obtained that the Primacy of England was translated from Canterbury to Litchfield in his own Dominions He obtained of Charles the Great that the English going to Rome should be free from Customes and other duties With Charles the Great during his whole Reign he had great intercourse sometimes enmity otherwhiles friendship as appears by the kind Letters of that Emperour written to him yet extant wherein he stiles him the MOST POTENT KING OF THE WEST CHRISTIANS And now about this time were Images first brought into the English Church to be worshipped for Charles the Great sent the decrees of the Synod of Nice into Britain of which hear what Hoveden writes wherein saith he Alas for pity by the unanimous consent of three hundred Bishops or more met together in that Councel were decreed many things inconvenient may quite contrary to the true Faith as is most especially the worshipping of Images which the Church of God doth absolutely hate Against which Book Albinus wrote an Epistle excellently well strengthned with the Authority of the Holy Scriptures which together with the aforesaid Book himself presented in the name of the Princes and Bishops of this Land unto the aforesaid Charles King of France Which Book is reported to have so worked with that Emperour that in the Synod of Frankford he caused those Constitutions to be repealed This Offa to keep the Britains from making inrode into his Country caused a Ditch or Trench to be made almost an hundred miles in length from Sea to Sea that is from the mouth of the River Wy unto Dee concerning which in after daies John of Salisbury in his Policration writeth thus Herald ordained a Law that what Welch-man soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offa's Dike he should have his Right hand cut off by the King's Officers The Issue of King Offa was Fgfrid his Son and Successour Ethelburga married to Birthric King of the West-Saxons of whose life and death you will read in the next Kingdom Elsled supposed second wife of Ethelred King of Northumberland Elsrid the youngest Daughter promised in marriage to Egilbert King of the East-Angles EGFRID EGFRID the Son of Offa had in his life time been made Partner with his Father in the Kingdom and as if his life had been woven up with his he survived him but four Months having given his Subjects the hopes of a longer Reign he restored to the Church whatever his Father and Predecessours had taken from them He had neither Wife nor Issue and was buried in the Church of St. Albans of his Father's foundation KENWOLF KENWOLF of the Royal blood succeeded Egfrid in the Kingdom he had Wars with Ethelbert sirnamed Pren King of Kent whom taking prisoner he brought into Mercia and soon after at the High Altar dismissed having as Simeon reports put out his eyes and lopt off his hands He Reigned twenty one years and was buried in the Monastery of Winchcomb which himself had founded KENELM KENELM the Son of Kenwolf a Child of seven years was left under the Tuition of his elder Sister Quendrid but she ambitious to Rule her self caused him to be made away by one Askbert who alluring him to the Woods on pretence to hunt there slew him and secretly buried his body the murther is said to be miraculously discovered by a Dove dropping a written Note on the Altar at Rome it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Milton thus renders it Low in a Mead of Kine under a Thorn Of head bereast ly'th poor Kenelm King-born Soon after the death of this Prince the Kingdom of Mercia became Tributary to Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch though not without some strugling on both sides but the Actions of suceeding Princes in this Kingdom as they were but few and happened all in the life of that Monarch so I shall reserve them to be told there in their due place for in this Heptarchy I design not to write any further than to his daies who by degrees united the divided States and moulded them into one entire Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE West-SAXONS Contained Counties Cornwall Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hantshire Barkshire KINGS Cerdic Kenric Ceaulin Cearlick Ceowlf Kingils Kenwalch Eskwyn Ketwyn Ceadwalla Ina. Ethelard Cuthred Sigibert Kinwulf Birthric CERDIC CERDIC the Tenth in descent from Woden and the Beginner of the West-Saxon Kingdom with five ships and Kenric his Son setting forth from Germany arrived at Britain in the year 495 and landed at a place afterwards called from his name Cerdic-Shore He was an old experienced Souldier and long exercised in the Wars of Saxony At his first setting foot on land he gave signal proofs of his Valour by often repelling the Britains who endeavoured to hinder this New settlement and for six years together without any fresh supplies maintained his ground with advantage about which time Porta another Saxon with his two Sons Bida and Megla in two ships arrive at Portsmouth thence called and at their first landing slay a British Noble man with many of the Common sort who disorderly gathered against them The Britains to redeem these losses with strong Musters though slowly assemble together under Natanleod or Nazaleod a British King and one of their greatest saith Huntington however he came by so unusual a name but are miserably defeated with the death of their Prince and five thousand of his men In this battel it is said that Cerdic was assisted by Ella the South-Saxon and Oisc King of Kent together with Porta who had now been seven years in the Island From this British King the Saxon Annals write that a small Region adjoyning to Cerdicsford was called Nazaleod Six years after Stuf and Withgar Cerdic's Nephews with three ships land at Cerdics-ford or as others say Certic shore and in a set battel overthrow the Britains and five years following if the former battel be not to be referred to this time Cerdic again with his Son obtained another signal Victory upon the gaining of which and the strength of the new supplies he at last assumed Regal Dignity After he had continued conquering in the Isle twenty four years the Saxon Annals report a third Battel fought at the same place but with doubcful success as if this only had been the field of fortune Mr. Cambden in his Chronographical Description of these two places Cerdic shoar and Cerdics-ford hath much confounded the natural course of this History by placing them at so vast a distance which if true can never be reconciled with the truth of these Relations Cerdic shoar be placeth as far as Yarmouth Cerdic a warlike Saxon saith he landed here i. e. at Yarmouth whereupon the Inhabitants at this day call the place Cerdic-sand and the writers of Histories Cerdic shoar and after he had made sore War upon the Icent took Sea and sayled from hence into the West parts
evidence of the Antiquity of that Sect whom I do make appear were Ancient Priests and Governours in Ecclesiastical and Civil matters in this Nation And by Reason Abraham lived under those Oaks of Mamre so piously the Druids in Example thereof although degenerating from the true substance and intent of so good an Example chose Groves of Oaks under which they performed all the invented Rites and Ceremonies belonging to their Religion To speak further we must confidently according to the Rule and Method of the British History believe Sarron to have Reigned as a British King from Anno Mundi MMVII to MMLXVIII when being Ambitious to extend his Empire he ended his life and kingdom and now we hear of Druis his Son DRUIS the Son of Sarron or as Basing stochius writes his Grand-son by his Son Namnes who died before him succeeded in the Kingdom He is made the Author of the Druids a famous Sect of Philosophers he began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXVIII and held the Government but fourteen years Then BARDUS the Son of Druis next entered upon the Kingdom This is the King of Poets Musicians and Heralds called from him Bardi they were very much given to composing of Genealogies and rehearsing them in publick Assemblies but notwithstanding their great skill in this matter we see they have the misfortune to be put after the Druids in Succession whereas in the fore-going Antiquities it is probably made out they were an Ancienter Order than they in Britain This Bardus began his Reign Anno Mundi MMLXXXII and possest the Scepter seventy five years Now who would not have thought BRITAIN or SAMOTHEA an happy Island having so many Philosophers for their Kings but see the mischief of it Let Samothes Magus Sarron and Druis teach never so Divinely and Bardus Sing or Pipe never so sweetly yet the People will be Adders still there is no reclaiming of the Multitude No wonder therefore that giving themselves to a loose and luxurious life and not keeping up to the strict Rules that had been prescribed to them they were the sooner conquered and subdued by the Giant Albion so that Samothea was wrested from the Celts the Line of Japhet and brought in subjection to the Progeny of Ham. Now it is that stories complain of the miserable Thraldom of this Island by the Sons of Neptune and the delivery of it in part by the death of Albion slain by Hercules though long after it was molested by Giants until the Arrival of Brutus all which Circumstances I will pass over not because they are more Fabulous than the rest but because they seem if they were well timed and cleared of all the Ignorant Rubbish that by age and malice of Writers has over-burthened them to carry some foot-steps of the Phoenicians in this Island who were Men of exceeding proportion and of the Linage of Ham and early Traders into these Parts Likewise the story of Dioclesian or as Mr. Hollinshead corrects it Danaus his Daughter I will omit as too tedious a Fable and so proceed to the succession of the Celtick Kingdom of which Britain is feigned a part This I do not for Truths sake but Convenience It follows therefore out of Basinstoak LONGHO the Son of Bardus succeeded him in the Kindom of the Celtae He made War upon Scandia and gave name to the Longo Bards who afterwards proceeded from that Country I pass over how ridiculously and against all Geography Scandia by Basinstochius is placed about the Coasts of Britain and made an Island These are small faults He begun his Reign Anno Mundi MMCLVII and reigned twenty eight years BARDUS the Second succeeded him He carried Musick into Germany which had been first taught in Celtica by his Grand-father He Reigned seven and thirty years and left a young Son called Celtes who being not ripe enough to Administer the Kingdom LUCUS was elected King who Reigned but Eleven years and then CELTES assumed the Crown From this Prince the Celtae took their Denomination His Mother was called Galathea in honour of whose Memory he gave that name to his Daughter and afterwards married her to Hercules by whom she had a Son named Galathes from whom the Galli are derived He reigned but thirteen years and then HERCULES and GALATHEA succeeded This Hercules built Alexia and passing the Alpes he gave his younger Son Tuscus the Kingdom of Italy and his elder Son Galathes the Celtick Dominion The first Prince reigned nineteen years Galathes held the Kingdom of the Celts forty nine years and then left it to his Son NARBON the Son of Galathes during his Fathers life had the Island of Samothea intrusted to his Government but after the death of his Father he passed into Gallia and there built a City after his own Name he reigned eighteen years LUGDUS his Son succeeded him he built Lugdunum and reigned fifty one years BELIGIUS followed who gave name to the Belgae formerly called Beligici he died without Issue after he had reigned twenty years and the Kingdom of the Celts devolved on JASIUS This Prince was of the Line of Hercules and the year before was created King of Italy so that the two Kingdoms of Celtica and Italy were conjoyned in one Man Anno Mundi MMCCCLXXXIV This raised Envy in his Brother Dardanus who began a Civil-War but not being able to prevail by force of Arms he had recourse unto Policy so that feigning Reconciliation with his Brother he takes all his Goods and Shipping them enters into his Brothers Palace and there Murthers him as he was Bathing this being effected he flies into Samothrace afterwards into Phrygia Jasius had a Son named CORYBANTUS he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Italy but not of the Caeltes Jasius reigned fifty years ALLOBROX of the line of Hercules obtained the Kingdom of the Celti he Reigned sixty eight years and ROMUS his Son succeeded him he Governed twenty nine years PARIS the Son of Romus Ruled thirty nine years LEMANES the Son of Paris Reigned sixty seven years OLBIUS the Son of Lemanes Reigned five years From this Olbius Basinstochius derives Albion the Name of this Island GALATHES the Second succeeded him and Reigned eight and forty years NAMNES followed and Governed forty four years and being about to end his daies he bequeathed the Kingdom to his Son Remus REMUS the Son of Namnes Reigned forty years He left only a Daughter which he had married before to Phranicus a Prince of the Blood of Hector PHRANICUS held the Scepter in right of his Wife but leaving Samothea to be Governed by the Druids he betook himself to the Continent called by his Name France so that the Britains readily received King BRUTUS at his Arrival into this Island as is pretended by those who desired to claim an honourable Title from that Race of the Trojans This is the account of the Celtick Kings before BRUTE according to Berosus and Basinstochius Who can but wonder at the exact and
Let therefore the case of Brute remain as it did in Mr. Cambdens daies to be decided by the Senate of Antiquaries and great Clerks to the number of which cited by him namely are Boccace Ludovicus Vives Hadrian Junius Polidore Buchanan Vignier Genebrad Molinaeus Bodine who all reject this story I will now add that famous Antiquary Mr. Selden who askes this Question If the right of Primogeniture invested the eldest Son absolutely in the Kingdom according to the Custome of Troy as it is found in the succession of the Trojan Kings How comes it to pass that this Custome was not brought over into Britain a Question not hitherto fully Answered no not by Mr. Taylour Author of the History of Gavelkind who will have Mr. Selden to be in jest and merriment when he demands upon this account How our Britains claim their descent from the Trojans when as this Question was but sober and rational and hath true reference to the Custome of Troy where the Eldest Son alwaies Inherited the entire Dominion of his Father which by many of the British Kings was not observed Nay this usage of Troy was Religiously observed by the Successors of AEnaeas in the Kingdom of the Latins for when Silvius Posthumus and Iulus contended about the Right of Government Iulus was utterly deposed and invested only with the Priesthood and there was no thoughts of sharing the Kingdom By this it is manifest Mr. Selden had relation to the Custome of Troy and not to any Gavel-kind among the Welch And now I will proceed to the second British King LOCRINE the eldest Son of Brute began his Reign Anno Mundi 2874 over this part of the Island since called England which Portion was allotted to him by the division of his Father as being the fairest parcel of his Empire During his Reign his Brother Albanact was Invaded by Humber King of the Hunns or Scythians and finally by him slain Locrine and Camber raised Forces to revenge the death of their Brother and so marched into the North to seek out Humber and finding him upon the borders of Scotland then called Albania they gave him battle and speedily vanquisht him so as himself and Army after a hot Chase were drowned in a River and from that time the River was named HUMBER In this pursuit he took three fair Ladies the most beautiful of which named Estrild a Scythian Princess he most doted on that notwithstanding a former Contract between him and Guendolaena Corinaeus his Daughter resolved to take this Lady to wife but the power and authority of Corinaeus forced him to lay aside that present Resolution so that marrying Guendolaena nevertheless privately enjoyed his beloved Estrild keeping her in secret during the life of his Father in Law Corinaeus which he performed saith the Count Palatine by the help of a Vault to which under pretence of sacrificing to the Infernal Gods he often resorted No sooner Corinaeus was dead but he owned her for his Queen which so incensed Guendolaena that although Locrine was strengthened by the accession of Cambria upon the death of his Brother yet she goes into Cornwal and by powerful Sollicitations in the behalf of her self and young Son Madan the Cornish are brought to assist her With these Forces she marched again Locrine and in a pitcht Battle nigh the River Stour he is overcome and slain upon this according as she would have it the Kingdom fell to her Son MADAN the Son of Locrine by Guendolaena although a Child yet succeeded his Father Anno Mundi 2894. During his Minority his Mother was made Regent of the Kingdom which she administred with all Justice until the full Age of her Son and after the resignment of her Power she retired into Cornwal This Kings severity in putting the Laws in Execution was esteemed a Tyrant and after he had Reigned forty years he was devoured with Wild Beasts He built Madancaster now Dancaster but Dancaster or Doncaster took its Name as Mr. Cambden supposes from the River Dona upon which it standeth This Madan left two Sons behind him Mempricius and Manlius MEMPRICIUS the eldest Son of Madan began his Reign Anno Mundi 2949 over the whole Island but Manlius his younger Brother rebelled against him To suppress this Rebellion Mempricius signified a desire to Treat with his Brother who consenting to it was treacherously at a meeting Murthered The King having put an end to that trouble wallowed in Ease and Luxury and not content with his Wives and Concubines he falls to horrid Rapes and at last to unnatural Sodomy but in the conclusion of all was slain by wild Beasts after his Government had lasted about twenty years EBRANCKE the Son of Mempricius by his lawful Wife began to Rule Anno Mundi 2969 he had two and twenty Wives of whom he had Issue twenty Sons and thirty Daughters the Eldest of which was named Guales or Gualea These Daughters under the Conduct of their Brothers he sent to Silvius Alba the Eleventh King of Italy and the sixth King of the Latins and this he did because he heard the Sabines would not give their Daughters in Marriage to the Latins What a ridiculous Prolepsis is this of an Action that happened many years after in the daies of Romulus and how without any sense or reason is it ascribed to these Times The Sabines denied their Daughters to that scum of People Romulus by his Asylum had pickt up but why should they do it while the Kingdom of the Latins was in splendour under the Kings of Alba. In making of Silvius Alba the sixth King of the Latins Jeoffery of Monmouth is in the right and now we have a Clue to lead us in to the understanding of this Genealogy of AEnaeas namely he makes the Kings of Alba to succeed lineally from Father to Son and therefore because Silvius Posthumus followed Ascanius in the Kingdom he is ignorantly supposed his Son whereas Iulus was the Son of Ascanius who being deposed by the People Silvius the Son of AEnaeas by Lavinia was advanced to the Crown succeeding Ascanius his half Brother not his Father in the Kingdom By the same Mistake we find in the British History One and twenty Kings from Porrex to Minnegen to be made of a Lineal descent and yet but Ninety two years allowed for all their Reigns so that they begat one another at four or five years old whereas if there be any truth in the Lives of those Kings they ought to have been made Contemporary and to have Ruled different parts of the Island as the Government thereof was found divided in the daies of Julius Caesar when Kent alone had four Princes a little before whose time these KINGS are supposed But to return to Ebrancke After that his Sons had conducted their Sisters under the Conduct of their Brother Assaracus to Silvius Alba being provoked by the Germans they entred that Nation and by the assistance of Silvius Conquered it Some write
or rather Heads of Laws but how they should be translated by Gildas who professeth he knew nothing of the Britains before caesar I know not The bringing also of the four great Roads that ran cross Britain are referred to this King but Mr. Cambden with more Reason brings them down to the Romans time whom Mr. Selden intimates He is supposed to build Malmsbury and two neighbouring Castles Lacoc and Tetbury Malmsbury was called by him Caer Bladon but upon what account Authors make no mention The Ancient name of it was also changed by the Saxons into Ingleborne Maildulfburg Adelmsberg Marleberg and in Antoninus his Ittnerarium is thought to be that Cunetio mentioned by him scituated upon the River Kenet Another place built by this Prince is the Vies called Devisio Devies and Divise He erected also a Temple in Troy-novant and dedicated it to Peace and Concord in the place afterwards named Blackwell-Hall He is reported the first Prince of Britain that was enstalled with the Rites and Ceremonies of Coronation wearing a Golden Crown and other Kingly Ornaments at his solemn Inauguration a Custome neglected by his Predecessors as having more Right and so needed less state and formality Having Reigned forty years and appointed his two Sons his Successors He departed this life and was buried in the Temple of Concord in Troynovant BELINUS and BRENNUS his two Sons succeed him Anno Mundi 3574. Princes famous in the Roman Histories for their sacking Rome their Conquest of Pannonia Macedonia and the destroying of Apollo's samous Temple at Delphos Sr. John Price supposes Belinus to be that Belgius mentioned in those Histories and that the mistake in naming him Belgius for Belinus proceeded from this cause The Scribe might write Belius for Belinus then n for shortness being writ over the head which being over seen by those that transcribed it afterwards came to be written Reljus with the j Consonant and afterwards for sounds sake made Belgius concerning which they that desire to be better satisfied may have recourse to his Defence of the British History where also he proveth against Polidore Virgil that Brennus was the same person that sackt Rome and destroyed the Temple at Delphos where he also sheweth that he died not in Italy and that the destruction of that Temple did not happen so long after the sacking of Rome as Poltdore would needs have it concerning all which Circumstances and many others the Reader is referred to Sr. John Price because I intend not to write a History of Rome save only what shall relate to the Roman Antiquity but of Britain the Actions of Brennus and Belgius being sufficiently known as they relate to that City And in the Judgments of most Persons it will seem unequal to hang the Antiquity of the Roman Writers upon the credit of the British BELINUS and BRENNUS being left Co-heirs of the Kingdom by their Father fell to the dividing of it Belinus gave to his younger Brother Albania reserving to himself all the sair Possessions on this side the Hamber This division being so Ancient and equal yet contented not Brennus whose Ambition aimed at higher matters to the effecting of which after seven years peacable Reign he endeavoured to strengthen himself with powerful Allies and to that purpose sails into Norway after he had according to some secured his Interest in Armorica called Britain in France and in the Country of the Allobroges here he marrieth the Daughter of the Norwegian King Elsin. Belinus hearing of these Actions of his Brother and doubting the Consequence especially because he understood him to be a Feudatory Prince and so bound to give an account before hand of his Actions entred and seized all his Dominions securing his Forts and Navies Brennus advised of this prepares for his Return and was attended with the Navy Royal of Norway accompanied with a mighty Army After a few daies sail he was set upon by Guilthdacus King of Denmark who had been a long Suitor to the Daughter of Elsin King of Norway In this Conflict the Norwegian Fleet was worsted and the Ship wherein the new Bride was conveyed is taken but Brennus escapes by flight Afterwards it happened that a mighty Storm arising Guilthdacus by force of Weather was driven upon the Coast of Northumberland where he was detained by Belinus In some reasonable time after that Brennus having recollected his scatter'd Navy and new Rigg'd and furnished his Ships with Men and Provisions he sent to his Brother Belyn to restore him his Wife and Possessions injuriously by him detained this Request being denied notwithstanding the Justness occasioned him to Land in Albania and marching up into the Country at a Wood named Calater he met and Encountered with his Brother but was overcome to the utter ruine of all his Army so that with twelve only of his Retinue he fled into Gallia whether this was his first or second Voyage thither is uncertain where he found kind entertainment from Seguinus or Seginus King of Armorica or Britain Whilst he was securing his Interest in that Nation Belinus his Brother calls a Councel of his Kingdom where it was debated what Proceedings to use towards the King of Denmark and finally concluded that he should enjoy his Liberty upon doing Homage to the King of Britain and paying a yearly Tribute to the value of a thousand pound which being agreed to by that King sor himself and Successors he was honourably dismissed After these happy Successes Belyn set himself to the finishing of that great Work begun by his Father Dunwallo the making and paving four great High-waies through his Kingdom of Loegria now called England The first is named Foss and beginneth at the Corner of Totness in Cornwal and passeth through Devonshire and Somersetshire and so to Coventry Leicester and from thence as Ranulph a Monk of Chester recordeth through the Wastes to Newark and ended at Lincoin But what these Wastes should be Mr. Cambden is at a stand who saies that the Common voice was That it went full North through Notinghamshire and that Antonine the Emperour seems to carry it Northwards through Leicestershire into Lincolnshire And he adds that of this Way there are some Tracts of it found by Old Ruines but none in the other The second Way is named Watling street and runneth South-east into North-east and crosseth the Foss. It beginneth at Dover and passeth by the middle of Kent over the Thames beside London by West of Westminster and so on by Sr. Albans and by the West-side of Dunstable Stratford Toucester and Wedon and by South Killingborn or Killebourn by Athriston to Gilbert's Hill that now is named Wrekin and so by Severn passing beside Worcester and thence to Stratton and so to the middle of Wales to a place called Cardigan on the Irish Sea The third Way is named Erming street This goeth from West North west unto East South-east and beginneth at Menevia at St. Davids in Wales and runneth on
the Souldiers proclaimed him Emperour and Trebonianus with his Son to revenge themselves were both slain in fight against him after they had sate in the Empire not quite two years but AEmilian was in four months afterwards deposed and slain by the same Souldiers that advanced him P. Licinius Valerianus VALERIANUS was advanced to the Empire by the Praetorian Souldiers a Man of so great Repute and so infinitely beloved that he soon eclipsed the glory of AEmilian He began the Eighth Persecution but after he had Reigned seven years in a Battle against Sapor King of Persia he was taken Prisoner and for seven years more lived in a miserable Captivity being made the Footstool of that Tyrant suffering all manner of Indignities that an Insolent and Barbarous Conquerour could invent for him Publius Licinius Galienus GALIENUS the Son of Valerian succeeded his Father in the Empire He is described a proud and unfortunate Prince and yet not ill beloved by the People because his Vices were agreeing with the times He was prodigal and luxurious wasting the Publick Treasury in vain and fruitless Experiments all tending to Lust Gluttony and Riot careless of the Common danger and through a haughty Ignorance unapprehensive of his own In his daies the Empire was on all sides strongly Invaded the Germans infested Italy the Goths Greece Pontus and Asia the Sarmatians seized Austrick and Hungary the Persians spoiled Syria the Saxons brake into Gallia the Francks into Spain so that the Empire had been utterly ruined through the careless neglect of Galienus had not several Commanders in several places undertaken the defence of it They were Thirty together and all assumed the Imperial Robe and are called by Historians the Thirty Tyrants Six of them namely Lollianus Victorinus Posthumus the two Tetrici Father and Son and Marius are conjectured to have risen or born sway in this Island as appeareth by many of their Coyns found in England but especially at Colchester The memory of Marius as Mr. Cambden conjectureth is preserved in that Inscription MARII VICTORIAE of which I have spoken before and some think that a Stone found in Hampshire bearing this Inscription MEMORIAE FL. VICTORI NAE T. TAM VICTOR CONJUX POSUIT It was erected to the honour of Victorina or Victoria the Mother of Victorinus the second Tyrant afterwards slain by his Souldiers This Victorina was called Master Castrorum or the Mother of the Camp and did not only set up her Son and Grand-son both of them Victorini against Galienus but after their deaths Marius also and both the Tetrici Hence it is that Porphyrius a Philosopher then living saith That BRITAIN was a soyl fruitful of Tyrants Marius enjoyed his new Soveraignty but three daies as for Tetricus and his Son they held it out till the time of Aurelianus when we shall hear more of them Galienus Reigned eight years after the Captivity of his Father and was then slain at the Siege of Milan by three of his own Captains Martian Heraclian and Ceronius who agreed among themselves to divide the Empire but their Treason was so ill resented that they never durst put in their Pretentions M. Aurelius Flavius Claudius HE was a most worthy Prince wise of Counsel and experienced in Wars The Publick Invaders of the Empire the Goths he drove back with the slaughter of three hundred thousand fighting Men and two thousand Ships the Germans he utterly subdued and established again their Subjection to the Roman Power Having performed these great Actions and minding now to reduce the Empire to its Unity in Government he died of a Feavour as he was preparing against Tetricus who held the Western Provinces He Ruled two years and then his Brother QUINTILIUS was chosen by the Italian Souldiers but he enjoyed his Election but seventeen daies for the Victorious Army of Claudius thinking they had better right to create an Emperour set up AURELIUS in somuch that Quintilius finding it in vain to contend ended his life by opening his own Veins or as other say was slain by his Army for his too great severity in Discipline THE British Writers CONCERNING CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS by our Writers is allowed a lawful King of this Island for from the daies of Gordian which are twenty four years our home-spun Histories make an Inter-regnum GORDIAN was allowed King as being the Father of this Claudius for as I said before by the Law of the British Histories the Right of Inheritance ascends and even Grandfathers hold their Kingdoms by the title of their Grand-children Let us see therefore by what Right Claudius is accounted King We have heard before that one of his Titles to the Crown was that from his Line descended Constantius who held it in right of his Wife Helena a British Woman and so sent the Title up to his Ancestour the present Claudius The Genealogy runs thus Claudius had two Brothers Quinctilius and Crispus Claudius and Quinctilius dying without Issue Crispus had a Daughter named Claudia who marrying Eutropius was the Mother of Constantius But now I shall shew his other Title by which he claims gathered out of the Roman Histories Pollio a Roman Writer in the Life of Claudius hath these words He seemeth to draw his Original from Dalmatia although others say he was a Dardanian by Birth descended of the Trojans in Ilium and of the Blood of Dardanus himself thus far Pollio And can we think that the British Writers will slip so fair an occasion of making another Trojan Prince in this Island No certainly hear therefore I pray Basingstoke There is a wonderful and secret power of Nature saith he whereby the Trojan Original of the Britains despised by so many and slighted by Julius Caesar is still brought to the Empire as is manifest in Severus his marriage with Martia and Constantius taking Helena to Wife which Constantius descended of Claudius who was of Trojan Race Thus we see the Kingdom of Brute by the wonderful working of Nature restored again to the Trojans and that it may not be done without an Oracle take this story out of Pollio which for the worthiness of it I set down among the British Histories Claudius being well setled in the Empire required of the Gods how long he 〈◊〉 enjoy it The Answer was given Tu qui nunc Patrias gubernas or as Et mundum Regis arbiter Deorum in veteres tuis novelliis Regnabunt etenim ter minores Et Reges facient suos minores Thou who thy Fathers Kingdom now dost Rule And dost the World and Gods Command The next is imperfect but then follows Thy Off-spring after thee shall bear the sway And Kings shall their Inferiours stand By his Off-spring is meant Constantius and his Son Constantine but it seems Claudius not yet satisfied enquires further of his own life The Oracle answered Tertia dum Latio regnantem viderit aestas Three Summers thou in Italy shalt reign When finding the Gods more favourable to his
it as high a piece of Courtship to conform to the present way of worship their old Idolatry and now again revived Superstition In vain did Lawrence Successor to Augustine in the See of Canterbury endeavour by diligent preaching to stop the tide of this Apostasie for preferment at Court and the Countenance of the Prince drew more Proselites to Heathenisin than the good lives and examples of constant Professours could keep true and sincere in the maintenance of the Gospel But he was not long unpunished for whether workt by the strength of Education which suffereth not without violence principles well grounded to be rooted up or whether indeed as is related possessed with an evil Spirit he fell into soul fits of phrenzy and distraction the convulsions of the mind and often torments of an evil Conscience And now whilst in human appearance there seemed no hopes of amendment it so fell out that by extraordinary means he became penitent The story goes that Lawrence finding his labours ineffectual was resolved to retire into France and follow Justus and Melitus the one expelled London the other Rochester for the Apostasie was now spread wide into the Country of the East-Saxons also being at his devotions the night before his intended departure in the Church of St. Peter that Saint appeared to him and to make the Vision more sensible gave him many stripes for offering to desert his Charge the marks of which the next morning being shewn to the King with the cause why and the person from whom they were received so wrought upon his fancy already prepared that immediately forsaking his Incestuous life he embraced again the Christian Religion and became as zealous a Professour as he had been a violent Persecutor Though it should seem by the following Epistle of Pope Boniface that Justus not Laurentius was his Converter The Epistle of Boniface V. To Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successor of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury To our most Beloved Brother Justus Boniface sendeth Greeting WIth what devotion and watchfulness your Brotherhood hath laboured for the Gospel of Christ not only the tenour of your Letter directed to us hath manifested but the granted accomplishment of your undertaking For neither hath Almighty God forsaken the Obligation of his Name or the fruit of your Labour in what he faithfully promised to the preachers of the Gospel Behold I am with you even to the end of the World Which his clemency hath particularly shewn in your ministery opening the hearts of the Gentiles to receive the singular mystery of your preaching for with a great reward and the assistance of his goodness he hath illustrated the delightful course of your proceedings whilst of the Talents committed unto you by a faithful improvement rendring him a plentiful increase he hath prepared for you to lay up by multiplying the kind And this also is conferred on you by that retribution who constantly persisting in the ministry laid upon you with a commendable patience wait for the redemption of that Nation and that they might be profitable to yours their salvation is begun The Lord saying Whosoever shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Ye are saved therefore by a patient hope and the strength of forbearance that the hearts of unbelievers being purged from the natural disease of Superstition might obain the mercy of their Saviour For having received an express from King Eadbald our Son we find with how great knowledge in holy teaching your Brotherhood hath brought his mind to a true conversion and the belief of our undoubted faith Upon which occasion having a certain assurance of the continuance of the divine Clemency we believe that by the ministry of their preaching will follow not only the full conversion of those under his command but of the neighbouring Nations also Since as it is written The recompence of your works accomplished shall be given by the Lord the Rewarder of all good things And it may truly be effected that the sound of them hath gone throughout the whole earth and their words to the ends of the earth by an universal confession of Nations professing the Christian Faith Polydore Virgil relates that hereupon he was Baptized but it seemeth strange that Ethelbert so Religious a Prince had neglected that pious office to his Son and as for re-baptizing in case of Heresie or Apostasie it had been long before condemned in the Church After his conversion he re-called Melitus and Justus from banishment and built a Chappel within the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Canterbury He reigned twenty four years and by Emma daughter of Theodebert a French Prince had two Sons Ermenred and Ercombert Ermenred died before his Father and left a Daughter Dompnena and two infant Sons behind him Ethelred and Ethelbert but the Kingdom required a man to govern it Ercombert the younger Son succeeded his Father ERCOMBERT ERCOMBERT notwithstanding his elder Brother's Sons were living took possession of the Kingdom What he wanted in Right he made out in good Government being reported a most Religious and Christian King The Saxon Idols yet standing he utterly demolisht and commanded the Fast of Lent to be universally observed but he is noted by some for not restoring at his death the Kingdom to his Nephew whose undoubted Right it was But leaving two Sons behind Egbert and Lothair whom he had by Sexburg the daughter of Anna King of the East-Saxons it fell to them successively He reigned twenty four years EGBERT EGBERT the eldest Son of Ercombert after his Father's death obtained the Crown but conscious that the right of Inheritance lay in his Uncle's Sons Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure himself he dispatcht them both casting their bodies into a River that their murther might not be known but they were afterwards by the stream cast up upon the shore and discovered by the next Inhabitants who in great veneration for before they were esteemed Saints and now Martyrs interred their bodies and built over them a little Chappel or Oratory Their bones were afterwards removed and laid in the Abby of Ramsey in Hantshire Their Sister Dompnena married to Merwald a Mercian Prince founded the Abby of Minster in Kent wherein saith Stow she became the first Abbess Mr. Cambden placeth that Abby in Sheppy and saith it was founded by Sexburga Wife of Ercombert To make amends for this Murther he gave to the Mother of these Princes part of Tanet wherein to build and Abby His ill-gotten Power was but short reigning only nine years he left behind him two Sons Edric and Wigtred but his Brother Lothair seized the Kingdom In his days the Province of Kent was divided into Parishes by Theodorus not Honorius Arch-bishop of that See as Mr. Speed falsly accounteth who placeth also this Action in the days of Ercombert LOTHAIR LOTHAIR taking the advantage of the Minority of his Nephews stept into the Throne but he enjoyed it not in Peace
Deo Inspirante pro animae suae remedio dedit Episcopo Melito terram quae appellatur Tillingham ad Monasterium sive solatium scilicet Sancti Pauli Et ego Rex AETHELBERT ita firmiter concedo tibi Praesuli Melito potestatem ejus habendi possidendi ut in perpetuum in Monasterii utilitate permaneat c. Afterwards these two Princes founded the Church of St. Peters on the west of London at a place called Thorney where there stood a Ruinous structure built as the report goes by King Lucius upon the foundations of a Temple of Diana Here Sebert after thirteen years Reign was interred as likewise his Wife Anthelgoda more to be commended if he had laid the foundation of Christian Religion in the hearts of his Children as he had done in sticks and stones but dying his three Sons SERED SEWARD and SIGIBERT jumpt all at once into the Throne three heady and ungracious Princes for their Father was no sooner laid in the earth but they cast off publickly the Christian Religion and did open spight to its Professors Take the Relation from Bede Sebert departing this life to a better left his Kingdom to his three Sons who immediately returned to the open profession of Idolatry which during their Father's life they had partly dissembled and by publick allowance encouraged their Subjects in the worship of Idols when they saw the Bishop celebrating of Mass in the Church and delivering the Host to the people they haughtily demanded as report goes and with as much folly as impiety Why reach you not out the glittering Bread to us as well as you used to do to our Father Suaba for so in derision they called him and still continue to give unto the people To whom the Bishop made this Answer If you will be washed in the same fountain of life as your Father was you may also be partaker of the same Holy Bread But they persisting in their demands and the Bishop resolutely refusing they in great passion and fury banisht him their Kingdom who there-upon returned into Kent which at that time under Eadbald was in the same plight and afterwards passed into France with Justus then Bishop of Rochester But divine Vengeance suffered not long their impiety to go unpunished For going out to War against the West Saxons they were all cut off by the sword But nevertheless though the Authors of this Apostacy were taken away yet the people could not for some time be brought to embrace the Christian Religion Seward left Issue Sigibert SIGIBERT the First SIGIBERT Sirnamed the Little the Son of Seward the second Son of Sebert succeeded his Father in the Kingdom he hath left nothing behind him of his Reign so that he might be stiled the Little as well for his Actions as his Person He left a Son named Sighere and a Brother called Sebba but neither of them immediately succeeded him SIGIBERT the Second SIGIBERT the second of that name the Son of Segebald the Brother of Sebert reigned next in the Kingdom of the East-Saxons At his first coming to the Crown he was a Pagan with all his People but was at length converted by the ardent perswasions of OSWY King of Northumberland with whom he had contracted a near intimacy resorting often to the Court of that Prince to visit him Oswy who wisely knew how to improve the kindness of his Friend for the advantage of his Soul at last by friendly endearments at his own Palace upon the Wall brought him to Baptism which he received at the hands of Finnan a Bishop Being to return into his own Country he desired that some Preacher might be sent with him to instruct his People in the Religion which he himself had received Oswy to satisfie his just Requests chooseth one Gedda a laborious Pastor then residing in the Country of the Mercians to go along with him who coming into the Country of the East-Saxons by the help of others joyned with him in the Ministry so wrought upon the People committed to his charge that the Gospel of Christ daily increased more and more throughout the whole Province Gedda as a reward of his labours and to gain more Authority to his preaching was afterwards by Finnan at Lindesfern created Bishop of the East-Saxons which office he executed with great commendation for the space of many years ordaining Priests and Deacons for his assistance and Baptizing in all parts but especially at Ithancester and Tilbury Whilst these things were doing Sigibert who still continued stedfast in Religion was almost barbarously slain by the conspiracy of two of his Kinsmen who were attending of his person Being demanded after the Murther what it was that moved them to an act so foul and treasonable it is reported they returned this savage Answer That they had killed him for his easiness of Temper in forgiving Injuries and pardoning his enemies whenever they askt it Some have attributed his death to the judgment of God upon him for his disregarding the Censures of the Church and they give us this Relation One of these Earls that flew him had unlawfully married a Wife and being admonisht thereof refused notwithstanding to put her away for which sin being excommunicated but still continuing obstinate it was strictly forbidden under pain of the same Censure for any one to come under his Roof much less to eat or drink with him Notwithstanding this Sentence the King invited to a Banquet goes to his House but in his return meeting the Bishop he was struck with remorse and lighting from his Horse fell at his feet begging pardon for his offence It is said that the Bishop also alighting came up to the King and touching his head with his rod spake these words in the Authority of a Bishop Because thou wouldst not refrain from entring the House of the accursed in the same House shalt thou die And so indeed it came to pass This Gedda going afterwards to visit his Native Country of Northumberland upon the motion of King Ediswald there Reigning founded the Monastery of Lustinghem which he consecrated with Fasting and Prayer Sigibert is said to have Reigned fourteen years he left behind him a Son named Selred but the Crown fell not to him immediately after his Father's death but he followed many others who wore it before him SWITHELM SWITHELM the Brother of Segibert succeeded him in the Province of the East-Saxons we hear nothing of him but the course of his Christianity being baptized by Gedda in the Province of the East-Angles at a place of the Kings called Rendelsham Ediswald the Brother of King Anna and King of the East-Angles receiving him at the Font SIGHERE SIGHERE and SEBBA after the death of Swithelm took joyntly on them the government of the State the former was the Son of Sigibert the Little the latter his Brother They divided the Province into two Governments each of which they ruled distinctly In the beginning of their Reign there was
