The chronicles of England from Brute vnto this present yeare of Christ. 1580. Collected by Iohn Stow citizen of London.

East-Saxons.

ESsex the fourth kingdome contayned Essex, Midlesex, and Hartfordshire, being boūded on the East, with the Germaine Ocean, on the South with the riuer Thamis, on the Weast with Colme, and on the North with Stowre, which at this day parteth Suffolke from Essex: it contayneth the diocesse of Lō∣don.

ERchenwine, the eighte from Woden, from whome all the Saxons deriued their genealogies, first erected this Coun∣trey* 1.1 to a Kingdome, which neuerthelesse he held as Feoda∣rieto the kings of Kent, who were as yet the very soueraines of the whole country frō Thamis to Humber. And as we haue specified, Vortiger yéelded season to Hēgest for his deliuery,* 1.2 when y^• Péeres of the Brytains were slain on Salisburie playn, and he taken prisoner.

SLedda the sonne of Erchenwine, succéeded his father in the* 1.3 gouernement, and to establishe the state more sure, marri∣ed Ricula the daughter of Ermenrich King of Kent, and en∣ioyed hys gouernemente so quietly, that he ministred small matter to Historiographers.

SEbert the sonne of Sledda by Ricula, ruled this kingdome* 1.4 after his father. The seconde yeare of hys raigne, by the perswasion of Ethelbert hys vncle, and preaching of Mile∣tus first Byshoppe of London, he embraced Christianitie, and was baptised by Miletus, and (immediately to shewe him∣selfe a Christian,) builte a Churche to the honour of Saint Peter, on the West side of London, in a place, whiche bycause it was ouergrowen with Thornes and enuironed wyth Waters, the Saxons at that time called it Thorney, and* 1.5 nowe of the Monasterie and West scituation is called West∣minster.

In this place long before was a Temple of Apollo, (as Sulcardus writeth,) whyche being ouerthrowne wyth an Earthquake, Eucius builte a Churche for the Christi∣ans,* 1.6

Sebert (when he had raigned thirtéene yeres) dyed, and was entombed in the Church which he builte, with his wife Acthelgod, whose bodies many yeares after, in the the time* 1.7 of Richarde the seconde, were translated from the olde Churche to the newe at Westminster: and there enterred.

SErred, Sewarde and Sigbert, sonnes of Sebarte, ioyntly (as it séemeth) then ruled Eastsex▪ men wickedly giuen, irre∣ligious,* 1.8 and deadely enemies to the Christian profession: who presumed contemptuouslye to the Table of the Lords Supper, beyng not Baptised: and bycause Miletus woulde not permitte them to be partakers of the Christian Sacra∣mente, they expelled hym from his Sea at London, but short∣ly after Serred encountring with the West Saxons, was slaine with both his brethren by king Kinegls.

SIgebert surnamed the little, sonne of Sewarde succéeded in this kingdome, and lefte the same to Sigebert his kins∣man.

SIgebert sonne to Sigebalde, brother to Sebert, then ruled in Eastsex, he by the perswasion of Oswy King of Northum∣bers,* 1.9 abandoned all superstition, and became a Christian, and toke an holye manne Ced wyth hym, who did mighti∣ly beate down errours, & wan many by preaching the Chri∣stian religion in his Dominions, wherevpon Ced was by Finan consecrated Bishoppe of the East Saxons, and then pro∣céeded with more authoritie in hys functiō, ordering Priests and Deacons in all places of Essex, but especially at Ithance∣ster, and Tilberie.

Thys Cittie of Ithancester, stoode on the bancke of the riuer Pante, that runneth by Maldune in the hundered of Dansey, but now that Citie is drowned in Pante, so y^t nothing remaineth but the ruines of the Citie in the sayde riuer. Tilbery standeth on the Thamis side.* 1.10

In y^• good procéedings of King SIGEBERT, he was slain by a kinsman of his owne, vpon none other occasion, but for that he vsed too muche clemencie towardes his enimies, as

the murtherers themselues confessed.

Swidhelin sonne of Sexbald, succéeded then in this regimēt, who was baptized by Ced in Rendlesham in East-Englande.

Sigher then ruled with Sebba, whyche Sebba became a Monke, and is buried at Saint Paules in London.

Sigehard then raigned.

Erkenwald Bishop of Eastangle founded the Monasteries of Chartesey in Surrey, and Barking in Essex. Anno. 677.

Seofride nexte successiuely, of whome I finde nothyng re∣corded.

Offa the sonne of Sigher then ruled this Prouince, he en∣larged with building, and enriched with landes the Church* 1.11 of Westminster, and then forsaking hys wife, landes, kinne and Countrey, he went to Rome with Kenrede King of Mer∣cia, and there in a Monkes coule ended this life, leauing Sel∣red to rule his Countrey.

SElred (whom other call Colred) peaceably after Offa raig∣ned* 1.12 in Essex thirty yeares, and at length was slaine.

SVthred after Selred was slayne, raigned in Eastsex: but Egbert King of the Weast-Saxons, the verye yeare that he conquered Kent, subdued also this Suthred, and annexed Essex to hys Kingdome: yet London with the Countrey confi∣ning about it, came not in subiection to the Weast-Saxons, but obeyed the King of Mercia, as long as that Kingdome conti∣nued.

Sigehricke and Sigehard afterwarde aspired to the King∣dome of East Saxon, but with no good successe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  527
• * 1.2

  ••eade.
• * 1.3

  587
• * 1.4

  602
• * 1.5

  VVestminster built.
• * 1.6

  ••ulcard••••.
• * 1.7

  T. Walsingham.
• * 1.8

  616
• * 1.9

  ••eade▪
• * 1.10

  Ralph Cogshal▪
• * 1.11

  Rich▪ Cices••••.
• * 1.12

  718 Ri. Grincastri. 748