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

Capitulum quartum.

ANASTASIUS was emperour xxvij^ti yere; in the firste yere of whom Seynte Patrikke, the firste archebischoppe of Yrlonde, diede in the c. and xxij^ti yere of his age, Aurelius Am|brosius reignynge that tyme at Briteyne. Giraldus in Topo|graphia. The contemporanyes of whom were Columba

thabbotte, other Columkillus, and Seynte Brigida whom he did veyle, lyvenge by xl^ti yere after the dethe of Seynte Paterikke. These thre were beryede in Ulster, as in a threfolde beryalle, in the cite Dunense; the bodies of whom were founde firste in Yrlonde in the firste yere of the commynge of lorde Iohn, son of kynge Henry the secunde, in to that cuntre. In the towmbe of whom these versus were wryten:—"Hii tres in [Versus.] Duno tumulo tumulantur in uno, Brigida, Patricius, atque Columba Pius." ℞. Hit is seide this Patrikke the firste to have doen ij. thynges to be mervaylede in his lyfe amonge other thynges: oon ys, that he putte with his staffe alle bestes of venome from the londe of Yrlonde. The secunde is that noo man in Yrlonde schalle lyve after [The scribe had begun the word unto, but it is erased.] the commynge off Ante|criste. The thrydde thynge of the Purgatory of Seynte

Patrikke is ascribede to Seynte Patricke the secunde, not bischoppe but an abbotte, whiche was abowte the viij^e and l^ti yere of oure Lorde God; of whom the martiloge expressethe that he levynge the rebellous peple of Irlonde come to þe monastery of Glassynbery, where he diede in the feste of Seynte Bartholomewe þapostelle. Gelasius the pope succeded Felix v. yere, whiche ordeynede that ordres scholde be ȝiffen in [folio 249a] the iiij. tymes of the yere. Also he made the preface quoti|dian, "Vere dignum et justum est," un to "dies nostros." In the tyme of whom the revelacion of the cripte of Seynte Michael in the mownte Gargan was made in the iiij^c. yere xcij. of Criste. The realme of the Ynglische men of the este [The realme of Este Ynglonde began.] partes of Briteyne began in the tyme of Uffa, of whom men of his cuntre were callede Uffinge, whom we calle now Ficanes or Fikes. Beda, libro primo, capitulo sexto decimo. A grete murdre of Saxons was made in this yere by Aurelius Ambro|sius

in the sege of þe mownte Badonike, in the xliiij^ti yere of the commynge of Ynglysche men in to Briteyne. Henricus, libro secundo. Too dukes of the Saxons, Cerdicus and Kyn|ricus his sonne, comme to Briteyne with v. schippes in thys yere, londenge at Cerdichesore, callede now Gernemowthe. Seynte Leonarde was borne this tyme, whom Clodoneus kynge [Seynte Leonard was borne in þis tyme.] toke from the fonte. Anastasius the pope succeded Gelasius ij. yere, whiche ordeynede that eny clerke scholde not leve eny office in the churche for malice or hate, masse excepte. Also he excommunicate Anastasius themperour. Simachus the pope succedede Anastasius xv. yere, with whom an oþer pope was ordeynede, Laurencius by name; thro whiche ordi|naunce grete division was movede in the cite. But thei ac|cordede at the laste, wente to Ravenna to abyde the decre and ordinaunce of Theodoricus; whiche made thys decre, that he scholde be pope whiche was electe firste, or elles he that hade moo voyces in theleccion. And so Symachus reioycede that

office, whiche luffede clerkes and noryschede pover peple. Wherefore Paschasius the diacon cardinalle favorynge the parte of Laurencius un to his dethe was putte in to purgatory to serve bathes after his dethe, in that he favorede the parte of Laurencius ageyne Simachus, as Seynte Gregory rehersethe in the bookes of his dialogges. This pope ordeynede that "Gloria in excelsis" scholde be seide on Sundayes at masse, and in the festes of martirs. ℞. Wherefore somme men wille that this pope made the residu folowenge "Gloria in excelsis," and mony men ascribe that laboure to Hillarius. Remigius doctor off Fraunce and bischop Remense diede in this yere, þe nativite of whom and the maner of hit an heremite schewede to hys moder, whiche was blynde thro ofte wepynge. Whiche ex|pressede [folio 249b] this signe, that a childe norischede of here breste scholde noynte his eien with the mylke of hit, where thro he

scholde have his siȝhte restorede to hym. After that this Remigius was with a recluse un to the xxij^ti yere of his age; after that he, made the bischop Remense, was seide to have bene of soe grete mekenesse that wilde sparowes wolde comme and take meyte of his honde. Henricus. Porth londede in this tyme at Portesmowthe with his ij. sonnes, where he did slee a noble yonge Briton, Natanleod by name, with mony other moo. Lotharius kynge of Fraunce succeded Clodoneus his fader lj. yere; in whose tyme Ambrosius Aurelius dedde at Briteyne, Uter Pendragon his broþer was his successor. ℞. Whiche brouȝhte from Yrlonde the stones beynge nowe at the playne of Salisbery, and callede Stanhenges, thro helpe of Merlinus the prophete, after the story of Briteyne, and if hit be lawefulle to ȝiffe credence þerto, where kynge Arthur was crownede. This Uter did sle Pascencius the son of

Vortigernus, and Gillomaurus kynge of Irlonde, Osca the son of Hengistus, and Osa his cosyn also. Whiche did sle also Gorolus duke of Cornewaile, and mariede Iugerna the wife of the seide duke, by whom he gate noble Arthur, and Anne his suster; poysonede at the laste, and beryede nye to Aurelius his broþer at Stanhengis. Hormisda the pope succedede Simachus viij. yere. This pope reconsilede the Grekes and the clergy, and made a beame of silver of a m^l and lx.li., levenge hit at the churche of Seynte Petyr; whiche sende letters to Ana|stasius themperour, favorynge the errour of Euticen, that he scholde amende and do penaunce for that offense. To whom themperour did write ageyne, seyenge, "We wylle commaunde, and not be commaundid." Wherefore that emperour com|passede with his enemys was sleyne with the liȝhtenge. Osca the son of Hengistus dedde, Occa his son succeded in Kente,

whiche reignede xxij^ti. yere. Marianus, libro secundo. Iordanus the bischoppe was in this tyme, whiche made a cronicle.