The historie of Great Britannie declaring the successe of times and affaires in that iland, from the Romans first entrance, vntill the raigne of Egbert, the West-Saxon prince; who reduced the severall principalities of the Saxons and English, into a monarchie, and changed the name of Britannie into England.

The first CHAPTER.* 1.1

The principalitie of the East-Saxons, erected by Erchen∣win. Sebert the first Christian Prince. Miletus the first Bishop of the East-Saxons, hath his Sea at London. Saint Pauls church there founded by Ethelbert (the first Christian Prince of the Kentish-Saxons.) The Church at Westminster founded by Sebert. Cedda (afterward called St. Chadde) preacheth the Gospel to the East-Saxons. Sigher and Sebbi, ioyntly rule the Province.

ERchenwin was the first of all the Saxons, that erected a Provinciall government among the East-Sax∣ons, who then inhabited those parts, which now containe the Counties of Essex, Middlesex, and part of the Countie of Hartford: all which, both himself and his successors many yeares togither held by homage of the Kentish Princes, as of their superiour Lords. This Prince having reigned a long time (with what successe, I find no certaine re∣port,) left the government to Sledda his sonne, who, to strengthen his estate by affinitie, married Ricula, the daughter of Ermerick the Prince of Kent, by whom he had issue Sebert that succeeded him.

Sebert governed peaceably the Province of the East-Saxons, which in his time was converted to Christia∣nitie: for in the yeare of Grace 604. Miletus was sent by Augustin the Archbish. to preach the faith of Christ to that people, and had the Cittie of London assigned to him for his Episcopall Sea, where Ethelbert

the Kentish Prince erected a Church, which he dedica∣ted to Saint Paul, endowing it with large possessions: and Sebert (following his example therein) founded an other at the West end of the citie, where afterwards, a Monasterie was builded: The place at that time (be∣ing environed with water, and overgrowen with thornes) was called Thorney, and afterwards (by reason of the situation thereof) the West-Minster.

It is reported that in more ancient times there had beene a Temple of Apollo, which being overthrowen by an Earth-quake, Lucius the first Christian Prince of the Britans, reedified and converted to a Church for the exercise of the Christian Religion.

Sebert (having spent the most part of his time after his conversion) in deedes of Charitie and Devotion, ended his life, and was buried in that Church, togither with his wife Ethelgoda.

Serred, Seward, and Sigbert his sonnes, ruled ioyntly the province of the East-Saxons. They were all men of disordered conversation, and open despisers of religi∣ous rites: for, being not yet baptised, they would have receyved the Sacrament of Christs bodie: wherein, for that Miletus the Bishop had opposed himself against them, they expelled him from his Sea at London, and themselves soone after were by Kinegles the West-Saxon Prince, deprived both of government, and life.

Sigebert, surnamed the Little, the sonne of Seward, succeeded in the principalitie, which in short time he left to Sigbert, (the nephew of Sebert (the first Chri∣stian Prince of the East-Saxons:) Sigbert was by perswa∣sion of Oswin chiefe governor of the Northumbers, con∣verted from Paganisme to Christianitie, wherein he was confirmed, by Cedda, a devout learned man, that then preached to the East-Saxons, and recovered many

of them, which (after the expulsion of Miletus) had fal∣len from the faith. He was afterwards by Finan (the Bishop of Holy-Iland) consecrated bishop of the East-Saxons: amongst whom, he preached the Gospell of Christ without interruption, till such time as Sigbert the Prince, (procoring the dislike of his Subjects, for that he shewed too much clemency to the Mercians his ene∣mies) was trecherously murdered by one of his owne kindred.

After his death, Swidhelin, the sonne of Sexbald, ob∣tained the regement, and was baptised by Cedda the Bishop.

Then Sigher & Sebbi ruled togither, but not with abso∣lute authoritie, for at that time they acknowledged al∣legeance to Wulfere Prince of the Mercians. In those dayes great plague and mortalitie fell vpon the Inhabi∣tants of the Province, and Sigher (renouncing the faith) fell to Idolatry, which in a short time greatly encreased, till Iarumanus the Bishop of Lichfield, and certain priests (being sent thither by VVulfere to that end) laboured with all diligence to stop the course thereof, and in the end suppressed it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  East-Saxons.