Arch-Bishop for in the next Year it is thus corrected viz. This Year Ceolnoth was Elected and Consecrated Arch-Bishop and Feologild the Abbot deceased ' And the Year following Ceolnoth the Arch-BP received his Pall from Rome This Year certain Heathens or Pagans wasted Sceapige now the Isle of Sheppey in Kent But since this is the first time that these Heathens are mentioned in the Saxon Annals it is fit we should tell you a little more exactly who they were and from whence they came for they were indeed no other than that Nation which was before in our Saxon Annals called Northmanna and sometimes Deanscan i. e. Danes the Etymology of which Name since I find writers are so divided about I will not take upon me to determine not that all these People came out of that Country which is at this day called Denmark for it is impossible that so narrow a Region thô you should likewise include whatsoever that Kingdom did then or does now enjoy upon the Continent of Swedeland and Jutland could ever send out such vast Shoales of People as for near Two Thousand Years before the Norman Conquest over-ran and destroyed France the Low Countries and also this Island but you may from what has been already said observe that H. Huntington in the Prologue to his Book above cited does besides the Danes add also the Norwegians together with the Goths Swedes and Vandals to have been those Nations which for so many Years wasted England and that he did not deliver this without Book but had sufficient Authority for what he wrote I shall further make out from the Testimony of those Writers who lived in that very Age when these Nations first infested those parts of Europe For Eginhart who was Son-in-Law and Chancellour to Charles the Great thus writes in his History of that Prince which I shall here faithfully Translate In like manner the Danes and Sweones with those whom we call Normans do possess the Northern Shore of Scandinavia together with all the Islands adjoyning to it whil'st the Sclavi with divers other Nations inhabit the Southern Coasts but the Norwegans or rather Northern Men for so they are called by the Swedes because they lye more Northerly than the greater part of that Nation and indeed all those that inhabit Scanzia are by those People of Europe that lye more remote with very good reason called in the German Tongue i.e. Northland Men. Next to Eginhart Adam of Bremen who lived about Two Hundred Years after does not only insert these very words of the aforesaid Authour but also adds this further that the Danes and Swedes with the other Nations beyond the River Danabius are by the French Historians all called Normans so likewise Albertus Abbot of Stade who wrote about the Year 1250 says likewise that the Danes and other Nations who lived beyond Denmark are all called Normans from which Authorities the learned Grotius in his Prolegomena to his Gothic History lays it down as an undeniable Truth that whatever we find among any writers of that Age concerning the Normans does rightly belong to the Swedes who were then one of the greatest and most powerful of those Northern Nations that were all then called by one general Name of Normans But as for their Religion I need say no more of it since I have already told you in the beginning of the Third Book that all those Nations had the same common Deities viz. Woden and Thor c. whose Names I have there already set down to which last Deities as Ubbo Emmius relates they before any great exepedition sacrificed a Captive by knocking out his Brains and smearing their Faces in his Blood immediately marched against their Enemies but that they were extreamly given to Witchcraft and Inchantments all their own Authours relate which would be too tedious here to repeat since you will meer with some Instances of it in the following History But to return again to our Annals This Year is very remarkable for King Egbert encountred Thirty Five Ships of Danish Pyrates at Carrum now called Charmouth in Dorsetshire where there was a great slaughter but the Danes kept the Field whereby we may guess that they had the advantage yet it seems before this time even in this very Year the Danes had been vanquished and put to flight at Dunmouth now called Tinmouth from whence having now spoiled the Isle of Sheppey they Sail'd to Charmouth above-mentioned This shews us as Will. of Malmesbury well observes the Instability of all Worldly grandeur for now King Egbert being arrived at the height of Empire met with this unlooked for Enemy who harrassed him and his Posterity for divers Generations And thô in this Sea Fight last mentioned he had the better for the greater part of the Day yet towards Night he lost the Victory thô by the help of it he retreated and so saved the disgrace of an entire defeat this was the only time that Fortune ceased to favour King Egbert's Undertakings This Year also according to our Annals Herefrith Bishop of Winchester and Wigen or Sighelm Bishop of Scirborne and also Two Ealdormen Dudda and Osmund deceased The same Year was held that General Council of the whole Kingdom at London at the Feast of St. Augustin the English Apostle Egbert King of West Saxony and Withlaf King of the Mercians with both the Arch-Bishops and all the other Bishops and Chief Men of England being present at which besides a Consultation how to restrain the Invasion of the Danes the Privileges and Concessâ—ons of the said King Withlaf to the Monastery of Croyland were also confirmed by the said Council and were subscribed to by King Withlaf and both the Arch-Bishops and most of 〈◊〉 Bishops of England The next Year a great Fleet of Danes landed amongst the Western Welsh i. e. Cornishmen who being joyned with them in a League against King Egbert offered him Battle which he accepting of streight ways marched against them with his whole Army and at Hengestdune now Hengston in Cornwal put both the Britains and Danes to flight and as Mat. Westminster adds freed his Kingdom at this time from the Invasion of those barbarous Enemies King Egbryht departed this Life having Reigned Thirty Seven Years and Seven Months but the Annals must needs be mistaken either in the time of his Reign or else in the Year of his Death for if he began to Reign Anno Dom. 800 and Reigned Thirty Seven Years and an half it is evident he must have dyed Anno Dom. 838 the Printed Copy of Will of Malmesbury places his Death Anno Dom. 837 and another reading in the Margin in 838 but Florence of Worcester places it according to the Annals in 836. This King as the same Authour relates governed his Subjects with great Clemency and was as terrible to his Enemies and for Nine Years Reigned Supream King over all Britain Before his Death he is
but when they had both bloudily fought for a long time the Pagans being no longer able to withstand the Christians Arms a great part of their Troops was slain and the rest saved themselves by flight leaving behind them dead upon the place one of their Kings called Bachseg and several other great Men with many Thousands of common Souldiers needless here to be particularly mentioned but this King here called Bachseg the Danish History naâ—es Ivar the Son of Reynere so the rest of their Army fled that night to the Castle of Reading above-mentioned whither the Christians following killed them as long as day-light would permit But thô Asser the Writer of King Alfred's Life and Actions hath for his Honour attributed the whole Success of this Battle to that Prince yet it is more probable what the Manuscript called Scala Chronica cited by Mr. Speed relates That when Prince Aelfred's Men being now spent were ready to Retreat King Ethered came into the Battle from his Prayers and so well seconded his Brother with fresh Forces that renewing the Fight the Victory the greatest they had ever yet obtained was chiefly owing to their Valour But Fifteen Days after this King Aethered with his Brother Aelfred marched again towards Basing to fight the Enemy where another Battle happened and the Pagans making there an obstinate Resistance obtain'd the Victory and kept the Field after which Fight a fresh Army of Pagans coming from beyond Sea joyned themselves to the former But here the Saxon Annals further add That about two Months after this King Aethered and Aelfred his Brother fought again with the Pagans at Meretune now Merton in Surrey where the Army being divided into two Parts at first put the Enemy to the Rout and had the better for a great part of the day yet at last after a mighty slaughter the Danes kept the Field and there was slain Bishop Heamund with abundance of brave Men. After this Battle during the whole Summer following the Danes remained in quiet at Reading but the same Year King Aethered having now for five Years stoutly and nobly Govern'd his Kingdom thô with many Troubles deceased and was buried in the Monastery of Winburne in Dorsetshire But thô the Chronicle that goes under the Name of Abbot Bromton from I know not what Authority relates this King to have died of the Wounds which he had received in a Fight against one Somerled a Danish King who had newly destroyed the Town of Reading and the Inscription on this King's Tomb at Winborne cited by Mr. Camden in his Britannia relates him to be slain by the Danes yet since neither Asser Ingulph the Saxon Annals nor William of Malmesbury mention any such thing and that the Inscription it self is but Modern I rather suppose him to have died a natural Death of the Plague which then reigned This King is said by the Annals of Ireland to have had a Daughter named Thyra married to Gormun King of the Danes who on her begat Sweyn the Father of King Cnute This Ethered had also several Sons as Alfred supposed to be Grandfather to Ethelwerd called Quaestor the Historian as also Oswald who his Father mentions in his Charter to the Abbey of Abingdon King AELFRED otherwise called ALFRED Immediately after King Ethered's Death as Asser relates Prince Alfred who during the Lives of his three Brothers had been only their Deputy or Lieutenant now by the General Consent of the whole Kingdom took the Government upon him which he might have had if he pleased during their Life-time since he exceeded them all both in Wisdom and Courage so that indeed he Reigned almost whether he would or no. But before the first Month of his Reign was at an end he trusting on the Divine Assistance marched his Army thô but few in comparison of the Pagans to Wilton lying on the South side of the River Willie from which both the Town and Country take their Names where it was valiantly fought on both sides for great part of the day till the Pagans not being able any longer to endure the Force and Valour of the English began to turn their Backs but then finding the Number of the Pursuers to be small they rallied and obtaining the Victory kept the Field Nor let this seem strange to any that will but consider how small the Number of the Christians were in comparison of the Pagans for the English had in the space of one Year fought 8 or 9 Battles against them besides innumerable Skirmishes which King Alfred or his Commanders had with them wherein thô they lost one King and nine Earls or Principal Commanders yet receiving such frequent Recruits from beyond Sea whilst the Saxons every day grew weaker it is no Wonder if they prevailed yet notwithstanding Asser and the Saxon Annals tell us That this Year there was a Peace made with the Danes upon condition that they would depart the Kingdom which they for the present observed but to little purpose For the next Year as the same Author tells us the Danes having landed again marched from Reading to London and there took up their Winter-Quarters and the Mercians were forced to make Peace with them Also this Year according to the Chronicle of Mailross and Simeon of Durham the Northumbers expelled Egbert their King and Wulfher Arch-Bishop of York who both as Mat. Westminster relates flying to Bertulph King of the Mercians were by him honourably received About the same time according to Caradoc's Chronicle also died Gwgan King or Prince of Cardigan who as some British Chronicles relate was drowned by misfortune and at the same time the Danes destroyed the Town of Alcluid in Scotland This Year the Danish Army leaving the Countries about London marched into the Kingdom of the Northumbers and there Wintered in a place called Tursige now Torswick in Lindsey which was then part of the Northumbrian Kingdom so that the Neighbouring Nations were again forced to renew their League with them And now also according to Simeon of Durham Egbert King of Northumberland dying one Ricsige succeeded him and Arch-Bishop Wulfher was now restored to his Bishoprick The next Year the Pagan Army leaving Lindisse marched into Mercia and wintered in a place called Hreoptun now Repton in Derbyshire where they forced Burhred King of the Mercians to desert his Kingdom and pass the Seas to go to Rome where arriving he lived not long but there dying in the 22d Year of his Reign he was honourably buried at the English School or College in the Church of St. Mary thereunto belonging The Danes after his Expulsion brought the whole Kingdom of Mercia under their Dominion and then delivered it to one Ceolwulf an inconsiderable Fellow and Servant of the late King upon this miserable Condition That he should deliver it up to them again whensoever they required it and for this he gave Hostages swearing to obey them in all Things Now the Danish Army
never r. ever P. 24. l. 15. f. no r. any Introduction PAge 31. line 17. for longer read long Ib. l. 18. f. which r. and ib. r. enjoyed it P. 34. l. 27. del for a long time after P. 86. l. 13. del the Comma's in the Margin beginning at from whence you may observe and ending at well observes P. 89. l. 15. f. word r. words Ibid. l. 32. f. upon r. that Ib. del that P. 96. l. 29. f. Longobardarum r. Longobardorum P. 97. l. a. f. Crihtan r. Crihtan i. e. Knights P. 105. l. 38. f. consist r. reside ADDENDA CORRIGENDA SINCE this Volume was printed off coming to a more strict View of the whole Work than I could make when it was in loose Sheets I think fit to make some few Additions and Corrections as in these following Particulars BOOK IV. Pag. 195. The Consecration of Erkenwald Bishop of London being set down twice viz. in the beginning of Anno 675. and again at the end of that Year and was forgot to be struck out in the Page above-mentioned those first three Lines and half beginning at Line 23. may be struck out and that Relation referred to p. 196. at the end of the Year where it is already and you may read it in these words This Year also according to Matth. of Westminster for Bede does not give us the time when it was done Erkenwald a younger Son to Anna King of the East Angles was by Theodore the Arch-bishop consecrated Bishop of London he being in great Reputation for the Sanctity of his Life as having before he came to be a Bishop c. Read the rest as in the Print P. 198. Queen Etheldrithes being twice married and never lain with having been already mentioned p. 193. you may strike out part of three Lines in p. 198. beginning at Line 48. at who yet remained and ending line 51. with but she and then read it thus Wife of King Egfrid above-mentioned this Lady tho twice married still remaining a Virgin died at last c. BOOK V. Pag. 312. line ult The Continuation of Asser's Chronicle published by Dr. Gale having put this Action of Prince Ethelwald's there mentioned under the Year 904. and Florence of Worcester making him come as far as Crecanford now Crayford in Kent from the different Names of which Places and Years I supposed that this Action was not the same with that related in the Year 905. but upon better Consideration I am now satisfied that either Florence's Copy of the Annals or his Transcriber were mistaken and that Crecanford and Bradenewood mentioned by him under 905 and Creccagelade and Braeden set down in the Annals under the same Year are both the same Places setting aside the difference of the Years so that this is also but one and the same Action and therefore I rather now chuse to follow the printed Copies of the Saxon Annals and place the whole under Anno 905. therefore you may strike out the last Line of pag. 312. beginning at after as also the four first Lines of pag. 313. ending with so returned home P. 265. After the Reign of Ethelwulf Anno 855. add this that follows That about these Times the Scotish Kings held the Low-lands of Scotland as Tributaries to the Kings of Northumberland take this Relation from Lessely Bishop of Rosse's History of Scotland in the Reign of King Donald V. where he tells us that the Picts who had been lately conquered and expelled Scotland having hid themselves in Northumberland and the Neighbouring Countries combined with the Britains and Saxons to recover their Liberties who being thus confederated invaded Scotland whereupon King Donald gathering together his Army met them near Jetburgh and joining Battel with them put them to flight with which Success the King and his Men growing insolent and secure spent the Night following in Luxury and Drinking without keeping any Guard or observing Military Discipline of which the Enemies who it seems fled not far gaining Intelligence and laying hold of this Opportunity set upon them about Midnight and slew near 20000 Scots being then as it were buried in Wine and Sleep King Donald himself being also taken Prisoner and to purchase his Liberty was forced to give up all the Countries lying between the River Cluyde and Sterling to the Britains and Saxons and farther obliged himself and his Successors to the Annual Payment of a Sum of Money in Name of a Tribute and that then in the sixth Year of his unhappy Reign the English-Saxons in Memory of this Victory rebuilt the ruined Castle of Sterling and fortified the Bridg of Forth where they erected a Cross of Stone as a Monument of their Victory on which were engraven these barbarous Latine Verses Anglos à Scotis separat Crux ista remotis Arma hic stant Bruti stant Scoti sub hac Cruce tuti BUT in the mean time the Picts who were the Authors of this Scotish Slaughter were so far from being thereby restored to their Country that they were quite expell'd by the Saxons out of Britain THIS Relation Hector Boetius gives you much more prolix and makes King Osbern who reigned in Northumberland to have commanded the English-Saxons at the great Battle above-mentioned THE same Author likewise shews us in the Reign of K. Gregory Anno 872. how the Britains came to be driven out of Cumberland which they had till then enjoy'd viz. That the Britains having by the Assistance of the Danes expelled the Scots from divers Territories endeavoured also by secret Treacheries to drive them yet further but being surprized by K. Gregory were by him quite expelled Cumberland and Westmorland as a Punishment for having violated their Faith with him Pag. 313. l. 18. After East-Angles add this And Bromton's Chronicle in this Year further adds That Ethelwald having passed the Thames at Crekelade to Brithenden and marched as far as Brandenstoke now Bradenstoke in Wiltshire so that as Mr. Camden well observes our Modern Historians have been much mistaken in making that Place to be Basingstoke in Hampshire BOOK VI. Pag. 8. l. 1. You may strike out the three remaining Lines after Dunstan for I am satisfied upon better Consideration that the Assertion therein contained is not true as I have prov'd in the Introduction p. 71 72. Pag. 12. l. 8. After the words freely forgave him add this That the Low-lands of Scotland continued under the Dominion of the Kings of England till the Reign of King Edgar we have the express Testimony of John of Wallingford Abbot of St. Albans who wrote his Chronicle in the beginning of the Reign of King Henry the Third and before ever the Dispute concerning any Homage being due for the whole Kingdom of Scotland was raised which began not till the time of K. Edward the First This Author thus relates it in the beginning of the Reign of King Edgar viz. that about Anno Dom. 964 that King summoning the Northumbrian Barons i. e. Thanes to a
Colledge Oxon. together with an Ingenious Dissertation of his own upon the same question But to return to the Matter in Hand from which we have too much digressed Caesar in the Fifth Book of his Commentaries tells us That having found a fit time he had Commanded his Souldiers again to Embarque for Britain when there happen'd a Mutiny rais'd by Dumnorix with his Aeduan Horse who would have left the Expedition and gone home but he being kill'd by some of Caesar's Souldiers whom he had order'd to do that Execution all those Horsemen return'd again to him Things being thus settled Labiâ—nus was left behind on the Continent with Three Legions and Two Thousand Horse to defend that Port and to provide Corn as also to observe the Motion of the Gauls Then Caesar with Five Legions and an equal Number of Horse to what he had left behind about Sun-set weigh'd Anchor and sailed on with a gentle Southern Gale but about Mid-night the Wind falling he could not hold on his Course but Day coming on found he had bin carried away by the Tide and that he had left Britain too much on his Left Hand But then again taking Advantage of the Change of the Tide he endeavour'd by the help of Oars to reach that part of the Island where he had found before to be the best Landing the last Year wherein the Souldiers deserved a great Commendation who made the heavy Transport Ships by the constant Labour of Rowing keep almost equal speed with the Gallies About Noon they arriv'd at Britain with all their Ships but there was not any Enemies to be seen in that Place for as Caesar learn'd afterwards from the Prisoners the Britains had been there with great Forces but were terrified with the vast Multitude of the Ships which with Vessels of Provision and others upon private Accounts amounted to above Eight Hundred so that the Britains had quickly left the Shore and retired into Places more remote Caesar having Landed his Army and chosen a fit Place for his Camp as soon as he learn'd from the Prisoners in what Place the Enemy's Forces were Encamped about the Third Watch of the Night marched toward them being not concern'd for his Ships because he left them at Anchor in a safe and bold Shore with Ten Cohorts and Three Hundred Horse to guard them under the Command of Q. Airius But Marching that Night about Twelve Miles towards Chilham in Kent as is suppos'd he at last saw the Enemies Forces who with their Horse marching down to the River Stoure lying between them began from the higher Ground to assail the Romans and to give them Battel but being repulsed by the Horse they convey'd themselves into the Woods where having a Place strongly Fortified as well by Art as Nature and which it seems they had before provided during their own Domestick Wars for all the Avenues to it were clos'd up with Trees laid overthwart the Passages The Britains fought straggling out of the Woods and hinder'd the Romans from entring within the Fortification But the Souldiers of the Seventh Legion making a Testudo did by a Mount rais'd against their Fortification soon take it and drove them out of the Woods having themselves receiv'd very little Loss but since they fled Caesar forbad to pursue them too far because he was ignorant of the Place and a great part of the Day being spent he would employ the rest of it for the Fortifying of his Camp The next Day early in the Morning he sent his Foot Souldiers and Horsemen being divided into Three Bodies upon another Expedition that they might now pursue those that fled But before they had march'd any great distance of Ground the Enemy being in sight some Horsemen came from Q. Atrius to Caesar telling him that a great Tempest having risen the Night before almost all the Ships were shatter'd and cast on Shore neither the Anchors nor Cables being able to hold them nor could the Masters of the Vessels nor Mariners withstand the Force of the Tempest so that by the Ships falling foul upon each other great Damage was receiv'd which when Caesar knew he return'd to his Ships and he himself beheld what he had heard from the Messengers so that about Forty Ships being lost the rest might be refitted though not without much Labour Therefore he chose some Carpenters out of the Legions and Commanded others to be sent for from the Continent and he writ to Labienus that he should by the help of those Legions he had with him speedily get ready as many Ships as he was able whilst he himself although it was a business of great Toyl thought it was most convenient to have all his Ships haled on Shore and to enclose them within the same Fortification with his Camp in which Work he spent about Ten Days without any Intermission of Labour Day or Night The Ships being thus drawn up and the Camp strongly Fortified he left the same Forces to guard them as before whilst he himself marched forward to the same Place from whence he had last return'd When he came thither he found much greater Forces of the Britains there assembled from all Parts The Chief Command for managing this War being by their common Consent committed to Cassibelan whose Territories the River Thames divided from the Maritime States being about Eighty Miles distant from the Sea There had been in former Times perpetual Wars between him and the Neighbouring Cities But the Britains being now terrified by this second Invasion had given him the Supreme Command over them all Now from hence you may see the Falshood of Geoffrey of Monmouth who makes this Island to have bin a Monarchy before Caesar's coming and Cassibelan to have bin the Sole King whereas we find him only to have been a small Inland Prince and the rest of the Island divided into many Petty States or Principalities The rest of what Caesar here tells us concerning the Manners of the Britains as also the Situation of this Island these being either already related or else needless as sufficiently known I shall pass over and return to Caesar's Actions as he relates them in the same Book In this March the British Cavalry and Charioteers fought sharply with the Roman Horsemen yet nevertheless these were Superior in all Places and drove them to the Hills and Woods many being slain but the Romans pursuing them too eagerly lost some of their own Men. Some time after this the Enemy on a suddain sallied out from the Woods the Romans not being aware of them being busie in Fortifying their Camp and charged briskly upon those who were upon the Guard before the Camp But two Cohorts the chief of two Legions being sent by Caesar to their assistance whilst they made a halt as being surpriz'd with their new way of Fighting the Enemy boldly charg'd back again through the midst of them without the loss of a Man So that Day Quintus Laberius
Durus a Tribune was kill'd but the Enemy upon the sending out of fresh Cohorts were repell'd and forc'd to save themselves by flight This Skirmish thus fought before the Camp and in the Eyes of all Men made it evident that the Legionary Soldiers being neither able for the weight of their Arms to pursue those that retreated nor yet daring to go far from their Ensigns were no equal Match for such a kind of Enemy and that the Horse fought with much greater Danger because the Britains oftentimes retired on purpose and when they had drawn the Romans a little from the Legions leap'd from their Chariots and fought on Foot to the great Disadvantage of the Romans But the manner of their Cavalries fighting brought the same or equal Danger to those that retir'd as to those that pursu'd To which you may add that they never fought in close Order but scatter'd and at some distance and had their Men so Posted that they could easily Succour each other fresh Men still relieving those that were wounded or weary The next Day the Enemies made a stand upon the Hills at a distance from the Camp and began to show themselves less frequently being not so forward to Skirmish with their Horse as they were the Day before but about Noon when Caesar had sent out the Three Legions with C. Trebonius to Forage they suddenly on all sides set upon the Foragers and charg'd up after them to the very Legions and Ensigns whilst the Romans charging them with great Courage repell'd them Nor made they an end of chasing them until the Horse who were supported by the Legions behind them and not giving them time either to stand still to rally or to get down from their Chariots as they were wont had slain a great many of them After this Rout the British Auxiliaries which had come from all Parts return'd home and from that time the Britains never fought the Romans again with their whole Forces But Caesar guessing their Designs drew his Army toward the River Thamesis into the Confines of Cassibelan's Territories which River was only fordable and that very hardly in one place At his arrival he found great Forces of the Enemy's there Encamp'd and the Bank Fortify'd with sharp Stakes and many of the same sort were also fix'd under Water which being made known by the Prisoners and Fugitives the Horse being sent before he order'd the Legions immediately to follow but the Soldiers march'd with that Courage that though their Heads only appear'd above Water yet the Enemy not enduring the Force of the Horse and Legions quitting the Banks committed themselves to flight This Ford is suppos'd by Mr. Cambden in his Britannia to have been at Coway-Stakes near Lalam in Middlesex where the remainder of those Piles plac'd by the Britains were of late Times still to be seen being bound about with Lead and of the thickness of a Man's Thigh and some of them have been of late Years pull'd up as hindring the Passage of the Barges Cassibelan having now lost all hopes of doing any good by downright Fighting having dismiss'd the greater part of his Forces retain'd only about Four Thousand Charioteers who observ'd the Roman Marches and going a little out of the way hid themselves in woody and intricate Places driving away the Men and Cattle into the Woods But in those Parts of the Country where he knew the Romans were to march whilst the Horse were dispersed abroad into the Fields either for Forage or Booty he sent out his Charioteers from the Woods by all the known ways and there fought the Roman Horse-Men putting them in great hazard whereupon Caesar strictly commanded them not to march too far from the Legions and that they should only burn and destroy the Country as far as the Legionary Soldiers alone could safely perform it in their Marches In the mean time the Trinobantes being one of the strongest States of all those Parts sent Ambassadors to Caesar promising to submit themselves to him and perform his Commands desiring that he would defend Mandubratius from the Injuries of Cassibelan and would send him to them that he might receive the Supreme Authority of their State This Mandubratius being a young Prince had fled to Caesar in Gallia for his Father Immanuentius had been King of that Country but having been slain by Cassibelan his Son avoided the like Fate by flight Whereupon Caesar sent him to them enjoyning them to give him Forty Hostages and Corn for his Army they speedily perform'd his Commands and sent him that number of Hostages as also the Corn. The Trinobantes being defended from the Violence of the Soldiers the Segontiaci Anacalites Bibroci and Cassi having also sent Embassies submitted themselves to Caesar By these he understood that the Town of Cassibelam suppos'd to be Verulamium was not far off being strongly Fortified with Woods and Bogs in which a great number of Men and Cattle was got together You may here also observe Caesar's Description of a British Town The Britains says he when they have taken in some woody Place and enclosed it with a Ditch or Rampire call it a Town to which to avoid the Incursions of their Enemies they are wont to retreat But thither Câ—â—sar marched with his Legions and found the Place strongly Fortified both by Art and Nature yet when he began to Storm it on both sides the Enemies not enduring the Assault of the Roman Legions threw themselves out from another Part of the Town and so made their Escape whilst many were kill'd as they fled Here Caesar found great Multitudes of Cattle Whilst these things were doing Cassibelan sent Messengers into Kent in which Parts were four petty Princes whom Caesar for his own Glory calls Kings viz. Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax these he orders that with all the Forces they could make they should assault upon the sudden and take the Romans Naval Camp These Princes with their Forces marching to the place the Romans sallying out upon the Britains killed many of them and taking Cingeterox a noted Leader Prisoner returned again to their Camp without any Loss Cassibelan hearing of the Success of this Fight having had his Borders thus wasted and received so considerable Losses but being chiefly terrified with the Defection of so many States sent Ambassadors to Caesar by the Mediation of Comius of Arras to treat about a Submission Caesar being resolved to pass the Winter in the Continent because of the sudden Commotions in Gaul and that there was not much of the Summer left and which might be easily spun out demanded Hostages and set how much yearly Tribute the Britains should pay to the People of Rome and having farther forbad Cassibelan either to molest Mandubratius or the Trinobantes Hostages being taken Caesar marched back his Army to the Sea-side where he found all his Ships re-fitted but because he had a great number of Prisoners as that also some of his Ships were lost by
