5.92. Adelſtane.

Adelſtane.

[figure appears here on page 223]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 ADelſtane,Adel|ſtane. the eldeſt ſonne of king Edward began his reigne ouer the more parte of all EEBO page image 224 Englande,Mat. VVest. VVil. Mal. 924. the yeare of our Lorde .924. whiche was in the .vj. yeare of the Emperor Henry the firſt, in the .31. yeare of the reigne of Charles, ſur|named Simplex, king of France .3. moneths after the burning of Pauie, & about the .22. or .23. yeare of Conſtantine the third king of Scotlande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Adelſtan was crowned and ſacred king at Kingſton vpon Thames of Adelme the Archbi|ſhop of Canterbury, which ſucceded Pleymond. He was the .xxiiij. king in number from Cerdi|cius or Cerdik the firſt king of the Weſtſaxons.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There were in the beginning ſome y^t ſet them ſelues againſt him,Alfred ſtriueth in vayn to kepe Athelſtan from the gouernmẽt. as one Alfred a noble mã whi+che practiſed by treaſon, to haue kept him frõ the gouernmẽt: but he was apprehended ere he could bring his purpoſe to paſſe, & ſente to Rome there to trie himſelf giltie or not guiltie.VVil. Malm. And as he toke his othe for his purgation before y^e aultar of ſaint Peter,See more here|of in the booke of Actes and Monumentes ſet foorth by M. Foxe vol. 1. leafe .195. he ſodenly fel down to the earth, ſo that his ſeruants toke him vp & bare him vnto the engliſh ſchoole or hoſpitall, where the thirde night after he died.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Pope Iohn the .x. ſent vnto king Adelſtane to know if he wold that his bodie ſhould be layde in chriſtian burial or not. The king at the contem|plation of Alfreds frends & kinſfolks, ſignified to the Pope that he was contented that his bodye ſhuld be enterred amongſt other chriſtians. His lands being forfaited were giuen by y^e king vnto God & S. Peter. The cauſe y^t moued Alfred and other his cõplices againſt the king, was (as ſome haue aledged) his baſtardie. But whether that al|legation wer true, or but a ſlander, this is certain that except that ſtain of his honor there was no|thing in this Adelſtan worthy of blame: So that he darkned all the glorious fame of his predeceſ|ſors both in vertuous conditions & victorious tri|umphs. Such difference is there to haue that in himſelfe wherein to excell, rather than to ſtande vpon the worthineſſe of his aunceſters, ſith that can not rightly be called his.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 After that K. Adelſtane was eſtabliſhed in the eſtate, he endeuored himſelf to anſwer the expec|tation of his people, which hoped for great welth to enſue by his noble & prudent gouernãce: Anno. 925. Si. Dunelm. Polyd. Fyrſt therfore meaning to prouide for the ſuretie of his countrey, he cõcluded a peace with Sithricus K. of the Northũbers, vnto whõ as ye haue hearde, he gaue one of his ſiſters named Editha in mari|age. Sithrike liued not paſt one yere after he had ſo maried hir.VV. Mal. And thẽ Adelſtan brought the pro|uince of the Northũbers vnto his ſubiection, ex|pelling one Aldulph out of the ſame y^t rebelled a|gainſt him. Ther be y^e write, that Godfrey & Au|lafe the ſonnes of Sithrike ſucceding their father in the gouernment of Northũberland, by practi|ſing to moue war againſt king Adelſtane, occa|ſioned him to inuade their coũtrey, and to chaſe them out of the ſame, ſo that Aulaf fled into Ir [...]|land & Godfrey into Scotlãd: but other write,H. H [...]t. y^e Godfrey was the father of Reignold, which was Yorke, after that Sithrike had ſlaine his brother Nigellus, as before is mencioned. H. Boeti [...]. The [...] vvrite [...] [...] from our En|gliſh author Beatrice [...]