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 Egelred, or Elred.

KIng Edward thus being murthered as is aforesayd, the crowne fell next to Egelrede his yonger brother, & sonne to king Edgar by the foresayd Queene Alfrith, as we haue declared. This Egelred had a long raigne geuen of God, which dured the terme of 38. yeares, but very vn∣fortunate, and full of great miseries. And he himself (by the histories) seemeth to be a Prince, not of the greatest cou∣rage to gouerne a common wealth. Our English stories writing of him, thus report of his raigne: That in the be∣ginning, it was vngracious, wretched in the middle, and hatefull in the latter end. Of this Egelred it is read, when Dunstane the Archbishop should christen him, as hee dyd hold him ouer the Fonte, something there happened, that pleased not Dunstan: whereupon he sware, per sanctā Ma∣riam, iste ignauus homo erit. i. By the mother of Christ he wil be a Prince vntoward and cowardlike, Chron. de Croulād. I finde in William of Malmesbury, Lib. 2. de Regi. That this Egelred beyng of the age of x. yeares, when he heard hys brother Edward to be slayne, made suche sorow & weping for him, that his mother falling therewith in a rage, tooke waxe candles (hauing nothing els at hand) wherwith she scourged him so sore (well neare till he swounded) that af∣ter the same, he could neuer abide any waxe candles to burne before him. After this, about the yeare of our Lord, 981. (the day of his coronation beyng appoynted by the Queene, the mother, and the nobles) Dunstan the Archb. of Cant. (who first refused so to doe) with Oswald Archb. of Yorke, were enforced to crowne the king. And so they did at Ringstō. In doing wherof, the report of stories go, that the said Dunstane should say, thus prophesieng vnto the king: that for so much as he came to the kingdome by the death of his brother, and through the conspiracie of the wicked conspirators and other Englishmen: they should not be without bloudsheding and sword, till there came a people of an vnknown tongue, and should bring them in∣to thraldome, neither should that trespasse be clensed with out long vengeaunce, &c.

In the Chronicles of Crouland, I finde these wordes, Quoniam ascendisti ad thronum tuum, per mortem fratris tui, quem occidit mater tua, propterea audi verbum Domini, hoc di∣cit Dominus. Nō deficiet gladius de domo tua, saeuiens in te om∣nibus diebus vitae tuae, & interficiens de semine tuo, & de gente tua, vsque dum regnum tuum transferatur in regnum alienum: Cuius ritum & linguam gens tua non nouit, nec expiabitur, nisi longa vindicta, & multa sāguinis effusione peccatum matris tuae, & peccatum virorum pessimorum, qui consenserunt consilio e∣ius nequam, vt mitterent manum in Christum Domini, ad effun∣dendum sanguinem innocentem. Chron. de Crouland.

Not long after the coronation of this king, a cloud was seene throughout the land, which appeared the one halfe like bloud, and the other halfe like fire. And changed after into sondry colours and vanished at the last in the mor∣ning. Shortly after the appearaunce of this cloud, in the iij. yeare of his raigne, the Danes arriuing in sondry pla∣ces of the land, first spoyled Southhampton, either slaying the inhabitants, or leading them captiue away. Frō thence they went to the Ile of Thanet, then they inuaded Che∣ster, from thence they proceeded to Cornwall and Deuon∣shire, & so to Sussex: where, in those coastes they did much harme, and so retired to their ships agayne. Roger Houeden writing hereof, sayth: that London, the same tyme (or as Fabian sayth) a great part of London, was consumed with fire. About this tyme fell a variance betwene the foresayd Egelred, and the bishop of Rochester: In so much, that he made warre against him, and besieged the Citie. And not∣withstāding that Dunstan required the king, sending him admonishment to geue ouer, for the sake of S. Andrew, yet continued he his siege, till the bishop offred him an hū∣dreth pounds of gold, which he receaued, and so departed. The Danes seing the discord that then was in the realme, and specially the hatred of the subiectes against the kyng: rose againe, and did great harme in diuers places of Eng∣land: In so much, that the king was glad to graunt them great summes of mony for peace to be had. For the assurāce of which peace, Analeffe captaine of the Danes, became a christen man, and so returned home to his countrey, & did no more harme. Besides these miseries before recited, a sore sicknes of the bloudy flixe, and hote feuers fell among the people, wherof many died, with a like moraine also a∣mong the beastes. Moreouer, for lacke of iustice, many thieues, rioters and bribers were in the land, with much miserie and mischiefe.

