5.17. Malgo reigneth ouer the Britains, the noble qualities wherewith he was beauti|fied by his filthie sinnes are blemished, Gyldas reproueth Cuneglasus for making warre against God and man, and this Malgo for his manifold offen|ses, the vile iniquities wherevnto the British rulers were in|clined, the valiantnesse of Kenrike king of the Westsaxons, his victories against diuers people his enimies, succession in the gouernment of the Westsaxons, Northumberland, and Ken|tish Saxons; the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons in this Iland, Cheuling with his Westsaxons encounter with the Britains and get the vpper hand, three kings of the Britains slaine, and their people spoiled of their lands, goods and liues. The xvij. Chapter.

Malgo reigneth ouer the Britains, the noble qualities wherewith he was beauti|fied by his filthie sinnes are blemished, Gyldas reproueth Cuneglasus for making warre against God and man, and this Malgo for his manifold offen|ses, the vile iniquities wherevnto the British rulers were in|clined, the valiantnesse of Kenrike king of the Westsaxons, his victories against diuers people his enimies, succession in the gouernment of the Westsaxons, Northumberland, and Ken|tish Saxons; the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons in this Iland, Cheuling with his Westsaxons encounter with the Britains and get the vpper hand, three kings of the Britains slaine, and their people spoiled of their lands, goods and liues. The xvij. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _AFter the deceasse of Uor|tiporus,Malgo. Malgo the nephue of Aurelius Conanus (as some write) Matth. West. hath noted 581 was made king of Britaine, & began his reigne ouer the Britaines, in the yéere of our Lord 580,580 in the fiftéenth yéere of the empe|rour Iustinian, and in the 37 yéere of the reigne of Childerike king of the Frenchmen. This Malgo is reported to haue béene the comeliest gentleman in beautie and shape of personage that was to be found in those daies amongst all the Britains, and there|with of a bold and hardie courage.Gal. Mon. He manfullie de|fended the country which he had in gouernance from the malice of the Saxons, and subdued the out Iles, as Orkenie and others. But notwithstanding the noble qualities with the which his person was ador|ned, yet he spotted them all with the filthie sinne of Sodomie, so that he fell into the ha [...]red of almightie God, and being pursued of the Saxons, receiued ma|nie ouerthrowes at their hands, as by the report o [...] the English writers is gathered more at large. Fi|nallie, when he had reigned fiue yéeres and od mo|neths, he departed this life.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 It séemeth that this Malgo is named by Gyl|das, Maglocunus, Matt. Westm. counteth not cast fiue yeres to his reigne though other affirme that he reigned 35 yéeres. the which Gyldas (before he spea|keth of him) inueieth against one Cimeglasus, whom he reprooueth, for that he warred both against God and man: against God, with grieuous sinnes, as namelie adulterie, in forsaking the companie of his lawfull wife, and kéeping to concubine a sister of hirs, that had professed chastilie: & against man with materiall armor and weapons, which he vsed to the destruction of his owne countrimen, with whom he kept warres, and not against the enimies of the common wealth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 From Cuneglasus he commeth to the foresaid Magl [...]cunus, whome he nameth the dragon of the Iles, and the expeller of manie tyrants, not onelie out of their kingdoms, but also out of life, the last of whom he treateth (as he himselfe saith) but the first in all mischéefe & euill, greater than manie in power, and likewise in malice: verie liberall in giuing, but more plentifull in sinne, strong and valiant in arms, but stronger in destruction of his owne soule. And so procéeding, chargeth him with the sinne of the So|domits, & sore blameth him, for that where it had plea|sed God to make him higher than all other dukes of Britaine in kingdome and degrée, he did not shew himselfe better, but contrarilie far woorse than they both in maners and conditions. He declareth also a little after, that this Maglocune in his yoong yéeres slue in battell his vncle being king, with the most va|liant souldiers in maner that he had. Also that where the said Maglocune tooke vpon him the profession of a moonke, he after renounced the same, and became a woorsse liuer than euer he was before, abandoning his wife, and kéeping his brothers sonnes wife, while hir husband yet liued.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus by that which Gyldas writeth of the kings and rulers of the Britains, which liued in his daies, ye may perceiue that they were giuen to all manner of wickednesse, and namelie to ciuill dissention, ra|pine, adulterie, and fornication: so that it may be thought, that GOD stirred vp the Saxons to be a scourge to them, and to worke his iust vengeance vpon them for their wickednesses and abhominable offenses dailie cõmitted against his diuine maiestie, so that we find recorded by writers, how that the Saxons in diuers conflicts against the Britains had the better, and also tooke from them diuers townes, as alreadie partly hath beene and also hereafter shall be shewed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 It is furthermore to be remembred, that about the 14 yeere of the