The Exact Recorder, Chapter 3 (4 of 5)

The Exact Recorder · Chapter 3 (4 of 5)

p. 129Towards the end of his Reign the [l][l]Polych. l. 6. c. 11. f. 239. Chron. Ioh. Bromt. col. 870. Speeds History, p. 406.Welchmen moving some rebellio…, …e thereupon assembled a mighty Army to suppress and prevent it; wherewith he entring into the Country of Glamorgan, sharply punished the Ringleaders thereof: But his Souldiers doing great harm in plundering the Country, lading themselves p. 130with spoyls; the King out of his bounty, commanded them to restore to the People all the spoyls they had gotten; and more especially St. Ellutus Bell, that was hanged about an Horses neck; whereby he purchased singular love and honor from the Inhabitants. At length af…er he had reigned thus, 16 years and two months in great tranquillity and honor totum regnum sanctis legibus strenue gubernantem, as (m)(m)Histor. Novo…um. l. 1. p. 1.Endmerus rela…es of him, he died happ…y o… Tuesday the 8 of Iuly, Anno 975. Nec potuit malè mori qui benè vixerat, qui tot Ecclesias Deo fundaverat, qui tot bona perennia brevi tempore statuerat, as (n)(n)Histor. l. 5. p. 356.Henry Arch-Deacon of Huntingdon observes, who bestowed this honourable Epitaph on him, remembred also by (o)(o)Io. Brom. Chron. col. 870. Fox Acts and Monume…ts vol. 1. p. 202.others.

Auctor opum, vindex scelerum, largitor honorum,

Sceptifer Edgarus Re…na supe…na petit.

Hic alter Solom…, legum Pater Or…ita Pacis;

Quod caruit bellis, claruit inde magis.

Temp…a … dedit …gros;

Nequitiae lapsum, justiciaeque locum.

Novit enim Regno ve…um p…rquirere …a…o,

Immensum modico, perpetuumque brevi.

Immediately after his death, Res et spes Anglorum retro s…blapsae sunt, totins Regni status e…t perturbatus; et post …empus laetitiae quod i…ius …empore vigebat pacificè, caepit tribulatio un…ique advenire, as Malmesbury, Wigorniensis, Hoveden, Simeon Dunelmensis, and Bromton observe: such an incomparab…e lo…s was the death of so just, pious, and prudent a King to the whole Nation, qui ju…entutis vitia, po…ea m…gnis virtutib…s delevit, when most others do quite contrary.

p. 131[p][p]Ingulphi Historia, p. 889. Will: Malmsb. De Gestis Regum, l. 2. c. 9. Mat. VVestm. VVigorniens…s, Simeon Dunelmensis, Huntindon, Hoveden, Anno 975, 976. Chron Iohan: Bromton, col. 871, 872. Henry de Knyghton de Ev…ntibus Angliae, l. 1. c. 1. Col. 23…3. Eadmerus Hist. Novorum, l. 1. p. 1. Polychronicon, l. 6. c. 12. Fabian, Caxton, Grafton, Holinshed, Speed, in the Lives of Edgar and Edward. Fox Acts and Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 203.204. Mat. Parker, in Archbishop Dunstans life. Antonini Chron. pars 2. Tit. 16.King Edgar at the time of his decease leavingAnno. 975. behind him two Sons by two venters, Edward his eldest Son by Queen Ethelfleda his first Wife, then but 12. years old, and Ethelred his second Son by his second Queen Elfreda, then not much above 7. years of age; … arose … …re…t contention amongst the Nobles of the Realm about choosing of a new King. …or Queen … wi…h A…fe…us Duke of Mercia and many other Nobles, siding with the maried Secular Priests against the M…nkish Clergy, combined to advance …oung Ethelred… electing him unanimously for their King, disavowing Edwar… as illegitima…e, and begot…en of an harl… before mariage; as Malmesbury de Gestis Regum, l. 2. c. 8. Osburn in the life of Dunstan, Nicholas Trivet, Iohannis Parisi…nsis, Vincentius, Antoninus, Matthew P…rker in the Life of Archbishop Dunstan, Mr. Fox and others repute him: though Ingulphus, Huntindon, Hoveden, Mat: Westminste…, Florentius Wigornensis, Bromton, Abbot Ethelred, Simeon Dunelmensis, Radulphus Cistrensis, and the generality of our modern Historians, repute him Edgars lawfull Son, and right heir to the Crown: Whereupon the most of the Nobles elected him to succeed unto his Father: The two Archbishops, Dunstan, and Oswald, with all the Bishops, Abbots, and Clergy of the Monkish faction, holding their new-gotten States dangerous, and their footing unsure, if in the nonage of the King, their Opposites should rule all under him, as they imagined they would, if Ethlred were elected by them… thereupon abetted the Title of Edward, as altogether wrought to their mould and treading in his Fathers footsteps, lawfully begotten in the nuptial bed of Queen Ethelfleda, right heir to his Father, and by him d…signed to succeed him. Their claimes thus banded amongst the Nobles, Duustan and Oswald foreseeing the danger,Proposit. 5, 6, 8. prudently assembled all the Bishops, Abbots, and Nobles together in a Great Council, to debate their rights and settle the title; p. 132Where Archbishop Dunst…n (as …ome write) comming in with his Cross and Banner, dum consecr…tionis ejus …empore nonnulli Patriae Optimates resistere voluissent; no… …taying …or further debating de Iure, presen…ed Prince Edward in the mid…t of them de Facto, for their Lawfull King, as his Father had declared him at his death. Upon which, the Major part of the Council, being Clergymen, elected… anointed and consecra…ed Edward for their King Quibusdam Optimatum murmurantibus, some of the No…les of …he contrary party murmuring at it, especially Q…een Elfrida, who thought to advance her young Son to the Throne, that so she might rule all things, and reign under the colour of his name, as Dunstan and the Monkish Clergy did under the colour of King Edwards, whose Counsels and admonitions he diligently followed in all things, and judgements acted by him.

During the Interregnum, and banding of these two parties about the right of the Crown, and immediately after Edwards coronation, [q][q]Malmsbur. De Gestis Regum. l. 2. c. 9. p. 61. Mat. Westmin. Wigorniensis, Ingulphus, Simeon Dunelm…nsis, Huntindon, Hoveden, Bromton, Ann. 975. Osburne, Capgrav…, Mat. Parker, Godwin in the Life of Dunstan, Baronius & Spondanus, Annal. Eccl. An. 975. n. 12. Surius Concil. Tom. 2. Fox Acts and Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 202, 203, 204, 205.there arose great controversies, tumults and civil Warrs between the Monkish Clergy, and maried Secular Pr…ests, and the Nobles siding with both parties. The marie… Priests presently upon Edgars death, complained to Queen Elfrida, Elfere, and the Nobles, That they were unjustly expelled out of their Churches by the Monks and their prevailing party; alleging, that it would be a very great and miserable dishonour to the Nation, and shame to them; ut novus advena veteres colonos migrare compelleret: hoc nec Deo gratum …utari, qui veterum habitationem concessi…set nec alicui probo homini, qui sibi idem timere poss…t quod aliis praejudicio accedisse cerneret. Hereupon many clamours and tumults arising among the p…ople, they went to Archbishop Dunstan; Praecipue Proceribus, ut Laicorum est, succlamantibus praejudicium, &c. but especially to the Nobles, as the manner of Laymen is, crying out unto them; that the S…cul…r Clergy were prejudged, p. 133and suffered unjustly, being expelled their a…tient posessions without cause: Proposit. 2.4.that they ought to be more mildly dealt with, and restored to their Rights. Dunstan giving a deaf ear to these their just complaints, many of the Princes and Nobles thereupon, in a tumultuous manner, expulsed the Abbots and Monks out of the Monasteries wher…in King Edgar had placed them, and brought in the maried Clerks with their wives in their places, as at …irst. Among o…hers, Alfere Earl of Mercia, gathering great forces, and using much insolence, overturned almo…t all the Monasteries King Edgar and Bishop Ethelwold had b…ilt in the Province of Mercia; quorundam Potentum assensu et factione, placing maried Priests in them. This they did magnis occaecati muneribus by the maried Clergy, as Hoveden, Simeon Dunelmensis, Florentius Wigorniensis, and our Monkish Historians as…ert. To which [r][r]Historia, p. p. 889. See Fox Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. p. 203, 204.Abbot Ingulphus subjoyns. Cujus (Regis Edwar…i) sancta simplicitate et innocentia tàm abusa est factio Tyrannorum, pe… Reginae favorem et potentiam praecipue roborata, quod per Merciam Monachis de quibusd…m Monasteriis ejectis, Clerici s…nt inducti: Qui statim Monasteriorum maneria Ducibus terrae distribuebant, ut sic in suas partes obligati eos contra Monachos defensarent. …unc de Monasterio Eveshamensi Mon…chis expulsis… Clerici fue…unt introducti; Terraeque Tyranni de terris Ecclesiae praemiati sunt: quibus Regina cum novercali ne…uitia stans cum Clericis… in Regis opprobrium favebat. Cum Mona…his Rex et sancti Episcopi persistebant: Sed Tyranni fulti Reginae favore et potentia super Monachos triumphabant. The Monks on the contrary to secure their intere…t (by like Bribes and means as is most probable, though our Monkish Historians conceal it) sti…red up Ethelwin Duke of the East-English, and Brithnorth Earl of Essex, (men of great dread and power) to a…ear in their quarrel and resist …he opposite party. Qui in Synodo constituti;Proposit. 6. who assembled together in a Synod p. 134or Council for that end, protested, That they would never indure the Monks should be cast out of the Realm, who held up all Religion in the Kingdom. After which, they raised a mighty Army, defending with great valour the Monasteries of the Eastern English, keeping the Monks in possession of them. This fire between the Monks and maried Priests thus blown from a spark to a flame, was feared to mount higher, if not timely quenched. Wherefore by mediation of Wise men, arms being laid aside, the caus… was referred to be heard and decided between them in a Great Council of the whole Kingdom. For which end there was a famous Council summoned and held at Winchester; (which some Historians antedate in Edgars life, others place in the Interregnum, after his death; but the series of Story, and most judicious Antiquaries, evince it to be after Edwards Coronation, Anno 975.) In this Great Council, the King and Archbishop Dunstan sitting in their Thrones, as chief Judges of the Controversie, in the East-End of the Hall of the Refectory of Winchester Abby near the wall, (wherein there was a Crucifix immured just behind them…) Duces cum torius Regni Magnatibus; the Dukes with al… the Nob…es of the Realm, and the expulsed maried Clerks standing on the left side of the Refectory, and pleading for themselves, that they might be restored; and Oswald Archbishop of York, Athelwold Bishop of Winchester, with the Monks standing all together on the right side of the Hall, pleading for their continuance in their Churches (as they Author of the old Manuscript Chronicle of Winchester Abby relates, though he misdates the time of this Council, as h…l… Anno 968.) After much debate, the Nobles of the Realm fearing they should be overcome by d…spute (… Monks) promising reformation of life on the Clergies behalf, most humbly intreated the King and Archbishop, That they might be readmitted into Monasteries, out of which they had been ejected. With whose prayers, tears & p. 135sig…s the mo… me…ci…u… King being much moved, was in a great streight, ruminating in his min…, what he should doe in this business. At last purposing, and being about to grant pardon to the Clerks, upon hope of their amendment, and to give them leave to return to the Monasteries and Churches whence they had been expelled; When he was ready to pronounce this his definitive Sentence; there was this divine Voice uttered, by the Cr…ifix i… …he W…ll. Cum plurium jam Suffragiis de Presbyteris restituendis decernebatur, as M…hew Parker relates it; Absi… ut hoc …, &c. God forbid that this should be done; God forbid it should be done; You have judged well once, you would change …gain not well. Which articulate voice only the King and Archbishop who were the Judges of …he cause, heard, if the Chronicle of Winchester may be credited, when as another Monk relates, it was heard by all present; At which voice they being both astonied, fell to the ground on their faces; but all the rest hearing only the …ound of the Voice as of a great Thunder, fell down flat to the Earth very much affrighted. Some write, that both sides by Dunstans policy appealed to the resolution of the Crucifix in this case, in which Dunstan had placed a man with a Trunk in the wall behind the Image, who uttered this voice in and by the mouth of the Rood: which is most probable. Soon after, he King and Dunstan heard this second voice from the Crucifix, Arise, be not afraid, because this day Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other in the Monks. In memory of this cheating Oracle and Monkish fable, (of which Huntindon, Hoveden, Wigorniensis, Ranul…us Cistrensis, Fabian, and other old Monas…ical …storians make no mention, and Malmsbu…y slightly relates it as An hearsay) the Monks of Winchester ingraved these Verses over the head of this Crucifix in their Refectory.

