5.9. The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex, the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon & his three sonnes, disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battels fought by Hengist and his death, the be|ginning of the Kentish kingdome, a battell fought betweene the Britains and Sax|ons, the first are conquered, the last are conquerors. The ninth Chapter.

The beginning of the kingdome of the Southsaxons commonlie called Sussex, the Britains with their rulers giue battell to Ella the Saxon & his three sonnes, disagreement betweene the English and British chronographers about the battels fought by Hengist and his death, the be|ginning of the Kentish kingdome, a battell fought betweene the Britains and Sax|ons, the first are conquered, the last are conquerors. The ninth Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _IN the time of the foresaid Aurelius Ambrosius,Ella entred this land as Matt. West. saith ann. 477 one El|la a Saxon with his 3 sonnes Cymen, Plettinger and Cis|sa, came out of Germanie with thrée ships, and landed in the south parts of Britaine, and being incountred with a power of Britains at a place called Cuneueshore, discomfited them, and chased them vnto a wood then called Andredescester, and so tooke that countrie, and inhabited there with his people the Saxons which he brought with him, and made himselfe king and lord thereof, in somuch that afterwards the same coun|trie was named the kingdome of the Southsaxons,The kingdom of the South|saxons dooth begin. which had for limits on the east side Kent, on the south the sea and Ile of Wight, on the west Hamshire, and on the north part Southerie. This kingdome (af|ter some) began vnder the foresaid Ella, about the 32 yeere after the first comming of the Saxons into this land, which by following that account, should be a|bout the second yéere of the reigne of Aurelius Am|brosius,482 and about the yéere of our Lord 482. But o|ther write, that it did begin about the 30 yéere after the first comming of Hengist, which should be two yéeres sooner.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 William Harison differing from all other, noteth it to begin in the fourth yéere after the death of Hen|gist, 4458 of the world, 2 of the 317 Olympiad, 1243 of Rome, 492 of Christ, and 43 after the com|ming of the Saxons: his woords are these. Ella erec|ted the kingdome of the Southsaxons, in the 15 after his arriuall, and reigned 32 yéeres, the chiefe citie of his kingdome also was Chichester, and after he had inioied the same his kingdome a while, he ouerthrew the citie called Andredescester, which as then was ta|ken for one of the most famous in all the south side of England. ¶For my part I thinke my dutie dis|charged, if I shew the opinions of the writers: for if I should therto a [...] mine owne, I should but increase coniectures, whereof alreadie we haeu superfluous store. To procéed thereforr as I find.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 About the ninth yéere after the comming of Ella, the Britains perceiuing that he with his Saxons still inlarged the bounds of his lordship by entring further into the land, assembled themselues togither vnder their kings and rulers, and gaue battell to El|la and his sonnes at Mecredesbourne, where they de|parted with doubtfull victorie, the armies on both sides being sore diminished, and so returned to their homes. Ella after this battell sent into his countrie for more aid.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now touching Hengist, who as ye haue heard, reigned as king in the prouince of Kent, the writers of the Wnglish kings varie somewhat from the Bri|tish histories, both in report of the battels by him fought against the Britains, and also for the maner of his death: as thus. After that Uortimer was dead, who departed this life (as some write) in the first yéere of the emperor Leo,Polych [...] surnamed the great, and first of that name that gouerned the empire, who be|gan to rule in the yéere of our Lord 457, we find that Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca gathered their people togither that were before sparkled,457 Henrie [...] Wil. Ma [...]t. and ha|uing also receiued new aid out of Germanie, fought with the Britans at a place called Crekenford, where were slaine of the Britains foure dukes or capteins, and foure thousand of other men, the residue were chased by Hengist out of Kent vnto London,Britains [...] [...] so that they neuer returned afterwards againe into Kent: thus the kingdome of Kent began vnder Hengist the twelfe yéere after the comming of the Saxons into Britaine, and Hengist reigned in Kent after this (as the same writers agree) foure and twentie yéeres.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 It is remembred that those Germans which late|lie were come ouer to the aid of Hengist,Polychro [...] being cho|sen men, mightie and strong of bodie, with their axes and swoords made great slaughter of the Britains in that battell at Crekenford or Creiford, which Bri|tains were ranged in foure battels vnder their a|foresaid foure dukes or capteins,Hen. Hu [...]. and were (as before is mentioned) slaine in the same battell. About the sixt yéere of the said emperor Leo, which was in the 17 yéere after the comming of the Saxons, Hengist and his sonne Occa or Osca fought at Wipets field in Kent,Wipets field. Matth. West. This battell was fought anno 473. as the same Mat West. noteth. Wipet. H Hunt. néere to a place called Tong with the Bri|tains, and slue of them twelue dukes or capteins, & on the part of the Saxons was slaine beside com|mon souldiers but onelie one capteine called Wipet, of whom the place after that daie tooke name.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This victorie was nothing plesant to the Saxons, by reason of the great losse which they susteined, as well by the death of the said Wipet, as of a great number of others: and so of a long time neither did the Saxons enter into the confines of the Britains, nor the Britains presumed to come into Kent. But whilest outward wars ceassed among the Britains, they exercised ciuill battell, falling togither by the eares among themselues, one striuing against ano|ther. Finallie, Hengist departed this life by course of nature, in the 39 yéere after his first comming into Britaine,Fortie yéeres saith H. Hun [...]. hauing procéeded in his businesse no lesse with craft and guile than with force and strength, fol|lowing therewith his natiue crueltie, so that he ra|ther did all things with rigour than with gentle|nesse. After him succéeded a sonne whom he left be|hind him,By this it is euident that he was not driuen out of the land after he had once set foot [...] it. Matt. West. H. Hunt. The citie of Andredesce|ster. who being attentiue rather to defend than to inlarge his kingdome, neuer set foot out of his fa|thers bounds, during the space of 24 yéeres, in the which he reigned.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 About thrée yéeres after the deceasse of Hengist, a new supplie of men of warre came out of Germa|nie vnto the aid of Ella king of Sussex, who hauing his power increased, besieged the citie of Andredes|cester, which was verie strong and well furnished with men and all things necessarie. The Britains al|so assembling togither in companies, greatlie an|noied the Saxons as they lay there at [...]ege, laieng ambushes to destroie such as went abroad, and ceas|sing not to giue alarums to the campe in the night season: and the Saxons could no sooner prepare them selues to giue the assalt, but the Britains were rea|die to assaile them on the backs, till at length the Saxons diuiding themselues into two companies, appointed the one to giue the assalt, and the other to incounter with the armie of the Britains without, and so finallie by that meanes preuailed, tooke the ci|tie, and destroied man, woman and child. Neither so EEBO page image 87 contented, they did also vtterlie race the said citie, so as it was neuer after that daie builded or readified againe.