the Fury of his Army and that thus debasing himself in a mean and abject manner he exercis'd a precarious Authority as if he and his Army had had agreed that they should enjoy a Licentiousness of Living and he his own Ease and Safety But when the Civil Wars broke out between Otho and Vitellius then began Trebellius and Caelius to fly into greater and more open Discords Trebellius laying to Caelius's Charge the spreading of Sedition and drawing the Soldiers from their Discipline and Obedience whilst on the other side Caelius upbraided him of defrauding and Pillaging the Legions Amidst those shameful Contentions the Modesty of the Army was so Corrupted and their Insolence grown to that height that the Auxiliary Forces stuck not publickly to speak ill of their General and most of the Cohorts openly deserting him went over to Caelius Trebellius being thus forsaken presently fled to Vitellius who being then Emperor received him but coldly without Restoring him to his Command After his Departure the Province remain'd for a time quiet though without a Lieutenant the Commanders of the Legions Governing with equal Authority yet Caelius was most powerful because most daring But Vitelâ—ius not long after he came to the Empire sent hither Vectius Bolanus to succeed Trebellius And it also appears by several passages in Tacitus that no small number of British Forces were Commanded over Sea to serve in those Bloody Civil Wars between Otho and Vitellius especially when he and Vespasian contended for the Empire and paâ—ticularly the Fourteenth Legion called the Conquerors of Britain having been removed from hence by Nero to the Caspian War were again sent into Britain by Vitellius but recalled by Mutianus on the behalf of Vespatian But Bolanus during the Civil Wars was not able to keep the discipline much less to attempt any thing upon the Britains since the Factions continued as great in the Army as in the time of Trebellius only with this difference that Bolanus was Innocent and not hated for any publick Vices and carried himself so obligingly that though he had not the Authority of a General yet he Ruled by the Affections of the Souldiers But now Vitellius fearing the power of Vespasian whose Forces began daily to encrease wrote to Bolanus for supplies but he deferred it partly because the Britains were not sufficiently quieted but taking the advantage of these dissentions among the Romans raised continually new Commotions by the instigation of Venutius who had hitherto carried on the War against the Romans ever since they took part with his Wife Cartismandua but chiefly because the Souldiers of the Fourth Legion being incensed against Vitellius had sent over privately Letters of Submission to Vespasian In this condition was Britain during the Government of Bolanus when Vitellius was deposed about the Tenth Month of his Reign Vespasian succeeded him and as soon as he was declared Emperour his great Reputation easily brought over the Legions in Britain to his Interest for he had served from a Youth in the British Wars and being Lieutenant of the Second Legion under Claudius had fought many Battles and taken many Towns from the Britains But as soon as Vespasian was acknowledged in Britain as well as in the rest of the Provinces Famous Generals and great Armies were sent hither whereby the Enemies hopes were quite defeated For the Emperor presently sent into Britain Petilius Caerialis one of Consular Dignity as his Lieutenant under whom Valour found not only a room to show it self but also an Example in himself For in the first place he attack'd the State of the Brigantes which is counted the most Populous in the whole Island in which Expedition many Skirmishes happen'd though sometimes not without much Blood-shed he taking in a great part of their Country by Conquest But when Caerialis had indeed both eclips'd the Fame as well as prevented the Care of a Successor Julius Frontinus succeeded him who did as worthily sustain that great Charge being a very brave Man he subdued the Silures overcoming both the difficulties of Places and the Valour of the Enemies In this State was Britain when the Emperor sent hither Agricola as his Lieutenant who had learned his first Principles of War in Britain under Paulinus a Mild yet diligent General who made him his Tent-fellow neither did Agricola after the manner of some Young Men turn Warfare into Wantoness or made use of the Command of a Tribune only for Pleasure and Luxury but made it his business to know the Province to be known to the Army to learn from the more Skillful to imitate the Best to undertake nothing for Vain Glory to refuse nothing for Fear but at once to Act both Cautiously and Stoutly For Caerialis had from the beginning enured him to Labours and Dangers and at last communicated a share of Reputation often times for a Tryal giving him the Command of some part of the Army and sometimes encouraging his former Success by giving him the Command of greater Forces This is the Character which Tacitus gives us of this Great Man whose Daughter he had Married and this was the State of Affairs in Britain when Agricola came over about Midsummer When the Soldiers having laid aside all thoughts of any Expedition were grown secure and the Britains on the other side were as watchful for Advantages the Ordovices a little before the coming of this new General had lately almost destroyed a whole Squadron of Horse that was Quarter'd in their Country few escaping whilst those Britains who were desirous of War approved the Example and others of them rather observed the Temper of the new Lieutenant Then Agricola although the Summer was spent and the Souldiers dispersed into their Winter Quarters expecting nothing but Ease for the rest of the Year and though he considered the difficulties of beginning a War at that Season most of his Officers thinking it sufficient to defend what was weakest and least to be defended yet he resolved rather to obviate danger than to expect it so he gathered together some of the chief Legionary Cohorts with a small band of Auxiliaries But because the Ordovices durst not come down into the Plains he Lead the Army against them himself that by exposing his own person to equal Dangers he might make them all a like Couragious and having fought the Ordovices he almost cut off their whole Nation But Agricola knowing that reputation is chiefly gained by success and that as this first Enterprize succeeded so it would give a countenance to those that followed He resolved therefore to subdue the Isle of Mona from the Conquest of which Paulinus was recalled by the revolt of the Britains as you have already heard but wanting Ships for this Expedition which was undertaken on the sudden He used this Policy for the Transporting his Men he commanded them all to lay aside their Baggage sending over first the chief of the Auxiliaries who were acquainted with
have fear'd his Silence or Reservedness for he thought it much better to displease a Man than hate him The Emperor Titus for these great Atchievments of Agricola was fifteen times saluted Imperator or General And the Honour he got by the Actions of so great a Commander he rewarded with Triumphal Ornaments Not long after which Titus stiled for his Goodness Deliciae humani generis The Delight of Mankind dyed as was suspected by Poyson Domitian his Brother a Man as wicked as the other was vertuous succeeded to him It was now the Fourth Year of Agricola's Government in Britain which was also spent in securing what the Summer before had been gotten in this Island And had the Courage of his Soldiers been answerable to the Conduct of the General and the Fortune of the Commonwealth he had now reach'd the utmost Bounds of Britain for Glota and Bodotria now Dunbritain and Edinburgh-Fryths running from both Seas far into the Continent and being dis-joyn'd by a narrow Neck of Land these together with all the Creeks and Havens on this side of the Streight were held by Roman Garisons and the Enemies as it were confin'd in another Island In the Fifth Year of his Government and as soon as the Season would admit passing over the Bodotrian Erith he subdued divers Nations until then unknown in frequent and prosperous Battels placing Garisons in that part of Britain that lies over against Ireland though more in hopes of a new Conquest than for fear of any Invasion For Ireland lying in the midst between Britain and Spain lies convenient for the Gallick Sea and would have united the vast Members of the Empire and render'd them highly useful to each other This Island if compared to Britain is much less yet exceeds all the Islands of the Mediterranian Sea The Soil and Climate together with the Dispositions and Mannners of the Inhabitants being not much different from those of the Britains but its Havens are better known to Traders by reason of its greater Commerce Agricola had receiv'd one of the petty Kings of this Nation who had been expell'd by a Domestick Sedition and retain'd him under a Shew of Friendship till a fit Occasion Tacitus further says That Agricola told him that he believ'd Ireland might be both conquer'd and kept with only one Legion and that it might be useful even against Britain if the Roman Arms were extended thither and Liberty were once as it were banish'd quite out of sight This though it be a Digression from our History of Britain yet I thought good not to omit because it gives the best and most particular Account we have in any ancient Historian concerning Ireland As also the Reason why so great a General as Agricola thought it worth his Conquest But the next Summer which was the Sixth Year of his Command he first discover'd by his Fleet those large Countries lying beyond the Bodotrian Frith and Incursions of all those Nations lying beyond it were much fear'd by him This Fleet was by Agricola also made use of to assist his Land-Forces and therefore still follow'd him making a dreadful Shew as it sail'd along The War was thus carry'd on both by Sea and Land Nay often in the same Camp the Foot with the Horse-men and Marine Forces would meet and make merry together where each in his Turn would extol their own Feats and Adventures comparing the Dangers of the Woods and Mountains with the Accidents and Hazards of the Waves and Tempests and that as the Britains by Land so the Ocean it self was by them subdued Thus they boasted in a Soldier-like way But as Agricola afterwards heard from some Prisoners the Sight of his Fleet so much dishearten'd the Britains as that the utmost Secrets of their own Seas being now discover'd the Conquer'd had even lost their last Refuge But then the Caledonians made great Preparations for War though with greater Fame than Reality as it is usual for it to relate too much of things unknown giving out as if they had assaulted and taken some Roman Fort. This News made some afraid who being Cowardly under the Shew of Prudence took upon them to advise the General that they ought to retreat to the other side of the Frith and that they should rather do it voluntarily than by constraint But when Agricola knew that the Enemy would invade him in many distinct Parties lest he should be environ'd by Numbers far exceeding his own he himself divided his Army into Three Detachments Which when it was known to the Enemy changing their Design on a sudden they in one entire Body broke in by Night upon the Ninth Legion as being the weakest and killed the Centinels between sleeping and waking and now they fought in the very Camp When Agricola having by Scouts learnt the Enemy's March follow'd them at the Heels and commanded the swiftest of his Horse and lightest Foot-men to charge upon their Rear whilst the whole Army presently seconded them with Shouts The Britains hearing the Enemy behind them were dishearten'd especially when the Day appearing discover'd the glittering Ensigns of the Romans who then took heart and renew'd the Fight not as Men doubtful of Victory but ambitious of Honour For now might be seen some of the Roman Soldiers getting into their own Camp whilst others fought to get out both contending which should have the most Glory the one in bringing a timely Assistance the other in not seeming to have needed it In this Fight the Britains were routed and had they not betaken themselves to their old Refuge the Woods and Bogs that Day had put a Period to the War By this constant Success the Army gain'd fresh Courage and they now all cried out That nothing was impossible for their Valour that Caledonia was to be passed through and that at last they would fight their Way to the utmost Bounds of Britain And they who were lately so wise and cautelous now seem'd as forward and talk'd as big after this Success as the best And this indeed is the hard Fate of War All challenge a Share in the Success whilst Misfortunes are laid upon a single Person However the Britains would not own themselves beaten by the Courage of the Roman Soldiers but by the Cunning and Conduct of the General and therefore they had no meaner Thoughts of themselves than before but made new Levies in order to prosecute the War and beforehand carried their Wives and Children into Places of Safety sending about through all their Cities to enter into new Confederacy which was afterwards ratified with solemn Rites and Sacrifices And so their Spirits being thus heightned they at present return'd home The same Summer a Cohort of Vespasian's raised in Germany and sent into Britain having slain a Centurion and other Soldiers that were appointed to exercise them deserted and went to Sea in three Pinnaces and having kill'd two of the Masters whom they suspected the other
they constrain'd to do his Duty Having thus escaped and none knowing what was become of them and having no Pilates they were carried at random as the Tides and Winds drove them to and fro Thus compassing the Island they practis'd Piracy where they landed and often fighting with the Britains who defended their Goods were sometimes Victors and sometimes worsted till at last they were driven to that great Extremity for want of Provision that first they devour'd the weakest of their own Men and then drew Lots who of them should be eaten afterwards Thus having floated round Britain and lost their Ships for want of Skill to steer them getting on Shore they were taken and sold as Pirates first by the Suevians and afterwards by the Frisians till at last they were sold into Britain where the strangeness of the Accident render'd this Discovery of the Island more famous But Agricola having in the beginning of this Summer lost a young Son made use of War as a Remedy to vent his Grief therefore he sent his Fleet before which by spoiling many Places on the Coast struck a greater Terror into the Enemy He himself with a flying Army consisting chiefly of Britains whose Courage and Faith he had long experienced following it marched as far as the Grampian Hills upon which the Enemy had Posted themselves for the Britains nothing daunted with the ill Success of the last Fight and expecting nothing but Revenge or Slavery from their new Leagues and Confederacies were got together Thirty Thousand strong more being daily expected nay the aged themselves would not be exempted from this Days Service but as they had been brave Men in their time so every one of them bore some Badge or Mark of his youthful Atchievements Among these was Galgacus chief in Authority and Birth who when the Army cry'd out for the Signal of Battel is brought in by Tacitus making a long yet noble Oration which thô it is likely he never spoke and that it is contrary to my Design to stuff these Annals with long Speeches yet since there is a great deal of good Sense and sharp Satyr expressed in it against his own Nation I shall contract some part of it and render the rest word for word In the first place having set forth the Occasion of making War upon the Romans from the Necessity of avoiding Slavery as being the last People of Britain that were yet unconquer'd and that beyond them there was no more Earth nor Liberty left That now the utmost Bounds of Britain were discovered and no other Nations but them left to employ the Roman Armies whose Pride they might seek to please in vain by Services and Submissions those Robbers of the World who having left no Land unplunder'd ransack even the Ocean it self If the Enemy be Rich they are greedy of his Wealth if Poor they covet Glory whom neither the East nor West could ever satisfie the only Men in the World who pursue both the Rich and the Needy with equal Appetite To Kill and Plunder they call Governing and when they have brought Desolation on a Country they term it Peace That Nature by nearest ties had link'd their Children and Relations to them yet even these were taken away and pressed into their Service That their Wives and Sisters if they escap'd their Violence yet could not avoid Dishonour since when they came as Guests into their Houses they were sure to Debauch them Their Goods and Fortunes they made their Tributes their Corn their Provisions to supply their Granâ—ries and wore out their Bodies in cutting down Woods and draining Fens and paving Marishes nay and all this amidst a Thousand Stripes and Indignities That Slaves who are born to Bondage were sold but once and afterwards kept at their Masters Charges but Britain daily bought its own Bondage and maintain'd it too He then proceeds to exhort them to be tenacious of their Liberty lest like the last Slave in a private Family who is the Sport and Scorn of his Fellows when conquer'd they should be flouted by those who had been used as Drudges long before advising them to take Courage and Example from the Brigantes who under the Conduct of a Woman had almost quite destroyed the Romans and might have driven them out of Britain had they not failed in the Attempt by their too great Security and Success Then magnifying the Valour and Strength of his own Nation and lessening that of the Romans as made up of divers Nations who unwillingly served them and as soon as they durst would turn against them he concluded with shewing what Advantages they had above the Romans to make them hope for Victory and the miserable Slavery they were like to undergo if they were vanquished and therefore going now to Battel advised them to remember the Freedom of their Ancestors as well as the Danger of Slavery to themselves and their Posterity The Britains received this Speech with great Testimonies of Joy such as Songs and confus'd Clamours after the Custom of their Country all which shew'd their Approbation and now their Arms began to glitter and every one to put himself in Array when Agricola scarce able to repress the Heat of his Soldiers yet thinking it convenient to say something to them made a Speech to this Effect for being somewhat long I shall make bold to Contract it First he told his Soldiers That this was the Eighth Year that their Valour protected by the Fortune of the Roman Empire had subdu'd the Britains in so many Battels and that as he had exceeded his Predecessors in Success so they had all former Armies That Britain was now no longer known only by Fame and Report and that as they have had the Honor to discover so likewise might they to subdue it That he had often heard them ask When they should meet the Enemy but now they had their Desires now was the time to shew their Valour and that as every thing would happen as they could wish if they Conquer'd so all things made against them if they were overcome That if it was Great and Noble to have Marched so much Ground to have past so many Woods and both the Friths yet if they fled the very same things would be their Hindrance and Destruction That as for his part he had been long since satisfied that to run away was neither safe for the Soldier nor General and that a Commendable Death was to be preferr'd before the Reproaches of an Ignominious Life that Safety and Honour were now inseparably conjoyned And let the worst happen yet how glorious would it be to die in the utmost Bounds of the World and Nature Then putting them in mind of their late Victories and representing these Britains they were now to fight with as the Meanest and most Rascally of all the Nations they had Conquer'd so he doubts not but they will afford them an occasion of a memorable Victory Then
his room who coming to Paulinus as far as Lincolne was there by him ordained Archbishop of Canterbury Cadwallo King of the Britains having been as Geoffrey of Monmouth relates conquered by King Edwin lost so great a part of his Kingdom that he was forced to fly into Ireland from whence soon after returning with a great Army of Irish he overcame Penda King of the Mercians in fight and then made him join his Forces against King Edwin All which is probable enough for Bede also tells us That Cadwallo this year rebelling against King Edwin together with Penda invaded the Kingdom of Northumberland when King Edwin raising an Army met them at a place called Hethfield now Hatfield in Yorkshire and there fought a bloody Battel wherein King Edwin himself was slain and his whole Army quite routed in which Fight Osfrid his Son a Warlike Young Prince also fell but Edfrid the Younger being compelled by necessity to surrender himself to Penda was afterwards by him murthered contrary to his Oath This happen'd in the 17 th year of King Edwin's Reign having till now been successful in all his Undertakings But there now ensued a very sad Destruction of the English Nation of the Northumbers since of these two Generals the one was a professed Pagan and the other though a Christian in Name yet shewed himself worse than a Pagan for Cadwallo altho he professed Christianity yet was so barbarous that he spared neither Age not Sex but put all to death with great Cruelty tyranizing for a long while over all those Provinces and seeming resolved quite to extirpate the English Nation nor did he shew any respect to Churches or other Sacred Places it being then the custom of the Britains in Bede's time to set at nought the Faith and Religion of the English-Saxons neither would they have any thing to do with them more than with Pagans But the Head of the slain King was brought to York and there deposited in the Church of St. Peter which he himself had begun and Oswald his Successor finished All things being thus in confusion in those parts and no Refuge or Safety any where to be expected Queen Aethelburga returned by Sea into Kent together with Paulinus the Archbishop and was there received with great Honour by King Eadbald and Archbishop Honorius she was conducted thither by Basse a Valiant Captain of King Edwin's who also brought with him Eanfrede the King's Daughter as also Vscfrea his Son and Iffi his Grandson by Osfrid whom their Mother afterward for fear of the Kings Eadbald and Oswald sent into France to King Dagobert to be brought up where they both died in their Infancy At which time also the Church of Rochester wanting a Pastor Romanus the Bishop having been drowned in going on a Message to Rome Paulinus at the request of King Eadbald and Archbishop Honorius took upon him the care of that Church which he held as long as he lived After the Death of King Edwin Osric the Son of Elfric his Uncle by the Father's side obtained the Kingdom of Deira who had been before received by Paulinus whilst Eanfrid of the same Blood-Royal as being the Son of Ethelfrid the last King before Edwin ruled the Kingdom of Bernicia so that during the Reign of Edwin all the Sons of Ethelfrid with many more of the Young Nobility of that Country lived in Exile either with the Scots or Picts by whom they were instructed in their Religious Rites whilst both these Kings last mentioned abjured the Christian Religion which they had before learnt and professed and relapsing to their old Idolatry were shortly after cut off by Cadwalla King of the Britains for the next Summer Osric having besieged him in a certain Town Cadwallo sallying out with his Men cut him off on a sudden with all his Army and then when he had ravaged the Northumbrian Provinces nor as a King but a cruel Tyrant and that at length Eanfrid came to him imprudently with only Twelve Select Knights in his Company to treat of Peace he put him to Death as he had done his Cousin before That Year saith Bede Is still at this day accounted unlucky and hateful to all good Men both in respect of the Apostacy of these Princes who renounced their Baptism as also for the Tyranny of this British King Whereupon it was agreed by those who computed the Reigns of the Northumbrian Kings to abolish the Memory of these Infidels and to cast this Year into the Reign of the Pious King Oswald who succeeding after the Death of his Brother Eanfrid and marching with a small Force but fortified by Faith in Christ routed Ceadwalla that Prince of the Britains with his vast Army which nothing could resist as he boasted and who was slain in a place which in the English Tongue is called Denisesbourn or Brook the place saith our Authour is shewn at this day and had in great Veneration where Oswald being to give Battle erected a large Wooden-Cross and he himself laboured in setting of it up which when he had finished he thus spoke to his Army Let us now kneel down and joyntly pray unto the Omnipotent and only true God that he would mercifully defend us from this proud Enemy for he knows that we undertake a just War for defence of our Nation and Religion The place is in the English Tongue called Heofenfield or Heavenfield lying near to the Wall which the Romans built from Sea to Sea which we now call the Pict's Wall The rest of Bede's Miracles concerning this place and Cross I omit as very incredible and Superstitious But before we leave this great Action of the Death of Cadwallo I cannot omit taking notice of the Confidence of Geoffrey of Monmouth who notwithstanding this express Testimony of Bede to the contrary will make this Cadwallo not only to have overcome Edwin and other Saxon Kings in divers Battles and to have forced them to submit themselves to him and do him Homage at London and that living and dying Victorious he was there buried and his Body being put into a Brasen Statue of a Man on Horse-back was set over Ludgate for a terror to the Saxons having Reigned Forty Eight Years all which is notoriously false for London had been part of the East-Saxon Kingdom for above One Hundred Years when this King was kill'd who did not Reign Twenty Years in all But the same King Oswald as soon as ever he came to the Kingdom desiring that all his Subjects might profess the Christian Faith sent to the Scotch Bishops for so I suppose the Words Majores natu in Bede are to be rendered among whom whil'st he was in Banishment he had together with his followers received Baptism desiring them that a Bishop might be sent him by whose Preaching the People whom he Govern'd might be grounded in the Christian Religion and receive Baptism nor was he long without an answer to his request
Cuthred fought against the Britains But of this the Welsh Chronicles are silent as well as other Authors The same Year also being the 12th Year of his Reign King Cuthred fought against Aethelbald King of the Mercians at Beorgford now Burford in Oxfordshire and there put him to flight But H. Huntington gives us this Battle more at large That King Cuthred being not any longer able to bear the Insolencies and Impositions of that proud King Ethelbald took Arms and met him with an Army in the Field preferring his Liberty before his Life being encouraged by Earl Ethelune above-mentioned who it seems was now cured and reconciled to the King relying upon whose Courage and Council he resolved to undertake this War but Ethelbald as a King of Kings had brought along with him besides his own Mercians the Kentish Men with the East Angles and Saxons which made all together a very great Army and being both drawn up on the Spot they approached each other whilst Earl Athelune marching before the West Saxons carried the Royal Standard being a Golden Dragon and in the beginning of the Battle challenging him to a single Combat there slew the Standard-bearer of the Enemy upon which a great Shout being given Cuthred's Souldiers were very much encouraged then both Armies engaging there followed a great and bloody Fight of which our Author gives us a long and pompous Relation Pride and Ambition says he inciting the Mercians and fear of Servitude provoking the West Saxons to fight it to the last but wherever Earl Ethelune charged the Enemies he with the force of his invincible Battle-Axe destroyed all before him but at last K. Ethelbald and the Earl meeting they fought together with great Obstinacy and Resolution till GOD who resisteth the Proud so discouraged this King that he turned his Back and fled whilst his Men still fought on yet at last they were all routed nor from that time to the day of his Death did GOD give him any more Success Cuthred King of the West Saxons departed this Life and according to Simeon Sigebert his Cousin succeeded him Also Cyneheard succeeded in the Bishoprick of Winchester after Hunferth and the same year the City of Canterbury was burnt This Year was very remarkable for now as our Annals inform us Cynwulf with the Wife and Noble Men of the West Saxons deprived King Sigebert of the whole Kingdom for his Cruelty and Injustice except Hampshire which he kept for some time until he slew one Cumbran an Ealderman who had continued longest with him so that at last Sigebert was driven into Andred's Wood where he remained till such time as a certain Hogheard ran him through with a Lance at Pruutes-Flood and thereby revenged the Death of Cumbran the Ealderman This King Cynwulf often overcame the Britains in Fight but after he had governed the Kingdom about 30 Years he was slain by Cyneheard Aetheling brother to Sigebert as shall be shewn hereafter H. Huntington is very particular in the Reasons and manner of King Sigebert's Deposition and tells us That being puff'd up with the good Succâ—ss of his Predecessours he grew intollerable to his Subjects for he had oppressed them by all manner of ways and wrested the Laws for his own Advantage insomuch that this Cumbran one of his noblest Earls at the Desire of the People represented their Grievances to this cruel King who because he perswaded him that he should govern them more gently and thereby become more beloved both by God and Man he presently commanded him to be slain and so daily increased in his Tyranny till in the beginning of his Second Year the Great Men and People of the whole Kingdom being gathered together by the Provident Deliberation and Unanimous Consent of them All he was expell'd the Kingdom and Cinewulf a notable young Man of the Blood Royal was Elected King in his room This is the first Example we have in our English History of the Solemn Deposition of a King by the Authority of the Great Council of the Kingdom concerning whom our Author bids us remark the manifold Justice and Providence of God how sometimes it doth not only recompence Kings according to their Merits in the World to come but also in this for oftentimes setting up Wicked Kings for the Deserved Punishment of their Subjects he lets some of them Tyrannize a great while that so a wicked People might be punished and the King becoming more wicked may be tormented for ever as may be seen in Aethelbald King of Mercia above-mentioned whilst God cuts others short by a speedy Destruction lest his People being oppress'd by too great Tyranny should not be able to subsist under it so that the immoderate Wickedness of a Prince does often accelerate his Punishment The same Year according to Caradoc's Chronicle published by Dr. Powel Conan Tindaethwy Son of Rodri Molwynoc began his Reign over the Britains in Wales This Year also according to the Saxon Annals Aethelbald King of the Mercians was slain at Seccandune now Secington in Warwickshire after he had reigned 41 Years and then Beornred usurped the Kingdom and held it but a little while and that with great Trouble for the same year King Offa expelled Beornred and taking Possession of the Throne held it 39 Years but his Son Egberth no more than 140 Days This Offa was the Son of Thincerth and he the Son of Eanwulf The rest of his Pedigree as far as Woden I omit Abbot Bromton's Chronicle farther adds concerning the Death of King Ethelbald That he was slain in a Fight at the Place above-mention'd yet was it not by the Enemy but by the Treachery of this Beornred Ingulph in his History of Croyland tells us That King Ethelbald having founded the Abby of Ripendune now Repton in Derbyshire being the most famous of that Age was there buried and also of this Beornred whom he calls a Tyrant that he did not long enjoy his Usurpation for it seems he was not of the Blood Royal of the Mercian Kings but when he was Expelled Offa succeeded him by the General Consent of the Nobles of Mercia but Mat. Westminster who puts the Succession of King Offa two Years later is more particular in this Transaction and relates That this Beornred governing very Tyrannically the whole Nation of the Mercians rose up against him so that both the Nobility and Commons joyning together under the Conduct of Offa a valiant young Man Nephew to the late King Aethelbald they expelled Beornred the Kingdom and then Offa by the General Consent of the Clergy and Laity of that Kingdom was crowned King This was that King Offa who afterwards became a Terrour to all the Kings of England Eadbert King of Northumberland and Unust King of the Picts brought an Army against the City Alkuith which the Britains delivered upon Conditions This is from the Authority of Simeon of Durham and lets us see that this City now in Scotland was then in the Hands
