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5.97. Edwarde.

Edwarde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Ed|ward. [figure appears here on page 235] AFter the de|ceaſe of king Edgar, ther was ſome ſtrife and cõtẽtion amõgſt the Lordes and peeres of ye realm about the ſucceſ|ſiõ of the crown:Some write that the father king Edgar appoynted Edward to ſuc|ceede him. Simon Dun. Iohn Capg. for Alfrida ye mo|ther of Egelre|dus, or Ethelredus, and diuerſe other of hir opini|on, would gladly haue aduanced the ſame Egel|redus to the rule: but the Archbiſhop Dunſtan ta|king in his handes the baner of the Crucifix, pre|ſented his elder brother Edward vnto the Lords as they were aſſembled togither, and there denoũ|ced him king, notwithſtãding that both Queene Alfred and hir friends, namely Alpher the Duke of Mercia were ſore agaynſt him, eſpecially for yt he was begot in vnlawful bed of Elfleda ye Nun, for which offẽce he did .vij. yeres penãce, & not for lying with Wilfride (as maiſter Fore thinketh.) But Dunſtan iudging as is to be thought that Edward was more fitte for their behoufe to con|tinue the world in ye former courſe as Edgar had left it, than his brother Egelred (whoſe mother & ſuch as tooke part with hir vnder hir ſonnes au|thoritie were likely ynough to turne all vpſide downe) vſed the matter ſo that with helpe of the Archbiſhop of Yorke Oſwalde,Alfer duke of Mercia and o|ther immedi|ately vpon Ed|gars death be|fore the crown was eſtabli|ſhed, remoued the Monkes and reſtored Canons. Simon Dun. and other By|ſhoppes, Abbottes, and certaine of the Nobilitie, as the Earle Eſſex and ſuch like, he preuayled in his purpoſe, ſo that (as before is ſayde) the ſayde Edwarde beeing the ſeconde of that name whiche gouerned thys lande before the conqueſt, was admitted king, and beganne his raigne ouer Englande in the yeare of oure Lorde. 975.975 in the thirde yeare of the Emperour Otho the ſecond, in the .xx. yeare of the raigne of Lothar king of Fraunce, and about the fourth yeare of Culene King of Scotlande. Hee was ſacred by the ſayde Archbiſhoppe Dunſtan at Kingſtone vpon Thames, to the greate griefe of his mother in law Alfred and hir friendes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Aboute the beginning of his raigne a blaſing Starre was ſerue,VVil. Mal. ſignifying (as was thought) the miſerable haps that followed. And firſt there enſued barrenneſſe of ground, and thereby famine amongſt the people, and morraine of Cattaile.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Alſo Duke Alpher or Elpher of Mercia,Alfer or Elfer, duke of Mer|cia. and other Noble men deſtroyed the Abbayes which King Edgar and Biſhoppe Adelwold had buil|ded within the limittes of Mercia. The Prieſtes or Canons whiche had beene expulſed in Ed|gars tyme out of their Prebendes and Benefices, beganne to complaine of theyr wrongs that were done to them, in that they had beene put oute of poſſeſſion from theyr lyuings, alledging it to bee a great offence and miſerable caſe that a ſtraun|ger ſhould come and remoue an olde inhabitant, for ſuch maner of doing coulde not pleaſe God, nor yet hee allowed of anye good man, whiche ought of maſon to doubt leaſt the ſame ſhould hap to him whiche hee might ſee to haue beene an o|ther mans vndoing.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Aboute thys matter was harde holde, for many of the Temporall Lordes,Iohn Capg. VVil. Mal. Ran. Higd. Mat. VVeſt. Sim. Dunel. and namely the ſame Alpher, iudged that the Prieſtes hadde wrong. In ſo muche that they remoued Monkes oute of theyr places, and brought into the Monaſteries ſecular Prieſtes with theyr wyues. But Edelwyn Duke of the Eaſt An|gles, and Alfred his brother, with Brightnoth or Brighnode Earle of Eſſex, withſtoode thys doing, and gathering an armie, with great va|liancie mainteyned the Monkes in their houſes, within the Countrey of Eaſt Angles.Sim. Dunel. Here|vpon were Councels holden, as at Wincheſter, at Kyrthling in Eaſt