5.64. Vortigerne.
Vortigerne.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Vorti|gerne 446THus was Vortigerne choſen and made king of Brytain, in the yere of our Lord .446. third Cõſulſhip of Aetius, 1197. of Rome .4. of the 305. Olympiade .4112. of the worlde, the Dominicall letter going by F, the Prime by ten, whiche fell about the .xxj. yeare of the Emperour Valenti|nianus, the ſame yeare that Meroueus began to raigne ouer the Frenchmen.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Before hee was made king, he was Earle or Duke of the Geuiſſes, a people which helde that part of Brytaine where afterwardes the weſt Saxons inhabited.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Nowe after that Vortigerne had with trea|ſon, fraude, and greate deceyte, at length at|teyned that for the whiche hee had long looked,Hector Bo. hee fyrſte of all furniſhed the Tower of Lon|don wyth a ſtrong garriſon of menne of warre.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Then ſtudying to aduaunce onely ſuch as he knew to be his eſpeciall friendes and fauourers, he ſought by all meanes how to oppreſſe other, of whoſe good will hee had neuer ſo little miſtruſt,415 namely thoſe that were affectionate towardes the lynage of Conſtantine he hated deadly, and de|uiſed by ſecrete meanes which way he might beſt deſtroy them: but theſe his practiſes being at the firſt perceyued, cauſed ſuche as had the gouer|nance of the two yong Gentlemen with all ſpeede to get them ouer (as yee haue heard) into Bry|tayne Armorike, there to remaine out of daun|ger wyth theyr Vncle the King of that lande,Fabian. and dayly did dyuerſe of the Brytaynes, that knewe themſelues to bee in Vortigerne his diſ|pleaſure ſayle ouer vnto them, whiche thyng brought Vortigerne into great doubt and feare of his eſtate.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 It chaunced alſo the ſame tyme, that there was greate plentye of corne, and ſtore of fruite,Gildas. the lyke whereof had not beene ſeene in manye EEBO page image 111 yeares before, [...]entie of [...]ealth accom| [...]nied with [...]re of ſinnes. and therevpon enſued ryote, ſtrife, lecherie, and other vyces right heynous, and yet accounted as then for ſmall or rather none offen|ces at all.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe abuſes and great enormities, raigned not onely in the temporaltie, but alſo in the ſpiri|tualtie and chiefe Rulers of the ſame: ſo that euerye man turned the poynt of his ſpeare (euen as if he had conſented of purpoſe) agaynſt the true and innocent perſon.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Commons alſo gaue themſelues to vo|luptuous luſt, drunkenneſſe, and ydle loytering, whereof followed fighting, contention, enuie, and much debate.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Of this plentie therfore inſued great pride, and of this abundaunce no leſſe hautineſſe of minde, whereupon followed great wickedneſſe, lacke of good gouernment and ſober temperancie, and in the necke of theſe as a iuſt puniſhment, death and mortalitie, ſo that in ſome Countreys vneth the quicke ſuffiſed to burie the dead.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 And for an augmentation of more miſchiefe, the Scottes and Pictes hearing howe theyr Countreymen through the falſe ſuggeſtion of Vortigerne had beene wrongfully and moſt cru|elly put to death at London,Hector. Bo. Scottes and Pictes inuade the Brytayne. beganne wyth fyre and ſworde to make ſharpe and cruell warre agaynſt the Brytains, waſting their Countrey, [figure appears here on page 111] ſpoyling and burning their townes, and giuing them the ouerthrowe in a pight fielde, as in the Scottiſh hyſtorie more plainly appeareth.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 To be briefe, the Brytaynes were brought into ſuch daunger and miſerie, that they knewe not what way to take for remedie in ſuch pre|ſent perill, likely to bee ouerrunne and vtterlye vanquyſhed of their enimies.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 In the meane tyme Vortigerne not onely troubled with theſe imminent euilles, but fearing alſo the return of the two brethren, Aurelius Am|broſe, and Vter Pendragon, began to conſider of the ſtate of things, and eſteeming it moſt ſure to worke by aduice, called togither the Lordes and chiefe men of the Realme to haue theyr counſaile and opinion howe to proceede in ſuch a weightie buſineſſe: and ſo debating the matter with them, meaſured both his own force, and alſo the force of his enimies, and according to the condition and ſtate of the tyme, diligently conſidered & ſearched out what remedy was to be had and prouided.