p. 136Humano more Crux praesens edidit-ore;

Coelitus effa…a quae prospicis hic subarata.

writing the words forcited under this Distick, as then uttered by the Crucifix, which asserted before all, That Dunstans way was true. Wherewith the Clerks and their Abettors were quite confounded, and put to silence. Sed adhuc non sedatis animis, &c. But the Nobles and Clerks minds being not as yet quieted by this Oracle (a clear evidence they suspected it as counterfeit) our Historians inform us, there were Proposit. 5, 6.three more great Councils soon after held to settle this Con…roversie between the married Priests and Monks. The first at Kerling, Kerding, or Cerding, or Kirking, as it is variously stiled, Anno 977. which [s][s]Wigorn. An. 977. p. 360. Roger Hoveden Annal. pars prior, p. 425. Ioh. Bromt. Chron. col. 870. Sim. Duuelm. Hist. de Gest. Reg. col. 160. Antiqu. Eccles. Brit. p. 56. Spelm. Concil. p. 497.Wigorn. and Hoveden stile Magna Synodus, Anno 977.without recording what was done therein. Sir Henry Spelman out of an old Saxon Note, calls it A great Council, affirmes it was held after East…r, and that Sideman Bishop of Devonshire died in it. That King Edward and the Archbishop therein ordained; That every man should goe in pilgrimage to the Church of St. Mary at Abendune out of Devotion. And Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury, in the life of Dunstan, superaddes: Dunstanus ibi cum Monachorum labenti conditioni succurrete voluit, nihil profecit, Itaque hoc dissoluto Concilio, aliud in Regia Villa Wilteria quae Calne vulgo appellatur coegit.

This Great Council held at [t][t]Malmesb. de Gest. Reg. Angl. l. 2. c. 9. Mat. Westmin. An. 975. VVigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Hntindon, Hoveden, Bromt. Anno 975. Gervasins, Osburn, Capgrave, Matthew Parker, Godwin in the life of Dunstan, Polychronicon, l. 6. c. 12. Fabian, Caxton, Holinshed, Gra…ton, Baker in the life of King Edward, Fox Acts and Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 204, 205. Speeds History, p. 411, 412. Baronius, & Spondanus An. 977. n. 2. Spelm. Concil. p. 494, 495. Camdens Britannia. p. 243.Calne (some stile it Cleve) was purposely called the same year. 977. to end the long continued Controversie between the p. 137Monks and married Priests, which the feigned Oracle of the Crucifix at Winchester, and the Council of Kerding could not determine.Proposit. 6. All the Senators and Nobles of England sitting together at this Council in an Upper room (the King being absent by reason of his tender age or sickness) the business being debated with great conflict and controversie; and the strongest wall of the Monkish Church, Archbishop Dunstan, being assaulted with the Darts of many revilings, remained unshaken. The Disputants of both parties and orders defending their sides with greatest industry, in the midst of the dispute, the whole Floor, with the Rafters and Beams of the Room wherein they disputed suddenly brake in peeces, and fell to the ground, with all the people in it, except Dunstan, who escaped without any harm, standing firm on a beam that remained, of which he took hold-fast; the rest being either slain outright, or very much hurt and bruised with the fall, so as they languished ever after, hardly escaping present death. This miracle (as our Monkish Authors stile it) gave peace to Archbishop Dunstan from the assaults of the English Clerks, and others, who thereupon from thence…orth submitted to his sentence and judgement, if William of Malmesbury, and Mat. Westminster may be credited; Whereas Florentius Wigorniensis, Iohn Bromton, and others out of them, assure us; that there was not long after another Parliamentary Synod or Assembly held at Ambresbery, upon the same occasion, without recording the Proceedings or Event thereof. Some conjecture that this fall was only a fiction of the Monkish VVriters, to adde reputation to their languishing cause, as well as that of the Crucifix Speech forecited. Others conceive, it was wrought by Duustans sorcery, or Policy. Others, that it was casual, by reason of the weight of the People. But Henry Huntindon Hist. l. 2. p. 357. Bromton, col. 876. and Sir Henry Spelman out of them, p. 496. record, p. 138That this fall of the Nobles at Calne, was (not a Divine Judgement on them for their Opposition against, and injury to the Monks, as some interpre…ed it, but) signum videlicet Dei excelsi fuit quod Proditione et Interfectione Regis sui, Proposit. 8.ab amore Dei Casuri essent, et diversis gentibus digna contritione conterendi; as they were soon after broke in pieces by the invading conquering Danes and Normans: And whether the late violent falls and ruptures of our Parliaments and Nobles portend not the like fate to England, by some other forein Invasions for the like Treachery, Apostacy, Regicide, or far worse, let those who are guiltiest of it, and others determine at their leisures.

Anno 978.King [u][u]Matt. VVestm. VVigorn. Simeon Dunelm. Huntind. Hoved…n, Radul. de Dice. Ethelr. Bromt. An. 977, 978. Malmesbury de Gest. Reg. l. 8. c. 2. Polych. l. 6. c. 13. Antonius Chron. pars 2. Fabian, Caxton, Holiushed, Grafton, Speed, Fox and others in the life of King Edward.Edward imitating the footsteps of his Fathers Religion and Piety, was so circumvented by the flattering speeches of his Mother-in-law Queen Elfrida, that although she opposed his Title, Election, Coronation, all she could, to advance her own Son to the Crown: yet retaining only the name of a king to himself, he soon after permitted her and his Brother Ethelred, his Competitor, to order all affairs of the Realm as they pleased. VVhereupon (as the Chronicle of Bromton relates) she began to plot how to dethrone this Man of God King Edward, and advance her own Son Ethelred to the Throne; Which when she had a long time meditated upon, she opened the Secrets of her heart to some of her chief Counsellours, advising with them concerning it, and earnestly intreating, yea conjuring them to assent to her therein, and to find out some means to effect it; Cui protenus in necem illius omnes conseuserunt, who all forthwith consented to his Murder, and contrived how they might most speedily accomplish it by some fraudulent device, which they soon after executed in this manner.

