The Reign of Edmund, Ninth Sole Monarch of England.
EDmund, Brother to Ethelstan, began his Reign Anno. Dom. 940. He was Crowned at Kingston up∣on Thames, but scarce settled in the Throne before the Danes, perswading the People of Northumberland and other Northern Counties to joyn with them, advanced against him with a puissant Army; to whom he gave a great Overthrow near Northampton, and had various success against them in divers other Battels. He caused the Eyes of the two Sons of Dunmail to be put out, for theirs and their Fathers Rebellion against him; and then to quiet his People, made many good Laws to re∣strain Rapin and other Injuries, that for want of such boundaries between Princes and Subjects they had sus∣tained in many of the former Reigns; and upon these Laws, Magna Charta, or the Great Charter of England, seems very much to be grounded.
Anlafe the Dane retaining some footing in the Nor∣thern parts of England, and Southern Sheirs of Scotland, Laboured to perswade Indulph King of Scots to break the League he had made with Ethelstan, urging that Edmund who now Reigned, was a supine Person, no ways fit to bear the weight of Government, and there∣fore they might easily gaine their designes in subduing the Kingdom; but Indulph would by no means be tempt∣ed to break his Oath: Whereupon the Dane thinking to do it without his Aid, sent for more Forces, who