Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum vicesimum tertium.

LEO the thrydde, with Constantyne his sonne, was emperoure xxv^ti yere. In the firste yere of whom diede Pipinus þe olde, after [folio 282b] that he hade governede the kynges howse xxviij. yere, whom Karolus or Charles, his sonne geten by a concubyne, succedid xxvij^ti yere, callede Martellus or Tutides, of grete homers by

whom yren is wonte to be bete. This Charles fauȝhte nobly ageyne the Saracenys commyn from Affrike, constreynynge theym in oon batelle to Pictavia and to backe in the secunde batelle to Narbona and to Speyne. In whiche batelles he did slee of the Saracenys cccc.m^l. and lxv.m^l. Also he ȝafe batelle ageyne the Saxons and ageyne to men of Bavarria. Also ageyne Hendo the governore of Acquitanny, and ageyne Ranfre|dus duke of Andegavy. Whiche havynge mony batelles ȝafe the goodes of the churche to lewyde men; for whiche thynge Eutherius, bischop Aurelianense, beynge in preyer, see this Charles tormented in helle bothe in body and sawle. And the angelle schewynge that to þe bischop seide that iuggemente to be of alle theym whiche take by rape the goodes of the churche

or ells of pover men. Wherefore at the denunciacion of this bischop thabbotte of Seynte Dionise and the chapeleyne of Pipinus wente to the berialle of this Charls, whiche openynge hit see a dragon comme furthe and the body goen. Paulus, libro septimo. The water of Tiber encreasede so moche at Rome in this yere that the waters mette to gedre from the ȝate of Seynte Petyr unto the ȝate Millyne, contynuynge so by vij. dayes, tyl that letanyes were ordeynede of the citesynnes. Kynge Ethel|dredus diede in this yere, after that he hadde reignede over the Marches xxx^ti yere, and after xiij. yere in whom he was a monke at Bradeney; and Colredus his son and kynge of the Marches, diede and was beryede at Lichefelde. Whom Ethelbaldus, son of his suster, did succede, and reigned by xl^ti yere as seynte Guth|lacus the confessor seide afore. This kynge segede Somerton in the xviij^the yere of his reigne, and subdued hit to hym, and

destressed Northumbrelonde, and hade victory off men in Wales. But he was devicte in the xxvij^ti yere of his reigne of Kuthre|dus kynge of the Westesaxons, and was sleyne of his awne men in the laste yere of his reigne at Secandoun. In whiche yere also Colfridus thabbotte off the monastery Girwyense diede in pil|grimage at Lingoun. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro quarto. Seynte Egwyne diede in this yere, whiche remembrenge in a [folio 283a] tyme his offenses and synnes doen in yowthe, fetrede his feete and caste the keyes in a watere callede Avene, seyenge openly his synnes to be forȝiffe when the feters on his feete scholde be openede with the keyes or loosede by the vertu of God. And so he wente to Rome, and hit is seide that the belles of the cite did rynge by theym selfe at the entrenge of hym into the cite. Whiche returnenge from Rome with mony privilegys to his churche, and saylenge in the see off Briteyne, a grete fische

did lepe into his schippe, in the wombe off whom a keye was founde that unlokede his feturs. Beda, libro v ^to, capitulo sexto. Seynte Iohn, bischop of Yorke, deide at Beverlay, in the xxxiij^ti yere of his bischophode, and beryede in the porche off the monastery; whiche usede in his firste yeres, and specially in Lente, the churche of Seynte Michael at Hangustald, not ferre from the water of Tyne, in the northe parte of a place callede Hernischowe; and after that diede at Beverlay, whiche place is at the este from Yorke by xxiiij^ti myles, as the place or lake of bevers or of grayes, namede soe by those bestes, whiche were wonte to comme from Hulle to hyt. Where seynte Iohn made oon churche into the honore of seynte Nicholas, and an oþer into the honoure of seynte Iohn Bap|tiste at the altitude nye to the refectory of the breþer þer. The privilege or immunite of whiche place encreasede to grete prerogancy, in so moche that hit receyvethe not a batelle

of ij. men, but the man accusede schalle purge hym selfe oonly by honde. Beda, ubi supra. Wilfridus, preste to seynte Iohn, was his successor alle moste by xxx^ti yere. ℞. This Wilfride is callede the yonger, ffor there were iij. famose men of that name. The firste Wilfride wente thryes to Rome, of whom hit is schewide afore. The secunde Wilfride was arche|bischop of Yorke, and successor to seynte Iohn of Beverlay. The thrydde Wilfride was bischop of Wictions, and successor to Egwyne. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro ij. Ine the kynge made a monastery at Glassynbury, as seynte Aldelme ȝafe to hym cownselle somme tyme, whiche contynuede nobly unto the comynge of Danes into Ynglonde, and hit was repairede thro the labore of seynte Dunstan by the kynge Edmund and Edgar, contynuynge so unto the commynge of Normannes. Whiche monastery was confracte in mony labors, y wote not by what

infortuny; and also thabbottes of that place, inflate with pride, schewe theym with ynne the monastery as tyrauntes and with owte cowardes and unprofitable, whiche thynge apperede in tyme of Thurstinus thabbot. ℞. Edmunde the kynge, in makynge a iourney ageyne the Scottes, brouȝhte to that [folio 283b] monastery þe boonys of Hilda thabbesse, and of Colfridus thabbotte, and somme boonys of Aidanus the bischoppe. Also seynte Patryk the secunde, abbot and confessor, whiche after the martiloge, not havynge myȝhte to converte men of Yrlonde, levynge Yrlonde come to Glassynbery, where he diede in the feste of seynte Bartholomewe thapostle.

Notes

• Of the en|crease of the water of Tyber.
• Sic in MS.