Prolicionycion [sic]

Incipit libe•• quintus (Book 5)

¶Capitulum primum

MArcianus wedded theodocius suster & was Emperour seuen yere· ¶In his fyrst tyme was the coūceyl calcidonense made ayenst en∣tices and dioscorus as it is sayd to fore hond Atte last this marcianus was slayn at con¦stantinople by conspyracye of his owne men

And the hunes and wandels destroieden the cytres of gallia that stode vpon the ryn / that tyme vortigerus regned in britayne. and thenne fyl so greete plente of corne and fruyt that none suche plente was seen in none tyme ther to fore. And with that plente lechery & pestilence of al euil doing bigan to encrece cruelnesse and wrath / not only in seculer men· but also in the flock of oure lorde & in the herdes and gouernours of the flok of our lord were both strong & grete: so that euery man tor∣ned his spere ayenst the trewe man / as it were ayenste the tray∣tours of brytayn / & they yaue hem to dronkenes / fyghtyng staf & enuye· thenne sodenly fyl so grete pestylence on the men of euil lyuynge / that they that were lefte a lyue myghte v••meth burye them that were dede / but they that were left a lyue / were not so∣ne amended therby. therfor a gretter vengeaūce cam afterwarde For vortigerus & his coūseyl toke hem to rede and sente after pay¦nyms of saxon & prayd hem to come fro byyond the see to do hem help and socour / It is vnknowē that it was goddes oune dede. for harme shold falle vpon wycked men / Gaufr / & alfr. Vortigerus drad the pictes that he had greued to fore hond & in the other side he drad the comynge of aurelius ambrose / for he had herde that he had made redy his shippes for to passe the see / therfor be coueluded to sende for the saxons that were noble men of warre & strong in batayl / Beda li·1 / Thenne the saxons strong men of armes & ha¦uyng no place to dwelle in. were prayd of the brytons for to co∣me in thre longe shippes that they calle obylas in to brytayn. & resseyue a place to dwelle in in the est side therof in the ylond tha¦net beside kente as it were to fyght for the contray / but it was mo¦re for to fyght and warre ayenst the countrey / W / de. regibus / Wel nygh al the lond that lyeth northward ouer the see occean of bri¦tayn is called germania. for it bryngeth forth so moch folk / ger∣mania cometh of germinare that is for to borge and bringe forth

Therfor as water bowes ben kutte and hewe•• of trees for the

fatnes of the erth shold suffise to the lif of the other dele of the tre So men of Germania releue that londe that is her mode•• by put¦tynge oute of men that ben stronge to fyghte. leste they sholde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouercome with to many children yf they shold alle a••yde at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me. But for to couere the enuye of doyng / they saye that they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sente out by lotte / therfor it is that men of that londe maketh h••m strengthe of nede for to chalenge straunge londes to dwelle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / whan they ben putte oute of her owen londes / As the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 somtyme wan Affryca. And the Longobardes ytaly / And the normans gallia / So fyrst come twey bretheren oute of germania Engistus and horsus with a lytel strengthe· and were wodens neuewys And as they cam of woden· Soo wele nygh all the kynges lygnage of straunge nacious come of this woden And for as moche as the saxons helde hym tho for a god· they called the fourth day of the weke wodens day in worship of this woden and the sixth day fryday in worship of his wyf frea Thus they dyde by sacrelegye the lestel euermore ¶ Beda li / primo ¶ Ther cam thre of the strengest peple of germania in to Brytayne / Saxons Angles and Iutes / Of the Iutes come the Kentysshe men and the men of the yle of wyght and the men that dwellen ayenst the yle of weyght. Of the saxons come the cest saxons / the south saxons and the west saxons ¶ Of the Angles come the eeste Angles and myddel Angles that is the mercies and hadde myddel Englonde that stretcheth westward toward the Ryuer dee besyde chestre and to Seuarn besides shro∣wesbury and so forth to Brystow / and estward toward the see And southward to temse and so forth to London and northward to humbre and torned dounwarde and westward to the Ryuer mersea and soo forth to the west see / ¶Also of the Angles come the men of northumberlonde and horsus and Engistus were be∣ders of hem alle ¶ Treuisa For to knowe redyly the meres & merkes of the countreyes where these men were to sette. Looke in the fyrst capitulo 51 / Henricus libro secundo· These men sayled in to Brytayn & bete doune the enemyes of Brytayne The enemyes were come vnto Stanford. that is fourty myle onte of Lyncolum southwarde. ¶ Whan the Pyctes and the Scottes vsyd longe shaftes and s••eres / the Saxons foughte with longe swerdes and axes ¶ Gaufredus And soo vortigerus hadde the vyctorye by helpe of the saxons And yaue to Engistus londe in lyndes••ye / there he buylded a

Castel that heete thongcastre / for him was graunted as moche londe to buylde on a castel as a thwonge myght beclyppe. Therfor engystus kutte a boole huyde al to one thonge and be clypped therwith al that place ¶ Beda libro primo Thenne tydynges come home of the goodenes of the londe of bri¦tayne and of the feblenes of the men that dwellyd therinne Thenne was sente a gretter naueye for to make more nombre of saxons & they toke on them the warre vppon that couenaunte that they shold fyghte for the countrey and the Brytons shold fynde them mete and wages ¶ Willelmus de Regibus libro primo ¶ Thenne atte second tyme the saxons come with sixten shippes / and brought with hem Engistus doughter a wonder fayr mayde meruayle of kynde and wonder of sighte for men to byholde The kynge vortigerus behelde her ofte and bad that she shold serue hym in stede of his boteler. And the kyng axed her to wyf / and egged her fader therto / as though hit were ayenste his wyll / and yaue kente in stede of a yefte to hym / And consented that Engistus shold sende for his sone ¶ Gaufredus and Alfredus ¶ This weddynge was made and the kynge put awaye his lawful wyf / on the whiche he had goten thre noble yonglynges. vortimerus catigirnus and pascencius ¶ Beda libro primo ¶ Thenne the saxons conspyred with the pyc∣tes that they hadde put oute to fore honde / and torned for to fyght ayenst her felawes the brytons / Ano fyrst they axed more corne for it was not yeue hem / They destroyed the contray and slouwe the bisshops and the peple ¶ Gaufredus and Alfredus Thenne the B••ytons sawe that they were ouersette with mul∣titude of saxons and counceyleden the kynge for to forsake the Saxons / And by cause he wolde not assente / they toke his sonne vortimerus and made hym kynge. ¶ Willelmus de Re∣gibus libro primo / ¶ After the seuenth yere of the confede∣racion he fought ayenst the Angles ofte in smal bataylles. but fyue sithes sharply with al the company Henricus / & gaufred The fyrste of these bataylles was vpon the Ryuer derwont / and the seconde vpon the forde Epiford ¶ There horsus and ca∣tagirnus wounded eche other The thyrdde was don by helpe of seynt Germ••n tho Bisshop ¶ At that bataylle was cryed thryes Alleluya. And the Saxons fledde ¶ The fourthe bataylle was vpon the See brynke / there the Saxons fledde in to the Ilonde Thanet / ¶ Whan these batayls were done

Vortimerus deyde thurgh venym of his stepdam Rowen ¶R But william saith that whan Vortimerus hadde fought twenty yere manly ayenste the Angles he was take awaye by lotte of desteny / ¶ Ganfredus and Alfredus / ¶ Whan Vortimerus was deede / Vortigernus was efte restored to the kyngdome / thenne in hoope of pees bothe Brytons and Angles come to gyders byside thabbaye Ambrius the fyrst day of maye for to tre••e of pees / bytwene them there / There Engistus vsed a newe manere of treason and sayd to his knyghtes / whan he cryed in englyssh / Nymeth your sexes· thenne anone they shold slee theyr felawes the Brytons with knyues that they hadde hydde in theyr hosen and soo it was done. ¶ But eldol duke of gloucestre caught a stake and defended hym manly and slowgh seuenten Saxons ¶ But the Saxons wolde not slee Vorti∣gerus / but they resseyued his raunsonne noble cytees of Bryta¦yn and he wente in to the weste countrey of wales and abode at Genoren vpon the Ryuer Guania in the hille Cloarcius. there Aurelius Ambrose come afterwarde vpon hym and brente hym in his owne tour ¶ But will••lmus de regibus libro primo / Meneth otherwyse and sayd that Engystus by treasonne and fraude prayd his doughter husbonde Vortigerus to a f••ste with thre honderd men / ¶And whan the ghestys hadde wele dron∣ken / thenne by sleyghte they were made to stryue and bra••lo And after toke theyr wepens and foughte ¶Thenne the Bry∣tons were slayne and the Kynge was taken· and raunsonned for thre prouynces of the eeste Also Willelmus libro primo / and Henricus libro secundo. Tellen that Vortigerus laye by his owne doughter in hoope that kynges sholde come of hym and ga¦te on her a sonne ¶ Therfor he was acursyd of seynt German and of alle the company of preestes and fledde in to the west syde of wales. ¶Also it is wreton that seynt German fledde / and he poursiewed after hym / and after was brente in his toure with fyre that cam downe fro heuene / ¶Thenne the Brytons gadryd an hoost / And Aurelius Ambrose was duc and hadde that hoost ayenst horsus & engyst{us} in kente / But gaufr· in his brittysshe bo¦ke sayth that after that aurelius ambrose was come from beyōde the see / he brente Vortigerus in his owne toure / ¶And thenne he passed humbre and made Engystus to be byheded at conyn∣gisburgh and spared his sonne Octe that was besyeged at Yorke and brought lowe· ¶ After this he ouercome

pascenflus vo••••igerus and his helper Gillomaurus kyng of Ir∣lond / ¶ Atte lost h•• waxe seke at wynchestre and saxon that ••ete ••••pa yaue hym venym to drynke in stede of medecyn and so Aurelius deyde. One pascencius hadde hyred copa· as it were a leche for to doo that dede / It is wreton in seynt germans legen∣te that vortigerus warned seynt german lodgynge and an herde that kept the kynges beestes / sawe that goddes se••uauntes were greued. and lodged seynt german and slowe a calf for his sop••r But after soper seynt german reysed that calf agayne from deth to lyf / On morow by commaundement of g••d G••rman put dou∣ne vortigerus of his kyngdome / and toke the forsayd herde and made hym kynge / thenne alle men were aston••d for wonder / And fro that tyme forthon / the kynges of B••ytons come of the berdes kynde ¶ But gildas in his storye say••h that this befell by the kyng of powysye that he••e buly and not of vortige∣rus and sayth that bulyes successours come of this herdes kynde that were kynges in that syde of wales ¶ Thenne what is sayde here of vortigerūs ende / it is in a manere doubte as for to kepe the storye hoole / Furthermore what is sayd of the ponde of the two dragons / whyte and reede / and vortigerus buy••dynge Of merlyns fantastyk getynge and of his pr••phecye that is so derk is conteyned in the bryttyssh book / And I wold put it to this story yf I supposed that it were trewe

¶ Capitulum 2

VAlentinianus augustus his tyme is acounted to the cours of theodocius and of martinianus ¶ Eutcopius. He dradde the fortune of Aecius and patricius. and made hym slayne at Cartage. And the fortune of the west empire fyl doun with hym / But in the same yere valentinianus was slayne of Aecius frendes in the felde marcius twelue dayes to fore Aprill The daye after one max••mus a man of two consulatus toke the empyre of Rome / he herde that Gysericus kynge of the wandals was comynge oute of Affryca / And arayde hym for to flee / and was alto hewed of Valentinianus seruauntes· and thro∣wen lymmele in to the tybre / Thenne Gisericus cam to the cyte of rome· And Leo the pope mette him and plesed hym so that ••e

spared brennynge and manslaughter and toke prysoners and Ryches of the cyte and ladde with hym in to affryca / Amonge the whiche prysoners endoxia Augusta was toke prysonner. she hadde prayd gysericus to doo that cursyd dede In the tornynge agayne toward Affryca Gysericus destroyed the noble Cytees of Campania Nola and Capna. ¶ Thenne as Gregory saith in libro dyalogorum / Paulinus bisshop of the cite nola whan that he had spente al that he had in raunsons of pri∣sonners he wente in to Affrica and yaue hym self to be a man of straūge nacions and bound man for the raunson of a wydowes sone and was his lordes gardener and dyde soo wel in his offyce that he tourned his lord to crystendome / and wan and gate fre∣dom to men of his nacions ¶ Marcianus libro primo ¶In mar¦cianus fyfth yere horsus and engyst{us} fought ayenst the brytons in a place that heete aglystorp th••r horsus and cartigirnus slowe eche other· but engystus had the vyctory ¶Beda libro primo / ca¦pitulo 17 ¶That tyme the feyth of Brytons dyde faste fayle for company of saxons that were straunge men and of mysbyleue / & also by cause of pelagius heresye. that began to sprynge amonge them / therfor they sen••e in to fraūce for to haue helpe and socoure ayenst mysbyleuyd men / And to hem were sente germanus Al∣tisiodorus and lupus trecasinus bisshops ¶In seylyng by their holy preyers the tempest of the see seecyd and they destroyed that heresy•• by trouthe of loor•• and techyng by shewynge of myracles and by holynes of lyf ¶They hel••d a blynde damysel of ten yere old / ••henn•• saynt german went vnto the sepulcre of seynt albon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 l••f••e there holy relyquyes of thapostles and martires but he tok•• w••••h hym reede erthe oute of that holy place ¶ Th••nne he wente forth and sauyd the place of his lodgynge with al that was delyuerd hym from brennyng / whan other mēnes thynges were brente with fyre / And thenne he wente with the Brytons ayenste t••e saxons that were associat vnto the pyctes / he cryed t••ryes alleluya / and ouercome thenemyes without shedynge of blood and soo t••e ylond was clensed and german torned home agayne. But that heresye bygan to sprynge a••ene / and german was ofte prayd for to come and helpe / Thenne he come with lup{us} disciple seuerus and destroyed and dyde awey the••••our and tor∣ned home agayne / But he prayd valentinianus at Rauen for men of Armorica that is lytel brytayne and deyde / and by heest of themperour he was born for to be buryed at his owne chirche

AFter marcianus leo regned xvij yere In his fyrst yere vortimerus vortigerus sonne deyde in a stronge euy••l / And Engistus with his sonne osca gadryd strengthe and brought to¦gyder his knyghtes and men of Armes that were so sparpled & departed and fought strongly ayenst the brytons at crekenford Of hem were slayne four dukes and four thousand of other mē And he chaced the other dele oute of kente vnto london / and they neuer tourned afterward in to kente· for his broder ho••sus was dede with categirnus to fore hond / his buryel is yet shewed in the eest side of kente· And soo the kyngdome of kente bygan vnder engystus the eyghten yere after the comyng of saxons in to bri¦tayne / And engistus regned in kent after that four and twen∣ty yere. ¶ The heresye of the Acepheles bygan to sprynge and ••ncrecyd They agayne sayd the counseyll of calcydonense The acephales ben sayd as it were men withouten heede / for their auctor is vnknowen After leo hillary was pope seuen yere Engyst{us} and his sone osca at wyptysflete slowe twelue dukes of Brytons and of the angles was slayne but one that he ete wypet After hillarye simplicius was pope fyften yere· he ordey¦ned that noo clerk shold resseyue the inuestiture of his benefyce ne of his offyce of a lewd mannes honde

¶ Capitulum tercium

TEno themperour regned after leo seuenten yere· In his ty¦me deyde childericus the fourth kynge of frenshem••n / and after him his sone clodenus lewys regned thyrtty yere / This in the fyften yere of his kyngdom while he ladde his hooste / and shold fyght ayenst a grete nombre of Almains / he loked in to he¦uen and sayd lord Ihesu crist whom my wyf worshipeth yf thou gyue me this daye the vyctorye I shal be crystned in thy name The Almayns fledde and he and his two susters and thre thou∣sand of his men were crystned on an esterday of seynt Remigi{us} bisshop of Raynes· And for they had no crysma. Lo a downe brought hem in his bylle a vyole with crysma / and the Bisshop enoynted the kyng therwith That vyole is kepte in the chirch of raynes / and with that crysma the kynges ben enoynted. sone after this while the king wēt to a batail ayēst one aladeric{us} that

warryd in guyan ¶ Remigius toke him a flaket ful of holy¦wyn and promysed hym vyctory & sayd / Goo forth as longe as this wyn dureth / Thenne the kyng drank and his seruauntes & the wyn fayled in no place ¶ Thenne he occupyed guyan and passed the ryuer of leyr and tu••one / and in seynt martins chirche he herde that verse of the sauter / Precinxisti me domine virtute ad bellum· that is lord thou hast byclypped me with vertue and strengthe to bataylle ¶Therfor the kyng was gladde with al & arayde hym for to passe the forde of the Ryuer vincenna / but the water began hugely to aryse. And an hynde appiered sodenly & passed the water to fore the kyng and shewde hym the forde / Thenne the kyng made the kyngdom of fraunce stretche vnto the hye hilles of Aragon that ben called montes pireni ¶ Therfore themperour anastasius herde of his name and sente hym a crow∣ne of gold rychely besette with precious stones with a kyrtell & a gyrdel· And fro that tyme he was assigned to be consul and Augustus for the comyn prouffyt of thempyre ¶And he was clothed in a consuls gowne / ¶And from that tyme the empyre of Rome that was somtyme translated to constantinople bygan to waxe lasse and lasse from daye to daye· And the kyngdom of fraunce bygan to sprede and wexe more and more ¶Whan Gise∣ricus kynge of wandels was dede his elder sonne homericus reg∣ned in Affryca eyght yere by sleyght of straunge nacions. this began first to doo myldly with crysten men / But at ende he com∣maunded to putte fyry plates to the brestes of holy maydens / by cause they sholde knowleche that bisshops and clerkes had leyn by them / Also he put a grete multitude of cristen men in a strayt pryson for they shold lete falle vryne and foul ordure eche vpon other / and so it semed that the stenche therof passed al that other paine Aboute that tyme seynt medarde and seynt gyldard bis∣shops of Roen confessours were in her floures / they were brethe∣ren of one wombe. bothe born in one day••y sacred bisshops in one day and bothe dede in one day ¶Henr / libro secundo ¶Elle and his thre sones Cymen plettynger and Cyssa come in to brytayne with thre shippes the yere after the fyrst comyng of Angles xxx And slowe many Brytons at cun••ueshore & chaced many vnto the wode Andresleger / and soo he occupyed souths••x ¶Henr / li / ••iunto ¶Andrysleger is a grete wode in the south side of kent•• bysides the hauen lymme and conteyneth fourty myle in lengthe and thyrtty in brede ¶After simplicius felix was pope eyght yere

Seynt Banabas body was founden in a caue· there his disciple Iohan had hyd it with the gospel of mathew th••t he had wry¦te with his owne style. ¶Barnabe p••echyd fyrst of crist at Ro¦me and was fyrst bisshop made of m••lan Willelmus de regibus

¶ That yere deyde engystus in kent xxxij yere after his co∣myng in to englond / he drof forth his tyme and dyde his dedes as moche with fraude as with strengthe / And hym was leuer to do cruelly than lawfully / After hym his sone was kyng Osca four and twenty yere· he defended the kyngdome and made it no mor•• & him held payd with his faders kyngdom and passed nowhere his faders boundes Eutropius libro quarto ¶Also in this ze¦no themperours tyme Aurelius Ambrose vsed the purpure in Brytayne ¶After the fyghtynge of the saxons he was lefte a¦lyue and no moo of the Romayns. And ouercome the saxons that were vyctours / And fro that tyme forth now that one and nowe that other hadde the maystrye and vyctory•• vnto the tyme that the saxons had the maystrye and wan alle the ylond / about that tyme seynt manmertus bisshop of vyen ordeyned solempne letanyes that ben callyd the rogacions ageyne erthe quakynge and tempeste of weder and parelle of wylde beestes that greued the peple that tyme / And it is called the lasse l••tanye for diffe¦rence of the more letanye that seynt gregory ordeyned to be sayde on seynt markes day Paulus libro primo ¶ Aboute that ty∣me Agrimundus the fyrste kynge of the longobardes er ••e cam in to pannonia he fonde seuen children leyde besydes a ponde / that a comyn woman had born at one burth•••• and cast hem there for they shold haue ben slayne / the kynge passed forth by and wold wyte what it were and torned the spere that he bare in his honde toward the children· and one of hem helde the sp••re wi••h his ho••¦de. And therby the kyng tolde that the childe sholde be grete / and lete take hym of the ponde and dyde do norysshe hym vp besyly And after agelmundus deth for his nobley he was chosen king and rewled the longobardes right wel long tyme ¶And for he was take from the ronde they named hym lamissio· For a pond is called lama in theyr langage / Of hym it is sayde that whan the A••••asoues werned the longobardes to passe one of her owne Ryuers This lamiss••o swymm••ng in the Ryuer fought with the strengeste woman of the Amasones / and slough her ryght th••re / And soo by couenaunt he ordeyned passage for his men / That yere Zeno the emperour sente theodericus to fyghte ayenst••

one oda••cer that had werred in ytaly fourten yere This theode∣ricus was the kynges sone of gothes and was delyuerd to Zeno in pledge. whan the couenaunt of pees was made / thenne whan theodericus was eyghten yere olde he passed bulgaria and panno¦nia and fedde hym and his in the lese of Aquylya ¶ Thenne Odaacer mette hym with alle the power of ytaly and was ouer come of hym Therfor he torned agayne to Rome and was put of by the Romaynes and wente to Rauen and there he was be∣sieged thre yere and slaine right there ¶ Thenne theodericus co∣me to Rome and was gladly resseyued and wedded Andel••lede the doughter of Clodoneus kynge of fraunce / And maryed his doughters and his susters to kynges that dwellyd there aboute Soo that wel nygh al ytaly was ioyned to hym by suche affy∣nyte

¶ Capitulum quartum

ANastasius was emperour seuen and twenty yere ¶In his first yere seynt patrik deyde the fyrste bisshop of Irlond the yere of his owne age six score and tweyne. In Aurelius Am¦broses tyme that was thenne kynge of brytayne ¶Gir in top / In his tyme were the abbot columba that hete kolunkillus also And seynt bryde that seynt patrik veyled and professyd and she ouerlyued hym sixty yere ¶These thre were buryed in vlster in the cyte dymeus as it were in a denne with thre chambre s

¶ Her bodyes were founden the fyrst yere of the comyng of sir Iohan the seconde kynge haryes sone in to Irlond / vpon her tombes these verses ben wreton / Hic iacent in duno / qui tumulo tu¦mulantur in vno / Brigida patricius atque columba pius / that is to saye / In duno these thre ben buryed right al in one tombe Bryde with patrik and also columba the mylde ¶R Men sa∣ye that this fyrst patrik among his other wōderful werkes & de¦des dyde thre grete thynges· One is that he droof with his staf al the venemous beestes oute of Irlend / The second is that he pray¦de and it was graunted to hym of god almyghty that none irissh̄ man shold abyde the comyng of Antecrist ¶The thyrde wonder is radde of his purgatorye. but that is more acompted to the las¦se patrik that was abbot and not bisshop· And was in his flow¦res aboute the yere of our lord eyght honderd and fyfty The

ma••tilogye speketh of hym that he fonde fyrst a rebell peple / and therfore he wente oute of Irlond and deyde in thabbay of glas∣tenb••ry at seynt bartilmew thappostlis daye ¶After felix gela∣sius was pope. fyue yere / he ordeined that thordres sholde be youen four tymes in the yere / and made the comyn pre••as tha•• is song in the masse tyme▪Vere dignum et iustum est and so forth vnto dies nostros / Also in hys tyme the denne was shewed at seynt mychaels mont in monte gargano. the yere of our lord four hon¦derd four score and twelue bygan the kyngdome of the eest an∣gles vnder vffa / Of hym all the est angles ben callyd vffynges and now we calle hem fycanes and fykeys also ¶ Beda libro •• capitulo decimo sexto / Also that yere was the grete slaughter of saxons in the siege of badon hille by the duc of brytons Aure∣relius Ambrose the four and fourty yere after the comyng of an¦gles. Henr / libro secundo That yere two dukes of saxons Cerdi¦cus and his sone kynricus with fyue shippes come a lond at cer∣dishore that now is called yarnemouth ¶Seynt leonard was born and kyng clodoneus was his godfader and toke hym oute of cold water ¶Whan gelasius was dede Anastasius was po∣pe two yere· he ordeyned that no clerk shold for wrathe leue his seruise vnsayd in holy chirche but only the masse / Also this pope cursed anastasius themperour After anastasius symachus was pope fyften yere / with hym was ordeyned another pope that hete laurencius / In that stryf were many manslaughters in the cy¦te· but they cam both to the dome of theodericus of Rauenne and the kyng demed that ••e that was fyrst ordeyned shold be ••ope / or he that hadde the more partye of the chesers to his election / And by that dome symachus was pope / he loued the clergye and halpe pour men / therfor paschasius a cardynal deke•••• after his deth in the payne of purgatorye was sette for to serue bathes for he fa∣uoured laurence partye vnto his deth· so tellith gregorius in libro dyalogorum / Also this pope ordeyned that euery sondaye and in fe••stes of martres gloria in excelsis shold be sayd at masse. R / Therfore somme men wold suppose that be made that foloweth in that ympne· but other men wene that seynt hillarye made al that foloweth in that ympne That yere deyde Remigius doctour of frensshmen and bisshop of Raynes. An heremyte w••rned Remy¦gius moder of his byrthe and of the maner of his byrthe· This heremyte had loste his eyen and his syght and was blynde for ofte wepynge that he vsed in his beedes· And prayd his moder

that whan the child shold be wened that the child myght wasshe the heremytes eyen with the moders mylk and soo sholde he haue his sight agayne ¶ Thenne this Remigins from his childhode dwellyd in a closet til he was two and twenty yere old ¶After that he was made bisshop of Raynes & was so mylde that wilde sparowes wold take met••of his hond Henr ¶That yere one porth with his two sones come a londe at por••esmouth in southse•••• and slowe a noble yonge man of the brytons and many other with hym / Lotharius kyng of ••raunce after his fader clodon••us regned one and fyfty yere-In his tyme Aurelius Ambrose dey∣de in Brytayn and his broder vter pen••ragon reg••ed after him ¶ R Vter pendragon by helpe of merlyn the prophete brought coria gigantum that is stonehenges oute of Irlond / Stonhenge is now in the playne of salesbury / of that bryngynge of stonhen¦ge out of Irlond speketh the bryttyssh story· yf it shold lawfully be y trowed / Also v••er pendragon slough gyllomaurus vortiger{us} sone. This gyllomaurus was kynge of Irlonde ¶ Also vter slowe osca engistus sonne and his cosyn osa and gorolus duc of corne wayle and wedded the same dukes wyf Iugerna: and ••ate on her the noble Arthur / ¶ But he was atte last poysoned with venym and deyde and was buryed by his broder Aureli{us} in coria gigantum that is stonhenge. ¶ After Symachus hor∣mysda was pope eyght yere· he reconciled the Grekes and ordey∣ned the clergye in rewle and in o••dre / and lefte in seynt peters chirche a beme of syluer of a thousand pound and sixty / ¶ Also he sente lettres to Anastasius themperour that fauoured entices errour and commaunded themperour that he shold amende hym self We wyl commaunde seyd themperour and not be commaū∣ded ¶Therfor he was afterward besette with his enemyes / and smyten with lyghtnyng and soo deyde ¶Whan Osca engystus sone was dede his sone octa regned after hym two and twenty yere in the kyngdome of counterbury that was the kyngd••me of ••••nte / Marrianus libro secundo ¶ That tyme Iordanus the bisshop was in his floures and made a cronyk

¶ Capitulum quintum

BEda sayth· that Iustinus the elder was Emperour eyght yere / But other telle that he was Emperour ten yere / Atte

Instaunce of hormysda the pope / Iustinus reconciled the Bys∣shops that Anastasius had exyled for the fryth of holy chirche / And german bisshop of Capna was the popes messager to Iusti¦nus at that tyme Henricus libro secundo ¶ This is the yere after the comynge of the Angles / lxxj ¶This yere bygan the yere of the westsaxons vnder C••rdicus and his sone kyn••icus by helpe specially of her owne ne••ewes stuffer and wyghtgar that londed in thre shippes ••t Cerdychesore / and fought s••rongly and slough many Brytons / To the whiche neuewes was you•• the ylonde of wyght Treuisa ¶ Loke more of the kynge of westsaxons in the fyrste booke capitulo decimo quinto ¶ Thenne it folowoth in the story ¶Af••••r horsmisda the fyrst Iohan was pope thre yere Theodecicus Augustus emperour of ytalye hel••e Arrius heresye-and sente this pope Iohan with other men of the dignyte of consuls to Iustinus emperour of Constantinople and bade hym that he shold leue and suffre the Arrians in pees. or he wold flee th•• crysten men of ytaly. And whan he herde telle that his messagers were worshipfully receyued / whan they come a∣gayn•• to Rauenna. he toke pope Iohan and Symachus pat••ici{us} and boe••e the senatour and slough hem in hard prisonne ¶ But for Boece hadde defended and mayntened the auctoryte of the se¦natours of Rome by good skyles and resons· therfore he exyled hym out of Rome and put hym in to papy••· There bo••cins ma•••• fyue bookes de consolacione philesophye / And atte last he l••te sle hym in the contreye of melan•• ¶R This bo••ce was a passyng man in his werkes and dedes. And famous withoute repreef & lerned fyrst the langage of latyn and grue at rome. And th••nne at Athenes he ler••ed hem at••e ful withoute the bookes that he made or declared of the seuen ar••••s· he made fyfty songes endyted Comice that ••s as it were short verses / a••ong the whiche song••s the best begynneth in ••his maner· O amor deus deitas. O thou lo¦ue god and godhede / But his wyf Elpes the kynges doughter of Scicilia made an ympn•• in praysyng at thappostles pet••r and paule that begynneth in this manere. Felix per omnes festum mundi cardines ¶That is to saye thou feste that art hooly and gracious in euery countre of the wyde world / she made a writing to be grau••n on her tombe. and made hit in metre in this manere Elpes was m•• name / Soo cecily brou••ht m•• forth· Fer oute of londe my husbondes loue me ladde. In boly place nowe I reste in straūge londe / I queth me to the trone of that Iugge that neuer

hath ende But theodericus the tyraūt escaped not the payne / For he deyde sodenly at Rauenne four score and ten dayes after that he had fulfylled his tyrauntrye in that holy man boece ¶ One solutarius sawe hym boyle and sethe in vulcanus crokce in the Ilonde luparis beside Scicilia / there he boyleth as it were in a cau¦drone / ¶ That yere seynt Bryde the mayde deyde in Irlond After Iohan the fourth felix was pope four yere / he was seint Gregoryes fader grauntsir. He ordeyned that seke men sholde be enoynted with holy oyle ••r they passed oute of this lyf· and cur¦sed patriarke of Constantinople ¶Also that yere the Abbot dyo¦nisius exiguus began to make his compot at Rome· He was the fyrste or ther were no moo that toke hede of the defautes of that compot ¶And afterward marianus the monke y closed in Ma∣goncia as it is touchyd in the begynnynge of the fyrst booke in the thyrd prefas

