Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
Choice Observations OF ALL THE KINGS of ENGLAND, FROM THE SAXONS, To the Death of King CHARLES I.
CHAP. I.
ENgland was five times plagued by other Nations: First,Fox his Acts and Monumen… vol. 1. By the Romans: Then by the Scots and Picts: Thirdly, By the Saxons: Fourthly, By the Danes: Fifthly, By the Normans.
The Nation of the Saxons was generally most warlike and martiall.Cambd Brit. Engl…sh Saxons. Saxons e…oient tous extreme…ent belli queux & comme es…rit Zosine, l… plus vaillants & renommez de tous les Germanis, en grandeur de Courage, en forces de …ps, & en patience au …ravail Histoire D… Angleterre Par Andre Da Chesne. l. 6. p. 1…6. They gave unto those Saxons their first original, who now inhabite the Dukedome of Saxony.
They left very few Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers, Woods, Fields, Hils or Dales in Brittain, which they gave not new names unto.
As the name of Oxford, or Oxenford, on the River of Thames, after the Town of like name in Germany, situated on the River of Oder.
Our Hereford near unto Wales, after Her…ord in Westphalia.
And so in like manner may be said of Stafford, Swinford, Bradford, Norden, Newarke, Bentham, Oxenbridge, Buchurst, Sconethorp, Holt, Mansfield, Swinefield, Hamsteed, Radcliffe, Rosendale, and many more. After that these Nations had now gotten sure sooting in the possession of Brittain, Verstigans Antiqthey divided it into seven Kingdoms,… tamen in … dominium, & Hexa…ch… ab … Anglorum … primordiis … dictum) co…rcebantur. Sold. Analect. Anglo…bris. l. 2. … ▪ 4. and established an Heptarchy; in which notwithstanding the Prince which had the greatest power, was called King of the English Nation: So that in this very Heptarchy there was alwayes Monarchy.
The Saxon Government is usually divided into the Heptarchy, Monarchy.
In the Heptarchy are these seven petty Kingdomes:
1. Kent.
2. Sussex.
3. East Sax.
4. East Angles.
5. Mercia.
6. Northumberland.
7. West Sax.
In Kent with Hengist the first Invader, seventeen or eighteen are said to raign.
South Sax from Ello to Adhamus had about ten Kings, of which Adlewolf was first Christened.
East Sax from Er…hwin to Swithred had thirteen Kings, whereof Sigby the third was first baptized.
The East Angles had fourteen Kings.
Mercia twenty Kings.
Christianity was first received by Penda, that founded Peterborough, as Ethebald did the Monastery of Crowland, and Ossa of St. Albans.
Northumberland about twenty foure Kings.
West Saxon nineteen Kings.
CHAP. II.
Hengist.
VVHen he first arrived in England, The first King of Kent became the first Monarch of the English men.he was a goodly young Gentleman, under the age of thirty yeares, and of an excellent wit: He was brought up in the service of the Emperour Valentinian the third, and last of that name. Verstegan.
He deserveth to be reputed the first Monarch of the English Nation.
Non minus acer ingenio, quam alacer in praelio. Malmesburiensis de Gestis Regum Anglorum.
He sailed out of Holland into Brittain; he built the Castle of Leiden in Holland.
The Saxons had only the Isle of Thanet first given them,Cam…. B…it English Saxons. where they first landed.
Hengist after obtained of King Vortiger, the property of so much ground, as he could enclose with a Buls Hide: which cutting into thongs, he there built the Castle called Thong-Castle,Histoire … Ang…t re lar … …Ches…e. l 6. p. 1…. … Brit English Saxons. by Sittingbourine in Kent.
Why our first Progenitors Hengist and Horsa took their names of an Horse (for both their names in the Saxon tongue do signifie an Horse) surely I know not, unless it were for a fore-token of their warlick prowess,Hengist signifieth … stoned Horse. according to that Verse of Virgil.
Bello armantur equi,Equus bellicosorum Saxoniae principum antiquissimum insigne, pugna…it…is, celeretatis, & immoderati impetus symbolum. Spelmanni Aspilogia. bella haec armenta minantur. l. 3. Aineid.
Hengist and Horsus, Brittains harmes,
Their Ens…gnes signing both their names,
The Saxon Horse their Armes,
Brave Warriours hither came.
Slatyers Palae-Albion Ode 7. p. 157.
Krantzius in hist. Saxon. l. 2. telleth us, that the Saxon-Princes in Germany before they became Christians, gave a black Horse for their Escutcheon; but being baptized, a white Horse; with reference haply to Rev. 6. 2.
The Saxons to the number of nine thousand, came in certain long Vessels they called Keeles, with their leaders, two Brothers, Hengist and Horsa, nobly descended; whose Ensign, as it was an usuall and honourable device of antiquity, alluding to their names, their Banner being a white or silver Horse, in a Field Gules; Arms which the noblest Families of Saxons, and others thence descended, have born.
They were not all one people, but consisted of three severall Nations, viz. the Angles, the Iutes, and the Saxons; but they were all the inhabitants of some part, or other of Denmarke. Ays…u.
He raigned thirty four yeares.