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

C^m 24^m.

Kyng Edward deschargide Englisch men of a grevous tribute that his fader Egelredus hadde made paye to the soudiours of Denmarch, and had tho dured xl. ȝere. This ȝere deyde Edsius archbischop of Caunturbury. And kyng Edward ȝaf the archbischopriche to his famyliare, Robart that he had made bischop of Londoun. Here after in the monethe of Septembre, Eustachius, erle of Bonoen, [Boloyn, Cx.] come alond at Dover, he had wedded Godda [Goda, Cx.] kyng Edwardes suster. His knyȝtes souȝt hym in innes unwiseliche and slouȝ oon of the citesyns and the citesyns slouȝ oon of his knyȝtes. Willelmus de Regibus, li ^o 2^o, et Mar'. At last was stronge fiȝtinge, so that the citesyns slouȝ xx. men of the erles company and wounded so many, that me couthe nouȝt telle how many were wounded. The erle scaped unnethe with oon felawe and cam to the kyng at Gloucetre and meoved the kyng grevouslich aȝenus Englische men. Thanne Godwyn erle of Kent was somned [sompned, Cx., bis.] to court and y-hote that he schuld with oost [wyþ hys host, γ.] take wreche of the wrong that was doon to the erle. He syȝ that aliens were alowed with the kyng and wolde helpe to save the citesyns and his cuntray men, and answered

and seide that it were skyle [reason, Cx.] that the wardeyns of the castel of Dover schulde be somned, and ȝif thei [ef hy, γ.] couthe excuse hem silf thei schuld be harmles and elles do the erles gre [pleasure, Cx.] with her bodies and catel. The kyng semed that Godwyn sett litel by his heste. Therfore the lordes of the lond were cleped to gidres at Gloucetre and specialich Leoffricus erle of Mercia and Syward erle of Northhumbrelond forto withstonde Godwyn erle of Kent and his eldest sone Suanus and Harald also. For Godwyn had gadered a grete oost at Beverston, of his couutes of Kent, of Southreye, and of West Saxon, and Suanus of his countes of Barokschire and Oxenfordschire and of Glouce|treschire, and Harald of his countes of Estsex of Est Anglond and of Huntyndonschire. Thanne Godwyn was enpeched for he had gadered so grete an oost. He answerde and seide that it was do forto ceese the Walisch [sese þe Walsche, γ.; Wallsh, Cx., bis.] men, but the Walisch [Walysch, γ.] men made the blame turne aȝenus his owne hed. Thanne what litel accorde that ever was procred, [procured, Cx.] there was assigned a counseil at Londoun for the same dede. So that Godwyn and Harald schuld come to court al unarmed with twelve men and no mo, that thei schuld bytake to the kyng the knyȝtes service that was dewe to hem in al Englond. Thei seide that thei myȝt nouȝt without weddes and plegges [pledgys, Cx.] come to the counseyl of trecherous and gyleful men, and that they myȝt nouȝt without peryl and schame passe by the weye with so fewe [veaw, γ.] naked men and unarmed. In the mene tyme Godwyns knyȝtes withdrouȝ hem somme and somme, for dred of the kyngis ost. Thanne hit was openlich cryed by the kyngis criours, that Godwyn schuld come to court in the maner as it is seide, other voide out of Englond withynne fyve dayes. [vyf dawes, γ.] Therfore Godwyn and his thre sones, Suanus and Tosti and Gurth, seylide by the ylond of Thorney [Chisney, γ.] into Flaundres, to erle Baldewyn, for Suanus had spoused his douȝter Juditha. But Harald and Leofwynus seylide out by Bristowe into Irlond. Algarus, Leofricus sone, feng Haraldes counte, and reuled hit noblich and delyvered hit up to Harald with gode wille whanne Harald was comen aȝen, and axide it aȝen whanne Harald was turned to his fadres countes. Therfore kyng Edward in pleyn [playn, Cx.] parlement outlawide God|wyn and his thre sones. And put his owne wif Goditha, the queen, into the abbay of Werewelle without worschip, with oon [o, γ] mayde and nomo. And so the fader and the sones were