¶ Capitulum sextum

IVstinianus Iustinus neuewe on his suster goten regned eyght and thy••t••y yere / this gadred the lawes of the Ro∣mayns that were wryten wel nygh in two thousand bookes & in thre honderd thousand verses in longe wrytynge & vnprofyta¦ble / he gadred hem in to a volume of twelue bookes and callyd that volume Iustinianus code Also he made pendactas that is dygest and departed it in thre volumes ¶Also he dyde many ba∣taylls by hym self & bilisiarchus the duc / netheles at the exyting of theodora Augusta he dyde many cruel dedes. and exyled the pope After felix bonefacius was pope two yere and somwhat of dayes: he ordeyned that clerkes and lewd men shold be depar∣ted whyle the masse is a syngynge ¶ After Bonefacius the se∣cond Iohan was pope two yere and four monethes. ¶ After the second Iohan the fyrst agapytus was pope .xj yere. he ordey¦ned that procession shold be made in the sonday / and wente to con¦stantinople to Iustinianus and deyde there. but he was born to Rome Cerdicus the fyrst kynge of westsaxons deyde whan he had regned seuen t••n yere ¶ After Agapitus Siluerius was pope one yere and fyue mon••thes. he was exyled and sla∣yne while he was exyled / And that made thempresse theodora Augusta for he wold not restore agayne Anthemius patriark

of constantinople that was to fore hond condempned of heresye. That yere seynt dauy was born that hete dewy also· he was bisshop of meuenia whiche is now callyd seynt dauy in wales ¶After Seuerius virgilius was pope nyne yere he ordeyned that the mas¦se shold be sayd toward the eest ende of the chirche. And atte laste as his predecessour was poursiewed of thempresse by cause anthe¦mius the patriark was not restored / so was he al a day to drawe and haled / scorned and buffeted at constantinople / and atte laste deyde exyled / In his tyme bellisarius patricius delyuerd Rome of the takynge of the gothes / ¶Also in his tyme byfyl that i•• rad of theofolus tharchedeken. though this virgilius entred in to an euyl maner to the papacye by cause he procoured thexyling of his predecessour siluerius for▪ he wolde be pope hym self / But for he was repentaunt veryly / he was exyled for the fayth and deyde exyled atte laste ¶Henricus libro secundo ¶ This was the tenth yere of C••rdicus kynge of westsaxon / And this yere ar¦thur the warriour bygan for taryse as it were eyghten yere old He faught twelue sithes ayenst the saxons and hadde the vyc∣torye· Fyrst vpon the Ryuer gleuy and efte four sythes vppon the Ryuer douglas that is in the countrey of Iewes. ¶R Now that Ryuer is callyd dongglys in Englyssh / and that Ry¦uer renneth vnder the cyte of wygan / that is ten myle from the Ryuer mersee in lancasshyre· Henricus ¶The sixth batayll was vpon the Ryuer bassa / the seuenth besides lyncolum in the wod•• that hete celidon / but in bryttissh it hete caercayt celydon that now is callyd Lyncolum· the ix batayl was atte cyte caerleon / the xij was at badonhille ¶Willelmus de Regibus libro primo ¶ This is Arthur of whome the Brytons that gone oute of the waye tellen many ydle tales / he that prayseth sothe storyes and not false is worthy to be praysed· he that mayntened the contra∣ry that was dounward and comforted mennes hertes to fyghte courageously in bataylle / And atte last he slough nyne honderd of his enemyes in the siege of badenhill / ¶R ¶ Men red•• in somme cronykes that Cerdicus fought oft with Arthur· and yf he were ones ouercome / he aroose vp efte strenger to fyghte & atte laste after six and twenty yere of Cerdicus comynge / Ar∣thur was wery and noyeful to hym and yaue hym hampshyre and somersete and called that countrey westsex· And he made fayth and swore to hym ¶Also it is rad in Cronicis Anglo∣rum that mordredus Arthurus neuewe desyred for to regne

but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••radde only Cerdi••••s and yaue him other townes for to fit•••• ou••e hym / cerdicus assented therto and restored his prouynce. and cou••treyes with new saxons· and was crowned at wynches¦tre in the maner of misbileuyd mē / but at london mordredus was crowned kynge of britons / but the yle of wyght lefte to withga∣ras the neuew of cerdicus-But the storye of brytons telleth t••at Arthur fought afterward with mordredus and slough hym & was slayne and buryed in the vale of Aualon besides glasting bury· Afterward his body and the body of his wyf gwenner we¦re founden in the seconde harryes tyme and translated in to the chirche aboute the yere of our lord enleuen honderd four score so seyth giraldus distinctione prima capitulo decimo octauo / That was tho on lyue and handled arthurs boones / Furthermore of this Arthur among all wryters of cronykes Gaufredus allone prayseth hym soo moche that men wondre how it myght be sothe that is told of him Fo•• yf Arthur had goten thyrtty kyngdoms as Gaufredus celleth yf he had made the kynge of fraunce sub∣gette. yf he had slayne lucius in ytaly procuratour of thempyre· and of the comynte-why lefte alle the wryters of storyes of Ro¦mayns frenssh men and saxons-and speke not of soo grete dedes. and of soo grete a vyctour. Syth that they tolde soo moche of soo many lasse men and lasse dedes· yet herto Gaufredus sayth that that he slough lucius hiberius procuratour of thempire / but by al storyes of rome it is knowen / that none lucius was procuratour of thempyre eyther of the comynte in that tyme. ¶ And also that none Arthur regned ne was born in ••••o themperours ty∣me· but in Iustinianus tyme that was the fyfth after leo Also gaufredus sayth that hym wondreth that gyldas and be∣da in alle her bookes speke not of Arthur But I holde more wonder why gaufredus prayseth so moche one that alle the old famous and soth writers of storyes make of it wel nygh no mē¦cion But sothe it is that the maner of euery nacion is to ouer preyse somme one of the same nacion as the gre••es preisen their Alysaundre And the Romaynes theyr Octauianus And En∣glysshmen theyr Rychard And Frensshmen theyr Charles and the britons theyr arthur / It happeth ofte as Iosephus sayth for fayrenes of thistorye or for lykynge of the redars eyther for to preys•• theyr owne bloode. these cause th••m to write soo ¶ For Austyn de ciuitate dei libro decimo / T••••eth that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doynges of men of Athenes ben gretter in fame than in dede And that was

for ther were wryters of clere wytte and hadden ioye and ly∣kynge to tourne her wytte and her tonge to grete hyhe and huge praysyng / thenne gaufredus in his bryttissh booke sayth that ar¦thur whan he sholde deye graunted the dyademe of his kyngdom to his cosyn Constantyn the sonne of cador duke of cornewayle / that fought oftymes with mordredus sonnes and slough hem a••¦te laste. and soo four yere after he had regned he deyde / And af∣ter hym aurelius conanus helde the kyngdome thre yere / ¶And after hym vortiporius four yere· After hym malgo regned som∣what of yeres / he was fayre stronge large free of yef••es / But be was infect with the vyce of sodomye ¶After hym Careticus reg¦ned somwhat of tyme he was vnlykynge to god and to brytons and loned stryf and destruction of ryghtful lyuynge of mankyn¦de The saxons were waar of his vnstedfastnes· and senten to the kynge Affrycanus Gurmundus that he made hym subgett & prayd hym for to come oute of yrlond ¶And gurmundus and the saxons ioyned and oned to gyder· Cha••ed creticus from cy∣te to cyte and besyeged hym atte laste in sissetre· and droof hym afterward and his brytons in to wales ouer seuarn / and destro∣yed lo••gria that is Englond with yron and with fyre. And from that tyme for warde the brytons lost the hoole kyngdome of Brytayne ¶Chilpiricus the seuenth kynge of fraunce regned after his fader lotharius xxiiij yere that was the yere after the co¦mynge of thangles four score and eyghten That yere bygan the kyngdome of northumberlond vnder one Ida the sone of ••op¦pa. he was the twellyfth after woden / of him come al the blood of kynges of northumberlonde / and yda regned twelue yere in bre¦nicia. and had many sones / Treuisa / Brenicia is the northsyde of northumberlonde and stretcheth to the scottysshe see· loke more ther of in ••he fyrst book capitulo 51 / there thou may finde the meres & markes of Brenicia· thenne it foloweth in the storye· In Iusti¦nianus themperours tyme befel that gregorius in libro dyalogo∣rum telleth of th•• ••isshops that spake atte beste whan her tonges were kytte in Aff••ica for the fayth of holy chirche. But one of hem was pryued of that myrache for lecherye that he fylle ynne somtyme / ¶ Aboute that tyme in a Cyte of Scicilia was an Archedeken that heete Theofilus-and bare hym soo nobly vnder the Bisshop / that whan the Bisshop was dede alle men cryeden that he was worthy to be Bisshop ¶ And he helde hym payed with his Archedekenry / and hadde leuer that another

were bisshop than he· But afterward he that was made bisshop putte hym wrongefully oute of his Archedekenry ¶ Than he fylle in soo greete meschyef / that he hyred an hebrewe whitche and forsooke criste and his moder vppon that condicion that he shold come to the worshippe that he hadde loste / ¶ And also he dyde the deuyl hommage and wrote hym a chartre with his own bloode / And soo he hadde his Archedekenry a morowe But he bythoughte hym atte laste and was sorowfull for that dede / And prayde oure lady of helpe and socoure· And soo by helpe of oure lady he hadde his chartre agayne and foryefnes of his synnes ¶ Thenne he knowleched his trespaas and all the maner of that doynge openly to fore the Bisshop and alle the people· Thenne alle the people wondred and worshipped and thanked Cryste and oure lady· And theofile deyde after thre dayes in the same place / where as oure lady brought to hym his chartre agayne. ¶ After Vigilius the fyrste pelagius was pope enleuen yere. ¶ That yere Totila kynge of gothes wer••yd in ytalye· Thenne he passed by campania and by seynt Benettes abbaye and besieged Rome strongly / and toke it at¦te laste by nyght and entryd atte yate / that highte Porta hosti••n¦sis ¶ And for the Romaynes sholde somdele voyde cruelnes he made trompes to be blowen ¶ Also Totila wolde essa¦ye yf seynt Benette hadde a spyryte of prophecye· and cl••th••d one of his knyghtes as a kynge and sente hym to seynt B••net as though the kynge him self were comen to the holy man / Thenne seynt Benet sayd to hym / Sone doo of that thou berest for it is not thyn. ¶Afterwarde Totila hym self fyl doune to the grounde to fore the hooly man. and wolde not aryse / till the hooly man toke hym vp with his owne honde and sayde / moche harine thou hast done / nowe reste / thou shalt entre in to Rome & passe the see and thou shalt regne nyne yere / and after that daye he was the lasse cruel / And atte laste narses patricius was sente of augustus and ouercome hym in batayll. Tho was Cassiodo∣rus in his flowres that was somtyme kynge Theodorus Chaun¦celer / And after that consul and thenne Senatour and monke atte Rome atte laste· ¶ Amonge his other grete trauaylls he expowned clerely the sawter· Henricus kynge of westsaxons deyde / And his sonne Ceaulinus was Kynge after hym thre and thyrt••y yere / He droof the Brytons oute of the Cytees

of gloucetre and surcetre and bathe in to the hilles montaines & wildernes of wales Willelmus de regibus li •• 1 / But atte last he was hated of Angles and of brytons and his hoost was bete adoune / And he hym self chaced and exyled and deyde exyled /

¶Also in the fyrste yere Elle yffus sonne the twellif••h after woden bygan to regne and regned neygh thyrtty yere in the pro¦uynce of deyra ¶ In his tyme seynt gregory sawe englysshe children to selle at Rome. And acorded and sayd alleluya must be songe there fro whens these children come ¶R But the gra∣ce of bylene cam not to kynge elle but to his sone kynge Edwy∣nus ¶ In the mene tyme Idas eldest sonne Adda reg¦ned seuen yere in brenicia And claspa fyue yere Theodwolfus one yere And Freodulp••us seuen yere / yet elle was alyue / And his sonne Edwinus a childe of thre yere old was chaced And eth••lricus Idas sonne regned fyue yere in bothe prouyn∣ces of deyra and of brenicia ¶ Paulus libro p••imo in fine Aboute that tyme while kynge Audoenus regned vpon the lon∣gobardes that dwellyd in pannonia was a stronge batayle by∣twene the gespydes and the longobardes ¶ In that bataylle Albumus Andoenus sonne slough the kynges sonne of the ge∣spydes And so the gespydes were sparpled and departed Therfore the longobardes prayde her kynge Andoenus to make a solempne grete feste to his sonne Albuinus- ¶ The kynge answerde and sayde that it was not the maner amonge hem that the kynges sonne shold sytte atte feste euen with his fader the kynge but yf he hadde to fore honde take Armure of a kynge of a straunge nacion. ¶ Albuynus herde this and toke with hym fourty yonglynges chosen and wente boldly to the kynge of gespydes / whos sonne he hadde slayne in bataylle and axed Armure of him. there he was goodly resseyued and sette to mete by the kyng in the kynges sones place that he hadde slayne The kynge behelde the man and the place and syghed ful soore and sayde The place is lef to me. but the person•• that sytteth therinne is greuous for to see / ¶ Thenne the kynges other sonne that was yet alyue byganne to terre and to angre the Longobardes with dispytouse wordes and sayde. that they were lyke ••o mares with whyte legges vp to the thyes / for that tyme the longobardes v••ed s••raples with brode laces doune to the sparlyme / ¶ Then ne one of the Longobardis sayde to hym that soo scorned hem· goo in to the felde where thy broder was

slayne / ¶And there thou myghte assaye howe strongly thyse mares conne kyke ¶Thenne the gespydes arayd hem to wepen And the longobardes sette hond on the hiltes of her owen swer∣des but the kyng lepe ouer the lorde and sessyd the stryf and say¦de. It is not an honnest vyctorye to slee a grest in his hostelrye / And he yaue his sones armure that was slayn to hym that had slayn hym and sente him with pees to his fader agayn Wil / de¦re. li / primo / Ethelbertus was ermericus sone / The whiche Erme¦ricus was ueueuewe of engistussonne ¶ This ethelbertus regned ouer kentysshmen fyue and fyfty yere / so sayth beda / But another cronyke sayth thre and fyfty yere. In his yongthe he was scorn and bysmer to kynges that dwellyd nygh hym. for he was ouercome in double bataille and saued vnneth his oune boūdes / But whan he was older he brought alle the kynges that were nygh hym vnder his yok out take the kynges of northum∣berlond. thenne he wedded a Frenssh woman that hete berta / and by ensample of one letardus a Bisshop that come with berta· He was moche exyted for to leue and forsake his wylde maners / Atte laste he herde seynt Austyn preche the loore of holy faders & forsoke his cursyd lawes and made good lawes in the langage of the lond. in the whiche lawes he promysed mede to good men and peynes to euyl men and wycked / ¶And deyde the yere after that he had receyued the feyth of boly chirche one and twenty / Martinus After pelagius the thirde Iohan was pope thyrten yere· that tyme prescianus the gramaryen of cesarea was in his floures at constantinople / he made noble bookes not only of gra¦mer but also he descryued al the worlde in a book that he called Cosmagraphia / Of him it is sayde as Hugucio capitulo / edo edes ¶Telleth that he become apostata and forsooke the feyth for loue of his disciple Iulianus / ¶ Also that tyme one Arator a subdedene of Rome and a wonder poete made the book Actus Apostolorum alle in versis of six fete. ¶ And seynt Brendan Abbot of Irlonde was in his floures that tyme. Of hym ben many wondres radde. and specially of his purga∣torye that is in the west side of I••lond ¶Also that tyme seynte Steuens boones were brought to Rome and leyde by seynt lau¦rence in the same place / Therof speken Cronyckes of Rome and legendes of hooly sayntes and telle that whanne seynt Steuens boones were brought thyder / seynt laurence boones tourned on his syde. and hadde leyn vp right alwaye to fore hond· but thēne

he torned him so for to yeue place and stede to his felawe seynt stephen

¶ Capitulum septimum

AFter iustinianus the second iustinus regned enleuen yere That man despysed poure men and spoylled the senatours and yaue hym to couetyse soo that he made cofres of yron for to put in his tresour / ¶ And fyl atte last in to pelagius heresye & loste reson and good mynde· but he ordeyned one tiberius a mylde man to gouerne thempyre Beda libro tercio capitulo tercio In this prynces fyrste yere one columba preeste and abbot come oute of yrlond for to preche to the north pictes that were departed from the southe by hye hilles and downes / for the southe pyctes were conuerted to fore honde by ninianus the bisshop of the naci∣on of Brytons and he was sente thyder therfore But he was firste taught right wel at Rome· his see was at candida casa. that is the whyte hows there he lyeth and resteth / And thenne that see perteyned to men of brenicia / Marianus libro secundo / Badi{us} a myghty kyng regned amonge them tho / Beda vbi supra / Then Columba come to the north pictes and receyued of hem the ylond hij that was as it were of fyue meynes to bylde there an abbay that was heede of alle thabbayes that be bylded / So that ylond vseth alwaye to haue hym that is abbot and preeste to rule and to gouerne hem· Soo that alle the ppouynce and the Bisshopes also ben subgette to that Abbote and preeste in a manere ordre that is not vsed elleswhere· And that by ensample of her fyrste Doctor Columba that was not Bisshop but preeste and monke After his comynge two and thyrtty yere he deyde and was bu¦ryed there and lefte after hym noble disciples / But they were in doute of the eester terme and folowed the cycles an honderd yere & fyfty vnto the yere of grace seuen honderd and fyften

Thenne cam to them one egbertus a preest af Englysshe naci¦on that hadde ben longe exyled in yrlonde· ¶ It was noo wonder for the decretes of synodes of the holdynge of the Eester tyde come not yet to hem· for they were sette f••r as it were oute and ouer the Roundenes of the world Paulus libro secundo Narses patricius was sente. of Iustinus in to Italye & slough

Totila kyng of gothes and restored the state of thempire but the Romayns hadde so grete enuye to hym / soo that they sente to ius¦tinus and sayde it was better to the Romayns for to serue the gre¦kes than the gothes / Here narses patricius was emperour. Ther∣for thempecaur was meued and put his prefect longinus in nar¦ses patricius stede / & the empresse sophia augusta sente to narses a dispytous scorn that he sholde retorne in to constantinople & that he sholde with his wenchis & with wymens wytte fynde coste & wollen thredes / Me sayth that he answerd therto and sayd that he wold warpe suche a webbe to the empresse that she neuer sholde haue it to her lyues ende / thenne he wente in to naples in Cam∣pania / and sente the longobardes worde that they sholde leue the poure feldes of pannonia and come in to the Ryche londes of yta∣ly and soo they dyde The longobardes cam in to ytaly the mo∣rowe after eester day / the yere of our lord fyue honderd lxviij Thenne was the kyngdome of ytaly vnyoked and delyuerd of the yock of constantinople· And the Romaynes were afterward rewled by patrycies / R. There Albuinus kyng of Longobar¦des assayled ytaly / Fyry hoostes were seen in heuen that cast onte mannes bloode as it were lyghtnynge / therfore gregory speketh in an Omelye / Also in Ligurgia were wonder tokenes y seen in houses in dores and in clothes / and if ony man wold wesshe hem away· they were the more seen / And after a yer in mennes cha∣nels at nether ende sprange out as it were akehornes / and after that cam a brennynge feuer and slough men in the space of thre dayes· therfore men fledde and lefte not at home but hoūdes· Noo tylyer of the londe were lefte in the feldes ne in vyneyerdes the places of pasture were turned to buryels and sepulcres / Daye and nyght men herde in thayer / now trompes now grutchyng as it were of an hoost that passed / but stappes nether forowes were none seen. Paul{us}. li / 5 / The longobardes haue that name of their longe berdes· they vse to shaue of theyr heer of her heede fro the molde to the nolle / but to fore they had lockes hangynge doun to the mouthe· they vsed large clothes & long & specially lynen clo∣thes as englysshe saxons were wonte to vse with brode laces wo¦uen with dyuerse colours / they vsed hye shoon vp to the kne y slit to fore and lacede with thwonges· her hosen tylled to the hamme and y teyd with layners al aboute ¶ The fyrste yere of her comynge her kynge Albuinus besyeged the Cyte papye thre yere and toke it atte laste and occupyed al Italye / reseruyd

Rome Paulus libro secundo. whan the kyng albuinus roode in atte est yate of the cyte of papye / the hors that he sate on fylle doune vnder hym in the myddel of the yate· and myghte not be reysed though he were prycked with spores vnto the tyme that the kynge had reuoked and releced an harde· auowe that he had made. he hadde made his auow that al the people that wold not yelde hem shold be slayne with swerdes / Thenne Albuinus reg∣ned in ytaly thre yere and six monethes and deyde atte laste by treson of his wyf in this maner ¶This Albuinus dwellyd in pannonia somtyme and ouercome the gespydes· and also theyr kyng and made him a cuppe of the kynges skulle for to drynke of / that maner cuppe is called Scala amonge hem and pathera a latyn Also he wedded Rosamunda the same kynges doughter. that he had sleyn And atte cyte verona in ytaly at a grete fes¦te he made his wyf Rosamunda to drynke of that cuppe whether she wold or noo· and prayd her to drynke with her fader· And she hadde grete indignacion therof and awayted her tyme whan the kyng was oute and layd her self pryuely in the bed of a damoy¦sel That a Duke of the Kynges loued specially / the Duc came to that bedde / and supposed that she hadde ben the Damysel ▪ and laye by her ¶ Thenne she spak to the duc and sayde wost thou not what thou hast done / Sekerly thou hast doo suche a dede nowe that thou shalt slee my husbonde Albuinus the kynge. or thou shalt be slayne with his swerde and soo he slowe the king For Rosamunda in an vnder tyde bonde so fast the kynges swer∣de / that tho slepte· that it myght not be drawen oute of the scaber¦de by cause the kynge shold not mowe helpe hym self / whan that other cam to slee hym Thenne whan the king was slayne the sleer fledde and went with the quene to Rauenna. & after that they had dwellyd there a whyle / Rosamunda sawe a right fayre yonge man that was prefecte of the cyte· & loued hym out of wit & by cause therof she yaue her husbond venym for to drynke / and anone the duke felte the strengthe of the venym / & drough oute his swerd & made his wyf drynke that other dele / & soo they dey¦de both· but somme men telle that whan Rosamunda was slayne One parideus that wyst of the first treson come oute of Rauēna in to constantinople and slough on leon in presence of themperour in comyn spectacle· where men stode for to byholde pleyes and ne we thynges· But for he sholde not caste ayenste the / Cyte / The Emperoure made to putte oute bothe his eyen.

but sone after he toke two knyues pryuely in his sleues / and feyned that a secrete coūceyll for to telle to themperour / And the emperour sente hym two pat••ricies that were preuy with hym / & the forsayde perydeus slough hem bothe at one stroke / In that se∣cond yere of Iustinus ethelbertus kynge of kente yaue a bata∣ylle to ceaulinus kynge of westsaxon and his broder cutha / but they chaced hym and slowe two of his dukes of wyl••aldoun· And that was the fyrst batayll that was bytwene the Saxons ¶ That yere cutwulf kynge ceaulinus broder fought strongly ayenst the Brytons at Bedford and toke fro them four cytees lygauburgh / Eglesburgh Besington and euesham and deide the same yere That tyme deyde seynt german bysshop of paris a no¦ble man and ful of myracles ¶ Whan he bygan to waxe s••ke he sawe on the wal ayenste his bedde thus wreton / Foure dayes to fore maye· & therby he knewe that he shold dye on such a day & so dyde / & was buryed in the medowes bysyde paris Chilperit{us} the seuenth kynge of Fraunce deyde al so that same tyme Af∣ter hym his sone Lotharius regned four and fyfty yere· ¶ The Poete fortunatus of ytalye a cleer man of wytte and sharp of connyng softe and swete of speche wrote seynt martyns lyf in iiij bookes in metre and versis of six fete / and was afterward Bis¦shop of turon / ¶ In this Iustinus seuenth yere was fulfylled the grete cycle of the eester tyme / that conteyneth fyue honderde yere and two and thyrtty from crystes passion. so sayth marian{us} 560 But fro the beginnyng of the worlde fyue thousand lxv yere as somme men suppose

¶ Capitulum Octauum

TIberius constantinus was Emperour seuen yere / This was myldest of alle men and yaue the tresour of the pala∣ys to pour men / therfor his wyf blamed hym ofte. And men sa∣ye that he answerd her in this maner / I truste in oure lord that money shal not faile vs at our nede if we put our tresour in heuē Thenne he passed in a day besydes themperours palays at constā∣tinople / and sawe a crosse grauen in the pauiment of marbelstone And him semed that he was not worthy to trede vpon it with his fete and specially vpon that that shold be prynted in the forhedes of mankynde And toke vp that stone / And sawe another graue

in the same wyse· & thenne he sawe the thyrdde in the same wise grau•• & toke it vp & foūde ther vnder tresour withoute ende / Po¦pe Iohan deyde / On his tombe it is wreton in metre in this man Bynam worshipe thoughte and word Iohan besyly thoughte / with wylle to plese god. that alle thynge hath wroughte After hym the fyrst benet was pope four yere / he brought many thousandes of mesures of whete in shippes oute of Egypte / and delyuerd the cyte of Rome fro the meschyef of honger while king Albuynus besieged that cyte. Therfor they wrote in his tombe in metre in this maner / Fader benet thou benet thou liuest greten mynde / Title of vertues fayrenes and gretene sorowe Maria∣nus. ¶ That yere Ceaulinus kynge of westsaxons ouercome the Brytons and toke of hem the famous cyte gloucetre su••cetre· & bathan cestre. Also that yere seynt maurus deyde the yere of his age lxxij / he bare his maystres seynt benettes stole on his necke as long as his lyf lasted After benet pelagius was pope ten yere

¶ Capitulum nonum

MAuricius was emperour one and twenty yere a good cry¦sten man of byleue He ouercam the perses and the Arme∣nyes· but atte last he discorded fro seynt gregory. soo that he spak moche euyl of hym and founded to do hym to deth / And thenne was seen a man in Rome clothed in monkes wede with a swerde y drawe in his honde that cryede in to al the cyte in this manere Mauricius shal be slayne The emperour herde this and amended hym of his euyl dedes and prayde god that he wold withdrawe that dome Our lord shewed him self to mauricius in his sleepe and sayde / wylt thou that I spare the here. eyther after this lyf Lord sayde he thou louest wretches that ben here in meschyef / yel∣de me here as thy wyll is ¶Thenne whan mauricius was in the eest londes and founded for to forbede his knyghtes thefte and robberye and yaue hem not wages as he was wont to doo / ther∣fore the knyghtes were moeuyd and made one foca Emperour ayenst hym and Foca slaugh mauricius and his thre sones whi∣les he fledde in an ylond ¶Marianus libro secundo ¶ That yere ceaulinus and his sonne cutha foughte ayenste the Brytous at Fechaulege but cutha was slayne there and ceaulinus had the

byctorye Beda libro primo ¶ Elle kynge of deyra deyde the one and thyrtty yere of his regne / And Idas sone ethelbertus regned fyne yere both in deyra and brenicia ¶ That yere were born in fraunce thre bretheren / Ado / Bado and dado / Dado heete Audoenus also / Afterward he forsoke chyualrye· & was made bisshop of Roan Paulus libro quarto Aboute this tyme gū¦tranus kynge of fraunce wente an huntyng in to a wode / and his men were disperpled hyther and thyder on euery syde / And the kynge wexe wonderly slepy and leyde hym self to slepe / and slepte in ones lappe that was moost preuy with hym / Thenne crepte oute of the kynges mouth a lytel beest and wold haue pas¦sed a lytel lake that ther was fast by· the secretarye in who•• lap the king slept sawe that & drow out his swerd & leyde it ouer the lake & that lytel beest passed therupon in to that other side & wēt in to a caue of an hille and abode there a whyle and came agayn the same way vpon the swerd in to the kynges mouthe After a while the kynge awoke and told his secretarye that he hadde y mette a wonder sweuen· and tolde that he mette that he passed an yron brydge· and fonde grete tresour in an hille

Thenne his secretarye tolde hym what he hadde seen and done thenne they tweine wente to gyder and digged greete tresour in that caue of that hille / ¶ Of somme of that tresour the kynge made a grete couerynge as it were a shryne and caste for to sende it to Ierusalem· but he was lette of that purpose. & dyde hit ouer the body of seynt marcel the marter in the cite cabyllona ¶Beda libro primo The holy fader Columbanus with seynt gallus and other noble disciples come oute of Irlond in to bur¦goyn and bylded there the abbay luxonium by leue of theoderi¦cus the kynge / but he was dryuen thennes by brunmylda the que¦ne and come in to Almayn / and builded many abbayes that yet ben famous there and resseyne but yrysshe men to monkes. there columbanus lefte gallus and came in to ytalye and buylde the Abbay bonum / That yere fyll so grete rayne that tyber wesshe the Walles ol Rome / and cast vp a grete multitude of serpentes and one grete dragon· and the stenche of hem slewe many men in the cyte Also ther come a pestilence of euyl in the chanels of men atte neder ende / that pestylence slowe pelagius the pope. that pesty∣lence was so wood that it slowe men in the weye / at mete at pla¦yeng and in talkynge and ofte slowe men with gal••ynge and snesynge / therof it cometh that men vse to saye whan they fnese.

god helpe the and whan he gapeth to make a crosse to fore his mouthe / For this pestylence seynt gregory tharchedeken of Rome ordeyned seuen maner letanyes to be sayd on seynt marcus daye For he set in the fyrst the clergy· in the second abbotes & mōkes in the third abbesses with theyr menchons / in the fourth childrē in the fyfthe lewdmen· In the sixthe wydowes and the seuenth wyues Beda libro primo capitulo visesimo tercio ¶ Gregory was pope thyrten yere six monethes and ten dayes / he made ma∣ny noble beokes / therof quadraginta due omelie / omelie su{per} euā¦gelia dominicalia moralia su{per} Iob / Omelye super principiū et fi¦nem ezechielis Registrum pastorale dyalogorum and buylded an abbaye in his owne hows Also in al the chirches of Rome he ordeyned fastyng euery day in the lente for foryefnes of synnes ¶Also he mae alle the heedes and lynmes of maumettes y cut of. & in the canon of the masse he putto / Dies que nostros in tua pace disponas and so forth ¶Also he was the fyrst of alle popes that called hym self and wrote in bulles· Seruus seruorum dei / that is seruaunt of the seruauntes of god▪ Also he ordeyned in the Synode and counceyll at Rome. that the mynystres of the auter sbolde take heede to prechyng & not to syngyng. & sayde that while me axith a swete wys in holy seruyse / Couenable lyf is sette a part and the syngar with his maners pricketh the peple / though he plese hem with his voys / And though seynt gregorye were moost holy yet he had bachiters and enemyes that wold ha¦ue brente his bookes after his deth / but his deken pers had sworn vpon the booke and by perylle of his sowle and wytnes of his owen deth that his bookes were endyted by inspiracion of the ho¦ly goste ¶ That yere Ceaulinus kynge of westlaxon and oryda were slayn. after hym calfritus the sone of his broder cuthulph{us} regned strongly fyu•• yere / after hym his broder colwulfus reg¦ned xiiij yere. Beda li / •• / ca. 5. Ethelfrid{us} was ethelricus sone & Ethelricus was ydas sonne ¶This ethelfridus bygan to regne ouer the northumbres and regned nobly four and twenty yere This was right stronge and desyred grete worshipe and destro∣yed the Brytons more than alle the Angles princes and made hem tributaryes. he had by his wyf Acta kyng elles doughter se¦uen sonnes and one doughter that hete ebba ¶ Tweyne of his sonnes highte Oswaldns and oswyns Beda libro tercio capi∣tulo tercio Columba deyde this tyme that was abbot and buy¦red in his abbaye in the ylonde hij ¶ Beda libro quinto / ca. 9