King Edward hunting for his disport in the Forest near VVarham, hearing that his Brother Ethelred p. 139whom he intirely loved) was near that place, residing then with his Morher at Corph-Castle,) some stile it Cornesgate) rode thither to visit him with very few attendants, who either casually, or of set purpose lingring behind him, sporting in the way, he came alone to the Castle gate. Queen Elfrida who had a long time waited for such an opportunity, being informed thereof, went presently to meet him with her bloody Assassinate,s and welcoming him with flattering Speeches, and a pleasant countenance, importuned him to lodge there that night, which offer he with thanks refused, saying he desired only to see and speak with his brother, but would not alight from his horse: Whereupon she commanded a Cup of Wine to be speedily brought him to drink, appointing one of her boldest Souldiers to kill him whiles he was drinking: VVho kissing the king, like another Iudas, under a pretext of love, to take away all suspition, so soon as the Cup was at his mouth, stabbed him presently into the Bowels with a knife. King Edward feeling himself wounded, set spurs to his Horse, thinking to escape to his own faithfull followers; but the wound being mortal, he fell from his Horse dead, and one o… his feet hanging in the Stirrop, he was dragged up and down through the Mire and Fields, and at last left there dead near Cerf Gate. VVh…ch his wicked Stepmother hearing of, commanded her most wicked Servant to drag him by the Heels like a beast, and throw him into a little Cottage hard by, that the fact might not be discovered. After which she commanded his Corps to be privily taken from thence, lest this her most execrable work of darkuess should be discovered, and buried in an obscure bushy morish place, where it should no more be found by any. Most of our Historians write, that he was obscurely buried at VVearham, without any Royal State; Ac si cum Corpor… paritèr & Memoriam sepellissent, invidentes ei sespidem, cui vivo p. 140inviderunt decus Regium; So Malmsbury; or as Ma…thew Westminster delcants on it… Invidebant enim mortuo Ecclesiasticam concedere Sepulturam Cni videnti decus Regium auferebant. And not content herewith, they made an …dict… than which nothing could be more cruel; That no Man should lament or speak of his death, thinking thereby utterly to delete his memory. But contrary to their expectation, God by a supernatural light from heaven shining on the place, and sundry Miracles there wrought (if our Monkish Historians may bee credited) frustrated this design. For though the Queen and her Complices out of their transcendent malice (which O that some of late times had not overmuch imitated,) Inimicitias quas viventi ingesserunt in mortuum protelantes, sepelierunt …um fine Regio honore apud Warham… ut sicut vitam ejus extinxerant ita et nomen ejus extinguerent: Proposit. 8.hic vero compertum est contra divinam providentiam non sufficere pravum cor hominis et inscrutabile: Quem enim perfidi terris abjicerant, Deus coelo gloriosè suscepit, et memoriae aeternae insignivit eum Dominus. cujus mentionem Proditores obnubulare studuerant. But mark the sad sequel of this prodigious Regicide, Proditione Gentis suae perfidae, thus registred by (x)(x)Histor. l. 5… p. 357.Henry Huntindon, an impartial Historian. Inde Dominus iterum ad iram provocatus est, et plus solito irritatus, Genti pessimae malum inextricabile conferre cogitavit, et quod facere paraverat non distulit. Veneruntque Dani, et operuerunt Angliam quasinubes coeli. To which [y][y]De G…stis Regum Ang. l. 2. c. 9. p. 61.William of Malmsbury subjoyns. Creditumque et celebritèr vulgatum… quod propter Elfridae in Edwardum insolentiam multo post tempore tota patria servitutem infremuisset Barbaricam. Take the summ of his Reign, Murther, Saintship in these words of De Genealog. Reg, Anglor. p. 362.Abbot Ethelred. Translato ad coelestia Regna Rege Eadgaro… in re…no terreno filius ejus Edwardus successit: Qui injuste ab imp…s interfectus, tum …, tum ob mortis … tatem Sancti p. 141Nomen et Meritum Deo donante promeruit: being afterward translated to Shaftsbury, and there honourably enshrined.

King Edward being thus treacherously murdered on the 17th day of April, Anno 979.Anno 978. when he had reigned only 3. years and 8. moneths by hereditary Succession, thereupon on the 8. of May 979. his half-brother [z][z]Ingulphi Historia p. 889, 890. Mat. VVestm. VVig. & Sim. Dun…l. An 978, 979, &c. 1016. Chron. Inhannis Bromton, col. 877, 878. Will: Malmsbur. de Gestis Regum. l. 2 c 18. Eadmerus Hist. Novorum, l. 1. p. 1. Hoveden Annal. pars prior. p. 427. &c. Hen. de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae, l. 1. c. 2. Polychron. l. 6. c. 12, 13. Caxton. Fabian, Holinshed, Grafton, Speed, Stow & others in the life of K. Ethelred. Radulphus de …ce…o Abbrev. Chron. col. 46…Ethelred was crowned King at Kingston, by both the Archbishops, Dunstan and Oswald, and ten Bishops more, in the presence of the Nobles, much against Dunstans will. And although Ethelred so much lamented his Brothers murder, being then but a child of ten years old, not active to promote this Treacherous plot, and so detesting it, that his Mother Elfrida in a rage whipped him for it with candles for want of a rod, which made him abhor candles all his life; yet Dunstan full of a propheticall Spirit, at the very time of his Coronation told him, that he and his Posterity, together with the whole kingdom, should suffer grievous tribulation all his reign, using these words then unto him; Be…ause thou hast aspired to the Kingdom by the death of thy Brother, whom thy Mother murdered; therefore hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord: The Sword and Bloud shall not depart from thy House, nor from the Nation, but shall rage against thee all the days of thy Life, slaying thy séed, until thy Kingdom shall be translated to another Realm and Nation, whose Customs and Language that Nation over which thou reignest knoweth not; qu… eos in ul…im…m red…gat servitutem who sha… reduce them into the extremest Bondage, for conspiring with thy ignominious Mother against the Bloud of thy Brother. Neither sha… thy fin, nor the sin of thy Mother, Nor the sin of those who were privy to her wicked Counsell, that they might stretch out an hand against the Lords anointed to slay him, Proposit. 8.be expiated, but by a long Revenge, and much effusion of bloud. Which accordingly p. 142came to pass; and let all others whom it concerns most nearly, with our whole English Nation now seriously reminde it. This Prophecie was presently after seconded, with a prodigious Cloud, spread and seen over all England sundry nights, which appeared sometimes bloudy, other times fiery, and then changing it self into divers sort of flashings and colours, vanished about the morning. The very next year following the barbarous Danes invaded England, burnt Southampton, killing and carrying away Prisoners almost all the Inhabitants thereof; after which they infested and wasted the Isle of Teneth, and City of West-Chester, invading England every year with new forces, til they had laid the whole kingdom desolate, expelled King Ethelred, with his Queen and Children, into foreign patts, and possessed themselves both of the Crown aud Realm, as absolute Soveraigns.

And here, before I proceed further, I cannot but take special Notice of Gods admirable retaliating Justice inflicted upon some of our Saxon usurping Regicides and their Posterities, worthy our saddest contemplation.

[*][*]See Mat. Westm. Malmsb. Huntindon, Hoveden, Ethelwerdus, Ingulphus, Wigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Bromton, Polychronicon, Hen. de Knyghton, Fabian, Speed, Holinshed, Grafton, Daniel in their lives.King Edgar (as I touched before) injuriously usurped upon his elder Brother King Edwyn; and by force of arms deprived him of half his Crown and kingdom at first, and of his whole Realm, if not life too, at last. But within few years after by Gods avenging hand, his best beloved eldest Son and heir, King Edward, to whom he bequeathed the Crown at his death, was first opposed in his Succession, and soon after most treache…ously butchered by his own Queen and younger Son, who invaded the Crown by his slaughter. King Edgar treacherously slew Earl Ethelwold, (as you have read) to espouse his wife Elfreda, & Crown her for his best beloved Queen; who (no doubt) was consenting to, if not the contriver of his murder, as he was hunting in Worel Forest. And she to requite this murder, kills p. 143his own Son and heir King Edward, as he came from hunting in a Forest, not very far distant from the same place. Elfere Earl of Mercia, the Queens chief Counseller and Instrument to murther and dethrone King Edward, (whom he stabbed to death with his own hands, as Malmesbury records,) though to expiate this crime, he soon after honourably translated his Corps from Warham to Shaftsbury-Minster; yet by Gods avenging wrath, about a year after his whole body was eaten up of Lice and Worms, so that he died most miserably. Queen Alfrida the chief Plotter of this murder, soon after the fact, was struck with such horror of conscience for this bloudy Regicide, that to pacifie the pangs thereof, and expiate the guilt of his crying bloud, she built two Monasteries at Almesbury and Warwel, and casting off her royal robes and State, entred into the later of them, where she afflicted her self with sackcloth, fasting, weeping, and severe penance unto the day of her death, bewailing this bloudy crime all the remainder of her life. The whole English Nation, who were either consenters to, or overgreat connivers at their Soveraigns Murther (which they never publikely questioned nor revenged) were not only stricken, consumed with all sorts of Plagues and strange diseases, but uncessantly invaded, oppressed, spoiled, captivated, conquered, murderated, and almost quite extirpated by the barbarous Danes, who usurped the Soveraignty over them for three Generations, being made a spectacle of divine Justice both to Angels and Man. As for King Ethelred himself, though then an infant, he purchased nothing else by his Brothers blood, but a Crown of Thorns and Cares, living in perpetual warrs, cares, fears, wants, distresses, being crossed in all his designs, warrs by Land and Sea, contemned, deserted, and frequently betrayed by his own Counsellers, Nobles, Commanders, Souldiers, Subjects; forced out of the Realm with his Queen, children, by the conquering p. 144Danes, all living like exiles in forein parts; dying at last neither lamented nor desired; Some of his Sons after his death were treacherously murthered, (as Edmund Ironside by his own Brother-in-law, and Eth…lred his Son-in-law, Duke Edert) all his posterity renounced by the English, and the Danes preferred before them, banished, betrayed, devoted to ruine by the usurping Danes, and his own temporizing English Prelates and Nobles. Of which more fully hereafter. Take bu… this brief Character of his unhappy reign out of[a][a]De Gestis Regum, l. 2. c. 10. William of Malmsbury, and [b][b]De Eventibus Angliae, l. 1. c. 2.Henry de Knyghton; Ethelredus post occisionem frat…is sui Edwardi in Regem levatus 38. annis reguum potius obsidit, quam rexit. Nam vitae suae cursus saevus et infa…stus fuit; in principio, miser; in medio et fine, turpis et reprobus… Iste tenuit Regnum in magna angustia… Nec mirum, quia sic felonice et injuste intrusus est in Regnum, Rex suorum perfidia Ducum avito ex terris solio, et opis egens alienae, in cujus manu aliorum solebat salus pendere. E Normannia accercitus Londoniae agebat propter proditores, nunquam procedens, ubi animam laboribus et miseriis natam efflavit. Post cujus mortem Proceres Regni, cum Clero stirpem ejus abhorrentes, Canutum recognoverunt Regem suum fore. All which calamities fell upon these Regicides, Traytors, and the whole English Nation, as our Historians observe, for the murder of their lawfull Soveraign. And have we not all now just cause to fear the very like, or some sorer Judgements for the selfsame crying Sin, and other transcendent, bloudy, traiterous violences, oppressions of all kinds, farr exceeding this, and all o…hers in former ages? But to proceed from these Generals, to the most observable particulars during his reign.

