Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII.
EDGAR.
THe thirtieth Monarch of the English men.
The Raign of this King is said to have been altogether in a calm tranquillity,He was sirnamed Etheling, after the signification of the Saxon speech, Outlaw, because he was a banished man in the former time of his life, through the cruelty of the Danes. Laci…s Nobility. and therefore he was sirnamed Pacificus, the Peaceable. His vertues were many, and vices not a few; the one gloriously augmented, and the other fairly excused, by those Monkish writers, unto whose professions he was most favourable.
Tunc ordo Monasticus jamjudum lapsus p…acipuè caput erexit.Although in his younger dayes he was subject to many vices, and committed some in urious tyrannicall acts, recorded by Malmesbury, Fox, Speed, and others; yet repenting of these his youthfull, lustfull vices, he proved such a just and prudent King, that our Historians of elder and later ages, give large encomiums of his justice, prudence, vertues, and politick Government, worthy perpetuall memory and imitation. Mr. …ryn's seasonable, legall, and historicall vindication of the fundamentall Liberties, Rights. Laws of England, p. 126, 127 Vir & animi virtute, & corporis ro…ore longè princeps. Polyd. Virg. Ang▪ hist. l. 6. Malmesb. l. 2. c. 8.
He unravelling the web his Brother had weaved, recalled Dunstan out of banishment, and made him Archbishop of Canterbury.
His Summer progresses, and yearly chief pastimes, were the sayling round abou… this whole Isle of Albion, guarded with his grand Navy of four thousand sail at the least, parted into four equall parts, of petty Navies, each being of a thousand Ships. Dee's Brittish Monarchy, p. 56, 57. he calls him there that Saxonicall Alexander. See more there; and p. 55, 58, 59, 60.
He appointed the Prince of North-Wales to bring him yearly three hundred skins of Wolves,Malmesb. l. 2. c. 8. for a tribute, which continued for three years space, but in the fourth was not a Wolf to be found; and so the tribute ceased.
Upon the River Dee he had seven petty Kings to row his Barge, to shew his greatness.
He was very lascivious.Id. ibid.
Leges apprimè utiles tulit, quas vetustas in oblivionem fermè adduxit.
Of his Laws,Polyd Virg. Ang hist. l. …. vide Lambardum de pris…is Anglorum legibus.
It is sure enough there have not been more famous men,Dr. Barwick's life of B. Morton. than some of no great stature, as the instance of King Pipin in the French History, and this King in our own, will make manifest.
In the time that the Saxons had this Realm in subjection, he had subdued all the other Kings Saxons, and made them his Tributaries. On a time he had t…all all with him at dinner;Licet, ut fertur, staturae fuerit. & corpulentiae perexilis; tantas vires in illo corpusculo dignatio naturae incluserat, ut ultro ad congrediendum lacesceret quemcunque audacem nosset; hoc maxime timeus ne … tali colludio timeretur. Malmesb. de gest is Regum Anglorum. l. 2. c. 8. and after it was shewed him, that Rynaud King of Scots had said, that he wondered how it should happen, that he and other Kings, that were tall and great personages, would suffer themselves to be subdued by so little a body, as Edgar was; Edgar dissembled, and answered nothing, but faining to go on hunting, took with him the Scottish King in his company, and purposely withdrew him from them that were with him, causing by a secret servant, two swords to be conveyed into a place in the forrest, by him appointed. As soon as he came thither, he took the one sword, and delivered the other to Rynaud, Vide plura ibid. Malcome … King of Sco…s hearing of a conspiracy plotted to murther him, whereof one was author, he dissembled the knowing of it, till being abroad one day a hunting, he took the fellow apart from the company, and being alone, said unto him, Here is now a fit time and place to do that manfully, which you have intended to do treacherously. Draw your weapon▪ and if you kill me, none being present, you can incur no danger. With which speech of the King, the fellow was so daunted, that presently he … down at his feet, confessed his fault, humbly asked forgiveness, and being granted him, was ever after serviceable and faithfull to him. Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle of the Kings of England in William the 2d Sir Thomas Elyo… 's Govern…ur, out of Malmesb. In h…norem Christi ejusque divini nominis cultum, quadragin…a caen…bia ve á fundamen…is …x…ruxit, vel pa…um sarta t…cta … de reb. Brit. … pacificus, …a…ria & Monosticae disci…li… propugnator ard…n …ssim…s qui sem…t … …achorum caet…, Reg…nem … …alium pras…t guber…res S…elm. d… Concil p 489. … aunorum 16.bidding him to prove his strength, and to essay whether his deeds would ratifie his words. Turpe est enim Regi in convivio esse dicaculum, nec esse in praelio promptulum. Whereat the Scottish King being abashed, beholding the noble conrage of Edg…r, with an horrible fear confessed his errour, desiring pardon, which he (with most humble submission) at the last obtained.