Angle, and at Calne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At Wincheſter when the matter was brought to that paſſe that the Prieſtes were lyke to haue had theyr purpoſe,Polidor. an Image of the Roode that ſtood there in the Refectory where they ſat in coũ|ſaile, vttered certaine wordes in this wiſe. God forbid it ſhoulde bee ſo: God forbid it ſhoulde EEBO page image 206 be ſo:A pretie ſhift of the Monkes to diſappoint the Prieſts. Polidor. ye iudged well once, but ye may not change well againe: as though (ſayth Polidore Virgill) the Monkes had more right, which had bereft o|ther men of their poſſeſſions, than the Prieſtes which required reſtitution of their owne. But (ſayth he) bycauſe the Image of Chriſt hanging on the croſſe was thought to ſpeake theſe words, ſuch credite was giuen thereto, as it had beene an Oracle, that the Prieſts had theyr ſuite daſhed, & all the trouble was ceaſſed. So the Monkes held thoſe poſſeſſions howſoeuer they came to them, by the helpe of God, or rather (as ſayeth the ſame Polidore) by the helpe of man. For there were e|uen then dyuerſe that thought this to be rather an Oracle of Phebus, than of God, that is to vn|derſtande, not publiſhed by Gods power, but by the fraude and craftie deceyte of men.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The matter therefore was not ſo quieted, but that vpon newe trouble an other Councell was had at a manour houſe belonging to the K. called [figure appears here on page 206] Calue,VVil. Malm. where they that were appoynted to haue the hearing of the matter, ſatte in an vpper loft. The king by reaſon of his yong yeares was ſpa|red, ſo that he came not there.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Here as they were buſied in arguing the mat|ter, eyther part laying for himſelfe what coulde be ſayde. Dunſton was ſore reuiled, and had ſun|drie reproches layde againſt him: but ſodainly euẽ in the verie heate of theyr communication, the ioyſtes of the loſt fayled, and downe came all the companie, ſo that many were ſlaine and hurt, but Dunſtan alone ſtanding vpon one of the ioyſtes that fell not, he eſcaped ſafe and ſounde. And ſo this myracle with the other made an ende of the controuerſie betweene the Prieſtes and Monkes,Dunſtan by working my|racles had his will, when ar|gumentes [...]ayled. all the Engliſh people following the minde of the Archbiſhop Dunſtan, who by meanes thereof had his will.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this meane while, king Edwarde ruling himſelf by good counſaile of ſuch as were thought diſcrete and ſage perſons, gaue great hope to the worlde that he woulde walke in his fathers ver|tuous ſteppes, as alreadie he well beganne, and bearing alway a reuerence to his mother in lawe, and a brotherly loue to hir ſonne Egeleed, vſed himſelfe as became him towardes them both. Af|terwarde by chaunce as hee was in hunting in a Forreſt neare to the Caſtell of Corfe,Polidor. VVil. Mal. where hys mother in lawe, and his brother the ſayde Egel|red then ſoiourned, when all his companie were ſpredde abrode in following the game, ſo that hee was left alone, hee tooke the way ſtreyght vnto his mother in lawes houſe, to viſite hir and hys brother.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 The Queene hearing that he was come, was right glad thereof,The wicked purpoſe of Queeen Al [...]l for that ſhee had occaſion offered to worke that which ſhe had of long time before ymagined, that was, to ſlea the king hir ſonne in lawe, that hir owne ſonne might enioy the garlande. She therefore requyred him to a|light, which he in no wiſe woulde yeeld vnto, but ſayde that he had ſtolne from his companie, and was onely come to ſee hir and his brother, and to drinke with them, and therefore woulde returne to the Forreſt againe to ſee ſome more ſport. The Queene perceyuing that hee woulde not alight, cauſed drinke to be fetched, and as he had the cup at his mouth, by hir appoynment one of hir ſer|uauntes ſtroke him into