. The Scottiſh chronicles vary in report of theſe matters from y^e engliſh writers: whoſe chronicles affirm, y^t in the life time of K. Edwarde his daughter Beatrice, was giuen in mariage to Sithrike, the gouernor of the Danes in Northumberland, with condi|tion, that if any iſſue male were procreate of that mariage, the ſame ſhuld inherite the dominions of K. Edward after his deceaſe. Kyng Edward had a brother (as they ſay) named Edwyn,Edvvyn [...] not brother of K. Edvv. but to him. a ioy|ly Gentleman, and of great eſtimation amongſt the Engliſhmen. He by Sithrikes procurement was ſent into Flaunders in a ſhip that leaked, & ſo was drowned, to the greate reioycing of all the Danes, leaſt if he had ſuruiued his brother, hee woulde haue made ſome buſineſſe for the crowne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 About the ſame time Adelſtã a baſe ſon of K. Edw. fled y^e realme for doubt to be made away by ſome like trayterous practiſe of the Danes.Athelſtã [...] the realme. Shortly after K. Edward vnderſtanding y^e Si|thrik went about ſome miſchef toward him, per|ſuaded his daughter to poyſon hir huſbande the ſayd Sithrike. Then Aulaffe or Aualaſſus, and Godfrey the ſonnes of Sithrike, finding out by diligent examination, y^t Beatrice was of coun|ſell in poyſoning hir huſband, they cauſed hir to be apprehended and put to death on this wyſe:

Compare 1587 edition: 1 She was ſette naked vpon a Smythes colde Anuylde or ſtythie,Beatrice [...] death by his ſtepſonnes. and therewith harde roſted egges being taken foorth of the hot ymbers were putte vnder hir arme pittes, and hir armes faſte bounde to hir bodie with a corde, and ſo in that ſtate ſhe remayned till hir life paſſed from hir.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 K. Edward in reuenge of his daughters death moued war againſt the two brethren, Aulaf and Godfrey, & in battail finally vãquiſhed them, but was ſlain in the ſame battail himſelf. Thus haue the Scotiſh chronicles recorded of theſe matters as an induction to the warres which folowed be|twixt the Scots and Danes as confederates a|gainſt K. Adelſtan: but for the truth thereof we leaue to the readers own iudgement. For in oure engliſhe writers we finde no ſuche matter, but that a daughter of King Edward named Ead|githa or Editha, after hir fathers deceaſſe was by hir brother King Athelſtane, about the firſte yeare of his reigne giuen in mariage (as before ye haue hearde) vnto the foreſayde Sithrike king of Northumberland, that was deſcended of the Daniſhe bloud, who for the loue of the young Ladie, renounced his Heatheniſhe religion, and became a chriſtian, but ſhortely after, forſakyng bothe hys wyfe, and the chriſtian faythe hee EEBO page image 225 ſet vppe againe the worſhipping of Idols, and within a while after, as an Apoſtata, miſerably ended his life. Wherevpon, the yong Lady, hir virginitie being preſerued,Editha a Virgin. and hir body vndefy|led (as they write) paſſed the reſidue of hir dayes at Polleſworth in Warwikeſhire, ſpendyng hir time as the ſame writers affirme, in faſting, wat|ching, praying, and doing of almes deedes, and ſo at length departed out of this world.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 Thus our writers differ from the Scottiſh hi|ſtory, both in name & maner of end as concerning that daughter of K. Edwarde, that was coupled in marriage with Sithrike. But now to returne where we left. After that Kyng Adelſtane hadde ſubdued them of Northumberland, hee was ad|uertiſed, that not onely Conſtantine Kyng of Scottes, but alſo Hudvale or Howell Kyng of Wales, wente about a priuie conſpiracy agaynſt him.VVil. Malm. Heerevppon with all conuenient ſpeede aſ|ſembling his power, he wente againſt them, and with like good fortune ſubdued them bothe, and alſo Vimer or Wulferth K. of North wales, ſo that they were conſtreyned to ſubmit themſelues vnto him, who ſhortly after moued with pitie in conſidering their ſuddayne fall, reſtored them all three to their former eſtates, Mat. VVeſt. 