For his excellent vertues and prosperou… Raign, he was called Honor & deliciae Anglorum. Malmesbury. Or as Ingulphus ter meth him, Honor & Rosa Regum.
In his time all Ecclesiasticall Orders flourished; learned and vertuous men were highly esteemed; all Civil and forrign Warres ceased; and he was called the King of Albion, being no less powerfull by Sea, than by Land. Mexia's Treasury of time. vol. 2. l. 7. c. 1.
He was Angliciorbis flos & decus, n…n minus mem…rabilis …nglis, quam Cyrus Persis; Romulus Romanis: Alexander Macedonibus; Arsaces Parthis▪ Carolus Magnus Francis; as Malmesbury, Abbot Ethelred, Florentius Wigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Henry Huntingdon, Matthew Westminster, R…ger de Hoveden, and others record of him.
Immediately after his death, Res & spes Anglorum retro sublapsae sunt, totius Regni status est per…urbatus; & post tempus laetitiae quod illius tempore vigebat pacified, caepit tribulatio undique advenire; as Malmesbury, Wigorniensis, Hoveden, Simeon Dunelmensis, Regnim adipis …ns c…dem num…ro … de gestis Reg. Aug. l. 2. c. 8.and Bromton observe. Such an incomparable loss was the death of so just, pious, and prudent a King to the whole Nation, Qui … viti…, pos…e… … virtutibus delevi…, when most others do quite contrary.
He raigned sixteen yeares and two moneths, in great tranquillity and honour, and died in the 37th year of his age.
After Edgar's death,The three conquests of England by the Saxons, Danes, and Normans, proceeded from the sins of the Princes, or of the people, or both. Mexia's Treasury of time. vol. 2. l 7. c. 1…. the Danes so plagued this Realm, that there was nothing setled in it, either in Church or State, till finally they obtained the Kingdome.
The Danes raigned in England 25. years.
But Speed saith they molested England for two hundred eighteen years. See Ayscu his Declaration of the first Inhabitants of this Island.
The Danes by strength caused Husbandmen to ear and sow the land,Dani populationibus, …caelibus & incen…iis miseram Anglianm multos per annos adeo affl…x…runt, ut Clades … Romanis, Scotis, …ictis, & Sax…nibus jam an…ca, postea…; deinde à Normannis huic Insulae illatae, si aerumnis & calamita ibus quibus isti p…triam hanc nostram affecerunt conferantur, quasi ludus quidam & tragadia scenica poss…t aestimari. Nam bellum nobiscum gesserunt temporis long inquitate diuturnum, omni crudelitatis genere immanissimum, & belli ge…endi ratione difficilimum. Godw. de Praesul Ang. Comment. p. 67. vide plura ibid. & p …9. and to do all other vile labour that belonged unto Husbandry; and the Dane held his wise at pleasure, with daughter and servant. When the Husbandman came home, he should scantly have of his own, as his servants had; so that the Dane had all at his commandement, and did eat and drink his fill of the best, when the owner had scant his fill of the worst.
Besides this the common people were so oppressed by them,Vide Reg de Hoved. part 1. p…t 2. See Verst…g… of our names of contempt. p. 33… that for fear and dread they called them in every such house as they had rule of, L…rd Dane. But in process of time, after the Danes were voided the Land, this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes, The Danes used when the English drank, to stab them, or cut their throats; to avoid which villany, the party then drinking requested▪ some of the next fitters to be his surety or pledge, whilest he paid nature her due, and hence have we our s…all custome of pledging one another.turned by English men into a name of reproach, called Lurdane, which yet is not forgotten; for if one English man will rebuke another, he will say, Thou art but a Lurdane. Grafton.
Edward, sirnamed the Martyr.
The thirty first Monarch of the English men.
He began his Raign at twelve years of age.
Adolescens summae sanctitatis & frugi,Infestabant illius maxime imperium Clericos inter & Monachos de sacerdo …um celibatu schismata, Seldeni Analect. Anglobrit. l. 2. c. 6. ea modestia regnare caepit, ut omnibus charissimus esse…, quippe qui paternas virtutes gnaviter imitabatur. Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 6.
