HISTORY.
*Defuncto Edmundo & apud Glastoniam sepulto, Eadredus frater ejus, in Kingstona regiâ villâ, regni diadema à B. Othone Ar∣chiep. Cantuariensi suscepit. Reliquit quoque duos filios, haeredes legitimos, Eadwinum & Eadgarum, qui repugnante illegitima aetate, patri succedere non valebant. Edmund be∣ing dead, his Brother Edred was Crown∣ed by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury. He left also two Sons his lawful Heirs, Edwin and Edgar; who by reason of their Non-age, could not succeed their Father.
Mortuo Edmundo rege,* Edredus frater suus, filiusque Regis Adelstani, eo quod pueri Edwinus & Edgarus filii Edmundi, pra immaturâ aetate adhuc regnare non poterant, sibi in Regem successit, & ab Odone Doro∣bernensi Archiep. consecratus est, A. D. 947. Edmund being dead Edred his Brother, and the Son of King Athelstan, succeeded him as King, for that the Children Edwin and Edgar, the Sons of Edmund, by reason of their tender Age, could not as yet reign.
Magnificus rex Anglorum Edmundus die festivitatis Sancti Augustini, &c. interficitur;* mox proximus haeres Edredus fratri succe∣dens, regnum naturale suscepit, a Sancto Odone, &c. The Magnificent King Edmund was killed on the Festival of St. Austin; presently the next Heir Edred, succeed∣ing his Brother, took upon him the Go∣vernment according to Nature, or ac∣cording to Natural Duty and Affection.
If the Author had fairly and truly ci∣ted these Three Pieces of History, it had not been impossible to have found out that Edred was but only Tutor, Curator, Regent, or Protector of the young Prin∣ces, and Kingdom; and so took upon him the Government, until they were of sufficient Age. Westminster says, Edwin and Edgar were the lawful Heirs of Ed∣mund, (which Words the Author left out) but could not succeed him by reason of their Nonage, or that they were not of lawful Age. Brompton says, Edred succeeded his Brother, for that his Sons Edwin and Ed∣gar, by reason of their immature Age could not yet reign. As much as to say, Tho in respect of their Age they could not at present, yet afterwards in their riper Years they were to reign; and so they did successively. Lastly, Florence of Wor∣cester says, Edred was next Heir. What Heir could he be to his Brother, but Epi∣stolary or Testamentary Heir, or Succes∣sor? (For in that sense Hares is com∣monly Page 15 used.) And so 'twas most proba∣ble, by some Instrument or other he made him Tutor, Curator, Regent, or Protector of his Sons and Kingdom; or that by Consent of the Great Men, he took upon him the Tutorship, and Re∣gency. For what other Meaning can those Words have, regnum naturale susce∣pit, than that according to natural Duty and Affection he took upon him the Go∣vernment, and Protection of his Nephews, and their Kingdom? But how then came it to pass, that he was Crowned, and cal∣led King? 'Tis not hard to answer this Question: For anciently the Sons and Heirs of Emperors, Kings, Dukes, Earls, Barons, were not always called so; but Heirs only of the Empire, Kingdom, Dukedom,* &c. And the Tutor, Curator, Governor, or Protector, and such as had the Care of them, and the Administra∣tion of the Government, were then cal∣led Emperors, Kings, Dukes, Earls, &c. of such Empires, Kingdoms, Dukedoms, &c. until the Heir came of Age; and sometimes those Curators and Guardian Kings and Emperors were anointed and crowned: But when the Heirs were of lawful Age, they quitted their Curator∣ships and Regency, and parted with or laid down all Royal Marks of Majesty, retaining only the Name and Honour of King: And the Title of King, and the Ceremony of Coronation, was allowed and granted to such Regents, that they might have the greater Authority with the People. Of such Curators, Tutors, or Regents, Du Fresn gives several Exam∣ples; and of Odo Duke of Aquitain, Tutor to Charles the Simple, not much before this time, and of other Kings of France, that had Crowned Tutors with the Titles of Kings.