seen an Eclipse of the Sun on the third of May which was followed by a grievous Dearth and Pestilence beginning in the south parts but spreading to the north and over all Ireland with great Mortality Sighere and his People unsteady in faith attributed this Plague to the displeasure of their old Gods and returned again to their Superstition building up their Altar and erecting their Images which had been cast down Which when Wulfur the Mercian came to understand he sent Jaruman a godly Bishop who by faithful endeavours in that kind soon recovered them of this second Apostasie But Sebba with those under his command held stedfast in the Faith and after the death of Sighere reigned many years until weary of the troubles of this World he resigned his Crown and took upon him the habit of a Monk in the Monastery of St. Pauls in London which habit he received at the hands of Waldhere or Walthere Bishop of London to whom he brought a great sum of mony to be distributed in Charitable uses reserving nothing for himself that he might faith my Author be as well poor in substance as in mind and all to gain the Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven where he died and was buried and his Tomb to our daies stood in the North-wall of the Chancel of that Church being thither translated in the year 1148. He had two Sons the eldest of which named Sigherd was a Monk with his Father as Bede saies and of the youngest named Seofrid there is nothing recorded though some make him to reign seven years after his Father Sighere married Oswith the Daughter of Edilfrith King of Northumberland who in the daies of her Husband is said to be the Abbess of Barking and was afterwards reputed a Saint By her he had a Son named Offa who succeeded Sebba in the Kingdom OFFA OFFA the Son of Sighere a comely person in his youth and as much admired for the endowments of mind as of body reigned the space of eight years much desired of the People When out of a Religious fondness he forsakes his Wife Kineswith the Daughter of Penda and with Kendred King of Mercia and Edwin Bishop of Worcester goes to Rome where he is shorn a Monk his Queen after his departure vowed her self a Vailed Nun in the Abby of Kineburg where his Sister was Abbess SELRED SELRED the Son of Sigibert the Good came at length to the Crown which he held thirty eight years and then died a violent death but how or from whom received is not reported leaving no Issue behind him SUTHRED SUTHRED the last King of the East-Saxons was driven out of his Kingdom by Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch at which time this Province with others was annexed to the Crown of all the Principality of the Saxons this had been most unstable in the Faith having twice fallen into open Apostasie And this perhaps might be the true Reason that of all the rest it was the most Inglorious being Tributary throughout to one Prince or other and never able to stand upon its own feet by the just judgment of God who visited their sins upon them that they who could stoop to stocks and stones should also be servants to their Neighbours For if we consider the outward advantages it enjoyed in the beginning of its foundation we should sooner judge it would be able to give Laws to its Neighbours than receive from them It was excellently bounded on the East and South by the Ocean and River Thames which at once enriched and secured it It had under its command the City of London which Bede in these daies writes was a Princely Mart for all Comers both by Sea and Land On the other side it had no bordering settlements of Saxons in its first infancy to share in its Conquests or strengthen its ground an inconvenience which many other Provinces were forced to struggle with The lands were seated very pleasant and fruitful and the Countries adjoyning lay open to their farther progress yet notwithstanding all these admirable advantages it was continually in a pining condition scarce able to bear up the name of a Province much less the dignity of a Kingdom And in its final surrender to Egbert hardly afforded a good morsel to that Conquerour For London obeying the Mercians went not along with it but holding out with the Countries near adjacent it cost some more time in the gaining of it THE KINGDOM OF THE South-SAXONS Contained Counties Surry Sussex KINGS Ella Cissa Edilwalch ELLA THE Kingdom of the South-Saxons was precedent to the former in time and the glory of its Actions but not continuance of its Dominion for as it was begun with the first so it was the soonest of all determined the foundations whereof were laid by ELLA the eleventh from Woden not long after the arrival of Hengist for whether sent for by him or coming on his own accord as a New Adventurer with his three Sons Kymen Pletting and Cissa in three ships he lands at a place since that called Kymenshore now Shoreham a well known Harbour in Sussex At his first landing he set upon the Britains and with great slaughter drove them into the Wood Andreds-league which Mr. Cambden calls Andreds-wald so named from Caer-Andred adjoyning which in the Book Notitia Provinciarum is termed Anderida with a Haven hard by of the same name But the Britains thus driven back suffered not Ella to enjoy his ground in quiet for continually sallying out upon him from the neighbouring Woods and Forrests and their chief Garrison at Caer-Andred called by the Saxons afterwards Andreds-cester now Newenden in Kent they often-times repelled him with great dammage and as is thought with the death of his two eldest Sons Kymen and Pletting Ella to supply these losses sends over to old Saxony at this day Holstein in Denmark for more Recruits which come he gives them battel at Mercredeshowrn or Mercreds-Burnamsted wherein he obtained an absolute Victory but Huntington makes doubtful which side carried the day And it appears that after this engagement new Forces were sent for into Germany but whether a second time or that the last supplies are to be placed after this battel is left uncertain But an Argument of Victory on the Saxons side is that now it is generally reported that Ella took upon him Kingly Dignity namely three years after the death of Hengist in the year of our Lord 492 for the difference of computations herein is not great unless we follow them who confound the time of his Entrance with that wherein he assumed Power ELLA grown great with Conquests and Recruits taking his Son Cissa with him besieges Andredchester the chief Rendezvous of the Enemy who nettled with the thoughts to see their principal Garrison invaded and weighing the fatal consequences if it should fall into his hands there being scarce any other place considerable left them in the South gather from all parts and strive if possible to
Authors give no account contented to satisfie us in the Nobility of his extraction But however he came to wear the Dignity he is certainly reported worthy of it being invincible in War and in Peace tempering the awe of Majesty with a natural sweetness and humanity with which Princely qualities he Reigned fourteen years some say but twelve during which time he built the Castle or Town of Bebanburg or Bamburg which he first fenced with Pales aad afterwards encompast with a Stone-wall He had twelve Sons half by Wives half by Concubines His Legitimate were as Huntington reporteth Adda Bealric Thedric Ethelric Osmer and Thedred Illegitimate Oga Ecca Oswald Ailric Soge and Sogother who saith Matthew of Westminster arrived at Flemuburg in fourty ships and assisted their Father in many of his Wars The bounds of this Kingdom began in the South at the River Tine and extended to the North as far as the Frith of Edenborough and Dunbritton ELLA ABOUT this time namely in the year 561. 〈◊〉 Prince the twelfth from Woden but by another Line follow 〈◊〉 example of lda erected another Kingdom in 〈◊〉 the bounds whereof reached from the Humber to the River Tine He reigned thirty years and left a Son called Edwin and a Daughter named Acca but after his death the Kingdom was seized by the race of lda who taking advantage of the Childhood of Edwin kept him from the Crown and annext the whole Territory to their own Dominion ETHELRIC ETHELRIC the only Son of lda surviving after his Brothers and Kinsmen had reigned without other Memory in Bernicia came to the Crown in his old age Nothing of him memorable is recorded and 〈◊〉 writeth that had it not been for the lustre of his Son succeeding him he might utterly have been forgotten however we must not pass over that during his Reign Edwin the lawful King of Deira enjoyed not that Crown but whether Ethelric usurped his right or only managed the state during his Minority is left uncertain but sure it is that he held both the Provinces and so left them to his Son and Successour Edelfrid who resolved to keep what his Father left him though never so unjustly EDELFRID EDELFRID sir named the wild succeeded in his Father's Kingdom of Northumberland a Prince valiant and thirsty of Renown and some describe him a Lover of War for War's sake only None of the Saxons ever wasted the Britains so much as he whose Countries he either peopled with his own Nation or made Tributary to him Edan King of the bordering Scots jealous of his success raiseth a mighty Army and invades his Kingdom whom Edelfrid meeting at a place called Degsastone in a set Battel totally discomfits and with such slaughter that Bede writes none of the Scotish Kings to his days durst ever after in hostile manner pass into Britain But the Victory was not obtained without great loss on the Saxons side also for Theobald the Kings Brother and that wing which he commanded was unfortunately cut off After this he turned his Arms against the Britains moved thereunto as some report by the instigation of Ethelbert King of Kent at the request of St. Augustine because the Britains refused obedience to his Authority but the whole course of this action I have before related in the life of Ethelbert King of Kent But Edelfrid growth so famous abroad began to be disquleted with Jealousies at home he knew the Title Edwin had to half his Dominions and though he had made some amends for his Injustice to that Prince in marrying of his Sister Acca yet for all that he could not be sure of his affection and never rested till he drove him out of his Government who wandring from place to place was at last enrertained in the Court of Redwald then King of the East-Angles Edelfrid informed of his kind reception with that Prince grows incensed thereat and sends his Embassadours to have him delivered into his hands or else declares open War Redwald at his Message at first somewhat startled but at length yielding is disswaded from it by his Wife who laid before him the inviolable Laws of Hospitality and how pitiful and mean a thing it was for the menaces of an Enemy to betray his friend to whom he had sworn protection upbraided with his weakness Redwald to make amends not only refuses to deliver him but resolves to maintain his Cause and to be before-hand with Edelfrid with an Army suddenly raised he comes upon him little dreaming of an Invasion and in a fight near the River Idle easily dissipates those forces he had collected together and in the same Battel slays Edelfrid himself who yet dyed not unrevenged For to shew that it was the Errour of his fortune not valour that he lost the day with his own hands he slew Reiner the Kings Son Thus died Edilfrid after he had reigned victoriously for the space of twenty two years to whom Bede applies the saying of Jacob to Benjamin That like a ravening Wolf he devoured his prey in the morning and divided the spoil in the evening His three Sons were conveyed into Scotland by their Mother Acca not daring to trust the good nature and generosity of Edwin whom their Father had so injuriously offended EDWIN EDWIN the Son of Ella established in his Kingdom by the assistance of Redwald the East-Angle as hath been related extended his Dominions further than any King of Northumberland had done before him for Eanfrid Oswald and Oswy the Sons of the late Edilfrid flying into Scotland left the Province of Bernicia absolute to his disposal But besides this addition to his Paternal right partly by Conquest and partly by Resignation he annexed to his Territory the Counties of Durham Chester and Lancashire subduing all both British and English ar far as the Mevanian Islands Anglesey and Man all which he either new planted or made Tributary to him He had not regined above six years when Redwald the chief Monarch then of the English-men departed this life leaving his Son Earpwald to succeed him in the Kingdom of the East-Angles Him Edwin though intreated himself to accept of the Government seated in the Throne of his Fathers contented with the same acknowledgments from him as he received from the rest of the Saxon Provinces Kent only excepted namely some small confessions of Power and the owning of his supreme governance Having thus well established all things round about him he sends to Eadbold Son of Ethelbert then reigning in Kent to desire his Sister in marriage But by his Embassadours he receives this Answer That the Christian Law did not permit them to give their Daughters unto Pagans Edwin whose business was Love not Religion replies that that ought not to be any hinderance for the free exercise of her own waies in her own Family with all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging thereunto should be left entire to her disposal and if upon due examination he found the Christian Law
EGFRID eldest Son of King Oswy by his wife Eanfled succeeded his Father in the Kingdom A Prince as he is reported of an unquiet disposition His first wars were with Ethelred King of Mercia who had married his Sister with whom encountring by the River Trent he lost great part of his Army and his Brother Elswin a youth generally beloved who amongst the thickset was there unfortunately cut off Greater bloodshed had like to have ensued had not Theodorus Archbishop of York interposed and took up the quarrel so that a sum of mony being paid to Egfrid for the loss of his Brother the business was happily concluded His next wars were with the Irish a Nation saith Bede harmless and great friends to the English These he unprovoked furiously invades making no distinction between things holy or profane but with fire and sword laid waste the Country and buried it in the Ruines of its Cities Temples and Monasteries The Irish on the other side used no other weapons but Prayers and as my Author has it bitter Imprecations which may be supposed at last to have reached Heaven it self for the next year against the counsel and earnest perswasion of his sagest Friends and especially Cudbert the Bishop going to wars against the Picts he was trained into narrow straits by the Enemy and there cut off with most part of his Army This was so great a blow to the English that not only the Scots and Picts who before durst not look beyond their own Country but the Britains also began to bear up for Liberty and yearly to gain upon their old enemies This King took to wife Ethildrith Daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles she had been wife to Eunbert Prince of the Gervii a Nation lying in the Fens but notwithstanding marriage had kept her Virginity Nor did her second Nuptials with a King make her in the least alter her resolution and though invited to his Bed sometimes by passionate entreaties otherwhiles by perswasions of her friends who were made privy to it yet she continued obstinate contrary to the Apostle's Rule the dictates of Nature it self which at one time abhors communion and separation and against the Laws of common prudence and civility And all this to pursue an extravagant chastity and a purity of living against all other obligations whatsoever however she be cannonized St. Andrey of Ely where it seems leaving her Husband she ended her daies ALKFRYD ALKFRYD the natural Son of King Oswy during the Reign of his half Brother had retired into Ireland where he was well instructed in the Liberal Sciences and as Bede saith exceedingly well read in the Scriptures Advanced to the Crown he wore it with much prudence and moderation but the bounds of his Kingdom were much straitned by the inroads of the Picts and encroachments of the Britains But what he wanted in extent of Dominion he made up in the prudent management of what he had He married Kenburg Daughter of Penda the Mercian by whom he had an only Son that succeeded him he ruled twenty years OSRED OSRED the Son of Alkfrid was eight years of age when he came to the Crown but he was no sooner grown up to any ripeness but he gave himself to all viciousness of life committing Incest with veiled Nuns for which his wife Cuthburga weary of her own dishonour sued a divorce and built a Monastery at Winburn in Dorsetshire where she ended her daies But Osred lived not long after her departure for he was slain by his own Relations Kenred and Osric in the eleventh year of his Reign KENRED KENRED descended from Ida by a Bastard-line and succeeded Osred in the Kingdom of Northumberland his Reign is short being only of two years continuance during which time he left nothing memorable behind him OSRIC OSRIC Reigned ten years without memory of Acts Parentage Wife or Issue CEOLNULF CEOLNULF the Brother of Kenred Ruled the space of eight years when changing his Crown for a Cowl he turned Monk in Lindisfarn or Holy Island yet he proved none of the severest for he brought his Brethren from Milk and Water to drink good Wine and Ale bringing along with him good store of provisions and great Treasures by Simeon and all as the same Author writes to follow poor Christ. To him Bede dedicates his History but writes no more of him but that the beginning and process of his Reign met with many troubles and that the conclusion of them was doubtfully expected And this is the time of Peace so much commended by the foresaid Author when Princes Queens and Nobility forsaking their charges and other duties incumbent run themselves into Monasteries striving who should be foremost as if no salvation was to be obtained but in Cells and Cloysters His Brother was Archbishop of York and there founded a stately Library EGBERT EGBERT Nephew to King Ceolnulf succeeded in the Kingdom Whilst he was in wars against the Picts Ethelbald the Mercian taking advantage of his absence invaded part of Northumberland but upon what account or how revenged is not related In these Pictish Wars Egbert subdued Kyle and brought the Countries adjacent to it under his obedience Afterwards in the year 756 he joyns battel with Unust King of the Picts besieged and took by surrender the City Alcluith now Dunbritton in Lennox from the Britains of Cumberland and ten daies after lost his whole Army about Niwanbirig when resolving to lay down his Government though intreated to the contrary by his Subjects and Neighbouring Princes who profered to make good to him his losses by surrendring great Territories to him after the example of his Uncle turned Monk when he had Reigned twenty years About these times happened two extraordinary Eclipses one of the Sun in September Anno 733 the other of the Moon Anno 756. OSWULF OSWULF Son of Egbert succeeded his Father but in the same year was slain of his Servants at a place called Mikelwoughten ETHELWALD ETHELWALD sirnamed Mollo after the death of Oswulf was advanced to the Crown In his third year he fought a great battel at Eldune by Melros slew Oswyn a great Lord who rebelled against him and gained an absolute Victory but three years after he was slain by Alcred who succeeded him ALCRED ALCRED descended in the fifth degree from Ida King of Bernicia after the murther of his Soveraign seized the Kingdom of Northumberland In the fourth year of this King's Reign Cataracton now Catarik in Yorkshire a famous City in the time of the Romans was burnt to the ground by one Arnred a Tyrant who the same year came to the like end I should think that this Arnred might be Alcred did not others report that he Reigned five years Afterwards when driven out by his Subjects with a few Attendants he fled first to Bebba a strong Castle in those parts thence to Kinot King of the Picts He left Issue Osred who afterwards came to be
But our Historians make no mention of his ever changing his design or sayling into any other parts after his first landing and I am afraid the Coincidence of like Names honourably to derive a place was the cause of this neat invention for otherwise what reason could there be that he should forsake a Country wherein he had good success and from whence he might easier expect supplies from Saxony to go seek out new Territories further off and where for ought we know he had no reason to expect better quarters or kinder entertainment Let us see therefore where he placeth Cerdics-ford for by the course of the story Cerdic-shoar is not to be sought far from it and we shall find them both on the Coasts of Hantshire Hard by the Western bounds saith Mr. Cambden the River Aven carrieth a still stream and no sooner runneth into this shoar but it meeteth with the Ford of Cerdicus in old time Cerdics-ford afterward Cerdeford and now by Contraction of the word Chardford so named of Cerdic that Warlike English Saxon For here the said Cerdic in a set Battel so daunted the Britains that not only he enlarged the bounds of his Empire but also delivered an easie War unto his Posterity having before time in the year of our Salvation 508 after great Conflicts in his Tract vanquish't the most mighty King of the Britains Natanleod called also Nazaleod by others with many of his people Of whose name likewise a small Region reaching unto this Place was termed Natanleod as we read in the Annals of the English Saxons which I sought very curiously for but hitherto could not find so much as any small sign or sample of that Name neither can I guess who that Natanleod should be This seemeth naturally to be the place where the foresaid Actions were performed for besides the Testimony of the Name the place it self lying at a moderate distance from the South-Saxons new acquests it is reasonable to think that Cerdic would not go much further but rather sit down at such a convenient distance where he might give or receive Assistance as occasion should serve from his Country-men already settled It being therefore granted that this Charford was the ancient Cerdics-ford let us see if we cannot find Cerdic-shoar also upon this Coast. For since his Nephews are said to land at Cerdics-shoar and bring him thither new Supplies after his Battel at Cerdics-ford either Cerdics-shoar must be nigh this Cerdics-ford or else they must land at Cerdics shoar at Yarmouth and so through the Enemies Country march to Cerdics-ford in Hantshire which is fondness to suppose Or lastly the whole action must be laid at Yarmouth which will not suit with the foundation of the Western Kingdom I have sought many places on this Coast of Hantshire but can find none that answer exactly to the name of Cerdic but allowing that Cerdicford as Mr. Cambden says makes Charford we find another place of the same name not far off upon the Sea-side in the Isle of Purbek in Dorsetshire and Norwest of Pool a Town called Charborough as much as Cherdic-borough but herein I desire not to be too fanciful but certain it is by the consent of all our Historians where ever Cerdics-ford lay Cerdics-shoar was not far distant though the name be now worn out and perhaps the places aforementioned as likewise Charmouth by Lime may give some satisfaction that this was the Coast. Mr. Speed with whom nothing would go down of the British History whilst he followed the Light of Mr. Cambden now he is left to himself in the Saxon swallows whatever any fabulous Monk Trivial Legend or his Brother Stow imposeth upon him from them I suppose it is that he reporteth that the Isle of VVight after the Conquest of it by Cerdic was given to his Nephews Stuff and VVithgar the later of which slew the Iahabitants thereof and named the place of his Victory VVithgarbirg and afterwards reigning King there was after his death buried in his Royal City VVithgar This is a reach I suppose whoever was Inventor to derive the name of the Island for in Authentick story we find no such Relation Cerdic had Issue two Sons Kenric and Chelwolf the former succeeded him in the Kingdom Chelwolf died before his Father but left a Son of whose race afterwards sate upon the Throne Cerdic Reigned nineteen years after he had assumed Royal Title and left his Kingdom to his Son Kenric KENRIC KENRIC the eldest Son of Cerdic succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Twice he fought the Britains and foiled them once at Searesbirig now Salisbury in the eighteenth year of his Reign and four years after at Beranvirig now Banbury accompanied with his Son Ceaulin In this field the Britains saith Huntington were divided into three Battalions but the Saxon charged in one main body the success saith he was doubtful on both sides and the night parted them Kenric Reigned twenty seven years and had three Sons Ceaulin Cuthwolf and Cuth the last of which was notable in his Issue for his eldest Son came to be King the second was Father the third Grandfather of a King as in the following History will appear CEAULIN CEAULIN the eldest Son of Kenric his Father dead entered upon the Kingdom In the beginning of his Reign he employed his Arms against young Ethelbert of Kent who as hath been related aspired to an universal Monarchy and forced him to sit down quiet with the harassing of his Country and the death of two of his chief Earls In his tenth year he managed his Wars by his Brother Cuthwolf who encountering the Britains at Bedanford now Bedford gave them a great defeat and took four Towns from them Liganborough Egelsborough or Allsbury Besington now Benson in Oxfordshire and Ignesham or Evesham but he out-lived not long his good success but left a Son behind him who succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom Cuthwolf dead Ceaulin in person with his Son Cuthwin undertakes the War and about the year 581 at a place called Diorth Deorrham in Glocestershire he obtains a great Victory slaying in one battel three British Kings Coinmagil Condidan and Farimnagil which good success was attended with the surrender of as many Cities Badencester Glocester and Cireneester About five years after at a place called Fedanly or Fechanly possibly about Fekenham Forest in Worcestershire he again met the Britains but not with like success for Matthew of Westminster giveth a clear Victory to the Britains and Huntington alloweth the beginning of the day to be theirs for with the death of Cuthwin the Saxons were wholly put to rout but Ceaulin rallying his scattered Forces not only put stop to the pursuit but as that Author writeth recovered an intire Victory with the purchase over and above of many Towns and large Territories But the sequel declareth nothing less for the same year or not long after we find the Britains again giving him battel and that in Wiltshire at
this Geadwall to be their Cadwallader but the Monument it self as well as the course of this Princes actions doth sufficiently convict them of the fraud and folly of that invention He reigned five years and left no Issue to succeed him INA INA derived in the third degree from Cuth the younger Son of Ceaulin third King of the West-Saxons succeeded Ceadwalla in the Government His first expedition was into Kent to revenge the death of Mollo Brother to Ceadwalla who as hath been related was burned to death but Wigtred who then had newly come to the Kentish Crown appeased his anger with the delivery of about thirty of the chief Actors or as others say with a round sum of mony amounting to no less than thirty thousand Mark of silver Peace thus concluded he returns into his Country where we hear not of him again till about the one and twentieth year of his Reign when attended with his Cousin Nun he fought a battel with GERENT King of the Britains in the beginning of which Higelbald a Noble Man of the Saxons was slain but in the end Gerent with all his Britains was put to the rout The course of his succeeding Actions runs thus Five years after he fought with Cheolred King of Mercia but with doubtful advantage Ten years after that he invaded the South-Saxons who under petty Princes began to bear up for the Liberty of their Country lately enthralled by Ceadwalla Here he slaies Albright driven from Taunton and taking refuge in this Kingdom whom Mr. Hollinshead without Authority makes King of the South-Saxons after this he vanquisht the East-Angles more than once as Malmsburry reports but sets not down the time when By these Victories it is said he possessed the whole Monarchy of England and Wales For if we believe what is written in the Laws of Edward Confessour he was the first Crowned King of English and British since the Arrival of the Saxons of the English by Conquest of the British in right of a second wife not named yet some way related to Gadwallader last King of Wales but we may easily imagine through what hands such stories crept in This Prince is truly famous for his good LAWS yet extant in the Saxon tongue out of which Language I have translated them as carefully as I can THE LAWS OF King INA Ic Jne mid Godes gyfe Westseaxna cyning mid geþeaht mid laere Cenredes mines faeder heddes mines bisceopes c. IINA by the grace of God King of the West-Saxons by the advice and institution of Cenred my Father and Heddes and Erkenwald my Bishops with all my Aldermen and sage Ancients of my people in a great Assembly of the Servants of God have religiously endeavoured both for the health of our Soul and the common preservation of our Kingdom that right Laws and true judgment be founded and established throughout our whole Dominions and that it shall not be lawful for the time to come for any Alderman or other person whatever to abolish these our Constitutions Of God's Ministers IN the first place we command that the Ministers of God keep and observe the appointed Rule of living and next we will that amongst all our people these Laws and Judgments be observed Of Infants A Child shall be baptized within 30 daies after it is born if not the neglect shall be punished 30 shillings if it die before it be Christned it shall forfeit all that belongs to it Of working on Sunday If a Servant do any work on Sunday by command of his Master be shall be free and the Master shall pay 30 shillings but if he went about the work without command from his Master he shall be beaten with stripes or redeem the penalty of whipping with a price A Free-man if he work on this day without command of his Master shall lose his freedom or pay 60 shillings If he be a Priest his penalty shall be double Of the Churches Portion The Portion or Dues of the Church shall be brought in by the Feast of St. Martyn he that payeth them not by that time shall be punished 40 shillings and besides pay the dues twelve times over Of the Priviledg of a Temple If any one guilty of a Capital crime shall take refuge in a Church he shall save his life and make recompence according to justice and equity If one deserving stripes take Sanctuary he shall have the stripes forgiven him Of Quarrels If any one fight within the King's Court he shall forfeit all his goods and Chattels and it shall be at the will and pleasure of the King whether he be not to lose his life also He that fights in a Cathedral Church shall pay 120 s. in the house of a Senatour or another sage Noble man 60 s. Whosoever shall fight in a Villager's house paying scot or any Yeoman's shall be punished 30 shillings and shall give the Villager 6 shillings And if any one fight in the open field he shall pay 120 shillings If there happen among Guests a quarrel and some of them shall patiently take ill language the rest shall be punished 30 shillings a piece Of Theft If any one shall steal without the privity of his wife and Children he shall be punished 60 s. But if he steal his whole family consenting they shall be all given into servitude A child of 10 years old shall be accounted accessory in theft Of claiming Justice If any Plaintiff shall require right to be done him by a Senatour or any other Judge and the Defendant give no pledg he the Judge shall forfeit 30 shillings and nevertheless within a sevennight do him true justice Of Self-vindication He that on his own private account shall take satisfaction for a wrong done to him before he hath demanded publick Justice shall restore what he took away on that score or give the worth of the thing and besides forfeit 30 shillings Of Rapine If any shall rob within the confines of our State he shall restore what he hath taken and be punished 60 shillings Of Men-buyers If any one shall buy his Countryman either bond or free or guilty of a Crime and send him beyond Sea he shall pay the value of his head and give over and above sufficient satisfaction Of false Testimony and Pledge If any before a Bishop give false witness or Pledge he shall be amerced 120 shillings Of Robbers taken If a Robber be taken he shall lose his life or redeem it according to the estimation of his head We call Robbers to the number of seven men from 7 to 35 a band all above an Army Of a Band. One accused to be among a band of Robbers may purge himself by oath to the value of 120 hides of Land or make him due satisfaction Of an Army One accused to be in an Army of Robbers may purge himself according to the estimation of his head or give satisfaction But this purgation by Oath shall consist one
him Bishop Augustine 495 Gregory to Melitus Abbot in France wherein he gives command to be sent to Augustine about the Conversion of that Nation 495 Gregory to Augustine Bishop of the English of the use of the Pall and of the Church of London 496 The Life of S. Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury 498 Augustine is courteously received at his Arrival into England by Ethelbert King of Kent 500 The Answers of Gregory the Great to the Questions sent by Augustine for the better Government of the new erected Church of English-Saxons 502 A Synod called by Augustine the first Arch-Bishop by the Assistance of Ethelbert King of Kent to Augustine's Ac c. There being present the Roman Clergy seven Bishops many British Doctors First he demands Obedience to the Roman Church and that the Britains be conformable to the Romans in three things first in the Celebration of Easter Secondly in the Administration of Baptism Thirdly in preaching with him to the English-Saxons 509 The Answer of the Abbot of Bangor to Augustine the Monk requiring subjection to the Church of Rome p. 511 Of the famous Monastery of Bangor and the Conference held between Augustine and Dinoth Abbot of that place 513 Eadbald 515 The Epistle of Boniface V. to Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successour of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury 515 Ercombert 516 Egbert ibid. Lothair 517 Edric ib. Wigtred ib. Edbert 519 Ethelbert the Second ibid. Alric ib. Ethelbert the Third ib. Cuthred ib. Baldred ib. The Kingdom of the East-Saxons 521 Sledda ibid. Sebert 522 Sered Seward Sigibert ib. Segibert the First 523 Segibert the Second ib. Swythelme 524 Sighere ib. Offa ib. Selred 525 Suthred ib. The Kingdom of the South-Saxons 527 Ella ib. Cissa 528 Edilwalch 529 The Conversion of the South-Saxons by Wilfrid Archbishop of York ib. The Conversion of the Inhabitants of Wight 530 The Kingdom of Northumberland 533 Ida ibid. Ella 534 Ethelric ib. Edelfrid ib. Edwin 535 Bishop Honorius to Edwin King of the English 537 Osric 538 Eanfrith ib. Oswy 540 The Synod of Streanshalch now Whitby at the request of Hilda Abbess of that place under Oswy the Father and Alchfrid the Son Kings of Northumberland in the year of Christ 664 In which is Controverted the Celebration of Easter and other Ecclesiastical Rites 541 〈◊〉 Osred p. 545 〈◊〉 Ceolnulf Egbert Oswulf 〈◊〉 546 〈◊〉 Ethelred Elfwald Osred Ethelred 547 The Kingdom of the East-Angles 548 Usfa Titulus 549 Redwald Earpenwald Sigebert 550 Egric Anna Ethelherd Edelwald Aldulf Elfwold 551 Beorn Ethelred Egilbert 552 The Kingdom of Mercia 553 Crida Wibba Georl Penda Peada 555 Wulfer Ethelred Kenred 556 Kelred Ethelbald Beornred 557 Offa 558 Egfrid Kenwolf Kenelm 559 The Kingdom of the West-Saxons 560 Cerdic 561 Kenric Ceaulin 563 Cearlic Ceowolf Kingils 564 The Conversion of the West-Saxons 565 Kenwalch 566 Eskwin Ketwin Ceadwalla 567 Ina 568 The Laws of King INA 569 Ethelard Cuthred 580 Sigibert Kinwulf 581 Birthric 582 FINIS Cambden Cambden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timagenes Polybius Festus Avicnus Onomacritus Cambden 〈◊〉 Isacius Tzetzes Camb. Brit. Ptolemy Geog. The truest Calculation Cluverius Geogr. Caesar. Com. Minutius Foe lix Tacitus Brietius Brietius Answered Tacitus Eusebius Herodotus Justin. Bishop Usher Learned Sir W. Rawleigh Note A German mile is four English Tibullus Scaliger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Learned Selden R. 1. R. 2. R. 3. Tacitus 1. Bocaitus Ezckiel 2. Josephus Herodotus lib. 4. Hesychius Pliny Didimus Crates Scholiastes Aristoph ad Ran. * In Dictione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diod. Sicul. Plutarch Caesar. Suidas Florus Justin. Paus. AElian Athenaeus Suidas Livy Plutarch Festus Caesar. Tully Caesar. lib. 1. Virgil. Quintilian Cambden Festus Plutarch Caesar. Com. Festus Plutarch Lazius Pontanus Strabo Caesar. Manlius Sherringham de Anglorum Origins Antonius Volscus Dominicus Marius Niger Servius Honoratus John Twyne Du Bartas c. Pliny's Nat. Hist. Lambard Hist. Richardi Viti lib. 1. Verslegan Speaking of the Kings of Palestine Utrecht the Utmost bound of Land Hugo Grotius De veritate Relig. Christ. lib. 1. Sanchoniathon a Phoenician Author Strab. lib. 3. * Medacritus viz. Melicartus Hercules Herodotus de Cassiteritibus Diodorus Sic. lib. 5. Plin. Nat. hist. lib. 8. Sancho Cambden Solinus Eustathius Ortelius Strabo Olivarius Solinus Eustathius Cambden Prolomy Cambden Bochartus This Island took not us Name from Brit Brith or Canta BRITAIN truly derived from Bratanac Bochartus Strabo Pliny Isidore Manethon Josephus Strabo Humphry Lloyd Bish Cooper Tacitus Herudotus lib. 4. Vulcanus Bochartus Strabo lib. I. Milton Herodotus in Melpomene Bochartus Blondus Buchanan Milton's Nist of England The Phoenician HANNO's Navigations Gerardus Vossius Isaac Vossius AElianus Strabo Bochartus Onomacritus Strabo Pomp Mela. Ptolomy Orpheus Aristotle Claudian Eustathius Martian Juvenal Pomp. Mela. Diod. Siculus Bochartus Procopius Pytheas Mass. Marinus Ptolomy Cadmus his Alphabet AEthicus Homer Odyss 1. vers 25. Statius lib. 4. ad Marcell lib. 5. in Proterp ad Crispinum Suidas Polybiur lit 3. Strabo lib. 2 Festus Avienus Tacitus Clem. A ex Plin. Nat. hist. Strabo lib. 4. Sanchoniathon Cambden 〈◊〉 Solinus Martial Tacitus Bochartus Ptolomy Franciscus Philelphus Lileus Geraldus Varro Pliny's Nat. Hist. Bochartus Marcellianus ex Timagi Stephanus Josephus Pausanias Enidius Geropius Sheringham Plutarch Solinus Prolomy Clitophon Pliny's Nat. Hist. Ptolomy Jornandus ex Cornello Tacitus * Note Godolanac is a place of Tynn from which Godolcan is derived Anton. Goll lib. 1. cap. 29. Jamblicus Julian the Apostate Tacitus Caesar. Lactant. Lucan Livy Philo Bibl. Sanchoniathon Plato's Phil. Tully Lactantius Pomp. Mela. Bochartus Polybius Cambden Plutarch Orosius Servius 8th AEneid Hesychius 2 Sam. 18. 14 Pausanias Quintilian Pliny Salassians viz. Gauls Eusebius Orosius Eutropius Salvianus Prosper Eumenius Salvianus Allobroges Isidorus and Diodorus Geraldus Camb. Rhenanus Ortelius Cambden Pliny Antoninus Dio Cassius Pliny Tacitus Gul. Malmsb. Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itinery 〈◊〉 Girald lib. 2. cap. 1 5. Plutarch Silius Itals Tacitus Bochartus Old Seol on Juvenal Caesar Com. Quoere nominae BRITANNICA * Note Ducts I think should be ducitis as it is spoken of the Derivation of Paterius and Delphidius St. Hierom ad Hedeb Posidonius Strabo Festus Caesar. A 〈◊〉 account of this Chapter * Rahab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latins from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Puniceus and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poenus # 〈◊〉 Marther * Syrian ie Syrim then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Syri and by prefixing the Article Hassurim was brought in ‑ Assyrian Grorius in Epist ad Gall. 114 p. 242. Hesychius Herodotus Plin. Nat. hist. Strabo lib. 3. Geogr. Cambden Liv7 St. Hieroms Quest. on Gen. Varro's Antiq. Caesars Comment Caesar. Tacitus Caesar. Tacitus Sheringham de Orig. Angl. Pythias Polybius lib. 3. Thucidides Herodotus Stephanus in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isacius Tzer in Lycoph Mirae
whose Original Names are undoubtedly known where men by negligence mistake a Humor or Dialect often deviate from the true Original But to clear every point I will further search this Termination of BRITANNIA which Mr. Cambden calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I think improperly and ought to be only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that being a frequent Termination of Countries in the World as Germania Pomerania Transylvania and Romania this I believe was the reason too why Bretanica was turned into Britannia because it corresponded with the Idiom of other Terminations and Mr. Cambden saies that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Glossaries betokeneth a Region which is granted in some Compositions but then must be considered whether the word to be compounded end in a Vowel or Consonant for if it ends in a Consonant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes the Composition but if it end in a Vowel as Mauri Aqui the T is put in for sounds sake because Mauriania Aquiania cannot sound well and that T is a letter often used Euphoniae gratiâ as it is aster ce in French cet un and n among the Saxons before a Vowel as an Island among the Greeks without any other signification as any one versed in that Language may understand And this is the true Reason I suppose why the Mauritania Aquitania and falsly Britannia as Mr. Cambden saies are the only Countries of note that end in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it did not happen in compounding in other Countries names that they ended partly in a Vowel Thus much considered concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us see how it could be added to Brith to clear out Mr. Cambden's Britannia for add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Brith and it makes Brithtania which would have been written by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their Idiom and let Mr. Cambden make as little as he will of the H yet it is the Shibboleth or Caracteristical note of the British and Teutonik Dialect in general and we know words as blithea sithe which can never be made vlite site with teeth become wit and teet are clear of another signification without the h. And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been added to Brith it would have made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I think proves that Brith alone was not the name of these Islanders but rather Britani as Pomerani Pomerania not Pomeranani Romani Romania not Romanania if you give the name from the People so called or as I rather apprehend from Pomer Rom the ani being rather taken from ania than ania from ani So that when Bratanac was mollified first into Bretanica as in Strabo than into Bretania It is to be supposed the People were called Bretani Brittani by themselves or something like it according to the Dialect of their Neighbours but neither Brit or Brith but by diminution and corruption as at this day we call a Switzar a Swis so that although the Saxons called the Britains in their Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Witigandus the Saxon every where names the Britains Britae yet this proves not Brit to be the Primitive any more than the Phoenicians being called Poeni prove that Punicum as I said before and Poenicum were derived from it when all the World knows Poenicum to be the Primitive For granting just before the Saxons daies they were called Brits Brittae yea and in Caesars daies too yet this makes not that Britannia came from Brit this Age being many hundred years subsequent to the first discovery of it by the Phoenicians and how Bratanac might be altered and changed in those daies delivered only from mouth to mouth in a Rude and ignorant Age wherein they had few Records and Writings I leave it to the wisest to judge And here it is carefully to be noted that in deriving of Nations and People we mistake not in the primitive and first Name by thinking that to be it which in reality is only part of the whole and not a distinct composure by it self as here it is in Brit and ania where Brit is only made part of the signification and ania because it corresponds with other like Terminations is only a hanger on To give one Example of the Euxine-Sea called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the Primitive alone A or Ev being thought to be given to it only as People stood affected or disaffected to the Inhabitants upon it so that if you make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the most Barbarous place in the World if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretty tolerable however 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is accounted the Primitive for A or Ev being joyned to it are of 〈◊〉 real signification to the Thing but only to the Affections of Men yet in the diligent search after the Antiquity of those Coasts we find that the Alpha is a real and essential part of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not a privative Particle for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from Askenaz from whom also came the River and Lake Ascanius the Ascanean Islands the City and Country Asania In like manner may it undoubtedly be thought hath happened to Britania the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of its similitude with other Terminations being neglected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone carries the glory of the Derivation when as in reality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had a real part and share in it as derived from Bretanica and being Anciently Anac signifying Tynn among the Phoenicians To shew a little of these sorts of Derivations I shall instance in two only BRITAIN and LONDON its Famous Metropolis I desire the Reader for diversion sake to imagine himself living two or three thousand years hence as Ovid wittily makes his Pythagoras and suppose likewise that some fatal Barbarism should over-run the World that most Writings and Records of Britain were lost and only the Name of it and some of our present Language and Roman Histories preserved let us then see which way men would go to work perhaps some or other might happily blunder upon Brutus but by the wary and judicious that would soon be exploded as too fabulous to derive Britannia Well then first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that must be granted to have been a Termination of that Kingdom which in the Reign of King CHARLES the Second as we find on an English-Coyn was called BRITANNIA so that it is evident it was named so in those daies all the pudder will be about BRIT but saies one I have found it Britannia was called from the English word Bright signifying Shining and so Britanni quasi Brightania for I find that the English in those daies had a project to leave out those Letters as superfluous which sounded not in the Pronunciation so that g and h being left out Britannia is as much as
