince one of Cunobelines Sons was slain whose death did nothing abate the courage of the Brittains but rather enflamed them with desire of revenge for the effecting whereof they gathered together new Forces from divers parts of the Isle Plautius fearing the greatnesse of their power and being straightned in a place of disadvantage and danger proceeded no further at that time but fortifying only such Townes as he had already taken advertised Claudius of the doubtful state of his Affairs In the mean time Vespasian was imployed in the other parts of the Isle where fortune seemed to lay the Foundation of that greatnesse unto which he afterwards attained for in short space he fought thirty times with the Brittains overcoming two Warlike Nations and tameing the fierce a The Inhabitants of the Countries of Somerset Wilton and South-Hampton Belga whose Ancestors coming hither out of Gallia Belgica at the first either to take booties or to make war gave the name of their own Country to such places as they had subdued a custome commonly used amongst the Gaules when they seated themselves in any part of this Island Which like fortunate successe Vespasian proceeded in attempting and conquering the Isle Vectis that lyeth on the South side of Brittain when Claudius the Emperour being now furnished of all things necessary for the Brittish expedition set forward with a mighty Army consisting of Horsemen Footmen and Exphanes He marched first to Ostria from hence to Masselia the
people the present occasion seemed to offer means of redresse while the Roman General was making War in Mona whereupon they resolved to take Arms inciting the Trinobants and other Nations that were wholly brought under subjection to doe the like Then they began to discourse of their miseries of bondage to lay their injuries together aggravating them by their own constructions and complaining that their patience had profited them nothing but to draw heavy burdens upon them as men that would gently bear That whereas in former times they had only one Commander now there was two thrust upon them the Lieutenant to suck their blood the Procurator their substance whose disagreement was the vexation of the subject and agreement utter undoing while the one burdened them with Souldiers and Captains the other with wrongs and indignities That the lust and covetousnesse of these their Enemies laid hold upon all persons without exception that though in the field he that spoileth be commonly the stronger yet themselves were by Cowards and Weaklings for the most part dispossessed of their Houses bereft of their Children enjoyned to yield Souldiers for other mens behoof as though they were such a kind of people as knew how to doe any thing else save onely to die for their Country For otherwise there was but a handful of Souldiers come over if they did but reckon their own number considering withall that Germany had already shaken off the yoak having no Ocean-Sea but a River to defend it That the causes then moving them to take Arms were just and honourable namely to recover their liberty and to defend their Parents Wives Children and Country whereas the Romans had nothing to provoke them to war but their own covetousnesse and wanton lust and were likely enough to depart as Julius Caesar had done if themselves would imitate the vertues of their Progenitors and not be dismaid with the doubtful event of one skirmish or two seeing that men in misery have commonly more courage then at other times and more constancy to continue and now the Heavens themselves seemed to pity their poor estate by sending the Roman Governour out of the way and confining the Army as it were into another Iland by which means opportunity of revenge and hope of liberty was offered and finally that being Assembled to advise and deliberate together they had obtained the hardest point in an action of that nature wherein it were more dangerous to be taken consulting then doing with these and the like Speeches they stirred up one another each man laying his own particular grievances and adding them to the common cause About this time divers prodigious Signs were noted to portend the subversion of the Roman Colony as namely an Image of victory falling down reversed at Camalodunum strange noyses sounding in the Air strange apparitions seen in the Sea the Ocean bloody in shew and the prints of mens bodies on the Sands diverse constructions were made of these things as ominous whether that they proceeded of some natural causes though not alwaies observed or else that they do necessarily forgoe the ruine and change of great states howbeit commonly in such cases mens minds do misgive them while they frame the future event of things answerable to their own fearful imaginations and great alterations falling out sometimes after like accidents they superstitiously suppose them to be alwaies the certaine forerunners of destruction the apprehension of these things at the first struck the Romans with great fear by reason of the absence of their General and thereupon they required the aid of Catus Decianus the a Receiver of the revenues of the Province Procurator who sent a small company badly armed to re-enforce the Garison The old Souldiers that had been left within the Town although few in number yet trusting to the Frenchise of the Temple and not doubting the secret conspiracies of their confederates were in a manner carelesse as in times of peace following their pleasures and making no provision for defence The Brittains having in the mean time taken Armes under the conduct of Voadica a Lady of the blood of their Kings for in matter of Government they made no difference of Sex and being informed of the state of the Colony determined first to assaile the Towns and Forts in their passage thither which they attempted accordingly and with no great difficulty surprised the greatest number of them The good successe the Brittains had in taking in some places of defence as they marched forward made them desirous and adventerous to invade the Colony it self and Voadica as their Leader being a Woman of great Spirit and comely Personage apparaled in a loose Gown of divers colours with a Golden Chain about her Neck and a light Spear in her hand standing upon a heap of Turfes the better to be seen her Daughters on each side of her with a shrill voice uttered these or the like words The Oration of the gallant Lady Voadica to the Brittains IT is no new custome for the Brittains to make War under the leading of a Woman Enobled by their Birth and Discent the examples of former times can well witnesse the experience thereof howbeit at this present I will disclaim all Titles of Dignity and Prerogatives of blood and what difference soever there is in our Estates yet shall our Fortune in this action be indifferent and common to us both it shall not need to repeat that which you all know but too well namely what miseries we have endured under the Tyranny of this proud Nation you have had the triall both of Liberty and Bondage and I doubt not but you find now how much the one is to be preferred before the other and howsoever some of you heretofore for private respects have inclined to the Roman Governours as Favourers of their usurped Sovereignty yet I suppose you will now confesse with me that freedome in a poor Estate is better then Golden Fetters for what abuse can there be named so vile or indignity so disgraceful that hath not been offered us without respect of Degree Age or Sex we Till our ground and sweat for other Men that reap the sweat of our Travels the wealth that we gather together to maintain our selves and our Families is by other men wastfully and riotously mispent we have nothing our own but what they leave us and nothing left us but labour and vexation our bodies and estates being consumed to satisfie their ambition and covetousnesse we have not so much as our heads toll-free so narrowly we are sifted from the highest to the lowest Other subdued Nations are yet by death free from Bondage but we even after death seem to live still in Thraldome while we are inforced to pay Tribute as well for the dead as the living what are we a Nation so contemptible that we can serve to no other use then to be slaves or so unhappy that death it self cannot acquit us from being miserable How long
the time permits it not and the present occasion requires rather deeds then words yet let not our small number discourage you considering that your Ancestors with a smaller number have undertaken greater matters and that where many Legions have been in the Field a few Souldiers carried away the Victory what a glory shall it be for you then if with so small a power you can purchase the praise of a whole Army there is no fear of Ambush the Woods guard you behind and on the Plain before you lyeth your Enemies Camp wherein you may behold more Women then Men and the Men themselves for the most part unarmed and not likely to endure the points and stroaks of your weapons which they have so often felt to their smart it stands you upon now to approve your selves the same men you are reputed to be This is the time either to recover that is lost or to loose that which ye shall never recover you fight not for honor only but for honor and life Remember that you are Romans whose glory is to doe and suffer great things The fortune of this battle will either give us peaceable possession of that our fore-fathers have won or for ever deprive us of it what shall become of you if you be taken the woful experience of our Countrymen most miserable Massacred before your eyes may sufficiently testifie revenge therefore both their wrongs and your own and no doubt but the gods themselves who never leave cruelty unpunished will assist you It is better for us to dye in this action then by yielding or flying to out-live the pâ—a se of our own worthinesse but whether we live or dye Brittaine shall be ours for if we live and recover it our posterity ever after shall be able to defend it and though they should not yet shall our bones keep continuall possession of it take courage therefore and fear not the loud and vain shouts of a disordered multitude but boldly give the assault and keeping your selves close together pursue the fight without thinking of the spoile till you have made a full end for the victory once gotten all things else will of themselves fall to your share With these or the like words the old Souldiers were pricked forward and Suetonius perceiving it gave the signal to battle the Legions kept the strait a place of defence till the Brittains had spent their Darts and then they sallied out into the plain the Auxiliares and the Horsemen making the way and pressed into the thickest Troopes of the Natives who being unable to endure the fiercenesse of the assault turned their backs thinking to save themselves by flight but by reason of the Waggons placed about the plain had hedged in the passages on all sides Brittish Hist fol. 64. few of them escaped the residue as well Women as Men were put to the sword and their dead bodies mingled with the carcases of their horses and chariots were heaped one upon another The number of the Brittains slain in that battle was reported to be about fourscore thousand and of the Romans about four hundred only and not many more wounded in the conflict this days service was renowned among the Romans as comparable to those of ancient times in the free commonwealth Voadica disdaining to fall in her enemies hands ended her life by poyson and Paenius Posthumus seeing the good successe of the fourteenth and twentieth Legion for that by disobeying the General contrary to the discipline of War he had defrauded his own Legion of their part of the glory in that action for very grief slew himself That Voadica poysoned her self is the opinion of Stowland Howes and Holinshed who yet introduceth Dio Cassius to affirm that she dyed a naturall death and called her Voadica or Bonnica The count Palatine saith Bunduica vero vitam veneno finivit but Ponticus Virunnis relates far other ways of this heroick Brittish Amazon Lady for saith he facto congressu exercitum Romanorum delevit Paulinum crudeliter poena eadem affecit venit in Galliam cuncta superans Italiam properabat delere sed prope Alpes labore bellorum defessu aegrotavit periit mulierum gloria Tunc tantus terror Romam innaserat Italiam quantus nunquam antea neque in adventu Brenni neque Hannibalis neque alterius ducis erat mulier procera flava coma alba usque at crura c. In the first onset she destroyed the Roman Army and most cruelly sent Paulinus the same way after his Souldiers after which she came into Gallia destroying all as she passed making all possible speed to bring Italy also to ruine and destruction but not far from the Alpes being fatigated with the toyle and labour of War she fell sick and so dyed the honour and glory of women she struck such fear and terror not only unto Rome but even unto all Italy that neither Brennis Hannibal or any commander whatsoever had ever done the like Then Suetonius having gathered together his scattered Troops certaine Legionary Souldiers and Cohorts of Auxiliares were sent him out of Germany to re-enforce the Garisons and to make an end of the War so of the Brittains that either openly resisted or else stood doubtfully affected were put to the sword and some that escaped the sword died of Famine for lack of Corn a calamity incident to them as to people given rather to War then to Husbandry the rest found means to relieve themselves by the Romans provisions and though some overtures were now and then made for a Treaty of peace yet the Brittains could not very readily hearken thereunto by reason they much doubted their safety as imagining that their guiltiness of rebellion had excluded them from all hope of pardon and they feared also the private displeasure of the Lieutenant who though otherwise a singular man yet seemed to shew too much haughty and hard dealing towards them that yielded themselves and in some sort under the pretext of the publick service to revenge his own injuries Besides Julius Classianus which was sent to succeed Catus being at variance with Suetonius had given out that a Lieutenant was coming and that he was such a one as being void of malice or the pride of a Conquerour would be ready to receive into favour all such as would yield themselves He wrote Letters also to Rome signifying to the Senate that they should look for no end of the War in Brittain so long as Suetonius continued the government there and that the ill successe which he had in the service was to be attributed to his own ill carriage of himself and the good to the fortune of the Commonwealth Hereupon Nero sent Policletus a Libertine into Brittany to examine and report the state of the Affairs there and to enterpose his Authority as a mean to reconcile the Lieutenant and the Procurator and to win the Brittains to embrace peace At his landing in the I le the Roman Souldiers
a Parish Church bearing the name of Saint Dervian as a Church either by him Founded or to him Dedicated so likewise is there another in Glamorganshire called Saint Fagans where every year is a very great Fair continuing many dayes where also my honoured Patron the Right Noble William Lewes of the Van Esq Son to Sir Edward Lewes and the Right Honourable Lady Beauchamp Daughter of the Earl of Dorset hath a stately Habitation and if I mistake not is Lord of the Mannor Betwixt this Elutherius and King Lucius many Letters passed and the said Bishop granted many priviledges to Universities and places of learning in Brittain as to Cambridge Stanford Cricklade or Greeklade and in Glamorganshire I suppose this place was either Caerwent or Caerleon for all which is now called Monmouthshire was then called Glamorgan where they say learning flourished as well as at Cambridge before the coming of Julius Caesar Mr. Bro. f. 270. and the Schoole of Glamorgan being so near Caerleon upon Vsk in that Countrey where one of the three great Idolatrous Temples of Brittain and seat of the Archflamen of those Western provinces was and thereby a Nursery of Paganisme which those holy men laboured by all means to root out and for that cause where Archflamens were Archbishops were placed and where Flamens Bishops The Brittish Histories Ponticus Virunnius and others say of these Prelates that they delivered the Brittains from Idolatry and converted them to Christ Radulphus de Diceto in his manuscript History proveth as much that they converted all the Cities of Brittain as well as their Flamens and Archflamens by whom they were directed in their Idolatrous worship as others And the principal states and members of this Kingdome King Lucius his Nobles Universities Philosophers Flamens and chiefe Priests and Teachers of the Pagan Subjects and their chief places of commorancy and command being thus converted the conquest over the Vulgar sort was easie and soon effected The Author of the Brittish History testifyeth Mr. Br. f. 271. that so soon as the people of Brittain knew that their King was a Christian they gathered themselves together to be Catechised and received Baptisme and that those holy Legates did blot out Paganisme almost through all the Island and Ponticus Virunnius saith that they baptized all the people of Brittany all this may easily be confirmed by divers Authors but I will conclude with Harding Eluthery the first at supplication Of Lucius sent him two holy Men That called were Fagan and Dungen That Baptized him and all his Realm throughout With hearts glad and labour devout There were then twenty eight Flamens and three Arch-flamens to whose power other Judges were subject and these by the command of the Pope his Legates delivered from Idolatry and where there were Flamens they placed Bishops where Arch-flamens Arch-bishops The Seats of the Arch-flamens were in the three most noble Cities London York and the City of Legions which the old Walls and Buildings do witnesse to have been upon the River of Vsk in Glamorgan King Lucius sent to Elutherius not only for his assistance in spiritual matters but also in his temporal Mr. Br. f. 301. 