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

Capitulum septimum.

IUSTINUS the secunde reignede after Iustinianus xj. yere; a contemptor of povere men, spoyler of senatores, and ȝiffen to

alle avarice, in so moche that he made grete cofres of yrne to kepe his treasoure. Whiche fallenge ageyne in to the heresy of Pelagius, loste the reason of his mynde, causenge Tiberius to governoure thempire. Beda, libro 3^o, capitulo tertio. An abbot and preste, Columba by name, in the firste yere of this [folio 254a] prynce, come from the costes of Yrlonde, to preche to the northe Pictes, dividede from the sowthe Pictes by hye mown|tannes. For the sowthe Pictes were convertede afore, by Ninian, a bischoppe of the nacion of Britons, sende þider, instructe afore at Rome; the sete of whom was at a place callede Candida Casa, where he dothe reste, perteynynge in that tyme to Bernica. Marianus, libro secundo. Bridius the kynge reignynge that tyme amonge theyme. Beda ubi supra. Columba, thabbotte commynge to the northe Pictes, toke the

yle of Hii of theym, to edifye a monastery there, whiche was the principalle monastery amonge alle other monasterys of his fundacion, in so moche that þeke yle was wonte to have a rec|tor, an abbotte, and a preste, to whom alle the province were subiecte, and the bischoppes also, after thexemple of Columba, theire firste doctor, whiche was not a bischoppe, but a preste and a monke, dyenge þer after the xxxij^ti yere of his commynge in to that cuntre, levynge after hym noble disciples, but havynge dowte of the kepynge of Ester, folowenge circles by c. and l^ti yere un to the yere off grace vij.^c. and xv., when Egwercus, a priste of the nacion of Ynglische men, put þer longe to exile, come to þeim. And hit was noo mervayle thauȝhe they hade dowte of the tru observaunce, when that the decrees of holy seynes come not un to theyme, as putte withowte the worlde. Paulus, libro secundo. Narses patricius

sende from Iustinus themperour to Ytaly, did sle Totila the kynge of Gothes, and reformede mony thyngs for the utilite of thempire; neverthelesse the Romanes schewede grete envy to hym, in so moche that thei did sende to Iustinus themperour, seyenge that hit were better to the Romanes to serve the Gothes then men of Grece, where Narses patricius is governoure. Wherefore themperour, movede there at, sende Longinus, governoure of his howse, to be governoure amonge theyme, in the place of Narses patricius. And also Sophia thempresse sende to Narses, that he scholde comme [folio 254b] to Constantinopole and lerne to make threde amonge her maydes. Whom hit is seide to have answerede in this wise, seyenge that he scholde spynne to her a webbe that sche scholde not putte aweye in alle the dayes of her lyfe. Whiche goenge to Neapolis in Campania, commaundede the Longobardes to refuse the pover places of Pannony, and to go

to the plentuous place of Ytaly; and so thei did. Wherefore the Longobardes entrede in to Ytaly in the secunde fery of Ester, in the yere of oure Lorde God v.^c. lxviij.; the realme of Ytaly was absolute from the subieccion of themperour, and þe Romanes were governede after that tyme by patricions. ℞. Mervellous þinges as of fire were seene in the aier, lyke to bloode, of the whiche Seynte Gregory spekethe in an omely, or that Albinus, governoure of the Longobardes, entrede in to Ytaly. Also mervellous signes apperede in the churche of Ligure, by howses, durres, veselles, and on clothes, whiche waschede apperede more. And also diverse thynges and signes began to sprynge in the nayles of men, whom a grete tempeste of the fevers folowede, peryschenge men with in the space of thre dayes, wherefore men fledde, levenge dogges in

theire places; so feldes were not tyllede, and a mervellous sownde was herde þer, somme tyme in the day, and somme tyme in the nyȝhte, as if hit scholde be the goynge of an hoste; neverthelesse, eny stappes apperede not þer. Paulus, libro quinto. The Longobardes were callede of theire longe berdes, in þat wise clippenge theire heire from the toppe un to the hynder parte, suffrenge hit to growe afore, usenge large clothes and longe, and specially off lyne, as Ynglische men and Saxons were wonte to use, with large boundes woven of thredes of diverse coloures. The hoose of theym were wonte to honge to theire hommes, bounde with thwanges on either side, and theire schoone cloven un to theire hommes. In the firste commynge of whom in to Ytaly, Albinus segede the cite Papy thre yere, and toke hit, occupyenge alle Ytaly, Rome excepte. Paulus,