the Light or shining Country for I find in a Roman Satyrist minimâ contentos noite Britannos In which words the Poet intimates its derivation for the Britains have but very little Night and in some parts none at all so that the business now is ended and we have a solid and unquestionable derivation of its Name In like manner would they proceed in deriving the Great and Famous Metropolis LONDON I have seen saies one upon this great and noble River but by what name the Thames will be then called God alone knoweth the Ruines of a CITY which extends six miles in length and in breadth not above one quarter of a mile and this I guess was LONDON of the Ancients or Long-Cown so called by the English by reason of its vast disproportion in length to the breadth of it and so you see London is also dispatched But if in truth I may deliver my Opinion there is no way more fallacious and deceitful in deriving of Kingdoms and Cities than from the Language of the People for I scarce think there is a Town or any place in England but by fertile Heads may be derived from some word or other that is now in use among its present Inhabitants every place yielding something either by Scituation Soyl or else Creek of Rivers Prospect of Hills and Valleys Customes and Manners Battles Buildings with thonsands of other Circumstances too tedious to mention from whence they may be deduced Now I leave it to any Rational man to judge whether it be not more proper and consonant to Reason to derive Places from their undoubted Trade by which they were known to all the World as the Isles of SCILLY were by the name of Cassiterides of the Greeks and Barat-anac or Bratanac of the Phoenicians than to deduce them from the uncertain sound and coincidency of a word with some light and trivial Custome among them The Reason that absolutely confirms me in the Opinion the Scilly Islands gave Name at last to this Great ISLAND that now alone keeps the name of Britannia is because Pliny writes that this Island was called ALBION when as all the Islands adjacent were called BRITAIN so that we see the name of Bratanac first took place in the adjacent Islands before it came on the main Land of Albion but in succession of Time the Name gaining footing in Cornwal and Devonshire it prevailed at last over all the Island and the greater part swallowed up at last the Name of the whole although corrupted and distorted by the several Dialects it ran through And that the exported Commodities of Countries gave Names anciently to People by which they were most commonly known although they might have other Names peculiar to themselves will be manifest if we consider how Africk and Ebora part of Spain took their names from Corn Iava called of Old Iabaduc from Barley Carmania Cremetes Sicilia Inychus Anapus Arvisium Arambys from Wine Ruspina and Ebusus from Figgs Zaita and Uzita from Olives Lusitania not from Lysus the Son of Bacchus but from the abundance of Chesnuts called Luza and the delicacy of them a great Merchandize in those daies and brought from those parts of Spain Italy and Calabria took their Names from the Pitch they yielded Cythnus from its Cheese Calymna and Alabus from its Hony Caristus Achates from certain Stones found there and the British Islands from its Mettal as also Chasus Chryse Odonis Siphnus Cimese Carcoma Orospeda with many others For considering the many diversities of People and Governments in this Island it is not reasonably to be supposed that they had one common Name among themselves by which the whole Island was known unless they had it from Forreigners who Traded with them If we examine the Original Names of all Nations we shall find that the Name by which they are known to the World differs much from those Names they have from themselves and by which too they do distinguish one another yet the Major part of the World which is ab extra to every particular Kingdom prevails in the denomination therefore it happens that those Kingdoms themselves so denominated are obliged to conform to those Appellations given them by the Major part and therefore that saying of Isidore That the BRITAINS were called so from something within them in my reason as it makes no more for Brit Painting than for King BRUTUS is to be neglected For the same Motives that could make an Historian write so much might have enabled him to have writ more for he that can positively affirm that a NAME comes from within a Kingdom and not from without in my Opinion ought to be particular in valuable Reasons otherwise he had better be silent being against the experience of the World That Nations receive their Names not from themselves but others But if Isidore means that BRITAIN had something within it from whence Strangers gave it that Name then none can deny it for it is true that these Islands took their Name from the TYNN they yielded though not all alike and at the same time And here I cannot but wonder that when Mr. Cambden had laid down that CUMERO was the primitive Name of the Inhabitants by which they called themselves he then in answer to his own Questions Whence then came ALBION Whence came BRITAIN saies that those Names came either from themselves or from others when just before he had given Examples That Countries have different Names some Names by which they called themselves others by which they were called of Strangers for as follows I will set down his own words They that were called Israelites saies he by the Greeks were called Hebrews and Jews by the AEgyptians Huesi as witnesseth Manethon so the Greeks named those Syrians who as Josephus writes called themselves Aramaeans they which named themselves Chusians were by the Graecians for their black Faces called AEthiopians those which after their own Speech were called Celtae the Greeks named Galatae so those that nominated themselves after their own Language Teutsch Numideans and Hellens by the Romans were named Germans Mauri and Graecians even so in these daies not to speak of many others they which in their own Idiom Musselmans Magier Czecchi and Bessermans are by all Nations in Europe named Turks Hungarians Bohemians and Tartarians so even we our selves in England by our Native and natural Speech call our selves English men but by the Welch Irish men and the High-land Scots Saffons that is as much as to say Saxons Now what follows from this but that the Inhabitants of this Island being called CUMERO by themselves were by some others named BRITAINS No for this will destroy all then they could not give themselves Brit c. from their Painting which assisted much to the derivation of BRITANNIA therefore saies he mark I pray you they were upon some other cause by themselves or others named BRITAINS But why by themselves when he had proved before
the other to shew his excellent skill in Geometry and Astronomy There is but one place in Britain bearing his Name and that is Hartlow many Effigies of him have been dug out in several places as at the Baths he was found streyning two Snakes All Hot Baths according to Athenaeus were consecrated to him Likewise in Northumberland near Risingham two Altars were inscribed by his Name but these of later date than what I intend here to speak and so I will pass them over He was pictured drawing a multitude of Men after him with golden Chains proceeding from his Mouth and fastned to their Ears to shew his Eloquence Likewise he was esteemed the God of Woers as he gave good success to Lovers upon which account he was named as some think Diodus from Dioda signifying in the Phoenician Tongue Love But I rather think he might be called so from his wandring life which word will bear the same Derivation as a Wanderer This is a brief account of the true Phoenician Hercules called OGMIUS as much as relates to our present purpose As for his great Labours and Atchievments I have purposely omitted because they seem rather Allegories than real Actions and require rather a skilful Mythologist than an honest Historian THE NAMES OF THE KINGS Of this Island FROM SAMOTHES the first Ruler thereof to the Entrance of the ROMANS The Celtick KINGS under which SAMOTHEA now BRITAIN was contained SAMOTHES the Founder of the Celtick Kingdom A. M. 1910 named this Island SAMOTHEA and Reigned 46 Years Magus his Son 51 Sarron 61 Druis 14 Bardus 75 In his daies came ALBION the Great  Longho 25 Bardus the Second 37 Lucus Protector 11 Celtes 13 Hercules 19  Years Galathes 49 Narbon 18 Lugdus 51 Beligius 20 Jasius 50 Allobrox 68 Romus 29 Paris 39 Lemancs 62 Olbius 05 Galathes the Second 48 Namnes 44 Remus 40 Phranicus In his daies King BRUTE is supposed to enter this Island  The British Kings BRUTE after his Arrival Reigned 24 Years Locrine 20 Madan 40 Mempricius 20 Ebranck 40 Brute the Second Sirnamed Greenshield 12 Leil 25 Lud 39 Baldud 20 Leir 60 Cordeilla Queen 05 Cunedag and Margan 33 Rival 46 Gurgust 84 Silvius whom I derive from the Trojans not by Brute but by the Silvii Kings of Alba and Successors of AEneas Reigned here in Britain 49 Jago 28 Kimmacus 54 Gorbodug 63 Ferrex and Porrex the last of the Line of AEneas whose Reign and the Heptarchy that ensued on their deaths under Rudaucus King of Wales lasted Clotenus King of Cornwal Pinnor King of Loegria Statorius King of Albania Yevan K. of Northumberland 53 Molmutius 40 Belinus and Brennus 22 Gurguint 19 Guintelyn 26 Silvius the Second or Sisilius 15 Kimarus 03 Elanius or Danius 10 Morindus 09 Gorboman 10 Archigallo deposed after he had Reigned 01 Elidure his Brother 03  Years Archigallo restored 10 Elidurus again 01 Vigenius and Peridurus 09 Elidurus again 04 Gorbonian 10 Morgan 14 Emerianus 07 Ydwallo 20 Rimo 16 Geruntius 20 Catellus 10 Coilus 10 Porrex the Second 05 Cherimus 01 Fulgentius 01 Eldred 01 Androgeus 01 Urianus 3 Eliud 05 Dedantius or Dedacus 05 Detonus 02 Gurguineus 03 Merianus 02 Bleduus or Bladud 02 Capenus 03 Ovinus 02 Sisilius 02 Bledgabedrus 10 Archimalus 02 Eldolus 04 Rodianus 02 Redargius 03 Samulius 02 Penisillus 03 Phyrrus 02 Caporius 02 Dinellus 04 Heli 01 Lud 11 In the daies of his Sons Audrogaeus and Theomantius when Cassibelan their Unkle usurped the Kingdom Julius Caesar enter'd the Island THE CHRONICLE OF THE Celtick Kings CHAP. X. The Celtick KINGS unto BRUTE VARRO divideth the Ages of the World into Three great Periods The first from the Creation to the Flood containing MDCLVI He calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Obscure and Uncertain The second from the Flood to the first Olympiad Anno Mundi MMMCLXXXIX He names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Fabulous The third Age from the first Olympiad and before Christ 774 to the present Age He terms ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Historical This division of Ages is generally received with such great approbation of Judgment that it is made use of to the utter overthrowing of all the BRITISH History as taking its beginning Three hundred and thirty years besore the first Olympiad But here it is to be considered that in relation to the Greek and Latin Nations the division of Fabulous and Historical Ages from those Periods is partly true although in this also Authors differ Pliny makes the Historical Age of Greece not to begin till the One and fiftieth Olympiad and all the time before to be Fabulous upon this account respect must be had to the Nations for which those Periods are designed Had Varro lived and written among the Jews it would have obliged him according to the Custome of that Nation to have acknowledged every Age Historical and not to have curtail'd their Histories to the fisty first of Uzziah or the first of King Jotham because then Iphitus began the Olympiads On the other side there has been Nations so ignorant and barbarous that could not extend their Historical Ages beyond the daies of their Grandfathers and all the time preceding was rather absolutely Obscure than Fabulous so that respect must be had to the Learning of every Nation their several waies and methods of Recording the Actions of their Ancestors and the advantages some People might have above others For this very cause the measuring of the British Histories are not so strictly to be examined by the Standards of other Nations neither can they absolutely be rejected upon that account without manifest Injustice done to them It is certain the Britains had their Bards and Druids and Traded very early with two Learned Nations the Phoenicians and Graecians Their Priests had peculiar Methods of composing and rehearsing the Lives of Famous persons and so continued their Memories to Posterity by mystical Rythms and Numbers Neither can it be gathered out of Caesar that any Law or Superstitious usage of the Druids obliged the Britains not to transmit to Posterity the memorable Actions of their Ancestors All that was forbidden was the divulging in writing the mysterious Doctrines and Ceremonies of their Religion but in most matters else both private and publick amongst which History is one the Greek Tongue was allowed them neither could the same Policy which restrained them in Religious matters have any weight as to move them to keep the People in ignörance and darkness as touching the knowledge of Times and Ages So that although in the British Histories there are many things altogether impossible others very improbable and fabulous as indeed what Histories are free from such Vices yet because there may be a great many Truths couched under those Fables I have thought it not amiss to give an account of them partly upon that very Reason and partly because many Judicious Persons do not utterly
reject them In the progress of the History I shall make some reflections upon the most observable Circumstances as they carry either the appearance of Truth or the marks of Falshood and Forgery contenting my self that this Chronicle be divided as the Ages of the World since the Flood into Fabulous and Historical following rather the Ancient Custome in yielding something to the Zeal of Antiquity whereby the Original of Nations is made more venerable than by erring on the other hand to bring the Antiquity of a Nation lower than its just proportion Yet in following of the Judgment of Varro I have ventured to bring down the Genealogy of SILVIUS or Sisillius who is supposed to Reign in Britain about the first Olympiad in another Method than hitherto hath been done And if the Progeny of AEneas must needs be granted to govern this Island I shall shew that it is far more probable to suppose him the First rather than BRUTE whose Name was never known in Alba or Rome till the first Consul by a feigned stupidity had contracted it so that it is not likely that the name of Brutus could be given as a disgrace to the Consul which before had been an Honourable Title of one of their Princes Sons But referring the disquisition of this matter to its proper place I will begin with the most Fabulous part namely the GELTICK Kings as they are delivered by Berosus or as Mr. Selden saith Fathered upon him by Annius I'iterbiensis and thrust into the World under the specious name of a Chaldaean Priest to which I will add the Succession from Bardus out of Count Palatine not yet extant in the English Tongue We must understand therefore that NOAH divided the Earth into three Parts according to the number of his Sons giving SHEM the possession of that part now called Asia to HAM or CHAM Africa and to his Eldest Son JAPHET Europe and all the Islands appertaining to it of which BRITAIN was the Chief JAPHET divided Europe among his Sons Mesech for his Lot received all the Countries lying between the River Rhyne and the Pyraenean Mountains He is supposed to be called SAMOTHES and DIS and is made the founder of the Celtick Kingdom Others make these Parts to have been Peopled first by Gomer and asterwards driven out of their Seats by Samothes It would be endless to trace all the Absurdities and Contradictions herein contained seeing that MESECH the Son of Japhet is supposed upon better grounds to be the Father of the Moschi and GOMER not of the Gauls but Phrygians his latter Mistake arising from not distinguishing that People in Gallia their Ancient Possession and in Phrygia their after Conquests Now as in all Forgeries there must be some marks of Truth to carry it out so this Samothes must be called Dis because Caesar writes that the Gauls derived their Original from Dis Pater or Father Dis. His name Samothes is given him because he must be made the Father of a Sect falsly called as Mr. Selden proves Samothei for Semnothei H. Stephanus quoted by Mr. Selden gives the Original of their Name two waies either because they had alwaies in their mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or because they seem'd like venerable Deities the former opinion Stephanus follows and Mr. Selden the latter The Custome of the Gauls and Britains in measuring their Time by Nights and not Daies as is reported by Caesar is fathered upon this Prince by Basingstoak a Count Palatine He is reported also to excel in the knowledge of Coelestial Bodies the course and motion of the Stars and the nature of Inferiour Creatures with all the Sciences Moral and Politick and to have delivered the same in Phoenician Characters From Him this Island is feigned to be called SAMOTHEA He began his Reign Anno Mundi MDCCCCX according to Basingstoak and so reigned six and forty years MAGUS his Son succeeded him a Prince no doubt by his Name excellently skill'd in the Art of Magick and so we find him named the Founder of the Magi in Persia and this is grounded upon that Hyperbolical saying in Pliny namely That the Britains were so addicted to the Art of Magick that the Persians might seem to have learnt it from them And this is ground enough for a bold and confident Writer to say no worse of Annius to create this Prince Magus who being granted to Reign in these Parts we have a Founder of those many Cities ending in Magus or Magum both in Britain and Gaul as Sitomagus Neomagus c. This King first reduced Men into distinct Tribes and Cities whereas before they lived dispersed in Woods and Mountains He first brought in Propriety and set out bounds and limits of Grounds all which he performed by his wonderful Eloquence perswading the Barbarous People to the conveniencies of such distinctions He is supposed to have begun his Reign Anno Mundi MDCCCCLVI and to have Reigned fifty one years leaving his Kindgom to his Sou SARRON the third King of the Britains and Celts He was not famous for any new Laws as Stephanus Forcatulus quoted by Mr. Selden witnesseth but for establishing the Constitutions of his Father and Grand-father under severe Penalties to which purpose he is said to have reduced them into one Volume and to have erected Publick places for Students He is seigned to be the Founder of the Sect of the Sarronides when indeed the Sarronides were but another name for the Druids as appeareth by the derivation of their Name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oak as likewise by the description Diodorus gives of them namely that without the Sarronides no Sacrifice either publick or private could be rightly performed which is the very same Caesar writes of the Druids so that we see this King and the following Druids should be the same Person The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the name Druid is derived proceeded from the Oaks that grew in the Plain of Mamre under which in times past those Religious Men called Druids to whom the office of Priesthood was committed lived most devoutly That it was a holy place we read in Genesis that blessed Abraham dwelt among the Oaks of Mamre where he pitched his Tent and built a Tabernacle and Altar unto the Lord in which he offered Rams Geats Calves c. in Sacrifice and moreover that he performed there all other Sacerdotal Rites and Ceremonies appertaining to his Priestly-office in those daies From these Oaks of Mamre which some call otherwise Palm Trees sprang the Original Sect of Druids which reached up as high as Abrahams time and it is positively recorded by some Authentick Authors that the Druid Colledges flourished also very eminently in the daies of Hermio a German Prince which happened not long after Abrahams death This I esteem to be very much assisting to a clearer proof and
of his Father But it seems the People ill resenting the flight of Lavinia Ascanius was obliged to re-call her and giving to her and her Son the City Lavinium he built Albae Longa where he Reigned At his death he bequeathed his Kingdom to his Son Iulus between whom and Silvius Controversies arose concerning the Right of Government at last it was found that the People inclined rather to Silvius as being descended of Lavinia the Daughter of Latinus and inheriting the blood of the Trojans and Latins the whole Kingdom devolved on him By this Iulus was constrained to take up with the Priest-hood There is great uncertainty in Roman Authors concerning the Line of AEnaeas and Livy doubts whether Iulus was the Son of AEneas by Creusa or Lavinia but this seemeth to be the clearest Genealogy To this Genealogy gathered out of Roman Authors John of Weathamstead Abbot of St. Albaens a right Judicious Man had respect in his Censures long ago upon Brutes History where he saith That Ascanius begat no such Son as had for his proper name SILVIUS but left Issue an only Son Iulus from whom the Family of the IULII afterwards proceeded and that Silvius Posthumus whom perhaps Jeoffery of Monmouth meaneth was the Son of AEneas by his Wife Lavinia who begat AEnaeas Silvius and in the Eight and thirtieth year of his Reign ended his life by a Natural death How therefore could he be slain by his Son Brute or if any such thing had happened how came so memorable an Accident to be omitted This argues the story to be Poetical as he saith rather than Historical and that Jeoffery or whoever compiled it was altogether ignorant of the Genealogy of AEnaeas which will appear more evidently by the sequel Let us see therefore to which Line our supposed Brute can with most reason be referred In this he seems to confound Silvius with Iulus making them the same Persons who indeed were but Competitors in the same Kingdom so that Silvius in the Line of Lavinia is brought into the Line of Creusa Others to mend the matter make Brute descend of AEnaeas and Lavinia but then they bring Ascanius of the Line of Creusa in to the Line of Lavinia and so make him the same with Silvius Posthumus by that to have begotten Iulus the Father of Brute whereas Silvius Posthumus begat Silvius AEnaeas and was the Father of those many Silvii who succeeded in the Kingdom of Alba. Hitherto we see Brute the Grandfather of AEnaeas by a mixt Genealogy but Gyonan Villani cited by Mr. Hollinshead brings his Line absolutely from AEnaeas and Lavinia and seems to make him the Grand-child of AEnaeas by his Son Silvius Posthumus who marrying the Neece of his Mother Lavinia had Issue BRUTE so called because she died in Travail of him I suppose he means Brotus but how ridiculously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made to signifie any such thing I leave it to the Judicious to determine But how comes it to pass that he should flie his Country fearing as is said his Grandfather Silvius Posthumus when as there is no mention made in Gyonan Villani of another Silvius in this Line the Son of Silvius Posthumus and the Father of Brute However it comes to pass Brute must be the Off-spring of AEneas and we must not be too busie in asking questions for if one demand how the name of Brute which was afterwards given to the first Consul for his feigned Stupidity to be a name of the Princes Son in the same Kingdom it will be answered he was called Brotus not Brutus because his Mother died in Child-bed of him If it be asked why he sted for the accidental killing his Father the Count Palatine saies it is a mistake for it was only a Rumour spread of him and the truth was rather by other discontents that he was moved to flight If enquiry be made how it comes to pass that the Latin Writers who reckon up the Progeny of AEneas and the Silvii make not the least mention of him and Gildas the Ancient Britain hath Altum silentium in this point The Reply is easie That it is not the business of every Author to mention every particular for the Romans contented themselves with what related to their own Nation and Gildas made no mention of it being a thing beyond dispute For the present we will attend this BRUTE the supposed Son of Silvius with the same care and diligence we have done the Celtick Kings Being of the Age of fifteen he left his Country and arriving at Greece he found a number of the scattered Trojans who lived under the Dommion of Pandrasus Finding them a discontented Party he managed his Interest wisely with them often inculcating the Nobility of their Ancestors and the slavery of their present condition he offered himself to be their Head and Leader and so encouraged them to stand upon honourable Terms They willingly embraced this motion and many of them being in Authority under Pandrasus revolted and so brought over great Parties with them BRUTE being thus strengthened great numbers continually flockt to him with encouragements to execute his designs securing himself in Woods and making sure to him many considerable Forts and strong Holds but first writes a smart Letter to Pandrasus wherein he demands the liberty of his Trojans The King amazed at his sudden Imperiousness but considering with calmer thoughts the Paucity of the Rebels resolved by force of Arms to chastise their Arrogance by reducing them to Obedience In all haste he levies a considerable Power and marching against him with greater heat than conduct and supposing his Enemies to be hid in the Woods near a Town called Sparatinum he is set upon by Brute who had three thousand of his well appointed Trojans in Ambuscado for that Expedition so that Pandrasus his Army marching loosely and without order or discipline as if they had not expected an Enemy so near them were quickly routed and put to flight Brute pursues his Victory to the River Akalon in which many of the Graecians miserably perished Neither could the Courage of Antigonus Brother to Pandrasus prevail although he often from small Parties rallyed and made Head against the Enemy for by the general Consternation of his Men he was defeated and taken Prisoner After this success Brute entred Sparatinum and placing a Garrison in it of six hundred Men he returns with the rest of his Body into the Woods bringing them the joyful News of his eminent Victories Pandrasus being overcome with shame and sorrow for the loss of his Brother and this unexpected Defeat resolves at last with a greater Power and more care and circumspection to renew the War To this end he gathers up his dispersed Souldiers and with fresh supplies from all parts of his Kingdom laies Siege to Sparatinum wherein he thought Brute in Person resided This Opinion made him carry on the Siege with more violence storming it at several
the long wished for Island he Lands his Trojans and marches up into the Country to take possession Joyful was he to see the pleasant prospect of so large a Dominion and blest the Gods that they gave him so glorious a Reward for all his labours But all things were not so well as he imagined for from the Clyffs and craggy Rocks he began to perceive mighty Giants arising This sight he communicated to Corinaeus who at first was much surprized at the Object but at last they both pluckt up their wonted Spirits and with a few Trojans valiantly assailed these Monsters In a few Conflicts they found not their Weapons to want success so that they soon convinced these Goliahs that no strength or vastness of Limbs was able to resist a Trojan Puissance Corinaeus after several general Engagements had a longing desire to enter into a nearer trial of skill with some one of them Gogmagog undertakes him and a day of wrestling was appointed and attended with great expectation The Giant at his first grapling by a close-Hug breaks a Rib of Corinaeus but sorely paid for it by the fall Corinaeus gave him from the Clyff of Dover to his utter destruction which from hence is said afterwards to be called Cwymp y Cawr or the fall of the Giant This was a good Omen of the Trojans further success and Corinaeus for this piece of service was rewarded with the Principality of Cornwal Brute by degrees destroyed the whole Race of these Giants and quietly possessing the Island the first work he undertook was the building of a City which he called Troy-novant now London In this City he kept his Royal Court ordaining and enacting that from henceforth the whole Island should be called after his Name BRITAIN and so the Inhabitants Britains Being at the point of Death in the fifteenth year of his Reign and the four and twentieth of his Arrival he divided his Kingdom to his three Sons To Locrinus he bequeathed that part now called ENGLAND To Camber WALES To Albanact SCOTLAND and so called it after his name Albania Brute in that sickness is supposed to have died and was buried in his new City TROY Novant but the particular place where was never yet discovered by any and I much question whether it ever will SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THIS History of Brute IT is not material whether this story of BRUTE be to be referred to Jeoffery of Monmouth Henry of Huntington or Segibertus Gemblasensis a French-man who lived an hundred years before Jeoffery and treats of Brute and his Trojans Arrival into Gaul and his passage into Britain For if Segibertus or any other Person had the name of Brute before Jeoffery and some particular Actions of such a Prince yet the composing of his Genealogy the methodizing the Circumstances of his Life the Timing of his Entrance the Succession of his Line depends all upon the Credit of Jeoffery and the truth of his Translation and so was esteemed in the daies in which he lived and put forth his History For how long a Trojan Original might be in these parts or how long Britannia might be derived from Brutus is not the thing in question but this was the custome of Ancient times to derive Nations from some particular Persons even amongst the Greeks and Romans and was an old Vanity of the World to refer their beginning to some Divine HERO To make this pretended Brute to be a Trojan and to fasten him upon a Genealogy contrary to the truth of those Histories from which that Genealogy is fetcht and upon whose Credit it depends is the thing for which Brutes History is chiefly condemned Segibertus Gemblasensis might have the same design in deriving his Britain in France from Brutus as the Britains might derive their Britannia I do not deny but Jeoffery of Monmouth might have several hints of Brutus nay a British History of him but it will not justifie the Fiction neither can the multitude of Authors in or about that time take away from the Credit of Ancienter Historiographers as Caesar Tacitus Gildas Ninius and as many as wrote twelve hundred years since who make no mention of any such Person more than that do profess by all their Enquiry they could learn nothing of the Britains concerning their Original so that whatever Original is pretended nevertheless the story of the Trojan Brute and all the Legend of his life seems to be brought into the World not long before those times as appears by Mr. Cambden and Speed nay Mr. Sheringham of late in his Vindication of this story in one place ingeniously confesses That these Tales might be invented and so intruded upon the Vulgar But where ever the story of Brute is to be told the Character of it and the Compiler ought never to be omitted It is the saying of William of Newborough who lived in the Age of Geoffery ap Arthur of Monmouth and writes thus of him In these our daies saith he a certain Writer is risen who deviseth foolish Fictions of the Britains he hath to Name Geoffery and a little after With how little shame and with what great confidence doth he frame his Lies About the same time was Francio invented for the Francks Scota Pharaolis Daughter for the Scots Hiberus for the Irish Danus for the Danes Brabo for the Brabanders Gothus for the Goths Saxo for the Saxons and is Brutus for the Britains any thing truer who can think it Scriverius in his Preface to the Antiquitics of Ancient Batavia falls severely upon Jeoffery of Monmouth and gives his History the name of Groote grove lange dicke taste lijck ende unbeschaemte logen that is A most impudent Lie a great one a heavy one a long thick one which like the AEgyptian Darkness was so palpable it might be felt Never had a Lie so many dimensions given it before nor so much substance ascribed to it Well fare Brute and his Trojans above all stories this carries the Honour of the day That which gave some Authority to this Fiction was the use King Edward the first made of it in vindicating his Title to Scotland against the pretence of Pope Boniface and the Church of Rome who laid claim to that Kingdom by Ancient Right as part of St. Peters Patrimony and that Churches Demesne This Action of the King stampt some Character upon this late Invention and the Judgment of so wise a Prince in favour of Brute in a matter of so high a Concern brought this new Embrio into some credit in the World It will not be amiss therefore to examine the whole Circumstances of this debate between the King Pope and Barons of this Realm King Edward having made a considerable progress towards the Conquest of Scotland and being there in Person receives a Prohibition from the Pope who was backt on by the French King to proceed any further in that business until he had proved his Title at Rome to which place the
But to return to King Baldud Presuming too much either to his skill in Magiok or his Philosophical invention of Wings he brake his Neck from off the Temple of Apollo in Troy-novant from a Pinnacle whereof he endeavoured to have flown He Governed Britain twenty years Then LEIR the Son of Baldud succeeded Anno Mundi 3105 He built Caerleir called Legecestria Leogora Legeo-cester and now Leicester and there placed a Flamen He had never a Son but three Daughters Gonorilla Regana and Cordeilla his Darling In his Old Age being jealous of their Affection he called them before him and demands that they would give him some assurance of their Love The two Eldest called Heaven and Earth to witness that they loved him ten thousand times dearer than their own Souls that they were not able to express their infinite Kindnesses and at last concluded their Flattery with horrid Oaths and Asseverations of their Sincerity Cordeilla could not be heard amidst all this noise of Affection so that her Father turning towards her quickly by his Countenance gave her to understand that he had expected something from her also wherefore with a modest look and humble deportment she assured him that as a Father she had ever loved and honoured him and as her bounden duty was as a Father she should reverence and alwaies esteem him This Answer satisfied not the old King but he shewed his Resentments by his neglect of her and the sudden advancement of her Sisters marrying Regana to Henninus Duke of Cornwal and Gonorilla to Maglanus Duke of Albania reserving no Portion for Cordeilla but it so happened that Aganippus King of Gallia hearing of her Vertue desired her in Marriage to whom she was welcome without any Dower but her own Excellence King Leir having thus disposed of his Daughters began to grow Gray yet Youthsome giving hopes to his Subjects of a long life and Government This pleased not Gonorilla nor Regana who began by this time to reflect upon their Father as the only obstacle of their Happiness often wishing him removed and from wishes they passed on to desires and longing expectations after his Death This brought a contempt of his Age and afterwards neglect and hatred of his Person finally being instigated and assisted by their Husbands they offered so many Indignities and Violences to him that in the end he was constrained to leave the Realm and take Refuge with Cordeilla This rejected Daughter of his received him with all signs and testimonies of Affection and what was more significant assisted him with powerful Aids and in Person went to revenge his wrongs so that bringing a great Army into Britain she destroyed his Enemies and restored him to his Crown which he held for the space of two years whose Reign in all is computed to be full sixty years and was buried at Leicester CORDEILLA the youngest Daughter of Leir was admitted for Queen An. Mundi 3165 She governed the Realm discreetly for five years during which time her Husband Aganippus died Margan and Cunedage her Nephews by her Sisters Gonorilla and Regana disdaining to be under the Government of a Woman rebelled against her and so prevailed that they took her Prisoner but being a Woman endowed with a high Spirit she slew her self rather than to live under their Tyranny CUNEDAG and MARGAN possessing the whole Government Anno Mundi 3170 they divided the Land between them To Margan fell Albania to Cunedag all the Country on this side of Humber Margan was not long content with his Portion so he invaded his Brother but driven by him into Wales and there slain giving the name of Glan-Margan to that Country Cunedagius Ruling alone erected a Temple to Mars at Perth in Scotland placing there a Flamens Seat He also built a Temple of Minerva at Bangor and one to Mercury Mr. Hollinshead saith Apollo in Cornwal he died and was buried in Troynovant after he had Ruled 33 years RIVAL the Son of Cunedag came to the Crown Anno Mundi 3203 in his time it rained Blood for three daies together from the putrefaction a noysom and venemous Flie was bred which in swarms infested the whole Land and brought a Contagion both on Man and Beast and great was the Mortality that ensued in this Kings Reign Rome is supposed to be built about the eight and twentieth year of his Reign and in the year after Brutes Arrival 356 some say in the thirty second year of Rival He Reigned 46 years and bidding adieu to the World GURGUST his Son succeeded Anno Mundi 3249. In this Kings Reign the Olympiads were instituted by Iphitus namely in the year of the World 3256 and in the seventh year of his Government Sr. Walter Rawleigh placeth the building of Rome four and twenty years after the Fourth Olympiad namely in the year 3280 and seven years after the next King Silvius or Sisilius with which Prince I will begin the next Period supposing him to proceed from the Line of the Kings of Alba after the expulsion of Amulius from the Kingdom by Romulus and Remus the time so exactly agreeing with Silvius his leaving the Crown of Alba and this Silvius reigning in Britain that from the driving out of Amulius and his Family from the usurped Kingdom of the Latins and to the beginning of this Kings Reign in Britain there seems a just competent time allowable for a Voyage They who have respect to the British Histories let them consider that this Intercourse between Alba and Britain here supposed is no new thing being practiced in the daies of Ebrancke who sent his Daughters to Silvius Alba then King of the Latins likewise let them take notice that this way the British Kings Succeeding are grafted into the Family of AEnaeas by a Line not so questionable as Brutes namely the Kings of Alba called all SILVII and the undoubted Off-spring of that Silvius Posthumus upon whom Brute cannot with reason be Fathered In the next place let them consider that the Line of the British Kings at Silvius begins to be strangely confused the Lineal descent being ended in himself and a Collateral one begun so that although Silvius be made the Brother of Gurgast yet I take it to make much to my purpose that he is not made his Son according to the way the British History is over fond of Let them consider likewise what Wars and Tumults are reported in the daies of Silvius and his Successour Jago the constant Accidents attending new Invaders and seeing that Polidore Virgil could venture to place and displace Kings at his pleasure inverting in many places the long received Order of the British History and yet deserve commendation for it I hope I cannot be much blamed for setting down my Conjecture which although it be new yet it doth not derogate in the least from the Honour of the Britains being derived from the same Head although in a different Channel And I doubt not that any would willingly deny them either
at variance Hirilda was slain whereupon Cassibelan summons Ewelin to appear before him to answer for the death of his Nephew but being encouraged by Androgeus refused to obey the Summons Upon this Cassibelan begins to make War upon Androgeus who finding himself not able to deal with him fled unto Caesar into Gallia and invited him to return into Britain for Caesar upon his ill success had left the Island Caesar took Hostages of him and among the rest Scaeva Androgeus his Son and so returns where encountring at his Landing with Cassibelan he was worsted until Androgeus coming upon the back of the Britains totally overthrew them Neither had the Romans any success against the Britains but what they obtained by the means of Androgeus whom I said before is called by Caesar Mandubratius and the aforesaid Reason is given by the British Histories of his flight unto Gallia Count Palatine writes that when Caesar was led by Androgeus he found the Britains drawn up at the Stowr in Kent he drave them from the opposite Bank with an Elephant armed with Iron-plates and a Tower upon his back and that the British Horses like those of Greece and no doubt all of Trojan breed could not endure the scent of the Elephant and so gave back drawing the Britains in their Charriots after them Likewise that the Breast-plate stuck with Pearls which Caesar dedicated to Venus Genetrix was presented him by Cassibelan at his departure from the Island and that Caesar in return of so seasonable a Gift for he had no time to gather any himself recompenced him with no less honourable Munificence After the final departure of Caesar Androgeus Mandubratius was not restored to the Kingdom of the Trinobantes but whether through the Ill will of Cassibelan or the general Hatred the People had to him for the enslaving of his Country is uncertain so that leaving Britain he again be took himself unto Caesar and attended him to Rome where he was entertained as King of Britain and saluted Friend to the Commonwealth At last he was slain in the Battle of Thessalia against Pompey Cassibelan after the Departure of the Romans reigned ten years which time he employed in Revenging himself upon the Cities that had Revolted from him during the Wars with Caesar. He was Buried at York in the year before Christ 42 and after the building of Rome 705. THE Inter Regnum OF THE ROMANS DURING the last ten years of Cassibelan and till the time of the Emperour Claudius the Britains were free from the yoak of the Romans and were ruled by their own Kings and governed by their own Laws so that for a while we must take our farewel of the Roman History collecting it only as we find it scattered here and there and follow the Succession of the British THEOMANTIUS or Tenantius Nephew of Cassibelan succeeded his Unkle in the Kingdom having before enjoyed the Principality of Cornwal far remote from the Troubles of the times and by that means not engaged by assisting his Brother to take to a Roman Interest or by ayding Cassibelan to justifie his Violences by which indifferent Carriage by the general Applause of the People he assumed the Crown Anno ante Christum XLV In this Kings Reign Octavius the Grand-child of Julia Caesars Sister obtained the Empire of Rome but before he had fully possest himself of it and was yet strugling with Antony and Lepidus Theomantius sends his Son Kymbelin to him to attend upon him in his Wars hoping thereby to ingratiate himself with Augustus and obtain a relaxation of the Tributes And indeed Cunobelin so behaved himself that he grew into especial favour with the Emperour and accompanied him to Rome where he was saluted by the name of FRIEND of the Commonwealth and bred up in all the splendour and magnificence of the Court. During his residence there Tenantius paid in Tribute which the British Histories set upon the score of this great Favourite of Augustus but the Roman Authors seem generally to imply That the Troubles of the Empire and the bandings of Great men after the death of Caesar were the causes of the Quiet of the Britains during these Civil Dissensions This carries most probability with it for we find Augustus no sooner setled in the Roman State but he began to cast his thoughts towards Britain And although Tacitus draws the neglect of this Island in Augustus to a wholsome State-Maxime of not making the Empire too unweildy and Strabo would have us think that he absolutely slighted it as a place of no importance and whose Enmity or Friendship conduced nothing to the good or ill of the Empire yet we find him twenty years after the Departure of Caesar Advanced as far as Gallia in order to the Reducing of it For had not a Revolt in Pannonia diverted him he had certeinly Attempted it About seven years after with the same Resolutions be once more drew down into Gallia and the Britains hearing thereof sent their Embassadors and promised their Tribute which Submission at the present he accepted of because some Commotions in Gallia arising he was willing to give himself totally to the Suppression of them The year following some differences arising about performance of Covenants he was again hindered by disturbances in Spain the Biscans and they between Gallicia and Portugal having Revolted This last designed Invasion was in the two and twentieth year of the Reign of Tenantius who in the thirtieth year died and was buried at London KYMBELIN or KUNOBELIN succeeded him in the Third year before CHRIST And if he was not Educated at Rome yet the kind Correspondence between the Romans and Britains about these Times gave fair occasion to the British Writers so to imagine it for now the Britains began to learn all the Arts and Intreagues of Courtiers to flatter for Advantage and by Gifts to appease a Prince and buy off a War They sent some Presents to Augustus and others to the Roman Gods to be offered with their Submission in the Capitol with such like obsequious Addresses This I suppose gave occasion to Horace to write Coelo tonantem credidimus JOVEM Regnare praesens Divus habebitur AUGUSTUS adjectis Britannis Imperio Gravibusque Persis JOVE we beleive the Heavens do sway CAESAR's a God below He makes the Britains Homage pay And the stiff Persians bow But although they shifted off the Tribute yet they yielded to Taxes and Impositions which were of more dangerous consequences to them For by that means they admitted the Romans into the Trading part of the Nation and although their Commodities vented on the Continent were inconsiderable such as Ivory-Bones Iron-Chains and such like Trinckets of Amber and Glass yet by this means the Roman Collectors were of necessity to be Admitted and their Enemies got more insight into them by this Amicable Correspondence than ever Caesar could do in both his Expeditions Nay by this means the
their Helmets and Laps with Cockles Muscles and other Shells calling them the spoils of the Ocean and due to the Capitol and Palace and as a Trophy of his great Victory he erected a mighty high Tower out of which as from a Pharohs lights might every night blaze to direct Marriners in their Courses the Ruines of which Pharoh's are sometimes seen at Low-water on the Shoar of Holland and called by the people there inhabiting to this day Briten-huts Having performed this mighty Exploit he pronounced a Donative of an hundred Denaries to every Souldier and as if he had exceeded all Examples of Liberality he bids them depart joyful with Plenty Had he stopped here and not proceeded any further in this vanity one might have thought he had been ashamed of so frivolous an Attempt but so fond was he of his Conceit that he carried of the Shells to Rome requires a Triumph and divine Honours for this foolish Enterprize Finding the State averse he was once in the mind to have murthered them all as envious of his Glory Thus stood the Affairs of Britain during the Reign of Cunobeline and long might they have so lasted in Freedom and Liberty had not this Nation by the Example of this Prince been too much addicted to the Roman Factions It is observed by some that about this time the British Potentates sent their Sons to Rome to be educated as not esteeming any Breeding that was not derived from that City No wonder therefore they were in the next Age enslaved by that People whose Customes they had already submitted to and what made most to their Misfortunes by a Prince of very small endowments no Conduct and of equal Stupidity with Caligula Cunobelin died in the forty fifth year of his Reign and was buried at London GUIDERIUS the eldest Son of Cunobeline succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of the Britains In his Reign Claudius the Emperour Invaded this Island but because in the Roman Histories to which we are again Arrived there is no mention made of this Prince I shall refer Him and his Actions to be related to their proper place Drusus Claudius CAESAR the 2. d Roman in Britain THE WARS UNDER CLAUDIUS CHAP. XIV DRUSUS CLAUDIUS CAESAR's Invasion of BRITAIN out of the ROMAN Histories THE Britains ever since the daies of Julius Caesar enjoyed their Laws Customes and Liberty they lived entirely within themselves and although they paid Tolls and Impositions yet it was not out of an acknowledgment of Submission to the Continent but from the necessity of Trading with it Being free from Forreign Disturbances which vented the Ill humors of the State they brake out into Inward Factions those secret Cancers which eat out the heart of a Nation and undermine the strength of it whilst to Lookers on it appears the freshest The different Parties which scarcely in Caesars time united against the Common Enemy now the Roman Rods for three Emperours that were taken off their backs were laid on again with greater Violence And whilst every petty state upon little Interest grew peevish one with another and pusht on for Principality they wer swooped away by the Roman Eagle who at several Morsels easily mastered that Prey which in a lump would have overgorged it Affairs grew to that height that by unnatural Ambition the Son rebelled against the Father and many adhering to that and other Factions being overtaken or prevented in their designs out of secret Guilt and fear of deserved Punishment fled their Country forsook their Allegiance to their natural Soveraign and betook themselves to the protection of Rome And like Vipers having eaten their way out of the bowels of their Common Mother they took especial care that the wounds they had made should not be healed nor the Breaches closed This they did by laying open the weakness of their Country and the easiness of a Roman Conquest They had a Party in the Island that wanted only opportunity of Rising and at the appearance of any to Head them would rise up in a moment These Practices were so openly carried in the Court of Rome that the British Potentates hearing thereof sent their Complaints and required that these Fugitives might be delivered and sent back to receive their due punishments What Answer was returned is not known but certain it is that no satisfaction was given in that point For continually others upon the same account flocked to Rome and were kindly entertained by the Emperour insomuch that that City as at its first Founding was continually made the Asylum or Sanctuary for all such as were disaffected to the present Government of their Country or any Villanies that had incurred the penalty of the Laws Adminius in the time of Caligula led the dance and now Bericus what he was further is not known was grown into such favour with Claudius that the Britains could no longer dissemble it but in a general Commotion and Uproar rose against the Romans who for Trading resided in the Island This News was brought to Claudius who by the instigation of Bericus resolves to revenge it and by force of Arms reduce the whole Island to the Roman Subjection To this end he sends Orders to Aulus Plautius at that time Praetor to transport the Army then lying in Gallia into Britain and withal commanding him that upon any great emergencies of Affairs he should not fail to give him intelligence Plautius in prosecution of his Orders calls his Army together but having laid open the Design they all fell into Mutiny complaining that they were to be led into a NEW WORLD and to make War out of the compass of the Earth In this matter they trifled out the time until Claudius sent his Freed-man Narcissus to appease the Souldiers and to hasten their Embarking But such was their Indignation at the sight of him who had formerly been a Slave that when he ascended the Tribunal to make an Oration to them they generally cried out 10 Saturnalia an Exclamation used in those Feasts where in the Servant takes place of the Master but immediately touched with the sence and shame of their Backwardness unanimously followed their General Plautius divides his Army into three Bodies and Embarks them in as many different Squadrons thinking thereby to secure his Landing which might be obstructed if they should all make for the same Port. Having put to Sea they were driven back by cross Winds and foul Weather which so much disheartned the Souldiers that had not a bright Meteor shooting from the East to the West seeming to direct their course to the Island put new life into them they had certainly drawn back and desisted totally from the Enterprize This happy Omen as sent by the Gods and presaging some good success so raised their Spirits that they resolved again to try the Sea which fell out so well that in a short time they were cast upon the Island and found no opposition at their Landing for the
