The Exact Recorder, Chapter 3 (2 of 5)

The Exact Recorder · Chapter 3 (2 of 5)

p. 44Anno …47.(o)(o)Hist. Angl. l. 5. Spelman. Concil. p. 343.Polydor Virgil, records, that King Athelwulfe, in the year 847. going in pilgrimage to Rome, repaired the English School (there lately burned down) and in imitation of King Ina, made that part of his Kingdom which Egbert his Father had added, Tributary towards it; Legeque sancivit, Proposit. 1.and enacted by a Law (made in a Parliamentary Council) that those who received 30 pence rent every year out of their possessions, or had more houses, should pay for those houses they inhabited, every of them a penn… a peece to the Pop… (for the maintenance of this School) at the Feast of Peter and Paul, or at least of St. Peters bonds; which Law some (writes he) though falsely, ascribr to his Son Alfred; which act others refer to the years 855, or 857, and that more truly.

Anno 850.(p)(p)Ingulf. Hist. p. 858, …59. Spelm. Concil. p. 344. Mat. Westm. An. 849, 85….Abbot Ingulphus in his Hist. of the Abby of Croyland, records; that Bertulf usurping the Crown, by the treacherous p. 45murder of his Cosen St. Westan (tantâ ferebatur ad regnandum ambitione) passing by the Abbey of …royland, most wickedly and violently took away all the Iewels, Plate and ornaments of the Church, Prop. 2, 4, 5, 9.10.which his B…other Withlasius and other Kings had given to it; together with all …he mony he could find in the Monastery; and hiring Souldiers therewith against the Danes, then wasting the Country about London, he was vanquished and put to flight by the Pagans; Whereupon this King soon after, holding a great Council at Benningdon, An. 850. with the Prelates and Nobles of his whole Realm of Mercia there assembled (about the Danes invasions, how to rai…e forces and monies to resist them, as is most probable by our Historians.) Abbot Siward, and the Monks of Croyland therein complained before them all, by Askillus their fellow Monk, of certain injuries malitiously do…e unto them by their Adversaries, who lying in wa…t in the uttermost banks of their Rivers, did seise upon their servants (being such as fled thither for Sanctuary) in case at any time they went out of their precincts never so little way (either to fish, or bring back their stragling Sheep, Oxen, or other Cattle) as infringers of their Sanctuary, and subjected them to the publick Laws, to their cond…mnation and destruction; to the great dammage of the Abbey, by the loss of their service; Of which complaint, the King and all the Council being very sensible, and desirous to provide for the peace and quiet of the Abbey, and to declare and enlarge their Privileges; The King thereupon commanded Radbott Sheriff of Lincoln, and the rest of his O…ficers in those parts, to go round about, describe and set forth the bounds of their Isle of Croyland, and of the Marishes thereunto belonging, and …aithfully and clearly to demonstrate them to him and his Council, wh…rever they should be, the last day of Easter next ensuing; Who fulfilling his command, openly presented an exact description of their Boundaries to the King and his Council, (which bounds are recited at large in Ingulphus,) keeping their Easter at Kingsbury.

p. 46Anno 851.Anno 851. Whereupon the king in this Parliamentary Council at Kingsbury, [q][q]Ingulphi Histor. p. 858. to 863. Spelm. Concil. p. 344, &c.in H…bdomada Paschae, pro Regni negotiis congregati; In Recompensationem tamen aliquam pecuniae direptae; to make some kind of Recompence of the Mony he had formerly taken from the Abbey, by the Common Council of his whole Realm, by his Charter made and ratified in this Council (wherein he makes this recital touching this money, as if they had freely lent it to him in his necessities; though the Historian relates,Proposit. 1, 4. he took it away by fo…c…: Gratias Debitas vobis omnibus dignissimè reddo pro pecuniâ quâ me per vos dudum praetere untem, in me à maximâ indigentiâ contra Paganorum violentiam gratissimo & liberalissimo animo defovistis) granted unto them, That the bou…ds of their Sanctuary and liberties should extend 20 foot in breadth beyond the farthest banks of their grounds compassing their Iland; And 20 foot from the water it self; where ever their fugitive servants should ascend, to draw their nets, or do their other necessary businesses; and that this Sanctuary for fugitives should extend to all the Marishes where they had Common for their Cattle; and that if their Cattel through tempest, theft, or other misfor…une, strayed beyond these limits into the fields adjoyning, their fugitive servants might pursue and fetch them back thence, without any seisure or danger; sub multilatione membri magis dilecti, si quis istud privilegium meum in aliquo temerè violaret. After which, he confirmed all the Lands and privileges formerly granted to this Abbey, by Kings, Earls, or other persons, particularly recited in this Charter; which was made & granted by the common consent, sent and advice of this whole Parl. Council, & of the Bishops and Nobles of the Realm, as these Clauses in the Charter abundantly attest. Cum communi concilio totius Regni mei concedo.Nota. Consentientibus omnibus Praelatis & Proceribus meis concedo; cum communi Concilio,Prop. 5, 6, 10. gratuitoque consensu omnium Magnatum Regni mei co…cedo; complacuit unanimiter mihi, ac p. 47universo Concilio vestra omnia loca mei authoritate Regii Chirograpi confirmare. Unanimo con…ensu …otius presentis Concilii, hic apud Kingsbury, Anno incarnationis Christi Dom. 855. feria sexta in hebdomada Paschae, pro Regni negotiis congregati, istud meum Regium Chirographum sanctae crucis signo stabiliter & immutabiliter confirmavi. After which the Archbishop of Canterbury, with other Bishops, 3 Abbots, 2 Dukes, 3 Earls, with O…lat Ambassadour of King Ethelwulf and his Sons, in their Names, and the Name of the West-Saxons, subscribed and ratified this Charter, affixing the sign of the Cross, and their names thereto, as you may read at large in Ingulphus.

That this Parliamentary Council, and the former at Beningdon were principally summoned for the defence of the Realm against the invading Danes, who [r][r]See Ingulf. p. 858, 862, 863, 864, 865, Mat. Westm. Florent. Wigorn. Ethelwe…dus, Radulf. de Dice…n, Huntingdon, Hoveden. Brom. An. 851.then incessantly molested it; and that this was the chief of those Regni negotiis for which they were assembled, is evident by this publick prayer of the Kings, then subscribed under this Charter.

Ego Bertulphus Rex Merciorum palam omnibus Praelatis & Proceribus Regni mei, divinam deprecor Majestatem, quatenus per intercessionem sanctissimi Confessoris sui sancti Guthlaci, omniumque sanctorum suorum, dimittat mihi, & omni populo meo, peccata nostra,Propesit. 9. & sicut per aperta miracula sua dignatus est misericordiam suam; sic super Paganos hostes suos dare nobis dignetur omni certamine victoriam & post praesentis vitae fragilem cursum in consortio sanctorum suorum gloriam sempiternam, Amen.

After which [s][s]Hist. p… 861, 862.Ingulphus subjoyns this Monkish miracle, relating the order of the proceedings in this Council, the sole end for which I cite it.

God wrought in this Council to the honour of his most holy Confessor Gut…lac, a most famous miracle, whereby the devotion of the whole Land, now more lukewarm than ordinary, to goe in pilgrimage to p. 48Croyland, might thenceforth become more frequent, and by all ways, through all Counti…s might dayly be revived; for whereas a certain disease like to a Palsie, this year afflicted all England; the Nerves of Men, Women, and Children, being smitten with a sudden and excessive cold (their veins swelling and growing harder, the which no remedy of cloathes could prevent) and especially the Arms and hands of men being made useless, and altogether withred; in which disease, like a fore-running most certain Messenger thereof, an intollerable pain pre-occupated the Member so growing ill. It hapned in this Council, that many, as well of the greater as lesser ranck, were sick of this Malady, & cum regni negotia proponerentur, and when as the busine…es of …he Realm were to be proposed, Lord Celnoth Archbishop of Cant…rbury, who was vexed with this disease, openly counselled;Nota. Divina negotia deberi primitus proponi, & sic humana negotia Christi suffragante gratia, finem prosperum posse …ortiri;Prop. 5, 6. Assentientibus universis, &c. That D…vine businesses ought first of all to be proposed, and so humane business, through the suffrage of Christs grace, might obtain a prosperous end. All assenting thereunto, when Lord Siward, then Abbot of Croyland was inquired for; because in Councils and Synods for his great eloquence and holy Religion, he had been, as it were, a divine interpreter for many years, and the most gratious Expositor and Promotor of innumerable businesses of the whole Clergy; who by reason of his great old age, was not present; but by Frier Askillus, his fellow Monk, he excused his absence with a most humble Letter, by the burden of his long old age; King Bertulph himself remembring the former complaint of the Church of Croyland, open…y related before the Council, the Injuries frequently done to the Lord Abbot Siward, and to his Monastery of Croyland, by the foolish fury of their Adversaries; and commanded, that Remedy should be provided and Decreed by common p. 49advice. When as therefore this business was in agitation amongst them, & Petitio Domini Siwardi, (the first Petition I meet with of this Nature to and in our Par…iamentary Councils) and the Petition of the Lord Abbot Siward concern…ng the same, delivered by the foresaid Frier Askillus, had run from hand to hand of the Prelates and Nobles of the whole Council, and one advised one thing, another another: Lord Ceolnoth Archbishop of Canterbury cried out with a loud voice, that he was healed of his disease, and perfectly recovered by the merits of the most holy Confessor of Christ, most blessed Guthlac, whose businesses were then handling in their hands: likewise many other most potent men in the said Council cryed out, as well Prelates as Nobles, that they had been sick of that disease, but now by Gods Grace, and the merits of most holy Guthlac, they felt no pain in any of their Members, through the said malady: And all of them presently bound their Consciences with a most strict vow, to visit the most sacred Tomb of most holy Guthlac at Croyland with devout pilgrimage, so soon as they could. Wherefore our Lord King Bertulf, commanded the Bishop of London (who was then accounted the best Notary, and most eloquent speaker, who being moreover touched with the same disease, now predicated, with greatest joy, that he was healed) to t…ke the Privileges of Croyland into his hands, and that he should insist to honour his Physicitian S. Guthlac with his hand writing, prout consilium statueret, as the Council should ordain; which also was done; Therefore in the Subscriptions of the Kings Charter (afore-mentioned) the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ceolnoth, confesseth himself whole and sound:Propos. 6. St. Swithin Bishop of Winchester, rejoyceth concerning the Lords Miracles. Alstan Bishop of Sherburn, and Orkenwald of Lichenfeld, give thanks for the successes of the Church; and Rethunus Bishop of Leicester, professeth himself a Servant to St. Guthlac so long as he lived: Uuniversique Concilii Optimates, And p. 50all the Nobles of the Council, with a most ardent affection, yeelded obedience to the Kings benevolent affection towards St. Guthlac In all things.

