The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

5.28. Cadwallo king of Britain, diuers deeds of his as the British writers haue recor|ded them, wherevpon discord arose betweene Cadwallo & Edwin, who for two yeres space were linked in friendship, Cadwallo vanquisht, his flight, of Pelitus the Spanish wizard, Cadwallo ouerthroweth Penda and his power besieging Excester, he arreareth battell against the Northumbers, and killeth Edwin their king, he seeketh to expell the Saxons out of the land, Penda slaieth Oswald, whose brother and successor Osunus by gifts and sub|mission obteineth peace, whom Penda spitefullie attempting to kill is killed himselfe, Cadwallo dieth, a brasen image on horssebacke set vp in his memoriall, saint Martins at Ludgate builded. The xxviij. Chapter.

Cadwallo king of Britain, diuers deeds of his as the British writers haue recor|ded them, wherevpon discord arose betweene Cadwallo & Edwin, who for two yeres space were linked in friendship, Cadwallo vanquisht, his flight, of Pelitus the Spanish wizard, Cadwallo ouerthroweth Penda and his power besieging Excester, he arreareth battell against the Northumbers, and killeth Edwin their king, he seeketh to expell the Saxons out of the land, Penda slaieth Oswald, whose brother and successor Osunus by gifts and sub|mission obteineth peace, whom Penda spitefullie attempting to kill is killed himselfe, Cadwallo dieth, a brasen image on horssebacke set vp in his memoriall, saint Martins at Ludgate builded. The xxviij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _CAdwallo or Cadwalline, (for we find him so named) began his reigne ouer the Britains,Cadwallo, or Cad|walline. 635. in the yéere of our Lord 635, in the yéere of the reigne of the emperour He|racleus 35, and in the 13 yere of Dagobert K. of France, Of this man ye haue heard partlie before touching his dealings and warres against the Northumbers, and other of the English nation: but forsomuch as diuers other things are reported of him by the Bri|tish writers, we haue thought good in his place to rehearse the same in part, as in Gal. Mon. we find writen, leauing the credit still with the author, sith the truth thereof may be the more suspected, bicause o|ther authors of good authoritie, as Beda, Henrie Hun|tington, William Malmesburie, and others séeme greatlie to disagrée from him herein. But thus it is written.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This Cadwallo and Edwin the sonne of Ethel|fred, as Galfride saith,Edwin was not sonne to Ethelfred, [...] to Alla, or E|le, as in other places pl [...]|lie apeareth. were brought vp in France, being sent thither vnto Salomon king of Britaine, by king Cadwane, when they were verie yoong. Now after their returne into this land, when they were made kings, Cadwallo of the Britains, & Ed|win of the Northumbers, there continued for the space of two yéeres great friendship betwixt them, till at length Edwin required of Cadwallo that he might weare a crowne, and celebrate appointed so|lemnities within his dominion of Northumber|land, as well as Cadwallo did in his countrie. Cad|wallo, taking aduice in this matter, at length by per|suasion of his nephue Brian, denied to grant vnto Edwin his request, wherewith Edwin tooke such dis|pleasure, that he sent woord vnto Cadwallo, that he would be crowned without his leaue or licence, sith he would not willinglie grant it. Wherto Cadwallo answered, that if he so did, he would cut off his head vnder his diademe, if he presumed to weare anie within the confines of Britaine. Hereof discord ari|sing betwixt these two princes, they began to make fierce and cruell warre either of them against the o|ther, and at length ioining in batell with their maine forces, Cadwallo lost the field, with many thousands of his men,Cadwallo vanquishe [...] by Edwin. and being chased fled into Scotland, and from thence got ouer into Ireland, and finally passed the seas into Britaine Armorike,Cadwallo flieth the [...]. where, of his coosin king Salomon he was courteouslie receiued, and at length obteined of him 10000 men to go with him backe into his countrie to assist him in recouerie of his lands & dominions, the which in the meane time were cruellie spoiled, wasted and haried by king Edwin.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 At the same time Brian the nephue of Cadwallo, whom he had sent into Britaine a little before to slea a certeine wizard or southsaier, whom king Edwin had gotten out of Spaine named Pelitus, that by disclosing the purpose of Cadwallo vnto Edwin, greatlie hindered Cadwallos enterprises, had forti|fied the citie of Excester, mening to defend it till the comming of Cadwallo, wherevpon Penda king of Mercia besieged that citie with a mightie army, pur|posing to take it, and Brian within it. Cadwallo then aduertised hereof, immediatlie after his arriuall ha|sted to Excester, and diuiding his people in 4 parts, set vpon his enimies, & tooke Penda, and ouerthrew his whole armie. Penda hauing no other shift to es|cape, submitted himselfe wholie vnto Cadwallo, pro|mising to become his liegeman, to fight against the Saxons in his quarrell. Penda being thus subdued, Cadwallo called his nobles togither which had bene dispersed abroad a long season, & with all spéed went against Edwin king of Northumberland, and slue him in battell at Hatfield (as before is mentioned) with his son Osfride, and Eodbold king of the Iles of Orknie, which was come thither to his aid.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ¶By this it should appeare, that Fabian hath gathe|red amisse in the account of the reignes of the Bri|tish kings: for it appeareth by Beda and others, that Edwin was slaine in the yéere of our Lord 634. And where Fabian (as before is said)634. attributeth that act & diuers other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cad|wallo: yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most EEBO page image 113 part of all other writers signifie that it was done by Cadwallo. Harding assigneth but 13 yéeres to the reigne of Cadwan, and declareth that he died in the yéere of our Lord 616, in the which (as he saith) Cad|wallo, began his reigne, which opinion of his séemeth best to agrée with that which is written by other au|thors. But to returne to the other dooings of Cad|wallo, as we find them recorded in the British storie. After he had got this victorie against the Northum|bers, he cruellie pursued the Saxons, as though he ment so farre as in him lay, to destroie the whole race of them out of the coasts of all Britaine: and sending Penda against king Oswald that succéeded Edwin, though at the first Penda receiued the ouerthrow at Heauenfield, yet afterwards Cadwallo himselfe highly displeased with that chance, pursued Oswald, and fought with him at a place called Bourne, where Penda slue the said Oswald.Oswald slaine Wherevpon his bro|ther Osunus succéeding in gouernment of the Nor|thumbers, sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ru|ling as king ouer all Britaine, and at length by great gifts of gold and siluer, and vpon his humble submission, obteined peace, till at length vpon spite, Penda king of Mercia obteined licence of Cad|wallo to make warres against the said Osunus, Oswie. Matth. West. 654 in the which (as it hapned) Penda himselfe was slaine. Then Cadwallo after two yéeres granted that Ul|fridus the sonne of Penda should succeed in Mercia.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appointment within this land.678 Matt. West. saith 676. And finallie when he had reigned 48 yéeres, he departed this life the 22 of Nouember. His bodie being embalmed and dressed with swéet confections, was put into a brasen image by marue|lous art melted and cast, which image being set on a brazen horsse of excellent beautie, the Britains set vp aloft vpon the west gate of London called Lud|gate, in signe of his conquests, and for a terror to the Saxons. Moreouer the church of S. Martin vnder|neath the same gate, was by the Britains then buil|ded. Thus haue the Britains made mention of their valiant prince Cadwallo, but diuerse thinke that much of this historie is but fables, bicause of the ma|nifest varieng both from Beda and other antentike writers (as before I haue said.)

Previous | Next