6. Bridges defence l. 16. p. 1355. Galf. Mon. l. 2. c. 17. Bro. Virunnius Stow Hollinshed as the governing his people and making wholsome Lawes The Lawes which were established here were the old Brittains Lawes ascribed for their greatest part to Mulmutius Dunwallo corrected and made conformable to holy Christian Religion We have all kind of Antiquities Brittish Saxon French Italians Ancient and Modern for Witnesses These Lawes were translated out of Brittish into Latine long before this time by the ancient Gildas that lived about the time of the Birth of CHRIST as many both ancient and late Writers agree and continued here till late time and in divers respects at this present King Lucius being thus informed and secured in conscience by Saint Elutherius his Letters and by his Declaration that the whole Kingdome of Brittain with the Ilands belonged to his temporal charge and government and that so much as he could he was to win his Subjects to the Faith and Law of Christ and his holy Church and provide for the peace and quiet of the same and the Members thereof he did first in receiving and admitting these new corrected Lawes by the advice of the Clergy and Nobles of his Kingdome see them so qualified that they were for the defence and propagation of Christian Religion and further Founded many godly costly and memorable Monuments as Churches Universities or Schools Monasteries and other such comforts helps and furtherances of that holy end So that as he was the first King that publickly with his Kingdome professed Christ so he won the honour to be the first Nursing Father among Kings of his holy Church as the Prophet had foretold Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers He was also first among Kings called properly the Vicegerent of God being the first King which so religiously performed his will And that Title which the Pope gave to King Henry the 8. when he was better then he proved after Defender of the Faith was among Kings the first due and right of King Lucius for his so heroical and Religious fortitude and magnanimity in defending the Faith and Church of Christ Being now come to celebrate the day of the death of our glorious King Lucius for the joy that he enjoyed thereby Mr. Br. f. 346. 1. and bewail it for the unspeakable losse this Nation received thereby we are to fall into some difficulties both of the time and place thereof William of Malmesbury in his Manuscript-History of Glasten and other old Antiquities do prove that St. Damianus and Faganus after they had converted this Kingdome continued nine years at Glastenbury at the least King Lucius still living and reigning here Polidor Lilly Hollinshed Stow and others cleave to this Opinion A great Controversie ariseth where this King died many Forreign Authors say That he forsook his Crown and Kingdome and became a Clergyman went into Germany to convert that Nation was Bishop of Curre and there was Martyred the day of his death is agreed upon by all to have been on the third day of December but if those Authors who transport this our blessed King into Germany look but upon what hath been said before they shall find that it was not Lucius who was actually King of Brittain and converted by the means of St. Elutherius but another Lucius who was indeed Son of a King of Brittain and might have been King himself had he not been banished for the reason before related and this was that St. Lucius who with his sister St. Emerita were both Crowned with the glorious Crown of Martyrdome in Germany That our first Christian K. Lucius could not be Bishop of Curre is evident for having been so long King here he was so disabled for Age that he was nor capable of such a journey Further they which
hold he was Bishop of Curre in Germany and Martyred there say his Martyrdome was about the year of Christ 182. whereas this our King was living nine years after besides they say that St. Emerita was his sister But it is evident by our Histories that our first Christian King Lucius had neither brother sister nor child begotten by King Coillus in his old Age having no other Child whereby it is evident that this King Lucius had neither brother nor sister and with what probability can it be affirmed that a King so holy and loving of his Countries good and quiet having no Christian Heir to suceeed him would or in conscience could forsake his Native Country and Subjects in such a case that were in justice belonging to his chiefest charge which no other could execute to preach unto Forreigners which many of his Subjects and others could and at his request most willingly would have performed We read in Histories that many descended of Regal race have in such cases been taken forth of their Monasteries and Religious Conversation to govern Kingdoms destitute of Heirs but that a King so vertuous wise loving and beloved of his Country having no such Heir to succeed him but by such course to expose and leave his Kingdom to so many certain miseries and calamities as fell upon Brittain by the death of King Lucius and probably were foreseen of all wisemen did might would or could take such a course Antiquities have no example Justice denyeth it Charity cannot allow it Seb. Munster Cosmog l. 3. c. 344. Mr Bro. f 349. Coxion Hist part f in K. Lucius Manu Hist Antiq. in Luco Sebastian Manster saith plainly that whereas there is a Vulgar report he maketh no more of any Lucius preaching there that one Lucius preached there if it were so it could not possibly be our first Christian King Lucius for he never went out of Brittain but very Godly lived and dyed here Gaspar Bruchius doth also plainly reject all that History as it is applyed by some to our Lucius and among other reasons addeth that the great difference of years will not permit it to be true An old French Manuscript joyneth in the same leaveth him living dying buried in Brittain And if we come home to our own Historians and Antiquities most likely to make the most true and certain relation of this their so renowned King they set down the year the day Antiq. Eccles St. Petri Cornhil Harding Cron. c. 51. f. 44. and particular place of his death and the very Church one of his own foundation where his body was interred the day and year they say was the 201. year of Christ the third day of October For the place our old Brittish History saith he dyed at Glocester and was with honour buried there in the Cathedral Church so likewise writeth Ponticus Virunnius Matthew of Westminster setting down the time as before saith he dyed at Glocester and was honourably buried there in the Cathedral The old Manuscript of St. Peters Church in Cornhil at London avoucheth from divers Antiquities that he was buried at Glocester where the Church of St. Francis was after builded being at the time of his death the Cathedral and Episcopal Church of the City John Harding also witnesseth of this Kings death and burial at Glocester At Caerglove buried after his dignity And not to exclude the testimony of our later writers in this relation in their Theater of Great Brittain written and composed by divers able Historians Theater of great Brittain l. 6. c. 9. sect 18. and published with common applause they make this History of King Lucius his death in Brittain a matter without question true and thus scoffingly condemn those writers which would carry him to end his dayes in Germany That this Lucius be the Apostle of the Banarians or that his sister Emerita was crowned with the flames of Martyrdom Harrison disc of Brittain Stow Howe 's Hist fifteen years after his death I leave to the credit of Aegidius Schudus and Hermanus Schedelius the Reporters Others of them plainly say Lucius was buried at Glocester yet this general consent of Antiquaries for his first burial at Glocester doth nothing hinder but as the known devotion both of the Brittains as Saxons after them towards holy Relicks did often and with great devotion and solemnity remove the bodies of holy Saints or parts of them for their greater honour So it might or did after fall out with the whole body of this renowned King or some part thereof And the Tradition of Winchester is that the whole body of King Lucius or a great part thereof being once removed before probably to Caerleon for some say he was buried there was the second time translated thither and there lyeth in the body of the great Church under a marble stone elevated about two foot from the pavement the same stone being now broaken in two places having upon it and those holy Relicks a cross of seven great brass buttons whereof 5. are set down in length the other two making the perfect figure and forme of the cross one on each side of the others making the length And this Reverend Translation of St. Lucius his body to divers places in Brittain is sufficiently insinuated by the old Author of the French Manuscript History who although he confidently affirmeth that King Lucius dyed at Glocester yet he addeth that he was afterwards buried in the chief See at Caerleon and this he saith was in the year of Christs incarnation 196. four or five years sooner then others before have set down his death except the Manuscript Compilation which hath the same computation of his death saying Sepultus est anno Incarnationis Domini 196. herede carens he was buried in the 196. year after the incarnation of our Lord wanting Issue or heir And both to assure us further of the undoubted truth of those Histories which testifie the death and burial of St. Lucius to have been in Brittain and not in any forraign Region as also to give us better notion and trial what honour peace and quiet spiritual and temporal with other happiness this Kingdom enjoyed by King Lucius life and lost them by the loss of him it is the constant agreement of Antiquities that Brittain now made by his death destitute not only of so worthy a King but also of any certain heir or successor of that Regal race fell to intestine discord and variance by which it was miserably afflicted long time upon that occasion a late Author tells us King Lucius dyed without issue by reason whereof after his decease the Brittains fell at variance which continued about the space of fifteen years as Fabian thinketh howbeit the old English Cronicle affirmeth that the contention among them remained fifty years though Harding affirmeth but four which his words of Hardings opinion that this variance among them continued but 4. years are to be amended for Harding setteth down
Empress Martia a Brittain And by the Roman writers themselves he was at this time when he was slain at Yorke 65 years old And although he left thirty two Legions as Dio writeth to defend that his temporal Empire which had so persecuted the Church of Christ yet that temporal Empire with all those props began to stagger Tertul. adver Judaeos c. 7. and notwithstanding so great persecution in the Kingdom of Christ as Tertullian then living witnesseth was adored and ruled in all places and particularly here in Brittain And it is generally agreed upon by our both Brittish and Saxon Historians and Antiquaries that after his discomfiture by Severus he went over into Scythia interpreted to be that Country which we now call Denmark Geff. Mon. sup c. 3. Fab. Hist Polycr Harris discrip of Brit. c. 22. Hollensh Hist of Eng. l. 4. c. 23. Bede Eccl. Hist l. 1. Capg in St. Ninian Hect. Boet. Scoto Hist l. 7. Bal. l. de scrip cent 1. in Ninia and brought with him a great army of the people of that Nation which our Antiquities call Picts before he fought with Severus and they both were there slain or died at York These were none of the Christian Picts or Scots which lived in our Islands who had joyned with Fulgenius before and many of them were slain as the same Authors testify but they were Pagan Picts of whom many remained here after the death of these two Generalls and had a place given them to inhabit in the Country of Albania Thus write our Brittish Historians and our modern Antiquaries agree when they say that Carausius gave unto the Scots Picts and Scythians the Country of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited so these were those Pagan Picts and people which St. Ninian and others sent from Rome did long after convert to the faith of Christ as St. Bede and others testify for the Islanders which were Picts and Scots were converted in Pope Victor his time which is another argument against the Scottish writers which would have themselves seated in the Country now called Scotland so long a duration of years as they claim Bassianus being advertised of his fathers death practised with the Souldiers by bribes and fair promises that he might be declared sole Emperour whereto when he could not perswade them for the reverence they bare to his father Severus he made a league with the Northern Brittains that then assailed the Borders and returned to York to meet with Julia the Empresse his mother in law and Geta his brother There he caused the Physitians to be put to death for not ridding his father sooner out of the way as he had commanded them then he appointed secretly to the slaughter all those that for their vertue and wisdom had been esteemed and advanced by his father and all such as having been Tutors to him and his brother and advised them to mutual concord This done he entred into consultation about his fathers funerals which were solemnized by the Army with all due rights according to the ancient custome in time of war The ashes of the dead body being put into a golden Urne were afterwards by Julia the Empresse accompanied with the two Caesars carried to Rome where Severus after the usuall ceremony was consecrated a God Severus left as is related two sons Bassianus and Geta and if Fulgenius who is by divers called King though indeed he was only Dux populi had any right by descent to the Crown of Brittain seeing we read of no child or brother he left behind him that the title which he claimed must needs descend to the eldest son of Severus which was Bassianus son also to the sister of Fulgenius as some before have written now having by the death of his Father Severus and Uncle Fulgenius both their titles with the allowance of the Empress Martia his mother lawfully invested in him Therefore to decide and end all controversies in this businesse the Brittains with common assent did chuse and accept Bassianus both for their King being the next and undoubted heir whether we shall stand either upon his father or Uncles title as also for Emperor Mr. Bro. 370. 1 2. as the Eldest son and heir of Severus undoubted Emperor and for his leaving sons behind as the chiefest cause made a God among the Romans So writeth Herodian with others Herodian l. 4. Stow. Hist Roman in Severo Mos est Romanis consecrare Imperatores qui superstitibus filiis vel successoribus moriuntur And an English Antiquary though not citing authority delivereth the same in these words The Romans accustomed to consecrate with immortality such Emperors as at their death leave either Children or successors in the Empire behind them Harrison disc of Brit. c. 22. French manusc antiq c. 109. Galf. Mon. l. 5 c. 2. Pont. Virun l. 5. c. 2. Mat. West an 206. Harding Chro in Sever. Bass Hollensh Hist of Eng. l. 4. c. 22. Harris disc Brit. c. 22. Tertul. ad scapu c. 4. Spartian in Caracalla and those which are endued with that honour they Canonize among the Gods Therefore to use the speech of an other late Author Severus by birth a Roman but in blood a Brittain and the lineal heir of the body of Androgeas son of Lud and Nephew to Cassibelan was Emperor and King of Brittain Geta born of a Roman woman Julia was chosen Emperor by divers Romans but soon after slain by his halfe brother Bassianus the Brittain This Bassianus reigned alone both Emperour King of Brittain till his death besides his hereditary title to this Kingdom it seemeth that the Christian Brittains here were not a little moved to chuse and receive him for their King for the hope they had he would either become a Christan or at least a friend and no enemy to that profession of which in his youth and tender years he had given no vulgar argument for besides many other hopeful graces and gifts he was then endued with he was brought up by a Christian Nurse and with Christian Children when he did see any Christian Martyrs brought to wild beasts to be killed and devoured he would weep and turne his face away as Spartianus is an ample witnesse And being but seven years old hearing that one of his Christian Play-fellowes was grievously beaten for that his Religion as the common interpretation is he could not long after endure the Procures of his beating And in this hope of the Brittains now Christians that Bassianus would rather be a friend then persecutor of such they were not deceived For although contrary to his first education when he was with Christians being separated from them he fell to so many kinds of impieties as writers do report and put innumerable of the Pagan Roman Nobles to death and many of them which had been greatest enemies to Christians yet he died innocent from Christian blood and persecution Mr. Br. 371. and by his severe