From all which precedent passages in these two Councils, it is apparent.

First, That the Parliamentary Councils of that Age, consisted only of the King, spiritual and temporal Lords and Peers, without any Knights of Shires, or Burgesses, of which we find no mention in this, or any other former or succeeding Councils, in the Saxons times; though sometimes Wise-men of inferior quality, both of the Clergie and Laity, were particularly summoned to them, without any popular election, by the Kings special direction, for their advice.

2ly. That all Divine and Ecclesiastical matters, touching God, Religion, and the Church, and all affairs of the Realm of publique concernment, relating to war or peace, were debated, consulted of, & setled in Parliamentary Councils. 3ly. That the businesses of God and the Church, were therein usually first debated and setled, before the affairs of the kingdom, of which they ought to have precedency. 4ly. That all private grievances, injuries and oppressions done by the King, his Officers, or other private persons, to the Church, or other men, were usually complained of, and redressed in Parliamentary Councils, by the advice and judgement of the King and Peers; and that either upon the parties Petition, setting forth his grievances, or a relation made thereof by the King, or some other Prelate or Nobleman, before the whole Council. 5ly. That what could not be redressed in one great Council, was in the next succeeding Council revived and redressed, according to the merits of the cause. 6ly. That no Peer nor Member of the great Council might absent himself in those times, but upon just and lawfull excuse, which he ought humbly to signifie to the King and Council by a special Messenger, and p. 51Letter, as Abbot Siward did here. 7ly. That all Members of the Council had free liberty of Debate and Vote, in all businesses complained of, or proposed …o them; and a negative, as well as an affirmative voice. 8ly. That all businesses then were propounded and debated before all the Council, and resolved by them all, not in private Committees. 9ly. That our Kings in those days, in Cases of necessity, could not lawfully …eise their subjects monies and plate against their wills, to raise Soldiers to resist invading forein Enemies, but only borrow them by their free consents, and held themselves bound to restore or recompence the monies lent or taken by them in such exigencies, with thankfull acknowledgment. 10. That our Kings in that age, could not grant away their Crown lands, create or inlarge Sanctuarie…, or exempt any Abbies from Taxes and publique payments, or impose any publique Taxes on their Subjects, but by Charters, or grants made and ratified in and by their great Councils.

Anno 854.An. 854. (t)(t)Mat West. An. 854, 878. Mr. Seldens Hist. of Tithe… ch. 8. p. 208, 209. Malmsbury de Gest. Reg. Angl. l. 2. c. 2. Florentius Wigorniensis Anno 855. Ingulphi Hist. p. 862. Polychronicon, l. 5. c. 30. H…n. Huntindon, Hist. l. 5. p. 348, Ethelwerdi Hist. l. 3. c. 3, p. 841, Roger Hoveden Annal. pars prior, p. 413. Chronicon Iohannis Bromton, col. 802. Ethelredus Abbas, de genealogiâ Regum Angliae, col. 351. Simeon Dunelm. de Gest. Reg. Angl. col. 121. Radul…us de Diceto Abbrev. Chron. col. 450. Speeds Hist. p. 377. Spelmanni Concil. p. 348. to 353.King Aethelulf gave the tenth part of his Realm to God and his Saints, free from all secular services, exactions and Tributes, by this Charter, made and confirmed, by the advice and free assent of all the Bishops and Nobles throughout the Realm then assembled in a Great Council, to oppose the invading plundering Danes.

Regnante in perpetuum domino nostro Jesu Christo, in nostris temporibus bellorum incendia, & direptiones opum nostrarum, & vastantium crudelissimas hostium barbarorum paganorumque gentium multiplices tribulationes, a…ligentium usque ad internecionem cernimus, tempo…a incumbere periculosa; Quamobrem ego Aethelulfus, Rex Occidentalium Saxonum, cum Consilio Episcoporum, ac Principum p. 52meorum, Consilium salubre arque uniforme reme i un a…irmavi, ut aliquam portione… Terrae meae Deo & beatae Mariae & omnibus sanctis… Iure perpetuo possidendam concedam, Proposit. 1, 5, 6, 9.10.Decimam scilicet par…em terrae meae, u… sit tuta mu…eribus, et libera ab omnibus servitiis secularibus, nec non Regalibus Tributis Majoribus et Monoribus, seu Taxationibus, q…ae nos Wi…teredden appe…lamus,**Or Winterden as Ingulsus hath it. Sitque omnium rerum libera, pro remissione animarum & peccatorum meo…um; ad …erviendum soli Deo, sine expeditione, et pontis constructione, arcis munitione, u… eo diligenti…s …ro nobis preces ad Deum …ne cessatione fundant, quo eorum servitutem in aliquo le vigamus.

The Copies in our Historians vary in some expressions, and in the date of this Charter; some placing it in Anno 855. others Anno 865. This Charter, as Ingulphus records, was made at Winchester, Novemb. 3. Anno. 855. praesentibus & subscribentibus Archiepiscopis Angliae universis, nec non Burredo, Merciae, & Edmundi East-Anglorum rege, Abbatum, & Abbatissarum Ducum, Comitum, Procerumque totius terrae, aliorum que fidelium infinita multitudine. Dignitates vero sua nomina subscripserunt. After which, for a greater Confirmation the King offered the Written Charter up to God upon the Altar of St. Peter, where the Bishops received it, and after sent it into all their Diocesses to be published: and hereupon the Bishops of Sherburne and Winchester, with the Abbots and religious persons, on whom the said benefits were bestowed, decreed, That on every Wednesday, in every Church, all the Friers and Nuns should sing 50 Psalms, and every Priest 2 Masses; one for the King, and an other for his Captains, It is observable, first, That the Parliamentary Council wherein this Charter was made and ratified by common consent, and this exemption and tenth granted, was principally called to resist the invading plundering Danes. 2ly. That this King and Council, in those p. 53times of Invasion and necessi…y, were so far from taking away the Lands and Tithes of the Church, for defence of the Realm, or from imposing new unn…ual Taxes and Contributions on the Clergy for that end, that they granted them more Lands and Tithes than formerly, and exempted them from all former ordinary Taxes and Contributions, that they might more cheerfully and frequently pour …or…h prayers to God for them, as the best means of defence and security, against these forein invading enemies.

(u)(u)History of Tithes. ch. 8. p. 208, 209.Mr. Selden recites another Charter of this King of the same year (different from it in month and place) out of the Chartularies of Abbington Abbey, to the same effect, made by Parliamentary consent of that time, & per consilium sa…ubre cum Episcopis, Comi…ibus, ac cunct…s Optimatibus meis, which Char…er is s…bscribed by this King and his two Sons, with some Bishops and Abbots; ratified with their signs of the Cross, and this annexed curse, Si quis verò minuere velmutare nostram donationem praesumpserit, noscat se ante tribunal Christi redditurum rationem, nisi prius satisfactione emendaverit, usual in such Charters.

Af…er (x)(x)See Malmesbury, Huntindon, Hoveden, Matthew Westm. Ethelwerdus, Simeon Dunelmensis, Wigorniensis, Speed, Polychron… Fabian, Holinshed, Grafton, and others in his life.which, this King going to Rome, carried Alfred his youngest Son thither with him (whom he most loved) to be educated by Pope Leo; where continuing a year, he caused him to be crowned King by the Pope, and returning into his Country married Iudith, the King of France his Daughter, bringing Alfred and her with him into England. In the Kings absence in forein parts, Alstan Bishop of Sherburne, Eandulfe Earl of Somerset, and certain other Nobles making a Conspiracie with Ethelbald the Kings eldest Son, concluded, he should never be received into the Kingdom, upon his return from Rome, for two Causes: One, for that he had caused his youngest son Alfred, to be crowned King at Rome, excluding thereby, as it were, his eldest Son, and others from the Right of the Kingdom. Another, for that p. 54contemning all the w…men of England, he had married th… Da…gh…er of the Ki…g of Fra…ce… an alien et contra morem et Statuta Regum West-Saxonum, and against the use and Statu…es of the Kings of the West-Saxons, called Ju…ith, (the King of France his Daughter, w…om he lately esp…used) Queen, and caused her to sit by his side at the Table, as he …easted; For the West-Saxons permit…ed not the Kings Wife to sit by the King at the Table, nor yet …o be cal…ed Queen, but the Kings Wife: (y)(y)Ma…. W…st. An. 802, 854. Huntindon, Hoveden, Bromton, Speed, Holinsh…d, Asser. Flor. Wigorn. Radulf. de Dice…o. Sim…on Dunelm. Polyc…ronicon, Fabian, Mr. S…ldeas Titles of Honour, pa… l. 1. c. 6. p. 116, 117, 118. See here p. 35.Which Infamy arose … Eadburga, Daughter of King O…fa, Queen of the s…me Nat…on, who destroyed her Husband King Brithr…ic with poison, and sitting by the King, was wont to accuse all …he Nobles of the Realm to him, who thereupon dep…ived them of l…fe or banished them the Realm… & whom she c…uld not accus…, she used to kill w…th poison: Therefore… for this mis-doing of the Q…en: they all conjured and swore, that they would never permit a King to reign over them who should be guilty in the premises: W…e…eupon King Aethelulfe returning peaceably from Rome, his Son Aethelbald, with his Complices, attempted to bring their conceived wickedness to effect, in excluding him from his own Realm and Crown. But Almighty God would not permit it; for lest peradventure a more than civil war should arise betw…n the Father and t…e Son, the Conspiracie of all the Bishops and Nobles ceased, though the King Clemency, who divided the Kingdom of the West-Saxons (formerly undivided) with his Son,Proposit. 2, 4, 7, 8, 10. so that the East pa…t of the Realm should go to his Son Ethelbald, and the West-part remain to the Father. And when tota Regni Nobiliras, all the Nobility of the Realm, and the whole Na…ion of the West-Saxons, would hav… fought for the King, thrust his Son (Ethelbald) from the right of the Kingdom, and … him and his Complices out of the Realm, qui tantum facinus perpe…rare ausi sunt, & Regem à regno …rop…io re…ellerent (which Wigorniensis, Anno 855. …le… Facinus, et inauditum omnibus saeculis ante infortunium) if the Father would have permitted them to do p. 55it. He out of the nobleness of his mind, satisfi…d his Sons desire; so that where the Father ought to have reigned by the just judgement of God, there the obstin…te and wicked Son reigned. The King (z)(z)Matthew VVestm. An. 857. Speeds Hist p. 376, 377. Chron. …o. Bromton, c…l. 820. and the rest …o…ecited.Aethelulfe before the death of Egbert his father, was ordained Bishop of Winchester, but his Father dying, he was made King by the Prelates… Nobles, and People, much against his will, cum non esset alius de Regio genere qui regnare debuisset, because there was none other of the Royal Race who ought to reign: Haeredibus aliis deficientibus, po… modum necessitate compulsus, gubernacula Regni in se suscepit, as Bromton and others expresse it.

