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

EDward surnamed Senior, the son of Aelfred, was annoyn∣ted* 1.1 king, & shortly after Adhelwoldus, cousin germaine vnto king Edwarde, reuolted and wente to the armie of the Pagans, who forthwith chose him to be their Kyng in Nor∣thumberlands.

Ioannes Leoafer▪ in his thirde booke of the description ••••* 1.2 Africa, writeth that about this time (to say) about the yere •••• our Lorde. 905. the Englishmen at the perswasion of the Gothes, besieged the great Citie Argilla in Barbarie, which the Affricanes call Arella, being. 70. myles distant frō the streight of Marrocho Southwarde, hoping thereby to withdraw the Sarazens out of Europe, where they fought with so great cou∣rage and good successe, that they wanne the sayde towne, and so ransacked it with fire and sworde, that scant one escaped there, and the towne laye desolate and without inhabitant•• for the space of thirtie yeare. We account thys to haue hap∣ned in the foresayde yeare, bycause the aucthour after the ••••∣shion of the Sarazens, doth referre it to the. 314. yeare of M••∣homets Hegira, which by cōference of theyr places doth séeme to beginne in the yeare of our Lord. 591. which number be∣ing added, do bring forth. 905.

Adhelwoldus King of the Pagans brought a great armye from Eastsex, and the East English whiche robbed and spoyled through all Mercia, and the Weaste Countrey, vntill they came to Crickalde, and there went ouer the Thamis and tooke great spoyles about Bradney.

King Edward gathered an army and went towarde the Danes, but while he tarried his army out of Kent, Adhelwolf King of the Danes came vpon him with a great power, and badde him battayle, wherein Cochricus & Adelwolfe, kings of the Pagans were slaine.

In the yeare. 910. a battaile was fought at Wodnesfielde, a mile North from Wolfrune Hampton in Staffordeshire, where* 1.3 Cowilfus & Healidene kings of y^• Pagans, with many Erles and Nobles were slaine, but of the common people innu∣merable.

Aethered Earle of the Mercies dyed, and king Edwarde toke into his Dominion London and Oxenforde, and all the Countrey adioyning therevnto.

In the yeare. 913. by the Kings commaundement, at Hertforde, betwixt the riuers of Memeran, Benefician, and Le∣gian,

in the North side a Citie is builded.

In the yeare. 914. the Pagans of Northumberlande, and Ley∣cester, in the Countie of Oxforde toke spoyles, and in the kings towne called Hokenorton, and in manye other places they slew many people, and retourned home againe: ano∣ther army of y^• Danes, being horssemen, were sent into Hart∣fordeshire, towardes Legeton, with whom the men of y^• Coun∣trey encountered, and slaying manye of them, put the rest to ••••ight, taking theyr horsses and armour, with a great praye. King Edward leauing certaine to builde a Citie in y^• South* 1.4 part of the riuer L••gea, with more parte of his armye wente into Essex, and encamped at Mealdune, where he tarried til a Towne was builded at Witham.

In the yeare. 915. a great Nauie of Danes sayled aboute the West Countrey, and landed in diuerse places, taking gret prayes, and went to their shippes againe. The King for strengthning of the Countrey, made a Castel at y^• mouth of the water of Auon, and another at Buckingham, & the thirde fast by, that is, on eyther side of the riuers course one, & then wente into Northampton and Bedfordshires, and subdued the Danes there, with their leader called Turketils.

King Edward builded or new repayred the towns of To∣cester* 1.5 and Wigmore.

In the yeare▪ 918. the Kentish, Southrey, and East Saxons, be∣sieged Colchester, and wanne it by force, and slew all therein,* 1.6 a fewe excepted, that escaped by flight. The same yeare king* 1.7 Edward wente to Colchester with an army, repayred y^• wals, and put a great garrison of souldiours into it.

The next yeare died the noble Princesse Elfleda (wife to* 1.8 Etheldredus Duke of Mercia) and was buryed in the Mo∣nasterie of Saint Peter, whiche hir Lorde and she before had builded in the Towne of Glocester, whiche Monasterie was after throwen to the grounde by the Danes, but Aeldredus Bishoppe of Yorke, & of Worcester, made there another, which is now the chiefest Church in the towne.

This noble woman Elfleda, réedified the Cittie of Che∣ster▪

she repayred the towne of Tomworth, beside Lichfielde,* 1.9 Stafford, Warwicke, Shrewesburie, Watrisburie, Eldisburie, Legecea∣ster with a towne and Castell in the North ende of Mercia, vpon the Riuer of Merse, that is called Runcorne she builded a bridge ouer Seuerne called Brimesberie bridge▪ &c.

When she had once assaied the paines that women suffer in trauayling with childe, she euer after refused the embra∣cing of hir husbande, saying, it was not séemely for any noble woman to vse such fleshly lyking, whereof shoulde ensue so great sorrow and paine: tamed the Walchmen, and in di∣uerse battayles chased the Danes, after whose death, Edward helde that Prouince in hys owne hande.

King Edward builded a newe town against the old town of Notingham on the South side of the Riuer of Trent, & made* 1.10 a bridge ouer the sayde riuer betwéene the two townes: he subdued the kings of Scotland & Wales: he builded a town in y^t North end of Mercia by y^• riuer of Merse, & named it Thilwal, and repayred the Towne of Manchester: after al which déeds by him done, he deceased at Faringdon, and was buried at Winchester, in the new Church, whiche hys father A••lfrede had builded when he had raygne. xxiiij. yeares.

Notes

• * 1.1

  900 Speculum histo. Ri. C••ren. Adhelvvold•• reuolteth.
• * 1.2

  Iohns Leoafer.
• * 1.3

  VVodnesfielde in Staffordshire VVlfrune Hampton.
• * 1.4

  Maldon i•• Essex.
• * 1.5

  Tocester. VVigmore.
• * 1.6

  Cogshal.
• * 1.7

  Colchester in Essex.
• * 1.8

  Hērie Bradshaw. Reynul•• Hygden.
• * 1.9

  Chester. Tomvvorth. Lichfielde. Stafford. VVarvvike. Shrevvesburie. VVatersburie. Eldesburie. Leycester re∣payred. Runcorn tovvn and castell, and Brimsbery vvith the bridge builded.
• * 1.10

  Marianus Scotus. Wil. Thorne. Henrie Hunting. Alredus Riual. Thilvval built. Manchester re∣payred.