the bodie with a knife,The ſhamefull murther of K. Edwarde. wherevppon feeling himſelfe wounded, hee ſette ſpurres to the horſe thinking to gallop away, and ſo to get to his companie. But being hurt to the death, he fell from his horſe, ſo as one of his feete was faſtened in the ſtyrrop, by reaſon whereof his horſe drew him forth through woods and launds, and the bloud whiche guſhed out of the wounde ſhewed tokẽ of his death to ſuch as followed him, and the way to the place where the horſe had left EEBO page image 237 him.Mat. VVeſt. Fabian. Simon Dun. VVil. Malm. That place hight Corphes gate, or Corues gate. His bodie being founde was buried without any ſolemne funeralles at Warham. For they that enuyed that hee ſhoulde enioy the Crowne, enuied alſo the buriall of his bodie within the Church: but the memorie of his fame coulde not ſo ſecretely bee buried vp with the bodie, as they imagined. For ſundrie myracles ſhewed at the place where his bodie was enterred, made the ſame famous (as diuerſe haue reported) for there was ſight reſtored to the blind, health to the ſicke,Myracles. and hearing to the deafe, which are eaſilyer to be tolde than beleeued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Queene Alfride alſo woulde haue ridden to the place where he lay, mooued with repentaunce (as hath beene ſayde) but the horſe wherevpon ſhe rode woulde not come neare the graue, for anye thing that could be done to him. Neither by chan|ging the ſayde horſe coulde the matter be holpen. For euen the ſame thing happened to the other horſes. Herevpon the woman perceyued hir great offence towardes God for murthering the inno|cent, and did ſo repent hir afterward for the ſame, yt beſides ye chaſtiſing of hir body in faſting, and o|ther kinde of penance, ſhee employed all hir ſub|ſtance and patrimonie on the poore, and in buyl|ding and reparing of Churches and Mona|ſteries.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Buylding of Abbayes in thoſe dayes was thought to be a full ſa|tisfaction for all maner of ſinnes.Two houſes of Nunnes ſhee founded (as is ſayde) the one at Warwell, the other at Ambreſ|burie, and finally profeſſed hirſelfe a Nunne in one of them, that is to ſay, at Warwell, whiche houſe ſhee buylded (as ſome affyrme) in remem|brance of hir firſt huſbande that was ſlaine there by K Edgar for hir ſake (as before is mẽtioned.)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The bodie of this Edwarde the ſeconde, and ſurnamed the Martyr, after that it had remayned three yeares at Warham where it was firſt bu|ryed, was remooued vnto Shafteſburie, and with great reuerence buried there by the forenamed Al|fer, or Elfere Duke of Mercia, who alſo did ſore repent himſelfe in that hee had beene agaynſt the aduauncement of the ſayde king Edward (as yet haue hearde.Elferus.) But yet did not he eſcape worthie puniſhment: for within one yeare after, he was eaten to death with Lite (if the Hiſtorie he true.)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Edward came to his death after he had raigned three yeres (or as other write) three yeres and .viij.Polidor. VVil. Mal. Monethes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whatſoeuer hath beene reported by writers of the murther committed in the perſon of this king Edwarde, ſure it is that if he were haſt be|gotten (as by wryters of no meane credit it ſhould appeare he was in deede) great occaſion undoub|tedly was giuen vnto Queene Alfred to ſeeke re|uenge for the wrongful keeping backe of hir ſonne Egelred frõ his rightful ſucceſſion to the crowne: but whether that Edwarde was legitimate or not, ſhe might yet haue deuiſed ſome other law|ful meane to haue come by hir purpoſe, & not ſo to haue procured the murther of the yong Prince in ſuch vnlawfull maner. For hir doing therein can neither be worthily allowed, nor throughly excu|ſed, although thoſe that occaſioned the miſchiefe by aduauncing hir ſtepſonne to an other mans right, deſerued moſt blame in this matter.