926 The noble ſaying of king Athelſtane. VV. Mal. but ſo as they ſhould acknowledge themſelues to gouerne vnder hym, pronouncing with all this notable ſaying, that more honorable it was to make a King, than to be a King. Ye muſt vnderſtand, that as it appea|reth by the Scottiſh Chronicles, the Scottiſhmẽ in time of the warres that the Danes made to y^e Engliſh nation, gote a parte of Cumberland and other the North countreys into their poſſeſſion, and ſo by reaſon of their neere adioyning to the confines of the Engliſhe Kings, there chaunced occaſions of warre betwixte them, as well in the days of Kyng Edward, as of this Adelſtane hys ſonne, although indeede the Danes held the more part of the North countreys, till that this Adel|ſtane conquered the ſame out of their hands, and ioyned it vnto other of his dominions, conſtrey|ning as well the Danes (of whom the more part of the inhabitãts then conſiſted) as alſo the Eng|liſhmen, to obey him as their King and gouer|nour.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Polidor.Godfrey as is ſaide, being fled to the Scots, did ſo much there by earneſt ſute made to Kyng Conſtantine, that hee gote a power of men, and entring with the ſame into Northumberlande, beſieged the Citie of Dureſme, ſoliciting the Ci|tizens to receyue him, whiche they woulde gladly haue done, if they had not perceyued how he was not of power able to reſiſt the puiſſance of Kyng Adelſtane: and therefore doubting to be puniſhed for their offences if they reuolted, they kept the e|nimies out.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 934King Adelſtane beeyng ſore moued agaynſte the King of Scottes, that thus ayded his eni|mies, rayſed an army, and wente Northwarde, purpoſing to reuenge that iniurie. At his com|ming into Yorkſhire, hee turned out of the way,Ran. Higd. to viſit the place where Saint Iohn of Beuerley was buryed, and ther offered his knife, promiſing that if he returned with victory, he would redeme the ſame with a worthy price: and ſo proceeded foorth on his iourney, & entring Scotland,Sim. Dun. waſted the countrey by land vnto Dunfoader, and Wer|termore, and his Nauie by Sea deſtroyed the coaſtes alongſt the ſhore, euen to Catneſſe, and ſo he brought the King of Scottes and other hys enimies vnto ſubiection at his pleaſure,The Scottes ſubdued. conſtrey|ning the ſame King of Scottes to deliuer vnto him his ſonne in hoſtage. It is ſayde, that beyng in his iourney neere vnto the Towne of Dun|barre, he prayed vnto God, that at the inſtance of Saint Iohn of Beuerley, it would pleaſe him to graunt, y^t he might ſhew ſome open token, wher|by it ſhould appeare to all them that then lyued, & ſhould hereafter ſucceede, that the Scottes ought to be ſubiect vnto y^e kings of Englãd.A token ſhe|wed miracu|louſly that Scottes ought to be ſubiect to the Kings of England. And there|with the King with his ſword ſmote vpõ a great ſtone ſtanding neere to the Caſtel of Dunbarre, & with the ſtroke, there appeared a clift in the ſame ſtone to the length of an elme, whiche remayned to be ſhewed as a witneſſe of y^e thing many yeres after. At his comming backe to Beuerley, hee re|deemed his knife with a large price, as before hee had promiſed. After this,VVil. Mal. Mat. VVeſt. 934 was Edwin the Kings brother accuſed of ſome conſpiracie by him be|gun againſt the K. whervpõ he was baniſhed the land, and ſent out in an old rotten veſſell without rower or Marriner, onely accompanied with one Eſquire, ſo that beeing launched foorth from the ſhore, through very diſpaire Edwin lept into the Sea, and drowned himſelfe, but the Eſquire that was with him recouered his body, and broughte it to land at Withſand beſides Canterbury. But Iames Maier in the annales of Flanders ſayth, that hee was drowned by fortune of the Seas, beeyng in a ſmall veſſell, and caſt vp into a creeke on the coaſt of Picardie, was founde by Adolph Earle of Bulleigne that was his couſin ger|mayne, and honorably buryed by the ſame A|dolph in the Churche of Bertine: for the whyche deede of pietie and dutie of mindfull conſanguini|tie, the Kyng of Englande both hartily thanked Earle Adolph, and beſtowed greate giftes vppon the Church where his brother was thus buryed. For verily King Adelſtane after his diſpleaſure was aſſuaged,Repentance too late. and hearing of this miſerable ende of his brother, ſore repented hymſelfe of his ri|gour ſo extended towardes him, in ſo muche that he coulde neuer abide the man that had giuen the information againſt him, which was his cupbea|rer, ſo that one time as the ſaide cupbearer ſerued EEBO page image 226 him at the Table, and came towardes him with a cuppe of wine, one of his feete chaunced to ſlide, but hee recouered himſelfe with the help of the o|ther foote, ſaying, one brother yet hathe holpe and ſuccoured the other: whiche wordes coſt him hys life: for the King remembring that by his accu|ſation he had loſt his brother that might haue bin an ayd to him, cauſeth his ſaid cupbearer ſtraight wayes to be put to death.