where their King used to reside but here our Author supposes the King to have never yet resisted them and therefore that they would first seizeon him to prevent him from raising any Forces against them which is not at all likely especially since the Saxon Annals tell us expresly that King Edmund had already fought against him and been put to flight But this seems more probable that the King being then fled to one of his Houses in the Country called Heglesdune was by the Danes discovered Whereupon Hinguar sent one of his Servants on a Message to him the Substance of which was That Earl Hinguar his Lord commanded him to deliver up all his Treasures and that he should submit himself and his Kingdom to his Power which if he refused to do he should then be deprived both of his Kingdom and Life To which the King answered That he would never renounce the Vow he had made in Baptism and being made King by the General Consent of the whole People he was resolved never to do any thing to the Prejudice of the Common-weal of the English Nation nor ever to submit his Neck to any Yoke but that of Christ whose Example he now intended to imitate and by his Grace would Suffer for his Name And so he bid the Messenger return and tell this to his Master It seems the King had no sooner finished what he had to say but as the Messenger was going back with this Answer Hinguar himself met him to whom having told what the King had said he immediately commanded his Men to enter the Palace and to lay hold of none but the King and He being there soon found was immediately tied and brought before the Captain who commanded him first to be cruelly beaten and then bound to a Neighbouring Tree to be inhumanly whipped all which he manfully endured still calling on the Name of Christ Whereat his Enemies being enraged in a most barbarous manner shot his Body so full of Arrows that it seemed capable of receiving no more yet none of the Wounds killing him outright Hinguar at last commanded one of his Souldiers to cut off his Head which our Author describes with a great deal of Monkish Eloquence This being done and leaving his Body there they carried away the Head along with them that so it might not be buried with it but at last they flung it into a Wood which John of Tinmouth in his Historia Aurea calls Heglesdun but the People after they were gotten out of their Hiding-places began to look for it and having long searched up and down the Wood they at length heard the Head when they cried out to one another Where are you Answer in English Here here Nor ceased repeating those words till they came where it lay As for this part of the Story it sounds so like a Legend that I shall leave it to be swallowed by those who are apt to be taken with such Things I have no more to add but that King Edmund Suffered on the 12th of the Kal. of December in the Year above-mentioned But enough in Conscience if not too much of this King's Martyrdom who had afterwards a Church and Monastery erected to his Memory as you will find when you come to it for it is certain the English Saxons attributed as great Sanctity to this as to any of their ancient Saints and had as great a Belief of his Miracles his Body being preserved uncorrupt whether by Art or Miracle I shall not determine for many Ages after I have no more to Remark under this Year but that now Ceolnoth the Arch-Bishop deceased and Ethelred Bishop of Wiltun-scire was Elected Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in his stead Also that the Town of Dunmoc being now destroyed by the Danes Helmham in Norfolk continued to be the sole Bishop's See for the Kingdom of the East Angles till it was long after removed to Norwich This Year as both Asser and the Saxon Annals relate the Army of the Danes leaving the East Angles marched into the West Saxon Kingdom and came to a Town of the King 's called Reading lying on the South side of Thames in that County which was then called Bearrockâ—â—â—â—â— now Berkshire and the third Day after their coming divers of their Commanders rid out with great part of their Forces to Plunder whilst the rest remained behind to cast up a Trench between the two Rivers Thames and Kynton on the right side of the Town whom Earl Aethelwulf with his Forces met at Englefeild in that County where it was stoutly fought on both sides but after a long Battle one of the Counts Sydrock being slain and a great part of his Army routed the rest escaping by flight the Christians got the Victory and kept the Field And four Days after King Aethered and Aelfred his Brother joyning their Forces together marched to Reading and when they came to the Castle they killed and destroyed all the Danes whom they found without the Gaâ—es but they within did not make a less obstinate Resistance for fâ—llying out the Fight became very sharp on both sides in so much that the Christians were at last forced to turn their Backs and the Pagans gained the Victory and there Earl Aethelwulf above-mentioned was slain amongst the rest with which the Christians being much provoked 4 days after they fought with them again at a place called Aescesdune now Aston in Berkshire when the Pagans divided themselves into two equal Bodies for they had then two Kings besides many Earls so they allotted one part of the Army to the two Kings and the other to the Earls whicâ— the Christians perceiving they likewise did the same with their Army But Elfred came sooner into the Field with his Men than did the King his Brother for as Asser tells us he had heard from those that were there that the King was then in his Tent hearing Mass and positively affiâ—ming that he would not depart thence till it was finished which he made good and this Piety of the King 's was thought to prevail much with God for the Christians had resolved that King Ethered with his Forces should maintain the Fight against the two Pagan Kings whilst Aelfred his Brother with his Detachment should oppose the Earls And now both Armies being drawn up in Battle Array whilst the King stayed somewhat long as his Prayers Prince Aelfred then his Brother's Lieutenant was not strong enough alone to sustain all the Pagan Forces for thô he saw he must either Retreat or else Engage the Enemy before his Brother's coming up which still the King delayed yet the Prince trusting on the Divine Assistance and having put his Men in good Order presently marched against the Enemy who had much the â—dvantage of him by reason of the higher Ground they had got There was also in the same Field a single Thorn Tree which Asser says he himself had seen about which the Enemies Troops were all drawn up
Conan into Ireland But notwithstanding K. Edward had been elected King ever since the last Summer yet was he not Anointed or Crowned till this year when as our Annals relate that Ceremony was performed on Easter-day with great Solemnity by Eadsige the Archbishop who also preached before the people and instructed them for the King 's good as well as their own advantage This is the first Discourse or Sermon that we can find was ever made of this nature at any King's Coronation The same year also Stig and the Priest was consecrated Bishop of the East-Angles and presently after the King ordered all the Lands his Mother held from him to be surveyed taking from her whatsoever Gold and Silver she had with many other things because she had been too severe to him as well before he was King as after and as Roger Hoveden observes had given him less than he expected from her So that in this Undutifulness to his Mother he does not shew himself so great a Saint as the Monks represent him But they say for his excuse that he did it by the Advice of the Earls Leofric Godwin and Syward by whom this Weak and Easy Prince was chiefly managed This year also according to the Welsh Chronicles Howel ap Edwin late Prince of South-Wales with all the Forces he could raise of his own Countrey-men and the English entred South Wales and began to spoil and havock it of which when Prince Griffyth was informed he gathered his People together in North-Wales and came courageously to meet his Enemies whom he had twice before discomfited and overcame and chased them the third time as far as the Spring of the River Towy where after a long and dangerous Battel Howel was slain and his Army routed and was so closely pursued that few or none escaped alive After whose Death Rytherch and Rees the Sons of Rythaerch ap Jestyn aspiring again to the Rule and Government of South-Wales which their Father had once before acquired gathered a great Army as well of strangers as out of Guentland and Glamorgan and meeting with Griffyth Prince of Wales he courageously animated his men with the remembrance of their former Victories under his Standard and joined Battel with his Enemies whom he found disposed to try if they could regain the Honour which before they had lost Wherefore when they were come up to engage the Fight was so bloody and desperate that it continued till night parted both Armies and then being quite spent they retreated But still each being fearful of one another they thought it their best way to return to their own Countries to raise fresh Recruits About this time was founded a Noble Monastery near Coventry in Warwickshire by Leofric Earl of the Mercians and the Lady Godiva his Wife who was not only one of the most Beautiful but most Pious Women of that Age they also enriched this Monastery with great Presents both of Gold and Silver By reason of which Monastery the Town adjoining became much more flourishing and took the name of Coventry from this Convent And we farther read in Bromton's Chronicle That this worthy Lady Godiva being desirous to exempt the said Town from the grievous Taxes and Tolls imposed on it she earnestly and frequently sollicited her Husband to take them off but yet was still denied However she ceasing not to renew her request he told her jestingly at last That if she would be content to ride naked through the Town he would grant her Petition which she readily undertook to do and so commanding all people at that time to keep within doors she covered her Body with her own Hair of which she had so great a quantity that it served instead of a Mantle Thus did she generously free the Citizens from those heavy Exactions which they then lay under though by the no-very-decent exposing of her self and afterwards gave them a Charter of Exemptions affixing her Husband's and her own Seal to it Now how the Episcopal See came afterwards to be removed hither from Litchfield and Chester we shall in its due place declare The Charter of the Foundation of this Monastery dedicated to our Blessed Lady St. Peter and all the Saints is printed in Monast. Angl. though without any date wherein are named all the Mannors given by the said Munificent Founder and the same is ratified by the Charter of King Edward and a Bull of Pope Alexander bearing date Anno Dom. 1042. Neither did the Piety of these Liberal Persons rest here for Earl Leofric with the Assent of his Lady Godiva repaired also the Monasteries of Leon or Lemster near Hereford of Wenlock of St. Wereburga in Chester of St. John in Worcester and lastly that of Evesham This year Archbishop Eadsige resigned his Archbishoprick by reason of great Bodily Infirmities and by the King's leave and the advice of Earl Godwin he consecrated Syward Abbot of Abbandune to succeed him which thing was known but to few till it was actually done because the Archbishop was afraid lest some other less Learned and Able would either by Money or Interest obtain that See if so be it was once divulged before it was done But of this Syward William of Malmesbury tells us That though he was thus consecrated Archbishop yet notwithstanding he was soon after deposed for his Ingratitude to his Predecessor in that he defrauded the weak Old Man of his necessary maintenance But however to make this Syward some amends he was translated to the Bishoprick of Rochester which was a great Fall indeed from the See of an Archbishop to that of his principal Chaplain but it seems he was resolved to be a Bishop though a mean one comparatively The Annals also relate That this year there was so great a Famine in England that a Sester of Wheat which as Roger Hoveden tells us was then a Horse-load was sold for Sixty Pence and more Which was then a great deal of Money considering the scarcity of Silver in those times and that every Penny then weighed Four Pence of our Money Also the same year the King sail'd to Sandwic with Five and thirty Ships And as R. Hoveden informs us it was to meet Magnus King of Norway then designing to invade England but a War breaking out with Sweyn King of Denmark it put an end to that Expedition Also Aethelstan the Oeconomus or Steward of the Abby of Abbingdon was made Abbot and Stigand again received his Bishoprick of the East-Angles from which it seems by the cunning and Simoniacal practices of Bishop Grymkytel he had been before deprived The same year King Edward married the Daughter of Earl Godwin whose Name was Edgitha or Editha A Woman as William of Malmesbury says not only of great Beauty and Piety but also Learned above what Women usually were in that Age wherein he lived insomuch that Ingulph tells us when he was but a Boy and lived at Court with his Father she was
a Boat under the Bridge wounded him to death in the lower parts through a hole that it seems he found there But King Harold returning to York had no long time to enjoy his Victory for immediately after the News being brought him that Duke William was landed at Pevensey near Hastings upon Michaelmas day he made all the haste he could to march towards him leaving the Earls Edwin and Morchar behind him with great part of the Forces But since our Annals are very short in the relation of all these Affairs between the Duke and King Harold I shall give you a larger account of it from William of Malmesbury and other Authors who tell us That Duke William with all his Nobility being met in August at St. Walleries a Port-Town in Normandy lay there a long while waiting for a Wind but that continuing contrary for several days the Soldiers at last began thus to murmur in their Camp as it is ordinary for such men when they lye long still and have nothing to do saying among themselves That the man was mad who would go to take away another man's Territories against God's Will which it was plain this was since he had now so long withheld the Wind. This being spread abroad one would have thought it had been enough to have discouraged any one less valiant than the Duke who thereupon consulting with his Chief Officers what was best to be done the wisest of them advised him to bring forth the Body of St. Wallerie to try if by that means they could obtain a fair Wind however perhaps it might put some stop to his Soldiers Discontents What effect the Saint's Body wrought I cannot tell but so much is certain that not long after a fresh Gale offering the Duke immediately set sail for England and his Ship being first got out to Sea casting Anchor lay there till the rest of his Fleet could come up to him who all following the King's Ship which then rid Admiral they in the Afternoon with an easy and gentle Breeze reached Hastings near which the Duke going on Shore his foot by accident slipping he fell down which a Soldier standing by immediately turned into a good Omen saying Sir you have only taken Seisin of that Land of which you will shortly be King As soon as ever his Army had landed he strictly charged them to commit no Outrages nor plunder saying They ought to spare those things which would shortly be their own So the Duke lying still for fifteen days and having strongly fortified his Camp with certain Palisadoes which he had brought over along with him seemed to mind nothing less than War But King Harold precipitated by his own bad Fortune marched against the Duke with but part of his Forces for besides those that had been killed in the late Engagement a great many of his best Soldiers had already deserted him being discontented that they had been denied their share of the Norwegian Plunder yet those Forces which still remained with him he thought sufficient because he heard the Duke was landed but with a small Army so that notwithstanding the strongest and most valiant of his Army were either slain in the late Battel with the Norwegians or else gone from him he yet resolved to fight King Harold being now arrived near Hastings pitched his Camp upon a Hill about Nine Miles from that place and immediately sent out Spies to give him what Account they could of the Number and Forces of the Enemy some of whom being taken within Duke William's Camp though he might have executed them by the Laws of War yet he only commanded them to be led round about it and then having well fed them he ordered them to be sent back to their Lord and being returned King Harold asked them What news they could tell him They hereupon having set forth the generous Behaviour of the Enemies General seriously added That all their Army seemed to be Priests because they had all their Faces with both their Lips close shaven for the English then wore long Beards But the King laughing at their simplicity said He too well knew those they had seen were no Priests but brave Soldiers then Gyrth his youngest Brother being a very young man but of an Understanding and Courage far above his years taking the words out of the King's mouth said thus Sir if you can so far allow the Valour of the Norman Duke I think it is then indiscreet for you to enter the Field against him lest you should be found inferior to him either in Strength or Justice of your Cause for you can no ways deny but that voluntarily or involuntarily you have sworn to him Therefore in my opinion you would do more prudently to withdraw your self from the present Danger and leave to us the Decision of the Day who being free from all Oaths and Promises can with a safe Conscience draw our Swords in defence of our Countrey for it is to be feared that if you your self should engage either your Death or more shameful Flight may ensue whereas if we alone engage with him your Cause will be every where safe for you may either assist us if we should be put to fly or else bury us if we should happen to be slain But the King 's immoderate Pride and Rashness made him deaf to the wholesome Advice of his Brother and he thought it Inglorious and a Dishonour to his past Life to seem afraid of any Danger Therefore being push'd on by his unlucky Fate he hastily sent away the Monk that was newly before come from Duke William to him with these Proposals viz. That either he should quit the Throne or hold it and reign under him or else try the Justice of his Cause by their two single Swords in the sight of both Armies or in case Harold should refuse all these that he was ready to submit it to the Judgment of the Apostolick See I say he hastily sent him away with only this short Answer That he would leave it to God to determine the matter between them So that the Monk being returned with this Answer it added fresh Courage to the Normans whereupon the Generals on both sides immediately drew up their Armies in order to a Battel each according to his Countrey fashion The English had spent the night in drinking and roaring and being thus heated marched early out the next morning against the Enemy The Pikes and Bill-men mingled with a strong Detachment of Targetiers made up the Front and Main Body of the English Army and by their close Order render'd it so impenetrable that nothing but their being outwitted by the Norman Duke could ever have broke it as you will see by and by But King Harold together with his Brethren being all on foot placed themselves near the Royal Standard that by thus being all of them in equal danger with the meanest Soldier no man should so much as think of Flight Whilst in the
upon her the Habit of a Nun at Were-well a Nunnery which she had lately founded and also builds another at Ambresbury Id. p. 20. Ethelfrid a Prince most skilful in War though utterly ignorant of the Christian Religion l. 4. p. 171. Ethelgar Bishop of Selsey succeeds Archbishop Dunstan in the See of Canterbury enjoys it but a Year and Three Months and then dies l. 6. p. 22. Ethelheard his Kinsman succeeds Ina in the Kingdom of the West-Saxons l. 4. p. 219. Fights with and worsts Oswald Aetheling the Son of Aethelbald and forces him to flee l. 4. p. 220. Ethelheard Vid. Aethelheard The Abbot is elected Archbishop of Canterbury upon the Death of Janbryht l. 4. p. 236. Calls a Synod that confirms all things relating to the Church which had been made before the King Withgar Id. p. 241. Goes to Rome to obtain his Pall Id. p. 242. Ethelnoth Ailnoth or Egelnoth a Monk and Dean of Canterbury is consecrated Archbishop of that See by Wulstan Archbishop of York l. 6. p. 51. Goes to Rome and is honourably received by Pope Benedict who put on his Pall with his own hands Id. p. 53. Consecrates Aelfric Archbishop of York at Canterbury and translates the Reliques of Aelfeage his Predecessor from London to Canterbury Id. Ib. A Letter sent to him by Cnute upon his Return from Rome of what he did there Id. p. 55. His Decease Id. p. 65. Ethelred Brother to Wulfher succeeds him in the Kingdom of Mercia his notable Expedition into Kent and recovering all Lindsey from Egfrid and his Fame for Devotion l. 4. p. 195 196. Wastes Kent destroys Rochester and carries away a great deal of Spoil Id. p. 196. A Battel fought and Peace made on condition that this King should pay Egfrid a Pecuniary Mulct Id. p. 198. His Charter to the Monastery of Medeshamsted justly suspected of Forgery Id. p. 200 201. He receives Bishop Wilfrid with great Honour Id. p. 206. Resigns his Kingdom passing by his Son Ceolred whom he had by his Wife Osgilde to his Cousin-German Cenered Son of his Brother Wulfher and himself turns Monk Id. p. 212. Ethelred the Son of Moll is chosen by the Northumbrians for their King in the room of Alhred whom they had expelled from York l. 4. p. 230 236. Is expelled the Land for causing three of his Nobles to be treacherously slain by two of the same Order Id. p. 231. Is again restored to the Kingdom upon Osred's being driven out Id. p. 236 239. Betroths Elfreda the Daughter of King Offa Id. p. 237. Is slain by his own People and said deservedly as having been the Death of Osred his Predecessor Id. p. 239 240. Ethelred the Ealdorman deceases a famous Commander at first but a Monk in the City of York when he died l. 4. p. 240. Ethelred Son to Eanred succeeds his Father in the Kingdom of Northumberland is driven out from his Kingdom but soon after restored to it and about three years after is slain l. 5. p. 260. Ethelred Son of King Ethelwulf reigned in Kent as also over the East and South-Saxons l. 5. p. 265. Began his Reign in West-Saxony after his Brother Ethelbert's Decease Id. p. 267. Makes with his Brother Aelfred a great Slaughter of the Danes at Reading Id. p. 275. Deceases and is buried in the Monastery of Winburne in Dorsetshire but whether slain in Battel or died a Natural Death of the Plague which then reigned is uncertain though this latter is the more probable Id. p. 276. An Account of his Children Ibid. Ethelred Bishop of Wiltunscire is elected Archbishop of Canterbury upon the Decease of Ceolnoth his Predecessor l. 5. p. 274. His Death Id. p. 298. Ethelred Duke or Ealdorman of Mercia and Elfleda his Wife by their Care is Leicester repaired l. 5. p. 314. By their command Caer-Legion that is now Westchester is repaired Id. p. 315. His Decease Id. p. 316. Ethelred Brother to Edward the Martyr elected King and crowned being a lovely Youth l. 6. p. 19. He rather distressed than governed the Kingdom for Seven and thirty years His aversion to Wax-Lights and for what reason Ibid. Lays waste the Bishoprick of Rochester because of some Dissentions between him and the Bishop His sordid Covetousness Id. p. 21 22. A weak and unwarlike Prince and most of the Nobility as bad as himself His Fleet designed to encompass that of the Danes but he was betrayed by Aelfric one of his Admirals who went over to them Id. p. 23. Commands the Eyes of Aelfric's Son to be put out and for what Id. p. 24. Calls a Council who agree upon reading the Pope's Letters to the King to send Ambassadors to the Marquis of Normandy to treat of Peace He receives King Anlaff with great Honour who promises never to insest the English Nation more Id. p. 24 25. Sends for the valiant Son of Waltheof Earl of the Northumbers and for a Reward of his Bravery in overcoming the Scots gives him not only his Father's Countrey but adds to it that of Yorkshire Id. p. 27. Lays Cumberland almost waste because the Prince thereof denied to bear his share in the Tribute paid to the Danes Id. p. 28. Aelgiva Daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy comes hither to be married to the King Id. p. 29. At the instigation of Huena one of his Evil Counsellors he commands all the Danes in England to be slain at the Feast of St. Brice because he was told that they endeavoured to deprive him and all his Great Men of their Lives and to seize the Kingdom for themselves Ibid. The Calamities that befel him and his Kingdom hereupon by the coming over King Sweyn from Denmark with a mighty Fleet Id. p. 30. His Displeasure against two Noblemen depriving one of all his Honours and putting out the eyes of the other Id. p. 31. Enters into several Treaties of Peace with the Danes and pays them Tributes in Money as well as Maintenance and Provision but nothing did long oblige them Id. p. 25 29 32 Perceiving his error in the want of a good Fleet commands over all England That out of every Hundred and ten Hides of Land a Ship should be built c. But his Fleet is much destroyed either by Tempest or Fire Id. p. 33. Is betrayed and hindred from falling upon the Danes when his whole Army had hemm'd them in and were just ready to give them Battel His Forces too signified but little to him for when the Enemy went East they were sure to be taken up in the West c. Id. p. 34. He demands of the Londoners full Pay and Victuals for his Army and is in such distress by Sweyn that he is forced to send his Wife and Children into Normandy and afterwards to go thither himself where he tarried till Sweyn died But upon his return to his own Kingdom he is received on conditions to govern them better that he had done before and then is again solemnly crowned at Westminster Id.
plunders all that comes in his way but is in a Great Council restored to his former Honour and Estate Id. p. 80 81 82. Is Founder of the Abbey of the Holy Cross at Waltham in Essex goes with Earl Tostige his Brother with a great Army both by Land and Sea into Wales and subdues that Countrey Id. p. 89. Seems to be the Adopted and Declared Heir of the Crown Id. p. 90. Endeavours to appease the Northumbers about his Brother Tostige but in vain his Character of being a Valiant and Worthy Prince Id. p. 90 91. His going over into Normandy and the occasion of it His promises to Duke William there That when King Edward died he would deliver up Dover-Castle to him and procure him the Succession but yet he succeeded the Confessor who declared him his Successor in the Kingdom Id. p. 92. The various Reports how he was advanced to it whether by Election or otherwise Id. p. 105. The wise course he takes to preserve himself in that Dignity he had got Id. p. 106. The several Invasions designed and preparing against him and his great Care and Industry in opposing them both by Sea and Land Id. p. 106 108 109. An Ambassador sent to him from Duke William to put him in mind of the Breach of his Word and threatning to force him to perform it with Harold's Answer l. 6. p. 107. His Victory over the King of Norway and his Brother Tostige Id. p. 109. His going against Duke William who landed at Hastings with but part of his Forces with a Resolution to fight him and his preparations for it Id. p. 110 111. The precipitate Answer he gave to the Monk whom Duke William sent to him with Proposals telling him He would leave it to God to determine between them Id. p. 111. The manner how he drew up his Army in order to a Battel Id. p. 111 112. His Foot breaking in pursuit of the Enemy who they thought were flying lost him the Victory his Crown and Life for he was slain by an Arrow shot through his Brains his Standard taken and sent to the Pope Id. p. 112 113. How his Body came to be known amidst the Crowd of the slain and not long after buried in the Abbey-Church of Waltham His Character His Wives and Children and the Law he made Id. p. 114 115. Harwood-Forest anciently called Warewell where Athelwold was slain with a Dart by whom and upon what account l. 6. p. 10. Hastings or Haestein the Dane his arrival in Kent and the Ravages he makes there but is at last forced to surrender to King Alfred with his Wife and two Sons and to become a Christian and accept of Conditions which he soon after broke l. 5. p. 299 300. His Ships broke to Pieces the best of them being saved and carried into Port Id. p. 300. Hatred too many men's natures to hate those that have too much obliged them l. 2. p. 64 65. Heacca Bishop of the South-Saxons that is of Chichester his Decease l. 6. p. 88. Headda Abbot of Medeshamsted the Charter said to be wrote by him l. 6. p. 4 5. Heads Oswald's Head and Arms cut off by Penda's Order and set on a Pole for a Trophy of his Victory l. 4. p. 181. Scotch slain in War set upon high Poles round about the Walls of Durham l. 6. p. 27. Healfange that is what is paid in Commutation for the Punishment of hanging by the Neck to the King or Lord l. 5. p. 347. Vid. l. 6. p. 59. Healfden a Danish King is slain in Battel with several Earls and many Thousand Soldiers by King Edward the Elder 's Army l. 5. p. 315. Heathens and Pagans by these names are meant the Danes and Norwegians together with the Goths Swedes and Vandals which for so long together wasted England l. 5. p. 255 256. Heavens a Red-Cross appeared in the Heavens after Sun-set l. 4. p. 230. Hedda when he sate as first Bishop of Winchester Id. p. 181. Took the Bishoprick of the East-Saxons Id. p. 196. His Death and Excellent Character Id. p. 212 213. Heddi consecrated Bishop of Winchester that is of the West-Saxons by Archbishop Theodore when l. 4. p. 193. Heddi Stephen the Author of the Life of St. Wilfrid his Account of the Quarrel between Egfrid King of Northumberland and that Bishop l. 4. p. 197. Heliogabolus Anton. succeeds Opilius Macrinus in the Empire but after three years Reign is killed by the Praetorian Band l. 2. p. 80. Helmestan Bishop of Winchester and the Dean of that Church had the Education of Prince Ethelwulf during the Life of his Elder Brother l. 5. p. 257. Helmham in Norfolk a Bishop's See taken out of the Bishoprick of Dunmoc l. 4. p. 193. Is continued to be the sole Bishop's See for the Kingdom of the East-Angles till long after that it was removed to Norwich l. 5. p. 274. Hemeida a Welsh King expelled the Bishops of St. Davids and Archbishop Novis but at last he and all the Inhabitants of South-Wales and Rodri with his Six Sons submit to Alfred l. 5. p. 306. Hengest and Horsa their first coming over to Britain l. 3. p. 118. They were originally Saxons by Descent Ib. p. 120. Those that came over with them were rather Frisians Id. p. 120. Were the Sons of Witgilfus who was the Son of Witta and he the Son of Vecta and he the Son of Woden Id. p. 121. Hengest demands of King Vortigern the Countrey of Kent for his Daughter and has it Id. p. 126. Sends over for Octa and Ebusa his Son and Nephew Ibid. p. 142. Is chosen King by the Saxons and made to retire into the Isle of Thanet Id. p. 128. When he and his Son Aesk fought against the Britains and obtained a great Victory l. 3. p. 129. When he and his Brother fought again with them and took much spoil Id. p. 131. His Death Id. p. 132. With Alrick King of Kent ended the Race of Hengest l. 4. p. 238. His Brother Horsa slain at Engleford in Kent l. 3. p. 128. Hengestdune now Hengston in Cornwal where King Egbert beats the Danes and Western Welsh l. 5. p. 257. Henwald two Priests of this name barbarously murthered by the Old Saxons and their Bodies flung into the Rhine but their Murther was notoriously revenged l. 4. p. 212. Heofenfield or Heaven-field lying near to what we call the Picts-Wall l. 4. p. 177. Heraclitus made by Severus Lieutenant of the Southern Parts of Britain l. 2. p. 74. Herefrith Bishop of Winchester his Decease l. 5. p. 257. Hereman King Edward the Confessor's Chaplain succeeds Brightwulf in the Bishoprick of Shireburne l. 6. p. 73. Is sent with Bishop Aldred to the great Synod held at Rome and for what Id. p. 75. Heresy Arrian when it first began to infect Britain l. 2. p. 106. Pelagian when it was broached here by a British Monk for absolute Freewill without the Assisting Grace of God l. 2. p. 107. Of
him that was so injured THE highest Offence against Man alone was Treason and the Punishment for this Offence I find set down in the 4 th Law of K. Alfred to this effect viz. That if any one by himself or any other Person should attempt against the King's Life he should lose his Life and Goods or in case he will purge himself he was to do it according to the Valuation of the King's Head But in this the King had no greater a Prerogative than divers other of his Subjects for the same Law doth inform us That it ordained in all Judgments concerning other Men whether Noble or Ignoble whosoever should Conspire against his Lord should lose both his Life and Estate or else pay the Valuation of his Lord's Head I come next to the Coining and Clipping of Money which was not originally such an Offence as was punish'd by Death for the first Law that made it so was that of Ethelred whereby it is left to the King's discretion either to fine or put to Death such Merchants as imported false Money and all Port-Reeves of Towns who should be Accessary to it were made liable to the same but for all this it was not even after the Conquest punishable by Death but amputation of the Right Hand and Privy-Members AS for Murder or killing a Man with Malice prepensed it was by the Preface to King Alfred's Laws punishable by Death And this and the former Law concerning Treason will help us to interpret in what Cases the Wiregilds or Mulcts that we find so frequently mentioned in the Saxon Laws were to be paid for the Life of a Man and particularly that Law of King Athelstan which sets the Rate of these Wiregilds according to the Quality of the Person slain from the King to the Peasant that is when the Party was Killed in some sudden Fray or Quarrel without any Malice forethought THIS I take notice of to obviate the Error of some who suppose that all Murder even of the King himself was redeemable by Money which was not allowed in any Cases but those we account Man-slaughter at this Day and shews the Antiquity of that distinction between Man-slaughter and Murder which is now almost peculiar to England and arose at first from the Proneness of our Nation to Fewds and sudden Quarrels tho the like Custom is also to be found in the Antient Frisian and German Laws if you will take the Pains to consult them But as for Bloodshed Striking Maiming Wounding Dismembring c. they were all of them punishable by Mulcts or Fines as you will see in the Laws of King Alfred and other Places in this Volume I proceed in the next Place to Robbery and Burglary which by the Laws of King Ina were punishable by Death only the Thief was admmitted sometimes to redeem it according to the Estimation of his Head and that I suppose was left to the discretion of the Judg either to deny or allow But for all other less Thefts they were redeemable by Fines And the Laws of Edward the Confessor limited that Punishment of Death to Thefts of twelve Pence in value or above AND Trespasses of a less Nature upon Lands and Goods were to be punished by the Criminal's making Satisfaction to the injured Party and his paying a certain Fine besides to the King which by King Alfred's Law was set at five Shillings and in his Time other Actions were likewise used such as we call Actions upon the Case and the Plaintiff not only recovered Damages for Trespasses done to Possessions and Goods but also Costs for Injuries in Point of Scandal and Defamation in case the Complainant specially declare that he was thereby disabled or injured in his Preferment and made Proof of the same much like to the Forms of our Pleadings now AS for Perjury which I have hitherto omitted tho in strict Method it should have been mentioned before as a Sin against both God and Man the Saxons were utterly Enemies to it and punished it with perpetual discredit of their Testimony and sometimes with Banishment or with grievous Fines to the King and Mulcts to the Judg. For that difference I find observed in those Days between Fines and Mulcts tho the more Antient Times used them for one and the same for I often find pars Muâ—ctae Regi In all these Matters where any Interest was vested in the Crown the King had the Prerogative of Pardon yet always a Recompence was saved to the injured Party besides the Security of the Good-behaviour for Time to come as the case required THESE Mulcts for all these Offences were set down in a Book which was the Rule and Standard of the Judge's Sentence And it is called in the Preface to the Laws of King Edward the Doom or Judgment-Book and Composition was to be made and Satisfaction given according to what was laid in this Judicial or Doom-Book THIS shews that Fines were then set out and appointed by Law and were proportioned not only according to Mens Offences but Abilities of what they were able to pay and were not in those Times left to the Arbitrary Wills and Humours of the Judg to ruin Mens Fortunes and Families and imprison their Persons during Life perhaps only for a small Offence in a rash Word or unmalicious Deed. I confess this Introduction is longer than I first intended it but herein I hope the Reader will excuse me since I have presented him with a true Scheme of the Antient English-Saxon Government and Laws as well Ecclesiastical as Civil relating to the just Prerogatives of the King as also to the true Rights and Liberties of the People and this I have done for two Ends first to inform those of our own Nation as well as Strangers that this Government before the pretended Conquest agreed in the most material parts of it with those of the same Gothick Model all over Europe and that if we do still labour to preserve our Antient Constitution when most of our Neighbours have either lost or given up theirs I think we do deserve Commendation more especially since both Prince and People may have found an equal Interest and Happiness in it AND secondly to shew that neither the Danish nor Norman Invasions called by some Conquests have at all altered it in any of the Substantial parts of our Government or Laws notwithstanding what some Men have so strenuously advanced to the contrary out of what designs they themselves best know AS for what I have here laid down if any thing appears either new or of suspicious Credit I desire to be no farther believed than the Reasons and Authorities I have here produced will justify me and therefore shall leave the Reader to make what Judgment he pleases of it which if it doth not suit with mine I shall not take it amiss since I am sufficiently sensible how much Mens Opinions depend on their present