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6.25. Contention amongest the peeres and states about succession to the crowne, the monkes remoued and the canons and secular priests restored by Alfer duke of Mercia and his adherents, a blasing starre with the euents insuing the same, the rood of Winchester speaketh, a prettie shift of moonks to defeat the priests of their possessions, the contro|uersie betweene the moonks and the priests ended by a mira|cle of archbishop Dunstane, great hope that Edward would tread his fathers steps, the reuerent loue he bare his stepmo|ther queene Alfred and hir sonne Egelred, hir diuelish pur|pose to murther Edward hir stepsonne accomplished, his ob|scure funerall in respect of pompe, but famous by meanes of miracles wrought by and about his sepulture, queene Alfred repenting hir of the said prepensed murther, dooth penance, and imploieth hir substance in good woorkes as satisfactorie for hir sinnes, king Edwards bodie remoued, and solemn|lie buried by Alfer duke of Mercia, who was eaten vp with lice for being against the said Edwards aduancement to the crowne, queene Al|freds offense by no meanes excusable. The xxv. Chapter.

Contention amongest the peeres and states about succession to the crowne, the monkes remoued and the canons and secular priests restored by Alfer duke of Mercia and his adherents, a blasing starre with the euents insuing the same, the rood of Winchester speaketh, a prettie shift of moonks to defeat the priests of their possessions, the contro|uersie betweene the moonks and the priests ended by a mira|cle of archbishop Dunstane, great hope that Edward would tread his fathers steps, the reuerent loue he bare his stepmo|ther queene Alfred and hir sonne Egelred, hir diuelish pur|pose to murther Edward hir stepsonne accomplished, his ob|scure funerall in respect of pompe, but famous by meanes of miracles wrought by and about his sepulture, queene Alfred repenting hir of the said prepensed murther, dooth penance, and imploieth hir substance in good woorkes as satisfactorie for hir sinnes, king Edwards bodie remoued, and solemn|lie buried by Alfer duke of Mercia, who was eaten vp with lice for being against the said Edwards aduancement to the crowne, queene Al|freds offense by no meanes excusable. The xxv. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _AFter the deceasse of king Edgar,Edward. there was some strife and contention amongst the lords & péeres of the realme about the succession of the crowne:Some write that the father king Edgar appointed Edward to succéed him. for Alfred the mo|ther of Egelredus or Ethel|redus,Simon Dun. and diuers other of hir opinion,Iohn Capg. would gladlie haue aduanced the same Egelredus to the rule: but the archbishop Dunstan taking in his hands the baner of the crucifix, pre|sented his elder brother Edward vnto the lords as they were assembled togither, and there pronounced him king, notwithstanding that both queene Alfred and hir friends, namelie Alfer the duke of Mercia were sore against him, especiallie for that he was begot in vnlawfull bed of Elfleda the nun, for which offense he did seuen yeares p [...]nance, and not for li|eng with Wilfrid (as maister Fox thinketh.) But Dunstane iudging (as is to be thought) that Ed|ward was more fit for their behoofe to continue the world in the former course as Edgar had left it,After duke of Mercia and other imme [...]|atlie vpon Edgars death before the crowne was establi|shed, remooued the moonks and restored the canons. Simon Dun. than his brother Egelred (whose mother and such as tooke part with hir vnder hir sonnes authoritie were like|lie inough to turne all vpside downe) vsed the mat|ter so, that with helpe of Oswald the archbishop of Yorke, and other bishops, abbats, and certeine of the nobilitie, as the earle of Essex and such like, he preuailed in his purpose, so that (as before is said) the said Edward, being the second of that name which gouerned this land before the conquest, was admitted king, and began his reigne ouer England in the yeare of our Lord 975,975 in the third yeare of the emperour Otho the second, in the 20 yeare of the reigne of Lothar king of France, and about the fourth yeare of Cumelerne king of Scotland. He was consecrated by archb. Dunstane at King|ston vpon Thames, to the great griefe of his mother in law Alfred and hir friends.Wil. Malm. ¶About the beginning of his reigne a blasing starre was seene, signifieng (as was thought) the miserable haps that followed. And first there insued barrennesse of ground, and thereby famine amongest the people, and morraine of cattell.