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THE SIXT BOOKE of the Historie of England.

6.1. Inas king of the Westsaxons, the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands, Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen, whom he was purposed to haue destroied, he & his coosen Nun fight with Ge|rent king of the Britains, and Cheolred king of Mercia, and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons, the end of their kingdoms, Inas giueth ouer his roialtie, goeth in pilgrimage to Rome, and there dieth; his lawes written in the Saxon toong; of what buildings he was the founder, queene Ethelburgas de|uise to persuade Inas to forsake the world, he was the first pro|curer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome; king Ethelred, king Kenred, and king Offa become moonks; the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision; king Ethelbalds exploits, he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggesti|on of Bernred the vsurper, Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald, nuns kept for concubines, their pilgrimage. The first Chapter.

Inas king of the Westsaxons, the whole monarchie of the realme falleth into their hands, Inas for a summe of monie granteth peace to the Kentishmen, whom he was purposed to haue destroied, he & his coosen Nun fight with Ge|rent king of the Britains, and Cheolred king of Mercia, and Ealdbright king of Southsaxons, the end of their kingdoms, Inas giueth ouer his roialtie, goeth in pilgrimage to Rome, and there dieth; his lawes written in the Saxon toong; of what buildings he was the founder, queene Ethelburgas de|uise to persuade Inas to forsake the world, he was the first pro|curer of Peter pence to be paid to Rome; king Ethelred, king Kenred, and king Offa become moonks; the setting vp of images in this land authorised by a vision; king Ethelbalds exploits, he is slaine of his owne subiects by the suggesti|on of Bernred the vsurper, Boniface his letter of commendation to King Ethelbald, nuns kept for concubines, their pilgrimage. The first Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _AFter tht Ce|adwalla,Inas. 689 late K. of the Westsax|ons was gone to Rome, where he departed this life (as afore is shew|ed) his coosen I|nas or Ine was made king of the Westsaxons, be|gining his reigne in the yéere of our Lord 689, in the third yeere of the emperor Iustmianus the third, the 11 yéere of the reigne of Theodoricus K. of France, and about the second yéere of the reigne of Eugeni|us king of Scots. now because the rule of The Bri|tains commonlie called Welshmen,The Britains ceasse to reigne in this land. ceassed in this realme, as by confession of their owne writers it ap|péereth, and that in the end the whole monarchie of the same realme came to the hands of the kings of Westsaxons, we haue thought méet to refer things generall vnto the reignes of the same kings, as be|fore we did in the Britaine kings, reseruing the par|ticular dooings to the kings of the other prouinces or kingdoms, as the same haue fallen out, and shall come to hand.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This Inas,Fabian. H. Hunt. whome some (mistaking N for U) doo wrongfullie name Iue or Iewe, prooued a right excellent prince, he was descended of the anci|ent linage of the kings of the Westsaxons, as sonne to one Kenred, that was sonne to Geolwald the son of Cutha or Cutwine, that was sonne to Kenricke the sonne of Certicus, the first king of Westsaxons. But he was admitted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his woorthie per|son, than for the successiue of spring of which he was descended. The first [...]biage that he made, was a|gainst the Kentishmen, on whome he purposed to re|uenge the death of his coosen Mollo, the griefe where|of as yet he kept in fresh memorie.Mart. Wastm. Wil. Malm. But when the Kentishmen perceiued, that to resist him by force, they were nothing able, they attempted by monie to buy their peace, and so obteined their purpose, vpon paiment made to him of thirtie thousand marks of siluer.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 After this, about the 21 yéere of his reigne, Anno 708, as is noted by Matt. West. king Inas and his coosen Nun fought with Gerent king of the Britains. In the beginning of the battell, one Higelbald a noble man of the Westsaxons part was slaine,H. Hunt. but in the end Gerent with his Britains was chased. In the 26 yéere of his reigne, the same Inas fought a mightie battell against Cheolred king of Mercia, Matt. VVest. saith 718. at Wodenessburie, with doubtfull victorie, for it could not well be iudged whether part susteined greater losse. In the 36 yéere of his reigne, king I|nas inuaded the Southsaxons with a mightie ar|mie, and slue in battell Ealdbright or Aldinius king of the Southsaxons, and ioined that kingdome vnto the kingdome of the Westsaxons: Matth. West. saith 722. The end of the kingdome of the South|saxons. so that from thencefoorth the kingdome of those Southsaxons ceassed, after they had reigned in that kingdome by the space of fiue kings successiuelie, that is to say, Ella, Cissa, Ethelwalke, Berutius, and this last Al|dinius or Ealdbright.