Importance whose Inhabitants were dealt with according to their greater or lesser Obstinacy in yielding some being received into Mercy and others quite driven out of their Dwellings For these successes Claudius was oftentimes by his Army saluted with the Name of IMPERATOR a Title never given to any in the same War but once but now often reiterated with the universal Acclamations of all but whether out of flattery to his Person or that some extraordinary circumstances in the Wars with the Britains above other Nations deserved it is uncertain Afterwards he disarmed the Britains and thought that sufficient for his security without proceeding to the confiscation of the Goods of the Nobility and Gentry for which Clemency of his they erected Temples and Altars to him and with Sacrifice worshipt him as a God Having thus gained sufficient Honour he prepares for his Return to Rome sending before him Pompeius and Silanus who had married his Daughters to carry the Tidings of his Victories leaving behind him also Plautius to finish what he had so well begun and to subdue the remainder of the Island All this was accomplisht within sixteen daies for no longer was he in Britain and with so little noise and trouble that it gave occasion to Suetonius not long after to write That he subdued the Country without any Battle fought or the least Blood shed At his Return to Rome whence he had been absent in all but six Months he received a most Magnificent Triumph and as if his Atcheivments had exceeded all Example the Senate decreed yearly Games to his Honour and set up stately Arches not only in Rome but at Bulloigne also the place from whence he set out In this Expedition they gave moreover to him and his Son the Sir-name of BRITANNICUS a Title no less glorious to them than that of Germanicus Africanus or Asiaticus to others and conferred on them with far greater circumstances of Acknowledgment from the State And this may be said to the Honour of our Nation that even in the height of the Roman Empire it was esteemed so considerable a part of the World that it was held not Inferiour to any of the forementioned Provinces and cost as many Legions in preserving it as all Asia and was never forsaken by the Romans but in their last extremity At the Triumph of Claudius to make it more splendid the Governours of Provinces were summoned to appear and as in a publick Jubile all Banished persons for what Crimes soever were for that time admitted into Rome Upon the Loover of the Palace a Naval Coronet was fixed as if at that time BRITAIN had been the Mistress of the Sea and that the Ensign of its new Subjection Provinces presented their Crowns of Gold Gallia Comata or France one of nine pound Spain one of seven pound weight He ascended the Capitol by the stairs on his knees supported on each sides by his Sons in law Pompeius and Silanus He entred in Triumph the Adriatick Sea in a stately Vessel more like a Palace than a Ship To his Wife Messalina by the Senate was allowed the Highest place to sit in and in his Triumph she followed his Charriot in her Caroch or Hanging-Coach after them followed Valerius Asiaticus Julius Silanus Sidius Geta and others on whom in respect of this Conquest he had heaped Triumphal Ornaments the rest followed on foot and in their Robes After this he exhibited Triumphal Sports and Games having assumed for that end the Consular Office and Authority and besides the Solemnities in the Theatres he instituted Horse Races for Prizes between every Course which were ten in all Bears were killed Champions fought and the choicest Youths out of Asia danced the Warlike-dance in Armour In the Field of Mars he exhibited a War-like shew wherein he represented the storming and sacking of a Town and the Surrender of the British Princes himself presiding in the Robes of a General To Licinius Crassus Frug. he gave the Honour to follow him in his Triumph mounted upon a Trapped Courser with a rich Caparison and arraied in a Robe of Date-tree work Upon Posidius the Eunuch he bestowed a Spear-staff without a Head Upon C. Gavius Chains Bracelets Horse-trappings and a Coronet of Gold and all in memory of his British Conquest THE British History CONCERNING THE EXPEDITION OF CLAUDIUS And these Times CLAUDIUS at his coming to Land at Portchester besieged that Town to the Releif whereof came Guiderius and the Battle went on the Britains side until Hamo a Roman disguising himself like a Britain got the opportunity of killing the King and retiring Arviragus least the Britains should be discouraged concealed his Brothers death and dressing himself in his Armour as King continued the Battle and so obtained a great Victory Claudius fled to his Ships and Hamo to the next Woods whither Arviragus pursued him and hunting him out to the Sea-coast there slew him at a Haven before he could take Shipping called afterwards by the name of Hamon's-Haven and Hampton and at this day Southampton Thus died Guiderius in the year of our Lord Forty five and Arviragus his Brother for want of Issue succeeded him ARVIRAGUS the youngest Son of Cunobelin and Brother of Guiderius received the Kingdom in the year of our Lord forty five No mention is made of this King in the Roman Histories of these Times which maketh the Reign of this Prince too much suspected considering that in these daies many memorable things were done and Recorded by the Romans concerning this Island and more Inferiour Persons taken notice of and so it seemeth more strange that a Soveraign Prince of so active a Spirit as Arviragus is made and so Victorious against the Romans should be totally neglected by their Historians so that I am afraid as well his Encounters with Hamo as his Marriage with Genuissa a supposed Daughter of Claudius as likewise his Treaty with the Emperour his Homage to him the naming of Caerleon or Glovernia Claudiocestria in honour of his Nuptials with Claudius his Daughter as likewise his Exploits against Vespatian at Richborough will be all accounted of the same stamp and for that reason I will omit them And I will only make mention that about the sixth year of his Reign Joseph of Arimathea sent by Philip the Apostle preached as is generally supposed the Gospel of Christ in this Island having a place assigned him about Glastenbury by this King whom afterwards he converted to the Christian Faith if Harding writes true Joseph converted this King Arviragus By his preaching to know the Law Divine And Baptized him as written hath Nennius The Chronicler in Britain Tongue full fine But his Authority may be supposed to be as bad as his Verses for we find but two Nennius's one Brother of Cassibelan and long before this time the other called Bancharensis and writ not in the British Tongue but in the Latin However it is agreed that about these times the Christian Faith
called in the British and Scotch Tongue Phightiaid a Warlike and fierce Nation and to make up their terrible Character they were Scythians by descent and near Kinsmen at least to the Gothes and as some think the Off-spring of the Nation of the Agathyrses a Race of painted Cannibals setting forth from their Native Country or as some write from Sweden or Norway With these most excellent endowments as Pirates and Rovers they arrived on the Coast of Ireland where they met with their Brethren the Scots who then inhabited that Island who easily understood their Language as being themselves of Scythian extraction Having scarce landed their Forces they required Places to inhabit but the Scots who well understood the stomach of their Country-men and had but just now given over themselves to eat one another so diverted and shifted themoff with telling them the pleasures of Britain and the plenty thereof I wonder they should omit their Painting also The Picts hoysting up Sail made for this blessed Island little dreaming of the warm entertainment they were to receive for the Scots had laid the sairest side outwards and concealed the Courage and Numbers of the Britains When they had arrived upon the North of this Island finding there but few Inhabitants they began to waste wide and forrage all those Tracts which Nature it self had sufficiently laid desolate King Marius informed of the insolent Behaviour of these Strangers levies Forces and with speedy Marches hastned into the North and there gave them Battle The success was so great on the Britains side that the Picts were totally discomfited many slain among whom was their Leader Rodorick and the rest all taken Prisoners to whom King Marius gave license to inhabit the Northern part of Scotland called Cattness a cold and Mountainous Country They had not long lived there but they began to think of warm Bed-fellows and to that purpose sent unto the Britains for Wives but their Suit being there entertained with scorn they applied themselves to the Scots who granted them their Daughters upon this condition That if the Male Issue of the King should fail then the next Heir on the Womans side should succeed in the Kingdom which Ordinance ever after was observed among them and this was the cause of the great Union of both these Nations This Victory of King Marius against the Picts was obtained at Stanes-moor in Westmoreland and from his name was the Country called Westmaria But that which seemeth to give some credit to this Relation was this Inscription found in Carlile MARII VICTORIAE of which the Reverend Bishop Usher writes thus Although the British History in many things is found faulty yet the testimony of the Inscription of Marius his Victory is not altogether to be slighted For before Jeofferies Translation an Author much Graver William of Malmsbury writeth of it in this manner In the City Luguballia commonly called Carlile there is seen a Dining Room built of Stone and arched with Vaults which neither the force of Weather nor Fire on purpose set to it could scatter or destroy And on the Fore-front of it was this Inscription MARII VICTORIAE that is To the Victory of Marius Mr. Cambden who draws all Antiquities to the Romans saith That another making mention of this Stone who that other is he tells us not saith It was not inscribed Marii Victoriae but Marti Victori and this he saith may better content some and seemeth to come nearer to Truth But however it may please some vet it is absolutely against the meaning of Malmsbury who immediately adds What this Inscription should mean I know not unless part of the Cimbri should inhabit these Places after they were driven out of Italy by Marius the Consul of whom Ranulphus maketh mention in his Polycronicon This is Malmsbury's guess as being certain it was Marii Victoriae not Marti Victori and having never seen the British History he gave it to that Consul rather than no body little thinking how improbable it was that a Nation driven from its Country should raise Trophies to their Conquerour But if it must be Marii Victoriae Mr. Cambden hath a Roman of that name to fix it upon namely MARIUS who was proclaimed Emperour against Gallienus a Man of wonderful strength insomuch that it was written of him That he had no Veins in his Fingers but all Sinews saith Mr. Cambden but who they are he again nameth not and attributes this Inscription to him and so let it be for what Victory could ever slip from the hands of so nervous a Person King Marius died in the year of Grace 132 and was Interr'd at Carlile he left the Kingdom to his Son Coyll COYLL in his youth had been educated at Rome where he employed his time in learning the Sciences and the discipline of War He loved the Romans and was by them highly esteemed and honoured so that paying his Tribute and receiving their Protection he filled out a long just and peaceable Reign governing Britain 54 years to the fifth year of Commodus the Emperour when we shall hear of his Son LUCIUS the first Christian Prince of the British Line till whose daies the British Histories are silent there being nothing else memorable in the life of this Coyll save that some ascribe to him the building of Colchester in Essex which work others give to a later Coyll which reigned next after Asclepeodotuis THE Roman History HADRIAN having called away Julius Severus as likewise Priscus Licinius both Governours in Britain to subdue the Jews who were then in Rebellion it will not be amiss to fill out the remainder of this Emperours Reign with a short account of his Atchievments against that Nation seeing they were performed by Men whose experience in War was gained in our British Island The Jews a stubborn People and sick of the Roman yoak as who daily expected a glorious Messiah and were impatient of his coming at last of themselves took Arms in the Eighteenth year of Hadrian and began a dangerous Rebellion But Hadrian raising great Forces and electing his choicest Generals to Command them soon put a stop to their Fury who in the heat of the Revolt spared neither Roman nor Christian. And to revenge their Insolence besides an infinite number of them slain and tortured their City Jerusalem was razed to the ground themselves utterly banisht and made unlawful for them to look towards that City or their Native Soyl. Besides where Jerusalem had stood although not upon the same Foundations he built a new City calling it after his own name AELIA upon the Gate whereof that leadeth to Bethlehem that the Jews even in disguise might be kept as much as might be from visiting it he caused a Swine to be engraven a Beast which he had learnt by their Law was accounted the most unclean and of all others most abominable He was favourable to the Christians forbidding by Publick Edict the Persecution against them moved as some
now with unlimited Power brake out into all manner of Riot and Debaucheries Ambitious of Glory he was but sought for it the wrong way He would have called Rome Commodiana the names of Months he changed to Titles which he had arrogantly usurped or which related tohis dearest Concubines August he called Commodus September Hercules October Invictus November Exsuperator December Amazonius and his Flatterers gave him the name of Britannicus THE British History OUT OF BEDE IN the beginning of his Reign according to the best Computations lived Lucius Sirnamed Lever Daut signifying Great Brightness a supposed King of Britain or some part of the Island and the first King in Europe that received the Christian Faith and by publick Authority establisht it It is reported of him that being moved with many Miracles which he had both heard of and seen done by the Christians for as I have shewn that Christian Religion was taught and professed long before in this Island he sent to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome Letters by Eleuanus and Meduinus Men of great wisdom and experience in Divine Matters the answer to which Letter I shall set down word for word as it was found in a most Ancient Manuscript among the Authentick Records and Constitutions of the City of London and was made use of by Dr. Jewel Bishop of Salisbury against Mr. Harding The Original Epistle is as follows Anno 169 à Passione Christi Dominus Eleutherius Papa Lucio Regi Britanniae it à scripsit ad petitionem Regis procerum Regni Britanniae PEtistis à Nobis Leges Romanas Caesaris vobis transmitti quibus in Regno Britanniae uti voluistis Leges Romanas Caesaris semper reprobare possumus Legem Dei nequaquam Suscepistis enim nuper miseratione divinâ in Regno Britanniae legem fidem Christi habetis penes vos in Regno utramque Paginam ex illis Dei gratiâ per Consilium Regni vestri sume Legem per illam Dei potentia vestrum reges Britanniae regnum Vicarius verù Dei estis in regno juxta Prophetam Regem Domini est terra plenitudo ejus Orbis terrarum universi qui inhabitant in co Et rursum juxta Prophetam Regem Dilexisti justitiam odisti iniquitatem propterea unxit te Deus tuus oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis Et rursum juxta Prophetam regem Deus judicium tuum c. Non enim dixit Judicium neque justitiam Caesaris Filii enim Regis gentes Christianae Populi regni sunt qui sub vestra Protectione Pace regno degant consistant juxta Evangelium Quemadmodum Gallina congregat Pullos sub alis c. Gentes verò regni Britanniae Populi vestri sunt quos divisos debetis in unum ad Concordiam Pacem ad Fidem legem Christi ad sanctam Ecclesiam congregare revocare fovere manu-tenere protegere regere ab injuriosis malitiosis ab inimicis semper defendere Vae regno cujas Rex puer est cujus Principes manè comedunt non voco Regem propter parvam nimiam aetatem sed propter stultitiam iniquitatem insanitatem juxta Prophetam regem Viri sanguinum dolosi non dimidicabant dies suos c. Per comestionem intelligimus gulam per gulam luxuriam per luxuriam omnia turpia perversa mala juxta Salomonem regem In malevolam animam non introibit Sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Rex dicitur à Regendo non à Regno Rex eris dùm bene Regis quod nisi seceris nomen Regis non in te constabit nomen Regis perdes quod absit Det vobis Omnipotens Deus regnum Britanniae sic Regere ut possitis cum illo regnare in aeternum cujus Vicarius estis in Regno praedicto Thus rendred into English In the Year 169 from the Passion of Christ Lord Eleutherius Pope wrote thus to LVCIVS King of Britain in answer to the Petition of the King and the Nobility of the Kingdom of Britain YOu earnestly desire of us that we would send you the Roman Laws and Constitutions of the Emperour that you might use the same in the Kingdom of Britain The Roman Laws and the Emperour we can alwaies reprove but the Law of God is unblameable you have lately received through the infinite mercy of God into your Kingdom not only the Law but the Christian Faith also you have at your command both Testaments from them therefore by the assistance of God and your Councel extract Laws by which under God you may govern your Kingdom You are Gods sole Vicegerent in your own Kingdom according to that of the Prophet The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and all the Inhabitants that dwell therein And again Psalm the 44th verse the 7th Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Wickedness therefore God thy good God hath anointed thee with the oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows And again in the same Prophet God is thy Righteousness Not the Righteousness and Justice of Caesar. All Christian People especially those of your own Kingdom which live under your protection and peace ought to be accounted and looks upon as your own Children according to that of the Gospel As the Hen gathereth together her Chickens under her wings The People of Britain are your People which if at any time divided you ought with your utmost care to reduce them to Concord and endeavour their Peace and Unity furthermore to cherish maintain defend and govern them and in fine protect them from injurious and malicious Persons and take their part against their Enemies Wo to that Kingdom that hath a Child to their King and whose Princes eat in a morning I do not call him a Childish King in respect of Minority but in regard of his Foolishness wickedness and madness according to that of the Kingly Prophet Bloody and deceitful Men shall not live out half their daies By eating I mean Greediness by greediness Luxury by luxury all filthy eyil and unseemly things according to that of King Solomon Wisdom shall not descend into a wicked Soul neither shall it remain in a Body subject to sin The name of Governour is not derived from his Government but from well Governing You shall be a King so long as you Rule well which unless you do the name of KING shall fail and remain no longer in you which God forbid God grant you so to govern the Kingdom of Britain that you may at last reign with him for ever whose Vicar you are in the aforesaid Kingdom Observations upon this EPISTLE of Pope Eleutherius to King Lucius THis Epistle however magnified and look upon by some Authors as a worthy piece of Antiquity yet there are several Reasons that induce us to believe that this is not the true and genuine Epistle
of Eleutherius And the first is the Date it bears which in the Text is dated 169 in the Margin 156 yet neither agree with the time of Eleutherius his Popedom if we will follow the most approved Authors For although Bede saies he was made Bishop of Rome in the year of our Lord 167 yet Eusebius in his Chronicle places the beginning of his Popedom in the sixteenth year of the Emperour Antoninus that is in the year of our Lord 179 But in his History and indeed truer to the following year of Antonium which is of our Lord 180. Baronius is of the same Opinion also and confirms it by the Letters of the Martyrs at Lyons which were presented to Eleutherius himself 2. Besides if this Epistle be true it makes King Lucius to take a very preposterous course in sending so far as Rome to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws when he might sooner and with less trouble have procured them at home from the Roman Governour for from the time of the Emperour Claudius who subdued most part of Britain the Roman Laws were in force here nay very well known to the further parts of Yorkshire And Tacitus saies he had erected here Roman Courts and Tribunals which was about an hundred years before Lucius came to the Government But we shall pursue this discourse no further it being plain and obvious to any that are but meanly acquainted with those Histories 3. This Epistle makes no mention of any Power or Authority the Romans had in these parts but makes Lucius an absolute Monarch as in nothing subject to the Roman Governour You are Gods Vicegerent in your own Kingdom not Claudius Caesars or any other Emperour Contrary to the Customes of those times Among the Jews King Herod was under Pilate and King Agrippa under Faelix and Festus and so it was likewise usual in other Provinces but without doubt Lucius was a British King as he is rightly so stiled in the Life of Eleutherius but it was but of some part of it not of the whole Island or that part which separated from Scotland by a Wall which was under the Romans yet it is not to be doubted but that in some part of it he had a Power under the Romans neither is it any hard matter to describe the Places of his Government for he being the Son and Successour of King Coile and Coile the Son of Marius and Marius of Arviragus which some report to be Togenus others the same with Tacitus his Prasutagus King of the Iceni The Iceni inhabited that part of Britain which the East Angles did under the Saxons it comprehended Norfolk Suffolk and at some time Cambridge Their Royal City was Venta of the Iceni now called Castor in Norfolk near to the City of Norwich but this place is too far distant from Glastonia a little Village of the Belgae in the Kingdom of the West Saxons which Arviragus as they say gave to Joseph of Arimathea and his Companions that came with him But this seems to intimate that Arviragus was rather King of the Belga and Dobuni that is of the West Saxons than of the Iceni and that which promotes this Opinion is his being most usually in those parts and his entertainment in Claudiocestria if we will credit Gaufridus but that which takes away the doubt unless we will suspect the Author himself is the testimony of Hector Boethius Scotus who shews that Arviragus was by Birth an Icene and was substituted by Claudius Caesar King of Britain furthermore the Iceni first received the Christian Faith in Britain 4. This word Manutenere which we translate Maintain was not in use in Eleutherius his time but smells rather of the Norman Latin from which it crept into our Country Laws 5. Those places which are quoted out of the Holy Scripture are taken out of the Translation of St. Hierom who lived two hundred years after Eleutherius 6. This Epistle never came out in the World till almost a thousand years after the death of Eleutherius but out of what Monks Cell it came is uncertain but that which ought to be most observed is that it is no where to be found in Gaufridus Monumuthentis contemporary with Hovedenus who was always diligent in the Collection of the British Antiquities This Answer of the Pope by Letter to Lucius was sent by Fugatius and Damianus Men of sound doctrine and holy life by whose hands the King with all his Nobles received Baptisme and shortly after by their industry and the earnest desire and endeavours of King Lucius the Doctrine was so far propagated that the Temples and Altars of the Heathen Gods were in most places flung down and demolished the Christian worship set up in their places and the Church established under Form and Government In the Seats of twenty eight Flamens and three Arch Flamens which presided over the whole Nation being all of them either converted or expulied were constituted twenty eight Bishops and three Arch-bishops whose Chairs for the greater convenience of Government were continued in the same places the Archi-Flamens resided in The first and Metropolitan Seat was at London and the Cathedral St. Peters in the memory of that Saint from whose Successour Eleutherius they had received the Faith The second was at York The third at Carlile but of the particular extent of these places I shall treat more fully anon The Succession of Bishops in the See of London THe first to the Times of the Saxons is thus Theanus who was in the daies of Lucius consecrated the Church of St. Peters Cornhill and by the assistance of Ciranus the Kings Cup-bearer performed all the Rites thereunto belonging Some report he built the Church The second Eluanus he added a Liberary to it The third was Cadar the fourth Obinus the fifth Conanus the sixth Palladius the seventh Stephanus the eighth Iltutus or Iltutius the ninth Deduinus the tenth Theodredus the eleventh Hilarius the twelfth Vitelinus the thirteenth Vodinus Mr. Cambden calls him Theonus But before we proceed any further it will be necessary to say who and what these Flamens were and of their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops What these Flamens and Arch-flamens were and their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops I Wish we had seen the Book of Gildas for it can hardly be found in ancient Authority that there was ever any distribution of Flamens and Arch flamens into their particular Provinces or that the words Arch-flamens and Arch-bishops were in use in the time of Lucius or that Metropolitical Jurisdiction and the Ceremony of the Pall had any being in those daies For Flamens among the Romans were no other than their Priests so called from a Thred or String as Varro saith with which they bound their Head as Flamines some Pileamines from a Cap they wore and from Sacrificing commonly called Priests and every one of these lookt after the proper Offices and Duties of their particular Gods at first
there were but three only that of Jupiter Flamen Dialis of Mars Flamen Martialis of Romulus Flamen Quirinalis but afterwards every God had his Flamen Neither had any of these ever any Sacerdotal Power and Jurisdiction over any particular Province or that officiated alone in one Parish only for there being in the time of Numa thirty Parishes in the City of Rome and afterwards thirty six over every Parish or such division was set two Flamens neither were they subject to any superiour Flamen who was dignified and distinguisht by the Title of Arch-flamen I acknowledge that some were called the greater Flamens others the lesser but this was not from their Power but the Antiquity of their Order for the first three were instituted by Numa and the Nobility the rest by the Commonalty Concerning the Flamens and Arch-flamens of the Gentiles and the Limits of their Jurisdiction after they were changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops GAlfridus Arturius saith That the Blessed Teachers after they had almost rooted out Paganisme from the British Nation purging the Temples which were founded in honour of many of their Gods consecrated them to one God and delivered them to Religious men to be lookt after There were then constituted twenty eight Flamens and three Arch flamens as we have said before who according to the Custome of the Gentiles burnt Incense to their Gods and offered up Sacrifices unto them delivering therefore these by vertue of the Apostolick Doctrine from their Idolatry they consecrated Bishops in the place of Flamens and Arch-bishops instead of Arch-flamens The principal Seats of the Arch-flamens were in our most eminent Cities viz. London York and Caer-leon upon the River Uske in Glamorganshire Superstition therefore being driven out of the aforesaid places three Arch-bishops were forthwith made in other places they ordained Bishops and over several Parishes assigned to every one his Power and Office To the Province of the Metropolitan of York fell Deira and Albania which are divided from Leogria by the River Humber To the Arch-bishop of London submitted Loegria and Cornubia which Provinces Severn separates from Wales which was subject to the Arch-bishops See at Caerleon Affairs being thus ordered the aforesaid Holy Teachers returned to Rome and desired that all things they had done might be confirmed by the Pope they were therefore honoured by the Roman Church with the Pall and all other Ceremonies usual in their kind they returned again into Britain being accompanied by divers Religious persons by whose Doctrine and Preaching the British Nation was very much confirmed establisht and strengthned in the Faith of Christ. Their Acts are to be found in the Books of Gildas the Historiographer so that now we shall proceed to that of Vodinus or Theonus as Mr. Cambden calls him This Vodinus or Theonus for his constancy in the Christian Faith was Martyred by the Saxons at their first arrival in Britain After Fugacius and Damianus had setled every thing in order and establisht the Religion of Christ the holy Rites and Ceremonies thereof the Government and Discipline of the Church they returned to Rome and having obtained their Constitutions to be confirmed and ratified by Eleutherius still sitting in that Chair they came again into Britain by whose incessant Preaching and Sanctity of life the Britains suckt in that Religion the seeds whereof remained even unto the daies of Dioclesian who after Nero and Trajan raised the greatest Persecution the Church ever underwent And this is the first establishment of Christian Religion by publick Authority which for the Honour of our Nation is very early an hundred eighty and one years after the death of CHRIST and the reason why it got footing so soon in Britain above other Nations among many Causes this especially is given by Historians namely The Learning Piety and Devotion of the Druids who were so eminent in this Island as that they Decided and Judged not only in Spiritual but Civil Affairs and were resorted unto like Oracles for their profound Judgment and skill in Questions of the highest concern And many of their Tenents of which the Immortality of the Soul was chief were great inlets to that Religion which besides the great Vertue and Holiness it carried with it it taught Rewards of Vertue and Punishments of Vice upon surer grounds than the Heathens had ever built for their Imaginary vertue namely evident Miracles and certain Demonstrations that there was an Almighty Power that strictly examined the Actions of every Man I know that many Objections are made to destroy the Authority of this History which well examined will not prove to have so great force as at first sight they appear to carry First it is said That it is very improbable there should at this time be any King of Britain considering that this Island for many years since remained a Roman Province To which is Answered That it was the Custome of the Romans in their Provinces to continue Princes in their Governments and to make them Instruments of their Bondage giving them the shew of Power though they were in effect but Vassals and what hindereth but Lucius might hold his Kingdom in fee of them Besides in the daies of this Emperour as is gathered from Authentick Histories the Britains refused to obey Commodus and it is certain that they held and possest freely all those parts of the Island that lay beyond the Wall which was built between Tinmouth and Solway-Frith and that those Northern Britains had Princes of their own but especially Let us consider how that Antoninus Pius not many years before having ended War permitted Kingdoms to be ruled by their own Kings and Provinces by their own Comites Others there are who curiously searching into the time of this supposed Lucius find great difference in Authors Bede who is the Ancientest Reporter of this History yet lived five hundred years after placeth him under M. Aurelius Antoninus and Verus Emperours But this since is not found to agree with truth for the Date of the Letter sent back by Eleutherius through the hands of Fugacius and Damianus which by many is not thought to be forged but authentick is thus LUCIUS AURELIUS COMMODUS Second time Consul with Vespronius which was the year that M. Aurelius died in and in this agreeth both forreign and domestick Writers as for others who refer it to an hundred seventy nine years after Christs Passion it is manifest that it is the fault of Transcribers who should have writ an hundred seventy nine years after his Birth The British Histories make it five years after but in this it is not much to be regarded This LUCIUS Sirnamed by Ninnius Leuer-Maur by a Table remaining in the Church of St. Peters in Cornhill is supposed to be the Founder of that Church and the Church it self thought to have been the Cathedral of the Metropolitan See of London There are who ascribe the Foundation of St. Peters at Westminster to him but
at least Recorded though some of them through their short continuance in Power had no time to exercise it so far off And this is all I intend to do for I mean not to write of their Actions in Rome Syria or Africa or to make a History of the World save only what I shall speak of their Original and Antiquity when I intend only one of Britain Nothing shall be Recorded but what hath some relation to our Island and where no Circumstances tend to it it shall be sufficient the Emperour is named and the time of his Reign Secondly Another Motive which swayeth me to proceed in the aforesaid method is the weight of Presidents that have written after this manner and yet it is not absolutely necessary I should name them Nay the British Histories themselves have all along hitherto made the presence of a King in Britain and his being born here a necessary qualification to his being King Now we must take up with Kings in Right and admit of Heliogabulus Gordianus Maximine c. who never saw this Island to be their natural or rightful Inheritance And what can be said more for these Emperours which cannot be alleadged for all the rest for allowing Martia to have created a Title to Severus and his Sons must Heliogabulus the Bastard of Caracalla be hookt in upon the same score and must Alexander Severus be created another of his Bastards or else have no Right to the Kingdom most excellent But by what Right is his Murtherer Maximine admitted King Because saith Basingstoke BELIN a British God undertook the Revenge Was ever Title so plainly demonstrated Then follows Gordian who is lawful King of Britain because he was Father of Claudius from whom proceeded Constantine who had Right by his Wife Helena so that we see the Grandson gives Title to the Grand-father a Tenure able to puzzle the ablest Lawyers we have now in England If this were sufficient to make a lawful King of Eritain we need not fear even in their sence to hook-in the most obstinate and perversest Emperour imaginable so that the maintainers of that History have no reason to find fault with the Method designed And as for those who are only for the Romans I hope they will not account it impertinent and besides the purpose to give a short account if it were no more of the Emperours of Rome Macrinus Reigned one year one month and twenty eight daies Anton. Heliogabulus HE is supposed the Bastard Son of Bassianus by his Concubine Simiamira his Name HELIOGABULUS he took from being a Priest to that God in Phoenicia for Heliogabulus in the Phoenician Tongue signifies the Sun or Jupiter as Lampridius witnesseth But it seemeth rather to have been the Sun for from Clioun in the Phoenician Tongue signifying Lord or God the Greeks had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Sun which sheweth that the Sun in a peculiar manner was the God of the Phoenicians When he came to Rome he introduced that barbarous Custome in the honour of this God of sacrificing of Infants and Children looking into their Intrails to foretel future Events a Custome for which the Britains in former time were so much accused and which I mention to shew That the Phoenician Worship by such horrid Sacrifices was yet continued in the World and in all probability might be the Original of the same Custome in Britain brought hither when the Phoenicians were most conversant in the Island as I have shewn in the Antiquities of this Nation He was the most vicious Prince of all that either went before him or came after him and in his daies were acted over the Vices of the whole Empire for many Ages By Herodians Computation he Reigned six years and died in the twentieth year of his Age. Aurelius Victor saith he Ruled but three years and was slain at seventeen years of Age. Eusebius whom I follow assigneth him four years which agreeth with Onuphrius who maketh him to live but eighteen years And by all it is agreed that he came to the Empire at fourteen and for the Honour of our Nation is allowed King of this Island by our British Histories Alexander Severus ALEXANDER was the Son of Varius and Mammea Sister to Simiamira others make him the Son of Bassianus and that the two Sisters Simiamira and Mammea waiting on their Aunt Julia the Empress had the misfortune to be both gotten with Child by him But whether he were the Brother and Cousin German of Heliogabulus certain it is he had no Alliance with him in his Vicious inclinations being a Learned Warlike and Fortunate Prince We find that the Senate met together in the Temple of Concord and used many of those Acclamations to him and the Gods which I have taken notice of in the Life of Commodus and are too tedious here to be repeated It is thought that he made an Expedition into Britain and Lampridius saies he was slain in a Town called Sicila but whether it were in Britain or Gaul he leaves us uncertain Howbeit thus much we find in the same Author of his Actions in this Island When he had given unto the Captains and Souldiers of the Marches those Grounds and Lands which were won from the Enemies so that they should be their Propriety if their Heirs served as Souldiers and that they should not revert to any private Men supposing they would go to the Wars more willingly and take the better care if they could to defend their own peculiar Possessions Note these words well saith Mr. Cambden from hence may be deduced either a kind of Feudum or Fee or the beginning of Fewds Before his death a Druid Woman cried out to him in the Gaulish Tongue Go on but hope not for Victory and trust not thy Souldiers He was slain by some of his own Army at the instigation of Maximine who succeeded him and the cause of his death was That the Souldiers grown loose under Heliogabulus could not endure the severity of Discipline He Reigned according to Lampridius thirteen years and nine daies Aged twenty nine years three months and seven daies in the year of our Lord 236. Basing stoke endeavoureth to prove Sicila was a Town in Britain so called from the British Prince Sicilius who built it but his Arguments are not worth reputing This Alexander Severus is also numbred among the British Kings Julius Maximinus MAXIMINE a Man of mean Birth but of prodigious strength and greatness proved an unweildy insolent and untractable Tyrant insomuch that Old Gordianus and his Son were set up by the Senate against him their Reigns were but short for Capelianus Governour of Numidia and Mauritania more out of private hatred to Gordian than kindness to Maximine gave them Eattle the success whereof was That young Gordian being slain his Father out of grief hanged himself This Gordian had been Quaestor of Rome and amongst many of his Magnificent Shews
Affairs in the Island the AEduans in Burgundy entertained to build their Temples and Publick Edifices Peace thus establisht in Britain and the State quieted Dioclesian who had hitherto employed his Valour with success against his Enemies now used his Rage in a bloody Persecution against his Innocent and Obedient Subjects the Christians This is the tenth Persecution and of all the fore-going the most Bloody and of longest continuance the fatal Bill of their Martyrdom was seventeen thousand a Month besides infinite numbers that suffered by Confiscation Banishment Prisons c. The Christian Churches were every where demolisht their Bibles sought out and burnt and death for any to conceal them and all means practiced not only to extinguish the Professours but to root out the very Name of their Religion The most remarkable that had their shares in Britain were first ALBAN of Verulam beheaded at Holmhurst since called Derswould where now the Town of St. Albans bearing his name is built of whom Fortunatus Priscus in his Book of the praise of Virginity writes Albanum Egregium faecunda Britannia profert Next his Instructour Amphibolus then Julius and Aaron of Caerleon upon Uske in Monmouthshire Bede saith of Leicestershire and in Litchfield so many that the place became another Golgotha and so the name importeth as John Ross of Warwick reporteth namely the Field of Dead Bodies For this cause the City even unto this day saith Mr. Speed doth bear for their Seal of Arms an Eschochean or Field charged with many Martyrs Dioclesian and Maximian reigned twenty years and resigned the Empire to their two Caesars Constantius and Galerius Dioclesian retired into Dalmatia and lived a private life in the City Solonia where afterwards he poysoned himself saies Aurelius Victor Eusebius reporteth he died mad Maximian again attempting to resume the Empire was slain for contriving the murther of Constantius Eusebius avoucheth he hanged himself in the City Marseittes thus ended these two Tyrants THE British History In the Daies of DIOCLESIAN AND MAXIMIAN AFter BONOSUS succeeded CARAUSIUS in the Kingdom of Britain in the year 289 the fourth of these Emperours He made the Picts his Confederates and entertaining all who flockt to him under the hopes of Pillage and Plunder He constrained the Britains to make him their King who not knowing now who was their Friend or Foe partly for fear and partly for want of a lawful Inheritour elected him to the Crown Having thus gained the Power first he rewards the Picts with the vast Territories in Albania and not content with Invading the property of his Subjects and dispossessing the Ancient Britains like a proud Tyrant he infringed all their Rights and Priviledges The Romans hearing thereof sent Alectus with three Legions to kill him and to restore Britain to the Empire Carausius accordingly was slain after he had reigned seven years but instead of giving the Kingdom to the Romans Alectus himself usurped it and assumed the Crown in the year 269. He punished with great slaughter those Britains who forsaking the Common-wealth had adhered to the society of Carausius and been partakers in his Robberies which they sorely resenting chose Asclepiodotus to revenge exhorting him to set upon him in London whilest he was celebrating a Feast to his Country Gods at whose Arrival Alectus forsaking his Sacrifice and marching out with the choice of his Souldiers entered Battle with him but was slain after he had reigned three years Livius Gallus a Captain of Alectus still held London to the reducing whereof Asclepiodotus now King summoned the Demeta or the Inhabitants of that part of the Island now called South-Wales the Venedoti and those of Deira and Albania With these Forces he beleagures the City and with his War-like Engines batters down great part of the Wall Gallus perceiving himself able to hold out no longer comes to Parly and surrenders the Town upon Condition to march out Armed which being agreed to Asclepiodotus enters but the Venedoti contrary to Articles fell upon Gallus and slew him at a Brooks-side within the City called after his Name Walbrooke or Gal-brooke Thus Asclepiodotus got the full possession of the Kingdom but being not able or skilful to defend his Subjects from the cruelty of the Roman Emperours who in his daies raised the Persecution in Britain he was slain by Coilus Duke of Colchester after he had reigned about one year COIL the third of that name after the death of Asclepiodotus assumed the Crown and now Constantius having heard of the Troubles in Britain under the several Usurpers lands upon the Coast Coil informed thereof sends Embassadours to crave Peace and promises Subjection and Homage upon condition that he should enjoy the Kingdom of Britain paying the accustomed Tributes and Tolls to the Romans To this Constantius agrees and receives Hostages and not long after marries Helena his Daughter than whom a fairer Virgin never lived and who besides that she was an excellent Musitian and generally instructed in all Liberal Arts and Sciences Coil after one years Reign died and left the Kingdom to Constantius who Governed in the Right of his Wife Helena so that again the British Succession returned to that of the Romans Fl. Val. Constantius Chlorus AFTER the Resignation of Dioclesian and Maximian the Empire which hitherto was held entire though often under many Heads was now divided into two several Estates independent of each other and ameanable only to their particular Princes which as Eusebius noteth proved the fatal end of the Imperial Glory The Western Provinces the Government whereof alone relateth to our present History fell to CONSTANTIUS the Son of a Daughter to Crispus Brother to Claudius the second of that name Emperour of Rome A Prince wise and valiant and so free from Ambition that he chose rather to Govern well than much resigning to Galerius the Provinces of Italy and Africk as lying too remote from the Seat of his Residence which he held in Britain He favoured and encouraged the Christians and abhorred the Superstitious worship of divers Gods acknowledging but One only the Maker and Ruler of all things and to try the Faith of his Courtiers he proclaimed a publick Sacrifice at the solemnity whereof whosoever should be absent and refuse to offer were immediately as he pretended to be discarded and those only that conformed should be retained Such were alwaies sure to be of the Religion of their Prince who had held the Faith only as a Court-fashion presently crept and cringed to the Gods as they thought of their Soveraign But the Complement took not that they were all turned out of their Services with this Rebuke That he who is difloyal to his God can never be true and faithful to his Prince Many other worthy Actions are reported of this Constantius in favour to the Christians but the full establishing their Religion and the publick Authorizing thereof was reserved to Constantine his Son and Successour