About the xi. yeare (some say the ix. yeare) of this kings raigne, died Dunstan. After whom succeded Ethelgarus, or as Iornalensis writeth, Stilgarus. After him Elfricus, as affirmeth Guliel. lib. 1. de pontif. But as Polydorus sayth, Siricius. After him Elfricus came, but Siritius after the mynd of William, Lib. 1. But Polydorus sayth Aluritius, thē Elphegus, &c.

About the same tyme in the yeare of our Lord, 995. Al∣dunus Bishop, translated the body of S. Cuthbert from Chester (which first was in a Northren Iland thē at Ro∣chester) to Durelme or Dunoline. Wherupon the bishops sea of Duresme first began.

Not long after the death of Dunstane, the Danes a∣gayne entred England, in many and sondry places of the land: In such sorte, that the kyng was to seeke, to which coast he should go first to withstand his enemies. And in conclusion, for the auoyding of more harme, he was com∣pelled to appease them with great summes of mony. But when that money was spent, they fell to new robbyng of the people, and assailing the land in diuers places, not on∣ly about the countrey of Northumberland, but also besie∣ged the Citie of London at the last. But being frō thence repulsed by the manhood of the Londoners, they strayd to other countreys adioyning, as to Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, burnyng and killing where so euer they wēt, so that for lacke of a good head or gouernour, many things in the land perished. For the king gaue himselfe to the vice of lecherie, and polling of his subiects, and disinherited mē of their possessions, and caused them to redeeme the same agayne with great summes of money, for he payed great tribute to the Danes yerely, which was called Danegelt. Which tribute so increased, that from the first tribute of x.M. poūd, it was brought at last in processe of v. or vj. yere, to xl.M. pound. The which yearely (during to the com∣ming of S. Edward, and after) was leuied of the subiects of this land.

To this sorow moreouer, was ioyned hunger & penury among the commōs: in so much that euery one of thē was constrained to plucke & steale from other. So that, what for the pillage of the Danes, and what by inward thieues and bribers, this land was brought into great affliction. Albeit, the greatest cause of this affliction (as to me appea∣reth) is not so much to bee imputed to the kyng, as to the dissention among the Lordes themselues, who thē did not agree one with another. But when they assembled in con∣sultation together, eyther they did draw diuers ways, or if any thing were agreed, vpon any matter of peace betwene the parties, soone it was broken againe: or els if any good thing were deuised for the preiudice of y^e enemy, anone the Danes were warned therof by some of the same counsaile. Of whom, the chiefe doers were Edrike Duke of Mercia, and Alfrike the Admirall or captain of the ships, who be∣trayed the kings nauy to the Danes. Wherefore the kyng apprehending Alfagarus sonne of the said Alfrike, put out

his eyes, and so did he after to the two sonnes of Duke E∣drike in like maner.

The Danes thus preuayling more and more ouer the english men, grew in such pride & presumption: that when they by strength, caused the husbandmen to care and sowe the land, and to do all other vile labour belongyng to the house, they would sitte at home, holding the wife at theyr pleasure, with daughter and seruaunt. And when the hus∣band man came home, he should scantly haue of his own, as his seruants had, so that the Dane had all at his will & till, taring of the best, when the owner scantly had his fill of the worst. Thus the common people beyng of them op∣pressed, were in such feare and dread, that not onely they were constrained to suffer them in their doings, but also glad to please them, & called euery one of them in the house where they had rule, Lord Dane. Which worde after (in processe of tyme, when the Danes were voyded) was for despite of the Danes turned of the english men to a name of opprobry, that when one English man would rebuke an other, he would for the more part call him Lurdaine.

And thus hitherto (through the assistaunce of Christ) we haue brought this history to the yere of our lord, 1000. During now & continuing these great miseries vpon this English natiō, the land being brought into great ruine by the grieuous tribute of the Danes, and also by sustainyng the manifold villar••ies and iniuries, as wel by them as by other oppressions within the realm. This yere which was the yeare of our sauiour 1000. This Egelred through the counsail of certain his familiars about him, in the 21. yeare of his raigne, began a matter which was occasion eyther geuen by the one, or taken by the other, of a new plague to ensue vpon the Saxōs, who had driuen out the Britaines before. That was in ioyning with the Normans in mari∣age. For the king this yere abouesaid, for the more strēgth (as he thought) both of him and the realm, maried Emma the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy. Which Ri∣chard was the third Duke of the Normains, and the first of that name. By reason of which mariage, king Egelred was not a little enhaunsed in his owne mynd: and by pro∣sumption thereof, sent secret & straight commissions to the rulers of euery towne in England, that vpon S. Brices day at a certayne houre appointed, the Danes should bee sodenly slayne. And so it was performed, which turned af∣ter to more trouble.