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 At length after they had throughly pondered al things, the more part of the nobles with the king alſo were of this minde, that there could be no bet|ter way deuiſed, than to ſende into Germanie for the Saxons to come to theyr ayde: The whiche Saxons in that ſeaſon were highly re|nowmed for theyr valyauncie in armes, and ma|nifolde aduentures heretofore atchieued. Gildas. VVil. Malm. Beda. The Saxons ſent for. And ſo forthwith Meſſengers were diſpatched in|to Germanie, the which with money, giftes, and promiſes, might procure the Saxons to come to the ayde of the Brytaynes agaynſt the Scottes and Pictes.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Saxons glad of this meſſage, as people deſirous of entertaynment to ſerue in warres, chooſing forth a piked companie of luſtie yong mẽ vnder the leading of two brethren Hengiſt and Horſus,10000. hath Hector Bo. Gildas & Beda mention onely but of .3 plates or gallies, but Hector Bo. hath .30. 449 VVil. Malm. got them abourde into certain veſſels ap|poynted for the purpoſe, and ſo with all ſpeede directed their courſe towardes great Britain.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 This was in the yeare of our Lorde .449. and in the ſecond yeare of Vortigerns raigne, as the moſt autentike wryters both Brytiſh and Eng|liſhe ſeeme to gather, althoughe the Scottiſhe wryters, and namely Hector Boetius doe varie herein, touching the iuſt accounte of yeares, as to the pervſers of the wrytings aſwel of the one as the other may appeare. But William Ha|riſon taketh it to bee in the fourth yeare of his EEBO page image 112 raigne whereto Beda ſeemeth to agree, who no|teth it in the ſame yere that Martianus the Em|perour beganne to rule the Empyre, which was (as appeareth by the conſularie table) in the Con|ſulſhippe of Protogenes and Auſterius, and thirde yere of Meroueus king of France.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe Saxons thus arryuing in Brytayne, were curteouſly receyued, and heartily welcomed of King Vortigerne, who aſſigned to them places in Kent to in habite, and forthwith ledde them agaynſt the Scots and Pictes, which were entred into Brytaine, waſting and deſtroying the Countrey before them.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Herevpon comming to ioyne in battail, there was a ſore fight betwixt the parties for a while, but at length when the Saxons called to re|membraunce that the ſame was the day whiche ſhoulde eyther purchaſe to them an euerlaſting name of manhoode by victorie, or elſe of reproche by repulſe,Scootues [...] qui [...] [...] the [...] beganne to renew the fight with ſuche violence, that the enimies not able to abyde theyr fierce charge, were ſcattered and beaten down on [figure appears here on page 112] eche ſide with great ſlaughter.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 The King hauing got this victorie, highlye rewarded the ſtraungers according to their well deſeruings, as by whoſe prowes he had thus van|quiſhed his enimyes,Henric. Hut. whiche as ſome write were come as farre as Stanfourde, and vſed at that tyme to fight wyth long Dartes, and Speares, whereas the Saxons fought onelye wyth long ſwordes and Axes.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 There bee that haue written howe the Sax|ons, were not ſent for, but came by chaunce into the Ile,Calf. Mon. and the occaſion to be this: There was an auncient cuſtome amongſt the Engliſh Sax|ons a people in Germanie, as was alſo at the firſt among other Nations, that when the multi|tude of them was ſo increaſed, that the Coun|trey was not able to ſuſtayne and finde them, by commaundement of their Princes, they ſhoulde chooſe out by lottes a number of yong and able perſonages, fitte for the warres, which ſhould go forth to ſeeke them newe habitations: and ſo it chaunced to theſe, that they came into great Bri|taine, and promiſed to ſerue the king for wages in his warres. But by what meane ſoeuer they came hither, truth is, that Hengiſtus being a man of great wit, rare policie, and high wiſdome, was their Captaine,Hengiſt pur|poſeth at the firſt to con|quere the Bry|taynes. who vnderſtanding this Kings minde, which now wholy truſted to the valiancie of the Saxons, and herewith perceiuing the fruit|fulneſſe of the Countrey, ſtreight wayes began to conſider with himſelfe, by what wyles and craft he might by little and little ſettle here, and obteine a kingdome in the Ile, and to eſtabliſh the ſame to him and to his for euer.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Therefore firſt he indeuoured with all ſpeede poſſible to fence that part of the Countrey which was giuen to him and his people,Polidor. and to enlarge and furniſh it with gariſons appointed in places moſt conuenient.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this he did what he could to perſwade the king, that a great power of men might be brought ouer out of Germanie, that ye land being fortified with ſuch a ſtrength, the enimies might be put in feare, and his ſubiects holden in reſt.
