The history of England giving a true and impartial account of the most considerable transactions in church and state, in peace and war, during the reigns of all the kings and queens, from the coming of Julius Cæsar into Britain : with an account of all plots, conspiracies, insurrections, and rebellions ... : likewise, a relation of the wonderful prodigies ... to the year 1696 ... : together with a particular description of the rarities in the several counties of England and Wales, with exact maps of each county / by John Seller ...

The Reign of Harrold, Twentieth Sole Monarch of England.

KIng Edward Dying Issueless, tho' Edgar Etheling was the next Heir to the Crown, yet Harrold (Son to Goodwin Earl of Kent, by his Wife Sitha, Sister to Swain the Younger, King of Denmark) having Ingratiated himself into the Favour of the leading Nobility, and promised great advantages to the Commons, he so firm∣ly bound them to him, that he procured himself to be Proclaimed King, beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 1065; and according to his promise he remitted to the Peo∣ple many grievous Taxes, making them everywhere ••asie in their stations, and then was Crowned by Aldred Arch Bishop of York, confirming the Laws of Edward the Confessor, and adding some of his own, and laboured to make his bad Title appear more fair in the Eyes of his Subjects by heaping on them what favours they de∣sired,

as fearing a storm from the Norman Coast, which soon after happened, to his destruction; the cause of it being reported by Historians three several ways,

1. That Edward had consigned his Crown to William the Seventh Duke of Normandy, to be holden by him after his Death.

2. That Young Edgar, the true Heir, to whom he was great Unkle, had resigned his Right to him, as be∣ing too weak to contend for the possession.

3. That Harrold in King Edwards life-time Hawking on the Coast of Sussex, the Hawk when he was cast off flew into the Sea; whereupon getting into a Skiff in hopes to recover him, a Storm arose, and he was driven on the Coast of Normandy; where Landing, and being taken Prisoner, he was known and presented to the Duke, who caused him to be kept with a strict Guard, till such time as he Swore, That if King Edward Dyed Issueless, he would do his utmost endeavour to secure the Kingdom to the use and behoof of him the before named Duke; and thereupon he procuring his Liberty, returned to England.

However having got the Crown on his Head, he held it too precious a Jewel so lightly to part withal; so that when the Duke of Normandy sent to demand it, putting him in mind of his Oaths and Promises, he Re∣ply'd, That what was extorted from him in his extremity was not Binding; besides, the Nobility and Commonalty of his Realm would not consent to his delivering it up to a Stranger, as having had sad Experience of the great Mis∣chiefs that had and must consequently again ensue; and finally what he demanded of him was not in his power to grant, and therefore prayed him to rest satisfied with his own Territories, which were sufficiently large enough for any Prince.

This Answer made the Duke storm, and resolve to hazard all, rather than miss of his aim; whereupon

selling his Jewells and Plate, he Levyed Men in France, Switzerland, Germany, &c. And tho' the Pope strictly forbid him to molest England, under pain of Excommu∣nication, he took no regard of his Menaces, but en∣creased his Shipping, and sent to Norway and those parts from whence the Normans originally descended, to stir them up by Landing in the North, in savour of his Invasion on the South parts of England; and so in order to it continued his Levys, making a League with the French King, That he should not Invade his Coun∣try in his Absence. However Harrold, having notice of his proceedings, raises a great Army, which was not long Idle: For Tosto, Brother to Harrold, upon some displeasure flying to Denmark, forwarded the Norman Dukes Negotiation, so that with a considerable Army they Landed at Richall upon Ouse in Yorkshire, and fell to Burning and Plundering; whereupon the King Marched his Army towards them, who were Advan∣ced to Stanford Bridge, built over the River D••rwent; upon which Bridge he was stopped with his whole Army by a Single Dane of Monstrous Size, who slew Forty of his Men who adventured to remove him, and had in all likelyhood prevented his passing at that time over the Bridge, had not a Souldier Rowed with a Boat under it, and run up his Spear through a crevise into the Danes Body, whereupon he fell down Dead, and the King hasted with his Army over the Bodies of the slain and falling upon the Danes and Norwegians made of them an incredible slaughter, slaying Tosto his Brother, and Harfager King of Denmark and Nor∣way; Olave the Son of Harfager, and Paul Earl of Orkney were taken Prisoners, who begging their Lives, were suffered to depart with the rest of the Prisoners, having only 20 of their 300 Ships left, to carry them (with the woful News) into Denmark, the rest being

broken on the Rocks by a mighty Storm the day before the Battel happened.

These Troubles were no sooner over, and the Nor∣thern parts a little settled, but News came posting to the King that Duke William of Normandy was Landed at Pevensey in Sussex, on the Eighth of September, Anno Dom. 1066, who thereupon caused his Ships to be set on Fire, that his Souldiers might take Courage to Fight the more desperately, as having no hopes of returning home unless they Conquered; and when he first came on Shoar, his Foot stuck fast in the Sand, so that he fell on his Hands, and being perceived by a Knight to bring up a handfull of Earth when he rise, he said Now Sir Duke, England sticks fast to you, and is your own, since you have taken Livery and Seizen, doubt not but presently to be King thereof.