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Finallie, when Inas had reigned 37 yéeres, and 10 or 11 od moneths, he renounced the rule of his kingdome, togither with all worldlie pompe, and went vnto Rome as a poore pilgrime,Inas went to Rome and there died. and there en|ded his life: but before this, during the time of his reigne, he shewed himselfe verie deuout and zealous towards the aduancement of the christian religion. He made and ordeined also good & wholesome lawes for the amendment of maners in the people, which are yet extant and to be read, written in the Saxon toong, and translated into the Latine in times past, and now latelie againe by William Lambert gentle|man, and printed by Iohn Day, in the yéere 1568, togither with the lawes and statutes of other kings before the conquest, as to the learned maie appéere.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Moreouer, king Ine builded the monasterie of Glastenburie,Polydor. where Ioseph of Arimathea in times past builded an oratorie or chappell (as before is reci|ted) when he with other christians came into this land in the daies of Aruiragus, & taught the gospell heere to the Britains, conuerting manie of them to the faith. Moreouer, king Ine or Inas builded the church of Welles, dedicating it vnto saint Andrew, where afterwards a bishops sée was placed, which at length was translated vnto Salisburie. He had to wife one Ethelburga,Ethelburga. a woman of no [...]le linage, who had béene earnest with him a long time to persuade him to forsake the world: but she could by no meanes bring hir purpose to passe,Will. Malmes. till vpon a time the king and she had lodged at a manor place in the countrie, where all prouision had béene made for the receiuing of them and their traine in most sumptuous maner that might be, as well in rich furniture of houshold, as also in costlie viands, and all other things need|full, EEBO page image 128 or that might serue for pleasure, and when they were departed, the quéene the foresaid Ethelburga caused the keeper of that house to remooue all the bedding, hangings,The deuise of quéene Ethel|burga to per|suade hir hus|band to for|sake the world and other such things as had béen brought thither and ordeined for the beautifull set|ting foorth of the hosue, and in place thereof to bring ordure, straw, & such like filth, as well into the cham|bers and hall, as into all the houses of office, and that doone, to laie a fow with pigs in the place where be|fore the kings bed had stood. Héerevpon when she had knowledge that euerie thing was ordered according to hir appointment, she persuaded the king to re|turne thither againe, feining occasions great and ne|cessarie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Now when he was returned to that house, which before séemed to the eie a palace of most pleasure, and now finding it in such a filthie state as might loath the stomach of anie man to behold the same, she tooke occasion therevpon to persuade him to the considera|tino of the vaine pleasures of this world, which in a moment turne to naught, togither with the corrup|tion of the flesh, being a filthie lumpe of claie, after it should once be dissolued by death: and in fine, where before she had spent much labour to mooue him to re|nounce the world, though all in vaine, yet now the beholding of that change in his pleasant place, wherein so late he had taken great delight, wrought such an alteration in his mind, that hir woords lastlie tooke effect: so that he resigned the kingdome to his coosen Ethelard, and went himselfe to Rome (as a|boue is mentioned) and his wife became a nun in the abbeie of Barking, where she was made ab|besse, and finallie there ended hir life. This Inas was the first that caused the monie called Peter pence, to be paid vnto the bishop of Rome,Peter pence. which was for eue|rie houshold within his dominion of penie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred, hauing gouerned the kingdome of Mercia by the tearme of 29 yéeres,King Ethel|red becom|meth a moonk. Ostrida. became a moonke in the abbeie of Barde|nie, and after was made abbat of that house. He had to wife one Ostrida the sister of Egfride king of Northumberland, by whome he had a sonne