Capitulum tricesimum tertium.

THEODOSIUS the yonger, and sonne of Archadius, reignede with Valentinianus his son in lawe xxvj. yere. In the tyme of whom the realme of Fraunce began to have name under Fera|mundus the sonne of Marcomirus, as hit is schewede afore, libro primo, capitulo Gallia. Theodosius understondynge of the dethe of Honorius his uncle, made Valentinianus son of Galla Placida, his frende, a Cesar, whom he sende to governe the Weste with Galla Placida his moder. They tweyne hade victory of oon noble man callede Iohn, whiche trowblede that cuntre soore, lyfe grauntede to Aecius, a noble knyȝhte, in that the Hunes were returnede, whiche hade intendede to have destroyede the weste partes of thempire. That Bonefacius aforeseide perceyvenge that he myȝhte not kepe Affrike ageyne Page  235, vol.5 Valentinianus and Aecius his noble knyȝhte, desirede the Wandalynges and the Alanes, with Gisericus theire kynge, un*. [Sic in MS.] to Affrike. Whiche commynge to Affrike wastede hit, and maculate the feithe in hit. In whiche tempeste Seynte Aus|tyn dyede in the lxxxviij. yere of his age; whiche made so*. [Seynte Austyn the grete and noble doctor diede in this tyme.] many bookes that unnethe they cowthe be redde of eny oon man. This Gisericus reignede in Affrike, after the cronicle of Eusebius in the ende, xxxvij^ti yere, þauȝhe he ȝafe grete batelles in Speyne in the meane tyme, and ageyne men of [folio 241b] Fraunce, and also to the Romanes. After whom Hunericus reignede viij. yere, whiche did schutte the churches, and putte ccc. bischoppes un to exile; whiche fyllede with vermyn did dye by the ordinaunce of God. After whom Gunctamundus reignede, son of the broþer of Gisericus, xij. yere; whiche openede the churches in the x^the yere of his reigne, and callede Page  237, vol.5 þe bischoppes from exile. Whom Transamundus, broþer to Hunericus aforeseide, succeedede xxviij^ti yere. After whom Hildericus his sonne, geten of the doȝhter of Valentinianus, reignede viij. yere, whom Gilomaurus the tiraunte expulsede from his realme, and reignede in Affrica for hym thre yere; and so þer were a c. yere from the begynnenge of the Wan|dalicalle persecucion begunne by Gisericus un to the goenge owte of theyme from Affrike. Sixtus the pope succeeded Celestinus ix. yere. ℞. In the tyme of whom blessede Maximus, the bischop Cavernense, a man of excellente con|nynge, made an omely of martirs, which begynnethe, "Religi|osa caritate miratur," as Genadius rehersethe. Cassiodorus the senator flowrede this tyme, whiche expownede the psawter, and made a cronicle of bischoppes and of emperours. Also Orosius Hispanus was of grete name this tyme, whiche com|mynge to Rome after the dethe of Seynte Austyn his maister, made vij. bookes of the misery of the worlde. In whiche tyme Page  239, vol.5 Eudoxia, doȝhter of Theodosius, and wife of Valentinianus, commynge from Ierusalem brouȝhte the cheynes with her in whom Seynte Petyr was made faste, the solemnite of whiche feste ys halowede in the kalendes of Auguste, notwithston|dynge the educcion of Seynte Petyr from prison was abowte*. [The feste of Seynte Petyr ad vincula was institute firste.] the feste of Ester. The solemnite of Augustus themperour was halowede from the tymes of Octavian un to that tyme in the kalendes of Auguste. The develle apperede in the lyke|nesse of Moyses abowte this tyme, at the yle callede Creta, to*. [The develle appered un to the Iewes.] the Iewes, promysenge to brynge theym drye thro þe see to the londe of promission. Mony of theyme drownede, the residu were convertede to the feithe of Criste. Leo þe pope suc|cedede [folio 242a] Sixtus xxj^ti yere. This pope was of soe grete devocion that he wolde say masse v. tymes or moo in a day. A woman kyssenge his honde on a Ester day, the pope was movede so soore in to temptacion, that he kytte aweye his ryȝhte honde in vengeaunce þere off. At the laste the peple grucchenge Page  241, vol.5 ageyne hym that he seide not masse as he was wonte to do, he commendede hym to the blissede virgyne Mary, preyenge entierly to her. And oure blissede Lady Marye restorede to hym his honde, whiche seyenge masse as he was wonte to do, publischede that miracle. A cownsayle universalle of vj^c. and*. [A miracle of Seynte Mary, moder of Criste.] xxx^ti bischoppes hade at Calcedonia, in the tyme of this pope and of the prince Marcianus, ageyne Euticen thabbot of Constantinopole, and ageyne Dioscorus the bischoppe Alexan|dryne,*. [The heresy.] whiche denyede verey humanite to have bene in Criste, and also they denyede the resurreccion of oure feithe.