he after addeth thereunto Hermanius Sehedelius addeth also how he went into Rhetia with Emerita his Sister and near unto the City Augusta converted the Curienses unto the Faith of Christ and there likewise being put to death in Castro Martis lyeth buried in the same Town where his feast is held upon the third day of December The Curienses converted to the faith by a Brittain That Schedelius erreth not herein also the ancient monuments of the said Abbey whereof he was the original beginner do yield sufficient testimony beside an Hymne made in the commendation intituled Gaude Lucionum c. The said Schedelius setteth down likewise that his sister Emerita was martyred in Trine castle neer unto the place where the said Lucius dwelled and the same Authour saith further that he converted all Bavaria and Rhetia between the Alps and this narration is confirmed by Gaspar Bruchius thus Bavaria and Rhetia converted to Christianity by a Brittain St. Lucius which preached to the Germans was born of the regal race among the Brittains and propogating the faith of Christ came out of Brittainy into Germany and preached first at Salisbury then at Austburg from whence he was cast out by the Infidels there and then went with his sister St. Emerita to the City of Chur where preaching again both he and his sister Emerita were martyred by the Pagans St. Lucius at Chur in the castle of Mars and St. Emerita at Trine Castle Lucius and Emerita being thus by means of the Roman Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian both banished and martyred to make all sure in their proceedings they detained Constantine the other child as Hostage at their command and placed here in Brittain none to bear office but such as were Pagans ready to execute the cruel and savage resolutions of that bloody persecuting Tyrant against the holy christians here These things thus compleated the state of Brittain by such means was now brought into the same condition for persecution with other nations or rather worse the number of christians being here then far greater both in respect it was a christian Kingdom and so had both more christian inhabitants then other nations and by the immunities and priviledges it should have enjoyed many christians of other regions fled and resorted hither in hope of quiet and security from persecution This violent storme of persecution raging through the whole Roman Empire acted many tragical Scaenes in this Isle Harding in his Chronicle saith Hard. c. 57. f. 41 The Emperour Dioclesian Into Brittaon sent Maximian This Maximian to sirname Hercelius A Tyrant false that Christenty annoyd Through all Brittain a work malicious The Christen folk felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with him foul accloyed Religious men the Priests and Clerks all Women with child and bedrid folk all Children sucking upon their their Mothers pappis The mothers also without any pitty And children all in their mothers lappis The Creples eke and all the Christentee He killed and slew with full great cruelty The Churches brent all books and ornaments Bells Relicks that to the Church appends Dioclesian came to the Empire in the year of Christ 282 and did within two years after begin his most cruel persecution the first that felt the heavy but yet most blessed stroak here in Brittain was St. Allan Dicetus Dean of St. Pauls London doth set down this persecution in Brittain in the year of Christ 287. The old manuscript Annals of Winchester say that S. Allan in the eight year of Dioclesian Maximian was put to death and the same antiquities tell us that the Monks of Winchester were martyred by the Officers of Dioclesian in the second year of his reign and their Church then destroyed Godwin a late Bishop as he citeth from some Antiquities of that Church saith this happened in the year of Christ 289. and addeth that at this time Dioclesian endeavouring to root out Christian Religion in Brittain not only killed the professours of the same Mr Br. f. 415. Hollen Hist of Engl. l. 4. but also pulled down all churches anywhere consecrated to the exercise thereof The instruments of Dioclesian herein were Quintus Bassianus Hircius Alectus Gallus as the most principal with others of inferior degrees and Mamertinus the Panegyrist hath avouched to Maximian the persecutor before that he was here in Brittain in his own person which is confirmed by our own Antiquaries Adding further that he persecuted in the Occidental parts by commission from Dioclesian John Lydgat l. 8. so testifieth John Lydgate the Monck of Bury with others Ant. Brit. Antiq. in tit S. Alb. Cadgrave in eodem St. Alban our first Martyr was rather descended of Noble Roman then Brittish blood but probably both of Roman and Brittish blood his abode and dwelling was at Caermunip or Verulam where all professed Roman Paganisme and there he entertained either for old acquaintance for they were both Knighted at the same time in Rome or hospitality sake as being a man eminent and by some stiled High Steward of the Brittains St. Amphibalus but when he began to speak of Jesus Christ the son of God and incarnate for mans redemption he was so farr off from being a christian that he had scarce heard of Christ before but said this testimony of Christ was strange unto him and St. Amphibalus more particularly declaring the mysteries of Christs Nativity Passion Resurrection and Ascension Alban was yet so far from believing that he told St. Amphibalus he was mad to preach such things that understanding did not apprehend nor reason allow and if the Citizens of that place did know what he spake concerning Christ they would most cruelly put him to death and feared much that he would fall into trouble before he could go forth of his house But what the preaching of St. Amphibalus prevailed not in his earnest prayer and watching obtained of God for Alban For as the old Brittish writer of his life living in that time relateth this History St. Amphibalus watching in prayers all the night following a strange and admirable vision appeared to Alban wherewith he being exceedingly terrified and perplexed presently rose and went to St. Amphibalus thus declaring his vision and desiring the exposition thereof in this order and these words O my friend if these things which thou preachest of Christ are true I beseech thee be not afraid to tell unto me the true meaning of my dream or vision I did attend and behold a Man came from Heaven whom a great and innumerable multitude of Men apprehended and laid divers kinds of Torments upon him his hands were bound with cords his body worne with whips and grievously torne his body hanged upon a cross and his hands stretched cross upon it The Man which was thus tortured was naked and had no shoes upon his feet His hands and feet were pierced with nails his side thrust through with a spear and as it seemed to me
an Officer entituled by him with a limitation of place and restriction of that power which the ancient Praefectus Praetorio had under the first Emperors Then Constantine intending to make war in Persia either to defend or enlarge the limits of the East Empire removed the Emperial Seat from Rome to the City of Bizantium which he re-edified and caused the same to be called of his own Name Constantinople drawing thither the Legions in Germany that guarded the Fronteers of the Western Empire which was thereby laid open to the Incursions of those barbarous People that afterwards assayed it and in the end possessed the greatest part thereof The borders also of the Province in Brittain were weakened by removing the Garrisons there into other Cities and Towns which being pestered with Soldiers for the most part unruly Guests were abandoned by the ancient Inhabitants There be Authors that write Hollin Hist of Engl. f. 92. that Constantine conveyed over Sea with him a great Army of Brittains by whose Industry obtaining Victory as he wished he placed a great number of such as were discharged out of pay and licensed to give over the War in a part of Gallia toward the West Sea coast where their posterity remain unto this day and marvellously encreased afterwards somewhat now differing from our Brittains the Welshmen in manners and language Among those Noblemen which he took with him when he departed out of this Land as our Writers do testifie were the three Uncles of his Mother Helen Hoelus Trabernus and Marius whom he made Senators in Rome After the wars betwixt Constantine and the Persians Mr. Br. fol. 532. the King of Persia sent Embassadors unto Constantine to procure peace and he writ back unto King Sapores that the Christians in his Dominions which were there in great numbers might live at liberty and freedom for their Religion And if we may believe Eusebius then living Euseb lib. 4. Sozom. lib. 2. Hist cap. 14. and best knowing the affairs and proceedings of this most noble Emperor after all these things were compassed and brought to an end he began that glorious and renowned work and Foundation of the most sumptuous Church of the twelve Apostles in Constantinople where it is evident by this then living Author and witness that he did not begin to build this Church till long after his triennial Feast And yet the glory and stateliness of that work as it is described by the same Writer was such that it could not be effected and finished under many years and yet that it was finished before his death it is certain for he there erected a Tomb for his own body to be buried in and there was interred There he erected saith Eusebius twelve Monuments to the honour and memory of the twelve Apostles and in the midst between them he placed his own Tomb with six Apostles encompassed on either side surely as I have said before considering with discreet Councel Euseb ut sup that the Tabernacle of his dead body should worthily and decently rest there when he had considered these things long time before he dedicated the Church to the Apostles thinking that their memory would bring much profit to his soul And both Baronius and Spondanus confess that Constantine did not begin this great and wonderfull work until the 336. Baronius Spond Annal. in ann 336. year of Christ and after his concluding peace with the Persians had not before so much as resolved it Therefore this Church being so costly and magnificent as these men confess and Eusebius at large proveth and yet Constantius lived to see it roofed and quite finished he must needs live a longer time than until the next year the 337. of Christ which they limit unto him to live and much more longer than Socrates their Author continueth his life for by his reckoning setting down his death the same year wherein the Persian Embassadors came to him for peace we must be forced to say this admirable Church was quite finished in the space of seven weeks or if we should adventure as Baronius doth to make Socrates our Author and yet add unto his account a whole year as he doth it must needs be yielded unto by such calculation that it was not begun or any materials prepared for it and yet quite finished within the space of one year and seven weeks for as before it was not begun at the Feast of Easter and yet ended the same year by Socrates before the Feast of Pentecost when by Eusebius Constantine died and by Socrates about the eleventh of the Calends of June the 22. day of May and by Baronius before the Feast of Pentecost and the 22. day of May the year following which is morally impossibly to be true for besides the amplitude thereof and Ornaments therein Euseb lib. 4. de Vit. Const c. 64. Socr. l. 1. c. ult Eusebius who had seen it and knew the building of it saith that Constantine erected it to an infinite altitude and made it from the ground with all variety of Stones even to the top the Roof was curiously wrought and within covered with Gold throughout and covered above with Brasse and much Gold And therefore Nicephorus also a Greek Author who had diligently examined Socrates and citeth his very words of this matter before related affirmeth plainly and constantly notwithstanding that opinion that Constantine did not die until the 342. year of Christ in the Feast of Pentecost Euseb lib. 4. de vit Const c. 64. Cap. 66. sup towards the end of it about noon time of the day to speak in Eusebius his words this Emperor was received to his God leaving his mortal part like to other mortal men to the earth but joyning his Intelligence and Divine part of his Soul unto God He dying in Bethinia his Soldiers enclosing his Body in a Golden Coffin covered it all over with Purple and conveyed it to Constantinople and placed it in the Emperial Palace adorned with Emperial Robes Purple and a Diadem Lights set upon Golden Candlesticks round about it which gave such an admirable shew unto the Beholders as was never seen All the Nobles of his Army which worshipped him whilst he lived kept their old manner and custom at certain times entring in and prostrating themselves on the ground saluted the Emperor after his death lying in his Coffin as if he had been still living The Senate and all other Magistrates worshipped his Body with like reverence All sorts of people even Women and Children in infinite number came to see the solemnity and these things were performed many daies This blessed Emperor was he alone which reigned when he was dead Euseb Ca. 66. and to him alone God himself being Author thereof all honors which were wont to be given when he lived were given after his death For he being the only Emperor which in all the actions of his life piously and religiously worshiped God the King of
Constantius Chlorus by Theodora a man by no title of descent heir or King of Brittain was acknowledged for Emperor for although this Constantius last Emperour by the instigation and perswasion of Eusebia the Empress made him a Caesar in the Empire he himself not able to discharge the whole burden of so manifold troubles and invasions of the Barbarous for so the Romans called strangers in divers places of the Empire especially in Gallia now France whereas Zosimus saith they took 40 Cities neer the River of Rhene and gave unto him in marriage his Sister Helena and sent him to Govern the part of the Empire on this side the Alps Zosim Hist l. 3. Socr. Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. Cassiod Tripart Hist l. 6. c. 1. Nicep l. 10. c. 1. Bar. Spond Annal. anno 360. Soc. l. 3. c. 1. Cassiod Tri. Hist l. 6. c. 1. Amianus l. 21. Socrates Cassiodorus and others testifie it was thought that when Constantius sent him into the dangerous wars of Gallia his Wife Helena being then dead he did it to have him slain by the cruel and potent Enemies And Constantius limiting his power to do nothing without consent of others And not only this but he secretly incited Vadomarus King of the Franks to take Armes against Julian and incited others by his letters which they sent to Julian for their excuse to invade the Romans where Julian Ruled which when Julian perceived and remembring the old hatred he had born him from his Childhood he required him with the like measure shewing much love and favour to those under his command whom Constantius hated or dis-favoured which among Christians were the Catholick Bishops and others whom he had persecuted And this his favour and kindnesse towards Catholicks had continued with him even from his first being Caesar in these parts as evidently appeareth in the case of St. Hillary that renowned glory of Gods Church who at the same time he was exiled by the procurement of the wicked Arians and consent of Constantius unjustly was by Julianus whom he called his Lord and Religious Caesar adjudged Innocent and for his love and defence of St. Hillary did suffer more reproach of the Arian persecutors than St. Hillary endured injury by that exilement Thus we see Julian whilst he continued in these Western parts was a favourer of the Catholick Religion but Julian quite leaving these Western Nations before either he persecuted Christians or left the profession of their Religion living so short a time Emperor not two years by two Moneths and three dayes Baron an 363 as Baronius thinketh he doth demonstrate and never returning Westward again Brittain could not be afflicted with his Apostasie After the death of Constantius who is said to have repented three things at his last gasp first that he caused the death of his Son-in-Law The second that he made Julian who proved an Apostate Emperour Mr. Bro. fol. 56. And the third that he professed and favoured the Arian Heresie for which offences craving pardon and repenting he died a holy death Gregor Nazian in Orat. in Julianum Nicep l. 9. Hist c. 50. British Hist 141. and was buried with such solemnities as the Catholicks use in the funerals of them that make a holy end And to confirm the opinion of men with the authority and Testimony of Heaven and Angels he saith it was commonly related that his body was with such solemnity carried to Constantinople to be buried there an Angelical Harmony was heard by many as reward of his piety Julianus possessing the Empire which he had usurped in the life time saith the Brittish History of Constantius banished Palladius an honorable person into Brittain and sent Alipius to repair the walls of Jerusalem in which attempt God discovering his wrath by terrifying the Builders with thunder and lightning and killing many thousand Jewes gave an apparent testimony how vain a thing it is for man to oppose himself against the uncontrollable Decree of Almighty God and who so shall consider the strange and miraculous death of this Julian as being slain from Heaven and his desperate crying out Thou hast vanquish'd me O Galilean when he yielded up his damnable Soul I suppose will be terrified both from falling into Apostasie or taking any Oath of abjuration concerning his Faith and Religion Jovian Jovian succeeded Julianus in the Empire which he held but few months when he was chosen Emperor as Ruffinus Theodoret Socrates and others testifie he refused it Ruffinus Hist l. 2. c. 1. Theodoret l. 4. c. 1. Socr. Hist l. 3. c. 19. Matth. West ann 366. and being thereto taken by the Soldiers against his will openly professed that he being a Christian would not be Emperor over Infidels but all of them confessing themselves to be Christians he accepted the Empire This Christian magnanimity appeared evidently in this new elected Emperor before in the time of Julian for Julian apostating and making a Decree that Soldiers should either sacrifice to Idols or leave the wars he being then a Tribune rather made choice to forsake all hope of temporal preferment than obey that wicked Edict Whereupon Julian then standing in need of such Assistants retained him still in the number of his Commanders notwithstanding he so couragiously professed himself a Christian This renowned Man was at one and the same time as Ruffinus cals him a Confessor Emperor and Extinguisher of Error Jovian commended and God wonderfully honored his constancy even in his life not only in the conferring the Imperial honor upon him but in the manner thereof Ruff. sup Theodoret l. 4 c. 1. that being so professed a Catholick Christian the whole Army did with one voice choose him Emperor which joyned with that is said of them before upon Jovianus refusing to be Emperor over Pagans how with one voice they all confessed themselves to be Christians sufficiently proveth that either the Edict of Julian to force his Soldiers to sacrifice to Idols was never received or generally observed or they sinned only in external act of Idolatry by that compulsion still persevering in judgement and affection Christians Socr. l. 3. c. 5. Ruff. l. 2. c. 1. Socrates saith he reigned but 7 months Ruffinus eight Valentinian Now therefore although Jovianus was a worthy Catholick Christian Emperor ever following that Religion and Doctrine against the Arians as Socrates and others prove Socr. l. 3. c. 20. and shutting up the Pagan Temples and forbidding their Sacrifices yet being Emperor so short a time and chosen living and dying in the East Countries far remote from Brittain it did not receive so great benefits by so good an Emperor as nearer Nations did but during his short Regiment continued much after the same manner it did before until Valentinian was chosen Emperor who being a Catholick and reigning divers years over Brittain and his Son Gratian after him this Kingdom in their times was free from Heresie which they persecuted Socr.