Alba then King of Italy to be provided with Husbands because he had heard that the Sabines would not give their Daughters in Marriage to the Latins which is so very ridiculous that it needs no Confutation This Prince dying after he had reign'd about Forty Years left the Kingdom to Brute Sir-named Greenshield from the colour of his Target he revenged those Indignities which had been put upon his Father by Brunchild Prince of Hannonia or Hainault Conquering him near the banks of the Scaldis i. e. the Scheld but the modern names of Hainault and Brunchild sufficiently betray the Novelty of this Fable He hath the Character of an Excellent Prince Just Merciful and a most exact observer of his Word and reigned Twelve Years to whom succeeded Leil his Son who built the City of Carlisle in the Days of Solomon after called by the Romans Lugubalia and did also repair Caerleon now called Chester he was a good Prince till the latter end of his days when falling into several Vices he occasioned great dissentions in the Kingdom which did not end with his life but after he had reigned Twenty five Years left the Kingdom to Rudhudibras or Hudibras who compos'd the disturbances begun in his Fathers days and studying nothing more than to strengthen and adorn his Kingdom built several Cities as Caerkin now Canterbury likewise Caer Guent now Winchester as also Mount Paladur after Septonia or Shaftsbury and having reigned Twenty nine Years was succeeded by Bladud his Son who is said to have been skill'd in Magick and thereby to have found out those Medicinal Waters now called the Bath where he also built a City called Caer Baden he is said to be a Man of a good Invention and having made himself Wings to flye fell down from the Temple of Apollo in Trinovant and broke his Neck having governed Britain Twenty Years To him succeeded Leir his Son who built Caer Leir now called Leicester He had only Three Daughters Gonnilla Râ—gana and Cordiella his darling but in his old Age being jealous of their Affections he called them before him and demanded that they would give him some assurance of their Love the two Eldest called Heaven and Earth to witness that they loved him Ten thousand times dearer than their own Souls and that they were not able to Express their infinite kindness for him and at last concluded their flatteries with horrid Oaths and asseverations of their Sincerity but Cordiella the Youngest though having before her Eyes the present reward of an easie flattery yet could not be moved from giving him this downright honest Answer Father saith she my Love toward you is as my Duty bids What should a Father seek What can a Child promise more They who pretend beyond this flatter This short Answer not at all satisfied the old suspicious King for he shewed his resentments by his neglect of her and the suddain advancement of her Sisters Marrying Regana to the Duke of Cornwall and Gonarilla to the Duke of Albania reserving no portion at all for Cordiella but it so happen'd that Aganippus a Prince of Gaul however he came by this Greek Name hearing of her Vertue and Beauty desired her in Marriage to whom she was welcome without any other Dower but her own Vertues King Leir having thus disposed of his two Eldest Daughters and dividing half his Kingdom between them they within some time by their subtile practices work him out of all so that he was forced to sojourn with his Daughters by turns who being set on by their Husbands put so many affronts and Indignities upon him needless here to be recited that in the end he was constrained to leave the Realm and take refuge with Cordiella This rejected Daughter received him with all the Duty and Affection imaginable and then appeared the difference between the down-right Love of some Children to their Parents and the over talkative obsequiousness of others while the hopes of a large Inheritance obliges their Tongues to Express more Duty than ever they mean to perform but what was more significant than Words she assisted her Father with powerful aids and in Person went to revenge his wrongs So that bringing a great Army into Britain she destroyed his Enemies and restored him to his Crown which he held but for the space of Two Years whose Reign in all is computed to be about Forty Years and then dying left the Throne to Cordilla who Governed the Kingdom for Five Years but in the mean time her Husband Aganippus dying Morgan and Cunedage her Nephews by her Sisters Gonorilla and Regana disdaining to be under the Government of a Woman rebelled against her and so prevailed that they took her Prisoner but she being a Woman of a high Spirit slew her self rather than to live under their Tyranny Whereupon Cunedage and Morgan possessing the whole Government divided the Island between them to Morgan fell Albania to Cunedage all the Land on this side Humber Morgan not being content with his Portion Invaded his Brother but being driven by him into Wales and there Slain gave the Name of Glan-Morgan to that Country Cunedage now Ruling alone built many Temples to his Gods and dying was buried at Trinovant after he had Ruled Thirty three Years to whom succeeded Rivallo the Son of Cunedage in his time it rain'd Blood for Three Days together from whose Putrefaction Noisom and Venemous Flies were bred which in Swarms infested the whole Land and brought great Contagion both upon Men and Beasts He after he had Ruled Forty six Years was succeeded by Gurgust his Son of whom nothing is recorded worth mentioning he is said to have Reign'd Thirty seven Years Nor is there more left of Jago his Nephew Nor yet of Sillius or Sicillius thô how related to the former is not said But to him after Forty nine Years Reign succeeded Kâ—nemare said to be Brother of Jago of whom there is nothing Recorded but that he was Buried at York To whom succeeded Gorâ—odug the Son of Kinemare he is noted for Tyranny But dying he left behind him two Sons Ferrex and Porrex who Reigning joyntly at first did within a few Years begin to contend who should have the whole Kingdom in which Contention after a great Battle Fought between them Ferrex was Slain whose Death affected his Mother with so great a Grief that transported by Revenge she by the help of her Maidens Slew her other Son Porrex whilst he was a Sleep an unheard of Example and too strange to be true After his Death the Blood Royal of Brute being extinguished by his Death there happned cruel Wars so that the Kingdom was rent into five parts one Pinnor made himself King of Loegria or England Stator seized Albania Rudock Cambria and Cloten Cornwall But as to the fifth division the Story is silent this Pentarchie is supposed to have lasted above Fifty Years the Kingdom in the mean time being miserably harrassed by Civil Wars until Dunwallo Molmutius Son
their Cables Anchors and other Tackle being broken or spoiled became unfit for Service this caused a great Consternation in the Army for there were not any other Ships left in which they could be again transported and all things necessary were wanting to refit them nor was there any Corn provided for them to Winter in these parts all which being known to the Britains their Princes though after the Fight they had agreed to perform those things which Caesar had injoyned yet when they understood that the Romans wanted Horses Ships and Provisions and had also judged of the paucity of their Souldiers from the small circuit of the Roman Camp which seemed the less because Caesar had transported his Legions without any Baggage they thought it the best course again to take Arms and thereby to hinder the Romans from fetching in Corn or other Provisions and so to protract the War till Winter came on for they thought if these were once vanquish'd and cut off from ever returning into Gaul none of them hereafter would again presume to transport an Army into Britain Therefore the Plot being thus laid they began by little and little to steal out of the Camp and privately to draw their Men out of the Fields But Caesar although he did not then know their design yet from the late disaster of his Ships as also from their neglecting to send in their Hostages suspected what would happen therefore provided for the worst for he every day brought in Corn out of the Fields into the Camp and as for those Ships that were most shatter'd he made use of their materials to refit the rest and what things were farther necessary he ordered to be brought from the Continent all which being executed by his Souldiers with the utmost labour and diligence only twelve Ships being lost he fitted out the rest ready to go to Sea Whilst these things were in action the seventh Legion being by course sent out to Forrage and that there was at that time no appearance of War whilst great part of their Men remain'd in the Fields and others of them went and came between that and the Camp those Souldiers who kept guard at its Entries gave notice that there appear'd a greater dust than was usual in that part of the Country toward which that Legion had marched whereupon Caesar suspecting that the Britains were undertaking some new design commanded those Cohorts which were then upon the Guard to march with him towards that Quarter ordering two more to take their places and the rest to Arm and immediately to follow him when he had marched some distance from the Camp he perceived his Souldiers to be overcharged by the Enemy and hardly able to sustain their assault and that the Legion being drawn up close together Darts were cast at them from all quarters for the Corn being cut and carried away in all other parts one piece was left and the Enemies guessing that the Romans would come thither for it had laid in ambush in the Woods and suddainly assaulting them being then without their Arms and busie in reaping killing some thereby routed the rest being then out of their Ranks hemming them in both with their Horse and Chariots For in their Battles they make use for the most part of Chariots with which they first of all scowre through all parts casting Darts as they go and so by the terror of their Horses and ratling of their Chariot-wheels they often break the Roman Ranks and when they have got in among the Troops of Horse they leap down from their Chariots and Fight on Foot in the mean time the Charioteers retire a little from the Battle and so place themselves that if they should be pressed by any number of their Enemies their Masters may find an easie retreat by which way of fighting they had both the speed of Horse-men and the steadiness of Foot Souldiers and had so enured themselves by daily use and Exercise as that they were able to stop their Horses in full speed though running down steep places as likewise they had been used to turn their Charriots in a narrow compass to run along the Pole to sit upon the Yoke that joyn or couple the Horses together and from thence quickly to return into their Chariots The Romans being much astonished with this new way of Fighting Caesar in a lucky moment came to their rescue At whose approach the Enemies stopped and the Romans began to recover themselves which thô done yet Caesar thinking it no fit time further to provoke the Enemy nor then to renew the Fight kept his ground and presently led back the Legions to the Camp whilst these things were doing the Britains who where in the Fields also retired During many days following there happned continual bad weather which both kept the Romans in the Camp and hindered the Enemies from attempting any thing against them But in the mean time the Britains sent Messengers into all parts publishing abroad the small number of the Roman Forces and how great a booty they were like to get that this was the time of freeing themselves for ever if they could but take the Roman Camp Upon which great numbers of Horse and Foot being now drawn together came to the Camp Caesar although he foresaw the Event by that which had happen'd before and that the Enemies if once stoutly repulsed would avoid the danger by flight having got about Thirty Horse whom Comius of Arras had brought over with him at his coming into Britain drew out the Legions in Battle before his Camp which when joyned the Enemy being not able to bear the assault of the Roman Souldiers turned their backs whom Caesar followed as long as his Men's speed and strength would permit After a great slaughter and burning of the Villages round about but they return'd to their Camp The same day Messengers came from the Britains to treat of Peace from whom Caesar demanded double the number of Hostages which he had before enjoyned commanding them to be brought over to him to the Continent because the Equinox approaching he did not think a Winter Voyage was to be undertaken with such weak crazy Vessels therefore having now got a convenient Season a little after midnight he hoisted Sail so that all the Ships got safe to the Continent It is not pertinent to our History to relate here how Caesar's Men as soon almost as they came on Shore were set upon by the Morini whom he had before left in peace and whom notwithstanding he routed and killed a great number of them till they were quite subdued But it seems the Britains had no great Opinion of Caesar's Power for only Two States of all Britain sent him Hostages the rest neglecting it These things being thus performed upon the reading of Caesar's Letters Twenty days supplication to the Gods was decreed by the Senate Thus far we have given you Caesar's own account of his first Expedition into Britain
in upon their Neighbours who had entred into League or made any submission to the Romans wasting their Country and with so much the more Vigour for that they thought this new General as not yet acquainted with his business nor having Experience of his Army would not be soon able to revenge it especially considering that Winter was near and that a Season unfit for Action but Ostorius knowing that the first Success makes the greatest Impression of Fear or Confidence resolved to put a stop to their Inroads betimes before they proceeded too far and for that end he quickly took with him some of his lightest Cohorts and unexpectedly seting upon them killed many following those that fled so close that he gave them no time to rally and lest for the future a treacherous unstable Peace might prove more dangerous and troublesome as well to himself as his Souldiers he disarmed all whom he suspected most likely to revolt and set Garrisons on the two Rivers Severn and Antona now Avon thereby to hinder the Incursions of the British Army By this means he reduced the most Southerly parts of the Island into the form of a Province having also planted there a Colony of Veterane Souldiers and to secure his Conquest the better he gave several Cities to Cogidunus to be held as Tributary to the Roman Empire under the Title of King by which he strongly engaged him to its interest it being an antient and received Policy of that State as Tacitus well observes to make Kings the Instruments of it's Ambition as well as of their own Servitude But the Iceni who Inhabited what we now call Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge and Huntington-shires a potent Nation and not yet wasted by War because they had voluntarily entered in alliance with the Romans not brooking these proceedings of Ostorius took Arms and by their Example encouraged many of their neighbouring Nations to do the like this done they encamped in a place chosen for that purpose casting up a Rampire of Earth leaving a very narrow Entrance for fear least the Enemy's Horse should break in upon them Ostorius although he had not his Legions but only his Auxiliaries with him yet resolved if he could to break down this Fence which he perceived was but rudely thrown up and setting all his Cohorts to work the Horse also alighting to that Service he himself giving the Signal at once they flung down the Works and drove the Enemy from their Fortress But the Britains as well through the Consciousness of their Rebellion as because all ways of escaping were blocked up made a notable Defence In which Battel M. Ostorius the Son of the Lieutenant gained the honour of having saved a Citizen The Iceni thus overcome the other States who hitherto stood in a doubtful Posture between War and Peace were confirmed in their Obedience by their sufferings After this Success Ostorius marched into the Country of the Cangi who they were is not well known where he plundered and laid waste their Fields they not daring to give him Battel and if at any time they ventur'd out of their Coverts to fall on his Rear they always met with sharp entertainment At last he approached near the Irish Sea where news was brought him of stirs among the Brigantes supposed to have been the Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lancashire and the other Northern Countries Upon this he resolves to return intending not to attempt any new Design till he had fully quieted those Commotions behind him and indeed the Brigantes were soon quieted those few who took Arms being all Slain and the rest pardoned But the Nation of the Silures the Inhabitants of the now South Wales were not to be won by Clemency or terrified by Severity but would needs have a War and if subdued were to be kept in obedience by Garrisons of Legionary Souldiers So he marched against these Silures who besides their natural Fierceness were much exalted with the Opinion they had of the Courage and Conduct of Caractacus who by many doubtful and some Fortunate Attempts had raised himself to a greater Reputation in Arms than any of the British Generals he finding himself over-matched in Strength made use of Policy he knew his Advantage lay in choice of Ground to that end he transferr'd the War to the rough unaccesâ—ible Country of the the Ordovices now those of North Wales chusing for the Seat of the War a place whose Avenues were most difficult to the Romans and easiest of Access to themselves there he raised a Fortification with great Stones on the tops of the Mountains and where a River running near made a dangerous and uncertain Ford placed a range or breast-work of larger Stones to defend the passage which place as Mr. Camden Conjectures has still from him the Name of Caer Caradoc lying on the West edge of Shropshire Caradoc being in the British Tongue supposed to be the same with Caractacus in the Latin Ostorius having drawn hither all his Forces since Caractacus resolved here to â—ight it to the last the Officers went about encouraging their Men diminishing their Fears and enlivening their Courage by all the Rhetorick of War But Caractacus notably bestir'd himself and with quick motions going from place to place Cryed out this was the Day and this the Field which would be either the recovery of their Liberty or the beginning of a new and perpetual Slavery and then invoked the Names of his glorious Ancestors who had driven out Caesar the Dictator and by whose Valour they had hitherto been freed from the Roman Axes and Tributes and still kept their Wives and Children preserved from dishonour At these or such like Speeches the Army testified their Joy by loud Shouts and Acclamations and every one according to his Country Superstition bound himself by Oath that neither Force nor Wounds should make them yield This Couragious alacrity in the Enemy startled the Roman General especially when he descried the River before him and the Rampire made upon its Banks both of great difficulty to be passed whilst the steep Hills full of Armed Men hanging over their heads gave a dismal prospect and made a terrible Scene of War but the Common Souldiers being eager for Battel required the Signal Crying out nothing was impregnable to Valour This impatience was increased by the Prefects and Tribunes who were of the same Opinion Then Ostorius having first tried which Fords were passable and which not led them on as insensible of Danger who with no great difficulty wading through the River when they were come near to the Rampire and that it came to be disputed with Darts and Javelins greater loss followed on the Roman than British side So that not being able longer to endure it the Legionary Souldiers joyning close together made a Testudo whereupon this rude Fortification of rough Stones being thrown down and the Romans meeting with them hand to hand the Barbarians soon fled to the tops of the Mountains but
thither also the heavy as well as the Light-Armed Souldiers quickly followed them whilst the Britains assaulting them with their Darts these received them in close order whereby their Ranks were soon broken who made use of no defence either of Brest-plates or Helmets So that if they could have resisted the Auxiliaries yet they were beat down by the Swords and Darts of the Legionary Souldiers and if they turned from these they were again routed by the broad Swords and Spears of the Auxiliaries The Victory was very remarkable the Wife and Daughter of Caractacus being taken Prisoners and his Brethren submitting to Mercy But though he had committed himself to the Fidelity of Cartismandua Queen of the Brigantes yet as unsafe Counsels prove commonly unfortunate he was by her delivered bound to the Victors in the Seventh Year according to Tacitus but indeed in the Ninth Year after this War was begun in Britain Nevertheless Caractacus his Fame being carried through all the Neighbouring Provinces was also Celebrated as far as Italy and they desired to see the Man that had for so many Years despised the Roman Forces so that the name of Caractacus became famous at Rome it self and Caesar whilst he extoll'd his own Victory added glory to the conquered for the People being summoned as to some solemn Spectacle the Praetorian Cohorts stood to their Arms in the Field which lay before their Camp The King's Servants marched before bearing his Gold Chains and other Ornaments with what ever else he had gained in Foreign Wars presently after came his Brethren with his Wife and Daughters and last of all He himself The behaviour of others through fear was mean and degenerate he only neither in Countenance Word or Action appeared dejected But standing at the Tribunal of Caesar Spoke to this purpose If my mind O Caesar had been as moderate in the Heigth of Fortune as my Birth and Dignity was Eminent I might have entred as a Friend rather than a Captive into this City nor couldst thou have disliked one for a Confederate so Noble by Descent and Ruling so many Natinos My present Estate tho to me disgraceful to thee is Glorious I had once Riches Horses Arms and Men no wonder if I was not contended to lose them but if you will extend your Empire over all others then of necessity all others must obey you If I sooner had been brought to yield my Miâ—fortune had been less notorious your Conquest less renowned but by a severe treatment of me both will be soon forgotten if you grant that I may Live I shall live a lasting Monument of your Clemency Caesar mov'd at so sad a Spectacle of Fortune but especially at the Nobleness of his bearing it gave him Pardon as also to his Wife and Brothers they being all unbound went also to do the like Reverence to the Emprâ—ss Agrippina who sat not far off on another Throne no less conspicuous a new indeed and unwonted sight far different from the Manners of the ancient Romans to see a Woman in her Faeminine Pride presiding oveâ— the Roman Ensigns but indeed she looked upon her self as a Companion and Sharer of the Empire obtained by her Ancestors The Senators being then also summon'd made long and pompuous Discourses upon this taking of Caractacus saying it was no less famous than when P. Scipio shewed Scyphax or L. Paulus Perseus or any other General who had exposed Captive Kings to the view of the People of Rome so that they decreed to Ostorius all the Ensigns of a Triumph After this Affairs continued some time prosperous but presently after became more doubtful either because that Caractacus being now remov'd he thought the Britains as good as subdued and so the Wars was less eagerly pursued or whether the Enemy in Compassion of so great a King burnt more fiercely with Revenge for they had beset the Governour in his Camp and fell upon the Legionary Cohorts who had been left to build Forts among the Silures and unless Assistance had come in to them speedily from the Neighbouring Garrisons and Castles the whole Army had then perished nevertheless the Governour with Eight Centurions and the most forward Souldiers of each Company were cut off and not long after they routed those that were Forraging as also some Troops sent to their Relief Then Ostorius drew forth his Light Armed Cohorts nor had he thereby put a stop to his Mens flight unless the Legions had also engaged in the Fight by whose Force it first became equal and at length quite turned the Scale for the Enemies fled thô with small Loss because the Day was declining afterwards followed frequent Skirmishes more like Robberies than Fights they often meeting in the Woods or Marshes as Design or Chance gave them opportunity often commanded sometimes without any command all which proceeded from the remarkable obstinacy of the Silures whom that common saying of the Roman General had much provoked That as the Sicambri had been formerly destroyed so also the very name of the Silures ought wholly to be extinguished Therefore they intercepted two Auxiliary Cohorts who through the Avarice of their Officers were too securely pillaging and bestowing the Prisoners and Spoils on certain neighbouring Nations drew them also into a Revolt When Ostorius being now worn out with Cares and Troubles ended his Days The Britains rejoycing that thô not a Battle yet a lingering War had taken off so great a Souldier But Caesar understanding the Death of his Lieutenant lest the Province should remain without a Governour sent A. Didius in his room who quickly arriving there found Affairs but in an ill Condition for in the mean while there had happened an unsuccessful Engagement of that Legion over which Manlius Valens commanded the Fame of which Exploit being also much increased by the Enemy's reports that thereby they might terrifie the new General which was also much increased by himself that if the War were well ended he might win the greater Glory or if otherwise he might gain the easier pardon But the Silures had already done much mischief and made Incursions all abroad until by Didius's meeting of them they were repelled which being one of the last Actions that happened in Claudius's Reign I shall only take notice that he lived about Three Years after his sending Didius hither and died as is suppos'd of Poyson given him by his Wife Agrippina therefore since by his Conquest of so great a part of Britain he is accounted by most Authors as the Sovereign power thereof I shall for the future give you the Names of all the Roman Emperors his Successours that ruled here till their quitting of this Island whether they were here in Person or not Claudius was succeeded by Nero his Wive's Son by Birth and his own by Adoption of whose Reign I shall say nothing but what relates to the particular History of this Island Therefore since Tacitus tells us that those things which
That the Temple dedicated to Claudius was look'd upon as a Badge of their Eternal Slavery and the Priests ordain'd for it under a Shew of Religion seiz'd upon divers Men's Estates Nor did it seem difficult to destroy a Colony defended by no Fortifications which was but little fore-seen by the Roman Commanders who rather had studied their Pleasure than Safety To all which Provocations Dion also adds That Catus Decianus the Procurator endeavour'd to bring all Men's Goods under the Compass of a new Confiscation by disavowing the Remission of Claudius himself Lastly Seneca only in his Books a Philosopher having drawn in the Britains to borrow of him vast Sums upon fair Promises of an easie Loan and for Re-payment to take their own Time all on a sudden compell'd them to pay both Principal and Interest at once with great Extortion Which you will find in Tacitus expressed at large in a long Speech by the injur'd Britains Thus provok'd by the heaviest Sufferings and invited by Opportunity in the Absence of Paulinus the Icenians and by their Example the Trinobantes and as many more as hated Servitude rose up in Arms but of these ensuing Troubles many foregoing Signs appear'd among which the Image of Victory at Camalodunum fell down of it self with the Face backward as if she had turn'd to the Enemy And certain Women in a kind of Ecstasie foretold great Calamities to come In the Council-House by Night strange Noises were heard and in the Theatre hideous Howlings but in the River Thames horrid Appearances were seen as of a Colony destroy'd but what these were Dion tells us more plainly viz. That in that River there were discover'd the Ruins of Houses under Water Besides the Ocean seem'd of a bloody hue whilst at the Ebb appear'd the Shapes of human Bodies left upon the Sands All which as it rais'd in the Britains new Courage so in the Romans it caused unwonted Fears Therefore since Suetonius was now far off they desired from Catus Decianus some Assistance but he sent them scarce above Two Hundred Men and those ill Arm'd There was within the Town a moderate Garrison of Soldiers who trusted in the Strength of the Temple but some who were conscious of the intended Rebellion had perplex'd their Councils and hindred them from drawing any Line about the Place nor were the Old Women and Children turn'd out and the Fighting Men as they ought to have done only left behind Thus the Romans being secure as in the midst of Peace were circumvented by a Multitude of Barbarians so that all Places were quickly Spoil'd and Burnt at the very first Assault the Temple in which the Soldiers had gotten together held out Two Days but was at last taken The Britains being thus Victors marched out to meet Petillius Cerialis Lieutenant of the Ninth Legion then coming to their Succour they routed his Legion and killed all the Foot but Cerialis with the Horse escaped into the Camp which was defended by the Trenches Catus Decianus the Procurator whose Covetousness and the hatred of the Province that ensued upon it had been the Cause of this War fled like a Coward into Gaul But Suetonius not dismay'd with this sad News marched through his Enemy's Country to London which thô not honoured with the Title of a Colony yet was then famous for the great Concourse of Merchants and plenty of all Provisions where being arriv'd he was doubtful whether or no he should make it the Seat of War but having considered the small number of his Soldiers and taking warning from Cerialis he resolved to preserve the whole by the loss of this one City So that he was not moved by the Crys and Tears of those who implored his Protection from giving his Men the Signal of Departure only taking those into his Army who would or could march along with him they who through weakness of Sex or Age or love of the Place stay'd behind were destroy'd by the Enemy as was also Verulam a Roman Municipium or Free City For the Barbarians omitting Forts and Castles pillag'd the richest Places first and then went easily forward to others more eminent for Strength So that as it afterwards appear'd about Seventy Thousand Citizens with their Confederates in the Places above-mentioned lost their Lives None might be spared none ransom'd but they endeavour'd by Gibbets Fire Crosses and all other ways of Slaughter to return those Punishments they had suffered and prevent any Revenge that was to be taken upon them Dion here also adds That the Roman Wives and Virgins being hung up naked had their Breasts cut off and sow'd to their Mouths that even dead they might be seen to eat their own Flesh whilst the Britains Feasted in the Temple of Andate their Goddess of Victory Suctonius having then with him the Fourteenth Legion with the Standard Bearers of the Twentieth which together with the Auxiliaries made in all about Ten Thousand Men resolving to lay aside all Delays prepar'd to joyn Battel having chosen a Place accessable only by a narrow Lane and defended behind by a Wood knowing well enough that the Enemies could do nothing but upon his Front and that the open Plain was without danger of an Ambuscade he drew up the Legionary Soldiers in close Order and being defended on each side with the light Arm'd Men and the Horse that made both the Wings But the British Forces being drawn up here and there in smaller Companies and Squadrons appear'd a great Multitude being so fierce and confident of Victory that they carried their Wives along with them in Wagons to behold it which were placed in the outward Borders of the Field Let us here also add what Dion says of Boadicia the Widow of Prasutagus who chiefly stired up and perswaded the Britains to make this War upon the Romans Boadicia says he was a British Lady of a Royal Race who did not only Govern with great Authority in Peace but also order'd the whole War Her Disposition was more Masculine than became a Woman being of a tall Statute and a severe Countenance having a harsh Voice and yellow Hair which being let loose hung dishevel'd below her Wast wearing a great Gold Chain about her Neck and having on a loose Coat wrought with divers Colours and a thick Mantle button'd over it holding a Spear in her Hand Having now gotten together an Army of an Hundred Thousand Men which were drawn up ready to fight the Queen getting up on a high heap of Earth made a Speech to her Soldiers which since it is tedious and most likely to be made only to set out the Eloquence and Invention of the Author I shall pass over and shall rather give you what she is suppos'd to have said out of Tacitus as being shorter and more to the Purpose who relates it thus Boadicia carried her Daughters with her in a Chariot in which being driven about to every Nation that compos'd her
