Ireland and there prouiding 18 ships of rouers returned landing in Wales ioined himselfe with Griffin the king or prince of Wales and did much hurt on the borders about Hereford of which place Rafe was then earle that was sonne vnto Goda the sister of K. Edward by hir first husband Gualter de Maunt. This earle assembling an armie came forth to giue battell to the enimies appointing the Englishmen contrarie to their manner to fight on horssebacke but being readie on the two twentith of October to giue the onset in a place not past two miles from Hereford he with his Frenchmen and Normans fled and so the rest were discomfited whome the aduersaries pursued and slue to the number of 500 beside such as were hurt and escaped with life Griffin and Algar hauing obteined this victorie entered into the towne of Hereford set the minster on fire slue seuen of the canons that stood to defend the doores or gates of the principall church and finallie spoiled and burned the towne miserablie The king aduertised hereof gathered an armie ouer the which Harold the sonne of earle Goodwine was made generall who followed vpon the enimies that fled before him into Northwales staied not till hauing passed through Stratâ—luid he came to the mountaines of Snowdon where he pitched his field The enimies durst not abide him but got them into Southwales whereof Harold being aduertised left the more part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there with the residue of his people came backe vnto Hereford recouered the towne and caused a great and mightie trench to be cast round about it with an high rampire and fensed it with gates and other fortifications After this he did so much that comming to a communication with Griffin and Algar at a place called Biligelhage a peace was concluded and so the nauie of earle Algar sailed about and came to Chester there to remaine till the men of warre and marriners had their wages while he went to the king who pardoned his offense restored him to his earledome After this in the verie same yeare being the 15 of king Edwards reigne as some writers affirme Siward the noble earle of Northumberland died of the slix of whom it is said that when he perceiued the houre of death to be néere he caused him selfe to be put in armour set vp in his chaire affirming that a knight and a man of honour ought to die in that sort rather than lieng on a couch like a féeble and fainthearted creature and sitting so vpright in his chaire armed at all points he ended his life and was buried at Yorke O stout harted man not vnlike to that famous Romane remembred by Tullie in his Tusculane questions who suffered the sawing of his leg from his bodie without shrinking looking vpon the surgeon all the while hauing no part of his bodie bound for shrinking The said Siward earle of Northumberland was a man of a giantlike stature thereto of a verie stout and hardie courage because his sonne Walteif was but an infant and as yet not out of his cradell the earledome was giuen vnto earle Tostle one of Goodwins sonnes Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside is sent for to be made heire apparant to crowne his death the deceasse of Leofrike earle of Chester the vertues and good deeds of him and his wife Gudwina Couentrie free from custome and toll churches and religious places builded and repared Algar succeedeth his father Leofrike in the earledome he is accused of treason and banished he recouereth his earledome by force of armes Harold is sent with a power against Griffin king of Wales the countrie wasted and the people forced to yeeld they renounce Griffin their king kill him and send his head to Harold Griffins brethren rule Wales after him by grant of king Edward Harolds infortunate going ouer into Normandie the earle of Ponthieu taketh him prisoner and releaseth him at the request of William duke of Normandie for whose vse Harold sweareth to keepe possession of the realme of England the duke promiseth him his daughter in mariage The sixt Chapter NOt long after in the yeare 1057 Aldred bishop of Worcester was sent ouer vnto the emperour Henrie the third to fetch Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside into England whome king Edward was desirous to sée meaning to ordeine him heire apparant to the crowne but he died the same yeare after that he was returned into England This Edward was surnamed the outlaw his bodie was buried at Westminster or as others say in the church of S. Paule within London The same yeare that is to say in the seuentéenth yeare or in the sixtéenth yeare of king Edwards reigne as some write Leofrike the noble earle of Chester or Mercia that was sonne to duke Leofwine departed this life in his owne towne of Bromelie on the last day of August and was buried at Couentrie in the abbeie there which he had builded This earle Leofrike was a man of great honor wise and discréet in all his dooings His high wisdome and policie stood the realme in great stéed whilest he liued He had a noble ladie to his wife named Gudwina at whose earnest sute he made the citie of Couentrie frée of all manner of toll except horsses and to haue that toll laid downe also his foresaid wife rode naked through the middest of the towne without other couerture saue onlie hir haire Moreouer partlie moued by his owne deuotion and partlie by the persuasion of his wife he builded or beneficiallie augmented and repared manie abbeies churches as the said abbeie or priorie at Couentrie the abbeies of Wenlocke Worcester Stone Euesham and Leof besides Hereford Also he builded two churches within the citie of Chester the one called S. Iohns and the other S. Werbrough The value of the iewels ornaments which he bestowed on the abbeie church of Couentrie was inestimable After Leofriks death his sonne Algar was made earle and intituled in all his lands and seigniories In the yeare following to wit 1058 the same Algar was accused againe through malice of some enuious persons of treason so that he was exiled the land wherevpon he repaired againe vnto his old friend Griffin prince of Northwales of whome he was ioifullie receiued shortlie after by his aid also by the power of a nauie of ships that by chance arriued in those parts at that selfe same season vnlooked for out of Norwaie the said Algar recouered his earledome by force as some haue written King Edward about the twentith yeare of his reigne as then remaining at Glocester appointed earle Harold to inuade the dominions of Griffin king of Wales Harold taking with him a power of horssemen made spéed and came to Rutland and there burned Griffins palace and also his ships and then about Midlent returned againe into England After this about the
the sharpe points of the Romans weapons and the force of them by whom they had so often béene put to flight In manie legions saith he the number is small of them that win the battell Their glorie therefore should be the more for that they being a small number should win the fame due to the whole armie if they would thronging togither bestow their weapons fréelie and with their swoords and targets preasse forward vpon their enimies continuing the slaughter without regard to the spoile they might assure themselues when the victorie was once atchiued to haue all at their pleasures Such forwardnesse in the souldiers followed vpon this exhortation of the couragious generall that euerie one prepared himselfe so readilie to doo his dutie and that with such a shew of skill and experience that Suetonius hauing conceiued an assured hope of good lucke to follow caused the trumpets to sound to the battell The onset was giuen in the straits greatlie to the aduantage of the Romans being but a handfull in comparison to their enimies The fight in the beginning was verie sharpe and cruell but in the end the Britains being a let one to another by reason of the narrownesse of the place were not able to susteine the violent force of the Romans their enimies so that they were constreind to giue backe and so being disordered were put to flight and vtterlie discomfited There were slaine of the Britains that day few lesse than 80000 thousand as Tacitus writeth For the straits being stopped with the charrets staied the flight of the Britains so as they could not easilie escape and the Romans were so set on reuenge that they spared neither man nor woman so that manie were slaine in the battell manie amongst the charrets and a great number at the woods side which way they made their flight and manie were taken prisoners Those that escaped would haue fought a new battell but in the meane time Uoadicia or Bonuica deceassed of a naturall infirmitie as Dion Cassius writeth but other say that she poisoned hir selfe and so died because she would not come into the hands of hir bloodthirstie enimies There died of the Romans part in this most notable battell 400 and about the like number were grieuouslie hurt and most pitifullie wounded Penius Posthumus maister of the campe of the second legion vnderstanding the prosperous successe of the other Romane capteins because he had defrauded his legion of the like glorie and had refused to obeie the commandements of the generall contrarie to the vse of warre slue himselfe After this all the Romane armie was brought into the field to make an end of the residue of the warre And the emperour caused a supplie to be sent out of Germanie being 2000 legionarie souldi ers and 8 bands of aids with 1000 horssemen by whose comming the bands of the ninth legion were supplied with legionarie souldiers and those bands and wings of horssemen were appointed to places where they might winter and such people of the Britains as were either enimies or else stood in doubt whether to be friends or enimies in déed were persecuted with fire and sword But nothing more afflicted them than famine for whilest euerie man gaue himselfe to the warre and purposed to haue liued vpon the prouision of the Romans and other their enimies they applied not themselues to tillage nor to anie husbanding of the ground and long it was yer they being a fierce kind of people fell to embrace peace by reason that Iulius Cassicianus who was sent into Britaine as successor to Catus fell at square with Suetonius and by his priuat grudge hindered the prosperous successe of publike affaires He sticked not to write to Rome that except an other were sent to succéed in the roome that Suetonius did beare there would be no end of the warres Herevpon one Polycletus which sometime had béene a bondman was sent into Britaine as a commissioner to surueie the state of the countrie to reconcile the legat and procurator also to pacifie all troubles within the I le The port which Polycletus bare was great for he was furnished with no small traine that attended vpon him so that his presence seemed verie dreadfull to the Romans But the Britains that were not yet pacified thought great scorne to see such honorable capteins and men of warre as the Romans were to submit themselues to the order of such a one as had béene a bondslaue In what state the Iland stood whiles Aruiragus reigned the dissolute and loose gouernement of Petronius Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus and Victius Volanus three lieutenants in Britaine for the Romane emperours of Iulius Frontinus who vanquished the Silures The xiiij Chapter IN place of Suetonius was Petronius Turpilianus who had latelie béene consull appointed to haue the gouernance of the armie in Britaine the which neither troubling the enimie nor being of the enimie in anie wise troubled or prouoked did colour slouthfull rest with the honest name of peace and quietnesse and so sat still without exploiting anie notable enterprise AFter Turpilianus Trebellius Maximus was made lieutenant of Britaine who likewise with courteous demeanous sought to kéepe the Britains in rest rather than by force to compell them And now began the people of the I le to beare with pleasant faults and flattering vices so that the ciuill warres that chanced in those daies after the death of the emperour Nero at home might easilie excuse the slouthfulnesse of the Romane lieutenants Moreouer there rose dissention amongest their men of warre which being vsed to lie abroad in the field could not agrée with the idle life so that Trebellius Maximus was glad to hide himselfe from the sight of the souldiers being in an vprore against him till at length humbling himselfe vnto them further than became his estate he gouerned by waie of intreatie or rather at their courtesie And so was the commotion staied without bloudshed the armie as it were hauing by couenant obteined to liue licentiouslie and the capteine suertie to liue without danger to be murthered NEither Uictius Uolanus that succéeded Maximus whilest the time of the ciuill warres as yet endured did trouble the Britains vsing the same slacknesse and slouth that the other lieutenants had vsed before him and permitted the like licence to the presumptuous souldiers but yet was Uolanus innocent as touching himselfe and not hated for anie notable crime or vice so that he purchased fauour although authoritie wanted But after that the emperour Uespasianus had subdued his aduersaries and atteined the imperiall gouernment as well ouer Britaine as ouer other parts of the world there were sent hither right noble capteins with diuers notable bands of souldiers and Petilius Cerialis being appointed lieutenant put the Britains in great feare by inuading the Brigants the mightiest nation of all the whole Iland and fighting manie battels and some right bloudie with those people he subdued a great part
were so that the same was verie sore disquieted and vexed by tempest and rage of weather Wherevpon finding no great let or hinderance by the enimies he builded certeine castels and fortresses which he placed in such conuenient stéeds that they greatlie annoied his aduersaries and were so able to be defended that there was none of those castels which he builded either woon by force out of the Romans hands or giuen ouer by composition for feare to be taken so that the same beeing furnished with competent numbers of men of warre were safelie kept from the enimies the which were dailie vexed by the often issues made foorth by the souldiers that laie thus in garrison within them so that where in times past the said enimies would recouer their losses susteined in summer by the winters aduantage now they were put to the woorse and kept backe as well in the winter as in the summer In the fourth summer after that Agricola was appointed vnto the rule of this land he went about to bring vnder subiection those people the which before time he had by incursions and forreies sore vexed and disquieted and therevpon comming to the waters of Clide and Loughleuen he built certeine fortresses to defend the passages and entries there driuing the enimies beyond the same waters as it had beene into a new Iland In the fift summer Agricola causing his ships to be brought about and appointing them to arriue on the north coasts of Scotland he passed with his armie ouer the riuer of Clide and subdued such people as inhabited those further parts of Scotland which till those daies had not beene discouered by the Romans And bicause he thought it should serue well to purpose for some conquest to be made of Ireland if that part of Scotland which bordereth on the Irish seas might be kept in due obedience he placed garrisons of souldiers in those parties in hope verelie vpon occasion to passe ouer into Ireland and for the more easie aduancement of his purpose therein he interteined with honourable prouision one of the kings of Ireland which by ciuill discord was expelled and driuen out of his countrie In déed Agricola perceiued that with one legion of souldiers and a small aid of other men of warre it should be an easie matter to conquer Ireland and to bring it vnder the dominion of the Romans which enterprise he iudged verie necessarie to be exploited for better kéeping of the Britains in obedience if they should sée the iurisdiction of the Romans euerie where extended and the libertie of their neighbours suppressed In the sixt summer of Agricola his gouernment he proceeded in subduing the furthermost parts of Scotland northwards causing his nauie to kéepe course against him by the coast as he marched foorth by land so that the Britains perceiuing how the secret hauens and créekes of their countries were now discouered and that all hope of refuge was in maner cut off from them were in maruellous feare On the other part the Romans were sore troubled with the rough mounteins and craggie rocks by the which they were constreined to passe beside the dangerous riuers lakes woods streicts and other combersome waies and passages The danger also of them that were in the ships by sea was not small by reason of winds and tempests and high spring tides which tossed and turmoiled their vessels verie cruellie but by the painfull diligence of them that had béene brought vp and inured with continuall trauell and hardnesse all those discommodities were ouercome to their great reioising when they met and fell in talke of their passed perils For oftentimes the armie by land incamped so by the shore that those which kept the sea came on land to make merrie in the campe and then ech one would recount to others the aduentures that had happened as the manner is in semblable cases The Britains of Calenderwood assalt the Romans vpon aduantage bloudie battels fought betwixt them great numbers slaine on both sides the villanous dealing of certeine Dutch souldiers against their capteins and fellowes in armes the miserie that they were driuen vnto by famine to eate one another a sharpe conflict betweene the Romans and Britains with the losse of manie a mans life and effusion of much bloud The xvij Chapter THe Britains that inhabited in those daies about the parts of Calenderwood perceiuing in what danger they were to be vtterlie subdued assembled themselues togither in purpose to trie the fortune of battell whereof Agricola being aduertised marched foorth with his armie diuided in three battels so that the enimies doubting to trie the matter in open field espied their time in the night and with all their whole puissance set vpon one of the Romane legions which they knew to be most féeble and weake trusting by a camisado to distresse the same and first sleaing the watch they entred the campe where the said legion laie and finding the souldiers in great disorder betwixt sléepe and feare began the fight euen within the campe Agricola had knowledge of their purposed intent and therefore with all spéed hasted foorth to come to the succours of his people sending first his light horssemen and certeine light armed footmen to assaile the enimies on their backs and shortlie after approched with his whole puissance so that the Romane standards beginning to appéere in sight by the light of the daie that then began to spring the Britains were sore discouraged and the Romans renewing their force fiercelie preassed vpon them so that euen in the entrie of the campe there was a sore conflict till at length the Britains were put to flight and chased so that if the mareshes and woods had not saued them from the pursute of the Romans there had beene an end made of the whole warre euen by that one daies worke But the Britains escaping as well as they might and reputing the victorie to haue chanced not by the valiancie of the Romane soldiers but by occasion and the prudent policie of their capteine were nothing abashed with that their present losse but prepared to put their youth againe into armour and therevpon they remooued their wiues and children into safe places and then assembling the chiefest gouernours togither concluded a league amongst themselues ech to aid other confirming their articles with dooing of sacrifice as the manner in those daies was The same summer a band of such Dutch or Germaine souldiers as had béene leuied in Germanie sent ouer into Britaine to the aid of the Romans attempted a great and woonderfull act in sleaing their capteine and such other of the Romane souldiers which were appointed to haue the training and leading of them as officers and instructors to them in the feats of warre and when they had committed that murther they got into thrée pinesses and became rouers on the coasts of Britaine and incountring with diuerse of the Britains that were readie to defend their countrie from
despitefull reproch of so mightie an empire and gouernement ouer the whole greeued vs to the heart as now at length we will not sticke to confesse and to vs it seemed the more intollerable bicause it onlie remained to the accomplishing of your perfect renowne and glorie And verilie as there is but one name of Britaine so was the losse to be esteemed smal to the common wealth of a land so plentifull of corne so abundant with store of pastures so flowing with veines of mettall so gainfull with reuenues rising of customs and tributes so enuironed with hauens so huge in circuit the which when Cesar the founder of this your honourable title being the first that entered into it writ that he had found an other world supposing it to be so big that it was not compassed with the sea but that rather by resemblance the great Ocean was compassed with it Now at that time Britaine was nothing furnished with ships of warre so that the Romans soone after the warres of Carthage and Asia had latelie beene exercised by sea against pirats and afterwards by reason of the warres against Mithridates were practised as well to fight by sea as land besides this the British nation then alone was accustomed but onelie to the Picts and Irishmen enimies halfe naked as yet not vsed to weare armor so that the Britains for lacke of skill easilie gaue place to the Romane puissance insomuch that Cesar might by that voiage onelie glorie in this that he had sailed and passed ouer the Ocean sea But in this wicked rebellious robberie first the nauie that in times pat defended the coasts of Gallia was led away by the pirat when he fled his waies and beside this a great number of other ships were built after the mould of ours the legion of Romane souldiers was woon and brought to take part with the enimie and diuers bands of strangers that were also souldiers were shut vp in the ships to serue also against vs. The merchants of the parties of Gallia were assembled and brought togither to the musters and no small numbers of barbarous nations procured to come in aid of the rebels trusting to inrich themselues by the spoile of the prouinces and all these were trained in the wars by sea through the instruction of the first attemptors of this mischieuous practise And although our armies were inuincible in force and manhood yet were they raw and not accustomed to the seas so that the fame of a greeuous and great trouble by warre that was toward by this shamefull rebellious robberie was blowne and sounded in ech mans eare although we hoped well of the end Unto the enimies forces was added a long sufferance of their wicked practises without punishment which had puffed vp the presumptuous boldnesse of desperate people that they bragged of our stay as it had bene for feare of them whereas the disaduantage which we had by sea seemed as it were by a fatall necessitie to deferre our victorie neither did they beleeue that the warre was put off for a time by aduise and counsell but rather to be omitted through despaire of dooing anie good against them insomuch that now the feare of common punishment being laid aside one of the mates slue the archpirat or capteine rouer as I may call him hoping in reward of so great an exploit to obteine the whole gouernement into his hands This warre then being both so necessarie so hard to enter vpon so growne in time to be stubborne stiffenesse and so well prouided for of the enimies part you noble emperour did so take it in hand that so soone as you bent the thundering force of your imperiall maiestie against that enimie ech man made account that the enterprise was alreadie atchiued For first of all to the end that your diuine power being absent the barbarous nations should not attempt anie new trouble a thing chieflie to be foreseene it was prouided for aforehand by intercession made vnto your maiestie for you your selfe you I say mightie lord Maximian eternall emperour vouchedsafe to aduance the comming of your diuine excellencie by the neerest way that might be which to you was not vnknowne You therefore suddenlie came to the Rhine and not with anie armie of horssemen or footmen but with the terrour of your presence did preserue and defend all that frontire for Maximian once being there vpon the riuage counteruailed anie the greatest armies that were to be found For you most inuincible emperour furnishing and arming diuers nauies made the enimie to vncerteine of his owne dooing and void of counsell that then at length he might perceiue that he was not defended but rather inclosed with the Ocean sea Here commeth to mind how pleasant and easefull the good lucke of those princes in gouerning the commong wealth with praise was which sitting still in Rome had triumphs and surnames appointed them of such nations as their capteins did vanquish Fronto therefore not the second but match with the first honor of the Romane eloquence when he yeelded vnto the emperor Antoninus the renowne of the warre brought to end in Britaine although he sitting at home in his palace within the citie had committed the conduct and successe of that warre ouer vnto the same Fronto it was confessed by him that the emperour sittings as it were at the helme of the ship deserued the praise by giuing of perfect order to the full accomplishing of the enterprise But you most inuincible emperour haue bene not onlie the appointer foorth how all this voiage by sea and prosecuting the warre by land should bee demeaned as apperteined to you by vertue of your imperiall rule and dignitie but also you haue beene an exhorter and setter forward in the things themselues and through example of your assured constancie the victorie was atchiued For you taking the sea at Sluice did put an irreuocable desire into their hearts that were readie to take ship at the same time in the mouth of the riuer of Saine insomuch that when the capteins of that armie did linger out the time by reason the seas and aire was troubled they cried to haue the sailes hoised vp and signe giuen to lanch foorth that they might passe forward on their iournie despising certeine tokens which threatened their wrecke and so set forward on a rainie and tempestuous day sailing with a crosse wind for no forewind might serue their turne But what was he that durst not commit himselfe vnto the sea were the same neuer so vnquiet when you were once vnder saile and set forward One voice and exhortation was among them all as report hath gone thereof when they heard that you were once got forth vpon the water What doo we dout what mean we to staie He is now loosed from land he is forward on his waie and peraduenture is alreadie got ouer Let vs put all things in proofe let vs venter through anie dangers of sea whatsoeuer What is
enimie twelue hundred of them are slaine Edelfride entreth the citie of Chester the Britains assembling their power vnder three capteins incounter with Edelfride slaie manie of his souldiers and put him to flight warres betweene Edelfride and Redwald king of the Eastangles about Edwine the sonne of king Elle Edelfride is slaine Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons dieth The xxij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Chelricus king of the Westsaxons we find that Ceowlfe or Ceoloulph succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome and reigned twelue yéeres He began his reigne as should appéere by some writers about the yeere of our Lord 597 and spent his time for the more part in warres not giuing place to idlenesse but séeking either to defend or inlarge the confines of his dominion He was the sonne of Cutha which was the sonne of Kenrike which was the sonne of Certike After Wibba or Wipha king of Mercia who nothing inferiour to his father did not onelie defend his kingdome but also inlarge it by subduing the Britains on ech side one Ceorlus succéeded in that kingdome being not his sonne but his kinsman This Ceorlus began his reigne about the yéere of our Lord 594 as Matth. West recordeth Ye haue heard that Edelferd which otherwise is called also by writers Edelfride surnamed the wild gouerned still the Northumbers which Edelferd did more damage to the Britains than anie one other king of the English nation None of them destroied their countries more than he did neither did anie prince make more of the Britains tributaries or inhabited more of their countries with English people than he Héerevpon Edan king of those Scots which inhabited Britaine being therewith mooued to see Edelfride prosper thus in his conquests came against him with a mightie armie but ioining in battell with Edelfride and his power at a place called Degsastane or Degsastone or Deglaston he lost the most part of his people and with the residue that were left aliue he escaped by flight This was a sore foughten battell with much bloudshed on both parties For notwithstanding that the victorie remained with the Northumbers Theobaldus the brother of Edelferd was slaine with all that part of the English host which he gouerned and it was fought in the yéere of our Lord 603 in the 19 yeere of the reigne of the foresaid Edelferd and in the sixt yéere of Ceowlfe king of the Westsaxons and in the first yéere of the emperor Phocas or rather in the last yéere of his predecessor Mauricius From that day till the daies of Beda not one of the Scotish kings burst presume to enter into Britaine againe to giue battell against the English nation as Beda himselfe writteth But the Scotish writers make other report of this matter as in the historie of Scotland ye maie find recorded The Britains that dwelt about Chester through their stoutnesse prouoked the aforesaid Edelferd king of the Northumbers vnto warre wherevpon to tame their loftie stomachs he assembled an armie came forward to besiege the citie of Chester then called of the Britains Carleon ardour deué The citizens coueting rather to suffer all things than a siege and hauing a trust in their great multitude of people came foorth to giue batell abroad in the fields whome he compassing about with ambushes got within his danger and easilie discomfited It chanced that he had espied before the battell ioined as Beda saith where a great number of the British priests were got aside into a place somewhat out of danger that they might there make their intercession to God for the good spéed of their people being then readie to giue battell to the Northumbers Manie of them were of that famous monasterie of Bangor in the which it is said that there was such a number of moonks that where they were diuided into seuen seuerall parts with their seuerall gouernors appointed to haue rule ouer them euerie of those parts conteined at the least thrée hundred persons the which liued altogither by the labour of their hands Manie therefore of those moonks hauing kept a solemne fast for thrée daies togither were come to the armie with other to make praier hauing for their defender one Brocmale or Broemael earle or consull as some call him of Chester which should preserue them being giuen to praier from the edge of the enimies swoord King Edelferd hauing as is said espied these men asked what they were and what their intent was and being informed of the whole circumstance and cause of their being there he said Then if they call to their God for his assistance against vs suerlie though they beare no armour yet doo they fight against vs being busied in praier for our destruction Wherevpon he commanded the first onset to be giuen them and after slue downe the residue of the British armie not without great losse of his owne people Of those moonks and priests which came to praie as before is mentioned there died at that battell about the number of 12 hundred so that fiftie of them onelie escaped by flight Brocmale or Broemael at the first approch of the enimies turning his backe with his companie left them whom he should haue defended to be murthered through the enimies swoord Thus was the prophesie of Augustine fulfilled though he was long before departed this life as Beda saith ¶ Héere is to be noted if this battell was fought in the seuenth yéere of Ceowlfe king of Westsaxon as some haue written and that Augustine liued 12 yéeres after his entrance into the gouernment of the sée of Canturburie as some write it is euident that he liued foure yéeres after this slaughter made of the British priests and moonks by Edelferd as before is recited For Ceowlfe began his reigne as before is mentioned about the yéere of our Lord 596 and in the seuenth yeere of his reigne the battell was fought at Degsastane betwixt the English the Scots which chanced in the yéere of our Lord 604 as Beda himselfe recordeth A late chronographer running vpon this matter and preciselie setting downe his collection saith that Athelbright or Edelfride K. of the Northumbers Ethelbert K. of Kent hauing Augustine in their companie in the eight yéere after his arriuall made warre vpon such Britains as refused to obserue the canons of the late councell mentioned 603 and killed 1200 moonks of the monasterie of Bangor which laboured earnestlie and in the sweat of their browes thereby to get their liuings c. Uerclie Galf. Mon. writeth that Ethelbert king of Kent after he saw the Britains to disdaine and denie their subiection vnto Augustine by whome he was conuerted to the christian faith stirred vp Edelferd king of the Northumbers to warre against the Britains But heereof Maister Fox doubteth and therefore saith that of vncerteine things he hath nothing certeinlie to saie much lesse to iudge But now to the matter where we left After
liue from thencefoorth a priuat kind of life and so resigning the administration vnto his kinsman Egricus he became a moonke and led the rest of his life in a certeine abbeie Shortlie after it so came to passe that Penda king of Mercia that cruell ethnike tyrant made sore warres vpon Egricus wherevpon the people of Eastangles compelled Sigibert to come foorth of his monasterie to go with them into the field against Penda Sigibert being thus constreined against his will would not put on armour or beare anie other kind of weapon than onelie a wand in his hand in steed of a scepter and so the armie of the Eastangles in hope of good spéed by the presence of Sigibert ioined in battell with their enimies but the Eastangles were finallie vanquished and the more part of them slaine togither with Sigibert and his coosen Egricus their king This happened in the yere after the birth of our Sauiour as some haue noted 652. In the daies whilest Sigibert as yet ruled the Eastangles there came out of Ireland a deuout person named Furseus who comming into the countrie of the Eastangles was gladlie receiued of king Sigibert by whose helpe afterwards he builded the abbeie of Cumbreburge in the which Sigibert as some haue written when he renounced his kingdome was professed a moonke Of this Furseus manie things are written the which for briefenesse we ouerpasse After that Felix the bishop of the Eastangles was dead one Thomas was ordeined in his place who after he had béene bishop fiue yéeres died and then one Beretgils was ordeined in his roome by Honorius the archbishop of Canturburie The said Honorius himselfe when he had run the race of his naturall life deceassed also the last of September in the yéere of our Lord 653. Anna king of Eastangles is slaine by Penda king of Mercia his brother succeeding him is slaine also by Oswie king of Northumberland the Mercians or Middle angles receiue the faith vnder vertuous Peda their prince he requesteth Alchfled the king of Northumberlands daughter in mariage he is baptised by bishop Finnan by whose meanes the Eastsaxons imbraced christian religion vnder Sigibert their king he is murthered of two brethren that were his kinsmen vpon a conceiued hatred against him for his good and christian life how dangerous it is to keepe companie with an excommunicate person the authoritie of a bishop The xxxj Chapter AFter Egricus succeeded Anna the sonne of Enus in the kingdome of Eastangle and was likewise slaine by Penda king of Mercia with the most part of his armie as he gaue battell vnto the said Penda that inuaded his countrie He left behind him manie children but his brother Edelhere succéeded him in gouernment of the kingdome who was slaine by Oswie the king of Northumberland togither with the foresaid Penda and woorthilie sith he would aid that tyrant which had slaine his kinsman and his brother that were predecessors with him in his kingdome After this when the sée of Canturburie had béene vacant by the space of one whole yeere and six moneths one Deus dedit of the countrie of the Westsaxons was elected and consecrated by Ithamar the bishop of Rochester on the 7 kalends of Aprill He gouerned the church of Canturburie by the tearme of nine yéeres foure moneths and two daies When he was departed this life the foresaid Ithamar consecrated for him one Damianus of the countrie of Sussex ABout this time the people of Mercia commonlie called Middleangles receiued the christian faith vnder their king named Peda or Peada the sonne of Penda king of Mercia who being a towardlie yoong gentleman and woorthie to haue the guiding of a kingdome his father Penda aduanced him to the rule of that kingdome of the Middleangles during his owne life ¶ Héere maie you note that the kingdome of the Middleangles was one and the kingdome of Mercia another though most commonlie the same were gouerned by one king This yoong Peda came to Oswie king of Northumberland requiring of him to haue his daughter Alchfled in mariage but when he was informed that he might not haue hir except he would become a christian then vpon hearing the gospell preached with the promise of the celestiall ioies and immortalitie by the resurrection of the flesh in the life to come he said that whether he had king Oswies daughter to wife or not he would suerlie be baptised and chieflie he was persuaded therevnto by his kinsman Alchfrid who had in mariage his sister the daughter of Penda named Cimburgh Wherefore he was baptised by bishop Finnan with all those which came thither with him at a place called At the wall and taking with him foure priests which were thought méete to teach and baptise his people he returned with great ioy into his owne countrie The names of those priests were as followeth Cedda Adda Betti and Diuna of the which the last was a Scot by nation and the other were Englishmen These priests comming into the prouince of the Middleangles preached the woord and were well heard so that dailie a great number of the nobilitie communaltie renouncing the filthie dregs of idolatrie were christned Neither did king Penda forbid the preaching of the gospell within his prouince of Mercia but rather hated and despised those whome he knew to haue professed themselues christians and yet shewed not the woorks of faith saieng that Those were wretches and not to be regarded which would not obeie their God in whome they beléeued This alteration of things began about two yéeres before the death of king Penda ABout the same time the Eastsaxons at the instance of Oswie king of Northumberland receiued eftsoones the faith which they had renounced when they banished their bishop Melitus Ye haue heard that Serred Siward and Sigibert brethren and the sonnes of king Sabert which brethren occasioned the reuolting of that prouince from the faith of Christ were slaine in battell by the kings of Westsaxon after whome succéeded Sigibert surnamed the little sonne to the middlemost brother Siward as some write This Sigibert the litle left the kingdome to an other Sigibert that was sonne to one Sigebald the brother of king Sabert which second Sigibert reigned as king in that prouince of the Eastsaxons being a most especiall friend of king Oswie so that oftentimes he repaired into Northumberland to visit him whervpon king Oswie ceassed not most earnestlie at times conuenient to exhort him to receiue the faith of Iesus Christ and in the end by such effectuall persuasions as he vsed Sigibert gaue credit to his woords and so being conuerted receiued the sacrament of baptisme by the hands of bishop Finnan at the kings house called At the wall so named bicause it was built néere to the wall which the Romans had made ouerthwart the I le as is often before remembred being twelue miles distant from the east sea King Sigibert hauing
reported to be martyrs because it was knowen they died innocentlie he mocked them and made but a iest at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him thereof and gaue in recompense to their mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the building of a monasterie THe foresaid Edrike after Lother was dead got the dominion of Kent and ruled as king thereof but not without ciuill warre insomuch that before he had reigned the full terme of two yeares he was slaine in the same warre Then Ceadwalla king of the Westsaxons being thereof aduertised supposing of the time now to be come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentishmen all the displeasure he could entred with an armie into theri covntrie and began to waste and spoile the same on ech side till finallie the Kentishmen assembled themselues togither gaue battell to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was driuen from his companie and constrained to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued him set fire thereon and burned both the hosue and Mollo within it to ashes Yet did not Ceadwalla herewith deaprt out of the countrie but to wreake his wrath and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother he wasted and destroied a great part of Kent yer he returned home and left as it were in occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell with reuenging Wherein we sée the cankerd nature of man speciallie in a case of wrong or displeasure which we are so far from tollerating forgiuing that if with tooth and naile we be not permitted to take vengeance our hearts will breake with a full conceit of wrath But the law of nature teacheth vs otherwise to be affected namelie per te nulli vnquam iniuria fiat Sed verbis alijsque modis fuge laedere quenquam Quod tibi nolles alijs fecisse caueto Quódque tibi velles alijs praestare studeto Haec est naturae lex optima quam nisiad vnguem Seruabis non ipse Deo mihi crede placebis Póstque obitum infoelix non aurea sydera adibis Which lesson taught by nature and commanded of God if these men had followed as they minded nothing lesse in the fier of their furie they would haue béene content with a competent reuenge and not in such outragious maner with fier and sword haue afflicted one another nor which is more than tigerlike crueltie haue ministred occasion to posterities to reuenge wrongs giuen and taken of their ancestors But we will let this passe without further discourse meaning hereafter in due place to declare the processe The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuers had coueted the place and sought to atteine thereto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for the space of 6 yeares togither at length in the 7 yeare after Edricks death Withred an other of the sonnes of king Egbert hauing with diligent trauell ouercome enuie at home with monie redéemed peace abroad was with great hope conceiued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the 11 of Nobuember 205 after the death of Hengist he reigned 33 yeares not deceiuing his subiects of their good conceiued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie ciuill warre against him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the Westsaxons which ment to haue made him warre till with monie he was made his friend A little before that Withdred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent there reigned two kings in that countrie Suebhard and Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia gentis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the archbishop Theodorus being of the age of 88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare 692 the first daie of Iulie on Brightwald was chosen to succéed in the archbishops sée of Canturburie Withredus and Suebhardus as then reigning in Kent but whether Withredus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nidred it forceth not for certeine it is by the agréement of othere writers that till Withdred obteined the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernement and diuers there wre that sought and fought for it But this ought to be noted that the forenamed Brightwald was the eight archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sée of Canturburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were strangers borne and sent hither from Rome ¶ Here endeth the line and gouernement of the Britains now called Welshmen which tooke that name of their duke or leader Wallo or Gallo or else of a queene of Wales named Gales or Wales But howsoeuer that name fell first vnto them now they are called Welshmen which sometime were called Britains or Brutons and descended first of the Troians and after of Brute and lastlie of Mulmucius Dunwallo albeit they were mingled with sundrie other nations as Romans Picts c. and now they be called English that in their beginning were named Saxons or Angles To conclude therefore wiht this gouernement so manie times intercepted by forren power it appeareth by course of histories treating of these matters that the last yeare of Cadwallader was the yeare of our Lord 686 which makes the yere of the world 4647. So that as Fabian saith the Britains had the greater part of this land in rule reckoning from Brute till this time 1822 yeares Which terme being expired the whole dominion of this realme was Saxonish Thus farre the interrupted regiment of the Britains ending at the fift booke THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England Inas king of the Westsaxons the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen whom he was purposed to haue destroied he his coosen Nun fight with Gerent king of the Britains and Cheolred king of Mercia and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons the end of their kingdoms Inas giueth ouer his roialtie goeth in pilgrimage to Rome and there dieth his lawes written in the Saxon toong of what buildings he was the founder queene Ethelburgas deuise to persuade Inas to forsake the world he was the first procurer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome king Ethelred king Kenred and king Offa become moonks the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision king Ethelbalds exploits he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggestion of Bernred the vsurper Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald nuns kept for concubines their pilgrimage The first Chapter AFter tht Ceadwalla late K. of the Westsaxons was gone to Rome where he departed this