After that tidings came into Denmarke of the murder of those Danes. Anone after, Suanus king of Denmarke with a great host and nauy, landed in Cornewall: where, by treason of a Normand named Hugh, which by fauour of Queene Emma, was made Erle of Deuonshire: The sayd Suanus tooke Exceter, & after beat downe the wals. From thence proceding further into the land, they came to Wilton and Shireborne, where they cruelly spoyled the countrey and slew the people. But anone Suanus hea∣ring that the king was comming to him with the power of his land, tooke his ships & set about to Norfolke: where, after much wasting of that countrey, and spoyling the citie of Norwich, and burning the towne of Thetford, and de∣stroying the countrey thereabout, at length Duke Uskatel met him and beat him, & slew many of the Danes. Wher∣fore, Swanus for that yeare returned to Denmarke, and there made great prouision, to reenter the land againe the next yeare following. And so did, landing at Sandwich a∣bout the 25. yere of the raign of king Egelred, & there spoi∣led that countrey. And as soone as he heard of any hoste of englishmen comming toward him, then he tooke shipping againe. So that when the kings army sought to meet him in one coast, then would he sodainly land in an other. And when the king prouided to meete with them vpon the sea, either they would fain to flee, or els they would with gifts blynd the Admirall of the kings nauy. And thus wearied they the englishmen, & in conclusion brought them in ex∣treme and vnspeakable misery. In so much that the King was fayne to take peace with them, & gaue to king Sua∣nus 30000. pound. After which peace thus made, Suanus returned agayne to Denmarke.

But this peace continued not long. For the yeare next following, king Egelred made Edricus aboue mētioned, Duke of Mercia, which was subtile of witte, glosing and eloquent of speach, vntrusty, and false to the king and the Realme. And soone after one Turkillus (a Prince of the Danes) landed in Kent with much people, and there dyd such harme, that the Kentishmē were faine to make peace with great gifts, and so thence departed. But this perse∣cution of the Danes (in one country or other in England) neuer ceased, nor the king did euer geue to them any nota∣ble battaile. For when he was disposed to geue them bat∣tail, this Edricus would euer counsaile him to the contra∣ry, so that the Danes euer spoyled and robbed, and waxed rich, and the english men euer poore and bare.

After this Suanus beyng in Denmarke, and hearing of the increase of hys people in England, brake hys coue∣naunts before made, and with a great army and nauie in most defensable wyse appoynted, landed in Northumber∣land proclaimyng himselfe to be king of this land. Where, after much vexation, when he had subdued the people, and caused the Erle with the rulers of the countrey to sweare to him feaultie: he passed by the riuer of Trent to Ganis∣burgh, and to Northwatlyng streete, and subduyng the people there, forced them to geue hym pledges: whiche pledges he committed with his nauy vnto Canutus hys sonne to keepe, whyle he went further into the lande. And so with a great hoste came to Mercia, killing and slaying. Then he tooke by strength Winchester, and Oxford, & dyd there what him liked. That done, he came toward Lon∣don, and hearing the king was there, passed by the Riuer Thamis, and came into Kent and there besieged Canter∣bury, where he was resisted the space of 20. dayes. At lēgth by treason of a Deacon called Almaricus (whom the Bi∣shop had preserued from death before) wanne it, and tooke the goods of the people and fired the Citie, and tythed the Monkes of S. Augustines Abbey (that is to meane, they slew ix. by cruell torment, and the tenth they kept aliue as for their slaues.) So they slew there of religious men, to the number of 900. persons: of other men, women, & chil∣drē, they slew aboue 8000. And finally, whē they had kept y^e Bishop Elphegus in straight prison the space of 7. mo∣nethes, & because he would not cōdescend to geue vnto thē 3000. pound: After many villanies vnto hym done, they brought him to Greenewich, & there stoned him to death.