reported to have been kill'd by a Captain of his Brother Constans near to the City Aquileia in Italy CONSTANS CONSTANS the second Son of Constantine the Great after the death of his Brother puffed up with the Victory seized Britain and the rest of the Provinces into his own hands and with his younger Brother Constantius came into the Island in the dead of Winter Hereupon Julius Firmicus not that Pagan Astrologer but the Christian speaketh in this wise to them Ye have in the Winter time a thing that never was done before nor shall be again subdued under your Oars the swelling and raging Billows of the British Ocean The Waves now of the Sea unto this time well near unknown to us have trembled and the Britains were sore afraid to see the unexpected face of the Emperour What would ye more The very Elements as vanquisht have given place to your Vertues This Constans was he who called a Counsel to Sardica against the Arrians at which were assembled three hundred Bishops and among them the Bishops of Britain who having condemned the Hereticks and establisht the Nicene Creed by their Voices and Judgment approved the Innocency of Athanasius But this Prince being youthful and casting away all care of the Empire and drowned in Pleasures became grievous to the Provincials and nothing acceptable to his Souldiers insomuch that Maxentius Captain of the Jovi and Herculii beset him in a Town called St. Helens as he was hunting and there slew him whereby the Prophesie was fulfilled That he should end his daies in his Grandmothers lap of whom that Town indeed took its name This Castle of St. Helens saith Mr. Speed was scituated among the Taporis a Spanish People under the Pyrenean Mountains and from this murther of his Soveraign Maxentius was therefore called Taporus as his name is found in an old Antiquity of Stone digged up long since at Rome He had a Britain to his Father although born among the Lati a People in France and after the death of Constans usurped the Kingdom of whose fall we shall read in the following Emperour Basingstoak giveth a particular account of the life and death of Constans after this manner He was at first a good Prince and Ruled well but afterwards either through the weakness of Nature or corruptions of his Flatterers of whom I add that all good and well-meaning Princes ought to take care to beware he gave himself over to all Pleasures and Luxury which drawing the Gout upon him made him uneasie morose and peevish by which means he lost the affections of his Souldiers and the love of his Provincials Maxentius was then in the Army a Count of a City in Germany called Augusta Vindelicorum he by the incitement of one Chrestus and Marcellinus when the day was appointed makes a feast to the Souldiers Marcellinus seigning that his Sons Birth-day was to be solemnized when the Company was warm with Wine Maxentius withdraws and putting on the Purple Robe returned again to the Company They who were not privy to this design were nevertheless by the suddenness of the Stratagem forced to comply insomuch that having a good Party about him as he was Robed he hastned to the Palace The Emperour wearied by Hunting his usual diversion was laid upon the Bed but not asleep as they expected so that hearing them enter he escaped to the Temple but in vain for Gaison one of the chief Conspiratours haling him from the Altar slew him The Ingratitude of this Maxentius to his Master is more remarkable in that he was not only his bountiful Prince but had been once his Deliverer For in a Mutiny in Illyricum wherein the Souldiers would have killed him he fled into Constans his arms for refuge and was protected under his Royal Vesture This Maxentius by the British History is made King of this Island and by Basingstoak the successour of Constans although Constantius the younger Brother of Constans succeeded in the West and out-lived this Maxentius Flav. Val. Constantius CONSTANS thus treacherously made away by Maxentius the Western Empire by Right fell unto CONSTANTIUS his younger Brother but Maxentius had possest himself of France and drawn the Britains to side with him and so for three years bore up stiffly against Constantius The success at first was various on both sides but at last the heat of the Revolt being qualified and the Spirit spent and Constantius still growing faster upon him was no longer able to hold up his head that he slew himself at Lions so that the peacable possession of the Province was left to CONSTANTIUS At this time the General of all the War-Forces throughout Britain was Gratianus Sirnamed FUNARIUS so called either from his Trade formerly exercised being a Rope-seller or as others say from his exceeding strength five Souldiers being not able with all their force to wrench a Rope from him he being out of favour with the Emperour because reported to have given entertainment to Maxentius was not only constrained to return home being cashier'd of his Military employment but was also fined by Constantius in the confiscation and loss of his Goods And now a severe Inquisition fell upon Britain to detect those who had adhered to the Party of Maxentius and the Inquisitor sent by Constantius was Paulus a Spaniard Sirnamed CATENA for his severe inflicting of Chains and Manacles upon the accused or as Basingstoak reporteth for his cunning linking his Plots and Devices together Martinus an Aged and worthy Commander was then Vicar of Britain who was much concerned and grieved at the rigid way of his proceedings but whilest he endeavoured to protect others by the cunning of Paulus was himself taken in the snare For this PAULUS having a crafty and subtle head was sent hither to search out such Persons who had sided in the Conspiracy with Maxentius insomuch for the desire of gain after he had patched and pieced many faults of some together whether the Persons were guilty or not he regarded not he seized all their Estates and Fortunes and so vigorously proceeded to spoil and undoe many imprisoning the Free-born and tormenting them with Chains and Fetters such base and unworthy Acts being committed by him in the daies of Constantius as these branded the whole Emperours Reign with disgrace and scandal Paulus perceiving his trade decayed by means of the Vicar MARTINUS endeavoured to carry him away Prisoner with divers others before the Emperours Counsel for which cause Martinus endeavoured to stab him but missing his pass immediately with the same weapon became his own Executioner which loss by many was much commiserated for as he was a Man honest he deserved great Reputation Paulus after he had sufficiently stained himself with Innocent blood returned to the Princes Court against whose coming with Prisoners Racks Drags Tortures and Executioners were prepared so that many of them were proscribed and outlawed some banished and others died by the Sword Did not
Hengists further Advice in hastning speedy Orders for a greater supply of German Forces in pretence of securing the Land more firmly from the rage and power of his Enemies which in truth at last proved but to promote and strengthen his own Greatness which so long he had fore-cast in his head to accomplish esteeming it also to be a great Honour to his Name and Family that he should approve himself to be the only Man that first laid the foundation of a Saxon Monarchy in so Great and Renowned a Kingdom as BRITAIN which was not only so esteemed in those daies but by the Phoenicians Greeks and Romans their Predecessours And we have just cause to believe his Affairs were managed with more than ordinary prudence and policy when in one of his Armies was conveyed hither the comely and most beautiful Rowena on purpose to entice and steal away the Kings heart that her Father might take the better advantage in compleating his Emperial designs The King no sooner saw this Beautiful Virgin at a Banquet unto which he was invited by Hengist but so infinitely admired her Person Beauty and Noble Behaviour that nothing would divert his resolution or quench the heat of so sudden a passion but the deserting his own Queen to obtain Rowena in Marriage but Hengist craftily managing his designs modestly complements the King with humble and submissive Excuses much after this manner That neither his Daughters degree Person or Fortune was suitable to Majesty or the Greatness of his Dominions and Empire yet at last through the earuestness of the Kings Importunities he gave his consent for his speedy Marriage By this Hengist was not only honoured in being Related to a British Prince but firmly received a confirmation of the Kings Gratitude the Kingdom of Kent for his Recompence which formerly had been governed by one Guorongus a Vice-Roy to manage State Affairs in that Province This German Alliance with King Vortigern in a short time made the Saxon Confederates more burthensome to the State than their late Enemies which at first a little startled the King nevertheless the crafty and fortunate inventions of Hengist strengthned by the power of that beloved Rowena so eclipsed the Kings sight yea so weakned his Power that he gained further leave to send into Germany for his Brother Occa and his Son Ebusa The pretence was that the Enemy grew too heady and strong for him and that by such aids and assistance he could better undertake the defence of the South parts when at the same time They if here might preserve the North. Some report although not without contradiction to others that this Occa was the Son of Hengist and Ebusa his Uncles Son but the difference in Opinions in this point is not much material sufficient that the story is true that such Persons by name were called hither by the advice and procurement of Hengist to promote the power of a Saxon Interest The Nobility of the British Nation now sensible of their destruction knew it was too late to reclaim a Luxurious and careless Prince and as to little purpose to endeavour the recalling of a neglected opportunity wherein once they might have stopt the current of such dangerous Events and Accidents For their Consultations now with the King how to prevent Occa and Ebusa from entring the British shoars were wholly rejected through the inseparable affection he bore to the content and happiness of his new Associate The manner of Occa and Ebusa's behaviour after their Arrival is briefly thus After the King had given his consent for the landing of a powerful Army of Germans there came with them as their Generals Occa and Ebusa and coasting towards Britain they struck Sail for the Orkney Isles after whose arrival the Inhabitants received great and unspeakable damages and not long after the Scots and Picts bore an equal share in affliction for after they had sufficiently executed their Tyranny upon the Britains they proceeded to Northumberland where for some time at their first entrance intended only to make a short stay but in process of time too well approving the accommodation of that Country they esteemed it a place worthy of longer residence yet not so fully and absolutely possessing it as to govern it under the title of KINGS but Subjects of Kent till ninety nine years after their first possession Now it is that again we hear how infinitely afflicted and moved the Subjects of King Vortigern were at the increasing Power of the Saxons and because as I said before they could not perswade him into the belief of such great dangers likely to happen they universally agreed in Counsel among themselves to bereave him of his Regal Power and Dignity and in whose stead they placed his Son Vortimer which for the present put the Nation into no small confusion and hubbub besides gave new occasions to the Saxons to revive Insurrections and commit upon the distressed Inhabitants most deplorable spoil and havock Bede and others are silent of Vortimers taking possession of the Crown about this time and consequently that there happened no such fewd and heart-burning between King Vortigern and his Nobility upon the account of the Saxons Arrival into this Land For they say that when the Saxons came into the Land they were received as Friends Aiders and Assisters of the disturbed Britains against their Enemies But I conceive Bede and others might mistake the true Timing of Transactions in that State forgetting the time of the breach of Covenant between them and so might easily mistake one time for another as I find the British History in several other cases are worthy of too great blame and reprehension What Courage the Britains took after all these discouragements in the daies of Aurelius Ambrosius shall be shewn in a following Treatise relating to the transactions in that Princes Reign Hengist by Birth however he dissembled his Quality in that modest behaviour of his in behalf of his Daughter to King Vortigern was of the Princely Blood of the Saxon Race born in Angria in Westphalia the Son of Wiht-Gisil of the Line of Prince Wooden The Kingdom of Kent he obtained by his power and policy not Right which in the daies of Julius Casar was never known to be an intire Province as it was alwaies governed by four Petty Kings of the British Race And although he obtained not the Kingdom by right of Inheritance yet was he to be commended for his Policy Valour and Conduct He possest not the Kingdom above seven years but laid the foundation of the Saxon Government and approved himself an Example yea the first Rule and direction to Egbert afterwards a K. of the West Saxons how to reduce the whole Kingdom into one happy and entire state of Monarchy So that before we proceed to the History and Chronicle of his Successours who after their Arrival bore the greatest sway in this Kingdom and by success of Arms and vast supplies received from the
but the only Argument to prove this a British Monument is Catigern's Tomb who fell in a Battle against Horsa where the Tomb only differs from this in bigness and as being fixed without Mortises and Tenons as we have it expressed by Mr. Cambden in his description of Kent wherein he sets down several other things worthy of observation relating to that Country THE CONTINUATION OF THE British KINGS In the Daies of the SAXONS TO Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded his Brother UTER PENDRAGON a Prince nothing inferiour to him either in Valour or Fortune he is reported a Roman but the greatest demonstration we have of his being so was that whilest he lived he not only buoyed up the sinking genius of Britain by his own Vertues but had also freed this ISLE from a troublesome Intruder as the Saxon in all probability was like to prove had not Divine providence preordained to the contrary si Pergama dextra Defendi potuisse etiam hac defensa fuisset Before he came to the Crown he was sent by Aurelius who then lay sick to oppose Pascentius Vortigern's second Son a Man likely to prove a dangerous Enemy as pretending to the Crown and at that time in conjunction with another malevolent Planet GILLAMARE King of Ireland Against these Uter prudently made all the haste he could with resolution upon the first opportunity to give them Battle lest this new Pretender through length of time might steal away the Affections of the unstable Britains and he himself bring his own Credit in question by delaying the Engagement insomuch that the one being actuated by his own natural fierceness from whence termed UTER the other spurr'd on by Ambition the Fight for a long time stood doubtful but in the end Pascentius and his Irish Associates were slain ill defending their claim to that which their Fathers before them held by as bad a Title Aurelius being dead and himself freed from all Competitors in the Kingdom he began to have an eye upon the proceedings of the Saxons For understanding how Esk and Occa Hengist's Sons had harrassed and spoiled the Country as far as the City of York with all the speed therefore imaginable he wade after these Free-Booters and as suddenly defeated them taking the two Brethren prisoners A good natured Prince without doubt that spared the Lives of those that were by piece-meal stealing his Kingdom and whose Father but a little before had sacrificed 300 of his Nobility In this Prince his time landed Kerdic the Saxon a new Enemy sierce and hardy who notwithstanding all opposition Pendragon could make daily discomsited the Britains and gained Territories large enough for himself and his Followers Now whether this happened whilst he was doting on the fair Dutchess of Cornwall and so could not spare time to attend their Motions sure it is we read that the Britains to recover what they had lost set upon the Saxons under the Conduct of Natanleod or Nazeleod a certain King of Britain but were sufficiently routed by Kerdic and his Saxons from whence the place in Hantshire as far as Kerdicsford now Chardford was called of old Nazaleod Now some and not improbably suppose this Nazeleod to be the right name of Uter Pendragon who for the terrour of his eagerness in fight became more known by the Sir name of Uter signifying in the Welch Tongue dreadful as Edward was termed the Black Prince for the same Reason We shall speak nothing here of his lying with Igren Dutchess of Cornwall nor how by the art of Merlyn he was made so like the Duke of Cornwall that neither the Dutchess nor Servants could perceive the cheat contenting our selves since it cannot be helped that from that adulterous Bed the vertuous Prince Arthur sprang ARTHUR after the death of Pendragon his Son Arthur by the Dutchess of Cornwall was advanced to the Throne being then not above fifteen years old early he came by his honour and as early troubles the usual Concomitants of it overtook him but on purpose as it seems to make him more glorious For Lotho King of the Picts and Gouran King of the Scots having married Anna and Alda the Sisters of Uter laid claim to the Crown in right of their Wives These had Justice on their side and Arthur eleven points of the Law Possession and a good Sword to make it good they often backt their Pretences with a good Army and were as often defeated by this young Prince yet not so throughly but that they held him in Plea all his life-time upon occasions assisting the Saxon against him and at Cambula in Cornwall saith Leland this British Hector encountering Mordred Lotho's Son slew him outright and received of him his own deaths wound Ninnius reports that he over-threw the Saxons in twelve great Battels but with what credit I know not Kerdic the Saxon during all the time of Arthurs Reign continually gained ground of him and possest himself of Somerset and Hantshire in defyance of all the opposition he could make against him but after the fight at Mount Badon the Saxons are said to have sate down quietly for a good while after which those restless Spirits would scarce have done had they not stood in fear of an Army more powerful than their own Therefore we may with some Reason believe he gave the Saxons some considerable defeat and might with all probability have eased the Kingdom of that troublesom Enemy had not his generous Spirit been almost consumed and over-wearied by their continual Supplys Fame has done no Prince more Injury than this for by representing him so far beyond all proportion she has made him Monstrous and by her over-fond talking hath made Posterity suspect with some reason whether there ever was any such Person The Bards styled him IMPERATOR BRITANNIAE GALLIAE GERMANIAE DACIAE now who can believe that he should ramble so far to purchase new Countreys especially with the blood of his own People that could not defend his own against the Enemy at home Caradoc relates that Melvas King of that Country which is now called Somerset detained from him his wife Guenever in the Town of Glaston for the space of a whole year and afterwards restored her at the desire of Gildas not by any compulsion or force that Arthur could make against him If this be true then Arthur seems to be a very unlikely Man to run-over Germany that could not chastise the affront of a little Prince of Somerset that had so much defiled his Bed Now the greatest Argument we have to prove there was ever such a Man as ARTHUR is this King HENRY the Second whilest he was at Pembroke diligently hearkning to a Welch Bard that was singing the notable Exploits of King ARTHUR and taking particular notice of the place of his Burial the Song designing it to be in the Churchyard of Glastonbury and that betwixt two Pyramids commanded for his further satisfaction that they should dig thereabouts When they came some
seven foot deep they found an huge broad Stone with a Leaden-Cross fastened to it and on that side that lay downward in rude Letters was written this Inscription HIC JACET SEPULTUS INCLYTUS REX ARTURIUS IN INSULA AVALONIA And digging nine foot deeper his Body was found in the Trunk of a Tree the Bones of a great bigness and in his Skull were perceived ten wounds the last very great and plainly seen By him also lay GUINEVER his Queen seeming perfect and whole till it was toucht then appearing to be nothing but Dust but the Restorer of Stonehenge with more probability hath found her Tomb at Ambresbury Among other Sepulchres saies he found at the said Monastery it is worthy Memory that about the beginning of this Century one of them hewn out of a firm Stone and placed in the middle of a Wall was opened having upon its coverture rude Letters of massie Gold to this purpose R. G. A. C. 600. Thus Interpreted Regina Guinevera Arturi Conjux The Bones within which Scpulchre were all firm fair yellow coloured Hair about the Skull a supposed piece of the Liver near upon the bigness of a Wall-nut very dry and hard and together therewith were found several Royal habiliments as Jewels Veils Scarfs c. retaining even till then their proper Colours All which were afterwards very choicely kept in the Collection of the Right Honourable EDWARD then Earl of Hertford and of the aforesaid Gold divers Rings were made and worn by his Lordships principal Officers Concerning which Tomb is supposed by the same Author to be the Sepulchre of Queen GUINEVER Wife of King ARTHUR especially the letters R. G. c. viz. Regina Guinevera c. and the date Anno Christi 600 if rightly Copied agreeing with the time of her death Besides Leyland affirms that several Writers make mention she took upon her a Nuns Veil at Ambresbury died and was there buried unto which he gives so much credit that whatever Giraldus Cambrensis delivers to the contrary he will by no means allow either her Body to be afterwards translated from Ambresbury or at any time buried by her Husband King ARTHUR at Glastonbury Unto Leyland's Reasons for her Interrment at Ambresbury Mr. Cambden it seems inclines also because wholly silent of her Sepulchre discovered any where else though at large sets down the Circumstances of her Husbands Body it being found at Glastonbury for had Mr. Cambden found any thing inducing him to believe her Body had been together with his there found he would never certainly have concealed it from Posterity Constantine the IV. THis CONSTANTINE according to some Writers after the death of Prince Arthur Reigned as a Tyrant over Cornwal and Devonshire at the same time with Aurelius Conanus Vortipor and Malgo but according to others by the appointment of Arthur a little before his death he succeeded him alone in the Kingdom the Britains unanimously ratifiing the choice as expecting mighty things from the Person their admired Champion had pitched upon for their Governour But as many private Persons who were before good Subjects have proved but bad Kings after they came to the Crown So it fared with this Constantine who being more conceited of his Power than knowing in the waies of Governing grew on a sudden so intollerably proud that he slighted his Enemies contemned his Friends and measured Justice by the length and strength of his own Sword Possibly he had found the inconvenience of it sooner had not the Pictish War broke out which diverted the minds of his incensed Britains another way For the Picts hearing that after the death of Arthur Constantine was made King appeared with an Army in favour of the Sons of Mordred Arthur's Nephews to settle them in their Right But these he happily routed chasing his two Rivals with their Governours taking Sanctuary the one in Winchester the other in London to the very Altar but the sacred Reverence of the place stopt not his fury for he slew them there with their two Governours without any consideration of the tenderness of their years or holiness of the place Gildas sharply inveighs against this Prince for his Adultery forsaking his lawful Wife and for his Perjury c. lastly for murthering these two Children Yet these being the Sons of the false Mordred who had created his predecessour Arthur so much trouble all his life time by his frequent Rebellions and at last gave him his deaths wound seems a little to take away from the Cruelty of the Action After he had Reigned about four years he was slain by his Kinsman Aurelius Conanus and Interr'd at Stone-henge by his Ancestour Uter Pendragon After the death of Constantine there appeared three Pretenders to the Crown at once AURELIUS CONANUS Lord of North-Wales VORTIPOR Lord of South-Wales and MALGO CONANUS as Gildas stiles him Dragon of the Isles Every one of these usurping the Title of KING of BRITAIN though too weak to defend themselves and it from the swelling Greatness of the Victorious Saxons Most Historians make them to have reigned successively but they seem to me to have been petty Kings at one and the same time for by the reprehensions of Gildas 't is plain that those Princes lived all at one and the same time unto whom he spake personally which could not be had such successions of years past as is laid down by those Historians Besides 't is said that Aurelius Conanus was a Prince of a Noble heart free and liberal but given much to the maintenance of strife and discord among his People which in my mind will best be understood of his difference with his two Competitours Vortipor and Malgo and their Subjects which indeed were his also as taking upon him the stile of KING of BRITAIN especially if we consider he had watchful Neighbours about him who were willing to take the greatest advantage over him they could Gildas in his Invectives terms Vortipor the unworthy Son of a good King as Manasses was to Ezechias Now this good King cannot be Aurelius Conanus who is reprehended for his Vicious life by him as much as any and consequently Vortipor was none of his Son so that how he came to succeed him in the Kingdom as their Historians pretend can scarce be made out What great Actions these three Kings did during their Reign or what good qualities they were indued with is not hitherto known there 's but a very slender account of them in the Rolls of Fame which may make us suspect they were guilty of very few and those scarce worth the committing to posterity In Gildas and other Histories we may find a large Catalogue of their bad ones CARETICUS BY this time the SAXONS had fixt themselves secure enough in Britain none of the British KINGS being able utterly to dispossess them through the continual Supplies they received out of Germany of their new Acquisitions yet this Prince something revived the decaying Spirit of the Britains by
had conceived of that Name above the rest which could probably arise from no other motives than these recited for otherwise why should the Angles who in the Heptarchy possessed only Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgsbire with the Isle of Ely upon the Union of the VII Kingdoms give name alone to all the rest especially considering that the Union proceeded not from them but the West Saxons This is the reason that in writing the Affairs of this Nation until King Egbert who first by publick Authority changed the name of it I conclude all things under the name of Britain it being properly and not till then called Anglia or England when the Heptarchy was reduced into one entire Kingdom The other Nation of the Saxons are the JUTES The Original of the Saxons Angles and Jutes and the Reasons for their being so called That the Jutes and Getes are one and the same People and that the reading of Vites for Jutes is a novel mistake proved out of Ancient Manuscripts and Records The Reason why the name of Angles or English prevailed above that of Saxon or Jute THis name of Saxon is very ancient if we find out the true Original of it which once discovered will give great light into the antiquity of our Ancestours They proceeded from Jutis or Juteland in Denmark and by the Danish Writers are called Jutae and Juitae But before I proceed any further it will be necessary to wipe away those Mistakes made by Verstegan upon this Subject a Man otherwise Learned in the Saxon Tongue yet who by an over-fond opinion of his skill therein and through ignorance of true Antiquity hath fixed many novel and false Originals upon Places and People in Britain Thus he writeth Now as touching the third sort of Saxon People which were called the Vites some will have them called Juites and not Vites and others will have them called Geates or rather Gothes but with these latter I mean not to meddle for that they overshoot the Mark too far and so will never hit it Venerable Bede calleth them plain Vites and noteth the Isle of Wight which yet retaineth that Name of them to have been besides other places of the Continent their Habitation The occasion of this errour in Verstegan upon which he groundeth on his own head a false derivation of the Isle of Wight proceeded from the printed Copies of Bede where instead of Jutes or Getes was foisted in Vites The Saxon Version hath it Getes not Vites Comon hi of ðrim folcan ðam gestran gestan germanie of seaxum of Angle of geatum They derived their Original from three of the Valiantest Nations of Germany the Saxons Angles and Getes And again of ê§ land ðe Angulus is nemned getÆ¿yn geatum seaxum That Land which is called Angulus is between the Getes and Saxons Ethelwerd a Saxon Writer calleth them Giots and Chronologia Saxonica hath Iotes ða com ða men of ðrim megþum germanie of cald seaxum of Anglum of Iotum Those Men come from three sorts of Germans Saxons Angles and Iotes In the Laws of Edward the Confessour they are called Gutes and in the Peterburrough Records Geatuni by others Jotuni and Jetae for Cetae Jetae Jutae Juitae Gutae Giotae Jotae Geotuni and Jotuni are all the same Names differing only in termination and writ after various Orthography The Book which Mr. Cambden used he affirmed had Getun and Kranzius citing Bede calleth them Jutes not Vites and Malmsbury Huntington with the rest of the ancient Saxon Writers who without question used Bedes Manuscript have alwaies one of the forementioned words but never Vites Neither before the printing of Bede was ever such a Nation as the Vites heard of in the World and how it came to get into the printed Copy of Bede shall be guessed at hereafter Fabritius Chemnicensis following the opinion of Beatus Rhenanus and treading in the same Errour writeth that the Vites whom the Saxons in their Dialects call Wites had this Name in Germany and that the Helvetii who at this day are called Suitzers derive themselves from them The Wites saith he at several times left their Country some passed into Britain others crossing the Rhine seized part of Helvetia and were afterwards called Suiti or Sulceri which Place and Name they yet hold This although it be said without any Authority and so not much to be regarded yet because it affordeth imployment for the Teutonick Dialect Verstegan ' endeavoureth to back it with pretty Etymologies The Helvetii saith he are as much as to say the Hil-vites for Sebastian Munster reports that some of the Vites inhabited among the Mountains that divide Germany from Italy But how came Sebastian by this intelligence the Name of the Helvetii is very Ancient even in Julius Caesars daies we read they were then a People and so numerous that with 200000 fighting Men leaving their Country and seeking new Habitations in what Age did this Colony of Vites plant themselves there and who preserved the Records Caesar writes that they kept Registers of their People as the rest of the Gauls in Greek Letters but of their descent from the Vites was never heard till Bede's impression But this might pass for an handsom Invention that which follows of the Suitsers taking their Name from these supposed Vites is too unconscionably gross the derivation runneth thus Vites Vitses Vitsers and prefixing S which in the Teutonick is as much as the S'uitsers so that S'uitsers is as much as the Vitsers just as S'winter is the Winter Now which is most reasonable to bring the Name of the Suitsers from a novel corruption of Dialect in the West of England where S' is used for The which Verstegan calleth the Teutonick or from the ancient People of the Suevi who in all probability there planted themselves let the Reader judge Suffridus to compleat the mistake will needs have the name of Vites to be Ancienter than the Jutes and that the latter word is made by transposition of the first Letters of the former and to knock it home he tells us a gallant story of a Prince called WIIT who married Cumera the Daughter of Bocchus King of the Cimbri and had with her in Dower that Port of Denmark called afterwards by his name Wiitland and by corruption Juteland all the mischief of this Invention is that Suffridus unfortunately took Vite to be ancienter than Jute otherwise he could as easily have made his Prince so good natured as to go by the latter Name as well as the former Jute therefore Juite and Gete with such like for they are all one is the Ancient name of that People who came with the Saxons out of Denmark into Britain How comes it to pass therefore that the printed Coppies of Bede have Vitae and not Jutae Some guess and not improbably that Vitae might be so made by transporting the first letters of Jutae or by taking away the first I from
Language spoken in Britain in the daies of Bede differed very little from what was spoke on the Continent from the mouth of the Rhine round to Pomerania and through all those Inland Countries of Saxony Alsatia Westphalia and indeed all those Territories were possest by the same Nation of the Saxons though called by different Names And the very Coasts lying upon the British Sea even to Frisia Batavia and the River Scaldis even to the shore of Flanders was Anciently called by the name of Lower Saxony as may be gathered out of an old Chronicle writ about three hundred years ago in old Teutonick Verses Syt des sekex en gewis Be of this assured and certain Dat die Graeffchap van Holland is That the Earldom of Holland is Gen stucvan Urieslant ghenomen A piece of Friesland taken off Dude Boeken hoorde ic gewagen Old Books I have heard mention Dat all hetland Ueneden Nitemagen That all the Land beneath Newmagen Wylen ueder Sassen hight Was formerly called Lower Saxony And then he goeth on Alsoo al 's die stroom versscheit Uander Maze end vander Rhyn Die Schelt was dat west end Syn. That is That the Scheld taking in its waters from the Rhine and Mosel was the western bounds of it The same Dutch Author addeth further Die neder Sassen heitu nu Uriesen That is The Neather Saxons are now called Frisians By which it is plain that the Frisians mentioned by Procopius as Inhabitants of Britain were not a different Nation from the Saxons And this may suffice to be spoken of the divers Countries from whence our Ancestors proceeded and of their Customes Laws and Religion before their entrance into Britain In the next place shall further faithfully be related by what means and under whose conduct they gained that Empire here in Britain the foundations whereof yet remain unshaken THE HEPTARCHY OF THE SAXONS IN BRITAIN 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE KINGDOM OF KENT Contained KENT KINGS Hengist Oeric alias Oisc Octa. Ermiric Ethelbert Eadbald Ercombert Egbert Lothair Edric Wigtred Edbert Ethelbert the Second Alric Ethelbert the Third Cuthred Baldred HENGIST TO resume the History where it broke off HENGIST having given his Daughter to VORTIGERN King of Britain and in Reward for her received the whole Country of Kent by donation began now to lay the foundation of a Saxon Monarchy in that part of the Island By gaining so fair and large Possessions as Kent so opportune for Navigation lying nearest to the Continent and open in its Ports he had means to receive and room to encourage any new Adventurers he should have occasion to invite over Besides these great advantages of Territory by near alliance to the Crown he gained these main points namely a trust and confidence in the King and consequently a certain dependance of the British Nobility upon him He had now a kind of Authority at Court and carried a stroke in their choicest Councels if at any time jealousies of him arose they were either stifled by a temporizing remembrance of his good Services or over-awed by his alliance and interest with the King Such who had the wit to disern or the honesty to give warning of his growing Ambition were looked upon as disaffected to the Government and Persons dissatisfied with the present management of Affairs And what added fewel to these Jealousies was that Vortigern himself was but an Usurper and Ambrose the Lawful Prince kept out by violence so that continually looking on that side from whence he expected most danger he was blind to the designs and contrivances of Hengist and lay open to all his encroachments Add to this that Vortigern whether by Nature so framed or by Custome changed after his advancement to the license of a Scepter was a slothful and amorous Prince uneasie to business and restless saving only in his delightful pleasures Hengist on the other hand watchful and contriving and one who well knew how to make the best use of those fair opportunities which were given him so that the one continually losing the other insensibly gaining the one never failing in his demands the other not daring to deny any thing the Saxons got such firm rooting at last that the hands that planted them were not able to pluck them up when they most desired it And now Hengist being well warm in his Principality of Kent obtains leave of the King to call over Octa and Ebissa his own and Brother's Son alledging that if Lands were given them in the North they might be as a Bulwark and Fence against the incursions of the Scots and Picts They therefore sayling as far as the Orcades as some write with five thousand Men and all along curbing the insolencies of those Nations at last seated themselves on that part of the Island which is now called Northumberland Affairs stated in this posture and the Island lying open at both ends to receive fresh supplies of Saxons Hengist thought it now or never high time to strike for the whole Empire he wanted not pretences for a quarrel alledging first that his Souldiers pay was run much in arrear which being advanced to them he then saies plainly that their wages was not proportionable to their service and requires an augmentation otherwise threatens open War Whilst the British Councels pause what Answer to return to these sudden demands He who desired not so much to be satisfied in that point as to gain occasion of quarrelling immediately takes hold of their deliberating for a positive denial and entring into League with the Scots and Picts issuing out of Kent before any opposition could be made he laies waste the whole Country as far as the Western Sea Now begun the Britains to feel the dismal effects of forreign Succours they had not now their old Enemies alone to deal with but a Nation far more experienced in War and what was more Pagan and Barbarous whole Towns and Colonies were overturned not as in fair War where the Conqueror is contented with confession of Victory but as it were to the utter extirpating of the Inhabitants desolation was heapt upon desolation Temples and Palaces Priest and People lay buried in the wide Ruines of their Country And yet these heavy Judgments to the shame be it spoken of a stupid and sinful Nation were not more deplorable saith Gildas than justly deserved As for Vortigern himself he was so far from being wakened by these Calamities that to the scandal of his Christian Profession he committed Incest with his own Daughter a sin scarcely named among the Gentiles for which being censured in a Councel by the advice of the Peers he retired to a strong Castle which he had built in Radnorshire leaving the management of Affairs to his Son Vortimer whom for his active courage and vertuous behaviour the Britains generally chose for their Leader This Prince in all likelyhood we may gather had already given good proofs of his Conduct in repulsing the Saxons during the Government
Aurelian whose right he had usurped After this Massacre few or none being left in Britain whose wisdom in Councel or policy in War was able to do much for their Country Hengist had the leasure to establish his new Dominions And although we read of some few bickerings between him and the Britains afterwards yet by the consequences we shall find that these last were alwaies the loosers and the Saxons the only gainers And now about the year 477 Ella another Saxon Prince with his three Sons Cymen Pletig and Cissa entered the Island at a place in Sussex called Cymenshore and made great slaughter of the Britains but of his actions as being the founder of the Kingdom of the South Saxons there will be occasion to speak in that History It is sufficient here to be hinted that so fair a gap being laid open by Hengist not long after as if Britain was the field of Fortune many other Princes out of Saxony and those parts came flocking into the Island and soon after one another settled Seven distinct Kingdoms leaving to the Poor Britains no more than what nature seemed to provide for them namely inaccessible Mountains and Rocks scarcely passable where defending themselves and enjoying the use of their Religion they sometimes to little purpose as in the main appears made sallies upon the Saxons who not withstanding all resistance still more and more increased Some of them fled over to their Brethren in Armorica others into Holland where yet remains the Ruines of Brittenburg not far from Leyden to be seen at Low-water either built as the Dutch Writers affirm or seized by the Britains in their flight from Hengist Hengist reigned thirty four years and then as Marianus Scotus reports died honourably but Peter de Ikam Polydore and others say he was slain in Battel or taken by Edol Earl of Gloucester and beheaded at Conesborow He was a Prince of the chief Blood of the Saxons by birth of Angria in Westphalia and supposed Lord of that Territory called at this day Hengster-holt He is thus derived from the deified Woden Hengist the Son of Wetgisse the Son of Wecta the Son of Woden When Hengist came first into Britain he is said to have built Thong-Castle near Sydingborn in Kent so called because he had begged as much ground of the King to build it on as he could compass about with an Ox-hide Here he feasted Vortigern and here the fair Rowena in broken language drunk to him that fatal Wassal that for ever after like a strong yet lingring poyson stuck close to his side Thus Hengist obtained the Kingdom by Craft as much as Courage and established it in blood by Treachery yet there are who excuse that Massacre of the British Nobility and lay it upon chance not design alledging that in Saxony not long before there had been a meeting of Thuringers and Saxons where if the Saxons suspecting fraud had not come privily armed the Thuringers had dispatched them all fearing the like Treachery from the Britains they prepared for the worst in this Treaty and in the midst of their Cups as drink is quarrelsom they were provoked beyond the measure Wine is able to bear Thus Verstegan OERIC OERIC Sirnamed Oisc the Son of Hengiss succeeded in the Kingdom At the Battel of Creganford or Craford he gave signal proof of his Valour in assisting his Father in gaining that most remarkable Victory not long before he had been taken prisoner by the Britains and was held in custody at York but by secret workings he made his escape and came up to his Father before the fight began Being seated in the Throne like a wise Prince he set himself to the establishing his Kingdom by good Laws contracting his Dominions within the Province of Kent as most tenable and neglecting those Out-skirts of Essex Sussex and Middlesex left him by Hengist as not well bounded nor throughly subdued Sussex and Surry which touched him on the West he gave up to the Conquest of Ella the Saxon and Essex and Middlesex on the North he left free for Enchinwine another Saxon Adventurer to exercise his Valourin Thus whilst on all sides of his Kingdom the Britains were kept off by other hands he had leasure to follow the Arts and Methods of Peace like Numa to settle the Kingdom left him by his warlike-Predecessor And this is the reason that we hear little of his Son and Grand-son saving their Names and Issues till the time of Ethelbert For the Britains taken up with higher Wars had not opportunity or means to reach Kent and till Ethelbert's daies the other Saxons were so well imployed by the Britains that they had no leasure to fall out among themselves In memory of this Prince the founder of their Laws and Priviledges the Kentish Men afterwards called themselves Oiscings He reigned 24 years but hath not the honour by our Historians to be accounted the second Monarch of the English Men they giving that place to Ella founder of the South Saxons a more active and bustling Prince OCTA OCTA the Son of Eske or Oisc began his Reign about the year 513 What his Father peacably left he quietly enjoyed for twenty two years in which he had the pleasure to see many other Principalities of the Saxons begun in the Island He left the Kingdom to Ermiric ERMIRIC ERMIRIC the Son of Octa Reigned twenty nine years more honourable in his Posterity than any actions of his own He gave his Daughter Rikel in marriage to Sledda Son of Erchinwine first founder of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons by which alliance he endeared to himself the neighbouring Provinces of Essex and Middlesex his Kingdom he left to his Son Ethelbert ETHELBERT ETHELBERT the Son of Ermiric succeeded in the Kingdom of Kent He equalled in length of Reign both his Predecessors and as Bede rockoneth exceeded them three years At his first coming to the Crown he was very young and unexperienced by which means hastily aiming above his reach he fell almost beneath the contempt of his Neighbours The causes of his Ambition seem to be these We read that Hengist by leave of Vortigern had placed Octa and Ebissa in the North to keep off the Scots and Picts from molesting the Southern borders they and their Successors settling there a kind of Principality had held it for one hundred and eighty years yet as in subjection to Kent the elder Family and owning its Protection though far distant But Ida coming to govern in those parts about the year five hundred forty seven in the daies of Ermiric cast off all manner of obedience to that Crown and assumed an Absolute Royalty to himself which Indignity Ermeric as may probably be guessed resenting by making strong Alliances intended to revenge but being snatched away by untimely death the quarrel was left intire to young Ethelbert his Son who partly instigated by this affront whereby the honour of his Kingdom seemed to be