Compare 1587 edition:
1 The King not foreſeeing
the happe that was to come, did not deſpiſe this counſell contriued to the
deſtruction of his Kingdome, and ſo was more ayde ſent for into Germanie:
wherevpon now at this ſeconde tyme there arriued here.
VVil. Mal 13.
[...]oy [...] pla [...]es ſaye the Scottiſh wryters, and M. men in [...] ſame. The Saxons call theſe V [...]|ſels Cooles, Keeles, and [...] old hyſtori [...] Cogi [...].
Compare 1587 edition: 1 There came ouer into thys lande at that tyme and ſoone after, three manner of people of the Germaine Nation, as Saxons, Vita (or EEBO page image 113 Iutes, [...]e Vitae or [...]e are called [...]ri. [...]lex. Now. and Angles, ouer the whiche the ſayde Hengiſt and Hors beeing brethren, were Cap|taines and rulers, men of right noble parentage in theyr Countrey, as diſcended of that aunci|ent Prince W [...]den, of whom the Engliſh Sax|on kings doe for the more part fetche theyr pede|gree as lineally deſcended from him, vnto a whom alſo the Engliſh people falſely reputing him for a God) conſecrated the fourth day of the weeke, as they did the ſixth to his wyfe fr [...]e, ſo that the ſome dayes tooke more of them, the one beeing called Wodenſday, [...]edneſday, [...]d Fryday, hereof they [...]me. and the other F [...]readay, which wordes after in continuance of time by corrupti|on of ſpeech were ſomewhat altred, though not much, as from Wodenſday, to Wedneſday, and from Freaday to Fryday.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 [...]da.The foreſayde Woden was father to Vecta, father to Wetgiſlus, that was father to the fore|ſayd Hengiſtus and Horſus.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 But nowe to rehearſe further touching thoſe three people whiche at this time came ouer into Brytayne oute of Germanie of the Vites, or Iutes, (as Beda recordeth) are the Kentiſhmen diſcended, and the people of the Ile of Wlight, with thoſe alſo that inhabite ouer agaynſte the ſame Ile.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Of the Saxons, came the Eaſt Saxons, the South Saxons, and Weſt Saxons.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, of the Angles proceeded the Eaſt Angles, the middle Angles, or Mercies, and the Northren men.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 That theſe Angles were a people of Germa|nie,Cor. Tacitus. it appeareth alſo by Cornelius Tacitus, who calling them Anglij, which worde is of three ſil|lables, (as Polidore ſayth:) But ſome wryte it Angli, with two ſillables.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 And that theſe Angli, or Angli [...] were of no ſmall force and authoritie in Germanie before their comming into this lande, may appeare in that they are numbred amongeſt the twelue na|tions there, whiche had lawes and auncient or|dinaunces a part by them ſelues, according to the whiche the ſtate of theyr common wealth was gouerned, they beeing the ſame, and one people with the Thoringers, as in the tytle of the olde Thuringers lawes wee finde recorded, whiche is thus, Lex Angliorum & VVerinorum, hoc eſt, Thuringorum. The law of the Angles and VVe|rinians that is to witte the Thuringers, (whiche Thuringers are a people in Saxonie, as in the deſcription of that Countrey it may appeare) is this.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Polidor.But nowe to the matter. Hengiſt perceyuing that his people were highly in Vortigernes fa|uour, beganne to handle him craftily, deuyſing by what meanes hee mighte bring him im loue with his daughter Ronix,Rowen, or Ronowen Hengiſtes daughter. or Rowen, or Rono|wen (as ſome write) which he beleeued wel would eaſily be brought to paſſe, bycauſe he vnderſtoode that the King was much giuen to ſenſuall luſt,VVil. Malm. which is the thing that often blindeth wiſe mens vnderſtanding, and maketh them to dote, and to loſs theyr perfite wittes, yea, and oftentymes bringeth them to deſtruction, though by ſuche pleaſant poyſon, as they feele no better taſte tyll they be brought to the extreeme poynt of confu|ſion in deede.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 A greate Supper therefore was prepared by Hengiſt, at the whiche pleaſed the King to be preſent.