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 [...]Vil. Malm.In this meane while, Aulafe the ſonne of Si|thericke, late King of Northumberland (who is alſo named by Writers to be King of the Iriſh|men, and of many Ilands) aſſembled a great po|wer of Danes, Iriſhmẽ, Scottes, and other peo|ple of the out Iles, and embarqued them in .615. Shippes, and Crayers, with the whiche he arri|ued in the mouthe of Humber, and there com|ming on lande, beganne to inuade the countrey. Thys Aulafe had married the daughter of Con|ſtantine Kyng of Scottes, 937 [...]mon Dun. by whoſe procuremẽt notwithſtanding his late ſubmiſſion, Aulafe tooke in hand this iourney. King Adelſtane aduertiſed of his enimies arriuall, gathered his people, and with all conuenient ſpeede haſted towards them, and approching neere vnto them, pight downe his fielde at a place called by ſome Brimeſbury, by other Brimeſ [...]ord, [...]. Hunt. [...]Vil. Malm. [...]at. VVeſt. [...]ec. Boetius. [...]n. Higd. [...]lafe diſgui| [...]d, commeth [...] view t [...]e [...]gliſh camp. and alſo Brimaubright, and by the Scottiſh Writers Browmingfielde. When knowledge hereof was had in the enimies camp, Aulafe enterpriſed a maruellous exployte, for taking with him an harpe, hee campe into the Engliſhe campe, offering himſelfe, diſguiſed as a minſtrell, to ſhewe ſome parte of his cunning in muſicke vpon his inſtrument: and ſo being ſuffe|red to paſſe from Tente to Tente, and admitted alſo to play afore the Kyng, ſurueyghed y^e whole ſtate and order of the army. This done, he retur|ned, meaning by a cammiſado to ſet vpõ y^e kings Tente. But one that had ſerued as a Souldiour ſometime vnder Aulafe, chanced by markyng his demeanor, to knowe him, and after he was gone, vttered to the King what he knewe. The Kyng ſemed to be diſpleaſed, in that he had not told him ſo mu [...]h before Aulafes departure: but in excuſing himſelfe, the Souldiour ſayde, yee muſt remem|ber if it like your grace, that the ſame fayth which I haue giuen vnto you, I ſometime ought vnto Aulafe therefore if I ſhoulde haue betrayed hym now you might wel ſtand in doubt leaſt I ſhuld heereafter do the like to you: but if you wil follow myne aduice, remooue your Tente, leaſt happily he aſſayle you vnwares. The Kyng did ſo, and as it chaunced in the nyght following, commeth Aulafe to aſſayle the Engliſh Camp, and by for|tune comming to the place where the Kings Tent before ſtoode,Aulafe aſſay| [...] [...] the Eng| [...]h camp [...]. he found a Biſhoppe lodged, which with his company was come the ſame day to the army, and hadde pight vp his Tent in that place from whence the King was remoued: and ſo was the ſame Biſhoppe, and moſt parte of his men there ſlaine. Which ſlaughter executed, Au|lafe paſſed forward, and came to the Kings Tẽt, who in this mean time, by reaſon of the Alarme raiſed, was gote vp, and taking to him his ſword in that ſuddayne fright, by chance it fell out of the ſcabbard, ſo that he could not finde it, but calling to God and S. Aldelme, as ſaith Polichron.Ran. Higd. his ſword was reſtored to the ſcabbard againe. The King comforted with that miracle, boldly preaſ|ſed foorth vpon his enimies, and ſo valiauntly re|ſiſted them, that in the ende he put them to flight, and chaſed them all that morning and day follo|wing, ſo that hee ſlewe of them an huge number. Some haue written, that Conſtantine Kyng of Scottes was ſlayne at this ouerthrowe, VVil. Malm. The enimies diſcomfited. and fine other ſmall Kyngs or Rulers, with .12. Dukes, and welneere all the army of thoſe ſtraunge na|tions whiche Aulafe had gathered togither. But the Scottiſh Chronicles affirme, that Conſtan|tine was not there himſelf, but ſent his ſon Mal|colme, which yet eſcaped ſore hurt and wounded from this battell, as in the ſame Chronicles yee may ſee more at large.