At his death (Anno 857.)Anno 857. he did by his will (lest his Sons should fall out between themselves after his decease) give the kingdom of Kent, with Sussex and Ess…x, to Ethelbert his second son, and left the kingdom of the West-Saxons to his eldest son Aethelbald; then he devised certain sums of Money to his Daughter, Kindred, Nobles, and a constant annuity for ever, for meat, d…ink, and cloths to one poor man or pilgrim, out of every 10 Hides of his Land, & 300 marks of mony to be sent yearly to Rome, to be spent there in Oyl for Lamps, & Almes: which sums I never find paid by his Successors, as he prescribed by his Will and Charter too, because not confirmed by his great Parliamentary Councils, of Prelates and Nobles, as his forcited Charter, and (a)(a)Radulph, de Diceto Abbreviationes Chron. col. 450. Chron. Iohan, B…om. col. 802, 806. Polychron. l. 5… c. 30.Peter-pence (likewise granted by him) were; upon this occasion (as some record) that he being in Rome, and seeing there outlawed men doing penance in bonds of Iron, purchased of the Pope, tha… Englishmen after that time should never out of their Country, do penance in Bonds.

About the year of our Lord 867. (b)(b)Chron. Io. Bromton, col. 803. Speeds History.Osbrith King of Northumberland (as Bromton records) residing at York, Anno 867.as he returned from hunting, went into the house of one of his Nobles called Bruern Bocard; to eat; who was then gone to the Sea-coasts, to defend it & the Ports against Theeves and Pirates, as he was accustomed; His Lady p. 56being extraordinarily beautifull, entertained him very honorably at dinner; The K. enamored with her beauty, after dinner taking her by the hand, leads her into her Chamber, saying he would speak with her in private; and there violently ravished her against her will: which done he presently returned to York, but the Lady abode at her house, weeping and lamenting the deeds of the King; whereby she lost her former colour and beauty. Her Husband returning, and finding her in this sad condition, inquired the cause thereof; wherewi…h she fully ac…uainting him; he thereupon cheered her up with comfortable words, saying, that he would not love her the lesse for it, since her weakness was unable to resist the Kings power; and vowed by Gods assistance, speedily to avenge himself & her of the King, for this indignity. Whereupon, being a Noble and very potent man, of great Parentage, he called all his kinsmen, and the chief Nobles of his Familie to him, with all speed, and acquainted them with this dishonour done to him by the king, saying, he would by all means be avenged thereof; and by their Counsel and Consent, they went all together to York, to the king, who when he saw Bruern called him courteously to him; But he, guarded with his kinred and friends, presently defying the King, resigned up to him his Homage, Fealty, Lands, and what ever he held of him, saying, that he would never hold any thing of him hereafter as of his Lord: And so without more words, or greater stay, instantly departed, and taking leave of his friends, went speedily into Denmark, and complained to Codrinus king thereof, of the Indignity done by King Osbrith to him and his Lady, imploring his aid and assistance, speedily to revenge it, he being extracted out of his Royal blood. The king and Danes hereupon, being exceeding glad that they had this induc…ng cause to invade England, presently gathered together a great Army to revenge this Injury done to Bruern, being of his Blood, appointing his p. 57two Brothers, Inguar and Hubba, most valiant Souldiers, to be their Generals; who providing Ships and other Necessaries, transported an innumerable Army into England, and landed them in the Nothern parts; This being the true Cause why the Danes at this time invaded England in this manner. In the mean time, the Parents, Kindred, and Friends of Bruern, expelled and rejected King Osbrith, for this …njury done to him and his Lady,Proposition 8, r…fusing to hold their Lands of, or to obey him any longer as their Soveraign, and advanced one Ella to be King, though none of the Royal bloud. Our other [c][c]Florent. Wigorn. Mat. Westm. Anno 867 Sim. Dunelm. Hist. de Dunelm. Eccl. c. 6. Huntingd. Hist. l. 5. p. 349. Roger, Hovenden, An. pars prior, p. 415. Ethelwerdi Hist. l. 4. c. 2. p. 842. Polychron. l. 5. c. 32. Hist. de Sancto Cuthberto col. 70. Sim. Dune…m. de gest. Reg. Ang. col. 123, 142. Tho. S…ubs. Actus Pon…if. Ebor. col. 1608 Speeds Hist. p… 24…8. See Ho… linshed, Fabian … Grafton.Eccl 6Historians, who mention not this fact of Osbrith, and occasion of these Danes arival to revenge it, write, that the Danes upon their Landing marched to the City of York, wasting all the Country before them with fire and Sword unto Tinmouth. At that time (they write) by the Devils instinct, there was a very great discord raised between the Northumberlanders, Sicut …emper populo qui odium incurrerit evenire solet: For the Northumberlanders at that time had expelled their lawfull King Osbrith out of the Realm, and advanced one Ella, a Tyrant, not of the Royal bloud, to the Regal Soveraignty of the Kingdom… By reason of which division, the Danes taking York, ran up and down the Country filling all places with bloud and Grief, wasting and burning all the Churches and Monasteries far and near, leaving nothing standing but the Walls and ruines of thom; pillaging, depopulating, and laying waste the whole Country. In which great necessity and distress the Northumberlanders reconciling their two Kings, Osbrith and Ella, one to another, gathered a great Army together against the Danes; which their two Kings and …ight Earls marched with to York; where … long fight, with various success, both the said Kings with most of the Northumberlanders were all slain … A…ril 11. Anno 867. The City of York consumed with fire, and the whole Kingdom made tributarie to the Danes: [d][d]Hist. de Dunelm. Eccles. c. 6. col. 14. & Hist. de Sancto Cuthberto col. 70.Eccl 6Simeon Dunelmensis relates, that both p. 58these kings had violently & sacrilegiously taken away certain Lands from S. Cuthberts Church in Durham,Proposit. 3, 4. for Osbrit had by a sacrilegious attempt taken away Wircewood and Tillemouth; and Ella, Billingham, Heclif and Wigeclif & Creca from S. Cuthbert: tandem cum maximâ parte suorum ambo praefati Reges occubuerunt, & Injurias quas Ecclesiae sancti Cuthberti aliquando irrogaverant, vitâ privati, & regno persolverunt; Which the Author of the History of St. Cuthbert, observes and records more largely, as a punishment of their sacrilegious Rapine: The Danes hereupon made Egbert king of Northumberland, as a Tributary and Viceroy under them: Sic Northumbria bellico jure obtenta barbarorum dominium multo post tempore pro conscientiâ libertatis Ingemuit, writes Malmesbury de Gestis Regum Angliae, l. 2. c. 3. p. 42.

These rebellious Northumberlanders about 7 years after,Proposit. 8. uno conspirantes consilio, expelled Egbert the Realm by unanimous consent, together with Archbishop Wilfer, making one Richius King in his Place; the Danes both then and long after possessing and wasting their Country, and slaughtering them with fire and sword (as the **See [c] before p. 57.Marginal Historians record) more than any other parts of the Iland, by a just divine punishment for their manifold Treasons, Seditions, Factions, Rebellions against, and Murders of their Soveraigns.

Anno 868.In the yearSim… Dun…l. Hist. de Gest. Reg. Ang. col. 123, 124, 146. Mat. VVestm. & …lorentius VVigorn. An. 868, …69. Ethelwerdi Hist. l. 4. c. 2. Huntingd. Hist. l. 5. p. 349. Hoveden Annal. pars 1. p. 416. Ingulph. Hist. p. 863, 864. Chron. Ioh. Bromtom, col. …07. Polych. l. 5. c. 32. Fabian, Holinshed, Grafton, Speed in the life of … and …thelred. 868. a great Army of these victorious plundering Danes, marched out of the Kingdome of Northumberland to Nottingham, which they took, and there wintered; Whereupon Beorred (or Br…thred) King of Mercians, omnesque ejusdem gentis Optimates, and all the Nobles of that Nation assembled together, Where the King, Consilium habuit cum suis Comitibus, & comilitonibus, & omni populo p. 59…i…i subjecto, Qualiter inimicos bellicâ virtute exuperaret… sive de Regno expelleret; held a Council with his Earls and fellow Souldiers, and all the people subject to him, Proposit. 5, 6, 9,how he might vanquish these Enemies with military power, or drive them out of the Realm: By whose advice, he sent Messengers to Ethel…ed King of the West-Saxons, and to his Brother Elfrid, humbly requesting them, that they would assist and joyn with him against the Danish Army; which they easily condescening to, gathered a very great Army together out of all parts, and joyning all together with Beorred and his forces, marched to Nottingham, unanimously, with a a resolution to give the Danes battel; who sheltering themselves under the works of the Castle and Town, refused to fight with them; whereupon they besieged them in the Town, but being unable to break the Walls, they concluded a Peace at last with the Danes, upon condition, that they should relinquish the Town, and march back again in…o Northumberland, which they did; where their Army continued the whole year following, in & about York, debaccha…s & insaniens, occidens & perdens perolurimos viros & muli…res.

[f][f]Hist. p. 863… 864.Abbot Ingulphus records; that during the siege of Nottingham, King Beorred, (as he stiles him) at the request of Earl Algar the younger (who was ve…y gracious with him and the other Kings… causâ suae nobilis militiae) granted a Charter of Confirmation, not only of all the Lands, Advowsons, Possessions, Proposit. 10.1.which this Earl, with other particular persons and Kings had given to the Abby of Croyland, but likewise of all their former Privileges, confirming all their Ilands, Marishes, Churches, Chapels, Mannors, Mansions, Cottages, Woods, Lands, Meadows, (therein specified) to God and Saint Guthlac for ever, Libera & Soluta, & emancipata ab omni onere …erreno, & servitio seculari, in Eleem… synam aeternam perpetuo possidendam. Which Charter hath …is memorable exordium, expressing the motives p. 60inducing this King to grant it.