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Hengiſt appoynted his daughter when eue|rie man beganne to bee ſomewhat [...]er [...]ie wyth winke,Gal. Mon. to bring in a Cuppe of Golde full of good and pleaſant wine, and to preſent it to the King ſaying, VVaſſail. Which ſhee did in ſuch comely and decent maner, as ſhe that knewe howe to doe it well ynough, ſo as the King marueyled great|lye thereat, and not vnderſtanding what ſhee ment by that ſalutation,Waſſail, what it ſignifieth. demaunded what it ſig|nified. To whom it was aunſwered by Hingiſt, that the wiſhed him well, and the meaning of it was, that he ſhould drinke after hir ioyning ther|vnto this anſwere, drinke haile. Wherevpon the king (as he was enformed) tooke the cuppe at the Damſels hand, and dranke.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Finally this yong Ladie behaued hirſelfe with ſuch pleaſant wordes, comely countenaunce, and amiable grace, that the king behelde hir ſo long, till he felt himſelfe ſo farre in loue with hir perſon, that he burned in continuall deſyre to enioy the ſame: inſomuch that ſhortly after he forſooke his owne wife, by the which he had three ſonnes,Polidor Fabian. na|med Vortimerus, Catagrinus, and Paſcentius, and requyred of Hengiſt to haue his daughter, the ſayde Rowen, or Ronowen in mariage.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Hengiſt at the firſte ſeemed ſtraunge to graunt to his requeſt, and excuſed the matter,VVil. Malm. for that his daughter was not of eſtate and dignitie meete to be matched with his maieſtie. But at length as it had beene halfe agaynſt his will hee conſented, and ſo the mariage was concluded and ſolemnized, all Kent beeing aſſigned vnto Hengiſt in rewarde, the whiche Countrey was before that tyme gouerned by one Guorongus, (though not with moſt equal iuſtice) which Guo|rongus was ſubiect vnto Vortigerne, as all other the Potentates of the Ile were.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 This maryage and liberalitie of the King towardes the Straungers, muche defended the myndes of his ſubiectes, and haſtened the fi|nall deſtruction of the lande. For the Saxons nowe vnderſtanding the affynitie had betwixte the King and Hengiſt, came ſo faſt ouer to in|habite here, that it was wonder to conſider in howe ſhorte a tyme ſuche a multitude coulde come togyther: ſo that bycauſe of theyr greate EEBO page image 114 number and approued puiſſaunce in warres, they began to be a terrour to the former inhabitants the Brytaynes.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 VVil. Malm.But Hengiſt beeing no leſſe politike in coun|ſaile than valiaunt in armes, abuſing the kings lacke of diſcretion, to ſerue his owne turne, per|ſwaded him to call out of Germanie his brother Occa and his ſonne named Ebuſa,Gal. ſayth he was Hengiſts ſonne, and E|buſa his vn|cles ſonne. Occa and E|buſa leaders of Saxons. beeing men of great valure, to the ende, that as Hengiſt defended the lande in the South parte: ſo mighte they keepe backe the Scottes in the North.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Herevpon by the Kings conſent, they came with a power out of Germanie, and coaſting a|boute the lande, they ſayled to the Iles of Ork|ney, and ſore vexed the people there, and like|wyſe the Scottes and Pictes alſo, and final|ly arriued in the North partes of the Realme, nowe called Northumberlande, where they ſet|led themſelues at that preſent, and ſo continued there euer after: but none of them taking vppon him the tytle of King,VVil. Malm. de Regib. till about .99. yeares after theyr firſt comming into that Countrey, but in the meane time remayning as ſubiects vnto the Saxon kings of Kent.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 After theyr arryuall in that Prouince, they oftentymes fought with the olde Inhabitaunts there, and ouercame them, chaſing away ſuch as made reſiſtance, and appeaſed the reſidue by recey|uing them vnder allegiance.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 When the Nobles of Brytayne ſaw and per|ceyued in what daunger the lande ſtoode, Fabian. The great nũ|bers of ſtraun|gers ſuſpected to the Bry|taynes. by the dayly repayre of the huge number of Saxons in|to the ſame, they firſt conſulted togither, and af|ter reſorting to the King, [...] mooued him that ſome order might be taken for the auoyding of them, on the more part of them, leaſte they ſhoulde with their power and great multitude vtterly oppreſſe the Britiſh Nation. But all was in vayne, for Vortigerne ſo eſteemed and highly fauoured the Saxons, and namely by reaſon of the great lo [...]e which he bare to his wife, that hee lyttle regar|ded his owne Nation, no nor yet anye thing e|ſteemed hys owne naturall kinneſmen and [...] friendes, [...] depriued. by reaſon wherof the Brytains in [...] depriued him of all kingly honor, after that he had raigned .xvj. yeares, and in his ſtead crowned his ſonne Vortimer.