named Ceolred. But he appointed Kenred the sonne of his brother Uulfher to succéed him in the kingdome. The said Ostrida was cruellie slaine by the treason of hir husbands subiects, Beda in Epit. 697 King Kenred about the yéere of our Lord 697. And as for Kenred, he was a prince of great vertue deuout towards God, a furtherer of the common|wealth of his countrie, and passed his life in great sinceritie of maners. In the fift yéere of his reigne, he renounced the world, and went to Rome, togither with Offa king of the Eastsaxons, where he was made a moonke: and finallie died there, in the yéere of our Lord 711.711 Nauclerus. Egwin bishop of Worcester. By the aid and furtherance of this Kenred, a moonke of saint Benets order (called Eg|win) builded the abbbie of Eueshame, who after|wards was made bishop of Worcester.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 ¶We find recorded by writers,A fabulous and trifling deuise. that this Egwin had warning giuen him by visions (as he constant|lie affirmed before pope Constantine) to set vp an image of our ladie in his church. Wherevpon the pope approouing the testifications of this bishop by his buls, writ to Brightwald archbishop of Cantur|burie, to assemble a synod, and by authoritie thereof to establish the vse of images, charging the kings of this land to be present at the same synod, vpon paine of excommunication. This synod was holden about the yéere of our Lord 712,Bale. 712 in the daies of Inas king of Westsaxons, and of Ceolred king of Mercia suc|cessor to the foresaid Kenred.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 After Kenred succéeded Ceolred, the sonne of his vncle Edilred, & died in the 8 yeere of his reigne, and was buried at Lichfield.H. Hunt. Then succéeded Ethel|baldus that was descended of Eopa the brother of king Penda, as the fourth from him by lineall suc|cession. This man gouerned a long time without a|nie notable trouble: some warres he had, and sped di|uerslie.Ran. Cestre [...]. In the 18 yéere of his reigne, he besieged Sommerton and wan it. He also inuaded Northum|berland, and got there great riches by spoile and pil|lage, which he brought from thence without anie bat|tell offered to him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 He ouercame the Welshmen in battell,Hen. Hunt. being then at quiet, and ioined as confederats with Cuthred K. of Westsaxons. But in the 37 yéere of his reigne, he was ouercome in battell at Bereford by the same Cuthred,Bereford. with whome he was fallen at variance, and within foure yéeres after, that is to say, in the 41 yéere of his reigne, he was slaine in battell at Se|candon,755 Three miles from Tam|woorth. Wil. Malm. or Sekenton, by his owne subiects, which ar|reared warres against him, by the procurement and leading of one Bernred. who after he had slaine his naturall prince, tooke vpon him the kingdome: but he prospered not long, being slaine by Offa that suc|céeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia, as af|ter shall be shewed. The bodie of Ethelbald was bu|ried at Ripton.758 Matth. West.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Bonifacius the archbishop of Mentz or Moguntz,The historie of Magd. hauing assembled a councell with other bishops and doctors, deuised a letter, and sent it vnto this E|thelbald, commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes-giuing to the reliefe of the poore, and also for his vpright dealing in administration of iustice, to the punishment of robbers and such like misdooers: but in that he absteined from mariage, and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse wo|men, and namelie with nuns, they sore blamed him, and withall declared in what in famie the whole En|glish nation in those daies remained by common re|port in other countries for their licentious liuing in sinfull fornication, and namelie the most part of the noble men of Mercia by his euill example did forsake their wiues, and defloured other women which they kept in adulterie, as nuns and others.Nuns kept for concu|bines. Moreouer, he shewed how that such euill women, as well nuns as other, vsed to make awaie in secret wise their chil|dren which they bare out of wedlocke, and so filled the graues with dead bodies, and hell with damned soules. The same Bonifacius in an other epistle which he wrote vnto Cutbert the archbishop of Can|turburie, counselled him not to permit the English nuns to wander abroad so often on pilgrimage,Pilgrimage of nuns. bi|cause there were few cities either in France or Lombardie, wherein might not be found English women, that liued wantonlie in fornication and whordome.

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5.82. Inas king of VVeſt Saxons.