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Also duke Alfer or Elfer of Mercia,Alfer or El|fer duke of Mercia. and other noble men destroied the abbies which king Ed|gar and bishop Adelwold had builded within the li|mits of Mercia. The priests or canons, which had beene expelled in Edgars time out of the prebends and benefices, began to complaine of the wrongs that were doone to them, in that they had beene put out of possession from their liuings, alleging it to be a great offense and miserable case, that a stranger should come and remoue an old inhabitant, for such maner of dooing could not please God, not yet be allowed of anie good man, which ought of reason to doubt least the same should hap to him which he might sée to haue béene an other mans vndooing. A|bout this matter was hard hold, for manie of the temporall lords,Iohn Cap [...] and namelie the same Alfer, iudged that the priests had wrong.Wil. Malm. In so much that they remoued the moonks out of their places,Ran. Higd. and brought into the monasteries secular priests with their wiues.Matt. West. But Edelwin duke of the Eastangles, & Alfred his brother,Simon Dun. with Brightnoth or Brighnode earle of Essex, withstood this dooing, & gathering an armie, with great valiancie mainteined the moonks in their houses, within the countrie of Eastangles. Herevpon were councels holden,Simon Dun. as at Winche|ster, at Kirthling in Eastangle, and at Calne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At Winchester,Polydor. when the matter was brought to that passe that the priests were like to haue had their purpose, an image of the rood that stood there in the refectorie where they sat in councell, vttered certeine woords in this wise; God forbid it should be so, God forbid it should be so: ye iudged well once, but ye may not change well againe.A pretie shift of the moonks to disappoint the priests. As though (saith PolydorPolydor. Virgil) the moonks had more right, which had berest other men of their possessions, than the priests which required restitution of their owne. But (saith he) bi|cause the image of Christ hanging on the crosse was thought to speake these words, such credit was giuen thereto, as it had béene an oracle, that the priests had their sute dashed, and all the trouble was ceassed. So the moonks held those possessions, howsoeuer they came to them, by the helpe of God, or rather (as saith the same Polydor) by the helpe of man. For there were euen then diuers that thought this to be rather an oracle of Phebus than of God, that is to say, not published by Gods power, but by the fraud and craf|tie deceit of men.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 EEBO page image 163 The matter therefore was not so quieted, but that vpon new trouble an other councell was had at a manour house belonging to the king,Wil. Malm. called Calne, where they that were appointed to haue the hearing of the matter, sat in an vpper lost. The king by rea|son of his yoong yéeres do was spared, so that he came not there. Héere as they were busied in arguing the matter, either part laieng for himselfe what could be said, Dunstane was sore reuiled, and had sundrie re|proches laid against him: but suddenlie euen in the verie heat of their communication, the ioists of the loft failed, and downe came all the companie, so that manie were slaine and hurt, but Dunstane alone standing vpon one of the ioists that fell not, escaped safe and sound.Dunstane by woorking mi|racles had his will, when ar|guments fai|led. And so this miracle with the other made an end of the controuersie betwéene the priests and moonks, all the English people following the mind of the archbishop Dunstane, who by meanes thereof had his will.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 In this meane while, king Edward ruling him|selfe by good counsell of such as were thought discréet and sage persons, gaue great hope to the world that he would walke in his fathers vertuous steps, as al|readie be well began, and bearing alwaie a reue|rence to his mother in law, and a brotherlie loue to hir sonne Egelred, vsed himselfe as became him to|wards them both.Polydor. Afterward by chance as he was hunting in a forrest néere the castell of Corfe,Wil. Malms. where his mother in law and his brother the said Egelred then soiourned, when all his companie were spred a|broad in following the game, so that he was left a|lone, he tooke the waie streight vnto his mother in lawes house, to visit hir and his brother. The quéene hearing that he was come,The wicked purpose of quéene Alfred. was verie glad thereof, for that she had occasion offered to woorke that which she had of long time before imagined, that was, to slea the king hir sonne in law, that hir owne sonne might inioy the garland. Wherefore she required him to alight, which he in no wise would yéeld vnto, but said that he had stolne from his companie, and was onelie come to see hir and his brother, and to drinke with them, and therefore would returne to the forrest againe to sée some more sport.