The end of this young King was lamentable, being stabbed (by his Stepmothers treachery) when he was drinking a cup of wine on Horseback, when he in kindness came to visit her;Died in the 16… year of his age. Tribus annis & dimidio potesta…e …otitus est. Malmesb de gest…s Reg Ang l 2. c. …. through which wound fainting and falling from his Horse, he was dragged to death by his foot intangled in the stirrop.
He raigned three years, and six (some say eight) moneths.
CHAP. VIII.
ETHELRED.
FOx calls him Egelred or Elred.
The two and thirtieth Monarch of the English men.
He was a man neither for ward in action nor fortunate in proceedings, and therefore, commonly called the unready.
He defiled the Font at his Baptism with his ordure;Cùm infans primum s…cro admotus esset fonti, alimon…ae excremento Baptisterium (unde Constantinum etiam pessimum Imperatorem …opronymum dictum fuisse scribunt) faede… inquinavit; exclamavit exinde subito Danstans, Per sanctam Mariam pu…r…iste ignavu… homo …rit. Seldeni Analect. Anglob…it. l. 2. c. 6. Vide Malmesb. de gest… Reg. Aug. l. 2. c. 10. & Hunting. hist. l. 5. whereupon Dunstan being troubled in his mind, by the Lord (said he) and his blessed mother, this childe shall prove a sloathfull person.
He was half Brother to King Edward, who was treacherously murdered, and so much lamented his Brothers murder, (saith Malmesbury l. 2. c. 10.) being then but a childe of ten years old, and so detested it, that his Mother Elfrida falling therewith in a rage, took wax Candles (having nothing else at hand) wherewith she scourged him so sore (well near till he swouned) that after the same he could never abide any wax Candles to but… befor him.Ejus vitae cursus saev…s, in principio, miser in medio, turpis in exitu asseritur. Malm. l. 2. c. 10.
Of his Laws vide Lambardum de priscis Anglorum legibus.
The Danes grew upon him so fiercely,Ea nox par…ulo temporis momento vetustam Danorum dominationem, diu que majorum virtute elaboratum finivit imperium. Sed neque id postera nostris fortuna restituit. Ita Anglia dominandi ju…ignavia perd…tum scelere recuperavit. Saxo-Grammat. hist. Dan l. 10. Krantzi… hist. D n. l. 4. that he was forced to purchase his peace from them, with great summes of money, to the undoing of his poor Kingdome.
To put a period to this insufferable vass… lage, a bloudy massacre was executed upon them, by the Kings secret Commission on St Brices day; but such bruitish courses never find a wished close.
He most unfortunately raigned thirty seven years and nine dayes.
Edmund, sirnamed Ironside.
The thirty third Monarch of the English men, and the third son to Ethelred.
He was of personage tall;Magni roboris & animo & corpore, & pr…pter hoc ferreum …atus nuncupatus Malmesb. de gestis Reg Aug. l. 2 c. 10. Pal…d Vi…g. Ang hist. l 7. for courage, hardy; strong of limmes, and well could endure the travels of Warre; whence some conceive that sirname was given him; not for that he used to go alwayes in armour, as some would have it.
He fought with Cnute a royall single du…ll, first on horseback, then on …oot, in the Isle of Olerenge, or Olney (near Glocester) in the midst of Severn, in the view of both their Armies, with extraordinary courage, and equall success,Vide Malmesb. de gestis Reg. Ang. l. 2. c. 10. & Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 7. p. 132. till they were both quite tired, but neither of them vanquished. At last upon Cnu…es motion they began to parly in a friendly manner, and divided the Realm between them; Edmund enjoying that part which lay coasted upon France, and Canutus entred upon the rest.
But Ironside enjoyed not long his part; for Duke Edrick a very compound of treasons, contrived the end of renowned Edmund, who being retired to a place for natures necessity, he thrust from under the draught a sharp spear into his body; and having thus murthered him, he cut off his head, presenting it to Canutus, with this …awning salutation, All hail▪ thou now sole Monarch of England, for her… behold the head of thy Co-partner, which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off.
Canutus though ambitious enough of Soveraignty, yet abhorring in his heart so detestable a murther, and knowing that he who was faithless to his naturall Soveraign, would never be faithfull to him a stranger; commanded his head to be divided from his shoulders, and placed upon the highest gate in London.
Mors hujus Principis sanè miserabilis fuit,Polyd. Virg. Ang hist. l. 7. tum quod florem ejus aetatis rapuerit, tum quod totum regnum in praeceps dederit.
His Raign continued only seven moneths,Some say one year, and a few moneths. in which time he fought seven or eight Battels, in defence of his Countrey, People, and their Liberties. By his untimely death, the English Saxon …Monarchy was devolved to the Danes.