Inas king of VVeſt Saxons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Inas. 689 [figure appears here on page 187] IN this meane whyle after that Cead|walla, late King of the Weſt Sax|ons was gon to Rome, where he de|parted thys yfe (as before is ſhewed) his coſin Inas, or Ine, was made king of the Weſt Saxons, beginning his raigne in the yeare of our Lorde .689. in the thirde yeare of the Emperour Iuſtinianus the thirde in the .xj. yeare of the raigne of Theodori|cus king of Fraunce, and about the ſeconde yeare of the raigne of Eugenius king of Scots.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Bycauſe that now the rule of the Brytaines commonly called Welchmen,The Brytaynes ceaſſe to raign in this lande. ceaſſed in thys Realme, as by confeſſion of their awne wryters it appeareth, and that in the ende the whole Mo|narchie of the ſame Realme came to ye hands of ye kings of Weſt Saxons, we haue thought meete to referre things general vnto ye raignes of ye ſame kings, as before wee did in the Brytaine Kings, reſeruing the particuler doings to the kings of the other Prouinces or kingdomes, as the ſame haue fallen out, and ſhall come to hande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Inas, which ſome miſtaking the [...] for an u, do wrongfully name Iue or Iewe,Fabian. Henric. Hũt. proued a right excellent Prince, hee was diſcended of the auncient lynage of the kings of the Weſt Sax|ons, as ſonne to one Kenred, that was ſonne to Ceolwald, the ſonne of Cutha, or Cutwyne, that was ſonne to Kenrick, the ſonne of Certicus the firſt king of Weſt Saxons. But he was a [...]it|ted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to reſt in his worthie perſon, than for the ſucceſſiue ofſpring of which he was deſcended.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The firſt voyage that [...]e made, was agaynſt the Kentiſhmen, on whom [...] purpoſed to reuenge the death of his coſin Moll [...], the griefe where of as yet he kept in freſh memori [...].Mat. VVeſt. VVil. Malm. But when the Ken|tiſh men perceiued, that to reſiſt him by force, they were nothing able, they attempted by money to buy theyr peace, and ſo obteined their purpoſe vp|pon payment made to him of .xxx. M. markes of ſiluer.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this, about the .xxj. yeare of his raigne,Anno. 708 as is noted by Mat. VVeſt. king Inas and his coſin Nun, fought with [...]e|rent king of the Brytaynes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the beginning of the battaile one Higel|bald a noble man of the Weſt Saxons part was ſlaine,H. Hunt. but in the ende Gerent with his Brytains was chaſed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the .xxvi. yeare of his raigne,Mat. VVeſt. hath. 718. the ſame Inas fought a mightie battaile againſt Cheolred King of Mercia, at W [...]eneſburie, with doubtfull vic|torie, for it could not well be iudged whether part ſuſteyned greater loſſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the .xxxvi. yeare of his raigne, king Inas inuaded the South Saxons with a mightie ar|mie, and [...] in battaile Ealdbright, or [...] king of the South Saxons, & ioyned that king|dome vnto the kingdome of the Weſt Saxons:Mat. VVeſt. hath. 722. ſo that from thence forth the kingdome of thoſe South Saxons ceaſſed after they had raigned in that kingdome by the ſpace of fiue kings ſucceſ|ſiuely, that is to wit, [...]lla, Ciſſa, Ethelwalke,The end of [...] kingdome of the South Saxoes. Berutius, and this laſt Aldhinius, or Ealdbright.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 188Finally, when Inas had raigned .xxxvij. yeares, and .x. or .xj. odde Monethes, hee renoun|ced the rule of his kingdome, togither with all worldly pompe, and went vnto Rome as a poore pylgryme,Inas went to Rome and there dyed. and there ended his life: But before this, during the time of his raigne, hee ſhewed himſelfe verie deuout and zealous towardes the aduauncement of the Chriſtian Religion. He made and ordeyned alſo good and wholeſome lawes for the amendment of maners in the peo|ple, whiche are yet extant and to bee re [...]e, written in the Saxon tongue, and tranſla|ted into the Latine in tymes paſt, and nowe lately agayne by maiſter William Lambert, and imprinted by Iohn Day, in the yeare .1568. togither wyth the lawes and Statutes of other Kings before the Conqueſt, as to the learned it may appeare.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, King Ine builded the Mona|ſterie of Glaſtenburie,Polidor. where Ioſeph of Arima|thea, [figure appears here on page 188] in times paſt builded an Oratorie or Chap|pell (as before is recited) when he with other chri|ſtians came into this lande in the dayes of Arui|ragus, and taught the Goſpell here to the Bry|tayns, conuerting many of them to the fayth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer king Ine or Inas buylded the Church of Welles, dedicating it vnto ſaint An|drew, where afterwardes a Biſhops Sea was placed, which at length was tranſlated vnto Sa|liſburie.Ethelburga. He had to wife one Ethelburga, a wo|man of noble lynage, who had beene earneſt in hande with him a long time to perſwade him to forſake the worlde: but ſhee could by no meanes bring hir purpoſe to paſſe,VVil. Malm. till vppon a time the king and ſhe had lodged at a Manor place in the Countrey, where all prouiſion had beene made for the receyuing of them and theyr trayne in moſt ſumptuous manner that might be, as well in riche furniture of houſeholde, as alſo in coſtly viandes, and all other things needefull, or that might ſerue for pleaſure, and when they were departed, the Queene the foreſayde Ethelburga, cauſed the keeper of that houſe to remoue all the bedding,The deuiſe of Queene Ethel|burga to per|ſwade hir huſ|band to forſake the world. hangings, and other ſuch things as had beene brought thither and ordeyned for the beau|tifull ſetting forth of the houſe, and in place ther|of to bring ordure, ſtrawe, and ſuche lyke fylth, as well into the Chambers and Ha [...], as into all the houſes of office, and that done to lay a Sowe wyth Pigges in the place where before the kings bed had ſtoode.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Herepon when ſhe had knowledge that eue|rye thing was ordered according to hir appoynt|ment, ſhe perſwaded the King to returne thyther agayne, feyning occaſions great and neceſſarie [...].