truth of Christianity which seemed to be born down by the subtil allegations of humane Reason Hereupon the Bishops called a Synod wherein Germanus the Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troyes in Champaigne were appointed to go into Brittain and to undertake the Cause which they afterwards prosecuted with so good success as many Hereticks among the Brittains were openly convinced and Christians confirmed in faith About the same time Ninianus Bernitius of the Race of the Brittish Princes was sent into Pictland to convert the Inhabitants there to Christianity Brittish Hist l. 3. f. 153. Palladius a Grecian was likewise appointed by Celestine Bishop of Rome to Preach the Gospel in Scotland unto such there as yet remained in Infidelity and to suppress the Pelagian Heresie new sprung up in that Kingdom to be the first and chief Bishop of the Church there for which purpose also Patricius surnamed Magonius born in Brittain was sent to the Irish and Scotch men that then dwelt in the Isles of the Orcades and Hebrides these three Religious Fathers were much honoured in those dayes for the reverend opinion which most men had of their Learning and Integrity of life and they are accounted the Apostles and Patrons of the Scotish Irish and Pictish Nations as being the several Instruments of the general Conversion of each of them Within few years after the Brittains were again hotly pursued by the Scotchmen and Picts who swarmed over a great part of the Land taking from the Brittains for a time all opportunities of convening and assembling themselves together as in former dangers they had been accustomed whereby no small number of the Inhabitants of the Province dispairing of better success retired themselves giving way unto the present necessity while each man as in common calamities oft times it falleth out laying aside the care of the publick made provision for his own safety leaving the Enemy in the mean time to take and kill such as resisted Some of the Brittains being driven out of their own houses and possessions fell to robbing one another encreasing their outward troubles with inward tumult and civil dissention by which means a great number of them had nothing left to sustain them but what they got by hunting and killing of wild beasts Others burying their Treasures under ground whereof great store hath been found in this Age Brit. Hist l. 3. fol. 158. did flee themselves either into the Countrey of the a Southwales Silures and b Northwales Ordâ—nices and into the West part of the Isle where the c Cornwall Devonshire Damonians then inhabited or else into Amorica in France the rest being hemmed in with the Sea on the one side and their Enemies on the other sent to the Emperor for aid which they could not obtain for that the Goths and Hunns invading Gallia and Italy the greatest part of the Forces of the Empire was drawn thither for defence of those places by reason whereof the State of Brittain now declining with the Empire and shrinking under the burthen of barbarous Oppression the Brittains sent Embassadors again to Aetius the President in Gallia desiring him to relieve their necessities declaring withall that themselves were the small remnant which survived after the slaughter of so many thousands whom either the Sword or the Sea had consumed for the barbarous Enemy drave them upon the Sea the Sea again upon the Enemies between both which they suffered two kindes of death as being either killed or drowned that it imported the Majesty of the Roman Empire to protect them who had so many hundred years lived under their obedience and were now plunged into the depth of intollerable miseries for besides the calamities of War both civil and foreign at one instant they were afflicted with dearth and famine which forced them sometimes to yield themselves to the merciless Enemy But their complaints availed nothing for the Romans plainly denied to send them any more succour whereof the Scotishmen and Picts being certainly advertised and knowing how small a number of able men remained in the Province to withstand their attempts assailed first such places of strength as guarded the borders and afterwards entred the Province it self where by continual course of Conquests they found a passage into the heart of the Isle spoyled the People of their wealth burnt their Cities and brought the Inhabitants thereof under a miserable Servitude Thus about five hundred years after the Romans first Entrance and four hundred forty six after our Saviours birth the Isle of Brittain which had been not only the principal Member of the Empire but also the seat of the Empire it self and the Seminary of Soldiers sent out into most parts of the World was now in the time of Honorius bereaved of the greatest part of her ancient Inhabitants and left a prey to barbarous Nations SHREWSBURY SHREWSBURY is the principal Town in Shâ—opshire and stands neatly upon a Hill and iâ— almost encompassed round by the River Severus that part thereof which is not fenced by the River being fortified by a very strong Castle built by Roger de Montgomery the first Earl thereof A fair and goodly Town it is well traded and frequented by all sorts of people both Welsh and English by reason of the Trade of Gloath and other Merchandise this being the commont Mart and Empory between England and Wales it standeth in the very midst or centre as it were of the whole Countrey which generally is inferiour to none about it for delight and plenty for the number of Towns and Castles standing exceeding thick on every side as having formerly been a frontier Countrey very far above them It belonged anciently to the Cornavii and at the Norman Conquest was bestowed on Roger de Montgomery who first made it â—eminent and with his Successors and sinâ—e them the honorable Family of the Talbots enjoyed the Stile and Title of Earls of Shrewsbury 1. Roger de Montgomery 2. Hugh de Montgomery 3. Robert de Montgomery 4. John Talbot Marshal of France created Earl of Shrewsbury by K. H. 6. 5. John Talbot L. Tre. 6. John Talbot 7. Geo. Talbot 8. Francis Talbot 9. Geo. Talbot 10. Gilbert Talbot 11. Edward Talbot 12. Geo. Talbot 13. John Talbot now living and Earl of Shrewsbury 1661. The Earl of DERBY Thomas Stanley Earl of Derby Knight of the Garter c. Elinor Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury Tho. Earl of Derby c. Anne Daughter to Ed. L. Hastings which Family descends from the Brittish line as shall appear in its proper place Edward Earl of Derby c. Dorothea Daughter to Thomas Howward Duke of Norfolk by which March this honorable Family descends from the Brittish line as in the Pedegree of the Duke of Norfolk Henry Earl of Derby c. Margaret Daughter to Henry Clifford Earl of Cumberland and Elinor his Wife Daughter and Coheir to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and Mary Queen of France
now much worse then before the Saxons arrival that strangers under the colour of friendship robbed them of their goods and bereaved them of their lands that the secret practises of such as they trusted were no lesse to be feared then open Hostility and that if speedy order were not taken to expell them they would in short time root out the ancient Brittains and make themselves Lords of the whole Island But Vorteger whose affection to his wife and her Kindred weighed down all other respects whatsoever neglected their complaints till by his own experience he was taught what dangerous inconveniences proceed from wilful rashnesse and mis-government For the Brittains disdaining to be any longer commanded by such a Prince Vortiger despised by his own Subjects as had neither power to command his own affections nor care to provide for the safety of his Subjects declared him uncapable and by a general consent deprived him of all Regall Authority Vortimer Vortimer the Son of Vortiger a Man in disposition of mind much like his Father was declared King and renewed the war with the Saxons whom he encountered in a pitcht field near Alisford in Kent In that conflict Catigern his Brother and Horsa the Brother of Hengist fighting hand to hand were both slain whereby though the Saxons perished in greater number then the Brittains yet by the loss of the Generals on both sides the fortune of the Battail seemed in a manner to be equal On the part of the Brittains there died no man of name save only Catigern in remembrance of whose death there was afterwards a Sepulchre of stone erected where the battail was fought the like monument was also built by the Saxons for Horsa their Captain though time hath now defaced it howbeit the memory of the place it self if credit may be given to the inhabitants there iscontinued amongst them even to this day by a small village in East Kent yet bearing his name After this the Brittains made divers attempts upon their Enemies sometimes winning sometimes loosing and then recovering again that which they had lost when Vortimer the King ended his dayes either by a natural death or by the treachery of Rowen his Stepmother He was a Prince of great courage adorned with many morall vertues and as some writers have reported a favourer and professor of Christian religion Vortiger restored Now was Vortiger either by an hope that adversity had wrought upon him a reformation of mind Brittish Hist part second fol. 191. or else for fear least any civil discord should arise by the election of an other revoked with common consent of the Brittains and restored to his former Estate During his Sons reign as Histories report he lived a private life near Radnor in Wales where he bestowed much cost in building a Castle for defence as he vainly imagined against any suddain assault In the mean time the strength of the Saxons encreased by new supplies which came daily out of Germany and the Brittains doubted their own Estates so much the more by reason that the Picts and Scottish Men their ancient Enemies were dispersed in most parts of the Isle The Saxons also for their own advantage entering often times into secret conferences and mutual leagues with them But Hengist supposing that he could not with safety enjoy the possession of that Territory which Vortiger had assigned unto him so long as the chief and most valiant of the Brittish Nation remained alive The treachery of the Saxons devised by a cunning practice under pretence of hospitality and friendship to draw them together into one place and on the suddain to supprise them To this end he prepared a solemne banquet at which the King with divers noble personages as bidden guests were present suspecting nothing less then what was intended against them For the Brittains being warm with good cheer and wine whereof they had drunk immeasurably were scoft at by the Saxons Drunkenness the ruine of the Brittains the one provoking the other so far with reproachfull terms that in the end they fell from words to blowes in such furious manner as the Brittains being about 300 in number all un armed and surcharged with wine were slain in the place and Vortiger their King taken prisoner who soon after delivering for his ransome the whole Country of Kent with other Provinces thereto belonging and adjoyning into the Saxons hands fled to his Castle in Wales where supposing himself free from danger he continued his vitious and prophane manner of living till in the end both himself and his Castle as some writers affirm was by lighting from Heaven consumed to ashes Thus Vortiger the last King of the Brittish blood a Prince in manners dissolute and weak in actions was by strangers dispossessed of his Kingdom living to see the ruine of his Country whereof himself was the principal cause and dying in the end a strange and unnatural death which is commonly the issue of a disordered and infamous life The report goeth that this fatal meeting was held upon Salisbury-plains where not many years after Aurelius Ambrosius caused that strange building of stone now call'd Stone-hedge to be erected as a perpetual monument of so many worthy Brittains slain and buried there concerning which sundry conjectures have been made as being either framed according to mens particular conceits or grounded upon common reports received by tradition But by what means so ever they came thither they are accounted at this day one of the miracles of England in regard both of the stones themselves which are of a huge bigness as also of their position and order whereby they seem in a manner to be supported with their own weight in hanging one by an other considering withall that there are no stones for building to be found within many miles of that place Now were the Brittains driven from place to place some flying to the mountains others hiding themselves in Caves under ground where they either perished for want of food or coming abroad to seek for relief were cruelly murdered their Enemies in the mean time ranging up and down without resistance rafing their houses The wofull condition of the Brittains polluting the Altars in their Temples with the blood of their Priests burning the Temples themselves and committing all manner of sacriledge and outrage without regard of place or person For the Saxons as by little and little they planted themselves in the most wealthy and fruitfull parts of the Isle so they endeavoured to supplant the true Christian religion whereof they professed themselves open Enemies as men meerly addicted to heathenish superstition in worshipping divers Gods and Goddesses among whom the Images of Thor Woden Frea and Eoster were placed in their Temples as their chief Patrons they painted Thor with a Scepter in his hand after the same manner that the Poets used to describe the Image of Jupiter and him they reverenced as the commander and disposer of thunder and lightning
wonderful largeness so that the space of his forehead between his two eyes was a span broad there appeared in his head the signs and prints of ten wounds or more all the which were grown into one wemm except onely that whereof it should seem he dyed which being greater then the residue appeared very plain Also in opening the Tomb of his wife Queen Guenhera that was buryed by him this Queen had taken upon her a Monastical habit Mr. Broug fol. 603. either after the death of her Husband or else to do pennance for some crime committed for some there are who affirm that she was too familiar with Mordred her husbands both kinsman and capital enemy the Monastery unto which she went to receive the habit of Religion was one of the two which were in Gaerleon dedicated to St. Julius our Martyr and is yet called St. Julians and is at present the Mansion House of the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbery When the tombe of this Queen was opened they found the tresses of her hair whole and perfect and finely platted of colour like to the burnisht gold the which being touched immediately fell to dust The Abbot which then was governour of that house was called Stephan or Henry de Bloys otherwise de Sullie Nephew to King Henry the second by whose commandment he had searched for the grave of Arthur translated the bones as well of him as of his Queen into the great Church and there buryed them in a fair marble Tombe laying the bones of the King at the head of the Tombe and the body of the Queen at his feet towards the west part In Commendation of this Warlick Prince certain verses are made in Latine but because they are turned into English I set not down the Latine but give them unto my Reader as they are in Holinshed Who vanquisht Saxon troops with battails bloody broyles And purchast to himself a name with warlick wealthy spoyles Who hath with shivering shining sword the Picts so oft dismaid And eke unweildy servile yoak on neck of Scots hath laid Who Frenchmen Pufft with pride and who the Germains fierce in fight Discomfitted and daunted Danes with main and martial might Who of that murdering Mordred did the vital breath expell The Monster grisley loathsome huge that diresome Tyrant fell Here livelesse Arthur lies entomb'd within this stately hearse Of Chievaldry the bright renown and vertues nursling fierce Whose glory great now over all the world doth compass fly And of the airy thunder shales the lofty buildings high Therefore you Noble Progeny of Brittains line and race Arise unto the Emperour great of thrice renowned grace And cast upon his sacred Tombe the roseal garland gay That fragrant smell may witness well your duties you display The occasion that moved King Henry the second to cause his Nephew the Abbot to search for the grave of King Arthur was for that he understood by a Welsh * These Bards were as Heralds observing the true genealogies of the Country Bard that could sing many histories in the Welsh language of the Ancient Brittains that in the foresaid Church-yard of Glastenbury betwixt two pillers the body of Arthur was to be found buried six foot deep under the ground Giraldus Cambrensis affirmeth that the tree in which Arthurs body was found inclosed was an Oak but others suppose that it was an Alder tree because that in the same place a great number of those kind of trees do grow and also for that it is known that an Alder lying under the ground where moysture is will long continue without rotting But the finding thus of the body of Arthur thus buried such as believe that he was not dâ—â—d but conveyed away by Fairies deluded it may be by this fantastick verse Hic jacet Arthurus ReX quondam Rexque futurus into â—ome pleasant place where he should remain till a time and then to return again and reign in as great Authority as he did before might well perceive themselves deceived in crediting so vain a fable on the other side as quite contrary some seem to doubt whether any such man was ever In rerum Natura William of Malmsbury a writer of good credit and authority among the learned hath these words in his first book entituled De Regibus anglorum saying But he being dead meaning Vortimer the face of the Brittains waxed feeble their decayed hope went backward apace and even then suddenly had they gone to destruction if Ambrosius which alone of the Romans remained yet alive and was King after Vortigerne had not kept under and stayed the lofty barbarous people that is to say the Saxons by the notable aid and assistance of the valiant Arthur This is the same Arthur of whom the trifeling tales of the Brittains even to this day do fantastically descant and report wonders but worthy doubtless was he of whom feigned fables should not have so dreamed but rather that true Histories might have set forth his worthy prayses as he that did for a long time sustain and hold up his Country that was ready to go to utter ruine and decay encouraging the bold hearts of the Brittains in the war and finally in the siege of Badon hill he set upon 900 of the Enemies and with incredible slaughter did put them all to flight On the contrary part the English Saxons although they were tossed with several chances of Fortune yet still they recruited their forces with new supplies of their Country men that came out of Germany and so with bolder courage assailed their Enemies and by little and little causing them to give place spread themselves over the whole Island for although there were many battails in the which sometimes the Saxons sometimes the Brittains got the better yet the greater number of the Saxons that were slain the greater number still came over to the succour of their Country-men being called in and sent for over out of every quartâ—â— of their Territory Here is also to be noted that where the Brittish History declareth that Gawen or Gallowyn being slain in the battail fought betwixt Arthur and Mrodred in Kent was buried at Dover so that his bones remained there to be shewed long after This Gawain as saith a French Author did bear for his armes De Purpre a vu aigle d' Or a Deux testes membres d' Or Purpure an Eagle displayed with two heads Or yet by that which Will. Malm. in the third book of his volume entituled De Regibus Anglorum the contrary may seem true The armes of Gawain his words are these When in the Province of Wales which is called Ross the Sepulchre of Walwain was found who was Nephew to Arthur by his Sister not going out of kind from so worthy an Uncle he reigned in that part of Brittain which unto this day called Walwithia a Knight for his high prowess most highly renowned but expulsed out of his Kingdom by the Brother and Nephew of Hengist