same Edilbald at Hereford hauing before him the said earle Adelme in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to atteine victorie neither was he deceiued for by the stout conduct and noble courage of the said Adelme the loftie pride of king Edelbald was abated so that he was there put to flight and all his armie discomfited after sore and terrible fight continued and mainteined euen to the vttermost point In the 24 yeere of his reigne this Cuthred fougth eftsoones with the Welshmen and obteined the vpper hand without anie great losse of his people for the enimies were easilie put to flight and chased to their owne destruction In the yeere after king Cuthred fell sicke and in the 16 yéere of his reigne he departed this life after so manie great victories got against his enimies AFter him succéeded one Sigibert a cruell and vnmercifull prince at home but yet a coward abroad This Sigbert or Sigibert began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755 verie néere ended He intreated his subiects verie euill setting law and reason at naught He could not abide to heare his faults told him and therefore he cruellie put to death an earle named Cumbra which was of his councell and faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings wherevpon the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great multitude of people and expelled him out of his estate in the beginning of the second or as some say the first yeare of his reigne Then Sigibert as he was fearefull of nature fearing to be apprehended got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald and there hid himselfe but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the late earle Cumbra at Priuetsfloud found him out and perceiuing what he was slue him in reuenge of his maisters death ¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense as well as in the world to come appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for the punishment of the people according as they deserue permitting some of them to haue gouernement a long time that both the froward nations may suffer long for their sins and that such wicked princes may in an other world tast to more bitter torments Againe other he taketh out of the waie that the people may be deliuered from oppression and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may spéedilie receiue due punishment AFter Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred which succéeded him so in the feare of the Lord that he prooued a right godlie prince This Ethelbert reigned as writers say the terme of 52 yeares After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in the abbie of Lindesferne his vncles sonnes Egbert by order taken by the said Ceolvulfe succeeded him in the kingdome and gouerned the same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares and then became a moonke by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceoldulfe and also of diuers other kings in those daies so that he was the eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks cowle as Simon Dunel writeth This Egbert in the 18 yeare of his reigne and Ungust king of Picts came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies and there receiued the Britains into their subiection the first day of August but the tenth day of the same month the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh was for the more part lost and destroied ¶ The same yeare on the 8 kalends of December the moone being as then in hir full appeared to be of a bloudie colour but at length she came to hir accustomed shew after a maruellous meanes for a starre which followed hir passed by hir went before hir the like distāce as it kept in following hir before she lost hir vsuall light Offa king of Mercia his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen and Westsaxons he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie or subtill deuise of profered curtesie he inuadeth his kingdome and possesseth it the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to Lichfield archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is depriued by king Offa he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses mistrusting his estate he alieth himselfe with other princes he maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and religious houses he goeth to Rome maketh his realme tributarie to the said see Peter pence paid he falleth sicke and dieth places to this day bearing his name in memorie of him the short reigne of his sonne The fourth Chapter AFter that Offa had slaien Bernred the vsurper of the kingdome of Mercia as before is mentioned the same Offa tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome 758 a man of such stoutnesse of stomach that he thought he should be able to bring to passe all things whatsoeuer he conceiued in his mind He reigned 39 yeares His dooings were great and maruellous and such as some times his vertues surpassed his vices and sometime againe his vices séemed to ouermatch his vertues He ouercame the Kentishmen in a great battell at Otteford and the Northumbers also were by him vanquished and in battell put to flight With Kenvulfe king of Westsaxons he fought in open battell and obteined a noble victorie with small losse of his people although the same Kenwulfe was a right valiant prince and a good capteine Againe perceiuing that to procéed with craft should sooner aduance his purpose than to vse open force against Egilbert king of Eastangles vnder faire promises to giue vnto him his daughter in mariage he allured him to come into Mercia and receiuing him into his palace caused his head to be striken off and after by wrongfull meanes inuaded his kingdome and got it into his possession yet he caused the bones of the first martyr of this land saint Albane by a miraculous meanes brought to light to be taken vp and put in a rich shrine adorned with gold and stone building a goodlie church of excellent woorkmanship and founding a monasterie in that place in honor of the same saint which he indowed with great possessions He remoued the archbishops see from Canturburie vnto Lichfield thereby to aduance his kingdome of Mercia as well in dignitie preheminence of spirituall power as temporall He made great suit to bring his purpose to passe in the court of Rome and at length by great gifts and rewards obteined it at the hands of pope Adrian the first then gouerning the Romane sée And so Eadulfus then bishop of Lichfield was adorned with the pall and taken for archbishop hauing all those bishops within the limits of king Offa his dominion suffragans vnto him namelie Denebertus bishop of Worcester Werebertus
time that the Angles and Saxons got possession thereof Now was king Egbert setled in good quiet and his dominions reduced out of the troubles of warre when suddenlie newes came that the Danes with a nauie of 35 ships were arriued on the English coasts and began to make sore warre in the land K. Egbert being thereof aduertised with all conuenient spéed got togither an armie and went foorth to giue battell to the enimies Heerevpon incountring with them there was a sore foughten field betwixt them which continued with great slaughter on both sides till the night came on and then by chance of warre the Englishmen which before were at point to haue gone awaie with victorie were vanquished and put to flight yet king Egbert by couert of the night escaped his enimies hands but two of his chiefe capteins Dudda and Osmond with two bishops to wit Herferd of Winchester and Uigferd of Shireborne were slaine in that battell which was foughten at Carrum about the 834 of Christ and 34 yéere of king Egberts reigne In the yeere following the Danes with their nauie came into Westwales and there the Welshmen ioining with them rose against king Egbert but he with prosperous fortune vanquished and slue both the Danes and Welshmen and that in great number at a place called Hengistenton The next yéere after also which was 836 he ouerthrew another armie of Danes which came against him as one autor writeth Finallie when king Egbert had reigned the tearme of 36 yéeres and seuen moneths with great glorie for the inlarging of his kingdome with wide bounds which when he receiued was but of small compasse he departed this life leauing to his issue matter of woorthie praise to mainteine that with order which he with painefull diligence had ioined togither His bodie was buried at Winchester and he left behind him two sonnes Ethelwuffe otherwise named Athaulfe and Adelstan The first he appointed to succéed him in the kingdome of Westsaxons and Adelstan he ordeined to haue the gouernment of Kent Sussex and Essex ¶ Héere we sée the paterne of a fortunate prines in all his affaires as well forren as domesticall wherein is first to be obserued the order of his education in his tender yéeres which agréeing well with a princes nature could not but in the progresse of his age bring great matters to passe his manifold victories are an argument that as he lacked no policie so he had prowesse inough to incounter with his enimies to whome he gaue manie a fâ—wle discomfiture But among all other notes of his skill and hope of happie successe in his martiall affaires was the good choise that he made of seruiceable souldiers being such as knew how to get the victorie and hauing gotten it were not vntaught to vse it to their benefit by their warinesse and héed taking for Saepiùs incautae nocuit victoria turbâ—â— The kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons the end of the kingdome of Kent and Essex Kenelme king of Mercia murthered by the meanes of his owne sister Quendred the order of hir wicked practise his death prophesied or foreshewed by a signe the kings of Mercia put by their roialtie one after another the kingdome of Britaine beginneth to be a monarchie Ethelwulfe king of the Westsaxons he marrieth his butlers daughter his disposition the fourth destruction of this land by forren enimies the Danes sought the ruine of this I le how long they afflicted and troubled the same two notable bishops and verie seruiceable to king Ethelwulfe in warre the Danes discomfited the Englishmen chased Ethelwufs great victorie ouer the Danes a great slaughter of them at Tenet king Ethelwulfs deuotion and liberalitie to churches Peter pence paid to Rome he marieth the ladie Iudith his two sonnes conspire vpon occasion of breaking a law to depose him king Ethelwulfe dieth his foure sonnes by his first wife Osburga how he bequeathed his kingdoms The tenth Chapter WHen Cuthred K. of Kent had reigned 8 yeeres as before is mentioned he was constreined to giue place vnto one Baldred that tooke vpon him the gouernment reigned the space of 18 yéeres without anie great authoritie for his subiects regarded him but sorilie so that in the end when his countrie was inuaded by the Westsaxons he was easilie constreined to depart into exile And thus was the kingdome of Kent annexed to the kingdome of the Westsaxons after the same kingdome had continued in gouernment of kings created of the same nation for the space of 382 yéers that is to say from the yéere of our Lord 464 vnto the yéere 827. Suithred or Suthred king of Essex was vanquished and expelled out of his kingdome by Egbert king of Westsaxons as before ye maie read in the same yéere that the Kentishmen were subdued by the said Egbert or else verie shortlie after This kingdome continued 281 yeeres from the yéere 614 vnto the yeere 795 as by the table of the Heptarchie set foorth by Alexander Neuill appeereth After the deceasse of Kenwulfe king of Mercia his sonne Kenelme a child of the age of seuen yéeres was admitted king about the yeere of our Lord 821. He had two sisters Quendred and Burgenild of the which the one that is to say Quendred of a malicious mind mooued through ambition enuied hir brothers aduancement and sought to make him awaie so that in the end she corrupted the gouernour of his person one Ashbert with great rewards and high promises persuading him to dispatch hir innocent brother out of life that she might reigne in his place Ashbert one day vnder a colour to haue the yoong king foorth on hunting led him into a thicke wood and there cut off the head from his bodie an impe by reason of his tender yéeres and innocent age vnto the world void of gilt and yet thus traiterouslie murthered without cause or crime he was afterward reputed for a maryr There hath gone a tale that his death should be signified at Rome and the place where the murther was committed by a strange manner for as they say a white â—oue came and sighted vpon the altar of saint Peter bearing a scroll in hir bill which she let fall on the same altar in which scroll among other things this was conteined In clenc liou bath Kenelme kinbarsie â—eth vnder thorne heaued beâ—eaued that is at Clene in a 〈…〉 Keneline the kings child lieth beheaded vnder a thorne This tale I â—ehearse not for anie credit I thinke it woorthie of but onelie for that it séemeth to note the place where the yoong prince innocentlie lost his life After that Kenelme was thus made awaie his vncle Ceolwulfe the brother of king Kenulfe was created king of Mercia and in the second yéere of his reigne was expelled by Bernwulfe Bernwulfe in the third yéere of his reigne was vanquished and put to flight in battell by Egbert king of
Westsaxons and shortlie after slaine of the Eastangles as before ye haue heard Then one Ludicenus or Ludicanus was created king of Mercia and within two yeeres after came to the like end that happened to his predecessor before him as he went about to reuenge his death so that the kingdome of Britaine began now to réele from their owne estate and leane to an alteration which grew in the end to the exection of a perfect monarchie and finall subuersion of their particular estates and regiments After Ludicenus succeeded Wightlafe who first being vanquisht by Egbert king of Westsaxosn was afterwards restored to the kingdome by the same Egbert and reigned 13 yeeres whereof twelue at the least were vnder tribute which he paied to the said Egbert and to his sonne as to his souereignes and supreame gouernours The kingdome of Northumberland was brought in subiection to the kings of Westsaxons as before is mentioned in the yéere of our Lord 828 and in the yéere of the reigne of king Egbert 28 but yet béere it tooke not end as after shall appéere Ethelwulfus otherwise called by some writers Athaulfus began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons in the yéere 837 which was in the 24 yéere of the emperor Ludouicus Pius that was also K. of France in the tenth yéere of Theophilus the emperor of the East about the third yéere of Kenneth the second of that name king of Scots This Ethelwulfe minding in his youth to haue béene a priest entered into the orders of subdeacon and as some write he was bishop of Winchester but howsoeuer the matter stood or whether he was or not sure it is that shortlie after he was absolued of his vowes by authoritie of pope Leo and then maried a proper gentlewoman named Osburga which was his butlers daughter He was of nature courteous and rather desirous to liue in quiet rest than to be troubled with the gouernment of manie countries so that contenting himselfe with the kingdome of Westsaxons he permitted his brother Adelstan to inioy the residue of the countries which his father had subdued as Kent and Essex with other He aided Burthred the king of Mercia against the Welshmen and greatlie aduanced his estimation by giuing vnto him his daughter in mariage But now the fourth destruction which canced to this land by forren enimies was at hand for the people of Denmarke Norway and other of those northeast regions which in that season were great rouers by sea had tasted the wealth of this land by such spoiles and preies as they had taken in the same so that perceiuing they could not purchase more profit anie where else they set their minde to inuade the same on ech side as they had partlie begun in the daies of the late kings Brightriâ—e and Egbert The perfecution vsed by those Danes séemed more gréeâ—ous than anie of the other persecutions either before or sithens that time for the Romans hauing quicklie subdued the land gouerned it noblie without seeking the subuersion thereof The Scots and Picts onelie inuaded the north parts And the Saxons seeking the conquest of the land when they had once go it they kept it and did what they could to better and aduance it to a flourishing estate The Normans likewise hauing made a conquest granted both life and ancient lawes to the former inhabitants but the Danes long time and often assailing the land on euerie side now inuading it in this place and now in that did not at the first so much couet to conquer it as to spoile it nor to beare rule in it as to waste and destroie it who if they were at anie time ouercome the victors were nothing the more in quiet for a new nauie and a greater armie was readie to make some new inuasion neither did they enter all at one place nor at once but one companie on the east side and an other in the west or in the north and south coasts in such sort that the Englishmen knew not whether they should first go to make resistance against them This mischiefe began chieflie in the daies of this king Ethelwulfe but it continued about the space of two hundred yeeres as by the sequele of this booke it shall appéere King Ethelwulfe was not so much giuen to ease but that vpon occasion for defense of his countrie and subiects he was readie to take order for the beating backe of the enimies as occasion serued and speciallie chose such to be of his counsell as were men of great experience and wisedome Amongst other there were two notable prelats Suithune bishop of Winchester and Adelstan bishop of Shireborne who were readie euer to giue him good aduise Suithune was not so much expert in worldlie matters as Adelstan was therefore chieflie counselled the king in things apperteining to his soules health but Adelstan tooke in hand to order matters apperteining to the state of the commonwealth as prouiding of monie and furnishing foorth of men to withstand the Danes so that by him manie things were both boldlie begun and happilie atchiued as by writers hath béene recorded He gouerned the sée of Shireborne the space of 50 yéeres by the good counsell and faithfull aduise of those two prelats King Ethelwulfe gouerned his subiects verie politikelie and by himselfe and his capteins oftentimes put the Danes to flight though as chance of warre falleth out he also receiued at their hands great losses and sundrie sore detriments In the first yéere of his reigne the Danes arriued at Hampton with 33 ships against whome he sent earle Wulhard with part of his armie the which giuing battell to the enimies made great slaughter of them and obteined a noble victorie He sent also earle Adelhelme with the Dorsetshire men against an other number of the Danes which were landed at Portesmouth but after long fight the said Adelhelme was slaine and the Danes obteined the victorie In the yéere following earle Herbert fought against the Danes at Merseware and was there slaine and his men chased The same yeere a great armie of Danes passing by the east parts of the land as through Lindsey Eastangle and Kent slue and murthered an huge number of people The next yéere after this they entered further into the land and about Canturburie Rochester and London did much mischiefe King Ethelwulfe in the fift yéere of his reigne with a part of his armie incountred with the Danes at Carrum the which were arriued in those parties with 30 ships hauing their full fraught of men so that for so small a number of vessels there was a great power of men of warre in so much that they obteined the victorie at that time and put the king to the woorse About the tenth yéere of king Ethelwulfs reigne one of his capteins called Ernwulfe and bishop Adelstan with the Summersetshire men and an other capteine called Osred with the Dorsetshire
forward courage hasted to incounter his enimies the which receiued him so sharplie and with so cruell fight that at length the Englishmen were at point to haue turned their backs But herewith came king Ethelred and manfullie ended the battell staied his people from running away and so encouraged them and discouraged the enimies that by the power of God whom as was thought in the morning he had serued the Danes finallie were chased and put to flight losing one of their kings that is to say Basreeg or Osréeg and 5 earles Sidroc the elder and Sidroc the yoonger Osberne Freine and Harold This battell was sore foughten and conâ—inued till night with the slaughter of manie thousands of Danes About 14 daies after king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought eftsoones with the Danish armie at Basing where the Danes had the victorie Also two moneths after this they likewise fought with the Danes at Merton And there the Danes after they had béene put to the woorse pursued in chase a long time yet at length they also got the victorie in which battell Edmund bishop of Shireborne was slaine and manie other that were men of woorthie fame and good account In the summer following a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading and there soiourned for a time ¶ These things agrée not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes who landed as he writeth at the mouth of Humber and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie and incountring the Danes fought with them by the space of a whole day togither and was in danger to haue béene put to the woorse but that the night seuered them asunder In the morning they ioined againe but the death of Iuarus who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell discouraged the Danes so that they were easilie put to flight of whome before they could get out of danger a great number were slaine But after that they had recouered themselues togither and found out a conuenient place where to pitch their campe they chose to their capteines Agnerus and Hubba two brethren which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie so that within 15 daies after the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen and gaue them such an ouerthrow that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen But yet within a few daies after this as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad they fell within â—he danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred that no small slaughter was made of them but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen Amongest others Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound whereof he shortlie after died Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes who yet confesseth as the trueth is that such authors as he herein followed varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus as in the Danish historie you may sée more at large But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes as Polydor saith or otherwise certeine it is that Ethelred anon after Easter departed this life in the sixt yeare of his reigne and was buried at Winborne abbey In the daies of this Ethelred the foresaid Danish capteins Hungar otherwise called Agnerus and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles came vnto Thetford whereof Edmund who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles being aduertised raised an armie of men and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes But he with his people was chased out of the field and fled to the castell of Framingham where being enuironed with a siege by his enimies he yéelded himselfe vnto them And because he would not renounce the christian faith they bound him to a trée and shot arrowes at him till he died and afterwards cut off his head from his bodie and threw the same into a thicke groue of bushes But afterwards his friends tooke the bodie with the head and â—uried the same at Egleseon where afterward also a faire monasterie was builded by one bishop Aswin and changing the name of the place it was after caâ—â—ed saint Edmundfburie Thus was king Edmund put to death by the cruell Danes for his constant confessing the name of Christ in the 16 yeare of his reigne and so ceased the kingdome of Eastangles For after that the Danes had thus slaine that blessed man they conquered all the countrie wasted it so that through their tyrannie it remained without anie gouernor by the space of nine yeares and then they appointed a king to rule ouer it whose name was Guthrun one of their owne nation who gouerned both the Eastangles and the Eastsaxons Ye haue heard how the Danes slue Osrike and Ella kings of Northumberland After which victorie by them obteined they did much hurt in the north parts of this land and amongest other cruell deeds they destroied the citie of Aâ—â—uid which was a famous citie in the time of the old Saxons as by Beda and other writers dooth manifestlie appeare Here is to be remembred that some writers rehearse the cause to be this Osbright or Osrike king of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Berne that was a noble man of the countrie about Yorke who tooke such great despight thereat that he fled out of the land and went into Denmarke and there complained vnto the king of Denmarke his coosin of the iniurie doone to him by king Osbright Wherevpon the king of Denmarke glad to haue so iust a quarell against them of Northumberland furnished foorth an armie and sent the same by sea vnder the leading of his two brethren Hungar and Hubba into Northumberland where they slue first the said king Osbright and after king Ella at a place besides Yorke which vnto this day is called Ellas croft taking that name of the said Ella being there slaine in defense of his countrie against the Danes Which Ella as we find registred by writers was elected king by such of the Northumbers as in fauour of Berne had refused to be subiect vnto Osbright Alfred ruleth ouer the Westsaxons and the greatest part of England the Danes afflict him with sore warre and cruellie make wast of his kingdome they lie at London a whole winter they inuade Mercia the king whereof Burthred by name forsaketh his countrie and goeth to Rome his death and buriall Halden king of the Danes diuideth Northumberland among his people Alfred incountreth with the
Danes vpon the sea they sweare to him that they will depart out of his kingdome they breake the truce which was made betwixt him and them he giueth them battell and besides a great discomfiture killeth manie of their capteines the Danes and English fight neere Abington the victorie vncerteine seuen foughten fieldes betwixt them in one yeare the Danes soiourne at London The xiij Chapter AFter the decease of king Ethelred his brother Alured or Alfred succéeded him and began his reigne ouer the Westsaxons and other the more part of the people of England in the yeare of our Lord 872 which was in the 19 yeare of the emperour Lewes the second and 32 yeare of the reigne of Charles the bald king of France and about the eleuenth yeare of Constantine the second king of Scotland Although this Alured was consecrated king in his fathers life time by pope Leo as before ye haue heard yet was he not admitted king at home till after the decease of his thrée elder brethren for he being the yoongest was kept backe from the gouernement though he were for his wisdome and policie most highlie estéemed and had in all honour In the beginning of his reigne he was wrapped in manie great troubles and miseries speciallie by the persecution of the Danes which made sore and greeuous wars in sundrie parts of this land destroieng the same in most cruell wise About a moneth after he was made king he gaue battell to the Danes of Wilton hauing with him no great number of people so that although in the beginning the Danes that day were put to the woorse yet in the end they obteined the victorie Shortlie after a truce was taken betwixt the Danes and the Westsaxons And the Danes that had lien at Reading remoued from thence vnto London where they lay all the winter season In the second yeare of Alured his reigne the Danish king Halden led the same armie from London into Lindseie and there lodged all that winter at Torkseie In the yeare following the same Halden inuaded Mercia and wintered at Ripindon There were come to him thrée other leaders of Danes which our writers name to be kings Godrun Esketell Ammond so that their power was greatlie increased Burthred king of Mercia which had gouerned that countrie by the space of 22 yéeres was not able to withstand the puissance of those enimies wherevpon he was constreined to auoid the countrie and went to Rome where he departed this life and was buried in the church of our ladie néere to the English schoole In the fourth yeare of king Alured the armie of the Danes diuided it selfe into two parts so that king Halden with one part thereof went into Northumberland and lay in the winter season néere to the riuer of Tine where hee diuided the countrie amongest his men and remained there for the space of two yeares and oftentimes fetched thither booties and preies out of the countrie of the Picts The other part of the Danish armie with the thrée foresaid kings or leaders came vnto Cambridge and remained there a whole yeare In the same yeare king Alured fought by sea with 7 ships of Danes tooke one of them chased the residue In the yeare next insuing the Danes came into the countrie of the Westsaxons and king Alured tooke truce with them againe and they sware to him which they had not vsed to doo to anie afore that time that they would depart the countrie Their armie by sea sailing from Warham toward Excester susteined great losse by tempest for there perished 120 ships at Swanewicke Moreouer the armie of the Danes by land went to Excester in breach of the truce and king Alured followed them but could not ouertake them till they came to Excester and there he approched them in such wise that they were glad to deliuer pledges for performance of such couenants as were accorded betwixt him and them And so then they departed out of the countrie and drew into Mercia But shortlie after when they had the whole gouernment of the land from Thames northward they thought it not good to suffer king Alured to continue in rest with the residue of the countries beyond Thames And therefore the thrée foresaid rulers of Danes Godrun Esketell and Ammond inuading the countrie of Westsaxons came to Chipnam distant 17 miles from Bristow there pitched their tents King Alured aduertised hereof hasted thither and lodging with his armie néere to the enimies prouoked them to battell The Danes perceiuing that either they must fight for their liues or die with shame boldlie came foorth and gaue battell The Englishmen rashlie incountered with them and though they were ouermatched in number yet with such violence they gaue the onset that the enimies at the first were abashed at their hardie assaults But when as it was perceiued that their slender ranks were not able to resist the thicke leghers of the enimies they began to shrinke looke backe one vpon an other and so of force were constreined to retire and therewithall did cast themselues into a ring which though it séemed to be the best way that could be deuised for their safetie yet by the great force and number of their enimies on each side assailing them they were so thronged togither on heaps that they had no roome to stir their weapons Which disaduantage notwithstanding they â—lue a great number of the Danes and amongest other Hubba the brother of Agner with manie other of the Danish capteins At length the Englishmen hauing valiantlie foughten a long time with the enimies which had compassed them about at last brake out and got them to their campe To be briefe this battell was foughten with so equall fortune that no man knew to whether part the victorie ought to be ascribed But after they were once seuered they tooke care to cure their hurt men and to burie the dead bodies namelie the Danes interred the bodie of their capteine Hubba with great funerall pompe and solemnitie which doone they held out their iournie till they came to Abington whither the English armie shortlie after came also and incamped fast by the enimies In this meane while the rumor was spread abroad that king Alured had béene discomfited by the Danes bicause that in the last battell he withdrew to his campe This turned greatlie to his aduantage for thereby a great number of Englishmen hasted to come to his succour On the morrow after his comming to Abington he brought his armie readie to fight into the field neither were the enimies slacke on their parts to receiue the battell and so the two armies ioined and fought verie sore on both sides so that it séemed by Englishmen had not to doo with those Danes which had béene diuerse times before discomfited and put to flight but rather with some new people fresh and lustie But neither
of his reigne king Alured went to Eglerighston on the east part of Selwood where there came to him the people of Summersetshire Wiltshire Hamshire reioising greatlie to sée him abroad From thence he went to Edanton there fought against the armie of the Danes and chased them vnto their strength where he remained afore them the space of fouretéene daies Then the armie of the Danes deliuered him hostages and couenants to depart out of his dominions and that their king should be baptised which was accomplished for Gurthrun whome some name Gurmond a prince or king amongst these Danes came to Alured and was baptised king Alured receiuing him at the fontstone named him Adelstan and gaue to him the countrie of Eastangle which he gouerned or rather spoiled by the space of twelue yéeres Diuerse other of the Danish nobilitie to the number of thirtie as Simon Dunelmensis saith came at the same time in companie of their king Gurthrun and were likewise baptised on whome king Alured bestowed manie rich gifts At the same time as is to be thought was the league concluded betwixt king Alured and the said Gurthrun or Gurmond in which the bounds of king Alureds kingdome are set foorth thus First therefore let the bounds or marshes of our dominion stretch vnto the riuer of Thames and from thence to the water of Lée euen vnto the head of the same water and so foorth streight vnto Bedford and finallie going alongst by the riuer of Ouse let them end at Watlingstréet This league being made with the aduise of the sage personages as well English as those that inhabited within east England is set foorth in maister Lamberts booke of the old English lawes in the end of those lawes or ordinances which were established by the same king Alured as in the same booke ye may sée more at large Th'English called diuers people Danes whom the French named Normans whervpon that generall name was giuen them Gurmo Anglicus K. of Denmark whose father Frotto was baptised in England the Danes besiege Rochester Alfred putteth them to flight recouereth London out of their hands and committeth it to the custodie of duke Eldred his sonne in law he assaulteth Hasting a capteine of the Danes causeth him to take an oth his two sonnes are baptised he goeth foorth to spoile Alfreds countrie his wife children and goods c are taken and fauourablie giuen him againe the Danes besiege Excester they flie to their ships gaine with great losse they are vanquished by the Londoners the death of Alfred his issue male and female The xv Chapter HEre is to be noted that writers name diuerse of the Danish capteins kings of which no mention is made in the Danish chronicles to reigne in those parties But true it is that in those daies not onelie the Danish people but also other of those northeast countries or regions as Swedeners Norwegians the Wondens and such other which the English people called by one generall name Danes and the Frenchmen Normans vsed to roaue on the seas and to inuade forren regions as England France Flanders and others as in conuenient places ye may find as well in our histories as also in the writers of the French histories and likewise in the chronicles of those north regions The writers verelie of the Danish chronicles make mention of one Gurmo whome they name Anglicus bicause he was borne here in England which succeeded his father Frotto in gouernement of the kingdome of Denmarke which Frotto receiued baptisme in England as their stories tell In the eight yéere of king Alfred his reigne the armie of the Danes wintered at Cirencester and the same yéere an other armie of strangers called Wincigi laie at Fulham and in the yéere following departed foorth of England and went into France and the armie of king Godrun or Gurmo departed from Cirencester and came into Eastangle and there diuiding the countrie amongst them began to inhabit the same In the 14 yéere of king Alfred his reigne part of the Danish armie which was gone ouer into France returned into England and besieged Rochester But when Alfred approched to the reskue the enimies fled to their ships and passed ouer the sea againe King Alfred sent a nauie of his ships well furnished with men of warre into Eastangle the which at the mouth of the riuer called Sture incountering with 16 ships of the Danes set vpon them and ouercame them in fight but as they returned with their prises they incountered with another mightie armie of the enimies and fighting with them were ouercome and vanquished In the yeere following king Alfred besieged the citie of London the Danes that were within it fled from thence and the Englishmen that were inhabitants thereof gladlie receiued him reioising that there was such a prince bred of their nation that was of power able to reduce them into libertie This citie being at that season the chiefe of all Mercia he deliuered into the kéeping of duke Eldred which had maried his daughter Ethelfleds held a great portion of Mercia which Colwolphus before time possesed by the grant of the Danes after they had subdued K. Burthred as before is said About the 21 yere of K. Alfred an armie of those Danes Normans which had béene in France returned into England and arriued in the hauen or riuer of Limene in the east part of Kent néere to the great wood called Andredesley which did conteine in times past 120 miles in length and thirtie in breadth These Danes landing with their people builded a castle at Appledore In the meane time came Hasting with 80 ships into the Thames and builded a castle at Middleton but he was constreined by siege which king Alfred planted about him to receiue an oth that he should not in any wise annoie the dominion of king Alfred who vpon his promise to depart gaue great gifts as well to him as to his wife and children One of his sonnes also king Alfred held at the fontstone and to the other duke Aldred was god father For as it were to win credit and to auoid present danger Hasting sent vnto Alfred these his two sonnes signifieng that if it stood with his pleasure he could be content that they should be baptised But neuerthelesse this Hasting was euer most vntrue of word and déed he builded a castle at Beamfield And as he was going foorth to spoile and wast the kings countries Alfred tooke that castle with his wife children ships and goods which he got togither of such spoiles as he had abroad but he restored vnto Hasting his wife and children bicause he was their godfather Shortlie after newes came that a great number of other ships of Danes were come out of Northumberland and had besieged Excester Whilest king Alfred went then against them the other armie which lay at Appledore inuaded Essex and built
of them by his Westsaxons and Mercians what lands came to king Edward by the â—eath of Edred duke of Mercia he recouereth diuers places out of the Danes hands and giueth them manie a foile what castels he builded he inuadeth Eastangles putteth Ericke a Danish king therof to flight his owne subiects murther him for his crueltie his kingdome returneth to the right of king Edward with other lands by him thereto annexed his sister Elfleda gouerned the countrie of Mercia during hir life The xvij Chapter AFter the deceasse of Alured his sonne Edward surnamed the elder began his reigne ouer the more part of England in the yeare of our Lord 901 which was in the second yeare of the emperor Lewes in the eight yeare of the reigne of Charles surnamed Simplex king of France and about the eight yeare of Donald king of Scotland He was consecrated after the maner of other kings his ancestors by Athelred the archbishop of Canturburie This Edward was not so learned as his father but in princelie power more high and honorable for he ioined the kingdome of Eastangles and Mercia with other vnto his dominion as after shall be shewed and vanquished the Danes Scots and Welshmen to his great glorie and high commendation In the beginning of his reigne he was disquieted by his brother Adelwold which tooke the towne of Winborne besides Bath and maried a nun there whome he had defloured attempted manie things against his brother Wherevpon the king came to Bath and though Adelwold shewed a countenance as if he would haue abidden the chance of warre within Winborne yet he stole awaie in the night and fled into Northumberland where he was ioifullie receiued of the Danes The king tooke his wife being left behind and restored hir to the house from whence she was taken ¶ Some haue written that this Adelwold or Ethelwold was not brother vnto king Edward but his vncles sonne After this king Edward prouiding for the suertie of his subiects against the forraies which the Danes vsed to make fortified diuers cities and townes and stuffed them with great garrisons of souldiers to defend the inhabitants and to expell the enimies And suerlie the Englishmen were so invred with warres in those daies that the people being aduertised of the inuasion of the enimies in anie part of their countrie would assemble oftentimes without knowledge of king or capteine and setting vpon the enimies went commonlie awaie with victorie by reason that they ouermatched them both in number and practise So were the enimies despised of the English souldiers and laughed to scorne of the king for their foolish attempts Yet in the third yeare of king Edwards reigne Adelwold his brother came with a nauie of Danes into the parties of the Eastangles and euen at the first the Essex men yeelded themselues vnto him In the yéere following he inuaded the countrie of Mercia with a great armie wasting and spoiling the same vnto Crikelade and there passing ouer the Thames rode foorth till he came to Basingstoke or as some bookes haue Brittenden harieng the countrie on each side and so returned backe vnto Eastangles with great ioy and triumph King Edward awakened héerewith assembled his people and followed the enimies wasting all the countries betwixt the riuer of Ouse and saint Edmunds ditch And when he should returne he gaue commandement that no man should staie behind him but come backe togither for doubt to be forelaid by the enimies The Kentishmen notwithstanding this ordinance and commandement remained behind although the king sent seuen messengers for them The Danes awaiting their aduantage came togither and fiercelie fought with the Kentishmen which a long time valiantlie defended themselues But in the end the Danes obteined the victorie although they lost more people there than the Kentishmen did and amongst other there were slaine the foresaid Adelwold and diuerse of the chiefe capteins amongst the Danes Likewise of the English side there died two dukes Siwolfe Singlem or Sigbelme with sundrie other men of name both temporall and also spirituall lords and abbats In the fift yéere of his reigne king Edward concluded a truce with the Danes of Eastangle and Northumberland at Itingford But in the yéere following he sent an armie against them of Northumberland which slue manie of the Danes and tooke great booties both of people and cattell remaining in the countrie the space of fiue weekes The yéere next insuing the Danes with a great armie entered into Mercia to rob spoile the countrie against whome king Edward sent a mightie host assembled togither of the Westsaxons them of Mercia which set vpon the Danes as they were returning homeward and slue of them an huge multitude togither with their chiefe capteins and leaders as king Halden and king Eolwils earle Uter earle Scurfa and diuerse other In the yéere 912 or as Simon Dunel saith 908 the duke of Mercia Edred or Etheldred departed this life and then king Edward seized into his hands the cities of London and Oxford and all that part of Mercia which he held But afterwards he suffered his sister Elfleda to inioy the most part thereof except the said cities of London and Oxford which he still reteined in his owne hand This Elfleda was wife to the said duke Edred or Etheldred as before you haue heard of whose woorthie acts more shall be said heereafter In the ninth yéere of his reigne king Edward built a castell at Hertford and likewise he builded a towne in Essex at Wightham and lay himselfe in the meane time at Maldon otherwise Meauldun bringing a great part of the countrie vnder his subiection which before was subiect to the Danes In the yéere following the armie of the Danes departed from Northampton and Chester in breach of the former truce and slue a great number of men at Hochnerton in Oxfordshire And shortlie after their returne home an other companie of them went foorth and came to Leighton where the people of the countrie being assembled togither fought with them put them to flight taking from them all the spoile which they had got and also their horsses In the 11 yéere of king Edward a fleet of Danes compassed about the west parts came to the mouth of Seuerne and so tooke preies in Wales they also tooke prisoner a Welsh bishop named Camelgaret at Irchenfield whome they led to their ships but king Edward redéemed him out of their hands paieng them fortie pounds for his ransome After that the armie of Danes went foorth to spoile the countrie about Irchenfield but the people of Chester Hereford and other townes and countries thereabout assembled togither and giuing battell to the enimies put them to flight and slue one of their noble men called earle Rehald and Geolcil the brother of earle Uter with a great part of their armie draue the residue into a