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After he was returned to that houſe, whiche before ſeemed to the eye a Palace of moſte plea|ſure, and nowe fynding it in ſuche a fylthie ſ [...]te as might lothe the ſtomacke of any man to be|holde the ſame, ſhee tooke occaſion thereof to perſwade him to the conſideration of the [...] pleaſures of this worlde, whiche in a moment turned to naught, togyther with the corruption of the fleſhe, beeing a fylthie lumpe of Claye, after it ſhoulde once be dyſſolued by death: and in fine where before ſhee had ſpente muche la|bour to moue hym to renounce the Worlde, though all in vayne, yet nowe the beholding of that chaunge in his pleaſant Palayce wherein [...]o late hee had taken ſo greate delight, wrought ſuche an alteration in hys mynde, that hir wordes laſtlye tooke effecte: ſo that hee reſig|ned the Kingdome to his couſin Ethelard and went himſelfe to Rome (as aboue i [...] mentioned,) and his wife became a Nunne in the Abbey of Barking, where ſhe was made Abbeſſe, and fi|nally there ended hir lyfe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Inas was the fyrſt that cauſed the EEBO page image 189 money called Peter pens,Peter pens. to bee payde vnto the Biſhop of Rome, which was for euery houſhold within his dominion a pennie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this meane time Edilred or Ethelred, hauing gouerned the Kingdome of Mercia by the terme of .xxix. yeares,King Ethelred becommeth a Monke. became a Monke in the Abbey of Bardeny, and after was made Abbot of that houſe.Oſtrida. He had to wyfe one Oſtryda the ſiſter of Ecgfride King of Northumberlande, by whome hee had a ſonne named Ceolred. But he appoynted Kenred the ſonne of his Brother Vulfhere to ſucceed him in the kingdome.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Beda in Epit.The ſayde Oſtrida was cruelly ſlaine by the treaſon of hir huſbandes ſubiectes, about the yeare of our Lorde .697.697 King Kenreds

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The foreſayde Kenred was a Prince of greate vertue, deuoute towardes God, a fur|therer of the common wealth of his Countrey, and paſſed hys lyfe in greate ſynceritye of maners.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the fifth yeare of his raigne, he renounced the worlde, and went to Rome, togither with Offa king of Eaſt Saxons, where he was made a Monke and finally dyed there, in the yeare of our Lord .711. 711 Nauclerus.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 By the ayde and furtherance of this Kenred, a Monke of Saint Benet [...] order (cleped Egwin) buylded the Abbay of Eu [...]ſhame.Egwin Biſhop of Worceſter. Afterwardes the ſame Egwine was made Biſhoppe of Wor|ceſter.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Wee finde it recorded by wryters, that this Egwine had warning giuen to him by viſions, (as hee conſtantly affyrmed before Pope Con|ſtantine,) to ſet vp an Image of our La [...]e [...] in his Churche. Herevppon the Pope approuing the teſtifications of this Byſhoppe, by hys Bulles, wrytte to Bryghtwalde the Archeby|ſhoppe of Canterburie, to aſſemble a Synode, and by authoritie thereof to eſtabliſhe the vſe of Images, charging the kings of this lande to bee preſent at the ſame Synode, vpon paine of ex|communication.

