A.

97

Devard, furnamed the Martyr, was much oppofed by his Mother-in-Law Queen Elfreda, and many of the Nobles, as being illegitimate; but by the Procurement of Dunstan, and the Clergy, he was admitted to be King, and was crowned at King fton in A. D. 975. The Beginning of whofe Reign was attended with a miferable Barrenness of the Ground, and Murrain amongst Cattle. A dreadful Comet alfo appeared. These many Men thought to be Signs and Judgments fent from Heaven, for the Sins committed against the married Clergy, who were expulfed from their ancient Poffeffions. In favour of whom the Duke of Mercia deftroyed the Monafteries in his Province, caft out the Monks, reEthelgar ftoring to the Priefts and their Wives their ancient Revenues. On the confrick, A. trary, Duke Edelwin in Eaft-Saxia Bps. of grievously oppofed the married Cant. Priefs. To put an End therefore to these Troubles, and to prevent the Dangers that might enfue, the Cafe was referred to be heard in Council at Winchester, where the Bufinefs was debated fo long, till the Monks were in hazard of lofing the Day. Whereupon it was perfuaded to be referred to the Rood, placed where the Council fate; which Oracle (after devout Prayers made unto it) thus fpake, God forbid it Siricius fhould be fo, God forbid it should be and El- fo you judged well once; and to phegus, change that again is not good. Upon A. Bps. of which Words the married Priests Cant. went down the Wind. But they

and El

difclofing to the People that this was but a Trick of the Monks, in placing a Man behind the Wall, who through a Trunk uttered thefe Words in the Mouth of the Rood; it was there inftantly defired, that the Cafe might be once more fcanned, which was granted; and at Clevis in Wiltshire, the Prelates, Peers and Commons affembled, where being fat in Confultation, the Chamber Floor, being over-preffed with the Weight of People, broke and fell down, hurt many, and killed others; only St. Dunstan, by a Miracle, remained without any Hurt, the Poft whereon his Chair flood, ftanding ftill firm. This is the Story. And now the fecular married Priests were left to take Care without any Cure. But King Edward, as he hunted near Corf-Cafile, where Elfreda and her Son Ethelred refided, either on Purpose, or by Chance, parted from his Company, and came to the Caftle to vifit his Brother-in-Law; where as he fat on Horfeback at the Gate, difcourfing with Elfreda and Ethelred, and whilft he was drinking a Cup of Wine, a Knife was ftruck into his Back, by a Servant whom Elfreda had appointed thereunto. Whereupon the King fetting Spurs to his Horfe, rode away; but fainting, thro' the Lofs of much Blood, he fell from his Horfe, and with one Foot in the Stirrup, was drag ged up and down the Woods and Grounds, till in the End his Body was left dead at Corf's Gate, and was first buried at Warham, afterwards removed to the Minster of Shaftsbury. Elfreda, his Mother-inLaw, fore repenting of the Fact, to expiate her Guilt, and pacify his crying Blood ( as the thought) founded the Monafteries of Aimfou ry and Worwell, in the laft whereof fhe died and was buried."

A. D.

A. D.

Thelred, for his Slowness, 978. furnamed The Unready, was crowned at Kingston. Upon his Coronation a Cloud was feen through England, one Half like Blood, the other Half like Fire: And in the third Year of his Reign, the Danes arrived in fundry Places of the Land, and did much Spoil. And about the fame Time a great Part of London was confumed by Fire. He payed Tribute 40,000 7. yearly (called Dane-gilt) to the Danes. His Reign was much moleted with Danish Invafions in divers Parts of the Land. And fo low were the English brought at that time by the intruding Danes, that they were forced to Till and Sow the Ground, while the Danes fat idle in their Houses, and eat that which they toiled for; alfo abufing their Daughters and Wives, and having all at their Command; the English, for very Fear, calling them Lord Danes. Hence we call a lazy Lubber a Lurdane. In this the English diftreffed Estate, the King, at last, fent forth a fecret Commiffion into every City within his Dominions, That upon the Thirteenth Day of November they fhould maffacre all the Danes, which were amongst them. This Command of the King the People put in Execution with extreme Rigour, in A. D. 1002. But to revenge this great Deftruction of the Danes, Swein, King of Denmark, prepared a very great Navy, and arrived in the Weft of England, and fhortly after Canutus brought 200 Sail of Ships well furnished to his Affiftance. And in A. D. 1016 King Ethelred died, and was buried at St. Paul's.

His Iffue were Ethelftan, Egbert, Edmond, Edred, Eduy, Edgar, Edward, Elfred, and four Daughters.

In the Year of our Lord 991, was Ipswich in Suffolk facked by the

Danes. And in 1004, Thetford in 1016. Norfolk, anciently called Sitomagus, was facked by the Danes; for the Recovery whereof Bishop Arfaft removed his Epifcopal See from Elmham thither. Norwich was fired by the Danes; its Caftle was afterward re-edified by Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk.

A. D.

1016.