Beorredus la…giente Dei gratia Rex Merciorum, omnibus provinciis, & populis earum universam Merciam inhabitantibus, & fidem Catholicam conservantibus salutem sempiternam, in Domino nostro Jesu Christo. Quoniam peccatis nostris exigentibus, manum Domini super nos extensum, quotidiè cum virgâ ferreâ cernimus cervicibus nostris imminere, Necessarium nobis & salubre arbitror, piis sanctae matris ecclesiae precibus Eleemosynarumque liberis largitionibus iratum Dominum placatum reddere, et dignis devotionibus ejus gratiam in nostris necessita…ibus auxiliariam implora…e, Ideoque et ad petitionem stren…i Comitis, mihi meritoque dilectissimi, concessi regio Chirographo meo Theodoro Abbati Croyland, Tam donum dicti Comitis Algari, quam dona aliorum fidelium praeterit orum ac praesentium, &c. And it concludes thus. Istud Regium Chirographum meum, Anno Incarnationis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, 868. Calendis Augusti apud Snothingham coram fratribus, & amicis, & omni populo meo in obsidione Paganorum congregatis, sanctae crucis munimine confirmavi… Then follow the subscriptions and confirmations of Ceolnoth Archbishop of Canterbury, 5 Bishops, 3 Abbots, Ethelred king of West-Saxons, and Alfred his Brother, Edmund king of East-Angle, 2 Dukes, and twelve Earls, who all ratified this Charter.

After which Charter confirmed, this king Beorred renders special thanks to all his Army, for their assistance against the Danes, especially to the Bishops, Abbots, and other inferior Ecclesiastical Persons, for their voluntary assistance of him in those wars against these Enemies, norwithstanding his Fathers exemption of them by his Charter from all military expeditions and secular services: thus recorded by [g][g]Hist. p. 864, 865.Ingulphus, and most worthy observation.

Ego Beorredus Rex Merciorum, Intimo animi affectu, p. 61totisque praecordiis gratias exolvo speciales, omni exercitui meo; maximè tamen Viris Ecclesiasticis, Episcopis & Abbatibus, aliis etiam inferioribus status & dignitatis.Proposit. 1, 3, 8. Qui licèt piissimae memoriae, Rex quondam E…helwulfus pater meus, per sacratis…imam Chartam suam, ab omni expeditione militari vos liberos reddiderit, & ab omni servitio saeculari penitus absolutos; dignis…ma tamen miseratione super oppressiones Christianae plebis Ecclesiarumque, & Monasteriorum destructiones luctuosas, benignissimè compassi, contra nefandissimos Paganos in exercitum domini prompti & spontanei convenistis, ut tanquam Martyres, Christi cultus sanguine vestro augeatur, & barbarorum superstitiosa crudelitas effugetur.

From these last Passages, it is apparent: first, That in those days our Saxon Kings made War and Peace by the advice and consent of their Nobles and Parliamentary great Councils. 2ly. That in cases of common invasion and danger by forein Enemies, all the forces raised, and ways and means to resist them, were concluded on by advice and consent of these great Councils, and not by the kings absolute power. 3ly. That all, or most Church-men and their Church-lands, in those days, were absolutely freed and discharged from all military expeditions, Contributions, Aids and Assistance against Enemies, by express Charters, but only such as themselves voluntarily an… …reely contributed in cases of incumbent great Danger and Necessity, without compulsion; for which their kings rendred them special and hearty thanks; acknowledging and confirming these their Immunities, not violating them upon such Necessities, as this Notable passage of Ingulphus attests, together with that of [h][h]Pag. 312. & Malmesb. de Gestis Regum. l. 2. c… 2. p. 37.Mat. West. An. 867. Concerning Alstan Bishop of Sherborne, p. 62a man of very great Power and Counsel in the Realm: Contra Danos quoque qui tunc primò insulam infestabant, Regis Aethelulfi saevitiam exacuit; Ipse ex fisco pecuniam accipiens,P…opos…t. 1.3. ipse excercitum componens, Martiis felix eventibus contra hostes bella plurima constanter peregit: receiving Mony out of the Kings Exchequer (not the Peoples Purses or Contributions) to manage these Wars and not warring on his own expences. 4ly. That the Nobles, Gentry, and People of the Realm, were the only standing Milit… in that Age, to defend it against forein Enemies in times of danger or actual invasion; when they marched out of their own Counties against them, voluntarily and freely adventuring their lives for defence of their King, Country, Religion, Liberties, Properties; as they did at this siege of Nottingham, and during all the long-lasting Danish Wars, Invasions, and Depredations both by Land and Sea. 5ly. That our Christian Kings, Nobles, and great Councils of those days, in times of greatest danger, Invasion and Wars, held it most seasonable and necessary to confirm and enlarge the Churches Patrimony, Liberties, and Privileges, thereby to stir up their Clergy-men more earnestly to assist them with their Prayers;An. 870. not to diminish, invade or infringe them, under pretext of Real inevitable necessi…y and danger (the practice of late and present times) Whereupon they granted and, confirmed this forecited Charter in the very Armie during the siege of Notingham, before all the Kings, Princes, Prelates, Dukes, Earls, and people there present.

(l)(l)Ingulphi Hist. p. 865 to 869, Mat. Wes…m. Wigorn. Huntingd. Hoveden, Brom. Radulf. de Diceto. Sim. Dunel. Polychron. Fabian, Grafton, Holinshed, Speed, Ethelwerdus in the life of Ethelred and An. 870.In the year 870. Inguar and Hubba, with the rest of the Danes comming into Kesteven in Lincoln-shire, wasting and slaying all the Country with fire and sword, thereupon Earl Algarus, Osgot Sheriff of Lincoln, and all the Gentry and People in those parts, with the Band of the Abby of Croyland (under the Command of To…us a Monk, formerly a Souldier) consisting of 200 stout p. 63men, (most of them Fugitives thither for Sanctuary) uniting all their forces together in Kesteven, on the Feast of St. Maurice, fought with the Danes, and slew 3 of their Kings, with a great multitude of their forces. That night the other Danish Kings (dispersed abroad to pillage the Country) with a great booty & many captains, coming to the tents of their routed Companions, with a numerous Army, were inraged with the slaughter of their Confederates, in their absence: Whereupon most of the English secretly fled away from the Earl and their Captains in the night through fear: who early in the morning having heard divine Offices, and receiving the Sacrament, resolved not to retreat, but manfully to fight with the Danes (though not above 700 to their many thousands) being most ready to die for the defence of the faith of Christ and of their Country: Whereupon the Danes assailing them with great multitudes and fury, they all standing and fighting close together, valiantly susteined their assaults from morning till evening, without giving ground. Upon which the Danes to sever them, purposely feigned a Flight, and began to leave the Field… Hereupon the English, contrary to the commands of their Captains, dissolving their Ranks, and dispersing themselves to pursue the Danes, they suddenl… returned and slew most of the English, who fought gallantly with them to the last gasp, some few of them only escaping; After which the Danes marching to the Abby of Croyland, put the Abbot with all the Monks and Persons they there found (one Child excepted) to the Sword, after they had extremely tortured them to discover where their Treasures were; broke up all the Tombs, pillaged and burnt the Abby, with all the Edifices thereof, leaving it a meer ruinous heap; then marching on, laying all the Country waste before them with fire and Sword, sparing neither person, age, nor sex, they cast down, burnt, destroyed, and levelled to the Ground the goodly p. 64Monasteries of Bradney, Peterborough, Huntingdon, Ely, with sundry others, murthering as well all the Monks as Nuns therein, which their merciless Swords, after they had first polluted them. To avoid whose barbarous rape, (m)(m)Mat. VVestm… An. 8…0. p. 313. Speeds Hist. p. 383.Ebba Abbess of Coldingham and her Nuns (by her example and perswasion) cut off their upper Lips, and Noses, to deform themselves to their lascivious eyes; which bloody Spectacle preserved their Chastity from their Lust; but not their Monasterie or bodies from their Cruelty, they burning them and their Nunnery to Ashes.Anno 870.

Mat. VV…s…m. Anno 855.870. VVil. Malm, de gest. Reg. l. 2. c. 3. v. 13. Hunt. Hist. l. 5. p. 349. Hov. Annal. pars 1. p. 416. Eth…l. Hist. l. 3. c. 1. Chron. Io. Bromton. col. 745, 754.804, 805, 806. Sim. Dunelm. Hist. de Eccl. Dunelm. l. 2. c. 6. et de gest. Reg. Ang. col. 124, 143. Polychron. l. 5. c. 42. Fab. Gra…t. Hollinshed, Caxton, Speed in the life of St. Edmund. Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 140, Proposit. 2.4,Matt 10After which, the same year Inguar and Hubba marched against St. Edmund, who in the year 855. was chosen King of the East-Saxons Ab omnibus Regionis illius magnatibus et populis, by all the Nobles… and People of that Realm (being sprung from the antient Royal blood of the Saxons) and compelled to take the Government on him much against his will, being then but 13 years old, and consecrated King by Bishop Humbert in the Royal Town called Bury. The reason of their malice to this King, (as some of our Historians write) was this, that he was maliciously accused to have murthered their Father Lothbroc, driven by a sudden storm in a small boat into England as he was hawking at Fowl, by this Kings Faulkoner: who having murthered himself out of meer malice, was by judgement of the Knights and Lawyers banished the Realm, and put alone into Lothbrocs Boat, without O…re or Sails for murthering him, and so sent to Sea; being driven in it into Denmark, to excuse himself, he maliciouslie accused the King of this Murther, to these his Sons; Who thereupon invaded England with an Army to revenge their Fathers death. And the Reason why they at this time so extraordinarily prevailed, a…d over-run the Land, was the Civil Discords; Wars, and Emulations amongst the Saxon kings; who either out of Malice or Ambition to advance their own Dominion, or base unworthy p. 65fears, would rather induce these common Enemies to over-run them, than assist one another against them; which (n)(n)De gest. Reg. l. 2. … …. p. 42.William of Malmesburie thus expresseth. Meminerit interea lector, quod interim Reges Merciorum et Northanimbrorum, captata occasione …dventus Danorum, quorum bellis Ethelredus i…sudabat, a servitio West-Saxonum respirantes, domina…ionem suam penè asseruerant. Ardebant ergo cunctae saevis popularibus provinciae, unusquisque Regum inimicos magis in suis sedibus sustinere, quam compatrio…is Laborantibus opem porrigere curabat: Ita dum maluit vindicare, quam praevenire injuriam, socordiâ suâ exanguem reddiderunt Patriam. Dani sine obstaculo succressere; dum et provincialibus timor incresceret, et proxima quaeq, victoria per additamentum Capti…orum, instrumentum sequentis fieret, &c. Northanimbri jamdud…m civilibus dissentionibus …luctuantes, adventante hoste correxerunt discordiam. Itaque Osbirthum Regem quem expulerant, in solium reforma…tes, magnosque moliti paratus, obviam proc…dunt; sed facilè pulsi, infra Urbem Eboracum se includunt: quâ mox à victoribus succensâ, cum laxos crines effusior flamma produceret, tota depascens maenia, ipsi quo que conflagrati, patriam ossibus texêre suis, Mercii non semel obtriti, obsidatu miserias suas levaverunt. At vero Ethelredus multis laboribus infractus obiit: Orientalium Anglorum pagi, cum urbibus et vicis à praedonibus possessi; Rex eorum sanctus Edmundus, ab eisdem interemptust Anno Dominicae Incarnationis 870. 12 Calendas Decembris, temporaneae mortis compendio regnum emit aeternum.