Anno 980.Anno Dom. 980. being the second year of King Ethelreds reign, the [c][c]Mat. West. Malmsbury, Ingulphus, Huntindon, Hoveden, Simeon Dunelm. Bromton, Wigorn. Radulphus de Diceto, Polychron. Antiqu. Eccles. Brit. Fox, Holinshed, Grafton, Speed.Danes began their invasion and p. 145persecution of the English, wasting, depopulating with fire and sword Southampton, Chester, the Isle of Te…eth, Cornwall, Devonshire, and other places, continuing their depredations sundry years after, till they became Lords and Masters both of the Crown and Realm. All our Historians record, that the sins of the English Nation, (especially their Treason and Treachery against their innocent murdered Soveraign) were the original cause of this Danish invasion, and most fatal Judgement: to which Bishop [d][d]Mat. Parker, Antiqu. Eccl. Brit. p. 63, 64.Lupus in his Oration, subjoyns these other sins, pertinent to my Theam, of which I fear our Nation is now farr more guilty than their Ancestors in that age: Ecelesiae vastantur, ordo Clericalis ludibrio habetur et contemptui; ima plebs proditorie è regno sumpto protio venundatur, Proposit. 1.4.8.infantes ab ipsis incunabilis ad miseram servitutem sumpti et redacti sunt, omnisque benignitas et eleemosyna perit. Ipsi denique liberi avita libertate frui, et in servili conditione constituti, bonis magnis partis laboribus aut aliu…dè concessi…, uti prohibentur. Et quia haec gens perjuriis, Mendaciis Iuramenti, Fidei, Faederum atque Pignorum fractionibus crebris, …omicidio, turto, et quae ad Rempublicam l…befactandam summa sunt Proditione, falso atque Technis vaferrimis in ipsos Domi…os atque Heros multifariam deliquit, cujus fuit indicium, Edwardi regis ipsis hostibus traditio, &c. The external causes principally inviting, incouraging the Danes to this invasion, as (e)(e)Antiqu. Eccl… Brit. p. 62.Matth…w Parker, and (f)(f)Acts and Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 207. Speeds Histo…y.Mr. Fox conjecture, were these: Quod à segnibus et torpentibus Monachis Regni facultates essent absorptae; auctaque indies Dacorum vis ab Anglorum sub Monachis redactorum ignaviam, et civilia orta multa discrimina; quae Dacos e…ferarunt victores. And that the Danes perceiving the discords that were then in the Realm, and the hearts of the Subject to be withdrawn from, and set against their Soveraign, they thought it a sufficient occasion and advantage to forward their intendments, and omitting no time, arived on the Coasts of p. 146Kent, and spoiled the Country as aforesaid …

Anno 982.About the year of our Lord 982. One Lefsi bought lands in the Isle of Ily of Adelwold Bishop of Winchester, and not only denied to pay for them, but likewise forcibly disseised the Bishop of 3. Manors, Burch, Undeles, and Kateringes, which the Bishop recovered by Judgement of the Earldermen, and Thames in the WITENAGEMOTE (Wittagemiot) or Parliamentary Assembly of that age, thus reported by the antient [g][g]Ms. de Operibus B. Edelwoldi, Episcopi.Book of Ely, and by [h][h]Titles of Hono…, second part. c. 5. sect. 6. p. 693.Mr. Selden, out of it. Edicitur placitum apud Londoniam, qu… cum Duces, Principes, Satrapae, Rethores et Causidici ex omni parte confluxerant, beatus Aedelwoldus praefatum Lefsium in jus protraxit, et coram cunctis suam causam et injuriam, ac rapinam quam ipse Leofsius intulerat sanctae Ecclesiae ex ordine patefecit. Qua re benè ac apertè ab omnibus discussa, omnes Deo et beato Aethelwaldo per judicium reddiderunt Burch, et Undeles, et Kateringes. Judicaverunt etiam ut Leofsius Episcopo totum damnum suum su…pleret, et Munda, Saxonice Pax dicitur: sed et Satisda…io, ut …ic, ni …allor, inte…pretatur.Mundam suam redderet, de rapina vero Regis forisfacturam emendaret, dato pretio genealogiae suae. Post haec infra octavum diem convenerunt iterum ad Northamtune, et congregata ibi tota Provincia, sive Vicecomitatu,Proposit. 4, 6, coram cunctis iterum causam supradictam patefecerunt. Qua pa…efacta ac declarata, ut praejudicata erat apud Londoniam, judicaverunt et isti apud Northamtune. Quo facto omnis populus cum jurejurando in Christi Cr…ce reddiderunt Episcopo quae sua erant, scilicet, Burch, et Undeles, et Kateringes. By which President it is apparent, 1. That Parliamentary Councils in that age held Pleas, and gave judgements of Disseisins and Titles of Lands. 2. That they had Lawyers to assist them, and plead such cases before them. 3. That the Judgement given in the Great Council at London, was confirmed, recited, and executed in the County-Court held at p. 147Northampton, and possession of the Lands accordingly restored to the Bishop.

King [i][i]Matthew Westminst. An. 983, 986. VVigorn. and Sim… Dunelm. An. 986… Ingulphi Hist. p. 890. Wil. M…lmesb. de G…stis Reg. l. 2. c. 10. Hoveden, Annal. pars prior, p. 427. Huntindon Hist. l. 5. p. 357. Ch…on. …o. Bromton, col. 818. Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Ang. l. 1. c. 2. col. 2515. Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 20…. Antiq. Eccles. Brit. p. 61. Godwins Catalogue of Bishops p. 394. Speed p. 144.Ethelred being incensed against the BishopAnno 986. of Rochester, Anno 983. as some, or 986. as others compute it, besieged the City of Rochester for a long space; VVhereupon Archbishop Dunstan commanded him to give over the siege, lest he should provoke St. Andrew, Patron of that City, against him. The King notwithstanding continued his siege till he extorted one hundred pounds from the Bishop. VVhereupon Dunstan admiring at his covetousness, sent him this Message. Because thou hast preferred silver before God, Mony before an Apostle, covetousness before me, the evils which the Lord hath denounced shall violently come upon thee. Upon which Matthew Westminster makes this observation. Anno 986. Rex Anglorum Aethelredus qui prohibente beato Dunstano Centum libras ab Episcopo Roffe… si extorserat, pro pace brevissima pensionem 16 millium librarum persolvere compulsus est. VVhichWhich fell not out till the year 994. as himself and others record: Malmesbury referrs it to the Tax of 10 thousand pounds, paid by him to the Danes. Anno 991. In this year 986. Alfric Duke of Mercians, son of Duke Alfere was banished England crudeliter, cruelly, without just cause, as Bromton recites, which made him afterwards prove treacherous to the King, he being one of those English, quos nullis causis extantib…s exhaeredabat Rex, et affecto crimine, opibus emungebat; which Malmesbury taxeth him for.Propos. 2, 4. His oppression and inj… stice, being the chief causes of his miscarriage and expulsion by the Danes.

Anno 988.An. 988, 991. The Danes invading VVecedport, thereupon Goda Earl of Devonshire, [k][k]Mat. VVestm. VVigorn. Hun…indon, Hoveden… Bromt. Speed, Holinsh. Fox, Grafton.Strenwild, a most valian… Knight, and many others in defence of their Native Country and Liberties, fought with them, and were slain by them. And Anno 891. Brithnoth the most valiant Duke of the East English, and his forces, fought p. 148a set battle with the invading Danes, who wasted Ipswich and the parts adjoyning: In which battel an innumerable multitude were slain on both sides, and this valiant Duke with many thousands of the English, in defence of their Country against these Invaders. After which, by the Counsel of[l][l]Gervasius Antiq. Eccle…. Brit. and Godwin in the life of Spricius. Syricius Archbishop of Canterbury, Duke Aethelward, Alfric, and other Nobles (assembled no doubt in a Parliamentary Proposit. 1.… as Malmesbur… his Duces et Proceres si quando in Concilium venissent, pars hic, … illud … and Henry de Kayghton his Proceres Regni, si quando ad Concilium congregati, &c. im…ort) A Tribute of ten thousand pounds was given to …he Danes, that they might desist from their frequent rapines, and slaughters of men, which they frequently exercised about the Sea-coasts, pacemque firmam cum iis tenerent, and might hold a firm peace with them. Some of our Historians stile this [m][m]Huntind. Hist. l. 5. p. 357. Chron. Iohan. Bromton, col. 879.Infaustum Concilium, an unlucky Council. Eadmerus [n][n]Hist. Novorum l. 1. p. 1.gives this verdict of it.