outlawed two ȝere fulle and toke prayes in the marches of Englond and gaderide grete strengthe and [purposed slyly, Cx.] cast slyliche forto fiȝte with the kynge, but lordes ȝede bitwene and so pees was maad after two ȝere, and the queen was brouȝt aȝen. So that Wilnotus, Godwyns sone, and Hacun, Suanus sone, were plegges [pledgys, Cx.] leyde to wedde for surete [surte, γ.] of the pees. Anoon kyng Edward sent hem to kepyng to William, duke of Normandy. Duryng the outlawyng, duke William of Normandy come with a grete multitude into Englond and had many grete ȝiftes and went aȝen to Normandy. And queen Emma, the kynges moder, deyde and was buryed at Winchestre. Also Marianus the Scot the ȝere of his age fyve and twenty forsoke the worde, [worl, γ.] and went a pilgrimage and was schore monk at Coleyn a cite of Almeyn in the abbay of Scottes. Willelmus de Pontificibus, li ^o p ^o. & Mar'. This ȝere Godwyn and alle his sones were accorded with kyng Edward, out take his eldest sone Suanus, that was sory for the deth of his cosyn Beornus, [Berinus, Cx.] and went out of Flaundres barfot to Ierusalem. And went out of Ieru|salem to Licia, and deyde for colde that he hadde take. Here after the Normans, that were the kynges counseilours, and hadde y-ȝeve hym evel counseil, were exiled, and specialich Robart archbischop of Caunterbury, that had luddere blowe his trompe aȝenus Godwyn and Englische men in that cause. This Robart dradde hym and wolde be war of peril and went to Rome and came aȝen with lettres of the pope and deyde in his abbay that hatte Gemeticum. After hym Stigandus was archbischop; he had lefte the bischoprich of Schirburne and take by strengthe the bischopriche of Wynchestre. This man used feyres of holy chirche thinges and was a lewed man and so were neiȝ alle the [oþere] [From γ.] bischops of Englond that tyme, but this was a myȝty man by money and by flater|ynge. Therfore he was never worthi to have the pal from Rome, thouȝ there be grete sale that doth many maistries. Willelmus de Pontificibus li ^o. 2^o. Thanne it was openlich songe in weyes, that he was nouȝt worthi a bischopriche, that couthe [noȝt] [From γ.] use the brag and the bost of this worlde the use of wodenesse the outrage of gloteny the aray of cloth|inge the fare of knyȝtes and the gaderyng of hors men, and thenke riȝt litel of profit of soules. ȝif me tolde hem that a bischop schuld be alowed by his holynesse and his clergy and nouȝt by covetise and [and] of, Cx.] money, thei wolde answere by this metre. Nunc aliud tempus; alii pro tempore mores; that is, Now is other tyme and other maners used for the tyme. And

so thei planed the scharpnesse of the doyng with liȝtnesse of the answere. Mar'. That tyme in Irlond a clerk Barbosus was a man of grete and of wondre religioun, so that he helde a grete scole of clerkes, of lewide men, and of wenches and for | he] [From γ.] schaar the wenches in the same sett [seut, γ.] and maner of his scolers, he was y-put out of Irlond. Willelmus de Pontificibus, li ^o 2^o. About that tyme deyde seynt Alfwold the laste bischop of Schireburne. He was firste monke at Wynchestre and thanne he was made bischop. He used brede and water among alle the grete festes, that were made in Englond after the commynge of the Danes. This man was devout at alle poyntes to oure [ur, γ.] Lady and to seynt Cuthbert. After his deth no man myȝt greve his see, but he were punysched, [a were ypunsed, γ.] for he schuld be so fered with blak ymages in his slepe that he schuld starte. Also in a tyme was strif bitwene hym and Godwyn the erle and myȝt nouȝt be alayed atte day of acorde that was sett. Thanne the bischop was wroth and seide in his goyng awey, by seynt Marye my lady he schal fare [vare, γ.] riȝt evel. And after that houre, Godwyn had never reste of gnawyng of his bowels, til he had [a hadde, γ.] the bischops blessyng. In a tyme this bischop wente to Dirham and he dide a dede that semed of grete hardynesse for he torned awey the helyng of the body and spake to seynt Cuthbert as hit were to his owne frende and leyde there the ȝefte of love and went forthe his wey.