This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
EDwye, Eldest Son to Edmund, and Nephew to Edrid, began his Reign Anno Dom. 955, finding Affairs in a forward settlement (the Danes being for the most part expelled the Land, or had turned their Forces on the Scots, as knowing they had been foiled on this side, and had but little hopes of fixing in the Southern parts of the Island) He was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames, and there is reported to have drawn a Lady
(near a kin to him, and Married to a Nobleman) aside, after a Ball or Dancing bout, as if he had some matter of importance to relate to her, and behind the Cloth of Arras forced her to his Lust, which being much complained of by the Nobility, he proposed for the re∣paration of her Honour to take her to be his Wife, but her Husband opposing it, and willing to pass over the high Injury his Prince had done him, rather than his Country should suffer by any publick Mischief that might ensue thereon from Popular Fury or Factions at Court, the matter seemed hushed for a time; but whe∣ther the King feared the private Revenge of an abused Husband, or having an inclination to a free Enjoyment of the Lady, I determine not, but so it was ordered, that he in conclusion caused the Husband to be Mur∣thered, and took his Lady, now free from the bonds of Marriage by the untimely Death of her Husband, not for a Wife, (as he had before proposed) but for his Concubine; which makes some Authors believe her Ambition, to glitter so near a Throne, tho' in a Tinsel splendor of ignominy, made her consenting to the latter crime, however she enclined to the former; yet this unprincely action created him such a hatred in the minds of his Subjects, That all, except his Flatterers, extreamly murmured against him; and Bishop Dunstan sharply reproving him for his Vices, he Proscribed him as an Enemy or Traytor; so that, to save his Life, he absconded in England a while, and then fled into Flanders.
Of these disorders in Government, and Disaffections of the People, the Danes taking advantage, joyned with the Welsh, and Invaded the Northern Borders, having many Irish, and some Scots, as Auxiliaries joyned with them; so that most of those Counties being violently Oppressed, and finding the King slow to relieve them,
having united their Forces and expelled the Enemy, renounced their Allegiance to him, and chose his Bro∣ther Edgar King, a young Prince of an active Spirit, who had assisted them in the War; to which with little opposition the whole Nation consented, and here∣upon Edwye being Deposed, Dyed of Grief, and was Buryed at Winchester. In his time there was a great contention between the Monks and Marryed Priests; the former opposing the latter, as not capable of Offi∣ciating in holy Orders, according to the Cannons of the Church of Rome; and they again alledging those Cannons were contradictory to the Holy Scriptures; so the Controversy was put to the King to determine, and in this indeed he gave a right Judgment, declaring for the Married Priests; which is the only commendable thing noted in his Reign. He Reigned four Years, and was the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England.
THE Bishoprick of Durham, tho' small in circumfer∣ence, abounds in plenty of all things, as Cattel, Corn, Pastures, Fruit-Trees, Woods, Forests and Parks; and is Watered with divers pleastant Streams stored with Fish. It has to the North and West many pleasant Hills, and is Bounded with Northumberland, Westmorland, York∣shire, and the German Ocean. It has in it the City of Durham, which is a Bishops See, and is a Palatine, having divers Priviledges above many Counties. It Contains 118 Parishes, 6 Market Towns, and 11 Rivers: It sends Members to Parliament 4, viz. Durham 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.
It gained the Title and Priviledge by the great Fame and Renown of St. Cuthberd, for the Interment of whom, the
Cathedral was first Bulded by Bishop Aldwin, and much enlarged by Bishop Careleph: His Tomb was with much Devotion Visited by Edward, Ethelstane, and divers other Saxon Kings; and by William the Conqueror this Bishop∣rick was made a County Palatine: There is a place called Gallile in the West End of the Church, where is to be seen the Tomb of venerable Beda. Binchester (the Benovium of the Romans) was famed for their chief station in the North, and many of their Coins have been found in Earthen Ʋrns, upon Digging up old foundations.
Chester in the Street (the Condercum of the Romans) is a Place of great Antiquity, pleasantly situate, and well Inhabited.
At Nevil's Cross near Durham, the Scots were defeated, and David their King made Prisoner by one Copeland, and carry'd Prisoner to the Tower; for which service Copeland received of the King five Hundred Pounds per Annum. In this Bishoprick, near Darlington, are three wonderful deep Pits, called Hell Kettles, supposed to be sunk by an Earthquake. In this Palatine also stands Bernard Castle, famous for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots: Over the River Weer, with which the City of Durham is almost encompassed, are two well built Stone Bridges, one from the South, the other from the North Road, leading into the Town.
This Palatine has a Jurisdiction within it self to Try Criminals, and other Matters, from which in many cases there lyes no Appeal. The Seats tho' few, are very Antient, and yet Magnificent Structures, viz. Durham Place and Aukland Castle, the Bishop Seats being the principal.