Regis desidia circum circa innotuit, Et ideo extevorum cupiditas opes Anglorum quam mortes affectans, hac & illac, per mare, terram invadere: & primo propinquas mari villas & urbes, deinde remotiores, ae demum totam Provinciam miserabili depopulatione devastare. Quibus cum ille nimio pavore perculsus, non armis occurrere, sed data pecunia pacem ab eis petere non erubuisset,Propos. 1, 5, 6, 9. ipsi suscepto pretio in sua revertebantur, ut, numero suorum adaucto fortiores redirent, ac praemia iteratae irruptionis multiplicata reciperent; Unde modo decem millia, modo sedecim millia, modo viginti quatuor millia, modo triginta millia librarum argenti consecuti sunt: omnia illis largiente praefato Rege Edel…edo. et gravi exactione totum Regnum opprimente. [o][o]De Gestis Reg. Angl. l. 2. c. 10. p. 62.VVilliam of Malmesbury passeth this censure on it, and the unhappy consequence of it. Danis omnes portus infestantibus, & levitate piratica p. 149ubique infestan…ibus, dum nesciretur, ubi eis occurrere debent decretum à Syriaco Archiepie piscopo. &c. ut repelleren…ur argento qui non po…erunt ferro. Ita decem millia libra…um soluta cupiditatem Danorum exp…ere. Exemplum Infamiae et Uiris indignnm, libertatem pecunia redimere, quam ab invicto animo nulla violentia possit excutere. Et tunc quidem pa…isper ab incur…bus ce…arunt, mox ubi vires o…io resumpserunt, ad superiora re…i…um. Tantus timor Anglos invaserat, ut nihil de resistendo cogitarent. Si qui antiquae glor…ae memores obviare, & …gna colligere tentassent, hostium multitudine, & sociorum defectione desti…ebantur whereby they became Vassals and Tributaries to the[p][p]De Gestis Pontif. l. 1. p 203. in…ulting Danes. Cujus Siricii consilio in gestis Regum dixi Ethelredum Regem animi libertatem Danis pretio …endicasse. Ut eo…u… pacem argento redimerent, quod ferro repellere posset… nisi corde car…ret. Unde Importabilis Tributi pensio imposita Angliae, fortunas provincialium ad solum usque destruxit. [q][q]Histor. l. 5. p 357.Henry Huntindon, and the [r][r]col. 879.Chronicle of Bromton pass this verdict against, and deduce this memorable observation from this Tribute. Edelredi Regis, Anno 13.Proposit. 1, 6, 9. Primo statuerunt Angli (which intimates it to be … a Parliamentary Council) Concilio infausto Siricii Archiepiscopi, quod ipsi censum Dacis persolverent, quatenus à rapinis & caede … …ederum eis decem mille libras. Hoc autem malum usque in hodiernum diem duravit, et diu, nisi Dei Pietas subveniat, durabit: Regibus namque nostris modo persolvimus, ex consuetudine quod Dacis persolvebatnr ex ineffabili terrore. To which Bromton, [s][s]Polychr. l. 6. c. 13.Ranulphus Censtrensis, and [t][t]De… Ev…ntibus Angliae, l. 1. c. 2.H…nry de Knyghton immediately subjoyn. Dacis Tributum annuum solvunt. Primo anno 10 milia librarum, Secundo anno 16 millia librarum, Tertio anno 20 millia librarum, Quarto anno 24 millia, Quin…o p. 150anno 40. millia librarum, donec tandem pecunia deficiente iterum tenderent ad Rapinas. Et tunc Nor…briam depraedantes… et Londoniam obsidente, Coegerunt regem tributum dare. (u)(u)Antiqu. Eccles. Brit. p. 64.Mat. Parker Arc…ishop of Ca…terbury, thus censures this ill advice of his Predecessor; Siricius pacem Christianis ab in…idelibus Dacis 10. librarum millibus redemit, Ad ignominiam sane, peneque perniciem totius Regni. (x)(x)Acts and Mon. Vol. 1… 207.Mr. Iohn Fox informs us, That King Ethelred being glad to grant the Danes great sums of money for peac…, gave himself to polling of his Subjects, and disinheriting them of their possessions; and caused them to redeem the same ag…i… with great sums of money; For that he paid great Tributes to the Danes yearly, which …as calle… Danegelt. Proposit. 1. 4.Which Tribute so increased, that from the first Tr…bute of 10000 l. it was brought at last in p…ocesse of 5. or 6. years to 40000 l. The which yearly Tribute (until the coming of St. Edward and after) was levied of the people of the Land: Moreover, for lack of Iustice, many Theeves, Rioters, and Bribers, were in the land, with much misery and mischief. To which sorrow moreover was joyued hunger and penury (besides a bloudy flux, feavers, mortality, murrain amongst cat…el, &c.) amongst the Commons, insomuch that every one of them was constrained to pick and steal from others. So that what for the pillage of the Danes, and what by inward Theeves and Bribers, this Land was brought into great affliction: Albeit the greatest cause of this affliction (as it seemeth to me) is not so much to be imputed to the King, as to the dissention among the Lords themselves, who did not agrée one with another; but when they assembled in Consultation together, either they did draw divers wayes, or if any thing were agreed upon any matter of peace between t…e parties, soon it was broken again; or else if any good thing were devised for the prejudice of the Enemy, even the Danes were warned thereof by some of the same Council. (y)(y)Page 415, 416.Iohn Speed, in his Hist: of Great Britain relates, p. 151That King Ethelred could not redress the ev…ls occasioned by the prosperous Danes successes, who lay in the land like unto Grashoppers, his strengths be…ng small, and his Subjects affections l…ss. Proposit. 1, 6, 9.Therefor… calling to counsell the Statesmen and Peers, demanded their Advic…, what was best to be done? Some few of these profe…ed the King their assistance, but more of them perswaded to a composition, whereof Siricius Archbishop of Canterbury was chief; and in fine, ten thousand pounds paid to the Danes for their departure. This golden mine once entred, was more eagerly digged into by those still-thirsting Danes, who finding the branch so beneficial at first, hoped the vein in following would prove farr more beneficial; and therefore, regardless of promise, the next year prepared themselves again for England, and with a great Fleet disp…tched to Sea. The News whereof struck such terror into the English hearts… that despairing of hope… they accounted themselves the Bondslaves of Misery, and were enforced to compound a peace with th…m, with the payment of 16000 pounds, which they at last mounted to 40000 (or 48000) …ounds… till it emptied the Land of all her coin, the Kingdom of her Glory, the Nobility of their Courage, the Commons of their Content, and the Soveraign of his wonted Respect and Observation. (A pattern of our age and …imes.) (z)(z)A Collection of the History of England. London 1634. p. 16.…amuel Daniel gives us this Censure of this first unworthy hea…y Tax: Ethelred in the end was fain, seeing he could not prevail with the sword, to assail them with money, and bought a peace for 10000 pounds, which God wot, proved after a very dear penny-worth to the Commonwealth: Shewing the seller t…e…eof, how much was in his power, and the buyer, at how bad a rate, his necessity was to be served, and yet not sure of his bargain, longer than the Contractor would. Who having found the benefit of this market, raised the price therof almost every year. And yet had not Ethelred what he paid for, the land in one part or other being never free from spoil and invasion, but rather, were more oppressed both by p. 152the Dane, and by this Taxation, which was the first we find in our Annals laid upon the Kingdom, and with heavy grievance raised in a poor distressed State, continuing many Ages after the occasion was extinct; And in the end … became the usual Supplement in the Dangers of the Kingdom, and the Occasions of Princes. And hereby Et…elred enla…ged the means and de…ires… of the Enemy, so that at length came Swaine King of Denmark, and Anlafe King of Norwey in person, as if likewise to receive him for committing outrage, and were both returned with great summs. And many years it was not ere Swaine returned again to raise new summs by new afflictions, and tormenting here this poor turmoiled people more than ever, receives a fee fo… bloudshed, Propoposition 1, 6, 9.to the summ of 48000 l. Granted in the General Assembly of the States at London; and a Peace, or rather paction of servitude concluded.

From these passages of our Historians it is most evident. 1. That this Tax of ten thousand pounds to the Danes, was the very first we find imposed on the English Nation, An. Domini 991, being never subject to any publike Civil Tax til then, for ought appears by History. 2. That this Tax was then imposed, and after reimposed, augmented on the Nation, only by common advice, grant, and consent of the King, Prelates, and Nobles assembled in a publike and Parliamentary Council. 3. That the original ground of granting it was base degenerous cowardise, or unmanly fear, and sluggishness, both in the King, Nobles, and People, and that by the very unlucky, imprudent, ill Council and advice, of an Archprelate, Siricius Archbishop of Canterbury being the p…inciple adviser of it. 4ly. That it was originally paid, not to a lawfull Native Soveraign king, for defence of the Nation, but to a forein invading prevailing, victorious Danish Enemy, to purchase peace, and be quit of future troubles and Invasions. 5ly, That when this was first imposed, it was with a p. 153belief and resolution never to reiterate or draw it again into custom or president in succeeding ages: and that only to satisfie a covetous invading Enemy for the present, wi…hout any thoughts that …t would but streng…hen or encourage their Enemies to new inva…ions and Tributes of this Nature, doubled and trebled on the Nation afterwards. Yet loe the contrary sad effects of this ill president & advice. 1. It is within few years after, several times drawn into Use and Custom again. 2. It is every time increased, augmented more than other, till it amounted to 4 times as much as it was at first. 3. It did but impoverish, weaken the English themselves, and much strengthen, encourage their Danish Enemies, and keep them still under their Vassalage. Whereas so much mony or less raised and spent for their own defence against …he Danes, would probably have expulsed and beaten them home to their own Country with losse, and so have prevented their future invasion. 4ly After the Danes were quite expelled, and the occasion of this tax quite extinct, yet it then became a usual constant suppliment to our Kings for sundry ages after, upon all occasions, and was the only ground-work, pattern, of all the heavy publike Shipmony, Taxes, Aids, Impositions, Payments, under which the people have suffered in all succeeding ages, till this present. It is very dangerous therefore for Parliaments, or Statesmen, upon any extraordinary pressing Necessity, to lay any new Taxes, Tributes, or Imposts on the people, and most perillous for the people voluntarily to submit unto their payment; fo… being but once or twice granted, imposed, paid, and made a President, they are hardly ever abolished or conjured down again, but kept still on …oot upon some pretext or other; yea oft doubled, trebled, and quadrupled by degrees, to the peoples grand oppression and undoing, as we may see by this old President of D…negelt; and the late sad Presidents of our new imposed p. 154Exci…es, Imposts, Monethly Contributio…s, ra…ed from 20 to 30, 40, 50, 60, 100, and 120 thousand pounds, amonth, and the Excise from thousands to Millions; and so continued for sundry years, without hope of end, or ea…e: the only blessed lib…rty which we have hitherto purchased with all our Prayers, Tears, Fasts, Counsels, Treasures, wars and whole Oceans of Christian blood. I shall therfore desire our late and present Tax-Masters, Excise…s, if they be not now past all shame, sadly to consider, how much more burthensome and in…urious they have been & are now to their native Christ…an English Brethren, than the Barbarous Pagan, forein invading Danes were then to their predecessors; in that they by their own authority, without any lawfull grant, or Act by a free Parliament, impose on their Brethrens exhausted purses and estates, no less than 60 or 120 thousand pounds every MonethMonth, besides Excis…s, Imposts, Customes, amounting to much more; when as the barbarous, forein Danes exacted of them, only by their own common consent in free Parliamentary Councils, only ten thousand pounds in one year at first, and then 16000, 24000, 30000, 40000, or 48000 l. at the utmost for several whole years Tribute, without any Excise, Imposts, or other Customs. Which meditation me thinks should now induce them to mitigate, release, cease, our long continued uncessant Taxes, Excises, Imposts, or at least to reduce them to the Danes highest annual proportion, of 48000 thousand pounds, lest the whole Nation and Posterity repute them more oppressive, barbarous, tyrannical to their Christian Countrymen now; than the worst of the forein Pagan Danish Invaders were heretofore, and greater present Enemies to their Native Country, than the Danes then were to our Progenitors.