The manner of King Edmunds Martyrdom (o)(o)See those forecited at (m) and Capgrave, Surius, and Ribadeniera, Antonius in the life of St. Edmund, Malm. De Gestis Reg. l. 2. c. 3.Historians thus relate. An. 870. Hinguar King of the Danes invading King Edmunds Realm with a great Power sent a Messenger to King Edmund to demand the half of his Treasure and Wealth, and that he should hold his Realm under him; threatning otherwise to waste his Kingdom and extirpa…e him and his P…ople. Sed nimis fraudulentèr p. 66Hinguar thesauros exigebat, qui Clementissimi Regis caput potius quam pecuntas sitiebat, writes [q][q]An. 870. p. 370.Matthew Westminster. Where upon Bishop Humbe…t advising him to fly …rom the Danes (who approached with their forces towards him) to save his life, The King wishe…; Would to God that I might preserve the lives of my Subjects, for whom I desire to lay down my life; for this is my chi…fest wish, that I may not survive my faithfull Subjects, and most dear friends, which this Cru…l Pirate hath th…evishly slain; neither will I stain my glory by sl…ght, who never yet sustained the reproaches of Wa…re. The Heavenly King also is my Witness, that no fear of the Barbarians shall separate me from the Love of Christ, whether living or dead. Then turning to the Messenger of Hinguar, he said, Thou art worthy to suffer the punishment of death, being w…t with the blood of my people; But imitating the example of my Christ, If it should so happen, I am not afraid willingly to die for them; Return therefore speedily to thy Master, and carry my answers to him: Although thou takest away my Treasures and riches whi…h the Divine Clemency hath given me, by thy power; yet thou shalt never subject me to thy infidelity: for it is an honest thing to defend perpetual liberty, together with purity of Religion for which also, if there be need, we think it not unprofitable to die: Therfore, as thy proud cru…l…y hath begun, after the servants slaughter cut thou the Kings throat… because the King of Kings seeing these things, Proposit. 8.will translate me into Heaven, there to reign eternally. The Messenger departing, the King commanded his Souldiers to run to their Arms, a…firming… that it was a worthy thing to fight both for their Faith and Country, Nota.le…t they shou…d prove de…er…ers of their Realm, and betrayers of the people. And being incouraged by Bishop Humbert, his Nobles, and fellow Souldiers, he marched against the Enemy, and near Thedford fought a bloody battel with the Danes, from morning to night, p. 67the place being all dyed red with the blood of the slain. A… which grievo… …ight King Edmund was much grieved, not only for the great slaughter of his own So…ldiors …ight…ing for their Country & native liberty, & the faith of Iesus Christ, & so alre…dy …rouned with M…rtyrdome: But likewise for the death of the Barbarous Infidels, sent down to Hell in great numbers; which he overmuch lamented. After which battel, retiring to Hegelsdun with his forces that were left, he immutably resolved in his mind, never to fight battel with the Enemies more. saying only this; that it was necessary that he alone should die for the People, and not the whole Nation perish. Soon after Hinguars Army being recruted by the access of Hubba to him, with ten thousand men, he marched to Hegelsdun, and surrounded it, that none might escape thence; Whereupon King Edmund flying to the Church, and casting down his temporal Armes, humbly prayed the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to give him constancy in his passion: Then the Danish Souldiers seising on him, brought him from the Church before Hinguar, by whose command he was tyed to a tree hard by, cruelly whipped a long time, then shot through with Darts, wherewith his Body was stuck full; after which, being taken from the tree, his Head was cut off from his Body, with a bloody sword by the Barbarous Executioner appointed for that purpose; and so he died a most glorious Martyr for his Kingdom, Country, Subjects, and Religion: to whose memory a famous Monastery was after built; Of which William of Malmesbury de Gestis Regum, l. 2. c. 13. p. 89. gives this Relation; Quibus Artibus Edmundus ita sibi omnis Britanniae de vinxit incolas, ut beatum se in primis astruat, qui Coenobium illius, vel nummo vel valenti illustraret. Ipsi quoque Reges aliorum Domini, servos se illius gloriantu…, & coronam ei regiam mis…itant, magno si uti volunt redimentes commercio. Exactores vectigalium qui alibi Bacchantur p. 73fas nefasque juxta metientes ibi supplices, Proposit. 1.cira … sancti … …ondi… litigationes sistunt, experti multorum paenam, qui perseverandum putarunt; which I wi…h our Tax-Exactors, and Exci…ers wou…d now remember.

Anno 870.Whiles the Danes were thus wasting the Kingdoms of Northumberland and the East-Saxons with Fier and Sword, and martyring King Edmund Ingulphi Hi…t. p. 868, 869, 911.Beorred king of Mercians was bu…ed in warring against the Britains, who infested the Western parts of his Realm: But hearing the Danes had invaded the Eastern part of his Kingdom, he came to London, and gathering a great Army …ogether, marching wi…h i… through the Eastern quarters of his Realm, he applyed the whole Isle of Ely to his Exchequor, taking into his hands all the lands formerly b…longing to the Monastery o… Medehamsted,Proposit. 1, 4. lying between Stamford, Huntindon and Wisebeck, assigning the Lands more remote, lying scattered through the Country, to his Souldiers… The like he did with the Lands of the Monastery of St. Pega of Rikirk; retaining certain of th…m to himself, and giving some of them to his Souldiers. And the like did he with the Lands of all other Monasteries, destroyed totally by the Danes: whose Lands by Law **7 E. 4.11, 12. Brook Escheat 19.esch…ated to the Crown, and those Lords, whose predece…ors founde… and endowed …hem, by the slaughter and chasing away of all the Monks & Nuns & burning of the Monasteries; whose Lands thereupon were re…umed and confi…cated to the Kings Exchequer: Et cum caetera Monasteria per Danorum fe…ocitatem funditus destructa, Regali fisco fuerant ascripta, denuo et assumpta, omnibus Monachis eoru… necatis, perditis, seu penitus fugatis, as Ingulphus informs us of the Rea…on; yet many of the Monks of Croyland escaping the Danes fury, and returning soon after thither again, electing a new Abbot, and repairing their Monastery by degrees, as well as that exigency would permit, thereupon they enjoyed the sight of the whole Abby, and the Isle of Croylan…, with the self same Liberties and Privileges they had from the b… ginning, dischardged from all secular services, during all the time of this their desolation, & the Danish wars, till the time of its restoration; & after that till Ingulphus time, as he records. Nothwithstanding, because many of the Monks were slain, and the Abby burnt down & demolished by the Danes, King …eorred thereupon seised some of their lands into his own hands, & gave other of their Lands more remote from the Abby to his stipendiary Soldiers.

And although venerable Abbot Godric, took very much paines, frequently demanding restitution of them both from King Beorred & his Souldiers, and very of…en shewed the Charters of the Donors, & the confirmations of fo…mer Kings, together with, his own proper Charter, to this Kings, yet he received always nothing but empty words, from & him them: whereupon he at last utterly despaired of their restitution. Perceiving therefore the overmuch malice of the times, et Militiam **Are not the Souldiers now sick of the same disease.Regis Terrarum cupidissimam, and the Kings Militia, and Soldiers most covetous of Lands, he resolved with himself in conclusion to passe by these Royal Donations Surdo Tempore… in a deaf time; being over-glad & rejoycing, that the Kings grace had granted the whole Island lying round about the Monastery unto it, free and discharged from all Regal exactions, much more specially to him then at that time, which had not happened to many oth…r Monasteries. There departed therefore at that time from the Monastery of Croyland these possessions which never returned to this present day: The Mannor of Spalding given to Earl Adelwu…fe, with all its appurtinances: The Mannor of Deeping given to Lang…er a Knight, Propos. 4.(or Souldier) and the Kings Baker, with all its appurtenances; The Mannor of Croxton given to Fernod a Knight (or Souldier) the Kings Ensign-bearer, with all its appurtenances; The Mannors of Kerketon and Kimerby in Lindesy, with all their appurtenances, given to Earl Turgot; but Bukenhale and Halington, then appropriated to the Exchequer, p. 70were afterwards restored to the said Monastery by the Industry of Turketulus Abbot of Croyland; and the gift of most pious King Edred, the Restorer of them… with 12 other Mannors (named by Ingulf.) belonging to Croyland; quas Rex Beorredus Fisco suo a…sumserat, Which King Beorred had then assumed in his Exchequor. After which K. Beorred passing with his Army into Lindesey, Latissimas Terras Mon…sterio Bardney (totally ruined by the Danes) Dudum Pertinentes …isco suo accepit, remotas vero in diversis patri…s divisas …acentes, Militibus suis dedit. But mark the issue. At last [s][s]Mattew Westm. Floren. VVigorn. An. 874. p. 313. Chron. …oh. Brom…. col. 779, 810. Sim. Dun…lm. Hist. de Gest. R…g. Ang. col. 127. VVil. Malm. de Gest. Reg. l. 1. c. 4. p. 33. Huntin. Hist. l. 5. p. 349. Hoveden Annal. pars prior, p. 417. Speeds Hist. p. 256.the Danes returning into Mercia Anno 874. wasting and spoiling all the Country with fire and sword, and destroying all Churches and Monasteries, King Beorred, when he beheld all the Land of England, in every corner thereof, wasted with the slaughters and rapines of these Barbarians, vel de victoriâ desperans, vel …ot laborum Labyrinthum fastidiens, either despairing of victory, or loathing the labyrinth of so many troubles, left the Kingdom, and went to Rome, where he died few days after, and was there buried in the English School, and his Wife following after him, died in her way to Rome; Some write,Anno 874. he was driven out of his kingdom by the Danes.