midst of his enimies weapons and was glad that he might so escape and so with the residue of his armie ceassed not to iournie day and night till he came to Bath where Ethelmere an earle of great power in those west parts of the realme submitted himselfe with all his people vnto him who shortlie after neuerthelesse as some write was compelled through want of vittels to release the tribute latelie couenanted to be paied vnto him for a certeine summe of monie which when hée had receiued he returned into Denmarke meaning shortlie to returne againe with a greater power King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue béene rid out of all troubles of warre with the Danes But the nobles of the realme thought otherwise and therefore willed him to prepare an armie with all spéed that might be made Swaine taried not long to proue to doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge but that with swift spéed he returned againe into England and immediatlie vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against him into the field Herevpon they ioined in battell which was sore foughten for a time till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen that turned to the enimies side the discomfiture fell with such slaughter vpon the English host that king Egelred well perceiued the state of his regall gouernement to bée brought into vtter danger Wherevpon after the losse of this field he assembled the rest of his people that were escaped and spake vnto them after this manner The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers I Shuld for euer be put to silence it there wanted in vs the vertue of a fatherlie mind in giuing good aduise counsel for the well ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth or if their lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to defend our countrie Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we are borne I confesse it a woorthie thing and I for my part am readie to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of my kingdome But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine We are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people we did at the first prepare a nauie against the enimies the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their hands Againe oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false and disloiall whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the enimies vpon dishonorable conditions euen as necessitie required which to ouercome resteth onelie in God Such kind of agreement hath beene made in deed in our destruction sith the enimies haue not sticked to breake it they being such a wicked king of people as neither regard God nor man contrarie to right and reason and beside all our hope expectation So that the matter is come now to this passe that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our gouernement but least the name of the whole English nation be destroied for euer Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand and as it were ouer our heads you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had in good regard prouide take counsell and see to succor the state of your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable ruine Herevpon they fell in consultation euerie one alledging and bringing foorth his opinion as seemed to him best but it appeared they had the woolfe by the eare for they wist not which way to turne them If they should giue battell it was to be doubted least through treason among themselues the armie should be batraied into the enimies hands the which would not faile to execute all kind of crueltie in the slaughter of the whole nation And if they stood not valiantlie to shew themselues readie to defend their countrie there was no shift but yeeld themselues Which though it were a thing reprochfull and dishonorable yet should it be lesse euill as they tooke the matter for thereby might manie be preserued from death and in time to come be able to recouer the libertie of their countrie when occasion should be offered This point was allowed of them all and so in the end they rested vpon that resolution King Egelred therefore determined to commit himselfe into the hands of his brother in law Richard duke of Normandie whose sister as ye haue heard he had maried But bicause he would not doo this vnaduisedlie first he sent ouer his wife quéene Emma with his sonnes which he had begotten of hir Alfred and Edward that by their interteinment he might vnderstand how he should be welcome Duke Richard receiued his sister and his nephues verie ioifullie and promised to aid his brother king Egelred in defense of his kingdome But in this meane while had Swaine conquered the more part of all England and brought by little and little that which remained vnder his subiection The people through feare submitting themselues on each hand king Egelred in this meane time for the Londoners had submitted themselues to Swaine was first withdrawne vnto Gréenwich and there remained for a time with the nauie of the Danes which was vnder the gouernement of earle Turkill and from thence sailed into the I le of Wight and there remained a great part of the winter and finallie after Christmas himselfe sailed into Normandie and was of his brother in law ioifullie receiued greatlie comforted in that his time of necessitie Swaine king of Denmarke is reputed king of this land he oppresseth the English people cruellie and spoileth religious houses the strange and miraculous slaughter of Swaine vaunting of his victories the Danish chronicles write parciallie of him and his end Cnute succeedeth his father Swaine in regiment the Englishmen send king Egelred woord of Swaines death Edward king Egelreds eldest sonne commeth ouer into England to know the state of the countrie and people of certeintie Egelred with his power returneth into England what meanes Cnute made to establish himselfe king of this land and to be well thought of among the English people Egelred burneth vp Gainesbrough and killeth the inhabitants therof for their disloialtie Cnutes flight to Sandwich his cruel decree against the English pledges he returneth into Denmarke why Turkillus the Danish capteine with his power compounded with the Englishmen to tarrie in this land his faithlesse seruice to Egelred his drift to make the whole realme subiect to the Danish thraldome The seuenth Chapter SWaine hauing now got the whole rule of the land was reputed full king and so commanded that his armie should be prouided of wages and vittels to be taken vp leuied through the realme In like maner Turkill
shortlie after erle Turkill with 9 of those ships sailed into Denmarke submitted himselfe vnto Cnute counselled him to returne into England and promised him the assistance of the residue of those Danish ships which yet remained in England being to the number of thirtie with all the souldiers and mariners that to them belonged To conclude he did so much by his earnest persuasions that Cnute through aid of his brother Harrold king of Denmarke got togither a nauie of two hundred ships so roially decked furnished and appointed both for braue shew and necessarie furniture of all maner of weapons armor munition as it is strange to consider that which is written by them that liued in those daies and tooke in hand to register the dooings of that time Howbeit to let this pompe of Cnutes fléete passe which no doubt was right roiall consider a little and looke backe to Turkill though a sworne seruant to king Egelred how he did direct all his drift to the aduancement of Cnute and his owne commoditie cloking his purposed treacherie with pretended amitie as shall appeare hereafter by his deadlie hostilitie A great waste by an inundation or in-breaking of the sea a tribute of 30000 pounds to the Danes king Egelred holdeth a councell at Oxford where he causeth two noble men of the Danes to be murdered by treason Edmund the king eldest sonne marieth one of their wiues and seizeth vpon his 〈◊〉 lands Cnute the Damsn king returneth into England the Damsn and English armies encounter both 〈…〉 Cnute maketh waste of certeine 〈◊〉 Edmund preuenteth 〈◊〉 purposed treason Edrike de Streona 〈◊〉 to the Danes the Westernemen yeeld to Cnute Mercia refuseth to be subiect vnto him Warwikeshire wasted by the Danes Egelred assembleth an armie against them in vaine Edmund Vtred with ioined forces lay waste such countries and people as became subiect to Cnute his policie to preuent their purpose through what countries he passed Vtred submitteth himselfe to Cnute and deliuereth pledges he 〈◊〉 put to death and his lands alienated Cnute pursueth Edmund to London and prepareth to besiege the citie the death and buriall of Egelred his wiues what issue he had by them his infortunatenesse and to what affections and vices he was inclined his too late and bootlesse seeking to releeue his decaied kingdome The eight Chapter BUt now to returne to our purpose and to shew what chanced in England after the departure of Cnute In the same yeare to the forsaid accustomed mischiefes an vnwoonted misaduenture happened for the sea rose with such high spring-tides that ouerflowing the countries next adioining diuers villages with the inhabitants were drowned and destroied Also to increase the peoples miserie king Egelred commanded that 30000 pounds should be leuied to paie the tribute due to the Danes which lay at Gréenewich This yeare also king Egelred held a councell at Oxford at the which a great number of noble men were present both Danes and Englishmen and there did the king cause Sigeferd and Morcad two noble personages of the Danes to be murdered within his owne chamber by the traitorous practise of Edrike de Streona which accused them of some conspiracie But the quarell was onelie as men supposed for that the king had a desire to their goods and possessions Their seruants tooke in hand to haue reuenged the death of their maisters but were beaten backe wherevpon they fled into the steeple of saint Friswids church and kept the same till fire was set vpon the place and so they were burned to death The wife of Sigeferd was taken sent to Malmsburie being a woman of high fame and great worthinesse wherevpon the kings eldest sonne named Edmund tooke occasion vpon pretense of other businesse to go thither and there to sée hir with whome he fell so far in loue that he tooke and maried hir That doone he required to haue hir husbands lands and possessions which were an earles liuing and lay in Northumberland And when the king refused to graunt his request he went thither and seized the same possessions and lands into his hands without hauing anie commission so to doo finding the farmers and tenants there readie to receiue him for their lord Whilest these things were a dooing Cnute hauing made his prouision of ships and men with all necessarie furniture as before ye haue heard for his returne into England set forward with full purpose either to recouer the realme out of Egelreds hands or to die in the quarrell Herevpon he landed at Sandwich and first earle Turkill obteined licence to go against the Englishmen that were assembled to resist the Danes and finding them at a place called Scoraâ—tan he gaue them the ouerthrow got a great bootie and returned therewith to the ships After this Edrike gouernor of Norwaie made a rode likewise into an other part of the countrie with a rich spoile and manie prisoners returned vnto the nauie After this iournie atchiued thus by Edrike Cnute commanded that they should not waste the countrie anie more but gaue order to prepare all things readie to besiege London but before he attempted that enterprise as others write he marched foorth into Kent or rather sailing round about that countrie tooke his iournie westward came to Fromundham and after departing from thence wasted Dorsetshire Summersetshire Wiltshire King Egelred in this meane time lay sicke at Cossam and his sonne Edmund had got togither a mightie hoast howbeit yer he came to ioine battell with his enimies he was aduertised that earle Edrike went about the betraie him and therefore he withdrew with the armie into a place of suertie But Edrike to make his tratorous purpose manifest to the whole world fled to the enimies with fortie of the kings ships fraught with Danish souldiers Herevpon all the west countrie submitted it selfe vnto Cnute who receiued pledges of the chiefe lords and nobles and then set forward to subdue them of Mercia The people of that countrie would not yéeld but determined to defend the quarrell and title of king Egelred so long as they might haue anie capteine that would stand with them and helpe to order them In the yeare 1016 in Christmas Cnute and earle Edrike passed the Thames at Kirkelade entring into Mercia cruellie began with fire and sword to waste and destroie the countrie and namelie Warwikeshire In the meane time was king Egelred recouered of his sicknesse and sent summons forth to raise all his power appointing euerie man to resort vnto him that he might incounter the enimies and giue them battell But yet when his people were assembled he was warned to take héed vnto himselfe and in anie wise to beware how he gaue battell for his owne subiects were purposed to betraie him Herevpon the armie brake vp king Egelred withdrew to London there to abide his enimies within the walles with whom in the field he doubted
them sleaing a great number of them and chasing the residue In the morning earlie when as Cnute heard that the Englishmen were gone foorth of their lodgings he supposed that they were either fled awaie or else turned to take part with the enimies But as he approched to the enimies campe he vnderstood how the mater went for he found nothing there but bloud dead bodies and the spoile For which good seruice Cnute had the Englishmen in more estimation euer after and highlie rewarded their leader the came carle Goodwine When Cnute had ordered all things in Denmarke as was thought be hoofefull he returned againe into England and within a few daies after he was aduertised that the Swedeners made warre against his subiects of Denmarke vnder the loding of two great princes Ulfe and Ulafe Wherefore to defend his dominions in those parts he passed againe with an armie into Denmarke incountred with his enimies and receiued a sore ouerthrow loosing a great number both of Danes and Englishmen But gathering togither a new force of men he set againe vpon his enimies and ouercame them constreining the two foresaid princes to agrée vpon reasonable conditions of peace Matth. West recounteth that at this time earle Goodwine and the Englishmen wrought the enterprise aboue mentioned of assaulting the enimies campe in the night season after Cnute had first lost in the day before no small number of his people and that then the foresaid princes or kings as he nameth them Ulfus and Aulafus which latter he calleth Eiglafe were constrained to agrée vpon a peace The Danish chronicles alledge that the occasion of this warre rose hereof This Olanus aided Cnute as the same writers report against king Edmund and the Englishmen But when the peace should be made betweene Cnute and Edinund there was no consideration had of Olaus whereas through him the Danes chieflie obteined the victorie Herevpon Olanus was sore offended in his mind against Cnute and now vpon occasion sought to be reuenged But what soeuer the cause was of this warre betwixt these two princes the end was thus that Olnus was expelled out of his kingdome and constreined to flée to Gerithaslaus a duke in the parties of Eastland and afterward returning into Norwaie was slaine by such of his subiects as tooke part with Cnute in manner as in the historie of Norwaie appeareth more at large with the contrarietie found in the writings of them which haue recorded the histories of those north regions But here is to be remembred that the fame and glorie of the English nation was greatlie aduanced in these warres as well against the Swedeners as the Norwegians so that Cnute began to loue and trust the Englishmen much better than it was to be thought he would euer haue doone Shortlie after that Cnute was returned into England that is to say as some haue in the 15 yeare of his reigne he went to Rome to performe his vow which he had made to visit the places where the apostles Peter and Paule had their buriall where he was honorablie receiued of pope Iohn the 20 that then held the sée When he had doone his deuotion there he returned into England In the yeare following he made a iournie against the Scots which as then had rebelled but by the princelie power of Cnute they were subdued and brought againe to obedience so that not onelie king Malcolme but also two other kings Melbeath and Ieohmare became his subiects Finallie after that this noble prince king Cnute had reigned the tearme of 20 yeares currant after the death of Ethelred he died at Shaftsburie as the English writers affirme on the 12 of Nouember and was buried a Winchester But the Danish chronicles record the he died in Normandie and was buried at Rone as in the same chronicles ye may reade more at large The trespuissance of Cnute the amplenesse of his dominions the good and charitable fruits of his voiage to Rome redounding to the common benefit of all trauellers from England thither with what great personages he had conference and the honour that was doone him there his intollerable pride in commanding the waters of the flouds not to rise he humbleth himselfe and confesseth Christ Iesus to be king of kings he refuseth to weare the crowne during his life he reproueth a gentleman flatterer his issue legitimate and illegitimate his inclination in his latter yeares what religious places he erected repaired and inriched what notable men he fauoured and reuerenced his lawes and that in causes as well ecclesiasticall as tempoporall he had cheefe and sole gouernement in this land whereby the popse vsurped title of vniuersall supremasie is impeached The xiij Chapter THis Cnute was the mightiest prince that euer reigned ouer the English people for he had the souereigne rule ouer all Denmark England Norwaie Scotland and part of Sweiden Amongest other of his roiall acts he caused such tolles and tallages as were demanded of way-goers at bridges and stréets in the high way betwixt England and Rome to be diminished to the halfes and againe got also a moderation to be had in the paiment of the archbishops fées of his realme which was leuied of them in the court of Rome when they should receiue their palles as may appeare by a letter which he himselfe being at Rome directed to the bishops and other of the nobles of England In the which it also appeareth that besides the roiall interteinment which he had at Rome of pope Iohn he had conference there with the emperour Conrad with Rafe the king of Burgongne and manie other great princes and noble men which were present there at that time all which at this request in fauour of those Englishmen that should trauell vnto Rome granted as haue said to diminish such duties as were gathered of passingers He receiued there manie great gifts of the emperour and was highlie honored of him and likewise of the pope and of all other the high princes at that time present at Rome so that when he came home as some write he did grow greatlie into pride insomuch that being néere to the Thames or rather as other write vpon the sea strand néere to South-hampton and perceiuing the water to rise by reason of the tide he east off his gowne and wrapping it round togither threw it on the sands verie neere the increasing water and sat him downe vpon it speaking these or the like words to the sea Thou art saith he within the compasse of my dominion and the ground whereon I sit is mine and thou knowest that no wight dare disoboie my commandements I therefore doo now command thée not to rise vpon my ground nor to presume to wet anie part of thy souereigne lord and gouernour But the sea kéeping hir course rose still higher and higher and ouerflowed not onelie the kings féet but also flashed
vnder his iurisdiction The earle who was a man of a bold courage and quicke wit did perceiue that the matter was made a great deale woorse at the first in the beginning than of likelihood it would prooue in the end thought it reason therefore that first the answere of the Kentishmen should be heard before anie sentence were giuen against them Héerevpon although the king commanded him foorthwith to go with an armie into Kent and to punish them of Canturburie in most rigorous maner yet he would not be too hastie but refused to execute the kings commandement both for that he bare a péece of grudge in his mind that the king should fauour strangers so highlie as he did and againe bicause héereby he should séeme to doo pleasure to his countriemen in taking vpon him to defend their cause against the rough accusations of such as had accused them Wherefore he declared to the king that it should be conuenient to haue the supposed offendors first called afore him and if they were able to excuse themselues then to be suffered to depart without further vexation and if they were found faultie then to be put to their fine both as well in satisfieng the king whose peace they had broken as also the earle whom they had in damaged Earle Goodwine departed thus from the king leauing him in a great furie howbeit he passed litle thereof supposing it would not long continue But the king called a great assemblie of his lords togither at Glocester that the matter might be more déepelie considered Siward earle of Northumberland and Leofrike earle of Chester with Rafe earle of Hereford the kings nephue by his sister Goda and all other the noble men of the realme onlie earle Goodwine and his sonnes ment not to come there except they might bring with them a great power of armed men and so remained at Beuerstane with such bands as they had leauied vnder a colour to resist the Welshmen whome they bruted abroad to be readie to inuade the marches about Hereford But the Welshmen preuenting that slander signified to the king that no such matter was ment on their parties but that earle Goodwine and his sonnes with their complices went about to mooue a commotion against him Héerevpon a rumor was raised in the court that the kings power should shortlie march foorth to assaile earle Goodwine in that place where he was lodged Wherevpon the same earle prepared himselfe and sent to his friends willing to sticke to this quarrell and if the king should go about to force them then to withstand him rather than to yéeld and suffer themselues to be troden vnder foot by strangers Goodwine in this meane time had got togither a great power of his countries of Kent Southerie and other of the west parts Swaine like wise had assembled much people out of his countries of Barkeshire Orfordshire Summersetshire Herefordshire and Glocestershire And Harold was also come to them with a great multitude which he had leuied in Essex Norffolke Sufforld Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire On the other part the earles that were with the king Leofrike Siward and Rafe raised all the power which they might make and the same approching to Glocester the king thought himselfe in more suertie than before in so much that whereas earle Goodwine who lay with his armie at Langton there not farre off in Glocestershire had sent vnto the king requiring that the earle of Bullongne with the other Frenchmen and also the Normans which held the castell of Douer might be deliuered vnto him The king though at the first he stood in great doubt what to doo yet hearing now that an armie of his friends was comming made answere to the messingers which Goodwine had sent that he would not deliuer a man of those whome Goodwine required and héerewith the said messengers being departed the kings armie entered into Glocester and such readie good wils appéered in them all to fight with the aduersaries that if the king would haue permitted they would foorth with haue gone out and giuen battell to the enimies Thus the matter was at point to haue put the realme in hazard not onelie of a field but of vtter ruine that might thereof haue insued for what on the one part and the other there were assembled the chiefest lords and most able personages of the land But by the wisedome and good aduise of earle Leofrike and others the matter was pacified for a time and order taken that they should come to a parlement or communication at London vpon pledges giuen and receiued as well on the one part as the other The king with a mightie armie of the Northumbers and them of Mercia came vnto London and earle Goodwine with his sonnes and a great power of the Westsaxons came into Southwarke but perceiuing that manie of his companie stale awaie and slipt from him he durst not abide anie longer to enter talke with the king as it was couenanted but in the night next insuing fled awaie with all spéed possible Some write how an order was prescribed that Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine should depart the land as a banished man to qualifie the kings wrath and that Goodwine and one other of his sons that is to say Harold should come to an other assemblie to be holden at London accompanied with 12 seruants onelie to resigne all his force of knights gentlemen and souldiers vnto the kings guiding and gouernment But when this last article pleased nothing earle Goodwine and that he perceiued how his force began to decline so as he should not be able to match the kings power he fled the realme and so likewise did his sonnes He himselfe with his sonnes Swanus Tostie and Girth sailed into Flanders and Harold with his brother Leofwine gat ships at Bristow and passed into Ireland Githa the wife of Goodwine and Iudith the wife of Tostie the daughter of Baldwine earle of Flanders went ouer also with their husbands Goodwine and his sonnes are proclaimed outlawes their lands are giuen from them king Edward putteth awaie the queene his wife who was earle Goodwines daughter she cleareth hir selfe at the houre of hir death from suspicion of incontinencie and lewdnesse of life why king Edward forbare to haue fleshlie pleasure with hir earle Goodwine and his sonnes take preies on the coasts of Kent and Sussex Griffin king of Wales destroieth a great part of Herefordshire and giueth his incounterers the ouerthrow Harold and Leofwine two brethren inuade Dorset and Summerset shires they are resisted but yet preuaile they coast about the point of Cornwall and ioine with their father Goodwine king Edward maketh out threescore armed ships against them a thicke mist separateth both sides being readie to graple and fight a pacification betweene the king and earle Goodwine he is restored to his lands and libertie he was well friended counterpledges of agreement interchangablie deliuered Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwine
their charge brought woord againe of nothing else but that all duke Williams souldiers were priests For the Normans had at that time their vpper lips and chéekes shauen whereas the Englishmen vsed to suffer to haire of their vpper lips to grow at length But Harold answered that they were not priests but wether-beaten and hardie souldiers and such as were like to abide well by their capteine In the meane season Girth one of Harolds yoonger brethren considering that periurie is neuer left vnpunished aduised his brother not to aduenture himselfe at this present in the battell for so much as he had beene sometime sworne to duke William but rather to suffer him and other of the nobilitie to incounter with the said duke that were not bound to him by former oth or otherwise but Harold answered that he was free from anie such oth and that in defense of his countrie he would fight boldly with him as with his greatest enimie ¶ Where by the waie would be noted the conscience which Girth a yoonger brother made of an oth not concerning himselfe directlie but his elder brother Harold who had sworne the same meaning nothing lesse than the performance therof as the sequele of his dooings to his discredit and vndooing euidentlie declared which euents might séeme countable to him as due punishments and deserued plagues inflicted vpon him and others for his same sith he made no reckoning of violating a vow ratified with an oth to a prince of no small puissance who afterwards became a whip vnto him for his periurie a sinne detested of the heathen and whereof the poet notablie speaketh saieng Ah miser si quis primò periuria celat Sera tamen tacitis poena venit pedibus After peace offered refused on each side both armies meete in the field the order of the Englishmens attire arraie the maner how the Normans were placed to fight in battell the dissolute and 〈◊〉 behauior of 〈◊〉 Englishmen the night before the incounter farre deffering from the Normans deuout demenour duke Williams speech â—pon occasion of wrong putting on his armour the battell betwixt him and king Harold is valiantlie tried the English by duke Williams politike strategem are deceiued king Harold slaine his armie put to flight and manie of them slaine after a long and bloudie incounter manie of the Normans pursuing the English ouerhastilie procure their owne death they take the spoile of the English the dead bodies of both armies are licenced to be buried the differing reports of writers touching the maner of Harolds death a description of his person his ambition did him much hurt and hinderance the number that were slaine on both sides his bodie buried at a Waltham nothing dispraise woorthie in him but his ambitious mind a view of his valiantnesse in a conflict against the VVelshmen his rigorous or rather pitilesse handling of them his seuere law or decree touching their bounds they are vtterlie subdued and by the kings leaue the VVelshwomen marrie with the Englishmen the Saxon line ceasseth how long it lasted and how long it was discontinued by the inuasion of the Danes The eleuenth Chapter NOw it fortuned that both armies as well the kings as the earles being prepared to battell diuerse offers were made on each side before they fell to the conflict for an vnitie to haue béene had betwixt the two princes but when no conditions of agreement could take place they forthwith prepared themselues to trie the matter by dint of sword And so on the 14 day of October being saturday both hosts met in the field at a place in Sussex not farre from Hastings whereas the abbeie of Battell was afterward builded The Englishmen were all brought into one entire maine battell on foot with huge ares in their hands and paled a front with paueises in such wise that it was thought vnpossible for the enimie to breake their arraie On the other side the Normans were diuided into seuerall battels as first the footmen that were archers and also those that bare gleiues and axes were placed in the forefront and the horssemen diuided into wings stood on the sides in verie good order All the night before the battell the Englishmen made great noise and slept not but sang and fell to drinking and making of reuell pastime as though there had beene no account to be made of the next daies trauell But the Normans behaued themselus warilie and soberlie spending all that night in praier and confessing their sinnes vnto God and in the morning earelie they receiued the communion before they went foorth to the battell Some write that when duke William should put on his armour to go to the field the backe halfe of his curasses by chance was set on before by such as holpe to arme him at which chance he tooke occasion of laughter saieng merrilie to them that stood by No force this is good lucke for the estate of my dukedome shall be yer night changed into a kingdome Beside this he spake manie comfortable woords vnto his men to incourage them to the battell Neither was Harold forgetfull in that point on his part And so at conuenient time when both armies were readie they made forward each incounter with other on the foresaid fouretéenth day of October with great force and assurance In the beginning of the battell the arrowes flue abroad freshlie on both sides till they came to ioine at hand strokes and then preassed each side vpon his counterpart with swoords axes and other hand weapons verie egerlie Duke William commanded his horssemen to giue the charge an the breasts of his enimies battels but the Englishmen kéeping themselues close togither without scattering receiued their enimies vpon the points of their weapons with such fiercenesse and in such stiffe order that manie of the Norman horssemen were ouerthrowne without recouerie and slaine at the first brunt When duke William perceiued this inconuenience as he that well and throughlie vnderstood the skilfull points of warre as well as the best he gaue a signe to his men according to an order appointed before hand vpon anie such occasion that they should giue backe and make a countenance as though they did flée which was quicklie doone by the Normans and withall they imbattelled their footmen in a new order so that their horssemen shifted themselues on the wings readie to rescue the footmen if their arraie should happen to be disturbed By this wilie stratagem and policie of warre the Englishmen were deceiued for they beholding the Normans somwhat shrinking backe to bring themselues into the aboue said order thought verelie that they had fled and therevpon meaning to pursue them before they should recouer their ground they brake their arraie and began to follow the chase wherevpon the Normans perceiuing now that all things came to passe as they desired spéedilie returned and casting themselues togither
him to his fauour whereby that familie came vp And thus much by the waie of Mailrosse whereof this may suffice sith mine intent is not as now to make anie precise description of the particulars of Wales but onelie to shew how those regions laie which sometime were knowne to be gouerned in that countrie The third kingdome is Demetia or Southwales sometime knowne for the region of the Syllures wherevnto I also am persuaded that the Ordolukes laie in the east part thereof and extended their region euen vnto the Sauerne but howsoeuer that matter falleth out Demetia hath the Sauerne on hir south the Irish sea on hir west parts on the east the Sauerne onelie and by north the land of Powisy whereof I spake of late Of this region also Caermarden which the old writers call Maridunum was the chéefe citie and palace belonging to the kings of Southwales vntill at the last through forren and ciuill inuasions of enimies the princes thereof were constrained to remooue their courts to Dinefar which is in Cantermawr and situate neuerthelesse vpon the same riuer Tewy wheron Caermarden standeth in which place it is far better defended with high hils thicke woods craggie rocks and déepe marises In this region also lieth Pembroke aliàs Penmoroc shire whose fawcons haue béene in old time very much regarded and therein likewise in Milford hauen whereof the Welsh wisards doo yet dreame strange toies which they beleeue shall one daie come to passe For they are a nation much giuen to fortelling of things to come but more to beléeue such blind prophesies as haue béene made of old time and no man is accompted for learned in Wales that is not supposed to haue the spirit of prophesie That Scotland had in those daies two kingdoms besides that of the Orchades whereof the one consisted of the Picts and was called Pightland or Pictland the other of the Irish race and named Scotland I hope no wise man will readilie denie The whole region or portion of the I le beyond the Scotish sea also was so diuided that the Picts laie on the east side and the Scots on the west ech of them being seuered from other either by huge hils or great lakes and riuers that ran out of the south into the north betwéene them It séemeth also that at the first these two kingdoms were diuided from the rest of those of the Britons by the riuers Cluda and Forth till both of them desirous to inlarge their dominions draue the Britons ouer the Solue and the Twede which then became march betwéene both the nations Wherefore the case being so plaine I will saie no more of these two but procéed in order with the rehersall of the rest of the particular-kingdoms of this our south part of the I le limiting out the same by shires as they now lie so néere as I can for otherwise it shall be vnpossible for me to leaue certaine notice of the likeliest quantities of these their seuerall portions The first of these kingdoms therefore was begunne in Kent by Henghist in the 456. of Christ and thereof called the kingdome of Kent or Cantwarland and as the limits thereof extended it selfe no farther than the said countie the cheefe citie whereof was Dorobernia or Cantwarbyry now Canturburie so it indured well néere by the space of 400. yeares before it was made and earledome or Heretochie and vnited by Inas vnto that of the West Saxons Athelstane his sonne being the first Earle or Heretoch of the same Maister Lambert in his historie of Kent dooth gather by verie probable coniectures that this part of the Iland was first inhabited by Samothes and afterward by Albion But howsoeuer that case standeth sure it is that it hath béen the onlie doore whereby the Romans and Saxons made their entrie vnto the conquest of the region but first of all Caesar who entred into this Iland vpon the eightéenth Cal. or 14. of September which was foure daies before the full of the moone as he himselfe confesseth and then fell out about the 17. or 18. of that moneth twelue daies before the equinoctiall apparant so that he did not tarrie at that time aboue eight or ten daies in Britaine And as this platforme cannot be denied for his entrance so the said region and east part of Kent was the onelie place by which the knowledge of Christ was first brought ouer vnto vs whereby we became partakers of saluation and from the darkenesse of mistie errour true conuerts vnto the light and bright beames of the shining truth to our eternall benefit and euerlasting comforts The second kingdome conteined onelie Sussex and a part of or as some saie all Surrie which Ella the Saxon first held who also erected his chéefe palace at Chichester when he had destroied Andredswald in the 492. of Christ. And after it had continued by the space of 232. years it ceased being the verie least kingdome of all the rest which were founded in this I le after the comming of the Saxons for to saie truth it conteined little aboue 7000. families within a while after the erection of the kingdome of the Gewisses or West saxons notwithstanding that before the kings of Sussex pretended and made claime to all that which laie west of Kent and south of the Thames vnto the point of Corinwall as I haue often read The third regiment was of the East Saxons or Trinobantes This kingdome began vnder Erkenwijn whose chéefe seat was in London or rather Colchester and conteined whole Essex Middlesex and part of Herfordshire It indured also much about the pricke of 303. yeares and was diuided from that of the East Angles onlie by the riuer Stoure as Houeden and others doo report so it continueth separated from Suffolke euen vnto our times although the said riuer be now growne verie small and not of such greatnesse as it hath béene in times past by reason that our countriemen make small accompt of riuers thinking carriage made by horsse and cart to be the lesse chargeable waie But herin how far they are deceiued I will else-where make manifest declaration The fourth kingdome was of the West Saxons and so called bicause it laie in the west part of the realme as that of Essex did in the east and of Sussex in the south It began in the yeare of Grace 519. vnder Cerdije and indured vntill the comming of the Normans including at the last all Wiltshire Bar keshire Dorset Southampton Somersetshire Glocestershire some part of Deuonshire which the Britons occupied not Cornewall and the rest of Surrie as the best authors doo set downe At the first it conteined onelie Wiltshire Dorcetshire and Barkeshire but yer long the princes thereof conquered whatsoeuer the kings of Sussex and the Britons held vnto the point of Cornewall and then became first Dorchester vntill the time of Kinigils then Winchester the chéefe citie of that kingdome For when Birinus the