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The queene perceiuing that he would not alight, caused drinke to be fetched, and as he had the cup at his mouth,The shameful murther of K. Edward. by hir appointment, one of hir seruants stroke him into the bodie with a knife, wherevpon féeling himselfe wounded, he set sprres to the horsse thinking to gallop awaie, and so to get to his compa|nie. But being hurt to the death, he fell from his horsse, so as one of his féet was fastened in the stir|rup, by reason whereof his horsse drew him foorth through woods and launds, & the bloud which gushed out of the wound shewed token of his death to such as followed him, and the waie to the place where the horsse had left him.Matth. West. That place was called Corphes gate or Corfes gate.Fabian. His bodie being found was bu|ried without anie solemne funeralls at Warham.Sim. Dun. For they which enuied that he should inioy the crowne,Wil. Malm. enuied also the buriall of his bodie within the church: but the memorie of his fame could not so secretlie be buried with the bodie, as they imagi|ned. For sundrie miracles shewed at the place where his bodie was interred, made the same famous (as diuerse haue reported) for there was sight restored to the blind,Miracles. health to the sicke, and hearing to the deafe, which are easilier to be told than beléeued.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Quéene Alfred also would haue ridden to the place where he laie, mooued with repentance (as hath béene said) but the horsse wherevpon she rode would not come neere the graue, for anie thing that could be doone to him. Neither by changing the said horsse could the matter be holpen: for euen the same thing happened to the other horsses. Heerevpon the woman perceiued hir great offense towards God for mur|thering the innocent, and did so repent hir afterward for the same, that besides the chastising of hir bodie in fasting, and other kind of penance, she imploied all hir substance and patrimonie on the poor [...],Building of abbeies in those daies was thought to be a full sa|tisfaction for all maner of sinues. and in building and reparing of churches and monasteries. She founded two houses of nuns (as is said) the one at Warwell, the other at Ambresburie, and finallie professed hirselfe a nun in one of them, that is to say, at Warwell, which house she builded (as some af|firme) in remembrance of hir first husband that was slaine there by king Edgar for hir sake (as before is mentioned.)

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The bodie of this Edward the second, and surna|med the martyr, after that it had remained thrée yeeres at Warham where it was first buried,Elferus. was remooued vnto Shaftesburie, and with great reue|rence buried there by the forenamed Al [...]er or Elfer, duke of Mercia, who also did sore repent himselfe, in that he had beene against the aduancement of the said king Edward (as ye haue heard.) But yet did not he escape woorthie punishment: for within one yéere after,Polydor. he was eaten to death with lice (if the hi|storie be true.)Will. Malmes. King Edward came to his death after he had reigned thrée yéeres, or (as other write) thrée yéeres and eight moneths. ¶Whatsoeuer hath béene reported by writers of the murther committed on the person of this king Edward, sure it is that if he were base begotten (as by writers of no meane cre|dit it should appéere he was in déed) great occasion vndoubtedlie was giuen vnto quéene Alfred to seeke reuenge for the wrongfull keeping backe of hir son Egelred from his rightfull succession to the crowne: but whether that Edward was legitimate or not, she might yet haue deuised some other lawfull meane to haue come by hir purpose, and not so to haue procu|red the murther of the yoong prince in such vnlawfull maner. For hir dooing therein can neither be woorthi|lie allowed, nor throughlie excused, although those that occasioned the mischiefe by aduancing hir step|sonne sonne to an other mans right, deserued most blame in this matter.

Thus farre the sixt booke, comprising the first arriuall of the Danes in this land, which was in king Britricus his reigne, pag. 135, at which time the most miserable state of England tooke beginning.