He hadde a name made of acella and columba and was callyd Colunkillus ¶Beda libro primo capitulo visesimo tercio ¶Also that yere the grete gregory sente Austyn the Monke to preche the word of god to englysshmen / And Austyn was aferd and drad in the wey and torned agayne to seynt gregory / And gre¦gory comforted hym and sente hym with lettres to the bisshop are latensis that he shold helpe austyn in what that hym neded· The tenoure of thylke lettres and of other lettres that were sente to the kynge of kente and also answers that seynt gregore gafe to Austyns questions ben wreton in Registro gregorij and in beda Paulus libro quinto Also that yere the longobardes by nyght assayled seint benettes abbay in the mount cassinus / but the mon¦kes fledde to Rome & toke with hem the book of the holy rule & a weyght of brede for the iourneye and a mesure of wyn that he¦re euinia· Of this meschyef benette warued hem byfore honde & prayde god and had it graunted vnnethe that men of that place sholde be sauf / In the Riuer nylus atte ylonde delta. the hoost of Rome sawe mermyns in lykenes of men and wymen that were so seen from the morow vnto the euentyde ¶ That yere Austyn cam a londe in the eest side of kente in the ylond •• thanet ¶Sōme men calle that ylond den••e / ther he cam a lond with fourty felaws and somme men interpretours to be with hem oute of the londe of fraunce by counseyll of gregory· ¶ Seynt Austyn sente these interpretours to kyn ge ethelbertus the yere of his kyngdom six and thyrtty and sayde they were come oute of Rome for hele & sauacion of the kynge and of his Royamme The kynge herd this / and had herd to fore honde of the same of crysten feyth· For he hadde to his wyf a crysten quene that was a Frenssh woman And hadde resseyued her of her fader and moder vpon that condi¦cion that she shold vse and kepe crysten feyth / ¶ Thenne after somwhat of dayes the kynge come in to that ylond-but he spake with hem withoute the hows vnder the welken / In that doynge he vsed the mysbyleue of mysbyleuyd men and in his comyng they areysed vp the baner of the crosse with a crucifixe y peyn∣ted on a table and songe the letanye and prechyd the wrod of lyf Thenne the kynge spak to hem and sayde It is fayre that ye promyse / but for as moche as it is newe I may not yet assen∣te And by cause ye ben come fro ferre for my sake we shal spa¦re yow and fynde suche thynges as shal be nedeful to your lyflode

And we shal graunte you l••ne also to tourne of oure men to

your feith as many as ye may / Whan they herde this· they went with procession to the cyte and songe alleluya and sayde Lord we praye the in al thy mercy that thy wrath be take fro this cyte And soo they wente in to the Cyte Dorobernia that is Caun∣terbury / ¶And ladde theyr lyf as holy faders dyde in the begynnynge of hooly chirche. in fastyng / in wakynge in bedes byddyng ande in prechynge of goddes worde and songe masses and crystned in the eest syde of the cyte in tholde chirch of seynt martyn vnto the tyme that the kynge was conuerted & a grete dele of his peple The kynge was conuerted and yaue his doctour a place for the bisshops see atte crystes chirche with many possessions and buylded thabbay of seynt peter and paule in the eeste side of the cyte. Austyn and his successours and also the kynges of kente were wont to be buryed there Beda li / 26 ca / 2 / ¶In the mene tyme Austyn wente to tharchebisshop Are¦latensis and was sacred Archebisshop of hym / Seynt grego••e was certefyed therof and sente to Austyn moo helpers / Melli∣tus. Iustus and paulinus and bookes and relyquyes of hooly sayntes & answers to saynt Austyns questions / Suche were thā¦swers as the chirche of Rome vseth of al goodes that fall̄e that tho goodes sholde be deled on four partyes / One to the bisshoppe. and his meyne to fynde hem herbegerye and suche as they nede / The seconde to the clergye / the thyrdde to pour men· the fourthe to the amendement of chirches ¶To hem that lyuen in comyn / alle thynge is comyn. And what ther leueth shal be spended in dedes of mercy •• To the second that is axyd while the feyth is al one / why ben ther so many diuerse vsages in chirches / herto it is an¦swerde in this maner / what thou knowest· is mooste plesynge to god almyghty gadre thou to gyders and make that to be vsed in chirches of Englonde· Thynges ben not loued for the place / but the places ben louyd for good thynges ¶Colwulfus the sonne of cutha ceaulinus broder reigned in westsaxon fourtene yere ¶That tyme in the subarbis of constantinople come forth gree•••• meruaylles and wondres / for one child was bore with foure feet and another with two nolles and moldes That yere seynt Iue the bisshoy that was born in perce deyde in Englond ¶ Beda libro primo That yere Austin by commaundement of gregorie made two archebisshops one at London and another at york / In the mene tyme by helpe of ethelbertus gadred hisshops and doctours of brytons to gyder in a place called Anstyns oc. that

is Austyns strengthe / that place is in the marche of the wiccies and of the west saxons / ¶And there he charged hem that they sholde preche goddes worde to the Angles with hym. And also that they shold amende somme other errours amonge hem self & specially of thusage of the eester tyme / And they withsayd open¦ly til it were shewed by an open token whiche partye shold be holden / thenne was a blynde man brought forth of the nacion of Angles that was heled and hadde his syght by the prayer of au¦styn· for brytons fayled in that dede / Whan the brytons sawe that the blynd man hadde his syght they knowleched that seynt Austyns waye was trewe / ¶But they sayde they myght not forsake theyr old vsages without assente of hem that vsed the sa¦me Thenne be gadred a synode / therto cam seuen bisshops of bri¦tons with the wysest men of that famous abbaye of bangor But fyrste they had a counseyll of an heremyte that they shold assente to austyn yf they fonde hem meke and mylde as Crystes disciple sholde be / And that they myght knowe yf Austyn wold aryse ayenst hem whan they come in to the synode· Austyn satte stylle in the bisshops chayer and roose not. therfore they forsoke hym in grete wrath ¶Thenne seynt Austyn seyde assente me speci¦ally in thre thynges / yf ye wole not assente to me in the other Assente to me and holde the eester daye in dewe tyme and yeue ye crystendome in the maner of the chirche of Rome and preche ye goddes worde to the Angles / and that other dele I suffre you to amende anonge your self / but they wold not therof Thenne seynt Austyn by inspiracion warned hem and sayde / that they that wolde not resseyue pees of her bretheren shold ress••yue of hem warre and wreche and afterward atte goddes owne dome. Hit was fulfylled by Ethelfridus kynge of northumberlond whan the people and the monkes of Bangor were slayne at chestre

¶ Capitulum decimum

AFter that mauricius was slayne Focas regned eyght ye¦re· Ethelfridus kynge of northumberlond foughte ayenste Edan kyng of Scottes at dexsastan and hadde a solempne victo∣rie / but theobaldus the kynges broder was slain and the hooste of alle that be ladde Beda libro secundo. Also that yere the

holy fader seynt austyn in a mydwynter daye whan he hadde crist¦ned ten thousand Englysshmen in the weste Ryuer that is cal∣led swale besydes yorke / he knewe that he shold deye and ordey∣ned hym a successour one laurence / while he was alyue hym self for the state of holy chirche in Englond· that was yet rude and boystous / And that he dyde by ensample of seynt peter that made clement his helper and his successour / Also he ordeyned mellitus bisshop of estsaxons / The Ryuer thamyse departeth bytwene hem and kente / her chyef Cyte was london in the whiche Ethelbertus kynge of kente buylded seynt paulus chirche / for to be cathedrall chirche and the bisshops see R ¶ Another cronyke seyth that se¦bertus kynge of eest angles made paulus chirche in lond••n / and he made Iustus bisshop in kente atte cyte dornbres that nowe is called Rochestre. And had fyrst the name of one rufe / and is by∣west dorobernia that is caunterbury thre and twenty myle / In the which cyte of Rochestre kynge ethelbertus lete bylde a chirch of seynt Andrew Also the grete gregory deyde that yere After hym gaminianus was pope two yere / he ordeyned that the houres of the day shold be rongen to at chi••ches· And he sp••k euil of gregory· for he had made to grete cost on poure men Therfore seynt gregory app••ered to hym thryes and blamed hym· And ••t¦te fourth tyme by cause he wolde not amende he smote hym on the hede / and thenne he a woke and yelded vp the goost ¶Also that yere in wales seynt dauyd deyde that hete dewy also· he was bis∣shop of mene••ia that now is called seynt dauyes ¶Aboute that yere deyde seynt Iohan the Amener patriarke of Alexandria / ones to hym in his praiers appiered the fairest maide that might be crowned with olyue and called her self mercy and promised hym that he shold spede wele / yf he wolde take her to his spouse. And fro that day forward Iohan was the more merciable. So that alle poure men he called his lordes ¶Therfor it is that seynt Iohans hospitalers calle poure men lordes / ¶ Also this Iohan hadde al the poure mennes na••es of his cyte wryten in a booke Also he vsed twyes a weke to sytte alle day to fore the chirche do∣re for to a••orde men that were in stryf· In a tyme he hadde seten there al day / and sawe no man pleyne thenne he groned and sai¦de / who is me wretche for this da•• / was I not worthy to do noo good dede. yes sayde the dekene / this day thou sholdest be gladde & and make grete ioye. for nowe men ben made right as Angels without strif ¶Also on a tyme while the gospell was a reding

the peple wente oute of the chirche for to talke and telle tales / & he wente oute also and sate among hem and sayde where the she¦pe be / there the herde shal be / thenne goo ye in to the chirche and I shal goo with you / or yf ye abyde here I shal abyde with you

¶And after that he taughte hem for to stonde at Chirche in the masse tyme •• ¶ And Iohan in his prayers was ofte herde as it were spekynge with god almyghty and saynge so so / Lord Ihesu· thou yeuest largely and I dele forth / loke who shal haue the maystrye After Saminianus the thyrdde Bo∣nefacius was pope eyght monethes and eyght and twenty da∣yes / he ordeyned that no clothes sholde be leyd vppn the auter but white clothes / after the thyrdde boneface. the fourth boneface was pope seuen yere· he purchaced of themperour Augustus focas. that seynt peters chirche at Rome shold be heede of al the chirches in the worlde· For the chirche of Constantinople called her self the fyrste ¶Also he purchaced that pantheon myght be halowed in worshipe of alle halowen Pantheon was the chirche that was somtyme halowed in worship of the goddesse Cybele and neptu∣nus there fendes slewe oft crysten men Therfore euery yere two dayes to fore nouembre the pope syngeth there and the peple hou¦seled / Also he treted that lynynge the bisshop noman sholde treate of the newe election of his successour but thre dayes after the Bisshops deth· Also he demed that monkes myght vse the office of prechynge of crystenynge and of assoyllynge / ¶Aboute that tyme tunica domini inconsutulis that was oure lordes kyrtell· or cote withoute ony seme was founden in the vale of Iosephat in a cofre of marble by gregory bisshop of Antiochia and broughte to Ierusalem R ¶ Yf this be sothe it semeth that it may not stonde that is radde to fore honde in T ••erius Cesars tyme / For there it is radde that Pilatus stode to be demed to fore Tiberius cesar and myght not be dampned / while he hadde on that kyrtel withoute semes. Tunica xpristi inconsutilis· yf pilatus had this kyrtell with hym at Rome It semeth that it was not afterwarde y take thennes and brought to the vale of Iosephat Also yf that tyme that kyrtel was founden in the vale of Iosephat. So it semeth not that pilatus had not that kyrtel with hym at Ro∣me Treuisa ¶It was noo more maystrye to brynge that kyr∣tel fro Rome in to the vale of Iosephat than it was to brynge it fro Ierusalem to Rome And so it may wel stonde that pilatus hadde that kyrtel at Rome· And the same kyrtell was founden

afterward in the vale of Iosephat Beda libro secundo Also that yere ethelfridus kyng of northumberlond destroyed th•• Brytons at legecestre the Cyte of legyons that Brytons callen coerlegyons that is chestre / he slough ther about a two thousand two honderd monkes of thabbaye of bangor that were comen to praye for his knyghtes and he slough hem fast by the cyte only •• / with her leder bruciuayl that escaped oute of the hoost & fledd ¶The nombre of the monkes that dwellyd in that abbay were two thousand and an honderd that is seuen sythes thre honderd / And alle they lyueden by trauaylle of theyr owne hondes. The perses aroos ayenst thempyre and toke Ierusalem and had a way the baner of the crosse And byname the romayns many prouyn¦ces / thenne baraclyan Rector of affryca slough Foca themperour and made his owne sone heraclius emperour

¶ Capitulum 11

HEraclius was emperour / xxvij yere / in his iij / yere cosdras kyng of perce sette Ierl̄m afyre & other holy places. & toke zacharye the patriark p••isoner with moche other peple / & the part of the crosse that helene had lefte there he had with him in to per¦se / but in his xij yere heraclius slough cosdras & so the prisoners were delyuerd & the cross•• was brought agayne to Ierl̄m with pride and with boost / the yate closed ayenst him by doyng of god almighty but the king meked him and yede barfote & thenne the yate opened agayn / And syth that tyme holy chirche hath ordeined the feest of the exaltacion of the holy crosse· Wil / de re / li / i / Col∣wulfus kynge of westsaxon deyde / And after hym two sones of his broder colricus regned to gyder / one hete kyng••l••us and that other quichelinus that dyden many grete dedes ayenst the britons and specially at hampton byside ox••nford and also ayenste penda kyng of mercia that wolde haue taken fro them of her kyngdome the cyte of surcetre Atte last kyngilsus was crystned of seint birinus but quichelinus voyded and wolde not resseyue the sacra¦ment of crystendom til he was warned by feblenesse of his bo∣dy. And thenne he crystned and deyde the same yere And so Kyngilsus regned in al with his brother and after his brother two and thyrtty yere ¶ Her is to be noted that Auctours varye / For Willelmus sayth that Quichelinus was kyngylsus

brother / But marianus and beda sayen that he was kyngylsus sonne After bonefacius one deus dedit that hete theodorus also was pope four yere ¶That tyme atte exytynge of kynge ethelber¦tus a Cytezeyn of london buylded a chirche of seynt peter in the westside of london in a place that tho hete thorney / that is to saye the ylond of thornes & now is called westmonestre / Beda li / 2 ca¦pitulo quinto / That yere ethelbertus kynge of kente deyde and wente to heuene after that he had regned in this worl̄d .Lvj ye¦re the yere after he had receyued the feyth ·xxj. After hym his so¦ne edbal̄dus regned xxv yere· he was apostata and laye by his stepdame / and therfor he was ofte wode. That tyme whan Seber¦tus kynge of westsaxons was dede his thre sones and his eyres tourned to ydol̄atrye and prayd mellitus bisshop of the place to yeue him whyte breede as he had somtyme y yeue to theyr fader· but he wolde not but yf they wol̄d receyue crystendome / therfor they put hym oute of his bisshopryche. And he wente to the Bis¦shops of Kent· thenne mellitus and Iustus by one assente wēt oute of englonde in to ffraunce. For hem were leuer serue god in pees than be bisshops amonge straunce nacions withoute fruyt But sone afterward the mysbyleuyd kynges were sl̄ayn of the kyng of the gywesses / ¶Beda libro capitulo nono Also after the other bisshops· Laurence tharchibisshop purposed for to forsake the countrey-And in a nyght after his prayers pe¦ter appiered to hym and bl̄amed him for he wolde forsake his peple and not onl̄y bl̄amed hym but bete hym also ful soore / And on the morow the bisshop shewed hys woundes to kynge Edbaldus / thenne this kyng forsoke his ydol̄atrye. his mysby¦leue and his vnl̄awfull wif and torned again to his right fe••th and sente for the Bisshops that were fledde and brought hem a∣gayn to theyr bisshopryches. but the londoners wolde not resseiue ageyne theyr bisshop mellitus / for they had leuer to serue ydola∣trye for the kynge was not so stronge as his fader was to chast••¦se them. thenne Laurence deyde & mellitus was archebisshop after hym / & though he was podagre on his body he was gl̄ad of herte and hel̄ed seke men by his prayers and saued his cyte from brē¦nyng· Paulus li· 5 / Aboute that tyme cacanus kyng of the anes that ben the hunes come in to ytal̄y & bete doun the longobardes & slowe her duk gysulfus & besieged the Cyte Aquilia / Romilda the wyf of the duke that was sl̄ayne sawe hym wal̄ke aboute in the siege and sawe that he was fayr and louely / and loued

him gretely and sente him word anone that yf he wold take her to wyf she wolde delyuere hem the cyte and al that was therinne The kynge graunted and the cyte was taken and brente and the men take prysoners & lad awey and the kyng toke romylda as ho had promysed but it was in scorne and laye by her one nyght / & in another nyghte he made twelue of the hunes to lye by her in despyte eche after other. ¶Afterward he pyght a sharp pole in the myddel of the felde· and pight her thurgh oute her body with the ouer ende of the pole and lete her be there & sayde· soo cruel an harlatt suche an husbond semeth to haue· the doughters of Romil¦da were chast and drewe not to hoerdome after her moder. for the maydens toke rawe fflesshe of chykens or coltes and leyde it by∣twene theyr brestes for the flessh shold stinke whan the hunes co¦me and they sholde wene that the maydens stonke and for that cause the hunes lefte and come not nyghe hem / But afterward the maydens were sold and wedded to gentilmen· Beda / li / 2 / ca / 9 While edwinus fledde the persecucion of ethelfridus & hyd hym / redwaldus kyng of eestangles was assenting to edwinus deth & that for manace or for yeftes of ethelfredus / One of edwinus frendes was war therof and warned edwinus of that peryll and promysed him that he wold brynge hym in to a syker place yf he wolde go with hym· he withseyde it as though he wold not be the fyrst that sholde breke the trewes and acorde that was made by∣twene him and the kyng / thenne he sate al one in a grete thought and one come to hym that he knewe not and axyd hym why he sate al one sorowful / and sayde / I wote who thou art and why thou art sory and what is thy drede / thēne yf ony man slowe thin enemyes and brought the to thy kyngdom / Also yf he shewde to the the best counseyll of sauacion and better than ony of thy for∣faders euer herde woldest thou not assente and doo by his rede & his counseyl / yes truly sayd he and that I yromyse the. But the other leyd his honde on Edwinus heede and sayde / Whanne this token cometh to the haue in mynde of this tyme / and of this speche / and doo / as thou promysed· Whanne. this was sayd / he vanysshed awaye / ¶ After this his forsayd frende come to hym and warned hym that the kynges wylle was tor∣ned to hym that gadred his hooste atte laste· and mette with Ethelfridus in the Countreyes of Mercia by Eeste the water Idle and slough hym ryght there. ¶ And he made Ed∣winus Kynge of bothe kyngdomes of Northumberlonde· of

deyra and of brenicia / And edwinus regned after that xvij ye¦re / whan this was don ethelfridus sones oswald of twelue yere old and oswyns of four yere old by sleyght of theyr wardeyns were lad in to scotland. After the pope that hete deus dedit / the ·v / boneface was pope fyue yere ¶Seynt Anastasius monke and marter was born in perce / in his childhode he lerned of his fader wytchecrafte and nygromancye / there he resseyued the feyth of cryst of crysten men that were prysoners and forsoke perce & pas¦sed by calcidonia & Iherapolis and come to Ierusalem· & there he was crystned· and four myle oute of the cyte in an abbay that that now is callyd seynt anastasius abbay· he lyued by rule se∣uen yere / he cam in to cesarea in palestina for to bydde his bedes & was take prisoner ano lad in to perce and there he was long boū¦den and beten and sente to cosdra kynge of perce and putte to deth One that was vexed with a fende was deliuerd by vertue of his kyrtel whan he was clothed with alle. heraclius cesar ouercome the perses & brought anastasius body to Rome· & leyde it in seint paules mynystre ad aquas· laurence archebisshop of caunterbury deyde and mellitus bisshop of london was archebisshop fyue yere And thenne after him ced seynt chaddes broder was Bisshop of london· After bonefacius honorius was pope xij yere. that yere he raclius ouercome the perces and. slowe cosdras & brought ageyn the crosse / this was a connynge astronomer / and knewe by the sterres that circumcided men shold destroye his royamme. and sen¦te to the kyng of ffraunce that he shold driue alle the Iewes out of his Royamme or make hem to resseyue baptemme / And soo it was done· Afterward was bigonne grete warre and batayl by¦twene the Romaynes and the saracenes. And heraclius brought the holy crosse oute of Ierusalem in to constantinople / A grete de¦le of that crosse was sent to lowys kynge of ffraunce in the yere of our lord a thousand two honderd and seuen and fourty Dagobertus the nynth kynge of ffraunce regned after his fader lotharius thre and thyrtty yere / whan mellitus the archebisshoppe of Caunterbury was deede· thenne iustus Bisshop of Rochestre was Archebisshop after him / and made one Romanus Bisshop of rochestre after hym in his stede / ffor iustus had sent paulinus that had be the thyrdde bisshop of Rochestre to men of northumber lond for to be bisshop of york and for to wedde edelberga edbaldes suster to kynge edwinus and to conuerte his peple ¶ Henricus libro secundo & W••de / re / libro primo

¶ Capitulum duodecimum /

THat yere penda paganus the tenth after woden was the so¦ne of wybba and bygan to regne whan he was fyfty yere olde / and regned in mercia xxx. yere / R / But som cronykes saye that cryda kyn woldes sonne was the tenth after woden and the fyrst that regned in mercia and regned ten yere. and after hym his sone wibba regned twenty yere / and after wybba his kennis¦man ceorlus regned ten yere / and after him pen••a wibbas sonne regned thyrtty yere / he slough the two kynges of n••oth••̄berlond edwyn and oswald and thre kynges of eest angles Sigebertus egritus and annas Also the quene his wyf bare hym fyue so∣nes / wedda / wulferus / etheldredus merwaldus & merce••linus and two doughters seynt kyneburgh and seynt kyneswyd Beda libro 2 / capitulo 9 / That yere in an esterday cam to the Ry¦al cy•••• besyde the water dorwēt one eumerus a swerd man with a swerd y venymed sente fro quichelinus kynge of westsaxon for to slee kyng edwinus / But one lylla the kynges trusty seruaūt for he had none other sheld· he put his owne body ayenst the stro∣ke and was smyten thurgh the body / and the kyng was woūded with the same stroke. / and the swerde man was smeton thurgh with swerdes in euery syde / and slowe another knyght with his cursed swerde / Also the same ester nyght the quene had a dough∣ter that hete enfleda / the kyng gaf her to god & made paulinus to halowe her in token of couenaunt that he wold fulfylle his by••es¦te and be a crysten man yf he had vyctorye of the kyng of weste saxon / thenne on a whitesonday the mayde was crystned. and th•• kyng was tho fyrst vnneth hole of his wounde / and gadryd his hoost and ouercome the kynge of westsaxons. But though kynge edwinus forsoke his mawmetrye and wold gladly he∣re paulinus yet he auysed hym long tyme with his counseil what was best to do in that maner of doyng / Also he that tyme ressey∣ued lettres that pope bonefacius sente hym and comforted hym to the feyth and he resseyued a sherte / som therof was wroughte with gold and another letter of the same tenour was sente to the quene with a mirrour of siluer and a combe of yuorye. somdele ouergylt ¶ Paulinus sawe that the kynge was harde to con∣uerte and made his prayers to God and lerned by inspiraci∣on / that a tokene somtyme was shewed to the Kynge· whyle

he was exyled with Redwaldu•• / Thenne on a day paulinus ley¦de his hond vpon the kynges hede & axyd yf he knewe that token The token was knowen & paulinus sayde / lo thou hast ouercome thyn enemy••s and wonne thy kyngdom. thenne doo as thou hast promysed and be trewe to hym that so hath holpen the· thenne the kyn••e toke counseyll of lordes & was crystned at yorke and ma∣ny other the yere of his regne enleuē •• thēne caysy fyrst of bisshops so soke his maumetrye & ayenst the vsage of theyr fals holynes armed h••m & leepe an a noble hors and destroyed the templ••s of maumettes / It was not leeful to the bisshop of mysbyleuyd men to be armed ne to ryde but on a mar••. From that tyme forward vnto the sleyn•• of kynge ••dwynus paulinus baptised c••ntinu∣elly s••x yere in both prouynces in deyra and in brenicia in the Ry¦uers gleny and swala· and prech••d in the prouynce of lyndeseye and bylded a chirche of stone at lyndecoln that is lyncoln. After∣ward in that ch••rche whan Iustus tharchebisshop was dede pau¦linus sacred honorius Archbisshop of dorobernia that is caun∣t••rbury in his stede with suche auctorite of pope honorius· that yf tharc••bisshop of caunterbury or of yorke be dede. he that is alyue h••th power to sacre another bisshop in his stede that is dede· Beda libro secundo ca ·16· Thenne ther was so grete pees in edwi¦nus kyngd••m that a woman might go from one toun to an••ther without ony gr••ef or anoyng· Also fo•• refresshyng of weyg••e••s there as clere well••s were by hye weyes / the same kyng made a∣rere postes and to honge theron shelles or cuppes of br••s· And noman durste take thylke cuppes but to the same vse / he was the fyrst man that wan the ylond eubon••a that is man / R••dwaldus so••e corpwaldus kynge of est Angles by comfort of edwynus receyu••d the fey••h of holy chirch both he & his mē / & was slam not long after of one rigbertus a mysbyleuid man / Beda li / 2 / ca / 17 That yere the pope honorius sent the p••l to honorius archebisshop of caun••••rbury with l••t••res / that enformed him of the manere of the ordeyn••nge of Arch••bisshops in brytayne /

Also he sente lettres to the Scottes of the holdynge of Esterday / and charged them / that they sholde not trowe that they that we¦re so fewe / in thende of the worlde sholde be more connynge. than C••ysten men that ben nowe and were in old tyme

¶ Beda libro secundo capitulo visesimo

That yere Penda Kynge of Mercia And Cedwalla Kynge of Brytons slough kynge Edwynus in the feld of hattefelde / These

two kynges penda and cedwalla were so cruel in that prouynce that they spared neyther man ne woman ne yonge ne olde ney∣ther relygion / And yet vnto this tyme the Brytons acounte the feyth and relygion of Angles for nought / In the tyme of that myschyef paulinus Archibisshop of york toke with him the que∣ne and her doughter canfleda and went by water way in to kent And the chirch of Rochestre was tho voyde by the deth of Roma¦nus the bisshop. for he was tho adreint. and so paulinus was ma¦de bysshop of Rochestre / and was there bisshop xix yere· and de••d and lefte there his pal / ¶Willelmus de pont libro primo And soo the chirche of men of northumberlond was withoute bis¦shoprich after paulinus deth / xxx· yere. & was withoute the vse of pal .vj score yere & / v. Beda li·3· ca· 1 / Whan edwinus was ded osiricus was kynge of deira· osiricus was elfricus sone & elfricus was edwinus came. but ethelfridus caufricus sone was king of brenicia / & anon both these kynges tourned to manmetrie / but ced¦walla slowe hem both in one yere one after other by goddes right∣ful wreche· therfor it plesed hem that acompted the tyme to with drawe the mynde of mysbylened kynges / so that thilk vngracio{us} yere shold be acompted vnto the regne of oswald that regned af∣terward· & after the sleynge of his broder caufridus with a litel hoost / he slough the forsayd cedwalla that come ayenst him with a wonder huge hooste in a place that hete denisseburn & is called de¦nisus lake also. the place where as oswald kneled & rered a crosse & praide god for the sauacion of his men to fore the batayl / that place hete heuen felde / that place is now in grete worship W / de ro li.•• ¶ That place is in the northside of that famous wal that the legyon of rome bilded thwert ouer the ylonde not f••r fro the chir¦che bagustald / Beda li / 3 / ca. 1 / Of the spones of this crosse be don many vertues & wondres / To fore that tyme was no chirch that had an auter in brenicia til kyng oswaldus had reysed that cros¦se at that batail. & so after ther was bilded a chirch. Beda li / 3 / ca¦pitulo / 2. King oswald axed of the scottes & had it graūted that Bisshop Aidanus sholde come and teche his people. thenne the kynge yaue hym a place of the Bisshops see in the ylond lyn∣defar / there men myght see wonder· for the bisshop prechid in scot¦tisshe and the kynge told forth in englyssh to the people what it was to saye or meene· thenne al daye cam scottissh monkes for to preche to the Angles oute of Aydanus Abbaye that was in the ylond hij / Beda li / 3 / capitulo quarto / Aidanus was the mirrour

of abstinence. and fasted euery daye vnto none He lyued none other wise but taughte Al that was yeuen hym he yaf it glad¦ly to poure men / he yede on his fete and rode on none horse· he pre∣chyd walkyng vp and doune / he spared not to t••lle the defautes of ryche men for reuerence ne for drede / he yaf no mony but only mete· yf he bad he wold yeue. he raunsoned prisonners oute of pri¦son and made hem his disciples ful ofte / the occasiō of his coming in to englond was this / To fore honde was sente a sterne man in to englond atte prayer of kynge Oswald for to teche his peple & dyde but lytel prouffyt and torned home ayene to his owne / as he that had trauayled in yole / thenne the Scottes treted amonge them for to sende another man in to englond / Men saye that to hym that was soo comen ageyne in to Scotland Aidanus spak in this manere. Brother me semeth that thou were harder / than thou sholdest be / For to men that ben rude and vnconnynge· thou yaf not at the begynnyng the mylke of good loore / as thappostle techeth / that whan they ben esely brought in lytel and lytel thēne ben they able to vnderstande parfyght loore. thēne whan that was herd aidanus was sente as the more discrete man and wyse. By his word and ensample oswald had hope to the kyngd••m of heuen and not only that / but also he had a greter erthely kynge∣dome. for alle nacions of brytayne that were deled in four lan∣gages / Brytons p••ctes Scottes. and Angles toke hym to theyr lord and kyng ¶Also it is sayd of him that on an esterday ay∣danus sate by hym at mete / and a grete multitude of poure men come to the kynges gate / and axyd for to haue of the kynges almes. And for the kynge had not elles atte honde to yeue hem· he toke the messe that was sette to fore hym and the dysshe of sil¦uer and brake it al to pyeces and sente it to the pour men The bisshop sawe that and toke the kynge by the ryght honde & sayde I pray god that this hond wex neuer old and soo it happed / ffor afterward whan oswald was slayne that arme was cut of from the bodye and dured hoole and sound atte Ryal cyte of bebban∣burgh Beda libro tercio capitulo 8 ¶ It is sayd of him that for he vsed so ofte for to bydde his bedes / or make his prayers & to thanke god almyghty alwey where euer he sate / that he wolde stretche his hondes and holde hem to gyders and leue on his kne∣es / And therfore yet it is a bysawe God haue mercy on soules sayd oswaldus and fyll to the grounde· ¶ Also that yere were ordeyned bisshops Audoenus of Rotomagis and ••ligius The

Abbott Gallus / the disciple of columbanus was thenne in his floures in almayne /