Anno 991.The self same year [a][a]William Malmsbur. De Gestis Regum. l… 2… c… 10. p. 64. Spelman. Concil. p… 503.there being some difference p. 155between King Ethel…ed and Richard Marquess of Normandy, he thereupon slew and pillaged all the English passing through his Country, and affronted King Ethelred with frequent injuries. Pope Iohn the 15. hereupon sent Leo his Legate, with exhortatory Letters to make peace between them: who coming with them to King Ethelred on Christmass day, Proposit… 6.9.Anno 9…1. the King, u…on r…ceit of the Popes Letters Accersitis cunctis sui Regni fidelibus, utriusque ordinis Sapientioribus, Assembling all the Wisest men of his Realm of both Orders, for the love and fear of Almighty God, and St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles, granted and estabished a most firm peace with all his Sons a…d Daughters, present, and to come, and with all his Lieges, without guile. In pursuance whereof, the King sent Edelfinus Bishop of Sherburn, with two other persons of quality into Normandy to the Marquess: Who, upon receit of the Popes Admonitions, and hearing of the kings Decree, with a willing mind, confirwed the said Peace with his Sons and Daughters present and to come, and with all his Subjects, upon this reasonable condition, That if any of them, or they themselves should perpetrate any unjust thing against the other, it should be exp…ated with eondign reparation. Which Peace that it might remain perpetually firm, was ratified by the Oaths of the Commissioners of both parts, at Rhoan, in March following. Here we have a Peace advised, ratified by the direction of a Parliamentary Great Council: recorded at large by Malmsbury: The last clause whereof was this, Et de hominibus Regis, vel de inimicis suis, nullum Richardus recipiat, nec Rex de suis, sine Sigillo eorum.

King (b)(b)Florentius Wigorniensis, Mat. Westm. Simeon Dunelmensis, Hoveden, Huntindon, Hist. l. 5. p. 357. Chron. Iohan. Bromton. col. 879.880. Speed, Holinshed, Graf…on, Fox.Ethelred in the year 992.Anno 992. hearing that the Danes intended a new invasion of England, and that they had sent a great Fleet to Sea, contrary to their former Agreement the year before, assembled a Council of his p. 156Nobles to consult how to resist them. What the result of their consultation was, Florence of Worcester thus record Consilio jussuque Regis Anglorum Ethe…redi, Procerumque suorum, Proposit. 6, 9.de tota Anglia robustrores, Londoniae congregatae sunt Naves. By the Counsel and command of Ethelbert king of England, and of his Nobles, all the strongest Ships were assembled together at London, out of all England; which the king furnishing with choice Souldiers, made Duke Alfric, Duke Thorold; Alstan and Aes…win (two Bishops) Admirals over them; commanding them, if by any means they could, to take the Danish Army and Fle…t by invi…oning them in some part. But Duke Alfric (formerly banished, forgiven, and now made chief Admiral) turning Traytor, both to his king and Country, first sends a secret Messenger to the Danes, to acquaint them with the designs against them, intreating them to prevent the ambushes prepared to surprize them, whereby they escaped the hands of the English. After which, when the English and Danes were ready to encounter each other in a Sea-fight, Alfric fled secretly to the Danish Fleet the night before, and by reason of the instant danger, fled away shamefully with them. The kings Navy pursuing them, took and pillaged one of the Danish Ships, flaying all the men therein. But the London ships meeting with the other Danish Pirates, as they were flying, fought with them, slew many thousands of the Danes; and took Duke Alfric his Ship, with the Souldiers and Armes, himself hardly escaping, as Wigorniensis and Matthew Westminster relate. But Huntind. & Bromton, write, that the Danes recruiting their Navy, met and fought with the kings Navy, slew many of the Londoners, triumphantly took whole armed Ships, and Duke Alfric who was in them; whom the king should not have trusted, according to the antient saying: Quem semel gravitèr laeseris, non facile tibi fidelem credideris. For this Treason of Alfric, the king cau…ed the Eyes of his Son Algar to be put out, Un…e odium & infamia e…us …rudelitatis adaucta est, as Hunti…don and others observe.

The next year 993.Anno 993. the [c][c]VVi…o… mensis, Bromt. Huntindou, Hoved…n, Mat. VVestminst. Malmesbury Simeon Dunelm. Radulphus Cestr…nsis, Fabian, Holinshed, Speed,Danish Fleet entring Humber, wasted the Country of Northumberland and Lindesey, burning the Villages, slaying the people, and pillaging their goods. Whereupon great multitudes of the people of tha… Country, assembling together, resolved and hastned to sight with them: but when they were ready to gi…e …hem battel, Frena, F…ithgist and Godwin their Captains, being of Danish Progeny… proving treacherous to their followers, perswaded them to fly, and fled first themselves. Notwithstanding the Country (as Malmesbury, Speed, and others write) being unable to digest their intollerable insolence and plunders, fell upon the Danes, slew many of them, and chased away the rest to defend their Lives, Liberties, and Estates.

Anno 994.Anno 994. Swane king of Denmark … and Anlafe king of Norwey with 94 Ships sailed up to London, [d][d]Florent. VVigo…n. S…m. Dunelm. Mat. Westm. Anno 994. William Malmes, de G…st. R…g. l. 2. c. 10. Hun…indon Hist. l. 5. p. 358. Hov… den, Annal. pars prior, p. 428. Chron. Ioh. Bromt. col. 880, Polych. l. …. c… 13. Henry de Knyghton de Even…. Angl. l. 1. c. 2. Fabian, Graston, Holinshed, S…ow, Speed, Spelm, Glossarium, Tit. Danegelt, Radulph. de Diceto Abbrevi. Chron. 461,besieged and …iercely assaulted the City, thinking to take it; but the Citizens so manfully defended it, that they repulsed the Danes thence with great loss. Who thereupon turning their fury upon the Coun…ies of Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Southampton, so greivously wasted them with fire and sword, burning the Villa…es, and slaying the Inhabitants, that King Ethelred, Concilio Procerum suorum, by the Council of his Nobles (a…embled together for that end, as Wigorniensis Matthew Westminster, Hoveden, Simeon Dunelmensis and others write) sent Embassadours to them, promising to give them Tribute and Wages, and Money, upon this condition, that they should desist from their cruelty. Who thereupon condescending to the kings request, returned to their Ships, and drawing all their Army together unto Southampton, wintered there: To duplicate page duplicate page p. 158whom a Tribute of fixteen thousand pounds, Proposit. 1, 6, 9.was given and paid out of all England, that they shou…d cease from their rapines and slaug…ters of innocent persons. Af…er t…is agreement King Anlaf …epaired to Andover, to King Et…elred, where he received bapti…m, Ethelred being his Godfather: and bestowing great gifts upon him; Hereupon Anlaf entred into a League with him, promising, to return into his own Countrey, and never after to r…turn into England with an Army; Which promise he faithfully observed. The Articles of the Agreement between King Ethelred and him, are at large recorded in the Chronicle of Bromton, Col. 899… 900. being made by advice of all his Wisemen as…embled in a Parliamentary Council, as this Title to them intimates. Haec sum verba Pacis et Prolocutionis, quas Ethelredus Rex et omnes Sapientes ejus cum exercitu sirmaverunt, qui cum A…a…an…, …t Justino, et Gudermundo Stegiari filion venit. The Articles of the Peace between them are X. in the Saxon, but XI. in the Latin Copy.

An. 997, 998, 999.The perfidious (e)(e)Wigorniensis, Mat. VVes…. Huntindon, Rad. de Decito, Simeon Dunelmensis, Polychron. Bromton, Hen. Knyghton, Malmsbury, Hoveden, Fabion, Holinshed, Speed, Grafton, and others.Danes violating their former agreement, Anno 997. came with a great Fleet and Army into the mouth of Severn, wasted and laid waste and desolate Northwales, and most of the West and South parts of England, no man resisting them, gaining an extraordinary great booty and Wintring about Tavestock. The next year 998. They entring the river of Frome, wasted and spoiled Dorsetshire, the Isle of Wight, and Sussex over and over, living upon their spoils: whereupon the English many times assembled an Army to resist and expell them; but so often as they were about to give them battel, Angli aut insidiis, aut aliquo infortunio impediti, terga verterunt, et hostibus victoriam dederunt; most of the Nobles of England secretly favouring the Danes, and not loving Ethelred, quia Alfrida mater sua pro ipso liberius in regno substituendo, sanctum Edwardum fratrem suum dolosè …xtixxerat, as p. 159Bromton and others atte…. Anno 999. The Danish …leet entring the river of Medway, besieged Rochester, and wasted Kent. The Kentish men uniting their forces fought a sharp battel with them, wherein many were slain on both sides, but …he Danes winning the field, horsed their foot on the horses they gained, and miserably wasted all the West part of Kent. Which King Ethelred being informe… of,Proposit. 1, 6, 9. suorum Primatum Consilio et classem et pedestrem congregavit exercitum; by the advice of his Nobles, …e assembled a Navy and foot Army to encounter them. But whiles the ships were preparing, the Captains of the Army delaying from day to day their begun le…yes and undertakings, Grievously vexed the People. In conclusion, neither the Navy nor Army …id any thing at all for the peoples benefit or defence, prae…er populi laborem, pecuniae pe…ditionem, hostium incitationem, as Florentius Wigorniensis, Roger Hoveden, and others observe.