monke if a man should leane to one side without anie conference of the asseuerations of the other But herin as I take it there lurketh some scruple for beside that S. Peters church stood in the east end of the citie and that of Apollo in the west the word Cornehill a denomination giuen of late to speake of to one street may easilie be mistaken for Thorney For as the word Thorney proceedeth from the Saxons who called the west end of the citie by that name where Westminster now standeth bicause of the wildnesse and bushinesse of the soile so I doo not read of anie stréete in London called Cornehill before the conquest of the Normans Wherfore I hold with them which make Westminster to be the place where Lucius builded his church vpon the ruines of that Flamine 264. yeeres as Malmesburie saith before the comming of the Saxons and 411. before the arriuall of Augustine Read also his appendix in lib. 4. Pontif. where he noteth the time of the Saxons in the 449. of Grace and of Augustine in the 596. of Christ which is a manifest accompt though some copies haue 499. for the one but not without manifest corruption and error Thus became Britaine the first prouince that generallie receiued the faith and where the gospell was freelie preached without inhibition of hir prince Howbeit although that Lucius and his princes and great numbers of his people imbraced the word with gréedinesse yet was not the successe thereof either so vniuersall that all men beleeued at the first the securitie so great as that no persecution was to be feared from the Romane empire after his decease or the procéeding of the king so seuere as that he inforced any man by publike authoritie to forsake and relinquish his paganisme but onelie this fréedome was enioied that who so would become a christian in his time might without feare of his lawes professe the Gospell in whose testimonie if néed had béene I doubt not to affirme but that he would haue shed also his bloud as did his neece Emerita who being constant aboue the common sort of women refused not after his decease by fire to yeeld hir selfe to death as a swéet smelling sacrifice in the nostrels of the Lord beyond the sea in France The faith of Christ being thus planted in this Iland in the 177. after Christ and Faganus and Dinaw with the rest sent ouer from Rome in the 178. as you haue heard it came to passe in the third yeare of the Gospell receiued that Lucius did send againe to Eleutherus the bishop requiring that he might haue some breefe epitome of the order of discipline then vsed in the church For he well considered that as it auaileth litle to plant a costlie vineyard except it afterward be cherished kept in good order and such things as annoie dailie remooued from the same so after baptisme and entrance into religion it profiteth little to beare the name of christians except we doo walke in the spirit and haue such things as offend apparentlie corrected by seuere discipline For otherwise it will come to passe that the wéedes of vice and vicious liuing will so quicklie abound in vs that they will in the end choke vp the good séed sowne in our minds and either inforce vs to returne vnto our former wickednesse with déeper securitie than before or else to become meere Atheists which is a great deale woorse For this cause therefore did Lucius send to Rome the second time for a copie of such politike orders as were then vsed there in their regiment of the church But Eleutherus considering with himselfe how that all nations are not of like condition and therefore those constitutions that are beneficiall to one may now and then be preiudiciall to another and séeing also that beside the word no rites and orders can long continue or be so perfect in all points but that as time serueth they will require alteration he thought it best not to laie any more vpon the necks of the new conuerts of Britaine as yet than Christ and his apostles had alreadie set downe vnto all men In returning therefore his messengers he sent letters by them vnto Lucius and his Nobilitie dated in the consulships of Commodus and Vespronius wherein he told them that Christ had left sufficient order in the scriptures for the gouernment of his church alreadie in his word and not for that onlie but also for the regiment of his whole kingdome if he would submit himselfe to yéeld and follow that rule The epistle it selfe is partlie extant and partlie perished yet such as it is and as I haue faithfullie translated it out of sundrie verie ancient copies I doo deliuer it here to the end I will not defraud the reader of anie thing that may turne to the glorie of God and his commoditie in the historie of our nation You require of vs the Romane ordinances and thereto the statutes of the emperours to be sent ouer vnto you and which you desire to practise and put in vre within your realme and kingdome The Romane lawes and those of emperours we may eft soones reprooue but those of God can neuer be found fault withall You haue receiued of late through Gods mercie in the realme of Britaine the law and faith of Christ you haue with you both volumes of the scriptures out of them therefore by Gods grace and the councell of your realme take you a law and by that law through Gods sufferance rule your kingdome for you are Gods vicar in your owne realme as the roiall prophet saith The earth is the Lords and all that is therein the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein Againe Thou hast loued truth and hated iniquitie wherefore God euen thy God hath annointed thée with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And againe according to the saieng of the same prophet Oh God giue thy iudgement vnto the king thy iustice vnto the kings sonne The kings sons are the christian people flocke of the realme which are vnder your gouernance and liue continue in peace within your kingdome * The gospell saith As the hen gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings so dooth the king his people Such as dwell in the kingdome of Britaine are yours whom if they be diuided you ought to gather into concord and vnitie to call them to the faith and law of Christ and to his sacred church to chearish and mainteine to rule also and gouerne them defending each of them from such as would doo them wrong and keeping them from the malice of such as be their enimies * Wo vnto the nation whose king is a child and whose princes rise vp earlie to banket and féed which is spoken not of a prince that is within age but of a prince that is become a child through follie sinne vnstedfastnesse of whom the prophet saith The bloudthirstie and deceitfull men
and called after their names as lord Henrie or lord Edward with the addition of the word Grace properlie assigned to the king and prince and now also by custome conueied to dukes archbishops and as some saie to marquesses and their wiues The title of duke commeth also of the Latine word Dux à ducendo bicause of his valor and power ouer the armie in times past a name of office due to the emperour consull or chéefe gouernour of the whole armie in the Romane warres but now a name of honor although perished in England whose ground will not long beare one duke at once but if there were manie as in time past or as there be now earles I doo not thinke but that they would florish and prosper well inough In old time he onelie was called marquesse Qui habuit terram limitaneam a marching prouince vpon the enimies countries and thereby bound to kéepe and defend the frontiers But that also is changed in common vse and reputed for a name of great honor next vnto the duke euen ouer counties and sometimes small cities as the prince is pleased to bestow it The name of earle likewise was among the Romans a name of office who had Comites sacri palatij comites aerarij comites stabuli comites patrimonij largitionum scholarum commerciorum and such like But at the first they were called Comites which were ioined in commission with the proconsull legate or iudges for counsell and aids sake in each of those seuerall charges As Cicero epistola ad Quintum fratrem remembreth where he saith Atque inter hos quos tibi comites adiutores negotiorum publicorum dedit ipsa respublica duntaxat finibus his praestabis quos ante praescripsi c. After this I read also that euerie president in his charge was called Comes but our English Saxons vsed the word Hertoch and earle for Comes and indifferentlie as I gesse sith the name of duke was not in vse before the conquest Goropius saith that Comes and Graue is all one to wit the viscont called either Procomes or Vicecomes and in time past gouerned in the countie vnder the earle but now without anie such seruice or office it is also become a name of dignitie next after the earle and in degrée before the baron His reléefe also by the great charter is one hundred pounds as that of a baronie a hundred marks and of a knight flue at the most for euerie fée The baron whose degrée answered to the dignitie of a senator in Rome is such a frée lord as hath a lordship or baronie whereof he beareth his name hath diuerse knights or fréeholders holding of him who with him did serue the king in his wars and held their tenures in Baronia that is for performance of such seruice These Bracton a learned writer of the lawes of England in king Henrie the thirds time tearmeth Barones quasi robur belli The word Baro indéed is older than that it may easilie be found from whence it came for euen in the oldest histories both of the Germans and Frenchmen written since the conquest we read of barons and those are at this daie called among the Germans Liberi vel Ingenui or Freihers in the Germane toong as some men doo coniecture or as one saith the citizens and burgesses of good townes and cities were called Barones Neuerthelesse by diligent inquisition it is imagined if not absolutelie found that the word Baro and Filius in the old Scithian or Germane language are all one so that the kings children are properlie called Barones from whome also it was first translated to their kindred and then to the nobilitie and officers of greatest honour indifferentlie That Baro and Filius signifieth one thing it yet remaineth to be séene although with some corruption for to this daie euen the common sort doo call their male children barnes here in England especiallie in the north countrie where that word is yet accustomablie in vse And it is also growne into a prouerbe in the south when anie man susteineth a great hinderance to saie I am beggered and all my barnes In the Hebrue toong as some affirme it signifieth Filij solis and what are the nobilitie in euerie kingdome but Filij or serui regum But this is farre fetched wherefore I conclude that from hensefoorth the originall of the word Baro shall not be anie more to seeke and the first time that euer I red thereof in anie English historie is in the reigne of Canutus who called his nobilitie and head officers to a councell holden at Cirnecester by that name 1030 as I haue else-where remembred Howbeit the word Baro dooth not alwaies signifie or is attributed to a noble man by birth or creation for now and then it is a title giuen vnto one or other with his office as the chéefe or high tribune of the excheker is of custome called lord chéefe baron who is as it were the great or principall receiuer of accounts next vnto the lord treasuror as they are vnder him are called Tribuni aerarij rationales Hervnto I may ad so much of the word lord which is an addition going not seldome and in like sort with sundrie offices and to continue so long as he or they doo execute the same and no longer Unto this place I also referre our bishops who are accounted honourable called lords and hold the same roome in the parlement house with the barons albeit for honour sake the right hand of the prince is giuen vnto them and whose countenances in time past were much more glorious than at this present it is bicause those lustie prelats sought after earthlie estimation and authoritie with farre more diligence than after the lost shéepe of Christ of which they had small regard as men being otherwise occupied and void of leisure to attend vpon the same Howbeit in these daies their estate remaineth no lesse reuerend than before and the more vertuous they are that be of this calling the better are they estéemed with high and low They reteine also the ancient name lord still although it be not a littie impugned by such as loue either to heare of change of all things or can abide no superiours For notwithstanding it be true that in respect of function the office of the eldership is equallie distributed betwéene the bishop and the minister yet for ciuill gouernements sake the first haue more authoritie giuen vnto them by kings and princes to the end that the rest maie thereby be with more ease reteined within a limited compasse of vniformitie than otherwise they would be if ech one were suffered to walke in his owne course This also is more to be maruelled at that verie manie call for an alteration of their estate crieng to haue the word lord abolished their ciuill authoritie taken from them and the present condition of the church in other things reformed whereas to saie trulie
he they teach you to repent too late of your great gentlenesse Caietanus in his common-wealth hath finallie no liking of them as appéereth in his eight booke of that most excellent treatise But what haue I to deale whether they be profitable or not sith my purpose is rather to shew what plentie we haue of them which I will performe so far as shall be néedfull There haue béene in times past great store of castels places of defense within the realme of England of which some were builded by the Britons manie by the Romans Saxons and Danes but most of all by the barons of the realme in about the time of king Stephan who licenced each of them to build so manie as them listed vpon their owne demeasnes hoping thereby that they would haue imploied their vse to his aduantage and commoditie But finallie when he saw that they were rather fortified against himselfe in the end than vsed in his defense he repented all too late of his inconsiderate dealing sith now there was no remedie but by force for to subdue them After his decease king Henrie the second came no sooner to the crowne but he called to mind the inconuenience which his predecessour had suffered and he himselfe might in time sustaine by those fortifications Therefore one of the first things he did was an attempt to race and deface the most part of these holds Certes he thought it better to hazard the méeting of the enimie now and then in the plaine field than to liue in perpetuall feare of those houses and the rebellion of his lords vpon euerie light occasion conceiued who then were full so strong as he if not more strong and that made them the readier to withstand and gainesaie manie of those procéedings which he and his successours from time to time intended Herevpon therefore he caused more than eleuen hundred of their said castels to be raced and ouerthrowne whereby the power of his nobilitie was not a little restreined Since that time also not a few of those which remained haue decaied partlie by the commandement of Henrie the third and partlie of themselues or by conuersion of them into the dwelling houses of noble men their martiall fronts being remooued so that at this present there are verie few or no castels at all mainteined within England sauing onelie vpon the coasts and marches of the countrie for the better kéeping backe of the forren enimie when soeuer he shall attempt to enter and annoie vs. The most prouident prince that euer reigned in this land for the fortification thereof against all outward enimies was the late prince of famous memorie king Henrie the eight who beside that he repared most of such as were alreadie standing builded sundrie out of the ground For hauing shaken off the more than seruile yoke of popish tyrannie and espieng that the emperour was offended for his diuorce from quéene Catharine his aunt and thereto vnderstanding that the French king had coupled the Dolphin his sonne with the popes neece and maried his daughter to the king of Scots whereby he had cause more iustlie to suspect than safelie to trust anis one of them all as Lambert saith he determined to stand vpon his owne defense and therefore with no small spéed and like charge he builded sundrie blockehouses castels and platformes vpon diuerse frontiers of his realme but chieflie the east and southeast parts of England whereby no doubt he did verie much qualifie the conceiued grudges of his aduersaries and vtterlie put off their hastie purpose of inuasion But would to God he had cast his eie toward Harwich and the coasts of Norffolke and Suffolke where nothing as yet is doone albeit there be none so fit and likelie places for the enimie to enter vpon as in those parts where at a full sea they may touch vpon the shore and come to land without resistance And thus much brieflie for my purpose at this present For I néed not to make anie long discourse of castels sith it is not the nature of a good Englishman to regard to be caged vp as in a coope and hedged in with stone wals but rather to meet with his enimie in the plaine field at handstrokes where he may trauaise his ground choose his plot and vse the benefit of sunne shine wind and weather to his best aduantage commoditie Isocrates also saith that towres walles bulworkes soldiers and plentie of armour are not the best kéepers of kingdomes but freends loue of subiects obedience vnto martiall discipline which they want that shew themselues either cruell or couetous toward their people As for those tales that go of Beston castell how it shall saue all England on a daie and likewise the brag of a rebellious baron in old time named Hugh Bigot that said in contempt of king Henrie the third and about the fiftith yeare of his reigne If I were in my castell of Bungeie Vpon the water of Waueneie I wold not set a button by the king of Cockneie I repute them but as toies the first méere vaine the second fondlie vttered if anie such thing were said as manie other words are and haue béene spoken of like holds as Wallingford c but now growen out of memorie and with small losse not heard of among the common sort Certes the castell of Bungeie was ouerthrowen by the aforesaid prince the same yeare that he ouerthrew the walles and castell of Leircester also the castels of Treske and Malesar apperteining to Roger Mowbraie and that of Fremlingham belonging likewise to Hugh Bigot wherof in the chronologie following you may read at large I might here in like sort take occasion to speake of sundrie strong places where camps of men haue lien and of which we haue great plentie here in England in the plaine fields but I passe ouer to talke of any such néedlesse discourses This neuerthelesse concerning two of them is not to be omitted to wit that the one néere vnto Cambridge now Gogmagogs hill was called Windleburie before time as I read of late in an old pamphlet And to saie the truth I haue often heard them named Winterburie hilles which difference may easilie grow by corruption of the former word the place likewise is verie large and strong The second is to be séene in the edge of Shropshire about two miles from Colme betwéene two riuers the Clun or Colunus and the Tewie otherwise named Themis wherevnto there is no accesse but at one place The Welshmen call it Cair Carador and they are of the opinion that Caractatus king of the Sillures was ouercome there by Ostorius at such time as he fled to Cartimanda quéene of the Brigants for succour who betraied him to the Romans as you may sée in Tacitus Of palaces belonging to the prince Chap. 15. IT lieth not in me to set down exactlie the number names of the palaces belonging to the prince nor to make anie description of hir graces
of Gallia which now is called France whose name was Aganippus hearing of the beautie womanhood and good conditions of the said Cordeilla desired to haue hir in mariage and sent ouer to hir father requiring that he might haue hir to wife to whome answer was made that he might haue his daughter but as for anie dower he could haue none for all was promised and assured to hir other sisters alreadie Aganippus notwithstanding this answer of deniall to receiue anie thing by way of dower with Cordeilla tooke hir to wife onlie moued thereto I saie for respect of hir person and amiable vertues This Aganippus was one of the twelue kings that ruled Gallia in those daies as in the British historie it is recorded But to proceed After that Leir was fallen into age the two dukes that had married his two eldest daughters thinking it long yer the gouernment of the land did come to their hands arose against him in armour and rest from him the gouernance of the land vpon conditions to be continued for terme of life by the which he was put to his portion that is to liue after a rate assigned to him for the maintenance of his estate which in processe of time was diminished as well by Maglanus as by Henninus But the greatest griefe that Leir tooke was to see the vnkindnesse of his daughters which seemed to thinke that all was too much which their father had the same being neuer so little in so much that going from the one to the other he was brought to that miserie that scarslie they would allow him one seruant to wait vpon him In the end such was the vnkindnesse or as I maie saie the vnnaturalnesse which he found in his two daughters notwithstanding their faire and pleasant words vttered in time past that being constreined of necessitie he fled the land sailed into Gallia there to seeke some comfort of his yongest daughter Cordeilla whom before time he hated The ladie Cordeilla hearing that he was arriued in poore estate she first sent to him priuilie a certeine summe of monie to apparell himselfe withall and to reteine a certeine number of seruants that might attend vpon him in honorable wise as apperteined to the estate which he had borne and then so accompanied she appointed him to come to the court which he did and was so ioifullie honorablie and louinglie receiued both by his sonne in law Aganippus and also by his daughter Cordeilla that his hart was greatlie comforted for he was no lesse honored than if he had beene king of the whole countrie himselfe Now when he had informed his sonne in law and his daughter in what sort he had béene vsed by his other daughters Aganippus caused a mightie armie to be put in a readinesse and likewise a great nauie of ships to be rigged to passe ouer into Britaine with Leir his father in law to see him againe restored to his kingdome It was accorded that Cordeilla should also go with him to take possession of the land the which he promised to leaue vnto hir as the rightfull inheritour after his decesse notwithstanding any former grant made to hir sisters or to their husbands in anie maner of wise Herevpon when this armie and nauie of ships were readie Leir and his daughter Cordeilla with hir husband tooke the sea and arriuing in Britaine fought with their enimies and discomfited them in battell in the which Maglanus and Henninus were slaine and then was Leir restored to his kingdome which he ruled after this by the space of two yéeres and then died fortie yeeres after he first began to reigne His bodie was buried at Leicester in a vaut vnder the chanell of the riuer of Sore beneath the towne The gunarchie of queene Cordeilla how she was vanquished of hir imprisonment and selfe-murther the contention betweene Cunedag and Margan nephewes for gouernement and the euill end thereof The sixt Chapter COrdeilla the yoongest daughter of Leir was admitted Q. and supreme gouernesse of Britaine in the yéere of the world 3155 before the bylding of Rome 54 Uzia then reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam ouer Israell This Cordeilla after hir fathers deceasse ruled the land of Britaine right worthilie during the space of fiue yeeres in which meane time hir husband died and then about the end of those fiue yéeres hir two nephewes Margan and Cunedag sonnes to hir aforesaid sisters disdaining to be vnder the gouernment of a woman leuied warre against hir and destroied a great part of the land and finallie tooke hir prisoner and laid hir fast in ward wherewith she tooke such griefe being a woman of a manlie courage and despairing to recouer libertie there she slue hirselfe when she had reigned as before is mentioned the tearme of fiue yéeres CUnedagius and Marganus nephewes to Cordeilla hauing recouered the land out of hir hands diuided the same betwixt them that is to saie the countrie ouer and beyond Humber fell to Margan as it stretcheth euen to Catnesse and the other part lieng south and by-west was assigned to Cunedagius This partition chanced in the yéere of the world 3170 before the building of Rome 47 Uzia as then reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam in Israell Afterwards these two cousins Cunedag and Margan had not reigned thus past a two yéeres but thorough some seditious persons Margan was persuaded to raise warre against Cunedag telling him in his eare how it was a shame for him being come of the elder sister not to haue the rule of the whole I le in his hand Herevpon ouercome with pride ambition and couetousnesse he raised an armie and entring into the land of Cunedag he burned and destroied the countrie before him in miserable maner Cunedag in all hast to resist his aduersarie assembled also all the power he could make and comming with the same against Margan gaue him battell in the which he slue a great number of Margans people and put the residue to flight and furthermore pursued him from countrie to countrie till he came into Cambria now called Wales where the said Margan gaue him eftsoones a new battell but being too weake in number of men he was there ouercome and slaine in the field by reason whereof that countrie tooke name of him being there slaine and so is called to this daie Glau Margan which is to meane in our English toong Margans land This was the end of that Margan after he had reigned with his brother two yéeres or thereabouts AFter the death of Margan Cunedag the sonne of Hennius and Ragaie middlemost daughter of Leir before mentioned became ruler of all the whole land of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3172 before the building of Rome 45 Uzia still reigning in Iuda and Ieroboam in Israell He gouerned this I le well and honourablie for the tearme of 33 yeares and then dieng his bodie was buried at Troinouant or London Moreouer our writers doo
gouernance both of his realme and person committed to hir charge She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefelie being admitted to the gouernance of the realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and wholsome order and therefore deuised and established profitable and conuenient lawes the which after were called Martian lawes of hir name that first made them These lawes as those that were thought good and necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth Alfred or Alured that was long after king of England translated also out of the British toong into the English Saxon speech and then were they called after that translation Marchenelagh that is to meane the lawes of Martia To conclude this worthie woman guided the land during the minoritie of hir sonne right politikelie and highlie to hir perpetuall renowme and commendation And when hir sonne came to lawfull age she deliuered vp the gouernance into his handes How long he reigned writers varie some auouch but seuen yeares though other affirme 15. which agréeth not so well with the accord of other histories and times He was buried at London Of Kimarus and his sudden end of Elanius and his short regiment of Morindus and his beastlie crueltie all three immediatlie succeeding each other in the monarchie of Britaine with the explorts of the last The sixt Chapter KImarus the sonne of Sicilius began to reigne ouer the Britaines in the yeare of the world 3657 and after the building of Rome 442 in the first yeare of the 117 Olsmpiad This Kimarus being a wild yoong man and giuen to follow his lusts and pleasures was slame by some that were his enimies as he was abroad in hunting when he had reigned scarselie three yeares ELanius the sonne of Kimarus or as other haue his brother began to rule the Britaines in the yeare after the creation of the world 3361 after the building of Rome 445 after the deliuerance of the Israelities 229 and in the fourth yeare of the Seleuciens after which account the bookes of Machabées doo reckon which began in the 14 after the death of Alexander This Elanius in the English Chronicle is named also Haran by Mat. Westin Danius and by an old chronicle which Fabian much followed Elanius and Kimarus should seeme to be one person but other hold the contrarie and saie that he reigned fullie 8. yeares MOrindus the bastard sonne of Elanius was admitted king of Britaine in the yeare of the world 366 after the building of Rome 451 after the deliuerance of the Israelites 236 and in the tenth yeare of Cassander K. of Macedonia which hauing dispatched Olimpias the mother of Alexander the great and gotten Roxanes with Alexanders sonne into his hands vsurped the kingdome of the Macedonians and held it 15 yéeres This Morindus in the English chronicle is called Morwith and was a man of worthie fame in chiualrie and martiall dooings but so cruell withall that his vnmercifull nature could scarse be satisfied with the torments of them that had offended him although oftentimes with his owne hands he cruellie put them to torture and execution He was also beautifull and comelie of personage liberall and bounteous and of a maruellous strength In his daies a certeine king of the people called Moriani with a great armie landed in Northumberland and began to make cruell warre vpon the inhabitants But Morindus aduertised héerof assembled his Britains came against the enimies and in battell putting them to flight chased them to their ships and tooke a great number of them prisoners whome to the satisfieng of his cruell nature he caused to be slaine euen in his presence Some of them were headed some strangled some panched and some he caused to be slaine quicke ¶ These people whome Gal. Mon. nameth Moriani I take to be either those that inhabited about Terrouane and Calice called Morini or some other people of the Galles or Germaines and not as some estéeme them Morauians or Merhenners which were not known to the world as Humfrey Llhoyd hath verie well noted till about the daies of the emperour Mauricius which misconstruction of names hath brought the British historie further out of credit than reason requireth if the circumstances be dulie considered But now to end with Morindus At length this bloudie prince heard of a monster that was come a land out of the Irish sea with the which when he would néeds fight he was deuoured of the same after he had reigned the terme of 8 yeeres leauing behind him fiue sonnes Gorbomanus Archigallus Elidurus Uigenius or Nigenius and Peredurus Of Gorbonianus Archigallus Elidurus Vigenius and Peredurus the fiue sons of Morindus the building of Cambridge the restitution of Archigallus to the regiment after his depriuation Elidurus three times admitted King his death and place of interrament The seuenth Chapter GOrbonianus the first son of Morindus succéeded his father in the kingdome of Britain in the yéere of the world 3676 after the building of Rome 461 and fourth yéere of the 121 Olimpiad This Gorbonianus in the English chronicle is named Granbodian and was a righteous prince in his gouernment and verie deuout according to such deuotion as he had towards the aduancing of the religion of his gods and thervpon he repaired all the old temples through his kingdome and erected some new He also builded the townes of Cambridge and Grantham as Caxton writeth and was beloued both of the rich and poore for he honoured the rich and relieued the poore in time of their necessities In his time was more plentie of all things necessarie for the wealthfull state of man than had béene before in anie of his predecessors daies He died without issue after he had reigned by the accord of most writers about the terme of ten yeares Some write that this Gorbonian built the townes of Cairgrant now called Cambridge also Grantham but some thinke that those which haue so written are deceiued in mistaking the name for that Cambridge was at the first called Granta and by that meanes it might be that Gorbonian built onlie Grantham and not Cambridge namelie because other write how that Cambridge as before is said was built in the daies of Gurguntius the sonne of Beline by one Cantaber a Spaniard brother to Partholoin which Partholoin by the aduice of the same Gurguntius got seates for himselfe and his companie in Ireland as before ye haue heard The said Cantaber also obteining licence of Gurguntius builded a towne vpon the side of the riuer called Canta which he closed with walles and fortified with a strong tower or castell and after procuring philosophers to come hither from Athens where in his youth he had bene a student he placed them there and so euen then was that place furnished as they saie with learned men and such as were readie to instruct others in knowledge of letters and
wind and weather for his purpose got himselfe aboord with his people and returned into Gallia ¶ Thus writeth Cesar touching his first iournie made into Britaine But the British historie which Polydor calleth the new historie declareth that Cesar in a pitcht field was vanquished at the firt encounter and so withdrew backe into France Beda also writeth that Cesar comming into the countrie of Gallia where the people then called Morini inhabited which are at this day the same that inhabit the diocesse of Terwine from whence lieth the shortest passage ouer into Britaine now called England got togither 80 saile of great ships and row gallies wherewith he passed ouer into Britaine there at the first being wearied with sharpe and sore fight and after taken with a grieuous tempest he lost the greater part of his nauie with no small number of his souldiers and almost all his horssemen and therwith being returned into Gallia placed his souldiors in stéeds to soiourne there for the winter season Thus saith Bede The British historie moreouer maketh mention of thrée vnder-kings that aided Cassibellane in this first battell fought with Cesar as Cridiorus alias Ederus king of Albania now called Scotland Guitethus king of Uenedocia that is Northwales and Britaell king of Demetia at this day called Southwales The same historie also maketh mention of one Belinus that was generall of Cassibellanes armie and likewise of Nenius brother to Cassibellane who in fight happened to get Cesars swoord fastened in his shield by a blow which Cesar stroke at him Androgeus also and Tenancius were at the battell in aid iof Cassibellane But Nenius died within 15 daies after the battell of the hurt receiued at Cesars hand although after he was so hurt he slue Labienus one of the Romane tribunes all which may well be true sith Cesar either maketh the best of things for his owne honour or else coueting to write but commentaries maketh no account to declare the néedeles circumstances or anie more of the matter than the chiefe points of his dealing Againe the Scotish historiographers write that when it was first knowne to the Britains that Cesar would inuade them there came from Cassibellane king of Britaine an ambassador vnto Ederus king of Scots who in the name of king Cassibellane required aid against the common enimies the Romains which request was granted and 10 thousand Scots sent to the aid of Cassibellane At their comming to London they were most ioifullie receiued of Cassibellane who at the same time had knowledge that the Romans were come on land and had beaten such Britains backe as were appointed to resist their landing Wherevpon Cassibellane with all his whole puissance mightilie augmented not onlie with the succours of the Scots but also of the Picts which in that common cause had sent also of their people to aid the Britains set forward towards the place where he vnderstood the enimies to be At their first approch togither Cassibellane sent foorth his horssemen and charets called Esseda by the which he thought to disorder the araie of the enimies Twice they incountred togither with doubtfull victorie At length they ioined puissance against puissance and fought a verie sore and cruell battell till finally at the sudden comming of the Welshmen and Cornishmen so huge a noise was raised by the sound of bels hanging at their trappers and charets that the Romans astonied therewith were more easilie put to flight The Britains Scots and Picts following the chase without order or araie so that by reason the Romans kept themselues close togither the Britains Scots Picts did scarse so much harme to the enimies as they themselues receiued But yet they followed on still vpon the Romans till it was darke night Cesar after he had perceiued them once withdrawne did what he could to assemble his companies togither minding the next morning to séeke his reuenge of the former daies disaduantage But forsomuch as knowledge was giuen him that his ships by reason of a sore tempest were so beaten and rent that manie of them were past seruice he doubted least such newes would incourage his enimies and bring his people into despaire Wherfore he determined not to fight till time more conuenient sending all his wounded folks vnto the ships which he commanded to be newlie rigged and trimmed After this kéeping his armie for a time within the place where he was incamped without issuing foorth he shortlie drew to the sea side where his ships laie at anchor and there within a strong place fortified for the purpose he lodged his host and finallie without hope to atchieue anie other exploit auaileable for that time he tooke the sea with such ships as were apt for sailing and so repassed into Gallia leauing behind him all the spoile and baggage for want of vessels and leisure to conueie it ouer ¶ Thus haue the Scots in their chronicles framed the matter more to the conformitie of the Romane histories than according to the report of our British and English writers and therefore we haue thought good to shew it héere that the diuersitie of writers and their affections may the better appéere Of this sudden departing also or rather fléeing of Iulius Cesar out of Britaine Lucanus the poet maketh mention reciting the saieng of Pompeius in an oration made by him vnto this souldiers wherin he reprochfullie and disdainfullie reprooued the dooings of Cesar in Britaine saieng Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis Caesar taketh a new occasion to make warre against the Britains he arriueth on the coast without resistance the number of his ships both armies incounter why Caesar forbad the Romans to pursue the discomfited Britains he repaireth his nauie the Britains choose Cassibellane their cheefe gouernour and skirmish afresh with their enimies but haue the repulse in the end The xiiij Chapter NOw will we returne to the sequele of the matter as Cesar himselfe reporteth After his comming into Gallia there were but two cities of all Britaine that sent ouer their hostages according to their couenant which gaue occasion to Cesar to picke a new quarrel against them which if it had wanted he would yet I doubt not haue found some other for his full meaning was to make a more full conquest of that I le Therefore purposing to passe againe thither as he that had a great desire to bring the Britains vnder the obedience of the Romane estate he caused a great number of ships to be prouided in the winter season and put in a readinesse so that against the next spring there were found to be readie rigged six hundred ships beside 28 gallies Héerevpon hauing taken order for the gouernance of Gallia in his absence about the beginning of the spring he came to the hauen of Calice whither according to order by him prescribed all his ships were come except 40 which by tempest were driuen backe and could not as yet come to him After he had staied at Calice
as well for a conuenient wind as for other incidents certeine daies at length when the weather so changed that it serued his purpose he tooke the sea hauing with him fiue legions of souldiers and about two thousand horssemen he departed out of Calice hauen about sun setting with a soft southwest wind directing his course forward about midnight the wind fell so by a calme he was carried alongst with the tide so that in the morning when the day appéered he might behold Britaine vpon his left hand Then following the streame as the course of the tide changed he forced with â—ares to fetch the shore vpon that part of the coast which he had discouered and tried the last yeere to be the best landing place for the armie The diligence of the souldiers was shewed héere to be great who with continuall toile droue foorth the heauie ships to kéepe course with the gallies so at length they landed in Britaine about noone on the next day finding not one to resist his comming ashore for as he learned by certeine prisoners which were taken after his comming to land the Britains being assembled in purpose to haue resisted him through feare striken into their harts at the discouering of such an huge number of ships they forsooke the shore and got them vnto the mountaines There were in deed of vessels one and other what with vittellers those which priuat men had prouided and furnished foorth for their owne vse being ioined to the ordinarie number at the least eight hundred saile which appeering in sight all at one time made a wonderfull muster and right terrible in the eies of the Britains But to procéed Cesar being got to land incamped his armie in a place conuenient and after learning by the prisoners into what part the enimies were withdrawne he appointed one Quintus Atrius to remaine vpon the safegard of the nauie with ten companies or cohorts of footmen and three hundred horssemen and anon after midnight marched foorth himselfe with the residue of his people toward the Britains and hauing made 12 miles of way he got sight of his enimies host who sending downe their horssemen and charets vnto the riuer side skirmished with the Romans meaning to beate them backe from the higher ground but being assailed of the Romane horssemen they were repelled tooke the woods for their refuge wherein they had got a place verie strong both by nature and helpe of hand which as was to be thought had béene fortified before in time of some ciuill warre amongst them for all the entries were closed with trées which had béene cut downe for that purpose Howbeit the souldiers of the 7 legion casting a trench before them found meanes to put backe the Britains from their defenses and so entring vpon them droue them out of the woods But Cesar would not suffer the Romans to follow the Britains bicause the nature of the countrie was not knowne vnto them and againe the day was farre spent so that he would haue the residue thereof bestowed in fortifieng his campe The next day as he had sent foorth such as should haue pursued the Britains word came to him from Quintus Atrius that his nauie by rigour of a sore and hideous tempest was gréeuouslie molested and throwne vpon the shore so that the cabels and tackle being broken and destroied with force of the vnmercifull rage of wind the maisters and mariners were not able to helpe the matter Cesar calling backe those which he had sent foorth returned to his ships and finding them in such state as he had heard tooke order for the repairing of those that were not vtterlie destroied and caused them so to be drawne vp to the land that with a trench he might so compasse in a plot of ground that might serue both for defense of his ships and also for the incamping of those men of warre which he should leaue to attend vpon the safegard of the same And bicause there were at the least a fortie ships lost by violence of this tempest so as there was no hope of recouerie in them he saw yet how the rest with great labour and cost might be repaired wherefore he chose out wrights among the legions sent for other into Gallia and wrote ouer to such as he had left there in charge with the gouernment of the countrie to prouide so manie ships as they could and to send them ouer vnto him He spent a ten daies about the repairing of his nauie and in fortifieng the campe for defense thereof which done he left those within it that were appointed there before and then returned towards his enimies At his comming backe to the place where he had before incamped he found them there readie to resist him hauing their numbers hugelie increased for the Britains hearing that he was returned with such a mightie number of ships assembled out of all parts of the land and had by general consent appointed the whole rule and order of all things touching the warre vnto Cassiuellane or Cassibelane whose dominion was diuided from the cities situat néere to the sea coast by the riuer of Thames 80 miles distant from the sea coast This Cassibellane before time had bin at continuall warre with other rulers and cities of the land but now the Britains moued with the comming of the Romans chose him to be chiefe gouernour of all their armie permitting the order and rule of all things touching the defense of their countrie against the Romans onelie to him Their horssemen and charets skirmished by the waie with the Romans but so as they were put backe oftentimes into the woods and hills adioining yet the Britains slue diuers of the Romans as they followed anie thing egerlie in the pursute Also within a while after as the Romans were busie in fortifieng their campe the Britains suddenlie issued out of the woods and fierselie assailed those that warded before the campe vnto whose aid Cesar sent two of the chiefest cohorts of two legions the which being placed but a little distance one from another when the Romans began to be discouraged with this kind of fight the Britains therewith burst through their enimies and came backe from thence in safetie That daie Quintus Laberius Durus a tribune was slaine At length Cesar sending sundrie other cohorts to the succour of his people that were in fight and shrewdlie handled as it appéered the Britains in the end were put backe Neuerthelesse that repulse was but at the pleasure of fortune for they quited themselues afterwards like men defending their territories with such munition as they had vntill such time as either by policie or inequalitie of power they were vanquished as you shall sée after in the course of the historie Howbeit in fine they were ouer-run and vtterlie subdued but not without much bloudshed and slaughter The Romans heauie armor their great hinderance the maner of the Britains fighting in warre their incounter with