¶ Capitulum 13

SEynt Birinus the confessour was sente of honorius the po¦pe for to preche to englysshmen. And while birinus sayled in the see of brytayne / he bythought on his restellys that he had foryete in the hauen and yede vpon the see and fette his restellys Beda libro tercio capitulo sexto / This birinus conuerted kyn∣gilsus kynge of westsaxons and cristned him atte cyte dortyk. that is dorchestre / there was kynge oswald presente and was kyngilsus Godfader and wedded his doughter afterward / and bothe the kynges gaf that cyte for to ordeyne there a bisshops see and ther birinus deyde after the fourtenth yere of his b••sshoprich and was buryed there· But atte laste by hedda bisshop of wyn∣chestre birinus was translated to wynchestre in to the chirche of seynt peter and paule ¶R But the chanons of dorchestre saye naye and saye that it was another body than seynt birinus bo∣dy that was so translated ¶Therfor a byere of a wonder werck is yet seen at dorchestre aboue the place of his fyrst graue / that cy¦te dortyk or dorkynga that now is callyd dorchestre is seuen myle by south oxenford y sette bytwene twey Ryuers of Tame and of Temse Also it is founden in cronykis that kynge kyngilsus assigned al the londe seuen myle aboute for to make a Bisshopis see in wynchestre and for the sustenaunce of the ministres / and for the kynge was let••e by his deth euil that he myght not fulfil hit. he swore that his sone kenwalcus shold fulfylle it afterward ¶Willelmus de pon libro secundo / ¶This cyte dorchestre longed to the bisshops of mercia fro that tyme vnto the comynge of the normans / but in wiliam conquerours tyme the bisshops see was chaunged to lyncolyn ¶Willelmus de pon libro primo ¶ That yere felyx of the n••cion of burgoyn that had ben ho••ely with si¦gebertus kynge of ••st angles while he was exyled in Fraunce / come with hym in to englond and was made bisshop f••••st of don wyck· and was there bisshop xv•• yere ¶Beda libro tercio capitu¦lo 17 ¶This Sigebertus hadde the kyngdome after his broder corpwaldus and ordeyned scoles of lettrure in his kyngdom as he hadde seen in Fraunce and assigned petagoges and maystres

for children in the maner of caunterbury men Atte last he by∣toke his kyngdome to his neuewe egritus and was shore monke in an abbaye that he hym self bylded ¶ But afterward kynge penda paganus warryd in that kyngdome and sigebertus was drawe oute of the abbay as it were for to strength the knyghtes and soo he was slayne in his s••mplenes and bare but a rodde in his honde / and al his hoost was neigh slayne After him regned Anna Enus sonne penda slough hym / But while segebertus reg¦ned an holy man that hete furs••us come oute of yrlond in to the prouynce of eest angles and in the way conuerted many men / or made hem more stedfaste in the feyth. there in a tyme he was seke and was warned in a vision by an Angel that he shold besyly do as he hadde bygonne and besyly wake and make his praiers thenne by helpe of the kynge he bylded an abbaye by the see in a castel that hete cimbrisburgh. there he wexe seke agayne and was rauyshed oute of his body spirituelly vnto the syght of holy an∣geles there he herd the sowne of that verse of the sawter. holy mē shal goo forth fro vertue to vertue god of goddes shal be s••en in syon Also his spyryte cam to his body agayn and take away agayn the thyrdde day / and sawe not only the greete ioye of holy seyntes but also the grettest stryf of euil spyrites by whiche they purposed to lette holy men / thenne he was lefte an hye / and sa∣we vnder hym four fyres in the ayer and the Angel that ladde hym expowned to hym the fyres in this manere and sayde that these fyres shall destroye the world· the fyrst fyre is the fyre of le¦synge for men doo not as they promysed in theyr baptemme / the second is the fire of couetise whan ryches is more loued than god almyghty / the thyrdde is the fyre of discorde and of stryf whan men greuen her neyghbours withoute cause· the fourth is the fire of wyckednes whan the gretter or myghtyer dredeth not for to vndoo and destroye the lasse o••d febler These fyres semed ga¦dred as it were al in to one ¶Thenne furseus was soore agast and cryed and the angel sayd to hym / what thou hast not sette a fyre in the shall not brenne / This shall examine and serche all mennes dedes· thenne furseus cam to a yate that was open and fendes threwe on him a man that they termented in fyre / And therwith furseus sholder and his cheke were brente / Anone fur∣seus knewe that man / and knewe that he hadde resseyued his cloth whan he deyde / the angel that lad furseus threwe that cloth in to the fyre / and the fende sayde throwe not away that whiche

thou hast to fore hond approuyd / For thou hast receiued the goo∣des of synful men / so thou shalt be partener of theyr paynes. naye sayd the angel he receyued it not for couetyse but for sauacion of his soule / and thenne the fyre ceced / and the angel sayde to furse¦us what thou hast sette a fyre that hath brente the / thēne furseus was brought to his body agayn. the same marke & tokene that he had felt in his soule / he bare alwey after seen on his sholder and cheke Afterward as ofte as furseus tolde this tale though he were right thynne clothed in the myddel of the colde wynter. he shold swete for drede / ¶Atte laste furseus lefte that abbaye to his broder fullanus and he wente with another broder vulcan{us} and lyued heremytes lyf al one yere / thenne that prouynce was anone destroyed by rennyng and reyses of straungers and he say¦led in to Fraunce and deyde there after many grete dedes of ver∣tue and was buryed at perma. ¶After honorius Seuerinus was pope one yere· In his tyme the Iewes were conuertyd and torned to crysten feyth ¶Heraclius themperour after his noble vyctoryes erryd oute of the feyth and that by coūseil of Cirus patriarke of Allexandria and of Sergius patriarke of constan¦tinople And Eraclius deyde in the droposye / and was shende with the heresye of the Iacobytes that were they that mysunder∣stode seynt Iame thappostle /

¶Capitulum / 14

ABoute that tyme lyued machamet the fals prophete duke and leder of Sarasyns and of turkes· his story is brought in this maner / But steuen of caunterbury and girald of cam∣bria helpen moche in this mater. Somtyme while thempyre of ro¦me was in grete myght and strengthe. Crystendome was nyghe wydder and more than thempyre of Rome was in grete myght & is no wonder. for crystendom was soo encreced that it conteyned Europa and many prouynces of Asia and wel nygh al affryca within his merkes and boundes. Atte laste by d••scorde & stryf of crysten men bytwene hem self / It was do that that Agarenes wexe stronge / the agarenes haue thre names and ben called aga¦renes Ismalytes and saracenes / of her empyre prophecyed me∣thodius the martir and sayde that crysten relygyon shold ••aue lytell withoute thendes of Europa ¶ Also after that errour of

Sarasyns had infecte al affryca. hit defouled also a grete dele of spayne And but goddes grace and mercy had holpen / it wolde haue infecte and shente al ffraunce with spayne ¶Thenne after the grete gregoryes tyme the empyre of Rome that stretched som∣tyme from th••ccean of brytayne vnto the endes of perse was soo destroyed with tyrauntrye and ciuile bataylles that it was not of power to defende it self ayenst enemyes / thenne the cruel pay∣nym hoost of perce bygan to occupye many prouynces of the lord¦ship of Rome and of men of crysten feyth in the est landes / Thenne as th•• grete flye foloweth the trace of the malshawe. soo after oth••r woo cometh pestylence of the ismalytes that was mo¦re greuous and destroyed neygh the crysten men that were lefte in the eest londes by ledyng of the prince machomete in heraclius themperours tyme Thenne in the fyfth bonefas tyme while he¦raclius regnede aboute the yere of our lord six honderd and twen¦ty. machamete the fals prophete and witche begyled the ysmaly∣tes and agarenes in this maner. a famous clerk was atte court of Rome and myght not spede atte his wylle and p••ssed the see and plesed many men and had hem at his assente / Amonge the whiche he promysed machomete that he wold make hym prynce of h••s peple yf he wolde doo as he sayde / thenne this clerke fedde vp a douue and made hym fe••che his mete in machome••s ere. for there he put the co••ne that the douue sholde ete / And of that sa∣me the douue wold ofte fede hym self thenne in a day this clerke gadred the peple to geder and promysed them that he wold make hym theyr prynce whom the holy goost wold shewe in lykenes of a douue and lete anone his douue flee. And the douue as he was wonte sate vpon machomets sholderes and put his bylle in machamets ere / And therfore machamet was chosen prynce and leder of the peple. This that is sayd is the comyn tale· but what now foloweth is more alowed and approu••d· A monke that hete sergius was put oute of the company of monkes that he was a¦monge for he was falle in to nestorius errour· he cam in to Ara∣bia and put hym self to machomete and enformed hym though it be radde that this sergius was archedeken of Antiochia or pa∣triarke of Ierusalem· thenne machomet faderles and moderles was in his emes kepynge in his childhode and worshiped mau¦metrye somwhat of tyme with his countrey men of Arabia / and he yaue him self specially to worshipe venus / And therfore it is that yet the saraseyns holden the fryday holy as the Iewes don

the saterday and we the sonday ¶ After that machomet come to age and was sharpe of wytte and wente. in to many londes by cause of marchandyse and was ofte in company of Iewes and of crysten men and lerned the maners· vsages and custommes of both the lawes of crysten men and of the iewes / And couth both wytchecraft and nygromancy / and was a wonder felle man and fer castynge and had noble faconde and fayr speche / th••nne he co¦me to the lady of the prouynte Corozonia / the lady hete cadygan / And with somme spyces that he brought with wytchecraft and fayr wordes he made the lady so madde and so nyse that she wor∣shiped him as the grettest prophete of god almyghty· or as it we¦re messias thāt the Iewes abyden / and she desyred hym to hus∣bond / It is the vsage of that prouynce to be ruled also by womē Thenne he wedded the wedewe that was quene and soo he was made lord of that prouynce / thenne he drewe to hym the Arabes and occupyed the est empyre vnto Allexandria ayenst heraclius themperour / Thenne he toke the maner of spekynge of trewe pro∣phetes as though god had spoke in hym & spake in this maner in his bookes that he made / Oure lord spak to his prophete and sayde. for so the bookes that he feyned gylefully shold be byleuyd as though they were made by auctoryte of god almyghty

Thenne not only his owne men but also men of fer londes fylle to hym and bowed to him in euery syde. he hadde grete lykynge to haue gretter lordship And as it were for to brynge men in to good maner lyuyng and as it were by commaundement of god almyghty he assoylled the nacions that dwellyd nygh hym and dyde by craft and by gyle that he myght not doo by dedes of Ar∣mes ¶Therfor whan Egypte Libia arabia and Siria were sub∣gett by cause he wold seme the more holy· he drewe the peple that were subget to his fals lawe and made hem to forsake the vsages and lawes of theyr fornfaders / And he forbadde the paynems maumetrye and he graunted circumsicion to the Iewes as they had vsed· and feyned of his owne self somme newe lawes and alleged wytnes of eyther testament The sarasyns calle that lawe his lawe yet vnto this tyme ¶And he bade the sarasyns circum¦cide hem as the Iewes don / and forbad hem that wolde folowe hym etyng of swynyssh flessh / And machomet wold telle the cau¦se why he forbade them the swynyssh flessh and sayde that swyne come of camels dirt after noes flood and therfor clene men shold eschewe it as mete that is vnclene. ¶And as it were to acorde

with Crysten men in the manere of crystnynge / he ordeyned ofte wasshing of lymmes in water as it were for clensing of synnes And for to brynge the people that was soo begyled the faster to snarle / what he knewe that was mooste playsanut to mannes ly∣kyng he ordeyned that for lawe / And so he ordeyned that a man shold haue as many wyues and concubynes as he myght sustene with his catel / Also that a man myght haue wyues of his oun kynrede vnto the nombre of four. and that a man myght four si∣thes forsake his wyf and take her agayne / & also that he myghte haue as many concubynes as he wolde of wymmen / that were bought prisoners· And also that he myght selle hem but yf he had brought ony of hem with childe-And ordeyned hem to vse sobre¦nes of mete and drynk / and forbad hym drynkyng of wyn / but it were in certayne solempne dayes in the yere· And for he wolde somdele varye fro the Iewes that worshiped god westward / and fro crysten men that worshiped god eestward / he taughte his pe∣ple to worshipe god south warde with ofte knelynges· for in the south is plente of light / he ordeyned hem to worshipe the goddesse venus and to holde the day therof solempne and •• holy. that is fri¦day / he bade worshipe one almyghty god creatour and maker of alle thynges and sayde that moyses and Iohan were Prophetes and that Cryst was gretter and grettest of all prophetes & that he was born of the mayde marie by vertu of god withoute man∣nes seede as he sayth in his booke that hete Alkaron. netheles he medled somme fals sawes with soth sawes / And sayde that criste was afterwarde born vp to heuen and not slayne· For he sayth that Iudas the traytour sought cryste in a denne and chaunged in to the lykenes of cryst / & soo he was take & nayled to the cros in stede of crist ¶Also he bade that the men of his lawe sholde euery yere yf they myght goo in to goddes hows that is in ma∣tha for to bydde her bedes / & whan they were comen thyder they sholde ben clothed in one maner clothynge / & they sholde throwe oute stones thurgh hooles of the walles· as it were for to stone the deuyl / & sayde that Abraham made that hows for his childe∣ren ismaelytes / for they sholde there bydde theyr bedes / Also by machomets lawe ••e that were take with a woman in spousebre∣che sholde be stoned to deth / & yf he dede fornicacion with a sengle woman he sholde haue four score lasshes / A theef the fyrste tyme and the seconde tyme sholde be beete· & the thyrdde tyme he sholde lese his hondes / and the fou••th tyme he shold lese his feet / And he

seyth that who that holdeth al this and other heestes of his lawe god almyghty promysed him paradys / the orcharde of plesyre & lykynge. there is no distemprure ne payne that is ony maner of gryef but al maner of welthe and of lykynge / there is lykyng mete for to ete and clothes to were and maydens tembrace fayre shal serue them there / the Angels ben so grete and soo huge that from that one eye to that other is the space of a day iourneye· & to them that holde ne kepe not his lawe· he promyseth hem fyre & payne of helle withoute ende / And also in his booke that is cal∣led alcoranum he prayseth alle the faders of tholde testament. & specially moyses and Iohan the baptist· Cryste and machomete Also ther he preyseth alle that that byleue in god and doo right∣wysenes / but it is not there red what is the ryght feyth. ne what men ben of ryght byleue. ne what men ben of mysbyleue Also there is wreton that fyue bookes come fro heuen for the in∣formacion of mankynde / the sawter / moyses bookes / the bookes of prophetes and machometes Alcaron / In that Alcoron it is wreton that god almyghty wolde rule and lede mankynde in to the way of sauacion· and after abraham he yaue to the childeren of Israel a lawe by whiche lawe they shold knowe God and worshipe hym / ¶ But for they told not of his lawe god gaf the gospel to other men / And also they mysused the lawe / And the Arabes that cam of Abraham by ysmael were mo men and gretter peple than the Iewes that come of Abraham. by Isaac. And the Arabes that were lefte were lefte withoute lawe / ther∣fore oute of the consistorye of goddes rightwysenes come a decree that a prophete of her owne peple sholde be sente to the ysmaely¦tes with a lawe / the which prophete and lawe the sarasyns shold folowe as the Iewes folowed moyses· and crysten men Cryst And therfore the Sarasyns holde them self better than Iewes and Crysten men for they holde holy theyr lawe / And Iewes & Crysten men ofte trespacen ayenst theyr owne lawe / For to brin¦ge this aboute / machomet norysshed and fedde a fayr camel in a pryue place / so that the camel had no mete but of his own hon∣de / And machomet wayted his tyme and henge that cursed book Alcaron aboute the camels necke. in that book were the forsayd lawes wreton And machomet lete go the forsayd camel in to the feldes with the book aboute to fore day lyght / Thenne the camell as it was no wonder bygan to lepe and to sterte and made gre¦te ioye for he was at large and fled euery man and wold come

nyghe no mannes honde-Speche of this wonder sprange once in feldes and townes and the peple gadred thyder oute of euery syde. But whan machomete was comen the beest sawe hym a fer that yaf hym alweye mete & ran to hym anon right· & bowed to hym and lykked his hondes as he was taught. thenne the peple cryed and sayde in this dede is shewed the holynes of goddes pro¦phete / And they prayde him that he wolde vndoo the booke with his holy hondes / and whan the book was opened / Lo sayth macho¦met Here is your lawe not wreton with mannes ynke but with angels hondes and sente fro heuen for to be bolden euer withoute ony. ende In the book ye ben taught how ye shal worshipe god / & how greete mede ye shal hope to resseyue of hym for kepynge of this lawe / The daye that this was don in is euery yere made so∣lempne and hooly / and is called the fest of the camel / and they faste a moneth to fore that feste in this maner Euery day of that moneth fro the fyrst lyght of the day whan men maye knowe bi¦twene whyte & blac vnto the goyng doū of the sonne / they fast & ete not ne drynke / ne delen with theyr wyues / but ben alwey in her prayers but after the goynge doune of the sonne vnto the da¦wynge agayne they ete drynke and lye by theyr wyues / but seke men and feble ben not holden so for to faste. This machomet dis∣plesyd ofte his wyf for he hadde the fallynge euyll / and in that euyll he fyll ofte to the grounde / But he plesyd her and other that had r••sseyued his lawe in this maner and sayd that he fyll to groūd for the wordes of seint mychel tharchangel that spak with hym so ofte For a flesshliman he sayde may not suffre an angels wordes but yf he falle / he hated wyn dronkenes as Rybawdrye / and harlottrye / by cause of heete of the countrey he wolde haue it spared· But in a nyght he was dronke and fylle doune in the streete· And there swyn ete him which he reputed vnclene beestes Therfor they that holde his lawes spare wyn and swynes flessh In the fyrst poynt it semeth that they folowe the Iewes / In the seconde poynt it semeth that they folowe the philosophye of theyr mayster Also after the deth of machomet that cursed secte encre¦ced so faste that it caused so myghty men of perce to drawe to that cursed lawe of the Arabes ¶ Also that secte hath infecte vnto this tyme al affrica and a grete dele of spain as gernarde. And tharchebisshop turpinus tellith that machometes ymage of latone that he made with his owne hondes / stondeth in the See stronde and hath his face toward the south. ¶In that ymage

machometus by wytchecraft closed a legyon of fendes. A crystē man that cometh there is lyghtly perysshed. But a sarasyn goth alwey hoole and sound / A byrde that cometh there dyeth anone The ymage holdeth a mace in his right honde And that mace shal fyrst fallen whan a kynge shal be born in gallia that shal renewe al spayne with crysten lawes / And whan the mace shal falle / thē¦ne the sarasyns shall flee ānd leue theyr tresorye / The famous no¦rye of this cursed secte Saladinus duc of turkes the stronge hamer of crysten men about the yere of our lord enleuen honderd four score and ten he herde that crysten men vsed many messes of mete at one mele and sayde that cristen men were not worthy to ha¦ue the holy londe Also he was felle and slyhe for to prayse his owne secte· and to blame and despyse our lawe. and that is kno∣wen by this ensample ¶On a tyme were two whyte monkes brought to fore him that theues of turkes had take. And he kne¦we by her straunge clothynge that they were philosophres and crysten men. And he axyd by one that knewe both langages of hem what they were and of what condicion and profession and they sayde that they were monkes and had don theyr profession to seynt Benettes rule. Thenne he axyd besyly many poyntes of that rule. And specially amonge other. he axed yf they sholde by her rule ete flessh or drynke wyn / Thenne answerd they and sayde that they hadde at al tyme somwhat of wyn for to drynke. but flessh shold they none ete / but it were for sekenes or grete nede / thē¦ne the tyraunt badde that they shold haue more large kepynge and haue two yong fayr wymmen to serue hem / and badde that they shold ete flessh and drynke water / And so they ete flesshe & dronke water· and toke ensample by seynt Iob / and made coue∣naunt with theyr eyen that they wold not thynke of fylthe and of synne and were alwey besy in theyr prayers / Thenne Salady¦nus was waar therof and toke from hem the flesshe and the wa¦ter and bad hem serue with fysshe and wyn / And he badde so doo to that entent that Salamon moeueth and sayth / yeue ye wyn to hem that ben in grete sorow that they may drynke and foryete theyr sorowe and her nede / Whan he had thus done he caste to begy¦le by symplenes these two monkes / For he wold yf they myghte ther bysette chalenge and blame vpon the Relygion / thenne the Monkes dronke wyn & wexe mery & glad & forgate what they sholde haue in mynde and fylle to and laye by the wommen ¶ Thennne on the morowe whanne the wyn was defyed· they

thoughte on theyr trespaas and gan for to wepe ful soore. the ti¦raunt sawe hem wepe and sayde why be ye more soory than ye we¦re wonte to be. For we haue sinned greuously sayde they and we¦re ouercome with wyn· Thenne he sayde / while ye ete flesshe and dranke water ye helde forth your purpose redyly ynowgh / But whan ye were ouercome with wyn without flessh ye brake your rule and your purpose / Therfore it is knowen that Benett the Auctour of your rule was vnwyse for to forbede you etyng of flesshe that distourbled not a mannes wytte & graunted you to drynke wyn that roteth vp the strengthe of reson as ye haue as∣sayed now by newe assaye / Thenne he that made our lawe macho¦met that forbad vs wyne that distourbeth mannes wytte & graū¦ted vs the vse of flessh was wyser than your Benet· But what be your remedyes and clensyng of this synne nowe that ye haue broken your rule and your purpose. Penaunce seyd they and satisfaction by ordenaunce of our ••elder fader / Thenne sa¦yd he mowe ye not be clensed amonge vs / Goo ye to youre owne and be clensed in your owne maner wyse / and soo he lete hem go This man was ful of olde pestylence of sleyght and wyles / And what the wyly shrewe / myghte not haue saueour in· he gan to de¦spyse / For he wolde blame the hooly man seynt Benet / Of the whiche seynt Benet the grete gregory sayth that he wrote the Ru¦le of monkes ful of wytte and of wysedome / and open and clere in wordes. For it was a wyse dede to withdrawe fro hem that go to holy chyualrye. lykynge of metes that withdraweth the sou∣le from holynes of dedes and of thoughtes / & by thappostles lore he graunted hem a lytel what of wyn for to strengthe somwhat the feblenesse of the flessh & graunted hem but lytel. for it sholde not greue the sharpnes of the soule

¶ Capitulum 15 /

HEraclonas heraclius sone regned two yere / the senatour of rome put him & his wif martina out of his kingdom / & his moders nose & tong were cut of al both / Aft{er} the ·iiij. iohn theodor{us} was pope vj / yere / that time ysodre bisshop yspalencis was in his floures / he was somtyme the grete gregories disciple. ysid left af¦ter hym many good bokes that he had made. the bookes ethimolo¦giarū. de sūmo bono / de ordine creaturarū simonia & many other bo¦kes· Edwaldus kyng of kente deyde & left after him his sone &

his eyre Ercombertus that he had bygoten on Emma a woman of Fraūce / ercombertus r••gned four & xx yere in kente· He destro¦yed the temples of maumetrye and ordeyned that the fastynge of the lente shold be holden in Englond / On his wyf sexburga the doughter of ānna kynge of eest Angles / he gate a doughter Eukengoda that was made a menchone in thabbay bryggense in gallia. there her aunt etherberga seruyd god in that abbaye / ethel berga had ben edwinus wyf ¶ Also ther afterward eyther of hem was abbesse▪ That tyme though ther were many abbayes in englond. yet englysshmen vsed to goo in to abbayes of fraun¦ce bycause of the conuersacion and of the maner of lyuynge and specially at brydges at calays at Andilegium That tyme An∣domarus Bisshop and Bertinus thabbot were in her floures in the countrey of toreuence in gallia that is Fraunce ¶ Paulus libro quinto / The thyrdde constantinus was heraclius sonne and heraclius broder and regned eyght and twenty yere / he was be∣gyled of paulus grauntsir of sergius / therfore he exiled pope mar¦tin and spoylled Rome / ¶Willelmus de Regibus libro quarto / He vnconerd chirche roo••es & steples that were coueryd with slattes of bras & toke away tho slattes / but he lost hem at Sira∣cusa in Scicilia and was slain in a bath by sarasyns. And they ladde awey that partye in to Alexandria Beda libro tercio ca. sexto That yere kygylsus kynge of westsaxons was dede and his sonne kyn walcus regned after hym one and thyrity yere· for his elder broder Quichelinus had regned to fore with his fader / & lefte after him his sone cuthredus that was crystned also of by∣rinus R ¶Here take heede that beda and william varyen / For beda sayth that quychelinus was kyngilsus sonne· Wiliam seyth that he was kingilsus broder / Beda v / su / This kinwalcus in the begynnyng of his kingdom wolde not resseyue the feyth of crys∣tendom / & therfor rightfully he lost his kingdō / for he dyde awey his wyf that was kyng pendaes suster & wedded another. & ther for penda in the / v / yere of his kyngdom chaced hym & drof hym away· W. de / pon / li / 2 / And he hidde him self .iij / yere with Annā king of eestangles / therfor afterward penda slough anna· but in the mene tyme of his exylynge / kenwalcus was baptised of Fe¦lix the bisshop while he was with anna & recoueryd his kyngdom by helpe of Anna / and made one Agilbertus bisshop of his pro∣uynce a ffcensshe man that come oute of Irlond / And he was bisshop of wynchestre in westsaxon fyften yere. And the kynge

of straunge tonge was agreued and noyeful / or for somme other cause / he was wroth I note. And brought in another bisshop of his own langage and tonge that was callyd wyn by his name he was ordeyned in Fraunce. and they bytoke him the prouynce y deled in two parysshes & sett the chyef bisshops see / therfore agil¦bertus was wrothe and wente in to Fraunce & was afterwarde Bisshop of parys· And not longe after this wyn after the two yere of his prelacye was putte oute by the kynge. and boughte the see of london of the kynge of mercia of Wolferus / And helde it while he was alyne / And soo the prouynce of westsaxons was four yere bisshoples ¶ Atte last kyng ken walcus was ofte ••arde bysette with enemyes / and sente for Agilbertus that was putte oute. But he wolde not or myght not come and sente his neuewe lentherius in his st••de whiche was confermed of the Archebisshop theodorus and was bisshop there seuen yere ¶ Willelmus de Regibus libro primo ¶ This kinwalcus ouercome the Brytons twyes / fyrst at wyght gosneburgh and efte atte hille of Pente / And for wreche of his faders persecuci∣on he bynam wolferus pendas sonne a grete dele of his kingdom

Beda libro tercio capitulo secundo ¶ That yere kynge Os∣wald kyng of northumberlond was slayne by a paynym kynge of penda in a place that height meserfeld. There god ofte sheweth myracles and wondres. Penda bad honge his armes and his hede in the stockes Willelmus de pontificibus libro primo After one yere his broder oswy that was kynge after hym come thyder and buryed the hede in the chirche yerd of lyndeff ar but it is sayd that the heede is now at durham bytwene seynt cutber¦tes armes / but he putte oswaldes Armes in the cite bebanburgh But Ostryda quene of mercia that was oswyes doughter and etheldredus wyf brought the body and the other dele of the boo / nes with her to the Abbaye of Bardeny / there she myght not be receyued er a pyler of lyght had shyne vpon thylke relyquyes al a nyght Many yere after men of straunge nacion / the danes werred in that londe· And Elfleda lady of mercia brought thyl¦ke bones with her to gloucetre in achirche of chanons / Willelmus de pon. libro quarto ¶ But seynt oswaldes arme is in thabbaye of petreburgh hoole and sounde with flesshe and with synewes / as men seyn. hit was theefly stolen oute of the olde restyng pla∣ce and brought thyder and there it is in a shryne precious & riche but the bileue herof is somdele doubtable / for there men here and

aspye and see not therof· I say not this for doubte that I haue of the holynes of this seynt but for· I keepe not to hastely af∣ferme whether it be in that place or no Paulus libro quinto Aboute that tyme Cesara the kynges wyf of Perce come with fewe crysten men to constantinople for to be crystned / her husbon¦de herde therof and sente messagers to constantinople for to axe his wyf of themperour· But cesara answerd and sayde / Telle ye my lord your kynge that but yf he wyll resseyue my feyth and byleue in my god he shal neuer haue me to wyf▪ The kynge her∣de therof and come wth sixty thousand men in pees to themperour and was crystned he and al his and had grete worship and ma∣ny grete yeftes and toke his wyf and wente home ageyne / Beda libro tercio capitulo 13 ¶ Whan oswald was slayn after hym his broder oswy was kyng of northumberlond and regned nobly in deyra / ¶ Oswinus osricus sonne of Edwinus bloode was a stedfast man and holy meke and mylde and fayr of spech But kyng oswy made hym to be slayn in erle hunbaldus hous Oswynus was fledde to erle hunbaldus for helpe and socoure And after him Oswy hadde a felawe in the kyngdome of deyra Od••lwaldus oswaldes sone / After theodorus the fyrste Martin was pope six yere ¶ Aswerde man of Climpus wolde haue slayne hym at awter while he songe his mosse / But while he began to smyte anone he worde blynde· ¶ The Emperour of Constantinople exyled this pope. for he had dampned paulus patriarke of constantinople and had falsely that name / Beda li· tercio / ca· 13 / That yere deyde paulinus that was thenne bisshop of Rouchestre and had be somtyme archebisshop of york / And after hym thamar was bisshop / Also Felyx deyde the fyrste bisshop of eest angles and thomas was bisshop after hym / Beda li / 3 / ca / 12 Aboute that tyme the eest saxons toke the feyth that they had to fore honde cast away and forsake / OsWinus kyng of northum∣berlonde made hem now resseyue and take the feyth / For her king Sigebertus was· crystned of finanus bisshop of northumberlond fast by the long wal that departed somtyme bytwene Brytons & Scottes / thenne he toke with him one cedde a preest the broder of Chad oute of prouynce of Mercia for to preche to his men of the eeste ¶And whanne he hadde done that dede / he tourned ayen to the forsayd Finianus / & was made Bisshop of hym & wen••e agayne to preche to the eest Angles. in a place that hete straūches¦tre that is by the brynk of the water pent. And also in the toun

of tilleburgh that is fast by temse· It befel in a tyme in that coū¦trey that the forsayde bisshop ced cursed an erle· and excomyned him for he helde a woman in vnlauful wedlok / And kynge Sy¦gebertus despysed the bisshopes heste and cam at that erles pra∣yer and ete with the erle in his hows. And whan the kynge wen¦te fro the mete / the bisshop ced mette the kynge / and touchyd hym with a rodde that he bare in his honde· and seyde to the Kynge in this maner / For thou woldest not at my heest withdrawe and hol¦de the out of that lost and cursed mannes hows / in the same hous thou shalt deye / and so it befell / For the same Erle and his broder slough the kyng in the same hows· and afterward whan men ax¦ed hem why they hadde doo that cursed dede / they answerde not ellys but they sayde that the kynge was to esy to his enemyes & wold lyghtly foryeue wronges and trespaces ¶ Treuisa It is soth that cursed men hate good men and her good dedes / And soo the cursed erle slowe the kynge for he was gracious and good

¶ Thenne it foloweth in the story also that yere kynge oswy hade slee kynge oswynus in the erle hunbaldus hows. Oswi¦nus ••adde lefte his hoost and was fledde for grete truste to Erle hunbaldus as it wereto abyde better tyme for to fyghte· It is sa¦yd of this Oswinus that he had somtyme yeuen his beste hors to Aydanus the Bisshop that vsed more to goo afote than to Ryde on horsbak. But soone afterward a poure man prayde the Bis∣shop of his almesse / And the Bysshop yaue him that hors for he hadde nought ellys at honde· Whan that was tolde to the kynge the kynge was anone wroth and sayde to Aydanus as he sate by hym at mete / What hast thou don sere Bisshop / hadde we nothyng of lasse prys that myghte suffyce for Almes dede / What spekest thou lord sere kynge seyd the Bisshop / Shal ā mare sone leuer be to vs than Marye sonne / Anone the Kynge fylle doune to the Bisshops feete and prayde hym of mercy and foryefnes / And promysed hym truly that he wolde neuer after that tyme speke euill of that dede / thenne the kynge and the Bisshops were bothe wel plesed and sate to gyder atte mete / And the Bisshop bygan sodenly to wepe many teres· thenne it was axyd of hym the cau¦se of his wepyng and he answerde and sayd this kynge shal not longe be with vs here alyue· Vnnethe haue I seen ony Kynge meke to fore this tyme. And this euyl̄ people is not worthy to haue suche a kynge longe tyme ¶ Thenne it happed soone after that the kynge was slayne as it is sayd / ¶And Bisshoppe