[figure appears here on page 189]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Sinode was holden about the yeare of our Lorde .712. in the dayes of Inas King of Weſt Saxons,Bale. 710. and of Ceolred king of Mercia, ſucceſſor to the foreſayde Kenred.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After Kenred ſucceeded Ceolredus, the ſonne of his vncle Edilred, and died in the .viij. yeare of his raigne,Hariſon hath three onely. Henric. Hũt. and was buried at Lichfielde.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Then ſucceeded Ethelbaldus that was diſ|cended of Eopa the brother of king Penda, as the fourth from hym by lineall ſucceſſion. Thys man gouerned a long time without any notable trouble: ſome warres he had, and ſped diuerſly.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the .xviij. yeare of his raigne he beſieged Sommerton,Ran. Ceſtren. and wanne it. Hee alſo inuaded Northumberlande, and gotte there great ryches by ſpoyle and pyllage, whiche hee brought from thence without any battaile offered to him.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Welchmen he ouercame in battaile,H. Hunt. be|ing then at quiet, and ioyned as cõfederates with Cuthred K. of Weſt Saxõs. But in the .xxxvij. yeare of his raigne, hee was ouercome in battaile at Bereforde by the ſame Cuthred,Bereforde. with whome he was fallen at variance, and within foure yeres after, that is to witte, in the .xlj. yeare of hys raigne,755 Three miles from Tam|worth. hee was ſlaine in battaile at Secan|done, or Sekenton, by his owne ſubiectes, whiche arreared warres agaynſte hym, by the procurement and leading of one Bernred,VVil. Malm. which after hee had ſlayne his naturall Prince, tooke vppon him the Kingdome: but he proſpered not long, being ſlaine by Offa that ſucceeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia, 758 Math. VVeſt. as after ſhall be ſhewed. The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 EEBO page image 190Bonifarius the Archbiſhop of Menze or Ma|guntze,The hyſtorie [...] Magd. hauing aſſembled a Councell wyth o|ther Byſhoppes and Doctours, deuiſed a letter and ſent it vnto this Ethilbert, commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes gy|uing to the reliefe of the poore, and alſo for his vp|right dealing in adminiſtration of Iuſtice, to the puniſhment of robbers and ſuch lyke miſdo|ers: but in that he abſteyned from maryage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerſe women, and namely with Nunnes, they ſore blamed him and withall declared in what infamie the whole Engliſhe Nation in thoſe dayes remayned by common report in other Countreys for theyr lycencious lyuing in ſinfull fornication, and namely the moſte parte of the Noble men of Mercia by hys euill example did forſake theyr wyues,Nunnes kept or concubines and defloured other women whiche they kept in adulterie as Nunnes and other.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer hee ſheweth howe that ſuche euill women, as well Nunnes as other, vſed to make awaye in ſecrete wiſe theyr children whiche they bare oute of wedlocke, and ſo fylled the gra|ues wyth deade bodyes, and hell wyth damned ſoules.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The ſame Bonifacius in an other Epyſtle whiche hee wrote vnto Cutbert the Archbyſhop of Canterburie, counſayleth him not to per|mitte the Engliſhe Nunnes to wander abrode ſo often on Pylgrymage,Pilgrimage of Nunnes. bycauſe there were fewe Cities eyther in Fraunce or Lombar|dye, wherein might not bee founde Engliſh wo|men, that lyued wantonlye in fornication and whordome.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Kings of the Eaſt Saxons. Bed. li. 5. ca. 20 Offa king of Eaſt Saxons.In this meane tyme Sigharde and Seu|fred, Kings of the Eaſt Saxons, being depar|ted thys lyfe, one Offa that was ſonne to Si|gerius, ſucceeded in gouernment of that King|dome, a man of greate towardneſſe, and of right comely countenaunce: but after hee had ruled a certayne tyme, hee beeing mooued of a religious deuotion, wente vnto Rome in companie of Kenred King of Mercia, and of one Ergvine Byſhoppe of Worceſter, and beeing there ſha|uen into the order of Monkes, ſo continued tyll hee dyed.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Selred.After him one Selred the ſonne of Sigbert the good, ruled the Eaſt Saxons the tearme of xxxviij. yeares. Hariſon .28.