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 When Kyng Adelſtane had thus vanquiſhed his enimies in the North parties of England,Ran. Higd. he went againſt them of Northwales, whoſe Ru|lers and Princes he cauſed to come before him at Hereford, and there handled them in ſuche ſorte, that they couenaunted with him to pay yeerely in name of a Tribute twentie pounde of golde,Tribute. three hundred pounde of ſiluer, and fiue and twẽ|tie hundred head of Neate, with Hawkes and Houndes to a certayne number.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this, hee ſubdued alſo the Corniſhmen: and whereas till thoſe dayes they inhabited the Citie of Exeter,The Corniſh+men ſubdued. mingled amongſt the Engliſh|men, ſo that the one nation was as ſtrong with|in that Citie, as the other, he ridde them quite out of the ſame, and repaired the walles,Exeter repaired and fortified them with ditches and turrets as the maner then was, and ſo remoued the Corniſhmen further into the Weſt partes of the countrey, that hee made Tamer water to be the confines betweene the Engliſhmen and them.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Finally,940 Simon Dun. The deceſſe of K. Athelſtane. this noble Prince King Adelſtane departed out of this world, the ſixe and twẽty day of October, after he hadde raigned the tearme of ſixteene yeres. His body was buried at Malmeſ|bury. He was of ſtature ſuch,The deſcrip|tion of Kyng Athelſtane. as exceeded not the common ſort of mẽ, and ſtowped ſomewhat, yel|low heared, for his valiancie ioyned with curte|ſey beloued of al men, yet ſharp againſt Rebels, & of inuincible conſtancie: his greate deuotion to|ward y^e Church appeared in y^e building, adorning and endewing of Monaſteries and Abbeyes. He builte one at Wilton within the dioceſſe of EEBO page image 227 Saliſbury, and an other at Michelney in Som|merſetſhire. But beſides theſe foundations, there were few famous Monaſteries within this land, but that hee adorned the ſame eyther with ſome new peece of buylding, Iewels, bookes, or portion of lands.Wolſtan Archbiſhop of Yorke. He had in exceeding fauour Wolſtane Archbiſhop of Yorke that liued in his dayes, for whoſe ſake he greatly enriched that Biſhopricke. His fame ſpred ouer all the parties of Europa,His eſtimation in foraine Realmes. ſo that ſundry Princes thought themſelues happy if they might haue his friendſhip, eyther by affi|nitie or otherwiſe: by meanes whereof, he beſto|wed his ſiſters ſo highly in marriage as before ye haue heard. Hee receyued many noble and riche preſents from diuers Princes, as from Hugh K. of Fraunce Horſes, and ſundry riche Iewels, with certaine reliques: as Conſtantines ſworde, in the hilte whereof was ſet one of the nayles wherewith Chriſt was faſtned to y^e Croſſe. The Speare of Charles the great, which was thought to be the ſame with whiche the ſide of our Saui|our was pearced. The banner of Saint Maurice, with a part of the holy Croſſe, and likewiſe a part of the thorned Crowne: yet Mandeuile ſawe the one halfe of this Crowne in Fraunce, and the o|ther at Conſtantinople, almoſt .400. yeares after this time, as he writeth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Of theſe Iewels, K. Adelſtane gaue parte to the Abbey of S. Swithune at Wincheſter, and part to the Abbey of Malmeſbury. Moreouer, the King of Norway ſent vnto him a goodly ſhip of fine workmanſhippe, with ſterne gilt and purple ſayles, furniſhed rounde about the decke within|furth, with a rowe of gilte pauiſes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the dayes of this Adelſtane, raigned that worthy Guy Earle of Warwike, who as ſome writers haue recorded,Harding. fought with a mighty Gi|aunt of the Danes in a ſingular combate, and vanquiſhed him.