Aydanus lyued after but twelue dayes And seynt cuthbert sa∣we angeles bere his soule in to heuen R ¶ Also this yere deyde Birinus the fyrst bisshop of dorchestre after the fourtenth yere of his comyng and of his bisshopriche / Beda sayth that hedda bis¦shop of wynchestre translated Birinus body oute of dorchestre to wynchestre· loke more therof in the fyrst book de pontificibus west saxon Beda libro tercio ca / 23 ¶After martin eugenius was pope as it were thre yere / this yere the kynge of deyra odyle wal∣dus oswaldes sone yaue to ced bisshop of the eest that cam ofte in to the north a place in high hilles that hete lestyngay for to byl∣de there an abbay· but this ced er he wolde foūde there an abbay Faste al a lente euery day sauf the sonday al day til▪ it were eu••̄ And thenne he wolde ete a lytel what of brede and one hen egge and a lytel of mylk y medled with water as aydanus his disci¦ple vsid him he had lerned and taugh•• / after him his broder chim¦billus gouerned that place and was buryed there in a pestylen¦ce tyme / And after him cedda ruled that place

¶ Capitulum 16 /

AFter Eugenius vitalianus was pope fourten yere / he sent to the chirches of englonde and to the Archebisshops theo¦dorus monke of Tarseus / Beda li / 3 / ca / 19 / That yere the merces that be now of myddel englond receyued cristēdom vnder her prin¦ce Weda pendas sone· For this weda by consente of his fader had wedded elfleda kyng oswyes doughter vpon a condicion that he shold be a crysten man / and he dyde it with the better wyll for el∣fridus oswyes sonne had wedded oswyes suster kyneburga / ther fore weda had brought with hym four preestes oute of northum¦berlond for to preche hys peple and his men / the prestes were ced adda becti & duina. & kyng penda forbad not to conuerte to cristen feyth all that wold / Also that yere deyde honorius archibisshop of caūterbury / & after one yere· one deus dedit was bisshop ix yere / him comfermed Ithamar bisshop of Rouchestre / W / de / pou. li. 3 / ¶ That yere benet bisshop and the abbot that norysshed beda the preest and was kynge oswyes seruaunt forsooke hows & home his cosyns and alle his kyn for cristes loue and toke the weye to Rome and come efte agayne / Fyne sythes he wente to Rome and broughte bookes and Relyquyes of holy Sayntes

home to his abbayes that were in the brynk of the Ryuer wyre He was the fyrst that brought glasyers crafte in to his coūtrey He buylded two Abbayes of peter and paule vpon the brynkes of the ryuer wyre one in that one syde and another in that other syde / forn ayenst and was abbot of bothe / he toke his noble norye¦beda a childe of seuen yere olde and taught hym while he was a¦lyue Willelmus de regibus libro primo ¶ Beda wondr••th of his pacyence and of his wytte / of his wytte for he brought so ma¦ny bookes and craftes men in to englond· ¶And was pylgrym wel nygh al his lyf tyme / In hym loue of the countrey and ly∣kynge of fayrenes ouercome the strong trauayls· he wondryd of his pacyence for he was made Abbot by the kynge of kente and in possession of thabbay of seynt Austyn of Caunterbury / And at comynge of Adryan he lefte it with good wyll and lete adryan be Abbot there. Also thabbayes of wyre made hem another Ab∣bot while he was absente and he suffred it with good wylle / and dyde obedyence to the newe abbot whan he come home and wor∣shipe as other men dyde· Also he was atte last smyten with a pa∣l••sye and made the thyrdde abbot therto ¶ Also that yere Penda kynge of mercia slough anna kynge of ••est Angles in a bataylle For he hadde fauoured kyng kenwalkus ayenst hym ¶ Also that yere botulphus bylded an abbaye by eest lyncol̄n in a place that hete Icanno ¶Beda libro tercio capitulo quarto ¶That ye¦re deyde penda kynge of mercia / and was slayne he and thyrtty Capytayns that come in to the countrey of northumberlonde for to slee kynge oswy as he had slayne his broder oswald somtyme and spared not for a lye and affynyte that was bytwene theyr sonnes and doughters / netheles kyng oswy prefered hym many grete yeftes for to restorne oute of his londe. but he wolde not ther of ¶Thenne oswy sayde yf this paynym can not resseyue our yef¦tes· thenne we shal profere and offre to hym that can / Thenne kynge oswy made his auowe that yf he hadde the vyctory in that bataylle he wold offre his doughter elfleda to god of heuen and also possession for to bylde twelue abbayes / thenne the bataylle was made in the countrey of ledes not fer from york faste by the Ryuer wynwed· that thēne was hugely arysen and ouerflowed a grete deele of the countrey / In that batayll Penda was slayne and thyrtty dukes and leders of his. and yet he had thryes soo many in his hoost as that other had in his. For they that escaped the swerd were drowned in the Ryuer Thenne Alfridus hadde

be with his fader· but egfridus was holden in hostage with Pen¦das wif / thenne odyle wald oswaldes sonne had be with penda but he stode a syde for to see what ende the batayl sholde haue / Whan this vyctory was don kynge oswy bytoke his doughter of thre yere old to the loore of hilda thabbesse of hertesye that is her∣tes ylond. But afterward she was abbesse of stremshalt that is the bosome or lappe of corne that nowe is callyd whitby and is thyrtty myle from york / there was elfleda abbesse afterward Thenne oswy yaf possessions for to buylde abbayes as he hadde promysed / six in the prouynce of deyra and six in the prouynce of Brenicia· and he yaue to weda that had wedded his doughter the kyngdom of southmercia that conteyneth as it is sayd fyue thou¦sandes housholdes and meynees / and is departed fro north mercia by the water of Trent but weda after thre yere of his kyngdom was soone lost by treason of his owne wif. Whan weda was dede the mercyes wexe rebelle ayenst kynge oswy / and toke wolferus pendas sonne that they hadde secretely kepte and made hem theyr kyng / he was the fyrst cristen man of al the kinges of mercia. & wedded ••rmenylda ercombes doughter kyng of caunterbury. and gate on her keneredus / and wereburga and ouercome nobly ken walcus kinge of westsaxons and wan the Ile of wighte and yaue it afterward to the kinge of ceste Angles for to be a cristen man and was his godfader whan he was cristned. and atte last after the seuententh yere of his kingdome he was buryed at ly∣chefeld ¶ Clodonens after his fader dagobertus regned in fraū¦ce sixten yere. By entysyng of the deuil he made cutte of seint de∣nis arme ¶Also that yere deide seint wandregesilus thabbot· ¶ Aboute that tyme grimaldus kynge of Longobardes espyed that his knight bertaricus was fledde to cacanus kynge of the a∣nares and sente to kyng cacanus word and saide that he shold le¦ue bertaricus or he shold haue noo pees with the longobardes Bertaricus herde therof and wente in to ytaly agayne / And by helpe of his frende hunulphus he was reconciled and made at one with the kynge Somme wicked men sawe that bertaricus hadde good semblaunt of many men and made suggestion to the kynge and saide but yf soo were that bertaricus were slain / the Kinge sholde lese his kingdome / the kinge herde that and sette knightes and other men to bisette bertaricus hows for he sholde not escape· And hunulphus aspied that and ded a burthen of bedclothes on bertaricus necke / and bete him with his fiste / and shufte him

and put hym forth thurgh the myddel of the cyte to the walles & lefte hym there and bertaricus fled in to Fraunce· whan men ax¦yd of hunulphus why he dyde soo / he answerd and sayde / by cau¦se my seruaunt wolde haue bedded me in the dronken Bertaricus bedchambre whiche plesyd me not· therfore I haue made hym to bere his clothes agayne to myn own hows / And so the knyghtes were begyled and fonde nothynge in bertaricus chambre / And they toke bertaricus seruaunt that wyste of this escapynge and was assentynge therto and drough hym oute by the heer and brought hym to the kyng / the seruaunt was dampned to the deth But yet the kyng praysed hym and hunulphus gretely by cau¦se they were so stydfast and trusty· And yaue hem choys whether hem were leuer abyde with hym in his courte for euermore / or wende to theyr lyef frende Bertaricus / thenne they wente in to Fraunce with Bertaricus with al that they hadde / Also that yere Egf••ydus kyng oswyes sonne spoused feynt etheldreda that was to fore honde wedded to erle Todbar to kyssyng / clyppynge and flesshely lykyng and yet she preserued her a clene vyrgyne / and was departed from egfrydus and wente in to the abbaye of Ely and was made abbesse there / and dyde many fayr myracles and grete ¶Aboute that tyme hunarus prince of Sarasyns in Siria buylded a newe temple that is now in Ierusalem. there the sarasyns worshipe god and make theyr prayers Beda li∣bro quarto capitulo primo Ercombertus kynge of caunterbury deyde and his sonne egbertus was kynge after hym nyne yere· Also that yere deyd tharchebisshop that hete deus dedit Thenne the kynge of kente and the kynge of northumberlonde by one as¦sente sente wychardus to pope vitalianus for to be Archibisshop of caunterbury· But he and almooste al his company deyde in the grete pestylence that was soo stronge in alle Englond / And the pope ordeined one theodorus a monke gouernour of the chirches of englond Beda libro tercio capitulo visesimo primo ¶Also that yere fylle a grete pestylence in al Brytayne and byganne in the south contreyes. In that pestylence byfyll that / that is rad of Egbertus the monke that wexe seke that tyme / This man felt that he was seke and wente priuely oute of his bed at matyn ty¦me and was very contryte and sorowful in his herte and praid god besyly that he shold not deye at that tyme er he had ful clen∣sed him of his synnes that he had doo to fore honde. And he ma∣de his auowe that yf he might escape that pestilence / he wold deye

in pylgremage / And that aboue the ful seruice he wolde saye euery daye the sawter but yf sekenes of body letted hym· And that euery weeke he wolde faste one daye and the nyght therto / whan this was done he wente priuely to his bedde ageyne. But with somme maner rustlynge that he made in lyyng doune· his fe∣lawe awoke and spak to hym and sayde / Egbert what hast thou doone / I hoped that we tweyne sholde haue gone to gyder to reste But what thou hast prayd it is graunted to the / Thenne that fe¦lawe deyde. And thus Egbertus lengthed his owne lyf to the yere of his four score and ten· But he dyde more than his fyrste auowe. And fasted in the yere thryes fourty dayes continuelly to brede / and thynne mylk. Fourty dayes in the Aduente· Four¦ty dayes in the lente / and fourty dayes to fore wytsontyde. But al the creme and fatnes of that mylke that he hadde to his brede sholde be ouerblowe and take away ¶ Beda libro sexto capitulo visesimo quinto

¶ Capitulum 17

ABoute that tyme deyde Aydanus and Finanus bisshops of Northumberlonde / And Colmannus a Scot come after hem to be Bisshop thre yere / ¶ In his tyme come Agilbertus Bisshop of westsaxons in to the countreyes of Northumberlond And ordeyned wylfrydus that was tho Abbotte of Rypon and made hym preest atte prayers of kynge oswyns ¶ That tyme was a greete question made and meuyd of the Eesterdaye that was not that tyme holden lawfully of scottes & of brytons but it was suffryd at reuerēce of colūba of aidanus of fimanus and of other holy faders / Therfor was a counseyl made in thabbay of Hilda. there in that one syde cam colmannus the bisshop and hyl¦da thabbesse· and alleggyd for them that her predecessours were worthy men and holy & helde the Eester tyde from the fourtenth day of the mone vnto the xx day of the mone· And specially seint Iohn the euangelyst helde soo the cestirtyde in Asia / In that otherside ayenste hem cam Egylbertus Bisshoppe of westsaxons Iames that was somtyme Paulinus preest the Archibisshop of Yorke and wilfridus abbot of Rypon and Alfridus the kin¦ges sonne / And Wilfridus disputed for hem and aledged for hem that the maner and the vsage of al hooly chirche of Grekes

of ytaly of Rome Of gallia and of Fraunce / shold be sett to fore the maner customme and vsage of a corner of the world that kne¦we not the decrees of synodes as it is no wonder· namely while seynt Iohan the euangelyst in the begynnyng of holy chirche that was tho yong and tendre helde thordenaunce of moyses lawe in many thynges and folowed tho the Iewes as it is wreton of poule that he circumcided thymothe and offred oostes in the tem∣ple and share his heede with Aqnyla and priscilla at Corynthy And that was profytable to nothyng but for to put of the sklaū¦dre of the Iewes / And also seynt Iohan by the vsage of that la¦we byganne to holde the eester tyde the fourtenth day of the first moneth and rought not whether it fil on a saterday or in another day of the weke / And peter thappostle that was primate of holy chirche and hadde power to bynde and vnbynde. he abode the four tēth day of the mone whan the mone were at full as seynt iohn dyde and bygan to holde the eester tyde at eue the next sonday af∣ter the ful of the mone and the euenes of the day and the nyghte and helde that tyde to the one and twenty day of the mone / And yf the fourtenthday fyll on a sonday he helde not there the Eester day. For that sonday was of the rather yere and not of the newe yere that shold tho begynne / kynge oswy herde this and sayde. ••ith that ye telle that so many and grete pryueleges and power be graunted to seynt peter I dar not withsaye soo grete an vssher & porter / lest he close heuene yate ayenst me whan I sholde come to heuene / Whan this was sayde the multitude assented / But Ced Bisshop of the eeste was there presente and helde hym corrected from that tyme forward / But colmannus that was tho bisshop of northumberlond was tho wroth and wente thennes in to the coūtrey of scottes for to fynde the eester tyme withoute fayle ther ben rewles ynowe in the ordynal of the kalendre and it is nede∣ful to sette it here / But the errour that holy chirche suffreth in the kalender that we. vse is so encreced that the styntyng of the son¦ne and the euenes of the day and night and thentryng of the son¦ne in to signes ben passed backward by twelue dayes in our ka¦lender now aboute the yere of our lord a thousand / iij / C and twenty / And therfore but our kalender that we vse / be amended by withdrawing of the dayes that ben put in to lepe yere / to a cer¦tayne tyme or in somme other maner wyse. yf the tyme of grace dure to eyghten thousand yere· eesterday shall falle aboute the shor¦test day of al the yere by our kalender / And yf the sixthe age of

world dure two soo longe· the feeste of the byrthe of seynt Iohan baptist shal falle in the shortest daye of the yere. And the feeste of the byrthe of our lord in the lengest day of the yere ¶ The cause of this errour is declared in tholomeus book. in Almagestis tho¦lomei Treuisa ¶Here take heede that twyes in the yere falleth the styntyng of the sonne and soo doth the euenees of the daye & of the nyght that is callyd in latyn equinoxium. the stynting in winter of the sōne is whan the day is shortest & eke in somer whan the daye is lengest / the euennes of the daye and nyght is ones in lente and ageyne in haruest tyme / whan the daye and nyght ben lyche longe / And for we speke of the sonnes entringe in to signes ye shal vnderstande that euery moneth ones the sonne passed oute of one signe in to another / And for we speke of the moneth of the mone. the moneth of the mone is from chaunge to chaunge / or from pryme to pryme Also the fyrst moneth of the mone is heere callyd the tyme of the mone / whan it is ful whan the day and nyght ben lyche longe in marche or next after / For in suche a tyme the world was fyrst made ¶Willelmus de pontifi∣cibus libro tercio / thenne Colmannus bisshop of northumberlond was conuycte by wylfridus of mysholdynge of the esterday and was wroth and wente to the Scottes as it is afore sayde / And the same wilfridus was chosen Archebisshop of yorke by procu∣rynge of Alfridus that was the kynges sonne. And was sente in to Fraunce for to be sacred / For deus dedit tharchebisshop of Caunterbury was dede that sholde haue sacred hym here in En∣glonde That tyme kenwalcus kynge of westsaxons deled his prouynce in two bisshopryches ¶ Therfore egilbertus was wroth and wente ageyne in to fraūce there he was born and other thin¦ges as it is sayd in the same book· Capitulo 15. Paulus libro / 6 Aboute that tyme Constantyn themperour wolde delyuer ytalye of the hondes of the longobardes and cam to Tarent in ytalye & axed there of an holy man that was solytarie / whether he mighte ouercome the longobardes or noo / he answerde that / it myght not yet be doo. For by cause of an abbaye that is founded in Ytalye in worship of seynt Iohan baptist / seynt Iohan prayeth alweye for the longobardes / But the time shal come whan that Oratory shal be despysed and vnworthy persones shal dwelle therinne. And thenne the longobardes shal fyrst be perisshed-Themperour rought not therof & wente forth ayenst the longobardes but he spedde not. ¶ But le spoylled Rome not withstondynge

that vitalianus the pope prayd hym for to leue / And this Em∣perour dyde many grete tyrantryes in Scicilia / and had atte last his penaunce in a bathe / Wilfridus as it is sayd was chosen Ar¦chebisshop of york and was by yonde the see with agilbertus aby¦dynge his confirmacion / Thenne the counseyl of the quartadeci∣mannes that ben they that helde the eester daye in the fourtenthe daye of the mone kyng oswy toke Cedde Abbot of lestyngay and made him Archibisshop of yorke ayenst thordenaunce of holy la∣wes. Willelmus libro tercio capitulo visesimo septimo. and sente hym in to kent for to be sacred bisshop / But for thachebisshop de¦us dedit was ded cedda torned to wina bisshop of westsaxons for to be ordeyned of hym and toke with hym two bisshops of Bri∣tons in his company to be with hym at his sacrynge. Thenne wil¦fridus come oute of Fraunce and sawe cedda made bisshop in his stede. thenne wilfridus abode in kente thre yere vnto the comyng of theodorus and made ther ordres and halowed chirches and ma¦de one putta a connyng man of songe bisshop of Rouchestre ¶Also that yere Benet bisshop wente agayn to Rome and in his comyng homwarde he was shorne in thabbaye lirnence and was there two yere / ¶ And thennes he wente to Rome / the thyrdde tyme and come agayne in to Englond with theodorus the bisshop and Adrianus thabbott atte commaundement of Vi∣talianus the pope. Cissa the kyng. kynge Iues fader made an ab¦baye at Abendon / ¶ That yere seynt Leodegarins suffred deth in Fraunce vnder one Ebroinus the grettest man of the Kynges hows ¶Constāntinus themperour was slayne of his owen men in a bath in Scicilia ¶After Vitalianus the holy pope A deo da¦tus was pope four yere / In his tyme seynt Benettes body was translated with the bodye of his suster Scolastica· Augustus a monke of Floria translated hem in to thabbay of Floria / that is besyde Orleaunce fro the mount cassin that is in the prouynce bo¦neuent

¶ Capitulum 18.

THe fourth constantyn the forsayd Constantins sonne was Emperour seuenten yere. Grimiwaldus kynge of longo∣bardes the nynthe daye after his bledyng on the arme shotte at a douue and his veyne to brake· And leches leyd therto venemo{us}

thynges and soo he was dede ¶Beda libro quarto capitulo secun¦do That yere theodorus tharchebisshop come in to kente fyue da¦yes to fore Iuyn the second yere of his consecracion / and he was bisshop there one and twenty yere and four monethis. This man was a monke born in thars in Scicilia and was connynge both in hooly letture and in seculer letture· in grue and in latyn / whan he was six and sixty yere olde vitalianus the pope sente him bis∣shop in to Englond / and sente Adrian thabbot with him for to hel¦pe hym / For he sholde brynge nothyng that is ayenst the feyth in to hooly chirche of Englonde as the grekes dyde· Anone he was comen / he wente aboute in to alle the ylonde and taught the ordre of right byleue and of right lyuyng· and the lawful holdynge of the eesterday and taughte his disciples the craft of syngynge of calculyng of Astronomye bothe in latyn and in grue by help of Adrian and ordeyned bisshops in certayne places / And the bisshops that were not lawfully ordeyned he put hem away / or or¦deyned hem to be bisshops in other places / Among the whiche ced¦da that was not lawfully ordeyned bisshop of York. knowleched mekely his oune defaute. And theodorus put hym away fro the see of york and restored there wilfridus. and ordeyned cedda that was confermed atte last bisshop of mercia at prayer of king wul¦ferus and badde hym ryde on horsbak / Beda libro tercio capitulo visesimo sexto / That tyme doctours were ful besy to serue g••d and not the world. the herte and not the wombe / therfor the habi¦te of Relygyon was thenne in greete worship. soo that a monke or a clerk shold be gladly receyued And men that wente by the way prayd to haue his blyssynge And they wente for none other cause by weyes and stretes but for to preche and teche / for cris••e∣nyng and for sauacion of mannes soule And they wold ressey∣ue none possessions for to bylde abbayes but it were profered hem and they were dryuen to resseyue it by strengthe of lordes / Beda libro quarto capitulo quinto ¶Also that yere deyde Oswy kynge of northumberlond / his sonne Egfridus was kynge after him fiften yere / ¶ Item capitulo decimo octauo ¶This had Ethelfreda that had be Tonbertus wyf prince of the south girwy¦es whan Egfridus had had his wyf twelue yere and myght ha¦ue no leue of her for to dele with her for prayers / ne for yeftes. Thenne she hadde leue of the kyng and was made menchone one yere at Colud vnder Aebba kyng Egfridus aunte And after that she was made Abbesse of Ely. there she ete but ones a daye

& neuer vsed lynen clothes / After the nyghtis collacion she awo¦ke vnto the day / She deyde after that she had be abbesse seuen yere and lay hoole and founde xvj yere Beda libro quarto capitulo quinto / That yere was made a synode of bisshops vnder theodor{us} at Tetford In that synode was ordeyned a statute of the right holdyng of the eestertyde / the second that no bisshop sholde assoyle in another mannes bisshopryche The thyrde that bisshops sholde not distourbe abbayes ¶ The fourth that clerkes and monkes shold not chaunge benefyces withoute leue of her souerayns The fyfthe that in a prouynce the synode shold be gadred ones in a yere ¶ Egbertus kyng of kente deyde And his broder lothari∣us reg••ed after him enleuen yere ¶Marcus libro secundo Also that yere Agilbertus bisshop of westsaxons wente a waye wrothly for kenwalcus the kyng departed his bisshoprich a twey¦ne· And lentherius was made bisshop in his stede and confermed of theodorus. by the kynges wylle and he was bisshop seuen yere That yere was grete slaughter of fowles that faught to gyd••r ¶••enwalchus kyng of westsaxons deyde the / xxx yere of his kyngdō / R. His wyf sexburga regned after him one yere. But beda sayth that vnderkynges or smal kynges deled the kyng¦dom bytwene hem ten yere ¶Beda libro quarto capitulo sexto That yere seynt Chedda deyde at lychefelde / the thyrde yere of his bisshopryche. theodorus made wynfryde cheddes dekene bisshop in his stede and put hym donne not longe after for he was vnobedy¦dyent and made sexwulfus abbott of medampstede bisshop in his stede / ¶R Medampstede is now named peterburgh / and was somtyme in the kyngdom of girwies ¶ Wynfridus was putte doune the fourth yere of his consecracion and wente to barowe After deo datus pope bonus was pope a yere and six monethes / Beda vbi supra After the deth of wyna Erkenwolde the thir¦de bisshop of london made two abbaies one to him self in suthery in the ylond cereot that now is named chirchecye fiften myle out of london westward and another to his suster ethelberga / by eest london in the prouince of cessex / the abba••e hete now berkyng Ther she was abbesse in grete holynes. ¶To her seint Aldelme brought a book of maiden hede ¶Willelmus de pon libro secundo ¶It is supposed that by this holy maidens prayers it is that this place was neuer yet destroied / But that other abbaye of cherche seye was destroyed by the danes / And the kinge Edgar bilded it ageyne That yere oswinus bigan to regne ouer the westsaxōs

and regned thre yere and fought ayenst wulferus kynge of mer¦cia at wydanheaf Also that yere deyd wulferus kynge of mer¦cia and his broder etheldredus regned after hym thyrten yere For wulferus sone kynred{us} myght not regne. for he was so yong Wulferus wyf ermenylda / whan her husbonde was dede was ma¦de mynchon at ely / And her doughter werburga vnder etheldre¦da Marianus ¶ Her eme etheldredus made this werburga menchon in somme abbeyes of maydens at Trykyngham at we∣dunām at hamburgam. she deyde in the fyrst abbey. and was bu¦ryed in the thyrd as she had promysed while she was alyue· there she laye hoole and sounde aboute a thre honderd yere vnto the co∣myng of the danes R ¶Atte last whan the danes laye at Ry¦pyndon & had dryuen away the kyng of mercia / the Cyteseyns of hamburga drad and toke the bere that conteyned the body of that maide that was tho fyrst torned in to powder / & fled therwith in to legecestria that is chestre. as to the moost syker place ayenste pe¦ryll and meschyef of Alyens and of straunge enemyes ¶ In that cyte chestre were seculer chanons from kynge ethelstones ty∣me to the comynge of normans & ofte possessions were yeuen ther to / And thenne monkes of Relygyouse dwellyd there in worship of that mayde / Mar. li / 2 / Thenne kynge wulferus hadde thre bre∣theren as it is a fore sayd weda etheldredus / and merwaldus that was kyng of west mercia / his quene Ermenberga was Er¦menredus doughter kyng of kente· And she bare hym thre holy doughters. Mylburga / Myldreda / and mylguyda. and one sonne Meresyn a man of grete ••oolynes ¶ Quene Ermenberga was Ermenredus doughter ¶ Willelmus de pontificibus libro quar∣to ¶ Also wulferus had two holy susters kynedda and kyne swyda menchons and were bothe buryed at medehampstede that nowe is peterburgh ¶There seynt ethelwoldus bylded an Ab∣bay afterwarde / Kyneswyda conuerted so kynge offa / that after that she had forsake hym to husbonde· he wente to Rome with kin¦redus and Egwinus bisshop of the wiccyes and bycam a mon∣ke ¶Agatho was pope thre yere / In his second yere was made the sixth synode at Constantinople of two honderd bisshops and four score / In that synode it is seyd that in cryste ben two wyl∣les and two kyndes / Wylles and kyndes of Godheed and of manhede

¶ Capitulum 19

THeodorus kyng of Fraunce regned after his fader Clotari∣us eyghten yere. Beda li / 4 / ca· 18 / That yere Etheld••••dus kyng of mercia destroyed kent· And pucta bisshop of Rouchestre went fro Rouchestre to sexwulfus and receyued of him the chir¦che of herforde / there he toke more hede to melodye of hooly chirche than to amende his owne bisshopryche / Also that yere Benett the bisshop toke with hym colfridus the monke and went the fourth tyme to Rome and brought with hym Iohan the Archechaun∣ter ¶Beda li. 4 / ca / 18 ¶Also that yere was don a grete batayll bytwene Egfridus kynge of northumberlonde and etheldredus kynge of mercia by syde the Ryuer of Trente / And kyng Egfri¦dus broder was slayne that heete Elswinus / and was leef to both kyngdoms / For his deth was moche money gyuen atte instā∣ce of theodorus tharchebisshop and soo was made acorde In that fyghtynge one of Ethelfridus knyghtes was greuously woun¦ded. And etheldredus men toke him as he wold haue rysen / And as ofte as he was in boundes with his enemyes or with one Fri¦son that had boughte hym / his boundes brake as ofte as his bro∣der a preeste songe masse fore hym as for a dede man· And in the same houre· And that dured alwey· till his raunson were payd / and that he cam to his broder ageyne· ¶ Also that yere was seen a sterre that hete stella comata thre monethes in the heruest tyme That tyme kyng Egfridus at exytyng of his wyf putte wylfri∣dus oute of the bisshopryche of Northumberlond ¶ Treuisa. Stella cometa is a sterre with a lyght blasynge creest aboue· And euer it bytokeneth pestylence· deth and warre / or somme hard auentures / W. de re / li. 1 / Theodorus tharchebisshop halp to put wil fridus out of his bisshopryche / And for to folowe the kynges wil whan wylfrydus was put oute he ordeyned bosa bisshop at york in his stede. and eata at lyndeffar chirche / And tunbertus at Ha¦gustald chirche / And Trunwinus at Candida cassa that is the whyte hows in the londe of pictes ¶ Marianus libro secundo And putte eadhedus in the chirche of Rypon. Eadhedus was co∣men out of lyndeseye· For etheldredus kynge of Mercia hadde re¦couerd that prouynce ayenst Egfrydus Will ¶ Ther it myght be seen and sorowfully be meuyd that the wrecchedenes of mankynde / though it haue greete holynesse yet it put∣teth not atte ful maners of Reblenes ¶ For as fer∣forth as we can caste· Theodorus putte oute Wylfrydus

wrongfully· Beda libro quinto capitulo 19 ¶Thenne wilfrid{us} was so put oute and wente to Rome for his cause / but saylynge in the see he was wynde dryue in to Frisia / there he fyrste of alle conuerted many men· And wyllibrordus fulfylled it afterward Atte laste he come to Rome and cam to fore pope agatho & was herde and alowed / & there in a synode of an honderd bysshops and fyue and twenty he disputed ayenst the errour of hem that wol¦de teche that in cryst is but one wyll and one kynde. Willelm{us} de pon / and he folowed his owne cause sobrely that he greued not theodorus that was sente by the court of rome and put none gre¦uous accusations ayenst hym / but maintened his owne ryghtw••¦senes and suffrid it not bowe. he spake to the pope and sayd / why is it sire that theodericus while I am alyue hath ordeyned in my see thre bisshops by his owne auctoryte withoute myn assente / For he was sente by the court of Rome and I accuse hym not / But though wylfridus were alowed there / he had not in dede •• that made the kynges frowardnes and theodorus assente Beda libro quarto capitulo ·12 ¶ Therfor wylfridus torned hym to southsaxons and bylded an abbay in sylyseye and prechyd xō yere vnto Egfridus deth and conuerted the peple / Also for thre yere to fore his comynge was there noo reyn. the fyrste day of his crystnyng hit bygan to reyne / the erthe wexe grene and berbes be¦gan to sprynge / he gadred ele nettes and taught men of the coun¦trey to fysshe Oswinus kyng of westsaxons deyde and kentw••¦nus regned after hym nyne yere ¶That yere deide lentherius bis¦shop of that prouynce· and theodorus ordeyned hedda bisshop that was bisshop at wynchestre thyrtty yere. ¶Seynt A••doenus bis∣shop of Roan deyde this yere. and the childe beda was borne / Af∣ter agatho the second leo was pope thre yere / And the papacye cessed one yere Beda libro quarto capitulo visesimo / Seynt etheldreda abbesse of ely deyde Mari. li / 2. ¶ After her suster sex¦burga was abbesse that had be somtyme the wyf of ercombertus kynge of caunterbury. ¶ Beda vbi supra / That yere deyde hilda abbesse of whythy that had be seke six yere / fourten dayes to fore december the yere of her age six and sixty· she was kynge Edwy¦nus nece an holy woman wyse and redy and wel lettred Oute of her Abbaye come fyue Bisshops Bosa / Eata / Offor Iohan and wylfrydus ¶ In her abbaye was a broder that hete Cedmon / that was taughte by inspiracion of God to make songes and dytee in the countrey langage· that sholde meane

men to deuocion / In that manere of doyng noman myght be his pere / And he him self couth nothyng doo in other mater· but only in mater of deuocion. he cam therto in this maner· he wente on a tyme fro a feste ful soore ashamed for he was prayd to syng to the harpe and he couth not synge Thenne he was sory and fylle a slepe· and one cam to hym in his slepe and charged hym to syn∣ge / I can not quod he and therfor I flee· After this sayd that other / singe boldly of him that made al thynges. This man awo∣ke· and after that he made wonder poysyes· as it were of al the sto¦ryes of holy wrytte Henricus libro tercio ¶That yere theodo∣rus made a counseyll of bisshops and of other doctours at hatfeld For he wolde wete and knowe of what byleue alle men were / as Pope Agatho hadde boden him by his Archechaunter Iohan. that was presente in that synode. That tyme the prouince of mer¦cia that sexwulfus rewled allone was departed in fiue Bissho∣pryches / one at chestre and another at worcetre· the thyrd atte Ly∣chefeld / the fourth at Sedenia in lyndeseye / the fyfth at Dorches∣tre / But pucta lefte at berford there sexwulfus had putte hym somtyme ¶ Paulus libro septimo ¶ Cunebertus kynge of Longobardes stode vnder his chambre wyndow and counseylled with one of his secretaryes how he myghte slee his knyght Aldo ¶Thenne there was a greete flye and he fonded to haue slayn•• this flye and cutte of the flyes fote with a knyf