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Gildas and Beda make no mention of Vor|timer,Gilda. Beda. H. [...] but declare howe after that the [...]|ons were receyued into thys lande, there was a couenaunt made betwixte them and the Brytaynes, that the Saxons ſhoulde defende the Countrey from the inuaſion of enimyes by theyr Knightly force: and that in conſide|ration thereof, the Brytaynes ſhould finde the [...] prouiſion of vy [...]ayles: wherewith they helde their contented for a time.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 But afterwardes they beganne to pyke qua|relles, as thoughe they were not ſufficiently fur|niſhed of their due proportion of vytayles, threat|ning that if they were not prouided more large|ly thereof, they would ſurely ſpoyle the Coun|trey.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 And withoute deferring time, they perfour|med their wordes with effect of deedes, beginning in the Eaſt part of the Ile, and with fire & ſword paſſed forth waſting and deſtroying the Coun|trey [figure appears here on page 114] tyll they came to the vttermoſte parte of the Weſt:The miſerable deſtruction made by the Saxons in this lande. ſo that from Sea to Sea, the lande was waſted and deſtroyed in ſuche cruell and outragious manner, that neyther Citie, towne, nor Churche was regarded, but all committed to the fyre: the Prieſtes ſlaine and murthered euen afore the Aulters, and the Prelates with the people without any reuerence of their eſtate or EEBO page image 115 degree, diſpatched with fire and ſworde, moſt la|mentably to beholde.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Many of the Brytaynes ſeeing the demea|nour of the Saxons, fledde to the Mountaynes, of the whiche dyuerſe beeing apprehended, were cruelly ſlaine, and other were glad to come forth and yeelde themſelues to eternall bondage, for to haue reliefe of meate and drinke to aſſwage theyr extremitie of hunger.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Some other got them out of the realme in|to ſtraunge landes, ſo to ſaue themſelues, and o|thers abyding ſtill in theyr Countrey, kept them within the thicke Wooddes, and craggie Rockes, whether they were fledde, lyuing there a poore wretched lyfe, in great feare and vnquietneſſe of mynde.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 But after that the Saxons were departed and withdrawne to theyr houſes, the Brytaynes began to take courage to thẽ againe, iſſuing forth of thoſe places where they had lyen hid, and with one conſent calling for ayde at Gods hande, that they might bee preſerued from vtter deſtruction, they beganne vnder the conduct of theyr leader Aurelius Ambroſe, to prouoke the Saxons to battaile, and by the helpe of God they obteyned the victorie, according to theyr owne deſyres. And from thence forth, one while the Brytaynes, and an other while the Saxons were victors, ſo that in this Brytiſh people, God (according to hys accuſtomed maner) as it were preſent Iſraell, tryed them from tyme to tyme, whether they lo|ued him or no, vnto the yeare of the ſiege of Badon hill, where afterwardes no ſmall ſlaugh|ter was made of the enimies: whiche chaunced the ſame yeare in the whiche Gildas was borne, (as he himſelfe witneſſeth, [...]o Gildas was [...]orne in the feare of our Lord .493. being aboute the .xliiij. yeare after the comming of the Saxons into Brytaine.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus hath Gildas and alſo Beda (follo|wing by likelyhoode the authoritie of the ſame Gildas) written of theſe firſt warres begonne be|twene the Saxons and Brytains.
Compare 1587 edition: 1 But nowe to goe foorth with the Hyſtorie: according to the order of oure Chronicles, thus wee finde recorded touching the doings of Vor|timer that was elected King (as yee haue hearde) to gouerne in place of his father Vorti|gerne.