6.19. Adelstane succeedeth his father Ed|ward in the kingdome, Alfred practising by treason to keepe him from the gouerne|ment, sanke downe suddenlie as he was taking his oth for his purgation; the cause why Alfred opposed himselfe against Adelstane, whose praise is notable, what he did to satisfie the expectation of his people, ladie Beatrice king Edwards daughter maried to Sithrike a Danish gouernor of the Northumbers, by whose meanes Edwin king Edwards brother was drowned, practises of treason, the ladie Beatrice strangelie put to death by hir stepsons for being of coun|sell to poison hir husband Sithrike, hir death reuenged vpon the tormentors by hir father king Edward, and how chronographers varie in the report of this historie. The xix. Chapter.

Adelstane succeedeth his father Ed|ward in the kingdome, Alfred practising by treason to keepe him from the gouerne|ment, sanke downe suddenlie as he was taking his oth for his purgation; the cause why Alfred opposed himselfe against Adelstane, whose praise is notable, what he did to satisfie the expectation of his people, ladie Beatrice king Edwards daughter maried to Sithrike a Danish gouernor of the Northumbers, by whose meanes Edwin king Edwards brother was drowned, practises of treason, the ladie Beatrice strangelie put to death by hir stepsons for being of coun|sell to poison hir husband Sithrike, hir death reuenged vpon the tormentors by hir father king Edward, and how chronographers varie in the report of this historie. The xix. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 _ADelstane the eldest sonne of king Edward began his reigne ouer the more part of all England, Adelstan. Matt. West. Will. Malmes. the yéere of our Lord 924,924 which was in the 6 yere of the emperour Hen|rie the first, in the 31 yéere of the reigne of Charles surna|med Simplex king of France, thrée moneths after the burning of Pauie, & about the 22 or 23 yéere of Constantine the third, king of Scotland. This A|delstane EEBO page image 154 was crowned and consecrated king at Kingstone vpon Thames, of Aldelme the archbishop of Canturburie, who succéeded Pleimond. He was the 24 king in number from Cerdicus or Cerdike the first king of the Westsaxons.Alfred stri|ueth in vaine to kéepe Adel|stane from the gouernment. W [...]l. Malm. See more hereof in the acts and mo|numents set foorth by M. Fox, vol. 1. leafe 195. There were in the beginning some that set themselues against him, as one Alfred a noble man, which practised by treason to haue kept him from the gouernement: but he was apprehended yer he could bring his purpose to passe, and sent to Rome there to trie himselfe giltie or not giltie. And as he tooke his oth for his purgation be|fore the altar of saint Peter, he suddenlie fell downe to the earth, so that his seruants tooke him vp, and bare him into the English schoole or hospitall, where the third night after he died.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Pope Iohn the tenth sent vnto king Adelstane, to know if he would that his bodie should be laid in christian buriall or not. The king at the contempla|tion of Afreds friends and kinsfolks, signified to the pope that he was contented that his bodie should be interred amongst other christians. His lands be|ing forfeited were giuen by the king vnto God and saint Peter. The cause that mooued Alfred and other his complices against the king, was (as some haue alledged) his bastardie. But whether that allegation were true or but a slander, this is certeine, that ex|cept that steine of his honor, there was nothing in this Adelstane worthie of blame: so that he darke|ned all the glorious same of his predecessors, both in vertuous conditions and victorious triumphs. Such difference is there to haue that in thy selfe wherein to excell, rather than to stand vpon the woorthinesse of thine ancestors, sith that can not rightlie be cal|led a mans owne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After that king Adelstane was established in the estate, he indeuored himselfe to answer the expecta|tion of his people, which hoped for great wealth to in|sue by his noble and prudent gouernance. First ther|fore meaning to prouide for the suertie of his coun|trie,Anno 925. Simon Dun. Polydor. he concluded a peace with Sithrike king of the Northumbers, vnto whome (as ye haue heard) he gaue one of his sisters named Editha in mariage. Sithrike liued not past one yéere after he had so ma|ried hir.Wil. Malm. And then Adelstane brought the prouince of the Northumbers vnto his subiection, expelling one Aldulph out of the same that rebelled against him. There be that write, that Godfrie and Aulafe the sonnes of Sithrike succéeding their father in the go|uernement of Northumberland, by practising to mooue warre against king Adelstane, occasioned him to inuade their countrie, and to chase them out of the same, so that Aulafe fled into Ireland, & God|frie into Scotland:H. Hunt. but other write, that Godfrie was the father of Reignold which wan Yorke, after that Sithrike had slaine his brother Nigellus, as be|fore is mentioned.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 ¶The Scotish chronicles varie in report of these matters from the English writers: Hect. Boetius. The Scotish writers varie from our En|glish authors. Beatrice daughter to K. Edward as the Sco|tish writers say. Edwin was not brother to K. Edward but son to him. whose chronicles affirme, that in the life time of king Edward, his daughter Beatrice was giuen in mariage to Si|thrike, the gouernor of the Danes in Northumber|land, with condition that if anie male were procre|ated in that mariage, the same should inherit the do|minions of king Edward after his decease. King Edward had a brother (as they say) named Edwin, a iolie gentleman, and of great estimation amongst the Englishmen. He by Sithrikes procurement was sent into Flanders in a ship that leaked, and so was drowned, to the great reioising of all the Danes, least if he had suruiued his brother, he would haue made some businesse for the crowne.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 About the same time Adelstane a base sonne of K. Edward fled the realme,Adelstane flieth the realme. for doubt to be made away by some like traitorous practise of the Danes. Short|lie after, king Edward vnderstanding that Sithrike went about some mischiefe toward him, persuaded his daughter to poison hir husband the said Sithrike. Then Aulafe or Aualassus, and Godfrie the sonnes of Sithrike, finding out by diligent examination, that Beatrice was of counsell in poisoning hir hus|band, they caused hir to be apprehended and put to death on this wife.Beatrice put to death by his stepsons. She was set naked vpon a smithes cold anuill or stithie, and there with hard rosted egs being taken out of the hot imbers were put vnder hir armepits, and hir armes fast bound to hir bodie with a cord, and so in that state she remai|ned till hir life passed from hir. King Edward in re|uenge of his daughters death mooued warre against the two brethren, Aulafe and Godfrie, and in battell finallie vanquished them, but was slaine in the same battell himselfe.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Thus haue the Scotish chronicles recorded of these matters, as an induction to the warres which followed betwixt the Scots and Danes as confede|rates against king Adelstane: but the truth thereof we leaue to the readers owne iudgement. For in our English writers we find no such matter, but that a daughter of king Edward named Edgitha or E|ditha, after hir fathers deceasse was by hir brother king Adelstane, about the first yéere of his reigne, giuen in mariage (as before ye haue heard) vnto the foresaid Sithrike king of Northumberland, that was descended of the Danish bloud, who for the loue of the yoong ladie, renounced his heathenish religion and became a christian; but shortlie after, forsaking both his wife and the christian faith, he set vp againe the worshipping of idols, and within a while after, as an apostata miserablie ended his life. Whervpon the yoong ladie,Editha a virgine. hir virginitie being preserued, and hir bodie vndefiled (as they write) passed the residue of hir daies at Polle swoorth in Warwikeshire, spen|ding hir time (as the same writers affirme) in fa|sting, watching, praieng, and dooing of almesdéedes, and so at length departed out of this world. Thus our writers differ from the Scotish historie, both in name and maner of end as concerning the daugh|ter of king Edward that was coupled in mariage with Sithrike.