caused ships to be made readie to the number of 600 with the which repassing into Britaine whilest he marched foorth with a mightie armie against the enimies his ships that lay at anchor being taken with a sore tempest were either beaten one against another or else cast vpon the flats and sands and so broken so that fortie of them were vtterlie perished and the residue with great difficultie were repaired The horssemen of the Romans at the first encounter were put to the woorsse and Labienus the tribune slaine In the second conflict he vanquished the Britains not without great danger of his people After this he marched to the riuer of Thames which as then was passable by foord onelie in one place and not else as the report goeth On the further banke of that riuer Cassibellane was incamped with an huge multitude of enimies and had pitcht and set the banke and almost all the foord vnder the water full of sharpe stakes the tokens of which vnto this day are to be séene and it séemeth to the beholders that euerie of these stakes are as big as a mans thigh sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer closed with lead This being perceiued of the Romans and auoided the Britains not able to susteine the violent impression of the Roman legions hid themselues in the woods out of the which by often issues they gréeuouslie and manie times assailed the Romans and did them great damage In the meane time the strong citie of Troinouant with hir duke Androgeus deliuering fortie hostages yéelded vnto Cesar whose example manie other cities following allied themselues with the Romans by whose information Cesar with sore fight tooke at length the towne of Cassibellane situat betwixt two marches fensed also with the couert of woods hauing within it great plentie of all things After this Cesar returned into France and bestowed his armie in places to soiorne there for the winter season The Scotish writers report that the Britains after the Romans were the first time repelled as before ye haue heard refused to receiue the aid of the Scotish men the second time and so were vanquished as in the Scotish historie ye may sée more at length expressed Thus much touching the war which Iulius Cesar made against the Britains in bringing them vnder tribute to the Romans But this tributarie subiection was hardlie mainteined for a season ¶ Now here is to be noted that Cesar did not vanquish all the Britains for he came not amongst the northerne men onlie discouering and subduing that part which lieth towards the French seas so that sith other of the Roman emperors did most earnestlie trauell to bring the Britains vnder their subiection which were euer redie to rebell so manie sundrie times Cesar might séeme rather to haue shewed Britaine to the Romans than to haue deliuered the possession of the same This subiection to the which he brought this Ile what maner of one soeuer it was chanced about the yeare of the world 3913 after the building of Rome 698 before the birth of our sauior 53 the first and second yeare of the 181 Olympiad after the comming of Brute 1060 before the conquest made by William duke of Normandie 1120 and 1638 yeres before this present yere of our Lord 1585 after Harisons account The state of Britaine when Caesar offered to conquer it and the maner of their gouernement as diuerse authors report the same in their bookes where the contrarietie of their opinions is to be obserued The xvij Chapter AFter that Iulius Cesar had thus made the Britains tributaries to the Romans and was returned into Gallia Cassibellane reigned 7 yeares and was vanquished in the ninth or tenth yeare after he began first to reigne so that he reigned in the whole about 15 or as some haue 17 yeares and then died leauing no issue behind him There hath bin an old chronicle as Fabian recordeth which he saw and followeth much in his booke wherein is conteined that this Cassibellane was not brother to Lud but eldest sonne to him for otherwise as may be thought saith he Cesar hauing the vpper hand would haue displaced him from the gouernement and set vp Androgeus the right heire to the crowne as sonne to the said Lud. But whatsoeuer our chronicles or the British histories report of this matter it should appere by that which Cesar writeth as partlie ye haue heard that Britaine in those daies was not gouerned by one sole prince but by diuers and that diuers cities were estates of themselues so that the land was diuided into sundrie gouernements much after the forme and maner as Germanie and Italie are in our time where some cities are gouerned by one onelie prince some by the nobilitie and some by the people And whereas diuers of the rulers in those daies here in this land were called kings those had more large seigniories than the other as Cassibellane who was therefore called a king And though we doo admit this to be true yet may it be that in the beginning after Brute entered the land there was ordeined by him a monarchie as before is mentioned which might continue in his posteritie manie yeares after and yet at length before the comming of Cesar through ciuill dissention might happilie be broken and diuided into parts and so remained not onelie in the time of this Cassibellane but also long after whilest they liued as tributaries to the Romans till finallie they were subdued by the Saxons In which meane time through the discord negligence or rather vnaduised rashnes of writers hard it is to iudge what may be affirmed and receiued in their writings for a truth namelie concerning the succession of the kings that are said to haue reigned betwixt the daies of Cassibellane and the comming of the Saxons The Roman writers and namelie Tacitus report that the Britains in times past were vnder the rule of kings and after being made tributaries were drawne so by princes into sundrie factions that to defend and kéepe off a common ieopardie scarselie would two or thrée cities agrée togther and take weapon in hand with one accord so that while they fought by parts the whole was ouercome And after this sort they say that Britaine was brought into the forme of a prouince by the Romans from whom gouernors vnder the name of legats and procurators were sent that had the rule of it But yet the same authors make mention of certeine kings as hereafter shall appeare who while the Romane emperors had the most part of the earth in subiection reigned in Britaine The same witnesseth Gildas saieng Britaine hath kings but they are tyrants iudges it hath but the same are wicked oftentimes spoiling and tormenting the innocent people And Cesar as ye haue heard speaketh of foure kings that ruled in Kent and thereabouts Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention of Prasutagus and Cogidunus that were kings in Britaine and Iuuenal speaketh of Aruiragus
should not come togither againe Now for that a displeasing and a doubtfull peace was not like to bring quietnesse either to him or to his armie he tooke from such as he suspected their armour And after this he went about to defend the riuers of Auon Seuerne with placing his souldiers in camps fortified néere to the same But the Oxfordshire men and other of those parties would not suffer him to accomplish his purpose in anie quiet sort being a puissant kind of people and not hitherto weakened by warres for they willinglie at the first had ioined in amitie with the Romans The countries adioining also being induced by their procurement came to them so they chose forth a plot of ground fensed with a mightie ditch vnto the which there was no waie to enter but one the same verie narrow so as the horssemen could not haue anie easie passage to breake in vpon them Ostorius although he had no legionarie souldiers but certeine bands of aids marched foorth towards the place within the which the Britains were lodged and assaulting them in the same brake through into their campe where the Britains being impeached with their owne inclosures which they had raised for defense of the place knowing how that for their rebellion they were like to find small mercie at the Romans hands when they saw now no waie to escape laid about them manfullie and shewed great proofe of their valiant stomachs In this battell the sonne of Ostorius the lieutenant deserued the price and commendation of preseruing a citizen out of the cruell enimies hands But now with this slaughter of the Oxfordshire men diuers of the Britains that stood doubtfull what waie to take either to rest in quiet or to moue warres were contented to be conformable vnto a reasonable order of peace in so much that Ostorius lead his armie against the people called Cangi who inhabited that part of Wales now called Denbighshire which countrie he spoiled on euerie side no enimie once daring to encounter him if anie of them aduentured priuilie to set vpon those which they found behind or on the outsids of his armie they were cut short yer they could escape out of danger Wherevpon he marched straight to their campe and giuing them battell vanquished them and vsing the victorie as reason moued him he lead his armie against those that inhabited the inner parts of Wales spoiling the countrie on euerie side And thus sharplie pursuing the rebels he approched néere vnto the sea side which lieth ouer against Ireland While this Romane capteine was thus occupied he was called backe by the rebellion of the Yorkshire men whome forthwith vpon his comming vnto them he appeased punishing the first authors of that tumult with death In the meane time the people called Silures being a verie fierce kind of men and valiant prepared to make warre against the Romans for they might not be bowed neither with roughnesse nor yet with anie courteous handling so that they were to be tamed by an armie of legionarie souldiers to be brought among them Therefore to restraine the furious rage of those people and their neighbours Ostorious peopled a towne néere to their borders called Camelodunum with certeine bands of old souldiers there to inhabit with their wiues and children according to such maner as was vsed in like cases of placing naturall Romans in anie towne or citie for the more suertie and defense of the same Here also was a temple builded in the honor of Claudius the emperour where were two images erected one of the goddesse Uictoria and an other of Claudius himselfe The coniectures of writers touching the situation of Camelodunum supposed to be Colchester of the Silures a people spoken of in the former chapter a foughten field betwene Caratacus the British prince and Ostorius the Romaine in the confines of Shorpshire the Britains go miserablie to wracke Caratacus is deliuered to the Romans his wife and daughter are taken prisoners his brethren yeeld themselues to their enimies The sixt Chapter BUt now there resteth a great doubt among writers where this citie or towne called Camelodunum did stand of some and not without good ground of probable coniectures gathered vpon the aduised consideration of the circumstances of that which in old authors is found written of this place it is thought to be Colchester But verelie by this place of Tacitus it maie rather seeme to be some other towne situat more westward than Colchester sith a colonie of Romane souldiers were planted there to be at hand for the repressing of the vnquiet Silures which by consent of most writers inhabited in Southwales or néere the Welsh marshes There was a castell of great fame in times past that hight Camaletum or in British Caermalet which stood in the marshes of Summersetshire but sith there is none that hath so written before this time I will not saie that happilie some error hath growne by mistaking the name of Camelodunum for this Camaletum by such as haue copied out the booke of Cornelius Tacitus and yet so it might be doon by such as found it short or vnperfectlie written namelie by such strangers or others to whom onelie the name of Camelodunum was onelie knowne and Camaletum peraduenture neuer séene nor heard of As for example and Englishman that hath heard of Waterford in Ireland and not of Wexford might in taking foorth a copie of some writing easilie commit a fault in noting the one for the other We find in Ptolomie Camedolon to be a citie belonging to the Trinobants and he maketh mention also of Camelodunum but Humfrey Lhoyd thinketh that he meaneth all one citie Notwithstanding Polydor Virgil is of a contrarie opinion supposing the one to be Colchester in déed and the other that is Camelodunum to be Doncaster or Pontfret Leland esteeming it to be certeinelie Colchester taketh the Iceni men also to be the Northfolke men But howsoeuer we shall take this place of Tacitus it is euident inough that Camelodunum stood not farre from the Thames And therefore to séeke it with Hector Boetius in Scotland or with Polydor Virgil so far as Doncaster or Pontfret it maie be thought a plaine error But to leaue each man to his owne iudgement in a matter so doubtfull we will procéed with the historie as touching the warres betwixt the Romans and the Silurians against whome trusting not onelie vpon their owne manhood but also vpon the high prowesse valiancie of Caratacus Ostorius set forward Caratacus excelled in fame aboue all other the princes of Britaine aduanced thereto by manie doubtfull aduentures and manie prosperous exploits which in his time he had atchiued but as he was in policie and aduantage of place better prouided than the Romans so in power of souldiers he was ouermatched And therefore he remoued the battell into the parts of that countrie where the Ordouices inhabited which are thought to haue dwelled in the borders
where the courts of iustice were kept there was a maruellous great noise heard with much laughing and a sturre in the theatre with great wéeping and lamentable howling at such time as it was certeinlie knowne that there was no creature there to make anie noise The sea at a spring tide appeared of a bloudie colour and when the tide was gone backe there were séene on the sands the shapes figures of mens bodies Women also as rauished of their wits and being as it were in a furie propheâ—â—ed that destruction was at hand so that the Britains were put greatlie in hope and the Romans in feare But those things whether they chanced by the craft of man or illusion of the diuell or whether they procéeded of some naturall cause which the common people oftentimes taketh superstitiouslie in place of strange woonders signifieng things to follow we would let passe least we might be thought to offend religion the which teaching all things to be doone by the prouidence of God despiseth the vaine predictions of haps to come if the order of an historie saith Polydor Virgil would so permit the which requireth all things to be written in maner as they fall out and come to passe But the Britains were chiefelie mooued to rebellion by the iust complaint of Uoadicia declaring how vnséemelie she had beene vsed and intreated at the hands of the Romans and because she was most earnestlie bent to séeke reuenge of their iniuries and hated the name of the Romans most of all other they chose hir to be capteine for they in rule and gouernement made no difference then of sex whether they committed the same to man or woman and so by a generall conspiracie the more part of the people hauing also allured the Essex men vnto rebellion rose and assembled themselues togither to make warre against the Romans There were of them a hundred and twentie thousand got togither in one armie vnder the leading of the said Uoadicia or Bunduica as some name hir She therefore to encourage hir people against the enimies mounted vp into an high place raised vp of turfes sods made for the nonce out of the which she made a long verie pithie oration Hir mightie tall personage comelie shape seuere countenance and sharpe voice with hir long and yellow tresses of heare reaching downe to hir thighes hir braue and gorgeous apparell also caused the people to haue hir in great reuerence She ware a chaine of gold great and verie massie and was clad in a lose kirtle of sundrie colours and aloft therevpon she had a thicke Irish mantell hereto in hir hand as hir custome was she bare a speare to shew hirselfe the more dreadfull The oration of queene Voadicia full of prudence and spirit to the Britains for their encouragement against the Romans wherein she rippeth vp the vile seruitude and shamefull wrongs which their enimies inflicted vpon them with other matters verie motiue both concerning themselues and their enimies hir supplication and praier for victorie The eleuenth Chapter NOw Uoadicia being prepared as you heare set foorth with such maiestie that she greatlie incouraged the Britains vnto whome for their better animating and emboldening she vttered this gallant oration in manner and forme following I doo suppose my louers and friends that there is no man here but dooth well vnderstand how much libertie and fréedome is to be preferred before thraldome and bondage But if there haue bene anie of you so deceiued with the Romane persuasions that ye did not for a time see a difference betwéene them and iudged whether of both is most to be desired now I hope that hauing tried what it is to be vnder both ye will with me reforme your iudgement and by the harmes alreadie taken acknowledge your ouersight and forsake your former error Againe in that a number of you haue rashlie preferred an externall souereigntie before the customes and lawes of your owne countrie you doo at this time I doubt not perfectlie vnderstand how much free pouertie is to be prefered before great riches wherevnto seruitude is annexed and much wealth in respect of captiuitie vnder forren magistrats wherevpon slauerie attendeth For what thing I beséech you can there be so vile grieuous vnto the nature of man that hath not happened vnto vs sithens the time that the Romans haue bene acquainted with this Iland Are we not all in manner bereaued of our riches possessions Doo not we beside other things that we giue and the land that we till for their onelie profit paie them all kinds of tributs ye â— for our owne carcases How much better is it to be once alost and fortunate in deed than vnder the forged and false title of libertie continuallie to paie for our redemption a fréedome How much is it more commendable to lose our liues in defense of our countrie than to carie about not so much as our heads toll free but dailie oppressed laden with innumerable exactions But to what end doo I remember and speake of these things since they will not suffer by death to become frée For what and how much we paie for them that are dead there is not one here but he dooth well vnderstand Among other nations such as are brought into seruitude are alwaies by death discharged of their bondage onelie to the Romans the dead doo still liue and all to increase their commoditie and gaine If anie of vs be without monie as I know not well how and which way we should come by anie then are we left naked spoiled of that which remaineth in our houses we our selues as men left desolate dead How shall we looke for better dealing at their hands hereafter that in the beginning deale so vncourteousie with vs since there is no man that taketh so much as a wild beast but at the first he will cherish it and with some gentlenesse win it to familiaritie But we our selues to saie the trueth are authors of our owne mischiefe which suffered them at the first to set foot within our Iland and did not by and by driue them backe as we did Cesar or slue them with our swords when they were yet farre off and that the aduenturing hither was dangerous as we did sometime to Augustus and Caligula We therefore that inhabit this Iland which for the quantitie thereof maie well be called a maine although it be inuironed about with the Ocean sea diuiding vs from other nations so that we séeme to liue vpon an other earth vnder a seuerall heauen we euen we I saie whose name hath béene long kept hid from the wisest of them all are now contemned and troden vnder foot of them who studie nothings else but how to become lords haue rule of other men Wherefore my welbeloued citizens friendes and kinsfolkes for I thinke we are all of kin since we were borne and dwell in this I le and haue one
the aged men nor women sent awaie whereby the yoong able personages might without trouble of them the better attend to the defense of the citie but euen as they had béene in all suertie of peace and frée from suspicion of anie warre they were suddenlie beset with the huge armie of the Britains and so all went to spoile and fire that could be found without the inclosure of the temple into the which the Romane souldiers striken with sudden feare by this sudden comming of the enimies had thronged themselues Where being assieged by the Britains within the space of two daies the place was woonne and they that were found within it slaine euerie mothers sonne After this the Britains incouraged with this victorie went to méet with Petus Cerealis lieutenant of the legion surnamed the ninth and boldlie incountering with the same legion gaue the Romans the ouerthrow and slue all the footmen so that Cerealis with much adoo escaped with his horssemen and got him backe to the campe and saued himselfe within the trenches Catus the procurator being put in feare with this ouerthrow and perceiuing what hatred the Britains bare towards him hauing with his couetousnesse thus brought the warre vpon the head of the Romans got him ouer into Gallia But Suetonius aduertised of these dooings came backe out of Anglesey and with maruellous constancie marched through the middest of his enimies to London being as then not greatlie peopled with Romans though there was a colonie of them but full of merchants and well prouided of vittels he was in great doubt at his comming thither whether he might best staie there as in a place most conuenient or rather séeke some other more easie to be defended At length considering the small number of his men of warre and remembring how Cerealis had sped by his too much rashnesse he thought better with the losing of one towne of saue the whole than to put all in danger of irrecouerable losse And therewith nothing mooued at the praier teares of them which besought him of aid and succour he departed and those that would go with him he receiued into his armie those that taried behind were oppressed by the enimies and the like destruction happened to them of Uerolanium a towne in those daies of great fame situat néere to the place where the towne of Saint Albons now standeth The Britains leauing the castels and fortresses vnassaulted followed their gaine in spoiling of those places which were easie to get and where great plentie of riches was to be found vsing their victorie with such crueltie that they slue as the report went to the number of 70 thousand Romans and such as tooke their part in the said places by the Britains thus woon and conquered For there was nothing with the Britains but slaughter fire gallowes and such like so earnestlie were they set on reuenge They spared neither age nor sex women of great nobilitie and woorthie fame they tooke and hanged vp naked and cutting off their paps sowed them to their mouthes that they might séeme as if they sucked and fed on them and some of their bodies they stretched out in length and thrust them on sharpe stakes All these things they did in great despite whilest they sacrificed in their temples and made feasts namelie in the wood consecrated to the honour of Andates for so they called the goddesse of victorie whom they worshipped most reuerentlie P. Suetonius the Romane with a fresh power assalteth the Britains whose armie consisted as well of women as men queene Voadicia incourageth hir souldiers so dooth Suetonius his warriors both armies haue a sharpe conflict the Britains are discomfited and miserablie slaine the queene dieth Penius Posthumus killeth himselfe the Britains are persecuted with fire swoord and famine the grudge betweene Cassicianus and Suetonius whome Polycletus is sent to reconcile of his traine and how the Britains repined at him The xiij Chapter IN this meane time there came ouer to the aid of Suetonius the legion surnamed the 14 and other bands of souldiers and men of warre to the number of ten thousand in the whole wherevpon chieflie bicause vittels began to faile him he prepared to giue battell to his enimies and chose out a plot of ground verie strong within straits and backed with a wood so that the enimies could not assault his campe but on the front yet by reason of their great multitude and hope of victorie conceiued by their late prosperous successe the Britains vnder the conduct of quéene Uoadicia aduentured to giue battell hauing their women there to be witnesses of the victorie whome they placed in charrets at the vttermost side of their field Uoadicia or Boudicia for so we find hir written by some copies and Bonuica also by Dion hauing hir daughters afore hir being mounted into a charret as she passed by the souldiers of ech sundrie countrie told them it was a thing accustomed among the Britains to go to the warres vnder the leading of women but she was not now come foorth as one borne of such noble ancestors as she was descended from to fight for hir kingdome and riches but as one of the meaner sort rather to defend hir lost libertie and to reuenge hir selfe of the enimie for their crueltie shewed in scourging hir like a vagabond and shamefull deflouring of hir daughters for the licentious lust of the Romans was so farre spred and increased that they spared neither the bodies of old nor yoong but were readie most shame fullie to abuse them hauing whipped hir naked being an aged woman and forced hir daughters to satisfie their filthie concupiscence but saith she the gods are at hand readie to take iust reuenge The legion that presumed to incounter with vs is slaine and beaten downe The residue kéepe them close within their holds or else séeke waies how to flée out of the countrie they shall not be once able so much as to abide the noise and clamor of so manie thousands as we are héere assembled much lesse the force of our great puissance and dreadfull hands If ye therefore said she would wey and consider with your selues your huge numbers of men of warre and the causes why ye haue mooued this warre ye would surelie determine either in this battell to die with honour or else to vanquish the enimie by plaine force for so quoth she I being a woman am fullie resolued as for you men ye maie if ye list liue and be brought into bondage Neither did Suetonius ceasse to exhort his people for though he trusted in their manhood yet as he had diuided his armie into three battels so did he make vnto ech of them a seuerall oration willing them not to feare the shrill and vaine menacing threats of the Britains sith there was among them more women that men they hauing no skill in warrelike discipline and heereto being naked without furniture of armour would foorthwith giue place when they should féele
exploits fortunatelie atchiued against diuerse people as the Irish c. The 16. Chapter AFter Iulius Frontinus the emperor Uespasian sent Iulius Agricola to succéed in the gouernement of Britaine who comming ouer about the midst of summer found the men of warre thorough want of a lieutenant negligent inough as those that looking for no trouble thought themselues out of all danger where the enimies neuerthelesse watched vpon the next occasion to worke some displeasure and were readie on ech hand to mooue rebellion For the people called Ordonices that inhabited in the countrie of Chesshire Lancashire and part of Shropshire had latelie before ouerthrowne and in maner vtterlie destroied a wing of such horssemen as soiourned in their parties by reason whereof all the prouince was brought almost into an assured hope to recouer libertie Agricola vpon his comming ouer though summer was now halfe past and that the souldiers lodging here there abroad in the countrie were more disposed to take rest than to set forward into the field against the enimies determined yet to resist the present danger and therewith assembling the men of warre of the Romans and such other aids as he might make he inuaded their countrie that had done this foresaid displeasure and slue the most part of all the inhabitants thereof Not thus contented for that he thought good to follow the steps of fauourable fortune and knowing that as the begining proued so would the whole sequele of his affaires by likelihood come to passe he purposed to make a full conquest of the I le of Anglesey from the conquest wherof the Romane lieutenant Paulinus was called backe by the rebellion of other of the Britains as before ye haue heard But whereas he wanted ships for the furnishing of his enterprise his wit and policie found a shift to supplie that defect for choosing out a piked number of such Britains as he had there with him in aid which knew the foords and shallow places of the streames there and withall were verie skilfull in swimming as the maner of the countrie then was he appointed them to passe ouer on the sudden into the I le onelie with their horsses armor and weapon which enterprise they so spéedilie and with so good successe atchiued that the inhabitants much amazed with that dooing which looked for a nauie of ships to haue transported ouer their enimies by sea and therefore watched on the coast began to thinke that nothing was able to be defended against such kind of warriors that got ouer into the I le after such sort and maner And therefore making sute for peace they deliuered the I le into the hands of Agricola whose fame by these victories dailie much increased as of one that tooke pleasure in trauell and attempting to atchiue dangerous enterprises in stead whereof his predecessors had delighted to shew the maiesties of their office by vaine brags statelie ports and ambitious pomps For Agricola turned not the prosperous successe of his procéedings into vanitie but rather with neglecting his fame increased it to the vttermost among them that iudged what hope was to be looked for of things by him to be atchiued which with silence kept secret these his so woorthie dooings Moreouer perceiuing the nature of the people in this I le of Britaine and sufficientlie taught by other mens example that armor should little auaile where iniuries followed to the disquieting of the people he thought best to take away and remooue all occasions of warre And first beginning with himselfe and his souldiers tooke order for a reformation to be had in his owne houshold yéelding nothing to fauor but altogither in respect of vertue accounting them most faithfull which therein most excelled He sought to know all things but not to doo otherwise than reason mooued pardoning small faults and sharpelie punishing great and heinous offenses neither yet deliting alwaies in punishment but oftentimes in repentance of the offendor Exactions and tributes he lessened qualifieng the same by reasonable equitie And thus in reforming the state of things he wan him great praise in time of peace the which either by negligence or sufferance of the former lieutenants was euer feared and accounted woorse than open warre This was his practise in the winter time of his first yeere But when summer was come he assembled his armie and leading foorth the same trained his souldiers in all honest warlike discipline commending the good and reforming the bad and vnrulie He himselfe to giue example tooke vpon him all dangers that came to hand and suffered not the enimies to liue in rest but wasted their countries with sudden inuasious And when he had sufficientlie chastised them and put them in feare by such manner of dealing he spared them that they might againe conceiue some hope of peace By which meanes manie countries which vnto those daies had kept themselues out of bondage laid rancor aside and deliuered pledges and further were contented to suffer castels to be builded within them and to be kept with garrisons so that no part of Britaine was frée from the Romane power but stood still in danger to be brought vnder more and more In the winter following Agricola tooke paines to reduce the Britains from their rude manners and customs vnto a more ciuill sort and trade of liuing that changing their naturall fiercenesse and apt disposition to warre they might through tasting pleasures be so inured therewith that they should desire to liue in rest and quietnesse and therefore he exhorted them priuilie and holpe them publikelie to build temples common halls where plées of law might be kept and other houses commending them that were diligent in such dooings and blaming them that were negligent so that of necessitie they were driuen to striue who should preuent ech other in ciuilitie He also procured that noble mens sonnes should learne the liberall sciences and praised the nature of the Britains more than the people of Gallia bicause they studied to atteine to the knowledge of the Romane eloquence By which meanes the Britains in short time were brought to the vse of good and commendable manners and sorted themselues to go in comelie apparell after the Romane fashion and by little and little fell to accustome themselues to fine fare and delicate pleasures the readie prouoke vs of vices as to walke in galleries to wash themselues in bathes to vse banketting and such like which amongst the vnskilfull was called humanitie or courtesie but in verie deed it might be accounted a part of thraldome and seruitude namelie being too excessiuelie vsed In the third yéere of Agricola his gouernment in Britaine he inuaded the north parts thereof vnknowne till those daies of the Romans being the same where the Scots now inhabit for he wasted the countrie vnto the water of Tay in such wise putting the inhabitants in feare that they durst not once set vpon his armie though it
spoile oftentimes they got the vpper hand of them and now and then they were chased awaie insomuch that in the end they were brought to such extremitie for want of vittels that they did eate such amongst them as were the weakest and after such as the lot touched being indifferentlie cast amongst them and so being caried about the coasts of Britaine losing their vessels through want of skill to gouerne them they were reputed for robbers and therevpon were apprehended first by the Suabeners and shortlie after by the Frizers the which sold diuerse of them to the Romans and other whereby the true vnderstanding of their aduentures came certeinlie to light In summer next following Agricola with his armie came to the mounteine of Granziben where he vnderstood that his enimies were incamped to the number of 30 thousand and aboue and dailie there came to them more companie of the British youth and such aged persons also as were lustie and in strength able to weld weapon and beare armour Amongst the capteins the chiefest was one Galgagus whom the Scotish chronicles name Gald This man as chiefteine and head capteine of all the Britains there assembled made to them a pithie oration to incourage them to fight manfullie and likewise did Agricola to his people which being ended the armies on both sides were put in order of battell Agricola placed 8 thousand footmen of strangers which he had there in aid with him in the most appointing three thousand horssemen to stand on the sides of them as wings The Romane legions stood at their 〈◊〉 in stéed of a bulworke The Britains were imbattelled in such order that their fore ward stood in the plaine ground and the other on the side of an hill as though they had risen on heigth one ranke aboue another The midst of the field was couered with their charrets and horssemen Agricola doubting by the huge multitude of enimies least his people should be assailed not onlie afront but also vpon euerie side the battels he caused the ranks so to place themselues as their battels might stretch farre further in bredth than otherwise the order of warre required but he tooke this to be a good remedie against such inconuenience as might haue followed if the enimie by the narrownesse of the fronts of his battels should haue bemmed them in on ech side This done and hauing conceiued good hope of victorie he alighted on foot and putting his horsse from him he stood before the standards as one not caring for anie danger that might happen At the first they bestowed their shot and darts fréelie on both sides The Britains aswell with constant manhood as skilfull practise with broad swords and little round bucklers auoided and beat from them the arrowes and darts that came from their enimies and therewithall paid them home againe with their shot and darts so that the Romans were néere hand oppressed therewith bicause they came so thicke in their faces till at length Agricola caused thrée cohorts of Hollanders two of Lukeners to presse forward ioine with them at hand-strokes so as the matter might come to be tried with the edge of the swoord which thing as to them being inured with that kind of fight it stood greatlie with their aduantage so to the Britains it was verie dangerous that were to defend themselues with their mightie huge swoords and small bucklers Also by reason their swoords were broad at the ends and pointlesse they auailed little to hurt the armed enimie Wherevpon when the Hollanders came to ioine with them they made fowle worke in sleaing and wounding them in most horrible wise The horssemen also that made resistance they pulled from their horsses and began to clime the hill vpon the Britains The other bands desirous to match their fellowes in helping to atchiue the victorie followed the Hollanders and beat downe the Britains where they might approch to them manie were ouerrun and left halfe dead and some not once touched with anie weapon were likewise ouerpressed such hast the Romans made to follow vpon the Britains Whilest the British horssemen fled their charets ioined themselues with their footmen and restoring the battell put the Romans in such feare that they were at a sudden stay but the charets being troubled with prease of enimies vnéeuennesse of the ground they could not worke their feat to anie purpose neither had that fight anie resemblance of a battell of horssemen when ech one so encumbred other that they had no roome to stirre themselues The charets oftentimes wanting their guiders were caried awaie with the horsses that being put in feare with the noise and stur ran hither and thither bearing downe one another and whomsoeuer else they met withall Now the Britains that kept the top of the hils and had not yet fought at all despising the small number of the Romans began to come downewards and to cast about that they might set vpon the backs of their enimies in hope so to make an end of the battell and to win the victorie but Agricola doubting no lesse but that some such thing would come to passe had aforehand foreséene the danger and hauing reserued foure wings of horssemen for such sudden chances sent them foorth against those Britains the which horssemen with full randon charging vpon them as they rashlie came forwards quicklie disordered them and put them all to flight and so that purposed deuise and policie of the Britains turned to their owne hinderance For their horssemen by their capteins appointment trauersing ouerthwart by the fronts of them that fought set vpon that battell of the Britains which they found before them Then in those open and plaine places a greeuous heauie sight it was to behold how they pursued wounded and tooke their enimies and as they were aduised of other to slea those that they had before taken to the end they might ouertake the other there was nothing but fléeing taking and chasing slaughter spilling of bloud scattering of weapons grunting and groning of men and horsses that lay on the ground gasping for breath readie to die The Britains now and then as they saw their aduantage namelie when they approched néere to the woods gathered themselues togither and set vpon the Romans as they followed vnaduisedlie and further through ignorance of the places than stood with their suertie insomuch that if Agricola had not prouided remedie and sent foorth mightie bands of light armed men both on foot and horssebacke to close in the enimies and also to beat the wood some greater losse would haue followed through too much boldnes of them that too rashlie pursued vpon the Britains who when they beheld the Romans thus to follow them in whole troops and good order of battell they slipt awaie and tooke them to flight ech one seeking to saue himselfe and kept not togither in plumps as before they had doone The night made an end of the chase
Britains their nimblenesse the painting of their bodies with diuerse colours their furniture their great sufferance of hunger cold c diuerse conflicts betweene the Romans and the Britains their subtile traines to deceiue their enimies the Romans pitifullie distressed Seuerus constreineth the Caledonians to conclude a league with him he falleth sicke his owne sonne practiseth to make him away the Britains begin a new rebellion the cruell commandement of Seuerus to kill and slea all that came to hand without exception his age his death and sepulchte Bassianus ambitiouslie vsurpeth the whole regiment he killeth his brother Geta and is slaine himselfe by one of his owne souldiers The xxij Chapter THe emperour Seuerus receiuing aduertisment from the lieutenant of Britaine that the people there mooued rebellion wasted the countrie with roads and forraies so that it was néedful to haue the prince himselfe to come thither within great power to resist the enimies he of an ambitions mind reâ—oised not a little for those newes bicause he saw occasion offered to aduance his renowâ—e and fame with increase of new victories now in the west after so manie triumphs purchased and got by him in the east and north parts of the world Héerevpon though he was of great age yet the desire that he had still to win honour caused him to take in hand to make a iournie into this land and so being furnished of all things necessarie he set forwards being carried for the more part in a litter for his more ease for that beside his féeblenesse of age he was also troubled with the gout He tooke with him his two sonnes Antoninus Bassianus and Geta vpon purpose as was thought to auoid occasions of such inconuenience as he perceiued might grow by discord mooued betwixt them through flatterers and malicious sycophants which sought to set them at variance which to bring to passe he perceiued there should want no meane whilest they continued in Rome amidst such pleasures idle pastimes as were dailie there frequented and therefore he caused them to attend him in this iournie into Britaine that they might learne to liue soberlie and after the manner of men of warre Seuerus being thus on his iournie towards Britaine staied not by the waie but with all diligence sped him foorth and passing the sea verie swiftlie entred this Ile and assembled a mightie power togither meaning to assaile his enimies and to pursue the warre against them to the vttermost The Britains greatlie amazed with this sudden arriuall of the emperour and hearing that such preparation was made against them sent ambassadours to him to intreat of peace and to excuse their rebellious dooings But Seuerus delaieng time for answere as he that was desirous to atchiue some high enterprise against the Britains for the which he might deserue the surname of Britannicus which he greatlie coueted still was busie to prepare all things necessarie for the warre and namelie caused a great number of bridges to be made to lay ouer the bogs and mareshes so that his souldiers might haue place to stand vpon and not to be incumbered for lacke of firme ground when they should cope with their enimies for the more part of Britaine in those daies as Herodianus writeth was full of fens maresh ground by reason of the often flowings and washings of the sea tides by the which maresh grounds the enimies being thereto accustomed would run and swim in the waters and wade vp to the middle at their pleasure going for the more part naked so that they passed not on the mud and mires for they knew not the vse of wearing cloths but ware hoopes of iron about their middles and necks esteeming the same as an ornament and token of riches as other barbarous people did gold Moreouer they marked or as it were painted their bodies in diuerse sorts and with sundrie shapes and figures of beasts and fowles and therefore they vsed not to weare anie garments that such painting of their bodies might the more apparantlie be séene which they estéemed a great brauerie They were as the same Herodianus writeth a people giuen much to war and delighted in slaughter and bloudshed vsing none other weapons or armour but a slender buckler a iaueline and a swoord tied to their naked bodies as for headpéece or habergeon they estéemed not bicause they thought the same should be an hinderance to them when they should passe ouer anie maresh or be driuen to swim anie waters or flée to the bogs Moreouer to suffer hunger cold and trauell they were so vsed and inured therewith that they would not passe to lie in the bogs and mires couered vp to the chin without caring for meate for the space of diuerse daies togither and in the woods they would liue vpon roots and barks of trées Also they vsed to prepare for themselues a certeine kind of meate of the which if they receiued but so much as amounted to the quantitie of a beaâ—e they would thinke themselues satisfied and féele neither hunger nor thirst The one halfe of the I le or little lesse was subiect vnto the Romans the other was gouerned of themselues the people for the most part hauing the rule in their hands Seuerus therefore meaning to subdue the whole and vnderstanding their nature and the manner of their making warre prouided him selfe of all things expedient for the annoiance of them and helpe of his owne souldiers and appointing his sonne Geta to remaine in that part of the Ile which was subiect to the Romans he tooke with him his other sonne Antoninus and with his armie marched foorth and entred into the confines of the enimies and there began to waste and forrey the countrie whereby there insued diuerse conflicts and skirmishes betwixt the Romans and the inhabitants the victorie still remaining on the Romans side but the enimies easilie escaped without anie great losse vnto the woods mountains bogs and such other places of refuge as they knew to be at hand whither the Romans durst not follow nor once approch for feare to be intrapped and inclosed by the Britains that were readie to returne and assaile their enimies vpon euerie occasion of aduantage that might be offered This maner of dealing sore troubled the Romans and so hindered them in their procéedings that no spéedie end could be made of that warre The Britains would oftentimes of purpose laie their cattell as oxen kine shéepe and such like in places conuenient to be as a stale to the Romans and when the Romans should make to them to fetch the same awaie being distant from the residue of the armie a good space they would fall vpon them and distresse them Beside this the Romans were much annoied with the vnwholesomnesse of the waters which they were forced to drinke and if they chanced to straie abroad they were snapped vp by ambushes which the Caledonians laid for them and when they were so féeble that they could