Army she spoke to this Effect That since it was no new thing for the Britains to make a War under the Conduct of a Woman therefore for her part thô descended of Noble Ancestors she sought not so much to Revenge the loss of her Kingdom and Treasures but rather as one of the Common People the loss of her Liberty the bruising her Body with Stripes and the violated Chastity of her Daughters That the Roman Lust was such that they did not leave either old Age or Virginity undefil'd That the Gods had hitherto favour'd her just Revenge one Legion being already cut off which dared to fight the rest having hid themselves in their Camps sought how to run away as not being able to endure the Shouts and Clamours of so many Thousands much less their Power So that if they would but consider their own great Forces they ought either to overcome or die in that Battel Neither was Suetonius silent in so great a Danger and although he trusted much in his Soldiers Valour yet thought good to give them some Encouragement to this effect That they should despise the empty noisy Threats of those Barbarians That they beheld more Women than Fighting Men among them That being unwarlike and unarm'd they would presently give way as soon as they felt the sharp Swords and Valour of their Conquerors by whom they had been so often routed and That of so many Legions a few would serve to gain the Victory and that it would be an Addition to their Honour if so small a Force could obtain the same Glory as if it were an entire Army His Advice then was That they should keep close together and having cast their Darts should afterwards continue the Slaughter with their Pikes and Swords not minding the Spoil since the Victory once obtain'd all would be their own The Soldiers were so encouraged with this Speech that the Veterane Soldiers experienc'd by many Battles urged Suetonius to give the Signal Yet all the Legion stood unmov'd keeping that strait Entrance as a Defence before them But when the Enemy had approached nearer and had spent their Darts the Legion sallied forth all at once upon them in the form of a Wedge The like Assault was also made by the Auxiliaries whilst the Horse with their Spears routed all that stood before them The rest turn'd their Backs and fled but could hardly escape because their own Wagons had closed up all the Avenues But the Soldiers gave no Quarter not so much as to the Women and the very Draught-Cattel being run thorough increas'd the Heap of the dead Carcases This Victory was very eminent and the Glory of it equall'd those of Ancient Times since it is related that not less than 80000 Britains were then slain but of the Roman Soldiers not above 400 and about as many wounded Boadicia ended her Life by Poyson And Paenius Posthumus the Commander of the Second Legion when he heard the good Success of those of the Fourteenth and Twentieth since he had defrauded his own Men of the like Glory and had also contrary to the Rules of War refused to obey the Orders of his General run himself through with his own Sword The Army after a general Review still kept the Field to make an end of the War and Suetonius increased his Forces with 2000 Legionary Soldiers and 8 Cohorts of Auxiliaries together with 1000 Horse sent out of Germany by whose coming the Ninth Legion was recruited Whereupon all those Cohorts with some others were put into Winter-Quarters Whatsoever Nations continued either Enemies or Neuters were now destroy'd with Fire and Sword But nothing afflicted them so much as Hunger having been careless to sow Corn because they reckon'd upon the Roman Provisions as their own all their Hands being employ'd in the War But these fierce Nations were the less inclin'd to treat of Peace because Julius Classicianus who succeeded Catus differing with Suetonius their private Animosities hinder'd the publick Good the former giving out that a new Lieutenant was to be expected without the Rancour of a Conqueror and who would treat those that submitted to them with Mercy and Clemency Having also written to Rome that there was no End to be expected of this War unless Suetonius were remov'd attributing all Miscarriages to his ill Conduct and any happy Success to the good Fortune of the Commonwealth Polycletus therefore one of Nero's Freed-men is sent to inspect the State of Britain with great Hopes that he might by his Authority not only procure an Agreement between the Lieutenant and the Procurator but also work the Minds of the Barbarians to a Peace Polycletus after having been burthensome both to Italy and Gaul with his great Retinue and having cross'd the Ocean did not omit to become terrible also to the Roman Soldiers This gave Matter of Sport to the Enemy who then enjoying Liberty had not yet known the Power of these Freed-men but wonder'd that so great a General and an Army who had fought such Battels could obey Slaves But though all things were soften'd and fairly represented on the General 's behalf yet because whilst he was otherwise employ'd in Affairs he had lost a few Galleys near the Shore he was commanded though the War yet lasted to deliver up the Army to Petronius Turpilianus who was then just out of his Consulship who neither provoking the Enemy nor being provoked by them gave his own Slothfulness the honourable Title of Peace But Tacitus also in the Life of Agricola having given a short Relation of this War with Boadicia whom he there calls Voadicia owns that Britain had been lost if Paulinus had not speedily come to its Assistance most of which he restor'd by one Battel to its ancient Subjection though many still continued in Arms whom either the Guilt of Rebellion or the Fear of the Lieutenant still kept out who though he was a worthy Man yet carried himself too haughtily toward those that submitted and as a Revenger of his own Injuries imposed too hard Terms upon the Vanquished Therefore Petronius Turpilianus was sent in his stead as being more exorable who as one altogether ignorant of the Enemy's Failings would be more easie to their Repentance but all former Differences being composed he durst do nothing farther and so deliver'd the Province to Trebellius Maximus who being a Man of an unactive Temper and no Experience in Military Affairs govern'd the Province by a Softness and Complaisance yet nevertheless he continued still in the Government till the Reign of Vitellius But Tacitus here farther tells us That the Britains had now learnt to approve of the pleasant Vices of the Romans whilst the Intervention of their Civil Wars gave them a just Excuse for their own Cowardice But one thing is by no means to be passed by without particular Notice that it was in the Reign of one of these Emperors either Claudius or Nero though uncertain in which
that Gildas as do divers other later Authors supposes the Gospel to have been first preached in the Island though by whom is also unknown no ancient Church-Historian making any mention of it And indeed there is much difference in the Accounts of latter Writers about it some attributing it to St. James the Son of Zebedee some of the Modern Greek Ecclesiastical Writers to Simon Zelotes or St. Peter others of them to St. Paul who is said to have Ordain'd one Aristobulus afterwards a Martyr to be a Bishop in Britain as you may see at large in the first Chapter of Archbishop Usher's Antiquities of the British Churches But though he there understands those Passages in Gildas where he speaks of Christ the true Sun 's affording his Rays i. e. the Knowledge of his Precepts to this Island then shivering with Icy Cold as if it referr'd to the very first Preaching of the Gospel in the Reign of Tiberius yet the learned Dr. Stillingfleet now Lord Bishop of Worcester hath very ingeniously shewn us in his learned Work called Origines Britanicae that the Word intereà in the mean time with which Gildas begins this Discourse is to be referred to the Times before-mention'd by him viz. that fatal Victory over Boadicia and the Britains by Suetonius Paulinus and the Slavery they afterwards underwent in Nero's Reign So that the Doctor supposes Gildas to speak of a double Shining of the Gospel one more general to the Roman World the other more particular to this Island The former he says was in the End of Tiberius's Reign the latter was interea in the time that is between Plautius's coming over in the Time of Claudius and the abovementioned Battel between Boadicia and Suetonius and this the Dr. thinks to be most probably the Time which Gildas has there pitched upon for the first Preaching of the Gospel in this Island Since therefore there is so great a difference between those Authors who have taken upon them exactly to assign the time when it was first Preached as you may find by the Citations given us by the said Archbishop it were to no purpose croud this History with those uncertain Relations and therefore I shall refer you to the said Learned Work if you shall desire any further Satisfaction To which period of Time may be also referred the Story of Joseph of Arimathaea's and his Twelve Companions coming to Preach the Gospel in Britain which thô it wholly depends upon some Legends and Traditions of the Monks of the Abbey of Glastenbury for no such thing is to be found in Gildas Nennius or any ancient British Author yet since they have been so commonly receiv'd it deserves a particular Notice thô the said Archbishop in the Book but now cited also tells us That he believes those Stories to be not antienter than the coming in of the Normans as smelling plainly of the Superstition of those latter Ages For Will. of Malmsbury in his Treatise concerning the Antiquities of the Church of Glastenbury is the first that mentions it when drawing its History from the Apostles he relates that St Philip coming into France to Preach the Gospel of Christ and being willing to spread it further chose Twelve of his Disciples over whom he set his dear Friend Joseph of Arimathaea and sent them to Preach the Word in Britain and that coming over hither in the Sixty-third Year after Christ's Passion he faithfully Preach'd the Gospel but a British King whom he does not name hearing things so new and unusual utterly refus'd to hearken to their Preaching nor would change the Traditions of his Forefathers yet because they came from far and shew'd great Simplicity of Life he granted them a certain Island to inhabit encompassed with Woods and Marshes called by the Inhabitants Iniswitriâ— where by a Vision of the Angel Gabriel they built a small Church making the Walls with Wattles in Honour of God and the Virgin Mary where these Twelve Holy Men spent their Time in Devotions to God and the Blessed Virgin by Fasting and Praying These things he says he had received from a Charter of St. Patrick's as also from the Writings of the Antients but that Charter is by the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet prov'd to be a meer Forgery of the Monks of Glastenbury And as for ancient Writers thô Malmsbury there cites Freculphus as an Author who relates Philip's sending Joseph hither yet the Archbishop there shews us that this Author whom Malmsbury cites had only taken a Passage from Isidore's Book concerning the Fathers of both Testaments But in both those Authors it is only thus That Philip Preached Christ to the Gauls and Converted many Barbarous Nations lying near the Sea to the Knowledge of the Gospel but says not one word of Joseph's coming hither So that thô Cardinal Baronius hath placed this coming over of Joseph in his Annals and says That he took it from a Manuscript History of England which was in the Vatican Library yet the Archbishop proves in another Place that History to have been written in Modern Times So that all the Romish Writers on this Subject have barrow'd their Legends one from another as the first of them did from our William of Malmsbury The said Archbishop there likewise tells us as does also Sir Henry Spelman in the First Volume of his British Councils That in their time there was kept at Wells in the House of Sir Thomas Hughs Knight a brazen Plate which was formerly fastned to a Pillar of Glassenbury Church wherein was Engraven this Story with divers Additions too long to be here set down Therefore I refer you to the said Authors Works where you may find it word for word with the draught of it as it was taken from the Original where you may also see that he there conclude from the modernness of the Character as well as divers other Circumstances in the Inscription it self that it could not be above Three Hundred Years old and so plainly betrays the Forgery of those Monks who set it up and contriv'd the Story of St. David's Hand being pierced through with our Saviour's Finger as it stands related in the said Inscription But whosoever is not satisfied with this that is here set down but desires farther Satisfaction in the uncertainty of this Story of Joseph of Arimathaea may if they please consult the said Doctor 's above-cited Treatise where you will find all the Authorities that have been further made use of for this Story learnedly confuted The short Reign of Galba affords us nothing relating to British Affairs no more than that of Otho only that during this last Emperor's Reign Tacitus relates That whilst Trebellius Maximus govern'd Britain he â—ell into the Hatred and Contempt of his Army for his sordid Covetousness and that this Aversion against him was heightned by Roscius Caelius Legate of the Twentieth Legion an old Enemy of his insomuch that oftentimes by flight and hiding himself he escaped
their shallows and whose Countries use had taught them to Swim govern their Horses and Fight all at once which was executed so on the sudden that the Britains who expected Fleets and thought without Shipping nothing could attack them were now surprized and daunted since they believed nothing was difficult or invincible to Men so resolutely prepared for War whereupon they desired Peace and delivered up the Island This sudden Success gained Agricola a great Reputation especially since he employed even his first Entrance into his Province in labour and War which by other Governours was spent in Ceremonies or bestowing of Commands nor did he make use of his Prosperity for Ostentation or call this Expedition a Conquest but only that he had reduced those to Obedience who had been before subdued neither did he so much as adorn his Letters to Rome with Laurels as the custom was Yet even by this slighting of Fame and Reputation he at the same time encreased it all Men admiring that having such great presumptions of future success he could thus conceal such noble Actions Having thus overcome the Britains the next thing he set himself about was to understand the Minds and Inclinations of the People having learned by long experience that little good was to be done by force whilst open injuries and oppressions were permitted therefore he resolved to cut up this War by the very Roots so beginning with his Domesticks he first of all reformed his own Family which is not less difficult to some than to Govern a Province he acted nothing of publick concern by his Freedmen or Servants nor did he nominate his Officers by his own private inclinations nor on the bare recommendations or intreaties of others but still chose the most Vertuous and Faithful he would both know and do all things himself as for small faults he pardoned them but punished great ones nor was he always satisfied with punishment but more often with Repentance putting into Offices and Commands rather such who would not offend at all than punish them when they had He also rendered the payment of Corn and other Tributes more easie by the equality of the Taxation cutting off those exactions which were invented for private gain and which were often more grievous than the Taxes themselves for the People had been compelled to attend at the publick Granaries which were on purpose kept locked against them and when opened the Publicans obliged them to take greater quantities of Corn than their necessities required and that an at extravagant rate and which they were often constrained to sell again at a lower price to make Money for other necessaries or the payment of their Tribute the Purveyors also commanding them when they pleased to carry it not to the nearest but remotest Markets compounding with such as would be excused thus causing a scarcity where there was none indeed they made a particular gain to themselves the reforming these abuses in the very First Year of his Government brought Peace into Reputation which either by the carelesness or connivances of his Predecessors had hitherto been not less dreadful than War Geoffrey of Monmouth and those that follow him do about this time make Arviragus a British King 〈◊〉 to have reigned in some part of this Island and then dying that he was succeeded by one Marius whom some will have to be the same with Gogidunâ—â— all which being as uncertain as whether there was ever any such a Man or not I shall not trouble my self to dispute since this Arviragus whom they suppose to have been his Father lived in the Reign of Domitian as I shall prove when I come to it About this time dyed the Emperor Vespasian and was succeeded by his Son Titus who rather exceeded than equal'd his Father in Valour and Worth He continued Agricola in the Government of Britain who when Summer was once come drew together his Army praising the good Discipline of his Souldiers whilst they keept close to their Ensigns and punishing the Straglers he himself always chusing the places whereon to Encamp and before hand searched the Woods and Sounded the Fords they were to pass by which means he not only hindred the Enemy from taking any rest but so continually allarmed them with fresh Excursions that be prevented the pillaging of the Roman Territories Having thus sufficiently terrified them he then began by sparing them to show them some allurements to Peace by which means many Cities that before stood upon Terms now laid down their Arms gave Hostages and received Garrisons which were all placed with such care and foresight and in such places of advantage that never any of them were attempted whereas before no new fortified place in all Britain escaped unattacked The following Winter was wholly spent in a wise and profitable design for to the end that the Britains who then lived rude and scattered and so apter to make War might be accustomed to pleasure and living at ease he privately encouraged and publickly promoted the building of Temples Houses and Places for Publick Assemblies commending the Readiness of some and quickening the Slowness of others whilst Emulation of Honour wrought more than Compulsion among them He also caused the Noble-Men's Sons to be instructed in the Liberal Sciences And by commending the Wits of Britain before these of Gaul he brought them who before hated the Roman Language to grow in love with the Latin Eloquence And now came the Roman Garb to be in fashion and the Gown no Stranger among them Thus came in by degrees all the Allurements of Vice and Voluptuous Living as Porticoes Baths with the Luxury of Banquets which was by the Ignorant called Good Breeding and Civility when indeed it was but a Badge of their own Slavery In the Third Year's Expedition Agricola discover'd new Nations wasting the Countries as far as the Frith called the Taus Thus by the Terrour of his Marches he so aw'd the Enemy that though his Army was much harass'd by bad Weather yet durst they not attack him so that he had time enough to build Forts And those that were skilful took notice that no other General did more prudently chuse Places fit to be fortified So that no Castle of Agricola's was ever taken by Force or deserted But from these being well provided with Provisions for a Years Siege his Men made frequent Sallies So that the Enemy who before used in Winter to re-gain what in Summer they had lost were now alike in both Seasons straitned and kept short Neither did Agricola as too covetous of Honour attribute to himself things done by others since every Officer or Centurion had him for an impartial Witness as well as Judge of his Actions And though he were taxed by some as too bitter in his Reproofs yet must it be granted that as he was gentle to the Good so he was morose to the bad but his Anger did not last long Nor needed one to
concludes in advising them to make an end of the War and to Fifty Years Labours add one great concluding Day by which means they should approve themselves to their Country and that it should never be justly laid to their Charge that they had Protracted the War nor let slip any Opportunity of compleating their Conquest Whilst Agricola was yet speaking the Soldiers expressed great Signs of their Eagerness and Resolution but the Conclusion of his Speech was received with loud and joyful Acclamations whilst every Man stood to his Arms and shewed his Impatience to march on Agricola order'd the Battel after this manner his Main Body was made up of Eight Thousand Auxiliary Foot and Three Thousand Horse were placed in the Wings the Legions being set in the Rear before the Camp for the greater Glory of the Victory if it could be won without any loss of Roman Blood if otherwise for Succour and Assistance The British Army for the greater shew and Terror was drawn upon a rising Gound the first Battalion stood on the Plain the next a degree higher as the Hill ascended the Field rang with the Clattering Noise of Chariots and Horsemen rangeing up and down Agricola perceiving the Enemy exceeded him in numbers and fearing lest they might attack him in the Front and Flanks at once stretch'd out his Front in length and although by that means his Van-guard was somewhat thin and that many Councelled him to take the Legions into it yet he stood firm to his first Resolution and alighting from his Horse placed himself at the head of the Foot before the Ensigns The Fight began at a distance with missive Weapons wherein the Britains shew'd wondrous Skill and Constancy for with their broad Swords and short Targets they either avoided the Darts or shook them off and in return liberally bestow'd whole Showres of their own Agricola perceiving this Disadvantage commanded Three Batavian Cohorts and Two of the Tungrians that they should bring it speedily to dint of Sword which they easily performed as being fitted for it by long exercise but the Britains on the other side having little Targets and huge unwildly Swords without points lay under a great disadvantage nor could endure a close down right fighting so that when the Batavians came to exchange blows with them and to make at their Faces with the Pikes of their Targets they easily bore them down and prosecuting their Victory advanced to the side of the Hill the rest of the Cohorts being spurr'd on by Emulation and striking at all that were near them run on in the same course leaving for hast many behind them some half Dead others untouch'd in the mean while as the Horse-men fled the Chariots brake in upon the Foot so they who had lately terrified others were now distressed themselves being penn'd in by their own close Ranks as well as the unevenness of the Ground But the manner of this Battel was not like a loose skirmish of Horsemen but all keeping their Ranks endeavoured by the weight of their Horses to bear down the Enemy and now might be seen Chariots without Drivers and the affrighted Horses running to and fro without Riders overturning all that met them or thwarted their way But when those Britains who had not yet engaged but on the tops of the Hills despised the paucity of the Romans began to draw down by degrees and taking a compass to fall upon them in the Rear Agricola having foreseen their design with Four Squadrons of Horse which he had reserved for such a purpose opposed their Descent and driving them back with as great hast as they had come forward put them totally to flight so that now this project of the Britains was turned upon themselves some Troops of Horse being by the General 's order taken from the Front of the Battel and sent to charge the Enemy in the Rear then might have been seen in the open Plain a great and dismal Scene of War some pursuing wounding taking and then killing those that were taken when other fresh ones came in the way now whole Regiments of the Britains according to their several dispositions though Arm'd and more numerous turning their backs whilst others though unarm'd ran desperately upon the Swords of their Enemies the whole field was covered with scattered Arms Dead Bodies with mangled Limbs and Blood whilst many wallowing in their own gore ceased not to give some proofs of their last Anger and Revenge But when the Britains by running away had got nearer the Woods rallying again they circumvented those that pursued them as being unwary and ignorant of those places Agricola who was every where prevented this by sending out some Light Arms yet strong Cohorts and as also by Commanding some of his Horse-men to alight and scoure the thickest parts of the Wood these might have suffered considerably for their rashness But when the Britains once saw that the Romans followed the pursuit close and in good order they all fled thô not as before in whole Troops and Companies but dispersed and stragling into remote and by-places until Night and the satiety of slaughter put an end to the chase Of the Britains Ten Thousand were Slain Of the Romans Three Hundred and Forty amongst which was Aurelius Atticus Commander in chief of a Cohort who through Youthful heat and the over-much mettle of his Horse was carried into the midst of the Enemy The Night was spent with Joy by the Romans being now flush'd with Victory and Spoil but the Britains ran wandring up and down Men and Women howling together some lug'd on the Wounded whilst others cryed for help to those that were not hurt some forsook their Houses and of their own accord set Fire on them searching out holes to hide themselves in for safety which they as quickly left to find out others sometimes in consult together they entertained some glimmerings of hope and then again fell into despair being sometimes dispirited and some enraged at the sight of their dearest Relations and it is certain that many out of a cruel compassion laid violent hands on their Wives and Children to secure them from the cruelty of the Romans But Day appearing gave a plainer prospect of their Victory every where reign'd desolation and silence the Hills being forsaken and the Cottages smoaking afar off when the Scouts brought word that no body appear'd only that they found the uncertain Footsteps of their flight Whereupon Agricola because the Summer was far spent and that no fit Season to divide his Forces brought them in an entire body into the borders of the Horesti supposed to be the Inhabitants of Eske-Dale in Scotland where having received Hostages he Commanded the Admiral of his Fleet to Sail round about Britain furnishing him with all things necessary but the terrour of the Navy was gone before whilst he with slow and easie marches to the end he might strike the greater terrour into the new Conquer'd Nations
to it now it is certain that he was not chosen Pope till the Year of our Lord 171 at the soonest or according to Eusebius's Chronicle till 176 and so Lucius's Conversion must have happened in the Time of Marcus Aurelius to which time the English Saxon Annals as also Bede himself with divers others of our Ancient Historians as well Foreign as English do refer it though Roger of Wendover and other Authors about the same Age refer it to Anno Dom. 184 which falls out in the Second or Third Year of the Emperour of Commodus which seems most likely if it were ever done at all But that there was never any such King seems to some learned Men very probable since Gildas makes no mention of any such thing but says the time of Christ's being first Preached in this Island was as early as the first Conquest of it by the Romans besides which the Monks who have since new drest up this Story not only make him to have been King of all Britain but to have settled Christianity in all parts of his Dominions and instead of Flamens and Arch-Flamens in the chief Cities as London York c. to have placed the Arch-Bishops and Bishops in their rooms which is impossible to be true since the Title of Arch-Bishop was not then known in the Church nor could Lucius settle Christianity all over Britain which was then either under the power of the Romans or else what remained unconquered was absolutely Heathen and Barbarous at the time of this supposed conversion But however I think we may safely follow Arch-Bishop Usher and Doctor Stillingfleet in allowing the common Tradition of King Lucius and that he had Regal Authority under the Romans in some part of this Island since the two Coins seen by the said Arch Bishop the one of Gold and the other of Silver with the Image of a King on them and the Letters LVC with a Cross do sufficiently evidence it But in what part of Britain he governed whether as Successour to Prasutagus among the Iceni or else was King of the Belgae or was Successor to Cogidunus over the Regni in those parts that we now call Surrey and Sussex I will not take upon me to determine thô I rather incline to the last being Dr. Stillingfleet's Opinion for the Reasons and Conjectures he gives us in the same Chapter but as for the Letters pretended to have been writ by Pope Eleutherius to King Lucius thô they are inserted among the Laws of K. Edward the Confessor and are also to be found in an old Book of the Constitutions of the City of London I shall not trouble you with the Contents of them since they plainly discover their Imposture to any Man at all versed in Antiquities I have no more to add concerning this King but that the Grisons make him to have been their Apostle and to have first preached the Gospel in their Country and shew his Tomb at Cloir to this Day which can by no means agree with our British as well as English Historians who all suppose that he dyed in his own Country without any Children But to return again to the civil History of Britain we further find that under the Emperour Commodus Britain as well as other Countries was much infested with Waâ—s and Seditions for Xiphiline in his Epitomy of Dion relates that the British War was the greatest of all others because the Britains having broken through the Wall which divided their Territories from that of the Romans had laid wast many places and had cut off the Roman General together with his Army whereupon Commodus terrified with this Rebellion sent Ulpius Marcellus against them who was a sober and modest Man and lived after the rate of a Common Souldier he was also Stout anâ— Magnanimous in his Warlike Expeditions but thô he was not to be corrupted with Money yet was not at all complaisant in his Conversation but as for the other examples this Author gives us of his great Vigilance and Temperance they are so trivial that they do not merit any particular relation and I could have wisht that Xiphilin his Epitomator would have been more sparing in his Character and larger upon the Actions of this great Man for all he tells us further of him is that he did very great mischief to the Barbarous People in Britain for which he was very near being made away by Commodus because of his Vertue yet that nevertheless he let him alone Britain being again brought to Obedience by so worthy a Commander after he was recalled began to fall into more dangerous Commotions for Aelius Lampridius in his Life of this Emperour tells us That now stubbornness began to break into the Roman Camp and the Military Discipline of the British Army being relaxed the Souldiers began to refuse to Obey Commodus and would have set up another Emperour against him for Perennis who was than in highest power with his Prince removing Senators set Men only of the equestrial Order to Command the British Army which being made known by their Lieutenant Perennis was declared a publick Enemy by the Souldiers for as Dion farther relates the Army in Britain mutinying against Perennis sent no less than 1500 of their own number into Italy to represent their Grievances at Rome and being admitted to the Emperour's presence they told him that the reason of their coming was to let him know that Perennis had conspired against him and endeavoured to make his Son Emperour to which Commodus giving credit at the Instigation of Cleander immediately delivered up Perennis thô then Praefectus Pretorii to the power of the Praetorian Bands whom he then commanded who soon dispatched him but Commodus listed those 1500 who were sent out of Britain among those Bands who were his Guards Perennis being thus dispatched Commodus sent Hâ—â—vius Pertinax afterwards Emperor in to Britain though he was then employ'd against the Parthians who when he came hither did what he could to hinder the Soldiers from Sedition who would rather have had any other Man for their Emperor than Commodus and especially Pertinax himself yet he then underwent the Censure of an envious Person because he was said to have accused Antistius Burrbus and Aristius Antonius to Commodus of affecting the Empire so that though he quell'd some Seditions in Britain yet he escaped a great danger being almost kill'd in a Mutiny of one of the Legions and left for dead among the slain which Fact though Pertinax severely revenged it upon the Mutineer yet afterwards he asked leave to be dismiss'd of his Government alledging that the Legions were displeased with him for holding them too close to Discipline Having thus received a Successor he was after some time made Proconsul of Africa After Pertinax Clodius Albinus a Man of great Birth and Valour was made Lieutenant of Britain He had before got himself a great Reputation whil'st he govern'd Gaul but routing
