The history of Britain, that part especially now call'd England from the first traditional beginning, continu'd to the Norman conquest / collected out of the antientest and best authours thereof by John Milton.

Edwi.

EDwi the Son of Edmund now come to Age, after * 1.1 his Uncle Edred's Death took on him the Go∣verment, and was Crown'd at Kingston. His lovely person sirnam'd him the Fair, his actions are diversly reported, by Huntingdon not thought illaudable. But Malnisbury and such as follow him write far otherwise, that he married or kept as Concubine, his neer Kinswoman, some say both her and her * 1.2 Daughter; so inordinatly giv'n to his pleasure, that on the very day of his Coronation, he abruptly withdrew himself from the Company of his Peers, whether in Banquet or Consultation, to sit wanton∣ing in the Chamber with this Algiva, so was her name, who had such power over him. Wherat his Barons offended, sent Bishop Dunstan, the boldest among them, to request his return: he going to the Cham∣ber, not only interrupted his dalliance and rebuk'd the Lady, but takeing him by the hand, between force and persuasion brought him back to his Nobles. The King highly displeas'd, and instigated perhaps [An. Dom. 956] by her who was so prevalent with him, not long after

sent Dunstan into banishment, caus'd his Monastery to be rifl'd, and became an Enemy to all Monks. Wherupon Odo Archbishop of Canterbury pronounc't a separation or divorce of the King from Algiva. But that which most incited William of Malmsbury against him, he gave that Monastery to be dwelt in by secular Preists, or, to use his own phrase, made it a stable of Clerks; at length these affronts done to the Church were so resented by the people, that the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted from him, and set up Edgar his Brother, leaving to Edwi the * 1.3 [An. Dom. 957] * 1.4 [An. Dom. 958] * 1.5 West-Saxons only, bounded by the River Thames; with greif wherof, as is thought, he soon after ended his daies, and was buried at Winchester. Mean while Elfsin Bishop of that place after the Death of Odo, ascending by Simony to the Chair of Canterbury, and going to Rome the same year for his Pall, was froz'n to Death in the Alps.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ethelword.
• * 1.2

  Mat. West.
• * 1.3

  Hoved.
• * 1.4

  Sax. an.
• * 1.5

  Mat. West.