not through want of strength kéepe pace with their fellowes as they marched in order of battell they were slaine by their owne fellowes least they should be left behind for a prey to the enimies Héereby there died in this iournie of the Romane armie at the point of fiftie thousand men but yet would not Seuerus returne till he had gone through the whole I le and so came to the vttermost parts of all the countrie now called Scotland and at last backe againe to the other part of the I le subiect to the Romans the inhabitants whereof are named by Dion Cassius Meatae But first he forced the other whom the same Dion nameth Caledontj to conclude a league with him vpon such conditions as they were compelled to depart with no small portion of the countrie and to deliuer vnto him their armour and weapons In the meane time the emperour Seuerus being worne with age fell sicke so that he was constreined to abide at home within that part of the Ile which obeied the Romans and to appoint his sonne Antoninus to take charge of the armie abroad But Antoninus not regarding the enimies attempted little or nothing against them but sought waies how to win the fauour of the souldiers and men of warre that after his fathers death for which he dailie looked he might haue their aid and assistance to be admitted emperour in his place Now when he saw that his father bare out his sicknesse longer time than he would haue wished he practised with physicians and other of his fathers seruants to dispatch him by one meane or other Whilest Antoninus thus negligentlie looked to his charge the Britains began a new rebellion not onlie those that were latelie ioined in league with the emperour but the other also which were subiects to the Romane empire Seuerus tooke such displeasure that he called togither the souldiers and commanded them to inuade the countrie and to kill all such as they might méet within anie place without respect and that his cruell commandement he expressed in these verses taken out of Homer Nemo manus fugiat vestras caedémque cruentam Non foetus grauida mater quem gessit in aluo Horrendam effugiat caedem But while he was thus disquieted with the rebellion of the Britains and the disloiall practises of his sonne Antoninus which to him were not vnknowne for the wicked sonne had by diuers attempts discouered his traitorous and vnnaturall meanings at length rather through sorrow and griefe than by force of sicknesse he wasted awaie and departed this life at Yorke the third daie before the nones of Februarie after he had gouerned the empire by the space of 17 yeares 8 moneths 33 daies He liued 65 yeres 9 moneths 13 daies he was borne the third ides of April By that which before is recited out of Herodian and Dion Cassius of the maners vsages of those people against whome Seuerus held warre here in Britaine it maie be coniectured that they were the Picts the which possessed in those daies a great part of Scotland and with continuall incursions and rodes wasted and destroied to the borders of those countries which were subiect to the Romans To kéepe them backe therefore and to represse their inuasions Seuerus as some write either restored the former wall made by Adrian or else newlie built an other ouerthwart the I le from the east sea to the west conteining in length 232 miles This wall was not made of stone but of turfe and earth supported with stakes and piles of wood and defended on the backe with a déepe trench or ditch and also fortified with diuerse towers and turrets built erected vpon the same wall or rampire so néere togither that the sound of trumpets being placed in the same might be heard betwixt and so warning giuen from one to another vpon the first descrieng of the enimies Seuerus being departed out of this life in the yere of our Lord 211 his son Antoninus otherwise called also Bassianus would faine haue vsurped the whole gouernment into his owne hands attempting with bribes and large promises to corrupt the minds of the souldiers but when he perceiued that his purpose would not forward as he wished in that behalfe he concluded a league with the enimies and making peace with them returned backe towards Yorke and came to his mother and brother Geta with whome he tooke order for the buriall of his father And first his bodie being burnt as the maner was the ashes were put into a vessell of gold and so conueied to Rome by the two brethren and the empresse Iulia who was mother to Geta the yonger brother and mother in law to the elder Antoninus Bassianus by all meanes possible sought to maintaine loue and concord betwixt the brethren which now at the first tooke vpon them to rule the empire equallie togither But the ambition of Bassianus was such that finallie vpon desire to haue the whole rule himselfe he found meanes to dispatch his brother Geta breaking one daie into his chamber and slaieng him euen in his mothers lap and so possessed the gouernment alone till at length he was slaine at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia by one of his owne souldiers as he was about to vntruffe his points to doo the office of nature after he had reigned the space of 6 yeares as is aforesaid Where we are to note Gods iudgment prouiding that he which had shed mans bloud should also die by the sword Of Carausius an obscure Britaine what countries he gaue the Picts and wherevpon his death by Alectus his successor the Romans foiled by Asclepiodotus duke of Cornewall whereof Walbrooke and the name the couetous practise of Carausius the vsurper The xxxiij Chapter CArausius a Britan of vnknowne birth as witnesseth the British histories after he had vanquisht slaine Bassianus as the same histories make mention was of the Britains made king and ruler ouer them in the yeare of our Lord 218 as Galfridus saith but W. H. noteth it to be in the yeare 286. This Carausius either to haue the aid support of the Picts as in the British historie is conteined either else to be at quietnesse with them being not otherwise able to resist them gaue to them the countries in the south parts of Scotland which ioine to England on the east marshes as Mers Louthian and others ¶ But here is to be noted that the British writers affirme that these Picts which were thus placed in the south parts of Scotland at this time were brought ouer out of Scithia by Fulgentius to aid him against Seuerus and that after the death of Seuerus and Fulgentius which bother died of hurts receiued in the batell fought betwixt them at Yorke the Picts tooke part with Bassianus and at length betraied him in the battell which he fought against Carausius for he corrupting them by such subtile practises as
trumpets had blowne the sound to battell through out the whole Romane empire most cruell nations being stirred vp inuaded the borders next adioining the Almans wasted and destroied the parts of Gallia and Rhetia as the Sarmatians and Quadi did Pannonia the Picts the Saxons the Scots and the Attacots vexed the Britains with continuall troubles and gréeuous damages the Austorians and the people of the Moores ouerran the countrie of Affrike more sharpelie than in time past they had done the pilfring troops of the Goths spoiled Thracia the king of Persia set in hand to subdue the Armenians and sought to bring them vnder his obeisance hasting with all spéed toward Numonia pretending though vniustlie that now after the deceasse of Iouinius with whome he had contracted a league and bond of peace there was no cause of let what he ought not to recouer those things which as he alledged did belong to his ancestors and so foorth Moreouer the same Marcellinus in another place writeth in this wise where he speaketh of the said Ualentinianus Departing therefore from Amiens and hasting to Trier he was troubled with gréeuous newes that were brought him giuing him to vnderstand that Britaine by a conspiracie of the barbarous nations was brought to vtter pouertie that Nectaridus one of the emperours house earle of the sea coast hauing charge of the parties towards the sea was slaine and that the generall Bulchobaudes was circumuented by traines of the enimies These things with great horrour being knowne he sent Seuerus as then erle or as I may call him lord steward of his houshold to reforme things that were amisse if hap would so permit who being shortlie called backe Iouinius going thither and with spéed hasting forward sent for more aid and a great power of men as the instant necessitie then required At length for manie causes and the same greatlie to be feared the which were reported and aduertised out of that I le Theodosius was elected and appointed to go thither a man of approoued skill in warlike affaires and calling togither an hardie youthfull number of the legions and cohorts of men of warre he went foorth no small hope being conceiued of his good spéed the fame wherof spred and went afore him A litle after Marcellinus adding what people they were that troubled the Britains in this wise saith thus This shall suffice to be said that in this season the Picts diuided into two nations Dicalidones and Victuriones and in like maner the Attacotti a right warlike nation and the Scots wandering here and there made fowle woorke in places where they came The confines of France were disquieted by the Frankeners and Saxons borderers vnto them euerie one as they could breaking foorth dooing great harme by cruell spoile fire and taking of prisoners To withstand those dooings if good fortune would giue him leaue that most able capteine going vnto the vttermost bounds of the earth when he came to the coast of Bullen which is seuered from the contrarie coast on the other side by the sea with a narrow streight where sometime the water goeth verie high and rough shortlie after becommeth calme pleasant without hurt to those that passe the same transporting ouer at leasure he arriued at Sandwich or rather Richburrow where there is a quiet road for vessels to lie at anchor Wherevpon the Bataui and Heruli with the souldiers of the legions called Iouij and Victores being companies that trusted well to their owne strength marched foorth drew towards London an ancient citie which now of late hath bin called Augusta Herewith diuiding his armie into sundrie parts he set vpon the troops of his enimies as they were abroad to forrey the countrie pestered with burdens of their spoiles and pillage and spéedilie putting them to flight as they were leading away those prisoners which they had taken with their booties of cattell he bereft them of their preie the which the poore Britains that were tributaries had lost To be briefe restoring the whole except a small portion bestowed amongst the wearie souldiers he entred the citie which before was opprest with troubles but now suddenlie refreshed bicause there was hope of reliefe and assured preseruation After this when Theodosius was comforted with prosperous successe to attempt things of greater importance and searching waies how with good aduise to woorke suerlie whilest he remained doubtfull what would insue he learned as well by the confession of prisoners taken as also by the information of such as were fled from the enimies that the scattered people of sundrie nations which with practise of great crueltie were become fierce and vndanted could not be subdued but by policie secretlie practised and sudden inuasions At length therefore setting foorth his proclamations and promising pardon to those that were gone awaie from their capteins or charge he called them backe againe to serue and also those that by licence were departed and laie scattered here and there in places abroad By this meanes when manie were returned he being on the one side earnestlie prouoked and on the other holden backe with thoughtfull cares required to haue one Ciuilis by name sent to him to haue the rule of the prouinces in Britaine in steed of the other gouernours a man of sharpe wit and an earnest mainteiner of iustice He likewise required that one Dulcitius a capteine renowmed in knowledge of warlike affaires might be sent ouer to him for his better assistance These things were doone in Britaine Againe in his eight and twentith booke the same Marcellinus reciting further what the same Theodosius atchiued in Britaine hath in effect these words Thedosius verelie a capteine of woorthie fame taking a valiant courage to him and departing from Augusta which men of old time called London with souldiers assembled by great diligence did succour and reléeue greatlie the decaied and troubled state of the Britains preuenting euerie conuenient place where the barbarous people might lie in wait to doo mischiefe and nothing he commanded the meane souldiers to doo but that whereof he with a chéerefull mind would first take in hand to shew them in example By this meanes accomplishing the roome of a valiant souldier and fulfilling the charge of a noble capteine he discomfited and put to flight sundrie nations whome presumption nourished by securitie emboldened to inuade the Romane prouinces and so the cities and castels that had béene sore endamaged by manifold losses and displeasures were restored to their former state of wealth the foundation of rest and quietnesse being laid for a long season after to insue But as these things were a dooing one wicked practise was in hand like to haue burst foorth to the gréeuous danger of setting things in broile if it had not béene staied euen in the beginning of the first attempt For there was one Ualentinus borne in the parties of Ualeria adioining to Pannonia
Saxons being infidels against the Britains whose exhortation tooke so good effect that the said Constantinus did not onelie forbeare to assist the Saxons but contrarilie holpe the Britains in their warres against them which thing did mainteine the state of the Britains for a time from falling into vtter ruine and decaie In the meane time the Saxons renewed their league with the Picts so that their powers being ioined togither they began afresh to make sore warres vpon the Britains who of necessitie were constreined to assemble an armie mistrusting their owne strength required aid of the two bishops Germane and Lupus who hasting forward with all speed came into the armie bringing with them no small hope of good lucke to all the Britains there being assembled This was doone in Kent Now such was the diligence of the bishops that the people being instructed with continuall preaching in renouncing the error of the Pelagians earnestlie came by troops to receiue the grace of God offred in baptisme so that on Easter day which then insued the more part of the armie was baptised and so went foorth against the enimies who hearing thereof made hast towards the Britains in hope to ouercome them at pleasure But their approch being knowne bishop Germane tooke vpon him the leading of the British host and ouer against the passage thorough the which the enimies were appointed to come he chose foorth a faire vallie inclosed with high mounteins and within the same he placed his new washed armie And when he saw the enimies now at hand he commanded that euerie man with one generall voice should answer him crieng alowd the same crie that he should begin So that euen as the enimies were readie to giue the charge vpon the Britains supposing that they should haue taken them at vnwares and before anie warning had béen giuen suddenlie bishop Germane and the priests with a lowd and shrill voice called Alleluia thrice and therewith all the multitudes of the Britains with one voice cried the same crie with such a lowd shout that the Saxons were therewith so amazed and astonied the echo from the rocks and hils adioining redoubling in such wise the crie that they thought not onelie the rocks and clifs had fallen vpon them but that euen the skie it selfe had broken in péeces and come tumbling downe vpon their heads heerewith therefore throwing awaie their weapons they tooke them to their féet and glad was he that might get to be formost in running awaie Manie of them for hast were drowned in a riuer which they had to passe Polydor taketh that riuer to be Trent The Britains hauing thus vanquished their enimies gathered the spoile at good leasure gaue God thanks for the victorie thus got without bloud for the which the holie bishops also triumphed as best became them Now after they had setled all things in good quiet within the I le as was thought expedient they returned into Gallia or France from whence they came as is before rehearsed By one author it should appéere that this battell was woone against the Scots and Picts about the yéere of our Lord 448 a little before the comming of the Saxons into this land vnder Hengist in which yéere Germane first came hither to wéed out the heresie of Pelagius as by the same author more at large is affirmed Howbeit some chronographers alledge out of Prosper other and note the first comming of Germane to haue béene in the 429 yéere of Christ and vnder the consulship of Florentius and Dionysius And this should séeme to agrée with the truth for that after some the foresaid Germane should die at Rauenna about the yéere of our Lord 450 as Vincentius noteth which was the verie yeere of the comming of the Saxons notwithstanding when or wheresoeuer he died it was not long after his returne into Gallia vpon his first iournie made hither into this land who no sooner obteined the victorie before mentioned but woord was brought againe vnto him that eftsoones the heresie of the Pelagians was spread abroad in Britaine and therefore all the priests or cleargie made request to him that it might stand with his pleasure to come ouer againe and defend the cause of true religion which he had before confirmed Héerevpon bishop Germane granted 〈◊〉 to doo and therefore taking with him one Seuerns that was disciple vnto Lupus and ordeined at that tune bishop of Triers tooke the sea and came againe into Britaine where he found the multitude of the people stedfast in the same beliefe wherein he had left them perceiued the fault to rest in a few wherevpon inquiring out the authors he condemned them to exile as it is written and with a manifest miracle by restoring a yoong man that was lame as they saie vnto the right vse of his lims he confirmed his doctrine Then followed preaching to persuade amendment of errors and by the generall consent of all men the authors of the wicked doctrine being banished the land were deliuered vnto bishop Germane and to his fellow Seuerus to conueie them away in their companie vnto the parties beyond the seas that the region might so be deliuered of further danger and they receiue the benefit of due amendment By this meanes it came to passe that the true faith continued in Britaine sound and perfect a long time after Things being thus set in good order those holie men returned into their countries the forenamed bishop Germane went to Rauenna to sue for peace to be granted vnto the people of Britaine Armorike where being receiued of the emperor Ualentinian and his mother Placida in most reuerend maner he departed in that citie out of this transitorie life to the eternall ioies of heauen His bodie was afterwards conueied to the citie of Anxerre where he had béene bishop with great opinion of holines for his sincere doctrine and pure and innocent life Shortlie after was the emperour Ualentinian slaine by the friends of that noble man named Aetius whome he had before caused to be put to death ¶ By this it maie appéere that bishop Germane came into this realme both the first and second time whilest as well Hengist as also Uortigerne were liuing for the said Ualentinian was murthered about the yeere of our Lord 454 where the said kings liued and reigned long after that time as maie appéere both before and after in this present booke What part of the realme the Saxons possessed Vortigerne buildeth a castell in Wales for his safetie Aurelius and Vter both brethren returne into Britaine they assalt the vsurper Vortigerne and with wild fire burne both him his people his fort and all the furniture in the same Vortigerne committeth incest with his owne daughter feined and ridiculous woonders of S. Germane a sheepherd made a king The seuenth Chapter NOw will we returne to Uortigerne of whome we read in the British historie that after the Saxons had constreined him
same churches Also for a perpetuall memorie of those Britains that were slaine on the plaine of Salisburie by the treason of Hengist he caused stones to be fetched out of Ireland and to be set vp in the same place where that slaughter was committed and called the place Stoneheng which name continueth vnto this day Fiftéene thousand men as Galfrid ◠saith were sent for those stones vnder the leading of Uter Pendragon the kings brother who giuing battell vnto Gillomanus king of Ireland that went about to resist the Britains and would not permit them to fetch away the same stones out of his countrie discomfited him and his people and so maugre his hart brought the stones away with him Shortlie after Pascentius that was Uortigerns yoongest sonne and had escaped into Ireland when Aurelius Ambrosius came into Britaine returned with a great power of strange nations and tooke the citie of Meneuia in Wales afterwards called saint Dauids and did much hurt in the countrie with fire and swoord At which time the same Aurelius Ambrosius lay sicke at Winchester and being not able to go foorth himselfe desired his brother Uter Pendragon to assemble an armie of Britains and to go against Pascentius and his adherents Uter according to his brothers request gathering his people went foorth and incountering with the enimies gaue them the ouerthrow slue Pascentius and Gillomare or Gilloman king of Ireland that was come ouer with him in aid against the Britains In the meane while a Saxon or some other stranger whose name was Eopa or Copa not long before procured thereto by Pascentius fained himselfe to be a Britaine and for a colour counterfeiting himselfe a moonke and to haue great knowledge in physicke was admitted to minister as it were medicins to Aurelius but in stead of that which should haue brought him health he gaue him poison wherof he died shortlie after at Winchester aforesaid when he had reigned after most accord of writers nintéene yeeres his bodie was conueied to Stoneheng and there buried ¶ Thus find we in the British and common English histories of the dooings of Aurelius Ambrosius who as ye haue hard makes him a Britaine borne and descended of the bloud of the ancient Britains But Gyldas and Beda report him to be a Romane by descent as before is mentioned Polydor Virgil writeth in this sort of the victorious acts atchiued by the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius Then saith he the Saxons hauing alreadie gotten the whole rule of the I le practised their outragious cruelties speciallie against the princes of the Britains to the end that the said princes being ouercome and destroied they might with more ease obteine possession of the whole I le which thing they on-like sought But the fauour of almightie God was not wanting to the miserable Britains in that great necessitie For behold Aurelius Ambrosius was at hand who had no sooner caused the trumpet to sound to armor but euerie man for himselfe prepared and repaired vnto him praieng beseeching him to helpe to defend them and that it might stand with his pleasure to go foorth with them against the enimies in all speed Thus an armie being assembled Aurelius Ambrosius went against them and valiantlie assailed them so that within the space of a few daies they fought thrée battels with great fiercenesse on both sides in triall of their high displeasures and vttermost forces in which at length the Britains put the Saxons to flight Horsus the brother of Hengist being slaine with a great number of his people But yet notwithstanding the enimies rage was little abated hereby for within a few daies after receiuing out of Germanie a new supplie of men they brake foorth vpon the Britains with great confidence of victorie Aurelius Ambrosius was no sooner aduertised thereof but that without delaie he set forward towards Yorke from whence the enimies should come and hearing by the way that Hengist was incamped about seuen twentie miles distant from that citie néere to the banke of a riuer at this day called Dune in the place where Doncaster now standeth he returned out of his waie and marched towards that place and the next day set on the enimie and vanquished him Hengist at the first méeting of the battell being slaine with a 〈◊〉 number of the Germans The fame of this 〈◊〉 saith Polydor is had in memorie with the inhabitants of those parties euen vnto this day which victorie did sore diminish the power of the Saxons insomuch that they began now to thinke it should be more for their profit to sit in rest with that dishonour than to make anie new warres to their great disaduantage and likelihood of present losse Hengist left behind him two sonnes Osca and and Occa which as men most sorowfull for the ouerthrow of fate receiued assembled such power as they could togither and remooued therewith towards the west part of the I le supposing it to be better for them to draw that way foorth than to returne into Kent where they thought was alreadie a sufficient number of their people to resist the Britains on that side Now therefore when they came into the west parts of the land they wasted the countrie burnt villages and absteined from no maner of crueltie that might be shewed These things being reported vnto Aurelius Ambrosius he straightwaies hasted thither to resist those enimies and so giuing them battell eftsoones discomfited them but he himselfe receiuing a wound died thereof within a few daies after The English Saxons hauing thus susteined so manie losses within a few moneths togither were contented to be quiet now that the Britains stirred nothing against them by reason they were brought into some trouble by the death of such a noble capteine as they had now lost In the meane time Uortimer died whome Uier surnamed Pendragon succéeded Thus hath Polydor written of the forsaid Aurelius Ambrosius not naming him to be king of Britaine and differing in déed in sundrie points in this behalfe from diuerse ancient writers of the English histories for where he attributeth the victorie to the Britains in the battell fought wherein Horsus the brother of Hengist was slaine by the report of Polychronicon and others the Saxons had the victorie in that reincounter and William of Malmesburie saith that they departed from that batell with equall fortune the Saxons losing their capteine Horsus and the Britains their capteine Katigerne as before ye haue heard But there is such contrarietie in writers touching the dooings betwixt the Britains and Saxons in those daies as well in account of yéeres as in report of things doone that setting affection aside hard it is to iudge to which part a man should giue credit For Fabian and other authors write that Aurelius Ambrosius began his reigne ouer the Britains about the yéere of our Lord 481 and Horsus was slaine about the yéere 458 during the reigne of Uortimer as aboue is
sacrament of baptisme by the preaching and vertuous instruction of Pauline But the other kingdome of Northumberland called Bernicia Eaufride the son of Edelfred or Edelfride tooke vpon him to gouerne This Eaufride during the time of Edwins reigne had continued in Scotland and there being conuerted to the christian faith was baptised But doth these princes after they had obteined possession of their earthlie kingdoms did forget the care of the heauenlie kingdome so that they returned to their old kind of idolatrie But almightie God did not long suffer this their vnthankefulnesse without iust punishment for first in the next summer when Osrike had rashlie besieged Cadwallo king of the Britains within a certeine towne Cadwallo brake foorth vpon him and finding him vnprouided to make resistance slue him with all his armie Now after this whilest Cadwallo not like a conqueror gouerned the prouinces of the Northumbers but like a tyrant wasted and destroied them in sleaing the people in tragicall maner he also slue Eaufride the which with twelue men of warre came vndiscréetlie vnto him to sue for peace and thus within lesse than twelue moneths space both these runagate kings were dispatched THen Oswald the sonne of Edelfred and brother to the foresaid Eaufride was created king of the Northumbers the sixt in number from Ida. This Oswald after that his father was slaine liued as a banished person a long time within Scotland where he was baptised and professed the christian religion and passed the flower of his youth in good exercises both of mind bodie Amongst other things he practised the vnderstanding of warlike knowledge minding so to vse it as it might stand him in stead to defend himselfe from iniurie of the enimies that should prouoke him and not otherwise HerevpoÌ„ Cadwallo king of the Britains made in maner no account of him for by reason that he had atchiued such great victories against the Englishmen and hauing slaine their two kings as before is expressed he ceassed not to proceed in his tyrannicall dooings reputing the English people for slouthfull and not apt to the warre boasting that he was borne to their destruction Thus being set vp in pride of courage he feared no perils but boldlie without considering at all the skilfull knowledge which Oswald had sufficientlie learned in feates of war tooke vpon him to assaile the foresaid Oswald that had brought an armie against him and was encamped in a plaine field néere vnto the wall which the Romans had builded in times past against the inuasion of Scots and Picts Cadwallo streight prouoked Oswald to trie the matter by battell but Oswald forbare the first day and caused a crosse to be erected in the same place where he was incamped in full hope that it should be an ensigne or trophie of his victorie causing all souldiers to make their praiers to God that in time of such necessitie it might please him to succour them that worship him It is said that the crosse being made and the hole digged wherein it should be set he tooke the crosse in his owne hands and putting the foot thereof into that hole so held it till his souldiers had filled the hole and rammed it vp and then caused all the souldiers to knéele downe vpon their knées and to make intercession to the true and liuing God for his assistance against the proud enimie with whom they should fight in a iust quarell for the preseruation of their people and countrie After this on the next morning he boldlie gaue battell to his enimies so that a sore and cruell fight insued betwixt them At length Oswald perceiued that the Britains began somwhat to faint and therfore caused his people to renew their force and more lustilie to preasse forward so that first â—e put that most cruell enimie to flight and after pursuing the chase ouertooke him and slue him with the most part of all his huge and mightie armie at a place called Denisborne but the place where he caused the crosse to be erected he named Heuenfield Thus Cadwallo the most cruell enimie of the English name ended his life he was terrible both in nature and countenance for the which cause they say the Britains did afterwards set vp his image that the same might be a terror to the enimies when they should behold it ¶ But here is to be remembred by the British historie of Gal. Mon. it should appeare that Cadwallo was not slaine at all but reigned victoriouslie for the space of 48 yéeres and then departed this life as in place afterwards it shall appéere But for that the contrarietie in writers in such points may sooner be perceiued than reformed to the satisfieng of mens fansies which are variable we will leaue euerie man to his libertie to thinke as séemeth him good noting now and then the diuersitie of such writers as occasion serueth PEnda the sonne of Wilba succéeded in the gouernement of the kingdome of Mercia after Ciarlus and began his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 636. He was fiftie yéeres of age before he came to be king and reigned 30 yeres he was a prince right hardie and aduenturous not fearing to ieopard his person in place of danger assured and readie of remembrance in time of greatest perill His bodie could not be ouercome with anie trauell nor his mind vanquished with greatnesse of businesse But these his vertues were matched with notable vices as first with such bitternesse of maners as had not béene heard of crueltie of nature lacke of courtesie great vnsted fastnesse in performing of woord and promise and of vnmeasurable hatred toward the christian religion Now vpon confidence in these his great vertues and vices from that time he was made king as though the whole Ile had bene due to him he thought not good to let anie occasion passe that was offered to make war as wel against his friends confederats as also against his owne sworne enimies Part of his dooings ye haue heard and more shall appeare hereafter ¶ Of the kings of the Eastsaxons Eastangles ye haue heard before of whom in places conuenient ye shall find further mention also and so likewise of the kings of the Southsaxons but bicause their kingdom continued not past fiue successions litle remembrance of them is made by writers Cadwallo king of Britain diuers deeds of his as the British writers haue recorded them wherevpon discord arose betweene Cadwallo Edwin who for two yeres space were linked in friendship Cadwallo vanquisht his flight of Pelitus the Spanish wizard Cadwallo ouerthroweth Penda and his power besieging Excester he arreareth battell against the Northumbers and killeth Edwin their king he seeketh to expell the Saxons out of the land Penda slaieth Oswald whose brother and successor Osunus by gifts and submission obteineth peace whom Penda spitefullie attempting to kill is killed himselfe Cadwallo dieth a brasen image on horssebacke set vp in his memoriall saint Martins at
Ludgate builded The xxviij Chapter CAdwallo or Cadwalline for we find him so named began his reigne ouer the Britains in the yéere of our Lord 635 in the yéere of the reigne of the emperour Heracleus 35 and in the 13 yere of Dagobert K. of France Of this man ye haue heard partlie before touching his dealings and warres against the Northumbers and other of the English nation but forsomuch as diuers other things are reported of him by the British writers we haue thought good in his place to rehearse the same in part as in Gal. Mon. we find writen leauing the credit still with the author sith the truth thereof may be the more suspected bicause other authors of good authoritie as Beda Henrie Huntington William Malmesburie and others séeme greatlie to disagrée from him herein But thus it is written This Cadwallo and Edwin the sonne of Ethelfred as Galfride saith were brought vp in France being sent thither vnto Salomon king of Britaine by king Cadwane when they were verie yoong Now after their returne into this land when they were made kings Cadwallo of the Britains Edwin of the Northumbers there continued for the space of two yéeres great friendship betwixt them till at length Edwin required of Cadwallo that he might weare a crowne and celebrate appointed solemnities within his dominion of Northumberland as well as Cadwallo did in his countrie Cadwallo taking aduice in this matter at length by persuasion of his nephue Brian denied to grant vnto Edwin his request wherewith Edwin tooke such displeasure that he sent woord vnto Cadwallo that he would be crowned without his leaue or licence sith he would not willinglie grant it Wherto Cadwallo answered that if he so did he would cut off his head vnder his diademe if he presumed to weare anie within the confines of Britaine Hereof discord arising betwixt these two princes they began to make fierce and cruell warre either of them against the other and at length ioining in batell with their maine forces Cadwallo lost the field with many thousands of his men and being chased fled into Scotland and from thence got ouer into Ireland and finally passed the seas into Britaine Armorike where of his coosin king Salomon he was courteouslie receiued and at length obteined of him 10000 men to go with him backe into his countrie to assist him in recouerie of his lands dominions the which in the meane time were cruellie spoiled wasted and haried by king Edwin At the same time Brian the nephue of Cadwallo whom he had sent into Britaine a little before to slea a certeine wizard or southsaier whom king Edwin had gotten out of Spaine named Pelitus that by disclosing the purpose of Cadwallo vnto Edwin greatlie hindered Cadwallos enterprises had fortified the citie of Excester mening to defend it till the comming of Cadwallo wherevpon Penda king of Mercia besieged that citie with a mightie army purposing to take it and Brian within it Cadwallo then aduertised hereof immediatlie after his arriuall hasted to Excester and diuiding his people in 4 parts set vpon his enimies tooke Penda and ouerthrew his whole armie Penda hauing no other shift to escape submitted himselfe wholie vnto Cadwallo promising to become his liegeman to fight against the Saxons in his quarrell Penda being thus subdued Cadwallo called his nobles togither which had bene dispersed abroad a long season with all spéed went against Edwin king of Northumberland and slue him in battell at Hatfield as before is mentioned with his son Osfride and Eodbold king of the Iles of Orknie which was come thither to his aid ¶ By this it should appeare that Fabian hath gathered amisse in the account of the reignes of the British kings for it appeareth by Beda and others that Edwin was slaine in the yéere of our Lord 634. And where Fabian as before is said attributeth that act diuers other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cadwallo yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most part of all other writers signifie that it was done by Cadwallo Harding assigneth but 13 yéeres to the reigne of Cadwan and declareth that he died in the yéere of our Lord 616 in the which as he saith Cadwallo began his reigne which opinion of his séemeth best to agrée with that which is written by other authors But to returne to the other dooings of Cadwallo as we find them recorded in the British storie After he had got this victorie against the Northumbers he cruellie pursued the Saxons as though he ment so farre as in him lay to destroie the whole race of them out of the coasts of all Britaine and sending Penda against king Oswald that succéeded Edwin though at the first Penda receiued the ouerthrow at Heauenfield yet afterwards Cadwallo himselfe highly displeased with that chance pursued Oswald and fought with him at a place called Bourne where Penda slue the said Oswald Wherevpon his brother Osunus succéeding in gouernment of the Northumbers sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ruling as king ouer all Britaine and at length by great gifts of gold and siluer and vpon his humble submission obteined peace till at length vpon spite Penda king of Mercia obteined licence of Cadwallo to make warres against the said Osunus in the which as it hapned Penda himselfe was slaine Then Cadwallo after two yéeres granted that Ulfridus the sonne of Penda should succeed in Mercia Thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appointment within this land And finallie when he had reigned 48 yéeres he departed this life the 22 of Nouember His bodie being embalmed and dressed with swéet confections was put into a brasen image by maruelous art melted and cast which image being set on a brazen horsse of excellent beautie the Britains set vp aloft vpon the west gate of London called Ludgate in signe of his conquests and for a terror to the Saxons Moreouer the church of S. Martin vnderneath the same gate was by the Britains then builded Thus haue the Britains made mention of their valiant prince Cadwallo but diuerse thinke that much of this historie is but fables bicause of the manifest varieng both from Beda and other antentike writers as before I haue said The true storie of the forenamed king Oswald his desire to restore christian religion Cormans preaching taking small effect among the Northumbers persuadeth him to depart into his owne countrie he slandereth them before the Scotish clergie Aidan a godlie man telleth the cause of the people 's not profiting by Cormans preaching Aidan commeth into England to instruct the people in the faith he varieth in the obseruation of Easter from the English churches custome the Northumbers haue him his doctrine in reuerence Oswalds earnest zeale to further religion by Aidans preaching and ministerie 15000 baptised within 7 daies Oswald hath the Britains Scots Picts English at his commandement his commendable deed of christian charitie the Westsaxons conuerted to