Fifty Thousand Souldiers which is also confirm'd by Dion who further tells us That he fought no set Battel nor yet saw any Forces of the Enemies in Battell Array but that they did often leave their Sheep and Oxen on purpose that the Romans going out of the way to seize them might be the more easily taken and overcome besides all this the want of Water much troubled the Romans and Ambushes were laid for those that went about stragling to find it And when they were not able to march any further for want of it they were killed by their fellow Souldiers least they should be taken by the Enemy But in this Expedition the wicked cariage of Bassianus gave Severus perpetual trouble not only because he lived debauchedly but also for that it was evident as soon as he had Power he would kill his Brother and had also made some attempts against Severus himself for he ran once all of a sudden out of his Tent crying out that he was much injur'd by Castor who was the worthiest Man in Severus's Court and was privy to his most secret Councils being the chief of his Bed-chamber the same with the Lord Chamberlain with us Now there were before ready prepared some Soldiers on purpose who upon Bassianus's thus crying out came to his Assistance and as Herodian says proclaim'd him Augustus whereupon Severus immediately made himself to be carried to the Tribunal and having order'd all those Officers and Souldiers who had been engaged in this Action as also his Son who had taken upon him the Name of Augustus to appear before him He commanded them all except his Son to be put to Death when they all begging pardon for their offence fell down prostrate before him upon which he pardon'd them then touching his own Head with his Hand said At last you 'l find that it is a Man's Head and not his Feet that Govern but Dion says he did put some of the most Seditious of them to Death who also further relates that at another time when both the Father and the Son were marching together into Caledonia Bassianus did openly endeavour to kill his Father for as they rode at the head of the Army the Enemies Forces being in sight he stopp'd his Horse and privately drew his Sword that he might run his Father into the back which when those perceived who followed them they presently cryed out at which Bassianus being startled stopt his blow but Severus thereupon turning about saw his Sword drawn yet then said nothing but returning to the Camp went into the Praetorium and there called before him his Son together with Papinian and Castor then Commanding the naked Sword to be laid before them he sharply reproved him that not only now in the sight of his Army but also at other times he had attempted so great a wickedness concluding thus if thou desirest to kill me kill me now for thou art Younger and in full strength and I am Old and can scarce stir which if thou refusest to do with thine own Hand here is Papinian our Prefect whom thou may'st command to kill me for he will do what ever thou bidst him since thou art already Emperor Thô Severus said all this he did no more to his Son notwithstanding he had often blamed Marcus Aurelius that he had not put his Son Commodus to Death but Severus said this only in his passion for his Son was dearer to him than the good of the Common-wealth thô by this means he did as good as Sacrifice his Younger Son to the Elder since he might easily guess what would happen when ever he should die Herodian confirms the same Story and that though several Grave and Wise Men had perswaded him to put his Son to Death yet he refused it too much indulging his paternal Affection The War being thus happily ended Severus in Memory of these Victories caused Coins to be Stamp'd with this Inscription Victoria Britannica and upon the Frontiers of what he had now Conquer'd built a Wall cross the Island from Sea to Sea which our Author judges to have been the most magnificent of all his undertakings and that he thence received the Stile of Britannicus It was in length 132 Miles Orosius makes it fortified with a deep Trench and at certain Spaces by many Towers Buchanan in his History of Scotland will needs place it in Scotland between the Friths of Bodotria and Glotta in the same place which Lollius Urbicus and Agricola had fortified before whilst Mr. Camden affirms it to be only Hadâ—ianus's Wall re-edified and which passes through the higher parts of Cumberland between the Rivers Tine and Eske and brings very good Authorties for this Opinion out of the Roman Authors as well as Inscriptions near the said Wall in which the name of Severus is particularly mentioned which Wall is called by the English the Picts Wall by the Britains Gual Sever and by the Scots Mur Sever all which denominations do manifestly denote the name of its Founder whereas the name of Greames Dike by which the present Scots call the Ruins of that Wall or Trench which is still to be seen in Scotland doth no way denote Severus to have been its founder There is also another Argument that this was the place where he built this Wall we now treat of for between Dun Britton and Edinburgh Friths although there be many Ruins of continued Fortifications yet are they not so visible as this of ours nor doth the Wall in Scotland seem to have been of that strength and solidity as this of Severus is related by all Authors and as by its Ruines still appears to be But the former Wall or Trench seems to have been only faced with Stone about Two Foot thick and then lined within with Earth there are also divers other Arguments to prove it was the same with Hadrian's there built before as first the number of Miles which Spartianus hath truly reckon'd to be Eighty whereas between Edinburgh and Dunbritton there is not half that distance but if any shall object that Eutropius hath reckon'd the length thereof to be but Thirty Five Miles and Aurelius Victor Thirty two yet how even this can agree with the distance between the Friths of Edinburgh and Dunbritton let them consider who maintain this Opinion since even that will not agree with the distance between those two Rivers and thô it is true that Aurelius Victor one of the most authentic Authors that writes of this Matter makes the space that this Wall extended it self between the two Seas to be 30 Miles and Eutropius 35 whilst some later Authors have stretch'd it to 132 Miles yet Arch-Bishop Usher in his Learned Work already cited hath shewn us that these different Accounts may be reconciled by supposing that both Victor and Eutropius at first writ LXXXII Miles in Roman Figures and that afterwards by the carelesness of some Transcribers the L. was left out
Batavi Herculi Jovii and Victores he marched toward London that ancient City which was afterwards called Augusta and dividing his Forces into several Parties fell upon these Rovers whilst they marched scattered up and down laden with Booty so that easily routing them the Plunder and Captives he quickly recovered and having restored all to their respective owners except some small Portion bestowed on the weary Soldiers he returned to the said City in a triumphant manner and thô before it laboured under many Difficulties he hereby restored it to its former Splendour being emboldened with this Success to undertake greater Matters entring into a ferious consideration what was further to be done he found by what he got out of the Prisoners and Fugitives that the Enemy consisting of divers Nations was too fierce and numerous to be mastered by downright Force but rather by Stratagems and sudden Attacks He first therefore by Promises of Pardon brought most of his own Deserters and Stragglers to return to their Colours but being himself taken up with divers Cares he sent for Civilis to govern Britain as Vice-Praefect a Man of a sharp Wit and a strict observer of Justice with Dulcitius a Commander very famous for his Military Skill Of which Expedition the same Author gives us this short general Account in another place That Theodosius having by his Industry got together an Army of well-disciplined Souldiers marching from London he extreamly relieved the Calamities of the Britains seizing upon all Places from which he might infest the Enemy and commanding his common Souldiers nothing which he did not first undertake himself by which means he performed both the Duties of a valiant Souldier and a famous Commander divers Nations being put to flight who had before been encouraged by Impunity to assault the Roman Territories and repaired the Cities and Castles which had before suffered very much so that a firm Peace was hereby established for a long time But the Year following whil'st Theodosius was thus employ'd there happen'd a horrid Conspiracy which had like to have proved of dangerous Consequence had it not been stifled in its very Birth For one Valentinus of Pannonia a Man of an insolent and unquiet Spirit being for some great Crime banish'd into Britain this wretch impatient of rest contrived a Plot against Theodosius who was the only Obstacle to his wicked designs so that considering by what means he might bring them to pass his Ambitious desires still encreasing he excited some Souldiers and Outlaw'd persons by promising them both Pardon and Preferment And now the time drawing near for effecting his Treason the General being informed thereof and being now become more bold to take Revenge on the Conspirators seized them and delivered them all to Dulcius the Prefect to be put to Death but judging of things future by that long Military Experience in which he excelled all others of his time he forbid any further enquiry into the rest of the Plotters lest many being thereby made afraid those troubles which had been already compos'd should be again revived Then falling to the reforming more necessary things now the danger was over and that it was evident good fortune attended all his undertakings he restored the Cities and Garisons as we have already said fortifying the Borders with constant Watches and Guards which though now recovered had been formerly given up to the Enemy so that the Northern Province being restored to its former condition appointing a new Governour over it he order'd that it should for the future be called Valentia in Honour of Valentinian the Emperour He also removed the Areans from their Stations a sort of Men Instituted in former times to good purpose thô who these Men were we know not but there seems here to be somewhat wanting in the Copy but our Author tells us That he had said somewhat more of them in the Acts of Constans which Book is lost but these sort of Men now fallen into Vices were openly convicted that being allur'd by Promises and Rewards they were often wont to betray to the Barbarians whatsoever was done among the Romans though it ought to have been their business by running to and fro to give notice to the Roman Generals of the Motions of the neighbouring Nations So that all these actions being so well executed when Theodosius was recalled he left this Province in Peace and being attended with the general applause of all Men to the Sea-side he passed over to wait upon the Emperour who received him with great commendations Nor can I here omit inserting that noble Eulogy which Claudian the Poet hath given this renowned General Theodosius in his Panegyrick to his Grandson Honorius in these Verses Facta tui numerabit Avi quem littus adusti Horrescit Lybiae ratibusque impervia Thule Ille leves Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotumque vago mucrone secutus Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus undas He shall relate thy Gransier's Acts whose name Burnt Libya dreads and Thule known by Fame Who the light Moores and Painted Picts did tame And with his Sword the roving Scots pursued Whil'st with bold Oars He Northern Seas subdued By which last Verses he seems to intimate that as he tamed the Picts by Land so he pursued the Scots by Sea but what are meant by those Hyperborianae Waters whether the Irish Ocean or the Friths of Dunbritton called in the Old Scotish Laws Mare Scoticum I shall not take upon me to determine But those Antiquaries who would have the Scots to be planted in Ireland in the time of Claudian do urge these Verses of the same Poâ—t in the next Panegyrick to that Emperour when speaking in praise also of his said Grandfather he thus proceeds maduerunt Saxone fuso Orcades in caluit Pictorum Sanguine Thule Scotorum tumulos flevit glacialis Ierne The Orcades were moistened with a Flood Of Saxon Gore and Thule by the Blood Of Picts was warmed nor did Ierne fail Whole heaps of Scots then slaughter'd to bewail And about these times the Picts and Scots raising fresh disturbances the Emp. Valentinian sent Framarius King of the Almans whose Country had been totally destroyed by a late incursion into Britain though with no higher a command than that of a Tribune over a Regiment of his own Country Men then highly in request for their Valour and Fidelity but what he did here Ammianus ceases to tell us So that being for the future bereft of the help of good Historians we must be forced to take up with such scraps as we can pick up here and there out of Zosimus Orosius and with other Epitomators of better Authors now lost The Emperour now Valentinian dying his Sons Flavius Gratianus and Fl. Valentinianus succeeded him in the Western Empire in the Fifth Year of whose Reign the Emperour Gratian created Theodosius Son to the former his Partner in the Empire assigning him the East for his
be uncertain yet between the Years 402 and 406 Pelagius a British Monk whose Welsh Name is supposed to have been Morgan as being of the same signification with the Latin Name of Pelagius broached his Heresie for absolute Free will without the assisting Grace of God which Opinion was afterwards condemned by divers Councils in France and Africa and was also confuted by St. Augustine About which times also flourished Festidus a learned Bishop if not an Arch-bishop of Britain who writ a Pious Treatise De Vita Beata and who by some late Romish Writers hath been accused of Pelagianism from which imputation he is justly vindicated by the said Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet in his above cited work Nor did this Island remain long free from this Pelagian Heresie for he having as it is supposed perverted divers of his Country-men abroad they afterward returning home brought it over and dispersed it here and was especially propagated by one Agricola the Son of Severian a Pelagian Bishop as Bede informs us who farther says that the Britains when they would by no means receive so perverse a Doctrine that blasphemes the grace of Christ nor yet were able by disputing to refute so settled an Errour they took a safer course to send for aid in this spiritual warfare from the Bishops of France for which cause a great Synod being there assembled it was proposed who was most fitting to be sent to succour the true Belief then assaulted when by the common votes of them all Germanus Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troyes were chosen to go and confirm Britain in the Catholick Faith who when they had received the command of that Church passed the Sea and landed here though not without great danger from Storms which Bede supposes to be raised by the Devil and which he also says were to be lay'd by the Prayers of Bishop German as soon as they landed they were joyfully received both by the Clergy and People to whom they forthwith preached not only in the Churches but also in the High-ways and Streets whereby the Faithful Christians were confirmed and many Hereticks brought back to the Truth at which the Heads of the Heretical party being very much concern'd though they lay for a great while private yet at last fearing their silence would be interpreted as a quitting of their cause a publick disputation was agreed upon between them which was as some of our Authours relate at Verulam where the Hereticks appeared in a splendid garb and encompassed with a great number of Followers so that there met a great multitude of People on both sides to be as well Spectators as Judges where in the first place Germanus and Lupus allowed their Adversaries a full liberty of disputing which took up much time to little purpose then the Bishops with a Torrent of proofs drawn from the Holy Scriptures bore down all before them backing their Reasons with Divine Authorities whereby the Pelagians being non-plus'd had nothing to reply so that the People being the Judges could scarce refrain their Hands from them and testified their resentment by their great clamour against them Nor did these Bishops think this enough but as Bede further relates from one Constantius who lived within Fifty Years after this was done they thought fit likewise to confirm their Doctrine by Miracles for a certain Magistrate bringing his Daughter of Ten Years Old being Blind offer'd her to the Pelagians to be cured who refusing to undertake it the Bishops were desired to do it who as this Authour relates after Prayers to God restored the Girl to sight by the Application of certain Saints Relicts to her Eyes whereupon the People were so astonished that banishing all Errour from their Minds they followed the Doctrine of these Holy Bishops who it seems were not however very fond of these Relicts but as the same Authors have it opening the Tomb of St. Alban at Verulam buried them all therein to the intent that one Grave might contain the Bones of all those Saints collected from so many several Regions who being equal in merit the same Heaven had also received this done Germanus only took away in exchange a small lump of Earth which was yet stained with the Blood of the Martyr I shall pass over the rest of the real or pretended Miracles of these Bishops though related by Bede as being of less moment and come to that famous Victory which he from the same Authours relates to have been obtained by their means which was thus That not long after their coming the Picts and Saxons made a fierce Invasion upon the Britains who marching out against them and mistrusting their own Forces sent to Germanus and his Collegue to help them reposing more confidence in the Spiritual strength of those Two Holy Men than in their own Thousands so these Bishops being arrived their presence in the British Camp seem'd not less than if a whole Army had come to second them It was then the time of Lent and the People instructed by the daily Sermons of these Pastors came flocking to receive Baptism to which purpose a place in the Camp was made up of Green Boughs like a Church against the Day of the Lords Resurrection the Army being there Baptized march'd out to Fight and contemning the Defence of Arms only expected Divine assistance the Enemy hearing how they were imploy'd seem'd assured of the Victory when Germanus who also had intelligence of their approach undertook to be their Captain and riding out with some select Troops to discover what advantages the place might offer happen'd on a Valley encompassed with Hills through which the Enemy was to pass and placing there an ambush warned them that what words they heard him pronounce aloud the same they should all repeat with an universal shout the Enemy march'd on securely and German Thrice aloud cryed Halelujah which being answered by the Souldiers with a sudden noise and clamour was also much encreased by the Ecchoes from the Neighbouring Hills and Woods the Scots and Picts startled hereat and supposing it the shout of a Mighty Army flung down their Arms and fled and for hast many of them were drowned in that River they had newly passed The Victory thus obtained without fighting yielded the Britains great store of spoil and procured to Bishop German greater Authority and Reputation than before The place of this Fight is reported to have been near a Town called Guiderac in the British Tongue but in the English Mould in Flintshire and the place is called Maes German that is German's Field to this Day But there are two Objections to be made against the Truth of this Relation The first is how the Britains could fight against the Saxons before their arrival here under Aingist which was not till above Twenty Years after Secondly how the Britains who had been Christians for above Three Hundred Years should need to be new Baptized To the former of
a cold stone Edwin wondering not a little who he might be asked him again What his sitting within doors or without concerned him To whom he again replied Think not that who thou art or why sitting here or what danger hangs over thee is to me unknown But what would you promise to that man who would free you out of all these Troubles and persuade Redwald not to molest you nor give you up to your Enemies All that I am able answered Edwin to the Unknown Then he proceeds thus What if the same Person should promise to make you greater than any English King hath been before you I should not doubt replied Edwin to be answerably Grateful But what if to all this he would inform you saith the other of a way to Happiness beyond what any of your Ancestors had known Would you hearken to his Counsel Edwin without any Hesitancy promised he would Then the other laying his right Hand on his Head said When this Sign shall next befall you remember this Night and this Discourse nor defer to perform what thou hast now promised And with these words disappearing he was not only convinced that it was not a Man but a Spirit that had thus talked with him But the Royal Youth was also much revived when on the sudden his Friend who had been gone all this while to listen farther what was like to be resolved concerning him comes back and joyfully bids him go to his Repose for that the King's Mind tho for a while drawn aside was now fully resolved not only never to betray him but to defend him against all his Enemies as he had promised In short the King was as good as his word and not only refused to deliver him up but also raising Forces thereby helped him to regain his Kingdom For the next Year as the Saxon Annals relate Ethelfrid King of Northumberland was slain by Redwald King of the East Angles and Eadwin the Son of Aella succeeded him in that Kingdom who subjected all Britain to him except only Kent He also banished the Royal Youths the Sons of Ethelfrid viz. Ealfrid the eldest Son as also Oswald and Oswin with many other Princes whose Names would be tedious here to be repeated But Will. of Malmesbury gives us a more particular Account of this Fight and that since War had been denounced by Ethelfrid upon his refusing to deliver Edwin that thereupon Redwald determin'd to be before-hand with the Danger and with an Army raised on the sudden surprize Ethelfrid being not aware of an Invasion and in a Fight near to the East side of the River Idel on the Mercian Border now in Nottinghamshire slew him dispatching easily those few Forces which he had got to march out over-hastily with him who yet as a Testimony that his Fortune and not his Valour was to be blamed slew with his own Hands Reiner the King's Son And H. Huntington adds That this Battle was so great and bloody that the River Idel was stained with the Blood And that the Forces of King Redwald being very well drawn up the King of the Northumbers as if he had been sure of the Victory rushing in among the thickest Ranks slew Reiner above-mentioned and wholly routed that Wing of the Army But Redwald not terrified with so great a Blow but rather more incensed renewed the Fight with the two remaining Bodies which being not to be broken by the Northumbers Ethelfrid having got among the thickest of his Enemies further than he ought in Prudence to have done was after a great Slaughter there slain upon which his whole Army fled but his two Sons by Acca King Edwin's Sister Oswald and Oswi escaped into Scotland This End had King Ethâ—lfrid a Prince most skilful in War thô utterly ignorant of the Christian Religion By this Victory Redwald became so far Superiour to the other Saxon Kings that Bede reckons him as the next after Aella and Ethelbert who had all England on this side Humber under his Obedience But to look back a little to Ecclesiastical Affairs about this time Laurentius the Archbishop died and was buried near Augustine his Predecessor to whom succeeded Mellitus who was Bishop of London this Mellitus is related by Bede to have by his Prayers stopp'd a great Fire in Canterbury by causing the Wind to blow the quite contrary way to what it did before which at last quite falling the Fire ceased with it He sat Archbishop only five Years This Year Cadwallo is supposed by Radulphus de Diceto to have succeeded his Father Cadwan in the Kingdom of Britain though some of the Welsh Chronicles make him to have began to reign four Years before But as for Geoffery of Monmouth who gives a large and very improbable Account of this King 's Martial Actions and therefore needless to be here repeated it is not his Custom to cite any Authors nor give any Year or Account when his Kings began to reign or when they died This Year Mellitus deceased and was buried with his Predecessors to whom immediately succeeded Justus who had been hitherto Bishop of Rochester but the Year following Paulinus a Roman was consecrated by Justus to be Bishop of the Northumbers for Bede tells us he had before received Authority from Pope Boniface to ordain what Bishops he pleased and as the present occasion should require the Pope sending also a Pall to bestow upon him at the same time To this Year Bede also refers the Conversion of the Northumbers that is all those English-Saxons who lived North of the River Humber together with Edwin their King to the Christian Faith who as an earnest of his future Faith had the Power of his Empire already so encreased that he took the utmost Borders of Britain under his Protection but the occasion of his Conversion was through his Alliance with the King of Kent by his marrying Ethelburga the Daughter of King Ethelbert whom when he sent to desire of her Brother Eadbald for his Wife it was answered That it was not Lawful to bestow a Christian Virgin in Marriage with a Heathen Which when the Messengers related it to King Edwin he promised he would act nothing contrary to that Faith which the Virgin professed but would rather permit a free exercise of her Religion to all those Priests and others who should attend her Neither did he deny to receive the same Religion himself provided upon a just Examination it should appear more Holy and worthy of GOD. Upon these Terms the Lady was sent to Edwin and Paulinus being ordained Bishop as was before resolved on was sent as a Spiritual Guardian to the Virgin who when he came to King Edwin's Court used his utmost Endeavour to convert the Pagans to the Christian Faith but to little purpose for a long time tho' at last he prevailed by this occasion For the year following When Cuichelme at that time one of the two West-Saxon Kings envious of the
assistance to revenge their quarrel which happen'd the next Year as the same Authour relates For This Year not long before the Death of King Egfrid that Holy Man Cuthbert was by the same King ordered to be ordained Bishop of Lindisfarne thô he was at first chosen to be Bishop of Hagulstaed instead of Trumbert who had been before deposed from that Bishoprick yet because Cuthbert liked the Church of Lindisfarne better in which he had so long convers'd Eatta was made to return to the See of Hagulstad to which he was at first ordained whilest Cuthbert took the Bishoprick of Lindisfarne But I shall now give you from Bede a farther account of the Life of this good Bishop he had been first bred in the Monastery of Mailross and was afterwards made Abbot of the Monastery of Lindisfarne retiring from whence he had for a long time lived the Life of an Anchorite in the Isle of Farne not far distant but when there was a great Synod assembled King Egfrid being present at a place called Twiford near the River Alne where Arch-Bishop Theodore presiding Cuthbert was by the general consent of them all chosen Bishop who when he could not by any Messages or Letters be drawn from his Cell at length the King himself with Bishop Trumwin and other Noble and Religious Persons sailed thither where they at last after many intreaties prevailed upon him to go with them to the Synod and when he came there thô he very much opposed it yet he was forced to accept the Episcopal Charge and so was consecrated Bishop the Easter following and after his Consecration in imitation of the blessed Appostles he adorned his calling by his good Works for he constantly taught the People commited to his Charge and incited them to the love of Heaven by his constant Prayers and Exhoâ—tations and which is the chief part of a Teacher whatsoever he Taught he himself first practised so having lived in this manner about Two Years being then sensible that the time of his Death or rather of his future Life drew near he again retired to the same Island and Hermitage from whence he came The same Year also King Egfrid rashly lead out his Army to destroy the Province of the Picts thô his Friends and principally Bishop Cuthbert did all they could to hinder it and having now entred the Country he was brought before he was aware by the feigned flight of his Enemies between the streights of certain inaccessible Mountains where he with the greatest part of his Forces he had brought with him were all cut off in the Fortieth Year of his Age and the Fifteenth of his Reign And as the Year aforegoing he refused to hear Bishop Cuthbert who diswaded him from invading Ireland which did him no harm so Bede observes it was a just Judgment upon him for that Sin that he would not hear those who would then have prevented his Ruine From this time the Grandeur and Valour of this Kingdom of the Northumbers began to decline for the Picts now recovered their Country which the English had taken away and the Scots that were in Britain with some part of the Britains themselves regain'd their Liberty which they did enjoy for the space of Forty Six Years after when Bede wrote his History But Alfred Brother to this King succeeding him quickly recovered his Kingdom thô reduced into narrower bounds He was also a Prince very well read in the Holy Scriptures The same Year as the Saxon Annals relate Kentwin King of the West-Saxons dying Ceadwalla began to Reign over that Kingdom whose Pedegree is there inserted which I shall refer to another place and the same Year also died Lothair King of Kent as Bede relates of the Wounds he had received in a Fight against the South Saxons in which Edric his Brother Egbert's Son Commanded against him and reigned in his stead This Year also according to the Annals John was consecrated Bishop of Hugulstad and remained so till Bishop Wilfrith's return but afterwards Bishop Bosâ— dying John became Bishop of York but from thence many Years after retired to his Monastry in Derawnde now called Beverlie in York-shire This Year it rained Blood in Britain and also Milk and Butter were now turned into somewhat like Blood You are here to take notice that this Bishop John above mentioned is the famous St. John of Beverlie of whom Bede in the next Book tells so many Miracles But our Annals do here require some farther Illustration for this Ceadwalla here mentioned was the Grandson of Ceawlin by his Brother Cutha who being a Youth of great hopes was driven into Banishment by his Predecessour and as Stephen Heddi in Bishop Wilfrid's Life relates lay concealed among the Woods and Desarts of Chyltern and Ondred and there remained for a long time till raising an Army thô Bede does not say from whence he slew Aldelwald King of the South-Saxons and seized upon his Province but was soon driven out by two of that King's Captains viz. Bertune and Autune who for some time kept that Kingdom to themselves the former of whom was afterwards slain by the same Ceadwalla when he became King of the West-Saxons but the other who reigned after him again set it free from that servitude for many Years from whence it happen'd that all that time they had no Bishop of their own for when Wilfrid return'd home they became subject to the Bishop of the West-Saxons that is of Dorchester which return as the Author of Wilfrid's Life relates happen'd this Year being the Second of King Alfred's Reign who then invited him home and restored him to his Bishoprick as also to his Monastery at Rypun together with all his other Revenues according to the Decree of Pope Agatho and the Council at Rome above mentioned all which he enjoyed till his second Expulsion as you will hear in due time After Ceadwalla had obtain'd the Kingdom he subdued the Isle of Wight which was as yet infected with Idolatry and therefore this King resolved to destroy all the Inhabitants and to Plant the Island with his own Subjects obliging himself by a Vow althô he himself as it is reported was not yet baptized that he would give the Fourth part of his Conquests to God which he made good by offering it to Bishop Wilfrid who was then come thither by chance out of his own Country The Island consisted of about Two Thousand Families and the King bestowed upon this Bishop as much Land there as then maintained Three Hundred Families the Care of all which the Bishop committed to one of his Clerks named Bernwin his Sisters Son who was to Baptize all those that would be saved Bede also adds That amongst the first Fruits of Believers in that Island there were two Royal Youths Brothers who were the Sons of Arwald late King thereof who having hid themselves for fear of King Ceadwalla were at last discovered and by