*. [Sic in MS.] This Leo the pope makenge an epistole of the trewe feithe of Criste,*. [An epistolle sende to that cownsayle.] whiche scholde be sende to that cownsayle, putte hit writen on þe awter of Seynte Petyr, fastenge by xl^ti dayes, preyenge Seynte Petyr that he wolde correcte if eny thynge were to be correcte in hyt; and so hit was. This pope Leo faste an oþer*. [Seynte Petyr appe|rede to Leo the pope.] tyme xl^ti dayes, preyenge Seynte Petyr to purchase to hym forȝiffenes of his synnes. To whom Seynte Petyr apperenge*. [Sic in MS.]Page  243, vol.5 seide, "Alle thy synnes be forȝiffen to the, but the indiscrete kyttenge awey of thy honde schalle be requirede of the." The vij. slepers did awake and aryse in þe mownte Selius in the tyme of this pope, and in the laste dayes of Theodosius themperour at Ephesus, whiche confermede gretely the feithe*. [The vij. slepers did awake.] of oure resurreccion thro theire awakenge. These men hidde theyme in a denne that they myȝhte avoide the persecucion of Decius Cesar, where thei slepede cc. yere. Whiche awakenge by the vertu of God, sende theire servaunte with penyes and moneye to the cite to buy meyte for theym, and to inquire of the state of the persecucion þer. Where thei were detecte by the olde moneye y-schewede, not usede þer, where hit was comperte that thei hade slepede cc. yere. And so the feithe of resurreccion, whom thEuticianes denyede, gretely con|fermede, thei slepede ageyne, Theodosius themperour beynge presente. Eutropius. Athila, kynge of the Hunes, govern|enge [folio 242b] Page  245, vol.5 Denmarke and Pannony, hade an hoste with hym of cc. m^l men, whiche supportede by peple subduede to hym, wente to Alvernia ageyne the Romanes and allemoste alle the Weste; a man borne to the confuscion of moche peple, luffer of batelles, and a discrete man in cownesayle. Valentinianus intendenge to ȝiffe batelle to hym, sende an epistole to the Gothes in this sentence: "Hit longethe your prudence to con|spire ageyne the tiraunte of the worlde, whiche desirethe the generalle servyce of the worlde; whiche requirethe not causes of batelle, supposenge that thynge to be lawefulle that is to his pleasure. Withowte dowte he deservethe the hate of alle men, that makethe hym selfe voluntaryly an enemy to alle men." The Gothes did write to Valentinia|nus in thys wise: "Ye have made Athila youre enemy, ye have your desire." The hostes mette to gedre at Alvernia in the feldes Cathalamite, whiche conteynethe a c. lewkes in lengthe Page  247, vol.5 and lxx^ti in latitude. A soore batelle was made þer, noon suche seen afore by eny man, in so moche þat a clxxx. m^l men sleyne of bothe partes, a grete ryver of bloode was made þer of, in so moche that hit toke with hit a grete multitude of dedde men. The kynge off Burguyne and the kynge of Gothes were sleyne of the parte of the Romanes. Eutropius, libro nono. Athila devicte returnede to Pannonia that he myȝhte gedre a gretter hoste. ℞. Hit is redde in the life of Seynte Ger|manus that Athila trowblenge Fraunce soore, segede that cite Tricasyne where blissede Lupus was presidente that tyme. This blissede man Lupus ascendynge the ȝate of the cite segede, inquirede what man hit scholde be that trowblede the cite soe. To whom Attila seide, "I am Attila the rodde of God." The bischoppe seide, "And y am a wulfe, waster of the flocke of God, nedynge correccion;" whiche