Will. of Malms de Reg. Angliae first requiting his banishment with great detriment and loss to those his Enemies wherein he was partaker by his just desert of his Uncles worthy praise for that he stayed for a great many years the destruction of his country which was now runing headlong into utter ruine and decay Hollenshed Hist of Engl. fol. 156. But Arthurs grave no were appeareth but the others tombe was in the dayes of William the Conquerour upon the Sea side and contained in length fourteen foot where he was as some say wounded by his Enemies and cast up by shipwrack but other write that he was slain at a publick feast or banquet by his own Countrimen But here you must consider that Malmesbury departed this life about the begining of the reign of King Henry 2. certain years before the bones of King Arthur were found But now to speak some things of the Queen King Arthur his consort some are of opinion that she took that name from her excellent beauty because Cuynne if truly written in the Welsh tongue signifieth fair so that she was named Guenuere or Guenllean even as you would say the fair and butifull Heonere or Helen she was brought up in the house of Cador D. or E. of Cornwall before Arthur married her and as it appeareth by writers she was evill reported of as noted of Incontinency and breech of faith to her husband but excellent beauties seldom escape the venemous blasts of detracting and envious tongues and never want the amorous courtings of lascivious wantons The Brittish history affirmeth that she did not only abuse her self by unlawfull company with Mordred but that also in Arthurs absence she consented to take him to husband It is likewise found recorded by an old writer that Arthur besieged the Marches near Glastenbury for displeasure that he bore unto a certain Lord called Melva who had ravished Guuennere and led her into those Marches and there did keep her Arthur had two wives as Girald Cam. affirmeth of which the later saith he was buried with him and her bones found in his own Sepulchre so devided yet that two parts of the Tombe towards the head were appointed to receive the bones of the man and the third part towards the feet contained the womans bones a part by themselves Hector Boetius writeth that Queen Guennere being taken by the Picts was conveyed into Scotland were finally she died and was there buried in Angus And this may be true if Arthur had three several wives each of them bearing the name of Guenhere as Sir John Price avoucheth But by reason of the disagreeing of writers touching the great acts atchieved by this Arthur and also for that some difference there is amongst them about the time in which he should reign many have doubted of the truth of the whole history which is written of him The Brittish histories as also the Scotch do agree that he reigned in the dayes of the Emperour Justinian about the fifteenth year of whose reign he died which was in the year of our Lord five hundred forty one as Harrison also confirmeth some write otherwayes The writer of the book called Aurea Historia affirmeth that in the tenth year of Cerdicus King of West Saxons Leyland Arthur the warriour arose amongst the Brittains Also Divionensis writeth that Cerdicus fighting oftimes with Arthur if he were overcame in one moneth he rose in another more strong and fierce then before At length King Arthur over toyled with hard labour and warfair after the twelfth year of the coming of Cerdicus gave unto him upon his homage done and fealty received the Shires of South-Hampton and Somerset the which Country Cerdicus named West Saxon. West Saxon. In the while that this Kingdom was thus troubled with war and destruction between the Brittains and Saxons the Christian Religion was not only abolished in places where the Saxons seated themselves but also among the Brittains the right faith was brought into danger by the reviving of the Pelagian Heresie which began to be broached saith Hollenshed by divers naughty persons and questionless they were so and all such as follow them And although in the first part of this History speaking of this most pestiferous Arch-heretick and his damnable doctrine I then expressed not his Theses yet upon better consideration that all vertuous Christians may avoid them I think it not altogether amiss to lay them open to the World and I must heartily wish that none may follow them The Heresies of Pelagius 1. First he was charged that Adam was made motral and should have died whether he had sinned or no. 2. That his sin did only hurt himself and not humane kind 3. That infants new born are in the same State wherein Adam was before his fall 4. That by the death and prevarication of Adam all Mankind doth not die nor all mankind rise again by the Resurrection of Christ 5. Children may have eternal life though they be not baptized 6. Rich men that be baptized except they renounce all their goods if they are taught to do any good thing it shall not be reputed to them neither can they have the Kingdom of God 7. That the grace and help of God is not given to every act but is from the will or in the Law or Doctrine 8. That the grace of God is given according to our own demerits 9. That Men cannot be called the Children of God except they be altogether without sin 10. And that it is not free-will if it wanteth the help of God because every one hath in his own will to do any thing or not to do it 11. That our victory is not from the help of God but from freewill 12 That to them that seek pardon pardon is not given according to the Grace and mercy of God but according to the labour and merits of them which by penance are worthy of mercy St. Augustine in divers places speaketh of this Arch-heritique and of the Articles whereof he was charged and recanted by Pelagius though dissemblingly for fear as appeared by him afterward so did divers others and add more errours which he held as that 1. Before Christ man was without sin 2. Prayer is not necessary 3. Man is able by the power of Freewill not onely not to sin but not to be tempted 4. That Women ought to sing in the Church 5. That all men ought to be cloathed like Monks St. Augustine addeth that 1. Man might not â—ear at all 2. The life of just men in this life to be altogether without sin and that the Church of Christ in this world consisteth of such 3. He denyed that the Church should offer prayers either for Infidels and such as resisted the doctrine of God that they might be converted unto him or for the faithfull that their faith might be encreased and they persevere in it For these heresies as is said before he was condemned by a
contains in it 248. Parishes and in them 18. Market Towns the chief whereof is Dorchester as that which doth denominate the whole County A Town not much famous for much else then that it hath long been and doth still continue the honorary title of those noble Personages which have been severally Marquesses and Earls OF DORSET 1 Osmond de Sees E. 2 John Beaufort Marquess L. Adm. 3 Thomas Beaufort Earl Duke of Exceter Lord Chancellor and Lord Admiral 4 Edmund Beaufort E. and Marque 5 Henry Beaufort Marq. 6 Edmund Beaufort Marq. 7 Thomas Grey Marq. 8 Thomas Grey Marq. 9 Henry Grey Marq. D. of Suffolk 10 Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst created Earl of Dorset 10 Jacobi Lord Treasurer and Chancellour of Oxford 11 Robert Sackvile E. 12 Richard Sackvile E. 13 Edward Sackvile E. Lord Chamberlain to the Queen 14 Edward Sackvile now Earl of Dorset 1661. The Earles of Salisbury and Exceter RObert Sitsylt came into Wales with Robert Fitz Hamon who conquered Jestin Prince of Glamorganshire an inheretrix by whom he had Halterennis and other lands in Herefordshire and Glocestershire James Sitsylt Esq  Iohn Sitsylt Esq The Lady Maud de Frenes Eustace Sitsylt Esq Elianor daughter to Sir VVill. Pembridge Knight Sir Baldwin Sitsylt Knight temp Hen. secundi daughter to Maurice de Brampton Esq Gerald Sitsylt Esq Mavil daughter to Sir Moygne Knight Robert Sitsylt Esq Alice daughter to Sir Rob. Trogois Knight James Sitsylt Esq Isabell daughter to Sir John Knell Knight Gerald Sitsylt Esq Margaret Daughter to Stephan de Ber. John Sitsylt Esq Sibil daughter to Robert of Ewyas Esquire Sir John Sitsylt Knight Alicia sister to Sir Richard Baskervile Knight Iohn Sitsylt Esq Jone daughter to sir Richard Monington Knight Thomas Sitsylt Esq Margaret daughter and heir to Gilbert de Winston Esq Philip Sitsylt Esq Margaret daughter to Iohn Philips Esq Richard Sitsylt Knight Cecil Esq Margaret daughter to Philip Vaughan Esq David Cecil Esq  Sir William Cecil Baron Burley Knight of the Garter c. Mary sister to Sir Iohn Cheek Kt. Rob. Cecil E. of Salisbury Elizab. d. to W. Brook L. of Cob. Will. Cecil E. of Salisbury 1661 Katherine d. to Tho. Howard E. of Suffolk Charles Lord Cranbourne Iane daughter to Maxwell Esq groom of the bed-Chamber to K. Charles of glorious memory Tho. Cecil E. of Exceter Dorothy d. and co-h to I. Nevil L Latimer Will Cecil E. of â—xceter Eliz. d h. of Ed. Mannors E. of Rutland D. Cecil now E of Exceter 1661 descended from a younger son of William L. Burley Eliz. d. to Iohn Egerton Earl of Bridgwater SALISBURY Salisbury is the chief City of Wilts it was at first seated high upon an hill as being a place designed for strength and war yet honoured for a while with a Bishops See and a fair Cathedral But the Bishops and the Clergy finding no good quarter amongst the Soldiers which were there in Garrison and being destitute of water upon so high an hill about the time of Rich. I. began to leave it and plant themselves down lower by the water-side being once setled there and raising a new Cathedral for Gods publick service the people also followed after and left old Sarum to it self which in short time became so totally deserted that now the ruines of it are hardly visible but for new Salisbury that grew up presently to a great renowne pleasantly seated on the river with water in every street thereof and for the populousness of the place plenty of provision and spacious market place and a fair Town hall is esteemed to be the second City of all that Tract and which adds no small lustre to it a place that hath been very fortunate in those eminent persons on whom the Kings of England have bestowed the title of Earls of Salisbury Earles of Salisbury Patrick d' Eureux Will. d' Eureux VVill Longespee base son to K. Henry 2. who married Ella daughter of VVill. d' Eureux VVilliam Longespee VVill. de Montacute VVill. de Mont. John de Mont. Tho. de Mont. Richard Nevil who married Elianor daughter of Thomas Mont. Lord Ch. Richard Nevil Earl of VVarwick George Duke of Clarence who maried Isabel daughter of Richard Earl of VVarwick Edward eldest son of King Richard 3. and Anne the second daughter of Richard Nevil Margaret daughter of George Duke of Clarence created Countess of Salisbury by King Henry 8. Robert Cecil Viscount Crambourne created Earl of Salisbury 3. Jacob. VVilliam Cecil now Earl of Salisbury 1661. EXCETER Exceter is now the chief City of Devonshire a fair and goodly seat it is placed upon the Eastern bank of the River Ex from whence it had the name of Exceter In circuit it contains within the walls about a mile and a half besides the suburbs which every way stretch out to a great length and in the circuit there are numbered fifteen Parish Churches besides the Cathedral the whole environed with deep ditches and very stronge wals having many Towers therein very well disposed and yet the animosity of the Inhabitants is a greater strength unto it then the walls or ditches whereof they have given notable proof in these later times to their great honour here followeth a Catologue of the Dukes Marquesses and Earles John Holland E. of Huntington made Duke of Exceter by Richard 2. Thomas Beaufort E. of Dorset Lord Ch. and Adm. made Duke of Exceter by King Henry 5. Iohn Holland Duke Lord Adm. Henry Holland Duke Lord Adm. Henry Courtney E. of Devon created Marquesse of Exceter by K. Henry 8. Thomas Cecil Lord Burley created Earl of Exceter 3. Jaco VVilliam Cecil David Cecil now Earl 1661. THE SECOND BOOK Arma Paterna year 877 ANARAWD the Son of Roderick began his Reign over VVales in the year of Christ 877. year 878 The year 878. died Fedan the son of Melht a noble man of VVales and the second year following there was a great Battel fought by the Danes and the Englishmen of Mercia against the Welshmen upon the River Conway where the VVelshmen had the Victory and this was called the Revenge of the Death of Roderick year 879 About this time Eveneth the Son of Bledrid a Baron of VVales died Forrain and alwaies pernicious and Anarawd King or Prince of North-Wales came with a great Army of English-men and made War against his Brother Cadeth and spoiled the country of Caerdigan and Ystradgwy The Danes being put hard to their shifts by Alfred left their Wives and children in Essex and passed spoiling the Land to * Forsan Cowbridge Quadbridge upon Severn and so passed the River and spoiled the countries of Brechnock Gwentland and Gwenthwg About the year 900. Igmond with a great number of Souldiers came to Anglesey and the Welshmen gaue him a Battel at Molerein There be some Brittish Copies of this History which affirm that this battel between Igmond Captain of the black Nations and the Brittains wherein Mervin was slain was
the cause ended This shall be sufficient for this time Some Authors write that Lhewelin ap Sitsylht who was after Prince of Wales assisted Edmund a Saxon King and entered Cumberland taking the two sons of Dummaille King of the Province put out their eyes and then gave that Country to Malcolme to be holden of him with condition to keep the North part of the Realm from incursion of enemies the which condition was afterwards but slenderly peformed This Malcome was the son of Donald King of Scotland and was the next King after Constantine the third being in number the 76. In the year 942. died Hubert Bishop of St. Davids and the year following Marclois Bishop of Bangor and Vssa the son of Lhavyr died the year 944. the Englishmen entered Wales with a stronge army and spoyled Strad Clwid and returned home At which time Conan the son of Elise was put in danger of death by poyson and Everus Bishop of St. Davids died In the year 948 died Howel Dha the noble and worthy King or Prince of Wales whose death was much lamented by all men for he was a Prince that loved peace and good order and that feared God he left behind him four sons Owen Run Roderike and Edwin betwixt whom and the sons of Edwal there ensued great wars for the chief rule of Wales as shall appear in the history following After the death of Howel Dha his sons did divide Southwales and Powis betwixt them And Janaf and Jago the second and third sons of Edwal Voel ruled North VVales because their elder brother Meyric was not a man worthy to rule who coming of the elder house would have had the chief rule of all Wales which the sons of Howel Dha denyed them And thereupon Jago or James and Janaf entred Southwales with a great power against whom came Owen the son of Howel and his brethren and fought together at the hills of Carno where Jago and Janaf had the victory And the year following the said brethren did twice enter into Southwales and spoyled Dinet and slew Dwnwalhon Lord thereof And within a while after dyed Roderike one of the sons of Howel Dha year 952 In the year 952. the sons of Howel gathered their strength together against Janaf and Jago and entred their land at the river of Conwy where they fought a cruel battail at a place called Gurgustu or Lhanrwst as some think where a great number were slain upon either side as Anarawd the son of Gwyriad or Vriel the son of Roderike the great and Edwin the son of Howel Dha in the which battail were overthrown the sons of Howel whom Janaf Jago pursued to Caerdigan destroyed their Country vvith fire svvord About this time Yarthyr the son of Mervyn vvas drovvned In the year 958 was a wonderful hot summer when Gwyan the son of Gwiriad the son of Roderike dyed After the which heat there followed a great plague in March ensuing In those dayes Jago and Janaf by force and strength ruled all Wales as they thought good And yet for all their power Abloic King of Ireland landed in Môn and having burnt Holyhead spoyled the country of Lhyyn year 961 In the year 961 the sons of Edwin the son of Colhoyn were slain after they had destroyed all the country to Towyn About this time Meyric the son of Cadvan Rytherch Bishop of St. Davids and Cadwalhon ap Owen departed out of this transitory life Not long after the country of Northwales was exceedingly spoyled by the army of Edgar King of England The cause of this was the not payment of the tribute that the King of Abersfraw by the lawes of Howel Dha was to pay to the Kings of London in the end there was a peace concluded Jo. Cast Holl. pag. 232. Wolves destroyed by the Prince of W. for King Edgar understanding what hurt the Countrys of England and Wales received daily by reason of the great multitude of Wolves that then abounded especially in Wales which destroyed much sheep and otherwayes did great harme released the tribute of money appointed by the said lawes of Howel Dha and bound the Princes of Northwales to pay him yearly certain Wolves for his tribute so to be released of the other tribute in mony which the said Prince performed untill he had left never a Wolf in all Wales or England year 966 In the year 966. Roderike the son of Edwal Voel was slain by the Irishmen by whom Abersfraw was destroyed The next year after fell a great debate betwixt the two sons of Edwal Jago and Janaf which had ruled joyntly together from the death of Howel Dha till that time and shortly after Jago having taken his brother Janaf by force very cruelly kept him in prison a long time about the which time Eneon the son of Owen Prince of Southwales wan seised to himself the land of Gwyr And in the year â—69 Machis the son of Haroald with an army of Danes did enter into Anglesey and â—poyled 〈◊〉 year 969 Theâ—â— â—â—â—nes were suffered by Edgar to inhabit quietly through all England till they â—â—re as strong as the Englishmen and then they fell to such ryotousness and drinking that â—â—ch mischief ensued thereof A law against immoderate drinking whereupon Edgar made a law that every man should drink by measure and caused a certain mark to be set in every pot how deep they should drink and so by these means he somewhat stayed the immoderate ingurgation Not long after that Godfryd the son of Haroald did subdue to himself the whole Isle of Anglesey which he enâ—oyed not long year 972 King Edgar likewise in the year 972 did send a great army to Gaâ—â—â—â—on upon Vsk which shortly turned back without doing any notable act Caerleon upon Vsk The next year following Howel the son of Janaf raised a great power against his Uncle Jago for the deliverance of his father out of prison and overcame his Uncle in fight whom he chased out of the land and took his eldest Unckle Meyric the son of Edwal and put out both his eyes and kept him in prison where he dyed shortly after leaving behind him two sons Edwal and Jonaval of the which Edwal came afterwards the most worthy Princes of Wales Howel notwithstanding he had set his father at liberty yet took upon himself the whole rule of the land for his lifetime He had three brethren all men of great estimation Meyrich Janaf and Cadwallon whose lines shall ensue hereafter Howel Son of Janaf After that Howel the son of Janaf had expelled his Uncle from the land Dunwalhon goes to Rome he took the rule to himself And at that time Dwnwalhon Prince of Strad Cwlyd took his journey to Rome Then dyed Edwalhon the son of Owen year 976 The year 976 Eneon the son of Owen King of Southwales destroyed the land of Gwyr the second time the year ensuing Howel the son of Janaf with a great army both of Welshmen
