The history of Great Britaine under the conquests of ye Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans Their originals, manners, warres, coines & seales: with ye successions, lives, acts & issues of the English monarchs from Iulius Cæsar, to our most gracious soueraigne King Iames. by Iohn Speed.

ELLA THE FIRST KING OF THE SOVTH-SAXONS, AND SECOND MO∣NARCH * 1.1 OF THE ENGLISHMEN. CHAPTER XIV.

[illustration]

ELla a noble Saxon, being sent for by King Hengist, * 1.2 about the three and twen∣tith yeere of his raigne, brought a fresh supply of those Germans to the re∣liefe of his Countrymen, who with his forces lan∣ded at the hauen now cal∣led Shoreham in Sussex, where putting backe the Inhabitants in many skir∣mishes, lastly chased them into a great wood then cal∣led * 1.3 Andredflege, whence often being assailed by the sudden assaults of the Britaines, wherein as may bee thought, he lost the liues of his two elder sonnes, was so hardly beset, that hee sent for more aid of his Sax∣ons, who came to his supply.

(2) His strength thus augmented, and ambition still increased, he fought three cruell and bloody bat∣tels, but the last of them most fatall against the Bri∣taines, in the place then called Macrodes-burne, and be∣sieging the ancient and famous City Anared-Chester * 1.4 situated in the said great forest, and chiefe defensible fortresse in all those Southern parts, intercepted the Britaines that came to their reliefe, and entring the same by an assault, put to the sword all that were found within it. After which great losse, the Britaines sought rather to prouide for their owne safety by fly∣ing into desert places, then by making open resistance to procure their owne too apparant destruction.

(3) Ella in this state continued the time of fiue yeeres before he assumed the name of King, o•…•… the li∣mits * 1.5 of that Prouince assigned vnder his gouernment, but then without any shew of resistance laid the foun∣dation of this Kingdome, which was the second of the Saxons; and as Hengist held Kent, so he had Sussex and Surrey for his Possession, wherein for six yeeres space * 1.6 with Hengist he liued, and that with such approbation of valour as that after his death he became the second Saxon Monarch of the Englishmen, in the yeere of grace 488.

(4) He is said to be the elder sonne of Osa, whose genealogie Florentius of Worcester thus deriueth: Osa * 1.7 (saith he) was the sonne of Ether•…•…ert, and he the sonne of Ingengeat, who was the sonne of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whose father was Alusa, the sonne of Ingebrand, the sonne

of Wegbrand, the sonne of Beorn, the sonne of Beor∣nus, the elder sonne of Brand, the sonne of Bealdeag, the sixth sonne of prince Woden and of Lady Fria his wife.

(5) His issue were Kymen, Plenching, and Cissa, three valiant sonnes, that came ouer with him, and assisted him in his enterprises for Britaine. From Kymen, the port wherein they arriued, was called Kymenishore; by * 1.8 the Britaines, Cuneueshore, which time and seas hath both shortened, and altered: and now is it called Shoreham, a well knowne hauen in Sussex. This Prince came to his graue before his Father, either by the stroke of warres, or by the course of nature, without further mention of his acts, and his succession, cut off by his death.

(6) Plenching his second sonne, was borne vnto him * 1.9 in the Lowe countries of Germany, and with his bre∣thren assisted his Father to the attaining of the South-Saxons Crowne; but being cut off by vntimely death, whether by the hand of the enemy, or by natures ap∣pointment, is vncertaine.

(7) The yongest sonne of king Ella, was Cissa, whom death spared to liue a long life; but fame as sparing to adorne it with memory of his acts: for no∣thing of him is left memorable, besides the building of Chichester. Fortune indeed set his fathers Crowne on his head, but kept the Imperiall Diademe in her owne hand, to adorne the head of a worthier bearer, which was Cherdik the West-Saxon, vnto whom Cissa gaue yeerely contribution, to secure him from the Britaines, as before and after hath been, and shall bee shewed.

(8) This Ella his entrance and erection of his Kingdome, for time is vncertaine; but his raigne therein, as also in his Monarchie, is more certainelie knowne: for hee was King of the South-Saxons the * 1.10 space of thirty two yeeres, and Monarch of the Eng∣lish-men six and twenty, dying in the yeere of Christs Incarnation fiue hundred and foureteene, which was the thirty sixth after his first arriuall into Britaine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  E•…•…, Mo•…•…at.
• * 1.2

  An. D. 581. Beda. hist. lib. 2. cap. 5.
• * 1.3

  Matt. Westminst.
• * 1.4

  Henry Huntington
• * 1.5

  An. Do. 488.
• * 1.6

  E•…•…, how long h•…•… raigned.
• * 1.7

  Florent. Wigorn.
• * 1.8

  VVil. Malmsb.
• * 1.9

  Florent. VVig.
• * 1.10

  See Chap. 6.