In the meane tyme Aldo not knowynge of the kynges entente· cam towarde the kynges court and mette with an haltman that went with a staf and sayd to Aldo in this maner / Beware the al¦do / For yf thou comest to the kynges courte / thou shalt be slayn by the kynges honde. Whanne Aldo herde that he fledde to seynt Romaynes chirche and the kynge axyd hym why he dyde soo / And he answerd and sayde by cause an haltman hadde warned hym of his deth / Anone the kynge vnderstode that he that halted soo was a wycked spyryte / and that he hadde cut of his foote in lykenes of a flye· and hadde soo wrayed his counseyll and pre∣vyte / And hadde alsoo exyted him to Aldoes deth / ¶ And so the Kynge resseyued Aldo to his grace ¶ After leo. the seconde Benet was pope fyue yere•• / Osricus vnderkyng of mercia buylded an Abbaye of Gloucetre and made his suster kyneburgh Abbesse there ¶ That yere kynge kentwi••us chaced the weste Brytons vnto the see / And Benett Bisshoppe bylded an abbaye of seynt poule at girnum on the brynke of the

Ryuer wyre and had to fore hond byld another abbaye of seynt peter in that other brynke of the same Ryuer / by helpe of kynge Egfridus and made colfridus abbot there / That yere Beda a chil¦de of seuen yere old was taken to benet bisshops loore / And the / v / tyme to Rome and bytoke beda to colfridus· Beda libro quarto ca¦pitulo. 12 / That yere was gadred a synode vnder kyng Egfridus byside the Ryuer alue in a place that hete twyford· there was the odorus / there tundbertus was put doune of his bisshopriche of ha¦gustald and cuthberd was made bisshop in his stede / but for he lo¦ued more the chirche of Lyndeffarn thyder he wente and· Ea••a was made bisshop at hagustald in his stede Beda· libro quar∣to capitulo visesimo tercio / This cutberd was fyrst made a monke in the abbaye of mailros and thenne preest / And atte last he ly∣ued an Ankers lyf in the ylond farn Also that yere kyng eg∣fridus destroyed wrechidly the men of scotland that were alweye moost frendes to englysshmen / And they prayd helpe of god and feyned hem for to flee and begyled egfridus· not withstondynge the prayers of his frendes for he wold not doo after them and they tolled and drough him in to strayte places bytwene hil¦les and montaynes and slough him there and a grete dele of his hooste· From that tyme forward the strengthe of the angles by∣gan to falle awey / And pictes Scottes and many of the Bry∣tons receyued her londes with fredome ageyne / Cedwalla a stron∣ge yonglyng of kynges kynde of the gewisses that ben westsax∣ons / he regned ouer the westsaxons after kentwinus deth W••••de Regibus / He was kenbrightus sonne / Kenbrightus was ced∣daes sone / Ceadda was cutas sone / Cuta was Craulinus broder C••aulinus was kynricus sonne / Kynricus was Cerdicus sonne / Anone he slough Athelwold kynge of southsex· and made his prouynce thral and destroyed kente· and toke the yle of wyght•• and yaf the fourth dele therof to seynt wylfridus for the loue of god In that partye of the yle were acounted thre honderd mey¦nees and housholdes ¶ That yere in northumberlond Egfri¦dus was slayn and his broder alfridus nothus bastard regned after him eyghten yere ¶ That yere Sarasyns come out of Egipte in to Affryca and toke cartage and destroyed it / And Constantin at Constantinople

¶ Capitulum 20

THe seconde Iustinianus after his fader Constantyn / was Emperour ten yere / After Benet the fyfth Iohan was po¦pe one yere After him Zeno was pope tow yere Beda li / 4 ca / 23 Lotharius kyng of Caunterbury deyde of a wounde that he had taken in the fyghtynge of the southsaxons ayenst ceadwalla ¶After hym Edricus Egbertus sonne regned one yere and an half ¶After him that kyngdome was longe vnstedfast vnder certayne kynges til wightred lawful sonne was comforted & regned in that kyngdō. Mul kyng ceadwal••••s broder & xij knigh¦tes were besieged & brēte in kente / therfor ceadwalla was wroth and destroyed kente eftsones / and wilfridus receyued the bis∣shoprych of hagustald atte prayer of kynge Alfridus / For seint Iohan of Beuerley went to york whan bosa was dede After Zeno Sergius was pope thyrten yere / he ordeyned that Agnus dei shold he thryes songe in the masse / And by shewyng of god he fonde a grete dele of the holy crosse in seynt peters sacrarye / Gir / d. p / ca / 17 ¶The fyrst pipinus that hete vetulus breuis also the sone of ansegisilus the sone of seint arnulph{us} was made the grettest of the kynges hows amonge Frensshmen & receyued the principate of the eest partye of Fraunce / and was prince seuen & twenty yere. he fought fyrst ayenst theodericus kyng of fraunce and chaced him vnto paris and wan the kyngdom and saued the kynges lyf and his name. Paulus libro septimo / That tyme in Fraunce kynges torned fro the wytte and strengthe that kinges were wonte to haue / And they that semed grettest in the kynges hows rewled the kyngdom / For god had ordeyned that the king¦dom shold torne to the bloode of hem That yere deyde seynt cuth¦bert in the ylond farn that he had loued alwey. but his body was born in to the ylond lyndeffarn· His bisshopryche ruled wylfrid{us} one ye•••• til he was put out by the kynge / That yere Ceadwalla kyng of Westsaxons whan he had nobly ruled his peple thre ye¦re. he forsoke thempyre and wente in pylgremage to Rome· There he was crystned of pope Sergius and named peter· yet while he was sette in whyte / he was with sekenes and deyde not fully thyrtty yere old thyrten dayes to fore maye and was buryed in seynt peters chirche· ¶ And was worthy to haue suche famous wrytinge on his tombe. ¶ Lordshippe Ryches Children / Plente of Ryches / and of welthe· Clothes of Ryche arraye. Prayers hows castellis and wallyd Townes

that his fader and he had wonne by strengthe. Cedwal / the migh¦ty man of Armes lefte and forsoke for loue of Almyghty god ¶ Gir de· p / capitulo 17 / Here take hede that this cadwaladrus the last kynge of Brytons is callyd Cedwalla in the storyes of Romayns & of longobardes and in bedas storye also. But corrup¦tly for they knewe not the langage of Brytons / therfor in sōme place in the last verse on his tombe it is wreton in this maner Kynge Cadwaldrus lefte for the loue of god / for it is sayd that he was crystned of Sergius / that is to vnderstande that he was confermed by enoynting of holy crysme / And thenne his propre name was chaunged as it happeth in confermacion of children And though he were of Brytons he was callyd kyng•• of west∣saxons For he was kynge of hem also / For they ioyned to the walsshmen. Walshe men saye that they shal haue kynges ageyne whan cadwaldr{us} bones ben brought from rome / but I holde that but a fable as I doo the storye of gaufridus in thende / After Cedwalla regned Iue of the lygnage of kynges the sonne of kynredus the sonne of Ceolwold / the sone of cutha. the sonne of cuthwyn the sonne of Ceaulinus and soo forthe. And Iue reg∣ned seuen and thyrtty yere / And thenne he wente to Rome in po∣pe gregoryes tyme / and so dyde many other that tyme Also that yere deyde benet bisshop / the xij daye of Ianiuer· Colfridus was abbot after hym in his eyther abbaye in the brynk of the Ryuer of wyre ¶Also theodorus tharchebisshop deyde the yere of his a∣ge four score and seuen and of his bisshopryche two and twenty After hym Abbot brightwold was Archebisshop vnto the tyme tharchebisshops were of rome / and sith that tyme tharchebisshops were of Englond / Seynt wilfridus was efte accused of kynge Alfrydus to fore many bisshops and put oute of his bisshopriche

¶Therfore he appeled to the courte of Rome / and defended soo his cause to fore the pope Iohan· that he hadde lettres of the pope to the kynges of Englonde of his restitucion

The redynge of the Synode that was tho reherced was grete hel¦pe to his cause / This wilfridus had be at that Synode in pope a∣gathoes tyme / the lettres were redde that were sente for hym to kyng Aluredus / but the kyng wold not yet receyue him therfor / he torned to the kynge of mercia and receyued of him the bissho¦prich of legecestria· that is chestre & helde it to Alfridus deth /

¶ Beda libro quinto Capitulo nono

¶ Aboute that tyme Egbertus the Monke. that we spake

of tofore hond that escaped the moreyn by prayers and auowes had sayled about brytayn & cast for to conuerte the men of germa¦nia. but dedes and warnynge of heuen letted hym. For the shippe that he had ordeyned for that iourney was to broke with a sodein tempest of weder / And tho one of his bretheren was warned by a vision and spak to egbertus and sayde. that he must whether he wold or no retorne to seynt columbaes abbaye ageyne / For their plowes yede not a right / therfor he sente wyllebrordus with / xij. felawes in to the countreyes of germania· And he torned moche folke to the feythe by helpe of the older pupinus duk of Frensshe men that had wonne the hyther fryselond / And atte last by aucto¦rite of the pope gregory he was made bisshop of vtrecht and ruled that bisshopryche wel and nobly wel a fourty yere ¶ Offorus deyde Bisshop of wiccies that had men of the bisshoprich of wir∣cestre and Egwinus was bisshop after hym that sone afterward bylded the abbaye of euesham by assente of Etheldredus / whan theodericus kynge of Fraunce was dede whome pupinus Vetu¦lus had myldly suffrid to regne with him / he made his sonne Clo¦doneus kyng / pupinus vetulus hete pupinus breuis also That yere the men of Caunterbury made pees with Iue kynge of the westsaxons and yaf thre thousand pound for the deth of mul ced¦walles broder. Iustinianus Cesar was priued of the ioye of his kyngdome for gylt and mysbyleue and wente exyled in to pontus Leo patricius refte him his nose and his tonge and exy∣led him in to Cersona

¶ Capitulum 21 /

THe seconde Leo was emperour thre yere. In his tyme Clo∣doneus kynge of Fraunce deyde. And pupinus made his broder childebertus kyng The men of northumberlond slowghe ostryda / etheldredus wyf that was kynge oswyes doughter Willelmus de pontificibus libro quarto ¶ That yere Cuthlacus the confessour forsoke armes & the boost and pompe of this world and wente to the abbaye of Rypendon / And there vnder the Ab¦besse Alfrida he toke tonsure and habyte of clerk / the xxiiij yere of his age Thenne the thyrdde yere after he wente in to the yle of Crowland / and there he bygan to lyue an Ankers lyf & dyde ma¦ny myracles & had power ouer vnclene spyrites / so grete as the

comyn tale that he made hem buylde many places· and he closed such a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a sethyng erthen pot. there as his hody now lyeth is buylded a•• ••••baye· that neuer was destroyed amonge alle the stryues and chaungynge of tymes. there resteth the confessour neotus that was somtyme the disciple of Erkenwald / Bisshop of london / & though noman may come to that place of Croulond but by ship or by boote / yet that is neuer well nygh without ••••s¦tes Beda That yere bifell in brytayn that myracle that ought to be remēbryd for thelthe of sowle· for one that hete brightwoldus was dede somwhat long tyme and aroos ageyne to lyue and tol¦de many thynges to many men / And departed his catell on thre· And yaue his wyf one dele and his children another / And kep¦te him self the thyrd and deled it to poure men / and ended his lif in thabbay of mailros. the iij tiberi{us} was emperour seuen y••re He aroos ageinst leo and assoylled his kyngdome and helde h••m in warde as longe as he regned. In his tyme Iustinianus that was exyled in Cersona made openly his booste that he shold reco∣uer the empire / therfor the peple was meuyd for loue of tiberius and fonded for to slee Iustinianus / therfor he fledde to the prin¦ce of turkes and spoused his suster and recoueryd themppre at¦te laste by helpe of him and of the bulgares / ¶ And slowe Leo and Tiberius that had assoylled thempire. And as ofte as he wyped of a drope of corrupcion of his nose that somtyme was cut so ofte he made sle somme one of his enemyes The fyfth general Synode was holden in aquilia in sergius tyme ¶ After Sergi∣us the thyrdde leo was pope two yere. he is not acompted in the ordre of bisshops by cause he was wrongfully putte in by patrici¦us Beda libro quinto capitulo 1•• Aboute th at tyme Arnul¦phus bisshop of galles come in to Britayne / he wente in to Ie∣rusalem for to visite the hooly places & yede aboute in al the londe of byheste and came to damaske to Constantinople to Alexan∣dria and to many ylondes of the see and sayled homeward in to his countrey ageyne and was cast by strengthe of tempest to the west clyues of Brytayne. There he fonde goddes seruaunt Ada∣minanus / Abbot of the ylond hij / and tolde him wondres of holy places· And he made anone a booke therof as he hadde herde the wondres and sente it to kynge Alfridus to rede R ¶It semeth that beda toke of that booke afterward suche / as he wrote of ho∣ly places ¶ After leo the sixth Iohan was pope thre yere / ¶That tyme etheldredus kynge of mercia forsoke this worldly

kyngdom & was shorn monke at bardeny / After him regned leu¦redus .v / yere the sone of his broder wylferus· the seuenth iohan was pope thre yere That tyme deyde hedda bisshop of wynches¦tre ¶After hym that bisshoprych was departed a tweyne. For Brythelynus tharchebisshop put danyel at wynchestre at seint al¦delme at shirborne ¶ Seynt Aldelme was to fore honde abbot of maltby that is malmesburye ¶Willelmus de pontificibus li∣bro quarto Also that yere deyde Sexwulfus bisshop of mercia After him hedda helde lychefeld and wylfrydus chestre· but af∣ter two yere Alfridus kyng of northumberlond deyde And wil¦fridus torned ageyne to the bisshopryche of hagustald and was bisshop afterward foure yere. And tho hedda helde both the bissho¦priches of lychefeld and of chestre

¶ Capitulum 22·

THe second iustinian{us} regned agein with his sone tiberi{us} vj yere / This was he that was priued of thempyre by leo / but for he recouerd thempyre this yere / therfor the storye maketh efte mynde of him / thenne Iustinianus was restored and helde the right feyth and worshiped Constantin the pope and destroyed cer¦sona the place of his exylynge and slough alle that dwellyd the rinne oute take children / And efte whan he wold slee the chil∣dren / men of that prouynce made hem a Capitayne one philipicus that was exyled and dwellyd there / And anone he wente to con¦stantinople and slough Iustinianus That yere deyde alfridus kyng at driffelde After hym his sone Osredus a childe of viij / yere regned enleuen yere / ¶ Ssinmus was pope twenty dayes After him the fyrst constantyn was pope seuen yere / he denounced philipicus an heretyk· for he had put ymages of holy sayntes out of chirches Beda libro quinto capitulo 19 ¶That yere kenre∣dus kynge of mercia lefte his kyngdome to colredus the sone of his cāme Etheldredus and wente to Rome with Offa· the kyn¦ges sonne of westsaxons and with egwinus bisshop of wiccies ¶ Treuisa / ¶The See of wyke was torned to worcetre and is there yet ¶ Thenne it foloweth in the storye / Colredus kynge of mercia translated fyrst the body of seynt wesburgh the mayde out of therthe atte abbay of hamburgh / that had leyn there nyne yere hoole and sounde / And dured soo hoole and sounde vnto the

comyng of the danes at Rypendon· aldelme. bysshop of shirburn deyde· hym buryed egwinus. this aldelm was kyng Iues broder sone kenten and was called aldelm as it were in an olde Elme¦or an olde helme and moost connyng in lettres of grue and of la¦tyn. he had and vsed instrumētes of musike pipes and strenges and other maner gleo· Fyrste he was a monke and thenne he was made preest & abbot of malmesbury / he toke vpon him this martirdome that whan he were temptyd in his flesshe. he wolde holde with hym a fayr maide in his bed as longe as he was saing the sauter fro the begynnyng to thende· Treuisa Saue reuerence of seynt aldelm / this semeth none holynes ner wysedom but pu∣re very foly bothe for him self and for perylle and drede of temp¦tacion of the woman as it may be preuyd both by Auctoryte & reason Thenne it foloweth in the storye / the seuenth day of the weke whan chapmen come he prechyd to hem besyly the worde of god Atte last his grete fame exyted sergius the holy man pope to sende after hym by lettres and by pystles / thēne he cam to ro¦me and hadde desired longe to see that cyte and had with him ves¦tementes for to synge alwey masse and songe masse to fore the pope in seynt Iohns chirch latran. There on a day after his mas¦se he had supposed to haue take his chesible to one of his seruaun¦tes behynd hym / But the seruauntes were not there and the che¦sible fyll on the sonne beme / and the sonne beeme bare hit long ty∣me where his other seruauntes faylleden / That chesible is yet in thabbay of malmesbury ¶ Also that tyme the holy pope was deffamed that he hadde goten a bastard childe whan the childe was nyne dayes olde he was brought to crystnyng to seynt aldel¦me and seynt aldelme coniured the childe of nyne dayes olde that he sholde telle yf sergius the pope had bygote hym / the childe an∣swerd and sayd that the pope was gyltles of that dede. Atte las¦te Aldelm with many pryueleges wente home ageyne to his ab∣beye and wrote noble bookes de virginitate / De termino Postali De veteris ac noui testamenti floribus· de caritate. de sensibilium rerum natura· De regulis pedum metricorum / de methaplasmo & de metrico dyalogo. he was abbot of malmesbury fourty yere / And was Bisshop foure yere ¶ And that tyme his bretheren made hem another abbot / but they buryed hym whan he was dede And Egwinus the bisshop cam to his buryeng as it is supposed by warnyng of god almyghty / ¶ Afterwarde hooly bisshopdunston worshipped gretely his place and highted

his shrine / & yaf therto organs and belles holy relykes and orna¦mentes / & by cause men shold not take hem awey vnskylfully he cursed therfor and wrote in this maner / Bisshop dunstan yeueth seynt Aldelm Organs· who that taketh hem awey lose he the kyn¦gdome of heuen ¶Also in a water st••ne it is wreton in this ma∣ner / Archebisshop dunstan heete Iute this stene. For it shold in the holy temple serue seynt Aldelm. Also in the belle of the fray∣tour it is wreton in this maner / In hie halle of heuen come he ne¦uer that stelyth this belle oute of seynt Aldelms seete ¶Aboute this yere deyd seynt wylfridus ¶In his tombe ben wreton suche verses ¶ Wylfridus holy by mynde / worthy by name / Greued with peryls here wel many long tyme. thre sithe fyften yere· Bis∣shop he was here a lyue / And passyd with ioye to the blys that is in heuene Beda libro quinto capitulo 19 ¶This child was of sharp wytte and wente in the fourtenthe yere of his age to thab∣bay of lyndeffare and lerned there many thynges of the loore of Relygyon / & knewe thenne that somme thynges were not right∣fully holden of the Scottes And wente to Rome for to lerne mo¦re parfyght loore / there he lerned the four gospels of Boneface tharchedeken and the compot of the eester and other nedefull thin¦ges to the vse of holy chirche / In his comyng ageyne he dwellyd with Alfinus bisshop of lugdunensis till he was slayne by the quene batild ¶Thenne wylfridus wente ageyne in to Brytay¦ne and resseyued londe of kyng of wyns for to make an Abbay at Rypoun· there he was made preest of Agilbertus ¶ After that whan the stryf was ended of the eester terme. he was chosen bisshop of yorke as it is sayd a fore honde / whan he was dede his preest Acta was bisshop after him at hagustal̄d chirche. Beda libro quinto capitulo secundo That yere deyde Adrianus Abbot of seynt peters and helper of theodorus tharchebisshop· his disci∣ple and successour was albynus / Of him it is wreton innermore

¶ Item capitulo duodecimo That tyme nactanus kynge of pictes sente messagers to col̄fridus abbot of Bedaes abbay / that is thabbaye gerwyk to be. enformed of the very hol̄dynge of the ester tyde & of the man of tonsure of hoolly chirche / emong other thingis he wrote to hym / that for to holde a right the eester terme Thre rules ben nedeful̄ to knowe / Tweyne of hem ben conteyned in moyses lawe and the thyrd in the gospell by thordenaunce of thappostlis / And soo he sente to hym the very true maner and reu¦lis to holde the eesterday like as we now hol̄de ¶ The second

Ius••inianus sent his hoost for to take Philipicus that he hadde lefte at pontus in cersona. but the hoost torned to philipicus syde and slough Iustinianus The second philipicus that hete darda¦nicus also was Emperour one yere and six monethes / he fled in to scicilia for the hoost of rome· And by cause he was an heretik he commaunded to scrape of al the payntynge of chirches Therfor the Romayns threwe awaye al maner money that his ymage was graue ynne / the second Anastasius was Emperour thre yere after that he had slayne philipicus ¶In his tyme Da¦gobertus was kynge of Fraunce after his fader Childebertus / & regned enleuen yere by suffraunce of pypinus vetalus / that yet ruled the kynges hows After Constantinus the second grego¦ry was pope sixten yere ¶ That yere seynt cuthlacus the Anker deyde in crowlond. And I••e kyng of westsaxons and colredus kyng of mercia foughten at wodenesburgh so sharply. and either of hem bare hym self so vngraciously. that it was not knowen / whether of them hadde worse spedde ¶ The thyrde theodosius was Emperour one yere and was goodly and benygne. and ouercome his predecessour Anastasius and made hym a preest But after one yere this theodosius was putt downe and made a clerk by his successour the thyrdde leo the stronge / ¶ In his ty∣me come many sarasyns and besyeged Constantinople thre yere. It semeth that Iohan damascenus was that tyme in his flow∣res and was brought in to Perce There were lettres wreton of his enemyes and throwen forth and founde and openly redde / In whiche lettres was conteyned his conspyracye ayenste the prince. Thenne his right honde was smyten of / for he sholde neuer ward wryte / but he prayd fast to our lady that he seruyd bysy¦ly and his honde was restored to hym ageyn ¶R It it is not to suppose that this Iohan is Iohan theremyte that is sette in the book of faders / soone after hillarion and warned theodosius the emperour of other vyctoryes ¶It is another Iohan that was in the thyrdde theodosius tyme in grece and afterward in Perce and made many noble bookes in bothe philosophye. ¶That Io∣han theremyte was long tyme to fore the grete gregory· And this Iohan damascenus was long tyme after the grete gregorye

¶That is knowen by that· that this Iohan damascenus in his bookes of diuynyte aledgeth the grete gregoryes noble and grete myracle of the drlyueraunce of Traianus· that may not be vnder¦stande of gregory nazauzenus· for he was aboute constantinople

and aboute pontus and vnnethe come euer at Rome / But myn¦de of that myracle of the delyueraunce of Traianus atte sepulcre of thappostles in the cyte of Rome by the grete Gregory pope is holden euery yere as holy chirche maketh mynde / In tretynge of dedes that helpeth hem that ben dede / Iohan damascene alledgeth that myracle

¶Capitulum 23

THe thyrdde leo with his sone Constantyn was Emperour fyue and twenty yere / In his fyrst yere deyde pipinus Ve¦tulus after that he hadde gouerned the kynges hows eyght and twenty yere / ¶After hym come charles that was bygoten on a Concubyne and heete tutides and marcellus also / And hadde suche names of sledges and hamers / with the whiche smythes beten and temperen grete gaddes of yron. tudes or malleus in la∣tyn is a sledge or an hamer in englysshe This Charles fought nobly ayenst sarasyns that come oute of Affrica and made hem flee in one batayll at peytow· and in another batayll at narbon and chaced hem in to spayne· in the whiche bataylls were slayne four hondred thousand & fyue & sixty thousand of sarasyns / Al¦so he fought ayenst the saxons and ayenst the bauar••es Also ayenst hendo a duc of guyen & ayenst Raufredus duc of angeo Also this charles for besynes of warres and bataylles that fill vpon hym bytoke the goodes of holy chirche to lewdmen. therfore Eucherius bisshop of Orleyans while he laye in his bedes sawe this charles in body and in soule. tormented in helle / The Angel that shewyd that syght to the bisshop sayde that it was bycause he toke the goodes of holy chirch and of poure men / Thenne by war¦nynge of the bisshop the abbot of seynt denys and pipinus preest wente to charles graue and torned the stone / and sawe a greete dragon flee oute of the graue / but ther was no body y founde ¶ Paulus libro septimo That yere at Rome the Ryuer Tiber wex•• so grete and soo huge that the watres that fylle mette and ioyned to geders fro port seynt peter to port Iuilinum / and dured so seuen dayes til the Cyteseyns made a letany / That yere deyde kynge etheldredus after that he hadde be kynge of mercia thyr∣ty yere and monk e of bardony thyrten yere / And he was bury∣ed at lycheselde After him his cosyn ethelbaldus regned that

was pendaes neuewe sone in his broder side / And soo he was the sone of the sone of alwy pendaes broder· And ethelbaldus reg∣ned fourty yere as cuthlacus the confessour hadde sayd This ethelbaldus in the eyghtenthe yere of his kyngdome bysie∣gid Somerton and wanne it and spoylled northumberlond & ouercome the walsshmen / but in the xxxvij yere of his kyngdom he was ouercome of cuthredus kyng of westsaxons / The laste yere of his kyngdome his owne men slowe hym at Secandon Also that yere Colfrydus abbot of girwey deyde at hugon in pil¦gremage Willelmus de pon libro quarto That yere deyd seint Egwinus the thyrdde bisshop of wyccies / ¶ That Bisshopryche is nowe callyd wyrcetre. In a tyme Egwinus bythought hym of the synnes of his yongthe. and gyuyd him self / and threwe the keyes of the gyues in to the Ryuer Auene· And wente gy∣ued openly to Rome· And sayd he shol be syker of the foryeuenes of his synnes / Whan his gyues were vnshyt and vnloken by the vertue of god or ellys by the same keyes· And he wente soo gy∣ued to Rome· And it is sayd that the belles of the cyte bygon∣ne to rynge by hem self in his comynge / he come ageyne with pri¦uelege for his chirche / whyle he saylede in the see of Brytayne a grete fysshe leepe in to his shippe. And in the gutte of that fysshe was founden the keye that vnlokked the gyues Beda libro 5. capitulo sexto Seynt Iohan bisshop of york deyde at deyrwode that is beuerle the yere of his bisshopryche thre and thyrtty / and was buryed in the porche of the minstre. In his fyrst yeres & spe¦cially in lente he dwellyd in seynt mychels chappel at hastugald chirche not f••r fro the tyne in the northe hylle of the same place that hete hernyshowe in Englyssh / But in englysshe that is now vsed hit hete Ernes hille / And he deyde atte last atte Beuerley that is four and twenty myle oute of yorke estward. And that place is called beuerley / and also brokkesly. For many brockes were wonte somtyme to come thyder oute of the hilles that ben the¦re nygh / There seynt Iohan builde a chirche of seint nicholas and another of seint Iohan baptist in the hille for refresshing and fe¦ding of bretheren / The fredome and the priueleges of that place is encreced to grete prouffit and worship / so that ther is receyued no bataille and stryf bitwene tweyne / but who that is accused shal purge him self with his owne honde I••em Beda vbi supra After this Iohan his preest wilfridus was bisshop thirtty yere

R¶ This hete the yonger wilfridus and ouerpassed bedaes

tyme, For ther were thre famous wilfrydes. the fyrste was the more wylfrydns that went thryes to Rome of him we haue spo¦ken to fore honde / that other was the yōger wylfrydus that was bisshop of yorke / after seynt Iohan of beuer••ey· the thyrdde was bisshop of wyccyes after Egwin••e. ¶Willelmus de pontificib{us} libro secundo Kyng Iue bylded on abbaye at glastenbury as Aldelm had counseylled hym somtyme ¶ That abbay endured nobly vnto the tyme of the danes / but afterward by help of dun¦stan vnder kynge edmond and kynge edgar / that abbay was no¦bly amended and arayd to the comynge of normans / But after that tyme I note by what mysshappes / it is alweye sette with wycked trauaylles· ¶Also the abbottes of that place for greete Rychesses ben proude & bycome tyrauntes and swellen in pryde outward and be not wroth / & ben cruel in ward and not prouffy¦table And that was specially knowen in abbot thurstinus tyme ¶R Thider were translated the boones of seynt hilda thabbes¦se / of colfrydus thabbott of gyrwye / & somme bones of Bisshop aydan the which bones king Edmond brought with hym whan he was in the iourney ayenst the Scottes ¶There resteth the se∣cond patriark of Irlond abbot and confessour / The mar••iloge that is redde on seynt bartilmeus day sayth that he wold conuerte the yrysshe men and myghte not / ther fore he forsoke yrlonde and cam to glastyngbury and deyd there on seynt Bartilmeus daye

¶ Capitulum 24.