lessened and judging withal that Superiority was due to him not only from that but other Kingdoms from the priority of time wherein Kent was settled taking up Arms began to invade his Neighbours and by open claim to assert the Right of an universal Monarchy But not well weighing the strength of his Neighbours and measuring his own Power rather by the number of his Levies than the goodness of his Men by long peace unaccustomed to War he was miserably baffled by Keaulin King of the West-Saxons an old experienced Souldier who with Cutha his Son leading an Army trained up in Wars and well fledged with Victories obtained against the Britains twice defeated him and at last drove him into his own Territories The first place of Battel is not mentioned that which seemeth to be the last was at Wiphandun wherein two Kentish Earls Oslave and Cnebban lost their lives And this is the first War the Saxons had among themselves since their entring the Island Ethelbert taught by these defeats that the success of War depends not on the eagerness of desire to conquer but the steady management of the means referred the repairing of his losses to a more convenient time and the event proved accordingly for being come to riper years and Keaulin his grand Opposer removed by death in a short time he stretched his Empire over the most considerable parts of the Island all the Kingdoms on this side Humber either by force or composition being brought entire under his obedience And he is worthily reckoned the sixth Monarch of the English men Thus grown great he takes to wife Bertha the French King Chilperick's Daughter whom St. Gregory as will appear in his Epistle writ to her calls Adelberga she was a Christian and by Covenant of Marriage was to enjoy the exercise of her Religion to that end she brought over with her Letard a Bishop under whose care and instructions he daily exercised the Christian Profession The King as yet and all his People continued in the worship of the Saxon Idolatry and whether by the negligence of Letard who perhaps contented himself in the freedom of private devotion or that the King taken up in Wars had not the leasure to examine into their Faith or lastly that God in his infinite wisdom reserved the Conversion of our Nation to other hands certain it is that neither the example of the Queen nor the preaching of Letard have left any tokens or Records of effects proportionable to such advantages as might be expected from an open and sincere Profession St. Gregory in one of his Epistles following highly taxes the negligence of the French Clergy in not taking care of the Saxons Cenversion and Bede out of Gildas laies it to the charge of the British But in what capacity as to Life and Manners they were in to perform so charitable an office take out of Gildas himself as it is most elegantly translated by Mr. Milton Nothing better were the Clergy but at the same pass or rather worse than when the Saxons came first in unlearned unapprehensive yet impudent subtle Prowlers Pastors in name but indeed Wolves intent upon all occasions not to feed the flock but to pamper and well line themselves not called but seizing on the Ministry as a Trade not as a Spiritual charge teaching the People not by sound Doctrine but by evil Example usurping the Chair of Peter but through the blindness of their own Worldly lusts they stumble upon the Seat of Judas deadly haters of truth broachers of lies looking on the poor Christian with eyes of pride and contempt but sawning on the wickedest Rich men without shame great promoters of other mens Alms with their set exhortations but themselves contributing ever least slightly touching the many vices of the Age but preaching without end their own grievances as done to Christ seeking after preferments and degrees in the Church more than after heaven and so gained make it their whole study how to keep them by any tyranny Yet lest they should be thought things of no use in their eminent places they have their nicities and trivial points to keep in awe the superstitious Multitude But in true saving knowledge leave them still as gross and stupid as themselves bunglers at the Scripture nay forbidding and silencing them that know but in Worldly matters practiced Cunning jhisters in that only art and symony Great Clerks and Masters bearing their heads high but their thoughts object and low He taxes them also as gluttonous incontinent and daily drunkards And what shouldst thou expect from these poor Laity So he goes on These beasts all belly shall these amend thee who are themselves laborious in evil doings shalt thou see with their eyes who see right forward nothing but gain leave them rather as bids our Saviour left ye fall both blindfold into the same perdition Are all thus Perhaps not all or not so grossly But what availed it Eli to be himself blameless while he connived at others that were abominable Who of them hath been envied for his better life who of them hath hated to consort with these or withstood their entring the Ministery or endeavoured zealously their casting out Yet some of these perhaps by others are legended for great Saints This was the state of the Church among the Britains scarce likely to convert others who were so much perverted among themselves but whether or no they were in a condition among so much hostility to preach the Gospel of Peace supposing they had men well-meaning thereunto amongst them in a thing so far distant is not easily determinable Certain it is that the Conqueror with less prejudice receives Religion from any than the persons conquered And this might be the cause that notwithstanding the Christian Faith shone round about yet the intire Conversion of the Saxons is owing to the See of Rome which at that time was possessed by GREGORY afterwards Sirnamed the Great and for his upright behaviour in this and other like occasions worthily Cannoniz'd for a Saint Now the first occasions of this great work and the methods by which it proceeded because it hath been of so high concern to our Nation as which still bears influence among us I shall not stick more particularly to relate out of faithful Historians and Ancient Records yet extant The Original motives which induced Gregory to this great undertaking Venerable Bede thus relates as he received it down by tradition The Report goeth that on a certain day when upon the coming of Merchants lately arrived great store of Wares was brought together into the Market-place at Rome for to be sold and many Chapinen flocked together for to buy Gregory also himself among others came thither and saw with other things Boyes set to sale for Bodies fair and white of Countenance sweet and amiable having the Hair also of their head as lovely and beautiful whom when he wistly beheld he demanded as they say from what Country or Land they
of St. Peter in Gaul and that out of it he should buy English Boys and clothes for the Poor GOing forward with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ to the government of the Patrimony which is in Gaul we would that your charity out of the mony it shall receive provide clothes for the Poor and English Boys that are about seventeen or eighteen years old who being put into Monasteries may do God good service in regard the mony of Gaul which in our Land cannot justly be expended may be laid out to advantage in its proper place But if you shall receive any thing out of the Revenues which are said to be taken away we will also that out of those clothes be provided for the Poor or as we said before Boys who may be instrumental in the service of Almighty God But because they are all Pagans that are found thereabouts I will that a Priest be sent over with them lest any sickness happen to them on the way that they may be Baptized when he finds them ready to die So let your Charity act and make hast to fulfil these things Gregory the Great To Palladius Bishop of Xanton To Pelagius of Tours and To Serenus of Marseilles Fellow Bishops of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine whom he had sent into England ALthough Priests having charity pleasing to God need not the commendations of any other Religious person yet because time has fitly presented it self we have taken care to send our Letters to your Fraternity signifying that we have sent thither Augustine the Servant of God and Bearer of these presents with other Servants of God for the benefit of Souls whom 't is very necessary your Holiness should readily assist with a Sacerdotal care and speedily afford him what comforts you can and that you may the willinglier favour him we have enjoyned him particularly to declare the cause of his Journey hoping that that being known you would for God's sake seriously endeavour the business requiring it their benefit and welfare Gregory the Great To Virgilius Bishop of Arles and Metropolitan of Gaul He commends Augustine to him whom he had sent into England to propagate the Gospel ALthough we are confidently assured that your Brotherhood is alwaies intent upon good works and ready at any time of its own accord to interest it self in causes pleasing to God yet we thought it not altogether unprofitable to speak to you out of a Brotherly charity that the comforts which ye ought out of your own good natures freely to have afforded stirred up by these our Epistles might be increased in a greater measure We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have dispatched hither Augustine the servant of God and Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the welfare of Souls as he when he comes into your presence can testifie in which business it is necessary that you assist him with both Counsel and Supplies and cherish him as it behoves you with your Paternal and Sacerdotal consolations For when he shall have obtained those comforts from your Holiness if it is any thing available as we doubt not to promote the cause of God you also shall receive your reward who so piously afforded the benefit of your assistance for the promoting of good works Gregory the Great To Desiderius of Vienna and Syagrius of Augustodunum Fellow Bishop of Gaul He commends Augustine to them WE shall entertain a good opinion of the sincere charity of your Brotherhood if out of love to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles you bestow it in relieving our Servants since the nature of the cause requires it in which of your own accord ye ought rather to wish to be fellow-labourers and partakers We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have sent hither God so ordering it Augustine the servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the cure of Souls when you shall understand exactly from his own Relation what is enjoyned him your Brotherhood may in every thing the business shall require with more readiness assist him that you may be counted as is meet the furtherers of good works therefore in this thing let your Brotherhood study to manifest the demonstrations of its affection that the good opinion we have already entertained of you by hearsay may receive a further confirmation in us of you by your works Gregory the Great To Arigius a Noble man of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine HOw much goodness and how much meekness with charity pleasing unto Christ is shining in you we are certainly informed from Augustine Servant of God Bearer of these presents and we give Almighty God thanks that hath given you these gifts of his grace by which you may appear praise-worthy amongst men and in his sight which is truly profitable glorious We beseech therefore Almighty God that these gifts which he has so freely granted you he would multiply and take you and all yours into his protection and that he may so order the manner of your glory in this life that it may be beneficial to you here and what is more to be wished in the life to come Greeting therefore your Honour we desire with a Fatherly tenderness that the Bearer of these presents and the Servants of God that are with him may find in those things that are necessary your assistance since they will be the better able through God's help and the benefit of your favour to perform those things that are commanded them Gregory the Great To Theoderick and Theodebert Kings of the Frankes concerning Augustine Servant of God sent to the English Nation AFter that Almighty God had adorned your Kingdom with a pure and upright Faith and by the integrity of the Christian Religion had made it eminent above other Nations we conceived great grounds of presuming that you would especially have desired that your Subjects should be converted to that Faith in which you are Kings and Lords over them And indeed there came to our hands the earnest Petition of the English Nation God commiserating their condition to be converted to the Christian Faith but your Priests their Neighbours wholly neglect it and are much wanting by their Exhortations in seconding their desires For this cause therefore we have carefully sent thither Augustine servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known unto us with other Servants of God whom we have enjoyned to take some of the neighbouring Clergy along with them to know their minds and with their Admonitions as much as in them lies further their willingness in which thing that they may prove effectually able with a Fatherly charity saluting your Highnesses we desire that these whom we have sent may merit your favour and because 't is a business of Souls may your Power protect and
another Synod or Session was agreed on where a greater number of the British Clergy were present amongst them seven Bishops The old Controversie is again renewed but when Augustine found that he was likely to gain no further he desired they would but conform to him and the Romans in three things only 1. In the observation of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In assisting him with their preaching to the English Saxons But they suspecting the pride of Augustine would not bondescend to him in these things neither Lamentable was the event of this Assembly which shall be related when we come in order to the place for the British Church differed in many things from the Roman as appears out of Gildar and Bede and this following discourse Concerning the Manners of Augustine I shall determine nothing he is blamed by our Age and extolled by Antiquity They report him to have been learned pious and an Imitator of Primitive holiness the Apostle of the English often in watchings fastings prayers and alms zealous in propagating the Church of his Age and of Religion and earnest in rooting out Paganism The first Introducer of Roman Monks and other Rites and Ceremonles in repairing and building Churches diligent enough and for working Miracles extraordinary famous From hence by reason of humane frailty his mind perhaps grew more lofty and proud which thing St. Gregory himself seemed to take notice of who admonished him by an Epistle that he should not be puffed up with the greatness of his Miracles He is ill spoken of for the Massacre of the Priest of Bangor and not without a cause if as is reported he excited King Edilfrid to that horrid slaughter Concerning him thus Câ—â—grave in his Life St Augustine was by stature very tall so that he appeared from the shoulders above the rest of the people his face was lovely but majestical withal there 's no body can relate the Wonders and Cures he did among the People He alwaies walked on foot and most commonly he visited his Provinces bare-footed and the skin on his knees was grown hard and insensible through continual kneeling Concerning the time when he died the opinions of Authors are many so that which to fix on is uncertain Stow makes it the 29 of May in the year of Grace 603 Bede in the year 604 Augustine himself in his Leaden Bull if it be truly his cites a Character of King Ethelbert dated the year of our Lord 605 from which 't is manifest that he was then living Thomas Sprot relates that he held a Councel at Canterbury in the year 605 Matthew 〈◊〉 Westminster following Segthert saies that he died in the year of Grace 608 Howden in the year 610 Trevet and Polydore in the year 611 Malmsbury in the year 612 and Savil in Fastis in the year 613. How long therefore he governed the Church of Canterbury so great is the disagreement of Writers that I date not determine any thing concerning it But it appears manisest enough that he began in the year of our Lord 596 in which he was sent by St. Gregory or in the year 597 in which he was received by King Ethelbert and ordained Bishop of Canterbury by Etheriâ—â—s Arch-Bishop of Arles 'T is agreed on that he was buried in a Monastery of his own name which he had built with the assistance of King Ethelbert and in the Porch of that Church dedicated to St. Peter and Paul but not as yet consecrated in a stone Coffin covered over with Iron and Lead with this Inscription Inclytus Anglorum Praeful pius Decus Altum Hîc Augustinus requiescie corpore sanctus The Church afterward being consecrated by Lawrence his Successor his Coffin was brought into the Church and placed on the North side where afterwards was an Altar of his name and this Inscription affixed Hîc Requiescit AVGVSTINVS Dorobernensis Archiepiscopus qui olim huc à Beato Gregorio Romae Urbis Pontifice directus à Deo operatione miraculorum suffultus Ethelbertum Regem gentem illius ab Idolorum cultu ad fidem perduxit completis à pace diebus officii sui Defunctus est 7. Kal. Junii eodem Rege Regnante He was Canonized for a Saint and now holds a place in the Roman Martyrology on the seventh day of the Kalends of June i. e. the 26 day of May. He is said to have written one Book to Gregory of his prosperous success and one Book of the Statutes of his Churches and Eleven Questions which Gregory Answered lib. 12. Tom. 2. which Bede also relates lib. 1. cap. 37. Hist. Angl. Augustine arrives in England is courteously received of Ethelbert King of Kent he imitates the life and doctrine of the Primitive Church he baptizes the King and is honoured with an Episcopal Seè. Bede lib. 1. cap. 25. AUgustine being strengthned by the encouragement of Blessed Father Gregory returns with the rest of the Servants of Christ that were with him to the work of the Word and comes into Britain Edilberth at that time was the most powerful King of Kent who had extended the bounds of his Empire to the Banks of the great River Humber by which the Southern and Northern people of England are separated There is towards the Eastern part of Kent the Isle of Tanet of indifferent bigness the compass of it according to the usual computation of the English is six hundred Families which the River Vantsum parts from the Continent in breadth about three surlongs and in two places omy fordable for it runs its head both waies into the Sea Here landed Augustine the Servant of the Lord with his Companions as is reported about fourty in number they had taken along with them Interpreters of the French Nation as Pope Gregory had commanded them Being arrived he sends to Edilberth giving him to understand that he came from Rome and had brought good tidings with the proffets of Eternal happiness to them that would receive them and an Everlasting kingdom after this life with the true and living God The King hearing this commanded that they should tarry in the Island they had landed in and that all necessaries should be afforded them till he had determined what to do with them for he had heard of the Christian Religion before having married a Christian Wise of the Royal Family of the French by name Bertha whom he had received from her Parents on this condition that she should have free exercise of Religion and liberty to have a Bishop by name Luidhard whom they had given her as an assistant and strengthner of her faith The King after some daies past came to the Island and sitting down in the open Air commanded that Augustine and his Companions should be brought into his presence thither for he feared to admit them into any House being perswaded by his old Superstition that if they brought with them any Charms or Incantations they could not so easily work upon him
But they armed with the power of God and not the Devil bearing a Silver cross before them for their Banner and the Image of our Lord and Saviour painted on a Table and singing Litanies prayed unto the Lord for the eternal salvation of themselves and of those for whose sakes and to whom they were come But when with the Kings leave sitting down they had preached the Word of life to him and to all his Nobles that were with him the King made Answer saying The words and promises which Ye have made are indeed fair but unto which as being new and uncertain I cannot suddenly yield my assent laying aside the Religion I have so long maintained with all the English Nation But because ye are strangers and come a great way and as it seems to me would impart to us the knowledge of things you believe the truest and best we will not in the least give you any molestation but rather courteously receive you and take care that all things necessary shall be provided for your maintenance neither do we prohibit but that ye may gain all ye can to the Faith of your Religion And accordingly he alotted them their residence in the City of Canterbury which was the Metropolis of all his Kingdom neither did he abridge them of the freedom of meeting of preaching or neglect their temporal provision It is reported that when they came nigh to the City after their manner with the holy Cross and the Image of the great King our Lord Jesus Christ with an agreeable-voice they sang this Litany We pray thee O Lord in thy mercy that thy sury may be turned away and thy Anger from this City and thy holy House because we have sinned Allelujah But when they came to the Dwellings provided for them they began to imitate the Apostolical life of the Primitive Church by applying themselves to continual prayers watchings and fastings to the preaching the Word of God to all that would hear them by despising all things of this World as superfluous and receiving only those things that were necessary for those they taught for their sustenance living exactly according to the Rules they taught others having a mind ready to suffer any Adversity even to die for the truth that they preached The success of which was some believed and were baptized admiting the simplicity of their innocent lives and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine There was near this City towards the East a Church anciently built in honour of St. Martyn whilst the Romans inhabited Britain in which the Queen whom above we declared to have been a Christian was wont to pray In this therefore first they begun to assemble sing pray perform Mass preach and baptize until the King being converted to the Faith they obtained a greater liberty of Preaching every where and of building and repairing Churches But when he among the rest being delighted with the pure life of these Saints and their sweet Promises the truth of which they confirmed by shewing many Miracles believing was baptized many flocked in from all parts to hear the word and leaving the Rites of Heathenism joyned themselves to the unity of the holy Church of Christ at whose Faith and Conversion the King is reported so far to have congratulated as nevertheless not compels any to receive Christianity only those that believed he embraced with a nearer affection as fellow-Citizens with him of the heavenly Kingdom For he had learnt from the Teachers and Authors of his salvation that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary not constrained neither did he deser long but gave his Teachers places befitting their Degrees in his Metropolis of Canterbury and conferred upon them Possessions necessary in several kinds in the year of Christ 601. THE ANSWERS OF GREGORY TO THE QUESTIONS SENT BY AUGUSTINE The first Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY For the better government of the new erected Church of English-Saxons Out of Bede's Hist. Ecclesiast lib. 1. cap. 27. IN the mean while Augustine the Man of God came to Arles and by Etherius Archbishop of the same City according to the Commands he received from the holy Father Gregory was ordained Archbishop of the English Returning therefore into Britain he sent immediately to Rome Lawrence the Priest and Peter the Monk to certifie Pope Gregory that the Christian Faith was received by the English and that he himself was made Bishop desiring also his opinion in certain Questions he thought necessary to be resolved in to all which he speedily received Answers proper to the Questions proposed which we thought fit here to insert into our History The first Question of Augustine Bishop of the Church of Canterbury Of Bishops how they should converse with their Clergy of those things that are presented to the Altar by the offerings of the Faithful how many portions there ought to be and how a Bishop ought to behave himself in the Church The Answer of Gregory Pope of the City of Rome How Bishops ought to act in the Church the Holy Scripture witnesses which you understand very well no doubt and especially the Epistles of St. Paul to Timothy in which he endeavors to teach him how he ought to behave himself in the House of God And it was ever the custome of the Apostolick See to deliver Instructions to Bishops that were ordained that out of every thing that came to the Altar there ought to be made four divisions viz. One for the Bishop and his family for hospitality and entertainments the second for the Clergy the third for the Poor and the fourth for repairing Churches But because your Brotherhood is well skilled in the Orders of a Monastery you know nothing ought to be possest by the Clergy apart in your English Church which lately by God's grace is brought to the Faith it ought to imitate the Conversion which was used by our Fathers in the beginning of the Church among whom none said any thing was his of those things he possessed but all things were in common among them The second Question of Augustine I desire to be informed whether Pr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able 〈◊〉 marry and if they shall marry whether they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Question Bede hath not but joyne the following Answer to the first Question Sr. Hen. Spelman hath added in out of the Bath Edition An. 1518. The Answer of Gregory If there be any of the Clergy out of holy Orders that cannot contain they ought to provide themselves Wives and to receive their stipends from without because concerning those portions which we have spoken of before we know 't is written that 't was divided to every one as every one had need And indeed there ought some consideration and care to be had of their Stipends that they may be kept under Ecclesiastical Rules that they shew good Manners in their lives that they may be diligent in singing Psalms and that they keep by God's assistance their hearts tongues and bodies
Augustine A SYNOD called by Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury by the assistance of Ethelbert King of Kent to Augustine's Ac a place in Worcestershire There being present besides Augustine and his Roman Clergy seven Bishops and many British Doctours to wit in two Sessions in which Augustine first demands obedience to the Church of Rome afterwards that the Britains be conformable to the Romans in three things 1. In celebrating of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In the preaching with him to the English-Saxons AUgustine by the power of King Ethelbert called to a Conference the Bishops or Doctors of the greatest and next adjoyning Province of the Britains to a place at this very day in the English tongue called Augustineizac i. e. Augustine's Oak in the confines of the Wiccians and South-Saxons where he began to perswade them with a Brotherly admonition that regarding the peace of the Catholick Church they would unite their endeavours to his in the common Preaching to the Nations for they did not keep the Lord's day of Easter at its due season but from the fourteenth to the twentieth day of the Moon which computation is contained in the circle of eighty four years Moreover they observed many things contrary to the unity of the Church who when after a long disputation could not be brought either by the prayers exhortations or threats of Augustine and his Companions to yield their assent but rather valued their own Traditions above all the Churches In the World under Christ. Holy Father Augustine put an end to this long and difficult Controversie saying We beseeth God which makes us to dwell in the house of his Father with one accord that he would be pleased to inspire us with his heavenly gifts that we may know what Traditions are to be followed which waies we ought to take to enter into his kingdom Let some sick person be brought and by whose prayers he shall be cured let his faith and labours be looked 〈◊〉 most pleasing to God and as fit to be embraced by all men which when his Adversaries though unwillingly assented to there was one brought of the English Nation that was deprived of the light of his eyes who after he had been set before the British Priests and could receive no help or cure from their ministery at length Augustine compelled thereunto by a just necessity bended his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ beseeching him that he would restore to the Blind the sight he had lost and that by the bodily enlightning of one man he would cause the light of his spiritual Grace to arise in the hearts of all the Faithful Neither was it long before the Blind was enlightned and Augustine cried up by all the true preachers of heavenly light Then the Britains confessed that they themselves indeed thought that to be the'true way of Righteousness which Augustine preached but that they could not lay aside their Ancient customes without the consent and free leave of their whole Nation Whence they desired that there might be another Synod called to which more might come which when it was agreed on there came as is reported seven British Bishops and many Learned men from their famous Monastery which in the English tongue is called Bancornaburg over which at that time Abbot Dinoth is said to have presided who a little before their going to the aforesaid Councel went first to a certain Man both holy and wise who led an Anchorite's life among them They asked him whether they should lay aside their Traditions at the preaching of Augustine who made answer If he is a man of God follow him they said how shall we know this he replied The Lord saies take my yoke upon you for I am meek and humble in heart if therefore Angustine be meek and humble in heart it is credible that he himself beareth the yoke of Christ and offereth the same to be born of you But if he be cruel and proud it appeareth that he is not of God neither ought ye to take care what he saith They said again but how shall we make a discovery of that he said Contrive it so that he and his come first into the place of the Synod and if he shall rise up to you as you come near know ye that he is the Servant of Christ and obediently hear him but if he shall despise you nor rise up to you when ye are more in number let him be slighted by you also They did as he had said and it sell out that Augustine as they drew near sate still in his Chair which when they saw they grew presently angry accusing him of pride and endeavoured in all things he said to contradict him He said unto them Ye do many things contrary to our custome and that of the Catholick Church nevertheless if ye will obey me in these three things That ye celebrate Easter in its proper time That ye perform the ministery of Baptism by which we are born again to God according to the custome of the holy Roman and Apostolick Church That ye preach the Word of God together with us to the English Nation as for the other things which ye do although contrary to our customes we will quietly tolerate them all But they made answer that they would do none of those things neither would they acknowledge him for an Archbishop discoursing therefore among themselves they said If he would not just now rise up unto us how much more when we are subject to him will be then condemn us as nothing To whom Augustine the Man of God is reported thus threatningly to have Prophesied If ye will not accept of peace with your Brethren ye are like to accept of war from your Enemies and because ye would not preach the way of life to the Nation of the English ye shall suffer by their hands the punishment of death which in every thing the divine Judgment concurring was performed as he had foretold for a little after Edilfrid the strongest King of the English having gathered together a great Army about the City of Chester which by the English is called Legacester but truer by the Britains Carlegion he made a great slaughter of that Nation but when he was going to give the Onset he espied Priests of theirs who were come thither to intreat God for the success of the Army standing apart on a place of advantage he asked who they were and for what business they had met there Most of them were of the Monastery of Bangor in which there is reported to have been such a number of Monks that when the whole Monastery was divided into seven parts with their Rulers that were set over them no part contained less than three hundred Men all which got their living by the labour of their hands Many of these therefore after a Fast of three daies came with some others merely on the account of Prayer to the aforesaid Army having one
Dominican Fryar who thus telleth the story OF THE Famous MONASTERY OF BANGOR AND THE Conference held between AUGUSTINE and DINOTH Abbot of that place DOnc puis que Seint Augustin lestoit venuz trova en Wales un Arcevesque un Abbeie tresnoble en la cite de Bangor e estoit devisee en sept portions e en chescune estoient tres cenz moines q' vivoient de lur labour Lur Abbe fu apele Dinooth sage elerc e ben apris en les sept arz que sont liberals apelez E qnant Seint Augustine li auoit perle li demaunda subjection a li com a celi qestoit mande legat en la terre per le Pape e per la court de Rome Et outre ceo li priast q'il li eidast de praecher Mes il li denia l'un e l'autre Puis apres la mort Seint Augustin Adelberd Roy de Kent trop corouce entisa Ethelfrid Roy de Northumbre e les autres Rois de Sessons encountre le dit Dinooth Abbe de Bangor pour ceo qu'il auoit despit Seint Augustin L'an de grace sis cenze e unze e fu set son successor Laurens A cel temps Ethelfrid Roy de Northumbre a la request Adelberd Roy de Kent sen ala oue graunt ost sur les Britouns venant par Leycestre dona bataile a lamestre de la cite Brocmaill e puis q'il auoit ses genz tue e nausre adrein lenchasa e puis q'il estoit entre la cite troua leinz graunt nombre de moines e de hermites q'estoient Britouns e pour ceo les ocist trestuz al nombre de mil e deus cenz dont li auint male fortune Quar alant outre vers Bangor encountre treis Duks de Bretons cest a savoir Blederik Duc de Cornwaile 〈◊〉 Duc de Demethe q'ore est Southwales e Cadwan Duc de Venedoce q'ore est dit Northwales lur dona bataile mes il le naufrent e fuerent de ses genz dis mil e sessaunte Lors se aniuerent les Princes de Bretons e par acord fesoient Canwan le Duc de Venedoce lur Roy. Puis Cadwan pursui Ethelfrid jusques a Humbre mes il acomparnant a li les Rois de Sessous le reumt encontre mes acordee estoit par 〈◊〉 Cadwan regnast de sa Humbre q'est de part le South e Ethelfrid de la q'st depart le North. WHen St. Augustine was come he found in Wales an Archbishop and a famous Monastery in the City of Bangor divided into four Societies every one of which contained three hundred Monks who lived on their own labour Their Abbot was called Dinoth a prudent Clerk and well learned in the seven liberal Sciences with whom Angustine entring into Conference demanded subjection to him as being sent Legat into the land from the Pope and Court of Rome And moreover required that he would be assisting to him in preaching but he refused both the one and the other It sell out that after the death of St. Augustine Ethelbert King of Kent highly incensed thereat stirred up Edelfrid King of Northumberland and other Saxon Princes against the said Dinoth Abbot of Bangor because he had slighted St. Augustine And then after other Narratives he goeth on In the year of Grace 611 his Augustin's Successor was Laurence at which time Edelfrid King of Northumberland at the instigation of Ethelbert King of Kent leads a great Host against the Britains and coming to Leicester gives battel to Brocmail Governour of the City and cutting and hewing apieces his People puts them to flight When he was entred the City he found a great number of Monks and Hermits whom because they were Britains he slow everyone to the number 1200 upon which account he had afterwards ill fortune For proceeding on towards Bangor he was met with by three British Captains viz. Blederick Duke of Cornwal Margeduc Duke of Demetia which is Southwales and Cadwan Duke of Venedocia which is North-wales who giving him battol wound him and slay of his Nation ten thousand and sixty Then the British Princes meet and with general consent make Cadwan Duke of Venedocia their King who chased Edilfrid as far as the River Humber but he making head again through the assistance of the Saxon Princes the quarrel was took up by Friends and agreed that Cadwan should possess all on the South of Humber Edelfrid the North. These are the chief Records extant concerning the foundation of the first Christian Church among the English-Saxons which was begun in Kent under King Ethelbert But the long Catalogue of Bulls Charters and Grants of Lands given by this King or by Popes and Archbishops of Canterbury during his reign to particular places Churches and Societies of Men I have purposely omitted because they tend not to the substance of Religion and being most of them forged all suspected shew rather the cunning of later Ages in contriving than the possible magnificence of these times they are fixed to when perhaps the simplicity of the Christian Religion and the poverty of them who first propagated it in the Island gave no pretence for such large Possessions and Immunities to flow in of a sudden upon them But it was not long before pomp and state grew up in our Church by the continual influence of Rome and that most excellent Religion which was ever observed to gain most ground by the meekness and humility of those who professed it those vertues being spent and pride and luxury succeeding was fain to be propped up with Secular advantages and the life and substance gone shadows and forms introduced and Secular liberties being preached up as the interest of Christ which were ever found to be the most destructive to his Gospel ETHELBERT reigned fifty three years Bede sets his reign higher and allotteth him fifty six years but it is generally agreed that he died in the year six hundred and seventeen EADBALD EADBALD the Son of Ethelbert by his first Wife Birtha succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Kent Being young at his entrance he was no sooner freed from the awe of his Father saith Bede but he renounced the Christian Profession whose severity was not agreeable with the licence of a Crown and was likely to prove too great a curb to his exorbitant lusts and unnatural passions For whether tempting for Lust or tempted out of an ambition of Rule he took to wife his Father's second wife whose Name hath not had the honour of being recorded And being actually engaged in a sin which Heathenism it self did alwaies abhor he made it his business so much the more to discourage Christianity by how much he knew its Doctrine condemned such Incestuous practices And now might be seen what influence the Religion of the Prince had upon the lives of the People for they who had embraced Christianity only as the Religion most fashionable in the daies of the old King now thought
for Ethelred the Mercian continually molested him on the one hand and Edric dispossest of his Right sate not down with his loss but pursued all means to recover it by force so that gaining the Assistance of the South-Saxons to whose Protection he fled he enters Kent with an Army and proclaims his Title to the Crown many flocked unto him whilst others adhered to Lothair Thus the Kingdom of Kent was not only vexed with forreign forces but miserably divided in it self At last in a bloody battel Lothair was shot through with a Dart and dyed under his Chirurgeon's hands In him saith Malmsbury were punished the murders committed by his Brother Egbert because he made a scoff at the death of his Kinsmen and laughed at the publick mournings of the people But we shall find divine Vengeance following the Sons of Egbert himself and the whole Family for the Crown continued not in it to the third Generation Lothair reigned ten years and was buried at Canterbury among his Predecessors EDRIC EDRIC his Uncle Lothair being dead had none who could claim before him yet during his short Reign of two years he was continually exercised in Civil Wars and finally slain in them What were the Causes of his troubles Historians have not related possibly they rose from Lothair's Faction not suppressed with his death or it may be from the general hatred of the people to the whole Family which had been so deeply embrued in the blood of their beloved Princes And this seemeth more likely for his Brother Wigtred though a virtuous youth and not personally engaged in the Crimes of his House yet came not to the Crown till seven years after his Brothers death no Cause being related why he was so long held from it unless it proceeded from the following Wars For Ceadwalla the West-Saxon an ambitious and turbulent Prince taking advantage of the civil Commotions and marching easily through the Kingdom of the South-Saxons whom he had subdued entered Kent with an Army and miserably spoiled the Country with fire and sword laying waste where-ever he came the Kentish men though at variance among themselves yet in the publick danger reconciling their home differences unite all parties against the common Enemy and with joynt force meet him in a set Battel The West-Saxons not able to withstand their violence were driven back with great slaughter leaving Mollo their King's Brother a prey to the Enemy who in the flight with twelve of his Attendance to avoid the heat of pursuit hid himself in a Cottage but either discovered or betrayed was beset by the pursuers and there burnt alive Ceadwalla nearly touched with his Brothers misfortune and his own dishonour rallies his dispersed forces and making head again sets upon the greedy pursuers routs and chases them into their own Country and never left the Province till with fire and sword he had revenged the death of his Brother WIGTRED VVIGTRED the Brother of Edric obtained the Kingdom about the year 693. Ceadwalla being dead he purchased his peace of King Inas with a round Sum of Money and governed quietly for the space of thirty years Bede mentioneth one Swebhard that reigned with him possibly some Prince of a contrary Faction and ascribeth to Wigtred thirty three years He was a Prince that highly favoured the Church as it was termed in those daies by granting several priviledges and immunities to Religious persons and exempting them from publick Contributions Subsidies Tolls Taxes and Imposts especially in a full Synod of his whole Clergy held at a place called Becanceld in which himself presided among many liberties in general conferred on them he particularly by name priviledged these Monasteries namely Upminster Raculf Sudminster Dofras Folcanstan Hymming Stepes and Hor with severe Anathema's to all his Successours or any persons whatsoever that should at any time violate or infringe these his Royal Concessions which in aeternam rei memoriam were to be kept upon Record in Christ-Church in Canterbury and this done for the health of his Soul and the Souls of his Predecessours Such was the Zeal of these times heightned and improved by the pride and ambition of the Clergy to gain honour and riches to themselves by preaching whatever was done to them was done to the person of Christ but from what knowledg this Zeal was likely to spring we may learn from that sad though ingenuous confession of King Wigtred himself who in a grant afterwards made of some lands in Thanet to Ebba an Abbess plainly tells the World that not being able to write his name he had set his mark to the Deeds namely the sign of the Cross as likewise did his Queen Kynigith and the rest of his Nobles not likely to have more skill than their Soveraign Nay the Clergy themselves without any injury done to them may be shrewdly suspected not to be much exceeding in knowledge for the way of their subscriptions is per signum manus and we are certainly informed of the times not two hundred years after and that from King Alfred himself alearned and pious Prince in his sorrowful Epistle upon that occasion to Wulfug a Bishop That on this side Humber there were few Priests that understood their Latin prayers or could turn them into English so few faith he that when I began to Reign on all the South-side of the Thames I remember but one Such a mixture of blind devotion and ignorance possessed those times Another Councel this King Wigtred held at Berghamsted which is found in a famous Manuscript entituled TEXTUS ROFFENSIS composed by Ernulph Bishop of Rochester in the year 1116 but because it is omitted by Lambard and in several places as Sr. Henry Spelman confesseth not understood rightly by himself I have purposely omitted especially considering that there is nothing of moment in it which bears not the same stamp as his other Constitutions being stuft with many Immunities granted to the Clergy with additions of certain pecuniary mulcts for the breach of Fasting-daies Adulteries and Theft only thus much I thought would not be improper namely to set down that part of it which particularly relates to the strict observation of the Lords-day which is the first that we meet with on this occasion and is thus found in the 10 11 and 12 Articles of this Councel The Old Saxon. The English Gif eshe ofer dryhtnes haere þeoþ ƿeorc ƿyrce an sunnan aefen efter hire setl gange oþ monan aefenes setlgang LXXX scill de dryhtne gebete If in the Evening preceding Sunday after the Sun is set or the Evening preceding Monday after Sun set any Servant by command of his Master shall do any servile work the Master shall be punisht 80 shillings for the fact Gif esne def his pade ƿaes daeger VI sc ƿið dryhten gebete oþþe sinehyd If a Servant shall go a Journey on these daies he shall pay his Master 6 shillings Gif friman þonne an ðane forbodenan timan sio he heals fange
