Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶ King Egbertus.

IN the raigne of Brigthricus a little before mentioned,* 1.1 a∣bout the yere of grace 7••5. there was in his dominion a noble personage, of some called Egbert, of some Ethelbert, of some Athelbright, who being feared of the same Brigthricus, because he was of a kingly bloud, & nere vnto the crowne, was by the force & conspiracie of the forenamed Brigthri∣cus, chased & pursued out of the land of Britam into Frāce, where he endured till the death of the sayd Brigthricus.* 1.2 Af∣ter the hearing whereof, Egbert sped him eftsoones out of Fraunce, vnto his countrey of Westsaxe, where he in such wise behaued himselfe, that he obteined the regiment and gouernance of the abouesaid kingdom.

Bernulphus king of Mercia aboue mentioned, with o∣ther kings, had this Egbert in such decisiō, that they made of him diuers scoffing gestes,* 1.3 and scorning rimes, at which he susteined for a time. But when he was more established in his kingdome, & had proued the mindes of his subiects and especially God working withall:* 1.4 he afterward assem∣bled his knights, and gaue to the saide Bernulphus, a bat∣taile in a place called Elindē, in the prouince of hāton. And notwithanding in that fight was great oddes of number, as 6. or 8. against one, yet Egbert (through the might of the Lord which giueth victory as pleaseth him) had the better and wan the field:* 1.5 Which done he seased that Lord∣ship into his hand. And that also done, he made war vpon the Kentish saxons, and at length in likewise, of them ob∣tained the victory.* 1.6 And as it is in Polychronicon testified, he also subdued Northumberland, and caused the kings of these three kingdomes to liue under him as tributaries or ioyned them to his kingdome. Ex Flor. Hist. This Egbert, also wan from the Britons or Welshinē, the town of Che∣ster, which they had kept possession of, till that daye. After these & other victories, he peaceably enioying the land, cal∣led a Councell of his Lords at Winchester, where by their aduises he was crowned king & chief Lord ouer this land.* 1.7 which before that day was called Britaine: but thē he sent out into all coasts of the land his commaundements and cōmissions, charging straightly y^t from that day forward the Saxons should be called Angles, and the land Anglia.

About the 30. yeare of the raigne of Egbert,* 1.8 the heathe∣nish people of the Danes, which a little before had made horrible destruction in Northumberland, & especially in y^e Ile of Lindesarue, where they spoyled the Churches, and murthered the ministers,* 1.9 with men, women, and children, after a cruell maner, entered now the second tyme with a great host into this land, and spoyled the Ile of Shepy in Kent, or nere to Kent, where Egbert hearing therof, assem∣bled his people and met with them at Carrum. But in that conflict sped not so well as he was woont in tymes before, but with his knights was compelled to forsake the field. Notwithstanding in the next battail, the sayd Egbert with a small power ouerthrew a great multitude of them, and so droue them backe. The next yeare followyng, the sayd Danes presuming vpon their victory before, made theyr

return again into the land Westward,* 1.10 where ioining with the Britaines, by the helpe and power of them, they assay∣led the landes of Egbert,* 1.11 & did much harme in many places of his dominion, and els where, so that after this day, they were continually abiding in one place of the realme of en∣gland or other▪ till the time of Hardeknutus, last king of the Danes bloud, so that many of them were maried to Eng∣lish women, and many that now be, or in times past were called Englishmen, are descended of them. And albeit that they were many and sundry times driuen out of the land, & chased from one countrey to an other, yet that notwithstā∣ding, they euer gathered new strengthes and power, that they abode still within the land.

And thus (as by the storyes appeareth) this trouble∣some land of Britaine,* 1.12 now called England, hath bene he∣therto by v. sundry outward nations plagued. First, by the Romains, then by the Scots & Pictes, 3. by the Saxons, 4. by the Danes, of whose outragious cruelty & hostilitie, our English histories do most exclayme & complayne:* 1.13 fift∣ly by the Normanes, which I pray God be the last.

Thē it followeth in the story, that the time of this per∣secution of the foresayd Paganes and Danes continuing, king Egbert when he had ruled the Westsaxons, and ouer the more part of England, by the terme of xxxvij. yeares, dyed, and was buried at Winchester, leauing to his sonne Ethelwolfe his kingdome, which first was Byshoppe of Winchester (as Houeden recordeth) and after vpon neces∣sity made king, leauing withal and pronouncing this say∣ing to his sonne: Foelicem fore, si regnum, quod multa rexerat industria, ille consueta genti illi non interrumperet ignauia.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Egbert king of the Westsaxons, afterward Mo∣narke and king of the whole Realme.
• * 1.2

  In this tyme came in the Danes▪ Fill into the North part•• and were driuen out agaynes.
• * 1.3

  Anno. 807.
• * 1.4

  Example what it is to despise other. Example of patience.
• * 1.5

  Anno. 826.
• * 1.6

  Of this victory went a prouerb Riuuscruore rubuit ruina restitit, foetor•• tabuit.
• * 1.7

  This land first called Anglia.
• * 1.8

  Anno. 833.
• * 1.9

  Danes now the second tyme en∣tred in this land.
• * 1.10

  Anno. 834.
• * 1.11

  Fabian. cap. 158.

  Rog. Houed. Lab. 5. cap. 1.
• * 1.12

  England fiue tym••s plagued by other natiōs.
• * 1.13

  Ex Rog. Ho∣ued. Lib. 5.