Hereupon (f)(f)Hen. Huntindon. Histor. l. 6. p. 359. Ch…o. Iohan. Bromton Col. 883, 884, Polychronicon, l. 5. c. 60.King Ethelred, Anno 1000.Anno 1000. for the better defence of his Realm, resolved to take to wife Emma daughter of Richard Earl of Normandy, who was then most valiant, and formidable to the whole Realm of France: For he saw himself and his Subjects very much weakned, and did not a little fear their future overthrow. Hoc autem Dei nutu factum esse constat, ut veniret contra improbos malum. Genti enim Anglorum quam sceleribus suis exigentibus disterminare proposuerat, sicut et ipsi Brittones peccatis accusantibus humiliaverant, Dominus omnipotens duplicem contritionem proposuit, et quasi militares insidias adhibuit. Scilicet, ut hinc Dacorum persecutione saeviente, illinc Normannorum conjunctione accrescente, si ab Dacorum manifesta fulminatione evaderent, Normannorum improvisam cum fortitudine cautelam non evaderent. Quod in sequentibus apparuit, cum ex hac conjuntione Regis Anglorum, et filiae Ducis Normannorum, Angliam, JUSTE, secundum jus Gentium p. 160Normanni et calumniati sunt, et adep…i sunt. Praedixit etiam eis quidam vir Dei, quod ex scelerum suorum immanitate, non solum quia semper caedi et proditioni studuebant, verum etiam quia semper ebrietati et negligentiae domus Domini dediti erant, eis insperatum à Francia adventurum Dominium; quod et eorum excellentiam in aeternum deprimeret, et honorem sine termino restitutionis eventilaret. Praedixit etiam, quod non ea gens solum, verum et Scottorum, quos vilissimos habebant eis ad emeritam confusionem dominaretur. Praedixit nihilominus varium adeò seculum creandum, ut varietas quae in mentibus hominum latebat, et in actibus patebat, multimoda variatione vestium et indumentorum designaretur. Hac igitur providentia cum Legatoriis ad Ducem Normannorum missis, Rex Anglorum suae petitionis concessionem obtinuisset, Statuto tempore tanto digno ministerio ad Dominam suam recipiendam et adducendam Proceres Anglorum mittuntur in Normanniam, quae longo et digno regibus apparatu dirigentur in Angliam. Thus Henry Archdeacon of Humindon, Radulphus Cistrensis, Bromton, and others out of them, …rite of this Norman match, as the groundwork of translating the Goverment in succeeding times from the Saxons to the Normans, for the Saxons sinnes forenamed.

[g][g]Mat. Westm. Hoveden, Wigorniensis, Sim. Dunelmensis, Holinshed, Speed, and others. Anno 1000.This same year, the Danish Fleet sailing into Normandy and pillaging it, King Ethelred hearing o… it, marched with a great Army into Cumberland and the Northern parrs, which had revolted to the Danes, and where their greatest Colony was; where he vanquished the Danes in a great battel, and wasted, pillaged most of all the Country. Which done, he command…d his Navy to sail round about the North parts of Wales, and to meet him at an appointed place, which by reason of cross winds they could not doe: yet they wasted and took the Isle of Man; which success somewhat raised and encouraged the dejected spirits of the English, and encreased the Kings reputation with them.

p. 169In the years 1001.Anno. 1001.1002. [h][h]Wigorniens. Huntindon, Hoved. Ethelwerdus. Ingulphus, Malmsb. Radulphus de Diceto, Radulphus Cistrensis, Simeon Dunelm. Bromton, Mat. VVestmin. Hen: de Knyghton, Mat. Parker, Fox, Fabian, Holinshed, Graf…on, Speed, Daniel.The Danish Fleet returning from Normandy, entred the river of Ex, and besieged Exceter: which the Citizens manfully defending, repulsed them with great loss from their walls. Wherewith they being extremely enraged, marched through all Devonshire, burning the villages, was…ing the fields… and slaying the people, without distinction of age or sex, after their usual manner. Whereupon the inhabitants of Devon, Somerset, and Dorsetshires, uniting their forces in a Body in a Place called Pe…ho, gave them battel: but being overpowred by the multitude of the Danes, who farr exceeded them both in number and military skill, they were forced to …lie, and many of them slain. The Danes thereupon getting their horses, harrowed Devonshire …arr worse than before, and returned with a great booty to their ships: Whence steering their co…rse to the Isle of Wight, they preyed sometimes upon it, sometimes upon Hampshire, other times upon Dorsetshire, no man resisting them. Destroying the men with the sword, and the Villages and Towns with fire, in such sort, ut cum illis nec classica manus navali, nec pedestris exercitus certare audeat praello terrestri: for which cause the King and People were overwhelmed with unspeakable grief and sadne…s. In this sad perplexity, King Ethelred, Anno 1002. Habito consilio cum regni sui Primatibus (as Florentius Wigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Radulphus de Dicet…, Roger Hoveden, and others express it;Proposit. 1, 6, 8, 9. or Consilio Primatum suorum, as Mat. Westminster and his follow…rs relate i…: … By the Counsel of the Nobles of his realm, (assembled together for this purpose at London) reputed it beneficial for him and his people to make an Agreement with the Danes, and to give them a Stipend, and Pacifying Tribute, that so they might cease from their mischiefs. For which end Duke Leofsi was sent to the Danes, …ho coming to them, importuned them, that they would accept of a Stipend and Tribute. They gladly embracing p. 170his Embassy, condescended to his request, and determined how much Tribute should be paid them for to keep the peace. Whereupon …oon after A Tribute of 24000 pounds was paid them, pro bono Pacis, for the good of Peace.

In this Assembly and Council, (as I conjecture) (i)(i)Chron. VVil. Thorn, col. 1780 Spelmanni Concil. p. 504. to 510.King Ethelred informed his COUNSELLERS, who instructed him both in divine and humane things, with the sloathfulness, negligence, and vicious lives of the Secular Priests throughout England, and by their advice thought meet to thrust them out, and put Monks in their places, to pour forth prayers and praises to God for him and his people in a due manner. Whereupon he confirmed by his Charter, the ejection of the Secular Priests out of Christs-Church in Canterbury, Proposit. 6, 10.and the introduction of Monks in their places; and ratified all the lands and privileges formerly granted them; exempting the Monastery and Lands thereof from all Secular services, except Expeditione, Pontium operatione, et Arcium reparatione. Beseeching and conjuring all his lawfull Successors, Kings, Bishops, Earls, and people, that they should not be, Ecclesiae Christi Praedones, sed sitis Patrimonii Christi defensores seduli, ut vita et gaudio aeternis cum omnibus Dei sanctis in aeternum fru…mini. Which Charter was ratified by the Subscriptions of the King, Proposition 2.Archbishop, Bishops, Abbots, and of several Aeldermen, Nobles, and Officers, and the sign of the Cross. This year **Wigorni…nsis. and others.Duke Leofsi slaying Esric a Nobleman, the Kings chief Provost, was judicially banished the Realm by the King for this offence.

After this Peace made with the Danes, Anno 1002. Emma ariving in England, Anno 1002.received both the Diadem and name of a Queen;(k)(k)Huntindon, Hov…den, Malmsb. Mat. VVestm. Radulphus de Dice… Si…eon D…n…lm. VVigorn. Bromton, Hen. de Knyghton, Fox Acts & Monuments, Vol. 1. p. 207. Polychron. …abiar, Holinshed, Grafton… Speed, Daniel. whereupon King Ethelred puffed up with pride, seeing he could not drive out the Danes by force of arms, contrived how to murder and p. 171destroy them all in one day by Treachery at unawares, either by the sword or by fire; because they endeavoured to deprive him and his Nobles both of their Lives and the Realm, and to subject all England to their own Dominion: The occasion, time, and manner of whose sudden universal Massacre is thus related by Mat. Westminster, An. 1012. (though acted An. 1002. as all accord) and by Mr. Fox and others. Huna General of King Ethelreds Militia, a valiant warlike man, who had taken upon him the managing of the affairs of the Realm under the King, observing the insolency of the Danes, who now after the peace made with them, did so proudly Lord it through all England, that they presumed to ravish the wives and daughters of Noblemen, and every where to expose them to scorn; by strength caused the English husbandmen to soyl and sow their land, and doe all vile labor belonging to the House, whiles they would sit idely at home, holding their wives, daughters, and servants at their pleasure; and when the husbandmen came home, they should scarcely have of their own, as his servants had: So that the Dane had all at his will and fill, faring of the best, when the owner scarcely had his fill of the worst. Thus the common people being of them oppressed, were in such fear and dread, that not only they were constrained to suffer them in their Doings, but also glad to please them, and called every one of them in the House where they had rule, LORD DANE, &c. Hereupon Huna goeth to the King much perplexed, and makes a lamentable complaint to him concerning these things. Upon which the King being not a little moved, by the Counsel of the same Huna, sent Letters (or Commissions) unto all the coasts of the Realm, commanding all and every of the Nation, that on one day after, to wit, on the Feast of St. Brice the Bishop, all the Danes throughout England should be put to death by a secret Massacre, that so the whole Nation of the English might p. 172all jointly and at one tim… be freed from the Danish Oppression. And so the Danes, who by a firm covenant, sworn unto by both sides a little before, ought to have dwelt peaceably with the English,Proposit. 2. were too opprobriously slain, and the women with their children being dashed against the posts of the houses, miserably powred out their souls. When …herefore the sentence of this decree was executed at the City of London without mercy, many of the Danes fled to a certain Church in the City, where all of them were slain without pity, standing by the very Altars themselves. Moreover, that which aggravated the rage of this persecution, was the death of Guimild, Sister of King Swain, slain in this manner in England: she was lawfully maried to Count Palingers, a Noble man of great power, who going into England with her husband, they both there received the faith of Christ and Sacrament of baptism: this most prudent Virago being the mediatrix of the peace between the English and Danes, gave her self with her husband and only son, as Hostages to King Ethelred for the security of the peace, she being delivered by the King to that most wicked Duke Edric to keep, that Traytor within few days after commanded her husband, with her son, to be slain before her face with four spears, and last of all commanded her to be beheaded. She underwent death with a magnanimous minde, without fear or change of countenance; but yet confidently pronounced as she was dying, That the shedding of her bloud would bring great detriment to England.