scyldig se man se ê§ana sie he age healf ê§ Æ¿iae daet Æ¿eorc If a Free man shall do it on that forbidden time he shall suffer the Mulct of Pillory and the Informer shall have half as well of the Mulct as the Wirgild Wirgild signifies a Composition made by the Party or his Friends for a fault committed This is all that we find upon Record either in Church or State that particularly relateth to King Wigtred He left Issue Edbert Ethelbert and Alric who all reigned in their turns EDBERT EDBERT the first Son of Wigtred reigned peaceably twenty three years nothing is left memorable upon Record during his Reign save that two blazing Comets appeared one before the Sun in the morning the other after him at night both darting their beams to the North. It was thought to portend the Desolations afterwards made by the Saracens who brake into France but were soon after expelled ETHELBERT the Second ETHELBERT the Second and second Son of Withred succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom He reigned for the space of eleven years and hath left nothing behind of Name or Issue He was buried among his Ancestors at Canterbury ALRIC ALRIC the third Son of Withred and last of the Royal Family of Hengist held the Scepter thirty four years He was slain in the battel of Otteford by the hands of OFFA the Mercian King whose overthrow saith Malmsbury was less dishonourable as vanquisht by so great a Monarch The Saxon Annals of 784 mention one EALMUND now reigning in Kent but he is no where else mentioned The following Kings either by wealth or faction obtained the Kingdom ETHELBERT the Third ETHELBERT the Third Sirnamed Pren the Annals call him Eadbright by what means is unknown usurped the Regal Power After two years reign contending with Kenulph the Mercian King who invaded his Territories he was taken Prisoner and led captive into Mercia and there for a while detained During his Imprisonment Cuthred was appointed by Kenulph to govern Kent and Simeon writes that Kenulph commanded to put out his eyes and cut of his hands but upon what occasion or whether the sentence was executed he hath left us in the dark Certain it is that Kenulph having finisht his Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire either out of commiseration of Human chance or relenting so severe a punishment or else to render the dedication of his Temple more illustrious taking this Princely Captive by the hand he led him to the High-Altar and there in the presence of Cuthred his Vice-Roy in Kent and ten Earls thirteen Bishops and many other Nobles he gave him his Liberty without Ransom and free leave to return to his Dominions But coming to Kent he was not received but retired to a private life and this is he and not the former Ethelbert whom the Annals of Canterbury affirm to be buried at Reculvers in the Isle of Tanct where he may be supposed to have lived after his expulsion a place most convenient and oftentimes used for such inglorious retreats He reigned only three years CUTHRED CUTHRED was created by Kenulph Vice-Roy of Kent but our Historians make him King and Usurper however he sate in the Throne but three years and we hear nothing of him but that he was present at the release of his Predecessor which should seem to argue that he was not the cause of his being kept out from the Crown BALDRED BALDRED last King of Kent was vanquished by Egbert the West-Saxon who seized his Dominion after he had reigned eighteen years and forced him to flie beyond the River Thames at which time this Kingdom and not long after the rest of the Heptarchy were reduced under the intire obedience of that Monarch THE KINGDOM OF THE East-SAXONS Contained Counties Essex Middlesex Part of Hartfordshire KINGS Sledda Sebert Sered Seward Sigibert the First Sigibert the Second Sigibert the Third Swithelm Sighere Sebba Offa. Selred Suthred SLEDDA SLEDDA the tenth from Woden is generally esteemed the first founder of the East-Saxon Kingdom though some following Huntington give the honour to Erchenwine his Father of whom nevertheless they tell us nothing saving his Name and Pedigree relating neither the number of his Forces the place of his landing or so much as the least encounter with the Britains In the same obscurity we might have passed over Sledda his Son had he not ennobled himself by the marriagt of Ricula Daughter of Emerick King of Kent and Sister to Ethelbert the first Christian Prince and Great Monarch of the English-men And indeed the whole transactions of this Province seem all along to have been redeemed from oblivion not by the glory or worth of its Princes or the greatness of its own proper atchievments but by the conjunction is had with other Kingdoms more powerful and the lustre it borrowed from neighbouring Princes with whom it was often linked in action In its beginning it was tributary to Kent and received its Protection from thence and this is the reason I have placed it next in order and though afterwards it came to be in a manner absolute yet it never rose to that height as to have one Monarch that could pretend to give Laws to other Kingdoms of the Saxons as all the rest at one time or another did It was bounded on the East with the Sea on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne on the North with the River Stour But these two latter limits often varied according to the encroachments of the Mercians made upon them in the West and the East-Angles and those of Northumberland on the North. Neither is the time of the beginning of this Kingdom more certain some place it as high as the year 516 under Erchinwin others eleven years after in the year 527 and the fifteenth of Oisc second King of Kent Some begin it at the first year of this Sledda's Reign which they will have to be in the year 587 but leaving them in their Disagreement I shall begin the computation of this Kingdom from the death of Sledda who having reigned without any actions recorded the space of many years departed this life Anno 596 leaving issue Sebert and Segebald SEBERT SEBERT the eldest Son of Sledda succeeded his Father nothing more famous than he saving that he was the first introducer of the Christian Faith into this Province He was converted at the perswasions of his Uncle Ethelbert and the preaching of Melitus afterwards Bishop of London and received Baptism at his hands in his chief City of London where by the assistance of King Ethelbert then chief Monarch of the English-men he founded a stately Church or rather repaired and enlarged the old Structure dedicating it to the honour of St. Paul constituting it the Cuthedral of the See of London This Church Ethelbert then present endowed with good possessions as in his Grant to Melitus is evident by this following Record AETHELBERT Rex
raise the Siege Sometimes the Inhabitants sallied out whilst others from the Woods and natural Fastnesses fell upon the Enemy in the Reer But Ella dividing his Army ordering one half to attend the motions of the Scouting Britains and with the other part plying the Siege at last won the Town by Assault and as some report put all to the Sword sparing neither Sex nor Age. The City it self he utterly demolished and with so through a Ruine that it never after could be rebuilt And at this day the ground whereon it stood beareth a little Village so small that it scarce sufficeth to point out the foundations of the Ancient City Ella by destroying this great Fortress had opened the whole Southern quarters of the Island whereby all that part of the Country lay at his devotion What he did in the following course of his Reign which is reckoned twenty two years or thereabouts is not particularly recorded but he is numbred the second Monarch of the English-men and is said at last to have reduced all on this side Humber both Saxon and Britain under his entire obedience But under his Successors who were but few and of no great fame the Kingdom was contracted into a lesser compass containing only Sussex and Surry and them not entire For the Kingdom of Kent on one side and the West-Saxons on the other both well settled Governments pressing hard upon it so daily wore it out that losing strength by degrees what remained of it was quickly swallowed up by Ceadwald the West-Saxon and afterwards by King Ine his Successour wholly annext to that Kingdom Insomuch that continuing so short a while not beyond the year 1601 having so few Princes and those in so great obscurity William of Malmsbury among other Writers have taken no notice of it at all CISSA CISSA the youngest Son of Ella the other two failing before him succeeded in the Kingdom of the South-Saxons he left nothing memorable behind him save a long Reign of 76 years as it is generally reported spent only in the foundation of two Cities bearing his Name Chichester and Cissbury of the former Mr. Cambden thus writeth Chichester in the British tongue called Caercei in the English-Saxon Cissan ceaster in Latin Cicestria a City large enough and walled about built by Cissa a Saxon the second King of this Province and of him so named for Cissan ceaster is nothing else but the City of Cissa Concerning the latter hear the same Author Hard by i. e. near Offington there is a Fort compassed about with a Bank rudely cast up wherewith the Inhabitants are perswaded that Caesar entrenched and fortified his Camp But Cissbury the name of the place doth plainly shew and testifie that it was the work of Cissa who being of the Saxons Line the second King of this petty Kingdom after his Father Aella accompanied with his Brother Cimen and no small power of the Saxons at this shore arrived and landed at Cimen shore a place so called of the said Cimen which now hath lost the name but that it was near unto Wittering the Charter of the Donation which King Cedwalla made unto the Church of Selsey most evidently proveth EDILWALCH EDILWALCH followed Cissa nothing more famous than he saving that by his example the South-Saxons though late embraced the Christian Religion The occasion of this Prince's Conversion is thus told in the History of St. Swithune Berinus Bishop of Dorchester preaching at Oxford before Wulfur King of Mercia it happened that Edilwatch then a Pagan was present who by the perswasion of Wulfur and the instruction of that Bishop embraced the Faith and was baptized being received at the Font by Wulfur who to gratifie his new Convert and new Adopted Son gave him the Isle of Wight and a Province of the Meannari adjoyning upon the Continent which Wulfur had newly gotten from Kenwalke the West-Saxon and had there as will appear out of Bede begun to plant Christianity At the same time following the example of their King the Dukes and Nobles of this Province received Baptisin at the hands of St. Berinus but the general Conversion of the South-Saxons was wrought by Wilsrid Archbishop of York driven from his Seat by Egfrid King of Northumberland The whole story of which as also the Conversion of the Isle of Wight take out of Bede as it is particularly related out of which relation our Historians gather by piece-meals whatever is recorded of this Prince The Conversion of the South-SAXONS How Wilfrid Archbishop of York Converted the South-Saxons WILFRID driven from his Bishoprick and wandring in several places at last went to Rome whence returning into Britain though he could not be received into his own Country and Diocess yet he refrained not the duty of preaching the Gospel but going to the Kingdom of the South-Saxons containing eight thousand Families yet sticking to their Pagan Idolatry he preached the Word and administred Baptisin Ethilwalch was King of that Nation not long before baptized in the Province of Mercia Wulfur being present and exhorting him by whom he was received at the Font and in sign of Adoption had of him by donation the Isle of Wight and the Province of the Meannari in the Country of the West Saxons Wherefore the Bishop by the consent of the King who joyfully embraced the motion baptized the chief Dukes and Officers of the Province but Eappa and Padda and Bruchelin and Oidda Priests baptized the Common sort about the same time or a little after Moreover Queen Ebba received Baptism in her own Island of Wight she was the Daughter of Eanfrid the Brother of Eanher who both with their people were Christians but the whole Province of the South-Saxons was for the most part ignorant of the Word of God and Faith But there was amongst them a certain Monk by Nation a Scot by name Dicul who had a little Convent in a place called Bosanham encompassed with Wood and the Sea and with him five or six Friars in an humble and poor life serving God but of the People none cared to imitate their Life or hear their Doctrine But Wilfrid the Bishop preaching to them not only delivered them from the pains of eternal damnation but from the sad calamity of temporal destruction For before his arrival into the Province for three years together no Rain had fallen in those parts so that a bitter Famine falling on the Common sort made lamentable destruction among them It is reported that fourty or fifty together wasted with hunger would creeping to the Sea-side and there clasping their hands together fling themselves off from the Rocks or Cliffs either to perish in the fall or drown in the waters But on the very same day that Nation received Baptism gentle and plentiful showers fell from heaven the Earth flourished and to the green Fields succeeded a glad and fruitful year So that casting off their ancient Superstition and hating their Idolatry
the hearts and flesh of all rejoyced in the living God who by his heavenly Grace had not only enriched them with internal but external blessings also This Prelate at his first coming into the Province seeing the plague of Famine so great had taught them to get sustenance by fishing for the Sea and Rivers abounded with all sort of fish but their skill extended only to the catching of Eeles Having therefore gathered together many Eele-Nets they cast them into the Sea and by divine assistance presently caught three hundred fish of divers kinds which dividing into three parts they gave a hundred to the Poor a hundred to them of whom they had borrowed the Nets and a hundred they reserved for their own use By which benefit this Prelate gained the affections of every one towards him and they were easier brought by his Preaching to hope for eternal things by whose Ministry they had received temporal At which time King Edilwalch gave by donation to the most Reverend Father Wilfrid Land of eighty seven Families where he might receive his own People who wandered about in Exile that is to say Seolesu which in Latin is called Insula vituli marini the place is every where surrounded with the Sea saving on the West where it hath a passage of about a stones cast wide This place when Wilfred had received he founded there a Monastery for Priests Regular placing therein such especially whom he had brought with him which to this day his Successors hold For he lived in those parts five years i. e. till the death of King Elfrid worthily honoured by all exercising the office of a Bishop both in word and deed And because the King together with the possession of the same place had granted him all the Demesne with the Lands and Tenants he baptized them all into the Christian Faith among which many men and maid Servants to the number of one hundred and fifty he not only by Baptism delivered from the slavery of Satan but by giving them freedom released them from the yoke of human bondage The Conversion of the Inhabitants of WIGHT AFter Ceadvalla had obtained the Kingdom of the West-Saxons he took the Isle of Wight which hitherto was generally given to Idolatry By tragical slaughter he endeavours to root out the Natives and in their place plant people of his own Province obliging himself by a Vow though as yet not baptized as is reported that if he took the said Island he would give the fourth part of it and the spoil to holy uses which he likewise performed granting it to Wilfred the Bishop who was then by chance come thither from his own Country The measure of the Island according to the account of the English is a thousand two hundred Families out of which was given to the Bishop the possession of three hundred But that part which he received he bestowed on one of his clergy by name Bernuvin his Sisters son assigning him a Priest called Hildila who should administer the Word and Sacrament to all such as desired salvation where I think it ought not to be passed by in silence how that for the first fruits of them who of the Island by believing were saved two young Princes Brothers of Arwald King of the Island by the special favour of God were first crowned For the Enemy approaching they got out of the Island and were carried into the next Province of the Vites where being brought to a place called Ad lapidem and thinking themselves hid from the fury of the Conquerour they were betrayed and commanded to be stain which when a Priest and Abbot by name Cimbreth came to understand having not far off a Monastery in a place called Reodford he came to the King who then lay in those parts Incognito under the cure of his wounds which he had received in fight in the Isle of Wight and desired of him that if of necessity the Youths must die they might first be baptized with the Sacrament of Christian Faith The King granted it and he instructing them in the words of truthi and washing them in the fountain of life gave them certain assurance of their entrance into the eternal Kingdom Which done they joyfully received at the Executioner's hands a temporal death by which they doubted not but to pass to life everlasting In this order therefore after all the Provinces of Britain had embraced the Faith of Christ the Isle of Wight also received it in which Island not withstanding by reason of the inconvenience of external subjection none ever took the dignity of an Episcopal See and Jurisdiction before Daniel the present Bishop of the West-Saxons and Geuisses By this last Relation of Bede the Isle of Wight had not received the Faith till after the death of this King Edilwalch and the arrival of Ceadwalla though others relate otherwise as hath been shewn before For Edilwalch assisting the West-Saxons against Ceadwalla was slain by him before he the said Ceadwalla had invaded the South-Saxons and in this Prince ended the Royal stem of the South-Saxon Kings but after his death two Dukes of this Province Berthun and Authun assumed the Power to themselves and in some Conflicts repelled Ceadwald with loss but he having united his Subjects and gathered more Forces returned upon them and with the slaughter of Berthun totally subdued the whole Country which with the uttermost violence of a Conquerour he brought into miserable Thraldom Thus they who received the Faith last were the first who were brought to subjection long before hand leading the dance to other Kingdoms who were to follow in the universal Obedience to the Western-Monarchy THE KINGDOM OF Northumberland Contained Counties Yorkshire Durham Loncashire Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland KINGS Ida. Ella Ethelric Edelfrid Edwin Osric the First Eanfrid Oswald Oswy Egfrid Alkfryd Osred the First Kenred Osric the Second Ceolwulf Egbert Oswulf Ethelwald Alcred Ethelred I. Elfwald Osred the Second Ethelred II. IDA THE first settlement of the Saxons in these parts we may remember was under Octa and Ebissa the one the Son the other the Nephew of King Hengist who being called over in the daies of Vortigern by his leave landing about Humber and not long after sayling to the Orcades with fourty ships subdued all the Northern Tract and at last fixed themselves in that part of the Island which is now called Northumberland These Transactions happened about the year 450 since which time till the year 547 we hear nothing of them but that they and their posterity quietly possest and enjoyed what by force they had won of the Britains but still paying homage to Kent though far distant as to the elder Family But now about this year one IDA the tenth from Woden began to set up a separate Kingdom in Northumberland called the Kingdom of Bernicia and to assume absolute Royalty to himself What his Title was or whether he got it by Election or Usurpation
to be better than his own he would himself embrace it These fair and ingenuous offers opening so large a way for the propagation of the Gospel and readily assented to and Ethelburga for so the Virgin was called is sent into Northumberland under the spiritual Tuition of Paulinus created Bishop by Justus for that occasion But Edwin continued still in his old Idolatry and though Paulinus by preaching and perswasion used his utmost endeavour yet he gained little either upon Prince or People for a whole twelvemonth to forsake their own or embrace the Queens Religion But at length an unexpected accident made more way for the entrance of the Faith than the labour and industry of the Bishop could ever do For Edwin having narrowly escaped an Assassine sent by Cuichelme King of the West-Saxons to dispatch him and lying under the cure of a dangerous wound took such impression in mind especially Paulinus improving that occasion that he solemnly promised that if Christ whom they so much extoll'd would give him cure of his wound and victory over his bloody Enemies he would without more adoe receive his Religion Paulinus was not wanting to encourage this Vow and the King to shew his sincerity gives his Daughter Eanfled to be bred up in Religion who with twelve others of his Family were baptized by Paulinus on the day of Pentecost The King not long after recovering raises an Army and invades the West-Saxon Province and with such wonderful success that in a short space he not only laid the Country desolate but had means to bring the chief Actors of that bloody contrivance to punishment they all by one means or other falling miraculonsly into his hands Loaded with Victory he returns home and from that time worshipped no more his Idols But the open profession of the Christian Faith he could not yet be brought to own but stood wavering between the prejudices of Education on one side and the Evidences he had received on the other from the power of that God whom Paulinus had taught him and who plainly seemed to be his Deliverer Whilst he stood in this doubting condition he receives Letters from Boniface then Bishop of Rome the Copies of which are yet extant containing ardent exhortations not to delay his Promise but to embrace the Faith which he had vowed Neither was the Bishop wanting by Letters to his Queen to stir up and quicken her endeavours towards the conversion of her Husband But all was in vain for the King tossed between two great Seas inclined neither to the one side or other until Paulinus by divine Revelation coming to the knowledg of a Secret One day when the King was private in his Chamber comes boldly in and laying his hand on his head asked him if he remember what that sign meant Edwin all in a maze as whose memory had newly recovered some former impressions rose up and fell prostrate at the Bishop's feet Behold saith Paulinus taking him up by the hand God hath delivered thee from thy enemies thou fearedst and hath granted the Kingdom thou desiredst Forget not therefore the third promise in receiving his Faith and keeping his Commandments for if from henceforth thou obey his will which by my mouth he declareth to thy temporal Kingdom he will after this life add a Crown eternal What this third Promise was and upon what occasion made by Edwin is thus related by Venerable Bede When Edwin was an Exile in the Court of King Redwald and Edilfrid by his Embassadours demanded that he should be surrendred unto him Redwald as hath been related partly dazled with the Gold and partly a wed by the threats of that Prince had at first yielded to deliver him which wicked determination was brought to Edwin by a Friend of his who had all along stuck close to him in his Adversity and who now promised his assistance to further his escape Edwin uncertain what to do as loth to distrust the King who had given him his Royal word and had hitherto protected him and yet not questioning his Friend's good will and the truth of his intelligence in the dead of night from them was the news brought him goes out of the Palace and casts himself upon a cold stone musing what course was best to be undertaken when behold there advances unto him a Person unknown and in Language full as strange and thus accosteth him Who art thou who thus in the dead of night when Mortals are at rest lyest here without doors cold and benum'd Edwin whom grief suffered not to be very Ceremonious returns this sharp reply That he might meddle with his own concerns and that it was nothing to him whether he lay within or without doors Think not Edwin saith the Stranger though nothing moved that I am ignorant who thou art or the cause of thy heaviness why thou sittest so pensive here alone sad and making But tell me what wouldst thou give him who could deliver then from the danger that threatens thy life and perswade Redwald neither to do thee hurt nor to deliver thee to thy enemies Any thing answered Edwin who now began to listen to him But what said the other wouldst thou give if the same person should give thee a Kingdom and cause thee to surpass all thy Predecessours in power and glory I do not question said Edwin but that I should make answerable returns of gratitude But what if he that foretels thee these good things to come said the unknown should also instruct thee in a way to life and happiness that none of thy Forefathers or kindred ever knew Wouldst thou obey him and consent to receive his wholsom admonitions Edwin without stope made answer That he would in every thing follow the advice of such an one as not only could deliver him from his enemies but would also give him a Kingdom At which words the Person advanced to him and laying his hand on his head said When this sign shall next befal thee be not forgetful of this time nor of this Conference and remember what you have promised you accordingly perform Then disappearing left Edwin as full of amazement as joy to know what this unknown should be When in comes his Friend and adviseth him to chear up and not to be daunted for he brought better news to him than formerly viz. that the King by the perswasions of his Queen was so far from betraying him that he resolved to defend him with his utmost power And this is the reason why he fell down before Paulinus after he had laid his hand upon his head At last Edwin being throughly convinced of the double Miracle shewn to him in the favourable and speedy promotion of his Conversion consented to receive the Faith yet would advise first with his Nobles about it who being asked what they thought of the Doctrine of Paulinus understanding withal the Kings private inclinations generally consented nay the eminentest of their Priests Coysy who as it appears by
the Historians of those times have thought convenient that the memory of these Apostate Kings should be utterly razed and the same year reckoned the first of King Oswald a man dearly beloved of God OSWALD OSWALD after the death of his Brother was made King of Northumberland He was a Prince well grounded in his Religion and besides many other vertues had accomplisht himself during his Exile in all Military exercises to which in his youth he had studiously addicted himself And indeed the state of the Kingdom at his first entrance upon it being miserably harassed by Cadwallo required no ordinary man to redeem the glory and honour of it He had to deal with an enemy used to Conquer but withal proud and boasting and who by often beating the Northumberlands had now little opinion of the Saxon Valour in general and was therefore grown somewhat secure and negligent in his proceeding Him therefore Oswald with a small but Christian Army attacks by a little River running into Tine near the old Roman Wall the place called Denisborn and after a sharp fight slaies him with the greatest part of his huge Host which he boasted was Invincible It is reported that the first day Oswald though provoked would not joyn battel but spent the whole time in prayers and supplications commanding his Army to do the like and to shew that his trust was more in the protection of the Almighty than the arm of flesh and to profess himself the Souldier os Christ he erected for his Standard a great 〈◊〉 in the field wherein he encamped sustaining the same with his own hands until the Souldiers with earth filled up the ground it was fixed in from this Cross and the Victory ensuing the place was afterwards called 〈◊〉 and the Cross it self was long after much frequented for the Miracles said to be wrought by it Being settled in his Throne by the death of his potent Enemy like a good Prince his first care was to have his people again instructed in the Christian Religion which by the Apostasie of the former Princes and devastations of those times was almost utterly lost among them To this purpose he sends into Scotland where himself had been bred up to have some godly and laborious Preachers sent unto him his desires were readily assented to by the Clergy of that Country and Aidan a Monk and Bishop with others to assist him are accordingly dispatched who coming into Northumberland by their good example and diligent preaching wonderfully restored the Christian Religion insomuch that many thousands are said in few daies to have been Baptized by them This Aidan had assigned to him from the King for an Episcopal Seat a place then called Lindesfarn now Holy Island but he was not so famous by the dignity of his Sec as the singular vertues of his mind being a man above the level of that Age of wonderful moderation and not carried away with the nice and trivial points of Theology which most desperately infected those and latter times And this will more evidently appear by the Testimony of Bede in his preamble to the Councel of Whitby which you may find in the Reign of the following Prince And this might be the reason that he gained so much on the minds of his Auditors for whereas others following the example of Colmar a preacher then in Northumberland delighted more to shew their profound skill in points then controverted than plainly to set forth the grounds of Christianity Aidan on the contrary by easie Doctrine and yielding in things Ceremonial made more Christians by far though fewer Disputants Neither is the devotion and humility of Oswald himself to be passed over who disdained not to be Interpreter to the Bishop in his first preaching for whereas Aidan at his first coming spoke Scotch only or very broken English the King himself to secure him from contempt and to make his words carry more Authority was as you have heard himself the conduit to coveigh them to his People Neither is this King less celebrated for his exceeding Charity and pity to the poor feeding them with his own hands at the Gate and often distributing the plate it self amongst them for which it is said that Aidan being once present taking the King by the right hand thus said or prophesied That it was impossible that hand should parish which had so often sustained others which report goes after his death was fulfilled for that hand remaining uncorrupted was afterwards shrined in Silver and preserved entire in St. Peter's Church in Bebba now Bamborow Thus the Kingdom of Northumberland by the blessing of God and the good endeavours of King Oswald enjoyed the benefits of peace during which time Religion good Laws and Ordinances were established Churches erected through the whole Province and the general State so flourished that all the neighbouring Countries invited by the Princely vertues of Oswald especially the moderation of his Government daily flocked under his obedience insomuch that he had at command at one time people of four different languages Britains Picts Scotch and English Thus after he had Reigned the space of eight years worthy of a longer life he fell by the same fate and the same hands 〈◊〉 Edwin his Predecessour For 〈◊〉 the Pugan King of Mercia envying the greatness of his State made war upon 〈◊〉 and at a place called Maserfield now Oswester in Shropshire cut him in pieces with a great part of his Army on the fifth of August 642. His Body was buried at Bradney in Lincoinshire By his wife Kinburg Daughter of Kingils he had a Son named Ethelwald who being left young was put by the Kingdom by his base Uncle Oswy but he continually gave him trouble in the keeping of it and obtained lastly a Principality in Derra which he held by force after that Oswy had slain Oswyn the Nephew of Edwin who for seven years had held it OSWY OSWY the base Son of Edilfrid the Wild after the death of his Brother succeeded him in the Kingdom The beginning of his Reign was exceedingly turmoiled with the continual incursions of Penda the rebellions of his base Son Alkfrid and the opposition of Ethelwald Son of Edwin and rightful Heir of the Crown But his greatest eye-sore was Oswyn the Son of Osric Edwin's Brother who had possession of Deira a Prince highly beloved by his People for his good nature and much admired for zeal in Religion and humility in the profession of it Against him Oswy raiseth an Army and Oswyn meeteth him but finding himself far Inferiour in number he broke up his Camp which was then at Wilfaresdown ten miles west of Cataracton and reserving himself for a better opportunity with one Attendant named Condhere he withdrew to the house of Earl Hunwald on whose fidelity he much relied but contrary to his expectation he was by the said Earl basely betrayed to King Oswy and by his order as basely murthered at Ingethling Aidan the good Bishop survived not
twelve daies this murther dying as some report for grief having not long before foretold the death of that Prince upon this account because he was a man the World was not worthy of being an Humble King Aidan was buried in the Isle of Lindesfarn and Finan succeeded him in that See This fact of King Oswy was odious to all and therefore to explate the guilt a Monastery was erected upon the place where the murther was committed and prayers daily offered for the Souls of both Kings the slayer and the slain But notwithstanding Oswyn was thus removed the Kingdom of Deira or part of it was seized by Ethelwald the Son of King Oswald But Oswy was still infested with the incursions of King Penda and had long endured many sore devastations Once he had almost lost his strongest City Bebanburge now Bamborow Castle which Penda with fire and sword had assaulted And now weary of continual standing on his defence he resolves if possible by any means to buy his Peace and to that end sends large gifts and presents to Penda with humble suit desiring League and Amity But these being with scorn refused he prepares for War and first imploring divine assistance if God would grant him Victory he vows his Daughter a Nun and twelve Lordships for the building of Monasteries which done he raises an Army and meets Penda at a place called Loyden now Leeds in Yorkshire The Army of Penda as is reported exceeded Oswy's thirty times over and was commanded by expert Captains nevertheless they were utterly routed and put to flight and many of them swallowed up in the River Winwed which at that time was unusually swelled with Rains Penda himself was slain in the battel and Ethelhere King of the East-Angles the contriver of the War Ethelwald the Son of Oswald was in the field upon the Mercian side and is said to have been the cause of their desear for withdrawing his Forces at the first Onset and meaning to expect the event he discouraged the Mercians who misdoubted there was treachery in it The death of Penda was received with great joy through all the neighbouring Provinces as the Song witnesseth At the River Winwed Anna was Avenged Oswy after this Victory enters Mercia with an Army which he presently reduced to his obedience but unto Peada the Son of Penda as his near Kinsman he gave the Principality of the South Mercians containing five thousand Families and separate from the 〈◊〉 Mercians by the River Trent 〈◊〉 But him slain by the treachery of his wife 〈◊〉 and Eadbert three Mercian Earls set up Vulfer and fling off the Government of Oswy who was now employed in a Pictish War and had subdued the greatest part of that Nation This Oswy had in him a strange mixture of Vertues and Vices in his beginning bloody and tyrannous towards his latter end just and moderate Highly addicted he was to Roman Superstitions and resolved a Pilgrimage thither had not he been taken off by death for in the twenty eighth year of his Reign and fifty eighth of his Age he departed this life having vowed that Journey as some write to expiate the murther of King Oswyn Under this Oswy was held a Councel about the observation of Easter which because it is much celebrated by all our Writers I shall put it down as it is originally related The Synod of Streanshalch now Whitby at the request of Hilda Abbess of that place under Oswy the Father and Alchfrid the Son Kings of Northumberland in the year of Christ 664. In which is controverted the Celebration of Easter and other Ecclesiastical Rites There being present on the side of the Romans and English King Alchfrid the Son Agilbert Bishop of the West-Saxons Abbot Wilfrid Agatho Presbyter James a Deacon and Romanus On the side of the Scots and Britains King Oswy the Father Colmanne Bishop of Lindisfarne with other Scottish Bishops Cedda Bishop of the East Saxons Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch with a great many others of the Clergy on both sides Bede's Preface to this Synod IN these times was startled a common and great question concerning the observation of Easter Those that came from Kent or Gaul affirming that the Scots keep the Lord's day of Easter contrary to the custom of the Catholick Church Among these was one Romanus by name a stiff defender of the true Easter by Nation a Scot but had learned the true rules Ecclesiastick in Gaul or the Confines of Italy who disputing with one Finan made many sensible of their errour or at least perswaded them to a deeper search into the truth but he could not in the least stir Finan who being of a fiery nature was rather made worse by his instructions and an open enemy to truth But James formerly Deacon under the worshipful Archbishop Paulinus observed the true and Catholick Easter with those whom he had taught the true and correct way Queen Eanfeld also observed it with her houshold according to what she had seen performed in Kent having with her a Priest from Kent named Romanus of the Catholick opinion from whence they report in those daies it sometimes happened that Easter should be kept twice in one year For when the King 's Lent being done was keeping Easter then the Queen with hers Lent with them not being yet ended was celebrating Palm-Sunday But this different observancy of Easter Aidan living was patiently born with by all men who understood thus much That though he could not celebrate Easter contrary to the custom of those that had sent him yet he took care that the works of faith charity and love in which all Saints agree should be diligently performed so that he was deservedly beloved by all men nay even of those that thought otherwise of Easter and was not only respected by the meaner sort but by Bishops themselves Honorius of Canterbury and Foelix of the East-Angles But Finan being dead who succeeded Aidan when Colman came into the Bishoprick for he also was sent from Scotland there arose a more solemn controversie concerning the observing of Easter and other Precepts relating to an Ecclesiastical life so that this question justly moved the hearts of many lest peradventure the name of Christianity being only retained they should run or had run in vain It came at last to the ears of the Court to wit of King Oswy and his Son Alchfrid for Oswy was taught and baptized by the Scots and was well skilled in their Language and esteemed nothing truer than what they had taught him But Alchfrid had for his Instructour in Christianity Wilfrid a right learned man who had made a Journy to Rome on purpose to learn of the Law Ecclesiastick and had lived many years with Dalphin Archbishop of Lions in Gaul from whom he had received the right custom of Church-shaving He therefore thought this Man's Doctrine to be preferred before all the Traditions of the Scots for which reason he had lately given him a Monastery of
day of the Sabbath which ye do who will not celebrate it upon the first day of the Sabbath Peter solemnized the Lord's day of Easter from the sisteenth Moon till the twenty first which ye do not who observe the Lords day of Easter from the fourteenth to the twentieth Moon so that on the thirteenth Moon at Evening ye often begin Easter Neither did our Lord the Author and giver of the Gospel eat the old passover on that day but on the fourteenth Moon at Evening or deliver the Sacraments of the New Testament to be celebrated in Commemoration of his Passion also the twenty first Moon which the Law especially commends to our Observation ye utterly reject in the celebration of your Easter so that as I said before ye neither agree with John nor Peter Law or Gospel in the solemnizing the great Festival To these things Colman answered Did Anatholius a holy man and much commended in the sore-mentioned Church History think contrary to either Law or Gospel who writ that Easter was to be kept from the fourteenth to the twentieth Is it to be imagined that our most reverend Father Columba and his Successors men beloved of God either thought or acted any thing contrary to Holy Writ When there were many amongst them of whose heavenly Holiness the wonders and powerful Miracles they wrought have given sufficient Testimony who as I ever thought them to be Holy men so I will never desist from following their times manners and discipline Then Wilfrid 'T is evident said he that Anatholius was a man very holy learned and praise-worthy but what does that concern ye when ve do not observe his Decrees for he in his Easter following the Rule of Truth set forth a Circle of nineteen years which ye are either ignorant of or else utterly contemn if ve acknowledg it to be kept by the whole Church of Christ. He in the Lord's Easter so reckoned the fourteenth Moon that he acknowledged that on the same day after the manner of the Egyptians to be the fifteenth Moon at evening so he observed the twentieth day for the Lord's Easter but so that he believed that the day being done to be the one and twentieth of which rule of distinction he proves thee ignorant because sometimes ye plainly keep your Easter before the full Moon that is on the thirteenth Month. As concerning your Father Columba and his Followers whose sanctity ye say ye will imitate and whose rules and precepts confirmed by heavenly signs ye are resolved to follow I might Answer when many at Judgment shall say to the Lord that they have prophesied in his Name and cast out Devils and wrought many wonders the Lord will answer that he never knew them But far be it from me that I should speak this of your Fathers since 't is more reasonable of uncertain things to entertain good thoughts than bad for which reason therefore I do not deny them to be the Servants of God and beloved by God who out of an innocent simplicity and a pious intention love God Neither do I think such an observation of Easter to be much prejudicial to them as long as no body comes among them that can shew decrees of a better institution which they may follow who nevertheless I believe had some Catholick Calculator better instructed them would have followed those things which they knew and had learned to be the Commands of God You therefore and your Associates if you despise to follow the decrees of the Apostolick See when you have heard them nay of the Universal Church and those confirmed by Holy writ without doubt ye sin What though your Fathers were holy are the paucity of these in a corner of the farthest Island to be preferred before the Universal Church of Christ over the World What if this your Columba and ours too if he be Christ's was holy and powerful in Miracles ought he to be preferred before the blessed Prince of the Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and to thee will I give the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven After Wilfrid had thus spoken the King said Colman is it true that these words were spoken by the Lord to Peter Who answered True O King Then said he Have you any thing that you can bring to prove so great power was given to Columba but he said No we have not The King again said Do both you agree without any controversie on this that these words were principally spoken to Peter and the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven were given him by the Lord They both answered Yes Then the King thus concluded And I say unto you because he is the Door-keeper I will not contradict him but as far as I know and am able I desire to obey his commands in all things lest perchance I coming to the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven there be no body to open he being turned aside whom you have proved to hold the Keys After the King had said thus both those that sate down and those that stood great and small assented so that the less perfect Institution being abandoned every one made haste to apply themselves to those things they thought better The Dispute being ended and the Assembly dismist Agilbert returned home Colman seeing his Doctrine slighted and his Party despised taking along with him those that were resolved to be of his sect i. e. they that would not admit of the Catholick Easter and shaving of the Crown for there was no little question about that returned into Scotland to treat with his Party what he should do in the business Chad leaving the tract of the Scotish Doctrine returned to his See as acknowledging the observation of the Catholick Easter This Disputation fell out in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 664 the twenty second year of King Oswy and the 30th year of the Bishoprick of the Scots which they had born in the Province of the English The wife of Oswy was Eanfled Daughter of Edwin King of Northumberland after the death of her husband she spent her daies in the Monastery of Streanshalch where she deceased and was interred in the Church of St. Peter in the same Monastery The Issue of King Oswy by Eanfled was this Elwin was slain in a battel against Ethelred King of the Mercians Elfled the eldest Daughter at a year old according to the Vow of her Father was committed to Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch to be bred up in Religion where she was afterwards Abbess and was buried in the Church of St. Peters in that Monastery Offrid the younger Daughter was married to Ethelred King of Mercia His natural Issue Alkfrid who succeeded Ethelwald in Deira came at last to the whole Crown of Northumberland Alkfled married to Peada Son of King Penda she is taxed by most Writers for the death of her Husband EGFRID
King of Northumberland and Alnud slain by the Danes and Canonized for a Saint ETHELRED ETHELRED the Son of Mollo succeeded who having caused three of his Nobles Adwulf Kinwulf and Ecca to be treacherously slain he was driven out of his Kingdom by Edelbald and Herebert who overcame him in a set battel ELFWALD ELFWALD the Son of Oswulf succeeded a just and upright Prince yet not freed from civil Commotions for in his second year Osbald and Ethelheard two Earls raising an Army against him routed his general Bearn and pursuing burnt him at a place called Seletune Others relate that Siga was chief Conspirator and that the King was slain at Scilcester on the wall and his body buried at Hexam upon Tine Siggan five years after laid violent hands on himself Elfwald left Issue Alfus and Alfin both slain by Ethelred Son of Mollo OSRED OSRED the Son of Alcred succeeded and the same year was deposed and driven from his Kingdom ETHELRED ETHELRED Son of Mollo after twelve years banishment imprisonment saith Alkuin was restored again to the Crown having taken Osred his Predecessour he shaved his Crown and encloystered him at York next he draws by fair promises Alfus and Alfwin Sons of Elfwald from the place they had taken Sanctuary in and barbarously murthers them at a place called Wonwaldremere a Village by the great Pool in Lancashire now called Winandermer Nor was his following Reign less bloody for Osred who by force had been made a Monk not liking the life had desired Banishment and obtained it And going into the Isle of Man raises some small Forces by the encouragement of certain Northumbrian Nobility with whom he kept intelligence and who promised by oath to assist him in his return but coming into his Country he is basely betrayed and deliveren unto Ethelred who immediately put him to death To strengthen himself in these Violencies he marries Elfled the Daughter of Ossa putting away his former wife but he enjoyed not long his Cruelties and Injustice for he was slain by his own Subjects at Cobre in the year 798. After his death many petty Princes or Dukes rather seized the Kingdom dividing it into parcels much molested by the Danes who made continual Inroads into those as well as other quarters which shall be treated of in order in the life of Egbert the West-Saxon who laid this as well as other Provinces to his own Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE East-ANGLES Contained Counties Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire Isle of Ely KINGS Uffa Titulus Redwald Earpenwald Sigebert Egric Anna. Ethelherd Edelwald Aldulf Elswold Beorn Ethelred Egilbert UFFA TITULUS THE name of this Province testifieth what Nation they were who seated themselves in it to wit the Angles a People of Denmark of the same stock and Original with the Saxons who coming some of them with Hengist others with other Captains chose at length these quarters as the principal Rendezvous of their particular Tribe whither they flocked so fast that as Bede reporteth their Native Country in his daies was left almost desolate and uninhabitable The first time of their fixing in these parts is uncertainly guessed at but with most probability supposed about the year 500 when coming over in several parcels saith Bede they were divided into as many Principalities and petty Governments continually striving among themselves as they had leasure and rest from the Common enemy But about the year 575 UFFA the eighth from Woden in strength and policy overpowered the rest and either quelling or uniting different factions moulded the several Lordships into one Crown which he wore with great honour leaving his name to his Subjects many years after called Uffins and his Scepter to his Son TITULUS who upheld the greatness of it during his whole Reign with equal glory but the particulars of his life and actions are utterly lost and had not the lustre of his Son and Successour redeemed his Name from oblivion he might well have been left out in the Catalogue of Kings And this is the reason I shall begin the date of this Kingdom from Redwald his Son who raised it to the highest glory and made its Infancy more illustrious than its riper years And this is to be said of this Province above others that in its first appearance in History we find it in its full proportions though they not so great as of other Kingdoms REDWALD REDWALD the Son of Titulus came to the Kingdom about the year 593. In this first beginnings he was Tributary to Ethelbert King of Kent and served him as a Vice-Roy over all his Dominions by which means he gained experience in Government and after the death of that Potent King so managed his business that he became Monarch of the English-men and had all his Neighbours at his disposal The great Scene of his life which raised him to extent of dominion and reputation in the World was his encounter with Edilfrid the Wild a mighty Conquequerour and who had stretched his Dominions from Sea to Sea Him Redwald in the height of his glory and the pride of Victory undertakes in the quarrel of Edwin as hath been related in the life of that Prince and overthrows with his whole Host at the River Idle near Nottingham after which he marched into Northumberland where having established Edwin in his Throne he returns into his own Country loaden with Honour leaving the World to admire his Moderation and Justice as well Conduct and Valour He had formerly been Baptized in Kent but it seems more in compliance to Ethelbert than that he was really perswaded of the truth of that Religion For returning into his own Country by the perswasions of his Wife he was easily brought to his old Idolatry but fearing perhaps that the Christian Faith might prove true he was not willing wholly to reject either so that to be sure on one side or other he crected in the same Temple an Altar for the service of Christ and another for burnt Sacrifices to his Idols This Prince kept his usual Court of residence at Rendelisham nigh Ufford in Suffolk and as Bede interpreteth the word Rendelisham it is nothing but Rendil's Mansion place that is saith Mr. Cambden Redwald's Court. EARPENWALD EARPENWALD the Son of Redwald succeeded him in the Kingdom and by the perswasions of Edwin King of Northumberland openly professed the Christian Religion which his Father would not own but by halves but he not long survived his Conversion for he was slain by Ricbert a Pagan He had been baptized by Foelix a Bishop a Burgundian by Nation whom Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury sent into the Province to teach the Nation who held his Seat at a place called Dommoc now Dunwick a Town well peopled even to the Conquerours daies and long after much frequented and strongly fortified till upon the removal of the Bishop's Seat and the breaking in of the Sea it became almost desolate SIGEBERT SIGEBERT succeeded in the