now receiued the christian faith when he should returne into his countrie required king Oswie to appoint him certeine instructors and teachers which might conuert his people to the faith of Christ. King Oswie desirous to satisfie his request sent vnto the prouince of the Middleangles calling from thence that vertuous man Cedda and assigning vnto him another priest to be his associat sent them vnto the prouince of the Eastsaxons there to preach the christian faith vnto the people And when they had preached taught through the whole countrie to the great increase and inlarging of the church of Christ it chanced on a time that Cedda returned home into Northumberland to conferre of certeine things with bishop Finnan which kept his sée at Lindesherne where vnderstanding by Cedda the great fruits which it had pleased God to prosper vnder his hands in aduancing the faith among the Eastsaxons he called to him two other bishops and there ordeined the foresaid Cedda bishop of the East saxons Héerevpon the same Cedda returned vnto his cure went forward with more authoritie to performe the woorke of the Lord building churches in diuerse places ordeined priests and deacons which might helpe him in preaching and in the ministerie of baptising speciallie in the citie of Ithancester vpon the riuer of Pent and likewise in Tileburge on the riuer of Thames Whilest Ced was thus bufle to the great comfort and ioy of the king and all his people in the setting forward of the christian religion with great increase dailie procéeding it chanced thorough the instigation of the deuill the common enimie of mankind that king Sigibert was murthered by two of his owne kinsmen who were brethren the which when they were examined of the cause that should mooue them to that wicked fact they had nothing to alledge but that they did it bicause they had conceiued an hatred against the king for that he was too fauourable towards his enimies and would with great mildnesse of mind forgiue iniuries committed against him such was the kings fault for the which he was murthered bicause he obserued the commandements of the gospell with a deuout hart Notwithstanding in this his innocent death his offense was punished wherein he had suerlie transgressed the lawes of the church For whereas one of them which slue him kept a wife whome he had vnlawfullie maried and refused to put hir away at the bishops admonition he was by the bishop excommunicated and all other of the christian congregation commanded to absteine from his companie This notwithstanding the king being destred of him came to his house to a banket and in his comming from thence met with the bishop whome when the king beheld he waxed afraid and alighted from his horsse and fell downe at his féet beséeching him of pardon for his offense The bishop which also was on horssebacke likewise alighted and touching the king with his rod which he had in his hand as one something displeased and protesting as in the authoritie of a bishop spake these words Bicause saith he thou wouldst not absteine from entring the house of that wicked person being accurssed thou shalt die in the same house and so it came to passe Suidhelme king of the Eastsaxons he is baptised the bishoplike exercises of Ced in his natiue countrie of Northumberland Ediswald K. of Deira reuerenceth him the kings deuout mind to further and inlarge religion the maner of consecrating a place appointed for a holie vse the old order of fasting in Lent bishop Ced dieth warre betweene Oswie and Penda Oswie maketh a vow to dedicate his daughter a perpetuall virgine to God if he got the victorie he obteineth his request and performeth his vow she liueth dieth and is buried in a monasterie the benefit insuing Oswies conquest ouer his enimies the first second and third bishops of Mercia the victorious proceeding of king Oswie prince Peada his kinsman murthered of his wife The xxxij Chapter AFter Sigbert succeeded Suidhelme in the kingdome of the Eastsaxons he was the son of Sexbald and baptised of Ced in the prouince of the Eastangles at a place of the kings there called Rendlessham Ediswald king of the Eastangles the brother of king Anna was his godfather at the fontsone Ced the bishop of the Eastsaxons vsed oftentimes to visit his countrie of Northumberland where he was borne and by preaching exhorted the people to godlie life Wherevpon it chanced that king Ediswald the son of king Oswald which reigned in the parties of Deira mooued with the fame of his vertuous trade of liuing had him in great reuerence and therefore vpon a good zeale and great deuotion willed him to choose foorth some plot of ground where he might build a monasterie in the which the king himselfe and others might praie heare sermons the oftener and haue place where to burie the dead The bishop consenting to the kings mind at length espied a place amongst high and desert mounteins where he began the foundation of a monasterie afterwards called Lestinghem Wherefore meaning first of all to purge the place with praier fasting he asked leaue of the king that he might remaine there all the Lent which was at hand and so continuing in that place for that time fasted euerie daie sundaie excepted from the morning vntill euening according to the maner nor receiued anie thing then but onlie a little bread and a hens eg with a little milke mixt with water for he said that this was the custome of them of whome he had learned the forme of his regular order that they should consecrate those places vnto the Lord with praier and fasting which they latelie had receiued to make in the same either church or monasterie And when there remained ten daies of Lent yet to come he was sent for to the king wherefore he appointed a brother which he had being also a priest named Cimbill to supplie his roome that his begun religious woorke should not be hindered for the kings businesse Now when the time was accomplished he ordeined a monasterie there appointing the moonks of the same to liue after the rules of them of Lindesferne where he was brought vp Finallie this bishop Ced comming vnto this monasterie afterwards by chance in time of a sicknesse died there and left that monasterie to the gouernance of another brother which he had named Ceadda that was after a bishop as afterwards shall be shewed There were foure brethren of them and all priests Ced Cimbill Ceulin and Ceadda of the which Ced and Ceadda were bishops as before is said About the same time Oswie king of Northumberland was sore oppressed by the warres of Penda king of Mercia so that he made great offers of high gifts and great rewards vnto the said Penda for peace but Penda refused the same as he that meant vtterlie to haue destroied the whole nation of Oswies poeple so that Oswie turning himselfe to seeke
bishop of Chester Eadulfus bishop of Dorcester Wilnardus bishop of Hereford Halard bishop of Elsham and Cedferth bishop of Donwich There remained onelie to the archbishop of Canturburie the bishops of London Winchester Rochester and Shireburne This separation continued all the life time of the archbishop Lambert although he trauelled earnestlie to mainteine his prerogatiue Now for that he still defended his cause and would not reuolt from his will Offa depriued him of all his possessions reuenues that he held or inioied within anie part of his dominions Neither was Offa satisfied herewith but he also tooke into his hands the possessions of manie other churches and fléeced the house of Malmesburie of a part of hir reuenues Because of these other his hard dooings doubting the malice of his enimies he procured the friendship of forren princes Unto Brightricke king of the Westsaxons he gaue his daugther Ethelburga in mariage And sending diuers ambassadours ouer vnto Charles the great that was both emperor king of France he purchased his friendship at length athough before there had depended a péece of displeasure betwixt them insomuch that the intercourse for trade of merchandize was staied for a time One of the ambassadours that was sent vnto the said Charles as is reported was that famous clearke Albine or Alcwine by whose persuasion the same Charles erected two vniuersities as in place due and conuenient may more largelie appeare Finallie king Offa as it were for a meane to appease Gods wrath which he doubted to be iustlie conceiued towards him for his sinnes and wickednesse granted the tenth part of all his goods vnto churchmen and to poore people He also indowed the church of Hereford with great reuenues and as some write he builded the abbeie of Bath placing moonkes in the same of the order of saint Benet as before he had doone at saint Albons Moreouer he went vnto Rome about the yeare of our Lord 775 and there following the example of Inas kign of the Westsaxons made his realme subiect by way of tribute vnto the church of Rome appointing that euerie house within the limits of his dominions should yearelie pay vnto the apostolike see one pennie which paiment was after named Rome Scot and Peter pence After his returne from Rome perceiâ—ing himselfe to draw into yeares he caused his sonne Egfrid to be ordeined king in his life time and shortlie after departing out of this world left the kingdome vnto him after he had gouerned it by the space of 39 yeares Amongst other the dooings of this Offa which suerlie were great and maruellous this may not passe with silence that he caused a mightie great ditch tâ— be cast betwixt the marshes of his countrie and the Welsh confines to diuide thereby the bounds of their dominions This ditch was called Offditch euer after and stretched from the south side by Bristow vnder the mountaines of Wales running northward ouer the riuers of Seuerne and Dée vnto the verie mouth of Dee where that riuer falleth into the sea He likewise builded a church in Warwikeshire whereof the towne there taketh name and is called Offchurch euen to this day Egfrid taking vpon him rule began to follow the approoued good dooings of his father and first restored vnto the churches their ancient priuileges which his father sometimes had taken from them Great hope was conceiued of his further good procéeding but death cut off the same taking him out of this life after he had reigned the space of foure moneths not for his owne offenses as was thought but rather for that his father had caused so much bloud to be spilt for the confirming of him in the kingdome which so small a time he new inioied Osulph king of Northumberland traitorouslie murthered Edilwald succeedeth him the reward of rebellion a great mortalitie of foules fishes and fruits moonkes licenced to drinke wine great wast by fire Edelred king of Northumberland is driuen out of his countrie by two dukes of the same Ethelbert king of the Eastangles commended for his vertues Alfred the daughter of king Mercia is affianced to him tokens of missehaps towards him his destruction intended by queene Quendred hir platforme of the pactise to kill him Offa inuadeth Ethelberts kingdome Alfred his betrothed wife taketh his death greuouslie and becommeth a nun the decaie of the kingdome of Eastangles succession in the regiment of the Westsaxons the end of the gouernement of the Eastsaxons prince Algar is smitten blind for seeking to rauish virgine Friswide and at hir praiers restored to his sight The fift Chapter WHen Eadbert or Egbert K. of Northumberland was become a moonke his sonne Osulphus succéeded him but after he had reigned onelie one yeare he was traitorouslie murthered by his owne seruants at Mikilwongton on the 9 kalends of August Then succéeded one Moll otherwise called Edilwold or Edilwald but not immediatlie for he began not his reigne till the nones of August in the yeare following which was after the birth of our sauiour 759. This man prooued right valiant in gouernement of his subiects He slue in battell an earle of his countrie named Oswin who arrearing warre against him fought with him in a pitcht field at Eadwines Cliue and receiued the worthie reward of rebellion This chanced in the third yeare of his reigne and shortlie after that is to say in the yeare of our Lord 764 there fell such a maruellous great snow and therwith so extreame a frost as the like had not béene heard of continuing from the beginning of the wintes almost till the middest of the spring with the rigour whereof trees and fruits withered awaie and lost their liuelie shape and growth and not onelie feathered foules but also beasts on the land fishes in the sea died in great numbers The same yeare died Cedlwulf then king of Northumberland vnto whome Beda did dedicate his booke of histories of the English nation After that he was become a moonke in the monasterie of Lindesferne the moonks of that house had licence to drinke wine or ale whereas before they might not drinke anie other thing than milke or water by the ancient rule prescribed them of the bishop of Aidan first founder of the place The same yeare sundrie cities townes and monasteries were defaced and sore wasted with fier chancing on the sudden as Stretehu Giwento Anwicke London Yorke Doncaster c. After that Moll had reigned 6 yeares he resigned his kingdome But other write that he reigned 11 yeares and was in the end slaine by treason of his successor Altred This Altred reigned ten years ouer the Northumbers and was then expelled out of his kingdome by his owne subiects Then was Ethelbert named also Edelred the sonne of the foresaid Moll made king of Northumberland and in the fift yeare of his reigne he was driuen out of his kingdome by two dukes of his
by allegiance they were bound to serue and obeie By reason hereof the Danes without resistance grew into greater power amongst them whilest the inhabitants were still put in feare each day more than other and euerie late gotten victorie by the enimies by the increase of prisoners ministred occasion of some other conquest to follow Euen about the beginning of Ethelreds reigne there arriued vpon the English coasts an huge armie of the Danes vnder the conduct of two renowmed capteins Hungar and Ubbs men of maruellous strength and valiancie but both of them passing cruell of nature They lay all the winter season in 〈◊〉 compounding with them of the 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 vpon certeine conditions sparing 〈◊〉 a tune to shew their for as for quietnesse sake In the socond yéere of king Eâ—helâ—ed the said capteine came with their armies into Yorkshire finding the country vnprouided of necessarie defense bicause of the ciuill discord that reigned aniong the Northumbers the which had latelie expelled king Osbright that had the gouernement of those parts and placed one Ella in his roome howbeit now they were constreined to reuoke him home againe and sought to accord him and Ella But it was long yer that might be brought to passe notwithstanding yet at length they were mae friends by reason of this inuasion attempted by forren enimies and then raising their powers they came to Yorke where the Danes hauing wasted the countrie euen to the riuer of Tine were lodged The English host entring the citie began to fight with the Danes by reason whereof a fore battell insued betwixt them but in the end the two kings Osbright and Ella were slaine and a great number of the Northumbers what within the citie and what without lost their liues at that time the residue were constreined to take truce with the Danes This battell was fought the 21 day of Maâ—ch being in â—ent on the Friday before Palmsunday in the yere 657. ¶ Some haue written otherwise of this battell reporting that the Northumbers calling home king Osbright whome before they had banished incountred with the Danes in the field without the walles of Yorke but they were easilie beaten backe and chased into the citie the which by the Danes pursuing the victorie was set on fier and burnt togither with the king and people that were fled into it for succour How soeuer it came about certeine it is that the Danes got the victorie and now hauing subdued the Northumbers appointed one Egbert so reigne ouer them as king vnder their protection which Egbert reigned in that sort six yeares ouer those which inhabited beyond the riuer of Tine In the same yeare Adelstane bishop of Shireborne departed this life hauing gouerned that sée the terme of 50 yeares This Adelstane was a man of high wisedome and one that had borne no small rule in the kingdome of the Westsaxons as hereby it may be coniectured that when king Ethelwulfe returned from Rome he would not suffer him to be admitted king because he had doone in certeine points contrarie to the ordinances and lawes of the same kingdome wherevpon by this bishops means Ethelbald the sonne of the same king Ethelwulfe was established king and so continued till by agréement the kingdome was diuided betwixt them as before is mentioned Finallie he greatlie inriched the sée of Shireborne and yet though he was feruentlie set on couetousnesse he was neuerthelesse verie free and liberall in gifts which contrarie eâ—tremities so ill matched though in him the time wherein he liued being considered they might seeme somewhat tollerable yet simplie in truth they were vtterlie repugnant to the law of the spirit which biddeth that none should doo euill that good may come thereof Against which precept because Adelstane could not but offend in the heat of his couetousnes which is termed the root of all mischiefe though he was excéeding bountifull and large in distributing the wealth he had gréedilie gotten togither he must néeds incur reprehension But this is so much the lesse to be imputed vnto him as a fault by how much he was ignorant what by the rule of equitie and conscience was requirable in a christian man or one of his vocation Burthred king of Mercia with aid beseegeth the Danes in Notingham Basâ—reeg and Halden two Danish kings with their powers 〈◊〉 the Westsaxâ—â—â— they are incountred by 〈◊〉 earâ—e of Baâ—kâ—shire King 〈◊〉 giueth them and their cheefe guide a sore 〈◊〉 what Polydor Virgil recorder touching one 〈◊〉 king of the Danes and the warres that Ethelred had with them his death Edmuisd king of Eastangles giueth battell to the Danes he yeeldeth himselfe and for christian religion sake is by them most cruellie murthered the kingdome of the Eastangles endeth Guthran a Dane gouerneth the whole countrie K. Osbright rauisheth the wife of one Bearne a noble man a bloodie battell insueth therevpon wherein Osbright and Ella are slaine The twelft Chapter IN the yeare following that is to say in the third yéere of Ethelreds reigne he with his brother Alured went to aid Burthred king of Mercia against the two foresaid Danish capteines Hungar and Ubba the which were entred into Mercia and had woon the towne for the winter season Wherevpon the foresaid Ethelred and Burthred with their powers came to Notingham and besieged the Danes within it The Danes perceiuing themselues in danger made suite for a truce abstinence from war which they obtenred and then departed backe to Yorke where they sâ—â—urned the most part of all that yeare In the sixt yeare of king Ethelreds reigne a new armie of great force and power came into the countrie of the Westsaxons vnder two leaders or kings of the Danes Basréeg and Halden They lodged at Reding with their maine armie and within thrée daies after the earle of Berrockshire Edelwulfe fought at Englefield with two earles of those Danes vanquished them and slue the one of those earles whose name was Sidroc After this king Ethelred and his brother Alured came with a great host vnto Reading and there gaue battell vnto the armie of Danes so that an huge number of people died on both parts but the Danes had the victorie After this also king Ethelred and his brother Alured fought againe with those Danes at Aschdon where the armies on both sides were diuided into two parts so that the two Danish kings lead the one part of their armie certeine of their earles lead the other part Likewise on the English side king Ethelred was placed with one part of the host against the Danish kings and Alured with the other part was appointed to incounter with the earles Herevpon they being on both parts readie to giue battell the euening comming on caused them to deferre it till the morow And so earlie in the morning when the armies should ioine king Ethelred stated in his tent the heare diuine seruice whilest his brother vpon a
the one part nor the other was minded to giue ouer in so much that the horssemen alighting on foot and putting their horsses from them entered the battell amongst the footmen and thus they continued with equall aduantage till night came on which parted the affraie being one of the sorest foughten fields that had beene heard of in those daies To whether partie a man might iustlie attribute the victorie it was vtterlie vncerteine with so like losse gaine the matter was tried ended betwixt them With the semblable chance of danger and glorie seuen times that yéere did the English and Danes incounter in batell as writers haue recorded At length when their powers on both parts were sore diminished they agreed vpon a peace with these conditions that the Danes should not attempt anie further warre against the Englishmen nor bring into this land anie new supplie of souldiers out of Denmarke But this peace by those peacemakers was violated and broken in so much as they ment nothing lesse than to fall from the conceiued hope which they had of bearing rule in this land and of inriching themselues with the goods possessions rents and reuenues of the inhabitants The same yéere the Danes soiorned in the winter season at London according as they had doone often times before Rollo a noble man of Denmarke with a fresh power entreth England and beginneth to waste it king Alured giueth him batell Rollo saileth ouer into France who first inhabited Normandie and whereof it tooke that name the Danes breake the peace which was made betwixt them and Alured he is driuen to his shifts by their inuasions into his kingdome a vision appeereth to him and his mother king Alured disguising himselfe like a minstrell entereth the Danish campe marketh their behauiour vnsuspected assalteth them on the sudden with a fresh power and killeth manie of them at aduantage the Deuonshire men giue the Danes battell vnder the conduct of Haldens brother and are discomfited Alured fighteth with them at Edanton they giue him hostages Gurthrun their king is baptised and named Adel stan a league concluded betwixt both the kings the bounds of Alureds kingdome The xiiij Chapter ABout the same time or shortlie after there came into England one Rollo a noble man of Denmarke or Norway with a great armie and notwithstanding the peace concluded betweene the Englishmen and the Danes began to waste and destroy the countrie King Alured hearing these newes with all spéed thought best in the beginning to stop such a common mischiefe and immediatlie assembling his people went against the enimies and gaue them battell in the which there died a great number of men on both sides but the greater losse fell to Rollo his armie Yet Matthew Westmin saith that the Englishmen were put to flight After this it chanced that Rollo being warned in a dreame left England sailed ouer into France where he found fortune so fauourable to him that he obteined in that region for him and his people a countrie the which was afterwards named Normandie of those northerne people which then began to inhabit the same as in the histories of France you maie sée more at large The Danes which had concluded peace with king Alured as before you haue heard shortlie after vpon the first occasion brake the same and by often inuasions which they made into the countrie of Westsaxons brought the matter to that passe that there remained to king Alured but onelie the three countries of Hamshire Wiltshire Summersetshire in so much that he was constreined for a time to kéepe himselfe close within the fennes and maresh grounds of Summersetshire with such small companies as he had about him constreined to get their liuing with fishing hunting and other such shifts He remained for the most part within an I le called Edlingsey that is to say the Iland of noble men enuironed about with fennes and mareshes Whiles he was thus shut vp within this Iland he was by dreame aduertised of better hap shortlie to follow for as it hath béene said saint Cuthbert appéered to him as he laie in sléepe and comforted him declaring to him that within a while fortune should so turne that he should recouer againe his kingdome to the confusion of his enimies And to assure him that this should prooue true he told him that his men which were gone abroad to catch fish should bring home great plentie although the season was against them by reason that the waters were frosen and that a cold rime fell that morning to the hinderance of their purpose His mother also at that time being in sleepe saw the like vision And as they had dreamed so it came to passe for being awakened out of their sleepe in â—ame his men with so great foison of fish that the same might haue sufficed a great armie of men for the vittelling of them at that season Shortlie after king Alured tooke vpon him the habit of a minstrell and going foorth of his closure repaired to the campe of the Danish king onelie accompanied with one trustie seruant and tarrieng there certeine daies togither was suffered to go into euerie part and plaie on his instrument as well afore the king as others so that there was no secret but that he vnderstood it Now when he had séene and learned the demeanour of his enimies he returned againe to his people at Edlingsey and there declared to his nobles what he had séene and heard what negligence was amongst the enimies and how easie a matter it should be for him to indamage them Wherevpon they conceiuing a maruellous good hope and imboldened with his words a power was assembled togither and spies sent foorth to learne and bring woord where the Danes lodged which being doone and certificat made accordinglie king Alured comming vpon them on the sudden slue of them a great number hauing them at great aduantage About the same time the brother of king Halden came with thirtie and three ships out of Wales into the countrie of Westsaxons on the coast of Deuonshire where the Deuonshire men gaue him battell and slue him with 840 persons of his retinue Other write that Halden himselfe was present at this conflict with Inguare otherwise called Hungar and that they were both slaine there with twelue hundred of their companie before a certeine castell called Kinwith receiuing as they had deserued for their cruell dealing latelie by them practised in the parties of Southwales where they had wasted all afore them with fire and swoord not sparing abbeies more than other common buildings King Alured being with that good lucke the more comforted builded a fortresse in the I le of Edlingsey afterwards called Athelney and breaking out oftentimes vpon the enimies distressed them at sundrie times with the aid of the Summersetshire men which were at hand About the seuenth wéeke after Easter in the seuenth yéere
a castell in that countrie and after went into the borders of Wales and builded another castell neere vnto the riuer of Seuerne but being driuen out of that countrie they returned againe into Essex Those that had besieged Excester vpon knowledge had of king Alfreds comming fled to their ships and so remaining on the sea roaued abroad séeking preies Besides this other armies there were sent foorth which comming out of Northumberland tooke the citie of Chester but there they were so beset about with their enimies that they were constreined to eate their horsses At length in the 24 yéere of king Alfred they left that citie and fetcht a compass about Northwales and so meaning to saile round about the coast to come into Northumberland they arriued in Essex and in the winter following drew their ships by the Thames into the water of Luie That armie of Danes which had besieged Excester tooke preies about Chichester and was met with so that they lost manie of their men and also diuerse of their ships In the yéere following the other armie which had brought the ships into the riuer Luie began to build a castell néere to the same riuer twentie miles distant from London but the Londoners came thither and giuing battell to the Danes slue foure of the chiefe capteins But by Simon Dunel and Matt. Westm. it should seeme that the Londoners were at this time put to flight and that foure of the kings barons were slaine in fight Howbeit Henrie Hunt hath written as before I haue recited and further saith that when the Danes fled for their refuge to the castell king Alfred caused the water of Luie to be diuided into thrée chanels so that the Danes should not bring backe their ships out of the place where they laie at anchor When the Danes perceiued this they left their ships behind them and went into the borders of Wales where at Cartbridge vpon Seuerne they built another castell and lay there all the winter following hauing left their wiues and children in the countrie of Eastangles King Alfred pursued them but the Londoners tooke the enimies ships and brought some of them to the citie and the rest they burnt Thus for the space of thrée yéeres after the arriuing of the maine armie of the Danes in the hauen of Luie they sore indamaged the English people although the Danes themselues susteined more losse at the Englishmens hands than they did to them with all pilfering and spoiling In the fourth yéere after their comming the armie was diuided so that one part of them went into Northumberland part of them remained in the countrie of Eastangles another part went into France Also certeine of their ships came vpon the coast of the Westsaxons oftentimes setting their men on land to rob and spoile the countrie But king Alfred tooke order in the best wise he might for defense of his countrie and people and caused certeine mightie vessels to be builded which he appointed foorth to incounter with the enimies ships Thus like a worthie prince and politike gouernor he preuented each way to resist the force of his enimies and to safegard his subiects Finallie after he had reigned 29 yéeres and an halfe he departed this life the 28 day of October His bodie was buried at Winchester he left behind him issue by his wife Ethelwitha the daughter vnto earle Etherlred of Mercia two sonnes Edward surnamed the elder which succéeded him and Adelwold also thrée daughters Elfleda or Ethelfleda Ethelgeda or Edgiua and Ethelwitha How Elfleda king Alfreds daughter being maried contemned fleshlie pleasure the praise of Alfred for his good qualities his lawes for the redresse of theeues his diuiding of countries into hundreds and tithings of what monasteries he was founder he began the foundation of the vniuersitie of Oxford which is not so ancient as Cambridge by 265 yeeres king Alfred was learned his zeale to traine his people to lead an honest life what learned men were about him the pitifull murthering of Iohn Scot by his owne scholers how Alfred diuided the 24 houres of the day and the night for his necessarie purposes his last will and bequests the end of the kingdome of Mercia the Danes haue it in their hands and dispose it as they list Eastangle and Northumberland are subiect vnto them the Northumbers expell Egbert their king his death the Danes make Guthred king of Northumberland priuileges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine the death of Guthred and who succeeded him in the seat roiall The xvj Chapter IN the end of the former chapter we shewed what children Alfred had their number names among whome we made report of Elfleda who as you haue heard was maried vnto duke Edelred This gentlewoman left a notable example behind hir of despising fleshlie plesure for bearing hir husband one child and sore handled before she could be deliuered she euer after forbare to companie with hir husband saieng that it was great foolishnesse to vse such pleasure which therwith should bring so great griefe To speake sufficientlie of the woorthie praise due to so noble a prince as Alfred was might require eloquence learning and a large volume He was of person comelie and beautifull and better beloued of his father and mother than his other brethren And although he was as before is touched greatly disquieted with the inuasion of forren enimies yet did he both manfullie from time to time indeuour himselfe to repell them and also attempted to sée his subiects gouerned in good and vpright iustice And albeit that good lawes amongst the clinking noise of armor are oftentimes put to silence yet he perceiuing how his people were gréeued with theeues and robbers which in time of warre grew and increased deuised good statutes and wholsome ordinances for punishing of such offendors Amongst other things he ordeined that the countries should be diuided into hundreds and tithings that is to say quarters conteining a certeine number of towneships adioining togither so that euerie Englishman liuing vnder prescript of lawes should haue both his hundred and tithing that if anie man were accused of anie offense he should find suertie for his good demeanor and if he could not find such as would answer for him then should he tast extremitie of the lawes And if anie man that was giltie fled before he found suertie or after all the inhabitants of the hundred or tithing where he dwelt shuld be put to their fine By this deuise he brought his countrie into good tranquillitie so that he caused bracelets of gold to be hanged vp aloft on hils where anie common waies lay to sée if anie durst be so hardie to take them away by stealth He was a liberall prince namely in relieuing of the poore To churches he confirmed such priuileges as his father had granted before him and he also sent rewards by way of deuotion vnto Rome and to the
castell which they besieged till the Danes within it gaue hostages and couenanted to depart out of the kings land The king caused the coasts about Seuerne to be watched that they should not breake into his countrie but yet they stale twise into the borders neuerthelesse they were chased and slaine as manie as could not swim and so get to their ships Then they remained in the I le of Stepen in great miserie for lacke of vittels bicause they could not go abroad to get anie At length they departed into Northwales and from thence sailed into Ireland The same yéere king Edward came to Buckingham with an armie and there taried a whole moneth building two castels the one vpon the one side of the water of Ouse and the other vpon the other side of the same riuer He also subdued Turketillus an earle of the Danes that dwelt in that countrie with all the residue of the noble men and barons of the shires of Bedford and Northampton In the 12 yéere of king Edwards reigne the Kentishmen and Danes fought togither at Holme but whether partie had the victorie writers haue not declared Simon Dunelm speaketh of a battell which the citizens of Canturburie fought against a number of Danish rouers at Holme where the Danes were put to flight but that should be as he noteth 8 yéeres before this supposed time as in the yéere 904 which was about the third yéere of king Edwards reigne After this other of the Danes assembled themselues togither and in Staffordshire at a place called Tottenhall fought with the Englishmen and after great slaughter made on both parties the Danes were ouercome and so likewise were they shortlie after at Woodfield or Wodenfield And thus king Edward put the Danes to the woorse in each place commonlie where he came and hearing that those in Northumberland ment to breake the peace he inuaded the countrie and so afflicted the same that the Danes which were inhabitants there gladlie continued in rest and peace But in this meane time Ericke the king of those Danes which held the countrie of Eastangle was about to procure new warre and to allure other of the Danes to ioine with him against the Englishmen that with common agréement they might set vpon the English nation and vtterlie subdue them King Edward hâ—â—ing intelligence héereof purposed to preuent him and therevpon entering with an armie into his countrie cruellie wasted and spoiled the same King Ericke hauing alreadie his people in armor through displeasure conceiued heereof and desire to be reuenged hasted foorth to incounter his enimies and so they met in the field and fiercelie assailed ech other But as the battell was rashlie begun on king Ericks side so was the end verie harmefull to him for with small a doo after great losse on both sides he was vanquished and put to flight After his comming home bicause of his great ouerthrow and fowle discomfiture he began to gouerne his people with more rigor sharper dealing than before time he had vsed Whereby he prouoked the malice of the Eastangles so highlie against him that they fell vpon him and murthered him yet did they not gaine so much hereby as they looked to haue doone for shortlie after they being brought low and not able to defend their countrie were compelled to submit themselues vnto king Edward And so was that kingdome ioined vnto the other dominions of the same king Edward who shortlie after annexed the kingdome of Mercia vnto other of his dominions immediatlie vpon the death of his sister Elfleda whom he permitted to rule that land all hir life Elfleda the sister of king Edward highlie commended for gouernment what a necessarie staie she was vnto him in hir life time what townes she builded and repared hir warlike exploits against the Danes hir death and buriall the greatest part of Britaine in K. Edwards dominion he is a great builder and reparer of townes his death the dreame of his wife Egina and the issue of the same what children king Edward had by his wiues and how they were emploied the decay of the church by the meanes of troubles procured by the Danes England first curssed and why a prouinciall councell summoned for the reliefe of the churches ruine Pleimond archbishop of Canturburie sent to Rome bishops ordeined in sundrie prouinces dissention among writers what pope should denounce the foresaid cursse a succession of archbishops in the see of Canturburie one brother killeth an other The xviij Chapter NOt without good reason did king Edward permit vnto his sister Elfleda the gouernment of Mercia during hir life time for by hir wise and politike order vsed in all hir dooings he was greatlie furthered assisted but speciallie in reparing and building of townes castels wherein she shewed hir noble magnificence in so much that during hir gouernment which continued about eight yéeres it is recorded by writers that she did build and repare these towns whose names here insue Tamwoorth beside Lichfield Stafford Warwike Shrewsburie Watersburie or Weddesburie Elilsburie or rather Eadsburie in the forrest of De la mere besides Chester Brimsburie bridge vpon Seuerne Rouncorne at the mouth of the riuer of Mercia with other Moreouer by hir helpe the citie of Chester which by Daâ—es had beene greatlie defaced was newlie repared fortified with walls and turrets and greatlie inlarged So that the castell which stood without the walls before that time was now brought within compasse of the new wall Moreouer she boldlie assalted hir enimies which went about to trouble the state of the countrie as the Welshmen and Danes She sent an armie into Wales and tooke the towne of Brecknocke with the queene of the Welshmen at Bricenamere Also she wan from the Danes the towne of Darbie and the countrie adioining In this enterprise she put hir owne person in great aduenture for a great multitude of Danes that were withdrawen into Darbie valiantlie defended the gates and entries in so much that they slue foure of hir chiefe men of warre which were named wardens of hir person euen fast by hir at the verie entrie of the gates But this notwithstanding with valiant fight hir people entered and so the towne was woon she got diuerse other places out of their hands constreined them of Yorkeshire to agree with hir so that some of them promised to become hir subiects some vowed to aid hir and some sware to be at hir commandement Finallie this martiall ladie and manlie Elfleda the supporter of hir countriemen and terrour of the enimies departed this life at Tamwoorth about the 12 of Iune in the 18 or rather 19 yéere of hir brother king Edwards reigne as by Matth. West it should appeere But Simon Dunelm writeth that she deceassed in the yeere of Christ 915 which should be about the 14 yéere of king Edwards reigne Hir bodie was conueied to
Glocester and there buried within the monasterie of S. Peter which hir husband and she in their life time had builded and translated thither the bones of saint Oswill from Bardona The same monasterie was after destroied by Danes But Aldredus the archbishop of Yorke who was also bishop of Worcester repared an other in the same citie that was after the chiefe abbeie there Finallie in memorie of the said Elfleds magnanimitie and valorous mind this epitaph was fixed on hir toome O Elfleda potens ô terror virgo virorum O Elfleda potens nomine digna viri Te quóque splendidior fecit natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri Te mutare decet sed solùm nomina sexus Tu regina potens réxque trophea parans Iam nec Caesareos tantùm mirere triumphos Caesare splendidior virgo virago vale O puissant Elfled ô thou maid of men the dread and feare O puissant Elfled woorthie maid the name of man to beare A noble nature hath thee made a maiden mild to bee Thy vertue also hath procurde a manlie name to thee It dooth but onelie thee become of sex to change the name A puissant queene a king art thou preparing trophes of fame Now maruell not so much at Caesars triumphs trim to vieu O manlike maiden more renowmd than Caesar was a dieu After the deceasse of Elfleda king Edward tooke the dominion of Mercia as before we haue said into his owne hands and so disherited his néece Alfwen or Elswen the daughter of Elfleda taking hir awaie with him into the countrie of Westsaxons By this meanes he so amplified the bounds of his kingdome that he had the most part of all this Iland of Britaine at his commandement for the kings of the Welshmen namelie the king of Stretcled and of the Scots acknowledging him to be their chiefe souereigne lord and the Danes in Northumberland were kept so short that they durst attempt nothing against him in his latter daies so that he had time to applie the building and reparing of cities townes and castels wherein he so much delighted He builded a new towne at Notingham on the southside of Trent and made a bridge ouer that riuer betwixt the old towne and the new He also repared Manchester beyond the riuer of Mercia in Lancashire accounted as then in the south end of Northumberland and he built a towne of ancient writers called Thilwall neere to the same riuer of Mercia and placed therein a garrison of souldiers diuerse other townes and castels he built as two at Buckingham on either side the water of Ouse as before is shewed and also one at the mouth of the riuer of Auon He likewise built or new repared the townes of Tocetor and Wigmore with diuerse other as one at Glademuth about the last yéere of his reigne Some also he destroied which séemed to serue the enimies turne for harborough as a castell at Temnesford which the Danes builded and fortified At length after that this noble prince king Edward had reigned somewhat aboue the tearme of 23 yéeres he was taken out of this life at Faringdon his bodie was conueied from thence vnto Wincheter and there buried in the new abâ—eie He had thrée wiues or as some haue written but two affirming that Edgiua was not his wife but his concuâ—ine of whome he begat his eldest sonne Adelstan who succéeded him in the kingdome This Edgiua as hath béene reported dreamed on a time that there rose a moone out of hir bellie which with the bright shine thereof gaue light ouer all England and telling hir dreame to an ancient gentlewoman who coniecturing by the dreame that which followed tooke care of hir and caused hir to be brought vp in good manners and like a gentlewoman though she were borne but of base parentage Heerevpon when she came to ripe yéeres king Edward by chance comming to the place where she was remaining vpon the first sight was streight rauished with hir beautie which is déed excelled that she could not rest till he had his pleasure of hir and so begot of hir the foresaid Adelstan by hir he had also a daughter that was maried vnto Sithrike a Dane and K. of Northumberland The Scotish writers name hir Beatrice but our writers name hir Editha His second or rather his first wife if he were not maried to Eguina mother to Adelstan was called Elfleda or Elfrida daughter to one earle Ethelme by whom he had issue to wit two sonnes Ethelward and Edwin which immediatlie departed this life after their father and six daughters Elfleda Edgiua Ethelhilda Ethilda Edgitha and Elfgiua Elfleda became a nun and Ethelhâ—lda also liued in perpetuall virginitie but yet in a laie habit Edgitha was maried to Charles king of France surnamed Simplex And Ethilda by helpe of hir brother Adelstan was bestowed vpon Hugh sonne to Robert earle of Paris for hir singular beautie most highlie estéemed sith nature in hir had shewed as it were hir whole cunning in perfecting hir with all gifts and properties of a comelie personage Edgiua and Elgiua were sent by their brother Adelstan into Germanie vnto the emperor Henrie who bestowed one of them vpon his sonne Otho that was after emperor the first of that name and the other vpon a duke inhabiting about the Alpes by his last wife named Edgiua he had also two sonnes Edmund Eldred the which both reigned after their brother Adelstan successiuelie Also he had by hir two daughters Edburge that was made a nun and Edgiue a ladie of excellent beautie whom hir brother Adelstan gaue in mariage vnto Lewes king of Aquitaine Whilest this land was in continuall trouble of warres against the Danes as before is touched small regard was had to the state of the church in somuch that the whole countrie of the Westsaxons by the space of seuen yéeres togither in the daies of this king Edward remained without anie bishop to take order in matters apperteining to the church Wherevpon the pope had accurssed the English people bicause they suffred the bishops sées to be vacant so long a time King Edward to auoid the cursse assembled a prouinciall councell 905 in the which the archbishop of Canturburie Pleimond was president Wherein it was ordeined that whereas the prouince of Westsaxons in times past had but two bishops now it should be diuided into fiue diocesses euerie of them to haue a peculiar bishop When all things were ordered and concluded in this synod as was thought requisite the archbishop was sent to Rome with rich presents to appease the popes displeasure When the pope had heard what order the king had taken he was contented therewith And so the archbishop returned into his countrie and in one day at Canturburie ordeined seuen bishops as fiue to the prouince of Westsaxons that is to say Fridestane to the sée of Winchester Adelstan to S. Geâ—man