Dmond, furnamed Iron

Ethelred had living at his Death, was crowned at Kingston by Livin- Livingus, gus, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. A. B. of D. 1016; at which time the Danes Cant. were so powerful in England, that Canute was accepted King at Southampton by many of the Clergy and Laity, who fware Fealty to him. But the City of London flood mot firm for Edmond, and bravely withfood Canute befieging it, till fuch time that King Edmond came and relieved them. At Penham, near Gillingham, King Edmond engaged with the Danes, where he put many of them to the Sword, and the reft to Flight. And not long after, his and the Danish Hoft met nigh to Shorefton in Worcestershire, where the Battle was for the first Day fought with equal Succefs; but on the next Day, when the English were in Forwardness and Probability of the Victory, the Traitor Edrick on purpofe difanimated them, by cutting off the Head of a dead Soldier, put ting it on his Sword's Point, then crying to the English Hoft, Fly, ye Wretches, fly, and get you for your King is flain; behold, here is his Head; feek therefore now to fave your own Lives. By which Means the Fight ended on even Hands. And the next Night following Canute ftole away towards London, whom Ironfide followed, firft raifing the Siege that Canutus had laid against London, and

arway,

then

1016. then marching after him to Brent wood, where he gave the Danes a great Overthrow. Then near unto Oteford in Kent, the two Armies met again, and fought in a furious Manner, till at last the Day fell to the English, who flew Four thoufand five hundred Men, with the Lofs of but Six hundred, and put the reft to Flight, whom the King had purfued to their utter Confufion, had not his Brother-in-Law Edrick played the Traitor again, diffuading him from the Chafe of them, under the Pretence of Danger of Ambushments, and the English Soldiers Over-weariednefs. Whereupon Canute had the Opportunity of paffing over into Effex, where his fcattered Forces rallied, and fresh Supplies came in to them. After whom Edmond advanced, and at Afhdon by Saffron-Walden, the Armies joined Battle, when a bloody Slaughter enfued, with the Hopes of Victory on the English Side, which the ever-traiterous Edrick perceiving, he withdrew his Strength to the Danes, the Enemy thereby regaining the Day. Of King Edmond's Nobles were flain, Duke Alfred, Duke Goodwin, Du. Ethelward, Duke Ethelwin, Earl Urchel, with Cadnoth Bishop of Lincoln, and Wolfey, Abbot of Ramfey, and others of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for good Succefs to the English. The Memorial of this Battle is ftill retained by certain fmall Hills there remaining, where the Dead were buried. From hence King Edmond march'd to Gloucester with a very fmall Army, which he there increased. After him Canute followed, and at Dearhurst, near Severn, both Hofts met, and were ready to join Battle; when by the Motion of a certain Captain, Edmond and Canute undertook by fingle Combat to end the Difference. So entring in

to a small Island called Alney, adjoining to Gloucefter, there they valiantly fought, till Canute having received a dangerous Wound, and finding Edmond to over-match him in Strength, he thus fpake to the Englih King: What Neceffity should move us, most valiant Prince, that for the obtaining of a Title, we fhould thus endanger our Lives? Better it were to lay Malice and Weapons afide, and to condescend to a loving Agreement. Let us now therefore become fworn Brothers, and divide the Kingdom betwixt us, and in fuch a League of Amity, 'that each of us may ufe the other as his own; fo fhall this Land be peaceably governed, and we joint⚫ly affift each other's Neceffity.

Which Words ended, they both cafting down their Swords, embrace as Friends, with the great Joy and Shouting of both Armies. And according to Canute's Propofal, the Kingdom was divided betwixt them, Edmond having that Part that lay coafting upon France, Canute the reft. But the Traitor Duke Edrick, with Defign to work himself farther into Canute's Favour, procured Edmond to be thrust into the Body as he was eafing Nature. Then cutting off his Head, he prefented Canute therewith, faying, All bail, thou fole Monarch of England, for behold here the Head of thy Copartner, which for thy Sake I have adventured to cut off. Canute, like a worthy King, replied, That in regard of that Service, the Bringer's own Head fhould be advanced above all the Peers of his Kingdom; a while after performing this his Promife, by cau fing Edrick's Head to be cut off, and placed on the highest Gate of London. But fome fay, that King Edmond died a natural Death at London, when he had reigned fe

To whom

ven Months, whofe Body was buried at Glaftenbury.

His Iffue were, Edward, furna

A. D.

Anute, the Dane, after the Death of Edmond, feized upon the other half Part of the Kingdom, the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King, and fwearing Allegiance to him. He was crowned at London by Livingus Elftane, Archbishop of Canterburg, A. D. 1017.

And to eftablish the Crown more fure to himself, he banished Edwin (the Son of King Ethelred) who for his melancholy and regardless Behaviour, was called the King of Churls. He alfo fent away Edward and Edmond, the Sons of Edmond Ironfide. Next he efpoufed Emma, the Widow of King Ethelred, and Sifter to the Duke of Normandy, on this Condition, That the Iflue of her Body by him fhould inherit the English Crown.

Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford, he there eftablished thefe Laws following, viz. That all decent Ceremonies, tending to the Increase of Reverence and Devotion in the Service of God, fhould be used as need required. That the Lord's Day fhould be kept Holy. That a Clergyman killing a Layman, or for any other notorious Crime, fhould be deprived both of his Order and Dignity. That a married Woman, convict of Adultery, fhould have her Nofe and Ears cut off: And a Widow marrying within the Space of Twelve Months after her Husband's Deceafe, fhould lofe her Jointure. And amongst many other good Laws be made in the Time of his Princely Govern

་

1017.

ment (faith my Author) he hath alfo this, We admonifh diligently all • Chriftian Men, that they do always love God with an inward Heart, and be diligently obedient to Divine Teachers, and do fubtilly fearch God's Learning and 'Laws, often and daily to the Profit of themselves. And we warn that all Chriftian Men do learn to 'know, at the leaftwife, the right Belief, and aright to underftand, and learn the Pater-nofter, and the • Creed. For that with the one, every Christian Man fhall pray unto God, and with the other fhew forth right Belief.' He went on Pilgrimage to Rome, where he complained against the exceffive Actions Egenoth, and vaft Sums of Money extorted A. B. of by the Pope from the English Archbi- Cant. fhops, at fuch times as they received their Palls from thence. Which the Pope engaged to redrefs for the future. The Greatness and Glory of this King was fuch, that fome Court Parafites fought to perfuade him, that he poffeffed a more than human Power: but he, to demonftrate the contrary (being then at Southampton) caufed a Chair to be fet on the Shore, when the Sea began to flow, then fat himself in it, and in the Prefence of many Attendants, thus fpake to the fwelling Waves: Thou Sea art Part of my Dominion, don't therefore, on Pain of Punishment, prefume so much as to wet the Robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea fwelling on farther and farther, firft wet his Skirts, then Thighs, fo that the King fuddedly

Rtarted

1040. ftarted up, and retiring, faid, Let the Inhabitants of the World know, that the Power of Kings is but weak and vain; and that none is worthy the Name of King, Jave He that keepeth Heaven, Earth, and Sea in Obedience to his own Will. After which Time he would never wear 'his Crown, but therewith crowned the Picture of Chrift on the Crofs at Winchester, which became a Prize to the Church-men. He died in A. D. 1035, and was buried at Winchester. His Iffue were, Swein, Harold, Hardicanute, and two Daughters.

In Effex he built the Church of Afhdon, where he had the Victory over King Edmond. In Norfolk he founded the Abby of St. Benet's, and in Suffolk the Monaftery of St. Edmond, which Saint he much dreaded. To the Church at Winchefter, befides other rich Jewels, he gave a Crofs worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to Elnothus, in one Year. And unto Coventry, A. B. of they fay, he gave the Arm of St. Auguftine, which at Pavia coft him an Hundred Talents of Silver, and one of Gold.

Cant.

A. D. Arold, for his exceed ing Swiftnefs furnamed Harefoot, the bafe Son of King Canute, in the Abfence of Hardicanute, his Father's Son by Queen Emma, was admitted King by the Nobility, and crowned at Oxford by Elnotbus, Archbishop of Canterbury. Which done, for the better fecuring of his Crown to himself, he fought Means to gain Edward and Alfred (the two furviving Sons of King Ethelred) into his Hands. In order whereunto, he fent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's Name, inviting them over into England for the Recovery of their Right. But when

Prince Alfred was accordingly arri ved, Earl Goodwin, who pretended great Kindness unto him, betrayed him and his fmall Party brought over with him into Harold's Hands, who at Guildford committed them to the Slaughter, only referving every Tenth Man, either for Service or Sale. Alfred he fent Prifoner into the Ifle of Ely, where his Eyes being put out, he in fhort time after died through Grief and Pain. Queen Emma's Goods Harold confifcated, banished her out of the Realm, and oppreffed the English People with great Payments. He died at Oxford, A. D. 1040, and was buried at Westminster.

H

A. D. Ardicanute, upon the 1040. Death of Harold, was, by the States of the Land, as well English as Danes, invited over from Denmark, to take upon him the Government of the Kingdom, which he accordingly did, and was crowned at London by Elnothus, Archbifhop of Canterbury. The dead Body of his half Brother King Harold he caufed to be taken up, and to be thrown into the River Thames, which being found by a Fisherman, he buried it in the Church-yard of St. Clement-Danes; fo called, becaufe it was the great Burial-place of the Danes.

Hardicanute, for the maintaining of his Fleet, impofed heavy Tributes on the English, infomuch that two of the Collectors thereof, named Thurstane and Feader, were flain by the Citizens of Worcester, for which Fact their City was burnt, and their Bifhop Alfred expulfed the See, till that with Money he had purchased his Peace. Earl Goodwin prefented to this King a Ship, whofe Stern was of Gold, with eighty Soldiers in her, all uniformly and richly fuited: On their Heads they all wore