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

EDward borne at Islip besides Oxford, the sonne of Ethel∣dred,* 1.1 whom Hardycanutus had sent for into England, was Crowned at Winchester. This Edward for his excellēt holy∣nesse, is vntill this day called Saint Edward who so soone as he had gotten his fathers kingdome, of his owne frée will released the tribute of 40000. pound, called Dane gelt, which* 1.2 the English people, euen from the very beginning of the reigne of the Danes, was compelled to pay to their Kings e∣uery* 1.3 yeare. He was also the chiefe author and cause, that the law which we call the common Law, was first brought

vp, being gathered togither out of the lawes and ordināces of four nations, which were receiued when the Island was subiect to diuers regiments & gouernances, to witte, of the Mercies, of the West Saxons, of the Danes, & of the Northumbers.* 1.4 He was hard to his mother, bycause she was hard to him in his minoritie, and also suspected with Alwine Bishop of Winchester, whome he put in prison, by counsell of Roberte Archbishop of Canturbury: but after his mother had purged hirselfe, Alwine was deliuered, and Robert the Archbishop conueyed himselfe out of England. He tooke to wife Edgitha,* 1.5 the daughter of Earle Godwine, who bycause she brought* 1.6 him forth no children, neyther was there any hope that she should beare any, whē he did sée that many did gaye after y^• kingdome, he began to be carefull for one that should iustly succéede him, and therfore following the reason of y^• commō law, he sent for home into England his Nephew Edward, the sonne of king Edmond his brother, who by reason of his lōg absence out of the Countrey, was cōmonly called y^e outlaw. This is that Edward, the sonne of King Edmond surnamed Ironside, which remained aliue, whome Canutus when he had gotten England, had sent into Swethen with his brother. He knowing the aduise of his. Uncle, came againe into En∣gland, and brought with him Agatha his wife, & Edgar, Mar∣garet and Christian his children, borne in Panonia, in hope of the kingdome, where he liued but a while. Thus S. Edward being disappoynted, both of his Nephew and his heire, for that Edward the outlaw was both by néerenesse of bloud, and by lawfull succession right heire vnto the Kingdome, withoute delaye pronounced Edgar the outlawes sonne, and his greate Nephew, to bée heire of the Kingdome, and gaue him to surname Adeling, which name in those dayes was peculiar onely to Kings Children, which were borne in hope and possibilitie of the Kingdome: for thys worde Adeling, in the English tong, is as much to say, as Prince, or Lorde, the contrary of which word is▪ Vnderling, that is* 1.7 to say, a seruan••••or or bondman: or according to the Walche

spéech, Adeling signifieth heire: but bycause this Edgar was but yong of yeares, and within age, by his testamente he made Harold the sonne of Godwine (a stoute man both in warre and peace) Regent, vntill the yong Edgar should be of age to receyue the Kingdome, and that then he should be made King: which thing Harold with a solemne oth promi∣sed to sée so performed and done. Notwithstanding, he like a Traytour (by force of armes) immediately after y^• death of Edward, refused the name of Regent, and pronounced him∣selfe* 1.8 King, whiche thing shortly after brought destruction both to himselfe, and to all England.

Anno 1051. Eustace Earle of Bullogne, which had to wife* 1.9 Goda, sister to King Edward, arriued at Douer, where one of his men quarelling aboute his lodging, slewe one of the Townesmen, in reuenge whereof, not only the quareller, but other of his company, and many of the Towne were slayne, whiche doing so muche offended Godwine Earle of Kent, that he assembled a great power, wherewith he mar∣ched toward Glocester, where the king then lay, vnto whome he sent messengers to denounce warre, except he would de∣liuer Eustace and his fellow Normans and Bolognians, which held a Castell in the dominions of Kent.

After this, Godwins armie entered into Glocester, but it was there agréed, that at a day appoynted, the King and Earle Godwine should méete at London: and thus depar∣ting for the time, the King increasing his armie, ledde the same to London, and Godwine with his power came to Southwarke on the other side of the Riuer Thamis: but there bycause his armie by little and little stipped from him, he fledde, and the King forthwith pronounced him, with his fiue sonnes, to be banished, who straightwayes with his wife, and two of his sonnes came to Thorney, where his Shippe being laden with Golde, Siluer, and precious things, he sayled towarde Flanders: his other sonnes tooke Shippe at Bristow, and sayled into Ireland.

In the next yeare, Harold and Leofwine, sonnes to Earle

Godwine, returning out of Ireland, entred Seuerne, arriued with many Shippes in Somerset and Dorsetshires, spoyled many Townes in the Countrey, slew many people, and re∣turned with pray, then they sayle about Portesmouth. &c.

Earle Godwine landed in Kent, gathered a power, say∣led to the Ile of Wight, wasting along the Sea coastes, till his sonnes Harold and Leofwine came with a Nauy, which being come togither, they take their course vp the Riuer of Thamis, came to Southwarke, and there stayed for the Tide, and then weyed vp Anchor, and finding none that offered to resist them on the Bridge, they sayled vp by the South side of the Riuer, and his armie by land, placing it selfe vp∣pon the banckes side, made shew of a thicke and terrible bat∣tayle.

After this, the Nauie turned toward the North shore, as though it would haue compassed in the Kings Nauie: but they that were with the King, and with Godwine, abhorred to fight againste their owne kindred and Countreymen, wherefore a peace was made, Godwine with his sonnes were restored to all former honor, and the Normans were banished the land.

As William of Malmesbury writeth, a certayne yong wo∣man* 1.10 being terribly diseased, by reason of humors gathered about hir necke into great swelling kernels, came to King Edward, who with his right hand dipped in water, handled hir necke, and forthwith y^e hardnesse did breake, the wormes with the matter ranne out, and all the noysome dwelling asswaged, so that she was perfectly hole, and faire skinned ere the wéeke were ended: and they that knewe his life, sayd, he had oft cured this plague in Normandy.

This Edward raigned thrée and twentie yeres, sixe mo∣nethes,* 1.11 and odde dayes.

He was buryed on the day of the Epiphanie, in the Ab∣bey of Saint Peeter in Westminster which he had newly buil∣ded.

In the same day Harold the eldest sonne of Godwine

Earle of Kent, and brother to Edgitha the Quéene, hauing obteyned fayth of the nobilitie, tooke the Crowne.

Leofrike Earle of Mercia, and of Hereford, founded the Monasterie of Couentrie in Anno 1044. He also granted great priuiledges to that Towne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  104••. Alfridus Beuerla. Io. Rouse.
• * 1.2

  Dane gelt.
• * 1.3

  The first com∣••••ing vp of the common Lavv.
• * 1.4

  Mercies, vvest Saxons, Danes, and Northum∣bers.
• * 1.5

  Sea. Cron.
• * 1.6

  Edgitha vvas barreyne.
• * 1.7

  The significati∣on of the vvord Adeling.
• * 1.8

  Alfridus Beuerl. Speculum histo. R••. Cirecest. Flores histo.
• * 1.9

  Floriacen.
• * 1.10

  W. Malme. Kings euill hea∣led by the King.
• * 1.11

  T. Rudborn.