Ancient funerall monuments within the vnited monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the islands adiacent with the dissolued monasteries therein contained: their founders, and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred. As also the death and buriall of certaine of the bloud royall; the nobilitie and gentrie of these kingdomes entombed in forraine nations. A worke reuiuing the dead memory of the royall progenie, the nobilitie, gentrie, and communaltie, of these his Maiesties dominions. Intermixed and illustrated with variety of historicall obseruations, annotations, and briefe notes, extracted out of approued authors ... Whereunto is prefixed a discourse of funerall monuments ... Composed by the studie and trauels of Iohn Weeuer.

Hadley.

* 1.1Here in this Church, as the Inhabitants say, Gurmond, or Gurthrun, a Danish King lieth interred: and this their assertion is confirmed by the

most of our ancient Historians; yet the Tombe which they shew for his funerall Monument beares not that face of Antiquitie, as to be of seuen hun∣dred yeares and more continuance; if any Monument remaine here to his memory, in my vnderstanding, it is one of these in the North or South wall. This Pagan king of Denmarke, after he had for many yeares infest∣ed and harried this kingdome, and driuen Alfred our king to strange ex∣tremities; was in the end ouercome by Alfred in battell: presently vpon which he was washed in the lauer of Baptisme;* 1.2 (which was one of the con∣ditions of peace at his ouerthrow) Alfred receiued him for his godsonne by the name of Athelstane, and gaue him in free gift this countrey of East Angels; and in the same fountaine of Grace (saith Simon of Durham) thirtie of the chiefe Danish Nobilitie were initiated, vpon whom the true Christian King bestowed many rich gifts. Of all which my old ryming Cronicler.

Gutron the king of Denmarke that was tho,* 1.3 In Westsex werred full sore and brent the lond, Wyth whych the kyng so marryd was wyth wo, He wyst not well whether to ride or stond, But to Ethelingay anone he tooke on hond To ryde, where then he hyd hym in a place, For drede of Danes, such was hys hap and grace.

Where then hys Lordes and knyghtes in good araye, Came to him then wyth hooste and greate powre, Where than the kyng vpon Gutron that day, In batayle strong wyth corage fresh and clere Fought sore, and tooke Gutron prisonere, And thyrtye dukes wyth hym in compaye Vnchrysten were, they all of panymrye.

And had the felde wyth all the vyctorye And of Danes many thousand slewe. He baptyzed than as made is memorye Thys kyng Gutron, that after was full trewe And named was Athylstan all anewe To whome the kyng gaue than all Estenglond As Edmond had to holde of hym that lond.

And all hys dukes were also there baptyzed And chrysten menne bycame for goddys loue The yere of Chryste viii C. thenne compeysed Seuente and viii as Flores doth approue.

This Battell, and the baptising of Gutron and his Lords, I haue also out of an ancient namelesse Manuscript in my owne custody, thus deliuered.

Than Gunter that fader was of Haueloke Kynge of Denmarke, was than of mykle myght Arevyd so than in Ingylond wythe hys floke

Of Danes fell, cruyll, myghty and wyght Wyth whom the kyng full strongly than dydd fyght And hem venquyste wyth sore fyght and batayll; And ovar hond had so thrughe hys gouernayll. The whiche Gunter, and thyrty of hys Lords Thrughe grace toke than baptyme at theyr desyre.

* 1.4After he had gouerned these counties of Suffolke and Norfolke (keeping his residence here in this Towne) the space of twelue yeares complete, he died and was buried in the kings towne, called Headlega (so Hadley is called in the Saxons language) in Suffolke among the East English, in the yeare 889.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gurmond king of Denmarke.
• * 1.2

  Gurmound christened.
• * 1.3

  Hard ca. 109.
• * 1.4

  Hadley the Kings ••ear. S••ow. Camd.