libro secundo, ac etiam Marianus et Martinus. That kynge Al|binus entrenge the cite Papy by the este yate of hit, the horse on whom he did ryde felle downe in þe myddes of the ȝate, whiche wolde not aryse in eny wise un til that Albinus seide that he wolde not fullefille the vowe that he hade made, whiche [folio 255a] was that he scholde sle alle the peple the wolde not take that cite un to hym. Wherefore Albinnus reignenge in Ytaly thre yere and vj. monethes, dyede in this maner foloenge thro trea|son of his wife. This Albinus commynge firste to inhabite Pannonia, did sle the kynge of the Geppidons, of the breyne panne of whom he made a pece to drynke of, maryenge the doȝhter of the seide kynge, Rosamunda by name. Whiche makenge a grete feste at the cite of Nerona, toke to his wife that pece, preyenge her to drynke with her fader. This Rosa|munda havynge indignacion þer of, entrede in to a bedde of a

gentilwoman longynge to her, in the absence of the kynge, whiche gentilwoman a duke of Albinus luffede moche, whiche entrenge in to that bedde hade his pleasure, supposynge that hit hade bene the gentilwoman. Then sche seide to þe duke, "Knowes thow what thou hase doen? truly thow hase doen so now that either thow schalle sle Albinnus, or thow schalle be sleyne by hym;" and so he did. For the kynge Albinnus beynge in slepe in his meridien tyme, Rosamunda his wife made faste his swerde, that his sleer commynge, and he awak|ynge, myȝte not defende hym selfe. Wherefore the kynge sleyne, the duke and the qwene fledde un to Ravenna, whiche taryenge þer a certeyne tyme, Rosamunda beholdenge a beaw|tuous yonge man, mayre of the cite, hade a fervente luffe to hym. Wherefore sche ordeynede poyson, and toke hit to the duke to drynke þerof; whiche drynkynge þeroff, and knowynge

hym to dye þerby, compellede Rosamunda to drynke the residu, and so they were pereschede bothe. Somme men say that Rosamunda extincte, Perideus, a man knowenge þerof, com|mynge from Ravenna to Constantinopole, did sle a lyon in an open disporte afore themperour, whom themperour causede to be made blynde leste that he scholde do eny thynge ageyne that cite. Whiche takenge ij. knyfes in his slevys, and feynynge hym to speke with themperour in a secrete cownsayle, did sle ij. patricions sende to hym by themperour at oon stroke. Henricus, libro 2^o. Ethelbrutus, kynge of Kent, ȝafe batelle in this yere to Ceaulinus, and to Cutha his brother; but he was [folio 255b] putte to fliȝhte by theym, ij. dukes of his parte sleyne also at Wilbandunus, and this was the firste batelle amonge the Saxons. Cuthwulf, the broþer of kynge Ceaulinus, fauȝhte nobly ageyne the Britons at Bedefforde, and toke from theym

iiij. cites, Liganburgh, Eglesburghe, Besyngton, and Euysham, and diede in the same yere. Seynte Germanus, bischop of Parise, diede thys tyme, doynge mony miracles, whiche lyenge seke in his bedde see a wrytynge in the walle anendes his bedde in thys maner, "In the v^the kalendes of Maii." Where|fore he knowede that he scholde dye in that day, and beryede nye to Parise in the medes of men of Fraunce. Chilpericus, the vij^the kynge of men of Fraunce, dyede, whom Lotharius his sonne succeded liiij^ti yere. Formatus the poete, borne in Ytaly, drawede the gestes of Seynte Martyne in iiij. bookes, in metre heroicalle, ordeynede or made bischop at Turonis after that. The grete cicle of the terme Paschalle is finis|chede or complete in this v^the yere of Iustinus, whiche is of v.^c. yere and xxxij^ti from the passion of Criste, and after Marianus v.^c. and lx. yere; and from the begynnynge of the worlde, after somme men, v.m^l. lxv. yere.

Notes

• Sic in MS.
• See p. 325.
• Sic, et infra, p. 373.