Kyng Egelred in the meane tyme, fearing the ende of this persecution, sent his wyfe Emma with his ij. sonnes Alphred and Edward, to the Duke of Normandy, with whom also he sent the bishop of Londō. The Danes pro∣ceeded still in their fury and rage: and when they had won a great part of Westsaxonie, they returned againe to Lon∣don. Whereof hearing the Londiners, sent vnto them cer∣tayne great giftes and pledges. At last the king about the 35. yeare of his raigne, was chased vnto the Ile of Wight, & with a secret company, he spent there a great part of the Winter. And finally, without cattaile or comfort sailed in∣to Normandy to his wyfe. Swanus beyng ascertayned thereof, (inflamed with pride) reared exceeding impositi∣ons vpon the people. And amōg other he required a great summe of mony of S. Edmunds lands, which the people there clanning to bee free from kings tributes, denied to pay. For this Suanus entred the territory of S. Edmūd, and wasted, and spoyled the countrey, despising the holy Martyr, & manacing also the place of his sepulture. Wher∣fore the men of that countrey fearing his tiranny, fell to prayer and fasting, so that shortly after Suanus dyed so∣denly, crying and yelling among his knightes. Some say that he was striken with the sword of S. Edmund, wher∣of he dyed the 3. day after.

In feare whereof, Canutus his sonne which ruled as king after his father, graunted them the freedome of all their liberty, and moreouer ditched the land of the sayde Martyr with a deepe ditche, and graunted to the inhabi∣taunts thereof, great freedomes, quityng them from all talke or tribute. And after builded a Church ouer the place of his sepulture, and ordained there an house of Monkes, and endued them with rich possessions. And after y^e tyme it was vsed, that kings of England when they were crou∣ned, sent their crownes for an offring to Saint Edmūds shrine, and redeemed the same agayne afterwardes with a condigne price.

When king Egelred heard of the death of Suanus, he made prouision & returned into england. Of whose sodain comming Canutus being vnprouided fled to Sandwich, And there cutting of the noses and handes of the pledges, which his father left with him, sayled into Denmarke: who the next yere returned againe with a great nauy, and landed in the South country. Wherfore the eldest sonne of king Egelrede called Edmond Ironside: made prouision with the ayd of Edrike Duke of Mercia to meet him. But Edrike fayning himselfe sicke came not, but deceiued him. For as it was after proued, Edrike had promised his alle∣geance to Canutus. By reason wherof. Canutus entred y^e country of Westsaxon, & forced the people to be sworn vn∣to him, and to geue him pledges. In this season, king E∣gelred being at london, was taken with great sickenes, & there dyed: and was buried in the Northside of Paules church behind the quire, after he had raigned vnprosperou¦sly 36. yeares: leauing after him his sayd eldest sonne Ed∣mond Ironside, and Alphred, and Edward which were in

Normandy, sent thither before as is aboue rehersed. This Egelred although he was miserably impugned and vexed of his enemies, yet he with his counsail gaue forth whol∣some lawes. Whereof this is one parcell conteinyng good rules and lessons, for all Iudges and Iustices to learne and follow.