Plunder and Spoil But of this we shall speak more in due time and shall now proceed in our History where we left off in our last Book Egbert the only surviving Prince of the Blood-Royal of the West Saxon Kings as great Nephew to Ina by his Brother Inegilds being arrived in England was now ordained King as Ethelwerd expressly terms his Election But since Asser in his Annals places this King 's coming to the Crown under Anno 802. as does Simeon of Durham and also Roger Howden from an Ancient piece of Saxon Chronologie inserted at the beginning of the first Book of his first part and this account being also proved by that great Master in Chronology the now Lord Bishop of Litchfield to be truer then that of the Saxon Annals or Ethelwerd by divers Proofs too long to be here Inserted I have made bold to put this King 's coming to the Crown two Years backwarder then it is in the last Book thô I confess the former Account in the Saxon Annals would have made a more exact Epocha Also about this time as appears from the ancient Register of St. Leonard's Abbey in York cited in Monast. Anglican viz. ' That Anno Dom. 800 Egbert King of all Britain in a Parliament at Winchester by the consent of his People changed the Name of this Kingdom and commanded it to be called England Now thô by the word Parliament here used it is certain that this Register was writ long after the Conquest yet it might be transcribed from some more ancient Monument since Will. of Malmesbury tells us of this King tho' without setting down the time that by the greatness of his Mind he reduced all the Varieties of the English Saxon Kingdoms to one uniform Empire or Dominion which he called England though others perhaps more truly refer it towards the latter end of his Reign as you will find when we come to it This Year Eardulf King of the Northumbers led his Army against Kenwulf King of Mercia for harbouring his Enemies who also gathering together a great Army they approached to each other when by the Advice of the Bishops and Noblemen of England as also by the Intercession of the chief King of the English by whom is meant King Egbert who then passed under that Title They agreed upon a lasting Peace which was also confirmed by Oath on both sides This we find in Simeon of Durham's History of that Church and in no other Authour About this time also St. Alburhe Sister to King Egbert founded a Benedictine Nunnery at Wilton which was long after rebuilt by King Alfred and augmented by King Edgar for Twenty Six Nuns and an Abbess The same Year the Moon was Eclipsed on the 13 Kal. Jan. and ' Beormod was Consecrated Bishop of Rochester About this time in Obedience to a Letter from Pope Leo III. who at the desire of Kenwulf King of the Mercians had Two Years since restored the See of Canterbury to its ancient Primacy was held the Third Synod at Cloveshoe by â—rch bishop Ethelward and 12 Bishops of his Province whereby the See of Canterbury was not only restored to all its ancient Rights and Priviledges but it was also forbid for all times to come upon Pain of Damnation if not repented of for any Man to violate the Rights of that ancient See and thereby to destroy the Unity of Christ's Holy Church then follow the Subscriptions of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and of 12 other Bishops of his Province together with those of many Abbots and Presbyters who never Subscribed before but without the Subcriptions of the King or any of the Lay Nobility Which plainly shews it to have been a meer Ecclesiastical Synod and no great Council of the Kingdom as you may see at large in Sir H. Spelman's 1 Vol of Councils the Decree of which Synod also shews that the Church of England did not then conceive the Authority of the People alone sufficient to disanul what had been solemnly Decreed in a great Council of the Kingdom as was the Removal of the Primacy from Canterbury to Litchfield The next Year According to our Annals Ethelheard Arch-bishop of Canterbury deceased and Wulfred was consecrated Arch-bishop in his stead and Forther the Abbot dyed The same Year also Deceased Higbald Bishop of Lindisfarne 8 o Kal Julii and Eegbert was Consecrated to that See 3 o Ides Junii ' This Year Wulfred the Arch bishop received his Pall. Cuthred King of Kent deceased as did also Ceolburh the Abbess and Heabyrnt the Ealdorman This Cuthred here mentioned was as Will. of Malmesbury informs us he whom Kenulph King of the Mercians hath made King of Kent instead of Ethelbert called Pren. This Year the Moon was Eclipsed on the Kal. of September and Eardwulf King of the Northumbers was driven from his Kingdom and Eanbryth Bishop of Hagulstad Deceased Also this Year 2 o Non Junii the sign of the Cross was seen in the Moon upon Wednesday in the Morning and the same Year on the Third Kal. Septemb. a wonderful Circle was seen round the Sun This Eardwulf above-mentioned is related by Simeon of Durham to have been the Son of Eardulf the first of that Name King of Northumberland and after Ten Years Reign to have been driven out by one Aelfwold who Reigned Two Years in his stead During these Confusions in the Northumbrian Kingdom Arch-Bishop Usher with great probability supposes in his Antiquitat Britan. Eccles. that the Picts and Scots Conquered the Countries of Galloway and Lothian as also those Countries called the Lowlands of Scotland as far as the Friths of Dunbritain and Edenburgh And that this City was also in the possession of the English Saxons about an Hundred Years after this I shall shew in due order of time and that our Kings did long after maintain their claim to Lothian shall be further shewn when I come to it But that all the Lowlands of Scotland as far as the English Saxon Tongue was spoken were anciently part of the Bernician Kingdom the English Language as well as the Names of places which are all English Saxon and neither Scotish nor Pictish do sufficiently make out The Sun was Eclipsed on the 7th Kal. of August about the Fifth Hour of the Day This Year as Sigebert in his Chronicle relates King Eardulph above-mentioned being expelled his Kingdom and coming for Refuge to the Emperour Charles the Great was by his Assistance restored thereunto but since neither the Saxon Annals nor Florence nor yet any of our English Historians do mention it I much doubt the Truth of this Relation thô it must be also acknowledged that it is inserted in the ancient French Annals of that time and recited that this King's Restitution was procured by the Intercession of the Pope's and Emperour's Legates who were sent into England for that purpose This Year according to Mat. Westminster Egbert King of the West
England and took up their Winter Quarters at Theodford the same Winter King Eadmund fought with them but the Danes gained the Victory and slew that holy King and destroying all the Monasteries that lay in their way they wholly conquered that Kingdom The Names of the Princes who slew him were Higwais and Uâ—ba whom other Writers call Hinguar and Hubba At the same time also they came to Medeshamstead which Monastery they burnt and destroyed killing the Abbots and Monks with all the Men they found there carrying away all the rich Spoil of that place But since the Saxon Annals are very short in this Relation I shall give you from Ingulph a more particular Account of what they did this Year in their march into East England who further adds That Winter being ended the Danes took Shipping and went into Lindisse in Lincolnshire and landing at Humberstan spoiled all that Country at which time that famous and ancient Monastery of Bardney was destroyed the Monks and all others being slain in the Church without Mercy and when they had there stayed wasting the Country for the whole Summer About Michaelmas they did the like to the Country of Kesteven in the same Province where they committed the same Murders and Desolations The same Year in the Month of September Count Algar drew together all the Youth of Hoyland now called Holland in Lincolnshire with two Knights his Senescals Wibert and Leofric who marched in the Head of them together with a brave Body of 200 Men belonging to Croyland Abbey who being all stout Fellows were led by one Toly then a Monk but formerly a famous Souldier among the Mercians these taking with them about 300 stout and warlike Men more from Deping Lanioft and Boston to whom also joyned Morchar Lord of Branne with his strong and numerous Family and being met by the Sheriff of Lincoln a valiant and ancient Souldier with the Lincolnshire Forces all which mustering together in Kesteven on St. Maurice's Day they joyned Battle with the Pagans where GOD gave them the Victory three Kings being slain with a very great multitude of Souldiers the Christians pursued the Pagans to their very Camp where finding a stout Resistance Night at last parted them and the Earl drew back his Army But it seems there returned that Night to the Danish Camp all the rest of the Princes of that Nation who dividing the Country among them had marched out to plunder their names are Barbarous and too long to be repeated but their chief Kings were Godrum and Basseg and their Earls or Leaders Hingar and Hubba with others who then returned with great Forces and a multitude of Captives and a great deal of Spoil and their coming being known the greatest part of the Christians struck with terrour fled away whil'st those that were left early in the Morning after hearing Divine Service and receiving the Sacrament being resolved to dye for Christ and in Defence of their Country marched into the Field against their Enemies but the Earl perceiving his Forces to be too much weaken'd appointed Fryer Toly with his Five Hundred Men to Fight in the Right Wing because they were the strongest and Earl Morchar with those who followed him as also the Sheriff of Lincoln making other Five Hundred in the Left Wing whilest he with his Senescals kept the main Body as ready to help either Wing if there were occasion but the Danes being now enraged at the slaughter of their Men having buried their Three Kings at a place which is thence called Trekingham afterwards 2 Kings and 8 Counts marched out whilst the rest guarded the Camp and Captives but the Christians because of their smaller Number drawing themselves up in one Body made with their Shields a strong Testudo against the force of their Enemies Arrows and kept off the Horse with their Pikes and thus being well ordered by their Commanders they kept their Ground the whole day But thô they remained unbroken till night and had still withstood the force of their Enemies Arrows but their Horses being then tired began to flag the Pagans feigning a Flight on purpose seemed to quit the Field which the Christians perceiving althô their Commanders forbad and opposed it yet nevertheless breaking their Ranks were all dispersed through the Plain without any Order or Command but the Pagans returning like Lions upon a Flock of Sheep made a great Slaughter amongst them whilst the stout Count Algar and Frier Toly with some Souldiers getting upon a rising Ground and being drawn up into a round Body did for a long time endure the Pagans Insults and when the said Earl and other Captains saw the stoutest Men of their small Army slain they got upon the thickest heaps of the Christian dead Bodies and there being resolved to sell their Lives as dear as they could they fell down dead having received many Wounds only a few young Men of Sutton and Gedeney flinging away their Arms fled into a Neighbouring Wood and so escaping came the Night following to the Monastery of Croyland and there related the slaughter of the Christians and the loss of their whole Company which when they had told at the Church door with great lamentations the Abbot and Monks being extreamly confounded at this ill news resolved to keep only with them the Elder Monks and some few Children to provoke compassion and so sent away all the Younger Men together with the Reliques Jewels and Charters of their Monasteries by Boat to the Wood of Ancarig adjoining to their Island where they staid with one Foret an Anchorite Four days being Thirty in number whereof Ten were Priests But the Abbot having hid the rest of the Plate with the rich Table of the Altar and put on his Sacred Vestments and had with his Brethren said Mass and communicated they had scarce finished all this when the Pagans breaking into the Church slew Abbot Theodore at the Altar who perished by the hands of their King Oketule all the rest as well Old Men as Children being also slain except one handsome Boy of about Ten Years Old who being intended for a Monk was saved by Count Sidroc the Younger and stripping him of his Habit put on him a Danish Coat ordering him to follow him where ever he went and so the Boy sticking close to him his Life was saved and he alone escaping gave a relation of what he had seen but the Danes when they had broke open the Tombs of St. Guthleak and the Princes there buried and finding no more Plunder set the Church on Fire and burnt the dead bodies that were in it together So likewise of the destruction of the Monastery of Medeshamstead this Author hath given us a larger account than what we find in this Copy of the Annals viz. That four days after the destruction of Croyland the Danes march'd towards that Monastery where finding the Gates lock'd they began to make an assault upon it but receiving a Repulse at the
there should be any difference between the Kings of Powis and Cardigan the meeting should be at Llyswen upon the River Wy and the King of Aberffraw to decide it This thô it seems to have been as wise a course as could be taken to maintain amity in a divided Kingdom yet did prove of no effect for it seems the Princes of these Countries did not long observe this Constitution of their Ancestour King Rodoric but perpetually weakned each other with Civil Wars so that the English taking advantage of their mutual divisions by assisting the weaker Prince against the stronger they at last by degrees reduced them all under the English Dominion as shall be further shewn in its proper place About this time Anarawd the Eldest Son of Rodorick above mentioned began his Reign over North-Wales This Year according to Asser the Danes stealing away privately after the Feast of Epiphany to Cypenham and having now got Horses marched through all the Country of the West-Saxons and there began to fix their Quarters forcing many of the Inhabitants beyond Sea and subjecting the rest of their Dominion in so much that King Alfred was forced with a few of his Nobles and with some Souldiers and Vassals to lurk among the Woody and Boggy parts of Somerset-shire where he led a very uneasie Life in great Trouble and Scarcity having no Provisions but what he could take away by frequent incursions from the Enemies or else those Christians who had submitted themselves to their Dominion and it is found in the Life of St. Neot as he lay hid with a certain Cow-herd it happened one day that as his Wife was making of Cakes the King sate by the Fire fitting up his Bow and Arrows and other Weapons but when the Woman saw the Cakes which lay before the fire begin to burn she presently ran and removed them and chiding the King whom she did not know said thus Doest thou Fellow think much to turn these Cakes which thou can'st eat fast enough when they are baked At which the King laughing took all in good part but be the Story true or false this much is certain that the King lay at this time so private that neither his Friends nor Enemies could tell where he was in so much that all this while the Royal Patrimony became a prey as well to the revolting English as to the Danes themselves But the Monkish writers of these times according to their usual Custom of interpreting all misfortunes to be God's Judgments will needs have this to be a judgment upon this King because that in the beginning of his Reign being taken up with the desire of Learning or else diverted by Hunting and other Juvenile Pleasures he had too much neglected the public affairs and that being admonished by St. Neot and refusing to amend the Holy Man foretold there would be a time when he should be driven from his Kingdom and from his own House But be this as it will whilest King Alfred was thus over-powered by the great multitude of Danes that daily entred the Kingdom he was forced to retreat yet even then being followed by a small band of Stout and Loyal Souldiers he often set upon the Enemies by surprize and with so good success that he let them see though he was overcome by numbers yet he was not vanquished since he remained formidable even in his flight but to this Retreat the then Woody and Bogy parts of Somersetshire between the Rivers Thone and Parret chiefly contributed which were then almost an Island and not to be enter'd without a Boat unless by one narrow way as Leland in his Itinerary hath rightly observed but Will of Malmesbury tells us That it is to no purpose to relate all the little Skirmishes and Adventures of this King during his Retreat only one passage will not be unpleasant whether it be true or false it happen'd one Day that whil'st King Alfred lay pivate in a little Castle or Fort in the Wood Athelney it being Winter time and the Waters frozen up he sent out his followers to seek for some Fish or Fowle whereby they might sustain Nature so that none were left at home but himself and his Mother for it seems the Queen his Wife was either dead or else lay concealed some where else but the King having to pass away the time taken up a Book and began to read as his custom was when he had nothing else to do a certain poor Man knocked at the door and begged an Alms whereupon the King calling to his Mother desired her to see if there was any thing for him to eat but she told him that there was no more than one Loaf left and this would not be enough for the whole Company when they returned home the King hearing this said no more but let God be blessed for all his gifts then praying his Mother to bestow half of it upon this poor Christian further added that he who had fed 5000 Men with Five Loaves and Two small Fishes could also if he pleased make half a Loaf suffice their necessities whereupon his Mother complying with his desire and the poor Man having got more than he looked for went his way but the King having read till he was tired happened to fall asleep and dreamt that he saw St. Cuthbert formerly Bishop of Lindisfarne coming to him and telling him that he was sent from God to let him know that he was now resolved to put an end to the long and grievous punishments which the English had hitherto suffered for their Sins and that the Alms which he had just now bestowed was so acceptable in his sight that he would restore him to his Kingdom and said as a sign of this his Servants who were then gone out a Fishing thô with very small hopes of catching any thing should return home so loaded that he should look upon it with wonder but that which is more strange his Mother fell also a sleep and dreamed the like Dream at the same time as she told the King her Son when he awaked her but whilest they with great astonishment discoursed of this Miracle his followers returned home bringing Fish enough with them to have served a little Army if there had been occasion But be this Story true or false it is certain that not long after the King received news that Hinguar and Hubba returning out of Wales where having made a great slaughter of the Britains they had past the Winter and being lately landed in Devon-shire with Twenty three Ships there met with some of the King's party by whom their Captain with 1200 Souldiers were slain near the Castle of Kenwith the manner of which was thus Odun Earl of Devon-shire with many others of the King's Subjects upon the arrival of Hubba had fled hither for refuge but when the Danes knew the Castle was but weakly fortified and they within were not provided of things necessary for a Siege they then
there declare their number that they may be ready to produce them to answer any thing that shall be demanded of them in the said Folcmote and if it happen that they bring many strangers on shore that they also certifie this to the King's Officer in that said Assembly that so they may be forth coming Now considering the Times wherein King Alfred lived when there was such flocking of Strangers being Enemies into England this Law was very justly and seasonably made The Thirty First inflicts upon him that shall put a Ceorles's Man that is an ordinary Country-Man without any fault into Bonds viz. A Mulct of Ten Shillings upon him that beats such a one Twenty Shillings if he hang him up a-loft Thirty Shillings if he cut off his Hair to expose him like a Fool Ten Shillings if he shave his Head like a Priest yet bind him not Thirty Shillings and in case he only cut off his Beard Twenty Shillings but if he bind him and shave his Hair like a Priest then Sixty Shillings Which Law was no doubt made to restrain the Tyranny and Insolence of the English Nobility who were wont before that Law too much to domineer over poor Country-Men here called Ceorles-men and therefore it seems highly probable that the Commons of England had then Representatives in the Great Council or else it is not likely the Nobility would ever have lost that Power they then Usurped over them Wherefore I shall leave it to the Indifferent Reader to Consider whether the Common People of England were then such Slaves as some late Writers would fain make them since not only satisfaction was to be made for their Lives but also for the least injury or abuse that might be committed against their Persons The Thirty Fourth Law imposes upon him that shall strike or fight in open Court before the King 's Ealdorman both the value of his own head and such a Fine besides as shall be thought fit and also 120 Shillings to be paid to the Ealdorman by him that by thus drawing his Weapon shall make any disturbance in the Folcmote or County Court if the Ealdorman were not present but the fact was done before his Substitute or the King's Priest then a Were or Amerciament of Thirty Shillings Here by the King's Priest is meant either the King's Chaplain or Bishop I will not determine whether who as we formerly said in those times presided also in the Folcmotes and there dispatched all business relating to the Church The Thirty Fifth ordains What satisfaction shall be made for breach of the Peace in any other place as for Example he that fights in the home-stall of a Country-man shall pay the said Country-man Six Shillings if he drew his Sword but struck not half as much which Penalty also was to be encreased according to the Estate or Quality of him upon whose ground the Assault was made So that if he fought in the House of one worth 600 Shillings he was to pay Three times as much if of one worth 1200 Shillings then the Amends was to be twice as much as the former The Thirty Six Law of Bâ—rhbrice or breach of the Peace in a Town confirms that part of King Ina's Law concerning that matter in imposing upon the Offender for the breach of the Peace in the King's Town or City by setting the Mulct of an Hundred and Twenty Shillings but if it be done in the Arch-Bishop's Town then Ninety Shillings in that of a Bishop or Ealdorman Sixty Shillings in the Town of a Man valued at 1200 Shillings Estate Thirty Shillings but half as much if done in a Village of one worth but half that Sum. From whence we may observe That in those times not only the King and the Great Men such as Bishops and Ealdormen but also Gentlemen of ordinary Estates had Villages or Townships of their own and they themselves received the Mulcts or Penalties imposed for the breach of the Peace within their Precincts which priviledge they lost I suppose after the coming of King William I. The Thirty Seventh is That Law concerning Bocland by vertue whereof he that holds Lands left him by his Ancestors was forbid to alienate it from his Kindred to others in case it could be proved by Writing or Testimony before the King or the Bishop his Kindred being present that the Man who first granted them forbid him all Alienation and laid on him this Condition From the making of this Law Mr. Selden informs us that we may here find an Estate in Fee-Tail much more ancient than the thirteenth Year of Edward the First The 38th Law is concerning Quarrels or deadly Feuds which since it gives a strange Licence for Men to take Satisfaction on their Enemies even without the Presence of any Officer I shall likewise set down First It forbids any Man to attack his Enemy if he find him in his own House except he first demand of him Satisfaction But if he have force enough he may besiege the House for seven days yet he shall not assault him if he will stay within but if he then surrender himself and his Arms into the Defendant's hands he may keep him thirty Days without hurt but then shall leave him so to his Kindred or Friends In case he flie to a Church the Honour of the Church is to be preserved But if the Demandant have not Strength enough to besiege him in his House he may desire the Assistance of the Ealderman which if he cannot obtain he must appeal to the King before he can assault him If any one by chance light upon his Adversary not knowing that he keeps himself at home and he will deliver up his Arms to him he shall keep him safe thirty Days and then deliver him to his Friends But in case he will not deliver up his Arms then he may fight with him but if he be willing to deliver up himself and his Arms to his Enemy and any other Man sets upon him such a Man shall pay the value of his Head if he kills him or give Satisfaction for his Wounds if any be given him according to the Fact besides which he shall be fined and lose all that may fall to him by reason of Kindred From whence you may observe that the nature of that Rough and Martial Age did allow Men a greater Liberty of righting themselves against those that had injured them than was afterwards thought fit to be allowed in more settled and peaceable Times The last of King Alfred's Laws is concerning Wounds and Maims which being very long I shall only give you an Abstract of it It is in short to appoint what Satisfaction in Money any Man shall pay for wounding or maiming another or for cutting off any Member or part of his Body even to the Nail of his little Finger All which was ascertained according to the particular Sums there set down and I shall leave it to wiser Judgments to consider whether
Complices in that Treason and there were not wanting some Court Sycophants to accuse Prince Edwin of being in that Plot for he was the eldest Legitimate Son then living of King Edward by his Lawful Wife since therefore the apprehension of a Rival usually overpowers all Obligations both of Friendship and Nature though Edwin both by Word of Mouth and by Oaths and Imprecations protested his Innocence yet all this would not prevail against these Court-Whisperers who affirmed that if he were only banished he would be commiserated by Foreign Princes and still more endanger the King's safety whereupon such a way was found out that under the Notion of Banishment he might with the least appearance of Cruelty be dispatch'd In short an old rotten Vessel was provided and only the Prince and his Esquire were put into it without any Pilot or other body to steer or manage it and thus for some time they weather'd it at Sea but the Young Prince being brought up tenderly and not used to hardship despairing of his Life cast himself headlong out of the Vessel and so perished in the Ocean whilst his Servant being more couragious was resolved to save himself if he could and meeting with better fortune was driven on shore at a place called Whitsand on the Coast of Picardy not far from Dover The Fact was not long done before Athelstan sorely repented of it which he is said by a Seven Years Penance to have testified to the world as also by the Punishment of him who was the principal Instrument in this Fratricide and had whispered this Jealousy into his Breast who being his Cup-bearer as he was going to present a Cup of Drink to him one of his Feet slipped but by the Nimbleness of the other recovering himself he said Thus one Brother helps another which the King hearing and sadly calling to mind how little he himself had assisted his Brother oppressed by the Calumnies of this Parasite caused him to be put to death This is the Tale told by William of Malmesbury and the other Author the latter of whom delivers it as a certain Truth whilst the former tells it only as an old Story sung in certain Ballads and of which he himself doubted the Truth But Buchanan the Scotch Historian I suppose out of malice to this King's Memory for routing his Countreymen makes King Athelstan not only to have procured the Death of his Brother Edwin but also of his Father King Edward whom he therefore fancies to have been called Edward the Martyr and not content with this neither he adds that he put his Brother Edred to death also Yet certainly there can scarce be more Mistakes committed in so few Lines than he has been guilty of in these for in the first place it is agreed by all our Historians that King Edward died a Natural Death and as for him whom he calls the Martyr he was the Son of King Edgar nor did he begin to reign till above an hundred and fifty years after as shall be shewn when we come to his Reign But as for what Buchanan objects against some of our later Historians for making Athelstan to be King of all Britain and to have restored Constantine King of Scots to his Kingdom and to have forced him to do him Homage for it we must confess that Buchanan is so far in the right that neither our Saxon Annals nor Marianus Scotus nor Florence of Worcester mention any thing of it though they all do relate the great Victory which King Athelstan obtain'd over the Scots but yet are wholly silent either about his driving of the King of Scotland out of his Kingdom or of causing him to do him Homage for restoring him to it This is to shew that I would not be partial to the Historians of our own Countrey as if they could not also be sometimes guilty of great Errors and therefore I thought good to take notice of it here This year as our Annals relate King Athelstan made an Expedition into Scotland with a great Army by Land as also with a considerable Fleet by Sea and laid wast great part of that Kingdom The same year also Bishop Byrnstan deceased at Winchester on the Feast of All Saints But as for the Causes of this War made by King Athelstan against Scotland since not only our Annals but many of our other Authors are silent in it we must supply that defect from William of Malmesbury and Roger Hoveden and the Chronicles of Mailrosse who relate that Anlaf the Son of Sihtric King of Northumberland having fled into Ireland and the late King Godefrid his Brother into Scotland King Athâ—lstan sent Ambassadors to Constantine King of Scots demanding the Fugitive to be given up to him or else upon his Refusal denouncing a speedy War against him which War indeed he made for marching into Scotland with a great Army both by Sea and Land he drove his Enemies before him as far as Dunfeodor and Wertermore and by Sea as far as Cathness but Malmesbury affirms that they not daring in any thing to displease him went to a place called Dacor or Dacre in Cumberland where each surrender'd up himself and all his into the hands of the English King who was Godfather to the Son of Constantine and now ordered him to be baptized in testimony of that Accord whom also together with great Presents he left as a Hostage with the King and so Peace being thus happily concluded he returned home into his own Countrey But the Scotish Historians do not mention this Invasion at all nor will allow King Constantine to have had any Son And indeed it seems improbable that if Constantine had now given his Son to King Athelstan as a Hostage he would have dar'd to renew the War again so soon after this Agreement But for all this Godefrid escaped while they were preparing for the Journey and travelling with one Turfrid into several parts of the Countrey at length got some men together and laid Siege to York the Inhabitants of which they tempted both by fair and foul means to let them in but not being able to prevail with 'em they went their ways and were both taken shortly after and shut up in a Castle from whence making their escape by deluding their Keepers Turfrid not long after was shipwreck'd at Sea and became a Prey to the Fish but Godefrid endured much more misery both by Sea and Land and at last came as a Suppliant to the King's Court who kindly received him but after he had been profusely feasted for four days together he got away again to his Ships and then returned to his old trade of Piracy In the mean time Athelstan demolished a Castle which the Danes had fortified at York that so they might not shelter themselves any more there and the large Booty he found in it he divided amongst his Soldiers to every one a share For so Worthy and Liberal was this Prince that he
and easily killed the Bishop with all his Followers Ingulph who seems more exact than any other Historian in this matter writes That Anlaf tho he had brought with him an infinite multitude of Danes Norwegians Scots and Picts yet either out of Diffidence or Craft familiar to his Nation chose rather by night to surprize his Enemy than fairly to give him Battel in the open field and by day-light so he fell suddenly upon the English and kill'd a Bishop who was come but the Evening before to the Camp which causing a great Clamour and Tumult the King ' tho a Mile off took the Alarm with his whole Army who putting themselves into such order as the Surprize would permit by break of day came up to the Enemy where finding them tir'd and disorder'd by their late March for want of sleep King Athelstan in Person leading on the West-Saxons fell upon Anlaf himself whilst Turketul his Kinsman and Chancellor who had the Conduct of the Londoners and the Mercians assaulted Constantine the Scotish King their Missil Weapons being quickly spent they came to hand-blows and to fight it out with Sword and Buckler where many of them lost their Lives and the Carkasses of mean persons lay confusedly together with the slain Bodies of Princes Death making no distinction The Dispute continuing very long and violent by reason the multitude of Enemies was so great Turketul took with him some of the Londoners whom he knew to be most valiant and a Captain of the Worcestershire-men called Singin one of approved Courage who being taller than the rest and of well compacted Limbs and the stoutest of all those London Heroes that accompanied him then Turketul rushing into the very midst of his Enemies and laying vigorously about him hewed down whole ranks of men on both sides of him insomuch that he passed through whole Troops of Orcadians and Picts bearing a Wood of Arrows on his Breast-plate and making his way through whole Companies of Cumbrians and Scots he at length reached Constantine himself whom he dismounted and would have taken alive but the Scots were so concerned for their King that they had a very smart Conflict about him and many of them pressing upon the few English that followed him and all of them aiming chiefly at Turketul he began to repent of his Rashness seeing no means either of escaping himself or getting off his Prisoner when on the sudden Captain Singin coming in afresh to his Rescue killed King Constantine And now their King being slain the Scots were so discouraged that they soon retired and the Report of their Discomfiture flying about the Army Anlaf and all his Followers ran away after an incredible Slaughter of Danes and Scots upon the place So much Ingulph relates for the greater Honour of this Turketul the Chancellor who was afterwards Abbot of the Abby of Croyland and his Predecessor in the Government of that Monastery where he left a large Memorial of his Secular Employments And the same Author farther adds that besides Constantine five other Kings were there slain twelve Earls and an infinite number of Common Soldiers But though Ingulph and William of Malmesbury do thus confidently relate Constantine King of Scots to have been slain in this Battel yet all the Scotch Historians as well as our own Annals asserting the contrary it is not to be insisted on as true and therefore I shall pass it by yet granting he was not kill'd in that Battel John Fordon and Buchanan do both agree that he became not long after dead to the world for being quite tired out with his late ill success he professed himself a Monk amongst the Culdees of St. Andrews an Order of Monks so called of whom this King became Abbot But the Scotch Historians do all confess the greatness of the Victory on the English and the great Loss on their own side acknowledging the Fall of Eugenius King of Deira whom our Historians call King of Cumberland but will not own King Constantine to have been so much as present at this fight but only Malcolme his Cousin who upon his retiring into a Monastery was declared King in his room Yet Hector Boethius and Buchanan to lessen this Victory as much as they can do suppose though I do not know from what Authority since Fordon mentions no such thing That the English under King Athelstan being much weaker in Forces he was fain to supply that by Cunning and Artifice and having strengthen'd his Army by fresh Supplies he commanded them at the first Onset to make as if they fled and when they found the Enemy had broken their Ranks to turn again on their Pursuers which being punctually observed by King Athelstan's Army the Danes and Scots supposing themselves to be Victors immediately fell to spoiling the Enemies Camp and thereupon a Sign being given by King Athelstan they fell upon the Enemy now laden with Prey and destroyed them like so many Sheep insomuch that in this Fight most of the Scotch Nobility were slain whilst they rather chose to dye than to survive the Ignominy of having deserted their Companions But this sounds very Romantick as does also his Relation of the Battel which neither agrees with the plain downright way of fighting used in that age nor with the Stout and Martial Genius of this King But let the Manner of gaining the Victory be as it will they all agree upon the Effect of it That King Athelstan his Enemies being astonish'd with so great a loss took Cumberland and Westmorland from the Scots and recovered Northumberland from the Danes But since the Monks will scarce let so great a Victory pass without a Miracle I cannot forbear relating what Fordun and the Chronicle ascribed to Abbot Bromton have related from a certain Legend of St. John of Beverly viz. That King Athelstan going to make War against the Scots and by the way paying a Visit to the Tomb of that Saint there pawn'd his Knife at the Altar promising to redeem it at his return but when they had thus fought against the Scots he begged of God a Sign whereby it might appear to future Ages that they were justly vanquished by the English and thereupon the King striking a certain Rock with his Sword near the Castle of Dunbar he made a Gap in it an Ell deep this Miracle is so gross that even John Fordon himself ridicules it But it seems King Athelstan made good his Promise and upon his return with Victory enrich'd the Church of St. John with great Possessions and so I suppose got his Knife again As for the oâ—her Miracle related also by the Monks of King Athelstan's Sword being lost out of the Scabbard just when he was ready to fight and another was by Miracle put in the place at the Prayers of Archbishop Odo which Sword they pretend was kept in the King's Treasury it is no less a Wonder than the former and one such as these is enough at one time This
