The chronicle of Iohn Hardyng. Containing an account of public transactions from the earliest period of English history to the beginning of the reign of King Edward the Fourth. Together with the continuation by Richard Grafton, to the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth. The former part collated with two manuscripts of the author's own time; the last, with Grafton's duplicate edition. To which are added a biographical and literary preface, and an index, by Henry Ellis.

The. C.xviij. Chapiter.

¶ Herold, kyng of England, the soonne of kyng Knowt, reigned fiue yere, and dyed in the yere a thousand and. xxxix.

HErolde, his soonne, was crouned then in deede, [Herold.] By Leofrike y^e duke of Leiscestre, By Londoners, in [als in.] Flores as I reede, By Danyshyr [Danyshery.] also, as saieth the letter, That strong werre then, and of power greater Then other lordes of Englishe nacion: At London made was this [his.] coronacion.

¶ Alurede, the soonne of kyng [the kynge.] Ethelrede, With fifty sailes landed at Southampton [Northampton.] , Wher kynge Herold with hoste hym met in deede, Redy to fight with hym for [than for.] the croune; But certain lordes of Englondes region Betwene theim treated [trete.] , that Alurede went again To Normandy, to duke Robert full plain.

¶ But afterward, as Alurede so rode Fro his mother vnto the kyng Herold, The duke Goodwyn [on Gyldismore] [at Gilforde Moore.] hym bode With people greate, of nombre manyfold, And slewe his menne downe [all doun.] there as he would, And led hym furth to Ely and hym slewe, As traitour false that euer [had bee] [wase.] vntrewe.

¶ Some chronicle saieth he putte out bothe his eyen, Fro whiche he dyed sone for pain and woo: Some other sayin [seith.] he slette his wombe full keen, The lengest gut to a stacke [stake.] he nayled tho, Led hym about the stack [ther with muche] [with mekell.] wo, Till all came out that was his wombe within, Thus sleugh thei hym with [sobteltie and] [suche a sotille.] gyn.

¶ His mother, [quene Eme, Edward then] [than quene Emme than Edwarde.] sent To Normandy, to duke Wyllyam anone,

[That] hir cousyn was, to kepe he were not shent By kyng Herold of his cruelty alone, [Warnyng hym of the treasō y^t Herold had dooen,] [And fals Godewyne for they two were both oone.] For whiche cause Herold [Than kynge Harolde.] hir exild Out of England, and Edward also [als.] hir child.

¶ To Flaundres she fled, then full sore amoued, To erle Badwyn hir cousyn nie of bloodde, Declaryng [to] hym howe Herold had distroyed Hir soonne Alurede, that [which.] heyre of England stood, And exiled hir without socour [livelode.] or good, And Edward also [als.] hir soonne, heire of England, His brother children, [also] awaye in vncouth land.

¶ Wherfore therle to kyng Hardknowt [Hardeknute.] then wrote All hir compleynt, and of his socour prayed And he should help with all his might God wote, [It were amendid] [That it were mende.] of that she was affrayed. He came anone in warre full well aryed [arraied.] Into Flaundres, his mother for to please, Hir for to socour and sette hir hert in ease.

¶ In whiche meane while the kyng Herold dyed At Westminster, and buried was full feire, After he had [had than.] reigned, as it is notified, [Fiue yere reigned without] [Fyve yere and an halfe withoutyn.] any heire Of his body gotten, after hym to repeire [Fol. C.xxiii.] England [to gouerne, wherfore] [his reame, so.] the lordes, by assēt, To kyng Hardknowte [Hardeknute.] then into Flaundres sente

¶ To bee their kyng, sith Herold was a [so.] gone, To please hym with [and] his mother to comfort; Who came to [into.] England furth with anone, And crouned was with all [the] whole disport That lordes conde [couthe.] , as Flores dooeth report: Thus kyng Hardknowt [Hardeknute.] was kyng of Englande than, Who worthily [y^t tyme to reigne tho] [to reigne that tyme.] began.

¶ This kyng began his brothers death to venge [Kyng Hard∣knowt.] On [erle Gowyn,] [duke Godwyne.] that erle [lord.] was then of Kent,

That peased was for he should not reuenge With riche giftes whiche that [than.] he on hym spent, With meekenesse lowe, & [he.] swore that he was sent To dooe that thyng on pein of high treson By kyng Herold charged without reason.

¶ Through good and giftes & mighty hie riches, And of his kyn that meekely hym [theym.] obeyed, And by acquaintaūce that thei made then expresse, [Vpon the holy euangelis] [On holy euangels.] sworne vndelayed, The kyng graūte[d] hym his grace & was well payed, To make hym of his coūsell & [of] gouernaūce, Without more wrath or any discordaunce.

¶ He maried then his sister Gunylde to Henry Themperour, that falsly was accused Of synne and cryme vsed in auoutry With [a young manne the] [an olde man.] whiche hir excused, After the lawe of [the land that was] [that land.] there vsed; By battaill of his hand that then their slewe [His accusour,] [Hir accusoure.] approuyng hym vntrewe.

¶ For the whiche she would nomore come in his bed, But lyued sole euer after so hir life, For good ne gold, for aught that he [she. edit. alt.] hir beed, For loue ne threte, for betyng ne for strife, With hym dwellyng forthwarde [ay furthwarde.] as his wife; In all thynges els euer at his gouernaunce, Bothe daye and night in womanly pleasaunce.

¶ Kyng Hardknowt [Hardeknute.] then his [his oun.] doughter maryed Vnto a duke of [than of.] the Danishrie, At Lambirgh [Lambehith.] dyed, at his feast magnified Emong his lordes and all [also.] his prelacie, And putte hym whole in God his high mercye, And charged theim his brother Edward [to] croūe, To reioyse [joie.] the land of Englandes region.

¶ This was the yere of Christ then inscriued [inscribed.] A thousand whole fourty also and one,

When that he had reigned, as was subscribed, The [By.] twoo yere whole whē he was [thus wyse] [Thusgates.] gone; For whom was [made] that tyme full muche [grete.] mone, At Wynchester, byside his father buryed, With lordes all thither [full] well accompaignied.