OMnis ludex iustus misericordiam & iudicium liberet in om∣nibus, vt inprimis per rectam scientiam, dicat emendationē secundum culpam, & eam tamen admensuret propter indulgen∣tiam. Quaedam culpae reputantur à bonis iudicibus, secundū re∣ctum emendandae Quaedam per Dei misericordiam condonādae. Iudicia debent esse sine omni haderunga, quod non parcatur di∣uiti alicui, vel egeno, amico, vel-inimico ius publicum recitari. Ni∣hil autem iniustius est, quàm susceptio munerū pro iudicio sub∣uertendo: Quia munera excaecant corda sapientum, & subuer∣tunt verba iustorum, Dominus Iesus dixit: In quo iudicio iudi∣caueritis iudicabimini. Timeat omnis iudex ac diligat Deum iu∣dicem suum, ne in die iudioij mutus fiat, & humiliatus ante ocu∣los iudicis cuncta videntis. Qui innocentem opprimit, & dimit∣tit noxium pro pecunia, vel amicitia, vel odio, vel quacun{que} fa∣ctione, opprimetur ab omnipotente iudice. Et nullus Dominus, nulla potestas, stultos aut improbos iudices constituāt, quia stul∣tus per ignauiam, improbus per cupiditatem vitat, quam didicit veritatem. Grauiùs enim lacerātur pauperes à prauis iudicibus, quàm à cruentis hostibus. Nullus hostis acerbior, nulla pestis ef∣ficacior quàm familiaris inimicus. Potest aliquoties homo fuga, vel defensione vitare prauos inimicos. Non ita possunt iudices, quoties aduersus subditos malis desiderijs inflammantur. Saepe etiam boni iudices habent malos vicarios & ministros nephādos: quorum reatibus ipsi domini constringuntur, si non ••os coerce∣ant, & à rapacitate cohibeant. Quia dominus & minister seculo∣rum ait: Non solùm malè agentes, sed omnes consentientes di∣gni sunt aeterna morte. Saepe etiam praui iudices iudicium pe••∣uertunt, vel respectant & non finiunt causam, donec voluntas eorum impleatur. Et quando iudicant, non opera, sed munera considerant. Impij iudices, iuxta verbum sapientum, sicut rapaces lupi vespere nil residuant vsque mane, id est, de praesenti solum vi∣ta cogitant, de futura nihil considerant. Malorum praepositorum mos est, vt quicquid possunt, auferant: & vix necessarium parum quid relinquant sustentationi. Iracundus iudex non potest atten∣dere rectam iudicij satisfactionem. Nam per furoris excoecatio∣nem, non perspicit rectitudinis claritatem. Iustum iudicium, vbi non persona consideratur. Scriptum est: Non attendas personam hominis in iudicio, nec pro aliquo facies, vt à vero declines, & iniustè iudices. Susceptio muneris est dimissio veritatis. Ex histo∣ria bibliothecae Iornal.

Of this king Egelred I find noted in the booke of Rog. Houed. that he deposed and depriued from all possessions, a certayne Iudge or Iusticer named Walgeatus, the sonne of one Leonet, for false iudgemēt and other proud doings, whom notwithstanding he loued aboue all other.

Notes

• King Egelred.
• Anno. 979.
• The life of E∣gelred.
• Anno. 981.
• The coronation of Egelred.
• The prophecie of Dunstane as monkishe sto∣ryes geue it.
• The Danes recoursed to England.
• Houeden, lib. continu∣ationum. London cō∣sumed with fire.

  The king warred a∣gainst the Byshop of Rochester.
• An. 990.
• The bloudy flixe and hote feuers reigned in this land. The death of Dun∣stane. Ethelgarus, Elfricus, Siricius, Elphegus, Archb. of Canterb.
• An. 995.
• The By∣shops sea of Dyrham.
• London be∣sieged of the Danes.
• The Dane spoyled the land.
• Great tri∣bute leuied of the Eng∣lishmen. Danegelt.
• The sor∣rowfull af∣fliction of the English nation.
• What dissē∣tion and discorde doth amōg the nobles in a realme.
• The pride and wret∣chednes of the Danes toward the English∣men.
• Lord Dane.
• Lurdaine.
• Anno. 1000.
• Henrie Ar∣chidiat. lib. 6.
• The first ioyning be∣tweene the Norm. and Englishe men.

  King Egel∣red marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy. Richard Duke of Normandy. The Danes by secret cō∣mission slayne in e∣uery towne of England. Suanus K. of Den∣marke ari∣ueth in England. Exeter beat down.
• Norwiche spoyled and wasted by the Danes.
• Anno. 1004.
• A tribute payd to the Danes of xxx.M. pound to haue peace.
• The perse∣cution of Turkillus a Dane.
• Euill coun∣sell about a king what hurt it doth.
• The second re∣turne of Suanus into England.
• The persecution of Suanus king of Danes.
• Caunterbury besieged. Treason of a false Deacon.
• Caunterbury takē and brent. The tything of the Monkes of Caunterbury. A cruell mur∣ther of the Danes.

  Elphegus the Archb. of Caūt. stoned to death.
• Anno. 1013.
• King Egelred driuen 〈…〉〈…〉 ile of Wig••••, from then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Normandy.
• The vertue of Christen mens prayer.
• The death and end of Suanus.
• The Abbey of S. Edmundel∣burie builded.
• King Egelred returneth into England. Canu∣tus cutteth of the noses and handes of hys pledges.
• Canutus taketh Westsaxon.
• A lessen for all Iudges and Iu∣stices.
• Brybes.
• Euill Iudges worse in a com∣mon wealth, then bloudy e∣nemies.
• Wicked officers.
• Agaynst wicked Iudges.
• A wicked Iudge deposed and depriued by the king.