1038. Hernon Archbishop of Menevia or St. Davids died a man both learned and godly the next year following Howel King of Southwales gathered a great power of his friends and strangers and entered the land intending to overcome it again wherefore Gruffith like a worthy Prince came with all speed to succour his people and meeting with Howel at Pencadair after he had incouraged his Soldiers gave him battail and overthrew him and pursued him so narrowly that he took Howels wife whom he had brought to the field to see the overthrow of Gruffith which chanced otherwise whom Gruffith liked so well that he kept her for his Concubine year 1041 In the year 1041. Howel came again to Southwales and remained there a while and shortly after a number of strangers landed in Westwales and spoyled the Country against whom Howel gathered his forces and fought with them and drove them to their ships with much loss At this time Conan the son of Jago who had fled to Ireland to save his life with the power of Alfred King of Develin whose daughter Ranulph he had married entered Northwales and by treason had taken Gruffith the King and carried him towards the ships but when it was known the Country upon a suddain followed the Irishmen and overtaking them rescued their Prince requiting their foes with much slaughter forcing them to their ships who returned with Conan to Ireland The year following Howel the son of Owen Lord of Glamorgan dyed being a man full of years Then Howel ap Edwin called to his succour Danes and Englishmen with all the power he could make in Southwales whereof Gruffith being certified gathered his power together in Northwales and came couragiously to meet his enemies whom he had twice before discomfited and overcame them and chased them as far as the spring of the River Towy where after a long and dangerous battail Howel was slain and his army routed and so narrowly pursued that few escaped alive After whose death Ritherck and Rees the sons of Ritherck ap Iestyn aspiring again to the rule and government of Southwales which their father had once obtained gathered a great army as well of Strangers as out of Gwentland and Glamorgan and met with Gruffith King of Wales who after his accustomed manner detracting no time but couragiously animating his men with the remembrance of their former fortune and divers victories under his standard joyned battail with his enemies whom he found disposed to abide and to win again the honour they had lost wherefore when they met the fight was cruell and bloody and continued till night which easily departed both armies being weary with fighting and either fearing other returned to their Countreys to gather more strength This year Ioseph Bishop of Teilo or Lhandaf died at Rome The Bishop of Landaff dyeth at Rome The land being thus quieted Gruffith ruled all Wales without any trouble till about two years after the Gentlemen of Ystrad Towy did by treason kill 140 of the Prince his best Soldiers to revenge whose death the King Gruffith destroyed all Dinet and Ystrad Towy Here is also to be noted that such snow fell this year that it lay upon the earth from the Kalends of Ianuary to the fourteenth of March. In the year 1050 Conan the son of Iago did gather an army of his friends in Ireland minding to recover his inheritance again as he sailed towards Wales there arose such a tempest that it scattered his navy abroad and drowned the most part of his ships so that he was disappointed of his purpose and lost his labour This Earl Godwin that wicked Earl of Kent whose lands were swallowed up by the Sea and as this day called Godwins sands pernicious and terrible to Navigators as late experience hath taught us About this time Godwin being summoned to appear and answer before King Edward Conf. at Glocester the guilty Earl Godwin fearing the Kings displeasure who could never brook him since the death of his brother Alfred gathered an army out of Kent and other Countries where his sons ruled or had power and so came tovvards Glocester reporting abroad that all his preparation was made to resist Gruffith Prince of Wales who as they affirmed was ready with an army to invade the Marches but King Edward being certified by the Welshmen that there was no such thing in hand commanded Godwin to send back his army Matth. West writeth that about this time to wit anno 1053. Rees the brother of Gruffith King of Wales was slain in a place called Balendane which place since was called Pen Rees and lately belonged to Sir Ed. Morgan Baronet but sold from the house as he did much more to the ruin of his family though the fault be laid upon upon his son I say no more but God knows how 〈◊〉 whose head was presented to the King at Glocester the day before the Epiphany According to the computation of Authours neer these times Machbeth King of Scotland caused a noble man named Bancho to be cruelly murthered whereupon Fleance the son of the sad Bancho escaping the hands of Macebeth fled to Gruffith ap Lhewelyn Prince of Wales where being joyfully received and entertained courteously he grew into such favour with the said Prince that he thought nothing too good for him But in processe of time Fleance forgetting the courtesy to him shewed fell in love with the Princes daughter and got her with child which thing the Prince took in ill part that he in rage caused Fleance to be killed holding his daughter in most vile estate of servitude for so suffering her self to be de flowered by a stranger At length she was delivered of a son which was named Walter who in few years proved a man of great courage and valour in whom from his childhod appeared a certain noblenesse of mind and ready to attempt any great enterprise This Walter on a time fell out with one of his companions who in that great heat of contention objected unto him that he was but a bastard begotten in an unlawful bed which reproach so grieved Walter that he fell upon the other and slew him whereupon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland and there fell into the company of those Englishmen which were come thither with Queen Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discreet and sober in all his demeanour that he was highly esteemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterwards imployed in the affairs of the Commonwealth at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiving the King revenues of the whole realme Of the which Office he and his posterity retained that Sirname of Steward ever after from whom descended the most noble Kings of Scotland besides many other Dukes Marquesses Earls and Barons of great fame and honour Whosoever desireth to be more fully satisfyed in this matter let him read and peruse E. Holenshed and he
Angharat daughter to Meredith King of Wales did govern Northwales Conan the son of Jago being all this time with his Father in law in Ireland Caradock ap Gruffith ap Rytheryc was the first that procured Haroald to come into Wales against Gruffith ap Lhewelyn hoping by him to attain unto the Government of Southwales but it fell ontotherwise for when Haroald understood that he should not get that which he looked for at the hands of Caradock which was a certain Lordship within Wales nigh unto Hereford and knowing also Caradoc to be a subtile and deceitfull man compounding with Meredith ap Owen for that Lordship he made him King or Prince of Southwales and banished Caradoc out of the Countrey Afterward Haroald having obtained that Lordship builded there a stately and princely house at a place called Portashlyth and divers times earnestly invited the King to come and see the same and at length the King being then at Glocester not far of granted him his request whereupon Haroald made such preparation as was most wonderfull and as much abused Soon after this the said Caradoc ap Gruffith came to the same house and to be revenged upon Haroald killed all the workmen and labourers that vvere at vvork and all the servants and people of Haroald that he could finde and defacing the vvork carried avvay those things that with great labour and expences had been brought thither and set out and beautified the building William commonly called the Conquerour was now King of England and Edrik Sylvaticus the son of Alfrike Earl of Mercia refusing to submit himself as ohers had done when he saw that the King was departed to Normandy rose against such as were left in his absence to keep the Land in obedience whereupon those that lay in the Castle of Hereford Richard Fitz Scroop and others oftentimes invaded his Lands and wasted the goods of his Tenants but as often as they came against him they alwaies lost some of their own men at length he calling to his aid the Kings of VVales Blethyn and Rywalhon wasted the Country of Hereford even to VVye bridge and then returned with great booty This year also 1068. Meredith and Ithel the sons of Gruffith ap Lhewelyn raised a strong army against Blethyn and Rywalhon Kings of Northwales and met with them at a place called Mechain where after a long fight there were slain upon the one part Ithel and upon the other Rywalhon and Meredith put to flight whom Blethyn pursued so straitly that he starved for cold and hunger upon the mountains and so Blethyn son of Convyn remained the only King of Powis and Northwales Carodoc the son of Gruffith ap Rytherck ap Jestyn caused a great number of Frenchmen for so the Brittish book calleth the Normans to enter Southwales to whom he joyned his power of Gwentland and gave Meredith the King of that countrey an overthrow and slew him upon the River Rympyn About this time the Normans brought great forces into Westwales by sea and destroyed Dynet and the Country of Caerdigan and carried away much spoil and did so likewise the year following Bleythyd Bishop of Menevia or Saint Davids died about this time and Sulien was Bishop in his place Radulf Earl of East Angles his Mother came out of Wales which was the cause of the Welshmens assisting him against William the Conquerour Matth. West lib. 2. fol. 6 Math. Parker p. 11. for Ranulf sent for many of his Mothers friends and kinsmen to come unto him meaning through their aid and procurement to get the Princes and people of VVales to joyn with him in his enterprise but VVilliam having notice of this plot and coming before he was sent for he hanged some of the VVelshmen among others put our the eyes of many and banished the rest In the year 1073. Blethyn ap Convin King of VVales was traiterously and cowardly murthered by Rees ap Owen and the Gentlemen of Ystrad Tywy after he had governed VVales thirteen years This man was very liberal and mercifull doing Justice and Equity all his Reign he had divers weomen and many children First Meredith by Haer daughter to Gythyn Lywarck and Cadogan by another woman Madâ—e and Ryrid by the third Jorwerth by the fourth Trahern the Son of Caradoc After the death of Blethyn Trahern ap Caradoc his cosin German took upon him the rule of Northwales and Rees ap Owen with Rytherck ap Caradoc did jontly rule Southwales Then Gruffith son to Conan son to Jago or James right Inheritour of Northwales came from Ireland with succour with his brethren Encumalhon King of Vltonia and Ranalht and Mathawn had delivered him and landed in the Isle of Môn or Anglesey and brought it to his Subjection At this time Kynwric ap Rynalbon a noble man of Maelor or Bromfield was slain in Northwales This year also Gronow and Lhewelin the sons of Cadogan ap Blethyn did joyn their powers with Caradoc ap Gruffith ap Rytherck to revenge their Grandfathers death and then fought at a place called Camdhwc where the Sons of Cadogan obtained the Victory shortly after Gruffith ap Conan passed over the water from Môn to the main land and Trabern ap Caradoc met with him at Bronyrew where Gruffith was put to flight and retired back to the Isle year 1074 In the year 1074. Rytherc ap Caradoc was slain by Treason of his own cosin German Meyrchaon ap Rees ap Rytherc and Rees ap Owen ruled Southwales alone Nevertheless the sons of Cadogan gathered their powers and came against him and fought with him the second time at Gwaynyttyd where he was put to flight but yet he gathered new forces and kept the land still Then Trahern ap Caradoc King of Northwales moves his forces against Rees who boldly met him with all the power of Southwales at a place called Pwlhgwttic where after long fighting Rees was put to slight and after great slaughter of his men he fled from place to place fearing all things like a stagg that had been lately chased which mistrusteth every noise but at the last he with his Brother Howel fell into the hands of Caradoc aâ— Gruffith who slew them both in revenge of the wise and noble Prince Blethyn ap Convyn At this time Sulien Arch-Bishop of Saint Davids did forsake his Bishoprick and Abraham was chosen Bishop in his place year 1077 In the year 1077. Rees the son of Theodore the son of Eneon the son of Owen the son of Howel Dha as right Inheritor to the Kingdome of Southwales claimed the same and the people received him with much joy and made him their Prince The next year Menevia was all spoiled and destroyed by strangers and Abraham the Bishop died after whose death Sulien was compelled to take the Bishoprick again In the year following Gruffith the son of Conan did bring a great Army of Irishmen and Scots into Wales and joyned with Rees ap Theodore as two right heirs of the
King of Northwales with Cadogan ap Blethyn who then ruled Southwales entred the Land of Caerdigan and killed a great number of Normans being not able any longer to suffer their great Pride and Cruelty but after their Return the English Captains sent to England for more men and thought privately to make a Road into Northwales which journey was discovered unto Cadogan who gathered his Power and met with them in the Wood or Forrest of Yspys and set upon them with great Hue and Cry and they defended themselves manfully but in the end they were put to flight with great loss and Cadogan followed them hard and spoiled the Countrey of Cadogan and Dinet and destroyed all the Castles saving two which were Pembroke and Rydeors which he could not get and so returned to Powis with much Joy King Rufus not able to prevail against the Welsh to his dishonour returneth home year 1093 In the year 1093. the Normans that inhabited the Countrey of Glamorgan spoiled the Territories of Kydwely and Yâ—rad Tywy and left them without any Inhabitants When VVilliam Rufus had been informed of the great slaughter of his Subjects as well in Cheshire Shropshire VVorcestershire and Herefordshire as in VVales which Gruffith ap Conan and the sons of Blethyn Convyn had done he gathered his power together and entred VVales at Mountgomery which Castle being lately overthrown by the VVelshmen he re-edified again but the VVelshmen kept so the straits of the mountains with the Woods and Rivers that the King did no good but lost his labour and his men therefore he returned back to his great Dishonour year 1094 In the year 1094. dyed VVilliam the son of Baldwyn who at the Kings commandement had built the Castle of Rydcors after whose death the Castle was forsaken by his men and the Inhabitants of Gwyr Brecknock Gwent and Gwent Ihwc Welshmen hardly overcome unless by Treason among themselves cast from their Necks the burthen of the Normans that had won their Countries and held them in subjection and chased them out of their Territories but shortly after they returned again with greater Power Then the countrymen detesting their insolency met with them at a place called Celly Tarvawc and couragiously encountred them so that they put them to flight with great Slaughter and chased them back again out of the Land nevertheless the greedy Normans would not give over but recruiting returned again to Brecknockshire making a vow to leave no living thing within that Countrey it is not good to reckon before mine Host nor count our Chickins before they be hatch'd for the country people flying before them staied at a strait passage and killed many of them About this time Roger Montgomery Earl of Salop and Arundel Powel fol. 153. and VVilliam Fitz Eustace Earl of Glocester though I read of no such man for Master Mills fol. 358. as also other Authors set Robert base Son to King Henry the First the first Earl of that place Arnold de Harecourt and Neale le Vicount were slain between Cardiff and Brecknock by the VVelshmen and VValter Evereux Earl of Sarum who dyed in Normandy and Hugh Earl Gurney were there hurt Patrick de Evereux was first Earl of Sarum or Salisbury created so by King Stephen and therefore could not be in this time but it is he that was son to Walter Evereux Mr. Mills fol. 1034. who built the Abby of Bradenstock 1139. the fift of King Stephen and being an old man did take upon him the habit of a Monk there others say this Walter was Earl of Rosemer When the Normans saw that they had all the loss they manned and victualed the Castles which formerly they had builded and returned home but in their retreat Gruffith and Ivor the sons of Edverth ap Cadogan met them unexpectedly at Aberlhech and encountring them slew most part of them the rest escaping into England Notwithstanding the Norman Captains defended the Castles valiantly and kept them till they were driven by force for safeguard of their lives to forsake them then the ancient Inhabitants possessed their own quietly Moreover certain Lords of Northwales namely Vokthed the son of Edwin ap Grono and Howel ap Grono with the Children of Cadogan ap Blethyn of Powis land Pembroke Castle built by a Norman gathered a competent Army and passed through Caerdiganshire to Dynet which Country a little before the King had given to Arnulph son to Roger Montgomery who had builded the Castle of Pembroke and appointed Keeper and Governour thereof one Giraldo de Windsore and there burned spoiled and destroyed all the countrey except Pembroke Castle which they could not win and so returned home with great booty After the return of these Lords Girald issued out of the Castle and spoiled the lands of Saint Davids and took many Prisoners The year following William Rufus returning from Normandy to England Fasting and Prayer used by the Welsh in their greatest danger and hearing of the great slaughter of his men committed by the Welshmen gathered all his forces and with great pomp and pride entred VVales But the Brittains fearing the great strength of the King put all their hope onely in Almighty God returning to him in Fasting Prayer and Repentance of their sins and he that never forsaketh the penitent and contrite heart heard their prayers so that the Normans and Englishmen durst not enter the land but such as presumed were slain and the King returned with small Honour after he had built certain Castles in the Marches In the year following viz. 1096. The Arms of Hugh Montgomery Hugh de Montgomery who as his Father before him had for his Arms Azure a Lyon rampant Or within a border his Father before spoken of builded the Abbey of Shrewsbury wherein he was buried the Earl of Arundel and Salop whom the Welshmen call Hugh Goch that is Hugh with the red head and Hugh Vral that is Hugh the fat Earl of Chester who bore for his Arms Azure six Garbs 3 2. and 1. Or. and many Nobles more did gather a strong and powerfull army and entred into Northwales The Welsh ever their own destroyers being thereto moved by certain Lords of the Country But Gruffith ap Conan the Prince and Cadogan ap Blethyn fled to the Hills and Mountains for their defence as not being of force sufficient to fight the Earls neither durst they well trust their own men and so the Earls approached the Isle of Môn or Anglesey where they built the Castle of Aberthiennawc Then Gruffith and Cadogan went to Anglesey thinking to defend the Isle Aberthiennawe Castle built by the Normans and sent for succour to Ireland but found there little comfort and now the Treason began to break forth for Owen ap Edwin who was the Princes chief Councellour and his Father in Law whose Daughter Gruffith had married having himself also married Everyth the Daughter of Convyn Aunt to Cadogan was the chief Caller of