Britaine king Conanus his reigne, which was about the end of the yere of Christ 559,559 Kenrike king of the Westsaxons departed this life, after he had reigned xxv. yéeres complet. This Kenrike was a victorious prince,Hen. Hunt. and fought diuers battels against the Britains. In the 18 yeere of his reigne, which was the 551 of Christ, we find that he fought against them, being come at that time vnto Salisburie, and after great slaughter made on both parts, at length the victorie remained with the Sax|ons, and the Britains were chased. Againe in the two and twentith yéere of his reigne, and 555 yéere of Christ, the fame Kenrike and his sonne Cheuling fought with a great power of Britains at Bran|burie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The Britains were diuided into nine compa|nies, three in the fore ward, thrée in the battell, and thrée in the rere ward, with their horssemen and ar|chers, after the maner of the Romans. The Saxons being ranged in one entire battell, valiantlie assai|led them, and notwithstanding the shot of the Bri|tains, yet they brought the matter to the triall of handblowes, till at length by the comming on of the night, the victorie remained doubtfull: and no mar|uell is to be made therof (saith Henrie archdeacon of Huntington) sith the Saxons were men of huge sta|ture, great force, & valiant courage. The same yéere that Kenrike deceassed, Ida the king of Northum|berland also died: he was (as ye haue heard) a right EEBO page image 97 valiant prince, & inlarged the dominion of the Sax|ons greatlie, he ouercame Loth king of the Picts in battell, and Gorran king of Scots.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Also about the yéere of Christ 560,560 Conanus (as yet gouerning the Britains) Irmen [...]ike king of Kent departed this life, of whome ye haue heard be|fore, & Ethelbert his sonne succéeded him 52 yéeres. Then after that the foresaid thrée princes were dead (as before ye haue heard)Hen. Hunt. they had that succéeded them in their estates as here followeth. After Ken|rike, his sonne Ceaulinus or Cheuling succéeded in gouernement of the Westsaxons: and after Ida, one Ella or Alla reigned in Northumberland: after Irmenrike followed his sonne Ethelbert in rule o|uer the Kentish Saxons.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This Ethelbert in processe of time grew to be a mightie prince, but yet in the begining of his reigne he had but sorie successe against some of his enimies: for hauing to doo with the foresaid Cheuling king of Westsaxons,Hen. Hunt. A [...]d. Wip|handune. he was of him ouercome in battell at Wilbasdowne, where he lost two of his dukes or cheefe capteins, beside other people. This was the first battell that was fought betwixt the Saxons, one against another within this land, after their first comming into the same. And this chanced in the yere of our Lord 567, being the second yéere of the empe|rour Iustinus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 ABout the yéere 570,570. Cutha. Cutha the brother of king Cheuling fought with the Britains at Bed|ford, vanquished them, [...]ilsburie. 581 & tooke from them 4 townes, Liganbrough, Eglesbrough or Ailsburie, Besing|ton, and Euesham. Also about the yéere of our Lord 581, the foresaid king Cheuling incountered with the Britains at a place called Diorth, and obteining the vpper hand, tooke from them the cities of Bath, Glocester, and Cirencester. At this battell fought at Diorth, were present thrée kings of the Britains, whose names were these: Coinmagill, Candidan, and Farimnagill, which were slaine there through the permission of almightie God as then refusing his people, the which through their heinous sinnes and great wickednesses, had most gréeuouslie offended his high and diuine maiestie, as by Gyldas it may e|uidentlie appeare. For they had declined from the lawes of the Lord, and were become abhominable in his sight, euen from the prince to the poore man, from the priest to the Leuit, so that not one estate among them walked vprightlie, but contrarie to dutie was gone astray, by reason whereof the righteous God had giuen them ouer as a prey to their enimies.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Also in the latter end of Malgos daies or about the first beginning of the reigne of his successor Ca|reticus,His brother as Matt. West. saith. Cheuling and his sonne Cutwine fought with the Britains at a place called Fechanley or Fedanley, or (as some bookes haue) Frithenlie, where Cutwine was slaine,H. Hunt. & the Englishmen chased: but yet Cheuling repairing his armie, wan the victorie, and chasing the Britains, tooke from them manie countries, and wan great riches by the spoile. But Matth. West. saith,Matt. West. that the victorie aboad with the Britains, and that the Saxons were chased quite out of the field. The Scotish writers record, that their king Aidan (who is noted to haue béene the 49 suc|cessiuelie possessing the regiment of that land, part|lie with griefe of hart for the death of Columba a graue and wise gentleman, whome he tenderlie lo|ued, and partlie with age [for he was growne horie|headed, and had reigned 34 yéeres] ended his life) was there in aid of the Britains, and Brudeus king of the Picts (betwixt whom and the said Aidan a sore battell was fought) in aid of the Saxons: but the same writers name the place Deglaston, where this battell was made, and the forces of both sides by a sharpe incounter tried.