LEo themperour lefte thenemyes of thempyre and warryd ayeynste fygnres and ymages of sayntes / Pope gregorye & Germanus of Constantinople withstode him manly as the olde vse and customme wolde that is alowed and approued by holy chirche and sayde that it is worthy and medefull to doo hem the affection of worship / For we worshipe in hem but god / And oft by the fyght of suche ymages men worshipe god and holy saintes God a••one shal be principally worshiped and after hym Creatu∣res shal be worshiped in worship of him Beda libro quinto ca∣pitulo visesimo quarto ¶ That yere deyde wyhtredus kyng of Caunterbury and Thobias bisshop of Rouchestre that couth la∣••yn and grue as wel as his owne langag•• / Paulus libro 7 /

That yere sarasyns come vnto Constantinople / and besyeged it thre yere and toke thens moche good catell / Wyght brandus kyn¦ge of longobardes herd therof and raunsonned the Relyques of seynt austyn the doctour / the whiche relyques were somtyme trā¦slated to sardina for fere of straunge enemyes / And he made hem to be borne to the cyte of gene / and thens to papye / that hete somtyme titinum / ¶ Willelmus de Regibus libro primo Kynge Iue bytoke his kyngdome of westsaxons to his Cosyn ethelardus / and wente to rome / hit is sayd that he was the fyrst of kynges that graunted to seynt peter of euery hows of his kyn¦gedome a peny / that long tyme of englysshemen was callyd Ro∣me skott / but in latyn it is called petres peny / The kynges wyf ethelburga yaue him occasiō to take that pylgremage / & that in this man / she had ofte coūceyled her husbond to forsake the ryches of this world / & specially in the last yeres of his lyf / but she sped not / therfor atte laste she fonded to ouercome hym with gyle / And in a tyme whanne they had leye to gyder in the Ryal cyte / and departed thens / thenne after thre dayes the gouernour of the cyte defowled the palays with al the fylthe that he myght fynde with dunge and fylth of beestes and of mukhilles / And where the kynge had leyn and slepte / he leyde a sowe with her pigges that late had farwed / Alle this he dyde by assente and commaū¦dement of the quene / thenne the quene prayd her husbond with flaterynge and desyred him to come to that place / there he had be The kynge graunted and cam thyder / and sawe that place that somtyme was lyke to Sardanapalus plesure and lust / thenne so disarayd and defowled / whanne she sawe this occasion / she spak to the kynge and sayde / I pray you my lord / where ben nowe the curteyns / and alle the ryche arraye of halles and chambres / Where is nowe the plesaunt seruyse of them that were wonte to flatre you / where is the lykynge and plesaunt seruyse of glo∣tonye and lecherye / Be they not al passyd ¶ Soo my Lorde shal oure flesshe passe and falle aweye / that is now norysshed in golde and in ryche araye / here with her husbond was ouerco∣me / and after his noble bataylles and vyctoryes / and grete pra¦yes that he had taken / he bytoke his kyngdome to his neuewe / and wente to Rome / He cam not openly thedyr in syghte as a kynge / but he share his heed / and clothed hym as a poure man / and wexe olde amonge beggars / ¶ But the que∣ne Ethelburga wente to the Abbay of berkynge there her suster

had be abbesse / And she was afterward made abbesse of the same maydens and made a blessyd ende / and passed to reste

Beda li / 5 / ca / 29 / Osricus kynge of northumberlond deyde after the nynth yere of his kingdome / After hym Colwulfus regned nyne yere / To hym beda wrote the storye callyd historia Anglyca∣na / Beda vbi supra / That yere were seen two grisely sterres with blasyng crestes aboute the sonne / that dured two wekes / That one of hem passed erly to fore the sonne / and the other cam after the sonne at eue / And these sterres blased and caste as it were brenning brondes toward the northside and boded grete deth and manslaughter / For thenne cam a greuous meschyef of Sa∣rafyns / and bete doune gallia that is fraunce / Beda li / 5 / ca / 25 / That yere deyde bryghtwoldus archebisshop of doroberma / that is caunterbury / ¶ After him Tadwynus was archebisshoy and was sacred of the bisshops of london / of wynchestre / and of Rou∣chestre / That yere the south prouynces vnto the marche of the Ry¦uer of humbre were subget to ethelbaldus kynge of mercia / The pyctes and the Scottes hadden pees with the Angles / Somme brytons were at her owne lawe / and somme seruyd the Angles After the seconde gregory / the thyrdde gregory was pope enleuen yere / he confermed the worshipyng of holy ymages in a counceyl that was made at Rome of a thousand bisshops / And cursed dre¦defully alle them that done ayenste that statute of worshipyng of holy ymages / Also that yere one petronax bryxianus wente to the hylle mount cassyn and restored the place couenably of go∣des of catel and of monkes by comfort and commaundement of pope gregory / Tadwinus tharchebisshop of caunterbury deyde / And nothelinus bisshop of london was archebisshop after hym / Also that yere deyde Alwynus wor bisshop of lychefeld / And wytta was bisshop of lychefeld whan he was dede / & Totta was Bisshop of legecestria / that is chestre / And eata dured yet a dor∣chestre / ¶ R ¶ That yere deyde that worthy man Beda the preest / Willelmus de Regibus libro 5 / The seuenth yere of his age he was bytake to nourysshynge and to loore to benet bisshop of girwye / ¶ And after his deth to Colfrydus abbot of the same place / In his nyntenth yere he was made deken of Iohan Bis∣shop of yorke / and preest in his thyrtty yere / that yere he bygan to wryte / and so he spente al his lyf tyme in the same abbay / and made hym besy to studye and expowne holy wrytte / & among the besynes that he had euery day in the seruyse of Relygyon and in

syngynge in chirche / he hadde grete swetenes and lykynge to ler∣ne / to teche and to wryte / he wrote / lxxviij / bookes / he acompteth the bookes in historia Anglicana / Here lacketh and fayleth con∣nynge and speche to wondre atte ful / that a man that was soo without vse of scole made so many noble volumes in so sobre wor¦des in soo lytel space of his lyf tyme / Of al this I conclude that he come neuer at Rome / though̄ som men wold wene that he went to Rome to be ther presente and to shewe that his bookes were acordyng to the loore of hooly chirche / And yf that they we¦re not acordyng / for to amende hem atte popes commaūdement But that he wente blynde aboute for to preche / that he was ladde by fraude of his man for to preche to stones / that answerd & said Amen / that he wente thryes to Rome / that he fonde thre / R. and thre / F / wryten and expowned what is sygnefyed / I fynde not these thynges wreton in bookes of Auctoryte / Somme men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that suche a wrytynge was founden / R / R / R / F / F / F / And such an exposicion / Regna ruent Rome / Ferro / Flamma / fame que / that is to say / Kyngdoms of Rome shal falle by Iron / fyre and honger / ¶ Willelmus de Regibus libro primo But by Pope Sergius pystle that was sent to abbot colfrydus it is kno¦wen that beda was sente after and prayd for to come to Rome / for tassoylle questions that there were meuyd / Here take heede / how worthy the court of Rome helde hym / that soo noble a court had nede to haue hym for to declare & assoylle the questions that there were meuyd / And also how worthy we shal holde hym by the maner of his lyuynge and of his techynge / he myghte not be vycious that spent soo his wytte and thoughte in expownynge of hooly wrytte / But his clennesse was seen moche at his laste ende / For seuen wekes continuelly his stomak had Indignacion of mete and of drynke / Soo that vnnethe he myght reteyne ony mete / and was strayt and short brethed / But for al that he spa∣red not the trauaylle of letture and of bookes / But euery daye amonge the de••ty trauaylle of seruyse and of psalmes / he taught his disciples in lessons and in questions / And he tourned seint Iohans Gospell in to Englysshe / and sayde / Lerne ye my smal Childeren while I am a lyue and with you / I wote not how longe I shal with yow abyde / And euer amonge he sayd that sawe of Ambrose / I haue not so lyued amonge you / that me sha¦meth to lyue / nether me dredeth to deye / For we haue a good lorde / ¶ By nyghte whanne he hadde noman to ••eche / he

trauaylled besyly in bedes byddynge and thankyng god of al / The tuesday to fore thascencion his deth neyhed / & his feet bygon¦ne to swelle. he was houseled and enoynted and kyssed his bre∣theren and prayd hem alle to haue of him mynde / And he yaue to many of his seruauntes thynges that he had kepte in pryuyte In the ascencion daye the clothe of heer was spred and he leyd him doune and prayd the grace of holy goost and sayd / O king of blysse· lord of vertues that hast the prys and art this day / sty¦ed vp aboue al heuenes / leue thou vs not faderles· but send thou in to vs that byheest of the fader / the Goost of sothnes / whanne that was ended he yelded vp the last breth with a wel grete sue¦tenes of smel-and thenne he was buryed there / But the comyn fame tellith that he is now at durham with seynt Cuthbert / and with him was buryed wel nygh all the knowleche vnto the con∣quest of dedes of englond and neygh alle the connyng of lettres For after that tyme after lewde came more lewd. As the shame¦ly verses that were wreton on his tombe bere grete wytnes of vn¦connyng / tho versus be vnworthy to be wryten on so worthy a mā¦nes tombe / these ben the verses / Beda the preest resteth here y buri¦ed in the flesshe· Cryste graunte his soule to be glad in heuen for¦euer / Graunte him to drynke the welle of wysedome that he hath now. Desired besily alwey right with loue grete ¶ Aboute that tyme ricoldus duc of Frysons was tourned by the prechyng of of seynt wulfranus the bisshop and wold be crystned. And put his one foote in the fontestone and withdrew that other / and ax¦yd of hem that stode aboute whether ther were moo of his prede∣cessours in paradys or in helle / and was answerd moo in helle he herde that and drough his fote oute of the water and sayde It is esyer that I folowe the moo than the lesse / and so he was begyled of the fende· and deyde the thyrdde day after

¶Willelmus de pontificibus libro quarto

Aboute that tyme deyde seynt Frydeswyde / the mayde borne at Ox••nford the doughter of duc dydamus / kynge algarus a leche¦rous man folowed her to the Cyte of Oxenford / And whanne the mayde was entryd in to the cyte the yates closeden and shytt by hem self / And the kynge werde blynde that poursued her But by the prayer of the mayde the kyng had his syght ageyne Syth that tyme after kynges of Englond drede for to come with ynne that Cyte for drede of myshappes that myght hem by∣falle ¶ Colwulfus kynge of northumberlond after eyghte

yere of his kyngdome lefte his kyngdome to his cosyn Egbertus the sone of his faders broder / and becam •• monke at bedas abba∣ye / And egbertus regned nynten yere· ¶ R But Willelmus de regibus sayth that he was shore at lyndeffa•• churche / and atte last buryed besyde seynt cuthbert / nothelinus archebiss••••p of caun¦terbury / deyde / And cuthbert bisshop of herford was Archebisshop after hym

¶ Capitulum 25

THe fyfth constantinus after his fader leo was Emperour thre and thyrtty yere / This as his fader vsed toke ymages oute of chirche in euery place and sette hem a fyre / Etheldredus kynge of westsaxons deyde the fourtenth yere of his kyngdome / His cosyn cuthbert was kynge after hym· and werryd oftymes ayenst ethelwaldus kynge of mercia. and regned sixten yere. His cosyn Sygebertus regned after hym two yere / he was prou∣de of the happes of his predecessour and gouerned his subgettis hard and euyl· And torned the lawes at his owne wylle And slough the noble Erle cumbranus euyl and wyckedly / for he had spoke to hym of his euyl berynge and dedes But atte laste for he wold not be amended. he was put oute of his kyngdome. thenne he wente in to a wode· and hidde him self / And a swyneherd of therles that was slayn fonde hym & slough hym. ¶Aboute that tyme deyde Charles marcellus / After hym his two sonnes the second pipinus and charlemayne come to the pryncipate of the kynges hows / ¶ But charlemayne after the fourth yere of his pryncipate lefte of the pryncipate by counceyl of his broder· and toke the wey to Rome· and was shore a monk in pope Zacharyas tyme. And made an Abbeye in the hylle Mount Sarapte / and lyued there somdele long tyme / But atte laste by cause frensshmen come thyderto ofte to hym as to theyr lorde as they dyde somtyme· he wente thennes to mount Cassyn / And they prayd hym thāt he wold sende lettres to the kynge of Fraunce for to restore ageyne seynt benets body to mount Cassyn The pope dyde as he was prayd / And the kynge of Fraunce bad the monkes of floriacio to delyuer seynt Benettes body Thenne the monkes bygan to wepe and to faste / and prayd god besyly that the body must abyde with hem / god herd their prayers

and smote the messagers that were sente / and made hem starke blynde. And soo they fayled of theyr purpoys and wente in to y∣taly ageyne. thenne the second pipinus prefecte of the palays go¦uerned the kyngis hows of Fraunce / Vnder hildericus the sone of theodericus· for he was an vnprofytable man and to esy and resseyued nothyng of the kyngdome / but the name of the kynge∣dome and his liuelode / Pipinus axyd of the pope Zacharyas / yf he shold be kyng that helde him apaid only with the name of king and yaue him to slouthe and dyde none other good / The pope wro¦te ageyn and sayde that he shold haue the name and be kyng that rewleth wel the comynte / the frensshemen were gladde of this an∣swer. and closed hildericus in an abbay and made pipinus kynge And after the eyghtenth yere he was made Emperour by decre of Zacharyas the pope / thenne he compellyd astulphus kynge of yta¦ly that inpugned the right of Rome for to restore that he had ta∣ke and made hym delyuere and yeue plegges / After Gregory Za¦charias was pope twelue yere / this wente on a tyme toward ra∣uenna right in the myddel of Iuyn and was couerd al a daye with a clowde that god had sente / for he shold not be brente with the grete hete of the sonne· And al nyghte that cloude abode beside his tente and aroos ageyne a morowe· Also fyry ostes wente to fore that holy man in the cloudes / The ordre of the Eester was distourbled / Theyonger wylfrydus bisshop of york deyde / and after hym Egbertus kynge egbertus broder was bisshop xxxvj yere Willelmus de regibus libro primo / And de pontificibus li∣bro quarto ¶ By his wytte and sleyghte and his broder the kynges money / he reparayled the see / and amended hit in two sta¦tes / for he was a man of grete herte and of grete wytte / and toke strongly hede that as it is grete pryde to coueyte and desire ought that is not rightful. soo is it grete lewdnes and wrechedines to forgendre what is detty and ryghtful. therfore tharchibisshops pal that the fyrst paulinus that was put out by strengthe of ene¦myes hadde lefte at Rouchestre· and many of his predecessours hadde forgendryd it there. he gate it ageyne by grete Instaunce & money that he made atte court of Rome / ¶ Also he ordeyned at york a noble lyberarye / ¶ The noble doctour of Englissh¦men Alcuinns that was sente to kynge Charles for peas of En∣glysshmen / in his pystle that he sente to holy chirche in to Englond of that lybrarye maketh noble mynde· ¶ Also he wryteth to kynge Charles in this manere. Yeue me bookes

of loore suche as I had in my countrey of englonde by the wytte of my mayster egbertus· & I shal sende to you somme of our chil¦dren that shal take therof what is nedefull. And brynge in to Fraunce the floures of brytayne / For alone an orchard y closed shal be at york / And at turoyn the spryngynge of paradys / That yere deyde seynt danyel bisshop of wynchestre / After hym cam humfrious· After zacharyas steuen was pope fyue yere / This enoynted pipinus two sonnes and made hem emperours Charle∣man and the grete charles / Syth that tyme thempire of Rome passyd fro the grekes to frensshmen and thenne to germans Kenulphus of cerdicus kynde in the fyfth degree pendas neuew goten of kenwalcus was a grete man / his vertues passyd his fa¦me / By helpe of the westsaxons he put Sygebertus oute of that kyngdome for the gretenes of his euil dedes / and regned in his stede thyrtty yere / but he graūted hym the prouynce of hampton til he had slayne duc cumbranus / thenne he was putte awaye & hid in a wode and was slayne of the dukes swynherd· Ethelwoldus kynge of Mercia was slayne at Sygeswold of beoruredes the tyraunt & was buryed at rypindon / but not long afterwarde offa ethelwaldus neuewe slough beoruredus & reg∣ned in his stede xxxix yere in mercia / this ouercome in a batayll the northumbres the westsaxons / and kentysshmen / Soo that ••e tourned tharchebisshops see oute of Caunterbury in to lychefeld in the prouince of mercia. Also he translated seynt Albons bones to the more abbaye that he had bylded / he yaf to the pope Peters v••ca••y a rent by yere of euery hous of his kyngdom. he made al so a grete dyche that is euer seen to departe bytwene wales & the kyngdome of mercia / the whiche dyche is yet named offedyche Thou shalt fynde more herof in the fyrst book capitulo de platris regalibus ¶ w / de r li / 1. This offa fonded to gete frend ship •• of kynges / and maryed his doughter ethelburga to bryghtrycus kynge of westsaxons. he sente alcuinus doctour of Englysshmen to Charles kynge of Fraunce for to procoure pees· For ther was soo grete discorde and stryf bytwene the kyngdoms / that passage of marchauntes was forbode on eyther syde.

Organs come fyrst in to Fraunce sente fro Constantyn the Em∣perour kyng of gre••e to pipinus kyng of Fraunce

Egbertus· kynge of northumberlond was shorn monke / and his sone ofwulphus regned after hym and was slayn in thende of his fyrst yere of the northumbres / ¶ After hym mol•• that was

called ethelwold also regned seuen yer Mar / ¶ After stephen paul was pope ten yere a mylde man in alle thynges. In his ty¦me gengulphus was in his floures in Burgoyn. In a tyme he bought a welle in Fraunce and prayd god and had it graunted that thylke welle myght sprynge oute in burgoyn / This man lefte his wyf for she had broken spouseed and was slayne of the clerk that had lay by his wyf. whan he was dede god shewde ma¦ny myracles for him. but his wyf spake euyl of the myracles & sayde whā gengulph{us} myn husbond doth myracles myn arse shal synge / & so it was do. For as ofte / as she spak afterward her ar•• wold synge w••th a fowle noyse / Mull kynge of northumberlond lefte the kyngdome. And Aluredus regned after hym nyne yere This Aluredus had two sones / ofredus that was the thyrd that regned after hym in his stede / and seynt Alcum••dus that was slayn afterward whan he halp the men of mercia ayenst the west sax••us ¶ Paul the pope deyde and Constantyn a lewd man was made pope by maystrye and by strengthe and was pope one yere and dyde sklaunder to al holy chirche / But by chierte of cri¦sten men he was put of the chirche and his eyen were put oute That yere deyde pipinus kyng of Fraunce in an euyll that was bytwene fell and flessh after that he had regned eyght and twen¦ty yere

¶ Capitulum 26

THan pipinus was dede the frensshemen departed the king∣dome bytwene his two sonnes charles and charleman. but charleman deyde after two yere and thenne charles hadde al the kyngdome and gouerned it nobly after that tyme six and fourty yere ¶ Thenne charlemans wyf and children fledde to desiderius kynge of longobardes and prayd him of helpe and socoure with out ony nede for noman compelled hem therto But charles first ouercome duc hunald and wangyen and made it subget / and at te prayer of pope adryan he bysieged desiderius kynge of ytaly in the cyte of papye / for he was rebell ayenst the chirche of Rome / as his broder astulphus had ben / Charles toke hym in the Cyte of papye & exyled hym & made his owne sone pipinus kyng of ytaly in his stede / In that batayl deyde amicus and amelius cry¦stes knightes· and his herty frendes· Of hem ben red wonderfull

dedes Atte laste charles chastysed the saxons and the sclaues and toke many of hem and sent hem in to dyuerse places of fraū¦ce / So that the saxons forsoke theyr mawmetrye and were made one peple Saxons and Frensshmen· There after Charles wen¦te in to spayn and wanne the dales londes and countreyes about the hilles montes pireni· But he was assoylled in the wey with busshementis of Gascoyns. soo that they slough the vtterde••le of his hoost. there olyuer chyef sewer of the kynges bord· & rouland Erle of the palays were slayne and many other peres of Fraū∣ce· De libro turpini In a day whanne trewes were graun¦ted on eyther side / Aigolandus a stronge prynce of spayne cam to charles for to be crystned / And sawe alle that were at b••rde ri¦ally clothed and delyciously fedde· And sawe a fer thyrten 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men sytte on the grounde and haue broken mete and simple with oute ony borde. And he axyd what they were. & it was answerd hym that these thyrten ben goddes messagers and praye for vs & brynge to mynde the nombre of crystes disciples / As I see said Aigolandus your lawe is nought rightful that suffreth goddes messagers be thus euyl seruyd· He seruith euil his lord that soo resseyued his seruauntes / And soo he was lewdly offended and despysed crystendom and wente home ageyne / But charles wor¦shiped afterward poure men the more Treuisa Aigolandus was a lewd gost and lewdely meuid as the deuyl hym taught and blynded hym that he couth not knowe that men shold be ser¦uyd as her state axyd / ¶ Gir de p. ca. 17 Here after charles wanne gallia narbonensis and made subget capnanes. and be••neuentanes the danes and the sueues that were confedered to hem / And he dyde that al at one iourney / kynges of brytons of angles of perte & of scottes of grece worshipeden hym with yeftes And as Turpyn tharchebisshop telleth Charles was fayr and welfaryng of body and sterne of face· His body was eyght fote on lengthe / his face a span and an half· and his berde was a fo¦te longe· he cleef a two with his swerde a knyghte armed at one stroke / he wolde esyly with his hondes folde and bende four horse shone at ones· he wolde heue a stondyng knyght armed from the grounde with his one honde / he wolde ete an hare alle hoole or tweyne hennes / or a goos at one mele / and he wolde drynke a li¦tell wyn watred / he was soo scarse of drynke that seelde he wolde drynke but thries at his soper ¶This Charles was gracious & mylde to poure men & to chirches / Ouer the Ryn at magounce

he made a brydge of fyue honderd paas· as frensshmen don / as so ne as he myght for youthe he taught his sones to ryde and hun¦te. to doo dedes of armes and to lerne scyences of scole / he ordey∣ned his doughters to werche▪ wolle werke with spyudle & with dystaf and ordeyned hem to vse suche werkes for they shold not wexe slowe by ydlenes / he helde hym not a payd with his countrey speche / he couthe better vnderstāde the langage of g••ue than speke it / in loore of gramer peter of pyse was his mayster / & in other sci¦ences of clergie alcuinus albin{us} an englysshman was his mays¦ter / Charles fonded to wryte lettres / therfor he bare a payr table•• for to wryte ynne. but it profyteth right lytell / for that trauaylle was bygonne to late· he wolde be at chirche erly and late and at houres that were sayd by nyght / he ordeygned and assigned grete almes to poure men that were in f••r londes in egypt and in Affrica. he hadde alweye a reda•• at mete. and had grete delyte in seynt Austyns bookes and specially in his bookes de ciuitate dei. ¶In somer tyme after mete in the vndertyde he wolde take som∣what of apples and drynke ones therto / and doo of his clothes and goo to bedde as it were by nyght and slepe two houres· By nyght he wolde four sythes or fyue awake & aryse and lye doun and slepe / thryes he cam to Rome and alyght of his ho••s a myle a this half the cyte and yede afote in to alle the cyte and kys∣sed alle the pylers of chirches· he delyuerd the hooly londe and co¦me ageyne to Constantinople and forsoke alle the precious and grete yeftes that Constantin themperour profered reserued rely∣ques of holy sayntes / he receiuyd a grete party of our lordes cros¦se and a partye of the crowne of thornes that there in his syghte that byganne to blosme· and bere floures. and one of crystes nai¦les / our lady smok and seynt symeons Arme / and brought the¦se relyquyes with hym to seynt marye chirche at Aquisgranum that he had founded and lyeth buryed there / he fonded as ma∣ny abbayes as ben lettres in the A / B / C. In euery of thylke abbayes by th•• ordre of the fondacion therof. he sette and pyghte a letter of gold of the weight of an honderd pond tournoys / Of this man Charle•• it is wonder that he wolde vnnethe marye ony of his doughters while he was a lyue / oute take his oldest dought••r the whiche he maried to the kynge of grece that hete con¦stantin / Charles sayde that he myght not be withoute company of his doughters / Therfor though he were gracious in other dedes / In that poynt ayenst fortune he was to blame / and though ther

were grete speche therof among the peple. he made it as though he knewe it not· And as none suspection were of that foly dede. ther¦for somme men wene that that was the synne that he wold neuer shryue him of with his mouthe· but vnnethe atte laste by wry∣ting to seynt gyles Also this charles or he deyde deled his catel in thre partyes. one partye he assigned to poure men / Another to chirches· And yet the thyrd he departed in four partyes· one ther of he kept for to holde his myndeday / that other to euery dayes v∣se / the thyrdde to his sones and neuewes and the fourth to his seruauntes that were of his houshold / he sate ones at meete. and his mayster alcuinus sat to fore him. thenne he axyd his mayster how grete difference and space was bytwene a scot and a sot / but the brede of a metebord sayd his mayster R. ¶For to brynge storyes to acorde that semeth oute of acord spekynge of thempy∣re and of the kyngdome of charles / Take heede that this charles while he was yonge was enoynted kyng of the second pope ste∣uen / the yere of our lord seuen honderd .Liiij. while his fader pipi∣nus was a lyue and regned with his fader. and vnder him xv yere vnto his faders deth / thenne after his faders deth that deyde the yere of oure lord seuen honderd and eyght and sixty yere / he regned with his broder charleman two yere. his broder deyde the yere of our lord seuen honderd and / lxx / Charles helde the kyng∣dome al hool fourten yere / to the yere of oure lord seuen honderd four score and four That yere he wente fyrst to Rome to be crou¦ned emperour of Adrian the pope And there after he was Em∣perour sixten yere to the yere of our lord eyght honderd Whan the fourth pope leo confermed charles ageyne Emperour. there after he was emperour fourten yere And deyde the yere of his age two and seuenty / that was the yere of oure lord eyght honderd and xiiij Thenne after somme men telle in storyes that he regned in al six and fourty yere / that shal be vnderstonden from his fadres deth to his owne deth / / But who that wole see mo¦re of charles lyf must loke the bookes of his mayster Alcuinus or turpyn tharchebisshops bookes ¶That day that Charles deyde at vyan in Fraunce Turpyn was in his bedes and sawe a compa¦ny of blac knyghtes wende toward Akon for to take charles sou¦le· and he coniured the last of hem that he shold come ageyn whan he had don and telle hem what they dyde and how they spedde Thenne the fende wente and come ageyne And Turpyn axyd of him what they had do / we haue quod the fende weyed charles

sowle / but thylke Iames of spayne that was byheded / leyde soo many stones and teres in the weight and balaunce that charles good dedes had the maystrye and weyed more than his euyl de∣des / And we haue right nought brought with vs ageyne· Char∣les sayd the fende vsed to bylde many chirches in worship of seint Iame. After that Constantyn that had assoylled the poperych & take it with strengthe was putte oute. Pope stephen was pope four-yere. Anone he gadred a synode and reuoked al that was do by his predecessour oute take crystenynge and crysme / and what that was ordeyned to sauacion that deyen

¶ Capitulum 27.

AFter Steuen the fyrst Adryan was pope four and twenty yere / First this gadryd the second counceyl at Constantino¦ple of thre honderd faders and fyfty / he made another counceyll in the Cyte of Rome with thre honderd and fyfty faders / kynge charles was presente there / Thenne him was graunted right in the election of the pope and of the ordeynyng of the popes see /

The northumbres putt oute theyr kynge Aluredus and toke ethelbertus that hete Etheldredus also the sonne of mollus· and made hym theyr kyng / he regned ouer hem fyue yere / The fourth leo the sonne of the fyfth Constantyn regned in grece four yere / He brente in thurste for grete couetyse· he toke of a chirche a crow¦ne that was ryally sette with carbuncle stones / and sette it on his heede and was take with a sodayne feuer and deyde / That yere / offa kyng of mercia spoylled lamberd Archebisshop of caū∣terbury of his dygnyte / of prymate / and brought that dygnyte to lychefeld and helde it there while he was a lyue by assente of the pope adryan The sixth Constantin the sonne of the fourthe leo regned in grece with his moder Iren ten yere / In his last ye¦re fylle discorde and stryf bytwene the sonne and moder. And the moder toke the sonne and put hym in prison & so she regned al¦one fyue yere. Atte laste the sonne had helpe and counseyl of the Armenyes and cam oute of prysonne and poursued cruelly his moder and her helpers Thenne afterward the sonne for his gre¦te cruel••es was take by commaundement and strengthe of the moder / and his eyen were put oute in so euyl m••ner that he deyde

sone afterward and soo Iren regned ageyne fyue yere. But ni¦choforus patricius that had grete worship of Iren. roos ageynste her and toke the crowne ayenst the peples wylle. and toke of her the tresour of thempyre with an oth made to be harmeles· and exi¦led her and soo exyled she deyde / the fyrst yere of this Constan∣tin in a dede mannes graue at Constantinople was founde a pla¦te of gold. in which plate was wreton in this maner / Cryst shal be borne of mayde marye / In him I byleue· Vnder Constantyn and Iren / sone efte me. thou shalt see. Mari li. secundo. That yere kenulphus kyng of westsaxons / . & offa kyng of mercia fought strongly for the cyte of besyngton / but offa had the vyctory and the cyte ¶ That yere the northumbres put oute her kyng ethel∣bertus that heete etheldredus also / and made Aswolf kynge that regned enleuen yere / That yere the second synode was made at ni¦cene of thre honderd and fyfty bisshops in adryans tyme / In that synode ayenst thoppinion of grekes it is sayd that the hooly gost cometh of the fader and of the sone Willelmus de pontificibus libro quarto Kenulphus kyng of westsaxons cast for to put ki¦nehard oute of his kyngdome the broder of his predecessour Si¦gebertus and cam by nyght to a womans hows at merton that was his lemman / there Clyto cam with four score felawes / and and bysette the kynge al aboute· But whanne the kynge was awaked he defended manly hym self / but he was slayne at laste Erly a morow it was knowen that the kyng was dede· and of••¦cus the kynges capitayne cam with his felawes to the place and slough clyto and his felawes euerychone / and toke the kynges body and buryed it at wynchestre· ¶After kenulphus brightri¦cus of Cerdicus bloode was kynge of westsaxons fyften yere•• Anone by helpe of kynge offa whos doughter he had wedded be putte oute Egbertus the sonne of Alemundus the vnder kynge that was the sone of offa that cam of the bloode of gengulsus & of Iue / Anone as he was so put doune he wente in to Fraunce· & vsed the scole of chiuailrye. And whan bryghtricus was dede. he cam ageyne and regned and taught the scole of chyualrye / as he had lerned in fraunce / lull archebisshop of caunterbury deyde / and Rychulfus was archebisshop after hym eyght and twenty yere he bygan to buylde seynt albons grete chirche from the fundamēt of a wonder werke of brente tyle and brought it nobly to an en¦de / ¶Willelmus de pontificibus libro quarto This yere kyng offa maryed his doughter Ethelburga to Brightricus kynge of

westsaxons / Of her it is sayd that she laboured besyly by might or by venym for to sle al the houshold men of her husbonde / thenne on a tyme she yaue venym to a yonglyng that was homly with the kyng and slough both the kynge and the yonglynge / thenne she wente to the kynge of Fraunce and had with her grete tre∣sour and ryches / And in a tyme the kynge and his sone stode in a chambre / and the kynge yaue her choy•• / whether she wold ha∣ue to husbond of the fader or the sonne / And she chees the sonne / haddest thou chose me quod the kynge / thou sholdest haue had my sonne / But for thou hast forsake me / thou shalt not haue me ner¦my sonne / thou muste leue the pryde of the world / and goo in to an abbay / there a lewd mā laye by her / & she was put oute & dey¦de in pouerte / After that tyme therof it cam to be vsed amonge the Angles that the kynges wyf sholde not be callyd quene. ner sitte by the kyng in the kynges sete / ¶Henricus / libro quarto / ¶ That yere was seen a wonder signe of the Crosse on Englysshe mens clothes / and blood fylle doune fro heuen to the erthe / It is not knowen / whether this befyll in token of the mocion of Ierusa¦lem / that fyll thre honderd yere afterward in wiliam the Reedes tyme / or ellys for tamende Englysshmen that they shold drede the wreche that was to come vpon hem by the danes / but as god wil soo mote it be / that yere the danes cam fyrst in to Englonde / The kynges styward of westsaxons wēte ayenst hem vnwysely with fewe men and was slayne of hem / ¶ Seynt Oswold kynge of northumberlond was slayne of his owne men / his neuew Osre∣dus the sonne of Aluredus / and broder of Alcmundus regned after hym and was sone put once after and slayne / After hym Etheldredus that was somtyme put oute of his kyngdome reg∣ned ageyne and was sone afterward slayne / therfor Colwul∣phus bisshop of lyndeffar fo••soke bothe and lefte the see and the kyngdome / Here after oswaldus regned after fewe dayes After him Adulphus regned one yere / There after / lxxvj / yere kynges regneden there / the last of hem were Osbryght and Elle The danes slough hem atte Cyte of yorkland al the flour of their men the yere of our lord eyyht honderd / lxxvij / After that tyme the danes regned in northumberlonde two and fyfty yere / vnto Ethelstans tyme ¶Pipinus the sonne of charles conspyred a∣yenst his fader / but his counceyl was wried / And he was shore monke. and closed in an Abbaye / and his felawes were somme byheded and somme an hanged by the throte / Seynt Ethelbert{us}

kynge of ••estangles was pryued bothe of his kyngdome and of his lyf by heest of kynge offa and by exytynge and counceyll of his owne wyf kyneswyda