Kingdom he was the Son of Redwald's Wife half-Brother to the late King The jealousies of Redwald had caused him to retire into France where he continued during his Reign and the Reign of his Successour having the opportunity all the while to instruct himself in good Literature in which that Country then abounded and learn the Christian Religion of which he was a sound Professour After the death of Earpenwald returning home of his own accord or as others write recalled he took upon him the Government of the Kingdom which with great prudence he ruled taking care first that his People should be rightly instructed in the Christian Religion and that afterwards they might secure themselves from Ignorance and Idolatry he introduced the custom of France in their Schools modelling a form after the example he had received there And sending for some Teachers out of Kent by the assistance of Foelix his Bishop he settled a place of teaching generally thought to be the University of Cambridge after which he betook himself to a monastick life recommending the care of Government to Egric his near Kinsman EGRIC EGRIC Reigned four years when being invaded by Penda the Mercian in one battel he lost both life and kingdom It is said that before the fight began the East-Angles trusting to the conduct of Sigibert their former King had intreated him to take the Command that day having to that purpose though much unwilling drawn him from his Monastery to the Camp But he playing the Monk not Captain with only a white Wand in his hand went upon the enemy where with Egric he was slain ANNA ANNA next of Blood and descended from Ufsa in the sisth degree succeeded Egric in the Kingdom of the East-Angles Recorded a just and good man but his vertues exempted him not from the fate of his Predecessours for he was taken off by the same hands of Penda the Mercian His eldest Son Firmimus fell in battel with him and was buried with him at Blithborow his other Son was Erchenwald Abbot of Chertside and Bishop of London his Daughters were royally married and we meet with them as they are mixed in the Histories only thus much may be said of them together That after their death they had all the fortune to be Canonized ETHELHERD ETHELHERD the Brother of Anna succeeded him in the Kingdom Fearing the power of Penda he joyned with him who was now about to make war upon Northumberland but he found the Amity of that Pagan as fatal to him as his Arms had been to his Brother and former Predecessours For whilst in a battel against Oswy he assisted that Tyrant he fell with him leaving three Sons behind him Aldulf Elswolf and Beorn who all three not long after succeeded in the Kingdom His wife was Hereswith Sister of Hilda the famous Abbess of Streanshalch and Great-Grandchild to Edwin King of Northumberland EDELWALD EDELWALD succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom of the East-Angles and held it nine years without any Action leaving a Son called Ethelred who came not to the Crown till Ethelherd's Children had Reigned in their turns ALDULF ALDULF the eldest Son of Ethelherd succeeded his Uncle Edelwald in the Kingdom and held it ten years without other memory ELFWOLD ELFWOLD the second Son of King Ethelherd Reigned seven years in the same obscurity BEORN BEORN the youngest Son of King Ethelberd succeeded without any other circumstance of his life only his Reign is supposed to be twenty three years But indeed the length and continuance of these three last Princes Reigns are uncertainly calculated by Historians whether it were that the Province of the East Angles lay at so great distance from the Scene of Action in these daies or indeed that they did nothing worth Recording The next Prince we hear of is Ethelred ETHELRED ETHELRED the Son of King Edelwald Brother of Anna succeeded in the Kingdom of the East Angles about the year of Grace as may be most probably guessed 714 and reigned fifty two years all which time is passed over in silence saving that the Writer of his Life mentioneth his Wive's name to be Leofrun the Mother of the next unfortunate Prince EGILBERT EGILBERT Son of Ethelred and Leofrun his wife succeed in the Kingdom of the East Angles A Prince of great hopes in his youth addicting himself to the studies of good Literature and in his advancement to the Crown ruling his Kingdom with great justice prudence and moderation But in the year 792 he was taken off by the treachery of Ofsa the Mercian who by fair promises of giving him his Daughter in marriage drew him to his Court at Sutton Wallis in the County of Hereford and there against all Laws of Nature and common Hospitality most batbarously chopt off his head Matthew of Westminster reporteth it done by the instigation of his wife envying the pomp and splendour of this Princely Woer who to take his Lady it seems brought with him a gay and more than ordinary Retinue His body was at first privately buried at Morden upon the River Lug but afterwards upon remorse Ofsa removed it to Hereford And to make amends at least to the Church for the murther he hunts out the Relicks of St. Alban it seems his particular Saint and them miraculously found enshrines in pearl and gold such trivial satisfactions shewed in those times to daub over the Conscience for Villanies scarce practised amongst the most barbarous Pagans For notwithstanding this splendid kind of Repentance Ofsa takes possession of the Inheritance of the murthered laying the Country of the East Angles to his own Dominions which Vineyard as it was bloodily obtained so it lasted not long unto him or his posterity For the Danes breaking in like wild Bores laid it waste not long after But of the occurrences of those times I shall speak in the successive Ages they were done in intending in this Heptarchy to write only to the times of King Egbert the West Saxon the first sole Monarch of England The Kingdom of the East Angles was bounded on the East and North by the Sea on the South it bordered upon Essex and Hartfordsbire and on the West it had a Ditch commonly called St. Edmund's Ditch for its principal limits THE KINGDOM OF MERCIA Contained Counties Cheshire Darbyshire Nottingham Staffordshire Shropshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Huntington Rutland Warwickshire Worcestershire Oxfordshire Glocestershire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Part of Hertfordshire KINGS Crida Wibba Ceorl Penda Peada Vulfer Ethelred Kenred Kelred Ethelbald Beornred Offa. Egfrid Kenmolf Kenelm THE Kingdom of Mercia though of largest extent yet was inferiour in point of strength and power to far lesser Provinces whose Pavilions though not stretched so wide were sure fixed in the earth and had means by turns to prey upon this great body not able at once on all sides to secure it self from their several incursions Thus like a Bull at stake seated in the
midst of the Island though sometimes it found means to toss and almost overturn particular Kingdoms yet staved off by others and constantly kept warm by new Assailants it ever lost behind what it gained forwards and was not at any time able so to keep all employed but that one or other taking breath would return afresh upon it It had on the north the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Limits on that side were the Humber and Mersey from whence it is supposed to have taken name On the East it extended to the Sea through Lincolnshire and South-east had the East-Angles and East-Saxon Kingdoms lying upon it South it reached to the Thames where it was obnoxious to Kent the South and West-Saxons and on the West it was kept in by the Severn and Dee which gave passage to the Britains to break in upon it Thus we see this unwieldy Kingdom which in front would seem to bear down all before it is so coopt up and hem'd in on every side that it rather labours under its own greatness CRIDA WIBBA CEORL THE first beginner of this Kingdom was CRIDA the eleventh from VVoden who having reigned ten years without other memory left it to his Son WIBBA in the year 594 who enlarging the bounds of his Kingdom by continual Conquests upon the Britains reigned twenty years and had Issue three Son Penda Kenwalk and Eoppa and a Daughter Sexburg married to Kenwald King of the VVest-Saxons But he was succeeded by his Nephew CEORL who holding the Scepter twelve years dying left it to the right Heir PENDA PENDA the Son of Wibba at fifty years of Age came to the Crown a war-like Captain but withal bloody and restless His first Wars were with Kingils and Cuichelm joynt Kings of the West-Saxons whom he met at Cirencester and after a battel fought well on both sides made Truce with them in the year 632. He joyned with Kedwalla or Cadwallon King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland slaying him in Battel with his Son Osfrid at a place called Hethfield In the year 642. with his own forces he overcame Oswald the Successour of Edwin who before had victoriously cut off Cadwallon with his whole Host at a place called Maserfield now Oswestre in Shropshire where he slew him He conquered Sigebert Egbert and Anna Kings of the East-Angles and killed them in the field as hath been related in the story of those Princes Next he makes War upon Kenwalch King of the West-Saxons who had taken his Sister in marriage and unjustly put her away him he drives out of his Kingdom When proud with these Successes taking into his Society Ethelherd King of the East-Angles and Ethelwald King of Deira he resolves upon the Conquest of Northumberland but Oswy then King of that Country with a few forces soberly managed cut him off with the greatest part of his Army The news of his death was joyfully received by all the Saxon Princes glad to be well rid of him who during his Life had given them so much trouble He was a Pagan through choice not ignorance and in several Conjunctions with Christian Princes had learnt to despise the Professours of that way as who owning in words a Faith more excellent shewed nothing less in their Actions yet he prohibited not preaching in his Dominions but giving free liberty to all he only hated and despised such who did not obey that God in whom they chose to believe His Male Issue by Kinswith his Queen runs thus Peada his eldest Son Ulfere and Ethelred both Monarchs of the English Merkthel famous for holiness of Life Merwald who had a Principality in Mercia and married Edburga daughter of Egbert King of Kent His Daughters were Kineburg Wife of Alkfrid King of Northumberland Kiniswith Wife of Offa King of the East-Angles both which Daughters afterwards became Nuns PEADA PEADA the eldest Son of Penda succeeded not in the whole Kingdom of Mercia for Oswy King of Northumberland entring the Country took possession in right of a Conqueror but to Peada who had married his Daughter he gave by Donation all on the South-side of Trent and reserved to himself the North. By his Father Penda long before he had been made Prince of the Mid-Angles a particular branch of the Mercian Crown and there with his good liking had planted the Christian Religion to the knowledge of which he came upon this occasion Applying to King Oswy for his Daughter Alckfled he received Answer That unless he turned Christian and admitted that Religion into his Dominions he should surcease his Suit Peada unwilling to be baffled accepts the motion and having heard some Preachers to that purpose professeth himself to be so taken with the Doctrine that whether he receive the Lady or not he resolves to embrace it with all his People which good Intentions of his were furthered by Alckfrid Oswy's Son who besides that he had taken to wife Cymburga his Sister had contracted a near Friendship with him All things therefore agreed he is baptized by Bishop Finan at the King's Pallace on the Wall and then with his Wife and new Religion returns into his own Country most part of which by the assistance of some Priests carried along with him he soon brought to the same profession But now Prenda being dead and his Territory enlarged through the Accession of South Mercia he had not reigned three years when he was cut off by the Treason of his Wife whom he had taken for a special Christian WULFER WULFER the Brother of King Peada succeeded him not only in the Province of South-Mercia but in the entire Kingdom of his Ancestors For Immin Eaba and Eadbert three Potent Earls casting off the Yoke of Oswy restored the whole North into his possession which he maintained during the whole Reign of that Monarch But Oswy dead Egfrid his Son and Successour endeavoured to recover what his Father had lost and invading this Wulfer won from him the Isle of Lindsey and the Countrys adjacent and content with that revenge returns home with his forces But Wulfer was now employed in War with Kenwald King of the West-Saxons against whom he had better success for entering his Country with a powerful Army he laid it waste from one end to the other took away from him the Isle of VVight which with some Countrys of the Meannari adjoyning he gave to Edilwalch the South-Saxon whom he had made a Christian and received at the Font. Afterwards he fought a Battel with Escwin King of the VVest-Saxons at a place called Bedanhafde but which side won the day is not recorded He reigned seventeen years and was buried at Peterborough his Queen Ermenheld after his death vailed her self at Ely He is reported to have had three Sons whereof the eldest named Kenred reigned after his Brother Ethelred his two younger Vulfald and Rufin as the Records of Peterborough report were slain by their Fathers own hands being found in an Assembly of
Christians For this King at first as is said was a great Persecutor of that way and if Fame belye him not after his conversion none of the sincerest Christians For the Bishoprick of London he sould to Wini who had been driven out of Winchester by Kenwalch the Saxon King But however this Simony be blameable in Wulfer yet he afterwards made amends in sending Jerumannus a painful Bishop to recover the East-Saxons who had fell from the Christian Religion into open Idolatry ETHELRED ETHELRED the Brother of Wulfer obtained next the Kingdom for Kenred the Son of Wulfer was put by upon what Account is not recorded His first Actions were the recovery of Lindsey and other Territories adjoyning which his Brother had lost to Egfrid King of Northumberland Afterwards he turned his Arms upon Kent wasted that Country sparing neither Church or Monastery and sacked the City of Rochester notwithstanding what resistance Lothair could make against him Putta their Bishop was forced to fly into Mercia where he sustained his old age by teaching School But Ethelred after thirty years Reign weary of the cares of Government retired to a Monastery at Bradney which himself had built and to make amends for his Injustice he restored the Crown to Kenred his Nephew though he had a Son of his own of Age able to succeed him His Wife Ostrid was slain by her own Subjects as Bedes Epitome Records Florence names them South-Imbrians but tells not the occasion of such horrid Treason KENRED KENRED having received the Crown from his Uncle Ethelred held it but four years when desirous to return to his private Life he commended the care of Government to Kelred the Son of Ethelred and in company of Offa the Son of Siger the East-Angle King and Edwin Bishop of Worcester went to Rome in the time of POPE Constantine the first where he and his Royal Companion were both shorn Monks and ended their days KELRED KELRED the Son of Ethelred by the Resignation of Kenred came to the Crown of Mercia in the year 715 he had an encounter with Ina King of the West-Saxons at a place called Wodnesburg in Wiltshire the success whereof is left doubtful Mr. Speed in his succession of English Monarchs treating of this Kelred gives him high commendations as a Prince beloved of his Subjects for his Vertues and much lamented by them at his death Thus he dresseth him up whom he will needs have to be the fourteenth Monarch but as his custom is without the least shew of Authority nay absolutely against it For we read in an Epistle of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz written to his Successor Ethelbald and yet extant that he was a defiler of Nuns and a breaker of the Priviledges of the Church And he admonisheth that Prince by his example to beware of such ossences lest they bring him into the same destruction For Kelred one day sitting at a Feast with his Nobles in the midst of his jollity was taken with an evil Spirit which worke him into high fits of distraction so that mad and raging he talked wildly by himseif and refusing the comforts of the Ministry and Saeraments finally died in despair of his salvation ETHELBALD ETHELBALD of the Royal blood succeeded Kelred not unlike him in his exorbitant life as the same Epistle of the Archbishop of Mentz doth witness but reclaimed in the end by that and other good advices he proved an excellent Prince Aften the death of King Ina the West-Saxon he so managed his affairs that all on this side Humber was intire at his Command He besieged and took the Town of Somerton about the year 740. And whilst Eadbert King of Northumberland was taken up in his Putish wars he entered his Country in his absence as the supplement of Bede's Epitome Records testifie Afterwards he waged War with Cuthred the West-Saxon newly come to his Crown whom he often engaged with inter changeable success But at last coming to a Peace they joyn both their Forces and invade the Welch whom in a great battel they overthrow But in the year 752 Cuthred the West-Saxon falling again at variance with him they sought another battel at Borford now Burford in Shropshire and a year after at a place called Secundune now Seckinton eight miles from Tamworth in Warmickshire He was slain as Huntington reporteth by the same Prince others say he was murthered in the night by his own Guards through the Treason of Beornred out of ambition to succeed him In this King's Reign at a Synod held at Gloveshow by Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury it was ordained among other things that the Lord's day should be carefully observed that the reading of the Holy Scriptures should be generally used in Monasteries that the Creed and Lord's Prayer should be taught in the English tongue and that publick Supplications should be made for Kings and all in Authority BEORNRED BEORNRED having trayterously slain King Ethelbald stept into the Throne himself about the year 754 but he enjoyed not long his ill-gained Honour for Offa the next of the Royal Family having for some time lain concealed until he could unite his Interest at length came upon him and in a set battel slew him after he had held the Kingdom by Usurpation for the space of two years or thereabouts as may be most probably calculated OFFA OFFA at the death of Beornred was received by the universal consent of his People and advanced to the Crown of his Ancestours He proved the Greatest that ever swayed this Scepter but though he often gave fair strokes for the whole Monarchy of the Island yet he was never able to compass that design His first enterprize was against the Hestings a neighbouring People whom he quickly subdued and added to his own Dominions Next he invades Kent and slaies their King Alric at a place called Ottenford then recalled by the West-Saxon King he engages with him at Besington where he wins the day and the Town for which they contended And now to add Treachery to his Conquests he invites Egilbert King of the East-Angles to his Court with fair promises of his Daughter in marriage whom no sooner come but he beheads ' and then seizeth his Kingdom But the baseness of this action blunted his Sword and we never after find him the same man as before so that the remaining part of his life will be spent in recounting his satisfactions Pilgrimage and such other deeds To expiate this murther he gave the Tenths of all he had to the Church and great possessions to the Church of Hereford where Egilbert was buried He caused the Reliques of St. Alban to be enshrined in a Cask of Gold set with precious Jewels and to the Martyr himself gives Lands and Tenements the Ancient demesns of his Crown He took a Journy to Rome to the Colledge of English there he gave a yearly Pension and a Tribute to the Pope through all his Dominions for which he
a place called Wodens-Beorth or Wodens-Dic that is to say Woden's Mount the conclusion of which was that the Saxons lost the day with the ruine of their whole Army and Ceaulin for this or other miscarriages was driven out of his Kingdom and the year after died in Exile after he had Reigned thirty two years CEARLIK CEARLIK the Son of Guthwolf Brother of the late King followed his Uncle Ceaulin advanced as may be guessed from his Father's vertues and the dislike the people had to the Line of Ceaulin who by his Son Cuthwin left two Grandchildren Kenbald and Cuth whose Right it was to inherit but the latter of these Reigned afterwards in his Posterity being the Grandfather of the famous Ine the eleventh King of this Province whose Brother Ingils was Progenitor in the fourth degree to Egbert that reduced the whole Heptarchy into an entire Monarchy This Cearlik as he had obtained the Kingdom by fraud and usurpation so he held it but a short while Reigning five years and odd months and them without any action worthy of remembrance CEOWOLF CEOWOLF the Son of Cuth the third and youngest Son of Kenric after the death of his Cousin-German Cearlic obtained the Kingdom During the whole time of his Reign which lasted twelve years he had continual wars sometimes with the Britains then with Redwald King of the East-Angles and afterwards with the South-Saxons with interchangeable success but saith Huntington with the greatest loss to them of the South In these Wars he died leaving his Kingdom to Kingils KINGILS KINGILS the Son of Ceola younger Brother to the late Ceowolf second Son of Cuth who was the third Son of Kearic succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom He assumed for his Associate Cuichelm his Brother or as Florent of Worcester and Matthew of Westminster write his Son In their third year with joynt Forces they engaged the Britains at Beandune now Bindon in Dorcetshire and at the first encounter put them to flight with the slaughter of above two thousand Cuichelm proud with this success and envying the glory of Edwin who now Reigned in great honour King of the Northumberlands and had lately molested the West-Saxons drew a greater War upon himself and Associate by sending an Assassin to murther that Prince The name of this Villain was Eumcrus who under pretence of a Message from his Master was admitted to the presence of Edwin then at his Court on Easter-monday on the River Derwent in Yorkshire being advanced up to the King as if he would deliver his Embassie he suddenly drew forth a poysoned weapon which he had privately hid under his Coat and made a blow at him but by the interposition of Lilla one of the Kings Attendants who stepping between received the Ponyard through his own body the thrust was put off yet not so fully but that part of the weapon reached the King's Person By this time the whole company came in and incompassed the Murtherer who now grown desperate died not tamely but revenged his fate with the death of Forder a Courtier who next pressed upon him Edwin thus delivered though lying under cure resolves upon Revenge and promiseth Paulinus who had been long working him to the Christian Faith that if God would bestow Victory on him over his Enemies he would embrace the Faith and receive Baptism With these assurances given he raises an Army and invades the West-Saxons and with that success that overcoming them in several battels he gets into his hands many of those who had conspired his death some of which he executes others pardons and at last returns with great Honour into his own Country This expedition happened about the year 625. Four years after Kingils and Cuichelm had a battel with Penda the Mercian at Cirencester the result of which was a League of peace and amity betwixt them About this time the Kingdom of the West-Saxons received the Faith by the example of Kingils who was converted thereto by the preaching of Berinus and encouragement of Oswald who was then Suiter to his Daughter and received him at the Font the circumstances of which as likewise the progress of Religion under his success take altogether out of Bede who hath exactly related it The Conversion of the West-SAXONS THE Nation of the West-Saxons anciently called Gevisses in the Reign of Kingils received the Faith of Christ by the preaching of Berinus Bishop who by the advice of Pope Honorius came into Britain having promised by his assistance to go into the innermost Countries of the English where never yet Doctour had been and there sow the seed of holy Faith Whereupon by the command of the same Pope he received Episcopal Orders at the hands of Asterius Bishop of Genua But being arrived at Britain and first setting foot on the Country of the Guisses finding them all Pagans in the highest degree he thought it more profitable to preach the Word there than by going further to hunt out those whom he first intended Wherefore preaching in the aforesaid Province when the King himself first catechized and instructed together with his People were washing in the fountain of Baptism it happened that the most holy and victorious King of the Northumberlands Oswald was then present and received him at the Font. By a blessed conjunction taking him for his Son in the second Birth whose Son himself was to be by the marriage of his Daughter Both the Kings thereupon gave to the same Bishop the City of Dorchester for an Episcopal Seat where having built up and dedicated Churches and by labouring converted many people He departed this life and was buried in the same City This King dying Cenwalch his Son and Successour refused to receive the Faith and Sacraments of the Heavenly kingdom and not long after lost his Earthly one For putting away his wife the sister of Penda King of Mercia he took another wherefore being invaded by him he was driven out of his Kingdom and forced to flie to Anna King of the East-Angles with whom living in exile three years he acknowledged the Faith and embraced the truth For the King with whom he lived in exile was a good man and happy in a good and holy off-spring When Genwalch was restored to his Kingdom there came into his Province out of Ireland a certain Bishop by name Agilbert by Nation a Gaul but yet who had been in Ireland for the reading of the Scriptures not a little while He joyned himself with the King on his own accord taking upon him the Ministry of preaching whose learning and industry when the King perceived he made motion that he would accept there an Episcopal Seat and remain Bishop of his Nation who at his requests for many years ruled that Province with Sacerdotal Jurisdiction At last the King who understood the Saxon tongue only growing weary of a forraign Dialect underhand brought another Bishop of his own language into the Province by name Wini who
had been ordained in France also dividing the Province into two Diocesses To him he gave Winchester for his Episcopal Seat at which Agilbert being highly offended that the King had done this without his advice he returned into France and receiving the Bishoprick of Paris he died there an old man and full of daies But not many years after his departure from Britain Wini was driven out of his Bishoprick by the same King who repairing to Wulfur King of the Mercians bought of him with a good sum the Seat of London and remained Bishop of it during his life So the Province of the West-Saxons for no small time was without a Bishop at which time the forementioned King of that Province being often afflicted with great losses in his Kingdom received of the enemy began to call to mind him whom by fraud he had formerly made forsake the Kingdom and resolved to call him back considering that the Province destitute of a Governour was bereft likewise of Divine protection He sent therefore Embassadours into France to Agilbert promising satisfaction and submissively desiring he would return to the Bishoprick of his Nation But he excusing himself by solemn protestation that he could not possibly come because he was bound to his own City and Diocess yet nevertheless not altogether to be wanting in his assistance to so ardent desires he sent thither a Priest by name Eleutherius his own Nephew whom if he please might be ordained Bishop for him giving him this Testimonial that he himself thought him worthy of the Bishoprick who being honourably entertained by the King and People they sent unto Theodoruc then Archbishop of Canterbury desiring that he might be consecrated their Bishop who being consecrated in that City for many years held alone the Bishoprick of the West-Saxons as it had been ordered by Synodical Decree KENWALCH KENWALCH the Son of Kingils followed his Father in the Kingdom of whom what relates to his Ecclesiastical Affairs hath been before related Having divorced his second wife whom he had unlawfully wedded and retaken Sexburg the Sister of Penda whom he had unjustly put away He enjoyed the Crown in peace for some years even until Anno 652 falling into wars but with whom is not related Ethelwald calls them Civil He fought a battel at Bradanford by the River Alene Mr. Cambden makes the place to be Bradford in Wiltshire upon the River Avon and saith that it was with Cuthred his near Kinsman he was engaged in Civil Wars but I wish he had told us from whence he gathered it for we find no such thing in History Certain it is that not long before Kenwalch had given large possessions to Cuthred but whether it could oblige him to sit down quiet with the loss of a Kingdom is uncertain for no doubt his Title was precedent to Kenwalch's if Cuchelm his Father was eldest Son of Kingils and Stow writeth but upon what grounds I know not that he did really succeed his Father and possibly there may be some Record extant concerning these Troubles not commonly appearing But things being settled at home and Kenwalch desirous to enlarge his Dominions invades the Britains and had a fight with them at a place called Witgornsborough mentioned by Malmsbury but without any other circumstances afterwards at Pennum or Pen in Somersetshire the success of which is not left so doubtful for the Victory was great on the Saxon side who followed the pursuit to a place called Pedridan now Pederton afterwards the Royal Seat of King Ina and the Britains for a long time after would scarce look the Saxons in the face But Kenwalch falling at variance with his old enemy Vulfur had not the like success for fighting with him at Possentesburg though Ethelwerd relates he took Vulfur prisoner yet the Saxon Annals record clear contrary and the sequel shews that Vulfur won the day for not long after he wasted the Country of the West-Saxons as far as Eskesdun and took the Isle of Wight till then in their possession with other Provinces of the Meannuari and gave them to Edilwalch his Godson King of the South-Saxons These are all the memorable Actions of Kenwalch for his good deeds he is reported to have founded the Cathedral of Winchester and the Abby of Malmsbury and as appeareth in a Grant of King Ina afterwards made to the Church he bestowed several priviledges on these places Ferlingmere Beokerey Godein Martinesey Edredesey He reigned 31 years and left no Issue to inherit Sexburg his wife for a while after his death assumed the Government but she was driven out saith Matthew of Westminster by the Nobles who could not endure the government of a Woman Some say she died the same year others that she built a Nunnery in the Isle of Shepy wherein her self was a otress and afterwards became an Abbess of Ely ESKWIN ESKWIN derived in the fifth degree from Kerdic the first founder of this Kingdom of a younger house succeeded Kenwalch He Reigned but two years in which time he fought a battel with Wulfur wherein many of the Saxons on both sides were slain the place was Bidanheaford soon after which he died KETWIN KETWIN younger Son of Kingils whose Right preceded Eskwins and who as Bede and Malmsbury write was Partner with him in the Crown after the death of Eskwin proved the scourge of the Britains pursuing them even to the Sea-shore but no other circumstances are related of him or this action He is allowed nine years Reign In a grant of King Ina to Glastenbury it is reported that this Prince highly favoured that Monastery by freeing it from the secular Services and often calling it the Mother of Saints CEADWALLA CEADWALLA of the blood Royal derived in the third degree from Guth the third Son of Kenric succeeded Ketwin He had been banisht his Country by the prevalency of some faction but returning obtained the Crown He made war upon the South-Saxons whom he overcame and annexed to his own Dominions took the Isle of Wight and twice wasted Kent the circumstances of all which Actions have been formerly related under the Kingdom of Kent and the South-Saxons Afterwards he went to Rome for as yet he was a Pagan to receive Baptism which was given him by the hands of Pope Sergius on Easter eaven in the year of our Redemption saith Bede 689 and was called Peter but on the twentieth day of April following he died and was buried at St. Peter's Church at Rome under a fair Monument with this Epitaph Here CEADWALL otherwise named PETER King of the West-Saxons lieth buried who departed this life the twentieth of April in the second Indiction At the age of thirty years or thereabouts in the fourth year of the Reign of JUSTINIAN the most Noble and Mighty Emperour and the second of Sergius who then sate in Peter's Chair being a true Pattern of the Apostles The British Writers from the similitude of name will needs have
and golden Letters these Verses Syderei montes speciosa cacumina Sion A Libano geminae flore comante Cedri Caelorum portae lati duo lumina mundi Ore tonat Paulus fulgurat arce Petrus Inter Apostolicas radianti luce coronas Doctior hic monitis celstor ille gradu Corda per hunc hominum reserantur aftr a per illum Quos docet iste stylo suscipit ille polo. Pandit iter coeli hic dogmate clavibus alter Est via cui Paulus janua fida Petrus Hic Petra firma manens ille Architectus habetur Surgit in his Templum quo placet ira Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat A sacie hostili duo propugnacula surgunt Quod fidei turres Vrbs caput orbis habet Haec pius egregio Rex INA refertus amore Dona suo populo non moritura a dedit Totus in affectu divae pietatis inhaerens Ecclesiaeque juges amplificavit opes Melchi-sedech noster meritò Rex atque Sacerdos Complevit verae relligionis opus Publica Jura regens celsa palatia servans Vnica Pontificum gloria norma fuit Hinc abiens illinc meritorum fulget honore Hic quoque gestorum laude perennis erit Sion whose losty Turrets reach the skie Two fair and blooming Cedars bear on high The World 's great Lights Two mighty Thunderers Paul from his mouth and Peter from his Towers Amidst th'Apostle's glorious Circle he Excels in Doctrine This in high Degree The one unlocks the Heart The other Heaven And lets those in who there by Paul are driven Paul is the Way and Peter is the Dore Who ope's what t'other's Doctrine did before This is the Rock but he the Builder is To both of these Temples and Altars rise England rejoyce Thee mighty Rome doth greet Th'Apostles Light in Glascon now does meet The same two Towers are rais'd against thy soes To whose Protection Rome her safety owes These Blessings here for ever to endure INA did by his proper means procure INA whose God-like Vertue constant is Whose daily bounty does the Church increase 'T is He this work did to perfection bring Our true Melchisedec both Priest and King A righteous Prince who Publick works redeems Of Priests th' Example and the Glory seems Departing hence his worth in Heaven doth shine His Name on Earth this Temple shall enshrine He gave moreover to it a stately Altar Chalice Censer Candlesticks Bason Bucket Images and Plate for the Altar The Gold belonging to it amounted to three hundred thirty three pounds weight and the silver to two thousand eight hundred thirty five pounds weight besides precious Jewels set upon the celebrating Vestures Besides this he granted large immunities and priviledges to it and exemption from Episcopal Jurisdiction as may be seen in his Charter of Donation yet extant He founded also a School at Rome for the breeding up of English Youth for the maintenance whereof as likewise for other Charitable uses he laid an Imposition throughout his whole Realm which was at first called the King's Alms afterwards claimed by the name of Peter-Pence After which resigning his Crown he went to Rome and took upon him the habit of a Monk in which not long after he ended his daies after he had reigned thirty seven years Ethelburga his Queen who by a stratagem not worth relating had brought her husband to give-up his Crown took upon her a Nuns Veil and was afterwards Abbess of Barking near London wherein she died ETHELARD ETHELARD to whom Ina at his departure to Rome bequeathed the Kingdom was lineally descended in the fourth degree from Kenbald elder Son of Cuthwin Son and Heir of Ceaulin third King of the West-Saxons though then in his minority put by the Crown In the beginning of his Reign he had a Contest with one Oswald his kinsman who pretended to the Right of succession but the controversie was soon decided by the interest and power of Ethelard and Oswald forced to quit his pretentions and Country to boot leaving Ethelard in the quiet possession of his Kingdom which he governed peaceably without any remarkable Action the space of fourteen years CUTHRED CUTHRED a Prince of the same Lineage succeeded His first beginnings were troublesom having to deal with Edtlbald King of Mercia a subtle and powerful Enemy who not only with open war invaded him but secretly encouraged Rebellion among his Subjects But in the fourth year of this King's Reign they came both to a conclusion of peace and with joynt forces set upon the Welch and overthrew them with great slaughter Seven years after he was engaged in Civil wars with one of his Nobles Adelm or Ethelhun a good Souldier but upon what occasion seditious is not mentioned With him encountring in a set battel he was almost overpower'd though far exceeding in numbers until Adelm receiving a wound minded therewith of his disloyalty slacked fight and was at the same time vanquisht and pardoned and in token of trust two years after in the wars with Edilbald the Mercian he received Commission from the King who reposed much confidence in his Valour which he so well executed that at Beorford now Eurford in Shropshire Edilbald was put to flight with the discomfiture of his whole Army Not long after he fought a battel with the Welch of whom he obtained an easie Victory and the year following died after he had Reigned fourteen years His only Son Kinric a youth of a violent spirit had been slain five years before his Father's death in a Mutiny of the Army as is said for his too rigorous discipline SIGIBERT SIGIBERT no Issue being left of the former Prince stept into the Throne having neither Title nor desert an insolent Tyrant at home bold and daring in wickedness but in the field soft and cowardly Advised of his miscarriages by Cumbrae one of his chief Captains and best Counsellers in recompence for his good will he barbarously flew him But not long after driven out of his Kingdom by consent of People and Nobility and flying into the wood Andredswald to hide himself in obscurity he was discovered at a place called Privetsfloud by a Swineherd of Cumbrae and known to be the King was there slain by him in revenge of his Master's death after he had reigned scarce two years KINWULF KINWULF after the death of Sigibert was with universal joy saluted King being of the Blood-Royal of the West-Saxons and his Right unquestioned The first experiments of his Reign he made against the Welch whom in several fights he often discomfited but in his twenty fourth year in a battel fought with Offa King of Mercia at Benfington or Benton he lost the day and the Town also for which they contended Afterwards governing ingloriously by the space of seven years he at last came to an unfortunate end which was thus occasioned In his latter daies growing loose and amorous and conscious of
the want of that Merit by which he formerly held secure from Self-confidence he grew jealous of his Power and fearing that Kineard Brother of Sigibert the former King a man of great Spirit but who hitherto had behaved himself loyal might at last revenge his Brother's expulsion or usurp after his death he commanded him to Banishment Kineard seeming really to obey yet intending nothing less with a small retinue privately hides himself in the neighbouring Countries watching an opportunity of Revenge which he wanted not long For the King resorting as his custom was with a small Attendance to a Ladies House of Merton in Surry whom he much admired he went by night and beset the place Kinwulf first by perswasion from the windows sought to appease the Assailants but that not doing he sallies out upon them and making at Kineard wounds him sorely but overpowred with numbers he is there fighting amongst them slain The noise of this great Accident soon came to Oseric and Wivert two Earls who not far off waited the King's return who with some other Attendants hastning to the place came up before Keneard could quite disengage himself from them who still fought in their Princes quarrels At their first approach Kineard stood upon his justification excusing the deed by the injustice of his Banishment and promising great Rewards if they would acquiess in his proceedings But they upbraiding his Treason and rejecting his proffers with disdain beset him round who fighting in the midst of them was there cut in pieces with above an hundred of his Followers The Body of King Kinwulf was conveyed to Winchester and there buried He is said to have founded the Cathedral Church of St. Andrews at Wells BIRTHRIC BIRTHRIC lineally descended from Cerdic first sounder of this Kingdom after the death of Kinwuls was advanced to the Crown a Prince soft and easie he was joyned to Ethelburga Daughter of Offa the Mercian a Lady of a haughty and wicked spirit By her perswasion or the King 's own jealousie Egbert a Prince of the Royal-Blood whose Title was thought precedent to Birthric's was constrained to go into Exile which he was the more willing to do for that he saw his life continually endangered by secret practices At first he repaired to the Court of Offa the only Warriour in those daies but not safe with him who had given his Daughter to Birthric he went over into France and served three years in the Wars under the victorious Emperour Charles the Great The banishment of this Prince proved the exercise of his Vertues as if it had been necessary that he who was to unite the English Nation and rise higher than his Ancestours was first to be laid low in affliction and run through many hazards And it is to be observed that in the building up of any Nation so high the grandure is generally performed by men who have undergon the greatest difficulties and been tried in the severest Fortunes so that as truly may be said as to the person of Egbert and the English Nation united by him what was spoke of the Roman Tantae molis erat Anglorum condere gentem But after three years Birthric being poysoned by a draught which Edelburga had prepared for others Egbert is by publick voice recalled from banishment and with universal Joy created King But a further account of his Actions as the first sole Monarch of England I shall leave to be treated on in the second part if God lengthens my daies and this work be kindly received Edelburga fearing to be called to an account for what she had done with as much Treasure as she could get together flies beyond Sea and received by Charles the Great is created Abbess but afterwards detected of Unchastity is driven from her Charge and wandring about the World unpitied dies at last in extreme poverty in Pavia in Italy Elenchus Capitum THE description of the Renowned Island of Britain in general page 1 The Languages in Britain 4 The first Inhabitants of Britain 7 The Map of the Old World shewing the Progress of the Cimbri Phoenicians and Greeks into Britain 16 The Explication of that Map shewing the ancient Names of Kingdoms Islands Havens Cities c. as well those expressed in the foregoing Map as others which in that narrow compass could not be set down gathered out of the Phoenician tongues all which to prove the ancient Name of Britain 17 Places which took their Names from Gods or some sacred Rites eminently practised in them 22 All ancient Cities in Spain taking their Names from Baal 23 Places taking their ancient Names from the Habits Nature Manners and Arts of the Inhabitants 23 Whether the first Planters of this Island came by Sea or Land and whether Britain was ever part of the Continent 25 The depths of the North-Sea from the Foreland 34 When Britain was first known to the Phoenicians and how it took its Name from them 38 That the Islands of Scilly were the Cassiderides of the Ancients 40 The time when the Phoenicians came from Tyre and Zidon their own Native Country to discover Britain 47 Names of Offices and Gods in Britain and Gaul of Phoenician derivation 68 The Antiquity and Original of the Phoenicians 71 The Greeks in Britain p. 74 The Landing place of the Graecians 81 The Antiquity and Original of the Greeks 91 The Customes and Manners of the Britains their Laws and Government 99 A Sculpture of a Druid Priest in Britain 101 A Sculpture of the Wicker-Image representing the manner of burning of Men alive in sacrifice in Britain 105 The Sculpture of an Ancient Britain representing the Habits of the People in those times 117 The Custome of the Britains in their Wars and their manner of fighting 119 The Sculpture of their Chariots in war representing the manner of their fighting against the Romans 122 The British Idolatry their several Gods and superstitious Rites and Ceremonies of worship 125 The Sculpture of Hesus aliàs Mars shewing another manner of the British Sacrifice 128 A Sculpture of the Hieroglyphicks shewthe Worship of the Britains 130 The Sculpture of the Phoenician OGMIUS and the first Phoenician that discovered this Island after it was planted by the Cimbri of Germany 139 The Life of the Phoenician Hercules called by the Britains OGMIUS 141 The Kings of this Island from Samothes to Brute 145 The British Kings from Brute to the Romans 146 The Chronicle of the Celtick Kings ruling this Island 147 The Chronicle of the British Kings with the History of Brute 153 Observations upon Brute's History p. 158 The Chronicle from King Silvius who descended from the Kings of Alba 167 The Genealogy of King Silvius 169 The Names of the Roman Emperours who governed this Island from Julius Caesar to the entrance of the Saxons 183 The Sculpture of Julius Caesar 184 The first Invasion of Julius Caesar 185 The British History relating to the first Invasion by Julius Caesar 193 Julius Caesar's second expedition