(l)(l)Historiarum, l. 6. p. 360.Henry Huntindon thus relates the story of this Massacre. In the year 1002. Emma the Jewel of the Normans came into England, and received both the Diadem and name of a Queen; with which match King Ethelred being puffed up with pride, bringing forth perfidiousness, caused all the Danes who were with peace in England, to be slain by clandestine Treason on p. 173one and the same day, to wit on the feast of St. Brice, concerning which wickedness we have heard, in our infancy some honest old men say; that the said King sent secret Letters into every City,Proposit. 2. according to which the English on the same day and hour destroye… all the Danes, either cutting off their heads, without giving them warning, with swords, or taking an… burning them suddenly …ogether with fire. Vbi fuit videre miseriam, dum quisque charissimos hospites, quos etiam arctissima necessitudo dulciores effecerat, cogeretur prodere, et amplexus gladio deturbare, writes (m)(m)De Gest. Regum, l. 2. c. 10. p. 64.Malmsbury.

The News of this bloudy Massacre of the Danes, being brought into Denmark to King Swain by some Youths of the Dan…sh Nation who e…caped and fle… out of England in a ship, moved him to tears, (n)(n)Mat Westmin. An. 1012, p. 391, 392.Uocatisque cunctis Regni Principibus, W…o calling all the Princes of his Realm together, and relating the whole series of what was acted to them; he diligently enquired of them, what they would advise him to do? Who all crying out together, as with one mouth, DECREED, That the bloud of their Neighbours and Friends was to be revenged. Where upon Swain, a cruel man, prone to shed bloud, animated to revenge, by his Messengers and Letters commanded all the Warriers of his Kingdom, and charged all the souldier… in …orein Regions, greedy of gain, to assist him in this expedition against the English, which they cheerfully did, he having now a fairer shew to do foully than ever, wrong having now made him a right of invasion, who had none before.

Anno 1003.Anno 1003. King Swain ariving with a great Navy and Army in England, [o][o]Malmsbury, Huntindon, Hoveden, VVigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Radulphus de Diceto, Bromton, Henry de Knyghton, Polychronicon, Ingulphus, Mat. Westm. Fabian, Fox, Holinshed, Grafton, Speed, Danielby the negligence and treachery of one Hugh a Norman, whom Q…een Emma had made Earl of Devonshire, took and spoyled the City of Exeter, rased the wall thereof to the ground, and burnt the City to ashes, returning with a great prey to his ships, leaving nothing behind them but the ashes. After which wasting the Province of Wiltshire: a strong Army congregated out of Hamshire and Wiltshire, went wi…h a resolution manfully and constantly to fight with the Enemy; but when both Armies were in view of each other, ready to joyn battel, Earl Edric their General (a constant Traytor to his Country, and secret friend to the Danes) feigned himself to be very sick, and began to vomit, so that he could not possibly fight. Wh…re upon the Army seeing his slothfulness and fearfullness, departed most sorro…full from …heir Enemies, without …ighting, being disheartned by the Cowardise of their Captain: Which Swane perceiving, he marched to Wilton and Sarisbery, which he took, pillaged, and burnt to the ground, returning with the spoil to his Ships in triumph.

The next year Swane (to whom God had designed the kingdom of England, Anno 1004.as some old (p)(p)VVigorn. Hoveden, Huntind. Hist. l. 6. Speed, & others.Historians write) sailing with his Fleet to Norwich, pillaged and burnt it to the ground. Whereupon Ulfketel, Duke of East-England, … man of great valour, seeing himself surprized, and wanting time to raise an Army to resist the Danes, cum Majoribus East-Angliae habito Consilio, Proposit. 6, 9.taking Coun…el …ith the Great men of East-England, made peace with Swane; which he treacherou…ly breaking within three weeks after, suddenly issuing out of his ships, surprized, pillaged, and burnt Thetford to the ground; and covering the C…untry like Locusts, spoyled all things, and slaughtered the Country-men without resistance. Which Duke Ulfketel being informed of, commanded some of his Country-men to break his ships in pieces, in his absence from them; which they not dared, or neglected to do, and he in the mean time raising an Army with as much speed as he could, boldly marched against the Enemy, retu…ning with great booties to their Ships; where after a long and sharp incounter on both sides, the English being over-powered p. 175by the multitude of the Danes, were totally ro… ted, and all the Nobles of East-England there slain in their Countries defence, who fought so valiantly, that the Danes confessed they had never an harder or sharper battel in E…gland than this. The great loss the Danes sustained in it, though they got the …ield, and an extraordinary …amine in England the year following, greater than any in the memory of man, caused Swane to return into Denmark to refresh and recruit his Army.

King Ethelred quit of these Enemies, Anno 1006,Anno 1006. deprived Wulfgate the Son of Leonne, (u)(u)Flor…n…ius Wigorni…nsis, Mat. Westm.whom he had loved more than all men, of his …ossessions and all his honours, propter injusta judicia, for his unjust judgements and proud works;P…opos. 2, 6. and likewise commanded the eyes of the two Sons of that Arch-Trait or Edric Streona to be put out at Cocham, where he kept his Cour…, because Edric had treacherously inticed a bloody Butcher, Godwin Porthound (whom he corrupted with great gifts) to murder the Noble Duke Althelin at Scoborbyrig, as he was hunting, whom Edric purp…s…ly invited to a Feast, that he might thus treacherously murder him. While these things were acting, in the month of Iuly, the Danes returning with an innumerable Navy into England, landing at (x)(x)Huntind. Hoveden, Malmesbury, Sim. Dnnelmensis, VVigorn. Mat. VVestm. Ingulphus, Bromton, Radulph. de Diceto, Knyghton, Polych. Fabian, Holinshed, Graston, Fox, Speed, Daniel.Sandwich, consumed all things with fire and sword, taking great booties, sometimes in Sussex, sometimes in Kent: Whereupon King Ethelred gathered a great Army out of Mercia and the West-parts of England, resolving valiantly to fight with the Da…es; who declining any open fight, and returning to their Ships, landed sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and so pillaging the Country, returned with the booty to the Ships before the English Army could encounter them, which they vexed all the Autumn in marching after them from place to place to no purpose: The English Army returning home when Win…et began to approach, the p. 176Danes with an extraordinary booty sayled to the Isle of Wight, where they continued till the Feast of Chri…ts Nativity, which Feast they turned into sorrow. For then they marching into Hampshire and Berkeshire, pillaged, and burnt down Reading, Wallingford, Colesey, Essington, and very many Villages, Quocunque enim perag…bant, quae parata erant hilariter comedentes, cum discederent in retribu…ionem procurationis reddebant hospiti caedem, hospitio flammam, as Huntindon, Bromton, and others story. As they were returning another way to their ships with their booty, they found the Inhabitants ready to give them battel at Kenet; whom the Danes presently fighting with, and routing, returned wi…h triumph to their ships, enriched with the new s…oils of the routed English.

Anno 1007.King Ethelred lying all this time in Shropshire, unable to resist the Danes, Anno 1007. cum Consilio Primatum suorum (as Florentius Wigorniensis, Simeon Dunelmensis, Polyc…ronicon, and others express it) by the Counsel of his Nobles, sent Messengers to the Danes … Proposit. 1, 6, 9.commanding them to tell them, quod sumptus et Tributum illis dare vellent, that they wou…d give …hem Co…ts and Tribute, upon this Condition; That they should desist from rapines, and hold a firm peace with them; to which request they consented… and from that time Costs were given them, and a Tribute paid them of thirty six thousand pounds out of a…l England, (y)(y)Historia…um l. 6. p. 360…Henry Hun…i…don, & Br…mton, thus rela…e the business. Rex et Senatus Anglorum, dubii quid agerent, quid omitterent, communi deliberatione, gravem conventionē cum exercitu fecerunt, & ad pacis observationē 36000 mil. librar. ei dederunt. A clear evidence that this Agreement and Peace was made, and money granted and raised in England, by common advice & consent in Parliament (or Council) In…renduit Anglia to…a velut arundinem Zephiro vibrante collisum. Unde Rex Ethelredus confusione magna consternatus, pecunia pacem ad p. 177tempus, quam armis non potuit, adquisivit, writes (z)(z)Anno 1007. p. 387.Matthew Westminster. Anno 1007… 387.Rex Anglorum Ethelredus, pro bono pacis Tributum 36 mil. librarum pers…lvit Dacis, as (a)(a)Abbrev. Chron. col. 462Radulphus de Diceto words it. After which the King this year made Edric, (aforementioned) Duke of Mercia; and that by the Providence of God, to the destruction of the English, a man of base parentage, but extraordinary crafty, eloquent, witty, and unconstant, surpassing all of that age in envy, perfidiousness, pride, cruelty and Treason, who soon after maried the Kings daughter Edith: whereby he had the better opportunity to betray the King and kingdom, with less suspition.

(b)(b)Spelmann… Concil. p. 510. to 531. Malmsb. l. 2. c. 10.King Ethelred, Anno 1007.though often vexed with the wars and invasions of these forein Enemies, yet he had a care to make good Laws for the benefit, peace and safety of his people; whereupon, having thus made Peace with the Danes, An. 1007. he summoned and held a Great Parliamentary Council at Aenham, on the Feast of Easter, at the exhortation of Aelfeag Archbishop of Canterbury, and Wulstan Archbishop of Yorke, who together with the rest of the Bishops, Proposit. 5, ….and all the Nobles of England were present at it. Regis Aethelredi Edicto concrepante acci…i sunt convenire. Where they all … de catholicae cultu Religionis reparando deque etiam rei statu publicae reparando vel consulendo, plura et non pauca, utpote divinitus …inspirati, ratiocinando sermocinabantur. In this Council they debated, resolved on divers things, and enacted many wholesom Laws and Edicts for the reformation and setling of Religion, and Churchmen, the advancement of Gods worship; the Government of the Church and State, the advancement of civil Justice and honesty, and defence of the Realm by Land and Sea, beginning with the things of God and the Church in the first place; which you may read at large in Sir Henry Spelman. Some Laws whereof I shall p. 178here transcribe, being very pertinent to my subject.

Cap. 5. Sapientes decernunt, Ut Leges quique coram Deo e… hominibus aequas …atuant et tueantur:Proposit. 1, 2, 4, 5. iniquas autem omnino deleant: justitiam pauperi atque diviti, pari exhibentes lance: et pacem insuper et concordiam piè in hoc seculo coram Deo et hominibus retinentes.

Cap. 6. Sapientes etiam decernunt, Ut nemo Christianum et in…ontem pretio tradat extra patriam, praesertim in Pagani alicujus servitium.