¶Capitulum 28 /

Offa deyde kynge of mercia / his sonne Egsercus regned after hym one yere / And after hym a mylde man kenulphus cut¦bertus sone was kyng / he gate on his wyf quene Alfritha quen drida / burgenilda / and seynt kenelme / ¶ Willelmus de Regi∣bus libro primo in fine / This kenulfus was pendaes neuew in the fyfthe degree / and was a greete man / his vertues passyd his fame / At home he was deuoute and mylde / In bataylle he was stronge and had ofte the vyctorye / ¶ After Offa he toke wrath ayenst kentysshmen and werryd strongly in her londe / And toke theyr kynge Egbert that hete pren by his surname / & lad hym with hym y bounde in to mercia / But sone after he was mylded by mercy of manheede in the buyldynge of the chirche of wynchecombe that he buylded / Atte auter he yaue the kyng fre∣dom that was his prisoner / There were presente thyrten bisshops and ten dukes / For that dede al the chirche sowned for ioye / and the strete cryde grutched and made noyse startynge aboute / Also he restored ageyn the dygnyte of prymate to athelardus bisshop of caunterbury and deyde atte laste after the yere of his fyrste regne four and twenty / and was buryed at wynchecombe / and left kenelme after hym to be his heyr / That tyme at Constantino¦ple the sonne withdrewe his lyghte seuenten dayes / and was not seen / soo that many men supposed that it was byfalle for the blen¦dynge & puttyng oute of kyng Constantyns eyen / Alfredus Also that yere that was the tenth yere of bryghtrycus were fy∣ry dragons seen in englonde fleyng by the ayer / After that sygne cam two pestylences / stronge honger / and the warre of the danes that assaylled fyrst northumberlond / and thenne lyndeseye But at that tyme the danes were ouercome and fled to her ship¦pes ¶ After adryanus the fourth leo was pope twenty yere / ¶In a tyme this wente to seynt peters on a seynt marcus daye with the letany and was take and his eyen put out and his ton¦ge kyt of / But god by a myracle restored hym his syght and hi•• speche / soo that he spake withoute tonge / Afterward he wente to

Charles in to Fraunce / and come ageyne with hym to Rome / Thenne wreche was take of the popes enemyes / and the pope pur¦gid hym of that men bare him on honde / And thenne efte he crou¦ned charles / and confermed him that was to fore crowned / Nychoforus patricius exyled Irene themperyce of grece· and as∣saylled and toke thempyre with wyles and with strengthe / and regned yeght yere / In his tyme the eeste empyre fayled al oute The body of seynt wythburgh the mayde was founden hoole and sounde in the toune of durham / there as it was buryed after / lv yere / wythburgh was the doughter of kynge anna / and the sus∣ter of sexburga / that yere charles was crowned emperour of leo the pope / Syth that tyme thempyre passyd fro the Grekes to the Frensshemen / and to the germans that ben Almayns

Giraldus de / p / capitulo septimo / ¶ For this passinge of thempire / the grekes though they fayle in hem self / and stryue more with venym than with vertue / more with crafte than with strengthe of batayl / and of mars that is callyd god of batayll / yet they haue soo grete enuye to the latyns / that they haue with∣drawe hem oute of the subiection and obedyence of the chirche of Rome / And therfor whan the popes of Rome charged hem ofte to be obedyent and to come ageyne to the vnyte of hooly chirche / They vsed to wryte ageyne in this maner / Ye haue withdrawen you from vs / and we withdrawe vs fro you / Willelmus de re¦gibus libro primo / Et de pontificibus libro tercio / ¶ Bryghtry¦cus kynge of westsaxons / deyde y poysoned by the venym of his wyf / ¶After hym Egbertus the sonne of Alcmundus the vn∣der kynge that was the sone of offa of Iuees bloode and kynde regned seuen and thyrtty yere· ¶ Somtyme this was chaced of bryghtrycus and fled in to fraunce / and cam ageyn and taught what he hadde lerned of chyualry to his subgettis / to al the peple bonde and fre / he ordeyned knyghtes delyuere men and stronge & swyper / And made wepen to be born in tyme of pees / In a tyme bernulphus kynge of mercia scorned his doynge / And he that was ydle and ful of reste meued him to bataylle that was vsid in dedes of armes / And bad him sternly that he sholde doo him ho¦mage / thenne there was bytwene hem a bataille in somer tyme at elyndon in the prouince of hampton / ther was vnlike nombre and araye of knightes / for ayenst an honderd of Egbertus knigh¦tes that were paal / and lene cam a thousand that were rody & fatte / and were soner stuffed with swote than with bloode / But

whan the batayle was done / Egbertus oned the kyngdoms of mercia / of kente and of northumberlond to his kyngdome and to¦ke chestre vpon the brytons / For the Brytons helde chestre vnto that tyme / thēne he called the lordes to gyder at wynchestre and was crowned kyng of al brytayne / there he ordeyned and cō∣maunded that al the saxons and Iutes shold be callyd Angles fro that day forward / and that brytayne shold be callyd anglia Brytayne conteyneth englond wales and Scotland / R / That yere that kynge bryghtrycus deyde / as marianus sayth / Ethel∣mundus kynge of mercia wente oute of his owne londe vnto the forde of chymerforde / and fought ayenst weoftan duc of wylton In that bataylle the dukes were slayne in eyther syde / and the wylton men had the victorye / But seynt alcmundus the martir the sonne of kynge Aluredus of northumberlond come in Ethel∣mundus syde and was slayne there / his body was fyrst buryed atte white ābbay and afterward at derby / in the north chirch that is buylded in his name / there god sheweth for hym many tokēs and myraales / and the northumbres comen to hym ofte a pylgre¦mage / Willelmus de / 2 / li 1 / That yere albinus englisshman that hete alcuinus also a connyng man of Clergye passyd ouer the see in to Fraunce / and enlumyned that lond with lyght of his te∣chyng / and ordeyned there orysons and offyce of masse for feryal dayes / And he brought to parys studye that the grekes had som¦tyme chaunged to Rome / After beda and aldelm this was the wysest man of al Englysshemen that I haue redde of / & he was take and left specially with kynge charles whether it were for clennes of the londe / or for manhede of the kynge / and taughte hym logyke and sophystrye / rethoryk and astronomye / And the kyng bytoke hym seynt martyns abbay at turone to gouerne by thabbots right / for the monkes ther were fallē in to grete outrage Therfor a mōk saw two aūgels come in to her dortour & slew all the mōkes of that place / out take him that saw that sight / at last alcuinus restid at seynt paule of cormarik / ther is euery day al∣mes d••led for his soule / four monkes mete / about this tyme seint gylys thabbott of the nacion of grekes was in his floures / he co¦me in to the ouer fraunce by warnyng of god. & lyued fyrst an ankers lyf by the riuer of roone / Also that tyme paule the deken of rome was in his floures / that discriued the longobardes / he co¦me out of thabbay of moūt cassyn in to fraunce for loue of kyn∣ge charles / ¶ Amonge the Grekes mychel a mylde man was

made emperour / In his thyrd yere the sonne fayled in the sonne rysyng / And sone ther after themperour was sho••ne monke / And a grete pestylence of ruther••n destroyed wel nygh al Euro¦pa / and namely brytayne / The grete charles was seke four yere in the feuers and deyde the fourth day to fore feuerer / at Aron & is buryed there / Marianus libro secundo / In his laste yere the treen brydge of fyue honderd paas that he had made with cost and trauaylle in ten yere ouer the Ryn at maguncia / was soo brente in thre houres that ther was not a spoon therof y seen fle∣te vpon the water / Many men suppose that this happe fylle atte prayer of ryculfus the bisshop for manslaughter and robberye / that was ofte by nyght don vpon that brydge / But other men suppose that it fyll by somme auenture and none otherwyse

¶ Capitulum 29

LOwys the mylde Charles oldest sonne was Emperour af∣ter his fader six and twenty yere and / xj monethes / In his tyme bisshops and clerkys dyde awey barred gyrdels / and gaye blasynge clothes / Giraldus de pontificibus / capitulo 17 / This lowys on his fyrst wif hirmēgard gate thre sonnes / lotha¦rius was one of hem / he was crouned of pope paschal on an ester day and his fader made hym kyng of ytaly and felowe of them∣pyre / & he made lowys the seconde regne in Germania / & pipinus the thyrd in guyan and in gaskoyn / on his seconde wyf Iudyth the doughter of the duc of bauaria / he gate charles the balled & yaue hym burgoyn to gouerne and to rewle / Wil / de / r / li / 2 / For the fader loued moost this balled charles and kyssyd hym oft in sight of his bretherē / lothari{us} was wroth & had indignaciō / ther¦of / therfor he pursued ofte his fader / & put hym in prison / Gi•• vbi su / Also this lowys for he was so mild was oft diseased both of his owne men & of other til he dyde more wysely / & rew••lyd the royame more sternly / Me sayth that that happed hym for his wyf Iudytha was to nygh of his kyn / W / de / p / li / 1 / Therfor whan this kynge had auaunced one fredericus to the bisshopriche of Vtrecht in Fryselonde / and sate by hym at meete / the fyrste daye of his ordenaunce on his right honde be chargyd the Bys∣shoppe amonge other thynges that / he sholde haue in mynde that he was a yonge Bisshop / And folowe the stablenesse of

his antecessours / and that he shold purpose the sothe withoute ac∣cep••••on of persones / and punysshe mysdoers / the bisshop answerd and sayde / Syr thou dost ryghfully by me that comfortest the ••••n¦dernes of my profession with hooly counseyll and loore / B••t I praye that it greue you not and youre mageste though I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you openly what hath long tyme walowed in my herte / whe•••••••• is it more honeste to atame this fysshe that is here sette fyrst 〈…〉〈…〉 or atte tayll / The kynge wyst not how fast he had greued 〈◊〉〈◊〉 self / but answerde hastely and sayde / Atte hede the fysshe shal 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fyrst attamed / Soo it is lord emperour quod the b••sshop / that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fayth may fyrst make the seece of thyne errours / that 〈…〉〈…〉 be not hardy to forsake what they see the suffre & take / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 forsake thou the vnlawful wedlok that thou hast made 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thylke Iudytha / This worde was heuy to the kynge / but 〈…〉〈…〉 toke it aworth / This worde sprang wel wyde and gladed men o•• holy chirche that herde therof / So that a counseyl was made ther¦of for that dede / and the wedlok was vndo / And the kynge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doune him self / and the woman was closed in an abbaye / But atte last by myldenes of the court of Rome / it was ordeyned by better counseyl and dome that penaunce shold be sett and they shol¦de after that tyme vse lawful wedlok / The emperour forpa•••• gladly alle wronges and lete the sentence passe / But the womā hyred two knyghtes that slough the forsayd bisshop in his ves••y∣mentis after that he had songe his masse / Gir / de p / capitulo / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Atte last this lowys yaf his sone charles the balled· that he had goten on Iudytha almayne and Rethyca / therfor the othe•• thre bretheren had indignacion / and were wroth and forsoke lowys by helpe of the galles / & made tholdest sone lotharius kyng / he pri¦soned his fader lowys by assente of the fourth / pope gregory & exi¦led his faders wyf Iudyth•• / & put her sone charles the bassed in the castel of prynge / but sone afterward the prynces of fraū¦ce delyuerden the kynge and acorded hym and his sone / But by counseyll of pipinus fals men acused falsely the quene Iudyth and made her a menchon / but the same yere the kyng had the que¦ne ageyne by helpe of the pope / For bernard purgyd hym law¦fully of the spousebreche that hym was born on honde / Soo that none of hem that accused hym / was hardy ayenst hym for to stryue / ¶ After leo the fourth steuen was pope thre yere ¶ After hym paschal was pope seuen yere / he crou¦ned lotharius / & made a gaderynge of monkes of grece at Rome

in the chirch of praxede / Willelmus de Regibus libro primo / Et de pontificibus libro quarto / Kenulphus kynge of mercia deyde / and his sone kenelme a childe of seuen yere old regned after him After fewe monethes by entysyng of his suster quendreda kenel me was slayne of one heskebertus in a thyk wode / And he was founden by a pyler of light that stode vp from his body in to he¦uene / But by a scrowe that was wreton in Englyssh with gol∣den lettres that a Culuer brought and beyde vp seynt peters Au¦ter / which was redde of an Englisshman that was there present ¶Kenelms deth and the place of his deth was knowen at Ro∣me / R ¶ In that scrowe it was wreton in this maner / At Clente in co••bache kenelm kynebern lyeth vnder thorn heued by weued / In englysshe that is now vsed it is to saye / At Cleut at Couuale vnder a thorn kenelm lyeth hedeles slayne by fraude / Thenne whanne kenelms bodye was born to his graueward fro the place that he deyde ynne / she that was gylty of his deth herde men synge and putte oute her heede at wyndowe / and for to seece the gladnes of the syngars she sayde the psalme deus laudem bac¦ward / But I note what wytchecrafte and what ••shrewdnes she wolde meene / but she loste bothe her eyen with rennyng dropes of bloode / the bloode is yet seen in mynde of goddes wreche in the sau¦ter book that she held thenne in her honde

¶ Capitulum 30

AFter kenelm his eme on his faders syde colwulf{us} regned in mercia / but after two yere beornulphus the tyraunt put hym out and regned in his stede two yere / he was on a tyme ouer come at elyndon of Egbertus kyng of westsaxons as it is sayd to fore honde / he meuyd to a iourney ayenst the est angles that had holpen egbertus and was slayn of hem / his successour & his neigh kynnesman ludecan wold aueng his deth & fought ayenst the eest angles & was slayn of hem also / & thre dukes of his / After hym his neyh kynnesman wyglanns regned / xiij / yere / but Egbertus distourbed him ••••ng tyme / After pascal the fourth Eugenius was pope four yere / he sente seynt sebastyans boones to hildewynus abbot of seynt denys / After eugenius valentinus was pore four yere / ¶ In his tyme the childe swy thyne was borne at Wynchestre that dyde myracles there after

hemstans deth After valentinus the fourth gregroy was pope thyrten yere ¶ Giral / d / p / ca / 17 / In this popes tyme the∣odulphus was in his floures / that was fyrst abbot of Floryace and thenne Bisshop of Orleans / he was exyled and was in the Cyte of Angeo by assente of kynge lowys / whanne his enemy∣es had falsely accused hym / thenne it happed on a palmsondaye / that the kynge passyd therforth and he made and songe the verse that bygynneth in this maner Gloria laus tibi sit / and soo forth by the dyte and note of the vers / the kynge was meuyd and de¦lyuerd him and brought hym to his rather grace / That tyme rabanus was in his floures monk and abbot of meldens in Ger¦mania a grete poete and a grete clerke of dyuynyte / That ye∣re the danes spoylled the ylonde of shepeye besyde kente / Therfore kyng egbertus fought ayenst hem at carrum / and was chaced / At Tolouse a damoysel of twelue yere old resseyued our lordes body on esterday and fasted afterward six monethes contiunelly to brede and to water / and absteyned ther after thre yere from all maner mete and drynke / And tourned ag••yn atte last to comyn lyuyng / Also that tyme somme mysdoers of the Romayns sente to the soudan of babylon that he shold come and be lord of ytaly Thenne he come with grete multitude and strengthe and spoylled Rome / and made a stable of seynt peters chirche / ond destroyed Tuscia and secilia / Atte last atte prayer and requyrynge of po¦pe gregory / gy of mercia with his longobardys and lowys with his gālles chaced hem oute of tho londes and countreyes / And they sayled toward affryca and were drowned wel nygh euery chone / That yere deyde helmstan bisshop of wynchestre / And seynt swythyn was bisshop after hym / ¶ The danes with grete nauye londed in a place called cural amonge the westbritons / & made confederacyon with the brytons & wente to gyder / & assayl¦led kynge egbertus londes / W / de / r / li / 2 / Egbertus kyng of west saxons deyde / and his sone athulphus that hete ethelwulfus reg¦ned after him / xxij / yere / This was somtyme take to norysshing to helmstan bisshop of wynchestre / & made hym subdeken / But at¦te last by graūt of leo the pope / he was made kynge & had a wif osburgā that was his owne botelers dought / & gate on her thre noble sones that regned after the fader eueryche in his tyme / He toke with hym the yongest of his sones alured{us} & went to rome / & dwellyd there one yere & repayred there nobly the scole of sax∣ons / that was as it is sayd first ordeined by kynge offa / But

it was brente the last yere to fore hond / Also he sawe there outla lawes and men that dyde open penaunce doo theyr penaunce in y∣ren y bounde / thenne he purchaced of the pope that englysshmen shold neuer after that tyme out of her countrey doo penaunce in bondes / It is sayd that therfor it was that he graunted of euery hows of his royame euery yere a peny to seynt peter / & after that tyme / he sente euery yere in / C / marc to rome / an / C / to seint pe∣ters chirch an C to seynt paulus lyght / & an honderd to the pope Also he delyuerd and quytte all the chirches of his Royamme of al maner kynges trybute / and offred to god the tenth dele of his catel / In his comyng ageyn fro Rome in the twenty yere of his kyngdome he spoused Iudytha / the doughter of charles the bal¦led / and brought her with hym in to englond / And for he sett her in trone bysyde hym ayenst the maner of the kyngdome of westsaxons / his oldest sone aroos ayenst him and many other lordes / So that a grete dele of the kyngdom was take to his oldest sone but yet vnnethe the stryf was ceced / For amonge hem it was v∣sed that the quene shold not haue suche worship / And that for wrath of ethelburga kynge offas doughter / that hadde poysoned her husbonde bryghtrycus / ¶R Also his sone Aluredus hadd an euyl incurable whom he sente in to yrlond to be heeled of seint modwenna / that dwellyd there / And therfor whanne the chirch of modwenna was destroyed in yrlond she cam in to Englond / And the kynge yaf her londe to buylde two abbayes of maydens One in Ardern at pollyswortham that yet dureth / There osytha and athea the maydens dwellyd with seynt edyth kyng Athul∣phus suster / ¶ But modwenna dwellyd somwhat of tyme in the other abbaye of streueshale / thennes she wente thrryes to Ro¦me / And she deyde atte last in the ylond andreseye besides burton after that she was closed seuen yere ¶ That yere the danes slough many men in lyndesaye in eest englond and in kente / ¶That yere deyde wyglaf kynge of mercia the yere of his regne thyrten / and was buryed at Repyndon / he hadde goten wygmū¦dus / and wygmundus had goten wistan the martir / But after w••glaf bertulphus was kynge ouer mercia twelue yere / his so∣ne bertsericus slough seynt wystan cruelly /

¶ Willelmus de Regibus libro secundo /

¶ Sequitur capitulum 31

WHan lowys was dede / his oldest sonne lotharius that was Emperour fyften yere while his fader was a lyue / and af¦ter his fader xviij yere in the party of ytaly / that is next to Al∣pes that hete lotharingia after his name / as it were lotharius kin¦gedome / he roos ayenst his two bretheren lowes and Charles the balled for the kyngdome of guyan. that her broder Pipinus had hold somtyme / Gir / d / p / ¶ And they fought at fo••tanet there lotharyus fled and was chaced / there was soo grete slaugh¦ter in eyther syde that they myght no lenger withstonde her ene∣myes / the sarasyns in affryca in spayne herde therof / and arayde hem tassaylle the kyngdome of Romayns / Sone here after lowys the myddel broder deyde / And charles the balled helde thempyre somwhat of tyme alone / That yere seynt Bertilmeus body was translated to beneuentan / ¶ After gregory the second Sergius was pope nyne yere / this hete fyrst os porci / swynes mouth / ther¦for after his tyme alle popes chaunged her names / and that for thre skylles / one is whan Cryst chees his apostles / he chaunged her names / Another is for as they chaunge her names / so shold they chaunge her lyuynge / the thyrdde is for he that is chosen to an excellent astate shal not be defowled with a fowle name· That yere the body of seynt helene Constantins moder that was bury¦ed at Rome was brought to the dyocise of Remēce of Fraunce / That yere the normans cam fyrst in to Fraunce by the water of Seyne / ¶ That yere bertulphus in a wytsontyde slough wyc∣kedly seynt wystan / his body is buryed at Rypyndon in the gra∣ue of his grauntsir wyglaf / And in the place there he was slay¦ne stode vp thyrtty dayes a cleer pyler of lyght / After sergius the fyfthe le•• was pope fyue yere / he amended the chirches that the paynyms had destroyed in the cyte of Rome / Also for the men of naples thāt fought in the see ayenst the sarasyns / he made this oryson / Dens cuius dextera beatum petrum / and soo forth / And after that he amended seynt peters chirche / he sayd this ory∣son / Deus qui beato petro collatis clambus / & so forth / Also this made aluredus his sone adoptiuus that was the sone of ethewul¦fus kynge of westsaxons / And he enoynted aluredus by assent of his fader to be kynge afterward / that yere deyde bertulfus kynge of mercia / & burdredus was kynge after hym / he wedded anone ethelwytha kyng athulphus doughter / by helpe of this a∣dulfus he made subget the brytons of the middel lond that is by∣twene mercia & the west see / also this burdred{us} the xxij yer of his

regne was put oute by the danes / and wente thenne to Rome / & lyued there not ful longe tyme atte scole of saxons and was bu¦ryed at seynt mary chirche / Also that after that the danes hadde spoylled london & kente / & chaced king bertulphus they were ou{er} comen and beten a doune in suthrey at oclea of kynge ethelwul∣fus / That yere lotharius themperour forsoke the world and was shorn monk in thabbay of prunye / and deyde there / For his sow∣le was grete stryf bytwene angles and fendes / So that they that stode by / sawe the bodye as it were to haled hyther & thyder / but monkes prayde / and the fendes were dryuen aweye / ¶ Willel¦mus de regibus libro secundo ¶ This Lotharius hadde by Er∣mengarda houwes doughter thre sones and lefte hem after hym / One hete lowys / to hym he bytoke the kyngdome of Romayns & of ytaly / That other hete lotharius / to hym he bytoke the royame of fraunce / the thyrdde hete charles / to hym he bytoke prouynce / But charles was sone dede / and lowys and lotharius deled the royamme of prouynce bytwene hem

¶ Capitulum 32 /

The second lowys as somme men telle regned fyften yere / But marcus tellyth he regned two and twenty yere / and was crowned of Sergius the pope / and he had two sones / lowis kyng of norykes that ben normans / And charles the yonger that heete grossus akso / This charles was tormented of a fende thre dayes in presence of his fader / And knowleched that he was so tormented / for he had conspyred ayenst his fader / Willelmus de Regibus libro secundo ¶ In this lowys tyme Io¦han scot come in to Fraunce / and translated denys bookes out of grue in to latyn / atte prayer of kynge charles / and made the bo∣ke perefision / that is the book of the departyng of kynde / but there after kynge aluredus sente for hym for he shold come in to En∣glond / and soo he dyde / and taught children at malmesbury / the whiche childeren stykked hym to deth with her poyntels / that ye∣re seynt Edmunde bygan to regne ouer the eeste Angles / but he was slayne in the fourtenth yere Ethelwulfus kyng of west saxons deyde the thyrtenth day of Ianiuer / and was buryed at wynchestre / After hym his oldest sonne ethelwaldus regned but one yere· And that is no wonder / For whan his fader was

dede / he wedded his oune stepmoder ayēst the lawe and vsage of holy chirche / and he was buryed at shirburn / ¶ Marianus After pope leo Iohan englyssh was pope two yere and fyue mo¦nethes / Hit is sayd that Iohan englysshe was a woman / and was in yongthe ladde with her lemman in mannes clothynge to Atthene / and lerned there dyuerse scyences / Soo that ther after she cam to Rome / and hadde there grete men to scolers / and redde ther thre yere / thenne she was chosen by fauour of al men / And her lemman brought her with childe / But for she knewe not her time whan she sholde haue child / as she wente from seynt peters to the chirche of seynt Iohan lateran / she byganne to trauaylle of childe / And had childe bytwene Collosen and seynt Clements ¶ Treuisa Collosen was the place of the ymages of the prouin¦ces and londes / as it is sayd in the fyrst book / capitulo / 24 / Thenne it foloweth in the story that she was buryed there / And for the pope torned there oute of the weye / men suppose that it is for hate of that wonder myshappe / This pope is not rekened in the booke of popes / For she was a woman and ought not to be pope / She was born at magounce in Almayn vpon the Ryn / Aboute that tyme the kynge of bulgares and his men tourned to Crystes feyth and byleue / And was so parfyt that he bytoke his Royamme to his oldest sonne / and bytoke hym self thabyt of a monk / But whanne his sonne torned to maumetrye / he torned to chyualry ageyn & pursued his sonne / & toke hym / & putte oute bothe his eyen and leyde him in prisonne / and closed him there / & made his yonger sonne kynge / and toke the holy habyte ageyn ¶After ethelwaldus his broder ethelbertus was kyng of west saxons fyue yere / In his tyme a grete hooste of danes destroyed wynchestre / and were slayne of the kynges dukes er they might retorne to theyr shippes ¶ After Iohan the thyrdde Benet was pope four yere / ¶ Seynt Swythyn Bisshop of wynchestre deyde and dunbertus was bisshop after hym / Of hem tweyn ben wondres y redde ¶After Benet the fyrst nychol was pope / viij yere / he was lykened to the grete gregory / For in his tyme Cy∣rillus thappostle of sclaues / brought seynt clements bodye oute of Cersona to Rome / and leyd it in seynt Clements chirche / and deyde ther after and dyde many myracles / ¶ That yere lowys kynge of Fraunce wolde leue his rightful wyf for his lemman waldrada that he had to moche louyd in his yongthe in his fa∣ders hows / ¶ Thenne pope nychol atte instaunce of the quenes

bretheren that pleyned to hym of that dede sente his tresorer Ar∣senius in to fraunce / and he made a counceyl of bisshops and com¦pellid the kyng to take his wyf ageyne / And made him swe•••• vp on the booke / that he sholde neuer take that other woman / But whan the legate of Rome was a goo / the kinge putte awey the quene / and toke ageyne waldrada / therfor in playne consistory the pope cursyd waldrada & al that comende with her / R / But marianus tellyth this of lotharius and not of lowys Ethel∣dredus the thyrdde broder of byrthe was kynge of westsaxons after his two bretheren eyght yere / In his fyrst yere a grete na∣uy of danes londed in eest englond / and laye there / there after at yorke they were compellyd to defende hem self / For whanne the northumbres had do awey her kyng Osbrucus / as the deuyl hem radde / and made a tyraunt their kynge that hete ella / Atte laste for drede of enemyes / they were somdele ceeced / and wente wyth theyr eyther kynge to fyght ayenst the danes / & compellyd hem to fle to the cyte of yorke that was not ful wel walled / thēne the northumbres disarayd hem self / and werryd vnwysely / and we¦re beten doune / somme in one place and somme in another and her kynges were slayne / So they that myght escape made pees with the danes / and soo fayled kynges of northumberlond / That yere the danes lefte northumberlond / and come in to kyngdome of mer¦cia / and dwellyd al a yere at snotyngham / that is nowe callyd nothyngham / there Burdredus kynge of mercia and the kynge of westsaxons cam ayenst hem / But the danes were within the strengthe of the tour and wolde yeue no bataylle / and englyssh men myght not spede to breke the wal / thenne pees was made / and the kynges torned home ayene / and the danes wente ayen to yorke / and dwellyd there al a yere / ¶After nychol / the second Adryan was pope two yere / To hym the second lowys kynge of Fraunce that was somtyme acursyd of pope nychol wrote lettres and prayd hym that he wolde resseyue hym with grace / The pope wrote to hym in this maner ageyne / yf thou knowe thy self gylt¦les / come to Rome / And yf thou knowe thy self gylty / make the redy to doo worthy penaunce / thenne the kynge come / and the po∣pe axyd of him / yf he had holden his oth and pope nycholas hees¦tes / The kynge and his fautours sayd / yes al atte ful / thenne quod the pope / ye must come with vs that ye be vnyed to cristes lymes from the whiche that ye were kyt and departed / & whan the masse was y doo / he hou••cled h••m and saide / yf ye be gyltles

this comyng be to you remission and foryeuenes and ellys damp nacion Thenne it happed that none of hem alle lyued ouer yere But the kyng was anone taken with a sekenes and deyde in the cyte placencia / there after fyll a grete pestylence on the peple / After that yere the danes destroyed the Cyte Aclint / and wente oute of northumberlond to ecstenglond / and laye al a yere at tet∣ford / ¶That yere hungar and hubba two danes slough seynt Edmond the kynge at eglyston Willelmus de Regibus libro secundo ¶Seynt edmondes heede laye hyd amonge busshes and spak to hem that sought him in the countrey langage and sei¦de / here / here / here / ther was a wolf founden that beclypped the kynges heede / and folowed mekely the men that cam theder / Willelmus de Regibus Et de pontificibus / libro secundo / After the sleynge of the kynge / his broder•• edwoldus hated the lykynge of the world for hard fortune toke hym and his broder And lyued an heremytes lyf only by breede and water atte ab¦baye of Cern in dorsete by the clere welle that seynt Austyn by his prayers made sprynge somtyme for to Cristen the peple that tourned to Crysten byleue / hit falleth ful ofte that a gentil herte warned by hard happes and meschyef of this world / tourneth the more besyly to god that can not begyle / nor be begyled / The abbaye that was there bylde was afterward ryche ynough yf they that shold gouerne hit deled it to goddes seruauntes / and not to glotons / But in our tyme couetyse & pryde hath so chaun∣ged al thynge in englond that thynges that were yeue to Ab∣bayes in old tyme ben now more wasted in glotonye and outra¦ge of owners / than in sustenaunce and helpe of nedy men and of ghestes / but certaynly the yeuers shal not lese her mede / For her wylle and her entente is weyed in goddes balaunce /

¶ Capitulum 33

THe thyrdde lowys regned in Fraunce after his fader the secunde lowys four yere ¶Willelmus de Regibus li¦bro secunde ¶ This yere the hooste of danes lefte este englond and come with theyr dukes hungar and hubba / towar¦de redynge in westsaxons / there the thyrd day after their coming the two dukes of danes wente out for to take prayes and were

slayne at engelfeld / there after the fourth daye the two bretheren kynges of westsaxons mette to gyder and made a grete slaughter of the danes. Atte laste the danes brake oute of the tour & slough Ethelwulfus duc of barrokshyre / and compellyd thenglysshmē to wende a bak / For that shame Englysshmen were meuyd and arayed a batayll the fourth daye ther after vppon Asshdoun / There Aluredus was dryue for grete nede to come to the bataylle to fore his broder the kynge that herde a masse that tyme / The whiche kynges prayers to god that daye was moche worth / For though the danes had taken the hyther place of the hille / Crysten men come from the foote of the hylle vpward ayenste hem / and slough osryk kyng of danes and fyue of his dukes / and many thousandes of enemyes / and chaced the other al a day vnto Re∣dynge / But the fourtenth day after at basynge the danes yaf a batayll / and ageyne two monethes ther after at merton and had the vyctorye / In the mene tyme the kynges of mercia / of nor∣thumberlond and of eest angles had no wylle to suffre the lord∣ship of westsaxons / therfor hem was leuer susteyne the enemyes and fauoure hem in the syege than helpe her owne countrey men that trauayled for the londe / Therfore it was that the enemyes encrecyd and had the maystrye / and men of the lond were ouer come / and bare doune and made doole and sorowe / the nexte yere ther after / / After many batayls etheldredus kynge of westsax∣ons deydr eyght dayes to fore maye and was buryed at Wyn∣burn / ¶ After Adryan the eygth Iohan was pope twelue yere / ¶In a tyme this dwellyd with lowys balbus kynge of Fraunce al a yere / and was prysoned of the Romayns / for he wolde not fauoure charles Also this pope yaue to ansegysus bisshop of Senons the grete gregoryes heede & pope leos Arme∣for to doo hem in his chirche / In the tyme of this pope / the fyfthe Synode of Constantinople was made of thre honderd / lxxiij / bis¦shops / Also in his tyme Sarasyns pryked in ytaly / and destro∣yed seynt benets abbay in mount cassyn thenne the seconde tyme

¶ Explicit liber quintus /