Council at London as well of Ecclesiasticks as Laicks where were present Odo and Wulstan Archbishops with many other Bishops to consult for the good of their own Souls and of those that were committed to their Care and Government At which Synod or Council were enacted several Laws viz. but they being six in number of mere Ecclesiastical Concernment as for paying Tithes and against Fornication with Nuns and Perjury I omit them Then Follow in Bromton's Copy seven other Constitutions of Civil Concernment said to have been made by the King his Bishops and Wise Men at Cullington not extant in the Saxon Edition The first of these requires an Oath of Fidelity to be taken by all to King Edmund in like manner as a man ought to bear Faith to his Lord without any Controversy or Sedition both in publick and private to love whom the King should love and to hate whom he should hate and before the Oath be given that no man should conceal a Crime in his Brother or Neighbour more than in a Stranger The second concerning the apprehension of Thieves enjoins that if it be known for certain where a Thief is the Twelfhind and Twihind men i. e. the former worth Twelve hundred and the latter Two hundred Shillings of Estate should combine together and take him either alive or dead but in case any man take up a mortal Feud against another for so doing he is to be esteemed as the Enemy of the King and all his Friends And if any refuse to assist in his apprehension he shall forfeit to the King an 120 shillings and to the Hundred 30 shillings The fourth enjoins That if several Thieves do steal the eldest of them shall be hanged and each of the rest be whipp'd thrice and for an Example have his little finger cut off This I take notice of because it is the first Law whereby Thieves are expresly ordered to be hanged without being admitted to pay their Weregild or Price of their Heads The fifth and sixth being against buying and receiving Strangers Cattel I pass by The seventh enjoins that every Person make his Servants and all that live within his Peace i. e. his District and on his Lands to give Security and also that all others of Ill Fame who lye under Accusations should have Security given for them and what Officer Thane Ealdorman or Countreyman soever he be that refuseth to do according thereunto shall forfeit 120 shillings and further be deemed worthy of such Punishments as have been before mentioned After these follow seven other of King Edmund's Laws found both in Bromton and Lambard's Copies before which also we find a Preface Wherein the King signifies to all Subjects both old and young that he had most studiously enquired in a Solemn Assembly of Ecclesiasticks and Laicks by what means the Christian Life might best be maintained and that it seemed most convenient to them all that he should cherish and procure Love and mutual Friendship through all his Dominions for they were much troubled at the unjust Divisions and Contentions among them therefore the King and they did now ordain First That if hereafter one man kill another he alone should bear the Deadly Feud or Enmity of the Kindred of the Party slain unless within Twelve Months by the assistance of his own Kindred he should pay the Weregild or value of the slain man's head of what condition soever he was and then they should not be taken for Enemies in the mean time they shall not relieve him nor have peace with him and if they do or have they shall forfeit all their Estate to the King and he that shall kill any man shall be taken as an Enemy by all the Kindred of the slain and they may maintain Deadly Feud against him and if any shall revenge himself upon or prosecute any other of his Kindred besides the Manslayer himself he shall forfeit all he hath and be taken as an Enemy both by the King and all that love him Which Law was made because before this if one man killed another the Kindred of the slain had a Mortal Feud and revenged his Death upon any of the Relations of the Murderer as they do among the Indians even to this day The second denounces That if a man fly to a Church or to the King's Town and there any one set upon him or do him harm he shall be punished in the same manner By the third the King expresly forbids that any Fyhtwite or Manbote that is any Fine for fighting or killing be remitted By the fourth the King opâ—nly declares that his House shall afford no shelter to him that hath shed blood except he have first made satisfaction to God and the Kindred of the Party slain and done whatsoever was enjoined him by the Bishop in whose Diocess the Fact was committed The sixth enjoins That he that breaks the Peace and sets upon a man in his own house shall forfeit all he hath and his Life be at the Kings's Mercy The seventh and last of these Laws is also concerning Enmities or Deadly Feuds declaring that it is the Duty of all Wise Men to suppress them and prescribing the way and means of doing it As First That an Indifferent Friend be sent before to the Kindred of him that is slain to signify to them that he that killed him will make all due satisfaction upon which the Manslayer shall be delivered into his hands that he may safely appear and give Caution for the Payment of the value of the dead man's head which as soon as he hath done the King's Peace is next to be made betwixt them Then after the end of one and twenty days he shall pay Halsfage according to Bromton's Copy or as the Saxon Text has it Healfange that is as Mr. Lambard interprets it that which was paid in Commutation for the Punishment of hanging by the Neck to the King or Lord. The rest as being tedious I omit for I think sufficient to let the Reader understand the nature of these Deadly Feuds or Family Quarrels among the English who were derived from the Ancient Saxons Germans and other barbarous Northern Nations that commonly maintained private Quarrels by their whole Kindred thereby rendring their Feuds as it were Hereditary So Tacitus writes concerning the Germans that they were forced to take up the Quarrels and Friendships of their Fathers and Kinsmen Besides these Laws before-mentioned there is some other Constitutions ascribed to the same King Edmund concerning the Manner and Rites of Marriage and though found by Sir H. Spelman in Saxon in an Ancient Book belonging to Corpus Christi College in Cambridge tacked to the Laws of King Alfred yet Bromton reckons them amongst the Laws of King Edmund and I think they ought rather to be supposed his They are to this effect That where a man resolves to marry a Woman with her Friends Consent the Bridegroom shall give Caution or Security by his
brought Anlaf with great Honour to the King to Andefer that is Andover in Hampshire then King Aethelred received him at his Confirmation from the Bishop's hand whereupon Anlaf promised him which he also performed that he would never again infest the English Nation And as Florence farther adds he now returned into his own Countrey So it seems the Kingdom was rid of Anlaf but what became of Sweyen or Sweyn the Annals do not tell us for we hear no more of him till Anno 1004 as you will find by and by So that whether he went away with Anlaf or commanded those who infested the Kingdom the next year is uncertain But perhaps we may to this time refer that which Adam of Bremen relates of this King Sweyn who having made War upon his Father Harwold the Great whom he outed of his Kingdom and Life together was afterwards himself overcome and expelled his Kingdom by Aerick King of Sweden thus justly rewarded for his horrid Crimes he wander'd up and down without relief Thrucco the Son of Haco then Prince of the Normans rejected him as a Pagan and Ethelred the Son of Edgar he calls him Adalred remembring what mischiefs the Danes had brought on England with scorn repell'd him So that at length he was entertained by the King of the Scots who taking compassion on him gave him free Quarter for Fourteen years together But so enraged was he at the repulse given him by the King of England that ever after he studied all he could how to plague and afflict that Countrey one while by his own particular Forces and another by the assistance of others How true this Story is we cannot affirm the Affairs of the Northern Nations as to those Times being involved in so great an obscurity However we thought it not amiss to give it you as suiting with the Fortunes and Inclinations of this man which proved so great a Plague to this our Countrey that he seems to have been acted by some extraordinary Passion whether of Ambition or Revenge or both together But to return to our Annals This year also Richard the Elder Duke of Normandy died and Richard his Son succeeded him and reigned One and thirty years ' This year appeared a Comet Also the same year as Simeon of Durham relates Aldune Bishop of Lindisfarne removed the Body of St. Cuthbert which had for above an Hundred years remained at Cunecaeaster that is Chester in the Bishoprick of Durham to the place where the City of Durham was afterwards built it being then altogether uninhabited Here Bishop Aldune built a small Church of Stone dedicating it to St. Cuthbert and a Town being here shortly after built it was called Durham ' The Kingdom had rest this year as also the next but The Danes sail'd round about Devonshire to the mouth of the River Severne and there took much Plunder as well among the North Welsh as in Cornwall and Devonshire Yet here it seems that North-Wales was mis-put in these Annals instead of the South for no part of the Severn Sea borders upon North-Wales But after this the Danes going up as far as Wecedport or Watchet they did much hurt both by burning the Houses and killing the Inhabitants whereever they came After this they sail'd round Penwithsteort i. e. the Point called the Land's-End toward the South Coast and sailing up the River Thames went with their Ships as far as Hildaford now Lideford burning and killing whatever they met as they passed along They also burnt the Monastery of Ordulph which had been lately built by him at Aetesingstoce now Tavistock in Devonshire and carried a very great deal of Plunder along with them to their Ships This year also Aelfric the Archbishop went to Rome to obtain his Pall. Then the Danes turned toward the East up the mouth of the River Frome and there marched as far as they would into Dorseta i. e. Dorsetshire where an Army got together against them but as often as the English fought with them so often were they by some misfortune or other put to flight so that the Danes still obtain'd the Victory After this they quarter'd in the Isle of Wight but fetch'd their Provisions from Hamptunseire and Southseax Also this year according to Caradoc's Chronicle the Danes landing again in South-Wales destroyed St. Davids and slew Vrgeney Bishop of that See And now Meredyth ap Owen Prince of North-Wales deceased leaving one only Daughter who was married to Lewelyn ap Sitsylt afterward in her Right Prince of North-Wales But after the death of this Prince Owen Edwin his Nephew above-mentioned as the Manuscript Chronicle relates possessed himself of South-Wales and reigned there some years This year the Danes sail'd up the River Thames and from thence went into the Medway to Rofceaster where the Kentish Forces met them and there was a very sharp Dispute but alas they presently gave place to their Enemies and fled because they had not assistance enough so that the Danes kept the field and then getting Horses rode whereever they pleased spoiling and laying waste all the Western part of Kent Then it was ordained by the King and his Wise Men that an Army should be forthwith raised against them both by Sea and Land but when the Ships were ready they delayed the time from day to day oppressing the poor people that served on board and if at any time the Fleet was ready to sail it was still put off from one time to another so that they suffered the Enemies Forces to increase and when the Danes retired from the Sea-Coast then our Fleet was wont to go out so that at the last these Naval Forces served for no other end but to harass the People spend their Money and provoke the Enemy This year as Simeon of Durham relates Malcolm King of the Scots with a great Army wasted the Province of the Northumbers and besieged Durham At that time Waltheof Earl of the Northumbers being very old and unable to fight with the Enemies enclosed himself in Bebbanburgh whilst Vthred his Son a Valiant Young Man assembling an Army out of Northumberland and Yorkshire fought with the Scots and destroyed in a manner their whole Army insomuch that the King himself very hardly escaped After this he made choice of a certain number of slain Scotchmen's Heads the best adorn'd with Hair he could get and gave them to an Old Woman to wash allowing her for each Head a Cow for her pains these Heads when wash'd he set upon high Poles round about the Walls of Durham King Ethelred being informed of this Action sent for the Young Man and as a Reward for his Valour not only gave him his Father's Countrey but added to it that of Yorkshire Upon this Vthred returning home dismissed his Wife the Daughter of Aeldhure Bishop of Durham but because he cast her off contrary to his Promise he surrender'd up to her Six Mannors which the Bishop her Father
him to govern as a Conqueror From which also you may observe the flourishing Trade and Wealth of that City in those days since it could even at that time pay above a Seventh of this excessive Taxation Then also a great part of the Danish Army return'd into Denmark and only forty Ships remain'd with King Cnute the Danes and English were likewise now reconciled and united at Oxnaford Bromton says it was done at a Great Council or Parliament at Oxford where King Cnute ordained the Laws of King Edgar i. e. of England to be observed The same year also Aethelsige Abbot of Abbandune deceased and Aethelwin succeeded him This year King Cnute returned into Denmark and there stayed all the Winter Bromton's Chronicle says he went over to subdue the Vandals who then made War against him and carried along with him an Army both of English and Danes the former being commanded by Earl Godwin set upon the Enemies by surprize and put them to flight after which the King had the English in as much as esteem as his own Danish Subjects But the year following He returned into England and then held a Mycel Gemot or Great Council at Cyrencester where Ethelward the Earldorman was outlaw'd The same year also King Cnute went to Assandune the place where he had before fought the great Battel with King Edmund and there caused a Church to be built of Lime and Stone for the souls of those men that had been slain there Which being as R. Hoveden relates consecrated in the King's presence by Wulstan Archbishop of York and divers other Bishops was committed to the care of his Chaplain whose Name was Stigand Also Archbishop Living deceased and Ethelnoth a Monk and Dean of Canterbury was consecrated Bishop by Wulstan Archbishop of York But before we proceed farther I will give you some account of the Affairs of Wales in these times Where after the death of Kynan or Conan the Usurping Prince of South-Wales above-mentioned Lewelyn Prince of North-Wales had according to Caradoc's Chronicle possessed himself of South-Wales and had for some years governed both those Countries with great Peace and Prosperity so that from the North to the South Sea there was not a Beggar in the whole Countrey but every man had sufficient to live of his own insomuch that the Countrey grew daily more and more populous But this year produced a notable Impostor for a certain Scot of mean Birth came now into South-Wales and called him self Run or Reyn as the Manuscript Copies have it the Son of Meredyth ap Owen late Prince of Wales as you have already heard Upon which the Nobility of that Countrey who loved not Lewelyn set up this Run or Reyn to be their Prince But Lewelyn hearing of it assembled all the Forces of North-Wales and marched against this Run who had now also got all the strength of South-Wales together and going as far as Abergwily i. e. the mouth of the River Gwily there waited the coming of Lewelyn but when he arrived and both Armies were ready to join Battel Run full of outward confidence encouraged his men to fight yet no sooner was the Battel begun but this Impostor soon discovered what he was by withdrawing himself pâ—â—â—ly out of the fight whereas on the contrary Lewelyn like a Couragious Prince standing in the Head of his Army called out aloud for this base Scot Run who durst so belye the Blood of the British Princes Both Armies then meeting fought for a while with great Courage and Malice to each other but it seems the South-Wales men being not so resolute in the Quarrel of this Impostor as those of North-Wales were to defend the Right of their Lawful Prince the latter being also encouraged by the Speeches and Prowess of their Prince put the former to the Rout and pursued this Run so closely that he had much ado to escape Prince Lewelyn having got thus a great deal of Spoil return'd home and for a short time govern'd these Countries in Peace But to return to our Annals This year about Martinmass King Cnute outlaw'd i. e. banished Earl Thurkyl But they tell us not the Crime Yet William of Malmesbury makes it a Judgment for being the principal Promoter of the Murther of Archbishop Aelfeage and that as soon as he return'd into Denmark he was killed by some Noblemen of that Nation This year also according to an Old Manuscript belonging to St. Edmundsbury and cited by the Lord Chief Justice Coke in the Preface to the 9 th Book of his Reports King Cnute held a Parliament at Winchester wherein were present the two Archbishops and all the other Bishops as also many Ealdormen and Earls with divers Abbots together with a great many Knights and a vast multitude of People and there in pursuance of the King's desires it was decreed That the Monastery of St. Edmund the King should be free and for ever exempt from all Jurisdiction of the Bishops and Earls of that Country But Sir H. Spelman here very well observes that this Manuscript could be no Ancienter than the Reign of Henry the Third because the word Parliament was not in use before that time Though thus much is certain That King Cnute the year before founded this Monastery afterwards called St. Edmundsbury but then known to the Saxons by the name of Beadrichesworth where there had been a Church built before and King Edward the Elder in the year 942 had also given several Lands to it and upon which Foundation King Cnute had lately built and endowed the said Abby which was one of the Largest and Richest in all England Lewelyn ap Sitsylt Prince of Wales but a short time enjoyed the fruits of his late Victory for this year the Welsh Chronicles tell us he was slain by Howel and Meredyth the Sons of Prince Edwin or Owen above-mentioned who yet did not succeed in the Principality for Jâ—go Son to Edwal late Prince of Wales was now advanced to the Throne as Lawful Heir having been long debarr'd of his Right But it seems he could not do the like in South-Wales which one Rytheric ap Justin seiz'd upon and held by force This year King Cnute sail'd with his Fleet to the Isle of Wight but upon what account our Annals do not shew us Also Archbishop Aethelnoth went to Rome and was there received by Pope Benedict with great Honour who put on his Pall with his own hands and being so habited celebrated Mass as the Pope commanded him and then after he had dined with him return'd home with his Benediction Also Leofwin the Abbot who had been unjustly expell'd from the Monastery of Elig was his Companion and there cleared himself of those Crimes of which he had been accused before the Pope the Archbishop and all the Company that were there present testifying on his behalf Wulstan Archbishop of York deceased and Aelfric succeeded Edelnoth the Archbishop consecrating him at Canterbury Also this
by Dioclesian Id. p. 87. Died at York Ibid. Vid. Constantine the Great Cloveshoe a Synod appointed to be assembled there once a year l. 4. p. 193. The Great Synod where were present Ethelbald the Mercian King and Archbishop Cuthbert where the place was is uncertain several Supposals and Conjectures about it Id. p. 224. The second Council held here and what was decreed in it Id. p. 225. The third Council held here under King Kenwulf and what was transacted therein Id. p. 243. l. 5. p. 248. A Synod held here under King Beornwulf and Archbishop Wilfrid whose Constitutions wholly relate to Ecclesiastical Affairs l. 5. p. 253. Another Synodal Council held here by Beornwulf c. wherein some Disputes about Lands between Heabert Bishop of Worcester and the Monastery of Westburgh are determined Ibid. Cnobsbury a Town wherein Fursaeus by the help of King Sigebert erects a Monastery which afterwards Anna King of the East-Angles richly endows l. 4. p. 180. Cnute having obtained the Crown of England restores its ancient Laws and Liberties l. 5. p. 246. Builds a Noble Monastery at Beadricesworth now St. Edmundsbury whither the Body of Edmund the Martyr was removed some time before l. 5. p. 323. Is chosen King by all the Danish Fleet and Army after the Death of his Father Sweyn l. 6. p. 39. Puts the Hostages on Shore at Sandwich that were given to his Father but first cuts off their Hands and Noses Ibid. Plunders all about Wiltshire Dorsetshire and Somersetshire c. and Aedric and the West-Saxons Submission to him Id. p. 40 41 42. Is chosen King by several of the Bishops Abbots and Noblemen of England upon which he comes up with his Fleet to Greenwich to besiege London and the Battels he fought with King Edmund and those that espoused his Interest Id. p. 45 46 47. A Peace concluded on between him and Edmund Ironside with an Account of the Particulars of it Id. p. 47 48. The Council he summoned to London about making him King of all England and setting aside his Children and Brethren from the Kingdom of the West-Saxons Id. p. 49. When he began his Reign divides all England into four Parts or Governments râ—serving West-Saxony to himself Id. p. 50. Marries Emma Widow of the King his Predecessor and the Reason of State for it Goes to Denmark to subdue the Vandals carrying along with him an Army of English and Danes the former behaving themselves so bravely against the Enemy that after that Battel he had the English in as much esteem at his own Native Subjects Holds a Great Council at Cyrencester and what is â—ransacted therein Id. p. 51. A Parliament called by him at Winchester and who present and what decreed therein l. 6. p. 52. Founds the Monastery of Beadricesworth where a Church had been built before and endows it which was one of the Largest and Richest in England Ibid. Goes again into Denmark with his Fleet and engages with the Swedes both by Land and Sea the latter getting the Victory Two years after he drives Olaf out of Norway and conquers it for himself Ranishes Hacun a Danish Earl his Nephew by Marriage under pretence of an Embassy Id. p. 53. Agrees with Robert Duke of Normandy That King Ethelred's two Sons should have half the Kingdom peaceably during his life Gives the Port of Sandwich to Christ-Church in Canterbury with all the Issues c. And founds a Monastery for Benedictines in Norfolk called St. Bennet's in Holme Id. p. 54. Goes to Rome and what he does there he declares in a Letter he sent upon his return from thence into England to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York Id. p. 55. Goes into Scotland and there King Malcolme becomes subject to him Before his Death he appoints Swayn his Eldest Son King of Norway Hardecnute his Son by Queen Emma King of Denmark and Harold his Son by Elgiva King of England after him Id. p. 56 61. Dies at Shaftsbury and is buried at the new Monastery of Winchester having reigned almost Twenty Years His Character A pretty Story about the sense he had of the Vanity of Worldly Empire Id. p. 57. The Laws he ordains with the Consent of his Wise Men at Winchester Id. p. 57 58 59 60. His Laws afterwards confirm'd and renew'd by King Edward the Confessor at the Request of the Northumbers Id. p. 90. Coelestine the Pope sends Palladius the Bishop to the Scots to confirm their Faith l. 2. p. 109 110. Cogidunus held several British Cities of Ostorius Scapula as Tributary to the Roman Empire l. 2. p. 41. Coifi chief of King Edwin's Idol Priests consents to receive the Christian Religion confessing his own to be good for nothing l. 4. p. 173. Burns the Idol Temples and demolishes the Altars of his former Gods Id. p. 174. Coil the Son of Marius succeeds him in Britain loves the Romans and is honoured by them and governs the Kingdom long and peaceably l. 2. p. 67. Dies towards the end of Marcus Aurelius the Emperor's Reign Id. p. 68. Coinage King Athelstan's Law That no Money be coined out of some Town no embasing to be of the Coin under Forfeiture of the loss of the Hand c. l. 5. p. 340. Though not Treason in King Ethelred's time yet punishable at the King's discretion either by Fine or Death l. 6. p. 44. Vid. Money Colchester anciently called Colnaceastre taken from the Danes by the men of Kent Surrey and Essex and the neighbouring Towns The Wall rebuilt and all ruinous places repaired by the Command of King Edward the Elder l. 5. p. 322. Coldingham the Monastery Vid. Monastery of Coludesburgh Coleman Bishop of Lindisfarne departs to Scotland and upon what account l. 4. p. 189. Coludesburgh a great Monastery of Monks and Nuns together called afterwards Coldingham in the Marches of Scotland burnt and how l. 4. p. 198 199. Columba the Priest or Presbyter comes out of Ireland to preach the Word of God to the Northern Picts and receives the Island of Hy to build a Monastery in l. 3. p. 143. Comets one appeared in King Egfrid's time that continued three Months carrying with it every morning a large Tail like a Pillar l. 4. p. 196. Another in Ethelheard's time l. 4. p. 220. One appeared some time after Easter in the year 891. l. 5. p. 298. Another appeared about the time of Queen Ealswithe's Death Id. p. 313. Another was seen in the year 995. l. 6. p. 26. A dreadful one appeared which was visible in all these parts of the world Id. p. 106. Commodus succeeds his Father Marcus Aurelius in the Empire l. 2. p. 68. In his Reign the Britains and other Countries were much infested with Wars and Seditions Id. p. 70. Makes Helvius Pertinax Lieutenant in Britain but was soon dismissed of his Government there Id. p. 70 71 He was odious to the Commonwealth because of his Vices by which he not only destroyed it but disgraced himself Id. p. 71.
Ethelbert sirnamed Praen begins to reign in Kent l. 4. p. 240. Hath his Eyes put out and his Hands cut off by the order of Cenwulf King of Mercia whither he is carried Prisoner Id. p. 241. Is set free before the High Altar being then a Prisoner of War upon the Dedication of the Abbey of Winchelcomb Id. p. 242. Eadbriht King of Kent his Death after he had reigned Six Years l. 4. p. 225. Eadburga Daughter to King Offa Marries Brithtrick King of the West-Saxons l. 4. p. 235. Makes away her Husband by Poison designed indeed for one of his Favourites whom she could not endure Id. p. 243. Retires into France is put there into a Nunnery and why and being expelled thence for her Incontinency she begg'd her bread in Italy till she died l. 4. p. 243. A Law made upon her account That the King's Consort for the future should not be called Queen l. 5. p. 264. Eadesbyrig supposed by Mr. Cambden to be Edesbury in Cheshire where Aethelfleda Lady of the Mercians built a Castle l. 5. p. 316. Eadfrid a Son of King Edwin by his Wife Quenburga who was Daughter of Ceorle King of Mercia l. 4. p. 174. Surrenders up himself to Penda King of the Mercians Id. p. 176. Eadhed is Ordained Bishop in the Province of Lindisse and afterwards Governed the Church of Rippon l. 4. p. 196. Eadmund Etheling Son to King Edgar his Death and Burial at Rumsey in Hampshire l. 6. p. 7. Eadred or Ethelred King of the Mercians Marries Ethelfleda King Alfred's Eldest Daughter l. 5. p. 311. Vid. Ethelred Duke of Mercia Eadsige vid. Aeadsige Eadulf vid. Adulf Eadwig Etheling called Ceorle's Cyng that is King of the Clowns Brother to King Edward is Banished the whole story of him he is made Two Persons by the Annals l. 6. p. 50 51. Eadwin vid. Edwin Eagle the Roman Ensigns were in Caesar's time all Eagles l. 2. p. 26. Ealcher and his Kentish-men with Huda and his Surry-men fight with the Danish Army in the Isle of Thanet and the Success thereof l. 5. p. 261 262. Ealchstan Bishop of Scireborne and Prince Aethelbald join in a most wicked Conspiracy to remove Aethelwulf out of his Kingdom l. 5. p. 263. Ealerd a Daughter of King Edwin's by Queen Aethelburga l. 4. p. 176. Ealfert or Alfred King of the Northumbers his Decease l. 4. p. 213. Ealfric an Ealdorman and one of King Ethelred's Admirals who was to have encompass'd the Danish Fleet by surpise but underhand he betrays the design sending them notice to take care of themselves and the night before the intended Engagement goes over to them himself l. 6. p. 23 24. Several other Treacheries he plays as leaving the Army whereof he was General c. Id. p. 30. Ealswithe The Daughter of Aethelred Ealdorman of the Gaini is Married to King Alfred l. 5. p. 269 313. Her Children by him and her Decease Id. p. 310 311 313. Eanbald Consecrated Archbishop to the See of York on the Death of Ethelheard The Pall demanded for him of the Pope by Alwold King of the Northumbers l. 4. p. 232. Departs from the Northumbers and afterwards Consecrates and places on the Throne Eardwulf who had begun his Reign over Northumberland about a Month before Id. p. 240. His Death and Burial at York the Year after Id. p. 241. Another of the same Name upon his Decease was Consecrated Archbishop of York and the Year following he received the Pall Ibid. This Eanbald held the Second Council at Pinchinhale and what was done therein Id. p. 242. Eanbryht Bishop of Hagulstad his Decease l. 5. p. 248. Eanfrid or Earlfrid the Son of Ethelfrid the last King before Edwin Ruled the Kingdom of Bernicia and Abjured the Christian Religion which before he had Professed l. 4. p. 176. Is basely put to Death by Cadwallo when he imprudently came to him with only Twelve Select Knights in his Company to Treat of Peace Id. p. 177. Earcombert the First English King viz. of Kent who Commanded Idols to be destroyed and ordered Lent to be observed l. 4. p. 180. His Death and who succeeded him Id. p. 185 190. His Character Id. p. 189. Earcongath or Earcongata Daughter to Earcombert a Virgin of great Piety constantly serving God in a Monastery of the Kingdom of the Franks in the Town of Bruges in Flanders l. 4. p. 180. Eardulf succeeds Alfred or Ealfert in the Kingdom of the Northumbers but is expelled from it within Two Months by a Plot laid against him l. 4. p. 213. Eardwulf an Earl commanded to be put to death is found afterwards alive and after that made King of Northumberland Id. p. 236. When he began to Reign there and whom he succeeded Id. p. 240. Returns home Victorious by destroying the Rebels that rose up against him Id. p. 241. Leads an Army against Kenwulf King of Mercia for Harbouring his Enemies but by the Intercession of King Egbert a Peace is agreed on and confirmed by Oath l. 5. p. 248. About Three years after he is driven out of his Kingdom and by whom Ibid. p. 249. The Son of Eardulf the first King of that Name there restored to his Kingdom by the Assistance of the Emperor Charles the Great l. 5. p. 249. Earnred succeeds Aelfwold King of Northumberland l. 5. p. 249. Holds his Kingdom as Tributary to Egbert Chief King of the English who had grievously wasted it with his Arms Id. p. 248 255. His Death his Son succeeding him Id. p. 260. Earnwulf Charles the Gross King of the Franks his Brother's Son expels his Uncle his Kingdom dividing it into Five parts and each of the Kings to Govern under him l. 5.290 East-Angles the Countries we now call Norfolk and Suffolk the Kingdom of it supposed to begin about Anno 575. under Uffa the Eighth King from Woden l. 3. p. 145. The Gospel is preached to them by Furseus which Converted many of them l. 4. p. 180. The Kingdom thereof divided between Hunbeanna and Albert Id. p. 225. They slay Beornwulf King of the Mercians for Challenging this Kingdom as his own l. 5. p. 253. Edmund their King fighting with the Danes they obtain the Victory kill him and wholly Conquer that Kingdom Id. p. 269 272 273 274. Their Subjection and Freedom from the Danish Yoke Id. p. 322 Easter it 's Observation according to the manner prescribed in the Council of Nice l. 2. p. 88. l. 4. p. 166. The Difference about the Rule of keeping it in Augustin's time l. 4. p. 160 161. How it was observed by Bishop Aidan Id. p. 177. Is Commanded to be kept according to the Order of the Church of Rome Id. p. 189. Appointed by the Synod at Hartford in Anno 673. to be kept on the First Lord's Day after the Fourteenth Moon of the First Month that is January this was a General Council of the whole Kingdom Id. p. 193. Aldhelm Abbot of Malmesbury wrote an excellent Book about the Keeping of Easter