openenge the ȝates, theire enemyes were made blynde by the myȝhte Page  249, vol.5 and power of Godde. Whiche goynge from ȝate to ȝate cowthe not fynde eny man. Athila the kynge off Hunes putte to fliȝhte by Aecius þe noble knyȝte from the costes of Fraunce, returnenge to Pannonia, destroyede a grete parte of Ytaly, leyenge sege to the cite of Aquileia by thre yere, and gate [folio 243a] hit. Then Leo the pope fastenge thre dayes and so mony nyȝhtes, preyenge besily to Seynte Petyr, seide to his ser|vauntes,*. [Leo the pope mette kynge Athila.] "Folowe me who that wille." This pope commynge nye to kynge Athila, he liȝhte downe of his horse, and felle downe at the feete of the pope. preyenge hym to desire what thynge so ever he wolde. The pope desirede that he wolde departe from Ytaly, and so he didde, and also that he scholde delyver alle men taken in to captivite. His men rebukede hym that he beynge a victor of þe worlde was overcommen soe sone by oon preste, whiche answerede seyenge, that he see a myȝhty knyȝhte on his ryȝhte honde with a swerde drawen Page  251, vol.5 manassenge hym and his hoste, knowenge that he scholde have been sleyne and if he hade not obeyede hym. Athila levenge Ytaly and goenge to Pannonia, diede soone after that. Eutropius, libro quarto decimo, et Beda, libro primo, capitulo tertio decimo. The peple that were lefte of the Britones sende the thrydde tyme an epistole to Aecius the noble knyȝhte in this forme: "To Aecius the noble*. [The pituous compleynte of the Bri|tons.] knyȝhte, thryes a consul, the sorowes of Britones. Men of barbre repelle us to the see, and the see repellethe us to theyme, and so ij. cruelle kyndes of dethe be spronge amonge*. [Misery.] us, for we be other sleyne or drownede." But Aecius was occupiede in soore batelles in Fraunce ageyne Athila. Gau|fridus et Beda ubi supra. A grete hungre was that tyme*. [Hungre.] amonge the Britones, causenge mony off theyme to yelde theym to theire enemyes. And mony of theyme in the mowntes and hilles of that cuntre, trustynge in Godde, resiste Page  253, vol.5 theire enemyes to theire power. After that theire enemyes returnenge to Briteyne, makenge theire habitacion in the extreme partes over Deira, in an yle, pereschede mony of the Britones, and toke mony prayes also. In whiche tyme a grete hungre was at Constantinopole with a soore pestilence, and with an aier corrupte, in so moche that the walles of the cite felle with lvii. towres, where thro mony peple and other bestes diede. Gaufridus et Alfridus. A cownesaile hade amonge [folio 243b] the Britones, Guitelinus tharchebischop saylede un to Briteyne Armorike, un to Aldroenus the governoure of hit, whiche prey|enge hym of helpe and socour, that governoure of Briteyne Armorike sende to Briteyne with the bischoppe Constantyne his broþer, with a ryalle hoste, whiche was made kynge at Cirencestre. This Constantine hade iij. sonnes; Constans his firste sonne was made monke at Wynton in the churche of Seynte Amphibalus, takenge his other ii. sonnes to the Page  255, vol.5 bischoppe that they myȝhte be instructe,*. [instrute, MS.] the names of whom were Aurelius and Uther. This Constantyne sleyne abowte the x^the yere of his reigne thro treason of a Picte beynge in servyce with hym, Vortigernus a consul of the Gewiseies, intendenge to reigne, toke Constans the monke from Wyn|chestre,*. [A monke was made kynge.] in that he was but of symple discreccion, and made hym kynge. Then Vortigernus callede and sende for a c. Pictes, whiche promysenge to theyme a grete summe of goode to sle Constans the kynge of Briteyne, the Pictes percey|venge that Vortigernus wolde reigne, sleenge Constans the kynge, brouȝhte his hede to Vortigernus, whiche fenynge hym as not gilty of his dethe, causede þe Pictes to be sleyne afore the noble men of the cuntre. And so he was made kynge. The kepers of the other ij. childer herenge of the dethe of Page  257, vol.5 Constans, fledde to the kynge off Briteyne Armoricke with the childer.