Hereupon the Ingulphi Hist. p. 869, 870. …o…ent. VVigorn. An. 874. p. 313. Chron. Ioh. Bromt. col. 810. Simeon Dun…lm. de Gest. R…g. Ang. col. 127. VVil. Malmesbury de Gest. Reg. l. 1. c. 4. p. 33. Huntind. Hist. l. 5. p. 349. Hoveden Annal. pars prior p. 417.Danes, Anno 874. substituted in his place in the Realm of Mercia, one Ceolwulfus, a servant of King Beorreds, an Englishman by Nation, sed Barbarus impietate; but a Barbarian in impiety. For he swore fealty, and gave pledges to the Danes, Quod tributa imposita eis …idelitèr persolveret, that he would faithfully pay unto them the Tributes they imposed, and that whensoever they would redemand the Kingdom committed to him, He would resign it without any Resistance, under pain of losing his Head. Whereupon he (as Ingulphus records) going round about the Land, paucos Rusticos relictos excoriavit, Mercatores absorbuit, Viduas & Orphanos oppressit, religiosos omnes tanquam conscios thesaurorum innumeris tormentis afflixit; plucked o…f the Skins of the few Countrymen that were left; swallowed p. 71up the Merchants, oppressed the Widows and Orphans, and afflicted all Religious Persons, P…oposit. 1.4…as conscious of hid…en Treasures, with innumerable torments: whence amongst very many evils he did, Impoposing a Tribute of a thousand pounds u…on Godric, the venerable Abbot of Croyland, and his miserable Freers, he almost undid the Monastery of Croyland. For no man after that, by reason of the overmuch Poverty of the place, would come to conversion; Yea Abbot Godric being unable to sustain his professed Monks, dispersed many of the Monks amongst their Parents and other Friends of the Monastery through all the Country, very few remaining with him in the Monastery, …nd protracting their life in greatest want. Then all the Chalices of the said Monastery except 3. an… all the silver Vessels, besides the Crucible of King Withlasius, and other Jewels very precious, being changed into Mony, or sold for Mony, were scarce able to satisfie the unsatiable covetousness of Ceolwulfe, the Vice-roy: who at last, by his Lords the Danes, most just in this, (after all his Rapines and Oppressions of the People by unjust Taxes and imposts) was deposed and stripped naked of all his ill-gotten Treasure, even to his very Privities, and so ended his life most miserably. And the Kingdom also of the Mercians at this very time, (King Alfred prevailing against the Danes) was united to the Kingdom o… the West-Saxons, and remained so united ever after, when it had continued a Kingdom from the first year of Penda (the first King thereof) to the last times of this miserable Viceroy Ceolwulph, about 230 years: Of which Kingdom (a)(a)De Gest… Reg. l. 1. c. 4…William of Malmesbury thus concludes; Ita Principatus Merciorum, qui per tumidam gentilis viri insaniam subitó efsloruit, tunc per miseram semiviri ignaviam omninó emarcuit, Anno Dom. 875. though Speed post-dates its period in the year 886. Whence it is observable, that unjust Rapines, Taxes, Oppressions speedily & suddenly destroy both Kings and Kingdoms.

p. 76The next year following Anno 876. (b)(b)An. 876. Mat. VVestm. & VVigorn. An. 876. Huntingd. Hist. l. 5. p. 329. Hoveden, Annal. pars prior p. 417. Eth…l. Hist. l. 4. c. 3. p. 844. Sim. Dunel. Hist. de Dunel. Eccles. col. 14, 17, 21. Hist. de Sancto Cuthherto col. 70. & de Gest. Reg. col. 155.Halden king of the Danes, seising upon the seditions kingdom of Northumberland, sibi eam, suis que Ministris distr…buit, illam que ab exercitu suo coli fecit auobus Annis; totally dispossessing the seditious, murtherous Northumberlanders thereof; who but a little before had expelled both their King and Archbishop out of their Realm. This Halden and his Souldiers miserably wasted and destroyed the Churches of God in those parts, for which the wrath of God suddenly f…ll upon Halden; who was not only struck with madnesse of mind, but with such a most loathsome disease in his body, which much tormented him, that the intollerable stink t…ereof made him so odious & loathsome to …is whole Army, that being contemned and cast out by them all, he fled away from Tine, only with three Ships, and soon after perished with all his Plundering, Proposition 4.Sacrilegious Followers; The Danes elected Guthred king in his stead, possessing this seditions Realm of Northumberland till di…posse…ed of it by king Edmund An. 944. who then annexed it to his kingdom.

Our Noble Saxon King (c)(c)Florentius Wigorn. & Mat. We…m. An. 871 to 900. See Malmes. Huntingd. Asser. Fab, Holinshed, Speed, and others in his life. Lamb. Arch. Spelman concil. p. 360, 362. Ingulph. Histor. p. 870, 871. Chron. Io. Brom. col. 809 to 832. Proposit. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9.Alfred the first anointed king of England,Anno 877. (as glorious for his most excellent Laws, transcendent Justice and civil Government, as for his Martial Exploits, Victories; and for his incomparable Piety and extraordinary bounty to the Clergy and Learned men) comming to the Crown Anno Dom. 87…, in the years 873, 874, and sundry years following, by common consent of his Wise men, commanded long Ships and Gallies to be built, throughout the Realm, and furnished with Mariners, to guard the Seas and eucounter the Danish Ships and Pirates, which then infested and wasted the Realm, from time to time: whose forces he often encountred, as well by Sea as by Land, with various success. At last having obtained the p. 73Monarchy of all England, and received their Homages and Oaths of Fealty to him, he appointed special Guardians to guard the Seas and Sea-costs in all places; Whereby he very much freed the Land from the Danes devast… tions. Abou… the year 887.Anno 887. (even in the midst of his wars, when Laws use to be silent) he compiled a body of Ecclesiastical and Canon Laws out of the sacred Scriptures, and t…e Laws which his pious predecessors, Ina, Of…a, and Ethelbert had religiously made and observed; antiquating some of them, retaining, reforming others of them, and adding some new Laws of his own, by the advice and counsel of his wisemen, & of the most prudent of his Subjects; the observation of which Laws was enjoyned by the consent of themPropos. 5, 6. all. Wherein certain fines and penalties were prescribed for most particular offences, which might not be al…ered or exce…ded: Amongst other Laws, (as (d)(d)Mirrour of Iustices, c. 1. s…ct. 3. p. 10. c. 5. sect. 1. Cooks Preface to his 9 Repo…s 1 Institutes, …. 110. See Spel. Concil. p. 347.Andrew Horn, and others record) this King and his Wisemen ordained: That a Parliament twice every year, and oftner in time of Peace, should be called together at London, that therein they might make Laws and Ordinances to keep the People of God from sin, that they might live in peac…, and receive right and Iustice by certain customs and Holy Iudgements; and not be ruled in an arbitrary manner, but by stable known Laws.Proposit. 5.6…

And it was then agreed… that the King should have the Soveraignty of all the Land unto the midst of the Sea invironing the Land, as belonging of Right to the Soveraign Jurisdiction of the Crown. This King, (e)(e)See Mat… VVestm: An. 892 Ingulphi Hist. p. 870.871. Chron. Iohan. Brompton col. 818 819 Chron. VVill. Thorn cap. 5. Sect. 4 Col. 1777.by appointing Hundreds and Tithings throughout the Realm, with Constables and Tithing men, who were to take sureties, or pledges for the good behaviour of all within their Jurisdictions, or else the hundred to answer all offences & injuries therein committed, both to the party and king, caused such a general peace throughout the Realm; and such security from Robbers and plunderers even in those times of war, That he would hang up golden bracelets in the p. 74High-ways, and none durst touch them, and a Gir… might have travelled safely, laden with Gold, from one end of the Realm to the other, without any violence, (f)(f)Mat. VVestmn. An. 888 Florent. VVigorn. An. 887 p. 326.327.Matthew Westminster, and Florence of Worcester record, That he spent a great part of his time in Compo…tione le…um, Quibus Milvorum Rapacitatem Reprimeretur, & …mplex …; And amongst many other m…morable acts of his Ju…ice, as he frequently examined the Iudgements and Proceedings of his Iudges and Iustices, severely checking them when they gave any illegal Iudgement against Law and Right, meerly out of Ignorance, of which they were to purge themselves by Oath, that they could judge no better: so he severely punished them when they thus offended out of Corruption, Partiality and Malice. (g)(g)Mirrour of Iust. cap. 5. Sect. 3. p. 296. to 301.Andrew Hor… in his Mirrour of Iustices records, That he hanged up no less than 44 of his Iudges and Iustices in one year, as Murtherers and Capital Offenders, princicipally, for their false Iudgements, in condemning and executing sundry of his people against Law, without any lawfull tryal by their Peeres, Proposit. 2.or Uerdict and Iudgement by a sworn Iury; or upon in sufficient evidence, or for Crimes not Capital by the Laws. The names of these Iudges with their several offences, you may read at large in Horn. Had those pretended Judges of a ne… edition, who of late arraigned, condemned, executed the King, Nobles, Gentlemen and Freemen of England in strange new arbitrary Courts of high Iustice, without any legal Indictment and Tryal by a sworn Jury of their peers; and many of them, for offences not Capital by any known Lawes or Statutes of the Realm, and upon very slender evidence, lived in this Iust Kings reign, they might justly fear he would have hanged them all up, as Murtherers and Capital Malefactors, as well as these 44 Judges, not altogether so peccant in this kind as they: this form of tryal by sworn Juries of their Peers then in use, being since confirmed by the p. 75Great Charters of King Iohn and King Henry the 3, some hundreds of subs…quent Statutes, and the Pe…i…ion of Right not known in Alfreds days.

I find in the Pr…face to King Alfreds Laws (of which Laws Abbot Ethelred gives this …rue encomium,**De Gen. Reg. A…g. col. 355. Leges Christianissimas & scripsit, & promulgavit, in quibus fides ejus et devotio in deum, sollici…udo in subdito…,(h)(h)…ambardi Archaion… Spel…manni Conc…l p. 362. misericordia in pauperes, Iusticia ci…ca om…es cunctis legentibus pate…) this observable passage: That the Apostles & elders assembled in a Synod at Jerusalem, Acts 15. in their Epistle to the Churches of the Gentiles, to abstain from things offered unto Idols; added this Summary of all Laws: And what ye would not to be done to your selves, that doe ye not to others: from which one precept it sufficiently appeareth, unicuique ex aequo jus esse reddendum; that right or Law is of Iustice to be rendred to every one; neither will there be need of any other Law or Law-book whatsoever, i… he who sits Iudge upon others, shall only remember this, that he would not himself should pronounce any other sentence against others than what he would should be pas…ed against himself in their Case. But when the Gospel was propagated, many Nations, and amongst them the English, embraced the faith of Gods word, Proposit. 5. … 7.there were then held some Assemblies and Councils of Bishops, and other most illustrious Wise men, throughout the World, and likewise in E…gland: and these being throughly instructed by Gods mercy, d…d now first of all, Impose a pecuniary Mulct upon Offenders; and without any Divine Offence, delegated the Office of exacting it to Magistrates, leave being first granted: Only on a Traitor and Deser…er of his Lord (or King) they decreed, that this Milder punishment (by pecuniary Mulcts) was not to be in…licted: because they thought just, that such a man was not at all to be spared; both because God would have Contemners of him unworthy of all mercy, and likewise because Christ did not at all compassionate them who put him to p. 76death, but appointed the King to be honoured above all others: These therefore in many Councils singulorum scelerum paenas constituerun… ordained the punishments of every kind of offences, and commit… them to writing.