Montgomery had begun a Castle before And shortly after Madoc ap Riryd returned from Ireland because he could not well brook the Manners and conditions of the Irishmen and being arrived came to the Country of his Unkle Jorwerth who hearing that and fearing the loss of his Lands as his Brother Cadogan had done made a Proclamation that no Man should aid him but take him as an Enemy which when Madoc understood he enticed many unthrifts and outlaws and kept himself in the Rocks and Woods contriving how he might be revenged on Jorwerth for so great a discourtesie as he imagined and thereupon concluded a friendship privately with Lhywarch ap Trahearn who hated Jorwerth to death and having intelligence that Jorwerth lay one night at Caerneon they two gathered all their strength and environ'd the house about midnight which Jorwerth and his Men perceiving armed themselves and defended the place till their foes set it on fire which when Jorwerth's Men perceived every one shifted for himself so that some were slain others burnt few escaping Jorwerth having the true heart of a noble Prince chose rather to adventure and manfully to dye with sword in hand then to be burnt without a glorious action came out but his merciless Enemies received him with the point of their spears and violently cast him into the flames of the raging fire where that gallant man payed what was due to nature death yet by which his name is eternized As soon as the King understood this he called Cadogan before him and gave him his brothers Land which was Powis and promised Owen his pardon willing his Father to send him to Ireland When Madoc saw his other Unkle Cadogan rule the Country he hid himself in rough and desert places and adding one mischief upon an other determined also to murder him by one way or an other Therefore after Cadogan had brought the Country to some stay of quietness and administred Justice therein having ever an eye and respect to the King he came to Trallwug now called Pool and the elders of the Country with him and determining to dwell there began to build a Castle But Madoc hatching nothing but mischief hearing this came suddainly upon him and Cadogan thinking no hurt was slain before he could either fight or fly After this Madoc sent incontinently to the Bishop of London the Kings Lieutenant at Shrewsbury and entreated him to remember what he had promised when he chased Owen out of his Land for the Bishop hated Owen and Cadogan and gave Madoc all such Lands as his brother Ithel was possessed of Meredyth the Son of Blethyn hearing of the death of both his brethren posted to the King desiring of him the Lands of Jorwerth which Cadogan had lately obtained and the King gave him the rule thereof till such time as Owen Son to Cadogan should come from Ireland who came shortly after and went to the King who received him to his peace and gave him his Lands whereupon Owen promised to the King a great Fine and gave pledges for payment of the same likewise Madoc did fine to the King for his peace and lands nevertheless the King wisht him to take heed of the Kinsfolks of such as he had murdered upon his own peril year 1112 In the year 1112. Meredyth ap Blethyn sent a party to make an Inroad into the Country of Lhywarch ap Trahearn ap Gwyn who was Meredyths and Owens Enemy as he that succoured Madoc to kill his Unkles Jorwerth and Cadogan Meredyths brethren These Men as they passed through the Country of Madoc in the night met with a Man which belonged to Madoc The welsh despairing one of another make way for their enemy to subvert them all whom they took and examined where his Master was he at first said that he could not tell but being threatned with death he confessed that he was not far from thence Therefore they lay quietly all that night and in twy-light next morning they came suddainly upon Madoc and his men where they slew many of them and taking Madoc prisoner they brought him to their Lord who was right glad thereof and secured his person till he had sent word to his Nephew Owen who immediately upon the news repaired thither A great curtesie no question to put out a mans eyes and save his life then Meredyth delivered Madoc unto him And albeit he had slain Owens Father his own Unkle yet Owen remembering the friendship and Oath that had been betwixt them in times past would not put him to death but putting out his eyes let him go Then Meredyth and Owen divided the Lands betwixt them which was Caerneon Aberhiw and the third part of Devthwr year 1113 The year following King Henry prepared an Army against Wales being thereunto provoked by such as would have the Welshmens Lands to wit Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strigyl to whom the King had given Caerdigan who made grievous complaints against Owen ap Cadogan declaring that he received and maintained such as robbed and plundered the Country Also Hugh Earl of Chester said no less by Gruffith ap Conan Prince of Northwales A rash and unchristian oath how that his men and the Men of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn Lord of Tegengl wasted the Country of Cheshire adding to aggravate the matter that Gruffith did neither acknowledg to owe service nor pay tribute to the King whereupon the King swore that he would not leave one living Creature in Northwales and Powis Land but new colonize them Then dividing his army into three parts the leading of the first he committed to Gilbert Earl of Strygull Two great Kings against two petty princes a great conquest no doubt wherein was the whole power of all the fourth part of England and Cornwall against Southwales Alexander King of Scotland had the leading of the second division with Hugh Earl of Chester wherein the power of Scotland and the North was which went against Northwales and the King led the third himself wherein was the strength of midle England Then Meredith ap Blethyn fearing this came and yielded himself to the King But Owen fearing to commit himself to them who were so greedy of his Lands fled to Gruffith ap Conan to Northwales whereupon the King turning all his strength that way came himself as far as Murcastelh and the King of Scots as far as Pennant Bachwy but the people fled to the mountains and woods and carried all their victualls and cattel with them so that the King could not follow them and such of his Men as entered the Land were either slain or galled in the Straits Then the Scottish King sent to the Prince to come and yield himself to the King and promised him the Kings peace but he was acquainted with such promises and would not The King therefore because he would not return without doing something sent to Owen to come to him and to forsake the Prince who was not able to defend
written of the same as also by the names of the tunes and measures used amongst them at this day The third sort called Atteneaid as those who do sing to the Instrument whilst an other doth play and those as yet be in use in Wales This statute or decree here mentioned doth not only prescribe and appoint what reward every of the said Minstrils ought to have and at whose hands but also of what behaviour and conversation they ought to be to wit to make no debates no vagabonds nor Ale-house hunters no drunkards nor brawlers nor Whoremongers no thieves nor companions of such In which things if they offend every man by the said statute is made and officers are authorised to arrest and punish them yea and take from them all that they have then about them and they are also in the same statute forbidden to enter into any mans house or to make any song of any man without special licence of the party himself And this statute or decree hath been oftentimes allowed by publick authority of the chief Magistrates of that Country as appeareth by sundry commissions directed to divers Gentlemen in that behalf Owen Gwyneth soâ— of Gruffith ap Conan The name of King ceaseth in Wales After the death of Gruffith ap Conan his sons divided his lands betwixt them after the manner of Wales And Owen surnamed Gwineth the eldest son was made Prince of Northwales for the name of King is no further used in the Brittish book who in the beginning of his reign Caermarthyn and three castles destroyed together with his brethren made their expedition into Southwales and overthrew the Castle of Strad Meyric and Castle Stephan and Humphreys Castle and burned the town of Caermarthyn and returned home with much honour At this time dyed John Archbishop of Lhanbadarn who for his godly life is canonized amongst the Saints In the year 1140. Cynwric the son of Owen was slain by the men of Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyo About the year 1141 Madoc ap Ednerth a man of great estimation in Wales died and the sons of Blethyn ap Gwyn slew Meredyth ap Howel Two noble Welshment slain by the treason of the Flemmings In the year 1142. Howel-ap Meredyth ap Rytherc of Cantref Bychan and Rees ap Howel were slain by treason of the Flemmings likewise Howel-ap Meredyth ap Beethyn was slain by the treachery of his own men Then also Howel and Cadogan the sons of Madoc ap Enerth did kill each other And shortly after there fell a variance betwixt Anarawd son to Gruffith ap Rees Prince of Southwales and his father in law Cadwalader the son of Gruffith ap Conan and brother to Prince Owen Gwineth By homebred quarrels the Welsh destroy one another and make way for the Norman who from words grew to blowes where Anarawd was slain the hope and prop of Southwales for the which thing Prince Owen took such displeasure at his brother that he and his son Howel gathered an army against him and destroyed all his country and burnt his Castle of Aberistwith for Cadwalader himself had fled to Ireland and had hired Octer son to Octer and the son of Turkel and the son of Cherulfe with a great number of Irishmen and Scots for 2000 markes to his succour and landed at Abermenay in Caernarvonshire against whom the Prince came with great forces but before the armies met there was a peace concluded betwixt the brethren which when the Irishmen understood they detained Cadwalader as prisoner for their wages he delivered unto them 2000 heads of cattle Wales plentiful of Cattel besides many prisoners and spoyles that were taken in the Country But as soon as the Prince had notice that his brother was set at liberty he fell upon the Irishmen and slew a great number of them and recovered all the cattel with the prisoners and other spoyles as many as escaped alive returned home with great losse and shame Flemmings Normans defeated by the Welsh About the year 1143 Howel and Gadogan the sons of Prince Owen gathered an army against the Flemmings and Normans and gave them an overthrow at Aberteini and keeping the town returned home with great honour also this year dyed Sulien ap Rythmarck a man of great knowledg one of the Colledge of Lhanpardarn Carmarthen Castle built Neer this time Gilbert Earl of Clare came with a great power to Dynet and built the castle of Carmarthen and the castle of the sons of Vtchtryd Then also Hugh Mortimer slew Meiryc ap Madoc ap Ryrid and Meredyth ap Madoc ap Edwerth Cadelth the son of Gruffith ap Rees Prince of South Wales won the castle of Dynevowr which Earl Gilbert had built and after he and his brethern Meredyth and Rees gathered their powers and laid seige to the castle of Carmarthen which was yielded unto them reserving only the lives to them of the Garrison Carmarthen Castle yielded to the Welsh And from thence they conducted their army before the castle of Lhan Stephan where the Normans and Flemmings meeting with them had a great overthrow and so the castle was reduced Whereupon the Normans and Flemmings inhabiting that country all about The Normans Flemmings overthrown by the Welsh gathered their power their captains and leaders were the sons of Girald and William de Hay who laid seige to the same castle without discovery But Meredyth ap Gruffith to whose custody the castle was committed encouraged his men to fight and defend the place and that which was wanting in him in strength for he was very aged he supplied in courage and discretion he suffered his enemies to scale the Walls and when the Ladders were full he gave the Watch word and signal A politick stratagem of the Welsh and his Souldiers did both manfully and with great dextery over-turn the Ladders with certain Engines contrived for such purposes and maimed many both armed men and expert Souldiers putting the rest to flight Shortly after died Run the son of Prince Owen of North VVales a fair and goodly young man whose death when it came to his fathers ears did so trouble him that no kinde of pleasure could comfort his heavy heart so that he spent the night in tears and the day in sadness till God who took compassion upon the poor remnants of the Brittains Mould Castle a curb to the Welsh even as he had discomforted the Prince with the death of his son so he did glad his sorrowful heart with the overthrow of his enemies for there was a Castle at the Mould very strong and well manned which did trouble the whole Countrey and had been oftentimes assaulted but never won Prince Owen levied an Army and beleaguered it yet the Garrison defended it and endured many assaults Mould Castle utterly dismantled by the Brittains at last maugre all their endeavours the presence of the Prince did so encourage his men that they
Bishop of Hereford and moreover complained that they had usurped on the jurisdiction of these places Gwhyr Cedwely Cantref Bychan Ystrad Yw and Ergeng upon deposition of 6 witnesses that all these were of the Diocess of Landaff they were so adjudged by the Popes definitive sentence who also writ unto the King and Archbishop to restore that right unto the Bishop of Landaff and to the Inhabitants to yield obedience to him and his successors as their Diocesan Howbeit how it cometh to pass I know not those places are now and long have been esteemed part of the Diocess of St. Davids and part of Hereford and none of them of Landaff This Bishop died beyond Sea travelling betwixt this and Rome anno 1133. Vacat sedes annos 6. 31 Vchtred that succeeded had a daugter married before he had orders to Jorworth ap Owen ap Caradoc Lord of Caerlbeon upon Vsk a great and mighty man in those parts he died an 1141. 32 Geffry died 1153. 33 Nicolas ap Gurgant died 1183. 34 William de Salso Marisco 35 Henry Prior of Burgavenni was Founder of 12 Prebends in the Church of Landaff he died 1218. 36 William Prior of Goldeliff in Monmothshire died January 28 an 1229. 37 Elis de Radnor died May the 6 1240. 38 William de Burgo Chaplain to King Henry the 3d. was consecrated the year 1244. and died June 11 1253. having lived blind 7 years before his death 39 John de la Ware Abbot of Margan died about the end of June 1253. 40 William de Radnor died January the 9 1265. 41 William de Brews died in the end of March 1287. he lyeth buried under a Marble engraven in the East end of the Church of Landaff towards the North wall Vacat sedes annos 9. 42 John de Monmoth Doctor of Divinity was consecrated Feb. 10. 1296. at Canterbury and died April 8 1323. he lyeth in the midst of the East end of the Church Celceuliere commonly called our Ladies Chappel under a flat Marble having a French inscription now somewhat defaced 43 John de Egliscliff a Fryer Preacher was consecrated at Rome and came to his Diocess of Landaff upon the eve of Trinity sunday 1223. he died at Lankadwaladar Jan. 2. 1346. and was buried at Caediff 44 Iohn Paschall Doctor of Divinity a Carmelite of Ipswich was a Gentleman born in Suffolk of a Family yet remaining there and brought up in the University of Cambridge by William Bateman Bishop of Norwich was made a titulary Bishop and his Suffragan by the name of Episcopus Scutariensis from that Imaginary See he was translated by the Pope to Landaff an 1347. died 1361. and was buried at Landaff he was a man of great learning and left divers Monuments thereof in writing behind him 45 Roger Cradoc a Fryer Minor 46 Thomas Rushook a Fryer Preacher and Doctor of Divinity was translated to Chichester 47 William de Betlesham made Bishop of Bethelem by the Pope was translated first to Landaff and after to Rochester 48 Edmund de Bromfield was a Dr. of Divinity and Monk at Burie where being known for a a man of a very pragmatical and stirring humour that he might not trouble them at home the Covent thought good to maintain him at Rome for the dispatch of their ordinary business there taking first a corporal Oath of him never to seek any office or preferment of their house without their privity and direction This Oath notwithstanding when shortly after it fell out that the Abbot died he found means that the Pope should intitle him to the Abbotship whereunto the Covent with the Kings good liking had now already elected another man far more meet called Iohn Tymworth For this bad kind of dealing as also because as those provisory Bulls had been forbidden by Parliament he was committed to the Tower and there lay prisoner a long time but in the end the Bishop of Landaff ut ante being translated to Rochester he was preferred to that See 49 Tydemannus Abbot of Beaulieu succeeded Bromfield and if I mistake not was that Tydemannus de Winchcomb that anno 1395 became Bishop of Worcester 50 Andrew Barret Doctor of Law 51 Iohn Burghyll a Frier Preacher being Bishop of Landaff and Confessour unto the King was translated to Liechfield in Sept. 1398. 52 Thomas Peverel a Carmelite and Doctor of Divinity was first Bishop of Ossery in Ireland translated thence to Landaff 1399 and thence to Worcester 1407. 53 Iohn la Zouche a Fryer Minor and Doctor of Divinity It should seem that this man built either a great part or else happily all of the house at Mathern near Chepstow The Bishops house of Matherne built the only house that is now left the Bishop if there be any such to put his head in his armes fixed in divers places of the walls and windows to my judgement import so much viz. Gules ten besants 432. and 1 a Canton Ermine encircled with a girdle of St. Francis to show his Order 54 Iohn Wellys was likewise a Minorite and Doctor of Divinity 55 Nicholas Ashbie Prior of Westminster 56 Iohn Hunden a Minorite Doctor of Divinity and Prior of Kings Langley 57 John Marshall Doctor of Divinity sometime Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford was consecrated 1479 and was I take it translated to London the year 1489. 58 John Ingleby sometime Prior of Sheen a Carthusian 59 John Smith Doctor of Divinity died October 16 1511. and was buried at Christ-Church in London in the Chapel of All-Saints on the North side of the Altar 60 Miles Salley sometimes Almoner to the Abbey of Abington and afterwarde Abbot of Eynsham 61 George de Attigna a Spaniard a Fryer Preacher and Doctor of Divinity was consecrated March the 8 1516. 62 Robert Holgate Doctor of Divinity was consecrated March the 25 1537. and 1544 was translated to York 63 Anthony Kitchin alias Dunstan Doctor of Divinity and sometimes Abbot of Eynsham was consecrated May 3 1545. and enduring all the tempestuous changes that hapned in the mean time continued till the fifth year of Queen Elizabeth and then died and high time having first so impoverished the Bishoprick by unreasonable demises of whatsoever was demiseable that there was no great cause he should live any longer He is called Kitchin though he might have rather been called Schullian yet indeed he made his Church a Kitchin and like a Schullian swept all away leaving poor Daff without Lan or land Sedes vacabat annos 3. 64 Hugh Jones Batchelour of Law was made Bishop May the 5 1556. 65 William Blethyn Batchelour of Law was appointed Bishop April the 17 1575. I observe few Families sprung from Bishops to prosper or continue long yet such as do in my judgement should not be so averse as to eradicate all spiritual function 66 Gervage Babington Doctor of Divinity was placed in that See Aug. 29 1591. from thence translated to Exceter and after to Worcester 67 William Morgan Doctor in Divinity was appointed