Edward vnderstanding that Sithrike went about some mischiefe toward him persuaded his daughter to poison hir husband the said Sithrike Then Aulafe or Aualassus and Godfrie the sonnes of Sithrike finding out by diligent examination that Beatrice was of counsell in poisoning hir husband they caused hir to be apprehended and put to death on this wife She was set naked vpon a smithes cold anuill or stithie and there with hard rosted egs being taken out of the hot imbers were put vnder hir armepits and hir armes fast bound to hir bodie with a cord and so in that state she remained till hir life passed from hir King Edward in reuenge of his daughters death mooued warre against the two brethren Aulafe and Godfrie and in battell finallie vanquished them but was slaine in the same battell himselfe Thus haue the Scotish chronicles recorded of these matters as an induction to the warres which followed betwixt the Scots and Danes as confederates against king Adelstane but the truth thereof we leaue to the readers owne iudgement For in our English writers we find no such matter but that a daughter of king Edward named Edgitha or Editha after hir fathers deceasse was by hir brother king Adelstane about the first yéere of his reigne giuen in mariage as before ye haue heard vnto the foresaid Sithrike king of Northumberland that was descended of the Danish bloud who for the loue of the yoong ladie renounced his heathenish religion and became a christian but shortlie after forsaking both his wife and the christian faith he set vp againe the worshipping of idols and within a while after as an apostata miserablie ended his life Whervpon the yoong ladie hir virginitie being preserued and hir bodie vndefiled as they write passed the residue of hir daies at Polle swoorth in Warwikeshire spending hir time as the same writers affirme in fasting watching praieng and dooing of almesdéedes and so at length departed out of this world Thus our writers differ from the Scotish historie both in name and maner of end as concerning the daughter of king Edward that was coupled in mariage with Sithrike Adelstane subdueth Constantine king of Scots Howell king of Wales and Wulferth king of Northwales the Scots possesse a great part of the north countries Adelstane conquereth the Scots for aiding Godfrie his enimie a miracle declaring that the Scots ought to obey the king of England king Adelstane banisheth his brother Edwin he is for a conspiracie drowned in the sea Adelstane repenteth him of his rigour in respect of that misfortune against his brother Aulafe sometimes king of Northumberland inuadeth England he disguiseth himselfe like a minstrell and surueieth the English campe vnsuspected he is discouered after his departure he assaileth the English campe Adelstane being comforted with a miracle discomfiteth his enimies he maketh them of Northwales his tributaries he subdueth the Cornishmen his death the description of his person his vertues of what abbeis monasteries he was founder his estimation in forren realmes what pretious presents were sent him from other princes and how he bestowed them a remembrance of Guy the erle of Warwike The xx Chapter AFter that king Adelstane had subdued them of Northumberland he was aduertised that not onelie Constantine king of Scots but also Huduale or Howell K. of Wales went about a priuie conspiracie against him Herevpon with all conuenient spéed assembling his power he went against them and with like good fortune subdued them both and also Uimer or Wulferth R. of Northwales so that they were constreined to submit themselues vnto him who shortlie after moued with pitie in considering their sudden fall restored them all three to their former estates but so as they should acknowledge themselues to gouerne vnder him pronouncing withall this notable saieng that More honorable it was to make a king than to be a king Ye must vnderstand that as it appeareth in the Scotish chronicles the Scotishmen in time of wars that the Danes gaue the English nation got a part of Cumberland and other the north countries into their possession and so by reason of their néere adioining vnto the confines of the English kings there chanced occasions of warre betwixt them as well in the daies of king Edward as of this Adelstane his sonne although in déed the Danes held the more part of the north countries till that this Adelstane conquered the same out of their hands and ioined it vnto other of his dominions constreining as well the Danes of whome the more part of the inhabitants then consisted as also the Englishmen to obey him as their king and gouernour Godfrie as is said being fled to the Scots did so much preuaile there by earnest sute made to king Constantine that he got a power of men and entring with the same into Northumberland besiged the citie of Duresme soliciting the citizens to receiue him which they would gladlie haue doone if they had not perceiued how he was not of power able to resist the puissance of king Adelstane and therefore doubting to be punished for their offenses if they reuolted they kept the enimies out King Adelstane being sore moued against the king of Scots that thus aided his enimies raised an armie and went northward purposing to reuenge that iniurie At his comming into Yorkshire he turned out of the way to visit the place where saint Iohn of Beuerlie was buried and there offered his knife promising that if he returned with victorie he would redéeme the same with a woorthie price and so proceeded and went forwards on his iournie and entring Scotland wasted the countrie by land vnto Dunfoader and Wertermore and his nauie by sea destroied the coasts alongst the shore euen to Catnosse and so he brought the king of Scots and other his enimies to subiection at his pleasure constreining the same K. of Scots to deliuer him his son in hostage It is said that being in his iournie néere vnto the towne of Dunbar he praied vnto God that at the instance of saint Iohn of Beuerlie it would please him to grant that he might shew some open token whereby it should appeare to all them that then liued and should he 〈◊〉 succéed that the Scots ought to 〈◊〉 subiect vnto the kings of England Herewith the king with his sword sâ—ote vpon a great stone standing néere to the castle of Dunbar and with the stroke there appeared a clift in the saine stone to the length of 〈◊〉 which remained to be shewed as a 〈◊〉 backe to 〈◊〉 he redeemedes es year after At his 〈…〉 his knife with a large price as before he had promised After this was Edwin the kings brother a coused of some conspiracie by him begiâ—â— against the king wherevpon he was banished the land and sent out in an old rotten vessell without rower or mariner onelie accompanied with one esquier so that beingstanding néere to the castle of Dunbar and with
the lanched foorth from the shore through despaire Edwin leapt into the sea and drowned himselfe but the esquier that was with him recouered his bodie and brought it to land at Withsand besides Canturburie But Iames Maier in the annales of Flanders saieth that he was drowned by fortune of the seas in a small vessell and being cast vp into a créeke on the coast of Picardie was found by Adolfe earle of Bullongne that was his coosin germane and honorablie buried by the same Adolfe in the church of Bertine In consideration of which déed of pietie and dutie of mindfull consanguinitie the king of England both hartilie thanked earle Adolfe and bestowed great gifts vpon the church where his brother was thus buried For verelie king Adelstane after his displeasure was asswaged and hearing of this miserable end of his brother sore repented himselfe of his rigour so extended towards him in so much that he could neuer abide the man that had giuen the information against him which was his cupbearer so that on a time as the said cupbearer serued him at the table and came towards him with a cup of wine one of his feet chanced to slide but he recouered himselfe with the helpe of the other foot saieng One brother yet hath holpen succored the other which words cost him his life For the king remembring that by his accusation he had lost his brother that might haue béene an aid to him caused this said cupbearer to be straight put to death In this meane while Aulafe the sonne of Sitherike had giuen the information against him which was late king of Northumberland who is also named by writers to be king of the Irishmen and of manie Ilands assembled a great power of Danes Irishmen Scots and other people of the out Iles and imbarked them in 615 ships and craiers with the which he arriued in the mouth of Humber and there comming on land began to inuade the countrie This Aulafe had maried the daughter of Constantine king of Scots by whose procurement notwithstanding his late submission Aulafe tooke in hand this iournie King Adelstane aduertised of his enimies arriuall gathered his people and with all conuenient spéed hasted towards them and approching néerer vnto them pitcht downe his field at a place called by sonne Brimesburie by others Brimesford and also Brunaubright and by the Scotish writers Browmingfield When knowledge hereof was had in the enimies campe Aulafe enterprised a maruelous exploit for taking with him an harpe he came into the Englishhis late submission Aulafe tooke in campe offring himselfe disguised as a minstrell to shew some part of his cunning in musicke vpon his instrument and so being suffered to passe from tent to tent and admitted also to plaie afore the king surueied the whole state and order of the armie This doone he returned meaning by a cammisado to set vpon the kings tent But one that had serued as a souldier sometime vnder Aulafe chanced by marking his demeanour to know him and after he was gone vttered to the king what he knew The king séemed to be displeased in that he had not told him so much before Aulafs departure but in excusing himselfe the souldier said Ye must remember if it like your grace that the same faith which I haue giuen vnto you I sometime owght vnto Aulafe therfore if I should haue betraied him now you might well stand in doubt least I should hereafter doo the like to you but if you will follow mine aduise remoue your tent least happilie he assaile you vnwares The king did so and as it chanced in thegone vttered to the king what he knew The king night following Aulafe came to assaile the English campe and by fortune comming to the place where the kings tent stood before he found a bishop lodged which with his companie was come the same day to the armie and had pitcht vp his tent in that place from whence the king was remoued and so was the same bishop and most part of his men there slaine which slaughter executed Aulafe passed forward and came to the kings tent who in this meanegone vttered to the king what he knew The king time by reason of the alarum raised was got vp and taking to him his sword in that sudden fright by chance it fell out of the scabbard so that he could not find it but calling to God and S. Aldelme as saith Polychron his sword was restored to the scabbard againe The king comforted with that miracle boldlie preased foorth vpon his enimies and so valiantlie resisted them that in the end he put them to flight and chased them all that morning and day following so that he slue of them an huge number Some haue written that Constantine king of Scots was slaine at this ouerthrow and fiue other small kings or rulers with 12 dukes and welnéere all the armie of those strange nations which Aulafe had gathered togither But the Scotish chronicles affirme that Constantine was not there himselfe but sent his sonne Malcolme which yet escaped sore hurt and wounded from the battell as in the same chronicles ye may sée more at large When K. Adelstane had thus vanquished his enimies he went against them of Northwales whose rulers and princes he caused to come before him at Hereford and there handled them in such sort that they couenanted to pay him yeerlie in lieu of a tribute 20 pounds of gold 300 pounds of siluer and 25 head of neate with hawks and hownds a certeine number After this he subdued the Cornishmen and whereas till those daies they inhabited the citie of Excester mingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one nation was as strong within that citie as the other he rid them quite out of the same and repared the walles and fortified them with ditches and turrets as the maner then was and so remoued the Cornish men further into the west parts of the countrie that he made Tamer water to be the confines betwéene the Englishmen and them Finallie the noble prince king Adelstane departed out of this world the 26 day of October after he had reigned the tearme of 16 yeares His bodie was buried atmingled amongest the Englishmen so that the one Malmesburie He was of such a stature as exceeded not the common sort of men stooping somewhat and yellowe haired for his valiancie ioined with courtesie beloued of all men yet sharpe against rebels and of inuincible constancie his great deuotion toward the church appeared in the building adorning indowing of monasteries and abbeis He built one at Wilton within the diocesse of Salisburie and an other at Michelnie in Summersetshire But besides these foundations there were few famous monasteries within this land but that he adorned the same either with some new péece of building iewels bookes or portion of lands He had in excéeding fauour
Wolstan archbishop of Yorke that liued in his daies for whose sake he greatlie inriched that bishoprike His fame spread ouer all the parties of Europe so that sundrie princes thought themselues happie if they might haue his friendship either by affinitie or otherwise by meanes whereof he bestowed his sisters so highlie in mariage as before ye haue heard He receiued manie noble and rich presents from diuers princes as from Hugh king of France horsses and sundrie rich iewels with certeine relikes as Constantines sword in the hilt whereof was set one of the nailes wherewith Christ was fastened to the crosse the speare of Charles the great which was thought to be the same where with the side of our sauiour was pearced the banner of saint Maurice with a part of the holie crosse andaffinitie or otherwise by meanes whereof he bestowed likewise a part of the thorned crowne yet Mandeuile saw the one halfe of this crowne in France and the other at Constantinople almost 400 yeares after this time as he writeth Of these iewels king Adelstane gaue part to the abbie of saint Swithon at Winchester and part to the abbie of Malmesburie Moreouer the king of Norwaie sent vnto him a goodlie ship of fine woorkmanship with gilt sterne and purple sailes furnished round about the decke within with a rowe of gilt pauises ¶ In the daies of this Adelstane reigned that right worthie Guy earle of Warwike who as some writers haue recorded fought with a mightie giant of the Danes in a singular combat and vanquished him Edmund succeedeth Adelstane in the kingdome the Danes of Northumberland rebell against him a peace concluded betwene Aulafe their king and king Edmund vpon conditions Aulafe dieth another of that name succeedethwithin with a rowe of gilt pauises ¶ In the daies him king Edmund subdueth the Danes aud compelleth them to receiue the christian faith Reinold and Aulafe are baptised they violate their fealtie vowed to king Edmund they are put to perpetuall exile why king Edmund wasted all Northumberland caused the eies of king Dunmails sonnes to be put out and assigned the said countrie to Malcolme king of Scots the Scotish chroniclers error in peruerting the time order of the English kings king Edmunds lawes by what misfortune he came to his end how his death was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale of the vertue of the crosse Dunstane reproueth duke Elstane his dreame and how the interpretation thereof came to passe The xxj Chapter AFter that Adelstane was departed this life without leauing issue behind to succéed him in the kingdome his brother Edmund sonnedeath was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale of Edward the elder borne of his last wife Edgiue tooke vpon him the gouernement of this land and began his reigne in the yeare of our Lord 940 which was in the fift yeare of the emperor Otho the 1 in the 13 of Lewes surnamed Transmarinus king of France and about the 38 yeare of Constantine the third king of Scotland The Danes of Northumberland rebelled against this Edmund and ordeined Aulafe to be their king whom they haddeath was foreshewed to Dunstane in a vision a tale called out of Ireland Some write that this Aulafe which now in the beginning of Edmunds reigne came into Northumberland was king of Norwaie hauing a great power of men with him marched foorth towards the south parts of this land in pupose to subdue the whole but king Edmund raised a mightie armie and incountred with his enimies at Leicester Howbeit yer the matter came to the vttermost triall of battell through the earâ—est sute of the archbishop of Canturburie and Yorke Odo and Wolstan a peace was concluded so as Edmund should inioy all that part of the land which lieth from Watling stréet southward Aulafe should inioy the other part as it lieth from the same street northward Then Aulafe tooke to wife the 〈◊〉 Alditha daughter to earle Ormus by whoâ—e counsell and assistance he had thus obteined the vpper hand But this Aulafe in the yeere following after he had destroied the church of saint Balter and burned Tinningham departed this life Then the other Aulafeof the archbishop of Canturburie and Yorke Odo that was sonne to king Sithrike tooke vpon him to gouerne the Northumbers After this in the yeare 942 king Edmund assembling an armie first subdued those Danes which had got into their possession the cities and towns of Lincolne Leicester Darhie Stafford and Notingham constreining them to receiue the christian faith and reduced all the countries euen vnto Humber vnder his subiection This doone Aulafe and Reinold the sonne of Garmo who as you haue heard subdued Yorke as a meane the sooner to obteine peace offered to become christians to submit themselues vnto him wherevpon he receiued them to his peace There be that write that this Aulafe is not that Aulafe which was sonne to king Sithrike but rather that the other was he with whom king Edmund made partition of the realme but they agree that this second Aulafe was a Dane also being conuerted to the faith as well throughvnder his subiection This doone Aulafe and constraint of the kings puissance as through the preaching of the gospell was baptised king Edmund being godfather both vnto him and vnto the foresaid Reinold to Aulafe at the verie fontstone and to Reinold at his confirmation at the bishops hands Neuerthelesse their wicked natures could not rest in quiet so that they brake both promise to God and to their prince and were therefore in the yeare next following driuen both out of the countrie and punished by perpetuall exile And so king Edmund adioined Northumberland without admitting anie other immediat gouernor vnto his owne estate Moreouer he wasted and spoiled whole Cumberland because he could not reduce the people of that countrie vnto due obeisance and conformable subiection The two sonnes of Dunmaile king of that prouince he apprehended and caused their eies to be put out Herewith vpon consideration either of such aid as he had receiued of the Scots at that time or some other friendlie respect he assigned the said countrie of Cumberland vnto Malcolme king of Scots to hold the same by fealtie of him and his successors The Scotish chronicles peruerting the time and order of the acts and doings of the English kings which reigned about this season affirme that by couenants of peace concluded betwixt Malcolme king of Scotland and Adelstan king of England it was agréed that Cumberland should remaine to the Scots as in their chronicles you may find atsuch aid as he had receiued of the Scots at that full expressed And againe that Indulfe who succéeded Malcolme in the kingdome of Scotland aided king Edmund against Aulafe whom the same chronicles name Aualassus but the time which they attribute vnto the reignes of their kings will not alow the same to stand
For by account of their writers king Malcolme began not his reigne till after the deceasse of king Adelstan who departed this life in the yeare 940. And Malcolme succéeded Constantine the third in the yeare 944 which was about the third yeare of king Edmunds reigne and after Malcolme that reigned 15 yeares succeeded Indulfe in the yeare 959. The like discordance precedeth and followeth in their writers as to the diligent reader in conferring their chronicles with ours manifestlie appeareth We therefore to satisfie the desirous to vnderstand and sée the diuersitie of writers haue for the more part in their chronicles left the same as we found it But now to the other dooings of king Edmund the third in the yeare 944 which was about it is recorded that he ordeined diuers good and wholsome lawes verie profitable and necessarie for the commonwealth which lawes with diuers other of like antiquitie are forgot and blotted out by rust of time the consumer of things woorthie of long remembrance as saith Polydor but sithens his time they haue béene recouered for the more part by maister William Lambert turned into Latine were imprinted by Iohn Day in the yeare 1568 as before I haue said Finallie this prince king Edmund after he had reigned sixe yeares and a halfe he came to his end by great miisfortune For as some say it chanced that espieng where one of his seruants was in danger to be slaine amongest his enimies that were about him with drawen swords as he stepped in to haue holpen his seruant he was slaine at a place called Pulcher church or as other haue Michelsbourgh Other say that kéeping a great feast at the aforesaid place on the day of saint Augustine the Englishas before I haue said Finallie this prince king apostle which is the 26 of Maie and as that yeare came about it fell on the tuesday as he was set at the table he espied where a common robber was placed neere vnto him whome sometime he had banished the land and now being returned without licence he presumed to come into the kings presence wherewith the king was so moued with high disdaine that he suddenlie arose from the table and flew vpon the theefe and catching him by the heare of the head threw him vnder his féet wherewithas before I haue said Finallie this prince king the théefe hauing fast hold on the king brought him downe vpon him also and with his knife stroke him into the bellie in such wise that the kings bowels fell out of his chest and there presentlie died The theefe was hewen in péeces by the kings seruants but yet he slue and hurt diuers before they could dispatch him This chance was lamentable namelie to the English people which by the ouertimelie death of their king in whome appeared manie euident tokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they had conceiued of great wealth to increase by his prudent and most princelie gouernement His bodie was buried at Glastenburie where Dunstane was then abbat There be that write that the death of king Edmund was signified aforehand to Dunstane who about the same time attending vpon the same king as he remooued from one place to an other chanced to accompanie himselfe with a noble man one duke Elstane and as they rode togither behold suddenlietokens of great excellencie lost the hope which they Dunstane saw in the waie before him where the kings musicians rode the diuell running and leaping amongst the same musicians after a reioising maner whome after he had beheld a good while he said to the duke Is it possible that you may see that which I sée The duke answered that he saw nothing otherwise than he ought to sée Then said Dunstane Blesse your eies with the signe of the crosse and trie whether you can see that I sée And when he had doone as Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in likenesse of a little short euill fauoured Aethiopian dansing and leaping whereby they gathered that some euill hap was towards some of the companie but when they had crossed and blessed them the foule spirit vanished out of their sight Now after they had talked of this vision and made an end of their talke touching the same the duke required of Dunstane to interpret a dreame which he had of late in sléepe and that was this He thought that he saw in a vision the king with all his nobls sitas Dunstane appointed him he saw also the féend in in his dining chamber at meate and as they were there making merrie togither the king chanced to fall into a dead sléepe and all the noble men and those of his councell that were about him were changed into robucks and goats Dunstane quicklie declared that this dreame signified the kings death and the changing of the nobles into dum and insensible beasts betokened that the princes gouernors of the realme should decline from the waie of truth and wander as foolish beasts without a guide to rule them Also the night after this talke when the king was set at supper Dunstane saw the same spirit or some other walke vp and downe amongst them that waited at the table and within thrée daies after the king was slaine as before ye haue heard Edred succedeth his brother Edmund in the realme of England the Northumbers rebell against him they and the Scots sweare to be his true subiects they breake their oth and ioine with Aulafe the Dane who returneth into Northumberland and is made king thereof the people expell him and erect Hericius in his roome king Edred taketh reuenge on the Northumbers for their disloialtie the rereward of his armie is assalted by an host of his enimies issuing out of Yorke the Northumbers submit themselues and put awaie Hericius their king Wolstane archbishop of Yorke punished for his disloialtie whereto Edred applied himselfe afterin the realme of England the Northumbers the appeasing of ciuill tumults his death and buriall a special signe of Edreds loue to Dunstane abbat of Glastenburie his practise of cousenage touching king Edreds treasure The xxij Chapter EDred the brother of Edmund and sonne to Edward the elder and to Edgiue his last wife began his reigne ouer the realme of England in the yéere of our Lord 946 or as other say 997 which was in the twelfe yéere of the emperor Otho the first and in the 21 yéere of the reigne of Lewes K. of France about the third or fourth yéere of Malcolme the first of that name king of Scotland He was crowned and annointed the 16 day of August by Odo the archbishop of Canturburie at Kingstone vpon Thames In the first yéere oflast wife began his reigne ouer his reigne the Northumbers rebelled against him wherevpon he raised an armie inuaded their countrie and subdued them by force This doone he went forward into Scotland but the Scots without shewing anie resistance
Moreouer fortie of their ships or rather as some write 45 were reteined to serue the king promising to defend the realme with condition that the souldiers and mariners should haue prouision of meate and drinke with apparell found them at the kings charges As one autor hath gathered Swaine king of Denmarke was in England at the concluding of this peace which being confirmed with solemne othes and sufficient hostages he departed into Denmarke The same author bringeth the generall slaughter of Danes vpon S. Brices day to haue chanced in the yéere after the conclusion of this agréement that is to say in the yéere 1012 at what time Gunthildis the sister of king Swaine was slaine with hir husband hir sonne by the commandement of the false traitor Edrike But bicause all other authors agrée that the same murther of Danes was executed about ten yéeres before this supposed time we haue made rehearsall thereof in that place Howbeit for the death of Gunthildis it maie be that she became hostage either in the yéere 1007 at what time king Egelred paied thirtie thousand pounds vnto king Swaine to haue peace as before you haue heard or else might she be deliuered in hostage in the yéere 1011 when the last agréement was made with the Danes as aboue is mentioned But when or at what time soeuer she became hostage this we find of hir that she came hither into England with hir husband Palingus a mightie earle and receiued baptisme héere Wherevpon she earnestlie trauelled in treatie of a peace betwixt hir brother and king Egelred which being brought to passe chieflie by hir sute she was contented to become an hostage for performance thereof as before is recited And after by the commandement of earle Edrike she was put to death pronouncing that the shedding of hir bloud would cause all England one day sore to rue She was a verie beautifull ladie and tooke hir death without all feare not once changing countenance though she saw hir husband and hir onelie sonne a yoong gentleman of much towardnesse first murthered before hir face Turkillus the Danish capteine telleth king Swaine the faults of the king nobles commons of this realme he inuadeth England the Northumbers and others submit themselues to him Danes receiued into seruice vnder Egelred London assalted by Swaine the citizens behaue themselues stoutlie and giue the Danish host a shamefull repulse Ethelmere earle of Deuonshire and his people submit themselues to Swaine he returneth into Denmarke commeth back againe into England with a fresh power is incountred withall of the Englishmen whose king Egelred is discomfited his oration to his souldiers touching the present reliefe of their distressed land their resolution and full purpose in this their perplexitie king Egrlred is minded to giue place to Swaine lie sendeth his wife and children ouer into Normandie the Londoners yeeld vp their state to Swaine Egelred saileth ouer into Normandie leauing his land to the enimie The sixt Chapter NOw had Turkillus in the meane time aduertised king Swaine in what state things stood here within the realme how king Egelred was negligent onlie attending to the lusts pleasures of the flesh how the noble men were vnfaithfull and the commons weake and féeble through want to good and trustie leaders Howbeit some write that Turkillus as well as other of the Danes which remained héere in England was in league with king Egelred in somuch that he was with him in London to helpe and defend the citie against Swaine when he came to assalt it as after shall appéere Which if it be true a doubt may rise whether Swaine receiued anie aduertisement from Turkillus to mooue him to rather to inuade the realme but such aduertisements might come from him before that he was accorded with Egelred Swaine therefore as a valiant prince desirous both to reuenge his sisters death and win honor prepared an huge armie and a great number of ships with the which he made towards England and first comming to Sandwich taried there a small while and taking eftsoones the sea compassed about the coasts of the Eastangles and arriuing in the mouth of Humber sailed vp the water and entering into the riuer of Trent he landed at Gainesbourgh purposing to inuade the Northumbers But as men brought into great feare for that they had béene subiect to the Danes in times past and thinking therefore not to reuolt to the enimie but rather to their old acquaintance if they should submit themselues to the Danes streightwaies offered to become subiect vnto Swaine togither with their duke named Wighthred Also the people of Lindsey and all those of the northside of Watlingstreet yéelded themselues vnto him and deliuered pledges Then he appointed his sonne Cnutus to haue the kéeping of those pledges and to remaine vpon the saâ—egard of his ships whiles he himselfe passed forward into the countrie Then marched he forward to subdue them of south Mercia and so came to Oxford to Winchester making the countries subiect to him through out wheresoeuer he came With this prosperous successe Swaine being greatlie incouraged prepared to go vnto London where king Egelred as then remained hauing with him Turkillus the Dane which was reteined in wages with other of the Danes as by report of some authors it maie appeare and were now readie to defend the citie against their countriemen in support of king Egelred togither with the citizens Swaine bicause he would not step so farre out of the way as to go to the next bridge lost a great number of his men as he passed through the Thames At his comming to London he bagan to assault the citie verie fiercelie in hope either to put his enimie in such feare that he should despaire of all reliefe and comfort or at the least trie what he was able to doo The Londoners on the other part although they were brought in some feare by this sudden attempt of the enimies yet considering with themselues that the hazard of all the whole state of the realme was annexed to theirs sith their citie was the chiefe and metropolitane of all the kingdome they valiantlie stood in defense of themselues and of their king that was present there with them beating backe the enimies chasing them from the walles and otherwise dooing their best to kéepe them off At length although the Danes did most valiantlie assault the citie yet the Englishmen to defend their prince from all iniurie of enimies did not shrinke but boldlie sallied foorth at the gates in heapes togither and incountered with their aduersaries and began to fight with them verie fiercelie Swaine whilest he went about to kéepe his men in order as one most desirous to reteine the victorie now almost gotten was compassed so about with the Londoners on each side that after he had lost a great number of his men he was constreined for his safegard to breake out through the
prepared to receiue whensoeuer the Englishmen approched and heerewith bringing his men into araie he came foorth to méet his enimies Then was the battell begun with great earnestnesse on both sides continued foure houres till at length the Danes began somewhat to shrinke which when Cnute perceiued he commanded his horssemen to come forward into the forepart of his dawnted host But whilest one part of the Danes gaue backe with feare and the other came slowlie forward the arraie of the whole armie was broken then without respect of shame they fled amaine so that there died that day of Cnutes side foure thousand and fiue hundred men and of king Edmunds side not past six hundred and those were footmen This battell was fought as should appéere by diuerse writers at Okefort or Oteford It was thought that if king Edmund had pursued the victorie and followed in chase of his enimies in such wise as he safelie might haue doone Edriks counsell he had made that day an end of the warres but he was counselled by Edrike as some write in no condition to follow them but to staie and giue time to his people to refresh their wearie bodies Then Cnute with his armie passed ouer the Thames into Essex and there assembled all his power togither and began to spoile and waste the countrie on each hand King Edmund aduertised thereof hasted foorth to succour his people and at Ashdone in Essex three miles from Saffron Walden gaue battell to Cnute where after sore and cruell fight continued with great slaughter on both sides a long time duke Edrike fled to the comfort of the Danes and to the discomfort of the Englishmen Héerevpon king Edmund was constreined in the end to depart out of the field hauing first doone all that could be wished in a woorthie chiestaine both by woords to incourage his men by deeds to shew them good example so that at one time the Danes were at point to haue giuen backe but that Cnute aduised thereof rushed into the left wing where most danger was and so relieued his people there that finallie the Englishmen both wearied with long fight and also discouraged with the running awaie of some of their companie were constreined to giue-ouer and by flight to séeke their safegard so that king Edmund might not by anie meanes bring them againe into order Héere vpon all the waies and passages being forelaid and stopped by the enimies the Englishmen wanting both carriage to make longer resistance and perceiuing no hope to rest in fléeing were beaten downe and slaine in heapes so that few escaped from that dreadfull and bloudie battell There died on king Edmunds side duke Edmund duke Alfrike and duke Goodwine with earle Ulfekettell or Urchell of Eastangle and duke Aileward that was sonne to Ardelwine late duke of Eastangle and to be briefe all the floure of the English nobilitie There were also slaine at this battell manie renowmed persons of the spiritualtie as the bishop of Lincolne and the abbat of Ramsey with others king Edmund escaping awaie got him into Glocestershire and there began to raise a new armie In the place where this field was fought are yet seuen or eight hils wherein the carcases of them that were slaine at the same field were buried and one being digged downe of late there were found two bodies in a coffin of stone of which the one laie with his head towards the others féet and manie chaines of iron like to the water-chains of the bits of horsses were found in the same hill But now to the matter London other great cities townes submit themselues to Cnute be hasteth after Edmund with his power both their armies being readie to incounter by occasion are staied the oration of a capteine in the hearing of both hosts the title and right of the realme of England is put to the triall of combat betweene Cnute and Edmund Cnute is ouermatâ—ched his woords to king Edmund both kings are pacified and their armies accorded the realme diuided betwixt Cnute and Edmund king Edmund traitorouslie slaine the dissonant report of writers touching the maners of his death and both the kings dealing about the partition of the realme Cnute causeth Edrike to be slaine for procuring king Edmunds death wherein the reward of treason is noted how long king Edmund reigned and where he was buried the eclipsed state of England after his death and in whose time it recouered some part of it brightnesse The tenth Chapter IN the meane while that Edmund was buâ—ie to leauie a new armie in Glocester and other parties of Mercia Cnute hauing got so great a victorie as before is mentioned receiued into his obeisance not onelie the citie of London but also manie other cities and townes of great name and shortlie after hasted forward to pursue his enimie king Edmund who was readie with a mightie host to trie the vttermost chance of battell if they should eftsoones ioine Héerevpon both the armies being readie to giue the onset the one in sight of the other at a place called Dearehurst neere to the riuer of Seuerne by the drist of duke Edrike who then at length began to shew some token of good meaning the two kings came to a communication and in the end concluded an agreement as some haue written without anie more adoo Others write that when both the armies were at point to haue ioined one of the capteins but whether he were a Dane or an Englishman it is not certeinlie told stood vp in such a place as he might be heard of both the princes boldlie vttered his mind in former following The oration of a capteine in the audience of the English and Danish armie WE haue most woorthie capteins fought long inough one against another there hath beene but too much bloud shed betweene both the nations and the valiancie of the souldiers on both sides is sufficientlie seene by triall either of your manhoods likewise and yet can you beare neither good nor euill fortune If one of you win the battell he pursueth him that is ouercome and if he chance to be vanquished he resteth no till he haue recouered new strength to fight eftsoones with him that is victor What should you meane by this your inuincible courage At what marke shooteth your greedie desire to beare rule and your excessiue thirst to atteine honour If you fight for a kingdome diuide it betweene you two which sometime was sufficient for seuen kings but if you couet to winne fame and glorious renowme and for the same are driuen to try the hazard whether ye shall command or obeie deuise the waie whereby ye may without so great slaughter and without such pitifull bloudshed of both your guiltlesse peoples trie whether of you is most woorthie to be preferred Thus made he an end and the two princes allowed well of his last motion and so order was taken that they should
this daughter of duke William was departed this life before the comming of these ambassadors and that Harold therevpon thought himselfe discharged of the oth and couenants made to duke William and therefore sent them away with such an vntoward answer But howsoeuer it was after the departure of these ambassadors king Harold doubting what would insue caused his ships to be newlie rigged his men of warre to be mustered and spéedilie put in a readinesse to the end that if anie sudden inuasion should be made and attempted by his enimie he might be able to resist them ¶ About the same time also and vpon the 24 of Aprill whilest Harold was making prouision to withstand the Norman force there appeared a blasing starre which was séene not onelie here in England but also in other parts of the world and continued the space of seuen daies This blasing starre might be a prediction of mischéefe imminent hanging ouer Harolds head for they neuer appeare but as prognosticats of afterclaps To be resolutelie instructed herein doo but peruse a treatise intituled A doctrine generall of comets or blasing starres published by a bishop of Mentz in Latine and set foorth in English by Abraham Fleming vpon the apparition of a blasing starre séene in the southwest on the 10 of Nouember 1577 and dedicated to the right worshipfull sir William Cordell knight then maister of hir maiesties rolles c. Earle Tostie afflicteth his brother Harold on sea and land he taketh the repulse and persuadeth Harfager king of Norweâ—e to attempt the conquest of England against Harold Harfager Tostie with their powers arriue at Humber they fight with the Northumbers vnder the conduct of Edwine and Marchar and discomfit them Harold leuieth an armie against them the rare valiantnes of a Norwegian souldior Harfager and Tostie slaine in battell the Norwegians are foiled and flie Harolds vnequall and parciall diuiding of the spoile he goeth to Yorke to reforme things amisse The ninth Chapter WHilest Harold desirous to reteine and verie loth to let go his vsurped roialtie had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with solemne othes had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against him it came to passe that the proud and presumptuous man was to begin withall vexed in his owne flesh I meane his owne kinred For Tostie the brother of king Harold who in the daies of king Edward for his crueltie had béene chased out of the realme by the Northumbers returning out of Flanders assembled a nauie of ships from diuers parts to the number of 60 with the which he arriued in the I le of Wight there spoiled the countrie and afterward sailing about by the coasts of Kent he tooke sundrie preies their also and came at the last to Sandwich so that Harold was now constreined to appoint the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans to go against his brother earle Tostie Whereof the said Tostie being aduertised drew towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire and there taking land did much hurt in the countrie both with sword and fire till at length Edwine earle of Mercia and Marchar earle of Northumberland aided with the kings nauie chased him from thence and caused him to flie into Scotland not without some losse both of his men and ships This trouble was scarse quieted but streightwaies another came in the necke thereof farre more dangerous than the first For Tostie perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie account of sailed forth into Norweie and there persuaded Harold Harfager king of that realme to saile with an armie into England persuading him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled betwixt the king and his lords which was not so it should be an easie matter for him to make a conquest of the whole realme and reigne ouer them as his predecessors had done before Some authors affirme that Harold king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand of his owne mind and not by procurement of Tostie saieng that Tostie méeting with him in Scotland did persuade him to go forward in his purposed busines and that the said Harold Harfager with all conuenient spéed passed foorth with a nauie of 300 saile entered into the riuer of Tine where after he had rested a few daies to refresh his people earle Tostie came also with his power according to an appointment which should be made betweene them They ad furthermore that they sailed forth alongst the coast till they arriued in the mouth of Humber then drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse they landed at length at a place called Richhall from whence they set forward to inuade the countrie néere vnto Yorke on the north-side of the citie they fought with the power of the Northumbers which was led by the earls Edwine and Marchar two brethren and there discomfited and chased them into the citie with great slaughter and bloudshed Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance made the more hast forward for he was alreadie in the field with his armie intending also to come towards his enimies so that vpon the fift day after he came to Stamford bridge finding there the said king Harfager and Tostie readie imbattelled he first assailed those that kept the bridge where as some writers affirme a Norwegian souldier with his axe defended the passage mauger the whole host of the Englishmen and slue fortie of them or more with his axe might not be ouercome till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge and through and hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare yet Matt. West saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king Harold his seruants threw at him so ended his life Which bridge being woone the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer and ioined with their enimies and after a verie great and sore battell put them all to flight In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was slaine so was Tostie the king of England his brother besides a great number of other as well in the battell as in the chase neither did the Englishmen escape all frée for the Norwegians fought it out a long time verie stoutlie beating downe and killing great numbers of such as assailed them with great courage and assurance The residue of the Norwegians that were left to keepe their ships vnder the guiding of Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie and Paule earle of Orkneie after they vnderstood by their fellowes that escaped from the field how the mater went with Harfager and Tostie they hoised vp their sailes and directed their course homewards bearing sorowfull newes with them into their countrie of the losse of their king and ouerthrow of all his people Some write that