From whence it is apparent, First, That all capital, coporal, and pecuniary Mulcts and penalties for any civil or Ecclesiastical offences whatsoever, inflicted on the Subjects of this Realm, in that and all former ages since they embraced the Gospel, were only such as were particularly defined and prescribed by their Parliamentary Councils, and the Laws therein enacted, and not left arbitrary to the King, Judges, or Magistrates, as it appears by …he forecited passages of Beda, Malmesbury, Huntindon and Bromton concerning King Ethelberts Laws, part 2. p. 50. by the Laws of King Ina, Lex 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 47, 48, 49, 54, 57, 58, 64, 73, 75, 76, 80. & more specially by the Laws of King Alfred himself, Lex 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30… 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, 51. with the Laws of our other Saxon kings, prescribing par…icular fines, pecuniary, corporal and capital punishments for all sorts of offences and injuries, to avoid all arbitrary proceedings and censures in such Cases, 2ly. That no imprisonment Corporal, Capital, or pecuniary Mulcts, or punishments whatsoever, justly might, or legally ought to be then inflicted upon any Malefactors or Trespassers whatsoever, but when, where, and for such offences only, as the known Parliamentary and common Laws then in force, particularly warranted and prescribed: which penalties and Laws could not be altered nor abrogated, but by Parliamentary Councils only. 3ly. That Common right and Justice, were then to be equally dispensed to all men, by our Kings, Judges, and other Magist…ates, according to the Laws then established, in such sort as they would p. 77have them administred to themselves in the like Ca…es. 4ly. That …ilfull Traitors and Deserters of their lawfull Lords & Soveraigns, were not to be spared or pardoned by …he Laws of God or Men, nor yet punished only with fines, but put to death without Mercy: W…e…ce …his Law was then enacted by king Alfred and his Wisemen.(i)(i)Chron. Iohan Brom…on, col. 822, and L…mb…rd. …rcha…on. Lex 4. Si …uis vel …er …e ve… suscep…am vel suspectam …e…sonam De morte Regis tractet, vitae suae reus sit, et omnium quae habebit, and …f any fought or drew any weapon in the Kings house, and was apprehended, sit in arbitrio Regis, sit vita, sit mors, sicu… ei condonare voluerit, Lex 8. because it might endanger the kings person.

This king Alfred made two special Laws for securing even Leets, and Inferiour Courts of Iustice from armed violence and distu…bances by fighting, which I shall recite.

(k)(k)Chron. Ioh Bromt. col. 825, & Lambardi Archai. Sp…lmanni Concil. p. 369. which some…hat deprives the s…nse of it in the translation, and make it Lex 51.Lex 41. Si quis coram Aldermanno Regis pugnet. In publico, emendet Weram & Witam sicut rectum sit, & supra hoc CXX …. ad Witam.

Lex 42. Si quis Folemot id est populi placitum. Armorum exercitione turbabit, emendet Aldermanno CXX s. Witae, id est foris factu…ae.

What Fines and punishments then do they deserve, who not only fight before, and disturb Aldermen and Leets with their Armes, but even disturb, fight, and use their Armes against our Aldermen themselves, yea, all the Aldermen, Peers… and Great men of the Realm, assembled in the highest, greatest Parliamentary Councils, and over-awe, impri…on, secure, seclude, and forcibly dissolve them at their pleasures? as some of late times have done, beyond all former Presidents.

During the reign of this Noble king Alfred, Gythro the Dane, Anno 878.(sometimes stiled Godrin, or Guthurn) (l)(l)See Mat. Westm. Florent. VVigorn. Simeon Dunelm. Bromt. Huntindon, Hoveden, Polychronicon, Fabian, Holinshed, Speed, Asser. Ethelwerd, Fox an… others, An. 878, 879.Anno 878. with an invincible Army running over p. 78all the Coa…s of England, wa…ing the Country, and depopulating all sac…ed places wheresoe…er he came, quicquid in auro et argento rapere potest, Militib…s erogavit, and …e…ng upon loca quaeque m…nita, …or…ed …ing Alfred (being so dis…ress…d …hat he knew not what to do, nor w…ither to turn himself) to r…tire and save himsel… in the Isle Aethelingie, for a sea…on; …ill recollecting his scattered Subj…cts and Forces together, he vanquished Gi…hro and his Army in a set battel at Et…end…e, and then besieging him and his remaining forces …5 dayes in a Castle, to which they sled, com…elled th…m by Famine and the Sword, to make peace with …im upon this Condition; ut Regni et Regis infestationem perpetuo abjurarent; That they should perp…tually abjure the infesting of the King and Realm, and th…t they should …u…n Christians: which they accordingly performed, Githro, with 30 of the choicest men in his A…my being baptized at Alve, 15 days after, king Alfred being their Godfather, and giving him the name of Aethelstane. After which Alfred feasting him an… his Captains 12 days in his Court, gave Githro Eastengland to inhabit, wherein king Edmund reigned, to be held of and under him: Whereupon Githro and his Danes An. 879. leaving Cirencenster marched into the East parts of England, which he divided amongst his Souldiers, who then began to inhabit it by Alfreds donation.

U…on this accord, or some time a…ter, King Alfre and Gythro, by the Common consent of their Great Councils and wise men, made and enacted certain civil and Ecclesiastical Laws, for the government of their People and Realms, recorded in Bromton, Lambert … and Spelman, where those who please may pernse them: the Prologue and 2 first Laws whereof, I shall only recite, as both pertinent to my purpose,Proposit. 5. and seasonable for our times, much opposing the Magistrates coercive power in matters relating to God and Religion.

p. 79(m)(m)Chron. Io, Brom. col. 829. Spelman. conc. p. 375… 376, 390, 391. Pro…osition 6.H…c est consili…m quod Alred…s Rex et Godrinus Rex eligerunt, et condixerunt, quando Angli e… Da… ad pacem et concordiam plenè convenerunt, e… Sapientes, et qui …osteà successerunt, saepiùs Hoc e… assi …è renovantes, in bonum semper adduxerunt.

Cap. 1. Inp…imis est, ut unum Deum diligere velint, et omni Paganismo sedulo renunciare: et instituerunt secularem Iustitiam, pro eo quod sciebant, quod non poterant multos ali…èr castigare: plures ve…ò Nolebant ad Dei cultum sicut deberent ali…è… Inclinari… et secularem emendationem instituerunt, communem Christo, et Regi, ubicunque Recusabitur Lex Dei justè servari secundum dictionem Epis…opi. Et hoc est primum edictum Ecclesiae, Pax intra parietes suos, ut Regis Handgri…h, semper inconvulsa permaneat.

Cap. 2. Siquis Christanitatem suam malè mutat, vel Paganismum veneretur verbis vel operibus, reddat sic Weram, sic Witam, sic Lashlyte, secundum quod factum sit: that is, Let him be fined, and ransomed according to the quality of his off…nce.

This Noble King Alfred (who fought no lesse than 46 bloody Battels with the Danes by Land and Sea for his Countries Liberties) Although he was involved in perpetual Wars and Troubles wi…h the Danish Invaders all his daies, as our Hi…orians and this his (n)(n)Huntingd. Hist. l. 5. p. 352 Asser. Aelercedi R…g. Gest. Ch…on. Io. Br. col. 819. Camb. Britan. p. 224.Epitaph Demonstrates,

Nobilitas innata tibi, probitatis Honorem

Armipotens Alurede dedit, Probitas que laborem;

Perpetuumque Labor nomen; cui mixta dolori

Gandia semper erant, spes semper mixta timori;

Si modò victus erat, ad crastina bella parabat:

Si modò victor erat, ad crastina bella pavebat.

Cui vestes sudore jugi, cui sica cruore

Tincta jugi, quantum sit onus regnare probarunt.

Non fuit immensi quisquam per climata mundi

p. 80Cui tot in adversis vel respirare liceret.

Nec tamen aut ferro contritus ponere Ferrum

Aut Gladio potuit vitae finisse Labores.

Iam post transactos Regni vitaeque Labores

Christus ei sit vera quies sceptrumque perenne.