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After that Aldulfe the King of Eaſt-Angles was departed thys life,688 whiche chaunced aboute the yeare of oure Lorde .688. his brother Elt|wolde, or Aekwolde ſucceeded him, and raig|ned about .xij. yeares. Hariſon .2. After whoſe deceaſſe one Beorne was made king of Eaſtangles, and raig|ned about .xxvj. yeares. Hariſon .36.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this meane while, that is to witte, in the yeare of oure Lorde .705.705 Alfride king of Nor|thumberlande beeing deade, his ſonne Oſred, [...] Oſred king of Northumber|lande. a childe of .viij. yeares of age ſucceeded hym in the kingdome, and raigned .xj. yeares, ſpending hys time when he came to rype yeares in fylthie abuſing his bodie wyth Nunnes, and other reli|gious women.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 About the ſeuenth yeare of his raigne, [...] that is to witte, in the yeare of oure Lorde .711. one of his Captaynes named Earle Berthfride fought with the Pictes betwixte two places called Heue and Cere, and obteyning the victorie,Pictes o [...]e [...]|throwne by the North [...]|bers. [...] an huge number of the enimies.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At length King Oſred by the trayterous meanes of hys couſins that arreared warre a|gaynſte him, was ſlaine in battaile,King Oſred ſlaine in bat|taile. and ſo en|ded his raigne, leauing to thoſe that procured his death the lyke fortune in tyme to come. For Kenred raigning two yeares, and Oſricke tenne yeares, were famous onely in this, that beeing woorthilye puniſhed for ſhedding the bloud of theyr naturall Prince and ſoueraigne Lorde, they finiſhed their lyues with diſhonourable dea|thes, as they had well deſerued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Oſricke before his death whiche chaunced in the yeare of oure Lorde .729. appoynted Ceol|volfe the brother of his predeceſſour Kenred,729 to ſucceede him in the kingdome, whiche hee did, raigning as king of the Northumbers by the ſpace of .viij. yeares currant, and then renouncing his kingdome, became a Monke in the Ile of Lindeſferne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this meane while, Beda. Acca Biſhop of Hexham. Byſhoppe Wilfride being dead, one Acca that was his Chaplain was made Biſhop of Hexham.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The foreſayde Wilfride had beene Biſhop by the ſpace of .xlv. yeares: but hee lyued a long tyme in exyle. For firſt beeyng Archby|ſhoppe of Yorke, and exerciſing his iuriſdiction ouer all the North partes, hee was after ba|niſhed by king Egbert, and agayne reſtored to the Sea of Hexham, in the ſeconde yeare of king Alfride, and within fiue yeares after eftſoones banyſhed by the ſame Alfride, and the ſeconde tyme reſtored by his ſucceſſour king Oſred, in the fourth yeare of whoſe raigne, beeing the yeare after the Incarnation of oure Sauiour 709. hee departed this lyfe, and was buryed at Rippon.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer after Iohn the Archebyſhoppe of Yorke had reſigned, one Wilfride ſurnamed the ſeconde, was made Archebiſhoppe of that Sea: whiche Wilfride was Chaplayne to the ſayde Iohn, and gouerned that Sea by the ſpace of fiftene yeares, and then died.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde .710.710 the Ab|bot Adrian whiche came into this lande wyth Theodore the Archebyſhoppe of Canterburie (as before yee haue hearde) departed thys lyfe, a|boute EEBO page image 191 .xxxix. yeares after his comming thy|ther.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 [...]wo Biſhops [...].Alſo Inas the king of Weſt Saxons, a|boute the .xx. yeare of his raigne,Mat. VVeſt. deuided the Prouince of the Weſt Saxons into two By|ſhoppes Seas, where as before they had but one: Daniel was ordeyned to gouerne the one of thoſe Seas,Biſhop Daniel. being placed at Wincheſter, hauing vn|der him Suſſex, Southerie and Hamſhire: and Aldhelme was appoynted to Shireburne, ha|uing vnder him, Barkeſhire, Wyltſhire Som|merſetſhire, Dorſetſhyre, Deuonſhire, and Corn|wall.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Aldhelme was a learned man,Biſhop Aldelm and was firſt made Abbot of Malmeſburie, in the yeare of our Lorde .675. by Eleutherius then Biſhop of the Weſt Saxons. By his diligence that Ab|bay was greatly aduaunced,The Abbey of [...]almesburie. beeing afore that tyme founded by one Medulfe a Scottiſh man, but of ſo ſmall reuenues afore Aldhelmes tyme, that the Monkes were vneth able to lyue thereon.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Alſo the ſame Aldhelme was a greate fur|therer vnto king Inas in the buylding of Glaſ|tenburie.