chased to their ships and thus the King being not able to do any more Mat Paris p. 917. manned and victualled his Castles and so returned home Of this Voyage a certain Nobleman being then in the Kings Camp wrote thus to his friend about the end of Septemb. 1245. year 1245 The King with his army lyeth at Gannock fortifying of that Strong Castle and we lie in our Tents thereby Gannoc castle watching fasting praying and freezing with cold we watch for fear of the Welshmen who are wont to invade and come upon us in the night time we fast for want of meat for the half penny loaf is worth five pence The Welshmen teach the Englishmen three excellent vertues of watching fasting praying we pray to God to send us home again speedily we starve for cold wanting our winter Garments and having no more but a thin linnen cloth betwixt us and the wind there is an arme of the sea under the Castle whereunto the tide cometh and many ships come up the haven thither and bring victuals to the Camp from Ireland and Chester this arme of the sea lyeth betwixt us and Snowdon where the Welshmen abide now and is about a flight shot over when the tide is in There came to the mouth of that haven a certain ship from Ireland with victuals to be sold upon Munday before Michaelmas day which being negligently look't unto Maâ— Par. p. 924. was set on drie ground at the low ebb at the further side of the water over against the Castle which thing when the Welshmen saw they came down from the hills and assaulted the vessel being now upon drie ground whereupon we on the otherside beholding the same sent over by boats 300 Welshmen of the borders of Cheshire and Shropshire with certain Archers and armed men to the rescue of the said ship whereupon the Natives withdrew to their accustomed places in the rocks and woods whom our men followed as far as two miles being on foot by reason they could transport no horses and slew many of them Our men being over geeedy and covetous spoiled the Abbey of Aberconwey and burned all the houses of Office belonging to the same Which doing caused the Welshmen to run thither Aberâ—onwey Abbey plundered by the English who like desperate men set upon our Souldiers being loaden with spoyles and slew a great number of them following the rest to the water side of whom some got to the boats and so escaped and some cast themselves into the water and were drowned and such as they took they hanged and beheaded every one In this conflict we lost many of our men The Welsh revenge the sacriledge especially of those that were under the conduct of Richard Earle of Cornwal and Sr. Alen Buscel Sr. Adam de Maio Sr. Geffry Estuemy one Raymond a Gascoyne whom the King highly fancied and divers others besides 100. of common Soldiers In the mean time Sr. Walter Bisset worthily defended the said ship untill the tide came and then came away with the same manfully wherein there were 60 Tuns of wine besides other provision c. Many other things are contained in the said writing of the hard shifts that we made in the Kings camp for victuals and the dearth of all things that were to be eaten In the beginning of the year 1246. David Prince of Wales after he had gotten the love of his subjects and atchived many notable victories dyed and was buryed at Conwey by his father after he had ruled Wales five years leaving no issue of his body to the great discomfort of the Land Mr. Mills speaking of this David saith he was disquieted with a number of cares in his life time he wasted and destroyed his Country he did many slaughters and after perjury and killing of his brother was overwearied with sundry tribulations He left Wales most miserably desolate and disquiet so as they found this saying true Every Kingdom divided in it self shall be made desolate he caused the Nobles to swear fealty unto him and so continued Prince 6. years and died Anno 1246. Lhewelyn and Owen the sons of Gruffith ap Lhewelyn When all the Lords and Barons of Wales understood of the death of their prince they came together and called for Lhewelin and Owen Goch the sons of Gruffith son to Prince Lhewelyn brother to David as next Inheritors for they esteemed not Roger Mortimer son to Gladis Râ—g Mortimer right heir put by his right sister to David and right inheritor by order of Law and did them homage who divided the principality betwixt them two The King hearing of the death of prince David sent one Nicholas de Miles as Justice of Southwals to Caermarthin and with him in commission Meredyth ap Rees Gryc K. H. 3. makes another attempt against Wales but in vain and Meredyth ap Owen ap Gruffith to dis-inherit Maelgon ap Vachan of all his lands wherefore the said Maelgon fled to the princes into Northwales for succour with Howel ap Meredith whom the Earle of Clare had by force spoyled of all his lands in Glamorgan against whom the King came with a great army who after he had remained a while in the Country and could do no good returned home again The Prince of Northwales was a superiour prince of all Wales to whom the other princes of Southwales and Powis did pay a certain tribute yearly as appeareth by lawes of Howel Dha and in divers places of this history and was the right heir of Cadwalader as is evident by all writers whose line of the heir male from Roden Mawr endeth in this David the son of Lhewelin the son of Jorwerth the son of Owen Gwineth the son of Gruffith the son of Conan the son of Jago the son of Edwal the son of Meiric the son of Edwal Voel the son of Anarawd the son of Roderi Mawr the son of Eselht the daughter and sole heir of Conan Tindathwy the son of Roderike Molwynoc the son of Edwal Ywrich the son of Cadwalader the last King of the Brittains Lhewelin ap Jorwerth prince of Northwales father to David married two wives the first Jone Daughter of K. John by whom he had David who dyed without issue and Gladis married to Mortimer from which match the Kings of England are descended by the mothers side from Cadwalader About this time Harold King of Man came to the Court and did homage to K. Henry M. Paris p. 938 The K. of Man doth homage to the K. of England and he dubbed him Knight the Summer following Rees Vachan son to Rees Mechyl got the Castle of Carvec Cynnen which his mother of meer hatred conceived against him had delivered to the Englishmen The Abbots of Conwey and Stratflur made sute to the King for the body of Gruffith ap Lhewelyn which he granted unto them and they conveyed it unto Conwey where he was honourably buryed In the year 1254.
franchises being possessed or claimed by any person or persons and which were to be seized into the Kings hands and of all escapes and Fellons and those inquisitions so from time to time to be taken to certifie into the Chancery And by the same Charter gave him power to substitute and appoint others under him for the better execution of the same which afterwards by Commission was executed accordingly And the said King also by his Charter bearing date 14 Junii 8º regni made and constituted the said Arthur Prince of Wales and Governour and Warden of the Marches towards Scotland and substituted as his Lieutenant and Vice-Warden under him Thomas Earle of Surrey for the due execution thereof Likewise the said King by his letters Patents dated 5. Novemb. 9. regni in augmention of the Revenue of the Prince did grant unto the said Prince the Honour Castle and Lordship of Wigmore and divers other Castles Mannours and Lands which some time had been belonging to the Earldom of March which came to the Crown by King Edward the IV. who was himself Earle of March before he assumed the regal estate To have and to hold during the pleasure of the King yielding yearly the Rent of 200 l. A Councel assigned the P. The Prince was sent unto the Marches of Wales for government of that Country and in the 17 regni Henry VII had a Counsell of wise and very worthy men assigned unto him as namely Sr. Richard Pool chief Chamberlain of the said Prince Sir Henry Vernon Sir Richard Crofts Sir David Philips Sir William Vdal Sir Thomas Inglefield and Sir Peter Newton Knights John Wilson Henry Marian Doctor William Smith after Bishop of Lincolne where he was buryed President of the Councel and Doctour Charles where not long afterwards the said Prince died in the Castle of Ludlow without issue I may not let passe what Mr. Lhoyd writeth concerning Sir Owen Tuder he saith that Sir William Stanley then Lord of Cromfield Mr. Lhoyd fol. 391. Yale and Chirkland aided Henry VII being followed by the Welshmen and that the said Henry knowing and pittying the thraldom and iniuries of that Nation from whom he descended took order to reform the same and granted vnto them a Charter of liberties The bondage of Hen. IV. taken from the Welsh by Hen. VII whereby they were released of that oppression wherewith they were afflicted by lawes I have set down before more heathenish then christian and here I cannot omit but some thing answer the reproachful and slanderous assertions of Joannes Bernardus Pontus Henlerus and others I my self have seen a manuscript where he is called a Shereman but rather ignorantly I hope then maliciously who go about to abase the noble parentage of Owen Tuder the Kings Grandfather following more their own affections then any good proof or authority for if they would read that noble work of Matthew Paris they shall find in page 843. of the printed book that Ednivet Vachan one of his Ancestours was the chiefest of Councel to Lhewelin ap Jorwerth otherwise called Leolenus Magnus and to David ap Lhewelin Princes of Wales as formerly They may also find in the Records of the Tower of London in an 29. Edward I. in the general homage done to Prince Edward of Caernavon first prince of Wales of the English bloud that Tuder ap Grono another of the Ancestours of Owen did his homage among the Nobles of Wales Owen Tuder descended from the K. of England as appeareth in the said Records Further the said Owens Grandmother the wife of Tuder ap Grono was Margaret the daughter of Thomas the son of Elianor which was the daughter of the County of Barr by Elianor his wife daughter to Edward I. King of England Besides all this there was a Commission at this time directed by King Edward VII to the Abbot of Lhan Egwest Doctor Owen Pool Canon of Hereford and John King Herald to make inquisition concerning the parentage of the said Owen who coming to VVales travelled in that matter and used the helps of Sir John Levof Guttin Owen Bardh Gruffith ap Lhewelin ap Evan Vachan and others in the search of the Brittish or Welsh books of Pedigrees out of the which they drew his perfect Genealogy from the Antient Kings of Brittain and the Princes of VVales and so returned their Commission which return is extant to be seen at this day And I God willing will set forth what I have in a compendium which I intend to annex to this present treatise of many things which cannot be well digested in method of History yet much conduce to the Glory of the Welsh the several princely stems from whence Owen Tuder and consequently the succeeding Kings of England descended Henry Duke of York After the death of Prince Arthur King Henry VII Charta creationis P. Wal. by his letters patents dated the 18 of February 19 regni in a parliament created Henry then his only son who after was King Henry VIII and whom before that in the 11. he had made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by an other Charter of the same year Constable of the Castle of Dover to be Prince of Wales Earle of Chester being then about the age of twelve years To have and to hold to him and his heirs Kings of England for ever being the like limitation of Estate and with the like investure as in former times had been acustomed But whether the King did grant the lands and revenues belonging to the said principality unto the said Henry or no as he had done unto Prince Arthur his brother doth not appear by any Charter therof that as yet can be found After the death of King Henry VII the said Prince Henry was King of England by the name of King Henry VIII he had a issue son called Henry who dyed very young he likewise had issue the Lady Mary afterwards Queen and the Lady Elizabeth and lastly prince Edward the youngest in years who first reigned after the death of his said father by the name of Edward the Sixt. Mary The Lady Mary daughter to the same King Henry the VIII Mr. Lhoyd fol. 393. by the Queen Catherine his first wife was Princesse of Wales and in the 17. year of King Henries reign he sent John Voiseie Bishop of Exeter to be Lord President of the Councel of the said Princesse in the Marches of Wales Elizabeth Elizabeth daughter to King Henry the VIII Mr. Lhoyd fol. 394. was in a Parliament begun the 15 day of January in the 25 regni declared Princesse and Inheritrix of the Crown of England with all the Dominions to the same belonging in default of issue male of the body of the said King Henry Sr. John Dodridge doth not approve of King Edward VI. Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth to have been Prince or Princesse formally for he saith there cannot be found any Charter among the records whereby it may appear that any of
Kings bench And if the said erroneous judgment shall be in any Action personal the same shall be reversed by bill before the Lord president of the Marches and councel there Officers Ministers Clerks and Writers for the expediting of the said great Sessions First there are the Chamberlains of every the said circuits as hath been said who are properly and Originally the Treasurers of the Revenue within their charge and by the said Statutes are also Keepers of the seals as aforesaid therein they do undertake in part the Office of a Chancellour And in every of the said circuits there is the Atturney or Regius Advocatia and Sollicitor There is a Protonotary or chief Register who draweth all the pleadings Protonotary Clâ—rk of the Crown entereth and engrosseth the Records and Judgments in civil causes and ingrossing Fines And there is also a Clerk of the Crown which draweth and ingrosseth all inditements and proceedings arraignments and judgments in criminal causes and these two Officers are at the King or States appointment There is a Marshal to attend the persons of the Judges at their common sitting and going from the Sessions or Court There is a Marshal There is a Cryer Tanquam publicus preco to call forth such persons whose apparences are necessary and to impose silence to the people And these two Officers last remembred are deposed by the Justices And thus much touching the Justices of the great Sessions There are also other ordinary Officers appointed for every Shire in Wales by the said Statute 34. Henry 8. such and in like manner as in other the Shires in England There is a commission under the great Seal of England to certain Gentlemen What a Justice of peace giving them power to preserve the peace and resist and punish all turbulent persons whose misdemeanour may tend to the disquiet of the people and these are called Justices of peace and every of them may well be termed Eirnarcha the chief of them is called Custos Rotulorum in whose custody all the Records of their proceedings are resident Others there are of that number called Justices of the peace and Quorum because of their Commissions whereby they have power to sit and determine causes concerning breach of peace and misbehaviour the words of the Commission are conceived thus Quorum such and such Vnum vel duos c. Esse volumus and without some one or more of them of the Quorum no Sessions can be holden and for the avoiding of the superfluous number of such Justices 8. Justices onely allowed in every County of Wales for through the ambition of many it is accounted a credit to be burthened with that Authority The Satute of 34 Hen. 8. hath expresly prohibited that there shall be above eight Justices of Peace within every of the Counties and Shires of Wales which if the number were not indefinite for the Shires in England it were the better These Justices do hold their Sessions quarterly And it is further ordained by the Statute of 34 Hen 8. that two Justices of peace whereof one to be of the Quorum may hold their Sessions without any greater number In every of the said Shires where the said Commission of peace is established There is also a Clerk of the peace for the entring and engrossing of all proceedings before the said Justices and this Officer is appointed by the Custos Rotulorum Sr. John Dod fol. 49. Every of the said Shires hath a Sheriff which word being of the Saxon English is as much as to say a Shire-Reeve or Minister or Bailiff of the County his Function or Office is twofold Ministerial and Judicial As touching his Ministerial Office he is the Minister and Executioner of all the Process and Precepts of the Courts of Law and thereof ought to make return and certificate Why the Tourne Court so called and as touching the Judicial Office he hath Authority to hold two several Courts of distinct natures the one called the Tourne because he keepeth a Tourne or Circuit about the Shire holding the same in several places wherein he doth enquire of all offences perpetrated against the common Law and not forbidden by any Statute or Act of Parliament The County Court derived from Justice Communicative And the Jurisdiction of this Court is derived from justice distributive and is for criminal offences The other is called the County Court where he doth determine all petty and small causes civil under the value of 40 s. arising within the said County and thereof it is called the County Court And the Jurisdiction of this Court is drawn from Justice Communicative and is held every Moneth The Office of the Sheriff is annual by the Statute of 34 Hen. 8. it is ordained that the Lord President Councel and Justices of Wales or three of them at the least whereof the President to be one shall yearly nominate three fit persons for that Office of whom the King or State may elect one who thereupon shall have his Patent and be Sheriff of the said Shire Escheator why so called Every of the said Shires hath an Officer called an Escheator which is an Officer to attend the Kings Revenue and to seize into his hands all lands either Escheated goods or lands forfeited therefore he is called Escheator and he is to enquire by good enquest of the death of the Kings Tenants and to whom the lands are descended and to seize the bodies and lands for Ward if they be within age and is accountable for the same And this Officer in Wales is nominated Escheator 34 Hen. 8. cap. 16. by the Lord Treasurer of England by the advice of the Lord President Councel and Justices or three of them at least whereof the Lord President to be one There are also in every of the said Shires two Officers called Coroners they are to enquire by enquest in what manner and by whom every person dying a violent death came to his death and to enter the same of Record which is matter criminal and a plea of the Crown Coroners why so called and thereof they are called Coroners or Crowners as one hath written because their enquiries ought to be publick Et in Corona Populi These Officers are are chosen by the Free-holders of the Shire by vertue of a Writ out of the Chancery De Coronatore Eligendo And of them I need not speak more because these Officers are elsewhere The Goal Forasmuch as every Shire hath one Goal or Prison appointed for the restraint of liberty of such persons as for their offences are thereunto committed until they shall be delivered by course of Law Finally in every hundred of every of the said Shires the Sheriffs thereof shall nominate sufficient persons to be Bailiffs of that hundred and under Ministers of the Sheriff and they are to attend upon the Justices in every of their Courts and Sessions The Government of the Marches of Wales