Yet [o)[o)Mat West. Wig. As. Men. An. 888, 898. Ae hel. Abbas de Gen. Reg. Ang. col. 355. Chron. Io. Brom col. 814, 818. Sim. Dunel…. Hist. de Gest. R…g. col. 132, 133. Wil. Mal. de Gest. Reg. l. 25. c. 4. Ingulph. Hist. p. 870, 171. Hov. Annal. pars 1. p. 420, 421. Ethelwerdi Hist. l. 4. c 3. Polychron. Fab. Caxton, Hollinshed, Graston, Speed in the li…e Alfred. o… Camd. Brit. p. 378, 379. Spelman concil. p. 354 to 380… Antiq. Eccl. B…t. p. 43.these things are remarkable in him. 1. That he most exactly and justly governed his people by and according to his and his Predecessors kn…wn Laws, in the midst of all …is Wars; not by the harsh Laws of Conquest and the largest Sword. 2. That he advanced Learning and all sorts of Learned Men, erecting Schools of Learning, and the famous University of Oxford; which he founded, or at least refounded when decayed, in the heat of all his Wars and Troubles. 3. That he was so far from spoyling the Church and Churchmen, or any other his Subjects of their Lan…s, Tithes or Revenues to maintain his perpetual Wars against the impious Pagan Danes, who destroyed all Churches, and Religious, as well as other Houses, where ever they came; that he not only repared, adorned, endowed many old de…ayed Churches and Monasteries, but likewise in the year …88, he built two new Monasteries of his own, at Ethelingei and Shafftesbury, and endowed them with ample riches and possessions; and by sundry Charters gave several Lands to the Churches of Durham, Worcester, and Canterbury. Moreover he not only duly paid Tithes and other Duties to the Church himself, but also by his Laws, enjoyned all his Subjects under sundry mulcts, justly to pay Tithes and Churchels to their Priests and Ministers, with all other Duites and Oblations belonging to the Church for the maintenance of the Ministers and Gods worship: together with Peterpence for the maintenance of the English School at Rome; prohibiting all men to invade the Churches Rights and Possessions under severe penalties. 4. That he equally divided all his annual Revenues into p. 81two equal parts: The first moity was for Pious uses, which he subdivided into three parts. The first parcel he bestowed in Almes, …o relieve the poor both at home and in forein parts; The second, he bestowed on Religious Houses and Persons; The third, he gave towards the maintenance of Schools, Scholars, Doctors, and learned Men of all sorts, resorting to and liberally rewarded by him according to their merits. The other moity was for civil uses, which he likewise divided into 3 equal portions. The first he gave unto his Souldiers; whom he divided into 3 Squadrons: The first Squadron, which were Horse, waited one month on him at his Court, (as his Life-guard) whiles the other two were imployed in military expeditious in the Field: And when their month expired, they all returned from the wars, and then another new Company succeeded them; And when their Month was ended, they returning to their Houses, the other Company succeeded them. And so they successively kept their monthly courses during all his Reign, being one month in actual service, and two months at home about their own affairs. The second part he gave to his Workmen and Artificers of all sorts, skilfull in all Worldly affairs. The third part he gave to Strangers in Royal Gifts and Presents, and that as well to the Rich as Poor. Besides, he had a very great Care Ne à Vicecomitibus et Ministris pauperes opprimere…tur, et indebitis exactionibos gravarentur; That the poor people should not be oppressed by Sheriffs and other Officers, nor bur…hened with unjust Exactions or Contributions; Yea by his large A…mes and Gi…s he …ent to Rome … Propos. 1.he procured the English School to be fréed from all Taxes and Tributes by the Popes special Bull. And we never read he imposed the least publick Tax upon his Subjects during all his wars and Exigences, by his own Regal Power, upon any pretext p. 28of publick Necessity, Danger, Defence or Safety of the Realm against the Numerous Invading, plundering Danish forces both by Sea and Land; Which our late and present Aegyptian Tax-masters may do well to consider.Anno 894.

Sim. Dunelm. Hist. de Dunel. Eccl. c. 13, 14. col. 22, 23.Sir 13:14In the year of our Lord 894. this King Alfred and Guthurn the Dane, gave to the Church of St. Cutbert in Durham, all the Lands between Weor and Tyne, for a perpetual Succession, free from all Custome and secular Services, Propos. 10.with all Customes, Saca, and Socua, and infaugtheof thereunto belonging, with sundry other Privileges, which they ordained to be perpetually observed, Non solum Anglorum sed et Danorum consentiente et collaudante exercitu; by the consent and approbation of the ARMY, not only of the English but Danes also: Has Leges & haec Statuta (which proves that it was done by a Parliamentary Counsell then held in both their Armies,) Quicunque quolibet nisu Infringere praesumpserint, eos in perpetuum, nisi emendaverint, Gehennae Ignibus puniendos, anathematizando, Sententia omnium contradidit.

I pretermit the (q)(q)Spelman concil. p. 381 to 387.Welsh Synods held under the Bishops of Landaff during King Alfreds Reign (as Sir Henry Spelman conjecture…, in whom th… Reader may peruse them) wherein the Bishop of Landaff and his Clergy excommunicated some of their petty Welsh Kings for Murder, Perjury, violating the Churches Patrimony; and Injuring the Bishops family; who upon their Repentance and Reconciliation gave all of them some parcels of Land to the Church of Landaff. The rather because I conceive them fabulous, there being no such form of Excommunication used in those daies, as (r)(r)Spelman. Concil. p. 353, 379, 3…0.Sir Henry Spelman proves, nor any such Episcopal Synods held in England under King Alfred himself. The barbarous Danes having throughout all England with fire and sword utterly wasted and destroyed all Cities, Towns, Castles, Monasteries, Churches, put most of the Bishops, Abbots, Clergy to the Sword, and almost quite deleted the knowledge of Learning and Religion p. 83out of the whole Nation; insomuch that there were very few spiritual persons on this side Humber, who could either understand the Common prayers in the English tongue, or translate any writing out of latine into English; yea so few, that there was not so much as one man on the South-side of the Thames that could do it, till King Alfred (after his Conquest of the Danes in the latter part of his Reign) restored Learning and Religion …gain by Degrees; as this King himself records in expresse terms, in his Epistle to Bishop Wulsug, by way of Preface to his own Translation of Gregories Pastorals into the English Saxons Language.

King Alfred deceasing, his Son Edward surnamed the Elder, Anno 901.(s)(s)Ethel. Hist. l. 49. c. 4. Mal. de Gest. Reg. l. 2. c. 5. Matth. Westm. Florent. Wigorn. Sim. Dunelm. Huntingd. Hov. Ethel. Bromt. Polychon. Ethelr. Abbas. Fab. Holinshed, Grafton, Speed in the life of Ed. the Elder and An. 901 to 925.succeeding his Father in the year of Christ 901, thereupon Prince Aethelwald his Uncles Son, aspiring to the Crown without the consent of the King and Nobles of the Realm, seised upon Oxlie and Winburne: whereupon King Edward marching with his Armie against him to Bath, he fled from Winburne to the Danes in Northumberland for assistance: who being glad thereof, they all make him King and Prince over all their Kings and Captains: Whereupon they invading Essex and Mercia, King Ed. raised a great Army, chased them into Northumberland, and harrowed the whole Country to the Lakes of Northumberland; where the Kentishmen remaining (contrary to the Kings Command, and Messengers sent to them) after the retreat of the rest of the Army; The Danish Army upon this advantage setting upon them, they gallantly defending themselves, slew their new King Aethelwald, with King Eorit, and sundry of their chief Commanders, and many of their Souldiers, though they lost the field. This King and Edelfled his Sister, Queen of Mercians, to prevent the frequent eruptions, plunders the Danes, repaired many old ruinated Towns, and built many new ones in convenient places, which they replenished with Souldiers, to protect the Inhabitants and repell p. 84the Enemies, whereby the Common people we…e so incouraged, and became such good Souldiers, that if they heard of the Enemies approach, they would fight and rout them, Rege etiam & Ducibus inconsultis in certamen ruerent,Proposit. 3. eisque semper numero & scientia praeliandi prae…arent, it a hostes contemp…ni militibus, Regi risui erant, as Malmesbury writes. The Country people themselves sighting with the Danes at Ligetune, put them to flight, recovered all the prey they had taken… and likewise the Danes Horses, as they likewise did in some other parts. Amongst other places, this King repaired the walls of Colchester, put warlike men in it, & certum eis stipendium assignavit; and assigned them a certain stipend, as Mat… Westm. records, neither he, nor other our Historians making mention of assigned wages, to any other Garrisons or Souldiers in that age; At last the Danes in most places throughout England, perceiving King Edwards power and wisdom, submitted themselves unto him, elected him for their King and Pat…on, and swore homage and fealty to him; as likewise did the Kings of Scotland, Northumberland, and Wales.

An. 905.In the year of Grace 905. This [t][t]VVil. Malmesb. de Gest. Reg. l. 2. c. 5. p. 47, & 48. Mat. VVestm. An. 905. Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 45. Gervasius Dorobern. Act. Pont. Cant. col. 1644. Godwin in the life of Plegmund, Spelm. Concil. p. 387, 388. Ingulphi Hist. p. 877. … 5.King Edward assembled a Synod of the Senators of the English Nation, as Malmesbury, or a great Council of Bishops, Abbots, and faithfull people (as Matthew Westminster, and others s…ile it) in the Province of the Gewisii; which by reason of the Enemies incursions had been destitute of a Bishop for 7 years space. Whereupon the King and Bishops in this Council, taking good advice, made this wholsom constitution; That instead of 2 Bishops, whereof one had his Sea at Winchester, the other at Schireburn, 5 Bishops should be created; ne Grex Domini, absque cura Pastorali, luporum incursionibus quateretur: Whereupon they in this Council elected 5 Bishops; to wit Frithstan, for Winchester; Athelin for Schireburn; Aedul…e for Wells; Werstan for Crideton, and Herstan for Cornwal; assigning them their several Sees and Diocess; and p. 85two other …ishops …or Dorchester and Cirencester, all consecrated by Archbishop Plegmond at C…nterbury in one day. Wil. of Malmesb. and some others write, that this Council was summoned upon the Letter of Pope Formosus,Propos. 5, 6. who excommunicated king Edward with all his Subjects, for suffering the Bishopricks of Winton and Scireburn to be void for 7 years space together: But this must needs be a great mistake, since Pope Formosus was dead ten years before this Council, and before these Bishopricks became void, and his pretended Epistle to the Bishops of England makes no mention at all of the king, as Sir Henry Spelman well observes.

In the year 906.An. 906, 921. [u][u]Lamba…di Archaion. Spel. Concil. p. 390, to 400. Mat. Westminster, Wigorn. Hunt. Hoveden, Sim. Dunelm. Brom. and others. An. Dom. 906, 910, 918, 921.king Edward made a Peace and firm agreement with the Danes of Northumberland, and East-England, at Intingford, when (as some think) he and Guthurn the Dane reconfirmed the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws formerly made and ratified by his Father King Alfred and Guthurn. But Guthurn dying in the year 890, full eleven years before this Edward was king, could not possibly ratifie these Laws at the time of this Accord, being 16 years after his decease, as the Title and Prologue to those Laws in Mr. Lambard and Spelman erroneously affirm; wherefore, I conceive, that this confirmation of these Laws was rather made inPropos. 5. the year 921. when all our Historians record; that after king Edward (Anno 910. had sent an army into Northumberland, against the perfidious and rebellious Danes, slain and taken many of them Prisoners, and miserably wasted their Country for 4 days space, for breaking their former Agreement with him: after his Sister Aegelfled, An. 919. had forced the Danes at York to agree, and swear, that they would submit to her and her Brothers pleasure in all things; and after Edward had vanquished the other Danes, Scotch and Welsh in many Battles; thereupon, in the year 921. the king of Scots, with al… his Nation, Stredded king of Wales, with all his people, et Regnaldus (or Reginaldus) Reginald King of the Danes, with all the English and Danes inhabiting Northumberland p. 86(of which Reginald then was King) comming to King Edward, An. 921. submitted themselves unto him, elected him for their Father and Lord, and made a firm Covenant with him … And therefore I conjecture that Guthurnus in the Title and Preface of these Laws, is either mistaken, or else mis-written for Reginaldus, then King of these Northern Danes, who had no King in the year 906, that I can read of in our Historians.