By this Time King Harrold was hastily returned to London, whither the Norman Duke sent a Message to him, to demand a peaceable surrender of the Kingdom, for sparing the lives of the People: But this Messen∣ger was dismissed with Threats, and both Armies ad∣vanced towards each other; and on a fair Plain in Sussex, called (from the ensuing Fight) Battel-Field, the Normans pitched their Tents, to expect the King, who was about seven Miles from them; and some of the Spies he sent, being taken, Duke William caused them to be carried from Tent to Tent, and plentifully Feast∣ed; after which, he dismissed them: So the next Morning both Armies came in sight of each other, and drew up in Battel Array, where a second time the Duke sent a Monk to the King, to demand a peaceable sur∣render of the Kingdom, or otherwise (for avoiding the effusion of much Blood) to try it by single Combate; or else to hold the Kingdom as his Tributary. But Harrold would agree to neither of these; returning for

Answer, That more Swords than one should decide the Con∣troversie: So that the next day being the 14th of Octo∣ber Anno Dom. 1066, no agreement being in likelyhood to be made between them, it was resolved it should be tried by the Sword, and so both Armies being Mar∣shalled for the Battel, the Trumpet sounded the Bloody Blast, and the Kentish-men (who claimed it as their Right to Lead the Van-Guard) fell on furiously, beat∣ing down the Normans, and putting their Advanced Parties to the Rout, keeping close together in thick Ranks, and wedging into the Enemies Squadrons and Battallions, so that a miserable slaughter ensued; tho' on our part, The Normans slew many by shooting their Arrows at random in the Air, which violently falling on the Heads of such as were unarmed, entered their Sculls, so that many fell Dead, who never struck stroak in the Battel; however the Duke (who passed through every part of the Army to give necessary orders) know∣ing if he lost the day, his Life and Interest went with it, perceiving his Men could not break the thick Phalanxes of the English, he commanded they should seem to faint, and make an orderly Retreat, as if they Fled; which succeeded to his wish, for hereupon the English sup∣posing it had been a real Flight, disranked in pursuit of them; whereupon the Normans speedily facing about, broke with great fury into their loose Array, beating down all before them with their mighty Swords and Battel-Axes, pouring perpetual showers of Arrows on them; so that although the English kept together, and ••ought Valliantly about the Kings Standard, yet he being Shot into the Brain with an Arrow, and fall∣ing dead, they were so disheartned, that the Standard was taken, the Kings two Brothers, Girth and Leofine, in defence of it slain, with most of the Nobles; and, as credible Authors affirm, 97974 of the Common sort.

[illustration] map of Leicestershire

LEICESTER SHIRE

The Duke in this Battel had three Horses slain under him, and yet escaped without any hurt; in the place where this Battel was Fought, he afterwards Founded an Abby, which to this day is called Battel-Abby.

After this the small remainder of the Nobles and Clergy consulted what was to be done, but finding their weakness, they concluded to submit to the Con∣querer; having Buried the Body of Harrold at Wad∣ham in Essex, when he had Reigned about Nine Months and Nine Days, and is accounted the Twentieth Sole Monarch of England; whereupon Duke William took possession of the Kingdom.

Remarks on Leicestershire, &c.

LEicestershire is a very fine Inland County, and produces store of large Cattle much Corn plenty of Fowl, Fruits, Fish, wholsom Pastures, &c. It is Bounded by Dar∣byshire, Notinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutlandshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire: It is divided into 6 Hundreds, containing 192 Parishes, 11 Market Towns, and one noted River. It sends Members to Parli∣ament 4, viz. Leicester 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.

Leicester is pleasantly seated on the River Stower, and well compacted, being the County Town, and a place of con∣siderable Trade; it is of great Antiquity, as held to have been Builded by King Leir, a famous British King, for which cause it was antiently called Leir-Cester.

Lutterworth gave Birth to the famous John Wickliff, who was Parson of it, and the first English Reformer, or Detector of the Errors in the Church of Rome, frequently Writing and Disputing against them, in the Reign of Ed∣ward the Third; for which many snares were laid to take his Life, by the Romish Clergy; but he escaped them and Dyed a natural Death, leaving the Candle of Truth Light∣ed,

by which John Huss, Jerome of Prague, Luther, and others, took their prospect of a happy Reformation that soon after ensued.

Bosworth is Memorable for the Battel fought near it on Redmore August 22, Anno Dom 1485, wherein Richard the Third was slain by the forces of Henry Earl of Rich∣mond, and his Crown found in a Hawthorn Bush, which was placed on the Earles Head, and he Proclaimed King; which put an End to the fatal Feuds between the Houses of York and Lancaster. In the West of this County once stood Clycester, a famous City in the time of the Romans, called by them Bennone, though now nothing but a few Ru∣ins of it remain. The other Towns of note are Mountsor∣ell, Loughborough, Waltham on the Woald, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Bildsdon, Lutterworth, Harborough &c.

At Cole-Overton in the Hundred of West Goscot, and other parts of this County, great store of Pitcole is digg'd of a Bitumencus Nature, very hard and fast; about Lut∣erworth are Allomey Veins and Wel••s, whose Waters strained through them are Medicinal and Petrefying, so that it is said they turn Straw and Sticks into Stone, by rea∣son of their Exceeding Coldness; near Belvoir-Castle on a R ck are found Snake Stones, Cockle Stones, and Star Stones.

The Seats of the Nobility are Pleasantly Situate, viz Garerton, one of the seats belonging to the Late Duke of Albemarle; Burbage, to the Earl of Kent; Belvoir-Castle, partly in Lincolnshire, to the Earle of Rutland; Ashby-de-in-Zouch, Donington-Park, to the Earl of Huntington, Broadgate and Grooby to the Earl of Stamford, Stanton-Bru••nell, to the Earle of Cardigan; Ashby-Folville, to the Lord Carrington. Besides these, there are i•• great many fine Houses of the Gentry standing sightly to the Fields, and Roads; some Parks, and store of Ganie, at all proper Seasons.